TheRealSouthernBelle

I went through True Results in Richardson, TX. My insurance (CIGNA) has an exclusion to weight loss surgery, so they would not cover it, but through True Results if they find a hiatal hernia the insurance will cover that (surgery room fees, anestesia, etc.) and you just pay for the band. I wound up paying $5500, so I'm assuming this was the cost for the band. I would call around and ask. If you only have to pay 30% of $5500 that is $1650, which is a steal! Good luck!

I don't know what your starting weight is, but mine was 333 the day of surgery. Believe me when I say, no one will notice 17 lbs. on such a big person and if they do, it would only be 5 lbs. in their minds. You don't owe any explanations to anyone except maybe to your spouse or children (if you have either).

I don't know what your starting weight is, but mine was 333 the day of surgery. Believe me when I say, no one will notice 17 lbs. on such a big person and if they do, it would only be 5 lbs. in their minds. You don't owe any explanations to anyone except maybe to your spouse or children (if you have either).

It's good that you are an advocate for the band. It definitely needs those around. An advocate was the reason why I got one and she promised she wouldn't tell a soul, which she hasn't. Some people just feel comfortable with sharing and others don't. I am totally downplaying the negatives of abortion when I say this, but a woman has the right choose. Abortion may be the best decision for her and it may "save her life", but I seriously doubt if she's announcing it to the world that she had one. BTW I do not believe in abortion.

I don't know what your starting weight is, but mine was 333 the day of surgery. Believe me when I say, no one will notice 17 lbs. on such a big person and if they do, it would only be 5 lbs. in their minds. You don't owe any explanations to anyone except maybe to your spouse or children (if you have either).

You will be okay! Look at my signature line and there is a link to my surgeon's pre-op diet. Even though I was eating fish or chicken and veggies for dinner it still felt like I was about to pass out. I couldn't exercise (walk) because I had no energy. I would just go to sleep after dinner because I was still hungry. I get depressed thinking about it. Oh yeah and that's why diets never worked for me...I was always freaking hungry.

The only people that know about my surgery is my hubby and Lapband mentor (she told me all about it and shared her story with me, etc.). I didn't worry about telling anyone else because it's not their business and am not really up for hearing comments, opinions, or you didn't need that, or you are going to die, etc. Now that I've lost so much weight so many people ask me what am I doing, etc. and I just plainly tell them watching my calories (which is something I started doing more as the weight loss has slowed) and exercising 4-5 times a week (something I've done since a month after surgery). I had to tell work though and they just know I had a hernia repair, which is true! It's no one's business, but your own. If you know your mother in law doesn't keep secrets well and you want it to remain a secret, don't tell her. You are not obligated to anyone, but yourself and your immediate family (hubby and kids). She may ask you why you are eating funny or is that all you're going to eat, (which I get often LOL!), I just tell people I'm on a diet, which I guess is true and that's why I'm loosing weight. As far as being gone 5 days, how will people know that you're gone unless you tell them. If they ask just tell them that you needed to get away.
Whatever decision you make it's yours. Don't listen to negatives because that will only dampen your spirits. You make the Lapband, it doesn't make you, so you have to work. True indeed others have to work more than some, but you will find what's right for you. It's not for the lazy, the faint of heart, or the emotionally unstable. You will have your ups and downs, but for me it's all been well worth it! Don't ignore the risks, complications, side effects, etc., but don't let those deter you from making an informed decision that could change the course of your life forever. Good luck!

Maybe I'm the only one that thinks eff her and she's not your real friend, but that's just me. Just because she's your friend doesn't give her the right to say whatever is on her mind at any point in time. I'm sure she is just jealous and insecure and that really has NOTHING to do with you. I understand if you value her friendship and she really has something to offer you then yes, I do believe that you should talk to her. She may not really realize how she is making you feel or she may be some type of comedian (although you don't find her comments very funny). This talk may be what actually brings you guys closer. On the other hand, if she feels as though she's done nothing wrong to you or can't imagine how her words hurt she is truly an insecure, b***h and doesn't deserve your friendship. I guess I just have been hurt a lot in my past and have a low tolerance for others' bull. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be a normal BMI, I promise you WILL NOT look like the crypt keeper. I so desire that (I have NEVER been under 200 in my adult life). BTW you can't educate the ignorant! Good luck and keep losing!

Maybe I'm the only one that thinks eff her and she's not your real friend, but that's just me. Just because she's your friend doesn't give her the right to say whatever is on her mind at any point in time. I'm sure she is just jealous and insecure and that really has NOTHING to do with you. I understand if you value her friendship and she really has something to offer you then yes, I do believe that you should talk to her. She may not really realize how she is making you feel or she may be some type of comedian (although you don't find her comments very funny). This talk may be what actually brings you guys closer. On the other hand, if she feels as though she's done nothing wrong to you or can't imagine how her words hurt she is truly an insecure, b***h and doesn't deserve your friendship. I guess I just have been hurt a lot in my past and have a low tolerance for others' bull. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be a normal BMI, I promise you WILL NOT look like the crypt keeper. I so desire that (I have NEVER been under 200 in my adult life). BTW you can't educate the ignorant! Good luck and keep losing!

If you are anything like me you've lost weight successfully many times in your life. You've NEVER kept it off and you probably did it by some ridiculous means or something you just could not keep up for the long term. It's okay to NOT be perfect! We all cannot cook everyday from scratch, we all can't measure every food we eat all the time, we all can't log in and count our calories everyday, and most importantly we all can't resist our favorite foods (all the time), whether it be something sweet, salty, processed, prepackaged, filled with fats and butter or whatever tickles your fancy. For some reason, people that I know see me as the health guru. Like I have all the questions about weight loss and eating healthy. Think again. LOL! I have practically broken every bandster "rule" there is. The reason I have rule in quotation marks is because they vary so much. Being on these message boards, I have heard so many ridiculous, strange, true, absurd, scary, intriguing, interesting, etc. information about eating, food, dieting, etc. I've always searched for the magic cure for my obesity (since about 5). I cried because I was always large. Then I started to think it was okay to be big and nothing would happen. Then I got depressed, high blood pressure, and out of shape (even being over 200 lbs. I could keep up with the skinnys in the gym). I hit bottom, got LB started eating healthier, exercising etc. and have lost over 100 lbs. Have I eaten burgers? YES! Have I eaten ice cream? Oh, hell yes! What about pizza, wings, Cookies, cake, etc.? You name it I've probably eaten it in the last year after my WLS. You might say well that's not on the "plan"! Well, what is on the plan? No sweets, no carbs, Proteins, and veggies only? LOL! If I could eat that way I don't think I would have needed Lapband. Prior to the surgery that's how I ate because that's how you lose weight. Right? Of course, but that's also how you gain it back. You are always hungry. You can't even have cake on your birthday. You feel guilty for picking up fast food after having a long day at the office, busting your ass at the gym, and picking the kids up from some practice. You have to be realistic about your goals, your diet (what you consume on a daily basis), and living with the band. You CANNOT be perfect and someone who is expecting to be perfect is setting themselves up for major disappointment. I just wanted to share what I read on another website. It's my mantra for weight loss! You don't have to be a perfect bandster all the time (just most of the time) LOL!
for a while, I was seeing an abundance of "what's gonna happen to my boobs" threads. new batches daily, it seemed. but, lately, I'm seeing new folks coming in and asking if they can eat so-called 'normal' food. and, of course, soon thereafter they are informed by various members that, no, all of that food is terrible and they must stock their fridge with organic lettuce grown under the sunshine reflected off a tropical rainbow.

that really bothers me. people join this site, often, after years of failed attempts. many are frustrated ... discouraged. so much so that it probably wouldn't take much for them to just throw it in and give up. and you know what just might be that push? the organic rainbow lettuce brigade.

you know what, that food is certainly nutritious. no one is really going to argue that point. and is nutritious food better for your body than not-so-nutritious food? well, yeah. but here's the thing, ORLBs (Organic Rainbow Lettuce Brigade). that's an extreme change many -- if not most -- people can't make. and, yes, I said can't -- not won't. it isn't always as simple as just throwing away all the food you've got and restocking with fresh produce and tofu burgers. the first obstacle is cost. the second is ease/feasibility. and that's not even figuring in the fact that many -- if not most, again -- don't like to eat that food!

I get the concept that food is fuel. sometimes you have to eat things you may not like. but I'm not going to make it long by making that kind of food my only kind of food. that's no way to live, dreading your next meal. and most people won't. that's why diets fail. and that's why MFP (My Fitness Pal) works. because a calorie is a calorie.

Yes. You CAN eat 'normal' food. I'll eat pizza. I'll eat chocolate. I eat Pasta and bread and even, now and then, a cookie or some candy. I lost 3.5 pounds this past week. I've lost more than 17 pounds in less than two months. and it's because I'm learning to keep my food portions under control. I keep under my calorie limit. I plan ahead if I know I'm going to have a larger meal or a higher-calorie treat that day. and if it just happens without planning and I decide to take that treat? that means a longer stint at the gym to burn those extra calories off.

the ORLBs will now start sputtering, 'but that's not healthy!' and to that, I'd like to ask if being obese is healthy. I think ... no. so. let's move to basic food math:

eating less of most the food I like, keeping calories under my limit = weight loss;
weight loss = a healthier me;
therefore, eating less of most the food I like, keeping calories under my limit = a healthier me.

shedding that extra weight automatically makes you healthier, no matter what it is you are eating. there's simply no way around that fact. now, that isn't to say that you shouldn't make smart decisions. that isn't to say that you shouldn't work to find 'healthy' foods that you like, working them into your daily life. but, like weight loss, that's a process. it doesn't need to happen overnight.

focus on what works. turn yourself into a better you. and do it in a way that will allow it to be a life change. and if, for you, that means 'normal' food? do it, and do it without any of the guilt you've been programmed or pressured to feel.

If you are anything like me you've lost weight successfully many times in your life. You've NEVER kept it off and you probably did it by some ridiculous means or something you just could not keep up for the long term. It's okay to NOT be perfect! We all cannot cook everyday from scratch, we all can't measure every food we eat all the time, we all can't log in and count our calories everyday, and most importantly we all can't resist our favorite foods (all the time), whether it be something sweet, salty, processed, prepackaged, filled with fats and butter or whatever tickles your fancy. For some reason, people that I know see me as the health guru. Like I have all the questions about weight loss and eating healthy. Think again. LOL! I have practically broken every bandster "rule" there is. The reason I have rule in quotation marks is because they vary so much. Being on these message boards, I have heard so many ridiculous, strange, true, absurd, scary, intriguing, interesting, etc. information about eating, food, dieting, etc. I've always searched for the magic cure for my obesity (since about 5). I cried because I was always large. Then I started to think it was okay to be big and nothing would happen. Then I got depressed, high blood pressure, and out of shape (even being over 200 lbs. I could keep up with the skinnys in the gym). I hit bottom, got LB started eating healthier, exercising etc. and have lost over 100 lbs. Have I eaten burgers? YES! Have I eaten ice cream? Oh, hell yes! What about pizza, wings, Cookies, cake, etc.? You name it I've probably eaten it in the last year after my WLS. You might say well that's not on the "plan"! Well, what is on the plan? No sweets, no carbs, Proteins, and veggies only? LOL! If I could eat that way I don't think I would have needed Lapband. Prior to the surgery that's how I ate because that's how you lose weight. Right? Of course, but that's also how you gain it back. You are always hungry. You can't even have cake on your birthday. You feel guilty for picking up fast food after having a long day at the office, busting your ass at the gym, and picking the kids up from some practice. You have to be realistic about your goals, your diet (what you consume on a daily basis), and living with the band. You CANNOT be perfect and someone who is expecting to be perfect is setting themselves up for major disappointment. I just wanted to share what I read on another website. It's my mantra for weight loss! You don't have to be a perfect bandster all the time (just most of the time) LOL!
for a while, I was seeing an abundance of "what's gonna happen to my boobs" threads. new batches daily, it seemed. but, lately, I'm seeing new folks coming in and asking if they can eat so-called 'normal' food. and, of course, soon thereafter they are informed by various members that, no, all of that food is terrible and they must stock their fridge with organic lettuce grown under the sunshine reflected off a tropical rainbow.

that really bothers me. people join this site, often, after years of failed attempts. many are frustrated ... discouraged. so much so that it probably wouldn't take much for them to just throw it in and give up. and you know what just might be that push? the organic rainbow lettuce brigade.

you know what, that food is certainly nutritious. no one is really going to argue that point. and is nutritious food better for your body than not-so-nutritious food? well, yeah. but here's the thing, ORLBs (Organic Rainbow Lettuce Brigade). that's an extreme change many -- if not most -- people can't make. and, yes, I said can't -- not won't. it isn't always as simple as just throwing away all the food you've got and restocking with fresh produce and tofu burgers. the first obstacle is cost. the second is ease/feasibility. and that's not even figuring in the fact that many -- if not most, again -- don't like to eat that food!

I get the concept that food is fuel. sometimes you have to eat things you may not like. but I'm not going to make it long by making that kind of food my only kind of food. that's no way to live, dreading your next meal. and most people won't. that's why diets fail. and that's why MFP (My Fitness Pal) works. because a calorie is a calorie.

Yes. You CAN eat 'normal' food. I'll eat pizza. I'll eat chocolate. I eat Pasta and bread and even, now and then, a cookie or some candy. I lost 3.5 pounds this past week. I've lost more than 17 pounds in less than two months. and it's because I'm learning to keep my food portions under control. I keep under my calorie limit. I plan ahead if I know I'm going to have a larger meal or a higher-calorie treat that day. and if it just happens without planning and I decide to take that treat? that means a longer stint at the gym to burn those extra calories off.

the ORLBs will now start sputtering, 'but that's not healthy!' and to that, I'd like to ask if being obese is healthy. I think ... no. so. let's move to basic food math:

eating less of most the food I like, keeping calories under my limit = weight loss;
weight loss = a healthier me;
therefore, eating less of most the food I like, keeping calories under my limit = a healthier me.

shedding that extra weight automatically makes you healthier, no matter what it is you are eating. there's simply no way around that fact. now, that isn't to say that you shouldn't make smart decisions. that isn't to say that you shouldn't work to find 'healthy' foods that you like, working them into your daily life. but, like weight loss, that's a process. it doesn't need to happen overnight.

focus on what works. turn yourself into a better you. and do it in a way that will allow it to be a life change. and if, for you, that means 'normal' food? do it, and do it without any of the guilt you've been programmed or pressured to feel.

If you are anything like me you've lost weight successfully many times in your life. You've NEVER kept it off and you probably did it by some ridiculous means or something you just could not keep up for the long term. It's okay to NOT be perfect! We all cannot cook everyday from scratch, we all can't measure every food we eat all the time, we all can't log in and count our calories everyday, and most importantly we all can't resist our favorite foods (all the time), whether it be something sweet, salty, processed, prepackaged, filled with fats and butter or whatever tickles your fancy. For some reason, people that I know see me as the health guru. Like I have all the questions about weight loss and eating healthy. Think again. LOL! I have practically broken every bandster "rule" there is. The reason I have rule in quotation marks is because they vary so much. Being on these message boards, I have heard so many ridiculous, strange, true, absurd, scary, intriguing, interesting, etc. information about eating, food, dieting, etc. I've always searched for the magic cure for my obesity (since about 5). I cried because I was always large. Then I started to think it was okay to be big and nothing would happen. Then I got depressed, high blood pressure, and out of shape (even being over 200 lbs. I could keep up with the skinnys in the gym). I hit bottom, got LB started eating healthier, exercising etc. and have lost over 100 lbs. Have I eaten burgers? YES! Have I eaten ice cream? Oh, hell yes! What about pizza, wings, Cookies, cake, etc.? You name it I've probably eaten it in the last year after my WLS. You might say well that's not on the "plan"! Well, what is on the plan? No sweets, no carbs, Proteins, and veggies only? LOL! If I could eat that way I don't think I would have needed Lapband. Prior to the surgery that's how I ate because that's how you lose weight. Right? Of course, but that's also how you gain it back. You are always hungry. You can't even have cake on your birthday. You feel guilty for picking up fast food after having a long day at the office, busting your ass at the gym, and picking the kids up from some practice. You have to be realistic about your goals, your diet (what you consume on a daily basis), and living with the band. You CANNOT be perfect and someone who is expecting to be perfect is setting themselves up for major disappointment. I just wanted to share what I read on another website. It's my mantra for weight loss! You don't have to be a perfect bandster all the time (just most of the time) LOL!
for a while, I was seeing an abundance of "what's gonna happen to my boobs" threads. new batches daily, it seemed. but, lately, I'm seeing new folks coming in and asking if they can eat so-called 'normal' food. and, of course, soon thereafter they are informed by various members that, no, all of that food is terrible and they must stock their fridge with organic lettuce grown under the sunshine reflected off a tropical rainbow.

that really bothers me. people join this site, often, after years of failed attempts. many are frustrated ... discouraged. so much so that it probably wouldn't take much for them to just throw it in and give up. and you know what just might be that push? the organic rainbow lettuce brigade.

you know what, that food is certainly nutritious. no one is really going to argue that point. and is nutritious food better for your body than not-so-nutritious food? well, yeah. but here's the thing, ORLBs (Organic Rainbow Lettuce Brigade). that's an extreme change many -- if not most -- people can't make. and, yes, I said can't -- not won't. it isn't always as simple as just throwing away all the food you've got and restocking with fresh produce and tofu burgers. the first obstacle is cost. the second is ease/feasibility. and that's not even figuring in the fact that many -- if not most, again -- don't like to eat that food!

I get the concept that food is fuel. sometimes you have to eat things you may not like. but I'm not going to make it long by making that kind of food my only kind of food. that's no way to live, dreading your next meal. and most people won't. that's why diets fail. and that's why MFP (My Fitness Pal) works. because a calorie is a calorie.

Yes. You CAN eat 'normal' food. I'll eat pizza. I'll eat chocolate. I eat Pasta and bread and even, now and then, a cookie or some candy. I lost 3.5 pounds this past week. I've lost more than 17 pounds in less than two months. and it's because I'm learning to keep my food portions under control. I keep under my calorie limit. I plan ahead if I know I'm going to have a larger meal or a higher-calorie treat that day. and if it just happens without planning and I decide to take that treat? that means a longer stint at the gym to burn those extra calories off.

the ORLBs will now start sputtering, 'but that's not healthy!' and to that, I'd like to ask if being obese is healthy. I think ... no. so. let's move to basic food math:

eating less of most the food I like, keeping calories under my limit = weight loss;
weight loss = a healthier me;
therefore, eating less of most the food I like, keeping calories under my limit = a healthier me.

shedding that extra weight automatically makes you healthier, no matter what it is you are eating. there's simply no way around that fact. now, that isn't to say that you shouldn't make smart decisions. that isn't to say that you shouldn't work to find 'healthy' foods that you like, working them into your daily life. but, like weight loss, that's a process. it doesn't need to happen overnight.

focus on what works. turn yourself into a better you. and do it in a way that will allow it to be a life change. and if, for you, that means 'normal' food? do it, and do it without any of the guilt you've been programmed or pressured to feel.

If you are anything like me you've lost weight successfully many times in your life. You've NEVER kept it off and you probably did it by some ridiculous means or something you just could not keep up for the long term. It's okay to NOT be perfect! We all cannot cook everyday from scratch, we all can't measure every food we eat all the time, we all can't log in and count our calories everyday, and most importantly we all can't resist our favorite foods (all the time), whether it be something sweet, salty, processed, prepackaged, filled with fats and butter or whatever tickles your fancy. For some reason, people that I know see me as the health guru. Like I have all the questions about weight loss and eating healthy. Think again. LOL! I have practically broken every bandster "rule" there is. The reason I have rule in quotation marks is because they vary so much. Being on these message boards, I have heard so many ridiculous, strange, true, absurd, scary, intriguing, interesting, etc. information about eating, food, dieting, etc. I've always searched for the magic cure for my obesity (since about 5). I cried because I was always large. Then I started to think it was okay to be big and nothing would happen. Then I got depressed, high blood pressure, and out of shape (even being over 200 lbs. I could keep up with the skinnys in the gym). I hit bottom, got LB started eating healthier, exercising etc. and have lost over 100 lbs. Have I eaten burgers? YES! Have I eaten ice cream? Oh, hell yes! What about pizza, wings, Cookies, cake, etc.? You name it I've probably eaten it in the last year after my WLS. You might say well that's not on the "plan"! Well, what is on the plan? No sweets, no carbs, Proteins, and veggies only? LOL! If I could eat that way I don't think I would have needed Lapband. Prior to the surgery that's how I ate because that's how you lose weight. Right? Of course, but that's also how you gain it back. You are always hungry. You can't even have cake on your birthday. You feel guilty for picking up fast food after having a long day at the office, busting your ass at the gym, and picking the kids up from some practice. You have to be realistic about your goals, your diet (what you consume on a daily basis), and living with the band. You CANNOT be perfect and someone who is expecting to be perfect is setting themselves up for major disappointment. I just wanted to share what I read on another website. It's my mantra for weight loss! You don't have to be a perfect bandster all the time (just most of the time) LOL!
for a while, I was seeing an abundance of "what's gonna happen to my boobs" threads. new batches daily, it seemed. but, lately, I'm seeing new folks coming in and asking if they can eat so-called 'normal' food. and, of course, soon thereafter they are informed by various members that, no, all of that food is terrible and they must stock their fridge with organic lettuce grown under the sunshine reflected off a tropical rainbow.

that really bothers me. people join this site, often, after years of failed attempts. many are frustrated ... discouraged. so much so that it probably wouldn't take much for them to just throw it in and give up. and you know what just might be that push? the organic rainbow lettuce brigade.

you know what, that food is certainly nutritious. no one is really going to argue that point. and is nutritious food better for your body than not-so-nutritious food? well, yeah. but here's the thing, ORLBs (Organic Rainbow Lettuce Brigade). that's an extreme change many -- if not most -- people can't make. and, yes, I said can't -- not won't. it isn't always as simple as just throwing away all the food you've got and restocking with fresh produce and tofu burgers. the first obstacle is cost. the second is ease/feasibility. and that's not even figuring in the fact that many -- if not most, again -- don't like to eat that food!

I get the concept that food is fuel. sometimes you have to eat things you may not like. but I'm not going to make it long by making that kind of food my only kind of food. that's no way to live, dreading your next meal. and most people won't. that's why diets fail. and that's why MFP (My Fitness Pal) works. because a calorie is a calorie.

Yes. You CAN eat 'normal' food. I'll eat pizza. I'll eat chocolate. I eat Pasta and bread and even, now and then, a cookie or some candy. I lost 3.5 pounds this past week. I've lost more than 17 pounds in less than two months. and it's because I'm learning to keep my food portions under control. I keep under my calorie limit. I plan ahead if I know I'm going to have a larger meal or a higher-calorie treat that day. and if it just happens without planning and I decide to take that treat? that means a longer stint at the gym to burn those extra calories off.

the ORLBs will now start sputtering, 'but that's not healthy!' and to that, I'd like to ask if being obese is healthy. I think ... no. so. let's move to basic food math:

eating less of most the food I like, keeping calories under my limit = weight loss;
weight loss = a healthier me;
therefore, eating less of most the food I like, keeping calories under my limit = a healthier me.

shedding that extra weight automatically makes you healthier, no matter what it is you are eating. there's simply no way around that fact. now, that isn't to say that you shouldn't make smart decisions. that isn't to say that you shouldn't work to find 'healthy' foods that you like, working them into your daily life. but, like weight loss, that's a process. it doesn't need to happen overnight.

focus on what works. turn yourself into a better you. and do it in a way that will allow it to be a life change. and if, for you, that means 'normal' food? do it, and do it without any of the guilt you've been programmed or pressured to feel.

If you are anything like me you've lost weight successfully many times in your life. You've NEVER kept it off and you probably did it by some ridiculous means or something you just could not keep up for the long term. It's okay to NOT be perfect! We all cannot cook everyday from scratch, we all can't measure every food we eat all the time, we all can't log in and count our calories everyday, and most importantly we all can't resist our favorite foods (all the time), whether it be something sweet, salty, processed, prepackaged, filled with fats and butter or whatever tickles your fancy. For some reason, people that I know see me as the health guru. Like I have all the questions about weight loss and eating healthy. Think again. LOL! I have practically broken every bandster "rule" there is. The reason I have rule in quotation marks is because they vary so much. Being on these message boards, I have heard so many ridiculous, strange, true, absurd, scary, intriguing, interesting, etc. information about eating, food, dieting, etc. I've always searched for the magic cure for my obesity (since about 5). I cried because I was always large. Then I started to think it was okay to be big and nothing would happen. Then I got depressed, high blood pressure, and out of shape (even being over 200 lbs. I could keep up with the skinnys in the gym). I hit bottom, got LB started eating healthier, exercising etc. and have lost over 100 lbs. Have I eaten burgers? YES! Have I eaten ice cream? Oh, hell yes! What about pizza, wings, Cookies, cake, etc.? You name it I've probably eaten it in the last year after my WLS. You might say well that's not on the "plan"! Well, what is on the plan? No sweets, no carbs, Proteins, and veggies only? LOL! If I could eat that way I don't think I would have needed Lapband. Prior to the surgery that's how I ate because that's how you lose weight. Right? Of course, but that's also how you gain it back. You are always hungry. You can't even have cake on your birthday. You feel guilty for picking up fast food after having a long day at the office, busting your ass at the gym, and picking the kids up from some practice. You have to be realistic about your goals, your diet (what you consume on a daily basis), and living with the band. You CANNOT be perfect and someone who is expecting to be perfect is setting themselves up for major disappointment. I just wanted to share what I read on another website. It's my mantra for weight loss! You don't have to be a perfect bandster all the time (just most of the time) LOL!
for a while, I was seeing an abundance of "what's gonna happen to my boobs" threads. new batches daily, it seemed. but, lately, I'm seeing new folks coming in and asking if they can eat so-called 'normal' food. and, of course, soon thereafter they are informed by various members that, no, all of that food is terrible and they must stock their fridge with organic lettuce grown under the sunshine reflected off a tropical rainbow.

that really bothers me. people join this site, often, after years of failed attempts. many are frustrated ... discouraged. so much so that it probably wouldn't take much for them to just throw it in and give up. and you know what just might be that push? the organic rainbow lettuce brigade.

you know what, that food is certainly nutritious. no one is really going to argue that point. and is nutritious food better for your body than not-so-nutritious food? well, yeah. but here's the thing, ORLBs (Organic Rainbow Lettuce Brigade). that's an extreme change many -- if not most -- people can't make. and, yes, I said can't -- not won't. it isn't always as simple as just throwing away all the food you've got and restocking with fresh produce and tofu burgers. the first obstacle is cost. the second is ease/feasibility. and that's not even figuring in the fact that many -- if not most, again -- don't like to eat that food!

I get the concept that food is fuel. sometimes you have to eat things you may not like. but I'm not going to make it long by making that kind of food my only kind of food. that's no way to live, dreading your next meal. and most people won't. that's why diets fail. and that's why MFP (My Fitness Pal) works. because a calorie is a calorie.

Yes. You CAN eat 'normal' food. I'll eat pizza. I'll eat chocolate. I eat Pasta and bread and even, now and then, a cookie or some candy. I lost 3.5 pounds this past week. I've lost more than 17 pounds in less than two months. and it's because I'm learning to keep my food portions under control. I keep under my calorie limit. I plan ahead if I know I'm going to have a larger meal or a higher-calorie treat that day. and if it just happens without planning and I decide to take that treat? that means a longer stint at the gym to burn those extra calories off.

the ORLBs will now start sputtering, 'but that's not healthy!' and to that, I'd like to ask if being obese is healthy. I think ... no. so. let's move to basic food math:

eating less of most the food I like, keeping calories under my limit = weight loss;
weight loss = a healthier me;
therefore, eating less of most the food I like, keeping calories under my limit = a healthier me.

shedding that extra weight automatically makes you healthier, no matter what it is you are eating. there's simply no way around that fact. now, that isn't to say that you shouldn't make smart decisions. that isn't to say that you shouldn't work to find 'healthy' foods that you like, working them into your daily life. but, like weight loss, that's a process. it doesn't need to happen overnight.

focus on what works. turn yourself into a better you. and do it in a way that will allow it to be a life change. and if, for you, that means 'normal' food? do it, and do it without any of the guilt you've been programmed or pressured to feel.

It's really not as bad as you think it is. I think it will happen as long as I have my band. Most days are good, but sometimes I do get a tight in the chest feeling. I just hold my breath, slow it down, and take small bites and chew well. This probably happens once a month. I don't actually slime and "throw up" every month. That rarely happens. Everyone has their own hang ups. I know this was one thing I was scared of because I HATE throwing up, but it doesn't actually feel like that. I was also worried about the scars, not losing the weight, dying (which clearly didn't happen), all kinds of complications...I would say that this is pretty small compared to other things that could go wrong.

Only my boyfriend and his mother know (he told her and I'm assuming she told some people because she gives my clothes away). No one in my family knows and neither do any of my friends. I didn't need any lectures, negativity, or the food police arresting me for eating what I want. A few years ago my sister was thinking about getting gastric bypass surgery and told my parents. They freaked out and started asking me was I thinking about getting a surgery. At the time I wasn't and all I could hear from my mother was you didn't need that (which I did because I've been morbidly obese since I was 18) and I would die (which is most likely not true because of the advancements of today's surgeries). I'm not that close to my parents and I'm a grown woman, so I really didn't need their approval. In the beginning compliments were few and far between. It's hard to tell that someone really large (348 lbs.) has lost weight until they have lost a lot of weight. Now people always ask me what I am doing and I tell them the truth dieting and exercising. No one needs to know your business if you don't want them to know, so don't let someone pressure you into telling them personal details of your life if they are really not that close to you. I've been talked about behind my back so much and stabbed in the back it's not even funny. Just keep your personal life private and if people don't believe you oh well. Isn't that what everyone says, "diet and exercise are the only true way people can lose weight"? Just keep them guessing!

This is your choice and your choice only. If you feel compelled to listen to your parents, by all means do that, but you will have to live with the what-ifs. I am not that close to my parents and I am a grown woman (I can make my own decision), so their opinions didn't mean anything to me. My parents said the same about gastric bypass surgery (when my sister told them she was thinking about doing it). They automatically thought I wanted it too. They said I didn't need it and I was going to die. It just shows how uneducated they are about that procedure and WLS in general.
You are correct that the Lap Band fails and so do many people. Lap Band was not made for everyone, so some people have complications and it really does them no help. (You NEED to be prepared for this possibility!) Then there are individuals that fail their bands. They get too tight, they continue their "normal" eating habits after being banded, they ignore their bodies (possible complications), they refuse to exercise, etc. Either one could happen.
Then you could have success with the Band, What an odd occurrence. I was being totally sarcastic! There is a thread here dedicated to success stories and I am one of them and I'm not all the way through. I was interested in this procedure after I seen the success that a former school mate of mine had. She lost well over 100 lbs. I figured if she could do it, I could do it too. I talked to her several times and she convinced me that this is a great procedure that will work. She told me about how she still lives a normal life. She doesn't measure and weight food, she doesn't PB, goes out to dinner here and there, and does not let her band hinder her. She advised me to do as much homework as possible and then let her know and that's exactly what I did.
I would suggest to you to do your homework. Keep Googling, researching, and doing everything you can do to learn more about this procedure and other ones as well. Use this information to educate those around you and maybe they will be on board, but maybe they won't. I went into this with only 1 person as a support system and that was okay with me. I would rather have one person I love and trust in my life than a million that constantly gossip, talk behind my back, and are negative about issues in my life.
BTW Of course, Lap Band is there to market and sell their product. They are a for-profit company. They also let the consumers know of possible side effects (read the fine print). Also, I don't think that it would be possible to give a major surgery to that many contestants and no one know this for years and years. That statement about the Biggest Loser contestants is laughable. Those individuals are isolated from society. They have no other choice, but to follow a diet and exercise (they do have cameras watching). They have the finest foods and assistance in preparing them and they also exercise 4-6 hours per day! Results are pretty much guaranteed. LOL!

I hope I see that someday,,, Congrats !

Damn Jess who pissed you off? What's not a big deal to you apparently is a big deal to the OP and plenty of others who want to smooth their scars. To be honest you shouldn't have even responded if you didn't have any suggestions on what to use. Plus, plently of people have skin that doesn't do well with scars, so they probably WILL be noticeable. Haven't you ever heard if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all?

Almost been banded 6 months, time does fly when you're losing weight! Lol!

Yes, that is what the pre-op diet is for. However, it does have side effects: moodiness, extreme hunger, depression, anger, fatigue, tiredness, weakness, etc. This is how I felt during my pre-op diet and my surgeon is very liberal about his (I have attached a link below). Of course I cheated (I guess within reason)! LOL! I went to Red Lobster and ate some grilled stuffed fish and a salad (with dressing), but I avoided the biscuits and I went to Cheddar's and I got a baked chicken breast and broccoli and green Beans. If I had the willpower to stick to a restrictive diet that has me feeling like I am about to pass out and snapping at everyone because I am so miserable I would not need the band. The lap band has curbed my hunger, which always plagued me while dieting. I would become so hungry I would get tired of it and just say fuck it and eat everything in sight. I knew the band would help and it sure has. I hope you can make it too, but do not beat yourself up if do wind up eating that chicken breast. I couldn't imagine sticking to nothing but liquids for 2 weeks. Good luck!
My Surgeon's Preop Diet

I understand where you are coming from! My insurance had an exclusion for WLS, so I was on my own. The place where I went has a great cash price with 1 year of free fills at $9,900, but that was still a little too much for my budget. If I had a hiatal hernia I would only have to pay for the price of the actual band which was $5,500. I figured I had one because I started getting horrible heartburn out of nowhere everyday (that's one of the symptoms of a hiatal hernia). Turns out I did have one (thank God)! No, you are not crazy for wanting a co-morbidity if it means that you won't have to pay a dime for this amazing procedure, plus once you get it the sleep apnea should resolve itself, correct? If you don't have it hopefully they will be able to cover something (unlike my insurance ).

Don't be discouraged! Statistics are just that: statistics. I'm sure they include people who haven't lost any weight into those averages as well. Plus, I think doctors tell their patients this, so if they don't lose all the excess weight they can't say their doctor lied to them or they will be prepared mentally if they don't lose all the weight. I feel it is possible to lose it all! I have faith in myself (for once in my life) and faith in my band. I just CANNOT eat like I used to, the band won't let me, and that is one contributing factor to my current success. As you can tell from my ticker I want to lose 188 pounds. There are many people on here that probably look at that stat and gasp and say she will NEVER do that and there are probably some medical professionals that believe the same. Personally, I know that it can be done. I've seen too many success stories. I have NEVER been slim or a normal size in my life and I finally feel as though I have the opportunity to make that happen. I'm almost already to that 45 to 55% stat. Maybe I can hit a homerun and get that 100%. I'll probably already be satisfied with my body before I even hit that stat. I'm already fitting into size 20s. I don't like statistics anyway (I took too many stats classes in college). LOL!