1 Year Bandiversary

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Well it has been one year since I had the Realize lap-band surgically inserted around the upper part of my stomach.  I started out weighing 252 and now weigh 232.  Yes, I have only lost 20 lbs total in 12 months!  This turned out to be much more work and frustration than I expected.  However, I have no one to be frustrated with but myself.  I was doing pretty well until the beginning of summer about 5 months ago.  I live in the desert so summer starts in May around here.  I was walking regularly 4-5 days a week during my lunchtime at work until the weather started creeping into the triple digits…  Then I just stopped!!!  I mean stopped everything!

I quit walking, I quit focusing on the right foods, I quit tracking my progress, I quit weighing myself and I quit feeling good about everything I had been doing.  Before I knew it, it was the end of September and I had put back on almost 8 lbs.  30 lbs for the year wasn’t close to what I wanted 12 months ago but at this point, it is better than 20 lbs.

Now, no sense crying over spilled milk.  What should I do from here?

Well, to start with, I went to visit my surgeon recently and discussed the problems and concerns I needed answered.  It turns out, maybe I am too full, that’s why I am choosing some of the wrong things to eat, mostly slider foods and not staying full.  Combine that with no exercise and you wonder why I’m getting no where…duh!  Doc said to return to the 4 oz eating more solid proteins and get back into the exercise.  Cut out snacking, sliders, and liquid calories to start, so that’s where I am heading.

I started weighing myself again and tracking my food this week!  I am hoping this gets my head back in the game.  I will begin a new walking regime tomorrow with an outing to photograph the Wild Mustangs with my new camera lens…

All-in-all, I have kept up with a group of friends who were all banded during the month of September last year and after one year, some of us are doing really well and some of us are still struggling.  I guess I must keep reminding myself that the lap-band is still only a tool.  I am still the only one in control of becoming the healthier person I want to be…  It is still a day-to-day struggle to overcome the “I hate exercise” and “I love chocolate” mindset but if I want to be a 160 lb person, I must choose to live like a 160 lb person.

I hope to come back next time with a more positive update…