Recognizing my old self & NSV!

(That is not me in the photo, just in case you were wondering!)

A good friend of mine who I've known since 1990 was visiting last night on the tail-end of a business trip. Her name is Candace, and we met in college. Afterwards, we both wound up living in D.C. at the same time, and she moved into my apartment building. We were good friends and spent a lot of time together, but lost touch during the past six or so years -- minus a long phone call every year or so and holiday cards. (She was living in Italy, then moved back to TX to run her company from there, life got in the way, etc.)

Anyway, I hadn't seen Candace since around October of 2003 -- just about six years exactly. I had been wondering whether I was heavier now then when I last saw her. She looked pretty much exactly the same -- not older or anything -- just with longer hair. And, we completely picked up where we left off in that way that old friends do. So, my NSV? She said "You look exactly the same!! Except you're thinner." YES!!!! (Thank you, Boot Camp! I probably am 5 lbs higher on the scale, but I have more lean muscle now!)

I didn't tell my friend about me being banded -- I just didn't feel like having some conversation where I'd say "By the way, I totally let myself gain 10 pounds a year every year since I saw you last and was in an unhealthy BMI range . . . then had WLS!"

It felt great to hear her say that I look just the same (but thinner. . don't forget that part!) :) as I did before. It really reinforced that feeling I've been having of "getting myself back" through this process. I'm not sure if this will 100% make sense, but I actually recognize the version of myself that I see in the mirror these days. That's the person I remember . . not the heavier, puffy, more middle-aged-looking version of myself that I saw over the past several years. It still surprises me sometimes not to see the puffy person looking back at me, but I certainly don't miss that!!

I wonder if this experience will be different for bandsters who were very heavy for their entire adult lives and are now going to be thin. I can imagine that it might be even harder to get around to thinking of yourself as being that thinner version of yourself if you had never seen yourself that way before. I now look more like the 30s version of my the person I looked like through my teens and 20s, but I still don't always remember what I look like now and sometimes get surprised when I catch a glimpse.

(Oh, to be so young again! I was 26 years old, on a trip to Santa Fe with Candace, my mom and Candace's mother when this was taken. We were there for Indian Market Weekend.)

Thank you! (And some advice for new bandsters)

You guys make me feel so great with all of your nice comments! I got completely choked up reading the messages everyone posted in response to my post yesterday. We are definitely all in this together, and all of your encouragement, support and sharing of your own experiences has really helped me to stay strong and focused over the past 11 months.

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For anyone who is starting this process, my advice is to:

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1. Take your measurements right away;

2. Take a bunch of full-length "before" photos;

3. Give serious thought to who you are going to tell about your surgery (and who is going to turn out to be the "food police" or otherwise be a source of negativity that you don't want);

4. Get active on lapbandtalk.com (so much great advice and support on that site); and

5. Start your own blog or journal and/or start following all the bandster blogs that you like. It is so encouraging and helpful to know that you are not in this alone, and to have a network of other bandster friends.

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One more thing . . . my mother pointed out to me yesterday that I have lost over a YARD in inches!!! WOW!! (And that's just from the points that I measure!) A yard people. . . THREE FEET. That is so crazy! :)

11 Month Bandiversary and . . .SIXTYYYYYYY!!!!!!

YES!!!! I hit 60 down this morning!!! In fact, I'm down 60.6!! This is a 10-pound range where I felt pretty good in my 20s and early 30s. This also means that I only have 14.4 pounds to go to get to my goal!!

You know. . . I wonder if those figures about most people only losing about 70% of their extra weight with the band aren't wrong -- or at least outdated. Based on what I see on other bandsters' blogs and on lapbandtalk.com, it looks like most of us get to goal.

Also, today is my 11 month bandiversary!! So, I'm especially happy to get to this landmark today. This past year has really flown by, and I feel like I've really spent much of it focused on improving myself. I am very happy with the results.

At the outset, I thought I might be at goal at the one-year mark, but I'll probably still have around 10-12 pounds to go by then. If you would have told me a year ago that I'd only be 15 pounds overweight today, it would have been hard for me to really comprehend that. But. . lo & behold. . . that is the case!!

So, how has my life changed in the last 11 months?
Some of these things you already know from prior posts, but it's good for me to remind myself of them anyway, so I'll list them here.

1. I am down SIXTY pounds!

2. I feel good about my appearance.

3. I don't berate myself every single day about my weight -- in fact, I don't do that at all anymore.

4. I put more effort into planning what I am going to eat.

5. I no longer have compartmental syndrome, and am able to run!

6. I did a 5K race, running nearly 100% 0f the time!

7. I now look forward to seeing old friends and colleagues, instead of dreading it because of how much weight I'd gained.

8. I am really enjoying shopping again.

9. I am in the best physical shape of my life.

10. I feel very good about myself for working my band and making this work for me.

11. I don't overeat anymore.

12. I know how to eat so that I won't get stuck, so dining out is not a problem.

13. I am comfortable on airplanes, on the subway, etc.

14. My shoe size has gone down a 1/2 size (back to the size I wore about 2 years ago).

15. I have lost 36.1 inches -- and I counted both of my legs and arms here (though I didn't the first several times I posted inches lost). That includes a whopping EIGHT inches from my waist and 8.25 from my hips!

Lots of good news today, people!! I hope all of you are having a great day, too!

FIFTY NINE!!

About time!! It took a while for me to get off the 2.6 lbs that I gained while I was on vacation in Palm Springs! But, it's off now. Only one pound to go to the big six-oh!

I had a great weekend -- on Saturday night, I went to see God of Carnage on Broadway with Erika. The play was great, and one of the best things about it was the cast! There were only four actors in it -- James Gandolfini, Hope Davis, Marcia Gay Harden and Jeff Daniels -- all of whom I really like. Erika and I were in the 5th row center (we actually were a row up and in a better seat than Al Roker, who was there too!) so we were in a great spot for it!

After dinner, we went to the bar at The Royalton Hotel, and I actually met a very nice, very cute guy named Christoph. He is a private chef, in town visiting from Aspen to cook dinner for some very high-ups who are in town for the United Nations. We wound up meeting up for brunch the next day, and spent most of the afternoon together, walking around, which was a lot of fun. I had a dinner that night, but we also met up for a drink afterwards. Very fun, and just the kind of day I had been missing! Unfortunately, he lives in Aspen, but such is life! I had a great Sunday, and my mind was definitely not on PP! :)

Serene Stomach

I'm going to go out on a limb today and blog about a topic that everyone is familiar with. . . poop. That's right, you heard me. :) If that's TMI for you, just enjoy the lovely picture and stop reading right now!

Before I got banded, I would get upset stomachs all of the time -- at least once or twice a week. I don't know if that was due to what I was eating, or the amount I was eating, but I'm guessing it may have been the latter, since I still eat most of the same things. Since I've been banded, however, I noticed that this almost never happens. My stomach is serene, the formerly "delicate balance" is fine and, well, things are running like clockwork.

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I'd been hesitating about posting about this personal topic, but it's such a positive side-effect about being banded for me that I thought it was important to include!

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I will say that I worry about getting food poisoning or a bad stomach flu while I'm at restriction. I know that if this happens, I need to get to a doctor immediately for an un-fill. I'm thinking about asking my doctor to give me a syringe to keep at home, just in case I ever have an emergency. I don't expect that un-filling myself would be that difficult, and I'd rather do that than have to rush to the hospital while I'm in dire need of throwing up and other things. . .

Cooking with Catherine, Part VI

This is a recipe that Marjorie's lovely (and trés French) mother, Monique made for us while we were in Palm Springs. It was amazing -- so incredibly delicious, and I am dying to have it again! Happily, she was nice enough to send me the recipe, and I wanted to share it with you. It went down like a charm (though sometimes I have trouble with shrimp . . I just chewed them as well as possible, and all was fine).

This is 2x the recipe.

MONIQUE’S SAFFRON PAELLA SALAD
(serves 2-3)

RICE
5 oz. Mahatma saffron rice – cook according to instructions on package and cool off

VINAIGRETTE
3 tbs. white wine vinegar
6 tbs. olive oil or a little less
2 cloves chopped garlic (good size)
Salt and pepper to taste


OTHER INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb. cooked and deveined shrimp (medium without tails)
2 diced tomatoes
1/2 cup cooked small green peas
1/2 cup whole imported olives (Greek, Italian or French)
3 sliced green onions for garnish


ADD VINAIGRETTE AND OTHER INGREDIENTS TO COOLED RICE
For flavor, mix all ingredients 1 hour before serving. Double the recipe for 4 to 6 people, except for the olive oil for fear it will get soggy.

Hopefully the size of the kitchen doesn't impact flavor. . . my great-for-NYC kitchen is substantially more wee than this one!

Bon appetit!

Nobody puts baby in a corner!!

R.I.P., Patrick Swayze! You will be sorely missed!

I DID IT!!!!!!!

Here I am at the 1 mile mark! Adam and Erica came out with a camera AND gold pom poms (love it!) to cheer me on! So nice!

I did it! I ran my first 5K! It felt SO GREAT to be able to do this! When I crossed the finish line, I had to fight the urge to cry out of happiness and being so grateful that I was able to do this. I can't believe how far I have come in improving my health and fitness in the past year.

Exactly a year ago (just over a month before the day I was banded), I had to walk this race because I was so heavy that I developed compartmental syndrome and was not able to run for more than 15 minutes without being in a great deal of pain. Once I hit the 45 pound down mark, I tried running again (as part of Boot Camp) and found out that I no longer had any problem at all.

This time last year, it would have been hard for me to imagine that I would weigh almost 60 pounds less and be able to run a 5K today. I feel so incredibly grateful.

Here is me zooming on by! The girl who is turned around with the pink jacket around her waist is my friend Erika (not the same person as Erica with a "c"), who ran the race with me today!

Race Day!!!

Well, it's here! The morning of my first 5K ever!!! I am really excited about it. I bought a cute black running top with silver stripes from Lululemon yesterday (OMG, things in that store fit me now!) and am going to be sporting it with some black running capris. I thought a good outfit might give me some added edge! :)

I'm heading to Central Park now. . . wish me luck!! :)

More about privacy. . .

I posted a while ago about a woman at work who I really like, and who has a significant amount of weight that she wants to lose. I'd wanted to tell her about my band, but didn't want to sacrifice my privacy at work. I met up recently with my friend Debbie, who is the first person I spoke with about getting banded (she was banded by my doctor 3 years ago and has lost and kept off 90 pounds). Debbie suggested that I tell my friend at work about her experience and offered to speak with her for me!

So, yesterday, I gave my friend Debbie's contact information and put the two of them in touch. I really hope that this will help her move toward getting banded, if she decides that's what she wants. I know all too well how depressed, hopeless and frustrated she feels about the prospect of losing 70-90 pounds, and I also know very well that getting banded let me put all of those bad feelings behind me and start feeling good about my weight, health, etc. I hope it will do the same for her.

I'm sure that she'll probably figure out that I am banded if she learns more about it (or goes on LapBandTalk.com and sees me on there), but hopefully by that point, she'll have even more understanding for my feelings about privacy at work and will respect them. Anyway, I thought this was a good solution and am happy that Debbie helped me find a way to get the information about banding to my friend from work.

Palm Springs Eternal . . .

Really, I love Palm Springs! And, it's not just because Marjorie's parents catered to our every need . . . bringing us mimosas in the pool (see photo below) and making gorgeous, healthy meals multiple times a day!

No, I could see past that to also appreciating our day at La Quinta resort and spa. . and the great massage that I got there! And, also -- even deeper -- to the day we spent at God's gift to outlet malls. People, I am SERIOUS. That mall was CRAZY!

Trunk full of loot from the world's best outlet mall. M found an insanely flattering, gorgeous black satin dress at Dior for $280.
(It was an EMERGENCY.)

Two weeks ago, at the Elie Tahari store in Soho, I found a really amazing dress that I loved. BUT, it was too expensive for what it was. . . a leopard print dress in a transition size that I may not be able to wear for more than 3-4 months. However, it is clear that GOD really wanted me to have that dress (apparently, despite all of the other stuff going on in this world, HE still has time to get involved when there is a really good outfit at stake)! ;)

So, I get to the Elie Tahari outlet in Palm Springs, and MY DRESS IS THERE!! And, despite that it's still being sold at full price at Saks (dress is knee length -- not sure why it looks so short in the photo), it was being sold at a significant discount! And, on top of all of that, due to a special Labor Day weekend promotion, I was able to buy it at a discount of more than 40% off the normal price!! Hello, pretty!!! It was meant to be!!! I'll post a photo of me in it soon.

My outlet purchases. . . a transition suit from Banana Republic, a cute vest sweater also from BR -- size MEDIUM, a multi-strand necklace from Saks, and my gorgeous Mandy dress from Elie Tahari that I can not wait to wear!

What a great weekend. . . sun, spa, shopping and lounging at the pool. Just what I needed!

Crud!

Crud. . . I managed to put on 2.6 lbs during my trip to Palm Springs!! Oh well -- easy come, easy go. But that means I am probably not hitting the 60 down mark for an extra week!

Oh well. I really enjoyed it! Check out that pool and golf course view! Will post more about the trip soon. I really had a great time.

If we took a holiday . .

I won't be posting for a few days because I am heading to hot, sunny Palm Springs tomorrow! I am really looking forward to relaxing and soaking up some sun (wearing SPF 50 . . )! :)

I am going with my friend Marjorie, and we are going to be staying at her parents' beautiful home (in the guest house. . .). I like her parents and am really looking forward to it -- we're just planning to lounge by the pool, do a bit of shopping and not much else. My only concern is that her parents don't know about my surgery. I asked M if I should tell them, and her thought was that I shouldn't (not sure if that was due to concern for my privacy or concern about how many questions I might be asked). :)

Honestly, I'd rather not say anything, because I don't want to risk that they may be of the Food Police persuasion. So, I'm taking some risk that there may be meals I can't eat and that I might get stuck a few times. At this point, I'm experienced enough to know what I can and can't do (not that I don't ever mess up), so I'm going to wing it. Will let you know how it goes!

Have a great Labor Day weekend, everyone!

Fifty-eight!

Wow! Nothing like the end of TOM to get the scale moving! As of this morning, I am down 58.6 pounds. Holy mother of goodness!! I was not expecting that at all today!

I did go to boot camp last night and had a small dinner, but was really surprised to see that number on the scale. I'm sure I'll bounce around a bit before I hit 59 (as usual), but I AM 1.4 POUNDS AWAY FROM 60 DOWN!! WOW. I am stunned, amazed and thrilled!

Fifty-six!

About time! The scale finally moved in the right direction this morning! I am down 56.4. YAY!

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I had a fun weekend. On Saturday night, I went out with my friend Hayley to a great restaurant called The Spotted Pig. It is a very cute gastropub that is partly owned by Jay-Z and tends to attract a lot of celebrities. Hayley and I got a spot at the bar downstairs, and wound up talking to a very cute guy who was there by himself, grabbing a burger and a beer.

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We actually wound up deciding to have dinner at the bar because we were having such a great time, and were talking to this guy all the while. He was very interesting, attractive, we had a ton of things in common, and he was making lots of eye contact and being a bit flirty. About an hour after dinner, Hayley headed home because she thought he liked me and wanted to give him a chance to ask for my phone number.

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Long story short, I hung out with this guy for another two hours (so that makes about 5 1/2 hours of great conversation where we covered a bunch of personal topics), and he finally breaks out that he "should probably have mentioned this earlier, but. ." he has a girlfriend. Kind of uncool, no? I certainly thought so, especially since he actually referenced the girl (without saying they were in a relationship) pretty early on in the night. Lame!!

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In other news, I'm going to update my "Sisterhood" post from a few days ago with a new photo from Angie that is really cute! Take a look.

Cooking with Catherine Part V

I haven't posted a recipe since April, and thought it was high time I do another one! Yesterday, I made a really delicious soup, based on a recipe from Rancho La Puerta that a friend had given to me. I made a few changes, including adding in chicken breast, since it is so important to get enough protein.

Delicious Spicy Soup with Chicken and Vegetables

Olive oil (about a tablespoon)

1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 medium boiling potato, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 fresh jalapeno chili, cut lengthwise into fourths (use a small one or half of a medium sized one if you don't want it to be really spicy)

2 tbsp minced fresh oregano leaves

2 medium zucchinis, cut into 1/4 in slices (or 1 zucchini and 1 yellow squash)

6 c chicken broth (6 cups = 1 1/2 of the containers shown in the photo)

1 c fresh corn (cut from about 2 ears)

1 c fresh cilantro, minced
1 chicken breast, sliced

Put a bit of salt and pepper on the chicken breast and sauté it in some olive oil for about 5 minutes (you don't want it to be raw inside). Then, put the chicken aside and, later on while the other ingredients are cooking, cut or shred the chicken into bite sized pieces.
In 4-quart pot (I used my big wok), heat the rest of the olive oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté onion, celery, carrot and potato, stirring until onion is golden. Add bell peppers, garlic, jalapeno, oregano, zucchini and yellow squash and sauté, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add broth and heat it to a simmer. Let it simmer until the potato and carrot are tender, about 5 minutes.

Puree the soup for a few seconds (maybe 5-10) in a blender – remember to leave the lid open a bit (otherwise, it will pop off and hot soup will go all over). Just pulse until the soup is a coarse puree, then return it to the pot. Stir in the corn, chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Then, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in the cilantro after you take the soup off the heat.

Not sure how appetizing this looks, but it smells and tastes wonderful!

Great Movie -- The September Issue

The movie The September Issue opened yesterday, and my friend Marjorie and I went to see it last night. If you saw The Devil Wears Prada, this is essentially the real life version -- a documentary about the making of the September 2007 issue of Vogue. Here is a link to the trailer.

I've been reading Vogue since my early teens and really love fashion. . I read WWD every single day, without fail. And, while my size has limited my access to serious designer clothing for the past several years, I really admire beautiful clothes and great style. With that said, I loved this look into the creative process at Vogue and the business of fashion. And, it was fascinating to get such a close look at the impenetrable Anna Wintour!

An added treat was that André Leon Talley (larger than life editor-at-large of Vogue) and R.J. Cutler (the director) were at the screening, and took questions afterwards. We didn't realize that this was going on until after we got to the theater, and it was such an unexpected surprise. Really made our night, and it was a lot of fun to be a part of this!

I know the movie is coming out in limited release, but if it's playing near you and you are at all interested, it's definitely worth seeing.

The Sisterhood Strikes Again!

I was so happy yesterday because I was catching up on Mary's blog and saw that she posted photos of herself in a dress that I sent her! This is such a cute dress, and I never actually wore it, so I am especially thrilled that it looks so great on her and is something that she likes!

Mary's New Dress

This makes me so happy! Thanks for sharing, Mary!

I'm also going to include a link to Angie's blog and the post she put up several months ago when she received the first bandster care package that I ever sent. I love this post. :) I hope this motivates everyone to share their old clothes with other bandsters!

Update. . Angie just sent me this great photo of her wearing the dress! I thought it was so cute that I had to include it in this post.

In clothing-related news, I was thinking about what to pack for my trip to Palm Springs (CA) next weekend and realized that many of my summer dresses are too big! So, I took two of them to the tailor for quick alterations so that I can wear them on the trip. That should hold me over just fine.

*October 2009 Update*

I wanted to include some more links to others wearing clothing that I sent to them, so here goes. . . Here is. .

Mary in a pair of black pants from me!

Sarah sporting denim Gap capri pants, which she got via Amy, who got them from Angie, who got them from me! These may be the best-traveled pants of the bunch, so far!

Sarah getting ready to work out in some Adidas workout clothes that I sent to her

Jen looking fab in some jeans and a sweater from me, after our fun day together of shopping in my closet!

And -- one of my very favorites because this piece of clothing finally got to have a shining moment in a major accomplishment of physical fitness!! Here is Sarah, looking amazing doing her first ever 5K (!!) in an Adidas top that I sent to her.

I love it that so many of you are sharing your clothes with other bandsters, and that a few things I've sent out have made it to two or three people already. This really is such an incredible network of support and positivity, and the traveling clothes is just another aspect of that!

Dating in the Internet Age

Now that I finally have the whole PP/wedding situation behind me, I've been thinking that it is high time for me to kick dating-mode into high gear. So, earlier this week, I joined Match.com. Despite some reservations I have, this really is an easy way to get back into the whole dating thing.


The first day, I was really encouraged because a REALLY gorgeous guy e-mailed me saying "You are beautiful. Let's make a plan to get together." Wow! I was like -- I am so on the right track! And then I read his profile, which made much ado about him being "Ivy League educated" (whatevs, I have some fancy credentials of my own) . . and THEN, mentioned that he's been told many times that he has a great @$$ and also said something about getting compliments on his "package" (yes, it was mentioned just like that. . in quotes and all), and how only certain types of girls need apply. Barf. Clearly, I shut that guido down and put an end to that.


Since then, I've received so many messages -- it's very flattering. Heck, that alone was worth the sign-up fee. Well, until I see who they are from, at least! 99.9% of these guys are not anyone I'd be interested in dating. Lest you think I am a snob (not that you'd be wrong. . hee hee), I was IMed by someone named "SuperSoaker69" earlier this evening. He asked "if your life was a movie, would it be a drama, a horror movie or a porno." I was like, "you had me at 'SuperSoaker69,' when can we meet?!" NOT!! Gosh. I can't understand why he's single. (Meanwhile, he's probably married with children. . . quelle cochon.)

There are some cute, nice-seeming guys on there though. And, God knows I'm not meeting them on my own, so I'm willing to give this some time. What happened to the whole Prince-Charming-Riding-Up-On-White-Horse strategy?? Whoever sold me that line was totally full of it (sorry, Mom -- I love you anyway!). :)

But, I do remember how amazing it is to be in love with someone who you just can't wait to be around. And, I want that again. I know there isn't just one person for everyone -- and, especially with all of the hope and positiveness that my great experience with the band has left me feeling -- I am feeling like it is possible that I might feel all of this again. And, I'm hopeful that it will happen before long.

Dinner and (unrelated) Dilemma

I had a great time at dinner with Linda the other night. It was so nice to catch up with her -- it had been six years. Not sure if I mentioned this before, but I'm actually heavier NOW than I was when I last saw her, darn it! Only by about 10 pounds, but still!

I still struggle with my decision to keep being banded private from people at work. Actually, it's not a struggle in a global sense -- I really don't want everyone gossiping about this. But, there is a woman there who I really like who has been struggling with her weight for a long time. She and I talk about it sometimes, and she has been very positive about my progress and how I am doing. Yesterday, she was telling me how she wants to go back to the gym, and that she's been feeling badly about her weight.

On some levels, I really wanted to tell her about my surgery and to encourage her to get the band. BUT, I also know that a juicy piece of information like that doesn't stand much of a chance of staying private at the office. I have to put my privacy first here and remember that there is plenty of information about the band out there that she could find on her own. Although the decision about whether to tell her or not is clear to me, I do feel badly about not being able to share this information and possibly help her. :(

Fun with OCD . .

Just kidding about the title -- but I did go to town on my linen closet today! Not the most thrilling way I've ever spent a Sunday afternoon, but it has gone from disorganized to neat & tidy.

I may not have lived out an episode of SATC today,
but that closet looks gooooood! :)

I also made time to get in a 2 mile run at the gym. No problems with my hip this time, happily! I also finally went over and picked up 50 lbs worth of dumbells -- a 20 and a 30. I could not believe how heavy it felt!! It is hard to understand how my body was able to walk around carrying that much extra every day, since I would not have been able to walk far with those weights in my hands. Interesting. . .

Now I am waiting for my friend and former client/boss Linda to get in from the Bahamas. Should be a fun dinner tonight!

Thoughts and Comparison Shots (Before. . During. . and Still During. . .)

The first photo was taken in Germany in May 2008, five months before I was banded. I am wearing size 20 jeans, which I kept for comparison/archival purposes.

The second was taken here in NYC on April 18, 2009, about six months post-op. I am 36.8 pounds down, wearing size 18 jeans (which I have since sent to another bandster -- these may be the ones I sent to Mary this week).

The third is the photo from yesterday, also taken in NYC. I am just over 10 months post-op, down 55 pounds, and have lost nearly 30 inches (29.65 . . I finally counted my inches from my arms and legs twice, since I have two of each after all. . .). The jeans are a size 12! (I know. . I know. . . I posted this already, but I'm still thrilled!) BTW, if you click on the photo, it gets bigger.

As of right now, I have about 20 pounds to get to my goal and to get me to the high range of the "ideal" BMI for my height. I also realize, looking at the photos on my blog, that I have definitely gotten plenty of use out of my YSL Muse bag, since it's pretty much in every photo! :) I swear. . I really do have other handbags. . .

This change has been so gradual to me that it's hard for me to understand how big of a difference there is in my appearance, unless I put photos next to one another or try on my old pants. I also don't feel like it's been especially difficult to make the changes that I've made so far or to adjust to eating like a bandster. I don't feel deprived of food, have any problem going to any restaurant I want to go to, and I am more comfortable in my skin then I can ever remember being.

Another thing that I noticed is that the last 20-25 pounds I have lost made a bigger difference than the first 30-35. For example, during the first 6 months post-op, my pants changed only from a 20 to an 18. But during the last 4 months, I've gone from an 18 to a 12. As I mentioned earlier, my number of inches lost during the first 30 pounds was nearly the same amount that I lost in the following 20.

I am not perfect at following the rules of eating for bandsters. I have never gotten the hang of not drinking during meals. I also let myself have wine on a regular basis, despite the calories (some things I enjoy enough that I don't mind if I lose slower than others). And, once in a while, I even let myself have things like ice cream or chocolate -- though I don't see any reason not to do that with the band, as long as it's not a regular thing. A girl has got to live, after all!

Quick Update

Today I went to have my hair done, then had brunch with my friend Marjorie, followed by shopping in Soho. And, I could fit into things! I was able to ask for my size without being embarrassed or knowing not to ask because there was no way they would have it! I bought the cutest shirt at The New York Look (great store. . terrible name). Will post a photo soon.

On my way home, I had a tourist take my photo so that I could show you the size 12 (!!) jeans! Here they are. . . (I wish I'd let go of my shirt before the photo was taken!). . .

NSV and Seeing Old Friends

I mentioned earlier that we had a jeans day at work on Friday. Well, I put on the size 14 jeans that I'd been so happy to get on the day I hit 50 and. . guess what? They are too big already! They still are wearable, but they are definitely on the baggy side. Sooooo. . . I popped over to The Gap during lunch and bought a new pair. . in a TWELVE! And, they fit! I also bought a pair of grey pants in a 12 (in view of my shortage of work clothes). They are a little snug, but should be fine in a pound or two (if the scale would ever move again. . )! :)

I went back to see if I could find an old photo on my Shutterfly account from 2000 or 2001, but I don't have any that old on there. I did find my favorite photo of me with my niece, Grace, from August 2004! She has the sweetest look on her cute little face! :)


On Sunday, my friend and client who I worked with every day from September 2000 to October 2001 (in the Bahamas! Best assignment ever!) will be in town. Her name is Linda. Linda and I have plans to have dinner that night. I've been back to Nassau a few times since I lived there, but once I got very uncomfortable about my weight, I stopped going. There were just too many people who I didn't want to see me that way.


Funny thing . . I can't remember for the life of me what I weighed the last time I saw Linda (who is built like a model/athlete . . tall and thin, wears gorgeous clothing and accessorizes like a dream). I wonder if I will look the same to her, or if she'll think I've put on weight! This time last year, I would have probably made up an excuse not to see her because I would not have wanted her to see me at my then-current size. Or, I would have been really stressed and dreading it. But now, I just feel good and am excited to catch up with my old friend. This is a huge NSV, and I feel very free from the burden of feeling bad about my weight! In fact, I feel pretty darned good!

Fashion Emergency Follow-up!

Again, I have some seriously unflattering lighting in my apartment! I promise that the circles under my eyes don't look like this in real life! :)

Fashion Emergency.

This morning, I went about the business of getting ready for work, as usual. So far this week, I've already worn the dress I posted photos of yesterday, the size 14 dress from Tahari that I posted a photo of on July 2nd, and a grey and white pinstriped skirt from 2004 that is a bit big, but is still wearable.

I only bought one outfit during the shopping trip last week, and my office dress code is business attire (read: suits or dresses of similar formality). So, this morning, I tried on about 30 outfits to see if there was anything else I could wear. My lighter-weight suits are all huge on me at this point, and I'm trying to wait to get them tailored until I get to goal. I also tried on some old pants from the 2003-2004 era when I was wearing 12s and 14s, but the skirt lengths and pants styles are outdated and do not look polished enough for the office.

I must have tried on 20 different outfits. And every single one of them was either hopelessly huge, horribly dowdy, or too casual. I literally did not have one thing that I would have been comfortable wearing to the office. That is a first.

I am so frustrated and annoyed with myself for not realizing that I was so short on wearable things for work. I just went shopping last weekend and thought the one dress I bought would tide me through this period. But, I hadn't factored on all of my staple work clothing suddenly going from a bit loose to unwearably baggy. I guess that last 5 pounds was the turning point.

So, today I am taking a personal day. Tomorrow we have a jeans day (we do this from time to time to raise money for various charities -- you can wear jeans if you donate $5), so I'm all set with an outfit. But this weekend, I am going to get a few things to tide me over.

While, on the one hand, I'm thrilled about what this says about my progress, I am upset, frustrated and annoyed to find myself in this position, especially since I expressly went shopping to avoid this exact problem. Well, this is the last time that I'm letting that happen. I've been conservative in shopping because I don't want to waste money (particularly in this economy) on things I will only wear a few times, but it's clear that I've been a little too conservative. I'm going to try to find one or two more dresses this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes.

New Outfit!

I am so happy with the dress I got this weekend that I took a quick photo before work. I have a grey knit shrug to wear over it so that I'm not too arm-y (or freezing) in the office. . . Here it is with the shrug. These are hugely oversized (Banana Republic is selling them right now), so I had to buy a small. While I know it doesn't mean anything given how these sweaters are cut, it was a total novelty to me to buy a "small"!
A year ago, it would not have occurred to me that I'd be able to wear an outfit like this today. Go, band!

Awwww!

I have a bunch of posts up lately about my mom, but none of my dad! That just isn't right! :) Nicely enough, my dad just called last night to let me know that he'd caught up on my blog and to say how blown away he was by my Jared-from-Subway shot (me in the big pants)! It was great to hear how impressed and surprised he was by my progress. :) I'm really looking forward to seeing the family at Thanksgiving. I am pretty sure that they will be even more surprised to see me in person!

I talk to my dad on the phone all the time, but I don't have any photos of him from this year on my computer. So, I thought I'd post my all-time favorite photo of him. It's just such a cool shot! I am pretty sure that this was taken during our Christmas vacation in Italy in 1983.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Clothes!

I got such a thrill tonight when I caught up on some of my favorite bandster blogs! I tuned in to Linda's blog and saw (!) a photo of her in the jeans I sent her a while ago! And, they totally fit her and (despite what she may say) look great!! How awesome is that?!? Here is a link: http://lindasbandwidth.blogspot.com/2009/08/things-i-did-right-things-i-did-wrong.html

Honestly, I'm totally thrilled! I wanted to invite anyone who has (or will later) received clothing from me (whether from me directly or from another bandster who received from me) to put a link to a photo of yourself in the comments to this post -- or to send me a photo at chroniclesfrombandland@gmail.com so that I can post it!

Linda, thank you so much for this unexpected wonderful treat, and thank you to anyone else who responds to this shout out to members of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Clothes! :)

Peace out, Plus Sizes. . .

Since my mom is here, I thought I'd try on a few things and get her take on what I should get rid of (BTW if you need size 18, e-mail me at chroniclesfrombandland@gmail.com -- I won't be able to send to everyone, but if you include a photo and I have things that I think would look good on you, I will send them).

These photos are of me in the pants that were getting tight when I started this process. I can't believe that they ever fit. I just bought a dress today that is EIGHT sizes smaller than these pants. Thank you, God! (And Dr. Rumbaut. . and Dr. Ren. . .and my family and friends. . . and my Boot Camp Instructors. . . and hell, while I'm at it, thank me too!!) :) :)

What a difference 10 months makes. . . .

Holy you-know-what, Batman! Check out the difference. Here is a photo of my mother and me last night. . .

Versus this photo of us the day after my surgery . . . October 24, 2008. Hm. . . something is different about these photos. Did I change my hair or something?? :) Hee hee. . .

My mom looks pretty darned great, too! Since the October photo, not only has she lost a few pounds that she wanted to get off, but she also stopped smoking more than two months ago and has really stuck with it! I am so proud of her!!

Weekend, Shopping & Such

Just a quick post today! My mom is in town for the weekend, and we're going to do a bit of shopping. In the past week or so, it seems that most of my work clothes are just WAAAAY too big. So, I need a few pieces to get me through the next 20 lbs.

Most of my suits are from St. John (read: knit suits, very expensive, but very forgiving when you gain/lose weight because the knit shapes to your body). So, I'm planning to have them tailored down. In fact, I already had one tailored a bit, but with it being knit. . it's not exactly what I want to wear on a sweltering subway platform on my way to work.

I also don't want to pay a kazillion dollars to have the suits brought down to a 14, only to have to do the same thing again in a few months. So, I'm trying to hold off until we're AT LEAST in the cooler weather of the fall.

Fingers crossed for our excursion today! Hopefully we'll find some good things. Am going to try not to go crazy because I'm heading to Palm Springs over Labor Day and plan to invade the St. John's outlet while I'm there (and Jimmy Choo. . and Gucci. . .and, and. . . OMG, I can't believe the outlets they have there!!)!

NSV Update From The Weekend

I know I'm going crazy with posting today, but since I missed a few days, I am making up for lost time!

Someone else took this photo at Adam & Erica's rehearsal dinner, just a few seconds after the one I posted earlier was taken. I thought this was a better one and wanted to post it, since I don't think I've ever seen a better photo of my body! Who knew that (with my band's help) I would see the day where I didn't feel the need to crop a photo that showed my stomach and hips! Fantastic!
Also, I had a big NSV this past weekend. I was with my friend Maria, going in and out of little boutiques and cute shops in Montclair, NJ, which is near where she lives. For the past many years, there hasn't been a thing in any boutique that I could hope to fit into -- but on a whim, I tried on a dress. And it fit! It totally fit!! (It was too short for my tastes, so I didn't buy it, but it fit!!!) I couldn't believe it. Major NSV!!

CATHERINE55 HITS 55!!!!!

WOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
FIFTY-FIVE!!!!!!

People, I am only about 20 lbs overweight at this point! I am back in 2004, weight-wise. This is so great. I'd really been looking forward to hitting the big 55 down mark, since I do love the number 5!

WOO-HOO!!!

Hip!

I took last week off of Boot Camp because I had hurt my hip running the Sunday before last. During the week, I went to my doctor at the Hospital for Special Surgery (fantastic hospital here -- and this guy is always rated one of NY's Best). They X-rayed my hip, he did a few tests, and all is totally fine. He thinks it's just a muscle strain and cleared me to go back to Boot Camp this week.

So, last night was my first time back. Let me tell you -- I struggle in that class if I even miss one session -- but after a week off, I was seriously about to pass out by the time we got to the last 1/4 of the class! Today, I'm a bit sore -- nothing too bad -- and I'm going back again tonight.

This photo is of the place where I do Boot Camp -- there is a track around the outside of the room, and the obstacle course is in the middle.

I got really nervous before last night. I guess I was worried that taking a week off might cause me to slip into my old (non-gym-going) bad habits. But, going back last night and tonight will have me back on track. I felt so much better for just getting through last night.

Port Perception

Throughout this whole process, a lot of people have asked me questions about what it is like to have a port. Here are a few of the most common questions I've received (or had) and my answers. I know that different doctors place the ports in different spots, so not everyone's experience may be the same as mine.

Where is your port?
My port is 3 inches above my belly button, and about an inch to the right.

Can you see your port when you are not dressed?
No. Not at all. In fact, if someone ran their hand over my stomach, they wouldn't even feel the port unless they pressed down on it.

Does your port bother you if you sleep on your stomach?No -- I don't notice it at all.

Do fills hurt?
Not if they are done right (i.e. not by Nurse Roughstuff. . see my post from a few months ago for background). I mean -- there is a needle involved, so it feels the same as any shot. But it doesn't hurt and it's only for a second. It's a short, easy process.

Here is one I asked my doctor: Can I hurt my port if I lean on it, e.g. while I'm hauling myself over a high wall in boot camp?
My doctor said that it was very unlikely that I'd hurt my port. It is attached to muscle, rather than a bone. So, if you lean on it, the port just moves in like your muscle would. It's relatively sturdy and its ability to move when you lean on it protects it.

Do you notice your port a lot?
No -- in fact, I hardly even think about it. Since it's working fine and I can't see it or feel it (unless I'm trying to feel it), I probably think about it as much as I think of my elbow or my big toe or something.

(Studio) FIFTY FOUR!!!

As of this morning, I am down 54.4 pounds! And, since 5 is my favorite number, I'm pretty much going to be posting every single one-pound mark through this whole 10 pound series. :) Plus, how could I miss an opportunity to reference the ultimate disco?
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A few WL thoughts:

* In just 5.5 lbs, I will be in a new 10-pound range that I haven't seen since 2003-ish;

* In 10 lbs, I will be at a weight that I was OK with back in my 20s;

* In 20 lbs, I'll be at a weight that I felt great at in my 20s.

* If I can get to 30 more off, I will be at the lowest weight of my 20s, which is a healthy, reasonable weight right in the middle of my "ideal BMI" range, and one where I felt so great about my body (er, during the few months in 1997 where I was able to maintain that weight . . .).

-

I went to the doctor today to have my hip checked out, and I'm fine. It turns out that I probably pulled a muscle in my hip. . nothing major at all. I told my doctor about my surgery, and about how my weight loss resolved the compartmental syndrome problem. He was very positive and complimentary, and mentioned that a woman in his office is considering getting banded, and asked if I'd mind telling her about my experience. (Hi to that person if she is are reading this!) :)

-

Of course, I didn't mind at all, and we talked a bit. . I even showed her my scars and gave her a link to my blog, as well as a recommendation to read Weight Loss Surgery with the Adjustable Gastric Band -- my favorite of the various band books I read pre-op. It felt good to be able to pass this information on to someone who was interested in receiving it and may use it to change her life and health for the better!

Vlog!

I filmed this on Monday night . . . and it took some effort to get the file compressed to the right size so that I could post it. . . but here goes!

And I ran, I ran so far away. . .

What a difference 53 pounds and 9 weeks of Boot Camp makes! I went for a run in my gym tonight and did the longest consecutive run that I've ever done -- 3 miles without stopping or slowing down to a walk (save for 1 minute at the very beginning)! And to think that less than a year ago, I was unable to run for more than a few minutes without my debilitating compartmental syndrome kicking in, pinching my nerves painfully and causing my calves to lose circulation.

I had my gym mix on and was listening to a great song, and the thought of how far I've come with my band's help came into my mind. I felt so happy that I could have cried! Instead, I just kept on running.

For all of my bandster friends who are trying to get into the gym, I am going to post my current workout mix. It's a really good one and will totally get you going (assuming you like dance music). A few of these versions are remixes, so if you're going to load them up to your iPod, be sure to get the right version. Here goes:

1. D.A.N.C.E. - Justice

2. Ooh Wee - Mark Ronson, Ghostface Killah & Nate Dogg (OMG, I LOVE this song, especially the cowbell . . lots of good cowbell!)

3. Right Here (Departed) [Mad Decent Right Mix] - Brandy

4. Jealous of My Boogie - RuPaul

5. Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) (Dave Aude Remix Club Version) - Beyonce

6. Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas

7. Sexy Dancer - Bob Sinclair (Amy, I think you will love this song!)

8. Poker Face (Jody den Broeder Remix) - Lady GaGa

9. Rock That Body - Black Eyed Peas

10. LoveGame (Dave Aude Radio Edit) - Lady GaGa

11. Another Star - Stevie Wonder

12. Fine Without You (feat. Jennifer Rene) - Armin van Buuren

13. What Else Is There? (Thin White Duke Remix) - Royskopp

14. Who Will Find Me (Main Mix) [Edit] - DJ Shah

15. All the Things She Said (Extension 119 Club Edit) - T.A.T.U.

16. Miles Away (Morgan Page Dub) - Madonna

17. Celebration - Madonna (this was just released this weekend!)

18. Forever - Chris Brown (because I love that wedding video with this song that is on YouTube so much)