Occassionally, I run across a few posts from people like me who have failed their bands. But these posts are usually just a venting opportunity. I have failed my band - I acknowledge it - and it would be great if we could have a group of other "failures" who want to work together to become success stories.

MY STORY

I was banded in March of 2007. At the time I was 299 lbs. I am a 6ft tall lady. Today, I weigh 255, and basically just as big as I was when I got my band. I have got numerous fills and I usually eat through my fiils. I can eat whatever I want. I overeat and I am confident that I have caused my stomach to expand. I snack on candy, I eat the wrong foods - I eat until I am STUFFED. Sometimes when I overeat, I feel sick and gag to relieve the pressure.

I moved to Houston 4 months ago, and last week, I went in for a port-readjustment with Dr Alanis. It went well and I now have a new resolve to make it work. My doctor mentioned to me that about 40% of all bandsters fail. I do not want to be a failure. I have paid too much money to go through this.

MY GOAL FOR DECEMBER

• To write everything I eat down, including calories
  
• To stay within 1500 Calories.
  

What's your story? What's your goal? How can I support you? How can we support each other?

Misery loves company, and company can help us move from failure to success. Please join me by telling me your story, and your GOAL for December. Let's vent - but more importantly, let's talk about strategies to make this work - let's share and support each other - Let's turn this from failure to success.

I REFUSE TO BE A FAILURE

Tabithan, I moved the treadmill inside from my garage so this weekend the exercising begins! I'll go online to get one of those trackers like you guys have posted.

By the way, how are you guys copying the quotes into your messages to show what message you are responding to? I don't have the patience to figure these things out on the computer! :wink2:

Whoooowhooooooooooooop- I am LOVING IT - Brought out the treadmill!!!!! :crying: So what day on the weekend will you work out? for how many minutes???? I am SUPER EXCITED FOR YOU Bayougal - WAY TO GO!!!!!!!

To get a quote, click on "Quote" on the person's note, rather than "Reply!"

Hope you are having a BANDALICIOUS DAY!!!!!!!!!

Tabithan

I love your thread and think that you are a great motivator and helper to those who are struggling...

I think you have you head back in the band wagon mode and I am so happy for all of you who are re-committing yourselves to getting healthy..

So many say they didn't get banded to do another diet - well I agree cuz diets don't work - cuz when you go off them and back to eating normal you gain all your weight back cuz eating normal is what got you fat in the 1st place..

But that being said - IMHO it's all about tracking your calories - measuring your food - these are all learning tools - you won't have do them forever - just until you have learned what a normal portion size is - 1/2 c instead of a pint :wink2:

It's about eating healthy (low fat - limited sugar) it's about adding exercise into your life.

I got to goal using all these tools - tracking - measuring - weighing - eating healthy and exercising. I am now able to maintain by just eating healthy and exercise.

You go ladies - you all can do this !!!!

A lurker of the board here... I have had my band since 2003 (old timer) starting weight was 364 now at 258, very frustrated! I know the rules, know what to do, just fall of the bandwagon somewhere midweek.

Hello! I have had this band since 2003 and should be a lot smaller by now! I had lost 140 pounds total and have gained back 30 pounds of it and am totally agravated with myself and feel like such a failure. I have an 11 cc band with 9 cc of Fluid in it last fill in April this year, but don't feel I need an adjustment, as don't take much to get me full at each meal... I eat Proteins first veggies and lower carbs at meals...then the food demons attack at night after supper and I tend to snack on junk food!

What is wrong with me and my brain?! I am a food addict and sneak candy bars and icecream just like in the old days before the band, Why do I keep sabatoging myself when I still have so much to lose?

I want to get down to at least 180 pounds but at this point would be thrilled to get to 200. I am so bummed out and hate to admit to anyone that I have gained but saw some pics of myself this week and about threw up! I hate pics of myself.

I am a member of the Curves for women gym and have not been going faithful since before thansgiving and have just been horrible at my eating/sneaking at night. I do good all day long (hubby present and sees what I eat) he works at night and that is when I watch TV and go back to old bad habits.

My goals are to : Exercise 3-4 x per week - drink more Water - keep a daily food diary - lose at least 30 pounds by may 6 year anniversary band surgery date in February. Am I hopeless or what?

Hi IBBANDED - Your first post EVER!!! Hooooooooooraaaah!!! *Cheer Cheer Cheer* - Welcome to our lil group - We are so happy you have joined us, and so happy you have decided to recommitt to your band. Those are GREAT GOALS that you have set.

You are SUCH A SUCCESS - Who wouldnt want to be like you?? let me tell you WHY!!! - You have lost and kept off 110lbs - that is so COMMENDABLE - Most people would kill to be able to tell your story. CONGRATS - Now, we gotta keep the weight from creeping back on - Stop at 30 gained and say, NO MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As for the self-sabotage - Snacking at night - WOW - You could be my TWIN - the pangs come at night - because eating right before I sleep, gives me COMFORT - and it sabotages my weight loss. The dietician tells me not to eat after 7PM or 2 hours before I sleep - the REALITY - I am not there. What do I do to try and get over this ADDICTION TO NIGHT EATING???

a) Clear out ALL bad Snacks from the house - The taste buds crave what you eat - if you completely wean off BAD SNACKS like fried foods and replace them with healthy version, very shortly after you will find yourself craving the healthier options.

:wink2: Realize your weakness to snack and night and in the short -term, continue snacking at night but with the HEALTHY version. Right before I sleep, I usually have my non-fat yogurt or carrots. Worst case scanario - I have some YUMMY Soup From Progresso - Only 60-80 calories per cup. This way, I satisfy my EMOTIONAL CRAVING to eat at night, but I do it with FEWER CALORIES.

c) Budget your calories for Night Snacking - What I do is I eat very well during the day and allow for a little more room in the evening. During the day I usually eat around 600 calories, leaving me with another 800 for NIGHT.

d) Keep yourself active at night - I have started going to a Tae Kwondo class from 7:45 - 8:45PM. This way, by the time I get home, I am tired, take a shower and eat some yummy sould, and its time to sleep. SO I dont have TIME to snack. Something worth considering.

e) Get on your scale BEFORE you midnight snack. Might be worth a try.

These are some things that I have been doing, that have helped me with the midnight snacking. What is everyone else doing??

Whoooowhooooooooooooop- I am LOVING IT - Brought out the treadmill!!!!! :wink2: So what day on the weekend will you work out? for how many minutes???? I am SUPER EXCITED FOR YOU Bayougal - WAY TO GO!!!!!!!

To get a quote, click on "Quote" on the person's note, rather than "Reply!"

Hope you are having a BANDALICIOUS DAY!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow is the new beginning for me. I'm not sure how long I will last on my treadmill, but I'm shooting for at least 20 minutes! Thanks for the motivation!

I agree with Tabithan IBBANDED......you have done GREAT so far! Stop at the 30 gained and go from here!

As for snacking at night, I have completely removed any Snacks from my place. The only thing that I have and have found that helps me is sugar free popsicles. They take longer to eat so by the time I'm done with one, I don't really want to eat anything else. I also try to stay busy in the evenings so that I don't have much time to snack between dinner and bedtime.

Good luck IBBANDED and you can do it!!!!

Tabithan

I love your thread and think that you are a great motivator and helper to those who are struggling...

I think you have you head back in the band wagon mode and I am so happy for all of you who are re-committing yourselves to getting healthy..

So many say they didn't get banded to do another diet - well I agree cuz diets don't work - cuz when you go off them and back to eating normal you gain all your weight back cuz eating normal is what got you fat in the 1st place..

But that being said - IMHO it's all about tracking your calories - measuring your food - these are all learning tools - you won't have do them forever - just until you have learned what a normal portion size is - 1/2 c instead of a pint :rolleyes2:

It's about eating healthy (low fat - limited sugar) it's about adding exercise into your life.

I got to goal using all these tools - tracking - measuring - weighing - eating healthy and exercising. I am now able to maintain by just eating healthy and exercise.

You go ladies - you all can do this !!!!

Hi Indiogirl!!!! Thank you for the positive note and encouragement. You have been so SUCCESSFUL and it's great that you have shared your tips for long-term success. Hopefully, we can all get back on track and be able to post our success stories here!!!

Many thanks!!!!!!!

Hi Gang,

I'm checking in for my Friday. Didnt do cycle this morning like I wanted to, so will workout tomorrow morning at the gym!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tonight i have to go for my office christmas party which means - BAD EATING. To prepare for it, I have only eaten about 400 calories so far, leaving me with about 1100 to eat. I know, I know - I should have eaten more than 400 cals all day but I got so busy - and realistically, Now I am happy as I have calories to spare.

Well, I am off to get ready for the party.

How is everyone doing on their goals today??????????????

Hi, all! Here's my quick daily post.

Exercised this morning, 7 min on treadmill - check

Journaled all food at fitday - check

Daily post here - check

I hope everyone had a good day.

Kathy

Hi Fellow Strugglers!!!

How is your weekend so far?? Are you staying on track with your goals???? Please share...both the good and the not so good, so we can keep each other on track!!!

Well, yesterday was an interesting day. Had to go to the company Christmas party and ate quite a few tapas. About 3 meatballs, some ham and some chips and dip - not sure how many calories but the good news is that I had eated limited calories the whole day, and I am hoping that I ended up OK at the end of the day. AND - I didnt drink ALCOHOL - Wuhuuu. Unfortunately, I seem to have GAINED some weight today - but i will give it a day or so and assume it is Water WEIGHT. Tomorrow is my "official" weighing day.

I was supposed to wake up to go to the gym today to meet my goal of 5 hours this week - to go for SPIN class. Well I overslept and I HAVE to go tomorrow. HAVE to - someone nudge me into action please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Watching biggest loser right now - wow - these people lose so MUCH in a week - biggerr numbers than weightloss surgery!!!!!!!!1

Weight loss in itself is an ongoing venture. Why would you write yourself off as a failure while its still going on?

One year I found a ring and turned around the same moment and lost track of it. I had a pretty good idea where it was - out in one of the 3 large trash bags waiting to be tossed in the trash bin. It had been thrown out I was sure of it. But yet, it seemed like it was already so far away from me that I couldn't do anything about it so I just shrugged my shoulders, sad to just lose what I found. I was about to walk away from it when my father said, "You KNOW where its at but yet you don't want to get it? Why? Its right there in front of your face." (BTW this is a true story) I found the ring halfway down the first bag I looked into.

Weight loss is a never ending marathon with ourselves. There's no end to it. We are either wanting & willing to do something about our weight loss now/later or we aren't ready & aren't willing now/later. Sometimes is slower than we want it to be even when we do work at it. That's what it really is in a nutshell. Please don't sell yourself short with that heading.

Weight loss in itself is an ongoing venture. Why would you write yourself off as a failure while its still going on?

I totally relate to the heading of this post and love it. Honestly, I have failed my band, past tense mind you. For me it is a shot of honest confession. I willingly, knowingly did not follow the bandster rules and was cheating around my band. You can't change what you don't acknowledge.

I'm now back on track and doing good. I enjoy coming to this thread for support because there are other bandsters who understand and can relate. I don't relate to the mass of people that were banded the same month as me and have lost over 100lbs and reached their goals.

Thank god weight loss is an ongoing venture! So true. Thank god the band is for life, otherwise it would have just been another diet fallen by the wayside.

I appreciate your input and encouragement. This really is a good thread for those of us who need it.

Hi Fellow Strugglers!!!

How is your weekend so far?? Are you staying on track with your goals???? Please share...both the good and the not so good, so we can keep each other on track!!!

I was supposed to wake up to go to the gym today to meet my goal of 5 hours this week - to go for SPIN class. Well I overslept and I HAVE to go tomorrow. HAVE to - someone nudge me into action please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Watching biggest loser right now - wow - these people lose so MUCH in a week - biggerr numbers than weightloss surgery!!!!!!!!1

I've actually had a good weekend so far. I'm on day 5 of keeping my goals. Woo hooo!

That's day 2, oops 2. I'm not letting you off the hook! You don't need to overdo to make up for what you missed but you do need to exercise at the next available time. It your gym open now? So, what kind of exercise are you going to do and when are you going to do it?

Sometimes the Biggest Loser is encouraging to watch. They show it can be done.

I've actually had a good weekend so far. I'm on day 5 of keeping my goals. Woo hooo!

That's day 2, oops 2. I'm not letting you off the hook! You don't need to overdo to make up for what you missed but you do need to exercise at the next available time. It your gym open now? So, what kind of exercise are you going to do and when are you going to do it?

Sometimes the Biggest Loser is encouraging to watch. They show it can be done.

KATHI - CONGRATULATIONS, CONGRATULATIONS, Whoooo whoooooooooooop on meeting all your goals for 5 days!!!! Way to go, way to GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for the nudge above - I need it because I can feel myself slipping from my recommittment. Yesterday, we had a birthday dinner. We were supposed to go to PF Changs and I went online and looked at the calories. When I got there, there was a sudden change to a Brazilian steakhouse. Of course now i was in a place where I didnt know calorie content. So what did I do? I went out to TOWN!!!!!!!!!!! LOL - Thank goodness for my band that I was not able to eat all the food I wanted to eat - that physically I was contained!!!!!!!!!

I weighed myself today - official weigh day and I have dropped another pound. Phew - what a relief that yesterday did not RUIN two weeks of hard work. But, because I was out late, I did not work out as I had promised myself. Therefore, I need to restate my goals to recommitt.

My goals for December are:

a) Eat no more than 1500 calories a day

:tongue2: weigh everything I eat

c) write down everything I eat on fitday.

d) Work out 5 days this week.

Wish me luck!!!!!

Fellow Strugglers - What are your goals for December? How are you doing on your goals??? Do you need to readjust your goals???

Weight loss in itself is an ongoing venture. Why would you write yourself off as a failure while its still going on?

.

Hi Betrthnever,

I appreciate your comments. The premise of this thread is to acknowledge that the reason behind part of our results is tied to our actions, not the failure of the band to work. This is an opportunity for us to acknowledge it, vent about our results so far, then take active steps to turn this "failure to date" into measurable success, by supporting and encouraging each other through the tough and good times.

We can do it, fellow strugglers. I cant wait to see where we will be 6 months from now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 6!

exercise - check

fitday - check

post - check

I'm thinking of you, Tabithan, and sending thoughts of encouragement.