Exercise is not a 4 letter word...

Carlene · November 22, 2006

I met a nice couple at our last Bandster support group dinner. He has just been banded and she is scheduled for December. She mentioned that the nurses at their doctor's office said they don't mention exercise to the patients. "Why ever not?" I asked.

The answer was, "Because it makes them MAD." It would seem that some people think the band should do all the work for them. They maintain that if they had wanted to exercise, they wouldn't have gotten the band in the first place.

I'm wondering if this is a common thing, and is the doctor to blame, for not giving his patients a more in-depth, realistic idea of what band success really is? I think (and this is just my opinion) that those who are unwilling to put forth ANY effort - revise their food choices, exercise, etc - should consider a different type of WLS. Is that "wrong thinking" on my part? I just hate to see people fail and blame the band, although I know that sometimes it is the other way around.

Parvathi · November 22, 2006

My surgeon gave me a very realistic view of the band. He flat out told me that I would have to modify my diet, eat smaller portions for the rest of my life, make healthier choices and exercise if I wanted to make this work.

Whilst I do believe some people go into this as the 'easy way out', they more than likely realize afterwards that they've got to work it to succeed. And yes, I think that doctor is just wrong for not being honest with his patients.

Jachut · November 23, 2006

Naturally as we had the same surgeon, I got told the same thing. He just about did cartwheels round the office when I told him I was running regularly!

I think that overeating is truly a disorder that people are not entirely responsible for and cannot control on their own.

But it is within everyone's power (allowing for physical ailments of obesity and old age of course, but I'm talking people in reasonable health) to get off their backsides and get active. I cant for the life of me see why you'd pay for the surgery and then not do it, or balk at the cost of going to a gym or whatever. Its a necessary part of the process and I do agree that if you're not willing to do it then perhaps you should be considering just how well this surgery is going to work for you.

And its possible to lose weight without it but you're losing muscle and just becoming a smaller version of your fat self. Its entirely possible to be within your healthy weight range and be too fat.

Incidentally, being sedentary is as bad for your body and as deadly as smoking a pack a day.