Hello all!

04/26/2012 will be my FIFTH bandversary. Yes, 5 years. I used to live on this site and for me it was vital to my success and accountability. I was tight with my group of "Violets" who were all 2007 bandsters..... I am still friends with most of them on facebook and such, but the need to come here and post is long gone.

If you click on my profile you can see where I started and where I'm at today..........as I uploaded more pics to my progress album. I did awesome my first year and lost 98 lbs, and then I just quit watching what I ate and quite weighing every day....... I gained about 30 lbs, but then I just settled. I would get on the scale about once every 6 months and the scale would read the same 204-208. Failure? Hell NO! I was (and am) normal sized and comfortable in my size 12-14's. In 2012 I am refocusing on re-losing those same 30 lbs, because I loved the feeling of size 10 levis! and my narrow face, plus I ready.

I love my band. I haven't had a fill (or unfill) in well over two years and have no plans for one in the future. I still eat too fast, but I will never again be able to eat 6 tacos or a large thin crust pizza! I can however eat two tacos and be completely stuffed!!!!

I believe in eating Low Carb.. it has always helped me lose weight banded and pre-band. I am currently adhering to a LC lifestyle and I will come back and post a pic when I get back down to those size 10's in 2012!

I was the first in my family to get banded........

My Brother in law got banded in Mexico 4 years ago

My Mom by Dr, K 3 years ago

My StepDad by Dr. K 1 year ago

All of us have lost weight.

My band has been a great tool and the ONLY way I've been able to maintain any ONE size in my entire life!

Good Luck on YOUR band journey!

Tracy Banded 04/26/2007

272/174/today206/goal for 2012... 172

and it is totally do-able!

Tracy:

You truly are a success! It was nice to see you here LBT again.

I think it's great that you got down to your low weight and though you gained from there you feel comfortable. Alot of people don't understand how someone can be comfortable when they've lost 100 pounds and then gained 30. I can and appreciate that you shared your experience. Knowing that you feel better at a size 10, but are comfortable in 12-14's is okay. At some point it becomes more about living life and not so much about thinking about every bite that goes into your mouth and how many calories you're burning with exercise. The best part about the band is that if we follow the rules and have the right restriction we can get back down to the low weight again if we want to.

I got as low as 174 and I am up over 200 again. I was just talking with my doctor about this yesterday. He said that there is some type of reset that our bodies want to go back to our old weight once we've been so heavy. It just pisses me off that I may have to "diet" again to get back down under 200. Working on getting fills now after being unfilled for a while so that my band can help me.

Thanks for updating us. I remember you from before and always enjoyed reading your posts.

Take care.

Sue