Wow...This Forum Format Has Changed

[robbynnoel]

(((((((((((((((((((((Hugs Everyone))))))))))))))))))))))))

The forum has changed. Wow. It's cool, but the longer I'm away the harder it is to figure out what is going on. I guess I shouldn't take so many long breaks. lol

The good news is that FINALLY I am practicing some good band habits (far far far more than I ever did before), coupled with heathier eating so I am starting to see some progress and yes, a loss. Wheeeee. And of course the loss has me wanting to follow more good band habits and continue to eat healthier so it's a win win.

Now I just need to spend enough on the website to get comfortable again.

I guess the biggest change for me is that I went back to a job I had years ago. I am so happy to be back. I'll just keep the explanation simple and say I work for Nestle. I know that sounds like the opposite of where I'd want to work, but I work for a division with a Food * Body * Mind focus so it keeps me in tow. Exactly what I needed to get my act together.

Enough of that.

I am seeing a number on my scale lower than what I was after the surgery which is really a victory for me because I've lost just a modest amount since my surgery. The reason why is because of a personal choice. I've only had two fills. Now that I'm getting my act together, (and not eating as much garbage) I can see myself getting a third fill eventually.

I've been asking myself "why" I wasn't ready when I had my surgery, and I've accepted my answer and I'm glad I had the surgery because if I hadn't OMG...me not being "ready" would have had me easily at 325 lbs...rather than simply maintaining a 25 lb post surgery loss for 9 months.

At first I wanted to kick myself in the butt for not having the motivation to do more than the 25 lb loss post surgery, but when I look back on it, with everything I went though (including a move from San Francisco to Dallas), job changes, living in a hotel for 7 months, moving into a new home, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Halloween, New Years, Football Season, Bunko, being the President of the PTA at my daughter's school, being a mom to a 19, 18 and 13 year old (I could go on and on and on...trust me)...lol. I thought, hey last year when I first thought of this, I weighed 258, and today I weigh 222. That is a victory.

Again trust me, I know unconditionally if I wouldn't have had this life changing surgery...I'd be 325 right now (my highest weight is 294). I was fast on my way back. I have not a doubt in the world.

Thank god for the band. And now that I have the nutritional support, activity support and mental (tactics) support from the OCC, this forum and my employer I know I can do this.

72 lbs down...72 lbs to go (at least) but that's a good start.

[MyNewLife]

Robbyn!

I agree you dont need to take so long of a break, we have missed our hugs!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so glad to hear that you are doing well and getting on track! It sounds like your world has slowed down a little to allow you to now focus on Miss Robbyn! You so deserve this after everthing you have faced along with getting the band. I think you have done your self a great justice in being down 25 pounds, this is not a race and you have done what you have been able to do and that is all that matters. Everyone is so different and I dont think that a person success in having this band is messured by the number on the scale. The way a person changes their self, mind and body is huge in itself as well! You stay strong and keep that WONDERFUL attitude you have always had and keep on keeping on!!!!

Your friend!

Carrie

[robbynnoel]

(((((((((((((((((((Carrie))))))))))))))))))))))) Big Hugs to You

I am so thankful for your thoughtfulness. I keep reflecting back on your "living my life post". I'm so happy I read it pre op. It's really helped me reflect on my successes since getting the band. I'm so pleased and proud to be a fellow bandito. I truly know it has kept me in check, even when mentally I felt as if I could have eaten a whole pizza. lol

I miss you! Thank you for always being kind and a cheerleader. It has really been such a help to me.

xo

Robbyn!

I agree you dont need to take so long of a break, we have missed our hugs!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so glad to hear that you are doing well and getting on track! It sounds like your world has slowed down a little to allow you to now focus on Miss Robbyn! You so deserve this after everthing you have faced along with getting the band. I think you have done your self a great justice in being down 25 pounds, this is not a race and you have done what you have been able to do and that is all that matters. Everyone is so different and I dont think that a person success in having this band is messured by the number on the scale. The way a person changes their self, mind and body is huge in itself as well! You stay strong and keep that WONDERFUL attitude you have always had and keep on keeping on!!!!

Your friend!

Carrie

[ValleyGirl]

Welcome back!!! We missed you.

Sabrina:)

[PAMMIE]

Welcome back!!! We missed you.

Sabrina:)

DITTO!!!

[robbynnoel]

(((((((((((((((Sabrina))))))))))))))

You look wonderful! I'm so proud of you. xo

It's good to be back. I missed y'all and I assure you've all brought me so much strength. Even when I felt as if I was eating garbage just because it felt more comfortable to be heavy.

xo

Welcome back!!! We missed you.

Sabrina:)

[robbynnoel]

DITTO!!!

((((((((((((((((Hugs Pammie))))))))))))))))))))))

Thank you so much.

I am proud of your success.

[sawdawg]

welcome back it's good to see you again I always wonder where you went you look really good glad things are going good for you

[magkai1]

This place is so great!

[AngieB]

Welcome back! Glad to see you post. We all have our journey with the band. Some kick ass and take names, others are moderate loosers, then you have me...who dilly dally's around. I love my band! It fits my life and does what I have not been able to do for myself. Great partnership. Glad the band can not fire me! Sometimes I think she does more of the work....I am a hard nut to crack!

So let me tell ya. I hit a good level of restriction after my 5th fill. I love it! I will say I still have days when my band opens up and says AAAAaaHHHHHHHHH. I am always suprised when that happens Robyn. Anyway, it seems like it is only a day an then, dumm dumm da dum. It snaps closed and says...remember me, I am restriction! LOL I have not gotten to the point where I don't take FULL advantage of the open band days.....but there is always hope....

I've changed A LOT in the time I have had the band. I am sooo greatful and thankful to have this aid in my tummy! When I set out on this goal to remove yet another 100 lbs...I knew it would take a while. I had said 3 years. Now, I of course hoped that I would be one that kicked butte but ya know, I am not in that league. Why....because I don't always follow the rules and haven't put exercise in the fore front of my life. Bottom line is - this is my personal journey. My lovely friends here can give me input and tips, but until I put those morsels of knowledge to work. I am on my pace to drop the 100 lbs in 3 years.

Why did I say 3 years, well my body is fairly young, but I have really put her through a tough load. Which I won't go into much.

I know how intense it can be for a body to filter out all the crap, so I set a reasonable pace for myself. I drink a crap load of water ever day to help flush my human toilet. I am doing my best to be good to my kidneys, liver, and gallbladder. At anyrate, the whole point of the above story is this...don't beat yourself up my sweet Robyn. Enjoy the ride and love it for all it's worth.

25 lbs is major, and thank you sweet band for that. Yes mamma! Not only that, I am with you when you say you would have been over 300 lbs by now, oh yes....Thank you again GOD for the bands! Woo hoo! We are in such a better place because of them. I am so glad that you had no complications with the Anesthesia!!!!

Good to have you back. Don't think of the could haves, think of the what is's!!!! I love you Robyn and am so glad you are back to hug us all again!

Missed you!

Angie

[jhawkchick75]

So glad to see you back!!! I know for me this board really keeps me in check so I don't care how long it's been I need to come in here. I see it's that time of year - our excitement of the new years resolution is wearing off and there are a lot of us that are starting to slack. I think the weather turning nice will give me some extra motivation to get back in gear. Lent is helping me since I gave up dairy by at least 80% and that is keeping me on task for the most part, but not as good as I should be on my working out. But getting an extra hour after work before it gets dark will help too.

We can do it!!!!!

[robbynnoel]

((((((((((((((((((Shelby)))))))))))))))))

Good for you to scale back on dairy. I purchased a copy of Marilu Henner's Total Health Makeover a few years ago. Excellent book. It's one of the first books I'd ever read that spoke about how dairy affects the body.

You look fab. We will do it!

xo

So glad to see you back!!! I know for me this board really keeps me in check so I don't care how long it's been I need to come in here. I see it's that time of year - our excitement of the new years resolution is wearing off and there are a lot of us that are starting to slack. I think the weather turning nice will give me some extra motivation to get back in gear. Lent is helping me since I gave up dairy by at least 80% and that is keeping me on task for the most part, but not as good as I should be on my working out. But getting an extra hour after work before it gets dark will help too.

We can do it!!!!!

[robbynnoel]

(((((((((((((((((Angie)))))))))))))))))

Thank you for your post. Do you find your eyes are still bigger than your stomach? Once, a few months ago, I decided that even though I had difficulty with breads and pizza and it was all in my head, so by god, I was going to order a pizza and eat as much as I wanted.

4 or 5 seconds later (maybe I was able to throw a half of a slice down my throat) I was like...ah yea...I have this band and even though my eyes think I can eat a whole pizza, and my head wants to eat a whole pizza, it won't let me.

lol

I'm getting better at that. Better about fixing entire meals at midnight only to take a bite or two. Slowly oh so slowly I'm getting better about preparing too much food.

The good news is that while I was at work today, I was learning some new material and I felt like I was trying to "digest" a bit of information so to speak. Suddenly I "HAD" to have chocolate. A must. (I'm not a sweet person, I'm a salty person)

I knew I really just wanted chocolate because I was studying something new but after 30 minutes I still wanted it. The difference is, since I was at work and not at home (and at work I have access to an entire room of food) I was able to go into the food room and pull a chocolate chip snack bar and because of the band, I honestly felt okay afterwards.

If I would have been at home...at least a few weeks ago, it would have been different. So different.

I'm so proud of you Angie. You are doing a great job. We're in this together. xo

Welcome back! Glad to see you post. We all have our journey with the band. Some kick ass and take names, others are moderate loosers, then you have me...who dilly dally's around. I love my band! It fits my life and does what I have not been able to do for myself. Great partnership. Glad the band can not fire me! Sometimes I think she does more of the work....I am a hard nut to crack!

So let me tell ya. I hit a good level of restriction after my 5th fill. I love it! I will say I still have days when my band opens up and says AAAAaaHHHHHHHHH. I am always suprised when that happens Robyn. Anyway, it seems like it is only a day an then, dumm dumm da dum. It snaps closed and says...remember me, I am restriction! LOL I have not gotten to the point where I don't take FULL advantage of the open band days.....but there is always hope....

I've changed A LOT in the time I have had the band. I am sooo greatful and thankful to have this aid in my tummy! When I set out on this goal to remove yet another 100 lbs...I knew it would take a while. I had said 3 years. Now, I of course hoped that I would be one that kicked butte but ya know, I am not in that league. Why....because I don't always follow the rules and haven't put exercise in the fore front of my life. Bottom line is - this is my personal journey. My lovely friends here can give me input and tips, but until I put those morsels of knowledge to work. I am on my pace to drop the 100 lbs in 3 years.

Why did I say 3 years, well my body is fairly young, but I have really put her through a tough load. Which I won't go into much.

I know how intense it can be for a body to filter out all the crap, so I set a reasonable pace for myself. I drink a crap load of water ever day to help flush my human toilet. I am doing my best to be good to my kidneys, liver, and gallbladder. At anyrate, the whole point of the above story is this...don't beat yourself up my sweet Robyn. Enjoy the ride and love it for all it's worth.

25 lbs is major, and thank you sweet band for that. Yes mamma! Not only that, I am with you when you say you would have been over 300 lbs by now, oh yes....Thank you again GOD for the bands! Woo hoo! We are in such a better place because of them. I am so glad that you had no complications with the Anesthesia!!!!

Good to have you back. Don't think of the could haves, think of the what is's!!!! I love you Robyn and am so glad you are back to hug us all again!

Missed you!

Angie

[robbynnoel]

((((((((((((((Sawdawg)))))))))))))))))))

Thank you so much for your post. I really appreciate it. It's good to be back.

xo

welcome back it's good to see you again I always wonder where you went you look really good glad things are going good for you

[robbynnoel]

(((((((((((((((((Margaret)))))))))))))))

It's good to meet you! You are right, this is a great forum.

This place is so great!

[AngieB]

Robyn - the hardest time I have is when I go out to eat. I have a portion control for meals I prepare and take to work or eat at home. When I go out, I am served a plater of food. That is the hardest. I have it ingrained in my head the old lesson I was taugh to clean my plate. Ugh. Plus the food always tastes so good cuz it is not always the best. Even when I order good, I know the food has more calories than it would if I where to eat it at home.

If my meal is well rounded, I am notice I feel more satisfied. If I eat only one item being protein heavy....I tend to feel deprived. So I make sure to have a few items. Mostly a protein and veggie.

As for my eyes being bigger than my stomach, I actually feel like I have adjusted well to my new reality. The times I have "issues" is with super good food. If it is my favorite and super tasty, I often don't feel mentally satifiied. I remind myself that I can have it again. That this is not the LAST time I will be able to have this item and that helps.

I really have come so far from where I began with this mental learning process. I will be so happy to see the day when I look at food as more of nutrition/fuel and less as a treat, celebration, comforter, or the like.

Progress baby, progress! I am so thankful for my band. With the added restriction that I have gained it changes and takes me to a new level. Change and adapt, that is what it has been for me.

I am so glad you are back on the board and life has settled a bit for you. It's your turn now.

(((((((((((((((((Angie)))))))))))))))))

Thank you for your post. Do you find your eyes are still bigger than your stomach? Once, a few months ago, I decided that even though I had difficulty with breads and pizza and it was all in my head, so by god, I was going to order a pizza and eat as much as I wanted.

4 or 5 seconds later (maybe I was able to throw a half of a slice down my throat) I was like...ah yea...I have this band and even though my eyes think I can eat a whole pizza, and my head wants to eat a whole pizza, it won't let me.

lol

I'm getting better at that. Better about fixing entire meals at midnight only to take a bite or two. Slowly oh so slowly I'm getting better about preparing too much food.

The good news is that while I was at work today, I was learning some new material and I felt like I was trying to "digest" a bit of information so to speak. Suddenly I "HAD" to have chocolate. A must. (I'm not a sweet person, I'm a salty person)

I knew I really just wanted chocolate because I was studying something new but after 30 minutes I still wanted it. The difference is, since I was at work and not at home (and at work I have access to an entire room of food) I was able to go into the food room and pull a chocolate chip snack bar and because of the band, I honestly felt okay afterwards.

If I would have been at home...at least a few weeks ago, it would have been different. So different.

I'm so proud of you Angie. You are doing a great job. We're in this together. xo

[robbynnoel]

(((((((((((((((((Angie)))))))))))))))))))

Good points. I've noticed my taste buds are changing. I used to be a little frustrated that bread and pizza didn't work anymore but once I moved to Texas I got over that quick. Bread (sour dough) and pizza were my two favorite things, and in San Francisco, that is yummy food. Here in Dallas, omg bleck. I mean they "think" they know what good pizza is. Everything tastes like frozen. Don't even get me started on sour dough bread. What sour dough bread? They've never heard of it. Okay, I'm sure I'm exaggerating to some extent but you get the idea. And no Italian unless it's a chain. A hole in the wall Italian place here doesn't compare. But when I thought of a cowboy, I never pictured some mafioso on a horse, so it all makes sense. I'm sure there are exceptions and if I didn't have the band I'd be knocking on every door to find the place that is, but in the small sampling I've had, that is what I've found.

What they do serve out here is Tex Mex (love love love love love --- did I mention I love it?) and steak houses/bbq. Well, steak/bbq first, I can't do it, I can't chew the meat. I guess I don't have the patience so although that is my favorite food in the world, I've learned how to order around it. We went to a beautiful elegant restaurant about a week ago. The old Robbyn would have ordered Filet Mignon, instead I ordered a side of mashed potatoes. That's it, no appetizers and no bread at the table. I know I should have ordered protein but I wanted to have something I really liked and I didn't want to spend the night being stuck or jumping up from the table every four minutes to bp.

Tex Mex...another story. I love it but I can't do the tortillas. Give me crunchy and I'm fine so I can do chips. Weird. I've learned a chip or two with tortilla soup does well for me and I feel like I'm part of the group. Plus Tex Mex is the mushiest food around. At least the way I slop everything together.

Ahhhhh I love food.

Which helps me remember that when I lived in San Francisco I worked at the gateway to China Town...literally. I ate chicken fried rice/chow mein 2 or 3 times a week, and pizza because North Beach (which would be like New Yorks Little Italy) and China Town border each other. After having Chinese food of that quality I haven't found that I miss Chinese either now that I've moved. Of course rice doesn't agree with me.

Almost sounds like I could have solved my problems without the band by moving to Texas but that's not the case. The steak/tex mex/bbq/burgers would have kept me big big big and when I'm hungry, it wouldn't have mattered that the Chinese and Italian isn't the quality I'm used to...thank god for the band. I finally can understand "if it doesn't taste good, and it's not good quality AND IT WON'T feel good after I've eaten it...why eat it?"

Hugs to you. I've missed you.

Robyn - the hardest time I have is when I go out to eat. I have a portion control for meals I prepare and take to work or eat at home. When I go out, I am served a plater of food. That is the hardest. I have it ingrained in my head the old lesson I was taugh to clean my plate. Ugh. Plus the food always tastes so good cuz it is not always the best. Even when I order good, I know the food has more calories than it would if I where to eat it at home.

If my meal is well rounded, I am notice I feel more satisfied. If I eat only one item being protein heavy....I tend to feel deprived. So I make sure to have a few items. Mostly a protein and veggie.

As for my eyes being bigger than my stomach, I actually feel like I have adjusted well to my new reality. The times I have "issues" is with super good food. If it is my favorite and super tasty, I often don't feel mentally satifiied. I remind myself that I can have it again. That this is not the LAST time I will be able to have this item and that helps.

I really have come so far from where I began with this mental learning process. I will be so happy to see the day when I look at food as more of nutrition/fuel and less as a treat, celebration, comforter, or the like.

Progress baby, progress! I am so thankful for my band. With the added restriction that I have gained it changes and takes me to a new level. Change and adapt, that is what it has been for me.

I am so glad you are back on the board and life has settled a bit for you. It's your turn now.