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

Happy Bandiversary, Sharon!

You have every reason to be proud!

Hello all. It has been nice reading all your recent stories as we approach our anniversary. Too many successes to count!

This is our busy month as an Irish Dance family. We will do some Reels and Jigs for you all...

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Hi all.

just thought I would share a good thing (as Martha would say). There is an application for I-Phone and I-Touch called Lose It. It is a calorie tracking thing like DailyPlate. It works for me because I can take it with me and log what I eat not waiting to get to a computer and internet. It has over 5000 listed foods. But if it doesn't have my food I can enter the counts in a custom foods listing. It also has a place to log exercise and set goals. So far it is working for me. I NEED to be accountable, but in a fun and interesting way.

2 lbs down this week. Woot!!

Happy Friday the 13th. Pretty good day so far.

March 24th will be my anniversary!!!!

I have had a great ride with the band until November. Ended up with an unfill in December and have lost maybe 6 pounds since then. I am scheduled for an appointment next Wednesday. I am struggling so much these days with my band, my attitude, my eating, my exercise. I need Spring weather to get me back on board with exercise.

I am hungry most of the time, but I am tight especially in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon. Sometimes I think it is my food choices and how fast I am eating and how much I put in my mouth at one time.

In the first 8 months I was on the spot with everything...food, exercise, weight loss, attitude. Why, when we stumble does it go down hill?

I do not know what the doc is going to do on Wednesday. Fill, Unfill. All I know, is that I want to stop struggling and get back on board with it all.

Any suggestions? Pep talk needed.

Oh, and Fenton, The Claw has not gotten me. I am still at 196. The scale just won't budge. Uggghhhh.........

Sugar - I don't know about you, but when I stumble I use it as a way to say "oh, well, I already messed up, why not eat what I want, or not exercise". It creates a pattern. The next time I get on the scale I seemed surprised that I gained weight. That is me.

I think the real trick, is the next new minute. I saw a few minutes of Dr. Oz yesterday and he said it is not the first mistake you make that causes you problems. It is what you do after. This is one of my real head issues. The quicker you stop yourself, the better off you are. (By the way, easier said than done.)

Since I have done this for a long time, it is an ingrained habit that I am trying to re-program. I don't really think this is easy. In fact, I think it is the most difficult thing to do.

For me, some pressure to get back on the scale seems to scare me straight. I have scheduled appointments with my doctor just so I stay faithful to the program. I know I don't need a fill. I need the realization that I am going to get on a scale. I guess a program like weight watchers or with the doctor that puts me on the scale with them on a regular basis would work well.

This is me. I hope it helps you. I would not necessarily expect that all of us are the same.

I am struggling so much these days with my band, my attitude, my eating, my exercise.

You are not alone.

I am hungry most of the time, but I am tight especially in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon. Sometimes I think it is my food choices and how fast I am eating and how much I put in my mouth at one time.

You are probably correct about the food choices. Why not start a food log? At lease you will know if that is the trouble spot. Plus your Dr will want to know what you have been eating- so might as well log it. Also I have been having a mug of hot water/tea first thing in the morning. Seems to help with the tightness.

In the first 8 months I was on the spot with everything...food, exercise, weight loss, attitude.

That is because you were in the honeymoon phase. Now is real life. Pick one thing to focus on each week(or month). Baby steps. Put some energy back into this battle.

Any suggestions? Pep talk needed.

Hope some of this helps. Keep your chin up.

Hi Shamrocks. This coming Tuesday will be my Bandiversary and I had such high expectations of myself - more than my doctor did and more than my family and friends did. I got kind of stuck at my 94 lb mark and hoped I'd make it to -100 in March sometime and it dawned on me that I probably do need a slight fill of maybe .5 cc because I am getting hungry and I'm looking for foods to eat that have more substance and something that will stay with me but it doesn't seem to last long enough. I finally realized it isn't the quantity I can eat, its how long it must be staying in my upper pouch before going on down the line and so the sense of being full isn't staying with me long enough. Will let you know if a tiny fill will help kick start my losing.

That said, I am so proud of myself and I confess that I've been looking at every St. Patrick's Day decoration and toy that are in the stores right now since I was banded on St. Patrick's Day. I did get another NSV this week with this guy I work with who told me I'm looking terrific and he said some other guy in the department that works out in our company gym had told him that you won't even recognize Kathy when you see her. Whoa! That brought a smile to my face.

This idea of a Thread on Lapbandtalk that is for those who got banded at the same time has been an incredible support to me because as we hit the same milestones along the way, we can Celebrate and commiserate with each other. One thing I think is interesting is that we experienced bandsters now are finding how to eat around the band or finding if we don't eat the good food, the bad stuff still calls our names and its bad when we find out we can still eat a quantity of something bad. I got into a bag of candy this past week and it was so unlike me from the past 11 months but I was feeling stressed, it was handy, and I thought I could control my emotional eating by just eating a few and I didn't do it. So, the Easter candy will be hidden away and I'll keep my self 'safe' by not keeping foods that tempt me in the house.

Thanks!

I'm really hoping to be down 90 by my bandiversary on the 18th....I haven't jinxed it by getting on the scales early, so we shall see.....

I seriously can't believe it's been a year.....

so much has changed for me and continues to change.

I too am grateful for the monthly support groups that lapband has provided. I didn't realize when I signed on that it would help me so much.

Harley - Happy bandiversary this week. I hope you meet your goal!

My bandiversary is next week. I would be overjoyed to be in the 220's.

I can't believe its almost been a year. But I am with you all on the exercise. I was loving it and didn't miss a day, now I am struggling. The motivation must return. Next week is my bandiversary. Time for a new goal.

I am glad to see I am not the only one struggling. Not that I am happy others are also struggling, but that I am not alone. no loss or gain in 3 months.. always back and forth with the same 2 or 3 pounds

One year on Thursday this week. So glad to be where I am weight wise, but was hoping for a few more pounds these past months. I admit alot of it is my fault, poor choices.. but I am having issues getting back on track..maybe a wift kick in the pants by the DR on Friday..

Happy St. Patty's Day .... a few days early..

Hi Everyone and Happy Bandiversary to each and everyone of you this month. Mine is Thursday and I'm happy to be where I'm at but still hoping for more weight loss this year. I know it will come and will welcome it when it does. My DH is going in Tuesday to be banded so he started his pre-op diet today, I'm hoping this will help keep me on track and help me make better food choices to continue my weight loss journey. I managed to make myself get on the treadmill again this weekend so I'm glad about that. I'll keep you all posted. Better go my son is on his way to Iraq and he's on the phone now, have to talk to him talk later.

A wee Irish shout out to all my March Shrinking Shamrocks on my 1 year bandiversary! Yes, banded on St. Patrick's Day and I truly feel lucky and blessed. Have a great day all!

P.S. Speaking of Fenton and the Claw... where is our missing in action writer? Deep in thought on his latest novel I guess!

Happy Bandiversary, K!!!

94 pounds in a year....just amazing!!

HEY....we need some one year update PICTURES...come on guys....show it off!!