rosettag

This is not meant to sound harsh but I invite you to seriously reflect on why you would chose to eat pizza 1) so soon after WLS and 2) after all you did to GET surgery.
You are not on Weight Watchers here. You've chosen voluntarily to have major, invasive surgery because your weight is impacting your mental and physical health. To be 20 days out and to eat pizza? Please consider adding a mental health person to your bariatric team. You want to have your head in the game in order to be successful with the tool.
Don't put pizza into your body, at least until you are securely at goal, if then.
Don't waste this gift.

Lorena - PLEASE be careful! Your body is still healing from surgery, and while that pizza may have gone down, you were fortunate. Getting badly 'stuck' at this point in your recovery could earn you a trip back to the hospital.
The band is just a tool - nothing more - it does not take away our desire for less-nutritious food, nor does it force us to eat healthier foods. NOW is the time to change your eating habits. NOW is the time to read - and re-read - your nutritional guidelines as given by your doctor and / or nutritionist. You should NOT be eating pizza at this point - and definitely NOT the kind of pizza you were eating before surgery.
While you may not have a lot of restriction right now, you DO have the responsibility to yourself to start eating like a bandster. You should be focusing on healthier foods and staying away from what got you in position to get the lap band in the first place. This might sound harsh - and believe me, at nearly 6 years out, I'm also talking to myself - but YOU have got to set the tone for the rest of your life.
Leave that pizza alone, girlfriend, and get back on track!

If you are anything like me, discipline or strong willpower is not something that comes natural. I have been developing mental toughness throughout the years when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight. Does your mind race with thoughts of eating a smorgasbord of different foods? Is every food going through your mind a carbohydrate loaded with sugar or salt? Do you think, “Let me just eat or drink what I want today, and I will get back on track tomorrow?” Do you go through a plethora of different feelings? You may not even know what you are feeling. All you know is that you are consumed with this urge to eat or drink, many times when you are not physically hungry.


Man, did I feel like that today. I just wanted to check out and lose myself in literally stuffing my face with junk food. I was consumed with thoughts of pizza, nachos and cheese, Gummy bears and Ben & Jerry’s New York City super chunk ice cream. Oh, and let’s not forget the Peanut Butter cup candy. Maybe your favorite question is, “Wine, anyone?” Maybe your choice of food to emotionally zone out is different, but is any of this resonating with you?
So what do I do when this pattern pops up in me? This is where developing mental toughness will get you the desired results you deserve. Below, I am going to walk you through four quick steps that have worked wonders for me in developing mental toughness, and I know they can work wonders for you!
4 quick steps to developing mental toughness:
1. First, realize your pattern of internal dialogue and foods when you are getting ready to emotionally eat or start binge eating. Once you begin to pay attention, you will notice that you crave the same foods every time and that there is an impulse or urge to eat right away. You will have the same automatic dialogue of eating and watching TV or telling yourself you’ll just eat this one time and start fresh tomorrow, etc.
2. Stop and realize you are trying to avoid or escape a bad feeling. We automatically want to feel good. Tell yourself that having a bad feeling is not the end of the world; you are not dying. Take a moment to identify the feeling, where it is in your body and what is it trying to tell you. If you cannot find it, that is okay. Just continue to tell yourself that it is okay to feel bad. Allow yourself to just sit with it.
3. Remember to breathe. Through this time, take deep breathes, letting go with every exhale.
4. Have the mantra: “There is no tomorrow. I only have this moment. What I do right now is the only thing that matters. What I do right now is creating my future.” Repeat this over and over again as you breathe.
You will notice that as you go through this process, the feelings that were leading the desire to eat will lesson; as they lesson, your desire to eat will lesson.
The key to developing mental toughness is to become aware of your automatic behaviors to escape bad feelings. If you follow these four steps every time you have an impulse to emotionally eat, you will create a new pattern of reacting to your feelings. When you have a plan to decrease the number of times you emotionally eat, you will be amazed at how quickly you begin to see results in weight loss!

I never said it was 5 oz.
I eat until I am satisfied. If I feel my soft stop, a small burp, I am finished. Usually, the bites are predominantly Protein. I try to drink greens plus everyday. If I need to bump the protein, I will have a smoothie, shake etc. I have a chewable Vitamin and Omega cap everyday also. The way my doc estimates where I am, he ask can you eat 1/2 hamburger in a meal.
Deli slices, fish, ground meats, all go down pretty easy and timely for me. Steak, chops, denser cuts, have to be cut smaller and chewed longer. 1 cup of chili, 1 cup Soup, pretty much anything in a one cup quantity is doable.
Mainly, I am working everyday to be conscious of what I am eating and why I am eating. The most difficult for me, has been to listen to what my body is telling me, not what my mind thinks the quantity is that I can or should eat. My sense of what a serving is, has been distorted since childhood. I try to daily eat to live, not live to eat. Some days, not so successful, but I move on and try to improve my habit/ behavior, with the next meal.

You can have any kind of weight loss surgery you want but if you don't follow the rules and change your eating habits forever you will fail all three. You have to put forth effort with any weight loss surgery. The sleeve and by pass may give you faster weight loss but the faster you lose the more apt you are to put it back on. Only one thing to know and that is none of them will work if you don't work with them.

This was me one year ago at a company event:

This is me the other day at the same company event, one year later:

I had lapband surgery on September 11, 2013; about 6 months after that first picture was taken. In that picture, you see the person who had made the decision and was waiting for the first visit with her surgeon/hero.
I was miserable. I hated that camera pointed at me. But, I "smiled" and did my part. I hated what I had let happen to my body. I was in constant pain. I could barely move. As my journey progressed and I went through the approval process, my sense of hope began to return. It was possible. I could do it.
I started making a list of goals. Of course the first one was lose weight...duh. But, I started realizing I was putting things on this list that had nothing to do with the scales. I started realizing just how much of my LIFE I had given up while packing on the pounds.
I've lost over 110 lbs since September 11. I never imagined that I would lose so much so fast. My doc grins like the cheshire cat at every appointment. He told me today "You are FANTASTIC. You are RARE. I see you being so DETERMINED and FOCUSED. You are FABULOUS." You know what...he's absolutely correct.
He gave me a plan with a list of rules. I've followed them as best as I can. I'm human. I slip. I eat ice cream on occasion...and I'm allergic to it. I still like chocolate candy. I just don't eat the entire bag in one sitting anymore.
My journey hasn't been all butterflies and rainbows. It's been full of ups and downs. But, I have zero regrets.
Look at the person in the second picture. That smile is genuine. I was happy to be there and pose for that picture. That is the smile of a person who has their LIFE back.
I'm not done on my journey. My scales tell me I have a ways to go before I meet my weight goal. But, one year ago, I was planning how to avoid my life. I was always looking for a reason to not join my friends or family. Now, 12 months after that first picture, I'm planning roller coasters, family vacations, snorkeling, boxing classes, bike rides....new adventures.
I've discovered that my most important goal on my list was to get my life back. GOAL MET.

You say that your band has forced you to lessen the quantity of food .That is its task.
Your band hasn't failed
If you suffer from hypotyroidism, aren't you likely not to lose weight because of this issue ?
It is under control, but maybe it is not enough.
I hope you can make friends with your band again
I wish you the best luck

@@SlowJourney
I think it's great that you are spending weekends with your daughter and granddaughter and I'm sad to hear that you aren't looking forward to them as much these days.
I know the weekends are rough for me as well. There are days I want to throw caution to the wind and make it a free for all. Those days I am so grateful for my band! There are days during the week here at work I am also grateful for my band because there can be so many foods that I love here, and these days I have no interest in them most of the time!
When I am going out to an event, I know there will be all my favorite foods. Most of the time I am in control and I don't go overboard and if it's something I have to have I have a small bit and I'm good. There are some times that I am just out of control and say I don't care I'm going to eat this and enjoy it! So I do and the band stops me from over doing it, but it was getting harder and harder and I was saying I don't care way too much!
So now when I know I am going to be going out and there is always that chance that the I don't care mode will turn on and that spells calories for me. I will make sure that I eat something first.
I will have a Protein bar and come nice coffee so it feels like I had a treat, or I'll make a Protein shake frozen smoothie.
When I get to the event I'm not so hungry now, and those favorite foods are less desirable and I remember why I am there. To be with my loved ones or to do business and I can focus on that and not on trying to control myself around the food.
If I feel that I must must must have a bite of something I do, and if it's playing a siren song in my head that begs me to eat more, I order a FF Cappuccino and enjoy sipping on that.
I hope this helps you a little bit. Throw a Protein Bar in your bag to munch before going to lunch and you won't want to share your daughters appetizers and you'll eat your lunch and be satisfied.

Well , I'm 65 and 15 months out on my surgery. I've lost quite a bit of weight but am at a standstill right now. My highest weight was 289 and I can't get past 207! I however, follow up with my surgeon and it 's a 3 hour drive each way. I'm still getting fills and I spoke to my surgeon about going to see him every other month. As soon as I can get below 200 he'll consider it. I have many of the same medical issues as you and due to a disability cannot actively participate in heavy exercise. However, I am now walking in stores holding onto a shopping cart. I no longer use a mobility cart unless absolutely necessary.
No, the band has not failed me and when I don't eat properly and have a slight gain it is me, myself and I who have failed the band . I know I need more exercise and less food to succeed. It 's not easy but I am so determined to keep trying until I succeed .
Please do yourself a favor and go back to a bariatric surgeon closer to you if you feel 300 miles is too far. Don 't give up and make sure your thyroid medication is working properly . Will your insurance cover you going to see a new doctor ? If not, try and work out a payment plan. I had to have $4800 worth of dental work so I paid what I could in cash and I was approved for Care Credit to handle the balance. Please don't give up and perhaps you should start a 5 day liquid diet to see that your pouch is working properly. Don 't ever give up and I wish you much success. God bless on your endeavor.

My journey began as a 56 year old, 427# woman who was slowly killing herself with an addiction to food. I was definitely the classic stress eater who could consume huge amounts of calories without even realizing that I had eaten anything. During the two years before my lap-band I had developed adult onset asthma, COPD, had sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and was Pre-diabetic. I couldn't walk more than 100 feet without being out of breath...in short... I was a total mess. The sad thing was that I was also a highly intelligent professional who made wonderful decisions daily that impacted the lives of others. I just was blinded to taking the steps to help myself.
It took the birth of a beloved grandchild, who struggled to live for six months, to make me step back and realize just how precious life was, and to re-evaluate what I was doing to myself and to my family. Once I made the decision to get my band, I have not looked back. I have carefully followed my wonderful physician's advice. I never lose sight in the fact that the band is only a TOOL, and it is still up to me to make healthy choices in the foods that I eat.
Although my current weight flexes between 195-200# I am very comfortable with where I am at and not actively looking to lose more weight. I am very active now and love to walk everywhere. My health is excellent. I no longer have high blood pressure, sleep apnea, nor any symptoms of COPD or asthma. I am also no longer Pre-diabetic.
My doctor and I talk often and he recently asked me why I felt I had been so successful. My response was pretty easy:
1. I have never forgotten that the band was just a tool... It was still my responsibility to make good choices
2. I have never forgotten that I was a recovering addict ... I was addicted to food.< /p>
3. I remind myself daily to eat slowly, to listen to my body, and to stop eating when it told me it was full
4. I remind myself the importance of drinking my Water...and try to drink 6-8 glasses a day
5. finally, I make it a priority to check in with my doctor every 3 months. Even though I lost most of my weight during the first two years after my surgery, I personally needed the accountability factor-- knowing that every 90 days I was going to get on the scale with my doc helped me to keep my food demons at bay.
So, wow, as I read back through this I just realized that this is the first time in eight years I have ever put my journey into writing. Thanks for the opportunity to do so. Life is very good. My advice to anyone looking at taking this journey is to do it first and foremost for yourself, go into it with your eyes and heart wide open, it can be difficult at times, but the journey is worth it...YOU ARE WORTH IT!

I decided to go ahead and start out with the Protein Shakes and Lean Cuisine and Weight Watcher meals in the evening, and see if I could get a good head start on this. I'm going to see my primary care physician Monday, and ask him for a referral. Since I do have a metabolism problem, I'm not sure whether or not this would help me or not. I know I need to find out if the nodules on my thyroid are benign or malignant and get that taken care of first. Hopefully that will be done sometime next month. The surgeon increased my Synthroid from 50 mcg. to 100 mcg. and that seems to be helping a little bit with my not having any energy at all. I've lost 6 1/2 pounds since I started the shakes and those diet meals at night. I don't know if I'll be able to do that everyday or not. I really don't want to lose the weight this fast, either. I just started this a few days ago. I know that losing too fast will just leave me with a lot of saggy skin. I think I'll give myself one or two days a week at eating what I want to, but sensibly. Not pigging out or eating a lot of fattening food, just eating normally. I appreciate all of your comments. Thanks so much. I need all the information and help I can get!
Sandra

Hi Sandra, you say that you don't eat too much, but you don't lose weight.
The band helps people who are used to eating huge amounts of food, but if you have metabolic problems, how can a band change the situation?
Here in Italy surgeons suggest other kinds of surgery (bypass) to people who can't lose weight because of their metabolism.
Hugs!!

Good for you! It's your time to become a healthier human.
Just a little note about the friends saying lap band is the easy way out. This is why I wish I hadn't told anyone but my husband and maybe very close family. I put hard work everyday into making good healthy choices and exercising. I feel like when people know I have the band, it downplays all of my hard work. You may want to be very selective with who you tell.
Best wishes to you!

Hi--my name is Carol. I am retired, married for 49 years, mother of 3, and Grandma of 2 lovely young ladies. All reasons that I am tired of carrying around this extra weight. I have Type 2 Diabetes, HBP, High Cholesterol, and a knee replacement that required 5 surgeries in 7 1/2 months due to infection. I have a great deal of difficulty getting around, and am convinced that even though my knee won't get better, it will be more functional if I lose weight. I have yo-yo dieted off and on for many years. When I first checked into WLS, it wasn't an option due to cost. Now, that is no longer an obstacle. During a routine visit with my PCP just three days ago, I brought up the possibility of Lap Band Surgery. He was all for it. I have had the same physician for over 20 years, so I am confident that he knows me well enough to make that recommendation. The next day, I researched doctors, contacted insurance companies. and signed up for a Seminar 10 days from now. The paperwork was e-mailed to me. It is completed and ready to go. I can't wait to start this journey. I have actually started rethinking my food choices and activities already. Some of my friends have referred to Lap Band as the "easy way out". They obviously haven't researched it like I have. One friend lost a lot of weight on Weight Watchers--something I was jealous of because I have tried that route several times. I just recently realized that Weight Watchers is no more than a tool, the same as lap band. We aren't all successful with the same tool. I'm almost afraid to throw this out there for fear of bursting this high-soaring bubble, but...please tell me if you have any experience with Medicare paying for this surgery. They assured me they will cover 80% after deductible and out-of-pocket expenses and my Medicare Supplement will cover the rest of any procedure that Medicare will cover. This sounds almost too good to be true, so I'm anxious to hear of others' experiences. I'll keep you updated--meanwhile, I'll be reading.

I fall into that category….besides the closest of family and 2 really close friends only about 7 trustworthy "work" friends (out of 65) know about my surgery.
I have had an abundance of compliments as of late, that's what happens when your wardrobe finally catches up to the weight loss. I HAD to buy new clothes since the old ones were falling off of me and i did look ridiculous.
Let me begin by saying I DO NOT like being the center of attention EVER…especially when it comes to my appearance….good or bad! So all of the compliments are a bit tough for me but i am adjusting. Usually I just give a big smile and say thanks and keep on moving…but there are those people who 'corner' you and want to know what you are doing….so I give them an honest answer …."I am eating small portions that are high in protein…some carbs but not a lot and Im out and walking"….and that is the truth….so I left out the part about the tool…well they didn't ask about that now did they…LOL.
I feel that not everyone needs to know about MY decision. It was one of the hardest decisions of my life and I did not make it lightly. My ever supportive hubby and I talked and talked and talked and asked a gazillion questions to my doctor…we even went back for a follow up appt to answer all of our questions. So I do not need anyones unsolicited advice on something they do not really know about. And NOONE can understand where I was coming from at 280 pounds (my highest) when I made this decision. I have told a few more people lately but ONLY people I trust to keep it between us and people I know will support me as I continue my journey.
Sometimes I think people ask "what are you doing" like this has been some miracle weight loss that they can embrace and lose for themselves…and in some cases that is true but unfortunately in others that I know it is just them looking for gossip and waiting for me to fail…as I have many many times before….NOT THIS TIME!
So although I am learning to hold my head up high and take a compliment for simply that…and I am getting better at it…it is a new experience for me. Many of my colleagues I've known for 15 years working in the same school and they have always seen me as heavy so this is new to them AND me.
To be honest, I can finally see the changes to myself when I look in the mirror and it feels wonderful….so although uncomfortable at times it is nice to hear the compliments for what I've accomplished thus far.
Hope this help you @@Carol Annie !!! Best of luck to you!!!

This seems like wonderful advice. I feel certain that I can follow your example. Right now, I feel like the 24th is years away--I can't wait to get started.

Gorgeous! So happy for you -- you are exuding health and vitality. I'm still at the stage when I have to be careful not to beat myself up when I see pictures (or the mirror, eeek!). Want to cross over to the "look what I've done" phase instead of "OMG how did I ever let myself get so fat" stage.
You continue to inspire me -- thanks so much for posting!

If I ever am tempted to listen to the voice in my head that says "I don't see a difference", I'll take a look at these and thank Miss Pearlie (my band) for all she had done to make this happen. I'm not at my goal and these pics are 15lbs heavier than I am today, but they are my faves because they were the first evidence that I was no longer afraid to take pictures.    

What this study tells us is that the Sleeve, just like any WLS is a tool, not a magic bullet and that to be successful, long term the person with the Sleeve must work their program, every day, for the rest of their life. Just like a Lap Bandster or a By Passer or Switcher... Imagine that...
It all comes down to choosing the right surgery for your own body, health concerns and lifestyle.

I have had tremendous success so far with the band BUT doctor post op treatment and guidance is key. Exercise must also be a regular part of your life. 33 lbs in 3 months. Good luck!

Doctors no longer wanting to place a band is actually not a global phenomena, just to be clear. In Australia, lapbands are still routinely placed. I have concerns with anyone who talks about long term complications without context. "Complication" is such a subjective word. There may be more complications with lapband surgery (ranging from minor to major) but the ones experienced by sleevers are often more significant, and often require far more invasive surgery to rectify. I don't think any complication should be taken too lightly here. or the long term affects of both, not JUST in weight loss but overall health.

I don't think this is as simple a decision as someone saying 'go for it'. There are many factors to consider for both surgeries and these shouldn't be glossed over. These include complication rates, types of complications, ability to rectify complications, access to after-care, quality of aftercare, and as a veteran of WLS, the LONG term ramifications of WLS. It's hard to believe that concerns like 'i need to eat for health reasons' might be anything you might worry about now, but believe me when I say it's possible. I have had my band loosened when I was losing too much. Nice to have the option, but not something you think about when you're heavy and only just starting out. It's why, when my band developed a leak and I had the option of revising to another band or a sleeve, I chose another band. Because I weighed ALL the factors and came to the best decision for ME. Not you, not the guy next door, and not my insurance company or the doctor I happened to be seeing, but me.

First of all they doctors are trying their hardest to market the sleeve because there is no follow up care on their part except post op and maybe every six months or if you run into a problem. It is not reversible. The band can come out if need be. Don't let them sell you something you don't want.

Congrats on making a decision to regain your health.
It is a wild ride and it is hard but it IS SO WORTH IT!!!!
A tool is only a good tool if you use it correctly…I agree with @@Leepers --I've told very few people about my WLS and that was the best decision for me…you will do what works best for you!
Best of luck…keep us posted on your progress!

If hunger isn't the problem,
food isn't the solution
As one of you has written, head hunger is often a consequence of passive behaviour.
I'm more likely to be head hungry when I'm lying on the sofa .

I still struggle with head hunger. I was a mindless eater for over 20 years (give or take, when I wasn't on some kind of crazy diet...), breaking that habit is a tough one! Before my band, I had no idea just how many times a day I was mindlessly wandering into the kitchen, and grabbing something to eat! I try to really pay attention to my body now. I've found that many times, I'm actually thirsty so simply a bottle of Water or some tea will satisfy my 'hunger'. If that doesn't work, I'll have a healthy snack...a few almonds, greek yogurt, string cheese, etc. There are times that doesn't even work...that's when I tell myself it's time to find something else to do, like housework! UGH! haha