I'm still on shakes, doing ok 80 percent of the time, but it was windy and cold on my walk yesterday, and all I wanted was some soup! Thought about blenderizing some bean soup I have in the pantry with extra water to make a thick broth...and then, I thought again. And I drank my shake. brrr.

WHY? I comitted to myself and my doctor to a certain plan of eating pre and post op in order to make this surgery a success. This includes sticking to the foods that will allow my body to heal, and then, eating what the nutritionist has prescribed in order to allow my body to lose weight. WHY WOULD I MESS WITH THAT? I just spend 10,500 dollars and risked general anestesia in order to get "the band". NOW I have the tool, and I've got to do my part.

I get very confused when I read on the boards and see in the chat rooms members encouraging other members to "cheat" or start certain types of food before the dr given the green light. WHY would a person risk stretching out the pouch or damaging the band in this way? AND, isn't "cheating" what got us into this mess to begin with? I am by no means perfect. I'm sure I will have my days of overeating and slider foods, and I'm just now getting into banster hell, where I'm hungry but have no restriction. But I came into this procedure with the full knowledge that the first few months were ON ME, so to speak, or were my responsibility. I saw a member post, "I didn't get the band so I would have to diet" DID YOU READ ANYTHING HERE BEFORE HAVING THE SURGERY? EVERY successful member I've read has followed some sort of reduced and healthier eating plan, along with exercise. AND EVERY member I've seen struggle has been lax about following dr. and nutritionist reccomendations.

I've read a lot of peoples stories, and have tried to see what is the difference between the bandsters who are at goal and the bandsters who have been banded for a few years and still struggle, and the difference is not the dr or the band, but the PERSON and PERSONAL choices. I write this not in judgement, but as a reminder to myself, to help me learn from the experiences of others...THIS IS MY JOURNEY, and if I want to be successful, REACH GOAL, and ultimately have the band work for me, I have to do a great deal of the work.

Which is why I had a protein shake when I wanted bean soup. Small I know, but it's a start.