For those of us who make those little mistakes and beat ourselves up about it, please inspire us to keep working at it and not give up!!!!

1. What was the biggest mistake you've made since banding (probs with food, exercise, follow-up, other band rules etc etc)??

2. Did you learn the first time you made the mistake or are you still learning to change this behavior?

3. What would you tell others who might also be having this problem?

Looking forward to your responses!!!

Not fully embracing and committing to the lifestyle changes needed to make weight loss happen. Somewhere in the back of my mind was the concept that the band would restrict my intake so I would HAVE to lose weight. I figured I could eat a little of everything I wanted I'd have to be successful.

Not true.

This is good! I am bumping it because I want to get some words of wisdom!!

my biggest mistake so far is drinking way too much at a new years eve party and puking all night. i am very lucky my band did not slip from the major stomach contractions wanting to get that poison out of my body. now i drink far less and try to respect the band much more.

The biggest mistake I have made is alcohol consumption. I like beer and tequila alot. I would say for those who are banded that its a ton of extra empty calories and to limit alcohol to a couple drinks a week. I tend to overdue it on the weekends.

I would say the biggest mistake is thinking that m&m's in small doses would be okay...first, m&m's go through the band JUST FINE and small doses really are just the same doses I would have had pre-band. Second...duh, it's chocolate! (you'd think I would fear that????)

So I'm trying the rationing process - eating 20 a day (I know, just step away from the bag....not easy or possible for me at this point!)

I dont really think I"ve made any terrible mistakes - I'm not a perfect bandster and I do drink alcohol and occasionally eat fattening foods etc but then I think of this as a lifestyle and those things can be part of a healthy lifestyle, in moderation.

I guess the worst thing I tend to do is start eating too fast - especially where company and alcohol are involved. That can be uncomfortable but thankfully has only once resulted in a PB for me.

Mine is the same as Jacks #1. I should have gotten an unfill before my life turned miserable and I started to hate my band. And, I should have gone low carb from day one. Sugar is the devil!!!!

Waiting too long to get a fill after my son's birth.

And Starbucks Mochas. No more for me, thank you.

I waited too long to eat yesterday. I was literally ravenous. I sucked down 2 pieces of pizza. And then drank a little water because I was SO thirsty. It all blew up in my stomach and I was miserable for *hours* Lessons learned:

1. Even if I'm really busy, I'll take time to eat a little something.

2. Even if I'm really hungry, I will take time to eat slowly.

3. Even if I'm really thirsty, I will not drink for 45 minutes after a meal.

ok my biggest mistake was eating chicken steak and not bitting it enough so I got it stuck so bad I had to go to hospitala and they had to do gastroscopy three times to take it out.then I had to stay in hospital.now I try to chew more. also I started thinking more about my food options and I try to stop overeating,yes I did it even with the band....

My biggest mistake was being too tight for months and vomiting everyday for 4-5 months finally had to get a complete unfill had nothing for a month gained 4 pounds my lesson learned respect your band hopefully after a barium swallow the band is intact by the grace of god after all that vomiting I thought it had slipped these were my options if it did go for another operation and readjust it to the correct position. revise to gastric bypass. or just leave it out all bad options meaning more operations luckily it was okay and I am on my way after months of no weight loss just vomiting eating and vomiting more what we do to ourselves its sickening.

Early in my band life, my biggest mistake was thinking the soda thing was myth. Yeah, after one gulp I lay on the floor crying for about 3 hours and I realized there may be somthing to not drinking sodas! Lesson learned the hard way.

Down the road, I learned, like others mentioned, don't eat in hurry. If people are rushing me I just don't eat. I wait until I can take my time. I do not want to pay the price of something stuck or a PB! If someone trys to rush me in one way or another, I explain my LapBand and tell them there will be no rushing. I'm just not going to do it. Sometimes it's okay to be a little bit of a bitch. It works!

Waiting too long to eat-which caused me to get too hungry-which caused me to forgo the bandster rules- which caused me to PB.

These are wonderful, keep 'em coming!!!

My biggest mistake (keeping in mind I'm only 5 weeks out) is keeping my calories too low. I hit a plateau last week so I kept lowering my calories but it wasn't until I got frustrated and "gave in" and actually upped my calories that I started losing again. I think my body needed to know there was going to be more fuel coming in before it started letting go of that darn fat again!

Two things- one has been stated- don't let yourself get too hungry - I also tend to bolt my food when i am hungry and then pay for it. Slow is always the key. Now if i could just remember that!

Second and most important is DON"T BE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF!! Everyones loss is different. it is learning how you relate to your band and how to make it work for you. My dr tells me this all the time when i complain i am not doing good enough and it is too slow. It is almost 1 yr and 95 lbs and he is more then pleased so i should be also.

Now, do as i say, not as i do!!!