I have been banded for 16 months and have lost about 34 pounds. Problem is I do not exercise (I could make a logical excuse, but I won't) and I still eat foods too high in calories.

My motivation is going no where and I'm feeling down about it. I am good about a lot of things (no steak, no cokes, very little if any bread of any sort); and bad about others (drink while eating, eat too fast, eat out too much).

The band has no doubt saved me life and my sanity. I don't gain weight anymore (sometimes up a couple pounds, but it always comes back down), but I'm not losing.

I need some words of encouragement from anyone who has done the same thing for so long. I felt that after a year, my weight would be off. It isn't. I'm barely half-way.:cry

Don't be discouraged. You know the things that you are doing both wrong and right. Stick in there and do the right thing. It's not easy but like you said, the band has saved your life. Mine too. I was banded on 1/19/07. Never been an exercise type person. Didn't even like walking. Finally decided on 3/8 to join Curves and have been going 4 times a week since. Just had my monthly weight and measurements taken with them and I have lost 8.5 pounds (in five weeks) and also 10 total inches (2.5 from bust, 1.5 from arms and 2 each from hips, waist and thighs). I feel better, more energy, stronger and more toned in legs and arms. I actually feel guilty when I don't go. So exercise does help. It is not easy to do the right thing but you have to do it. Think about all the positives. Keep the do's and don'ts in your mind, write them down and just say them over. We can do this. You have to push yourself to do some type of exercise. Start off slow like I did and gradually build up. I will be praying for your continued motivation. Also, someone recommended fitday.com to me and it has been very helpful with me keeping a record of my foods eaten (calories, carbs, protein) and also exerise/activity. It is a good motivation guide for me when I see that I am getting out of control with eating wrong things/too many calories or carbs. Good luck to you

The most important thing you can do is to make a decision. You know you haven't been doing what you need to do to lose the weight. But, have you made a decision to change?

There's another girl who has a similar story to yours who has been posting her story. You might want to read her thread. I think it's very inspiring. She's taking the steps to change. I really wish both of you the best of luck! Here's the thread:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=33351

Tami

I have been banded for 16 months and have lost about 34 pounds. Problem is I do not exercise (I could make a logical excuse, but I won't) and I still eat foods too high in calories.

My motivation is going no where and I'm feeling down about it. I am good about a lot of things (no steak, no cokes, very little if any bread of any sort); and bad about others (drink while eating, eat too fast, eat out too much).

The band has no doubt saved me life and my sanity. I don't gain weight anymore (sometimes up a couple pounds, but it always comes back down), but I'm not losing.

I need some words of encouragement from anyone who has done the same thing for so long. I felt that after a year, my weight would be off. It isn't. I'm barely half-way.:cry

LISTEN.....IM IN YOUR BOAT...!!!!!! I STARTED A POST ON THIS LAST WEEK AND IT HAS HELPED ME AND MANY OTHERS.....COME JOURNAL THERE......IT'S CALLED "READ THIS B4 BEING BANDED"

HERE IS THE STARTER POST.....THIS IS MY STORY....JUST KNOW YOUR NOT ALONE....lEAVE ME YOUR NAME AND NUMBER IF YOU WANT AND ILL CALL AND MOTIVATE YOU!

It's been two years and i have lost maybe 10lbs total. Why? People ask....I WILL TELL YOU HOW IT HAPPENED FOR ME....

The moral of the story is not to tell you NOT to get the band...but to tell you that this is no FIX and don't expect overnight weight loss....YOU HAVE TO PUT EFFORT into it.

This is important....people like me assumed the BAND would fix everything and the motivation would just fall into place...this is soooo untrue.....

I had always been big...all through school..always size 16+....senior year 2001 i was a good size 22....2003 i was a size 24 and by 2005 i was a size 32......I was always made fun of.....i gained almost 100 pounds in 3 years from being on the depo shot(birth control)so i got off of that...... and then getting pregnant. By 2005 I was at my worst.

I walked into the Dr's office thinking I was only 360 back in April of 2005. When I got on the scale it read 380...I almost died. I cried in his office because I was so ashamed. Ashamed over 20lbs!!!! I had researched the band and felt because I had a daughter it would be the safest surgery for me. I am only 24 and was 22 at the time. I thought this was going to be the FIX.....the thing to change my life. I thought that there was no way anyone or anything could stop me from losing weight after I had surgery.

I went through all the tests....and got all the required medical paperwork and convinced some family members to pitch in for my surgery. I set the date and started my pre-op diet!

From that point on I should have known I was going to be a mess. I was supposed to be on a liquid diet for 2 weeks because my liver needed to shrink for surgery. So i ate everything they told me to for the first 3 days and BAM....the feeling set in.....I WANTED AN ULTIMATE CHEESEBURGER FROM JACK N THE BOX AND I WANTED IT NOW! I couldn't get it off my mind....i was thinking about it allllllll day.....i went to bed thinking about it...and the next morning i went and got one. I figured...what could ONE double cheese burger with double cheese and mayo possibly do......well...it did nothing to the surgery process but it really broke the frame of mind. Before the 2 weeks was up i had eatin 2 not one but TWO ultimate cheeseburgers and a few chicken nuggets. Why? Why couldn't I just do the PRE SURGERY diet?

June 8th 2005------So surgery day came....and went.....all went well no complications.....i was on soft food in the beginning and I started to eat eggs for Breakfast....but my eggs HAD to have cheese and butter in them....HELLO!!! What was I thinking.....I remember getting my first fill and at this point I had almost lost 40lbs. 20pre-op and 20 post-op. It was amazing.......

About 3 months out(2 months after my 1st fill) I started to become familiar with my band and how much I could and could not eat. I realized that when i would eat too much, i drank a little bit, and it would make the food pass and then i would feel sooooo much better. I never exercised...keep in mind...(maybe got into the pool like 10 times the whole summer) and i was preparing for my wedding which was September 17th 2005. I was so stressed because my weightloss had pretty much STOPPED......I was craving foods like never before and started to eat and drink at the same time...BIG MISTAKE......i was eating at least double what I should have. So I went and had ANOTHER fill. This slowed me down...but still I was not losing ANY weight. I remember eating my first fried chicken after my fill and like trying to manipulate my band into letting me eat more by taking one bite and then drinking....it was the worst thing in the world i could have EVER done.

A year after my band was put in I was only 20lbs total lost (which means i gained 20 back) and I was so angry...I promised myself I was going to try and fix things and make it better....So much had happened that year....2006....we bought a house, my husbands dad died of cancer, my husband was leaving for weeks at a time for work...and i was home ALONE with my daughter. I had no energy to keep the house clean(and i still dont) but i would sit and mope.....and EAT.....I would make excuses to people who asked me WHY i hadn't lost any weight. I told them all that it was a slow process and that i had lost 40 pounds(lied to them).

This year, Jan 2007...I was just sitting at dinner with my husband and looked down and noticed i had a 12oz strip steak, baked potato loaded....and mashed potatos loaded on my plate. I ate all of it. my band was NOT going to stop me. I also ate bread before that.......and drank sweat tea....

in Feb07 I was online playing around and saw an ad for a weightloss show. Primetime...suppose to be JUST like the Biggest Loser....I thought...hmmmm I'll just fill out the app for shits and giggles.....well they responded and wanted me to send them a tape....so i did.

Then in march they had me get my band completely UNFILLED and then flew me out to LA and put me through med tests and interviews,THEY BOUGHT ME 2 PLANE SEATS because i was too big to fit in the plane chairs on my own....pretty sad huh,(cant say much more because they made me sign all kinds of disclosures) They told me it was a show that will be on ABC and told me i would be away from my family for 10 weeks. I thought....this is the chance i have been waiting for.

They made me think i was going....for weeks after the interview I was getting called and asked follow up questions and told i was in the top 4....then on March 31 i was called and told the network did not choose me. I was DEVISTATED.............like someone should have just shot me right there. I was so upset...i cried the whole way home(we were out to eat of course) and my husband looked at me and said...why dont you just do it on your own?

Ummmmm DUH right...? So about a week went by and I had done a real examination of what i have done wrong and how i have basically cheated myself out of my life! On Easter i saw my family and noticed how no one said i looked good anymore...that's because i didnt.....i looked worse...heavy as can be....and that night i sent an email to my family and decide that enough is enough.

Im exercising daily...NO EXCUSES...i posted before/after pictures on my walls in my house of other people who have had the band. I put sayings all over the house saying "whats ur excuse now" and i told my husband that enough is enough. So we decided to start our weightloss exercise on the 9th.....on the 10th I went and had my band RE-filled and since the 10th I have lost 10lbs......unbelievable huh!!!

So hopefully all this will inspire SOMEONE before it happens to them. Let my "GAIN" be your "LOSS".

Good luck everyone!

Krystal

The most important thing you can do is to make a decision. You know you haven't been doing what you need to do to lose the weight. But, have you made a decision to change?

There's another girl who has a similar story to yours who has been posting her story. You might want to read her thread. I think it's very inspiring. She's taking the steps to change. I really wish both of you the best of luck! Here's the thread:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=33351

Tami

Thanks Tami---- I did not notice that you were talking about me!!! Thanks for spreading the word. I am pushing every day to make a difference in my life and others.

THIS IS SOO WHERE I NEED TO BE! I WAS BANDED 10/30/06 AND HAVE ONLY LOST 39LBS AND 1 CLOTHING SIZE. WHICH WHEN YOU START AT 389 ISN'T SAYING MUCH. I TOO DEAL WITH PEOPLE WONDERING WHEN THE "MAGICAL WT LOSS" WILL START MELTING IT AWAY. I HAVE BEEN WONDERING IF I SHOULDN'T HAVE JUST DONE THE GBP SURGERY. I DIDN'T WANT THE RISKS, BUT IT'S GUARENTEED RESULTS. I HAVE HAD 3 FILLS AND 1UNFILL. I HAVEN'T WENT BACK TO MD CAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD IT. I OWE $600 TO THE DR OFFICE ALREADY. WE ARE HAVING TO FILE CHAPTER 13 BANKRUPSY D/T MY DH WAS OUT OF WORK FOR 12 WEEKS. I DOUBT THE MD WANTS TO SEE ME EVER AGAIN! I HAVE BEEN TOO EMBARRASED TO CALL AND SEE IF I COULD COME IN FOR A FILL. I AM NOT EVEN SURE THATS WHAT I NEED. I HAVE ENOUGH TROUBLE TOLERATING MEATS/PROTEIN. I KNOW I DON'T EXERCISE OR WATCH MY CALORIES CORRECTLY. I AM GOING TO JOIN CURVES ON MY WAY HOME. I AM TRULY INSPIRED BY HEARING STORIES FROM PEOPLE WHO I CAN ACTUALLY RELATE TO. TOGETHER WE WILL INSPIRE AND ACHIEVE!!!

TURNER24

PAM

You know, it seems like there are quite a few people in the same boat here. What if... What if Papa Alex starts a section for people who are really struggling.

The reason I suggest that is because it would be easy to find and when someone is struggling so much we need to make things as easy and obvious as possible. Instead of wading through a lot of other things they could go right to the source. Everyone could join in and offer specific help and suggestions. Push them to post daily, each person could have their own thread, those who are making progress could specifically help those struggling the most with tips and tricks. Exercise challenges, food challenges (calorie), etc., for those that need the most help.

It would also help to show that there is a community of folks that struggle and that's okay, it's still totally workable. Anything can be done with the right support system and information. Accountability seems to be a motivator for some. Post daily what food intake and exercise. We can provide the info, support, and bear hugs. The rest is up to the person. But if they have a specific place to post their struggles and frustrations, they might find more value.

Not sure, thoughts anyone?

You know, it seems like there are quite a few people in the same boat here. What if... What if Papa Alex starts a section for people who are really struggling.

The reason I suggest that is because it would be easy to find and when someone is struggling so much we need to make things as easy and obvious as possible. Instead of wading through a lot of other things they could go right to the source. Everyone could join in and offer specific help and suggestions. Push them to post daily, each person could have their own thread, those who are making progress could specifically help those struggling the most with tips and tricks. Exercise challenges, food challenges (calorie), etc., for those that need the most help.

It would also help to show that there is a community of folks that struggle and that's okay, it's still totally workable. Anything can be done with the right support system and information. Accountability seems to be a motivator for some. Post daily what food intake and exercise. We can provide the info, support, and bear hugs. The rest is up to the person. But if they have a specific place to post their struggles and frustrations, they might find more value.

Not sure, thoughts anyone?

Thats an AWESOME idea!!!! I would be on that thread everyday...it's kind of what i already started on my own with my first thread...it would be great to have a sticky thjread dedicated just to that. Let me know what happens!!!

Ya'lls feedback is awesome. My 17 yr. old daughter is going to be my exercise partner. After her varsity softball season is over (2 days) we are going to rejoing the "Y" together and do something about my lack of exercise. It is right down the street from work (a high school, I'm a teacher) and it is new and clean. Should be good.

Pray for me. I need more loss.

Hi Txkrause, it looks like you started out at a low bmi so that may mean more effort is needed on your part. I do understand your discouragement cause most of us have been there & done that. I don't think any of us are the perfect bandesters but we do try.

The suggestion of a thread for those with problems is a great idea, it could help not only those struggling with WL but it could help those who are having a problem maintaining. That's my daily struggle.

Good luck to us all.