Bright

Oh I really need this thread too - have just swallowed most of a tub of Extremely Chocolate MiniBites (anyone from europe knows these from Marks & Spencers!) and am finding it so difficult to avoid all the crap food that goes down so easy.... Like Lisa, I am losing the same 4/5 lbs and gaining it again - just had my one year Bandiversary on Thursday and am so depressed I didn't lose more in the year... I feel so "sugared out" yet not motivated enough to quit bingeing... My new fill doesn't seem to give me much restriction either....moan moan whine whine.....! Anyway....I'm so going to try with the one fun food thing... thank god I don't even know what Cheetos or the Spunkmeier cookies are...phew! Thanks for the thread Lee-La (this is what I call you in my head, Lisa & Delarla mixed...I know, I'm weird...)

so glad you're back safe and sound! Sounds like they took really good care of you - wishing you a speedy recovery xx

Ps Babs - defo going to get to the States next year - think I'm just going to rent a Winnebago at the airport and go around and visit you all!!!

Leatha, Marie & Babs, thanks so much for getting back to me...I'm not really nervous about the actual fill - just want it to go smoothly, and not have any immediate problems - like finding out I can't swallow water on the plane ride home - I'm so far from any one band-aware, that I can't afford anything to go wrong - I am hoping my fill will bring me to 5.5cc or maybe even 6cc in my 9cc band - I REALLY need to actually feel the band working for me, instead of depending on willpower most of the time....! Thanks for the tips - I presumed I shouldn't go in with a full pouch but wondered about measuring restriction etc.... oh well - I'm just looking forward to this time tomorrow when I'll be back at Gatwick airport waiting for the plane ride home!!!

oh and just saw your message Michelle - thanks so much for missing me! I'm chuffed!

hi guys - Am heading off to the UK tomorrow for a flying visit to meet my new doc and get a fill - just wanted to know if there are any special preparations you need to do before going? I have all my x-rays, info from France, have fake tanned my stomach (!) and am wondering about fasting? Are you better off not to have eaten before the fill? Or should I have done a naked rain dance? Or what? Nervous and wishing I knew more about fills!

Any news on Betty? Hope you are in bandland now Betty, and not in too much discomfort xx

Michelle, I had no idea you have been/are going through so much - my heart goes out to you. I wish you nothing but the best for the future and am thinking about you and your son. take care of yourself xx

wow Karen, you look like a different person! I am so impressed - well done xx

Thanks everyone! Alex - no my bloody DH did not bring back the few things I requested! I had forgotten about it and am all mad again :angry :angry :angry All I wanted was a lousy bottle of oil and a Pottery Barn catalogue but apparently that was too much for him to do (rant rant...) He's heading back there before Christmas so I will "reorder" with him! He loved the hotel tho, and had a giant steak there - he was telling our son about how huge it was, and my son said confidently " oh, the cows are MUCH bigger in America than they are here..." :cool: He has a trip to Morristown planned for March 05 too, and I'm hoping to go with him - wouldn't it be great if we met up???!!!

em sorry Penni - I will reserve my guest bedroom for you if you ever get to Ireland! And you can have my children as slaves if you get everyone else to come !!!!!!!!!

Megan I love your story, and have loved being on this journey at the same time as you - my bandiversary is in two weeks, and I always loved your posts - I am so proud of you for getting so far, both physically and emotionally....well done xx Ps I put you beside yourself in the attached photo...hope you don't mind xx

oh you guys.....don't even play with me...I know you're kidding but I have a lump in my throat with happiness/excitement etc....what can I say....Come to Ireland!!!! Thanks for missing me Vee.... I have been eating crap for the last few weeks so my weight has see-sawed from 245 to 255lbs but hell, I'll get back on track, I guess I'm having a diet vacation! And I was so envious when I saw all of you in the pool! In the sunshine! It's definitely autumn here - cold, raining, put away the flip-flops, get out the boots kinda weather :ermm :cool: Penni - I will defo bags you my guest room if you get here!!

Hi everyone - here I am again with even more apologies for not posting for so long....! :nervous :nervous :nervous Things are really busy for me and I never seem to get two seconds to spend on the computer - last few times I logged on, I have been perusing all the Vegas photos which took me ages - wow you all had a brilliant time - I was sick with jealousy - I thought of you all on that weekend as it was my sister's 30th birthday and we had a huge surprise party for her - she was absolutely thrilled so it was (nearly! :cool: ) worth missing the bash for her! Well anyway - my big news is - I am finally getting a fill! Two weeks from my one year bandiversary! For those who don't know, I have a 9cc Inamed band, which was filled to 4cc during surgery, and have never had a fill. I have some restriction but not much - I have a problem with some breads but that's about it! So rather than go back to France to my french surgeon, I sourced a really good band doc in the UK - a belgian guy who has fluent english (unlike my surgeon!) who can answer my questions and most importantly of all - GIVE ME A FILL! I am a bit apprehensive, and wished I had paid more attention when y'all were talking about fills - now what was it you all were saying again???? :nervous :nervous :nervous - I am coming up to my one year anniversary, and wish I'd lost more than 70lbs in the year, but hopefully I'll get a lot more off in the next year - I am 80lbs down from my highest weight so I guess I shouldn't be whining... The other big news is, I decided to go back to school! It has been so long since I have felt depressed and unable to cope with life so I peeped outside my rabbit burrow, and decided to get back into the world! I rummaged in the back of the cupboards, found my brain and headed out into the world of acadaemia! I am doing a university certificate in Psycology, and am hoping to get into college next year to do a degree as a mature student. I am loving the course so far - and my new found knowledge will really come in handy with my bonkers family! This is my NSV - there is no earthly way I could have concieved doing anything like this in my old body. I feel so focused and energetic, it seems like a miracle.... Last week, we walked to the nearby village, during the lunch break of our lecture - I was smiling to myself as I walked with everyone else - I wouldn't have been able to "stroll to the village", over half a mile, a year ago. The whole day was a triumph for me - my concentration, my confidence, and I walked!!! Wow! Anyway just wanted to say hi to everyone - i'll try to be around more xx

Well done Vera - brilliant photo jam! Wow, you guys had a ball! I'm so jealous here - wish I could have been there! PLEASE PLEASE have the next bash somewhere on the east coast - New York would be amazing - at lease I could make that relatively easy! Or of course Dublin is an amazing party city!!!!:cool: :D Lisa, your house is gorgeous - and all of you looked fantastic xx

WHOOAAAA! Donali - We're not worthy, we're not worthy.... I am amazed at your fabulous work! Only 12 days - omigod! So how long will it be before you're back online after "reconnecting" with Indiana?????!!!!!!:mad: :D By the way, I'm almost catching up with you - I bought a tin of white paint yesterday AND some polyfiller stuff....siiiiggghhhh - I'm more YDI than DIY - You Do It!!!

Wow Lisa you look fantastic - I thought the first picture was the AFTER!! - I weighed 315 on the morning of surgery, and at 5'8", looked WAY bigger than you - you have such a great hour-glass figure - lucky girl - great "chassis" to start with!!! You look wonderful in the "during" pics - well done - I'm so happy for you xx :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana

Penni: 4/6/04 -- 47 lbs Lisa: 5/5/04 -- 51 lbs Becky 6/03/04 -- 53 lbs Denice: 8/12/04--20 lbs Leatha 05/29/03 - 67lbs Michelle 4/6/04 -- 49.75 lbs Marie 5/26/04 -- 39 lbs Donali 1/23/03 -- 102 lbs Kathy 5/21/04 -- 41 lbs Cindy 7/22/04 -- 40 lbs Teresa 5/8/04--63 lbs Kyleigh 9/23/03--60lbs Bright 10/28/03 -- 70lbs Total Loss = 702.75lbs

Hi Nancy - I definitely try to include a lot of omega 3 rich foods in my diet such as mackeral, herring, tuna salmon, nuts and omega 3 supplements! I also use estate bottled extra virgin olive oil but would not advise using canola oil - it is incredibly unhealthy - with most of the "good" omega 3 destroyed during processing and turned into trans fatty acids. Happily it is not easily available here in Ireland! (and the rest of europe I would guess....) A typical lunch for me would be smoked mackeral with rocket (arugula) or spinach - I rarely have red meat or chicken, perfering to stick to organic fish or turkey....I definitely notice a difference in mood swings, and have not experienced a recurrance of depression since I adopted this way of eating - trying to cut out sugar too! I may not have 7 servings of vegetables every day but will have spinach/arugula/mustard leaf salad most lunchtimes, and find it a really easy way to eat important vegetables as salad instead of just boring lettuce. I eat a lot of pumpkin seeds and macadamia nuts and/or brazil nuts too! Apparently Macadamia Nut Oil is the healthiest oil of all....but if it's not available use Olive oil - but definitely NOT canola! If it wasn't for those damn cookies I'd be REALLY healthy!

Chantel, congratulations on becoming motivated to be more focused on what you are eating. I have to say though, I think a 500 calorie diet sounds drastic - of course you will lose weight but eating that little doesn't do much to help you change your unhealthy food choices for the LONG term, which is why most of us got banded in the first place. Plus I personally feel 500 calories is an unhealthfully low amount for a woman to eat, and feel well enough to do all the stressful, normal everyday things! Please take care of yourself - the "feeling in control" may not last if you binge/cheat on your strict diet, and in my experience, is followed by self loathing and shame/failure cycle. You have lost weight, and with making healthy choices, coupled with your great new exercise program, you will slowly but surely get to a healthy weight AND feel energetic and fantastic! I hope you don't think I'm "raining on your parade" - I am so happy for you that you feel something has changed - maybe after a week or two of the strict diet, you can ease off, and use the big weight loss as a springboard to feeling more motivated! Best of luck! Ps - Maybe you'd like to read this article from Spotlight Health's Newsletter - It helped me get back to the gym today and bin my cookies! http://www.spotlighthealth.com/platforms/mo/obesityNews/obesityNewsDetails.aspx?id=83

Wow - Babs, I'm THRILLED for you - fantastic news - you must be over the moon! Well done! PLEASE PLEASE post some photos! Dying to see the difference!

Alex, Donali, thanks for your reminders - I went to bed last night way happier, and focused. I feel so much calmer about the carb/overeating thing - now I'm a thinking overeater....aaaarrgghhh:D Donali - What the Fudge....? Are you woman of the year or what? I can't believe you are doing all those tasks yourself! I pride myself in being a diy kinda gal, but whooaaahhh, compared to you, flinging up porches, and ripping out doors, I look like Paris Hilton! Stop making me look bad.......... Oh and just when I was calm, I found I could eat a whole bowl of bran flakes for brekkie this morning - with NO restriction, golf ball, anything - I normally can't eat anything much in the mornings so was shocked to see the bowl empty....I'm trying to tell myself it's because I have stopped eating past 7 in the evenings and my band is lighter in the morning because of it....but I am actually convinced my band has slipped....now where is my Drama Queen tiara to wear today.........

wow Teresa, you look fab - what gorgeous pictures - congratulations :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana

I haven't "been" here in ages, and it's amazing - whatever I'm going through, I log on here, and hey presto, someone else is going through it too.... I've gone ludicrously off track, on a total carb binge, for the past fortnight and am so depressed about it.... I normally have a few crazy carb days just before my period, but then am fine, and back on the road a couple of days later - but that was a whole two weeks away - and my one year bandiversary is looming ominously....I'm feeling like a big giant failure and have been too low to come to Lapband talk to get some support. Thanks Alex for releasing your "embarrassing secret" - I hope you get back on track - has anyone any motivational tips? It's so hard to keep going on this journey, when it's gonna take so damn long! I have just over one lousy third of my excess weight off and it seems like forever already!

woo hoo! Well done Janie, I'm so happy for you xx