No Longer Dieting

[solaa5 0]

Hi Nymps:

It's been ages since I logged on. Life has been crazy busy so that's my excuse. Anyway, I dropped by and decided to catch up with all the threads I have missed over the past few months and I wanted to share some of the things I have learnt during this weighloss journey.

1) Being banded does not meant all your problems are gone - especially the emotional ones. I don't know about all of you, but even with the pounds coming off, I still feel like a fat girl. I still forget that I am getting smaller when I go shopping and even though I have dropped a few sizes, I still find myself picking up my size 16's. Losing weight in this was is also helping me slowly let go of the image I have in my head about what I've always looked like.

2) The gym is my best friend - whao, that is so true. I hate exercise, but I have learnt to love how my mind and body feels after a good workout. It is also the thing that keeps me from gaining weight on the weeks I am at a plateau and eating chocolate icecream and cheese cake because of my cycle. It's been a relationship that I intend to maintan for the rest of my life. I go at least five times a week and I am gaining so much strenght and building killer muslces.

3) The band truly is ONLY a tool - it's no wonder we have to go for fills time and time again. Since my surgery Nov 1st, I have had only four fills (my doc is very conservative and spaces fills out between 8-10 weeks). I am sure we all know that we can "eat around the band" if we really try, however, the idea is to make better food choices, listen to our bodies and get back on track when we fall down. Bottom line, we still have to do all the hard work.

4) Dieting was banded right along with my stomach - I refuse to go on another diet and that is the decision I made when I was banded. No more Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Atkins etc...since my surgery, it's been about great food choices, (not always, I'll admit) and excising. Some valuable changes that I made for the long run, that I can live with including giving up soda's or anything with high frutose corn Syrup, going organic and eliminating all hydrogenated oils and fats from my diet.

5) I am Human - most of all, the biggest lesson I have learnt is that I am human...go figure...LOL. But this is crucial in helping me realize that I am not perfect, and somedays, when I feel down and under because of a decision I have made, I can forgive myself because after all, it's part of who I am.

Now, I am halfway through my journey. My goal is to lose 80-100 lbs and so far I have lost 40lbs, and by November, I hope to have reached that goal. If I am not there yet, that too will be O.K...as long as I don't gain anything, which has not happened, yet.

Actually, when I went for my last fill, this past Tuesday, I was a little bit disappointed that I had only lost 1.5lbs and before I even begun to grumble, the nurse at the office said, "worry, you are still on track because you have not gained anything back." That was enough to reassure me that the band was the best decision I have ever made.

[hollyberries 2]

Great Attitude! You are right that the band is only a tool and we must make the right choices. I too have found that I must exercise the rest of the weight off. I am not worried too much about the last 70+lbs or so as I know that they will eventually drop and that this is not a race. Having goals helps us to stay on track.

I have decided that to kick the plateau I have been on for the last few months I needed get a kick in the butt and have decided to low carb/South Beach. When going back to read my Band rules from the hospital it says to eat Protein, veggies & if still hungry good carbs..I have chosen to eat Protein and veggies and eliminate most of the carbs. It has worked for me because I slashed the plateau in the last few weeks by losing 6lbs.

Water aerobics have been my best friend and I love it...I miss it when I can't go and let me tell you I try not to it must be something important to do so.

Again, great attitude and keep the great work. You are doing just great.

Cindy

[Sades 4]

Hi Sola nice to see you back here. You were banded the same day as me and I have lost 35 lbs. I definitely could have lost heaps more by now but I have been struggling with it. I think my band has slipped as well, will find out on Monday. I have very little restriction and have been exercising throughout this time and that has helped me keep from putting any weight back on. It's definitely not always easy and you do have to work with the band. I'm hoping once I sort my problem out then I should start losing again. Don't stay away so long next time, this is a great place to come to stay motivated.