Am I Crazy To Get Banded?? Only 25-30 Lbs To Lose.

[guadocookie 3]

I disagree with almost everyone. And sorry. I got banded and had a BMI of 27. I was self pay and did not have to see a psychologist. I want to lose 50 lbs. and the doctor said that was possible. If you want to get banded then go for it!!! I understand loosing weight isn't always easy. Go for it!!! Message me if you want to chat.

[pgkpjs 113]

Consider doing the pre-surgery diet first any ways. I lost 16 lbs in two weeks on it and liked it so much I have recommended it to my mother who is visiting for a couple of months. She only needs to loose 20 lbs and she has been following it (mostly) for a week and a half and has lost 5 lbs on it.

After the first 2 weeks, she plans to do a week every month while watching her food the rest of the time.

You will need to do something similar before the surgery anyways, this will help prepare for it and show some of what we bandsters have to deal with. I like Bariatric Advantage Meal Replacement Protein as it is a thicker shake and also high on Fiber which made me feel fuller.

My doctor's version of it is:

3 Protein shakes (Bariatric Advantage 150 cals in water) and 2 bars a day (Bariatric Advantage 150 cals) + 64 to 128 oz calorie free liquids (I did a lot of Arizona Diet green tea). You can also have 1 salad a day with calorie free dressing (Carrots, Cucumber, Celery, Bell pepper and lettuce).

My mother does not like the bars so she has a light Soup instead (very low fat 150 calorie each time).

[Jachut 487]

tomatoes........pulled pork......mouth watering.........

As I said, I'm a fit and active person, which means I hike, bike, swim, jog, take the stairs, play recreational sports, etc. I ALSO do crossfit 3x week. Suggesting that I start doing 2.5 hours of cardio a day is ridiculous.... not only is there not enough hours in a day, I assure you that I burn plenty of calories.... which is part of the reason I have a large appetite.

What I eat also isn't that big of an issue.... my problem is that I have bad eating habits, I wolf my food and look for the full feeling. Trust me, I have spent my entire life battling this and I have always used a smaller plate, ate Protein first, limited refined carbohydrates, drank Water..... but I still wolf my food down and get up to get seconds.

If this is just an issue of having enough willpower..... why would ANYONE get the surgery? Why doesn't everyone start eating properly and start excercising 2.5 hours a day (ha - I'm being facetious)?

I can tell you why.... it's because it's not that easy. It's easy to say it, but it's not that easy to do it. So why is it ok for someone with 100 lbs or 50 lbs to get the surgery to give them a hand, but not for me at 25 lbs?

I understand what everyone is trying to say.... but I'd like to know WHY it's ok for you, but not ok for me. Why do I have to rely on excercise and willpower alone (which has been a complete failure my entire life)?

I agree. It's irrelevant what your BMi is right now, you know whether you're a "fat" person ho needs this help. Youve tried unsuccessfully to lose it. And everyoneksewho says its a lifetime commitment - well that's what weight loss takes. I challenge anyone who has gotte thir BMi down under 30 today truthfully that they now no longer need their band. And to explain to usall, since it's so easy why their wm bmi's ever got beyond 27.

I'd also say you could easily stand to lose 50lb at 5ft 7 and 175. Although I don't remember saying it its lo true your weight loss could be like 10 to 15lb, it's really hard to lose weight when you're already low BMi.

So I don't think you're crazy, it's your money, our life.

[guadocookie 3]

You can try the bandasters diet, but my doctor told me do not lose a pound before surgery!!! Because my BMI was low, I was already teetering on the edge of not being able to do it.

[NWgirl 574]

I agree. It's irrelevant what your BMi is right now' date=' you know whether you're a "fat" person ho needs this help. Youve tried unsuccessfully to lose it. And everyoneksewho says its a lifetime commitment - well that's what weight loss takes. I challenge anyone who has gotte thir BMi down under 30 today truthfully that they now no longer need their band. And to explain to usall, since it's so easy why their wm bmi's ever got beyond 27.

I'd also say you could easily stand to lose 50lb at 5ft 7 and 175. Although I don't remember saying it its lo true your weight loss could be like 10 to 15lb, it's really hard to lose weight when you're already low BMi.

So I don't think you're crazy, it's your money, our life.[/quote']

50 pounds?! I'm the same height and I would look sickly at 125.

[Jachut 487]

It's within a healthy range. Just sayin. You might think it looks sickly coz you prefer a heavier buld, on the other hand at 5ft 10 I'm just right t 135.

[MiniMi 1,468]

I do appreciate the feedback..... but like anyone' date=' I get a bit defensive and angry when i'm told, YET AGAIN, to just start excercising and eating less. I think we all know it's not that easy, especially when a person already excercises more than the average and eats well.

Just because I have less weight to lose doesn't mean I feel less miserable about my inability to lose weight. However, that doesn't mean that I'm not reading what is being said and taking it to heart. Thank you all.[/quote']

Now wait a minute! You don't have an inability to lose. You went into great detail about what the exact problem is. Maybe you should go read it again. You stated that you eat fast and go back for seconds. FYI, you can do that with the band too. Or you can eat slider foods. There are threads here dedicated to those who are gaining with the band.

In my opinion you are either not being honest with yourself about how much you exercise and eat, or you are not being honest here. My guess, since you " only" have 30 lbs to lose, is that you have some self-evaluation to do.

I think the decision is yours and you have the right to have the surgery if you want. My guess is that you would lose half of what you need to lose in the preop diet alone.

I would put myself to the test first before doing it though.

As one of my fellow banders said, eat like you have the band for two weeks and see how you do.

I would spend the 16k on a live in persona trainer and chef before going under the knife for 30 lbs.

[janleefran 9]

I definitely DO know what my problem is, and it's that I have less than ideal eating habits.

I'm very fortunate that have the means to have a personal trainer, and I do exercise more than most 41 year old women. In fact, I would say that I'm in excellent shape, especially considering I had a major knee reconstruction (soccer injury) not so long ago. I'm not at the point where I'm playing soccer a couple of times a week, and I might not ever be again, but that's only because I don't have the same mobility that I did pre-surgery. But I do have the same eating habits.

I eat like a man, fast, big portions, and looking for more. Maybe because I grew up in a household of men and boys, I didn't have a mom to show me how a lady should eat. I realize all of that is mental, and a habit more than anything. Habits are hard to break though, and I've been struggling with it and beating myself up all my life. I was a 5'5 and 130 lbs at 10 years old, I was a competitive swimmer, but the other kids called me "monster" because I was so much bigger than them. I ended up quitting because I felt so uncomfortable about my size being on display in a bathing suit... even though I wasn't really "fat", I am just a thicker, more muscular build.... think soccer player over ballerina.

Also, as far as having surgery for cosmetic reasons goes..... I had a breast augmentation over 15 years ago, and quite honestly it was one of the best decisions I made in my entire life. Yes, it hurt and carried some major risks, and it also cost a good bit of money, but I can't tell you how much more self confident I felt because of that surgery. Going from being a bigger girl with floppy misshapen little breasts to a sexy curvy bombshell was wonderful.

So my surgery was booked for this coming Friday, Oct 19th. My doctor advised me NOT to do any pre-surgery diet or weightloss. However, mostly due to the feedback I've gotten in this thread, I canceled the surgery, at least for now. I've taken some of the advice that was given, which was to try to eat as though I've been banded.... small portions, tiny bites, chew-chew-chew, Protein first, no liquid with meals, etc...... and two weeks into it I've lost 4 pounds and I feel great.

I just hope I can keep it up, and that the weight loss will continue (and I wouldn't mind if it was faster!), but for now I'm quite satisfied with how things are going. I don't WANT to have surgery, but I also don't want to keep gaining weight and feeling like I have no control of my poor eating habits. If I can do it on my own, I'll be so happy!

Thank you to everyone for the honest opinions and support..... especially to the people who gave me the idea to eat like I'm banded first, instead of being forced to eat like I'm banded. It's a lot cheaper to pretend after all, and if it works, even better!

Wish me luck

And thank you again...... you all have helped me more than you'll ever know.

[Maddysgram 6,159]

I definitely DO know what my problem is' date=' and it's that I have less than ideal eating habits.

I'm very fortunate that have the means to have a personal trainer, and I do exercise more than most 41 year old women. In fact, I would say that I'm in excellent shape, especially considering I had a major knee reconstruction (soccer injury) not so long ago. I'm not at the point where I'm playing soccer a couple of times a week, and I might not ever be again, but that's only because I don't have the same mobility that I did pre-surgery. But I do have the same eating habits.

I eat like a man, fast, big portions, and looking for more. Maybe because I grew up in a household of men and boys, I didn't have a mom to show me how a lady should eat. I realize all of that is mental, and a habit more than anything. Habits are hard to break though, and I've been struggling with it and beating myself up all my life. I was a 5'5 and 130 lbs at 10 years old, I was a competitive swimmer, but the other kids called me "monster" because I was so much bigger than them. I ended up quitting because I felt so uncomfortable about my size being on display in a bathing suit... even though I wasn't really "fat", I am just a thicker, more muscular build.... think soccer player over ballerina.

Also, as far as having surgery for cosmetic reasons goes..... I had a breast augmentation over 15 years ago, and quite honestly it was one of the best decisions I made in my entire life. Yes, it hurt and carried some major risks, and it also cost a good bit of money, but I can't tell you how much more self confident I felt because of that surgery. Going from being a bigger girl with floppy misshapen little breasts to a sexy curvy bombshell was wonderful.

So my surgery was booked for this coming Friday, Oct 19th. My doctor advised me NOT to do any pre-surgery diet or weightloss. However, mostly due to the feedback I've gotten in this thread, I canceled the surgery, at least for now. I've taken some of the advice that was given, which was to try to eat as though I've been banded.... small portions, tiny bites, chew-chew-chew, Protein first, no liquid with meals, etc...... and two weeks into it I've lost 4 pounds and I feel great.

I just hope I can keep it up, and that the weight loss will continue (and I wouldn't mind if it was faster!), but for now I'm quite satisfied with how things are going. I don't WANT to have surgery, but I also don't want to keep gaining weight and feeling like I have no control of my poor eating habits. If I can do it on my own, I'll be so happy!

Thank you to everyone for the honest opinions and support..... especially to the people who gave me the idea to eat like I'm banded first, instead of being forced to eat like I'm banded. It's a lot cheaper to pretend after all, and if it works, even better!

Wish me luck

And thank you again...... you all have helped me more than you'll ever know.[/quote']

I'm really glad you're trying something else first. I think you will do very well.

If it doesn't work, then go back to plan A and you'll already know what you have to do after surgery.

Best of luck on your journey & keep us posted!

[elcee 3,340]

Sorry to hear that you cancelled your surgery. I think there is a high chance that you will end up rebooking and that you will wish that you had not cancelled and wasted the additional time. You may lose without the band but most of the time we are unable to maintain that loss. Not because we are weak or bad or ......................but because of hunger which is at a level that is difficult to control.

I would spend the 16k on a live in persona trainer and chef before going under the knife for 30 lbs.

I wouldn't. That money might give you a chef and/or trainer for a couple of months but once that time is up they would be gone whereas if you had gone for a band it would still be there.

Sorry that you were put off the band by the "not fat enough police", sometimes I don't think they realise how their behaviour comes across and they don't realise that what they are doing is as bad or worse than what many have done to them about being fat.

[MiniMi 1,468]

Sorry to hear that you cancelled your surgery. I think there is a high chance that you will end up rebooking and that you will wish that you had not cancelled and wasted the additional time. You may lose without the band but most of the time we are unable to maintain that loss. Not because we are weak or bad or ......................but because of hunger which is at a level that is difficult to control.

I wouldn't. That money might give you a chef and/or trainer for a couple of months but once that time is up they would be gone whereas if you had gone for a band it would still be there.

Sorry that you were put off the band by the "not fat enough police"' date=' sometimes I don't think they realise how their behaviour comes across and they don't realise that what they are doing is as bad or worse than what many have done to them about being fat.[/quote']

I'm sorry, do people with the band keep it off? I've been reading this forum for a while and it seems if you go back to bad eating habits not only do you gain back the weight but you risk doing real harm to yourself. If our dear friend has made it to 41 without being morbidly obese that is a GREAT thing! We are just saying that banding fixes the stomach but we have to fix the mind. No easy way out. Would you agree with at least that?

[karewpah 173]

Timeformyself...I was banded @ SWLC with a bmi of 33.

If I had 25 pounds to lose I would likely not consider WLS...or maybe I would if I'm always losing weight only to gain it again.

Vanity is a devilish beast and each one of us battle with it in one way or another...

[Jachut 487]

Im sorry but I just dont understand why people get so judgemental and holier than thou over low bmi'ers. You've ALL been there and none of you jsut ate less, exercised more or were honest with yourself back then either!

As for cosmetic surgeries - well I am not ashamed in the least to say that vanity was my major reason for being banded. My BMI was 35, I wasnt sick. Nobody blinks an eye at breast enlargements or tummy tucks but have lapband surgery - a surgery which is likely to improve your health in many many ways even if you're only mildly obese - and suddenly that's wrong? Jeez, how hypocritical.

I just cant believe that people who have failed to control their weight gain to the point of becoming morbidly obese can then judge someone else's unsuccessful efforts and accuse her of deluding herself or being dishonest. Do any of you REALLY think if you'd just approached it in a different way you wouldnt have needed to be banded? How many freaking times did you diet and gain it back? And yet we STILL give out this advice thinking it will work?

[elcee 3,340]

Well said Jacqui

[karewpah 173]

Double thumbs up Jacqui....I wish the band was in Canada the first or second time I lost 80, 50 or 25 pounds.

I was a low bmi...I got surgery not because I couldn't lose it...that's the easy part. I got it because I could never maintain the loss.

I can't judge who should or should not be banded...I can simply relay my story.