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Hi Sisters! I miss you all sooo very much. I have been swamped with work - the company, as I said, is being sold, and I've been traveling. I stepped on the scale yesterday morning and was down 6 pounds, so I'm really happy about that. I could tell my clothes were baggy, but I didn't know how much I'd lost. I've had an interesting life lately. I realized I was depressed, so I went back on anti-depressants for a while. They have brightened up my disposition quite a bit. As a result, I'm spring cleaning - throwing TONS of junk away, and getting myself in a better place. I'm exercising daily again, really trying to eat healthy foods (instead of chocolate eggs and sweet potatoes), and go back to basics. I'm journaling again, taking measurements and really focusing on me and my success. With everything that is going on around me, it was easy to fall out of touch with my goals. DS is doing well. He's busy as can be, and his room is next for "spring cleaning." He is the reason my post was cut off. His quick little fingers hit a key on the keyboard, and the screen changed. I thought he hit "backspace" and it took me to the previous screen - had no idea he'd posted. Thank goodness for mid-afternoon naps. The bar in my closet fell, and I got a California Closet put in. I am sorting through clothes that are too big or out of style, and they are getting donated. I'm also putting my smaller sized clothes in those under bed storage units to keep track of as I shrink out of these clothes. I'm still an 18 bottom, 14/16 top. But that should change soon. I look forward to the day when I'm a 16. And then a 14. And then a 12. HAHAH It'll happen. I know it'll happen. And I believe it'll happen before my 1 year anniversary. All things considered, we're only 4 months into this thing. And to have lost 30, 40, 50 pounds (or more) is absolutely astounding. I mean, over the past few weeks I was EATING like I had a hole in my neck, and never gained a pound. That's a NSV in and of itself. In the past I would have put on 10 or more pounds in that same time. I'm so glad to hear that everyone is doing well. I read most of the posts since the last time I was here (before easter!) - and I'm so proud of you all and of your successes. B'man - way to go, girlfriend! You look fabulous! You look happy from the inside. You're 5'7" - what is your goal weight? I'm 5'8" and am still not sure where I ought to end up. At 39, I'm just trying to make it one day at a time. LOL (P.S. I wanna see your friend, too. Being a groupie sounds like a blast!) Steph - you're killin it, girl! I love hearing that you love your body. Shake that size 14 booty, chile! You'll be a 12 in no time. I miss those post-surgery days when I wasn't thinking about food, too. KayDoll - thanks for the pm. Keep up the good work. I know how hard it is to balance everything that you have going on. I'm totally impressed that you're running! Oh man, that is phenomenal. I know I'd blow out my knees and burst a lung if I tried running right now. BooBoo - I'm praying for you and your DH. I wish you both health and speedy recovery. How's the book coming along? BK - happy belated anniversary. How are things going with you? How's your fill? Clau - have you been to Chicago yet? How was your party? What did you end up drinking? And yes, your cousin is a bitch. I would have wanted to punch her in the p*ssy for making such a rude comment. UGH. Reminds me of my mother. Jill - how is DD? OMG, I read your post, and honey, my heart ached for you. I hope you're not experiencing feelings of guilt over that. And I hope my mentioning it isn't making you feel bad. You're both in my prayers. VaB - $500 joining fee? My fat butt. I'm glad you found someone to help you who isn't smoking crack. $500? That made me mad. I hope you have success w/that doc, and I hope they treat you right. If not, ditch 'em. I'm still seeing my friend. It's going well for what it is. We've argued, we've fussed and still we're hanging in there. He's a sweet man, just has some personal issues to deal with, and I'm trying not to get too involved in that. Once I get to a point where I feel better about me, I'm looking to date a bit more, whether it's through match.com or someplace else. Steph - I feel more sexy lately. I certainly have my days. Last week, for instance, I wore red and black to work and felt like Beyonce. There are other days when I feel like Nell Carter. The mind is a powerful entity, for sure. I think once I really get back in my groove, things will feel better from the inside out. 240 is my next goal, and I better hit it by the end of April. No shit. So my Back to Basics campaign is tracking my food intake, going for the solid proteins first, taking my vitamins (which I haven't been doing) and not drinking any wine. I almost broke the no-wine rule the other night when I did my taxes and came up owing the G'vt $5,500. I ended up going to H&R Block and got a refund. It sucks though, because I have to pay state and city taxes. Piss me off. I was going to buy a bicycle this spring, but I can't afford it now. I'm just going to have to stick with the elliptical until I hit 225 and feel comfortable joining a gym. Guys at work have been trying to get me to join their gym. I just laugh, but in my mind I'm thinking "I'd rather die than have you see me work out." I'll get there sooner or later. Other NSV. I stood up to my mother. I feel so fabulous about it. She was coming to spend the night last week and I told her I'd love to have her, provided she was positive and supportive while she was here. I told her that meant not saying anything negative about me, my home, my parenting or my son. Long story short, she ended up crying and not coming. That was her choice. I felt better instantly. I'm really going to try and check in daily. Know that I'm thinking of you and wishing you all success even though I've been MIA. Hope you're all having a great Sunday! Nathalie

:clap2:Hi BJ, sounds like there's a good chance you'll get your fill at 6 weeks after all, that't great. DH stands for "dear husband", DW is "dear wife", NSV is non scale victory, like even though the friggin scale doesn't move, you have lost an inch off your waist (which just happened for me). Inches gone are important because as you gain muscle mass, muscle is heavier than fat so that will show up heavier on the scale, which is a good thing because muscle actually burn the most fat. There is a thread somewhere I know not where, that explains all the "lingo". For instance, I am close, but not close enough for me to "onederland", that glorious place where the scale number starts with a "1" again. And there is a group of delightful people who started an "on the road to Twoterville" thread to encourage and applaud each others victories/goal, both big and small. AMRDMR

steph hope you get to feeling better congrats on the nsv way to go claudia and other ladies this is my plan no snacking for the rest of this month. I am bad about snacking just a couple of bites of popcorn or candy and yesterday I decided to track my snacking calories where before I felt I could not be eating that much. before I was tracking the snacking I got in about 1000 calories so I tracked the snacking yesterday and up to 1400 with snacking. I about fainted. I have heard it takes two wks to change a habit so I will be scrapbooking when I get the urge to eat or snack I should say. If I can do this the rest of the month maybe I can make a new habit. I don't wanna say no snacking forever because then I will make myself feel sorry for me and eat a snack. I swear the mindgames we play. So claudia and all other bandsters let me be a lesson count those 5 wheathins in calories they add up. on to other news we have just gotten a support group for weight loss here in town not just for surgery weightloss but all kinds. It is a place that offers healthy shakes and snacks and support the ad says AA type meeting weekly but for weight loss thought that sounded neat may try it ... My scale is stalled but that is okay I Have four lbs so far this month

Hello all! I need to go back and catch up on all the posts..... I just got back inside after getting my exercise in for today.......... I shoveled gravel into a wheelbarrow and then dumped it out along the foundation of the house......... (while dbf was inside veg'ng on the couch!) HOW'S THAT... (do I hear a roar?? :mad: My arms are like spaghetti right now but I feel good. I also went to my first ever support meeting today, and I have mixed feelings........ first SMALL world a woman I used to work with about 10 years ago was there....... she was banded in december and was sooo negative.... she was flat out pissed because she had only lost 27 lbs and in her words she didn't pay all that money to lose 27 stinking pounds....... (then I remembered.......... she was negative back then too) she was the first to leave.....anyway...... I did meet a couple people who post on this board.... JBtulis.. (Johnathon) he is doing GREAT, and a nice guy... and a gal that posts on our doctors forumn...... she was real nice too..... We had a gal that lead the meeting who had her lap band done in Mexico in 2001.. her and a couple other gals were two years or more out and now struggling with the emotional side of maintaining, and getting sloppy with their fills and eating.. complacent...... (I think this scared a lot of the people who were there just for research and in the beginning stages) I will go back to give it another chance but I'm betting a lot of those in attendance today won't. I had an NSV today too.. I squeezed my 259 lb butt into an old pair of size 18's today.......... (with my laundry being down this entire week, I was scrounging for something to wear) ........ I had to lay on the bed to get them zipped .. but they zipped.... Breathing is underrated anyway RIGHT??? LOL Anywhoooo: Pam, Congrats on your car!!!! I am so glad everyone is coming back to post!!! Now we will see those tickers starting to move!

I can't wait to have this NSV..I haven't been on amusement park ride in like 5 years!!! OMG I CAN'T WAIT to take my neices to six flags

Julie that is an awesome NSV to get to go on all the rides at the park! I haven't been to an amusement park in years that will be a fun one

What a great NSV! I've been dying to go to the Lagoon Amusement Park but the rides always have this "If you weight too much your butt gets booted of in front of everyone" sign.. ok that's my wording but theirs has the same meaning. I can't wait til I can go on the rides!

Congrats!!!! Aren't those unexpected NSV's wonderful?!??!?!?! Enjoy every moment of them....you deserve it!

Yay!! Did you ride the big dipper? I have fond memories from childhood.... Congrats on a great NSV! Keep up the good work. :]

Hi Guys, I wanted to share a huge NSV for me today. I spent the day with my 14 year old son at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. We had a wonderful time. I was able to ride on all the rides with him. This has been a long journey for me. I'm down 78 lbs from my high 2 years ago. And while I was just banded last June and I'm down 52 lbs I really would like to lose another 50 this year. Its been really hard on me and I just pray I can continue to grow in this journey. I started to exercise again this week in the hopes of continuing to lose the weight. I know how you all feel when I tell you how much it means to me to no longer use a seat belt extender, walk 2 on a treadmill or not be able to ride an amusement park ride. I can honestly say I am happy to report I can do all 3 now. Julie

wendy's chili is my main stay--cheap/good/goes down/stays down!! have lost 100lbs--and was in Florida all winter!! am so amazed...never been on vacation and lost weight(30lbs) nsv's--had to mov the car seat up in order to push in the clutch/bought smaller sized shoes/bought summer clothes at the goodwill! OMG soooooo happy!! another 70lbs to goal!! thank god for chili!!

Yay Molly! Keep up the good work honey! All of those NSV's add up!!! And I love the one about the steering wheel. I had to readjust my seat since I lost...woohoo!

DD has strep. She had me look this morning before I left for work and I saw spots. Sure enough the dr confirmed it was strep, so shes on penicillin. Hopefully it'll knock it out of her before Saturday. Bk - it'll happen when you least expect it to - suddenly you'll go "wow, thats me!" I had another nsv today. One of the guys at work said you can tell Steph is losing weight, she doesn't wear those big baggy clothes anymore (I think he was looking at my butt LOL ) I actually am between sizes, my butt is a 14 but my waist is a 16 - it drives me crazy! So yeah my butt looked good today but if he had seen the fat flopping out at the waistline he may have thought differently. Still it was nice to hear.

Angel Bear....size 10s!!! YEEEHAAAA!!! Awesome, my friend. My end goal is to be a size 12; I think (as well as Nisrine) that a 10 may be out of reach for me....(she said she doesn't know where the weight would come off me to be a 10). Anyways, congrats on the NSV! Change your ticker!!! Argon: Angel Bear is MOST definitely NOT tall!!! (LMAO - sorry...no offence Angel!!) hehe. She is a shorty!!!! Wow Loriely...I haven't thought of kimmason (sp?) in a long time. Mandi....do you know how she is doing with her weight loss? It has been awhile since she was banded. If you see her on the other site, ask her to get on here and give us an update with her successes (weight related and the going back to school thing). Wheezy...re. the wasting food thing (whether it be at restaurants or at home): this is just something we HAVE to get over. It is likely our upbringing that brings on these feels of guilt, shame, embarassment and waste etc....I'm doing much better on that front now. The way I look at it...too bad/so sad! If I leave it on my plate or throw it in the garbage; there is nothing I can do about it. The helpings (at restaurants) are WAY too outrageous anyways (even for a normo not trying to lose weight). Like you, if doable, I bring it home and get another 2 meals (sometimes 3) out of it! If not, *shrugs*. For me, it was even tougher to get over the fact of paying $$ and then not "eating it" but again, something you just have to get over. I'm also not gonna let myself pay $$ to re-gain the weight. Just like if I "waste" the food, I'm willing to "waste" the money. What I've been doing lately is sharing the main entree with Mr Yoda (and we don't do apps); sometimes the server even brings it out on 2 plates (without us even asking)...otherwise I ask for a spare plate. This was hard on me at first as I didn't want them to think we were doing it because we were being "cheap" but it gets easier and to hell with what they think! LOL. Once Mr Yoda is banded, we will FOR SURE be sharing one main entree and then even I bet we "waste" some!! It's just a mindset change....we'll get there (I'm sure some are already there).

WOW Angel size 10!!!!!! An amazing NSV Congrats

Yay BK! Nice to see your scale moving!! Steph - since I'm still the same general shape a lot of times I still think I look the same. Yet, I'll catch a body part out of the corner of my eye and go "wow, that *is* a lot smaller!". Like my wrists. They're freaking tiny. I can't say I'm big boned any more! :confused: What you described is a HUGE NSV!!! Brandi - I'm glad you let yourself indulge on something so yummy - I'm like you, I try not to do that, but I think it's really healthy to do it once in a while when it's planned... Boo - keep us posted - we're all thinking good thoughts for you & your family and BIG WTG on you being almost to 100 lbs! Yippee!!!

I do believe that this may qualify as an NSV!

congrats Bandiva; that IS a good NSV! :clap2:

Bandiva - that is a great NSV! You will break through that mental block for sure. Susan

Hi Everyone! I have been lurking around, just kind of quiet lately. Been having some problems with my sugar addiction lately, but today is a new day! I know I need to start exercising to get feeling better etc. so I hired a trainer 3 days per week. I think it will give me the kick in the pants that I need. She is also trained in nutrition and will help me that way. Thanks for all your support everyone. BTW, my second fill kicked in 11 days later...it was like the gates of hell slammed shut. Couldn't even keep icecream down (but I lived through it!) Time to be serious. I think I have a mental block about 50 lbs....too bad, I am breaking through. NSV...I am off all meds! Yippee!

Hi! I had an NSV of sorts this year. My kids are teens, they didn't want Easter candy SO I DIDN'T BUY ANY. This means I won't eat any either. What a thrill and calorie savings to boot! Any one else manage to escape the Easter Bunny?

WOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! That is one awesome NSV!!!!!!!!!

My first really big NSV. I have nothing nice to wear to church tomorrow because it is all too BIG. I usually spend an hour every holiday crying because everything is so tight and looks terrible and now I am going to spend an hour crying because I am so damn happy and I cannot believe it.

:clap2: :dance: :hail: :rockon: :wow2: :cheer2: :bounce: What a wonderful NSV!!!! You are truly an inspiration. It's good to see that people CAN hit their goals!! WAY TO GO!!!

I have no idea about the side by side Barbara...maybe ask a mod. I tried to upload mine to no avail. Mine kept saying the file was too big. And I hate when you get photos from someone and they are HUGE! No offense mama!heehee. I hope your hubby does ok with his back Barbara. One NSV of this surgery was that I got off my anti-depressants. I took myself off of them actually. Now, after 9 months, I'm fighting the blues. I'll try to battle through cuz I just don't want to be on meds. HAPPY EASTER!