Jachut

Elcee coined the phrase nicely - the "not fat enough" police. Careful, they're alive and well here too.
A
At some stage all of us lw bmi'ers have copped a serve of "you ought to just diet and exercise"

Its harder now seven years out than it was to lose the weight over the first three. I feel like there is definitely an adaptation to the band where the body gradually resumes its old appetites and habits and I have to work very hard now to keep to the bandster rules and not to give in to my continual urges to binge on sugar - I really, really have a problem with sugar. I'm successful four days out of five, but once or twice a week I do tend to have massive sugar binges, where I will eat eight or nine Cookies (or similar). Generally I make it through a normal Breakfast and lunch and by 3pm, the urge simply overwhelms me and there will be no healthy dinner that night, I will just pick for hours on crap.
This seems to do no damage to my weight at all but it upsets my very sensitive gut and makes me feel terrible about myself! I have taken years to get to the root of my eating problems (I've been banded seven) and its only inthe last year that I really have accepted that I do have a real disordered eating pattern. I am a perfectionist, over controlling, all or nothing and scarily I can identify with ALL of the thoughts and mental outlooks that you'll find on any list of anorexia symptoms. I've never managed to get myself anorexic thin, but its not for want of trying. I like the look of being underweight, I've never been happy to stop at a BMI of 25, that was never good enough for me, etc.
This all escalated markedly for me with being diagnosed with cancer and I struggle now to eat sensibly, regularly and in moderate amounts that are consistent from day to day - rather than starve one day binge the next.
I find it hard to accept that there's people out there that are much much heavier than I ever was who actually probably have an easier time of it because they dont harbour so many dysfunctional thoughts. Hunger never ever was a part of my problem - yet the band worked brilliantly for me my dampening that and limiting what I could eat - so whatever your issues, it is a tool you can work with.
I'm actually really glad that I feel like finally, 45 years into my life, I think I have a better understanding of what makes me tick. I may or may not seek professional help- I feel I'm in good control at the moment but it swings to ovrwhelming at the drop of a hat, so I think it would be good for me.
What I feel the band gives me is control. It takes away the fear for me that I will eat and eat and not stop. With it, I can allow myself the luxury of having confidence in my body's signals - so for me its a huge psychological prop. I actually at more and better with my band!
So banded life is hard, but life without it would be hard too. Lets face it, obesity is a horrible disease that causes hardships in your life. You have it, so its a question of how to manage it, not whether the band is easy or not.

Seven years, complication free, even despite having rectal cancer (two years cancer free as of yesterday, yay!!!)

This is how I experienced weight loss. I just never had a strong satiety sensor, I never got a signal to stop eating, and I liked doing it, so I did it a lot. I wasnt inappopropriately hungry, in fact I wasnt any hungrier than I am now.
And people, usually nutjobs on LBT have called me obsessive about exercise, but sheesh, I go out most days for a 40 minutes to an hour run. I like doing it. Like you, if I have to miss a session, which does happen reasonably often, I eather plan around it and head out early morning, or I just miss it. Its no biggie. In fact these days, much as I like it, in the interest of the long term health of my knees, ankles and hips, I do the least I can to maintain my weight. I did get a tab obsessed with running enormous distances for a while there, I did my half marathon and now I'll probably never run more than 10K again. The risks and downsides to me outweigh the benefits, I've proved I could do it now I have no need to grind my knees to cartiledge to prove I can do it again. I dont need to do it to lose weight. I just want to stay fit and healthy weight. I'd call that a healthy but sensible dedication to a health promoting practice.
Also, the people who like to call you obessive for doing that are generally not fit themselves. They would spontaneously combust or barf up a lung from trying to run 10km - they dont understand that to me, to head out for a 10km run is EASIER than for someone 300lb to do a brisk walk. Its not taxing, I dont puff and pant, it feels good!
I never experienced any transfer addition - no shopping compulsion, no switching to ice cream or alchohol etc. And I agree, I think the term "addiction" is misused.

My worry about being banded at 13 - you're not fully grown. Your organs are not full adult size. You can have no real appreciation of what you're giving up in terms of your social life during your college years, you can never even go to a birthday party and act "normal". No fizzy drinks, no burgers for a young teen, ever? You still have puberty and a growth spurt to get through and you need to nourish your growing body for that, to restrict it so strongly now in terms of nutrition could have serious consequences.
Still, being obese is horrible enough that most people would want to do something as soon as they could and depending on the extent of your problem, the benefits could outweigh the risks. I think you're right to be thinking about it and starting to plan to have it as soon as you possibly can, but be willing to accept that most surgeons are going to want to wait a few years yet, Hang in there and do the best you can.

You know, its taken a lot for this message to get into my thick head. I am a carbaholic, love love love muffins, Cookies, cakes, sweet nutty concoctions (like "healthy" bars) and chocolate. Strangely, I hate bread and whilst I like Pasta and rice and wouldnt ever give them up, I dont overeat them. Just the sweet stuff.
I've had a band for seven years and never given up these foods, even though I've lost weight. I'm prone to periods of time of eating nothing BUT these foods, skipping all the healthy stuff to have a donut for lunch. Calores in, calories out is all that matters in the end - and I'm healthy overall - but this is my weakness.
However, since my whole cancer journey, side effects of radiation and chemo, I cant eat wheat - or a lot of sugar. I'm not allergic, nothing drastic will happen in the short term, but over time it makes me chronically and horribly constipated - along with lactose, fructose and sugar. Despite the fact that I will throw up instantly if I try to stuff a donut down fast, its been the Constipation and bloating, seven years later, which has finally cured me of my desire for yeasty sweet foods. I just dont want them.The mental association with toilet troubles is just too strong.
Why on earth would the mental association with being fat, unhealthy and pbing not do it for me? Weird huh?
And you know, I hear you on the pain and positivity thing. I should be ecstatic over the fact that i'm 2 years cancer free and all signs for a cancer free future are great. But I'm so consumed with my daily battle with my bowels, niggly left sided pain, a stitch in my left side, the need for an enema to have a bowel motion which is kinda crampy and awful and followed by several hours of low grade cramping, urges to push. Every single freaking day. And apparently that's a GOOD outcome following radiation and resection. I have to work very hard for it not not overwhelm my outlook but constant pain does wear you down. You dont have to feel you need to support everyone here when you need it yourself.

I ate around 1500, ran for an hour a day and never counted or journalled anything, the got me down to. BMi of 21.

Protein shakes aren't magic, they're calories just like any other food. Don't worry about trying to afford them if it's too hard right now, stick to cheaper sources of Protein.< /p>
FWIW, I have never drunk them, I lost 120% of my excess weight and have kept it off for five years.

Protein shakes aren't magic, they're calories just like any other food. Don't worry about trying to afford them if it's too hard right now, stick to cheaper sources of Protein.< /p>
FWIW, I have never drunk them, I lost 120% of my excess weight and have kept it off for five years.

Seven years, complication free, even despite having rectal cancer (two years cancer free as of yesterday, yay!!!)

Im sorry but I just dont understand why people get so judgemental and holier than thou over low bmi'ers. You've ALL been there and none of you jsut ate less, exercised more or were honest with yourself back then either!
As for cosmetic surgeries - well I am not ashamed in the least to say that vanity was my major reason for being banded. My BMI was 35, I wasnt sick. Nobody blinks an eye at breast enlargements or tummy tucks but have lapband surgery - a surgery which is likely to improve your health in many many ways even if you're only mildly obese - and suddenly that's wrong? Jeez, how hypocritical.
I just cant believe that people who have failed to control their weight gain to the point of becoming morbidly obese can then judge someone else's unsuccessful efforts and accuse her of deluding herself or being dishonest. Do any of you REALLY think if you'd just approached it in a different way you wouldnt have needed to be banded? How many freaking times did you diet and gain it back? And yet we STILL give out this advice thinking it will work?

I can only say gain, there I nothing WRONG with the 4 cc band. sure, products continue to be tweaked but it's like saying your 2007 car is a pile of poop js because it doesn't have Bluetooth and iPod connectivity like 2012 cars do. It's still a car, it can still be luxurious and reliable nd a pleasure to drive, still gets you from A to B. this is similar hysteria to saying HRT causes breast cancer when in reality you might get one or two more cases per hundred women.
If you are the owner of a 4cc band, you do not have an inferior product, in fact purely on observation you may indeed have a few more advantages and perhaps two in a hundred of you will have a slip, whereas if you have a 10cc band mybe one in a hundred will suffer the same fate. We're still serving plenty if those I've slipped posts even though the 4cc band isn't in common use in the USA.
These numbers are just made up, trying to put it in perspective.. You are not guaranteed or even likelyto hav troubles with your 4cc band.

This I what I've kind of worked out myself through my years here. Back in 2005, nobody talked about taking monhs to get restriction.

But if it meant the inference between going 5 years with your band or 25, which would you choose?

My hubby has a 10 cc band and in my opinion, eats like a non banded person - slower and less than before but fast and large portions to my 4cc eyes. He lost about 50% of his excess weight, but he eats what he wants, doesnt diet and oesnt exercise. He looks fairly normal, meaning fat but not hugely obese. Not Roth the surgery if you add me.

My 4cc band is seven years old, but I do ave a slightly stretched pouch.

Not me, I've got middle aged white woman flat but syndrome. My buttocks are like two droopy pancakes.
Despite thousands of squats, lunges and running
I've got no boobs either. I never ever in a zillion years would have believed I was a skinny body type, but any flesh at all on me us just flab. Thankfully I am nicely pear shaped and don't look like a boy, but I don't have curves.

Not me, I've got middle aged white woman flat but syndrome. My buttocks are like two droopy pancakes.
Despite thousands of squats, lunges and running
I've got no boobs either. I never ever in a zillion years would have believed I was a skinny body type, but any flesh at all on me us just flab. Thankfully I am nicely pear shaped and don't look like a boy, but I don't have curves.

Ditto

I'm 43, I teach grade six and my kids thought I was twenty-something!

God, its truly scary what idiots are in charge of some programs. This is probably the biggest load of rubbish I've read on here in seven years - and there's been some whoppers. Stop exercising to lose more weight? I dont think so!
I would ignore that advice - and lie about it if needs be.

God, its truly scary what idiots are in charge of some programs. This is probably the biggest load of rubbish I've read on here in seven years - and there's been some whoppers. Stop exercising to lose more weight? I dont think so!
I would ignore that advice - and lie about it if needs be.

Im sorry but I just dont understand why people get so judgemental and holier than thou over low bmi'ers. You've ALL been there and none of you jsut ate less, exercised more or were honest with yourself back then either!
As for cosmetic surgeries - well I am not ashamed in the least to say that vanity was my major reason for being banded. My BMI was 35, I wasnt sick. Nobody blinks an eye at breast enlargements or tummy tucks but have lapband surgery - a surgery which is likely to improve your health in many many ways even if you're only mildly obese - and suddenly that's wrong? Jeez, how hypocritical.
I just cant believe that people who have failed to control their weight gain to the point of becoming morbidly obese can then judge someone else's unsuccessful efforts and accuse her of deluding herself or being dishonest. Do any of you REALLY think if you'd just approached it in a different way you wouldnt have needed to be banded? How many freaking times did you diet and gain it back? And yet we STILL give out this advice thinking it will work?

Any diet that avoids fruit but encourages bacon just isnt healthy! Carbs are not the only thing that defines a healthy food and a healthy diet is about balance even if you like to low carb. Did you know that the association between processed meats like bacon and ham and bowel cancer is so strong that current recommendations recently declared are to not eat those foods at all?
Wheteher you eat carbs or not, fresh and unprocessed is the way to go.

Im sorry but I just dont understand why people get so judgemental and holier than thou over low bmi'ers. You've ALL been there and none of you jsut ate less, exercised more or were honest with yourself back then either!
As for cosmetic surgeries - well I am not ashamed in the least to say that vanity was my major reason for being banded. My BMI was 35, I wasnt sick. Nobody blinks an eye at breast enlargements or tummy tucks but have lapband surgery - a surgery which is likely to improve your health in many many ways even if you're only mildly obese - and suddenly that's wrong? Jeez, how hypocritical.
I just cant believe that people who have failed to control their weight gain to the point of becoming morbidly obese can then judge someone else's unsuccessful efforts and accuse her of deluding herself or being dishonest. Do any of you REALLY think if you'd just approached it in a different way you wouldnt have needed to be banded? How many freaking times did you diet and gain it back? And yet we STILL give out this advice thinking it will work?

Aargh. Halloween is not an Australian celebration yet it has really caught on in th past decade. I have never let my kids trick or treat, without the whole tradition it boils own to annoying the crap out of people banging on their doors asking for food.
My nine year old is desperate though. But I will NOT dress up!

Im sorry but I just dont understand why people get so judgemental and holier than thou over low bmi'ers. You've ALL been there and none of you jsut ate less, exercised more or were honest with yourself back then either!
As for cosmetic surgeries - well I am not ashamed in the least to say that vanity was my major reason for being banded. My BMI was 35, I wasnt sick. Nobody blinks an eye at breast enlargements or tummy tucks but have lapband surgery - a surgery which is likely to improve your health in many many ways even if you're only mildly obese - and suddenly that's wrong? Jeez, how hypocritical.
I just cant believe that people who have failed to control their weight gain to the point of becoming morbidly obese can then judge someone else's unsuccessful efforts and accuse her of deluding herself or being dishonest. Do any of you REALLY think if you'd just approached it in a different way you wouldnt have needed to be banded? How many freaking times did you diet and gain it back? And yet we STILL give out this advice thinking it will work?

Im sorry but I just dont understand why people get so judgemental and holier than thou over low bmi'ers. You've ALL been there and none of you jsut ate less, exercised more or were honest with yourself back then either!
As for cosmetic surgeries - well I am not ashamed in the least to say that vanity was my major reason for being banded. My BMI was 35, I wasnt sick. Nobody blinks an eye at breast enlargements or tummy tucks but have lapband surgery - a surgery which is likely to improve your health in many many ways even if you're only mildly obese - and suddenly that's wrong? Jeez, how hypocritical.
I just cant believe that people who have failed to control their weight gain to the point of becoming morbidly obese can then judge someone else's unsuccessful efforts and accuse her of deluding herself or being dishonest. Do any of you REALLY think if you'd just approached it in a different way you wouldnt have needed to be banded? How many freaking times did you diet and gain it back? And yet we STILL give out this advice thinking it will work?