Sue Magoo

jj: A piece of jewelry is a nice way to celebrate. However, be more careful than I was. I was such a dope when I lost 100 I bought myself a beautiful aquamarine ring - about $400. When it came it was a bit snug so I could only wear it short periods of time, and not at night (water retention). I wanted to show it to my Sister that I don't see that often, so I put it in my pocket. That was the last I saw of it. On the day that I lost it I probably reached into my pocket for something else and it came out. I had walked all over town that day so I retraced my steps. I'm guessing that I lost it in the ladies room where I stop when I'm out walking. Nice find for someone. If you don't already have one, an MP3 player is a great reward too. Hopefully you'll be under 200 soon. Take care. Sue

Hi All: Yesterday I got an e-mail from my daughter. She told me that now that I weigh less than 200 she doesn't have to worry about my weight. She said now she just has to worry about me falling off my trikke! Too funny! I make sure I wear a helmet every time so that if I do fall I can only hurt things that can be fixed. Still loving my trikke. Sue

Hi Brenda: I think that I can attribute my 125 pounds to the following: 1. Walking at least 1 1/2 hours 6 days per week. 2. Night time tv snack - sugar free popsicles. 3. Support of family, friends, lap band surgical group, lap band support group, and lapband talk support. 4. Keeping food that I shouldn't eat out of the house. 5. When I really wanted a snack, like frozen yogurt, I would have it as long as I could walk to get it, have it, and walk back home. 6. My MP3 Player puts me into a world where the walking is fun and I try to walk to the beat of faster music. I hope that you find what works best for you. Take care. Sue

Thanks for all of the congratulations and good wishes. It really means alot to me. Take care, and for those of you who aren't there yet, keep up the good work and come and join me in Onederland. It feels Onederful to be here! Sue

Lucy: I cannot agree more with your comments about Glasgow and Glasgow LLP. They are terrific. I was banded with them last July after following up on all of the preliminaries between March to end of June. Maybe I'll catch you at support group, or in the waiting room some time. Take care and best wishes to you. Sue

Hi Everyone: I'm wiping away my happy tears as I write this thread. I am officially in Onederland this morning. A year ago today I started a new me. I'm not proud to say that I weighed 324 pounds on 4/23/07. But I could almost screem from the rooftops that this morning I weighed less than 200 pounds for the first time in more than 20 years. It's such an emotional thing for me. It's been quite a year. I'm going to stop blubbering like a baby, wipe away the tears, put on my big girl panties, and start working toward my goal - size 12 pants. Going walking on this fine New England morning. Thanks for all of your support. I don't think I could have done it without all of you. Take care. Sue

Hi Theresa: You should call your doctor. I recently had my gallbladder removed. One of the symptoms I had was a bad back ache. However, I didn't have heartburn. One thing mentioned at support group is that some people's bands are getting to be tight because of post nasal drip here in New England because it's spring/hayfever season. Hope you figure it out. Please let us know and of course, I hope you feel better soon. Take care. Sue

jj: I'm probably going to get a bit emotional when it happens. My plan is to then tell my family that I am officially under 200 pounds. I've never told my Sisters or Daughter how much I weighed when I started. I just keep telling them how much I've lost and that my goal is to be in a size 12. It's kind of emotional for me because of my Mom not being here. I know that she would be so proud because she fought the battle of the bulge throughout most of her life too. She would have had a band if she'd lived long enough. She did the medifast diet back in the late 80's, became a walker to maintain, but eventually put back about half of the 127 she lost. I can already feel how proud she is of me. I'm also going to bring my doctor and his staff a gift to thank them for everything they've done to help me achieve my place in Onederland. I bought it a couple of weeks ago. It's a nice gift basket with about a hundred or so healthy type inividual snacks that are all 150 calories or less. None of them are obese, but that's probably because they make healthier choices than I always did. Something they can keep in their kitchen at the office until it runs out. I don't know if people thank them enough. I used to think about elaborate things that I would want to have at each goal, but not so much anymore. I've got a daughter in college, so money's tight. I'm guessing that I'll probably plan a celebration when I hit goal, but I'll wait and see. Maybe a trip, or a cruise, or something like that next year or the year after we can combine her graduation from graduate school with my healthier body. Maybe I'll have a tummy tuck by then??? Thanks for asking. What kind of celebrations have you had already, and are you planning? Sue

Hi everyone: As of this morning I'm down 123 pounds. I am very proud, just like all of us should be proud of our accomplishments. I think I'm going to Onederland in the next week. Look forward to meeting you lall there. Take care. Sue - the crazy trikke lady

Alex: Yes, I'm all set now. Of course, comcast was blaming outlook and told me to call Microsoft. I told them I'd buy a new computer before I would call Microsoft. Anyway, I did a few scans, got rid of temporary files, etc. and the problem resolved. Thanks for asking Mr. LapBandtalk. Any chance you can tell us what it's like as a banded person four years after surgery? What's maintenance like for you? Do you go up a pound, down a pound, etc? Please tell. Thanks again. Sue

Julie: Sounds like you are doing great. I thought you would because your optimism and exuberance will help you through the pain and discomfort. It's funny, none of us know each other, but I feel like my Sister had surgery. Take care and heal well. Sue

Texasbecky: It's $300, not $3,000! Now you can think about it. Take care. Sue

Jenny: Hope all goes well. Soon you'll be able to have the band do some of the work. Take care. Sue

Hi: My surgeon's office has a monthly support group meeting for their banded patients. They have a nutritionist attend each meeting. Just recently I asked if they could have a plastic surgeon come and talk with us about the possibilities, so he's been there the last two meetings too. I am in the first year still, so I still have monthly one-on-one meetings with the surgeon too. Love my band! Sue

Rain: I know exactly how you feel. Some people say ten or twenty pounds per size. I think that's a load of bs. I think it's going to be 40 or 50 before I get down from 18's to 16's. It's the damn tummy for me. Now I just had gallbladder removed, so any muscle tone I was starting to have near waist is totally gone - looking pregnant . Anyway, let's remember this three months from now when we're whining about not fitting into 14's yet. Congratulations on your 100. Sue

Dave: I get nervous when I go down a hill, other than that I don't have a death grip! I would like to know how anybody can ever actually go up a hill. Have you mastered that yet? Suggestions? Another question. Right now I have the regular wheels. Do you have the air tires or the regular wheels? Any difference? Sue

Hi: I think we've got to exercise to be succesful. I cannot imagine where I'd be if I hadn't started an exercise program. Until this past month I was walking. Started slow, worked up to walking about 2 hours per day. One half hour of this walking is on a pretty steep hill and my heart rate gets up to the 150's when I'm walking the hill. In April I bought a trikke. I love my trikke. It's so much fun that it doesn't feel like exercising at all. However, I break into a sweat and my heart rate goes up to the 140's. In addition I found some muscles that I haven't noticed in 20+ years - calves, just below butt on thighs, near rib cage, and also on arms where the bat wings are! Here's a link to the thread on the trikke. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f81/new-exercise-equipment-54741/ I know that I'm still a long way from maintenance, but I think that exercise is going to be the best way to maintain the losses that we've worked so hard for. I have a friend who isn't banded that walks 7 miles every morning so that she can eat whatever she wants to and maintain her weight. She looks great. Keep up all the hard work. Take care. Sue

Hi nurse97: I have found that when I hit a plateau I change things around a bit and I start losing again. For instance, I would increase exercise for a couple of days, switch foods that I'm eating, sometimes I even go back to liquids for a couple of days to switch things up. I think our bodies get used to eating and exercising at a certain level and it helps to shake things up a bit. I've seen other people say to eat more than usual for a few days. I've never tried that so I'm not sure if that's true or not. Good luck. Sue

donnabarney: I should have mentioned that it cannot be used in the rain. You wouldn't be able to apply the brakes if the tires are wet. So, be careful. It's worth it to get just for the days without rain though. Let me know how much you love it after you get yours. Take care. Sue

Hi all: I've been reading about your challenge and thought I'd let you know about the cool, fun exercise I recently started doing. It's called a carving trikke. It costs about $300, but it's so much fun it's worth it. I forget that I'm exercising because it's so much fun. There's a picture of me below on my trikke last week. It works kind of like a scooter, you push off, to make it start, but then you lean on one side, and then the other to make it keep going. It doesn't work uphill, at least for me. However, I've heard that experts can make it work on small hills. I'm about as clumsy as someone can be, so for me to be able to do it, almost anyone could. I fell once, but not quite all the way to the ground. I promised my Daughter that I wouldn't use it without a helmet. It doesn't look like it's alot of exercise, but I actually got sweatty (sp?) and it was only in the 60's when I was riding it. Also, I've found muscles that I forgot that I had, under my butt, in my calves, along my ribs, and also on the underside of my upper arms. I'll put a link to Dave01's thread that introduced me to it. It's so much fun. Check it out if you're looking for a new fun exercise. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f81/new-exercise-equipment-54741/ Have fun. Sue

Jen: So sorry to hear about your troubles. I'll pray for you and your arm. I hope that it all comes back. It sounds like you've got a good outlook and positive thoughts. I think that is half the battle. Good wishes to you and your recovery. Sue

Julie: So many of us are thinking about you today. I hope the pain meds knock you out for a few days so that the pain is more bearable when you're with it. Take care, rest, relax, and recover.:tongue_smilie: Sue

Heartfire & Luluc: Unfortunately you need level ground to make it work, or downhill - oooohhhhh scary! I'm in New England, so there isn't alot of totally flat land here either. But I've been on the lookout and I think I know of a few places to try once I recover from gallbladder surgery. I can hardly wait. I hope you both find an exercise that's as much fun as this. Take care. Sue

Let's see if I can attach the picture right. Please feel free to resize it if it doesn't. This is the most fun I've had in a long time. In fact, it's so much fun I forget that it's exercise until I feel my aching muscles later. Don't forget to get a helmet before you try riding if you get one. No way could I have done this when I was 324 pounds. Love my band, love my trikke. Thanks Dave for bringing it up on the site.

Congratulations on Onederland. I hope to join you there soon. Sue