wow, i have been banded with plication for almost 2 yrs

and been on this forum for 2 yrs 4 months..where has the time gone?

i am happier today then i was when i started in Feb 2012...compared to

where i am now today..

the only (advice) i want to give is the following (take it or ignore it):

• call your doctor if you are hurting or concerned or need (assistance w/questions can i or should i eat/do/drink)
• i strongly advise anyone to do what THEIR doctor says, not mine or anyone elses..
• use common sense (you cant gain true weight overnight and you wont lose true weight overnight)
• eating more calories than you burn off will make you gain weight with or without any WLS
• reality is clothes sizes getting smaller is a accurate sign of losing weight (dont focus totally on the metal monster)
• you do not have to be at goal in six months...get there when you do...WLS has no expiration date

and last but not least

believe in yourself to give yourself credit..you know if you eat too much of the not so great food chioices out there

dont say the WLS did not stop you..you stop you.....YOU can control yourself..(you wont step out in front of a train would you??)

WLS will help you but it wont be the save all as that part is up to you and me

be well and all the best to you.

Happy anniversary bandista

Happy Monday everyone hope we all have a fantastic week !!!

Carolina girl I had my spartan sprint medal engraved with want power one of ur quotes so thank you for inspiring me from day one

Happy anniversary bandista

Happy Monday everyone hope we all have a fantastic week !!!

Carolina girl I had my spartan sprint medal engraved with want power one of ur quotes so thank you for inspiring me from day one

YOU inspire YOU and you are working it.....so proud of you

make sure i get a pic of this awesome medal.....i def wanna see this

YOU are amazing ♥

Oh, I probably won't leave, just go silent for awhile.

hey karen

i am with you

like i told lizzie and others, i dont post as much

for those very reasons you stated....hard to get (slammed) day in and day out

when i advise to use common sense, call the dr and last but not least, be patient

its the world of fast food and quick results

and if it dont happen....OMG lets have a striped pink and green cow....

but i remember clearly where newbies started

i recall it well.....i also recall it from a 336+ pound woman stand point

it was either do it....or get bigger..there was no turning back for me

ANYHOW

i love ya my fl friend ♥

A couple of pics from the parade...

IMG_20140629_141309_149.jpgIMG_20140629_141556_476.jpg

would have loved to been there on this day with you lizzie boo

GREAT pictures

Oh, I probably won't leave, just go silent for awhile.

hey karen

i am with you

like i told lizzie and others, i dont post as much

for those very reasons you stated....hard to get (slammed) day in and day out

when i advise to use common sense, call the dr and last but not least, be patient

its the world of fast food and quick results

and if it dont happen....OMG lets have a striped pink and green cow....

but i remember clearly where newbies started

i recall it well.....i also recall it from a 336+ pound woman stand point

it was either do it....or get bigger..there was no turning back for me

ANYHOW

i love ya my fl friend ♥

Thanks Cg, I love you too! I, also, remember the 250 lb me! I remember being hungry(head hunger), and being told by my surgeon there is no way you are hungry, you just think you are. I remember sitting in church, right after surgery, and hearing my tummy talk to me during the sermon loud enough that the person sitting next to me could hear. BUT, we don't know what we are talking about. The newbies are the experts that the other newbies want to listen to. So, this is my only refuge! Would say the veterans, but I see others in there , too! Talk to you all later.

New picture! Boxing classes are paying off

And you know it's paying off when your own mother does a double-take the first time she sees you after 2 months. She admitted that she didn't recognize me at first glance!

Happy Tuesday!

Edited July 1, 201412 yr by SillyAuntDi

@@SillyAuntDi that is a fantastic pic of you! You look amazing! Great job!!

New picture! Boxing classes are paying off

MEJUN2014-2.jpg

And you know it's paying off when your own mother does a double-take the first time she sees you after 2 months. She admitted that she didn't recognize me at first glance!

Happy Tuesday!

OMG! You look stunning.

New picture! Boxing classes are paying off

MEJUN2014-2.jpg

And you know it's paying off when your own mother does a double-take the first time she sees you after 2 months. She admitted that she didn't recognize me at first glance!

Happy Tuesday!

I once did not recognize myself in the overhead mirror going into a store! and my daughter looked up and down the aisles for me, and I was right there!

BUT, we don't know what we are talking about. The newbies are the experts that the other newbies want to listen to.

This is why I don't post much anymore either. People don't want constructive advice or hard truth. They want to be coddled and told they can keep on doing things like they have been their whole life and the band will do it all.....Next up will be a revision to sleeve or bypass cause their band failed them all the while making absolutely no changes to their lifestyle.

I'm not sure that I agree I would not let anyone person's comments new, veteran or surgeon run me off.

You know some one told me opinions are like A**holes right everyone has one and some people just are.

So I when people bug me I think about that and laugh cause the visual is hysterical! Then I don't judge them, ignorance is a sickness as much as obesity is. They don't have to like what I say, but they don't have the right to treat me badly nor do I them. I don't preach to the choir I sing in harmony. (Match pitch anyone lalalala clearing voice and quieting down cause my desk mate thinks I'm wacko or went out drinking for lunch)

If I asked you are you cured of your obesity? Would you say yes because you have lost 100 pounds or more? Would you say yes if you lost 200?

We are all in this together and the newbie (even the ones who just are) has something to say and teach us as much as we have to say and teach them, even if it's simply how NOT to be, and what NOT to do.

So I take it in stride and I comment as I feel it and I don't when I don't and if I get sling back that's nasty I can hash it out with the best of em, but I really try not to stoop, I save the bending for squats

f they know better after one day then you do after X amount of years and weight lost then OK revision slips what have you that's for them to learn and experience at their own risk and share in entertaining and not so entertaining ways later, when/if I read it. Some of them could be part of the next Steven King novel the way they tell the story of how the band destroyed the Universe and blacked out the Sun.

So I ask you have you got this band thing nailed and down pat? Cause I know I don't, and all I can say is what I have experienced and nothing more, I can be supportive to those that want and seek support even if that means some tough love. Just ask my kids I rock in that department!

So friends please try not to let it rattle you, people are just people they can't help it they were born that way

Sometimes I like my cat better...even when he talks back.

Edited July 1, 201412 yr by lisacaron

I have learned how to gauge a poster. If they sound like they want justification for breaking the rules and a "it will be OK" attitude, I just move along. My doc and I have talked at length about the mental part of the process and how determined I was from the beginning to make this a success. I've taken nothing forgranted. I've done nothing the easy way. I've worked hard at it. I get a little miffed by those that think "Oh, I have had WLS so now all the weight is just going to fall off." I ignore those people on here. Because they are the reason people like my personal trainer have a bad view on WLS. My trainer was heard making a comment that really ticked me off about how losing weight with WLS was less meaningful than if it was done without...what the heck???? When he clarified, it was because he only knows of people who have the attitude of "WLS will do all the work and I can still eat whatever I like and never exercise." So, I just don't engage those posters. I just can't fathom putting your body through such a process only to continue to do the bad things you were doing before. <rant over>

@@SillyAuntDi I totally understand that and I agree 100%. You know right before hubby and I got married a family member was going in for WLS. It was a great choice for him, he has some pretty bad medical issues and though most of the family were not supportive I was totally in his corner I thought wow this is awesome I hope it all works out for him, and I really wanted to see all the photo's etc as he lost weight and "got healthy".

We had a brunch celebration for our family when we came back from our wedding (no one was invited to that not even our 5 kids!) There was food galore at Lombardi's everything and anything you could possibly think of or want. I felt bad when I invited him that he might not be able to eat the food there and asked the catering hall if they would accommodate any special dietary needs he might have.

So I reached out and asked him what that might be so I could let them know I knew nothing about WLS then but was starting to research it. He told me don't worry he would be able to eat anything. I didn't take that to heart until, he really was ready to eat anything. Thinking the surgery was the fix it and now he could stuff the pie hole with anything and everything and the weight was going to peel away.

Yeah well that didn't happen. I cringe when we are at family parties now that both my hubby and I have had WLS and I watch the volumes of soda (straight sugar high test soda) and the piles of food on the plate, hoagies and all.

I think to myself maybe it's all my eyes are bigger then my tummy, would have to be after sleeve surgery right? Wrong, cause by now that tummy is right back where it was, and all that food went in...and I watched and was sick. (really physically I had to walk away, my band was hurting! Not really but in my mind it was)

So for those that think there is magic in that band or sleeve or RNY, they need to know that the magician makes the magic happen and the magician is YOU.

It is dam hard work WLS or not. Getting fat was the easy part, open mouth insert food chew swallow and don't move for 3-4 months success! Getting rid of that fat...is HARD ass breaking heart pounding breath taking work! I fight for every ounce I lose as I am sure you all do too

Now off to the dentist! UGH, all my healthy eating chipped a filling... I really do hate having to go to see the dentist. (no offense to those of you who are one....but I really do hate it.)

Here you go cg

I know this should go with success stories but I wanna share it with you all as well

July 1,2013 -July 1-2014

It's been a year . What an amazing life changing year. Last year at this time I was a nervous wreck of getting banded almost having an anxiety attack in the waiting room before surgery but wouldn't let it show. So sacred of what life would be with this band how would I feel how would I eat how would I live. I thought for sure the band would he like a flashing neon light and everyone would laugh and scoff that I had it done. I kept it a secret and still do. At first it was because I was ashamed I needed surgical Intervention to do what seemed like an easy task just stop eating. Now I keep it a secret because it's my most treasured precious love.

I'm sitting in the hospital getting my Esopogram done. Walked in with my head held high wearing a cute size large sundress which needs to be taken in I might be a medium now. Smiling not worried if I will fit in chair or people will stare and judge. I'm sitting cross legged in chair and there is room for my purse beside me in the chair what the hell is this. It's fabulous that's what it is!!!!

I'm down 104lbs from a tight 22/24 pants 3x shirt to a size 12/14 pants med/large shirt. I can shop in any store in the regular size clothes although I did try a plus size store last week as it was all to big. Do I see what everyone else sees no but I'm getting there. I thought I always had great self esteem and somehow it's fluctuating have some low days but that's normal I guess because now because I'm learning to live in my new body. I have been obese for 25 years and a consistent normal size for less than 1 year .Of course I lost weight hundreds of times before but never this amount never this size in my entire adult life . And I know it's gone forever .I'm shocked when I see pictures of me like wow I did this with my band eating right and exercising. I now know the band is a tool and I'm working it. I'm at the gym 5-7 days a week eating way less and moving more. Learning the signals when I'm satisfied. Still working on the chewing better and slowing down as sometimes I forget to eat for several hours and then I get super hungry the old me kicks in and I might not chew but my band reminds me chew more and u need way less food.

The amazing encouraging people I have met here is as priceless as my band. No judgements just caring, understanding and encouragement and a good swift reality check when need be.

I'm healthier I have participated in2 5k and one 10k obstacle events and looking to do more. I'm ancy if I don't eat right or work out. I crave healthy food and movement. Things sure have changed but 100000% for the better. Had I known then what I feel now I would of done this years ago.

And for u cg here is that pic