June 2006 Band Crew

[CindyCam 1]

Hi Fellow Junbies....I have also been out of touch for a while....I was doing great with working out and my weight loss and then i had to have a hysterectomy...and to my suprise i could eat whatever i wanted after surgery...i thought i may have been swollen but it was opposite....band is finally starting to kick in again...i am going for a fill tomorrow, so i am looking at it as a new beginning....it has been a month since my surgery and doc told me i can start walking but that is it i have to wait another month before he completely clears me......anyways i am posting my latest pic that i have taken....i am looking forward to getting support again as i am going to need it!!! I hope everyone is doing well.

Leila...You look great!

Warmmorningsun...I got ur message and i am struggling too....i feel like how i was before i was banded...completely out of control...i want cake, Cookies anything chocolate i can be full and still want to eat....although the weight has dropped off my brain still thinks like a fat person...and that is the hardest thing for me....I need to train my brain ...that being healthy is a way of life not a diet....i tell myself that everyday. But We can do this....we really can...i was in the zone before and i or we can get there again....just need to pull ourselves together. I have a wedding to go to in December and i would love to wear a cute dress...so thats what i am going to focus on......Good Luck!!

I am here for some super support Ladies/Gents....so hand it out if you have any!!! Thanks so much!!

[Pinkylee 7]

I must say, Cindy and Leila, for some gals who are "struggling", you're lookin' great doing it.

I think we're all having similar issues. I did really well at lunch. Small healthy portions, but then after everything was put away, I grabbed some chips! Drat.....

NSV - I did manage to eat slowly and enjoy the food. My latest little trick has been to eat faster and ignore the warning signs of imminent pb's.

I kinda think I was waiting for the band to maybe ..... disappear? Somehow I haven't gotten around to accepting this implant as a lifetime deal.

I want to get back to losing too.

I'm certain junk food is keeping me from being a good bandster. Anyone else have an epiphany on why the Junebies (for the most part) are struggling?

[Melissa Lea 1]

Hey there everyone!

Glad to hear from some of you that have been out of touch for a bit of time. Leila and Cindy, you look awesome!! Keep up the great work

I had a NSV this weekend. I went shopping for some Fall clothes for work. I was able to get in a size 14 pant without effort. However, they are still too tight in the butt and croch, but they buttoned and zipped with no effort. I bought size 16's for the last season!!!

I got this little tidbit in my email. As we are all struggling with our own food demons, I thought this might give some of you a little chuckle like it did me. Enjoy!

Melissa Lea

A good piece of chocolate has about 200 calories. As I enjoy two servings per night, and a few more on weekends, I consume 3,500 calories of chocolate in a week, which equals one pound of weight per week.

Therefore...

In the last 3 1/2 years, I have had a chocolate caloric intake of about 180 pounds. I weigh only 165 pounds, so without chocolate, I would have wasted away to nothing about three months ago!

I owe my life to chocolate!

[Devana 0]

A good piece of chocolate has about 200 calories. As I enjoy two servings per night, and a few more on weekends, I consume 3,500 calories of chocolate in a week, which equals one pound of weight per week.

Therefore...

In the last 3 1/2 years, I have had a chocolate caloric intake of about 180 pounds. I weigh only 165 pounds, so without chocolate, I would have wasted away to nothing about three months ago!

Melissa Lea, that's the kind of logic that makes total sense to me!!

Leila, you were a goddess then and you're a goddess now. Good to hear from you again.

[CindyCam 1]

Does anyone else still just feel like a fat person even though you have lost the weight? I still feel that when people look at me they are thinking..."Look at that fat girl"...i cant shake this feeling...i know that i have lost almost 100 lbs but i still feel fat!! Sorry, if that sounds inconsiderate or dumb...but that is how i feel.

Well I just got home from getting my fill. I hope this one gives me good restriction, as I am needing it really bad right now. Nurse practitioner said if I dont feel it after 10 days then I can go back and get another one. I am on a mission to lose these last 30 to 40 lbs. So far I have done great. The big test is if i get on that treadmill this afternoon...I have all intentions on doing at least 30 minutes of cardio. How is everyone else doing today?

[rroswelltx 1]

Cindy, I am so with you on that. I feel like a fat person too, and think everyone else is seeing me that way. People don't understand it when you say that they are like ,whatever your NOT fat, and that is not how I feel on the inside or even when I look at myself....

[socalgal3 4]

I've posted on some other threads that I am really struggling with that right now, Cindy and Regina. I think I've just hit a point when everyone is noticing, because I can't get through a day without a comment on how much weight I've loss. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy they notice and that I am successful, but I really hate the attention paid to my weight. It makes me want to hide. And I still feel fat for sure. Well, not FAT, but not thin or skinny. People describe me as skinny and I'm thinking of all the people at work that are thinner than me. I don't say it, but I think, "so and so is SKINNY, not me!" I guess it is "skinny for ME" or "skinny" compared to what I was. I mean, I'm still considered overweight for my height on all the charts. I feel like I'll accept myself when I'm at goal, or when I'm considered "normal" on a weight or BMI chart. But, I bet I'll come up with a new excuse then! That is one thing I am working on with hypnosis-accepting my success and knowing it can and will be permanent. I hope everyone has a great day.

[rroswelltx 1]

SoCalgal, unfortunetly even though I am so close to goal, that feeling hasn't changed. People call me skinny all the time and I am far from that. Sometimes in my own mind I wonder is it condecending, or is that just my freakish mind feeling that way. I think a lot of it with me has to do with the loose skin I have, it still looks like nasty fat rolls to me. Thank GOD for clothes, LOL!!!

[CindyCam 1]

I am so glad that i am not the only one who feels this way...I felt so stupid for thinking that way. I get the same thing as the both of you Socalgal and Regina....people tell me oh your so skinny....i mean i know what they mean....smaller than what i was...i know that i am not skinny....but i dont feel as small as they make me out to be....when i say i have 30 to 40 lbs left to lose..they are like..."where are you gonna lose it from you have nothing left" i am like ...please yall...look at me...i have fat on my thighs, on my back and my arms are huge...and then they dont say nething. When we go to a buffet i still feel like people are starring ...and thinking ...OMG...there she goes again...this is horrible...we shouldnt feel this way....but i guess i have been fat for so long that ..that is all i know how to feel...i dont know how to feel good about myself...i may need some hypnosis too or something. Dont get me wrong i am very proud of myself of my accomplishment...i know that i have lost the weight and by no means look like what i use to look like...i fit in now...Yes, I know that....but my brain has not caught up with my body yet....if that is understandable.....Frustrating is what it is!

By the way, Regina, I saw your pics on the Before and After Thread, and you do look great...i love how small ur arms have gotten...my arms are my worst feature...i have freakin bat wings...i guess i will have to get that fixed...but you look great!! How tall are you? You look tall in ur new pics.

Thanks for letting me vent!! :rolleyes

[rroswelltx 1]

Thank youso much! I am 5'5, so not very tall. I do still have the bat wings but they have gone down, the worse think for me besides the belly skin is my legs, they are HORRIBLE. I have so much skin (fat, LOL). I was hoping for the day when my legs wouldn't rub together but that is never gonna happen unless I get something done to them.

I too get the "where are you gonna lose another 15lbs from" and I go down my list, haha, people just do not understand!!!!

[Pinkylee 7]

Well, I'm still kinda chubby, but I look so much better than this time last year. I'm more upset over regaining 4 of the pounds I lost and also watching my waisteline grow even when the scale is staying the same. I've actually dreaded going to church (we've been out for several weeks). I don't want my friends to be disappointed in me.

NSV - went walking with DD today (in this heat) and I feel so good. 3 miles in 90 degree weather is quite a haul. It's been several months since we've been. She's doing great with her new lifestyle and is enjoying the attention a new body brings. I'm as happy for her as I am for myself! (almost) We both have an October and January goal.

Today has been a good day. I'm forcing myself to eat slower and chew chew chew.

House issues continue to be ironed out.

[Leila 0]

Thanks for the welcome.

It was good for me to do a before after side by side, and look at old photos to really visualize for myself how much I've lost. But at the same time. I know that at my height and weight, I'm still not only overweight with my BMI, but still in the 'obese' category. Once I go below 202, I'll be in the overweight category, and I'm -so- looking forward to that. That and onderland, I'm longing for.

I decided now to help motivate myself for losing weight, I'm paying myself a 100 dollars in spending money on things to make me feel beautiful for every 10 pounds I lose. I'm planning on shoes, accessories, and clothes that transition well to fit future smaller sizes. Or pampering manicure/pedicure, makeup, etc, what have you. Must be spent on something to spoil me in a way that will make me feel beautiful. I really think the reward system is helping me to follow my plan. We'll see.

The biggest reward really, is losing the weight itself. I've talked with hubby about it, and one year after reaching and maintaining my goal weight, I'm going to do the big reward of having a Tummy Tuck, and maybe some additional cosmetic work if we can afford it. We're on a tight budget, but if once I reach goal, I put away 'reward' money every month I maintain, I'll manage to do it. Maybe I'll put half of my 100 for each 10 lbs into a surgery fund as well.

Anyone have rewards/motivational plans that are helping them stay focused?

almost 90 lbs lighter, but still obese... have done so much to be proud of, but so much more I want to do.

[rroswelltx 1]

Leila- that sounds like a great idea for motivation. You have done so well and we all have to be reminded that we must keep plugging along even when it feels so much harder than when we started. So any added motivation that we add can only be positive. Welcome back to us and keep checking in...

[Pinkylee 7]

The one biggest motivating factor for me is fear of failure. These last few extra pounds make me realize I can eat around the band.

[CindyCam 1]

Your absolutely right PinkyLee....The band is definitely not a cure! I too can manipulate my band if I really want too...I choose not too most of the time....but sometimes if it wouldnt be for junk food i wouldnt be able to eat nething....that is still no excuse. I know that once i reach goal i will have to keep up with my fills and always make sure that i have no room to play with...that is, until my mind is under control......my brain has to realize that this is the way i will have to eat the rest of my life....and that treats are exactly what they are called "treats"...not a meal.

Leila...that is such a great way to motivate yourself....i dont have any rewards for myself...i think its time for me to come up with one. You deserve that $100 because you look great.

Here is something I havent told anyone.....but i just recently had a hystectomy and a Tummy Tuck with Lipo all at the same time....i had it done august 3rd. I am pretty much almost recovered....i no longer have a flap or apron, whatever you want to call it. Although all flap is gone...i think that my stomach is still very ugly....i have so many stretch marks from my babies...they ruined me....i know they are marks of motherhood...but they start from under my boobs all the way down...i had 1 9lb 6oz baby and the other was 9 lbs....so yeah i was pretty stretched....and of course i gained 70lbs with my first baby...lost 30 with the 2nd baby because i was sick all the time.

Anyways, back to the surgery...i just went for my one month check up and the doc asked me if i was pleased and i told him yes except for the above my belly button it still looks puffy and jelly...like a fat roll...he said that i may be one of those few people that are a candidate to have another tummy tuck....( a mini tummy tuck) the cut would only be about 3 inches to pull the rest of the skin down and some lipo to suck out the fat that was left. He said that during surgery he pulled as much as he could but sometimes after surgery it loosens up due to how much skin you had .....so i guess i am one of those people....he may be able to just fix it with the laser lipo ...but i will have to wait until all the swelling is gone which will be 6 to 9 months for lipo to heal....and then he wont fix anything until 1 year after soooooo i have to wait until august of next year....which in a way is good because if i lose the rest of my weight everything will be so much tighter.

I am sorry that i rambled on.....june bandsters are the first people i have told about this besides my family.