Diary of upimongo's balloon journey

hi

Just had a read through your diary, what a good idea!
I also had the balloon fitted 8 days ago, I had my first weigh in yesterday and lost 8lbs so really happy with that, if the weight loss stayed the same every week i'd be over the moon ha ha
My starter weight was 14.2 ideally i'd like to lose about 4 stone.
I've had a really good journey so far, i haven't had any of the side effects sickness pain or anything, which is great but i was worried at first that something was wrong because everyone seems to be quite ill at the start, I guess im just alot tougher than i thought or just extremley lucky!
Reading through your diary it seems you started to eat solid foods quite quickly, were you not given a diet plan? My diet plan says i can only have fluids for the first 2 weeks next stage Two –Low Calorie Liquids/Smooth Pureed Foods
Stage Three -Soft and Mushy/Crispy Foods then the gastric diet.
I have to admit i couldn't take two weeks of just fluids so i have added a pureed meal for my dinner and just stick to fluids through the rest of the day.
Anyway i think i've gone on enough, ~I will pop back soon
hope you have a great week x:waving:
 
Day41 of ballooning

Hi Shrinker...not long now...you'll be fine... If you go to fitday.com they offer a free service were you type in what you've eaten and it gives a total breakdown in terms of calories, carbs, fats and proteins, with pretty charts :) I think it's a useful tool in our daily battle with pizza! :biggrinjester: Good luck!

Hi newfriend, congrats on getting the balloon!....with no side effects! (you lucky git!!)..Gosh, I remember 14 2....it was the summer of '89...happy days! I found writing the diary really helpful, as it's something to look forward too & I don't feel alone. I can share the experiences with fellow travelers, of which you are now one! :hurray: As for the diet plan, I was told to eat soup, baby food and sip water for the first week, then blended soup. You have done 8 days now and your stomach seems to have accepted the balloon, maybe you could have a chat with your dietitian and bring forward part of the diet plan. Congrats on losing 8lbs :party: the weight loss will settle down, in my case 1kg a week, so I think you've got a good chance of achieving your goal! Good luck!

As for me...everything appears to be bobbling along..I'm hoping my behaviour towards food has changed, which I feel it has, no chocolate or sweets & I don't miss them.:smash:

May your travels be safe,

:seeya:
 
Day42 of ballooning

Good evening chaps, weigh day tomorrow, still doing ok. Been feeling tired, the joys of old age, & back to work Thursday night. :smash:

Coming to the end of 6 weeks...a month and a half....leaving 4 1/2 months left! Time is passing quick. I used to binge in the evening with the assistance off booze & fat based products, living for that time frame, forgetting about tomorrow, wallowing in 80's music...(this guy is ga ga :ack2:) Now, I look forward to tomorrow, as it's another day towards a healthier moi...(that's french) :drool5:

This balloon procedure is one of the best things I've done in a long while..( besides touring the Swiss alps on the bike....oh...and touring Scotland on a bike ....& etc etc)

Hope you chaps are feeling as good as me!

:seeya:
 
Day44 of ballooning

It was weigh day yesterday...and guess what....lost another kilo, making a total of 13kg :party:

So it's a steady kilo a week...which is a lot of blubber, especially when one feels the weight of a kilo of sugar...imagine the stress on my joints, as well as my pants. :smash:

Still have no desire for binging, just want to eat healthily....off to Miami beach in November for a few days, looking forward to strolling along the beach without being dragged back into the sea! :smilielol5:

I'm beginning to feel more confident in myself...and was thinking about going clothes shopping while I'm there :sifone:

I'll keep you guys informed.

:seeya:
 
Congrats on your weight loss :hurray:
wow off to the states i bet you are really excited, if you fancy taking a fellow ballooner along for support give me a shout lol
Im off to vegas for a friends birthday in April just after i have my balloon out, so i'm really excited about that, my balloon will be coming out just in time, I just hope i dont go mad with food once im there, their food portions are unreal, maybe i should have had the balloon in after vegas lol

Well im glad you are ok, i'll pop back in soon

take care
 
Day46 of ballooning

Hi there newfriend! Thanks for your note, sounds like you'll have a great time in las vegas! :party:

I'm hoping we'll both find that once our balloons are out, we'll have modified our approach to food.....and just focus on the drink!! :cheers2:

I've just finished my 3rd night shift, really enjoyed working the extra hour as they turned the clocks back...not! :ack2: my last one is tonight :smash:

Everything is still fine, no binging. I'll be working over Christmas, so should be able to avoid the temptation off party life....bugger! :(

Hope everyone is hanging in there!

:seeya:
 
Congrats

Hi Upimongo,

WOW, 13kg's is fantastic, good on you! You are going to have to jump around in the shower to get wet if you keep up this rate!

Have a fabulous day. Im going in on Thursday so am quite excited. Just feeling a bit stressed about how I will handle curious onlookers (ie family and friends) when I have done it as I haven't told them and they will probably know something is up if Im reslly sick, they'll probably think Im pregnant again:rolleyes: . Also need to work out what story I will concoct if I need to take a few days off work. :smilielol5:

Cheers
 
Day 47 of ballooning

Hey there Shrinker, thanks for your note! Fear not, I still have plenty of surface area to get wet!! :willy_nilly:

As for telling your tribe, my siblings were very supportive, especially my brother...though my mother found it difficult to understand..kept saying eat less...bless her! As for telling your friends, I've told some female friends and again they were very supportive, told a mate & he's said I'll put it all back again when the balloon is out...git! :smash:

I hoping your family and friends will be as supportive if you tell them...but If you don't, just say you've got a tummy b.u.g...(balloon u got!). The important thing, is how you'll be feeling & that your doing this to help get the body shape you've (and I) been waiting for....& my eating habits have very definately changed! :)...It's also a great feeling when the clothes get baggier and you start getting compliments!...So hang in there!

Good luck on thursday, let us know how you get on!

:seeya:
 
Day 49 of ballooning

Well chaps, it's now 7 weeks today since I started....:sifone: I'm wearing tighter pants as the old ones are getting too baggy :hurray: When I'm walking, I'm checking out the ladies...(though they see a 50 yr old body with the mind off an eighteen year old idiot!)...This is the effect on one's self esteem when tonnage is lost...nice one! :drool5:

Oh lordy....the issue regarding my next car...as you chaps may know from reading this diatribe is that I fancy a sports car :auto: as a treat when my very helpful balloon gets taken out in March....I had my heart set on several cars, but I'm finding I'm changing :driving: my mind and including others.. non sport cars....bleeding heck!....Think I may lay off searching for cars for a while...(some may say 'get a life!')

I'll be weighing myself tomorrow, I'll let you chaps know...(can't wait... honest!) Hope things going ok your end :smash:

:seeya:
 
Day 50 of ballooning

Well chaps, started my eighth week of my procedure...weighed myself..and.. have not lost anything..:eek: Still lost a total of 13kgs...but the fact I've not lost anything last week does'nt bother me... it's better than gaining!

I still need to do more exercises...walking, but would like to do more swimming. I still feel in control, no desires for binging on fat based products. When I see adverts for fried chicken, pizza and burgers, it just does'nt appeal like it used too in the old days...especially when you consider the fat content!

I'm coming up to 2 months, leaving 4 months left...tick tock!

I hope you've achieved your goals for this week!

:seeya:
 
Day 52 of ballooning

Well fellow body improvers, finished my first night shift...nice and steady! :willy_nilly:

Went for 2 half hour walks, which I really enjoyed....it's meant to be pi**ing down tonight....so may not enjoy it as much!:drool5:

Treated myself to a baked bean/sardine curry....with extra chilli...my balloon's not quite sure what to make of it...but I'll be paying for it later!

I can now feel my rib cage, and my spare tyre appears to have a puncture.. excellent! :smash:

Ah well, back to the land of nod,

May your curries be as wierd.

:seeya:
 
Day 53 of ballooning

Well chaps, yet another....err...damp day! It's bucketing down :drool5:

Finished another night shift, in fact thinking about changing my job to one closer to home...this is another side effect of losing tonnage and retrieving one's self respect :hurray:

Also noticed that I'm beginning to have an underlying urge to eat...not the fat based products, but fruit, fish and beans....hmmm...Is this what real hunger is?? :willy_nilly:

I'm not missing alcohol, I used to enjoy going to pubs and drink the warm beer...(you get used to it). I've seemed to have changed...Is it long term or because of the balloon? I'll let you know..:cheers2:

But I do enjoy slapping the dwindling belly....not used to having space down there...must be a man thing...:troll:

Well, hope it's not raining too hard where you are...unless you need it!

:seeya:
 
Hey dude
You are doing such a great job! I love popping into your diary and reading what you are up to and watching your mindshift!:party:
I must say I am feeling the same as you... I have absolutely no desire to eat a MacDonalds... or a chocolate etc (must say I do think about a nice chilled glass of chardonnay every now and again!!)...:cheers2:
I think that our bodies are just so grateful for us giving it the fuel it needs to keep us alive that it's holding those bad cravings at bay!!
What's the latest on the car? :auto: You made any decisions yet?
 
Day 54 of ballooning

Hi foncused..gosh, you scrub up well, nice photo! :drool5: Thanks for your lovely comments....alas you've opened a can of worms....'What's the latest on the car?'...hmm..at first I thought of a Mazda MX5, a darn fine drivers car (though tad hairdresser). Then a BMW Z3, slightly obese, needs the 6 cylinder engine (likewise the 3 series convertible). BMW Z4, too clinical. A Saab convertible, invented the scuttle shake. A Mercedes SL320 (calm down ladies, these are second hand cars!....) amazing engineering and a Porsche Boxster, ultimate sports car. Was tending towards the Mazda as I read a book written by the engineers and designers of the car (used to be an engineer myself), though spoke to my brother and he reckons I should get the Boxster....and you think you've got it tough! :auto:

The amazing thing is that all this is possible due to the help of my balloon and the effect off the weight loss :smash: Weighed myself yesterday, looks like I'm on my way to lose another kilo by Thursday :driving:

I'm hoping you are on target for your procedure :willy_nilly:

:seeya:

PS There's always room for a nice chilled glass of chardonnay..though I would probably finish the bottle!
 
Day 56 of ballooning

Gosh, it's the end of 8 weeks today since I started...tomorrow it's the start of 9 weeks....I remember the first few days emptying my stomach contents into the pan, thinking no way! :ack2:

Nearly everyone at work is begining to notice the baggy shirts and dropping trousers...:hurray:

I saw a counsellor yesterday about my concerns after the balloon is out, I did not want to go down that path again :angelsad2: She recommended I start a CBT session, to change my relationship with food. I feel my relationship is changing, but any help will do...:smash:

Things seem to be going great at present, applying for a new job, seeing my sister next week, off to Miami Beach next friday, swamped with sports car literature......so what's the catch?..hmmm...:driving:

Hope things are working out your end!

:seeya:
 
Day 57 of ballooning

Yep, it's weigh day...and another kilo bites the dust, making a total of 14kgs :party:

I'm starting to feel bones...I've got a rib cage!:svengo:

Went to town yesterday, before, I would avert my eyes and ignore people... now I'm holding my head high and feel extremely confident...not quite staring at people...(that would be creepy!)...but catching their gaze :biggrinjester:

This weight loss thing has a lot going for it :smash:

May your weight loss also continue...

:seeya:
 
Day 58 of ballooning

Back on the night shift tomorrow...actually looking forward to it! Had a slightly binging day today...re..pomegranates...had 4 off them...I think their addictive :drool5:

My mother bought a pastie and a meat pie as a suprise for me...so I ate them, and the fat in them went through me like a dose of salts :smash: I thought I'd check the calorie content...@ 500 each! I used to eat these on a regular basis!...(Which could in part explain the extended girth!)..:smilielol5:

I've been counting my ribs and I think I'm one short, but on the bright side my watch is now hanging loose from my wrist :sifone:

Hope you are finding baginess amongst your personal items too!


:seeya:
 
Hahahaha... isn't it great to feel the body changing... hubby made me chuckle.. he said to me (in the midst of an 'intimate' moment) that it feels like he's having an affair! One thing's for sure he's appreciating the changes as much as I am!

It's the little things (like you mention)... the hanging watch... the clothes starting to hang... holding your head up when walking in public etc etc that keeps me driven and focused... We've lost the same amount of weight so far dude... how awesome is this feeling??!!??!! NOTHING tastes as good as this feels!!

Listening (reading??) to you I can hear such a positive undertone in your words... go back to the start of your diary and you will see how your demeanor has changed... that is so awesome... and that also tells me that the balloon is merely cosmetic in the grand scheme of things... You will continue to your goal weight with absolutely no effort!! It's all in the mind!!

Well done again... and... on the car front... I'm not even going to comment... toooo many choices for a woman!

Enjoy the car shopping and the flapping clothing!
 
Day 61 of ballooning

Well chaps, I'm back! Thanks for the note foncused, I'd like to think the balloon is cosmetic and my thoughts about food are changing, though I'm sure the body 'feels' the balloon and could feel the difference when it's out...if that makes sense? :willy_nilly:

On a sad note, I spent yesterday by the bedside of a dear family friend, that sadly passed away. Listen chaps, life is short, ring someone that you meant too but never got round too, tell them you love them. Some of you will get embarressed silences, but others will make people's days! :party:

For tonight, I'm going to celebrate a life with spiritual sustenance...err... not the one from the Book but in a bottle...fear not loyal readers, it's low fat brandy :biggrinjester:

Hope your trials are less turbulent!:smash:

:seeya:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top