What sorts of things do you want to do, have, wear, etc. after you lose the weight? I'm thinking about starting a list for myself that I can look at when I get discouraged or begin to question what I'm about to do by getting banded. I know the obvious things like wear nice clothes, sit in seats more comfortably, but I want to know what other things you hope to do in the future. Some of my goals are to travel abroad and have the energy and strength to do a lot of walking, climbing, riding horses, camels, and elephants. I want to go to Europe, Egypt, and Africa. I want to go to Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon and be able to ride down to the bottom of the canyon. I want to wear ball gowns and learn how to do ballroom dancing. I'll have 8 months after I'm banded before I turn 50. I hope I can do something spectacular to celebrate. I know I can't lose all my weight in 8 months, but it seems like I could lose enough that I could begin to be doing some of the things I've listed above. Please share your hopes and goals and give me more ideas to add to my list.

I plan on letting someone love me, getting married, having children, travel. I plan on loving myself alot more than I did before the band. I'd like to wear shorts & skirts again.....ummm. Much more. BIG PLANS for me!

Okay so here's my list.... its a little long and repeats a little.

Love, Sheila

1.) Being able to fully embrace myself as athletic, outgoing and sexy

2.) Feeling in Control

3.) Cute Clothes

4.) No limitations on career

5.) Better health- NO DIABETES

6.) Fit more comfortably on a roller coaster and air plane

7.) Feeling and being sexy in a pair of jeans

8.) Take cute pictures with family and friends

9.) Meeting people and having them judge me based on who I am, not how I look

10.) Conquering the voices of self doubt once and for all!!

11.) Looking cute at the gym

12.) Going clubbing without feeling self-conscious

13.) Being a true friend who is no focused on her own issues

14.) Going back to New York looking smokin’ hot

15.) Not being self conscious ALL THE TIME!

16.) Getting to chose whether I want to where slutty clothes

17.) Being healthy and happy

18.) Getting roles based on how I perform, not how I look

19.) Happy feet- no not the penguin movie, no more blisters and cracked skin

20.) Being physically attractive to another person MY AGE!!

21.) Becoming a sponsor at OA for other overweight bulimics in recovery

22.) Going to the Renfrew Reunion in June and being healthy!

23.) Volunteering at Renfrew to tell my story

24.) Being able to teach my children (in the future) by example how to live well

25.) Being able to enjoy and relish the body that God gave me

26.) Being able to kick my dad’s butt in racquetball

27.) Having improved cardiovascular health

28.) HAVING CHOICE IN MY LIFE!!

Be warned, mine is long like bwaydiva's!!!

1.) Not take meds every day / generally be healthy for once.

2.) Finally be able to have a baby (currently have been officially battling infertility for 4 years). I can't wait to feel what it's like to be pregnant and know I'm carrying my hubby's child (actually, i want to be a breeder - I want like 6 kids! lol...Hubby says 3 right now, maybe 4)

3.) ROLLER COASTERS!!!!! I miss them! (on my honeymoon i tried to ride "the hulk" at universal's island's of adventure....waited in line 2 hours...couldn't fit...left my new hubby on the ride so one of us could enjoy it.....that was the most embarrassing moment of my life...)

4.) NEW WARDROBE!

5.) I will buy and wear an "itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini" to the beach and look (and feel) good.

6.) catalog/internet shopping for clothes! (no more guesswork "will this fit?")

7.) Be able to wear bras that actually fit (they don't make the size I am - too big around, not enough boobs)

8.) Travel

9.) Hike the mountains

10.) Like someone else said, not worry about public seating (if i'll break it!)

11.) More confidence

12.) (sorry for this one, but....) Sex, sex, and more sex. New positions, new places, confidence to give my hubby a lap dance.....can't wait (neither can my DH!! lol):heh: :heh: :heh: :heh:

13.) No more aching feet, ankles, knees, back, etc.

14.) Can we say HIGH SCHOOL REUNION?!?! ((10 yr for me is coming up in 3 more years -- can't wait!! I was always big, so a skinny me would floor most people))

15.) If i don't have the saggy skin I'll get my belly button pierced (just to say I did it..lol)

16.) I live in FL....shorts and tanks that fit and look cute on me!

17.) knowing I'll live past 40 ((this is a big one))

18.) sleeping better (undiagnosed sleep apnea)

19.) Dancing lessons - as someone else said, I wanna learn how to shake it like Shakira (i've got the hips under all these rolls!)

20.) Coming out of my wallflower shell in general

21.) More Energy

22.) I'm going to renew my vows to my hubby (so I can have healthy/fit pictures in a wedding dress!).

23.) Not having people snicker and look at me funny in public

24.) Feeling as though I'm a trophy wife to my hubby (he says I already am, but I don't feel it). I wanna feel confident when he shows me off to people, right now I just want to hide behidn him. I love showing him off too though...

25.) Being able to run!

26.) Being able to cross my legs (never have been able to do that the "lady" way...always had to do it the "guy" way).

The treat I'm going to give myself (and hubby) when I reach goal is going to be a cruise on the Disney Cruise Line - like 8 days long, and I'll have my own balcony! (yeah, gonna go broke on that one, but that's ok!).

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: Great thread for inspiration!!:clap2: :clap2:

• Complete KAMA SUTRA book
  
• Upside down roller coaster again
  
• Not have to goto a restaurant and ask for a table
  
• Not be the Fat Cop at work anymore

• Go swimming and not get harpooned !
  
• Be able to eat less then my 110 lb woman and be full
  
• Sky Dive
  
• Join the Reserves
  
• Not have my gun belt dig into my side and hurt like hell !
  
• Get healthy
  
• Run the local 5 mile run in my town
  
• Get my pic on the front page of GQ magazine (ok a bit far fetched):nervous
  

. Bungee Jump

<DIR><DIR>Sky dive

River Rafting

Carnival Rides

Stamina at the Fair

High Diving

Swimming at pools

Swimming at rivers, lakes, oceans

Wearing wet suits

wearning neat bathing suit

Tanning beds

Boating, canoeing

Sun Bathe

Camping with stamina

Hike to neat places,

natural hot springs

take on a waterfall

explore floods

Wicker

movie chairs

chisrs

Wear cool clothes

short skirts

thigh high boots

push up bra

size 9 shoes

tights and pantihose

see through shirts

shorts in the summer

Show my arms

show my stomach (HA, as if!)

wear rings on not so fat fingers

wear chokers

wear necklaces

wear anklets

sexy lingerie

Be prettier than Dawn

show off for paul and sex him right

Show off to Harvey

Date cute boys

Show up dawn

show up teresa

Buy clothes at Mall

Get used clothes at goodwill

beach combing

trails

crabbing

clam digging

charter fishing

wear white

ride horse

beach sandles

show my body

strip

vacations, big ones

disneyland

hawaii

SanFransisco

Hollywood

Liposuction

boob job

ride dirtbike

motorcycle

sleep on floor, ground

seatbelts fit

shower

shower with others

do it in shower

breath

run, jog, walk track

treadmill

bike

play some sports

Dance

take dance classes

feel confidant at bars

go out more

Show off to carl

joe

brian

mike

Make mom and dave think I am OK

Stay up all night

flirt with women

more females

younger men

more friends

best friend

mr wright

Rock concerts

art in the park

Airplane rides

bounce

skating

rollar blade

sail

jet ski

jet tube

Summer fling

Wear Something stunning at christmas

New years ever party hardy

Dance dance dance

go out to eat like a normal person

Family reunions

Wedding? on beach

wear formal wear

Show off in publin like I am the bomb

Ski

snow board

bonfires

sledding

get to remote locations in water

water parks

volunteer more

Job mobility

build muscle

kick ass

intimidate

mountain climb

rock climb

survival camping

survival play

paint balling

bird watching

Fishing

swim with sharks or other fish

Role play

halloween costumes

show off to kenny wipe my ass

Surf body surf

let people touch me

explore caves

Go on a cruise

wind surfing

sex on top

tide pools

gardening

karate

pwer walks

Go see CL

play guitar

see my face again

be taken seriously

keep house clean

help my kids more

go fun places with family

take kids places

share a tub

kids not embarrassed of me

kids have to do less chores

volunteer at their school more

help people more

smell better

be cleaner

have a career

lazer light sows

work harder

high heels

sensual massage

flashing

mooning (lol, NOT)

be naked

look in mirror

Flirt

peircings

tattos

walk instead of drive

climb stairs

walk and move with out fear

sit on hard sufaces

nice skin

pot lucks

girl scouts

</DIR></DIR>fundraisers

here goes

windsurf

salsa lessons

fit comfortably in a plane seat

date again and be in a relationship

love myself

not worry about what others think

triathalon

swim

wear a cute swimsuit

wear cute clothes

little black dress

beable to run with my son

golf better

live life instead of being on the sidelines

i LOVE that we are talking about SEX like its just okay!

I want to sit on the floor crosslegged again.

i want to be able to ride a bicycle comfortably as long as i want to.

i want sex! i remember sex!

to dance..in my house, with no one looking, without hurting my ankles or knees.

I cant wait to have a conversation where im not wondering what the other person is thinking about my size.

but the sex thing, definitely!

My needs are simple. I want to walk with my arms hanging down comfortably at my sides instead of sticking out. I want to walk like a model, sort of...hips engaged without worrying that that just pushes my stomach out more. I want to own a swim suit. I want to not have to wish all my shoes were W width. I want to hold hands with my husband abd have his fingers go all the way to the end of my fingers. I want to own pants without elastic. I want to go through a summer without folds of skin causing chapping. I want to run without every inch of me bouncing. I want a waistline.

Dixiecharm yesterday was your band day. Congratulations ((((HHUUUGGGSSS)))))

My list is fairly short... I already have a swimsuit (well a swimdress I guess) but its pretty cutes on me with its halter top and my boobs look great in it and so forth. I don't really care much about what others think of me. I used to, when I was younger, like in highschool, but over the years I've gotten over being self conscious especially when it is about my weight. I think I look good as I do now, even if I am fat... I'm one of those odd fat girls that has too much self confidence. Comes from having the best husband. And I also have this recurring nightmare on occasion where I'm told that to complete the master's program I have to take swimming class, at 8 am! Since its a Library Science program it doesn't make sense to me and I fail the class because 1) Its 8am. I'm narcoleptic. I don't think so. 2) Its wet. Its cold. This swimming stuff is tiring and I'm really bad at it...

So swimming is not on my goal. Maybe someday I will take swimming lessons to learn to swim better. In a heated pool. But that is not weight dependant. Thought docs and others keep telling me how good Water aerobics is for fibro. But it is wet! And I used to be the kind of girl that preffered kickboxing aerobics before I got sick... So here is my list.

1) Be able to shop anywhere for clothes.

2) Be able to have tall boots made without worrying about size of legs changing (I have huge feet so just buying them won't work).

3) Have more energy!

4) Get off of Blood pressure med! Oh thats the first goal!

5) Sex in more positions.

6) Be able to wear chokers and smaller jewelry and a smaller ring size and maybe even bracelets I see in stores? Not sure if this is possible though since I have big wrists.

7) Be able to fit more places- the back seat of smaller 2 door cars, small chairs, tight places, plane seats, etc. Classroom desks.

8) Eliminate thigh chafe. I hate thigh chafe.

9) Ease the pressure and load on my joints.

10) Be able to have a healthy pregnancy when ready.

And then I have more goals related to health. But I don't know how much losing weight will improve my health-- maybe a ton, maybe a little, it does depend on other factors. Like if my narcolepsy improves then my fibro is boun d to improve. But if my narcolepsy doesn't improve (like if it doesn't respond to treatment for the nighttime issues) then maybe the weightloss won't have as great of an effect as I would like on my overall health... But I am ok with that. I know that weight loss is great for my health. I'm just saying, that is another list and another dream.

I jumped the gun and did one of those wonderfully vain things I've wanted to do. I just botoxed the area between my eyebrows. Decided that I didn't want to be permanently scowling anymore. So now I won't look angry for about 3 months. Ha! Such vanity! Frivolous bandster, I!

I want to re-affirm my vows with my husband and children somewhere warm on a beach in a beautiful white gown... hated the first time around- white has never been a good color for me!

I want to have a family portrait taken... have avoided photos for years.

I want to swim with my children... haven't worn a swimsuit in public for a very long time.

I want to buy a designer gown for the next social event I need to attend... tired of looking at the matronly ones so that I can cover my arms.

I want to put on clothes in the morning without feeling like I am doing battle with my closet.

I want to take dance lessons with my husband and have fun doing it!

I think of these goals often! I am sure I will get there.

Good Luck to all with your goals. Thanks for the chance to remind us why

we need to stay focused.

Kim:kiss2:

223/217/205/130

pre-op/surg day/current/goal

banded 1/30/07

When I reach goal and am all finished (wherever that ends up being) I want to be able to invest in some nice clothes, like maybe even a designer piece or two. Thats something I've never really done before because of budget rescritions and also because of size fluctuations and so forth. Maybe I can get on what not to wear or something like that! That would be great as I'm told stained t shirts and jeans just aren't fashionable, but other stuff seems like a bit of a reach sometimes.

I want to wear a "little black dress" and have it really be a little black dress and not the curtain from some theatrical stage show! I want to walk into a store and head for the misses dept instead of the plus sizes. I want to be able to dance at my sons weddings and see my grandchildren and not be ashamed of the way I look. nothing major.....:heh:

Ollie I want the same thing. I have actually bought one in a medium and it hangs where I can see it everyday....

My list is pretty comprehensive....:dance:

vStop health problems from escalating

vShop in the regular sizes<O:p</O:p

vBe able to feel completely comfortable in an airplane seat<O:p</O:p

vWork out on an elliptical for 30 minutes straight<O:p</O:p

vWear sleeveless shirts<O:p</O:p

vWear dresses<O:p</O:p

vLearn to ballroom/salsa dance<O:p</O:p

vFeel more comfortable in my own skin<O:p</O:p

vWear lingerie – now that would be a miracle!<O:p</O:p

vHave more energy<O:p</O:p

vTake a belly dancing class<O:p</O:p

vWear a bathing suit in public

vWear shorts<O:p</O:p

vStop hiding behind other people when photos are taken<O:p</O:p

vNever have people look at me with a look of disgust<O:p</O:p

vNever hear someone say, “you have such a pretty face.”<O:p</O:p

vHave men who rejected me because I was too fat regret it deeply<O:p</O:p

vFeel confident enough to approach someone and strike up a conversation<O:p</O:p

vFeeling in control of my life<O:p</O:p

vConquering the voice of self-doubt<O:p</O:p

vBeing able to attract men worthy of me, not just losers

vNot be invisible in social situations<O:p</O:p

vFeeling sexy again<O:p</O:p

vBeing able to cross my legs with no effort<O:p</O:p

vWear clothes with color<O:p</O:p

vHave an hour glass figure again<O:p</O:p