Happy Stories of Success???

 I have had my band for a little over four years now.  I have had zero complications with my band.  I an 5'10" and started my journey at 280 lbs.  The lowest I ever got was 190.  I had slowly started to gain weight back over the last two year due to thyroid issues.  Ended up having my thyroid removed last year and I blamed that on my gain. (couldn't have been the crap I was shovling in--right???)

Anyhow,  I finally started to go to the gym last year and was seeing a little result.  I ended up with the mentality that I exercised, I could eat what I wanted.  Wrong!!  This January, the gym I belong to did an 8 week competition of their form of the Biggest Loser.  This was just the motivation I needed to get my head back in the game and work towards my goal.  I ended up coming in second place by only .05%  difference between the person in first place and myself.  My starting weight was 228 on Jan 16. I lost 28.8 lbs in the 8 weeks and lost a total of 31.5 inches all over.  The competition ended on March 12 and I weighed 199.2.  I was doing the exercise all along, but I was finally tracking and journaling my calories.  I am continuing to track the calories and stick with around 1200/day.  I am currently at 195 lbs and I am planning to get to my goal of 180lbs.  

The best part for me was that my band was there all along and I needed to realize that I did have to do my part to start seeing results.  My jeans are now a comfortable size 14 misses from an initial size of 28 womens. (4 years ago).   I want 180 lbs so that it will be an even 100 lbs gone from my surgery.  My surgeons office is happy where I am from where I have come from.  I still see them once a month to keep me honest with myself. 

I have photos  on my profile but I have not added any current.  I am planning to add current ones soon.  I want to wish you all the best in your journey.  I do believe that successful bandsters are not on the computer, but out enjoying life and therefore you hear more negative stories than positive.  I do not post, I do look every so often, but I do not like to get involved.   I am happy and I feel sucessful even though I have not reached my goal.  I will get there. 

Best wishes--jtraverse 

Thank you all for you comments! Great to hear.

I am 8 weeks post op, still losing, but it has definitely slowed down. But, still going ing the right direction and. My clothes are getting looser!

Congratulations on all your successes and to the other newbies!

Some of us have "revised" our goal weights, lol. Though I am nowhere near my goal weight, I am content at where I am. I'm a size 12 now, and basically the same weight I was before I gained so much weight.

I am over 3 years, banded. I have been skydiving, horse back riding and am adding the zip line this Friday, attended 2 H.S. reunions and have been living more, since being banded. The only problem I've had, and that just happened this January, is a hiatal hernia, the few months before this happened, I had been eating way too much and the wrong foods, which may have contributed to it. Who knows? I strongly believe in NOT being too tight and you will have to continue to exercise. The band will only make you full on less, it will not make you choose the right foods, or make that dang head hunger go away. It's a great tool that helped me,  make losing easier and I still love my band.

Mari I'll be doing my first zip line in May! I also went ice skating for the first time this winter. Actually it was winter, but like 70 degrees that day, lol.

Maria, I haven't been ice skating, yet. We do have an indoor rink, so I need to go. I can't wait to go on the zip line!!! I plan on taking pic's!!

Banded December 2003.

Has it been easy? Nope.
Have I been the perfect bandster? Hell, no.
But here I am nonetheless . . . 

OT, Bette, where's your St Baldricks pic. Did it get moderated???

 St. Baldrick's from this year? Don't have one yet. The event isn't until April 1.

Make sure and post it when you do. (I thought it was around St Paddy's day)