Hi Guys....My name is Melisa and ive been a banster for 3 years now! Ive lost 70 lbs and have no regrets about getting the band! Ive gone from a size 20 to a 14 so far! My band was too tight a year ago and i had 1/4 cc taken out. i gained some weight from that so i just had some put back in. im hoping to get down to 150 or size 10! whichever comes first! I recently started walking so im hoping that will help too. My band is pretty tight again so i can mainly only eat soups comfortably. No big bulky foods! And that is good for me! Keeps me away from burgers and pizza as well as other bulky fattening foods!!! I will try to post some before and after pics soon. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask. Good luck banster friends! <3

Hi Guys....My name is Melisa and ive been a banster for 3 years now! Ive lost 70 lbs and have no regrets about getting the band! Ive gone from a size 20 to a 14 so far! My band was too tight a year ago and i had 1/4 cc taken out. i gained some weight from that so i just had some put back in. im hoping to get down to 150 or size 10! whichever comes first! I recently started walking so im hoping that will help too. My band is pretty tight again so i can mainly only eat soups comfortably. No big bulky foods! And that is good for me! Keeps me away from burgers and pizza as well as other bulky fattening foods!!! I will try to post some before and after pics soon. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask. Good luck banster friends! <3

wow you are doing great i am into 2 yrs and still am having troubles on how much protein i should eat.can you tell me some ideas of how to get enough protein any get ideas to help would be great i am sensitive with my fills they have to go slow with me my band has been fill to 5cc someday i feel was this worth or not i am glad in way i have done it because i have lost about 50lbs but i want to loose more and someday i feel like i never get there.any support you can give me would be great. thanks again kimberly

To me it sounds as though your band is too tight. The band is not designed to work with liquids even if they are healthy like soup. Whilst you may think that is great now you could be setting yourself up for problems in the future.

Hi Kimberly! Yes....protein is def a hard one. I get the protein shakes at costco. they are 30 grams i think. I think we are supposed to take in about 70 a day. so i figure if i drink that in the am it helps boost the protein for the day. Im back to being pretty tight so i have a hard time eating chicken and steak or any bulky food for that matter. Just make sure you eat protein b4 anything else on your plate. i also just recently bought a vitamixer! omg it kicks but and you can make awesome protein smoothies! i do a cofffee protein shake too that i love. Hope this is helping.

yes my band is pretty tight right now. i may have it loosened a little in a few months. Im going to see how it goes for now. Today i was able to eat soup and salad at lunch and did great with the salad. if i eat meat i have to eat small bites really slow. With my band tighter it helps me not go for the bulky hamburgers and sandwiches. I dont mind that for now. But yes i dont want complications so i will be very cautious. thank you so much for your concern...i soo appreciate it elcee

Congratulations on your success Melisa. Sounds like you are doing great! Thanks for sharing!

Thank you Lynn....how longhave you been banded?

Another good way to get protein is an unflavored protein powder. U can get it at GNC, and u can mix it into soups, chili, applesauce, Crystal Light, juice...abt anything! I like to put my water bottle of Crystal Light plus unflavored protein powder in the freezer for abt 2 hrs (shaking occasionally) to make a slushy. Yum!

wow you are doing great i am into 2 yrs and still am having troubles on how much protein i should eat.can you tell me some ideas of how to get enough protein any get ideas to help would be great i am sensitive with my fills they have to go slow with me my band has been fill to 5cc someday i feel was this worth or not i am glad in way i have done it because i have lost about 50lbs but i want to loose more and someday i feel like i never get there.any support you can give me would be great. thanks again kimberly

hi melisa thank you for the advise i am really happy to talk to recevie this infomation it will help alot.kimberly

hi melisa thank you for the advise i am really happy to talk to recevie this infomation it will help alot.kimberly

thank you also sarahbear for your advise.

Yum sarah!!!!

can you be my cheerleader? i just got banded 2/17. Goal is 100 pounds

of coarse!!!! wow ...how are you feeling?

Hi again,

I was banded in June 2008. Time sure flies when you are having fun! I am very pleased with my band and so grateful to have it. I have been on a plateau for several months and am in the middle of a 5 day pouch challenge to get back on track. I have set new goals and I want to get a tummy tuck in September, which means I need to be at goal weight. So I just plod along, singing my song. I am also training to do the cycling portion of a triathlon in June so that is a great motivator. Well, fear is a great motivator for me!

Ohh wow. Please share with me this 5 day pouch challenge!!! I need a big challenge right now. I just had a fill but i feel like i need something more to challenge me! Im also walking at least 3x a week now. I walked 6.5 miles yesturday!

I was banded in Mexico in April of 2008 and have lost a total of 75 pounds. I have not had a fill in a long time and I think I am at a good spot with the band...Sometimes I don't chew enough or eat something that I shouldn't and throw up but it is tolerable. My biggest problem is drinking after I eat...I get thirsty and there is just no where for the liquid to go so it comes back up. I had lost about 60 pounds and wasn't excercising...then I got a job at a retail store and within 6 weeks had lost an additional 15 pounds and my weight has stayed within 1 pound up or down for the past 11 months...I am walking about 1100 steps a day.

I have no regrets about having the surgery..I am off of blood pressure medicine and my diabetes drugs have dropped my blood sugar to a very good range. I have loose skin primarily because of my age...I am 61 and my skin does not have the elasictitiy that it had when I was younger...oh well...not that big a deal. If I win the lottery I might consider surgery..

Just thought I would throw my two cents in...good luck all...and hang in there...it does get easier.