I cannot wait for these holidays to pass by...I am in the middle of a 6 month monitored diet to attain insurance approval and the holidays are hanging me up a bit. I am trying so hard to keep myself on the plan but it is tough. I question myself if the band is really for me as I cannot seem to keep my head on straight during the holidays.

I was lucky enough to make it through Thanksgiving showing a weight loss and not a gain but the sweets around Chrismas making it challenging. I have also caught myself making excuses such as

"Oh this is the last real holiday season food-wise that I can enjoy because once that band is put in its all new rules"

"I have a 6 month monitored diet and i already hit the goal the surgeon asked for so I can bounce through the remaining months"

I dunno I am really struggling. I do OK during the week for the most part but the weekends I've been tripping myself up a bit.

Anyone else having a problem?

Trust me, the Holidays are messing with those of us post-ops, too! I know I CANNOT eat all that now even if I tried - the pain would NOT be worth it. You only over-do it a couple times post-op before you realize the pain does NOT make eating the food worthwhile. I call it my little gatekeeper! We all have to find other ways to deal with our emotional eating after the band - some use counseling, some use meds, some (like me) just count on family and my inner voice telling me I CAN DO IT!! I wish you all the luck in the world!! I keep telling myself NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS THIN WILL FEEL. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Please stay on the forums/boards and talk to everyone as much as you need to. We are all in this one together!!

Wow, you have done so well! you have obviously been working hard. you are doing this to save your life, literally save your life!

So much is made of food during the holidays. I think it has always been that way, but it doesn't have to be that way for us. Try to use some visual pics of yourself; healthy, active, physically fit.

Remember that you are worth all this work!!!

I have had tastes of things because I would rather do that then overdue it later. I lost weight over thanksgiving and I had a little of everything. The lab band does not have to make your holidays different, you just have a little less

I take it you are talking about the required 6 month medically supervised diet PRIOR to undergoing the surgery?

My insurance required me to do so also.

Well, I STINK at diets, and have failed at every one of them. That is why I needed surgery. DUH!

The 6 month program was no different than any other diet. Did ok for a while, then barely hung on for the remainder. In other words, I did loose weight, but the program as a whole was just another futile exercise.

But I got through it, just to jump through another hoop to keep the insurance co. satisfied. NOW I am living a new life style, NOT just another diet.

And this time it is making a difference!

Hi All,

Thanks for the words of encouragement and advice. I guess perhaps I am being a little tough on myself and yes I am talking about the 6 month insurance required diet. Funny thing is when I saw my Surgeon last week that in his opinion he thinks the 6 month thing is far too long. He said he would rather operate on someone who spent two months losing 20 pounds rather then someone who did 6 months and loss 30 in the beginning only to just gain 10 back or more back before the 6 months is up.

I think the real reason I am putting so much pressure on myself is I would like to be down to 400 before surgery day.

Everyone's pre-surgery process is different. For me, my surgeon cared less about the 6 month diet. That was between me and my insurance and the girls in the billing dept.

After I met all the insurance requirements, THEN I met with the surgeon, came up with a date for the surgery. He THEN told me to loose 20lbs by then or he wold not do the surgery.

Yea the program I am in they require everyone to drop minimum 5% of their weight in order to get their approval for the surgery. Insurance is a completely different ball game.

that is a lot of pressure to put on yourself. instead of looking at such a big loss, break it down to 5 or 10 lb. increments. it will happen but, is easier to visualize!

you have already done so well, we did not gain all this weight overnight! it can't come off like biggest loser does on TV!!

be proud day by day!!!

The insurance company does not analyze your weight loss for the 6months. THey see if you tried. Period.

Hey, Jim, I'm in the middle of my 6 month waiting period as well...it sucks. I think you've done great...and I think most docs know we all got to this point for a reason. If we were successful at dieting, we wouldn't be doing this.

When I first made the decision to go forward with lap band, my discipline went way out the window and I had a little "I don't care party". I stopped watching anything that went into my mouth and completely junked out. Then my brains returned. :-)

Since then, I've been taking baby steps towards the changes I know will be inevitable once I'm banded. I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for every possible feeling. I'm reading these forums a ton and talking to two friends who've already been banded.

You've done amazingly well and I congratulate you! You're kick'in booty...don't be so hard on yourself.

Jim,

I can totally understand what you are going through. I'm less than 48 hours from surgery, and have almost been in a major depressive state today! I know that sounds completely crazy, and I should be so grateful that I'm this close (which I am), but like the previous poster stated, this didn't happen over night. I've fought this battle all 32 years of my life and I'm just having a hard time realizing my life is about to change drastically. I've had SO many people tell me I'm crazy having this surgery right before Christmas because I won't be able to "eat". I'm actually happy though, because I know if I wasn't in this situation, I'd overeat and be that much heavier and more unhealthy!

I think you are doing an amazing job and you should be very proud of yourself! Before you know it, you'll be less than 48 hours out from surgery and getting ready to start the next phase of your life!

Good luck to you and I hope you have a Merry Christmas!!

Darah

I'm in the 3rd month of my 6 month supervised, and I've gained 6 lbs. I know it's because of all the sweets... The people at my work like to Celebrate EVERYTHING and in Oct there was Halloween candy. In Nov there were pumpkin and pecan pies, plus T-day itself, and now it's all Cookies and fudge, and little pretzels with white chocolate.... I really like those, but they surely dislike me! :-(

I don't even want the crap but I can't seem to make myself stop. If it's around I will eat it. So I told myself that the day after Christmas I'm going to start actually working on trying to lose at least 10 lbs before my 6 months is up. I'm all prepared and I'm going to start walking a couple of blocks everyday slowly building up to a mile....