Seanamw

Beautiful post! Thank you!

OK, I remember vividly last year's Triathlon; my son's first and a chance for my husband, daughter & myself to volunteer for cancer victims. I can remember how completely out of place I felt, even with all the volunteers....the fattest person waddling amongst thousands of athletes. I had my camera & took shots of everyone being active & participating, while my body ached from all the effort. I felt so disconnected, so out of place. I hated that day, first time ever to admit it. I was so envious of all the regular people who took a huge leap and committed themselves to something way outside their comfort zone! I wanted to be out there with them...but I could barely walk. As I said, I will never forget that day. And now a year later, that day is coming again. This year, I am not just 65 pounds lighter, but I am leg 2 of the triathlon on a team raising money for a 4 year old boy who has cancer! Same team my son raced for last year! I have had to walk away from this blog several times because I keep crying! I am so happy to be where I am health wise and so happy to be able to contribute! This has absolutely been a life changing experience for me. I am so thankful. What a difference a year makes!

My doctor just warned me about "empty calories". Be careful though, I found out the hard way that I cannot handle an entire bottle of wine by myself at Bunco like I did before being banded! I suffered for days!!!

I normally eat chicken or fish, some kind of veggie and a half a cup of Uncle Ben's whole grain brown rice (they microwave in 90 seconds and come in a variety of flavors). I cannot do pastas anymore, or bread. Congrats on the loss!

My fills have been very, very conservative. I think my first fill was 0.5 cc. I can eat about a cup then my body says STOP. If you are eating like you used to, it sounds like you may need a fill, but ask for a small one. I am pretty certain I am at the right restriction because I do not get hungry (still working on eating because I am bored though!). If food is getting stuck, its not a good sign, you may have too much restriction OR it may be the kind of food you are eating. I cannot eat things like eggs, romaine lettuce, or shrimp since being banded, even if it is less than 1/2 cup. My body rejects it almost immediately. I get hiccups when air gets mixed in when I swallow. My largest weight ammount lost was in the first 2 months like you. Is the scale still going down? Mine has been slow...fast...plateau...but never up so I am happy (down 65 since July). I think you are doing great! Be patient and listen to your body. Good luck & keep us posted on your success!

OK, size 12 means different things to different people. To me it means "I'm there", "I'm normal". So I am still a good 20 pounds away from what me & my doctor thing I should weigh, size 12 is still unreachable in my mind. Today my hubby & I went to the mall out of boardom and he found some things for me to try on..."What size are you now?" he asked..."12!" I said knowing noooooo way. I got in the dressing room & just for laughs tried on one of the 12's...it fit, they all fit. Holy crap, I have not fit in a 12 for over 15 years. They must have changed the way they size things, right?

There isn't anything you can say to someone that dumb because they have already desided. You know the truth along with millions more of us, and that's all that matters!

The best of luck to you! And do this for yourself above everything else, you being happy with you will make everything else in your life fall in to place. Keep posting so we can follow your success!!!

I can't believe it has been 7 months already! It feels like an entire life time ago that I went under the knife and got the band. I had a rough patch from November to mid February...I only lost 10 pounds. So here is what the old me would have done - give up, knowing that I will never get to my "goal" and decide that I look OK at that weight...then eventually gain everything back. Here's what the new me did - got tired of the scale eaking slowly down, changed my menu (I had been eating a lot of the same stuff every day, not bad stuff, just all the same) got back to the gym with a workout buddy (I had been blowing off my workouts, she makes me accountable!) and BAM...5 pounds gone in 2 weeks! It feels great to be back on track! My kids never said anything about my weight to me, even as I am loosing. They do say things like "Before you had surgery, you never did anything with us" and my favorite from my son "Why do you always look so nice?". I do do more things with my kids because I love to be out and alive, not hidden in my house. I can move; simple acts like getting in and out of the car are no longer an issue for me! And I do dress nice every day! No more huge t-shirts and whatever ugly pair of Capris fit me best and flip flops. Clothes fit me and look good on me for the first time in years, even shoes fit me better. I let my hair stylist update my very 80's hair cut; I now have short hair! Something I would never have done 7 months ago. My husband says he loves having his hot wife back. I can't begin to describe all of the changes I have been through. I still have issues to work through, but they are not nearly as overwhelming as they were 7 months ago. I have slowly chipped away at my bad habits and have replaced them with good ones. I am close to my original goal and may lower it when I get there, and that doesn't freak me out.. Life is good!

Yes, happened to me for no apparent reason, even liquids hurt...but then I got my period and everything was fine. Its been about 5 weeks since my last fill, so I am assuming it is hormonal! My restriction is perfect now.

I love Progresso's light soups. You can spice them up with anything!

Your surgeon should really be advising you on this, but since he's not...... 1. I started with plain chicken broth, it's all I could really stomach for about three days. As I felt stronger I added Adkins protein shakes and lived on them for 2 weeks. 2. Walk, walk & walk some more to get rid of the gas pains! Gas-x strips do help, too. 3. Red Bull is not good for you at any time. Treat your new tummy with love & respect! You are young and will bounce back quickly. Start using exercise as a way to energize yourself. The best of luck to you! Please keep us posted on your progress!

Thank you to both of you! I love the support I get here! And Disney, wow, I am so proud of you and how far you have come! I have taken your very wise words and will use them! Thank you, so very much!

OK, so I have been avoiding my blog for a while. Why? Because I don't have my normal "everything is going great" things to write. Truth is, I have not been a good bandster for a while....learned how to eat & drink around the band. So, in trying to break old habits, I am going to put my bad stuff out there instead of hiding from it and pretending it doesn't exist. So where to start....one example; I found that I have trouble with grilled chicken breast, gets stuck easily and can be painful. Then I found that chicken in a burrito with beans & bad bad cheese doesn't give me any problems. So I am back at my favorite Mexican place that helped get me to over 240 in the first place. I have also found that if dinner gives me issues, the wine I have with it doesn't so having a liquid dinner is getting a little too easy. I have also slacked off with exercising. I have gained 4 pounds for the first time since being banded. Not the direction I need to go. So why? What the heck, WHY? I KNOW better for crying out loud! I am 20...no wait, now make that 24...pounds from my goal! The holidays aren't an excuse, I did have a fabulous Thanksgiving and haven't been tempted at parties or anything like that. This is just me not letting me reach my goal. Why? Where is my earlier resolve, that drive I had even before I got banded. Why is the old me rearing it's ugly head again? I surgically altered my body to get rid of that part of me, and she just won't leave! Time to delve a little deeper, time to get back to basics, crap...here I go again. I knew this was a journey when I signed up, I just thought I was stronger this time and wouldn't face so many hills along the way.

Great post! And so true about the whole "respect the band". I needed to hear that today, thank you! You are doing great!!!

You look amazing!!! Way to go!!!

Beautiful post! So true and so inspiring!!!

Read my blog section "what not to do during your first fill" The first fill is really, REALLY, not a big deal.....don't take the shot so it doesn't hurt because it really doesn't hurt, and don't panic because it makes your new tummy get mad! Good luck!

Your comments are right on...so true!

So glad you did so well on vacation! I have so missed your posts! You will get through the next 2 holidays and come out a champ!!!!

Great post! And great attitude! And you are so lucky to have such a supportive husband! Please keep us posted on your progress!

Hang in there sweety! I feel your frustration, I totally do. Please, please, please be patient. Go through all the steps you need to and you WILL get there! This truly is a life changing operation and if it means you have to wait a few months, then its just a few months compared to years of not having anything!

You make me laugh! And thank you, because laughter is a good ab workout! I am so happy you are being so positive and strong, and way to go on finding a work out you can do! Keep it up girl!!! I am so proud of you!!!

First, congratulations on your success! 73 pounds in 8 months is remarkable!!! Please don't be so hard on yourself and forgive yourself when you fall short of your own expectations. That can be self defeating and make you go the other way. When I feel overwhelmed with anything, be it charting my food, paying attention to portions or even cleaning my house, I try and break it down into small tasks. Maybe this week work on keeping track of breakfast only. Once that becomes like a habit, then add lunch and so on. I use www.myfitnesspal.com It's super easy and charts everything for you. And remember, give yourself a huge pat on the back because your definitely are doing something right!