Banannie

Happy Birthday Brandi!!!!!!!!!

Ok ladies, I added a few pics on our yahoo group showing me 4 weeks post op from my lower body lift... I'm still swollen in the hips/thighs, etc so I'll likely go down another size or two... which blows my mind! :party: HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone!!

Hi everyone! Long time no talk! I have a hard time keeping up with everyone, so I apologize for not doing many personals here... I don't seem to be online as much as I used to be! I'm 3 1/2 weeks out from my lower body lift with lipo. Holy cow has it been hard - mainly the fact that I've gone "stir crazy" - it's really, really difficult to go from being super-active girl to sit-on-your-butt-and-heal girl. As Brandi reported, they took 22 lbs off me with the skin and lipo - they did a lot of lipo in my thighs as well as my torso. Since I'm relatively young and single, the doc was good to me and was aggressive with everything, hence the 22 lbs! And yes, it does hurt - A LOT. I don't think I'll do any more plastic surgery (and luckily, I don't think I need any!) The most frustrating thing is the swelling. I have no idea today what I'll look like once this is all done, and I'm sooooooo impatient! :Banane34: If you'd asked me a week ago what the most frustrating thing was, I'd say the drains. I had four - two for the back, two for the front. The two for my back exited out my hips, the two for the front, well, they were about as front and center as you can be, which is the most freaking annoying thing! Luckily the last two came out on Christmas Eve - yay! Overall, was it worth it? YES! Even if I ended up where I am today with the swelling, which won't happen, it would be worth it. My stomach, even swollen, is totally flat. Totally bizarre - I keep looking at it thinking it's not mine... Ok, gotta run for now - if ya have any questions, let me know! I think I'm the first December 2006 bandster to get PS, so I'm happy to share my experiences! Luv you all... Annie Banannie

No way... (steps off scale, steps back on) blink, blink, rubs eyes... no way... 158.8? that CAN'T be right... (steps back off scale, steps back on) REALLY? I don't EVER remember being in the 150's! I'm only 4 lbs from a "normal" BMI... and since I have quite a bit of muscle, and the BMI calculations really don't take that into account, could it be that I'm pretty much "normal"????? No way... (sorry I've been so absent! ok, gotta go hit the gym, but I'll read the past few pages and get caught up later chicas! You guys write a LOT! Love you all!!!)

WOO HOO!!!!!!! WTG Nat!!!

Ok, busy with meetings but I need to post stats to be accountable... 282/162.2/-2.2/119.8 (damn carbs - up .2 today)

Kay - I'm a total "all or nothing" girl, too. Right now I'm in the "all" phase, trying to get a few more lbs off before my surgery. Exercising 6 days a week and eating very little. But luckily, my vacation I had in late Sept. showed me I can eat an occasional "bad" thing, or have a drink, and it's not going to kill me (i.e. send me into the "nothing" phase). It's going to be a total learning experience to deal with maintenance... if/when I get there! Steph - your Holiday Inn Express line totally cracked me up! Brandi - you've definitely had your string of bad luck... I had similar luck last year (divorced, changed jobs, moved, father died suddenly, tore all the ligaments in my foot) - all in the first 9 months of last year. I was exactly where you are right now - how in the heck can I survive this? You know what - it did suck. Badly. But I leaned on friends and family, and I can honestly say that today, I look back on last year and realize that it made me stronger, and I learned so much about not only myself but others. I am happier today than I was the year before last. I never EVER thought that would be the case. But it is... so all I can say is lean on us, vent to us, let us help you... it WILL get better! Oh, and I'm totally in for an exercise challenge and/or scale weigh-in day. I'm trying to be honest with my ticker, but having to post the cold, hard numbers will certainly help me behave over the weekends! That said, I have a big halloween party to go to on the 27th, so that Monday's weigh-in will be interesting to say the least!

Hi guys! Super busy so I haven't posted much, and it's hard to keep up with everything these days! Brandi - you are strong and motivated, you'll continue to do great and you HAVE to start believing us when we say YOU LOOK GREAT! You are totally and completely SKINNY! Brandy - woo hoo on Betty! (did I tell you one of my coolest race cars was named Betty?) Nat - you know I luv you... and I remember I also made a bet with someone that I'd be down a few more lbs than I am by Thanksgiving - we'll make it there one way or another Kay and Steph - I'm TOTALLY addicted to the scale, too. I am starting to mellow out a bit on what I see from a day to day basis, but I've been watching it closely enough that I can predict when I've eaten something that will affect it - like a salty dinner or some extra carbs. I know when I step on the scale the next morning I'll see that, but I don't panic any more about it. So, I think ultimately my obsession has helped me put the day-to-day fluctuations in check! Sweet - bummer about the weekend, and keep rocking the SB! I can't seem to manage to stay on the Phase I for the life of me, so I'm basically semi-phase 2 but lower fat. Ok, I've missed a lot of you - sorry! I luv you all and couldn't do this without this great group of gals' support!

Ok... I also posted pics today on the yahoo group - Nat & I have the same surgery date (12/14) so we tend to do this same day stuff.... Anyhow, I'll have to do personals later - did a crazy long (and steep!) hike with one of my girlfriends today and I need to go soak in the tub before my muscles give out!

Yay Brandy! I hope all your PS stuff goes well, bummer about the C cups vs D cups but a large C on your frame will still look really nice! I'm getting my PS in December, too - a lower body lift & lipo on December 3rd to be exact, 8 weeks from yesterday (yes, I'm terrified!) Oops, gotta run - hope all my ladies are doing well!

Wow this car is just FUN! And yeah, I'm up for a road trip! Too bad it only seats two... :car:

I'm in accounting/finance for a big company. I'm single with no kids, and otherwise live simply, so a combination of that, good luck, and good credit, I get to buy myself toys like this... this is BY FAR the most expensive car I've bought, by like $30K.

How funny you guys were just asking about me and I had a minute to log in! I just got back into town a few days ago, then got really busy because I went and bought a new car - I figured my hot body wasn't getting enough attention... Limited Edition Boxster S - All Boxster Models - Models - Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG I've only had it two days and I think I've almost caused two accidents! So I went to my National Championships and WON! Yay! It's my third championship. But even better was the reactions from all my racing friends who I haven't seen since last year. Some of them really didn't recognize me. And I got plenty of attention from the guys - for example, two of them were arguing over who was going to give me a ride one night... Yup, I'm liking this! Still not used to it, but I'll find a way to manage... Whoops, gotta go to a meeting, will try to check back in later...

Hi girls! Brandi - awesome job on all the exercise! Now doesn't a gel seat for the bike make a ton of difference? Maurdan - I was super duper strict for the first 7 months to the point that my mind and body just said "no more!" and I fell far off the bandwagon. I'm back on now, but really it comes down to what do you want more, junk food or losing weight? Brandi and Brandy did great writeups for you. I bet you know what to do, but are struggling. Have you thought of getting a counselor, to figure out what's driving you to eat emotionally? That may help! Anyhow ladies, I fly out today for some big car races and will be gone until the 29th... I am not taking my laptop as it's my work computer, and that would make me feel like I needed to log in to work - not gonna do it! The hotel I'm staying at has a computer but I won't be at the hotel much. So... if I'm MIA for the next week or so, you'll know why!! Hopefully I'll come home with a big trophy...

Thanks guys! And believe me, if you saw me nekkid, you'd agree there's some excess baggage that needs to come off. I'm just hiding it well in that picture! Since I'm a single gal, I want to be HOT when this is all done, and with the extra skin, I'm actually MORE self-conscious of my body now than I was before! And yeah, I do have to work - the racing is a hobby. I typically do well enough to get some $ back, but it's not even enough to cover all my costs let alone live on. I wish it was! And WTG on the 12's! :party: As for PS, it's really hard to get most insurance companies to cover it. I didn't even try. Typically, to get them to cover skin removal you have to be able to demonstrate that it affects your health, like you're getting infections in the folds of the skin or something. But, each insurance co. is different. I'm out of pocket since I don't have any bad health issues with the skin, just head issues! :Banane18:

Brandy, a long time ago we set up a yahoo group so we could take things off line if needed (i.e. too shy to post pics in a public forum!) I went back to the first page or two of this thread - here is what I think is the link... http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/steadies/join

Thanks Brandi! :confused: Funny thing is, sometimes I still think I look like I did before. I think it's all the extra skin. So, come my bandiversary, I've got no excuses Ok, I'll still be swollen and sore, but I'll have a flat tummy for the first time in my life! And you're right, even some people who know me well haven't recognized me. It'll be awesome going to my big races this coming week since many of them haven't seen me since last year and have no idea I've slimmed down...

Ok, I posted some pics on the yahoo steadies group and put a post out with some info on my racecar antics. I can't believe I actually posted pics!!! As for my surgery, I'm scheduled on Dec. 3 for a lower body lift w/ lipo - so it'll be all the good pulling in of my ab muscles, taking out whatever fat I don't lose between now & then, and a whole bunch o' skin. He estimated it'll be around 20 lbs. I'm so terrified - I chose this surgeon partly because he's so aggressive - he'll take off as much as he can, and lipo as much as he can, to get the best result. But that means I'm gonna be in SERIOUS PAIN. Put it this way, they estimate I'll be in a ton of pain, since they're putting me on an epidural (sp) and *leaving it in for two days* while I'm in the hospital. What the heck did I sign myself up for! I can't believe three of you came down with strep within days of eachother. That is crazy! Take care of yourselves! And Brandi - great job on getting back in the right mindset. I think I'm getting there, too! :Banane20:

Steph- YOU ROCK GIRL!!! 12's??? You Skinny thing! :confused: Brandy - I went to my PS consults alone, and preferred it that way. While the first was a little nerve wracking it was just because I didn't know what to expect. The surgeons and nurses and staff at BOTH clinics I went to went out of their way to make me feel comfortable. So, coming from someone who just did two PS consults solo, I KNOW you can do it! And I'm glad you're going to the doctor - last thing you need is to end up in the hospital from dehydration! Brandi - I haven't been on my bike much but I'm getting it in for it's tuneup on the 30th (I'm heading out on vacation Wednesday thru the 29th for the National Championships of the racing I do - I'll have to post something on the yahoo group so y'all can see what it is I do!) So, I hope to be back on the bike in October - assuming the Seattle "winter" hasn't started then... if so, I may buy an elliptical or bike for inside so I have no excuses! Ok, gotta run, I'm going with two of my girlfriends for mani's/pedi's today... One of the rare times I'm "girlie"!

DOH! Brandi - you gotta take care of yourself, girl! I hope your goitre goes away soon...

Brandi - I'm right there with you - I need to get my head back into things. I've been off track for about 2 months, but lo and behold, I've maintained (well, bounced around in the same 5-10 lbs). But, if I can be "off track" and maintain, well, it just cements in my mind that MY BAND IS AWESOME! I've never been able to go this far off track and not regain a bunch. Great job on the biking last night, girl! See, you can do it! Steph - I'm still not up to posting pics - yet. If I do it, I'd throw them on the yahoo group since I'm still a "closet bandster" and don't want people to find out if I don't tell them. Since I race cars, my "name" is out there, even if it's just with the grassroots racing community, so I'm a bit secretive. And my LBL is scheduled for December, so I'm still about 2 1/2 months away. I'm SO not looking forward to that pain! But, the doc thinks that between the skin & lipo, he'll probably take 20 lbs off me - which is why I've already got it scheduled! I'm not as far away from goal as I thought! That and I wanted to do it so that I could also use the holidays to recover (I work in a company that gives the employees from Christmas Eve through New Year's Day off as holidays). I guess a lot of people have that same idea, which is why I had to schedule it now...

Holy cow it's been a long time since I've been on here! Yes, Brandi, I do come lurk occasionally but haven't had much time to post! Hope all my girls are well! I've been reading up on everyone's progress and lives and I'm hoping all y'all who are having struggles (mostly life related) are able to sort through things soon! Anyhow - I've scared myself TO DEATH by scheduling my lower body lift. Yikes! I'm gonna basically be cut in half!

Ok, just a quick check in... I've been busy with my car racing, and I'd love to say that was my excuse for not being on here much but it's not. I've been struggling the past month, partially due to the fact that tomorrow is the one year anniversary of my dad's sudden & unexpected death, and my sister and I have been working on the estate taxes this past month. Just lots of sadness to get through, and I fell back into emotional eating. I've been bouncing around in the same 10 lbs, so it's way better than pre-banding when I'd just instantly gain a ton, and I'm trying to get more support from friends, family and a therapist, so I'm confident enough (finally) to show my face back here and say I *will* be back on track soon! I'll be out of town from this afternoon through Sunday (race school tomorrrow then another race this weekend) so I might be able to check back in later, if not, I promise to on Monday! I realize I do need y'all - I'm not perfect, and that's just plain ok.

:whoo::first::wow2::success1::Banane21::Banane21::Banane21: Julie-how AMAZING!!!!!!!!!

OMG Julie - almost 200 lbs!!!!!!!!! WOO HOO!