kathousefl

Hey kellyannrose, No question is stupid. I wondered the same thing when I first started getting fills. I had to remember that losing weight was a mental challenge as well as a physical challenge for me. It is important to remember that the lapband is a tool. For me, knowing when I am full is still a challenge, even though I have not gotten a fill in a while. Sometimes I think mentally being restricted is harder than the actual physical restriction.

Congratulations!

Hi B-52, I also have seen some negativity. I tend to lurk more than actually post. You and I have not gone about our weight loss and maintenance the same way, which is why I like to read your posts :-). I have noticed criticism though from others who tend to make it sound like reducing caloric intake and avoiding certain types of foods are bad things, so I do not post very often. I do see your point though about posting and letting people know this does work and that there is more than one method to stick to the plan. I hope you continue to post.

Hi there! My weight fluctuates a bit, too. My primary care physician told me to weigh myself every day, so I know where I stand, and like some of the other people who posted, I can range up or down 1-5 pounds each day. I do have a small range that I stay within though. That being said, I love the My Fitness app. I record my weight weekly. I used to count calories, but I have not done that in about six months now. Recording my calories helped me be focused on not only what I was eating, but also how much. The lapband has been an excellent tool for me, but I know changing my whole way of eating and thinking about food is what has enabled me to lose as much weight as I have. Good luck, Shugal. Just being aware is the most important first step :-).

Wow - this is an interesting concept, B52. When I dieted before the lap band, I always thought of maintenance as the point where I would maintain what I lost, but I never seemed to get to that point. I guess I am in the maintenance phase now, but I have not really changed much from the previous weight loss phase. Until I read your post, I was not even thinking of the term "maintenance" as it applies to my changes in behavior and eating. I would consider maintenance now more of a lifestyle adjustment. I am not looking to lose more weight at this point - although I am sure five or 10 pounds would be okay- and I have started to incorporate some additional types of food into my diet (for example fruits, which I avoided for a while). I have increased my daily calories a little, not by much though. I think the increase keeps me at a steady level. I still keep an eye on everything I put in my mouth, but I do not keep track of everything as I did when I was first banded.

It is interesting that you are planning on it from the beginning. I actually hadn't seriously considered it until my doctor brought it up. My upper arms are actually my biggest issue since the rest can be covered with clothes, although it would be awesome to have the extra skin gone everywhere.

Hi everyone, I lurk on this site once in a while, but I have not posted much. I was wondering if anyone out there decided to have skin removal surgery after his or her weight loss. Why or why not? If you did have the surgery ... did your insurance cover it? was it painful? what was the recuperation time for you? Thanks :-).

That is great that it is being covered by insurance. Good luck!

Hey Julie - Thanks for the input. It is funny. I didn't even think about the clothes fitting part until I read your post and thought, oh no ... I would have to buy new clothes again :-). Eight years a long time. Congratulations on keeping the weight off. Why did you wait for the surgery?

Hi everyone, I have been a silent and non-registered reader on this site for a while, so I decided to officially register today. I am almost at my one-year anniversary for my surgery, and I have to say that one year ago, I never thought I would be this close to my goal weight. As I was deciding to have lap band surgery, I made some serious life-changing decisions including rethinking my whole way of eating and my attitude about food. I didn't expect to get thin per say. I just wanted to be healthy and be able to move better. Now, having lost 130 pounds, I not only feel healthier, but I am healthier. I have tried to follow my surgeon's eating instructions to a T, and I recently have begun exercising, which I probably should have started a while ago. It is interesting that a lot of people are noticing the weight loss and asking what I have been doing. I do not usually tell people about the surgery or how much I have lost. I find the "how much weight have you lost" question a little much. I do tell people about my new eating habits, and often they just dismiss that information and tell me what I should do based on what they have read. Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself and officially join this community.

Hi everyone, I am a newbie to the forum, but I thought I would get your thoughts about personal trainers and gyms. I have just started to exercise. I have a treadmill at home and weight machine. My surgery was almost a year ago, and the exercise part of getting healthy has been slow to contemplate for me :-). So, my question is do you prefer to exercise at home or at a gym? Do you have a personal trainer? If you do have a personal trainer what are the benefits you have seen? Thanks for your input.

Thank you everyone for your help and input. I have joined a gym, and I did decide to bite the bullet and get a trainer. This gym has 30 minute sessions, but they are still very expensive. I will see if I can do it for a couple of months to put me on the right track.

You sound like me. I don't share pounds lost with anyone other than my husband. Most people don't know I had WLS. Welcome to this wonderful site. Enjoy your new you Arlene It seems so weird to me that people want to know how much weight I lost. Most of them would never think to ask how much I gained, right? I do not tell most people about the WLS. I usually focus on the complete change in my eating habits.

Thank you so much. I, too, am loving my new banded life even though it is not always easy to stick with the plan :-).

Wow that is really expensive. I have not decided what to do yet. I am working on my own at home right now.

HI JustWatchMe, Thank you so much. I am glad I made the decision, too. Good luck with your journey. It is not always easy, but it is definitely worth the effort.

Hi Occassionaldream, I am sorry you are struggling and depressed. Have you spoken to your doctor about that? I never had that issue, so I am not sure how it works. I do know that if I eat too fast or if I do not chew well enough I have issues. Changing what I eat and how much has been a huge transition for me. If I can do it, I know you can do it, too :-).

Hi Apryl1957 It is nice to meet you, too. I know everyone is different, but for me the closer I got to the surgery, the more annoying the liquids became :-). I was on a liquid diet for two weeks before the surgery. I love that your attitude is that you are in it for the long haul. That was my view, too. When is your surgery?

Thank you so much for your input everyone. I appreciate everyone's responses.

Thank you :-)

Hi JonathanS. Thank you for that suggestion.

Thank you Mrs. RRN for the response :-). It is way too hot by me to do cardio outside, but I do know that is probably more interesting than a treadmill.

Thank you. Congratulations on your success also. It looks like the time frame for our surgeries was close together.