To you bandsters with great results

[tabatha lynn 0]

Really dont want to be the doom and gloom one on here.. Love to read success stories and I have watched everyone on youtube until I know them by heart..

Those of you that have had really good results please share your stories with us "beginners" so we can rejoice with you and know that there is hope for us.

I dont guess I realized it would take a couple of fills before I got to the restriction I need (and highly desire). So therefore that is something I am having to deal with now and get my mind going in the right direction.

How long did it take for you to start seeing the weight fall off?? Those of you that have had great results in like 10 months, when did it start for you? Just curious to know.

I want so bad to be a success story for the band. I heard of so many horror stories and failures before I had the surgery and dont want to be another.

Thanks for reading and cant wait to read your stories..

[kentx05 3]

God bless you and thanks for posting this. I do this only to give you a glimpse of what is to come.

I was banded on August 9th of this year. My weight loss journey began a month before that when I went on the famous pre-op diet. It was there that I learned how to eat. I was 282 lbs when I started this Lap band journey of ours. After the pre-op diet and I had gone down to 267. Since August 9th, I've gone from 267 to 213 and still climbing down. I have not exercised, which I will when I can, but the Lapband has helped me control my portions. I think the secret to this weight loss is my low carb eating. Low carbing it along with the Lapband have left me with awesome results. The LapBand has controlled my portions and low carbing it has brought in Protein that sustains my hunger for 4 hours or more. The pounds are just dropping.

My self confidence is way up. Every day I get comments about how I continue to shrunk. There is not one day that goes by where I don't hear co-workers say, "Wow, you look great". Or, "Wow, you're melting away". The reactions of my friends who have not seen me in a long time is even better. I feel like myself again.

LapBand, like our doctors told us, is a tool. But I had to change my way of life as well. My daily staple used to be Cereal, school lunch (2-3 servings of that school lunch mind you), and Cereal when I got home. No wonder I was hungry all the time. All those sugary carbs just left me hungrier by the time the spike to my metabolism was over which generally lasts 30 minutes to an hour. LapBand has taught me Portion Control, low carbing it has taught me how burn fat and keep my body energized.

It'll come. Your weight will begin melting away. But just remember, LapBand is one change. You still have to do the rest. I have had about 4 fills. In reality, the last two were the best ones. I was still losing weight when I was in the yellow zone. Stick to it. Believe that it will be and remember to eat right. God bless you.

[reverie 49]

I'm not at the end of my journey, but I do think I've had some pretty awesome results with my band.

I was banded May 10, 2010 and in 7 months I have lost 85lbs+ I haven't had any fills (this is the scary part!) yet I woke up from surgery with excellent restriction. I am full eating 1 cup of food each meal and satisfied for 3+ hours. I've only gotten stuck once (last week to mention it!) and have really had no complications.

I lost about 12lbs with my pre-op diet and honestly, since then, my weightloss has been a steady 1-4lbs a week; it has varied but I've only hit a full on stop for about a month, but the inches were still coming off.

I started off weighing about 245lbs, and today I'm probably about 159lbs with a goal of 115-120lbs. I love to workout now. I have a lot more self-confidence and I actually want to go out and do things. I find I'm making TIME to workout and don't have issues saying no to something to do my daily exercise. I have so much energy it is crazy. My mom asks why I run up the stairs now -- I don't do it on purpose, just a habit since I have so much energy.

I get called all sorts of funny names and compliments and I'm definitely not used to them. A lady at work calls me slim; it's cute! We had a party this summer and people didn't know who I was at first. But, despite all of the compliments and attention I get, I do still feel well..fat. I think it's important to note that your brain does take some time to catch up to your body. I know I'm thinner but I don't, feel it.

In the end I've learned a lot about myself; I have so much more discipline then I ever thought possible. There is always some sort of candy on my desk (Girl Scout's Cookies most recently) and I've yet to take a piece. People always say that the will-power I have is awesome..and I agree

Some advice..

Stick to the band rules. It is SO important to follow them, but not to a T. Allow yourself to mess up; you're human. So what if you eat a piece of chocolate one day. If you can limit yourself to a small portion, who really cares?

EXERCISE!! I can't stress exercise enough to anyone. I hated exercising before I was banded. I had no energy to do it, no push to do it, and when walking up the stairs took my breath away..why would I even contemplate doing more than that? Exercise really is a must when you're looking to lose weight. It helps tone you and you really do feel good after, even if you're drenched in sweat.

And lastly, count your calories, carbs, Protein, etc. Track everything you put into your mouth. Drink as much Water as you can! Hydration is a must.

So, even though I'm not at goal, I think I've had pretty good results. I love my band and I have been complication free so far and hopefully it stays that way. Best of luck to you and to everyone else getting banded!

Edited November 19, 2010 by reverie

[BetsyB 9]

I've lost at pretty much the same rate since banding, though it's slowing down considerably now that I reach goal.

It was very difficult, but I ate as if I had restriction even when I didn't. I know that doesn't work for everyone.

It took me three fills to begin to feel restriction. After that, things got way easier. They have gotten progressively easier since. Well, except for the natural slowdown that has occurred as I've gotten nearer to goal.

I have consistently eaten 2-5 oz. lean Protein and 1/2-1 cup nonstarchy veggies for my meals. I use 1-2 Protein supplements/day. I journal on Fitday, and aim for 800-900 calories, 80-100 g protein, and <50 g net carb/day (primarily from veggie and legume sources.) I do not eat sugar, or use caffeine any more (important for appetite control, for me). I make sure I get adequate heart-healthy fat (supplementing with omega-3s). I take a good bariatric Multivitamin (and supplemented with zinc and Biotin during the hair loss phase), and take Co Q-10 daily, too. I exercise daily, at least once.

For me, each of these components is important. It doesn't mean I don't occasionally indulge, but 99% of the time, I achieve what I set out to do. It's worth it, weight-wise. But mostly, I just FEEL a bazillion times better.

Your mileage may vary--not everyone needs to follow the same regimen for success. This is just what works for me.

[vlp1968 83]

I wholeheartedly agree with advice to excersise. It works wonders for weight loss. When my weight stalled, I increased the intensity or duration of my workout and the scale started moving again. I eat low fat and low carb, high protien. I lost 107 pounds in about 10 months and am now maintaining. As far as how the band has worked for me, I am a bit hungrier than I'd like to be. But I have been overfilled with just a little more than I have now. I eat 6 times a day, 3 meals and 3 Snacks. Best of luck!

[emjay 8]

Tabatha -

I was banded on April 10, 2009 and weighed 300 lbs at my heaviest. I am now at 146.5 lbs with an "ultimate" goal of 145. The lapband has been very very good to me. I do not do low carb, but I do focus more on Protein and Fiber. My weight loss has been steady since banding with a few bumps along the way while it took my body time to adjust. What has worked for me is adjusting the band to fit my lifestyle and needs and....yes EXERCISE. I'm not hungry in the mornings and usually in a hurry so I mix myself up a Protein shake with skim milk and drink that. Mid morning a few teaspoons of high fiber/high Protein granola. At lunch, I try to eat sensibly and keep my calories under 400 for the meal. Late afternoon I usually have a yogurt with granola topping and then dont' eat dinner until around 7:30 - 8:00 pm. This helps me to stave off the munchies late at night. I don't eat alot of red meat anymore...more chicken, fish and pork. I also don't drink anything with caffeine or carbonation (although I have to admit that once in awhile I just crave a Coke, but rarely have a sip). Hubby and I also do some sort of daily exercise, mostly walking and hiking. If the weather is crappy, we go to the YMCA. Strength equipment really has helped to tone my arms and I will say that I have pretty darned good shoulders. It also has helped to tone up my lower body which used to be way bigger than my top, but I'm now the same size. I can eat anything, but usually reserve treats for the weekends/special occasions. I don't eat alot of Pasta, bread, potatoes, or rice, but they are not eliminated from my diet either. I just find that Pasta, pizza, rice, potatoes tend to lead to a short term weight gain for a day or two because of the carbs. I don't keep alot of Snacks in the house that are tempting to me.

The best advice I can give is find what works for you. If you're not hungry in the mornings, have a shake. If you get the late night munchies, eat dinner later. If it's a long time between lunch and dinner, have a small snack to tie you over. Incorporate some activity into your daily life. Drink plenty of fluids, focus on Proteins and Fiber - they help keep you fuller longer.

My life has changed alot in a year and a half. I have more self esteem. More energy. My thighs don't rub together. My feel don't hurt when I wear heels all day. I look good in clothes. I have a more positive attitude and handle stress better. My joints don't hurt (very often). My bloodwork is phenomenal.

One NSV I had last weekend is from my postal carrier. I went outside to get a package from her and she asked if I was visiting. I said "no, I live here". She didn't recognize me. Couldn't believe I was the same person. That's a big change in such a short time.

I really wish you the best. I feel so blessed and grateful to have the life I have now. It's what I wanted my whole adult life - to feel like I fit in and am "normal". I want the same for all.

[kellyodoran 12]

Tabatha -

I was banded on April 10, 2009 and weighed 300 lbs at my heaviest. I am now at 146.5 lbs with an "ultimate" goal of 145. The lapband has been very very good to me. I do not do low carb, but I do focus more on Protein and fiber. My weight loss has been steady since banding with a few bumps along the way while it took my body time to adjust. What has worked for me is adjusting the band to fit my lifestyle and needs and....yes EXERCISE. I'm not hungry in the mornings and usually in a hurry so I mix myself up a Protein shake with skim milk and drink that. Mid morning a few teaspoons of high fiber/high protein granola. At lunch, I try to eat sensibly and keep my calories under 400 for the meal. Late afternoon I usually have a yogurt with granola topping and then dont' eat dinner until around 7:30 - 8:00 pm. This helps me to stave off the munchies late at night. I don't eat alot of red meat anymore...more chicken, fish and pork. I also don't drink anything with caffeine or carbonation (although I have to admit that once in awhile I just crave a Coke, but rarely have a sip). Hubby and I also do some sort of daily exercise, mostly walking and hiking. If the weather is crappy, we go to the YMCA. Strength equipment really has helped to tone my arms and I will say that I have pretty darned good shoulders. It also has helped to tone up my lower body which used to be way bigger than my top, but I'm now the same size. I can eat anything, but usually reserve treats for the weekends/special occasions. I don't eat alot of Pasta, bread, potatoes, or rice, but they are not eliminated from my diet either. I just find that Pasta, pizza, rice, potatoes tend to lead to a short term weight gain for a day or two because of the carbs. I don't keep alot of Snacks in the house that are tempting to me.

The best advice I can give is find what works for you. If you're not hungry in the mornings, have a shake. If you get the late night munchies, eat dinner later. If it's a long time between lunch and dinner, have a small snack to tie you over. Incorporate some activity into your daily life. Drink plenty of fluids, focus on Proteins and fiber - they help keep you fuller longer.

My life has changed alot in a year and a half. I have more self esteem. More energy. My thighs don't rub together. My feel don't hurt when I wear heels all day. I look good in clothes. I have a more positive attitude and handle stress better. My joints don't hurt (very often). My bloodwork is phenomenal.

One NSV I had last weekend is from my postal carrier. I went outside to get a package from her and she asked if I was visiting. I said "no, I live here". She didn't recognize me. Couldn't believe I was the same person. That's a big change in such a short time.

I really wish you the best. I feel so blessed and grateful to have the life I have now. It's what I wanted my whole adult life - to feel like I fit in and am "normal". I want the same for all.

Very very inspirational! You must be soooo proud :clap:

[tabatha lynn 0]

Thank you all for posting! It has been very encouraging to read. Great Great advice and I will say that I will impament them all into my new life style.. I do have a question for you all though.. How long did it take before you started seeing results. I have lost the pre op weight and actually have not lost one pound since surgery. Definatly feel some restriction from the recent fill but nothing major. Just wondering if it took you all several fills before you really started seeing results. Thanks agian for the very inspiring stories and keep up the good work..

[GipsyGirl 6]

Great thread.

I was banded October 6th, 2010 and already lost 32lbs