6 Month Bandiversary!

Six months ago today I was banded. Can you believe it??? I feel like time has flown by. As of today I have lost 52 pounds. Although this past month has only been a very small loss (4 pounds), overall I am very pleased. It averages out to 2 pounds lost per week. My doctor has STILL not cleared me for exercise and I am beginning to wonder if he ever will. He also recently put me back on some of blood pressure meds he had tried to take me off of...my body had "rebound" hypertension when he did this and it ended up getting very high again (158/118).

Taking all the meds still sucks, but I don't regret getting the band one bit. I feel so much better now than I did 6 months ago. I would do it all over again.

I know I probably would have lost more if I had been able to exercise. Considering that I haven't, I am pretty darn proud of those lost (hopefully never to be found) 52 pounds.

So here are some of the "rules" I go by:

• I (almost) never eat bread, rice, or pasta. I say "almost" because I have had some chicken with breading...but I never eat rolls, biscuits, sandwiches, etc.

• I NEVER drink while eating. This one is a "have to" because I will throw up if I drink within 20-30 minutes of eating.

• I log what I eat EVERY day in MFP. I wish I was one of those people who could just keep up with it in my head, but I'm not. I had never tracked calories before the band. It has been very eye opening for me.

• I don't weigh myself every day. Usually only once a week, and I have even gone longer. I know some people need to weigh every day to hold themselves accountable or whatever, but it drove me bat shit crazy in the beginning when I was weighing every day. I am not the kinda person who loses a few ounces every day or an even 2 pounds a week. I may go 2 weeks and not lose an ounce and then get on the scale and boom...4 pounds gone.

• I pretty much stick to 800-1000 calories a day. I know that may sound low to some, but remember...I am not exercising.

• I drink water every day. For the first few months I was getting in 100 oz. a day. That just isn't possible with my new job. Now its more like 60-70 oz a day.

• I don't beat myself up if the scale hasn't moved. I know that I feel better than I have in 3 years and that is what is most important to me.

And there ya have it....they may not be the perfect rules, but they are working for me :)

In case you were wondering what this Barbie looked like...here is a picture from The Rockstar's graduation day.


**Edited Post...deleted photo...ya snooze, ya lose :)