Question about Weight Loss

I think you are absolutely right anitalynn, we do ned counselling about our food behaviours.

I could be wrong abut the band but I think I read somewhere that with the band you will lose about 40 to 50 percent of your excess weight. So if that were true and you needed to lose 200 pounds and you lost 100 pounds, you would be considered a success by weight loss surgical standards. Do I have this right? I am going by Dr. Cristou's weight loss surgery site. He is the one who trained Dr. B.

Maggie - I've heard that statistic too - I've also heard up to 60%.  It's kind of confusing, b/c you can continue losing past that.

-If you ask Dr B about the band, he will say that if fills are done regularly, the band is as good as the bypass.

- I lost more weight before the band than since. However, my history is that I can lose it, but I always "found" it and more. The band will keep it off.

-I am not losing anywhere near 1-2 pounds per week. If that were the case I would have lost  between 12 and 24 pounds. I have lost between 8 and 10 pounds ( it fluctuates up and down over the last 2 weeks). At the moment I have zero restriction and am battling major sugar cravings. The weeks with restriction from the fill or post-op surgery swelling, I lost  easily more than 2 pounds a week. I am hoping that restriction lasts longer after this fill.

-I do get frustrated when the weight loss stalls. I am hoping that the weight lose will be more consistent when restriction lasts for months at a time.

-You can "not" lose weight by making poor choices. Ice cream slides right through the band like it isn't even there. However, I had no trouble avoiding the bad stuff when I had restriction. Without restriction, it's back to pure will power.  I can't wait for June 3rd to get here.

yeah so really - fills are essentials.

It's weird though, I always ask my friend about "bandster hell" and she tells me she was one of the lucky ones who never went though that phase. She claims that right after her surgery, she had pretty good restriction - not the best but still enough that she never was hungry.

I think the band works differently on different people, but I do believe that if fills are kept up to date, there is no reason not to be successful.

There are people though, who claim they never reach restriction or people who were not ready and avoid fills because they know they'll have restriction, which is pretty sad.

Ok, so here are my thoughts on the band and the 'rules'. It is absolutely essential that the rules are followed. I am NOT following the rules to the best of my ability. I have GAINED 4 lbs since my pre surgery weigh in. That alone will tell you that I can't possibly be doing what I need to be doing. I told Caroline on my fill day last week that I wasn't even going to go for my appts because I am so ashamed and embarrased. She told me it is normal to not lose a great amount until the fills start. But gaining????? I am clearly still eating too much ( I do not touch pop at all). Now I have a fill and almost everything I eat gets stuck because I did not re-learn to eat like I was told to do. I am struggling to remember to takes small bites and chew well. As long as I do I am ok. It is frustrating but I am doing it to myself. I eat and am no longer hungry, yet I still eat some more. The only end result that can be obtained this way is a stretched pouch. I am seriously trying this week to get on track and follow the rules. I started walking and I'm really trying to track calories on the daily plate website. This whole process is a re-learing to do everything process...a lifestyle change and it takes some hard work and much dedication to achieve desired results. Please please please, to all of you waiting, start following the rules NOW and re-learn to eat NOW because I really hope that each one of you succeed in this journey. Take it one day at a time and don't beat yourself up if you stumble. Cheers, Starr

I am so glad to hear that you are trying again. You also sound better than the last time you posted here. It is very difficult when there isn't any restriction and it's not easy to relearn old habits. I am not losing at the moment, in fact it is a struggle to stay the same weight. I do OK with the rules most of the time with the exception of no sweet treats. Since I have lost restriction I crave sugar something god (small g, so it isn't swearing!!) awful.

Hey Starr -
Thank you so much for this post.  We ALL need to hear that we need to work on relearning eating habits - and I swear I'm not going to talk MORE about how crucial it is to get to the bottom of why we self-destruct with food, well, except this once .  It's not like we're going to get the band and then *CLICK* a light goes on and we all say "OH!  I GET IT!"  If we don't work through our food issues, and educate ourselves, what makes us think we're just going to *click* get it?

It doesn't work that way.  Unfortunately.

Thanks for your warning, Starr - I'm paying attention! :D

And listen -you're going to do just fine.  Keep on being honest with yourself, and working at it.  You don't want to have to have gone through surgery and recovery only to find yourself in the exact same position you were before.  And you won't!!!

 Starr, sooo glad to hear from you.  I have no magic words or wisdom to offer.  We are all doing this for a reason and it isn't because we have always exercised and watched our diets - unfortunately.  And when they said it would need to be a big change I guess I just assumed I could do it.  I am trying very hard and I had not lost an ounce until this morning and I was down 2 pounds and that is after I GAINED two pounds grrr.  Anyway back on the wagon and looking for support - just like you Starr.  We can do this and the forum folk are here for us - I feel it LOL

Take care - Suzanne H.

Hey Anita :)

I should read all the other replies first I suppose but I haven't. You know me -- no patience what-so-ever :)

If you follow the plan, I'm with you - I don't think it would be possible not to lose. Each time I read a "bandiversary" post on the main lapband board, I open it saying to myself "Oh, I hope they hit the magical 100 lbs in a year!" It can be done. Hell, I did it and alot of people on the board have. So I definitely believe if people follow the "rules" they will always be losing.

Having said that, I exercise like a DEMON (2000 minutes a month) and I have to or I would not have had the success that I have had.

It's quite easy to get off track though - I gained 26 lbs before I turned it again around 2 weeks ago. It's so easy to slip into the old habits of eating mindlessly and choosing "slider foods". For me, cookies, cake, ice cream, chocolate - all slider foods. And once I open the door to my food addiction, I'm all gangbusters.

So I'm in the "follow the plan, the weight will come off" side of the house. I am sure there are reasons but it behooves me when ppl like me who had alot of weight to lose don't succeed.

Hey Krista -
I'm sure I won't exercise as much as you do, but I do think that once I get some weight off I'd like to try jogging - I've wanted to get into that for a long time.

I agree - if you follow the rules, and change your eating habits, there should be no reason not to lose consistently.