Support Groups Aren't For Me

Well after being "needled" by the nurse that has been sticking me for my fills, I finally caved and went to the support group last night at NWWLS. Needless to say, it was as expected for me and somewhat a waste of my time. While the information presented was interesting it was already something I had spent time researching and figuring out on my own. I tend to be more of a self-starter and do my investigations on my own. The topic was Mindful Eating and was actually interesting.

When the meeting broke into small groups is where it got dicey for me. I am not a weight watchers meeting kind of person. A good percentage of the bandsters in the "emotional" eating group basically sat around whining about life (yes, I know sometimes life sucks and slaps you when you are down) and saying how they were getting around the band or throwing up in the bushes outside of restaurants. Another recent bandster and I seemed to both be looking around the group and probably thinking the same thing, Pull Yourselves Together People. It was not a positive experience, rather a bit of a downer to see some of the non-success people still whining about how they couldn't get it together. Man, I didn't think I was so intolerant of whiners. Not like I am a huge success as I did sneak a couple soft serve (FREE) ice cream cones this weekend and added one pound (kicked my scale, yes I did) this past week.

I was looking for some useful information and tools to succeed. I had already reached a couple of the conclusions by myself... the band is just a tool not a cure-all. That being said, I do like reading the Yahoo groups for bandsters. I can skip over the whiners and find the discussions about things that interested me.

Got my 3rd fill yesterday and I can finally feel the difference and have to slow down and really focus on taking small bites. YES!

My Personal Trainer is really pumping up the workouts and I know I am doing better with some of the weight gone (15#). I am going to speak with my PT about becoming my fitness mentor as I want to re-up my instructor certifications and perhaps do training in the future. There is a huge opportunity with the recently banded and barely exercised. Based on what I saw in the group, they want training with someone who has been through the banding and understands. I just want to be a hard-ass like my PT and whip them into shape.

Day 4 Post Realize Band (Gastric Banding) Surgery

Day 4 after surgery and wow, another 2 pounds gone this morning. I am somewhat flabbergasted at how the weight is dropping off my body. Yes, intellectually I get it that I am eating less food and therefore I should be losing weight. However, it stills seems a bit like a miracle that it is actually working. It must be the many years of dieting that didn’t pay off for me influencing my thoughts about this procedure. I still remain a wee bit skeptical about the weight continuing to drop while still accepting this is a permanent solution.

Man oh man, this is freakin’ awesome. Sorry, lost my head for a moment. IT IS WORKING. What is that a sign of … euphoria mixed with doubt? Oh well. So far since the day BF and I went to NWWLS seminar I have lost 12 pounds. Some of that was due to the pre-op 800-calorie diet and the rest due to recovery and liquid diet. Next week I get to eat semi-solid foods. Okay, I am all about the mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs for next week!! I am a salt-tooth not a sweet tooth so the protein drinks and pudding are getting a mite bit old for me. V-8 juice has been my life saver. I even made a fake tomato soup with milk in my V-8. I couldn’t find a high-fructose corn syrup free version in the grocery store. We are going shopping this afternoon and I will check all the soup brands. Sheesh, the food industry needs to get a clue that some of us don’t want the crap excess corn products. Stay tuned, I am on a roll.

Day 2 after Lap Band Surgery

Couple cups of tea w/milk for breakfast. Waiting to be hungry which isn’t happening. Have to walk 10-minute stints to get surgery gas out of system (hey, I aim to keep you informed; it ain’t pretty and according to the BF not smelling great). Also used "greens to go" to promote the first BM much better choice that Milk of Gag-nesium, yuck. Now I am back to normal.

I’ve had a couple of questions related to where and how much. I had the surgery at www.nwwls.com in Everett, WA and it cost a pretty penny out of my pocket because I do not have health insurance. If I lose all the weight I plan to lose, it will average about $200 a pound. Good bargain in my opinion. I have heard that you can have the procedure in Mexico for about $7000 and all the risks that go along with that choice. With NWWLS, I get 13-months of follow up care free. Well worth the expense and ease of mind that goes along with that care. I have dropped ½ pound from yesterday and expect that rate to continue while on the liquid recovery diet. That portion of the diet gives the band area a chance to heal properly before introducing soft foods and then normal foods. I plan to be back with my personal trainer doing minimal low weight and no abdominal work in 5-days. I have a plan and I am going to win this freakin’ weight battle once and for all.

"Oh That's Obese" Wii That

And in all that time did I lose one stinking pound, nope. I gained a couple and struggled to finally get those new additons off but still wallowing around in my overweightness. Have I hit my red flag weight yet? Oh yeah, 225 and it bites big. I am wheezing again on the stairs. Darn it! Lost two to get back to 223 this morning, thank the gods.

Yes, I am still working out on a regular basis. Saturday - kickboxing for 45 minutes, Monday - cardio for 30, Tuesday - weight training for 30, Wednesday - pilates for 50 minutes, Thursday - weight training again and today... well, I slept in until 5:28 am and then rushed around to get to work on time.

Guess I will be working out tonight, probably do a Wii Fit workout. I love my little Mii. She is a sassy fat obese little blonde thing. Every time I step on the Wii Fit board the stupid Wii has to do the "ohhh" like it hurts. When it measures my weight it always has to punctuate with the "oh that's obese" statement. Like I haven't heard that ever since I bought the damn thing.

I must say though, I do like the Wii Fit and it does keep me coming back.

Biggest Loser

Last night I tuned into watch the Biggest Loser and got my kick start for the umpteenth time. And then the morning alarm went off, gods 4:50 am. I struggled out of bed yet again and stumbled into the bathroom to get dressed for my workout. The scale smacks me upside the head with a 1/2 pound weight gain for working out with weights yesterday. Greeeeeeaaaaat. Thank goodness my boyfriend loves me enough to build out a workout room just for me so it is only a couple minutes to trip down the hallway to where my workout awaits. Treadmill or DVD? I can't function enough to press the buttons for the DVD player so treadmill it is. It is a battle to get my legs walking fast enough so I have to hold on or lose out to the tread moving too fast (and it ain't fast folks, 2.4 mph) but I pump up the incline to a whopping 5. After 15-minutes it is back into the house to hit the restroom as my body has finally woken up. Back to the workout to lift some weights and do crunches. A few lawn-mower pulls along with my side lunges and it is time to get ready for work. I didn't sweat enough to justify a shower so into my clothes I go. A cup of tea, kiss from the boyfriend and off to my 45-minute commute. If I could workout for the 1 1/2 hours I spend commuting I would be at a "normal" weight. As it is I am at a morbidly obese weight according to the charts, 222.5 lbs on a 5’2” frame. AND I WORK OUT 5 – 6 DAYS A WEEK. My doctor said it right, “You are the healthiest fat woman I have examined.” Wonderful but that sentiment won’t get me into those size 10 (yes I am a realist) jeans or that cool little pencil skirt. That’s all for today, I actually need to get some work done to make some money so I can do it all over again tomorrow. Sigh, when is that melt the fat and build muscle pill coming out anyway?