I'm looking for opinions on the main things that really worked for you, or what you would go back and do differently if given the chance. I am pre-op, and I've read tons of great information all over these forums. But I wanted to start a single thread for post-op people to express "This really worked for me..." or "I wish I had NOT done this!" about things like nutrition/food choices, cardio, weight training, who you told, friends/family support, etc. based on individual experience at any stage during your journey.

I do realize everyone's experience is a little different, and everything doesn't always work for everyone. But so far everything I've read in these forums has been helpful to me in some way. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and stories. I wouldn't have made the decision to move forward with this surgery had it not been for some of the posts on here. :-)

I would have started working out sooner. I didn't join the gym until 10 months after surgery.

I wouldn't have worried so much about protein in the early going. I would have been patient and less frustrated during Bandster Hell. I would have discovered the beauty of tomato soup and lifting weights and running and almonds and Lululemon earlier.

Starting to workout was the best thing I did. It took me about 4 months post-op to hit the gym. I got a personal trainer for weight lifting, see her 4 times a week. I do cardio about 5 times a week. I went from a slow walk for 20 minutes to a brisk walk on an incline for 45 or a jog for 30. I lost 107 pounds in 10 months. Hope this helps and best wishes.

I'm glad I:

1. Went to a therapist before surgery to help me deal with why I used to over eat. This helped me start off on the right foot.

2. Tested Protein shakes before starting my preop diet so I already knew which ones I like

3. Have used my surgeon/nutritionists info as a guide but took the time to figure out how to make it work for me

4. Took measurements and pictures so I have something to look back on to see how far I've come

5. Kept my largest pair of pants...I put them on from time to time to remind me of what I have accomplished.

6. Journal my food daily (I use myfitnesspal)

I wish I had:

1. Started exercising earlier.

2. Purchased my Bodybugg earlier (love this tool)

That's all I can think of right now...

Thanks for the replies! I've heard a lot about the benefits of beginning cardio and strength training right away. I already do cardio 2-3x a week, so I'm ready to step it up and incorporate in some strength training as well. I have my initial consultation with the surgeon this week. His practice has a fantastic weight management lifestyle support system - gym, physical trainers, nutritionist, support group meetings. I hope he will let me begin taking advantage of those benefits right away so my post-op behavior won't be such a radical change. I have heard Lululemon mentioned more than a few times in the forums, so I'll definitely have to check it out!

Thanks again. Your posts were very helpful and encouraging.

I think the best thing I did was get serious/get my head in the game BEFORE surgery. I put myself on a super low-carb diet a month before surgery and I stuck to it so that on surgery day, I'd already lost over 20 lbs as a head start. That meant no "last suppers", etc. I made that commitment to myself that I was going to work within the rules and learn how to eat and I wasn't going to cheat myself or my band by trying to test how much I could get away with.

I am nowhere near as "good" as I was in the beginning (I follow a "anything in moderation diet" now, but only because I've lost the majority of my weight), but I absolutely believe that my mindset early on was the key to success. I would recommend not looking at pre-op prep as a burden or something to cheat, but as an opportunity to get full-force on the bandwagon and jump start your success.

Definitely taking up running.

I know what the experts say about strength training building muscle thereby increasing weight (or fat) lost. And it may be that it depends very much on your particular body.But to lose a lot of weight, I dont think you can beat hard core cardio and lots of it. You can burn calories in classes, you can have fun in classes, you can keep yourself fit in classes. But go out and run for an hour a day and you'll get results far above what you can achieve zumba'ing around a room. I just think the no crap, no gimmick hardcore cardio routine works.

If you can psych yourself into it and get yourself through it until you're fit enough that it doesnt feel like torture, you wont be sorry.

And I agree totally - get your head in the game BEFORE surgery. Once you've made that decision, the new you is in action. Dont do that last supper routine. Be committed right NOW.

I completely agree with this. I never thought I'd be a runner but I am!

Definitely taking up running.

I know what the experts say about strength training building muscle thereby increasing weight (or fat) lost. And it may be that it depends very much on your particular body.But to lose a lot of weight, I dont think you can beat hard core cardio and lots of it. You can burn calories in classes, you can have fun in classes, you can keep yourself fit in classes. But go out and run for an hour a day and you'll get results far above what you can achieve zumba'ing around a room. I just think the no crap, no gimmick hardcore cardio routine works.

If you can psych yourself into it and get yourself through it until you're fit enough that it doesnt feel like torture, you wont be sorry.

And I agree totally - get your head in the game BEFORE surgery. Once you've made that decision, the new you is in action. Dont do that last supper routine. Be committed right NOW.

I HUGELY regret learning how to cheat the band... I dont remember how I learned how to do it, but I did... and I WISH I never knew!

I was very good in the beginning. A month before my liquid diet started, I buckled down and got my head in the game. I literally started my liquid diet the day AFTER Thanksgiving, and was alowed to begin solids (not mushy) Christmas DAY!! Talk about torture! I did eat a little more than I had been on Thanksgiving, but I did not WAY over do it. Christmas... Well that was depressing to me. I ate about an 2 ounces of ham, and few bites of greenbean casarole...

Work out long and hard... your body will hate you at first (THIS is a band wagon I NEED/WANT to jump back on) but its well worth it in the end!

Wow, it's great hearing from people who have 'been there, done that.' Again, thank you all so much for posting your experiences. Your info is truly helping me wrap my head around all of this.

I really want to become one of those people who say they never thought they would love running, but now they're addicted to it.

Any ideas on a good couch-to-5K program for overweight beginners? I Googled it, and there a ton of beginner running programs out there. Just wondered if anyone had a personal experience with one program in particular that worked well. I haven't checked the exercise forums yet, so there may be some good information there.

My best advice is to not compare your results to other bandsters. I have lost slower than most but am losing faster than I ever did pre-band AND I will keep it off. I am 50, perimenopausal as well as hypothyroid. I have worked at eating adequate protein and overall nutrition on a daily basis. Take your vitamins. Drink your water, stay away from sliders and find exercises you enjoy. I mix up my exercise, walking, hiking, pool aerobics, weights and cardio at the gym, tapes, whatever I feel like.

Best wishes to you!

Joan

I only jog about a mile or two 3-4 times a week on the treadmill or track. I don't necessarily love it (I will NEVER be one of those that love exercise), buts its the one thing that makes my fat melt. Basic cardio. I have always had to bust a sweat to see any fat move, band or not (although this has helped tremendously in portion control). I use to love the elliptical, swimming, etc...but its the walk/jog that does it for me. 30 minutes tops a few times a week. Not a major committment, just a tweak in the lifestyle. I have now completed 5K's, 10K and the ten miler. I have lost 108lbs in 18 months.

It can be done.

I was walking at the Y a week after surgery. My dog is an awesome workout partner. He walks and jogs (when a random squirrel doesn't divert his attention). Now I need to focus more on strength training but I hate it. But I need to tighten some of this flabby fat. My Spanx save my esteem.

I HUGELY regret learning how to cheat the band... I dont remember how I learned how to do it, but I did... and I WISH I never knew!

I was very good in the beginning. A month before my liquid diet started, I buckled down and got my head in the game. I literally started my liquid diet the day AFTER Thanksgiving, and was alowed to begin solids (not mushy) Christmas DAY!! Talk about torture! I did eat a little more than I had been on Thanksgiving, but I did not WAY over do it. Christmas... Well that was depressing to me. I ate about an 2 ounces of ham, and few bites of greenbean casarole...

Work out long and hard... your body will hate you at first (THIS is a band wagon I NEED/WANT to jump back on) but its well worth it in the end!

Do you know, I think the secret to this is accepting that you will stray somewhat overtime and be ready, willing and able to REALLY milk that post op period before you've discovered all the tricks of the trade. Get that first month, two months, however long it lasts and make it work for you. I found my early banding experience was like that, I was incredibly lucky, but I had no bandster hell, I just had absolutely superb restriction, the likes of which I have never been able to achieve since, and incredible motivation. Weight just literally poured off me in that first eight weeks or so, way past what I'd ever managed to lose before and that was enough to engage me, think "this really works" and keep me going through the long hard slog of the rest of the weight loss.

I've had the same thing several times in the last year after my various surgeries and such. Three weeks or so with a reduced appetite, and because my issues have been bowel and obstruction problems, I've been put on a low residue diet each time. I notice my weight drops markedly in that period, I do my 3 meals no Snacks, and 3 tiny meals at that with ease and then gradually normality returns, sigh.

So I think prepare for it, anticipate it and work it work it work it while you have it. And dont beat yourself up because it doesnt last, its the same for everyone.

I only jog about a mile or two 3-4 times a week on the treadmill or track. I don't necessarily love it (I will NEVER be one of those that love exercise), buts its the one thing that makes my fat melt. Basic cardio. I have always had to bust a sweat to see any fat move, band or not (although this has helped tremendously in portion control). I use to love the elliptical, swimming, etc...but its the walk/jog that does it for me. 30 minutes tops a few times a week. Not a major committment, just a tweak in the lifestyle. I have now completed 5K's, 10K and the ten miler. I have lost 108lbs in 18 months.

It can be done.

I was walking at the Y a week after surgery. My dog is an awesome workout partner. He walks and jogs (when a random squirrel doesn't divert his attention). Now I need to focus more on strength training but I hate it. But I need to tighten some of this flabby fat. My Spanx save my esteem.

I hate strength training too and I dont want it to take away from running time. God its boring! What I do love to do is Body Pump, OK, its muscle endurance, it aint never going to build me big muscles, but I'm not afraid to say I'm a bit of an old fashioned girl who thinks women look better when they look like women - tone and shape yep, but big biceps arent my cup of tea. So Body Pump suits me AND my scale has reported a slight increase in lean body mass - really important when you're regaining weight lost from being sick, which is the situation I was in. And I do like strength circuits - google steve's treadmill bootcamp for some idea, crazy stuff but fun, or I do circuit training with a 15kg sandbag - it all builds muscle and strength but is not that mind numbing standing around looking in a mirror while you pump one bicep at a time sort of stuff. And I dont believe in machines - they dont build functional strength.

I'm looking for opinions on the main things that really worked for you, or what you would go back and do differently if given the chance.

I am really glad I

1) Listened to my Dr and followed his advice to the letter

2) Took a picture the morning of surgery so when I am at a plateau and getting discouraged I can look at it and remember all the reasons I started this journey

3) Found this forum 2 months before surgery to help with ALL the unanswered questions and refer back to it even 8 months post op on a regular basis

4) Found Gummy Vitamins

5) Had to do the 2 week liquid diet. While it was the hardest thing I ever tried... it put me in the right mindset to enter into bandland. I realized if I could do that.... I could do ANYTHING!

6) Found the calorie counter ap for my phone.... it has kept me on track with recording EVERYTHING I eat....even on the rare days I indulge.

Honestly I cannot think of one thing that I would have done differently...other than getting banded sooner... but timing is everything and I wasnt ready for the commitment sooner than I did it so I suppose it all works out for a reason.