I was sitting here thinking to myself last night "I don't remember what I looked like when I was (skinny)" I have searched and searched through pictures and cannot find a single one of me prebaby/preweight gain. I was a little over weight when I got pregnant "145-160 depending on the day or the week at 5'3" The one picture I can find has me hiding my size with an over large coat. So then the panic started to kick in. If I don't like the road I am on now what makes me think I am going to enjoy the new journey? And then it hit me I'm not doing this so I can be skinny. I am doing this for my health, and for my children. I want to watch them grow up. I want to enjoy life more. I want to feel free to swing on the swings with them, and run and chase them. I want to be happy and HEALTHY. Never mind what I will look like after I loose weight. As long as my health is better I will take what I can get. If by some crazy reason the band doesn't work for me I can live life knowing I tried. My name is Tayna I stand 5'3" tall and I weigh in at 248 my bmi is 43.3. I have to beautiful active children and I hope to one day be able to stand outside and play with them, and know that I have no limits. Sorry all just my thought of the day.

You will, you will run and play and swing with them!!!!

You're right-- it's not about being thin (that's just a bonus, if it happens), it's about being healthy!!

I think we all need to talk to ourselves in a way that is supportive. If you don't want to get your hopes up about being skinny then don't. This is how I managed my anxiety when I first started. I told myself, "I will just weigh less and feel better". Now I am 2 pounds away from having a normal BMI and being the lightest I have been in 16 years. Am I skinny? Maybe not to other people but I am to me. If I stopped losing weight today I would be happy (OK I really mean 2 pounds from now:tt2:) Positive attitude is everything in this and I like yours.

Tanya -

My thoughts about the banding process are exactly the same as yours. When I went to my pre-op appointment with the surgeon he asked "What do I want to weigh, or invision myself weighing?" At that time I really didn't have an answer to this. I know that I have to lose weight (which I guess is why I am getting the band), but for me getting off my high blood pressure and diabetes medication is the most important thing right now. I never set a hard number as my weight loss goal.....I guess that it would be to have a BMI of 25 so I am not considered "overweight" again!

I too want to be healthy for my little boys (1 and 4). Reducing, or even eliminating my medicines, is foremost and losing weight is a fantastic side effect!

Good luck on your journey - may we all be successful no matter what our goals are!

Thank You all for the replies you have left. I never try to bring myself down "only up in spirits" I catch myself all the time writing things down on notes and posting them throughout the house example "I will control my portions!!" or the "Goal of the day burn 500 calories" sometimes it's more, but the 500 I stick with is my goal everyday. I have lost 4 lbs from the date I weighed in with the weight loss surgeon, and I AM PROUD!! I will be happy no matter what the out come simply because I am doing this for a happy healthier ME!

Unfortunately I too don't have very many pictures either of myself since the birth of my kids The ones I do have are from a distance or me hiding in the back, like no one knew I was fat!

Great thought u had.

U are so smart to do this when u are young. I wish I had, but There weren't any bands around then!

Edited March 21, 201016 yr by catmom50