sandi2004

you are incredible as well my friend. The numbers never cease to amaze me. We have lost between us 463 pounds. Can you imagine? It is all so achieveable when you have a tool that finally helps with the physical hunger issues and gives you a "hard stop" reminder when the emotional hunger issues kick in and try to gain control. I love the banded living life!

Hi Maj: Do you have your surgery date yet? How exciting! I can not believe that my days are 20 hours long now and I look to sleep only to rejuvenate myself for another full day. It's an awesome feeling compared to lumbering through my days dragging every year and every pound (or kilo) with me every where I go. You are doing the best thing for yourself! Did you sign up to receive my newsletter and my 7 tips at my blog : Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story ? If not, you might find some useful information as you prepare for your surgery date. If you drop me an email or a pM I'll advance you a copy (send you the link) for 7 tips for preparing for gastric banding surgery. Stay in touch and let us know your surgery date so all of us on this forum can be with you on your journey of transformation. good luck

Time for you to go back to basics and remember what you did at the beginning to lose weight and repeat it- it works! You are living proof. Set up a meal plan for th enext week and carry your food and water with you. Do you think that might help? I hate winter also. Short days and bad weather leave me depressed as well, even here in "sunny" CA. I try to carry high fiber things like celery and carrots and apples with me to deal with those "hunger" issues since they fill the band pretty quick. Beef jerky is a good one too. time to make sure you have flour, sugar and potatoes out of your diet and anything that is liquid and has calories so you can work on restricting calories, increasing your protein and having good choices with you at all times. If you can get started on that you'll make progress and then can get a fill on the 11th if you need it. Hope this helps

Just because I'm 6 years out doesn't mean I don't look to others for support as well. I'd love to keep this conversation going as I have issues pop up daily reminding me I can be a "serial eater" any time I stop following the rules of the band.

I am so glad that you did not delete this post. It is great! Just know that every morning I wake up and expect to find a 400+ pound woman in bed and when I realize that I haven't gained all my weight back overnight I am thrilled! Talk about stupid! I can't believe I just went public with that thought but if it helps you or someone else, it is definitely worth sharing. So the bottom line here is that it is not unusual to NOT want to be judged, to want be and feel and act normal. After failing however many times we did (and for me it was more than I care to remember) we are hesitant to believe in this weight loss being permanent. Guess what? It is and will be as long as you continue with the good choices You have a tool that will help you. It's time to get back to basics for you as you get your band back to that sweet spot. Why don't you work on planning all of your meals and snacks for a week- carry food and water with you wherever you go, and use this opportunity to start journaling again. Please continue to reach out for support. I know you will get the other 40 off and then you will still have to work to feel "normal". It takes some time and adjustment to be comfortable in your new body. If you haven't already, please take a look at my blog at: www.sandisbandedliving.com and you will get to share some of what my journey was like. Best of luck to you. Stay in touch.

Hi: Over Five Years out and Passionate about sharing success and helping permalink Hi: My name is Sandi and I was banded in May2004. I started my journey at 424 pounds and 55 years old. Every day is exciting as I discover more and more of my new found abilities since I have lost 250 pounds. I am starting to believe that there is nothing I can not do. I am a new person and I want to share all the little secrets and tips I have picked up along the way. I am offerring to mentor anyone who needs a friend to ask questions, hold their hand, provide factual information when emotions get in the way of good choices and generally just be there to listen to what you are currently encountering on your journey. I am so passionate about sharing the wonder and the zest for life that I have achieved that I have started a blog at: http://www.sandisbandedliving.com I write about my journey from day one of exploring (looking into this miracle they call gastric banding surgery), through surgery, transforming (my weight loss journey) to today, maintaining a 250 pound weight loss and living my new life. Each and every day provides an amazing gift. I am passionate about sharing those gifts with all who will listen.

Scared is a pretty typical place to be right before you're banded. You will do great as long as you're willing to do the work. You know what you signed up for and you can do it! If I did it, anyone can. I'd be glad to help any way I can.

Hi: My name is Sandi and I was banded in May2004. I started my journey at 424 pounds and 55 years old. Every day is exciting as I discover more and more of my new found abilities since I have lost 250 pounds. I am starting to believe that there is nothing I can not do. This was hard work, but the rewards are amazing! No more medication, no more C-Pap machine, minimal aches and pains. I am a new person and I want to share all the little secrets and tips I have picked up along the way. I am offerring to mentor anyone who needs a friend to ask questions, hold their hand, provide factual information when emotions get in the way of good choices and generally just be there to listen to what you are currently encountering on your journey. I am so passionate about sharing the wonder and the zest for life that I have achieved that I have started a blog of my journey from day one of exploring this miracle they call gastric banding surgery, through surgery, mytransformational weight loss journey to now, maintaining a 250 pound weight loss and living my new life; http://www.sandisbandedliving.com Each and every day provides an amazing gift. I am passionate about sharing those gifts with everyone who will listen. __________________

Hi: My name is Sandi and I was banded in May2004. I started my journey at 424 pounds and 55 years old. Every day is exciting as I discover more and more of my new found abilities since I have lost 250 pounds. I am starting to believe that there is nothing I can not do. I am a new person and I want to share all the little secrets and tips I have picked up along the way. I am offerring to mentor anyone who needs a friend to ask questions, hold their hand, provide factual information when emotions get in the way of good choices and generally just be there to listen to what you are currently encountering on your journey. I am so passionate about sharing the wonder and the zest for life that I have achieved that I have started a blog at: http://www.sandisbandedliving.com I write about my journey from day one of exploring (looking into this miracle they call gastric banding surgery), through surgery, transforming (my weight loss journey) to today, maintaining a 250 pound weight loss and living my new life. Each and every day provides an amazing gift. I am passionate about sharing those gifts with all who will listen.

Thanks so much for the kind words. Where are you in your journey? If you think that reading my story from start to finish (today) would be helpful or useful to you or any of your friends please go to my blog at www.sandisbandedliving.com and poke around and be sure to sign up for the 7 tips.. sandi2004

Thanks for the congrats. I worked hard to achieve it and could not have done it without: 1- the band....2- the support of my friends, family and surgeon's practice. If you would like to read more about my story and the past 6 years of life around the surgery take a second and take a look at my blog at www.sandisbandedliving.com

You have made a great decision. I understand your fear and your need for support. I am 5+ years out and have done incredibly well with the band- down 250 lbs. I have a close friend and business associate who has also done incredibly well- down 90 lbs- she is 4 years out. I would be more than happy to provide whatever support I can for you on your journey. Please feel free to use this forum, send PM's or email me with questions, concerns, fears, or just to chat. I have been "mentoring" for 3+ years now so believe me I've heard it all and there are only Great questions so don't hold back. If you want to look at something that may give you some insight into your feelings and what is going on please check out my blog at www.sandisbandedliving.com I started it to provide a place where people can follow a story from day one through maintaining a significant weight loss and feel safe in making comments or asking questions. whatever you decide, best of luck to you. sandi2004

you n eed to find a seminar in your area and attend it. You may want to call your insurance company first to find out a little about what may be covered. Ask me any other questions as they come up. If you like, you can follow my journey from the very beginning at my new blog www.sandisbandedliving.com or just keep asking your questions here. Good luck to you on your journey! sandi2004

You are probably in surgery as I write this. Being almost 6 years out I would be happy to help you along your journey. Today is the first day of the rest of your life.Well done! Post again, PM me or email me questions, comments or concerns. I'll do my best to answer and be there for you. sandi2004

Hi Angie: I would love to be your mentor and answer your questions. There are NO silly questions, it fyou have it as a question it deserves an answer. Ask away. You can PM me or email me at sandisbandedliving.com

Hi there- I received your notification for us to "be friends" and I would be more than happy to answer your questions and assist you along your journey. You can email me at sandi@bandedliving.com ro PM me..your choice- email just seems quicker. Good luck Sandi

I'll be happy to answer questions for you as you go through the process. You are probably right not to talk with your friends yet- especially if they have NOT had this surgery. They can have great intentions, your best interests in mind, but not understand what you are going through. Send me a PM with your email address

Central Coast of CA? What city? I'm down in Ventura and would be glad to offer whatever help I can. Send me a pM with your email address.

I have had success with the band and am almost 6 years out and will do what I can to help you if you are willing to learn how to "work" the band. Please check out my success story in that forum and let me know if you would like me to try to help. You've reached out..that's the first step in going for the gold! Or, you can PM me.

I didn't have to have any skin surgeries but I did choose to. If you would like some of the details please feel free to send me a PM. I am defiitely enjoying the new me!

You are at the first day in the rest of your life!

Thank you. You can do it too if I was able to! where are you in your journey? I offer my assistance as a mentor on the mentor forum if you have questions, need help, or just need someone to talk to throughout your transformation. I could not have done this without my support team which was the doctor, his staff, the Lapband support group and some friends I made in the group as well as my family. Use every resource you can. Good luck, I look forward to seeing a post from you thay says- I did it!

thanks for the kudos guys...and in answer to the question do I still keep in touch with my surgeon the answer is yes. I go to see him about once every 6 months- he still checks my vitamin levels and I can still have a fill if I like(I had one about 6 months ago). I also volunteer and do testimonials at his seminars and am very active in our LAP-BAND® support group and our entire support group network- we have regular events in addition to our monthly meetings. I still wake up every day extremely grateful for living in this era of wonderful innovations like the LAP-BAND® which allow me to live a normal healthy life.

I have been fighting the fat war since I was 4 years old. I finally won the war, leaving only small skirmishes that crop up regularly. My friends tell me these little battles are what a “normal” person always deals with.Just five years ago, I was 424 pounds, had arthritis in my right knee, and had trouble walking across a parking lot. My asthma forced me to stop and catch my breath several times across those parking lots. I rented a scooter to be able to take my grandkids to Disneyland. I let my husband go into the market while I waited in the truck. People looked fearfully at me when I was getting on a plane, hoping I wasn’t sitting next to them. In March 2004, at 424 pounds, I had a hypertension crisis that got my attention. To this point, my arthritis, asthma, reflux, and sleep apnea had not yet been enough to make me take notice. I have succeeded at most everything I have tried in life -- I have a wonderful marriage of more than 40 years to my soul mate, a great daughter, four awesome grandchildren, and a successful business I built from scratch over 20 years ago. But I could NEVER get a handle on my weight for longer than five minutes. On 5/28/2004, at 55 years old, I had life-changing, and life-saving, Lap-band®®® surgery. Within 28 months I had lost 250 pounds. Now, more than five years after surgery, I am holding at 175 pounds and loving it. I am off all my medications and move freely and vigorously through my new life. With the help of this tool and a great support team I have reached a place where it is fun to go anywhere and try new things, and I actually enjoy looking at pictures of myself (well, most of the time).

Hi: I'd be glad to be a shoulder to cry and laugh and celebrate on and to answer your questions as they come up- You can PM me or email me at sandi@bandedliving.com