I have often started one of these threads, but would stop after writing a bit because while the LAP-BAND®®® has helped me lose weight and now maintain my weight for nearly two years, it seems crazy to feel like a success. I started with a low-ish BMI (37) and losing 90lbs+ didn't seem significant enough to class me as a success, I thought!

And I just felt that I was very fortunate that the band worked for me. Yes, I exercised - 40 mins 3 times a week when I was losing - but I didn't count calories, I didn't do low carb, I just got regular fills, ate when I was hungry and in time, my addiction to food diminished and I just lost weight. The band helped me with portion control, but more importantly, it stopped me thinking and wanting food all the time. Does that make me a success? You be the judge lol!

It's funny but opposed to other ways in which others lost weight, I think, for me, not counting calories and not worrying about not eating certain food groups actually meant that I stopped thinking about food, and that was why, in my opinion, the band worked for me. Food stopped being an obsession.

A lot of people ask me what I ate while I was losing. Well, everything really, just in much smaller portions. I ate the odd portion of chocolate sometimes, had an ice cream on occasion, but I ate everything in small portions, and as a result, didn't really ever feel deprived of anything.

The mindset that seemed to work for me consisted of general guidelines that my (Australian) Dr gave me and ones I made up for myself. These included:

• Only eating when I was hungry. I often felt 'peckish' and would think of food, get cravings and feel like something naughty. But before I went to get something to eat, I'd ask myself if I was really hungry. If my stomache wasn't growling, I wouldn't eat. I'd tell myself I'd eat when I was really, truly hungry, and the funny thing is, when I really was hungry, I usually felt like something savoury and not chocolate or sweets or anything. Over time, the 'peckishness' seemed to stop.
  

• always eating just enough food to 'tide me over' and telling myself that if I was still really hungry in 30 mins, I could have some more food. In all the time I've been banded, I've gone back for more food just once after the 30 mins. Now I just automatically eat small portions, even when I could easily eat more.
  

• Exercising even if I didn't feel like it. I don't think anyone feels like exercising. But afterwards, I'd jump off my spin bike and do a little dance, and remind myself of how good I felt. I had set days that I'd have to exercise, and the only time I didn't do it was when I had the flu for a week. Otherwise, sore or tired or grumpy, I owed the bike the 40 mins and I'd do it, even if it was past midnight, even if I couldn't think of anything worse than exercising. No excuses. I don't exercise much on a formal level anymore, but being active has become very much something I just am now.
  

• Allowing myself loads of rewards for getting to mini goals: I think we are truly hardest on ourselves and we don't think we deserve to Celebrate our successes if they're 'small'. I wrote down all the rewards I would get myself once I reached this weight or that weight, and I made sure I rewarded myself. Every single bit of motivation helps!
  

• Telling myself that I wouldn't have to live like this forever - fighting the cravings, exercising like a demon, only ever eating when I was hungry, not indulging myself. That helped me with the will power side of things, feeling like it was just a temporary thing I had to do. Yet funnily enough a lot of the things I was doing are now habits that have become a part of my life. I now only eat when I'm hungry (and sometimes when I'm not thinking about it, I forget to eat!), I no longer have to fight cravings (just don't have many cravings anymore), I remain active and am quite fit in general. I don't have to fight to maintain because the band lifestyle has become my 'new' lifestyle and that allows me to maintain easily.
  

• Making sure I had regular fills - this I think is crucial. The band works best when it physically prevents you from eating too much. I have never been ashamed to use my band to it's fullest potential. It stopped me over-indulging yes, but it also had the unexpected effect of making me understand how little food I actually needed to survive. And taught me to eat to live and not live to eat.
  

After getting to my goal weight, I had a lower body lift, and a week ago, I got breast augmentation. I still am a little stunned by the chick looking back at me in the mirror in the mornings, but I've never been happier with my life. I now surf, cycle, play soccer with my 4yo - I feel like I'm finally living the life I was meant to live.

And as glib as it might sound, it just wasn't that hard to lose the weight in hindsight. At the time I was losing, it seemed so difficult and seemed to last forever, but in the scheme of my whole life, it was really only less than a year for me to get to my goal weight. The band was an absoloute godsend to me, and I appreciate every single day of my life since it was put in.

Now can I also add the disclaimer that I am in no way advocating that my way of losing weight is the way anyone else should. I believe that band rules are there for a reason, and am all for doing whatever works for you. For me, it was more about mindset than particular details about diet or exercise, and the main lesson I learnt from all this is that you can re-train your brain to do the things you need to do to lose weight and keep it off. But I also know that without the band, I couldn't have done it, not on my own.

In the end, the proof is in the pudding though. I have been big all my life and I now have a BMI of 21 and have maintained for 18 months. I don't care why it worked, I'm just grateful it did!

Edited November 3, 201015 yr by lellow

Did you Mimi? I want to see!!

Having never been a tattoo kinda person, I've looked at Lellow's many times too. I"m about to have a tummy tuck and I'll see how the scar goes, and where it has to be put but if it's high enough to show in a bikini, I think I'll be indulging in a little artwork myself!

I will try this evening..some ppl will see more of me than they woul like, LOL!

Jachut it is very freeing to be naked only wearing art instead of lingerie!

Thanks for the inspiration.

love your story thank you for shareing your sucess !!!

Thanks, I'm glad i read your post... because i was feeling like it was not possible to lose that much with the band

Hello Byrd,

It is possible to loose that much and more! There are many people on this sit ethat have ost 100-150m lbs, ( i lost 100), But Cazzy is has lost over 200 lbs, check her out. Good luck to all, And everone is a success story, if they loose weight! Karen

(I am not trying to deflate the post starter, excuse me if it sounds like it!).

I came looking for this thread because it's been a while since I posted it. I had a good run with my old band, it helped me keep the weight off for many years quite easily.

But in Jan 2012, it sprung a leak, and in the course of the next 10 months, despite my good habits, I regularly lost the fight with my returned hunger and, as a result, gained almost 35lbs.

My doctor tried to fix the leak unsuccessfully for 15 months, before finally giving me a full band replacement in April this year. In that last 5 months that my band was leaking, I decided to get really strict on myself so as to NOT gain anymore, and with calorie counting for the first time, and cardio exercises, I lost 15 of the 35lbs I had gained.

Since getting my new band, I've lost another 12lbs without really even trying and have decided I don't want to lose anymore. I'm 7lbs from what was my previous 'stable' weight but this time because I'm trying to build muscle, not lose fat, I'm happy to be at a slightly higher BMI because my Body Fat Percentage is lower than it's ever been (under 20%).

So to me, it kinda feels like I fought the battle twice, with two different bands by my side. I know now how much the band helps me help myself get healthy and stay healthy, and for its presence in my life, I am very grateful indeed.

What an awesome testimony. Thanks

I really love your story. And can I just tell you that your before/after photos are amazing. You look like the teenage daughter of your "before" self.!

And I also have to tell you that I've already started looking at designs for my future tummy tuck scars. I've seen some really beautiful cherry blossom branches artwork that I'm leaning toward...

Anna how exciting! I always said I'd get a tattoo over my scars and it was honestly a life changer for me. I went from being self conscious to happily rocking a bikini! I can't wait to see yours!

In the end, the proof is in the pudding though. I have been big all my life and I now have a BMI of 21 and have maintained for 18 months. I don't care why it worked, I'm just grateful it did!

And "In The End"..it's all about how YOU feel and how YOU perceive yourself...only YOU know where you were before in contrast to where you are now.........That is most important of all....

Although I could not put it in the same words as you, I do relate and share many of the same experiences as you describe...it truly is a New Lifestyle.....

And "In The End"..it's all about how YOU feel and how YOU perceive yourself...only YOU know where you were before in contrast to where you are now.........That is most important of all....

Although I could not put it in the same words as you, I do relate and share many of the same experiences as you describe...it truly is a New Lifestyle.....

So true! Wow! B-52 look at you around the pool! Bet those young ladies are scoping you out!!!!

And "In The End"..it's all about how YOU feel and how YOU perceive yourself...only YOU know where you were before in contrast to where you are now.........That is most important of all....

Although I could not put it in the same words as you, I do relate and share many of the same experiences as you describe...it truly is a New Lifestyle.....

B-52, you are definitely someone on the forum who seems to live with the band in the same way I do! I know other Australian banders like Jachut and elcee who do as well, but you're probably the most vocal about how, if you're at the right restriction, living with the band can be easy, and effortless!

((((((((lellow))))))

hugs to you, am enjoying your new pictures..you rock it GF