formerfatgirl

my motivation for the band was for a few things 1. i am studying to become a doctor of physical therapy and i felt as if my obesity would cause patients to not take me seriously 2. i am young and i missed out on countless opportunities simply because of my weight 3. i knew that there was a sexy body somewhere underneath all of that fat and i was ready to see it after 10 years of morbid obesity 4. and most importantly - for MYSELF. i could care less about what the world had to say, but my opinion of myself was so low. i didn't value or respect myself. the band was the start of a whole new me and a completely new chance at life. 5. 8 days before my surgery, my high school sweetheart and i finally rekindled our romance and started dating for the second time. i knew that i was in love and i wanted to give him the best possible me i could give him because he deserves the best. now 16 months later, we already speak of our future and children. i am glad i made the decision to get health for both myself and for my future family. 16 months, 137 pounds lost, love and success found. getting the lapband was the true beginning of my life. every aspect of my life has improved - i'm currently on the deans list while studying for my bachelors in biology, the love of my life has loved me for who i was and who i am today, i got accepted into graduate school, and for the first time in my life i feel SEXY. it has honestly been the greatest blessing of my life. when one thing falls into place, the rest follows. i wish you the best of luck <3 stay positive !

I have hit my weight loss goal and my port sticks out a little bit. Also, when you get towards the end of your weight loss journey, the port tends to flip around. No worries though, an experienced doctor can flip it back whenever it comes time for adjustments. I have to say that the port is rather annoying but it's better than being obese !

just hopped on this website a few days ago, didn't realize that it existed ! i'm looking to hear other people's stories about life after band my name is annemarie. i am 7 months and 9 days post op today i was banded on 1/10/11. since then, i have lost around 97 pounds. hoping to hit the big 100 soon ! i am finally NOT considered obese which is amazing ! i would just like to meet some new people on here and hear their stories and see their pictures to gain some inspiration/motivation. these last 30 pounds are killing me ! school is about to start on 8/29 and i am not looking forward to it /: i am also interested in talking to younger members with the band (since i am young myself, 20 years old), i would love to hear what their journey has been like hope everybody has been having a great day !

anytime ! i know i'm new to this website but i have been banded for 7 months:) definitely add me as a friend and let me know how you're doing ! always interested in hearing everybody's stories ! wish you the best !

hiccups after eating means that your pouch is full and it's trying to push the food down. i would recommend eating more slowly. the hunger pains are normal because the band has just cut your food intake by a significant percentage. when you get your first fill i would speak to the doctor/nurse doing it because hiccups can cause band slippage. congrats on the weight loss so far i'm 7 months post-op and life at first was hard to get used to but the weight loss has completely changed my life. as for meds, my surgeon says do not take anything larger than an m&m, and if it is you should break it in half. so maybe sudafed is your best bet. good luck with everything

my exercise for right now is 100% cardio. i'm going to add strength training in there soon i'm just healing from an automotive accident and my back is really sensitive lol. i start off with 20 minutes on the elliptical which burns about 220 calories. next i run/walk a mile on the treadmill. then i hit the bike for about 25 minutes to just keep the sweat pouring out of me so on a daily workout i'll burn over 400 calories, which is like one of our meals and a snack ! best advice is to go after you have eaten and you have digested. you don't want to get sick. another tip is do NOT push it past your limits. i started working out about 2-3 weeks after surgery and it really helped to just shed the weight. do as much as you can at your own pace. it's hard to work out as hard as a normal person with the band considering you don't get the same amount of carbs/calories. i have trouble working out in the morning because i am not a breakfast person, and never have been unfortunately, so i feel very weak and dehydrated if i workout in the morning. it will take you some time to learn your body and your limits, but after that it's smooth sailing. thanks for the compliments and i wish you all the best for a successful future with the band !

Protein shakes are good for Meal Replacement, but you have to watch your carb intake with them. you should only replace ONE meal a day with a Protein shake. there is a carb-less Protein Drink made by isopure. i believe it is around 160 calories. my surgeon's practice recommended that you shouldn't drink them post-op, but for pre-op i would probably recommend it. my guideline would be to start eating like you would if you had the band, start eating less and more healthy. what helps me is exercise 3-4 times a week, straight up cardio to get get the blood pumping and the sweat pouring. try to stay away from carbs/sugars/fats. do not drink sugary drinks AT ALL. drink Water and if you get sick of that add some crystal lite to it. start eating whole wheat foods. i do not recommend doing a liquid diet only because it's hard to do with or without a band and you'll end up crashing and possibly go on a binge. just eat fruits/veggies/lean meats and try to stay away from the bad stuff. adding protein to your diet is good, but it isn't going to help you to shed the weight unless you put in a conscious effort to exercise. i hope this helps, i'm 7 months post op and i am currently down 96 pounds with 33 more to go. if you have any question hit me up !