20kg, 50 pounds but who's splitting hairs???

So once again a quickety quick post to celebrate the official loss of 20kg. Well, its kinda 20kg since my own first notings of weight since deciding to do this whole band thang but the doctors have 106kg on record so its 23kg and I know for a fact I got up to 107kg but anyway as far as this blog is concerned its 20kg!!!!! (sorry, 44pounds on blogger record and 50 pounds on doctors records either way I dont give a shite cause I am stoked!!!)

This is not the best pic of me ( I broke all rules and wore a white bra under black clothes and I'm all pink and blothchy from pissing on but I really dont give a poop I never thought I'd wear a lil black dress and knee high boots so I'm gonna celebrate it!

After 12 months and 20kgs heres a few things I have learnt:

1. I have just had another fill and with every fill I learnt something new. If you are experiencing pain when food goes down chances are you are not tight enough. Yes, you heard me you need to be tighter!!! Can you believe it?? You see as you get tighter the food goes down slower so then less pain BUT!!! You have to really stick to the rules and really, you have no choice BUT to stick to the rules. The only thing you need to remember is to eat slowly and everything else is taken care of via the band. If you are struggling with quantity and thinking about food and still killing yourself then your band is not tight enough!!! I h

ave learnt this throughout the last few fills. Number one rule you have to control is not to eat too fast and number two is dont eat about 2 hours before bed at least (or you'll see your food again through the night - not pretty). If you are still relying on will power and self control your band is not nearly tight enough.

2. Fluid tablets will get you through those really tight days of the month. One every couple of days is enough and only on the days you need them.

3. The band is not nearly as scary as I thought it would be. I still eat whatever I want but just a little bit of it the bad behaviour like scoffing and eating

massive gorging meals is completely eliminated with the band as is most really bad carbs like bread and pasta (altho you can have them but they're slow and not really worth it). I seriously dont feel deprived from the good things at all.

4. I would recommend ANYONE to get a band. My heart goes out to all the girls out there who kill themselves over quantity and will power etc who are slaves to food and the obsession of it - its a prison. And this is heaven. I could never have done this AGAIN without a band (yes I've lost the same 20kg and gained it back again and again and now I know this is it!). I love it!!! I am wearing ANYTHING i want and i feel fabulous!!! I have the energy to exercise and the love and respect for myself to want the best for me including healthful foods and a healthy

lifestyle. I am a born again girl! And heres my new boots to prove it!!!

I have always dreamt of wearing knee high boots and a little black skirt and I cried when I found these boots and I wear them like a girl on a mission they do things to me on a soul level.

I urge anyone out there considering a band or having written off the idea of a band to talk to someone who knows. The reality is SOOOOO different to the uneducated, freaky preconceived ideas we have about banding. I have family who have expressed their concerns despite my obvious happiness and looking fab and once I talked to them and educated them on how it actually is (my sister didnt even know it was reversible!!!!! but even if the thing popped through my chest and poked my eyes out I would still have it put back in).

Anyhoo enough preaching, lovin life, going to Africa on safari 22nd May with the family - should be fun even though its way outside my safety zone. Love youse all, follow you all even if I dont comment - my day isnt the same unless I've checked in on you all! Thank you for being a part of one of the most amazing stages of my life!