My two year bandiversary!
Greetings, Bandland! 
This week I am celebrating my two year bandiversary!!! I can't believe how fast time has gone. I feel I have been pretty successful so far with my band. So, without further ado, here's my story!
Cheers!
----------------------
I have been overweight as long as my mind lets me remember. I have a history of obesity in my family, so as soon as I went through puberty and started to gain weight, lucky me! I got put on a diet. I shopped in the same sections as my mom when I was a child (or the ever so awesome men's section...) and it was humiliating. And it seemed the harder as I tried to conquer my weight problem, the farther it slipped beyond my reach. It seems so friggin' easy, right? Eat the right things and get off your ass!
But unfortunately, when you're 290ish pounds, even getting your ass off the couch is hard. Literally. (I can't tell you how dumb I felt when we bought a new couch and I got exhausted just trying to stand up!
)
I couldn't tie my shoes without holding my breath. I couldn't walk up a smaller flight of stairs without looking like I'd just run a marathon. Personal hygiene was becoming more difficult. I wore frumpy hooded sweatshirts to try to hide because hell, I already felt invisible. Why not make it a bit easier?
Well, some time later, I ended up watching a marathon of What Not to Wear (I know, right?) and it sparked a newfound desire to clean myself up and at least make it looked like I somewhat liked myself. I discovered Macy's had a pretty nice women's department, so I started shopping there. Problem was that I wore a 26 and a 3X and that most stuff just. barely. fit. I didn't/don't really like Torrid, plus their stuff was also on the small side. Lane Bryant was ok and it was getting better, but usually it was too expensive or too bedazzled.
I went through the whole "I can do it on my own" business for a while, but really, I had never lost more than 25 pounds on my own without gaining it all back and more. And I figured that sucks to say, only being 25 years old at the time. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life yo-yoing to that extreme.
So I researched and researched some more and (yes, astonishingly!) decided that the Lap-Band was a good fit for me.
As of today, I have lost roughly 130 pounds!!
(All time high of 291/Surgery weight 285/Current weight 159)
I can't tell you how f!@#ing awesome life is at a more normal weight. Almost everything just seems easier. I can cross my legs! I can tie my shoes! I can sit in a chair without worrying that I'll bust it or get stuck in it! I can shop where I please! I can actually run!!! I feel secure and confident! I'm getting married this year and I can't wait!
And best of all: I no longer feel invisible.
I started at a size 26/3X and I currently wear a 10/12/L. (Sadly my boobs went from a 44D to a 36C! Boo!) And now I love to shop! Before I was always settling on stuff just because it was the only thing that fit. I do some thrift stores, but come on- I just said I felt like I settled forever so I'm a bit entitled to look awesome now that I can wear it, right?!
Hahaha!
My favorite stores are Gap, Anthropologie and Express. I literally sobbed tears of joy in the parking lot after I bought my first pair of Gap jeans. I also totally rocked a bikini this past summer!! Granted the bottom is a skirt (yet it totally covers the roll o' skin I have leftover!), but the top was a straight up bikini top. I will have to take and post some pictures once it finally gets nice here in Minnesnowta.
However, weight loss doesn't solve everything. I have always had emotional problems and anxiety issues (that were not body image or weight-related) as a result of my parents' divorce and unfortunately, even as I continued to lose weight, those issues plagued me to the point to where I needed to seek professional help. And for better or worse, it's making me confront issues that probably contributed to me gaining weight years ago too. All in all, I feel it's been really good that I'm trying to learn better stress coping skills and hopefully not sabotage myself with food (as I am a seriously emotional eater).
I have been able to maintain this weight for about a year with no problems. I had gained roughly 10 pounds or so back during the summer (yes, admittedly, I drank a lot!) but it wasn't too tough to get rid of them shoveling snow all damn winter! (Whew!
)
Here's to a wonderful and successful 2011!
-----
Band data:
10cc AP Standard (named "Bandy Savage")
Current fill level: 8.1ccs
Total cost of band after insurance coverage through Medica (I paid only co-pays for all pre/post op appointments/fills and day of surgery): $180
Total Fills: 5
Total Unfills: 0
Day of surgery: 2/16/09: 284 lbs -> band primed with 0.6 ccs
3/16/09: 260 lbs -> first fill 3ccs (band at 3.6/10)
4/16/09: 243 lbs
5/29/00: 227 lbs -> second fill 3ccs (band at 6.6/10)
6/25/09: 214 lbs
7/22/09: 204 lbs -> third fill 0.5ccs (band at 7.1/10)
8/14/09: 198 lbs -> fourth fill 0.5ccs (band at 7.6/10)
9/20/09: 189 lbs
10/29/09: 177 lbs -> fifth fill 0.5ccs (band at 8.1/10) ***last fill I've had
11/20/09: 174
1st year bandiversary: 2/16/10: 171 lbs
4/9/10: 166 lbs
6/20/10: 172 lbs
7/11/10: 174 lbs
11/13/10: 168 lbs
2nd year bandiversary: 159 lbs
Food intolerances:
Currently not many. Mostly just reheated or very dry meat. I can normally do pork and chicken. Shrimp is meh sometimes. Steak is ok if it's medium rare (just the way I like it!). I can probably eat 4-6oz of meat, max (and that's about it). Stringy veggies and fruit ok. All sorts of eggs ok. I also drink carbonation and I've never had trouble with pain, just with some funny foamy burps if I drink too fast.
After my last fill (Oct '09) I was down to eating 1/2 to 1/3 cup of food and there was NO WAY I could eat bread. I could kind of eat pasta and rice. But now that I've not been filled for a while and I'm eating a cup to a cup and a half (whi*****identally, is restriction compared to what I could eat pre-band!), I can tolerate like one piece bread or a half a small donut. Or one piece of regular pizza. I can much more easily eat smaller portions of pasta and rice now, but I'm just so used to not eating them now that we don't include them much in our weekly meals.
Other random stats:
-My band has always been tighter in the morning than in the evening. This is why I drink 3-4 cups of coffee (with a splash of milk and sugar free hazelnut syrup) every morning!
-I have a day before my period where I feel like I can (and try to...) eat everything. I also have a day where I'm not really all that hungry.
-Stress, cold liquids and lack of liquids/being dehydrated seem to intensify my restriction.
-I don't count calories at all. Once I decided to stop stressing out about tenths of pounds and trust my judgement to make the best food choices I could 70-80% of the time -and then actually do that- my weight loss actually increased.
-Any sort of chili (turkey, beef, black bean, butternut squash, quinoa, etc) is my all time favorite quick band friendly meal!
-------
I have been very lucky so far in that my band experience has pretty much been what I had hoped for.
And yes, I've read the statistics.
Before surgery:
Enjoying life today!
This week I am celebrating my two year bandiversary!!! I can't believe how fast time has gone. I feel I have been pretty successful so far with my band. So, without further ado, here's my story!
Cheers!
----------------------
I have been overweight as long as my mind lets me remember. I have a history of obesity in my family, so as soon as I went through puberty and started to gain weight, lucky me! I got put on a diet. I shopped in the same sections as my mom when I was a child (or the ever so awesome men's section...) and it was humiliating. And it seemed the harder as I tried to conquer my weight problem, the farther it slipped beyond my reach. It seems so friggin' easy, right? Eat the right things and get off your ass!
But unfortunately, when you're 290ish pounds, even getting your ass off the couch is hard. Literally. (I can't tell you how dumb I felt when we bought a new couch and I got exhausted just trying to stand up!
) I couldn't tie my shoes without holding my breath. I couldn't walk up a smaller flight of stairs without looking like I'd just run a marathon. Personal hygiene was becoming more difficult. I wore frumpy hooded sweatshirts to try to hide because hell, I already felt invisible. Why not make it a bit easier?
Well, some time later, I ended up watching a marathon of What Not to Wear (I know, right?) and it sparked a newfound desire to clean myself up and at least make it looked like I somewhat liked myself. I discovered Macy's had a pretty nice women's department, so I started shopping there. Problem was that I wore a 26 and a 3X and that most stuff just. barely. fit. I didn't/don't really like Torrid, plus their stuff was also on the small side. Lane Bryant was ok and it was getting better, but usually it was too expensive or too bedazzled.
I went through the whole "I can do it on my own" business for a while, but really, I had never lost more than 25 pounds on my own without gaining it all back and more. And I figured that sucks to say, only being 25 years old at the time. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life yo-yoing to that extreme.
So I researched and researched some more and (yes, astonishingly!) decided that the Lap-Band was a good fit for me.
As of today, I have lost roughly 130 pounds!!
(All time high of 291/Surgery weight 285/Current weight 159)
I can't tell you how f!@#ing awesome life is at a more normal weight. Almost everything just seems easier. I can cross my legs! I can tie my shoes! I can sit in a chair without worrying that I'll bust it or get stuck in it! I can shop where I please! I can actually run!!! I feel secure and confident! I'm getting married this year and I can't wait!
And best of all: I no longer feel invisible.
I started at a size 26/3X and I currently wear a 10/12/L. (Sadly my boobs went from a 44D to a 36C! Boo!) And now I love to shop! Before I was always settling on stuff just because it was the only thing that fit. I do some thrift stores, but come on- I just said I felt like I settled forever so I'm a bit entitled to look awesome now that I can wear it, right?!
Hahaha!My favorite stores are Gap, Anthropologie and Express. I literally sobbed tears of joy in the parking lot after I bought my first pair of Gap jeans. I also totally rocked a bikini this past summer!! Granted the bottom is a skirt (yet it totally covers the roll o' skin I have leftover!), but the top was a straight up bikini top. I will have to take and post some pictures once it finally gets nice here in Minnesnowta.
However, weight loss doesn't solve everything. I have always had emotional problems and anxiety issues (that were not body image or weight-related) as a result of my parents' divorce and unfortunately, even as I continued to lose weight, those issues plagued me to the point to where I needed to seek professional help. And for better or worse, it's making me confront issues that probably contributed to me gaining weight years ago too. All in all, I feel it's been really good that I'm trying to learn better stress coping skills and hopefully not sabotage myself with food (as I am a seriously emotional eater).
I have been able to maintain this weight for about a year with no problems. I had gained roughly 10 pounds or so back during the summer (yes, admittedly, I drank a lot!) but it wasn't too tough to get rid of them shoveling snow all damn winter! (Whew!
)Here's to a wonderful and successful 2011!
-----
Band data:
10cc AP Standard (named "Bandy Savage")
Current fill level: 8.1ccs
Total cost of band after insurance coverage through Medica (I paid only co-pays for all pre/post op appointments/fills and day of surgery): $180
Total Fills: 5
Total Unfills: 0
Day of surgery: 2/16/09: 284 lbs -> band primed with 0.6 ccs
3/16/09: 260 lbs -> first fill 3ccs (band at 3.6/10)
4/16/09: 243 lbs
5/29/00: 227 lbs -> second fill 3ccs (band at 6.6/10)
6/25/09: 214 lbs
7/22/09: 204 lbs -> third fill 0.5ccs (band at 7.1/10)
8/14/09: 198 lbs -> fourth fill 0.5ccs (band at 7.6/10)
9/20/09: 189 lbs
10/29/09: 177 lbs -> fifth fill 0.5ccs (band at 8.1/10) ***last fill I've had
11/20/09: 174
1st year bandiversary: 2/16/10: 171 lbs
4/9/10: 166 lbs
6/20/10: 172 lbs
7/11/10: 174 lbs
11/13/10: 168 lbs
2nd year bandiversary: 159 lbs
Food intolerances:
Currently not many. Mostly just reheated or very dry meat. I can normally do pork and chicken. Shrimp is meh sometimes. Steak is ok if it's medium rare (just the way I like it!). I can probably eat 4-6oz of meat, max (and that's about it). Stringy veggies and fruit ok. All sorts of eggs ok. I also drink carbonation and I've never had trouble with pain, just with some funny foamy burps if I drink too fast.
After my last fill (Oct '09) I was down to eating 1/2 to 1/3 cup of food and there was NO WAY I could eat bread. I could kind of eat pasta and rice. But now that I've not been filled for a while and I'm eating a cup to a cup and a half (whi*****identally, is restriction compared to what I could eat pre-band!), I can tolerate like one piece bread or a half a small donut. Or one piece of regular pizza. I can much more easily eat smaller portions of pasta and rice now, but I'm just so used to not eating them now that we don't include them much in our weekly meals.
Other random stats:
-My band has always been tighter in the morning than in the evening. This is why I drink 3-4 cups of coffee (with a splash of milk and sugar free hazelnut syrup) every morning!
-I have a day before my period where I feel like I can (and try to...) eat everything. I also have a day where I'm not really all that hungry.
-Stress, cold liquids and lack of liquids/being dehydrated seem to intensify my restriction.
-I don't count calories at all. Once I decided to stop stressing out about tenths of pounds and trust my judgement to make the best food choices I could 70-80% of the time -and then actually do that- my weight loss actually increased.
-Any sort of chili (turkey, beef, black bean, butternut squash, quinoa, etc) is my all time favorite quick band friendly meal!
-------
I have been very lucky so far in that my band experience has pretty much been what I had hoped for.
And yes, I've read the statistics.
Before surgery:
Enjoying life today!
(deactivated member)
on 2/15/11 10:57 am - Des Moines, IA
on 2/15/11 10:57 am - Des Moines, IA
Wow, I am so happy for you Allison! You look great. What a wonderful journey! Can't wait to see the wedding pictures in the future!
Hugs,
Kristi
Hugs,
Kristi
Thanks, Kristi!! I feel amazing. (I KNOW you do too!) I can't wait to post my wedding pictures!!! (Considering a few years ago you wouldn't have caught me dead in a dress, let alone a WEDDING dress!)
Anyway, I love following your story and I especially love hearing about all the wonderful work you do with Gracie! We've always wanted a dog but it just seemed so exhausting. I couldn't even get myself outside to exercise... how could I actually get out there and walk a dog?
I wanted to tell you that now that we are much, much more active... we've adopted a big silly pitbull named Ariel!! And lemme tell you, she is exercising the heck out of me!!
Nevertheless, she is amazing and she has truly stolen my heart. We are currently training her and hope to get her CGC certified! 
Ariel, an 11 month old American Staffordshire Terrier (AKA Pitbull)
Anyway, I love following your story and I especially love hearing about all the wonderful work you do with Gracie! We've always wanted a dog but it just seemed so exhausting. I couldn't even get myself outside to exercise... how could I actually get out there and walk a dog?
I wanted to tell you that now that we are much, much more active... we've adopted a big silly pitbull named Ariel!! And lemme tell you, she is exercising the heck out of me!!
Nevertheless, she is amazing and she has truly stolen my heart. We are currently training her and hope to get her CGC certified! Ariel, an 11 month old American Staffordshire Terrier (AKA Pitbull)
(deactivated member)
on 2/16/11 8:33 am - Des Moines, IA
on 2/16/11 8:33 am - Des Moines, IA
Yay! Getting that CGC is such a great gift you can give to a dog. She's a cutie! Obedience training is so important and being consistent is what dogs really need.
Monday Gracie was invited to a "Formal Valentine's Party" from one of the 1st grade classes. She gave each student a little teddy bear, pencil and a Shrek Valentine's Day card. Gracie wore a crocheted pink hat/bonnet that my daughter crocheted and a matching scarf! hahaha She looked very pretty. The kids had on their dress clothes and the teacher had the little boys pull the chair out for the girls and carried their drinks and they had to put their napkins in their laps etc etc. It was so cute. Anyway.... I'm so happy for you for getting a cute pup! They bring so much joy to humans.
Monday Gracie was invited to a "Formal Valentine's Party" from one of the 1st grade classes. She gave each student a little teddy bear, pencil and a Shrek Valentine's Day card. Gracie wore a crocheted pink hat/bonnet that my daughter crocheted and a matching scarf! hahaha She looked very pretty. The kids had on their dress clothes and the teacher had the little boys pull the chair out for the girls and carried their drinks and they had to put their napkins in their laps etc etc. It was so cute. Anyway.... I'm so happy for you for getting a cute pup! They bring so much joy to humans.
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