Hey Everyone!!

I can't remember if I posted this or not...but if not here goes. I know I kept thinking that I would post it.

I have tried every diet in the world and had some success only to loss will power and gain it back.

I want to know why the band worked for you when all others failed? What made you stay motivated this time and not cheat?

My husband has always been very supportive of my weight loss efforts and has sat back quietly as I have spent thousands of dollars on weight loss programs and diets. Each time I started a new program, I told him this was "the one" that would work. He is very scared about me trying another diet. He asked me why I felt this one would work. I didn't know how to answer him. I just am so scared of failing again. Please help me.

:think

I want to know why the band worked for you when all others failed? What made you stay motivated this time and not cheat?

Here's what comes to mind when I read your questions...

1. There's no way I voluntarily went through my first surgery so that I could NOT make this work.

2. The band is not just a "diet", as your question seems to suggest. The band is a tool. You have to be mindful of what you eat, the band will not make choices for you, but it will help you feel full more quickly (eventually), and will add a powerful element of b-mod that diets only do in ineffective ways.

3. I've psyched myself up for diets, but even after being on them for a year+ straight, I never believed I would be following them in 5 more years. I never saw it being a lifelong thing. That's part of why I lost & gained - I could diet, but I couldn't commit. It took me over 4 years to come to terms with the band being for life, accept what that meant, and decide I was ready for the committment.

4. Your willpower can quit. Your band cannot.

Well, what is the % of people actually losing and keeping it off from a diet. Something like less than 5%? And the majority of people who get the band actually lose weight (the average is 50-60% of their weight needed to lose)...

The band is just not another diet. It is a tool (when used correctly) to help you stay on your diet, but will also help you change your eating habits.

Yes, you can cheat. But you will not eat a giant bowl of noodles, a entire package of Cookies or chips, etc... For 2 years, I went off my "diet" and gained weight. I didn't gain as much as I would have without my band, because I can't eat a ton of food at once. Even with ice cream, I can only have a little bit at one sitting. I gained 55 pounds by eating continuously... Well, I am back to using my band and I have lost 46 of those pounds in 2 months.

The band is more than a diet. It forces you to eat slowly, and just a little bit of food at a sitting. Yes, you can choose to eat those cookies, etc, but once you make the commitment to get the band, I think you are more motivated to making better choices...

Also, what I have experienced is that I really am not on a diet. For the most part, to lose the weight, I do limit my calories and keep to eating 80-100 grams of Protein per day. I exercise daily. But I also have cake and chips/dip at parties (occasional), but it is just a small amount. I go out to dinners and lunch and have what I want. But it is just a small amount and I try to get something close to what my body needs but still remain satisfied. I feel like I am beginning to eat like a healthy thin person, instead of just being on a diet.

Make sense??

Your willpower can quit. Your band cannot.

This is why it worked and is working for me. I ALONE could not change my eating habits sufficiently to lose significant weight, much less keep it off. But THIS time I have a guardian angel--an actual, physical barrier that keeps me from eating more than I need. THAT'S what I never had before.

It's as simple as that.

For me.. a last resort. I have a phobia of vomiting, so there was that. I was at my biggest weight, my lowest ebb. My life was out of control like my eating, and I actually admit I went into the hospital still not knowing if I had made the right decision. I felt embarrassed I had "come to this".

Having said all that, I also decided I would try and take it easy. By that i mean, that I wouldn't try and lose it yesterday, I would take it slowly. I still can't seem to exercise, but my band is giving me control - my band controls the volume, and so far, my head is controlling what I consume.

Good luck with your journey,

Wheetsin I couldn't have said it better!!

Rachel, to me being banded is like having a chastity belt on my mouth and tummie, it just won't let me do the things I used to do, like go get TWO doublemeat cheeseburgers, a large fries, large coke, and large frosty and INHALE it in fifteen minutes anytime I've had a stressful day at work. I feel that full now after much much less food. It IS up to you to eat the right foods, but that becomes easier and easier the longer you have your band. I have found new foods to crave that are much healthier for me. To put it simply, I just feel stronger with my band, like I can accomplish anything.

it just won't let me do the things I used to do, like go get TWO doublemeat cheeseburgers, a large fries, large coke, and large frosty and INHALE it in fifteen minutes

Fifteen minutes???? You must have been a SLOOOOWWWW eater!:cursing:

The portion control is the thing for me now. Okay, say I have this craving for a doublemeat cheeseburger, fries, etc. Okay, you sit down with the burger, and start to dissect it. It looks great but you KNOW when you eat any of the bread you will be full in 10 seconds and that's all you will get down. Hmmm....eliminate the bread. Start with one fry....don't want a handful because you'll be too full to enjoy the wonderful burger. But the burger alone will fill you up in about 5 seconds, so now what to do? Given all these choices, I ususally steer clear of these things because it's pretty overwhelming to think about getting something down like that. After a while, it is more trouble then it is worth. Sometimes I try just having one thing at a meal...one thing I really like...because then at least I can get about 4 decent bites of it before I'm full. Thanksgiving was a real challenge! I had 10 nickel sized globs of food on my plate because I wanted everything!

I felt exactly the same way. One thing I kept thinking of that made me feel better was that everyone who gets the band is a failed dieter but most people succeed in losing a lot of weight with the band. So, remember most people feel like they may fail with the band and the don't.

I have a very slow metabolism and I knew the band was the answer for me. I could never sustain a low calorie diet as long as I needed to pre-banding because the hunger would drive me to eat. Now, with my band controlling the hunger, I can sloowly lose. It is not a miracle cure, but it works.

After a while, it is more trouble then it is worth. Sometimes I try just having one thing at a meal...one thing I really like...

Me too! It has taken a while, but that is true for me too - most of the time :frown:

I can think and desire and then crave, and when it comes to the crunch, man, what do I do with all the wasted stuff? I can't lay it all on my dogs LOL! It usually isn't worth it for so small a portion I can actually fit in - this is very satisfying in a weird way :party:

I certainly had the fear that this would be yet another failure. I think a lot of us fear that in the beginning. Isn't that our shame with food?

I followed the rules to the letter till I got my first fill. I was more scared of harming my band than I was worried about being hungry.

I wanted to prove that I could do this. I wanted my husband to know that I was committed to doing what I'm supposed to do since we were self-pay.

My only regret is that I didn't do this years ago. I feel so much better now. The last time I was this weight - I was dating my husband 17 years ago. The band just opens so many doors now - except the one for food!

hugs and good luck to you!

wombat