Hi, veterans. I've not been a regular user of the forum for quite awhile. I'm back now, because I really need somewhere I can go for support in my weight loss journey. I had my surgery on 09/08/10 and lost close to 60 lbs in the first 8 months. The problem is that I cannot get below 153lbs, for the life of me. I have slacked off on exercise in the last few weeks, but have been a regular 5-day a week gal for the whole time otherwise. I've gotten fills, but should start thinking about going back for another.

I'm making an effort to eat less meat and am planning to cut way back on sugary foods. I don't drink soda. I do drink coffee, but not every day and usually only one cup, when I do.

I am on full thyroid replacement medication. I think that probably has something to do with it. I think it also could be how my body handles sugar (see above comment); Although I am not diabetic, it runs in my family.

I struggle with my body image, even though I can still wear the smallest clothes from my lowest weight (after the close to 60lbs). I am a size 10, but would like to be a size 6 or a size 8. All I know, is that I am not happy with how I look. It doesn't help that I've been divorced for just over 2 years and have no dates. No interest at all; None. So, I'm hoping that there are forum members that I can keep in contact with for support.

Great advice. Thank you! I'm making some progress with cutting back on sweets. Am cutting back on caffeine. Increasing Protein and will work on the counting calories.

Maybe I do give off 'a vibe'. I want to date now. I did meet a cute police officer today (I volunteer at my local pd, but met this one at an accident that I witnessed this afternoon). When I am out, I try to show a good attitude, but maybe I could do a better job. I try to look nice, when I go out or to work. I'm not a fancy dresser, by any stretch of imagination, but I try to look nice.

I'm going to go back on a protein drink/supplement plan for a few days and see if that helps kick things back into gear. My birthday is in early March. I'd like to lose 8-10 lbs by my birthday. I have a goal, which should be attainable. I just have to also keep up my exercising as well.

Thanks so much.

Best of luck to you. I had the urge to date once but wasn't really seriously dating; so maybe it was the vibe given off, I don't really know. I've watched my friend struggle with the same thing; he has Asperger's syndrome and comes off as really strange, so the only time I saw him actually relax, laugh, and start getting asked out by women was after he had smoked some MJ for the first time (no joke)....not that I'm advocating that, as the appetite increase could actually work against the lapband....

But maybe if you had a drink and went to a venue that more obviously advertised you were open to dating, such as a bar, a singles group at church, or even a place like eHarmony.com, it might yield some results? I don't really know.

Why would you even come to the Veteran's Forum?

Because it's an open forum and Terry has much insight and valuable information to offer?

Why would you even come to the Veteran's Forum?

Because it's an open forum and Terry has much insight and valuable information to offer?

OK. Fair enough. I know that I need answers from Veteran Bandsters or I would post on the other forums.

OK. Fair enough. I know that I need answers from Veteran Bandsters or I would post on the other forums.

Because it's an open forum and Terry has much insight and valuable information to offer?

Why would you even come to the Veteran's Forum

Some of us have lurked here for years so we consider ourselves as veterans. Also, some of the forum members seem to catch onto this journey quicker and seem to be much wiser than some of the veterans who had surgery 7 years ago. Just use your filter and accept the answers/advice that seems reasonable to you and discard the rest.

Trust me when I say that you can see advice from people who were banded 8 years ago that may have made sense back then but bariatric docs know more now than they did back when surgery techniques and after care was so different(at least most do).