Almost to my goal!!! 180 pounds, only 19 more lbs away!!

WTG Joel! Your words are very inspiring. And I agree with Difa, update that ticker! You earned it

Holy smoke that is amazing weight loss. We were banded at about the same time and you have blown my doors off. AWESOME!

I'm gonna have to use the gym here at work. I was going to sign up at 24 hour fitness and my wife just gave me a look like "when are we going to have time to do that." I just shrugged her off...

Wow that is amazing!!!!! Congratulations. What has been your success and what had been your challenge?

Joel, thanks for sharing your success. This really is encouraging me.

I wake up everyday at 3am. Go run 1.5 miles. Get to the gym at 445 am sharp, lift for 70 ish minutes. 6 days a week. I also take my lunches at work at run 2 miles everyday.

Wow, that's fantastic! Keep up the great job!

dionaw

Congrats on your success, you have done fantastic!

Congratulations u r super dedicated! Such an inspirational story

WOW ! congrats ! Tell us how your life has changed since you got banded , please !

Thats great! Not band yet but hope to be by july

Thank you for all your comments!. I have put up my before and after pics in the photo area. Just search my name. The after pic is at 202 pounds, I have since lost another 4 pounds as of today. Down to 198. Again. Than you to all!

Awesome Joel congrats!!

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Hey guys, thank you all for the kind words. For everyone wondering how I did it, it's really simple, embrace the opportunity you have been given. The lap band was probably the smallest part of the reason I have lost 161 pounds so far. My doctor said, no sugar, no dairy, no more than 1200 calories a day. And that is exactly what I have done from oct 25th 2011. I made small goals for myself at 360 pounds. I could not run at that time, so I began walking daily about 2 miles. I stayed on low carb meal plans at 2 ounces per meal, 3 meals a day. Plus 3-4 Protein shakes. My protein is 120 cal per shake. I drink nothing but Water. No juice, no soda, no milk. I strength train 5 days a week for 65 minutes. And I run a total of 22 miles a week religiously. Those are the main reasons as to my weightloss. The lap band is the final decision maker as to the quantity of food I intake. Excersize burns off the fat. Anybody can do this if they embrace it fully. I give myself no breaks. It only opens doors to the bad foods and lazyness. A body in motion truly stays in motion. A lazy body becomes lazy. Any questions feel free to shoot them at me:)<br />

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<p>First off, extremely great job on your part Joel congrats!</p>

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<p>i can attest to the lazy body not wanting to do anything, thats what i hate the most no energy.</p>

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<p>Joel in reading your story you seem very dedicated and disciplined in your workouts and your food intake, so what happened?</p>

<p>why not just not get the band and exercise it off?</p>

<p>i know why i cant, but what prevented you from exercising like you do now?</p>

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<p>thanks</p>

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My biggest problem was eating. I ate unhealthy and waaaay to much. The band took care of that problem. The band is my fail safe from over eating. And due to the ability to expand my pouch or cause a slip, I do not allow myself to go past 2 ounces per meal.