sabush

Was at a dunkin donuts and couldn't make a good decision so I walked away! Most people wouldn't understand why I would be happy about this since I was in line for five minutes but I thought you guys might!

Sam,
That's a lot of questions! I could write a book in response to them. Oh, wait. I did write a book.
Everybody's experience of surgery (anesthesia, pain, recovery) is different; surgeons' protocols for pre and post-op diets vary greatly; weight loss varies; exercise varies...so there's no one-size-fits-all answer for you. I suggest that you cruise the forums here to get an idea of other bandsters' experiences. As for preparing for surgery: you need to be doing whatever your surgeon and/or dietitian told you to do in preparationg, but other than that, I'd say the #1 thing is to start adjusting your expectations. Success at weight loss surgery of any type requires a lot of work - in making good food choices, controlling portions, resisting the urge to eat for non-hunger reasons (like stress, boredom, comfort), exercising (at whatever keeps you from getting bored), etc. Average weight loss with the band is 1-2 lbs/week. That's an average that includes people who lost a lot more quickly as well as people who lost nothing or gained weight.