Today is exactly 12 weeks since I was banded and all my expectations have been wildly exceeded with this marvelous, wonderful band! I am so thrilled with my progress in these few weeks that I had to post, in case there is anyone out there still undecided about being banded!

Apart from feeling really ill after the anaesthetic, the operation was a cinch and since then the weight has come off pretty quickly. I wouldn't say it was effortless, I try to make the best food choices every day and have avoided Mc Donalds & other fast food (which I was kinda addicted to!) and fizzy drinks completely. I try to stay away from sugar and high glycemic food but other than that I eat what I want. I have never PB'd, or experienced pain or blockage or anything unpleasant ( I have the 9cc Inamed Band which was filled with 4cc during surgery) and don't plan on getting a fill until the end of February maybe....

I am fitting into clothes 4 sizes smaller, I have loads of more energy, am sleeping better and having much less PMT ( I am presuming cutting out all the high sugar and fast food is what's causing these pleasant side effects!) and am so happy and proud of myself. It was such a bonus this morning to step on the scales to see my total loss now at 42lbs! I haven't got around exercising yet :nervous and have still to get to the gym (I know, I know!)

Well anyway - here are a few things that have helped me so far:

I find it really hard not to drink while eating so have started to drink very hot herbal tea with my meals - I can't gulp it and I end up having very little. Also I eat a lot of Irish seaweed! It has the highest iron content of any edible food, and is high in protein too! If you can get seaweed in a health food store, I thoroughly recommend it! It's really salty too, so I bring it with me to the movies to eat instead of popcorn!

Anyway - I am delighted with the whole experience so far - everyone on this forum are so supportive and brilliant, and I visit here at least twice a day - thanks so much for all your help.

I've attached a photo taken just now, and will attach a before below - my husband/friends tell me most changed area is my face (they haven't seen my v saggy boobs!!!!)

taken last summer...... (could my face be any bigger??!!)

Happy Anniversary!

You look fabulous!!!!

I can only hope that I have as much success as you.

Bright

Thanks for posting such a wonderfull story. You Look Wonderfull!

Most of us didn't have any Fill installed during surgery. You hav'nt had a fill yet, I like that concept, but 4cc's.... thats alot to me. I can tell youv'e struggle abit, but the results are great.

Seaweed is very nutritonal and my mom-in-law claims it wires her up. The warm/hot tea, I'v been drinking more tea right before meals, its almost a craving for me.

What a difference:D I can see it!!!

Congratulations

Hi Bright,

I have to agree with Vera... YOU LOOK WONDERFUL! And you sound so happy, it makes me so happy for you! It sounds like you are really taking advantage of your tool and I hope I can be as successful and motivated as you. Wish me luck! Two weeks from today and I shall "hopefully" be in "Bandland"!

Thanks for sharing your story and pictures.... And Happy 3 month Aniversary!

Hey Bright,

congratulations on your fantastic weight loss! I will be in Dublin next week and have just PM'd you.

- Elise (fellow European bandster)

Bright!

IT HAS TO HAVE BEEN THE FLIP FLOPS!

You look so great sweetie! Like a model!

Today is my 11th week with my band and I'm down 36lbs...I love it too...we are very similar in our banding...I was addicted to McDonald's and now I can eat 4 McNuggets and be stuffed...I still need to start exercising...although I never sit down some added activity would be beneficial I'm sure...

Keep up the great work!

thanks for all the good feelings - I also forgot to mention another fun thing I am enjoying since being banded - it's a bit evil but great for a laugh!!! Basically, since I am losing weight so quickly, I find that suddenly all the Skinny Minnies who used to ignore me and treat me like walking fat, are now approaching me, begging for my weight loss secrets - as if now I can be part of their little gang!!! Anyhooo I amuse myself by giving them obscure "dieting" tips - like Oxtail Soup for breakfast, or swearing by two teaspoons of ketchup before every meal!!! I tell them I eat Wasabi with EVERYTHING.....! One particularly dim woman, who probably weighs 110lbs at my height, was thrilled to hear my "secret" of eating savoury and sweet food together (cos, like, that way you can trick your body into not realising the sweet food contains calories!)....so she's eating scoops of icecream in between forks of steak!!! Oh lord, I'm going straight to hell! Well, if people are stupid enough to believe that crap, and not bother read up on healthy eating, it ain't my problem! But I am sniggering a lot all day!

I'm hoping as I get thinner, I'll get nicer too....whatdya think?

Your dieting secrets are heinous! You are going straight to hell...LOL...I love it!

Isn't it funny...being fat is truly the last acceptable reason to discriminate...what cracks me up is going into a store such as banana Republic and not having anyone even ask you for help before...then they fawn all over you when they think you can fit into their highest size...LOL...anything to make a buck...sad isn't it?

Luckily my co-workers have been extremely supportive of me...but they all know my secret...LOL...steak and icecream!

Bright I'm laughing on the floor!

I love it, sabotage, how fun. See what else you can get them to eat. How bout tuna and icecream topped with washabi. I'm sitting here thinking of the worst combinations of food.

You LITTLE devil.

Hi Bright,

You evil wench. Glad to see you are doing so well. I don't post here that often anymore and I miss your wittiness. I am almost 7 months out now and down (drumroll....) 83 pounds.!!! I had a minor setback last week until yesterday. It was my son's birthday and I ordered a cake that was very big and have been eating off of it for the last 4 days. Also I have been eating some junk food the last few days, so now I am back on the wagon again!! Would like to reach my century mark by month 9. My goal is to lose 120 lbs by my first aniversary of being banded. Your face looks beautiful and I love your dieting secrets. I don't know about the seaweed though.... Yucccch!

Babs in TX

334/251/180

-83 and counting

6/23/03

Whoo hooo Bright!!! You go, Girl!

Sorry to be so late in adding my congrats - I don't seem yet to be back into the swing of things yet. :sick

It will be so fun seeing you in HELL - lol I haven't been giving out hateful dieting tips, but I've done enough other things to land me there. Aren't we going to have fun?!?!

I do SO love your evil tips, and I do agree with you - if they're that dimwitted to believe mixing sweets and savourys together "tricks" the body into negating the sugar calories... what can I say?

I love imagining one of the skinnys lamenting a stubborn five pounds, and you shaking your head and saying, "Well, if you would just eat less and exercise more, it would come right off." Revenge is sweet.

I miss emailing you - I swear I will get back into some sort of normal person mode. And in case you've been wondering, no mail yet your way. I know, I'm a mess.

In the meantime, keep up the great work, and keep us posted on your latest evil plans to torment your new found "friends"!

hugs and kisses -

I hope all of us could look so wonderful at our 3 month bandaversary. Wow, it definitely shows and how wonderful it must feel for you to visibly see such a difference.

I personally hope that I can post the same type of pics on my 3 months. People are already saying my face looks much thinner but I don't see it yet.

And your sense of humor is wonderful. Keep up the great job you are doing.

Carol

Bright, You look so great!!! So sad that you will be going to hell. But at least you'll be laughing on the way down!

Nancy

Hey Bright!

I'm sorry to be so late with the congrats, but it's great to read your spirited messages. You sound fabulous!!

Bright,

I can't believe it's been 3 months already since you had your surgery! I remember reading your pre-op posts and especially the flip-flops and all the stories concerning them. You look fabulous and must feel wonderful too. How proud you should be of yourselfl Your posts are inspiring, in both good and bad ways! I will be thinking about things to tell the "skinny" people when they start asking me about my weight. There's certainly things I want to tell them, but don't know if I have the guts that you do!

Congrats on the weight loss. Can't wait to join you in Bandlandia!

Sheila