New2011

Thanks so much for posting this. I feel the same way about forbidden foods and this article has really helped me get things in perspective. I still struggle with the amount of sugar I take in, but I am working on it again. I still have a ways to overcome my forbidden food issues but this helps me to understand that I am not alone in this. Thanks.

I would suggest calling your doctor. My doctor has told me that after a fill, if I am not able to keep liquids down I need to give the office a call. I hope this helps.

I don't think I could have done it without the band. I still have to exercise and watch what I eat, but I have a lot more control not to overdo it and it helps me get back on track. It might be different for you, but for me I needed the tool to help me be consistent. It also gave me the hope I needed that I could actually get all of the weight off. I still have quite a bit to go but I have come along way. And honestly, it could have been faster if I had kept doing everything that I was doing in the beginning. Good luck no matter what you decide to do.

Congrats. I can't wait to get there.

I know it can be frustrating. I am down 73 pounds in the past 15 months. In the beginning I lost pretty quickly but I was following all of the rules and working out five days per week. I started getting hungry and so I had a fill. I lost another 10 pounds, but then I started not being able to keep hardly anything down including soup and that kind of thing and I had an unfill. Now I get hungry a lot and I think I went a little overboard because I was able to eat more. I have an issue where I get a lot of sinus infections and the drainage actually fills up my stomach during those times, I also become very tired and struggle with exercising. So I have been in a funk, wanting to give up. But I thought, I need to get back on this forum and start thinking positively again. I know it is hard but you can do it. Just keep following all of the rules and exercising and it will happen.

I have been very happy with my band. I have lost a lot of weight. I have gotten frustrated with myself because I don't always do what I am supposed to do- but the band works great if I do what I am supposed to do. I don't regret getting the band. Good luck everyone.

Thanks for sharing this. I have lost 73 pounds within the past year and three months. I did really well in the beginnng but lately I have been struggling. Reading your post got me feeling better and more realistic. I have been really stressed the past six months and have been falling back in to my old ways, including punishing myself for making mistakes and feeling defeated. I am going to start being active on this site again and working towards really losing weight again. I have done some healthy things, but not all the things I need to do an had been feeling sorry for myself. Thanks for your post.

Congrats on your progress. I don't think it is easy either. I am happy for people that it is easy, but for me, changing my entire lifestyle is challenging so I can relate. Making the time for exercise is one of those things. And with three kids and a very demanding job, it is really hard to find time in my life for me. I understand where you are coming from. You are doing a great job.

Thanks. I really want to get to 185 pounds which would mean another 75 pounds. But I would be happy to be 199 pounds. I just want to be below 200 pounds. I have a large frame so I will be looking pretty skinny at 185. My biggest thing is I want to loose more inches and get to atleast a size 18. I am a size 22 now. When I started, I was up to a size 30, some 32 shirts barely fit. I knew I had to do something. Until I had kids I had always been between a size 14 to 18. I think I set myself up a little for failure. When I started I wanted to loose at least 100 pounds at the 1 year. I work with three people who have had the gastric bypass and even though I knew it would take me longer, I wanted it to go faster. Even though one lady at work that had the band took almost two years to loose everything. For working out I do kickboxing and zumba. When I first started I walked for about 30 minutes five days a week, and then started doing 10 minutes on the eliptical and then slowly working up to the kickboxing and zumba five days per week. If I can figure out how to upload pics I will try to do that so you can see the progress. By the way, I went to the doctor for an unfill or decompression that they called it and it has been wonderful. I can eat again. I don't know if I said this on this post but I was vomiting a lot. I think it is good to take it slow on the fills. I was miserable when I couldn't eat anything and started getting a really negative attitude and didn't even want to try anymore. Everyone is different but that is how I reacted. Good luck to you.

I know how you feel. I went through that too. Have you had a fill yet? That will really help. I had that done and then I was able to loose another 13 pounds. Talk to your doctor about what you can do. You can do this. I have lost 75 pounds. I still need to lose more but it will happen in time. Try to be good to yourself. I had a lot of ups and downs, and you will to but you can do this. I increased my working out, and that also helped.

I felt the same way. It is very normal. I have lost 75 pounds within a year. I still have a ways to go, but I am so glad I did. You can do this.

I understand what you mean. At first I could eat anything but in a very small amount. Then I could eat too much and gained a couple of pounds. I then got a fill in October, lost a few pounds but now I can't hardly eat anything without problems no matter how small it is, how slow I eat, etc.. It has been horrible and I am not losing weight. I know now after being on this site that I need a slight unfill and then things should be better. I can't even eat healthy food easily and I don't think I am getting the protein I need and not losing weight. So it doesn't have to be that way but you have to make sure you get it adjusted correctly.

I appreciate you posting this honestly. I am having a problem right now where I am vomiting and burping a lot and feel some acid reflux. I only want to eat soft things and I am not losing weight. I am going to make a doctor's appointment to get an unfill. I have always felt overfilled since getting a fill in October, but kept thinking it was a sign of weakness or maybe I was doing something wrong I tried everything to help eat slower, eat small bites, everything. I also have to drink water to eat anything (which I no is a big no-no) but it is getting worse, so I am going to my doctor. It is getting to the point where I just want to eat soft things because eating is uncomfortable and I actually miss eating healthy things like vegetables and skinless chicken. So, I want to say thank you for posting this because it helped me. And I say you do what you need to do for you, it is your journey.

I am not sure how this happened, but it happened to me. I had to have another surgery, but it was a short one and I healed quickly.

I am not sure how this happened, but it happened to me. I had to have another surgery, but it was a short one and I healed quickly.

I am not sure how this happened, but it happened to me. I had to have another surgery, but it was a short one and I healed quickly.

You are doing a great job. I understand that it is frustrating. You are probably like I am and you have waited so long, you want to see results. Yes, 17 is a lot of weight but I know when you have a lot to loose it can seem slow. I have also been impatient at times. (Like most of the time I knew that it wouldn't just "fall" off and yet, as I watched other people I know loose weight after weight loss it did seem to fall off from my view point but I wasn't in there shoes at the same time. I lost weight pretty fast at first, I lost 11 pounds pre-op diet, then by 4 weeks post op I was down 36 pounds total. It was awesome because it did seem to fall off. Then after that it slowed down dramtically to about 4 pounds per month, then about 3 months ago I hit a plateau- then gained 2 pounds. To say I was frustrated was an understatement. I thought I would have lost 100 pounds by now. I have been working out 5 days a week, recently went from 30 to 60 minutes, I am determined and I felt cheated because as you say I feel like I am barely eating anything. I know this is a long story, sorry, but want to encourage you- so about 3 weeks ago I went in for a fill and there was a problem so I had to have surgery to fix my port. Basically, I hardly had any restriction, and now I have lost 6 pounds in 3 weeks and I keep losing inches. All this to say, I understand it is hard and frustrating. You will probably have your ups and downs, times when you are doing great and times when you struggle but if you stick with it, you can do it. I am down 67 pounds and I am feeling great. Yes, I have about 80 more pounds to loose, but I am a lot better than I was this time last year. Hang in there- you can do it. Oh, and one thing I use is my fitness pal. com - it is free and really helpful to keep track of calories and exercise.

I have lost 65 pounds so far, and six months in I hadn't had a fill. Now after my fill, I end up drinking a lot of liquid to be able to tolerate any kind of bread. Does this happen to anyone else? Is it hard for you to loose weight do to this because you end up flushing some of the food through and being hungry faster? I don't feel that hungry but I am a little worried about this.

I liked the title - I might buy a t-shirt that says skinny b***h when I reach my goal. In the past I thought I should have one that says fluffy b***h. I am a counselor. It isn't by chance that a lot of us are caregivers. We put everyone else before ourselves. Congrats everyone who has lost, for putting you up there in the priority. I have been really sick for about two weeks, my husband started working second shift and I stay up late to visit with him (he will be here in about 20 minutes) and I have reached a plateau due to not fitting in my workouts. We have three very active kids. But thanks for inspiring me to make room for me in my life again. I had been a little bummed out and worried I wouldn't keep losing but you guys have inspired me. Thanks.