WOW... It is so hard to believe that this month we will all reach our 2yr mark... I think this will be a great time for all of us to give an update and reflect on the past 2 years..

I think we have all done wonderfully... And i am so happy i was able to share this journey with all of you wonderful ladies... We are all such beautiful inside and out, but i think that some of us are coming to see that about ourselves and growing more confident as we progress.

Thank you all for your wonderful support and great stories... I'm pretty sure we all are proud ourselves. I know im proud of all of you!!!

So lets make the next year the best one yet and work even harder to shed off those last few stubborn pounds till our goals!!!

Hi all, I have been plateaued with my current weight for a year now. I went through the fill process to a point where it was too tight, and now, I think I'm at good fill, but I have maintained my 50% mark. I am very happy I've taken this journey, but sometimes it's frustrating.

I'm currently visiting a buddy for spring break and she had the bypass. She's lost it all, and has done a great job of maintaining. Whether she knows this or not, the things she says sometimes feel like a put down because I've not lost all of the weight. I know bypass loses it faster/easier...we had our surgeries 2 mos. apart, so I get the time frame issue, but dang it....I've lost weight too!

Sorrrry, just had to vent for a sec. I know the band was my surgery of choice, I know that for me, it was what I needed to live a better life and dang it, it's my life to decide how I choose to live it.

Anyway, happy bandiversary everyone!

Annette

Hi Annette,

After being banded twice now, I often wonder if I should have not just gone for the RNY.

But first of all, I know quite a few people that have had the RNY that are either gaining back the weight or have gained all the weight back. Don't get me wrong there is a lot of people that keep it off.

Tey are now starting to put lapband on patients that have had the RNY and are gaining.

It may go slow and we may never lose it all but we have the ability to really manage how much we can eat. The RNY often stretch their pouches out again and then what.

If your feeling better, then you are a success!

Keep up the good work!

Annette,

Don't let anyone elses world and decisions make you feel less than you are.

There's no reason to make comparisions to other people. It's not like you can go back and change the past.

Deal with your future and your now. Look at the all the good you have. There is plenty I'm sure you can pin point. This is all about you and not a thing about her.

And tell her when she's putting you down. You don't have to be snarky about it, but saying, "When you say X, I'm not sure you mean for me to hear Y, but I do. Maybe there's a different way to say what you mean?"

And hope she didn't mean to put you down or that she gets it instead of coming up with a more clear put down. LOL!

Take care and come post more often!

I am glad to see everyone is doing well!

I fell off the weightloss wagon. I realised earlier this month that my two year bandiversary was coming up. I thought I would be at or damn near goal by now. I have a good 60 pounds to loose.

So I sat and thought about it. And then thought some more for a few weeks.

I decided I needed to prioritize and I needed to be accountable in ways that made things easy to see.

I got a tricycle this winter, but I wasn't able to ride it until this month since I wasn't going to start cycling with ice and snow and below freezing weather. Its a recumbent tricycle. I needed a tricycle since I can't do bikes since I have bad balance (neurological issue). And I needed a recumbent due to joint issues-- I SI joint problems, which are slowly improving. It wasn't cheap-- the most reasonable option for me was about 1000 dollars with shipping. But I saved up for months and did temp work to afford it.

Lately, I have been riding about twice a week on what tend to be an average of 10 miles round trip. Its good for me, and its fun! I even have been riding to the gym.

Then I was thinking that if weight is about calories in vs calories out, I need to keep better track of calories in and out. So I have been working on doing that for calories in with an app on my G1 phone. I'm not perfect at it or even doing it every day yet, but I am getting better and better about it. I also bought a bodybugg with digital display. I saved some money by buying off of ebay. I think seeing that calories burned will help me keep calories consumed in check.

I decided I am also going to buy some personal training sessions at my gym-- this will help get me in the door so I go more often and my goal is to start fencing again in the fall. This will be a good way to make sure I'm doing the strength training for that properly.

Then tomorrow I will call my bariatric center and schedule my next two or three fills, six to eight weeks apart. Then I'll call and schedule an apointment with the nutritionist.

My skin itches. I'm mad at myself. So I had better work on it so I can be proud of myself again!

hi everyone,

i just happened to see this thread in the "new posts".

my 2nd anniversary is 3/30.

i also had to think about "which year" is this?

you are right...life has become very full. i am doing alot of volunteer work, i cycle (did the MS150 last april) and have met a great guy that i plan to marry next year.

none of this would have been possible if i didnt get my band. not only for the physical change it gave me....but more importantly...the mental change.

dont get me wrong....the first year was alot of work. i decided early on i wanted to succeed at this. i think having paid for my surgery and the fact i had an "operation"...it forced me to really think through when i started falling off the wagon (which i did a few times the first year).

lately i have been eating poorly. i feel like i'm getting back into old habits. my jeans are getting tight and i hate that feeling.

so i decided last week to get my butt back to the gym and to start journalling my food. this is what helped me to lose my weight the first year. also i made a pact with myself that if i gain weight...i will cancel my PS. i dont want to pay all of that $ only to gain weight. i'm trying to use this as leverage for me to get back on track.

so far it is working.

well....i just wanted to check in and touch base.

overall i am THRILLED with the band.

i am very happy "marchies '07" are doing well

wow the thread is finally rolling again... glad to see some old friends again that wehavent heard from in a while.. you ladies should check in more often... i find talking on this thread helps to keep me in check:wub:

hi everyone,

i just happened to see this thread in the "new posts".

my 2nd anniversary is 3/30.

i also had to think about "which year" is this?

you are right...life has become very full. i am doing alot of volunteer work, i cycle (did the MS150 last april) and have met a great guy that i plan to marry next year.

none of this would have been possible if i didnt get my band. not only for the physical change it gave me....but more importantly...the mental change.

dont get me wrong....the first year was alot of work. i decided early on i wanted to succeed at this. i think having paid for my surgery and the fact i had an "operation"...it forced me to really think through when i started falling off the wagon (which i did a few times the first year).

lately i have been eating poorly. i feel like i'm getting back into old habits. my jeans are getting tight and i hate that feeling.

so i decided last week to get my butt back to the gym and to start journalling my food. this is what helped me to lose my weight the first year. also i made a pact with myself that if i gain weight...i will cancel my PS. i dont want to pay all of that $ only to gain weight. i'm trying to use this as leverage for me to get back on track.

so far it is working.

well....i just wanted to check in and touch base.

overall i am THRILLED with the band.

i am very happy "marchies '07" are doing well

You need to join us in the cycling thread! There was a LBT woman Stephaine, who did the MS150 last April in Texas too. She's kind of fell off the face of the earth but we heart the heck out cycling. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f81/has-anyone-taken-up-bycyling-35343/index558.html

Don't try to read the old stuff, there are a million posts, but jump in and talk about what you're going through. For the most part the gang on there is about 2 years out.

Nice to meet you btw.

Oh and Josie,

Jeni and I are doing plastic surgery this spring too.

And how sweet is it that you found your man?! I'm sure you'll have a happy life together!

Edited March 24, 200917 yr by OH Juli

hey julie,

i've been reading about the your upcoming surgeries and other people that have already completed their surgeries. i'm trying to learn as much as i can about recovery. i am such a baby......the lapband surgery which was less then a root canal....whipped my butt.

so i'm trying to gain strength from you guys.

i actually read the cycle thread last night. last year when i was heavy into cycling...i lurked on that thread. i didnt know alot of cycle terminology and learned alot. i actually communicated with a girl who did the dallas MS race. i forget her name but it was texas-something. and you are right...i didnt see her much after the race.

i entered this year's MS150 but just dropped out. i've been having trouble getting training time in....so i think i will do it every other year. i will drop into the cycle thread as i need to keep my butt on the bike. thanks for the invite

i've gained 14 lbs since before christmas and must stop that now....before i need a lapband for my lapband hehehe.

i will be praying for you during your surgery......

thanks for your message and have a great day.

josie

I noticed that when I was on here regularly, on lapbandtalk, I was doing better. But then life gets busy...

Overall, I am doing really well. And the weight I have lost is definitely a component of that. Thanks to the band the treatment of my narcolepsy, I'm healthier than I have been in years. I actually have energy! So I find myself wanting to do more and more. And I have done a lot in the past couple of years. I got a master's degree. That was fun. I'm working on another and my teaching certificate. Its also a ton of fun. I've been doing various things in the community as well, which I also really enjoy and I feel like I'm making a difference bit by bit. But I am dissapointed that I let certain things in my life slip-- like staying on top of weight loss. At least I haven't been gaining! I know I have the band to thank for that!

Hello

Kyethra it so nice to hear from you again, it sounds like you have a good plan.

Josiebies welcome.

So I have this feeling and was wondering if you have ever felt this way.

I have been doing Zumba dancing and have really built up my core muscle, from my toes to my head. I really have only dropped a few pounds but now have calves of steel. Here is my question. I feel like my inner core is hard and is covered in tons of fat. it is a very bizarre feeling. I stand in front of the mirror and hold up the belly fat and say if this was gone I would not be terrible. But I still have so long to get to a proper weight. it is just so odd. Do you feel like a fairly fit person drowning in fat?

Janine, thanks for the advice the other day. One of the interesting things that I found out about from my friend that I was visiting. She'd just had her tummy PS back in Dec. She's still got "muffin top." Her Dr. said that once he works on the 'girls' it will disappear some, but because that was not fat, just extra skin, he couldn't tighten it up completely until he saw how the upper procedure went. So, I think that unless I'm a young chick....with really elastic skin...I'm still gonna have a few moments of feeling fat. This is just due to sag in places though. I know my arms are pretty good....just saggy (not super saggy, but I know what's left is skin...not fat. I think that some of underneath is fat, but since we've stretched the skin....some of it's just plain skin. I hope this all makes sense.

Anyway, doing better with the attitude. Thanks for all the support from the gang here. Can't believe we've all been together for a couple of years. Wow!

Kyethra, good to see ya girl. I understand about your dilemma, but we're here for ya girl!

Annette

I feel like I'm drowning in skin. I feel super fit and I am. At spin class I can keep up with the best of um, but I'm still sporting this huge belly for the next 10 days.

Wow, I just did the count down.

But it's all a process.

I don't always feel like I'm drowning, but there are some times when it's the only thing I can think about.

hi julie,

i know what you mean. yesterday a woman i do volunteer work with told me when she first met me in sept...i didnt have the "tire" around my waist. i call it my "blue bell tire" (blue bell is a great ice cream down here in texas.) i gained 14 lbs over the holidays. i lost 4 of them since i put my nose to the grind again a few weeks ago.

i'm getting nervous about my operation. altho' i cant wait because it seems like everyone that is on the other side of the operation is happy.

annette: YIKES! re: muffin top

are you having PS?

i'm concerned about having a "muffin top" after my operation. like you said....i have to be realistic...i am 51 years old.

i've been working out like crazy because my doctor said my recovery will be better....

janine: it's great about your core being tight. it really helps in so many ways....balance, etc. i think the tight core will help with weight loss. (meaning muscle using more calories) my arms are tight muscle covered by fat. so i know what you mean.

kyethra:great about all of your activities....funny how the weight held us down mentally. you are right...since i started coming back on LBT...i am starting to clean up my "eating-act" and exercising. i'm getting back to basics.

anyway...have a great weekend everyone

joanne

Hi All, just checking in. I have another food Story to Tell. First let me give many THUMBS UP to everyone. One of many things we all agree on is the decision to get the Band. I do not regret it at all. But I wish I had gotten it sooner. But as we know things happen in it's own time.

Juli my prayers to you on your surgery. I could only image the amount of skin you describe. But when all is done you're going to be fine. All just in time to show off this summer.

Although we may all at some time want to give up we don't. For we keep coming back here with a new attitude and a plan. So let's keep being here for each other and we'll all get through this.

Now for my Food Story. I wanted to give the vegetarian way a chance. It all started w/ a 9day detox. With no meat, fish included of any kind for nine days. Okay, that was easy. Then I wanted to see how long I could do this vegetarian eating. All was going good, I started this in February 16. Well, thinking for what I was eating I was getting all the Vitamin, minerals and nutrients. Not realizing I had put myself on a low fat/no fat diet. Why, because I wasn't using any butter or oil in or with my food.

Well, a few week ago I had eaten two sardines and felt a little funny in my tummy. I let it pass. #1. Well, on Tuesday nite I had a grilled eggplant and zucchini wrap for dinner. #2. For lunch Wednesday, I had more eggplant and zucchini wraps with cheese (more oil). #3. The big one for snack/lunch on Thursday I had sardines made with mayonnaise and crackers.

Needless to say, I was so glad I decided to leave work that day. A few hours later I was no good to myself. Oh, to top it off, I had began a detox cleansing. You see where I'm going w/ this. I was a mess. In talking to my daughter who is a vegetarian, I was informed that I had deprived my body of fat. That this is the theory of the Atkins Diet the first 2 weeks. So,I had put body in fat overload.

So, now that I'm back on my feet, I'm feeling much better and I'm now back to eating fish again. Lesson learned, do more research before I try this again.

Thanks for taking the time to read all this. Be well and plan a great week.