More2Love

Dr. Larson is such a wonderful doctor! He's very personable and he listens and takes notes whenever you're in his office. His staff is always willing to take calls or call back as soon as they get a chance. JFK offers two meetings a month to get together and socialize with fellow bandsters. The whole office is completely laid back and I'm never nervous or anxious before check-ups. I would recommend them 100% - not a doubt in my mind!

So basicially I've been up and down with my emotions as of late. My thoughts always revolve around my weight and what others are thinking of me. I had my surgery May 18, 2011 and have lost 73 lbs. I went from weighing 316 to 243! That's great, but I still have way more to go. I would love to get around 170 lbs. And because I've put that number in my head I still see myself 73 lbs heavier. I notice that my jeans went down from a tight 22 to a 16, but my mentality hasn't changed yet. However, today at the gym, i caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and hardly recognized myself. I'm 5'9" so 243 is heavy, but it's definitely better than 316. I just kept looking at myself! I think that it's finally clicked that I'm no longer 316 lbs. I'm beginning to realize that I look good and I'm going to continue working hard just to keep this satisfaction going. 170 lbs is just a number and it shouldn't really be my goal. My goal should be when I finally feel well and when my health has improved. So in Charlie Sheen's point of view, I'm now definitely "winning!"

Hey! You're doing great! My band is definitely tight in the morning so I bring a protein shake with me on my way to school/ work. I have to sip, sip, sip but it goes down better than actual food. Then around lunch time I'll eat some solid food just to tide me over. But I definitely know what you mean - it feels like you're having a heart attack when you're stuck! UGH! I was banded in May and still have those episodes every once in a while! Yuck. Anyway, good job with everything and it really seems like you're completely dedicated so that's great.

I watch newtoy4kt religiously on youtube. She's actually one of the main inspirations I had in the process of deciding if this was right for me. She's brutally honest and a true encouragement. I started watching her when she first started making videos - almost 2 years ago. Her change is remarkable and she's still making videos!

A lot of surgeons tell you how much you'll lose but they're only going by statistics. Be more than a statistic. My doctor told me that I was only going to get to 224. That's not okay to me. And I'm only talking for myself. I personally want to get a lower number than that. So I'm going to shoot for 170. I know I can do it. My surgery was May 18, 2011 and I've already lost 65 lbs. I'm going to keep going until I reach his goal. And then I'll keep going until I get into the 100's. And then I'll keep going until 170. And you know what? I'll keep going until I am comfortable. I do plan on losing more than 100 lbs. Because determination and hard work goes a lot longer than just a few statistics. Besides, you're young... you only get this life once so why not make it the best you can? But here is some truth: The band isn't going to lose the weight for you. If you've been going to the gym religiously and havne't had much success then the band isn't going to drop the weight. Eating veggies is going to be a way of life because most foods (starchy) aren't going to go down the "pipe." Fruit, veggies, and lean meats are my daily foods now. Maybe meet with the surgeon and your dietician and tell them about the situation. They'd love to hear about it. I wish you the best with whatever decision you make!!

I think it varies from person to person. Some people don't lose much because it's only been a couple weeks since surgery. But some people lose a whole bunch. It just depends on if you cheated, the amount of weight a person needed to shed, the way your body responded to the surgery, etc. I personally lost 25 lbs before seeing my doctor again, but every experience is different