kareyquilts

I try not to mention it too much to my DH either, because, one he is more nervous than me and two, he thinkgs I look fine too. It is hard not think about it. I'm holding off on buying any more clothes or the dress for my daughter's wedding in May, hoping that I'll need a smaller size!

Diane: Thanks for the feedback. You're a sweetheart. I hadn't thought about the swimsuit thing. I guess I'll look into a spanx thing. I've never been one to lay around a pool and can't imagine that I'll feel any better about it without the pannus, but we'll see.

Amy: How are your nerves doing? I'm waking up about 4:00 in the morning and that's when I start worrying. Just went and got some Ambein CR hope it helps. Saw my doctor for a follow up and to answer a few more questions. My DH went with me and liked the PS so that was a good thing. I keep trying to imagine life without the hanging stomach and perky breasts. It should be good. I'm getting less nervous about the pain. I know I can cope. How about you?

Miriam and Diane: Thanks for the encouragement. I'm trying to have realistic expectations. I'm not aiming for perfection and I don't want to get carried away with working on everything. My PS wants me to do the back side and arms in 6 months and I would like to, but we'll see. I may and I may not. I'm going to take it 1 surgery at a time. I can see the allure when they tell you that they can fix this and fix that. I wouldn't mind getting my neck wrinkles taken care of, but at some point I guess you have to accept and love yourself for who and what you are. That being said, the tummy and sagging breasts are going to go! I will deal with the swelling and work on my patience. Oh, I do have one question for you guys. My husband wants me to go on a business trip to Puerto Rico with him in April (5 weeks post-op). Do you think I can handle a 9 hour plane trip? I know I can handle resting by the pool! LOL! I guess we can buy trip insurance in case I have any complications. I'm just not sure what my expectations or stamina will be. Opinions welcome.

Okay, I'm taking a deep breath! I may just need reminding every so often!

This swelling thing sounds extremely frustrating. I don't know if I can handle it! Does the swelling add water weight as well? Doesn't the compression garment help this? I don't blame you guys for being impatient. The nurse told me yesterday that I would go down 2 pant sizes. Is she full of it or what? I don't want to get my hopes up. Are you both glad that you did the surgery even with all the complications? This is getting me worried!

I believe that the thread that deals with this is "Passing for Thin". I feel exactly the same weigh. I am so intent on losing the last 20 and getting ready for plastic surgery that I have become a goal machine. I like achieving goals now! I've been thinking a lot about what my new goals will be when it's not weight loss. Obviously, weight maintance is a life time goal, but I would like to start a thread on "Paying It Forward." It would be about setting goals to give back and to explore other worthy goals for our time and effort. Watch for it in the coming weeks. I will start it!

OKay, I hadn't put the weight loss together with the fact that I'm wearing 9's instead of 9 1/2's. Very interesting!

Alynne: You're looking fantastic! Looks like the incision is healing well. How are you feeling now? Jazzed about the jean size I hope! I guess that swellilng is a real bear! How long do they say the swelling will last? Are you wearing your compression garment etc? What is your favorite thing about this procedure and your least favorite thing?

Mimin: 3 pounds down! Yeah! I'm down 3 pounds too. Just saw the plastic surgeon today and I'm very excited. He said that I would be down 2 pant sizes when we're all through. I think this is going to be all right. Anyway, working out hard with my trainer, doing cardio and pilates and just trying to keep it together.

Julie: I've lost 4 pounds on the twenty countdown, too! Way to go! Saw my plastic surgeon today and everythings a go! He said I would probably be down to pant sizes. Now that's something to get excited about!

Julie: This too will pass. Glad the fluid build up is slowing down. Simplify! Simplify! Simplify! Sounds good to me!

Weekly Report: Cardio: 420 min. Strength: 180 min. Weight: 169 (Yeah!) Today I had a killer work out, did 50 squats with 50 lbs again. It's getting a tiny bit easier. Saw the plastic surgeon and everything is a go. He said my waist size would probably go down 2 sizes. I'm psyched! Have a good day!

Is this the check in day or is it Monday?

Alynne: I was wondering how you were doing. Are you back to work soon? How uncomfortable are you? Still wearing the compression garments? Can't wait to see the pics, wish I could help you with that.

Today I did 30 minutes on the ellipitical, 1 hour strength training, I only did 25 squats with 50 pounds on my back, cause I'm a little sore from Wednesday, but I still had a good work out. Lost another pound. I think the plateau had ended! Will try and get 30 more minute of cardio in later this afternoon.

Stef: My trainer says that the bad days are there to help you appreciate the good days. Hope tomorrow is better for you!

Julie: I hope you'll use the nurse if you need to. I wish you the best.

Diane: I don't think you should feel like you've gained 17 pounds. Don't count what the surgeon removed, it doesn't seem fair. I also question if he reallly removed that much. Look at Nina's thread, she has a good bit of info on how much fat weighs on there. Also, when you retain water it hides out all over your body and you did have that pitting edema. I think that you should get back on track, but the reason I think so is just so you feel better about yourself, not because of the scale. I know that I feel better when I'm doing what I think I should be doing. Does that make sense? It's like when I taught children, I never worried about their self-esteem. I worried about making them competent, because a child that is competent feels good about themselves. A child that is struggling doesn't feel good about themselves no matter how many times you tell them their wonderful. I would just keep on track and everything else will fall into place. HUGS!

I'm glad I didn't order the protien shakes yet. Sorry you didn't like them. Let me know about the peanut butter chocolate, which I probably my favorite combo. Hang in there you will lose more weight!

Reporting in.... 30 minutes elliptical, 30 minutes rowing machine, 1 hour pilates class. I'm feeling good. Can't believe I like to exercise. Who knew it would be like this?!

Very interesting stuff! Where did you find this information? I guess, when I see my doc on Monday, I need to ask a whole lot more questions! I don't even know what kind of lipo method he uses. This is so good for me. Thanks.

Nina: I have a hard time with dry meat also. The dietician isn't your boss. Of course you would lose more if you went on a high protien diet, but I'm with you, eat less and make life long habits. If your not eating a lot of sugar and other things that are bad for you, don't worry about it. 14 pounds of fat loss seems like a lot. Is that how much your doctor said he would be taking? Mine said, 7 or 8 pounds if we're lucky. I'm having some lipo on the sides, but not as much as it sounds like your having. Oh well. It will all be alright (my new mantra).

JM: One of these days (after my surgery) I'm going to give spinning a shot. Way to go on the hill climb. Today I did 30 minutes of elliptical and 1 hour of strength training with my trainer. I did 50 squats with 50 pounds on my back, twice as many as I've done before. UHG, thought I would die, but I did it! YEAH!

I really really appreciate your honesty here! I'm so glad that this thread is still going. Mimin, how could you exercise? You haven't even healed yet and it sounds like your still having complications, for goodness sake! You're there mentally with the renewed subscription to body bugg. Of course you can't meet your calorie expenditure yet. It's okay. You're on the path and you have the lapband to help be a tool. Did you get a fill yet? You're going to be fine, it's like Diane said. You must believe in yourself. Now, I'm thinking that there are ways to up your calorie expenditure without exercise, but ONLY if you feel like it. Otherwise, give yourself a little more of a break. Simply moving a little more will burn calories. What I have been doing is 30 minutes of cardio in the morning, 30 minutes in the evening. Plus some other stuff that you aren't up to. But maybe instead of cardio, just move when you can. A slow walk around the apartment, a slow 2.4 mile per hour walk on the treadmill, etc. You don't have to be up to snuff, just move a little more. That is the biggest thing that I learned with my BB. Every movement counts, it doesn't have to be aerobic at this point and it sounds like it shouldn't be. Now, in a few months you may have to remind me of what I am telling you. I'm 53 and I know I'm not going to spring back into my old routine for a while! Ghost, I was just listening to a tape today that was talking about turnig off the negative tapes in our head, like "I can't do it, I'm always going to be fat, I'll put this back on, I always do, etc, etc, etc!" Our minds (subconcious) can't tell the difference between fact and fiction. It just takes in the messages, so every time we have a negative thought like that, we need to put a positive spin to it. Like: "No, I use to be fat, but now I'm not. And then add the Jenny Craig bit, "I'm beautifull, thin, in control, etc!" I truly believe that this is true and that we are own worst enemy. We limit ourselves. I know because for years I have done the same thing. It's not just the urge to eat sweets, etc. that we have to fight, but our own negative thinking. Let's help each other. This is a worthy battle. It's easy for me to see that you guys are beautiful, worthwhile, got-it-going-for- you-human-beings. Let's support one another in this cause. It's the last step in our "recovery" if you will. Tami: I wish I could have all my procedures done at once, but I couldn't find a doctor in town that would do it. They all said it would be too much for me. They did tell me that there were centers that I could go to that would have 4 or 5 surgeons working on me at once and if I wanted to go that route they would refer me. They also said to count on a week stay if I did that. I don't know maybe I should have gone that route, but I'm very scared about what I am doing. I'll see how it goes and if I handle it well, then I'll get my arms and backside done in 6 months. I hope you'll keep in touch and let us be part of your journey.