Hello everyone,

I have done all the prerequisites and am just currently waiting on insurance approval. I have been thinking through all the rules that I will have when I get this lap band, such as no bread, no sodas, eat mostly protein and vegetables. I am not great at following diets for a long time hince the reason I am overweight. This seems a lot like a diet with rules that you have to follow. Why can't I just follow these rules, what help does the lap band give? I know a lot of you have been successful with the lapband and I just would like to know how the lapband makes it easier to follow these rules and what difference it has made for you vs just doing it on your own. Don't get me wrong, I am all for the lapband, but before I submit myself to surgery I want to know that this will actually help me. Thank you for the input!

well, #1 for me is slowing down my eating. Before surgery I could eat a huge plate of food in a matter of minutes. If I did that now, the food would buildup in the pouch and it would make me throw it up. It's not the same kind of sick as when you have the flu. It starts as a lot of saliva coming out and then maybe a little bit of food. Now I measure out what I am supposed to eat and take my time. This has kept my intake to what it should be.

Biggest thing for me is portion control and also unlike dieting, a stay full for hours!

There is no rule you can't eat bread, in fact, I eat bread daily. The only thing you can't have is carbonation, otherwise you can eat whatever you want. As far as Protein and vegetables, you can have carbs but you just should eat your protein first to make sure you get enough.

The only other "rules" are to take small bites and chew, chew chew.

There really aren't that many rules. It is, however, important to remember the Lap Band is a tool not a magic bullet. It doesn't matter what WLS you choose, you will still have to make lifelong lifestyle and eating habit changes. It's not about rules, about making good choices so that we can get down a healthy weight and stay there.

I am 14 months out and I still don't stay full for hours. Hoping today's fill does the trick.

Thanks blanham04 for asking your question because I'm also just about to start this journey and that was one of my questions regarding "food restrictions".

I have to say I an very happy with my decision to get the lap band, but it has been a lot of retraining my brain. It is very different than I thought it would be. You still have to make good choices. Believe me all the stuff that's bad for you and is tempting (to me anyway) like frosting, cookies, m&ms, cream cheese, dips, and chips all go down fine. The thing is if you eat those you won't lose the weight. The lap band really is a tool to help you. It has taken 4 fills to feel any restriction. In the beginning I would get frustrated because I thought I should have felt more, but I really have had to change my thinking and form new habits. For me it's one day at a time. I'm mastering my eating lifestyle and soon I will begin the fitness part. I knew I just couldn't take it all on at once. I formed new habits gradually. The biggest one that works for me is that I don't eat after 7:00pm. When I used to stay up late preband, I could probably snack 1000-1200 calories nightly. Thats like my daily intake now. Of course there are special occasions or situations that are out of my control where I have to eat dinner past 7:00pm, but if I am home or at the movies, etc I just don't eat after 7:00. If I get hungry and I'm up super late I may have a protein shake. I also used to be a huge diet Coke drinker 6-12 cans daily. Yikes! I never drink it now. I drink tea (usually herbal) and water instead. Once you replace old habits with new ones, you really don't miss them. It is still hard at times to stay away from the bad things, but it's a choice. Would I rather lose weight or eat this ------- (insert whatever there)? Most days I'd rather lose weight, but on occasion I let myself have a smalltreat. Its life. The difference is I may share a dessert if I even decide to have one with my entire table, where I used to have my own and then maybe stop at the drive thru on the way home to have something else. I also try not to eat fried or fast foods. It's still all about choices and forming new habits and letting lap band be a tool. It isn't going to be a cure all and it probably isn't going to be the "magic" tool you think. I think I thought it would do more. But if you do your part you will lose. I am actually greatful now because I know my choices are helping me live a healthier lifestyle. My sister, mom, and I have all done it and are all successful! My sister has lost a bit over 100lb. in 2 years. I have lost 57 lb. in a bit over 4 months and my mom has lost 33 lb. in 3 months. None of us deprive ourselves or do the drastic 500-600 calorie diet, but we still continue to lose. My sister looks fabulous and it doesn't matter that it's taken her 2 years. She's happy and eats things she enjoys, just less and healthier most of the time. Good luck!

I am not on a "diet". I can eat anything i ate before surgery, only difference is portion. I eat less than half of what i used to, and its because the band stops me from gorging and stuffing my face. I know if i eat to much i will have the worst pain, and will possibly throw up, and i HATE throwing up. It is a tool, that if used properly will work perfectly. Love my band and am so glad i got it!

I drink diet sodas occasionally. Though not with food because that is uncomfortable and ill- advised. I eat bread.

I was also terrified of "losing" my food. I actually cried at my shrink about it. LOL. But I find that I don't crave bread the way I used to. Probably because my diabetes has disappeared and my body processes the sugar it takes in now more efficiently. I still LIKE bread but I don't LOVE it the way I used to. I can't describe it other than to explain that I used to be the person who would go through 4 baskets of whatever bread was at the restaurant and only stop because the entree arrived. Now I grab a small bite, really enjoy the flavor and texture, carefully chew and swallow, and take a deep breath.

I had bread at dinner tonight. Enjoyed it but enjoyed being a size 8/10 more.

Well said, Kate. You asked why do it? I went from a nearly 300lb fat lazy and nearly hopeless person in March of 2011...to a 210lb lean person training for a half marathon and playing basketball and boxing daily in 1 year.

Good luck with whatever decision you make, but for me....the best thing I ever did....honestly.

As one of the more 'heavier' members of this forum i can honestly say that the band was the best choice i made because i was a 100% committed to making it work. There is no WLS that you can have that u do not have to adjust your eating habits for. To me the band was the least intrusive of the choices, but also carried the .. requires extra work tag too.

The term diet is not about weight loss its about nutrition, it simply means a certain list of foods that one can and cannot eat, are we on a diet .. the answer is yes, are we on a slimming diet i would say no.. i am on a healthy eating diet ..

The band allows me to reduce my portion sizes, not feel so hungry all the time and it helps me keep that in check. I can eat bread, not the soft doughy white bread, but wholemeal crust bread goes down fine, i make my own fruit loaf each week, i have a slice daily, made with wholemeal. I can still eat a small steak cut up really thin, there isnt much i cant eat if u know how to use a sharp knife. I choose not to eat all the junk food available as its just not healthy and that is my baseline .. If i want to put junk in me i will make my own junk food and not have someone else cook it for me

I feel very lucky that i can eat everything ! i dont like soda, fried foods or alcohol, and very little fast food, so i did'nt have to give up anything. we eat pretty healthy at home because my hubby is diabetic so we eat alot of fish, chicken. whole wheat pasta , rice, etc. My portions have gotten much smaller, and i do try to follow the rules. i eat alot more protein than i used to, so my thin hair is much healthier and my digestive problems have gone away. I do , however have a sweet tooth and find i have no problems with "sliders" , but im trying to limit them. I was banded Dec 13th, 2011 and im down 30 lbs, and down from a size 1x to a 16 !, I look and feel so much better ! Today i wore a pair of pants to work that fit very comfortably, before being banded i couldnt even zip them ! So, what ever changes you'll have to make in your diet or life will be totally worth it !! Good luck !

There are no rules....this is not a diet, but a lifestyle.

They do tell you all these little things you have to do, and they start telling you you have to practice them from day one.

When I was first banded, these rules made no sense at all. And I have to laugh when when I read posts from newbies saying they are following these rules and still not loosing weight.

It's NOT about the Rules...it's NOT about any diet plans. If it was nothing more than a diet, them no one here would have needed the surgery in the first place.

It is all about the band, and what it does to you physically!

Once your band begins to do what it was supposed to do, THEN you will be happy they taught you these rules because without them it could be disastrous.

I can't remember how many times I have had a episode with the band only to have a "Ah-Ha" moment, as in "So this is why they told me I should do this or that. NOW it makes sense!"

By that time you are loosing so much weight, so fast, you really don't care about these little things anymore.

Hey There Newbie

Let me start by saying i am new toi the band only 3 weeks into it. I am now eating any food i choose with very little issue. My portions are so small right now that a 2 year old could out eat me. This is no trouble what so ever. I am very satisfied with it and crave nothing at all.

Pre band i was a cookie monster and loved cake too. The smell of fresh donuts got me pumped up. Now not even a nibble no craving and better yet no desire to eat that stuff.

Any other diet i have been on would not shake that craving. Any other diet it would have drove me mental eating those small portions.

You see the band actually has shut off all food desire for me. I eat because i have to not because i want to.

I can't tell you everyone gets that result but I sure have.

I told my doc this and he was not suprised. He felt it was a bit early for me to get this effect but this is the goal.

I havn't even had my first fill yet, and so far no need to yet. It will come i'm sure.

The only thing i havn't tried yet is bread,soda,and beer or spirits. I did have a glass of wine. It made me feel a bit odd so i will put that off till later.

Hope this helps. Just remember you need to be comfortable with your decision in the end.

I was a pro at losing weight pre-band - just could not keep it off. So the band helps me keep it off. I have never regretted it.

I am a great dieter. I have never been the fat person who would diet for a few days and stop. I did not bother to diet unless I was going all in. And by all in I mean execising 7 days a week, eat only non fat foods; no cakes, Cookies. And I could loose weight lots of it. I lost over a hundred pounds at 12, 18, and 30. My problem was that after a year or two I would get tired. Tired of the constant exerciese, tired of depriving my self (at least I saw it as deprivation) of all foods that were enjoyable. If I did eat a piece of cake I would feel guilty. Eventually I would say to myself I will just have a candy bar today; but that would turn into a candy bar everyday. Bad food choices would become a habit and then all was lost. I was an all or nothing dieter. I also really saw it as a diet not as a way of life. In the end the weight always came back with a vengence.

For some of us the band is the end of the line. Is my weight killing me? When I had a stroke at 39 the doctors could'nt say for sure my weight was the cause but they coud'nt rule it out ( I had also been on a perscription NSAID which I believe was involved).

If your doctor does not require sessions with psychologist that specializes in eating disorders presurgery find one. This was very important to helping me understand why I was overeating and identifying what foods triggered me to over eat. YOU MUST change your relationship with food. If you do not do that you will not be successful with the band. You can cheat the band. You can eat "around" it. The band will never stop you from eating liquid calories, or anything that liquifies or becomes mushies in your mouth: Candy, cookies, sweet childrens Cereal, crackers, ice cream. Even with the band you have to choose NOT to eat these things.

Once you have restriction the band helps me stop eating sooner than I normally would have. For me I feel satisfied vs "full". I ask myself do I really need to keep eating? If the answer is no I stop. Before I would have kept eating until I felt overly full. You know 3 in the afternoon at work when the leftover meeting cookies get put out at the coffee center? Well the band you can walk by and not have the desire to eat one. Preband I would have automatically eaten whatever was available.

Bandster Hell. Until you get restriction this will be will power diet. I wish more doctors were more upfront about this. Reading this site presurgery I thought I would get restriction after one fill. Uhhh No. It took me 6 months of fills. That's not a knock on the band, just my reality. What kept me going was this was the last time I had to loose the weight. Also while I am a pretty strict dieter; I try to see all foods as having a particular role. I don't keep candy, cake, bread, crackers in my house. If I am at a birthday party however (once every 3-4 months) I can have a small piece of cake. Veggies you eat everyday, treats are something I eat on occation.