I weighed myself at the doctor this morning & was so THRILLED!!!! It said I weighed 208 which means I have hit my first goal of 50 lbs!! (My home scale said 211, but I am definately going to take the doctors scale over mine!!!) Yesterday I went shopping & could hardly believe that I could fit into a size 16 pants. I've worn 22/24 for so long!

Here's what I've learned so far:

1) You will hit LOTS of plateaus. I stayed at the same weight for 2-3 weeks many, many times & then all of a sudden I'd drop 4 or 5 lbs. Don't get frustrated at the scale.

2) Exercise really does work. I joined a gym only because I knew it was the right thing to do. I hated going & was emberassed to be seen among all the muscle men. I could barely walk on the treadmill for 5 min. without feeling like I was going to pass out. BUT....I made myself go & it's been very, very worth it. I'm now a regular & 2 days ago one of the buff women came up to me & said - "I've been watching you the past few months & you've really inspired me. Keep up the great work." Wow! I inspired HER!! That was a big NSV to me.

3) You really do need to follow the bandster rules. THEY WORK!! I had moments of just wanting to do my own thing. But, whenever I went back to taking small bites, chewing my food A LOT, & not drinking after meals I lost more weight!!

4) Patience is important. It took me a while to get this weight on & it's going to take me a while to get it off. I'm not only losing weight, I'm changing a life time of bad behaviors & that doesn't change overnight.

5) DRINK YOUR WATER!! I have never been a good consistent Water drinker until recently. But, I can tell a difference!! I realized that sometimes when I THOUGHT I was hungry, I was really just thirsty.

6) It's okay to eat junk once in awhile. You can't deprive yourself forever!! Friday evening is my free night & I let myself choose something fattening & sugary to eat. ONLY ONE ITEM. I eat it & it's gone. I've never gained any weight from doing this & I am satisfied. If I am tempted to eat junk during the week, I tell myself - "You can have that on Friday!

I don't like to be told NO. If I know it's something I can't have, I want it more. Knowing I can have it on Friday makes it so much easier. Which reminds me, today is Friday!! WAHOO!!!!

Thank you to everyone on here for all the great support & good information. I learn a lot from you all & consider you my friends! I can't wait to reach my next goal!!

Someone talk to me about this "don't drink water after you eat". Either I was asleep or just not listening to this . . . when my Dr. told me the "rules". I thought it was DURING the meal we weren't supposed to drink.

Please inform me! I am always sooooo thirsty when I eat and I try so hard not to drink during meals. I usually guzzle afterward. THis is a no, no????

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: THIS is what it's all about!! YOU GO GIRL!!

Hi Txkrause,

I tried to reply to your personal e-mail & it didn't work. So sorry. Here's the answer to your question about drinking AFTER your meals...

You want your pouch to stay full as long as possible so that you actually FEEL full. When you drink any liquids after you eat, it will wash all the food out of your pouch & you end up hungry again. I always drink all my liquids BEFORE my meal & it really has made a difference with staying full. It's one of the bandster rules!!

Good luck!!

congrats!!!!!!!!!:clap2:

i'm a couple pounds short of 50, i'm so excited for you (and me)

I think everything's been covered here except YABBA DABBA DOOO! Far out, groovy, right on, bitchen and lots of high fives from the desert!

Congratulations:clap2: I can't wait to be able to say that!!! And thanks for the words of wisdom. Real words to live by if your a bandster. :whoo:

That is such a great feeling!! Keep up the awesome work!

Holey moley Batman Thats great! Good for you, the next fifty will go easyer! (KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!)

Isn't " FIFTY" sweet!!!!!!! Congrat"s to you...Diane.....1ob well done!!!!

Sorry everyone!! Didn't get the pictures taken yet. As soon as I do, I'll send um over!!

A GOLDEN GOAL OF 50!!!!! :faint:

Congratulations!!!!!! Awsome Job!!!!!

I can't wait till I get to post my 50lb goal achievment

and read about everyonelse working to it too!!

Congratulations! Thanks for posting the tips, I am going to get a glass of water right now!

The pants are Goucho pants. (Did I spell that right?) They flare at the bottom. They look kinda funny in this picture, but they ARE size 16 & that's what counts!!! WAHOO!!

HOLY COW! That picture is big!! Uh, can somebody help shrink it a bit?!?! Sorry bout that!!

I thought I'd post a BEFORE picture so you could see the difference. This picture is the day of surgery. (Hence, he beautiful hospital gown!) Again, if someone can make this smaller.....THANK YOU!!! If they were put side by side - EVEN BETTER!! Photonut, are you out there?!?!