that you set as a goal for yourself to accomplish post surgery, the thing that was unattainable prior to surgery?

i have a few but my biggest is to be able to go up the steps to the art museum near me and not feel like i'm ready to die after the first flight of stairs lol. i don't even need to do a rocky re-enactment and cheer when i get to the top, not even run, just make it to the top. small goal i know lol :wink2:

I was just banded on the 16th of July. I know I have a long battle ahead of me. But one of the major goals I have set for myself is by this time next year to be able to go on class trips with my 9 year old. They always go places like the zoo or museums and I haven't been able to go because I can't walk that far. It has broken my heart every year to make some excuse to her why I can't go. I'm going this next May!!

I know the thread is entitled "the one thing", but I made a list for my Lap Band Scrapbook last night (yeah, I'm a dork) and figured I'd go ahead and post that here because it never hurts to see everyone's NSV goals. If anything, maybe it will remind someone of something they forgot to look forward to and inspire them to work out extra hard that afternoon! And hopefully that will do the same for me as I read the responses of others!

#1: More than anything listed below, I cannot WAIT until I am able to go shopping and purchase adorable clothes with my friends in "normal" department stores and boutiques. While I enjoy helping them pick out cute clothes, I'd much rather sift through the clearance racks for my own self!

Others I'm hella excited about in the future:

• able to shop instore @ Victoria's Secret (I'm a 42DD/DDD now and have to buy bras online.)
  
• able to sit with legs crossed like the lady I am
  
• able to rock a cute sundress and not look pregnant
  
• able to kayak (I think the weight limit is 250)
  
• able to skydive (plan to do this in August!!!)
  
• able to wear the following sizes: 16, 14, 12, 10
  
• able to walk perfect in high heels
  
• no more double chin
  
• visible collar bone
  
• able to dance at clubs and concerts with confidence
  
• able to strut around comfortable in a swimsuit
  
• able to look cute wearing things above-the-knee
  
• thighs that don't rub together as bad
  
• can no longer fit into Torrid/Lane Bryant/etc.
  
  

I know the thread is entitled "the one thing", but I made a list for my Lap Band Scrapbook last night (yeah, I'm a dork) and figured I'd go ahead and post that here because it never hurts to see everyone's NSV goals. If anything, maybe it will remind someone of something they forgot to look forward to and inspire them to work out extra hard that afternoon! And hopefully that will do the same for me as I read the responses of others!

#1: More than anything listed below, I cannot WAIT until I am able to go shopping and purchase adorable clothes with my friends in "normal" department stores and boutiques. While I enjoy helping them pick out cute clothes, I'd much rather sift through the clearance racks for my own self!

Others I'm hella excited about in the future:

• able to shop instore @ Victoria's Secret (I'm a 42DD/DDD now and have to buy bras online.)
  
• able to sit with legs crossed like the lady I am
  
• able to rock a cute sundress and not look pregnant
  
• able to kayak (I think the weight limit is 250)
  
• able to skydive (plan to do this in August!!!)
  
• able to wear the following sizes: 16, 14, 12, 10
  
• able to walk perfect in high heels
  
• no more double chin
  
• visible collar bone
  
• able to dance at clubs and concerts with confidence
  
• able to strut around comfortable in a swimsuit
  
• able to look cute wearing things above-the-knee
  
• thighs that don't rub together as bad
  
• can no longer fit into Torrid/Lane Bryant/etc.
  
  

holy cow :wink2:...you have a lot of the same goals as me!!! cant wait till i finally start getting some of them marked off!!!!:biggrin:

i've shopped at lane bryant since i was 16 and torrid since it was online before hitting the malls lol. i have no idea where i will shop once the weight drops. my husband and i have had conversations about this lol, but it'll be nice to have such a bigger array of choices

One of the goals I set for myself will be coming up shortly in September. I will be going to visit my mother as I do twice a year and I want to be able to pull the belt back on the seatbelt. Right now I can belt it without extension but it is tight and I have to pull it all the way out so when I get in the seat and everybody is watching here I am pulling it as far as it will go and hoping it snaps. I have lost 20 and want to lose 20 more before I go and I believe I will be able to pull it out a little if I do that. I am working hard for that. I told my neighbor the other day I couldn't wait until I can pass by the big girls store and not have to go in and buy clothes there anymore. I going to try not to buy until I can buy regular clothing. Can't wait!

I think I might puke trying but I have to see if I can ride ALL the rides at Six Flags again... I had to get off a handful of times because this or that buckle/strap/whatever wouldn't reach.

great thread xemma

and great posts by everyone.

i have to say the first time i saw my collar bones again.....it really gave me a good boost. i didnt anticipate this and it was a real thrill. i felt "skinny" after that.

doodle...you captured alot of good ones!!!

Thanks, guys!

Oh, wow! I didn't even think about all the amusement park rides!!!

you know what i will really love....

being able to walk around the mall and talk on the phone at the same time. i would love to do that and not sound winded like i just ran for my life....yes, that would be so nice

ooooh! also, i want people i dont know to stop asking when im due....im not pregnant....please stop asking, however it is kinda nice to be helped out to the car with your groceries, lol

Since nobody else mentioned this, I will. I did this for my health! I was taking 3 diabetes medicines (including one that carries a black box warning), 3 blood pressure medications, a cholesterol medication AND an anti-depressant. And my doctor was threatening me with a fourth diabetes medication. ENOUGH ALREADY!!! When I talked to him about this surgery, he said I was an ideal candidate and that all my health problems were obesity related. So I did it! He stopped all my medications for 30 days starting on the day of surgery. When I went to see him one month post-op, he did the standard blood work. My blood pressure was almost normal. My blood glucose (hba1c) was acceptable and my cholesterol was okay too. So he didn't put me back on my meds! Told me to come back in 2 months. Numbers improved, so he told me no meds and come see him in 2 months. A couple of weeks ago, I went back. My numbers were all great. No meds and I go back in 3 months.

THIS is what I did it for. Yeah, it's nice to be down 5 dress sizes, I won't lie to you. But I'm the healthiest I've been in quite a few years, no hand full of pills every morning, and I can't tell you how much better I feel.

Everything else from this point on is just the cherry on top, so to speak! I'm down to what I weighed right after I had my baby 38 years ago so anything I lose from here on is to look better, dress cuter and stay away from the fat lady stores. I'm sort of half and half ... I buy some stuff in the fat lady stores and some stuff not. I won't lie, that makes me very happy but the health part is why I'm here.

doodleallday - I love your list and I think I have to agree with all of them for myself!!

xemmaleighx - I'm like you, I've been shopping those stores my whole life. While I'm excited to get out of them, the thought absolutely terrifies me because where the hell do I go?!

doodleallday - I love your list and I think I have to agree with all of them for myself!!

xemmaleighx - I'm like you, I've been shopping those stores my whole life. While I'm excited to get out of them, the thought absolutely terrifies me because where the hell do I go?!

If you like Torrid you can shop at their sister store Hot Topic. Also Fashion Bug is great too.

Lane Bryant- I would say that for the fancy clothes Ann Taylor, the limited, or New York & Co. For LB's casual wear Bananna Replublic, Deb, Forever21, and Charlotte Russe (if you get really tiny or want super cute shoes). Wow I think I just got a rush out of typing those names again...oh shopping addiction... How I have missed thee?

I can't wait till I can shop at all my favorite stores again!!! I think the thought of shopping will keep me nice and motivated!!!

I just cant wait to look and feel good! everything else will fall into place

Thanks for the tips!!

One of my other goals, and one of the "this is why I'm having surgery" moments, came when I was in California at the beginning of this month. Climbed down a beautiful cliff path to get to a secluded beach -it was breathtaking!! The walk back up...I thought I was gonna die and couldn't believe I was having such a hard time. I vowed that when I come back in 2011 (I go every other year) I would be able to climb it without problems.

This thread has made me cry! It is so nice to have a place to come to where other people know exactly what it's like to be heavy... I told my mom tonight that if my insurance approves me, I am having the surgery. She was less than supportive. And thinking back, she has been my whole life. She doesn't understand what it's like to be more than 100 pounds overweight and not able to lose weight and keep it off. I just feel really lucky that I found these message boards!

The one thing that I am looking forward to being able to do is wearing "normal" clothes and feeling good about it. I wear baggy clothes that cover up my body now and I would just like to throw on a pair of shorts, tank top and some flip flops and know I look hot! I can't do that now.