bonniep

I had my surgery at Lahey too. Dr. Nepomastay was my surgeon. I had a quick recovery and no complications at all. You'll do fine!

Just wanted to get this posted with my new ticker info -- I hope it works. I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to JANET, without whom I wouldn't be posting even this very modest weight loss. Janet honey -- you rock!

Hey Guys, This is a big deal for me -- I've actually lost 2 lbs. I just wanted to get it down on "paper," if you will, so that I commit to not gaining it back! bonnie

This is an incredibly inspiring post Janet. It's awesome to the nth degree. Just logging onto this site and reading, reading, reading is like spending hours with a therapist. Thank you so much for caring. bonnie

Janet, Your words of encouragement are priceless. I'm back on the lapband wagon -- writing down everything that goes into my mouth on Daily Planet and exercising as well. You're my inspiration and today, I know I can do it! It's snowing here in lovely New England and because I love snow, it's a nice day. I'm a bit under the weather with a cold so I'm laying low, but eating healthy and trying to be the best I can be for myself. That's for today. Tomorrow is another day and I will log in tomorrow and let everyone know how I'm doing. bonnie

Hi Janet and all, I'm totally struggling to lose weight. I've been banded for almost a year and really haven't lost much, all due to head hunger and eating around the band. It's got to stop! What I don't understand is how all of you here are managing to lose weight. I mean, if we couldn't lose on our own before banding, what changes after banding? I need help and advise and support. bonnie

I can't find the "I'm Here To Help," thread. Can you give me a pointer on how to find it? I'm tracking my calories on Daily Planet today. Yay!

I know it's in my head and not in my tummy, that's for sure. The man from England who offered to mentor me hasn't replied to my email -- I think he's disappeared. I could really use a hard knox mentor! I've talked to therapists about my eating problem in the past and it hasn't worked. I want to get control of my problem more than anything else in the world and I want to be successful. I'm hoping someone here can help me -- I know I have to take responsibility for my own actions and no one can help me with that. I'm not a sniveling, helpless, victim-type -- in real life I'm a very optimistic, powerful woman with tons of friends and acquaintances. I don't get what's going on with me. I'm like Oprah -- except she can apparently stay on a diet -- she just gains it all back. I can't seem to stick to a diet -- but I'm good at maintaining. Go figure. bonnie

My last fill was 6-weeks ago and I'm now at 7.1 cc in a 10cc band. I have restriction, but I constantly eat foods that slip through the band. I can't eat chicken because it makes me slime. I wish I could be satisfied with a simple fish and veggie dinner, but I'm not. I crave, crave, crave chips and ice-cream. I want to get off this unhealthy roller coaster.

YES -- I'd love if you'd mentor me! How and when do we get started? I'm desperate!

I'm in! How do you want to do this? I need a daily buddy with whom I can correspond and report to -- own up to -- commit to. Are you ready to go on this journey with me and be successful?

Hi Janet, Today was a hard day for me. I had to take my mother to the doctor and the doctor was running very late and then I had to take my mother to the pharmacy to get her prescriptions filled -- all in all, I missed lunch and I was late getting home for dinner. I was FAMISHED. I ate a reasonable dinner (I actually made chili from scratch two days ago -- a big deal for me) -- I had chili -- and then I had both a SF chocolate pudding and a SF frozen bar. Not a good idea. I need to choose one or the other. By 8pm I was hungry and craving and I gave in and had some popcorn and a bit of chocolate -- I didn't binge. Even though I regret having the chocolate and the popcorn, the fact that I didn't binge is a HUGE change for me. And you know what -- I wanted something MORE than food. After the chocolate, it was as if I was looking for something else that I couldn't put my finger on. It wasn't about the chocolate. It was about something more than that. The chocolate seemed boring, quite frankly. I think I'm on the precipice of something -- figuring out what unhealthy food means to me. Wouldn't that be amazing? I'm still tracking my food and I'm still exercising. I'm doing what you recommend. I'm still here and just because I had a bit of a slip, so what. I'm human. Back on track tomorrow. You're a lifesaver Janet. I'm so glad I found you. It's great to have someone to be accountable to. bonnie

For the first time in a very long time, I wanted a cookie (or many cookies!), and I talked myself out of it. I had a 60 calorie sugar free pudding (thank you Janet!), instead and it worked. The cookie craving went away. I am truly amazed. I can't believe this worked. I'm not saying it will work each and every time, but I'm going to do everything in my power to see that I can make it work each and every time. I feel optimistic that I can actually do this for the first time in a long, long time. Yay me! bonnie

Are we talking about the group on Sparkpeople? Give me specific directions to get onto the group and I'll do it!

I have plans for tonight and I'm glad they're extremely local -- as in right next door! We got whammed with about 8-inches of snow today and it was pretty much white out conditions all day. I'm one of those weird people who loves snow and I can't describe how beautiful it was all day today. I made a fire in the wood stove and cozied in. I did drive to the supermarket this morning and driving was really bad and that was before the heavy stuff started to come down. My next door neighbor is having a New Year's Eve party and it's a pot luck. I made a big pot of chili to bring over -- just low-fat ground turkey, lots of hot peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, low-fat cheese. This is what I plan on eating tonight and I hope I can stay away from the Desserts that I know will be there. I went out walking with my daughter and my dog at the height of the storm and it was magical outside. I really do just love winter! Janet -- you were SO RIGHT about the SF pudding things. I bought a pack when I went to the supermarket and I had one this afternoon (60 calories). It was delicious and I couldn't tell the difference between that and a regular choc. pudding. I also bought Skinny Cow choc. pops -- I couldn't find the brand you had recommended. Different parts of the country tend to stock different things. I'm finding just writing here to be SO motivating. Already I can feel something shifting inside me. I'm afraid to say it because I know how easily it is to backslide. So, forget I said it! Janet, I hope you have a lovely New Years eve -- no matter what you end up doing. I hope everyone on this list has a great time and a great 2009. As for me, I only want to see some weight loss success in 2009. And of course, good health and happiness to all. bonnie