lellow

I am considered to be heavy boned and I am 5'4" and I weigh around 140lbs now. I couldn't imagine it myself when I was over 200lbs but it's actually a BMI of about 24 for me and no, it's not so thin that you look sick. I got down to a BMI of 21 and imo that was too skinny. So don't frighten yourself to the point of talking yourself out of losing. Just concentrate on getting healthy and see where you end up and are happy with yourself. The rest are just numbers.

I took 2 weeks off with my lower body lift but people at work knew about it so were really gentle on me. Even so I think I needed three weeks off too. You did well there. I just had lipo and took 4 days off. Not enough. Always give yourself more than then less time to recuperate. Nothing worse than having to go to work feeling like crap. BTW you look amazing!

I think there is confusion about 'healthy'. Whole foods are healthy, but eat too much of it and it's not healthy anymore. Vegetables are healthy, but eat your potatoes smothered in cheese sauce and I'm pretty sure you're on the road to high cholesterol. I agree that not allvegans/vegetarians eat healthy but you have to admire their ability to control what goes into their mouths - my boyfriend is vegetarian and his restraint amazes me. I think that is something I definitely aspire to. I think eating healthy emcompasses eating quality whole foods in moderate quantaties and doesn't just cover the type of food a person eats. And I agree with bayou's point that more people should take a good long look at what goes into their mouths, and b***h less about how the band didn't make them thin. My band is an amazing tool, but as I always say, it doesn't choose what I put in my mouth.

Nwww happy birthday, my friend. And you know what I think: that at 45, you are still one of the most beautiful women I know. And you have a rockingest bikini body! But I understand the insecurity about it, because I've been there. It's taking that first step, put on that bikini and step out onto that sand, and I promise you, no one is going to laugh at you. In fact, they're going to think you're beautiful, just as much as I do!

So my surgeon, who replaced my band, and his wife, who does my fills, can't agree. When I went in to see him for the first time, I'd been successfully maintaining for 3 years and then lost restriction with a leak. My BMI was just under 23. And that's what he's recorded it as. My BMI just a smidge over 24. He thinks I need to be a bit tighter so I can get back down to my pre-leak weight. His wife, however, thinks I am perfect the way I am now. What IS someone's ideal weight? Because even my care-givers can't agree. I personally think it's when I look in the mirror and am happy with me. And I'm happy with me now more than I ever have been. We're talking about mere lbs here but somehow the number on the scale is still king and I'm sick of it. I decided at my last appt that no, I don't want to lose anymore. I told them that we will work at getting a fill level that will provide maintenance for me. Not weight loss. Because in the end, *I* decide what I'm happy with, and happiness in myself doesn't come from a number on the scale. So no green zone, no regular fills, no jumping on the scales everyday. My band is working, I can feel it. Maybe not at optimal performance but good enough to help me maintain. So my scale can abdicate now, thank you very much, it is no longer the king of me.

Philli, I only have a band - no plication - and I'm what you might call a successful bander. You don't need plication to help you lose, though I'm sure it's easier with it. In my opinion being at the right fill level is super important. The right level is when you can eat solid Protein first, veg second, carbs last of an amount that is equivalent to about a cup of food and it keeps you full for 3 - 4 hours. If you're struggling to hold down liquids, you are too tight. And yes, even a little bit out can make the difference. The difference between too loose and green zone can be as small as 0.1cc (which is why I don't get people insisting on aggressive fills because you can easily push past the green zone into the red zone) The band works best in the green zone. For some people that last fill that takes them to green zone may be uncomfy for a week because the fill will make the stoma swell and therefore make you feel over-filled, but it should ease AND you need to be able to drink at least. And bringing it back up is just irritating your stoma even more so the swelling never goes down. My advice is to get a small amount taken out. When the swelling in your stoma eases in 2 weeks, go back and get half the amount taken out put back in. Wait a month, and if you still are getting hungry in under 3 hours after eating solid food, then go get a little more. Slow and steady from here on in. You're close to the green zone, you just need to find it.

I did that Missy, I got to my goal weight where my BMI was 27 and I wasn't happy either.Got to a BMI of 25, and nope, still not happy. So I kept losing, looking for that elusive point where I was happy with what I saw. I realise now I was not ever going to be happy because I always saw my imperfections, and thought I could lose weight and they'd disappear. I now am more accepting of my imperfections and accept that they make me who I am, and that's beautiful too. I think losing and then gaining has actually turned out to be a godsend for me, because I can see myself more realistically now. Before the leak, I'd stay on or around a BMI of 23 only because my dr threatened to unfill me if I lost anymore. Now it's a more natural decision. I like what I see. That's never really happened for me before.

Sue I'm so sorry to hear that your band has eroded. When I was leaking, my dr suspected a leak or erosion. He too said erosion can happen with no symptoms except the ability to eat more and loss of restriction. I'm truly sorry to hear, my friend. I don't have any answers for you regarding what happens after but wanted to send you good wishes for the removal and the repair.

You've built it up once, you can again. Lapband surgery or anything else will make it harder for you because you are forced to take a break. I broke my tailbone skating, then my foot straight after, and was unable to do any cardio for close to 6 months. It's one of those things. In fact with the band surgery it was an easier recovery than broken bones because I was walking again within a week, and cycling within 2 weeks. On the aside, I think if you enjoy exercise pre-band, you'll kill the whole weight loss thing post band. Those who do best with the band, imo, are the ones who utilise the satiety that the band gives them alongside exercising.

I struggle with full time deprivation. So I eat everything - chocolate, chips, whatever. But I portion it out and savour it. I had a tim tam this morning. For those who don't know what that is, it is a chocolate covered cookie made of HEAVEN. But I can actually have just one and say to myself, if I ever REALLY feel like another, I can always go to the shops and get one. And yet, when the time comes, I just don't, because I don't feel that sense of 'loss'. I'd rather eat a little of any one thing that a lot of it in a binge. I think breaking the habit of binging is fundamental to being able to live with the band long term, imo.

No it's not easy so for every day that you get through where you complied with the rules, know you're a stronger person that you thought you were!

The first time I saw my collar bones I didn't know what they were. I actually yelled out to my husband that there was something wrong coz I had a weird lump just under my neck! And not everyone loses their boobs. I did, but I have friends on here who didn't (lucky girls!), so maybe you won't!

I don't want to lose anymore but want to get my BFP down too. I don't think weight loss is an accurate measure when you're working to build muscle as well. As I continue to strength train, I fully expect that I will gain some weight so am monitoring my BFP and measurements of my body instead. I want to be like Brad! Well the toned female version at least lol. I looked at the bowflex but ended up getting an Inspire M3.

I don't know how other drs do it but my doctor didn't care if I had 20 shakes/drinks during the day as long as I stuck to liquids. He said it was about healing not losing, so I could have as much liquids as I needed to keep from feeling like I was starving. Check with your doctor if this is the case. Shakes will keep you satisfied (but obviously not full) for an hour or so, so as long as you keep drinking shakes, water, broth, whatever, you should be able to stave off real hunger throughout your liquid diet. Don't get me wrong, I was dying for solid food by the end of the two weeks, but I never felt really hungry because if I did, I just drank something.

The goal my dr set for me was a BMI of 27, because he didn't believe that a BMI of 27 was overweight for my frame. And at that BMI, I wore a US size 10. I got down to a BMI of 21 and I personally think that's too thin for me (a US size 2). My ribs showed through in my cleavage and my hip bones stuck out. My arms were stick thin and my neck was sinewy. I now believe I look best at a BMI of about 24 and will do what I can to maintain that BMI. I'm never going to be perfect, but I know at what point I am happy with what I see. So imo, don't worry about the scales or BMI or the pressure to meet a number ideal if you don't want to, because half of the battle is also about finding a happy place with your body. We don't do that enough. Just to be able to look in a mirror and say 'I'm really happy with how I look right now' at whatever BMI you choose would be a huge win. And to know that with every lb lose you reap health benefits and that's something to be celebrated.

Ivy I actually wasn't referring to you when I spoke about trolls, I was replying to your comment that assuming someone was a troll was ridiculous. I'm saying that is it not at all ridiculous, and in fact very common. It pays to be cautious of taking anything you read on the net from some faceless person sitting behind a keyboard as the gospel truth, and that includes me. That's why forums like this are great for information, but everyone needs to watch out for the crazy extremes from every side, because you just don't always know the motivations behind other people's posts, and like another poster here said, I *hope* people are smart enough to figure out inconsistencies for themselves.

Ivy I didn't read Mis's post as attributing any of the quotes to you, I think you may have misread that. They were quotes from various other posts on this page, and she's right, those statements are no less extreme then saying 'I had success and so will EVERYONE'. I have always been respectful of you and anyone else who has had complications (I have had my own) but take a step back here. The only times you see someone like Mis get angry is when people post unreasonably. And it's UNREASONABLE to tell everyone that they are doomed if they get the band. And make huge claims about how long they've had the band, or how it's ruined their lives, but change their stories several times along the way. Yes this IS the internet, and that's where the trolls are. Trolling is incredibly common - I'm a moderator on another forum and we see them regularly - same IP address but different names, stories, etc. Or inconsistent stories. Or just outright lies. And usually it's in threads where there are 'fights' so to speak, and one of the mottos we have adopted is our other forum is 'Don't feed the trolls'. In fact it's a rule, and it works really well. The more people fight over them, the more they enjoy it. If this person is real, then my heart truly goes out to her, and to be honest I'm interested in hearing the details of her complications, but I'm NOT interested in her or anyone else standing like a loon in the town square telling me the sky is falling. Give me your facts, give me your experiences, don't give me hysteria.

Wait, are you seriously saying that to make a balanced, well-informed opinion, that someone should ONLY hear about complications and NOT about how the band has worked for other people? That phrase alone takes away every shred of credibility you have. I am a big believer that people should know, and be prepared for, any complications that may occur. I don't think enough people educate themselves as to the risks involved in any wls, not just the band. But let's put it all into perspective, shall we? Complication rates for the band are NOT 50% or more (unless you can show me studies to prove it) and most complications are not life threatening, whereas in some cases, staying obese is as good as a death sentence for the patient. Risk vs benefit is what it boils down to. And the risk of not doing anything should be considered as well, and you MUST have weighed that risk up or you wouldn't have had wls in the first place. I'm glad that people reading this are getting scared. Get scared because every patient should worry about the possible risks, and decide if they're risks they're willing to take. But also be realistic, and consider the LIKELIHOOD of the risk eventuating and weigh out the possible benefits to your life in light of that. So don't tell me not to talk about how the band has changed my life for the better, because it has, for almost 5 years now. Without it, I would no doubt have the same health problems that my siblings are experiencing - diabetes and hypertension. And chances of me being around to see my youngest son into adulthood virtually non-existent. And also my band is not the same as your band, either (if you had yours done 20 years ago) so it's again a different risk profile. This thread is bordering on just being stupid now. We get it, people have complications. Everyone should be aware of the possibility of complications. Everyone agrees with you, but not with the assertion that all banders are doomed, DOOMED I tell you! Are we done now?

My BMI was 35 on surgery day, and I lost all my excess weight in 7 months. Got down to a BMI of 21at one stage (which was too skinny). Have had some complications but nonetheless have stayed on or around 100% excess weight lost for almost 5 years now.

I don't count calories so don't use myfitnesspal anymore. I'm the kind of bander that just lets my band do it's thing and it maintains my weight easily . But if you're losing, then you're doing well! Eat to satisfaction, not fullness, and you'll be fine!

I think I remember that first thread you did, so it's really great to see an update where you're feeling really positive about yourself! And as for saggy skin, I think you do dig deep and do what you need to when the time comes. I've had plastic surgery and while I wish I hadn't needed to, if you do, you do. You just do what you need to to get where you wanna go.

I didn't count calories but when my girlfriend recently mentioned that she ate less than me but wasn't losing, I got her to journal her calories for a few weeks and WHOA she ate a lot more than she thought she was, and all high calorie foods too. Where I'd eat an entire piece of salmon and be overly full, she'd have 1/3 of one then eat a creme brulee and have three cocktails. And 2 hours later she was hungry and I wasn't. Portions are important but what makes up the portions are equally important. Good luck with breaking the plateau!