To all the successful banders out there, what is the one thing you think made it all click into place for you?

For me, it was deciding that failure was not an option. I got the band because my younger brother was diagnosed with diabetes and I was scared that if I waited any longer to do something about my weight, I wouldn't see my youngest son into adulthood.

So the day I decided to get banded was the day I made the commitment that this time, I wasn't going to fail. I read the statistics about average weight loss etc etc but I always intended to lose all the excess weight and keep it off. I have said before the band will help you that 30%, but you have to put in the 70% if you want to succeed.

I fell off the wagon when my band started to leak because I forgot for a while why I did this, and I was disillusioned about the band failing me, and then over Christmas I spent 3 weeks with my son and it made me remember again, and I recommitted to this. No food was more important than my son. I hope I never ever forget that ever again. If I do, I welcome any of you to kick my butt.

So what was your a-ha moment that you credit your success to?

i have said it before and some may call it a TMI moment, but when i began to have trouble wiping my butt after going to the bathroom, i knew i needed help or i will be one of those cut out of my house one day..

my A-HA moment was on my pre op liquid and i was whining about it and my ole biker man, who i have been married to for 28+ years, said to me and this is what make this whole thing click and for me to never look back, he said to me to woman up and that i was the one who wanted this surgery (and all that went with it (pre op appts, pre and post op liquid diets etc)...so do what you have to do in order for it to work....that was my moment that made me realize, it was ME who was gonna have to do it.......and once i got that in head, it was on.....havent looked back since...

as B52 states, i get it..

I was tired, tired of not being able to walk up a couple of stairs without being out of breath, tired of sitting on the couch just eating, tired of taking so many frigging pills, tired of hating myself and feeling depressed.

My a ha moment was driving to work one day and I heard a commercial for True Results and the band. I looked into it and here I am, happy and healthy!

My story is somewhat like AJ's. I couldn't walk up the stairs without feeling like I was going to drop dead at the top. I didn't want to go anywhere, get dressed, socialize.... I was embarrassed about the way I looked, aside from feeling physically horrible. My prescription bottles were increasing, and the writing was on the wall.

And deep down I felt that it wasn't fair to my husband, who met me 8 years earlier when I was in a size 8. Even at that point I'd already gained 28 pounds, but he didn't know it. He never bothered me about my weight, but I felt that cutting my life short by carrying around so much extra, wasn't fair to him. It's not really ALL about me! Although, it IS completely up to me to do something about it.

There were many things that brought me to my ah ha moment. But one day I was talking with my next door neighbor, who told me that she'd had a gastric bypass. I had no idea! She's always looked good, and when we got to talking, there were many similarities between us (regarding our life long struggle with our weight). I listened intently about the surgery, and entertained the idea for several months before moving forward. During those months I gained a few more pounds, at it became painfully clear that at my age, the weight wasn't coming off without some sort of intervention. The band is my intervention, and it's been a absolute blessing.

Not being able to fit on a roller coaster with my kids at King's Island. The seats were a little smaller because they were for little kids and adults so I told my wife I didn't want to ride the coaster. She insisted, I got up to the ride, after the attendant tried to forcefully bring the shoulder harnesses down several times on my stomach and chest and they wouldn't lock I finally walked away completely embarrassed. I knew at that moment I had to do anything it took to lose weight no matter what.

I felt my life was closing in on me and getting very small and my health was suffering! On the border of being diabetic, high blood pressure, sleep issues then Cancer diagnosis was the final straw. The cancer was mostly due to my unbalanced hormones and excessive weight! That all made me wake up and get with the program. Cancer is under control and being monitored with testing.

It took a lot to jump through the insurance hoops, but here I am one year later post surgery and almost halfway to my goal.

I allow myself to have moments of imperfection, however they are just that a moment! For the most part I am dedicated and I don't allow myself to feel like a failure or down anymore. Been there and done that did not like it at all!

With the right self motivation anyone can do this...it is learning about your body and listening to it as well. For me it is eat slowly and stop when full don't go back to food until your body tells you to. Good luck in your journey! Have faith in yourself!

For me, it was the realization if I didn't make drastic lifestyle changes I wouldn't live to see my kids grow into adults.

I started this journey truly huge- my BMI was 72. My blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol were all high. It was only a matter of time before I was on blood pressure meds and diabetic. I also had a pretty bad sleep apnea. I remember my visit to my neurologist before having Lap Band surgery and him telling me I was a "ticking time bomb" if I didn't lose weight.

I was diagnosed with diabetes 9 months ago, and still didn't change. My mom recently passed away from diabetes related complications. I was not ready to lose her, and I am not ready to die like her. I have to change.