RD86

I've been very active on these forums before the lap band and through the process so I don't look down on anyone, you may be reading my messages in a negative tone to which they are not written. I don't appreciate people blatantly telling me I should just get LB because I'm going to gain it back. I don't think I'm an elitist at all, I just want to show everyone what the process of getting lap band ended up doing to me (giving me a strenght to attempt it on my own again). I always said if this didn't work I'd get lap band, but in the past I never did a diet or watched what I ate, I never had the motivation. The process of the lap band made me find that motivation.

Glad that I don't have you in my support group haha ... Don't paint with such a broad brush. I'm not strict dieting, I'm not doing something that is uncomfortable, and I'm actually keeping a diet past 2 weeks which I've never done. Also I never actually dieted before everytime I attempted to lose weight it was with weight loss pills, never have I actually controlled my portions.

Hey Everyone, If you were unaware of the situation basically I was supposed to have lap band on August 26th but a week in to my strict liquid pre-op diet I found the strenght to control my eating on my own so I post poned the surgery indefinetely. Majority of the members of this forum told me I shouldn't have post poned my surgery because I'd just end up gaining the weight back and needing surgery regardless. The week of that pre-op diet I actually lost 22 pounds and was 351lbs (started at 373), after I made the decision I started watching my portions and my decisions but actually gained 5 pounds back (356)... Immediately I thought "what the hell did I do?" but I didn't let that lose my focus and I understood this was a marathon not a race. Glad to say a week later I was back down to 351 and I scratched that 5 pounds to my body just going from eating absolutely nothing to something(literally didn't eat anything for the preop diet) and Water weight gain. Now that I'm a month in from this journey (started the preop diet on August 12) I do not have any urgers to binge eat at meals like I used to. I'm not even thinking of ordering that big lunch I used to have I'm always thinking SMALL SMALL SMALL. I had a cheat day on Sunday (football day) but my cheat day was nothing compared to what I used to do on a regular sunday! I found this will power and I'm pretty happy with my decision right now. This morning was my weight in day and I came in at 349, my first time under 350 in over a year which makes me happy. Of course the weight loss isn't going to be as fast as it would be with the lap band, but the ability to know I'm really doing this on my own (i used to only do pills for weight loss) is really uplifting. Thanks to all those who were supportive, still have a long way to go.

So after much thinking I decided to postpone my surgery which was supposed to be on August 26th. Doing this preop liquid diet I found it relatively easy to starve myself (basically what the preop diet was). I figured if I could do that, why couldn't I just follow through controlling myself without the surgery? I never really gave it a honest chance, I may say I have but I never did. I figured I owed it to myself to honestly try before going down the surgery path. Now I know everyone on this site is very adamant about the surgery because of their success (for good reason) and I was shocked how many people honestly said basically "just go through with the surgery, you'll probably fail dieting yourself." I feel something different this time, maybe it was the thought of surgery right around the corner that shocked me, but I feel a determination that I never had. So to everyone on this site good luck and to all those who said I'd fail, I'm hoping to prove you wrong See you all at the regular clothes store! If I see in a month or 2 this isn't working I'll probably reschedule surgery

Thank you everyone, but i'll be honest I never really tried, and the fact that I'm finding it easy to control my eating, I understand the hindsight for everyone is pro-surgery. I actually went to buy my wife a slice of pizza and had no urge whatsoever to get myself one, I sit around colleagues who eat their lunch and have no urge to run and grab a sandwich. I'm finding it easy to control myself right now and i think if I give a real effort (i never gave an effort, i can assure you that) I may be able to do something that I've never done before. I'm also 26 years old, this surgery option will always be there, if I see in a month or 2 that I'm not controlling myself and the weight isn't coming off, I'll probably get the surgery.

Thanks everyone for their feedback. I haven't tried any diets to be honest with you in my life time, I always looked for the easy way to lose weight (any pill I saw, I'd buy it). Doing this pre-op diet I guess sparked a motivation to try it on my own before I go for the surgery. I think my best bet may be to post pone for a month or 2 and give it a last REAL effort

I know the band is a tool that will help me keep me on track but in my entire life the only times I lost weight were when I took a pill (Trimspa or a doctor prescribed amino acid pill)...... I've never done it on my own. This past week I lost 18 lbs on the pre-op diet, without cheating and with my head focused on the goal. I've never did that before, I showed myself I have the will power to push it through and not sure if I should post pone the surgery and give it one last go on my own. Is it normal to have the 2nd thoughts? Maybe I found my self motivation in the process? Should I just post pone see if I can give it that one last push on my own...

I went and returned all my muscle milks and picked up Isopure, they are not milky so even if they have that "protein" taste, they are easier to drink because it's like a gatorade type of drink. I'm tempted to "cheat" but not cheat as in eating a hamburger but like having some Turkey or Chicken Breast. I've lost 16 pounds already in 5 days.

I asked my nutritionist if I could have a grilled chicken breast maybe once a day to help add to the protein i wasn't getting since i couldn't tolerate the shakes. She wasn't understanding at all and just told me stick to the diet.

They gave me a list of "approved protein drinks and powders" I settled with Muscle Milk light. These things are just atrocious. I can't add anything to them because it's so limited.

If I could blend fruit into my own I would, the only option I have is to buy powder and blend it with water. I can't even have fruit. That's whats making it so hard.

I'm currently on the 5th day of pre-op liquid diet (down 16 pounds). Basically I can have 4-5 Protein shakes a day and 2 cups of vegetables. The shakes are making me gag with every sip, I haven't been able to finish any of them. No matter what brand, what flavor, I can't take these Protein Shakes. Yesterday I literally had 1 sip of a Protein shake (that I almost immediately threw up) , Water, and a cup of cooked Spinach. Did anyone else have such a strict pre-op diet? What substitutes are there for the protein shakes?

I wonder what everyones views is on this. I personally tell everyone I am going for LapBand, I'm a naturally lazy person so if I start losing weight drastically with no gym membership, I don't assume people are stupid. I know a few people who have either done band or sleeve and they don't tell ANYONE about the surgery they just make people think they lost weight naturally on their own. What does everyone think about people who lie about going for surgery? Does everyone you know, know about your surgery? What about the surgery embarasses people that they feel the need to hide it?

I'm currently on my pre-op diet which is a 1000 calorie a day mostly liquid diet. I am allowed to have shakes (Muscle Milk Lite), which is absolutely atrocious because of the after taste. I was convinced it was not bad and I bought $150 worth of it to last me the 2 weeks. Also I am allowed to have 2cups of vegetables a day which is my splurge of a iceberg lettuce for dinner. It's day 2 and I'm down from 373lbs to 363lbs, 10 pounds in 2 days, I don't know if it's bad to lose that much weight or is it normal. It's very sad but I can't wait for my surgery and I can't wait till I'm able to eat some scrambled eggs when I get eat soft food....

Thanks everyone. Today is pretty hard I have to admit. I had 3 Muscle Milk Lights (didn't finish them, I can't find the stomach to finish it) and 2 cups of lettuce with a little vinegar. My stomach is screaming at me, don't know how I can do this for another 13 days. What did you guys do to get by?