I've been in a similar war with myself since I decided I was going to start doing research on the lap band. I’m 34, I’ve been married for 9 years, and at 285 Ibs I’m at the heaviest I’ve ever been. I've come to a few conclusions that I hope might help you. I lost a lot of weight over the years with diet and exercise, but put it back on again. Further impacting my self esteem and self confidence. I don't want to do this anymore to myself. This led me into looking at surgery; I think the lap band would be a great tool to help me.
I’m unhappy. The weight is not only hard on my joints, bones and body, but it’s hard on my marriage and my self image. I recently went to Great America, and couldn’t get on a ride because I was too big. EMBARRESSING!!!! Again this led me to look into other alternatives.
At the beginning of the summer I was doing a walk/run 2.8 miles every day. Eating right and Exercise. One day I just stopped. No particular reason, I just stopped. I need something to say “Hey, get back on the wagon and get moving again” I feel the lap band will be that “insurance policy” if I don’t eat right or correctly (too fast) then it will be there to just give me a little nudge.
Even when I was losing weight with diet and exercise I was hungry all the time. My appetite can be ferocious. I eat FAST! This “quality” about myself led me to research the lap band.
I have to lose over 100 Ibs and I don’t want to put it back on so again I think the lap band would be good “insurance.” At least for me, maintaining was as hard as losing.
I haven’t had the surgery yet. I first started at the informational seminar and have a consultation appointment in August, but I’m about 95% sure that I will be going through with it at this point. I go back and forth a lot. “Is this something that I want to do to my body it’s been through enough?” “I can’t believe I’m considering this. Why can’t you just lose it with diet and exercise?”…etc..etc.. It’s been a huge process and one that I haven’t taken lightly by any means. I have been grappling with this decision for awhile now and I feel I’ve come to a point where I’m ready. At least…I think I am. [*]
I hope this helps you understand my decision for researching and considering surgery vs. just exercise and diet alone.
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Good luck to you.