Carson Wyler

After losing 126 lbs on Weight Watchers and maintaining for three years, I gained nearly all of it back when my arthritic knee became so painful I stopped exercising (and started eating massive portions of inappropriate foods). After knee-replacement surgery, I tried a variety of weight loss programs but I couldn't recapture my determination. After a referral by my primary care physician, I began the bariatric program at Kaiser South San Francisco by attending their orientation on 8 September; I'm booked for the second phase (nutrition and lifestyle classes) at the end of the month. I don't yet have a target weight to qualify for surgery, but I suspect it'll mean I have to lose 25 to 30 lbs. Kaiser supplied very thorough informational materials so I have a good idea what changes I'll need to make pre- and post-surgery. I'm fairly confident I can follow the plan, but I have some concerns about exercising (I can't walk or even stand for more than 5 minutes) and about getting enough water given the stringent rules about when not to drink. I'm also at a loss about how to prepare foods that suit both my husband and myself (he's not keen on eating slush). I'm looking forward to "meeting" folks here on the forum and learning about living with my LapBand—and maybe even loving it.