JulieNYC

I was supposed to go to the gym this morning, but I just couldn't. I've had this nagging cold and I coughed so much of the night that I didn't sleep much and I couldn't get out of bed. Sometimes you just have to baby yourself, you know? I'm still walking around with my eyes barely open....Anyway, looks like I won't make it to the gym today. Tomorrow, being Friday, should be easier. Have a good day.

Throw them away Roberta! Just walk them out to the dumpster or pour salt all over them and dump them in your garbage can. You'll feel better immediately when they're out of your house. Pick up some sugar free Jello pudding and put it in the freezer. Pop one in the micro for 20 seconds and enjoy when you have a sweet craving. You can't do a thing about the ones you've already eaten, but get the rest out of the house. You're going to be fine. What's done is done and it's not even really a set back. Just take back the control. That happens to everyone. You can do it!

For anyone who's intersted, I'm 34. I'd been feeling 54 and now I feel 24. I think I'll be 14 by the time I get to goal (wink). I went for a second hour of cardio last night (circuit training -- I'm not crazy enough to run twice in one day) because I didn't think I could get to the gym today. Turns out, my evening plans cancelled, so I probably can get to the gym. I think I'll do something kind of easy though as I'm feeling yesterday's overdose. Roberta, seriously SIX pounds to Onederland?? I'm so excited about this for you! Betty, this group is important to me too. It's my best source of support. My doc's "in person" group isn't rewarding to me -- too many people, not enough time for everyone to share, only meets once a month. Kat, fill us in on your teeth.... I cleaned out my closet again last night looking for something to wear today. Apparently, some time during the holidays, I went down another size. I have on a satin top from H&M today! I can't believe some of their things fit me now.... Have a good day, all.

Fabulous! Dancing bananas for you, in celebration!! :girl_hug: :) :smilingface (52): :smilingface (52): :smilingface (52): :smilingface (52): :smilingface (52):

I did a PhD in statistics (you need to know that for background). I researched the band for 3 years. Then I -- reluctantly -- went to a seminar, prodded by my parents, who are both physicians. At the seminar, the doctor cited several studies that did statistical analyses of patients who were trying to lose more than 50 pounds. Less than TWO PERCENT of those thousands of patients were able to lose and keep off 50 or more pounds for A SINGLE YEAR. So what did that mean for me? I needed to lose 150 lbs. I was only 33 years old, so I needed to lose triple the weight and keep it off (God willing) --not for a single year-- but for 55 or 60 years. What would the stats be on that? Next to nothing. So I accepted in one instant what I hadn't been able to accept in my three years of research on the band. I can do many many things on my own. I got a PhD and a JD in the same semester. I am a loyal friend. I have a rewarding job. I am a good sister and daughter. But -- statistically -- I needed to accept that I could not lose and maintain the weight loss on my own. I needed surgical intervention. So, I got it and 8 months later I'm down 120+ pounds. And unlike the times I've lost it before, I trust that it's gone for good. It's my own personal renaissance. Get the band! It's not a failure. It's the smartest, most responsible thing you can do for yourself, your family and your health. Good luck on your journey. It's a great one....

Susan, We'll definitely miss you, but take care of that nerve and feel better soon. If it resolves sometime this month, let us know and we'll create a partial-month challenge for you. If not, we'll see you next month. Please keep posting here even though you're recovering this month. You're part of our group and we all want to hear from you. Kat, I'm concerned about your jaw. Tooth/jaw pain is the worst. Even worse than a stomach virus to me, and almost nothing is worse than a stomach virus. On a happier note, I can't BELIEVE you're so close to leaving the obese category!! What are we going to do to celebrate? I think that is such a major milestone. We really need to think of a celebration for you. You asked about non-weight related new year's resolutions. Mine is to quit sweating the small stuff. I let little things bother me way too much and I'm going to make a real effort to lighten that load for myself. Truly little things, like the doorman in my office building who doesn't speak to me (he doesn't speak to many people and I don't know why I let it bother me) -- things like that. Boo, I think you and I have a lot in common. You talk about the compassion that you built going through the experience of being obese. I identify with that so much. It amazes me on other threads when I read people who don't feel that way. Have you ever read the book "Passing for Thin"? It's about a woman who lost a lot of weight through OA. She says that even years later, she's still an obese woman on the inside -- she's just passing for thin on the outside. I wonder if I'll always feel that way or if someday I'll feel like I belong in my new body. Time will tell. Either way, I can't say I wish I hadn't gone through this. It's the hard things in life that make it precious, no? Bluehill, I had you pictured as younger than you are. Isn't it funny how we create an identity for someone that we only know online? I imagined you in your mid forties with teenage children. Shows what I know. 145, 150, 155, 160, they're all good numbers. Let's get below 175 and then figure it out. Sound good? You asked how much I thought I'd lose with the plastics. My Dad says around 10 lbs. Nothing from the mastopexy (or just a few ounces) and 7-10 lbs from the tummy. I think I'll be on the high end of that because of where my weight started. As I understand it, your body takes several months to actually shed that weight after surgery. Though they take off the 10 lbs in fat/skin (gross!), your body replaces it with a lot of Fluid that lasts for a couple of months then comes off gradually. Most people weigh more in the weeks after surgery than they did just before. They look a lot better in a couple of weeks though....I wear a size 18 pants right now. I plan on losing 40-50 lbs before my PS in April. My Stepmother (who is also my Dad's nurse) said to keep some of my size 18 pants for post surgery. Even if I go down 2 or 3 sizes before then, she says I'll need them just after. Weird. Betty, Since we're so close in height but you're so skinny (wink), you should send me your too big clothes. I think I should get SOME benefit out of weighing more than 50 lbs more than you! (I'm really just kidding -- I have a lot of clothes). Seriously though, tell us more about your "new commitment to get back to better following "band rules"." What rules are you calling back into focus? For me, it's portion size. I'm deathly afraid of stretching my pouch. I'm going back to measuring most meals and making sure I don't eat more than a cup to 1.25 cups at a time of solid food (1/2 cup Protein, 1/2-3/4 cup veggies). I can eat more than that and still stay in my target caloric range, but it's not good for me and causes me discomfort and, often, reflux. I made it to the gym this morning but it wasn't fun. 6:45 came too early. I can't make it to the gym tomorrow because I've got a Dr's appt in the morning and dinner plans in the evening. So, I think I'm going to go again tonight, which won't count toward my 17, but will count toward my "50 hours of cardio before St. Barts." Have a great day, yall.

Betty, I KNOW you can do it. What weight is your BMI "normal"? I know the lbs getting from "overweight" to "normal" are the hardest ones, but I know you can do it. Woohoo! Go Betty! Bluehill, I've never been so thin that I thought I'd be happier a little heavier (thought I was bony and cold, etc.). I wonder what that would be like. I'm 5'2. Now I'm not on a tiny, tiny frame -- I have large breasts and hips and a small waist -- but I'm still 5'2. I gained the first major chunk of my weight my senior year of high school, late in the year, going into college. It was a really bad time for me emotionally and I ate my way through it. I think I gained 100 lbs that year. The smallest I've been since then (so since age 18) is 175, which I reached doing Optifast just before law school. At 175, I felt GREAT. I wore a medium top and a size 12 bottom and felt fabulous. I had all the male attention I could want and was a sassy little thing. Then I gained that back in about a second, after stopping Optifast (and wanting to never see another Protein shake in my life). I got right back to 260, where I'd started. Then my second depression hit during my first work year and, yet again, I gained 100 lbs. Backing up, in high school, I remember losing down from my "natural" weight of about 165 to 149. I remember that 149 was my lowest because I was so excited to move the "big weight" over on the doctor's scale at NutriSystem. At 149 I wore a size 5. Even a 3 in some things. Of course, I'm not 16 any more, so no telling what 149 would look like on me today. Anyway, I just don't know what my goal is. For now, it's to get to 218, then to 209, then to 199. I can't really see beyond that and I guess that's ok too. According to the American Heart Association, my BMI is "overweight" at 163 and "normal" at 136. ONE THIRTY-SIX??? Seriously? I truly don't think I'm 100 lbs overweight as I sit here today. Crazy, but who knows! Time for bed, so I can get up and do an hour of cardio before work in the morning. Sickly, I'm kind of looking forward to it!

Flavor-Ice Light popsicles! 2 calories each -- woohoo! I couldn't live without them. I also like caramel sugar free Jello -- the pre-made kind. I put them in the freezer and they come out the consistency of sorbet. It really does a good job of curing my occasional desire for Haagen Daaz Dulce de Leche ice cream and for only 60 cals (with some Protein to boot). My favorite Breakfast is Lipton Cup A Soup, Tomato with Croutons. 90 cals of yummy deliciousness. I usually eat it with 1/2 c whipped cottage cheese (whipped makes all the difference --YUM) for 18 grams of protein in only 150 cals to start my day. If I feel like candy, I eat about a half box of Ice Breakers Sours (in the gum aisle). Tastes like sweet tarts and 3 of the 4 flavors have zero calories per serving. Of course, zero calories is never zero calories (the FDA says you can label something a "calorie free" food if it has less than 5 cals per serving). Thus there's somewhere between 50 and 100 cals per entire container. I usually can't eat more than a third of the container (20 mints or so) without my sour taste buds going on overdrive, so somewhere in the range of 25 calories cuts my candy craving. Those are my only tricks. I'd love to hear more!

Betty, I think you're goal of being "just overweight" is amazing! You shouldn't be in awe of me -- I'm in awe of you! My ticker is currently set with a mini-goal of 218 because that's the weight where I'm no longer "morbidly obese." I don't think I'll mind being just "obese" -- I just can't wait to leave the "morbid" behind forever. Just a few lbs away now, for you and me both. I can't imagine being "just overweight." I think my final goal is above that! We'll see when I get there, I guess. Boo, a mini-abdominoplasty is where they just tighten the skin and muscles below your belly button. A full abdominoplasty (colloquially called a tummy tuck) is where they tighten the whole abdomen -- from the ribcage down. That involves moving (or sometimes recreating) the belly button and tightening both the upper and lower abdominal muscles and skin. I could definitely use the larger procedure, but my Dad thinks the mini will get me where I want to be in clothes without the risk of the larger surgery. Plus, since I'm still of "child bearing age" and can't say for certain that I won't have a pregnancy or two, he thinks the mini is more appropriate for my stage in life. I can have a revision done when I'm (1) at goal and (2) I have had children (or am certain that I won't be having them). Bluehill, if you don't mind sharing, how tall are you? How did you pick your goal of 145? I keep changing what I think my goal is and am interested in how you picked yours. My surgeon is no help. He just says "let's get you under 200 before we worry about that." True enough, but now that I'm closer, I'm curious....

Woohoo, Bluehill! Way to go for starting off the New Year right! I got to the gym too and had a GREAT run/walk. I wish all days could go so well.... OK, now for my bandiversary goal, I want to be 185 lbs so I can have my mini-abdominoplasty and mastopexy. In order to meet that, I've set an aggressive mid-February goal. I'm going on vacation to St. Barts with my family on February 17th. By then, I'd like to be 209. Thus, I've added a second ticker to my signature line. To get to 209 by February 17th, I'm going to get in FIFTY hours of cardio between now and then. Most of this will be related to our January challenge, but I'm going to try to add a little more time in here and there to make sure I make it. If I can get in fifty hours of cardio, I can burn about an extra 7 lbs from what I naturally lose from cutting calories with the band. Fifty hours to burn 7 lbs is a little depressing to think about, but if I think of it as those being the 7 lbs that get me to 209 instead of 216, well, that's a little more palatable. So that's it for me. One hour down and one January session complete. Let us know what your diet and exercise plans for the New Year are. Take care all,

Welcome to January, April Bandits! It's a New Year, can you believe it? Let's think back to April and compare it to how we feel now. WOW, dieting and exercise really pays off. Then just think about how we'll all feel in April 2007. Woohoo! This is OUR YEAR to make goal! We've made it through the holidays and it's time to bust a move. We can do it! We're upping our challenge for the month in duration. I think we've decided to hold steady on the number of sessions. Our ultimate goal is 20 sessions a month for 45 minutes each session, and we'll get there by April. For now, here's January's challenge: (1) Complete 17 or more exercise sessions (counting only one session per day, if you're the type to do more!); (2) To count, each session must be at least 40 minutes in duration (two 20 min sessions in one day still counts); and (3) Set a goal (whether in lbs/kilos or NSV) for your upcoming bandiversary and share with the group, if you wish. We can do it! Speaking of, I'm off to the gym....

Oh Boo! You poor thing with the broken nose. No running for you -- just walk for a few days. You'll make the goal. I'm sure of it. Broken nose -- that's the pits. Kat, where's your ex. I'm going to put the whoop on him for hurting you. Grrrrrrrrr. I'm so glad you got out. I'm ready to go HOME! I've enjoyed my time down south, but NYC is calling me. Tomorrow, but it's supposed to rain all day, which means ATL flights will certainly be delayed. Anyway, I'm looking forward to getting started on the trip home. I've done OK with the exercise while here. I did great in Mobile where I had a treadmill. Here at my Mom's house, it's SO DARK at night -- scary dark. I've gone walking most nights, but running outside is too much to convince myself to do, since I'd already met the challenge. I stayed in my target heart rate zone for at least 35 minutes, so I did ok. I'm looking forward to January. I'm going to kick January's tail! Yall come along and kick it too, ok? Talk soon,

Kat, I'm so sorry for your friend and her father. Those are hard, hard days. You're all going to come through it fine. I'm glad your friend has this time with him, as awful as it is. My mother sat with her mother for 10 days in the hospital in the end and they're some of her most bitter sweet moments. I hope that for your friend feels the same way in a few years. In any event, I will definitely keep them (and you) in my prayers.

Betty, your fall sounds just awful but I'm so glad you've already lost so much weight that you were able to catch yourself and not break any bones. It's a victory, no? I'm glad you're on the mend. I just have a second to write because I'm at home with my family and it's Christmas night, but I did want to check in and say I've been keeping up with the exercise even while on vacation. I walked 35 minutes (largely up major hills) for the last 3 days and I ran 2 miles this morning on my step mother's treadmill. I'm looking forward to getting back home and having some time to get back on my regular schedule, but I'm doing ok for it being vacation. Don't know what my weight is, but I'll worry about that when I get home. I'm pretty sure I'm not gaining and that's all I can ask for this moment. My uncle is a bariatric surgeon (he didn't do my surgery -- I actually didn't even know he did bands, I thought he was exclusively bypass) and I saw him today for the first time in a year. He's not the most tactful chap and his questions were uncomfortable, but I'm pretty happy with how I handled them, so that's that. It's one of the things I was worried about this season -- one of the stresses of coming home, and I'm glad it's behind me. Take care all. Check in with you soon. Julie

Roberta, How did your fill go?

I've had the worst food day. The holidays are just not doing it for me! There is so much food everywhere and all I do is eat it. The only silver lining is that I usually eat a bite or two and decide it's not really that good, so it's not the caloric intake of yesteryear, but it's still way out of my diet mode. It's very depressing. The even more depressing thing is that everyone has a freakin' camera with them everywhere we go this time of year. I've been berated with pictures of myself over the last couple of days and I'm still FAT FAT FAT. Now I know that at 235, I'm not slim, but when I'm not eating crap, I feel so much better than the camera shows. Grrr. I look at those pics and think, there's no WAY I'm going to be close enough to goal by April to have PS. No way at all. I have so far to go. This journey is too long. I'm ready for phase 4. I want to fast forward 50 lbs and be done with this. I guess the only thing I can do to get there any faster is to swear off holiday food. I need to come up with another way to enjoy the holidays. The food is making me miserable and it's not helping me get to goal. I know in future, thin, years, I won't feel this way and I'll enjoy the whole season. This year, I'm just so fixated on being thinner that it's making me unhappy when I get off track. I guess I need a game plan. So here it is. I'm going home to Alabama on Friday morning. On the way back from the airport, I'll stop at the grocery and make sure I have perfect food choices available while I'm at my Mom's house. I'll call and ask her not to make my grandmother's cookies that I can't stop eating. I'll run while I'm home, even if I have to do it outside (it's not cold, it's just hilly). So that just leaves two major holiday meals -- one at each grandparents' house. I'll figure out the plan for those shortly....

Roberta, If you think it'll help, try this -- see if they'll fill you while you drink water. When I had trouble getting restriction, that's what finally got me to the right level. I drank small swallows one after another while the needle was in the port and pushing in solution. When the water started to back up, I told the fill tech, at which point he backed out just a little so the water would drain. It's been a great fill for me and has lasted for over 6 months now. If your lack of restriction is a matter of needing more saline and not indicative of another problem, I'm a great fan of that technique. Good luck and can't wait to hear from you on Thurs. Take care,

Boy, that's a stumper, Roberta. So let me understand -- you feel less restriction now than you did before your fill? That's really odd. I can only think of two potential things -- first, the band is fickle. It could be that you're just having unfortunate timing and you're "hungry/loose" days of the month coincided with the days right after your fill. I suppose, a worst case scenario would be that the person filling you punctured your tubing. That did happen to a friend of mine and the surgery to fix it was quick and easy. I wouldn't jump to thinking it's that until you have your next fill, but if it is that, it's not the end of the world. Keep us posted and I'm sorry I'm not of more help.

Well, I met the challenge last night. As you know, I wanted to get the mandatory exercise out of the way early this month because I'm traveling as of Thursday and won't be in control of my schedule. Yesterday was also my first run with my new heart rate monitor. I really liked it! First, I liked it because the regular sized lady's model indeed fit around my chest. I was worried that I might have to take it back and get the men's, but I didn't. More importantly, it helped to reassure me that I wasn't running too hard for my body. I felt athletic! Lastly, I was hoping to discuss January's challenge. I know it's very early, but I thought thinking about it might help us to get through the holidays with the least damage. I think that we need to up the time requirement more than the number requirement. I'm thinking 40 minutes, 17 times. What do you all think?

Dawn, 199 is just my mini-goal. I can't think of things in too big of a chunk or it gets me depressed, so I focus on getting to the next mini-goal. I'm only 5'2. I don't actually know what my real goal is. The lowest I've been as an adult was 175. I thought I looked great there (compared to the 250 that my body was used to), but I could still have lost a lot. I'm my head I guess I'm thinking about 150 for a true goal, but who knows. For now, I'm focused on getting to Onederland, then to 180 -- at which point I'm told I'm eligible for a much needed tummy tuck.

DeltaDawn, can you BELIEVE you're only 35 lbs from goal??!! That's so incredible! Your snowshoeing sounds wonderful as well. I'm so glad you had such a nice day with it. Boo, whatever your crunch goal is it's great. For me, I need to do 250 because I do 50 of 5 different kinds of crunches (50 normal, 50 left, 50 right, 50 leg raises for the lower abs and 50 alternating left right center). If I don't do that many, I don't feel a thing. It only takes about 12 minutes to do, when I remember to do it. If I do them at the gym on the ab machines, I probably only do 100 (90 actually -- there are 3 machines and I do 2 reps of 15 on each). I'd rather do them on my floor at home though, watching TV.... Roberta, thank you for your sweet words. Woohoo! We all rock this holiday season! Betty, is everything OK with your home after the weather last week? I ran outside this weekend for the first time, as opposed to on the treadmill. It wasn't too bad, though I know my time wasn't as good (hills are to blame). I also got a heart rate monitor and I'm looking forward to seeing how it works with my workout tonight. I love gadgets.

Bluehill, I just noticed you're -94 with 94 to go. One more pound and you're over the hump! That's so exciting!! Thank you for your sweet words about me reaching my holiday goal. I'm honored to be an inspiration to you, and believe me, you are to me too. As for holiday "will power" tips, I have two things to offer. First, any time you're going somewhere where there's holiday food around, make sure you eat a high Protein meal before you go. It's so much easier to stay away when you've used your band to turn your hunger off. I did this this weekend. I was in NC visiting friends and there was TONS of holiday food in the house (they have small kids and my friend bakes). I can't say I was a perfect bandster (my best friend's plumb cake is a holiday tradition for me and it's SO YUMMY) but I did pretty well. Pretty well is all I can ask for in this season. Next, Bluehill, could you say to yourself -- "gee, I've lost 94 lbs in a few short months. I really want to start the New Year down 100 lbs and I'm going to commit to that goal." Then every time you are faced with a yummy treat, you can remember that it's going to be really hard to lose 6 lbs in 2 weeks this time of year. It would take really working out and eating small, protein rich meals. But you can do it if you decide you want to go for it! (Of course, reaching that goal in Jan is fine too if you don't want the stress -- it's just the kind of thing I find motivational, though I recognize some people don't). Susan, Cheetos are the devil's starchy fingers. (That's a line from a sitcom I watch where one of the character's ultra-religious mother imposes a very strict diet on her teenage daughter and several times she refers to varous cheeto shaped/french fry shaped foods as the "devil's starchy fingers" -- I literally roll on the floor laughing at that comment. I hope the humor translates in email talk...) Seriously though, no food is evil, but I understand the problem. Cheetos taste so good. Alas, I'm glad you're past your time with them and you must feel great that your workouts and your band helped you to keep your weight stable in a time when you thought it might not be. Congratulations! Come on, Onederland! You are on the way there. As for Peanut Butter substitutes, have you tried the DaVinci sugar free syrups? They have a peanut butter flavor that I put in yogurt and it does the trick for me most of the time when peanut butter is calling my name. You could even freeze some.... Boo, are you up for a mini-challenge, just between you and me (and whomever has tummy issues and wants to join)? My Dad said I need to be doing crunches every day so that I don't need much muscle repair when I have my tummy tuck in April. I may have children one day and he'd rather not cut the muscles, if it's not necessary. Thus, I'm supposed to be doing major ab workout. Here's the thing -- I flat out FORGET most days. It's not that I'm too tired or lazy, I just forget to do them. Maybe if I had a LBT crunch goal that I reported in on, I'd remember. So, Boo, I'm going to do 250 crunches a day from now to Jan 1, and I'm going to report in on them here. By Jan, it should be a habit. Want to do the same? My other "solution" is a product called Lipo in a Box (I think I read about it here, actually, but now I'm a real fan). It's a light weight support garment that comes up almost to your bra (at least one model does). If I'm wearing low rise pants (but where the top still covers all skin -- yuck on me otherwise!) I wear that and it eliminates "muffin top" above the waist, even on me at 235, so I know it will on you. If the idea of wearing lycra doesn't make you cringe, you might check it out....I found that it ran SLIGHTLY big if you order. If you're between sizes, go for the smaller one. I wear this one (link below), but there are several that would work -- just make sure it's a model that comes up high on the torso or it'll make it worse, not better. http://www.lipoinabox.com/46851.htm

Christmas Goals A1ikou...............240...............XX Aza....................299...............XX BPM..................230...............37 candy444...........299.................09 Elisabeth.............275.................16 Ericsmom...........250................7.6 Indianlight...........280.................-1 WOOHOO!! Josette................340.................25 JulieNYC............235...................0 (woohoo! Joy to the World!) Koala.................275..................24 Ladydi................270 .................33 LapBandit...........250..................0 (Ho Ho Ho-Merry Christmas!) Libra...................270................0 (woohoo!) Mariguita.............290.................XX NatesMommy.....275.................XX Waterlily1072.....275..................23

DeltaDawn, you rock! Way to go for starting the running program offiially. Awesome. I met my Christmas goal today. My new goal is Onederland. I can't BELIEVE it's only 35 lbs away....

Betty, You are the BOMB for going to the gym after a morning like that! WOW! That's utterly amazing. You rock the house!! I'm headed to NC for the weekend to visit friends for the holidays. Looking forward to it. I might leave my seatbelt extender on the plane this time. Maybe. Nite, Julie