gowalking

Thanks for the laugh! Here's the terrible part....one of the buyers from Kohl's thinks this suit being available for purchase was a good idea.

By the way girls...I've been feeling so down and depressed that I've wanted to eat myself silly. Every time I think about doing so, I hear all of you encouraging me to stay the course. Just shows me that the Beast is there...will always be there. All I can do is manage it.

Firstly...I'm nearly four years post banded. Just a couple of weeks till my anniversary. I've been at goal for around three years give or take so I absolutely consider myself a vet though not necessarily one of long term duration.
So...this week has been both a bit of a challenge and also a great joy. The joy part is that I'm with my friends, family, and loved ones and I'm doing a spectacular stay-cation home in NYC. A little background is that my boyfriend owns a food tour company and is obviously very knowledgeable about food and is a huge foodie as part of his job and interests. And that is often the challenge...especially this week.
We decided to do a global food tour and in tandem, head out of Manhattan to explore the outer boroughs and eat foods from different ethnicities. So we went to Greenpoint Brooklyn which has a large Polish population and ate Polish food. We went to Staten Island and had Spanish food, we went to Arthur Avenue in The Bronx which is a well known Italian enclave. We've done Brazilian, Malaysian, Jewish delicatessen (along with movies on Christmas Day), and we're still heading to Astoria Queens for Greek food.
I got on the scale this morning and am exactly the same weight I was a week ago when we started this foray.
And what does this tell us? For me, it tells me that as long as I watch my volume, and make good choices, I can eat anything and live the life I want even when my interests still gravitate towards food. The difference now is that I don't need or want to eat to excess. A little bit goes a long way. Last night was my biggest challenge. My danger food is Pasta. I ordered the house special...Nona's meatballs and spaghetti. Suffice to say the spaghetti was perfectly al dente. Chewy deliciousness. I had about three or four small forkfuls, and let the remaining three dinner companions go to town on the rest of it. This worked so well as I got in my chance to enjoy this food and still not give in to it.
I know everyone has to approach living post WLS the best way they know how. For me, this works. My fervent hope is that I'm posting the same when I'm ten years post banded. Today I think I can make it.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all my friends on BP.

Ah...Alfred, Alfred, Alfred...
You just asked the $64,000 question. (that is a reference to an old quiz show BTW)
I'm almost four years out from surgery and have been at or near goal for two and a half years. I still have to be mindful not to self sabotage. I have had to find other ways to cope with stress, anger, boredom, fear, etc. While I don't recommend this to everyone, I needed to get professional guidance to help me find these other coping mechanisms.
I'll suggest staying on this site for support. Going to bariatric support groups, reading books about how other addicts deal with their addiction (and yes..I do believe most of us are food addicts)
All I can say on a positive note is that the longer we are 'normal', the more routine it gets. But..and this is a big but..the temptation is always there and many vets like me have good days and bad days. What I do is stop the slide before it becomes unmanageable. That, I think, is the difference this time. The tool we have been given, allows us to reset before we get too far.
So..good luck, keep us posted and come here as often as possible for help and support.

It's an odd feeling...no longer 'belonging' to a plus sized store or department. I was just in Avenue with my sister a couple of weeks ago and looking around as she was. I've been out of plus sizes for about three years now so the knee jerk reaction to shop there has gone. But I still looked anyway...and absolutely felt out of place while there. Sorta like feeling out of place in a regular store for all those years I couldn't shop there.
Luckily, this feeling was met with relief rather than dread.

Today is my three year bandiversary. I am so grateful for this second chance at life. My LapBand was the first step of many and I couldn't be happier.

Thanks girls. Your words mean everything to me and I appreciate your kindness and concern more than you know. I'm going to talk to the doctor who recommended the surgeon. I've been his patient for years and maybe he can speak to the surgeon in my behalf to see if there is an earlier opening. If I didn't have to wait six weeks just to get the surgery, I might not feel so overwhelmed. I'll see what he can do..if anything. If I can feel like I'm in control of even a little of this, I'll be better. I've definitely reached out to friends and family for support which I didn't always do in the past. It's still hard for me to do that but another thing I need to work on I guess...

Thanks girls. Your words mean everything to me and I appreciate your kindness and concern more than you know. I'm going to talk to the doctor who recommended the surgeon. I've been his patient for years and maybe he can speak to the surgeon in my behalf to see if there is an earlier opening. If I didn't have to wait six weeks just to get the surgery, I might not feel so overwhelmed. I'll see what he can do..if anything. If I can feel like I'm in control of even a little of this, I'll be better. I've definitely reached out to friends and family for support which I didn't always do in the past. It's still hard for me to do that but another thing I need to work on I guess...

Hi Julie. Life goes on...I'm happy with my fella, my back is awful...need to see a surgeon for possible intervention. Work sucks, I've put on 12 lbs. Kids are good. Enjoying my grandson...and watching my intake and doing as good as I can. Could I do better? Yes. Am I living my life? Yes.
Oh, and this too is the only thread I really pay attention to. Hope you are all well. Sounds like so far, so good.
Liz

Hi Julie. Life goes on...I'm happy with my fella, my back is awful...need to see a surgeon for possible intervention. Work sucks, I've put on 12 lbs. Kids are good. Enjoying my grandson...and watching my intake and doing as good as I can. Could I do better? Yes. Am I living my life? Yes.
Oh, and this too is the only thread I really pay attention to. Hope you are all well. Sounds like so far, so good.
Liz

Hi Julie. Life goes on...I'm happy with my fella, my back is awful...need to see a surgeon for possible intervention. Work sucks, I've put on 12 lbs. Kids are good. Enjoying my grandson...and watching my intake and doing as good as I can. Could I do better? Yes. Am I living my life? Yes.
Oh, and this too is the only thread I really pay attention to. Hope you are all well. Sounds like so far, so good.
Liz

Hi Julie. Life goes on...I'm happy with my fella, my back is awful...need to see a surgeon for possible intervention. Work sucks, I've put on 12 lbs. Kids are good. Enjoying my grandson...and watching my intake and doing as good as I can. Could I do better? Yes. Am I living my life? Yes.
Oh, and this too is the only thread I really pay attention to. Hope you are all well. Sounds like so far, so good.
Liz

So ladies...what is my tag line in my signature? Nothing tastes as good as normal feels. Those are not just words. Yes, I watch the scale but I don't freak out over a few pounds here and there as long as I don't let it get out of hand. As long as I can be and feel normal, that's what's important.

Getting my first fill on Friday after nearly three years banded. It can't come soon enough. I seem to be able to make good choices one day and then the next, I'm not. I went back for a handful of pretzels three...no...four times last night. I couldn't stop myself. So for punishment, I got on the scale this morning and saw that I was above 125. I swore I'd never put the weight back on but it's now more than 12 pounds from my lowest.
I'm learning such a good lesson over this struggle to keep the weight off. I will always have the disease of obesity. I may have it under control at times, but I'll never be free of it. If my band isn't working, I'm going to put the weight back on. Simple as that.
I've seen plenty of people post about running into trouble at some point but stupidly felt that I would somehow be immune as my head is/was so in the game. It's hard to admit I'm not Superwoman and I struggle like everyone else when my tool is not working the way it should. If I ever find myself having to remove the band, I won't hesitate to revise the surgery to another procedure.
I won't fool myself into thinking I'm doing this on my own because I'm not. I told my sister on Sunday that I am gaining weight back because I need a fill. She is obese and I'm hoping she comes to the realization that WLS might help her as well. She has maintained that my success is about what's in my head, and not around my stomach and that I lost all that weight because I was in the right frame of mind. I'm hoping this shows her that it's not my will power alone that helped me but a combination of making good choices, along with a tool to tamp down the hunger so I could make those good choices.
So...today is a new day and again I make the pledge to make the right choices. Here's hoping I can stick to it.

So ladies...what is my tag line in my signature? Nothing tastes as good as normal feels. Those are not just words. Yes, I watch the scale but I don't freak out over a few pounds here and there as long as I don't let it get out of hand. As long as I can be and feel normal, that's what's important.

So ladies...what is my tag line in my signature? Nothing tastes as good as normal feels. Those are not just words. Yes, I watch the scale but I don't freak out over a few pounds here and there as long as I don't let it get out of hand. As long as I can be and feel normal, that's what's important.

That is a fabulous feeling!!!
Normalcy is underrated.... until you do not have it. We are lucky to have a second chance at a good life.
Enjoy your slice of time with your daughter.
(I am just about underwater here on the california coast!). Hoping for clearer skies.... in all ways.

My dear man. Please know that I only want the best for you and many of us here on this site so understand your struggles with the whole dating thing. Having said that...I do not think you are ready to date. This has nothing to do with your weight. It has to do with your vulnerability. Dating is not the for faint of heart. In order to date, you must put yourself out there and know that rejection is always lurking close by. You need to be able to know that if a date or a relationship goes sour, it's not just because you are/were fat, ugly, mean, dependent, clingy, blah blah blah. Get where I'm going with this?
You have to be tough and able to let things roll off your back. Trust me. I started dating more than two years ago and it was hard. Really hard. I just got really lucky in that I found a man who is perfect for me. And when I say lucky I mean it. We just happened to be available at the same time and I reached out to him on the dating site. It was as random as possible but we somehow found each other and the rest is history. Most people aren't that lucky and can't find their special someone no matter how great they are. I bet you are a great guy but women don't know it. My fella and I could have missed each other just as easily. Doesn't mean I'm not a great catch because I am. Just means the stars aligned with him and me. Unless you can feel that way, don't date yet. Get to a therapist and learn to love yourself first. Only then can you truly love another. Good luck and best to you. Please keep us posted on your journey.

My dear man. Please know that I only want the best for you and many of us here on this site so understand your struggles with the whole dating thing. Having said that...I do not think you are ready to date. This has nothing to do with your weight. It has to do with your vulnerability. Dating is not the for faint of heart. In order to date, you must put yourself out there and know that rejection is always lurking close by. You need to be able to know that if a date or a relationship goes sour, it's not just because you are/were fat, ugly, mean, dependent, clingy, blah blah blah. Get where I'm going with this?
You have to be tough and able to let things roll off your back. Trust me. I started dating more than two years ago and it was hard. Really hard. I just got really lucky in that I found a man who is perfect for me. And when I say lucky I mean it. We just happened to be available at the same time and I reached out to him on the dating site. It was as random as possible but we somehow found each other and the rest is history. Most people aren't that lucky and can't find their special someone no matter how great they are. I bet you are a great guy but women don't know it. My fella and I could have missed each other just as easily. Doesn't mean I'm not a great catch because I am. Just means the stars aligned with him and me. Unless you can feel that way, don't date yet. Get to a therapist and learn to love yourself first. Only then can you truly love another. Good luck and best to you. Please keep us posted on your journey.

Rather than say they are haters, I'd say they were more curious and possibly concerned...and yes...there's some gossiping in there as well. Just remember that when we are very large and loose alot of weight, it's common for those folks who know you as a heavier person to think you have/are losing too much weight. Not so. It's perception. I lost more than half my body weight and lots of people thought I should have stopped losing weight 50 lbs. or more ago.
Besides....our bodies will tell us when we've lost enough. I know mine did and now I'm working hard to maintain that loss. No one says squat about my size or weight loss anymore. After four year, everyone is used to seeing me at a normal size. Period.
I for one am happy that the questions have stopped and I am just who I am. It's my new normal is all and for that alone, I am so grateful.

I'm not on here much as most of you are pre surgery or going through the weight loss process. I do pop up now and then just to let you know what's doing in terms of living life post WLS.
I'm four years post surgery and have been in maintenance for about 2 1/2 years. When I do come on the boards, I see posts about what to eat, what not to eat, how much weight has been lost, how much has been gained, and other similar topics. When I was in the early stages of my weight loss journey, i read and posted alot regarding those same issues. Now that I'm further out, I don't focus on the details...I just focus on living my life as a normal sized person with all that entails.
I just wanted to post these two pictures to show the new folks that you can be successful with weight loss. Know that while I'm smiling in the before and after pictures, I was not happy in the before shots because of the issues surrounding my obesity. Also know that I have been, and am still in therapy to address my food addiction and the root causes of my obesity. It's my path and know that I'm not advocating that this should be part of yours.
Again, I'm here just as a reminder that once the newness is over, the weight loss is done, and the emotions settle down....this is the reason I had the surgery. It's about health, mobility, and living my life rather than watching from the sidelines.

So happy for everything that is going on sounds like some positive stuff people .
Just thought I'd stop in & say yes I'm still alive just busy & maybe if I get a chance I will be able to get on more but just saying hello ,OK have to walk now because I don't run lol.

Hi,
Browsing through the site I stumbled upon your thread about being inexperienced with dating. I can really relate to what you have written and was wondering if we could chat sometime.
I'm also 30 (I guess you're 31 now), had the lap-band done in 2008, have maintained a reasonable weight for a while now (~150 - 160), but still have some interpersonal anxieties related to being obese throughout my childhood and adolescence. It would be great to talk with you about your experiences. I have a pretty nonexistent history of dating, and would like to find a relationship, but it's just so hard to know where to begin at this point (it seems like most people paired up around college, so it's hard to not feel insanely far behind and left out). Being private about my weight loss history contributes to social isolation and makes it difficult to open up to anyone.
Anyway, I was just hoping to make a friend and have someone to talk with about all this. I live in CA, but it would be great to chat online or via phone. Maybe we could give each other dating advice, or who knows if we might even hit it off (probably a long shot but you never know). I don't have a support group, and I think you said you don't have one either, so let me know if you're interested. I could PM my phone number. Hope to talk with you soon.

I'm not on here much as most of you are pre surgery or going through the weight loss process. I do pop up now and then just to let you know what's doing in terms of living life post WLS.
I'm four years post surgery and have been in maintenance for about 2 1/2 years. When I do come on the boards, I see posts about what to eat, what not to eat, how much weight has been lost, how much has been gained, and other similar topics. When I was in the early stages of my weight loss journey, i read and posted alot regarding those same issues. Now that I'm further out, I don't focus on the details...I just focus on living my life as a normal sized person with all that entails.
I just wanted to post these two pictures to show the new folks that you can be successful with weight loss. Know that while I'm smiling in the before and after pictures, I was not happy in the before shots because of the issues surrounding my obesity. Also know that I have been, and am still in therapy to address my food addiction and the root causes of my obesity. It's my path and know that I'm not advocating that this should be part of yours.
Again, I'm here just as a reminder that once the newness is over, the weight loss is done, and the emotions settle down....this is the reason I had the surgery. It's about health, mobility, and living my life rather than watching from the sidelines.

I'm not on here much as most of you are pre surgery or going through the weight loss process. I do pop up now and then just to let you know what's doing in terms of living life post WLS.
I'm four years post surgery and have been in maintenance for about 2 1/2 years. When I do come on the boards, I see posts about what to eat, what not to eat, how much weight has been lost, how much has been gained, and other similar topics. When I was in the early stages of my weight loss journey, i read and posted alot regarding those same issues. Now that I'm further out, I don't focus on the details...I just focus on living my life as a normal sized person with all that entails.
I just wanted to post these two pictures to show the new folks that you can be successful with weight loss. Know that while I'm smiling in the before and after pictures, I was not happy in the before shots because of the issues surrounding my obesity. Also know that I have been, and am still in therapy to address my food addiction and the root causes of my obesity. It's my path and know that I'm not advocating that this should be part of yours.
Again, I'm here just as a reminder that once the newness is over, the weight loss is done, and the emotions settle down....this is the reason I had the surgery. It's about health, mobility, and living my life rather than watching from the sidelines.