Wednesday, February 19, 2014

The choices we make

Last night, I had the opportunity to catch up with a good friend that I haven't seen since last July.

We had our weight loss surgeries one day apart. She had RNY. I chose to get a LapBand.

As my blog has shown, the Band is not the easiest way to lose weight. Can you be successful? Yes, but it takes alot of hard work. Am I even halfway to my goal at almost 1 year out? No. I knew going in that weight loss with the Band is slower, and that it typically takes two years to reach your goal. My goal was to lose 200 lbs in total, from where I started (428lbs). I am about 19lbs away from losing the first 100lbs of my overall goal--the majority of which I lost prior to surgery. But it all counts in the end--weight lost is life gained!

My friend started a bit smaller in size than I did (she was in a size 26 when she started the pre-classes). By the time she had surgery, she had lost so much weight that she had to stop before surgery so that her BMI would remain high enough for her to still be eligible.

Now, she's in a size 6.  From a 26 to a 6 in 11 months. She looks amazing. And deep down inside, there is the tiniest little part of me thinking, I could have had that kind of success and be at/near goal right this minute, if I had made her choice.

Do I regret the choices that I have made to go with the LapBand over the RNY? No. I have my reasons for the Band. And so far, it's working (better now that I think I have proper restriction). Will I reach my goal by 3/25/2015? I don't know--maybe. It's not impossible. I know what I need to do, it's just a matter of finding the time and money to be able to commit to a gym. It's a matter of making the right food choices.

My surgeon is happy with my progress. He says that being consistant is more important that huge dramatic loss with the Band. I'm averaging about 1lb per week. I lost 7.8 lbs from December 18 to today. And considering that I'm bloated from my Aunt Flow showing up tonight, well, I'm very happy with the scale today.

When I texted my friend this morning and told her how much I had lost, she texted me back, "FANTASTIC, Luka! I am so flippin' proud of you (although I couldn't NOT be proud)! You are doing this the right way, occasional milkshake and all. Above all, keep listening to your own intuition and feelings. Can't wait to see you again in March or April!".

Sometimes, I forget that even though I chose to tell only a few people about my surgery, the support that they give is priceless.

Here's to sunny days and good friends...and a scale that continues to inch downward!  

3 comments:

  1. Losing 'almost' 100 pounds is nothing to sneeze at! You're awesome :)

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  2. I completely understand what you're feeling. I'm a year out from my surgery and am only down 22 pounds now. At 3 months out I was down 47lbs! It's a struggle every single day and there is a tiny part of me that is jealous of people who have lost more as well as a part of me that thinks I should have had the sleeve done; but, just like you, I had my reasons for getting the band. I wish it was easier, but it is what it is and it is what you make it! If you even need someone please contact me! I'll even give you my number if you wanna text. It's great to have a support team around you, especially ones who know exactly what you're going though

    XO

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  3. I think it's great you've lost a pound a week since December - it sounds like you ARE learning to work with your band! The band IS so different - it takes time to figure out how to work with it - to get it adjusted, to figure out what we can eat, etc. The other surgeries (from what I understand - I haven't had them so maybe I'm wrong to speak but here I go anyway, lol!!) give much faster initial results, but then you still have to learn how to eat to maintain the loss for a lifetime or you can eventually stretch your stoma and undo the work there, too. So I THINK no matter what, we have to LEARN TO CHANGE THE WAY WE EAT, and kudos to you Ms. Luka Beth that you are doing that. I'm glad you have friends to support you and cheer you on. I'd have felt some mixed feelings for sure seeing a friend at size 6! It is hard not to compare, very hard. Good for you for being a great friend back - and cheering her success, AND cheering your own - may we ALL be successful in our chosen ways!! They all have advantages and challenges!! (I hope you are keeping pictures and records of your progress - I forgot how far I have come, and with ONLY 50 pounds, when I look back, I'm amazed how different it looks and feels on me. So your ONLY 81 is just amazeballs. It is so easy to forget, when we are at a new place, what the old place was like, especially when it did happen over many months.)

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