Bubie1916

Its been awhile since I have posted here....
Life for me is so very different then it has been for most my life...
I wake up every morning HAPPY...wanting to get dressed...wanting to look in the mirror. Even wanting to go for a walk...thinking back its all things I always wanted to do...just wasn't going to happen with 130 extra lbs on me...
The band is the best thing I have done for ME...Im thankful for my supportive Husband and my sister who is my bestest friend also....
 
Oh it has been work...in the beginning I was hungry like I read many of you are..but I knew what I had to do to get where I wanted to be...I hung tuff and its so paid off..I started with a BMI of 47...I was tired all the time...who wouldn't be ...Yesterday I weighed in at 130 with a BMI of 25 !!!! My Dr pointed out to me that I have lost more then what I weigh right now...omg I never thought id do it...well yes I did...what I really didn't know was how good it would feel in all aspects of my life and my family's life ..I have been studing to get my GED ...though I did have to take a break from that due to
my husband had a heart attic a lil over a month ago and wow that wakes everyone up fast..he is doing very well now...eating right ...exercising a lil more then he did before..during that month my band got so tight I couldn't eat anything and enjoy it...not good...I did see Drs yesterday and got my band unfilled ( scary ) but a upper GI on Monday and if all looks good he will refill it...I was at 8.5 ccs....might go down to 8...what ever he says...
SO life is wonderful 19 months since I was banded !!!

This band has been a godsend. I won't lie. It helps me maintain my weight easily. I know how hard it was for me to not gain when my old band was leaking, and how super hard it was to lose, so I'm loving that my new band has me back on track. Yes I've had complications, but generally speaking, yes I've been 'lucky' with the band. My band has been SO easy to live with. Or maybe it was that I had realistic expectations, I don't know . But either way, I love that it's there helping me every day.
 
But I also realised that I made my own 'luck' with the band. Even when I wasn't formally exercising in maintenance mode, I paid attention to my portions, I did lots of incidental exercising like using the stairs instead of the escalator (I still do), I didn't resume my bad eating habits. I stayed, for the most part, on program.
 
So I do see this as a partnership between my band and me. I honestly believe that weight loss and maintenance would be VERY difficult, if not impossible, for me without a band. But I also know this little thing around my stomach didn't do it all for me. Far from it. I exercised to lose, I maintained a healthy lifestyle during maintenance, I am exercising today to ensure long term maintenance. I worked with it, and continue to work with it, everyday.
 
The surgery will help you if you're willing to help yourself. And I'm worth investing in myself to be the best I can be. No one is going to want the best for me the way I could possibly want it for myself. I went through surgery to allow myself the best chance of success, so I will not let myself down by not putting in the effort to make it work.
 
So yes I've been lucky to live with a band easily, but I sure as hell made my own luck as well. So stop sitting there waiting for a miracle to happen to you, go out and MAKE it happen.

Today I was fiddling with my collage maker on my phone and made a collage of one of my 'before' pics from 2003 and one of me that I took today, in 2013. I wanted to use it as my profile pic on here, so this is it:
 

 
I sent it to myself at work, had it up on my screen and someone I didn't know very well walked up behind me and said 'who is the person on the left?'
 
So I said, 'oh that's me 10 years ago'.
 
Believe it or not, she puffed herself up in indignation and looked me in the eye and said quite rudely "you're lying, that's not you!" and then proceeded to tell me that the person in the photo on the left looked nothing like me, the woman was obviously older, the skin tone was all wrong and who was I trying to kid anyway???
 
I didn't have to say anything, my colleague next to me actually said 'actually that is her' and explained about the lapband (everyone who knows me knows about it). The women then did the huge dramatic act of pretending to be hugely shocked and then interested in how I did it, completely ignoring the fact that she'd basically just accused me of lying!
 
Lucky for her, I thought it was highly amusing, and took it as a compliment, and walked away thinking it would be a good anecdote for this blog. Hey, sometimes you gotta look for the silver lining in everything, right?

Though I often read the blogs, I rarely write my own.....
 
Well, this time is different!!!!
 
This weekend my fiance and I went to Six Flags Great America with my daughter and 2 of his kids. He hadn't been to an amusement park in over 20 years. For me, it hasn't been that long since I have been there (it's only 45 minutes away). I have been there and to several other amusement parks through road trips with the kids and family as well. I always wanted my kids to have fun, even though I had to wait while they went on the rides as I was too big to ride. My kids always had a great time but I felt an emptiness that I could only stand on the sidelines and not have fun WITH them.
 
In addition, my sister ended up meeting us up there yesterday with her boys and husband. My b.i.l. is quite overweight and unable to go on the rides. Of course, he and my sister gave other reasons, but having been there... I got it. It was sad knowing that was ME for so many years.
 
Well, a year after being banded and down 80lbs. I WENT ON THE FREAKING RIDES AND I FIT!!! The best part of the day was going on XFlight w/ my daughter, for the first time, and her looking over at me, doing a fist pump and saying she was proud of me and asking if I was excited. HECK YAH I was. I even rode the go karts and bumper cars w/ my fiance's son and have always avoided those as well as the seatbelt wouldn't fit!
 
I am still a ways from goal, but this was a great reminder of what I have been missing out on in life and how much more this is than just losing weight. We walked the park for 12 hours (yes, from open - to close) and though I was exhausted, I DID IT!!
 
YAY, ME!!!

I’ve been so lazy since being on vacation from both jobs but not too lazy to not workout. Thursday was my 3 month bandversary! I can’t believe it been 3 months since I’ve been banded. So what have I learned? I learned that God has blessed me with the best support system in the world. I learned I am getting much better with time. I learned how to be sociable again. Also I learned its okay to have a cheat day.
So how did I celebrate my 3 month bandversary? I went shopping! I am not going to lie to you guys I’ve been avoiding shopping like the plague. It’s all mental for me. I remember going shopping and I will find a very cute outfit but it never came in my size. So I decided to save myself from the embarrassment and shop on line. I can’t do that now because I am over 50 pounds lighter. Yesterday was one of those days that I really wish my best friend Lesley was there with me. She would have told me to get over it and be proud of the fact that I am 50 pounds lighter!
Anyway I started slow. I grab a size 14 and a size 16 pair of pants to try on first. The 16 fit fine but the 14 I was able to put on but wasn’t able to button up. It’s okay tho because I have a new goal now. Anyway so I tried on a size XL shirt it was a little too big so I garb a large and the large fit! I didn’t cry on anything but it was overwhelming. So I just brought the shirt and a couple of accessories but next time it will be different.
I had a follow up appointment with my primary doctor. Last time I seen her I was weighing 236 pounds but yesterday I seen her weighing 214 pounds! She told me that she was very proud of me and she knows that I can do this. Also I no longer have high blood pressure and I am not longer morbidly obese just obese. So that is an improvement.
Today I ran 2.5 miles and I am tired. I need to clean out my closet and get rid of my size 20 clothes and 1X shirts so I can make room for my new clothes. I don’t see that happening today so let try again tomorrow.
Life is good and I am loving my band!
Thanks for reading.

After 2 bites, I decided it just wasn't going to work. I started dinner prep way too hungry, testing this, tasting that, drinking something else. By the time the steak came off of the grill I had already eaten my cup, and Mistress Band told me there wasn't a steak on the planet worth what she would put me through if I ate any more.
 
Sigh...6 months is not enough time to undo 50 years of bad eating habits.

Everyone has a different idea as to what the ‘Green Zone’ should be like, how it should feel. How tight do you need to be in order to be in the zone? Some like to be really tight where as other like their band a little looser.
 
I have experienced my band being ‘nice and tight’ so to speak. I never felt physical hunger, but there was food I couldn’t eat like chicken breasts and vegetables. I would cook a wonderful meal for the family and then find I couldn’t eat it. I also found that it would take me over 30 minutes to eat. I hated meals; I would get frustrated and found myself turning to slider foods like cheese and crackers or peanuts. I struggled to maintain my weight from week to week and I was miserable.
 
This was not the lifestyle I wanted so I had my doctor take out half a cc of fluid from my band. The result is I can eat any and all foods without problems, I go 3-4 hours without feeling physical hunger and most important is being able to enjoy mealtime with my family. This is my ‘Green Zone’.
 
This experience makes me understand why so many posts say they are gaining weight and they might be too tight. It is very easy to gain weight when the foods you eat slides right down (they can be healthy foods too – mine was cheese & peanuts).
 
I cannot manage my band when it is too tight, I would rather manage my lifestyle and use my band to complement that style.
 
I am a loosey goosey! (Yep I made up a new term)

Don't you just love the douter?? the one who say "it a cheet you would have lost anyways" Gosh pepole to the researcher it not a cheat it hard work.
 
Okay so i was selected form 1000 to the 25 to the Zumba informal I mean after all no one love Zumba more then me. So here i was being interviewed and she tell me to turn of the carama. And said Do you really think it was zumba and not the band that changed you. You would have loosed just sitting on the couch after all you have a band. I wish it were that easy,
 
So here my reprocess se " do you research 80 % of all people who have weight loss surgery gain it back. I can eat around my band if i want to my it might recerct me in some ways but in other it gives me a lot of freedom. The band is a tool you get out of it what you put into it. I put every thing i have into it and right when i done i think i have nothing more to give I give it a little more. I did not and will throw in the towel I just use it to wipe up the sweet and keep going. Right when i think I can't give any more to this I always find just a little bit more some were. This is Hard work Hard Hard work .I need to be strong not only physically but mental too. To do what have done changed my life from sitting on a couch to teaching Zumba, Spin, body pump, cross fit The gym i work at I have a waiting list of people who want me to be there trainer so i can do what i did to my self to them. Some day I wish I did not have to work so hard and could sitt on a in an office some were an a coshie chair must be nice huh ? So the answer is it a not a cheat it is detraction demonstration and given it all i got and Just a little more .
 
 
So i found my self a good zumba class and let it getaway from me becuse something about the music alway makes me feel better

Yup I cheeked it on 4 different scales okay who wants to Zumba with me now

Hello all I no I haven't been on here in a minute. Been really busy at work. I took a small break from working out. I only took off this week. I will be back at it starting Monday. I find I crave working out now, who would have thought it. I went and got a tired fill yesterday so I'm on liquids for two days. So we will see how I do. My weight is still maintaining I'm still at 208. Well I thank I gave y'all a full update. Will check in later I have to work again tonight. That makes 10 days straight so far and I'm not off until Sunday. Enjoy the rest of y'all evening
 

i'm down to 208 and i can see onederland in my future

Ok so I went and saw my surgen today for a fill. First I told him about everything that has been going on with the death in my family and me eating off. And to my surprise he told me he was proud of me, for taking responsibility for my actions. I also told him about all the lovely people I have been talking to on this forum and how yall have help me. On to the visit I get on the scale and to my surpised I'm down two more pounds. Can you say all smiles. You guys have truely help me a lot and I can't think you enough for the support. I was so happy when I left the office I went and did three miles at the gym. :wub:

I was going to wait on making a blog entry until next month as April 16 is my one year mark of my surgery. Today I stepped on the scale and I was 321. I had a sudden realization of how thing have changed in just a short month and a half. I'll explain shortly.
 
Since I was banded in April of 2012 I always had this thought that weight would slide off seeing that I was so big and typically big people lose quicker. As time went on I realize that is not how it works and I begun to accept that. Even though I understood slow and gradual movements on the scale I never seemed quite pleased. Now before you scoff or judge me because yes I have lost a ton of weight in a short time it still didn't seem quite right. It seemed I would lose two pounds then the scale wouldn't budge sometimes for like 3 weeks. Sometimes even longer. I often times got really frustrated in the beginning but slowly I adjusted to it.
 
So going back to today. Today I weighed in at 321 and when I got my last fill on Jan 29 I was 341. I have lost 20lbs since my January appointment. My food intake changed drastically as did my attitude. Eating a cup of food is more of a chore then ever as of late. I thought before this latest fill I was in the green zone but as I crept closer to January not so much. Now since this last .5cc I am actually there and for the first time I am seeing the weight move like I originally expected. I am hoping it keeps up for a little while but I know the more I lose the slower it will become.
 
So take it from someone who is someday hoping to become an actual veteran bandster that the green zone can be very allusive but once you find it...WOW.
 
Missy (Mis73) told me time and time again that .5, yes a just half of cc can make a whole world of difference. She wasn't kidding!!
 
I hope the downward trend continues and I hope you're all losers....just like me.
 
Have a wonderful healthy day and weekend!
 
-Jim

There are no words to describe how much my life has changed in 6 months. All I know that even with the pain and complications I would do this again in a hearbeat. My mind is finally catching up to my physical reality and I'm loving this.
 
I've dropped 72 lbs since starting this journey, I went from wearing size 18/20 jeans to now fitting in 12/14s. (which I haven't seen since high school...if then).
 
I constantly thought that I would be so happy if reached this point, and don't get me wrong I'm ecstatic. But I won't give up until I finally reach my goal, which is 50 lbs away....
 
In less than a month I turn 30. I realized that it is about celebrating a new milestone in my life and enjoying this new chapter in this new rocking body. I've let go about trying to reach a number on that scale by a specific time. This is for the rest of my life, so what's the hurry :-)
 
So let's see where 30 takes me :-)

Hello all I know I haven't posted in a couple days, but I get my first fill today. Wish me luck!

Well everyone, i know it has been over a year since my last post. i am down to 159.5 and feel great. i have 30 more lbs to go. tthing have been going good and the wight has been coming off in a slow steady pace. avg 4 lb a month. i have been having some issues with abdominal pain over the last few months, its more muscle pain right in the area where my port is. idk if this is normal or what. it comes and goes, isisnt a constant thing. but other than that nothing new and exciting has been happin.

This morning I gingerly stepped on the dreaded scale, and much to my delight, it showed me I was down 20 pounds since pre-op! Of course I did a happy dance, and then turned around and checked myself out in the mirror. Something I haven't done for a while. To my amazement, I noticed I lost a roll in my back. I went from two to one! I'm starting to get a waist back again, and I feel lighter. Then, to add to my reverent state of mind, my husband comes up to me telling me his underware is like hanging off of him, and he needs to go buy new underware. We are both obese, and since I've started this journey, he's been by my side, and doing well for himself too. He's lost now 18 pounds I think? He said to me, "When you're doing good, I'm doing good too." Awe.

As you know I reached my goal a couple of months ago and am now in the maintenance stage of my journey. Simple, all I have to do is maintain my weight.
 
I still check in with my doctor every four weeks (my choice not his).
 
This last month has been full of ups and downs with a lot of changes, basically life has been happening. I had to battle the head hunger on more than one occasion.
 
Then about a week and a half ago I started noticing that my daily calorie intake was creeping up. 10 calories more, then 20, then 30, etc… I was starting to get hungry (physical hunger) in between breakfast and lunch, this hasn't happened since bandster hell.
 
That was the deciding factor for me, I needed a fill.
 
I went for my four week checkup today and to no surprise I was up two pounds. After discussing things with my doctor I got the fill I wanted (just a small one .2cc).
 
My point here is that once you reach your goal you’re not done. In fact, It’s harder to maintain your weight that to loose, in my opinion.
 
Guess I need to change my ticker now.

So just like my title say's time is flying by. One minute I couldn't wait to get banded, then I got banded. Now I'm one week away from my first fill. Just thought I would share this.

Today I'm one month post up I down 15 pounds!! I'm continuing to learn more everyday and follow the rules!

So I started my journey on January 7 and has since lost a total of 26 pounds. Now I'm happy about my weight loss but I'm really happy about fitting into a pair of jeans I haven't worn in a whole year. It's the little steps that count. :wub:

Today I'm one month post up I down 15 pounds!! I'm continuing to learn more everyday and follow the rules!

Today I'm one month post up I down 15 pounds!! I'm continuing to learn more everyday and follow the rules!

Today I'm one month post up I down 15 pounds!! I'm continuing to learn more everyday and follow the rules!

Today I'm one month post up I down 15 pounds!! I'm continuing to learn more everyday and follow the rules!