Gregnlr

Not tired of the band, I am very pleased with my results, I am down about 90 pounds and hae added 20 more pounds to my original goal of 200 pounds and now want to get to 180, which I think I can do by year end, or at least my one year. I just slowed down on being so strict and bgin to add regular food to my diet some good and some not so good. I guess i wanted to see if I could have a normal life and yes I can, without gaining weight. But now I am back to the limited food and exercise as much as possible. I would love to look fab by Christmas. I did get a thrid fill as my second fill had lossened up most likely due to the weight loss. The band is my tool for life and I have had such a great summer as a smaller me.

I am still here Fab by 50, looks like you are doing well, I took a vacation from my band but am now back on track, I had a fill last week so I can take off my last 40-60 pounds. It is natural for the weight loss to slow down, but keep working the band and it will come off. Greg

All of this will be a distant memory before you know it. 7 months out and because of the weight loss you can hardly even see my scars. If you are thinking about food and wanting to smell you have head hunger, it is mental and you need to learn to cope with it, it comes from when food is your life and that life has ended. Wait till you fix a wonderful meal and then only be able to take a few bites, just remember that is why you got banded.

Great job NewBinginnings, your over half way to your goal and in only 4+ months. Keep it up.

MOBO, please do your own follow-up. I think that is why some are more/less successful than others. I have great follow-up from my doctor, we have group once a month and he is always there to answer any question. I get email reminders and feedback often from his team. The monthly group and weigh in keeps us honest on on course. He has said that the ones the attend are the most successful. If you can't get to a group keep on here for insight and information. There is more on here than some doctors know or understand. Find someone you can communicate with and work as a team. Keep the faith and keep your eye on the prize. Get fills, no need to have a band if your not working it.

I am doing great, I think I am at my sweet spot. Some days I can't eat at all and some days it is fairly normal. I don't dare take anymore at this point. But as I continue to lose I will reach a point I will need another fill. I was told it is like a belt and when you lose weight you will have to continue to tighten it. But I am good for now. I have been on a plateau and am down 80 plus pounds, but it has slowed down and is much harder. I have to increase my exercise and decrease my calories. But I am still happy as a lark. I feel good, like I have not felt in years. The LB is just awesome, not a miracle but still an awesome tool. I feel good enough I am headed to Vegas next weekend, and before I would not even get on a plane because of my weight. Keep the faith and keep after it, the weight will come off.

Bernadette, I admire you. You will reach your goal and we all could do better. 35 pounds is great and I have confidence that you will have the strength to be persistent. Celebrate your loss you are headed in the right direction.

March 16 down 80. Get a fill and work your band.

The first day I was out of it and the first night I had some shoulder/gas pain so I walked every time I woke up. It was not much around the house. The pain is nothing, your anxiety is more than the pain. I took the pain medicine the first day, then after that I did not need anything. You can read my whole story on my blog, just search for the user name. Trust me after the 3rd day you will be you again and now out almost 5 months and down 80+ pounds I feel 20 again, well almost. If your thinking about the band just do it, well worth it in every way.

Bernadette, when you find that sweet spot you will know it and hopefully it will be soon. I am only half way to my stretch goal so I still have a ways to go and you know men lose different than women so don't be hard on yourself. The fact that your on here encouraging everyone shows you have the dedication it takes to be successful. Hope you enjoy your hometown BBQ.

Waylayer you can expect to have those type of fluctuations up 5 pounds is no big deal and you have not failed you have all ready succeeded. Make sure you are getting around 1000 calories and if you think you might be eating too much, you probably are. Track you food, I use the daily plate. Only then will you understand what works and does not work for you. Work the band, don't work around the band. Best to you..

Coach, it looks like you continue to do awesome. I understand on the groceries, I save about $400 a month, the LB pays so get your kids the pool and I bet as thin as you and your wife will be you will enjoy it as much as they will. Treat yourself, you deserve it.

How all are well. I have struggled since my last fill and have had some swelling after getting stuck. Wednesday I could barely get Water down, yesterday water and broth, today I hope I can get some Protein. I have talked with my doctor and he offered to un-fill but for now I am good. I am down 70 pounds, so that part is great.

Hello Fab by 50 Bernadette. Hope your doing well, I am. The immersion blender is a blender on a stick that you can stick in a pot of Soup or whatever and turn it into a puree without having to pour it into a blender or food processor. It has been a life saver since my second fill.

Bernadette, I hope this is your last fill as well. I "think" I at that point now, I can't imagine being any more restricted. The immersion blender is my new best friend. You will understand once you reach that point. Proportionally you are about where I am since your approaching mid-ways. Keep the faith and work that tool.

That is just AWESOME Bernadette, I am still aways from "one"derland but will be there soon. I am glad you had a good vacation. I love my LB as well.

I think we all are learning how to eat slow and easy, at least once you reach restriction. I did that this week with fill 2. I have even had to slow down on my Water. I just had some fish and it was tiny bits over a long period of time. I have had to allow more time to eat. None of this is by choice, one bit too big or too fast and the pain makes the food unappetizing. Today was the first solid since my fill. But I am not mad, I am over my plateau for now and the weight is again dropping. Not to mention I feel so much better and must admit look better. The LB was a great decision.

Fab by 50 that is just awesome, you are doing great, it just took a few fills to get there.

How did the fill go, did you get restriction? I am only liquids since my second fill and could not eat if I had to.

Not so BigBossMan, the fill is a breeze, it will tighten you band and you may not even know it since it is your first fill. It was not till my second fill that I have good restriction. This means the food stays above the band which gives you a full feeling without eating much. 70 pounds is awesome, I am at 60+ so right on your heals, and yes I walk everyday like you...We should meet next march that would be cool or course you will only be meeting half of me

I had my second fill yesterday and OMG, I have to slow down on Water, but this is great. I keep losing and a am so happy I could pee.

OK Team, you have read enough on here to understand. Don't compare what you lose to everyone else, the point is your losing or at least not gaining. Our bodies are all unique so, me losing X does not equal you losing X. If you let yourself become discouraged then you will fall back into your same patterns of eating or at least using that as an excuse. It happens to all of us. I went a month without losing even gaining a little, then poof, 5 pounds gone. This will work and we all went though a lot to get to this point, start anew. Start eating what you know you should eat and exercise. We all knew from the get go that this was not a miracle way to lose weight and that we would have to work at it.

Great job BigBossMan, all the issue you had at first must really seem worth it now. Keep going.

Awesome job Coach, you continue to lead the pack of "Men of March". I still have a ways to go to reach "One"derland but I am on my way. You made a valid point you have to get your Protein, period. If you don't you won't lose. The other point I would like to make for those reading about your great results is "exercise". This is not have the surgery and be thin. It takes work and dedication. But exercise won't be like it was before, you will want to exercise because you will have so much energy it needs to go somewhere and then you will begin to look forward to it and what else can you do but increase your workouts more and more and the results will occur. No setting on the couch drinking a shake is not exercise. I am walking two miles at lunch and 5 each day on the weekend, I am getting the to-do list done and looking for things to do. I took a ten pound weight to work and now on those long calls I do a routine. I have a exercise band at work and I do a routine with that as well. This from the guy who only exercise was laps around the buffet. If this not so fat old man can do it anyone can.

Well, since Dr. OZ speaks on Oprah it must be true. So when I lose my 140 pounds I will gain 4 inches. Maybe I should have put on a few more pounds. That means when I lose my weight I will be ......