Losing weight the hard way!!!

I saw this on Good Morning America this morning as well. They promoted the story by focusing on the fact that this woman "lost all this weight with no surgery or gimicks".

As a total newbie (only a week out of surgery) I was miffed by this story as well. I do not see my choice to have the band as the easy way out either, just as I am sure this woman (who accomplished something incredible) would say of her choice.

Good for her for having the self discipline!!!  Like others, I needed a consequence!!!  I did feel the other day a little disappointed in myself for not being strong enough to do it without the surgery.  The band has given me a strength and prior to the band I was on a mission looking towards the band.  If we could all find that strength that this woman had we wouldn't be sitting here:-)  Some of us just need some extra tools to hold us accountable. 

I kind of agree with both sides here...

On one hand, my surgery has made it much easier for me to control my cravings, hunger and portions. I have never had this much success in this short of a time in dieting...

On the other hand, I am still the one making the food choices, getting my butt to the gym, and trying to work my sleeve to the max, so I deserve some credit too.

It does get under my skin a bit when people automatically assume the WLS does all the work for the person. Just the other day a pre-op on this site told another pre-op that WLS such as the sleeve does all the work for you and doesn't help teach better eating habits. I kept my cool, but I was pretty sad that such a mistaken pre-op is on this site spreading misinformation to other pre-ops.

There are a lot of people that eat around their WLS (doesn't matter which kind) and never reach goal. And then there are a lot of people who were never able to succeed on diets and will power alone that now find themselves empowered to make better choices and moving steadily towards goal.

That was a lot of words to basically say, it may be easier, but that shouldn't discount the effort put in from the individual.

Lindsey

We are all different, and life changes. that person may gain it all back, I pray not. When I danced salsa every weekend with a new man in my life I was paper thin, but alas things happen. You dont go dancing any more, you live in stress and wala food is very accomodating. For me, if all gets approved, it will be a kick start, I get VERY motivated when I think I have a new love in my life (the band) to help me along. Still on me, but I have new brakes. Sout some of us have put OUT so much helping others, time  to get some helpfor ourselves. Blessings everybody- I love this forum

I agree. I know people think I took the easy way out. Well try to eat the way I have too. I can not eat many of the things I used to. It is very hard. I do get upset in myself that i had to go this way..but I was getting very ill I wanted to live to see my grand kids become adults. It is a great help but not easy at all. My biggest problem now is working out god i still have no motivation u would think losing 6o pounds would give it to me. My mind is different but yes I  still fight every day..every single day. It does not change your mind set. You have to do it. I am happy as heck i got the tool and am not gaining a thing back so far.

I don't see it as the easy way out either.  Not that I wasn't hoping it was going to be easy when I got the surgery.  But after the surgery it was an eye opener.  The surgery didn't help me much at all.  I could still eat what I want, when I want.  It didn't help head hunger.  The first year after my band was Hell.  When I finally decided to start exercising and eat healthy it wasn't my band making the decision.  I exercise a minimum of 9 hours a week...not my band doing that either.  My first month after I started my strenuous exercise program I lost 16 lbs...my band didn't do that.  Now that I have had 9 fills my band does help to a certain extent.  It does limit how much I can eat in a single sitting...but it doesn't help if you graze/snack all day long.  It does help me to limit my bread and pasta intake...but it doesn't help me with cookies and ice cream.  So I still use my own willpower to lose weight and exercise to my limit of endurance.  How in the world is that the easy way???

The way I look at it the band helps me the same way a diet pill helps others.  It slightly curbs my appetite...that's it.  I wi**** was the magical wand that everyone thinks it is...or the way I thought it was going to be.  Sure I lost 150 lbs but it was me that made the decisions on what to eat and how much to eat.  It is me that works out every day for 90 minutes...NOT THE BAND!!!!!  And to those that think it wasn't my hard work that is behind every hard earned pound lost...they can kiss my not so fat ass!!!!

 what is wrong with easy, not that it was. people say the stupidist things to sell a story. How sad to be almost 600 lbs, and now to do yardwork and hike the mountains is wonderful. Heartwarming story, that didn't need the stupid lead in remark. 

OMG. I felt the same way when I saw that yesterday. Like the hours we spend at the gym mean nothing! We all still have to workout and eat right, because if we don't we will gain the weight back. So we took the easy way out, they can BITE ME!

If nutrition and exercise alone worked for everyone, there would be no need for any type of WLS. I was working out for 3hrs a day and watching everything I ate and I GAINED weight. The band does not make my weight loss EASIER - it simply makes my diet and exercise plan  successful - when I am using the band correctly, I lose weight. Before I had the band, nutrition and exercise were marginally successfully at best.

The Lap Band is NOT a radical surgery, it is ONLY A TOOL to help keep you on track with your diet to help limit portions and reduce hunger. So I do agree with you that it is definitely NOT the easy way out if it is used properly. The band is only suppose to be used to help with satiety WHILE THE PATIENT IS FOLLOWING DIET RULES of a low carb high protein diet WITH EXERCISE DAILY in order for it be effective WITH NO COMPLICATIONS.

The problem is SO MANY USED IT THE WRONG WAY AS A RADICAL SURGERY MEANING....KEEP IT DANGEROUSLY TOO TIGHT to the POINT OF DAMAGING the esophagus and band slippage. Those who use the band as a total crutch usually pay the price of removal sooner or later, you can't out smart the band and use it as a total crutch safely to stop you from eating it's not designed for that. So I totally agree there IS NOTHING EASY ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS with the band.

I consider the Bypass, Sleeve and DS as radical surgeries since they are more invasive and remove or rearrange body parts in order to induce quick massive weight loss  and the sad thing is even with radical surgeries there is STILL a high chance of regain or little weight loss if the patient DOES NOT follow diet rules and exercise, there is NO FREE RIDE WLS.