lunasa

Hi Everyone...thank you so much for your attention and cheerleading...I feel relieved having "come out" as a struggler!!! It means a lot to have your support.. KAT...you got that right..I am about as DEEP as it gets!! Sometimes it's great when I am able to cope & help others but when I fall myself it's VERY hard to get back up. That's why NLP helps so much for me...it really provides tools to move on instead of lingering wallowing & analysing (which I often do anyway..it's just natural!) But everyday doesn't happen...not for anyone I don't think..we all have our days & moments when all the tools in the world can't help... so I guess as Pam always says...surrender those and then we can move on.. So thank you all..xx I'm goin to go for a lovely walk later..it's BEAUTIFUL here today and the birds are singin up a storm!! Talk later..xx P.S. George Michael Concert tomorrow night!!!

Hello There...remember me? I am not great today.. I feel the depression demon nipping at my heels!! I have lost my feelings of fullness that I enjoyed so much and I had really started to turn a corner...feeling like a normal eater for the first time ever!! I know what's happening though.. it's the old diet mentality sneaking it's way back in..or at least trying to!! I have to remember that I've lost weight and clothes sizes...funny I found myself being surprised Sunday when I got dressed and the clothes were loose...my mind was playing tricks on me and It was like I had put all the weight back on..feeling horrible & expecting a battle with the clothes! When I dressed myself I was actually surprised that they were loose..is that weird? In my MIND I had "put the weight back on!!!" and was feeling quite low! I feel I am struggling mentally / emotionally right now...WHY?? I know I've been at a plateau since MAY 7th...maybe it's because my emotional state has dipped as there's a stall on the lbs? I didn't want to come on here and admit to this, because all along I've tried to be so positive and upbeat and I've tried to talk others out of their bad periods so far in the journey. But I feel I can't join in here and it's because I'm hiding my current feelings & experience. I guess these are the demons I have to be patient & strong enough to face on this journey...I know this. I feel I'm being dragged into feeling disappointed, when I really have nothing to be disappointed about. But my OLD SELF is in my ear saying..."this is just the same as it always has been, this time is no different, you are never gonna change" I'm behind in my office work, I am feeling scatterbrained & unorganised..I feel I've let everything build up on me and my mind is feeling cluttered. These are all factors in my waining confidence right now, and add to that loosing my "FULLNESS" has kinda knocked me off my feet a little. I really felt safe, content & confident when I was on my "small food intake" I was not hungry..I had three meals a day, small ones..about 15-18 WW points and totally satisfied with that. Right now I feel I'm bargaining pouints again and I hate that. I hate knowing I could easily fulfill my quota and I fear I could just as easily exceed it!! I'd say I did today...I went to cinema and eat popcorn AND nachos!! That's so OLD me...Only a week ago I was terrified to even TRY popcorn for fear of it getting stuck..I guess I'm completely open? Is the band totally open before filling? Does your stomach / appetite go back to pre band days? I am booked in for my first fill next TUES.. I have to fly to LONDON for this. They said doc would take this into account filling me ( I took this to mean I'd get a good shot!! LOL) I hate to come on here & moan but I am feeling quite anxious today in particular and felt I couldn't really "chat" with you all while I was hiding this. So..can anyone relate or console with this?:sick

:clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2: WOW JUDY!!!! 36lbs lost!!! And the inches..the miles...are you a band angel? LOL I think you may just be out front there...well done to you, you are an inspiration!!!! YOU DESERVE IT!!! :clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2:

That's really beautiful Kat...I feel the same about my parents. They gave their all for us. I know when I have kids they will be as cherished as we always were.

Laura...on reflection I see it wise to have a contract in place...glad you got it sorted with her!! LOL..Congrats on the jeans..That's a MAJOR NSV for you..keep it up..xx Haydee...great to hear about the fill benefits!! I'm REALLY looking forward to reporting same!!

Hello everybody!! How ya all doin? It's such a different vibe in here since the surgery month!! Back to real life & the newness of fills!! I just booked my first fill for June12th in London. As I am travelling from Ireland to have mine I figured a half hour apt wasn't worth the journey so I'm treating us as well.. booked myself & DH into a hotel & tickets for Phantom of the Opera and we'll make a night of it... Now THAT's more exciting!! Am looking forward to having my fill. I feel mended on the inside, the swelling has gone down enough that I am feeling less restriction. I am controlling things very well foodwise but still a lazy Bum on the excercise! . I make a pact today to walk 30mins now every day between now & fill. I know Doc will ask have I been excercising & I would hate to admit I wasn't. Sure I could lie and say I was, but I'd feel terrible, I'm too honest anyway, I wouldn't & I'd just be so embarrassed admitting I'm not walking. So walking it is. Goodness...anyone got a bomb for under my ass??:bored Mdrai...congrats!!!!! KAT...did you get to hear the VOYAGE song? Laura...CONTRACT for wedding planner?????!!! OMG, that in itself sounds ominous. Did you check any others to see if contracts are the norm? P.s...my sister is pregnant!!!!! She only found out herself..Her DH is away so I was her first port of call. Nobody else knows but us...I'm SOOOOOO excited!!!! OMG..I'm so emotional :cry:cry:cry

Hi Laura... No I didn't go to ACS myself , but there's another Thread on here in the introductions page 2 or 3 called Hi from Ireland, and most of the women there went with ACS. I went with healthier weight centre only because they specialise in weight loss surgery, it's all they do and my initial contact was with a lovely woman who had the band herself and that kinda put me at ease. There's also info on the above mentioned thread about support group meetings in Dublin if you'd be interested. I live in Co Clare. Good to touch base with you!! Having the band has been GREAT for me!!

Good luck Mdrai!!! Laura55...I'm in Ireland too! Are you going with ACS? I'll post more tomorrow..haven't time now.. Hello & goodbye for today!! P.S no weight gain this week!! ( remember I thought I might have gained after the wedding) Yippee...ticker below is officially correct again...it's all downhill from here!!

BUBBLES.....wow..33lbs since 4/11...that's Fab!!! That's where I need to get to now after all my dilly-dallying this past few weeks...CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Another P.s...I think that's p.p.s... I see an ad down the bottom left of this page advertising Oprah's weight loss secret...Wu-Long tea... I really hate the way they market these things as weight loss secrets..as if it was that easy..we'd all be on tea!!! and to claim it gets rid of 3lbs a day is outrageous!!! Is it not a bit Ironic advertising the like on a site like LBT??? And besides, I always wonder why Oprah didn't have Gastric banding surgery?

PS... that's a US size 14...started out at US size 18 UK size 18 now, down from UK 22... UK size 14 is where I would feel most comfortable ( I do like to have curves, sexy mama)

Hi All!!! I'm back! Wedding was great and I was a very good girl!! I eat & drank what I wanted without having any issues or overeating or "going off the rails!" there was a lot of food at the wedding dinner (4 courses) but I only eat what I could & it was really great. Everyone else at my table cleared their plated at every course (even the skinny girls) and I there I was chewing away eating about a third of what they did & feeling very happy about it. Someone else here said it before, it's amazing to observe people over eating when we can be satisfied with so much less. Anyway, I drank LOADS too, so am on a water mission now to dispell of the toxins I consumed, but thoroughly enjoyed sans guilt! And not much of a hangover either (thank you Bcomplex vitamins!! LOL) I weighed myself before leaving for the wedding & had lost that regain I was dealing with...heading off at my original first goal weight of 224..which really made me feel good!! I'm due for a weigh in tomorrow again & don't expect to be starting into my next goal as of yet..I am prepared to have a small regain after the last few days's activities but wil deal with that again!! It won't be a major thing. BUT I do have to work hard this week to get past this first goal!! I REALLY should be well into my 2nd at this stage, but the last 2 weeks were about regaining & maintaining this week for the wedding. I really have to make an extra special effort now this week to rev it up a bit.. I have spent the month of may in a stalled weight situation and don't want to be dealing with a first goal weight any longer... So...please send me positive vibes ladies...I have a VICTORY to realise..xx BTW...you might be very proud to know I wore size 14 to the wedding (and am currently sitting here typing in 14 jeans too!!) I never done inches measurements but obviously have lost a good few!! My Bras are too big now, so I look like Dolly Parton until I get re-sized and get these puppies back under firm control!! LOL.. POWER TO ME GIRLS PLEASE...this is a VERY important week for me to REALLY make a difference & start moving on & downward again... PLEASE GOD, tomorrow's weigh in won't be worse than I suspect!!

Hi Kat...only have a few secs to check in but see that you'd like to hear the Voyage.. Check out this link Christy Moore Voyage CD Beautiful song!! Good luck...I hope you get your hands on it..xx

Is it me or is it quieter than normal in here today?? Ok here's something NOT to do... I had lunch locally today & had just taken a bite when a woman I know appeared out of nowhere & launched into a tirade of questions for me..(she's lovely though) anyway, embarrassed by the sudden realisation that I had food in my mouth that would require more chewing than she would have understood, I spent a second impersonating a deer in headlights. I though about spitting it out, but that would have been VERY strange to anyone who would have seen it, so I swallowed...without chewing as I would have liked!!! OMG... I waited for some sort of bodily reaction, answering her questions while scanning the distance to the loo and whether it was vacant or not...But no need...I seemed to be ok!! Now I have been sliming since and feel a sensation AGAIN but this time I was chewing 20-25 times!!! LOL I think I need a sign for my back "Will not talk while eating...must chew" Anyway, I'll be out of action for a few days I'm going to an out of town wedding of a very dear friend of mine...wed-sat (I told you these weddings are crazy & LONG!!!) Try not to miss me too much, although of course you know I'd feel better if you all did (well, even if someone does!! LOL) Good luck to you all over the next few days & stay strong & consistent....xx Wish me luck with the barrels of Guinness..xx:kiss2:

Laura...don't loose that ring whatever you do!!!

MICHELLE....Mdrai You are TOTALLY normal & justified in your pre-op jitters!! You will be so fine & delighted when you get done... Your worries will seem like a distant memory!!! You will be relaxed & happy...well done so far girl...eXcellent!!! As for consuming the worlds water sources with your flushes...let me quote Gaylord Fokker's dad "If it's yellow, let it mellow If it's brown, flush it down!" LOL !!! Oh and KITY...this is just for you....I know how much you like it!!! :eek: :P :P LOL.....Have a GREAT day!!! P.s...haven't seen Christy on here in a while!!

Hey..I'm quoting myself!! what I mean by this is great is that this is GREAT that I can be so aware of the small things that don't agree with me & that I can be so much more mindfull in my choices when it comes to eating.. I'm so happy with my decision to have the band!! My WW points are working out great!! I'm well within my daily limits & coping really well, before I would always use right up to my limit & still feel deprived..Not now...I feel like a NORMAL person!! LOL JOY!!!:clap2:

Hi folks... Firstly..I had scrambled egg for breakfast this morning with cherry tomatoes...I have the slime/peanut sensation again... I'm guessing this was the skin off the little tomatoes!! This is great!! Anyway...KAT my dear violet..I have a beautiful suggestion for your parents wedding celebration.. It's the lyrics of a song called "THE VOYAGE"..you could incorporate it somehow.. My father sang it to my mother on their 25th Wedding anniversary & there was snots & tears all round!! LOL I'll post it now... THE VOYAGE (Christy Moore) I am a sailor, you're my first mate We signed on together, we coupled our fate Hauled up our anchor, determined not to fail For the hearts treasure, together we set sail With no maps to guide us we steered our own course Rode out the storms when the winds were gale force Sat out the doldrums in patience and hope Working together we learned how to cope Chorus: Life is an ocean and love is a boat In troubled water that keeps us afloat When we started the voyage, there was just me and you Now gathered round us, we have our own crew Together we're in this relationship We built it with care to last the whole trip Our true destination's not marked on any charts We're navigating the shores of the heart :cry :cry :cry :cry :cry Kleenex anyone?

Thanks Terri....yes there was fruit in th yoghurt...I guess that would explain things...I don't remember chewing them!! LOL That's what that is so...mindless eating....CHEW FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!

Okay...after doing a search I found a thread on sliming.. Some users reckon it's from drinking with food..others get it from eating too fast... I still eat too fast....I think I should move on from mushies because there's not much to chew and I prob need to chew more to slow down... I'm not due for solids until next monday!!! Oh...the joys! Anyway I suppose slowing down & paying more attention to the fluids after food will see... Hey...I answered my own question!!! LOL :heh:

I forgot to ask... I think I am "sliming" but what is this? I have extra saliva, ant it's kinda frothy?? Is this smiling? I don't know what would be the cause of this...I have it right now and have only had a LF yoghurt so far today...(mullerlite) Any ideas? I also feel like I've a peanut stuck in my chest...but I haven't eaten a peanut!! LOL What's going here on ladies? please ...:kiss2:

WOW terri...that did take time!!! Good point though, in seeing a passage of a journey, in hindsight, the rollercoaster for better or worse & that "this too shall pass" is true!! EVERYDAY IS A SCHOOL DAY!!....see?

Mdrai... I second terri's response... I made my decision based on an honest stock take of my past experiences with WL... I made my decision quickly also because if I had hummed & hawed about the pro's & con's I would probably have wasted a lot of time... Remember you are in control of your behaviour with the band...If you are a good band girl, you won't or shouldn't have many if any problems, you determine your successes and or failures... I freaked out with questions & possible complication scenarios and I stopped reading negative threads, as they are after all threads discussing "complications"!! What you are going through is your bold self trying to talk you out of a discipline you are going to have to adopt... It is your "inner binger" fighting for things not to change You will be fine & you will be happy you made the decision.. If you did give it one more honest try yourself, how far would you get before you hit the inevitable bump again and you'll find yourself either regaining & devastated of you'll find yourself wishing you had gotten the band and your BMI may be below what qualifies you to have it.. What is your history? What can you learn from it?

Hello everyone... Can't remember if I last posted fri or sat but I feel like it was a week ago with all the catching up I've just read!! I'll have to officially change my ticker now...I am up 2.5lbs from my firt goal.. Last week I had gained 3.5lbs and this week that's only come down by 1lb....is this my first plateau? I don't like counting calories but to keep track I am counting WW points.. My allowance is 25 per day..but I stay around 20.. I have no problem reaching my daily points limit and I havent come caross any problem foods yet...although I am still sticking to the mushy varieties..ie TUNA, eggs, potatoes, yoghurt etc.. I guess the powers that be are teaching me right now that I have to earn my success!! I was ecstatic 2 weeks ago when I reached my first goal weight but that was also the last day of liquids and the weight had really just fallen off during that time. This is so challenging for me, normally this regain would drive me up the wall and I would SOO give up & complain that "I can't live a normal life & loose weight" "One night out in a week juat makes a loss impossible" etc etc...I caught my old self fleeting around me this week as I felt partially drawn into that frame of mind. But there is a new voice now, offering reassurance belief & patience telling me that I can learn to live & loose and I can have a life and loose this weight, I don't have to be a hermit or be a ball of frustration. I have to honor & aknowledge this voice & thank it & when I get back down to my original frist goal weight I will reward this voice with gratitude & love and make a stronger bond with it against the old one. I find it hard to know that things have slowed down and started to bounce but I also have to remember that what I am learning here is for life. And for the first time I have put PATIENCE and CONVICTION and BELIEF at the top of my priority list in learning how to cope and succeed at something I have done blindly, ingratefully and bitterly my whole life... So today I am Up 2.5lbs from my 1st goal weight and I still love myself enough to accept that...xxx I am for the first time ever in my life in love with me!!! LOL!! (DH better watch out!!)

Goodness haydee...That's more than a bummer. As much as I am in no place to cast judgement on your situation what I read kinda made me want to get mad at your fella!!! Is he playing mind games with you? He says he's surprised you're taking a stand...When I don't think you've taken a stand at all!! You're gonna wait n see what he has to say when you get back, if you were taking a stand for YOURSELF ...YOU would have the last call, no? I'm sorry girl If I sound cruel or insensitive but it sounds like he calls ALL the shots and you've left the ball in his court again. As for confusing his family...that just makes me wanna slap something...what about confusing you for God's sake?? He is gettin the best of two worlds here, with nobody on his back. You need to up your self worth & ask yourself what you value. In a choice of husband I value honour, security, respect , responsibility, loyalty, trust , affection, someone who works hard and loves his family. What qualities do you value & want from your life partner and compare them with your guy, how does he stand up to your expectations? Could it be that he doesn't make the grade with you and maybe deep down somewhere you feel you have set your hopes too high and may never find a guy with all the qualities you value so you settle with him & his conditions for now? I'm so sorry to be "on your case" about this but I suspect you are and have been selling yourself short.. you said for years you were demanding either marriage or break up..Haydee you've given him power over you. You have let him dangle a carrott in front of you for all this time and now you are still looking for an ANSWER from him. This is not taking a stand and don't let him convince you that it is...if he wants you to think you are calling the shots, and you think you are but still waiting for make or break time then that just gives him more time to mess with you & your dreams. This may be the hardest thing you'll ever do Haydee but it looks to me like it IS time for you to move on, and I don't know if consulting him on your decision would even figure if that's what you really wanted to & were ready to do. Search your soul Haydee...you have a very brave decision to consider taking..xxx I wish you luck