Hey all.

So there's a bunch of us in this group, all split up into our different banding days. I was thinking that it might be a good idea to have one master thread as we move through the month, in which all of us could post as we go, from the pioneers going on March 1st to the finalists on March 31st.

I'd love to talk about our anticipation and any worries as we approach our banding date, for people to talk about exactly what happened from the moment they walked into the hospital door until the second they walked out, about how recovery is going, about weight loss and plateaus, about non-scale victories and challenges.

I was thinking that if we all contribute to one thread, it'll form a more substantial channel for information and support. At the moment, I was thinking that we might be too spread out into individual date, and that a central thread would be a really good backbone for the group, in addition to the date-specific threads.

What do you think?

Fenton

Greetings!

NSV - remember how I have said that NO ONE has told me thta they noticed that I have lost weight? Well, a cousin who I saw in October admitted to me over the phone that she thought that I had lost a lot of weight. She also struggles, so I guess she didn't want to say anything then.

NSV - 2 - my sister-in-law (ex, I guess) had band surgery earlier this month and told me I look great.

Lafsalot - The real reason I have lost only about 50 pounds is 1. I haven't really exercised and 2. I am still dealing with head issues. The second one is the biggest one. The reason I fell off the board for about six weeks is that I was eating poorly and not exercising at all. (OK, I walk a few blocks to work - I don't really count that!) I still have head food issues. I am bright enough that I can figure out how to get around the band. So, those are the real reasons why.

OK - now I am going to do something about exercise. I wanted to "treat" myself as I am getting a tax refund. Most of it will go toward the Band bill because I am still paying for it. BUT, I realize that I have enough to get a wii fit. Now I have to figure out how to find one. (This is really funny that I am getting a gaming system. There are none of these things currently in my house.) Any advice on how to locate one of these things? I heard they are still tough to get a hold of.

Why am I making this so hard? I have been making all the wrong choices. I am so disappointed in myself. I am a dietary mess no matter how I look at it. I find it kind of strange how many of us are having a hard time right now.

Christine

Evidently I can not keep a promise. Tomorrow is a new day, I try again then!

Any word on an exercise thread for March 08 bandsters? I find that I tend to be more accountable to my fellow March Bandsters, so I would love a place to let u all know if I fail or succeed. Let us all know!

HI all.

Im hearing alot of self bashing going on. Believe me I'm just as hard on myself. I think there is something happening that needs to be looked into. It is a vicious cycle.

scale stops moving, "I must be a failure".

Didn't exercise for a few days "I must be a failure".

Shouldn't have eaten that cookie "I'm a failure".

Im not at goal "I failed"

I'm a failure so I might as well;

-eat all the other Cookies

- just lay in bed

- sit and watch another mind numbing TV show

-look back and beat myself up for all my short comings.

Yep the motivation isn't as strong as when we first started this journey. Im not sure I will ever be that motivated again. But to say I'm a failure is just not correct.

These last few weeks I've been trying to find my MoJo again. When I have a particularity good day I try to see what made it so good. Why did I bounce out of bed, work so hard with my trainer, take the dog for a walk and go to yoga class? Plus I made good food choices. So what gives? Is there a way to bottle this and reproduce it on the days Im just not getting it in gear?

Because when Im at that place where I don't want to move my body or the Peanut Butter is looking really good willpower is out the door. It is really easy to say F it I'm just not meant to lose another 10lbs (or 1lb).

So Im left to try to acknowledge what works. Really mindfully acknowledge that something is going right. Maybe even write myself notes of encouragement to the sorry self I might be the next day. Focus on the good. We all know what we are bad at. What is hard. Directing your energy to trying to figure out a negative will just keep you in that negative place. So why not find what you're good at and build on that.

Do you work out more consistently with another person? Well make it your business to get a buddy or join a group.

Do you need to make a commitment to something? Do a charity walk where they have training help. Like the Avon 3 Day Walk.

Does telling your story about the band and your decision to get it remind you why you did this in the first place? Than offer to talk at your Drs support group or informational meeting. Be a mentor here on LBT.

Do you do well with a list or goals? Than write a few and support them with an action plan of how you will succeed.

Do you struggle with food choices? Start using The Daily Plate/Calorie King or whatever. Set yourself up with a menu for the next day or the whole week. Make a list before you go shopping, and stick to it.

You get the idea. Find what works. Baby steps. Stop beating yourself up about what you haven't done. Be kind to yourself.

-Since I choose not to have another cookie I feel empowered.

-That walk yesterday really energized me, how can I fit in another one tomorrow?

-I have come so far on my journey and Im still committed to a more healthy lifestyle.

We all slip up. Sometimes for a day sometimes for a few weeks. Main thing is you have it within yourself to make the change. For Gods sake at some point you were motivated enough to get the band. Pat yourself on the back and shout "WooHoo!" Move forward. Tomorrow is a new day.

I think you're doing a great job!!

End of sermon.

Amanda,

Thanks for the pep talk. I really need to find a behaviour modification therapist that is in our plan who does not cost an arm and a leg. I have to get these head issues under control....and I know I will.

NSV...yesterday my 2.5 yr old daughter had minor surgery. We were in this little pre-op play room and I had put my rather large bag on my chair beside me. I got up to help my daughter with something and when I went to sit back down I was going to move the bag. The space for my bottom looked way, way, way too small. I did not move the bag, I just sat down and I fit! Last year at this time I was filling a chair like that with my bottom and upper body filling it touching the arms of the chair.

I really have come far. I just feel stalled right now and I guess that's OK for a little while. There has been a lot of stress here lately and that does not help.

Christine

Thanks, Amanda!

I like this a lot,

I have come so far on my journey and Im still committed to a more healthy lifestyle.

I was reading the posts from last March it was kinda fun to go back and read them. I read someone said they would be glad to fit a size 18 clothes. When I started on this journey I was wearing a size 5x and I thought if I could only weigh under 200 or fit anything that didn't have a X after it I would be really happy. Well now that is happening I have been anywhere from 157-164 pounds in the past month and I can wear 14-16 clothes and am I happy with that???? Not really I want more. Are we ever satisfied??? Will we ever really feel like we have reached where we want to be??? I set a goal of 150 pounds and I know now I will not be happy with that.

I still deal with the head stuff everyday, all day long. I know I'm not hungry but I want sweets or junk. I feel it's a constant battle to fight off the urges. I really thought by now that would go away. Granted I am not eating 2-3 candy bars a day and I am not eating a 1/4 bag of chips a night, but it's still hard to say no.

It seems I do pretty good all week. I make meals at home and they are healthy 95% of the time, but I eat out every sunday and most saturdays. I don't just go to a place and order grilled chicken I'll go someplace stupid like pizza hut, then I'll eat cinnamon breadsticks dipped in the yummy icing. Last saturday I went out for lunch and got a chicken salad I thought yeah I'm really gonna stick to this diet this week, well them my daughter came home from visiting her aunt with a big plate of the yummiest Cookies. I took one small one and still thought this isn't too bad but as the day went on I ate 5 and them put icing on a few of them. I finally asked my friend to forbid me to eat another one.

On fridays when we have out weigh in I'm back down to my lower weight or close to it and then by monday morning I'm up 3-4 pounds. The closer I get to goal I seem to gain/lose them same 5 or so pounds over and over again.

Exercise is going pretty good for me. I go to curves 3 days a week and walk 3 miles at the mall in the mornings before it opens 2-3 days a week. I remember when I started to exersize it took all I could do to walk around the mall for 1/2 mile and I was slow, I had people pass me all the time, now I am never passed and I can do the 3 miles pretty easy.

So are we failures I guess we are not if we go look where we was last year. We just need to learn to be happy with who we are and what we have done.

What are your goals for this next year? I want to get under 150 pounds and never go above that. I want to wear a size 12 dress or lower. I want to continue exercising 5-6 days a week. I want to say no to junk food more often. I hope to come back in 12 months and read this post and even if I get discouraged along the way I want to see that I really did succeed.

Howdy Shamrocks!

I read through some of the posts and they could be from me. I am trying NOT to bash myself, but honestly figure out my issues. Much like most things in life, if I can identify the problem I can try and deal with it. Otherwise, I just float along.

Honestly, the reason I continue to come back here and post is as much because of the urge to get up and start over. I really believe that "getting up" is the toughest part. So we are not all the patients who beat the rule books on the band? So what? I figure if I am the one here who has lost the least amount of weight at 50 pounds, well then heck we are doing a wonderful job! I can't tell you how many times I started a "diet" didn't do so well and quit and ate myself up and over the weight I started at. Or, even I started a "diet" and lost some weight, got a little cocky and then couldn't loose anymore, gave up and ate myself up to that old weight again.

I will continue to try. I figure I am way better off than I was this time last year. OK, so I wasn't the model patient. So what? I continue to make changes. I am eating better, weigh 50 pounds lighter and am wearing clothes that are much smaller. I feel better. I can go out in public and not worry if I will be the fattest person in the room.

OK, I guess I did a sermon as well!!!

Hope - I think you can find Wii fit on amazon.com. I haven't looked in a while, but last time I did, they had them.

Thank you for your honesty about your weight loss, and I'm sorry if I intruded. As stated before, I'm kind of in the same boat, only I wasn't eating around the band. I didn't have any restriction. I thought I was crazy at first, and the p.a. tried to blame it on me. Thank God my surgeon listened and he gave me that last cc. It made all the difference in the world.

However, I'm still sort of in the same boat as you... I don't exercise, and I haven't really changed what I eat so much as how I eat. So I eat a lot less. I still have a kolache for Breakfast - but it's 1/2 a kolache and not a kolache and two chocolate filled donuts and a dr. pepper. I try to eat a sensible lunch which means that it's whatever was cooked at home the night before. We feed seven people so sometimes - spaghetti it is. Again though it's a 1/2 cup to 3/4 of a cup of spaghetti and nothing more. I still eat mc Donald's, but it's part of a kids meal with apple juice instead of a super size meal with a soda. I'm still losing because I've managed to cut out a lot, but I certainly haven't made the sacrifices most of the people who post on here have. I realize that someday I will have to, and I pray that I will have the strength.

For now... I am just thankful that what I'm doing works for me and I'm still losing.

For those of you who are following the rules and have hit a slump (because there are quite a few of you)...

Please take a look in the mirror and be proud. Be proud of yourselves and all you've accomplished. You are winning the war you've fought your whole life. So what if you lose a couple of battles.

Edited March 12, 200917 yr by lafsalot

Hope and Carrie - thanks to both of you for sharing your journey..

I have ben having motivation issues. not wanting to exercise and even tough eating less, not eating the right things.

We all have made great advances in our health and well being, and some with major struggles, others with a smooth journey.

I know that getting a chance to read about everyone elses issues and then thinking about mine, I realize all of us have struggles and deal with them in many ways. BUT we are all healthier and happier than we were a year go At least I hope we are.

Lynn - thanks for the kind words. I'm sure you will get more motivated!

Carrie - if I came off wrong, I apologize. Believe me if I didn't want to talk about it, I wouldn't. I was just trying to show how even I, the one who has probably lost the least, is still in a very good place. I was also trying to show how we should boost ourselves.

For the most part I do follow the rules and eat well. BUT, I have way more times that I would like to admit that I don't eat well. I'd say 3-4 days a month I might make a poor food choice. But, I am trying not to deceive myself. I know what I am doing. I am trying to live my life consciously, not just float along. Floating along got me to very close to 300 pounds.

I also realize that I CAN do it. I know I have a doctor appointment next week. There is no way I'll fall off the wagon this weekend. That proves to me that I can do it. It is a matter of persistance and motivation.

Thanks for the information about the wii. I hope to get it this weekend or next. I really enjoy that thing and am looking forward to playing with it. I have played with others several times and am never aware of how much I am exerting myself.

BTW - that dune buggy ride sounds like fun. I can drive stick! anyone want to take me along! LOL!

today is my one year anniversary and I feel successful. I went into getting the band not to quickly get down to a size "whatever" but to truly help me change my eating habits and life style. I have accomplished that. I never went into this with a date in mind as to when and how much I would lose. I just knew I would lose and didn't care how long it took me to do it. I will eventually be down to where I need to be. I am proud of my accomplishments and feel so much better than I did year ago. My blood pressure has gone down and I sleep better than I've ever slept because I was identified with sleep apnea through the process of getting lapband. I think we should all be proud of where we are and where we are going. Perserverance is important in any thing we do but it especially important in this life altering decision we all made. Congratulations to you all and I am happy I've met you on line. We have all been here for each other and for that it was worth all the anguish and sometimes painful processes we have gone through with life's little moments interfering with our daily activities. It is all about us and no one should feel guilty about that.

Congratulations....

Sharon

by the way I saw the doctor today who at one year sends you out for complete bloodwork...everything known to man to test...and an upper GI series to check the status of the band...I got another .5 cc in my band because I am hungry and I haven't had an addition since November...gosh I didn't think it as that long ago....I'm also headed back to the gym. I haven't gone in the last few months in fear of groups an infections...

Hi Shamrocks,

A quick post to let you all know that I am thinking of everyone as we experience our 1 year bandiversaries. Some of us are where we wanted to be, some of us are still working towards it, but all of us are successful no matter what, because we are still going. We haven't thrown in the towel, or put it in the "too hard basket". And that in itself is what makes us successful.

Love to all of you xoxoxox