Second Anniversary Banded

[Bandista 7,466]

Hi there,

I guess it's true that Time flies when you're having fun; I've been having a lot of that. Honestly, I cannot believe that two years ago today I was waking up from surgery and beginning a new chapter in my life. I had no idea then of the many ways my life would be reshaped aside from the shape of my body.

I'm forever grateful the band was available to me as it has been the perfect choice for my situation. We are all different. I was 52 at the time and had never been an overnight patient in a hospital before. I can barely tolerate going to the dentist. Getting a band was a big decision but I was fortunate somehow to just know that that's what I wanted to do. Thank goodnes there are so many different surgery choices available to us; we live in marvellous times.

Two years ago I was 250+ and now I'm in the seventies. I'm a little tall and like my curves (oh my goodness, do I LOVE having a waist!) so I don't want to get too thin. But a word about collarbones: YIPPEE! And hips. Wrists. You know how it is -- I'm celebrating this new body every day. I was wearing size twenty pants and am now in tens. No more Plus Size anything. I would not have predicted that I have a thing for clothes, but oh yes, I sure do. It's so much fun to be able to just try something on without all of that angst.

I have been an exerciser for many years (arthritis - have to move) but in the last two years I have ratcheted up to being more of an athlete. I feel ridiculous even typing that out as it's such a foreign concept. I used to work out for 45 minutes 3-4 times a week; well, it turns out I am some one who needs more like 75-90 minutes 5-6 times a week. There's the faking it until making it thing and that's what I did. I pretended that I liked it, that I was one of "those" people until I actually have become something resembling one of those lucky people who truly look forward to exercising. Like I said, resembling. I'm not quite there but I raise my hands up in that crossing the finish line pose and I go do what I need to do and I feel like a million bucks afterward.

food. I am happy to report that I still like food. I can taste almost anything and be quite satisfied. That is a miracle. I love to cook and one of my weird non-scale victories (NSVs) is being able to tie my apron double around my waist. I love that. All those years in all those kitchens with my big fat Winnie-the-Pooh belly in an ill-fitting apron or Chef's jacket. No more. Silly, but that just feels so good. I was very restrictive in my former life so I am careful to not be on a diet. I make good choices, which I can do because my appetite is dimmed and I know what good choices are. But I also let myself have a little bit of whatever I want, whether that's a square of chocolate or cheese (behold, the power of cheese). This is why I still have a little weight to lose but I'm okay with that. I do drink alcohol and we have a lot of dinner parties, go to restaurants, etc. Practically no one knows I am banded; I'm extremely private about that. What people do see, however, is how much I'm exercising and how good I feel. It was important for me to go a bit slowly because I wanted the weight loss to be incremental and I didn't want to have saggy skin.

Well, that's about it. I am tremendously grateful to all of my Lapband Talk friends and now Bariatric Pal. You know who you are -- the encourageers. Virtual friends. This has been my first experience on a forum and it's been great. Best wishes to all of you wherever you are in the process. For new people, a few words: don't get too hung up on what kind of surgery you had; we have much more in common than not. Don't try to give or take advice from strangers on the internet. Have a good working relationship with your doctor and show up for all your appointments. Show up for yourself! I really had to put myself first to get the surgery and choose my own well-being over taking care of other people's needs first. I don't do that any more and, guess what, every one else benefits from that. Here's to our health!

[gowalking 10,790]

Happy Anniversary to you

Happy Anniversary to you

Happy Anniversary my dear band friend.....

Happy Anniversary to youuuuu!!

[Miss Meg 199]

Good for you... You can tell by the tone of your post how happy you are...

[B-52 7,113]

Congratulations!!!

It continues to get better, even after you have lost all the needed weight and fat...

[Julie norton 2,850]

Nice thoughtful post bandista. I think It helps to remember the past.. And rejoice in the now!!!

Bye 200 anything.... Bye any size that has 2 digits and starts with a 2.

Happy and healthy. That was the goal I'm thinking and you succeeded???? congrats to you!

[heather5565 959]

Great motivational post!

You're a rock star!

[JustWatchMe 7,117]

Congratulations, beautiful lady. You have been an inspiration to me since I got here. I love your always encouraging support. Thanks for being here!

[meggs353 118]

What a wonderful, inspiring post! I'm curious, could you share how much weight you lost in year 1 vs year 2? I'm on a slow weight loss path and have just about reached my 1 year bandiversary. I'm still looking to continue my journey and am curious if year 2 is any harder to keep losing than year 1.

Congrats on changing and embracing your new life style. Your post makes me want to be one of "those" exercise loving (or at least enjoying) people too!

[catfish87 3,471]

Congrats and continued success Bandista!

[Bandista 7,466]

@@meggs353 I don't have good stats re: timing -- I was highly motivated from pre-op through those first 6-8 months when I probably lost the most. I do notice that if I relax about it mentally then the scale keeps going down little by little. Now for another ten pounds and to keep tightening up the core. A project.

[meggs353 118]

[maldonado46435 19]

Thank you for your story(:

[cz.99 20]

Thanks for sharing your story with us. Very inspirational!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[trutay 6]

Love your story...It encourages me to step it up..i was banded may 29 2015 so we are close.. I am down 55 lbs and still need another 20 or 30 off...slowly but surely coming off..Thankyou

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