I know you have all been waiting for this one!
I am so excited to share this very special S.O.B. Story from our beloved Bandster from Down Under, Cara of The Dash!
Cara's story is amazing and inspiring. She transformed herself from 250 lbs (113.3 kilos) to a tiny and beautiful 164 pounds (74.8 kilos) or size 8-10 U.S./12-14 Australian. WOW!
Just look at her before and afters! Cara was lovely even as a big girl, but now she's totally hot!
Maybe even more amazing is the way Cara has met her goals while constantly providing generous, warm, thoughtful support to so many Bandsters, both new and "old." I know Cara was one of my first Followers, and she always leaves the kindest, most helpful comments. THANK YOU CARA!
Her story, her pictures, and most of all her beautiful personality all speak for themselves. So here she is, the Superstar from Oz, our beloved Cara!
More amazing Afters, just stolen from her latest blog post ;)
1. All about You!
Please tell us a little bit about yourself (age, how long you have had the band, etc.).
Hi my band buddies. My name is Cara and I live in Western Australia. I’m 44 years old, have been married for 21 years and have four sons – 20, 17, 14 and 10.
I was banded by Dr Chris Couch at Waikiki Private Hospital on the 29th May 2009, so I have had my band – as of today – for exactly 1 year, one month and 11 days. I was lucky that my private insurance covered most of the operation and the only outlay I had was covering the excess which was $2000.
When it came time for me to do my pre-op I was super focused. I did almost three weeks of protein shakes and I stuck to it like glue – the one and only time I deviated was two days before my operation where I went out to lunch with my husband to celebrate our anniversary. This three weeks on shakes was where I showed my greatest weight loss to date – a whopping 8.3 kilos or just over 18 pounds lost in that 20 days.
Thinking back – I remember how often I tried to lose this weight and how many different things I tried. And like so many of you I would do okay for a while, lose a good whack only to put it back on again – and more. The catalyst that turned my life around was because I was tired. Tired of the merry go round of dieting, tired of feeling flat (and fat) and heavy all the time and tired of the way I looked. I would stare in the mirror while applying my makeup and wonder: How would I look/feel if and when I actually managed to nail this weight loss? Would I ever actually be able to lose this weight in the first place? It all felt a bit hopeless.
Then 16 months ago I bumped into a friend I hadn’t seen in ages: she had lost 40 kilos with a lap-band and I was stunned, just stunned. I came right home, researched until I had information coming out of my ears, entered some long, deep discussions with my husband and got the ball rolling. Nothing was going to stop me this time and the rest - as they say – is history……
2. Your Weight Loss:
Please let us know your starting weight and/or size, and current weight and/or size
My starting weight was exactly 113.3 kilos (or 250 pounds.) My size clothing was anywhere between an 18 – 22 Australian (which is 14-18 US) and/or an X-large (super boomba!!.) I am currently sitting on 74.8 kilos (164 pounds) which is a loss of 84 pounds and I am now buying clothes in an Australian 12-14 (which is an 8-10 US) and I fit small to medium. One of the things that amazes me most is I would often wear a size bigger on my top half due to being top heavy. But that has come down so much also that I now wear a consistent size on both my top and bottom half.
How long did it take you to get to your goal weight (or first 100 lbs. lost)?
I plucked a number out of the air to start with. I wanted to lose 40 kilos or 88 pounds. But of course, when you’re as big as I was, 40 is just a number. It sounded right to me because it was a nice round figure and I honestly had no idea what I would look like (or feel like) as a smaller person. I am about 1.5 kilos or 2.5 pounds away from that figure BUT just the other day readjusted my goal weight. I am satisfied right where I am. This weight feels good to me. I am happy.
As you got closer to your goal, was your weight loss slower?
Oh yeah! I would have to say I lost most of the weight early on after the banding. Probably the first four months made the most significant difference and the rest has come off slowly. That said, I was a consistently losing an average of a pound a week.
Did you experience plateaus? What did you do to shake up weight loss stalls?
I did experience a few plateaus and they lasted around 2-3 weeks at a time. The first time this happened I was puzzled. I was still doing everything the same and yet my weight stalled. I put it out there on my blog that I needed help and as usual the girls came through. I took up their suggestions, which was to up my calorie intake and do a little more exercise. How strange does that sound? But it was true. I was not getting enough food in, and the moment I started doing so, the weight started moving down again.
How did you decide on a goal weight?
How does anyone decide? When we are big we have zero idea what is a good weight for us. Sure, we can follow the BMI and weight charts – but for me, in honest truth, they don’t show the whole picture. What I remembered was that I was 65 kilos in my early 20’s – around the time I got married. I knew that figure now in my mid-forties was going to be too thin so I picked a nice round figure (the irony of a nice round figure is not lost on me …ha!) and I ran with it. So 40 it was.
Is your final goal weight considered “normal” on the BMI charts?
I am on the upper level of ‘normal’ but that suits me just fine.
3. All about Food!
Do you follow any of the band rules religiously? (For example, no drinking with meals, etc.)
I have always followed the no drinking with the band rule. That and taking my multi-V are two of the most important rules to me.
Which band rules do you think are most important?
The above – the no drinking rule can be thought of two ways. I’m not convinced it makes a difference to how we lose weight but the theory behind it is sound. You don’t want to flush that food through the pouch too quickly and ending up hungry again an hour later. That said, I have never pushed that boundary. I figured it was a good rule – an important rule and I stuck with it. I still do. Plus it was a good habit to get into.
I think the other important rule is the eating slowly and carefully. We all know how eating too fast can make our pouch back up so this is another rule I follow meticulously. That said: it was one of the hardest to conquer. I still forget sometimes especially if my band is a bit looser.
Did you track calories or log your food while you were losing weight? Do you do this now?
No. I never track calories or log my food. I did it once for three days when I hit my first plateau but to me this defeats the purpose of the band. I want to live my life and not have to worry about every single thing I’m eating. As long as my band is controlling HOW much I consume then I don’t seem to gain weight.
Did you measure your portions? Do you do this now?
I have a fairly good eye so no. I don’t measure portions. But I do use a small plate and never go beyond the inside line when placing my food on it. Same goes for my small bowl. I only ever fill it half way. That and my stomach telling me when enough food is enough seems to cover it quite well.
Describe a typical day of eating for you, both during your weight loss phase and now.
For the first 9 months or so I concentrated heavily on protein. To me this was heaven – I am a meat lover. I have found though, the longer I have the band the more relaxed I am about it. I sometimes skip meals. This isn’t ideal but my life is very busy and if I’m not hungry, well, I’m not going to force the issue. I would say right now – I have porridge with a teaspoon of sugar or an iced coffee for breakfast – I skip lunch, probably having something around 2-3pm (an apple, banana, Greek Yogurt or a slice of deli ham wrapped in a slice of cheese is perfect) and then dinner is whatever we are having. This could be anything from butter chicken and rice to Cottage pie and vegetables to beef wraps (where I just eat the inside) and most things go down okay.
Some lap band practices tell patients to eat only 3 small meals a day; some say 3 meals plus 1 or 2 snacks; some say 5 or 6 small meals. What did you do when you were losing weight, and what do you do now?
I try to eat regularly but it doesn’t seem to work for me. To be truthful I don’t adhere much to a regular pattern. I eat when I’m hungry. Right now I would say I eat two meals a day and perhaps have two small snacks. That is pretty much how I ran when I was losing weight and it’s helping me maintain right now also.
Approximately how many calories per day did you eat during your weight loss, and how many now?
I would have to say I stuck to around 1200 (I’m roughly guessing – don’t quote me on that) when I was losing weight. When you get in the swing of things, you start to realise how much one food contains calorie wise and I keep a rough estimate in my head of how much I eat. I think now I am probably sitting anywhere between 1200 – 1400 calories on any given day. Some days it’s less, some days it’s more.
What are some of your favorite band-friendly foods?
I love Greek yoghurt so that’s one for me. Weet-bix is another (it’s a breakfast cereal.) I can pretty much eat anything actually.
Did you drink protein shakes during your weight loss phase? Do you now?
I have occasionally gone back to protein shakes when I think I am running a little low on eating protein the usual way. I don’t mind them at all.
Did you follow any special “diet” plan during your weight loss – for example, low carb, counting points on Weight Watchers, etc.?
Jeez no! I just ate ‘heathy’ foods or at least the best I could and let nature take its course. I absolutely refused – once my band was in – to ever, EVER do anything like that again. So far it’s worked for me.
Are there any foods you cannot eat with the band (like meat, bread, etc.)?
Soft breads and my band don’t mix even when my band is looser. Other than that I have been fairly lucky. I can eat rice, pasta and lettuce with no problems. I can eat all meats, too.
What would a “splurge” day be like for you?
I don’t have splurge days. If I want something naughty or nice, I have it. I still think I drink too much iced coffee and that’s one thing I would like to cut out, but so far it’s not having any difference on my maintenance and I figure I could do with the calcium – if there’s any in there lol.
4. All About Fills!
What size band do you have, and what amount of fill do you have?
I have a 10 ml Realize Band and I think I’m sitting on about the 7ml mark with it at the moment. I never really know the exact amount but that’s roundabouts where I remember I am.
How many fills did it take you to get to your “sweet spot”?
I think it took me about five or six fills to get to the ‘sweet spot.’ I remember it was back in October ’09 that I vlogged about how my hunger had virtually disappeared and the weight loss had kicked big time into gear again. I was amazed and thrilled.
Approximately how many weeks or months after surgery until you reached the “sweet spot”?
I think it was about the five month mark that I finally hit a great place with my band. My doctor goes slowly with his fills so it took a little longer maybe than most but when that green zone came, well, it was heaven sent.
Did you ever have to get a un-fill?
I’ve never had an un-fill.
Can you drink water and other fluids easily at your fill level?
Oh, yes. In fact this is always a sign to me that maybe I’m due for another fill: When I can chug water down. My doctor told me that I should never do that again, that I should sip my water like a fine whiskey. I am constantly conscious of the sip and not gulp rule so I try to never chug.
Do you get stuck and/or slime and/or PB very often?
Where I am right now I might go for five or six days with nothing happening, then suddenly have a day where nothing stays put. Or I might just have the one episode. I seem to throw up very easily though. If I feel something is uncomfortable or even marginally stuck, I bend over and voila, up it comes. It’s not a great habit and I’m trying to stop this by waiting. Most times I succeed. It’s all a matter of slowing right down.
5. Share Your Secrets!
Tell us your best tips for losing weight with the band. What do you think contributed most to your success?
I would say determination is what has contributed most with the band. I refused to not let this work. If it didn’t where else was there to go? I would have tried everything. I don’t know if I have any best tips. I really believe it’s all about the head-space you are in. It’s 90 percent mental and the rest is up to you physically. If you are determined enough to make it work, then it will.
What advice do you have for Newbies? Is there anything you would have done differently if you could go back to the months right after your surgery?
I wouldn’t do a thing differently. If there’s one thing I would tell a newbie it’s to follow your doctor’s rules. Don’t bend or break them, especially in those first few months. You have so much to learn with your new tool. The other thing is: remember it’s not a race. You have the time to lose this slowly as we all know how losing fast turns out. Don’t pay attention to what or how others are doing things. Do it your own way. Your body will be your guide.
What is the best band-related advice you received?
I remember sitting in my doctor’s office waiting for him to write out my referral to see Dr Couch. We were talking about the pros and cons of the band and he said this: “What you about to be given is a tool. Nothing more, nothing less. This will not work if you find ways to ‘fudge’ it. If you continue to eat the way you ate pre-band then the chances are this is not going to work for you. But if you make some changes – even small ones – then your chances are greater. You have to be in that place mentally. You have to want to do it – you have to want to ‘succeed.’ If you can ‘work’ with your band and not fight against it, then you will become a success story. I believe you can do it. Now you have to believe.” He believed in me, I believed in myself and I did win. The proof is in the pictures.
How did you deal with “head hunger”?
If head hunger is eating when you’re not hungry but because you want to then I guess I still haven’t dealt with it yet. That said: now that I have the band the damage is so much more minimal. If I want something to eat and I’m not hungry often I will distract myself and if after a time I still want it, then I have it.
Did you find the mental aspect of losing weight difficult? (Including, for example, no longer relying on food for stress relief, getting used to seeing yourself as a “thin” person, or anything else)? How did you deal with this?
I don’t think I ever looked to food for stress relief. What I did get was careless with what I ate and it’s a perpetual thing. The more you eat, the less good you feel and so you eat because you ‘lose’ yourself. I love being thinner. I feel much more like the ‘old’ me and the new me is quickly catching up. I cannot think of a single thing I dislike about having this band. For me it was a Godsend.
6. The Dreaded “E” Word: Exercise!
How long after surgery did you start exercising?
I started walking a couple of weeks after surgery. Just small jaunts, that over the months became longer and faster.
What kind of exercise do you do, and how frequently?
I still only walk… occasionally I jog. Because I now can! How cool is that?
Do you think exercise is important to your success?
For me, no I don’t think so. I haven’t lost this weight through a lot of exercise, if anything I’m a slack tart. I do find though because I am now thinner I can move so much more freely and I WANT to move. I rarely sit still (unlike pre-band days when I would spend all day in front of my computer) and I am outdoors a whole lot more.
7. Issues with loose skin/plastic surgery
Have you had any issues with loose skin?
I don’t like my stomach. After four children and a substantial weight loss I don’t think it looks too flash. Same could be said for my upper arms and my flat ass. That said I consider myself lucky. My skin has bounced back fairly ok. I have no sagging on my thighs or hips and the rest of me looks ok too for a forty plus woman.
What are your thoughts about plastic surgery?
I am not worried about plastic surgery at all. I think if you want it, get it. I would like to have my boobs done but the tummy tuck freaks me out a little. It seems such a big thing and time off to heal is an issue. So for now I will stick with what I have. If my husband isn’t that bothered by it all – which he’s not – then I’m not. I can live with my flaws.
I started walking a couple of weeks after surgery. Just small jaunts, that over the months became longer and faster.
What kind of exercise do you do, and how frequently?
I still only walk… occasionally I jog. Because I now can! How cool is that?
Do you think exercise is important to your success?
For me, no I don’t think so. I haven’t lost this weight through a lot of exercise, if anything I’m a slack tart. I do find though because I am now thinner I can move so much more freely and I WANT to move. I rarely sit still (unlike pre-band days when I would spend all day in front of my computer) and I am outdoors a whole lot more.
7. Issues with loose skin/plastic surgery
Have you had any issues with loose skin?
I don’t like my stomach. After four children and a substantial weight loss I don’t think it looks too flash. Same could be said for my upper arms and my flat ass. That said I consider myself lucky. My skin has bounced back fairly ok. I have no sagging on my thighs or hips and the rest of me looks ok too for a forty plus woman.
What are your thoughts about plastic surgery?
I am not worried about plastic surgery at all. I think if you want it, get it. I would like to have my boobs done but the tummy tuck freaks me out a little. It seems such a big thing and time off to heal is an issue. So for now I will stick with what I have. If my husband isn’t that bothered by it all – which he’s not – then I’m not. I can live with my flaws.
Anything else to tell us?
If you are reading this and contemplating a band I say do it! I went into this whole deal not knowing if it would work for me, but drive and determination has found me over 38 kilos lighter and turned my life around.
Enjoy the fact you can now wear beautiful clothes again, wear high heels and feel super sexy. Enjoy the NSV’s that occur almost every day: from the fact you can walk without getting puffed, to that belt notching in one hole tighter. Enjoy the compliments and take them in the spirit in which they are given.
You just have to believe in yourself. If you can do that then you are half way there.
