March already?? Where has it all gone? We are now heading into 10 months if banding and I see some of us have reached goal already! Congrats Neal! You rock dude!!

I am now officially down 72 pounds. 208! 9 more pounds to onderland. March is going to be good to me.... I can feel it! Last May I was wearing size 22 pants and 3x tops. Today I am wearing size 16 skinny fit cords from Old Navy and a size XL top. The cords are being held up by a belt and this may be one of the last times I am able to wear them I am afraid. I do have some 14's that I can fit into very comfortably now! I am wearing a bunch of my hubbys sweaters and jackets as all of mine are huge on me now. Men's L fits me great!

I have been struggling the past week or so with life in general. As some of you know I injured my knee almost 4 weeks ago at derby practice. That has really kept me down. I haven't been able to practice or do much of any form of excercise. I had planned on getting into the gym starting last week and working on the stationary bike and doing some strengthening on my knees but I cam down with a terrible flu bug that wiped me out for a whole weel. I missed most of the week from work and barley had enough energy to make it to the bathroom from bed and back. My eating has slowed considerably to the point my hubby is concerned that I am not getting in enough calories. I have appeased him by adding a Protein drink to my daily diet and I admit, it makes me feel better. I am going to see my ortho doc today about my knee and hope to be back on skates next week. I think that alone will greatly improve my general well being.

I will get some new pics posted ASAP!!!

Peace.

Here is a copy of a message I exchanged with Diane the first of February.

Well hello Dear Friend! Thanks for having me in your thoughts.

No, I haven't fallen off a cliff or any other mishap. Just I've been incredibly busy tackling the day to day routines. With recovery slow and my energy level not as I would like....I spend all my useful time trying to "catch up" ...then I wipe out and start all over the next day. In general....everything is progressing as it should....but it will still take time to get to a good baseline. My legs get wobbly when I have overdone it....so I know when "not" to push the limits. My headaches are greatly reduced as is the dizzyness that I used to suffer on a daily basis. My brain fog is going away....and I am able to concentrate and stay on task! (that is my most profound post surgery gain) I am still tired out...suppose that is par for the course...but every month is better than the last...and I know I will be in a better place down the line.

As for my wt loss.....well, the doc didn't want to give me any fills...during my medical crisis....so my first fill was end of November!!!...and he barely put anything in! (he is going ultra conservative on me) I had a little more in January...but still he is holding back...saying..better to go slow. I didn't lose anything at all from November's fill....but I have lost 10 lbs from January's fill till now. I will go back in March for more...and then, I think he will treat me the same as his other patients (I hope) It has been a very long road for me. My band was placed May 23,06....ten days later I was admitted for the pericarditis...then you heard about all the drama that followed! So....in normal cases...I should be bragging a 50lb wt loss..but alas, it is only 10 lbs so far. I proudly ran out of the starting gate......then seriously tripped on my shoelaces...and lost that race!

I guess it is a lesson in patience....and certainly a lesson in knowing I am truly blessed....a walking miracle! I remind myself of that every day!

I have not had much "me" time to enjoy going on the boards. I also was a little shy from all the bickering and banned members that happened a while back....just never got around to see how the dust settled and if it got back to being supportive and full of good humor.

Now....all that was about me.......please, let me know how YOU are doing and about your personal success with the band. I'll bet you are looking real good these days!

Big smiles to ya....Diane : )

****She is active on the MoyaMoya forum. But even there she doesn't post very often.****

Myra

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Go Myra! Keep it up girl! I am SOOO happy that your health is moving in a more positive direction. Soon you may be able to say goodbye to insulin forever!

Well... I am no longer a PB virgin. After just short of 10 months of being banded, I had my first PB yesterday. It was painful and gross.. but I was soo glad that the food came back up(very painful until then). I ate Breakfast out with my parents and grandmother who is in very poor health... I'm not sure why the 1/4 of a bacon and egg sandwich that I ate didn't go down. It must have been too dry or I ate too fast, or I was stressed from trying to get my oxygen dependant grandmother situated... I had drank about 16 oz. of Water and some hot coffee before I ate.. must have been the toasted bread... Needless to say, I won't do that again! Didn't make it home before it all came back up, and OMG the SLIME!!! EEEK!!! At least I know what to expect now.

Hope everyone is doing well... Oh, and I missed my St. Paddy's challenge by a couple of pounds.. OH WELL!!! New challenge anyone?

Hey May peeps!

I am checking in for the week. I am at a total stall as far as weight loss goes. I have been stuck between 210-208 for WEEKS now. I don't know what the deal is. I am drinking at least 80oz of Water a day, eat about 1000-1200 calories a day and am excercising like a fiend. According to sparkpeople.com I burn about 1300 calories at every derby practice and I practice 3 times a week. Do I need to up my calories? I don't want another fill... I have a hard time with hard Proteins sometimes now as it is.

Any ideas for me?

On a side note... I am pretty disgusted with LBT lately. Everytime I log in I have to wade through all the Rants and Raves crap to find anything worth reading. When did this become such a political forum? Geez... I think some people just like to argue.

Rant over... Party on Garth!

Well, I'm glad to report a loss this week of 6 whopping pounds since the fill (last Mon). Now, why didn't she do that sooner?

Myra ~ Thank U so much for posting the letter from Diane. It was great to here some news about her. If you get the chance, please tell her there are many on here that care a great deal for her and would love to see her post when she is up to it.

Now on to you......HOLY COW.....you have some AWESOME NSV's!! You are on you way....you little elliptical "sprinter". :biggrin1: BTW, my entire family is going to be in your neck of the woods next week. We are going to be looking for homes, schools, & such. Can't wait to hook up with you. Maybe sometime late summer??

Kim ~ You poor thing. :cry I just hate to hear about you going through that. I hope my DW stays a PB virgin :nervous, but I do understand the concept of eating too fast & not paying close enough attention. It's so easy to do. Did you drink some aloe vera juice afterward? Are you doing alright now? Any lasting effects? Take care my friend.

Drews ~ Maybe you do need some more Protein since you have intense workouts at derby practice. Try a Protein shake b4 your practice or an Isopure. Not that familiar with sparkpeople, but have your tried listing your food intake at fitday.com? It will give you a break down of the Proteins & such so you'll know exactly what your taking in. Another thought is that you have had a tremendous success with your band and perhaps your body is just leveling off for awhile. Let us know how things go. :phanvan

Regarding your side note.....I have felt the same way for a long time now. It's been the same stuff for months. Unfortunately, a good bit of the time, it's lopsided. Even kept me from posting. I guess the R & R serves it's purpose and keeps the fingers flying on keyboards. :tired

Just checking in for March. I missed my St Patty's Day goal but I was pretty close. I've just come to the conclusion my weight loss is going to be super slow now that I am less than 20 from my goal. Ugh!

Drews I agree...I just hardly log onto LBT lately. The rants and raves get old and I just don't feel much support...other than here with you May folks. The May thread is about the only place I post anymore. You guys still ROCK!

Wow! Congrats to 3loves on the 6 lbs lost! You are on a roll now! I did sip on some Aloe Vera juices and only ate soupy stuff for the rest of the day. I feel fine now... it was almost instant relief when all the slime and food came up.

Drews - Sorry you've plateaued.. definitely up the Protein.. and maybe increase your calories by 200 - 300. I've been plateuaed again for a couple of weeks, man that gets frustrating. Part of my problem is that I have been eating chocolate....darned Easter candy!

Alicia - I just missed my St. Paddy's goal too.. I think my last 50 lbs is going to be slow... I need to add cardio exercise on Mondays and Wednesdays, but I can't seem to find the time. I can't wait for it to get warm enough to uncover the pool and start swimming some laps..

Yep, the R&R stuff has gotten out of hand.... I don't know about you guys, but I'm just not gonna argue with complete strangers about everything under the sun. That stuff needs to take a back seat to band support, ya know? Or at least they should not make the R & R posts pop up in the latest posts area. I am soooo tired of seeing the Anti-Semiticism (sp?) in France heading that I could barf!

Hey, Maysters! My weightloss has slowed to a snails pace, too, so I've decided to quit focusing on poundage and start concentrating on being fit. And to that end, yesterday when I did my three miles, I ran about a mile of it. Off and on, with a whole lot of walking between the running, but it was more than I've done in, well, forever!

So each time I go out and do my three miles, I'm going to try to do more and more of it running.

As far as my St. Patty's Day Challenge went, I got down to 191 -- a lb. from my goal, then shot back up to 194. Ughh!

I guess I don't go to the main page of the forum, so I don't see the R&R's going on. I don't come here to argue, but for all you Maysters great support. But it seems that no matter what board I go to, there are always rabble rousers who think that because it's a forum --- no matter what the forum is for -- they can spout all kinds of garbage. I tend to stick with the posts that stick to what I'm there for. My walking forum....we talk about walking. My mom's forum.....we talk about parenting. My LBT.....I stick with the Maysters! So the best advice I can give is SOB (Scroll on BY!).

Keep up the good work!

Hey Marci! How have you been lately? I am so proud of you for doing 3 miles a day! RUNNING A MILE?!!! That is awesome. I know this sounds crazy, but I'm scared to try and run.. I've never been able to run without gasping for breath 30 seconds into it. I guess I'm afraid that I still won't be able too... maybe I'll give it a try in the next few weeks. You are an inspiration.

People... I am definitely gonna have to add more cardio throughout my week. I think that my body has grown used to the 3 days a week(2 hours per day) workouts, cause my weight loss is S_L_O_W even after a pretty tight fill. Okay.. those damn Reeses Peanut Butter cup mini easter eggs don't help anything either. Easter candy is baaaaad. People keep bringing it to work, my mom always has it around.. its EVERYWHERE!! Why oh, why does chocolate go down sooo easily? OK, whine is over!

Keep up the great work Maysters!

Time for a new Challenge!! My one year bandaversary is May 26th! I am setting a goal of 194 lbs. That means that I need to lose 20 lbs in just over nine weeks! Anyone else wanna do a bandaversary challenge?

I'm in for a new challenge! I would like to see 199 by my bandiversary! That gives me exactly 6 weeks from today to lose 9ish pounds. Here's hopin'!

Hello... I'm a April 07 bandster but I read all over the place.. I wanted to pop in here and say... that all your losses are really inspiring!

Drews: You pics over on the before and after page are WONDERFUL! I think it is so cool that you've started with the derby.. did you ever pic a name! I agree.. with all the others who said you need to up your calories a bit, because of the increased workouts.. you are building some major muscle and that chick on BUNS of STEEL will have NOTHING on you!!!

I don't really read negative stuff.. I just move on to the positives... I get what I NEED from lbt.....

KEEP up the great work.. there are those lurkers who gain inspiration from each and every one of you!

Hey TracyinKS! Thanks for the kind words! Pop into the Maysters thread any time, and congrats on your upcoming surgery!

Hey all you Maysters.... let's all post updated pics before March is over! I wanna see your perty faces!!!

Hello... I'm a April 07 bandster but I read all over the place.. I wanted to pop in here and say... that all your losses are really inspiring!

Drews: You pics over on the before and after page are WONDERFUL! I think it is so cool that you've started with the derby.. did you ever pic a name! I agree.. with all the others who said you need to up your calories a bit, because of the increased workouts.. you are building some major muscle and that chick on BUNS of STEEL will have NOTHING on you!!!

I don't really read negative stuff.. I just move on to the positives... I get what I NEED from lbt.....

KEEP up the great work.. there are those lurkers who gain inspiration from each and every one of you!

Thanks Tracy!!

I'll start! First pic is the DREADED before pic... second I took just now in the bathroom here at work! (sorry the quality kind of sucks!)

Drews! Wow! It is amazing how different you look! I'll have to rummage around for some good before pics. My cousin took some official ones a couple of days before surgery for me. Then someone stole her digital camera before she got them to me( 9 months later). There are plenty of fat pics of me out there.. I'll try to post them soon.