Hi everyone--I thought I'd listen to some advice from one of the other monthly groups and start one master thread in which we have an ongoing discussion/updates. I don't know about you all but I certainly spend most of my time on these boards on the pre-op forum and the general forum, not here. It would be nice to have just one thread to go to once in this forum.

We can maybe start out with introductions?

As for me, I'm going the "online privacy" route for now (paranoid that people I haven't told about this will somehow stumble across me on this site I guess, which is crazy, I know) but I can give you the big picture:

You can call me Penny, I'm 27, single and live in the Washington, DC area. I have a background in politics (which is why I live in DC) but now I'm a librarian which is much cooler and way more fun (trust me on that). Oh, and there's no "Marion the Librarian" thing with me either. One of the things I hear most frequently (besides the cliche "you have such a pretty face") is "but you don't LOOK like a librarian", which is another one of those bizarre backhanded compliments that you never really know how to take.

Personality wise, I'm kind of dorky, big into public radio and books and popular science. Oh, I'm also a little on the paranoid side (as you may be able to tell from earlier in this post). Beyond that I'm just kind of silly and friendly, VERY much so into traveling and I'm an aspiring "green" domestic diva (but that's not going so well).

Congratulations on the job and getting finals over with!!! You are very strong to be able to stay away from the scale. I weigh ALL THE TIME NOW! Jeez. It sounds like you are on the right track. Good luck with your next fill and your job.

I am so descouraged. I can't seem to break the 250 mark. 1 month of ups and downs but no 249. I keep thinking back to when I had gotten down to a size 10 a few years ago and as usual put it back on. I am sure this band will help keep it off when I get down there. Thats what this is all about right? I found that the diet lemon pie is wonderfull. I got the recepe off this site. Really hits the spot when I am craving sweets.

I am so descouraged. I can't seem to break the 250 mark. 1 month of ups and downs but no 249. I keep thinking back to when I had gotten down to a size 10 a few years ago and as usual put it back on. I am sure this band will help keep it off when I get down there. Thats what this is all about right? I found that the diet lemon pie is wonderfull. I got the recepe off this site. Really hits the spot when I am craving sweets.

Sounds like you probably need a slight fill. But also take a look at what you are eating, how much, how often, thinks like that. Most of the time ir I need to snack, I do it on veggies: grape tomatoes, carefully chewed baby carrots or green peppers, things like that. They hep me feel full again with minimal damage and maybe some nutritional benefits.

Good luck!

Hi Bubbles:

I was discouraged for a while too, and suddenly broke through the plateau. I am losing pretty steadily but I expect that there will be another stopping place in the future that I will really have to work to defeat. You can do it!!! (It once took me 3 weeks to break a plateau.)

I love love love that jumping jack idea!!

I saw an Arnold S. (not even going to try to spell Swazanager) and he was so physically fit that I was eating a slider food and stopped. Told myself that is what I needed to look like when I am his age. I tried eating shrimp and it all came up. That is when I tried eating the slidder food. Stopped and ate some frozen turkey meal.

Penny - it's great to hear from you. I've often wondered how you've been doing. I like and agree with your slow and steady approach. It's the one I use at the advice of my doctor. He says live your life and let the band do it's job without over focusing on it.

Quitling Bee - how great is that! You've gone down 10 sizes! :thumbup::w00t::tt1: WTG! Help us stay motivated by posting more frequently. :tongue2:

Bubbles have you worked out at all? That is the only way I started to lose weight. Today I even went out in the freezing cold weather and fast walked and then jogged some for an hour and 15 minutes. I know if I do work out it is going to be a big help. Try it if you haven't been. Another think that I try to do is keep busy. I'm usually in my bed but when I did stuff around the house and made sure I did even if I didn't like it I lost weight. Try it and let me know.

Thank you all for your ideas!! I will get started on them. I also enjoy reading your posts. It is encouraging to me.

How do you handle when you are depressed and don't want to get out of bed to get busy and not eat as well as you should? It is sooooooooo hard to get me out of bed when some one upsets me.

I guys. I don't post often but I read your notes every couple of days and have really found support with you. I wish I could loose in by butt. I've gone down from a 26 to a 16 pants size but when I look in the mirror I still see my big rear. I've seen it big for 15-20 years so I guess my mind hasn't caught up with my weight loss. :blushing:

First, Thx Ladies for all the congrats. Now Quilting Bee, I laughed when I read your post. I'd gladly take some of your booty, I come from a long line of flat bottom girls:sad: and have always wanted a boofy bottom. and congrats on the weight loss.

Hi Joiful. I was so fatigued after the band, I could hardly get out of bed and it kept getting worse. I was getting nutrition so that wasn't the problem. The tiredness made losing very difficult. A trip to the doctor made all the difference as I found out I was diabetic. Usually I would be embarrassed with a diabetes diagnosis because it is a "fat person" disease, however I found out that when I got on medicine I had energy gradually again and then weight started melting off. Amazing. Hate to suggest the doctor again but if it is tiredness after something stressful, that could be it. It was for me and I had no idea.

How do you handle when you are depressed and don't want to get out of bed to get busy and not eat as well as you should? It is sooooooooo hard to get me out of bed when some one upsets me.

I have children and job so not getting out of bed is not an option. But I can certainly relate to feeling so down that I just want to pull the covers over my head. Everyone feels this way occassionally but if this is an ongoing thing, it sounds like you are clinically depressed in which case you might need to see a therapist and may even need some anti-depressants to help you get through this patch. I'd also like to mention that studies indicate exercise over the long term is much more beneficial for boosting seratonin levels than any pharmaceutical so, even though you don't feel like it, if you could start exercising daily, after a couple of weeks, I think you'll see a big boost in your energy and mood (with the added benefits of toning your body).

I hope you feel better soon.

I have been exercising for a month. It is not depression. My bed is comfortable and warm. I can sit here look at my computer and TV. I was working at my business until I had spinal surgery and now my husband is. We are trying to figure out about going back to school and looking into the medical field. Cause I didn't go last semester and take some science courses I have to wait to start a program in Fall 2010. That is just so frickin far away that it just has been so fustrated that I just want to stay in bed. I have even eaten cookies last several days.

i finally broke my plateau of 250. I made it to 248. It took almost a month but I finally did it. Also I went to a support group a couple days ago. It was horrible! The doctor, nurse and nutritionist could not make it due to the 200 mile travel in bad weather. So they has a local doctor show and he just does the fills. He is new to the area also. Their was only 2 of us that showed up. The other gal was not to encouraging. I don't think I will go to another one of those again.

Congrats, Bubbles!