I have not been banded yet but I am anticipating getting it done soon hopefully. I'd love your open and honest opinions about whether you find that following the new lifestyle is easier or harder than expected. Do you still have cravings? How often are you hungry. Do you feel that you have more control with the band than you did without it? Anything and everything you would like to offer to future bandsters would be great!

Thanks- Jennifer

I'm happy that everyone is pretty happy with their experience and it is definitely comforting for a hopefully soon-to-be bandster

Do you find it easier to follow the food/calorie intake because the band helps? In other words, if you didn't have the band and the doctor told you to eat 1500 calories, x oz. Protein, etc. would you be able to have the willpower the way you can/ do with the band? I hope that makes sense.

For me, the band makes it TONS easier. I struggle to get 1000-1200 calories a day because I'm simply not hungry. Before I was banded, honestly I could eat that much in one meal. Easily.

Agreed. I guarantee I don't eat that much a day. I struggled for awhile trying to get that much in and talked to my doc about it. He says that as long as I know how much protein I'm getting in and I'm taking all my vitamins and such that I should not stress myself out trying to count calories. I have pretty much figured out the basics and don't need to count down to each individual calorie. You figure it out after a while and it comes natural so the counting and weighing, etc doesn't last forever. I have had my tests done and it confirmed that all my levels are good and I'm eating a good amount, so I don't freak out about it anymore. I am just trying to actually live my life now. Being fat, my whole life focused on food for years. I don't want it to be that way now. I really tried to learn what I could and now I am able to live my life with the changes I have made and the new skills I have learned. It's pretty amazing. Good luck!

Wow! How fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing. I was/ am scared that ill eat just as much and be hungry and wind up binging, so I appreciate what you've all said. The more I learn the more confident I am that this is the right choice for me!

Loved reading this thread. Can't wait to meet my surgeon next month and be on this journey too. You're all such an inspiration.

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Had my education class yesterday and it was wonderful. One more appt next week and then I wait for a surgery date. I am surper excited!!!!

Hoping to have it done first part of January. I am ready to start my new journey.

I, too, thank you for this thread and all the advice every one has given. I have started the process of the support groups and required testing needed prior to surgery per my surgeon and am hoping to be banded the end of January or beginning of February.

I'm so glad we are all in this together.

I'm glad too! I made my first appointment today with my doctor so in pretty excited. I'm just scared that ill get banded and lose willpower, since that's my pattern, and then ruin everything.

Yea me too. That has been my thing too. All I can say is, one day at a time. That is how I have been doing it.

I'm happy that everyone is pretty happy with their experience and it is definitely comforting for a hopefully soon-to-be bandster <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Do you find it easier to follow the food/calorie intake because the band helps? In other words' date=' if you didn't have the band and the doctor told you to eat 1500 calories, x oz. Protein, etc. would you be able to have the willpower the way you can/ do with the band? I hope that makes sense.[/quote']

I get what you are saying. In the beginning, after you start healing from the surgery you are hungry, however you also physically can't eat that much. So you eat a little, feel fine, the a few hours later you're hungry again. You eat a little again, and so on.

After you start getting fills the time before you get hungry again is longer. It is up to you on what you fuel your body with. 1000 cal of healthy food can turn into 3600 cal of unhealthy food, just by your choices ( Cookies, candy, cake, ice cream, potato chips). So really the choice is still yours whether you lose weight or not.

Willpower may help lose weight before banding but it doesn't stop you from eating a lot as soon as you stop the diet. Willpower with the band doesn't exist, it becomes " want power". If your dr puts you on 1500 cal diet you can stick to it but what keeps you from binging at your friends bd party saying " oh i'll start my diet again tomorrow ( or Monday)? Answer is: Nothing! With the band you have something- it says, " taste what you want but you aren't eating all of that! " do you get what a powerful too it is? On a day to day basis it is up to us on our food choices, on occasions it flat out stops you!

For me personally, I see my family with junk and I MAY get a tingle of temptation but I'm doing so good that I really don't want to fall into a trap of head hunger.

Pre-op 275.9lbs -surgery 10/5 265.0lbs -11/11/12 241.8lbs

I get what you are saying. In the beginning' date=' after you start healing from the surgery you are hungry, however you also physically can't eat that much. So you eat a little, feel fine, the a few hours later you're hungry again. You eat a little again, and so on.

After you start getting fills the time before you get hungry again is longer. It is up to you on what you fuel your body with. 1000 cal of healthy food can turn into 3600 cal of unhealthy food, just by your choices ( Cookies, candy, cake, ice cream, potato chips). So really the choice is still yours whether you lose weight or not.

Willpower may help lose weight before banding but it doesn't stop you from eating a lot as soon as you stop the diet. Willpower with the band doesn't exist, it becomes " want power". If your dr puts you on 1500 cal diet you can stick to it but what keeps you from binging at your friends bd party saying " oh i'll start my diet again tomorrow ( or Monday)? Answer is: Nothing! With the band you have something- it says, " taste what you want but you aren't eating all of that! " do you get what a powerful too it is? On a day to day basis it is up to us on our food choices, on occasions it flat out stops you!

For me personally, I see my family with junk and I MAY get a tingle of temptation but I'm doing so good that I really don't want to fall into a trap of head hunger.

Pre-op 275.9lbs -surgery 10/5 265.0lbs -11/11/12 241.8lbs[/quote']

Thank you so much! This definitely helped out it into perspective for me for sure! It just reinforced that the lapband is a tool... An assistant to willpower, healthy eating habits, and exercise. Thank you so very much for your post!

Thank you so much! This definitely helped out it into perspective for me for sure! It just reinforced that the lapband is a tool... An assistant to willpower, healthy eating habits, and exercise. Thank you so very much for your post!

My mom asked me if I am going to stick to this. I said absolutely.

I'm not going to put myself thru surgery when I am the worlds worst patient and the most paranoid person I know and have it NOT work.

I see it as a tool to help me eat the way I am supposed to, and if I don't follow the rules I will get sick, etc.

My mom asked me if I am going to stick to this. I said absolutely.

I'm not going to put myself thru surgery when I am the worlds worst patient and the most paranoid person I know and have it NOT work.

I see it as a tool to help me eat the way I am supposed to' date=' and if I don't follow the rules I will get sick, etc.[/quote']

Lol...i think i have u beat as the most paranoid! That would be me!!

Lol...i think i have u beat as the most paranoid! That would be me!!

I am one of the most anxious and paranoid people I have ever met...glad to meet someone else the same! lol