I am considering getting lapband. However, if the surgery only

restricts the amount you can eat. Would it be possible to eat

the "band diet" without surgery and lose weight? What would be the

band diet - 3 meals a day consisting of ? How much excercise? Water?

I was thinking of trying to eat like a bandster before my surgery. I

am just in the preliminary stages...going to doctor seminar next week.

Thanks for your thoughts.

The difference is, and the reason why most of the time when i "diet" i fail, You starve that way. I eat, im an overeater. But what the band does, is make it so you cant eat the same amount of food as you would normally do. Simply because your stomach is now small.

I can only eat one ounce meals at a time, thats like a shot glass. I can do this 3 times a day. And I have to drink at least 3 qts of Water a day, plus Protein Shakes.

Some dr's require a pre-op diet. They all vary, so depending on what your dr says, I would do that. Instead of trying to eat like an already banded person. That would be pure torture.

My band diet, once on full diet will include three 4oz meals a day. Eat mostly protien, then a little veggie and some carb. Each meal can only be 4oz (personally I would STARVE on this pre-band) and no snacking.

Water is what you would expect, 64 oz, and NO liquid CALORIES. I can only drink calorie free drinks.

All doctor's are different so you will likely get a vast array of band diets.

By the way, my pre-op diet was 2 high protien (20grams min) drinks per day and one small meal, 4oz protien. I did it for 2 weeks and was almost thinking I could do without the band. I'm not 6 days past the band and I'm so sick of the drinks I can hardly stand it. Having said that, if I hadn't gotten banded, I would have tired of this diet same as I did all the others and I would have lapsed.

Best of luck to you.

I have heard of people living a "bandster" lifestyle before they get the band and getting results. Such as eating slowly and chewing their food as if they had the band. Eating smaller portions, and cutting out junk food of course. I say why not try it what have you got to lose?

The band only levels the playing field for us overeaters. It helps control the physical need to eat. (Not the emotional, which sometimes can be a bummer.)

Anything you do to improve yourself is a step in the right direction. Good luck.

I don't think you could do it for very long without the band. You would feel like you were starving. After the band it's so much more comfortable because you no longer feel the crazy almost sick feeling of being so hungry.