If you need help, read this!

[gdkeller 7]

A dear friend found this and passed on to me, and I would like to share it with you!

Print it!

BAND AS A TOOL

Find a good support system. I can't imagine going through my

journey without Julie. I cannot stress that enough. Whether you join a

support group or get involved with an online group or find a great

banded friend, you need someone you can compare notes with. YOU WILL

PLATEAU. You will get frustrated. You need someone to tell you "It

happens." My husband and family have also been instrumental in the

support process. They've cheered me on every step... and also made it

clear that their love is not tied to my weight.

3) Get an attitude check. You can't expect the world. You cannot

expect to consistently lose 2 pounds a week. You'll stop for a bit.

But you cannot get discouraged. Keep doing the right things, and

you'll be healthier for it.

STOP DIETING. NOW. I really believe that choosing the band is

choosing to free yourself from food obsession. Weighing meals and

counting calories just transfers one obsession with weight loss, to

another... a food scale. People in Australia and the UK, the ones

who've had bands WAY longer than Americans have, have this

perspective. The band is a tool to help you watch your portion control

and helps you get rid of the hunger. If you're hungry all the time and

feel like you need to weigh your food, YOU NEED A FILL. Period. Once

you get to the right fill level, you'll know when to stop. You might

not be able to eat much, but that will be ok. You won't be fixated on

it. I ate 1/2 a taco for dinner last night. That's IT. But I wasn't

disappointed: I got what I needed to eat. If I want a burger, I eat a

burger. If I want some chocolate, I eat some. I don't eat the whole

bag, because I DON'T WANT TO. I am not hungry for a whole bag. I just

need a taste. You'll see as you go through the process, you'll start

making healthier choices. I know I have. We eat as organic as

possible. I am a total foodie, enjoying the good stuff, cause that's

what I crave. If I were to sit down and add it up, I probably only eat

800-1000 calories a day. But I feel PERFECT eating that, so that is

the right amount FOR ME.

How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted

Used with permission fromJessie H. Ahroni, Ph.D., A.R.N.P

Author of "Laparoscopic Adjustable GastricBanding : Achieving Permanent Weight Loss with Minimally Invasive Surgery"

You are losing 1-2 pounds per week.

If you are not losing 1-2pounds per week:

A. You may need an eatingadjustment

1. Are you eating 60 grams of Protein a day

2. Are you eating 25 grams of Fiber

3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories

a. Soup can be sign of "soft calorie syndrome"

b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories – 7 calories per gram

(1) It's also a stomach irritant

c. fruit juice is just sugar Water

4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods?

a. Are you avoiding soft foods

b. You can't just eat what's easy

c. cheese is glorified fat

5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of Water a day between meals

6. Are you eating too much junk

a. chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, Cookies and other highlyprocessed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a healthydiet. But don't avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived.

b. Stay out of fast food places

7. Are you getting in two servings of Calcium daily

8. Do you always eat the protein first

9. Then the vegetables or fruits

a. Five servings a day

b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable

10. Is your portion size appropriate?

a. meat or fish

(1) 3 ounces – the size of a deck of cards

b. Vegetables

(1) ½ cup – the size of your fist

c. Starch

(1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don't need much

(2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, Pasta

11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners

a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite

b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar

c. They teach you to like things too sweet

d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner thanpeople who don't

12. Avoid most diet foods

a. Real food usually tastes better

b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes

c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not thatgreat

(1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of dietmargarine

(2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats

a. They may go into permanent storage

b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzedfats from the body

B. You may need a behavioradjustment

1. Are you eating only when you are hungry?

a. If you're not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait.

2. Are you eating three meals a day?

a. With maybe 1 or 2 small Snacks

3. Are you sitting down to eat?

4. Are you eating consciously?

a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away,pay attention to your food and your companions

5. Are you eating slowly?

a. Put the fork down between bites

b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal

c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying

6. Are you taking small bites?

a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork

7. Are you chewing well?

8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals?

a. Practice water loading between meals

b. You won't be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal

9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness?

a. Sometimes it's a whisper: not hungry, had enough

b. Hard stop versus soft stop

10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing.

11. Do not eat when you are not hungry

C. You may need an activityadjustment

1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 timesa week?

a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day

b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week?

c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes?

2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physicalactivity?

a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators

b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding

c. Parking your car further away from the entrance

d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through

e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination

f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash

g. Playing with your kids

D. You may need an attitude adjustment

1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey?

2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eatingand exercising?

a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days

3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional issues?

a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your eating?

b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those emotions?

c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor?

4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings?

5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends?

6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically?

7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss journey?

8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating?

a. Obsessive – compulsive thoughts

(1) Obsess about something else

b. Perfectionism

(1) All or none, black and white thinking

c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss

9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards?

10. Have you learned how to take a compliment?

11. Are you giving up diet mentality?

a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day

b. Stop dieting

c. Stop depriving yourself

d. Stop defining food as "good" and "bad"

e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food

12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place?

E. You may need a bandadjustment

1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriateportion sizes but getting hungry between meals?

2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and largeportions.

3. You are having to struggle to lose

4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising andhaving a good mind set.

F. You may need your bandloosened

1. There are times when you can't get fluids down

2. You are vomiting too much

a. How much is too much?

3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night?

a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating

b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime

c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime

d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux:

(1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods

(2) Chocolate

(3) Caffeine

(4) Alcohol

(5) Some fruits and vegetables

a. Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers

(6) Peppermint

a. Baking soda toothpaste

(7) Carbonated drinks

e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals

f. If you smoke, quit smoking

g. Reduce stress

h. Exercise promotes digestion

i. Raise the head of your bed

j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist

k. Stress increases reflux

l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning

m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime

(1) Tylenol is OK

n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring

o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications

p. See your health care provider

4. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if

a. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest,especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or isaccompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast heartbeat ornausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack.

b. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise.

c. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you alsohave nausea or fever

d. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee grounds.Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar in it. These aresymptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention. (Note: Pepto-Bismol or othermedications with bismuth will turn your stool black. Iron supplements can alsomake the stool tarry.)

e. If your pain is severe

[stevoinfranklin 11]

OMG...this is exactly what I needed to hear and read about this morning....thank you...thank you.

Have reached that dreaded plateau that I knew was coming and did not want to deal with!! The

weight came off fast after surgery (half-way where I need to be after only 3 short months..65 lbs

gone....but now the slow down begins )

i realize now that I need an attitude adjustment along with my next fill....bless you for this great

post.

[razzcatt 2]

Wow! Great article. Thank you for posting this.

[amymom2 0]

This is wonderful! Thank you for sharing.

[xavier 153]

I LOVED the part about NOT dieting! So many people on here are weighing and measuring everything they put in their mouth (and feeling bad about it if it isnt perfect!) AND fanatically going to the gym....how many of us can keep that up for a LIFETIME??? Seriously, if they could keep it up long term, why get a band? I obviously couldnt do that even though I lost weight many times (and gained it all back and more) in the past 20 years, so thats why I needed the band and to make changes I knew I could keep up forever...I truly believe the diet and workout mentality is going to cause a lot of people to gain their weight back down the road!

[Rachel412 116]

The first part tells you not to diet and the second part completely contradicts the first part. Are these two separate articles by different authors?

[kll724 3,055]

Good article. I read the whole thing and agree with it. It is hard to get to the point hat the article wants us to be. We have learn to know our own bodies. Good luck to us all! Karen

[gdkeller 7]

Yes they would be two different authors, but take from it what you need. Dont forget even though we dont "DIET", we still need to watch what we put in our mouths.

The first part tells you not to diet and the second part completely contradicts the first part. Are these two separate articles by different authors?

[xavier 153]

Agree about the diet thing and yes, take what works for you. I have never counted calories or eaten any low fat or low calorie or fake sugar foods but I do focus very closely on the Protein first thing....otherwise I wont have room for it!

[cheryl2586 3,053]

I can not say that I agree with most of this because 1 you can be at your sweet spot and still be hungry. 2. You can out eat your band no matter what and if you eat too much sweets or junk food you will not lose weight. 3. If you dont exercise you wont lose weight or if you do you will stop eventually. This is not realistic of the band and I think that most people that post on here are the ones that are realistic not these two people that wrote the article. I think darn well if you dont diet you are setting yourself up for failure. Yes you most certainly can eat as much as you want if you really want too. Because slider foods will slide right down and you can surely eat more than 2 ounces of them. You have to pay attention to what your eating or you are setting your self up for failure big time.