Curiosity is going to be the end of me. But, I have to ask... did you get your band thinking you'd keep your weight off? Honestly, I did. From the beginning, my intent was to use my band to keep weight off. I knew I could lose weight on my own. It was keeping it off where I had difficulty.
And did you get your band thinking there would be no effort on your part? Why would anyone go to the trouble- time, expense,and recovery of a surgical intervention- only to end up not following at least some of the basic rules for success? Sometimes I'm naive, and very black & white, but I was just wondering what other peoples expectations were compared to the results they've achieved.
I'm 130 pounds down, however maintenance is the real test of my experience. Anyway I look at it, the longterm success rate of the band remains higher than than the success rate of not having a lapband. Blogging is a big piece of my longterm plan- it reminds me of the basics, which for me are easy to overlook at this phase. Protein, protein, protein.
Moving onto life... my curiosity got the best of me this afternoon... and I emailed a cousin on my bio dads side. I think I've really thrown him for a loop. Surprise! It was not the easiest thing to do, but I didn't want to be afraid to take a risk. I felt the fear, and did it anyway. I won't be afraid to throw on the brakes if needed, however there are things I'd like to know.
Holiday hell, our neighbor just brought over homemade chocolates- and if my family doesn't eat them fast enough, they will be going into the garbage can. I'd rather waste food, than waste my life fat. Definitely the better choice for me. I'm trying to put together a holiday indulgence avoidance strategy. I allowed myself to do whatever at Thanksgiving, but with very little restriction right now, that's probably not the best idea. I probably won't go for a fill until January, so this will mostly be up to me. The indulgence avoidance strategy is an entire post in itself. Do you have one?
I got the band to help me get it off (it seemed like too much back then) AND to keep it off. I did tons of research and had friends that had been through WLS, so I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I sometimes question people who don't seem like they did any research or want to do any work. I'm not a perfect follower of all the rules, but I try.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your bio Dad - I'm sure the curiosity & emotion is overwhelming.
I definitely got my band as part of a long term commitment. I know how awful it is to lose a bunch of weight only to gain it all back plus 30. It was so awful I think that by the time I had reached my high weight, I wished that I'd never lost all that weight in the first place. I had a closet full of beautiful clothes that no longer fit, there were no more compliments, I felt awful...and I felt like a complete failure. I NEVER want to go back and I truly hope my band will help me for the rest of my life. I love it.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your success - I really enjoy reading your blog.
I always had trouble losing weight so never really got to the point where maintaining was the goal. I knew there would be effort, but thought it would be easier than it is. I'm in kind of a crappy spot right now and am hoping it's just that I don't have the right level of restriction versus the band isn't going to work for me. On a totally different topic, I had a dream last night that I was on a cruise with some of the BOOBS and you were one of the people I remember being there.
ReplyDeleteI have been overweight and obese and morbidly obese for most of my life - I was only ever able to lose a small portion of the weight before I gained it back and then some, so I guess for me it was about losing a lot of weight and NEVER letting it come back. I know that I have a long journey ahead of me and I need to work on my head more than anything but I got the band knowing that it was going to work for me. I am still a little scared, way back in the far corner of my mind that it may not but I am choosing to believe it will!
ReplyDeleteI got my band to help get it off and help keep it off. I have a very good friend who was banded about a year or two before me and I saw her struggles and successes, which is what led me to getting the band for myself. I saw firsthand that it was not always going to be a walk in the park. Even though it's been a long time and I'm not at goal, I still believe it was the right thing for me.
ReplyDeleteAs far as indulgence avoidance goes, I'm all about dumping a plate of goodness in the garbage if I have to. Or I'll take it to work - it would be gone before I'd have a chance to go back and pick at it!
Just wanted to wish you well. I didn't meet my bio-dad until I was 17, and it was a complete fluke when I did find him. I had my letter all ready to send in to Montel Williams, but thought I would send it to the house he lived in when him and my mom dated, 17 years earlier. Thought, it's a small town, someone will at least still know his family and maybe it'll make it's way to him. Turned out him and his wife lived in the house! Anyway, long story short, I spent the summer with him, then didn't talk to him for years. Got back in touch with him, and even though I still haven't seen him, we talk regularly. Anyway, however it turns out for you, I wish you the best. With the holiday avoidance as well!
ReplyDeletei got the band to lose weight. i don't think i thought about the maintenance at the time. but now that i am 30/40 pounds away from that point i freak out over maintenance a lot. even harder is seeing real life WLS people i know and see them gain it back. scares me.
ReplyDeleteI got the band to help lose it but to mainly help with hunger, thereby helping me keep it off. Holiday avoidance? Bake and cook and bake and cook some more. For me, I eat less of it when I make it. Isn't that strange? I end up so sick of smelling it that I don't want to eat it. Esp. when it's sugar.
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