Allergan Health Patient Executive Council! Many Pics!

You all have been so patient waiting for the big news that I hinted about on Wednesday.  

I was recently honored to be chosen by Allergan to be part of their "Health Patient Executive Council."


You may be asking yourself...who the heck is Allergan?  They're the folks that make the Lap Band (not Realize Band).


I flew to San Francisco to share what our online banded blogger support community is all about.

It was a great opportunity to meet with other organizers of online lap band support sites and share information and open the lines of communication among all the online sites.  I enjoyed meeting veteran bandsters who are 5, 6, even 9 years out in their band journeys.  Their stories and tips on weight maintenance were great! 


The Council includes:

• Obesityhelp.com
• Lapbandtalk.com
• BandedLiving.com
• Band2gether
• Banded Wendy from YouTube
• Bariatric Girl
• Obesity Action Coalition
• Yes, thee famous Amy from Once Upon a Time in the Land of Cheese and Sunkist

Now onwards to the good stuff...photos!

Flying into San Francisco, see the Golden Gate Bridge?

Picked up by a town car at the airport!

Presenting my blog!

Council dinner at A-16 (yummy Italian!)

You know who!

We also had the opportunity to sit in on a workshop that educates nurses, bariatric practice coordinators and other administrative staff on the lap band.  One of the presentations on band complications was especially eye-opening...it was reassuring to hear how much band complications have reduced in the past few years...whew!

Overall, it was a fabulous trip and I can't wait to reconnect again with the my fellow council members!

Flying = Eating

I'm not sure if I have ever shared with you that I'm a traveler..have been since a very young age.

I've climbed inside the pyramids in Egypt.

I've camped out for weeks at a time in deepest, darkest Africa.

I've seen the worshippers pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

All of these trips began in an airport and then of course on airplanes.

From as early as I can remember, flying meant treats, candy, and snacks. You know, those special treats that you don't usually have. I can still taste the M&Ms and red vines licorice given to me at the age of 3 or 4 waiting for our flight from Miami to Denver to see Grandma. To keep me occupied? Probably.

I remember thinking, "wow, this flying thing is pretty fun, we get candy!" Then on the plane, the nice flight attendant lady would bring snacks, coke, and treats...and so began a 30 year food association with flying. I remember traveling as a college student and continuing this behavior with buying candy "for the trip" or planning what snacks I would "get" to have.

I often see parents on flights using goldfish crackers, cheerios, etc to keep their kids quiet and busy. Would I do the same? Probably. A parent's sanity is important.

This is one of the last disordered food behaviors that I've been working on. I have heard from some of you that you also struggle with these situational food associations. Example: eating popcorn at the movies...because that's just what you do at the movies...duh!

I'm proud to say that as I sit here in the airport waiting for my next flight, I am enjoying a protein shake and have a protein bar in my purse just in case I get hungry later.

No licorice. No treats. Just healthy choices.

PS: small NSV (non scale victory) to report! I can cross my legs while sitting in an airplane seat with over a foot of seatbelt to spare around my waist!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Below Goal Again...and Some News!

That weight gain of 6 lbs was weird.  After a few days of eating healthily and drinking tons of water, I was at 144 lbs this morning, below my goal of 145 lbs.  Perhaps it was some water retention from all the salty foods that I ate on the cruise?

Anywhoozle, my jeans still zip up and overall, that's what's important. I went to Kohls yesterday and I still fit into size 6 petite slacks.

No, the Weight-Gain Fairy did not get a chance to waive her magic wand over me last night while I slept and make me 256 lbs again....hopefully never. I have my cat on lookout duty though :) It's an important job for a kitty...however I'm not sure how seriously she is taking her new job as watchcat:

 

Lastly, I am embarking on a new and exciting chapter with my blog and it's purpose in the blogosphere.  I can't really tell you much right now but I will tell you all about it on Friday.  Can you wait that long?  I hope so.

New Banded Blogger Alert!

Please stop by and say hello to Samantha.  Her blog is: I'm With The Band.

She will have her band surgery in 17 days!

She is looking for pre-op advice...so it's your turn...spread the BOOBs love!

Thanks

Weigh-In Day & Cruise Pics!

First of all, thank you all for your kind words and support on my last post.

Even though I do realize that a vacation is about relaxing and having fun, I still struggle with the unrealistic thought that I will gain all the weight back overnight...like the weight-gain fairy will visit one night and wave her magic wand over my sleeping body and *BAM!*, all 111 lbs are back.

I stepped onto the scale this morning....are you ready for this?

I weighed in at 146.8 lbs this morning.  That's a gain of exactly 6 lbs in 8 days.

Onwards to the gratuitous cruise pics:

Cocktail Time!

Formal night with my Sister!

Having fun on Princess Cays!

Back To Reality

Here I am, sitting in the Ft Lauderdale airport waiting for my flight. I'm thinking about what a fun time I had on the cruise. I'm also wondering how much weight I gained in the last week. I will be doing a special Sunday weigh-in tomorrow morning with photos from the cruise...maybe even a swimsuit pic! Yikes!

So, the question is....how much weight did I gain this week? Things to consider in your guess:

-I ate at least 5 large peanut butter cookies each day.

-I had dessert at every meal.

-I had some cocktails.

-I Zumba'd 3 times on the ship! Here's proof:



How much weight have I gained?

My guess is 6+ lbs.

Tomorrow's weigh-in will be eye opening.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

No Weigh-In Day Today...Because...

I think that this is the first Friday weigh-in day that I have missed since the pre-op days...approximately August 2009.

Why?

Well, it's because I am not near my scale.  I'm actually HERE.

I have so many photos to share with you when I return!

Happy Friday!

1.5 Year Bandiversary!

Wow!  Has it already been 18 months/1.5 Years since my surgery?

On October 20, 2009, I had my first and only surgery of my life.

I spent A LOT of money for that surgery.

I have done A LOT of work to get healthy because of that surgery.

I have lost A LOT of weight because of that surgery.

Was it worth it? 

ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY!!!

Stained Shirt Club -- A Non-Scale Victory

I only just realized this NSV this past week.  I used to be a member of the "Stained Shirt Club."

When I used to eat, I would sometimes end up with food dribbled down my chest on my shirt.  It didn't matter if I was at work, at home, or out to eat.  It always seemed to happen.  Food would end up on the "shelf" AKA the boobs area.

I was often in the bathroom dabbing up the latest spill that had landed on my shirt.

Well, I recently realized that this no longer happens.  Could it be because I am more conscious of taking smaller bites instead of shoveling food into my face?  Maybe it's because the "shelf" is so much smaller now?  Not sure.

But, I sure am glad to be a member of the "Clean Shirt Club" now!

Weigh-in Day...and the results are...

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's Weight: 140.7 lbs

Happy Friday!

New Blogger Alert!

Please stop by and send some BOOBS love to SeattleLapBand.  (http://myquatto.blogspot.com/)

She was banded in February and could use some support and bandster love.  Her follower button is at the bottom of her blog.

Thanks!

Awesome Vlog From a YouTuber!

Totally worth the 23 minutes of your time. Watch and enjoy!

Food Focus is GONE

I know that I have posted about this previously, but this is a MAJOR new phenomenon for me in the last few weeks.

Food is no longer a focus.  I do not live to eat anymore. 

How did I get to this place of food not being the center of my universe?  I'm not sure.  After 30+ years of food always getting my full attention at all times, it's rather weird.

Here are recent examples of food not being a focus anymore:

• I notice that it's 10am or later before I realize that I haven't eaten anything all day...my thought is usually  "Wow, I'm really hungry, I should eat something" and then I don't eat anything until 11am or 12pm because I'm too busy with life or nothing sounds good to eat.
• Out to dinner last night at a Mexican restaurant...barely ate 1/3 of a cup of beans/carnitas/cheese and just wasn't interested in eating anymore and pushed the plate away.  Just a month or so ago, I would have eaten the entire plate and wonder what was for dessert.
• I am definitely at my sweet spot.  It's official.

My tag line a the top of my blog is coming true... "If hunger isn't the problem, then eating isn't the solution."

Random Thoughts Of The Day:

• No Workout Wednesday today...I'm getting a mani/pedi instead :)  hah!
• Saw 140.2 lbs this morning....all time low.
• I get to have a fabulous dinner with an AWESOME Bandster on Friday night! Can't wait!

Feeling Better & Interesting Comment From a Non-Bandster

Thank you for your kind words yesterday.  I was feeling better by the afternoon and hunting down some chocolate chip cookies...sigh.

I had an interesting comment from someone who shall remain nameless, a non-bandster.  Let me preface this by saying the following things about this person:

• Has been very, very supportive in my weightloss journey. 
• Is one of those people who has always been thin, healthy, and works out daily their entire life.
• Understands that it's not just the surgery, it's a HUGE mental journey as well.
• LOVES analogies

So, this person made the following analogy (I'm paraphrasing here):

"Losing all the weight has got to be like having one's legs amputated above the knee.  You are viewed so differently by others, treated so differently by others, and you have to relearn how to do many things in your life.  It has to be a lot of mental work."

What are your thoughts on that?

Somebody's Having a Case of the Mondays

I think I am either fighting some type of tummy bug or having migraines...not sure...but definitely queezy.

Eating hasn't really been on the agenda these past few days.  I had half a protein shake and an apple juice yesterday...that's it.  I forced down a Greek yogurt this morning....bleh.

I hope I feel better by this weekend :)

PS: I saw 141.2 this morning on the scale.  Not sure what to think about that.  An all time low.

Guess Whose Pretty Face I Saw Last Night?

I met up with Stephanie from Electric Lady Band last night! Are you jealous? You should be. Stephanie is a superstar with her band and has achieved many successes in her new healthy lifestyle.

Steph and I met last year in Chicago BOOBS 1.0.

A Day In The Life of This Bandster - What I Eat!

In response to the recent hot-mess Dr. Oz episode that had two lap banders talk about what they eat, the lovely Amy W has encouraged us to post what we eat on a typical day.

Here you go:

630am: Vitamin D drops (5000 IU); 16.9 oz bottle of water with Miralax and crystal light mixed in.

730am: 10 oz coffee with tons of spenda and 1/2 cup skim milk; 4 Bariatric Advantage Calcium chews

900am Breakfast: Fage 2% Greek yogurt with sugar free Torani syrup mixed in, sometimes I even mix in a 1/2 cup of cereal, whatever's handy

16.9 oz WATER; B12 sublingual vitamin

1130am Lunch: Lots of different things...depends on the day:

• Subway: kids mini on white with turkey/cheese/full egg white
• Chicken salad on 6-8 saltines (3 oz chicken breast, miracle whip)
• Pulled pork (3 oz) with black beans and cheese
• Taco Bell Beans/cheese and chicken soft taco
• Green salad with chicken breast

16.9 oz WATER

200pm: Something from the cafeteria at work...a cookie, a skinny cow ice cream, string cheese, Baked Lays, etc

16.9 oz WATER

500pm Dinner: Lots of different things...depends on the day (see lunch above)

WORKOUT ~ 16.9 oz WATER

730pm: post-workout snack, usually a Greek yogurt or a protein shake or two fudgesicles

16.9 oz WATER with Multi-vitamin, Bariatric Advantage Iron Chew, and B1

Food I Can't Eat: Ground Beef.  I just can't chew it all the way into "applesauce consistency" like us bandsters are supposed to. I am still dreading my first PB/Stuck episode.  I eat EVERYTHING ELSE. 

Foods that I can eat, and eat, and eat (SLIDERS!): Chips, crackers, nuts, cookies, chocolate, ice cream, and cake.  Yum.

Now it's your turn...What is your typical day?

Weigh-in Day...and the results are...

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's Weight: 143.0 lbs

Happy Friday!

Workout Wednesday

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I Bite It, I Write It...or do I?

First of all, thank you for your feedback about fluoros...it's so interesting to see how each surgeon's practice has so many different rules.

Anyways, onwards to today's topic!

For over a month now, I have NOT been writing down what I am eating...AKA "Journaling" my food.

I'm not sure how or why I stopped journaling, I just stopped.  Journaling was a HUGE key to my weightloss.

But now there are no more little post-it notes floating around in my purse, car, desk, etc. 

I even have the new iphone now which I could probably use to journal.  But I don't.

Should I be concerned that I may be slipping back into my old bad behaviors? 

I don't think so, because:

• I still am keeping a running tally in my head daily of calories and protein grams.
• My weight has stayed pretty steady...just below my 145 lb goal weight.
• Food is no longer the focus of my life.  WOW, that's a big statement worth repeating.  Food is no longer the focus of my life.  I remember in my fatty days, I would be enjoying a meal and already thinking what I would eat at my next meal...I was always thinking "what can I eat next?"  Now I don't really think about food until I am hungry.

I've also slipped back into having a protein shake each day or every other day...just because it's easy, quick, and don't have to plan.  Shakes are my easy "go-to" food when I am busy.

What are your thoughts on journaling ?  Do you do it?

PS: Are you ready for Workout Wednesday tomorrow?  Post those pics!  I know I will.

To Fluoro or Not To Fluoro

Today I got to see my band under fluoroscopy.  It's pretty cool.  Since I've never PB'd or anything close to it, I sometimes wonder...is there really a band in there? 

There were two primary reasons why I wanted a fluoroscopy:

• I've been having some upper left abdominal/stomach pain lately when I eat too much...like 2+ cups of food.  (I know...tsk...tsk!)
• It's been over a year since my last fluoroscopy.  Last March I posted about it HERE.  I wanted to check-in and see how my band was doing in there.  Over at BandedWendy's YouTube site, Wendy has advised that her surgeon is a bandster himself and he insists that his patients do a once a year flouro. 

Well...here are the results of the fluoro:

• Everything looked "perfect" according to my surgeon.  Band placement is exactly where it should be.
• My self-diagnosis: I should quit stuffing my pie hole with so much food. (duh)

My question for you is: does your surgeon require you to do a fluoro once a year?  Or maybe only to access your port (if it's tough to access)?  Enquiring minds want to know.

PS: Jazzercise tonight

NSV - Rock Climbing!

Non-Scale Victory (NSV)

The fat girl never would have done this at 256 lbs.

Weigh-in Day...and the results are...

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's Weight: 143.8 lbs

Happy Friday!