MamaMichelle

Thanks everyone for the sweet comments, just a few additional responses: Thanks Dianna, right now I am doing 2-3 days a week usually an exercise tape that runs 45-min to 1hr, I need to be doing more but I'm not super motivated lately for some reason... My husband says it's because I have gotten this far with just making changes in my diet so I don't feel exercise is needed but I know the smaller I get the more exercise I will need to do... I can't believe you've been banded a month, it seems like yesterday!! I've got a wide range of sizes in my closet too it seems I have a TON of long pants in sizes 10-12 and just last night I was thinking that by the time pants weather rolls around in Las Vegas (usually around late October) none of those will fit so I'll have to have them tailored or just give them away, oh well there are worse problems to have... I totally think you need to do the same thing and buy a goal outfit and go for it, I think everyone does even if they don't post it really is the best way to stay motivated and see your results in front of your face!! DO IT NEETERS! You're doing great Misty, I think you're the closest to our 175lb goal for July 4th so I know when you set your mind to it you can do it! Can't wait to see your dress and pics!! It's funny I don't actually recall ever being a 6 but you just have to think positively and adjust your thinking, it's so funny the last few times I have gone shopping I head right to the XL racks I guess my brain hasn't caught up with my body... The shirt in my avatar is a Medium, and 3-4 months ago I couldn't ever imagine being a medium yet here I am, the band is amazing if you work it and use it like you should. I watched your videos on You Tube and I can already see a huge difference in you so keep thinking positive and you'll be a 6 before you know it!!

For me if I get stressed I feel the restriction INSTANTLY, a few days ago I was driving in my car drinking my morning protein shake and taking normal sized sips with no issues and then I got some bad/upsetting news over the phone and the next few sips of the same iced protein shake got me all choked up so I had to take some tiny sips and once things cooled down I was able to drink as I normally do, so very weird!

I had to make the pics bigger so I could see them side by side... I can totally tell a difference, you look longer and leaner and it really shows in your face, keep up the great work!

I love the Quaker Weight Control Maple and Brown sugar flavor, I have to add extra water to it so it's really runny or else it gets clogged up in the band!

Way to go Kimmie!!

SO my current "progress dress" was an inch away from fully zipping up when I tried it on May 28th, I'm so tempted to see if it fits yet but I making myself wait, lol. Anyways I knew I was going to need a new goal dress so I went out and got one I thought was cute, and get this it's a size 6!! It's got a little bit of stretch to it so I can get it over my hips and thighs but it's streetwalker tight so consider yourself warned, lol. The zipper's got a long way to go on this one!! In my last dress my goal was to get in it by my husband's birthday (July 4th) so I guess with this one I will aim for my birthday (October 17th) I am in a 12 right now so that's a pretty lofty aspiration but that's what goals are for right? Here are the pics (I just finished working out when I took these so that's why I look so icky):

I joined! Maybe having my food and exercise log out there for public view will help keep me more accountable! Here's my link: http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage.asp?id=MAMAMICHELLELV

Super Cute BeBe! I can even name the movie that song was from.... " Earth Girls are Easy" starring a very young Geena Davis, Jeff Goldblume, Jim Carrey and Damon Waynes Total Cheesy 80's flick, got to love it!

Hey Soccermom- If you have a netflix membership you can get the Carmen Electra DVD's from there, that's what I did kept them for a few weeks and then returned them... fun times!

I have heard the food network called "porn for fat people" lol I love Paula Deen and I am with Misty just a little isn't a problem, but for me I know if I cook something yummy like brownies or cookies I will want to graze on it and sadly my band doesn't restrict those things so I come to the realization that I just can't fix them. If my hubby and son want something sweet they tell me they are going to the store and really go out and get themselves ice cream cones, in the past I would be mad at them for leaving me out of a trip for food but now I understand they are doing what's best for me and not even allowing me to be tempted into going because they know I'll want ice cream too, now that's love.

Well since my love Dr. Romero is taking a break from the OCC and I don't have a lot of time to travel this month I am going to break down and go the Las Vegas branch of Fill Centers USA for my 3rd fill next week... I filled out the online form (easy) and spoke with Judy when I booked the appt. yesterday who was really helpful. I really wanted something sooner but she said Jun 21st was the earliest that they had available. I want a good fill but I am thinking I won't get too much because I guess I will have to tell the new doctor that when I had 2.3 ccs in my band I couldn't keep anything down. Of course in retrospect I think I just ate too fast on that first meal and then the swelling from 3 PB episodes meant that nothing would stay down and that scared me into thinking I was too tight so I had .3 taken out for a total of 2.0 ccs now. 3days after that fill I ate one cracker, one piece of cheese and one peice of ham from my son's lunchable and was so full I almost PB's (I guess I was still swollen from the PB episodes, but I was happy that I couldn't eat more than that, lol) fast forward 3 weeks and now I am able to eat 4-8 oz of steak and chicken without feeling very full so I am having to stop myself since the band isn't doing it for me anymore. I can even eat bread now with 2.0ccs which I couldn't do at 1.6ccs, (that makes no sense to me but whatever, lol) I am still losing but I think it's from the exercise I have been diligent about keeping up with. July 4th is only 3 weeks away so I don't think I'll make my goal of 14 more lbs but I would be happy to be at 180 by then, that's still 3 lbs a week so we shall see! This fill isn't going to be under fluro which concerns me especially since I am expecting it to be a smaller fill... but they do offer a free unfill for 72hrs after your fill so if it is too much I can get it fixed quickly! I guess they just base it off of how you feel when drinking water so we will see how that works out for me, I know many of you have had great results with fills not under fluro so I hope I will be just as lucky. I am going to turn this into a poll if you guys don't mind, what do you think I should tell the new fill doc?

I can't believe your day is finally here, I remember when I was getting banded in late Feb and you were there for support not even having your date set... Now here we are finally time for your surgery, before you know it you'll be 3 months post op, working that band and looking great!! Best of luck!!

I don't recall seeing a post about that but I know Lafoon just changed her name (I think the new one is bandedforlife) I would just go in and sign up again for a screen name using the "register" button! Make sure you let us know the new one, or at least keep the same avatar pic, you're such a cutie in that pic with your man lol.

My dearest Paula, Best of luck today sweetie, I'm sure everything will go as you hoped because you're ready to speak your mind and get the good fill you DESERVE!! Can't wait to hear how everything goes... You're the best!

Congrats sweetie I know how hard it is to go through a long plateau and then FINALLY some results, you deserve it!

You have an extra http:// in the link.. Here's the pic she ment to post: Looking great sweetie, I love being able to see the weight loss in the face it makes everyone look younger and fresher!!

WOW WOW WOW... HOTT HOTT HOTT!! Mac- You look soooooooooo great!! You know I'm always stalking you on myspace (lol) so I've seen all your newer pics and I thought they were the ones that showed your great progress but these really show how far you've come babe! Keep it up, love you!!

I believe Dr. Miranda wants us to eat 3 meals a day, not sure if that was a typo or you didn't understand her guidelines but that is what she suggests. I am with Donna aim for 1200 a day and see what happens after 2-3 weeks, if you're still stuck you can either cut back on the food intake or if you're happy eating the 1200 cals a day then add in some exercise so you can burn off some of those calories.

Weird... Here's what the picture links read like when you copy them from the properties window in myspace: http:// followed by: a141.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/2/l_ef60c666dba87a38717ff11021a1fc74.jpg when I put the My beautiful Mackenzie (she's the hottie on the right for those of you that don't know)

My first meal after the 3 weeks on liquids was a salad and I was fine! Dr. Romero told me that because salads are filled with water that if you chew them as a bandster should they decrease in size a lot so it can pass through the band easily, because of this you can actually eat a lot of salad in one sitting so go easy on the dressing... and don't assume that because you can eat a lot of salad your don't have any restriction, that's what I thought and a day or two later when I tried chicken I couldn't eat much of it at all!

Congrats on a good fill Mindy... You will be rocking a bikini on the beaches of Jamaica before you know it!!

You can use your pics from myspace, just copy the URL from the pic and post them girlfriend! There are longer directions on how to do it in the Help forum..

I was going through some old photos last night and came across these from about the same time 1 year ago: Easter 2007 Pre-K 2007 What a difference a year (and a lap band) can make

I tried to add these in my other "I'm back post" but the forum rejected them so I'll try again... Here's me at 191... ME and my son at his Kindergarden Graduation: My Son and I with his teacher: My Husband and I (not sure why he looks drunk here, lol) Me later that day after getting my hair done:

While I've never heard any restrictions about tanning beds after being banded there was a discussion about tanning and scar progress that may have you thinking twice about going soo soon. Here's something from that post: The proper way to treat scars Scarred skin needs attention and must not be neglected. It is particularly important to protect it from external irritation and drying out. Recent scars should not be exposed to extreme temperatures for around six months to a year. Exposure to intense sunlight and UV rays, sun beds, saunas and the cold can have a negative effect on scar development – especially in the case of sensitive and newly formed tissue. It can also affect tissue regeneration. Adverse changes in the color and appearance of the skin may also occur. When outdoors protect your scar by using a high-factor sunscreen product Avoid wearing tight clothes or garments which can rub over scarred skin. Scar tissue is more sensitive than healthy skin. It may react to irritation of this kind with redness and hardening. Particularly protect scars located near bones (e.g. on the elbow, shin or ankle). Be careful not to injure the scar tissue again (e.g. with hard edges on your shoes). Fresh scars can easily open when playing sports (e.g. if hit by a ball). This makes the chances of healing less favorable. Skin which is already damaged cannot regenerate as well as healthy skin. Relatively smooth scars on the face, neck or neckline area can be covered temporarily using special make-up techniques (camouflage). Ask your doctor about this. Or get professional advice from a good beauty parlor.