September Bandsters

[lisalee 0]

Diane, congrats by the way! I wanna hear all the details!

[BJean 16]

Lisa: I haven't actually developed "stage fright" yet, but I can see that it definitely could happen! I have had several problems just like you mentioned when we were at dinner with friends. Although today it happened at noon with just my DH and me at lunch. I brought home practically my entire meal (minus 2 small bites). I was so unhappy that I went out and bought some ice cream to placate myself. How destructive is that!!! Now I know I'm going to wind up weighing more tomorrow when I get on the scales to report my loss or gain for the challenge. And I imagine there is some swelling in the area of my band because it feels sore.

I have to admit that I just don't have the whole issue of being friends with my band and being happy that it's here for me. I would say that 80% of the time I use it and love it. The other 20% I'm still a bit at odds with it. But I can say this: I am 100% happy that I got it. So far, the situation isn't perfect but it is way, way better than before the band! I haven't continued to lose the way I would have liked, but I haven't gained back the weight I lost either.

To those out there who are revolted by the thought that a bandster would go buy ice cream after a bad incident, I gotta tell you that a few months ago I would have been grossed out too. I know some of you have perfect records and fantastic results and I hope that it stays that way for you. But for those of us who still have struggles off and on, please show some compassion. :kiss You know we don't want to screw this up, we are fighting to make it work, but we're human and we have lots of mind hunger that we have to work on. :phanvan

[katt 0]

BJean I understand. Been there, done that. Still do sometimes. But I was watching something on TV (can't remember what) but it was about people who had successfully lost large amounts of weight and kept it off. The thing they all had in common was a change in attitude. I have felt it. It is so amazing. I'm not saying everything will be perfect now. But I feel differently about how I eat. And as for the stage fright, WOW. That must be what happened. I was at a business lunch and right after the egg drop Soup, I got stuck. Soooo embarrassing not to mention painful. Egg drop soup. Go figure. Katt

[BJean 16]

You know, Katt, when I was first losing weight and could see a loss practically everyday on the scale, I felt very happy and inspired. I just knew I wanted it so much that I would be able to get to my goal in a reasonable amount of time. I'm not sure what happened. I don't know if I was overfilled and then when I could eat, I over compensated by eating too much, or what.

But I want it back. I am really happy for you that you've broken the code and you're doing so well. I hope I can recapture that feeling and get another 10 lbs. off for good! Then another ten, and another ten, and so on...

Egg drop Soup? :eek: Who'd a thought that?! I haven't been to a Chinese restaurant in a really long time. I just cannot handle rice at all. That means no sushi either. Blast!

[MimIN 19]

Still no loss for me, sitting at the same place... ugh...

[lifelongband 0]

I know it has been a while since I posted anything. It has been a very hectic month.

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for being there for me the last 10 months as I go through the life changing experience. I couldn't be happier.

[TheGh0st 9]

Here are the stats for my journey so far...

START – 254 BMI 45.2

1ST YR – 183 BMI 32.4 (71 lbs since start or 62%)

NOW – 168 BMI 29.8 (86 lbs since start or 75 %)

GOAL – 139 BMI 24.6

As far as the percentages of weight loss go its a bit tricky as my goal is constantly changing even while typing this e-mail I can't decide on a true final goal. I would really like to think I'll be happy with whatever my weight is after I have my extended Tummy Tuck wich I am thinking may be somewhere in the high 150's but I really wish I could get down to a healthy BMI of just under 25 which is how I set my dream goal of 139. For those of you that know me the other reason for my goal of 139 is that I lived in Scotland for several years and over there they weight in Stones & Pounds (similar to our Feet & Inches). One Stone = 14 pounds. And just like most women wish they could fit into single digit clothing I wish I could get down to the single digits of Stones, so at 139 I would be 9 Stone 13 Pounds, which I just realized is also ironically the same as my bandversary.

Another interesting Percentage to look at for those of us approaching our 2nd year out is what percentage of our remaining excess weight we have lost during the last year. (i.e. treat your one year weight as your starting weight and recalculate the % based on that) For me at the end of the first year I still had 44 pounds to lose and I've lost 15 so far this year putting me at 34% so far. If I hit my mini-goal by my bandversary that would bring my percentage of loss for the second year at 55% of my remaining excess weight lost during the second year.

I am terrible about beating myself up over what I consider to be a big failure in weightloss this 2nd year but one thing we all keep forgetting is that the medical establishment considers anyone that loses over 50% of their excess body weight with this method to be a success. Even looking at the percentage of excess I've lost during this second year I will hopefully have lost more than 50%, and yet self defeatists that most of us are, we don't seem to be happy unless we are able to beat even the odds for the band and lose ALL our excess weight. I worry that attitude actually contributes to some of regaining some of the weight when we finally realize we aren't going to lose it all and then start eating through the depression that ensues rather than being happy with our successes.

http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm

One last note. Above is an interesting link showing various methods of calculating your ideal body weight. One of which is a calculation of what other people your age, sex, height & current weight would say an ideal weight would be for you. I've looked at this site several times over the last few years and yet I just figured out that the "peer" figure is constantly changing as you lose weight. I use to think it was a weight that the population as a whole thought someone your height, sex & age should weigh, not what others the same height, sex, age & current weight thought they ought to weigh. But it is still an interesting and surprisingly accurate figure. I remember when I started out in the 250's I thought the 170's would be good then when I got to the 200's I thought that it should be more like 150's now that I'm in the 160's (barely) I'm thinking more like the 140's. Sad, for my height the weight you think you should be vs the weight you are doesn't match until I get down to 115. Does that mean that even if I do get to the 130's I'll still feel like a failure that needs to lose more weight? $#!t I sure hope NOT!

[TheGh0st 9]

7-30-07 - 168.6 (-5 or +0.8 "getting closer")

7-23-07 - 169.8 (-3.8 or +2 depending on your outlook)

7-9-07 - 173.6

approx 2 Months ago - 167.8

Goal for bandversary - 159 or 1-1/4 pounds per week

Surgery date: 9-13-05

Height: 5'2"

Age: 37

[lisalee 0]

BJean.....no criticism from this corner! I have had the wrong attitude for most of my 37 years....it will not change overnight...or over a year. I too do the same things from time to time. I still fight w/my band at times too. About 80/20% like you. And yes...the motivation comes in 10 pound spurts!

MimIn....are you at goal? Or do you still want to lose 15 more? You look great either way!

Katt...egg drop soup....now that is weird! How did you deal w/the questions..."are you ok?" and "what's wrong?"

Lifelongband....you're welcome! I too am on again and off again here but this is a great thread and great bunch of people.

Diane...attitude has so much to do with it. I agree. After encountering then losing a possible relationship w/a guy (for a variety of reasons) I found myself eating destructively, and falling back into diet sabotaging behavior. I love the web page you have mentioned and referred to it many times in the past. I remember telling my doctor who was pleased w/my weight loss of 50% excess weight, "But I am above average....I will lose more weight!" While we are all better off for the weight lost, the band certainly doesn't cure the body image issues we have! I can't tell whether my weight of 173 at 5'5" is unattractive to men or sexy. I guess it depends on the man. Most women say I look "thin." That's because none of them can see my gut hanging out and droopy boobs (sorry Nile if you're reading this!) Body image sure is subjective. I remember being this weight at 21 and having skinny and fat days. I think I even covered myself up more w/baggy clothes then than I do now.

With all that said....I'm still weighing in at 173 this week. No weight loss for me. It's that TOM. Maybe things will start back up again next week...I hope!

[TheGh0st 9]

LISA -

...While we are all better off for the weight lost, the band certainly doesn't cure the body image issues we have! I can't tell whether my weight of 173 at 5'5" is unattractive to men or sexy. I guess it depends on the man. Most women say I look "thin." That's because none of them can see my gut hanging out and droopy boobs (sorry Nile if you're reading this!) Body image sure is subjective. I remember being this weight at 21 and having skinny and fat days. I think I even covered myself up more w/baggy clothes then than I do now.

Amen Sister - I've been fantasizing about asking random men on the street what they think. I just can't get my head around wether or not I really need to lose much more weight or if I'm focusing too much on those hidden dangly bits. Ofcourse I'll be getting rid of my fleshy fanny-pack & muffin top in October which should help, I'll still be left with my flabby thighs that have thier own cleavage and my chest that looks like rocks (OK maybe boulders) in socks.

Maybe we should exchage some photos and start asking men we know what they think of the pics. After all I don't think I would trust what a friend or stranger might say to my face. But if someone else could ask for me that might just work.

KATT - Egg Drop Soup - It could have been some of the Egg in the soup. I've heard of people having a piece of lettuce in a salad act like a thin lid closing off the passage way between our upper & lower stomach. Maybe some of the flat noodle like egg managed to cover your hole the same way? D@mn that need to chew Chew CHEW even something as simple as SOUP!

[BJean 16]

I lost a pound, I lost a pound, I lost a pound!!!! You can't imagine how happy one measly pound can make you until you go for so long without losing any.

What a wealth of information you all are posting! Loving it!!!:whoo:

[lisalee 0]

Diane...you have me laughing my jelly belly off! Maybe we should start our own thread..."sexy or saggy?"

Bjean....hip, hip, hurray for you! I know how wonderful that feels!

[katt 0]

Lisa, Sadly I said nothing. I pretended my cell phone vibrated and left the table. I spent most of lunch time away from the table. Unfortunately I didn't have the foresight to go to the bathroom. I went outside. Slimed the worst ever in a flower pot. I was so embarrassed. There must have been a gallon of slime before the PB. I kept thinking about what the poor person who cleans flower pots was going to think. Arghhh. I've been much more careful. Beware of Egg Drop Soup. Katt

[BJean 16]

Katt: Oh man, that sucks! I felt sorry for myself because it happened to me in a posh restaurant in Scottsdale. We were at the top of the building overlooking the city lights and the restroom was downstairs. I had to take the slowest elevator on the planet! And I had to take it 5 times during the meal. I had never had a PB event like that. I even had to make them stop the car on the way home. Then back at the hotel room, I slimed and hacked until I finally got a tiny piece of veal chop dislodged. It was horrendous.

At least I was with 4 other women instead of couples. 2 of the women don't know I have the band so I couldn't give a good explanation for my behavior. I'm not sure what they thought was wrong.

But doing it outside where people might see you had to have been even more stressful! I'm still shocked that egg drop Soup could cause it. Just goes to show you that sometimes we didn't cause it from taking big bites or forgetting to chew!

[lisalee 0]

I have a friend who has GERD or gastroesphageal reflux disease. She upchucks (sorta like we Pb) the offending burning irritant from her esophagus and spits up a little. Funny story, I was out eating dinner w/her and her family. Later I went out to smoke a cigarette and noticed slime and food in the bushes....but I knew I hadn't done it....it had me quiet confused until she confessed she had spit out the offending food. Whew! I though I had an amnestic PB! I guess I will start using a "GERD" problem if that comes up. It's a little less awkward than explaining a PB.