Lest anyone start reading this blog and think I've always been at goal (since God knows I plateaued long enough between that and today), here is a comparison shot. At left is a photo of me from my birthday celebration in 2008 -- just under a month from my surgery date. In the middle is me at the same spot in 2009, and on the right is me from last weekend. Apparently, slow and steady does the trick. I've been such a slow loser, with plenty of plateaus during this process, but the weight has eventually all come off. If I can do it, that means that you can do it too. Wow.
This post is a perfect example of why I tell all the newbies to take lots of before photos! I only have a few and wish there were more for the sake of these comparisons!
16 comments:
you look amazing (adore the dress) and are such a great example and band star!
Perfectly said, Catherine. Pics are the perfect way of charting our progress. They say so much more than any other thing. You look beautiful in all three shots!
This is why you will always inspire me Catherine! I am so like you in that I am a slow loser also and to see what you've accomplished and CONTINUE to accomplish after two years is what gives me hope!
Love it. That's why I do my "fun with Fat Photos" posts ever so often...nice reminders of why we do what we do each and every day... :)
Amazing transformation!!! And I love that each picture has a champagne glass... I know there was one this year that you cropped out... :-)
Firm believer that slow and steady IS the way...
This post is a great reminder for all of us. I sometimes get caught up in the rate of loss and how slow it sometimes seems to be for me. I'll just keep working on it and try to enjoy the journey.
I just got caught up on your previous posts and really enjoyed your birthday party photos. Everything looked great (as did you). I predict that your 40th year will be an amazing one.
I am so incredibly happy for you. Who would have thought that you would be happier and healthier at 40! <3
I've been MIA this week so just let me say Happy Birthday!! The party looked fantastic!! And you're before/after shots are absolutely inspirational!!! You're gorgeous!
True inspiration to us all!
You rock, girlfriend! Great pictures!
No wine in the last pic?
You're gorgeous!!
What a great transformation--You are always beautiful!!
I read your comment, and I understand it and thank you for your view. The only thing that we differ in is semantics. I think your use of the band is incredible, and should be praised. I am in awe. I am also sure that if you are a NYC based attorney at sometime I added to your old weight with a catered lunch. Sorry about that. My point that does not seem to get across to either side of the banded, not banded world is simple. I believe in my mind that if I order a hamburger and french fries and only eat half, for whatever the reason, I am "dieting". That said, it means nothing really, unless the word frightens you. I am still in awe, thrilled at your success, and wish you nothing but great things.
Thanks, Allan -- I appreciate your nice message! I actually think it's more than just semantics though, and think I have a way to explain what I mean (woo hoo!). :)
If you limit yourself to eating half of your burger, you're (I assume) doing it with the intention of moderating your calorie intake. If you're like me pre-band, it would require some serious discipline not to eat more than the half, and you probably would really want that other half, even if you didn't eat it.
For me, it's different, even though the outcome is exactly the same. As a bandster, when I only eat half (more like 1/3 or 1/4), it's because I'm totally done. I am full, I can't physically eat any more and I don't want any more, either. My motivation for stopping isn't calorie-based. I think that's really the heart of the distinction -- and why I don't view this as "dieting."
That said, I fully admit that my food choices factor in how healthy things are -- I absolutely pay attention to that (which totally supports your point). :) But one of the things I love the most about being banded is that the way I'm living doesn't FEEL like dieting to me. I don't feel deprived or like I'm making a sacrifice by not eating more, so staying on the right path is a lot easier for me than it was pre-band.
Sometimes I talk about being "free from the food prison." Another bandster coined that phrase, and it really resonated with me. What this means for me is I actually enjoy food more now than I did before. That is because I don't have feelings of guilt and self-loathing associated with food and eating anymore. Pre-band, I would have scarfed that whole burger, then mentally scolded myself for days about it and about how fat I'd let myself become. Actually, that was pretty much an on-going dialog for me for as long as I can remember. It feels so good to have let that go.
I'm totally off topic and yammering on at this point! But I hope that I gave you some insight to what it feels like to be banded.
I have a lot of respect for your quest to lose on your own and wish you much success! Thanks again for your very nice note.
Catherine, I'm so glad you posted this. My loss has slowed to a turtle pace, and seeing your photos made me feel a lot better about it. You look gorgeous, and I LOVED the deets on your party. You could have a second career if the lawyering thing gets old. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
I'm trying to catch up on on much as I can from being gone 9 days on my cruise and I'm so glad I found this post. I've been so down lately because the scale is moving so slow and to top it off I've been on a month long plateau. It would be fine if I was close to goal, but I have around 80 more lbs to go. It helps me a lot knowing that someone as successful and beautiful as you also lost slowly, but you made your goal. At least I'm in good company.
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