I'M BACK

Where do you start when you have fallen off the wagon, but finally ready to get back at it??? Right where it all began right here from the week before my surgery I was on this blog with the wonderful friends I made. Some of us follow each other on facebook, so we still keep up with each other, but facebook is not a place I am totally honest with my journey. I think a lot of you would agree with that. With all that being sad here I go…


My life has been up and down over the last year with a failed relationship, too tight of a band, and weight gain I can successfully say 2012 was NOT the best year for me. Everyone has a story so now I have finally decided to be honest with myself and share my story. The first two and a half years of my surgery I was a beast! I was so committed I did everything I was told. I went to group therapy, had a blog, great support with friends and family, and worked out with a personal trainer three days a week. I was on FIRE the weight came off and I was feeling great, awesome, and fantastic. In March of 2012 I got real sick something was stuck like never before, and I had to call the dr on a Sunday. He met me at the office and took out all the fluid, so it would pass. He told me to come back in the next week to get it filled back up. I left for a cruise the next day. Boy or Boy never do that to a banded girl. I ate, ate, and ate. I was FReeeee! Ha.. I finally decided to go back in May and had gained 25 pounds yes in just those two months. I got a fill left the office and had the worst week of my life. I could not eat or drink anything at all. I lived like that for a week. I was completely miserable throwing up a lot. I went back into the dr and had to argue with him that something was wrong. Till finally he put me on the x-ray machine wear you can drink the white stuff and watch it go down, and it proved to him that I was extremely too tight. He loosen it and sent me on my way. I was angry at that point, so no more was I a good banding patient anymore. I tested everything and found out I could eat pretty much any and everything, so I did. Going through a bad break up in August I still wanted to just go back to the old way and use food for comfort. Then I found out my dr office was closing and had to pick a new dr. It was just so much and I didn’t want to do it.

I have a wonderful friend that was always on my case about the gaining, but I was not hearing him. He is a blessing in my life and I would not have had the courage to make the appointment without him. I continued to work out, but you can go to the gym and spend all the money on a personal trainer, but that still doesn’t work if the food you are putting inside you is not the right food. I am living proof of that. I finally got to my breaking point. All my clothes started not fitting. It is hot here and Florida and none of my shorts fit. I finally had to hit rock bottom with my self. Being over weight for my whole life I never got had the feeling people would say how they want to get back to where they where when they were smaller until now. When I look in the mirror I finally see it. It was like a semi truck hit me. All of the sudden I had to face it, so I made appointment with the Dr he actually did my surgery, but left the practice that I started with so I felt more comfortable going to someone I knew it was yesterday. I got tightened. It was a really good appointment. I gained 65 pounds. Wow that was so hard to type that, but the only way I am going to be able to totally get back is to be honest. I need my friends here that got me through. You guys are awesome and I am reaching out again just like I am the new be! I am blessed with a wonderful support system of great friends and family. I also have a wonderful man in my life who is a great supporter of me getting back on track.

I know I got a lot of catching up to do, but I am BACK! I still think about our BOOBs trip to Chicago all the time. I have missed you guys!!!! No matter what I do not feel like a failure. I have still kept off 100 pounds, so that in it self is achievement!

Latest and Greatest!!

Its been over a year since I have blogged. Well here is an update on me. I am still at it. Working out 3-6 days a week with a personal trainer that is just amazing, and living life for me finally. Life is good people. I sure do miss all my blogging friends. I am hoping to get back at this you all helped me out so much when I was first banded. I will never forget the impact a lot of you had on my journey.

Miss September

My Dr.'s office put me on their website as Miss September. Here is a link. Check out my story.

Jax Weight Loss Center


Also I did a photo shoot with my friend Lyndsay. Check out these pics.

Photoshoot Pics

Happy Two Year's To me!!!!!!

Two years ago today I changed my life forever. Making the decision to get a lapband has been the best thing I;ve ever done. I am so thankful for my family and friends that have helped me, encouraged me, supported me, and loved me through this amazing journey. I never knew life could be this good.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

Hello everyone I just wanted to wish all my blogging friends a great long weekend. I hope you enjoy time with your families and friends. I have some family in town that I will be visiting as well as spending time with my wonderful friends. Be sure to honor the people that have served or currently serve our country.

on a HUGE side note. GAIL HALL achieved a huge milestone this week.... Are you ready for it??? I am now under 200 pounds. My weight no longer begins with a 2. I am smaller now then I was in the fifth grade for the first time! AMAZING YOU HEAR ME??? AMAZING!

I love you all!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to the best Mom in the world!! To all my blogging friends that are Mother's I hope you enjoy this day with your families. It takes a special person to be a Mom. I am blessed to know a lot of great Mother's. I am fixing to get off work, and get up early for a day with my family. I can't wait.

I have also included some new pics of me since I have been a bad missing in action blogger lately. I miss you guys. Hope all is well with you all.

This is the best!!! No carbs and No calories!!! 

Personal Training

Since I have been banded I have been seeing a personal trainer with the exception of a few months. My first trainer was let go from my Dr. Office then the search went out for a new one. The practice hired a new girl. I finally gave her a try, and really liked her. She was then let go also. I know, I know tends to be a pattern. I get attached to them then they get fired haha.. Anyway, I usually fall apart when my routine is messed up, but this time I have managed to stay on track. Thanks to my team of help. Ashley my trainer reached out to me when she didn't have to. She could have cut all ties and she continued to reach out and check on me. She invited me to the park to do cardio while she was trying to figure out what she was going to do. I just found out this week that starting on Monday we are all set up to start training again. Three days a week. I cant wait to get back at it. When my friend Chris was in town my birthday week I went to the gym with him. He worked my arms so hard. I was sore for two days, but it felt great. I have until Aug 11th to make my two year mark from surgery. I will be at my final goal by then. With the help of my personal team, Dr. C, Ashley, and Kaloni my nutritionist, and of course my amazing family and friend support system. I have got this!!! Here's to it folks!!!!!

Here is a pic of me and my trainer Ashley.

She's BACK!!!

Yes, Yes, Yes.... I know I have been the WORST blogger of the year!! Can I get an award for that????

I know a lot of you follow me on facebook that way you can keep tabs on my crazy life, but I know that blogging is not the same.

Soooo much to tell... Don’t even know where to start. So here goes nothing... The last time I blogged was my work Christmas party. Gosh that’s three months ago.. I'll just hit ya'll with the highlights. Christmas was awesome. I worked Christmas Eve and Day, but then went with my parents to my Aunt and Uncles house in North Carolina. I was able to experience my first ever white Christmas. It was my first time ever in the snow. I love being a Florida girl, but it was nice to play in the snow. New years I spent with my Brother, Sister in law, and a few close friends in Fernandina Beach, Fl. our local spot. It ended up being a big night for me cause I closed the door to a very long, long idea of a relationship I was making up in my head with a guy that never wanted me, but in my head I have had our life planned out for years. He is a very good friend. That I do love very much, but only as my friend. I am so thankful for that night. I had finally reached my breaking point and knew I had to let go of the idea of there ever being anything more. It opened my eyes up that I was just holding on to the idea of us for the past couple of years because I thought I would never be good enough for anyone, and what we had felt perfect. Now I know I am good enough to be loved by someone. I just got to find him and never settle. Ya’ll got a brother you want me to meet hahah.. Just kidding. Moving on. In an effort not to hurt my family that read my blog with to many details on Jan 9th tragedy struck my family with the worst week ever. My Brother and Sister in Law are getting a divorce. No need to spill details because only the two involved know all the truth. I just know for me it was and is the worst pain ever. As you guys know that met Kathy at Boobs 2010 in Chicago we were really close friends. I called her my sister. They had been married for 15 years together for 18 so she's been in my life for a long time. Since I was 12. I went through a real hard time feeling all kinds of emotions. I didn’t want to lose her friendship because she was the closest girlfriend I had. My brother and I had lots of talks him telling me it wasn’t my fault. I was blaming my self for asking her to go out with me and my friends, I know she is grown and can make her own decisions, but I still am human so it’s natural for me to feel bad. My brother would tell me don’t stop talking to her and being her friend so I tried that, but it seemed like every time we would hang out no matter what we did something she would say or do would make me mad or hurt my feelings. I guess because I knew my brother was hurting. I would get over it not say anything and then wait till the next time. On my Birthday last weekend we had a huge falling out. The only part of the conversation that replays in my head is "Gail, you need to separate your emotions." How can I be friends with someone who wants me to be emotionless? That's just a huge thing I am dealing with right now. I am very close to my family and this hurts so much. I have never had to go through anything like this. My nephew is my life. I love him so much. He is 13. I try to spend a lot of time with him. The good thing about this if there ever was a good thing is that I did not turn to food to grieve. I walk and run more now haha... My very good friend Jon was going through a lot at the same time. I did not want to be a lone, so I moved in with him and he has been a Godsend to me really. I am so blessed because he kept me together. He does not even know what he did for me. He is the most amazing friend anyone can ever ask for. I would have fallen apart if it wouldn’t have been for him. I still don’t wanna go back home yet cause I love not being a lone. We have just a good system it just works. Brings me to Feb I did the Fight for Air climb at the Bank of America Tower here in jax. Our team was the Hall Climbers and we climbed 42 stories, 838 steps. Wow you hear me, Wow! Then it was my year and a half mark of my surgery. Oh what an awesome time I am having with this journey it is a whole new life. Unless you have been overweight your whole life and lose the weight you have no idea how much life is different now...People often say in these blogs they don’t want losing the weight to change them. Well it does. I am more open and vocal now than I ever have been. I have confidence that I have never had before. I might not be different, but I am just a butterfly coming out of my cocoon. Then it was my Brothers birthday lunch with the family of course. Then we had Valentine's Day which I spent with friends. No love, lots of losses but no loves yet haha... March I did the Gate River Run. Which is HUGE. It is one of the Nations largest 15k's (9.3 miles) I did not run I walked/jogged, but I finished. What a great and awesome feeling. I was the girl that over a year ago could not walk from the parking garage at work to my desk without breathing hard and now I have completed a 15k!!! My 30th Birthday was last weekend that what an awesome time I had. Awesome presents from my dad. Vera Bradley sunglasses prescription, the new Ipad that just came out, and a very nice Coach watch, and a hotel room on Amelia Island for three nights. My friends Brooke and Billy got me a big cookie cake. That is my favorite. Also, my really good friend Chris came into town from Nashville. I was able to have the whole week off work to spend with him and our friends. Joshua got me a nice case for my new Ipad. Lots of friends came out to dinner and we made a nice long week of it. I am so blessed and thankful....

All this leaves me to give you one more piece of sad news. I had signed up for Boobs 2011, but just realized that is the weekend my good friend is getting married. I am a bridesmaid, so I can not miss that. She would not be happy ha... I am very sad that I will not be able to make it. I had such a great time and was looking forward to seeing each of you again. :( I am very sorry.

I hope everyone is doing great and I promise to be a better blogger. Here are some pictures of my highlights I mentioned

Christmas Party 2010

My friend Jon and I went to my work Christmas party last Saturday night. It was a lot of fun. I still can't believe how far I have come, and that I actually wore this dress, but I did!!!

Another 5K Completed

Last Saturday, December 11th. Kathy and I completed our 5th 5K of the year. Casa Jingle Bell. We tied Jingle Bells to our shoes, wore bell bracelets on our wrists, and went out all festive for the season. It was COLD, but lots of fun. My parents and brother and joey came along to cheer us on. It was a great day!!

I am doing The Fight for Air Climb for the American Lung Association on Feb 5th at the Bank of America  building downtown Jacksonville.  They have practices on Tues and Thurs. I just attended my first practice. 42 stories and 838 steps!!!! I did it!!! 20:35 yay me!!!!!!

Yours Truly.... Look at me!!!!

For sooo long I had fears of going to restaurants with booths. I would get anxiety as I waited in hopes that we would get seated at a table cause at most every place I would not fit, but now there's no fear. I prefer booths. Today I had lunch with my friend Ashli and little Caleb. I sat in a booth and  even held Caleb putting him to sleep. How awesome! Not gonna lie tears of joy when I left!!  I did this ladies I did it!! Actually I'm doing it!!!!  Love ya'll xoxo

Yesterday Kathy, Jason and I completed my 4th 5k of the year. Beat our time by 2 min. Which is great considering I worked the night before 12 hours got off and went straight to the 5k. So the combination of no sleep and all the hills were great haha!! Thanks to Jason and Kathy for pushing me to keep going faster and harder.  We had a cookout with friends later in the afternoon. I am so blessed!  Xoxo

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." - John Fitzgerald Kennedy.....Wishing you and your family a happy and safe Thanksgiving! I am so thankful for your friendship.

Started with a new trainer yesterday. I think it's gonna be a good move. We did legs yesterday. I am soooooore!! No pain, No gain!! Here's to making it to goal by March!!!! Love u guys!!

Question for my Blogging Sisters... Anyone got bathing suits they can't wear anymore that you wanna pass along??? I'm going on a cruise in two weeks and need one or some hehe....

Bad bad chicken.... I usually don't have issues with chicken, but boy I just did... You know the drill first comes the tightness in your chest then the feeling that you just gotta get it out. I go to the bathroom throw up a little there's some chicken. I thought I was in the clear... Oh but I wasn't. I go back to the table sit there. My parents have all my looks down to a tee. They know just by looking at me that I'm not ok, and talking is not ok. My mom said, "Gail you ok?" I gave the look and if you know me well you know my answer was "it's all good." Then I looked up and said nope I gotta walk as soon as I stood up and headed to the bathroom there comes the gross part we hate... Slime as I now break into a sprint across the restaurant. Then get to the bathroom to finally get it out!! Followed by the lovely burps to let me know this time it's really all good!! :) still not feeling 100% but glad the worst is behind me! Hope everyone else had a better night than me!

I went to Universal Studios again over the weekend look who I got to play with!! 

Pirate Princess

I have only dressed up once for Halloween when I was in high school and a few times as a kid... Well this year I did the unimaginable... I dressed up. Last week I went to the Halloween store with my good friend Sarah also a bander (by the way she is soo close to her 100 down) we tried on costumes. It was soooo much fun. So I decided to play along. We went to a party called the Gravediggers ball. It was fun he see everyone dressed up. I had a wonderful time, so glad I did it. The confidence that I have gained over the last year is amazing. I still can't believe that I wore what I did.. Boots to my knees you hear me hahaha!!!! The best part of my outfit was that it came with pirate panties :) 

Lunch with Jacquie

I know all of you are jealous that I had lunch with Jacquie again today. I just love her soooo much. It was a much needed!!!

Making Strides for Breast Cancer 5K

Kathy and I did our 3rd 5k of the year last Saturday. Making Strides for Breast Cancer. We beat our time and had a lot of fun all for a great cause in honor of my Aunt Joyce and in support of my Aunt Nita and all the other survivors. My friend Jason came out and joined us to. Super awesome day! 

Welcome to my rut

I am very involved in my doctors office it is a huge place and I constantly have people asking me questions... How did you do so well? Why can't I succeed like you did? What do you eat? How much physical activity do you do? Yesterday I hit rock bottom. I felt overwhelmed and just totally helpless. I feel like I am not helping people the way I should. I feel at a loss of words these days. Yes I did very well in the beginning and lost 100 pounds quick, but the last 5 months I have only lost about 30 pounds. I know some of you are like 130 and you are complaining. Let me tell you I am not complaining at all. I am so happy with myself. I feel like I have finally accomplished something on my own.  I am steadily losing never gaining, but still not double digits every month anymore. I know it gets harder, but some people think I am perfect, and a pro at this banding thing. I am gonna put it out there to the whole world that I am not a pro. It is a life long struggle that I have to deal with every single day of my life. Just like everyone else that is going through this same process. I signed up knowing that I have to change my life forever. Its all about the choices we make 24 hours a day. When I cheat I admit it. and I do cheat. ha.. I have always been a people pleaser, but the past year I have worked so hard at improving myself that I have tried to constantly do what Gail wants to do, but deep down I still have the need to want to fix everyone. I get emails, texts, and phone calls from people and I want to fix them. I know I can't do it, but I get depressed that I lost so much weight, and I feel helpless when I dont have the right words to say. I had dinner with a good friend last night, and she said "Gail you can't fix no one but yourself." I know this, but I can't seem to get out of this rut. I have never really been the one to ask for help. I always listen to everyone and try to help them. So again this is huge for me. Angie the lady I went to dinner with last night used to be in a small group I used to have on Monday night months ago she even brought up the fact that at the beginning of those groups I would never talk about my self, but the leader Kristie did so well for me pushing me to open up. That was the creation of this new change in myself. I miss her and that group time so much. So now I am reaching out to you guys.