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?

Victoria, I think you have your answer, but I can definitely say it was worth it to me. I can honestly say that I am not fanatical about exercise nor do I follow a diet, although I have considered more careful watch over the carbs I eat. For the first month I didn't exercise at all and then I exercised about 3 times a week for 4 months. Then I stopped exercising and I am getting back in gear with that. My weightloss slowed down without the exercise but still continued. I try to monitor my food intake with sparkpeople just so I can make sure I am making healthy choices. I honestly eat whatever I want but just don't eat much of it. I average about 10 lbs per month (that is changing now that I am closer to goal). That is slightly above average according to my doctor. But it has been totally worth it for me. I still want to lose more weight but if I stopped where I am right now, it would still be worth it because I am getting my life back.

It may just be me, but I do so much better with warm foods, and liquids. Cold stuff makes my esophagus spasm or something, and I really have to wait a long time between bites. I can almost feel cold things just scraping along in my throat. Warm things never did that to me, but even before banding I never got the "brain freeze" that some people get from ice cream, it always made my back hurt between my shoulder blades. Doctor said it was because my esophagus was closer to my spine than to my ribs,so my back hurts,,,,,,,,,,,,splain Lucy!!! Mizboo:eek:

I have to say that I definitely think the procedure was worth it. I think if you follow the directions your doctor gives you, you will have good results. I've been sticking to my eating plan (meet Protein needs first then have other low sugar, low fat foods) and exercising in moderation and I am losing weight even if my band hasn't even been filled yet! I am not starving to death in the meantime either.

I think that anyone who decides to get this surgery needs to decide how serious they are about following the eating plan you are given for the rest of your life. The "fad" diets aren't going to make a difference--I agree with Jack on that one. You need to learn to view food as fuel for your body--the healthier the fuel, the healthier you'll be!