What's the point?

[Kimo 0]

I'm thinking about getting a lap band but I'm having a difficult time figuring out the answer to this question:

To lose weight "normally" (non-surgically) you need to make life changes, i.e., reducing portions/changing the types of food you eat and exercising almost daily.

If you get the lap band, you have to do much of the same: reduce the amount of food you eat and exercise almost daily.

Do you see what I'm getting at? Losing weight normally or getting a lap band are both hard work! Either way, to lose weight you must undergo drastic life changes for the rest of your life to keep the weight off. So what's the point of getting a lap band?

Please help me out with this. I'm 20 years old, weigh 245 pounds (I'm 5'8'') and have been overweight my entire life. My brother has juvenile diabetes, and my grandfathers on both sides of my family have diabetes. I also have high blood pressure in the family and other health problems. Healthwise, I'm heading towards an early doom at this rate. But more importantly, I can no longer stand the emotional turmoil that comes with being fat--I have been miserable for far too long. I want to look good in clothes like all my friends, and I want to be able to go to the beach or pool without feeling ashamed. I don't know if I'm going to get the band or not, but something needs to be done.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I don't know about you but I can tell you the point for me...before the lap band I had to eat a LOT to get full. I could (and did) successfully diet many many times but always got tired of counting/weighing, etc...and also was usually hungry much of the time (when can I eat again? Do I have enough calories left for the day? I'm HUNGRY now will that make me gain weight if I eat? etc etc)

With the band...I have none of that. I am full on an amazingly small amount of food. I eat about 1/4 (or less) of what I used to eat. I don't wish I could eat more. I'm happy with less. I eat like a slender person. I don't weigh food I don't count calories or Beans or chips. I don't worry "what if i get hungry". I love the band.

[Kimo 0]

For me, the biggest issue is a lack of discipline. If I had the discipline to force myself to eat 5 small, wholesome meals a day (instead of fast food) and exercise daily, I would be losing as much weight (1-2 pounds a week) as if I had a lap band. I was hoping that the lap band would eliminate this need for discipline: after all, if I'm full earlier, I won't have to worry about disciplining myself to eat less. But it seems that even with the band, you have to make sure you eat only certain types of food (for example, no more milkshakes). There is a specific diet that you must follow after the surgery. So I have to discipline myself to eat those specific foods. So then what advantage would the lap band give me? I seriously need some kind of intervention before I encounter serious health problems. Would the lap band provide me with that? I have tried countless times before to lose the weight, and while it is certainly not impossible, I always fall short. My pride has been utterly destroyed and I'm not ashamed to admit that I need help. I'm worried that if I get the lap band, I still won't lose the weight because I won't have the discipline to stop eating fast food.< /p>

Maybe I'm misunderstanding. If I get the lap band, will I still lose weight while eating fast food just because I won't be able to eat as much? Or must I change my eating habits as well as eat less (which is easy since the band will force me to eat less) in order for the band to work? Because if that's the case, I really don't see the point--I will have to change my eating habits anyway to lose weight without the band.

Edited April 13, 2009 by Kimo

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Well since I'm 54 and weighed in at 405 I obviously can't answer your questions based on personal experience. However I can tell you that if you are too fat you can NOT do those things...and that as I lose I have MORE energy, not less. I am not starving. I'm just taking in less calories than i need, so I am losing. Are athletes fat? Do they overeat? Or do they just eat what they need? Do they choose high energy healthy stuff or eat pizza and Cookies?

I can't address your issues about fast food. I can just tell you why the band works for me. And honestly I don't think there's anything wrong with occasional fast food. It's just food, not satan. :thumbdown: There are good choices and choices that are not as good, but it's all just food.

Only you know if you will work the band; I can just tell you why it works for me.

You might speak to a surgeon or therapist about this. To me, I eat like a thin person. My BFF is my age, weighs in at about 120 (she's 5'5") and has never had a weight problem. Every once in a while she has a milk shake (or part of one) from, say Chick Fil A. Occasionally she eats part of a hamburger. Not daily, not monthly, but sometimes.

There is no food that you can NEVER eat (except maybe carbonated beverages) You just have to choose healthy things most of the time. For me that's easier when I'm not hungry all the time.

Who said there is a specific diet you must follow after surgery?

Edited April 13, 2009 by RestlessMonkey

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I swear I answered a post by you about being a triathlete and I guess you edited it out! LOL

ANYWAY...

Seriously if you haven't ever given a traditional diet a good try, then you should do that before ever considering surgery. Some (not many, but some) DO successfully lose weight AND KEEP IT OFF (that's the kicker!) with traditional methods. You may be one of those where a lifestyle change of eating more healthy foods and exercising does the trick for you. If so, then the band would be a waste of time and money for you.

If you try a traditional approach and find, like many of us, that you don't lose well or that you lose but gain it all (plus some) back as soon as you let down your guard, the band will still be here and available to you.

So diet first...give it a good shot. That's smart.

[Kimo 0]

I swear I answered a post by you about being a triathlete and I guess you edited it out! LOL

ANYWAY...

Seriously if you haven't ever given a traditional diet a good try, then you should do that before ever considering surgery. Some (not many, but some) DO successfully lose weight AND KEEP IT OFF (that's the kicker!) with traditional methods. You may be one of those where a lifestyle change of eating more healthy foods and exercising does the trick for you. If so, then the band would be a waste of time and money for you.

If you try a traditional approach and find, like many of us, that you don't lose well or that you lose but gain it all (plus some) back as soon as you let down your guard, the band will still be here and available to you.

So diet first...give it a good shot. That's smart.

Hehe, I did edit that out accidentally. Thank you for the reply though.

The thing is, I've tried losing weight before and successfully lost it twice. I have a really unhealthy relationship with food though: I eat emotionally, am always hungry, and I am addicted to sweets and fast food. As a result, I have always gained it back. The funny thing is, while I was losing weight and gaining healthy eating habits, I swore to myself that I would never touch fast food again and let myself relapse...at the time, even the sight of Burger King made me sick to my stomach. Now, I can't actually believe I once felt that way. I know that natural weight loss is technically possible (especially since I've done it before), but what dissuades me is the constant discipline necessary to make sure I don't relapse while losing the weight and after I've lost the weight. I find so much comfort in food that I constantly return to it no matter what...it is extremely difficult for me to lose the weight and keep it off without some kind of help. That is why I want to get the band. I feel that I absolutely need some kind of edge since I'm fighting an uphill battle. And although natural weight loss has worked for me twice, I've tried my hand at weight loss so many times that I've honestly lost track. I have a terrible success ratio. And I wouldn't even call that success, since I wasn't able to keep it off. When it comes to food, I just don't have the discipline to hold myself back. Can the lap band help with that?

So am I right in saying that if I get the lap band, it will make weight loss easier and more sustainable for the long term by 1) making it so I'm not hungry all the time, 2) helping me lose weight while allowing me to eat the food I love simply because I physically cannot eat as much?

Hmm...I guess my biggest question, in a nutshell, is this: With a lap band, can I continue eating mainly fast food and sweets (cakes, Cookies, etc.) and still expect to lose weight? Because if not, I see no point in risking surgery.

Edited April 13, 2009 by Kimo

[Kimo 0]

Can I eat anything in moderation?

permalink

"After your stomach has healed, you may eat most foods that don't cause you discomfort. However, since you can only eat a small amount at a time, it is important that you choose nutritious, vitamin-rich foods as outlined on this site and recommended by your surgeon and/or dietitian. Remember, if you eat foods that contain lots of sugar and fat or drink liquids full of empty calories (milkshakes, sodas), you will still be consuming more calories than you burn, and your weight loss with the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System may be greatly reduced or even cancelled."

So it's now obvious to me that either way, I'm going to have to give up my eating habits. If I continue eating the foods I am eating now, I'm not going to lose weight, even with the lap band. So whether I get the surgery or not, I'm going to have to break my addiction to fast food and sweets. But it seems if I have the lap band on my side, it will much easier for me to break the addiction by making it so that 1) I'm always full and, 2) it takes little food to get me to that full state. I've noticed that when I'm full, I really have no desire to eat anything, Desserts or otherwise...but is it worth it to undergo weight loss surgery for those advantages?

From what I've seen, it takes about a month or so post-surgery for the surgeon to fill the band. I read somewhere that after surgery and before filling, it's the hardest part because you have to eat certain foods to let your stomach heal (fluidy foods). I think someone called it "Bander's Hell"? Incidentally, it takes about a month's time of focused discipline (extremely painful, hard work) before a habit is formed, including exercise and healthy eating habits. Habits are self-sustaining, so if I can get past that first month of forcing myself to eat right and exercise on a consistent basis, I will have an edge/advantage comparable to having a lap band (the advantage of having formed good weight loss habits). Another advantage I have is I'm going to cut off all access to fast food (relinquish my access to credit cards and money and eat only what I can make at home): a lap band can force me to eat less food but this will force me to eat anything but fast food. A final advantage I have is my mother agreed to cook my meals for me. That way, I won't have any excuses about the food tasting bad or not having the time to make it. All I have to do is eat. Hopefully these advantages will be sufficient to fight the uphill battle of weight loss and undergoing lap band surgery to obtain its advantages will not be necessary.

If I'm going to have to suffer for at least a month either way (Bander's Hell or the self discipline route), I might as well do it without having to worry about the pain/cost/risk/stigma/multiple doctor visits that comes with weight loss surgery. After all, I'm going to have to give up my comfort foods (except for a cheat meal here or there) in the long run either way. Either way, I'm going to have to suffer through at least a month of pain. I now see that surgery is not a quick fix.

The problem is that I've tried to lose weight multiple times before but to no avail. I'm going to give it one last concentrated shot before resorting to surgery. Before, I did not understand the concepts of habit forming, self discipline, and the dangers of relapse. However, as a result of my countless failures (and momentary successes) I feel that I am now much more Enlightened about these issues and will do my utmost to intelligently conquer my weight issue. Like I said in an earlier post, something must be done. If I do not succeed in losing my excess weight with this method, I think the lap-band surgery will be my final option.

Thank you for helping me make this important decision.

Edited April 13, 2009 by Kimo

[knighmo 0]

I think first you need to believe you can make a life change..Whatever you decide it is a life change. The band will help you fill up faster therefore you will eat less and be satisfied. The thing with eating the right foods is that you are eating so much less that without watching what it is you just dont get the nutrients is all. Good luck with what you decide

[Homesteader2.5 0]

This might seem quite a bit harsh, but what I am getting from your posts is that you want to "have your cake and eat it too". But for most of us that is why we are so overweight to begin with....and sounds like for you too. The answer either way you look at is NO, no no no....you cannot continue to eat the way you do and still lose weight and keep it off. If you could, you would be skinny. If you are going to give a good old fashioned diet one more try then why not do it through your docto so that, just in case your insurance requires it, you can have a six month diet documented? Wouldn't hurt.....

I think you are trying to find something that will lose weight for you, without any effort on your part...but I really don't think that exists. There are no surgeries, no pills, no secrets. The band still fails some people because they thought maybe it would be a cure instead of a tool. Its the same with any WLS or any diet or anything at all. It is going to require a different mind set, because if we don't change that then there really is no point at all.....we will fail.

[HD Gloria 0]

I'm thinking about getting a lap band but I'm having a difficult time figuring out the answer to this question:

To lose weight "normally" (non-surgically) you need to make life changes, i.e., reducing portions/changing the types of food you eat and exercising almost daily.

If you get the lap band, you have to do much of the same: reduce the amount of food you eat and exercise almost daily.

Do you see what I'm getting at? Losing weight normally or getting a lap band are both hard work! Either way, to lose weight you must undergo drastic life changes for the rest of your life to keep the weight off. So what's the point of getting a lap band?

Please help me out with this. I'm 20 years old, weigh 245 pounds (I'm 5'8'') and have been overweight my entire life. My brother has juvenile diabetes, and my grandfathers on both sides of my family have diabetes. I also have high blood pressure in the family and other health problems. Healthwise, I'm heading towards an early doom at this rate. But more importantly, I can no longer stand the emotional turmoil that comes with being fat--I have been miserable for far too long. I want to look good in clothes like all my friends, and I want to be able to go to the beach or pool without feeling ashamed. I don't know if I'm going to get the band or not, but something needs to be done.

You've been smart enough to realize what I didn't. I had my surgery a year ago and am down about 10 lbs. You have to make smart food choices and eat less - so why would you spend all the money, risk your life in surgery - exactly! I expected more from the band - you have to do it yourself anyway so save the money for a really great trip when you lost the weight! good luck.

[maddy 0]

With the band, I wasnt looking for the quick easy "fix", I was wanting a permanent "fix" when all is said and done. It has been challenging for me to lose, 170lbs from 205 lbs in 1 year and slowly losing to 145lbs. My hope and expectation, via my doctor, is that I will get to goal(doable) and STAY there(challenging).

Although it has not been easy, it has been worth the work and effort. If your willing to change eating habits and work hard and exercise, the band does work and the weight would come off!

Good luck on your descision :smile:

mads

[Big Momma is Shrinking 0]

Good for you for doing your research before running to a surgeon!!

Now the answer to your burning questions.....if you are not ready to make healthy food choices then you are not going to succeed. You will find very few healthy people who fill their bodies with fast food and junk food and sit on the couch and do nothing.

Until you decide that you are going to live your life as a healthy person you will continue to yo-yo no matter how you go about losing weight.

I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but the reality is no one gets healthy deiting, it's not until they commit to a lifestyle change that they get there. The band requires a lifestyle change. If you are not ready to make one, then in my opionion you are not ready for any surgical weightloss procedure.

[cwm812 11]

Kimo,

I think you've really got this figured out and you are right to give it one last non-surgical try, but there is one more thing you ought to know....I love my sweets and junk food as much as anyone, the thing that makes the band so wonderful for me is, for some reason, I don't crave the bad foods as much as I used to. I, like Restless, am a good dieter. I'd always lose lots of weight and then for some reason or another, I'd get sick of the process and go right back to eating whatever I wanted. Then I'd gain all the weight back and another 20 lbs. With the band, lots of my favorites (like Pasta and bread) aren't as appealling. Even cake and donuts, they just don't feel the same way in my stomach and I don't even want them anymore. Don't get me wrong, I will always prefer Cookies to salad, but this is liberating. I don't feel like I'm controlled by the food around me. I have not found a food that I can't eat with the band, but my usual menu has changed radically, and I'm alot happier because of it.

Cindy

[Cleo's Mom 257]

Kimo - obesity is a very complex disease and one that even the doctors haven't been able to fully understand. There are hunger hormones, genes, emotions, metabolism and a whole host of other factors that cause us to be obese - not to mention the obvious - taking in more calories than we burn. The best quote I ever heard about dieting is "It's like holding your breath, you can only do it so long." Diets have a 95% failure rate. If any other medical intervention had that high of a failure rate, do you think doctors would continue to advise it?

Now on to WLS. With the lap band - how it works will vary from person to person. Just read the different forums here. Some are still hungry (me) - some are overly restricted and put up with reflux, heartburn, vomiting and getting stuck because they are losing weight. Some manage to find their sweet spot. Keep in mind that you will not be able to tolerate some of the foods you eat now. For everyone those foods are different. If you are required to go on a 6 month pre-surgical diet - this will be the time to re-train your hunger and eating habits. Like you, I have always required a lot of food to feel satisfied. But, unlike you, I didn't eat fast foods or sweets. I was satisfied with anything - Cereal, a bagel - as long as I ate until satisfied. Now, I can't/won't do that. But I still have hunger a lot of the time. And no, it is not head hunger.

You won't know how the band will work for you, but you need to work with your doctor and nutritionist and make healthy food choices. Everything I eat now is no fat, low fat, sugar free, low calorie or diet. Every item that you eat you can find a lower calorie, lower fat, lower sugar version. Start replacing those right now. And then when you are banded the adjustment won't be so dramatic. For example, do you use butter or margarine? If so, replace with a no calorie spray margarine. I use "I can't believe it's not butter" spray. Buy very low fat ground meat (90% lean) and lite Buns and make yourself that hamburger and shred some lettuce, add a Tomato slice and put some lite mayo or ketchup on it instead of eating a fast food hamburger.

Good luck to you.

[JWL08 0]

?

But more importantly, I can no longer stand the emotional turmoil that comes with being fat--I have been miserable for far too long.

I think you summed it up right there. For me, I don't have a lot of the poor health conditions that come along with being over weight. My blood pressure is 95 over 59, I have a resting heart rate of 58 and a cholesterol of 139. I am healthy as can be. That is of course, until you look at the size of my ass-- it could replace Texas if need be! LOL. My little glitch is my thyroid, and it has reached levels of organ failure and cardiac arrest. The rapid weight gain associated with this prevents me from working out (causing blisters, joint pain, etc) and I am actually one of those weirdos thta LOVES working out. Throw on a recent pregnancy and it has been a recipe for failure. My doctor said that at my highest weight (227.5 at 5'5" and 28 yrs old) I would have a 75% chance of staying the same way or gaining more if I did not have the surgery. I have hypothroidism, and it is virtually a non-functioning thyroid. My endocrinologist has been workign hard at getting my numbers back in line and if all goes well, I should be back to normal in 3 weeks. Woo hoo!

That being said, I was sick and tired of having my weight explode every single time my thyroid decided to change. I had the surgery on Thrusday 4/9 in an effort to couterbalance the thyroid issue. Part of it is also my own fault, I eat way too fast. The band helps with that. Most of all, I am a new mom and I have spent way too much time battling my weight. I have my whole life ahead of me and do not plan on wasting a single second. Being at this size and weight is a waste of my time and my life. By having the band, I am able to eat way less than the average person while getting a boost in the weight loss department. Thereby, beign able to work out sooner once I get to a slightly less painful weight for my frame. In this sense, the band is a tool, nothing more. I think you summed it up quite well yourself though--- You've "been miserable for far too long".... Life is short. I for one know I could not do this without the band. Best of luck to you!