Why couldn't YOU lose weight without the lap band?

[Catherine55 43]

I didn't read the earlier responses. But, for me, I could always lose 10-20 or so pounds on a diet. . but staying on a "diet" for two years was not within my powers. With the band, I've been able to do just that -- and I have not felt deprived for a second. In fact, I feel like I got out of prison!!

Now, I exercise several times a week . . because I actually LIKE it (OK, I admit that I also like wearing the cute workout outfits. . LOL). I feel energetic, vital and healthy -- and my feet no longer hurt. My heels don't crack, and I can wear heels all day long.

The band was like a Godsend for me. . something that can keep me on the right path indefinitely, and that stops me from overeating. . which was always my downfall. I just have never had the kind of willpower to stop myself from doing that without help or the kind of extreme diligence that always makes me rebel. . and run in the opposite direction. . .

I am grateful for this amazing tool.

Best,

Catherine

[honk 780]

As other have mentioned many of us CAN lose weight and a lot of it. I have now lost 100 lb four times in my life. This time 80 was prior to surgery and I would like to loose 100 more after surgery and be able to keep if OFF.

I know what is the right food to eat but even then I have portion problems. What I want is to be like normal people who can have one cookie and stop. I know that I might be able to do that for a while but eventually I will give in. It will start out as one, then the next time will be 2, then 3, and then half the package.

I do not have perfect restriction yet but after two fills things are getting better. There are times that I think about having a snack and I say to myself "Do you really want something" and more than half the time I say no. I think part of it is the band and part is my really thinking about whether I need/want something to eat.

[123crod 170]

I can lose it no problem....... just can not maintain it. In a couple of years it returns.

Cheri

[Humming Bird 275]

I have been on every diet I have ever heard of including the ones that are not healthy ways to take off weight.

The weight always came back plus some. I was the classic yo-yo. Just like someone else said, I had given up and accepted the fact that I was going to live as a fat/obese person. The band has changed all that for me.

[MellieW 0]

I, too, have always been successful in losing weight. My struggle has always been maintaining the loss. Over the last 20 years I've managed to "diet" myself to nearly 300 lbs!

I decided to get the band because, like so many others have said, it's the maintenance that I need help with. I have never had a problem doing the hard work to lose the weight, so I didn't go into this believing the band would do all the work for me. I know I have to do my part. It's my hope that the band will help reduce my hunger and, in turn, help me maintain the weight loss long term.

Edited October 16, 2010 by MellieW

[TracyNYC 4]

I am a bit different. I was never able to lose well. I would do WW faithfully for weeks and lose .2 lbs. I would then become disgusted and feel like I was wasting money and quit. My loss has been slow even with the band and really only picked up after 7 months. The difference was that with the band my falls off the wagon were kept in check by the band.

I am 100% happy with my choice and loss.

[Randgalt 43]

"What I want is to be like normal people who can have one cookie and stop"

That says it all for me. Once I start, I can't stop.

[lellow 1,713]

The band made me eat less than my 4yo when I was well restricted. That's how I lost the weight. I'm pretty sure I couldn't have sustained eating that little for long without the band.

Even tho my band is fairly loose now, I still don't eat much. It broke my addiction to food. Without the band, I wouldn't have lost the weight, I wouldn't have kept it off. It was absolutely what I needed to help me.

[amberakamom 13]

You guys have made me feel so much better about my decision. Thank you!

[LapNYC 3]

I'm the same as most people here. I was always great at losing weight. My wedding dress designer said that I lost more weight between fittings than anyone she had ever seen. It's just that I too could never keep it off. I always went to the gym and never sat around eating doughnuts or anything, and absolutely never snacked. I was just always starving and ate giant portions at meals. With the band that's undesirable and impossible.

[spoiltmom 44]

For me I was hungry all the time. I could lose weight to a certain point but then I got tired of always being hungry. Now I'm doing great. I wish I would have done this sooner.