Maintaining Weight Loss

I was wondering if there are any Lap Band patient on here that have had the band for a number of years and can tell me how successful they have been at maintaining weight loss.  I can lose weight well on a diet, but I have never been able to maintain my weight loss for very long.  This is why I am going to get the band.  Any information would be helpful.

Thanks

Well over 5 years. Could always lose weight but, like you, not keep it off.

Well with my band, i lost all my excess weight and actually got too thin! So I deliberately allowed some regain to about 145. I stayed thereabouts for about three years but then relaxed a bit and find now that ut suits me to be at about 150 to 154. Staying thinner is possible but hard work. 150 ish keeps me in my US size 10s without too much effort.

But like any post menopausal woman, I keep a firm eye on the scale.

Kate

I have successfully maintained my weight loss within 10 lbs give or take for 2 years.  The thing I love about the band is that it's there for me when I make good choices and choose healthy, protein rich foods.  For me, it does control real hunger (not head hunger), and helps me with portion size when I eat dense foods.  What the band will never do for you is control fulness or portion size if you feed it junk food, liquid calories or sweets.  These things will pass right through the band and you can "cheat yourself" if you're not careful.  Living with the band requires a lifetime of vigilence, making good food choiced 85-90 percent of the time, allowing for a little human nature in between.  Healthy eating is a life-long pursuit, not a temporary change until you lose your excess weight.

I believe that working with a therapist to control head hunger, emotionally driven eating and compulsive overeating is one of the keys to success.  I have a 3 prong approach to re-capturing my health and life.
1.  Diet- Changing WHAT you eat as well as HOW MUCH.
2.  Exercise- Moving more than I did before.  I'm not an exercise success story but I definately do more than I did before and have more energy, mobility, etc. because of it.
3.  Therapy- Helps me understand my history of choosing food to cover all emotions, good, bad or indifferent.

For me, they all go hand-in-hand with my WL success.  When one lags, the others suffer as well, but it IS possible to change your thinking and behaviors.  If I can do it, anyone can!

Lisa O.

Thank you.  You look great.  I have been considering WLS for years, but this is the first time I have had a health insurance that would cover the procedure.  I will take your advice about the therapist.  Hopefully I can get some information on a good therapist at the support meetings.

I am coming up to my two year anniversary of my band, and I did it for the exact same reason that you are considering it.  I could (and have) lost many pounds before my lapband, but always gained them back - plus! 
After surgery, I reached my goal weight in about 11 months and was able to stay within about 5 pounds of that since.  I did actually get down to about 145 briefly, but it was too hard to maintain, so lately I have been at about the 153 mark which is good for me.  I have also really relaxed by self imposed strict eating habits, but when I go back to basics, I can lose that extra 5 pounds within a month.  I believe that this is how normal weight people live!!
Having lapband surgery is the *best* decision I have ever made  - I highly recommend it!  I only wish I had done it sooner instead of waiting until I was 52!!

My 2 year bandiversary is in 2 weeks.  I lost all my excess weight (from 222 to 125) in about 9 months, and even lost another 5 pounds or so (TOO thin), and felt my band was a little too tight so the doctor removed maybe 1 - 2 DROPS, and I've been fine for the last year or so.  I regained after the slight unfill to about 128-130 and have maintained within 2 pounds of that.  It's a constant vigil, however, to make sure I eat the right stuff, drink enough water, and " indulge" infrequently..My personality is such that I follow the doctor's instructions almost all the time, and in fact have not been to a "fast food" restaurant in 2 years.  Don't really miss it.  I've found that having some healthy food in my fridge is just as good for my cravings.  Right now I have some nice chicken pieces that will be my lunch, and am looking forward to it!  I weigh myself every morning so that if I put on an extra pound or so, I'm extra careful..

Phyllis

P.S. I was 63 when I had my surgery, so I had a lot of years of poor eating habits.