TheWomanWithin

I have used the excuse of being on bed rest for 7 months with my son 6 years ago! for being inactive, so this is an accomplishment. I started a lifestyle change plan on March 31st and started exercising 4-5 times weekly on April 2nd along with high Protein, low carb eating.

Hi Tracylou ~ welcome we will be banded on the same day

If you're like me, we have all lost and gained and regained weight and more. With that, comes the "messed up" (so to speak) body images we perceive. If you read the article twice, you see it all comes full circle, body image, self esteem, self worth and self respect all are intertwined into the person we are. All these factors affect whether or not we will have a healthy body image and acceptance of the change is hard to deal with sometimes. I think it's something we all deal with on some level and takes alot for the inside to catch up to the outside. You have to reset the inside to believe that you truely are a changed person.

Diane, wish I could help you more, the only thing I try to remember is an article I read, only you can change the way you think about yourself. You have done so great so far with your lifestyle change, now for the really hard part - convincing the inside Body image influences behavior, self esteem, and our psyche. When we feel bad about our body, our satisfaction and mood plummets. If we are constantly trying to push, reshape or remake our bodies, our sense of self becomes unhealthy. We lose confidence in our abilities. It’s not uncommon for people who think poorly of their bodies to have problems in other areas of their lives, including sexuality, careers and relationships. A healthy body image occurs when a person’s feelings about his/her body is positive, confident and self caring. This image is necessary to care for the body, find outlets for self-expression, develop confidence in one’s physical abilities and feel comfortable with who you are. Self esteem is a personal evaluation of one’s worth as a person. It measures how much you respect yourself. physically: (how happy you are with the way you look) intellectually (how well you feel you can accomplish your goals) emotionally (how much you feel loved) morally (how you think of yourself as a person) How you see yourself affects every part of your life. High self esteem makes for a happier life. It allows you to be your own person and not have others define you. Self esteem, self confidence and self respect are all related. Self esteem is also defined as the judgments a person makes about themselves and is affected by self confidence and respect. Self confidence is believing in our ability to take action and meet our goals. Self respect is the degree to which we believe we deserve to be happy, have rewarding relationships and stand up for our rights and values. All these factors affect whether or not we will have a healthy body image. Think of it as the three A's.... Attention -- Refers to listening for and responding to internal cues (i.e., hunger, satiety, fatigue). Appreciation -- Refers to appreciating the pleasures your body can provide. Acceptance -- Refers to accepting what is -- instead of longing for what is not. Acceptance is probably the hardest thing for anyone with a weight problem or poor body image to deal with. 1. Affirm that your body is perfect just the way it is. 2. Think of your body as a tool. Create an inventory of all the things you can do with it. 3. Walk with your head high with pride and confidence in yourself as a person, not a size. 4. Create a list of people you admire who have contributed to your life, your community, or the world. Was their appearance important to their success and accomplishments? 5. Don't let your size keep you from doing things you enjoy. 6. Replace the time you spend criticizing your appearance with more positive, satisfying pursuits. 7. Let your inner beauty and individuality shine. 8. Think back to a time in your life when you liked and enjoyed your body. Get in touch with those feelings now. 9. Be your body's ally and advocate, not its enemy. 10. Beauty is not just skin-deep. It is a reflection of your whole self. Love and enjoy the person inside. Hope this helps some. You are no longer the funny fat girl, but think of yourself as the funny hot mama!

Ive often wondered what causes pain in my left heel and foot when I get up in the mornings. I looked this up and sounds similiar, thanks for the arch support info. I found this neat device I am going to order on Foot Smart .com called Hot ‘N Cold Roller http://www.footsmart.com/Product.aspx?ProductId=102&cmx=Y&cm_re=xsell-_-bottom-_-1 its supposed to Reduce inflammation and increase blood flow.

Don't know if anyone of you faithful idol fans have ever seen Dial Idol ? http://dialidol.com/ a local radio station here in FL has had it on their site since it started. It's funny to see the results each week and see how close it is to the real thing. opps didnt finish my post: it says 4-6Chris Daughtry25.4091.634- 4-6Paris Bennett24.3761.645- 7Ace Young20.51.687- are going to be the bottom 3 and Ace (in red) will be leaving - I can only HOPE this comes true lol can't stand him, and Kellie next week :pray:

ooo great one, I might use that for those I don't want to know about the surgery

hey, that sounds like a medical necessity to get a hot tub! our OT for our son told us that we could deduct our $$ for our hot tub off taxes because he used it for strength training (check with your tax advisor before buying one)

It's not as unique as you may think, alot of us have gone through this with the ups and down of weight loss, banded or not. I have been and AM going through the same thing... I even told my DH I was not going to have my surgery because of some things that happened when I first started out researching the band 3+ months ago. Men are a quirky sort of beings aren't they? lol sorry no offense guys, I love my husband as much I can BUT most men are the same just act out differently and vice versa with women. Let me tell you, I do not think I could have handled the past 3 months or so without all of the support and guidance here, sometimes some harsh realities hit home with me and made me stop and think. YOU CANNOT change your husband's point of view or anyone else's for that matter, you can only influence them and make them see things in a different light. By telling him what others are saying you are making him going into a defensive - flight, fight or flee situation. Please please please, change YOU first - it will make a ton of difference in your relationship. Show your husband how the band and lifestyle change and changed YOU and you don't want things other than you have (this sounds like the message you are giving off) My DH was much like yours, after I found the band, omg all I have done is talk about it - a way for me to actually live lose weight and BE HAPPY... It sounds like you were much like me, I was trying to achieve my happiness or a certain portion thereof from my husband. When I finally realized that (and someone told me almost the same thing in a previous post to you) I wrote him a letter told him I was sorry and I was not going to involve him again in my decisions or process - the ball was in his court and when HE was ready to ask questions or do research then I would be ready. I made a journal and a yahoo account. I wrote down all my feelings daily and :confused: yes took pictures weekly of my progress. I am not banded due to some medical complications, but have my surgery date and have not talked to my husband again about it - only documented what I feel, what I would love to happen etc. when he is ready. Men don't care - honestly they would rather keep us the way were are. They crave stability and when we start rocking their stable little worlds - they start getting antsy. You might be making your husband feel jealous and feel like you are unhappy in your relationship and he is backing off so he doesn't get hurt Find someone, anyone, to take pictures of you on your journey - or go have them done. Make a free yahoo account and go to geocities and start a weight loss journey album. You will see such a difference in a short period of time and it will HELP YOU. If you want advice if you have lost weight, get with your support system here on LBT and let others help you. It is so encouraging to see the before and after pictures and hear stories about each other.

40 pounds is a great success -- that is 40 pounds CLOSER to your goal. refocus and take a break for a week if you have to - then be strict and start back. Im just jealous you are banded, no complications and have LOST 40 pounds :biggrin1:

How many times can I vote? lol I was to be banded April 21, then May 2nd, now May 26th! After my dr's appt May 2nd might have to switch that answer again :confused: Been trying to get things together since Feb 06 and not due to warm weather or bathing suit season - so I would have 1 year and 5 months before my husband's 20 year HS reunion.

Ok I looked up metabolic test on google and I found this: http://www.mercola.com/forms/mt_test.htm I took the sample test and wow, it rings true with what is going on with my eating habits and why I feel sluggish after eating certain things. my results - 71- Protein my diet should be: <TABLE style="BORDER-RIGHT: #cccccc outset; BORDER-TOP: #cccccc outset; BORDER-LEFT: #cccccc outset; BORDER-BOTTOM: #cccccc outset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cccccc" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="95%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR bgColor=#ffffff><TD align=right>Protein Type:</TD><TD align=middle>40% Protein / 30% Fat / 30% Carbohydrate</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

:bananapowerslide:Wahoooo Congrats!!! :confused: you should have bought the 14/16 also, you will be in them in no time...

My calendar age is 39.1 my real age is 38.7 wow I got a deduction because my mother died at age 52 ! I don't take enough Vitamins, my BMI is too high, I don't floss and I need to stick to an exercise plan :::doh::: oh and I don't take time for myself being a caregiver of a medically needy child <sigh> I was doing good lol Im going to do the COMPLETE THE IN-DEPTH <A href="http://www.realage.com/racafe/nutritionprofile/introduction.asp" target=_blank s_oidt="0" s_oid="http://www.realage.com/racafe/nutritionprofile/introduction.asp">NUTRITION ANALYSIS and see if that can help me

great thanks! I read all the info about the deduction when doing my taxes in Feb, no where did I see that it addressed my questions. That was a deciding factor to refi our house; self pay and use the extra tax benefits of the refi and the surgery :confused:

That made me think of something my f-i-l asked; my m-i-l is going with me and he is scared for us to go alone lol we're dying to BE alone hehehe When you are picked up at the SD airport, who picks you up? Dr. Ortiz' mother and driver or who? He was afraid for us to be alone in Mx with only a male we had no clue who they were. Looks like you are doing great so far - can't wait to join you!

Grats to all who are getting banded this week! I was to be banded on Friday also, but my PCP found something on my testing then sent me to a Urologist which found something on my kidney :::confused::: Soooo I am out of April, into May 5 and then had to reschedule again to May 26 because of more testing... I guess I am learning the patience needed to live the life of being banded :::heh:::

I have asked this question before but never got it answered: Can you deduct the surgery etc off if you have your surgery out of the US? Thanks

Welcome Back Miper! glad you had you to hear you are doing well. When you are feeling up to it, would love to hear how things went and flight etc any info you can impart for those of us flying to Mexico and being banded by Dr. Ortiz

Happily married - Funny I found this post on our 7 year wedding anniversary - been together 8+ years. Although aggravating as heck sometimes, don't think anyone else would ever suit me. April 17, 1999

OMGOSH Donna, I laughed so hard at these last ones )

wow, congrats Prinnie - in only 2 months is a big difference, they say normally 4-6 months to get rid of the fatty infiltration (or so my dr said)

Ask in your best sugary sweet voice: How much do you charge??? after her look of bewilderment, tell her you want to make an appoint at her office since she seems to be so full of knowledge for weight problems, SURELY she must be a dietician or doctor. I love to tell people this lol and if you do it in the nicest of ways, then they learn a lesson :eek:

Grats! wow what a difference 55 pounds makes, had to look at the pictures then look again to make sure it was the same person in the same thread lol Besides the obvious everyone else has said, I can see a very big difference in your face. I can't wait to get there, not sure if I have the courage to join a gym until Ive lost down to 200 though:paranoid I'm struggling along unbanded and trying to have the patience to wait for all these roadblocks to stop being thrown at me! and get mine.... GREAT Idea on the Friday treat thing - I'm going to use it starting today since it's Friday :clap2:

I;m not banded yet BUT I try and eat like I am.... If you throw your hamburger back at the guy at the pick up window and yell I ORDERED NO BUN; HAMBURGER AND cheese ONLY... you might be a bandster. I did this and they acted like I was crazy lol who eats hamburgers with no bun?