Great Idea - I will do it right now !!

Hi

I am Janet and I am a recovering food addict :wink2:

I was banded 7/17/07 - My starting weight was 250 - I'm 5'4

Today (just over 10 months out) I am 154 - size 8 pants (was 18/20) Medium tops (was 22/24)

I got banded as I wanted to extend the years that I have left on this planet and to do that I knew that I needed to lose weight.

The band has been the tool I needed. For the first time in my life I have been able to achieve this goal (actually getting to my goal weight)

If you want a buddy - support - help - suggestions - Please feel free to call upon me - I will gladly share my journey with you - the journey is still on going and by helping you I will be helping me (staying motivated and accountable) and then one day you can pay it forward and help someone else.

Apples, a belated Happy Bandiversary! I wish I lived up there so we could hang out. I think I would love hanging out with all my LBT Buddies. Have a great long weekend at the lake. It is too hot to get out down here. It has been 100 everyday with no let up in site.

Long, I have wanted to go shopping at Goodwill. We have a new one nearby. I will give it a try. First, I need to shed a few more lbs. By the way, Congrats! on your new goal weight.

Thanks for the congrats, Charlene (and anyone else I forgot to thank). Our MN summers are actually quite warm and humid but most ppl from the south would think they were heavenly. Have Aussie friends coming to visit for a few weeks in Aug and was telling them how warm it gets.....should have saved my breath. Been over there during their summers and they are HOT and HUMID like we don't even know.

Our closest Goodwill is about 3 hours away. We have Salvation Army stores but I am so hard to fit that I rarely find anything. The best is this shop we have in our little town. The owner goes to the cities and buys things in bulk (overstock from last year). All new items and wonderful name brands. I have 4 Ann Taylor dresses in my closet that were all under $20. Pendelton winter items, etc. that are new but under $20. Owner can never find slacks for me (34-36'inseam). One of the reasons I enjoy summer....capris and shorts. Never have to worry about "high Water pants"!

Interesting how I was perceived by others. Last night I went down to the hospital's lapband support group at the hospital. I have not gone to that one before but went because a special speaker was supposed to be there (who no showed). Anyhow, I get there and the door is locked. The facilitator was there and 2 other people. She called security and we waited for 45 min. in that hallway for them to open the door. So when I get there I ask if they are there for the lapband meeting. They said yes, they asked me if I was there for the diabetes meeting I said no. So I assumed, they knew I was there for the lapband meeting as well since I asked even. But the whole 45 min. waiting no one talked to me. I asked questions of them, how long they were banded etc. But they just weren't real inclusive of me in their conversations, I thought well I am just the newbie to this group. Finally the door gets unlocked and we go into the meeting room. They look at me funny. They then go around and do introductions, where we say our name, our surgeon, when our surgery was and how much we have lost. They were all shocked I was a lapband patient. They then said they couldn't figure out why I was there as I looked so normal. ME!! NORMAL!! That they'd have never guessed I ever had a weight issue. When I told htem I once weighed 305 they were amazed. That totally rocked my world! And the leader helped me put it in perception. I had said how I wanted to lose that last 9 lbs to be 'normal' as in BMI. She said, honey, you are so normal. We'd never have guessed you fat ever, and if you ask any woman on the street if she weighed her ideal they'd all want to lose 10 more lbs even the skinny ones. So I'm normal!!

So this has got me thinking, I need some opinions. My screen name here has always been Long2Bthin. Now that I'm longing no more, should I change it? Though I don't think of myself as thin yet, but maybe something like LongNoMore?? any other ideas??

hoping this post didn't sound like bragging, but it was a huge light bulb moment for me!

Long..........perfect......LongNoMore!

Interesting how I was perceived by others. Last night I went down to the hospital's lapband support group at the hospital. I have not gone to that one before but went because a special speaker was supposed to be there (who no showed). Anyhow, I get there and the door is locked. The facilitator was there and 2 other people. She called security and we waited for 45 min. in that hallway for them to open the door. So when I get there I ask if they are there for the lapband meeting. They said yes, they asked me if I was there for the diabetes meeting I said no. So I assumed, they knew I was there for the lapband meeting as well since I asked even. But the whole 45 min. waiting no one talked to me. I asked questions of them, how long they were banded etc. But they just weren't real inclusive of me in their conversations, I thought well I am just the newbie to this group. Finally the door gets unlocked and we go into the meeting room. They look at me funny. They then go around and do introductions, where we say our name, our surgeon, when our surgery was and how much we have lost. They were all shocked I was a lapband patient. They then said they couldn't figure out why I was there as I looked so normal. ME!! NORMAL!! That they'd have never guessed I ever had a weight issue. When I told htem I once weighed 305 they were amazed. That totally rocked my world! And the leader helped me put it in perception. I had said how I wanted to lose that last 9 lbs to be 'normal' as in BMI. She said, honey, you are so normal. We'd never have guessed you fat ever, and if you ask any woman on the street if she weighed her ideal they'd all want to lose 10 more lbs even the skinny ones. So I'm normal!!

So this has got me thinking, I need some opinions. My screen name here has always been Long2Bthin. Now that I'm longing no more, should I change it? Though I don't think of myself as thin yet, but maybe something like LongNoMore?? any other ideas??

hoping this post didn't sound like bragging, but it was a huge light bulb moment for me!

Cute story Long. Congrats on reaching your Goal !!! :smile2:

How about Long2StayThin?

Charlene, Apples, I need to find a GoodWill near me. A few weeks ago I went to this Thrift Store by my Moms house. I found 2 pairs of jeans, perfect condition for 2.99 each. I was amazed since I have never shopped at a used clothing store before. I will be looking next week while on vacation.

Apples enjoy your time at the lake. I'm so jealous. For years Mom and Dad had a house on the lake, then when he got ill, Mom sold it.

Charlene, so sorry that your hubbys surgery was put off. How is he doing.

Laura, your son is such a cutie !!

I would love to be at the beach right now, its soooo hot here in Texas right now.

Anyone here on facebook. I am friends with Janet, Lori, Joann, Susan and Orea. Please email me with your names. I just love facebook.

Well..dinner time. Cya all later.

Pj

Charlene, Apples, I need to find a GoodWill near me. A few weeks ago I went to this Thrift Store by my Moms house. I found 2 pairs of jeans, perfect condition for 2.99 each. I was amazed since I have never shopped at a used clothing store before. I will be looking next week while on vacation.

Apples enjoy your time at the lake. I'm so jealous. For years Mom and Dad had a house on the lake, then when he got ill, Mom sold it.

Charlene, so sorry that your hubbys surgery was put off. How is he doing.

Laura, your son is such a cutie !!

I would love to be at the beach right now, its soooo hot here in Texas right now.

Anyone here on facebook. I am friends with Janet, Lori, Joann, Susan and Orea. Please email me with your names. I just love facebook.

Well..dinner time. Cya all later.

Pj

Pj, just google Goodwill. They should have one near you. Hubby is going to the blood doctor on thursday. It may be just a genetic thing. His mother had a blood clotting disorder. Hey, your my friend on facebook! Remember, we are Farmtown friends. Yes, it is HOT in Texas.........too HOT!

Look for me on FB, too ladies. Phyllis Hand.

I am a FarmTown Fanatic, too!

Cute story Long. Congrats on reaching your Goal !!! :thumbup:

How about Long2StayThin?

Oh I like that too!!

Long2StayThin

LongNoMore

Great2BThin

I had never shopped Goodwill before losing weight before either. But have found lots of great summer clothes. Almost all are brands like Ann Taylor, JonesNY, Liz, etc. too. Now when I just wear something a time or two I don't feel guilty. I've gotten most of my summer bottoms there as sizes were changing so quickly. Most tops I have gotten in the stores, I haven't had as much luck finding tops as bottoms at Goodwill. And one particular Goodwill store seems to have more for me than another. The challenge of the hunt!

Look for me on FB, too ladies. Phyllis Hand.

I am a FarmTown Fanatic, too!

Yes, Charlene, you are my FarmTown buddy. Will look for you Phyllis right now. I love FarmTown !!

Aren't all you "farmers" just the cutuest thing! I signed up for facebook, welcomed some friends and that's it. Haven't a clue about it but would like to get a start on it. I've been exposed to this farming stuff for over 30 yrs....would you guys accept me? Or, would you consider me a pro???????????????

Oh I like that too!!

Long2StayThin

LongNoMore

Great2BThin

I had never shopped Goodwill before losing weight before either. But have found lots of great summer clothes. Almost all are brands like Ann Taylor, JonesNY, Liz, etc. too. Now when I just wear something a time or two I don't feel guilty. I've gotten most of my summer bottoms there as sizes were changing so quickly. Most tops I have gotten in the stores, I haven't had as much luck finding tops as bottoms at Goodwill. And one particular Goodwill store seems to have more for me than another. The challenge of the hunt!

How about: Long&Lean

Longtobethinnomore

:thumbup:

Oh I like that too!!

Long2StayThin

LongNoMore

Great2BThin

I had never shopped Goodwill before losing weight before either. But have found lots of great summer clothes. Almost all are brands like Ann Taylor, JonesNY, Liz, etc. too. Now when I just wear something a time or two I don't feel guilty. I've gotten most of my summer bottoms there as sizes were changing so quickly. Most tops I have gotten in the stores, I haven't had as much luck finding tops as bottoms at Goodwill. And one particular Goodwill store seems to have more for me than another. The challenge of the hunt!

Great2BThin, I'll just call you Great............I like it!

Laura~ I really really love your story about Nelson and his adoption. What a wonderful way to meet your son! And, as I've told you before, his name! LOVE IT! My grandpa. Thanks for all of your support.

I love all of your stories of success! FANTASTIC!!!! Congratulations to all of you! What wonderful role models I have. Once again, thanks to all of you.

I am pooped today. I work with my sister every Tuesday at the barn. She is a Hippotherapist, which is an occupational therapist with a national theraputic horse back riding endorsement. She helps children and adults with disabilities. It is amazing! I love it! I help groom, tack, and lead the horses and patients. It is such a rewarding experience.

Anyhow, just trying to get my mind off thinking about the pre-surgery nerves.

Ok, thats all for now. Sorry I didn't comment on all of your individual posts, there are so many new ones since I checked in last! WOW, you girls have been busy on here! I will have to come back tomorrow and do some more reading and posting.

Time for some broth!

~Meredith

Good Morning Gang - I guess I never got around to posting yesterday - busy at work (will be again today) and last night DGD spent the night and we played Wii Fit - In some areas I am better than a 14 yr old !!!! And if she couldn't do it she cheated or gave up... Well I guess she's not competetive like her old grandma...

Apples, Congratulations on your 1 year band anniversary - I missed it last week, so just wanted to say congratulations and thanks for sharing with us newer bandsters and inspiring us. So sorry to hear of your friend's passing Apples and Janet, I will say a prayer for her family. Meredith, I loved your story about your dad -- what a great dad you have -- and now you only have 3 days left till your band day!! You're going to do so great. Julie, hope you can relax now and get some rest. My dept. was celebrating its 10 year anniversary at work - and we had a little party -- cake and punch. Since I work at night and weekends, I rarely see anyone except my immediate co-workers. Several people from different departments told me how great I look and one girl even told me I look younger! I was worried before that I'd look older after I lost weight, but so far so good. I talked to two different people who didn't even recognize me at first -- then all of a sudden they said, "oh, Linda, it's YOU!" That was fun too and the best NSV I've had to date. I brought home the piece of cake they had put on my desk and gave it to my sweets loving DH. Better in he than in me! Have a great day tomorrow everyone. It's supposed to be 105 here in central Iowa -- along with 98% humidity! Linda

Linda - Yea for giving the cake to DH - Isn't it such a great feeling when you control the food and it doesn't control you !!!

Good goin' on the cake, Linda. The band sure makes it easier to pass all that stuff up. It's not going to make food choices for us but just having it is a reminder of our new and healthy way of living. I hope and pray that it is with me (and works as well as it does) until I leave this world. Also, great NSV with the co-workers. Isn't it fun when people really start to notice???? VERY warm this week in MN also. Crops look good though with the rain we had over the weekend.

Mornin' to the rest of the gang. Hope everyone is having a great day. Running around getting caught up so I can leave again in the morning. Have a bunch of GF's :wub:joining me for a few days. Floating rafts, foo foo drinks, movies, board and card games, etc. :thumbup: Big celebration over the weekend in the little town close to our resort. Should be a fun filled weekend. Wish I could snap my fingers and all of you could join me. I am fun....honestly....I would make sure you all had plenty to do, drink and eat. Ohhhhh, maybe next weekend?

Well I think you would be a hoot to hang with - but I just don't know if I could keep up with you :0) -- I would have to have some naps :0)

Apples, a belated Happy Bandiversary! I wish I lived up there so we could hang out. I think I would love hanging out with all my LBT Buddies. Have a great long weekend at the lake. It is too hot to get out down here. It has been 100 everyday with no let up in site.

Long, I have wanted to go shopping at Goodwill. We have a new one nearby. I will give it a try. First, I need to shed a few more lbs. By the way, Congrats! on your new goal weight.

Charlene - It's getting warm here too - but for us anything under 105 is cool :0)

Thanks for the congrats, Charlene (and anyone else I forgot to thank). Our MN summers are actually quite warm and humid but most ppl from the south would think they were heavenly. Have Aussie friends coming to visit for a few weeks in Aug and was telling them how warm it gets.....should have saved my breath. Been over there during their summers and they are HOT and HUMID like we don't even know.

Our closest Goodwill is about 3 hours away. We have Salvation Army stores but I am so hard to fit that I rarely find anything. The best is this shop we have in our little town. The owner goes to the cities and buys things in bulk (overstock from last year). All new items and wonderful name brands. I have 4 Ann Taylor dresses in my closet that were all under $20. Pendelton winter items, etc. that are new but under $20. Owner can never find slacks for me (34-36'inseam). One of the reasons I enjoy summer....capris and shorts. Never have to worry about "high Water pants"!

Aren't you luck - here I have to wear heals with my long pants unless I buy petitees -

Interesting how I was perceived by others. Last night I went down to the hospital's lapband support group at the hospital. I have not gone to that one before but went because a special speaker was supposed to be there (who no showed). Anyhow, I get there and the door is locked. The facilitator was there and 2 other people. She called security and we waited for 45 min. in that hallway for them to open the door. So when I get there I ask if they are there for the lapband meeting. They said yes, they asked me if I was there for the diabetes meeting I said no. So I assumed, they knew I was there for the lapband meeting as well since I asked even. But the whole 45 min. waiting no one talked to me. I asked questions of them, how long they were banded etc. But they just weren't real inclusive of me in their conversations, I thought well I am just the newbie to this group. Finally the door gets unlocked and we go into the meeting room. They look at me funny. They then go around and do introductions, where we say our name, our surgeon, when our surgery was and how much we have lost. They were all shocked I was a lapband patient. They then said they couldn't figure out why I was there as I looked so normal. ME!! NORMAL!! That they'd have never guessed I ever had a weight issue. When I told htem I once weighed 305 they were amazed. That totally rocked my world! And the leader helped me put it in perception. I had said how I wanted to lose that last 9 lbs to be 'normal' as in BMI. She said, honey, you are so normal. We'd never have guessed you fat ever, and if you ask any woman on the street if she weighed her ideal they'd all want to lose 10 more lbs even the skinny ones. So I'm normal!!

So this has got me thinking, I need some opinions. My screen name here has always been Long2Bthin. Now that I'm longing no more, should I change it? Though I don't think of myself as thin yet, but maybe something like LongNoMore?? any other ideas??

hoping this post didn't sound like bragging, but it was a huge light bulb moment for me!

DARLING IT'S NOT BRAGGING IT'S SHARING YOUR SUCCESSES AND NSV... WE EARNED THE RIGHT TO - SO NEVER EVER APOLIGIZE 1!!

Yep new pple see as as normal - they don't know what we use to look like - I had a sampler lady tell me I could afford to eat whatever it was that she had samples for. She saw a thin person - not the person who we use to be..

You were an inspriation to those ladies :0)

MY VOTE - GREAT2BTHIN -

Aren't all you "farmers" just the cutuest thing! I signed up for facebook, welcomed some friends and that's it. Haven't a clue about it but would like to get a start on it. I've been exposed to this farming stuff for over 30 yrs....would you guys accept me? Or, would you consider me a pro???????????????

Yep you are a pro - but the game makes us all even -

I'm Janet Wright on FB - so send me freind request :0)

Laura~ I really really love your story about Nelson and his adoption. What a wonderful way to meet your son! And, as I've told you before, his name! LOVE IT! My grandpa. Thanks for all of your support.

I love all of your stories of success! FANTASTIC!!!! Congratulations to all of you! What wonderful role models I have. Once again, thanks to all of you.

I am pooped today. I work with my sister every Tuesday at the barn. She is a Hippotherapist, which is an occupational therapist with a national theraputic horse back riding endorsement. She helps children and adults with disabilities. It is amazing! I love it! I help groom, tack, and lead the horses and patients. It is such a rewarding experience.

Anyhow, just trying to get my mind off thinking about the pre-surgery nerves.

Ok, thats all for now. Sorry I didn't comment on all of your individual posts, there are so many new ones since I checked in last! WOW, you girls have been busy on here! I will have to come back tomorrow and do some more reading and posting.

Time for some broth!

~Meredith

Meredith - you day sounded enjoyable and rewarding !!!

Well gang I have to get my butt in gear - will try and cbl

Long - I like Great2BThin. Longnomore - sounds like you are no longer tall! You deserve a new screen name! Can I have your old one???

Apples - and others - on FB I am Joann Haley Farley. Send me a friend request (let me know your name, too - I get some I don't know and I am hesitant...) I don't do games much 'cause I would be on the computer 24/7 and I would never get ANYTHING else done. But I like friends...