I was banded in 2009. The day of surgery I was tipping the scales at 287lbs. The first six months was heaven and 70lbs gone. I decided to quit smoking at that point and my weight loss stalled. I got my first fill a year later and still was not losing weight. I started putting weight back on after smoking not because I was eating the wrong things but because my no metabolism body, really had none now. I went and got a second fill and still lost no weight. This year I was determined that I was getting below 200lbs if it killed me. My doctor suggested I try the ideal Protein diet to get my body in quick ketosis and she promised I would lose weight. In two months I lost 40lbs and this morning I am 182 and three pounds away from the 170's. Even though we all have surgery, it is not always the answer to get to our goal weight. Sometimes we have to push through and do without some things to get there. I am now a vegan and feeling happy with myself. Giving up meat was not an option for me because I can not eat meat any longer. I do however make a darn good black bean casserole.

So what am I saying? To all of you who are struggling to get to goal or are newly banded or getting banded, sometimes this journey isnt always easy. Sometimes weight loss stalls for months and in my case for a year. I never quit even though I was not losing. I was maintaining at that time. I needed help to get me to where I am because no matter what I did I could not get my weight to move. Patience is a necessity for this to work.

I am sitting at my desk and my stomach is no longer sitting in my lap. I don't cheat ever and being a vegan is not half bad. It is a journey that you must make up your mind that you will not cheat til you get to goal. I have not had one piece of anything sweet in three years. I don't miss it. I do not eat fast food and have not in three years. I don't miss it. One day I did go to Wendy's and get a chicken sandwhich and I spit it out on the first bite. It was really disgusting. My taste have changed but my body is thanking me.

You all can do this with perseverance and determination and when you stall don't ever give up.

Thanks for sharing your journey

What a great post - thank you for sharing!!