jmac004

Thanks to Who Dat, I've finally learned how to post pictures . ........ I guess an OLD DOG CAN LEARN NEW TRICKS !!!!!!

Alex, one of the problems with this poll is vanity sizing is OUT OF CONTROL.
I went pants shopping yesterday and fit most 6's although some 6's were too big. Last time I was at White House Black Market I weighed 10# more than I do now I fit into their 2's-4s....I'd probably be a 0-2 at my current weight. I tried on a true designer label a few months back... and I was more like an 8... so what size do I wear?
Most of my dresses are 8-10s but I am bigger on top then on the bottom. Yet, some tops the small fits and the mediums are too big.
Seriously, the sizing is so inconsistent it is almost meaningless.
I consider being "single digit" sizes to be a big success - but frankly anything without a "W" after it was my idea of successful results post weight loss surgery. My all time largest size pants were 32W (plus sizes use a whole different system) and I pretty much wore 2-3X tops.

I started my journey at 33 years old, weighing 289lbs on a 5'1" frame, and looked like I had no neck or eyes:-) My blood pressure was 180/98. This surgery was my ONLY hope because without it I knew I was only going to get bigger and the healthy issues more severe. So, One year ago today I remember checking into the surgerical center and waiting to be called back for my surgery; I was nervous as hell and wondering if I was making the right decision. Well today, 1 year later, I'm confident I made the right decision and would do it all over again in a heartbeat!!!
This has truly been a life changing experience for me on so many different levels. I'm definitely not the same person I was a year ago, I'm healthy, happy and just thankful to have my life back! I didn't realize how much of life I was missing out on until I was given the opportunity to live again! I feel like I can do anthing now with no restrictions!
Has this been a cake walk?? Well, honestly, for ME I never really thought about it, i just did what I knew I had to do and with every passing month I was less of a person than I was the month before:-) Several people have asked, how did you do it, how did you lose all that weight in a years time, even the nurse at my doctor's office asked me this and the honest answer is, I'm nothing special, I chose to follow my doctors instructions to the T, I chose to believe in myself, I chose to have a positive attitude. Going into this I told myself failure wasn't an option, I knew there were certain things I was going to chose to give up forever, I accepted that, moved on and never looked back. The best piece of advice I can give to anyone starting out on this journey or is needing a restart is believe in yourself, if you put in 100% you'll get 100% back, don't set and dwell on the things you can't have, think of all the things you can have because you made the choice to kick some unhealthy habits out of your life. The reward will be so much sweeter than anything you can imagine!!
We all started this journey out with similar worries and fears, always keep that in your mind and remember that one person(s) that encouraged you through the tough times, pay it forward!!! One of the greatest joys for me is being able to help someone else who is where I was. That's why this site is so great! So if you find yourself stuck in a rut one of the greatest ways out is by helping someone else.
May 14, 2013- Before Pre-op Diet- 289
May 30, 2013- Day of Surgery- 273
May 30, 2014- 147ish (I haven't weighed, go for my check up next week)
Total weight lose- 142lbs
I started out wearing a size 20-22W in pants
A size 3X Shirt (24-26)
TODAY, I'm in a size 5 pants, and med/small shirts!
My blood pressure is 128/78, my cholestorol is NORMAL, my liver is NORMAL
I've almost lost more than I actually weigh now:-) I'm just thrilled!
I HAVE A NECK NOW AND 2 EYES THAT EVERYONE CAN SEE!! I MAKE IT A POINT TO MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH EVERYONE I MEET NOW INSTEAD OF WALKING WITH MY HEAD DOWN.
Just know if you stay the course you will achieve your goal!!

My wife and i celebrating our thirty fifth wedding anniversry by going parasailing.
Seven years ago this would of been a dream because we would of been way over the weight limit.
Life is good

Thanks for sharing your amazing journey with us. You rock!!

You will surprise and delight yourself with your success.....and you deserve every moment of the happiness coming your way. Be prepared for tremendous relief because your battles with appetite will be over. And you will love exercising. You'll be in sync with your body again and the feelings of betrayal will be a thing of the past.

My suregery date was MArch 20, 2014. About two weeks after surgery my mother in law had given me several outfits that were 1x in size. Day of surgery I was a 3x. In the last couple of days I have been able to comfortably fit into these 1x clothes and I almost cried. I did dance.

I just returned from my walk -- I have been doing an hour of fast walking every day and I'm feeling really good. I used to say I was going for a walk, or going to workout, etc., but now I say I'm going for my walk. I am headed to the basement for my workout. Things in my brain and my body have really shifted and now exercise is an absolute priority. It's not something I fit in if I can, and I'm no longer pretending I want to do it when I really don't. I want to! I own this now in a new way. It's my body and my exercise. Yippee!

Enjoy using my Fitbit Flex. Needs to be charged once a week even though I use silent alarms 3x a day. Just wearing it is very motivating to me. I enjoy being in competition with myself to walk just a little bit more each week.

I am SO happy right now! I've been really frustrated lately because my weight loss has slowed down SO much but the scale is finally starting to move again. I weighed this morning and I am officially down 100 lbs! Wow! I wasn't sure I'd ever manage to do that but the day is finally here! I have 28 lbs to lose to reach my goal now.

I keep almonds in the glove compartment.....

I couldn't be happier with my new me:)
First picture - 06/01/2012
Second picture - 04-22-2014

I just returned from seeing my surgeon and found out that I've EXCEED MY GOAL!!! The tears just won't stop flowing! I'm setting here in disbelief that this is actually happening. One year ago I was setting in this very chair with tears flowing because I was so miserably overweight that I could barely bend over to tie my shoes and even though I knew my surgery was a GO I sat here with that hopeless feeling wondering if this plastic little ring was really going to help me. As I reflect on the past 11 months it all just seems so unreal and hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that I'm where I am today. I go in every month to see my Dr. so of I course I knew I was 6lbs away from goal but to see those numbers and to hear someone say you made it, you passed it, is life changing!!!
For anyone who's thinking about this surgery, or is in a rut wondering why you had the surgery, it's ALL worth it!!! The 2 week pre-op (or whatever your doctor orders), the discomfort from surgery, the 6 weeks of bandster hell because you're sick of liquids and mushies, the starving all the time until your first fill, the balancing act of how much Fluid is enough, I'm in the green zone or the yellow or red, It's ALL worth it!
I NEVER truly thought when I had this surgery this would happen for me the way it has. I knew I was determined and that failure wasn't an option but I never thought the outcome would look like this!
My life has changed in so many ways. First and foremost, I'm healthy!!! I can walk up a flight of stairs without being winded, play sports with my kids, buy whatever I want in the stores and no longer have to wonder if it comes in my size, I don't have to worry about flying and praying the seat belt fits around me. I'm so much happier, the small things in life just seem to make it all worth while and before I missed so many of them because I was so unhappy and self concious. One of the greatest feelings is not feeling like an embarassement to my husband and kids (not that they ever made me think I was), but when your mom is 34 years old and is as wide as she is tall, it's hard to be proud of that I'm sure.
Don't get me wrong it's not all sunshine and roses, but it is what you make it and if you put 100% into it you're going to get a good return on your investment!
Now it's time to move onto the next phase, life long maintenance which scares the hell out of me to be quite honest!!!! I know however that this time I've made a lifestyle change, unlike with past diets, where when once you've reached your goal you think you're "done" so you start raiding the pantry because "you've earned it", this time I know it's all about balance and doing things I know I can LIVE WITH AND WITHOUT for the REST OF MY LIFE.
This group is an amazing source or support and information!!! Thank you!

Oh lordy. I would reply privately to her.
Something along the lines of....
'With regards to my surgery, and I am sure its me to which you were referring, I felt I didn't want to tell the world about it just yet. The limited few that do know, have by in large respected that privacy.
With all due respect, my surgery is a private matter, one of which I wanted to tell people in my own good time. I am disappointed that you feel because I've had surgery, that I am now no longer worthy of 'being looked up to'. In consideration of this point, I would like you to know that I had recently presented with a number of serious health problems of which long term and had I not taken action, would have developed into significantly debilitating issues. Subsequently and on the recommendation of my medical team, i took the very difficult decision to undergo a serious operation to increase my long term health prospects.
I don't expect you to understand this predicament, as its easy to make assumptions about weight loss surgery. However and as my friend, I had hoped you would have extended the courtesy to talk to me about it first, before posting something which has fundamentally hurt me.
Given the decision I had to make and the surgical procedure and diet I now have to endure, this has in no way been easy and your comment left me and my efforts, undermined. I am saddened by this.
I hope this clarifies my position for you and if there's anything you'd like to discuss further, please feel free to contact me directly.'
Or, if you don't really care, you could just reply with:
BITE ME!!!!

Clients often tell me one of their biggest challenges after weight loss surgery is eating slowly.


Clients often tell me one of their biggest challenges after weight loss surgery is eating slowly. Eating too quickly means that you are unlikely to chew foods properly. This can cause discomfort, pain and in some cases, regurgitation.
To be able to eat a variety of foods comfortably after weight loss surgery, you really need to concentrate while you are eating. The following tips may help you do this:
Set aside time for meals and avoid doing other things whilst you are eating.
Sit up straight and avoid slouching. Sit at the table rather than the couch. Avoid eating whilst preparing food.< br> Move away from the television or computer. You cannot focus on what you are eating if you are immersed in something else.
Avoid playing with your mobile phone or other electronic devices.
Avoid getting really hungry. The hungrier you are when you start a meal, the more likely you are to eat quickly, take big bites and not chew properly.
Avoid eating with your hands as you will tend to take bigger bites. Use cutlery to cut food into small pieces. The more pieces you need to cut the longer it will take to eat.
Avoid eating on the run, or in the car.
Put your cutlery down between mouthfuls. Wait until you have swallowed your food before cutting the next piece. Avoid having that next mouthful loaded on your fork ready to go.
If you really struggle to slow down, use your cutlery in the opposite hand until the pace of eating feels more natural.
Choose a relaxing environment to eat. If the staff room at work is too distracting, head outside to a nearby park. Opt for a quiet café rather than a noisy food court, where you may be tempted to rush.
Be especially careful when eating socially, as during conversation it is very easy to become distracted. Eat during a break in conversation.
Avoid the tendency to want to keep pace when eating with others.

Take notice when you do slow down your eating. Do you feel more satisfied? Do you enjoy your food more? Many people report they enjoy food more after surgery as they eat more slowly, allowing them to really taste the food and savour the flavours.
Get in the habit of eating slowly. It could take up to 20 minutes to eat a small meal – between 10 and 20 minutes is a good goal. If there is food left on your plate after this time, discard it. There is a risk of eating too slowly which can turn a meal into grazing, which defeats the purpose of weight loss surgery.
Time how long it takes you to eat your next meal. It may just surprise you!

You know how "you just know it" when you meet the "right" person, or when you're having a great day? No one can explain it to you or describe it to you, except through their own experience...... But, when you experience it, "YOU JUST KNOW IT!" That's how being GREEN is for me.... I read about it ( a lot), I heard others talk about it (a lot), I researched it (a lot), but now..... I JUST KNOW IT! And now I know why I NEEDED to wait these few months before I found MY sweet spot. For me, I needed my brain to catch up with reality. I don't think I was ready (mentally) for the truly small portions I am now eating. Thankful that "I'M GREEN AT LAST!"

i was at a seminar with my lap band dr last night.....and
he said the new (surgery everyone wants) is the sleeve.....and before
that it was the band and before that it was the bypass.....who knows what will be next....with the band, you do have to keep checking in with the dr and i am okay with that......some other surgeries, maybe not so much..its a persons choice/decision.
any WLS can help a person and they should get the surgery that works for them..and any WLS can have complications..it is major freeking surgery and def not a easy way out....i choose the band and my dr added the plication to assist my super BMI of 62.....he stressed to me and again last night that unless a person changes what they eat and begins to move, no WLS will work.....and i believe that...

This past week has been pretty awesome.
My birthday happened to be my 6th month surgiversary. My lovely wife has planned us a trip to NYC for a birthday present. She didn't book it until after the reveal, just to make sure I was ok with it. Heck yeah I'm ok with it.
Thanks to my sleeve:
I've lost 74lbs.
I'm not apprehensive about flying. We're even flying Southwest w/o preselecting seats. I would never have done that in the past.
We're going to see a broadway show and a Rangers game and I'm not stressed about fitting in the seats.
We're going to a couple if museums and I'm not worried about all the walking.
And I went to get some new clothes because change of seasons plus a trip = I want clothes that fit. I'm a size 14! Not a 14w, but a 14. In Levi's, at the Gap, at Macy's...I am amazed. Just last month I was getting clothes for a funeral and I was wearing an 18 or 14/16w.
Most of all, my self-confidence is making a comeback. I didn't realize how low it had gotten over the years.

You know that you will never hit your goal weight if you intentionally try to cheat on your diet by sneaking bites or deciding not to log certain foods. But what if you think you are doing everything right and are still not losing the weight you expect? Hidden calories may be to blame. Figure out the sources of hidden calories in your diet, and you just may have a weight loss breakthrough!


Overeating is Possible after WLS

You got WLS so that you could lose weight, but it is important to remember that WLS is only a tool. To lose weight, you need to use that tool properly. If you fall into the trap of thinking that WLS automatically leads to weight loss, you might never hit goal weight. As a reminder, these are how the lap-band, vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG), and gastric bypass can help you lose weight.
Lap-band: The lap-band creates a small pouch, or stoma, to help you fill up faster so that you eat less.
Vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG): The surgery removes most of your stomach and creates a small sleeve out of the remaining portion. The gastric sleeve restricts the volume of food you can eat and it reduces hunger by reducing the amount of ghrelin, which is a hunger hormone.
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: The surgery restricts food intake by creating a small pouch, and reduces nutrient absorption by having food from your stomach bypass much of your small intestine.

Your weight loss surgery will not work for you if you cheat in these ways.
You eat more frequently – and take in more calories – than your surgeon suggests without feeling the restrictive effects of the adjustable gastric band.
You eat sugary, fatty high-calorie foods. The lap-band, especially, is unlikely to cause you to develop dumping syndrome. That is good because you will not get the unpleasant symptoms, but it is bad because it does not prevent you from eating sugar, starch or fat. Even with a stoma size of just 4 ounces, or a meager 1/2 cup, you could fit in 400 calories’ worth of M&M’s in with room to spare.
You drink fluids when you are eating solids so that you are able to consume more at a single meal or snack. Drinking fluids while eating solid foods can also cause your stomach, sleeve or pouch to empty faster so that you get hungrier sooner.
You sip on beverages that provide calories but do not fill you up.

How Hidden Calories Might Be Throwing You Off

What if you think you are following your weight loss surgery diet diligently? You measure your food whenever you can, you use your dietitian’s food list when you go grocery shopping, and you order chicken and vegetables when you go out to eat. You get Protein at every meal, and you drink plenty of Water each day.

Hidden calories are the ones that creep into your diet. You might not know you are eating them, or you might think that you eat so few “extra” calories that they don’t matter in your diet. But, they do impact your weight loss. An extra 20, 50, or 100 calories here or there really affects your weight loss. Remember that a pound of body fat equals 3,500 calories. That’s an average of 500 calories per day to lose a pound a week. If you are getting hundreds of hidden calories a day, that could easily be a pound a week that you’re not losing.

Where Are the Hidden Calories?

Good question! They can be almost anywhere.
Starches are not necessarily unhealthy, but they should only be part of your meal after you eat your protein and vegetable or fruit.< /span>
Protein is the first thing you should eat at each meal and snack, but it is also a source of calories. Fatty meats and poultry with the skin can have 100 or more extra calories per 3-ounce portion compared to lean meats and chicken or turkey breast.
Healthy foods can be high-calorie. A handful of nuts or dried fruit or a big spoonful of Peanut Butter can have 200 to 300 calories.
Condiments can wreck your diet. A tablespoon of Mayonnaise has 100 calories, a tablespoon of jam has 50 calories, and a tablespoon of Salad Dressing has 80 calories. ketchup, teriyaki sauce, and marinades can have 15 to 20 calories per tablespoon.
Restaurant foods can be tricky. Vegetables that you think are steamed can have butter in them, and chicken, fish and other Proteins that you think are good choices can come in sauces with 100 or 200 calories per serving. Portion sizes can be several times what you need: a 12-ounce steak is 4 to 6 WLS-sized portions, and a 3-cup plate of Pasta is 6 to 8 WLS-sized portions.

o Examples of each of the below. Carbs: toast, crackers. Eat celery. Smaller pasta, more protein meatballs.
o Protein. It’s a nutrient, but it’s also a source of calories. Esp. if with sugar/carbs in supplements, or hi-fat protein foods. Bacon
o Healthy hi-cal foods: nuts, pb, dried fruit (fresh). Portion sizes. Avocado.
o Condiments. Fatty dressings (choose low-fat), use less (use herbs), sugary
o Portion sizes. MEASURE. Nibbling without measuring, eyeballing. You get 60 extra calories every time you take a piece of cheese that is the size of your thumb (1.5 ounces) instead of weighing it to make sure that it is only 1 ounce.
o beverages
o Restaurants: salads, fat added to “grilled” foods or steamed vegetables, beverages, “healthy” bagel instead of low-cal doughnut
o Eating too frequently. Tips for if you’re starving (protein, no Fluid with meal); tips to make meal smaller (if you’re eating so many meals, don’t need to be big)

The Good News
The good news is that small changes add up to big calorie savings.
Have an ounce of low-fat cheese instead of full-fat, and save 50 calories.
Have a quart of regular or sparkling water instead of a quart of a sports drink, and save 200 calories.
Skip the bite of cookie dough after you finish baking for your children, and save 100 calories.
Have 3 ounces of 95% lean ground beef instead of 85% lean ground beef, and save 70 calories.
Rinse the spoon instead of licking it after you serve yourself peanut butter, and save 30 calories.
Spread peanut butter or tuna on 3 large celery stalks instead of 6 triscuit crackers, and save 90 calories.
Have one-third of a cup of pasta with your meatballs instead of a full cup, and save 120 calories.

This works for exercise, too. Every little bit helps. When you walk for just an extra half-mile, or about 10 minutes, you burn 50 extra calories.
Start to think about where extra calories may be coming into your diet, and see what you can do to limit them. You’ll be happier with your weight loss results!

I went to my primary doctor today for a checkup. When I finally caved and said I'd move forward on the bariatric surgery back in the summer of 2012, she did everything to convince me to have bypass or the sleeve because I needed to lose at least 100 lbs. and she said none of her other patients with the band ever lost more than 60 lbs. She said to me that if I could get to 150 lbs. she would be thrilled and she just didn't think that would happen with the band.
Well...today she ate her words. I am at 150 lbs. and uh.... six pounds less than she weighs.

thanks for everyone who viewed my TV commercial.....
hard to believe they wanted (me) to do that but i did......
and i hope if one person saw it (and saw me hold up a skirt i wore to work
next to me and see what i WAS) and it encouraged them to try, then i did good.
here is my latest blog posting......
as its true...my attitude changed when the band changed me
http://bandedcarolinagirl.wordpress.com/2014/02/26/i-changed-my-attitude-when-the-lap-band-changed-me/

Way to go!

Way to go!

Way to go!

Way to go!