Yes... it's been a while

And by a while, I mean almost a year since I last posted here. Many reasons.... not going to get into them. But I'm back.

Lots of things going on that make this a good place for me to turn.

I'm almost 3 years to the date I started this journey and September will be 3 years with the band. Good days. Awful days. In general the best thing I ever did for myself.

That said, it's a constant struggle with my weight. And I think that's the main reason I feel compelled to come back here. The trend is that most bloggers disappear once they've had the surgery and settle into post band life. But I want to share my experience to show that a) it's NOT a magic bullet. b) success CAN happen c) the band is NOT EVIL if you do what you're supposed to do (with some exceptions).

I started at 262.2lbs and busting out of a size 20. Lowest I got to was 142 and size 6 was baggy. I didn't like it there in part because I got there during a period my band was giving me challenges and I wasn't eating or drinking enough.

147-149 seems to be my happiest point. Around Easter this year, I was 178 and climbing. The band had been wide open since November and I'd been holding steady around 158.... and then all of a sudden, hunger was insatiable and constant and my portion capacity was much higher.

So on came the weight.

My surgeon (GOD BLESS HIM) and I agreed to ease up to a sweet spot since my band tends to be temperamental and I have managed to get down to 162 so far.

But it's been frustrating. Good restriction. Intense exercise. Scale not moving. Argh! I have the world's WORST metabolism.

So, I am now working with a nutritionist. The party's over. By that, I mean, I KNOW that I've not been the poster child for good food choices. I've battled weight all my life and spent most of my adult life depriving myself or indulging and experiencing guilt and weight gain consequences.

So with the band, I had a year or so of just living free. If i wanted it, I had a bit and it was for the first time in my life OK TO DO THAT.

But as I said. Party's over. That free for all is no longer getting me where I want to be - which is 147-149, lean, healthy.

After last Wednesday's session with my nutritionist, we agreed that in order for me to do the things he wants me to do in order to jump start my metabolism (assuming i have one?!?!) I needed to open the band up a wee bit in order to increase the frequency with which I can eat.

My surgeon (GOD BLESS HIM) gave me the slight unfill and I've been good to go. Good restriction, but not so much that I can't eat or am sliming.

I told my nutritionist that my true goal is to live with an open band. Like my friend Fluffy does. And to be more accountable and disciplined with my food choices like my friend Karin does.

SO I've been doing my dreaded food journalling. I know I'm getting too many sweets and sugars in still, but I'm working on it.

My instructions for week one. Have something for breakfast - even if it's a cup of coffee. Switch from refined sugar to brown sugar. Make lunch and take it into work at least 2x a week. Add some resistance training/weight bearing exercise to my cardio intense program.

So far, I've done the first two. I'm currently making mini frittatas with egg, a bit of cheese, black beans, mushrooms, green onion and organic bruschetta to accomplish the third. And as for the fourth, I've discussed it with my workout buddy and after this coming week, we'll do that at least one morning. - only holding off because we have a triathlon in Eleuthera next weekend so don't want to do something that could cause pain until that's over!

Ta

Jessica