Totally agree with mdhannant.
Let me add that I am a slow loser. In the early months (I was banded June 15, 2009) I so wished that I was a person that could follow a regimen without benefit of restricition/pressure on vagus nerve. By now I would probably be a size 8 ... or maybe not. But, after 18 months banded I have gone from a size 26 to a 14/16. I'm good with that ... still losing. Here's the thing, feeling bad about yourself and what you're NOT doing isn't going to move you toward your goal. Before I had restriction I had to decide what I was willing to do/give up to help myself. Initially, it wasn't much. I ate half a sandwich and a smaller bag of chips and drank Water for lunch instead of a whole sandwich, a big bag of chips and a juice. I understood that it meant I would lose much, much slower, but it beat not losing at all. Gradually, as I attained more restriction, I cut back more and then started changing what I ate. I completely stopped going to fast food restaraunts (which is not a necessity) because once restricted I couldn't eat even the smallest meal offerings. I got tired of wasting money on food that I could not eat and would not eat later (I've never felt that fast food keeps well). Now I cook almost all my meals myself. If you knew me you'd know that I was NEVER a person to cook (my poor kids ... LOL). I used to say that my kitchen floor was on fire, so anything that couldn't be cooked in 10 mins was not going to be cooked by me cuz that was all the time I could stand in the kitchen. I now only eat boneless, skinless chicken (when chicken is my protein)! Never in a million years would I have thought that I'd be willing to give up chicken skin, with all that delicious (now I think it's "yuck") fat. Anyway, to make an already long story just a little shorter, decide what you can live with and don't beat yourself up. This is not a race. People who work on their food changes before they have restriction just have a head start. Some of us aren't as good at it. Don't worry, we are not being tested on a curve, you will reach your goal when you are ready and willing to be ready and willing.
All the best to you on your journey.
~Fran
I had my surgery on a Thursday and went back to work the following Monday. It took about 10 days to feel back to normal again. The quicker you start walking the better you will feel, remember different people handle pain differently, everyones journey is different from beginning to end.
