Okay I’m going to be very real and honest here. I’m going to tell you about my year two band journey. But before I do that, let me tell you about year one. Year one I was very motivated and committed to my band journey. I watched what I ate (too an extent) and workout on a semi regular basis. Semi being the key word here, I was about as committed as I could be at the time. I mean come on, I had surgery and that was supposed to be the end of the road right. No additional commitment on my end, the surgery was going to do everything for me (yeah I know good thought process going into this journey). Now don’t get me wrong I did try to be the best band patient I could, considering I had to give up what I most wanted “FOOD”.

I consider my 1st year successful; I lost sixty pounds without a lot of effort on my part. It was great, the weight was coming off, I was discovering a new me. My life in general was going great on all accounts, and then something awful happened. I gave up on my band. I became complacent; I was enjoying my weight loss and the new found me.

So here we are now at my year two journey. I basically focused on every aspect of my life except for my weight loss. I didn’t work out for a year, I didn’t visit my surgeon, and I didn’t weigh myself. I completed my certification to become a Certified Life and Wellness Coach, so I could help others taking the same journey I was taking. I put all of my focus into building a business, and I placed my weight loss on the back burner. So basically year two of my band journey can be considered a failure, no weight loss in year how is that possible?

I’ll tell you how it’s possible, I was happy with the new me. I liked the new clothes I was wearing, I liked being able to get around and do the things I wanted to do, I was enjoying life like I had never enjoyed life before. So I really don’t consider year two a failure, I consider it a learning experience. I mean “Come on” I didn’t lose one pound in a year’s time, however I didn’t gain one pound in a year’s time either. How many other diets/programs do you know of where you stay stable for that amount of time?

My light bulb moment came when I was coaching with my coach (business coach of all coaches). She asked me what my goals were, and where I saw myself in 5 years. What came out of my mouth next was unexpected. I said I wanted to reach my weight loss goal (what do you mean you want to reach your weight loss goal, you’re happy with the new you, you don’t need to do anymore, your fine how you are now) then I proceeded to say I signed up for 120 pound weight loss and I’ve lost 60 of those pounds and now I want the rest to come off. By reaching this goal, I can be an inspiration to others and most importantly I will have accomplished something I set out to complete the first time in my whole life.

Being morbidly obese you have a built in excuse as to why you don’t achieve your goals. I’m too fat to exercise, it’s too hard, and you feel defeated before you even start whatever project is you want to work on. Well now I’m not morbidly obese; I don’t have the built in excuse. How can I inspire others to reach goal if I’m not at goal myself? Oh trust me; that one tiny little question opened up a flood gate of emotions, thoughts, and feelings I didn’t even know resided in me. So I really had to take a hard look at myself and re-evaluate my game plan. A plan is exactly what I came up with.

I made an appointment to go see my surgeon. When I got there I was weighed and yep sure enough the exact same weight I was from my last visit, fourteen months earlier. Dr. Veninga comes into the room, looks at my chart and too my surprise the last time I saw him was for a un-fill. I haven’t had a fill in over a year, are you kidding me? I was shocked I haven’t had a fill in over a year.

So Dr. Veninga asked me what I wanted to do, I said give me a fill and let’s get this band doing what it was designed to do; help me lose weight. That was two months ago and 20 pounds later I can honestly say, “I was failing my band”. I became comfortable with the new me, I lost my focus on my goal, and I just became downright lazy in my weight loss efforts.

Now I am working out 6 days a week, eating good healthy food and really reaping the benefits by following my band rules. I know I’m a food addict always have been always will be. By accepting this fact, doesn’t mean I’m a terrible person; it means I’m a realistic person. I follow a food program and workout program 6 days a week and then on Saturday (or whatever day you choose) I give myself a “Free Day” I can eat what I want without guilt or regret.

I am a complete believer of everything in moderation, if you deprive yourself of everything you want, you only set yourself up for failure. I’m a complete chocoholic, and now with my plan I know on Saturday’s I can have my chocolate completely guilt free.

So I ask each of you to do what I did and ask yourself the hard question. “Is your band failing you or are you failing your band”? If you’re not following up with your surgeon and getting the support you need. Unfortunately you are not going to see the results you want to see, should see and most of all deserve to see. If you’re not losing a minimum of six pounds a month you might need a fill or a un-fill. Yes you can be too tight and that serves no good purpose, you will not see weight loss being too tight. Keep in touch with surgeon, he/she wants to help you and they can’t help you if they don’t know what is going on.

I wish each one of you a successful, fun filled (no pun intended) band journey.

Edited April 20, 200818 yr by CoachCher

andrea... me too! I havent lost though for 2 months and I was banded last september. had an unfill and now it is almost like nothing is there at night! I do still feel tight in the mornings. I am tired of being stuck at 50 pounds, i want to lose total of 100. This is making me mad now. I thought I would surely lose 5 pounds a month! I havent given up but I know i need to get back in gear !

Hi Andrea,

Of course there is hope for you honey. It's all about going back to the basics. You are right you can lose weight without exercise, however you can't tone and build your muscle without exercise. Think of it like this. If you take your car in to get new tires. Are you going to tell them to just put the tires on without balancing them, umm probably not. So Basicly diet and exercise go hand in hand. If you are still strugggling contact your surgeon and see what he/she suggests. They are there to help you and they can't help you if they don't know what is going. Also remember you are very newly post-op and still adjusting to all the changes taking place in your body, mind and soul. Take this time to get to know you and what you want and you will have success!!

I just got banded March 20th, and my Doctor did not want to fill me last week, since I had lost 24 lbs...but she said I know you aren't letting the band work for you, so next time around, eat more protein, less soups...(I liked the soup phase..easier for me) and exercise. Coach, thanks for the blog, I needed to hear so I can focus on letting the band work for me, not try sheer willpower as my Doc says I am rignt now..

My god I just read your story and its my story too. Wow I need to get off my butt and help my band do what its suppose to do.

Hi Gina,

I'm glad you found this article helpful. Just remember to make good food choices then chew chew and chew somemore :frown:. You will see the results you are looking for. 24 pounds is amazing you are doing amazing!!

My god I just read your story and its my story too. Wow I need to get off my butt and help my band do what its suppose to do.

Honey this story is probably about 30% of bandsters story. This is the exact reason I wrote this article, so the 30% know they are not alone. It really is up to us to work with our band to make sure we are receiving optimal results. Now get off your butt and help your band do what it's supposed to do :frown:

I was banded in Nov 06, and to date I have lost 51lbs, I feel like at times I can pretty much eat what I want with the few exceptions of certain foods, I think I need a fill, but being that some foods are not tolerated, I don't know if a fill is the answer. I want to lose at least another 15lbs, but I feel like its not coming off anymore. I have went from a size 18-20 to a 12, but I havent been exercising or anything. I need some advise, please.

I feel like a failure!!

Dottie:confused2:

I'm almost 5 years out and I've gained about 25lbs, I have to get back on the train, I've stopped excising, I seem to still have the fill, I get stuck alot, and up it comes, maybe its time I go back to doctor and get it check out. any help will be greatly accepted. I've never lost what I wanted to.

Cher, I was banded end of Jan, all went well and I am down 41 pounds, but I have not moved for almost 2 months, inches 45.5! so that is something, but man that scale is not a budgin! I do exercise 5 days a week, this includes the curve cicuite and walking daily, I have anywhere from 750 - 1000 calories per day, should I be eating more? I do believe tho from the posts I have read that I need more protien, can you give me an idea of what your menue is like on any given day, thanks, Val

Val,

Honestly to me is sounds like you are not getting in enough calories. Your body thinks it is in starvation mode so it is holding onto everything you put it in. By working out 5 days a week you should be able to off set any "Extra" calories you may have.

My typical calorie count is between 1200-1600 a day depending on how much exercising I am doing.

When I am doing a challenge (working out six days a week) I consume 1600 calories a day. When I'm not doing a challenge and working out 3 days a week I cut my calories to between 1200-1400 a day.

I hope this helps.

~Cher~

Thanks Cher, I decied I would bump up my calories this morning, I am going to aim for 1200 I am going to give that a try for a week and see if it puts me back into some weight loss, this morning I had a lil something something before my walk and work out, after I got to work and got started about my day I had some breakfast, followed by a nice ceasar prawn salad with walnuts and red onion for lunch, and a chicken stir fry for dinner, oh had a jello snack too, in just this one day I felt the differnce with eating twice in the morning, I am stuffed! I also went through my closet today and got rid of a box full of clothes that are now to big! YA! I'll keep you updated on my progress, thanks again Val.

Hi Cher,

I have not been on this post in months. Iam so teribly dissapointed. In me in the band, inall the above. I paid my md up front for the cost of the surg, fills and support. I am not happy with him. I do not feel any support, knowlege, or help is there for me. I don't want to go back to him. Its been sence Nov 07 sence my surg, and its been a complete failure. I don't want to go back to JUST DRINKING protien shakes. I live in Ventura Ca, I guess I need to find a good group here thats close, and shel out the money for a different dr. Do you have any suggestions for me??? Feeling hopeless Tx

I am also feeling like you and was banded over a year and a half. I need to get focused on having this band work for me and my goals. I should remind myself how hard it was just to have the surgery finally approved and that this was my chance to get healthy. I feel good but I know I need more support and a plan to stay on track. Stay positive and make small changes that will lead to your success. Good luck

I want to know how you are doing today? I am just reading your message in Sept. It is hard when snacking does not get stuck. I still cannot eat meat and vegetables almost two years later. Haven't lost any in 6 months. After reading all these post i am going to commit until December to do my best. I might be doing shakes a couple times a day to get on track. I really want to know how you are doing. Thanks

Edited September 7, 200817 yr by sewingloss

I'm glad I found you guys. I thought I was losing what was left of my mind! I'm 18 months past surgery; lost 86 pounds the first year but not a pound in the last 6 months since I discovered how easily ice cream slips past the band.

I checked in with my friendly neighborhood shrink to see why I moved my needs to last place again.....No answers yet, but nice to have somebody to talk to

Anyway it's nice to know I'm not the only one having thse issues