Another S.O.B. whose pictures say a thousand words. (Or, in Tina's case, four pictures says about 4 million words!)
Be sure to click on the pictures to biggerize and really take a good look!
Can you even believe it? 120 POUNDS! WOW! Those are some Superstar numbers and some awesome freaking Before and Afters!
Tina, you look incredible! But Tina's words are just as impressive, as you will see when you read her S.O.B. story, below.
Now, I have to admit I have a special appreciation for Tina's accomplishments. First, as a fellow Mom of 4, I know how the whole Big Family thing can complicate one's weight loss goals. As a fellow 40-Something facing the dreaded Metabolism Slowdown (yes! it is real!), and as a fellow Working Mom, I get what she had to go through (at least some of it, anyway).
Even apart from these things we have in common, I have always loved Tina's "No Diet," totally realistic, totally long-term perspective on losing weight. Tina's incredible transformation reminds me that success can be a reality for us all. We may not get there in our first year, but we will get there -- just like Tina!
Some of my favorite Tina quotes:
"I think number one you have to aim for consistency in your habits, not fast losses."
When I am losing weight at a good pace I eat less than 1200 calories but it will vary from day to day. I have gradually eaten less and less calories (or amounts of food) as time has passed and my band has been filled.
Did you drink protein shakes during your weight loss phase? Do you now?
"This is a long term solution and time does not matter…as long as the scale gradually moves down you are making progress."
And this is what really makes me smile (and cry a few tears of happiness) about Tina's journey:
"This band has helped me to throw a huge monkey off my back (food, worrying about what others think of me, how I feel about food and my entire relationship with eating). For the first time in my life I feel normal and I want that gift for everyone."
Tina, you are a World Class S.O.B. and you so deserve all the gifts you have received -- and achieved -- through your hard work. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and wonderful perspective with us all.
1. All about You! Tell us a little bit about yourself (age, how long you have had the band, etc.)
I am 46 years old and live in Portland, Oregon. I have four daughters ages 26, 23, 20, and 8. The three older daughters live nearby in their own apartments, and it is just three of us at home now (my husband, 8 year old daughter and I).
I am a mathematics educator who recently quit a full time job with a long commute and have been working part-time at a community college (which I love!!) and part time tutoring K-12 kids in my home. I recently got a new part time gig at a much closer university to do some research on a teacher training program.
Since my shift to a few part-time jobs I have reclaimed my leisure time and started knitting, gardening and spending more time cooking. I am really enjoying my ‘semi-retirement’ and I keep threatening my husband that I am going to give up work all together.
I decided to get a Lap-band almost three years ago after doing a bunch of research on the lapband and reading several blogs and posts at Obesity Help. I found that the balance of success, long-term adjustment, small complications but almost non-existent high impact complications were the right choice for me. I was scheduled for surgery in May 2008 and then had another illness cause me to postpone the surgery until August 2008. This made my wait time from first doctor’s visit to surgery one full year. Now almost 1 year and 9 months later I have lost 120 pounds.
2. Your Weight Loss
Please let us know your starting weight and/or size, and current weight and/or size
I weighed 304 at my highest weight and I cried standing on the scale.. I went to Weight Watchers immediately after and lost 46 pounds. For more than a year after reaching that low I plateaued. I finally gave up Weight Watchers, and as many of us have done many times I started regaining the weight. On the day of my surgery I weighed 298 pounds. When I started my ticker I put in the all time high weight of 304 because I never want to forget that number and the anguish I felt when I saw it on the scale. This morning I weighed 184.2 pounds.
At my highest (and even at 298) I wore a size 26 pants and a 3x top. I have my big jeans waiting in the closet to try on (I have contemplated getting them out for a try on sessions. I will let you have the pics first J). Many times I tried on 3x tops that did not fit. Now I wear a size 14 or a size large in most stores.
How long did it take you to get to your goal weight (or first 100 lbs. lost)?
I hit 100 pounds lost right around Christmas time (2010). This was about 18 months from banding. I have set my goal weight at 165.4 as this is the highest weight I can be and still be in the normal range. I am not sure if I will actually get there or even want to get there but I have decided to try and see how things go. I weighed 165 for perhaps one week when I was 16 years old. As many say, I am totally happy even at my current weight and my doctor says that as soon as I hit the overweight range that I gained 99% of the health benefits I will obtain for this weight-loss journey. Anything else I lose is purely for my own emotional well-being. On one visit after I told him that I was riding my bike for exercise he suggested that that I might want to lose more weight so I could more easily climb hills (A lighter body is cheaper to achieve than paying for lighter bike components). He said this half jokingly though. My surgeon is an avid bike-rider and he was very excited to give me riding tips and trail advice. J
As you got closer to your goal, was your weight loss slower?
My weight-loss has slowed down quite a bit. I may go weeks without losing any weight now and then hit a week where I lose 3 and then it will stall again and lose nothing for 3 more weeks.
Did you experience plateaus? What did you do to shake up weight loss stalls?
Most of the time I would experience a plateau when I did not recognize that it was time to go in for a fill. I have found that the difference between an unsatisfactory fill level and my sweet spot are very fine grained. When my fill level is slipping (usually because I have lost a bit of belly fat) I slowly start feeling the need to snack between meals. I start experiencing cravings for food (especially at night). Then I start eating a little bit more at my meals and then start getting a little sloppy about chewing or eating fast. The longest it took me was 2 months to figure it out. Usually it takes about a month. Each time I have really need a fill but I think I get complacent about how my fill is working for me and when I recognize it I have always been sure right after the fill that it was the right thing to do and totally shocked that I let it go so long…ah hindsight…
How did you decide on a goal weight?
At first I did not decide. My first goal was to just turn the scale from increasing to decreasing. Then I wanted to get out of the Queen-sized department. Then I wanted to lose 100 pounds, then get below 200 pounds. Then get below 185…now my goal is 170 (the weight I weighed in high school) and finally my semi-firm goal weight of 165.4. This, as I said above, is set only because it is the highest weight for my height (5 ft. 8 in.) considered normal.
Is your final goal weight considered "normal" on the BMI charts?
Yep.
3. All about Food!
Do you follow any of the band rules religiously? (For example, no drinking with meals, etc.)
My number one band rule-Do not drink with meals. I do not do it. In the beginning, if I got a little stuck I could dislodge or push the food through with liquids but as my band got tighter and tigher and I hit a sweet spot (with many more to follow) I found that I could not drink while I ate or even shortly after as it just took up any room in my pouch. When the food stops at my stoma it is in there for a while and if I tried to drink the liquid just comes back up in the form of a PB or slowly filters through but often painfully. I prefer to drink first and eat separately. I can feel when my food passes through my band (lots of burping) and I wait to drink until after that happens.
I also try to eat my protein first but sometimes fudge when it comes to snacks.
Did you track calories or log your food while you were losing weight? Do you do this now?
NO, no, no, no…I do not track any food. I do keep a running list in my head of the protein I have eaten for the day and I occasionally check the protein grams I have gotten in.
Did you measure your portions? Do you do this now?
I don’t measure but I do eat most of my meals out of either a coffee mug, a small glass bowl or a lunch plate. This helps me from wasting so much food. I eat until my stomach says it is registering food. I cannot wait until a feeling of full as this is too far and I will likely PB up some or all of what I have eaten. When I can feel any food in my pouch I stop (this is roughly ½ a cup of food).
Describe a typical day of eating for you, both during your weight loss phase and now.
I get up and drink something. It used to be a diet coke but I have recently switched to tea with milk. The warm drink seems to soothe my tight band. I might have a very small breakfast of a slice or two of cheese, and/or part of a packet of oatmeal with fruit and nuts added.
Lunch might be the rest of the oatmeal packet, ½ of a sandwich, a small cup of soup or 4-5 cheese and crackers. Lately I have been making dinner early to reheat later and I will have a bit of dinner for lunch.
I usually have an afternoon snack. Sometimes it is an ice cream cone with Grace after school or a protein bar or a yogurt.
For dinner I have whatever we are having for dinner. Fish, turkey burger in some casserole situation, steaks, chicken etc. with a small spear of broccoli or another vegetable.
On a good fill day I will only have a drink in the evening. If I am a bit loose I might desire a night time snack. This is usually a time when I get into trouble. I might want ice cream, cookies or a ½ cup of cereal.
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 eat three to five meals a day. My doctor has never suggested I do either. He basically said eat when you are hungry and listen to your body. He always says take it easy or be careful right after a fill J
Approximately how many calories per day did you eat during your weight loss, and how many now?
When I am losing weight at a good pace I eat less than 1200 calories but it will vary from day to day. I have gradually eaten less and less calories (or amounts of food) as time has passed and my band has been filled.
What are some of your favorite band-friendly foods?
Post-band I discovered the joys of seafood. Fish, lobster and crab are excellent sources of protein that are really easy to digest for a banded person. Cheese has always been a staple in my diet as has orange juice (I have a cup most evenings to battle the constipation many have trouble with).
Did you drink protein shakes during your weight loss phase? Do you now?
I go off and on protein shakes. When I feel that my protein levels are just not measuring up like they should I may add a protein shake into my diet in the evenings as a dessert like treat. I mix vanilla whey powder with fruit and orange juice to make a smoothie. I also use protein bars when I feel like I have not been getting enough protein or I am on the run and don’t have time for a proper meal.
Did you follow any special "diet" plan during your weight loss -- for example, low carb, counting points on Weight Watchers, etc?
I try to eat a diet rich in protein (at least a little at every meal). I try to get in a bit or two of vegetables or fruit with every meal.
Are there any foods you cannot eat with the band (like meat, bread, etc.)?
Leftovers give me problems. I have to be very careful with beef. I cannot and have not been able to eat a hamburger from the very beginning. Roast beef I have to be careful with. Lettuce just does not work anymore. Everything else I can eat very carefully. The commonly thought of non-band friendly foods I can eat but only in very small quantities (bread, asparagus, oranges, celery etc.)
What would a “splurge” day be like for you?
I do not consider my days to be good or bad just days. If I want candy I have candy. If I want ice cream I have it. I did once have trouble with every day being ice cream day and I had to deliberately choose not to slip ice cream down past my stoma. It was stalling my weight-loss and I faced it head on…eventually J
4. All About Fills!
How many fills did it take you to get to your “sweet spot”?
First of all I do not believe in ‘a’ sweet spot but have chased many sweet spots in the last year and 9 months. I feel like there was a gradual awakening to restriction and gradual changes in my eating habits (how much, chewing, healthier choices). I did have my first really good fill about 4 months after I was banded and then that sweet spot slips and I am chasing another.
Approximately how many weeks or months after surgery until you reached the “sweet spot”? 4 months.
Did you ever have to get a un-fill?
Once I did. It was because I was not yet ready for the fill level. I was not yet chewing well enough or ready to give up what I considered a reasonable portion size at the time (about 1 cup). After the little unfill and some work on my skills, I returned and got the fill topped up again after another month. After that lesson I have learned to ride a tight fill out with care and compliance (figuring out how to chew better, eat slower and listen to when my body says stop).
From reading the blogs I feel like I like my band on the tight side. I think this is a personal choice that we all get to make but with constant contact with your surgeon and a clear knowledge that there are risks involved with the band. If I did not listen to my stomach feedback I could stretch my pouch, slip etc.
Can you drink water and other fluids easily at your fill level?
Before I am allowed to leave the doctor’s office after a fill I must prove I can quickly drink two glasses of water (about ¼ cup each). I can drink easily even now but I have pretty tight restriction right now. As a result I am neither hungry nor thirsty most of the time. I do have to really think about drinking because my body doesn’t say..”wow Tina your are thirsty.” It does tell me it is hungry. It is up to me to get to the sink and drink before I listen to the hungry.
Do you get stuck and/or slime and/or PB very often?
At most once a week. My tightness does change from week to week (hormones are evil). When I transition from a fairly comfortable or loose fill level to a tightened one (due to water retention or even the scale going up and down) I can be taken by surprise and will sometimes get stuck or PB.
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 think number one you have to aim for consistency in your habits, not fast losses. This is a long term solution and time does not matter…as long as the scale gradually moves down you are making progress. I also think that the gradual demands of an ever-tightening band helped ease me into learning and changing my eating habits. Really examining what I used to do and what I needed to change was great. Finally, incorporating exercise into my day to day activities and finding an activity that I love was vital to keeping the scale moving.
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 think everyone has to work out the important bits for themselves. I would just urge newbies to be patient and try to unbend your mind from the self-blame cycle that we have taken on board after years and years of success and failure at weight-loss. Recognizing that it is our bodies fighting to hang on to the excess weight was huge in my ability to alter my habits to help my band help me It is sort of like releasing the battle to a higher power (in my case my physiology). When I recognized it as a physical thing I could begin to do my part to aid the band in the battle.
What is the best band-related advice you received?
It was probably to get in for a fill. When my restriction would fade I began to shift my head over to the blame game-blaming myself for the scale stoppage or eating too much of desiring snacks. When I have good restriction I do not feel the need to snack. It is really hard to see that cycle when you are in the midst of it. The people who comment on my blogs and in Obesity Help’s Lap-band forum have straightened me out more than once.
How did you deal with “head hunger”?
I do not really believe in head hunger. When I have a good fill I don’t have it. When I have a crappy fill I am hungry. Now what I go after or desire -- that is more what I would call head hunger. If I let myself get too hungry I go after the first thing I can get my hands on or will seek out sweets. I really try to keep my fill level where it should be and keep good sources of protein at hand.
I sometimes have the desire to get that old tummy full feeling. A bad habit that I had was to fill it with ice cream (slips through fairly easily). I have found that popcorn is something that works similarly but is much lower in calories. If I really need to feel that feeling and that is getting less often over time, I make home-made popcorn (kettle corn for sweet or garlic salt for savory).
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?
Sometimes. There have been periods where I had to transition my head space. Christmas has been difficult. The array of goodies and the holiday meal spread were difficult to take. I could not physically gorge myself like I had done for years.
I have had moments of weepiness over specific foods that I once loved. I also went through a mourning period for hamburgers. I ate a lot of them before the band. They were the first food my banded stomach rejected. It was probably the single most important food for me to give up and I am glad the band forced it…but it was really hard.
The periods of shifting my brain space were really important to my success. I had to say goodbye to big meals and that was probably the hardest part of having a lap band for me.
6. The Dreaded “E” Word: Exercise!
How long after surgery did you start exercising?
I went for my first walk the day of surgery. I have had lots of surgeries (4 c-sections, two hernia repairs and one gall-bladder). Through these I learned how important it was to get up and get moving to get out of the hospital and recover. After I got home I kept on walking further and further. As the weight came off everything became easier. I stopped parking close to buildings and stopped buying parking passes for work. I walked. I stopped taking elevators for anything less than 3 floors. Gradually this has evolved to little rules I set for myself. If the distance is less than a mile I walk there.
Last year the guy I worked with took up serious cycling and he planted the bug in me. I got out my old bike and got a soft big seat for it. I started riding and rediscovered the sheer joy and childlike quality to having the wind in your face. I have carried on and go on regular bike rides with my daughter trying to build up our stamina. I am still maxed out at 10 miles but when the rain finally goes away I want to keep moving that up towards 50.
What kind of exercise do you do, and how frequently?
See above J I should still do more but I feel that if you don’t find something you love you will quit.
Do you think exercise is important to your success?
Super important but I feel that I had to build it in so that I would keep doing it. If it is extra or not fun I won’t do it.
7. Issues with loose skin/plastic surgery.
Have you had any issues with loose skin?
Oh man…yes. I have saggy inner thighs, a hanging stomach, loose skin around my back, bat wings, tube socks for boobs and a crepe-y neck.
What are your thoughts about plastic surgery?
I have consulted with two plastic surgeons who want me to have stabilized my weight before I pursue plastic surgery. It is expensive and I have a hard time spending the money on it but I believe that if things work out I will eventually have a body lift to at least get rid of my stomach and upper back skin. I am worried however that it sets up a desire to get all of the other saggy bits fixed.
8. Anything else to tell us?
One thing that I was not prepared for was my hair falling out all of the time. I had plenty of hair when I started this but despite bringing it up with my surgeon several times he feels like either I have plenty of hair and should quit worrying or that it is totally normal. I have noticed that when I am in a losing phase my hair comes out faster and when I hit a plateau it stabilizes somewhat. The quantity of what I pick out of my hairbrush and off the floors is the most bothersome part.
I have had one band-related complication. My port came partially detached from my muscle and twisted one year ago in May. I had to go back in for day surgery and have my surgeon re-attach it. The recovery was really easy but it did cause some emotional trauma and fear that the band was going to fail me. Wrapping my brain back on after that took a bit of work. When the surgeon was able to get a fill in again (after a 3-4 months of him not being able to get a needle in), I was very relieved. This could have gone the other way and I totally understand the fears and sometimes failures that happen following complications.
Finally-- I want to say that this has been the best and most empowering experience for me ever. I want to tell everyone I see with a weight problem to go pursue it as it has totally changed my attitude towards life and food. This band has helped me to throw a huge monkey off my back (food, worrying about what others think of me, how I feel about food and my entire relationship with eating). I for the first time in my life feel normal and I want that gift for everyone.
This band has helped me to throw a huge monkey off my back (food, worrying about what others think of me, how I feel about food and my entire relationship with eating). For the first time in my life I feel normal and I want that gift for everyone.
