Life is Good

[sweetbean70 2]

Unforgettable... Howdy! I saw that you were banded by Dr. Curry on July 13. He did my surgery on June 8. Isn't he and his staff wonderful?! Good luck w/ your journey!

Edited August 1, 2009 by sweetbean70

[caricap 0]

Restless you are indeed a motivation to me. I am five days post- op and every question that has come to mind you have posted a response to it somewhere. I too am a "scooter hater" and am looking forward to being able to move without pain and for longer times.

[serenity55 15]

Restless Monkey, as Unforgetable and Head Hunter have said, I too enjoy reading your posts, and benefiting from the knowledge you share. Thank you for this thread.

When I was in the pre op liquid phase, there was a point at which I thought, If I feel this way tomorrow, I'm going to quit and start eating.

I got on the scale the next morning and found I'd lost 8 pounds. that kept me going, and I haven't looked back. I'm down 56 pounds now, am wearing clothes I couldn't wear before, can talk and walk at the same time, can bend over to tie my shoes, reach places higher up on my back and shoulders when I shower ...

I could go on. It does me good to write these things down, and to read about others too. I can always come back here and read this thread and keep myself going.

I hope we all continue to have success.

Debbie

[jujuvee 0]

Restless you're right.... Life is good, and I too want to thank you for all your words of wisdom. I am a Restless follower because you do it right, you don't get overfilled for a quick weight loss, you're patient and you don't believe there should be forbidden foods.

I have mirrored those same standards which I believe are going to be the key to lapband sucess!

Now enough about you ( LoL )

Life is good because I am finally under 300lbs and seeing parts of my body that I haven't seen in years!!!!!

[ThePoolGirl 1]

Hey TPG You're supposed to post a "life is good" scenario of your own. Surely something good happened...didn't you see the surgeon?

Yes, 2 good things have happened. One, my computer and I are now getting along. Two, visit with surgeon was good and I actually weighed about 20 pounds than I had thought. My scale is accurate to 1 pound. So, whoo hoo there! I have a surgery date too. More on that later.

Monkey, you are a fab woman!

TPG

[KartMan 58]

Monkey,

I’m with you!!! I have been going strong since February of this year and it has been great. This morning I actually tipped my toe into Onderland for the first time since I was in boot camp over 20 years ago. I am looking real good in regular sized clothes (I have a whole new wardrobe) and feel great about myself. I am close to my goal (about 15lbs to go) and am not regretting any of it for a second. I will admit I am probably a little too tight, not so much that I need an unfill but tight enough that I have to be real careful in what I eat.

Keep up the good work and all of your inspirational posts on here.

[Lapband LaLa 10]

I just love this post. It's so nice to hear you are doing well and you are cruising along. It's a journey. Spinning your watch is such an accomplishment. I felt that way when I had to switch my rings to my big finger!

Life is good and I am so glad you are sharing it with us!

[Bandster25 0]

Thanks for such inspiring posts, everyone! I was wondering if you guys could say a little more about having bad eating days and getting right back on track. I'm still having problems with this because I'm still stuck in the all or nothing thinking. For now I am totally avoiding all white carbs/snack foods/slider foods because it is really difficult for me to eat them in moderation. I think I need to completely avoid these foods at least for a while, but I know it's not realistic to never eat them again. I still think about food a lot, especially when I start making food choices that are not so great. Any helpful thoughts or tips that you guys have for getting past this would be great. Sorry to ruin the positive vibe of this thread. The band is a really great tool, and I'm confident that I will get to my goal, but I guess I just need a little advice on how to think of it as a lifestyle change rather than a diet.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I was wondering if you guys could say a little more about having bad eating days and getting right back on track. I'm still having problems with this because I'm still stuck in the all or nothing thinking. The band is a really great tool, and I'm confident that I will get to my goal, but I guess I just need a little advice on how to think of it as a lifestyle change rather than a diet.

I think this is probably different for everyone so I hope more people address this for you too. For me, I initially went through about a year of behavioral therapy on my own before I got the band (or even decided to get the band) So when I say I tried everything I kind of mean it! :thumbdown:

I learned a lot about myself and my eating from that. I also started to, well, divorce myself from all the emotion of food. I wasn't ever one to "eat my emotions" although some do, and I don't mean just that. But the idea of food being "good" and "bad"...or of ME being "a good girl" when I eat healthy and "a bad girl" when I don't. It's just food, that's all.

That really helped me.

Once I started to think of it as fuel, it becomes easier to choose the quality stuff because I get more bang from it.

I've used a car analogy before so let me indulge here. Gas is PRICEY. Are you going to go the the time trouble and expense to buy gas that makes your car backfire and gives you about 1/2 the miles per gallon? Nah that's just crazy.

Yet, we do it with food. We'll eat Cookies instead of Protein and veggies. The Cookies don't provide good nutrition, they can make our sugar crash, we get hungry again too soon. Why? Because we like the cookies? But, don't you like the veggies too? And don't you like feeling good and having energy? So why the cookies? Why indeed?

The band really REALLY helps me with this, because it removes physiologic hunger. I used to get truly physically hungry a lot. The band helped me see the link between what I choose to eat and how I feel afterward. Nutritious stuff usually gives me energy for hours and I'm not hungry. Cookies taste good but they are low grade "fuel". They are an indulgence because usually I want to eat and then get on with life. Cookies= sluggish performance and engine knock

chicken and veggies=high performance, smooth accelleration, long time till next fill up.

That sounds simplistic but it's sound, at least to MY experience. Now that I feel the difference, I can only turn to the cookies for so long and I get exasperated.

I'm pretty "new" to this so I'm sure it will evolve and change. But removing all the emotional "ties" bonds and descriptors for food helped me redefine how I use food.

It's a process, but I think it's working.

[Unforgettable 0]

Unforgettable... Howdy! I saw that you were banded by Dr. Curry on July 13. He did my surgery on June 8. Isn't he and his staff wonderful?! Good luck w/ your journey!

Hello! I love Dr. Curry and all of his staff. I especially love that most of them are banded and so they understand, to a degree, what we are going through.

Nice to meet others out there!

[maryrose 2]

Great post!

I firmly believe if we take good care of our band and follow the rules, the band will take good care of us!

We just have to keep reminding ourselves that it's all good.

[ThePoolGirl 1]

I think this is probably different for everyone so I hope more people address this for you too. For me, I initially went through about a year of behavioral therapy on my own before I got the band (or even decided to get the band) So when I say I tried everything I kind of mean it!

I learned a lot about myself and my eating from that. I also started to, well, divorce myself from all the emotion of food. I wasn't ever one to "eat my emotions" although some do, and I don't mean just that. But the idea of food being "good" and "bad"...or of ME being "a good girl" when I eat healthy and "a bad girl" when I don't. It's just food, that's all.

That really helped me.

Once I started to think of it as fuel, it becomes easier to choose the quality stuff because I get more bang from it.

I've used a car analogy before so let me indulge here. Gas is PRICEY. Are you going to go the the time trouble and expense to buy gas that makes your car backfire and gives you about 1/2 the miles per gallon? Nah that's just crazy.

Yet, we do it with food. We'll eat Cookies instead of Protein and veggies. The cookies don't provide good nutrition, they can make our sugar crash, we get hungry again too soon. Why? Because we like the cookies? But, don't you like the veggies too? And don't you like feeling good and having energy? So why the cookies? Why indeed?

The band really REALLY helps me with this, because it removes physiologic hunger. I used to get truly physically hungry a lot. The band helped me see the link between what I choose to eat and how I feel afterward. Nutritious stuff usually gives me energy for hours and I'm not hungry. Cookies taste good but they are low grade "fuel". They are an indulgence because usually I want to eat and then get on with life. Cookies= sluggish performance and engine knock

chicken and veggies=high performance, smooth accelleration, long time till next fill up.

That sounds simplistic but it's sound, at least to MY experience. Now that I feel the difference, I can only turn to the cookies for so long and I get exasperated.

I'm pretty "new" to this so I'm sure it will evolve and change. But removing all the emotional "ties" bonds and descriptors for food helped me redefine how I use food.

It's a process, but I think it's working.

Monkey Gal,

It's posts like this that make us all like and respect you. That was a great analogy and makes sense in the pure simplicity of it. Food is neither good nor bad. It's JUST food!! We just have to recognize that "better" food gives us better results. Zoom zoom zoom....fed my car some good stuff today, feel good, and hope tomorrow is even better. We can just do the best we can and when we know better, we can do better, to paraphrase Maya Angelou.

Thanks again, Monkey, for your unique perspective.

TPG

[heartfire 4]

What a great thread! Thanks for starting it RM!!

Today I wore a dress (long, casual, sleeveless) that I'd only worn a couple of times about 6 years ago. I bought it when I was at my lowest with WW and it was still a little too snug around the middle so I was uncomfortable in it. Put it in the back of the closet. Soon regained nearly all of what I'd lost on WW. Fast forward to Friday and packing for a couple of days up to my mom's. Saw the dress and wondered. Hmmm. Threw it on and it went all the way down! No hanging up on the hips, butt or abdomen!! WhooHoo! Took it off and put it in the suitcase. Wore it home today and it was so comfortable!

A few days ago was wearing a pair of shorts that I've been putting off getting rid of. They're comfy. Well, that's b/c they're so loose! Went to the FARMER'S MARKET and was carrying my DD as she slept on me and almost, literally, lost my shorts! YIKES! Came home and threw them in the laundry. As soon as they're washed they go in the to-go pile to be given away!

And that's just a clothes thing. I can't even believe where I am today after nearly a year with the band. I've had some bad days and a couple of set-backs but I've also had some GREAT days! More energy, moving easier, less pain, feeling better about myself in general, etc.

We went on a hike a couple of weeks ago. Hadn't been on this hike in over 10 yrs. It about killed me the last time I was on it. Feet, legs, asthma (exercise induced), etc. Last month, it was a BREEZE! I did SO good! I was tired and a little sore but in a good way. Thought the next AM I wouldn't be able to move but by that evening, after dinner even, I'd already recovered!!!! I couldn't believe it!! I can't WAIT to do more hiking!

I haven't been able to walk for some time now since it's been so bloomin' hot here and it makes me pissy that I can't get out there like I want too!

The high school pool is going to be closing for the season next weekend and I'm totally bummed! Darn it! I want to swim!

No way a year ago, would I have been thinking these thoughts and doing these things! Last year my DD was in swim lessons for babies/toddlers and I had to be in the pool with her. I hated it! I was so embarrassed! This year, she has lessons with an instructor and I can't be in the pool with her and I'm so bummed!

Mentally it's confusing and exasperating and curious and scary and exciting and and, well, everything!

[Bandster25 0]

Restless Monkey, thanks so much for your response. That was a great analogy. Thinking about food in terms of fuel is really helpful. We should focus on only consuming high quality stuff like 95% of the time, but for the other 5% of the time it's not a big deal to make a few not so great choices. It's just important to get right back on track the next day. Do you guys count calories and track everything, or do you find that if you follow the band rules that the band will take care of Portion Control for you?

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I don't count calories or weigh unless I'm curious...I have obsessed over food enough in my life. I'm done with that. I know what's healthy and what isn't, what has more fat, more carbs, what has less...generally. Finally for me I don't give a rat's rear if my meal has 200 calories or 250... LOL I just eat, choose healthy, and generally lose. Can you beat that? :biggrin:

Some like the accountability of the cal count etc...but I've been there/done that.