Kflower84

That moment when someone u haven't seen in 5 months sees u but walks past u bcuz they don't recognize you.
That's what I encountered today at work. That was one of my best NSV's so far. I'm 8 months post op and 35 away from goal. This NSV just motivated me more than ever. To hit my goal by November. My Bandiversary.

Happy Bandiversary!! My one year was this month also and I have lost about 40 pounds too. I still have about 25 more to go but like you said, I am closer than I was. Cheers to us!!

I'm 6 months post surgery and have lost 54 lbs. Have done very little in the way of exercise having a hard time getting into a routine. Good luck!

I lost 79 pounds in just over a year with about 15-20 to go. I've been hanging out at this weight since February of this year and have just got a fill to take me down the last 15-20 pounds...so almost there.
It is a journey...for some it's faster than others. Much of that is within our control...sometimes not.

I have lost 67 lbs in 6 months (my 6 month bandiversary was yesterday). I love my band!!!!

I was banded on Monday as well. The first night was really hard, but I feel great now. Still on liquids and will be for another week. I'm wanting other foods, but scared to try. I have lost 20 pounds since I started the battle and I'm gonna win. I want to wear a pair of jeans to my sons first football game.

At three weeks post op - I have lost 18 lbs. That's nearly a pound a day. I am just beginning soft foods. I also log everything on myfitnesspal.com It helps with accountability.

Was banded April 18th and I'm down 40lbs today! No exercise or dieting, though 80% of my food intake is healthy.

5 1/2 months out and 32 lbs gone! Slow and steady. I'm super duper happy with my band!
Best of luck to you:)

Banded 3-3-10, down 95 pounds, three pounds BELOW goal. There have been many moments of struggle and discomfort but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I'm hoping maintenance will be less challenging, but I'll do whatever I need to do to stay un-fat.
Welcome to the club, Belinda.

8 months out for me and 86 lbs down!! Extremely happy with my band!! Honestly the best advice I can give is get in all of your Protein and Water and find an exercise you can do (and can at least tolerate). Congrats on your band, keep up that positive attitude and you'll do great!!

Everyone has shared some excellent and valid advice with you. For me, this weight loss journey has allowed me to develop the life skill of patience, which had eluded me for years. My weight loss has been slow, and I've had some weight loss related complications, but nothing caused directly by my band. My health is improving...much better mobility to walk short distances and lower blood pressure.

Try to be compliant with your diet everyday...don't expect perfect compliance because you are human. Tomorrow does come with a "restart" button...don't use it too much, just get back on track and avoid the guilt feelings. Success requires staying compliant with your diet, and keeping your eyes focused on your goals while you take a day at a time!

Don't become obsessed with your scale...it's normal for minor fluctuations in weight to occur. I try not to weigh myself every day. Yes, it can be difficult to resist, but sometimes the reading can contribute to unnecessary discouragement.

This forum is an excellent place to get emotional support, and has many knowledgeable members who willingly share their insights and solutions to issues which are encountered by bandsters.

Congratulations on your band and the beginning of your journey!

Hi! I'm nearly 4 years out and have been at goal for a long time (maybe 2 years?). It's so worth it to stick to the post-op diet. You'll be through that phase and bandster hell before you know it, and the weight will really come off! The secret to getting to goal is finding a type or types of exercise you like and sticking to it! (Just keep trying til something appeals to you.)
Congratulations on your surgery -- you have so many good things to look forward to!! Just walking around comfortably is major, but even little things like wrapping a normal towel around yourself are pretty major NSVs too!!
Be sure to take your measurements and some before pics now if you haven't yet!!
Best wishes for much success,
Catherine

I am 2 weeks post-op and have lost about 10lbs.

2 years out 100 pounds gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm almost 3 years out. My weight loss was slower compared to most on here. The first year (I didn't get restriction till my 3rd fill, almost 5 mths out) was about 70lbs.I began dating then. I had ben widowed for about 3 yrs by then and felt uncomfortable dating. I met my now husband at about an 80 lbs loss. The 2nd year, I lost another 20 lbs, making it 104 lbs in 2 yrs. This is my 3rd year and I began having complications with my band. I gained back about 11 of those pounds.
Hopefully after my 2nd slip, they'll be able to remove my Fluid and start fresh. Hoping they won't have to manually reposition it. Even though I'm now having complications, I would do it all over again. It's so nice to wear a size 8! I've never worn a single digit my entire adult life. I gave away all of my size 3x clothing, so I really can't afford to gain it back!
Good luck to you! You can do it! You're worth it! Even tho you feel like you're starving right now on the liquid diet, it will be a bleep on your lifetime radar! Oh, and I eat anything I want - including bread, rice, and Pasta. Just VERY small amounts of them. Anytime I go to Olive Garden, it's usually about 5 meals for me. I get sick of it or it goes bad in my frig before I eat the rest of it! My husband complains how much food I waste. Oh well. Better in the trash than on my body!
Oh and some advice: Be patient. can't say that enuf. For the first 5 mths and until my 3rd fill, I felt like I failed yet another diet. It was the 3rd fill that got me to restriction, where I could only take about 6 bites of a meal and be done with it. I don't think I researched it too much before, so I truly thought once I got it, I'd start losing immediately. Doesn't happen. Most people need from 2-5 fills before feeling the restriction.
Marci

I agree with everything the previous poster said! I too use mfp and its such a great tool. I was banded 10/4/11 and am down 64lbs. Lots of hard work and exercise is a must. I got by the first couple of months with little exercise but then I stalled and knew I had to get a routine exercise plan in place. I've never in my life run before I couldn't even chase my 3 year old around last summer and now I'm running around 45 minutes every night. Getting banded was the best thing I've ever done for myself but it is only a tool. You still have to put in the work. Good luck to you!!!

That's awesome...thanks for sharing... I recently added that app I love it already...its just really hard for me to just think I have to do the liquid diet another week...but we have to sacrify if we want to see results...

Hi! Congrats on your new band I was banded 7/2010. Since then I am down 96lbs. I am only 20lbs away from goal. It wasn't an easy road to get here, and I had many ups and downs. But it was worth it. My advice for anyone new with the band is you have to diet and exercise. You have to change your way of thinking when it comes to food. The band is only a tool; you have to make it work. Too many people believe its some magic little device that will make them drop weight without having to do anything. That's far from the truth. Make better choices when it comes to your foods and you'll see the weight come off. Also, for the past year I've been using the myfitnesspal app in my phone. It makes you accountable for everything that goes into your mouth. We don't realize how many calories we consume. But this app/website helps with that. I wish you lots of luck on your new journey!!!! Keep us posted

My 1 year bandiverary was in May. I have lost 82 pounds on this wonderful journey. I still have 50 + pounds to go, but I feel so much better. My daughter and I are doing this together and it is the best idea we ever had!

So Wed July 25th was my 1yr bandiversary, I may not be where I want to be but I am alot closer to it, I will continue to work hard everyday to reach my goal, I am happy with the 40lbs that I have shed, now just wanting to shed about another 40lbs, lapband surgery was the best life changing decision that I have ever made, I owe a big thanks to my support system~my fiance', parents, family members, friends, coworkers, my surgeon and their staff, and last but not least the people on this forum~Thank you all!!!

Thanks KFlower, I really hope this is the last fill for me. It doesn't bother me to get them, but I am so ready to start losing weight at a constant pace.

I just started mushies too! My favorite thing I've found thus far has been a third of a can of tuna mixed up with half an avocado with a tiny bit of low fat mayo and siracha. It tastes like sushi.
I can have ground beef/turkey, I'm fortunate to have access to wild game which is way super lean so tonight I'm gonna try and brown some ground elk throw that in the blender and top it with low fat riccotta cheese and some Pasta sauce and a tiny bit of parm throw it in the oven and call it lasagna!

I had a few recipes that I loved.
Low Fat Refried Beans pureed with some Fat Free Sour Cream and Salsa. Sprinkle a pinch of shreded cheese on top and microwave.
Canned chicken mixed with Fat Free Vegetable Cream cheese warmed in the microwave.
I stuck to the basics, but those two were nice every now and then to make me feel like my tastebuds were getting something normal.

My surgeons office would not allow us scramble eggs. So this is what I had on my mushy phase.
For Breakfast I would have: cream of wheat (farina), oatmeal, yogurt, small curd cottage cheese,
lunch or dinner : mashed potato, mashed butternut squash, mashed carrots, refried Beans with dairy cream and shredded
cheese
Snacks: sugar free pudding, natural applesauce, etc.
Good luck on this new mushy phase. It will be over before you know it.