Angie1985

Although I can't help much on the insurance front - I'm from Canada and was self-pay, I can tell you that the band is amazing, and it will help you. It is so hard to yo-yo diet - I can't imagine how frustrated you feel. Good luck with everything!

Everyone looks so amazing... I'm so proud of us all! I did a new before and after in my signature!

I'm about 8 months post op and down about 75 lbs, and a big part of that is thanks to excercise. I do a specific core class one day a week, and do about 15-20mins of ab workouts every other day. Today my abs are sore, and I can feel my port a bit more, but my doctor and nurses at my clinic have encouraged me to keep going and not to worry - these things are built for the healthy active people we are becoming! :w00t:

I bought designer jeans! Fidelity Denim... SIZE 31! Not even the biggest size they come in, 32, but 31! Wehoo!

I can wrap myself up in one of those obnoxious towels they give out at the gym, as opposed to the nice big bath sheets I use at home. You still might get a glimpse of bum, but mostly, I can be wrapped!

Aww thanks Mimi!! Amibrooke it makes ALL the difference... An unfilled band is like a power tool you haven't plugged in yet - you'll notice such a difference!

Way to go Drew! I can't imagine how freaking amazing that must have felt, wehoo!!!

I've lost about 53 total, minus 15 pre-op...38. I am an early March Bandster, I got my band on the 4th.

everyone looks so good... i can't get over it! i added a new before and after to my signature cause I like everyone to see it, haha.

I have a shopping problem, haha, but my big thing I got myself was this Michael Kors watch when I hit 50lbs. When I get under 200 I wanna send myself on a mini vacation to NYC, and at goal I'm gonna go somewhere hot, and my mom said she'd buy me a Tiffany's key necklace... cause the band has been the key to unlock my success!

It's so interesting we're all so different. Although I'm not fitting into everything I try at regular size stores, since hitting 220 (which was 50lbs down) I've been able to shop a ton in regular sized stores. XL teeshirts and size 14 jeans/pants from anywhere from Jcrew (though their jeans fit, but not comfortably yet) to American Eagle, the Gap, etc. Old Navy is so inconsistent - 12s in some styles, in others I couldn't even do up the 14. The only exception to this rule right now is more structured dresses - with my boobs I'm still an 18 or so. Oh for context's sake, I'm 5'8. xox

I went shopping yesterday (see my blog for an extremely long entry about it) but ended up buying two pairs of jeans at American Eagle in size 14. That fit SO well - and comfortably. It's crazy to think that when I went out to dinner last night, in my size 14 jeans, my XL jcrew tee, even my now 38dd bra - I was wearing all "normal" sized clothes. No longer will I be relegated to buying my american eagle and vic's secret online. a HUGE nsv!

Hey! Congrats on getting close to your surgery date! So excited for ya! Like Doodleallday said, anything is worth the success LB has given us. It is, without a doubt, the most amazing and significant thing I've done in my life and I'm SO happy with how I'm doing. In terms of beer and soda, I'm a bad ass and can handle and have tried both. Soda I'll get a kids sized one at the movies and sip it slow, it makes me burp a ton but I've been just fine. Beer I definitely drink slower than I did before, but it goes down fine too. If you have any questions, check out my blog or message me, and good luck!

I've got a blog - it's listed in my signature. From there you'll find links to all my followers blogs, they're wicked! xx

That sounds like fun, my only reservation is that I've found the support and encouragement at every step of the way has really kept me going, and you'll probably want to start hearing it from people at sooner than six months, if that makes sense. xx

Thanks Jane! I can't wait to be where you are weight and size wise, you're doing so so well! I do have skirt/fluke confirmation - I just got the new catalogue and the model is not wearing it high like me but lower on her hips. But whateves. It's a 12. On my body. I'll take it.

I'm still working on figuring this all out, but as I lose weight I'm finding my confidence is growing, and that's getting me more male attention. My thoughts with eating in front of guys is, alas, no one is really going to be suprirsed to seeing a bigger girl eating smaller portions. If he asks, I plan on making a joke bout getting hotter for him or something silly like that. I've hung out and eaten out with a lot of ppl who don't know about my band and haven't really blinked at my sometimes strange eating habits. Don't worry and enjoy it. Once it gets more serious, I think that's the time to share, but only when it feels right. No matter what you're working hard to improve yourself, and that deserves mad validation.

Hi everyone, Haven't been on here in a while and thought I'd check in to say hi. I've been having a wonderful summer, and although my weight is pretty stalled right now (finally getting my fill tomorrow) I have experienced a lot of wicked Non-Scale-Victories in the past few weeks and thought I'd share! The first round happened at my cousins wedding which was on June 21st. It was a huge wedding - over 400 guests and I was a bridesmaid. I saw a lot of extended family and friends who hadn't seen me at this low a weight in at least 5 or so years... it was a great feeling and I got tons of really sweet supportive feedback, as well as some of the annoying - "good work, but don't stop now," or "I'm so glad you're finally doing it!" UGH. But the sweetest feedback I got that night was from my friend Danger Dave (this is VT -all the boys have funny nicknames.) Towards the end of the night, we were sitting outside, taking a dance break, and he said something about "you look great Ange." I said thanks - mentioned the professional hair and makeup. He said no, it was more than that... I can tell you lost weight. This was definitely a bold move on his part - asking a girl about that, even mentioning that elephant in the room. It was super sweet though, because he just acknowledged how hard that must have been, and how impressed and proud he was. Definite warm fuzzies. It's kind of awkward to mention, haha, but Dave's not the only boy who's noticed a difference in me. A lot of them seem to be noticing me, period. It's funny - I'm still hanging out at around 230lbs, I've still got a long way to go weight wise, so what I think what these boys are responding to is the change in confidence I'm going through. I feel prettier, sure, but more so, I feel empowered, accomplished. It's wicked. My third, and my most favourite kind, was my shopping NSV. I was in California last week and got to pop in to one of my favourite stores, J Crew. I love this store. Once I can fit into all their clothes, I'll probably be completely broke with a completely beautiful preppy wardrobe. I saw this cute high-waisted skirt, and thought I'm not 100% a 14 these days, but eh, might as well try. I looked, but alas, they didn't have a 14 in the colour I wanted. I asked a sales associate for help, and she told me they didn't have any. I decided to just grab the 12 to take in with me while I was trying on some tees. And guess what... The 12 fit great. GREAT. And although it is a pretty flattering and forgiving cut, I still can't believe it's only a 12. And as I was coming out to show my friends, the sales associate said "I knew it would fit... You don't look much like a 14 anyways!" I couldn't believe it. So of course I bought it even though I totally can't afford it. I pretty much wanna sleep with it on I love it so much! Here's a pic of me wearing it for my nephew's first bday party - Well that turned into a long long entry. Hope everyone's doing well and enjoying the sunshine! xox

you all look wicked and hot!