KAATNS

Checked out your gallery. You're quite the hottie now!! Apparently you missed the memo from the "band deniers" that the band doesn't work
I got down to about 25 lbs of my goal and I've been on this maintenance watch for about 1.5 years now. It's difficult. It's so easy to spike up 10-12 lbs over the holidays and then have to go back to paying attention again. Looking forward to summer so I can get outside and work off this extra 10 lbs plus maybe another 10-15.
From what I've read from others who got down to goal, they didn't change anything. Kept the same tightness on their band and just kept on eating like a Bandster. I'd bet that they allow themselves some leeway though. Maybe consume an extra glass of wine or an occasional Ben and Jerry's? Seems like it would be a mental thing once you get to goal?
tmf

Very good advice. Being happily married I want to add that any woman should respect herself enough to only want to be treated like a princess. If he cant do that for you then you don't need him.

OK folks...here's the god's honest reason why I chose the band. I expected it wouldn't work. I was sure it wouldn't work. Nothing worked so why would a friggin' piece of plastic work? I was getting the band so that I could remove it in six months and continue my downward spiral towards being wheelchair bound and likely suffering a premature death.
So...when people talk about being in the right frame of mind to tackle this process and be successful, I was so not one of them. I was awfully cranky during the pre-op phase...and then sick and tired of the monotony of post-op liquids. Thinking about having to watch every little thing that went into my mouth was overwhelming for me. I used to scarf down two bowls of spaghetti without taking a breath. And then I'd eat Cookies and candy and still not be satisfied. Awful...just awful.
Well....guess what happened? I realized not long after the surgery that I was no longer ravenous. I didn't trust myself to eyeball my food so I weighed everything. And when I was done eating it.....I didn't feel hungry. I didn't feel full either...but I didn't feel hungry. And holy mackerel...the weight started to come off. The knee pain didn't get better....and now my hips were hurting bad as well, but I kept thinking five more pounds, then five more...then yes, five more...and I'll feel better. Well it took 70 lbs. off to finally find out that I needed both hips replaced. The orthopedic surgeon told me he had no idea how I was even walking..that's how bad it was. I knew that by the skin of my teeth, I barely avoided that damn wheelchair.
I had the surgery in October and there's barely any hip pain. That alone is a miracle. Unfortunately, I have residual back issues and continue to see a sports medicine/pain management doctor whom I've been a patient of since the summer of 2012. Today he said something to me that felt so good. He knew what I looked like at my heaviest because I started going to him six months before being banded. While we were talking he asked me how much weight I had lost in total and when I told him I was down 115 lbs., he said that he can't even remember me that much heavier and that he's gotten completely used to seeing me at this size. All I could think of was how much I hoped that would really be my new normal and that eventually, no one would remember the old me and then I could finally bury that fat bitch once and for all.
So what's the point of this story? Easy... if I can manage to be successful at this, well so can you. No excuses. Have a great night everyone.

Hi, BariatricPal Members,
I hope you are doing well!
BariatricPal provides a social platform that is safe and welcoming for the weight loss surgery community. The main goals are to provide information and encouragement needed to allow for healthy weight loss and better patient weight loss surgery outcomes. I am always trying to figure out how to improve BariatricPal to better achieve these goals, and today I am coming to you for your input on a potential new opportunity called BariatricPal Local Chapters.
BariatricPal Local Chapters…a New Way to Connect
With BariatricPal Local Chapters, you would get to meet BariatricPal members in person. This could speed up your weight loss by expanding your knowledge about success after weight loss surgery, increasing your accountability to yourself and your Local Chapter friends, improving your boosting your confidence. Plus, you might make new best friends for life! Each BariatricPal Local Chapter would be defined geographically, so that you would belong to the location nearest to your home.
I am considering the following items:
Monthly or quarterly meetings. A fun or educational activity at each meeting. Examples include preparing a weight loss surgery-friendly meal, filling out a customized meal plan, or going for a group-wide nature walk. Presentations by surgeons, nutritionists, other professionals or bariatric product companies at local meetings. Annual national meeting of BariatricPal Local Chapters in a location such as Los Angeles, New York, or Huston. Option to go on an annual cruise What Do You Think about BariatricPal Local Chapters?
What I would like to ask you for is what you think about the above suggestions. Also, what are your answers to the following questions? Would you be interested in attending regular local chapter meetings in person? Would you be interested in being a leader (or co-leader)? Would you like BariatricPal to provide agendas for meetings? What additional support could BariatricPal provide to encourage your participation and/or leadership? Should there be limits on the minimum and maximum numbers of members that each Local Chapter can have? What other ideas do you have? Please join the conversation thread below to let me know what you think about BariatricPal Local Chapters. I really value and appreciate your opinions, and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts.
Thanks again!

You my dear are stunning!!

Exactly what B52 said...go to a specialty store. They will have books there too. I use Runners World website and find it has a lot of good info.
as for how you think you look...quiet the criticisms in your head. Other runners will look at at you and think...way to go...taking back your health. The people lapping you in their cars...they'll be jealous that they're not out there taking care of themselves.
As you lose weight...you can reward yourself with flashy running gear

While most of us knew all about the physical side of Weight Loss Surgery, many people have no idea about the emotional ride they're about to face. This article discusses all aspects of the "emotional roller coaster" from the moment you first decide on having bariatric surgery all the way up to the maintenance phase of your weight loss. It's a wild ride baby!


When was the last time you were on a roller coaster? If you’re like me, it’s been a while. In fact, the last time I was on a roller coaster I was 310 lbs and could barely fit into the seat. The restraint almost didn't go around my tummy. I was squeezed in like Cinderella’s step-sister’s foot must have tried to squeeze into that tiny shoe. Yep. I was Drizella’s foot and the coaster seat was the glass slipper. I’m sure it was a comical, if not sad and pathetic site, for those around me. It was embarrassing to me, to say the very least. But I laughed it off and went on, as I tended to do.
That roller coaster was a wild ride. It had huge climbs, steep drops, loop-de-loops, sharp turns, and at one point it feels like you’re lying on your side. Honestly, it’s a wonder I stayed in the coaster even with the restraint!! The end of the ride was abrupt - it felt like my insides were coming out of my mouth when it stopped short back at the beginning of the track. When it was over, I felt accomplished, in a way. I’d survived that coaster ride, wild and uncomfortable as it was.
Many people don’t realize that life before, during, and after weight loss surgery becomes a roller-coaster ride of it’s own. It has the huge climbs of elation and joy and excitement, the steep drops into anxiety and depression, and the loop-de-loops, sharp turns, and lying on your side moments of uncertainty, worry, and fear. Here are some of the emotional dealings that will occur before, during, and after surgery that you might not know.
1. Pre-Surgery Elation. This happens when you are finally approved for surgery. It’s going to be a reality! You are going to get a brand new lease on life! The period of life where you are having to go through diet after diet is finally coming to an end! You might tell everyone you know or you might decide to keep your secret to yourself. Regardless, you are excited and ready to go!
2. Pre-Surgery Blues. This is when you realize that you are going to have to say good-bye to one of your best friends ... food. You come to the realization that there are some favorites that you are just not going to be able to eat anymore. Depression sets in slightly, and you might even go on a food bender - similar to what an addict might do. At this point you might even question your decision to go through surgery.
3. Day of Surgery. You’re going to be going through a myriad of emotions during this time. You’ll feel excitement, anxiety, apprehension, and impatience all at the same time. You’ll be worried because, after all, it is a major surgery you’re about to go through. But at the same time, you’ll be excited at what’s about to happen. When you wake up from anesthesia, you might be scared, especially if you’re having a rough transition out of anesthesia. You might be a little confused, wondering where you are. When your body settles down a bit and you remember where you are and what just happened, you might feel a little concerned. "Did everything go okay?" "Is this going to work?" "Did I just make the biggest mistake in my life?" On the other hand, you might wake up beautifully, singing the praises of your surgeon and his/her team, excited to begin your new life. These feelings and emotions will likely cycle throughout the day as you’re getting used to the idea of what just happened and your body relaxes and comes out of shock from surgery.
4. Going Home. When you’re finally released to go home, you’ll either be excited or scared. Thoughts might rush your brain like “will I be able to do this on my own?” and anxiety might set in again. You might, again, question your decision to undergo surgery, especially once the monotony of the liquid diet phases set in. The first few days might be easy, and the next might be excruciating. You’ll be in some discomfort because of incisions and if the surgeon inflated your abdomen with gas prior to surgery (commonly done in laparoscopic surgeries), and this might heighten your doubts and anxieties. You might begin to worry about issues such as leaks, slippage, or staples coming loose.
5.The first few months. You will be going through a mourning period at some point, and for some that occurs during the first few months after surgery. You no longer are able to lean on food for emotional support, so you might feel sad. You might even go through a type of “withdraw” from food, similar to what an addict might be going through their first few days in rehab. You’ll be able to eat more some days than others, and that will lead you to worry if your surgery is working or if there’s something wrong. Some days you’ll be jealous of watching everyone around you eat foods that you once loved. Others, you’ll be glad you can’t/don’t eat those things anymore. By the time you've finished all of your phases and are on to real food, you’ll be relieved and excited, and likely worried and anxious as well. Whereas before, you were relying on liquids for sustenance, now you’re on your own and have to rely on figuring your food choices out for yourself.
6. The losing phase. From the moment you leave the hospital until you reach your goal you are considered to be in the losing phase of surgery. For the purposes of this article, we’re going to call the losing phase the time period from month 3 (about the time you transition into full solids) to the point where you reach your goal. There will be many frustrations, joys, and concerns in the months ahead. Some days you’ll forget everything you were taught about nutrition and make yourself sick on something you shouldn't have eaten. Other days you’ll be 100% on track. You’ll have moments of pride and joy, and moments of shame and weakness. You’ll revel in finding out you can eat something as simple as asparagus and despair over not being able to eat rice pilaf. You’ll finally reach your “groove” point sometime during month four or five, and things begin to go well. You’ll reach a stall or two (or five ...) and wonder if you’re doing something wrong or if you've messed up your new tummy. You’ll marvel over losing 10 lbs in one week. You’ll wonder why you only lost 2 lbs the next week. When your loss starts to slow down, you’ll worry that you’re not exercising enough, that you’re eating too much or too little, or worry that your surgery is beginning to fail. You’ll relax more when you are consistently losing, even if it has gone down to 1-2 lbs a week.
7. The maintenance phase. When you reach your goal weight, you will have reached what is called “maintenance”. This is the final stage that you will likely be in for the rest of your life. Here, you will change your diet slightly in order to not lose or gain any more weight. You will get frustrated a time or two - especially the first time you gain a few pounds. You will marvel at what you've lost, but are concerned with the way your body looks now. You will have loose skin, which may cause body image issues. If you’re single, you might notice more possible suitors paying more attention to you. You might fall from one addiction (food) into another (sex). You might also be tempted into other addictive substances or habits such as alcohol, cigarettes, shopping, or pornography. Alternatively, you may look back at your loss, as meaningful and inspirational. You might revel in the way your life has changed and be happier than you have ever been and be ready to branch out and help others succeed in their bariatric surgery journeys.
Tips on Riding the Roller Coaster
Knowing that these emotions are possible doesn't mean they will happen for everyone, and doesn't mean you can’t get through them. The following tips will help you stay on the road to success and prevent you from falling off the wagon and into an abyss of self-doubt and depression:
1. Support. This is the number one most important thing for WLS patients. Even more important than food is support. Support can be found at home, through friends and family, in a hospital or surgery center support group, or even online forums such as Bariatric Pal.
2. Stick to the plan. As tempting as it might be to veer off and eat something you’re not supposed to, stick with your doctor or nutritionist’s eating plan as closely as possible. This will ensure that you continue to lose steadily, decrease the length and amount of stalls you’ll experience, and will speed up the healing process.
3. Vitamins.< /strong> It sounds very cliche, but remember to take your vitamins! Focus on Iron and B Complex vitamins especially.A Vitamin deficiency can result in depression, physical weakness, and poor sleep habits.
4. Speaking of sleep ... Make sure you’re getting plenty of it! At least 8 hours a day for an adult! Lack of sleep can lead to fatigue, weight gain, and (you guessed it!) depression!
5. Remember that “this too shall pass” ... These stages of emotional turmoil certainly won’t last forever. You’ll get over them as quickly as they overcame you. And keep in mind that each stage after surgery only lasts a short time in the grand scheme of things. Most eating phases last, at most, a month. After which you’re on to the next phase.
6. Keep a plan handy. Know that you will likely feel some unpleasant emotions or feelings and plan for them. Know what you’re going to do when you get upset, depressed, feel head hunger, or even feel physical pain from surgery. Have a list of friends to call at the drop of a hat, have a bottle of Water ready to sip on at all times, or have your doctor’s phone number on speed dial. Know that these feelings will likely happen at some point in time, and be ready to deal with them when they do.
7. Remember that everything you’re going through is completely normal and OKAY. It’s important and helpful to know that everyone goes through a stall at some point. Everyone has pain during the first couple of weeks after surgery. Everyone eats something they shouldn't at some point. Whatever it is you’re going through - someone else has likely gone through it!
8. Finally, DON’T GIVE UP! Remember that this is a journey. As the old saying goes, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.” There will be ups and downs on this wild roller-coaster ride. There will be twists and turns and loop-de-loops and there will be many moments when you feel like you’re laying over on your side. But, in the end, it will all be worth it. Your health, your life, and YOU ARE WORTH IT!!

10k run, followed by a nice 23 mile easy pace bike ride today.

30 outside run the warm 20* temps this morning....Lovely!!
See you tonight LadyD! Sake?? I'll have a cab.....or three.

I know all about the resentment issue. My ex recently told me that he hadn't noticed that I lost 50 pounds and hadn't touched me in years before that. Sounds like your hubby is noticing and it has probably lit a new fire under his butt. Good for him, but I understand your resentment. Take your time and work on yourself first. Hope your outcome is better than mine was. Keep up the great work.

good morning
here is a picture of me from yesterday after i did my step aerobics
WA LA

I don't usually take selfies but I couldn't resist as I had my hair colored blonde to Celebrate my 50 pound loss!

WOWWEE!! You look fantastic!!

WOWWEE!! You look fantastic!!

WOWWEE!! You look fantastic!!

Sometimes it is about the numbers. NSVs are great, but to be healthy I need the numbers to reflect that. So as of today (14 months out), I have lost over 110 pounds. I have less than 30 pounds to lose to reach goal. I have lost 41% of my original weight. And for me, the number that got to me the most today – 80%. I have lost 80% of my excess weight.
So if you're starting out on this journey, don't get discouraged by the statistics. Do your own math. Know what you need to lose. Know the percentages. Understand what it's going to take to lose the weight. And then set a realistic time period for reaching your goal. Believe in yourself, more than you believe in the stats. Best wishes on your journey!

Co-worker walking past me in the hall "GWAD, you are skinny!"
Thank you Lap Band, and thank you to all who have provided me support over the last year.

I drink wine or hard cider (over ice, stirred to release some carbonation) mostly. Cocktails make my pants fall off so they aren't usually a good idea. Mr. LL disagrees, but...

First of all...congratulations...keep it up...anything you can do is great and it just get's better....
As far as running out of steam....I wear earbuds (noise cancelling) with my I-pod...have my favorite music loaded....after the first 5-10 minutes, I get completely lost in the music...I forget where I'm at, my mind is not even thinking about running....I'm thinking about vacations, relationships, work...all sorts of things, but not running....
On the treadmills, they have TV Screens which along with TV shows, it also shows your speed, pace, time, calories, etc etc...I Turn all this off...I do not want to see it...I do not want to constantly be distracted by thinking "15 more minutes" or "1 more mile to go"
Worse yet...I might look at it and say "Sh**! All that and I only went 1 mile? It's only been 15 minutes? Feels like 45!!!"
It's just me and my music....I run and do not stop till my chosen playlist is over....I now know which playlists equal what kind of distance or time so I have to mix them up....
And let's be honest...there will be days you just don't have it....not very often, but it does happen...I have gotten on the treadmill and after 10-15 minutes I simply say "Not today" Then I'll just do weights..
The PA at my Dr.'s office tells me she listens to "Lectures" or "Spoken Novels"...BLAH!...how boring for a workout..save that stuff for the car......I need rock and roll !!! The louder the better...

Hey Bluegirly,
Congrats on your success! I'm getting ready to do my first HM in about 6 weeks.... So, take what I suggest with that in mind. Nothing more than an opinion.
For running 3-5 miles, your body will probably not need anything before you run....EXCEPT for adequte/normal hydration.
"Most people carry enough glycogen to exercise full out for 1-2 hours,"
I did my longest run this past Sunday, 18km, and had nothing except half pot of coffee before hand. During the run, I had 12 oz of Powerade zero, half pack of shot blocks, and one Gu Gel. It worked well for me.
I do agree for longer exercising sessions, that carbs are necessary....spread out with some Protein. I like Clif bars when cycling....they're about 4:1 (carbs:protein)
I'm glad you started this thread!! I'm gonna follow and learn! Happy running
Here's an article about this topic.. http://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-runners/how-do-i-fuel-early-morning-run
PS...if you have a "LoseIt" account, the runners forum is very, very helpful.

Wow. Strong ladies on here! :-)

Farmgirl, Seems like those cruel words he spoke 25 years ago shaped your marriage. I wish you nothing but the best in getting healthier for yourself and your medical problems. You are a wise woman. God Bless.

I was self pay. It was the best gift I ever gave myself.

It does happen occasionally and if I'm lucky, it will pass. If not, no biggie. I've gotten stuck while driving, in restaurants, on the side of the road (thanks CF!) on an airplane, etc. It takes some trial and error to find the foods that won't go down. Just be patient and chew, chew, chew.

I was browsing around....and came across this article. It's from a well known surgeon, you see his quotes all over these boards. Hope he's right on this one!
A quote from the attached article:
"Fish eaters - people who eat fish as their primary source of Protein, have the longest recorded lifespans in the world. Next in line are vegetarians who have the same lifespan as some meat-eaters, lowest living group are vegans."
http://drsimpson.net/newsletter/December-2013-weight-loss-newsletter-4/December-2013-weight-loss-newsletter-4.html