shap

I agree you need to find new friends. if they cant be supportive you dont need them. Let them have heart disease and health probems as you get healthier for you. Besides who says you cant eat those things you still can just in smaler quantities. I ve gone out with the guys and have ordered cheeseburger sliders take off the Buns eat the meat. ive had wings like 6 or 8 not the 20 i used to eat.

I have been banded for almost a year. Not drinking and eating at the same time wasn't that difficult a thing to get used to. It only bothers me if I eat a late meal like past 8pm then I first have to wait until after 9 to drink that sucks especially if I'm going to bed soon. The other thing is that every stuck moment I've ever had was because of drinking and eating together.

Fat bottomed girls make the rockin world go round.

I like a woman with curves

I've been banded for 7 months I've lost 57lbs from 330 to 273. I was wearing xxxl now xxl went from 52 to 46 already I'm 6 feet. So far its been a great decision.

Hey to all my fellow Banders and Bandettes,
Just thought i would post something to keep everyone positive and motivated.
Many have been posting about how they feel like failures because they are eating too much or have been cheating, mostly due to the fact that your all fairly new and many have not have had any fills done yet. I'm here to say and know i'll be backed up others when i say, " It's OK! it's not the end of the world, you didn't ruin your band, let anyone down,or fail! Again you are still in the early stages, your body and mind both have to adjust to their new lifestyle. As you progress and get filled on regular basis, the foods you found so easy to sneak in will not be so easy eventually, and trust me when i say after hurling it up a few times you'll eventually say, It was fun while it lasted! I must remind everyone of the ultimate deadly sin! ICE CREAM! it's a silent killer, so easy to eat , slides right down, But remener it's all just sitting in your pouch turning to sugar! I try to tell all who can't live without it to try Frozen Yougert, it comes in so many flavors now, I personaly worked in a Baskin Robbins as a kid and have nightmares about the lines i would have around the corner having to scoop rock soild ice cream all night long to the point my hand would cramp up while in mid scoop. and all the damn Ice Cream I ate then, Lets just say I rarely touch it now. Ok I've bored you all enough with my mindless blabbering, Keep up the great Progress everyone, Be Proud, Never feel like you've failed, it's a long and difficult journey but so well worth the end Results!!! I always say That's why they put erarsers on pencils because we all make mistakes, no matter who you are. As long as you can honestly admit you screwed up that's the start of making it right!
As stupid as this sounds it actually does have truth to it,
Slow and steady always wins the Race!

Really? Atomic Pony?

I had a slip fixed in October 2011. The surgeon 1st had to remove the fill to see if it would go back into shape. It would not, so I went into the hospital and had it repositioned. He thought, for awhile, that he would have to replace it, but it went back into shape. I do not regret having the surgery to repair it. Best wishes for a great recovery. Karen

When you are back to knife and fork food the whole meal should be 1 cup of food or 8oz. Such as a 3 or 4 oz piece of Protein 2-3 oz of a vegetable and 2-3 oz of a carb. Eating the protein 1st then veg then carb if there is room. Meal time should be 20 minutes and stop eating. All the while taking small bites and chew well. You will be successful.

I've lost 50lbs already. I have noticed I have more there then before. Not only in length but girth too. I've also noticed how much stronger it is since I've lost the weight. Can't wait to lose more.

My wife and I are both heavy. I had lapband surgery and she did not. Eventually I will be thinner than she is I already lost 30lbs. It doesn't matter to me though because I like thicker women.

The reason I like fluffy girls as nothing to do with there insecurity in fact I've been with big women that have a lot of confidence and are sexy in there skin. I like fluffy girls cause I think a women is sexy with curves.

I also had mine done at a center of excellence. I'm only 2 weeks out but I couldnt be happier with the level of care I have recieved.

I had my 2 week post op visit today. My scars are healing very nicely and my 2 week post op liquid diet was cut so this afternoon I started soft food. I am very happy with my progress so far.

I had my 2 week post op visit today. My scars are healing very nicely and my 2 week post op liquid diet was cut so this afternoon I started soft food. I am very happy with my progress so far.

I just read the article. I honestly don't know what to think. My Dr.s' office recommends that once we are on solid food it should be a cup of food. 3oz Protein 3oz non starchy veg and then 2oz starch if there is room protein always first. But they also said the same thing in the article about taking a bite chew for 20sec wait a minute take another bite and no meal should be more than 20 minutes but that's a whole cup of food not a 1/2 cup. It really is very confusing because honestly if I went through this just to take 20 bites of food I made a big mistake. I got the band so I could live by the food guidelines like the food pyramid and what nutrionists say is a healthy portion of food such as what I described above. According to the amt of food I'm allowed it should take me 40 min- 60 min. to complete a meal. I really think the medical profession should adopt a standard across the board and adhere to it. I know internally every one is diff. But at least we would all have the same baseline. Thanks for reading I know it was long sorry.

I like the thick girls.

I have my surgery set for Monday Jan. 30th. @ 9am. I have to be at the hospital by 7:30am. I know i will eat again and I know I will eat everything o eat before the band just in a smaller more controlled portion. If this tool can help me with the snacking i do at night i am sure i will be succesful with it and with losing weight. will it stop me everynight no, wll it stop me 8 out 10 yeah probably i can live with that.

I like the thick girls.

I like the thick girls.

I will be meeting with my Dr. Next week to discuss the issue. My dr. Just started doing these and I was offered to be put into the trial to have it done. The NP said the main benefit is the rate of weight loss is faster. I don't think that alone is a reason to have it done. Am I missing something

not banded yet but wil be on Jan 30th. all i can tell you is life happens dont beat yourself up about. own it. you went away had a good time enjoyed yourself now get back on the bandwagon and move on. you dont have to be a perfect bandster just a really good one.

I saw a post on here the other day by a very successful long time bandster. Now not being banded myself I cannot speak on the topic my surgery date is Jan 30th. But the quote was that you don't have to be a perfect bandster just a really good one. That quote has resonated with me all week because I am worried and scared about what life will be like afterwards. But I know I will continue to make some bad choices because sometimes you just want what you want, however I do know that I can be a really good bandster 90-95% of the time and still be thinner and healthier.

First of all everyone is different. I personally can't tolerate most bread and rice, others can. I don't eat steak much because it has to be cut small and it loses it texture and its about texture for me. My friend eats Pasta and hot dogs etc. Sometimes you can eat something one day and not the next.
food really isn't all that important to me anymore. Most days I do not feel too deprived. Its a way of life and I am eating healthier.
If i want a burger and fries I have about 1/2 a burger without bun and about 4 fries and I am good.
Hope this helps
Wendy

Greetings fellow Bandsters,
I got a six year congratulations notice from the organizers of this site. It reminded me that I wanted to check back in with the community and talk about how wonderful this journey has been for me.
I was banded in November of 2005. It took me two years to shed the 100 lbs (seemed like forever), with all of the ups and downs. I seemed like it took forever to hit the sweet spot with fills. I made a deal with myself that I didn't need to be a "perfect" bandster, just a very good one. If this is you--hang in there. This thing does work.
I ate all of my food, never touched any "beaker food" or scientifically engineered food. I decided not to drink anything with calories in it for the first year of being banded. I made it a priority to either be filled enough to be losing weight, or going in to fill, each month until I was where I wanted to be. I think many bandsters never get tight enough to really learn how to use this method well.
I reached goal, and made my appointment with my plastic surgeon. He did fantastic work getting rid of my extra belly skin.
Since then, I am living the dream I used to have when I was heavy. I wake up slender. My clothes are beautiful and they fit. I never need to pull anything down to make sure anything is covered up. I am no longer self-conscious about how I look--I know I look good. I went from a size 18-20 to a size 4. I never believed I was a small person until after my plastic surgery--I have large bones and nice muscle (many formerly fat people do!) and not much else. When I look at my body in the mirror, I really like what I see.
Now that I know people who never knew me heavy, I am careful to represent my former fat community with respect for us all and the struggles we have endured. Yes, I have learned that many thin people sit around congratulating themselves for their wonderful self-discipline and judging others--and I tell them how really lucky they are to have been born thin.
Many doctors dont "get" the band. I am an executive in Health Care, so I meet many. They often explain to me that banding doesn't work, people "gain it back", yada yada. Then I tell them that I am a bandster, 100 pounds more than five years ago, never gained it back and they are shocked. They are probably surrounded by successful bandsters who, after learning to use the tool, don't talk about it all of the time--"did you know I used to be heavy" just doesn't come up in every conversation.
For me, I gained a huge amount of time not "navigating" being fat. I don't worry about how I look. I don't worry about what people think when I am eating. People automatically assume that I am as intelligent as I am. I fit in any airline seat comfortably, even the middle. I pull on wetsuits to go diving never worrying about if it will fit. If I ever try on anything that doesn't fit--the salespeople, and I assume that the product is not cut for me, not that there is anything wrong with my proportions. I am not out of breath walking up a mountainside, and I am as strong as I was when I was fat (most of us fatties are REALLY strong from carrying ourselves around.) I feel like I have averted the blood pressure and diabetes problems that run in my family. I get a lot of attention from men who say I am attractive. Since I lived my whole life up to six years ago not relying on my personal beauty for my inner peace, I think that is just a bonus. It is fun not to feel I want to avoid having my picture taken.
I have learned that if my band is too loose, I gain weight. I allow a ten pound max swing upwards before I go in to get my band filled. Then, gradually I get back to goal by cutting out a few extras like crackers and cheese, caloric beverages and the like. I have never missed fast food--it doesn't stand up to being chewed 20 times. Now, it's high quality or I don't bother eating or drinking it. There is nothing I don't eat, I just can't each much of it. I have cycled back down to goal three times so--I think I know how to do this the rest of my life. People used to say that it wasn't about dieting, it was about lifestyle changes, but for me before the band, it was about self-denial and dieting. After the band took the edge off my hunger and helped me understand Portion Control, it IS about lifestyle changes.
My only regret is that banding didn't exist when I was in my twenties--still getting past obesity at 45 was better than even later--although even that is possible.
All my best to all of the newer or wanna be bandsters out there--there is joy at this end of the road.
Chris