bandpal

Hey Guys - This is the November 2007 Bandster thread! Good Luck to you all - wishing you lots of good sharing and support on your own thread, please. . . :smile2:

Abbisgood.........53.............23%.............?? Aubrie............65.............%...............31 BandChick64.......104............34.67%..........31.6 Bandpal...........141.9..........49.6%...........23.6 BarbBee...........154............51%.............25.0 Cherlita..........60.............20%.............55 Cindyg............62.............24.5%...........34.5 Close.............50.............20%.............33.1 Firebolt..........67.............27%.............30.2 Foofy.............50.5...........18.5%...........35.5 gabeekeeper.......101............30% ............40.2 Hajohnson1........49.8...........18.2%...........39.8 Hollyberries......113............31%.............36.2 HoppingToIt.......69.............19.7%...........49.1 Huskerette........54.............22%.............30.5 kandiceb..........63.............26%.............27.6 linda.............52.............23%.............29.9 lindseyann2u......100............N/A.............N/A Maincat...........141............46.5%...........22 Mariegabrieleee...86.............40%.............36.9 Melanie1972.......80.............30%.............29.7 MollyBrown........36.............12.5%...........36.5 Momto1plus1.......123............46.1%...........22.7 NYGirl1...........102............33%.............32.6 plump_princess....57.............22%.............36 QatarPhil.........55.............19%.............32.2 Rachel............63.............%...............28.3 Robin_Bird........132.2.........43.3%............26.3 Sades.............44.8...........19.5%...........33.7 scarecrow.........125............40%.............27.3 Shalee04..........70.............28%.............29.2 Shortgal..........44.5...........20.5%...........32.9 Skinny_Jill.......71.............32.4%...........28.5 Staysee...........70.............20%.............48.4 Stephanie.........67.5...........29%.............25.9 strangeratx.......63.............27%.............29.6 Teresajo..........93.............36%.............27.3 Tmusicmaker123....73.............19%.............48.7 TxArcher..........122............31.5%...........36.7 tyman311..........61.............31%.............28 want2lose.........91.8...........32%.............31 lisawach.........104.0...........29%.............?? There are two things I'm proud of here: firstly, I've just about managed to lose half of my pre-band weight. And second of all, this latest weigh-in comes after a two and 1/2 week long trip to America, from which I returned weighing less than what I did before starting out on that journey. Wishing you all happiness and success, Bandpal

Congratulations! Speaking for the 50% of the population that doesn't have to go through this, it sounds like you're doing great. Think of all the good vibes and peace of mind you are passing along to your little hitchhiker. Good luck, and keep us in the loop. PS - re/ "advanced maternal age": my wife was 37 when she had the first of our three healthy (spit three times, knock on wood or whatever else is around), normal (unless you are sitting next to them in an airplane) children. You are in good company.

Abbisgood.........53.............23%.............?? Aubrie............65.............%...............31 BandChick64.......104............34.67%..........31.6 Bandpal...........138............48.25%..........24.3 BarbBee...........149............49%.............26.3 Cherlita..........60.............20%.............55 Cindyg............62.............24.5%...........34.5 Close.............50.............20%.............33.1 Firebolt..........67.............27%.............30.2 Foofy.............50.5...........18.5%...........35.5 gabeekeeper.......101............30% ............40.2 Hajohnson1........49.8...........18.2%...........39.8 Hollyberries......113............31%.............36.2 HoppingToIt.......69.............19.7%.............49.1 Huskerette........54.............22%.............30.5 kandiceb..........63.............26%.............27.6 linda.............52.............23%.............29.9 lindseyann2u......100............N/A.............N/A Maincat...........141............46.5%...........22 Mariegabrieleee...86.............40%.............36.9 Melanie1972.......80.............30%.............29.7 MollyBrown........36.............12.5%...........36.5 Momto1plus1.......123............46.1%...........22.7 NYGirl1...........102............33%.............32.6 plump_princess....57.............22%.............36 QatarPhil.........55.............19%.............32.2 Rachel............63.............%...............28.3 Robin_Bird........132.2.........43.3%............26.3 Sades.............44.8...........19.5%...........33.7 scarecrow.........125............40%.............27.3 Shalee04..........70.............28%.............29.2 Shortgal..........44.5...........20.5%...........32.9 Skinny_Jill.......71.............32.4%...........28.5 Staysee...........70.............20%.............48.4 Stephanie.........64.............27%.............26.5 strangeratx.......63.............27%.............29.6 Teresajo..........93.............36%.............27.3 Tmusicmaker123....73.............19%.............48.7 TxArcher..........122............31.5%...........36.7 tyman311..........61.............31%.............28 want2lose.........91.8...........32%.............31 lisawach.........104.0...........29%.............??

Name......Start.......Current.....Goal....To Goal Momto1....151..........145........M.......M TxArcher..285..........278........270.....8 Sades.....189..........188........180.....8 Skinny_Jill..157...........157.......149.....8 Foofy .......223..................223...........213.......10 Bandpal...149.6.........148.5.....140.....8.5 Back from a week's vacation in Jerusalem - Have a good weekend, everybody!

Name......Start.......Current.....Goal....To Goal Momto1....151..........145........M.......M TxArcher..285..........278........270.....8 Sades.....189..........189........180.....9 Skinny_Jill..157...........157.......149.....8 Foofy .......223..................223...........213.......10 Bandpal...149.6.........148.8.....140.....8.8

Name......Start.......Current.....Goal....To Goal Momto1....151..........145........M.......M TxArcher..285..........278........270.....8 Sades.....189..........189........180.....9 Skinny_Jill..157...........157.......149.....8 Foofy .......223..................223...........213.......10 Bandpal...149.6.........149.6.....140.....9.6 Dear Mom, Tex, Sades, Skinny Jill, Foofy and Cindy, It's great to see all of you back here. I've managed to return to my goal weight (150 lbs) after going back up to 165 following a 1 cc unfill in April (got that 1 cc back in early July). It is sobering to see how quickly old habits come back. I'd like to lose a little more to give myself a window to play with, so I am in the challenge with you guys. Mom - Thanks for the leadership and congratulations on the 120! Tex - You say you are S-T-U-C-K: but S-T-U-C-K means: Soon To Unstick Completely [and] Kick Ass. Go get 'em! Skinny Jill - Congratulations on the pregnancy! Thinking of you. As for reflux, tell me about it - the other day I found myself pricing spittoons on Ebay. Sades - Maintaining is no small accomplishment, and neither is that 40 lbs. weight loss. When you think about it, maintaining is the one thing we all really haven't done. We all know how to gain and loose weight, right? Foofy - My thoughts are with you, thank you for sharing your hard time with us. Please continue to post. Cindy - Late night snacking is the hardest for me too. These are habits that it is never going to be possible to completely overwrite. If I can do it any less than I have done over time, I'm ahead of the game. Love to you all, Bandpal

I saw it, strangeratx... there are still some of us around. I am also dealing with post-unfill issues, it's been somewhat of a rocky road for me as well. I have to believe that I can help myself, that I have learned new eating habits during the last year and four months - habits that can sustain me if I sustain them. Your trip to Costa Rica can be a good motivator. Lets both try to have a good week. Stay in touch.

Congratulations! I am truly happy for you. Let's go on sharing as we continue to maintain this miracle that we have worked long and hard for. PS - The new picture is great!

Hi Cingulus, Congrats on the 14 pounds down, you are off to a good start. The vanity factor is undeniably part of this for all of us. I am having a blast buying clothes now, and trying on pants has gone from being pure torture to an unadulterated pleasure. The compliments are real nice, too. The question of how much of the motivation for this journey comes from which place is one we all have to answer for ourselves. For me, the motivation has to be internal. I am doing this because this is how I want to be - that's is. It's a reason I can't untimately explain to anyone else - and I don't have to, either. I am not doing this to please my doctors or my fans. I've had enough experience with trying to rely on the "vanity factor" to know that it is not enough for me. It won't sustain me or my weight loss. The real reason has to come from within.

It does take a little time to get the entire system back up and running after surgery... hang in there, everything should get back to normal. And congratulations! May all the benefits of the band be yours.

The situation was all too familiar. It was 11:00pm. Everyone else in the house was asleep. I was wide awake, at the computer with the television on in the background. Suddenly, I was hungry. I had stayed within my limit of 900 - 1000 calories for the day. The old self defeating voices started singing in my head again. Another good day followed by a binge (as much as this is possible with the band) at night was at hand. Only, last night I did something different. I measured myself half a cup of cooked Cereal with Water, about 70 calories, and ate it slowly. The feeling of hunger disappeared. I waited a while for the food to go down, and then I went to sleep. This is an illustration of how my life is changing as a result of the band. Before the band, half a cup of anything wouldn't have filled the bottomless pit of my stomach. What ever I ate would have been the prelude to many trips to the fridge that evening. Instead, I was able to choose the middle road. Rather than let my hunger gnaw away at me, or rather than to succumb to the inevitable binge, I was able to do what "normal" people do: take the middle road. I was able to discern that I was hungry, eat to satisfy that need, feel sated, and move on to the next thing. This is a victory over the all-or-nothing, perfectionistic thinking which has plagued me for most of my life. Either suck it in or blow it: that's what my mind tells me. The band gives me the limits, the feedback and the security I need so that I can approach food with a maturity and responsibility which I was never able to muster before. Have you had similar experiences? How has the band fostered new behavior for you around food, allowing you to take the middle road, contending with situations which used to defeat and frustrate you?

I have used all of these on different occasions to help Protein slide on in: broths [homemade and packaed] olive oil tehina [check out this recipe for sunniyeh, a middle eastern meat and tehina dish: http://humus101.com/EN/2007/12/15/synia-a-palestinian-culinary-treasure/] hoummous porridges (cornmeal,rice, buckwheat, barley) tomato sauce/juice Go get 'em Sunshine!

Hi Jessica, First of all, losing 120 lbs in less than a year is some accomplishment! Congratulations. I gathered from your post that night eating is a part of the problem you are dealing with now. This is a time for me when lots of pent up thoughts and feelings come to the fore. Coming home wound up (and wired with coffee) after second shift wouldn't make this hard time any less hard. First of all, I really try hard not to dring caffeinated drinks after lunch, because it is hard enough for me to get a good night's sleep as it is. But even then, night eating is still a problem for me. Honestly two things have ever really worked since I've been banded. I've taken sleeping pills at time so that I don't stay up eating. And when my band is filled tight, I know that eating before bed will mean that I'll be miserable at night, waking up and spitting up food that has come back up. Ultimately I'm going to have to address why I would keep putting myself back in the same situation, time and time again, surfing the net withn the TV on in the background late at night. It's a surefire recipe for bingeing. I think part of it is me sabotaging the progress I've made, wanting to reinforce a lifetime pattern of failure and humiliation. Before the band, there was a thin person inside of me wanting to get out. Now there's a fat guy inside of me, and guess what he wants- ice cream, and to get back out! If I don't challenge and change my habits and behaviors, it's only a matter of time until he wins. Is that what I want?

Hi Mom, I'm just amazed at what you and your husband have accomplished. What an example you have set for your kids. How have they and your friends and family responded? How has this affected your family routine and you and your DH's routine? Do the two of you still go out to restaurants? I'm really happy for you both - congratulations!

Hi Foofy, It's good you haven't fallen off the face of the earth – earth's face would be worse for wear if you weren't around to lend it your character, your smile and your style. Hearing of your mom's passing saddened me. I wish you strength for the weeks ahead. Your husband sounded loving and supportive. I hope you can draw a lot of comfort from him and from the others close around you. Yes, it is really wonderful that you haven't gained weight at a time when food is so easy to turn to. And you're right that just staying at the same weight for seven months is quite an accomplishment, one which many of us have never been able to pull off before – I know I haven't. I know you can reach the goal you set for yourself – in your own way, in your own time. We are all so different from each other – why should we loose weight in the same way, even if we've had the same procedure? As to the deflated spare tire, I think Joan Rivers put it best: “I have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them.” LBT is a great resource, but I never stop noticing how many members are focused in on weight to the exclusion of everything else. Weight is the result of our problem, not the cause of it. It is as if, on a site dedicated to avoiding colds, having a normal body temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit is all anyone cares about – not whether they are dressing warmly, taking Vitamins, getting enough sleep, eating and drinking properly and generally nurturing themselves. Of course, the greatest irony is that until people address these underlying concerns, they will continue to have colds and obsess about their temperature. I have been guilty of this as well – just look at my signature! And I don't mean to denigrate the great support that has gone on here with regards to weight, especially our challenges. But I really believe that we are not going to get better unless we address the root causes behind the behavior that got us lying down on an operating room table with the hum of a laparoscope in the background. And this means that the bad times are at least, if not more relevent to us as the good times. Of course, these are exactly the thoughts and feelings that are the hardest to share about. But I hope we can. Anyway, I'm jumping off my soapbox (about all the exercise I'm apparently capable of doing). It was really good to hear from you, Foofy. Be well and stay in touch.

I am not a mom but have a teenager, an 8 year-old, a 6 six year-old and a four old, and share feeding duties with my wife. I also work in a reception center which features home baked cheesecake, apple pie, chocolate chip Cookies and milkshakes. Suffice it to say that I spend many hours around food. I agree that this is not an optimal situation, but in the long run we do not learn anything from insulating ourselves from situations involving food. I want to share some strategies I have developed: 1- The band is helpful because I know that both at work and at home with my kids, there are some foods which I can no longer eat, period. If I impulsively bite into a PBJ sandwich at home or a slice of apple pie at work, I will pay for it by getting stuck and being miserable. Gotta love that band! 2- I remind myself that I am not a napkin. Licking spoons, fingers and picking up leftover crumbs might seem to be the most natural thing in the world, but I do not have to do it. If I was a carpenter, I would not feel the urge to nibble on the sawdust I sweep up. 3- When I am preparing food for my children or clients, I am like a potter preparing a bowl. Under no circumstances would I feel tempted in this situation to take a big mouthful of clay. Food is a product that I am preparing for someone else. I say to myself, I do not eat clay. 4- [for mature audiences only] I imagine that the food I am serving is sh-t (I don't do this with my kids, obviously, but at work sometimes this is perversely satisfying) which has been cleverly processed into whatever I am dishing out. In a pinch, this strategy can be a big winner. 5- I say to myself, by haveing abused food over the years and reached the point where I needed an operation to get my weight back under control, I have voided my right to eat whatever I am coveting. I have simply had my life's share of ice cream, cake, cookies, pizza or whatever. Enough. That's it. Accept it. Live with it. That is no longer mine. 6- [a more positive variation on 5] After years of selfish behavior around food, the band has helped me to reach the point where I can leave whatever it is that I want for someone else. I have found it very gratifying when I come across one of my kids eating something that I was about to eat but put down. In a sense, that is sort of an anonymous gift from me to them. I say, I won't eat this and I'll see who else will. None of this denies that being with young children and demanding spouses is easy. Asking for support at difficult times is definitely an option, but ultimately we have to rely on ourselves. With a little creativity and humor and a lot of patience, it gets easier. Good luck to us all,

I drink carbonated beverages - my doc told me to go ahead and do it. As a general health concern I don't overdo it, but I certainly don't stay away from them.

Congratulations! Good luck on your journey!

Snookie,check out this link - good for troubleshooting your problem: Adjustments Good luck!

This sounds a lot like what I went through before surgery, and I'm sure that you and I are not alone, either. I also ate alot before surgery, by the way - a response to panic and fear, and a token goodbye to a way of eating which I knew I wouldn't be able to indulge later. As far as your Mom's well intentioned concerns, print out these links and leave them around the house for her to read. There are plenty more people taking up hospital beds and cemetary plots because of obesity than as a result ot the affirmative and corrective measure which you have chosen to take. Obesity can shorten lifespan up to a decade http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/18/healthmag.obesity.lifespan/?iref=mpstoryview Obesity, Diabetes and Heart Disease May Speed Dementia http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/03/10/obesity-diabetes-and-heart-disease-may-speed.html Renee's Battle with Obesity http://www.oprah.com/printarticlefull/oprahshow/20090304-tows-renee-900-pound-mom Hang in there, be strong and of good courage! Good Luck to you and all the Bunny Bandsters from this November Nymph!

Nice thread, everybody... When I was 18 I knocked my weight down from 185 to 133lbs (gained it right back plus more within a year, a familiar story to most of us). The only two times since then when I managed a temporarily escape from obesity, I made it down to 150 (once before my first wedding, and once after my first and only divorce. Again, classic - right?). I felt and looked pretty good there. When I set my goal, I had those two previous successes in mind. I also figured that 20 pounds or so over what I weighed at 18 (however briefly) sounded pretty reasonable. Coincidentaly, that weight puts me just below a BMI of 25, just inside the "healthy" range. So I decided that 150 would be the goal. Now that I'm here, I'd like to take my weight down to 145lbs in order to give myself something of a window to play with, but I don't have any desire to go below that. My wife loves my body - everyone else can suffer. "Goals are dreams with deadlines." ~Diana Scharf Hunt

Hi Kimberly, I never had to do a pre-op diet, but I am definitely an emotional overeater, which at least half qualifies me to answer your post. What "habits or other things" can replace the food? If there were a good answer to your question, why would we need the band, or why would we have gotten to the point where we needed it so desperately? Emotional eating is often such a deep rooted, powerful and well oiled response to life that the idea of taking up a hobby or substituting a habit in order to avoid doing it is almost funny. I do have one suggestion, however - in fact, I have two. The first one is therapy. I never would have made it to the point where I was able to consider this step without 7 years of it (I am particularly dense, don't worry, it doesn't take everyone that long). By the time I went in to the operating room I had a good idea of the processes and situations which set me off, and had developed some strategies for avoiding them. This is useful information not only for a successful pre-op diet but also for life with the band, during which it is also possible to abuse food. The second one - a slim reed to hang on to against the rushing waters of emotional eating, but one worth grasping none the less - is that if you get that approval and make it to the band, your life can really change. You really are less hungry. You really are satisfied with much less food. Bad habits of a lifetime really can change. And the weight really can come off. Look at some of the before and after pictures on this site for evidence of that. Before the band I felt as though I had been banging my head against the same wall for decades. I don't feel that way anymore. Isn't that feeling worth being miserable a little bit for six months? Keep me in the loop, Kimberly - I'd love to hear how you're doing.