Wheelchair

Hi all!
I got home about an hour ago... the whole process went by fairly smoothly. My stomach is a bit tight where the incisions are... but the gas pains are all gone.
I have a question for you veteran banders... were you guys able to drink right after surgery? I was told that it'd be tough to drink and that I'd only be able to take very small sips at a time.
However, I've been able to drink pretty nicely. I mean...I can't gulp the Water down... but I can drink fairly well.
Thanks for all your support... my journey begins here!

I actually agree with Petunia 100%. Life is tough and those that want to be babied along the way usually are left behind in the sidelines and wind up feeling like the OP.
Many of you are saying that Petunia doesn't have a say because she is not yet banded... but a lap band is not the cosmic end-all of life experience and hardship.
Some say that having a weight loss surgery is one of the greatest physical changed you've gone through... but for me.... it ranks near the bottom of the heap.
No matter what we look like, no matter how we got here or there.... there are several ground rules that all must abide by in order to be "successful". You say these ground rules are objective but then again, if you thought so, you wouldn't have had the surgery in the first place.
Even before the surgery, EVERYONE involved in the process informs you that this is merely a tool, a device that only catalyzes the results of the lifestyle and behavioral changes that WE dictate and execute. EVERYONE tells you this.
From day 1, we've all been told the SAME THINGS:

this is just a tool you need to make behavioral changes don't drink before or after meals don't snack eat nutritious foods MOVE YOUR ASS Just the fact that the OP has neglected even ONE of these ground rules sets a basis for our so-called 'tough love'.
Your self-esteem cannot be increased by what frosting others put on top of their words. Your self-esteem is not created by the decreasing numbers on your digital scale or the lack of fabric required to make your undergarments. If you depended on your lap-band to boost your self-esteem...then I believe you failed before you started.
That's the harsh truth.
The doctors, the Allergan PR, the bariatric coordinator at your hospital have all said the same thing. The LAGB may help increase your weight loss so that you become healthier and you eliminate or reduce the existence or at least the symptoms of your ailing co-morbidities. Nothing in the PR says that the lap band will increase your self-esteem. Please wake up.
I'm deliberately trying to be ruthless because that's how we all learn. The hard way. That's how I learned. But in the end, the point is that we follow the rules, we get our priorities in order, we become healthy, and we become happy. Electing to the do the surgery was a big step for you, no doubt. It took courage and determination. You've already made your decision... now you just have to follow along with the consequences of that decision. God-speed and good luck to you.

Very important post indeed!
I honestly won't listen to anyone complaining about not finding the time to incorporate workouts to their daily routine. This is purely nonsense. You found time to gorge and pig-out...you can find time to exercise.
I'm not a big fan of 2~3 hour workout sessions. I think it's too much and cannot be sustained for a long time. However, I do believe in doing various 15~20 minute exercise sessions throughout the day.
Being a paraplegic, I'm only able to work out my upper body... but I try to do as much as i can. Even pushing my manual wheelchair, I can change the style to isolate different muscle groups. For instance, I can lean forward and focus on my pectorals... or I can lean back and work on my front deltoids. I can also go uphill backwards in my wheelchair to work out my traps and some triceps.
I'll try to go around my neighborhood (about 1 mile) with my dog at least once a day. It's pretty tough because we have pretty steep hills.
My mother ails from rheumatoid arthritis and absolutely abhors working out... but I am so adamant that if she'd lose 30~40 pounds, the impact on her knees would be so much less. I guess it's much easier said than done.

Very important post indeed!
I honestly won't listen to anyone complaining about not finding the time to incorporate workouts to their daily routine. This is purely nonsense. You found time to gorge and pig-out...you can find time to exercise.
I'm not a big fan of 2~3 hour workout sessions. I think it's too much and cannot be sustained for a long time. However, I do believe in doing various 15~20 minute exercise sessions throughout the day.
Being a paraplegic, I'm only able to work out my upper body... but I try to do as much as i can. Even pushing my manual wheelchair, I can change the style to isolate different muscle groups. For instance, I can lean forward and focus on my pectorals... or I can lean back and work on my front deltoids. I can also go uphill backwards in my wheelchair to work out my traps and some triceps.
I'll try to go around my neighborhood (about 1 mile) with my dog at least once a day. It's pretty tough because we have pretty steep hills.
My mother ails from rheumatoid arthritis and absolutely abhors working out... but I am so adamant that if she'd lose 30~40 pounds, the impact on her knees would be so much less. I guess it's much easier said than done.

All you ladies are such sweeties... taking this type of stupidity with such grace. It's a good lesson for me to learn from all of you
But back to the OP's statements.... what is the PURPOSE of your post? Who (or what) are you calling dumb?
Your post is so ambiguous and vague that I can't discern a reason why someone would waste their time to start such a thread.
Are you reaching out for support because you're not getting the results you wished? Or are you just venting because AUNT FLOW has come to visit you?? (Yes...I see that you're a male.... )
I haven't bothered to look at your profile... but others have said that you're 25? Well....so am I. At your age (and mine)... if you're so sick of dieting and exercising... why are you expecting ANY weight loss?
I'm sure your surgeon and his team told you that diet and exercise would still be needed to facilitate weight loss even after LAGB surgery right? Or did you buy a band on Fleabay and have one of your homies put it in for ya?
Also... do you have a problem with surgeons making a lot of money?? Do you have any idea the grueling education and residency they have to get through to be where they are?
To me... 4 years of med school with 4+ years of residency (not to mention 100Ks in debt) to become a surgeon SHOULD warrant a high paycheck.
I apologize for being harsh... but if you need support... ASK for it. There are great people here willing to walk with you every step of the way. But please don't insult everyone's intelligence by boldly (and idiotically) stating that LAGB is a scam and a joke.

All you ladies are such sweeties... taking this type of stupidity with such grace. It's a good lesson for me to learn from all of you
But back to the OP's statements.... what is the PURPOSE of your post? Who (or what) are you calling dumb?
Your post is so ambiguous and vague that I can't discern a reason why someone would waste their time to start such a thread.
Are you reaching out for support because you're not getting the results you wished? Or are you just venting because AUNT FLOW has come to visit you?? (Yes...I see that you're a male.... )
I haven't bothered to look at your profile... but others have said that you're 25? Well....so am I. At your age (and mine)... if you're so sick of dieting and exercising... why are you expecting ANY weight loss?
I'm sure your surgeon and his team told you that diet and exercise would still be needed to facilitate weight loss even after LAGB surgery right? Or did you buy a band on Fleabay and have one of your homies put it in for ya?
Also... do you have a problem with surgeons making a lot of money?? Do you have any idea the grueling education and residency they have to get through to be where they are?
To me... 4 years of med school with 4+ years of residency (not to mention 100Ks in debt) to become a surgeon SHOULD warrant a high paycheck.
I apologize for being harsh... but if you need support... ASK for it. There are great people here willing to walk with you every step of the way. But please don't insult everyone's intelligence by boldly (and idiotically) stating that LAGB is a scam and a joke.

Welcome to the site!
I know I'm not a mod... but I would like to ask you to use the SEARCH function in the forum. Being 'stuck' and having slime / PB episodes have been thoroughly discussed in the forum. This way, I think, we'll have all the information streamlined...and not scattered everywhere.
P.S. I think this is one of the things you should have learned BEFORE having your surgery.

Welcome to the site!
I know I'm not a mod... but I would like to ask you to use the SEARCH function in the forum. Being 'stuck' and having slime / PB episodes have been thoroughly discussed in the forum. This way, I think, we'll have all the information streamlined...and not scattered everywhere.
P.S. I think this is one of the things you should have learned BEFORE having your surgery.

Beautiful AND smart... this is what i look for in a woman

Hi everyone,
I haven't been on this site too long... and I've only been banded for a week. But I've been seeing a trend on this site along with most of the other WLS support sites and I just wanted to make a post.
I'm not aiming this post at anyone, instead, I think creating this thread will hopefully show that I'm just venting my opinions. Agree or disagree...the choice is yours and will be respected.
First of all, there is a common string that binds ALL of us here, banded or not. All of us have fought with weight issues for several years and have elected to go on with this surgery as a last ditch effort to better our lives. Having said that, there are lots of 'cliquey' behavior that isolate those who haven't yet been banded or those that may have been banded for awhile. With this being a support site, I think it is important to value opinions and thoughts of everyone.
Secondly, I think there abounds a great deal of irrational and unrealistic goals and expectations coming from lots of members. Weight loss, in its core, is simple. Everyone knows this. You use more than you eat and your body will naturally go into a catabolic mode and burn fat as the energy source. Being an ex-Marine, it is difficult for me to understand (and more importantly sympathize) why some people are so baffled that they are not losing weight, while knowingly disobeying the most important rules for diet with the Lap Band.
This leads to various topics that I've seen regarding RATE of weight loss. There are members concerned that they are not 'losing weight fast enough'.
What does that even mean?
A wrestling trainer can get any of us on this site to drop 5 pounds in the next two hours with a sweat suit and a sauna. Does this mean anything?
If you've lost 30 pounds during your pre-op diet and the first couple weeks after surgery...most of that 30 pounds is Water. I'm really sorry to disappoint you there.
Are we here to lose WEIGHT or are we here to lose FAT? PLEASE ASK YOURSELVES THIS!
Experts agree that it takes 3500 Calories to gain or lose one pound of BODY FAT. This is why health professionals say that healthy weight loss is rated at one to two pounds lost per week. If you decrease your intake (or increase your output) by 500 Calories per day, that's one pound of body fat per week.
But through this brilliant medical intervention, we are able to further our intake limitations. Let's take the typical 2000 Calorie per day diet for an 'average' human being. If the band allows you to decrease your food intake and you eat only a 1000 Calories a day... your body is at a 1000 Calorie per day deficit. Simple math dictates that you'd have a weight loss rate of 2 pounds of body fat per week.
Are you a bit more realistic in your expectations now?
The problem here is that at 1000 Calorie per day diet, your body is again at a catabolic state. Of course you lose fat..but you start losing your lean body mass as well. So that 2 pounds of body fat...isn't all body fat. To prevent this... doctors suggest that you maintain about 1200 to 1500 Calorie diet with plenty of Protein, along with some weight lifting exercises.
Trust me (especially you ladies)... you won't look like Arnold the ex-governator. If it were so easy to bulk up in muscle... most of us wouldn't be here anyhow. Putting in weight lifting into your workout regimen will burn the FAT faster and longer.
So let's be realistic, folks...
Strive for ONE pound of body fat per week. No more, no less. The whole point of this surgery is to get all of us healthier. If you starve yourself and lose 100,000 pounds and become one of the Olsen twins... you're still in trouble. Health troubles exist on both ends of the spectrum.
If you've got 100+ pounds of excess body fat. Give yourself at least 2 years to do this.
If you've got 50 pounds.... do it in a year.
No one told you that will be the cure-all. EVERYONE told you that you'll still have to work your ass off to lose weight.
I know...I know...you hear of people losing 100+ pounds in a year. Yes, it's still possible. But then again..it's POSSIBLE for ALL of us to lose all the weight WITHOUT the band. I'm just saying... let's be realistic.
And please.... GET RID OF YOUR WEIGHT SCALES!!!
Your weight displayed on your scales is NO indication of your weight loss. Like I said... I can get you to drop 5 pounds in two hours. Instead... I think we should be more focused on NON-scale VICTORIES. Things like:

decrease in dress/ pants size increase in amount of activity, energy decrease (or increase) in diameter of certain body parts
Lastly, I want to say that I've never been the one to 'baby' someone. At only 25 years old, I've gone through things that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy and it's stiffened me up to face life and face reality. I'll go ahead and apologize if my posts or remarks seem negative or discouraging.. but that's not my intent. I've lost sensation and movement in over 75% of my body... I can't pee or poo within my control.... and I'll never be able to dance at my future wedding or lift my future newborn baby off the floor. But I still love life and I still enjoy it. I wouldn't have been able to do it without dusting off the 'trivialities' of life.
So let's live people. I know things are hard for you...but trust me... those same things are harder for me.

Hi everyone,
I haven't been on this site too long... and I've only been banded for a week. But I've been seeing a trend on this site along with most of the other WLS support sites and I just wanted to make a post.
I'm not aiming this post at anyone, instead, I think creating this thread will hopefully show that I'm just venting my opinions. Agree or disagree...the choice is yours and will be respected.
First of all, there is a common string that binds ALL of us here, banded or not. All of us have fought with weight issues for several years and have elected to go on with this surgery as a last ditch effort to better our lives. Having said that, there are lots of 'cliquey' behavior that isolate those who haven't yet been banded or those that may have been banded for awhile. With this being a support site, I think it is important to value opinions and thoughts of everyone.
Secondly, I think there abounds a great deal of irrational and unrealistic goals and expectations coming from lots of members. Weight loss, in its core, is simple. Everyone knows this. You use more than you eat and your body will naturally go into a catabolic mode and burn fat as the energy source. Being an ex-Marine, it is difficult for me to understand (and more importantly sympathize) why some people are so baffled that they are not losing weight, while knowingly disobeying the most important rules for diet with the Lap Band.
This leads to various topics that I've seen regarding RATE of weight loss. There are members concerned that they are not 'losing weight fast enough'.
What does that even mean?
A wrestling trainer can get any of us on this site to drop 5 pounds in the next two hours with a sweat suit and a sauna. Does this mean anything?
If you've lost 30 pounds during your pre-op diet and the first couple weeks after surgery...most of that 30 pounds is Water. I'm really sorry to disappoint you there.
Are we here to lose WEIGHT or are we here to lose FAT? PLEASE ASK YOURSELVES THIS!
Experts agree that it takes 3500 Calories to gain or lose one pound of BODY FAT. This is why health professionals say that healthy weight loss is rated at one to two pounds lost per week. If you decrease your intake (or increase your output) by 500 Calories per day, that's one pound of body fat per week.
But through this brilliant medical intervention, we are able to further our intake limitations. Let's take the typical 2000 Calorie per day diet for an 'average' human being. If the band allows you to decrease your food intake and you eat only a 1000 Calories a day... your body is at a 1000 Calorie per day deficit. Simple math dictates that you'd have a weight loss rate of 2 pounds of body fat per week.
Are you a bit more realistic in your expectations now?
The problem here is that at 1000 Calorie per day diet, your body is again at a catabolic state. Of course you lose fat..but you start losing your lean body mass as well. So that 2 pounds of body fat...isn't all body fat. To prevent this... doctors suggest that you maintain about 1200 to 1500 Calorie diet with plenty of Protein, along with some weight lifting exercises.
Trust me (especially you ladies)... you won't look like Arnold the ex-governator. If it were so easy to bulk up in muscle... most of us wouldn't be here anyhow. Putting in weight lifting into your workout regimen will burn the FAT faster and longer.
So let's be realistic, folks...
Strive for ONE pound of body fat per week. No more, no less. The whole point of this surgery is to get all of us healthier. If you starve yourself and lose 100,000 pounds and become one of the Olsen twins... you're still in trouble. Health troubles exist on both ends of the spectrum.
If you've got 100+ pounds of excess body fat. Give yourself at least 2 years to do this.
If you've got 50 pounds.... do it in a year.
No one told you that will be the cure-all. EVERYONE told you that you'll still have to work your ass off to lose weight.
I know...I know...you hear of people losing 100+ pounds in a year. Yes, it's still possible. But then again..it's POSSIBLE for ALL of us to lose all the weight WITHOUT the band. I'm just saying... let's be realistic.
And please.... GET RID OF YOUR WEIGHT SCALES!!!
Your weight displayed on your scales is NO indication of your weight loss. Like I said... I can get you to drop 5 pounds in two hours. Instead... I think we should be more focused on NON-scale VICTORIES. Things like:

decrease in dress/ pants size increase in amount of activity, energy decrease (or increase) in diameter of certain body parts
Lastly, I want to say that I've never been the one to 'baby' someone. At only 25 years old, I've gone through things that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy and it's stiffened me up to face life and face reality. I'll go ahead and apologize if my posts or remarks seem negative or discouraging.. but that's not my intent. I've lost sensation and movement in over 75% of my body... I can't pee or poo within my control.... and I'll never be able to dance at my future wedding or lift my future newborn baby off the floor. But I still love life and I still enjoy it. I wouldn't have been able to do it without dusting off the 'trivialities' of life.
So let's live people. I know things are hard for you...but trust me... those same things are harder for me.

Hi everyone,
I haven't been on this site too long... and I've only been banded for a week. But I've been seeing a trend on this site along with most of the other WLS support sites and I just wanted to make a post.
I'm not aiming this post at anyone, instead, I think creating this thread will hopefully show that I'm just venting my opinions. Agree or disagree...the choice is yours and will be respected.
First of all, there is a common string that binds ALL of us here, banded or not. All of us have fought with weight issues for several years and have elected to go on with this surgery as a last ditch effort to better our lives. Having said that, there are lots of 'cliquey' behavior that isolate those who haven't yet been banded or those that may have been banded for awhile. With this being a support site, I think it is important to value opinions and thoughts of everyone.
Secondly, I think there abounds a great deal of irrational and unrealistic goals and expectations coming from lots of members. Weight loss, in its core, is simple. Everyone knows this. You use more than you eat and your body will naturally go into a catabolic mode and burn fat as the energy source. Being an ex-Marine, it is difficult for me to understand (and more importantly sympathize) why some people are so baffled that they are not losing weight, while knowingly disobeying the most important rules for diet with the Lap Band.
This leads to various topics that I've seen regarding RATE of weight loss. There are members concerned that they are not 'losing weight fast enough'.
What does that even mean?
A wrestling trainer can get any of us on this site to drop 5 pounds in the next two hours with a sweat suit and a sauna. Does this mean anything?
If you've lost 30 pounds during your pre-op diet and the first couple weeks after surgery...most of that 30 pounds is Water. I'm really sorry to disappoint you there.
Are we here to lose WEIGHT or are we here to lose FAT? PLEASE ASK YOURSELVES THIS!
Experts agree that it takes 3500 Calories to gain or lose one pound of BODY FAT. This is why health professionals say that healthy weight loss is rated at one to two pounds lost per week. If you decrease your intake (or increase your output) by 500 Calories per day, that's one pound of body fat per week.
But through this brilliant medical intervention, we are able to further our intake limitations. Let's take the typical 2000 Calorie per day diet for an 'average' human being. If the band allows you to decrease your food intake and you eat only a 1000 Calories a day... your body is at a 1000 Calorie per day deficit. Simple math dictates that you'd have a weight loss rate of 2 pounds of body fat per week.
Are you a bit more realistic in your expectations now?
The problem here is that at 1000 Calorie per day diet, your body is again at a catabolic state. Of course you lose fat..but you start losing your lean body mass as well. So that 2 pounds of body fat...isn't all body fat. To prevent this... doctors suggest that you maintain about 1200 to 1500 Calorie diet with plenty of Protein, along with some weight lifting exercises.
Trust me (especially you ladies)... you won't look like Arnold the ex-governator. If it were so easy to bulk up in muscle... most of us wouldn't be here anyhow. Putting in weight lifting into your workout regimen will burn the FAT faster and longer.
So let's be realistic, folks...
Strive for ONE pound of body fat per week. No more, no less. The whole point of this surgery is to get all of us healthier. If you starve yourself and lose 100,000 pounds and become one of the Olsen twins... you're still in trouble. Health troubles exist on both ends of the spectrum.
If you've got 100+ pounds of excess body fat. Give yourself at least 2 years to do this.
If you've got 50 pounds.... do it in a year.
No one told you that will be the cure-all. EVERYONE told you that you'll still have to work your ass off to lose weight.
I know...I know...you hear of people losing 100+ pounds in a year. Yes, it's still possible. But then again..it's POSSIBLE for ALL of us to lose all the weight WITHOUT the band. I'm just saying... let's be realistic.
And please.... GET RID OF YOUR WEIGHT SCALES!!!
Your weight displayed on your scales is NO indication of your weight loss. Like I said... I can get you to drop 5 pounds in two hours. Instead... I think we should be more focused on NON-scale VICTORIES. Things like:

decrease in dress/ pants size increase in amount of activity, energy decrease (or increase) in diameter of certain body parts
Lastly, I want to say that I've never been the one to 'baby' someone. At only 25 years old, I've gone through things that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy and it's stiffened me up to face life and face reality. I'll go ahead and apologize if my posts or remarks seem negative or discouraging.. but that's not my intent. I've lost sensation and movement in over 75% of my body... I can't pee or poo within my control.... and I'll never be able to dance at my future wedding or lift my future newborn baby off the floor. But I still love life and I still enjoy it. I wouldn't have been able to do it without dusting off the 'trivialities' of life.
So let's live people. I know things are hard for you...but trust me... those same things are harder for me.

Hi everyone,
I haven't been on this site too long... and I've only been banded for a week. But I've been seeing a trend on this site along with most of the other WLS support sites and I just wanted to make a post.
I'm not aiming this post at anyone, instead, I think creating this thread will hopefully show that I'm just venting my opinions. Agree or disagree...the choice is yours and will be respected.
First of all, there is a common string that binds ALL of us here, banded or not. All of us have fought with weight issues for several years and have elected to go on with this surgery as a last ditch effort to better our lives. Having said that, there are lots of 'cliquey' behavior that isolate those who haven't yet been banded or those that may have been banded for awhile. With this being a support site, I think it is important to value opinions and thoughts of everyone.
Secondly, I think there abounds a great deal of irrational and unrealistic goals and expectations coming from lots of members. Weight loss, in its core, is simple. Everyone knows this. You use more than you eat and your body will naturally go into a catabolic mode and burn fat as the energy source. Being an ex-Marine, it is difficult for me to understand (and more importantly sympathize) why some people are so baffled that they are not losing weight, while knowingly disobeying the most important rules for diet with the Lap Band.
This leads to various topics that I've seen regarding RATE of weight loss. There are members concerned that they are not 'losing weight fast enough'.
What does that even mean?
A wrestling trainer can get any of us on this site to drop 5 pounds in the next two hours with a sweat suit and a sauna. Does this mean anything?
If you've lost 30 pounds during your pre-op diet and the first couple weeks after surgery...most of that 30 pounds is Water. I'm really sorry to disappoint you there.
Are we here to lose WEIGHT or are we here to lose FAT? PLEASE ASK YOURSELVES THIS!
Experts agree that it takes 3500 Calories to gain or lose one pound of BODY FAT. This is why health professionals say that healthy weight loss is rated at one to two pounds lost per week. If you decrease your intake (or increase your output) by 500 Calories per day, that's one pound of body fat per week.
But through this brilliant medical intervention, we are able to further our intake limitations. Let's take the typical 2000 Calorie per day diet for an 'average' human being. If the band allows you to decrease your food intake and you eat only a 1000 Calories a day... your body is at a 1000 Calorie per day deficit. Simple math dictates that you'd have a weight loss rate of 2 pounds of body fat per week.
Are you a bit more realistic in your expectations now?
The problem here is that at 1000 Calorie per day diet, your body is again at a catabolic state. Of course you lose fat..but you start losing your lean body mass as well. So that 2 pounds of body fat...isn't all body fat. To prevent this... doctors suggest that you maintain about 1200 to 1500 Calorie diet with plenty of Protein, along with some weight lifting exercises.
Trust me (especially you ladies)... you won't look like Arnold the ex-governator. If it were so easy to bulk up in muscle... most of us wouldn't be here anyhow. Putting in weight lifting into your workout regimen will burn the FAT faster and longer.
So let's be realistic, folks...
Strive for ONE pound of body fat per week. No more, no less. The whole point of this surgery is to get all of us healthier. If you starve yourself and lose 100,000 pounds and become one of the Olsen twins... you're still in trouble. Health troubles exist on both ends of the spectrum.
If you've got 100+ pounds of excess body fat. Give yourself at least 2 years to do this.
If you've got 50 pounds.... do it in a year.
No one told you that will be the cure-all. EVERYONE told you that you'll still have to work your ass off to lose weight.
I know...I know...you hear of people losing 100+ pounds in a year. Yes, it's still possible. But then again..it's POSSIBLE for ALL of us to lose all the weight WITHOUT the band. I'm just saying... let's be realistic.
And please.... GET RID OF YOUR WEIGHT SCALES!!!
Your weight displayed on your scales is NO indication of your weight loss. Like I said... I can get you to drop 5 pounds in two hours. Instead... I think we should be more focused on NON-scale VICTORIES. Things like:

decrease in dress/ pants size increase in amount of activity, energy decrease (or increase) in diameter of certain body parts
Lastly, I want to say that I've never been the one to 'baby' someone. At only 25 years old, I've gone through things that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy and it's stiffened me up to face life and face reality. I'll go ahead and apologize if my posts or remarks seem negative or discouraging.. but that's not my intent. I've lost sensation and movement in over 75% of my body... I can't pee or poo within my control.... and I'll never be able to dance at my future wedding or lift my future newborn baby off the floor. But I still love life and I still enjoy it. I wouldn't have been able to do it without dusting off the 'trivialities' of life.
So let's live people. I know things are hard for you...but trust me... those same things are harder for me.

Hi everyone,
I haven't been on this site too long... and I've only been banded for a week. But I've been seeing a trend on this site along with most of the other WLS support sites and I just wanted to make a post.
I'm not aiming this post at anyone, instead, I think creating this thread will hopefully show that I'm just venting my opinions. Agree or disagree...the choice is yours and will be respected.
First of all, there is a common string that binds ALL of us here, banded or not. All of us have fought with weight issues for several years and have elected to go on with this surgery as a last ditch effort to better our lives. Having said that, there are lots of 'cliquey' behavior that isolate those who haven't yet been banded or those that may have been banded for awhile. With this being a support site, I think it is important to value opinions and thoughts of everyone.
Secondly, I think there abounds a great deal of irrational and unrealistic goals and expectations coming from lots of members. Weight loss, in its core, is simple. Everyone knows this. You use more than you eat and your body will naturally go into a catabolic mode and burn fat as the energy source. Being an ex-Marine, it is difficult for me to understand (and more importantly sympathize) why some people are so baffled that they are not losing weight, while knowingly disobeying the most important rules for diet with the Lap Band.
This leads to various topics that I've seen regarding RATE of weight loss. There are members concerned that they are not 'losing weight fast enough'.
What does that even mean?
A wrestling trainer can get any of us on this site to drop 5 pounds in the next two hours with a sweat suit and a sauna. Does this mean anything?
If you've lost 30 pounds during your pre-op diet and the first couple weeks after surgery...most of that 30 pounds is Water. I'm really sorry to disappoint you there.
Are we here to lose WEIGHT or are we here to lose FAT? PLEASE ASK YOURSELVES THIS!
Experts agree that it takes 3500 Calories to gain or lose one pound of BODY FAT. This is why health professionals say that healthy weight loss is rated at one to two pounds lost per week. If you decrease your intake (or increase your output) by 500 Calories per day, that's one pound of body fat per week.
But through this brilliant medical intervention, we are able to further our intake limitations. Let's take the typical 2000 Calorie per day diet for an 'average' human being. If the band allows you to decrease your food intake and you eat only a 1000 Calories a day... your body is at a 1000 Calorie per day deficit. Simple math dictates that you'd have a weight loss rate of 2 pounds of body fat per week.
Are you a bit more realistic in your expectations now?
The problem here is that at 1000 Calorie per day diet, your body is again at a catabolic state. Of course you lose fat..but you start losing your lean body mass as well. So that 2 pounds of body fat...isn't all body fat. To prevent this... doctors suggest that you maintain about 1200 to 1500 Calorie diet with plenty of Protein, along with some weight lifting exercises.
Trust me (especially you ladies)... you won't look like Arnold the ex-governator. If it were so easy to bulk up in muscle... most of us wouldn't be here anyhow. Putting in weight lifting into your workout regimen will burn the FAT faster and longer.
So let's be realistic, folks...
Strive for ONE pound of body fat per week. No more, no less. The whole point of this surgery is to get all of us healthier. If you starve yourself and lose 100,000 pounds and become one of the Olsen twins... you're still in trouble. Health troubles exist on both ends of the spectrum.
If you've got 100+ pounds of excess body fat. Give yourself at least 2 years to do this.
If you've got 50 pounds.... do it in a year.
No one told you that will be the cure-all. EVERYONE told you that you'll still have to work your ass off to lose weight.
I know...I know...you hear of people losing 100+ pounds in a year. Yes, it's still possible. But then again..it's POSSIBLE for ALL of us to lose all the weight WITHOUT the band. I'm just saying... let's be realistic.
And please.... GET RID OF YOUR WEIGHT SCALES!!!
Your weight displayed on your scales is NO indication of your weight loss. Like I said... I can get you to drop 5 pounds in two hours. Instead... I think we should be more focused on NON-scale VICTORIES. Things like:

decrease in dress/ pants size increase in amount of activity, energy decrease (or increase) in diameter of certain body parts
Lastly, I want to say that I've never been the one to 'baby' someone. At only 25 years old, I've gone through things that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy and it's stiffened me up to face life and face reality. I'll go ahead and apologize if my posts or remarks seem negative or discouraging.. but that's not my intent. I've lost sensation and movement in over 75% of my body... I can't pee or poo within my control.... and I'll never be able to dance at my future wedding or lift my future newborn baby off the floor. But I still love life and I still enjoy it. I wouldn't have been able to do it without dusting off the 'trivialities' of life.
So let's live people. I know things are hard for you...but trust me... those same things are harder for me.

Hi everyone,
I haven't been on this site too long... and I've only been banded for a week. But I've been seeing a trend on this site along with most of the other WLS support sites and I just wanted to make a post.
I'm not aiming this post at anyone, instead, I think creating this thread will hopefully show that I'm just venting my opinions. Agree or disagree...the choice is yours and will be respected.
First of all, there is a common string that binds ALL of us here, banded or not. All of us have fought with weight issues for several years and have elected to go on with this surgery as a last ditch effort to better our lives. Having said that, there are lots of 'cliquey' behavior that isolate those who haven't yet been banded or those that may have been banded for awhile. With this being a support site, I think it is important to value opinions and thoughts of everyone.
Secondly, I think there abounds a great deal of irrational and unrealistic goals and expectations coming from lots of members. Weight loss, in its core, is simple. Everyone knows this. You use more than you eat and your body will naturally go into a catabolic mode and burn fat as the energy source. Being an ex-Marine, it is difficult for me to understand (and more importantly sympathize) why some people are so baffled that they are not losing weight, while knowingly disobeying the most important rules for diet with the Lap Band.
This leads to various topics that I've seen regarding RATE of weight loss. There are members concerned that they are not 'losing weight fast enough'.
What does that even mean?
A wrestling trainer can get any of us on this site to drop 5 pounds in the next two hours with a sweat suit and a sauna. Does this mean anything?
If you've lost 30 pounds during your pre-op diet and the first couple weeks after surgery...most of that 30 pounds is Water. I'm really sorry to disappoint you there.
Are we here to lose WEIGHT or are we here to lose FAT? PLEASE ASK YOURSELVES THIS!
Experts agree that it takes 3500 Calories to gain or lose one pound of BODY FAT. This is why health professionals say that healthy weight loss is rated at one to two pounds lost per week. If you decrease your intake (or increase your output) by 500 Calories per day, that's one pound of body fat per week.
But through this brilliant medical intervention, we are able to further our intake limitations. Let's take the typical 2000 Calorie per day diet for an 'average' human being. If the band allows you to decrease your food intake and you eat only a 1000 Calories a day... your body is at a 1000 Calorie per day deficit. Simple math dictates that you'd have a weight loss rate of 2 pounds of body fat per week.
Are you a bit more realistic in your expectations now?
The problem here is that at 1000 Calorie per day diet, your body is again at a catabolic state. Of course you lose fat..but you start losing your lean body mass as well. So that 2 pounds of body fat...isn't all body fat. To prevent this... doctors suggest that you maintain about 1200 to 1500 Calorie diet with plenty of Protein, along with some weight lifting exercises.
Trust me (especially you ladies)... you won't look like Arnold the ex-governator. If it were so easy to bulk up in muscle... most of us wouldn't be here anyhow. Putting in weight lifting into your workout regimen will burn the FAT faster and longer.
So let's be realistic, folks...
Strive for ONE pound of body fat per week. No more, no less. The whole point of this surgery is to get all of us healthier. If you starve yourself and lose 100,000 pounds and become one of the Olsen twins... you're still in trouble. Health troubles exist on both ends of the spectrum.
If you've got 100+ pounds of excess body fat. Give yourself at least 2 years to do this.
If you've got 50 pounds.... do it in a year.
No one told you that will be the cure-all. EVERYONE told you that you'll still have to work your ass off to lose weight.
I know...I know...you hear of people losing 100+ pounds in a year. Yes, it's still possible. But then again..it's POSSIBLE for ALL of us to lose all the weight WITHOUT the band. I'm just saying... let's be realistic.
And please.... GET RID OF YOUR WEIGHT SCALES!!!
Your weight displayed on your scales is NO indication of your weight loss. Like I said... I can get you to drop 5 pounds in two hours. Instead... I think we should be more focused on NON-scale VICTORIES. Things like:

decrease in dress/ pants size increase in amount of activity, energy decrease (or increase) in diameter of certain body parts
Lastly, I want to say that I've never been the one to 'baby' someone. At only 25 years old, I've gone through things that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy and it's stiffened me up to face life and face reality. I'll go ahead and apologize if my posts or remarks seem negative or discouraging.. but that's not my intent. I've lost sensation and movement in over 75% of my body... I can't pee or poo within my control.... and I'll never be able to dance at my future wedding or lift my future newborn baby off the floor. But I still love life and I still enjoy it. I wouldn't have been able to do it without dusting off the 'trivialities' of life.
So let's live people. I know things are hard for you...but trust me... those same things are harder for me.

I can has Realize band.
Gots it today at 10:30. I am officially a bandster!