Whether you're just out of surgery or been many years post-op, what has contributed to the success of your lap band journey?

Mine are:

Keeping the jeans I wore day of surgery in the back of my closet...a reminder NOT to go back into those!

Encouragement from a very good friend that though I'm doing great, not to carry it too far to the point it could damage my health (like that would happen anyway..heh).

My Higher Power.

looking in the mirror everyday and loving what I see!

Just being at the lowest weight in over 20 years is my victory. I'm still in the middle of my journey but since I haven't gained back the weight I consider it a success.

I think viewing this as a lifestyle, not a diet.

I never expected perfection from myself, I never got stressed over how much I lost when, I didnt expect routine 2lb losses every week or to not hit plateaus of weeks at a time, I was ambitious but at the same time, where i got to was where i got to, I instigated other healthy behaviours such as regular exercise and found something that I actually ENJOY, I gave up all dieting behaviours, never journalled, did any particular "diet", never counted calories.

When I got to a healthy weight and it was apparent I'd lose no more, i didnt change anything. Over time I guess I eat a bit more and have modified my running to a schedule more like something I can do for life - 40 mintues a day - but I still run almost daily, I still eat well.

yet I'm realistic that some days/times I wont eat so well. I do what normal people do - go on vacation and eat a bit more, eat chocolate before my period, eat more on Christmas day. I never ever tried to be some dieting robot or thought that healthy weight management involves perfect, faultless behaviour.

I also dont really seek to "fix" any food issues I have. I believe everyone has them and managing them is a day to day process, sometimes I will choose to eat just because I'm bored, sometimes I wont. It really only took a small shift in the balance of when i do and dont to get rid of my excess weight.

its really just a variation of the fake it till you make it approach. I started acting like a naturally thin person and lo and behold, i became one. In my experience, naturally thin people dont obsess over Protein or calories, they decide sometimes they have room for chocolate cake but usually not if they had pie for Breakfast and they have goals other than weight loss for their exercising.

Edited July 8, 200917 yr by Jachut

I love the idea about the jeans, I am a recent bander but did not think of that, I will do the same.

I love the idea about the jeans, I am a recent bander but did not think of that, I will do the same.

They recommended tossing out all my large clothing but a single pair of jeans and a shirt for this reason.

The problem:

- I *like* large, baggy clothing. Even when I was a kid and in shape, I never liked the skin-tight look. I'll do it for a suit, but everyday wear: gimme a tunic and trous and I feel comfortable.

- It took me a long time to find materials and patterns I liked. I'll keep these until I maybe find something that is closer to my eventual size. Eventually.

I will have to trade/tailor my utilikilt, though. I got it last summer, so at this point I'm not convinced it'll stay on my body. Thankfully, they're not far from where I live, and around the corner is a great mystery bookstore.

I like your attitude Jachut. I've been reading your posts and tend to agree with you. I don't obsess over protein and try to maintain a healthy diet of protein, vegetables, fruit & carbs. My goal is not to be "skinny" but to be healthy. I'm actually learning to like the way I feel with exercise and am only 20# from the goal my doctor set for me. I figure I'll continue to loose weight until my body says "enough" and then try to live my life in such a way that I can maintain the loss. When I hit a plateau that lasted for several months, I looked at what I was doing and eating and decided my body just needed a rest to catch up to what it had been going through and eventually I've started losing again. Thank you for the common sense posts.

I know i haven't been banded for very long but what has keep me losing weight is my little Black book. It is a litte book i ordered that is a food jounal. I know some people say that they don't want to diet and that they don't keep track of calorie and that works for them but i know my self better then anyone and if i didn't write it down them i would cheat and not loose weight and if 5 mins a day puting things down on paper is going to keep me skinny then so be it.