i was banded in march of 2010. i had gotten down to having lost almost 60 pounds, but had some issues with my band and had to get an unfill back in january. then i didn't go back when i was supposed to and since then have only had one "baby" fill. i've gained some and it's frustrating. i know it's me though as i've gotten back in my old eating habits since i have more "room" to eat these days. i can't eat anywhere near what i did pre-band but i sure can eat. and i love eating.but i'm getting so fed up with not losing anymore. in fact, now it's to where i've only lost 45 pounds since my surgery and it's getting close to the two year mark!! i haven't been exercising at all really or drinking water like i should. making horrible - and i do mean horrible - food choices. everyone says i shouldn't be so hard on myself since i've had so much going on in the past year (stress and etc.) what should i do? how do i get motivated again and stay that way? i got this surgery for a reason and it's not so i could be 190 something for the rest of my life. my goal is 150 and i really wanna get there! any suggestions?

Congratulations on resuming your journey. I think you have made a great step by getting to this forum. I haven't been in your situation so wouldn't presume to tell you what to do - but I wish you all the very best!

Check out the "5 day pouch test" on this site or Google. It's helped several people to "get back on track".

Take each day one at a time. When I slip and fall off the wagon I choose 2 small things to do each and eeryday. Recently it was: Get my Vitamins in...and get 3 litres of Water in. And I committed to myself that I would do it for a week. By the end of the week, that was easy. I also noticed at the end of that week that I wasn't eating as many sweets. The next week I committed to getting to the gym 4 times...check, done! and by the end of the first week the scale had moved, end of the second week, again! And then I got a slight fill...and I am pretty sure I'm in my green zone...so it's all on me now. I've my weight doesn't move, it's because I'm not working the band.

Go bag to the basics...get yourself hydrated..then walk for 30 minutes...when you feel the urge to eat, the do something else with your hands....like drink some water or paint your nails.

The bottom line is...you have to want it...no one else can want it for you. You have to find what motivates you.

Wishing you renewed motivation

Nice.... I really like this, Good Advice!

Take each day one at a time. When I slip and fall off the wagon I choose 2 small things to do each and eeryday. Recently it was: Get my Vitamins in...and get 3 litres of Water in. And I committed to myself that I would do it for a week. By the end of the week, that was easy. I also noticed at the end of that week that I wasn't eating as many sweets. The next week I committed to getting to the gym 4 times...check, done! and by the end of the first week the scale had moved, end of the second week, again! And then I got a slight fill...and I am pretty sure I'm in my green zone...so it's all on me now. I've my weight doesn't move, it's because I'm not working the band.

Go bag to the basics...get yourself hydrated..then walk for 30 minutes...when you feel the urge to eat, the do something else with your hands....like drink some water or paint your nails.

The bottom line is...you have to want it...no one else can want it for you. You have to find what motivates you.

Wishing you renewed motivation

I am in the same general boat as you except I'm further out and have more to lose in total- I've lost 140 lbs and I have 60 lbs to go and I got too proud of my accomplishments because of the compliments I was getting, I was learning what foods were easier to eat, and I also went through tremendous stress with losing my job, a parent, and just losing focus. I decided to go back to my counselor that I can see for depression and she is really helping me and I am getting back on track with wanting to do this for me - for my survival, for my health. I finally called my lapband surgeon's office and have an appointment for a fill. I had been staying away because I had gained about 15 lbs back and was ashamed but I talked to another lapband person I really trust and she said, go see him! I am also considering going to an OA meeting with that friend - I really still have a desire to overeat when I am under stress, I just choose the wrong high calorie foods that are easier to eat. I can't go back to not knowing what those foods are, I just have to decide to let them go for another period of time to get this last 60 lbs off. I have been working out in the yard and walking throughout the summer here in Ohio but now I've had to get back inside to the gym. I got 5 days out of 5 at work at our gym and I'm so proud of myself. I now keep looking at sweets and high calorie foods and thinking do I want to blow the calories I burned off or do I want to see that scale go down! Down baby down!

Hope this helps you. Bottom line, we have to choose to do the right things and it is hard!

i was banded in march of 2010. i had gotten down to having lost almost 60 pounds, but had some issues with my band and had to get an unfill back in january. then i didn't go back when i was supposed to and since then have only had one "baby" fill. i've gained some and it's frustrating. i know it's me though as i've gotten back in my old eating habits since i have more "room" to eat these days. i can't eat anywhere near what i did pre-band but i sure can eat. and i love eating.but i'm getting so fed up with not losing anymore. in fact, now it's to where i've only lost 45 pounds since my surgery and it's getting close to the two year mark!! i haven't been exercising at all really or drinking Water like i should. making horrible - and i do mean horrible - food choices. everyone says i shouldn't be so hard on myself since i've had so much going on in the past year (stress and etc.) what should i do? how do i get motivated again and stay that way? i got this surgery for a reason and it's not so i could be 190 something for the rest of my life. my goal is 150 and i really wanna get there! any suggestions?

thank you all so much for your responses. i'm really trying to do better and make good choices. i'm getting my husband to help me to work out more and try to motivate me on that end, too. =) now i just need to call and set up a fill appt. i, too, am a little ashamed at being so off track and having gained some back but i know my doctor and his staff and they are so supportive. =)

Don't be ashamed they are there to help you! They see it all the time I am sure for many different reasons.

Cheri

i think that it is great that you are reaching out and saying what is on your mind that is the first step in doing something about it.... I am just starting the process and I am having a hard time trying to loose the 30 pounds to have surgery.....I hope things go well for you and you stay on track...think all that you have gone through (0:

I'm with you on all this. Banded in Jan 2007 and lost 70. Sort of have been running amuck for the past year and a half and stepped on the scales this morning with a 14 pound increase. Well, I've been battling 10 of those for the past year. Can't seem to get enough days in a row of eating right. I have suffered with reflux and heartburn and am now thinking that I'm "soothing" myself with little morsels..that are adding up. I go to the doc in the morning and he will take some Fluid out (for the second time) and I'm just freaking over not having the band help me. I keep telling myself that I couldn't do it on my own before, so I'm just screwed, but I've gotta do it for myself.

Today I started the pouch diet. I think it is a good starting off point. I need to clean my system out of the sugars and crap. Need to get focused again. I need to be back here checking in with my support!!

I went in to the doc, yesterday, and had 1 cc taken out..trying to get the heartburn and relux under control. Feeling good today and since I had done the first two days of the pouch diet, felt restricted when I had two poached eggs for Breakfast. I'm minding the no drinking while eating rule and for some reason, I just never got this, but the idea is to have your upper pouch get stretched with food, before it drops down, which gives you the feeling of fullness and you eat less. Duh...I feel pretty dumb about that. So, I was eating this morning and had the feeling and my mind was telling me this was right, and then another part was saying oh oh, you're going to PB. But it was fine. Gotta retrain myself.

So, join me on this journey...lets stay motivated together.

that was awesome, i needed to hear that also, because i've been at the same weight 4 1/2 weeks

Day four of the pouch plan. Eating medium solids today. But I caught a cold so I might stick with some Soup type things. Last night had talapia. Following the plan...NO drinking when eating. When did I forget that rule? Geez. That one is hard to not do, but I'm going to do it. I'd like some oatmeal this morning with a scoop of Protein powder but I suppose I should stick with the soft solids. Poached egg!!

I can't tell you how good it feels to be in control right now. It is really motivating. I'm going to see a nutritionist next week too. I need to get my mind back into this. And checking in here is absolutely helping!

This is an awesome post! Thank you for starting this post!

Sula, love your going "amuck" comment!

My insurance changed and I am not covered for my lap band anymore! What a mess.

I have also slid down the path of not taking care of myself as I should. I know I really need a fill because frankly I'm just enjoying a lot of extra food lately...and I know that is not good.

I guess I just have to bite bullet and come up with the money for the appointment and fill.

I also dread calling the doctor's office!

I hope we can keep this post going and support each other!

I so needed to see this post. I have definitely fallen off the wagon. i recently moved away from home and been going through the motions. Not eating right or enough and not hitting the gym either. Gained back 9lbs in 3 mos! sighhh.. Haven't been to the doc for a fill either. Only have my 1 so feeling very little to no restriction. I'm just so ashamed of myself. My doc was just talking about how she wanted me to speak at a seminar because I was doing so well and not many patients do the Lap Band. I really need to get back on focus and reading these posts was very helpful. Thank you for the advice everyone.

i need help too...PLEASE HELLLLPPPP!!! LOL =) i know i have no one to blame but myself. i've been battling these last 20 pregnancy pounds for the last two years, and once i do (if i do) hit the pre-pregnancy weight i have 20lbs more to go for goal. i feel like i'll never make it! i get my fills done in T.J., the doc is open 1 saturday out of the month, most of the time i have some function i can't back out of so i don't go as often and when i do make it out there, i kid you not every time i go i need to get fluid taken out because my esophagus is irritated...wth?! i'm irritated with being irritated!!!! i currently have 2.0cc in my 4.0 band...i can't get back on track. my time is consumed being a mommy, wife, and work. at times i feel like i got banded for nothing...well not nothing, my ultimate goal was to have a baby, so it wasn't in vain. but i forgot that feeling or spark i had when i got banded...i can't even remember how i lost so much weight, what i did, and most of all i lost my motivation...ugh!!!!