So I have a question. How are you working the band?

After being on the boards for a few months now, I see a lot of differing opinions at how to work with the band. Some of you seem to be all about the restriction. To be able to not eat that much and that is how you are going to lose the weight. My concern with this method is that what happens if the band needs to be removed for a medical reason? What if the restriction just dissipated over time. What would happen then? Because really, the behavior hasn't changed. The habits are still the same.

For some (myself included) the band really helped with habit modification. The lap band was my rock bottom in my food addiction and getting surgery flipped a switch in my head that I need to make better choices in life. Restriction cannot change the way you behave and look at food. Only a good long look in the mirror can do that. Restriction cannot force you into the gym. Only you can do that.

I haven't had fills for this reason. I want to do this on my own. I want to build better habits and if needed I have a adjustable band in me that can help me along the way, but I don't ever want to rely solely on that.

So my question is.... what works for you and why do you think it does?

I'm doing both, having restriction and working it. I recently made a commitment to actually follow the rules. I've eliminated between-meal eating, but added a midafternoon snack of either a protein shake or a QuestBar. I eat only protein-rich foods. I don't drink liquids for 30 minutes after eating. I've gotten back into a losing mode. I don't think I could be this disciplined without the band. I do get hungry when it's near time to eat. I've also committed to writing in my blog every day and talk about what I'm doing, the good and the bad. (It's at TheJuliaNelson.blogspot.com if you're interested.) You have to do what works, and when it stops working, you find something else.

Thee-o, I'm in agreement with you, I'm going with the behavior modification route. I did get one fill, but it was so tiny 0.75cc, that I consider my band to be empty anyways. I've been struggling the last 2 months and am at a plateau, my doc wanted to give me a fill, but I'm still eating the right way, so what the heck is a fill going to do?? I declined it. I don't want to go back now, since I'm still at my plateau and I don't want him to want to give me a fill again. I'm actually thinking of finding a dietitian and see if a few sessions with them can direct me what to do different.

As for why I had the surgery, I was very depressed and needed to do something and I feel the surgery gave me the kick in the # to do something. I realized I do not want to never eat bread again, I want to be able to eat everything in moderation. The band does give me restriction if I eat to much, makes me feel bad. I've actually regretted getting the surgery lately. I want to do this with just a lifestyle change and exercise (which I've come to look forward to).

I do need to figure out how to break this plateau though, it is making me so depressed, even more so that now there is no chance of hitting my goal for my sisters wedding. I do think staying at 1200 calories only for the past 8 months killed my metabolism and I'm pissed that I did that. I work out 6 days a week, burning 450-500 or more calories per session.

Personally, I think its both. We all know its possible to lose weight without a lapband simply with willpower. restriction takes the willpower bit away to some degree, but the behaviour modification sitll have to come from you.

I think however that we must be realistic about what the band is doing - even unfilled. Overtime, nearly everyone will require some fill to keep the weight coming off. And statistically, behaviour modification or not, nearly every single person that loses their band regains their weight over time. It just is.

So I am thankful for my band, I dont abuse it by making it over tight, I work hard on behaviour changes, but I hate to say that even after six years, behaviour modification isnt the whole answer. I had to have my band ufnilled for over six months - I didnt gain but I hung on by the skin of my teeth. I was able to stick to heatlhy foods and not go wild on McDonalds but the portion sizes increased, hunger increased, etc. And my body, that is now used to eating small amounts and running on under 1500 calories, now cannot cope with normal person amounts of foods - the 2000 or so I am *supposed* to be able to eat at my height, weight, level of activity - I cant. I am now forever dependent on my band because I cant afford to eat more than 1500 a day. And that's from someone who practiced behaviour modification - I ran, I did bootcamp (well I still run and do bootcamp), I ate good foods from all food groups and worked hard to shed the dieting mentality, I cut out counting, weighing, measuring and learned to listent o my body. Works well with the band - without the restriction fronm the band, my body tells me it needs more than it does.

I dont mean to be negative, this is a very positive post and everyone is on the right track. But we need these bands and eventually most of us need fills too.

My band journey includes behavior and the use of fills. I am not filled so tight I cant eat. Mine is at 5.2. I need that to curb my hunger because thats why diets never worked for me because I wont go hungry. Now that I am into this since May17th. I have come to learn that I must excercise to get my mind and body on board for this life altering adventure. Today I joined the YMCA. I had been taking classes and was unsure if I should join but I am actually going to the classes enough to make the membership worth while. I love the way my mind and body are changing.

Kat

Obviously, I'm eating less now that I'm banded. I wasn't a particularly "bad" eater before, but I just had an insatiable appetite, so I'd eat a healthy meal, and then another one, and then another one, all at lunch time!

I guess I'm just getting myself into the habit now of making the most healthy choice for each meal, emphasising Protein, chewing lots and eating slowly. And doing exercise every day. I guess if the band ever had to be removed, I'd have to try to keep doing that.

I really don't have restriction. Not the way people talk about it, anyway. I do feel satisfied with smaller portions of food, but it's not like "oh my, I ate 6 bites and I'm simply stuffed!" I eat less, and maybe I feel satisfied sooner because I've been eating smaller portions the past 5 months. I've never been stuck, never slimed, never PB'd. I'm almost up to 8 cc's and if I want to, I sure can still over eat. So for me, at this point, it's behavior modification and the fact that I went to GREAT lengths to have this surgery and change my life, and it's not like I can just say "well I tried that diet and now I'm bored with it". I can't just forget I had surgery.

Dont you find too that healthy eating and exercise support each other? You dont want to undermine your hard work at the gym with crap food. And you dont want to feel sluggish and awful at the gym because you've got a belly load of bad food on board. I find I can slip off track and eat badly for days but overall, behaviour modification is not only supported by the band but how you come to appreciate how good you feel when you eat well and how awful you feel when you eat badly.

Thee-o, I'm in agreement with you, I'm going with the behavior modification route. I did get one fill, but it was so tiny 0.75cc, that I consider my band to be empty anyways. I've been struggling the last 2 months and am at a plateau, my doc wanted to give me a fill, but I'm still eating the right way, so what the heck is a fill going to do?? I declined it. I don't want to go back now, since I'm still at my plateau and I don't want him to want to give me a fill again. I'm actually thinking of finding a dietitian and see if a few sessions with them can direct me what to do different.

As for why I had the surgery, I was very depressed and needed to do something and I feel the surgery gave me the kick in the # to do something. I realized I do not want to never eat bread again, I want to be able to eat everything in moderation. The band does give me restriction if I eat to much, makes me feel bad. I've actually regretted getting the surgery lately. I want to do this with just a lifestyle change and exercise (which I've come to look forward to).

I do need to figure out how to break this plateau though, it is making me so depressed, even more so that now there is no chance of hitting my goal for my sisters wedding. I do think staying at 1200 calories only for the past 8 months killed my metabolism and I'm pissed that I did that. I work out 6 days a week, burning 450-500 or more calories per session.

Jess,

I have been talking to another gal that posts here and on another site and we have been talking about calories and metabolism also.

I was doing very well on my weight loss I was eating 800 to 1000 calories a day doing my Zumba four days a week and I got stuck on my weight. Not just for a week or so but for about a good month . That led me to where I am right now . I got so upset with myself I went back to some of my old ways .

She was telling me I was eating way to low on calories and even at 1200 calories for my weight which is 285 she said that is way to low and I am in the same though process of you that I screwed up my metabolism also for eating to low of calories for my weight and my exercise habits *sigh*.

I was very successful at doing Richard Simmons. He had me on 2000 calories a day and just like we are now I would eat so many carbs, fruits, dairy's, fats and Proteins and mark them off almost like WW. I was dropping weight about 1-3 pounds per week well heck here I have cut my calories down 1000 to 1400 calories less then 70 carbs a day and cant lose a singe pound . Every 50 pounds I lost with Richard he would drop me down another 50 calories and then the weight would start to come right back off again .

I have done alot of research the last couple of nights and some of the calories I see people eating with the lap band anywhere from 600 to 1000 just dont seem safe to me anymore plus doing exercise on top of that . I burn 800 calories alone just doing a hr of Zumba . This is just my opinion but I just dont think in the long run of our health eating that low of calories is good for us .

I am going to start adding some more calories into my diet and see if that helps because eating only 1200 calories a day sure isn't getting me no where

If anybody else has some ideas or done some research I would love to hear about it , because it just boggles my mind I was dropping more weight by eating 2000 calories a day then I am at 1200 to 1400 calories a day

Jess,

I have been talking to another gal that posts here and on another site and we have been talking about calories and metabolism also.

I was doing very well on my weight loss I was eating 800 to 1000 calories a day doing my Zumba four days a week and I got stuck on my weight. Not just for a week or so but for about a good month . That led me to where I am right now . I got so upset with myself I went back to some of my old ways .

She was telling me I was eating way to low on calories and even at 1200 calories for my weight which is 285 she said that is way to low and I am in the same though process of you that I screwed up my metabolism also for eating to low of calories for my weight and my exercise habits *sigh*.

I was very successful at doing Richard Simmons. He had me on 2000 calories a day and just like we are now I would eat so many carbs, fruits, dairy's, fats and Proteins and mark them off almost like WW. I was dropping weight about 1-3 pounds per week well heck here I have cut my calories down 1000 to 1400 calories less then 70 carbs a day and cant lose a singe pound . Every 50 pounds I lost with Richard he would drop me down another 50 calories and then the weight would start to come right back off again .

I have done alot of research the last couple of nights and some of the calories I see people eating with the lap band anywhere from 600 to 1000 just dont seem safe to me anymore plus doing exercise on top of that . I burn 800 calories alone just doing a hr of Zumba . This is just my opinion but I just dont think in the long run of our health eating that low of calories is good for us .

I am going to start adding some more calories into my diet and see if that helps because eating only 1200 calories a day sure isn't getting me no where

If anybody else has some ideas or done some research I would love to hear about it , because it just boggles my mind I was dropping more weight by eating 2000 calories a day then I am at 1200 to 1400 calories a day

I agree, I was going to start a liquid diet today to try to jump start my loss, but I had a holiday dinner last night and ate way more than I should've and I stepped on the scale this morning so I'd know how bad that effected me and where I was starting with the liquid diet and the scale was 0.8 lb down from where it was yesterday (though that is still up from my low weight), but I said ok, I'm giving it one more day of eating higher calories. And if I'm down tomorrow, or the same, I may stick with it before I do liquids.

Hmmmm,,,,interesting thread Thee-O.

I had my surgery on May 4th and I have not had any fills and honestly, I don't intend to get any. That's not to say that at some point down the road I won't have one, but it is not my intention to have one.

I know that being just over 5 months out that I am relatively new to being banded, but my reasons for getting the band are probably different from most people who get it. I knew that by getting it, I would lose some weight, but I honestly didn't get it to lose 100 pounds. I got it to help me stop eating and eating and eating, which it has done beautifully.

Before being banded, I could not stop eating. I never knew what it meant to be 'full' or 'satiated' or whatever you want to call it. I couldn't physically feel a sensation that told me "hey, you've had enough, it's time to stop eating." I would only know it was time to stop eating if people around me were done or if my plate was empty. Even then, I would be thinking about my next meal.

just having the band in place, even though I don't have restriction, must do something to me mentally. Could it be the Vegas nerve that is being pressured? I have no idea, all I know is that I don't think about food constantly anymore, and I am satisfied with a smaller amount. I am ok with leaving food on my plate if I can't eat it.

Before the band, I didn't think about it, I just vacuumed food down. Now, I chew, chew, chew, and I discovered that by chewing endlessly, I can actually TASTE the food I am eating. I also discovered that foods that I thought I really loved, after chewing them and really tasting them, that ehhhh, I don't really like this as much as I thought I did.

For me, I still enjoy going out with friends and being able to order whatever I want (since i'm not filled, I can eat anything..steak, shrimp, bread, etc....) I can eat socially without running to the bathroom to PB, I always have left overs that I can bring home and nobody is suspicious that I have had any kind of surgery. It's the best of all possible worlds. I can eat what I want (because of no fills) and I can enjoy physical activity (because I have lost weight), I can avoid questions from friends (because it appears that I still eat the same stuff I always ate and no one is any the wiser. )

Honestly, if I never lose another pound, I am ok with that. I feel great where I am. I don't feel like I am denying myself of food when I want it. Like another poster said, if i am craving something I'll have a bite or 2 of it and then move on with my life. I don't have to have a whole pizza any longer, I am ok with a slice or two. I am ok with half a hamburger or 3 or 4 chicken nuggets (instead of 20). That's why I got the surgery, to eat what normal people eat in the portions that normal people eat them in. Not to exist on a half a cup of food per meal or to eat only things that won't make me barf. not to avoid fast food altogether, not to ever eat things i enjoy ever again. this is something I'll have to live with the rest of my life, and I want to live a great life and food is part of life that I enjoy. I actually enjoy food more now that I have learned to take my time with it and chew it. it's seriously weird.

I know that I could not have done this without having the band, even with no restriction. I know that by the band just being in place that something has changed in my brain to cause me not to think about food all of the time, and that is really good enough for me. The weight I have lost is just a bonus.

Thee-O, thank you for posting this, and thank you to all who responded; it's been very helpful to me as I am pre-surgery and still have these lingering questions about how I can use this opportunity to the fullest while not making myself obsessive about it or whatever.

I wish my center had some sort of drop-in pre-surgery support group as I feel like I could use this- I overthink things a lot! Actually, I've started seeing a psychologist as part of starting this new chapter in my life, and she is helping me to remember to keep it simple, don't fall back into old patterns of thinking, when I feel the "but what if" questions coming into my head to practice sweeping them aside and sticking to the task at hand and the longer-term goal.

I appreciate reading how you all are doing and will continue to read as I approach my surgery date of November 9. I will hopefully be able to be as productive a member of the forums post-op as everyone here!

Steeler I take in between 1000 to 1400 cal / day. dependent upon whether it is an exercise day or not. I do not snack inbetween meals and only have three meals/day/my surgeon's instructions. and thank you for the compliment.

Thee-o thanks for the compliment! are those collar bones that I see in your new picture? I can tell the difference from your multiple head shots that you have used in the short time that you have been on this board. Oh, I enjoy reading your blog entries....

Jachut, even though I am a year out, I agree with you strongly. My surgeon and i have had a similar conversation(s) along the lines of what you have posted. I see no shame in relying/needing a fill and I know that the day will come when I will need one. As my surgeon has pointed out to me: 1) fill for a plateau 2) fill for hunger pains if less than 4 hours between meals.

Human nature: behavior mod only goes so far and must be continually worked on. Without my band I again say I could not have made it this far and for the future I doubt that I could stay the way I intend to stay (which is without the added weight). This is a life long process and I am in it to stay.

I still have no hunger pains and even thought the weight loss has slowed for me...I have not hit a plateau and that is why I continue to have no fill. I still go to my surgeon and stay in touch with my center of excellence as I am well aware of the pitfalls of behavior mod.

Jachut, your post is not negative, but truthful and enlightening, even thought provoking for it makes us take in your words and experiences and learn from them and how we as individuals will be able to incorporate them into our lives.

Dibley that is the exact way I am treating this. I am so glad that there are those of us that the band has word for in a mental way. Keep doing what you are doing and I am very happy for you.

Thee-o thanks for the compliment! are those collar bones that I see in your new picture? I can tell the difference from your multiple head shots that you have used in the short time that you have been on this board. Oh, I enjoy reading your blog entries....

Why yes they are! I took it last week while I was on Vacation in Mazatlan.

thank you for noticing and I am glad you like my random thoughts