Is your band failing you or are you failing your band ?

[CoachCher 1]

Okay I’m going to be very real and honest here. I’m going to tell you about my year two band journey. But before I do that, let me tell you about year one. Year one I was very motivated and committed to my band journey. I watched what I ate (too an extent) and workout on a semi regular basis. Semi being the key word here, I was about as committed as I could be at the time. I mean come on, I had surgery and that was supposed to be the end of the road right. No additional commitment on my end, the surgery was going to do everything for me (yeah I know good thought process going into this journey). Now don’t get me wrong I did try to be the best band patient I could, considering I had to give up what I most wanted “FOOD”.

I consider my 1st year successful; I lost sixty pounds without a lot of effort on my part. It was great, the weight was coming off, I was discovering a new me. My life in general was going great on all accounts, and then something awful happened. I gave up on my band. I became complacent; I was enjoying my weight loss and the new found me.

So here we are now at my year two journey. I basically focused on every aspect of my life except for my weight loss. I didn’t work out for a year, I didn’t visit my surgeon, and I didn’t weigh myself. I completed my certification to become a Certified Life and Wellness Coach, so I could help others taking the same journey I was taking. I put all of my focus into building a business, and I placed my weight loss on the back burner. So basically year two of my band journey can be considered a failure, no weight loss in year how is that possible?

I’ll tell you how it’s possible, I was happy with the new me. I liked the new clothes I was wearing, I liked being able to get around and do the things I wanted to do, I was enjoying life like I had never enjoyed life before. So I really don’t consider year two a failure, I consider it a learning experience. I mean “Come on” I didn’t lose one pound in a year’s time, however I didn’t gain one pound in a year’s time either. How many other diets/programs do you know of where you stay stable for that amount of time?

My light bulb moment came when I was coaching with my coach (business coach of all coaches). She asked me what my goals were, and where I saw myself in 5 years. What came out of my mouth next was unexpected. I said I wanted to reach my weight loss goal (what do you mean you want to reach your weight loss goal, you’re happy with the new you, you don’t need to do anymore, your fine how you are now) then I proceeded to say I signed up for 120 pound weight loss and I’ve lost 60 of those pounds and now I want the rest to come off. By reaching this goal, I can be an inspiration to others and most importantly I will have accomplished something I set out to complete the first time in my whole life.

Being morbidly obese you have a built in excuse as to why you don’t achieve your goals. I’m too fat to exercise, it’s too hard, and you feel defeated before you even start whatever project is you want to work on. Well now I’m not morbidly obese; I don’t have the built in excuse. How can I inspire others to reach goal if I’m not at goal myself? Oh trust me; that one tiny little question opened up a flood gate of emotions, thoughts, and feelings I didn’t even know resided in me. So I really had to take a hard look at myself and re-evaluate my game plan. A plan is exactly what I came up with.

I made an appointment to go see my surgeon. When I got there I was weighed and yep sure enough the exact same weight I was from my last visit, fourteen months earlier. Dr. Veninga comes into the room, looks at my chart and too my surprise the last time I saw him was for a un-fill. I haven’t had a fill in over a year, are you kidding me? I was shocked I haven’t had a fill in over a year.

So Dr. Veninga asked me what I wanted to do, I said give me a fill and let’s get this band doing what it was designed to do; help me lose weight. That was two months ago and 20 pounds later I can honestly say, “I was failing my band”. I became comfortable with the new me, I lost my focus on my goal, and I just became downright lazy in my weight loss efforts.

Now I am working out 6 days a week, eating good healthy food and really reaping the benefits by following my band rules. I know I’m a food addict always have been always will be. By accepting this fact, doesn’t mean I’m a terrible person; it means I’m a realistic person. I follow a food program and workout program 6 days a week and then on Saturday (or whatever day you choose) I give myself a “Free Day” I can eat what I want without guilt or regret.

I am a complete believer of everything in moderation, if you deprive yourself of everything you want, you only set yourself up for failure. I’m a complete chocoholic, and now with my plan I know on Saturday’s I can have my chocolate completely guilt free.

So I ask each of you to do what I did and ask yourself the hard question. “Is your band failing you or are you failing your band”? If you’re not following up with your surgeon and getting the support you need. Unfortunately you are not going to see the results you want to see, should see and most of all deserve to see. If you’re not losing a minimum of six pounds a month you might need a fill or a un-fill. Yes you can be too tight and that serves no good purpose, you will not see weight loss being too tight. Keep in touch with surgeon, he/she wants to help you and they can’t help you if they don’t know what is going on.

I wish each one of you a successful, fun filled (no pun intended) band journey.

Edited April 20, 2008 by CoachCher

[Frangipani 1]

Hi Coach Cher,

Great post and as a "first year bandster" you have given me a good reminder that I will always need to keep my focus.

I must say that I am at a point to where, when I tell people my goal, (28 more pounds to go) they try to tell me that I should cut my goal in half to make it more "realistic."

I know these people have the very best intentions, but I'm here to reach the finish line, have a normal BMI, and reach my ideal weight, not just make an "improvement."

I mean, do you sign up for a Marathon thinking, "Oh, I'll run 18 miles, see how feel, and then decide if I want to finish the race?" NO! You start a Marathon thinking "I'm going to run the entire 26 miles and in good time too!"

Thanks for the reminder that it is important not to get complacent, and congratulations on your weight loss and on becoming a Certified Life and Wellness Coach!

Crazy Ates April Exercise Challenge

18/30 Exercise Sessions

(11 Cardio, 6 Core Strength and Flexibility, 1 Weight Training)

Banded 8/07/07 Dr. Miguel Zapata, Monterrey Mexico

[CoachCher 1]

Congratulations on your first year post-op. I love how you compared this to a marathan and the mindset of not finishing. I feel the exact same way. I actually talk about this journey as being a sprint and not a marathon. You have to think of yourself as the lone-runner not running in a pack. It doesn't matter when you cross the finish as long as you cross it.

[TracyinKS 7]

As a person on the dawn of moving to her second year banded......... you have really hit a chord. I have been complacent while strutting around in my size 12 levis and feeling fine! I need to take year two seriously.. and get on with the business of getting to goal.. (which I've never been able to do)

Thanks for this post!

[CoachCher 1]

Here's what helped me. I remembered back to all the "Promises" I made to myself pre-surgery. Talk about eye opening, depressing, and the kick in @$$ I needed. This is the exact reason I shared this with you guys. I want you to be able to learn from my mistakes. Here's to your "Successful" year two!!

[Jachut 487]

Great post! I'm finding it a little hard to stay focussed at the moment, I'm happy with the new me, I reached my weight loss goals, I have a BMI of 22 but even THEN you have to remain committed to your new behaviours and keep at it for the weight to stay off. Its quite a task, and one we'll deal with all our lives.

[beachgolf 0]

Thank you-- you inspired me.

[huntersmom 0]

I am failing my band. I am not sure what to do about it either. It has been over 8 months since my last fill. I still have food get stuck and pb some times. I only have 1.5cc in a 4cc band. I have twice made appt. with my surgeon and once was cancelled by them and once cancelled by me. I do need to exercise more too.

I like your idea of dieting all week and having one cheat day. Junk food is my biggest challenge. None of it seems to get stuck and all goes down so easy. I try not to buy it but with a husband that can eat anything and not gain weight and have two kids it is hard.

I think I need some coaching and some butt kicking. I will be in my second year in June and would like it to be better than my first.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

What a great post! Thanks for the encouragement and for reminding us it is within ourselves we actually reach our goal. The band cannot do it on its lonesome.

[tdiamond 0]

Thank-you so much for this post.....I will have completed my second year in August since my surgery. When I was reading your story.....it was like I was reading mine. This past year I have not lost any weight, but have not gained either. I have become so comfortable and complacent about my progress and not motivated to continue losing. I hope reading your story will get me motivated to get back to losing the rest of the weight. Thank-you.

[CoachCher 1]

Don't give up!! Find your focus and your commitment to yourself to get back on the band-wagon!! I believe in you and know you can do it!!

[peaches9 3]

Dear Cher;

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us bandsters. I am 9 mos. post surgery and have had the complication of Band Leakage. During one or two of my fill procedures the TUBING got pierced instead of the Port.

3 wks ago I had a port/tubing replacement and am now re-starting my fill process... weight loss since banding? 10 lbs. No screaming success there, except that in 9 months I could have put 60 lbs on...if left to my old lifestyle...

Thank you for giving me hope again.

[CoachCher 1]

Hey Peaches, WOW I love your attitude it would be so easy to be all mad and disappointed. However you are looking at the positive side you have not gained any weight in 9 months.

I hope your surgeon can get your band corrected for you; imagine what you will be able to do with a properly working band!!

I wish you the best of luck.

[Vikki 2]

:smile:Wow...............that was really a great story!! I am 1year and 1/2 banded and have gone up and down on 50-65 pounds lost. I feel very discouraged at times but have to slap myself and remember why I got the band in the first place. Yes I like the new me and yes it is hard to not eat like I used too........but that is why I got the band. To be healthy and happy with me and to fight the eating disorder that I have and not let food rule my life anymore. To eat what my body needs not craves. To stop beating myself up inside and become confident again. It is a long journey to acomplish and stay on track. But I wanted to thank you for sharing your story. It was really inspiring.:thumbup:

[andielmt 0]

i can relate 100%. i am 5 months out now and have lost almost 40lbs. the first 32 pounds came off in the first 3 months and now i havent lost anything in 7 weeks. i lose 3-5 then gain it back. it seemed easy at first but now i am struggling to make good choices and keep up on the exercise. i to started feeling good about losing weight because everyone i knew would comment on how much better i was looking. its like i gave myself permission to slip at that point. i need to lose another 60 pounds and need to keep with the program. i did have my third fill on april 15 but havent really lost anything. i do acknowledge that i also havent exercised since then either. ive been so busy at work and havent been feeling well, but i will get back on track im good at that when it comes to exercise. i just wish i could do well on the eating well. they say that you can lose weight without exercise if you eat right. i believe that because when i was counting my calories i lost like 6 pounds in one week. how do we do well again. is there hope for me?

andrea