Let's set the record straight...

[FLORIDAYS 3,040]

In the age of technology we are fortunate to have this little diversion called the Internet. In our cases we have found this forum because we all have, want, are thinking about, used to have or just flat hate lapbands.

In my opinion Getting a band for whatever reason should be a considerate, thoughtful and drastic decision to get your weight under control once and for all. I believe for most people it's the last resort. Let's face it no one in their right mind would do it because it's the fad of the year or the cool thing to do. We are all here because we are or were desperate.

That said... Like anything else so people are amazingly successfull and some are not. Some people take to the lifestyle change and others do not. No different than any other diet we have been on. And sorry but based on my experience...call it what ever you like but THIS IS A DIET until you get to the point of maintaining your weight. Thats is where the band shines. I can sight you several examples but the most recent happened last night.

I was at a Christmas party...I had one glass of wine and picked at a few shrimp and a stuffed mushroom. There was a dessert table and there was a piece of chocolate cheese cake with my name on it. That is something I haven't had in 25 months. Not even a bite. So I decided to try it. Keep in mind I have lost 220 lbs and am basically at goal and happy with my current weight. If I lose a little more I am ok with it but bottom line... I am maintaining.

So I get the cheese cake and settle in to enjoy every bite. It was amazing, I don't know if it was really that good of I was just in love with the idea but after the first bite I wanted another. LOL. I ate 3 bites. I left well over half.... Could I have eaten the whole thing? Yes. It's basically a slider food and I hadn't had any food in a few hours. It dawned on me that this is what I am reading about when I see people complain they aren't losing weight.... I wasn't full per se after my 3 bites. If I ate until I was full the whole thing would have been gone and I would be on to the fried shrimp or something.

My point is...you MUST find self control to make the band work for you. PERIOD. If you don't you will come on this forum looking for answers, validation and any excuse you can justify as to why the band isn't working for you. And then people will tell you stuff you do not want to hear and feelings get hurt and tempers rise... And what good is it?

I am an extreme case. I was super strict with myself because I knew if I didn't see results I would get frustrated and be one of those people complaining the band didn't work for me.... I don't expect every one else to do it like I did. But if you ask me about it I can only tell you what worked for me. Please keep that in mind when post about why your band isn't working....

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

My friend, you hit the nail on the head.

Extremely well said. Wow. Excellent post. I hope others read it and take it to heart.

[CHEZNOEL 4,061]

Wow Floridays... GREAT post! You have always been one of my inspirations! Keep it up!

[Maddysgram 6,159]

Another great post Floridays!

[zinhaa 363]

AMEN. Enough said and perfectly

[2012 359]

Floridays I appreciate all of your posts and I like how you write them, so keep it up!

[line-dancer 810]

great job and so true.

[cheryl2586 3,053]

I agree the band is only what you make it. I have also been strict with my band. That is why I am a success. I agree don't do things then want pity like stuff yourself. You know you did wrong. I cant give validation for doing the unthinkable. It was the same thing we did preband. You are a success.

[♥LovetheNewMe♥ 1,216]

You are a great inspiration to us all!

[joann852 91]

You inspire me all the time!! I wasn't tracking calories and my weight loss slowed down so I started using Myfittnesspal and saw that I was eating to many carbs and calories. You're right it is a diet!! Thank you for always helping me!!

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,722]

per normal, great post floridas

i wish i could have wrote this myself and like you, super strict with myself...no excuses..just doing what works for me..

[B-52 7,113]

There is always the exception, and I guess I'm it....

To me, it is a lifestyle.....NOT a diet.

I have plenty of friends who are skinny, and probably never been overweight in their life.

I follow their lead....you will never see them eating like a pig...always small portions. At parties, you hardly see them eating at all but engaged in conversation.....

They do it out of good lifestyle, I do it because the band will not let me be a pig..CANNOT overat....

2nd, what food they do eat is HEALTHY....you will never see them counting calories. They simply know what is good and what is not good for their bodies.....it's not rocket science and I don't need MFP to tell me.

That is what I do...since myl food portions are so small, thanks to the band, I have educated myself to be a Health Nut.....I only eat the best foods, stay away from junk, choose organis when possible..

I have not eaten red meat in 18 months.....no flour products, no sugar, no salt, soda, milk, etc. to some that may be a diet, to me that's a healthy lifestyle.

3rd, my skinny friends are all active, involved in something like running clubs, cross country biking, etc.

I too have elected to to be the same way.....even after having one heart attack with cardiac surgery, I am more active now than I was 30 years younger....which included 2 tours of Vietnam....

So, I do not think about calories, just eating healthy...

Being banded, my portions are totally in control, cannot overeat even if I wanted to..and I have tried and learned my lessons well....

Most days, I do not even think about being banded at all....it is as though I had surgery once, I'm healed and cured, and life goes on.....

However it goes on with a NEW NORMAL....

I have not gained, nor lost any significant weight in over a year.

I see my bariatric surgeon every 3 months....he cannot be more pleasd because I make him look good....has had me at a few of his seminars.....

He once said he wished all his patients had my attitude towards living a new life......

These forums are a place where no one is right, and no one is wrong....but it is a place where people who have been banded share their personal stories.

I am shocked at what some people tell other people what they should or should not do....

I have been in the profession for over 30 years and , well, I'll leave it at that.....

I have reached my goal, completed the journey....this is now my NEW NORMAL LIFE! Set free from dieting, calorie counting, etc.....and it is all easy and normal behavior for me.

[Summerrain 520]

Great post but personally I also see it as a lifestyle change not another diet. Personally I don't count calories but I make healthy Portion Control choices. This is what I'm retraining myself to do. Eat right every single day, if I feel like something not so healthy it's a very small portion and that can be as much as two tiny bites and I'm done. In the past if I had this mentality you're on a diet you can't have this, this and this, I'd fail miserably. Now with my new mental attitude nothing is off limits and I don't feel denied and I actually crave good healthy fresh food, I no longer get chocolate cravings or sweet cravings. I did up to a few months ago but it's gone now.

So my retraining is a lifestyle change, be more active and think and eat like a fit, healthy normal person. If I have to continue dieting and counting calories for me personally that's still thinking like a person that needs to diet every single day. ( please note I said personally)

[FLORIDAYS 3,040]

Thanks for the comments. All are really good.

I too see it as a lifestyle change but I think for the point of the thread I wanted to drive it home that if you continue to eat like you did when. You were fat...even smaller portions I do not believe you will be as successful has if you paid close attention to a diet or meal plan. But now that I am at the end of the journey it's become more apparent that I have become a thin person and I am eating like one. That doesn't happen overnight.

[B-52 7,113]

Thanks for the comments. All are really good.

I too see it as a lifestyle change but I think for the point of the thread I wanted to drive it home that if you continue to eat like you did when. You were fat...even smaller portions I do not believe you will be as successful has if you paid close attention to a diet or meal plan. But now that I am at the end of the journey it's become more apparent that I have become a thin person and I am eating like one. That doesn't happen overnight.

Definitely...there is a learning curve....it is very important for people (newbies) to listen to their Dr.'s, etc, and learn their lessons well!!!

I always refer to the first 6 months as "Bandster Bootcamp" or "Basic Training"......

One needs to get it all in their heads...

.it's just that after 30 years of going through every diet plan there is on earth, I can see nutritional values of food in my sleep!

It is like everything you had to learn in school.....and once you enter your career it all takes on a different meaning...

And it's not only food values, one also has to learn the eating techniques, and all the little rules they teach us, even before we are banded....

I remember thinking the chewing rules were silly, until one day..BANG! I needed to adhere to them just to survive....they were getting me ready all the time for that day when it comes,

and it sure did....