I agree with your post Michael. I got banded 6/2011 and to date I've lost 93 lbs.

thats great! how many total do you intend to lose?

My husband's surgery was 4/30/11 down almost 100lbs. Mine was 5/10/11 down 51lbs.

Absolutely agree with all you said .. I am a 197 lbs down in 11 months !

all i can say is WOW!!! im so worried about the whole fill thing and now that i read your blog i know i can do it hopefully without a fill. ive been watching everything i eat now, ive lost 15 so far and had the surgery 11-4. Thanks!!!

Thanks for your post! I threw out all or my ranch dressing, blue cheese and BBQ sauce... I have lost 4lbs in the 2 days that I put myself first and followed the

'rules". It really is about doing the right thins... but in the same sense if I was ALWAYS good about following the "rules" I would not have needed the lap band. Anyways I appreciate your post and you are so right. Congratulations on your weight loss. You are a strong person!

Hmmm.. I was banded 4/12/11 and to date have lost 105 pounds. I have had several fills, and haven't ever counted my calories. EVER!! I just eat what my band allows, and when I'm full, I'm done. Over time and with my fills my band has disallowed different foods, but I seriously haven't had to worry about a single calorie, fattening food, sauce or dessert. I absolutely can not tolerate anything carbonated. It makes me so sick... so I'm grateful for that because I can't drink my calories either (pepsi, coke, beer, etc) But if I want cheese on something I eat it. If I want sour cream on something, I eat it. I decided from the very beginning that I wouldn't have a miserable experience with eating, and I absolutely haven't!! I love that I can eat whatever I want, but my fills keep the band tight enough that I can't eat enough of it to sabotage myself! The key for me has been to listen to my body. Thankfully, overeating isn't comfortable, and super crappy food makes me throw up!

So... while what you have done worked great for you, I have to add that there are other ways to be successful with your band and have the same rate of weight loss along the way! It's not always all about calories in and calories out!

Congratulations on your success Michael! I love hearing how the band works for everyone differently!

I totaly agree! I was banded Aug. 14, 2009. Start weight 275 current weight 135 and have maintained for 1 yr. The band is a tool not the whole anchilada! You have to think about eveything you put in your mouth! Water is soooooooo important! Portions and calories do matter. If you eat your protien first veg. second you won't need to eat starches even whole wheat ones because you will be full and you will stay fuller longer. I have 2 relatives who had the surgey and have so far not been very successful because they have not got the mind set that they need to have. Your brain is 99% and the band is 1% of the total picture. Enough said. Good Luck Everyone!