The new me!

[DeLarla 22]

NICE JOB! You inspired me to go home & take "after" naked pics. I took them butt naked before surgery. I'm up 10 pounds again so I better get pics soon.

You look smashing, congrads to you!

[fiveholts714 0]

unbelieveable. You have shrunk tremendously. how terrific is that? Your bottom is half the size! Congrats.

[msheavensent 1]

Yes u can definetly tell, AWESOME JOB,:clap2: showing these pictures of you is a inspiration Thank You & Great Job keep it up!

Here's some more pictures! I can't believe I'm posting pictures of me in my underwear, but oh well!!! Most of my weight was lost in my big ol' behind. Can you tell?!?! It was liberating to see this photo!! I didn't realize it until I looked at these photos.

Can you tell I had fun with the camera yesterday?

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[HeatherGurl 0]

Hey Diane...

I showed DH the pictures of you last night... he was just amazed at the change. He is rootin for you too!!!

I wish I would have taken before pics in my bra and underwear.

I am going to come look at these pictures everyday!!! So proud of you girl!

[Dianechef 3]

Here are some tips of what I have done along the way:

1) I drink lots of water!! I had never been a good Water drinker until I had the band. I can eat healthy & exercise all I want, but the Water is what flushes all the fat out of your body. (I read that in a book somewhere!) I drink a lot of C-Light. It's similar to Crystal Light except that it has excotic fun flavors like tropical, strawberry passion, peach/mango, pineapple/tangerine & more. I switch flavors everyday & sometimes put them in the blender with ice & it makes a fun drink! I even put a little umbrella on the side to make myself feel special. HA!! They are yummy.

2) I read, read, read & ask LOTS of questions. I'm sure when I was first banded I annoyed the heck out of a lot of people on this board but I APPRECIATE all the help I've been given. I spoke with people who were successful with the band & I keep in contact with them. They give me lots of tips, but the best thing that it does is KEEP ME MOTIVATED!! I lose my motivation on a daily basis & need a little dose of YOU CAN DO IT constantly. (By the way, your great comments on this thread will keep me motivated for a LONG while! THANKS!!!)

3) I exercise!! I am a piano teacher & have played the piano since I was 3. I sat my behind at the piano instead of being outside playing ball or riding my bike. Therefore, exercise has been very foreign to me my entire life!! (Does that explain the size of my behind?!?!? ROFL!!!) 6 weeks after my surgery I joined a gym & even hired a trainer. I cried the first time I went. I was thoroughly emberassed by my size, lack of knowledge & rude stares I got at the gym. I knew if I didn't hire a trainer I wouldn't continue to go. I took out money from my savings to hire the trainer because I knew it was that important. The first 4 weeks were very hard on me. I HATED IT!! I dreaded every second & felt terrible when I came home because I was so exhausted. I hated sweating, the looks, & just the uncomfortable feeling of it all. But, I continued. And, I can now exercise on my own without my trainer & I feel so good. It's hard, but just DO IT!! You will be so happy you did.

4) I eat treats!! I know myself - if someone tells me that I can't ever eat chocolate ever again, I'd immediately rebel & go eat 20 at one sitting. However, I keep treats to a limit. I eat my treat on Fridays. I purposely go to the store, buy my candy bar - eat it with a movie or where ever I'm going & I'm done!! NO TREATS are kept in the house. If I am tempted during the week, I tell myself - " You'll eat your treat on Friday!" It works for me. :D

5) I Follow the Bandster rules!! I don't drink with my meals. I eat Protein & veggies first. I stay away from pop. I stop when I feel the golfball feeling in my throat. (Make sure you have a good fill too!!)

I am by far not perfect at all of these all the time!! Some days I don't drink all my water. I've gone 2 weeks without exercise. Sometimes I've eaten my treats during the week AND on Friday.....(oops!) But, I always start new the next day & try to keep my spirits up. Having a supportive spouse & family has made a very big difference.

Hope this helps someone out there!! I'll post more pictures when I hit my next goal. ONE-derland.

[3loves 0]

Diane ~ Thank you so much!! This is going on my hard drive for future reference. You are a super inspiration!!

:clap2:

[NJChick 3]

NJchick - My stomach still has a pooch AND it has some hanging skin & strech marks from the 3 little kiddos I gave birth to! (Are you still bowing down?!?!) I just happen to have some really good jeans that hold it all in & hide it. But, it is definately smaller then it used to be. If I were to show you a front undie picture you'd see it. But, I'm not sure I have enough guts to do that!!!! It could get a little pornographic. HA!!!!!!

:faint: <--- yep, still bowing down. My garsh, after 3 kids and still your tummy is pretty flat. My stomach has a big chunk of skin hanging and always will. Thats from going from 300+ lbs to 150 lbs, to 262 lbs and one kid inbetween. I could never tuck in my shirt even with a blouse on the outside.

Now, hush up and take the complement like a man :guess

(btw, your husband is 10000% correct, you look THAT GOOD)

[Ms. Vicki 0]

What an inspiration! Thanks for sharing.

[SusanP 0]

You are doing fantastic!!! Super job!!!

[bubbyville 0]

Diane -

AWESOME!!!! I am starting pretty close to where you started ...... I am very excited at the changes..... you should be very proud!!!

THANKS FOR SHARING!!

[Guest ASPHALT ANGEL]

Diane, way to go, you look awesome. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

[diva 0]

Diane,

I practically cried when I saw your pics. This banding is very scary. Your pics were just what I needed to get me thinking positive.

And your hints are wonderful. I feel that I am bugging people here with crazy questions. But I truly believe that information makes us stronger. You look beautiful. Congratulations and thank you for sharing yourself with us.

[diva 0]

To Diane from Diva

There once was a girl named Diane,

her pics gave me a kick in the can.

I was starting to freak,

till she showed us her cheeks.

Now I feel better about

Getting the band!

[Dianechef 3]

DIVA!!! I can't stop laughing. You CRACK ME UP!! :laugh I called my husband on the phone & read the poem to him. He was laughing too! Great job. So, my big behind was so inspiring to you that you just couldn't resist writing a poem about it - ha!! I LOVE IT!!!

The Best Me - The panties are the same in the both pictures! They're the stretchy kind & just stretched a lot more in the first picture. They are pretty comfortable!!!

I am SO RELIEVED To not have to wear the big ol' bras I used to wear. I now have normal undies that actually look decent!! There's a big NSV for ya!!!

I'm still laughing.............Diva!! You're hilarious!!:Banane04:

[diva 0]

Glad you liked it!

I hesitated to send it but from what i read on LBT, we lose weight but not our sense of humor. hee hee hee

Seriously, you got me through a "self doubt freak out what do i think I am doing planning to get banded have i lost my ever loving mind so what if my butt gets so big it can't fit through doors I am still cute I just won't live as long " phase.

Thank you again!!!!!!! You so look so fabulous!!!!!

-

Getting my size 26 petite (an oxymoron if ever I heard one) jeans off and going to bed.