My name is Sandy. I was banded on 9/30/03 by Dr. George Merriman in Shreveport, LA. My starting weight was between 215 and 220 ( I say this because there was a 5 lb difference on my scales and my doctor's scales.) As of this date I have lost 76 lbs. I now weigh 139. My goal is to weigh 115 - 120. I am 5' 2" tall.

Hi Sandy, and welcome!!

Congrats on your wonderful progress!!

Welcome!!!!!!!!! You have done a great job!!!!!!!!!

Hi Sandy,

Wow, I'll bet you look wonderful.. Welcome to the group. I am new too, and these ladies are really nice. You will love them.

Sandy, I am so jealous. 139 the last time I weighed that I was in High School and starving myself to fit into my prom dress. LOL!!

Good for you and welcome to the Land of Band.

Hi Sandy and welcome aboard

This site board is awesome it is full of crazy women. You will get lots of love and support. 139 is fantastic. I dont ever remember weighing in my 130's I must of passed right through it. You are doing great keep it up, you will be at goal in no time

Hi Sandy,

Nice to meet you!! I saw on your other thread that you're almost ... normal (shhhhh!) You realize that we'll have to kill you when that happens, don't you? (JUST KIDDING!!!)

Seriously, sounds like you're doing wonderfully with your band! Congratulations on great progress, and I hope you'll keep posting here. WELCOME!! :D

Thanks everyone for the wonderful responses. I need them. Even though everyone tells me I am doing wonderful and look wonderful, I can't get it through my thick skull sometimes.

Thanks again! I love it here already!!!

Sandy in La.

Welcome Sandy! Wowee!! 139?? I am sooo jealous. :huytsao :banana :banana

Does it feel totally foreign? I'm having fun finding bones I haven't felt in years. .lol.

Leatha

WOW I AM JEALOUS...seeing how I was banded before you and have lost A LOT less:cry

But You have given me the inspiration that I CAN and WILL do it!

Congratulations.....I am sure you look awesome!!!!

Birdee

Originally posted by leatha_g

Does it feel totally foreign? I'm having fun finding bones I haven't felt in years. .lol.

Leatha

Yes, it feels totally foreign. I am still not at my "skinniest" weight. I have about 10 more lbs to go before I reach that weight. But I don't remember all these bones when I was that skinny! :ermm I think my collar bones fascinate me the most . . . don't EVER remember seeing those

Sandy in La.

Wow... Congratulations ,Thats wonderful...I am jealous I have been banded since 5-6-04.I am looking forward to being under 200.. Cant wait. If you could please share what you eat and the quanties your exercise and your fills I would really like to know. Congrats again Janie...

Well, Janie, my diet is simple. I do NOT deprive myself of anything that I want to eat. I just try to keep my calories under 1,200 a day, most of the time it is under 1,000 calories. Don't get me wrong, I do get my Protein in, and I do drink my Water. But if I want some chocolate, I have my chocolate (as long as I can spare the calories and most of the time I make sure that I have a cushion of calories).

Exercise is almost non existent. I think my metabolism is pretty high, I was not a roller coaster dieter in my "previous life". I had only been on a couple of diets where I lost massive amounts of weight before I got banded. Most of the time I would diet for a couple of days and then just give up, because I was depriving myself.

I have 1 cc in my band and sometimes I can't eat anything and other times I feel like I could eat a killer whale . . .

My usual day of food consists of . . . Breakfast, a bowl of vanilla almond Special K Cereal, lunch a lean cuisine, dinner - a very small portion of whatever I fix my husband. I eat out of a dessert saucer (smaller than a salad plate and a dinner plate). Between lunch and dinner I will eat my Snacks that I allow myself for that day be it chocolate or lately I've been on a kick of eating Reese's Pieces with Peanuts.

I am not saying this will work for everyone, but it has worked for ME.

Sandy in La.

Banded 9/30/03

-79 lbs.

215/136/:guess

Thanks Sandy for that information. You are following the exact philosophy I have taken with the band. No deprivation, small portions. I love chocolate and allow myself one treat if I have been a good girl, and I try to stick around 1200 calories also. I see so many peoples different ways they do this and none have really been like mine, its refreshing to know there is someone out there that is doing things similarly. I am only 9 weeks out and was down 39.4 lbs as of last weeks weigh. You have done wonderful! Best wishes to you, Teresa

Thanks for sharing Sandy. I was banded on 5-6-04 and I got on the scales this morning and was plesantly surprised that I had lost 4 more lbs. I am now down 33lbs. So I thionk I am doing pretty good 16 more lbs and I will be under 200. I cant wait. I have been eating sillouets ice cream sandwiches for my chocolate fix. But today I bought some York peppermint patties (the small ones), because Ive heard that they dont have much to make you gain weight. I am allways curious as to what everyone eats, Thanks so much for sharing and congratulations... Love Janie