I am a newbie, and will be banded 9-26-05, if you could give a new bander any advice....what would it be? I would be most thankful for your words of wisdom!

by now I would hope you are very excited and so you should be....Iam excited everyday that I awake as I now feel I have more control of my eating habits.It's a good decision to have made however not for everone.My advice is to look at it as a new adventure much the same as a change in your life as getting married , having a baby getting the snip if you are a male .....they all come with advantges and disadvatages...

1) take things slowly try to enjoy the liquid stage it isn't forever

2) min mouthfuls

3) if you aren't sure of the unusual feeling you get ask other here

4) learn what your full feeling is as it will feel different

5) this is new for me and my Dr suggested it only eat when hungry or you will end up with the very uncomforable feelings.

6) plan a head when you are going out to eat in public ie try not to go to plces that there is nothing you are able to order

6) Learn very quickly to say THANKYOU as when all the complements come in saying how wonderful you are looking you will be able to let if flow off your tongue with ease and not the usual ( YER RIGHT...AS IF) TONE.

7) START TO PUT A LITTLE ASIDE FOR YOUR NEW IMAGE.

Best of banding to you and try to wear a night dress as to pjs as pjs sit up near the incision points.

Here is a thread I started that may offersome advice

Best of luck to you

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=9148

I've seen many questions lately from people wondering "why even get the band"? They figure if they could just stick to 1200-1500 calories a day like bandsters should, they can lose weight without having surgery and avoid the pain and cost associated with it.

They're right. If they can stick to the 1200-1500 calories a day, they will lose weight. It's not like the band is magical and forces your body not to accept any more than 1500 calories a day. It's not like a faucet where once you've reached your daily limit (no matter what time of day), you can't possibly eat anymore. Because you can. It's true that you can chug high calorie liquids all day long with the band and you won't lose weight -- will probably even gain.

So why does the band work? I've thought alot about this and don't have all the answers, but I have some ideas. Note: this aren't true of everyone; just MY experience.

1) Dedication. I think once I decided to get banded, it was a real turning point for me. I decided that come what may, 12/20/04 was the start of a new period in my life. I decided that no matter how unfun or hard the next few days, weeks or months were going to be, I could endure it. No matter how hungry I was, I wasn't going to cheat and not take this seriously. I will still be paying off the surgery for a while and I am constantly confronted with how much work it takes to be healthy.

2) liquid diet. I am one of the few people that I know that have had to go on liquids for so long -- 6 weeks! It seems like 1-2 weeks is the norm. It was hard. So hard. Mentally exhausting and frustrating. But by and large, I did it. I reminded myself that 1) the sacrifice was going to be worth it, 2) I can do this and 3) it just had to be endured. I lose 30-some pounds those first 6 weeks of liquids, which is great. But way better than those 30-something pounds, I learned that I can control what gets put into my mouth. I am in charge of my health and I can do it! I consider it a mini-rehab where I started to break my addiction to food.

3) Consistency. Once you are at a good restriction level where the band is doing it's job, it's so hard to cheat. You can't sit for hours at a time stuffing yourself with large amounts of food. Yes, you can eat more "soft" foods at a time than you can solid foods, but there's still a limit. With a typical diet, you can take a day "off". A day turns into a weekend into a week into a month and so on. When you are properly restricted with the band, if you wanted to take a day off, you'd either 1) need to see the doctor and get unfilled or 2) cheat with softer/liquidy foods, which aren't all that satisfying.

4) Eating habits. Not sure why I listed this fourth cause it's probably the most important. EVERY day I strive to get in the 60 grams of Protein from solid food. No Protein drinks for me unless I am on liquids (after a fill). EVERY day I get in at least 100 ounces of Water. EVERY day I stay within my calorie ranges because in order to go above them, I'd have to start drinking my food or eating constantly.

5) Aftercare. When you get the band, you have regular follow-up appointments with your doctor or dietician. Either way, someone is asking you: are you exercising? Are you eating the right foods in the right portions? Are you getting in your water? Even your family and friends will help you in this if they know about your surgery.

6) Results. Once you see results, it's easier to continue. Before this, the most I'd ever lost was 10 lbs. Being down 80-some pounds makes me want to continue. I love the changes I am seeing in myself - physically and mentally. I want the changes to continue. I can't wait to see myself when I am at goal weight. That's another 50-60 lbs away, but I have no doubts that I will get there.

7) Fullness. This is a feeling that I can't remember feeling before surgery. I can eat a normal amount of food like any other normal-weighted person and feel full. Before surgery, I'd eat lots and still not feel satisfied. When you feel full (not hungry!) it's easy to stop eating -- you don't really want or need any more food. You aren't chasing some feeling of fullness any more - you have it!

Another thing that I think has contributed to my success is the amount of exercising I do (1 hour a day, 5-6 days a week MOST weeks). But it isn't the band that makes me do this. I think I'd still lose some weight without the exercising-not as much for sure. But it's the things I've said above that also make me exercise and want that weight to come off. It all goes together!

Well put J.Lynn. :-)

That was great! Thanks J.Lynn, and everyone else!

Wow! Thanks J.Lynn and everyone else who has responded. Every little bit helps so much!