I love my lap band. I am down 50 lbs. from my all time high. I hit 245 today. My Doctor weighed me underwater a couple of years ago and told me to get to this weight. He explained that all of the BMI charts are out of date and due to me being very muscular, I will never be 180 lbs. I need to drop another 20 to get a really flat belly. So I a shooting for 225 by the middle of next month. I really havent changed my diet or quit any of my bad habits. I just do everthing with much more moderation and control. For example, I drink half as much beer as I used to. I eat half as many hamburgers as I used to and so on. Soda, candy and Donuts I quit consuming completely. I think I used to be perpetually dehydrated by drinking soda all the time. I feel 100% better. Thank you mom for buying me this lap band!!

I am glad things are working out well for you. I am in the same boat with being muscular and never going to be 180. I am shooting for my HS senior year weight @ 230.

I was going to post about tolerating foods when the Dr allows to move to regular foods because I am still on liquids, but reading around, it seems that everyone is different. You have no issues but other people talk of soft breads and dry meat get stuck. Do you have any suggestions on how you were able to tolerate mostly all foods?

Also what type of beer do you drink?

I am glad things are working out well for you. I am in the same boat with being muscular and never going to be 180. I am shooting for my HS senior year weight @ 230.

I was going to post about tolerating foods when the Dr allows to move to regular foods because I am still on liquids, but reading around, it seems that everyone is different. You have no issues but other people talk of soft breads and dry meat get stuck. Do you have any suggestions on how you were able to tolerate mostly all foods?

Also what type of beer do you drink?

I can tolerate anything in small amounts. I live near the border and they have salsa bars in all of the taco stands. I really do not eat bread but I can tolerate half of a egg mcmuffin. Start with very small portions. After you take a bite wait for a little while to see what happens. The first time I had some bread I ate to much and puked it up.

I like shiner Bock. I can only tolerate 1 per every half hour(3 max). I usually try and have strait crown to save on calories if I wanna get a little tipsy:cursing:

I think a lot of the guys in this board have mentioned that they do not think they will ever get to whatever the BMI chart says. And I think that is absolutely fine. I'm 6'4" and a pretty big guy and fortuneately can carry a lot of weight pretty well. For me to get to 180 pounds or even under 200 just seems so unrealistic. I like the idea of finding a goal you are comfortable with (highschool weight or something like that). I just kind of want to take this as it goes and re-assess along the way. Now, I just want to get to around 240 and then go from there. I want to be realistic along the way. I too have made some pretty good choices - although I have 3ccs in my 10cc band (1 fill) i have no restriction at this point and can eat whatever I want. I try to avoid things I know I should and just try to make better choices. I like how you mentioned that you will cut out the beers for crown if you looking to get a load on - my choice is woodford reserve - and it only takes 2 of them these days to get to a "happy place" ! Better than the 12 bud lights I could easily do in the past...

Agree with Med.Mike. The BMI charts are unrealistic (IMO) if a man has any substancial muscle. Waist size and bodyfat % will be a better guide that total weight, I think.

I have given up the beer and at just over 10 weeks out and with 2 fills, the band is really doing it. I only notice that it is there when I break the rules (don't chew well enough especially). Greatest thing I ever did and I am not even half way yet!

I am down 60lbs since my surgery in late December with only 2 fills. I am hopefull that I would be 250 by July as my realistic goal.

-UG