Boo

I'm b - a - a - a - ck! It is good to be home! But I am ITCHING to run right now over to K-mart or anywhere! Tomorrow I will update my countdown, I'm exhausted. Betty, you are such the modern woman!

It is so fun to read your posts! Julie, a year ago I was hoping to be a bit further along in my weight loss, but also felt gratitude for the initial 25 pounds lost. I, too, am just SO grateful to be looking at aproximately 20 more pounds. Dawn, I am 5'6", so maybe our BMI's are the same?? I'm with you! My body has been through a big change and it is taking a breather on weight loss while adjusting to the new weight and exercise schedule. Without the band I would have jumped to 215 or more by now. The biggest change for me is the love I now have for running. When Dawn mentions an 11.5 K, or you mention "just 9 miles," I get so excited for you both. That enthusiasm helps me to fly out the door. I'm in the mountains right now at a beautiful resort. The past two days I have been running on the treadmill (which I have never done before.) It is so BORING!! The view of the mountain is right before me through a giant picture window, but all I can think about is how much I want to run the mountain. It is a record heat day with lightning, so I'm a bit too timid to go exploring on my own. (Maybe today!) The good news is that even with the altitude change I've been able to perform. I've spent two hours in the gym each day, with thirty minutes devoted to crunches and weights! Betty, you would be proud of me, because there is a lovely spa here with "fondue" pedicures and all kinds of stone massages. Normally, I would spend my time in the spa being pampered. That was my first inclination, but instead have spent extra time in the gym followed by steam saunas and stretching. I feel great!! (And I did have a maicure/pedicure AND massage before I left home. I'm still spoiled rotten!) The other good news is that I have had no chocolate in at least a week. Eva, we can do it!! I couldn't find it for a day, and then purposely didn't eat any for another and then just quit. Those five little missing Hershey kisses per day might help me drop a few more...we'll see. Have a lovely weekend! I will try to update my ticker as I don't have internet access very often and am busy vacationing.

Thanks for the walking advice. How's the BBug working?

PS: It is a good idea to NOT change the ticker to reveal a gain, unless it is semi-permanent. Good girl for being honest with us. The honesty is always difficult when it comes to a gain. I can hardly face myself, yet alone others. My own weight rides around 160 or 161 lots of days(including this morning), but until I see a 158 or lower, I am NOT changing my ticker. Who is the stubborn one? I WILL win in the end!

Julie, IGNORE the scale! Turn your back on it and don't look back this week (remember the pillar of salt?) You are a pillar of salt and your gain is from Water retention from muscles repairing themselves from your long run of... 15 MILES??? WOW! This is ONLY a time of celebration!! Great time, too. Do you stop and walk at all? I have this weird idea that if I walk my run is over. I need to run my 5-6, walk and then start again. Hey, it was my birthday a couple of weeks ago. We are both Leos. Betty, I don't think that you would be "settling" to accept where you are. You look great! I sincerely mean this. If I didn't know how much you weighed, I would guess you were 20-25 pounds lighter. I understand because I am stuck, too. We have to focus on the good things. A fill might not be the answer. Our bodies are recuperating from the loss. Normally, I would have gained it ALL back PLUS another 10+ pounds by now. Normally, I would be feeling desperate, looking for another diet and shamed to wear the old elastic-waisted pants again. Now THIS is normal! Being on a plateau is normal, even after a bad day with ice cream. We have to appreciate what we do have. You look so much younger than you are. Your face doesn't sag, even though you lost so much. I can be grateful I am still a DD (even though they do sag.) Beyond the appreciation, we must be vigilant and patient until it is our time to drop again. (We have each other to ride out this plateau.) WHY is the scale so fickle, anyway?? Well, I had a strange procedure done. Ya know those broken spider veins on the legs from carrying so much weight and heavy babies? On Saturday I had them lasered. Prior to the procedure I asked if I could exercise. Of course, the answer was 'yes'. Afterwards I was told to avoid strenuous activity. UGH!!!! Now I can't run for a bit or it will ruin my legs. Maybe I'll swim, work upper body, or FINALLY give in to the call for crunches. At the gym there is a bike for arms. I'll kill myself on it, but must make my goal!! Julie, I think my NY trip will be in March. I was coming in October, but have been assigned to Jury duty the week I was going to come. I'll give you more details when I get them in September. Yes, have a nice week, sweet banded friends! Gorgeous Eva how was your dreaded weekend? Dawn are you kicking it, have you found us? Amourette, Kat, Molly, et all, how are you?

Margi, I'm sorry you are having such problems. The fill won't evaporate. The saline is not exposed to the air. The only way the fill level might go down is if there is a leak in your tubing. You definitely don't want that! Go get an unfill! The weight loss with the band can be very slow with many of us. Don't expect overnight miracles. Being overly tight will only make you sick and might risk the longevity of your band. Also, you posted in the April "06 forum. Maybe you prefer to be in April "07 so you can get help from your peers? It doesn't matter, though. Good luck!

Gee, Betty, I just read this. Thank you!! Don't let Betty fool you. She is one CLASS ACT! She looks GREAT! We even ran a little bit on our "walk". St. George sounds good to me. I will be there in 6 days, actually. (We stop there on our road trip.) Good luck on your weigh in tomorrow!!! Maybe I will be the next BBugger.

Eva, thanks for the picture, you are truly beautiful. There are so many gorgeous banded ladies! Good job everyone on the "Just Say NO!" mission! Someone in my family stole my little zip lock baggie full of Hershey Kisses, so no chocolate for me today! Came home from my trip hoping I had lost...does that EVER happen? Well, it didn't. But my weight did stay exactly the same. Let's hear it for the benefits of a solid plateau! Gotta break soon.

Hey Kat!!! I just read your post. I MISS you SO much! Can I send you a PM? I am hoping you and your family are doing well. We started another support/exercise thread in that forum for April '06 bandsters. Please check in because the group has been asking about you! (Sorry to interrupt your thread!!)

If you haven't already, oh please, oh please get a second opinion. I vomited blood once and it was terrifying! Do you take medication? My problems were caused by medication irritation in the pouch.

Tracy!!! This is so fun to see you melting before our eyes. Your headshots in succession really show off your work. Skittles monsters?? Heehee. Julie, how much IS one serving of Skittles, anyway??? Do you get the little fun size Halloween bags or the economical costco size bags, attempting to ration out servings. Just say NO!! You've lost again, anyway. Boohoo! I just said goodbye to my mom and sisters. More goodbyes and then off to L.A. I go. I'll be here again in about 6 months. Betty, your granddaughter will appreciate my boring day. My sister, the interior designer dragged me around the Pacific Design Center to try to convince me to redecorate. I was SO bored I could hardly stand it! Way too much work! I really didn't like anything. (My personality is more like a loyal labrador than a prissy poodle. I care way more about creating a home than a showroom. The Seattle scene is too modern and chic for my taste.) Ran the waterfront this morning and looking forward to the night running so I can get into my zone.

Wow! So much to say... (I am on vacation, so it is hard to check in regularly.) Where do I begin? First of all, if Betty EVER invites us to her house, we should jump at the opportunity. Betty, you and Alan are just GEMS! I can't believe my good fortune to have found you through this banding process. Your home is lovely (a dream home set in a wooded fairy wonderland), your children and grandchildren are terrific, and you and Alan are just plain WONDERFUL!! I cried when I left. It felt as though I had known you all of my life. Thank you for welcoming me and for sharing your granddaughters with me. AND Betty looks fabulous! I really think you are just right where you are with your weight. But you know how you feel. Eficka, you can do whatever you want! You have worked with your trainer for 90 MIUNTES and accomplished so much. The hour workout is excellent and far beyond a bronze. Keep it up! Julie...Paris??? Oh yes, I am TOTALLY in! I studied French for 6 (?) years and have never been. I just celebrated a big birthday and wrote on my to do list a number of trips I must take. So, I am gonna push harder now to get to goal. And I better start taking a refresher course in French also. Jumping rope sounds super hard to do! Difficulty running is caused by two things (for me), lack of nutrition or dehydration. We need to keep our bodies fueled to run. That is one reason it is so much easier for me to run in the evening when I have had all of my meals. This morning I ran to a pier and along a rocky beach, then up a very steep hill. Can't wait for my Garmin so I can take new routes and not have to guess the distance. AND, yes...massages are heaven! I have had two in the last week (90 minutes each...I AM on vacation!) Tomorrow will be the sad farewell day, then home again for a week before the next trip begins! Au revoir, abientot...

Julie, I JUST realized that you have lost 200 pounds...I'm sitting here crying. I'm so proud of you.

Hey Betty, tomorrow you can show me your BodyBugg! That will be fun. Julie, I am in awe of the 10 miles. I'm not there yet. Today I ran 5 miles on rolling hills around the golf course. Then I swam in the lake. I just got back from dancing with my husband, so I have had a good day! Tomorrow I am going to Betty's house!!!

An exercise challenge thread has been started in the Monthly Support Forum under April "06 Bandsters. Anyone is welcome to log workouts and challenges there!

Julie, I'll borrow the BB when you are finished with it! Maybe we could name it and it could help with the final lap of weight loss for our support group!

Julie! I'm on vacation and look what I have missed! We weigh the SAME!!!! Long ago I predicted you would reach my goal before me...well, you are almost there! Awesome!!!!

I forgot to update my ticker, but I did complete my exercise goals for this month. I am thrilled at the progress I have made in both endurance and speed!

Wow! Tracy, look at you! You look great! :note:Julie has a boyfriend:note2::love::eyebrows:

Julie!!!! You did it!!! Congratulations!!! :Banane30::Banane30::Banane30::Banane30::Banane30::Banane30::Banane30::Banane30::Banane30: :eek::Banane23::Banane23::Banane23::Banane23::Banane23::Banane23:

Club hopping? (giggle!!) Sounds very fun! Enjoy it, Julie. NSV: Got to 4 miles in 36:31, then 6 miles in 56:31. That is a new record for me!

I think part of the sadness from others' reactions come from the realization that while I was heavier, my weight/size was such an obvious flaw in me. Over my years of obesity, I tried to come to terms with accepting myself, bettering myself, forgiving, spending all time, money and effort giving to others, and telling myself that I was too harsh, that OTHER people really loved me for who I was on the inside. With all of the constant praise and attention, the bubble has somewhat been burst. It DOES matter what size we are. Obesity is a SOCIAL disease. We are shunned, no matter how nice, educated, pretty, wealthy, or successful we are. That has been hard to face. Now I need to learn from this and honestly look at my own shallow views on myself and others. What do I need to change? How do I contribute to the problem? Now that I am "passing for thin" I don't want to join the masses that are privately pointing in disgust. Dawn!!! Yeah! You are back. I'm going to PM you with an idea.

Aw, shucks! Thank you! Gotta go run... NSV: Someone asked me for my ID! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I'm over double the minimum age.

Speaking of "friends," I have one that KEEPS referring to me as someone with an eating/obesity problem. She knows nothing of the surgery, so it is as if she hasn't noticed that I have lost 50 pounds and am terribly fit. It seems I have moved on and she has not. She may prefer the fatter, more vulnerable and needy me. She was my friend through the hard times, so I need to find a way to understand, but not allow her to drag me down. I may be the opposite of what I am reading. My entire life I have been very social, until a rapid weight gain took me prisoner. It seemed an alien had taken over my body. To deal with the discomfort and shame, I avoided friends and poured myself into a new line of work, charity, and advanced education (to find self-worth that was not predicated upon my appearance or socially-acceptable weight.) Now that my weight/appearance/health are returning to "normal," I have begun to reahc out to the old friends. As was mentioned, the confidence to just be with anyone and focus on conversation is great. NEW TICKER MOVEMENT!!!

Ah, heck, do we have to fess up?? Oh alright, I had almost an entire pint of Extra Creamy Light Haagen Dazs yesterday. (Is that an oxymoron or what??) Afterwards I had one of the best runs ever!