Loss of Restriction or Just Eating the Wrong Foods!

[bandgroupie]

CAT, YOU GO GURL!

Just wanted to add one thing to this reply....there is more simple reason to make healthier food choices is simple.

If you can only take in so much, you want to make sure it's food your body and put to good use.

For example, when I chose to have a piece of cake last week for lunch - that was a terrible food choice. Not for health reasons - I mean, cmon, 1 piece of chocolate cake in 8 weeks post-op is not going to ruin my weight loss. However, it was all sugar. So for the next two hours I was on a huge sugar high, followed by a very low sugar low. Terrible way to expect my body to continue thru the day. But it was my choice. I'm glad I did it - it was delicious, yummy, and I have no desire for a piece of chocolate cake now.

I refuse to diet. I'm not changing how I eat because I got banded. I'm not going to become a vegan, count calories, switch to fat free everything, etc. I'm going to eat what I ate before, because it wasn't all bad - I just ate too much. And that's my choice. I love food - I love to cook with butter, I love to eat steak instead of fish, I love warm syrup on french toast. You get my drift. And these are my choices. I don't have high cholesterol, high BP, or any other factors. I just have a very high BMI that was caused by eating too much. So now I choose to eat less of the good stuff I like.

I'm happy - and I'm losing weight!

[Kittycat]

Okay,

I will finish this bantering once and for all. Although alot of useful "food for thought" has come from this posting.

Do what you have to do to get through the day! What ever works for you, may not work for everyone, but that's okay.

Make choices based on the results you want! You only live once, so live!

Best of luck to everyone!

Cathy

[bev4life]

I understand exactly where you're coming from. Here is my story (I'll try to keep it short).

I was banded April 27, 2007. My expectations were high and I too thought that the band was going to help me lose the weight off the bat. For a whole year I lost NOTHING! I actually gained about 20lbs...eeek! I was devastated. I thought I to myself, I paid all this money and for what! You see, the first fill was small (about 1.0cc) which is not really alot, so to me (in opinion) it felt like I never had a fill and others have said the same thing. So I thought, if this is the case, I should try eating healthier food and making better food choices (which I did not do alot of times). I actually thought the band wouldl stop me, but with little to no restriction, I ate like I normally did before the band. Sometimes there was restriction, but after drinking something warm (especially in the mornings) before my meals, I could eat like before. So I carried on like this for a whole year, thinking the band was going to save me at some point. What I should have done was get another fill and save myself from more devastation. I'm happy to say on February 18, 2008, I got that 2nd fill and immediately, start losing weight. I really felt like a dummy. Was this all I had to do and stop beating myself up. It's just like Dr. Ortiz's book and others who have been banded say, "if you find yourself eating more than a 1/3 of food and/or having no restricition," GET A FILL! You will definitely feel the difference. Now I won't say that I always eat healthy, but losing weight boosts your confidence and make you want to eat healthier and make the right food choices along with exercising. That's what I'm doing now and it's becoming so rewarding. Since February this year after the 2nd fill I've lost 25lbs....WHOO HOO! If I can do it after losing nothing for a whole year, then so can you. I'm rooting for you, Mona-Camille!

I got the band to help me and I am aware it is a tool, however, if that tool isn't working then there is no change from before I got it. I got it to help not eat so much but since I have no restriction it isn't like I have a band at all. Therefore, changing my diet or not, I am still eating too much. That is why I chose the band. I wouldn't have gotten the band if I was strong enough to stop overeating on my own. I think that is why the majority of us did get it. So yes, it is self induced struggeling, but that is why they invented the band, however, that band needs to work to be able to help in our struggles. I don't think anyone on here deliberately eats around the band. If they did, they would continue to eat even when they PB. But, I don't even PB.

I take exception to you saying that some people think the band means no more dieting. I don't think anyone believes that but as I have said before, this tool needs to be working to be effective and help with our weight loss goals. Why would anyone bother getting it done if they didn't expect it to help? And so far, mine is not. I need that second fill and hopefully I will have restriction when I get it and will not gain anymore weight.

You also said that if you eat right, you will lose weight band or no band. Well then, why are YOU getting the band instead of eating right?

You see, we all need help or we wouldn't be here. But your comments are kind of making me feel like I should just shut my mouth and forget about posting anything at all, lest I spew my negativity about my self-induced problems.

[2fat4me]

I am so glad to see everyone and their issues. It really proves how different we are eventhough we're all trying to attain the same thing. On one hand it's great to see people losing weight consistently and on the other it's hard to see people losing weight consistently. We're all familiar with the later or we wouldn't be on this forum. So toot your horn, but not too loudly, the noise could end up hurting someone else.

be nice,

reneej

[Kittycat]

I am so glad to see everyone and their issues. It really proves how different we are eventhough we're all trying to attain the same thing. On one hand it's great to see people losing weight consistently and on the other it's hard to see people losing weight consistently. We're all familiar with the later or we wouldn't be on this forum. So toot your horn, but not too loudly, the noise could end up hurting someone else.

be nice,

reneej

Thanks Renee,

You are so right, we are all different, our lives, our bodies, but our goal is the same!

The best part about this forum is the success stories and the answers to our questions.

All the best, Cathy

[nothereanymore]

Looks like Dr. Ortiz put out a statement for success today.

http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?show...amp;#entry31257

[jena]

Looks like there are two messages.

http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?showforum=21

[nothereanymore]

I know, I wish I had that information before. Were I go for fills they recommend a fill up to every 8 weeks with the VG band and say its normal. They give very small amounts and have come back as you loose weight. (at $375 a pop I think I could have saved a boat load of $$ by going back to the OC for my fills)

[jena]

That's another reason I'm going back to the OCC! I have faith in Dr. Ortiz because it's important to him for us to succeed. Our success is his success. He even told me and my step-mom that if I return to the OCC for my fills, I should only need one or two fills.

I've got a 10cc band and I'm afraid the local fill place would nickel and dime me to death! And, well, I think everyone at the OCC is great and I would like to see them again. <' />

[Kittycat]

Great postings from Dr. O!!!

As said before...the info on this forum is immeasurable!

Cathy

[Allcdngirl]

Can I ask a silly question?? How did you know that Dr. O had posted these messages? Is there a special place that they show up? Thanks!

[nothereanymore]

If you go to the home page and scroll down to the bottom there’s a new area called Doctor's corner. I think it’s awesome!

[Kittycat]

Can I ask a silly question?? How did you know that Dr. O had posted these messages? Is there a special place that they show up? Thanks!

12 lbs in two weeks! Good for you!

Keep up the great work!

Cathy