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1. Don't worry about losing weight after the first surgery pounds fall off. It usually takes three months and several fills after surgery for the physician to fill the band enough such that it gives you really great restriction. Many people lose 20 lbs right after surgery, and put back on 5 or 10 lbs before the band has been filled enough. Those pounds will definately come off again. 2. Stay away from alcoholic beverages, they are enjoyable and a source of comfort, but it will significantly slow your weight gain. 3. I can no longer enjoy a beer. The carbonation is such that it prevents me from eating anything on my plate. 4. Don't view the lap band as the magic band. You still have to help it work by changing some bad habits. Here are my bad habits: alcoholic beverages, popcorn and eating while watching the television. The lap band does not prohibit my intake of either alcohol or popcorn (for that matter, anything that is crispy and crunchy I can still consume in large quantities). Therefore, I must keep the beverages and popcorn out of my house. The lap band does not prevent me from watching television. in summary, if you had bad behaviors before the lap band, you will have bad behaviors after the lap band. 5. The lap band does work!! Even if you are a horrible cheater like me. While my weight loss is not as fast as I want, I have pretty much done everything to cheat it, but I have still lost weight, and am not gaining it. Want to know anymore?

Last Friday 5/29/09 was one day post op. I weighed 197.7. Today 6/5/09 I weigh 189.4. YEAAAA!!! I am on thicker liquids this week. I hope the scale continues to go down. A lot of Banders complain about weight gain.

Hi All! I just wanted to check in and wish everyone all the best with their weight loss experiences and successes. I was banded on the 19th September last year and have lost 30kgs (about 65 pounds). I am so happy I had this procedure and really feel like I am on a 'new' track of life. Everyone's experience is unique and I have had my ups and downs, plateaus, vomitting, PBing, weight gain and all the 'normal' things along the way... but I am on my way as you all are or will be. Good luck to you all and here's to slimmer, healthier and happier us! Gabs x

hi anyone.. i only just stumbled across this site.. i wasn't sure if i would be able to find anyone who could relate to me or would want to talk to me.. im 21, ive been morbidly obese for the majority of my child and teenhood. i suffer from Polycystic Ovarian Disease which is said to of caused the majority of my weight gain, Severe depression.. i say due to my weight as i have been fat since i was 4 and have seen a dietician since i was 9.. i feel so alone, my family some of whom are large but don't seem to go through the same thing i do, and i don't have many friends or a best friend that i can talk to. My parter of 14months is the closest thing i have and he just wants the best for me. after trying nearly every diet known to man, lapband is now the last resort. i am seeing a lapband specialist in two weeks after all other specialists for my back problems, polycystic and sleep specialists have reccommended. i am so scared as i have seen the negative side of the surgery in my moms ex best friend but also the positives in my partners mom. i am scared that i will not lose much weight by doing this and that is my greatest fear. i need to lose nearly 50kgs.. nearly half my body weight to be at what my dietician deems my optimum weight. i just wish i had someone to talk to so i didn't feel so alone despite the fact i know there are thousands apon thousands of people suffering aswell i just don't seem to be able to find any to talk to.. i would really love to hear stories from others and anyone interested in talking to me and guiding through the process.. I hope everyone is having a beautiful day and that things go great for you all! Kind regards, Sammy p.s. my email is missdillon@live.com.au and my msn is xox1misled_angelxox1@hotmail.com

I was also banded on 5/18 and have gained around 4 pounds since surgery. Although it is very frustrating you have to hang in their. I had to do a 2 week preop diet and my dr assures me that since I am eating regularly that is why there is weight gain. I realize this is a slow process and it is hard to change years of bad habits. Hang in there, you can do it.

they wont check the gym..atleast mine didnt i didnt even join a gym i just told them what activity i did and they documented it on my charts....that seems to be the key in approval....make sure that the nurse practitioner or pcp is just documenting u making the efforts to change ur eating habits and that ur making the attempt to be active.....i just told my pcp tht i went walking like 4x's a week for 30 minutes....and provided the doc office a food diary stating everything i ate....i still had a bad food atleast once a week listed ont he diary but i made sure to show healthy eating habits on the diary mostly... these insurance loops are to see just how serious the patient is in loosing weight if they're considering paying thousands of dollars...if i were u if u want to be approved stick to the doc visits but dont go eating super healthy and exercising hardcore...just cut back on the bad things now that u will miss when banded...that will atleast help u maintain the 40 bmi....i was exactly 40 bmi and i actually put on weight just to make sure i dont go below....kinda regret it now cuz i went overboard on the weight gain......but hopefully i will have surgery in 2 weeks....

Wow, why are you only eating 500 calories? That is not enough so I agree that you should up your calories a little more. At least to 1000. Or, instead of listening to us...could you ask your nutritionist? But, like others have mentioned...this temporary plateau or weight gain during the first few weeks after surgery is normal! Dont stress. It happened to most of us:)

Good for you on getting off the soda! It can be really difficult kicking the caffeine habit and giving up something you've been drinking forever. You will feel better. Don't worry too much about the weight gain at this point. I know it can be very discouraging. But you are improving your overall health by getting off the Dew. Your teeth and bones will thank you in later years! Also, congratulations on your weight loss so far! You are a true inspiration! :wub:

The same thing happened to me and I was about to go bonkers. Thanks to friends on this site, I kept my cool!! I called my surgeon's office about it and they referred me to my PCP. Went there and it turns out that I'm highly sensitive to sodium. Which I pretty much already knew. I've always had "puffy" feet and hands and that totally went away the week after surgery. Pretty much because I couldn't eat or drink anything. I probably got 64 oz of Fluid in for the entire week instead of per day. As soon as I went to mushies, I started to gain a pound per day. Not cute and quite frustrating since I lost 15 the first week! My PCP was floored by that and said it wasn't good. Needless to say, because of this and my fluctuating blood pressure, I was given a diuretic to take as needed. Since I've started that regimen, I've started to lose again. I say all this to say...it's normal. While yours may not be sodium sensitivy, the minor weight gain is okay. Hold tight until your fill...you'll be fine!! Take care!

I'm fat because even if I woke up at 10am and ate, if it was 12pm I'd eat lunch and then 6pm I would eat dinner even if I wasn't hungry. My portion sizes where ridiculous and overall my doctors where the result of my weight gain. I've been on prednisone on and off since I was 10 and anyone that's been on it knows that a side affect is weight gain. I was one of those unlucky ones. I'm not saying that the doctors are to blame overall for my weight gain but most of it is - And they even acknowledge that.

Quick question.... I was banded on May 18th...surgery weight was 222...Last Wednesday (May 27th) I was down to 205... Over the last week, I have gained 4 pounds! I have progressed to a pureed diet...but my calories are at about 500 per day...I am walking every night with intensity. Has anyone had a similar experience...it's kind of depressing. Thanks.:wub:

food allowance". The Latin word diaeta and Greek word diaita mean "a way of life, a regimen". According to Medilexicon`s medical dictionary, a diet means "1. Food and drink in general. 2. A prescribed course of eating and drinking in which the amount and kind of food, as well as the times at which it is to be taken, are regulated for therapeutic purposes. 3. Reduction of caloric intake so as to lose weight. 4. To follow any prescribed or specific diet." In this article "diet" refers to a food and drink consumption regime with the aim to either lose weight, to prevent weight gain, or a lifestyle and philosophy. We selected the most popular diets according to three criteria: 1. How many articles there are around about these diets/lifestyles. 2. How popular they seem to be generally. 3. How often we receive feedback on them. Below you can see a list of the seven diets, some information about each one, and links to more information. Atkins The Atkins Diet, or Atkins Nutritional Approach, focuses on controlling the levels of insulin in our bodies through diet. If we consume large amounts of refined carbohydrates our insulin levels will rise rapidly, and then fall rapidly. Rising insulin levels will trigger our bodies to store as much of the energy we eat as possible - it will also make it less likely that our bodies use stored fat as a source of energy. Most people on the Atkins Diet will consume a higher proportion of Proteins than they normally do. The Zone The Zone Diet aims for a nutritional balance of 40% carbohydrates, 30% fats, and 30% Protein each time we eat. The focus is also on controlling insulin levels, which result in more successful weight loss and body weight control. The Zone Diet encourages the consumption of good quality carbohydrates - unrefined carbohydrates, and fats, such as olive oil, avocado, and nuts. Vegetarian There are various types of vegetarian - Lacto vegetarian, Fruitarian vegetarian, Lacto-ovo-vegetarian, Living food diet vegetarian, Ovo-vegetarian, Pescovegetarian, and Semi-vegetarian. The majority of vegetarians are lacto-ovovegetarians, in other words, they do not eat animal-based foods, except for eggs, dairy, and honey. Several studies over the last few years have shown that vegetarians have a lower body weight, suffer less from diseases, and generally have a longer life expectancy than people who eat meat. Vegan Veganism is more of a way of life and a philosophy than a diet. A vegan does not eat anything that is animal based, including eggs, dairy, and honey. Vegans do not generally adopt veganism just for health reasons, but also for environmental and ethical/compassionate reasons. Vegans believe that modern intensive farming methods are bad for our environment and unsustainable in the long term. If all our food were plant based our environment would benefit, animals would suffer less, more food would be produced, and people would generally enjoy better physical and mental health, vegans say. Weight Watchers Weight Watchers focuses on losing weight through diet, exercise, and a support network. Weight Watchers Inc. was born in the 1960s when a homemaker (housewife) who had lost some weight and was concerned she might put it back on. So, she created a network of friends. Weight Watchers is a huge company, with branches all over the world. Dieters can join either physically, and attend regular meetings, or online. In both cases there is a great deal of support and education available for the dieter. South Beach The South Beach Diet was started by a cardiologist, Dr. Agatston, and a nutritionist, Marie Almon. It also focuses on the control of insulin levels, and the benefits of unrefined slow carbohydrates versus fast carbs. Dr. Agatston devised the South Beach Diet during the 1990s because he was disappointed with the low-fat, high-carb diet backed by the American Heart Association. He believed and found that low-fat regimes were not effective over the long term. Raw Food The Raw Food Diet, or Raw Foodism, involves consuming foods and drinks which are not processed, are completely plant-based, and ideally organic. Raw Foodists generally say that at least three-quarters of your food intake should consist of uncooked food. A significant number of raw foodists are also vegans - they do not eat or drink anything which is animal based. There are four main types of raw foodists: 1. Raw vegetarians. 2. Raw vegans. 3. Raw omnivores. 4. Raw carnivores. Mediterranean The Mediterranean Diet is Southern European, and more specifically focuses on the nutritional habits of the people of Crete, Greece, and southern Italy. Nowadays, Spain, southern France, and Portugal are also included; even though Portugal does not touch the Mediterranean Sea. The emphasis is on lots of plant foods, fresh fruits as dessert, Beans, nuts, cereals, seeds, olive oil as the main source of dietary fats, cheese and yogurts are the main dairy foods, moderate amounts of fish and poultry, up to about four eggs per week, small amounts of red meat, and low/moderate amounts of wine. 25% to 35% of the Mediterranean diet consists of fat, with saturated fats not exceeding 8% of calorie intake. News on Nutrition / Diet For the latest news and research on Nutrition / Diet, please visit our Nutrition / Diet news section. Written by Christian Nordqvist Original article date: 11 Feb 2004 Article updated: 12 May 2009

I was banded on 5/12 and lost 10 lbs by the time I had my first f/u. I am due a fill on 6/18, however, I have not lost another pound since 5/21 my f/u. I have type II diabetes and am on an insulin pump. Have you considered being tested for insulin resistance? This can cause weight loss to stall as your body is not using the insulin you produce properly. This can also cause weight gain - even if you are eating 1200- 1500 calories a day. Don't give up, ask them to test your hemoglobin A1C - if it is between 6.0 and 8.0, you probably need glucophage to jumpstart your body into using insulin properly. This will assist you in your weight loss also. Talk with your doctor.

God bless that doctor for truly understanding PCOS! Every doctor should memorize that statement. We've all been told for years that 'calories in vs. calories out' = weight loss or weight gain. Not true for PCOS sufferers. We hold on to everything. Anyways, off of my soap box. I would like to encourage you by telling you that I am a 49 yr. old woman with PCOS. I had my lapband surgery in September 2008 and I have now lost 80 pounds. Totally unbelievable because the most I have ever lost on my own is maybe 25 pounds. And that was with dieting and a cardio work out 1 hour a day 6 days a week. I've had an excellent experience so far with the lap band and I wish you the same and even better luck. PCOS women can lose weight with the lap band.

Hello, I am 40 and live in the Washington D.C. area. I have a BMI of 35.5 or 36, depending on how I list my hieght (5 foot 2 vs. 5 foot 3). I also have weight-related Depression and very high blood pressure, so high that I've gone to the ER twice. I want the band, and want to be sure I get approved. I have Aetna. The first thing I want to know is: will they approve wls, and will they allow lap-banding. If yes, how much will they pay. I think the most efficient way to find out is to call them, but will this raise a flag that sets them looking for ways to deny? Should I simply start by going to the doc? I can def. document this weight, plus weight loss attempts that at first succeed, but ultimately fail when I gain back all the weight. Also, i am on medications for depression that cause weight gain by increasing hunger. Will that be an obstacle, either in terms of approval or in terms of success for the band? My weight definitely causes and worsens Depression symptoms, easily documented by my psychiatrist and therapist. Please forgive me if these things are addressed in existing forum questions; I have searched but haven't seen my specific concerns show up. Can anyone advise me about any of the above? Thank you!

I have had problems with my band tightening on its own. Last year I had some fluid taken out and then promptly gained 10 pounds. Eventually, I had just a little less than my max amount added back in and I was just fine for months. Now, I never know if I am going to have a good day or bad day but I have been toughing it out because I am afraid of another weight gain if I get any saline taken out. I have never even concidered that it could be hormone related! I asked my doctor who said he has had some experience with the band tightening on its own but he said they cannot explain exactly why. He is very knowledgable in this field. What makes yall think it is hormone related? I am very curious!

This will be my first blog here, so I'll briefly introduce myself to the world of blog-readers, though it may be small. I'm 29 (until a week from tomorrow) and I had surgery on March 6, 2009. I have an Allergan 4cc band placed in Juarez, Mexico by Dr. Jose Rodriguez. Before I decided to have the surgery, I was at my heaviest ever. Shortly after losing 30 pounds or so on Atkins, I started re-gaining weight very quickly; roughly 70 pounds in just a few months following my parent's breakup. Nothing had ever affected me as profoundly as when my parents split up - not even my own divorce. Anyway, one day at 272 (my highest weight) I realized I had fat hands, which I had never had in all my 25+ years of being overweight They were so plump that they dimpled in at the knuckles. I snapped and realized I had a closet full of clothes that didn't fit anymore, and ankle pain every morning when my feet hit the floor. I dreaded that ankle pain every time the alarm clock woke me up. I truly believe I had (have) a food addiction. I would go to McDonald's with my kids, eat my meal (often with dessert) and wait for my kids to finish so I could glean what was left of their happy meals. A couple of nuggets, an extra order of fries. I would eat it all, and it didn't matter if the fries were cold. I once confided in my good friend that I had a food addiction. She thought I was joking and we laughed about it, but deep inside I knew it was true and that I had to do something. I did a quick search for food addiction on the internet and I found a video advertisement of a young lady who had lapband. I thought she was so beautiful, and her story was so much like my own - heavy all her life. There are some things about having had the surgery that I hate. But for the most part, I love that I made the decision to get the band. For example, I hate that I told so many people because I can't stand when someone says, "You can't eat that, can you?" UGH!! lol. "Watch me!" :biggrin: If you're reading this and thinking about having the surgery, consider who you tell. Some people love to tell everyone, and they have that screw-you attitude. I'm not quite as resilient. I wish I hadn't confided in as many people as I did. Another thing is - be ready for criticism. People will tell you you're taking the easy way out. (Lemme tell ya - this is anything BUT easy. The band will make you confront demons you never knew you had. It will force you to think about everything that you put in your mouth. It will cause - at times - physical pain like you've never experienced. It will sometimes scare the heck outta you). Others will say "shouldn't you have lost more weight by now?" or "is it healthy to lose weight that fast?" "why don't you just get that thing taken out?" "I couldn't live with that thing inside of me" all with a sly attitude about them, of course. I had one friend who said, "well, I'm not big enough to have lapband, I just need to lose about 50 pounds," while she was (is) morbidly obese. I think this was her way of telling me she wasn't near as fat as me. In my part of the country, we have a name for those kinds of people - haters. What I love: I LOVE that I've lost nearly 40 pounds and I'm back to feeling like me. I LOVE that soon I won't feel like myself anymore because I'll be an all-new-to-me thin person! I've never been thin, and at my least-fat, I was 198 pounds. (After some serious weight loss, I celebrated breaking 200 by gaining it all back. Go figure.) I LOVE that I always only order the kid-size meal when we go out, and I can't finish it. Now my kids eat my leftovers. :thumbup: I LOVE that my ankles don't hurt every morning, and my clothes are starting to fit again. I LOVE that all the fat clothes I had bought to accommodate my weight gain are now too big for me. And for the first time in my life, I know I won't be fat forever. There is light at the end of this tunnel. I used to say that I was just destined to be a big girl. I LOVE that I don't believe that anymore.

This will be my first blog here, so I'll briefly introduce myself to the world of blog-readers, though it may be small. I'm 29 (until a week from tomorrow) and I had surgery on March 6, 2009. I have an Allergan 4cc band placed in Juarez, Mexico by Dr. Jose Rodriguez. Before I decided to have the surgery, I was at my heaviest ever. Shortly after losing 30 pounds or so on Atkins, I started re-gaining weight very quickly; roughly 70 pounds in just a few months following my parent's breakup. Nothing had ever affected me as profoundly as when my parents split up - not even my own divorce. Anyway, one day at 272 (my highest weight) I realized I had fat hands, which I had never had in all my 25+ years of being overweight They were so plump that they dimpled in at the knuckles. I snapped and realized I had a closet full of clothes that didn't fit anymore, and ankle pain every morning when my feet hit the floor. I dreaded that ankle pain every time the alarm clock woke me up. I truly believe I had (have) a food addiction. I would go to McDonald's with my kids, eat my meal (often with dessert) and wait for my kids to finish so I could glean what was left of their happy meals. A couple of nuggets, an extra order of fries. I would eat it all, and it didn't matter if the fries were cold. I once confided in my good friend that I had a food addiction. She thought I was joking and we laughed about it, but deep inside I knew it was true and that I had to do something. I did a quick search for food addiction on the internet and I found a video advertisement of a young lady who had lapband. I thought she was so beautiful, and her story was so much like my own - heavy all her life. There are some things about having had the surgery that I hate. But for the most part, I love that I made the decision to get the band. For example, I hate that I told so many people because I can't stand when someone says, "You can't eat that, can you?" UGH!! lol. "Watch me!" If you're reading this and thinking about having the surgery, consider who you tell. Some people love to tell everyone, and they have that screw-you attitude. I'm not quite as resilient. I wish I hadn't confided in as many people as I did. Another thing is - be ready for criticism. People will tell you you're taking the easy way out. (Lemme tell ya - this is anything BUT easy. The band will make you confront demons you never knew you had. It will force you to think about everything that you put in your mouth. It will cause - at times - physical pain like you've never experienced. It will sometimes scare the heck outta you). Others will say "shouldn't you have lost more weight by now?" or "is it healthy to lose weight that fast?" "why don't you just get that thing taken out?" "I couldn't live with that thing inside of me" all with a sly attitude about them, of course. I had one friend who said, "well, I'm not big enough to have lapband, I just need to lose about 50 pounds," while she was (is) morbidly obese. I think this was her way of telling me she wasn't near as fat as me. In my part of the country, we have a name for those kinds of people - haters. What I love: I LOVE that I've lost nearly 40 pounds and I'm back to feeling like me. I LOVE that soon I won't feel like myself anymore because I'll be an all-new-to-me thin person! I've never been thin, and at my least-fat, I was 198 pounds. (After some serious weight loss, I celebrated breaking 200 by gaining it all back. Go figure.) I LOVE that I always only order the kid-size meal when we go out, and I can't finish it. Now my kids eat my leftovers. :thumbup: I LOVE that my ankles don't hurt every morning, and my clothes are starting to fit again. I LOVE that all the fat clothes I had bought to accommodate my weight gain are now too big for me. And for the first time in my life, I know I won't be fat forever. There is light at the end of this tunnel. I used to say that I was just destined to be a big girl. I LOVE that I don't believe that anymore.

I also had my band surgery on 1-22 and have never experienced any weight gain. I lost 18 pounds the first 6 days and have not slowed down much. I have now lost 97 lbs and gone from 54BMI to 32 BMI. As the other person said I lost most of my weight without feeling any or much restriction. I have had 3 fills.

I am scheduled to have my surgery June 8th. My doctor's office requires us to go through a 'nutrition class' that explains how our diet should change after the lap band and what to do to make the liver as healthy as possible before the surgery. I was told that there would be weight loss the first 10 - 14 days after surgery, due to swelling. However, once the swelling goes down, I was told to expect some weight gain and not to let it get me down. One the fills start, the weight gain will start to slow and weight loss will begin once restriction begins to be felt. I was also told I wouldn't feel as restricted via fills as I will from the swelling. They also made a point of telling us that we are responsible for our weight loss. The lap band won't negate the calories in pizza and ice cream, LOL! I'm not saying that your weigh gain is due to improper dieting. It's most likely from the swelling going away. Good luck and don't try to beat the numbers on the scale. I limit myself to one weigh a week. If I weigh myself more, I try to beat the scale and end up sabotaging myself ... not good.

I am fat ..... I wasn't always fat. In high school I was really skinny, active and felt amazing. Then one day I passed out. Just out like a light....when I came to, my chest was killing me and I was freezing. Ambulance called and doctors seen, it was discovered that I had a condition called "Vasodepressorsincopy" a.k.a. abnormality in the reagulation of my blood pressure causing my heart to off be and as a result my blood pressure would plumit, my heart would start to pump harder to compincate and it would be lights out. I was 15 when that happened. I was put on a medication for a long periode of time that as a side affect would cause weight gain. (wasn't told about that until 60 pounds or so gained) The aslo took away ALL physical activity for 2 years until docs were sure that was the problem. I couldn't even walk a golf course! Well you put thoes to things together alone with depression and vwalla FAT! Now I have also developed fibromialgya so not only am I fat now but I feel like someone took a baseball bat to every inch of my body. I feel brused everywere but nobody can see the bruses....my joints hurt and my muscles feel like they have been threw the workout of 10 olypians! But no longer! I am having my surgery in October of this year and I WILL lose the weight. It wont fix the FMS...I will have that for the rest of my life but I will lighten the pain by loseing the weight.

Hello 'Rich'mond Ladies! Finally got some down time...been working and bummin.. Reggie honey u are doing so well, I am just sad I did not get to meet u before surgery, because I wont have anything to compare u with, you are already lookin good! LOL As far as the weight gain, pay no attention to the body on the scale, because it is still healin, recuping and ridding yourself of iv fluids, gas and all from surgery. Just concentrate on walking, water and westin (rest), the weight willll come off! Also remember your body is still adjusting...the stomach, its acids and foods...my stomach would be a grumblin, and growlin so loud, I would go where there was loud music, for it not to be heard! lolol Just stay on the meal plan given from Robin. Something I just learned, did you know that our bodies growl for 'lack of water' too? Hope this helps... Ok for the land of lurkers...I am one too, and although I dont always post (only long ones, lolol, sorry, I am Italian and talk with MY HANDS, lol), I read every post on our thread, and I am so inspired, I have an Omron pedometer (the best kind!) and this morn, I got up and walked...over 5,000 steps...it was beautiful! Riley, what a good new addiction to have! Candra, you go girl with them hills! (They would be mountains to me), By the way, for us shorter ladies, there is where we benefit, I think we get more steps with our shorter strides. lol Oh, then on the way home stopped at neighbor's Garagle Sale... and bought a BRAND new pair of "Heelies" for $5. perfect size! One of my goals is to learn to roller blade with my guyz...so this will be a start (I pray I don't hurt myself, lol) Ok enough for now...Proteiners!

I've been banded almost 4 years now. Like you, I've never really assumed this will be a lifetime thing, I really hope to get 10 years out of it, if nothing better's out there and my band wears out, I wouldnt hesitate to get another. I'm intrigued by the sleeve and I do believe for a lot of people its a better surgery but I dont think I'd swap over, I think I'd get another band. If I were so lucky as to get 20 years out of it, I dont know what I'd do then, whether I'd have any other WLS at all. I really think the longer this goes on, my habits are becoming more and more consolidated. I dont want to be so arrogant as to say that I could have done this without the band, but I am now maintaining my weight on about 1800 to 2000 calories a day which is quite a reasonable amount of food (I have to work REALLY hard to get it all in, but I need it) and I will never give up running, I love it. So I lost 120% of my excess weight and whilst I'm sure I'd have rebound weight gain if I lost my band in even 10 years, I dont think I'd really shoot up to my previous high, which was heavily influenced by being a stay at home mother of young children, something which no longer applies to me. Not sure there. But I do think somewhere in the future they'll work out how to control our appetites, not restrict our stomachs! i dont need an emergency fund, in Australia, if my band slips, wears out, or I just want it out, its pretty much free. Our health insurance covers it, no arguments, no pissfarting around. Its paid for. I paid a once only $3000 fee and I will never pay for any service from my surgeon out of my own pocket again. He bulk bulls everything, so its billed straight to our public health system and my private health will always pay for ANY hospital stay costs.

I have not been gaining. Steady loss here. I was too tight for two months and just sort of stalled. This time it was about 26 hours. I am good now. When I am too tight, I take the healthy food I should be eating normal and blend it in the Bullet. I think that is what held off the weight gain. I am almost to the 60 lb mark! I need to hit it soon!

Thanks Odgemodge and Shoes for your encouragement. Having a weird time getting my head round things. I don't think it's regrets coz I'm really excited about my life ahead, I just know it can only get better as I lose weight, gain a bit more confidence and stop despising myself as much. I'm finding I keep bursting into tears for no reason :thumbup: and i got hauled in front of the bosses today for losing my rag and cursing at another worker. I'm so emotional just now but hopefully it will pass, 30th June seems like a lifetime away. I'm like a shark during a feeding frenzy just now aswell, I think I'm eating all food the for the next year in a week, I'm a chef, so food is all around, ooh that was a Troggs/ Wet, Wet, Wet song wasn't it :w00t: