♥LovetheNewMe♥

I have had my band for over 2 years and honestly I rarely think about it being there, The only time I know I have my band is when I eat, it reminds me to eat slowly or pay the price. I will tell you that when I would have fills for about 2-3 days I would feel a fullness in the back of my throat when i drank or ate. Your fears are normal, I was scared to death to drink or eat immediately post op, afraid nothing would go down but it does. Good luck to you.

I love using a personal trainer because it keeps me motivated I only pay 25 dollars a session or 200 dollars a month plus my gym memebership at PF of 10 dollars a month. Yes it is expensive but it did help me learn hown to exercise properly especially with weights. I supplement my trainer workouts with the DVD series, Jillian Michaels Body Revolution, this DVD series is easy to do and is pretty similar to my trainer work outs. I think 80 dollars is pretty steep for a trainer but I guess that depends where you live. I started out doing 3 sessions a month but had to back off to 2 sessions a month (cost) and occassionaly take a week off and do it on my own. But trainer or not, I agree with above, When I was actively losing I did 3 days a week of weights and 5 days a week of cardio of some sort.

Awesome, keep up the good work, committment and accountability are key to our success with lapband. I will be cheering for you!

I was a life time member of WW pre band, and I had also done Jenny Craig. With both programs I lost weight, with WW I reached my current weight I am today from 196 to 125 within a year but gained it all back during the next year. With Jenny Craig, I did that and lost from 225 to 170 within a year but injured my knee and gained it all back plus an additional 27 lbs prior to my surgery. I consider my band added insurance, I have always been able to lose but never able to maintain the weight and keep it off for any length of time. I have been at my goal weight for 5 months and have not gained one ounce of my weight back and have actually continued to lose inches and tone through exercise. I guess if I had to pin one thing down that is different with being banded I would have to say, I do not always feel hungry and have to remind myself to eat. I can pretty much eat anything I want most days. I consider the band my second conscious, it is always there as a constant reminder that I need to eat my planned meals and Snacks and not just eat because it is there. Also I now know if I want to maintain this new me I have to exercise and I have to be conscious of my food choices, like I have said, if you want to be thin you have to think thin and if you ever notice thin people they are not junk food junkies! I think what you want to know is if we think we could do this without the band, today probably not, I still have days when my mind wants things I should not have but with the band it keeps me from binging. But my goal is to continue to work on my head hunger days to make sure if I do lose my band due to complications that I can continue to maintain this healthy life style. For me the phys. side of hunger has been a battle and one I work on daily, I love food, I love to cook and I love to eat. Hunger was not why I always ate so having the band helps me with issues. Hope this helps clarify some things.

I was banded 2 years ago and why was I banded? Simple, I was tired of being fat and unhealthy! I did my research and knew what I was getting into, I thought. I did have my remorse and mourning over some foods and how I used food to cope but I was able to get this under control and be successful with this journey. Your post is good and I hope a lot of people who go into this process thinking the band will fix everything read it. The band is a tool, us successful banded people state this over and over and often we piss people off but it is still true. The band should not prevent you from eating or tell you when to stop eating. It should be your tool that helps you learn these things. I wanted the band to help me learn portion control, I have only had 3 fills in 2 years and do not plan to get any more. I wanted the band to teach me portion control and that is what the band has helped me do, learn what a portion is and it is nothing like I used to think it was. I do measure my food, I do still record my foods, these are my tools to keep me honest with myself. When I hit goal I wrote a blog about how the band was a tool but the true success and use of the band was more about me learning control than the band control anything and it really struck a nerve with some people. But honestly that is how I feel, yes the band helped me reach my goals but if I had not embraced a healthy life style and changed my relationship with food I would not look like I do today. Look at you B52, it is Sunday and you are going to the gym to work out even in the snow. Great Job! My motto these days, if you want to be thin and healthy you have to think like a thin and healthy person. No stinkin thinkin it will only lead you down a path of no return!

I can eat it and love it, much easier to digest and doesn't give you that stuffed feeling like pasta does. I still can only eat about 1/3 cup at a sitting.

Glida, welcome! We are all so different but similar. There are a lot of inconsistancies among phyisicans, I figure it is from there personal experience and what has worked with their patients. I do not consider any food off limits, just some foods are easier to eat than others. Some common themes seem to be trouble with chicken, scrabbled eggs, bread products, pasta and rice.Some of us over time have learned to eat very small portions of these foods if they are cooked a certain way. if you have questions please ask those of us who have been doing this process for a while and have been successful are willing to help if need. Enjoy the beginning of your new life with lapband.

Welcome!

Today is Feb 2, 2013 how is everyone doing on their personal journey. I reached my personal goal last September and have managed to maintain my weight now for 5 months. I am still working out with my trainer 2 days a week and doing some cardio off and on. I have not had a fill since Jan 30, 2012. I can't believe I have made it a year without adding to my band. I do have days when I feel hungrier than others but those days are few and far between. Hope everyone is doing well. Check in and let everyone know how your doing.

I chose the band because like stated above, I did not want the invasiveness of other WLS. I knew if I had a tool I could be successful and i was right. I love my band, it has given me everything I wanted in my weight loss journey. It took me 2 years and i lost 126 lbs, I reached goal September 9th last year and have maintained at or below since that date.

I have added some of you, but here is my user name. LovetheNewMe.

Your best bet to be protected is to go the FMLA route, I am not sure if obesity and lap band would be considered a chronic medical condition.

Missy, you look great and should be very proud of your accomplishments. You may laugh but I keep my big pictures all around me. I never want to forget where I was 2 years ago. My favorite is me standing in my fat pants once I hit goal. I highly recommend this type of photo for everyone. It really makes it sink in where we were and how far we have come. Congratulations on your success to date, this is no small accomplishment.

My doc and nutritionist gave me the same guidelines as Missy. I measure out my food, weigh my protein 3-4 oz and than add 1/2 cup veggies and 1/4 cup starch. I eat my protein first, than veggies and if still have room or feel hungry I eat startch. Rarely eat Startch. Meat and veggie fill me up. I eat for 20 minutes if not finished I stop and toss the rest. I eat off a small plate, I use a small fork and I never pour a drink with my meal. I do take bites larger than a pea but I chew and chew and chew. I tried timing a minute between bites and a minute is a very long time, Eating does take time and practice with the band.

Protein is key to weight lose with lap band, if you are primarily eating salads than you are probably eating well below the calories your body needs just to function daily. And as stated above you will lose muscle mass instead of burning fat. If you eat protein, your muscles can use this as fuel when you exercise and you will burn more fat.

Chicken is dry, just like turkey and some pork loin products. It may take a while to work back up to the chicken byt you will be able to eat it later.

I was progressed very fast by my physician post op, by the end of one full week I was allowed soft foods. The only thing I caution you about as being one of those VETS who has been successful, is that the band will never stop you. If you want something bad enough you will figure out a way to eat it and if at 4 days post op you do not follow your doctors instructions you risk not following them later. This process is hard, I won't lie and tell you it has been easy, I have cried, been depressed, and had to rewire and rethink every relationship I have ever had with food. My band and my success with my band happened because I followed my doctors rules, was I hungry sometimes, yes. Did you hurt your band, No, did you stretch your band, No. I wish you success with your band and your journey. Stay focused and keep your goals in site!

Lol, I caved on day 6 and had a grilled cheese. I said it was because I had a GI bug!

I hope you find some relief and success, sorry this did not work for you.

I did some frozen meals for a while early in this journey because the were small and mostly protein, When I discussed with my WLS he quickly stopped me, he stated they are too high in sodium. I still think frozen meals like this are ok and a better choice than reaching for something unhealthy. Just watch for retaining fluid. Enjoy.

ROFLMAO, maybe I shouldn't laugh but give you some serious smart A$$ answer but I won't. If you really did this, you know what you did wrong so fix it, or" Dominatrix" will continue to kick you in the A$$ or gut. You can do this, one day at a time and by the way start listening to your band instead of your head.

Eat! You have to eat with the band, or learn to eat and you have to eat protein.

Good post, glad the tool is working for you and you are successfully losing.

ROFLMAO, thanks I needed a good laugh!

Mine is Diet Coke, but I have gotten over it. I tried it flat during the first year and that cured me of wanting it. I can eat most things with my band but in small portions, I may only be able to have one or two bites but I can eat it.