SMMC LB support group chicas

[TheGh0st 9]

I know, first cottage cheese chocolate pudding and now tofu pumpkin pie. I think I get it from my father's side. Growing up he was always having my mom try to cook odd recipes he'd find. He was really into re-inacting different era's of American history. From the cowboys & indians to the Vietnam war. Once he had my mom make a vinegar pie that was suppose to taste like lemon. A few of my highschool friends that didn't know it was made with vinegar were fooled, but OH MY did it stink while it was cooking. Smelled like homade mayonaisse gone bad.

[nolagirl2 0]

hey chicas.

so it's been a long time - things have been absolutely crazy here - i had that temporary job, then i moved, then i got hired permanently, and it's just been insane. any free time is usually spent out with my friends, and my internet at home is unreliable wireless, so i'm not surfing as much. so anyway, i've been terribly absent. although i do feel better that nobody else has posted around here in 2 weeks either!!

so - what else is going on with me? i am starting to find my scale untrustworthy. i am somewhere between 235-245 right now, although i hate to say i'm thinking its closer to 245 based on my recent behaviors. i haven't gone to a gym once since i moved to new orleans, mainly for just flat-out logistical problems (didn't have a car and couldn't afford it). luckily, i get a discounted membership to a gym that is literally across the street from my work, so i suppose now is the time!! i'm feeling all motivated because i woke up at 3 a.m. and did some online shopping for my new years dress. i got it on sale at saks.com in their salonz section, i'm a solid size 20 according to their measurements, so while i'm not going to try to lose weight before new years to make it fit, hey it never hurts. besides, i should just get on the ball anyway, so that's my goal for tomorrow.

so yeah, i've been plateauing and what-not since i moved here. i've lived here 5 months and in that time, I think I've lost 25-30 lbs, which is crazy because that is still 1-2 lbs. per week even though I've just not been eating well or working out. I do want to get back in gear, though, and I'm trying NOT to do the "oh right after the holidays" thing, because, to be honest, one week after new years starts carnival, which lasts until feb 21, so the holidays here last a WHOLE lot longer and I don't need to put off healthiness until 2/21. so tomorrow, i am gym-bound at least to actually sign up. once it starts coming out of my paycheck i bet it'll be a lot easier to make myself go !

I'm also not beating myself up about my weight loss or perhaps perceived lack thereof because I sort of like giving myself this opportunity to evaluate myself and my new body. I mean, I wouldn't beat myself up anyway because it is always counterproductive, but anyway. I like that I'm giving my skin a little chance to recover, too, but it's mostly mental. I like that I am looking at myself and my body critically, seeing some things I like and some things I don't, and sort of reminding myself why this is such a process. I get happy about how much better I look, but I also am ultimately unsatisfied with the body I have now, and want to keep going (I'm not satisfied with an 18/20, I really do want to get at least to the 12/14 for now - once I'm there we'll see).

I'm also getting very reflective on the end of the year. There's a lot of things to be said on the subject, but one thing is by the end of calendar year 06, I probably will have lost a total of about 100 lbs. Last year at New Years, I wore a t shirt (yes, a t shirt) and jeans because I had no other clothes. When my computer died, I lost the pictures which is sad, because I really wanted to do a side by side of New Years 05 with New Years 06. I'll have to see if there are any pictures on my parents computer at home. But I know I wore jeans and a guys XL t shirt (it was tight), with a hat and a scarf, and ended up being in bed before midnight. This year I'm going to have a pretty new Tadashi dress and I guarantee at midnight I will not be sleeping.

Attached is a picture of the dress I bought, real pictures of me and stuff to hopefully come near the end of the year. Happy Holidays.

[nolagirl2 0]

hopped on the scale after that post and was 242. twice. so pretty trustworthy, i hope.

[Wheetsin 714]

I know, first cottage cheese chocolate pudding and now tofu pumpkin pie.

Ok, I really can't say much because here I sit eating some tofu "egg salad" for Breakfast.

Cate - that's awesome and you are doing a great job. As we know from Robyn's motto - this isn't a race. Plateaus are a great opportunity for reflection, planning, and honing our finer skills in patience! Looking forward to seeing your pictures in that fantastic dress!

I'm thinking about scheduling a fill next week. As many of you know I've been going back and forth with it for a while now. On one hand, I have noticed myself getting hungrier (not in quantity, but in severity/frequency) but I'm still rarely hungry. I can also eat larger quantities before feeling not hungry than I could before, and my weightloss has all but stopped. ANd it's still impossible for me to "eat too much", insofar as my band stopping me. On the flip side, I really am concerned about puch dialation. *sigh* I think I want a tiny fill - I'm talking 1/4cc - and see how it goes.

[TheGh0st 9]

What a gorgeous dress Nola. I am so happy for all the weight you and the rest of us on the board have lost. Reading your post about your physical and emotional struggles with weight (or perceived lack thereof) for the last five months was like reading about myself. I couldn't have put any of it better. I've lost 20-25 pounds in the last 5 months. The last 5 pounds taking 3 months to lose. At 1-1/2 pounds a month I definitely feel I'm on a plateau. But again, no real diet control, other than that the band gives in restricting my portions. No organized exercise.

Daily I swing between happy with how much I've lost and how far I've come to feeling frustrated and depressed that I still am not happy with where I'm at now.

I decided to go in for a fill yesterday (at Hoehn's BTW) and hope that jump starts the weight loss again. I'm not sure how loose I really was though I was able to eat 1/4 of a bagel with no problems last weekend and you would think if there was any kind of bread that would stick it would be a bagel. Some of the benefits of a fill for me I think are mental as much as physical. It helps refocus me on the whole process. Getting me to rededicate myself to drinking the Water and watching my Protein intake.

- Diane

PS - I just looked at my ticker. Funny, I set it up before Halloween based on my morning pre-dressed weight and yet it is exactly the same weight I was at the doc's yesterday.

[TheGh0st 9]

LET'S PARTY!

I wanted to invite anyone and everyone to a Holiday party I am having at my house for anyone that has or is thinking of getting banded.

Saturday January 6th, at 5pm.

I will make some band-friendly Hors D'oeuvres. But if anyone wants to bring some food or wine just let me know.

Anyone interested in coming just drop me an e-mail at DTh0mas69@aol.com or call me at 913-710-3390.

:Banane57: :Banane34: :Banane53: :Banane42: :Banane22: :not_ripe: :Banane08:

[Banded in KS 0]

Hey ladies!!

It is good to see some action around here again.

Cate, it is good to hear from you. I think you are doing fantastic!!! You have such a great attitude. :clap2: That dress looks amazing. I am so jealous. I wish I had the guts to wear something like that.

Secret confession--when I started all this, I wanted to buy and look good in a sexy little black dress. I totally think I could pull it off if I could get rid of all the gross skin on my stomach. Wishful thinking... I know.

btw, Angela, plastic surgeon info--pony up. :biggrin1: Give me a call or email me again and we can meet up...maybe do some shopping.

Question... is everyone done Christmas shopping yet?

[Wheetsin 714]

CRAP! I'm so forgetful. But there has also been a small twist - can elaborate when I see you guys next.

I am NOT done shopping. Done with the in-laws and shipped their stuff off this afternoon (hello! $147 just to mail the gifts! and they're going to hate them anyway! that kills me). Thought I was done with shopping for DH, only to learn through a coincidental conversation we had today that he's no longer interested in - you guessed it - what I'd already bought for him. So it's back to the drawing board. Pretty much done with my father, not really started for my mother, just one thing so far... co-workers are done, misc friends & family remain. *sigh* The school semester ended TODAY, so hopefully I'll be able to catch up.

I'll shoot you an email or smtg sometime. We need to get together (and i won't wear heels this time!)

[Rockin' Robyn 15]

Okay Holli-

What about me???? I wanna go shopping too!!!:bandit I have bought the cutest clothes for the cruise.... I'll make sure and take pics of me in everything. Funny-my hubby is on a crash diet prior to us leaving because he can't fit in any of his suit pants. He has only been on a diet for a week, and already he has lost 8 pounds and can fit in everything that was too tight last week!!! Disgusting! I guess that's what happens when you only have 20-25 pounds to lose and you lose 30% of your excess in one week! (sigh)....

Still playing the 1 pound a week (maybe) game...

Cate-I was wondering when you would pop back up I've missed you, and think of you often.

Diane-sorry I won't be able to come to your party....I'll be grooving with the motion of the ocean:D

Angela-I'm curious to hear about the twist...hmmm....good twist or bad twist????

[Rockin' Robyn 15]

BTW Holli-

Whatever happened to your friend who had the slipped band with emergency removal.....

Also, FYI....I took care of my first "pregnant" lap-band patient today. It was so stupid because her OBGYN was admitting her for get this "heartburn" and "nausea and vomiting".......I just laughed my butt off! Hello, she had a lap band + she was pregnant. They were doing this whole huge work-up on her and giving her all of these unnecessary medications. I was just thinking to myself how uneducated some of these doctors are. Get a clue....she needs to be unfilled. Not only do we already often have N/V and heartburn with pregnancy, but put a baby in there pushing and putting pressure on an already swollen band and of course that will happen (she had never gotten an unfill when she found out she was prego). I don't know, I just found it pretty hilarious and thought it didn't warrant hospitalization. Interesting:rolleyes:

[Banded in KS 0]

Robyn, my friend is fine now. She was not happy about losing her band, but that is what Dr. H wanted to do.

I have to say that honestly, I am having some serious problems! I am gaining major stress and holiday weight!!!! HELP!!!:cry I have gained about 6-8 lbs in the last 3 months and I can totally feel it in my clothes. I like a little room in my britches. My flat butt does not look good in tight jeans/pants. :phanvan

I also have "phantom" restriction. It shows up very rarely and only when I don't want it to. Folr example, last weekend, I ate HALF a toasted bagel for Breakfast...didn't feel a thing. I haven't had a bagel in over a year and a half. Today at lunch, with a bunch of people from work who don't know I am banded, I could barely get a few bites of turkey down. :faint:

Anyway, I am thinking of making an appt for a fill. I need to get a grip!

Oh... one other thing I have been doing... RUNNING on the treadmill. I have worked up to 11 minutes. But, with my long hours at work, I am only getting 2 workouts in a week... Man, life is hard!!!

[Wheetsin 714]

I'm thinking about a fill appt too. I've been going back and forth on it for a while. Holli is your friend getting another band? I've always wondered - they say that if your band slips, you can try an unfill, but if nothing works it has to come out. Why can't they just reposition it? Anyone know?

[Wheetsin 714]

BTW Robyn, my annual physical is latish January, and one of the questions I have for my doc (whom I love & trust implicitly) is about my weight & pregnancy. I want her honest opinion on my weight & what that means. If she gives me her blessings we'll probably start trying as soon as my one year is up. If she tells me she'd rather see me lose 20, 30 more lbs first - then I guess I'll have the motivation to take my jiggly butt to the gym!

But I'm not sure I'd want an unfill. Is it required?

[Banded in KS 0]

No, she is not getting another band. At least not that I know of. She is no longer obese, so her insurance wouldn't cover it anyway.

I talked to Dr. H about the band and getting pregnant quite some time ago. Basically, they want you to get all the Fluid out for several reasons. One being that the baby is going to take everything it needs from your body regardless of what you are eating. So, you need to be very careful to make sure you are getting the right amount of nutrition/food during pregnancy. Also, they probably don't want any possible complications to arise from being banded during pregnancy. But don't worry, if you get pregnant, you need to eat!!! I ate like a horse while pregnant and only gained a little over 30 lbs.

[Rockin' Robyn 15]

I didn't eat like a horse during pregnancy and I gained 86 pounds! I don't quite understand the whole concept either of being "deflated" during pregnancy...because I have taken care of MANY gastric bypass patients who become pregnant, and it's not like they can get their procedure reversed....hmmmm......

I think if I were prego post banding, I would be tempted to reject getting an unfill, unless I were puking my guts out all the time thus increasing my risk for causing problems with the band.....but then again, people who are not banded puke their guts out early in pregnancy NORMALLY....so I don't know. Glad I won't have to worry about it, although I feel kind of bad lately because Jack is OBSESSED with asking me repeatedly for a baby brother or sister.....one thing he definitely won't be getting for Christmas;)