How many Lap band blogs are there out there? Millions probably. Here's just another to add to the bunch.
My name is Liz and I'm 20 years old. I was banded 10 Days ago.
Getting banded was a decision I made by myself. I have been overweight for almost four years now, and the thought of being fat for the rest of my life scared me straight. I have tried alternative weight loss methods, I have lost 20kg with Weight Watchers, and ten weeks later I put it all back on.
The reason I am overweight - emotional eating. Head hunger. Comfort eating. Not feeling full. Never knowing when enough is enough. I have made so many excuses for my weight, and I'm sure that they are relevant, but the simple fact is that I ate a lot of junk food whenever I felt sad. And living with Depression for four years, I have felt sad nearly every damn day.
Before I put on weight 4 years ago, I had a very good relationship with exercise. I loved it, I went to the gym three times a week, as well as playing netball twice a week. I was a slim girl, but I had terrible body image. I thought I was fat. Huge. I was an Australian size 12. (I am six foot, so that is slim for me.) I am now a size 16-18. I look back at photos of myself and I wish that I can be that girl again. I LOVE that girl, she looks amazing. But at the time, I felt like shit.
I want to have a healthy relationship with my body, but its going to be a struggle. Growing up in a private all girls school, I observed and learnt a lot from the girls around me, and the standards they held. As a result, I have a weird relationship with food and my body. Before I got banded, if I felt extremely guilty, (which would only happen approx. 1 time a month) I would make myself throw up. If I wanted to loose a kg, I took laxatives.
I'm going to try and stop all of that now. I want to be normal. I want to have a normal relationship with my body. But before all of that, I want to be honest. I'm hoping that while I navigate the journey of having a Lap Band, that this blog will keep me sane.
I know that there are so many of you out there who are doing the same, and reading about your journey is uplifting. It gives me hope that in a year, someone might come across my blog and read from the start to the end and see my progress, and hopefully they will be inspired too.
Liz x
Hi Liz, thanks for your comments on my post this morning. I love the fact that I can be an inspiration, when I started blogging, it was because there are so many great women out there that inspired me.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing your journey too :)
Hi Liz!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to blogland and congrats on the new banding. This post hit home to me in so many ways and i remember being 20 and the emotional rollercoaster i went through and i had a very similar story in regards to the being a healthy teenager and going to the gym a lot.
This new beginning is absolutely fantastic but its also incredibly hard and the blogs and amazing people on here will help you through it all.
You might want to pop over to Alyce's page, she is around 20 and lives in Melb shes super sweet and has just recenlty been banded too-
http://myrescueispossible.blogspot.com/
Cant wait to see more of your posts :)
Ash x
Hey Liz!
ReplyDeleteIt's awesome to find people close to my age who are going through this process
Can't wait to catch up with your blog =D
and awww thanks ash for the shout out!
Hi Liz! I'm Liz! I am so glad you are here and glad to got to this place at such a young age. Congrats to you! I hope all surgery pain is gone and you are adjusting to the band in your body! Oh yeah, I HOPE you took pre op pictures and measurements! So many women forget and regret it later! If you didn't, DO IT NOW! :D They will bring you much happiness VERY soon!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your lovely comments Liz :) I don't have long now and am getting very excited. I only wish I had done this when I myself was 20! Well done on making the decision to take control.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to sharing the banding experience with you!
Hi Liz.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the bloggosphere. Like the other girls said, it is so great you have made this decision while you are young. I have spent most of my life feeling bad about my body and my self image that I used drugs and alcohol to escape from it all.
I went to an all girls private school too so I know what pressures that can give you to be slim and perfect. I'm sorry to hear you too have spent many years haunted by depression. Hopefully this new beginning will assist you to live a healthy and happy life.
For me while the band is an excellent tool to help with the physical side of emotional eating, I also see a pyschologist to help with the mental side. I don't know if you've had any professional help with your depression, but if not, I highly recommend having someone to talk to. They are life savers!
Look forward to following your journey. Good luck!
V.
Welcome to Band bloggers! I am a recent lap-bander too...had mine done 3 sept 2010.
ReplyDeleteLove your post already, because I can relate to so much that you have said...even though I'm 38!!!
Looking forward to following your journey, and hopefully we can support each other!
Good on you for taking action at such a young age!! My daughter already is obese, and she is only 11...I worry that I will put my low self confidence/ bad body image onto her...so I don't say too much...but I worry cause her genes aren't in her favour! I wouldnt hesitate suggesting lap-banding to her when she's old enough..if she needs it...because I never want her to feel bad about herself, and I want her to be healthy!wish I had done it earlier in my life!
Take care x