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.

@@Julie norton your my hero! Keep on keeping on cause you inspire me!

THANK YOU ALL????

I get such nice feedback and advice here. Not many people can discuss some of the topics we touch on here

I feel very safe putting my emotions out to our site. I don't have friends that have had surgery. Harder to explain to the general public

Thankful for understanding and I always appreciate tips for going thru this life banded....

Love the idea of a flower party. What a great focus instead of food and drink????????

After a hellish week, I can relax today. I may get a manicure. I've spent the last three weeks working daily on divorce discovery. I took a vacation day Friday in order to meet my deadline. The living room is covered in stacks of papers. Now I just need to box them up and deliver them to the lawyer. I also got my taxes prepared married filing separately and that was completed yesterday. The next deadline is college FAFSA forms, but compared to the past three weeks that's a piece of cake.

My angel daughters each sent me a long distance valentine. One sent a bouquet of flowers. One sent chocolate covered strawberries. I felt very loved and blessed yesterday. I had two berries yesterday and I'll pace the rest at one a day.

I've had a week of okay food choices but more wine than weight loss likes. I'll get on the scale in a few minutes but I'm pretty sure I have a gain this week.

One thing I'm learning is that there is no such thing as taking too good care of yourself. I was truly overwhelmed by the divorce requirements these last three weeks, and I followed a plan to do part of it every single day and to care for myself every single day. That meant a counseling appointment, a foot massage, a lunch with my BFF, a day off work, a movie, some late night TV, some wine. Self care was critical. I also give the results to God every single day.

It's not over, but last night and this morning I finally took a breath and realized I got through a very difficult task and I am strong. I am becoming stronger with every test.

Thanks for being here and always supporting me. It saves my sanity daily.

After a hellish week, I can relax today. I may get a manicure. I've spent the last three weeks working daily on divorce discovery. I took a vacation day Friday in order to meet my deadline. The living room is covered in stacks of papers. Now I just need to box them up and deliver them to the lawyer. I also got my taxes prepared married filing separately and that was completed yesterday. The next deadline is college FAFSA forms, but compared to the past three weeks that's a piece of cake.

My angel daughters each sent me a long distance valentine. One sent a bouquet of flowers. One sent chocolate covered strawberries. I felt very loved and blessed yesterday. I had two berries yesterday and I'll pace the rest at one a day.

I've had a week of okay food choices but more wine than weight loss likes. I'll get on the scale in a few minutes but I'm pretty sure I have a gain this week.

One thing I'm learning is that there is no such thing as taking too good care of yourself. I was truly overwhelmed by the divorce requirements these last three weeks, and I followed a plan to do part of it every single day and to care for myself every single day. That meant a counseling appointment, a foot massage, a lunch with my BFF, a day off work, a movie, some late night TV, some wine. Self care was critical. I also give the results to God every single day.

It's not over, but last night and this morning I finally took a breath and realized I got through a very difficult task and I am strong. I am becoming stronger with every test.

Thanks for being here and always supporting me. It saves my sanity daily.

It's not about what challenges we face, but how we deal with them and right now, you inspire me with your strength and commitment to your health and well-being.

Oh Just Watch, wrote a lengthy comment this AM and got booted off the system....Bariatric Pal does not always love my iPad, lol. Just wanted to say, basically, that you are amazing. You broke your huge task down into pieces and got it done. You're bringing mindfulness to your whole life. Small portions. Chewing well. Being finished when you're finished. I have to say, I'm getting so much more out of this whole process than weight loss -- which I love, and needed, but that was my purpose and now the larger purpose, the scope, is just so much more amazing. I like to think my original post this morning was more coherent. I can blame the snow. Good grief, this is something.

Oh Just Watch, wrote a lengthy comment this AM and got booted off the system....Bariatric Pal does not always love my iPad, lol. Just wanted to say, basically, that you are amazing. You broke your huge task down into pieces and got it done. You're bringing mindfulness to your whole life. Small portions. Chewing well. Being finished when you're finished. I have to say, I'm getting so much more out of this whole process than weight loss -- which I love, and needed, but that was my purpose and now the larger purpose, the scope, is just so much more amazing. I like to think my original post this morning was more coherent. I can blame the snow. Good grief, this is something.

Stay safe and warm. It's bitterly cold here in NYC and I'm sure it's worse in NH.

. @@Just watch me

One thing at a time. You are doing well.

????Just imagine this time next year will have no negative paperwork and life will go on. There are always mini crisis... But we are strong Moms and can go on and be free of lots of things that held us back for years????

Edited February 15, 201511 yr by Julie norton

Been off of here for a while jusy dealing with life good and bad but key word is dealing with it! Wanted to wish all my wonderful band family a happy Valentine's Day. Because with you and these post the dealing with stuff would be much more difficult. We are all going through something at at the same time it is very similar.

Had friends over for dinner last night and I didn't make the best wasting choices but such is life and I learned something very bad wine makes me able to eat a little more. I don't know if it loosens my band or not but this is not good (well the wine was good lol ).

What I have learned is my band is a food and drink snob. Dislikes non fresh cooked food, and cheap wine. So I have my own eat good device lol.

So over this cold here in Nyc

Realizing I'm in my danger zone this week. Three weeks of stress is behind me for now and this is where I am in danger of turning to food. The moment I relax. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt.

Today I am aware of this tendency, and today I choose healthy alternatives. Self care is just as important as it was last week. Vigilance, crucial.

Exercise togs on, shoes laced up and awaiting my workout partner's arrival so we can head to the basement for ninety minutes trading off on treadmill, bike and Bowflex. So many excuses over the last few weeks -- sickness, bitter cold weather, sloth, lol. My body has missed the exercise and I am doing the arms up overhead finish line thing for my fake it til I make it brain response. I want endorphins. I want my back and hip to or feel better. I want the stress release. Ergo I want exercise.

Today eldercare, tax prep and hopefully progress on my two for-pay jobs -- the procrastination is stressing me out. I need a good exercise day and a hyper-productive multi-taskimg family and work kind of day. Going to map out what I need to do for one client today instead of feeling overwhelmed by two. Plus the parents, the kid, the house, the tax paperwork, the photo albums I want to finish, letters I'd like to write, cooking....this is what sends me diving for the covers. Fortunately I know food won't help.

Day by day people , moment by moment inch by inch just don't forget to take time for you.

Bandista I hear ya. The thing that got me through the last three weeks was taking it in pieces and remembering self care. I am so encouraged by your description of exercise as that self care. I'm doing minimal exercise now and I need to step it up. I walk stairs at work but it's not the endorphin rush I remember from my single says when I jogged.

One of the benefits of exercise is that it calms the mind. Take care of yourself today, my friend.

Well I planned to NOT get a fill today but changed my mind after talking to my NP. I gained two pounds since my last visit in December. So I got 0.1 put in again, bringing me to 7.7 in my 14cc band. I watched the fluoro and the barium still went through pretty easily after the fill. I also always take two Tylenol caplets while she does the fluoro to make sure I can still swallow pills. After talking to her I realized I've been getting hungrier earlier between meals. Not by much, but an hour does make a difference. So another tiny fill it is. On liquids now for 48 hours. I also asked about my loosey goosey port. She said it's not loose at all. It's still securely sutured to the muscle. I just have less fat under the skin and the skin is moving around more. Makes sense. Anyway I feel good about the fill and now I'm off to a Zumba class. Exercise, so they tell me, is the key to lasting weight loss. Who knew?

Zumba kicked my ass. My knees, to be precise. If I do it again it will be the Zumba Gold class instead, which is supposed to be less intense on the joints. And I am hopelessly uncoordinated.