So it's a New Year and, having been banded Dec. 20th, I'm hoping for a new me this year! I thought maybe some of you veteran bandsters might have some advice for every day living with the band? Some of my thoughts so far are that I will pack my lunch for work each day so that I'm not eating in the hospital cafeteria. I'm going to stash a few protein bars in my locker at work for those times when I have "food emergencies". My surgeon doesn't like continued use of protein shakes once you're on solids but I figure a protein shake is better than nothing and WAY better than McDonald's drive thru on those mornings when I'm running late so I'll still keep some of those on hand for emergencies too. As far as exercise, I intend to get my treadmill back out of the storage building as soon as I get this Christmas tree down and bring it back in so that I can start walking and work up to running. I plan to be running(or at least jogging) some 5k races with my family by summer. I also want to join the local gym. What other suggestions do you veteran folks have that might help me to to achieve the "new me" in the coming year?

my best advice is to learn patience. getting fills require a great deal of patience. you have the food down and the exercise so i thought i would throw in a mental aspect of the band.

Thank you. Patience isn't a strong point of mine so I'm going to have to work hard on this one but I know I can do it.

Don't give up on the band!!

Just my 2 cents, but I read post after post about all kinds of things people encourage each other to do and stay motivated, but the majority do not contribute anything to the Band....

Sometimes it is hard to tell this is is a forum dedicated to those who have undergone Lap Band Surgery....

There is a reason we had this surgery....and I have always focused on that, and never expected anything less....

Again, just my 2 cents....

Good Luck in 2014, and beyond....this thing DOES WORK !!

Thank you. I'm not sure if it's because I maybe still have some swelling from my surgery or if I'm one of the lucky ones who has a small degree of restriction just from having the band but I can already tell that I can't eat/drink as much as I did before. Again, I realize this may simply be from some swelling from the surgery but still...it gives me hope that, in time, it will work it's magic :-) Like someone else said, I just have to be patient until I get to that magic fill that puts me in the green zone.

Well God help them on the first very stuck episode it is not pretty by any means lol

I fear that day!!!

You just have to take one day at a time. I think it's harder to maintain then it was losing. This is the time that you have to be very careful. Just take in all you can and learn to use it for your self. I don't like exercise and I have done none ever. I lost weight I did/do well. Between Fibromyalgia, a torn rotator cuff that I cant get fixed right now and arthritis you can see why I need it to get warm again so I can use my pool. Exercise wont make you or break you. It will help you get fit but if you are eating less calories then you burn you will lose. It might be slower but you will lose.