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I was reading a post from a fellow bandster who is having trouble with a "friend" who is jealous and lashing out about her weight loss. Of course, we all know the phrase people like to use when they are passing judgment: You're taking the easy way out! Well, let's put aside for the moment that being banded is hardly easy, nor does weight magically fall off. I would argue that it is, in fact, EASIER (or why else have your body cut open and a foreign object placed inside?). Here's my question: So what? So what if it's easier? So what if it's easy? Why the heck is that bad? The band is a piece of technology that makes work easier (or, even makes it possible, period) than it was before. We, as humans, have invented millions upon millions of pieces of technology to make our lives and our work easier. It's what we do. Driving a car or even riding a bike with gears is taking "the easy way out" when you have two legs and can walk. Yet I don't hear too many people willing to give up their gas guzzling, environment and natural resource draining cars so they can "do things the right way". Look, people who have this attitude are not hard to read, they have a simple motivation that isn't at all about you and completely about them: They want to judge you for being fat (which equates to lazy), and feel superior for not being fat (or feel comfortable because they are also fat and you make that ok by your very presence). It isn't about YOU. It isn't about your health, or your well-being, or your self-confidence. It's about how your changing size affects the individual and either their need to feel comfortable or their need to feel better than you as they sit in judgment. if it were about health, as people always claim when they stand loud and proud in their open prejudice against "disgusting" fat people, then they'd all be more than happy to have everyone banded, losing, and healthier by any means. Don't let them fool you that this is concern about you and your health. It isn't. It is about THEM. So here's my answer. So what if I'm taking the "easy way out"? It's a way out, period. So bring on the easy.

Finally, a difference in more than just the scale. My 18W's got too big but I could fit into regular 18's which are now too big also, so I had to go buy a size 16 jeans Yippee. Still not a size to be proud of, but now I don't have to shop in the fat lady section anymore

Well - I'm not as nice as most of you. LOL I'd say something like, "Well, at least I won't look like a deflated balloon when I'm finished losing weight."

Just found out today! Oh my gosh I am on a high! I'm getting banded.....April 29th! So excited I want to just start running around and scream Thank you GOD! One month from today....I will be banded. So I am officially an April Bandster!

That is why it is so great to have this forum to share our success with people who understand. The other day I went walking on the walking trail here in town. I was about a mile in a half in and moving as quick as I could when I came upon a woman and a man walking a dog. As I passed, the girl looked at the man and made this cheep smirky grin and said did you see that? The woman was dressed pretty nice and her hair and make-up were nearly perfect as well, unlike me, with my hair thrown up in a pony tail out trying to work part of my butt off. The comment hurt because I knew that she was making fun of me for being overweight out there on the trail. It's kind of the same experience when you go to the gym and all of the perfectly shaped people make you feel like you don't belong. When I got home, I was nearly in tears because that woman did not know about the journey I have been on or that I had surgery a little over a month ago to try and change what she saw only on the outside. When I got home, I told my husband what happened. I figured the woman must have been on a date with the way she was dressed and the man she was with must not have liked heavy women. The sad part was that she was not in the best shape herself, but making fun of me must have made her feel better about herself. I just want to take a moment to say that I am proud of all of us on here who made a decision to have this surgery. This morning I am down 28 lbs and I have taken time to Celebrate each one. No matter if you have only lost 1 lb or if you have even stepped backwards a bit and may have gained a few, Stand proud and don't shrink and feel bad about yourself because of comments other people make. At first I prayed that girl had to walk a mile in my shoes. My mom committed suicide a few years ago, my first husband divorced me over it. I had a brother who was in a car wreck and broke his neck. I had 2 grandfather's and a grandmother pass away. Both of my sister's were diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and just a few months ago, my high school sweetheart and my father's son was murdered. After I thought about it for a little while, I said, no, I hope no-one ever has to walk the path I have had to walk. I read stories on here all of the time where life has beat so many of us up. Please, Please, Please, celebrate your band and your progress and your hope. This is our beauty for ashes. It's about time for a little blessing, even if we had to have a surgery. It may not be the easy way, but for me, it is an easier way and I believe it is about time. God bless all of us that we stand tall on our journey and don't shrink and give up or in to the voice of nay sayers who have no idea where we have been, or where we are going. We are all in the same boat....................our side is just rising a little higher in the Water. Woo Hoo, GO us!

I am the day after you....Tomorrow I start my 1 week pre-op diet.......soon it will all be over....and then its all up to me. I have the tools and I have to use them wisely....Just getting thrugh the first few days....

If you say so, Elfiepoo. *sigh*

The whole point of going through the lap-band journey is to not have to do those fad diets that don't work long term and really aren't very healthy. I think we all know that protein is very important once banded, but at the end of the day it's about burning more calories than taking in..... Hve you talked to your surgeon as to why the weight loss isn't coming off as quickly as you'd like? Also, your weightloss is a success. Think about what you would've gained without the band!!!!

You are eating a whole chicken???? Looks like maybe you need to take a look at your portion control.

I was wondering how you were doing. Apparently the LBT has been having a few problems and it looks like they've reset the system back to Feb. 2nd...so a lot of the responses are gone. I don't know what a 'rasher' is (slice?) but until my last fill, my normal breakfast was 2 sl of bacon with 2 eggs fried in just a bit of butter. It made all the difference in my hunger levels through the morning. You can't have milk in your coffee but you can use heavyweight cream or half and half (both have less carbs). I think cream is too greasy, so I use the half and half. In the newer Atkins books they allow artificially sweetened drinks like Crystal Lite. I go by the '72 version and avoid artificial sweeteners. A note on the reagent strips. They're a waste of money. On Atkins, you need to make sure you're drinking 64 fl oz of water per day. If you do that, those strips won't turn any color even though you're in ketosis. Also, what I don't see on your menu are vegies. Even in the induction phase of Atkins, you're supposed to eat vegies. I don't know about later versions, but in the '72 version that includes 2 cups of salad a day which can include leafy greens, celery, cucumbers and radishes. After the 2 weeks it includes any low carb vegie (asparagus, green Beans, etc.). If you're not eating vegies, you're not doing Atkins. That's ok...but it's not Atkins.