Hello there Band fans....I got banded March 28th-2007.

I told myself....Bycyling would be a very good choice. Fresh air, muscles working for the sake of "Cardio". After one week passed--in April. I purchased three new bikes for me and my two sons. I have defeated many things doing that. No more not riding with my children--we ride as a crew (family). We could not conquer the hill on my street. We used to stop 3 to 4 times before getting to the top ( I did). So now the wheels have turned. My kids ask me---"Daddy can we stop--our legs are burning". Thank God I am doing well now. Now with 21 pounds gone---but just riding bikes. I am ready for the next Journey...The 1st fill--I am looking forward to the next 4 to 6 weeks--maybe 12 or 20 pounds gone...who knows...:faint: this is how I feel on many days after my ride. Today--(8.5 miles) It was walking, riding around the fair in my town--but that is what my speedometer said when it was all over...

This IS the new and improved bicycle/therapy 301.

It is a sad sad situation that we have put our bodies in isn't it??? Thank god, for ps. Annie, I totally understand the pictures on the internet!! You NEVER know who might see them. Also, I was picturing Annie about mid 40's. Don't know why. So, tell us Annie...HOW OLD ARE YOU????

Yes, we're certainly getting deep on here, but I love it!

My age is in between what you guys are guessing - I turned 33 in March. Was married (no kids) and divorced him about a year and a half ago. My relationships certainly have changed over the past 10 years so Juli, I totally agree with that. I'm just bummed when all my buds are going out to a big dinner or something, and I'm trying to stay focused to get this last 35 lbs off so I can do my lower body lift in late Nov/early Dec. I would rather get it off naturally than having to resort to Lipo. I can't delay the surgery due to when my racing season starts, so I *have* to be super focused. So, it totally bums me out when they all go out to eat, and I can't...

I think I do need to get a therapist. The lady who does our surgeon's psych evals is super cool, and banded, and would be great to work with but she isn't in my insurance plan and is also over an hour away from me. But, she may know someone closer to me that she can refer me to... I'll have to check into that!

Anyhow, sorry to bring the vibe of the group down! Back to good ol' biking - I'm hoping the weather holds out so that I can get back on my bike in the next few days - it's been rainy here and the forecast for showers continues - I may have to try the bike out in the rain here sooner than I'd like!

Annie, no apologizing for how you feel! NOt like I have a big mouth or anything but I think I speak for all of us when I say that we are here for you to talk to bad or good.

Still raining here...blah.

I must be the baby of the group then at 27 eh?

BG-

You are BABY girl after all. So long as you're out of diapers I'll talk to you like your grown.

Annie-

I can't tell you how much I love therapy! It's so indulgent...better than any new shoes...and it really is beneficial. I think it has been the KEY to my success so far.

I'm sorry I missed "racing season". What are you racing? I'm too lazy to go back and figure it out.

JC-awe shucks. Thanks. As a fella, I'm sure you have a different perspective, but when you get a minute we'd love to poke around in your brain to see what the heavy once, now healthy thing has done.

Deanna-

You're just my bud! God love ya. Isn't funny how we can think Annie is do different but we've got the same information. I think she's short, with brown eyes. (Now I'm just messing with you Annie!) what's your guess?

its ok BG...thats why that is your name BABYgirl...

AND YES, that is what we are here for...the good, the bad, and the ugly....or should I say fat...

JC, do you have some self esteem issues also? I wanted to get a mans point of view on this. I think most people assume men have great self esteems and its only woman who suffer. Also, if you don't mind the question, do you have lots of loose skin? How do you deal with that while running, if you do? Ok, I sorry for all the questions!!!

Hugs to all!!!!!! We are in this thing for the LONG HAUL!!!!

LOL, J, we posted at the same time...and said pretty much the same things!!!!!!

I think Annie does have short brown hair too!!!

You guys are just an awesome, awesome bunch of people!!!! SO, glad that we have all met!!!

what is the race season about? Cycling???? Do tell!!

Keeping short but self esteem is so low it's flying under radar

JC

Ok, I'm 5'6" with blue-gray eyes, and long brown hair. Fair skinned which is in contrast to the dark hair and light eyes, so often compared to a "porcelain doll" in the winter when I have less tan / sun coloring! Tee hee, now I sound like a personal ad!

I race cars - through the Sports Car Club of America. The past few years I've focused on autocross, which is similar in nature to, say, downhill skiing where you have gates and slaloms, and it's against a clock. Precision driving at it's finest. (on pavement) I compete nationally and have a few National Championships to my name.

I also have done track / wheel to wheel racing, which I'm getting back into in the spring. That's why I'm so focused on getting this weight off and plastic surgery - I need to be physically able to race (i.e. recovered from the lower body lift) and I'll need to buy a new race/fire suit for the wheel to wheel stuff. And since the "standard" sized suits are men's sizes, I'll have to do a custom one, and I only want to pay that $2K once!

Way cool Annie!!!! My DH and DS used to race stock cars. On the pavement and the dirt!!! Yes, you do have to be fit to do that. You put out all of work sitting in a car racing!!!!!

ok, I just noticed that none of us regulars have anything about fills in our signature. Are any of you filled????? How much, and when did you get your first one?

I have none so far, am going this Monday for appt. and am considering asking for one. I don't want to only be a 10 pounds a month sorta gal!!! They would not give me one the last two times I was there because of all the weight I had lost..

Deanna, if you're losing 1-2 lbs a week consistently and are not starving/searching for food you don't really need a fill... once you get to the point that you're just plain hungry less than 3 hours after you eat, or your weight loss stalls, that's when to get a fill.

Where I had my surgery is conservative on fills (no flouro, they "creep up" on the sweet spot) so I've had a bunch of fills, and a few unfills - I realized that I have to keep my band a bit looser 3 weeks of the month to survive it tightening up during our "monthly visitor" week...

I'm without a fill.

When, should it ever happen, I lose fewer than 10 pounds a month I'll get a fill.

For real, I don't want to mess with an equation that is working. I'm not too hungry and I want to be able to eat enough so as not to fall over when I'm biking 2 hours at a time.

My doc and I agree I'll get a fill when I need one. It wasn't ugly coming around to this thinking. I kicked his chair and told him that I hated him. I was crying too at the time. Did I say I was dramatic earlier? I also am a big baby...really he and I were laughing at the time...

Anyway, look at your equation of calories in and what you are burning and if you are HUNGRY. A loss of 10 a month is plenty. That's more than 2 a week.

JC-

I'm not ignoring your radar comment. I want to engage you in further conversation, but as you say you are at work....don't need to set you off at the office.

Here's to hoping that our minds catch up to our super hot bodies!

Annie, Did you get Snow White comparisons too? I'm sure you're very pretty.

I'm getting all freckeled covered and tan, which is unusual because once upon a time I'd refuse to get out in the sun. But cycling and swimming has changed that. Blonde from a bottle and green eyed here.

I am the queen of fills. I went in weekly or every other week for about 2 months until I finally had good restriction. My first fill was at 4 weeks and I think I have had like 6 or 7 fills. I was very vocal in making sure I got the restriction that I needed. I don't remember exactly when the last on was but I think I was about at 240. I probably could use another fill since I can eat a bit more than i should but as long as I am lsing I odn't want to stop enjoing being able to eat.

Here is a nice makeup free pajama shot lol.