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).

OK July Bandsters - we need a good kick in the butt. I've been reading the last 4 or so pages of threads and we all seem to be disappointed in ourselves.

There's a solid crew of us who have remained on this thread. We're doing a great job supporting each other. Let's ramp it up a bit and stick together to make this work for us. We've invested a lot in the band, and we need to invest even more in ourselves. We can do it!

2009 Goal for me: Eat right, log my food daily and exercise 5 days a week.

Hey All.. I am back from Europe and pleasantly surprised at what my scale had to offer.. I am down 5 pounds since I left 3 weeks ago! this is such a victory because I knew before I left that I was needing a slight fill because I still can eat a tad more than I should and I am not getting that nice full feeling for very long.. anyways.. I am so surprised! the food in europe was not what you call band friendly :huh2: and we were eating out everyday.. 3 meals a day!

So I am not at my end of the year goal.. but who really knew what would happen and its 30 lbs and I'll take it!!

so here's to 2009. its so exciting to think that this year will bring for all of us.

Orea- I think my goal is to self-control :tongue2:

anyways.. its good to be back!

Yes, let's get back on track. I signed in again to get more encouragement and it worked. Others are out there just like me, struggling, but keeping going. I got out my calorie counter,m my log, and my low fat cookbook to spice up some dinners. I have some restrictions... 3 fills but still not sure of the size of my lap band. I know it is smaller...I think Dr. Wood said 7 cm... but I guess it is all relative to how much he has filled. I thin k I am at 4.5... anyways.. going back in Jan. I eat a small yoghurt for breakfast. I am pretty full on a poached egg and toast for lunch. But hungry by supper and can eat 3 oz beef and 1 cup rice.... The not drinking water is hard!

Joiful, I pb'd 4 times in two weeks and called the dr. They said I needed and unfill....so they took out .5. Now, I only pb if I eat too fast and don't chew well. That has only happened 2 times in a month.

Then I know for sure I am too tight. Going in tomorrow. I am just scared they are going to take out too much. I have had a bowl of soup today. Needed some calories saw my old birthday cake from christmas eve tried to eat it and couldn't. That is a good thing. Going to eat meatballs for dinner. I weigh about 175 now. So happy about that. STill have 25 to go until I am at a healthy weight. Has anyone answered the question why can you gain so fast but taking it off takes so much longer!

Just checking to stay accountable. This holiday season hasn't been easy for me at all. My surgeon is happy with my progress, but i liked it when i was losing faster (who doesn't). I keep reminding myself that i wanted to lose slowly and safely, and still be able to taste everything even the sweets (which i certainly have been).

but i'm back to making all my meals and drinking my water. i've been doing well with exercise and will be starting aquasize in jan - hope i don't chicken out of that one. Gigi

Quick check in: down 3lbs over christmas can't ask for much more. And find out tomarrow if I can schedule a fill or not. I hope everyone has a fantastic new years and am really pleased to see so many butterflies comming back to this thread. We are all comming into our 6mo bandaversery(sp?) I hope we're all at goal 6mo from now. wouldn't that be great!!!

Checking in: I had to get readmitted to the hospital on Saturday day to an infection. I was miserable. I just got out today. I am so happy to be home. I couldn't eat or sleep in there and the nurse blew the vein in my iv last night, so my hand is really swollen and red.

shrinknme: congrats on your weighloss from your trip. You probably did a lot of walking during your trip and that help counteract the extra calories :wink2:

Hey there everyone, so glad to see everyone helping each other out of the dumps. Stay strong and keep fighting everyday to get to your goals. I think sometimes we need to remind ourselves that the band is our tool but we have to determine how to best utilize it. I just am soooooooo greatful to have found others who know the struggle and understand the self destructive patterns that we fight everyday. Keep up the positive attitudes! Goal, to get more creative with my food, stop eating the same boring stuff day after day. There is great tasting healthy foods waiting for me to cook them!

Happy New Year everyone -

Speaking of goals (isn't it that time of year)!?! Last night I got together with a small group of banders from our monthly hospital support meeting. We made a group goal to meet once a week. Each week will have a different venue - in addition to the monthly support meeting we're going to exercise together one week, eat out together one week, and bring a specific topic of common interest one week. We all seem energized for it so I'm hopeful it will keep me on track.

Checking in: I had to get readmitted to the hospital on Saturday day to an infection. I was miserable. I just got out today. I am so happy to be home. I couldn't eat or sleep in there and the nurse blew the vein in my iv last night, so my hand is really swollen and red.

shrinknme: congrats on your weighloss from your trip. You probably did a lot of walking during your trip and that help counteract the extra calories

wow.. infections are no fun!! and blowing iv's either.. I know all to well about both! well I hope you are feeling much better soon! be careful about weighing yourself after the iv's (its false Water weight) you may already know that:wink2:

seriously.. I know it was the tons of walking. it was nice to be able to eat chocolate and other things I wouldnt allow myself but to be able to walk everywhere because it wasnt freezing outside and burn it off!!:wink2:

and everyone!!! you all did great this year! stop being so hard on yourselves.. this is a learning expierence for all of us and we cant wake up over night with it all together.. its true we need to work on ourselves and the concept of self control.. but walk in to 2009 as confident people who had lost some and will lose more.. Gods blessings to you all as this new year begins! May we all realize more and more that we cant change ourselves with out the help of the one who made us and loves us.

Well said!!

HEY, that is a challenge I would like to take on. I will have to make me a ticker for Valentine's Day. Great Idea!

Yes I to will take that challenge, can't seem to get the valentine ticker, so I will just say by valentines day I intend on being a total of 70lbs down. That's 10 more lbs for me also. Also on the 13th of this month I'm having my breast finished. (had a lift march of last year and they took me down 2 1/2 sizes) now they have to go back in and make them full and round so I guess it will add a couple of lbs OH, I hope this isn't to much info for everyone. But we seem to share alot.

Yes I to will take that challenge, can't seem to get the valentine ticker, so I will just say by valentines day I intend on being a total of 70lbs down. That's 10 more lbs for me also. Also on the 13th of this month I'm having my breast finished. (had a lift march of last year and they took me down 2 1/2 sizes) now they have to go back in and make them full and round so I guess it will add a couple of lbs OH, I hope this isn't to much info for everyone. But we seem to share alot.

To make a new ticker just go back in and instead of edit click create a new ticker. I put it on my google page and then copied and pasted it when I edited my signature. That may be a long way, but hey, I am am technically challenged.

Yep, this is a tough one for me because I gained four lbs over the holidays, and I need a fill. I can't get on till the 19th.