Have you commemorated your weight loss by running the Paris Marathon or climbing a mountain? Or are you rewarding yourself with a dream vacation? Or maybe you've become an adrenaline junkie after surgery, skydiving or bunjee jumping all over the world?

I'm researching a magazine article for travelgirl magazine about WLS, especially Lap-Band, a subject near and dear to me since I was recently banded. The overall story will be about women working to make their dreams come true and how WLS has made some of those dreams even more accessible.

It's possible that I may want to interview you for my article, whether you're in process or have already achieved your goal.

Please direct me if there's a better place for me to find people on this forum. It's been awhile since I've visited.

Cheers,

Leslie (aka travelchick)

I had a trip planned a few weeks before I was banded and used it as reward in my mind to reach my goal. I set a good goal to reach by the time I got on the plane and not only did I reach it but I beat it. I knew that I didnt want to be the same fat me on the beach this summer so having that vacation planned helped me push myself and get myself to where I am now.

That's awesome! Where exactly did you go on your trip? How long after your surgery was it? Did you do anything different on your trip that you wouldn't have done pre-LB surgery?

I went to the Dominican Republic 8 months after being banded. I was definitely alot more comfortable being myself on this vacation. didnt feel like a beach whale or fish out of water. i went out every night and had a great time and im not sure if i would have done that and been as happy if i was still at my preband weight.

That's really fantastic, Jessica! It sounds like just the sort of thing I was hoping to write about. Do you mind if I interview you over email or phone for my article?

Please send me a private email at lswiedom@yahoo.com with your email address and/or phone number.

i "use" to sky dive before i put the weight on , and no longer could (weight limit). i would love to do it again, but as 40 approaches i wonder what the heck i was doing jumping out of a perfectly fine airplane...would like to think i'll do it again.

dh and i are going to australia & nz after the first of the year - then plan on doing a ski trip in feb up in canada. hubby has always wanted to copter' ski & i haven't yet decided i will actually do it. we're pretty competitive w/each other.

with gaining weight i lost my daredevil attitude, working to get it back.

Hi luluc,

Cool. New Zealand is such an adventure capital. Is that a place you would have considered going at your heavier weight? Or would your activities have been different?

I'm curious...now that you've lost the weight and a bit of your daredevil attitude, have your dreams or priorities changed? With health and fitness achieved, is there another area of life that you're more inspired to tackle?

Cheers,

Leslie

luluc - I am not a big daredevil but I have definitely come out of my shell since losing weight. hope you have a great time on your upcoming trips!!

my husband travels to "oz" every qtr - i've always wanted to go w/him - but didn't want to go till i had taken the lbs off & been fit to enjoy the trip.

i think age is playing more of an obstacle in "extreme sport activities" that DH and i "use" to do. physically - i can do it ; mentally - i think i was crazy.

i'm just kinda taking things as they go - want 40 to be better than 35 & as of now i have the same body as i did at 25 and am very grateful for the band. kinda in the smell the roses mode.

I feel the same way you do. Im 30 and I spent all of my teen and 20 years hiding because of my weight. I am not a very outgoing person but I can see the change in myself since I started losing weight. I will never be an overly out there person but anything is better then living behind the invisible wall.