How easy/hard is it to change your habits?

[sleepyjean 0]

Compared to the pre-band days, I mean. All my (failed) attempts at behavior modification are what got me where I am now. I worry that the band would be a waste of time and expense for me because if I haven’t been able to change my behavior until now, what makes me think it will change if I get banded? The band won’t drag me to the gym. The band won’t stop me if I decide to binge on a ton of high-calorie soft stuff that goes down easy.

What has this been like for all of you who are already banded? Is it still a major challenge for you?

I’m so gun-shy right now. I want to believe in this, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle yet another failure. This surgery is my last resort, and if go through with it and STILL can’t get my act together, I just don’t know...

[Kelliebelly 13]

That post sounds like me 6 months ago. Properly filled, you just cant pig out. It is nearly impossible to eat how we used to eat. I mean I still eat more junk than I should, but compared to what I used to eat...gees its not even comparable. My loss is slow, because I too sporadically go to the gym or walk. I could do alot more exercise and alot less eating of junk, but the thing is even with what I am doing, I am losing (slowly) but I still am. I could eat like this for the rest of my life not feeling deprived in any way at all.

I am a fan of the band - some arent...some are, but I have to say....Most will lose(properly restricted) whether they like it or not It is just impossible to eat like before.

[mousecrazy 2]

As always, Jack has said it best! The band provides a physical restraint. You can still eat around it, you can cheat yourself out of the usefulness of it, but overeating to the extreme is out, out, out! You will hurt or feel sick. It's not worth it. You will still have to "slay the dragon" of head hunger yourself, though.

I love my guardian angel (band), because it gives me time to work through all these food issues, without going backwards. Cindy

[ickytazz 0]

i can not eat to much or i get heart burn in to my shoulder that kills.

I have been fat since birth, and i want to be able to shop with my skinny friends in the regular size stores. I want to be able to show my dogs and not look like a fat blob in a suit. I want to have more energy. I want to go to a nice hot beach in a swimsuit and not worry about people looking at me.

17,000.00 was worth it to me, i will not fail i will not let my self. I go to support groups, i go to several sites and read. Im 3 weeks today post op. I feel wonderful, im down 17 pounds since the band and 27 since i made the choice to be banded.

[Road Queen 0]

To me losing my weight is a war.

Changing habits is always going to be a battle. You (or at least me) are motivated at the start - like exercising religiously, adding new challenges to your routine, etc. Then, you go somewhere for a few days and don't exercise at all. Coming home, you start sluffing, exercising only 4 days a week, not changing routine, etc. The battle is lost,,,then a few months later, you begin the battle again. Maybe it works, maybe the battle is lost again.

But now you have a tool to help you win some of the food battles. You eat less (major battle). You chew your food and have to concentrate on what you are eating, instead of tv (battle). Winning these battles gives you strength to re-fight the battles you lost. (exercising for me)

The band helps you retain the ground you have won in your war. (pounds, inches, nsv). It gives you incentive to win more battles. Is it ever easy to change? probably not but having some wins under the belt makes it easier. Also for me, the payments for the surgery are a call to action - for me to do my part in this process - not just rely on the troops (band).

Eventually, I will win this war!! (hmmm this is the first time I have ever thought of it in this light) Celeste

[Dianechef 3]

I asked the EXACT same questions. I am now 9 weeks on the other side of being banded & I 100% agree with what has already been said. I can no longer numb myself with food. My entire life changed with this band & it isn't just about trying hard to change your habits. You simply HAVE to change your habits - the band forces you to. Yes, I can eat chocolate & ice cream. However, when you eat your Protein & veggies first, you are STUFFED & cannot put anything else down. Work the band the way it's supposed to be & it will work for you!! I'm now down 30 lbs!!!! I don't feel deprived or left out. I simply eat less & feel fuller. That's what it's all about!!

[thinkthin 0]

I really liked what the Road Queen Celeste said . . . I too, continue with the battle, and right now - 6 weeks post-op, I am still maintaining the good habits that I had purposed to start off doing. I am realistic though, and I imagine that there will be times when I am just surrendering to the struggle and not fighting it. I am hoping the band will help to minimize the damage I can do to myself, and will find it a little easier to get back on track and feel the rewards of weight loss. Before I had this surgery, I really said to myself that this has to work. I cannot continue on the weight roller-coaster, and I must work through the food issues and understand my relationship with food to the other side - to the point where I am not self-sabotaging or giving up. I was also afraid that this may not help, since I'd failed so many times in the past . . . but I also felt that this was my best option and that I must keep trying! I have not had one regret so far!

[DeLarla 22]

I'm more prone to addiction than normal folk since I have loonies in the family gene pool. I laugh about it, but there's truth to genetics. For me, you may as well ask me to turn my eyes into pumpkins, because breaking habits is harder, band or no band. I'm the weirdo of the bunch though, so most people find it easier.

[patty103 0]

what are some of the other pages you go to for support, so far this is my only one...

[Jachut 487]

I really dont know, I have some good habits that I dont need to change, its more the amount of food than the types that has gotten me into trouble.

But if I have a weakness its bread, cakes, muffins and biscuits. Thank goodness that those seem to be difficult foods to eat after banding. I'm just banking on the fact that they might make me sick. And really I've been giving lots of thought to it and I do think I've managed to convince myself that I dont need bread in my daily diet. I was terrified at the thought of living without it at first, now I dont care. I've never been a takeaway eater, I dont like ice cream at all, I've not drunk calories since I was a child (not that it's made any difference) and I dont have a problem with chocolate - still I"m really hoping I dont take up ice cream and chocolate because I can no longer eat muffins, lol.

I worried lots about this too. I want to eat a healthier diet all round after banding but really if I dont, and the only thing I achieve is a reduction in volume, and 20kg off, I'm still way better off than I am now, arent I? I want to do better than that, but even relative "failure" is better than my current situation.

[Marimaru 7]

...what makes me think it will change if I get banded? The band won’t drag me to the gym. The band won’t stop me if I decide to binge on a ton of high-calorie soft stuff that goes down easy.

You have it exactly right. The difference is, the band is there to kick your butt if you eat too much. AND since that is true, a binge is not what it used to be. My most recent binge was 4 shortbread Cookies, 3 laffy taffy candies, and a few bites of ice cream. Sure, I broke my calorie intake for the day, but I didn't DOUBLE IT, you know?

Having the band is more motivation than you can imagine. Even as far as "I had surgery, I better friggin make it to the gym today", you know?

So, you eat less on a general basis, binging isn't QUITE so horrible, and you have an installed motivator.

I've had trouble changing my habits, and I have NOT been exersizing in quite a long time. But I know I'm eating little enough that exersize is just the step up I need to start my way down again (just gotta do it), and the band will be there for me whenever I'm ready.

[La_madam 20]

I have a few old habits but most have gone astray..I cant explain it but this time I honeslty feel I will never put this weight back on again, maybe this band was my last resort and I was finally ready after 38 yrs of battling this demon I was once and for all going to succeed and not look back. No bad habit was going to stop me from losing weight My main reason was I did not want to be fat at 40, instead I want to be fit at 40, I'm 39 , will be 40 in April I started this journey 3 weeks before my 38th birthday and Im no longer morbidly obese Im in the normal BMI range. To me that is fit!

It is obvious to me I have changed some of those old bad habits or I wouldnt be here 95 lbs lighter, the band did not do all of the work, I worked with my band, we worked together to get where I am today. I have 1.5 cc's in my band, that is less then 1/2 way full so I must be doing something right.

[flower 2]

You can eat soft foods and easy foods that go thru the b and you can just graze all day the band is a tool is it easy nooooooooooooooooo way it takes effort I however can say I cannot binge anymore it is impossible the food just won't fit after awhile and you get physically sick you have to stick with it and really want it to work for you nothing in life is easy and people all have their demons to fight with me included I am addicted to food.

[Kiera 2]

The biggest difference for me with the band is that when I fall off the wagon it only lets me fall so far. These days a fast food pig-out is a child's happy meal and one of those $0.39 ice cream cones, LOL! We are talking maybe 350 calories - compared to the old MONDO cheeseburger, MEGA french fries, Cola, and EXTRA LARGE ice creme sunday - which would be 2000-2500 calories easily in a sitting. So I am "saving" a good 2200 calories these days on a fast food binge. LOL. I spend a lot less on food now too, just an added bonus. :-)

I will warn you though that you MUST work to get rid of things like ice cream and chocolate because those go down just fine and you can eat them all day without your band kicking you in the tush like it would with a hamburger. I had a pregnancy and complications which lead to three weeks on bed-rest, followed by the loss of the baby (not band related) and I gained ALL KINDS OF WEIGHT because I had trouble eating the hospital food (it was ALL bread for crying out loud) so I started having hubby bring me M&Ms and little dried sausages. Having nothing better to do I grazed all day because I was just too stressed out to care. After it was all over I was still shell shocked for about a month. All told in five months I gained about 35 pounds. *sigh*

But even my embarrassing lapse is a good ad for the band because once I got my head screwed back on straight, took stock of the damage and made up my mind to do something about it my band was here for me. I have not yet lost all of that extra weight to get back to my bander low but I am on my way and I know I will get there and lower before I am done. It is all about what you bring to this partnership with your band. Anybody can do it. It isn't always smooth and it isn't always easy but it IS possible! You have to want it and you have to be prepared to work for it. The rest will take care of itself.

[desertmom 297]

Even though my band is a bit different it certainly does some things for me.

I gained no weight while on summer holiday......huge....previously I gained up to 6 pounds a week on holidays....

I cannot binge to the extent that I could before but to outeat this band is so easy....I went through a bad patch a while ago....I constantly grazed soft junk for 4 days and just couldnt stop myself....

Had another fill and for now that is under control..

The person that finds the remedy for head hunger will be the most successful person that will ever exist on this earth......

When I have little restriction I want to eat.I still obsess about food and I still think about food a lot...

The bad habits can only be changed by ourselves.....the band can only help with portion size and only when restricted....

It is hard work everyday.It is self control and all those things that most of us dont have.

Mostly it is the decision to get thin that will ultimately work with the band....

Long preachy but really neccessary to hear when pre-op.