Hello Fellow Bandits ~ or bandits to be ~ or people just having a look!!
How are you? It's been another busy couple of weeks and I'm enjoying this weekend having a bit of me time! Been busy working on the business and on the marketing plan etc. Renee & I have a photo shoot this week with a local magazine that are doing a small questions & answers section with us. Hopefully it will be well accepted across the community. The mag is put into local cafes, restaurants, planes to mines, mine sites, doctors, etc etc. Then we got an email through the week about another local mag that comes out in the paper want to do a feature story on us!!!!! So hopefully with all that happening we will get some great advertising. Keep everything crossed for us and don't forget to contact us if you would like any further information!
Banding life is all good. Weight goes up and down around a kilo or 2. I don't even get on the scales everyday now like I use to. Some days I would get on 3 or 4 times a day ~ yes I know I know ~ so I take that as a sign that I really am happy with where I am sitting. I am enjoying maintenance and living 'normal' for the first time in gawd only knows how many years!! I don't feel guilty at all when I have treats and really enjoy them! I have had to take my rings off though as I nearly lost my engagement ring down the drain when I had my nails done!! I don't want to have them resized yet as I am having my eternity ring made for our vow renewals and will get it all done at the same time. I went looking yesterday for something simple to wear and to at least have something on my finger, but couldn't find anything at all. All the jewellers stock an 'average' size and apparently I am below average now! lol.... Then I went to the costume jewellers and even their small was too big for me!! WTF?? The sales assistants said to me in nearly every shop- you have got the littlest fingers! haha - Renee was with me and we just laughed ~ if only they knew I thought to myself!!
I also picked out my dress for our special day in February. 20 years married and we will renew our vows. It is just stunning. It was the choice of 2 so with Renee's help I decided on one that lifts the boobs, shapes the waist and covers the bits!! I will wear either turquoise & silver or ivory & gold. Just waiting on the shop to get the turquoise in so I can look at it. The service will be over the water with Hinchinbrook Island in the back drop so I think either colour will be perfect!! My boys will be in sandy coloured shorts and a white or ivory coloured shirts so I should all blend in really lovely. Can't wait!! I was looking on you tube for songs to use and spent the afternoon blubbering! lol... It will be very special and very emotional.
Well - thats about it from me. Oh ~ we went to the Townsville v8's last weekend which was just FANTASTIC. But the big thing for me was that I was able to buy race team shirts in the ladies sizes and in size 12!! Hubby was laughing at me cause normally I would ask what sizes does that shirt go up to and they would say 14 or 16 and I would end up having to buy a mens XXL. So needless to say I came home with about 5 new shirts! That's th bogan coming out in me I know ~ but I just love love love the V8's and am stoked that Townsville have a race up here now. The whole weekend was just fabulous.
Well ~ that really is it from me this time!! Hope that everyone is going well. Don't forget to contact me if you are interested in attending one of our seminars!!
Take care and we will catch up soon!!
Di
sw: 131.5kgs
CW: 71kgs
TL: 60.5kgs
3.5kgs below goal!!
Howdy everyone!!
Didn't realise it had been so long since my last blog - sorry about that!! Life has been very busy with the new business, my day job as well as visitors for the last 2 weeks!!! Can't believe that we are closer to Christmas 2009 already!! How quick has the time gone.
Well ~ the business is going really well! Our Townsville weekend only has 1 spot available, Brisbane weekend has 6 bookings already and Renee & I are off to Sydney in August next month to secure venues and meet with surgeons before our Sydney seminar in March. We are stoked with the support and shows that we were right in our thinking that people really want/need support from others that are also living the journey. So ~ watch this space and who knows what will happen in the future with the business. It's very exciting!!
We have had mum & dad visiting for the last 2 weeks which was lovely ~ albeit very busy ~ but it was lovely. We also had a surprise party for mum's 70th birthday when they were here. We had lots of family & friends fly in from Sydney, Lismore, Gold Coast & my darling niece flew over from New Zealand!! It was just fantastic and everyone had a great time. Mum & dad loved it and it was a perfect weekend!! But ~ they have all flown home now :{ so yesterday was a very sad day when mum & dad left. I don't know when or if (dad's not well) I will see them again. We did have fun making lots of happy memories and they went back with a photo album of 200 photos that they will be able to show off to all their family and friends!!
We have finally booked our family holiday for 2010!! We were meant to be going in June for my 40th but due to schooling committments for Shannon we have decided to wait until Christmas. So we have booked a cruise!! Woo hoo!! Just loved the last one and this one will be so much better because I'm 60 kilos lighter!!!! We are going for 14 days to Fiji & Vanuatu and booked first class all the way!!!!! Woo Hoo!!! We leave on 27th Dec and will be on the ship for New Years Eve which will be so much fun!! We are going to fly out early and have a few days at Sea World so that I can swim with the dolphins! Then we'll have Christmas on the coast before setting sail. It will be fantastic! Formal nights & theme nights will be so much better than the last one too ~ cause I'll be able to fit into clothes to wear so I'll be into everything I can!!!!
Also busy planning our wedding vow renenewal. Went and tried on dresses yesterday and found one that I just love!!!!! It is just divine. Renee & my niece Sheena will come with me in 2 weeks to see what they think. I justified spending more than I budgeted because I will wear it on formal night too on the cruise!! lol... It was another day that I was so greatful for my band. I tried on so many dresses ~ even ones I didn't like! Just because they fitted!! lol..... One of the things I noticed was that the assistant automatically brought me size 10's & 12's to try on without even asking my size!! So it was also bit of a reality check that I really do even look like a size 10/12 now. After I tried on all the dresses I told the ladies that I had recently lost 60 kilos and they were amazed!! I love watching people's reactions when I tell them!! lol.....
Banding front - all good. Maintenance is just friggen fantastic!! Eating a little bit more than I have for ages and still maintaining my weight. I jumped on the scales early this week when I hadn't been on for a while and I was down to 71.5kgs so thats a total loss of 60 kilos & 3 kilos below goal!!!! I'm so happy to be where I am now and loving the new dresses etc that I can buy and feel lovely in. I brought a couple of David Lawrence dresses for $20 & $80 down from $249 & $449, Linen pants for $20 down from $129! Love warehouse clearance outlets!!! Never would I imagine how great it is to be able to do this. I knew it would be good - just didn't know how good.
I also got a call from my nieces partner's mother to say that after seeing me she has booked in for the surgery. Also caught up with the mum of one of Shannon's mates who is also going to have the banding done. So I figure being so open about my band has really helped others and has been very worth being so out there and public about my journey.
Well - that's probably about it for me this week!! Lol - its probably enough anyway. Don't forget to have a look at our website for the business and send me an email if you would like to know anymore info!!
Have a great weekend and remember to keep smiling!!!!
Di
SW: 131.5kgs
CW: 71.5kgs
Total Loss: 60 kilos
Well hello there!
Wow - where to start!!! We have had soooooooooooo much interest in our business that it is just amazing!!! We have had a change of name so that we are across Australia & not just Queensland. We have weekends planned already for Sydney, Brisbane, Townsville & Mackay. We have been blown away by the support and the thirst that people have for information & knowledge.
Check out the website and let me know if you are interested in a weekend in your town!!
www.qldwls.com
Chat soon - really busy with the responses and working on this little project - something tells me its not going to be that little that long!
Cheers
Di
Hi everyone! Well I've finally got back. Sorry about that - been a tad busy!!
Well - yep - I made it and I have even gone .5 under my goal now. Really pleased that I have finally made it to where I want to be. Feeling really good and very comfortable with my weight so don't think I will drop anymore. Well I'm not trying to now - put it that way!!
My surgeon had a seminar last week that I spoke at. A few people came up to me later to say that I was inspirational etc. I had a slideshow behind me as I was talking of photos of my journey etc. So I think that it probably had a good impact from a sales point of view!! lol....
I've also got an exciting new venture that will be announced soon. I think that it's going to be really really good and I'm sure it will be well received.
Mum & dad will be arriving in a couple of weeks. Can't wait for them to get here and of course mum's surprise party as well. There are heaps of people flying in for it and mum will be very emotional.
Well - I think that is about it for now. I'm sitting here watching the state of origin....... it looks like Qld will win so there will be plenty of happy people at work tomorrow!!
Take care and we will chat soon!!
Di
SW: 131.5lgs
CW: 74.5kgs
TL: 57kgs
At Goal!!
Hi all!!
Well today was a pretty big day..... I've done it - I've succeeded - I've finally got there! I am at goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This morning i got on the scales and read 75.0 kilos!! Very very VERY exciting. I'm stoked..... anyways - I'm about to go to sleep typing this so I will re-post tomorrow!!
Take care all
Di
Howdy
Can you believe this???? I went to Target today to try on some new jeans. I noticed my size 12's were getting baggy around the waist, feeling big and having to pull them up all day today. So off I go to Target - tried on size 10 - and whammo!! THEY FIT!!!!!!!!!!! Can you believe that???? They truely fit!!!!!!!!
Anyway - just wanted to share........
Chat soon
Di
xo
Yep ~ 1 bloody kilo to go! Can't believe that I am nearly there. Well - actually I can say that I'm there now. I'm not stressing over the scales, feeling pretty happy with how I'm feeling and my head games have settled. I'm surprised that I haven't got the big tears and excitement about being where I am. Maybe because for the first time in a very very long time, I'm happy with my size. Very strange to be at this point that I have NEVER been to for about 22 years!!
I had a comment yesterday from one of the guys at work that I hadn't seen for a while. He said - "Wow - are you still the same person?" I surprised myself with my answer which is normally of course I am but instead said "No, no I'm not actually"!!! WTF? Where did that come from??? Then we started discussing it. And my thoughts were that I don't know how I could loose this amount of weight and still be the same person I was. I know that my principles are the same etc, but no I don't think ~ well I know that I'm not the same person. My thought process is very different, my dress sense is very different to what I thought it would be, the way I perceive things is different but the big thing for me is to say is that I am proud of me!! I would never have been able to say that if it wasn't for the weightloss. I know that this has changed me forever and I will not go back to being that fat, unhealthy person who was so much in denial about how big I really was.
The sad thing to come out of all this though is how differently I am treated by society in general. Service at shops is different, shop assistants talk to me, men hold doors open for me going in or out of places, some people even smile at me walking down the street or in the shopping centres. People don't look at me now when I'm sitting down to eat, no one looks in my shopping trolley when I'm doing my groceries etc etc. The list keeps going on. I am so conscious of this now when I am out and about and if I can smile at one person whether they are big or small and have them smile back, then hopefully it will make a difference in their life and make them feel special.
Off to Mackay this weekend to catch up with friends. Queensland has a long weekend so we will get the extra day down there which will be good..... Had my boys birthdays on Monday (yep they share their birthday) ~ poor Rodney was at work and Shannon had to work Monday afternoon too!! So we had a family dinner on Tuesday night and will celebrate Rodney's birthday when he gets back next week. Can't believe Shannon is 15 and he really is a lovely kid. I actually get comments from people that don't know us about what a respectful kid he is ~ so that makes us very proud!! His manager at Maccas told me when he interviewed him that he was so surprised at how he looked him in the eye, put his hand out to shake his first, took his hat off (wow) and actually knew how to talk to an adult!! Don't know where he gets the talking bit from!!! LOL.. Don't get me wrong - he can still be a shit!! and a very big one sometimes!! But there's certainly more good than bad.....
Another rambling thread........ sorry but it's MY blog!! lol.....
I'm outta here now. Take care all in internet land and we will chat again soon....
DI
SW: 131.5kgs
CW: 76kgs
TL: 55.5kgs
To goal: 1kg
Hello Blog Readers!
How are you?? I'm all good. Been super busy since I got back from NZ. Ended up having to take another trip out to site. So I wasn't even home a week and I was off again! My poor house is really suffering so today will be a get stuck into house work day. I really have to find a new cleaner & ironing lady.
So much going on at the moment! I have now losy 55kgs! Yep - 55 bloody kilos gone FOREVER!!!!!!!!!! Never again will I be carrying that extra weight - unless its in a suit case coming back from the States!! lol..... Renee & I are working on a business plan at the moment. We figure with the experience that we both have with our lap band that we could really help people on this journey. We have a couple of things up our sleeve so watch this space when all is ready to be revealed!!
Renee & I went out to dinner last night. Was quite funny cause we both had a few difficulties and I think it took us over half an hour to eat 6 scallops each!! We had a bit of a chuckle about it. Rodney commented when he came from work last that he really noticed the weight loss in my face. I thought that was rather interesting and shows that even though it was only a couple of kilos, how much more noticeable it is. I ended up gaining a kilo the week after holidays - which I really did expect!! But it has gone now and these are the times the band really does come into its own to get me back on track.
I also noticed that food has been a bit diffuicult since I've been sick. I don't know if it's because my chest has been so congested that it made it a bit harder. And that's what I think it was. It is getting better as my chest clears. Amazing how this little band really does affect us in areas that we don't expect.
Anyway - that's about it from me. I read this fantastic quote from Sara Henderson I think I was told.........
"If you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, get up and turn it on yourself"
I think that is a fantastic moto for going through life - especially with a band! At the end of the day - it really is up to ME and how I work WITH the band......
Take care all
Di
SW: 131.5kgs
CW: 76.5kgs
TL: 55kgs
1.5kgs to goal!!!!
Hi all
We have arrived back from NZ safe & sound. It was a great trip - not too long - just enough to see everyone and then head home!
I had 2 aunties and 4 cousins not recognise me when I was there! It was really funny!! Mum & Dad were very proud and my brother was gob smacked. Doug is not one to mince words and he actually announced at my newphew's 21st how very proud he was of me which brought a tear to my eye to have that happen in front of soooooooooo many people - particulary ones that I didn't know!! One of the guys came up later to ask me if I had thought about doing any motivational speaking! He said that my story was very inspiring that I had taken a tool and worked with it to get the best possible outcome. My brother is heavly involved in rugby union and this guy was a footy player. He said that a lot of sports people have trouble when they have injuries etc and to speak to someone that has been through such a change it would be really beneficial. Something to think about maybe?? Not so much motivational speaking but doing the counselling etc and helping others when they need a hand. Will have to start looking into I think?? I had to go into our Brisbane office yesterday for work and one of the ladies said when ever she speaks to me she feels 'different' afterwards. Strange isn't it - but I suppose that I am pretty passionite about it and when I am passionite about something I give it 200%!!
I ate sooooooooooooooooooo much crap in NZ. Had pineapple lumps, buzz bars, peanut slabs, l&p, too much alcohol(haha) and lots of other yummy foods. But I didn't feel guilty - not one little bit!! Because I knew once I get back that I would be back on the band wagon to remove this last couple of kilos. It was great being 'normal' and not having to stop myself from going on and gourging myself.
Hopped on the scales this morning and I have lost .5kg!!! So even with all the treats, it was all still ok - everything in moderation. Whether it comes back next week with a lower loss or to put on I don't really know or care. Because I had a great time and enjoyed myself. Now it's back to reality and back on the band wagon (pardon the pun)! It felt so good to be in control and not feel guilty about what I was doing - then to see the scales still move - I so love my band!!!!
Picked Rodney up from the airport today after his 2 weeks away and he mentioned that he could really tell that I had lost weight - in my face. He said that it is really noticeable. So even though I am nearing the end and only have a couple of kilos to go, people are still noticing the losses - which is good i think.
Anyway - I've dribbled more than normal. Hope that everyone is going well and had a great Easter.....
Till next time
Di
SW: 131.5kgs
CW: 77kgs
TL: 54.5kgs
2 kilos to goal..........
