Is it really worth it?

victoria21 · January 9, 2007

I'm scheduled to get banded Jan 26, and am having second thoughts. From what I have read on the board so far, it seems that many people still follow a "commerical" diet (e.g Atkins) and excerise 2 hours a day to achive weight loss. I don't expect the band to be a miracle cure, and I realize there are some things to change in my life, but if following a commerical diet and excerising 2 hours a day is needed, then why bother with the band?

I guess I am looking for responses from those of you who don't do those things and still have some weight loss. I don't expect to lose extreme amounts of weight quickly with the band (nor do I want to), but nor do I have the time to work out 2 hours a day to achive a 1-2 lbs loss a week. I certainly expect to work out at least 3-4 times a week or more (walking, some weights, etc) but there's no room for 2 hours a day.

If that's what I need to do, then I probably won't get a band. Why set myself up for failure because I can't work out that much?

jme62 · January 9, 2007

The band can and will work even if you don't kill yourself in the gym. I thought about it like this when I made my choice. Even if I go out to eat Mexican, with the band I know I can only eat so much. In the old days I could knock out Fajitas for 1, 2 bowls of chips, 2 cokes and don't forget the queso! Now its not happening like that! However, do what you feel is best for you. That was just my logic. Also, I thought even if I just lose 30 lbs in a year and go real real slow, it is still 30 lbs I would of not seen before.

Kat817 · January 9, 2007

I did not exercise for the first several months, easily the first 50 pounds. I do not to this day "diet". The band limits how much of things I eat. I can no longer sit down and munch half a bag of Cookies down. 1-2 cookies, and I am full, binge over.

While a good part of being banded for me was vanity, and how I looked, another part was health. As I lost weight, and began feeling a huge surge of energy, exercising felt good. It feels good to get my heart pumping, and breath fresh air. I know you are doubting this---I did too....I swear to you!

Many people do follow some sort of standardized diet while working towards acheiving restriction. It does help the weight loss during that time. Once the scale begins dropping, and clothes start bagging off, you get the urge to move it off faster, and then the dieting etc, comes in to play.

I eat everything my family does, with one exception, once or twice a month DH goes and buys donuts....now I can only eat cake donuts, not yeast/raised donuts, they get half way down and feel like they expand to 10 times their original size!!! I eat out, I enjy treats more than I probably should, but it has not stopped my loss---so I plan on living as normally as I possibly can, this is not a diet to me, this is the way I plan on living the remainder of my life....being normal.

Normal is not a word I would have EVER used to describe me or my life before banding. It is now. I have a control I never had before.

The plan you have to walk, do some free weights, and control your eating via the band is perfectly acceptable, and should support the 1-2 pounds a week loss, as long as you do not eat around the band---milks shakes, ice cream, etc. A sensible eating plan works fine.

Tonight we are having tacos, last night we had chicken fettucine---normal food, I just eat way less. 1 taco will fill me up. 2/3 of a cup of fettucine was more than I could handle last night--but I felt full so it didn't matter!

I hope you get responses from others, because I personally do not do anything like a "diet" and while I do tend to exercise now, that was not the case for a long time. Now I joined Curves, and I walk. I look for ways to get some extra exercise, but nowhere near 2 hours a day. My band group has a challenge, for 17 workouts a month of 35 minutes each. My walks count, as does my Curves. So did chopping wood, and sledding with my grandkids---it is all doing the same thing!

The band was and continues to be a blessing to me!

Good Luck in your decision!

Kat

juliegeraci · January 9, 2007

I don't exercise 2 hours a day or follow a commerical diet plan. I eat when hungry and stop when full. The band is wonderful that way. Trust me, you will know when you are full. I don't exercise very much and that is why I'm considered a slow loser at 1 lb per week. I've lost about 35 lbs in 6 months. I am hoping to get to 41 lbs by Valentine's Day. Good luck to you on your journey.

Poodles · January 9, 2007

When I was overfilled, I would have answered, "hell no it is not worth it". Constaint pain, no weight loss, and being miserable is not worth it.

Now that I have had an unfill, I can eat the things I need to, and only about 3/4 to 1 cup of it and feel fine.

You still must eat the right things, ie fruits/veg/meat and cut out the sweets. The band will let the bad things straight thru, so if your diet consists of ice cream and chocolate the band will not help you... darn it.

Good luck.

GayleTX · January 9, 2007

I have lost 107 lbs in 10 months and have exercised very little because I was not able until I lost abou5 50 lbs....about all I have done since then is walk 1 miles 3-4 days/week. I know I need to do more to tone my muscles and I am now able to do so.

As for food, I do not consider my food lifestyle a diet at all. I simply go by band eating rules....no white carbs/sweets, no carbonated drinks, no liquids during or right after meals, no fried foods. I eat Protein first, then veggies. I keep my carbs under 50/60 gr/day, and my Proteins about 80-100 gr./day. My biggest problem is getting in enough calories a day because I'm simply not hungry and can't hold much food. I use Protein supplements daily to keep my muscles strong and my hair healthy...they also satisfy some of 'head hunger' that we all deal with from time to time.

I have never been able to lose this much before or control my eating habits for this long and with as little stress.

Lois Lane · January 9, 2007

Slow Loser Here But Happy

I to like the some of the others don't like to exercise, but I do walk the dog almost every night about 1/2 to 3/4 mile. I have not lost a huge amount of weight but am very happy to be down 19 pounds that any other way would not have come off and stayed off like it does with my wonderful band. I have to cut out white breads and white sugar, but do cheat occassionally. It just makes it easier to eat less when you get full quicker. I don't follow any commercial diet, just eat regular foods, just alot less than I used to. Good luck to you and keep us posted.

Mamaz2ndbaby · January 9, 2007

now I can only eat cake donuts, not yeast/raised donuts, they get half way down and feel like they expand to 10 times their original size!!!

:omg: :welldone: Does that mean no Krispy Kreme? :faint: Oh hellz no...

Just joking...:phanvan I think.:biggrin1:

cinward2001 · January 9, 2007

I don't follow a commercial diet and I exercise 45 minutes, 3x/week with a personal trainer. Plus, as a family, we go to karate 2x/week. Some weeks, I'll pick up another training session or go to karate more, but that's *completely* because I love it. I like feeling strong and fit. :welldone:

For my "diet," I try to focus on Protein and veggies first, but I've eaten pizza, Doritos, cake, ice cream, chocolate, Cookies, pecan pie, bread, etc. I don't eat them every day and when I do eat them, it's in small quantities, but I'm obviously not following a "diet" in the "D" sense of the word.

I've lost 80+ lbs in the past year. :cool:

Cindy

lisah25 · January 9, 2007

I'm scheduled to get banded Jan 26, and am having second thoughts. From what I have read on the board so far, it seems that many people still follow a "commerical" diet (e.g Atkins) and excerise 2 hours a day to achive weight loss. I don't expect the band to be a miracle cure, and I realize there are some things to change in my life, but if following a commerical diet and excerising 2 hours a day is needed, then why bother with the band?
I guess I am looking for responses from those of you who don't do those things and still have some weight loss. I don't expect to lose extreme amounts of weight quickly with the band (nor do I want to), but nor do I have the time to work out 2 hours a day to achive a 1-2 lbs loss a week. I certainly expect to work out at least 3-4 times a week or more (walking, some weights, etc) but there's no room for 2 hours a day.

If that's what I need to do, then I probably won't get a band. Why set myself up for failure because I can't work out that much?

As of today, I'm down 50.2 pounds. I lost a little weight before my banding, most has been after it. One reason I got banded because I was tired of food being the focus of my life. Either what I was going to eat that I should, or what I had eaten I shouldn't have, what I was going to eat next, counting pounts and all that. I was tired of it. I wanted to just eat a reasonable portion of good healthy food and not worry about it all day. The band is allowing me to do that. I enter a days worth of food into Sparks once in a while to be sure I'm on track, but that's about it.

I exercise a few days a week, certainly not 2 hours a day.

wish412 · January 9, 2007

I was just asked that question on Sunday, and my response was a wholehearted YES, YES, YES. I would do it again today if for some reason my band failed. As for dieting, if you call eating what you like in very small portions a diet, so be it, but I have really just learned to rearrange the way I eat those foods. Always the meats first, veggies next, and usually I would have to have any Desserts injected because there is noooo way I could swallow it after eating the bit of foods it took to fill me up. I still go for ice cream on Sunday nights, but instead of getting the cone, I get it in a cup because I know after two ot three bites of the cold stuff I don't want to swallow anything else cold so the spouse gets it from there. We sure have learned to eat out cheaper. For exercise, once we closed the pool for the summer, that got to be just a few things I find myself doing while washing dishes(leg kicks, kneebends, toe raises, etc.) or while watching t.v. What is really funny though, is that when the weather is beautiful out, once you start losing, you can hardly fight the urge to strap up your shoe laces and head outside to walk, stroll and look at flowers, or just be outside moving... and trust me, I am a home body. This is not for sissy's , but what sissy even considerers surgery as a choice in the first place. You are strong enough for this, that is evident by the fact that you have already made preparations to do it. Best wishes to you....Mizboo;)

victoria21 · January 9, 2007

Thank you to everyone who replied to my question, and with such great detail-I really appreciate it. I'm glad to know the band has helped without having to go crazy. I have a fairly low BMI and need to lose about 80lbs, so it might take longer to lose the weight than it would if I had a higher BMI, but my concerns are eased by your responses. I am already relacing one meal a day with a Protein Shake, and seeing a food addition councellor, so I feel I am doing the right things to get prepared for the surgery. Although surgery isn't covered by my insurance, at least the councelling is! Thank you all again!

Mamaz2ndbaby · January 9, 2007

instead of getting the cone, I get it in a cup because I know after two ot three bites of the cold stuff I don't want to swallow anything else cold

Hi Wish412...or anyone this question applies to...what happens when you eat cold stuff?

sophrosyne · January 9, 2007

Thank you to everyone who replied to my question, and with such great detail-I really appreciate it. I'm glad to know the band has helped without having to go crazy. I have a fairly low BMI and need to lose about 80lbs, so it might take longer to lose the weight than it would if I had a higher BMI, but my concerns are eased by your responses. I am already relacing one meal a day with a Protein shake, and seeing a food addition councellor, so I feel I am doing the right things to get prepared for the surgery. Although surgery isn't covered by my insurance, at least the councelling is! Thank you all again!

More and more HMOs are covering the surgery. I too have a 41 BMI and about 100 lbs. to lose. I'm going to try replacing a meal a day with a Protein Shake, and see how that works out. If I can do it at all, without a band, I'll give it a shot. What I was reading on the board today kinda shook me.

Jachut · January 11, 2007

I've always had the motivation and desire to exercise but having the band meant I actually lost weight at the same time so it became easier and easier and easier. Now in total I may sometimes do like 4 hours exercise in a day if you count an hour's run, a lovely long walk with my DH and my kids along the beach or something and some gardening, all jsut in a days work for me. I have the energy to easily do that now and I naturally want to be active but I didnt start out at those sorts of levels so dont let that kind of thing scare you.

As for eating, I've never ever dieted with my band, never added up calories or followed a commercial program. I eat any food, bread and carbs included, in moderation, just in smaller quantities and I'm nearly at goal weight after a year. It works if you want to make the changes you need to make - I would eat McDonalds if I really fancied it, but I dont really fancy it more than once in a blue moon anymore. We had it on Thursday because we always make a stop at the Maccas in Bairnsdale on our way to and from our holiday spot every year. But instead of a hashbrown, sausage and egg mcmuffin, orange juice and coffee, I only fancied a hashbrown and coffee on the way up and on the way back I just had the coffee as I'd eaten a banana in the car. Those are natural changes, not forced ones, but they only come about because you do stop and evaluate whether you really want things or are just eating them out of habit.

The changes and the work must come from you but I think its actually better and leads to real life changes if you allow them to happen naturally rather than overriding the process with a diet. I trust my body now to tell me what it needs and I trust myself to make healthy decisions - a variety of foods, treats included.