naenaern777

Ok I am flooding you people with pictures so here it goes because The Meet & Greet was SO MUCH FUN , I got some good information & LOTS of Protein goodies & met SO many people , SO You Wanted pictures , however I'm going to put this out there my LBD doesn't look that good on me because it is getting a bit loose on me & the blue T shirt that was in with one of the goodie bags is a Xl & I can fit into a LG & Medium so it looks big on me I didn't think so when I looked in the mirror but when I looked at the Pics I could tell , they even had 2 Plastic surgeons doing free consults , but I'm just not ready 30 # more to go , & I won a poster in a raffle I will take a pic with that later , good food , drinks & dancing lots of fun games & other things & you will see the view I had from my room , ok you wanted pics.

KWCRNP,
I'm 55, and I would like to lose at least 70 pounds and get rid of my high blood pressure and sleep apnea. The thought of losing 85% of my stomach, and all the issues associated with it, is not appealing. I'm a compulsive overeater, so I've joined OA, and I'm going to start seeing a therapist who deals with eating disorders. I've talked myself out of the sleeve surgery the past two years. I'd like to think that with therapy, a good support group, and dedication to fitness and nutrition, that I could achieve my goal with the band.

@@johngypsy
I think 70 lbs is very doable w the band. I lost 26 pre surgery and almost 30 since surgery (3 mons post op). I have 50-70 more but I feel amazing already! I eat better and definitely can exercise more and feel good after...not like I'm dying! Lol
Sounds like you have a great life style plan in place!
It's the little things that keep you motivated...getting non plus size clothes, moving the car seat forward because your backend is smaller, seeing a thinner you in vacation pics! ????

I just had my gastric bypass 8.26.15 and I'm down 13lbs It would be nice to meet others in the area going through the same struggles.

I had my surgical meeting last month and am working on the pre op testing. After discussing with my surgeon I decided on the sleeve and I have a date of Nov 19th! Now just to finish my meetings and pre op things and I will be anxiously awaiting insurance approval

Just weighed myself and I am 199 with a starting weight of 287. My lap band surgery was completed on January 15, 2014. I feel (and look-/LOL) amazing! I have energy and am accomplishing so many great things in my life. The lap band gave me a new lease on life. I'm loving ONE-derland. By the way I haven't even officially started exercising yet. Just moderate walking and so forth. I'm so proud. I'm 5'11 and 199 now so slowly getting out of that overweight stage lol

First weigh in is on February 23. I will need goal weight and current weight. We weigh in on every Monday until April 6.

Its time for another challenge! This challenge will be beginning with the first weigh in and goal on Monday, February 23. From there on after, weigh ins will take place Monday. Last weigh in will be Monday, April 6, 2015. This will allow a total of 7 weigh ins in all. The link for the spreadsheet is posted below. This challenge will help start the new years off right.

Few reminders
You will know it is updated once I have liked your post. Please post weigh ins here in this post only. We are all here to support each other..so questions posted here will be answered by anyone else willing to help. If you want to adjust your goal weight, just add that in any reply to this post. if you miss a weigh in...no biggie. Just report back in the next week. But If you missed three or more weigh ins, i will assume that you no longer wish to continue the challenge and your name will be removed from spread sheet.

Spread Sheet Link https://onedrive.live.com/redir?page=view&resid=BAD9C9C886818A59!1013&authkey=!ABtsf61o0YpIa-Y

Have fun with this! Challenge yourself in new ways! Join us for the Easter's Challenge!

This weekend, after 12 weeks of training, I completed the Hershey Half Marathon and came in 30 seconds under my goal time!!! That means I ran -without stopping- 13.1 miles!! That is just crazy to me, seeing as before my sleeve I never ran even a city block.
Around mile 12 I really wanted to walk, but I just kept thinking "the girl I was before couldn't have done this, I'll finish for her." I pushed through & did it and outside of the birth of my kids and my wedding, it was the best day of my life.
As a side note, we went to Hershey park the day before the marathon with my teen daughters & I rode every single roller coaster. The last time I was at that park, I tried to ride one with my daughter, but couldn't fit. It was the most humiliating moment of my life, so it was pretty fitting that a year later I returned there to ride all the rides AND run a 1/2 marathon!!!
This is just an example of how working with my sleeve to reach goals has helped me transform my life. ....and now I'm registered for my first full marathon in a few months!!

Sometimes it's good to remind myself that even if I'm not exactly where I want to be, I will never go back.
I thought that reminder might be helped by trying on the 1 pair of pants I kept....a size 20, down to a 4.
So here's a visual of what it looks like to be literally less than half of yourself, given that I've lost more weight than I actually weigh now.
I have to say I quite enjoyed the reminder :-)  

Has anyone done or tried Whole 30? For those who don't know it is a little stricter than paleo, but the gist is no grains, no legumes, no dairy and no sugar. Lots of Protein with fresh veggies and fruits. I am going to try this begining Feb 1st as a way to help me kick my sugar addiction and was just wondering if anyone else has done it. It is not meant to be permanent as you can reincorporate items back into your diet. I am sure some people stick with it, but I do not plan to. Just kicking my addiction to carbs and sugar to the curb. A system reboot of sorts.

Ok... Here are my "official" 1 year progress pics. I've had my daughter take all of them every month & I handed her the camera tonight & said "last one!!!" And we both had a cry :-) anyway....
 136.2 pounds lost & 52.5% of my original body weight.

You know what? That is so funny that you said that because I noticed the same thing when I watched it. You can see the smile develop as the months went on. :-)

It has been an amazing 15 months and I decided for my new year's post for my blog I would make a video with all of my progress pictures to Celebrate the journey. 15 months past and I've been at (and beyond) my goal weight - 140 pounds lost - since about 11 months post op. So I can see that I can maintain it (so far so good!!) and that is super encouraging.
Anyway, just thought I'd share here for anyone interested.
Here's the VIDEO!!

I would absolutely add cardio. That is a must for me. I started out about a year ago and just jumped on the treadmill with my couch 2 5k app, and the rest has been history. Since then I've run multiple 5k's 10k's and a 1/2 marathon. I'm currently training for a full marathon in May. I highly recommend it. But if running is not your thing, then definitely something else.

As Livvsmum says Couch to 5k! I did it a year ago and thought I would DIE during the run intervals. I have never in my life been a runner! Flash forward and I am winning my age division in 5-10k's and an 8 mile trail run this past weekend. Also have completed several 200 mile relays and a half marathon. Training for a full marathon in May.

I can't remember the last time I weighed under 200 pounds but I am so very excited this morning! This last two weeks has been grueling but the weight is definitely coming off. I have actually been feeling better the last two days so hopefully the worst part is over now. I just wanted to share my good news! I hope everyone has a good day.

Squeezed myself on to the couch the other day between two friends and a doggie -- didn't have to think twice about whether I'd fit.....and didn't feel embarrassed. That's the main thing for me these days -- not feeling shy and humiliated about my body size.

Every time I hop into my bed, or cross my legs, or bend down, curl up, stand up, etc, etc, etc, I am reminded how as we get larger, we compensate in how we move. I know I didn't realize for a very long time, the changes I made as I got heavier and heavier but I am hyper aware how much easier it is now to engage in any type of movement. Everything we do is different because it's easier the smaller one gets. It's so wonderful that I hope the feeling never goes away. Right now I'm constantly reminded of my weight loss because of this and I don't ever want it to become something I take for granted.

So July 1st was my 1 yr Bandiversary. I wanted to post that day but I didn't hit my 1yr goal and was beating myself up which was completely silly. So I stopped to take the time to reflect how much has changed in this last year. When I spoke to my surgeon pre-op I told him exercise was not an option because my body was so beaten and worn down from all my diseases and meds and chemo shots. Now I run a 5K 6 days a week and completed my first official 5K in June. This brings tears to my eyes because before I got sick I was a gym rat and how I missed it but still can't believe I am a runner a real runner!
I has spent the last 6 yrs sick and fighting for life and when I decided to get the band originally my family freaked and said it was to dangerous. So I stopped the process then and wasted another year before I told my family something had to change. I wanted to live life and be a great mother and wife. I did not want to just exist and be a burden on them anymore. They were hesitant and still worried but supported me. There are truly not even words to explain what the band has given back to me.
Everything has been at a very slow pace but in a year as far as health I am off the chemo I was on for lupus and have only had a few small flares. I haven't had to be hospitalized at all since my band. I am only on one med now for lupus which is prednisone my best friend/worst enemy. I was able to cut out so many meds which is freaking awesome. My thyroid is also responding to my weight loss and I just was able to decrease my synthroid for the second time. My weight loss has been slow but I also have Addison's disease so I have to take prednisone 3 times a day forever probably. So I need to often remind myself that I am still on a pretty high dose of steroids everyday and I'm still losing weight/inches. I have still had some flares and have had to double and triple my steroids which stops my loss each time and causes a small gain. I have to wean off very slow so it takes weeks to get back to where I can lose again. I still managed to lose over 60 lbs in this year and 4 clothing sizes from 20W to 12!!
I look like me again and feel like a real person. Last year at this time I was driving my kids to do 5K's now I am the only one getting out to run and have beat both of their best times!! My kids have their mom back and couldn't be happier we are so close. We are all together everyday enjoying life. I am a wife again I can make dinner everyday for my husband and keep up with the house and laundry so my hubby can relax and watch the Pirates now lol... I can babysit my toddler nephew all day and play with him and chase him.
I never thought I would see any of these things happen again. Lupus was kicking my a$$ and as hard as I fought I couldn't beat it. Now its my turn I'm fighting back and taking my life back. I know that this is not a cure because there is no cure but this is best case scenario for me and I will certainly take it.
When I'm on higher doses of prednisone and having a pity party for myself I get on here and read all the posts and it seriously turns my attitude right around! So thank you all for being here for me to help me and support my journey! You guys all rock!!
And by the way I did hit my goal of being in ONDERLAND 2 days after my anniversary and that's close enough for me!!!!
Gotta go pack I am off to the beach tomorrow for a well deserved vacation!!!!!!

Oh girl I didn't realize you were having so much trouble. I am so sorry to hear that. You have certainly kicked butt after surgery. We were banded the the same time. I'm wondering if they tried any medications to try and calm it down???? I don't have any input on the sleeve because I never researched it. For me having 3 autoimmune disorders my only option was the band and if it ever has to come out that will be it for me. I know it's scary about gaining it back and it happened to me but only because i had to take high doses of steroids again for months. You can keep it off if that ends up being your choice you have done so great and are such an inspiration to me!!! I wish you the best in whatever you decide but mostly I hope you get some relief of those symptoms soon!

@@Zingythingy you lost a lot of weight really fast! I was banded in 2013 and have had a few set backs along the way but have only lost 70 thus far.
So I would ask you...what did you do in the beaning that helped you to lose the weight? Where do you think that fell short on nutrition to cause you to have an issue with healing?
Nutrition is very important but I suspect there was more going on to cause necrosis then just poor nutrition.
I'm glad that you are now on the road to recovery and I really hope that you are feeling better. You have come to the right place for support that's for sure! I know when I am having trouble staying focused and not giving up I come here and read and write and share and I feel better!!
So maybe review what worked for you in the early days of starting to lose the weight, and think about how you might improve upon that a bit to keep your body healthy now as well. Is a need for more Protein, or perhaps a certain Vitamin that you might need/want to add in with fruits or veggies or even with a supplement?
I'm still trying to get back to my green zone after a car accident a few month ago. I'm back in the gym and working out, and battling a few women's issues as well. So its a bit of a roller coaster ride that I'm not quite ready to get off of just yet I'm finally starting to enjoy it...well at least until the next nose dive

I'm so sorry to hear about your troubles. I'm looking ahead to plastics some day myself. I have no advice since I'm still in my first year, but just sending support. I hope things turn around for you.

I am almost 7 months out. Highest was 294. Current weight is 211, little over 80 pounds gone!
The first 2 are from my 20th class reunion and I was about 280. The third one was Feb of last year.
The 10k was in April and I was about 60 pounds gone I think.
After2 is at 65 pounds gone, and the black dress was a few weeks ago at 80 gone.

....been a long time since I've posted but was thinking of how much several of you on this forum helped me while I was both considering the sleeve, as well as when I was newly sleeved. I hit goal about 10-11 months after surgery and have been maintaining that plus a 4-5 lb drop since then.
I started at 230 lbs at 5'5 and decided I was at goal at 152. Most days, I veer between 147-151 now. I'm somewhere between a size 4-6 in pants and an 8-10 in tops (wide shoulders!) I have a Tummy Tuck (skin only, no muscle repair) coming up Dec 16th and I couldn't be happier about all of it. My husband has also lost almost 100 lbs since we started and is healthy and happy.
Anyway just wanted to share and mainly, to thank all of you who were there for me on this forum. I needed the support, advice, and guidance I found here. Meant a lot to me. ((Hugs))