Hello everyone:

I was banded on Jan. 17 and have been reading a lot of posts about life after lapband. I am concerned because reading some of the posts makes you realize how hard this process is going to be and sometimes it seems that even if you try and do everything right, you still don't lose weight. I would love to hear from bandsters who have been sucessful with a consistent weight loss and how they are doing it. I was thrilled to lose 9 lbs on the preop diet since I can't remember the last time I lost any weight but am worried now that once I start to eat, I won't lose any weight. I guess that after going thru the whole process of being approved for the band, the surgery and trying to feel well again, it scares me that I might never find restriction as I've read my people have a hard time. I just want to be sucessful for once in my life and would love to hear what experienced bandsters feel has worked for them.

I see my surgeon on Monday for my first postop checkup and hopefully I'll lose a little before I start the pureed stage.

Thanks for all advice!

Jeni in PA:redface:

I am newly banded myself but have come to the realization that you will STILL have to "diet" and "exercise" to be successful. Restriction doesn't come for a while, and even then it appears to be fleeting (as you lose weight, you also lose restriction) so it's up to YOU to do everything right in order to lose.

For ME "right" means eating whatever I want in moderation. I refuse to go into this worried about what I can/cannot eat, etc. If I want pizza, I will have pizza - ONE slice. If I go to a birthday party, I will have cake - one small piece (and maybe not even ALL of the piece I'm served). If I want a burger, I will have a burger - ONE burger without the bun.

I need to live in a world WITH food - and I'm a LOVER of food (how do you think I got in this position ?)

As for the excersize - I move. I'm constantly moving. I work in an office and have set up my keyboard and mouse so that I can stand at my desk and constantly walk side to side (think pee-pee dance) - I read somewhere that walking for an hour at 1mph will burn about 100 calories/hour .. SO I do it for 1/2 a day (phone calls, emails, etc) and sit for 1/2 day (meetings, etc) and by the time I get home I've burned at least 300 calories (as opposed to 100 had I sat at my desk all day)

I also park further away and take the stairs. It sounds silly but I live on the 5th floor and I've been taking the stairs up all week :redface: (I'm exhausted by the 3rd floor) but I burn about 50-60 calories doing that.

In any given day, I'm burning about 500 calories MORE than I did "pre-band" and that's BEFORE I've even started working out.

Granted my weightloss isn't as impressive as others, it's down right SLOW - but it's consistent and the numbers are going down

I don't diet.. and the comment about pizza.. with good restriction, pizza is out for most. I've tried it on a couple occasions, and there's no way to get that bread down.. so I eat the toppings off of a pizza in a pinch.

So maybe it's kind of like a diet, but it's not intentional. I just can't eat certain stuff.. The band does a good job about portion control. The biggest advice I have, is to rid your house of the junk that goes down easy. You may feel like binging, and you're not going to be able to binge on some fruit & veggies.. but if you have a bag of chips, it'll likely go down pretty well (everyone is different of course).

So I keep 100 calorie snacks for my 'bad days'.. but other than that, I don't make 'low-fat' or 'diet' foods.. I make chili, or chicken casserole, or keilbasa and saurkraut, etc. But now, instead of eating a whole plate full, it's less than 1 cup.. and I'm satisfied!

At 16 months out i consider myself to have been quite successful and have been a consistant loser. For me thus far moderation has always been the key as far as food is concerned. I still eat what i want (with the exception of bread and beef) only FAR FAR FAR FAR less. I find that if i keep in tune to my sense of restriction and try and head in for fills when that feeling is lost that my pattern of losing remains consistant. Ive had minor set backs along the way (10 lb vacation gain in ONE WEEK!), holliday weight gains and so forth but i always GET RIGHT BACK ON TRACK. I weigh my self every day at the same time each day and very rarely does a day go by when i dont drink a minimum of 50oz of water. I would probably be further along then i am if i was more of an avid exerciser, but i try an do what i can when i can. Ive never had one problem with my band thus far and IM LOVING IT! I still have a ways to go but im in it for the long haul. Good luck to you.