I was just wondering, does anyone follow the Weight Watchers program or any other program after getting banded? I've been banded for 2 years now, and was sucessfully in the beginning and started gaining weight back because I wasn't following any of the band's rules.

Now I am starting over and would don't know where to begin with eating.

All suggestions welcome.

I love being able to eat anything I want. When I did WW before and lost 50 pounds, I ate a snickers bar almost every day, just because I could, and counted the points. It was well worth it to reward my good eating during the rest of the day by having the points available for my snickers.

Congrats on keep off 100 pounds. That is quite a feat and very impressive. Can I ask how long you were banded and how long it took to lose the weight? I am just starting on my own 100 pounds, banded 5 weeks ago.

Getting the band is a total change in your eatings habits, so if you kept doing the WW you will never change the your REAL habits.

I eat everything I used to like. chocolate, KFC, some fatty foods, and still loosing weight BIG TIME. Its all beacuse the band helped me to do the quantinty control unlike before getting it.

__________________

I am confused by this...you said getting the band is a total change in your eating habits but then you say you eat everything you used too..what eating habits changed for you with your band other then portion control? Without your band would you eat the same things? . I have no band anymore so I can not go back to eating how I did pre band. I hope you are fortunate to have your band forever and not have it eroode like mine did. I was the perfect bandster for 18 months . I never abused my band I followed the rules I made healthy choices. I used my head with the band which is why today have not gained any of my weiht back in the last 10 months. I joined WW to help me lose the last 20-30 lbs I did not lose with my band. Doesnt matter which program, diet, band or other you use, if your head is not into it and you do not change your eating habits ..the end result will always be the same..gain the weight back.

and was sucessfully in the beginning and started gaining weight back because I wasn't following any of the band's rules.

Even with the band you can still gain weight if you do not change your habits in your head and your food choices . We all know there are ways to eat around the band.

I was banded for 18 months it took me 18 months to lose my 104 lbs

La madam,

Thanks, and congrats again, good luck with Weight Watchers.

Whatever works is great. Just remember that "points" can mean too much bulk for your new tummy. Be sure to stay within the volume guildelines given by your surgeon. If he gave no instructions, l Cup or 8 ounces is a safe bet.

I was browsing weight watchers online and they have a Core Plan that doesn't involve counting points.... From their website:

On the Core Plan focus on wholesome foods without counting…

• Eat wholesome foods from all the food groups, including fruits and vegetables, grains and starches, lean meats and poultry, eggs and dairy products.
  
• Enjoy satisfying eating without empty calories.
  
• Have the occasional treat in controlled amounts.

I've been kicking around the idea of doing the Core Plan, just for the support.

Since I've been having trouble eating fruits and veggies, I also got a couple of cool products from my chiropractor that I do in the morning when I'm tight and can't eat Breakfast is:

http://www.firstshake.com/content.asp?node=15

Its a Greens First mixed with a whey Protein shake. I get my veggies and a nice protein start to the day.

Obviously Magic is young and wants to eat what many of the young people around her eat. But since she is not in high school anymore, peer presure isnot an issue. It's a good bet that many of her friends are obese as well and I'm sure KFC is keeping them that way. When I was young and pregnant I thought it was a license to eat everything and anything I wanted. I gained sixty pounds with my first child because of that kind of thinking. I never took of the last 20 and have been gaining steadily in the 22 years since then. WW is the best plan out there, but as pinky says the Points may provide too much bulk for bandsters, but maybe not...it's still a great choice for support and accountability. That once a week weigh in keeps ya honest if nothing else!

I too have had success with weight watchers in the past, but of course, if you quit using the program, you quit losing the weight- I always tapered off and found more than I lost eventually.

I would like to have a structured plan like weight watchers after being banded- but the local chapter here is EXTREMELY anti-WLS. They've done "lessons" on it and everything, tell you all about how unhealthy it is blah blah blah. Not to mention the two elderly ladies who run it have been there for like 15 years and ALWAYS remember you so anonymity is impossible in my town

So I have some concerns. First- If i'm extremely successful with weight loss because of the band and they don't know about my band, I will feel a little ....hmm...sneaky? I guess you could say.

The other thing I wonder about is that you start with higher points and move to lesser as you lost weight so you in theory don't slow your metabolism and have gradual but steady weight loss. But even at the lower point levels there MAY be times when I couldn't get UP to the amount of points they want you to have in a day unless I ate really unhealthy foods. So i don't know that I'd really be following it at all....

Anyway just MY concerns :grouphug:

When I had my 2 week follow up the physician's assistant that examined me said she has heard that there are some WW meetings geared toward lapband patients. I'd be really interested, as my only banded concern about doing WW is all the veggies - not sure I can eat as much with the band.

For me, I have done Weight Watchers off and on, (mostly on, starting fresh every Monday)for the last almost 4 years. I know, that is ridiculous. But if you have questions about Weight Watchers, I am an expert. For me, staying within my points was almost impossible, because I was so hungry. Now I can eat all my point, but I don't do fat free everything. I know use regular cheese, normal bread, and that kind of thing. It allows me to eat normal food, just much less of it. And it works great with my points.

I have done the Core program. It works great, and there are so many great foods to try that are "free". I highly recommend it. The one problem for most people who are overweight, is that the Core program lets you eat until satisfied. For most overweight people, especially myself, I had no idea what satisfied was. I always ate until I was very full. So it made it harder to eat the right amounts of food. But with the band, it might be completely different. I am still pretty newly banded.

I swear by Weight watchers. If you follow the plan, it is guarenteed to work. You can't get better than that. And the accountability, and other meeting topics are really helpful also.

Becki

I too have had success with weight watchers in the past, but of course, if you quit using the program, you quit losing the weight- I always tapered off and found more than I lost eventually.

I would like to have a structured plan like weight watchers after being banded- but the local chapter here is EXTREMELY anti-WLS. They've done "lessons" on it and everything, tell you all about how unhealthy it is blah blah blah. Not to mention the two elderly ladies who run it have been there for like 15 years and ALWAYS remember you so anonymity is impossible in my town

So I have some concerns. First- If i'm extremely successful with weight loss because of the band and they don't know about my band, I will feel a little ....hmm...sneaky? I guess you could say.

The other thing I wonder about is that you start with higher points and move to lesser as you lost weight so you in theory don't slow your metabolism and have gradual but steady weight loss. But even at the lower point levels there MAY be times when I couldn't get UP to the amount of points they want you to have in a day unless I ate really unhealthy foods. So i don't know that I'd really be following it at all....

Anyway just MY concerns :grouphug:

Mypov,

I have not told my local Weight Watchers people that I have had weight loss surgery, it is nobody's business but mine. We all know plenty of people who have had surgery, and have not lost the weight, so any weight I lose, despite the tools I chose to use (ie. Weight Watchers, exercise, or the band), it is still my personal success.

I called the national Weight Watchers and talked to them about WLS. They told me it was completely fine. No leader should be talking about it, though mine did last week, and I almost stood up and socked her!!! I am in the process of filing a complaint about her though. There is so much discrimination against people who are overweight, but it is ridiculous to think that there is discrimination among overweight people about how they lose the weight!! I would call and complain if I were you. I can still use the support from WW.

Statistics show that at most, 4% of people who lose a significant amount of weight (50 pounds), can keep it off. Even with Weight Watchers. It is a depressing figure. It seems to me, that Weight Watchers might like those of us banded to help them boost some statistics or be a big success story.

Anyway, don't feel like a fraud, you are not. It is all your doing, and it is not anyones business how you do it.

Becki

PS. I have no problem using all my point, I just quite with all the fat free stuff. I eat real cheese now, limited, of course, but it adds the points up real quick. So does Peanut Butter.

A friend recommended that I try the South Beach Diet rather than weight watchers. I started reading the book and it sounds great except that they recommend only high fiber carbs, not the carbs i love like pasta. I am so limited on my carbs anyway that i don't want to give up the ones that I actually can get down!

Another warning about weight watchers, I also did it more times than I count before I got banded. I was very active on their boards for years, in fact, up until about February of this year. If you go on their message boards, I wouldn't mention that you have had WLS. They will slam you like you do not believe! Their message board members are very much against WLS.

i'm really glad i found this tread. a girlfriend and i have been doing WW for the last 7 months. i only lost 15lbs and that just crushed me. but i loved our leader and spending time with my girlfriend (without our boys) and i loved the support from the group. it was a hard decision for me to make to get the band b/c i just assumed i would have to give up WW. but after reading this, i think i will continue to go! thanks guys!

Hi, I just started WW last week for the 156th time. I was banded in Aug 2005 and have lost 60 lbs. I need more structure and the points are going to work I think. I can now be satisfied with the points I am allowed, where as before, I was hungry. Also, the meetings are very important for support.