i have been banded for 2 1/2 years now and cannot get under 200 pounds and have decided to join this forum to get motivated. i have already lost 179lbs and kept it off but cannot get any further. maybe 'further' is not an option for me, but i am going to give it my all! i am open to answering any questions you have and i am willing to try any tips that anyone has to rejuvenate my motivation and achieve my end goal!

Wow! I am a newbie so I can't really give you any advice but I wanted to say what an amazing result so far! You must feel so much better! I hope you can get to your goal!

The band is designed to help you lose approx 60% of your excess weight so you have probably already achieved this. I imagine that to lose the remaining weight you would need to do it by upping your exercise rather than trying to restrict what you are eating.

This may not be the case though. It may be that you are used to the band and getting comfortable and maybe not following the rules as strictly as you did in the beginning.

You also didn't state your height or goal. It may be possible that under 200lb is not a healthy goal for you. Without height it's difficult to comment.

Congrats on your incrdible success to date.

hello loulou and elcee! thank you so much! i like this forum, i already ate better today and i do feel welcomed here. there are such vast ranges when dealing with the band. i have known many women (not men personally) that have gained back their weight with the band and so i think i become complacent with eating 1500 calories a day and walking a mile .....because i DO feel so much healthier, ( but!!!) i also feel i do not deserve to reach my goal and i do not know why and it is not really anything more than that, but THAT is a huge thing...so, i came here in search for someone to maybe give me tips or guidance who has felt the same way.... its such a great place to share...secretly i would come here and look at pictures of before and after to give myself incentive to keep going.....and some nights when i was really sad and crying or having a very hard time, those pictures really got me through, so this is a huge step for me to leap on in and get introduced

(my goal is 175/i am 5ft. 8)

25 more lbs isnt that big of a deal really, especially when i have lost 180 lbs....but it has been a long time now and my "head" caught up to my weight loss and i am ready to deal with this last stretch and finally reach my goal.......i am pretty sure i am.....and i think if i cant do it here, i will have tried my very very best at least.....thank you for the messages..they made me smile :thumbup:

and loulou.......essentially it is up to you, but it really helps so much....it saved my life.