More than one path to success...

[KatyG]

I've gotten a lot of emails asking me how I was so successful with my band. I admit that some of my philosophies are not within typical 'band rules' but FOR

ME, they work. I was HUNGRY before I got my band. I didn't have a psychological'need' to drown my sorrows in Bon-Bons, I just had a hunger valve that nevershut off. The band FIXED THAT for me.

I just sent the following email out toanother newly banded person, and thought it might be good to share with thegroup. I wanted to share MY WAY and put the disclaimer out there that I AM NOT SAYING it is the 'right way.' This way just worked for me, considering my circumstances. That being said, I've found my success on a bit of a different road, and wanted to share, and also would like to hear others successstories and the path they took to get there... Here goes...

"...Are you sure you want to hear my philosophy? I get pretty passionate about it, and a lot of the people on the board think I am smoking a little bit of the

"wacky tabackey!" Here goes... I agree with you WHOLEHEARTEDLY about this being a lifestyle change. A lot of bandsters think this is a new diet. This is NOT

another diet. Some bandsters think they have a lap-band, but they still should be counting calories, protein, etc. I got the band because I wanted to FREE

MYSELF from that mindset. I wanted to live my life, and not be concerned with food anymore. So, in my banded life, I have adopted that very philosophy. I DO NOT COUNT ANYTHING. I eat healthy foods, try to stay away from the processed junk as much as possible, and eat small portions. Very small portions. There is nothing that I consider 'off limits' and I don't set a goal for protein or carbs on a daily basis. I know this flies in the face of most bandsters and their

doctors, but I think all that dieting does, is transfer one obsession to another. If you look some REALLY successful banders, the ones who have lost all of their weight (and not just gotten to their 'goal' of a certain size or something, I am going based on a HEALTHY BMI, not overweight), most of them practice some semblance of this philosophy. And a VERY LARGE MAJORITY of them are from Australia. In Australia, they have had the band longer than in the US.

And in Australia, their statistics are MUCH MUCH better than the US statistics. I am sure there are many reasons for that. One is a patient's access to

follow-up afterwards. In the US, patients have to pay SOMETHING for their fills (even if it is just a co-pay) and they find that cost-prohibitive. Another is in the US, I REALLY don't believe doctors emphasize the importance of fills nearly enough. YOU MUST make the band work for you. YOU MUST get your fills until you are in a 'sweet spot' where your life no longer revolves around food anymore. I have quite a 'revelation' or 'epiphany' when that happened to me. I simply realized I was no longer waking up in the morning thinking of what was for breakfast, and planning 4 hours (or more!) in advance what dinner was going to be... I was no longer living my life for the next meal. Another reason Aussies are so successful is because they eat like normal people. Their doctors tell them to eat whatever, just in small portions.

Here are mantras I have for my diet. And when I say diet, I mean what I eat, not what I am doing to lose/maintain my weight.

1) Whole foods are best. Keep processed to a minimum. in our house, we eat a TON of veggies. We eat vegetable laden meals and have lots of beans on a weekly basis. My kids (ages 6 and 4) LOVE veggies and I never have to tell them to eat them. They love veggies more than junk food, so I am blessed.

2) I do not watch my fat intake. That being said, I am not this crazy consumer of fat, but if the label says low-fat, I am probably not going to buy it. Low

fat often means it has other 'fake' fillers and sugars to make it still taste good. If I want meat, I buy what I like. We drink whole milk, we eat whole yogurt, we eat whole cheeses, and if I am going to eat ice cream, I am not going to waste my time with some low-fat ice cream. I eat Haagen Dazs. And get this...

I start EVERY DAY with one piece of chocolate. Not Hershey's or some other 'cheap chocolate.' I eat Lindt, Toblerone, something like that. My current favorite is Lindt Chili Chocolate. If you can stand a little heat, I HIGHLY suggest you run yourself to Target and buy a bar from the specialty chocolate

bar section. I eat one square from the bar a day, so the bar lasts over a week. This is not a bar that ANYONE would want to consume in a sitting, it is very

special, and a DELIGHT to your tastebuds!

3) I DO watch my slider foods. Foods like Ice Cream, Chocolate, Cheetos, Chips, cookies, popcorn, etc. go through the band very easily and do not leave you filled up. Also, they are NOT good sources of nutrition... So, I make sure I limit myself on these, but like I said, NOTHING is off limits. I just eat in VERY small portions.

4) I DO NOT believe artificial sweeteners are good for you. I believe that they are worse for you than regular sugar. They slow your metabolism down, they make it so your body does not heat up to metabolize your food. I am also not sold on that "truvia" stuff that Coke and Pepsi are rolling out. They can claim it is 'natural' but it is an ENGINEERED substance, that has been sprayed BIG TIME with pesticides, etc and I am not thinking that it is any better for you than sugar. See the following article: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,...1711763,00.html And something to think about: Why is it that ALL FAT PEOPLE drink Diet Coke/Pepsi? And often in large quantities? I think there is a very big connection that the general public does not seem to 'get.'

5) I try to eat organic as much as I can, where it is not cost prohibitive. Pesticides are AWFUL...

6) I do not drink soda. I used to be an 8 Diet Cokes/day girl. I REALLY BELIEVE that those fake sugars made me even hungrier. I don't miss it. If I want

caffeine, and I do on a daily basis, I drink coffee or tea.

7) I do not believe that vitamins are necessary for most banded people that eat a varied diet. That being said, if you get into a period of super tightness

where all you're consuming is liquids until you get an unfill, I don't think a multi-vitamin is a bad idea. BUT NOT on a daily basis. More and more science is

proving that multi-vitamins don't do ANYTHING for your health, and sometimes make it worse. HOWEVER, I do supplement with two supplements. I take 2000 IUs of Vitamin D daily. Vitamin D is not something we can 'overdose on' and it is a vitamin that has CLEARLY shown major health benefits. When it is nice outside, I also make sure to get some sunshine to get 'real' Vitamin D. It is just really important. The other supplement I take is Fish Oil. I take 2 1000 mg Fish Oil capsules, this equates to 600 mg Omega 3's. We are ALL highly deficient in Omega 3's and I HONESTLY believe that my taking fish oil is going to give me BIG TIME health advantages down the road. It helps with cholesterol, inflammation, heart issues, etc. If you buy these supplements, buy them from somewhere very reputable. I often order supplements from Puritan's Pride because their pricesare pretty good, and they have VERY high standards for quality. I buy my fish oil from Costco, because A) the price is good and their quality standards arethe best out there.

I work a part time retail job, so I am on my feet a lot for that. My exercise has not been what I'd like it to be, but plan on upping it this spring/summer with my husband and kids. Lots of outdoor time, bike rides, etc. I am also planning to do the Couch to 5K. I need to be active for ME. I've just been kinda lax in that department.

There are two books that I HIGHLY recommend.

1) Rethinking Thin: The New Scienceof Weight Loss---and the Myths and Realities of Dieting and

2)In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

#1 will help you appreciate who you are TODAY. WHY you are the way you are...

#2 will teach you some cornerstones to implement for eating. It also teaches you about the food industry, the FDA, etc, and how warped they all are...

Until I got to my sweet spot, with real restriction, I DID count my calories. I did not want to be the person who got farther behind post-surgery just cause I

had no restriction. I did not consider that a license to eat. So, I swore off the 'good stuff' till I got to a decent restriction. Thinking back, I would eat 'regularly' if I had to do it all over, but again count the calories. I wouldn't limit my 'fat' or whatever. and protein IS important, but 80 grams of protein is a bit much, and very hard to get in via natural sources. You're going to hit lots of plateaus and get super frustrated, but keep the faith and keep doing the

right things. And GET YOUR FILLS no matter WHAT. The fills are the key to your success. I am so tired of hearing people cry about how unsuccessful they are, or say how they can't afford their copay for their fills, so they are putting the appointment off. Would you buy a car without being able to afford gas? You MUST invest in yourself to get return. You must invest in your band to get the results you are looking for.

I may seem 'passionate' in my email to you. I just want others to have my success... The band is a great tool for that!"

**I hope this helps some of the banded people out there see there are many roads to success. I'd love to hear the philosophies of other successful banded folks. I love comparing notes!***

[sarahrnrx]

I absolutely LOVE your philosophy and attitude. You are truely an inspiration! Thank you for your wonderful post.

[vangirl]

I feel like this is what I need to have drummed into me. I've been reading similar messages on this forum, that you need to stop obsessing over food and start living life, and it makes sense. It's a little tough because I too don't want to get further behind by not counting the calories and keeping things under control, at least until I can rely on the band to do it for me. But what you (and others) are saying makes a lot of sense.

Thank you for this post!

[ValleyGirl]

I LOVE this post!!! I'd also love to grab some veggie recipe ideas from you that my 4 and 6-year old might enjoy. They are not adjusting so well to mom's new healthier meals, ha ha. They find every bit of green (no matter how small) and pick it out!!! Ideas?

Sabrina:)

[nothereanymore]

Awesome post and philosophy. Thank you so much for taking the time to put this down in words. You not only lost your weight in a healthy manner, you are teaching others how too, great job!

Lisa

[robbynnoel]

(((((((((((((((((Katy))))))))))))))))))))

Hugs. I love your post. There is a book I fell into that has a very similar mantra. It's called "French Women Don't Get Fat."

xo

[MagnoliaGurl]

This was such a great post.. I really hope that I get to the point with myself that you have been able to reach. While I am still only a few weeks (8) in my lap band journey, I am very frustrated. I only lost 10 pounds during the liquid phase and I've gained all that back. I just had my first fill two weeks ago and I have no restriction. While I know all of this is normal, it still doesn't help my feelings. I hope that I get to a sweet spot with my next fill..I don't even know if I know what the "sweet spot" really is anyway..

I have not weighed myself in three weeks, because I know what the scale will show. I think like alot of people on these forums, I thought that the weight would fall off of me immediately and this would all be alot easier. I know myself well enough to know that unless I start losing some weight somehow that my frustration is going to defeat me...again..

Congrats on your success..

[labella]

I've gotten a lot of emails asking me how I was so successful with my band. I admit that some of my philosophies are not within typical 'band rules' but FOR

ME, they work. I was HUNGRY before I got my band. I didn't have a psychological'need' to drown my sorrows in Bon-Bons, I just had a hunger valve that nevershut off. The band FIXED THAT for me.

I just sent the following email out toanother newly banded person, and thought it might be good to share with thegroup. I wanted to share MY WAY and put the disclaimer out there that I AM NOT SAYING it is the 'right way.' This way just worked for me, considering my circumstances. That being said, I've found my success on a bit of a different road, and wanted to share, and also would like to hear others successstories and the path they took to get there... Here goes...

"...Are you sure you want to hear my philosophy? I get pretty passionate about it, and a lot of the people on the board think I am smoking a little bit of the

"wacky tabackey!" Here goes... I agree with you WHOLEHEARTEDLY about this being a lifestyle change. A lot of bandsters think this is a new diet. This is NOT

another diet. Some bandsters think they have a lap-band, but they still should be counting calories, protein, etc. I got the band because I wanted to FREE

MYSELF from that mindset. I wanted to live my life, and not be concerned with food anymore. So, in my banded life, I have adopted that very philosophy. I DO NOT COUNT ANYTHING. I eat healthy foods, try to stay away from the processed junk as much as possible, and eat small portions. Very small portions. There is nothing that I consider 'off limits' and I don't set a goal for protein or carbs on a daily basis. I know this flies in the face of most bandsters and their

doctors, but I think all that dieting does, is transfer one obsession to another. If you look some REALLY successful banders, the ones who have lost all of their weight (and not just gotten to their 'goal' of a certain size or something, I am going based on a HEALTHY BMI, not overweight), most of them practice some semblance of this philosophy. And a VERY LARGE MAJORITY of them are from Australia. In Australia, they have had the band longer than in the US.

And in Australia, their statistics are MUCH MUCH better than the US statistics. I am sure there are many reasons for that. One is a patient's access to

follow-up afterwards. In the US, patients have to pay SOMETHING for their fills (even if it is just a co-pay) and they find that cost-prohibitive. Another is in the US, I REALLY don't believe doctors emphasize the importance of fills nearly enough. YOU MUST make the band work for you. YOU MUST get your fills until you are in a 'sweet spot' where your life no longer revolves around food anymore. I have quite a 'revelation' or 'epiphany' when that happened to me. I simply realized I was no longer waking up in the morning thinking of what was for breakfast, and planning 4 hours (or more!) in advance what dinner was going to be... I was no longer living my life for the next meal. Another reason Aussies are so successful is because they eat like normal people. Their doctors tell them to eat whatever, just in small portions.

Here are mantras I have for my diet. And when I say diet, I mean what I eat, not what I am doing to lose/maintain my weight.

1) Whole foods are best. Keep processed to a minimum. in our house, we eat a TON of veggies. We eat vegetable laden meals and have lots of beans on a weekly basis. My kids (ages 6 and 4) LOVE veggies and I never have to tell them to eat them. They love veggies more than junk food, so I am blessed.

2) I do not watch my fat intake. That being said, I am not this crazy consumer of fat, but if the label says low-fat, I am probably not going to buy it. Low

fat often means it has other 'fake' fillers and sugars to make it still taste good. If I want meat, I buy what I like. We drink whole milk, we eat whole yogurt, we eat whole cheeses, and if I am going to eat ice cream, I am not going to waste my time with some low-fat ice cream. I eat Haagen Dazs. And get this...

I start EVERY DAY with one piece of chocolate. Not Hershey's or some other 'cheap chocolate.' I eat Lindt, Toblerone, something like that. My current favorite is Lindt Chili Chocolate. If you can stand a little heat, I HIGHLY suggest you run yourself to Target and buy a bar from the specialty chocolate

bar section. I eat one square from the bar a day, so the bar lasts over a week. This is not a bar that ANYONE would want to consume in a sitting, it is very

special, and a DELIGHT to your tastebuds!

3) I DO watch my slider foods. Foods like Ice Cream, Chocolate, Cheetos, Chips, cookies, popcorn, etc. go through the band very easily and do not leave you filled up. Also, they are NOT good sources of nutrition... So, I make sure I limit myself on these, but like I said, NOTHING is off limits. I just eat in VERY small portions.

4) I DO NOT believe artificial sweeteners are good for you. I believe that they are worse for you than regular sugar. They slow your metabolism down, they make it so your body does not heat up to metabolize your food. I am also not sold on that "truvia" stuff that Coke and Pepsi are rolling out. They can claim it is 'natural' but it is an ENGINEERED substance, that has been sprayed BIG TIME with pesticides, etc and I am not thinking that it is any better for you than sugar. See the following article: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,...1711763,00.html And something to think about: Why is it that ALL FAT PEOPLE drink Diet Coke/Pepsi? And often in large quantities? I think there is a very big connection that the general public does not seem to 'get.'

5) I try to eat organic as much as I can, where it is not cost prohibitive. Pesticides are AWFUL...

6) I do not drink soda. I used to be an 8 Diet Cokes/day girl. I REALLY BELIEVE that those fake sugars made me even hungrier. I don't miss it. If I want

caffeine, and I do on a daily basis, I drink coffee or tea.

7) I do not believe that vitamins are necessary for most banded people that eat a varied diet. That being said, if you get into a period of super tightness

where all you're consuming is liquids until you get an unfill, I don't think a multi-vitamin is a bad idea. BUT NOT on a daily basis. More and more science is

proving that multi-vitamins don't do ANYTHING for your health, and sometimes make it worse. HOWEVER, I do supplement with two supplements. I take 2000 IUs of Vitamin D daily. Vitamin D is not something we can 'overdose on' and it is a vitamin that has CLEARLY shown major health benefits. When it is nice outside, I also make sure to get some sunshine to get 'real' Vitamin D. It is just really important. The other supplement I take is Fish Oil. I take 2 1000 mg Fish Oil capsules, this equates to 600 mg Omega 3's. We are ALL highly deficient in Omega 3's and I HONESTLY believe that my taking fish oil is going to give me BIG TIME health advantages down the road. It helps with cholesterol, inflammation, heart issues, etc. If you buy these supplements, buy them from somewhere very reputable. I often order supplements from Puritan's Pride because their pricesare pretty good, and they have VERY high standards for quality. I buy my fish oil from Costco, because A) the price is good and their quality standards arethe best out there.

I work a part time retail job, so I am on my feet a lot for that. My exercise has not been what I'd like it to be, but plan on upping it this spring/summer with my husband and kids. Lots of outdoor time, bike rides, etc. I am also planning to do the Couch to 5K. I need to be active for ME. I've just been kinda lax in that department.

There are two books that I HIGHLY recommend.

1) Rethinking Thin: The New Scienceof Weight Loss---and the Myths and Realities of Dieting and

2)In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

#1 will help you appreciate who you are TODAY. WHY you are the way you are...

#2 will teach you some cornerstones to implement for eating. It also teaches you about the food industry, the FDA, etc, and how warped they all are...

Until I got to my sweet spot, with real restriction, I DID count my calories. I did not want to be the person who got farther behind post-surgery just cause I

had no restriction. I did not consider that a license to eat. So, I swore off the 'good stuff' till I got to a decent restriction. Thinking back, I would eat 'regularly' if I had to do it all over, but again count the calories. I wouldn't limit my 'fat' or whatever. and protein IS important, but 80 grams of protein is a bit much, and very hard to get in via natural sources. You're going to hit lots of plateaus and get super frustrated, but keep the faith and keep doing the

right things. And GET YOUR FILLS no matter WHAT. The fills are the key to your success. I am so tired of hearing people cry about how unsuccessful they are, or say how they can't afford their copay for their fills, so they are putting the appointment off. Would you buy a car without being able to afford gas? You MUST invest in yourself to get return. You must invest in your band to get the results you are looking for.

I may seem 'passionate' in my email to you. I just want others to have my success... The band is a great tool for that!"

**I hope this helps some of the banded people out there see there are many roads to success. I'd love to hear the philosophies of other successful banded folks. I love comparing notes!***

[labella]

Thank you for sharing your "Secrets to Success" and Congratulations to you.

This is indeed quite a journey which I have much respect for.

Would you be kind enough to share what is precisely really small portions that you consume? and possibly a typical day menu?

I have just had my second fill and feel I am at my sweet spot. I do not have a lot of weight to loose, however,

I believe in your motto.

The spicy chocolate to start the day sounds like a winner to me.

To your success!

Labella

[fat2nrml]

Awesome post!! I've kinda reach the point you're talking about, but my restriciton has been coming and going. I'm afraid to get another fill yet, I have days that I'm VERY tight.

When my band is tight, I find I don't obsess about food. I can tell the days it's looser, food is on my mind ALOT!

As soon as my last fill 'evens out', I'll see about getting my band tweeked.

I like the feeling when I'm not worried about food every second of the day..... I just get in what I can and like you said, I don't count anything. I'm almost there and I can do this! I get frustrated but I know it's coming. Everyone's different and I have to remind myself of that all the time.

Congrats Katy and thanks for sharing!! Darlene

[jhawkchick75]

Great tips and I completely agree with all of them! I get another fill on Tues and i'm hopeful that it will put me at my spot so I can follow these more. I'm pretty anal about my vitamins, protein and fiber, but otherwise I don't freak myself out about what I eat. I try to get fruits and veggies at at least 2 of my 3 meals. I am preparing to go low to no dairy here soon, but that is because I am lactose intolerant and allergic to milk and it is stopping me up (sorry, TMI!). I've started taking calcium chews and am basically eating what dairy is left in my house and then hitting it.

Thanks again for the tips and congrats on your success!!!!

[KatyG]

Valleygirl, We have been very fortunate with our girls. They will choose salad over french fries 100% of the time. I make a lot of vegetable based meals, including a simple succotash which is basically tomatoes, corn and lima beans with some butter and seasonings. Our girls will eat that for every meal, if given the choice. We've never made a 'big deal' of veggies... they see us eat them and LOVE them, and they agree. Jessica Seinfeld has a book called "Deceptively Delicious' where you 'hide' veggies in the meals, which seems like a great idea, but our kids just LOVE THEM in any form, so no need to hide them...

labella, My portions are I'll be honest, very small. I typically don't eat breakfast cause I am too tight in the AM (except for my chocolate!). Today we went out for brunch and I ordered a 3 egg omelet with corned beef, swiss cheese, green peppers, mushrooms and onions. I proceeded to give 1/2 of it to my kids, 1/3 to my husband and ate the rest (not much!). It was the perfect amount and I got lots of good veggies in... We went to Sam's Club on the way home from errands tonight and bought Nathan's hot dogs home for dinner. They are 1/4 pound hot dogs. I ate 1/3 of my hot dog accompanied with 1/6 cup baked beans and Tabasco sauce. I'm going to eat 2 strawberries for dessert... That is pretty indicative of what I eat on a daily basis. Not a lot of food, but it is exactly the amount I need and I am very satisfied.

[doinitagann]

I am floored. I loved this post. I have found yet another HERO!!!

[bubs]

Thank you for this post. If I had to count calories for another year I think I will shoot myself. I've had five fills and have been stuck at the same weight for 4 months. I am going to try your plan and I think it will work for me. 3 diet meals a day isn't working and neither is Weight Watchers. I need to shake things up and I think you are right about all the low fat, sugar free stuff. I gave up butter and cheese, sugars, and almost everything else I love and I'm suck around 250 pounds on diet foods and lean cuisine. Dieting is expensive...doesn't make sense does it? Thank you again and I will let you know if it works for me.

Pam

[BrandNewDawn]

KatyG,

Thank you for your post. Very well thought out and helpful. I am going to have to try that spicy chocolate. Sounds delicious.

Like you, I had this surgery to get off the crazy diet/gain/think about food all the time rollercoaster I had been on my entire adult life.

Congratulations on your succes.

Dawn

[Christy26]

Great post!

[pieinsky]

I've gotten a lot of emails asking me how I was so successful with my band. I admit that some of my philosophies are not within typical 'band rules' but FOR

ME, they work. I was HUNGRY before I got my band. I didn't have a psychological'need' to drown my sorrows in Bon-Bons, I just had a hunger valve that nevershut off. The band FIXED THAT for me.

I just sent the following email out toanother newly banded person, and thought it might be good to share with thegroup. I wanted to share MY WAY and put the disclaimer out there that I AM NOT SAYING it is the 'right way.' This way just worked for me, considering my circumstances. That being said, I've found my success on a bit of a different road, and wanted to share, and also would like to hear others successstories and the path they took to get there... Here goes...

"...Are you sure you want to hear my philosophy? I get pretty passionate about it, and a lot of the people on the board think I am smoking a little bit of the

"wacky tabackey!" Here goes... I agree with you WHOLEHEARTEDLY about this being a lifestyle change. A lot of bandsters think this is a new diet. This is NOT

another diet. Some bandsters think they have a lap-band, but they still should be counting calories, protein, etc. I got the band because I wanted to FREE

MYSELF from that mindset. I wanted to live my life, and not be concerned with food anymore. So, in my banded life, I have adopted that very philosophy. I DO NOT COUNT ANYTHING. I eat healthy foods, try to stay away from the processed junk as much as possible, and eat small portions. Very small portions. There is nothing that I consider 'off limits' and I don't set a goal for protein or carbs on a daily basis. I know this flies in the face of most bandsters and their

doctors, but I think all that dieting does, is transfer one obsession to another. If you look some REALLY successful banders, the ones who have lost all of their weight (and not just gotten to their 'goal' of a certain size or something, I am going based on a HEALTHY BMI, not overweight), most of them practice some semblance of this philosophy. And a VERY LARGE MAJORITY of them are from Australia. In Australia, they have had the band longer than in the US.

And in Australia, their statistics are MUCH MUCH better than the US statistics. I am sure there are many reasons for that. One is a patient's access to

follow-up afterwards. In the US, patients have to pay SOMETHING for their fills (even if it is just a co-pay) and they find that cost-prohibitive. Another is in the US, I REALLY don't believe doctors emphasize the importance of fills nearly enough. YOU MUST make the band work for you. YOU MUST get your fills until you are in a 'sweet spot' where your life no longer revolves around food anymore. I have quite a 'revelation' or 'epiphany' when that happened to me. I simply realized I was no longer waking up in the morning thinking of what was for breakfast, and planning 4 hours (or more!) in advance what dinner was going to be... I was no longer living my life for the next meal. Another reason Aussies are so successful is because they eat like normal people. Their doctors tell them to eat whatever, just in small portions.

Here are mantras I have for my diet. And when I say diet, I mean what I eat, not what I am doing to lose/maintain my weight.

1) Whole foods are best. Keep processed to a minimum. in our house, we eat a TON of veggies. We eat vegetable laden meals and have lots of beans on a weekly basis. My kids (ages 6 and 4) LOVE veggies and I never have to tell them to eat them. They love veggies more than junk food, so I am blessed.

2) I do not watch my fat intake. That being said, I am not this crazy consumer of fat, but if the label says low-fat, I am probably not going to buy it. Low

fat often means it has other 'fake' fillers and sugars to make it still taste good. If I want meat, I buy what I like. We drink whole milk, we eat whole yogurt, we eat whole cheeses, and if I am going to eat ice cream, I am not going to waste my time with some low-fat ice cream. I eat Haagen Dazs. And get this...

I start EVERY DAY with one piece of chocolate. Not Hershey's or some other 'cheap chocolate.' I eat Lindt, Toblerone, something like that. My current favorite is Lindt Chili Chocolate. If you can stand a little heat, I HIGHLY suggest you run yourself to Target and buy a bar from the specialty chocolate

bar section. I eat one square from the bar a day, so the bar lasts over a week. This is not a bar that ANYONE would want to consume in a sitting, it is very

special, and a DELIGHT to your tastebuds!

3) I DO watch my slider foods. Foods like Ice Cream, Chocolate, Cheetos, Chips, cookies, popcorn, etc. go through the band very easily and do not leave you filled up. Also, they are NOT good sources of nutrition... So, I make sure I limit myself on these, but like I said, NOTHING is off limits. I just eat in VERY small portions.

4) I DO NOT believe artificial sweeteners are good for you. I believe that they are worse for you than regular sugar. They slow your metabolism down, they make it so your body does not heat up to metabolize your food. I am also not sold on that "truvia" stuff that Coke and Pepsi are rolling out. They can claim it is 'natural' but it is an ENGINEERED substance, that has been sprayed BIG TIME with pesticides, etc and I am not thinking that it is any better for you than sugar. See the following article: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,...1711763,00.html And something to think about: Why is it that ALL FAT PEOPLE drink Diet Coke/Pepsi? And often in large quantities? I think there is a very big connection that the general public does not seem to 'get.'

5) I try to eat organic as much as I can, where it is not cost prohibitive. Pesticides are AWFUL...

6) I do not drink soda. I used to be an 8 Diet Cokes/day girl. I REALLY BELIEVE that those fake sugars made me even hungrier. I don't miss it. If I want

caffeine, and I do on a daily basis, I drink coffee or tea.

7) I do not believe that vitamins are necessary for most banded people that eat a varied diet. That being said, if you get into a period of super tightness

where all you're consuming is liquids until you get an unfill, I don't think a multi-vitamin is a bad idea. BUT NOT on a daily basis. More and more science is

proving that multi-vitamins don't do ANYTHING for your health, and sometimes make it worse. HOWEVER, I do supplement with two supplements. I take 2000 IUs of Vitamin D daily. Vitamin D is not something we can 'overdose on' and it is a vitamin that has CLEARLY shown major health benefits. When it is nice outside, I also make sure to get some sunshine to get 'real' Vitamin D. It is just really important. The other supplement I take is Fish Oil. I take 2 1000 mg Fish Oil capsules, this equates to 600 mg Omega 3's. We are ALL highly deficient in Omega 3's and I HONESTLY believe that my taking fish oil is going to give me BIG TIME health advantages down the road. It helps with cholesterol, inflammation, heart issues, etc. If you buy these supplements, buy them from somewhere very reputable. I often order supplements from Puritan's Pride because their pricesare pretty good, and they have VERY high standards for quality. I buy my fish oil from Costco, because A) the price is good and their quality standards arethe best out there.

I work a part time retail job, so I am on my feet a lot for that. My exercise has not been what I'd like it to be, but plan on upping it this spring/summer with my husband and kids. Lots of outdoor time, bike rides, etc. I am also planning to do the Couch to 5K. I need to be active for ME. I've just been kinda lax in that department.

There are two books that I HIGHLY recommend.

1) Rethinking Thin: The New Scienceof Weight Loss---and the Myths and Realities of Dieting and

2)In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

#1 will help you appreciate who you are TODAY. WHY you are the way you are...

#2 will teach you some cornerstones to implement for eating. It also teaches you about the food industry, the FDA, etc, and how warped they all are...

Until I got to my sweet spot, with real restriction, I DID count my calories. I did not want to be the person who got farther behind post-surgery just cause I

had no restriction. I did not consider that a license to eat. So, I swore off the 'good stuff' till I got to a decent restriction. Thinking back, I would eat 'regularly' if I had to do it all over, but again count the calories. I wouldn't limit my 'fat' or whatever. and protein IS important, but 80 grams of protein is a bit much, and very hard to get in via natural sources. You're going to hit lots of plateaus and get super frustrated, but keep the faith and keep doing the

right things. And GET YOUR FILLS no matter WHAT. The fills are the key to your success. I am so tired of hearing people cry about how unsuccessful they are, or say how they can't afford their copay for their fills, so they are putting the appointment off. Would you buy a car without being able to afford gas? You MUST invest in yourself to get return. You must invest in your band to get the results you are looking for.

I may seem 'passionate' in my email to you. I just want others to have my success... The band is a great tool for that!"

**I hope this helps some of the banded people out there see there are many roads to success. I'd love to hear the philosophies of other successful banded folks. I love comparing notes!***

i agree with most of what you wrote with one very big exception--vit D can indeed be overdosed. in fact, at mega doses it is toxic. it causes hypercalcemia and kidney damage. vit D toxicity is the basis of several rat baits: rampage, ortho, mouse-be-gone, and quintox.

at the doses you listed, however, it is vital for good health.

[fabfifty58]

I've gotten a lot of emails asking me how I was so successful with my band. I admit that some of my philosophies are not within typical 'band rules' but FOR

ME, they work. I was HUNGRY before I got my band. I didn't have a psychological'need' to drown my sorrows in Bon-Bons, I just had a hunger valve that nevershut off. The band FIXED THAT for me.

I just sent the following email out toanother newly banded person, and thought it might be good to share with thegroup. I wanted to share MY WAY and put the disclaimer out there that I AM NOT SAYING it is the 'right way.' This way just worked for me, considering my circumstances. That being said, I've found my success on a bit of a different road, and wanted to share, and also would like to hear others successstories and the path they took to get there... Here goes...

"...Are you sure you want to hear my philosophy? I get pretty passionate about it, and a lot of the people on the board think I am smoking a little bit of the

"wacky tabackey!" Here goes... I agree with you WHOLEHEARTEDLY about this being a lifestyle change. A lot of bandsters think this is a new diet. This is NOT

another diet. Some bandsters think they have a lap-band, but they still should be counting calories, protein, etc. I got the band because I wanted to FREE

MYSELF from that mindset. I wanted to live my life, and not be concerned with food anymore. So, in my banded life, I have adopted that very philosophy. I DO NOT COUNT ANYTHING. I eat healthy foods, try to stay away from the processed junk as much as possible, and eat small portions. Very small portions. There is nothing that I consider 'off limits' and I don't set a goal for protein or carbs on a daily basis. I know this flies in the face of most bandsters and their

doctors, but I think all that dieting does, is transfer one obsession to another. If you look some REALLY successful banders, the ones who have lost all of their weight (and not just gotten to their 'goal' of a certain size or something, I am going based on a HEALTHY BMI, not overweight), most of them practice some semblance of this philosophy. And a VERY LARGE MAJORITY of them are from Australia. In Australia, they have had the band longer than in the US.

And in Australia, their statistics are MUCH MUCH better than the US statistics. I am sure there are many reasons for that. One is a patient's access to

follow-up afterwards. In the US, patients have to pay SOMETHING for their fills (even if it is just a co-pay) and they find that cost-prohibitive. Another is in the US, I REALLY don't believe doctors emphasize the importance of fills nearly enough. YOU MUST make the band work for you. YOU MUST get your fills until you are in a 'sweet spot' where your life no longer revolves around food anymore. I have quite a 'revelation' or 'epiphany' when that happened to me. I simply realized I was no longer waking up in the morning thinking of what was for breakfast, and planning 4 hours (or more!) in advance what dinner was going to be... I was no longer living my life for the next meal. Another reason Aussies are so successful is because they eat like normal people. Their doctors tell them to eat whatever, just in small portions.

Here are mantras I have for my diet. And when I say diet, I mean what I eat, not what I am doing to lose/maintain my weight.

1) Whole foods are best. Keep processed to a minimum. in our house, we eat a TON of veggies. We eat vegetable laden meals and have lots of beans on a weekly basis. My kids (ages 6 and 4) LOVE veggies and I never have to tell them to eat them. They love veggies more than junk food, so I am blessed.

2) I do not watch my fat intake. That being said, I am not this crazy consumer of fat, but if the label says low-fat, I am probably not going to buy it. Low

fat often means it has other 'fake' fillers and sugars to make it still taste good. If I want meat, I buy what I like. We drink whole milk, we eat whole yogurt, we eat whole cheeses, and if I am going to eat ice cream, I am not going to waste my time with some low-fat ice cream. I eat Haagen Dazs. And get this...

I start EVERY DAY with one piece of chocolate. Not Hershey's or some other 'cheap chocolate.' I eat Lindt, Toblerone, something like that. My current favorite is Lindt Chili Chocolate. If you can stand a little heat, I HIGHLY suggest you run yourself to Target and buy a bar from the specialty chocolate

bar section. I eat one square from the bar a day, so the bar lasts over a week. This is not a bar that ANYONE would want to consume in a sitting, it is very

special, and a DELIGHT to your tastebuds!

3) I DO watch my slider foods. Foods like Ice Cream, Chocolate, Cheetos, Chips, cookies, popcorn, etc. go through the band very easily and do not leave you filled up. Also, they are NOT good sources of nutrition... So, I make sure I limit myself on these, but like I said, NOTHING is off limits. I just eat in VERY small portions.

4) I DO NOT believe artificial sweeteners are good for you. I believe that they are worse for you than regular sugar. They slow your metabolism down, they make it so your body does not heat up to metabolize your food. I am also not sold on that "truvia" stuff that Coke and Pepsi are rolling out. They can claim it is 'natural' but it is an ENGINEERED substance, that has been sprayed BIG TIME with pesticides, etc and I am not thinking that it is any better for you than sugar. See the following article: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,...1711763,00.html And something to think about: Why is it that ALL FAT PEOPLE drink Diet Coke/Pepsi? And often in large quantities? I think there is a very big connection that the general public does not seem to 'get.'

5) I try to eat organic as much as I can, where it is not cost prohibitive. Pesticides are AWFUL...

6) I do not drink soda. I used to be an 8 Diet Cokes/day girl. I REALLY BELIEVE that those fake sugars made me even hungrier. I don't miss it. If I want

caffeine, and I do on a daily basis, I drink coffee or tea.

7) I do not believe that vitamins are necessary for most banded people that eat a varied diet. That being said, if you get into a period of super tightness

where all you're consuming is liquids until you get an unfill, I don't think a multi-vitamin is a bad idea. BUT NOT on a daily basis. More and more science is

proving that multi-vitamins don't do ANYTHING for your health, and sometimes make it worse. HOWEVER, I do supplement with two supplements. I take 2000 IUs of Vitamin D daily. Vitamin D is not something we can 'overdose on' and it is a vitamin that has CLEARLY shown major health benefits. When it is nice outside, I also make sure to get some sunshine to get 'real' Vitamin D. It is just really important. The other supplement I take is Fish Oil. I take 2 1000 mg Fish Oil capsules, this equates to 600 mg Omega 3's. We are ALL highly deficient in Omega 3's and I HONESTLY believe that my taking fish oil is going to give me BIG TIME health advantages down the road. It helps with cholesterol, inflammation, heart issues, etc. If you buy these supplements, buy them from somewhere very reputable. I often order supplements from Puritan's Pride because their pricesare pretty good, and they have VERY high standards for quality. I buy my fish oil from Costco, because A) the price is good and their quality standards arethe best out there.

I work a part time retail job, so I am on my feet a lot for that. My exercise has not been what I'd like it to be, but plan on upping it this spring/summer with my husband and kids. Lots of outdoor time, bike rides, etc. I am also planning to do the Couch to 5K. I need to be active for ME. I've just been kinda lax in that department.

There are two books that I HIGHLY recommend.

1) Rethinking Thin: The New Scienceof Weight Loss---and the Myths and Realities of Dieting and

2)In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

#1 will help you appreciate who you are TODAY. WHY you are the way you are...

#2 will teach you some cornerstones to implement for eating. It also teaches you about the food industry, the FDA, etc, and how warped they all are...

Until I got to my sweet spot, with real restriction, I DID count my calories. I did not want to be the person who got farther behind post-surgery just cause I

had no restriction. I did not consider that a license to eat. So, I swore off the 'good stuff' till I got to a decent restriction. Thinking back, I would eat 'regularly' if I had to do it all over, but again count the calories. I wouldn't limit my 'fat' or whatever. and protein IS important, but 80 grams of protein is a bit much, and very hard to get in via natural sources. You're going to hit lots of plateaus and get super frustrated, but keep the faith and keep doing the

right things. And GET YOUR FILLS no matter WHAT. The fills are the key to your success. I am so tired of hearing people cry about how unsuccessful they are, or say how they can't afford their copay for their fills, so they are putting the appointment off. Would you buy a car without being able to afford gas? You MUST invest in yourself to get return. You must invest in your band to get the results you are looking for.

I may seem 'passionate' in my email to you. I just want others to have my success... The band is a great tool for that!"

**I hope this helps some of the banded people out there see there are many roads to success. I'd love to hear the philosophies of other successful banded folks. I love comparing notes!***

I love your plain speaking and look forward to to being just as successful as you have been by implementing some of your suggestions.

[MrsParris]

Thank you so much for this post. I am not breaking any weightloss records on my journey, but I am not completely depriving myself either. I refuse to go back to a complete diet of unhealthy foods, but my band will allow me to eat any food I choose, if eaten slowly enough. Once every weekend my husband and I eat out and I order whatever I want. My band won't let me eat too much of it. I take the rest home to my children or my dogs. I try to eat as healthy as I can most of the time, but if I feel the need to "cheat" I do. I get my exercise in at least 5 out of 7 days per week.

I use my band for the tool that it is. It helps me control my portions.