July Bandsters....lets Here You....

[Melissa41 27]

Linda- I am glad you are feeling better. It sounds like a pretty bad couple of days! Jeesh. You are ready for a stretch of good days. Kim- I hope you are enjoying your visit with your parents. Enjoy the family time! All is well here. We have two football games and homework to get through. We're having beautiful northwest weather so its nice to be outside this weekend. I am slowly progressing with my weight loss. I am now in the 180"s and don't want to ever move the other direction. The progress feels slow but when I look at the overall number I am pleased.

Best wishes everyone!

[kkccmom 37]

Melissa...congrats on getting to the 180s!! YIPPEE!! I will be sooooo glad to be there too.

It ain't happening over THIS weekend, tho. I have been eating WAAAAAYYYYYY too much! Its like my mother's kitchen has this "aura" that draws me to EAT. Every time I am here!!

So, I'll get thru this weekend and get back on track when I am in my own zone. I've had MINIMAL 'stuck" issues, so its been easy to just keep eating. I feel it, but not bad enough I don 't think.

Odd, really, since I would have stopped long before 'here' if I were home. What do you think that means???

Having a great time w/ family, tho...so its all good.

Laughed a lot w/ my DD25 who is living w/ my folks for a while. We have watched old SNL episodes and laughed till we hurt. Silly people. LOL

Have a great 'rest-of-the-weekend', everyone! Here's to making GOOD choices!

Kim

[marieistre 20]

Hi everyone! I havent been on for so long. I have been really busy but I really am glad to chat again.

We went camping this past weekend. Had so much fun but also ate things I normally would have avoided. Time for a fill, I don't have that feeling of fullness I like to have. I have lost 40 lbs. I am pleased with that but I don't want to get too comfortable.

[kkccmom 37]

Marie!! 40 LBS!!! Wow wow wow! How awesome is that!! Every good reason for celebrating!

I do know what you mean by eating things that are 'supposed' to be OFF the list. I'm at my parents' this weekend, and I've been eating like a maniac. Not sure why I'm pushing past "comfortable' but I sure have been.

I've had a couple 'stuck' episodes...they were pretty bad. Ended up throwing up once and it was SUCH a relief. Today I did fine as long as I chewed and chewed and chewed on top of going SLOW. Duh. Takes some of us a while to catch on...haha

I will be glad to be home and get back into my groove and have a little more control of myself. I'm definitely over-done and feeling every bit of it.

Marie...I will be so thrilled, too, to have 40 lbs off. wow...I can only imagine that. So happy for you and understand not wanting to go backward.

Heading home tomorrow!

Have a great week, everyone!

Kim

[marieistre 20]

Yes Kim, I have had a couple of stuck times. I almost welcome it, I guess I need that to stay on track. Is that Crazy or what!?

[lucy2.0 57]

Hi Ladies!!! I’ve been a little busy these couple of weeks, but I’m back.

Linda I’m so glad you are feeling better. Kim I hope you had a great time with your parents I know Mom’s food is always better and we always want more lol. Melissa You look great I can’t wait to be at 180’s!!! Marie, Congratulations on you 40 lbs!!!

The last couple of weeks were really hard, I was eating like crazy and all the foods I shouldn’t be eating, tacos, chips, tostadas, everything!!! And every morning I thought it is a new day I can behave today and nope didn’t work. On Monday I had my second fill and the Dr told me I was doing great I was like Whaaat? I’ve lost 35 lbs even when I was eating like crazy, I’m now on soft foods again so this is helping me to stay on track again, I’m motivated again and I’m wearing my old jeans

Hope everyone is having a great week!!!

[marieistre 20]

Hi everyone! I am glad you are doing better with the food thing. I know how you feel. I am getting my 2nd fill Tuesday, I can't wait! I have been struggling also with the food.< /p>

Have a good day everyone!

[kkccmom 37]

Hi girls!

Well, Lucy, I'm with you...I've been eating like a horse, too...the scale hasn't moved - up or down, so I guess that's good. Still, I NEED to get with it and watch things closer.

Marie, I agree that having those "stuck" issues ARE helpful...really, it does remind me that this IS working - if I will only obey! I'm more and more conscious of smaller bites and CHEWING.

Found out this AM that my insurance covered ALL my hospital/surgery costs!! Well, except for the surgeon and anesthesiologist (which are billed separately!). My hosp cost was almost $30,000 and EVERYTHING is paid for!! Oh.My.Word. The hubby was almost doing a happy dance! LOL Well, he doesn't dance - but it was close!!

I just feel so very blessed.

NOW, off to lunch w/ some dear friends, celebrating one's triumph thru chemo/mastectomy....clean bill of health! Praising God for that!!! BUT, my strategy today will be to ask for a box right off the bat, then put at least 1/2 my lunch in it. I know if I do that from the start, I won't be tempted to keep eating and eating. (we're doing Italian - so I have to watch the speed on the Pasta anyway). And who wants to be caught eating out of a to-go box at the table??? P.I.G.G.Y. haha So, that's the plan and I'm feeling empowered that I actually have one!

I did my 2m walk this morning. We are going to a wedding this evening, so that's another occasion I will have to watch my Ps and Qs.

Anyway, hope everyone has a good day. Marie, I know that next fill will do wonders. But we both know it does require another adjustment in form and habit w/ our intake. At least is sure does for me!! I forget how small that little "tube" really is...but when we cooperate, we win!

Lucy...listen to your Dr!! YOU ARE DOING GREAT....tho in your heart of hearts you know you might be doing even better! I'm with you on that! I will get my next fill on the 29th. Hope to be down another 3-5 by then. We are going to FL for vacay next weekend (20th-27th). Not anticipating trouble w/ that. We cook our own meals so I can be in complete control.

Anyway, happy Friday!

Kim

[Melissa41 27]

Hello All,

Kim- that's great news about the hospital bill. its just such a big expense! And congrats to everyone's success. I am headed to San Francisco tonight to support a girlfriend who is running the Nike Women's Marathon on Sunday. I'm going to walk a short distance of the course and then be there at the end with her. I think the eating should be pretty easy because I generally stick to my plan when I travel. We plan to do a lot of walking and shopping tomorrow so that will be good. I am feeling pretty motivated these days! I am able to fit into clothes I wasn't able to before and its just wonderful.

Keep up the good work everyone. Have a blessed weekend.

Melissa

[lindabug 69]

Hello everyone. How are you all doing. I feel like I'm at a stand still. This weekend was very busy, had my kids here and my youngest daughters new boyfriend came to visit (he lives in GA) He is super nice and so far everyone likes him a lot! It's good to see her smile again after such a rough year. She is still looking for a job in her field but she has been working at Buffalo Wild Wings in the meantime. She does have an interview next week but it's in Ga. I hate the thought of her moving away but if she's happy I guess I'll learn to deal with it. Hoping she will get another interview this week at a place she had an interview with here last week.

Now for me, I've blown it this weekend and the scale (yes I know I shouldn't get on it that much) has gone from 1 pound up down and back up again. Well then once again I get sick, this time I think it may be a case of food poisoning. Yesterday I had to go get my license renewed and went to lunch at a deli, had a turkey wrap. I was feeling really good yesterday and after such a great (yes it was great) weekend was on a high then last night it hit me and I've been up since sick. Not the way I want to lose weight but I'm better now, called in sick to work which I NEVER do so I'm just going to try to get some sleep.

I had wanted to be down 40 pounds before my trip to Disney which is the week after Thanksgiving but if I don't start watching it better it's not going to happen. I really need a fill and to exercise more!!! It's my own fault but now that the weekend is over I'm determined to get back on track.

How are all of you doing, I haven't been on much I've been trying to focus on the family more so I'm a little out of touch here.

Today is my oldest daughters 8th wedding anniversary, I can't believe it's been 8 years!!! How time flies.

[kkccmom 37]

Hi all!

Linda...I know JUST what you mean. The scale hasn't moved an inch for me in SOOOOOOO long. Well, like you, up a pound then back down.

I haven't been walking either...we've had lots of rain so its been an excuse to do nothing. I have a perfectly good treadmill in my basement but I cannot make myself get on it. PLUS, we have a membership at LA Fitness...I have not been since late January!! Just HATE exercising indoors. I'm not an "outdoor" person, really, but when it comes to exercise, I want to be outside!!

So, I am dressed to go get it done THIS MORNING. I do have a little guy home today. He came home sick from school yesterday, but has been fine ever since. Still, they have to be home, puke-free, for 24 hours. So, he's perfetly fine this AM but still has to be here. He's 8.

Linda...I am sorry to hear of your bout with this stomach thing. How miserable, but like you said, sometimes it can be the kicker to get us back on the wagon.

Have any of you heard of 'Banded Living"?? If not, I'd encourage you to look for it. I've tried typing in the link on here but it won't let me...so just go look for "BANDED LIVING"...they have great articles. I read one this AM about "full or satisfied?" - very timely for me, since I can't seem to figure that out. I know I am eating too much - too many calories, but I cannot seem to get my act together and make this TOOL really work for me. I honestly thought I'd be down 25-30 lbs by now. But I'm still hovering in the low 20s...not good enough! And Linda, like you, I'm hoping for another 20 by Christmas. At this rate, it won't happen. I'm just not sure what I'm supposed to be feeling!?

I hope your daughter finds happiness and security again...and a job that's fulfilling for her. Nothing worse than seeing your kids struggle, but knowing its really up to them to get it figured out. My oldest is 25, single, working, staying w/ my parents for a while. Heading to So Korea in Feb for a year - teaching English. I'm hoping she will enjoy this season of her life - before husband - and just get it all out of her system!?

Melissa...kudos to you on your "walk/run" with your friend. What an accomplishment. I have no ambition to do that, but I know it IS an amazing thing to do, and I SALUTE you on your finish! I know you deserve to be very proud of yourself!!

NOW, lets all behave ourselves this week! STAY AWAY FROM THE scale (Linda!) and make reasonable choices. Take a few minutes to read the articles at BANDED LIVING...and let's see where we all are in a week. I am going to FL on Saturday, for the week, with the hub and boys and my parents. I'm not worried about the food - we do our own - but it'll be important for me to make time to walk. Maybe I can get my act together and walk the beach!? Talk about the perfect scenario!

Be blessed!

Kim

[Melissa41 27]

Hi Friends,

I hope all are well! I have been looking at all of your ticketers and it sure looks like there is progress being made! I know it isn't as quick as we'd all like to see but it seems as if most have lost 20 or 30 lbs since July. That's pretty good!

I am pleased to report I finished the Nike Women's half marathon in San Francisco last weekend. I participated in team in training and raised money for cancer research. It was inspiring to be with 30,000 other women of all shapes, sizes, and ages along the race course. I was SLOW but I ran a bit and walked, too. I posted a few photos on my Facebook page. My full name is Melissa McCabe Gombosky if you'd like to friend me and take a look!

Back to work today. I am already ready for the weekend! Keep up the good work everyone!

Melissa

[marieistre 20]

I had my second fill it was time! 3/4cc, and it made all of the difference. I was getting hungry before 4 hrs. Also, I have lost 43.5 lbs. in a little over 3 mths. I feel so much better, more energy.

Kim, yes you are right, that fill works if I work too.

[lindabug 69]

Had a small fill yesterday and I have to tell you after last time I was very cautious. I drank the entire bottle of Water before leaving the dr office. I am fine and can fill some resistance again. Maybe this will help keep be better focused. My dr. scales has me at 200 which is better than mine! His are always better than mine. I can not wait to get down at least another 20! I already feel better and had to go out and purchase a new pair of jeans yesterday just because all my others are way to big Love that!!!

Hope you all have a great day and wonderful weekend, I am taking my husband on a small trip (just here close) this weekend for his birthday. He will 50 on Wednesday.

[kkccmom 37]

Marie - WOW!! WOW!! WOW!! Down 43 lbs....that is AWESOME! I know you are feeling like a million bucks! So happy for your progress.

Linda...glad your fill went well. I know it DOES work, and I'm glad this time you are off to a good start.

I am thinking I am in the "Bandster Hell" phase...where it just isn't giving me the restriction I need. Like you, Marie, I have just been so hungry between meals. Trying to focus on Water again, and I confess I've had a LITTLE Diet Coke. Nothing over-the-top, but some. Just craving the carbonation....ugh. Still, staying controlled on this so I'm okay with the choice.

Otherwise, I also struggle w/ drinking WITH my meals, or too soon after. I've always been a "meal drinker" so that's been tough to change.

So exciting to see the progress here. I'm ready to see some of my own. Just have to get it together here. SOON.

Blessings,

Kim