How many have lost 200 pounds...

[NewGalWithABand 0]

I was banded on 02/07/08. My highest weight was 402. I was 375 at surgery and now today on my 7th month bandiversary I'm at 297. I want to get down to around 150, but I am so excited to finally be below 300 for the first time in 11 years. My MD is very happy with my success so far. I was so scared of the bypass, but was considering it because I was afraid of not losing enough with the band. However, with 78 pounds down in 7 months, I am more than satisfied with my band. I think it just depends on how determined you are to lose. I truely believe that you can lose as much weight as you want with the band. It is an awesome tool. Best of luck to you all.

[china 1]

hi everybody,

i love reading everyones posts its really encouraging for others that have not been banded.

and for newgirlwithaband u have done a great job. i was wondering for the people that have 200 or more to lose or have loose that and more can you tell me what you eat, and what excersises you did?

also how much calorie intake was ya allowed? yes i do read what a person that has only 70lbs or so to lose but have not heard from a person of my size and how they did it and what they ate and amount after being band.

[NewGalWithABand 0]

hi china, First of all thank you. I do Water aerobics and I walk. I also gave a Fast Track, it's sort of like a skiier. I used to be a member at Curves and wished I hadn't quit before I knew I was having the surgery. Curves is a great work out. Low impact and its only 30 minutes 3 x a weeks. The inches literally melt off. I lost more inches than pounds when i went and that was before surgery, so I am considering going back, now that I have the band as a tool to lose the pounds as well. As for food, I don't count calories. I can guess that I get in about 800 to 1000 calories per day. I am losing about 2 pounds a week now and my MD says that is perfect for how far out I am now. I cannot eat beef at all. It just will not go down no matter how well I chew. chicken and fish have been good to me. lol. I no longer do my Protein Shakes unless it's a day when I feel I'm not getting enough in. I have had to add some fruits and orange juice because my 6 month lab work showed my folic acid was low. Also my B12 was low, so I started taking a supplement. Fortunately I don't have to take the sub lingual B12 like bypass patients. I also take a multi Vitamin and a Calcium 600 plus D. I took those prior to surgery anyway, because I have had a total hysterectomy. My arthritis in my knees is MUCH better due to less weight being carried around. My cholesterol is lower, though it wasnt high anyway, but my triglycerides are lower which is awesome. I do occasionally have a treat of candy or ice cream. I dont feel it is good for my success to completely deny goodies ALL the time. Hope this helps you. I know its been he best thing I have ever done! Danielle

[china 1]

hi danielle,

thanks for writing back. i have read all the posts here of people that are of my size or bigger and it is really encourageing. was wondering from the time that everone filled out the application and turned it in up until when they had there first cons. does it matter if you are bigger than when you turned the application in. this will be my first weigh in on the 10th and i must say im scared as hell.

i met this lady that is also planning on doing the lapband and she said she is surprised that the dr will even give it to me basted on my size as her daughter is smaller than me and he wouldn't do her unless she got the gasno. is started thinking what if i get there and they turn me down. i know this is just me thinking crazy. its hard being this big and know that you have to do something or else.

seems like the people to i love the most doesn't understand why i need to do this. trueth is im doing it for me and my kids. NO BODY IS GONNA RAISE MY KIDS THE WAY I DO IF IM NOT AROUND. and that scares me the most to just let go and eat and my health turns for the worst and they take my kids or worst i die and someone else raise them. i have to nip it in the bud now as they are little now i dont want them to go through the things i did because im big. how can i tell them to eat healthy and i dont. so i went and bought a journal to write down every thing that goes into my mouth. i hope i do as good as all you have. i plan to do Water arobics and walk at the park also.

[IROCK09 2]

I must really suck..if you can do it that fast..why can't I?

I'm posting to see my new ticker I created.

[TravelLady48 0]

Everyone in this forum seems to be doing so well. I have almost 200lbs to lose, and so far I'm not doing so well. I was banded on Oct 29, and had loss about 30 lbs before surgery. I am happy that I am below 300lbs for the first time in a long time, but the holidays have been very hard. I can't eat much at one sitting, but I will go and pick, if the food is there.

My other problem is that I have a very bad knee and can't excercise, the weight loss doesn't help if it bone on bone pain. But no more excuses, I'm just going to have to figure something out, because I have to get moving.

One positive, my diabetes is under much better control. My medication has been greatly reduced and I know if I start moving my glucose would be even better.

I think I will start writing down everything I eat. Hopefully 2009 will be a better year for me.

[lottacash 0]

Travellady, don't beat yourself up. Since you lost so much pre-surgery your body has to "catch up" with the loss. If you are eating nutritious foods in the appropriate quantities and not adding high calorie, low volume stuff, you'll start losing again.

As for exercise, I too have a bad knee, so I do something called Arthrocise in a pool. It's basically shallow Water aquacize, which is supposed to be gentler on joints than the regular aquacize, but I don't see much difference between them. If walking on the concrete bottom of a pool is too much for you, try deep Water aquacize. I actually think that's a better workout anyway. The only reason I don't do it myself is where I live it's a lot more expensive than the shallow water arthrocise.

[TravelLady48 0]

Lottacash:

I had been doing Water excercises. Unfortunately the best facility in my area is an outside pool and just my luck we have been very cold rainy weather this year and I am a whimp. The pool itself is a therapy pool and well heated,so I will just have to bite bullet and go for it. It is for my own good and I know it. :tt2:

Anne

[SkinnyKathy 99]

Hi all, I also have over 200 pounds to lose. I was banded Sept 9 and have lost 37-38 pounds so far. I know that I can do better, as I haven't been counting calories per se, and lately I have not been as regular about working out at Curves. I have just recently gotten to the point where I feel that I have good restriction and I am hoping that this will help me.

I recently hit my first "milestone" which was getting out of the 400s. Only a group like this can appreciate the achievement that seeing 3XX on the scale!

One thing I have noticed is that as I lose weight I can really see it in my face, torso, thighs, arms, even my wristwatch is loose, but I still need to wear the same pants size because it seems like all my weight is pooling around my hips. I know more exercise will help but I have had a belly since my teenage years and as I have gotten older it turned into an "apron." Two pregnancies have not helped matters. Now as I lose weight everything is sagging even worse and it seems that my figure is even more mis-shapen than ever. Has anyone else had this happen to them?

[NewGalWithABand 0]

I too have an apron. My highest weight was 402. At surgery I was 375 and now almost 11 months later I am 275. My apron is worse. I have gone from a 32 w in pants to a 26 or 28 depending on how they're made. If it weren't for the apron, I'm sure I'd wear a smaller size. Oh well, I'm holding out until I am under 200 lbs and then I'm having hernia surgery and a great Tummy Tuck. LOL

Hi all, I also have over 200 pounds to lose. I was banded Sept 9 and have lost 37-38 pounds so far. I know that I can do better, as I haven't been counting calories per se, and lately I have not been as regular about working out at Curves. I have just recently gotten to the point where I feel that I have good restriction and I am hoping that this will help me.

I recently hit my first "milestone" which was getting out of the 400s. Only a group like this can appreciate the achievement that seeing 3XX on the scale!

One thing I have noticed is that as I lose weight I can really see it in my face, torso, thighs, arms, even my wristwatch is loose, but I still need to wear the same pants size because it seems like all my weight is pooling around my hips. I know more exercise will help but I have had a belly since my teenage years and as I have gotten older it turned into an "apron." Two pregnancies have not helped matters. Now as I lose weight everything is sagging even worse and it seems that my figure is even more mis-shapen than ever. Has anyone else had this happen to them?

[lottacash 0]

TravelLady,

I forgot to mention you should be pleased your diabetes, etc. has improved. No matter how good weight loss makes you look, if you're dead, you don't look great, so any medical improvement is so much more important!

As for going into a warm pool in the rain, be glad you're not stuck under several feet of snow, as I am here in Vancouver, BC. I can't even drive to the pool right now.

To those talking about an apron, unfortunately exercise will help reduce the amount of fat on our bodies and build muscle but no amount of exercise will actually reduce that apron. It's caused by excess skin. Only plastic surgery will remove it. Frankly, I'd rather have the apron and maybe wear a girdle or something than risk hours of plastic surgery - but that's just me. My sister had the band and lost 140 pounds and is now considering plastic surgery for her apron and upper arms. I wish her well but I doubt I'll ever do it.

BTW, I had my surgery July 16 and have lost over 61 pounds. I've never had a fill and that loss is after a two-week cruise where I ate anything I wanted, including lots of yummy Desserts. On December 20 the scale showed I'd gained 16 pounds in 16 days but all those pounds went away in just over a week as soon as I got home and resumed my usual eating pattern of an average of 1000-1400 calories a day. I've also lost a few more pounds since then, bringing the total to 61.

[1day@atime 0]

I am very impressed by all of you. Today is my first day on this site, and I am finding it so inspiring. I used to weigh 493 pds. I had did a diet that worked very well for me and my lowest on it was 322. Things came into my life and I began to creep back to the 400pd mark, well actually going over that mark. I was published in a book for this diet that was like I said very successful for me at the time. I then met a wonderful friend who started me on my journey to weightloss surgery. I was banded on Sept 4th, 2008 I have now lost 37 pds and had my second fill Jan 8th,2009. Each and everyone here has a story to tell and I think it is wonderful you all remember where you came from to keep you encouraged to get to where you want and need to be. We are in this together.

[michellelei 0]

I too have an apron. My highest weight was 402. At surgery I was 375 and now almost 11 months later I am 275. My apron is worse. I have gone from a 32 w in pants to a 26 or 28 depending on how they're made. If it weren't for the apron, I'm sure I'd wear a smaller size. Oh well, I'm holding out until I am under 200 lbs and then I'm having hernia surgery and a great Tummy Tuck. LOL

:glare::huh2::thumbdown:Ok. I have sooo many mixed emotions by the above quote!! First of all, CONGRATS!! on losing SO MUCH weight:thumbup: However, I am a bit nervous at hearing you only went from a 32 to a 26/28 size!:glare: I started at 424lbs, a size 32T(T for tall) pants and 5x tops. I am down to 383 and am happy with this so far. I still wear same clothes because I refuse to spend money on lots of in between sizes from here to goal but they are VERY BAGGY on me! I don't hardly wear any of my "stretch" jeans any more because of their bagginess and I can't wear them to the gym anyway. I already had stock of other sizes anyway from yo yo weights of past! I'd say I am now a 30T pants & 4x top.

I gotta tell ya, thinking about losing ONE HUNDRED POUNDS from where I am now and only coming down 4 sizes, due to "apron" or not, just doesn't sound, well, right:eek: Can you tell me what size tops you were and are? And perhaps all the other positive things you feel from who you were then and who you are now? Maybe the neck thing, you know, you now have 1 and how about energy, have alot more of that? Do you feel healthier? I know I do with just losing 41lbs. I work out 3-4x per week for 45 min. at least. I find just walking to my car seems like so much less of a chore! I love the way I feel and sooo look forward to how much better I will with a much bigger loss! Another thing I can hardly wait for is to sit anywhere I want w/o secretly analyzing whether I will fit and if chair is capable of holding my ass, I mean mass:lol:

Anyway, congrats again. I think to lose that much weight is a huge triumph. That in itself is an inspiration! Have any pics??