MeganA

I have worked at home for the past six years as a consultant but grew tired of never knowing how much money I was going to make, or where I was going to get insurance. So, I've been offered a "real" job, and I took it....and as long as my background check clears, I'm in. I have no idea what to pack in a lunch now that I"m a bandster. Now I have the luxury of making something on the grill, or cooking something. I have no idea what to do! Help!!! What do you guys eat for lunch? Megan

Penni- I'm very glad you and John found someone that you both feel comfortable talking to and who seems to understand you. That is the hardest part, I think...finding the right counselor. I'm also happy that John is willing to put this much effort into your relationship. I think that is a very good sign that you are indeed loved. Thanks for keeping us posted about this, and I wish you continued success in your journey with John. Megan

NO!!!! oh, I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. You heart must be broken. The only thing that comforts me in times like this is to think of him in dog heaven. I am not sure I believe there is a heaven for people, but I know there is one for animals. Now he gets to watch over you and play and run and never feel any pain and always eat as much of anything (including dead stuff) that he wants. I'm sure the last 5 1/2 years he was the happiest, most satisfied dog. He knew how big the gift was that you gave him because he knew how bad it could be. I bet he never took you for granted. I think that he was lucky to die in his sleep, dreaming of killing snakes and chasing balls. Once again, I'm sorry for your loss and I will pet my two poochies and kiss them on the head twice this morning instead of just once...just in case. Megan

I'd love the pants! The bras won't work as I've gone from a 50D to a 42B. Oh, it's so sad. I'm starting a boob job fund if anyone wants to contribute. I did buy one of those bras with air pockets in them and they work great...it's kind of funny when a guy feels you up cause you can tell they are in the general area, just can't really feel it. Did I just say "feel you up?" Oh geez... anyway, back to the pants- can you describe them a little? Megan

I used to snack all the time when I wasn't properly restricted. Now that I'm at a great level, I hardly snack. In fact, a meal for me looks like what a snack used to before. A piece of beef Jerky and a cheese stick...etc. But when I wasn't filled right, I was still hungry all the time. I'm sure that is why my weightloss hasn't been the most rapid, but I'm still happy. Megan

josygirl- Stop everything and go on liquids. Your poor little stomach can't handle food right now after all that pbing. The second thing I'd recommend is to get yourself to a counselor. Bulimia is one of the only things that will stop you from even getting the band- most doctors won't touch you with a ten foot pole if you have a history. You can do some very serious damage. I would strongly recommend that, now that you have the band, you get some help. Getting the band is a highly emotional event that can trigger relapses in things like eating disorders, alcoholism, and obessesive excercise. Hang in there, and be kind to yourself. Megan

So FINALLY I am at another milestone. 70 pounds are gone for good, and I can't be more thrilled. I'm happier than I've ever been in my whole life. I feel fantastic, my band is, at the moment, in the sweet spot so I can eat a bit of just about anything but food isn't constantly on my mind. I've got thirty more pounds to go before I reach my first goal. I'm a little scared of that- I am still pinching myself that I got to 70 pounds. What will happen next? I'm scared, but I also can't wait!!! The first picture was at my highest, the second at minus 50 pounds, and the third at minus 70. The last photo was taken Saturday night in the bathroom of a bar. Classy, huh. Megan

As many of you saw on in my photos on my other post, I enjoy a cocktail or two. I've switched from Vodka Sours to Vodka Cranberry. I also drink wine a lot, but find that red wine gives me heartburn. It did before banding so that's nothing new...it just seems worse now. So, I keep my red wine drinking limited to wine club meetings, and drink blush or white when I'm in the mood. I'd have to say the biggest change in terms of drinking is the amount. I only need a few to really feel it, and I try to eat as big a meal as I can before I go out if I know we'll be drinking because otherwise it can get away from me. And we've all seen evidence of that in my photos. :-) I'm glad you have a doctor that you can be so open with. I'm also glad you shared what you learned...I was just thinking about it today and wondering what, if any, actual alcohol has on the band. Sounds like the carbonation is the real trouble (thank god!) Megan

Alex- I hear ya! I used to keep my a/c on all the time set at about 68. This summer I haven't turned it on yet, and this morning it was 75 in my house and I thought- huh, isn't this comfortable. Who am I? Where did sweaty Megan go? Do you have to wear sweaters at work to keep comfortable? Megan

You guys all make me cry! Thanks for all the kind words. I'm so glad I found this place online to Celebrate successes and discuss challenges. I don't know what I'd do without all of you. I feel funny being an inspiration for weightloss. I always devowered before and after pictures before I had WLS. Any time I needed inspiration I would look at them and, maybe just for a minute, allow myself to think that maybe I could do it. I still have a bit to go- there are some people who have surgery at the same weight I am now, for pete's sake...but I guess it's all relative. Penni- thanks so much for fixing those photos for me! You're the best! Megan

Thanks for all of the kind words everyone. I did in fact have a couple of refreshements before the photo was taken. It really is a good visual representation of how I feel inside, however....tipsy or not :-). I added another photo from last weekend that is a little more representative of what I now look like. Sadly, this one was taken at the bar too- we had just arrived and placed our order when the bartender just kept making more and more drinks. Apparently they have two for one until ten and we didn't know it. It was pretty hilarious so we lined up the drinks and had him take a picture. Shai- I like what you said about how our spirits are drowing in fat. That sure is what it felt like to me. It's like the real me is emerging with every pound that melts off. I look at my before picture and I don't recognize that girl, yet I know she is still inside me. The one physical change that I am always amazed at is that my eyes look so much bigger. People keep commenting on how pretty my eyes are, where before I never got that. It's like they have grown two times bigger. Even my eyes were drowing in fat. Megan

Pepsi? You added fuel to the fire! Poor thing...I'm glad you've recovered.

I've got some bad news for you. I've been banded a long time now, and fast food just really isn't an option. Plus, it's what got you to where you are today so why feed the little monster. I might sound preachy but bear with me. The band is only a tool and it forces you to change your habits, and your life. Eating on the run is bad bad bad. You get too hungry and eat too fast, you don't make the best choices, you tend to overeat, you get cravings for more fast food because you just ate fast food. It's time to stop the madness and take the time to take care of yourself by eating well. That means that eating takes planning and patience. A few tips- instead of hitting the fast food places, hit the grocery store. Find one with a great deli and you might find some better choices. A rotissieri chicken goes a long, long way. you can even eat the leftovers cold. mix the breast parts with some low cal/fat mayo and add some little chunks of peeled apple and wala- chicken salad. put together little snack bags of snacky foods- soy nuts, etc. to eat on the go Lunchable little crackers with cheese and meat things are awesome- but watch the calories on the ones with the drink and Cookies and other crap kids don't really need either in them. Ok, I think I'm done preaching. It's hard. It's a struggle. You'll learn what works and what doesn't. Your life will change for the better even though you will wonder. Good luck. Megan

Broccoli. Cooked or raw. Sourdough bread Rice unless it's covered in sauce pasta pickles orange juice (or anything really acidic) egg rolls or just about anything chinese french fries chicken breasts grapes with skin (you try skinnin' grapes...the little suckers get away from you)

josygirl- Wow, you have done fantastic! You should be very proud of yourself and all that you've accomplished. Dating is a scary, scary place. It opens us up to being hurt in many ways. But it also opens us up to experiences we would never have had if we don't allow strangers into our lives and test them out to see how they "fit". I've been dating a lot lately- mostly guys from match.com. It seems like the ones I don't feel chemistry for like me, and the ones I think are the cat's meow are like "I just didn't feel anything". But for me, it's all practice and preperation for the day when I do meet the right guy. It's also a heck of a lot of fun to meet new people and be out with a man that buys me a drink or two. Have you thought about talking to a counselor about some of these issues? I believe dating takes a lot of confidence, resilience, and patience. It also takes the ability - when you do get hurt- to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try again. If I were you, I might try getting a new haircut, buy some new clothes...start to think of yourself as sexy. Sure, your thighs might sag but I would bet money that your skin is radiant, your face glows, and your new body looks killer in the right clothes. Focus on the positives with your new body, get to know it and how you feel in it. Dating is not all about what size you are or aren't. I dated even at my heaviest. If you feel pretty and sexy, then that is how you will act. That doesn't mean that you can't be shy and go slow...you've got many years of feeling pretty alone to carry with you on your journey and that won't be easy to shake. My hunch is that once you get out there a little- start small- join a club or organization with male's included, you'll start to open up and even surprise yourself. You're going to do just fine. The fact that you want this badly enough is a sign that you are ready to take the first steps. Favorite quote- Leap and the net will appear. Keep us posted!!! Megan

Don't panic! After my second fill I had lots of swelling and could barely drink Water. I even went in for a flouro to check it out and was told that everything looked fine, I probably was just really swollen. I was told to drink cream based Soups (cream is heavier than water and flows through the stoma easier) and sip sip sip water all day long. It worked for me, and I've discovered after six fills that my stomach gets swollen every time, so I just make sure to take it easy and do liquids for at least two days if not three. If you cannot drink water at all, or get reflux at night that wakes you up- might be a good time to call your doctor. Otherwise, be patient and careful and you may find that you're fine in a few days. Best of luck Megan

Lisa, I've noticed in a couple of posts that you seem down and out about your band. I don't blame you a bit-- you've gone through so much. You've earned every single pound that you've lost and then some. I just wanted to let you know I was thinking of you and I hope that you feel better soon. Megan

Alex- thanks for the chart. I think it's important for people- especially newbies- to see the ups and downs, but the concistancy of the downward trend. It's really easy to totally over react to gaining a few pounds here and there and lose sight of the big picture- that this is the rest of our lives. You've done so fantastic, and I just love your attitude, Alex. Thanks again. Megan

Bandit- I want to shake you and yell that you've got to get this thinking under control...but I'll try to do it more compassionately than that. Girl, this isn't about being perfect or being good or bad, or right or wrong. It's about doing the best you can every day. It's about making choices every day, too- sometimes you make good ones, sometimes not so good ones. Having a band is not about being on a diet. Diet means deprovation and following a set of strict rules. The band is about making good choices about 80% of the time, and eating Protein first, veggies second, and carbs last. Do you see anywhere in those rules about "no poptarts or you're a horrid person"? NO NO NO NO NO. Stop it! I know it's hard to do because it's a habit. If you could stay on a diet you wouldn't need the band. Stop worrying so much about what you are eating now. You will have the rest of your life with your band to help you. What you are doing now is like this- you decide that you want to get a zillion amp power screwdriver to help you put together a fancy little desk that you bought at Ikea, and so in order to get ready for it you use a regular one that you turn by hand. Then when you're little hand gets tired you beat yourself up and tell you you aren't strong and you'll never get the desk together and you're worthless. I agree that now is a great time to be thinking about your eating habits. Become a researcher...how do you eat? When? Why? This work will help you later on when you get the band. Wow, I woke up preachy this morning. Just be good to yourself and have a damn poptart if you want one. Megan

I have my own business- Grow! Small Business Services. I provide consulting and administrative services to small businesses. www.growmysmallbusiness.com Megan

OK, It's time for me to fess up. I drink when I eat. I started doing it when I wasn't quite restricted enough and got hungry an hour after I ate. So, I learned that if I took little sips of Water throught my meal- big gulps only got stuff stuck- that I could eat a little more and I wouldn't be hungry so soon. Now that I'm at a good level of restriction, I still drink! I don't do it when I eat at home, but when I'm out at a restaurant I sip sip sip. DUH!!!!! So, today is the day I'm going to go cold turkey from drinking with meals. I am going to ask the waitress to take my water away. I will not drink with meals! Megan

Thanks everyone for the "you can do it's"!!! I shouldn't give the secret away to all of those who are wondering how to drink without PBing. But, if you really want to know, and I take no responsibility for those that abuse this information, you sip the Water. A little tiny bit, a few times, and wooosh...the food goes right through. But shhh, don't tell anyone! Megan

What's wrong with a McDonald's cheeseburger? It's not easy to form new habits, and chewing chewing chewing is just that- a habit. Give yourself some time to get it. You'll mess up, you'll pb. Your job is not to be perfect, it's to just keep at it. I can't tell you what mental things to try, but you might try listening to what you are saying to yourself and how you talk to yourself about your choices. Don't worry, you have the rest of your life to get used to eating like a bandster. Megan

I used to miss taking a big ol' bite of something and the feeling of swollowing the whole thing. The other day I took too big a bite of something and it felt disgusting in my mouth. It's amazing what you get used to. Dont worry- you'll get in lots and lots of chewing as soon as you can eat real food! Megan

Funny, Lisa. :-) Megan