All the lapbandster's from 2009 tell me where you are today.

It will be 2 years for me on July 31st.

How much weight have you lost?

Are you at goal weight?

How many fills did you need to get?

What kinds of food can you eat?

Do you still take 20-30 minutes to eat and 30 minutes before/after each meal to drink?

Do you still have your band?

What kind of exercises are you doing?

How much do you eat at your meals?

How did you stay motivated to exercise?

How did you stay away from the junk?

How long do you exercise for?

Did you have to get surgery to remove excess skin?

Did you need to get a tummy tuck?

Do you still drink Protein shakes?

How are you managing your weight?

Do you still see your lapband doctor?

JUST WHERE ARE YOU NOW?

As for me, like I said, it will be my 2 years on July 31st. How much did I lose? I'm almost back where I started and yes, I'm very ashamed! The lowest I got to was 193 pounds. I feel like since I've been very depressed I eat more than I should and I eat the junk. I had my gallblader out last July and I do drink some soda, mountain dew and dr pepper but I have to give them up now because it's giving me pains. I use that Mio Water enhancing stuff and I like it. I haven't seen my doctor since last August. I'm too ashamed to see him. I feel so ashamed that I want to cry all them time. I hate myself for not following the rules. The band is doing it's job, it tells me if I should eat that or not and if I ignore it I'll puke. I'm just not doing my job. I COULD HAVE BEEN AT MY GOAL WEIGHT LONG TIME AGO BUT I'M NOT AND THAT IS DEPRESSING AND ALL MY FAULT!! I can't focus again, I can't even get motivated, and when I start I say "What's the point anymore?" I know I should go to support groups and all that but my mom is like "why?" I don't really know anymore.I have 100 pounds to lose.l.. But I need advise and stuff like words of wisdom or something, I need your help as fellow lapbanders.

Thank you!

Erin M.

You can get back up from this and start again..... forget the past today is a new day !!!

if your insurance pays for it go see your doc, maybe a little fill will kick start ya... stop eatting the junk... i do understand i LOVE all the junkie foods out there.... but I have been training my brain that i am to eat to live not live to eat... get all of ur old papers out from the nut and start like today is the first day !!! You know you can do it, so u fell off the horse, brush yourself off and get back on ! we are here to help u.... the weather is getting nicer get a friend or family member to walk with you after dinner....little by little

good luck

we are all here for u !!!

Amy

Sorry you are having such a tough time. That's great you reached out- a huge first step. Are you keeping junk in the house? If you are, I highly reccomend you get rid of it. If it's not there, you can't eat it. If you keep it in the house for others, they don't need it either. I agree that maybe you should go in for a fill. You will just have to get over being ashamed and do it. The band is not doing it's job if you are able to overeat. I hope your doctor is a good one, one who won't put you down, but reach out to help you. Is there a support group you can go to? Are you in any kind of therapy? These things may help with the emotional side of eating. Excersise would be great. It has so many benefits, just one being weight loss. Start out slow and gradually increase your duration/intensity. It is so tough to start (took me about 4 months postop before I hit the gym) but will become a matter of routine. I haven't grown to love it, but it always feels good when I'm done. Hope all this helps and keep us posted on how your doing. Best wishes!

Thanks you two (:

That is right, it is a new day!

My insurance does I believe.

I have to do that to my brain, how do you tell it that it REALLY doesn't need it?

That's what I planned on doing was taking all my papers out because I remember losing 12-15 pounds on my own before surgery, if I could do that then, I can do that now.

I have a punching bag outside, I'm totally thinking about doing a workout back there when the rain stops coming, I just need some punching gloves because someone stole ours. I like kick boxing and punching, it's fun and it's a good workout, I can also take all of my stress away while kicking and punching it!

I love walking for long walks around town but it's hard to ever find someone who would walk with me everyday, nobody ever wants to or they are "too busy" . That puts me down. I hate having to walk by myself outside, it scares me because I always feel like someone is out to get me.

The food, yes, there is junk foods in the house but my mom won't get rid of them shes like "you don't have to eat it", if I don't have to eat it, then no body does. I tell her if it is in the house it makes me want to eat it, its too tempting. If we didn't have it, I'd most definitely be where I want to be right now. She keeps saying she wants to lose weight, then let's start by getting rid of the junk.

Is there another type of beverage that is good for you like Water? I'm asking because I need something to switch to, I'll get sick of drinking water and move on to the super sugary stuff.

My main problem though, is the food. My biggest problem!

There's never any close support groups around here.

I'm not in any kind of therapy.

I agree it is tough to start

And I also agree on that it does feel good after exercising.

I too live with my older parents who buy the junk... now i have swiched over to skinny cows ice cream sandwiches and sugar free fudge bars so when I feel i have to eat the junk with them...also the sf jellos out there...I take a banana and cut it long ways i put the sf pudding on it, put a little low fat whipped cream a little hershey syurp sf and a few cherries...... looks big and taste great and its not over 180 cal......also... here is another low fat junk treat that is low in cal..... take a banana leave in the skin pull back a strip of skin and slice the nana only little put in a tbs peanut buttuer wrap in foil and sf hersey syurp put on grill 8-10 mins take it off add whipped cream and mini choc hips if you want to add mini marshmellows before grill ....mmmmmmm

Amy

I'm 5 years out, and I regained all most all of it back. I finally got a new Dr. only to find out nothing was wrong. So I'm starting all over again.

Start Fresh, and forget what was. If I can do this, you can to. I am a 10/31/2006 Bandster. If you go to that site, and look up the last page, you will find me.

But I am starting all over again, and I know with what I know. This can be done.

Keep in touch if you want.

Shirley.

I'm 5 years out, and I regained all most all of it back. I finally got a new Dr. only to find out nothing was wrong. So I'm starting all over again.

Start Fresh, and forget what was. If I can do this, you can to. I am a 10/31/2006 Bandster. If you go to that site, and look up the last page, you will find me.

But I am starting all over again, and I know with what I know. This can be done.

Keep in touch if you want.

Shirley.

This was me when I was on a roll. I wish the Surgeon wouldn't have screwed up with his aftercare.

But like I said, I'm starting from scratch, and I am gonna get somewhere.

I may never be bikini material, but I'm fine with that. As long as I can take off the excess weight.

Shirley.

Thanks everyone(:

All good tips, I'll take all those into consideration!

Sorry if what I say offends you but I think you and your mother need some counciling. Sounds to me like she doesn't want you to loose the weight because she is heavy too and she wants you to stay heavy. Please do this for yourself. Show her that you can do this even though she seems to be sabataging you. I have delt with the same thing, I am loosing weight and people are jealuous. Your mother needs to support you and do anything she can to help even if it means keeping the bad stuff out of the house. Sometimes people don't realize what they are doing and maybe your mother doesnt realize that she is sabataging your weight loss. Please get some help and ask your mother to get help with her issues to. Let her know how much you love her and want both of you to be happy and healthy, good luck with everything and both of you are in my prayers.

I'm actually glad that you posted your discussion. I was feeling that I was failing and something was wrong as well. I had surgery 1/2/09 and have only lost 35 pounds. I was down to 50 pounds but in the last 6 months, gained 15 back. I don't exercise and i know that is my problem and i love ice cream. I eat too fast and probably dont chew well enough resulting in me throwing up and then eating all of those foods that slide through. The lap band is a tool not a solution and i have to realize that. I am mostly in pain when i eat protein, terrible pain and if i take some papaya enzymes before or after or some tums after it helps with the pain and i make sure that i chew my meats up well. I need to get back to my doctor to address this problem. Thanks for posting and just keep trying, so will I.

_{^{jeff2ang- Thanks and my mom is trying but she's been having problems with her knee and her foot. She wants to get back to walking again. I talk to her all the time about getting healthier foods in the house and we're trying. We've been having chicken a lot lately and we had turkey burgers last night and having lots of salads too. I'm actually liking salads a lot more lately and I like it with chickent in it and lots of veggies. But yeah before her father died she was on L.A. Weightloss I believe and lost around 20-35 pounds on that and when her father died she stopped and ever since then she hasn't been able to get back on track again. She says everyday that she should get up earlier so she can walk. I tell her to do it but shes worried her knee will give out or something, i told her that's what the emergency cord thing is for, she said shes afraid to use it. Her doctor gave her these insole (sp?) things to put in her shoes and shes hoping that's why her knee and foot have been hurting. I always tell her I don't want to live like this and I think I told her being this way depresses me deeply.}}

_{^{kdroberts72- I know how you feel, I was doing so good in the begining but I feel like it was only because I was sick. I don't know, but that's where I lost most of my weight. I lost close to 35-40 pounds as well but i gained most of that back, I was weighing at 240 before I started all this and I got down to 193 and now I'm at 219, I feel like a major failure. I am the same way with all the slider foods. I love icecream too. I eat fast and don't chew well as well. But I don't always throw it up. I don't get pains when eating Proteins though, so that is really weird, maybe talk to your doctor about that? Although, I find it very, very hard for me to even drink Protein shakes, those make my stomach hurt and even turn if I think about it. I also need to go back to my doctor, talk to him that I'm gaining it back and I'm not happy with myself, that it's making me depressed and that I need a fill and some guidence. Thank you and I will (:}}

_{^{Did anybody ever try Stewarts Mint Cookie Crumble icecream? Well I have a question, that is my favorite ice cream and I was wondering how to make a protein version of that? Now if we can make it a healthier version, I'd be very happy!}}

All the lapbandster's from 2009 tell me where you are today.

It will be 2 years for me on July 31st.

How much weight have you lost?

Are you at goal weight?

How many fills did you need to get?

What kinds of food can you eat?

Do you still take 20-30 minutes to eat and 30 minutes before/after each meal to drink?

Do you still have your band?

What kind of exercises are you doing?

How much do you eat at your meals?

How did you stay motivated to exercise?

How did you stay away from the junk?

How long do you exercise for?

Did you have to get surgery to remove excess skin?

Did you need to get a tummy tuck?

Do you still drink Protein shakes?

How are you managing your weight?

Do you still see your lapband doctor?

JUST WHERE ARE YOU NOW?

As for me, like I said, it will be my 2 years on July 31st. How much did I lose? I'm almost back where I started and yes, I'm very ashamed! The lowest I got to was 193 pounds. I feel like since I've been very depressed I eat more than I should and I eat the junk. I had my gallblader out last July and I do drink some soda, mountain dew and dr pepper but I have to give them up now because it's giving me pains. I use that Mio Water enhancing stuff and I like it. I haven't seen my doctor since last August. I'm too ashamed to see him. I feel so ashamed that I want to cry all them time. I hate myself for not following the rules. The band is doing it's job, it tells me if I should eat that or not and if I ignore it I'll puke. I'm just not doing my job. I COULD HAVE BEEN AT MY GOAL WEIGHT LONG TIME AGO BUT I'M NOT AND THAT IS DEPRESSING AND ALL MY FAULT!! I can't focus again, I can't even get motivated, and when I start I say "What's the point anymore?" I know I should go to support groups and all that but my mom is like "why?" I don't really know anymore.I have 100 pounds to lose.l.. But I need advise and stuff like words of wisdom or something, I need your help as fellow lapbanders.

Thank you!

Erin M.

It will be 2 years come september for me.

Lost 90 pounds

Nope have yet to reach goal weight

I get very small fills, for the first year I went once a month. Now I go every six weeks.

I can eat just about anything, but I tend to stay away from bread and Pasta.

I have never followed the drinking rule.

Yes still have my band.

I walk/jog.

I eat a cup maybe a little more just depends.

I don't like seeing that number on the scale go up, thats what makes me exercise.

I eat junk on occasion otherwise I would feel deprived and binge.

Exercise can be 30 min or 2 hours just depends.

Surgery for TT eh I will wait and see. So far im not bothered by it.

No protien drinks I get plenty of protien from my meals.

I'm still losing.

I see my nurse once every 6 weeks.

You said you hadnt gotten a fill since August? You should def go and talk to the doc or nurse see if they can get you back on track. You are not a failure and dont beat yourself down. Sometimes it takes a little longer before you can get into the groove of things.

Best wishes

Thanks you two (:

That is right, it is a new day!

My insurance does I believe.

I have to do that to my brain, how do you tell it that it REALLY doesn't need it?

That's what I planned on doing was taking all my papers out because I remember losing 12-15 pounds on my own before surgery, if I could do that then, I can do that now.

I have a punching bag outside, I'm totally thinking about doing a workout back there when the rain stops coming, I just need some punching gloves because someone stole ours. I like kick boxing and punching, it's fun and it's a good workout, I can also take all of my stress away while kicking and punching it!

I love walking for long walks around town but it's hard to ever find someone who would walk with me everyday, nobody ever wants to or they are "too busy" . That puts me down. I hate having to walk by myself outside, it scares me because I always feel like someone is out to get me.

The food, yes, there is junk foods in the house but my mom won't get rid of them shes like "you don't have to eat it", if I don't have to eat it, then no body does. I tell her if it is in the house it makes me want to eat it, its too tempting. If we didn't have it, I'd most definitely be where I want to be right now. She keeps saying she wants to lose weight, then let's start by getting rid of the junk.

Is there another type of beverage that is good for you like Water? I'm asking because I need something to switch to, I'll get sick of drinking water and move on to the super sugary stuff.

My main problem though, is the food. My biggest problem!

There's never any close support groups around here.

I'm not in any kind of therapy.

I agree it is tough to start

And I also agree on that it does feel good after exercising.

I was banded 12/20/08 and lost 90 pds. this past winter it has been unusually cold in Arizona and gained between 5-6 pd that i cannot get off. I know where you coming from. Been chewing on nuts and popcorn like it was going out of style. Made up my mind today, I need to get this weight off before it gets to be a bigger problem like you are going through. We can do this and that is why we got the band to begin with. Take one day at a time and we can do it together. I have gradually been eating more and more and I too, am hating myself. We are addicts and need to get a grip on this now before it gets any worse. Good luck and remember you are not alone, we all fall off the wagon and need to just brush ourselves off and get back up.

If you remember,,, part of the point with the Band or any WLS is making good decisions in eating.

Hershey's Syrup, Ice Cream (LO CAL OR NOT) . Pop is not a great idea. Even diet soda can give a beer like belly if you drink enough of it.

If your depressed, you need to talk to someone about this.

Remember this ai a slow go, so imagine yourself 1 year from now if you do something about it because we average 1-2lbs. a week, or see yourself in 1year if you do nothing.

You were banded for a reason, Go back to the basics.

Shirley.

I too live with my older parents who buy the junk... now i have swiched over to skinny cows ice cream sandwiches and sugar free fudge bars so when I feel i have to eat the junk with them...also the sf jellos out there...I take a banana and cut it long ways i put the sf pudding on it, put a little low fat whipped cream a little hershey syurp sf and a few cherries...... looks big and taste great and its not over 180 cal......also... here is another low fat junk treat that is low in cal..... take a banana leave in the skin pull back a strip of skin and slice the nana only little put in a tbs peanut buttuer wrap in foil and sf hersey syurp put on grill 8-10 mins take it off add whipped cream and mini choc hips if you want to add mini marshmellows before grill ....mmmmmmm

Amy

Amy that recipe sounds AMAZING!!! I am definitely going to try it! Did you invent it on your own or a recipe book?

Thanks everyone (:

I've been having pains where the band is, why?

I'm writing notes down about seeing the doctor to get a fill.

I think I found my motivation point, I have a boyfriend now who likes me no matter what, but, I don't feel comfotable about myself so he'd be my motivator, he lives 3 and a half hours away, but I met him. He walks everyday, so, I can do it if he can. I was thinking that when he goes for a walk, I'll go for a walk here. I have a super mini goal and that is to lose 5-15 pounds by June 11th, which is when I see him next, possible? It should be

My stomach has felt messed up and I don't know why.

I've felt so thirsty lately and I don't know why and I'm always graving iced tea.

I have plans to walk a lot this summer and If it's nice tomorrow, and from now on I'm going to walk to my grandma's sisters house after my Cos. class everyday and when it rains go on the treadmil