April 2006 Bandits December Challenge

[guysis 0]

Just wanted to try to upload some picture of me before/after (as of last month)............also Susan saw your pic's on your myspace area and guess what else we have in common (Zoe, our 5th Doxie)..........we've thrown in a couple of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels in our 45 years of marriage also..............love both breeds.

Sure would love to see some pictures of all of you!

First pic - couple months before band

Sec pic - right before

Third pic - about a month ago (with new haircut!)

[bluehill 0]

Oh Betty, you look FABULOUS! And I love your new hairdo. Thanks for posting the photos. It's great to have a face to attach to your posts!

Perhaps in the new year I'll be able to do likewise, using the digital camera I'm giving myself for Christmas.

[*susan* 1,709]

Wow, Betty, you look fabulous! I am so impressed and love the new do too!

Aren't doxies just the sweetest dogs? Winston is actually my daughters baby. He follows her everywhere. Max, the lab, pretty much goes where me and the hubby go. They are definitely our spoiled babies.

By the way, I just posted some pictures on the picture thread.

[amourette 5]

Wow, sorry all, just don't know where I have been.............I spent last 24 hours catching up on the site and realised how much I missed you all! I am trying to get out a bit more and not spend so much time in the computer especially with the warmer weather approaching.

Yes I did finish the November challenge but never posted to say I had, my exercise is steaming along, I am at the gym or power-walking most days, even started some light weights 2 weeks ago. I was a big gym goer for many years but never lost weight as I ate too much hehehe!:rolleyes

I have lost a bit more weight, still struggle with PB's sometimes but a lot of things are starting to really click for me. I am hoping my new exercise hobby will help shift a few more. I sent a webcam photo of my face to my sister to say hi the other week and she asked my mum what had been happening as I had lost so much weight, her and her hubby were flabergasted, wow and all from just that one photo? She doesn't know what I have had done as I chose to keep it private.

So I am busy with my work at the airline, just two trips to go and then I take my mum to Atlanta to see my sis, her hubby and my gorgeous niece who is 17 months old, I love coming to the states on holiday even though I am there often with work.

Wow Betty, you look great, everyone looks fantastic in after shots don't you think, I was in the before/after shots thread and it was soooo amazing, kinda motivated me back on here.

Hope to talk soon, I am off to hotel gym now for light work out as I must fly back to New Zealand tonite (13 hour flight):omg: :omg:

Love Amourette

[amourette 5]

This is what I sent my sis last week, I will find a photo from a year ago so you can compare, would love to see more photos of you all also, Betty's were great, how about some Xmas theme shots hehehe!!!!

[guysis 0]

Amourette, you look so cute! Sure don't look like you are 36 years old....look like a teen!

OK Bluehill, waiting for those new photo shots with your new xmas present.

Susan, need some before's/after on here!

The rest of you...........would be so nice to see what you all look like so we can picture each other as we head down our paths to fitness and great health.

On my way in an hour or so to a local on-line (Yahoo) group meeting - we get together once a month at each other's homes.............bring band friendly food and have a support meeting. It's been such a great support for me...................second only to this group!!!

I'm up .5 lb this week.............darn......back to 180............not so easy at this stage of the game! Alan is pulling away.......we're now 3 lbs apart.......with him winning! Again, trying to not eat after dinner (even healthy stuff) - still think that is what is doing me in.........those extra 100-200 calories do count! Made a pact with myself (again)..............those icky hours before bedtime are my boredom downfall.

December

1 - 1 hour NIA

2- 1 hour NIA

3 - Day off!

4 - 1 hour NIA/1 hour strength training

5 - walk back and forth to Breakfast approx 1 hour

6 - off to my 1 hour NIA class - talked 2 friends into joining my gym and so have partners in my NIA class

7 - 1 hour walk to Breakfast (approx)

8 - 1 hour NIA (posted in advance - meeting friends so no excuses!)

9 - 1 hour NIA (on my way over to the gym!!!)

10 - Day off!

[guysis 0]

Susan - just saw your pics on the before/after thread..........you look amazingly beautiful!

[DeltaDawn 0]

Wow,You guys all look so great in your before and after photos.

I have been trying really hard to get my exercise in this week. So far in December am at 7 exercise sessions. My big news is that I jogged yesterday. I did 2.2 K (how does that convert to miles??? I am sooo Canadian). I am happy with that.

Glad to see everyone doing so well.

2 weeks until Christmas!!!

Dawn

<o></o>

Banded April 4^th 2006

Fill June 9^th 2006

<st1:city w:st="on"><st1></st1></st1:city><o></o>

[guysis 0]

Dawn...............I am keeping an eye on your weight loss - I am petrified.............you go girl, are amazing with your loss to date......soon you'll be into onederland and I have to get going - at this rate you will bypass me very soon!

Went to my support meeting last night and got "hypped" once more. It is such an upper to meet with all my bandster friends. Am sleeping over with a couple of my grandkids for a few days - my daughter is in NY having fun....I get them off to school and then go about my business for the day........so I'm off to my NIA class soon.

December

1 - 1 hour NIA

2- 1 hour NIA

3 - Day off!

4 - 1 hour NIA/1 hour strength training

5 - walk back and forth to breakfast approx 1 hour

6 - off to my 1 hour NIA class - talked 2 friends into joining my gym and so have partners in my NIA class

7 - 1 hour walk to breakfast (approx)

8 - 1 hour NIA (posted in advance - meeting friends so no excuses!)

9 - 1 hour NIA (on my way over to the gym!!!)

10 - Day off!

11 - 1 hour NIA

[JulieNYC 4]

You will all be very proud of me. I worked out (real workouts too -- not "just getting by" ones, wink) BOTH days while I was in Chicago this weekend! The friend I was visiting belongs to a gorgeous gym and I was able to get a weekend pass. She's very weight conscious too and even though she couldn't go with me both days, she was supportive of me carving out the time to do what I needed to do. I really enjoyed her gym too. So, Betty, I'm with you on the 6 days a week mini challenge. So far I'm 10 for 10! I'm just itching to drop weight. I'm so in the groove right now and I want to keep it going as long as possible. Hopefully all the way to Onederland!

Kat, feeling any better yet? Coughing is just the pits. I had a mild cough (nothing like what you're going through) for about 18 months when I first moved to NYC. At the time, I thought I was allergic to something in my building. In hindsight, I wonder if I didn't have reflux from the extra weight that was fixed by my hiatal hernia repair when I got the band. Anyway, take care and feel better.

Fit George, We're so glad you're joining us! I love your enthusiasm. I'm with Bluehill -- please tell us more about your workout routine. We've been doing this challenge for 3 or 4 months and I think we all really enjoy checking in with each other about exercise, the band and life in general. George, we don't know each other at all yet, but in reading your post, I thought "this guy needs a fill." Do you think that could be the case? The reason I say that is that I had a lot of the head hunger issues you describe in your post before I got to my sweet spot. Once I got there, though I occasionally think about having a piece of chocolate, or I might have 2 or 3 days where my eating isn't where I want it to be, in general, I don't struggle a lot with head hunger. The band makes it easier to make the right food choices, which, in turn, makes it so umch easier to meet my exercise goals. I feel like exercising burns so few calories (meaning it takes hours of exercise to burn enough to drop even a single pound) that when I eat poorly, I lose my motivation to exercise. Anyway, that's my two unsolicited cents! Again, we're glad to have you and tell us more about you when you have a chance. Congratulations on losing 44 lbs. and getting off your CPAP. That's wonderful and I know you're feeling great.

Betty, I'm crushed that I can't join you for the Seattle bash! First, I'd love to meet you, second, I've never been to Seattle and third, I've never been to a bandster bash. "Unfortunately," I'll be in St. Barts for Mardi Gras that week. Poor me, I know. Perhaps we can have our own April Bandsters mini bash another time and you'll open Hotel Betty for 2 or 3 of us? I'd LOVE to come to Portland/Seattle for the weekend. Maybe when Roberta, Susan, Bluehill and the rest of us on the road make it to Onederland, we can plan a weekend as a group reward. On another note, you're GORGEOUS! Wow, you look amazing. I have to say, you carried your weight really well, even in your heavier pictures but now you're a smokin' goddess! I don't care if you weight 3 lbs more than your husband or not (and you won't for long).

And Amourette, aren't you just the daintiest little thing! Look how tiny your shoulders are! I'm with Betty -- you look like a teenager. I don't know how you fly so much though. I'm petrified of flying. The whole flight back from Chicago last night I was convinced were were losing altitude. I'm not logical when it comes to flying.

Julie's thoughts on the so called "starvation mode." In another life, I'm going to be a medical researcher and the first research I'm undertaking is whether starvation mode is scientifically supportable or not. I've never seen any quantifiable study on the issue. The nutritionist at my surgeon's office doesn't believe it exists, though I know many medical professionals do. I think it exists for some people and doesn't for others. Maybe it's tied to over metabolic issues (PCOS, insulin resistence, etc.) and if you have any tendency for those issues, you have a higher set point for hitting starvation mode. Radical thought! What I do know is that if it exists for me, it's at a very, very low number -- well under 1200 cals/day. I eat about 800 cals/day on average in my banded weight loss phase. Some days I eat 1500 (yesterday -- cheesecake at the Walnut Room of Marshall Fields in Chicago!), some days I eat 600, but most days it's about 800 or 900. I keep a spreadsheet of my WL and I don't lose "best" at a particular caloric intake. My body basically works on a calories in/calories out basis. I recognize and believe that other peoples' bodies work differently and that their "starvation mode" may indeed be at 1200 cals, or some other number.

Susan, throw it down, girlfriend! Challenge accepted! Race you to the 220s. If I can be there by the New Year, I'll jump for joy. I know that's asking a lot though. I'm going to check out your pics on the other thread….

DeltaDawn, I think 2.2K is exactly one mile. Way to go on the running! There's a runners thread in the exercise forum that has a great "walk to run" program that lasts about 8 weeks. I'm in week 5 and am really enjoying it. You might check it out. In the meantime, would you mind telling me more about your eating program? You're losing so quickly that I wonder if there's something I could tweak in my own program to join you (not that I'm in any way complaining about my loss -- just looking to improve if I can).

[Ceparano 0]

Betty, I'm with Julie, you are a "looker" at any size! You look completely different with the cute cut. Love, love your fireplace. Wish I could make it to Seattle, but I know it won't work for me. I would love to meet you all! Susan glad to hear your daughter is doing better. Amourette you are a cutie with that mischievous smile! Bluehill I'm going for a fill this Thursday, I hate feeling hungry like this. I hope that MD is wrong...I know I'm not getting in enough calories. A lot of times I'm hungry but nothing seems to appeal to me and then I start to eat things that I shouldn't.

Have any of you found that flying causes your Band to become more restricted? I noticed it on my last flight. It lasted the most of the time I was on the cruise, and again on the flight home. Kat I hope your doing bettter with that cough.

Hit Curves this evening! 12 more to go!

[Kat817 19]

Hi everyone!!

Well it looks like I have survived this cold!!! The cough is still giving me fits, but otherwise I feel much better today. Not sure if I will get any exercise in yet, may give it another day before breathing deep like that. It is snowing and cold, wet & nasty here, so all good reasons to stay in by the warm fire! A friend from the other thread I chat on, recommended childrens Mucinex, and it has been awesome...the adult version is not band friendly.

I will get busy and get started on my exercise, I really will--just don't want to breath that cold air yet!

Betty---along with everyone else, I love the new YOU!!! You look so much younger, it is incredible!!! I bet DH loves it too! Would love to come to the Seattle Splash, not exactly what is in store following Christmas---but going to be thinking about that! So glad your group jump started your enthusiasm!!

Julie--I am managing to drop some weight, but I think it is because I have to FORCE myself to eat right now. So....I have been behaving very well! The only thing I have worried about was the sugar content of all the juice I have been drinking, but figured It was more important...and luckily it didn't hurt. I have tried to keep my numbers up. I don't know if starvation mode is true or not, but I quit losing if I eat too little or drink too little. Go figure!!!

Hi Fit George---sorry so slow in introducing myself---thought I'd wait til my whine passed!!! Welcome!!!

Amourette--lookin' good girl!!! Bet they are really shocked when they see you in person---good luck!!! Let us know their reaction!!! My Mom messed up my plan, she told in her Christmas letter, how proud of me she was, that I had lost almost 80 pounds. I am pleased she is proud (gotta love her!!!) but I was planning a shocking picture next year....oh well, I know most of them will never expect it to still be gone by next year!!! I DO have a diet history!!

Susan--wow---your pictures look amazing!!! I am ready to do my next set, as soon as I look decent, right now I look like I felt yesterday!!! In 9 pounds I hit Onederland....and in 4 pounds, I am no longer OBESE!!! I may wait til one of those milestones. I was planning some pics at 75 pounds, but ended up missing it...will get them. You look so different to me! You and Julie keep it up!!!

Roberta--good to see you again. I have only flown twice since my banding, and both times were without incident. Neither were over 5 hour flights tho. We are headed to Hawaii next Spring, that will be longer...hope it goes ok.

Delta Dawn---very impressive weight loss girl!!! Keep it up! so glad you are joining us!

So, Judi---opened any gifts yet???? We wanna see!!!

Ok I need to go get some dinner started, I am sure DH is going to be wiped out tonight, he went back to work today. He and I were sick at the same time, that hardly ever happens!!! He still tried to take care of me, he is a good guy, guess I'll keep him!

Thanks for all the get well wishes...you guys are the best!

Kat

[guysis 0]

Julie...............what a great idea! How about next summer in Portland at Betty's "hotel"......................I'll get you all passes for my gym, you'll all get to try out NIA and I'll be the NW guide to all the "spots"..........this is a gorgeous place - love to show it to you all...............and you can't beat our summers! Julie, next to me, you are the travel kid!

My body is a definate "what goes in makes the difference". I also can only do about 800-900 calories a day to lose weight..................along with my exercise...................needless to say, I have been putting a bit more in the past couple of months - it's been very comfortable for me to maintain my 179.5 - 180.5 +/-....................and I have to decide if this is it for me..............am I happy being a size 14????? Don't know yet...........I'll probably coast until the 1st of the year and then decide if I really want to maybe try for a size 12.....and a weight below Alan!

[amourette 5]

Thank u to you all for your lovely comments.........I nearly cried with emotion, it is one of the first photos I have been happy to post, wow, hasn't the band changed our lives. I am chuffed at the suggestions I look younger than I am as I am having a mid-life crisis, chuckle, chuckle!!! I will definitely get that before shot up in the next couple of days, I am home now and went to the hotel gym like I promised on here, I am so much happier, wow I don't know even where to begin!!!!

Another drop in uniform size is definitely on the clear horizon now!

Another thing I have been single which is a lot to do with my weight issues, in the last week I have been speed-dating and on an internet date, true I wanted to throw up all day beforehand, but I did it, and wouldn't have had the courage before......................

Today I have a day off after flying in from LA, yes I love flying but it isn't always problem free................it is a life-style I guess, and yes there are times I think......mmm does that sound normal?

Betty how old are your grandkids? Dawn how do you exercise in the cold, I would just want to lie in a blanket on the couch sipping hot chocolate with marshmallows hehehe, Julie yeah the flying sucks sometimes, but like I said it is a life-style thing and I have done it 13 years now and I am single which makes it easier,, tell you what though, the band definitely closes over in flight, wow, many PB's from learning how to cope on the long haul sectors...............

So off for power walk tomorrow.

The weather is getting nice and warm here now, I am off to Atlanta in the states in a week to spend 3 weeks with my sister and my 17 month niece , she is so cute and I miss them both so much!!!!!!

XX Amourette:D :)

[Boo 3]

Wow! It is so much fun to see pictures. Amourette, you are so pretty! You have a very sweet face. And Betty, your transformation is quite inspiring for a short eight months of banding! Classy lady! Isn't this exciting?

I am in and out of Seattle fairly regularly, and live there for about a month during the smoggy summertime of L.A. A reward meeting would be a blast. We can go to Betty's and then waterski at our lake house! Well...maybe that doesn't sound fun, but Seattle IS beautiful in the summer. Fun to think about!

What is the 6 day challenge? I missed that one. A relapse of bronchitis has got me down.