February 2007 bandsters!

[travelgirl 3]

[Warning: whining ahead, and please pardon the cross-post!]

I was really doing very well with my Band -- until the holidays. I was banded Feb 15, 2007, and lost 100 pounds by the end of November – my doc said that was “bypass results” & was very happy with my progress. I did just fine thru Thanksgiving, but “Christmas” isn’t a single day in my world. It’s an entire season beginning the day after Thanksgiving and ending on the 12th day after Christmas, and one celebrated primarily with food. While I didn’t over-eat at a single meal even once over “the season” it seems a treat or two several days of the week sure added up!!! I gained 6 pounds from Nov 30th to Jan 2nd – SIX POUNDS! (And that 6 feels more like 60 – suddenly I understand where those skinny people complaining that they’ve gotta drop those 5 holiday pounds are coming from!) I went in for my 1st fill since July on Jan 10th and am quite tight, the tightest-feeling fill yet actually. (I had my 2nd ever foamy, slimy spitting up last week -- a homemade turkey meatball. I started to think I might even need an UNfill because my meatballs have never caused me problems before, but I have not had additional stuck/PB incidents since then, so...) Over the last 3 weeks, I have lost 4 of the 6 pounds I gained, but basically I wasted Dec & Jan in terms of loosing the original pre-Band weight!!

Anyhow…my point is that I’d been doing quite well until the holidays – I thought I had this LapBand thing down pat. Pretty cocky of me, eh? :rolleyes2: But now I miss all the yummy, comforting foods & am totally bored with “Band foods” that were my steadfast standbys. And these chalky Protein shakes :ack2: that were a part of my daily life just can’t compare to my mom’s holiday cooking! Also, I totally dropped my exercise program what with the changes of routine in December, and I just can’t seem to motivate myself to start again!!! (Sheesh, it was hard enough to start in the 1st place when I had threats of post-op blood clots dangling over my head! ) I got to be 320 because I just couldn’t be bothered with doing any “extra” physical activity beyond day-to-day living. And that's where I am again, mentally. I have cut out the “I’ll just have one” snacking since holiday treats are gone anyway, but that alone won’t get the scale tipping in the right direction. I know that I need to get it in gear again, but I can’t seem to force myself on the treadmill!! Any excuse will do not to exercise – the current one is that I have a wicked cold & feel just miserable, but really I think a hangnail would suffice. What I need is a swift kick in the A$$, but I’d settle for a (motivationally intended) lambasting!

I know participating again at LapBandTalk would be helpful to me. It was very inspiring in the beginning of this journey to be surrounded with people (both in person & on-line) who are traveling the same path. But I’ve had my share of "personal crisis" since my Banding & am working with my therapist thru a fairly big depression resulting from it, and I just haven’t felt the “taking care of me for a change” drive that used to bring me to LBT several times a day. I do appreciate that several of you have noticed my absence & cared enough to check in on me… I feel the love, ladies! :wub: Even if I’ve been in such a funk that replying seemed a monumental task…

Anyhow! I don’t want to hit my Bandiversary in 3 weeks still UP from my 100# loss from November!! And I really was shooting for a loss of 104 pounds by 1-year – that mythical 2 pounds a week! Six pounds between now & Feb 15th -- that's just 21 days...I doubt I'll make it at this rate. I don’t know how/what to do to get myself back on the Bandwagon. But I do KNOW I’ve GOT to DO something about my lack of motivation, boredom & general attitude… Thanks for listening to me whine… :bigear: I'm done now! Perhaps dumping it out here at LBT by way of update & confession to y’all will serve as a purge of sorts!

ZANNIEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ((((((((((((((hugs!))))))))))))))))))

Welcome back! You should stop by our "ugh" thread and chat with us. Currently, there are 4 of us Feb '07 bandsters chatting it up over there. Here's the link: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f89/ugh-49654/

[babygrl1234 6]

Zannie, first off you look absolutely amazing in that picture. Secondly, girl you have got to stop being so had on yourself. I gained 10 pounds in about 3 weeks in december. I have had to work my ass off to get them off. You are doing an amzing job especially with all the heartache you have deaalt with. You are a lap band rock star girl!!!!! Sometimes we just need a break from weight loss. Your band will help you through until you are ready to get burning again.

As for shakes do you like pina coladas? Take some liquid egg whites (from a carton near the egg beaters) 4 ice cubes, a little bit of Water, some pineapple chunks and some davinci sf coconut Syrup and blend it up. Very yummy.

[gretchens4 0]

Wow,

You look great!! Congratulations! You will be right around your goal by your anniversary and that is a huge accomplishment. When all is said and done, I keep telling myself, it's not a race. It's nice to get there sooner, but if we keep going we will all get there in the next year. I have lost about 83 pounds and am hoping to get to 90 by 1 year.

You are doing so great!! It's frustrating and slow at times, but you have lost 100 pounds, that is amazing~~

[chiquis1 0]

:sad:Hi Everyone,its Great To See That All Or You Have Lost Alot Of Weight As For Me I Had My Surgery February 9th 2007 And I Have Only Lost 25 Pounds Due To The Fact That This Surgery Has No Restrictions For Junk food Or That Has Ben My Case.its A Great Surgery For Most But For Some Of Us Its Not, My Problem Has Always Ben Junk Food And Having No Self Control Is Why I Had This Done,but I Am Going To Do My Best To Stop All My Bad Habits And Realy Loose Weight. Hopefully Soon I Can Say I Have Lost 80 Pounds And Be So Happy Like You All,keep Up The Good Work.

[Ready to Lose 0]

:sad:Hi Everyone,its Great To See That All Or You Have Lost Alot Of Weight As For Me I Had My Surgery February 9th 2007 And I Have Only Lost 25 Pounds Due To The Fact That This Surgery Has No Restrictions For Junk food Or That Has Ben My Case.its A Great Surgery For Most But For Some Of Us Its Not, My Problem Has Always Ben Junk food And Having No Self Control Is Why I Had This Done,but I Am Going To Do My Best To Stop All My Bad Habits And Realy Loose Weight. Hopefully Soon I Can Say I Have Lost 80 Pounds And Be So Happy Like You All,keep Up The Good Work.

Yes, Let's curse the inventor of junk food:mad: (just kidding)

Good luck on your new journey!!!!

[oldgiesser 0]

I have lost about 60 pounds but have stayed the same weight for about 4 mounths.My food choice and portion size has been my enemy I need to have another fill and start to use this great tool like it should be used. I also need to start some exercise again.

Good Luck!! Terry

[shelley00 0]

shelley 2/07

[LadyLee 3]

I know you can do it, check with doctor for after care help, it's help me alot to open my eyes, plus listen to Bariatric Raido on your computer or you can call the toll free number @ 1-877-474-3302 ask him questions. My class has help me think when I go to eat. You can do it!

[Zannie 6]

Okay - not a single post to our thread in all of February! Egad! I've got no room to talk, but that is BAD -- especially since we all passed that one-year mark in February...

Time for Bandiversary Updates, everyone!!

As for me, I'm down 5 pounds since my one year weigh-in...finally having broken through that damn plateau (many thanks to my DH & all the stress at home that finally propelled me forward). I hit 100 pounds down at the end of November, gained back a bit over the holidays, and was back to -100.5 at my Bandiversary. I'm at 213.5 now, down from 320 at my height on the morning of surgery! 106 pounds lost!!! WAHOO! :biggrin:

I now weigh less than my husband, which has NEVER been the case in the nearly 20 years I've known him (even if HE is getting close to his highest weight again). We crossed paths on the scale at 218. That was one of my mini-goals, to weigh less than him -- whatever that number was! Sure -- I'm still 78 pounds overweight, but every mini-milestone is something to Celebrate, inspires me on, and makes it seem actually possible that the final goal (a "normal" BMI number) is achievable.

My surgeon predicts based on my progress that I'll hit about 160 (his goal for me by 2-years post-op) & then stall out. That's a loss of 5 pounds a month from the 1-year to 2-year post-op anniversaries. He thinks at that point I'll have about 20 pounds of excess abdominal skin & about 5 more between both my arms, and I'll be a good plastics candidate. I haven't given too much thought to more surgery, but maybe by 2-years post-op I'll be ready to consider it. And maybe I'll have come into the additional $12K so that I can afford it! :-P HA!! :smile:

Okay... NEXT!!!

Edited March 18, 2008 by Zannie
typo

[travelgirl 3]

Suzanne, you look so beautiful! You have done SO well! I wish I could say the same. I had a setback in May when my dad died. I was at 224 when that happened. I used that as an excuse for a few months to eat whatever I wanted, and instead of eating only when I was hungry, I pretty much grazed all day. This caused me to gain back up to 238 before I decided I needed to get a handle on this. Renewed my efforts, and will be going along great for a few days, and then I flop again. Those bad habits of a lifetime just keep creeping back up on me.

So essentially, I've been stalled since the end of May. The good news, though, is that I AM still down 55 lbs, and the lap-band has done that for me! And I know that I can "start over" whenever I'm ready. I don't feel like a failure, even though I've had people speculate behind my back that my surgery has failed, and here's why I don't feel like a failure: I did this for my health as much as my weight. I HAVE lost 55 lbs, which is significant, and KEPT IT OFF, with a little extra effort here and there. I also have managed to keep my diabetes completely under control WITHOUT meds, my cholesterol is better and better, also WITHOUT MEDS, and my blood pressure is no longer high, and once again, NO MEDS! To me, that is the definition of success.

Besides, I didn't gain all that weight overnight, so why on earth shouldn't I think of this as a lifetime journey? Don't get me wrong, I'm anxious to get down to onederland, and then to my goal weight, but I'm not going to beat myself up that I'm not there already. Slow and steady wins the race, right? I have a theory about RNY....they lose weight very quickly, and then over time gain it all back with interest. I know this is a blanket statement, and is not necessarily true in some cases, but it's my theory, and it rings true with me, anyway.

OK, there's mine, NEXT!!

[LadyLee 3]

You're doing wonderful! Yes, it's been one year and not easy but we have made it. I'm now done 100 pounds and wanting to get down 100 more pounds...... Saw the doctor the other day, he said that only 45% of the lap-band people loose hundered pounds the first year and studies show they re-gain some weight back the second year. I haven't start exercising yet, but today is the day I start working out.

Keep up the good work....:biggrin:

[Zannie 6]

What are y’all struggling with now that a year has gone by? And can we “band” together to help one another through it? (Sorry – I couldn’t resist the pun!) Anybody else needing some motivation? I know I am!:shades_smile:

I propose another challenge for April. My problem area is & has always been with Exercise so I default to the ol’ standby, but I’m totally open to suggestions!

Travelgirl, babygrl1234 … care to drag my sorry (if smaller) butt through another round? :teeth_smile: LBT is a great source for Bandster camaraderie, and I think I could use as shot of that about now.

Suzanne

[babygrl1234 6]

I am in. Do you want to set up a thread for it or shall I Zannie?

[Zannie 6]

I am in. Do you want to set up a thread for it or shall I Zannie?

Awh, I was hoping I could count on you! :shades_smile: And with that, I shall humbly yield to the Challenge Queen.

[travelgirl 3]

I, too, yield to the Challenge Queen, and I'm SO IN for the April challenge! I'm starting weight watchers at home today, too, so maybe this will be the kick in the pants I need to get the scale moving again!