Bells and whistles aren't my thing.

Think you need to buy powders, diet foods, a gym membership? Think you need to count calories, measure food, etc? I surely won't be of any help to you.

But, you want to allow the lapband to assist you in losing weight.... I'll help out how I can.

Alice, counting calories? Don't know what to tell ya- but....the lapband system is not implemented until you have restriction.

Dieting....didn't you try that before and it didn't work?

Let the band do it's job. Take the first 6-10 weeks and heal...don't diet.

Once you get restriction (and it will happen soon enough) you are going to wish you didn't spend all that time and energy dieting. Conserve it now. You will need it when you get restriction.

My success was based on modifying the quantity of food I eat...plain and simple. I got fat because I ate too much. Not because I didn't move enough...not because of medication....not because of a health problem. So, to answer your question...Alice, I don't exercise - as far as going to a gym or putting on special clothing to do an activity.

For me, walking up the stairs to get to my apartment....walking the mile from the parking lot all the way to the back of Walmart for a gallon of milk.....that's my exercise.

I'm a disabled vet from Desert Storm and lost the use of my legs...I went from a wheelchair to a walker...yep...seat/basket...the works. How grateful I was to use a cane..but now...I take it easy and can walk freely.

Exercise is not for me.

But for most people...play.....literally PLAY!

Go out for a jog with the kids...race to the end of the road.

Go for a stroll...go on a treasure hunt.

Play sports...coach- what a great way to get exercise and help others at the same time.

McDonalds wasn't in the hamburger business...they are in real estate.

Golds Gym (Curves/LA fitness/Bally's/ 24 hr Fitness, etc) aren't in the fitness business...they are in the contracts business.

I agree w/ everything Grace has said.

I dont count calories . what is the point ? If your eating what your suppose to and not eating around the band the band pretty much does that for you is how i look at it .

I dont exercise . I play Wii Fit w/ my kids and have a blast , I am more active with my kids and enjoy it .

Diets, I dont see the point in dieiting ... Makes NO SENSE TO me now that we have the band. I dont get the people who get banded then say " I just joined WW's or Jenny Craig " WHY ?

Like Grace said diets did not work before .

Before restriction you have to have patients . You have to exercise some self control . Once the restriction gets here then its easier.

the band is not a magic want that your going ot wave over your stomach and lose the weight. OR More so over your head.

It will come in time BUT Sometimes you have to be patient .

HTH

Mindy

OH! Coltonwade--you thought I wouldn't catch you? You better be off my back FOR GOOD about logging my food on SparkPeople!!!! If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times! I dont' give a shit about keeping track of my calories!!!!

P.S......I stepped on the scale last night (after running--I DO exercise -- Couch to 5K program, week 6) and weighed 191.4!!!! I'm not counting it as official yet, but it's pretty COOL!

NO NO NO ... What I have said is and I have told you this as well...

I dont count calories .. BUT if im not losing i will count for a short period to make sure im not getting too much to eat or too little.

I do NOT Count DAILY !!! No need for it. But if you find yourself in a plateau or not losing the way you want , i think its good to see what your eating .

Sometimes what we THINK is going in our mouth is good for us is NOT . And loging what we eat for a week helps see that.

For instance smoothies at places like smoothie King ,,, ONE of those can have as many as 1500 calories.

Do i count EVERYTHING that goes in my mouth every day , no . I have had to count calories twice since surgery and both times I found I was not losing due to not eating Enough .

Congrats on the weight loss !!! I told ya it will come off woman !!!!!

Mindy

Hi i am from the Uk

and i have lost about 68 lbs

i am wanting to go for the next push

my aim is 100 lbs i do think it is poss .

I am in to your vibe to weight -loss

and it's the way i want to go

so any ideas,tips or ways forward

i would be so in to

all the best

R

So I know this post is from awhile back but I am so glad it was brought up to the top! THISis exactly what I have needed. I posted a thread below about looking for a mentor (see this for all my problems). Thank you guys for giving me a new way to look at my band and my new "non-Diet" lifestyle!

I dont get the "diet" w/ the band mentality . really i dont . The thought NEVER crossed my mind , in fact I thought " THANK GOD I'll never have to diet again !! " after i was banded.

its pointless to me . diets do not work w/ out a band why the hell would I go on one W/ a band ?

So welcome to no more diets LOL

Mindy

I agree Mindy! I bookmarked your blog so I am hoping it gives me the inspiration I need to start loosing

OH your too sweet , good luck you will do great !

Mindy

Get restriction. Don't be a baby! You are going to have to cut down on the quantity of food - that's the point of the lapband system. Don't want to cut down on the amount of food - don't get the lapband. So what if you slime from time to time....it's all a learning process and you need to allow yourself time to re-learn how to eat. But this isn't saying that if you vomit that you shouldn't see your doc, quite the contrary. Vomiting isn't good. But sliming, as long as you are in the process of re-learning how to eat...it's a tool.

-coughs- That's all I have to say:smile:

Oh, before someone makes a bad comment about my sodapop....

sometimes things happen in life. Death, divorce, moving...you name the stressor!

You gotta do whatcha gotta do. I don't live off sodapop as a rule. But driving trucks, getting 3 kids settled...oh, I'm a single parent so I have absolutely no help from anyone except the Lord...but that makes the difference.

If something tragic happens, you go ahead and eat. But the best part about the band is while you feel like you are binging....take a peak at that bag of potatoe chips when you are done....you didn't eat but a third.....not the entire bag. Yet you feel you binged. But did you? Really? Nope, not a bit.

Got tragedies all the time, get a therapist! That once in a blue moon binge won't hurt anything but this is about nutrition, and relearning how to eat. Old bad habits can sneak up on you and rob you of your life. Don't let them!

-coughs again-

I'm loving the no nonsense approach. I was starting to wonder if this was for me, seeing all the posts with detailed instructions on "keeping a food diary every day for the rest of your life and run a marathon a month, did I mention the gallon of protein shakes a week?" crap. I work much better on a "use your brain, but you don't have to be OCD about it" approach. I'm a Psych nurse, I prefer to leave the OCD and other mental illnesses at work as much as possible, not develop a new one personally!

Count me in for the no bulls*it approach. I don't count calories but I do a rough total in my head. I do monitor my portion size because that’s part of the reason I got fat in the first place! I weigh stuff but stick to the manufacturers recommended portion size. I eat 3 meals a day and I also have a snack once a day. But I eat what I want! I want chocolate I eat chocolate, if I want salad I eat a salad. I have never had a protein shake and am in no hurry to give them a try! I have lost 33lbs since June including my pre op diet so my approach is working for me.

Count me in for the no bulls*it approach. I don't count calories but I do a rough total in my head. I do monitor my portion size because that’s part of the reason I got fat in the first place! I weigh stuff but stick to the manufacturers recommended portion size. I eat 3 meals a day and I also have a snack once a day. But I eat what I want! I want chocolate I eat chocolate, if I want salad I eat a salad. I have never had a Protein shake and am in no hurry to give them a try! I have lost 33lbs since June including my pre op diet so my approach is working for me.

Shoot I dont even "roughly " count calories, what's the point ?

Seriously , That IS counting calories . And honestly there is no reason to weight stuff. You can do things to figure out how much things " weight' w/ out going to that much trouble. Lets face it you cant weight things in restaurants. not saying what your doing is wrong. But im saying you could do the same thing in an easier way ... For Example :

• A rounded handful - one 1/2 cup vegetables or fruit, 1/2 cup of cooked rice or Pasta, or a snack serving of crisps or pretzels
  
• Woman’s fist - another way of visualising a serving of vegetables, or one piece of whole fruit
  
• Small handful or golf ball - 1/4 cup of dried fruit
  
• A matchbox - a 1 oz serving of meat, or a serving of cheese
  
• Deck of cards, or the palm of your hand (excluding fingers) - a 3oz serving (recommended serving) of meat, fish or poultry, or ten chips/french fries
  
• Thin paperback book - a 8 oz serving of meat
  
• Check book - a serving of fish (approximately 3 oz)
  
• Tennis ball - 1/2 cup of pasta, or a serving of ice cream
  
• Computer mouse - a medium baked potato
  
• Compact disc - one serving of pancake or small waffle
  
• Thumb tip or one dice - one teaspoon of margarine
  
• A ping pong ball - two tablespoons of Peanut Butter
  
• Small milk carton - 8 oz glass of milk
  
• A baseball - 8 oz cup of yogurt, one cup of Beans, or one cup of dry Cereal
  

HTH

Mindy

with out the protien powder how are you getting enough protien for your body

that will really hurt you in the long run