Hey Everyone,

I hope everything is going well for all of you. How is everyone doing six months into the adventure???

Things have been going pretty well for me. I am averaging about 10 pounds a month, but I know that won't continue during the next six months. Banded life is getting easier now that I don't have to think about it so much. It has finally, thankfully become second nature.

I have lost a little exercise motivation. Is anyone else having that problem? I was working out like crazy until graduate school got too busy on top of working too much. I feel like some nights I am so beat it is hard to enough to muster energy for the shower, let alone aerobics.

So is banding what you thought it would be going in to surgery? Now that most of us have passed the six month mark, we are becoming the next crop of veterans. How is reality different than your initial expectations???

I hope to hear from all of you fabulous January knockouts :0).

It's hard to believe the 6th month mark has come and gone. As of August 5th, I am down 35 pounds. My losses have been slow, pound here, pound there because of problems with my foot. I had that problem surgically taken care of in June. July 10th I had the stitches taken out. Since that day I've been trying to walk at least once a day if not twice. Typically I walk about 20 minutes in the morning and about 40 minutes at night. I know I'm getting a pretty good workout as I have to drag the dog the last few houses (he's even slimming down!). I'm looking to join some type of gym. I need to get some weight training in to strenghten my muscles.

Since my last fill 7-31-08 I've had more problems getting food down. I don't dare eat anything for Breakfast so I make a soy Protein smoothie. I sip on that for an hour or an hour and a half as I work. Depending on how I feel, I'll have a 1/2 sandwich for lunch or some cottage cheese if I still feel tight. I chew the sandwich very slowly and take very small bites. It always helps for me to have something crunchy on it. That way when I hear no crunch I know I chewed well enough.

I had my favorite Tai dish last week (a rice noodle dish with chicken and broccoli). I did very well with it. No problems with the noodles (amazing how slow you can eat when using chop sticks ) or the spices. I had left overs three times and now have three 4 oz. containers in the freezer for quick meals.

I have my days when I slip up and can't seem to get full. But I know I'm making progress as my insulin useage has greatly decreased. I'm in clothes I haven't worn in four years.

It's been a journey but one I have never regretted. I live my life as normal as possible (besides the smaller food quantities and getting more exercise). It will be interesting when I start classes again at the end of next month. Only one of my classmates knows I had the surgery (her sister had by-pass about 5 years ago).

wow, current status is good. Thirty more pounds to go until my initial goal and my tracker has me reaching that goal just after Halloween but we shall see. I might tweak my goal as I get to that point. I figure I may as well go for what I can as long as I am not miserable. I am really looking forward to weighing less than dh! I have 6.7 cc in my 10 cc band and i just had a fill on Thursday.

Everyone is doing so wonderful. It is really heartening to see where we all are in our journey. It will be interesting when we make it to our bandiversaries, that is for certain.

My weight loss is starting to slow. I read that the first six months are the biggest loss, and that has definitely been true for me. I have to work very hard for every pound down now, but I am still doing it. I really want to be in the "normal" range before my trip to Turkey at the end of October. I definitely have my work cut out for me :0)

I was banded January 16 and it has been a true ride. Takin the good days with the bad! Since surgery I am down 70lbs. I am excited and discouraged all at the same time cause I know I could do better. But congratulations to everyone and keep up the good work.

I'm down 83 pounds, but it doesn't feel like it today..

I eat little meals, got that 2nd filled fixed. I have restriction if I don't chew the life out of the bite.. but I'm hungry or I think I'm hungry, hell just a bad day... two weeks since last fill and no loss.. I lost more with to much fill over weekend.. nothing since.. grrrrr

blah blah blah... I hate mirrors...

Wow, sounds like the January 08 folks are doing great!!! I'm doing okay -- I was banded on January 7th and I'm down 60 pounds. It would probably be better if I was exercising more. I'm still excited about my loss thus far and I LOVE MY BAND!!! At my last fill my doctor said I was a poster child for Lapband. He also told me I need to get my ass working out more often. Well, I've been doing just that since my last fill. I've been working out on my eliptical and riding a bike. Good luck to you all!!!:tongue:

Well, looking at all your stats at the 6-month mark, I am even more depressed now knowing that I'm at my 7 month (almost 8) mark and I've only lost 30 lbs.

I picked the wrong surgery. I should have gotten the GBP. I was too obese for this band.

I'm the slowest loser ever. I'm not happy about it, but at least I'm not gaining. I still haven't gone down a size at all. My bras are still the same. I've only lost 7 inches overall. My exercise is great, my liquid intake is right on, I eat when I'm supposed to, what I'm supposed to. I can't eat breads or pastas or crackers at ALL anymore.

So I just got another fill last Monday after taking almost 3 months off from fills because even though I was getting stuck...a lot...I still had too much room in there and was able to eat too much. Now since this last fill last Monday, I'm at 8cc in a 9cc Realize band, and the scale is moving again!

I'm upping my exercise plan this week. Because even though I'm doing good, I'm not doing fantastic. I need to push push push my way through this. I've got this tool. I have restriction now. It's TIGHT.

I think I'm finally catching up to the rest of you and I am finally on my way. I'm still jealous. I should be telling you all to bugger off...but it's not your fault, it's mine. I'll be there with you shortly I just know it!!!

Mama....I know how you feel. I have looked at all these people with their HUGE weight losses (congrats to all, btw!!!) and I feel your pain. My weight loss has been slow, but it is picking up again. I feel like for the past few months my body was rebelling!!! It has been slow going and the last time I tried to get a fill, it didn't work. It was way too tight and water wouldn't even go down. So I was able to eat WAY more than I was supposed to until just last week. Now if I eat too much, it all comes back up. So, with a little trial and error I am starting to lose again. I am SO glad to finally be under 200 I can hardly stand it. What an adventure. But even at that--when you average out the weight loss, it is pretty healthy, and pretty significant even at 30 pounds lost. And, it is the only time in my life that I have EVER lost 30 pounds and not put it back on when things weren't going well.

My doctor and I have been discussing it and also decided that my weight loss is slow because I work the night shift and don't get the sleep I should. Don't know if that is true, but I have been really trying to get my rest and maybe that is what is helping!!!

I am so excited for everyone!!! YEAH us!!!!

Ok, I am going to try and put updated pics on here of 7 months. I am just really not having good luck doing it.

Good luck to everyone, one day at a time........

First pic is Dec 20th, begining day of liquid diet.

second picture is on Aug 17th.

Hope this works. sorry if it messes up.

Lois

Darn.

try again.

Edited August 29, 200817 yr by WOWOX7

I am so happy everyone is losing . . . whether it is fast or slow, we are all moving in the right direction. As long as we keep on moving on down the scale, we are all successful.

WOWOX07, the dıfference ıs absolutely amazıng!!!! You look fabulous.

Hi Everyone...it has been a long time since I have visited. I went in for my monthly fill yesterday and I have a 10 cc band so I'm at 8 cc now and I'm in a panic because my doctor has told me I only have a couple of fills left. What happens when you reach a full band, has anyone reached that point in such a short time? Maybe I should not have gone in for monthly fills? I guess once I reach 10 ccs I am on my own but I'm terrified now. By the way I'm not good at updating my weight loss in the ticker below so my weight loss is right at 69 lbs as of 8/29/08.