Was the Band Necessary?

[jennypenny 6]

Drinking Water, eating slowly, only eating til satisfied, etc. are all the same rules as any diet plan, lifestyle change I've ever experienced. I am feeling like if I could have done all these things before, and had long-term success, I wouldn't have chosen to do something as drastic as the band. And why fill the band if you don't feel any restriction? What's the fill for? I'm seriously questioning why I spent an inordinate amount of money and went through surgery if all I had to do was have the 'self control' to change my eating lifestyle without it, if that makes sense. Yes, in the past I have been able to practice all of these life-style diet changes, but only to a point. And then I'd hit a plateau, stop losing any more weight, feel frustrated from depriving myself....well you get the picture.

[Dave_NW 92]

A properly adjusted lap band will provide pressure on the vagus nerve, essentially dimming your appetite for several hours at a time, and will allow you to feel satiated with a smaller volume of food. Without the band, eating similar amounts of food results in undeniable hunger after a short period of time. So you may be able to eat like a bandster without the band, but how successful would you be doing that long-term? The band helps you in your weight loss - it won't do it for you, but it gives you an edge you don't have without the band.

I know I wasn't able to maintain any sort of weight loss before being banded. I lost and regained the same 20 pounds about ten times. In eight months I've been able to get back to a weight I haven't seen in about fifteen years. I like having that sort of results, because at this point, I could eat this way forever.

Keep in mind you were only recently banded, and you've only had one fill. It takes several fills till the band starts showing itself, by affecting how you eat, and how you feel after eating. So you're still in that gray area where the band is still being fine-tuned for your body. Give it time. One of the most important things a bandster needs to develop is patience.

Dave

[jennypenny 6]

Thank you Dave! I'm having a hard day, and feeling hungry and kinda hopeless. It's good to get an explanation as to how the band works beyond what 'our part' is.

Jen

A properly adjusted lap band will provide pressure on the vagus nerve, essentially dimming your appetite for several hours at a time, and will allow you to feel satiated with a smaller volume of food. Without the band, eating similar amounts of food results in undeniable hunger after a short period of time. So you may be able to eat like a bandster without the band, but how successful would you be doing that long-term? The band helps you in your weight loss - it won't do it for you, but it gives you an edge you don't have without the band.

I know I wasn't able to maintain any sort of weight loss before being banded. I lost and regained the same 20 pounds about ten times. In eight months I've been able to get back to a weight I haven't seen in about fifteen years. I like having that sort of results, because at this point, I could eat this way forever.

Dave

[patyann 14]

JennyPenny-

Hang in there - it will get easier and one day you will realize you're not hungry like before the band and you're satisfied much longer.

Good Luck!

[sweetpea61956 6]

for me...losing the weight has always been easy, but KEEPING it off is what I am hoping that the band will help with. Also, I haven't had a fill yet, but find snacking and eating too much are a thing of the past and its because of the band..not because I don't want to. hang in there!

[Noturningback15 45]

I mimic what Dave said so I won't repeat it for you! I think you will see the benefits of the band further along in your journey:) It's been one year and six months for me and I am 100 pounds smaller than I was 2 years ago and I haven't gained it back. I know without a doubt I would have gained it all back plus some in less than a year without the band. I hope your journey is smooth!

[Lynn Schmibo 1]

I'm getting the Band bc in the past I also have tried dieting, the part of losing weight is easy like Sweetpea said but my problem is maintenance.... That's why I think I need the Band the most! Its like a "headstart" for me bc I thrive on results.... The Band is so nevessary. I only wish I could have gotten it before I was 30! The last 10 years have been so challenging w/ diets that have failed for me.

[jennypenny 6]

Thank all of you! I needed to hear from my fellow banders! Last week I didn't lose, and this morning (Monday is weigh in day) I got on that dreaded scale and had lost another 3 lbs!!!! Needless to say, I'm back to loving my band! I really am grateful for this forum. I had begun that slippery slope of snacking and 'head' eating that I know so well, and thought for sure I had gained back some. Oh me of little faith. Yipeeeeeee!!!

[Dave_NW 92]

Jenny, I'm glad to hear you're down more weight. You may not know this, but it's important to understand: Weight loss is rarely a direct linear thing. That is to say, for every 3500 calories you burn, you won't necessarily lose one pound at that exact moment. Your body hangs onto unneeded weight for a bit, then dumps it all at once. So you may go for a time at the same weight (and feel like you aren't losing anything), then your system drops a few pounds all at once. That's totally normal, and is what you should expect to experience as you go forward with this.

The image I use when trying to get people to understand this concept is the side view of a loading ramp, when compared to the side view of a staircase. With a loading ramp, things slope smoothly and evenly at the same downward angle. This is how weight loss does NOT happen. The side view of a staircase is a more realistic image: You go along at the same weight for a time, then suddenly drop to the next lower step. Then you go along on that step for a time, and suddenly drop to the next lower step. Each step is your current weight. Weight loss works that way, with varied lengths of time on each step. As your metabolism adjusts to the changes you're forcing on it, it gives up hanging onto those extra pounds, and you drop down to the next step. Over time, the average will be a pound lost for each extra 3500 calories burned, but the actual pounds lost will come as periodic losses.

The hardest part of the whole weight loss thing is developing the patience and perseverence to stick to your daily eating plan, exercising regularly, and allowing your body time to catch up to itself. As you go along you'll see how this works to your advantage, and how "slow and steady" wins that weight loss race.

Good luck!

Dave

[KimK813 2]

Dave-

That was an EXCELLENT example. I lost 20lbs in 2 months and now I have plateaued. This is my first real plateau so I am a bit frustrated, but your visual is really helping me!

Thanks again and Good luck everyone!

[slm2007 7]

Drinking Water, eating slowly, only eating til satisfied, etc. are all the same rules as any diet plan, lifestyle change I've ever experienced. I am feeling like if I could have done all these things before, and had long-term success, I wouldn't have chosen to do something as drastic as the band. And why fill the band if you don't feel any restriction? What's the fill for? I'm seriously questioning why I spent an inordinate amount of money and went through surgery if all I had to do was have the 'self control' to change my eating lifestyle without it, if that makes sense. Yes, in the past I have been able to practice all of these life-style diet changes, but only to a point. And then I'd hit a plateau, stop losing any more weight, feel frustrated from depriving myself....well you get the picture.

I'm struggling with this right along with you. I hear what everyone is telling me and I get back on the horse and try to keep going so I guess my advice would be what I tell myself (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't) - - - "just keep swimming, just keep swimming" (hopefully you have seen Finding Nemo and know what the heck i'm talking about) Anyhow, There are alot of success stories and we'll get there. Patience (not something I admittedly good at) is what I must learn to have. I keep hoping that one day it will "click" for me but right now I'm struggling with you.

Good luck....we can do this and everyone on here offers such great words of wisdom. I come here often and re-read things to keep myself going.

Staci

[jennypenny 6]

Yes, patience has never been one of my virtues either! I always have renewed faith when I 'speak' to all of you, so thank you! And Dave, WOW...you've lost a lot of weight! Congratulations! Still looking for Nemo and not giving up!

JennyPenny

I'm struggling with this right along with you. I hear what everyone is telling me and I get back on the horse and try to keep going so I guess my advice would be what I tell myself (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't) - - - "just keep swimming, just keep swimming" (hopefully you have seen Finding Nemo and know what the heck i'm talking about) Anyhow, There are alot of success stories and we'll get there. Patience (not something I admittedly good at) is what I must learn to have. I keep hoping that one day it will "click" for me but right now I'm struggling with you.

Good luck....we can do this and everyone on here offers such great words of wisdom. I come here often and re-read things to keep myself going.

Staci

[plumpdude 8]

Yes, patience has never been one of my virtues either! I always have renewed faith when I 'speak' to all of you, so thank you! And Dave, WOW...you've lost a lot of weight! Congratulations! Still looking for Nemo and not giving up!

JennyPenny

apparently since you made two threads that are virtually the same two days in a row.