DivaStyleCoach

Congrats to all who have lost 100 (or more) pounds...I haven't been banded yet, but will look forward to getting my membership in 9 - 12 months. You are all so inspirational! Who says people can't lose significant amounts of weight with the band! Not y'all! :embaressed_smile:

Hey PSJ71, My support group experience wasn't the best, but it is a required part of my pre-surgery activities, so... :cool2: The group I attended was made of of all bypass patients - everyone introduced themselves at the beginning, and there were NO banded patients - though the medical group does do bands. The concerns expressed, experiences, etc were all about gastric bypass, since that's who was at the meeting. I did hear a few negative comments about banding - mostly from people who had lost quite a bit of weight and said that they 'couldn't wait forever for it to work'. Having been on this site quite a bit, I translated in my head and knew that meant that they didn't think they could do the work required to make the band work for them. :embaressed_smile: *** personal opinion alert *** I did not personally like the look of the folks I saw - most were very soft, having lost a lot of weight very quickly. It's not the look I want, and I would prefer to lose the weight slower and incorporate a butt-ton of exercise so I don't need further surgery. I want to be slimmer, yes, for my health's sake, but would prefer the look of an athlete - muscular, powerful, strong - over slender and soft. *** end opinion alert *** I am also subject to keloids - raised, puffy scars that I feel are very unattractive - so minimizing surgery is another of my goals. I know of people who have had bypass surgery that are doing very well - my best girlfriend and her hubby are two of them - and because they both incorporated exercise into their routines, they look pretty good, but there's still the prospect of further surgery for them because of the speed at which they lost the weight. I'd rather go slower...but that's just me. I'm looking forward to being banded. I don't think I eat very badly, just way too much *quantity* and I KNOW the band will help me with that.

Checkin' in, ladies... Friday was a normal day - 1 mile walk with DH, DD and DDog at 5:30 am :cursing: Left work early because I had to drop DD off for a weekend retreat - walked 1 mile to train station (usual) Went to gym before going home, did 45 min combo free weights and machines Walked DDog in afternoon because DD is at her retreat - additional 1 mile Saturday - walked DDog in am, again at lunchtime (longer walk - about 2 miles) and went dancing with DH after work. Sunday - picnic with hubby's employer. Too rainy for most outside activites, but helped hubby load multiple coolers full of ice, many cases of soda, food, etc into the truck, unload at the picnic venue, then reload leftovers when picnic was over - WHEW! Monday am - usual walk with family and DDog so far this morning...looking forward to a lunchtime walk and evening workout.

Mornin' Kagoscuba! Thanks for the info - I plan to follow doc's orders, but I'm going to ask how much I can push it, based on how I feel. I love to walk, so it sounds like that's going to work in my favor. :cursing: You started back on weights 4 DAYS after surgery? You go, Iron Warrior! I hope I'm feeling as strong...I don't want to lose the progress I've made so far. I will also follow your advice to 'leave some in the tank' and work back up to pre-surgery levels. Noticed by the caption on your response that you're a Unitarian - well, hello sister! I'm a Unitarian-Universalist myself...nice to see another one of "us" on the boards!

Welcome David! Sounds like the discipline that served you so well as a Marine (Semper Fi! My older brother was a Marine) and an Army soldier (Hooah! My son was in the Army) will serve you well in this journey. You have proven that you know how to lose weight - you lost 30+ pounds BEFORE surgery! Congrats on taking the next step to improve your health. My hubby is retired Navy (21 years, Submarine force) and has picked up a little since his retirement 7 years ago, but he's working his off. Welcome to the site - I haven't been banded yet (waiting for the process to run its course) but I'm anxiously awaiting the tool I know will make the difference in my life. Good luck to you in your journey!:drool:

Hey Ladies, The description of symptoms of PCOS sound a little like something my DD is going through - she is 17 1/2 (can't forget that half - she insists) and is very fuzzy/hairy. She has super thick sideburns, has hair growing down her neck in the back, and also across her shoulders in the back. She also has a tough time losing weight - though I know some of that is because of her eating habits (she's a sneak eater) and her relative lack of activity (just walks to school, no other focused activity). She hasn't mentioned pain in her lower body, but I do know she has some heavy periods occasionally. I have made a gyno appt for her because she has some other concerns, but should I mention PCOS? Our family history includes fibroid tumors - could she have one at under 18? I think I'll have to make a list of concerns and questions for the Doc...

Hey Ladies, I'm with Glou - can't wait until I have protruding bones, chills (well, I have those now), scabs and bruises... I don't think I've seen my hipbones EVER...and though my legs seem to have fared well during my ups and downs with weight, I'll be glad to have some bones to rub together while sleeping:lol: I'm also looking forward to the day when my booty sticks out further than my tummy! My husband always said I had 'junk in the trunk' but I can't tell because the padding in my tummy always catches my eye first!

What awesome results! Congrats to you for doing the hard work and getting the weight off... Though you are of the male persuasion and therefore might have an easier time losing the weight, you have given me something to shoot for! I'm a gal who loves a challenge, so I'm going to do the work and be ready for when I get my band... Lean and strong, here I come!:drool:

Congrats Sherry! You look fantastic, and to have maintained your loss (plus lost a few more) in your second year is also fantastic. I pray that I'll be as successful as you are - I'd love to have similar results:thumbup:

I agree that sensitivity training is definately called for. If they are voicing these opinions out loud, what is their thought process doing regarding the standard of care they offer patients? If you think those negative thoughts long enough, they are going to start affecting your actions - perhaps not immediately, but if they don't change, it will. The next thing that might happen is they let some snide comment slip when caring for a patient they believe to be asleep, and then the lawsuits begin... Catch them now before it gets worse...

Congrats, Cheryl Ann - keep up the good work! As others have said, if your weight loss slows down or you hit a plateau, start exercising! You might want to start now so that the dreaded plateau never gets you...even walking for short periods will help you... The most successful people I've seen on this site (weight loss wise and figure reshaping wise) are those who exercise. I've taken their activity to heart and I walk 5 - 7 days per week, plus put in 4 days in the gym...I'm determined!:drool: I have a tendency to get keloids (raised, puffy scars) so I'm trying to avoid surgery of any kind - and plastic surgery, while it may be necessary, is definately a concern of mine! :tt2:

Congrats to all those newly banded - hope all goes well for you in recovery... Let me second what NinaWoo said - how did you lose 90 lbs in 9 months?!?!?!?!?!?!? Inquiring minds want to know... I hope to be banded soon (please Lord) and want to hear as many success stories as I can so that I can incorporate your wisdom and experiences into my own journey. *taking notes*

Good morning Ladies, Nice to see this thread...when I am banded I think I'll still be in the 100 lbs to lose class. I started working out again because I want to be healthier when I get my band (hopefully soon), and to get an exercise habit so I won't stop after I get my band. You have given me renewed hope for reaching my goal...thank you all so much!

Hey y'all, Thought I'd jump into the challenge as well. I'm not banded yet, but working on getting fitter and stronger so when I am scheduled, I'll be in great shape for surgery and the exercise habit will be firmly implanted in my skull...:rolleyes2: Every morning (rain, shine, snow, etc) my family and I take the dog for a 1 mile walk. Most days I am either leading the 'pack' or right behind my hubby (who is 6'3" with longer legs than mine - I'm 5'10"). Since I'm a type II diabetic, occasionally I get a slight low blood sugar episode, but not often. I walk at work - currently I'm doing 1.5 miles in about 30 minutes. That's the first half of my lunch hour, and then I eat something. I leave work at 5 pm, walk 1.1 miles to the train station (weather permitting) and my gym is in the train station at the other end. It's easy to get to, and I feel mighty guilty if I don't go since I'm so close. My workout days are M, T, Th, Fr - and right now I'm working back up to 1 hour on the weights. I currently do between 30 - 45 minutes with a combination of machines and free weights. I love feeling stronger - though I was semi-depressed when I realized how much I had lost by not going for quite a while. I had an episode with a very irregular heartbeat and ended up having to be 'shocked' back into a normal rhythm. That scared me for a while, but I'm back on the Iron and loving it. I have to work around my left shoulder a bit - too many years of carrying a heavy purse / tote bag - and my abs are terribly slack, but at least I'm working on it. I'm working on being one of those folks that loses 100 lbs in the first year with the band - my eventual goal is to lose 120 lbs or so. We'll see how things look as I reach the century mark. I love this section of the board - you are all such athletes, you inspire me!:thumbup:

Good afternoon Ladies, As a former Lifeguard and Water Safety Instructor, I can tell you that swimming and water exercise are wonderful for supporting your joints, for helping you keep moving when weight-bearing exercise is harder because of painful feet or joints, but the weight loss comes a little harder. The theory I have heard many times is that the water prevents your body from generating as much heat as you would on dry land. You won't sweat in the water the way you would out of the water and that may affect your total calorie burn. I've always noticed that swimmers (think Olympic caliber, etc) though very fit, do not have the same muscle shape or density that track athletes have. I love to swim and feel it is excellent aerobic exercise, plus if you add resistance (the paddles used in swim exercise classes) it can be a very tough workout.:sleep: Talk to your swim exercise instructor and ask them - also track your individual results. If water exercise is helping you to lose weight, tone and tighten, and you love doing it, then keep doing it! :rolleyes2: You may find at some point that you will move on to something else, but I am a big proponent of MOVING - however you do it. I wish I lived near a pool so I could swim more - I really miss it. I was in the best shape of my life when I swam regularly - though I wasn't really defined (musculature). I do know guys that were competitive swimmers that had great muscle definition, but they were active in other sports as well. NOTE: I am not a trainer or other physique professional - this has just been my experience. Maybe some other more qualified individuals will weigh in with a different opinion...:thumbup:

Hey BBK, I voted for you too - you are one of my sheros on this board...you've done an awesome job and I hope my results are as good as yours! :rolleyes2:

Hey Everybody, My current routine includes the following: Walk dog every morning (rain, shine, snow, no matter what) 1 mile Walk at work during lunchtime - 1.5 miles in 30 minutes (weather permitting) Weight training after work - 4x per week (just getting to that) for approx 1 hour I am pre-surgery (haven't gotten my date yet) and wanted to get into better shape before I had to take that 6 week layoff after surgery. I will continue my walking - I've read on this site that it is critical for good results and getting rid of post-op gas - and as soon as the doc gives me the go-ahead for the weights, I'm back under the Iron...:rolleyes2:

Mornin' Ladies! I am just getting back into a regular weight training habit - used to work out quite a bit (at least 4 days / week) and I love feeling strong. I let a heart-related ailment scare me out of the gym a while ago - I literally passed out on the treadmill because of cardiac fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) and had to have a cardioversion (shock) back to regular rhythm. I laid off exercise for quite a while - just plain scared. After I started work with my current employer a little over a year ago, I figured out quickly that I needed to WALK - I'm at a university, the campus is kinda spread out, and many, many people walk here. That said, I do about a mile every morning with the dog - he needs his exercise - and between 1.25 - 1.5 miles at lunchtime (weather permitting). :sad: I know the walking will be good for me to continue after surgery, but for those of you who lift - how much time did you take off from the gym? Since I'm doing this pre-surgery, I'm hoping to cut my recovery time down from what it would have been for the non-exercising me... Thoughts, anyone? Should I post this in a different topic? :cool2:

Hi Alliemorris73, We're practically neighbors! I live in downtown Norwich, and 'cause my hubby is retired Navy, I was in and out of Gales Ferry quite a bit over the last 10 years or so - it's a beautiful area...:cool2: Congrats on your loss so far! You are doing VERY well - good for you! Keep up the good work, and I hope to be joining you soon... What do you do for exercise? I heard Gabriele's Kickboxing & Karate in Gales Ferry is awesome - I took a few classes with them when they were doing classes at the Submarine Base, but now that I live in Norwich and commute to New Haven, it's impossible to get to them, so I'm on my own... :biggrin:

Congratulations NewMe2008! Now that you have your surgery date, start making plans for when you get home from surgery...get your food in place, make sure you have non-binding clothes, etc... I'm sure some of the surgery veterans here will have more ideas for stuff you can do to make things easy for yourself during recovery. You'll be a "New You" very soon! :biggrin:

Hi Katelyn, I gave it a lot of thought also...I researched the gastric bypass originally because a co-worker and friend of mine had it done and did pretty well. She went from over 300 lbs to under 200 and stabilized. Her husband just had it done because of his diabetes and weight, and he's doing marvelously. After doing my research, I decided that the bypass was not for me - why? Because I would have to drastically change what I eat from that moment forward. Plus - the idea of more surgery doesn't appeal to me - I am African-American, and I get keloids (raised, puffy scars) whenever I am cut or injured with very few exceptions. The idea of a big, thick, ropy scar on my abdomen (to add to the one I already have from a prior surgery) did NOT appeal to me, so I started looking at the band. I decided the band was for me because it would allow me to lose the weight without a drastic restructuring of my intestinal system. I didn't want the malabsorptive side effects either - I have enough challenge with vitamins! The more I read, the more convinced I am that the band is for me. I encourage you to keep doing your research - do what you need to do to be comfortable. Some of us need to amass more info than others - but don't wait too long, girlfriend. Your health is at stake and making the decision now is better than waiting for another 50 or so pounds. I wish I'd known about this surgery before I hit 265 lbs. Now I'm looking forward to being 100 - 120 lbs lighter in a year or so...I'm anxious to get started and to get the weight off.

Mornin' Ladies, I haven't been scheduled with the Doc yet - but I've been reading the forum and started watching what I eat in the hopes that if they normally would put me on a pre-op diet, I'll have lost some weight, de-fatted my liver (if it is fatty) and gotten into a good walking and working out routine before my surgery. I am working on losing 10 - 20 lbs prior to surgery. I'm a bit concerned that I'll lose some of my progress in the weight room because I have to lay off the gym for a while after the surgery, but I'll check that with my doc to be sure. I figure whatever I can do to get healthier before the surgery would be good. Thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences - this newbie is very grateful!:thumbup:

You go Girl! Congrats on taking the next step in your journey! Let us know how you are doing after you reach recovery...I'm envious - I know my time is coming, but I wish it was NOW! :biggrin:

Hey Beachcomber (love your screen name), I'm looking to get my surgery done at Yale New-Haven Hospital - the doctors there are Robert Bell, Andrew Duffy and Kurt Roberts. I got to meet Dr. Bell briefly at the support group meeting - there were no lap banders there, but got a little good info and got to meet the Doc. I have my psych appt on Thursday, Nutritionist next week. I've stepped up my exercise (now 4 days a week at the gym) plus I walk daily with my family in the morning and at lunchtime if weather permits. I know I'm still eating too much - I haven't gained any weight, but haven't lost any real weight either. The same 5 pounds keep going on and off...I really need this surgery, and hope I'm approved soon (have I said that too many times?:biggrin:)

Momof2Kids - I pray everything works out for you. It sounds like your husband knows he messed up bad and is trying to make amends. I hate to raise this spectre, but - make him get an AIDS test - you don't know what the skank might have exposed HIM to. Emily'sDad - Please stay strong...if your wife won't go to counseling with you, go without her. Perhaps when she sees you making a genuine effort to be a better man, she'll want to support you in it, and go with you. My story - I am the tech-head in my home...I found out my husband was doing his flirting online. It started with comments on people's photos on certain online forums, and degenerated into sending women his cell phone number so they could call him at work when he was working the midnight shift.:thumbup: When I found out, I reacted badly - I stopped speaking to him for a few weeks and refused to spend much time in the same room with him. Eventually the lines of communication were opened back up, he discontinued all his online flirtations (that I knew of) and we worked our way back to each other. Fast forward several years to just about two weeks ago - I found he was back at his old pursuit - commenting on other women's naked photos and sending them PM's and IM's. How I found out? I was using his laptop and he got nervous, then admitted there were things he didn't want me to see on the computer. We stayed up until 4 am one morning talking it out. Actually - I made it very clear that if he continued, I would be moving out. :cry_smile: I am still of two minds as to whether I will stay or not...my youngest graduates high school next summer, so that is when I will make my decision. I live over an hour from where I work, so if necessary, I will save my dollars, buy a condo, and be closer to work. I WILL NOT stand for this mess again - he's got a lot of convincing to do for me to say I'm not going to leave. Right now, things are getting better - we're talking more and he's being very attentive - and he is very supportive about the band surgery. Will it be enough? I don't know...only time will tell. I AM GOING TO COUNSELING - with or without him. I know I need to work on me...:blushing: