Does anyone think they could have avoided the Lapband by just restricting what try ate like you do with the Lapband but just dieting?

Not me. Every time I dieted without the band I'd do great for a little while but eventually give into hunger and seriously over-eat. With the band, I'm not hungry and over-eating results in me getting stuck, thus removing all enjoyment from it and desire to do it.

I love my band, it's by far the best thing I've ever done for myself.

I wonder that too especially now that I have made lifestyle changes that include eating right most everyday and exercising several times a week. But knowing my previous tendencies, I'm sure I still made the right decision because the band gave the motivation I needed to make it this time. I refuse to be a surgery failure. And it will always be there with me, my security blanket.

I'm 60 years old....I have been on more diets than I can count or remember over the past 35 years, and everyone of them failed.

I just don't have the self dicipline and will power.

The band does all that for me mow. I don't need to count calories, measure serving sizes, etc, anymore.

The band controls what, when, and how much I eat for me.

I do not have food cravings...let alone any real interest in food at all for that matter.

All I need to do is "Listen" to the signals the band are sending me, and make the wise food choices, concentrate on Protein so I do not look a holocaust survivor, and drink my Water.

VERY EASY!!!!! And IT"S NOT A DIET!!!!!!

B-52 I agree 100%. Anyone can go on a diet and lose a few pounds! Key with the band is as long as you have proper restriction and listen to it, it really takes away the dependency on willpower. The other day I went out to a buffet lunch and filled up my plate like everyone else. When I went back to sit with my friends the thought crossed my mind 'you're not gonna eat all that'. Anyways I proceeded to part take and socialize with my friends and at the end of the day, guess who had to ask for a doggy bag? All plates around me were cleaned over at least twice and I was stuffed with at least half of my plate left. No willpower was involved... I just couldn't eat anymore! I love, love, love this band!

If I could do it without the band...I would have already. I have been on diets for over 20 years and I am only 36...lol so more than half of my life. There is probably not a diet you can name that I haven't tried. I have lost weight with HCG drops and Atkins...however it was always short lived and I gained what I lost plus. I needed a "diet" that I couldn't quit when I got discouraged. For example...for the past week and a half I have fluctuated back and forth with the same pound. With most diets I would have justified giving up because it wasn't worth the sacrifice without seeing results in my messed up thinking. With the band...I know that I am not cheating and doing everything right....although still frustrating. I began to log my foods and realized that with (3) 1/4 cups a day I was only getting in 200-250 calories and not nearly enough Protein..I upped my protein by having a shake in the morning with 50grams of protein and it added 200 calories to my day. I weighed this morning and the scale is moving now. I do get cravings...but I haven't been truly hungry.

Plus with people knowing that I have the band makes me more accountable....not to mention the financial investment that I made. I simply can't fail...it is not an option.

I don't think I could have done it without the band. I still have to exercise and watch what I eat, but I have a lot more control not to overdo it and it helps me get back on track. It might be different for you, but for me I needed the tool to help me be consistent. It also gave me the hope I needed that I could actually get all of the weight off. I still have quite a bit to go but I have come along way. And honestly, it could have been faster if I had kept doing everything that I was doing in the beginning. Good luck no matter what you decide to do.

I wonder that sometimes when I am on track and doing well like I am now. I think "what if I made these life changes before"

I don't think they would have stuck. Eventually I would get sick of whatever diet or change I made and revert back to my old habits. With the band, it is there to protest. It won't let me over eat. There are plenty of times where i had to stop eating physically because of the band, where otherwise I would have kept going because something tasted good, willpower be damned. The band is a constant reminder of my goal.

And when I do fall off the bandwagon now, my weight gain is slower. I came around waaaay before I would have had I not been banded.

So I definitely know the band is more helpful than just dieting alone.

Does anyone think they could have avoided the Lapband by just restricting what try ate like you do with the Lapband but just dieting?

When I was younger, I did successfully loose significant amounts of weight (one time 85 lbs, another 65 lbs, both times post pregnancy) and I kept the weight off for over 20years. Then I was over medicated with a prescription med I should never been prescribed, and my metabolism slowed after menopause. I had no success with dieting after that point.

I also was successful with loosing 8 lbs in 3 weeks by dieting to get my weight below the number assigned by the surgeon just prior my pre-op appointment. Great short term success, but not sustainable in the long term when you need to loose 100 lbs.

Having past success with diets increased my confidence that I would be able to maintain diet compliance with the band. The band helps to keep you in line, as I choose to avoid the negative consequences if I don't behave myself!

i have not had surgery yet but everything is lined up for me to possibly have it late may/early june. i have lost some weight since jan 1. i was 255 and started cutting down portions to about half what i had been eating. i still ate whatever i wanted including a small dessert (small coffee and 1 gs thin mint or small brownie, etc) some nights. by march 1 i hit 235. so i lost 20lbs in two months just by slashing portions. i was lazy and didn't exercise either. that's all fine and good but my loss has stopped. the lowest i reached was 231 but as of today i'm back at 235. i want the band because although i'm doing good at portion control i still binge on occassion. i'm hoping that between therapy and knowing i'll get sick if i overeat i can overcome this battle and lose the weight for good. but yes i think for some people they can comfortably lose that way. i belonged to a group doing a religious diet that encouraged prayer vs eating a lot. it continued to work for many of them, even those who lost 100s, and they swore no exercise was involved. for me though it obviously stopped working.

I wonder because I lost weight on the protein diet. I got to where I could eat more and eat faster.

Losing weight isn't hard for me, keeping it off is the problem. I've lost and gained several hundred pounds in my life, and I got tired of it. I was banded last March and I know I would have started to gain back the weight I lost if it wasn't for the band.

What B-52 said. With the band, I am not on a diet. I listen to my body, eat according to what it says, and maintain my loss with ease.

If it had worked in my many previous attempts, I'd not have risked surgery. Hunger is just too strong for me, but with the band that is controlled.

Prior to the band I lost and regained 100 pounds three times in my life. I am an EXCELLENT dieter. I have INCREDIBLE will power. I was always an all or nothing dieter. The problem with that is eventually you get tired of eating super low fat/cal food and I mean super.

While I am very conservative in what I eat on a daily basis. When I do have a special occation or a holiday I now feel like the band will help me eat less. Bye the time I've eaten my Protein and veggies I only have a small amount of room for dessert.

Here's a depressing statistic. Only 5% of the people who do not have WLS who loose significant amounts of weight (say 100 pounds) keep the weight off long term

Same here, I have lost good amounts of weight in the past, but I eventually got tired of the routine before I reached goal and I went back to bad habits. I lost 46 pounds prior to surgery in order to qualify (my BMI was too high for my hospital to perform). It took me only 5 months to do that, but if I had continued on without getting the band, I don't think I would be where I am now. The band is my backup if I ever try to overeat. I physically won't be able to. Sure, sliders can still go down with ease, but that is where my will power comes in.

I also find that if I give in to my cravings and treat myself to a small dessert once or twice a month, it helps keep me focused on my journey. I still get to eat my favorite foods, just in smaller qty's and less often than I was pre-band. I started my insurance required diet in April 2011 (1 year ago today actually) and as of today, I've lost 84 pounds. That's an average of 1.6 pounds loss per week. Very healthy weight loss and I couldn't be happier. I'm hoping to lose another 92 pounds to reach my goal weight of 150. I've never been 150 in my adult life. I'm so excited!!

That excitement keeps me going.....that and my band.

I don't think I could have done it without the band. I still have to exercise and watch what I eat, but I have a lot more control not to overdo it and it helps me get back on track. It might be different for you, but for me I needed the tool to help me be consistent. It also gave me the hope I needed that I could actually get all of the weight off. I still have quite a bit to go but I have come along way. And honestly, it could have been faster if I had kept doing everything that I was doing in the beginning. Good luck no matter what you decide to do.

Can you tell me what you did when you "were getting started" and losing the pounds. Though I have had my band since 2010, I'm just "really" getting started for the first time right now. I had a fill on Friday, so I now have 2.5 cc in my band. I go back in a month. This weekend I have been doing the liquid transitioning to mush. I need some guidance from someone who has had success with the band. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!