Julie G.

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 55lbs gone! from this old body of mine. It feels as if it should be more although my doc told me the average weight loss for a lap bander is about 65lbs in a year. My body seems to be stuck on 201 lbs. I have been like this for about a month or so. and keep asking myself if I have hit the "sweet spot" the medical staff talks about.  It isn't sweet to me if I can't budge the rest of the weight I need to lose.  I would like to get another 50lbs off.  Not sure what I have to do to do that. I am going to the gym 3 times a week, and taking hikes here and there, plus I am busy doing yardwork etc.,  I am NOT sitting on my couch eating bon bons and yet still my body won't shed these unwanted lbs.

I do get discouraged but I look back at where I have come from and have huge hope for the future. I will not give up! The lap band has been the very best investment in my life! Yeah!!


 

I joined a gym! Yes me....... me who doesn't have time, who doesn't like to work out, who is getting too achy - yada yada yada!!

All the excuses in the world and finally, encouraged by my brother, I went. It is a family owned place called "The Lord's Gym". Friendly, intimate atmosphere with clothing limitations, Christian music, personal trainers and a juice bar to die for. My bro loves the double chocolate protein milkshakes which he shares with me! 

That said, in just a short 3 weeks I have been going 3 times a week and find it amazing that I have fit me into my schedule! I have more energy and I am using equipment and lifting weights far beyond my expectations. In fact I joined a Zumba class. Boy was that a work out. I signed a contract for 18 months so I know I am good to go for that long. With having family support and  the gym staff,  I know that I am going to do this at least for the next year or so. I hate wasting money!

I have currently lost just over 45lbs since July 2009. I am love, love, loving it. I love that my big clothes are too big and I refuse to wear them. My wardrobe is shrinking as I do, but I have great fun shopping for second hand stuff until I get to my goal. I love it when I can buy XL or large instead of 3x. In fact, it is tough sometimes to remember not to go to the big girl's section.

I got on the scale this morning and just broke another 10lb barrier (below 210lbs) woohoo..... I work on losing in 10lb increments which helps me with goal setting. My next big one is to get out of the 200's. I can't wait...


 

It's been a long time since I blogged. Mostly too busy and I forget. However, I haven't forgotten why I am doing this and what is happening to my body. I am seeing some new wrinkles on my chops, and my neck is looking a bit scraggy, but I am lathering on the skin cream and lotion and hope that slow and easy will take care of the saggy skin.

My biggest problem? clothes are hanging on me. I am slowly weeding out the clothes that do not look good any more and rummaging around Goodwill for some cheap good quality replacements. Last week I found three pairs of jeans that fit well and allowed me to get rid of the ones that were falling off. Yess! am I complaning - NO WAY. I am loving it! new, or at least new to me, smaller sizes and I am down from a 3X to 18-20 depending on cut etc., It has been years and years since I was able to wear an 18.

Sometimes I feel impatient but at least I tell myself I am not gaining. I am losing and keeping it off! for the first time in my life I do believe. I am hoping that a year from now I will be at my goal. Thank you lap-band, Dr. Neal and your team. I do believe I am going to become the person I was meant to be. Self confident, high self esteem, attractive, active, and most of all love myself.  Until next time.

Had my one month checkup - lost 20lbs and first band fill.

Now I know why you have to chew, chew, chew. I have forgotten sometimes and quickly reminded that I didn't chew enough. Boy, this is a whole new learning curve. I have always eaten fast and sometimes mindlessly, but now my new smaller stomach reminds me to slow down.

I am currently eating oatmeal for breakfast, a protein drink for lunch and a lean cuisine frozen dinner. Testing the waters and impatient for the lbs to drop. My clothes are certainly getting bigger, or could it be me getting smaller. Yeah baby!

How can this be, yes it is true. I am on soft foods now and I had a snack of cottage cheese with a spoonful of hummus on top, (I know, weird combo) It was very tasty and I thought later on would have a cup of soup. I was too full! Amazing...... It was weird to be eating so little and feel so full. I love it!  

Went to the Doc's for a followup on Wednesday and he said all was well. Weight loss including before and after according to their scales 16lbs, mine says 19lbs. Of course, I weigh stark naked first thing in the morning so that probably makes up the 3lbs difference right there - fully clothed and tanked up with water!

I am feeling good, and already enjoying comments from family members telling me my face looks smaller. Yeah! I have another 3 weeks before I go in for a fill.

I am officially back at work as my son's caregiver.  It was good to be back working as I was starting to get bored.
I was a little tired yesterday and napped early evening, watched a movie and went to bed around 11:30pm.
I awoke at 6:30am, ran the movies back to Safeway to avoid late fees came home and made a cup of tea, ironed 5 shirts for my son and was called to work at 7.30am. He has quadriplegia and so needs full hands on care to get up, eat, shower, bowel program etc. After an hour or so I came home and fixed myself 2 eggs lighltly scrambled. It didn't seem like much food without a couple of slices of toast slathered in butter but if did fill me up and I seemed content.  I went back to work with Simon, my son, until about 1.30pm and came home and made a protein drink with fresh rasberries and a banana, vitamin power, protein powder and ice cubes. Almost like a smoothie. Quite tasty and filling.

Tonight I am going to a support group meeting and I am looking forward to networking with the other people. I think we can all glean so much information from each other when we have gone through similar experiences.

I know I am healing as my incisions are starting to itch. The bruising is starting to dissipate and generally not much pain except for the shoulders. (Pain caused by the gas put in my abdomen for the surgery) I have almost stopped taking the pain meds as I prefer to stay alert and focused.

Tomorrow I go to the Docs for my one week check up after surgery. I shall report later about that.

Yes, I am sore, yes, I am hungry, yes I am full of gas and burps, but hey I've lost 5lbs.

I am moving around the house slowly and trying to get the fluids down without over doing it. It is hard to sip little sips I think I am already finding out what it is like to swallow too much at once. It's like a wave rebounding. I am sure it will just take time to get used to. 

I have been feeling tired, listless, emotional which is only to be expected after surgery of this type, but keep reminding myself it will get better and I will be able to eat soon.  Watching TV isn't good either, as it seems every other ad is about food.

Each day I feel improvement and I impatiently wait to get back to doing my normal routine.

I am sitting in my recliner chair, with my laptop pondering over the last 24 hours. Yesterday was the first day of my new journey with my lapband and I am excited. I feel that this new tool of mine is going to help me overcome my weight problem of almost 50 years. I started my first Weight Watchers diet when I was 18 and have been fighting the battle ever since with various quick fixes like egg and grapefruit, liquid, Nutri System, Diet Center ad infinitum. 

I have never accepted my body for what it was and yet I have never been successful in doing anything about it. I had fleeting times when I lost weight but always gained it back. I remember when I turned 30 and weighed over 195lbs. I was single and felt like I was going through a crisis. I joined the Diet Center as their policy was that you had to weigh in every day and received a packet of pills and a pep talk. It worked and I lost 60lbs. However, I never saw myself as being thin even though the scale showed 135lbs.

The attention I received from the male population was a little difficult for me to handle as I was a basically shy person. It wasn't 6 months before I met my husband and we married. I immediately got pregnant and gained every pound back! My husband let me know immediately how he felt about me with my weight gain and our marriage deteriorated from then on. We were divorced within 7 years and I have never trusted another man since.

My health has moved me to do something about my weight this time. I have a bad knee caused by too much weight. High blood pressure, high cholesterol and sleep apnea. So, after researching, listening, talking and attending the lapband seminar I finally plucked up the courage to go ahead with my lapband surgery.