Lap Band Gal!

Weigh-in Day...

2012-02-17T03:00:00.003-08:00

Or is it?

Hmmmm...

I think I'll be "minding the gap" instead.

Two New Banded Bloggers!

2012-02-15T07:38:00.000-08:00

Here are two new bloggers that could use some BOOBs love and support.

http://pregnantwithlapband.blogspot.com/
This blogger is sharing what it's like to be pregnant with a band.

AND

http://mylapbandjourney2012.blogspot.com/
This blogger will be banded on February 24th and is doing her pre-op liquid diet.

Please stop by their blogs and say hello.

Thanks!

Weather Forecast For Tonight: Dark.

2012-02-14T03:00:00.012-08:00

So yesterday morning around 9am I was innocently eatin' my 2% Plain Fage Greek yogurt at my desk while working on the latest spreadsheet (like I always do) and bam! I noticed that the restriction fairy was visiting. Big time. The yogurt was SLOWLY going down.

How odd.

On Sunday after lunch, I was actually thinking about how I needed to go get a fill. 'Cuz that's where my mind wanders after eating two slices of yummy cheese pizza.

So, anyways, back to yesterday morning. Hello restriction! Where could this be coming from?

Stress? Nope. Time of the month? Nope.

And then it hit me. Duh.

I had driven in the darkness yesterday morning to work through the slushy snowy roads. Yep, it had snowed. Not something that happens around here very often. Once a year if we're lucky. Nothing like cold snowy weather to get my band to tighten up. Anybody else have this happen?

I think that the TV weather men could consult bandsters in their weather predictions. Just sayin'.

Give More, Expect Less...

2012-02-13T03:00:00.003-08:00

Remember this post where I was inspired by Shelly over at The World According to Eggface?

Shelly donated one food item for each pound that she had lost in her weight loss journey.

Well, after lots of coupon clipping and hunting down sales flyers at my local grocery stores, I finally gathered all 114+ non-perishable food items to represent the 114 pounds that I have lost.

Here I am just before dropping it all off at my local food bank:

It felt great to give back to my local community and knew that the food would go to such a great cause.

I would like to give special thanks and a shout out to Peace, Love, and Coupons. They're my go-to coupon source. I puffy heart that blog!

Weigh-in Day...and When Was the Last Time You Ate at McDonalds?

2012-02-10T07:22:00.001-08:00

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's Weight: 141.7 lbs

I think the last time I ate at McDonalds was a few months ago. If I remember correctly, I had a caramel sundae. Yum. Pre-banded, I ate there all the time. I kinda miss those Big Macs. There's NO WAY I could eat those now. When was the last time you ate at McDonalds?

Don't Blink...'Cuz You Just Might Miss It.

2012-02-09T03:00:00.010-08:00

Are you sick of hearing about Jazzercise yet?

Well, let me tell you a lovely tale related to...

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

....Jazzercise!

Let's start at the very beginning....because, as Fraulein Maria said, it's a very good place to start.

Let's take a step back in time....all the way to a few weeks ago. I saw a Facebook post on Jazzercise Inc.'s fan page saying that they were looking for testimonials and photos from people who love Jazzercise.

You don't have to ask me twice: once a groupie, always a groupie. I immediately emailed off a few before and now (there are no "after" pics) and the link to this blog just in case they wanted to know more about me.

I didn't hear anything for quite awhile and figured that there were other more impressive Jazzercisers who submitted their emails as well. So I kinda forgot about it. Days and weeks passed...

But then out of the blue...SURPRISE! I got an email response from Jazzercise that they'll be featuring my photos and/or my success story on the Jazzercise website AND their upcoming DVD sales presentation on QVC!

OMG. National TV? Yikes.

It's going to air on QVC on Wednesday 2/15 @ 12PM EST. I've set the DVR. I guess it's my turn for my 15 seconds of fame.

I better run, I gotta go work on my jazz hands!

Who Pushes You?

2012-02-07T03:00:00.014-08:00

Meet Julie.

Meet Julie's guns.

In honor of my one year Jazziversary (yeah, that's a word), I thought that I'd tell you all about my Jazzercise instructor, Julie, who's been motivating me to always push myself farther with my fitness levels. She's been kickin' my ass up and down the dance floor three or four times a week for the past year. She's also been doing Jazzercise for over 20 years now. She must have started when she was 9. Seriously.

A great instructor can be worth her weight in gold. 24 karat gold to be specific.

An instructor can make it or break it for me. I've had exercise class instructors in the past who have just been ok. Nothin' special. Ho hum. I will then usually stop attending classes and my exercise slows down. That's no good for this girly.

But then there's instructors who are freakin' A-MAY-ZING. Julie is one of those people...genuine gold. She tells us funny stories in class while we rock out doin' our jazz squares, lunges, and kick ball changes. But of course I can't repeat any of those stories to you, because what happens at Jazzercise, stays at Jazzercise.

I've learned over the past 12 months that Julie's favorite's words are (by the way, these are usually shouted):

"Is your booty down?"
"Come on!"
"Lower!"
"Higher!"
"You gotta add your own little somethin' somethin'"
"Uppercut!"
"Put your booty down"

Yep, that's Julie in a nutshell. Now that I think about it, she would fit in a nutshell. She's 5'3" and teeny tiny.

So, I ask you...who pushes you in your weight loss journey? I want to know.

My Current Addiction

2012-02-06T07:02:00.001-08:00

That is all.

Let's File This One in the Category Called...

2012-02-05T03:00:00.002-08:00

"Things That Are Not Sexy":

Yep, that new high blood pressure medication has my lower legs and feet swollen to the size of tree trunks.

Ouchy. Very ouchy.

I'm bustin' outta my skinny jeans, but not at the waistline, but in the calves.

My feet are achin' to get out of my shoes...they're soooo tight. Yikes. I think I may start wearing my flip flops (yes, in the February winter cold).

I can't wear my sh*t kicker boots. They won't zip up.

The doctor wants me to keep taking the medication because he says it'll go away. So, here I am. Being patient.

Patience is not something that I have a lot of.

I remember not too long ago that I asked myself to promise to never forget what it feels like to be fat. Well, ask and I shall receive.

How Did You Know That the Lap Band Would Work For You?

2012-02-04T03:00:00.000-08:00

Amanda is researching the possibility of getting a band. She is self-pay.

She's been asking some pretty awesome questions over on the Facebook page. They're so awesome, that I was hoping that other bandsters could also comment and respond to her questions:

Here's what Amanda wrote:

How did you decide, I mean, where did you come up with the idea that you should do the lap band? How did you decide you COULD do it and do it well? How did you decide you could spend that kind of money? If I do it, I am self pay. I know I could stick to the diet and exercise and it wouldn't even kill me. It's just the money that hurts so bad at this point. I keep thinking, if I know I could do it with the band, then couldn't I do it without the band and save the
bucks....but that doesn't make me feel hopeful....

My answer:

I decided that the Lap Band was for me when I failed at every other way of dieting and losing weight. I would lose and gain the same 30 lbs over and over and over again. I learned that by attending a gastric bypass support group, that gastric bypass wasn't for me. I was relieved that there was another option: the Lap Band. I then researched the Lap Band on every online source that I could find.

I was and am VERY determined to make the band work for me because I feel like this is my last chance to "get it right" and lose/keep the weight off long term.

I recommend that you attend a Lap Band support group if you can. Attend a few. Take all the time you need to gather all the information that you need to make the best decision for you.

If you are thinking that you can do it without surgery, how about you give that a try? Honestly, see how it goes.

When you are having episodes of hunger between meals, that is when the Lap Band would be there and quiet that hunger.

When you are eating large volumes of food, that is when the Lap Band would be there to remind you to eat less (not always, but usually).

The band will not be there to make good food choices for you. You will have to do that. Always.

If you do decide to get a Lap Band, please make sure that you are 100% comfortable with your decision.

I too was self-pay and paid over $16K for my band. Would I do it again? Absolutely.

**************
Your turn...

Why did you choose to get a Lap Band? Were you a self-pay patient?

How did you know that the Lap Band would work for you?

Weigh-In Day...and Flashback Friday!

2012-02-03T07:16:00.000-08:00

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's Weight: 142.0 lbs

Onwards to a few flashback photos for you. Here I am getting ready to go ATV'ing in the jungles of Kauai, Hawaii March 2009 (~250 lbs):

'Twas an AMAZING ride!
Covered head-to-toe in Kauai dust and dirt!

What I mostly remember from that day's adventure? Being told repeatedly to "Slow down!" Gold stars for me and my driving skills.

I had NO IDEA that in less than six months time, I would be banded and on my way to improved health.

Wanna See My Wobbly Bits? Spanx Review!

2012-02-02T02:00:00.010-08:00

I've got my share of loose skin. For me, it's a necessary evil after my large amount of weight loss. There's only so much that exercise will do for my body's appearance. My muffin top is here to stay. Oh well. C'est la vie. For me, the health benefits of my weight loss far outweigh any skin appearance issues.

Luckily, I've become somewhat skilled at disguising my extra skin on a daily basis. I will usually wear a tight camisole under my shirts but sometimes a girl needs extra containment of the muffin toppage.

So when I was flipping through the channels the other day and came across QVC and their full hour Spanx show....I was instantly glued to the TV. And of course, those sales ladies convinced me to fork over my credit card number. They make it SO easy to spend money on that channel. Damn it.

Anyways, I decided on the "Open Bust Camisole" size small. Therefore, I could wear my usual everyday bras with it.

Here's what it looks like on the model. By the way, why do the models on that website never look like they need Spanx? Just sayin':

Well, my QVC package arrived yesterday and here are the results:

Without Spanx (side):

To put it on, I step into it, not over the head. Not the most easiest task in the world, but doable. Here's what it looks like on:

Here's the after (don't forget to check out my awesome grandma floppy arms):

I am surprised how comfortable it is on! All the wobbly bits feel contained. There's something so wonderful about that feeling.

What I like about it is that it contains the tummy and muffin top while not squishing the girls. I think it even lifts the girls up a bit. Bonus! It stays down and tucked into my jeans.

I probably won't wear it every day...maybe once or twice a month (special occasions/etc).

Non-Scale Victory (NSV) Alert!

2012-01-31T02:00:00.001-08:00

Isn't is weird how we only hear what we want to hear sometimes?

I realized last night that my Jazzercise instructor has now said to me three times in the last few months that I should also become a Jazzercise instructor.

Why did I only really listen and hear her last night when she said it again?

Who knows.

But it's definitely a NSV in my book.

Before I was banded, never in a bazillion years did I EVER expect to be healthy and fit enough for another human being to think that I could actually lead an exercise class, let alone an aerobics class.

Seriously.

I will probably never teach Jazzercise, but I guess I should never say "never." Crazier and more unbelievable things have happened since I've been banded (fitting into a size 4 dress!)

Who knows what the future holds?

What's in My Monday Bag?

2012-01-30T08:09:00.001-08:00

I have a bag that I nicknamed long ago the...."Monday Bag."

It's a bag that I take to work on Mondays that's full of food and other stuff other stuff that helps me stay on track with my food choices during the week.

I usually pack the bag on Sunday night before going to bed or Monday morning at 'O dark thirty before I leave for work. Did you know that I arrive at work usually around 6:30AM, and this is of my own choosing? Yeah, I'm one of those crazy morning people.

Anyways, here's this morning's Monday bag. Try to contain your jealousy of my office's tres chic wood panelling and pastel pink guest chairs which are AWE-SOME:

Here's what's in this morning's bag:

From left to right:

Fage 2% plain yogurts
Bariatric Advantage Calcium Chewy Bites
Baby Arugula (LOVE!)
Goat cheese crumbles (my crack)
3 oz. pre-portioned chopped chicken breast in tupperwares
Hard boiled eggs

Other foods/items that are sometimes in the Monday bag, but not today?

Splenda packets
Crystal Light/Propel Zero packets
1/2 gallon 1% Milk
String Cheese
Salad dressing
Diet Hot Cocoa packets (the 25 calorie ones)

Having all these healthy food choices ready to go helps me resist the temptations that can sometimes happen, especially when a coworker says, "Hey, I'm gonna hit up the Taco Bell drive-thru, want anything?"

Teeny Tiny Casseroles!

2012-01-29T08:10:00.003-08:00

I received these 1 cup casserole stoneware dishes for my birthday. They are portion control perfected!

But I have a problem. I have no band-friendly casserole recipes. Do you? Help.

Thanks!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Debbie Downer...Pity Party of One

2012-01-28T05:00:00.003-08:00

Remember when I told you back in September about how non-scale victories can be taken away?

Well, let's add another one to that craptastic list.

My primary care doctor (who's a total hottie by the way; now you know how I choose doctors) says that my blood pressure numbers are still too high.

So guess what? Yep I am now taking ANOTHER medication for high blood pressure. Yep, and of course the first pill that I took yesterday morning, I promptly PB'd up. I'll have to cut them in half or take them at night.

Anyways, what I still need to wrap my head around is this:

At the ripe old age 33 and with all that I do to improve my health every...damn...day, how can I still need medications for high blood pressure?

I guess I never realized how much genetics can affect my health. I have always "owned" my obesity as my problem. After all, I'm the one who shoved all those cookies down my pie hole all those years.

Dr. Hottie says that he thinks that genetics is the main reason for my high blood pressure. I kinda agree, especially after consulting my family tree, it seems that almost every relative on both sides of the tree either has or had high blood pressure. Yeah, I really won the genetic lottery. Go me.

This also makes be beg the question about how much money I'm supposed to be saving with having lost over 111 lbs. You know, that ~~dog 'n pony show~~ Lap Band seminar where they tell you all about the money that you're gonna save with losing weight? Hmmm... Those co-pays for the medications are now adding up.

As I've said before:

I choose to exercise five times a week I usually do about 300+ minutes a week; us bandsters are encouraged to get at least 210 minutes a week (30 minutes each day).

I choose to eat healthy foods (most of the time).

I choose to constantly count and keep track in my head of calories and protein eaten.

But I cannot choose my genetics.

Weigh-in Day...and a New Banded Blogger Alert!

2012-01-27T07:22:00.000-08:00

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's Weight: 140.7 lbs

New Banded Blogger Alert! *** New Banded Blogger Alert! *** New Banded Blogger Alert!

Have you stopped by Heather's blog yet? Check it out: Choosin' to be Losin'

In her profile, Heather says that she has Shorkies. At first I thought, huh? "Snorks"?

Yeah, not so much. It turns out that this is shorkie, pretty damn cute if you ask me:

Why I Can Never Have Cereal In My House

2012-01-26T03:00:00.017-08:00

Before I tell you about how cereal is the devil, what can say about yesterday's comments? Wow.

Thank you for your comments, feedback, and support on yesterday's blog post. Isn't that what's so great about the blogging community? We get to have our opinions and voices heard.

Okay, onwards to some tasty breakfast cereal!

Cereal is one of my trigger foods.

Cereal is my crack.

I can't have it in the house. Ever.

I'm sure that you can guess why.

I can't just have one little bowl and call it good.

In the pre-banded days, I could easily eat 3 or 4 large bowls of cereal in one sitting. Then there's that wonderful experience of eating it straight out of the box...dry...while sitting on the couch watching TV. Oh my. There could be an entire episode of Intervention about the craziness that I would get myself into with cereal.

So, I was reminded yesterday of why cereal will always be my heroine.

Yep, I was minding my own business and pushing my cart down the aisles of the grocery store last night when I saw this....it wasn't even in ~~the axis of evil~~ cereal aisle (which I avoid like the plague). It jumped out at me near the frozen foods. Take a look at this NEW cereal:

Oh! REAL chocolate inside cereal? Yes, please. And if that wasn't enough ~~fun~~ chocolate for me, next to it was it's evil twin: DOUBLE chocolate!

I ran away from that cereal. I ran fast. Before it could jump into my cart and come home with me.

Am I Full of Sh*t?

2012-01-25T02:00:00.004-08:00

Not literally. 'Cuz Miralax is my B.F.F.

But figuratively speaking.

I got called out.

Yep, I was called out by friend who says that I am, apparently, full of sh*t. It was said in a joking way, but there's some truth there perhaps.

I think it's my food choices that I talk about here on the blog and Facebook page compared with what I do in real life. She said it to me when I was gobbling down my fourth cheddar bay biscuit at Red Lobster.

Here's the thing: when I am out with friends (at their houses, at a restaurant, or bar), I'm usually a terrible bandster *hangs head in shame* Promise not to tell anyone? That will be our little secret, mmmmmkaaay?

Want some examples of the reee-diculousness that I get myself into?

Mozzarella sticks? sure.
Dairy Queen Blizzards? Yes, please.
Fries and pizza? OK, why not.
Margaritas, chips and guacamole? Abso-freakin'-lutely.

Sure, the portions are smaller than the pre-band days and since I make exercise my b*tch, the scale never reveals any of these food choices.

But I don't usually tell you about my occasional poor food choices. Do you know why?

Because:

I know that most of you guys are in your losing phase and you don't want to be tempted by food porn. I know that I personally would feel very discouraged if I kept reading about some skinny bitch strutting around in size 6 jeans while she stuffed her face with bread sticks at the Olive Garden.
I never, ever ate those foods when I was losing. It was a LONG 14 months. Whew!
When I am not hanging out with friends, I am pretty "hard core" with my eating and on track. This is about 80% of the time.

I may be full of sh*t, but perhaps only 20% of the time?

Maybe this is what maintenance is all about?

Nothing Worthwhile is Ever Without Complications

2012-01-24T02:00:00.003-08:00

Did you read that recent study that claimed that Gastric Bypass was more effective and a better surgery overall when compared with Lap Band? If you missed it, go read "Gastric Bypass Destroys Lap Bands in Head-to-Head Study."

WTF.

I was kinda sad after reading that article. Combine that with reading about Angela who is having her slipped band surgery this week, and I was not so excited about my prospects with this band.

As you may remember, I came THIS CLOSE to getting gastric bypass instead of the band. I started to wonder if I made the right decision in getting a band.

I also skimmed through the Lap Band message boards and forums out there on the interwebs.

It seems that I wasn't the only person who had read that Debbie Downer anti-band article.

The boards were lighting up with "my surgery is better than your surgery" and "nanny nanny boo boo" nasty posts. These train wreck posts reminded me of the hot mess of drama that can only be contained in all-day marathon 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.' Some people have way too much time on their hands these days.

Then, yesterday, the heavens opened up, the sun shone, the birds chirped...I had a smile on my face. Yep, I read this ROCKSTAR blog post by bariatric surgeon Dr. Cobourn.

Go read it. Now. Did you read it? Good. High five.

Dr. Cobourn pretty much shoots down every claim that the original study outlines....and then some.

The data in the original study was old. Plain and simple. There are new surgical techniques for installing bands and better made bands now that increase the long term success rates and reduce the complications with bands overall.

To me, it has never mattered what weight loss surgery someone has (Band, DS, RNY, Sleeve, etc) or if someone's following more traditional methods (Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, etc). We all have the same goal of improved health. We just may have different paths to take to get there.

No matter the path one chooses, I just wish that people would realize that if there is no self-accountability, no change in food choices, and no increase in exercise, then it's all over before it began. Why bother?

But do you know who does have buckets of accountability, keeps track of her food choices, exercises like a superstar, and has lost 122 lbs? Yep, that would be Angela.

Oh My God! I'm Going On A Plane! Freak Out Mode Has Officially Begun!

2012-01-23T02:00:00.022-08:00

Yep, those were the crazy thoughts going on in my head when I was getting ready to fly on a plane for the first time with my band.

Jump into the time travel machine and let me take you back in time... to Thanksgiving of 2009.

Yep, I first flew with my band when I was 5 weeks post op...all the way to Orlando, Florida.

Could I fly any farther away from Oregon and still be in the good ol' USA? There should be a language change and currency exchange with that much flying. Seriously.

So...back to Thanksgiving 2009: to say that I was a little freaked out was an understatement. I am an experienced world traveler, but with the band, this would be a completely new experience.

I may have looked like this on the outside (always a smiling face), but I was a bundle of nerves on the inside.

(30 lbs lost, 5 weeks post-op)

Here are all the crazy thoughts that were swimming around in my head before my trip:

I've only just started mushies and soft foods, what would I eat? Oh no!
Will there be anything in the airports to eat? drink?! Yikes!
Would my band swell up to the size of Texas while I was in flight and then I wouldn't be able to eat or drink anything?
Why won't those TSA people let me take a yogurt or a protein shake through security? They're a bunch of meanies.
I haven't had a fill yet, is it possible to get an unfill this early? (I had 4.5ccs put in at surgery)
Maybe there's a Lap Band doctor in Orlando that could do an unfill for me? I should google that.

This list could go on and on...

Of course, all of that freaking out was not necessary.

I was able to eat and drink...on and off the plane.

I've found that Starbucks is a bandsters best friend. Their strawberry smoothies have about 250 cals and 20 proteins. And we all know where there's an airport, there's usually at least one Starbucks.

I ate and drank all through the Orlando area and the Disney parks during that Thanksgiving weekend. I noticed that I could always find something on the menu that would work for me.

I am so happy that I got all that anxiety over and done with on that first banded trip.

I just counted the number of flights that I've taken since being banded (I used all my fingers and toes to count...and Pemberley helped): 48 flights with no issues or problems at all.

And do you know what the biggest challenge is now when I fly? Saying "no thank you" to the flight attendants when they tempt me with their lovely red shiny cans of Coke Classic and tasty oatmeal cookies. Damn you Alaska Airlines and your crack cookies. I still struggle with the idea that traveling means that I get to go off of my eating plan.

Anyways, now that I am headed to London next month, I have no worries about traveling and flying with my band.

But I do have one concern: bathrooms.

I drink tons of water now and I know how there are not many public bathrooms available in London. I was not a water drinker during my last trips to London. Any ideas? Starbucks? McDonalds?

Help.

Two New Banded Bloggers!

2012-01-22T09:37:00.000-08:00

There are two more ladies out there for you to say hello to and send some B.O.O.B.s love to:

"My Pork" emailed me yesterday with the following:

"I am a new blogger and just wanted to let you know that I was inspired to start blogging while reading ALL of your posts. It took me 2 days. I know my husband was tired of me talking about what you have been able to accomplish with your “tool”. I just wanted to say Hi. So, Hi."

"October 11" also just started blogging. She was banded on October 11 (duh), but from reading her blog, I just can't figure out what year? I think 2011? Hmm... I will have to ask her about that. My favorite post of hers so far is the day after surgery photo. Me likey.

Please stop by and say "hi" to these lovely ladies!

Give More, Expect Less...

2012-01-21T02:00:00.018-08:00

Do you know Shelly over at "The World According to Eggface"?

Shelly has truly inspired me with her food donation idea. I am going to join her in giving back to my community and donating food to my local food pantry.

Here's the plan:

I'm going to clip coupons and analyze those grocery sales flyers to collect 111 non-perishable food items to represent the 111 lbs I lost to meet my goal weight.
One pound lost = One food item
My goal is to have all the food collected and donated before I leave for London in mid February.

I hope you too can join Shelly in her food donation idea.

You don't have to be at your goal weight yet to join in. Shelly has some other fun donation ideas on her blog, so please stop by her blog and say hello.

Weigh-in Day.... and What Went Down Yesterday (Literally)

2012-01-20T07:47:00.000-08:00

Goal weight: 145 lbs

Today's weight: 141.2 lbs

Thank you all for your kind birthday wishes yesterday. I had an amazing birthday.

As you could probably guess, yesterday was like running a gauntlet of food and drink. Nothing like a birthday to bring all those food pushers out of the woodwork. And of course, all going down on the day before weigh-in day. Good times.

The first hurdle? Italian food buffet including a catered lunch of pasta, bread, and cookies (not birthday related, but an employee appreciation luncheon).

My inner fatty was jumping up and down with excitement. PASTA! BREAD! COOKIES! Let the games begin. I looked around for a protein choice, but alas, there was none. So I ate some tortellini, lasagna, and three (!) white chocolate macadamia nut cookies (the large ones from Costco). Chocolate's protein, right? I was reee-donk-ulous!

Then my team gave me this cute little espresso chocolate mousse mug....all edible. I wore that pink bow in my hair for the rest of the work day 'cuz that's how I roll. I like to scare my coworkers. Mission accomplished.

Then it was off to dinner for one of my favorites types of food. THAI! Check out this lovely ginormous dish of Pad Thai. Yum!

Then, my friends surprised me with a chocolate cake. They're sneaky like that.

What a great and memorable birthday!

If you would like to see what happened after the candles and cake (the celebrations continued!), go check out Facebook for a photo.

So Many Candles... So Little Cake

2012-01-19T01:00:00.001-08:00

Yep, today is my 33rd birthday...

Here's a celebratory non-scale victory (NSV) for you:

Every January they make all of us Jazzercise students fill out a new info and participation card (A.K.A. "sign away your legal rights away" card).

The card has all kinds of YES or NO health questions on it.

This one question made me stop and think for a minute:

"Are you overweight (more than 20 pounds)?"

And do you see which box I checked?

That's right, I checked the NO box!

What a great birthday present that is to myself: not being overweight!

"You Can't Half-Ass It"

2012-01-18T02:00:00.004-08:00

Yep, those words were spoken by Twinkie* last night at my surgeon's Lap Band support group.

Remember Twinkie? Go back and read this post from August of last year.

Well, Twinkie is officially ROCKING his band. Yep. He's proving to be the weight loss KING.

I know that he will be successful with his weight loss because, as he said, "you can't half-ass it" with the band. You gotta work it.

He GETS it. He really gets it.

I could see that look of determination on his face. And to be honest, I wish that I could always see that look of determination on every bandster that I meet, but it's not always there. I wonder why?

I wonder if I had that look on my face when I was early in my journey like Twinkie?

Do I still have that look of determination?

I hope so.

*Not his real name because that would be really weird and isn't Twinkie a name for a cute little puppy that looks like this? Seriously. I want a bow in my hair like that. I would wear it to Jazzercise.

Does the Food Addiction & Stress Eating Ever Go Away?

2012-01-17T07:39:00.001-08:00

I arrived at my desk this morning and I'm barely 30 minutes into my work day...and guess what...let the stress begin.

Nothing like a three day weekend to let the emails pile up and the to-do list get even longer. Luckily, work stress is the only kind of stress that gets my band to close up. Here's hoping.

I want to eat every...single...donut...in...that...damn...cafeteria...right...now. Don't even get me started on that f*cking breakfast buffet....oh and the bagels...don't forget the bagels. Toasted with peanut butter and strawberry jelly.

I also want to crawl under my desk and take a nap. Sigh.

But I'll just sit here and drink my Miralaxed spiked water while trying to not bite somebody's head off. 'Cuz I will.

The End.

Segways - Before & Now

2012-01-17T03:00:00.005-08:00

Lately, I've been trying to teach myself how to use Photoshop and the best that I can do so far is putting two photos next to each other with text.

Exciting, it's not.

Do you have any helpful Photoshop tips for me?

I wish that I had the FABULOUS photo and blog design skills that Jen over at Just Foolin Blog Designs has. She's the one who made my blog so fancy. If you haven't visited her design site, go check it out.

Jen also recently did one of the best posts that I've read in a long time: Things they don't tell you in the Lap Band Informational Seminar.

What Would You Rather Be?

2012-01-16T04:00:00.001-08:00

I came across this this study which made me think. Yeah, my head hurts now. Ouch. I think I deserve a cookie.

This study took me to the land of "What If?" You know, that magical place with prancing rainbow-maned unicorns and where everyone gets a puppy and a cupcake? Yeah, I'm talkin' about that place.

Anyways, here's the study:

47 patients who lost 100 lbs or more and who successfully maintained weight loss for at least three years following gastric restrictive surgery for morbid obesity viewed their previous morbidly obese state as having been extremely distressful.

In spite of the strong proclivity (tendency) for people to evaluate their own worst handicap as less disabling than other handicaps, patients said they would prefer to be normal weight with a major handicap (deaf, dyslexic, diabetic, legally blind, very bad acne, heart disease, one leg amputated) than to be morbidly obese.

All patients said they would rather be normal weight than a morbidly obese multi-millionaire.

Yes, I do realize that only 47 patients were in the study and it's 20 years old, but still interesting.

I think this study proves how motivated those who have a weight loss surgery (WLS) are to keep the weight off for good.

Personally, I may be very motivated, but would totally rather be back at 256 lbs without a disability. But wait, isn't being a overweight now considered a disability anyway? Hmm...

And by the way, how is "very bad acne" a disability or handicap? I don't understand that.

Of course, I'd rather be healthy at a normal BMI than be a multi-millionaire.

What about you?

My Lap Band is Going to London

2012-01-14T07:48:00.001-08:00

And...

I get to go too.

I am so excited!

I can't remember if I ever told you or not, but London has a special place in my heart.

I first went to London in the Fall of '99 for a university semester abroad. I lived in London for over 3 months as a student and tourist. Since we only had classes three days a week, I had lots of fun exploring not just England, but enjoyed side trips to Scotland, Ireland, France, and Czech Republic. I should dig up some of those photos to show you sometime. I scrapbooked the entire experience in two large binders.

Anyways, this trip to London next month will be my fourth trip back to visit London since '99. As the saying goes, "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life."

If you haven't figured out yet that I'm a lover of all things British, then let me remind you:

That one of my favorite movies is Love Actually and a close runner up is The Young Victoria.
My cat's name is Pemberley (of Jane Austen's "Pride & Prejudice").
By the way, anybody else watching the new season of Downton Abbey on PBS? Love it!
Mary Poppins is my favorite Disney character. "She's practically perfect in every way."
And of course, we can't leave out this British Hottie:

You're welcome, Ladies.

I am looking forward to catching up with friends, visiting the museums, shopping (!), minding the gap, and of course going to one of my ALL TIME favorite London things: Evensong at Westminster.

I can't wait!

Head over to Facebook to see a photo of me in London in 2007. An excellent "before" photo!

Weigh-in Day...

2012-01-13T07:19:00.000-08:00

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's weight:

...and yes, I am still rockin' the red Christmas glitter...

Happy Friday!

A Non-Scale Victory & How Easily I Forget

2012-01-12T02:00:00.016-08:00

I'm not sure when this Non-Scale Victory (NSV) happened. Probably sometime over the last year? Who knows, but it's worth mentioning.

This NSV is related to putting on shoes. A simple and easy task, right? No, not exactly easy with an extra 115 lbs on my body.

I don't know about you, but I remember that when I was a fatty, putting on my tennis shoes and tying them would take some major effort.

First, I would have to find somewhere to sit down. That was so important to the process.

Then, after sitting down I would have to fix my shirt because as a fatty, I know too well the "pull your shirt out of your fat belly rolls" technique.

After that there was struggling to reach my feet. Put the socks on, one by one.

Finally I would get the shoes on and get them tied.

Sigh.

It was a like a little mini-workout. There was usually some sweat involved.

I would like to thank my Sister for pointing out this NSV to me when I was visiting her in Florida during the holidays.

She noticed that as I was getting ready to go for a walk...I just stood there, slipped my tennis shoes on my feet and tied them (while still standing up) and I was out the door.

I've noticed that taking my shoes off and then on again when going through security at the airport is much easier now. But, what I don't understand is the last three trips, I've been chosen to go through those new scanner machines each and every time? What's that about? Oh well, I guess that's a discussion for another day. I also have been wondering if they can see my band?

OK, next topic, which is probably TMI for some of you. You've been warned. Proceed with caution. Seriously.

I think it is hilarious how I sometimes forget how much my band restriction increases when Aunt Flo shows up. Since I'm a multi-cycling kinda girl who likes to ~~control~~ schedule anything and everything in my life, she only visits four times a year (how GREAT is that ladies?!? I highly recommend it.)

Anyways, I was eating my lunch yesterday (a hard boiled egg, string cheese, leafy greens) and noticed that my band was saying hello to me. Big time. The food just kinda sat there above my band. I was so confused. So I started wondering...hmmm...could it be the weather? Allergies? The bra too tight today? Then, BAM! I remembered Aunt Flo was in town.

I read all of your posts about this phenomenon all the time, but how quickly I forget.

"Well, Clarice - have the lambs stopped screaming?"

2012-01-11T02:00:00.002-08:00

Don't ya just love Hannibal Lecter...

Anyways, since there are no 'Trader Joes' or 'Whole ~~Paycheck~~ Foods' stores in my area, I feel very lucky to have a source for really cool locally produced food that offers lots of organic meats, fruits, and veggies.

But I have now officially ventured into 'No Man's Land' by recently buying some organic ground lamb.

You see, I've never cooked lamb before. I'm kinda scared...

I am also trying really, really hard to not think of this cutie-patootie:

But rather this: Lamb Burgers. YUM!

3 ounces of cooked ground lamb has 190 calories and 22 grams of protein which makes this girly happy.

OK, so I have two questions:

Will I be able to chew the ground lamb completely to the consistency of applesauce like us bandsters are supposed to? I have trouble chewing ground beef completely.
Can you recommend any recipes? I do have a few Indian curry simmer sauces in jars that may work? HELP!

Thanks!

Say 'Hello' To My Little Friend...

2012-01-10T02:00:00.001-08:00

You know how us bandsters are supposed to only eat an approximate one cup serving of food at a meal?

I can't stand that phrase "supposed to"... I like it almost as much as when people say to me, "You can't eat that, right?" Which I always respond with "Wanna bet?"

It's not about what I "Can" or "Can't" eat, it's about what I "Should" or "Shouldn't" eat.

Anyways, since my band has never restricted the amount of food that I can eat, I have had to always be a measurer, weigher, and tracker of my portions. Yep, I measure ounces and grams on my food scale and cups with one of my seven (!) measuring cups. Over two years post-op and I still use my food scale every day.

Isn't it crazy that my band will stop me from taking a vitamin (stuck and then up it comes), yet it will allow me eat an entire Taco Bell Beefy 5-layer Burrito? WTF.

Therefore, I've discovered another way to remind myself what a proper one cup portion looks like. Say hello to my new B.F.F., a tiny little Starbucks cup. It sits on my desk at work. Empty. All by himself.

A stack of these small Starbucks cups was left in our office by some random vendor or overly eager outside sales person back in December. Of course, the cups were delivered along with some coffee carriers and those damn breakfast cakes/scones which are my ~~crack~~ weakness. I guess the theory is if they give us coffee and food, then we will buy their products/services. I steered clear of that entire situation.

Anyways, here's that cup next to a medium (grande) latte......tiny, right? It's only 8 oz:

So, my questions for you:

How do you track your portion sizes?
Do you have any tools/reminders/tips that work for you?

I want to know.

R.I.P. Mr. Dependable

2012-01-09T03:00:00.002-08:00

Well, it's official.

Mr Dependable (my scale) was no longer accurate and promptly gave up the good fight yesterday.

So, I have a new scale in my life.

Meet Mr. Dependable 2.0:

He tells me all kinds of things that I don't really want to know like my hydration level and bone mass. At least he's got a pretty blue screen. I'll show his lovely blue face to you on Friday's weigh-in.

PS: Did you see me over on Facebook trying on some size 22W pants at Target? It provided me with some perspective and a reminder of how much smaller I am now. I think I am getting used to my size small tops and petite size 6 jeans. I just never, ever want to take my smaller size for granted.

I Wish That My Vacuum Did This!

2012-01-07T02:00:00.003-08:00

Weigh-in Day...

2012-01-06T06:59:00.000-08:00

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's Weight: 142.5 lbs

Happy Friday!

PS: Did you see today's question over on Facebook?

What do I Eat?

2012-01-05T02:00:00.004-08:00

I've received a few emails and blog post requests lately asking about what I eat.

When I was losing, I was very, very structured and wrote ALL OF MY FOOD choices down on a post it note. Pretty old school, but it worked. 115 lbs gone in 14 months.

Keep in mind:

I never counted fat grams, EVER.
I never counted carbs, EVER
All I kept track of was calories and protein. That's it.
Oh yeah, I also cut out ALL alcohol.

Here's what I ate when I was losing:

I will usually eat like this now that I'm in maintenance approximately 5 of the 7 days of the week. I have nicknamed this menu plan or way of eating "hard core." Don't ask me why, I just do.

Those other two days where I loosely follow this plan, I will also eat other foods that will take my calorie counts up to about 2000+ each day. I will not tell you what those specific foods are because what happens on "Fat Girl Fridays" can only be discussed using whispered hushed voices. Shhh...

Anyways, now it's your turn. I encourage you to post about what you are eating to be a successful loser. I want to know.

What I Should Have Asked Santa For...

2012-01-04T02:00:00.006-08:00

A spreadsheet.

Yep.

Don't roll your eyes at me.

Seriously....I want a Biggest Loser spreadsheet. It would look like this:

I don't need contestant names, that's not what I'm after.

I want some data on long term maintenance of the contestants' weight loss.

Using my pretty sketchy math skills, I guess that there's been about 250 contestants so far? They just began season 13 and there's anywhere from 15 to 20 contestants per season.

What I want to know is this: How many contestants have kept their weight off?

There was a Biggest Loser reunion show a few weeks ago where they highlighted a few old contestants who of course have kept their weight off. The common theme that I noticed with these featured contestants was that their weight loss was either very recent or they had somehow made their healthy lifestyle part of their income stream. Yep, they were either working as personal trainers or selling some kind weight loss product (Brita water bottles) or eating plan (Biggest Loser meals). They have sponsors. They are workin' it. They have some serious accountability (cha-ching!) to keep the weight off.

But what about the other approximate 200 or so contestants. What's happened to them? Have they maintained their weight loss?

So, Santa, if you're reading this....I've been a very good girl.

**************************

PS: I'm having a slight weigh-in crisis. I saw 148 lbs on the scale! Either my scale is officially dying or my Christmas week of poor food choices has caught up with me. Sigh.

Do You Feel Like You Know a Weight Loss Secret? (and a Silly New Year's Eve Photo)

2012-01-02T02:00:00.002-08:00

Have you seen all those new TV commercials with celebrities selling the latest weight loss plans?

It's the new year, so I guess that's what us Americans are supposed to do: lose weight. I hate the concept of a new year's resolution. What's wrong with starting fresh or making changes on July 27th? Or how about March 19th? Those are perfectly good days to begin a healthy lifestyle.

It seems with these new years resolutions, we all are supposed to pretend to try to lose weight for about three weeks and then give up like every other year. Oh, and let's remember to also join a gym that we will only go to for a few weeks. I did it. For many, many years. Every January. I get it. I'd lose about 20 lbs and then promptly gain it all back (plus some more) by spring time. What fun that was. *Note: sarcasm*

The one commercial that seems to be on repeat all day every day lately is Janet Jackson and her Nutrisystem. I'm so glad that she is convincing Americans that if they eat little boxes and cans of pre-packaged food that they'll lose the weight and keep it off. Right. *note: MORE sarcasm* And don't even get me started on that HCG diet.

When I see any of these weight loss infomercials or ads, I sometimes think to myself:

"Whew! I am so relieved that I have figured it out already. I've actually done it and I know how to keep it off."

It's like I know a secret or something. But it's no secret. Everyone knows what they need to lose weight: eat less, move more. But we all know it's not that easy. Easier said than done, of course.

That's why I am so happy to have some extra help with this tool, the Lap Band. It's helping me in my weight loss and maintenance. It's the one thing that has worked for me.

Your secret may be the sleeve, Gastric Bypass, Weight Watchers, or whatever works for you.

OK, here's the silly new year's eve photo that I promised. This is what happens when I drink too much whipped cream vodka and strawberry soda...and yeah, those are Christmas stockings on my feet:

Would You Like to See Some Florida Vacation Photos?

2012-01-01T02:00:00.004-08:00

Oh my...

Where to begin?

Let's see...let's begin with our FABULOUS evening on Christmas day at the Hollywood Studios Walt Disney World. The dancing light displays were AMAZING!

At approximately 6:20AM EST on December 26th, I could be seen prancing deliriously around in spicy brown boots in JCPenney's shoe department at their after Christmas sale. Yep. It happened. These boots were originally $100 and I bought them for $20! Score! A big 'thank you' to my sister, Queen of the Coupon Universe, for snagging that JCPenney coupon out of the newspaper.

I had some help blogging while I was in Florida - here's 'Indi', my Sister's cat:

Here I am with my sister and parents. Aren't we festive in our red n' green? After seeing these pics, I dare anyone to play the "I can't lose weight because of my genetics" card with me. It is possible.

Cocktail time at the Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World! I had a key lime pie martini and my Sister had an island breeze. YUM:

Here we are at the Magic Kingdom....along with 50,000 of our closest friends. It was packed! But we had tons of fun. I went on my FAVORITE Disney ride: The Carousel of Progress. I also got to see my favorite characters: "The Dapper Dans." By the way, do you like my new hat? I think that I'll wear it on my first day back at the office. Nothing says 'business casual' like bright pink furry ears, right?

I would like to thank my Brother-in-Law for this last pic. He was testing out a new flash attachment on his camera. He jumped through the doorway and captured this moment of me sneaking some Christmas cookies.

Busted!

(P.S.: his Mom is a bandster too!)

It was a very memorable trip and the best part was the time catching up with family and friends.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Special Post Holiday Weigh-In...

2011-12-31T07:44:00.000-08:00

I am back from seven fun-filled days in the land of Mickey Mouse.

I had a BLAST!

My food choices weren't the best...

There were cookies, lots of cookies...

There were DELICIOUS cheese blintzes for breakfast: YUMMY!

There were Dunkin' Donuts, croissants, and an ice cream sundae at McDonald's.

BUT, there was also Zumba, Just Dance 3, and a 3+ mile walk mixed in...and don't forget all that walking around the theme parks.

I also drank water like it was my job. I was up to 100+ oz each day. I now know where each and every bathroom is located on Disney Property.

Therefore, here's today's weight: 141.1 lbs.

That's up 2.3 lbs since last weigh-in. Not too bad at all. I was honestly expecting something much higher.

I'm off to Jazzercise this morning. Back on track.

I'll be doing a vacation recap tomorrow for you. There are lots of pics to share!

Can You Guess What Happened at My Lap Band Support Group Meeting?

2011-12-30T02:30:00.000-08:00

First of all, there is no weigh-in today because I am HERE.

Now, let's talk about my recent support group meeting this past week.

I think it's pretty funny that for the last three months of meetings, there has been a food gauntlet to get to our meeting room. Yep, to get to our room, we have to pass by this amazing-smelling hot food buffet (macaroni and cheese, hot bread rolls, etc). It seems that whatever group meets in the room next door to ours always enjoys a yummy buffet before their meeting. Sounds like my kind of meeting. Here's what it looked like last week:

Anyways, to me, exercising is a lot like going to my surgeon's support group meeting. I don't always want to, but once I do go, I am so glad that I did.

I have to make going to the meetings a priority for me. I have to put them on the calendar months in advance or I will come up with a really convincing ~~excuses~~ reasons why I can't go.

But going to group meetings is a non-negotiable for me. I tell myself "If you were a newbie, wouldn't you want to have a chance to talk with a veteran bandster who's at goal?" Yeah, I would. So I go. My chance to give back and provide support.

This past week's group meeting was pretty small, just three bandsters all together, a support person (a husband), and our group leader. I like the smaller attended meetings as we all seem to talk more. And this time there was no disappointing! We even talked about constipation and PB'ing. Good times.

I usually get one really good take away from each meeting. This time was no different. I learned that I am doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing to maintain my weight.

Now you may be thinking, "Duh! of course your are rocking maintenance."

But nobody ever told me how to maintain my weight. I've just sort of figured it out in the past year. I still don't know all the answers. It's a lot of trial and error.

Our group leader said that his past experience with medically supervised weight loss patients, the most successful weight loss patients follow this process:

During the weight loss phase: Very structured, organized, planning of food choices and exercise. Everything gets written down and discussed.
During maintenance: Some (not all) of the structured-ness is slowly phased out and the patient learns the "give and take" of balancing exercise and food choices.

I told our leader that he should put those nuggets of wisdom in the informational binder that they give out to all their pre-ops. It would have saved me a lot of headaches on trying to figure out this beast that is called "maintenance" this past year.

But would I have learned as much if someone had just provided me with an easy to follow list of what to do in maintenance? Probably not.

Would You Like Alpo or Kibbles N' Bits?

2011-12-28T02:00:00.000-08:00

Before I was banded, my freezer looked somewhat like this:

During one of my last attempts at Weight Watchers, a leader one day told the group something that I have never forgotten.

She said: "Your food has to look good and appetizing, otherwise you won't really enjoy it. That's why I stay away from those dog dishes." Yep, she was referring to her employers' (WW) frozen food choices that come in those convenient little boxes with the black dishes inside.

She was right, they totally look like dog dishes. Right?

She was also right that food has to look good and taste good, or it's just not worth it.

When I used to eat from those dog dishes, they were very convenient and cheap. It was an easy decision to grab one out of the freezer on my way out the door in the morning. Easy cheesy.

Then lunch time would roll around and I would nuke that dish up in the office microwave, peel back the plastic film, and take a look. It wasn't always very attractive or appetizing. Now that I think about it, it never always smelled the best either.

But I would eat it anyway, and do you know what? It was just "ok." Not very appetizing. However, I knew that I was being "good" and eating what I was supposed to. I was on plan. Gold stars for me.

But what I now realize is that I wasn't creating a lifestyle that I could stick to. There's no way that I could eat those dog dishes forever. Bleh. Just not my style. That's why after about losing the usual 30 lbs on Weight Watchers, I would start eating regular foods (not those dog dishes) and all the weight would come back, plus a few more pounds for good measure.

Therefore, I made a very conscious decision before my surgery that I would never EVER eat anything out of a dog dish again. This decision wasn't based on the nutritional value of the dog dishes (which in reality are pretty questionable), but rather the appearance of the food and whether it satisfied me.

I haven't eaten from a dog dish in about two and half years.

Are your food choices satisfying? Are you enjoying them? Or are they just "OK"?

New Banded Blogger Alert!

2011-12-27T16:27:00.000-08:00

Please stop by and say "hi" to Lisa over at La Band Doll.

She's already started the liquid diet and will be banded on January 11th!

The Power of Words...

2011-12-26T03:00:00.010-08:00

Now that Christmas has come and gone, have you thought about what your word for the upcoming 2012 year will be?

For 2010, I chose the word: Choice: The band does not make CHOICES - I make the CHOICE to do what I have to do to be a success.

For 2011, I chose the word: Prudence: being careful about one’s choices, not taking undue risks, and not saying or doing things that might later be regretted.

For 2012, I have chosen the word: Persevere: to persist in or remain constant to a purpose, idea, or task in the face of obstacles or discouragement.

What word will you choose for 2012 to help you stay dedicated to your journey?

Weigh-in Day...

2011-12-23T07:22:00.000-08:00

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's Weight: 138.8 lbs

Did you know that when I get back into old habits and poor food choices, I usually gain about one pound a day. Therefore, I purposefully lost a bit more weight this past week in preparation for all the yummy and tempting foods that I will be enjoying this coming holiday week.

Happy Friday!

I am Guilty of the Overshare

2011-12-22T07:46:00.001-08:00

Who me?

Yes, me.

All.the.damn.time.

The idea of being "out" with one's Lap Band is a personal choice. I get that. Some bandsters only tell their spouse...and that's it. To each their own.

Me on the other hand, if someone asks how I lost the weight I will always tell them about my band. Not a big deal or a super secret for me. Wanna pet my port? ha ha ha.

But lately, I've been doing a new experiment with my own self control. I have entitled this experiment, "How long can I go without telling a person about my band?"

The reason for this experiment? From what I can tell, people honestly could care less and with most casual conversations, it usually just ends up being TMI for them.

I good friend of mine recently used this analogy with me, "I got a breast reduction ten years ago, but I don't go around telling people about it." Hmmmm.... What do you think of this analogy?

PS: Thank you ~~NOT SO~~ Secret Santa for the Bed & Body Works gift card! I love to shop and can't wait to get my shopping on at their after Christmas sale. Bargains here I come! :-)

New Banded Bloggers Alert!

2011-12-21T02:00:00.002-08:00

Please stop by and say "hi" to these lovely ladies:

Jessica over at "It's Jess!" will be banded on December 29th.
Donna over at "Donna Weight and See" is getting her band TODAY!

Thanks!

PS: Here's your completely random funny for the day:

Opportunity Knocks Quietly Sometimes...

2011-12-19T02:00:00.002-08:00

I was cleaning out an old purse the other day and came across a Panda Express receipt and a fortune from a fortune cookie tucked neatly inside.

The date on the receipt? Saturday, August 29, 2009.

The fortune?

I wonder why I would save this fortune? I'm not someone to save things like this.
Who knew that the opportunity that would soon be presented to me was the Lap Band?

I attended my surgeon's informational seminar three days after getting that fortune.

The rest is history.

"If a window of opportunity appears, don't pull down the shade."

~Thomas J. Peters

1 Year of Maintenance...Done!

2011-12-17T06:00:00.003-08:00

12 months.

52 weeks.

365 days.

8,760 hours.

I have officially maintained my goal weight for one year. Whew!

I've maintained my weight between 135 lbs and 145 lbs.

I originally posted my accountability goal HERE back in January.

My goal?

To sign up and join the The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR), having maintained my 111 lb loss for 1 year. I'll be signing up this weekend.

By the way, did you see the Band Superstars Blog today?

It's my chance to tell my band story and for me shout as loud as I can, just like Mary Katherine Gallagher: "SOOPAH-STAH!"

Weigh-in Day & Some Craftiness

2011-12-16T07:13:00.002-08:00

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's Weight: 140.6 lbs

I am starting to notice that if I keep my self busy and not sit mindlessly in front of the TV that I am less likely to eat the entire contents of my refrigerator. It's only taken me about two years to realize this. Sigh.

So I got my craftiness on last night and made a sleeve for my new iPad 2. Are you crafty too? I wanna know.

PS: on a completely separate note, go read this post from our wonderful Amy.

That's Spendy.

2011-12-14T02:00:00.003-08:00

When I first moved to Oregon, I noticed that there were a few words that they use here that us Californians just don't use.

One of those words is 'spendy.'

It means expensive.

Thank you, Captain Obvious. You're welcome.

I say 'spendy' all the time now. It's funny how certain words creep into my vocabulary. Those Californians always seem to give me a funny look when I say 'spendy' now.

So, what is the most spendy thing that I've purchased in my 32 year life span? My band.

As I've mentioned before, I was a self-pay patient. It's kinda funny...I would NEVER spend that much money on a car, yet I paid A BUCKET-LOAD of $$ for something that I have never seen in real life.

I burned a ginormous hole in my Capital One credit card the day that I forked over that piece of plastic to the nice cashier lady at the hospital. I had NEVER signed a credit card receipt for that much money before. FIVE FIGURES. Ouch. That was about two weeks prior to my surgery.

It was scary.

There was no turning back.

But do you know what? It was worth it.

If you're a penny-pinching, spreadsheet-making, and cost-conscious gal like me who is thinking of banding, you may be wondering:

What’ll Lap Band surgery cost me?

Perhaps a better question is “What’ll it cost you if you don’t?”

With today’s crazy economy and rising health care costs, it’s only natural to wonder if now is the time to consider banding.

Extra weight on a person often goes hand in hand with extra financial burden.

Obesity can have significant medical costs over time. Weight loss surgery can help reduce the cumulative cost of living with obesity: like weight loss programs, prescription medicine and hospital visits.

Knowing this, you may want to consider these questions:

What are your current out-of-pocket health care expenses? Are they due to go up?
What are your current prescription and over-the-counter medication costs? Are they due to go up?
How many times a year do you see a doctor or specialist? Has that gone up over time?
How many days have you missed work over the past few years? Has that gone up?
How much have you spent on non-surgical weight loss programs? (WeightWatchers®, Jenny Craig®, etc.) Did that work?
How much have your costs for groceries and dining out gone up?
How much have you spent on additional clothes due to your weight gain?

For those of you who are already sitting on the losers bench (whether banded, sleeved, RNY'd, or other weight loss methods), how are you saving money now that you've lost some weight? I want to know.

A New Way To Piss Me Off...

2011-12-12T02:00:00.021-08:00

Uh oh...

Rant alert!

I rarely yell and raise my voice.

I'd say that I'm usually a pretty easy going gal.

It takes a lot to get me angry.

But if you really want to torque my Twinkies, then all you have to say is "I can't believe that you ever used to be heavy...I just can't picture it. There's no way."

And if you want to really to push me to the ledge, say the above sentences every two or three weeks. Like I don't remember you said it already...last week.

I get a comment like this about once a week from various people. Of course, these are people that never knew the fatty that I was.

When this comment first started happening about a year ago, it was great. I would feel great. I would smile, thank them, and be proud of my weight loss. I would feel pride in my amazing accomplishment in losing 115+ lbs.

What happens now when you or someone says those sentences? Oh my. Heaven help you, because I have a phone filled with my fatty photos. I will make you look at EVERY SINGLE one of them until you wish you hadn't said anything to begin with. I realize that you are just stating your opinion or trying to be complimentary, but I am going to prove you wrong. I was a fatty.

The "I can't believe it" comment is similar to another statement that happens occasionally, especially from family members or close friends: "I can't even remember what you looked like when you were heavy." If you say that one, I will just roll my eyes at you. I can remember what I looked like, more specifically, what it felt like. If I close my eyes, I am instantly the fatty again.

Don't get me wrong, I am very, very happy with my weight loss success.

I just can't help wondering why these comments bug me so much now?

Welcome to Crazy Town. Population: 1. (Me)

I Weigh The Same As...

2011-12-11T10:31:00.001-08:00

When I turned on the TV this morning, HBO was still on from the previous night.

I saw that a boxing show or some kind of manly type event was just starting. I went to grab the remote to change the channel to a much more interesting channel like HGTV or Food Network. But just then, the announcer introduced the boxers and said how much each of them weigh = 140 lbs.

Yep, I weigh the same as these two guys:

Amir on the left is 5'10"

Lamont on the right is 5'9"

Therefore, I weigh the same as a Super Lightweight Champion boxer.

At least the word "light" is in there. Right?

What is the Single Best Thing That I Can Do For My Health?

2011-12-10T08:14:00.000-08:00

I love this video!

Exercise is medicine.

Weigh-in Day...

2011-12-09T07:08:00.000-08:00

Did you know that this is the 122nd weekly weigh-in since I began my journey with the band?

Goal weight: 145 lbs

Today's weight: 139.7 lbs.

Happy Friday!

The Pits.

2011-12-08T02:00:00.001-08:00

Pssst....

Come over here....a little closer....OK....good.

Can we talk about my armpits for a minute?

When I was a fatty, the pits were nice and flat and easily shaved. No problem what so ever.

Now?

The pits are actually PITS. They go in now and are very cavernous. Try shaving shaving those bad boys. It's practically impossible. I lift that skin, I bend it, I stretch it, and I can't seem to get all that hair.

So, any tips? Any secrets to share on how to clear cut these bad boys so that I don't scare the cute little old ladies at Jazzercise with my hairy pits?

I guess I could always braid 'em and bead 'em....ooooh or make one tiny ponytail under each arm? Fashion trends of the future!

What Results Are You Expecting From Your Band?

2011-12-07T02:00:00.005-08:00

With a gastric band, the expected and average weight loss according to the band manufacturers is a loss of approximately 50% of excess body weight by the end of the third year post-op.

Want to see a very spiffy spreadsheet? (Source):

If I was to accept what is 'average' and 'expected' of me, then with a 50% excess body weight loss, I should weigh about 201 lbs right now.

But did I accept average for myself? NOPE.

Was I ready to do just was expected of me? No freaking way. I was ready to do MORE.

Before I was banded, I knew that I could work this band to the "results not typical" extreme.

And I did.

Did you know that I was still on my high-blood pressure medications when I weighed 201 lbs?

Here's what I looked like at 201 lbs:

Here's what I look like now (140 lbs):

What results are you expecting from YOU?

600th Post!

2011-12-06T02:00:00.007-08:00

I just realized that I've rambled on endlessly to you about 600 random Lap Band and non-Lap Band related things.

I've told you what it's like to live life with a Lap Band...every...single...day.

I've learned that blogging, for me, brings my life into focus.

I remember when I first started talking with friends about the idea of starting a blog, they warned me about how I will have to make a Commitment to keeping my blog updated and how much work that would be. As much as that "C" word usually makes me run for the hills, I knew that it was the only way that I would be successful. The online accountability that you all offer is what makes it "click" for me.

Now that I'm in maintenance for almost a year, I wonder what else there is tell you?

Therefore, are there any burning questions or anything that YOU would like to know?

Mr. Dependable...

2011-12-05T02:00:00.008-08:00

Meet Mr. Dependable: my scale

He's been with me through two house moves, many attempts of Weight Watchers, Atkins, and every other diet ever invented and of course he was there for my official pre-op weigh-in of 256 lbs.

That's over five years of weigh-ins. I've never used my surgeon's scale for my official Friday weigh-ins, only Mr. Dependable.

He's always been consistent and accurate in the past.

But lately, I think Mr. Dependable is getting tired. Or cranky.

Even though I've replaced his batteries, the weigh-ins can vary by 5+ lbs within seconds (I know that I'm not the only one who weighs in and then steps off and then steps right back on just to make sure the first weight was "accurate"....right?)

And don't forget that crazy low weigh-in the day after Thanksgiving was a bit too good to be true: 137.9 lbs. That was nice though.

So it's time to get a new scale.

What scale do you have?

Brand? Type? What do you recommend? Please let me know. I have a special preference for scales that tell me that I'm clever and pretty. Wait...scales that do that? I think I've just come up with my next idea to be patented.

PS: I have a Bed, Bath & Beyond coupon burning a hole in my pocket.

Weigh-in Day...and the Results Are...

2011-12-02T07:27:00.002-08:00

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's Weight: 140.1 lbs

Happy Friday!

Are You Having Your Lap Band Surgery Soon?

2011-12-01T02:00:00.006-08:00

It seems that there's been a recent flurry of posts and activity on the blogosphere with upcoming band surgeries. Is this because of year-end insurance deductibles or something?

I am reading your pre-op posts about FEAR.

I am reading your posts about ANXIETY of what will happen at the hospital.

I am reading between the lines that you absolutely understand that surgery is a HUGE deal. I agree, it is a big freaking deal. Seriously. I get it.

In my opinion, the surgery itself and the recovery time are the most painful, yet the EASIEST parts of this entire journey.

Would you like to know what the most DIFFICULT part of the journey is for me? Having to make good food choices each and every moment/hour/day and to make exercise a priority. There is no "done" on this journey. There is no finish line. It's never-ending.

Just a few examples:

When at business/work lunches: I order the chicken salad while everyone else orders fettuccine Alfredo or lasagna with garlic bread....oh, and don't forget the cocktails and wine everyone's enjoying.
When I have to decline friend invites to hang out after work because I have to go workout.

When I had surgery, I had NO IDEA the amount of work and effort would be involved to be successful with the Lap Band.

But do you know what else? It's WORTH IT.

Guess What? It's Finally Happened.

2011-11-30T02:00:00.010-08:00

I'm starting to forget.

Yep, I'm starting to forget that I have a Lap Band.

I remember when I used to hear bandsters say that they "forget" that they have a band. I would immediately think to myself: "Are you CRAZY?! How can you forget that you have a band?"

I remember discussing this idea of forgetting with Banded Wendy in San Francisco this past Spring. We both couldn't believe that anyone would ever forget that they have a band.

Well, it's finally happening to me.

Could this be because all the healthy habits that go along with my band lifestyle are now just second nature and I don't have to think about it as much?

I do get all kinds of reminders daily that there really is a band inside of me:

When I swallow my first sips of water in the morning.
When I walk outside on a really cold day. Bam! Hello restriction!
When I eat too fast or don't chew well enough.

After two years, the band almost feels like a body part that I've always had.

However, I can promise you that I will never forget what it felt like to be fat, sick, and tired for almost 20 years:

“It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.”

~Henry David Thoreau

Do You Still Have Leftovers From Thanksgiving?

2011-11-29T02:00:00.001-08:00

Yeah, me too.

One of the major ways that I stay on track with my eating choices is to keep what's in my refrigerator and kitchen cabinets very boring with healthy food choices.

I make sure that there are no tempting foods lurking in my kitchen. That way, if I am having a moment of weakness, there is nothing hanging around in the kitchen calling my name. I drive over to Dairy Queen or Taco Bell for those special moments.

But seriously, in the past two years I have finally taught myself to throw away food (or pawn it off onto friends).

Yes, I chuck that food out.

With no regrets.

Of course, I know that there are starving and hungry people around the world who could use that food.

It can be confusing sometimes to live in a culture of so much abundance of food while others are suffering of malnutrition and starvation.

I have learned that me cramming my pie hole with bad food choices because "I don't want it to go bad" or "waste it" does not help ANYONE, not even the world's hungry. It's not like I'm going to FedEx my turkey and stuffing to the starving people of Democratic Republic of the Congo. Seriously.

Therefore, I like to think of this little nugget of wisdom that Stephanie, Electric Lady Band told me in Chicago: "You can put it in the garbage now; or eat it and put it in the toilet later."

Enough said.

I Need Your Help

2011-11-27T14:53:00.000-08:00

If you remember, I never really rewarded myself when I arrived at my goal weight. Because for me, the real test has been maintenance.

I will be celebrating maintaining my goal weight for one year with a new sparkly. A ring. I'm not much a jewelry wearer so this is a big step for me.

An alcoholic gets one year chip, so I'm getting a ring.

I will always be an obese person in recovery. Always. This ring will be a physical reminder for me.

So this brings me to YOU. I need your help thinking of a 3-5 word saying/quote/etc that I can engrave inside the ring. You are so creative with your ideas, I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Ideas so far that I've received from you on the Facebook page:

"12-17-2011" (1 goaliversary)
"Never Forget"
"Never Look Back"
"Baby Steps"

Some initial sketches of the ring...

I hope to have the ring on my finger by the end of December, but as they say "Something worth having is something worth waiting for."

Weigh-in Day...and Eloise.

2011-11-25T09:30:00.000-08:00

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's Weight: 137.9 lbs

Here's a quick pic of me getting the turkey (A.K.A. "Eloise") ready for the oven yesterday. Do you name your Thanksgiving turkey?

Happy Friday!

What Are You Thankful For?

2011-11-24T03:00:00.005-08:00

It's Thanksgiving day here in the U.S.A.

A time for me to remind myself of how thankful I am to have such good friends and family in my life.

But of course, there are also many, many weight loss related things to give thanks for:

I am thankful that I have learned:

My food choices are never, ever going to fix my deeper problems.
Food is not going to make me blissfully happy.
Food is not my friend.
Food is not going to make me feel less stressed about the business that is life.
Food is not going to give me the courage to change things in my life.
Food is not meant to be an escape from reality.

I am thankful that I am no longer sick and tired of being sick and tired.

I am thankful that I don't feel like I am dieting just because I am eating less.

I am thankful for my improved sleep quality at night -- no more naps during the day! I am no longer sleeping my life away.

I am thankful that food no longer has as much power over me.

Lastly, I couldn't end this post without a Thanksgiving funny...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I'm the Type of Girl...

2011-11-23T03:00:00.006-08:00

...that used to fall down flat on my face. Literally. All...the..time.

There's a joke in my family about always packing enough band aids when heading out on vacations, 'cuz I would need them. Lots of them.

The other inside joke is that there isn't a country that I haven't fallen down in.

I can think of so many embarrassing examples, here are just two:

Inside the British Museum in London in front of a crowd of tourists? Yep, it happened...just next to the Rosetta Stone.
At the top of some waterfalls in South Africa? Of course it happened.

It's a good thing that I know how to roll once I hit the ground. It's an acquired skill set. I should put that on my resume.

Anyways, I just read this recent article about how obese people are 73% more likely to have an accident than the non-obese.

This made me realize: I don't fall down anymore. I wonder if the extra weight threw my balance off? Who knows.

I'm just glad that I don't have to buy so many Hello Kitty band aids anymore.

Time to add another Non-Scale Victory (NSV) to the list!

“Friends are like bras: close to your heart and there for support.”

2011-11-22T03:00:00.006-08:00

Why have I never heard any of you ladies talk about the Brassiere Removal Approach (B.R.A.) of getting food unstuck? Yeah, I just made that acronym up. It's an official bandster word now. You're welcome.

I have now used the B.R.A. method on three or four occasions (luckily I'm usually at home!) to get a stuck vitamin or piece of food to go down.

Here's how it usually goes down (literally):

I swallow the food/vitamin.
It gets stuck.
I slime, slime, slime, then slime some more.
I walk around for a few minutes with my arms/hands above my head stupidly thinking this will help.
Then I undo the clasp on my bra, I swallow a few times and down the vitamin/food goes down.

Crazy, indeed!

I did some searches on the interwebs about this B.R.A. method and I did find THIS forum post.

Let me assure you, my bras are not too tight. I am technically a 34D and I'm still wearing my 36Ds 'cuz they're more comfy. And I almost never wear underwires...those b*tches are painful torture devices. Just sayin'.

So, has anyone else used the B.R.A. technique? I want to know.

It's Time to Place Your Bets!

2011-11-21T03:00:00.004-08:00

I'm looking forward to making a big Thanksgiving dinner this Thursday. Family will be staying for the long weekend too. It will be fun!

So I've made my spreadsheet with my shopping list and have just returned home from grocery shopping.

Now there are foods in my kitchen that are NEVER EVER there. Yikes.

What foods? All trigger foods for me:

Breakfast cereal
Peanut butter
Ice cream
Pie
Mini Marshmallows
Butter
Whipped cream
Half & half
Bread
The list could go on and on.

How many days until Thursday? Sigh.

This will be a good test for me to see if this food stays OUT of my mouth until then.

Do you think I can last until Thursday? Place your bets...

Here are all the yummies....I think I can even hear their thoughts if I listen closely...

How Maintenance is Different than Losing

2011-11-19T03:00:00.007-08:00

I would like to send a big shout and thank you to Dawnya who inspired me to do this post.

If you haven't visited Dawnya's blog, please stop by and say "hi."

***************************************

Maintenance is NOT losing.

Losing is NOT maintenance.

No one ever told me about what maintaining my weight would be like.

This is uncharted territory for me.

I never knew what it would take to maintain my weight because in the past I would lose about 25 lbs and then gain it all back. Repeatedly. A very viscous and frustrating cycle.

What I ate and my exercise choices when I was losing is different than what I currently eat and my exercise choices in maintenance.

However, what I learned when I was losing has helped me to better understand what I need to do to be successful at maintaining my weight.

Confusing, right?

Well, since I love a fancy color-coded spreadsheet, I created this one to explain it: (Click on the picture to make it BIG):

My summary of the above: I eat more carb-type foods now (and more of them) but I exercise more to make up for it.

Sure, there are many different ways to achieve weight maintenance, but for me, this seems to be working pretty well.

Weigh-in Day...and What I'm Thankful For

2011-11-18T07:01:00.000-08:00

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's Weight: 140 lbs

*******************
Onwards to giving some long overdue thanks...

So, you've heard me go on and on about Zumba...Yeah, I've Zumba'd in Los Angeles, CA. I've Zumba'd in Orlando, FL. I've Zumba'd in Monterey, CA. I've Zumba'd in Napa, CA.

All different instructors. All different styles and moves. I guess you could say I'm a promiscuous Zumba-er. I get around.

What have I learned?

The instructor can make the class FABULOUS or just ho-hum and not too exciting.

I am thankful for having one of the most motivating and FUN Zumba instructors...EVER.

Last night was my Zumba instructor, Anne's, last class teaching for awhile.

As you can see, she's 8+ months pregnant:

When we hugged good-bye last night, I reminded her that she has transformed me from a big T-shirt, baggy sweats wearing 230+ lbs to a now tight tank-top, spandex wearing 140 lbs.

She then reminded me that, no, it wasn't her doing, it was me who did it.

Can You Help A Sister Out?

2011-11-17T03:00:00.001-08:00

I received an email a few days ago from a woman named Amanda.

Amanda's a trained couples therapist completing her PhD in clinical psychology at Clark University in Worcester, MA.

Amanda needs your help.

For her dissertation, she's developed an anonymous, online survey that asks questions related to:

Do you ever feel that your romantic partner gets in the way of your weight loss?

This is an important study that could help health care professionals better understand their patients' barriers to weight loss.

Here's the link to the ANONYMOUS online survey

Before you begin the survey, you'll want to ensure that you can answer "YES" to the following questions:
*Have you been participating in a weight loss program for the past consecutive 5 weeks?
*Have you been in a committed, cohabitating relationship for the past two years?

Please feel free to repost this on your blog too.

******************************
Details from Amanda's email:

Participation in this survey should take approximately 30-45 minutes (there are open-ended questions which sometimes take participants longer to fill out depending on their particular experiences with the phenomenon of partner undermining. We appreciate your thoughtful responses about how you feel your weight loss program is undermined by your romantic partner and how this affects you).

The responses to this survey are anonymous and cannot be traced back to participants. Any question may be left unanswered. Participation is voluntary and may be withdrawn at any time. If eligible to take this survey, you will be provided with an email address to enter a lottery for $100.

This study is being conducted by Amanda G. Harp, M.A., who is a graduate student in the Psychology Department at Clark University under the supervision of James V. Cordova, Ph.D. If you have any questions about this study, please contact Amanda Harp (aharp@clarku.edu) or Dr. James Cordova (jcordova@clarku.edu)

Confession Time...

2011-11-16T03:00:00.011-08:00

Is it the Maltodextrin?

Perhaps it's the sugar?

Or maybe it's the cocoa powder?

Yep, it MUST be the cocoa powder. As you know, chocolate makes everything better.

Who knew that all of these things are in Taco Bell Meat Filling. Yum.

Here's the ingredient label as proof:

So, ummmmm....about that confession...

Are you ready for it? Can you handle it?

Here goes:

I eat a Nachos Bell Grande from Taco Bell about two to three times a week. Seriously. I eat the whole thing each and every time.

Sshhhh...it's our little secret.

I know that the nachos are about 800 calories (depending if Paco working behind the counter gets too eager with the heaping servings sour cream and fake fluorescent orange cheese sauce).

Good thing I workout like crazy to cancel out all those extra calories.

Shut Your Mouth Already

2011-11-15T08:54:00.000-08:00

Oh Em Gee.

Did you read this article: "Want to lose weight? Shut your mouth"?

The woman in the article, Anita, lost 242 lbs. Pretty amazing, right? Congrats Anita! That's a lot of hard work.

Here's how Anita did it:
1. Eat 8 ounces of food every 3 hours
2. No sugary drinks
3. Do not skip meals
4. Do not tell anyone what you're doing

What? Huh? Seriously? This sounds like "secret dieting" to me.

For me, secret dieting always led to thoughts and behaviors like:

"No one knows that I'm dieting, therefore I can eat this donut. Who will care? No one will ever know."
"No one knows that I'm trying to lose weight, therefore I don't have to exercise. No biggie. My own little secret if I don't go to the gym today."

Ultimately, secret dieting for me means that there is NO ACCOUNTABILITY.

Yes, I lost 115+ lbs for me. I did it to improve my health. I did not lose the weight for anyone else. However, I do get a lot of accountability and support from others.

Anita must have some fabulous internal accountability. I wish that I some of that internal accountability, but I don't.

I've read many posts from weight loss bloggers (banded or not) that they notice that their weight loss stalls or they're seeing gains on the scale when they stop blogging. Blogging is support for a lot of us.

I can remember when I used to be a Weight Watcher. If I just weighed-in and didn't stay for the meeting, I was usually not as successful with my weight loss that following week. Why? For me, the support that I would get and give during the meeting was crucial for me.

I'm going to my surgeon's support group tonight because I will never shut my mouth about my weight loss journey (even though some people in my every day life probably wish that I would).

What do you think about secret dieting? Were/are you successful with this method of weight loss?

If You Don't Want a Sarcastic Answer, Don't Ask a Rhetorical Question...

2011-11-14T03:00:00.001-08:00

Two separate women (who don't know each other) both asked me the same question this past week.

Are you ready for the question?

Here goes:

"Do you find it easy to maintain your weight loss?"

Seriously?

Really?

I tried not to laugh at these ladies when they asked this question.

I tried to keep a straight face. I tried really, really, hard. But I couldn't. I cracked a smile both times.

I'm sure that you can guess what my response to this question was...

No.

It's not easy.

Actually, it's a lot of work. But of course, I follow it up with a "it's worth it." 'Cuz it is.

How would you respond to that lovely question?

Weigh-in Day...and the Results Are...

2011-11-11T07:10:00.000-08:00

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's Weight: 139.6 lbs (EXACTLY the same as last week's weigh-in).

I've just stopped in at Starbucks for my usual skinny caramel latte. Of course they had those tempting little free samples of coffee cake. Yeah, I just had to have one. Seriously, they are barely a bite-sized taste. Tiny.

And guess what?

Yep, it got stuck.

Then I started sliming...

Good times.

Luckily, after some walking around and sipping my hot coffee a little it finally went down. Whew!

I guess I have taken my band restriction to a new level which I have officially entitled:

"No more bread/cake type foods first thing in the morning" or more commonly known as: "Stop eating cake for breakfast you big Fatty."

I Have Arrived...At the Sweet Spot

2011-11-10T09:08:00.002-08:00

I'm kinda scared about putting this in writing because as you know, our bands can hear us and they can READ. Yeah, just ask Island Bandit. Her band is especially smart and clever it seems.

So here goes...

I puffy sparkly heart this latest fill.

My restriction is at it's bestest level EVER.

I am officially in the sweet spot.

I took my big scary Omega 3 vitamin last night with no PB or stuck problems.

But shhhh...it's our little secret, mmmkkkkaayyy?

And for no specific or rational reason, here's your Oompa Loompa song for the day:

Oompa loompa doopadee doo

I've got a perfect puzzle for you.
Oompa loompa doopadee dee

If you are wise you'll listen to me

What do you get when you guzzle down sweets?

Eating as much as an elephant eats?

What are you at getting terribly fat?

What do you think will come of that?

I don't like the look of it.

Oompa loompa doopadee dah.

If you're not greedy, you will go far.

You will live in happiness too.

Like the Oompa Loompa doopadee doo.

Doopadee doo!

Step Into the Museum My Friends...

2011-11-09T08:19:00.000-08:00

Two posts in one day...a miracle indeed.

This is not band related at all.

Ronnie over at Ronnie's Bandumentary has announced that the writing prompt for the day is: "When was the first time that you realized that your home was not like other people's homes?"

I think that I realized that my childhood home was not like my classmates and friends when I was about six years old.

Let me tell you why.

It's the decor. It's been decorated pretty much the same way now for over 35 years.

What makes the decor so different?

Well, let's start with the zebra and springbok skins on the walls and hanging over chairs.

...and there's those African baskets.

....and the African wood drums.

...the giraffe tail hanging on the wall.

Oh and don't forget the carved wooden masks...

Here are examples of what I am talking about that I found on the interwebs:

With half of my immediate family coming from and still living in South Africa, I guess it's to be expected?

Yeah, it kinda looks like a museum. If you've ever visited the now closed Adventurer's Club at Pleasure Island at Walt Disney World, it kinda looks like that. But unfortunately, we don't have any of those crazy costumed characters running around shouting "Conga Loosh!" (that would be fun though)

All this stuff is older than me. Oh, and older than my older sister. I've become very used to it. I don't even notice it anymore.

I can remember coming home from playing at a friends house one Saturday afternoon when I was probably eight years old and asking my Mom: why can't we have a normal house like everyone else? I don't think I ever really got a good answer to that question.

So, as you can guess, my choice of decor in my own home has always been pretty traditional or as like to call it: "normal".

OK, your turn. When was the first time that you realized that your home was not like other people's homes?

Reminders....10 Tips For Unlocking the Keys To Band Success

2011-11-09T03:00:00.001-08:00

As I promised yesterday, here are some great reminders/tips from my surgeon's office:

The band is not primarily about restriction
The band is first about reduced appetite (hunger) and eating less.
Always stop eating when you no longer feel physically hungry. This may be long before you actually feel full.
Measure foods, eat only the amount you measure, and then walk away.
Do not rely on your stomach "feeling full" as your signal to stop eating. This can easily lead to chronic overeating because the stomach "tells" the brain it's full about 20 minutes after it actually is.
Never eat until you are "stuffed."
Never eat more simply because you can.
The key to successful weight loss is not how much you can eat, but how little you can eat to suppress appetite.
Pay close attention to your bodies signals that you are done eating. For some people this can be hiccups, a runny nose, watery eyes, a sigh, or a slight pain in the left shoulder. What does you body tell you?
The band is a tool, you are the user, the controller, of the tool. Like any tool, it is only as effective as the person using it. You can use is effectively (like hitting the hammer on the head of the nail) or ineffectively (hit the hammer all around the nail). You control the tool, not the other way around By being careful and attentive you too will become a Band master.

Source: Southern Oregon Bariatric Center

Does a Lap Band Adjustment Hurt?

2011-11-08T03:00:00.021-08:00

This shout-out post is for the newbies. I get emails from you guys all the time asking about whether a band adjustment (A.K.A "a fill") hurts. Well, since I had a fill yesterday, I thought that I'd tell you all about it.

Here's how a fill usually goes down:

I lay on the table and lift up my shirt to just below my bra line. I fold my pants waistband down. I put my hands/arms above my head.
My belly area is cleansed with Betodine.
The medical professional feels for the port (I am very lucky that my port is pretty easy to find). It helps to push your tummy out a bit, like you're doing a sit-up.
The area is numbed with Lidocane (this hurts more than the actual fill, in my opinion)
The port is accessed with a special needle as shown below. Fluid is added or removed and then the needle is taken out. Here's a photo of the needle inside my port yesterday:

6. They clean up my belly to remove the Betodine and then put a band-aid on.

My nurse practitioner ended up putting in 0.3 ccs which takes it to a grand total of 7.6 ccs in my 10 cc Lap Band.

Here's what it looks like when the needle is removed:

Overall: it hurts less than a flu shot or a vaccine in your arm.

By the way, the sensation of when they remove fluid is really an odd feeling. I cannot explain it very well. You have to experience it to know it. I feel like I can't quite catch my breath. It's super weird. But it tells me that yes, indeed, there's a band in there.

Tomorrow's post: 10 Tips For Unlocking the Keys To Success With the Lap Band. (Ummm...yeah, I ~~stole~~ borrowed some informational sheets from the surgeon's office yesterday and I will be sharing them with you.)

The Long Lost Chicago Shopping Story

2011-11-07T03:00:00.008-08:00

"I like my money right where I can see it: hanging in my closet." ~Carrie Bradshaw; Sex and the City.

Let's talk about the shopping that occurred at BOOBs in Chicago.

Took me long enough to get around to this post, right? Grab that cup of coffee a settle in. This is going to be a long post.

Since I live in middle-of-nowhere podunk Oregon, I've become quite skilled at online shopping.

But let me tell ya, a girl really can't get the full-on shopping retail therapy experience unless she tries the clothes on and then prances around and poses in the dressing room.

The prancing is important. That's how I can tell if a cute top or a sexy dress speaks to me.

Wait, your clothes don't speak to you? Ummm, yeah, me either.

By the way, you know those magical mirrors in the dressing rooms that seem to make one look ten pounds lighter? I want one of those mirrors in my house. I'm taking donations towards the cause....just sayin'.

Anyways, onwards to the fun and amazing shopping adventure that I had on that fateful breezy Monday morning in Chicago. It seems like it was just yesterday...

I first stopped in at Forever 21 which was just around the corner from the hotel.

Yes, I do realize that their clothes are pretty much made out of paper and after a few washings they will disintegrate. But they have cute stuff hangin' up in that store I wanted to check it out.

Unfortunately, there's nothing like trying on junior size clothes to make a gal feel like a fat cow. I am a size X-LARGE at Forever 21. Seriously. Sigh. But I never forget to remind myself that I couldn't have ever shopped in junior sizes when I was a fatty. I ended up buying a boring navy blue button-down sweater cardigan. Yep. A work outfit staple. Way to step out of my comfort zone, right? NOT.

I then headed north on Michigan Ave. My destination was the Water Tower Place Mall.

Eight levels of shopping extravaganza and enlightenment. Supposedly, Oprah has an apartment in the building. I should have texted her so we could grab a coffee and catch up. But I forgot and honestly, I had exactly two hours to get all my shopping done before I had to meet my roomie, Stephanie, for our official last supper in Chicago (deep dish pizza of course).

I arrived at the mall right when it opened at 10am. Where was everyone? It seemed like a ghost town. I walked into White House - Black Market.

The overly eager sales ladies greeted me immediately and asked what they could help me find. I said I was just looking around. Then the especially commission-focused sales lady who I nick-named in my head as "scary eyebrows" asked if I wanted to see their fall collection.

Ummm...sure?

In five minutes flat, Scary Eyebrows had me trapped in a dressing room trying on all kinds cute skirts and tops. In the end, I bought...betcha can't guess....yep, a white sweater cardigan. Uh oh, I just may be a one trick pony after all.

I then ventured into Victoria Secret. Pretty much no man's land for me when I was a fatty. I never ever was able to fit into ANYTHING in Vicky's when I was a fatty.

I always feel that when I now walk into a Vicky's that the sales ladies will give me one look and laugh because I must be in the wrong place. But there were no laughs to be heard.

Here is your OFFICIAL WARNING: Never walk into a Vicky's on a Monday morning at 10am.

They are eager.

The sales ladies will pretty much start measuring you and force you things to try on.

After trying on what seemed like every version of bra ever invented, the middle-aged sales lady somehow convinced me to try on this bra/thong combo:

Wow. Me likey. At that exact moment when I looked at my reflection in the magical dressing room mirror, I knew it.

I knew that ALL of that hard work of counting calories/protein and exercising was abso-freaking-lutely worth it.

Of course the sales lady asked to see how it looked. I slowly opened the curtain and stood there embarrassed.

She nodded approvingly with a smile on her face. Then as if modesty wasn't a concern, she calls over TWO MORE of her sales lady cronies for them to get a look too. Or as she said it, for "training purposes." WTF.

I ended up buying way too much at Vicky's that day. Damn those overly eager sales ladies.

But honestly, it was fun experience and validated all that hard work that I've done to get my body to look like it does. It made me realize that, yes, IT'S WORTH IT.

Weigh-in Day...

2011-11-04T07:13:00.002-07:00

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's Weight: 139.6 lbs

Happy Friday!

Does Anybody Have an iBand?

2011-11-03T03:00:00.005-07:00

No. It's not another brand of gastric band or an iPhone app.

It's a new surgical procedure that's being done when a new Lap Band is placed around the stomach. It's called iBand. Or more officially it's called "Imbricated Lap Band Procedure."

This procedure takes the Lap Band to the next level.

The surgeon not only places the Lap Band at the top of the stomach, but also makes the stomach below the band smaller by folding the stomach inwards and suturing the stomach walls together. Almost like a gastric sleeve without the cutting of the stomach.

If you want to see a cute cartoon on what the procedure looks like, click HERE.

If you want to see a surgeon, Dr. Adam Smith (who is banded himself), talk about the iBand procedure, click HERE. The best thing about the entire interview is the comment that Dr. Smith makes about accountability. Me likey.

Here's Dr. Smith showing off his weight loss. Another successful bandster!

Do you have an iBand? I want to know

Can I Ask You a Really Random Question?

2011-11-02T03:30:00.002-07:00

I can't believe that I've never asked any of my fellow bandsters about this...

Ever since I've been banded I've been much more prone to motion sickness.

Before banding, I had no problem with it. Planes, trains, cars, boats, etc...no problem at all. Very rarely would I have an issue, unless I was on a cruise ship in really choppy/rough seas would I consider taking a Dramamine or Bonine.

Now? Sigh... It seems to happen more often now that I'm banded. Heaven forbid I look down at my phone while I'm a passenger in a car or read a map. I'll get so queasy. I have to look out the window. So now, I always keep Bonine and/or Zofran in my purse just in case. And sometimes that doesn't even help.

It can be a quick 10 minute car ride in town or a plane ride across the country, I can sometimes get queasy.

I wonder if this increase in motion sickness has to do with my stomach is often empty? But wait, isn't motion sickness an inner-ear thing? Who knows?

Have you had this problem? Any advice?

Versatile Blogger Award!

2011-11-01T03:00:00.001-07:00

Lucy over at "Lucky Lucy's Lap Band" awarded me with the Versatile Blogger Award. Thank you Lucy!

Versatile: ver-sa-tile [vur-suh-tl] or, especially British, [vur-suh-tahyl]: capable of, or adapted for, turning easily from one to another various tasks, fields of endeavor, etc.: a versatile writer.

Award Rules:
1. You thank the person who presented you with the award.
2. You tell 7 things about yourself.
3. You award 15 other newly discovered bloggers.

OK, onwards to seven things about me...hmmm....Is there anything that you don't already know about me yet? Here goes:

I finally started my Christmas shopping/gift list last night. Finally. I am usually done with most of my shopping by Halloween. Where has the time/year gone? I can't believe that Christmas will be here in eight weeks. By the way, is anyone else participating in the secret santa that is being organized by the beautiful Shannon? I am!
I plan on wearing leg warmers and a sweat band to Jazzercise one of these days. It would look super hot, right?
I have been meaning to tell you about my "undo" days. It's where I eat super healthy and low calorie/high protein (approximately 1000 calories a day) to "undo" a previous day's poor food choices. Anybody else have "undo" days?
I went HERE last night. So spooky! I'm such a scaredy cat.
My guilty pleasure TV show this season is Tough Love Miami. Who else watches that hot mess?
If I adopted another cat, I would name him "Mr. Darcy." But I don't think Pemberley would like another kitty in the house. She likes to be the princess and only kitty around here.
I have a fill scheduled one week from today! yay!

I would like to pass along this award to one special new blogger out there, not 15 bloggers as the rules state. (If you haven't noticed already, I'm not exactly a rule follower. I'm more of a rule bender).

Anyways, I award Big Jim over at "A Quest to Become Medium Sized". He's a new blogger. There are so few men who are banded out here in the blogosphere. Please stop by and say "Hi" to Jim.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T07:48:00.000-07:00

How was your Halloween weekend?

Mine was great!

I went to potluck Halloween costume party on Saturday night. I made a delicious ~~low calorie~~ pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting and caramel drizzle...from scratch. No cake mix involved. Totally ~~low fat~~ rich and decadent...Yum!

Did you see the sneak peek of my Halloween costume on the Facebook page that I posted on Saturday night? Well, in case you missed it, I was a ~~skanky~~ pirate.

Wearing this costume was a HUGE non-scale victory for me!

Hope you have a safe and fun Halloween!

Back To Basics - Do You Love Flan?

2011-10-29T03:00:00.002-07:00

I do.

Actually, I don't think that I've ever met a dessert that I didn't like. I guess that explains why I once weighed 256 lbs.

I've been thinking a lot lately about getting back to basics with my food choices.

I used to be such a good little bandster. Now? Not so much.

Therefore, here's one of my very favorite band-friendly recipes...ever.

Vanilla Egg Custard.

It's cinnamon-ny. It's nutmegy. It's sweet. It's deeeee-lish.

It's the skinny cousin of high calorie/fat flan. High protein, low calorie.

I posted the recipe two years ago when I was 5 days post-op. Check it out HERE.

I made the recipe again this week. It was just as yummy as I remember it....

PS: This recipe qualifies as a "full liquid" according to my surgeon.

Weigh-in Day...and a Fun With Fat Photo

2011-10-28T07:18:00.000-07:00

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's Weight: 139.0 lbs

Are you ready for Halloween?

I'll be sure to post a photo of me in my costume....hint: I'll be wearing fishnets...

Anyways, here's the promised fun with fat photo (Halloween 2002):

What are you going to be for Halloween this year?

A Reminder For Me...

2011-10-26T03:30:00.003-07:00

I am putting this video up as a reminder to myself that patient compliance is SO important with a gastric band.

The next time I want to stuff myself silly with cookies, cake, or whatever food is available at the moment, I need to think of this video. (warning: it's kind of graphic)

PS: This is a REALIZE band, not a Lap Band shown in this video.

Uh Oh...

2011-10-25T03:30:00.002-07:00

With some hopeful travel plans in my future, I took a look at my passport to see when it expires.

The good news? It doesn't expire until December 2018.

The bad news? I think I may need to renew it because the photo doesn't really look like me anymore.

What do you think?

Is a new passport needed?

Two Lessons Learned From This Weekend...

2011-10-24T03:00:00.006-07:00

#1 It is possible to do "Jazz Hands" while wearing a pink fanny pack:

#2 That I can out run a small yippy dog in the vineyards:

Whew! 5.5 mile walk/hike....done!

Don't Look Down. It's a Long, Long Way to Fall

2011-10-23T10:01:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I feel like I am teetering on a tightrope with this weight loss that I've achieved.

Like if I lose my focus for just one teeny tiny moment, that I will free fall down, down, down...actually now that I think about, the correct word would be FAIL (not fall).

Like I'll immediately gain back the 115+ lbs...instantly.

I know, totally unrealistic and insane, right? But that's me. I welcome you to Crazytown, population: 1.

There are so few of us that blog or talk about what being in maintenance is like after losing a significant amount of weight. Yep, that view from my tightrope isn't always clear. Sure, there are tons of TV shows, websites, and blogs out there that tell us how to lose weight. But what about those of us trying to maintain our weight loss?

Therefore, I usually have to guess what's out there waiting for me a few steps ahead on my tightrope.

Will strong winds start up and make that rope wibble-wobble back and forth a little?

What if that rope starts to fray a little?

I guess that's why I try to never ever work without a safety net.

We each have a safety net. Each of our nets are different, but I think that it's also important to specify the type of net.

My main safety net is the scale that I step on each and every morning. My body is very quick to tell me how fabulous (or not so fabulous) my food choices the day before were and whether I exercised. Like it or not, it shows up on that scale. If I see my weight start to creep up, I know that it's time to refocus on good food choices and making exercise a priority.

I do have another safety net, but I don't depend on it as much as the scale. I need to focus more on how my clothes fit. I've noticed that my jeans lately have been getting a little bit big and roomy on me, yet the scale has remained about the same.

So I want to know, what are your safety nets?

Weigh-in Day & a Fancy Graph

2011-10-21T07:07:00.001-07:00

Goal Weight: 145 lbs

Today's Weight: 139.8 lbs

Here is my ~~sad~~ attempt to make maintenance interesting.

This graph shows every Friday weigh-in since I hit my goal weight on 12/17/10 through 10/14/11:

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Banded For Two Years - My Letter To the Fatty That I Used To Be

2011-10-20T04:00:00.106-07:00

Exactly two years ago today on October 20, 2009, I had Lap Band surgery.

************************

Dear Fatty,

You don't know it yet, but in the next few months you are going to finally make the decision to take control of your health.

You will no longer be okay with increasing number of pills and drugs the doctors keep prescribing for the side effects of your morbid obesity.

You will refuse to be out of breath all of the time.

You'll eventually get sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Get ready to embark on the most amazing ride of self-discovery that you've ever experienced. You will learn so many new things by getting your body healthy. It'll happen. I promise.

You'll find out that the surgery itself will be the most painful thing you've experienced so far in your 30 years of life. Here's what you'll look like when you emerge from operating room. A hot mess...right? But, guess what? I can promise you that the pain and recovery time after surgery is TOTALLY worth it.

After you recover from surgery, you'll start to realize that it's not the end of the world and that it's okay to sweat, have muscles, and exercise. I know that you only get sweaty and out of breath now when it gets above 65 F or when you climb up a few stairs. But that will change.

You will one day look forward to exercise. You will crave it. You'll hike up mountains. You will become outdoorsy. Really. The chub rub will go away. You'll see, it'll happen. I promise. Here's what you'll look like when you exercise. See that smile on your face?

You'll also learn a whole new way of eating. Right now, you are already thinking of what you'll have for lunch and dinner while you're still eating breakfast.

I know that you're fantasizing about what "fun" food you'll go eat that night or that weekend.

Currently, food is an event to celebrate for you. But eventually, you'll look forward to the company of the people you eat with, not the food that you eat. The food will become an afterthought. Food will also no longer be the focus of every minute of every day. You'll occasionally forget to eat. Seriously. Would you even guess that your meals will one day look like this? Tiny, right? You'll see...I promise.

Oh, and by the way...even though you think that you already know this, you really have NO IDEA. As you get healthier, your appearance will change....A LOT. You'll have to reintroduce yourself to friends that you haven't seen in awhile. They won't recognize you. It'll be awkward.

People will treat you very differently when your appearance changes. Family, friends, loved ones, coworkers...EVERYONE. You are invisible as a fatty. People don't see YOU, they look past you. They only see the fat. Gradually, people will become nicer to you as you lose the weight. At first, you will be very uncomfortable with this. But you'll soon learn that you enjoy the extra attention. It'll happen. I can promise you that.

Lastly, I would like to ask you for a promise, Fatty.

It's a very important promise to your future skinny girl self:

Please always remember how you are feeling right now.

I know that you're tired all...the..damn...time. You're sleeping your life away.

Then there's that back pain when you wake up in the morning.

Oh, and those painful and swollen ankles at the end of the day and the headaches from the high blood pressure. Never forget how that pain feels.

Can you make me that promise to never forget how it feels to be fat? Pretty please with Splenda on top?

Thanks.

I'm counting on it.

Can You Handle the Truth?

2011-10-19T04:00:00.003-07:00

Do you know Brenda over at Bandster Momma?

She's been banded for about 6+ months and she's lost 110 lbs. WOW.

Her post yesterday had me jumping up and down and shouting "AMEN SISTA!" in front of my laptop.

Brenda understands that to be successful with this band, you have to do a lot of work. I love her no-nonsense approach and she calls it like it is.

Go read her recent post about how the truth stinks. Now. Not later. Now. Seriously. Go.

Break Room Update

2011-10-18T04:00:00.015-07:00

Here's a quick photo in follow up to my previous post entitled "Does Your Job Make You Fat?"

Here are the current offerings in the break room:

Chocolate covered graham crackers
Chocolate truffles (various flavors)
Gingerbread cookies
Lemon shortbread cookies
Chocolate covered Oreos

Sigh...

Do You Feel Like You Are Missing Out?

2011-10-17T09:23:00.000-07:00

I've just had a weekend of fun. And where there's fun, there's usually food. Why is that?

At a party this weekend, an acquaintance mentioned casually to me as we were going 'round the potluck table full of food filling our plates, "Do you sometimes feel that you are missing out?" She knows about my band and I guess that she noticed that my plate wasn't as full as all of the other party guests (or her own, to be specific).

Would someone make a similar comment to a Weight Watcher member or someone following the Atkins program or even Jenny Craig? Hmmm.

Was I missing out by only enjoying a few of the food choices? This got me thinking.

I did a quick google search and there's a lot out on the interwebs about a "Fear of Missing Out" or "FOMO."

Honestly, I very rarely feel like I am "missing out." That's the beauty of the band, I can eat everything and usually a small taste is all I need.

If I felt like I was missing out on food opportunities, it would have made losing 115+ lbs a lot harder and it would make maintenance even more difficult.

I can think of plenty of examples from this weekend where people may think that I am "missing out", here are just two:

Happy hour with my girlfriends where I had about three sips of a margarita and half a flauta. Everyone else enjoyed full plates of tacos, beans, cheese, rice, guacamole, etc.
A trip to the movies where the old me would have had a large Coke and an entire package of Red Vines licorice? Nope, water was just fine and a few bites of popcorn.

But seriously, what am I really missing out on?

An opportunity to fit back into my size 24W jeans? No way.
Going back to having borlderline high cholesterol? Nope.
Barely being able to fit into an airplane seat? No thanks.

So my question for you: do you feel like you are missing out, now that you are living a healthier lifestyle with good food choices?

Have You Had Complications With Your Lap Band?

2011-10-15T07:25:00.001-07:00

It's one of my biggest fears: losing my Lap Band.

I received an email the other day from Nicole who has lost 86 lbs and is about 10 months post-op.

In her email, she told me about how her band has eroded and she will soon have surgery to get it removed.

Here's part of that email (she said I could repost it here):

"...I’ve had my lapband since December and like you am in love with it. It was the best decision I have ever made. I’ve lost 86 lbs since December.

Today I found out that I have to have my band completely removed. The complication of erosion which happens in less than 2% of people is happening to me. I am devastated and scared to death to gain the weight back.

Have you had any such complication or know of anyone who has?

Thanks so much!"

Nicole is asking for advice from anyone who has had this complication or can provide any feedback.

Please stop by her blog and read the last two posts. She could really use some BOOBs love and support.

Thanks!