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I work out with a trainer every week I love love love her. She is so supportive of me and everything i do. She become like my mother she looks more like she could be my sister. She the most amazing person i ever met. She pushes me when i need to be pushed gives me a hug when i need a hug. She helps me with the up and down and always make sure i can do things and feel like i can. She told me quitting is not an option. she makes me smile and Laugh and always want to try harder. She even was the one who told me i had to be a zumba instructor to inspire others. She given me more than just training. she made me a deal when I could fit into Lulu mon clothing she wanted to bye me my first pair . Last week end we went out and did just that. The black outfit is one she picked out. She an amazing trainer person and now i am glad to call her an amazing friend. It so much fun to work out when you love who your working out with

I always a fairly active person. I would go to work, if I needed to talk to someone in my building I walked to them instead of calling. I came home and stayed moving until after dinner. I thought I did good.
 
Well......
 
My MIL came over Thanksgiving and one of my gifts was a Fitbit One. After figuring out how to use the little sucker I realized- damn I've been lazy. The first day I was shocked at the results. That is all the calories burned, that is all the steps I took, that is my active score- WTH.
 
Since the first day with it I have found myself looking for ways to increase steps- I park further away from stores, between projects at work I get up and walk around the office circle. I stand up and sit down to get things rather than rolling my chair, I stand and pace while on the phone- all of these things helped me increase my steps and calories burned. I know you may think oh just a little bit won't matter, but hey gotta start somewhere and every calorie burned is not going to hang on my hips. It has really opened my eyes to reality.
 
Reality- I think that is something each of us in order to be successful need to find - the reality of who we are.
 
We got fat by not thinking, mindlessly eating crap. Now that we have a tool inside of us, it's time to be realistic. You can fail the band- you can drink milkshakes other high cal things and gain or you can be realistic and look at what you are actually putting in your body. I love food, we all do that is why we got here, but the reality of it we can still eat good food and lose weight.
 
Yesterday I went for my 5th fill and saw the doctor who operated on me (normally I see his wondeful assistant- also a surgeon). He looked at my band under floro gave me a little fill and told me this may do it- get me to the green zone. He said everything looked perfect and I was doing great. Well today, I know I got that fill. I am tight, but not to much, it's just right. A cup full of food is either perfect or to much. There is no way in hell I can over eat when eating real food (not sliders) with out tossing it all back up.
 
This is a great feeling. I feel motivated and encouraged after being down about my plateau. Plus I finally dropped below 201 this morning after being at that for a month- 200.6 - 7 oz until ONDERLAND!!!
 
Basically, what I am saying is, we ALL can do this, we ALL CAN lose weight, but we must be realistic with ourselves and our support group (family, doctors, nutritionist). We must make a choice to do what is right- to eat healthy.

If you have ever been around a kid for more than 5 min I am sure you have heard them say why at least twice. I was always the kid who ask why, it just does never worked on me, drove my mom nuts!
 
Well I am still like that, I always want to know why. Since having surgery I am reading about nutrition and fitness all the time, to find out how and why my body works with food.
 
One article I read said a calorie is a calorie and should be counted, while yes that is true, it isn't the whole picture. We all have heard and been told 200 calories from chicken is better than 200 calories of ice cream. But why is that if a calorie is a calorie?
 
Well here is what I have figured out.....
We need our protein and fiber- it helps us stay full longer. Some say hey ice cream has protein- I'll eat that, but that is where we need to know more.
 
One of the best things I have learned is I can make my food work for me!! How awesome is that!
 
When we eat foods high in protein, fiber and complex carbs our bodies must work harder to digest them, therefore, our bodies will will burn more calories digesting them. While I guess I knew this, it never really dinged until I read an article about that.
 
When I did WW years ago things like fruit and veggies were hardly any points, yet they do have calories. However, your body must work harder to digest them therefore their calorie counts are almost null and in the case of veggies like Celery it is null.
 
So now what do I do with this information.....
 
Well, I am all about what I eat working for me rather than sticking to my hips. I am upping my fiber, making sure the carbs I take in are complex, and making sure I get my recommended protein in. I can still eat yummy food and things I love and lose weight. Yes, I will have to adjust.
 
I highly recommend going to your favorite resturants website and looking at the nutrition part. Some like Wendy's and Burger King you can adjust the meal to see what calorie counts would be. It is amazing what just leaving off cheese or mayo can do for lowering the calories. Now I AM NOT saying eat fast food daily, but what I am saying is if you are craving that whopper - go get it, but adjust it- leave off the mayo, cheese and pickle and the calorie count will come down nicely.
 
We (I) got to be obese by eating what I wanted and not paying attention to what I was putting in my body, but with a little nutrition knowlege we and ADJUST ourselves and our food to work for us.
 
Holding up my water bottle..... Here's to Success!

I had an appointment for a fill yesterday I am 163.7 Not bad i am about 13.7 away from my goal of 150. He commuted on my great ab mussel he said he could feel them the problem was that they were covered up with alot of skin and said it time to talk about plastic. He said normal he waits one full year but in my case since i am so active he did not think he had too. My main probelm is my upper arms the skin rubs every time i move my arms and is very ichy and i have a nice little rash. It gets worst when i sweet so i would relly like to have my arms done.
 
I am going to Fl for 3 weeks in Jan and I just relized i have no summer cloths my shorts were a 14/16 along with my swim suits and now i am a 8/10/12. I guess i have to go shopping down there and pick up a few pair of shorts.
 
I have now lost 75% of my exess weight he said the last 25% will be the hardest he said that alot of it is Skin and till that remove it might be hard. I landed up with a fill. I also saw the great fellow who took care of me in July when i got too tight because of kindeny infection and then prolapsed my band. She said I gave her a very interesting first week . She also commited on my port sticking out now so it not hard to find when she last got it she had to go under floro to find my ports she said nope now you so skinny i don't have to even look for it.
 
I also found my hip bone. This is huge I was laying on my side and i felt the bone I had no idea what it was but then relized it was bone.
 
I look at how my life has changed I could not walk up my own stairs in April and now I teach Zumba and I work out all the time. I have a new creeer as a personal trainer / group exercise teacher and I would never been able to do any of this with out my band. I love my band and I am very thankful for this chance to live my life.

October was an awesome month for me in the weight loss department, I lost 8 lbs. Since the first week in November I have been on a dang gone plateau, and it sucks!!! My weight has bounced since that week between 202.6 and 201.4. My goal had been to hit 199 by Thanksgiving and obviously that didn't happen.
 
I did indulge one day and allowed myself 2000 calories on Thanksgiving day, which was still below the amount I burned that day. Lunch was followed by a nap and then a 4 mile family hike. I totally don't feel guilty about allowing myself that once, as long as it doesn't become habit. Some of you may berate me for that, but we all have to do what works for us.
 
Other than the family hike on Thanksgiving I haven't been exercising per say. I have been working! I get up get into the office by 6:45 work until 3, go home or run errons, then go home clean, do laundry, cook dinner - deal with the creatures (2 dogs, 2 cats). We have stuff going on every weekend that takes us out of town or brings family to our home. When I cook I make my recipes as healthy as possible. I feel like I am going crazy though staying busy all the time. Sunday after my in-laws left I passed out on the couch and took a 3 hour nap, I was exhausted.
 
Is my tiredness playing into the platuea? Is my lack of working out causing? I have no idea what the cause is, but I know it sucks.
 
Tomorrow I return to my doctor for a fill, likely with my head tucked between my knees. When I left last time, my doctor smiled and said I will see you in November and below 200 and I failed!
 
I know that my inches have gone down because my clothes are fitting differently, my 16's are fitting a little looser and my 14's are pefect. But, weight is what is the main measure of success.
 
I know I shouldn't just look at the weight, but it's hard not to. I am so very close to onederland. When I started this journey the thought of getting below 200 was a dream, now that I am so close it almost seem unattainable.
 
Am I meant to always be the fat girl? Is my body against me and refusing to drop the fat? I don't know, but I do know that this plateau is making it very hard to stay motivated.
 
Hopefully, the weight will start to move again soon and in the right direction.

My mother in law and sister in law came be spend Thanksgiving with my husband and I. My mother-in-law had called last week and said she wanted to take me shopping to get some clothes that fit. Considering she has never done anything for me in the 5 years I have been with her son, I was shocked.
 
On Friday us girls decided to hit the mall about 5pm. Being a big girl I have always gotten clothes from Walmart, Belk, place like that where I could hit a sale and get them cheap. Like it really matters what you put on a hippo- it's still a hippo- that is how I felt.
 
Well my SIL said I need to go to Talbots. I had never been there. When we walked in they were busy and the sales girl was so helpful. My MIL told her I had lost 50 lbs and needed some clothes and that price wasn't an option- WOW. She told me to find something nice. The sales girl said she herself had lost 100 lbs in the last few years and she knew what I was going through- she looks like a stick now, amazing transformation. She was helpful picking out clothes that I would have never before tried.
 
By the time I finished I had one pair of pants and 3 tops. The pants were Women's Petite 14- WOW, I never remember wearing a 14. The clothes fit me perfect, like they were made for my body.
 
What a difference the right cut and fit can make. I looked at myself in the mirror and was able to smile and was happy with how I looked- wow. Feeling like you look good does give you confidence and a spunk in your step.
 
The next day I wore one of my new outfits and my hubs was like wow you look hot. I was so excited. With that and the new earrings my MIL purchased for me at Swarski crystals I felt like I was Julia Roberts in the Pretty Women except for the hooker thing.
 
I will be visting that Talbots again for sure!!!
 
Anyone who lives near Raleigh, NC - I totally recommend going to Talbots at Southpoint Mall- awesome staff!

Lets fae it I knew it would happen when i gave up mr twinkie but yet it still sad. Mr twinkie has been a part of my life for so long. When i was in grade school i would trade my lunch for it. When i was sad Mr twinkie always used to cheer me up. If you deep freird mr twinkie and coverd it in glaze it was so good. In 3rd grade i decoved mr twinkie would great with a parchoot for egg drop off the 3 floor building and then a yummy snack after.
 
After My band I broke up with Mr twinkie and have not looked back . But it still sad that Mr twinkie has to go. I knew it would happen sooner or latter when i stoped eating them.
 
Also My great aunt and i would spend hours eating ho ho and cup cakes. She was one those who "could never gain weight" but it was okay becuse i could gain enough for the both of us. So Mr twinkie I am sorry you going but it for the best becuse mr twinkie now i relly no longer need you.
 
I know you will be missed by meny but Mr twinkie it time for you to go

This may sound silly but i just reized something.
 
A few weeks ago i was doing an abbs class but not only were my abbs hurting but also my butt. I relized that i was no longer sitting on fat but there was a bone there thats what i am feeling. I know it a small thing but to me this was huge it been coved in fat for so long i did not know there was bones there.
 
Then a few days ago i was doing yoga the other day we we doing this thing were you bed your back back and i relized that i had ribs and i could feel them they were not coved in fat they were sticking out. I then spent a good 10 min feeling my new decoved ribs.
 
it funny how small things along this joury make you so excited

i get asked all the time about working out so i thought that i tell you my story with it. i am uncoordinated and can not balance ( i am much better now) even as a child i hated gym class. I was always the last picked but i loved to dance i would go to dance class all the time. Well till 13 when my dance teacher told me "i need to learn my place in life and it no were near the dance floor" that ended my love with dance.. I went to feeling like i could not. I joined a gym because my husband worked there Then i picked up body pump something about the music I worked out with Dave a trainer for 2 years however i never lost weight and never rely loved it. I bought the Zumba videos I was not a fan at frist. I thought i never were those silly paints. But the more time i did them the more i kind of liked it.
 
I started taking body pump on Sunday and the teacher was also a zumba teacher she invited me to stay. I SUCKED. I would not have come back if penny did not tell me it would get better i get better. The next week it did get a little better and it keeped getting better till i loved it. Then i was hocked and those silly paints with the but strings i own 7 pairs
 
So why do i love Zumba well it dose not matter if your fat thin green black old young one leg in a wheel chair you can do it. They have a zumba for everyone. I love to dance and I just get lost in the music. I get asked all the time for my best advice. So here it is
 
 
My Mottos:
If you think you can't you can if you can you will if you will you must if you must you do!!
 
I wear a neck less it was a gift from my zumba mentor. it has 3 charms 1. dance like no one watching - to me this means let go feel the music if you not doing a step right and trust me i even mess them up it dose not matter were all going to have fun. 2. a tiger eye for strength if you no this lap band journey you need this to have go though surgery fill change you eating habits it more than just pure muscle strength it about being strong enough to change your life. The 3rd is a butterfly it the transmutation a butterfly starts out a a caterpillar and then go though a change into a butterfat is in all of us.
 
Dance, walk move just be free to do what you like, Be Strong and in the end Become the butterfly that lies with in each one of us

I was banded June 22, 2012. I have lost 45 lbs, as of Sunday morning Dec. 2nd I have reached my first major goal- 199!!! Onederland!!! I can't believe it!
 
I had be stuck on 201 for most of November and felt like I would never get below 200. I had a fill on Thursday that I feel like got me to the green zone. My band had major restriction, I really have to pay attention to how I eat now. I don't get hungry often and it takes a cup or LESS to get me full- WOW!
 
When I hit 199 I was so excited, I got on the scales 5 or 6 times just to be sure. Yep, 199.2. This morning my husband ask me what my next major goal was, since this had been my goal since surgery. I was at a loss, in my dream I wanted to get to the 140's, but was never really sure I'd reach that. Now that I have hit my first major goal, my mind is reeling- where do I go from here. What is possible? I feel more confident now that the 140's is possible, but realistically it's far off, so my next goal is 175!
 
This journey isn't always easy, but it is always worth it. Having people tell me I look great. Finally being below 200, which I don't really remember being ever. I feel fairly sure I was childhood, but never during my teens was I below 200.
 
With my last feel getting me to retriction and my finally hitting 199 I am feeling renewed and motivated to kick this journey into the next gear.
 
Never in my life have I so enjoyed laying my fork down before my plate is clean- now that is a satisfied feeling!