lingling

Now, I reckon I exercise more than the average person - yet I am overweight..... I was talking to a thin friend of mine (male) on the phone tonight - who I have broached the subject of L/B with and he thinks I should "harden up" and put some effort in and just do Body For Life as thats what he's doing. Apparently (according to him) the portion of Protein in my meals and my laziness is responsible for the extra 60kg (150pd) I am carrying. (if only) I am pre-band now, I have my second (and as yet, undecided) appointment with the Doc on the 2nd. I gym 3-4 times per week and play netball for 45 mins 1x per week. I don't really feel like I am being lazy - I mean I could definitely go every day - I could run in the morning, gym at lunch time and yoga at night... I feel like I am doing more than the average person, yet I am still fat, so I think to myself - maybe I AM lazy? Maybe the band is the easy way out because I embody everything bad everyone has ever said about me and I am a lazy slob and that's why I am overweight? I have my ex personal trainer who is really lovely coming around next week to sort me out a programme. Which I will use band or no band. Part of me thinks that if I really GAVE it a shot, then perhaps I could beat the demon......? Maybe all that I have done so far is not what a dedicated person who really wanted it would have done? Anyway, what I meant to write this post about was - is my level of exercise currently enough to enable me to lose post band? Or will I need to increase significantly? You all seem to say that its a HUGE lifestyle change and that the band gives you the impetus - - but what did you guys do before, and what do you do now? Thanks x

YOU LOOK PHENOMENAL!!!! Congrats and good work!!! You're gorgeous!

I am trying do decide whether to get banded and there are mixed reviews (just been reading a thread re: failed bands) thought I'd do a poll! So I am wondering if you had the chance to do it over and choose whether you would get a L/B what would you do? and why or why not? :thumbup:

I soooooooooo get this! I constantly complain about how there are no good men out there - and I realised that the only men I am meeting are the ones who like fat chicks (or who like me despite the fact I am fat) and I have deliberated over settling for them.... although I realised when I was talkiing about the banding the other night with a friend of mine and I was also talking about this guy who i am not sure if he's keen/or really if I am keen - and she was saying imagine how good you would feel if you could finally get thinner, and all the guys that would be keen etc. and I said it all when I said "god yes, I would so not be interested in Blah blah if I was thin" and I thought oh jeez, I am totally settling as I don't think I can do better because I am fat. I am so excited that I won't have this HUGE (pun intended) barrier between me and finding someone who I love and who can love me. Both by more men finding me attractive - and by me being more confident in talking to them - that I will get to meet more men, and finally meet someone I click with. I've been single now for a few years but was in a realtionship for 6 years before that and I although I have really enjoyed being single, I am starting to feel very scared I will not find anyone. I am not really looking forward to rubbing anyones face in it - exes etc - well maybe one... but mainly looking forward to being able to go to school reunions and catching up wth old family friends from years ago - and not feeling like they will think i have failed in life because I am fat. Ugh.. emotional purge over... heh.

I'm a kiwi - from New Zealand! Only one of two I see~!

You guys look awesome. Its so hard to fathom what I would look like thin..

Anyone tried this guy? :w00t:

Hi everyone I'm 28 (nearly 29) and have been overweight my WHOLE life, from like 2 years old. I am debating the banding. I have tried weight watchers, dieting, personal trainers, I currently gym 3-4x per week. I am trying really hard to cut down on the wine as I am sure that doesn't help either! I am really starting to consider having a band done. I went to see a guy about it a year ago - and learned a bit. I read some forums and I was disheartened about the "quality of life" or what I perceived to be the "quality of life". Things like PBs, not drinking champagne or beer, and people knowing really put me off, and I decided to give weightwatchers another go for a year - convinced I hadn't tried hard enough. Well, my weight is creeping up - now at nearly 300pd. When I was 20 I was 220 and its yoyo'd and crept up since then. What I want to know is the REAL Truth. Is it worth it? I am worried I am being lazy and that I really could do this if I hardened up and got off my ass and just stuck to weight watchers to the T. Although the surgeon told me 2% of people lose considerable weight without surgery and keep it off. I don't want to be 40 and single and wishing I'd got the band and enjoyed my life skinny because I wasn't gonna get there by myself. But I am scared that I will feel like crap every day and never be able to eat anything but mashed potatoes and keep doing PBs and that it wont be worth it? Mainly, I am scared I will die in the surgery. I don't have any associated health problems (yet) but I am paronoid that I will die on the table - therefore this risk + ??? feeling like crap and eating only mashed potatoes - outweight the possiblity that I MAY BE ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT HELP!!!??? Help! :wink2:

These are all such awesome replies - so honest and open. Thank you. I was feeling really keen on it and excited when I was having a general read on here the other day and then I read the "having my band removed" forum and saw some old studies and I really started to freak out about if it doesnt work, or I have horrible problems, or it slips - and started to deliberate a bit more. I am seeing the surgeon for the second time (i went about 18mths ago) on the 2nd Feb, and will have heaps of questions to ask him. Any thing you wish you'd asked? I am definitely going to ask about what kind of fill he puts in to start with, how much it costs to get fills (didn't think it would cost but it looks like it costs you guys!) if I can still take medication, what the risks of surgery are (in terms of chance of death), how long I need off work etc... Thanks guys x

I cannot believe that you guys live in a country that will pay for this with insurance!!!! We have no show over here in NZ. I am considering trying to make a case in light of family history etc but its relatively unheard of.