What has helped you most in your lap band journey???

Eating less food, quality food, excercise, or what, please let me know because I have been in a slump and would like input of your experiences to see what can help me become more successful with my band. Although, I just got to 3.5cc in my 14cc band I am now starting to have some real restriction. But any info will be appreciated.

Without a doubt running.

Committing myself to high quality exercise in valuable amounts - an hour five days a week plus some strength training is definitely the most potent factor in my success.

And, forgive the smugness, lol, but I am not only thin, i look REALLY fit. I have shapely muscles, I look way way better than if I had have just starved myself skinny. I ate fairly good quantities of food the whole way through.

Food journaling. You need to know what your putting into your body at all times. If your guessing, it's not going to work. I use thedailyplate.com, and it's free!

I honestly think it has to be the all the above answer!! I give it 100% and I have been having great success!! I journal everything, and try to make good quality food choices, I only drink water and lots of it. Of course exercise is key! I know it is alot, but after you start doing it, it become second nature! I was banded Sept 30th and as of today I am down 70 pounds! I never thought it was possible! The band works, but it is just a tool....you still have to do the work! Best of luck to you!

Restriction. and I only WISH I had it with 4.5 cc in my 14 cc band. RIGHT after my 3rd fill, I felt the love for a few days and it was like a glimpse of heaven. I can't get in to get another fill until Feb 5 but I expect wonderful things then.

Do more exercise and also make changes in your eating habits and lifestyle.

Food Journaling. Logging everything that goes into my mouth makes me more aware of what I am doing. It amazes me to imagine the amount of calories I must have been consuming prior to my banding.

If I dont journal my food I stop losing. I dont gain but I spin my wheels.I think it makes me more aware. Making a point to measure and weigh my food and eating high protien first helps a lot,a well. After that, the gym. 6 days a week. It is easy enough for me to go because it is the only break I get from the kiddos all day. An hour to myself with my MP3 player where I can sweat and have my thoughts in peace is priceless.

I agree with others that making good food and drink choices coupled with exercising is the key to making this work; however, I tried just the good food and drink choices - without some sort of exercise, and the scale NEVER moved (for 19 mos). Last week I started working out 2-3 days a week with a small group of ladies, and I lost 2 pounds in 5 days. So, I am a firm believer that exercise is an absolute MUST, whether you're extremely careful about what you put in your mouth or not. There, now you have my 2 cents worth!

I would say for me keeping at proper restriction has helped me the most. I see my surgeon once a month whether I need a fill or not and I go sooner if I need a fill.

Keeping the high glycemic carbs out of my diet has been a close second.

Following all the rules: Three solid meals per day, small bites, chew well, Protein-Veggie-Carbs in that order, no drinking with meal have all helped too.

I have never kept a journal, that is just not for me. I make healthy choices and don't eat between meals (a treat sometimes but not regularly) so there has never been a real need for journals. I don't count calories, fat grams, carbs and I do not measure or weight my food. I eat when I am hungry and stop when I a no longer hungry.

Edited January 14, 200917 yr by Jodi_620

Thanks ya'll for all the input. I guess I just needed reassurance about the choices I am making. I am soing all these things except food journaling. Might be a change I need to make. I do work out, maybe it's time to step it up a bit. But thank God for the new restriction I have at 3.5cc in a 14cc band--it's made a huge difference just since Friday the 9th of Jan. I have already lost 1#. Thanks for the replys.

I always ate a VERY healthy diet. I just ate to much of it. That's where the band came in, but the biggest help for me was EXERCISE. I was a couch potato. Now I'm not.