pink dahlia

For the last 20 years or so , ive been overweight. Difficult in so many ways because I was slim until early 30's and then started having weight problems. Tried weight watchers ( lost a whole 12 lbs in a year ! Oh boy !!) Gained it back and then some. Was banded Dec, 2011 and in 7 months lost 50 of the 85 lbs I needed to lose. Have lost another 15 , now im at a healthy happy 160. Would love to lose 20 more. Yes, thats part of my " success story " but the bigger story is " Immmmmmmmm baaaaaacccckkkkk!!!" IM ME AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!! No more sleep apnea, digestive probs, or size18 clothes. I like how I look and feel, and it just keeps getting better and better !! Good luck !

Turkey jerky, cheese stick, Belvita breakfast biscuits, Wendys small chili , baby carrots, pre sliced apples in a bag, pre sliced fruit, deli sliced turkey., nuts

Hey there, are you breathing ??? Whew ! You've got ALOT on your plate, I'll give you that, but you need to re member that no matter what issues you have to deal with, eating healthy most of the time and exercising will help you cope with the upcoming stress. Eating poorly and not exercising will not help you deal with the upcoming stress. Either way you look at it, you still have to deal with this "stuff", so you might as well deal with it in a strong , healthy mind and body. Hope things go well for you, Happy Mothers Day !!!!!!!

No more Ms. Winnie the Pooh!!! Maybe Tigger ??? (Thin and bouncy !!!) Congrats , you look great !!

Always be yourself, everyone else is already taken........ author unknown And............ ........... Comparison is the thief of joy - Teddy Roosevelt

I hope things continue to go well for you and your sweetie, when the time comes I would keep it casual, something like "I was struggling with a weight problem for x amount of time, and my Dr. and I decided that wls was a good idea, so I had it done and its been very good for me combined with healthy small meals and exercise ! " Keep it short and sweet , unless he ask's for more info. Good luck !

Healthynewme, you rock !!!!!! Way to go ! Id want to yell at that so called Nut. "Did you know that sometimes diet and exercise just dont work because sometimes your body just. doesnt. cooperate...!!!" Geesh, if thats all it took to lose weight then how come I was on WW for 1 year and try as I might only lost a whopping 12 pounds ! And was a slim to average until my early 30's ??? Good for you for kicking that mis informed idiot right in a$$ , so to speak. Way to go ! And lisacaron and all the others........... as usual, you rock too !!!!!!

Cupcakebabe, you really are a cupcake, are'nt you ? Congrats ! You should be very proud of all the hard work you put into getting yourself healthy !!!! Way to go !!! You look so amazing !!!!

You might look into lap band ( no stomach taken out, less invasive , etc), and you might want to see a psych dr who deals in food issues/ weight loss etc. He/she might help you get to 100 % . Although it was a quick and easy decision for me after I did my research, you have to ask your self a question. Is the 5% negitive worth the 95% positive ? Negitive, = small bites, chew well, mostly healthy food, exercise, drink lots of water. Positive = weight comes off, happy healthy future, most health problems go away or decrease alot. Ummmmmmmmmmm....................it was a no brainer for me. I wish you well.

If heaven has a restaurant, its going to be Red Lobster for me and im having endless coconut shrimp with mango dipping sauce, their little biscuits, and the occasional strawberry margarita.................mmmmmmmmmmmmm. drool.................

Wow !!!! Congratulations ! I cant believe what a difference a year made ! You look like a totally different person, and you look beautiful ! Have you wrapped your mind around the difference yet, or does it stiil catch you when you look in the mirror ?

I hope your surgery goes as quick and easy as mine did. No horror stories here ! I was at the hospital @5:30 am, surgery @7am, home nearby @11:30 am ! Couch surfed for 2 days with hourly walking, and then felt fine , just sore on the left side. Back to work on the 8 th day, felt great, and started loosing weight right away. Followed my Drs orders and dropped 50 lbs in the 1st 7 months. I hope everything goes smoothly for you ! Good luck !!

You look " beeeeeeyouteeeful !!!" So pretty, so healthy and happy looking ! Congrats on a great year !

Dont forget a chapstick and a BIG bottle of water, I had the worst cottonmouth after surgery ! Good luck !!

Hi leeb1946, if you're looking for a local Lap Band support group ( its not Bariatic Pal) near Bremerton, you're welcome to come to ours !! Next one is Tuesday, May 6th , 6:30 pm at the Silverdale Bowling Alley resturant, in the back room. Most everyone there has had the sleeve , lap band etc. ! Very casual but very supportive. Hope to see you there !

I hope things are going better for you today, now that you see you have alot of support here. You and I have some very similar situations. Im almost 56, have a very supportive hubby, have raised 4 kids ( 1 still at home ) with interesting personal challenges, lost my older in laws 4-5 years ago , and lost both my older parents in the summer 2012. ( Difficult, but part of the circle of life) I continue to move forward in a healthy way because there is literaly no other choice . Im not perfect, I do eat healthy 95 % of the time, and exercise 3-5 times a week , this helps me handle the daily stress. One thing ( of many ) I would change if I could would be to get myself to a Naturepathic Dr. to help me deal with pre menopause. That would of been a lifesaver ! Hope things are going better for you today, sending hugs !!!!!

Yes, you will be able to go out to eat, just remember that you have to choose foods wisely and take small bites and chew, chew , chew ! I cant do more than a couple of bites of thin pasta myself ( and definetly cant do lasagna noodles, too thick!) So I usually just enjoy the meaty sauce, salad, and a little bit of bread, home made or restaurant. ( My fav place is Red Lobster, coconut shrimp wth mango sauce and those little cheddar biscuts !!! Eeeeek !! Im drooling............!!!!!!!!!

I usually have leftovers since we cook dinner at home most nights ( hubby is diabetic, but a healthy weight) so for us its lots of chicken, salmon, turkey burger, and because he hunts , deer and elk burger. Once a week we'll have steak or pork. Try cooking up extra portions of your dinners and divide them into your own "lunchables." Homemade baked beans, hard boiled eggs, brown rice, whole wheat crackers with pb or cream cheese, canned salmon or tuna, fresh fruit or sliced veggies, fruit salad , almonds etc.....

If you still have alot of unanswered questions you need to have a talk with your Dr. BEFORE you have surgery, so that you go in knowing what to expect before , during and after. This is a life changing surgery to get you healthy, so you need to go in having done your research. Make that ASAP!! Also, the more you know the less anxiety you will have about the whole thing. Mine was sooooo easy, but i also had done my homework before, so if i had run into a problem, I would know when or if to contact my Dr. Good luck to you !!

You look so healthy and happy ! Congratulations !!

You didnt gain the weight overnight, you're not going to lose it overnight either. Sometimes that "stall" is a signal from your body that its trying to adjust to the changes you are making. Your body is sometimes asking you, "am I getting enough protein , water, calories etc ?? If not, I might be starving so I better hold on to this fat in case I need it !!!" If you are giving your body the right amount of everything healthy, then it will adjust and let the fat go. Sometimes theres a "stall" for a reason.

I dont think you're being hypocritical for wanting a healthy body, no matter what size you are, thin, or not. I think you have to look past the size and look at the health problems that can go with that size . By loosing weight ive eliminated my sleep apnea, digestive problems and cut my risk of cancer down considerably. ( a major risk in our family) . My late mother in law was diabetic, didnt manage it, overweight and so was confined to a wheelchair for her last few years of life, with a million medications to boot, and needed constant care. Sorry, but thats NOT going to be me, as I will go out kicking and screaming ! Im 55, and made a choice to live a healthier " rest of my life." I dont know what my final weight will be, but I do know it will continue to be a healthier, happier me. Id write more, but im off to my morning run. My best to you, have a great day !!!

Whew!!!!! No pity parties from lisacaron, thats for sure ! She sure opened up a can of a whoop a!! on your Dr , did'nt she ? You go girl !!! That Dr works for YOU, not the other way around , so go see him if needed. This is a TEAM effort to get YOU healthy, so use the TEAM to get you to your goal. That being said, one of my favorite sayings is from the late, great Steve Prefontaine ( google him for an interesting story) who said " Dont be afraid to give up the good and go for the great !" Maybe your past friendship applies ? I think if something good didnt work out, its because something great is coming around soon. Food for thought ? Speaking of food, I liken it to a baby sucking her thumb. When the baby is sad, scared, stressed, she sticks her thumb in her mouth to comfort her, right ? Well as adults we can't walk around sucking our thumb when were sad, scared or stressed, so we stick food in our mouths to comfort us. Try finding a hobby , or interest when you're upset that calms you down, thats NOT food related. Music, knitting, walking , dancing, etc............. good luck, hang in there !!!!

Keep up the hard work !! Whats your secret ? 86 lbs in 11 weeks is amazing !! Great job !

Congrats!!! Way to go !! Its alot of fun when you realize the band is really working , isnt it ?? Keep up the good work !!