redmtn

Today is not my official weigh in day, but I did get to 199.4 today! I am so incredibly excited. I haven't see the 1XX on the scale since sometime in the 1980s.
Red, So, we are all individuals, and I am not saying my path is the right one for everyone. There are lots of reasons that people's weight loss varies and I agree that you have done amazing - have you tried lifting 70+ pounds lately? It amazes me that I used to lug around more weight then I can lift! Since you ask, I will share some background and approaches I have taken - some of it may apply to you some may not.
I assume that we started with smiliar BMI or excess weight to lose based on your comments. Obviously, even if we started at the same weight - the situation is really different if you are 5'0" or 6'0". I am 5'5", and my "target" according to the charts is 144 (not sure, heard different things). The nutritionalist used that target to compute that I should lose 164 to get to a perfect weight.. My surgeon's practice uses 80% excess weight loss as the "goal" so in my case they would target me for weighing 177. Bottom line, no matter how you look at it, I had a crapload of weight to lose. The reality of it is, when you have been mordibly obese for decades, it is pretty hard to get down to the low 20s BMI. I picked 158 as my target because it is a nice round lose 150# goal. In the 1980s, I looked awesome at 140-145# range so I felt that 160 is an agressive goal, but great weight for me.
So, they gave me guidelines of the "range" of excess weight that their patients typically lose - so basically at 3 months, 6 months etc you can tell if you are "on track" for making that 80% weight loss. I don't get hung up on what I read on the boards, I keep my eye on my own "plan" that I worked out with the nutritionalist and it has been great. I was advised that as a revision from the band, it is very common to not do as well as "virgin sleevers" but I have been at the upper end of their "expected results" so far.
I share all this background so you know that I have had pretty a pretty detailed plan around what I want to accomplish. I was banded in 2001 - lost 30# in a month and then lost another 40# over the next 11 months. Then, I just stopped losing - I never got under 200#. I regained plus more after I had to have the Fluid removed from my band in 2004. I did not want to repeat my poor results so have that extra "lesson learned" - that first 1-2 years is really the time to get the weight off.
So, another thing I did is that I read this and another sleeve forum quite awhile before I was sleeved. I paid attention to people who had results I wanted to emulate, and who were close to me in excess weight, female etc. I listened to their advice as I figured they were "on to something". At first, I had the idea that a tiny bougie size is what made people most successful weight loss, but over time I realized that isn't true at all - it is the behavior post op that was the most important factor. My surgeon uses 38 bougie size - one of the bigger ones.
Another thing I do is that I follow a plan for awhile and then when results aren't what I want, I change it up. This is something the nutritonalist helped me figure out. I started out tracking everything on myfitnesspal.com and it really helped me build my confidence. I watched Protein, carbs and calories very carefully. Over time, the nutritionalist told me to take the leap of faith and start listening to my body instead of "eating by the numbers". That was hard for me to do because I didn't trust my body's signals or my ability to use them wisely.
So, I stopped tracking several months post op and my weight loss accelerated! She was right, it was time to do something different.
I have also incorporated pretty heavy duty activity and exercise. I "move" everyday and make sure I do something intense 4 days a week - it might be a tough workout at the gym or now in the summer, working hard on my mini farm. Exercise makes me feel better and it is a time when I can't snack!
As far as food, these days all I keep track of (in my head only, not written down) is:
-daily Water consumption - 8-12 glasses;
-protein consumption 60-100g,
-Vitamin consumption (as per recommendations). I don't worry about calories
-portion size which I am keeping small to keep that tight feeling as long as possible
I use small dishes - a 4 oz cup for a "bowl" and a tiny plate for my dinner. If by chance I am using a normal size plate, I create a mental ring around the outside where no food should sit and food should not "touch" each other. This is how I keep portions in line, even without measuring.
I also have other rules - like I eat protein first, veggies second and everything else is way down the list. I also eat if I am really hungry, I don't worry about the clock so much. I don't go through drive throughs. If for some crazy reason I have "fast food" we go inside and eat - it is a rare event because it isn't very good! I don't get high calorie drinks, but do treat myself to a skinny latte or mocha once a week. I cannot seem to break my habit of snacking in the evening. If I am dying for something sweet, I eat a chocolate flavored Protein Bar. I give myself permission, that if I am still hungry after that, I can have a real dessert, but I never am. I do allow myself fruit now because I am no longer restricting carbs. I do limit bread, crackers, rice, noodles etc - but that is because I won't make the protein goals if I don't.
Another rule I have is that I weigh myself frequently. Some people are driven nuts by the ups and downs, I am not. I know myself, and avoiding the scale is one of the ways that I "deny" that I am overeating or off program. The scale is like a mirror, it tells me if my behavior is what I had planned.
So, what do I eat? Alot of protein. I often have an egg for Breakfast with perhaps a bit of cheese and a small slice of ham. Sometimes I make a veggie, ham (or sausage) and egg omelette, eating half at breakfast and the other half for a snack or for lunch. Also, cottage cheese with pineapple is a current favorite and sometimes what i have for lunch. Another lunch choice might be a bit of salad with tuna or chicken breast strips. Dinner might be a hunk of protein (chicken, fish, beef) plus veggies. For Snacks I have Protein Bars, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, beef Jerky that sort of thing.
Now, I am not perfect and I do sometimes eat junky food that the family brings home - a few chips or eating a side of potato salad or something like that. I just work to keep the portions small.
I guess a final comment, and maybe this one is of use to people - if your portion sizes have gotten too big or you are eating the wrong things - do a back to basics kind of thing for a few days. Some people use the 5 day pouch test, I haven't tried that yet. What has worked is to refocus on water, protein and avoiding snacky food - and then my desire for food automatically drops and I feel good restriction. It is amazing to me that just a few days of being "back on track" helps me get back that good sleeve feeling of not desiring food so much.
I attached a "before" photo.

Do your co-workers know about your previous WLS? If so you can explain to them that the Lap band surgery was not for everyone and due to complications (whether you had any or not) you are having to revise to a different type of surgery. Or you could just not say anything unless you have a very close friend you feel you want to share it with. I personally am not working so didn't have to face this issue. But I also fealt it was no ones business that I had surgery and I choose to tell only people I want to tell and when I want to tell them.
And if you feel shameful about it you could always wait until after you come back from having it done and when people start noticing the weight coming off of you and start making comments you can tell them how wonderful you feel and it's all because of this wonderful tool that you have to help you lose weight.

yeah you know i have had a similar situation i would just say that you got it fixed. unless your ok with telling them the truth. but other then that people asked why i was having surgery againand i would just say to fix it. thats about it.

Don't feel shameful... I bet MOST people will admire you for keeping on trying. I believe that society is really starting to understand just how difficult obesity is to cure. There may be a few naysayers, which is fine, but don't ever let anyone make you feel ashamed for being overweight, for having not had success with the band or for doing this surgery.
I always think of Oprah - that woman can do about anything she sets her mind to, right... well, except keep weight off. We are in good company, trying to go from obese to trim is such a difficult journey and the science is really now starting to understand why. No shame, be proud of yourself for keeping up the fight of this battle.

The truth is that no one but WLS people understand what you are going through. I did tell a few of my close coworkers about my revision. Some were supportive and others were very judgemental before surgery. I did feel shameful too, especially since I had a failed lapband. Now that I have lost so much weight, everyone is supportive and I constantly get questions or positive comments about my weight loss. I am pretty open about having surgery because I would feel bad telling people I just did it with diet alone. Many are curious about how I deal with not eating so much and if I miss food. I just have to explain to them that I can eat what I want for the most part, just in very small amounts. You have to do what is best for you. Just know that people WILL notice your weight loss. They will ask you what you are doing to lose the weight. Just be prepared with what you will say when that time comes. I am happy with my decision to be open about my WLS. I hope that it will help others get help that they need with obesity. Good luck with your revision. You are going to LOVE the sleeve! It is so completely different from the band. Look at all the success on this forum. You will do great, so don't stress too much!