Another thread got me to thinking last night about how people view the band. Their posts seem to indicate (but I could be wrong) that they believe the band does the work...not the person. Just insert and voila! instant willpower and self-control. I have to admit that as much as I researched this band and went into this with eyes wide open, there was still a small part of me that must have looked at this in the same way. I kept waiting for restriction figuring that once I had *it*, all my problems were over and I was on the highway to skinnyville.

A little over a week ago I reached restriction and, over the past week, any delusions I may have had about the band doing the work? Well, they're gone. The band is just a tool. If I don't take small bites and chew slowly, I will get stuck. It tells me when I'm 'full' and if I'm stupid enough to take another bite, it will remind me with pain that I'm 'full'. Someone else may choose Jenny Craig as a tool. The meal is already measured and weighed and when they get to the end of that meal, it is their 'reminder' that they are done.

Either of us can keep on eating because (yes I was deliberately testing the limits of my band) if I drink Water with my meal, chew well and slowly and take small bites, well I can wash that meal right on through my band and keep eating...if I choose.

I already know that Cookies don't care if you have restriction or even if you're so tight you can't eat anything but Protein shakes. I can eat sweets nonstop...if I choose.

I can graze all day...if I choose.

In other words...the band is just a tool...just like Jenny Craig, WW, a fitness membership or anything else that we find useful in our battle with our weight. Each of us has to find the right tool, but it's still up to us to find the self-control, motivation and will power to use that tool...or tools...properly.

As we all know, the band does not work for everyone. You have to want it to work.

Kind of reminds me of those diet ads on tv that say if you take this little pill 3 times a day you can lose 5 pounds in a week. Then scrolling across the screen in smaller print it says "when combined with a 1000 calorie diet and exercise".

The band should come with that same warning, only in BIG print. "Get a band and you can lose this excess weight...*IF* you follow all of the rules." In other words, use the tool properly or it's just a useless piece of plastic.

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GREAT POST, I am really loving this whole exp. and being a part of this site. You said it all and really your post should be the consent you have to sign before getting into this venture. You are 100 % correct, I just had my surgery on Monday 1/4/2010. I am a nurse and I understand what surgery is, but I have to tell you until I woke up following the surgery with the actual pain in my gut, I finally realized how real this is. I thank god I am doing great and knock on wood no problems. I am following the diet to a T, clear liquids, diet jello blah blah, and even this is a committment. Thanks so much for your post I really thought it said it all!

It kills me every time I see some one say, "I have been banded since xxx and I am not losing weight."

Then comes the reply I abhor, "when you get fills you will lose weight."

I am not banded yet and have done more research than my surgeon has. Well, maybe a little less.

I try to reply to most of these letting people know that the ban is NOT a magic wand and give a few tips. I am great at losing weight. I just suck at not putting it back on.

I gave somebody weight-loss advice in their blog the other day and some clueless idiot replied with, "he isn't banded and is giving you advice only a doctor can give." Take a look for yourself: Wondering? - LAP-BAND

Thanks for the post. These are very important concepts that I sometimes forget during my busy days and being newly banded.

I agree with you to a point. But ....... The band and the fills have been pretty magical for me. I have dropped over 60 lbs with this magic wand that I never would have dropped without it.

Of course I don't live on ice cream and cookies, but that isn't really "work". It's a magic measuring cup for me. I don't measure anything. I can not drink and make solid food push through my band. I have had my problems with it, but overall it's pretty magical to me and I love it !

HB,

You do NOT give yourself enough credit! The band does NOT make you drink plenty of water; the band does NOT make your food choices for you; the band does NOT make you eat only 3 meals a day; the band does NOT exercise for you. YOU do all of that!

Fantastic Post !!!

Yes - I really hate those post too..

IMHO the major problem lies in our heads not our stomach and our bands are just tools for us - not the magic wand..

I have never lost 112 lbs before - it's a great tool that helped me get here - but I did the work not the band..

75% my work (healthy eating & exercise)

25% the band (restriction)

I agree with you to a point. But ....... The band and the fills have been pretty magical for me. I have dropped over 60 lbs with this magic wand that I never would have dropped without it.

Because you found the right tool that works *for you*.

Some people will get the band and they won't lose weight...because it was the wrong tool for them. Some people lose on Atkins and keep it off. Some on WW...some on JC...etc.

There is no one tool for everyone. We just need to find the one that is right for us...and when we do, the results may seem magical because we're able to work with it and be successful.

My aunt thinks WW is her successful tool. She's gone on it and lost over 100 pounds...three times. Some would say it's not a successful tool...but the fault did not lie with the tool. If she had obeyed the rules of the tool, she would have kept the weight off. Same with the band. We have to obey the rules, or a year after we're banded, we won't be any lighter on our feet than we were the day we were banded.

By the way, HB, congrats on the weight loss!

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HB,

You do NOT give yourself enough credit! The band does NOT make you drink plenty of water; the band does NOT make your food choices for you; the band does NOT make you eat only 3 meals a day; the band does NOT exercise for you. YOU do all of that!

Ditto! This post needed an encore!

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Excellent post! You are so right, the band is a tool. It's up to us to decide how well we use that tool. There is nothing wrong with Jenny Craig, WW or many other diet tools out there and there are people who are successful with those tools. Unfortunately, my success with those tools was short-term. The band has been the most successful tool for me and it's up to me how successful I make it. I'd love to be able to wave a magic wand or blink my eyes and have the weight be gone because losing weight with the band is still hard. But I think in the long run I will appreciate the effort I put into losing the weight and will believe I have a tool that will help me to keep it off. The band was the motivation I needed to do things differently and it's been a blessing in my life.

Edited January 9, 201016 yr by A New Woman

I'd love to be able to wave a magic wand or blink my eyes and have the weight be gone because losing weight with the band is still hard. But I think in the long run I will appreciate the effort I put into losing the weight and will believe I have a tool that will help me to keep it off. The band was the motivation I needed to do things differently and it's been a blessing in my life.

Exactly! It's still hard work, but the band was the motivation we needed...just as WW or JC is the motivation others needed.

That's why I just want to smack people who are stupid enough to tell me I 'took the easy way out' by getting the band. Easy...right.

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HB,

You do NOT give yourself enough credit! The band does NOT make you drink plenty of water; the band does NOT make your food choices for you; the band does NOT make you eat only 3 meals a day; the band does NOT exercise for you. YOU do all of that!

Sad but true ..... I am a VERY BAD BIRD!

I do not drink plenty of Water. VERY BAD

The band does make my food choices for me in many cases.

With the band I can not eat burgers and fries or pizza. Even a couple bites and I will be in pain and can not eat again for hours. So the band makes me choose other things. Magic!The only choices I have to make involve things like icecream.

The band DOES make me eat only 3 meals a day. Magical Tool! Infact sometimes only lunch and dinner if a Protein shake doesn't count for Breakfast. I eat a small lunch, chili for example, then there is no way I can eat anything more until dinner time. Magical Tool !

I do not exercise. VERY BAD BIRD ! I have lost 63 lbs in 6 months with no exercise. MAGIC !!!

Elfiepoo, I thought your post was spot on and had a friend read it to understand better what I am going through. I am also enjoying the replies.

Mimi

You are so right. The band is not magic. I have been making wrong choices since Christmas Eve. I found that I can eat sweets, pretzels, and even chips. I am not at my good restriction yet and have to go back to the Dr. on Monday and I'm scared to go face the "music" but I know I have to. I am thankful for all of the posts here and makes me realize that I'm not alone. Thank you all!

AWESOME post, Elfie!

Is everybody familiar with this article: http://www.fortworthlapband.com/public/forms/LAP-BAND_Golden_Rules.pdf?

It's written well but doesn't include what is the most important weight-loss tip ever: Drink plenty of water!

It also doesn't make it clear that you have to burn more calories than you consume.