So I've been given my surgery date, June 9th!!! I have to say, I'm very excited. And in preparation, I've been reading TONS of threads on here, partly to hear success stories and partly to hear what it's really like. It seems like there is a lot of exercising involved, as there should be. But my questions is, what's the difference between just exercising without the band versus having the band? I mean, I know having the band is not just a free trip and it's considered a "tool" if you will, but if you have to exercise just as much either way, then why spend the money? Can someone enlighten me, I'm having second thoughts... :cursing:

Thanks in advance,

J

The main difference for me is this:

I could always LOSE weight with exercise and portion control. I couldn't keep it off. Eating like a rabbit was something I couldn't sustain forever - my hunger always ensured I fell of the wagon and stayed off.

With the band, I don't have to think about portion control, the band regulates my hunger, and restricts my portions. I still have 'bad' days but even my worst 'bad days are better than my good days pre-band.

The band has also broken the relationship I have with food. I no longer look to food for comfort. I eat to live, not live to eat.

Yes I worked hard to lose the weight, but the band helped immensely with my dependency on food. And most importantly, I know that the band will help me keep it off.

Ditto to what 'lellow' posted. I too could lose weight but I always put it back on and added a few more kgs in case the returned ones were lonely. I often also unknowingly 'lied' to myself about how much I was eating - I now know the amount of food I was putting on my plate was huge. I was the person who would make a sandwich to eat while making a sandwich to eat - just in case I starved before I got to eat the sandwich I was making!!!! Portion control has been a big part of the band for me.

I don't know if I ever really felt hungry pre-banded, but I think the band has reduced the food 'cravings'. It has been a learning curve because I now have to deal with life minus comfort eating - and believe me at over 350lbs I did a lot of comfort eating.

More energy and less kgs has made exercise and being more active much less challenging - the exercise is great but for me has been sporadic as I sustained a workplace injury that has made consistant exercise difficult.

Also for me here in Australia I go back to the same Dr for fills and check in once a month whether I need to or not. It keeps me focused and accountable.

Good luck and keep asking questions - being in the right head space pre banding is the way to go.