Hi, everyone - I rarely, rarely post, but today was my weigh-in morning and I'm so excited to see that I've broken the 100-pounds-lost mark. I started at 312 and am now at 212! I know that when I was considering the Lap Band, and even in the first few months after I had gotten it, it really helped me to read posts about people's experiences and how they had succeeded, so I thought I'd post a little bit about my experience. Of course, this is only my experience, but I thought it could be useful to those who are gathering stories.

- I have a small AP band, and I've lost count on how many fills and unfills I've gotten. I tend to only be able to take fills in increments of .1 cc, which is inconvenient, but hey, it works.

- I eat anywhere from 1/2 cup to 1 1/2 cup of food at a meal - my restriction varies pretty wildly, depending on my mood. And I'm estimating - I don't measure. I eat low-carb but not no-carb, and try to avoid foods (like wheat) that I know will send me on binges. Lots of Protein, lots of veggies, lots of fruit. I DON'T do sugar-free (I'd rather just not eat sweets) or fat-free, or even low-fat. I'm a believer in whole foods, regardless of their fat content.

- For the first eight months or so, I didn't really exercise. Then I hit a plateau, and now I go to the gym and work out HARD for 30-40 minutes every other day. I've even been running a bit. It's just insane that I can run now!

- My original goal was 200 pounds, but I think I'm just going to keep going. I had just never let myself believe that I could be anything less than 200 pounds, but I think I'd really enjoy moving through the world with even less weight on me.

- My ankle pain (one of the major reasons for the surgery) has completely gone away. It was debilitating before; I couldn't walk two blocks. Now I speedwalk for miles.

- I can eat pretty much any food I want - steak, shrimp, etc. - as long as it's later in the day. I'm careful for the first half of the day, which is when I'm most likely to PB.

- I don't count calories. To me, calories aren't much of a health indicator. So I try to go by whole foods, my known blood sugar responses to foods, and portion control.

- I dress so differently now, and it's not just a difference in size. I have lovely clothes that I selected for their ability to take me through several sizes, and I take pride in getting fancied up.

- I have a hard time, sometimes, seeing any difference, especially in my face. But then sometimes I'll try on an old pair of jeans, or I'll catch my reflection in the side of a building, and I'm just shocked.

- I can cross my legs! And I have a collarbone!

- I can tell that I'll probably want a brachioplasty when I'm done losing weight. I never thought I'd get plastic surgery, ever, as I've worked long and hard to love the body I'm in, regardless of/inclusive of size. But this is something I think I'll want.

- Having the band has taught me a lot about how I want to live. There are times when I know - I KNOW - that if I eat one more bite, I'll throw up. And I consider it, and very occasionally, I'll take that bite anyway. And then I throw up. I refuse to feel shame about this, but I do feel like it's a pretty strong indicator of my relationship with food, my respect for myself, and what I need to keep working on.

- This board has been a constant source of information for me - kind of a touchstone. I really encourage newcomers to read lots of people's experience, but also know that yours will likely be different from theirs. There are a lot of different ways to go about this journey, and none are more valid than others. I stand by my approach, though it flies in the face of what many people say one should do during a weight loss attempt. It works for me, though, and I'm happy about where I am, both in terms of my body and my eating. I wish everyone all the very best of luck with their journeys!

-BrooklynBandster

Thank you for your honesty and encouragement. Congrats on so much weight loss! Keep it up!

awesome post. congratulations!!!

onederland is right around the corner for u.:thumbdown:

That you SO much for your post! I'm to be banded on 2/18 and am very nervous. But your post encourages me that I can be under 200 lbs also! Maybe I'll even be able to run! Simple things, like crossing your legs, are things I have never been able to do and I'm looking forward to it.

Much love to you!

Brooklyn...Thank you so much for sharing. You give me tons of hope that I WILL be back on my snowboard for next winter!

Derbin...we have the same band date!!

Thanks, everyone! To each of you who's waiting to be banded - it is within your reach. The time goes by more quickly than you'd think. It's hard work, but not as hard as if we didn't have the band. And Melissa Anne - I agree, running and crossing legs are big deals. And soon you'll be there!

Great job!!

Congratulations............. That is a marvelous job... I share your ideas about the journey.. I'm coming up on 80 pounds and hope for 100 by Easter (or therabouts).... I don't count calories or go low-fat or sugar free... I want only healthy foods in my body.. I eat what I want when I want, but have made mostly good decisions so far. If I get off track, it seems to help to go back to basics.. I do the liquids for a couple days and then slowly add in proteins. It seems to be doing the trick.. So the old theory of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" works for me.. If it ever breaks I'll work on a new plan... Thanks for sharing and best of luck on the rest of your journey... Julie

Thank you for sharing your story and congrats on your weight loss! keep up the hard work and keep us posted!:crying:

Thank You Brooklyn, your words are very inspiring... especially since i will be banded in a matter of days. Your words and your personal growth somehow remind me of myself and how i view things. I can easily imagine myself saying the same things 100lbs from now. Way to go!!!

Thank you for sharing your story. There is so much you posted that I can related to. You are a real inspiration and a five star bandster::star::scared2::star::crying: