anyone follow weight watchers while banded?

[JA4602 0]

i am just curious? is ita good idea?

[ch4251 0]

actually my dr suggested it.....I am not to the point of worrying about a food plan yet, but if i do need to do some sort of "diet" WW will be what i will try, because i had more succes with that then anything else prebanding

hth

[minpinmom 2]

I am awaiting approval for banding, but I would love to do WW again and be successful long term. I really like their program - even the online version - I have been very successful at loosing weight for many months - it was keeping it off that I had trouble with. I wonder if you can become a lifetime member with ww once you have been banded? Hmm. food for thought.

[juliegeraci 7]

Just an update. I joined WW 3 weeks ago. I am suppose to eat 27 points plus 35 points a week free. Well, that is too many calories. After going down to 20 points a day and 35 extra the weight is really coming off. That is becuase that is 1k a day plus about 200 extra which is 1200 calories. Bandsters typically take in 800-1k no more than 1200 so my guess is you MAY have to lower your points if they give you too many. I have perfect restriction, still stop when I am full and am really enjoying the program now. It really keeps me straight throughout the day as far as consumption goes. I did tell the Leader that I had bariatric surgery and she didn't say anything about me not being able to make lifetime. Also, given the fact that the success rate with lapband is 62% of your excess weight my doctor is fine if I go 20 lbs above goal weight of 162 and hit 185. I would still be considered overweight but truthfully speaking I look terrible at 165, not thin. With a doctor's note I can still become lifetime. I however, would not be able to work for WW if I hit the 185 goal because it is not there standard weight. Let me know how you do. I weigh in this Saturday and I know I am down at least 2 lbs this week eating most of the day. Its nice to implement more fruit and vegies into my diet!

[catcalico 0]

I am doing WW. I started last year, but couldn't stick with the program because I was too hungry although I kept going to the meetings. I think I can follow the program now. I like my leader and I like my group, so I keep going. I didn't tell anyone at WW that I got the Lapband, though.

[Skinny_Jill 36]

WW is great and really works. There is no reason you can't make lifetime with a band. After all, the band is only a tool just like a bodybugg or whatever that thing is. We still need to eat healthy and watch our portion size and that is what WW is based on. You don't have to tell WW about your band unless you want to.

Good luck!

[aefizzy 0]

I joined WW last week & so far it really seems to be helping me stay on track. I also really feel like I need the weekly weigh in for accountability!

[jjsmiles 3]

I started with WW last June as I was in the process of getting approved for the band. For me, I really needed something to kick start me into committing to the journey. I personally needed the accountability of going to meetings and getting on a scale in front of somebody (no matter how geeky - I was even proud of the gold stars) :ohmy:

I haven't been going to meetings since the surgery (September 07), but I am still following the plan, keeping a food journal and counting points. Like Julie, I am going with 20 to 25 points per day (although I am still allowed 29), for the most part. What I do like is that I can feel reasonably confident that I can go up some points and not gain weight! Would I go to meetings again if I was struggling - ABSOLUTELY- I want to do everything I can to continue with my success.

I have 6 cc's in my 10 cc band, but don't really feel any restriction. I really am doing well with following the WW flex points plan - it helps me feel accountable, helps me keep my portions reasonable, helps me choose healthy foods and best of all I am losing weight (so far I have lost a total of 75 pounds since June). One of the things that I am most proud of (besides the actual weight loss) is that I have been choosing a relatively healthy diet at least 80% of the time (probably closer to 90%) for over 6 months now. I have never done that in my life and I have been obese my entire life (including childhood).

My doc is so impressed with my progress that we have decided to not do any more fills until I start to plateau or I find that my hunger is getting too difficult to manage. I won't claim that I don't have head hunger - I do just about every day, but I am able to recognize what it is and cope, for the most part. Even my "slips" are relatively innocuous.

I go back and forth on my feelings on not being filled to my sweet spot - then I read about people eating only 1/4 or 1/2 cup of food at a time and think maybe I shouldn't be so anxious to get there . I do think that the band is working for me by keeping me "satisfied" for longer periods of time, but maybe that is just me too. Who knows.