Summer Update

Another long lapse between updates! I am so sorry. Life really does "come at you fast". Here is the latest. On July 17th, I got another fill, which was definitely needed. I had gotten to the point where I was able to eat waaaay too much at one setting, which totally defeats the purpose of having a band! So, now I am up to 6.5 cc's of saline in my 10 cc band. For now, this seems to be just right. I think I have finally reached what is know as the "sweet spot"-enough restriction to provide significant appetite control, but not so much that nothing will go down. I am getting "stuck" much more frequently since the fill, mostly when I lose focus and eat too fast. That's probably the most annoying thing about having the band. Eating slowly, chewing everything to a pulp and then still getting stuck! But I seem to be losing weight again after a lengthy plateau, so it's still totally worth it.

I took my walking up a few notches last week, logging 12 1/2 miles for the week! I am hoping I can keep up the pace this week. I know that regular exercise is the key to continued success with the band, but I still struggle to find the time and energy to do it every day.

My other biggest hurdle is avoiding junk food. I eat really tiny meals, but cookies and crackers and ice-cream still go down with ease. I don't usually buy this stuff for the house, because if it's there, I'll eat it in a moment of weakness. It's so frustrating!

Still, there have been so many really wonderful things that have come out of having the lap-band and enjoying the weight loss success I have had to date. Here are just a few:

• Having visible collar bones and thin hands (even my rings are loose).
• Walking around on the beach in my swimsuit and not feeling like the hugely fat lady that everyone is staring at
• Actually liking pictures of myself
• The other day Laura said I wasn't fat anymore since I had my surgery
• Trying on clothes at the store and then realizing the size I chose was too big, having to go back and get a SMALLER size. (I never used to do that!)
• Having no shorts that fit anymore, because they are all too big!
• Buckling my seatbelt on an airplane and actually having slack.

There are lots of little victories like these that keep me encouraged, even when the scale has stopped moving. So, please continue to keep me in your prayers. Specifically, please pray that I'll have the motivation and opportunities to exercise each day, that I'll have the will power to stay away from junk food and that I'll continue to enjoy weight loss victories, both big and small, with help from my trusty Lap-band.

Thank You!!!