Mom2many

I just had to share that I created a plan, I have stayed with my plan, today I weighed and I hit my goal of 175 pounds before Sept 1st! (The scale really has 174.4) but I am so happy I cried. It's been a long time for me to be where I am and I am just so thankful!

Hi everyone, I was banded last Friday 07/27/12. I'm in the liquid phase. I don't have a proper scale at home so went to the gym to weigh myself. I knew I lost weight since the surgery, but never imagined losing 10 lbs in my first week. I am just shocked, thought I'd share it with u guys

I freaking did it! I am so freaking excited!
Twoterville!!!
*HaPpY dAnCe*
That is 32 pounds in approx 4 months!!! I am thrilled that I recommitted to this process. New goal is to see 100 pounds lost again. 15 pounds to go until that goal.

For me it was easy to tell the people around me, my wife,mom and cousin are all nurses another cousin is a surgeon I work in the medical field and in a hospital. The people in my clinic are all rather close even the ones I don't much care for are all wishing me the best. My friend actually was the one who talked me into it and has paid for a large portion of my co-pay. With out his support this would never have happened. He said its a selfish thing he's doing... He just wants his buddy to be around when he's in his 60's.

waitingpatiently- you're awesome ! i would love to see a recent pic of you ! You must feel bootyful !!!! I cant wait until i can get in a size 10 ! as for my best nsv 's ? I have a couple...............being able to paint my own toenails, sliding on a size 14 skinny jean and a female coworker (also banded) telling me "your ass looks amazing ! " ( hilarious laughter included !), A co worker of my hubbys telling my hubby 3 months after i was banded" your wife didnt need wls, she looks great !", and my all time favorite............ a younger than me, cute long time male customer who commented on my weight loss and added "girl , you are smokin !!!!" It has been a looooooooooong time since anyone thought of me as "smokin !" I could of cried. Instead i just said Thank you ! (and blessed him !)

Today was an awesome day!! A store in our area was having a denim sale (80% off).. so I decided to pick up a few pair of jeans for this fall. So Im wearing size 16 and they are too big on me, so I thought well Im probably really a size 14....so if I get size 12 they should fit in september...The line at the dressing room as so long I decided just to take them home....When I tried them on at home, they all fit!! I couldn't believe it...so I gave them to my daughter and thought well I go back and get some Size 10s that way I should be able to get into them in September. When I brought them home and tried them on They all fit too!!!What is going on!!! I.m really a size 10!!!So I guess tomorrow I will go get some Size 8s and this time I will just wait my turn and try them on. It was such an awesome feeling!!! I just can't believe it!! I guessI didn't see it because i have been wearing a bunch of capris with drawstrings so I knew they were big on me.....but I could still get them to stay on if I tied the strings tight.
What has been your greatest NSV??

Head hunger is a constant battle with me. Honestly.. I wasn't prepared to get banded when I did. I did the work and did really well initially... lost 100 pounds... then I had some complications and I just gave up. Went back to overeating (no restriction due to a leak in port) and I went back to my kryptonite.. ice cream. I am talking a 2 pints a night habit. BAD BAD. Gained over 50 pounds back.
I felt SO freaking awful. Not only was I still fat, I undid all the hard work I had done for over a year and a half... AND I was now fat & banded. So embarrassed. So I kept eating to cover my shame and embarrassment.
It wasn't until a few months ago when I was contemplating having my band removed that I really SAT DOWN and started to do some head work. Well crap... I should have done that from day1. I really AM an emotional eater, and I need to be aware of that at all times.
I avoid my trigger foods. Not allowed. These are foods I feel I have no control over, mainly ice creams, cookies, sweets. That was the first step. As for the rest... I have an internal dialogue with myself. I ask myself, am I hungry? Am I bored? Do I want more because it tastes good? Am I trying to soothe an emotion I am uncomfortable with? When I figure out the WHY.... I address it. Without food.
I am not perfect, but I am miles ahead of where I have been for years. One day at a time, one pound at a time. It has been getting easier... but for instance, last night I REALLY really wanted soft serve ice cream. I obsessed about it for hours. I got anxious, and I thought about how it would taste and feel. I got close to my... "screw it" mentality... where I would cave. But I didn't. I talked myself down, and reminded myself of my goals. Instead I squirted a dollop of light whipped cream in a glass of unsweetened almond milk. I drank it super slow and savored the light sweetness with the creamy milk. And I felt awesome! I ENJOYED my HEALTHY sweet treat, and I felt like I had the power. Not food.
Sorry for the long rambly post. I guess what I am trying to convey is BE AWARE. Have a dialogue with yourself. Figure out what your triggers are. Take your power back. And most of all... do not let a moment of weakness turn into a month or year of weakness.

This might sound silly.... But i started out at 310 pounds and am now 255 and 7 1/2 months pregnant.... The other day i crossed my legs... like Indian style.... For the first time in probably two years... Made my day! : )

I think that if people can post threads about sex, drugs, and other "controversial" subjects in this area with what I perceive as minimal upset among other bandsters I don't see why there would be any problem with upbeat, and encouraging posts even if they are religious. It's funny that there is a lot of support until someone gets religious...then these "supportive" people turn on them. I'm sorry to sound mad but it made me a bit sad. We should be supportive and accepting and like everyone said, if you can't handle it don't read it.

They now make Frozen Greek Yogurt. I keep a half gallon of the blackberry in the house and allow myself a spoonful every day. It's lower calorie than ice cream - but still not low calorie - but it does have a fair amount of protein. Plus, it's super yummy!

So glad you were able to do this!

And some little fat guy left his pants here......

I am on vacation with my family. We are staying at a resort that has a huge indoor water park. I have lost 69 lbs and have been being way more active with my daughter. I didn't want to be the mom I use to be sitting on the chair just watching. So I got my swimsuit on and of course has to buy a new one that fit yeah! I had a blast but I am not sure if the water slides were the best choice for me because now this morning my port is sore. I am almost 7 months out. I guess some things will be trail and error. I was wondering if anyone else has tryied things they didn't do before because of weight and pay for it a little the next day??? I will take a little soreness to have a blast with my daughter!

That's great! After reading your post I figured my BMI. I'm now just obese. (versus morbidly obese). That made me happy.

What Rebecca said. Our meals should be by volume. 6-8 oz being 3/4 to 1 cup. Solid Proteins, about 2-3 oz on a food scale, then add in the side dishes by volume.
As a note, I've never measured my food since being banded. It was important to me that I be as "normal" as possible. I did commit to myself that if I needed to measure due to plateaus or whatever, that I would begin to measure. I listen to my satisfied signal and stop eating. It is a big challenge to do so, but I hate measuring and "being on a diet."

When I look at a picture of myself I expect to be disgusted and now I'm always plesantly surprised. I wonder if I'll ever get used to that?

Although my dr and nutritionist and trainer all say don't weigh but once a week, I still do. For me it is an accountability issue. If I see that the scale isn't moving for a few days, that gives me the opportunity to check out my food diary and see if there needs to be some tweaking.

this time last year i went shopping to buy my bday outfit for august. i bought it in a size 16 praying i would be able to fit in it. i made it. this morning i decided it was time to get my bday outfit and realized i'm gonna be getting it in a size 10!!!!OMG!!!! SAY WHAT!!!! GO JENNIFER IT'S YA BIRTHDAY! What are you guys seeing different about yourself comparing to this time last year?

So i was at a bday party this weekend and my cousin posted some pics....i must say..it is so nice to be caught off guard with the camera and no look like a dying whale! lol...who knew that would make me happy

You cannot loose sight of the Forrest because of the trees.
In other words you have to look at the big picture.
Some days I eat more, some days I eat less, and there are some days I don't feel like eating at all.
But it is the total accumualtive not the small incidentals.
It is a lifestyle change, not a diet.
Regardless of what I may or may not eat, with my new total lifestyle I eat a fraction of what I would have eaten before the surgery.
I used to be able to eat an entire large pizza all by myself, every Friday night.
Now, if I still ate pizza which I don't, I would not be able to eat 1/2 of one slice.
I have been observing skinny people eat. Very interesting. They all eat as though they were banded also. They eat pizza, ice cream, etc. they're just not pigs about it.
I have come to realize I now eat the same way a skinny person does. The secret is the band is why I am forced to do it.

I have been so busy lately, that I forgot to Celebrate entering ONEDERLAND this week! Down to 197.4!!
:D :D
Next stop= to move from obese to just overweight!

I don't follow a diet. the reason I got banded was so that I could give up dieting.I follow the guidelines my Dr has given me 99% of the time.
What most people mean by 90/10 is not that they are only sticking to the rules 90% of the time but they are eating healthy, lowfat, nutritious food 90% of the time but they do allow themselves a small treat from time to time. For example eating 2 squares of chocolate a day will not make you obese - eating the whole block will. Nobody expects you to give up all "treat foods" for ever. Trying to do so is more likely to make you crave them and then give in and have more. Allowing them takes away that strong hold they have on you.
So go ahead give yourself permission to include treats in moderation unless you are the kind of person that cannot stop once you start - then you might be better avoiding them altogether.

I love summer. I am finally able to wear sleeveless shirts and shorts and feel good in them. I don't feel like going home at night and stripping down and sitting in front of the fan because my bra is so uncomfortable I can't stand it.
Having almost 80 lbs gone has made such a huge difference. It's amazing how much weight can affect your life...

Yesterday was just a band loving kind of day for me. My son and I went to Worlds of Fun, and amusement park in Kansas City that is about 3 hours from us. First of all, since eating in the car is not a great idea, I didn't indulge eat anything the whole way there. BB (before band) I would have loaded up on snacks and soda to have while driving. Second of all, I have not gone to amusement parks for years, partly because I was deathly afraid I wouldn't fit in a roller coaster and that would be beyond humiliating for me. Next, instead of roasting outside wearing short sleeves and pants, I was feeling nice and cool in a tank top and (Bermuda) shorts...which I would not have been caught dead in a year ago. Not to mention the tank was a medium and the shorts were a 10, which are sizes I have never in my life worn until now! Lastly, while I did have a few different things to eat at the park, I did not gorge myself like I would have BB. I had a few bites of funnel cake here, a little bit of popcorn there...and I felt satisfied and not deprived at all. Okay, maybe I felt slightly deprived because I heart soft pretzels more than anything and they had ridiculously big ones there that I would love to have devoured, but it was not worth my money to buy one only to eat a few bites. So I didn't, and that was okay. I also walked around the park for 10 hours and was not particularly tired and my feet didn't even really hurt.
The moral of the story is, while there has been a...learning curve...7 months out and 84 pounds down....I love my band!

If it wasn't for Goodwill and the other wonderful second hand shops in town I wouldn't own more than a pair of jeans and a couple of tee shirts. When I can buy a pair of Wrangler Jet jeans for $8 instead of $60 and a Land's End shirt for $3 instead of $35 why would I ever go back to buying full price? Second hand stores are full of shopping mistakes other people made and rarely if ever wore. I've even bought things with the tags still on them. You have to check the racks often and know how to look in order to get the best bargains but it is worth it.
Best of all, it's tons of fun.