[lovingme4me]

hi everyone!

i used to be on-site about a year ago...back when i was making progress on this life-long quest of getting under 200lbs....lol. i kind of stalled out and managed to maintain the weight for awhile, but after gaining 15lbs in 5 months and doing a lot of research i decided to have WLS (lap-band). i had the surgery in april and am still struggling a bit with the post-op guidelines and making good food choices. the biggest obstacle for me has been exercise. the majority of my weight loss in the past came from working out, but i got out of the habit prior to surgery. hence the weight gain. and since surgery i have been dealing with post-op pain and then when i was finally cleared for exercise (besides walking) i managed to slip on a wet floor at my grocery store and hurt my right arm. now i am finally done with physical therapy and most of the twinges in my right arm are gone...so i am working on developing a realistic workout schedule. i have been walking...or was on a fairly consistent basis. even that had to be reduced due to pain at my incision sites.

now i just feel so out of shape and listless....my depression doesn't help this, but i know exercise would help me in ever aspect of my life. so i am hoping by spending time on this site and talking with all of you my motivation will stay high and i can get back on track. i am really looking forward to getting to know all of you better and in joining in on the forums. i have come along way, but still have a long way to go....i plan on trying to enjoy this journey i am on...and i wish the same for all of you!

[geoblewis]

Welcome back to the group! I'm new to the site since you were here last, but I seem to be umbilically connected to my laptop and check in often. (If only I could power my laptop with my treadmill...) I love the support I get here.

I totally hear you about the obstacles that kept you from getting back on to your fitness goals. My obstacles are uncooperative knees, a rotator cuff injury, far too many other goals as well as needy people in my life. I've only come to believing in exercise over the last couple of years, so I really don't ever want to give up doing it. There have been far too many realized benefits and I just feel awful when I don't do it. (And no one was more surprised than me to learn that!)

So here we are, just putting one foot in front of the other, pumping a few weights and getting our heart rate up...every single day. So glad you're here to cheer me on too!

Georgia

[Dani052566]

Welcome back to the group. I'm sorry to hear about your post-op pain. I did a lot of research for a research paper I had to write last Spring about weight loss surgeries and such and realized, after considering surgery myself, that if I didn't learn to eat properly and exercise before the surgery, I would never be able to follow the post-surgery plan - so I understand (somewhat) your struggles.

We're here to help you. I hope we can get to know you better and help you overcome your struggles. We all have them, just different ones but everyone seems to really care here.

WELCOME!

[lovingme4me]

georgia~ one foot in front of the other is the best method that i have found...especially when it comes to picking oneself up after a "lapse" in judgement. i understand exactly how you feel about exercise. i was in the same place a little over a year ago. i can't tell you what happened exactly to get me out of my very good habits...i know some of it was due to injuries...but i did and boy do i regret it now. however, i have just bought 12-1 hour buddy sessions with a trainer at my gym. i used to work with him before so he is going to kick my behind for sure....which is definitely needed. i am looking forward to getting to know everyone on here and talking to you some more.

dani~ you are completely correct...surgery is a tool to be used..it doesn't do the work for you. not in the slightest. i am still at the stage of having only a little resistance in my band so it makes it even more difficult to keep portions under control sometimes. part of me thought this would be a bit easier because i managed to lose and keep off 70 lbs prior to surgery through diet and primarily exercise, but since the exercising has fallen off...due to injuries and lets face it...lack of proper motivation...the weight is not coming off, but it will...i just need to walk the walk as they say. once i begin with my trainer and get a proper routine established, focus again on the 4 rules of band surgery (water, exercise, protein, no snacking), and get a few more fills...i know the weight will start melting off of me. good luck on your journey and i am looking forward to getting to know you better.

[Idealmuse]

lovingme4me

One of the things that helped me stay on the exercise bandwagon was signing up to do something. I managed to get down to about 186/190 last summer by teaching myself to run and entering in 2 different Triathlons.

As you can see my weight isn't where it was last summer because once the races were over I slacked. I'm currently trying to figure out some long term plans as far as training goes to sign up for more races that get progressively harder. A 2 year plan so to speak. Signing up for something you paid to do can really help to keep you going!

Good luck with your getting back in shape and continuing weight loss. I'm sure you'll get to where you want to be.