pink dahlia

yes yes a thousand times yes, i would do it again in a heartbeat ! i may be only 4 months banded and while i had to change my eating habits , the payoff so far has been huge for me ! ive lost 32 lbs, my digestive problems have gone away, i found i love my swim class 3-4 times a week, so that gives me a lot more energy ! ( walked 4 miles today !!). my clothes are getting too loose (again! And i just bought those pants 3 weeks ago !) im getting lots of nice compliments and im starting to feel comfortable in my own skin again. Hell yes , I'd do it again !

Way to go !!! Great job ! Its nice when your pants start falling off , isnt it ? Woo hoo !!!!!

i told my family & friends and they were 100% supportive. They knew i had been struggling with my weight for years and weightwatchers didnt work for me ( God bless them ,they tried !) I casually mentioned it at work and also got 100 % support. I got a few normal healthy questions on why and how does it work ? But nothing remotely negative, and when i started loosing weight i got nice compliments too from coworkers and family. I wish i had known about it 10 yrs ago so im happy to spread the word in hopes that someone else will look into it too. If i do ever get a negative comment, oh well ! Thats their problem , not mine ! Good luck !

you are not going to lose alot of weight quickly for awhile probably , because you are in the HEALING stage, not the LOSING stage. Only when you finally get restriction will your appetite be small. In the meantime you'll probably be less hungry than you used to be but not in the green zone. I went through the exact same thing you did but knew it would take time and i would eventually get to the green zone. I had my 5th fill today and hope this is it ! I was banded dec 13th, 2011 and im down 32 lbs. The band does work, it just takes time so be patient and follow your Drs orders. Good luck !

have you had your iron levels checked lately ? according to your profile you're 65 but you can still have iron probs at any age. Lack of iron can make you feel very tired and sluggish. My dr put me on iron pills but they upset my stomach until i found a brand called Slow Fe -slow release iron supplement at my local drugstore. Check with your Dr.first. good luck !

Oooooohhhh Jus krystal, you are one feisty chicky !! Good for you for being smart enough to look at the band this way ! There will ALWAYS be people who disagree with SOMETHING you are doing, right ? No matter what it is, somebody is going to disagree with you. And you may disagree with them too. But hey, its YOUR life and your right to get healthy any way you can, so if the band is the way it works for you , then go for it ! When you get strong and healthy you'll be so busy living your healthy life that you wont have time to listen to those ignoramusses who obviously know nothing about the band. Ask them some questions and see if they know anything ! Make the decision thats right for YOU !! ! Im 4 months banded down 32 lbs and my joints dont hurt as much and i have alot more energy too and I still think it was the best decision i made ! Good luck !!

I have straight , shoulder length baby fine hair, so i was a little worried about hair loss too. The weird thing is my hair has gotten thicker and healthier since i was banded 4 months ago ! I only take a multi vitamin daily so the only thing i can put it down to is im eating a lot more protein and fruits and veggies, and alot less carbs and junk . So, i guess the Dr.s are right, eat protein, protein, and protein ! god luck !

i didnt have the crying problem but i notice im much more emotional when my blood sugar drops, which it does quickly if im not eating enough protein or have had too much sugar. Then Im shaky and feel like " waaaaah !!!!!! !' I dont know what you're eating on your pre-op diet , but you might want to make sure you're having a balanced diet to keep your blood sugar level. Check w/ your Dr. or nutritionist if you have any questions. Good luck !

I love your program, hope i can do it someday as i would love to be a runner ! Im pretty stiff and have trouble loosening up even a little. i swim and took a yoga class this am. The instructor told me it may take a long time to stretch out my body with yoga, but to also try tai chi. she said not to do pilates as it is too much stretching for me at this point. Anyone else have any advice ?

I know, i know, they sound weird , dont they ?? But i just loved them. i guess it depends on what you like to eat. I love anything grainy, nutty, sweet and/or crunchy ! My favorite healthy snacks are apples or celery with PB, oatmeal with almonds, raw nuts with dried fruit or a mini clif bar. My not so healthy favorite snack would be a oatmeal , white chocolate and macadamia nut cookie. To each their own !

Im 53 yrs young , im 5'3 and my happy weight will most likely be 140 or possibly lower to 125. When i was growing up 125 was a good healthy weight for me, but im older now, had a child, and going through pre menopause. My body has changed . I started at 225 lbs, down to 195 now, and if i get to 140 and cant go any lower im perfectly fine with that as long as im healthy ! I like a little meat on my bones !

Way to go , you're awesome ! Great attitude ! I find weights and treadmills boring so i wont stick to them , but i love my water fitness classes and outdoor walking so i'll do them 3-4 times a week. Hope you find and exercise that you'll enjoy and stick to. Good luck !!

I found the recipe for BREAKFAST COOKIES. mix together 1/2 cup soft butter or marg, 3/4 cup sugar or Splenda, 1 egg. Add 1 cup flour, and 1/4 tsp baking soda. mix well. mix in 10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled, and 2 cups cornflakes and 1/2 cup raisins or chopped nuts. Drop by rounded Tbls 2 in apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 350 degrees , 15-18 mins until lightly browned.Cool for 2 mins before removing to wire racks. store in fridge, makes 2 doz. ( Quick Cooking- year 2000 ) Enjoy !

i dont make my own protein bars but i used to make "Breakfast Cookies." I found the recipe in the cooking magazine Taste of Home or its sister magizine Quick Cooking( now called Simple and Delicious) If I remember right they were made with oatmeal, raisins and/or nuts and cooked bacon or bacon bits and some other items. YUMMY !

I love my band too, because im seeing SUCCESS !! a few years ago i joined Weight Watchers, love the program and the people, but it took me 1 yr to lose 12 lbs !! EEEEK ! It just didnt work for me, i got frustrated and gained quit, gained the 12 lbs back and another 12 for a high of 225 lbs. i was banded Dec, 2011 and as of today ( April 20th, 2012_) Im down 30 lbs ! Oh , Yeah, I LOVE my band !!

P.S. Im down 30 lbs too, in 4 months and i consider it a huge payoff so far . Better to have lost 30 than to have gained 30 or stayed the same. any weight loss i consider a positive !!

honey, ill be 54 this summer and while i didnt have any weight probs until i turned 30, l know that being overweight and frustrated is difficult at ANY age ! Instead of venting about what you HAVE"NT done, how about venting on what you HAVE done ?? do you feel better, look better, less meds , etc ? Got any good nsv's to tell, or a nice compliment or two that came your way ?? Any advice for the newbies that might be reading this ? You've made alot of progress so far , just think where you'll be 3 months from today !! Keep up the hard work and you'll get there ! Good luck !

Hi, im not on WW or connected to them, just on the lap band forum , but some body was saying they were looking for a healthy substitute for ice cream. Try freezing a couple of sugar free pudding cups . Cold, creamy , sweet and lo cal too ! Yummy !!

great job !! What are your diet and exercise secrets ?? Please share !!

I was banded last December, had my 3rd fill feb 27th and hit the green zone for about a 12 days, then it went backwards to mild restriction. I went in for my 4th fill end of March and the tech said that was'nt uncommon. Nothing has changed since that last fill, still just mild restriction. My 5th fill is next week, does anybody have any advice to make this work ? My insurance only covers the 1st 6 fills so im trying to use them wisely before i have to start paying for them myself . ANY ADVICE ????

Journey2healthy- just out of curiousity, what DID you expect from this surgery food wise ?? your dr should of talked to you about what to eat and what you might have trouble with , also maybe some paperwork with food info on it. everybodys different when it comes to what they can tolerate. i can eat anything just in small amounts, but 3 weeks ago i had 3 sips of an alcoholic drink and had a bad reaction. Everybodys different, so check with your dr and a nutrionist to see what you should be doing. Good luck !

wow ! You're awesome ! How did you lose 110 lbs in a year ?? whats your secret ?please share !! Good luck on your future losses !

I asked the same question at my 1st lap band support group, and they all gave me the same answer "my only regret is that i did'nt do it sooner !!! I m 4 months banded and have just attended my 4th support group meeting and i still have not had anyone say they regret it (me neither !!) The first few weeks were the hardest but when you start seeing results you'll be glad you did it. I feel SO much better ! Give it time ! Good luck !!

Congrats ! Im 4 months banded, down 32 lbs. and very happy i got banded ! Good luck to all of you !

my hubby has loved me through thick and thin, literaly. although he never said a word about my 100 lb weight gain i knew he wasnt happy with it, but hey, neither was i ! i've lost 32 lbs so far and while he does see me as more attractive, its not just on the outside. Im happier because i FEEL better, im out walking or swimming 3x a week, my clothes are getting bigger and since im fitting into alot of my old clothes , i put way more effort into looking nice everyday. weight loss=self esteem and self confidence=attractive !Thats just human nature !