JULY 2013 BAND BUDDIES

[MammaJamma42 106]

So great to hear from you, @@Zingythingy! You are totally amazing!! 165 pounds! You have inspired me. I really have got to start some type of workout plan. I somehow lost contact with you on myfitnesspal, so I have missed seeing you. Glad to know all is going so well with you, and all of you other July bandsters. We can do this y'all!

Hey July banders. Like mammajamma I can't believe it's nearly a year. Such a life changing experience. It shows me I had no life to speak of before. So I'm down 165lb. 10 to goal. I'm training for a time trial race on my bike. And an Iron woman before I'm 40. 2 yrs to go. I have a part time job as a carer. And couldn't be happier. I've been extremely lucky I had no health issues hampering my efforts. I can take care of all my own hygiene and wipe my own bottom. ( tmi but it was a problem) I can run a 9 minute mile when before I could hardly walk.
There are downsides however to such a speedy weightloss. Loose skin. No breasts anymore. But I'll live with that. No matter what your loss is it's a massive success. Carry on being fabulous. Once again thanks mammajamma. I'm very flattered.

[Brittani87 30]

I feel like a failure and I don't know what my deal is...last July I was so pumped to lose my weight and now I'm kind of stuck...my starting weight was 389 before I went on the week before surgery diet and I got down to 374 day of surgery my weight now is 366....so 22 pounds within a year. I do belong to a gym I'm just not going like I should...for some reason I'm just staying tired and have no energy to go. I work with the school system and I work with special need kids and some days it's exhausting...everyone else has seem to do great...I just don't know what has gotten into me and I thought by now I would've at least lost 80...and one of my problems I think is I'm still eating what foods I like I have just cut back...I'm such a picky eater when it comes to vegetables I have tried and tried yogurt til I'm blue in the face and I think it's a texture for me. I have recently started eating strawberries which is awesome bc I never would eat them....I cut them up and put Splenda on them and it gives me that craving fix when I want something sweet...I just need a lot of support and once a month support group meetings are not helping I need like an every week thing

[Zingythingy 210]

Aww brittani, Hun hopefully firstly I spelt your name right. Don't feel like a failure. 22 lbs might not be as much as you'd hoped for but it's still a victory. Secondly don't compare yourself to other people. Being unique is why we are all special.. This isn't an easy journey. It's tough. I've gained and lost since Christmas lots of times. If I added all my gained weight up and took it off my total id of been at my goal ages ago. But I do love chocolate still, I eat emotionally still from time to time I'm human like you like us all. My anatomy was changed by my band not my taste in food. That said there are foods I try not to eat ever. And I do eat a lot of fish and I hated it to begin with but it's ok now. I use an app called MYFITNESSPAL, it's been my saviour. I count calories everyday still. Stick to target and workout. I allow myself one day a week where I eat what I fancy if I'm eating out etc. and I have one luxury a day so I don't feel deprived but stick to my calorie goal which is 1350. But I'm usually under 1200. Try taking one day at a time. Maybe walk ten minutes. You'll find it peaceful hopefully. It's great your a gym member. Go use the treadmill listen to music. If the gym intimidates you it does me walk around your neighbourhood. Do you have a dog? I do I walked her for an hour twice a day in the beginning. Benefited us both. The endorphins from exercise will give you energy and make you feel good. I can pm you a bit of my food diary to give you some ideas. If that'll help. Drink lots of Water too I try for 3L a day and watch your sodium levels. If I eat salty food my weight always goes up.

Most importantly don't give up. Or feel defeated. You CAN do this. You deserve to be happy. If I can help or support you in any way let me know. ????hugs

[GeorgeSeifert 49]

A year ago I was miserably overweight. I thought I would be farther along but very happy where I am. Down 72 pounds and looking to shed the last 30 before Thanksgiving. Hope everyone is doing good. Happy July anniversary.

[gone fishing 19]

Happy anniversary to everyone im only down 50 lbs since surgery but had issues got sick and had to empty band twice . But im back on track now and ready to lose the rest about 75 more especially you george i know you have been having issues too

[kayleena_journey2014 37]

I was banded June 28th almost July lol anyways good luck. I'm four days post op and doing great.

Amazing trick if you get sick of chicken broth add mrs dashes no salt free herbs and you have good tasting clear broth. I am down 23 lbs in 4 days and keeping all my fluids down.

Keep in touch

[Zingythingy 210]

Happy anniversary band buddies. ????????????????

I was banded this day last year. I'm 167 pounds down and delighted. Life's pretty good.

Start weight 354 lb current weight 187lb (14 to go max)

Dress size 34 down to a 14????

60 miles cycled in 4 hours, 5 miles jogged in 54 minutes.

I can tie my own shoes, wash myself, have a bath, wipe my own bum properly.

No health complaints apart from low blood pressure which I always had even heavy.

Some loose skin but nothing horrendous but having it tidied up when I've hit goal and maintained a couple of months. So for me a very positive experience.

[Lorettanjgal 19]

Nice to read where we are a year later. I was banded 7-29-13 and down 67 lbs. I started cheating 3 mos ago and haven't loss during those 3 mos. I hope I'm back on track now that school has finished. One day at a time.

[Lorettanjgal 19]

Nice to read where we are a year later. I was banded 7-29-13 and down 67 lbs. I started cheating 3 mos ago and haven't loss during those 3 mos. I hope I'm back on track now that school has finished. One day at a time.

[Zingythingy 210]

Hey July banders. My weight loss journey is finally nearly complete. I received my first date for surgery to improve the body I have remaining. My Tummy Tuck is on august 20th. 5 wks 5 days. I'm both excited and terrified. Can't wait to have a flatter smoother stomach. Dreading having my band completely deflated for 8 weeks. Has anyone had this surgery?

[Garym 1]

Hello! Got banded 7/10 and its been a tough 3 days. Lots of heartburn, no sleep, and not much of an appetite. Everyday the pain is decreasing though.

[HealthyNewMe 1,935]

You guys should have one of y'all tally all of your original group's weight loss....... We did that one month with a group of people from MyFitnessPal. Together that month, 15+ of us lost a total of 110 pounds. Puts things into perspective in a whole different way.

[MammaJamma42 106]

That's awesome about your surgeries, @@Zingythingy! Good luck with them. Please be sure and let us know how everything goes. You have done so amazingly well! You're my inspiration! I'm sure you'll do great, even with your band completely deflated. You've worked out so much, you've surely increased your metabolism so significantly and changed your eating habits, it'll be a walk in the park for you! Take care and be sure and post before and after pictures of your surgery. Can't believe how hot you look already!!

Hey July banders. My weight loss journey is finally nearly complete. I received my first date for surgery to improve the body I have remaining. My Tummy Tuck is on august 20th. 5 wks 5 days. I'm both excited and terrified. Can't wait to have a flatter smoother stomach. Dreading having my band completely deflated for 8 weeks. Has anyone had this surgery?

Edited July 15, 2014 by MammaJamma42

[MammaJamma42 106]

Welp, today is my bandiversary, y'all! It's been one year! I really can't believe that at this time a year ago, I was fretting and stewing and worried to death about this surgery. I was scared to death I was going to be in horrible pain when I woke up (I wasn't - in fact, very little pain, just a little discomfort) and also scared I'd never be able to eat anything I like ever again. I was worried I'd be throwing up all the time (like my mom with her gastric bypass), and I'm sure I had all the normal worries that everyone has. But, hallelujah, I have been blessed, and I have had a wonderful year! As of today, I have lost 83 pounds, and more importantly, I feel SO much better!!!! One of the main reasons I had this surgery was in preparation for a knee replacement, and I'm probably going to have that in the next couple of months, and I know my recovery is going to go so much better and easier than it would have prior to losing this weight. The biggest surprise for me has been how much easier this has been than I had anticipated. Now, I'm not saying it's easy - I'm just saying that I had envisioned the worst, because my mom has had so much trouble with her gastric bypass, but I also have to clarify that she has done absolutely everything wrong that you could do. I haven't much trouble at all getting stuck until my last fill, and that is only when I eat incorrectly, or eat the things I shouldn't be trying to eat in the first place (bread, Pasta, etc.). It has been a learning process for sure, and the rate of weight loss been much slower than I had hoped, but I can definitely live with this. I had hoped to lose 100 pounds in the first year, but considering all that I'm still able to eat, and considering that most days I try to stay at around 1200 calories, I'm pretty happy with the 83 pounds. And, most importantly, I don't ever feel deprived or feel like I'm missing out on something because I'm on a "diet". There are really not many things of which I can't at least have a bite or two and be completely satisfied, and I guess that's the biggest positive for me. I can be completely satisfied and happy with a few bites, and I can participate in the meal and not feel left out. We still go out to eat a lot, but I share with my husband, or I share a kids' meal with my grandson, and I'm totally okay with that. It still blows my mind that I am okay with that! LOL!!

Anyway, I just wanted to write a positive post on my bandiversary because I'm really happy with the decision I made a year ago, and wish I had done it years earlier. Although, who knows? Maybe I wasn't ready mentally before then. I think that's part of the process too. You really have to be ready. So, to all you other July 2013 Bandsters - we did it! If we remember where we were a year ago, look how far we've come (some more than others @@Zingythingy, but that's okay)! Happy Bandiversary, everyone!

[GeorgeSeifert 49]

Hey July banders. My weight loss journey is finally nearly complete. I received my first date for surgery to improve the body I have remaining. My Tummy Tuck is on august 20th. 5 wks 5 days. I'm both excited and terrified. Can't wait to have a flatter smoother stomach. Dreading having my band completely deflated for 8 weeks. Has anyone had this surgery?

at this point in time, I would be scared to death to have my band drained. I hope your surgery goes well. Please give us an update as often as you can. The more I lose, the more I think I may have to get some skin removed when I hit my goal. FTR, I'm down 80 pounds and have 26 to go. Congrats on your loss Zingy!