MargieK

Congratulations! It feels good to feel good, doesn't it? I'm so happy for you. Margie

My third week of my 7 week fitness challenge had some ups, and some downs. I am doing great on my fitness routine. I went to the gym twice, and have an appointment with a trainer on Thursday.The little muscles on my arms are starting to pop out (love the rowing machine) and I have achieved some of my goal levels already. I made an appointment with a trainer at my gym for a fitness test. I know that I need actual numbers to help motivate me, so this is just one more gimmick to help me stay on track. I was looking at my spreadsheet where I keep track of all my hours and everything. I had started out setting goals of about 5 hours a week so I wouldn't overwhelm myself starting out. But now I really need to do about 8 hours a week to make sure I complete my goal on time. I think I can do that, this past week I did almost 8 hours. I didn't make it to the ski park yesterday, but I'm going to try again this week. Or else do a really long hike - or two fitness classes at the gym. What really helps is for me to have a plan B and a plan C, and keep track during the week so I know if I need to adjust. So my goals for this coming week include 8 hours of exercise, and getting back on track with my eating habits. I think my hormones may be a little out of control, and I'm hoping the scale is just showing extra water retention. I am happy that I am doing well on the fitness, and I know once I get back into feeling more fit then I usually start eating better too. Once I hit 25 hours I will be half-way there. It should happen in the middle of this week, but it might be closer to the end. It feels good to be almost half-way there, but it is also a little scary because I realize I'm running out of time until my trip. But whatever it is, it is.When I count my blessings I realize I have a lot to be thankful for. And I am going to celebrate when I reach my goal, no matter how long it takes to get there.

I just got my 18 month survey from the OCC last week. I am very happy with my band and the OCC overall. The band is just a tool, I still have to work hard on my emotional eating habits, especially when I'm under stress. I have been a yo-yo dieter all my life, and got lucky getting my band before my weight got way up there yet again. I am absolutely sure I would weigh at least 70 lbs more than I do right now if I had not gotten the band. I think the band has helped me in three major ways: made me more mindful when I am eating, it helped curb my binges (and I can't eat 2 huge plates of food for dinner anymore), and it gave me hope when I was feeling pretty bad about myself for failing at weight loss one more time. It did not automatically stop my food addictions or help with the emotional eating. I have other help for that and am still working on it. I will probably be working on that the rest of my life. I would like to be wearing a size 8 in pants, but my size 10s are comfortable now and I could be happy staying here - I am really happy with where I am honestly. My band is not super tight, but I definitely know it is there. I spend a lot on vitamins, but our grocery bill has also gone down quite a bit. My husband used my surgery to change his eating habits and of course he lost all his weight in the first few months. He was the one who encouraged the surgery, and I'm glad he did. Honestly I think it added about 20 years to my life because I don't think I would have had the emotional strength to try to lose a lot of weight one more time. One thing I have learned from my counselors and coaches is to be realistic in my expectations. The band won't make major food issues go away, but it can be a tool to give you hope and help control some of the bad habits. We have to be willing to change, and that might be the hardest part. I highly recommend the book Four-Day Win by Martha Beck. You can get it for next to nothing on Amazon, and she has all these great ideas for dealing with change and all the crazy things that come with food issues. I reread it every 6 months or so because I keep getting through deeper layers of my stuff with food. This may have been way more than you were looking for, but I am really happy with my decision - and would highly recommend the OCC to anyone. They know what they are doing, and I think everyone there really cares about us patients.

I would highly recommend Dr. Fitzpatrick in Portland/Eugene Oregon. I haven't seen her in over a year, but she is the one I would see if I need another fill or unfill. Her website is: http://gastricbands.com I went to the OCC for my first fill under flouro, because I was over-anxious about the whole thing. Now that I know fills are an art more than a science I would only get flouro if I think something is wrong. Not that I wouldn't go back to the OCC, it just takes a lot of travel time for me to fly down there. You are really smart to think about this beforehand. I budgeted $1000 for fills in the first year and I think I came pretty close to that with all the travel included. I probably would have been at my sweet spot with my first time at Dr. F's, but I wanted her to be very conservative. She knows what she is doing even without the flouro - you just have to be completely honest with her. Good luck with your surgery. I highly recommend the OCC. They took very good care of me - and I had several health issues to deal with - plus my anxiety over any type of surgery was huge. They were prepared for me and took extra precautions to help me feel better. I think you will be in good hands with them.

The second week is done and I'm slightly ahead of my goal. I only made it to the gym once but I am already feeling stronger and fitter. We had some crazy weather so I'm glad I did get all my cardio in for the week. My eating was better this past week as well, I am hoping to continue that this coming week. Usually the first couple weeks of a goal are easy, you have the motivation from a new beginning. But the following through part can be tough. I am hoping to get a day of cross county skiing in next week. I haven't been skiing all winter and I just found out the park is closing on April 10. It is a great way to get in cardio for me, it's just a hassle because I have to drive about an hour and a half to get there. I"m hoping I can meet up with a friend, but it's hard to plan because the weather can be crazy this time of year. Geez, it feels like I have nothing but excuses. OK, so that's what having a plan B and even a plan C is all about. So my goal this week is to stay on track and do at least two days of weight workouts. I also want to do a little better on eating this week than I did last week. I also need to find my list of non-food rewards. It's crazy that I have to write a list - food unfortunately is my first choice. But I have to keep remembering my ultimate goal - I want to look great in the pictures that will be taken on my trips in May. I am feeling good, and I want to feel even better. I've got a little over 5 weeks left - I can do this!

I made my fitness goal for the week - did better than goal actually. And I made it to the gym twice. So far so good. I have been keeping track of my fitness hours in a Google spreadsheet, and I just finished planning out the coming week. It really helps to plan out every day, and have backup plans if something doesn't work out. My goals for week 2 include doing a little more than I did last week, and also cutting back on the sweets a little more. I need to remember my goal when I find myself at the grocery store with all the Easter candy displays. It's crazy how the holidays end up being all about treats and food. But it's all up to me, and I can choose differently. One week at a time, that's all it takes. One day... and one meal at a time too.

Today starts my new challenge. I was so successful the last time I did this blog last summer. Even though I don't know if anyone will read this, I was surprised how motivating it was to check in every week and report on making my goals. My target date for this new challenge is the first weekend of May. I will be seeing some family then, and I want to be healthy and fit and look great. That gives me 7 weeks, and instead of trying to do 10 hours a week of exercise, I'm going to shoot for 7 and make 50 hours my goal. I would also like to be wearing a size 8, but that is not as important as getting back on track with my fitness goals. I haven't posted anything since last July, but my band has been working pretty good for me. For those of you who are wondering, I have been at a plateau around 158 lbs. I am wearing a size 10, and most times my pants are loose. I feel great and I think this is pretty good for going through the hormonal changes. After going crazy on sweets over the holidays I finally found the right eating plan that works for me. It is mostly veggies and healthy fats, with some very dark chocolate every day. I don't really like dark chocolate, so I won't binge on it. Since last fall the only exercise I have been doing is walking our dogs every day. I actually made it to the gym today and I am so proud of myself. My goals for this week are to make it to the gym one more time this week, and get about 4 hours of cardio in this week. I am going to work into to my weekly goals slowly, I have learned that making realistic goals each week is what will be successful in the long run. Now I just have to remember how to change the little gadget thing on my blog

So happy you are doing well - on so many levels. Way to go! Margie

Wow, I can't believe I'm starting my final week and I have less than 10 hours of exercise to hit my goal. I even got to 153.8 on the scale yesterday morning so I'm going to count that as 4 pounds lost in 7 weeks. I'm hoping to maintain that in the next week, which is a good goal for pms week. I am feeling great - had a hard time getting to my exercise goal this past week because of a big work project, but that was done Wed. morning and I am now back to a somewhat normal pace. And I even lost weight during all that stress. I'm not sure if it's from good restriction or if all my emotional work is really paying off. Food just doesn't have as much allure as it used to when I'm feeling upset or stressed out. Now I am turning to exercise and yoga stretches. It's so nice to be in this place. I am so excited about my trip next week. I want to decide on my next big goal before this one ends. This daily tracking of exercise and eating habits has really worked for me. I still can't believe it's been almost two months since I've been doing this. Slow and steady always works for me in the long run. I'm not a very patient person, so I have to keep reminding myself that I will get there eventually. And this time I'll be able to stay there. That is the best part. Goals for final week - focus on veggies for snacking, continue with protein beg. of every meal, increase exercise intensity, strength training Mon- Exercise: 1 hr 15 + 20 + = 1 hr 35 (ent 1.5) 5 min over Eating goals: good snacks: great Tues- Exercise: 20 +10 + 15 = 45 (ent .75) still 5 over Eating goals: good - not very hungry snacks: very good Wed- Exercise: 30 +50 +20 = 1 hr 40 (ent 1.75) Eating goals: missed lunch snacks: not good -craving salt & carbs (pms)

That's the same amount I got for my first fill at the OCC. I know it's hard to be patient at this point, but it will pay off in the long run if you take it slow and really pay attention to your body. Everyone is different and being too tight is much worse than being loose. Margie

Prayers and Reiki energy coming from my way. I'm sure your mom will be watching over you now. Margie

Gwen, That is so wonderful that you lost all that weight. Congratulations on sticking with it since 2004. You should post your message to the main forum, you will get a lot more responses there I'm sure. There are a lot of helpful, loving people on the forum who will be happy to give you lots of encouragement. I'd recommend keeping track of your meals and posting them daily like several others are doing. Being mindful of what I'm eating during the whole day is really helpful for me. As for ab excercises, google Pilates mat exercises. I'm sure you could find a bunch of videos on utube as well. It's great for working all your ab muscles and you don't need anything to do most of the exercises. And keep up the treadmill work, exercise helps us on many levels, including feeling happier. Margie

I've had good restriction for over 6 months now, and it still surprises me how much it can change from week to week. And what's funny is that I seem to forget this every month. Two weeks ago I was wondering if I should get a very small fill just to help me with these last 10 pounds. Then this past week I am so tight I have to watch how fast I drink my water and I'm down 2 pounds in one week (154.4 today – yay!). It seems to happen every month, about a week before and a week after my period I have only minimal restriction. And then right in the middle of my cycle I am really tight. I'm going through such wild hormonal changes I figured it would be best to get my fills in mid-cycle because I thought I'd be tighter when I got bloated right before my period. But it seems to have the opposite effect. Go figure. But after this past week I really don't want to be any tighter. I wish we could have the option to do our own fills. I love my fill doctor, but I really don't want to pay to see her every 2 weeks. So I'm writing this post so I can look at it in 2 weeks and remind myself that I do NOT want more restriction. This is good right here. It hurts to drink big gulps of water and I'm still full hours after I eat. I just drank some water now after our walk and I think dinner is still there 1 1/2 hours later. So here I am, PMS week is next week and I am feeling extra motivated because I broke through my plateau. Plus I am coming up on the last week of my 8 week challenge and I'm so proud of myself for making it this far. I have been thinking about the next big goal and I think I'm going to do the 18 week challenge from Bill Phillips – see www. transformation.com I think I might do 2 steps per week and see if I can do it in 9 weeks. I get bored after about 6 weeks, and I think I've already got a lot of momentum going from the last 6 months. I don't have the book yet, but I should have it this week. My 1st year bandiversary is coming up in September and I really, really want to be at my goal weight by then. Just about 10 more pounds and I'm there. I am so happy to know that I will not put back on the weight as easily as I have done in the past. I don't think I will put it back on, but if I do at least I know I won't let it get out of hand again. I'm really celebrating freedom this 4th of July. ---------------------------------------------- Goals for week - focus on healthy snacking, continue with protein beg. of every meal, increase exercise intensity, strength training Wed- Exercise: 20 + 25 + = .75 Eating goals: good snacks: too many sweets Thurs- Exercise: 60 + 25 + 10= 1 hr 35 Eating goals: good snacks: 1 good, 1 not-so-good Fri- Exercise: 30 + 25 + 15 = 1 hr 10 min Eating goals: good snacks: lots of fruit & veggies Sat- Exercise: 90 + 25+ 20 = 2 hr 15 Eating goals: good snacks: half good Sun- Exercise: 25 +15 + 20= 1 hr Eating goals: good snacks: excellent!

Wow, how exciting. Congratulations on accomplishing such a huge goal. You have been a great role model for me, I got banded a week before you did. What an exciting summer this will be for you. Margie

I have been so busy with work the last 2 weeks I haven't had a chance to write my blog. But I have been keeping up with the exercise even though I've had to do a lot of driving to meetings and classes. I started teaching a summer class at night, which really screws up my schedule. I'm thinking this is why I have such weird night time eating habits. But… no excuses. I am so happy my band keeps me from eating huge amounts of food at night on the drive home. I will be ending my 8 week challenge exactly two weeks from today. I'm already starting to think about my next big goal. I want to change things up, I'm already feeling a little bit bored with this one. But I am still in awe that I've actually done 10 hours a week for 6 weeks. I almost didn't make it this past week. I tweaked my knee while gardening so I took it easy for a few days. I love that I bought a cheap knee brace years ago and I can just put it on to help me not twist or hyper-extend it. Oh, and I was at 155 for two days this week, but the scale crept back up today so I'll just see what happens. It's kind of funny because almost all the clothes I have are baggy on me. But I just don't want to buy anything right now. I am planning on going shopping on the way home from seeing my friends in two weeks. I figure that will help motivate me to not each too much chocolate while I'm there. I would really like to be able to wear the size medium pants I bought. I'm not quite there yet, but I know I will be wearing them sometime this summer. I've got a big deadline to meet the end of this week, but then I think things will slow down a little for me and I can start going back to the gym. So… my goal for the next 7 days is to go to the gym on Friday and do some weights at home this weekend. I also want to start my morning walks a little earlier since it's getting pretty hot during the day. For eating, I'm going to keep on watching my snacking. I also need to figure out a better eating plan for the nights I teach. Then I only have one more week after that. It's still hard to believe that I've been doing this for 6 weeks. Goals for week 5 - focus on healthy snacking, continue with protein beg. of every meal, increase exercise intensity Thurs- Exercise: 1 hr 20 min + 15 + 10 = 1.75 Eating goals: good snacks: had cookies, but no late night eating Fri- Exercise: 20 +10 + 20= 50 Eating goals:good snacks: so -so, no night eating : ) Sat- Exercise: 25 +20 + 25= 1 hr 10 min Eating goals: y snacks: not good Sun- Exercise: 20 +20 + 15 = 55 min ( Eating goals: ok snacks: too many calories Mon- Exercise: 1 hr 40 min + 35 + 40 = 2 hr 55 min Eating goals: missed dinner snacks: could have been worse Tues- Exercise: 25 + 20 + 30 (arm weights at home) = 1.25 Eating goals: good snacks: good Wed- Exercise: 25 + 30 + = 55 Eating goals: dinner on the run snacks: not good Thurs- Exercise: 65 + 15 + 15 = 1 hr 35 min Eating goals: ok snacks: ok Fri- Exercise: 20 + 20 = 40 min Eating goals: ok snacks: ok Sat- Exercise: 20 +20 +15 = 55 min Eating goals: good snacks: ok Sun- Exercise: 30 +15 = 60 min Eating goals: good snacks: good Mon- Exercise: 35 +20 + 85 = 2 hr 20 min Eating goals: good snacks: not so good (late night cookies after class) Tues- Exercise: 55 + 15 + 20 + 15 = 1 hr 45 Eating goals: good snacks: ok