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Just like every morning for the last 3 1/2 years, I weighed myself when I got up. My little friend, Mr. Scale, smiled up at me and said, "You weigh 169 pounds!" Really? 169?! I had to step off and try again. It had to have malfunctioned! Nope...169! That gives me a BMI within the normal range for the first time since...I don't know...potty training? It may sound stupid but I actually broke into tears! I've been fat my entire life. When I started this journey in 2008 I was a whopping 324 pounds with a BMI around 48. Look at me now! I've gone from a size 4X to a 10-12. Sometimes I look in the mirror and I don't even recognize the woman looking back at me. Is that really the same girl who could single-handedly bankrupt the all-you-can-eat joints? Anyway, I just wanted to share this with all of you, my LBT friends and let you know that if I can do this ANYONE can. If you're afraid of failure or frustrated over a plateau just persevere. Keep following the plan no matter how long it takes. Eventually the weight loss will come. I plateaued for almost 2 years only losing an average of 1 pound a month. Success is within your grasp...just reach out and grab it!

I just had to shout it out. I did my morning weigh in this morning and there was a zero after the 2!!!! This has not occurred for YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS - probably 15 years (I'm 38). I am only 8.7 pounds away from one-derland. My goal was to get there in 2011 so i'm feeling good about likely meeting the goal. LAP BAND WAS THE SMARTEST THING I'VE DONE FOR ME IN YEARS. I'm so happy and satisfied with it. BEST OF LUCK TO US ALL ON OUR JOURNEYS!!!!!!

Congrats! I'm 1 month post op and doing Great! Good Luck on your new journey!

Congratulations on your success. This is very inspirational and I hope to follow in your footsteps. Jen

Congratulations, Cindy. I think I know just how important this milestone is to you. After three years of hard work and deprivation, you finally made it. It couldn't have happened to a better person. You've been a great inspiration and beacon of common sense for all of us.

Yes but just think of all the compliments you are going to get from all those people you have not seen for a while. That in itself will motivate anybody! With every food I love on the table, I am determined to at least TASTE everything there. I'll start with the sliders first and work my way up to the stuffing.

I plan on eating a bite or two of everything. I will still use my salad plate while everyone else uses their big old dinner plates. I have decided I not even attempt to keep up with my calories and carbs that day. This is a lifestyle change for me, not a diet, and so I will just have little portions but still enjoy the day with family and friends and the foods that only get prepared once a year.

In the beginning I told EVERYBODY!!! Now that I've lost my weight I still don't keep it a secret. If someone asks I tell them. Sometimes I tell people that don't ask! I'm proud of my band and my success and I don't really care who knows or what they think about it. I had a young, skinny girl (21) criticize recently "Why couldn't you just do it without cheating?" (or something to that effect). My response was, "spoken like a true Barbie Doll!" The only time I don't mention it is when I date someone new. I've scared off a couple men. Not sure if it was because I can't pig out with them or if they're afraid I'll get fat again. Their loss, not mine!

Start the day with ice water and lots during the day ALSO, Greek Yogurt seems to really get me going. I am like you in the subhuman logs, husband taped my name on the plunger.

A dear friend found this and passed on to me, and I would like to share it with you! Print it! BAND AS A TOOL Find a good support system. I can't imagine going through my journey without Julie. I cannot stress that enough. Whether you join a support group or get involved with an online group or find a great banded friend, you need someone you can compare notes with. YOU WILL PLATEAU. You will get frustrated. You need someone to tell you "It happens." My husband and family have also been instrumental in the support process. They've cheered me on every step... and also made it clear that their love is not tied to my weight. 3) Get an attitude check. You can't expect the world. You cannot expect to consistently lose 2 pounds a week. You'll stop for a bit. But you cannot get discouraged. Keep doing the right things, and you'll be healthier for it. STOP DIETING. NOW. I really believe that choosing the band is choosing to free yourself from food obsession. Weighing meals and counting calories just transfers one obsession with weight loss, to another... a food scale. People in Australia and the UK, the ones who've had bands WAY longer than Americans have, have this perspective. The band is a tool to help you watch your portion control and helps you get rid of the hunger. If you're hungry all the time and feel like you need to weigh your food, YOU NEED A FILL. Period. Once you get to the right fill level, you'll know when to stop. You might not be able to eat much, but that will be ok. You won't be fixated on it. I ate 1/2 a taco for dinner last night. That's IT. But I wasn't disappointed: I got what I needed to eat. If I want a burger, I eat a burger. If I want some chocolate, I eat some. I don't eat the whole bag, because I DON'T WANT TO. I am not hungry for a whole bag. I just need a taste. You'll see as you go through the process, you'll start making healthier choices. I know I have. We eat as organic as possible. I am a total foodie, enjoying the good stuff, cause that's what I crave. If I were to sit down and add it up, I probably only eat 800-1000 calories a day. But I feel PERFECT eating that, so that is the right amount FOR ME. How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted Used with permission fromJessie H. Ahroni, Ph.D., A.R.N.P Author of "Laparoscopic Adjustable GastricBanding : Achieving Permanent Weight Loss with Minimally Invasive Surgery" You are losing 1-2 pounds per week. If you are not losing 1-2pounds per week: A. You may need an eatingadjustment 1. Are you eating 60 grams of Protein a day 2. Are you eating 25 grams of Fiber 3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories a. Soup can be sign of "soft calorie syndrome" b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories – 7 calories per gram (1) It's also a stomach irritant c. fruit juice is just sugar Water 4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? a. Are you avoiding soft foods b. You can't just eat what's easy c. cheese is glorified fat 5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals 6. Are you eating too much junk a. chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, Cookies and other highlyprocessed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a healthydiet. But don't avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived. b. Stay out of fast food places 7. Are you getting in two servings of Calcium daily 8. Do you always eat the protein first 9. Then the vegetables or fruits a. Five servings a day b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable 10. Is your portion size appropriate? a. meat or fish (1) 3 ounces – the size of a deck of cards b. Vegetables (1) ½ cup – the size of your fist c. Starch (1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don't need much (2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, Pasta 11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar c. They teach you to like things too sweet d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner thanpeople who don't 12. Avoid most diet foods a. Real food usually tastes better b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not thatgreat (1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of dietmargarine (2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats a. They may go into permanent storage b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzedfats from the body B. You may need a behavioradjustment 1. Are you eating only when you are hungry? a. If you're not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait. 2. Are you eating three meals a day? a. With maybe 1 or 2 small Snacks 3. Are you sitting down to eat? 4. Are you eating consciously? a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away,pay attention to your food and your companions 5. Are you eating slowly? a. Put the fork down between bites b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying 6. Are you taking small bites? a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork 7. Are you chewing well? 8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals? a. Practice water loading between meals b. You won't be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal 9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? a. Sometimes it's a whisper: not hungry, had enough b. Hard stop versus soft stop 10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing. 11. Do not eat when you are not hungry C. You may need an activityadjustment 1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 timesa week? a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week? c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes? 2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physicalactivity? a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding c. Parking your car further away from the entrance d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash g. Playing with your kids D. You may need an attitude adjustment 1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey? 2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eatingand exercising? a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days 3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional issues? a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your eating? b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those emotions? c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor? 4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings? 5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends? 6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically? 7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss journey? 8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating? a. Obsessive – compulsive thoughts (1) Obsess about something else b. Perfectionism (1) All or none, black and white thinking c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss 9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards? 10. Have you learned how to take a compliment? 11. Are you giving up diet mentality? a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day b. Stop dieting c. Stop depriving yourself d. Stop defining food as "good" and "bad" e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food 12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place? E. You may need a bandadjustment 1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriateportion sizes but getting hungry between meals? 2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and largeportions. 3. You are having to struggle to lose 4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising andhaving a good mind set. F. You may need your bandloosened 1. There are times when you can't get fluids down 2. You are vomiting too much a. How much is too much? 3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night? a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: (1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods (2) Chocolate (3) Caffeine (4) Alcohol (5) Some fruits and vegetables a. Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers (6) Peppermint a. Baking soda toothpaste (7) Carbonated drinks e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals f. If you smoke, quit smoking g. Reduce stress h. Exercise promotes digestion i. Raise the head of your bed j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist k. Stress increases reflux l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime (1) Tylenol is OK n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications p. See your health care provider 4. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if a. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest,especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or isaccompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast heartbeat ornausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack. b. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise. c. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you alsohave nausea or fever d. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee grounds.Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar in it. These aresymptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention. (Note: Pepto-Bismol or othermedications with bismuth will turn your stool black. Iron supplements can alsomake the stool tarry.) e. If your pain is severe