Open for business.....

Does anyone  ever feel like your band has open for eating times and closed for eating times!
So the last 3 days this is how my band rolls..

545am when I wake anything more then a sip of water bounces back up..

630am 1st cup of tea approx 1/4 takes approx 1 hour to get down

800am Venti latte ( ended up taking till 3pm to drink 3/4 of it, it became an iced latte)

3pm 1/2 a small bran and raisin cookie very bouncy but got it down

5pm 1/2 cup of tea took an hour

630pm Thai soup blended ( bounced straight back up ) pb'ed all of it!

830pm 1/4 cup rice 2 small bits of green curry chicken, hot chocolate, 500mls of  water and small nonfat yogurt. All down perfectly in fact could have kept eating but felt full.

950pm  the other half of the bran raisin cookie ...No go!!!! pb'ed band now closed for business!

so it seems I have a window of approx 1.5hours a day to eat?  Which I guess is OK but today at work I did feel like I needed more water slightly light headed... hmm what to do if we take some out I am starving and can eat everything but this is a little too tight maybe??? 6 days till I see the doctor and I am not even sure the scale is moving!!!

Any advice?? Does anyone else have this happen to them?? Advice greatly appreciated.

Keeping the faith

Day 5 keeping the faith ...

My restriction has well and truly kicked in, Friday I had a" nothing is going down  today" day! I had a mouthful of stewed apple late Thursday night so I could take some pain medication. That clearly wasn't a good idea as I then had to vomit it up at 11am the next morning so I could get some water down! Very strange is was there above band for over 12 hours! After that I just had fluids as I didn't want to upset the band anymore!

I am back to weighing everyday I know there is such a shift in fluid daily and that this reflects on the scale that but it helps me get an idea about what is happening and to some extent what is actual and what is water. I think I am on the way down now. 10 days till I have to see my doctor again to see if I am back on track..

It's a gorgeous day here in Australia the sun is shining blue skies, its a warm 30 (86) degrees and the smell of spring is in the air, our veggie garden is starting to really take off and the spring flowers are in full bloom.

It's a lovely day in the neighbourhood

xxxx

Day 2 operation back on track...

So day 2 is over .... I survived made good food choices... no Pb's no slime..

shakes in the day and a small 1/2 cup of soup for lunch, small dinner low carbs ..

Walked around the neighbourhood a bit but my shoulders playing up ... trying not to let it get to me!

I wonder if I need a tiny bit more of a fill ... I am not satisfied as long as I'd like..

Back to daily weighs ..

Onward and upward people I can do this!!!

The walk of shame ...

I have gained and not just a bit but a lot.... Straight off the back of a long plateau here I am 18 months post band and I've gained...

I bite the bullet made an appointment with my doctor and did the walk into his office weighing 7kg heavier then when I last walked in there... and that time I had gained 6kg so I am 12kg up and I am so ashamed of it!  I've had no restriction for at least 2 month and have been eating anything and everything really.  I missed 2 appointments with my doctor in between all of this, and this is where we are at.

2011 has thrown all it's punches at me surely... its been a hell of a year. My head and heart has been everywhere but on my journey.. I have felt so detached from myself and my journey this last 8 months putting all my energy into the shambles around me.

In summary the events that have happened are mostly to do with my family. My beloved Grandmother died a hugely emotional time for me and my family and whilst I know she had lived her best life, my heart still aches and I miss her. 3 days after her death my Mother was diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer, there is no treatment and no cure its a slow rare cancer that's actually an endocrine cancer, they can only treat the symptoms it could be fast it could be slow no one can tell us. My mum is now off ticking off her bucket list visiting Europe with her entourage of medications to make her as well as possible she wont be back for 3 months!!! I miss her a lot... Today my Dad was told he has cancer.. we don't know all the information yet but its not looking good... On top of this I injured my shoulder at work I've been off work on workers comp for the last 3 weeks its such a hard process I am racked with guilt about not being at work, letting my team down and the patients I look after. I am also dealing with an injury that's is so painful and affecting every part of my life.

So its clear I am an emotional eater... I just want to sooth my aching heart and sad self with food... but look where it has gotten me... the walk of shame is no place I want to be.

SO .... whats the plan Man??!!///!?!?!?!?

After the walk of shame yesterday I got up today with motivation and drive to turn this situation around... I was doing so well till 2pm when my Dad told me his news.. in fact I continued to have a good day I didn't eat anything terrible .. I had my shakes brekkie and lunch. I had grilled chicken and salad for dinner and 3 squares of chocolate with a latte after..  I surprised myself with how well I did... Do I feel like giving up ? giving in?? lying on the floor and crying like a baby.. yep I totally do.. yet to the outside world I'll continue to be bulletproof... and somewhere I am going to find some strength to focus on my journey and be the best I can!

Now all my whinging out the way...


After a long hard look at myself, my goals, my plans and my health... It's back to basics for me..

Small meals, chewing, no fluid with meals.. not sure where my restriction is at but back to doc in 2 weeks to check it out..

I am back on shakes brekkie and lunch and low carb dinner, 2L of water and some fruit or a high fibre snack if I need it.

I am also pledging to blog this journey to sort the things going on around me here.. and I don't mind if no one reads this...  the most important thing is to keep blogging away and keeping it real so that no more walks of shame happen!!!

Thank you for listening blog xx

A long time gone... but often checking in...

So I haven't blogged since March, I often check in to see what happening and how you all are!

I want to start by saying that I am in awe of all of you that blog often and have been so totally honest and open about your journeys! I admire your journeys and am thankful for the inspiration they give me. So thank you xxxxxx

I've just read Catherine's posts, My Backup Plan for A$$-Kicking Continuity ... You never cease to inspire me Catherine I am so in awe.. Your post got me thinking, whats my backup plan and is it time to enforce it.

So the truth about where I am at.... I am stuck on the scales, confused what to eat.. struggling with being too tight then too loose... up and down pbing a lot.... and since I getting back from a Holiday in the states I have a sugar addiction that I cant kick!!!!!

So after spending May/June in America road tripping across Tennessee and shopping in LA soaking up the heat, I am back to Australia where it is freezing and raining all the time. So I guess I am in a bit of a winter post Holiday slump. Work is mental and I am tired all the time. I've been making bad food choice and relying on sugar for quick energy. I did some running whilst overseas but no where near enough. I gained 3kg/6lb whilst overseas and have been home for 4 weeks and have not been able to shift any of it !!!!!

So wise blog women... I need your advice, suggestions ... HELP!
I have had thoughts about going back to liquids only, counting calories, low carb
maybe weight watchers????
there is no doubt I need an exercise intervention, restarting is the hardest thing...

Very happy to be back blogging and looking forward to re connecting with you all
xxx

The 1 year banded post !

So its no secret that I am the biggest chicken when it comes to posting pictures of my self on this blog, I often chicken out and the times I have posted pics I've always removed them. Well today is my 1 year banded post I have gathered some courage to post some pictures. Although 1 year falls in 2 weeks time I have the time and the head space to blog about it today!

When I started this banding journey I really had some doubts that this would work for me. I felt desperate to find a solution to my out of control weight issues and was so very tired of the up and down not getting anywhere weight loss and gain that had gone on for the last 15 years.

I look back and I remember going to my 1st weight watchers meeting when I was 6 years old with my Mum. I have since found weight watchers member books from 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004. Not to mention all the other crazy attempts to reclaim my health and loose weight.

The turning point for me making the choice to have the band surgery was for my health. I at the time could not have cared less about being slim or skinny. I just wanted to have kidneys that worked and not feel like I was dying walking more then a few hundred meters. I also didn't want to die a premature death. It was time and here I am almost 12 months later.

The changes in the last 12 months are quite staggering some I never expected

Being able to run.. and actually enjoying it

Squatting, kneeling,sitting without pain

sleeping so much easier

Halved my blood pressure tablets

Improved my kidney function

Got rid of insulin resistance

Started Ovulating

Went down a shoe size

Went down 5 dress sizes

The Highs have been very high, aside from the health benefits the clothing highs have been fabulous.. knee high leather boots such a amazing achievement, size 14 pants this week also a massive high.

The lows in the last 12 month my stuck/too tight episode of July 2010 was so painful and frightening and really slowed my weight loss for over 3 months, requiring a unfill. The stalled scales continued September to January. Things are on the move again thank goodness!

So in total today I am 30kg or 66lbs down

from when I first weighed in November 2009 at my surgeon's office.

I know other bandsters have lost double that in the same amount of time I know I could have worked harder and lost more but I am also extremely proud of those 30kg. 1 whole year without gaining weight only loosing.

I hope that by my 2yrs banding anniversary I can be another 30kg down.

Thank you to all the people that have supported me by commenting on this blog and sharing their banding adventures in the last year. You are all so inspirational and I aspire to be a banding superstar one day! 

November 2008

November 2009

February 2011

First post for 2011

So I have been missing in blog land for many months now, I have kept reading all of your blogs everyday, they have been very inspiring.

I became very aware that people I know well were reading this blog... that threw me for a six.. I wasn't sure how to respond and if I could keep blogging. Anyway here I am and I've decided it is what it is and I am accepting that people I 'know' may be reading this.

So 2011 has been a interesting one so far....

In band news I have continued to be stalled on the scales on the up side my fitness has improved and I am now running 5-6k's on the road without stopping!! I almost cried the first time I did it.. wow it was an amazing high!!!

I have so much more to tell you! But I mostly just wanted to say I am back .. I am here.. I am still reading your blogs and I will be posting more often from now.

xxx