A Day With My Band

Once you've had several fills, the band is much tighter and limits the amount of food going in. If you eat too fast, if you eat large bites, if you drink while you eat..."we've got trouble, right here in River city"!! The elevator will reverse and the food is g o i n g u p!! Not fun!

Less is more...meaning meals that consist of 4 ounces to 12 ounces. The end. It's taken me an entire year to 'give in' to that necessity! But, now that I have, I'm on the weigh down again! Eureeka.

Breakfast - an instant packet of oatmeal (in a bowl, cover with water and nuke it for 1 1/2 minutes...enjoy)

Lunch/dinner - no later than 2 p.m. protein, veggie

mid-afternoon snack Zone Protein Bar Chocolate Almond Raisin...yum and yum

evening - can of Campbell's healthy request soup
the end.

You can not keep eating larger portions even if your band allows it. You must minimize you food intake, shrink your mind and realize you rarely feel hunger at all. Why? Well, excuse me, but that is the purpose of the band!! IT WORKS! Pay attention and work on your mental abiblities.

I hope this is helpful, in some ways for folks who slow down and read. Oft times, I think of my days at Humble Middle School and the spring I went to Weight Watchers with my best friend "Shu". We had a blast, lost weight and loved every minute of it.

By the Fall semester,, I was 50 pounds lighter, miles happier and wondered why none of my students said anything. My new lease on life had brightened my classroom and made me far more enjoyable to be around.

Then, one afternoon, I walked out of my classroom and saw an eighth grade Mom sitting there, waiting for her daughter to finish practice. We began to talk...she said, 'I hope you know how great an influence you've been on these kids'. I was shocked. "Why", I asked. They are excited over your weight loss and your new, happy spirit they see every day.

They had talked about it and decided, if I could do that, they could accomplish whatever they set their minds to. I asked why none of them had commented on it all. She said, they weren't sure they should. I told her to encourage them to share thoughts!

Wow, talk about impact without knowing it or thinking about it. We are role models in every step of life. People are watching, sometimes wishing they could do that and sometimes, they make major changes due to what they've seen in us.

I've shared my health story with various individuals in the past months. Many have said, "wow, everyone should be exposed to you. Your enthusiasm is contagious." Good for me! I'm proud to know that somehow I have possibly affected folks for the better.

I do know that a couple of cousins have undertaken bariatric surgery after seeing me or hearing about me. Yeah. If it saves lives, I'm all for it.

Here's to today and many new tomorrows. Life is ever changing and it's up to us to seek the best 'avenue' for our life path. As for me? I have two very special friends...J and M. Both of these people have been close by my side and shared their love and support! They are not the only two great folks in my life, but they are two noteable BFF's. I will also thank an old LVHS classmate, Billy.

Although we never shared a lot of laughs, classes or time together back in the day, we are still BFF's, connected with all of the remaining graduates and keeping in touch via email and Facebook. He is one individual who has shared some of the sweetest thoughts and opened my eyes with every word. After many of my classmates heard of my near demise back in March, 2004...he took time to write one of the most moving emails that I've ever received from a long past friend.

I thank him. I thank J and M. I thanks all of my BFF's and family. I thank it's time to quit writing now.

Determination

He was old, flaming red, knobby kneed and crippled with arthritis. I called him Blaze. My first horse, I was six years old. My savings account had a whoppin' $60 in it and that's exactly what the old horse cost me.
A family with seven kids had owned him, allowed the kids to pound him too death on pavement over the years and then, threw him away at the Cameron Park Stables in Waco. My dad saw him, knew he couldn't move all that fast and away we went...to the farm, Blaze in the trailer and my heart pumping out of my ears!
I had just turned six years of age then and didn't get a saddle until age 8. My daddy wanted me to 'learn how to' ride prior to a saddle. So, for two years...bareback, it was.
One of my favorite things to do every morning was to jump on Blaze and follow daddy with his load of hay. Down the gravel road, around the lazy curve and into a gate leading to the upper pasture. I was in heaven.
Now, this horse was not your automatic, smooth moving animal. He had a stilted trot and pounded the dirt with every step. I had done well for my first few weeks..learning...feeling proud...until -- one morning we headed down the gravel road in a hard trot.
His back came up, my butt went down and the only problem was the fact that I missed him as I cam down!
S P L A T!! Nothin' but gravel. Ouch and ouch, again. Daddy stopped the old red chevy pick-up and walked back to me. Tears flowing, I handed him the reins and said, "I'm not gettin' back on him'!!! Calmy, my daddy answered, "daughter, you'll get back on or we'll sell him tomorrow." Guess what, I couldn't get back on fast enough.
From that day forward I became a second Annie Oakley of sorts! I learned to balance, ride and go with the wind regardless of speed. From Blaze, I moved on into more attractive, faster moving horses. When you learn to ride bareback for a couple of years, you learn to 'become one with the horse'..it's like you're one piece in movement, syncopated and rythmical at every gait.
My year with lap band has been somewhat like my first year with that old, knobby kneed gelding. I've fallen off a couple of times, but have climbed back on with more determination than before.
Rather than face defeat and the possibilty of return to bad health, I chose to ride hard and go with the wind. It hasn't been easy. It's been a learning curve for an entire year.
However, I am proud of myself and I have proven to ME that I am very capable of managing my new lifestyle. I want to move on as I did with my different horses. It can only get better and offer more fun with each passing day.
So, to any of you reading this...BUCK UP!! Get with it and turn to a healthier style of living. For obese people, the battle never ends. But, with determination, the battle can be a win-win in your column with the right attitude.
Here's to weight loss, improved health, ease in movement and a long, happy life!