Come join us. We are bandsters without a local support group, and we're going to meet, say hi, and chat about possibly starting our own group.

We are meeting this Wednesday December 13 at 6:30 PM at Humble City Cafe near the SE corner of the intersection of 1960 and 59, on Main Street.

Let me know if you're coming and I'll make a reservation in the name of Bandsters.

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone.

I am now back on track. I went today to get my fill after a total unfilled on Oct. 30. To my surprice I only gained 4.5 pounds. I think I will make this my Christmas gift to myself every year. I was eating everything . From sweets to eggnog. With all the good stuff ofcourse.

I hope everyone is doing as well as I am.

When is our next dinner?

I'm not sure I can walk that far, but willing to give it a try. i have the form to fill out if you want to do the bridge fest.

Need to know if we are doing dinner on Monday. Let's see if there is enough of us to meet I suggest Hector's at 6:00. Who can make it?

Leaving for work so I'll assume we are not meeting tonight. I don't get this board at work so can't check.

I am ready for dinner anytime. Just let me know afew days ahead of time.

Love when we get together and talk and share our lives.

Well, I signed up for BridgeFest, Barbara. I may be in the hospital and if so, won't get there, but I figure it's still worth it to work toward it. Are you signing up? If so, want to walk the Kingwood trails this weekend and see what 5 miles feels like? Anybody else?

So today was my first day "in training" for the 5K. ...Meaning that I walked and "ran" for a mile around our lake. I think my walk is faster than my run, which is not even a jog, but a shuffle. Also, I think running puts too much stress on my joints and back, so I will be a glorious power walker at the 5K. At a walk, a mile really didn't seem like anything, so I guess I wasn't pushing it. My new pedometer seems to be grossly inaccurate, so I'm not going to trust it. I guess I need to drive 5 miles and then try to walk it and see what that's like. 5K is 3.1 miles, right? BArbara, and anyone else...let's walk this weekend!

4 laps around my lake pasture is 1 mile. I did 1.5 miles today (walking at a decent clip). Pacing me the whole way were one of my Golden Retrievers, and one of my deer. Once when I slowed down, John Deer came up behind me and pushed me along. Anybody want to join me and come walk the pasture?

Not sure I can walk that far. Having major issues with my legs and one in particular. I am getting really bad cramps in my feet and calves, but on the front side. Not sure if something is going on with my fibromalgia. I'll come out next weekend and walk with you Betsy. That way I can see if I can even walk a mile!

Having issues with my fill - mainly heartburn. I'm taking it slow. Go back to stomach doctor end of month.

Hope everyone is doing well.

How is your fill otherwise? aRe you able to eat enough and not too much? That would certainly be a step in the right direction...

I used to get leg cramps when my potassium was off. Haven't heard about ones on the front though. Leave it to you to be eeeuuunnnneeeek!

I'd like you to come out sometime even if you don't run......

when are we doing dinner again? i am ready to see everyone!

It's funny. After I passed my one year anniversary of being banded, I found that I was just living the life and not analyzing it too much anymore, for better or worse. My need for information, support, and everyhting else decreased a lot. Seems like to maintain a support group, you almost have to have the next "generation" of bandsters that have been banded less than a year, in order to keep it going. Does anybody else get to feeling that way?

After 19 months I need support more than ever. This to me is not a diet, but a way of life. It has challenges that I'm not always prepared for. I know I can't be trusted so I need support to keep me motivated and on the straight and narrow. I haven't lost my weight and I will soon be at my 2 year anniversary.

I'm having my colonoscopy tomorrow so today is prep. . Once this is over I hope I can settle back down and get serious about this. My fill is fickled. One day I can eat everything, the next I get stuck. The new acid medicine is definitely helping. However, I just don't think I tolerate the fills very well or better the restriction. I was able to get the whole 2.0 at one time with no effects. Living with 2.0 has been fairly easy with a few challenges along the way. I would like to get another .3, but it scares me. I don't like the episodes that come with that much restriction.

So for me, support is critical. My June 06 group is still going strong and I find that most of us still require support on there. The challenges change as we live longer with the band.

I'm up for dinner for those that still want to meet. Next week is impossible for me and with Valentine's day in the middle, most of the restaurants will be crowded. How about we try the week after Valentine's? I'm open to Mondays as usual, but can change that to any other day. Six works best for me, but again open to what the group wants.

I'm glad to hear that it's still important to meet. I do wonder why our group doesn't grow. We've had people contact us, but very few have ever attended.

I can probably meet any time.

I'm certainly not at goal weight, but I'm struggling....I want to buy some Spring clothes...nothing expensive but just to get me through. But I just don't know who I am. Or what age I am. I actually went into Forever 21 at the mall, and LIKED the things I put on. But I kept asking myself if only a teenager should wear them. I've always been a fairly classic dresser, but now I understand that classics age a person. I've also ysyally had my ranch clothes and then dressier outfits, and I hear that over dressing ages too. At this rate, I may end up in a babydoll and leggings! Jeez.

I have been plateued (is that a word??) for such a long time. My doctor and the nurse here at school keep telling me it is because I don't eat enough. Then on Biggest Loser last night they were talking about a couple that didn't lose weight because they weren't getting enough calories. This is certainly not something I ever thought would be a problem... Not eating ENOUGH???

Let's do try for the week after Valentine's Day. I will try to get my lapband friends here at work to come join us also.

OK Monday the 18th is our dinner date. Any ideas where to go?

I've heard that not eating enough puts you on a plateau. Also letting go of the exercise keeps one from losing. I know for me I've got to recommit to this program. I've been a very very bad lapbander.

Spread the word about dinner. Let's see if we can get some old and new blood. Let's pick a place that its easy to find each other, especially if they are new.