Its time to take responsibility for my decisions, and I'm hoping that the support of fellow banders will wake me up.

Before anyone says that the band is a tool, and not a "fix all", I know that. I'm simply lacking the motivation and will power.

I was banded on June 3rd. To date, I've lost 18 pounds. For the last 3 months, I've lost nothing.

I don't eat right and I don't exercise. I lack the ambition and I need it back!

I was up to 7 cc's in my band, but everything got stuck, so my Dr took out 1/2 a cc. Some things still get stuck, because I don't chew well, and I simply wash it down with Water. (I know that is a no no)

One of my problems is I cannot find the right foods to eat. I'm a very picky eater, and am a meat and potatoes kind of girl.

I don't feel full like I thought I would. Eating 2nd's is not a problem, and I can eat anything I want.

Eating sugar has not bad affects on me... at all.

I feel fatigued and achy, and I know its from lack of exercise.

I had an appt to talk to my Dr a little over a week ago, and then bam... we had a snow storm and I had to cancel. I now have an appt for 1/17.

I often think that maybe it would have been better for me to have had the gastric bypass, because then maybe I would have to work so hard at, but I also know that is not the answer.

The answer lies within myself, and I have to search my soul for it.

I currently weigh 233 and I'm sick of it. Its as though I'm sabotaging myself. Why do I do that???

I truly, truly want to lose the weight. That is not the problem. The major problem is that I don't know how to eat right.

Thank you for support, and although I know you probably won't do it, please don't lecture, because as I said.... I know that some of the things I'm doing are wrong.

Oh... and by the way, I also smoke.

I am a walking billboard for "What not to do after Lap Band surgery!"

I need support, motivation and advise.

I hope you all have a great day!

Well I feel your pain as I am a year post op lost 70lbs and then nothing for the last 7 months. Im ready to pull my hair out have had fills but I mostly stick to the diet. The question I have for you is what do you like to eat because we have to establish that too. I dont like to excersie either and have two treadmills a bike and an ab lounger in my front bedroom sitting there collecting dust because I dont like to walk without anything to watch. So I keep making the excuse for my husband to buy me a tv to put in there and I will probably walk. Not. It aint going to happen. The only thing I can tell you is that maybe from this day forward we have to make each other accountable for the excersise part. I dont know how because we wont really know if the other is doing it or not but we have to start somewhere. Im willing to be your buddy if you want and help you if everyone is willing to help all of us struggling. I think once we see the scale moving again it will be a motivation enough. So lets start one day at a time and today the goal is to drink all our water. Thats todays goal. If you are ready then so am I. Lets do this and here is my email address if you want to email me iluvbears42@yahoo.com

I feel your pain and disappointment too. I lost more weight in the 3 months before surgery than I have in the 4 months since. I too often find myself drinking with meals to wash it down so I can eat. I hate the "new" full feeling. I know I'm not always eating the right foods, although I am eating considerably less of it. We do have pizza a couple of times a month and I tend to eat the cheese and toppings off of a couple of slices. I don't dare do breads, Pasta, rice, or eggs anymore. I've got a crazy work schedule and am at work before 5am so I do eat in the car more often than I'd like. I live almost an hour from work so If I don't remember to bring lunch with me I always end up grabbing something at the drive thru. Wendy's Chili is not easy to eat while driving. I'm a picky eater and this band has made that worse. Chewing food until it's chewed enough makes me gag, that mushy slimy food doesn't want to go down. I need to suck it up and be super strict for 3 weeks. If I can stick to it for 3 weeks I can do it longer... 3 weeks seems to be how long it takes me to get the cravings out of my systm. I've got to stop making excuses and accept that this is not what I expected, and adjust. Most of the time I don't like the band. I wish I had had the sleeve done instead. And I get so mad at myself that I had surgery and I'm still screwing my weight up. I was a better bandster before I was banded!

I think I need to meet some other banded people in my area. I would like to eat a few meals with others who are successufl in it so I can see exactly how they eat.

You're not alone. Lack of motivation is here too.

It's tough to get motivated to eat right and excersise. I didn't start working out until about 4 months post op. The hardest part was getting started. I joined a gym (I know it's expensive) and began walking at a moderate pace for just 20 minutes. I gradually increased the intensity and duration. I now do 40 minutes. I walk for 1 minute, jog for 4. I also work out with a trainer 3 days a week, we do weights. I understand what your saying about the tv-I highly reccomend you get one. Another option would be to listen to music- I bring my ipod to the gym.

As far as eating, like you've said, you know what to do. Get all the junk out of the house. Ellicit the support of your husband. Hopefully if he wants food not on your plan he can eat them outside the house, or at the very least not infront of you. Designate a cabinent for his food- and you don't even go in there. You may want to start out by eating the right foods (low carb, low fat, high protien) even if your portions are larger than is ideal. Once you get in the "mode" then you can reduce your portions.

Be sure you are getting all your water in. It will help you feel full and your body will more efficiently burn fat.

Set small goals for yourself. Give yourself a small (non food related) reward for each goal you reach. Maybe you like to go to the spa, or you could buy a new piece of clothing or jewlery. The goal doesn't have to be a number of pounds lost. It could be getting in all your water everyday for a week or sticking to your food plan (with no "cheats") for a week.

I hope this helps! Keep us posted on how your doing.

My only goal for today is drinking all my water. Thats a small start but anything is better than nothing. It is a struggle maybe this weekend I will attempt the tread mill. I just have to do it because I am otherwise unhappy. I know 70lbs is a lot but I still have 40 to go and I want it gone by summer. Lets do this thing we have too we didnt have surgery to be like this. Its just a set back and that is how I am looking at it. On we go.

Hi I was also banded June 3rd 2010 and to date have lost 44 lbs in the beginning I had no motivation and was not feeling full. then In november a few days before Thanksgiving I finally felt restriction and it felt great I have a 14cc's band and I have 10cc's in it and I am tight. I never ever exercised then one day I got my but off the couch and said what the hell I started a biggest loser workout dvd. I FELT SO AWESOME after that work out I had so much energy the rest of the day I want more and more of that energy. I walk almost everyday or ride my bike and if its cold out walk inside or do a workout video. I eat pretty much what I want in small amounts No chocolate or sweets though I was caving them in the beginning and I did eat them daily but I have learned to tell myself NO. I hope this helps some

Ashley

I didn't start exercising until 3 or 4 months after my surgery but I have to tell you I think it is key in losing weight. I didn't exercise over 2 weeks during Christmas and lost nothing. I started exercising again the 28th of Dec. and I lost 4 pounds this week! I don't always eat right, and I definately eat larger portions than they say I should be able too. Exercise and Water I think are really key elements. Some days I have to drag my hind end, kicking and screaming, to the gym. I feel so good after I work out. And I think I get most of my motivation from seeing the scale move. That really motivates me, every single pound motivates me more. WE CAN DO THIS!!! Get back to it, and when you fail to exercise or eat not the healthiest one day, just get up the next and start over, don't beat yourself up, just start again. Good Luck!

The treadmill is BORING! You need to find something that is fun to you. I hated and would not touch my treadmill. My husband started me on a circuit training, I loved it so I kept at it. Some people its things like kick boxing or DVD's. For exercise if you dont like the treadmill then dont do it. Find something else.

For your eating...you need to work around the limitations. If you eat in the car, start asking people for recipes that can be held in your hand. Like a few slices of turkey mean wrapped around some FF cream cheese. Or some other hand held options. So many people here that are incredibly innovative on recipes. If you are a meat and potatoes gal, then make some thing that uses potato as a binder and put some slivers of meat in it, then fry it in olive oil and eat a "potato pancake".

The motivation you need is how to work around life. We all have our excuses, I have plenty! We just need to put our heads into the game and figure out a way to get around it. Stick to your Water regime for a full week, then go to the store and buy yourself a cool cup that you can use for water from that point forward. Make that your water "prize". For exercise, if there is a DVD you really want, then exercise (20 min a day for a start, 3-4x per week no more or you will burn out!!) for a full week and then go buy it as your "prize".

This is "head hunger" in a big way. Or maybe better put "Head Sabotage". Time to use our heads for resolving problems instead of coming up with excuses. Good luck. You CAN do this.

Nicole

I was told by the lady that does my fills, that it is okay to drink with a meal. Of course though, I just try to remember to just sip and I never eat more because I have something to drink.

Good luck to you. I don't recall, have you met with a nutrionist? Maybe you can try joining Nutrisystem and eat those meals. They'd be good portion sizes for you and you could eat stuff you like.

Take care.

I feel your pain, although I was only banded on 12/30/10.

I am having difficulty with my motivation to follow the stupid post surgery diet and fell off the wagon in a big way this last weekend. I am back on the straight and narroy with the liquid diet today. Still no motivation.

And exercise is a huge issue for me. I used to exercise all the time, but as I have gotten older (and fatter) that gusto is gone.

All I can suggest is that you start with your diet and go through the beginning diet again, working your way up to solid foods. Maybe with that and an adjustment to make your stoma tighter, you will find things move again.

i just have to not be in the same room as my husband when he eats. He is on the Atkins diet, but he cheats regularly... in front of me.

Also, have a friend who you trust come over and clean out your pantry and freezer. Give them a list for the grocery and some money and stick to it.

I was an accountant before I retired. Our budget has gotten much better since I started this process. We no longer eat at restaurants except once in a great while. And we only pay cash for such splurges. Our grocery bill has shrunk significantly as well. And while our pharmacy bill has not yet budged, it will before much longer as I am the one taking 90% of the pills.

Just attack it as though it were your financial budget and you just lost your job. Cut out everything that is not needed or good for you. Bring only in those items that add value.

Take that trusted friend with you for walks or, given your recent weather, work together to shovel snow. Working out with someone with you makes things easier and you can be each other's support.

I purchased a membership at 24-hour Fitness. It is pretty cool as they have multiple treadmills, recumbant bicycles, machines, etc. They also have indoor pools, a jacuzzi, sauna and steam room.

All in all, not a bad deal for $199 per person per year. It is WAY cheaper than the YMCA membership. And they have specials for 3, 6, or 12 1-hour long sessions with a trainer.

We are all in this together.

(and I know all too well that cheesecake is wayyy to close to the "soft" food description).

I won't harp on your smoking. You will make that change when you are ready.

What about support groups? There is Overeater's Annonymous, Weight Watchers, or some other support group. Even AA works. An addict is an addict. And we are addicts. Our drug is food.

Its time to take responsibility for my decisions, and I'm hoping that the support of fellow banders will wake me up.

Before anyone says that the band is a tool, and not a "fix all", I know that. I'm simply lacking the motivation and will power.

I was banded on June 3rd. To date, I've lost 18 pounds. For the last 3 months, I've lost nothing.

I don't eat right and I don't exercise. I lack the ambition and I need it back!

I was up to 7 cc's in my band, but everything got stuck, so my Dr took out 1/2 a cc. Some things still get stuck, because I don't chew well, and I simply wash it down with Water. (I know that is a no no)

One of my problems is I cannot find the right foods to eat. I'm a very picky eater, and am a meat and potatoes kind of girl.

I don't feel full like I thought I would. Eating 2nd's is not a problem, and I can eat anything I want.

Eating sugar has not bad affects on me... at all.

I feel fatigued and achy, and I know its from lack of exercise.

I had an appt to talk to my Dr a little over a week ago, and then bam... we had a snow storm and I had to cancel. I now have an appt for 1/17.

I often think that maybe it would have been better for me to have had the gastric bypass, because then maybe I would have to work so hard at, but I also know that is not the answer.

The answer lies within myself, and I have to search my soul for it.

I currently weigh 233 and I'm sick of it. Its as though I'm sabotaging myself. Why do I do that???

I truly, truly want to lose the weight. That is not the problem. The major problem is that I don't know how to eat right.

Thank you for support, and although I know you probably won't do it, please don't lecture, because as I said.... I know that some of the things I'm doing are wrong.

Oh... and by the way, I also smoke.