I weigh 444 pounds and my ideal weight is 140 pounds. Is that even possible? Is there anyone out there who has done it?

Hiya,

Three months ago, with 205 pounds to lose, I thought it was impossible too. Now, 55 pounds down (just two months after surgery), I feel hopeful and excited and energetic and so so so much better. Please don't give up! Nothing is impossible.

Wen

my hubby and i both had bands done. in one year he has lost just short of 200lbs, so yes, i think its very possible. he started out at 436.

Of course it is possible!! Just not all at once! You would probably do well to break down your goals into small 30-40# increments which would give you LOTS of reasons to celebrate!! :confused:

Best of luck and let us know how we can help!!

IT IS POSSIBLE!! You can do this!!

I had over 200 pounds to lose and I've lost 150 in 15 months. I go by the same food plan that a person with a gastic bypass uses.....it works!!

I agree with Terri.......set short-term goals - that make it seems much more doable. And don't just set scale goals......also set goals for the ability to do certain things you can't do now (and we all know what some of those things are!), for a certain blouse you'd love to get back into.....those things count, too, and are so encouraging!!

I never really believed I would have done this well....I just knew it was my last desperate attempt to save my life. It's working....I'm no longer on diabetes meds, blood pressure meds, arthritis meds. I may never reach my goal of 140, I may never lose another pound beyond today, but even if I don't it's been worth it.....I have my life back!!

Best wishes to you sweetie!!!

IT IS POSSIBLE!! You can do this!!

I had over 200 pounds to lose and I've lost 150 in 15 months. I go by the same food plan that a person with a gastic bypass uses.....it works!!

I agree with Terri.......set short-term goals - that make it seems much more doable. And don't just set scale goals......also set goals for the ability to do certain things you can't do now (and we all know what some of those things are!), for a certain blouse you'd love to get back into.....those things count, too, and are so encouraging!!

I never really believed I would have done this well....I just knew it was my last desperate attempt to save my life. It's working....I'm no longer on diabetes meds, blood pressure meds, arthritis meds. I may never reach my goal of 140, I may never lose another pound beyond today, but even if I don't it's been worth it.....I have my life back!!

Best wishes to you sweetie!!!

Also keep in mind that you don't have to fully reach your "ideal" weight in order to find success with the band. I've lost about 35 pound so far and I already feel noticably better in a lot of ways. I think you will feel like a "new person" a dozen times on your trip to "ideal." And you will be a new person each time.

I can understand...I have almost 200 lbs to lose to get to the high end of my ideal weight, and sometimes it seems insurmountable. I have, however, lost just shy of 24 lbs in 2.5 weeks and I can ALREADY tell the difference. I have more energy and my wedding band is easily removed (instead of having to whip out the Windex).

My first goal is to fit into the pants I wore (which were still 26's) before having my twins. Well, not just fit, but feel comfortable in them. I am a very loose skinned size 28 b/c of the ice cream eaten during my twin pregnancy....and I think it will take a while before those clothes fit me in the waist...

I can't wait to drop that first bag off at Goodwill!!!

Good luck and best wishes.

Rain

<p>I totally agree with the "mini-goals". The prospect of a huge amount to lose was always self-defeating for me. It's funny, but after banding I was doing the happy dance after 5 pounds of weight loss....(I started at 218)...then I said Can I get to 210 this month? WOW! Yes! Then how about 205? YES! Then the BIGGIE....Wonderland....I cried when I hit 199. Now sitting on the cusp of 180's and that's all I can see right now...can I get into the 180's in the next two weeks? Hmmmmm. I have NEVER done this in my LIFE (always looked down the road and went...60 pounds? No way! Can't be done! Too far to go....) NOT TRUE! Live from week to week on the goals.....and TRACK YOUR FOOD religously! I RUSH home from work every day to fill out my FitDay Food Log. I rush to the scales every morning to weigh (good, bad or indifferent....you start to appreciate the .8, .6, .2.... and on the other side of it...I get shocked when it goes from .0 to .6 and I get my a@@ in high gear). Living from mini-goal to mini-goal is also a HUGE shot in the arm...you have MANY successes, instead of living for only one!!! So there are MULTIPLE pay-offs through the journey. How funny...I look back on those first five pounds and kindof think wow, I was so excited over that! And then I think...and I thought the world had stopped on its axis when I got to 199....and then I think....and lo and behold you are standing on the edge of the 180's....you would NEVER have thought you could get to there when you started! I'VE COME A LONG WAY BABEEEEE! I plan on four months from now looking back and marveling at how excited I was to be looking at the 180's!!!!</p>

Thank you so much for the inspirational post and for sharing all your feeling about your weight loss so far.....

It really helps us prebanders......

Where there's a will, there's a way! Good Luck!

I know it seems insurmountable at this point...but, when I was considering all of this, I looked around at all the different threads/topics and read bandster's signatures.

It is incredibly motivating to see all the successes on this board!

You CAN do it:clap2:

It's possible. I was rounding the corner to 400 when I started, and now I'm in spitting distance of my FINAL goal weight of 136. Mini goals are great, as everyone has said. Don't focus on 140 -- focus on 399, then 349, then the GLORIOUS 299! Man, I loved getting to 299 -- that was better than 199 for me. You have great times ahead in this journey, I promise. Each stage is special and builds your self confidence.

I don't know if you've seen it yet, but on the "Support" forum, there's a thread for "Super-Sized Bandsters" -- i.e. those of us who started over BMI 50. Also, the "Road to Twoterville" thread is great for challenges and mini-goal support.

Get the band now. It'll be the best thing you've ever done for yourself. Don't even think about 140. Think about how great 340 will be. And 299. Woohoo!

I agree 100 percent, you can and will do this. I was dissappointed because this month was my bandiversary and I had a total of 120 pounds to loose and after 12 months I had only lost 80. Dr. Curry told me that the first year to expect to loose 40 percent of your overweightness, which would be for me right on and then loose the rest the 2nd year. There are lots of other people that come to mine like jachunt and Edie and they've done much better than me but just keep in mind, we're all different and loose different so don't get down if someone you know who has been banded looses faster than you. One other good thing, I've lost slow but have no extra skin so losing slow isnt' all that bad.

I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever than you can't do this because with the band whether it takes you one year or 5 years it will keep working for you that's it's job.

You will loose it and you will look hot once again and wear itty bitty clothes, I promise you you will.

Good luck and stay on here for support. This is the best group of people I've ever and met and try out band2gether.net too, there's good people there too. We're all in this together and have to stick together.

Hugs,

Sherri