Kimo

I'm thinking about getting a lap band but I'm having a difficult time figuring out the answer to this question: To lose weight "normally" (non-surgically) you need to make life changes, i.e., reducing portions/changing the types of food you eat and exercising almost daily. If you get the lap band, you have to do much of the same: reduce the amount of food you eat and exercise almost daily. Do you see what I'm getting at? Losing weight normally or getting a lap band are both hard work! Either way, to lose weight you must undergo drastic life changes for the rest of your life to keep the weight off. So what's the point of getting a lap band? Please help me out with this. I'm 20 years old, weigh 245 pounds (I'm 5'8'') and have been overweight my entire life. My brother has juvenile diabetes, and my grandfathers on both sides of my family have diabetes. I also have high blood pressure in the family and other health problems. Healthwise, I'm heading towards an early doom at this rate. But more importantly, I can no longer stand the emotional turmoil that comes with being fat--I have been miserable for far too long. I want to look good in clothes like all my friends, and I want to be able to go to the beach or pool without feeling ashamed. I don't know if I'm going to get the band or not, but something needs to be done.

I think the explanation to this is that with the LapBand, you're no longer hungry all the time. When you're hungry, you crave the worst of foods. Have you ever gone to the grocery store while starving vs. going while you were full? Obviously, the types of food you buy will be greatly affected by your hunger level. I think I can simulate a similar sensation of always feeling satiated by eating constantly throughout the day, snacking on healthy foods alone. Or 3 moderately sized meals a day with a healthy snack in between each meal and a very light snack after dinner. I may not be "full" all the time like you are with a LapBand, but at least I will never feel hungry, and will never feel compelled to resort to sweets and junk food. And when presented with the temptation of eating junk food or sweets on Tuesday, I can easily resist knowing that I have a cheat day where I can eat ice cream and apple pie on Friday. All I have to do is eat every 2 or 3 hours (even if I'm not hungry) and never eat to completely fill my stomach again. That will be difficult because I ALWAYS eat until I am full, always eat unhealthy food (fast food sometimes 2 or 3 times a day), and always wait to eat until I am very hungry...but it's something I just have to do. So in sum, I think I can achieve the advantages you speak of without having to resort to getting a LapBand.

Can I eat anything in moderation? permalink "After your stomach has healed, you may eat most foods that don't cause you discomfort. However, since you can only eat a small amount at a time, it is important that you choose nutritious, vitamin-rich foods as outlined on this site and recommended by your surgeon and/or dietitian. Remember, if you eat foods that contain lots of sugar and fat or drink liquids full of empty calories (milkshakes, sodas), you will still be consuming more calories than you burn, and your weight loss with the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System may be greatly reduced or even cancelled." So it's now obvious to me that either way, I'm going to have to give up my eating habits. If I continue eating the foods I am eating now, I'm not going to lose weight, even with the lap band. So whether I get the surgery or not, I'm going to have to break my addiction to fast food and sweets. But it seems if I have the lap band on my side, it will much easier for me to break the addiction by making it so that 1) I'm always full and, 2) it takes little food to get me to that full state. I've noticed that when I'm full, I really have no desire to eat anything, Desserts or otherwise...but is it worth it to undergo weight loss surgery for those advantages? From what I've seen, it takes about a month or so post-surgery for the surgeon to fill the band. I read somewhere that after surgery and before filling, it's the hardest part because you have to eat certain foods to let your stomach heal (fluidy foods). I think someone called it "Bander's Hell"? Incidentally, it takes about a month's time of focused discipline (extremely painful, hard work) before a habit is formed, including exercise and healthy eating habits. Habits are self-sustaining, so if I can get past that first month of forcing myself to eat right and exercise on a consistent basis, I will have an edge/advantage comparable to having a lap band (the advantage of having formed good weight loss habits). Another advantage I have is I'm going to cut off all access to fast food (relinquish my access to credit cards and money and eat only what I can make at home): a lap band can force me to eat less food but this will force me to eat anything but fast food. A final advantage I have is my mother agreed to cook my meals for me. That way, I won't have any excuses about the food tasting bad or not having the time to make it. All I have to do is eat. Hopefully these advantages will be sufficient to fight the uphill battle of weight loss and undergoing lap band surgery to obtain its advantages will not be necessary. If I'm going to have to suffer for at least a month either way (Bander's Hell or the self discipline route), I might as well do it without having to worry about the pain/cost/risk/stigma/multiple doctor visits that comes with weight loss surgery. After all, I'm going to have to give up my comfort foods (except for a cheat meal here or there) in the long run either way. Either way, I'm going to have to suffer through at least a month of pain. I now see that surgery is not a quick fix. The problem is that I've tried to lose weight multiple times before but to no avail. I'm going to give it one last concentrated shot before resorting to surgery. Before, I did not understand the concepts of habit forming, self discipline, and the dangers of relapse. However, as a result of my countless failures (and momentary successes) I feel that I am now much more Enlightened about these issues and will do my utmost to intelligently conquer my weight issue. Like I said in an earlier post, something must be done. If I do not succeed in losing my excess weight with this method, I think the lap-band surgery will be my final option. Thank you for helping me make this important decision.

Hehe, I did edit that out accidentally. Thank you for the reply though. The thing is, I've tried losing weight before and successfully lost it twice. I have a really unhealthy relationship with food though: I eat emotionally, am always hungry, and I am addicted to sweets and fast food. As a result, I have always gained it back. The funny thing is, while I was losing weight and gaining healthy eating habits, I swore to myself that I would never touch fast food again and let myself relapse...at the time, even the sight of Burger King made me sick to my stomach. Now, I can't actually believe I once felt that way. I know that natural weight loss is technically possible (especially since I've done it before), but what dissuades me is the constant discipline necessary to make sure I don't relapse while losing the weight and after I've lost the weight. I find so much comfort in food that I constantly return to it no matter what...it is extremely difficult for me to lose the weight and keep it off without some kind of help. That is why I want to get the band. I feel that I absolutely need some kind of edge since I'm fighting an uphill battle. And although natural weight loss has worked for me twice, I've tried my hand at weight loss so many times that I've honestly lost track. I have a terrible success ratio. And I wouldn't even call that success, since I wasn't able to keep it off. When it comes to food, I just don't have the discipline to hold myself back. Can the lap band help with that? So am I right in saying that if I get the lap band, it will make weight loss easier and more sustainable for the long term by 1) making it so I'm not hungry all the time, 2) helping me lose weight while allowing me to eat the food I love simply because I physically cannot eat as much? Hmm...I guess my biggest question, in a nutshell, is this: With a lap band, can I continue eating mainly fast food and sweets (cakes, Cookies, etc.) and still expect to lose weight? Because if not, I see no point in risking surgery.

For me, the biggest issue is a lack of discipline. If I had the discipline to force myself to eat 5 small, wholesome meals a day (instead of fast food) and exercise daily, I would be losing as much weight (1-2 pounds a week) as if I had a lap band. I was hoping that the lap band would eliminate this need for discipline: after all, if I'm full earlier, I won't have to worry about disciplining myself to eat less. But it seems that even with the band, you have to make sure you eat only certain types of food (for example, no more milkshakes). There is a specific diet that you must follow after the surgery. So I have to discipline myself to eat those specific foods. So then what advantage would the lap band give me? I seriously need some kind of intervention before I encounter serious health problems. Would the lap band provide me with that? I have tried countless times before to lose the weight, and while it is certainly not impossible, I always fall short. My pride has been utterly destroyed and I'm not ashamed to admit that I need help. I'm worried that if I get the lap band, I still won't lose the weight because I won't have the discipline to stop eating fast food. Maybe I'm misunderstanding. If I get the lap band, will I still lose weight while eating fast food just because I won't be able to eat as much? Or must I change my eating habits as well as eat less (which is easy since the band will force me to eat less) in order for the band to work? Because if that's the case, I really don't see the point--I will have to change my eating habits anyway to lose weight without the band.