Oldtimers with band (anyone, really)

I saw the threads about how much you lose is up to you.  What one thing do you attribute to your success with the band?  AND, how much do you exercise and when did you start?  Do you eat out ever?  When did you see your weight start to move?  Did you lose a lot post surgery before fills?  (I haven't and am feeling discouraged, but I know I'm also only walking here and there, too, and not EXERCISING, you know?). 

Thanks in advance!!

I have been banded for over 3 years and it is hard. I lost over a 100 now (before becoming pregnant) but it was a constant struggle, between watching what you eat, making sure you are not only eating healthy but finding the foods that keep you full, and working out. I walked, ran you name it. It take a lot of work on your part. I know you can do it! Just get in the right frame of mind. Good luck!

1. Following post-op diet rules TO THE LETTER.

2. Following the band rules TO THE LETTER, at least early on.

3. Exercising 3x a week, if not more. First at Curves, then are a "real gym."

4. Exercising 3x times a week.

5. Did I mention exercising? 

  thnk bette is right but i thnk she forgot one thing
exercise
wendy

 Oh, crap. You're right. 

I'm 2 years out and my story is just that, my story.  Everyone is different and there is not one way to lose weight with the band, you already know that.  So, speaking only for myself, I credit my success to following my Dr.'s rules to a tee AND making MAJOR changes to the type of food I ate, not just how much.  If you cheat early on you'll probably cheat through out your journey and while some of that is normal, I believe that early on following the program is critical.  Not only do you learn to eat with the band, you learn how you should be eating all along.  I logged my food faithfully for 9 months on the daily plate and not only did it allow me to track calories, I learned a TON about what I was putting into my body.  Paying attention to nutrition taught me a lot and to this day helps me understand what I'm eating, even when I'm indulging.

Here's my basic program as per my surgeon, Nut and PA.

-800 to 1000 calories a day.
-Curves and moderate walking 3x a wee****il I could do more
-No simple carbs.  Limited sugar (no more than 5 g per serving), no white carbs, i.e., potato, white flour, white rice, white bread, etc.  I changed everything to complex carbs, whole grains, brown rice, and beans.
-I measured portions, packed my breakfast AND lunch everyday and cooked more.  I did eat out but not as much.  I can eat Mexican, Asian, Italian, whatever, but make different choices than I used to.
-No liquid calories, i.e, shakes, juices, smoothies.  (My Dr. now allows Protein shakes to make sure you get enough protein but he didn't when I had surgery.  I still don't use them becuase I choose to get my protein through real foods which keep me satisfied longer.
-64 oz of no calorie, non-carbonated beverages including flavored water, ice tea, etc.
-60-80 g of protein daily

I lost 104 lbs in 9 months.  As soon as I started "testing the waters" by adding in foods I didn't eat for 9 months I stopped losing weight.  I gained 15 lbs over the holidays because of sweets and simple carbs.  Now I'm having to ween myself off of them again to lose the weight again.  Trust me, it wasn't worth it.

You can do this.  You can lose steadily, (with the occasional plateau along the way), but you have to make healthy food choices, move more than you used to and keep your band maintained through fills, (and unfills when you need it).

Keep asking questions.  We're here for you!

Lisa O.

Just what Bette said, FOLLOW THE BAND RULES! They give us rules for a reason. Because following them works! Plain & simple if you follow them the weight will come off. I attribute my success with following the rules to the letter. I started seriously exercising after I lost 50lbs. I believe had I started out of the gate, I would have made it to goal already. That being said, I exercise at the minimum 5x a week. And when I say I exercise that is 60-90 minutes of intense activity that raises my heart rate and I burn between 350-700 calories a session. This is what works for ME! That necessarily your ball of wax, but exercise is a must! If you don't exercise, while you are losing weight, you will be losing muscle also.

As far as rate of loss, everyone is different. I lost 22 lbs in my preop liquid phase and then only lost 8lbs my first month. I shared monthly on my blog, check it out.

During this journey you will still need to watch what you eat whether you've had a fill or not!

Good Luck!

being mentally ready for the surgery and my change of lifestyle with food !!! If you are not there yet then I dont think any kind of WLS you have will work .

I exercise 5 times a week.  I do a hr long Zumba class on Monday's  I do Curves with Zumba three times a week and then I do Richard Simmons one day a week. I started to exercise about a month after my surgery

I have been very lucky.  I lose about 1.5 to 2 pounds per week.  I am at my three month post op right now and I am one pound from losing 40 pounds .

I havent had a single fill yet , my band is empty the day he put it in me.  I watch my portions, I dont let my head hunger get the best of me 90% of the time , I exercise and I drink lots of water .
I make sure my meals are 25 grams of protein and when I do that I can stay full for a good 3-5 hrs sometimes six hrs .

~I saw the threads about how much you lose is up to you.~

That is so true b/c u can NOT depend on the band to lose weight. It does work for some, but most ppl that I observe on the forum do not have much success with it long term. :-(

That is why it is important that you diet if you want to lose weight. If you do that, you will lose...............it won't be because of the band if you never reach restriction.............but u will lose.

Good luck!

What one thing do you attribute to your success with the band? 

There isn't *one* thing. It's a lot of little things that make a difference!

AND, how much do you exercise and when did you start? 

I didn't start exercising until I was about 4 months out, and 50-60 lbs. down.  I joined a gym, and started with 20" on the elliptical 3 times a week, plus doing strength training for another 15-20"  on two of those days.  I started slowly, but steadily progressed.  By the time I'd lost most of my weight, I had some nicely toned muscles, and found a new passion in exercise.

Do you eat out ever? 

Yes, but not so much in the beginning.  I felt like I had more control at home, where I knew exactly what I was eating, and wasn't as tempted by big portions.  I probably ate out once a month or so in the early months.  

When did you see your weight start to move? 

Right away, and it was very steady. I didn't have a stall until several months after surgery, and that only lasted a couple of weeks.  

Did you lose a lot post surgery before fills?  

I lost 30 lbs. before my first fill at six weeks out.  

Here is a list of "band tips" that I prepared at the request of the bariatric coordinator who was my support group leader.  These are based on my own experiences, and the recommendations of my surgeon:

The band helps with two areas specifically:  portion control and hunger management.  The rest is up to you.

Use the Band as a Catalyst for Change.
*  What you did in the past did not work.
*  Make a decision to do what you need to do to be successful.

Decisions I made:
*  Limit sugar and processed white flour foods, trans fats, saturated fats, and high fructose corn syrup.
*  Eat fresh, whole foods, like fresh veggies, meat, fish, poultry, and low-fat dairy.
*  Exercise consistently and progressively.

Believe in Yourself
*  Avoid negative thinking.
*  Visualize success.
*  Stay focused on your goals.
 
Track Your Progress
*  Before, during, and after photos
*  Track exercise 
*  Keep a food journal.

Get Your Nutrients
*  60-70 g protein
*  20-25 g fiber
*  Multi-vitamin & calcium supplements

Follow the "Band Rules"
*  Eat about 1 to 1-1/2 c. food per meal, 3 meals a day, and one or two small (100 cal or so) snacks.  
*  Eat protein first (about 3-4 oz. of lean, solid protein at lunch and dinner), then veggies, then a bite or two of starch.
*  Eat slowly and chew well.
*  Don't drink liquids during meals or for an hour or so after eating.
*  Avoid liquid calories (for me this included protein drinks)
*  Drink at least 64 oz. water daily.

I followed those guidelines pretty closely, but certainly not perfectly.  Although this is what worked for me, you need to find what works for *you*.  

Tami