I've been thinking about starting this thread for those who have lost 100 pounds or more. So here goes. I hope to get many responses. I like the 100 or more pounds lost thread. It is motivating and inspirational. I hope to be banded soon. I am still getting through the insurance approval process. It is great that you have lost so much weight. But I want to know specifically how you did it. Ok you got the lap band. Tell me what types of foods you ate and what foods you avoided and tell me what types of exercise you did and how much and how often. Did you use the protein shakes much after the liquid diet was over or did you still use them as months went by. I want as many details as you are willing to provide. I am sure that this thread can help others in their lap band journeys as well. Also how long did it take you from the surgery to your 100 pound plus goal. How much did you lose in the month follwing surgery and then how much per month in general? This insurance process is kind of slow but I have hope to be banded in the fall. Maybe September or October. I am excited to get my new life started but a bit nervous about actually suceeding at it. So motivate me inspire me. Tell me how you did it.

Let the band do what you paid for it to do.

I started my pre-op diet weighing 359.

I was 345 on 9-13-06 the day of my operation.

My first fill was on 10-24-06 my weight on that day was 316

I hit the hundred pound lost mark in July of 07.

I ve been losing pretty steadily ever since but it has slowed down a great deal. As you can see the weight pretty much flew off me in the beginning.

I *almost* lost 100, does that count? its about 93 I think, for 120% of my excess weight lost.

I eat a balanced diet - a very normal diet including carbs, I dont count Protein, I dont do protein first - I eat 3 small meals a day, sometimes I snack, Breakfast might be muesli, lunch cheese, crackers and fruit and dinner meat and 3 veg. I have a small glass of wine most nights.

I run for 40 minutes to an hour four to five times a week.

That's it. Its consistency that's been the key I think.

Yellowroseaz:

I was banded 7/26/07. I was okay with dieting, but after a few months I would always gain it back. I lost 37 pounds pre-op following a modified weight watcher diet. Before banding I did a ten-day presurgical liquids only diet. Then after banding I think I did liquids (with Protein shakes added) for two weeks, mushies for two weeks, and then solids. Since banding I've lost 90 more pounds. Total to date is -127 and I'm within 37 pounds of goal. I exercise alot. I don't have any small children so my time after work is my time. I walk three times during the day. Two of my walking sessions are with coworkers and we walk a mile in 15 minutes. My third walking session is by myself and I usually walk for 50 minutes. Sometimes I forgo my noon-time long walk and go for 20 to 30 minutes on my trikke instead. Way more fun than walking. I climb a hill when I walk during the evening. I try to do it for 20 to 30 minutes.

I have a terrific doctor and his team is great too. I go to support group meetings every month. I come here for support too.

I think that adding exercise to the mix is critical to my success.

I enjoy listening to my MP3 player when I'm exercising. It helps me to listen to fast-paced music.

Good luck.

Sue

this is a great thread! You people are so inspiring. I was banded on March 3 and have lost 38 lbs. I seem to be stuck and am scared, telling myself self defeating things like: I knew it wouldn't work for me and i knew I would go back to my old eating habits. It's been just the past two weeks that I've been struggling. I want to be like you, one who will lose 100 lbs. I have my third fill tomorrow and I hope it helps.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK - YOU ARE WHAT THE LAPBAND JOURNEY IS ALL ABOUT.

I have lost 141 pounds. I started at 330 and am now 189. I "practiced" eating the bandster way-6 small meals-1600 or fewer calories per day. I got down to 275 between April and my surgery in July 07. In the 10 months since my surgery I have lost an additional 85+ pounds.

My strategies-

Regularly scheduled therapy sessions to address my eating issues.

Keeping a food journal every day.

Exercising regularly 4-6 times a week-sometimes more if I feel like it.

Not stressing about good and bad foods-most of the time I eat a healthy well balanced diet-but if I want a cookie and I am hungry I have one.

Not severely restricting calories. I range between 1000 and 2000 a day, average is probably 14-1500.

I bought a Body Bug to help me to track calories burned.

HTH-Everybody is different.

I have lost 120 pounds (almost at ONEderland :thumbup:) since I became serious about my journey on June 12, 2007. I lost 43 pounds prior to surgery(combination weight watchers and liquid pre-op diet) and the other 77 since being banded on September 25, 2007. I have lost at least 8 pounds per month since being banded. Since Christmas, my patterns are generally I lose all my monthly weight over 2 or so weeks, and then I stay the same for about 2-3 weeks, and then I start losing again. I follow the same routines and diet, but this is how my body responds.

I am off all my long term previous medications (for diabetes and reflux), with the exception of synthroid, for my thryroid.

In terms of what I eat, I eat everything, but in moderation. I still eat Cookies and chocolate and pizza, but not in great quantities. I haven't gone through a fast food drive through since my surgery, but I do go out regularly to restaurants to eat. If I know I am going out ahead of time, I try to think about and plan what I am going to eat (so I don't automatically choose the bacon cheeseburger with fries and gravy). I have discovered a real affinity for cooked vegetables, which I never knew before!

I generally eat between 1000-1200 calories per day, but I eat all foods (including the dreaded carbohydrates). I do not stress if I have a bigger calorie day. I think a huge key to my success has been journalling everything I eat, including quantities. I really like www.thedailyplate.com as an on line, easy to use tool to journal. I try to make sure I eat breakfast every day, and I plan at least one evening snack, as evenings are always the time when I really want to eat (my head hunger times). Most of my Snacks are around 100 calories (vita muffins, turkey pepperoni and 100 calorie popcorn packs are my favorites).

The only time I drink Protein shakes is after a fill. I prefer to eat my calories and I have purposefully chosen to approach this journey as a retrain of my eating habits and I now eat what I plan to eat for the rest of my life (maybe I will be able to eat more - let say about 1500 -1800 calories per day once I get to goal, but who knows ).

I exercise 4-6 days per week, at least 4x per week at a local gym where I combine cardio with strength or circuit training. Now that it is spring in my part of the world, I am trying to go outside and walk as well. At the gym, I do really well on the eliptical trainer (not as much stress on the joints) but I also walk on the treadmill. Most days, I do at least 4 miles between the two cardio machines (sometimes as much as 7 miles). I think exercise is really important, if not for weight loss, to improve health, strength and flexibility.

I hope this helps!

Good luck, I have never regretted my decision for a moment

I've been thinking about starting this thread for those who have lost 100 pounds or more. So here goes. I hope to get many responses. I like the 100 or more pounds lost thread. It is motivating and inspirational. I hope to be banded soon. I am still getting through the insurance approval process. It is great that you have lost so much weight. But I want to know specifically how you did it. Ok you got the lap band. Tell me what types of foods you ate and what foods you avoided and tell me what types of exercise you did and how much and how often. Did you use the Protein shakes much after the liquid diet was over or did you still use them as months went by. I want as many details as you are willing to provide. I am sure that this thread can help others in their lap band journeys as well. Also how long did it take you from the surgery to your 100 pound plus goal. How much did you lose in the month follwing surgery and then how much per month in general? This insurance process is kind of slow but I have hope to be banded in the fall. Maybe September or October. I am excited to get my new life started but a bit nervous about actually suceeding at it. So motivate me inspire me. Tell me how you did it. :thumbup:

I ate fish and veggies.

Avoided ALL white carbs with a passion.

I ran 7 miles a day, everyday. No reason to take weekends off, your treadmill is not your place of employment. ;o)

I still use Protein Shakes, probably always will. I like them but I use them in place of a meal, not with a meal and I make mine with Water and not milk. (white carbs)

10 months to lose 108#, 17.5 to lose 127.

Lost about 30# the first month, then it slowed wayyy down.

The reality is that if you want it bad enough, you'll do what it takes. This is a lifestyle change, not a diet. Do it or don't, but nobody should get banded if they are just going to wait for the band to absorb calories and body fat. It doesn't work that way.

Do you want it bad enough?

I have lost 141 pounds. I started at 330 and am now 189. I "practiced" eating the bandster way-6 small meals-1600 or fewer calories per day. I got down to 275 between April and my surgery in July 07. In the 10 months since my surgery I have lost an additional 85+ pounds.

My strategies-

Regularly scheduled therapy sessions to address my eating issues.

Keeping a food journal every day.

Exercising regularly 4-6 times a week-sometimes more if I feel like it.

Not stressing about good and bad foods-most of the time I eat a healthy well balanced diet-but if I want a cookie and I am hungry I have one.

Not severely restricting calories. I range between 1000 and 2000 a day, average is probably 14-1500.

I bought a Body Bug to help me to track calories burned.

HTH-Everybody is different.

Gosh! I wish I were like you! You are my hero. Sounds like you are a bandster with a plan.

I bet if you and I were to have our bands removed....you'd keep losing weight and I'd gain. I didn't do any of those things and relied only on the band for my weightloss. Now that I'm on maintenance I find myself relying on the band a few times a week. My goal is to over this next year to get to the point where I can stop all by myself w/o the bands signals.

What is a body bug? Thank you for the info and the inspiration. Jachut of course you count. I'm thinking that I'll be riding my exercise bike and doing aerobics. I have a pretty bad left knee. If it improves with weight loss I will be walking too. Pretty sure I can't run on it but you never know. I am so ready for this. Jumping through insurance hoops is taking a while but I will get there. Congrats to all of you and your lost weight. Keep the success stories comming! If anyone has any exercise suggestions for me please let me know. I can't swim. I live 20 miles from the nearest gym on a dirt road. So I probably won't join the gym but do all my exercising at home. I have several Richard Simmons workout videos and a large womans workout video and I hope those will help. I may hire a trainer a couple of times to teach me strength training. Sounds like you all pretty much just eat less of normal foods. I wish you all further success in your journeys. :smile::wink2:

Edited May 21, 200818 yr by yellowroseaz
additional question

Thanks all-

Grace look at you-who is the Hero-I will probably never weigh 138-I weighed 136 in 6th grade! (when my not so sensitive teacher wieghed us all in front of the rest of the class and of course I was heavier than anyone-even the boys). I tried so many times to lose-I lost 100+ pounds twice before the band-but you know the story-gained it all back plus some-I hope this is where the band will make a difference-I LOVE my band!

A body bug is a monitor that you wear on your arm that measures the calories you burn each day. I have used mine since december and it is really a motivator. There is a thread or two in the exercise and fitness forum.

I love reading these success stories. You are all such a big motivator for us new bandsters. I had my third fill this past Tuesday and it's really helping. I really have to eat slow and chew well. It seems like right after a fill, the band is tight but in a few weeks it gets loser. Has anyone experienced that?

Good Luck all and keep up the good work. :cool2:

I have lost over 160 now. I was banded 8.01.06. This is what I did.....

I ate between 800-1300 calories a day. I work out 1.5 hours a day. I do both cardio and weights. I eat godo choices. I look at the calories of EVERYTHING I eat, nothing goes in my body unless I know how much it is!

I track all of my exercise, and food intake on a free website

http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov/

I think the most thing that it took was changing my mind. I decided I no longer wanted to be fat and took it to heart. You have to change your mind before you can change the body!

Really? Honestly?

Follow the rules. All of 'em. Eat slow. Eat low carb. Exercise. Small bites. Watch calories. And anything else your band dr told you to do.

Making a band a success takes tenacity.

When I stopped following the rules, weight loss stopped.