New member, 7 months post-op & 149 lbs gone forever!

[MickATL 3]

A friend from another board told me about LapBandTalk and I had to come and check it out. A forum just for us bandsters!!! What a great idea.

I had my surgery on June 18, 2007 at Emory / Crawford Long Hospital. I have been heavy most of my life and all of my adult life. I'm 41 years old and procrastinated on surgery for several years. My PCP kept encouraging me to look into it and finally yelled at me about 18 months ago saying, "When your health becomes as much of a concern for you as it is for me, maybe you'll do something about it!" I have never had a doctor yell at me before. I consider that my "wake up call". Obviously my weight was more of an issue than I was willing to admit to myself. At that point, I was 322 lbs.

I attended the weight loss seminar at Emory in December of 2006. They talked about how less than 3% of people who've been heavy for any extended period of time will keep weight off using traditional methods (diet, diet & exercise and pills). Less than 3%! WLS patients were much more successful. Most lose 80% of their excess weight within 2 years and a large number keep a bulk of that weight off for 10+ years. That sounded alot like my previous experiences with dieting. I must be a great detective because whenever I lost weight, I always found it again!

I had my surgery in mid June and decided, if I was going to let someone cut me open and alter my body, I was going to do everything I could to maximize my results. I felt I needed to change my life and learn to eat healthy balanced meals, learn the bandster rules and incorporate exercise into my daily life.

My journey has been the hardest thing I have ever done but also the most rewarding. Today, I eat 3 balanced (lean Protein, whole grain carbs & a fresh fruit or vegetable) meals and a snack between lunch & dinner.

I've gone from 322 lbs to 173 lbs in 8 months (including the month prior to surgery) and have transformed my body & my life. I've come to realize the band is just a tool that helps me feel satisfied with smaller portions. It does not change what I eat or make me exercise. That falls on my shoulders. I've had to get honest with myself about emotional eating, bored (mindless) eating and grazing. I've had to be willing to listen to my dietician and be honest with her as well.

I still have much to learn on my journey toward long term health! Hopefully, some of you can help me keep growing and maturing as a bandster who keeps their weight off for 10+ years!

[Sades 4]

Congratulations Mick, that is awesome and in such a short time. It is a great tool and I look forward to getting the rest of my excess weight off. If truth be known, I need to be much stricter with myself if I want to get it off sooner. I walk an hour pretty much every day which helps but I my food intake could be better.

[TRENYA07 0]

Congratulations....WOW....I'm impressed.......What does your exercise routine consists of ?

I'm still waiting for insurance approval all preop requirements have been fulfilled....

[DonHoll1 0]

Way to go Mick!!! You have done really great with your band. I love mine too.I still have trouble in the evenings, trying not to graze, but I am doing pretty good.Welcome to the site.

[Yvonne 0]

Congratulations on your weight loss Mick - inspirational.

Wishing you continued success.

Yvonne

x

[healthyagain 0]

Great job Mick. You seem so happy and proud of yourself. As you should be. I wish you continued success. And I just have to throw in this sexist statement...I'm jealous...The guys always seem to do so good!!!

[jaunderwood 0]

Hello all,

Mick I'm so impressed with your weight loss!!! I awaiting approval .Hopefully this week!! Good luck on your continued success!!

jaunderwood

[mediummike 0]

Awesome. Sounds like a very familiar story pre-band and I hope mine is as good as yours 8 months from now (I get banded 2 weeks from tomorrow).....

[oreokitty 0]

Great job I was banded on June 19th so just a day after you I have lost 80 lbs

You have done great keep it up I know you feel so much better

[TerMur 0]

HI Mike

Great job. I am proud of you. I have not been banded yet and I am a little frightened. I am afraid I can't make all the right decisions about food like you have. It is scarey because I know how out of control with food I am not. I am a little under 200 pounds and have 50 to lose. If I can;t do it now how am I going to do it later.

Terry

[sfeiner 2]

Congratulations Mick. You can be proud.

[lindaa 1]

150 pounds is a great weight loss, but I have to wonder. In 8 months that's a little less than 20 pounds a month. Did your doctor or anyone ever express concern that it was too much too fast? How did you manage to keep up your Protein and stay healthy?

[shana 0]

Congratulations Mick, I had the same reaction to finding this site. I am yet to be banded, but this site is so helpful. Keep it up!

[JaxBandster 11]

Welcome to the forum Mick! I've seen you over on OH and have always been really impressed with your journey and your posts. You are definitely an inspiration for those of us about to take our journey.

Make sure you check out all the various SIG's and sub groups. Believe me, you will spend a LOT of time on here reading. I know I do!

[ziahmama 0]

hi,

congratulations on your wt loss,it must feel real good to see the rewards of your hard earned work, to maintain should be the easy part,just look at some old pictures that is my plan whenever i get to my goal which is 90 lbs from now but i have lost 40 lbs so far i was banded on nov 27,07.i lost 15 lbs prior to surgery. ziahmama.