Guidance on Diet for Normal Life

DragonSingapore · June 14, 2008

Dear All,

Well I finally took the plunge after fighting to keep my weight under control with diet and exercise for over 20 years. I am a low BMI bander (36 at banding) but I chose to use this tool after years of failure and in anticipation of deteriorating health and more weight gain as I aged. I am one week in and very excited about the future, while at the same time very apprehensive.

I chose to use the band to assist me primarily with Portion Control. I have decided after many years of assessment that I love exercising and I love my unhealthy foods and that my main issue was lack of portion control with bad foods (i.e. eating the whole pizza instead of just one slice!). So my goal is to lose weight slowly but try and live a relatively normal life with a wide variety of food selections, just eating much less of them. So I am not too concerned about making sure my diet is perfect and healthy, just reasonable. Perhaps I am naive but given that I exercise 5-6 days per week and don't mind that and given that over the next couple of years I only want to lose 50 lbs, I think the balance and trade off can work.

So that having been said I want to ask all of you (and this forum has proven to be a fantastic resource I must say) for your guidance and experience on the eventual diet (after recovery);

1. How do you find eating melted or sliced cheese? Can you?

2. How about a piece of garlic bread?

3. How about some potato chips while watching a sporting event?

4. Can you EVER go to a fast food restaurant and have a hamburger again or do they always get stuck?

5. I hear so many conflicting things about Pasta? Can you or can you not eat Pasta?

6. What about rice dishes? Can you have those?

I look forward to hearing from the many of you who have taken this positive and life changing step.

Sassygirl · June 14, 2008

DragonSingapore:

Congratulations on getting the band. It’s is the best thing I have done for myself. I was banded with a BMI of 40 about 1 ½ ago. I have lost 60 pounds doing just what you described. Although I was not much into exercise before the band, I started as soon as I could after banding and have not stopped. I don’t think I love it quite as much as you, but at least I don’t hate it. I just want to be healthier overall, not just thin, and exercise is a major part of that.

When I got the band, I was at the point where I could not diet, think about food (re: obsess about food) for another day, another minute, another second. I have done just what you want to do. I eat whatever I want just in smaller amounts. I too could eat a whole pizza in the past and am now satisfied with one or two pieces; truly, satisfied. I can eat potato chips, bread, Pasta, fast food, rice, whatever. The only thing I seem to really have a problem with is the bread they serve at restaurants, I seem to get stuck on that more often than not, but probably because I am not paying attention and socializing and forget to chew, chew, chew so I don’t even attempt it anymore (no big loss there).

But also keep in mind that everyone’s experience is different. I have a friend with the band whose has trouble eating bread, Pasta, etc., but she chooses to keep her band pretty tight.

I eat a basically healthy diet and do splurge on occasion (pizza, burgers, potato chips, candy, etc.), but like a normal person. I don’t do it everyday, maybe once a week and this seems to be fine. I like wine with dinner and never gave that up.

I still would like to lose 10 more pounds, so at this point I am watching what I eat a little more as the last 10 pounds are always the hardest to lose. However, I am not going to be obsessive about it. If I don’t lose another pound, I am still ecstatic about the band. In the past I could always lose weight by myself, but could never keep it off and with the band I know I will have success.

Yes, my weight loss was slow compared to most and I would sometimes get discouraged, but then I would have to remind myself that I am not dieting, eating basically whatever I want and slowing losing – what a miracle.

So to answer your question, you should have no problem losing 50 pounds in 2 years doing just what you describe.

Lori

DragonSingapore · June 14, 2008

Sassygirl, thanks so much for sharing your experience. And congratulations on the success thus far. I went out for dinner with friends tonight and being still on Clear liquids, sticking to the broth from the minestrone Soup and ignoring the bread and calamari was a tough test. But after, and when I was not stuffed full, I felt strangely calm knowing where this might all end up (positive).

May I ask how full you keep your band and if you have had fills, how many? I have discussed with my doctor keeping it fairly loose so that I have flexibility, but enough control to manage the portions.

I sincerely hope I am one of the lucky ones who can continue to eat pretty much everything, only now in realistic portion sizes!

juliatabor · June 14, 2008

Dear All,
Well I finally took the plunge after fighting to keep my weight under control with diet and exercise for over 20 years. I am a low BMI bander (36 at banding) but I chose to use this tool after years of failure and in anticipation of deteriorating health and more weight gain as I aged. I am one week in and very excited about the future, while at the same time very apprehensive.

I chose to use the band to assist me primarily with Portion Control. I have decided after many years of assessment that I love exercising and I love my unhealthy foods and that my main issue was lack of portion control with bad foods (i.e. eating the whole pizza instead of just one slice!). So my goal is to lose weight slowly but try and live a relatively normal life with a wide variety of food selections, just eating much less of them. So I am not too concerned about making sure my diet is perfect and healthy, just reasonable. Perhaps I am naive but given that I exercise 5-6 days per week and don't mind that and given that over the next couple of years I only want to lose 50 lbs, I think the balance and trade off can work.

So that having been said I want to ask all of you (and this forum has proven to be a fantastic resource I must say) for your guidance and experience on the eventual diet (after recovery);

1. How do you find eating melted or sliced cheese? Can you?

2. How about a piece of garlic bread?

3. How about some potato chips while watching a sporting event?

4. Can you EVER go to a fast food restaurant and have a hamburger again or do they always get stuck?

5. I hear so many conflicting things about Pasta? Can you or can you not eat Pasta?

6. What about rice dishes? Can you have those?

I look forward to hearing from the many of you who have taken this positive and life changing step.

dragonsingapore

I had to chuckle reading your post becoz I could have written it !! (apart from the exercising bit..3 half hr swims a week is enuf for me!) I'm having my band in 3 weeks and like you my bmi is low. I will be reading your replies with great interest so thanks!

How have you found it post op? just wondering what to expect really

Julia

Bandme08 · June 14, 2008

I think that the band is a life change. If you are getting the band to be healthier, then why would you want to still be able to eat pizza, candy, chips, soda, fast food, etc? I consider this a perminant lifestyle change. Yes, some may be able to still eat these things post banding, but you arent' doing yourself any good healthwise! If you continue to eat candy, chips, and fast food, then you will still have the probibility of being unhealthy. Thin, maybe, but still, unhealthy!

There is a quote on this site, and I can't remember who's profile it's on, so I apologize for not being able to site the correct owner, but it is:

If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got". That really hit home with me, and was an enormous push to change the way I eat. Forever.

Just my $0.02

Jachut · June 14, 2008

I've lost 120% of my excess weight using the same approach.

Bandme08 I dont think the original poster intends to live on those foods, just include them in an overall balanced plan. A healthy diet is part of a healthy lifestyle and obsessing over avoiding certain foods isnt necessarily healthy for a lot of people, some people DO want to live on a strict diet, others dont. pizza every now and then is not going to kill you.

Personally, for a long time I could but now, I just really wouldnt bother with pizza or a burger, too hard and the level of restriction I have to keep a BMI of 22 means I am too tight to eat a whole burger, although I can eat the insides (which is where all the flavour is anyway) or simply order a few chicken nuggets instead, those are fine for me. I can eat potato chips without a problem, never eat the garlic bread because it fills me up too much but can eat Pasta and rice with no problem at all. Melted cheese too.

Bandme08 · June 14, 2008

I apologize if I seemed overly aggressive in my previous post. I guess what I am trying to say, is that for me, at least, if I start to eat that way again, I am afraid I won't have the willpower to stop.. Maybe once I am further in bandland, I will be able to allow myself little guilty pleasures, but for now, I must stay on task, and try to do the best I can at this!

Jachut- I admire you for your acomplishment! I think what you are trying to say, is it's better to allow yourself a little of what you love, than try to beat yourself silly trying to avoid it!

Thanks for the thoughts!

Jachut · June 14, 2008

Thanks - I really think the diet thing is personality dependent, for some people diet spells failure before they even begin. I really needed that safety net of being "allowed" to eat those foods, but nowadays, I just dont care about them anymore. food has become only food.

Hastings · June 14, 2008

I think you are right, Jachut. There seem to be many ways to use the band "as a tool".

I don't mind being on a diet, I never have. I like the control and the decision making on a daily basis. Others like to use it for Portion Control. Whatever works for you, is my motto.

To answer the op. I can eat chips, but I never do cause I would eat the whole bag. I can't eat Pasta and rice. cheese, melted or otherwise is fine. I love garlic bread but I have to nibble at it, otherwise it sticks.

I don't go to fast food restaurants.

mica · June 14, 2008

Hi there,

I was banded in Tijuana, Mexico jan 25/08. I had a bmi of around 35 and have since lost around 45 lbs! I have done everything that you mentioned. I eat what ever I want, just a bit of it, not the whole item. It is very freeing to eat "normally", to not have the guilt associated with overeating. To go out and having anything you want with enough leftovers for a few days! The band has been a life changing event for me one I wish I had done 25 years ago.

Good luck in your new and improved life!

DragonSingapore · June 15, 2008

Dear Julia,

First off thanks for taking the time to write. I am not a big user of forums to be honest and yet I have found it comforting that so many people out here are in the same situation. You know what I mean? There is something about thinking you are the only one in the world with this issue but then finding out that is not the case.

To answer your question, the days following surgery, in my case, seemed to fall in line with what most people report on this site. The gas was definitely present and you can feel it in your shoulders. But the pain was not overwhelming. I used analgesics for the first 3-4 days and then went off them as I don't like having drugs in my body. I have stayed on the strict liquids for 7 days now and my doc wants me on them for 2 more weeks. So I am going to listen and give myself every chance to heal. I have done two 50 minute walks as well which seemed to be a nice combo of both gas relief and a little bit of exercise.

7 days on now and it is true that each day gets exponentially better. Getting in and out of bed is not really a problem now (the pain from the wounds is what gets you there, not the actual banding). Today for the first time, in the morning, the band does not feel as tight (or perhaps the area around it is not as swollen and healing now) which is good news to me. The last few days it had felt pretty tight in the morning.

Anyways, I can certainly say the trade off has been worth it as I have lost 7 kg in the first week. I have always lost weight quickly (and put it on the same way!!) and knowing in my mind the permanence of the solution is a real motivator.

Best of luck with yours and I look forward to hearing about your big day.

DragonSingapore · June 15, 2008

Mica, fantastic to hear. It sounds like you, as with myself, were looking to have a permanent Portion Control solution rather than a fully restrictive dietary tool. Can I ask if you get fills regularily or do you keep your band fairly loose? My doctor has discussed that in my case, full fills may not be required and we will monitor based upon weight loss. Thanks.

DragonSingapore · June 15, 2008

Jachut/Bandme08,

What is readily apparent is that this major decision means different things to different people. Of course I will plan on making lifestyle changes and I am in agreement that the band alone cannot change things for me. But at the same time, I am 100% with Jachut in that I need the safety net of being 'allowed' to have some lifestyle choices in moderation. After assessment I have always felt that my attempts at dieting in the past have been sabotaged not because I could not control the type of food mix I ate, but the fact that I ate too much of the bad stuff. I am hopeful the band will help me control this. I know I can handle the exercise. I know I can handle eating less of the bad foods. What I know I CANNOT handle on my own is the portion controls. So I figured the 2 for 3 trade was worth it long term.

juliatabor · June 15, 2008

Hi there,
I was banded in Tijuana, Mexico jan 25/08. I had a bmi of around 35 and have since lost around 45 lbs! I have done everything that you mentioned. I eat what ever I want, just a bit of it, not the whole item. It is very freeing to eat "normally", to not have the guilt associated with overeating. To go out and having anything you want with enough leftovers for a few days! The band has been a life changing event for me one I wish I had done 25 years ago.

Good luck in your new and improved life!

Mica

your post is an inspiration and a huge encouragement. I hope that will be me in the months to come . Thank you!

Julia x