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Well, I see Mr Yoda provided a good overview of our trek to TO. I couldn't have said it any better: the Queen "We Will Rock You" was ABSOBLOODYLUTELY amazing!!! nuff said! I must disagree about the pool though....I LOOOOOOOOVED it.....(Mr Yoda is missing the gene that keeps him warm).....it was a wee bit on the chilly side but very refreshing and I love to splash around in the Water. Funny thing though (NSV, I guess) ....I didn't feel at all uncomfortable in my bathing suit (first time in a loooooong time).....I showed lots of cleavage (hehe....Mr Yoda liked THAT part) but my bottoms (they were the "boy short" type bottoms) were too big and I was awfully paranoid that they were flapping around and showing "bits" that they shouldn't when they got wet ...(apparently Mr Yoda reallllly liked THAT part!).....thankfully there weren't too many others around. I didn't even feel compelled to "cover up" on my way through the hotel to the pool etc.....held my head high and everything!!!! WOOOT WOOOT!!! :confused: But yeah, the dinner at the Delta Chelsea SUCKED....I was very disappointed. (but all else more than made up for it!). Oh....one other thing.....*sigh*....the lead in the musical was WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY freakin' cute!!! :kiss ("shagalayo gigilo)

Hello, Hello! Jsut wanted to pop in and catch up. I haven't been around casue I've been super busy at home as well as work. But any way... I've had afew NSV... bt the best one is I fit into a size 12!!!!! HOLY SHIT! (and yes I have to say the word!!!) I HAVE NOT BEEN IN A 12 SINCE MY DAUGHTER WAS ABOUT @ MONTHS OLD...and she's 11 years old now!!!! It's sooooo cool and so amazing at the same time!!!! I'm very happy and excited. I hope everyone here is doing as well. It's not easy, and I am a lot tighter now, I Get that stuck feeling almost eeryday, but the results ar well worht it. I wish every one luck and I can't wai for the summer!!!!! Bikinis here I COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have decided that more journalling might help me keep my butt on track. I get gold stars for going to the gym again, last night. DH is still not coming with - but he has promised to make an attempt this weekend. Seeing me go without him is guilting him out a bit. This weekend promises to be a busy one. Scarborough Faire starts on Saturday and I am all excited about it. It would be nicer if the weather was a tad warmer - but hey - it will still be fun. NSV - I now fit into the bodices that they sell at Scarborough Faire... and I plan to buy one! While I made a chemise and skirt for Halloween, (Gypsy costume) I never have gotten around to making myself the bodice I need for the faire, so I think I may just buy the first one and maybe use it as a model for any future attempts. DH's costume is still just a spark in my sewing machine. We have had other things to do... So, for this first trip out, we are going in street clothes. Maybe I will find a shirt for him when we go. Heck - maybe I will visit the Queen's Corsetier this year, too. They have big-girl sizes... and I am so happy to be getting back to the point where at least I can shop at more than one store! :biggrin1: This weekend, we also need to get a freezer so we can empty the one in the fridge without destroying all our food. Although, it is good that we have been digging around in there - cause we had some great stuff buried! Having an extra freezer will be great. We also have to do a bunch of shopping for basic staples. We are out of flavored water and other stuff - so a trip to Sam's is in order. I am thinking we will have to shop on Saturday and Scarborough on Sunday. Since Sunday is Easter, most stores will actually be closed, I think. Plus, the sky is supposed to open up tomorrow - and DH really doesn't need to be hanging out in the rain after his recent illness. Well, let's see. I need to give myself a pep talk for the weekend. 1) exercise - see yesterday's journal entry. You LIKE this stuff. Go to the gym. 2) food - no pouch packing! You have formal permission to eat one good thing each day - but NO pouch packing, no matter how great it is. If nothing else, I will get some exercise walking at the stores. Yeah! So, I am off! My office has *cough* generously allowed us to take a half day off - if we use vacation time. I guess I can't complain. They are paying me to surf LBT these days.... TGIF

I have decided that more journalling might help me keep my butt on track. I get gold stars for going to the gym again, last night. DH is still not coming with - but he has promised to make an attempt this weekend. Seeing me go without him is guilting him out a bit. This weekend promises to be a busy one. Scarborough Faire starts on Saturday and I am all excited about it. It would be nicer if the weather was a tad warmer - but hey - it will still be fun. NSV - I now fit into the bodices that they sell at Scarborough Faire... and I plan to buy one! While I made a chemise and skirt for Halloween, (Gypsy costume) I never have gotten around to making myself the bodice I need for the faire, so I think I may just buy the first one and maybe use it as a model for any future attempts. DH's costume is still just a spark in my sewing machine. We have had other things to do... So, for this first trip out, we are going in street clothes. Maybe I will find a shirt for him when we go. Heck - maybe I will visit the Queen's Corsetier this year, too. They have big-girl sizes... and I am so happy to be getting back to the point where at least I can shop at more than one store! :biggrin1: This weekend, we also need to get a freezer so we can empty the one in the fridge without destroying all our food. Although, it is good that we have been digging around in there - cause we had some great stuff buried! Having an extra freezer will be great. We also have to do a bunch of shopping for basic staples. We are out of flavored water and other stuff - so a trip to Sam's is in order. I am thinking we will have to shop on Saturday and Scarborough on Sunday. Since Sunday is Easter, most stores will actually be closed, I think. Plus, the sky is supposed to open up tomorrow - and DH really doesn't need to be hanging out in the rain after his recent illness. Well, let's see. I need to give myself a pep talk for the weekend. 1) exercise - see yesterday's journal entry. You LIKE this stuff. Go to the gym. 2) food - no pouch packing! You have formal permission to eat one good thing each day - but NO pouch packing, no matter how great it is. If nothing else, I will get some exercise walking at the stores. Yeah! So, I am off! My office has *cough* generously allowed us to take a half day off - if we use vacation time. I guess I can't complain. They are paying me to surf LBT these days.... TGIF

Heh, heh, heh...somehow I knew nobody'd go for that! :eyebrows: :) :biggrin1: :) :eyebrows: I was really just kidding, but I like your idea of making an thrid row to keep track for myself of how many extra sessions I can get in. A visual reminder of my efforts would be nice, since I've got no NSVs to speak of and the scale hasn't moved in a week now! :straight I really want to do the Water & exercise right -in additon to the food- to get things going again!!

Wow, Tracy that's one helluva NSV you got there!! Way to go, baby!!! :cheer2: re: isopure water - you can do like I do and just dilute it...it's not so bad. Besides, GNC is really good about taking things back so even if you ordered it online you might be able to return it to your local store. I had kind of a neat realization a little while ago. Before surgery my biggest concern is "what will I eat???"....now I'm like "Well, I need to eat something". I'm just not hungry! Last real food was Tues night. You'd think I'd be absolutely ravenous. I'm sure it's coming though! So it sounds like those of you who have yet to be banded are really getting excited in spite of our reports of discomfort, etc. That's good!! I have to admit that I have been going thru a little bit of the "what have I done?" thing, so be prepared for that. I'm sure that will pass, too. Wonder how Pat is doing?

GOOD MORINING ALL! Happy Good Friday! I am off work today and my sons daycare is closed so it is just the two of us.. and after all our 80 degree days.. it is now SNOWING as I type this... WEIRD WEATHER.. all my tulips are frozen and laying on the ground... If you check out my ticker.. I am down yet again today.. making it 10 lbs since Monday.... the water weight I believe is done now and my loss will slow down.. although I had a really nice NSV.... A few weeks ago, I was disgusted with the lack of clothes in my closet that fit, and so when I saw a pair of size 22 jeans on the clearance rack for $6.00 so I bought them.. they looked big enough, but when I got them home I couldn't zip them up without laying on the bed and they were too tight to wear them at all, plus they were soooo uncomfortable I was afraid I'd bust out the zipper....... so I put them up.......... well for grins I tried them on today and they zipped RIGHT UP and I am wearing them as I type this! (I might add they are NOT stretchy) All of our bandsters that have posted: YAY!!!!!!!! It is your posts that keep me strong on this liquid diet. THANK YOU. To answer some questions: 1. I threw out the leftover dinner last night... YAY ME 2. I have not TRIED the Isopure Water yet.... I just ORDERED it BLINDLY.. and now I'm a little scared that I may have wasted my money, but I know that they do offer 40 oz of protein per bottle and my inability to WASTE things I know I will be drinking them during my clear stage.... I will evalute the taste of each one (since I bought a variety pack) 3. I bought them from GNC.com. I checked them out at my local store first, and then I bought them off the website for a lot better price..... I am still waiting for them to be delivered. 4. I did start my PRE-OP diet EARLY. I wanted to jumpstart my loss and put my stupid eating to an end. I really really really want to be in some of my old clothes by summer.... I'm hard headed and I just set my mind to do this... and the jeans I'm wearing today are just the beginning! Right now my son is wanting his breakfast, so I'll check back in a bit.

Ok. I say this every time I fall off the exercise wagon - but seriously - why do I fight it? After arguing with myself and spending all of March in a couch-potato stupor, I finally dragged my butt to the gym last night. Aside from a few minutes of lung burn - to be expected after well over 30 days with no body movement - I was just fine. By the time I was done with 20 minutes on the elliptical and 15 minutes on the bike, I had a great sense of accomplishment and I felt physically good, too. To top it off, I get to watch TV that I secretly enjoy - like American Idol or Are You As Smart as a Fifth Grader... Stuff I never watch at home. So, why the heck to I fight going? It seems like I have to force myself. I only succeeded in getting myself to go last night because I did yard work on Sunday - and my thighs were STILL SORE from bending over on Wednesday. That's just sad.... so I figured I would try to offset the back-of-thigh sore/tightness with top-of-thigh work. I ran that bike at level 10... until my knee started screaming and then I backed down to level 7. The point is, that 1) I don't mind doing the exercise while I am doing it. 2) I get a great feeling of having done a good thing for myself and my health. 3) I don't feel badly after am done... So WHY, by all that is holy, do I resist this wonderful miraculous activity from which so many good things come? This is a mystery that I am going to have to continue to ponder. Maybe while I am on the elliptical machine tonight... :clap2: I mean, the scale is still creeping downward. Today, my scale said 282 - if you add the 4 pounds to adjust to an approximation of my doc's scale - that puts me at 286. Eating less is wonderful - but exercise makes all the difference. I really want to WOW my doc when I see him again at the beginning of May...Plus, every pound I lose is pretty much a pound gone forever. So every pound I lose is one less I have to lose tomorrow.... May as well get as many of them out of the way as quickly as possible. Exercise is the way. On other life fronts - Sick DH is fully recovered and fully functioning again. He was even planning to foray out of the house to get groceries. Thank goodness! I was getting pretty tired of having to do all the home stuff in addition to working. The fridge parts have arrived and we have scheduled the visit for the repairman to put them in. Now all we have to do is empty & defrost the freezer - or go buy a back-up freezer. We have been talking about that for a while, anyway. I took a dry-run at the skills test for teachers. Reading - 90%. Writing - 95%. Math..... 64.5% *BUZZZZZZZ* Guess it's back to the Algebra books... I guess you just forget some stuff in 22 yrs. NSV de jour: I wore a shirt that my sister gave me yesterday. It was a 4x with no stretch, no a-line, no nothing. Now - size 4x doesn't sound like much of an NSV - but when you consider the size variations and the fact that prior to banding I was wearing the largest possible 5x made with stretchy knit - and they were getting a little clingy... a small 4x made of cotton - that is an accomplishment. I think I am going to have to go home and take my measurements....

Ok. I say this every time I fall off the exercise wagon - but seriously - why do I fight it? After arguing with myself and spending all of March in a couch-potato stupor, I finally dragged my butt to the gym last night. Aside from a few minutes of lung burn - to be expected after well over 30 days with no body movement - I was just fine. By the time I was done with 20 minutes on the elliptical and 15 minutes on the bike, I had a great sense of accomplishment and I felt physically good, too. To top it off, I get to watch TV that I secretly enjoy - like American Idol or Are You As Smart as a Fifth Grader... Stuff I never watch at home. So, why the heck to I fight going? It seems like I have to force myself. I only succeeded in getting myself to go last night because I did yard work on Sunday - and my thighs were STILL SORE from bending over on Wednesday. That's just sad.... so I figured I would try to offset the back-of-thigh sore/tightness with top-of-thigh work. I ran that bike at level 10... until my knee started screaming and then I backed down to level 7. The point is, that 1) I don't mind doing the exercise while I am doing it. 2) I get a great feeling of having done a good thing for myself and my health. 3) I don't feel badly after am done... So WHY, by all that is holy, do I resist this wonderful miraculous activity from which so many good things come? This is a mystery that I am going to have to continue to ponder. Maybe while I am on the elliptical machine tonight... :clap2: I mean, the scale is still creeping downward. Today, my scale said 282 - if you add the 4 pounds to adjust to an approximation of my doc's scale - that puts me at 286. Eating less is wonderful - but exercise makes all the difference. I really want to WOW my doc when I see him again at the beginning of May...Plus, every pound I lose is pretty much a pound gone forever. So every pound I lose is one less I have to lose tomorrow.... May as well get as many of them out of the way as quickly as possible. Exercise is the way. On other life fronts - Sick DH is fully recovered and fully functioning again. He was even planning to foray out of the house to get groceries. Thank goodness! I was getting pretty tired of having to do all the home stuff in addition to working. The fridge parts have arrived and we have scheduled the visit for the repairman to put them in. Now all we have to do is empty & defrost the freezer - or go buy a back-up freezer. We have been talking about that for a while, anyway. I took a dry-run at the skills test for teachers. Reading - 90%. Writing - 95%. Math..... 64.5% *BUZZZZZZZ* Guess it's back to the Algebra books... I guess you just forget some stuff in 22 yrs. NSV de jour: I wore a shirt that my sister gave me yesterday. It was a 4x with no stretch, no a-line, no nothing. Now - size 4x doesn't sound like much of an NSV - but when you consider the size variations and the fact that prior to banding I was wearing the largest possible 5x made with stretchy knit - and they were getting a little clingy... a small 4x made of cotton - that is an accomplishment. I think I am going to have to go home and take my measurements....

brandi- dont worry u are probably just swollan and you be ok . Its happen to me and within a couple of hours the scale moves for some odd reason. nsv- yay I was walking out of my home (your home aswell) when my naighbor said clau come here . so I was thinking oh god lol she is like what are you doing you have lost about 20 pounds of course I laughed and I said really you can tell lol she is like yes yes you have lost lots and lots of weight I said yeah a little lol thank you for noticing it . she said no you can really tell but you need to tell me how or what are you doing . I could of told here the complete truth but then eveyone around the block would know lol . so I said I am eating a little of everything and walking I dint lie I guess I eat eveything I can eat in little portions lol and I do walk lol. it was nice feeling truly. well girls I wish you the best easter ever pls stay away from the evil easter candy and remember we are all here for the same reason and that is to make ours selfs better not only physically but emotionally and I love you all thank you for all the support and in me really you have a friend you can count on . love you all !! clau :clap2:

Tracy, I bet some of your surgeon's patients are not too happy about that (not you of course;))! It's probably for the best! I think the pre-op diet really prepares your body for what's to come after surgery! Magnolia, It wouldn't hurt to ask...all they can do is say no! SGDodge, sounds like you had a fun day! I think I am going to have a pampering day tomorrow! cate, Congratulations on your NSV! I also have some smaller sized out-of-date jeans in my closet...I guess that means I can go shopping! Also, I don't think it's very common, but I have heard of a few people who had fluid put in their band at surgery. If I recall correctly, they were banded in Mexico. Josie, I am glad you are doing well! I also have a problem not paying attention to what I am eating. I have a habit of eating when I am sitting at this darn computer! :biggrin1: Kyethra, I hope you are feeling better soon! Mrs. Husker, I know exactly how that feels. I had my gallbladder removed some years ago and it can be very painful. Have you thought about having it removed? I have read that alot of lapband patients eventually have to have it removed. Have a Great Day Everyone!

LOL!!!!!!! Time to get out the duck tape! That is a wonderful NSV!

Janine: Ketosis is when your body starts burning fat for fuel INSTEAD of Carbs/Sugar....... (It is a joyous place to be even though the breath that comes with it is BAD! LOL) Thanks for answering Tracey - I'm in such a different time zone that I easily miss posts. Once you are in this mode Janine, your appetite really does decrease & that is what Optifast puts you in. Well, day 8 post op for me & every day is certainly getting that bit easier. The port site is still very tender as is sitting upright for any length of time, but I'm basically back into regular routine. Had my first NSV today too! Jeans seem to be the flavour of the moment, & when I got out of the car today with my 14 year old daughter, she exclaimed "Mum!!! Your jeans are so baggy!" Love it!!!! I've nearly worn through the knees too, so am hoping to drop a size before I have to get new ones. Mind you, I probably have some now pretty out of date ones in the next size down in my wardrobe somewhere:rolleyes Now my turn for questions: I mentioned n my last post that I found out at my post-op appt that I already have 3cc in my band - is this something unique to New Zealand, or have others surgeons done this too? Also, I'm very tight in the chest of a morning (think this is also exasperbated by sleeping on my back all night) - it takes a few hours for me to feel normal - is this the case for everyone? Have a great day Marchies! Cate

Lisa- Good luck with the filll! Congrats on the NSV's! I'm impressed that you're running. That is very cool.

Karey...sounds wonderful! I got a bathing suit last week (one of those "Miracle Suits") on sale for$25 instead of $100 plus. It's actually a tankini! Size 16 for now...hopefully less by the middle/end of summer. Mim....have you noticed that your balance is off? Hope you are feeling better each and every day. Thanks for the encouragement BTW. A new NSV for me today....the weather was a cool 63 degrees with a light breeze and I ran 5 miles! I enjoyed every minute of it! Not sure what to do when the temps get up over 100 but I plan on finding something else to do. This is just too good to be true....a first for me ever! Sadly, the scale does not reflect what is happening....I am at 190 this morning...up one pound. Just realized that the scale hasn't really moved in a month. Getting a fill tomorrow. I am so ready!!!

NSV = Non scale Victory I can wear all my old clothes again... I can fly without a seatbelt extender. They are things that just ARE - whether the scale is gracing me that day, or not.

Whats NSV? nancy

Happy Bandiversary, Lisa!! How much have you lost? What are your best NSV's? Revel in the fact that you have made a positive step in life and you are still workin' it! Happy Day!

Comparing yourself to others will only frustrate you. There are so many factors you don't know. We all have different starting weights, ages, heights, medical issues that affect how quickly we lose. You can only focus on yourself. Make sure you celebrate NSV(non-scale victories) as well! Measure yourself, have your cholesterol and blood pressure checked and progress in those areas will motivate you. Remember, we did this for our health, not just to look great! You are not a failure! You have already lost 15 pounds in 2 months! On the stretched pouch issue, it is possible to stretch your pouch 2 months after surgery. But, usually only if you have been consistently overeating and Pbing. Find ways to keep busy and distract yourself when "hungry". It may pass if it is head hunger.

Pam Banded, You crack me up!! I found out where I am loseing the weight, in my hands and wrist. I have old lady hands and my watch spins around my wrist. Is this a NSV?

I am sooooo happy for you hun! What a great NSV!

That's a great NSV!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was at the local hs track today with my DH and two of our kids walking my laps and when I was all done walking (everyone else petered out early, hehe) I decided to join them at the long jump site where my kids had been competing to see who could jump the farthest. Well let's just say none of us are going to the olympics based on todays performances, lol. I decided to give it a go, it has been almost 20 years since I have run track and done the long jump but I figured what the heck. So I ran, yes ran! and I jumped albeit not far but I jumped and landed in the sand all of me after my feet hit I slid and ended up full on covered in sand, lol. It was so much fun!!! A year ago I could not walk for 5 minutes without terrible pain in my lower back, now I walk 2 miles a day and have no pain! I would have never dreamed of running before but today I ran full on, not jogged but ran full out! Once I hit my century mark, 22lbs to go, I am going to add jogging to my walking! I knew that weight loss would relieve me of much of my pain, but I never imagined how much! This surgery has given me my life back! This year I will be going to the zoo with my kids and not have to sit on a bench the whole time! We are going to have such fun this summer

Great NSV! Good work and enjoy the new clothes!

I think that is reffered to as, a NSV- non scale victory! The smaller pants, losing inches, etc.. I've lost 24# but, no smaller clothes.... I've refused to go any higher for a while (they are too small) and wear them anyway!! Soon, very soon, I will be seeing such change that I will have to get smaller clothes too. GOOD LUCK AND HEALTH TO YOU AND ALL!!!