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ONDERLAND My story
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Long post….but hell, it’s taken me almost four years!
ONEDERLAND, finally!
Although it seems to have taken me forever, I’ve arrived.
I was banded way back in Sept 09. I struggled to find that green zone, that spot where I wasn’t hungry all the time. I stayed on the diet, eating exactly what I was told to, per all the paperwork given to me by my surgical team. (They are awesome, by the way! )
Then after about a year, my determination dwindled, just as it always did in the past. (hey, I did DIET for a year…not bad for me) I wasn’t feeling any help from the band…..and I knew it, but couldn’t/didn’t do a good enough job of convincing my surgeon of this. We/he thought it was just “I was losing faster than they were adjusting”, “may take me more saline than normal”, etc, etc…all those reasons you hear so often on here. That was back when my fills were done blindly. Then along comes FLUOROSCOPY! First time using it, the problem was easily detected and the corrected asap.
For me, and others I hear on here talk about this often… we get discouraged/lose that motivation when it’s not working as fast as we want. Thinking this wasn’t going to work me, I’m a failure, I can’t do this, etc, etc. That was so me! I thought never gonna get to goal…enjoy the 40-50% EWL and move on…I quit going to my doctor for about a year….embarrassed I had actually gained about 20#’s from my lowest. BECAUSE I was eating too much! Not in the green zone….just another diet.
Then I had a friend persuade me to get my butt back to the doctor….she had the band too. And she had already been through where I was at, and had succeeded.
So I did go back, doctor was VERY encouraging, he said we just need to adjust your band. Still skeptical, but I somehow got my mind back into the mode of maybe this thing really will work….maybe. A couple weeks after that fill….I knew exactly what the green zone was/is for me. And its been great ever since.
With my band in a great spot now, I enjoy riding my bike, AKA Stephanie (Steph for short) as my form of “exercise”.
She is always ready and willing. Never complains she doesn’t want to. I’ve ridden in the rain (soaking wet!), cold (even snowing), heat (sweating like crazy), etc. Because I enjoy it! She is always ready for MORE! Addictive I say. Once you find something you like….you’ll know what I’m referring to.
So if you’re struggling, losing that motivation/determination…..I hope this encourages you to know that others have struggled too. But you can do it! Just never, ever give up! I wish you the best….now its off to ride. Life is good GREAT!