enjoythetime

Getting back to the basics for me means reflecting on what I have and haven't been doing. For me one of the most common things I omit without realizing it is my 80oz of Water. Since I don't drink soda any more and I've never been a coffee drinker the source of my caffeine is iced tea. Sometimes I find myself going through the day drinking (2) 32oz glasses of tea and realizing at the end of my day I've only had 1 bottle of water. The other thing I commonly find myself doing with a fast paced life is grabbing and going, so I will have a yogurt and trail mix for Breakfast, a Protein bar for lunch and then for dinner I will just grab another yogurt and trail mix just because it's the easiest thing for me. I'm eating high processed foods and am omitting the clean healthy whole foods from my diet. So the basics for me is 80oz of water, 3-4 oz of lean fresh protein and 1/2 cup of veggies per meal, finishing in 20 min regardless of what's left of my plate. When I commit myself to doing the very basic and core things I was taught in the beginning, the flex= I was seeing on the scale goes back to "normal" for me.

Thanks everyone for your encouragement and support!

Some times it's in the "small" things. Today I wasn't prepared so it was a lunch on the run for me which meant stopping at a convience store to find something to eat. I ended up with 2 cheese sticks and a strawberry bowl. I had waited way too long to eat so once I started it was like I was full on the first bite. (I know better then to wait that long), Any way, I finished my cheese and moved onto the strawberries. I was only able to eat three and my band was like no more so I stopped. Later this afternoon I was feeling like I needed something to munch on because my head was telling me hey you didn't eat much for lunch, you need something else, so I went on break and made my way down to the vending machine (I NEVER do this). By the time I made it to the vending machine I was having a battle with myself. My head was telling me I needed that bag of chips but my stomach was saying no, you're full, so I stood there in a daze looking and fighting internally and after a few minutes I walked away with NOTHING. Instead I got some tea and after about 3 drinks I realized my stomach was right, I wasn't hungry. I was able to block out that voice in my head and instead I chose to listen to my band. Yes, this is a "small" victory BUT they all add up and they all COUNT. Never discount any accomplish you make no matter how "small" you think it is. These "small" steps turn into HUGE strides.

I wanted to feel better, look better, be a better person, one who wasn't miserable and negative all the time, to be the person I once was. I knew it was time for me when one day my kids wanted to me play soccer with them and I couldn't run then followed by a dr. appointment when my blood pressure was at stroke range at the age of 34, when I didn't even recognize the person staring back at me in the mirror. I'm only 5'1 so I was wider than I was tall. It was embarrassing that I had let my self get so far gone so when I no longer found joy in anything that's when I knew I had to turn things around and I checked into WLS. I had a lot of support from my family and friends so that was a life saver. I did a ton of research and literally went into my consultation with 2 pages of questions. I didn't leave until they were all answered and even when I left I was on the fence about what I was going to do right up until I got the call saying I was approved. From there the rest was history. I did the surgery and am now 2-years post op and would do it all over again in a heart beat. I have lost 159lbs, went from a size 22 in pants and 3x in shirts to a size 2 in pants and a small shirt but what's more important is what I gained! I gained my life back. I'm able to run and jump and play with my kids and actually keep up, I'm healthy, and I don't look too bad in a pair of 5" heels and skinny jeans either:-) I found the joy I was missing for so many years hiding underneath all of that excess packaging.

Oh @@JustWatchMe I truly hope you see all the beauty and strength inside yourself the way others do. I see an amazingly strong woman who fights to get what she wants/needs, who through all the struggles hasn't crumbled but yet CHOSES to take those challenges head on to gain strength, momentum, betters herself daily and who supports and builds others up around her. Girl, you're there, you're at that finish line and it's the hardest place to be because you're so close you can see it, you're tired and you're not sure how you're going to keep putting those feet in front of one another to get you over that line right? These next steps are going to take you to a whole other world. Right now you're getting your second wind and that's going to push you above and beyond where you ever thought possible. Yes you have to commit to getting there but whether you realize it or not I believe you already have so take whatever you have in you take those remaining struggles and use them as fuel for the cause and PUSH YOURSELF like never before. We're all here to support you. I totally believe in you and I know you've got every ounce of what it takes to get you over to the other side!!!!! Hugs my friend!

@@Butterfly512 let me start by saying no one does this thing perfectly even with the right amount of fills. It's more about finding the balance works for you more then it is striving for perfection. The band should not be used to FORCE you to make the right choices or to follow the rules, that is something you have to take control over and make your mind up that this is what you're going to do for your overall health and the bands optimal effectiveness and longevity. If you're using the band as a restrictive tool I just worry that you'll run into troubles down the road. It's a tool to help you but the mindset has to be there. You can't drink with your meals, it defeats the purpose of having the band it just washes everything you eat right through never giving you that satiety feeling even if you're at your sweet spot, how will you know?. If you wait until you're unable to drink with your meals, well in my opinion that means you're possibly too tight and being too tight hinders your weight loss more than not having enough Fluid in my opinion. Not being able to drink with my meals was one of my biggest fears when I opted for this surgery but I just didn't give myself a choice. I drink right up until I take my first bite, sit at the table with no glass in front of me finish and then wait 1 hour before resuming. It really hasn't been as hard for me as I thought it would be. Regarding your portion amounts, did your surgeon give you any guidelines? Here's what mine said 3-4 oz of Protein, 1/2c veggies and 1/4 c or starch. I eat my protein first, then my veggies and very rarely do I even have room to eat my starch. This is ALL of the food I allow on my plate if I eat it all great, if I don't great. If I'm still hungry afterwards then I will get up and do something, anything, because I know that it's head hunger not real hunger. Once my hour has past I follow it by drinking fluids and 9 times out of 10 that does the trick to help that hunger "feeling" go away. Not always but most of the time. Keep in mind this is only if you're in the green zone but even if you're not you still have to follow the same guidelines until you get there, yes it will be a little harder, but the rewards are so much sweeter than anything you can put in your mouth! Best of wishes throughout your journey. You'll get there!!!!

@@briefs199 I definitely feel once you find your green zone that the diet mentality slowly dissipates. With that said I think how you maintain that weight loss is a very personal choice. For me I have to log my food and I'm two years post op but I don't have the I'm on a diet perspective I have the perspective that this is what I have to do to keep my self honest and mindful of my choices for life long success. Will this one day become a thing of the past? Who knows only time will tell but for now logging food is no biggie for me it brings me comfort it's all about what works for you as an individual. Don't be afraid to try different ways of doing things until you find what works best for you. You'll get there and things will definitely become easier once you find that sweet spot. Good luck to you on your journey!

@@MarvyMimi thank you so much for your encouragement, you just made my day! Your son is absolutely correct, you've come so far and have done great things in a year. The number on the scale is just that, a number that should never be used to measure your self worth. You didn't hit your number in a year, I know that can be discouraging BUT it's not a biggie because your band is with you for life and because of the wonderful life changes you've already made you now have more time (years) to hit that goal and I have no doubt YOU WILL!!!!

I will admit when I first thought about getting WLS I told myself I was taking the easy way out but at the time I didn't care because regardless I knew it was the ONLY way out for me! Then, as soon as I started the pre-op diet I realized easy was definitely not in my vocabulary any longer. I was never ashamed in my decision, I also had the great support of family and friends and from day one I've been very open with my WLS choice with everyone who asks "how'd you do it". I don't care what people say, honestly what negativity can they possibly have when someone standing in front of them has lost 159lbs due to their "lazy" actions:-)

Yes you can NEVER forget where you came from if expect never to go back! I vowed when I got this surgery that I would NEVER go back to that miserable place again and I'm sticking with that!

I'm a little over two years post op and throughout this journey I've constantly struggled with finding that LINE where I'm always mindful of my choices but yet don't obsess over them, where I can live my new life but my new life doesn't control or change every aspect of ME. So, a few months ago I decided to take a HUGE step out of my comfort zone and chose to let my "new norm" do it's thing which to me meant not coming on this site, not counting calories, not journaling my food, you know the things I thought healthy people didn't worry themselves with. This was a huge eye opener for me! During my hands off approach I flexed 5lbs which isn't the end of the world, it doesn't mean I failed, it just means that I need more accountability in my life then what some others may require to maintain a life-long healthy lifestyle. Lessons Learned: The hands-off approach isn't right for ME!!!! I HAVE to hold myself accountable! I can't do whatever I want; I can't eat whatever I want; I can't act like I've never had a weight problem; I can't stop doing my part and expect I'm going to stay where I'm at for the long term. I'm only as good as my plan so living without one means DISASTER! Throwing everything into the wind made the lines and my perspective blurry, it got me off course. I HAVE to remember to stick to the basics!!!! When I get off course I have to get back to the basics. They're what got me where I am today and they're going to be what keeps me here. Through all of this my band was still true to me and continued to do it's thing it's ME who stopped doing my part, the part that made ME get to where I am now and maintain it for over a year! I have to journal my food so I can see those less than perfect choices glaring back at me, not for punishment but for a reminder of what I need to do to get back on track. I have to have an idea of the calories, grams of Protein and oz. of Water I've consumed. I don't have to be exact about it but I have to have an idea. We all need encouragement and what a better place to get it than from a site filled with others who are going through the same journey and can relate to all of your victories and struggles. Be true to yourself. Know your strengths and weaknesses! I'm getting these Damn 5lbs off:-) The point of my post is to say it's ok to still be figuring out your course no matter how far along you are in your journey. I've read on here over and over about people who just live their new life without counting calories or journaling and they have a history of GREAT sustainable success but I can't so now when I read these posts I don't have to wonder if this is something I should be doing, I've been there done that it doesn't work for me, I know what does, stick with it. This little band around my stomach has done amazing things in my life!!!! It's removed the weight of an entire adult person from my 5'1" frame, (I've lost more than I weigh). I'm healthy and I feel better then I have in my ENTIRE life. I look forward to new experiences, I no longer have to worry if the airplane seatbelt is going to fasten or if I'm going to fit in a space, I can play and run and keep up with my kids and our busy lives. I could go on and on but at the end of the day this is the one of the BEST decisions I've made in my life. Stay the course and fight the fight. If you fall get up, brush yourself off and be better than you were before!!!!

Congratulations! You should be extremely proud of your accomplishments! I too am going to have to disagree with the statement that throwing up is just a part of the banded life. I will have been banded 2-years next month and I haven't thrown up or PB'd one time. This is a very common miss-conception, I know it was for me I actually went in for a follow-up once and said I know I'm losing but I'm not getting sick is this normal.....lol I know he must have thought I was crazy but this is what I had read, heard, researched etc. so I was under the impression that maybe mine wasn't working properly because I wasn't getting sick. It was then that it was explained to me that it's just the opposite if you're so tight that you're not able to eat without getting sick then something is wrong. Being too tight can actually cause you to gain weight along with a host of other possible serious complications, so tighter doesn't always equal better or faster results. Good luck on those next 50lbs. You'll be there in no time.

TGIF everyone, we made it! @@JustWatchMe HAPPPPPPY Birthday weekend! I hope your day is as special as you! @@s_suther so glad to hear you received your results and all is good! @@2babutterfly love your positive outlook and encouragement! Been kind of flying by the seat of my pants for the last week or so in regards to food prep so I'm making out my grocery list for next week and will stop by the store after work so that I'm not left unarmed on the weekend. I've been dying to make some meatballs after seeing them on the menu for others so those are definitely on my list:-) Tomorrow is suppose to be beautiful so I thought I would try to get a jump start on cleaning out my flower beds and planning what to plant this year. Knock on wood some of my perennials from last year are starting to make a come back. There really is a first for everything, hahaha. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!!

@@s_suther praying for your grandma, you and you're entire family. No matter whay state in life, its never easy to hear and most definitely not easy to accept!! My heart goes out to you!!! Hang tough and rely on your faith, God will see you through!!!! ((Hugs))

How's everyone doing today? Yesterday ended on a strong note and so far today I'm pleased with my food choices. Still not much of a plan in place but I'm making it work. Just making sure to have a lot of convenient things on hand. Yes, convenient typically means processed, not whole foods but if I'm making the choice for a Protein Bar and cheese sticks for lunch that's still a vast improvement from a bag of junk food. Dinner maybe another weight watchers meal, I'm learning that you don't have to be perfect to be successful. It's ok to be busy with life and not cook and still be able to find something quick and healthy and no longer use the "I'm too busy" excuse to sabotage my efforts. So what's going on out there?

@@Bandista Congrats! I'm extremely happy for you! As many have stated above you truly are a positive inspiration on this site for myself and many others. Good for you girl!

Bottom line, no one deserves to be spoken to like that! You handled it better than I would've and because you did you went in for what you needed and left with what you needed so now you can move on and find a new Dr. that actually cares about their patients and wants them to succeed! It's that kind of support that will help you get back to where you want to be.

@@sbrick I'm THRILLED you went and received a fill this morning! Whoohoo! Here's to the start of a new beginning! You've got this 100%! Just in case you're interested there is a GREAT thread on this site under the band veterans call the accountability group. It's a great source of support and inspiration you should stop in some time!!:-) As for the horrible experience with the Dr. sorry to hear that but hey there's many more out there so put that one to the side and find another one!:-) I'm so happy for you!!

@@sbrick firstly thanks for posting this! I don't have any advice or experience regarding the switch from band to sleeve but your stats are almost spot on to mine in regards to your starting weight and your goal weight. Since you've not had any Fluid put back into your band can you start with that? It worked well for you once and it can again. Maybe do some research on other band specialists in your area and find one your comfortable with and start with a small fill and work your way back to that sweet spot and then you'll be back on track. If it were me that is where I would start. I think this would 1) help eliminate some of the stress you're feeling regarding whether or not you'll be approved. 2) if it does work then you don't have to put your body through another surgery. 3) if it doesn't work for whatever reason you haven't lost anything. These are just my thoughts and what I would do if I were in a similar situation. I've been on the fence for about a year now regarding having excess skin removed and actually this morning was doing some additional research on this. May I ask you a question? When they did your cosmetic procedure, I'm guessing by your post that they didn't remove any fluid that was in your band prior to surgery? Research and weigh all of your options before making a decision. You will make the right one for you I'm sure! Good luck with everything and keep us posted on how you're doing!

@@jacileggs congrats to you! May I ask what your process was to be able to get this approved? Thanks!

You look abso freakin lutely amazing!! Way to go!

Words and thoughts that never have to be spoken or thought of again because we're diet FREEE!!!!

I'm so sorry to hear all of the issues that were created for you by an unknowledgeable surgeon! My first question is have you able to keep the 75lbs off that you lost 60lbs pre band diet and 15lbs while with the band? If so, it's not useless, think about what would've happened if you didn't have the band there. Speaking from experience on previous diets I was able to lose 126lbs but then gained it all back plus 21lbs to eventually hit my all time heaviest, so even though a majority of your weight was lost in the pre-op diet stage your band has still provided you the ability to lose a little more but most importantly to maintain your lose after 10 years. What condition is your band in now? You had said that there was a slight slip, has it corrected it's self? Is there any fill remaining in your band? It sounds to me like if you got a hold of the right dr. they would be able to work with what you have and work for you and not against you. You're right in saying that you didn't fail the band but in what I read here the band isn't what failed you, your Dr. failed you. the band wasn't allowed to do what it was "promoted" to do because it sounds to me like it was never properly filled, monitored etc. so my words of encouragement are to find the right dr. find the right "restriction" for you and proceed with your journey. I wish you all the best!!!

@@JustWatchMe nothing but truth spoken!! You're so on point about how we speak to and about ourselves! Yes, thanks for the reality check! This is EXACTLY why I was suppose to check-in today! @@lisacaron I'm so getting this sign made and sticking it on my desk, in my car, in my purse, in my house, well I think you get the point:0 @s_suthers Seeing your tag last night is what reminded me I needed to get back on here. Thanks for that! I hope the waters begin to calm for everyone!

Woke up this morning and told myself I'm making time for ME today and the first thing on my list was to get on this site! Life has been moving quickly the last several weeks which is all good but remembering to take time for yourself can easily get lost in all the craziness along with being conscious about choices. This weekend wasn't my greatest success by any means but it wasn't an epic fail either because it reinerated what I already knew about myself and that is while I don't need to be a control freak about everything I put in my mouth I do need to continually be conscious of my choices and to pay attention while I'm eating; to slow down and listen to the band. When I'm busy, stressed or just mindless, I tend to just grab things because I didn't have time to plan, I don't slow down when I'm eating , I do however still make it a point to portion out my food before eating but I'm still in a hurry and so I'm shoveling it in and forgetting to listen for that signal I'm used to and boy does it let me know about it afterwards. That full miserable feeling comes over you all of a sudden and you just feel like crap. As we all know when we're stressed our bands tend to tighten so that "normal" portion size I put in front of me doesn't give me permission to eat like a tazmanian devil and ignore what my band says is enough. So no matter how busy and stressful life can get I need to remember to take time for me, take a deep breath and take a moment to put things in perspective. Easier said then done obviously but again it's the being conscious of what I need to do that I feel is the most important thing. When I loss that consciousness that's when I feel like I need to be concerned. The only thing I had planned for today was my Breakfast so lunch is going to be a hunt for the best of what's available. dinner will be a Weight Watchers. Getting on this site helps me to refocus! Thanks for the continued support. I hope everyone is doing great!