Well Good Day my fine people.... lol

Today is November 10, 2015 and today is year #6 Lapband journey end... 7 is just beginning..... Age 47, My highest weight 230, lowest 140. Now 145. 5'2" tall, Largest size 20 now, comfortable size 8, Was a 44H bra now size 34H, was a 7.5 shoe now 6.5. Self esteem and confidence... ZERO, Now... Through the roof.

History.... I was 41 when i decided to take back my health and life. I had a few friends that had the GB, Sleeve (not as popular back then), and LB..... A couple of which i worked with or had worked with in the past. One in particular was my friend Paula (LB). She was my mentor and guiding light through everything... In fact her partner had her LB the same day, so she was at the hospital with the both of us.... I had told only very few people at the time that i was having LB done. The few i did tell were for the most part were supportive. Except for the most important one... MY HUSBAND.... But, i got through the post op diet (on vacation) with only one slip and went into surgery that AM weighing 220lbs. Of course my husband said... then why do you need this... Pahhh. My weight loss was slow by most standards... but now i see it as a blessing. I followed the rules.. (except for no Mt. Dew). I averaged a few lbs per visit... and at first i was disappointed. But then i started exercising (zumba, cardio, and later weights) and it really kicked in.... i lost 60lbs the first year and 20 the second. Which i know is not a lot by some standards... but for me... i could not have been happier. My husband started to come around... he himself started losing weight and working out, sex was great too. But then his (what my gut said was) girlfriend move to Fl. and he let it all go to crap again... oh well. The sex went back in the crapper again. I won't let that get me down... life goes on and we shall see if we hit the 25 years of marriage next month.

I have done what i consider very well with my band. No complications (knock wood). I have the LB System in place, according to My LAP-BAND Journey Patient ID Card i have the 10cc band, but my dr. says its the 14cc.. I lean to believe its the 14 as right now i have 10.5cc in my band. I do stay away from the bread, rice, grits, dry meats, Pasta (as much as poss) and fried potatoes. My go to is still Soup. I love soup.... I normally eat yogurt with granola and coffee for Breakfast. lunch is normal something pretty small like a salad (have to be careful, sometime have trouble), soup, grilled something... dinner something pretty small in size... last night i ate 2 nacho chips...the round ones with Beans, ground beef, cheese, sour cream, and guac on each one.

so... truth time... I have not exercised in three years... i know, that is terrible... but it's the truth. Reason, my husband cancelled the member ship because he said we could not afford it.. But im fixing to start back anyway. I had my tummy tuck 2/15/2012 and i could not be happier with the results. My scar is not that noticeable at all.

My advice to new WLS patients...... Know what your getting into. Research the hell out of everything. Make sure you pick the best doctor for you. Go to support meeting before, during and after. Don't expect to go in surgery fat, and come out skinny.... WLS is not a magic pill... You will have to work at it EVERYDAY FOREVER!!! Maybe not the exercise... but the eating. Take before pictures, you won't be able to see the differences... but pictures never lie. Take during pic and after pic. Limit your weighing in to once a week or less. If not you will become obsessed with the scale. Set many small goals and an over all goal. Don't get down on your self for a gain. Just get back on track. I put back some weight and got back to 162.... and i said... no way in hell am i going to be one of "those" people who gain it back. Don't be ashamed of the journey you are choosing. Embrace the fact that you chose to take you life back your just using a tool to help. Just like a diabetic uses insulin, are a heart patient uses a pace maker... All the same stuff.

Be prepared to lose friends... some people can't handle the "new you" and will try and sabotage you. I learned that my fat friends love me fat because i was one of them and made it all acceptable. My skinny friends could not handle the new me because i was now competition in the group for attention. Your true friends will rise to the top... Trust me on this.

Remember.... Everyone's journey is different, don't judge your self by someone elses. We all gained weight for different reasons... and we will all lose it differently. Be your own biggest cheerleader...

@@ADJL I reposted this not long ago:

So i was looking back at some of my favorite post over the past 7 years (when it was just lapband and we use to have fun) and came across this one from my good friend Knaroz.... Although funny.... very informative....

Posted January 24, 2012 - 1:00 AM

#1

I found this years ago, and while it sounds crazy, I always listen to what it says lol.

1. Thou shalt consume thy Protein first, followed by thy veggies and fruits. If thou, then hast any room left thou shalt comsume thy carbs lastly!

2. Thou shalt take the tiniest of bites, placing thy fork and thy spoon upon thine table, that thou shalt have more time between bites to savor that which thou hast eaten, and allow thy stomach adequate time to inform thy brain of thine fullness.

3. Thou shalt chew and chew and when thou has done so, thou shalt chew some more, lest thy band rise up and smite thee,causing in thy chest great pain, and spewing forth.

4. Thou shalt drink of thy Water, copiously, consuming all that has been recommended to thee, that thou mayest be spared the pangs of hunger and dehydration, and thou shalt thus, also keep thy kidneys well flushed, that thou shalt not develop stones to aggrieve thee.

5. Thou shalt exercise in a manner that thou mayest choose, of thine own accord, providing that thou art faithful to thine execise regimen,that thou shalt not falter on thy journey to thine smaller self.

6. Thou shalt honor thy band and maintain it well, that it shalt be a steadfast friend to thee throughout thine entire life. Thou wilt,from time to time, as thou hast been told, obtain for it the fills that it needest that it may then help thee in thy hours of need, keeping it always in perfect adjustment for thine benefit.

7. Thou shalt not worry and gnash thy teeth, becoming aggrieved at those times when thy losses seemingly stop and thy weight remaineth constant, remembering then that thou tookest long to acquire thine pounds, and that thy pounds must then take time for loss.

8. Thou shalt maintain a log or dairy of thine measurements, that thou mayest truly perceive the effect of they band when thine scale doth pause in it's downward progress.

9. Thou shalt join into and participate within thy local support community, for without the input, experience and love of they fellow bandsters, thou shalt have a much more difficult time in thy journey, and when thou art well upon thy road, thou shalt then likewise assist those who followest in thine footsteps that they too might be successful in their own diminishment.

10. Thou shalt beware of thine " soft calories syndrome", keeping always in thy mind that thou canst thus sabotage thine efforts and thine investment and lead thee then therefore into depression and guilt. As once stated "Just because thou canst, it meaneth not that thou shouldith".

I saw that post and responded to it! I found it exactly perfect for why I had come back!