Hi November bandsters!

Let's keep this going to support our efforts though out the wonderful we are soon to begin. Let's start with the date we are being banded and where?

Our weight and goal weight...

My date will be November 7

Dr. Aceves

I weighed myself this morning and I have gained!!! :faint:

Starting weight 225 (highest ever!!! )

Goal 150

10/26 Jdru (Jessica) 215/215/125 Dr. Hansen (Honorary Nov Bandster)

11/1 melany72 Dr. Hargroder

11/2 DeniseC (Denise) 226/219/130 Dr. Carbonell

11/2 prbrooksie 252/252/150 Dr. Malley

11/2 Kym828 (Kim) 278/278/175 Dr. Ortiz

11/2 pebbles4388 249/249/150

11/3 Jess333 (Jessica ("Lil" Red)) Dr. Ortiz

11/7 AngelaT (Angela) 225/225/150 Dr. Aceves

11/7 Jackye 225/225/150-45 Dr. Rumbaut

11/8 L8BloomR (Karen) goal: -105 Dr. Francis

11/8 dpingl goal: -92 Dr. Hoehn

11/8 niecyrenee goal: -232, down 8 Dr. Pitt

11/9 Keekahari (Kee) 280/245/175 Dr. Moazzez

11/10 FullofGRACE Dr. Curry

11/10 alix_1 (Alix) 222/222/140 Dr. Garza

11/13 swilborn (Sherrie) Size 22/???/140 Dr. Rodriquez

11/14 ahaizlip (Amy) goal: -129 Dr. Liu

11/17 Asmallerchick (Kelly) goal: -200 Dr. Aceves

11/20 Diana_G 234/234/145 Dr. Huacuz

11/20 Veggestyle 275/?/150 Dr. M

11/20 Laurba

11/21 Jess02 (Jess) Dr. Rumbaut

11/24 aussie_bandit 153kg/153kg/75kg

11/30 Inner_me (Chris) 350/350/200 Dr. Cahill

It is just that I always think negative

And most of us always overate which is why we got the band. What we always did needs to be past tense. Change is slow. They say the only way to break a habit is to replace that behavior with another behavior. And that was my point. Every time you have a negative thought, make yourself find a positive to offset it. It will take some time to find the positive if you're not use to looking for it. Many of us here have already pointed out some for you. Just like being overweight won't be cured in a day, neither will negative thoughts. It's a process. But you need to make the choice of whether what you've always done is working for you or not. If not, then work towards making a change. You're not going to wake up tomorrow and decide the world is all warm and fuzzy, but maybe you'll see that it is partly sunny instead of partly cloudy. Baby steps!

Tom

Looking back, I wish I hadn't told my co-workers about the procedure - one of them saw me eating a cookie and said something snotty. And everyone keeps asking me how much I've lost.

I kinda wish I hadn't told some people also for the same reason. We had a breakfast at church a few weeks ago and this old lady (that I am not overly fond of anyway) looked at my plate and asked if what I was eating was on my "diet". It was a scrabbled eggs for goodness sake!!! :angry I could have slapped her! I had to stop myself from smarting off so I just told her I wasn't on a diet and yes, I could have eggs. Some people have got nerve!! I told my hubby that I wasn't going to anymore church dinners because I get so sick of people watching what I eat. UGH!!

I kinda wish I hadn't told some people also for the same reason. We had a breakfast at church a few weeks ago and this old lady (that I am not overly fond of anyway) looked at my plate and asked if what I was eating was on my "diet". It was a scrabbled eggs for goodness sake!!! :angry I could have slapped her! I had to stop myself from smarting off so I just told her I wasn't on a diet and yes, I could have eggs. Some people have got nerve!! I told my hubby that I wasn't going to anymore church dinners because I get so sick of people watching what I eat. UGH!!

It's a double-edged sword. We don't want people to ask how much we've lost but we want people to notice we have.

I'm fortunate in that 2 of my co-workers have had gastric bypass surgery (one 8 years ago, one in February) so they're pretty understanding. The understand the trials and tribulations and are amazed at the speed of recovery I've had versus them.

Tom

ok sMARTY pANTS oBERHASLI.... A KICK IN THE PANTS, EH? This chronically mildly depressed defeatest person is leaving this desk to go dance in front of my TV for half an hour. thanks.

Hello Everyone! I havent been on in awhile, but I hope that everyone is doing ok and surviving the holidays! I have been a pretty bad girl...in the sense of eating...but I get my first fill on Jan. 5th which I am uber excited about! I hope you are all doing great, miss talking to you guys!!!

That IS an accomplishment as I too was a 12-pack a day person and am basically caffiene and carbonation free now. Trust me, if you can do that, you can do anything! Success is built on one small accomplishment at a time. We didn't become overweight overnight nor did we learn all of our eating habits that led to the weight problem overnight. Don't expect to unlearn those behaviors overnight either.

For me, the point of this is to recognize what we are doing right. None of us, I'm sure, are 100% "good". We can either bask in the glory of those things we are doing right or waller in the misery of our mistakes. Just like with a child, if we continually tell ourselves we're failures, we will be. If we continually tell ourselves we're doing great, we will! (And no, I wasn't a cheerleader in a former life. Those short skirts and my hairy legs just didn't go together. :heh: )

Tom

Very cute Tom...very cute! :biggrin1: the hairy legs and little skirt made me laugh!

PRBrooksie...way to go!!! That IS a BIG accomplishment...focus on the positive. We attract what we think.... we create our reality...I know you can create a reality where you have complete control of your eating and of your emotions towards food... really it works! If you have not seen What The Bleep Do We Know...rent it, it might take a couple of times to get it, but the concepts are life changing :clap2: :clap2:

I can't do diet pills. I don't like how they make me feel. Be proud, you went down two sizes. Congatulations!!! My positive thought would that I didn't gain weight over the holidays....how many non-banded people can say that??

Good point, Kjojojr!!!!!!!!!!

Good news for today

Thsi morning at a restaurant, I had 2 scrambled eggs for breakfast, and it took me as long to eat them as it took my husband to eat his sausage and cheese omelette, hash browns, and toast.

My positive thought would that I didn't gain weight over the holidays....how many non-banded people can say that??

Congratulations!! Isn't that a nice change? I was so shocked to learn that I had actually LOST a pound on Christmas day! (I am one of those that weigh everyday. It's my new addiction!) I have never, ever done that. I always gained.

My fellow November bandsters: We are doing great!! I know it's hard to stay positive when we have failed so many times. Most of my family is negative so I grew up looking at the negative in everything. It's very hard to overcome and I most certainly haven't reached it. I struggle with it all the time.

This is the end of December, the month following our surgeries and I for one am very proud of all of us! We have all taken a major step to becoming the people we want to be. It won't happen over night, it may take a year or two or more but we made the step! We knew coming into this that it was going to be a long haul and a lot of hard work, but we can do it! We have already come a long way!! 2007 is going to be a great year for all of us!! Just take a few moments and fantasize about where you want to be next year at this time. I for one don't want a 3 in front of my weight...and I believe that I am going to make it!! I am going to have to work hard, but I CAN DO IT!

What are everyone else's hopes and dreams for 2007? Share them with us and we will help you along the way. BELIEVE that you can acheive it. Tom is 100% correct, our mindset makes a huge difference. We are going to have down days, but that's why we are all hear, for support, for someone to listen and be there for us. I have decided that when I am down, I am going to send a message to Tom and he will set me straight! :heh: LOL! He has the positive mindset that I want!

Denise...I can tell!!!!:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

PR Brooksie.... get a closer fitting outfit...they will notice.... and smile...that really shows! Every morning look at yourself in the mirror and pick one thing you like about yourself...it does not have to be physical...it can be pretty eyes, a nice smile, what a good friend you are, or a kind heart, etc. you get my drift? Then look at yourself...directly into you eyes and say to youself i am proud of being ME because I have a kind heart, or pretty eyes, etc. etc. a different one very day and you will see your mind changing... repeat it as many times as you need.... when you get the hang of it then you can begin to say things in the present tense that you want for your future as your subconscious will make it happen...but it must be in present tense like:

I am slim and beautiful!

I am fitting perfectly in a size 12!

I am a confident and positive person!

I LOVE myself!

etc. etc.

Actually we all ned to do this...I try to do this at least a few times a week...it does work.

Tom is 100% correct, our mindset makes a huge difference. We are going to have down days, but that's why we are all hear, for support, for someone to listen and be there for us. I have decided that when I am down, I am going to send a message to Tom and he will set me straight! :heh: LOL! He has the positive mindset that I want!

I do like hearing I'm correct.

I have broad shoulders so feel free to contact me. I do, of course, hope those shoulders are less broad as we go along!

The two biggest things that helped my mindset was my grandmother's breast cancer and my step-father's multiple illnesses. About 10 years ago, my grandmother, in her mid-70's, was diagnosed with breast cancer. They gave her treatment options including a mastectomy. She told them that at her age she wasn't nursing and no one was playing with it so they might as well take it. She came home from the hospital the same day as her complete, radical mastectomy and cooked dinner for my aunt and her family. She was back to work, cleaning houses for the doctors that did her surgery, in less than 2 weeks. Her biggest problem was balance as she was rather "chesty". <G> I'm sure we've all heard/said "we hope we look that good/have that much energy when we're that age." I'd be happy to have her energy NOW! She approaches life as an adventure despite having many, many road blocks along the way. She had her 10 year check up and despite a small scare, is cancer free. At 86, she still cleans houses a couple days a week and until last year walked to many of her jobs 2-3 miles from where she lives. (She's never driven.)

On the flip side, my step father had bi-lateral knee replacement surgery about 6 years ago. Since then, he's laid around and waited to die. He's in a motorized chair, has caretakers in 2-4 times a week and ends up in the hospital at least once a month. None of his conditions were nearly as serious as my grandmother's cancer yet he's given up the will to live. While he's not dead, he has no life. My choice is to embrace life as my grandmother has or give up as my step-father has. Despite her being older (but only 6 years since my mother remarried an older man), she is so much more full of life and a joy to be around so I try to emulate her. I'm not always successful but whenever I start feeling down, I think of her, what she's been through in her life and her outlook and realize my problems aren't nearly as bad, to cheer up and move on.

Tom

I My choice is to embrace life as my grandmother has or give up as my step-father has. Despite her being older (but only 6 years since my mother remarried an older man), she is so much more full of life and a joy to be around so I try to emulate her. I'm not always successful but whenever I start feeling down, I think of her, what she's been through in her life and her outlook and realize my problems aren't nearly as bad, to cheer up and move on.

Your grandmother sounds like a vibrant, funny lady! It is so much easier to get the mindset of yor step-father but what kind of life would we have? Your grandmother is a wonderful example to think of when you are down. She has come through so much and we all have so much to learn from people like her!!

Tom,

I had a feeling something like this had been part of your life due to your positive outlook. It is great you learned and are using this experience for yourself and to help others. It is amazing how a difficult time in our life can force us to learn and change...most people unfortunately wait until then to learn these secrets which can change our life for the positive.

Although I have been spiritual since childhood and with a tendency more for the positive, I still had bouts of self pity due to childhood stuff... I have always been into reading positive, growth related books...since I can remember... however it was not enough. With my only pregnancy I got sick with severe cramping and seizures...that was the first sign of something wrong...for years I experienced similar symptoms with no one giving me an answer. finally about 12 years ago I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis...In a way I was relieved because I finally knoew what I had... the problem is that M.D.'s essentially wanted to put me in a wheelchair and told me I would probably not live a long and full life...HA!:faint: Their outlook in relation to chronic illness is So negative! I DECIDED I WOULD NOT let that happen to me. I began to do research and to change my life starting with taking yoga, and then meditation and lots and lots of reading about self improvement and learnig how our universe and mind really work. I also got massage and chiropractic and evrything natural. I began to reverse everything wrong! I became more spiritual, which does not mean more religious, and made sure i kept negative out of my life as much as possible...that includes, violence and negative topics on TV, movies and books. and staying away from toxic people... I do live in the real world so I am informed, but I do not replay these thiongs over and over in my mind. The point is, any person CAN CHANGE anything they want to change in their life through positive thinking and a healthy lifestyle. My one weakness has been the weight, in part due to not being able to do hard exercise and ride a bike...but I can walk and hike, etc. so I finally opted for the band so I can control portions...even healthy food is fattening when you eat too much of it After being in western medicine for many years I went back to school and got my Doctorate in Naturology/natural medicine and became ordained so I can help people physically as well as spiritually.

Anyway...who has had a life changing experience...something that changed the way you think in any way... and how did it change your life?

Sorry about the length, but I hope somehow this story and Tom's story has something click inside any of you reading this and can be a positive change in your life...

Denise, I just want to say you look great and you are an inspiration to all of us. I can see a difference all over your body. Keep up the good work. I also have to commend you for doing the lap band vs. gastric bypass. Besdies, if you had done the bypass, we would have never had you on the board!

Tom, thanks for the encouragement. I always know when I read one of your posts I can count on a pep talk and encouragement You are great at reminding all of us we need to think positive.

Happy New Year to everyone! Here's to a flabby-less 2007!!!

Jill