Violet953

Wow look at you! You are doing so great girl! You must be so happy. I'm doing great too except for the fact that my ankles are driving me NUTS. I have Lymphodema. Do you have it/know anyone who has it? My ankles are huge and its starting to cause me even more pain... But anyway congrats...keep loosin it!!

I definitely agree to disagree! That's for sure! I have a right to rant if I want to...just like everybody else on here..just like Hummingbird has her opinions... And one more thing, Cheri...I'm not "pushing my beliefs" on anyone..I'm simply speaking to anyone who wants to listen..Is that okay? Isn't that what people do all day long on this forum? Like I've already said in another post...People will do what they want to do.. How dare all of you tell me to "shut my pie hole" I didn't have much more to say anyway but if I did, I'm allowed to say it! I never told anyone to shut up- just because I didn't like what they have to say...if you don't like what you are reading...stop reading it! And Hummingbird, I apologize for letting this get out of hand. I admit I was rude to you and shouldn't have been...it is great that you lost the weight. Congratulations on your weight loss.

Who do I think I am? Hmm Lets see...I think I am an overweight woman who is trying to take a new lease on life and do things right for a change...and I think I should try to get people to do it the RIGHT way...not the wrong way...so whoever reads this...please think about whats right and whats healthy. And they are excuses! I see people make excuses all day long in my own personal life and in here! And yeah its not my concern about how you lost your weight! You are the one who shared it with me though!

No actually I'm just using common sense and everything I learned from this forum & my surgeon! Are you really trying to argue that exercise is not beneficial? That its just "optional"? Its people like you on here who give false hope to the newcomers. There is no way I'd be able to loose the weight without exercising- and I wouldn't want to! Most of us here have to struggle every day! To make people think that you can just breeze through this is ridiculous!

Well, lucky you! You lost the weight in a very unhealthy way by not exercising..and didn't listen to what your doctor told you. That is not reality for most of us here...so the fact that you lost all the weight is your case..not everybody elses...I for sure don't want to loose my muscle ...I want my body to be strong and healthy..but ppl are gonna do what they want...that's what I have to come to realize...and its sad. Exercise does nothing for loose skin that's already established yeah...but I know for a fact that it helps prevent it...from more than one person on here! Sure it doesn't work for everybody...but it definitely helps ..and makes you stronger and healthier!

G75funk- GIRL! Why wouldn't you want to be on the billboard??? lol...that is so cool!!!! That's when you KNOW you did an amazing job! You listened to your surgeon and ate less AND worked out! Who knew? It worked without getting loose skin? Gee wow, never thought that would happen! And if you can't tell, I'm being sarcastic...

I didn't use a straw at first...from what I heard here about not doing it! But to be honest I don't even remember my doctor telling me not to...or the dietitian...The only time I do drink out of one is when I get an iced coffee...and that isn't every day. And I definitely don't drink carbonated beverages. But I do take my time and drink slowly ..because I always have even before the band..and I have not had any problems at all with it.

So hummingbird how much loose skin do you have?

Hey...what can I say...I was pretty annoyed when I made this post and while I have cooled down...I still pretty much feel the same way...I don't want to do this the unhealthy way...I want to do it the healthy way. I want to be active and toned not only for my body...but for my mind. I went into this wanting to change my lifestyle- that means not only eating less, but getting off my butt and working out everyday. How can I make a lifestyle change if I'm still sitting on the couch all day? I really do think you need both for more ways than one. And Kartman is very right...your body is designed to MOVE...it is SO unhealthy to just waste away your muscles with no exercise and fast weight loss...and no muscle is what causes loose skin!!!!!!

Hey hun...you look absolutely stunning! You must be so happy... Congrats! How did you do it? Can you give us some advice? Did you exercise a lot? You look like you have no loose skin. Anyway, very happy for ya!

Allison- for every one of you, there are 100 other people who need to exercise to make this work...so its just not realistic to think that you can just loose the weight as you did without it. But honestly, while that is really awesome and I'm happy for you...don't you think you would have done better and toned your body the whole time if you exercised this past 8 months? That's why I think its so important...I don't want loose skin...and I really don't want to loose the weight super fast so that my body stays tight. I also would like to say that while yes I do enjoy exercising a lot of times...esp. after I have gotten through the first half of it, the other half is easy for me..because I feel like I'm giving up if I don't just finish it...there are plenty of other times that I don't feel like it...whether its I'm just not feelin it or my ankles are hurting me like crazy...I just force myself to do it. I don't even go to the gym! I really don't like the gym...I do mine right at home in front of my tv whenever I feel like it. I do Walk Away The Pounds with Leslie Sansone DVDs and I change it up between the 3,4, and 5 miles. I never said it was always a blast to do- but its something we SHOULD be doing.

I live in Connecticut too and I'm sorry to say but there is no way to expedite this process unless you are paying for the surgery yourself. I have Husky/Medicaid too and it took me over a year to get everything together...finally had surgery on February 8th. The reason why it takes so long is because the surgeon himself's office had to weigh me every month for the six month requirement. I was not able to use anything from my primary ..and in fact really didn't need much from my primary for the surgery...just the pre-op physical I believe...I had to go through many many tests as you will find out..which took months to finish. I go to Dr. Tousignant in Norwich, CT and had my surgery at Backus hospital...I love my surgeon so much, he is really great..super nice and extremely smart..my surgery went perfectly too. But like I said, there is no way to make this go faster...you just need to find a surgeon as soon as you possibly can and get this going! The time that you will have right now until surgery, you should take to loose some weight before surgery, because that is what they will ask you to do. I was told i had to loose 50 pounds before surgery, ended up loosing 30 but since they saw I was making progress, that was all they needed. If you would like to talk to me, all you have to do is message me on here.

Hey girl! That's exactly how I am too. I do Walk Away The Pounds Dvds at home and I've been making myself do 3-5 miles a night and if I go into it not wanting to...once I get that 2 miles done I know I can finish the rest...its not as bad as you think...just DO IT.

I totally agree with you ...just today I was annoyed cuz I couldn't finish my food...but we need to get used to the fact that we can't eat that much anymore! I still make plates that have wayy too much food for me to finish. You are right though it shouldn't be something that annoys us if its going to make us loose the weight! This is why we did this!

This is normal. The pain meds make you constipated...I think it was about 4 or 5 days for me so I called the doctor and she told me to take miralax or milk of magnesia. I chose the milk of mag cuz its sooo much cheaper and I'm really glad I did cuz just 2 doses and I was able to go ...actually I went from not going to diareah for about 2 days lol but hey at least it came out and kinda cleaned me out...WAYY better than trying to **** out a huge turd!! And trust me I've been there many times- it hurts SO bad. I have been on the toilet screaming before ready to go to the hospital...finally I got a glove and a plastic spoon and you figure out the rest. LMAO so disgusting! So take something ASAP. More than likely that is what they are gonna tell you if you call the docs.

That's what happened to me too...It's very normal. I am trying my best not to eat too much, and I'm exercising like crazy...My first fill is not until the 8th and I can't wait because I have very little restriction!! You just have to fight those hunger pains, but my doctor told me to increase my calories and it would help...so that's what I did....It does help...mine pretty much went away but there are times where I get them still. It's not nearly as bad as the first couple weeks of surgery though!

You did soo wonderfully! You look amazing! Thanx for the pix that was so cool! I would love to know about the exercise as well- cuz that's what I'm doing! 3-5 miles a night!

Hey there....I am in "bandster hell" too! But you know what I'm doing to loose right now? Exercise!!!! If I were you, I would do a lot more than just 30 minutes of exercise. Bump it up to 45 mins to an hour. I do anywhere from 45 mins to an hour and a half every day. Yes it is hard...sometimes I have to talk myself through it, but I find the more I do this, the better I feel and the more I enjoy it. I am loosing inches like crazy right now...next it will be weight, and I don't get my fill until the 8th either...right now I have no restriction....well somewhat...I can't eat as much as I used to that's for sure. But I def. want more restriction and I know that is what's gonna make the pounds melt off!

Hey Meredith! I LOVE doing Walk Away The Pounds! I love Leslie! My mom got me her VHS tapes years ago and I lost 20 pounds then doing it...mind you I was a lot thinner and younger...but it still made me loose today just as good maybe even better. I think the five mile is the best because its nice and fast pace...and you can do as many miles as you want....I try my darn best to aim to do the whole five miles but sometimes I just do two or three from that one. I feel like, once I get through the first 2 miles, why not keep going and finish the rest? I think the first 2 miles are the hardest when I'm not into working out on certain days, but it gives me the motivation to keep going and do more and more...whats another 20 minutes you know? That's how I see it. I just did 2 miles of the five mile DVD tonight, I would have done more but I have an awful yeast infection right now and it was bothering me. I try to do this every single day, and feel very guilty if there is a day that I don't get it done. Plus it makes me feel good during and afterwards, makes me feel alive! I'm gonna add you as a buddy now!

I'm really glad you went ...although I don't think you would have been able to wait any longer anyway...good luck I'm sure you will start feeling way better now that you have nourishment and hydration again!

See!? I told you you'd get approved and would be banded this year! I knew it!!!!!! I'm so happy for you hun...it happened sooner than you thought huh?! And hey- you can do it- I lost almost 30 pounds before surgery exercising doing walk away the pounds DVDS. I still do it after the band. This is a great time for you to prepare and you don't have to worry about anything now, just getting ready!!! Congrats!! Feels great after allllll that huh?

Hey girl when did you have your band put in?? Cuz I am 2 weeks out and just started exercising a couple of days ago. I would try it and see how it goes for you...you should know it if its too much.....like if it bothers your port area or something. But my surgeon did tell me that even the most vigorous of exercises will not disrupt the port site. I hope that is true...my incisions are still healing so I do hurt a little when I push too hard...but I know I will be fine once time goes on...I just really wanna get the exercise going you know? I do Walk Away The Pounds and while it is a lot milder than insanity or px90...it kicks my butt! And I keep it moving ...try my best to do 5 miles a day!

Yeah 4 days????? That is not good girl!!!!!! I'm nervous for you right now!!!!!!! I wouldn't be surprised if you fainted by now! PLEASE get to that surgeon ASAP!

I TOTALLY understand how you feel! After I started exercising (pre-band) and lost almost 30 pounds on my own, I started feeling amazing...and the sex definitely increased. My boyfriend bought me this shirt that I just felt soo sexy in. He compliments me like crazy now...and the best part is I feel great. I am getting my life back...all aspects of it. Isn't it awesome????