Dadkins8

Okay...I had my lapband surgery done in July 2010. I am now a little over 1 1/2 years out and still losing weight. I have hit some plateaus along the way. However, I just keep perserving. The past month, I have lost 9 lbs. The one main thing that I notice is that I keep losing my shoes. I mean really....I went out with my dad and sister. As I went to step out of the vehicle. my high heel fell off. I laughed...even my feet are losing weight. The shoes that I wore to work today kept flipping off the back of my feet like flips. I guess it is going to be time to go shoe shopping and get some new ones.
My advice to everyone out there just starting this journey....just keep preservering. I have hit several plateaus that lasted a few months each time with the scale stuck at a weight. However, I knew that I was doing the right thing and I did not get discouraged. I finally feel like my body has accepted this...and the weight loss has picked up again. Well of and out to surf the web for some new footware!

Okay...I had my lapband surgery done in July 2010. I am now a little over 1 1/2 years out and still losing weight. I have hit some plateaus along the way. However, I just keep perserving. The past month, I have lost 9 lbs. The one main thing that I notice is that I keep losing my shoes. I mean really....I went out with my dad and sister. As I went to step out of the vehicle. my high heel fell off. I laughed...even my feet are losing weight. The shoes that I wore to work today kept flipping off the back of my feet like flips. I guess it is going to be time to go shoe shopping and get some new ones.
My advice to everyone out there just starting this journey....just keep preservering. I have hit several plateaus that lasted a few months each time with the scale stuck at a weight. However, I knew that I was doing the right thing and I did not get discouraged. I finally feel like my body has accepted this...and the weight loss has picked up again. Well of and out to surf the web for some new footware!

"We don't do hand-holding" said the voice on the other side of the phone.
 
Tough-love is not my thing.
I have been tough-loved and tough-loved myself into this mess...
...or at least tough-love is what they called it.
 
Why can't it just be love?
 
What's wrong with hand holding? If someone held my hand maybe I could learn that hands aren't just for eating with.
 
I know I should have faith in myself, inner strength and all that jazz... but why should I always do everything by myself. Why can't I reach out and ask for support and encouragement.
 
I know I can do this. I can physically stop eating. I can get myself to the doctor. to the hospital. onto the OR table......
 
... but what's so wrong with asking someone to hold my hand?

I spent the day with my husband shopping. It was the first time in years that we have gone shopping together. We have been together almost 30 years (high school sweethearts). I cannot tell you the last time that we shopped together for my clothes. However, I loved shopping together today. I know that I am not at my goals weight. However, my weight loss has slowed down. Therefore, I am spending a longer time at each size. Due to a recent promotion, I am now going back into the office. I need to look nice and it makes me feel good about myself. I spent several hours at an outlet store trying on clothes. My dear husband waited patiently outside and gave his "honest" opinion. Actually, he liked everything I tried on and kept complimenting me. It was really a lot of fun. The best news was that I didn't actually have to use any of my own money. My family knew that I loved this store and gave me wonderful gift cards....usually I am not for giving gift cards...however, there are definately times when they are the perfect gift. In case of my weight loss journey...this was a wonderful gift. As many of you can agree, it can get a little difficult when you are "traveling" through different sizes. I am officially down to a 1X. I was so thrilled. I quess the funniest thing was finding a top that I actually loved. However, it was only available in a 2x or a 3x. It seemed when I was that size, I could always find the 1x. Now...it is the opposite. Something about....Murphy's Law (smile).

I had my lapband surgery in July 2010. I remember thinking that I would be at my goal weight in a year. Well I am 17 months out and I am still not at my goal, but I am okay with that. I know that I have worked hard. I didn't lose a lot of weight prior to the surgery. I had a hard time exercising just due to having absolutely no energy. However, once I had my first fill I started to lose weight. Come January....I hit a block...major block and I remember getting a little frustrated. However, I made a vow to not get too discouraged and stay the course. I did stay the course. The weight loss was slow. However, from January to September, I did lose 20 lbs. I decide it was time to do something. I had to change up what I was doing to continue with my weight loss. I started going to the gym with my husband. I knew that I could not have excuses...as I had in the past to not exercise. I know that there are plenty of us that will find any kind of excuse to not exercise. However, this time I made a promise to myself to be true to me. I have gone to the gym faithfully 3 times a week for the past 4 months. I am lifting weights and
doing cardio. I learned that I really feel good after I exercise. If I am stressed, It really helps me come out in a pleasant mood. I can honestly say that I don't mind exercising. Who would have after thought that I would make that statement? Now I didn't say that I "liked" it. Just that I appreciate the way it makes me feel and look. I am down 73 lbs. It gave me the courage to do so many things in life. I don't have to be at my goal to "love" me. It has been such a long time to find me again. I enjoy who I have become. I would not have had the courage to go for a promotion a year ago. This year not only did I go for the promotion, but I got the job. My rewards have been endless....

I had to go to the gym today due to the snow we had yesterday. It seems kind of unreal. I can't believe that we have snow in October. It definately was one for the record book. Back to this journey.....I am 15 months out from my surgery. Around 10 months, I hit a plateau. I really couldn't afford to go in to get another fill at that time. Therefore, I tried all kinds of strategies to get pass this plateau. However, I was stuck within the same 2 pound. Before the lapband, I would have given up very easily. However, I did not do it this time. I stayed the course and kept working at moving toward my goal. If you are beginning your life with a lapband, just remember to keep focused and stay the course. I know that I was so frustrated at the beginning (first 6 weeks). I felt that my weight loss was not ever going to get started. I made up my mind at that point that I would always think of this as a life time journey. If I ever felt that I was losing focus, I would strive to get myself back on board. I would keep at it. I am not near my goal. I have loss 68 lbs so far. I want to lose another 60 lbs. and I will do it. I was relieved to get back on track. I was able to get a fill at the end of September. It was too tight. I had to go back in and have a small amount removed. I am back on my way.
I have been going into the gym faithfully for the past 6 weeks. This has been a great adventure. I use to always put off doing exercise. I just don't like it. This time I am treating it as my job. I make no excuses not to show up for my job. If I missed it, I must make it up. My attitude toward exercise is slowly......... changing. I can go in totally stressed. After exercising, I come out with my "happy" hormones released. We have made it into a family adventure. My son an d daughter both have started to go with my husband and me. I am blessed that my husband is a wonderful fitness expert so I feel like I have my own personal trainer. I had a wow moment today after leaving the gym. My husband and I went to the grocery store. Wow...my grocery cart looks so different these days. My husband and I are making a conscience effort to not eat processed food. I can't say that we are done with it all. However, the only thing in my cart today was all fresh foods except for a bag of sweet potato fries. Again, this has been a gradual change. It is not something that I did after getting my lapband. I mean seriously...I work about 50 hours average a week and have to run my children to their activities. So, it has taken me some time to make these changes. I am having fun cooking from scratch. I have turned it into an adventure...finding healthy recipes that are healthy, taste great, and my family will enjoy them. Good luck to all of you just beginning your journey!

I had to go to the gym today due to the snow we had yesterday. It seems kind of unreal. I can't believe that we have snow in October. It definately was one for the record book. Back to this journey.....I am 15 months out from my surgery. Around 10 months, I hit a plateau. I really couldn't afford to go in to get another fill at that time. Therefore, I tried all kinds of strategies to get pass this plateau. However, I was stuck within the same 2 pound. Before the lapband, I would have given up very easily. However, I did not do it this time. I stayed the course and kept working at moving toward my goal. If you are beginning your life with a lapband, just remember to keep focused and stay the course. I know that I was so frustrated at the beginning (first 6 weeks). I felt that my weight loss was not ever going to get started. I made up my mind at that point that I would always think of this as a life time journey. If I ever felt that I was losing focus, I would strive to get myself back on board. I would keep at it. I am not near my goal. I have loss 68 lbs so far. I want to lose another 60 lbs. and I will do it. I was relieved to get back on track. I was able to get a fill at the end of September. It was too tight. I had to go back in and have a small amount removed. I am back on my way.
I have been going into the gym faithfully for the past 6 weeks. This has been a great adventure. I use to always put off doing exercise. I just don't like it. This time I am treating it as my job. I make no excuses not to show up for my job. If I missed it, I must make it up. My attitude toward exercise is slowly......... changing. I can go in totally stressed. After exercising, I come out with my "happy" hormones released. We have made it into a family adventure. My son an d daughter both have started to go with my husband and me. I am blessed that my husband is a wonderful fitness expert so I feel like I have my own personal trainer. I had a wow moment today after leaving the gym. My husband and I went to the grocery store. Wow...my grocery cart looks so different these days. My husband and I are making a conscience effort to not eat processed food. I can't say that we are done with it all. However, the only thing in my cart today was all fresh foods except for a bag of sweet potato fries. Again, this has been a gradual change. It is not something that I did after getting my lapband. I mean seriously...I work about 50 hours average a week and have to run my children to their activities. So, it has taken me some time to make these changes. I am having fun cooking from scratch. I have turned it into an adventure...finding healthy recipes that are healthy, taste great, and my family will enjoy them. Good luck to all of you just beginning your journey!

So I have never done anything like this in my life. I decided to do this because I need to have communication w/ people "like" me. My surgery was April 1st, 2010. A new April at the beginning of April 2010.....pretty amazing I think. I have lost nearly 80 lbs. to date. Physically I feel better but not always emotionally. Lap band is still fairly new to people in my neck of the woods. Most people look at me w/ the deer in the headlight look when I tell them what I have done. I waited until I had lost 50 lbs. before I openly talked about my surgery. Mostly due to the fact I had little support. I had some friends who thought I was taking the "easy way out" and some friends who were down right jealous that I was given this opportunity. My life has changed a lot. I have tried to remain the same person I have always been. I feel trapped sometimes though. I can't always openly share my successes. So I am hoping I can use this as kind of a support system.