She Smiles

Of course its ok that you joined Karri! The more the merrier :sad: I wish I could get back to training properly. My knee is just giving me the sh*ts. I got about 3.5km the other day without *much* pain so maybe its on the mend. But it sucks getting my gear on and out in the cold (its getting freezing here in the southern hemisphere!) only to last 15-20 minutes with out pain. Sigh. I envy you guys!! When I was training for the 2 halfs I was going to do before my injury, I was doing (and planning on doing!) one long run on the weekend, building up to about 20km the weekend before the race. Other runs (3 or 4) during the week were only 5-9km. Sounds like what you're doing is spot on Karri!

Maybe we could all pitch in and get the semi truck of the powdered peanut butter, its only just under $94,000 after all!

Thats great news! I didn't have another barium swallow and my Doc put 5 cc back in on Monday. Its taken me a few days to get used to eating MUCH less again! I can go back for another 1cc next week if I want, but I'm starting to think I might wait a little longer.

Kate - My instructor describes hatha as "steady poses and breath work combined with focused strengthening and stretching exercises". So pretty much you enter into a stretch/pose and hold it for about 30 seconds as you breathe. With each breath you try to stretch into it a bit further. I've also done ashtanga which is more Fluid and dynamic and you do more sequences of movements rather than holding and stretching. I've enjoyed both but hatha is definitely more challenging for me physically. I've done pilates before and I just didn't enjoy it. It had a lot to do with the instructor (who was sleazy and gross) but I don't think I'd try it again now I've found yoga and I enjoy it so much. Jacqui - after I sustained my current knee injury which is SERIOUSLY impeding my running right now (as in I can't run 3km without pain), I knew I had to try something much lower impact. Yoga is such a great change from the intensity of running. Don't get me wrong, its definitely challenging, just in a different way. Like you, I have found it hard to commit to classes in the past, and I still struggle to get there some weeks, but once I am there I'm glad I made the effort. Its just good to see the things my body is capable of aside from running all the time.

I've discovered yoga in the last few months and just adore it! I'm currently doing a hatha class that I love. I just love seeing how my body can stretch and contort! And I love how it makes me feel the next day. I wish I'd been doing yoga for years.

Damn LJM, my crazy runners toenails hurt like heck! How'd you get out of it pain free!? BBK I'm up for the pity party, whats happening?

PS wasn't mentioned in my seminar that I can recall, but then I was a bit of a "deer in headlights" about it all - it was a lot to take in in a relatively short period of time and I only joined LBT just before I was banded. I definitely could have been better educated on that front and could had equipped myself better as well. Then I probably wouldn't have been so disappointed earlier this year to learn how much PS costs here (Australia) and how far I was from being able to afford it. It wouldn't have changed my decision to get my band at all though if I knew then what I know now. I can definitely live with my body the way it is, but a few tweaks, nips and tucks sure would be nice!

That must be a slight releif for you to not have to rush into surgery right away! I'm glad it wasn't serious!

Fanny, I'm sorry you're dealing with this complication. I know how you feel about the health insurance situation though - I had a small slip recently and was freaking out that I might need removal/adjustment surgery (luckily I don't) because my health insurance doesn't kick over 12 months for a few months more. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that its not serious and can wait til August.

I waited 6 weeks after my surgery to start exercising and as soon as I did the weight just FELL off. I hated exercising, I was lazy, which was part of the reason why I was fat! Once I saw the results of exercise though, that was motivation enough for me to keep going with it. Now I feel like a junkie without drugs if I don't exercise haha! Try it and see, you may not enjoy the exercise, but you WILL enjoy the weight loss that occurs as a result of it. Give yourself time to start slow and build up as you feel up to it.

When I went to Bali preband (twice) I was on BALI travel FORUM -- Bali, Indonesia a lot. Perhaps you could join that forum and ask if anyone going in June has a lap band, you might have more luck that way (its mostly Aussie and New Zealanders on there). There aren't too many Aussies on this forum, I think the chances of one of us also going to Bali at the same time next month as you are slim. Although I wish I were going!!!

Welcome Nicole and good luck with your Dr tonight! There are a few of us Aussies floating around on this forum.

I don't miss: My aching back that I took medication for every day and was still in pain Being depressed when shopping because I could never find anything my age to wear that doesn't look like a tent. Only being able to wear flat boring shoes because my feet were always bloated like baloons (I wear knee high boots and all kinds of heels now) Feeling sorry for whoever has to sit either side of me on a plane because I spilled over the armrest (not fun on a 14 hour flight from Sydney, Australia to LA, let me tell you that). Having to heave myself in/out of the couch/bed/chair at work Walking up a flight of stairs and being out of breath Eating HEAPS and still being hungry and being watched while I eat heaps And just to go further on that - new things I enjoy Yoga! Running! Having my photo taken! Shopping Shopping Shopping! Looking nice, I can actually be bothered now! Feeling confident! Feeling strong and fit! Wearing tighter more fashionable clothes! Life is good! :wink_smile:

I wouldn't take Xenical again if some one paid me. That stuff is hideous! Ick!

My tip for the shoulder pain is to get up and walk every hour or so, even if just once around your backyard is all you can tolerate. For some reason that eases the pain a bit.

I hate it that some people don't seem to think that they need to have any responsibility when it comes to owning a dog.

I have toyed with the idea of getting a tattoo too when I get to goal, but we'll see how I feel when I get there! I treat myself pretty much everytime I go to the shops. I'm a total clothes horse these days! I love shopping WAY too much!

I felt better as soon as they took all my fill out! I am going back for a slight refill next monday. My Surgeon said he wouldn't have taken all my fill out if he were the one who diagnosed it (he was out of the office that day so I had to go see hs registrar at the hospital) because it was such a minor slip. I developed bad reflux progressively over the space of about a week and knew something wasn't right. The reflux is totally gone now and I'm looking forward to being refilled a bit! My surgeon was very confident that 2 weeks unfilled would fix it, not that it needed much "fixing" at all. I was just too tight (which it weird cos I hadn't had a fill since December and had been fine up until then).

Thanks fantastic news! You must feel INCREDIBLY releived! I hope I am as lucky as you, I have to wait until next monday to see my Surgeon.

Ugh, what a pain in the a$$. Hope you can get everything sorted as painlessly as possibly. Glad you're ok though.

When I went to see a plastic surgeon earlier in the year, he said it was not necesarily the case that a person would need their implants replaced at any stage. That it would differ from person to person depending on their circumstances. I guess its safer to bank on the fact that you *might* need them replacing, but you also might not. That made me think twice about wanting implants if/when I get a lift in the future. Because I couldn't think of anything worse than needing to go in and get and "upgrade" every 10 years like a car or something!

I'm a fellow Aussie and my Doc has always said to eat whatever I can tolerate within reason. Carbs are my friend, I eat pasta/rice pretty much every day. I don't think I've done too bad with my weight loss. I've done fortnights or so of lower carb to try to kick start my weight loss and mix things up, which has worked to some extent, but I could never do it long term, I'd have NO energy!!

Awwww, I love it! I'm so jealous of that funky medal you got!

I became the master of trying to hide/disguise my weight with clothes when I was bigger. Now I am thinner, I use those skills too but have more options of the types of clothes I can wear to disguise the loose skin I have on my stomach and hips. Like Jachut, I came out of this not too badly, so I'm kind of lucky. I did look into plastic surgery earlier in the year but simply could not afford it, so I've now made peace with the fact that my body isn't going to ever be bikini ready. And thats ok. Don't let the fear of having loose skin stop you from becoming the person you set out to be in having your surgery to start with. Best of luck.

BBK, I hope the pain subsides soon for you. Looking forward to seeing pics when you're up to posting them. I'm sure you look as beautiful as ever.