Nine years Post Op - Well, my lapband ran its course. I started gaining my weight back when I hit 50ish and between not being able to find that sweet spot on the band and menopause, the pounds began creeping in.  Also, I broke my ankle in the summer of 2019 and being laid up for several weeks and then not having full use of my ankle for many more months, I steered away from my weekly walks.  So...fast forward to July 2020. I had seen a surgeon and he explained that my lapband truly had run its course. Apparently the body begins to create calluses where band is around the stomache. This can create a big issue. I listened to his advise and had the band removed.  Its been almost a month now, and there are definitely many pros.  I can eat again...I'm not worried about a slippage or erosion...I feel normal again. 

The cons - I've spent so many years in a love/hate/confused relationship with food.  I love sweets, I love food, and the years of eating what I wanted created a big problem.  Then I couldn't eat food, and I was scared of food because it was travel up and down and get stuck after my lapband.  Now that I'm free again, I have enrolled in a weight loss program.  I go for an intake this week and they assure me "it is not a diet."  We'll see!  I need to learn to have a normal relationship with food.  I love healthy food - I love sweets.  Over the years I feel I've learned that I'm not a huge fan of bread, pasta or rice.  The lapband prohibited intake of these foods, and I really don't miss them.  I still prefer a good salad with lots of veggies, a boiled egg, seeds and nuts, some cheese, fruit and a lite dressing.  I love ice cream and cake too though.  I had a really yummy steak and bake potato the other night and then I was miserable all night after that - I ate way too much. I hope my new weight loss plan will help me navigate having freedom again.

So, I guess this is the end of my blog.  It ran its course as well. I wish all of you who have gone through this journey the best.  In the end, the most important thing is not found in our body, but in our heart, mind, soul and strength.  That is the love for God.  I hope you find peace and you have found a relationship with Jesus! xoxo

MINUS 45lbs!

Wow, its been some time since I've posted on the blog, but I did want to make a quick update and let everyone know that I am now down about 45 lbs total since my procedure 21 months ago.  I was bragging the other day to someone, I said "I'm only 25 lbs overweight!"  Some people might think that's crazy, but I say, "yay!!!!"  I used to be 70 lbs overweight, actually even more at certain times in my life.  I'm feeling pretty good these days - I still need to firm up, but I love being able to shop in regular stores again and find cute clothes that actually look good on me and fit well.  I'm not obsessed with my weight anymore, I'm pretty content. 

I'll post a few recent pictures so you can see the difference. Thanks for your support. 

Shari

10-11-12 (cool date)

 July 4, 2012 (me and my lover)

December 2008(me and my niece)

October 2010 (me and my daddy)

 

 

So, I feel like I've come a long way and I'm looking forward to life and hopefully slimming off that 25 lbs at some point.

A year can make a difference!

A year sure can make a difference!  March 2011 and March 2012, down about 40 lbs!

March 2012

December 2011

July 2009

Update: April 17, 2011

Wow - what a difference. Its been a year and three or so months since my lapband surgery and I'm down about 40 lbs. Yeah!!!!

13 Months

Wow, I don't know what happened between ten months and thirteen months, other than I have been so busy I haven't had a chance to do an update. I'm back in school taking one math class and its like a full time job!!!!

So, from October to January 31st, I was at a total plateau. I was at the same weight for like four months, crazy. I finally went in to see Dr. Simpson on January 31st and his first question was "why did you wait so long?"

I really don't know.

He gave me a fill, only a 1/2 cc more of saline in the band, and boy did that do the trick! I've lost another five pounds since that day and its only February 18, 2012. Of course, I can't eat that much right now, I'm doing a lot of liquids, but if I eat super (and I mean super) slow, then I can have solid food. I'm not sure I'm liking how tight the band is right at the moment, but its getting me over the plateau hump, so I'm gonna stick wth it for a while. I actually still have about 35 lbs to lose.

I have a lot of people noticing now that I have lost weight. It shows mainly in my face - the only pitfall to losing weight in your face is that it makes your wrinkles shine a little brighter and I'm losing my youthful look that I have always been "known" for. Or maybe I'm just losing my youth, ha ha, I will be 45 next month.

Anyhoo, I'll post a picture that I get a lot of comments on. It was at Christmas time and the angle was perfect - I guess I look skinny in this picture! That's so cool to say, "I look skinny!" Still hard to believe. When you've been overweight for so long, its hard to see yourself as skinny.

Signing Out - God Bless

10 Months

10 months and counting! I can't believe its been almost a year since I had my surgery. Still holding at about 25 lbs weight loss. Seem to be at a stand still lately - probably all those cookies! Its crazy that healthy foods do not stay down well, but cookies...no problem! I feel good though. I do need to work out, I think that would help with my clothes fitting better.

Hope to be able to stay away from all the sweets this holiday season!

9 MONTHS

Well, well, well, I am nine months into my new journey - its kind of funny that we're at the nine month mark - because it was during my nine months of pregnancy back in 1996 that I gained all this weight and could never really get it off. In the nine months I've been on this journey, I've lost nearly 30lbs, only 1/2 of what I gained while I was pregnant. I guess it'll take me 18 months to get it all off.

Not much new to report other than than I moved and somewhere along the way, I've misplaced my scale. I had some friends helping me pack, and I haven't found the scale in any boxes so I'm wondering if it might still be in one of their vehicles??? Probably slid under a seat or something. Funny. Maybe its a sign that I need to throw away the scale? Maybe not! I think I'm down at least 3 lbs from last month, so that's good. My size 15 pants are getting a bit big on me so I went and bought a Jones New York pair (at Savers) that are a size 14. But I can't get my large behind into them, ha ha. I think they may be a 14 super skinny jr. size or something, so I need to try again another day. Just like other clothes I've purchased these past nine months that were too small, I'll keep them tucked away in my closet until someday when I can fit in them. That's used to be a depressing thought for me, but the somedays have been coming these past several months and its such a great feeling.

Hey, I went to the David Crowder concert on October 6th and I bought a medium t-shirt - WOW...what an awesome feeling. It's a bit snug, but it does fit and I'v worn it once already. I like buying clothes in smaller sizes. I have a $150 Talbot's gift card but I'm hanging on to that a little while longer because I want to buy an outfit that I can wear a while.

Other than that, I posted a new picture, its on the left hand side of my blog for some reason? My face is getting thinner, so you can see my wrinkles more clearly, and my gray hair just seems to be coming in all the quicker these days? Waz up with dat? No fair.

Anyhoo, signing off until Month 10. Have a good one.