40ismyyear

3-5 days a week. I have changed my life and being a 'gym rat' is now part of it! Feels fabulous, I tell you. I started at 282 almost two years ago. I was walking two days after surgery and started Curves by two months out. By five months, I was running and still doing Curves. I lost all of my weight in a year and have kept it off. I now do several weight training classes week, kickboxing, cycling ... you name it. My stress is lower AND (bonus) I look better than I ever have at 41 with a 10 year old. Just do it .. you made this choice .. no choose your next step and commit to some sort of exercise. If walking is what you stick with, go forth and put one foot in front of the other! Keep up the good work!!

I was WAY too tight before my bout with the pig! I was trying to ride it out, but when soup makes me feel plugged up, it is too much. I have never had restriction to date ... maybe this is what it is supposed to feel like? And yes .. I am Brengman, too!

I just had my third fill a few weeks ago as a 'boost' and my surgeon chose to do a pressure fill that is done using a computer to gauge the pressure in the band instead of just using the fluoroscope visual. I am WAY too tight ... just wondering if anyone else has had same/similar experiences with the pressure fill? And yes, once I am over H1N1, I am going back in to have it adjusted.

You ROCK! Running is what saved my life, I am convinced! I started running three months after my surgery and haven't stopped yet. Keep at it! It will do wonders for your self-esteem AND your body! Remember "The miracle is not that I had the courage to finish, but that I had the courage to START"

I was banded with the Realize band on January 4, 2008 and have loved EVERY minute of my new life. I have said it before and will (likely) say it again ... the choice of which band is not the question, it is how you chose to use it! I have come to a realization (pun intended) about my band. It is kind of like a gym membership. If you belong to a gym and never go ... it doesn't work. Bear with me, my 'epiphany' will make sense, I promise! Regardless of which band you choose, how much restriction you have/don't have or how many side effects you do/don't have, it is only a tool. The simple fact about the band is that if have a band and never use or misuse it ... it doesn't work, either! I could get preachy and stand on my soap box, but I think my point is clear. If you eat right, MOVE, and follow the advice of your surgeon, your chances of success are high! This is up to you, not the choice of band. You are joining the gym ... make sure you use it!

This just in ... the scales were again my friend this morning! After a good hard run yesterday and several weeks of seeing SLOW losses... I HIT MY GOAL TODAY - ON MY BANDIVERSARY! I am, once again, speechless. Other than getting married to that hot man I call my hubby (whose jeans I am now wearing) and having that beautiful little girl 9 years ago ... this was the best thing I could have ever done for myself. I shall Celebrate with a four mile run! How different my life has become!

ONE YEAR tomorrow ... I can't believe how much my life has changed. Take a look at my photos and see. Down 105.2 since my surgery. I am ... humbled and speechless. I would love to hear how others are doing! Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum - 40ismyyear's Album: One year ...

Hope you don't mind if I join in the conversation .... I wanted to Celebrate my success with others who have caught the running bug! I ran an 8K yesterday with a comfortable 53:55 finish. I enjoyed EVERY minute of it and never had that "ODG ... I can't do this" feeling. Nice, steady, easy pace. I probably could have pushed harder, but was afraid I would fatigue myself early. My next trick is to cut my time. It felt amazing to cross that finish line, though! I don't have my 'official' pics yet, but I do have the shots my hubby took right after I finished. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/32481-albums1626.html Amazing ... simply amazing that MY legs made this happen for me. And they felt good doing it! This time last year, it wouldn't even have been a remote possibility ...

You are facing one of the biggest decisions you will ever make, and you are wise for taking all factors into account. My (slightly tongue in cheek) advice... The reality of asking for help and making the HUGE step of getting a band is ... are you ready? ... YOU STILL HAVE TO WORK to lose the weight so you STILL GET THE CREDIT! :cursing: Who cares HOW you get healthy?! Be proud of the fact that you are moving in a positive direction to help yourself. Like you, I did my due diligence and researched for a couple of years before landing on this decision that has changed my life so completely. Here is the way I look at it. For me, MY band is NOT: a magic pill that mysteriously made all of my food cravings go away the therapist I never had who solved all of my emotional issues that made turn to food when I was happy, sad, angry, breathing ... a calorie counting miracle that sends signals to my brain when I have eaten too many calories a non-issue in my life that does not require me to think about it (sorry to get serious on you!) What I have found my band IS: just the tool I needed to remind me that I don't have to eat until I am full, bloated like a toad and regretful to enjoy good food a voice inside my head that sounds a little like Jillian on The Biggest Loser (i.e. "Ok, Karen. You took this step, you are eating right. Why exactly are you not out there moving instead of sitting on the couch? Hmmmm?) It is a personal choice - one you make for YOU and you alone. If you are ready to work and change your life, then it can be the right choice for you. If you are looking for a magic pill ... keep looking. And let me know if you find it!! Best of luck to you and remember only you can take control of your life ... don't let what others think impair your decision to take a HUGE leap of faith and find out how flab-u-less you can be!!

It can be done!!! I will agree with you COMPLETELY! By far the best thing I ever did for myself. Eat right and move, move, move. Then, when you feel like you can't move anymore ... MOVE some more :sad_smile: I am two lbs behind you and can't wait to hit that magical 100 mark. CONGRATULATIONS and keep up the good work!

I just found this post ... I created my own I was so excited to be hitting this milestone ... duh! http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f112/could-my-body-onederland-68328/ One question ... WHY do those last couple of lbs prior to onederland seem to cling they were dipped in superglue?! It WILL happen ... we can all meet our goals. Lord knows if I can do it ... ANYONE can! I was at 191 yesterday and I still can't believe that person looking back at me in the mirror is really me. Keep going!

Sushi. Never ate fish of ANY KIND before my band ... in fact the thought of a creepy dead fish on my plate repulsed me. Now, I can't get enough of the stuff. I eat sushi about three times a week. Also ... red/yellow/orange peppers. Crazy, I know. But I LOVE them now. I am eating like an adult ... who knew?

Sugar Free popsicles were my vice of choice for the first few months. Yummy and 'nearly' calorie free!

One word ... 10K! Wait ... is that actually a word? Regardless, I did it and came home feeling fantastic. Smiled the entire last mile! Running a 5K at the end of this month for speed now that I have the endurance to go the long haul. 10K for speed is in April. I hate to sound corny, but I DO have the power to amaze myself! We all do!! Size 22 to a size 14 Couch potato to exercise-aholic Embarrassed in a bathing suit to wearing a bikini last week Covered up to prancing naked (my hubby likes that one) Who is this person? Oh yeah ... it's ME!

So much to be thankful for ... my biggest scale victory was getting below 200 (yeah me!) But my biggest NSV was going to Kings Dominion and fitting in EVERY SINGLE RIDE with my daughter! I had a teary moment as I walked up to the old rickety wooden coaster she loves so much ... that was apparently built for people who weigh 102lbs or less ... and I realized I was going to FIT IN THE SEAT!! This is freakin' awesome!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! The words of support are so important ... the ones that mean the most are those that say things like "inspiration" and the post on my profile that said "you give me hope". Me? An inspiration? That is sheer madness! I am at a loss for words ... and so grateful that I can't even begin to express! I am just a fat girl who dared to take a chance on myself! Only 25 or so lbs to go! I think I can, I think I can!

I hear the chorus, friend! I work out everyday - either running or weight training - and I too had the plateau from hades during the month of July. Finally dropped 5lbs! And yes ... muscle does weigh more than fat ... but that doesn't mean our scale driven egos should suffer, huh? Congrats! You can make your goal!!

Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes. It is what you make it ... you can make yourself fail or you can make yourself succeed. It is NOT a magic pill. It takes hard work and you have to be willing to change your life entirely. My life is completely different now!

FINALLY! Perhaps the most annoying plateau ever is broken! From the time I started this post at 201.5 to now, I have played with the same 3 lbs. 201.5 ... 204.2 (what?! ... I hadn't gained a pound till then) ... 202 ... 201.8 ... 201 ... 200.8 ... you get the point. Then ... last week, I saw that magical first number. Of course is was after a run so I refused to claim it. I have been below 'that mark' for three days an counting so I will OFFICIALLY declare myself UNDER 200. 198.2 this morning! As promised ... scary before and not-so-bad after pics. (sorry for the duplication ... having issues getting the link in correctly!) Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum - 40ismyyear's Album: My Body is a Onderland!

Apologies to John Mayer... I can not believe this ... but I am one and a half lbs from onederland!! I haven't been there in over 15 years and even then it was only for about a year in my 20s! I am at an absolute loss for words. Can I track it here so you can share my joy when it actually happens? When I am ACTUALLY less than 200 lbs? When I hit that magical mark, I will post a before (yikes) and an after pic. That extra pound and a half could make me look JUST like Cindy Crawford ... :ohmy:. I want to document the day! I feel confident you will all hear the whoop regardless of how far you are from Richmond, VA! Please oh please ... won't you celebrate with me!? How grateful am I to have a place like this to make a post like this?! You guys get it ...

This is only the beginning!! Congrats and keep it up ... shopping for new clothes when you HAVE to is sooooo much fun!