Hello and good morning my friends. Welcome to Banders #7. So, I guess I'll start it off by saying how grateful I am today and every day for the new lease on life that I have. I walked to the office today from the train station. That was something I couldn't do before the surgery. I always say how light I feel and I realized it's not a state of mind, but a physical reality. We are weighed down by the excess weight and all that goes with it. When we don't rumble and jumble as we walk, our steps are lighter. I was listening to my ipod and started to dance a little as I was walking. I'm sure I looked ridiculous, but who cares? When one is thin, even looking ridiculous seems OK.

I am grateful for my for my beautiful grandson who I was able to tuck into my lap last Saturday morning so we could play while Mommy and Daddy got to sleep in a bit. I'm grateful that I fit anywhere and everywhere. No more worrying if I will break a chair, or be able to navigate a booth at the restaurant, or walk down a narrow aisle without having to suck it all in just to get past someone/something.

I'm grateful for my health. I take alot of pills, but many of them are supplements and not prescription for chronic ailments. I'm grateful that I can walk again...that I can swim, bike, climb, and yes....enjoy sex. I am surprised at how flexible I can be now that I'm thin.

I'm grateful that I earn enough money that I can indulge my new found love of shopping. I really think I'm one of the best dressed ladies in the office these days...and I know I've upped the game for others. I am definitely seeing more dresses than I did a year ago.

I'm grateful to Alex for having this site available...and I'm grateful to all the folks on it who are part of my success. I know I would not have been as successful as I have been if not for all of you. I talk about things here that I don't talk to anyone else about. You all know the struggles of being fat, and immobile, and feeling like a failure regardless of what we've accomplished..and I know now how much we 'hidden' people have accomplished. It's helping me to not turn that self hatred towards others still struggling with obesity. It also reminds me that I will always struggle with obesity. Under this thin person still lurks the fat girl. She is the one who whispers in my ear all the time that I'm not worthy of the good things out there and I should just order a pizza and eat the whole thing. She and I clash daily and it's why I still go every Tuesday to the therapist who listens and helps me to navigate this new world I inhabit.

Well...I think I've posted enough for today. Feel free to comment on the above, or share your stories, or say hi, or just lurk. Enjoy your day today...enjoy the upcoming holiday, and looking forward to a wonderfully robust Banders #7 thread.

Liz

On 5/17/2018 at 1:05 PM, Julie norton said:

You look great!! I happen to also do a cruise and am home 3 days!! Did well eating...a few deserts. Took the stairs always. And my 30 year old kids walked the hell out of me.... I did not go to the on board gym. Oh well!! Today at gym!

Following the cruise was a trip to HI on Business and a few days off. Put on a couple of lbs but lost it pretty quick.

Now just trying to get my BMI under 30

You are a great inspiration to this long term bander. Congratulations... hope the flights were ok with the band. (I noticed I had to eat very light on those long flights .). Time goes on. But I am determined, as you are, to never slip too far back!!

On 5/25/2018 at 11:24 AM, Julie norton said:

You are a great inspiration to this long term bander. Congratulations... hope the flights were ok with the band. (I noticed I had to eat very light on those long flights .). Time goes on. But I am determined, as you are, to never slip too far back!!

I have flown about 400,000 miles in the last 10 years and have never had much problems on long or short flights except for those over 8 hours it seems a little tight for a meal or to.

Just trying to stay involved with this website seems for me it is a great accountability tool. Seems like I gain my weight when I stay away. I definitely need inspiration as well.

Happy Fourth, Banders!

Thanks JWM. Hope we all have some sort of celebration today

Hometown parade. (I was in it....in 1965)

Going to Long Beach CA to see Fireworks from the Queen Mary

Ok. August is upon us. It would be nice to see a few posts ... however brief... from some veterans Successful or not quite, I miss you!!

Except for a couple a months in 2016 I am back under 180. This is the lightest I been in more than 35 years. Next month I will have had my lap band for 11 years. I do not know if I will ever reach my weight goal I can do much more that I could ever have imagined.

Even when I have gained weight I have managed to stop the insanity and get back on the program. While I am not a perfect bandster by any means I do make far more good choices than bad ones.

I need to be careful that I do not sabotage my self the the few time that I have gotten down near the weight that I am now I seem to think that I no longer need to watch what I put in my mouth and stop exercising and then I gain some weight back.

I am looking forward to what lies ahead and will not keep looking back.

Congratulations jfc.
I’m happy you are down to a comfortable weight... some of us ahem.. mature ones like to think of high school weight as a great area for us.
This world is easier to navigate at a “normal” weight. Whatever that means to each of us
11years. Wow .

Hi all you veterans! I haven't posted for ages but just wanted to let everyone know that I've still got my band (unfilled but not removed) and still maintaining a good 67 pound weight loss. I hope all of you are well!

Hi Banders!

Struggling with about 15-20 pounds up over the last 12 months. I had another fill a few months ago, and I can tell the difference, but that does not seem to be the problem. Anyway, I just wanted to post to let everybody know that I’m still here and I am still trudging along. I don’t check this website very often, but I am glad to see you long timers here.

On 08/15/2018 at 11:08, parisshel said:

Hi all you veterans! I haven't posted for ages but just wanted to let everyone know that I've still got my band (unfilled but not removed) and still maintaining a good 67 pound weight loss. I hope all of you are well!

Beautiful! You’re an inspiration.

On 8/18/2018 at 5:34 AM, JustWatchMe said:

Hi Banders!

Struggling with about 15-20 pounds up over the last 12 months. I had another fill a few months ago, and I can tell the difference, but that does not seem to be the problem. Anyway, I just wanted to post to let everybody know that I’m still here and I am still trudging along. I don’t check this website very often, but I am glad to see you long timers here.

Thanks for sharing I gained about 45 lbs from April 2016 to November 17 so I know what your are going through. I had stopped exercising, eating way to many slider foods, stopped going to the DR. and pretty much stay away from this board.

Kept telling myself that I would get back on track and did not seem to get motivated.

Well my primary DR finally caught up with me and my blood sugar was out of whack and my a1c was 8.1.

The one thing I did notice was when I finally got on track again that it has taken me 9 months to get off the 45 lbs so it seems the older I get the slower the weight tends to come off.

As far as a fill go as I have mentioned before I cannot tolerate anymore than 1 cc in my 4 cc band.

My Blood sugars is under control and my last A1c was 5.2 so health wise I am doing just fine.

Your weight gain might seem like a lot to you and it might seem like your just "trudging along" Just do not stay away and check in when possible.

Thanks, jfc193. You’re right, and I will.