Finally I’ve won the battle with my weight. I am in great shape and great health because on August 16, 2006 I got a Lap-band®®®. With the help and support of a great team, I learned how to use this amazing tool. I am maintaining between 140 and 149 lbs. Some days I wonder if the scale is broken. It’s been hard work, and it certainly wasn’t the “easy way out.” It’s been over 3 years since surgery. I’ve been maintaining a healthy weight for more than 1 ½ years, but I still have days when it’s hard to believe that this is really my body, the one that I live in.

One of my goals when I had my LAP-BAND®®® surgery was to keep up with my kids. Nowadays they have to keep up with me.

Looking back, I vividly recall the pain and embarrassment of being weighed in my elementary school gym, praying that the school aide would not announce my weight for everyone to hear. I started dieting at the age of 10. My days were defined as good or bad by what I ate.

I have been on every diet you can think of; I took diet pills for years; I cannot remember a year when I didn’t gain or lose at least 40 or 50 pounds. My hunger never went away. I always gave in. For me, dieting was like holding my breath, eventually I had to come up for air. I’ve always exercised regularly. I was a fit, fat person. I have thyroid problems and low body temperature and it’s too easy to use that as an excuse for my weight.

The irony is that except for my battle with weight, I’ve been successful at everything I’ve ever attempted. I’m very fortunate. I have a great marriage, two wonderful children, true friends, and I’ve enjoyed a successful career as an executive and officer in Fortune 100 companies.

I couldn’t have been this successful without the support and encouragement of a lot of people. I hope to pay that forward.

I've decided to blog my entire Lap-band® journey, from the time, I first started exploring my surgery, preparing for surgery, recovering, transforming, and finally maintaining my weight loss . You can find my blog at Gloria's Banded Living — My LAP-BAND® Weight Loss Success Story.

Good Luck on your own journey.

Edited February 1, 201016 yr by atgoalgal
more info/update to share

I have to workou 1&1/2 -2 hrs a day too see wt loss on the scale.i am now in a size 10 1 yr post band.my goal is an 8.and a wt of 130lbs.i do fine during the day i can eat a liquid/soft diet but i get my hungriest in the evening.i am a snacker.

Hi everyone, I thought I'd give an update to my lapbanded success story. I'm now 4+ years out and still maintaing.

I also wanted to share some exciting news.

You may have heard about C.H.O.I.C.E. (Choosing Health over Obesity Inspiring Change through Empowerment), an educational campaign launched by Allergan, the manufacturer of the LAP-BAND® System to help raise awareness of the critical need for greater access to and acceptance of all effective treatments to fight obesity, including weight-loss surgery. The first phase of the campaign included the Voice My C.H.O.I.C.E. Contest Program, in which patients were asked to submit their stories for a chance to travel to Washington, D.C. and share their stories with legislators. Guess what? I submitted my story and was chosen as one of the winners. I was honored last week in Washington DC along with 11 other amazing lap band patients. It was an incredible experience. I just blogged about it if you are interested in reading what it was like, getting involved, or you just need a dose of inspiration. Here's the link Lap Band Success: Gloria and Sandi Were Honored Last Week Along With 10 Other Amazing Lap Band Patients in Washington DC as Winners of the C.H.O.I.C.E. Contest (Choosing Health over Obesity Inspiring Change through Empowerment)

well done