Weather Forecast For Tonight: Dark.

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...

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?

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.

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?

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

That is all.

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

"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?

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!

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!

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).