July Bios?

[Connie123 0]

I'm 53 almost 54 :thumbup:! I weighed 150 at 18 when I got married. Weigh 261 now, my highest. I'm 5'7". Haven't weighed under 200 in 30 years. It's been so long since I've been able to wear non-plus clothes I've no idea how much I'd have to lose to be able to DO that.

I've been married 35 years in July, have a 17 yr old son and 5 Border Terriers. I also have Type II Diabetes. My first goal is to get off my meds, honestly after that is all 'gravy'.

Like most of us, I'm excited and scared at the same time. My surgery date is July 16th, I know with the help and support of my family and the folks I meet on this site I'll be successful! We ALL will be! :cursing:

Gitrdone

giterdone

You are just like me. I was a little worried about waiting so long to do something, being over the 50 mark. I have my surgery on the 14,

[mom2smc 0]

Hello Everyone!!

I am 38 yrs old and have been married for 18 years. I have three great kids, a 15 and 10 yr old girl and a 5 yr old boy. (Yes, I'm tired:smile2:).

I was not overweight until I was about 16-17 yrs old. We always ate at home, rarely any fast food, so I think that is what started my problems. As soon as I got a job and started going out, I started eating out a lot more. That is when my weight issues started. Then I was married young and we had a crazy schedule going to college and working, eating out almost all the time. So got up to about 160 and then had my first child, ate out more, 2nd child, and finally third child, keeping the weight from each pregnancy and here I am at 236 lbs!!! I'm only 5.2!!

Between the first and second child I was successful on Phen-Fen - got down to under 150 lbs, but that came back. I did Atkins after my second, didn't loose as much, but did well. Gained it back of course! So then my third child came along, and believe it or not I weighed less after delivering him than before I got pregnant!!! Nice surprise, but wasn't very successful at keeping it off.

So I have been going along with really no worries. I was basically happy. Last fall though, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and hypothroidism. And then I started looking at my life, and realized I had been on Zoloft for eight years for anxiety and I was taking too many meds. Also, my girls are both extremely overweight as well. So I realized finally something had to be done for me as well as my girls. So I started my journey in April, and surgery is July 13th! My daughters are even using the myfitnesspal.com with me to track their calorie intake and exercise. It is REALLY helping all of us. I started making a list (before I decided to do this) of all the activities I couldn't do because of my weight and the issues I was starting to have and it got to be pretty long! Also, some of the most simple tasks like comfortably tying my shoes and crossing my legs ended up being what prompted me to really do this.

I'm just so glad and thankful we have this site. It really does help!

Good Luck to all!

Melissa

[ocotillo 0]

Connie123 & Giterdone,

I sort of worried about the over 50 thing, but hey we are not dead yet and have (or should have) many years left to enjoy ourselves.

My surgery is tomorrow if all goes well. I lost 13.5 lbs, the 13 required + a little bonus. I hope I can keep up the determination and attitude to carry this through the end.

Be checking back with everyone when I return.

[Connie123 0]

Ocotillo

Hope all goes well, let us all know how it goes for you.

Connie

[barregirl 0]

Hi - July 14 surgery date for me! Unlike some people I've read about, I was a thin child. At the age of 19, I weighed about 130 pounds. I was never athletic, but I used to go out dancing Friday and Saturday nights, and that kept my weight right where it needed to be for my age. I was skinny. Once I met my husband, the couch potato, that all changed. He does not like dancing and I wanted to be with him all the time, therefore, my only real form of excercise ceased. We married 3.5 years later and I weighed about 165. Still pretty good - not overweight by the standards. I became pregnant in 1987 at 185 pounds, and only gained 32 pounds, most of which I had lost by the time I returned to work six weeks after deliver. At that point I weighed 204. My weight has been climbing ever since. I am a stress eater. I am not a cook and I usually took the easy way out. Fast food was my friend. Junk food, diet soda, you name it, I've eaten it. At one time or another I've tried Atkins, South Beach, Slim Fast, Dexatrim, Weight Watchers, blah blah blah. Always could lose the weight but it always found me again, plus brought along another 20 - 30 pounds. I've reached the end of my rope. Over the last two years I've been researching surgeries and trying to decide what to do.My first visit to the program was a support group meeting, and a visit with the PA and the Nutritionist. those occurred in January 2009; testing followed fairly quickly - ultrasounds, blood work, psych evals, apnea testing, etc. I got approval in May and my date was set for July 14. Monday I began the 14 day Protein shake/1 veggie/1fruit/1 starch regimen. Two weeks from today I will be banded!!!!

[Connie123 0]

Sara

Thanks for responding to me. How much is your TJ surgery? Mine is $7000. I go just before you. I am scheduled for the 14, airline tickets purchased. Time is creeping up so fast. That is good, I am soooo fat. I need help.

Connie

[Julia_N 2]

I just got my surgery date of July 31, so I'm squeaking in. I've been various stages of overweight most of my life, but I see old pictures and realize that I wasn't THAT heavy all the time, even though I felt really fat. Maybe if I hadn't been dieting since I was 10, I'd have a better handle on eating. I have most of the co-morbidities, which only worsened as I hit my highest weight in the past couple of years. I started my band Quest in September, got sidelined in February when I spent 8 days in the hospital with pneumonia, and revived it in April. The whole family is behind me and I can't wait to get back to rollerskating with my daughter.

Good luck everyone!

[sjenks9971 0]

Sara

Thanks for responding to me. How much is your TJ surgery? Mine is $7000. I go just before you. I am scheduled for the 14, airline tickets purchased. Time is creeping up so fast. That is good, I am soooo fat. I need help.

Connie

Hi Connie,

My Surgery cost is $4500 and I paid $1000 in Plane Tickets and we are staying 1 Day before in San Diego just to go and see some sites. I am getting excited. I start my pre-op diet tomorrow....so I got a couple different kinds to try out. Who is your Dr. again? (not sure if you said) So keep me posted! I can't wait to be on the Losers Bench with you!

Sara

[bashful1269 5]

I'm 38 yo, I like so many others, was overweight as a child and all of my adult life has been spent trying to get the weight off.

My family was all pretty thin with the exception of my oldest sister and they were not very kind when I was growing up. With my moms famous saying of "You'd be pretty if you'd just lose some weight". I've been dealing with low self esteem issues as well. I worried about the way I looked and got married for the WRONG reasons, I thought I was lucky that someone wanted to marry me...PS, I'm now divorced for the right reasons. I turned 30 and it was like a light switch had been turned on that said "Hey you've been living half your life worried about what other people think, it's time to start living." So, I did.

I'm happy now and I am making the choice to have surgery for health reasons, I'm currently 5'9" tall and weigh 260 wearing a size 16 and I really don't care what other people are thinking about the way I look as long as I am happy. The added benefit of losing the weight and changing the way I look is amazing to think about, although I must admit it does scare me knowing that men will most likely pay a lot more attention than they do now.

I've finally come to the conclusion that I'm not going to be able to keep it off without help. I love to exercise but the extra weight has put so much pressure on my bones that I hurt when I do. I had lost about thirty pounds on medifast then tried to get into a work out regimen only to twist a bone in my ankle that had to be removed. A year later it still hurts to walk so I will be working with the physical therapist to create a routine that works for me.

Long story I know ....sorry

Anyway, good luck to all of us! I look forward to getting to know all of you better.

Stacy

[Juniper 0]

Stacy, nice to have you with us!

I, too, lost weight with MediFast, several times in fact, but it just kept coming back.

And I also know what you mean about having men pay attention to you when you lose weight. I was totally unprepared for it the last time I lose weight, and found myself wanting to hide... and wondering if my weight hasn't always helped me hide in a way...

I wish you the best!!

[bashful1269 5]

Stacy, nice to have you with us!

I, too, lost weight with MediFast, several times in fact, but it just kept coming back.

And I also know what you mean about having men pay attention to you when you lose weight. I was totally unprepared for it the last time I lose weight, and found myself wanting to hide... and wondering if my weight hasn't always helped me hide in a way...

I wish you the best!!

Thanks Juniper,

Medifast is great but when you go off of it the sugar cravings are KILLER or at least that was my experience. And very hard to get back on it once you've gotten off of it.

I think the weight has always helped me hide. I was talking about that tonight with a friend of mine and she said that I was a lot more out going when I had lost a little weight and then it was like I had gotten scared and put the weight back on. I'm not sure how it will be with the band. I'm a little nervous what about you?

[bashful1269 5]

For those of you already banded what do you think your bio will be like a year from now?

Congrats to all those who have been banded and good luck to us that have not been yet.

[ocotillo 0]

Ocotillo

Hope all goes well, let us all know how it goes for you.

Connie

Thanks for asking Connie,

All is well. I left the clinic in Tijuana the same day as the surgery and ended up back in San Diego that night. I came back home a day early and all seems well. I have a friend that is a physical therapist and she has done wound care so I had her check the incisions and all is well. My stomach is still tender, but healing.

It's back to work tomorrow and I'll be going out of town for 3 days for training. It will be real fun working out the food for those three days, but I'm sure I'll manage.

Good luck to the rest of you July bandsters!!

EE:thumbup:

[deedee747 0]

Hi everybody,

I am 38, single and have no children. I will be banded on 7/8. I currently weigh 201, 5'3, I have always struggled with my weight. My highest weight being 208, for some people that's ideal, for me it's NOT. Four years ago I was diagnosed with PCOS and now with diabetes. I am sooooo glad that I am going to get this new TOOL. I thank God for helping me fight the bulge. I am excited and nervous I know everything is going to work for my good.

[Juniper 0]

Thanks Juniper,

Medifast is great but when you go off of it the sugar cravings are KILLER or at least that was my experience. And very hard to get back on it once you've gotten off of it.

I think the weight has always helped me hide. I was talking about that tonight with a friend of mine and she said that I was a lot more out going when I had lost a little weight and then it was like I had gotten scared and put the weight back on. I'm not sure how it will be with the band. I'm a little nervous what about you?

Well, this time will be a little different, because I'm engaged, and so it really won't matter as much if I get more attention from MEN at least. Or that's what I'm thinking. I will still be nervous about it in general, because I don't like having attention drawn to myself. Even when I was not overweight, I liked to be the fly on the wall, not in the spotlight. I'm a little anxious because I KNOW I'll get comments as I lose weight, but I'm going to come up with some "canned" responses to minimize the discussion. hehe

Hey! Look over there! Was that Bigfoot?? :tongue_smilie: