OH Juli

B, The best part about losing 45 pounds now is that you won't gain them back. I love the band for that! Congratulations!

I joked at -90 that I lost a Nicole Ritchie. I'm with you about having a dysmorphic body image...it's the same one that let me believe that weighing 300+ was okay. It's a struggle to get ahold of, certainly.

I get my fills standing and with flouro. It's cool to see the underwires of my bra and the hooks, etc in the x-ray. But I digress...while I lay down you can't feel my port so they have me stand. It taks a good bit of manipulating it to get it in the right position to be filled too. Interesting huh?

oops on the waste waist error. Editing is a pain on here.

Being short waisted I like a lower rise jean. Old navy has something between a the waist and low rise. I wear those. And I got new boy short style panties. My old grannie style don't work with those jeans. At the waste jean nearly hit me at my bra line. Well, it feels like that!

Hello people. It's quiet on here today. DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD I miss you.

Hi Katie, Welcome. We're a nice group of people here. Ackimaui, don't let up until you get a call back. You've got to be a pest to get what you want!

not that I don't love and appreciate you, B and TX but where the hell is D, HP, BG and JC? ZZ, you're quiet too. People??????????

Whosya, I'm gonna leave the details to Brandon or Jody because they are the fellas and can better share their experiences... However, everyone has a period of time where you need to just suffer through getting used to the saddle. That's typically less than two weeks if you ride 3 times a week. Sounds like you're doing some overall great working out. Swimming, running and biking??? Do I see a triathelon in your future? :eek:

Jen, You don't need to disclose your banding to anyone at the gym. I don't have any issues with the port. I guess early on doing a leg press when my middle parts were all squished up did I really notice it, but that was before I had lost much... With minus 60 you'll be just fine. :eek:

Dude, those are some sexy bike shoes. And thanks for the nod to the new picture. :eek: I don't change it up that often. Okay well if 3.5 is where you are now how soon before you think you'll hit 4? TX- You're body building as well as riding? How'd I miss that? I'm not body buliding specifically but the non running days I'm working on program that's geared toward serious weight lifting. Some of what I'm doing deadlifts and overhead dumbbell swings, push ups and renegade rows. They are done in succession and rather quickly so the heart rate stays up. The trainer is pretty systematic and has some serious long range goals for weight lifting for us...(that goes back to comment about trainers with their own agendas) It's intense but worth doing for the time being. What are you doing? Are you taking lots of pictures, before, during and after? Your body is going to change considerably and seeing it in pics is very cool! Howdy to the rest of yous guys.

Denise!!!!!!!! I have missed you so much! There's another Denise with some numbers after her name on LBT and everytime I see her name I think it's you and I get all excited, :confused: then I realize I am wrong and I get so sad. I was going to dig out your email address and get intouch because I've missed you so much! Today was my first day back at the school with no kids, no staff. We love it when you all are gone...Really we are jealous as hell of you teachers but try to play it off. Good restriction is the key to this thing. I'm tight in the morning but can eat like a freaking lumber jack come evening! That's annoying! Glad to see you had a good Christmas with no fighting. Ours went well too. Happy, happy, happy.

B, Golly...here are my thoughts off the cuff. Is there a biking group you can join? You'll find the other riders who can improve your game there. And I'd be cautious of a trainer because finding one who meshes perfectly with you might be hard, only because my limited experience is that trainers have a limited knowledge base (like not biking) and often have their own agenda or can't hear what you are looking for. But it doesn't sound like you're going down that road. As for developing aerobic strength on the trainer and endurance on the road I don't see them seperate objectives...but I'm also talking out my ass a bit. Explain yourself more here, could you? What is your one primary goal pertaining to biking?

Julie, You get many well deserved comments on your bravery and willingness to share your experiences. Add my comments to the pile. You’re an amazing human. Kiss your parents for me because they made a fantastic person. I wish I had the vocabulary to really express just how meaningful reading about your journey is for me. Not just because it gives me hope for my future, but because it shows just how caring you are. Instead of telling others what they should do or how yours is the only right way you’ve embodied showing by example just how life transforming (literally and figuratively) lapbanding can be. And though your pictures are amazing and telling and I devour them, your words stick with me more than you might imagine. You’re better than a rock star. You’re just regular with a great heart… Thanks so much, Juli

Yeah, I think that's the point. Don't eat the crap-ola so you can lose the weight. I'm ashamed of myself. Actually that's in the past. It's all about the future. Right?

] B- God love ya, I think you might be a little OCD. :)

I've recommitted to tracking my calories on apex. I've not done that in a good two weeks...it's time to get serious again.

I love kettlebells! My doctor had me weight 6 weeks before I could do any ANY weight training. I could do cardio after 2 weeks, but I wasn't to strain my core.

I want to joke and say get a new bra! But you can look up obliques...things like over head pull downs will work your back. Curls with dumb bells are great bicep exercises. Push ups will do both at once. Those stink but are fantastic!

SequioaHealth is shopping for clients. My advice is to leave 'um alone.

I see my wrinkles more, but you'll have that. I don't look older, I just don't look like I'm 20, like I looked when I was this weight last time. I am older. However I look younger and act younger and feel younger 100+ pounds lighter. The difference in me from age 38 to 39 is amazing. I'll take a few wrinkles any day.

You know that was one I had last year, to unclutter my world. I picked an area a month. Like kitchen cabinets, basement shelves, closets.... It worked like a charm for the first 6 months, I need to put that back on my list!

Damn, That's something else. I'm so sorry that's what you have to deal with. I think I'll take stock again in my family and count my blessings. I hope you and your kids still managed to have good holiday.

Hi peeps B, Santa was very good to Zoe. She was adorable, wanting to play with each thing before opening the next one. The only sad part is that this is the first year the EX and I didn't spend Christmas morning together with Zoe sharing the experience. I know I'm spoiled in that we broke up 5 years ago, but we still carted all the gifts to one house and had breakfast and gift opening together. However, the EX has a serious GF and they started their own new tradition this year. I can't blame them and I wouldn't be sore about it aside from the fact my GF wasn't able to be with us...so it was just me and Z alone for an hour or two until my ENTIRE family showed up for X-mas dinner. They were fun and the food went home with everyone so there's little to tempt me at home. We always play cards and laugh a lot so don't let the above paragraphs make you think I was moping all day yesterday. I wasn't. As for Alison, Zoe and I are going to her house this weekend/for New Year's Day. I'm hoping we get a visit in with BG somehow. She lives kinda between my house and Alison's. (BG, how's your Sunday looking??? We could come to you too.) Whew. I'm back at work therefore I can fart around on here more. It's a shame when you have to go to work so you can chill.

Hidy Ho there my Marchie buddies! Merry Christmas. Diana, Don't worry about what other people do or don't do. I can assure this is an individual journey with lots of support from our pals, but it is NOT a competition. Glad you found us. FYI, come January first you'll see this thread stop and there will be a new one for the month... XOXOXOXOX