Need advice from long term bandsters

[briansangel1029 0]

I am now one year banded with AMAZING success. My fear? Is this too good to be true. I NEVER want to gain my weight back and I don't want to have any trouble with my band. Is it possible that this is good for life?

[serenity55 15]

Hello Briansangel,

I have not been banded for a year yet, but I've read about people who have for several years and are doing very well. You might want to check out the success stories to reassure yourself that you can believe you will continue to do well.

I think a lot of people who do simply don't post as much; just lurk, or give support and encouragement.

Congratulations on your success, and I hope it continues!

[Jachut 487]

Its four years for me tomorrow.

over time, the bands effect on your appetite and cravings does, I have found, diminish. I dont eat as faultlessly as I did and some habits have returned. I also find lately I can eat more again - I have found the need for teeny top up fills once a year or so - like 0.1 cc (have a 4cc band). However, my perspective has changed too so whem I think I eat "a lot" its nothign compared to normal people. this is good, my view on serving sizes etc is much much healthier than it was.

However, I have not regained so much as a single gram. I continue to work hard at making good decisions and if I have a few bad days, I make up for it. I do not allow my weight to fluctuate by more than a pound - even whem I know its hormonal weight gain I get super strict for a few days.

I also continue to challenge myself with my fitness, I continue to run, do boot camp and circuit training, keeping up a pretty gruelling fitness schedule, but I love it. I am under NO illusions that I can give this up, even where I to fall back to simply walking every day, I would gain weight. I exercise on holidays, I dont have a day off just coz its Christmas etc. Probably sounds depressing to some, but I love it and I crave it. It makes me feel good and you learn to enjoy the sensations of pushing your body.

could I keep the weight off without the band? Not sure. Probably not all of it. But I do not believe I'd become obese again either, I think I'd probably return to the BMI of 27, 28 which used to frustrate me so much all through my teens and 20's, because my habits are so diffent now, particularly exercise wise.

[dreaddy 0]

see? i think the band is exactly what you put into it. i havent gained back anything and its been 2 1/2 years for me. i walk every single day. i do not work myself to death..sometimes i walk miles..sometimes, just to the bank. i eat small amounts but never was too hard on myself with carbs because i know when i get hard on myself, i overeat. i have noticed now that i do not eat anywhere NEAR as much as other people now and my ideas of food have totally changed..i see other people eating large amounts of food and i feel a huge innate sadness for them. or, i see someone super heavy and i want to tell them all that i have learned...but i still have never reached "my goal" and that is completely my fault. i need to eat more Protein and less sugar and thats why i am back here after being banded for 2 1/2 years (successfully!!!) weight is a lifelong thing and every day it is about choice and how those choices work in your life....it is a great thing for a lot of people and i believe we can stay free of the that nagging overeater voice in our heads forever with the band.....i am just "too happy" and really have no will to be ultra thin! what i need to teach myself now is that i deserve to be truly thin..and not just thin "to me".....

hahahahahah im here though!!! and THAT is what matters!

[Jachut 487]

That's so true. I could have the body of a model if I wanted to give up carbs, I'm sure. With the amount and type of exercise I do, if I ate the high protein/low carb low calorie diet, I'd get there.

I just cant really be arsed to do it, lol. Its too much like hard work. I really LIKE the exercise, so that's not an effort to me, but I like eating like a normal person too much - healthy and sensible most of the time, with enough treats in there to not feel deprived. I dont want to think about food and count this and that every day.