nothereanymore

I didn't have one, and glad about that. My band got a little tight (I think it was due to all the saline they pumped into me) but I was eating soup and protein shakes anyway. It settled back down and I didn't gain any weight throughout my surgeries. (I've had three so far - going in for my facelift on the 28th and don't plan on an unfill) Good luck, you'll love it! And I wish I moved my port - that's my only regret! Lisa

Food becomes your fuel, if you work your band right. I can't tell the life changes for me. Its been amazing - I kind of had to put my head down for a minute as I was writting this because its so emotional for me. I have a life now and remember when I too couldn't ride the roller coaster or do the zip line. I have a friend who has only known me since I've been thin, I told her my story on the 4th and how I lost over 140 pounds and she didn't believe me. I keep an old picture of me in my phone and showed it to her. She looked at me and started crying. She can't see me like that - I sometimes still see me as big Lisa and it does cause me to be a little bit shy. I run, jump, play - I'm seen as a leader - I'm proud of my body and have fun and laugh all the time. I live life to the fullest. That's hard to do when you're as big as I was. I don't eat for emotions, I've learned how to manage my food, I do enjoy it but enjoy a bike ride or running down to park more. I'm strong, beautiful, athletic and confidant. I'm Lisa and I'm living life as hard and with as much joy as I can. I could not say that before my band. Good luck!

I'll go, where do you sign up?

I agree with Elia, the band is a tool, we use it right - or we loose it. (right).... I'm very aware of the issues and watch what happened to others and kind of set my own track. I lost over 140 pounds and I've had my band for almost 5 years. One of the keys steps I took is focus on teaching myself how to eat RIGHT. Not just in small portions, but what to eat. I went to classes, and retrained my mind on food. I eat mainly organic, and focus on healthy foods. I also exercise, almost daily - 5 to 7 workouts a week. And they are good ones, hard - I push myself. I think the main thing I hear when people see me in my workout clothes is they don't believe I was ever fat. I think much has to do with my intake of food, (the kind of food) and exercise along with water and suppliments. You have to use the band as an opportunity to retrain yourself - if you have it, and keep doing the same habits you're not using it at its optimum. Its too easy to fall back into the old habits if you haven't created new ones, and that can lead to failure. We're all human it can happen to the best of us. I have the fluid removed from my band so I can eat more - I need to now since I am finally eating right, and exercising. Otherwise I get too thin. Its a tool, but its the best dam tool I've ever had in the fight over obesity. Much love, Lisa

Kristi, Congrats, you are so amazing and beautiful! Watching your journey was just like watching a little butterfly coming out of its cocoon, your transformation has been fun to watch and participate in by reading your posts! You are such an inspiration to us all - thank you for always being here for us! You always support in a positive way and share your successes to help others, you are so giving with your love and assistance! All the best on the rest of your journey! Lisa

I love yoga, but you use your core and I was told to stay away from core for 30 days. So use caution - you don't want to mess up your band and move too fast. I would wait, and I agree walking, exercise where you don't use core is great. Make sure you've given yourself some time to heal. (Today is the first day of the rest of your life - so you do have time).

Congrats Linda!! You are so beautiful and amazing! You look like you are in your 30's not 50! I want to come fly with you!

I have one regret - got mine in 2006 - wish I'd done it sooner!!!!

Hey Everyone! I'm flying out to Vegas on April 9th - will be there till the 13th. If anyone else is there at the same time, and/or knows anything fun to do - cool shows, some great bands (I love live music/dancing). Where can I take my BF and have some fun! (Or if you're a local and know how to get those cool passes that get you in places...) ;-) Please let me know! I am sooooo looking forward to a vacation! And I'd love to meet up on the side with some of my Banditas! Makes it all the more special! What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Unless of course we decide to post on the forum....... Lisa

Here's my take on it - I know that I was building scar tissue around the port - why wouldn't we build scar tissue around the band? That would add tissue around it - thus causing it to tighted without a fill - since we all are seeing this over time and its a normal part of what our bodies do - it just kind of makes sense to me.....

Hi Carrie, Welcome back! You'll do just fine - you know what you need to do to succeed - you already did it not that long ago. Its just normal life to have little set-backs - the goal is too not let them turn into big ones. So jumping back in for support and guidance is the right thing to do. For me ~ since like you I know what it takes to succeed - the magic is waking up that one day and making that long term commitment to fix it. For us now its realistically only 90 days of hard work (so short in the scheme of life), but then a lifetime of little long term changes. Whether its getting up 30 minutes earlier and doing a fast at home workout. Or forgoing that evening drink/treat and only having them on the weekends. Or both it we're rock stars! I've been traveling a lot lately and added 7 pounds just because of that - I got off my schedule and it puts my body in havoc. I know what it is and I don't sweat it, its part of life - I just jump back into my normal routine and work it off. It normally only takes me a couple of weeks to get back on track and then I'm back to working so I don't get too thin! (Feast or famine - I'm telling ya). The body is a strange thing....... Take care, its great to see you! Just join in, we'll do it together we both have a little bit of work to do! Love ya! Lisa

That's interesting - for them to say there was nothing wrong and to remove. I had abdominal surgery about 10 months ago, the surgeon really checked out my band since he was in there "fooling" around. He said it looked great, band in place - fit well - port good and pouch size great. The surgery was a pain but it was great to have someone take a look. I'm heading out to the OCC in a few months just to have them take a look. I feel great - its working great - get some heartburn when I travel but geez - I'd hate to lose it. If you get a new one it’s not that expensive to have someone look at it. And I would recommend you contact the OCC about a new band and check out their prices. They are the best and worth the $$. So far I've had no problems keeping my weight off - I do eat right and exercise is a big part of my life - but that stuff is easy when you don't have the extra 140 pounds weighing you down..... Good luck.

Hey Kim, I'm a total sugar/carb addict and used it to help mask things - finally realized that what I was doing was creating a downward spiral. I was a binge eater and used the sugar and carbs to mask things and make me feel better - and they were like a drug - I kept needing more and more to stabilize. Here's some good information: http://www.coping-with-binge-eating.com/blood-sugar.html I did a lot of self education and finally went through a program that really helped me understand what to eat. I had to go for 30 days without sugar, carbs, coffee (caffeine), flour, milk - only organic meat, fruits, veggies. No juice - those drugs addicts on the MTV show had nothing on me - I went through ugly withdraws. I couldn’t sleep, felt horrible and ill. I can’t believe I made it through. After the 30 days I slowly added back in organic milk, sugars (small amount) flour etc. I stay pretty true, I do still have my sweets but they are my treats and are manageable. In other words I don’t need them to make me feel better, I actually use exercise now (endorphins are my friends). It pretty much takes 90 days to truly make a difference – it helps your mental attitude as well as your physical form. But I’m not going to lie – its hard as hell. If you truly want to change – you might try this – prepare your mind as well as your cupboards and warn your loved ones and friends alike. (Enemies are open game….) Anyhow, I’m not sure – but you sound a lot like me – and it took something this drastic for me to make a true change. I couldn’t have done it without my band – however as we all know its just a tool and we own with how we make it work for us. Good luck! Lisa

Agreed, heavy proteins such as steak and chicken are best - followed by shell fish and seafood for me. However, if are at 6cc's, dont have restriction and still eat like a horse - I'm going to be perfectly honest, you may need to adjust your fill or you may have pushed it and eating like a horse could have stretched your pouch. So stop eating like a horse even if you can. You need to measure your food, look at what you are eating, amounts and how you are eating. (Protein first ¼ cup, followed by veggies ¼ cup, then fruit ¼ cup and then last ¼ cup of carbs) you dont mix you finish your protein first each bite gets 30 chews and they are small bites I used a Childs silverware set when I was in the middle of my weight loss. It helped me to understand the size of bites I should be taking. Its pretty simple and dont drink when eating. Quick questions, did they check your pouch out at the time of the fill or did you do it blind. Im not trying to scare you, but Ive seen a lot of people ruin their bands by stuffing too much into themselves. Ill be honest, there may have been times that due to less restriction I could have eaten like a horse, but I never did I never tested or cheated my band. My thought was if I was going to spend thousands of dollars for this thing it was going to work it was my last chance at freedom. Look at yourself, how you are eating, adjust your band if needed and adjust your mental attitude about food. And I get that its hard I lost 140 pounds myself, you have to stay on track and keep working hard and dont push your band. Its a tool, you can break it and fail with it. But then you own it if you do. Its not worth it I cant tell you how my life has changed. I am such a better person and I do so much more Im living now and I didnt know what I was missing I wasnt truly living as a morbidly obese person, I missed out on so much. Keep pushing yourself but dont push your band stuffing yourself like a horse is nothing being fit and healthy is amazing. Good luck, Lisa

I hear ya, however I think they will be shutting most of this down - don't know for sure but that's what I hear. You never know tho - its wait and see at this point.

Sometimes you just have to go on faith - it will show in time. And you have to be really honest and open with yourself. Make sure you are watching your intake - some drinks can add in high calories. But and its a big one (no pun intended) when you first start really pushing yourself and you're on the muscle building program you may see slow weight loss but high inches lost. I do yoga and palates - looked like a fool at first and now people walk in and ask if I'm the instructure - you'll get it. If I'm looking to really burn calories I'll do 15 minutes of intense cardio before the class. These days I'm just looking to stay the same. This is a long term, life long program - you will see changes and you will make it if you keep it up. It took us years to get fat and out of shape - don't expect things to change fast. Take your time, enjoy the ride - I use to hate to exercise as well but now love it. Its like brushing my teeth - I feel icky if I don't do it. Love ya, and don't stop! Lisa

Thanks for the information - I think the link copied wrong so I'm including the correct one here http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/fitness/weight-loss-challenge/2011-01-24-hcgdiet24_ST_N.htm These things are always interesting. We're just all looking for that magic formula and it’s not out there. There are tools, whether that is the band, exercise - and there is knowledge. We choose the path that we believe is right for us. However we need to be smart about it and do our homework. I've done so many crazy diet things in the past that I can never go to anyone and tell them they are silly for trying something. I was the queen of looking for the "easy" way out of my obesity. There just isn't one and until I made it a part of my life to try my best to eat right with the band and exercise consistantly - I couldn't do it. I haven't had a weight issue for a long time now - I'm at peace with my body - these silly fast/fad diets that normally are just out there to make someone a fast buck and sometimes kill people in the process, are just more of a passing interest to me and I thank god that I made through all my trials alive and think of those that were lost in the process because that's the truth - many of us die trying to be thin. And I'm not saying all will kill us, however the fact is that many do some harm, most will just make us lose weight at a fast pace then gain it back plus more (we all know that ugly cycle) however some are worse. Just be safe, use what you have and really push yourself. Much love, Lisa

I think you need to go in and have your pouch/band checked. There’s a chance you stretched it out – don’t panic if this is the case – they normally un-fill you – you go on a liquid diet for a while (one person I know did the 4 week one again). And you allow your pouch time to get back to its smaller size – you then go back in for a fill and start again. Here’s a little bit of hard honest truth – you most likely are testing your band and eating too much – stop it. You do have to use will power and work it – it’s not supposed to do all the work. Don’t cheat it by eating slider food; eat protein, then veggies, fruit and last carbs. Also get out and make sure you are getting enough exercise and drink plenty of water. Good luck - you don't succeed because of the band - you succeed because you used it wisely.

Love you Linda, my bandster GF, miss you and so sad for your losses, and so happy that your son, who I know you love more than life itself is here with you. You are amazing - everything will be OK, I just wish I could crawl through my computer and give you a big hug! I'm living on my own in downtown Bellevue, if you ever want to come down and stay with me for a girls weekend we'll go out for some non drinking girls fun and rock the town! Take care beautiful lady! (You look amazing and you do not look at all close to 50, closer to 30)! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Lisa

I understand, we all go through difficult times and its a learning process, but watch yourself so you don't do damage. One thing I'm going to point out is your restriction can vary day by day. If I'm under stress (like now) my band gets tight. If I eat something salty or with MSG, my band gets tight - if I travel (fly) my band gets tight, if I exercise hard, it gets tight (great way to get in shape and cut out food. I believe its affected by our emotions, the foods we eat and the outside envirement. I know it pretty well now so I can pretty well predict how its going to react. But I do agree it can't do all the work, we've got to do some and treat it well. Good luck, you'll do fine - start measuring your food, I strongly recommend cutting out pizza - its a band bender in my book. I eat clean soft protein veggies fruit carb All cut up in small pieces in that order and I measure. Lisa

Congrats Michelle! You are so beautiful, and I'm so excited for you and your family! You have always been one of my favorites to watch and read their posts - I do hope you'll have some more time for us - but with a new one comming - I think you're going to be a very busy lady! But please stay in touch - I'd love to watch as you move through this special time - make sure to take lots of pictures - I use to love to check out the ones when you were getting smaller - now its going to be just as special to watch as you get a little bit bigger with your new addition! Take care beautiful lady! Lisa