Is it impossible to loose weight without the lap band?

Lisamarie1226

Of course, it is not impossible to lose without surgery, But, long term it can be very hard to maintain. I cannot quote the studies right now, but several high profile studies have shown that most people regain the weight and only about 2% are able to keep it off "the old fashioned way." That said, I had lapband 6 months ago, I've lost 95lbs in about 1.5 yrs, approx 55 were preop from making nutrition and exercise changes. Could I have lost the rest on my own, YES, but I've done that before and gained it back a few times. For me, I'm done yo-yoing.

Bariatric surgery IS NOT a quick fix , it is a lifestyle change that must be supported by nutrition and exercise in order to be successful in both the short and long term! My band is adjustable so it can and has been customized to my nutrition and weight loss goals, Any reputable program is multifaceted and provides support and education so that every patient has the tools he or she needs to be successful. Surgery is safe and a healthy option with a qualified surgeon, a good support program, and an individual desire to make it work and follow the rules. Remember, the vast majority of issues people have are a result of poor diet choices and not following their programs - vomiting, nutrient deficiencies, etc...

It is important to see surgery as a tool much like a treadmill. Some people need that tool in order to help achieve their goals. Simply saying watch what you eat and exercise is not enough for many people. I want this to be it for me and it will because I am motivated and realistic. I work out 5-7 days a week and am losing consistently 1-3 pounds a week, I know that if i feel I can eat anything and everything, I can get a fill (extra saline in my band) so that I can stay full and continue to make good choices.

So, it needs to be a personal choice to decide surgery vs. diet alone. Either way, if you are determined you can meet your goals. But, please do not say surgery is a quick fix, unnatural, dangerous, or a bad option. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but, be informed and conscientious of others' often life long struggles

BRAVO!!!! Well said, my sentiments EXACTLY!!!

It is a very personal choice and you cannot judge others for having the surgery without knowing their life long struggles and factoring what helped them make that decision to choose WLS. It is a TOOL that helps you lose weight.

I work my *kitten* off.... I go to the gym and workout like a maniac. I've stepped up my game and have incorporated jogging into my routine. I take group fitness classes to mix things up. I've EARNED my weight loss just like everyone else.

There are SOME people that do choose to have WLS surgery and do NOT make the appropriate lifestyle changes. But you know what else??? For every ONE of them there are a TON of others who do what they are supposed to do and learn from past mistakes. Just look on this site... There are a TON of lap banders who are VERY successful and they workout and watch their calorie intake JUST like everyone else. And know what else? Yes, sometimes lap banders have an off day where they eat something they shouldn't but guess what? So does EVERYONE else!! Geez...we are all human, RIGHT??? Everyone falls off the wagon every now and then. But you know what else? When you have lap band, you physically CANNOT indulge as badly as someone without surgery. I KNOW. I crave a hamburger or tator tots every now and then too. I may try a BITE or TWO bites but I really don't handle bread that well AND fried foods? Forget it! I have learned to stay away. I HAVE to....

And it's not the "easy" way out. I struggle with emotional and stress eating too. I struggled with depression and anxiety and that emotional/stress eating was one big endless cycle. So I went to the doctor and it turned out my depression & anxiety was really ADHD. So I got treated and now I don't struggle with stress eating as much.

So congrats to ALL of the people who are on their weight loss journey.... Whether you had weight loss surgery or NOT. You made the decision you needed to change and you did. But PLEASE, stop diminishing others accomplishments or ignoring their accomplishments because they had weight loss surgery. I've lost 111 lbs, with the surgery AND by (OMG...YES....JUST LIKE EVERYONE else...) watching the foods I eat AND exercising 5-6 times a week. I am proud of my accomplishments. I worked really HARD for this and am continuing to work REALLY REALLY hard for the last 25 lbs.

fat_forever

Brooke200, it's not impossible, but it all depends on how bad you want to do it. The main factor is whether you can exercise till you are exhausted. By that I mean that you need to exercise every day....hard. At first, it might mean doing whatever you can to exercise. If that means only going for a 30 minute walk, then that's what you need to do. The trick is to keep increasing the duration of your exercise routines. The more you exercise, the more you can exercise. You will build up your stamina, so you have to keep pushing yourself.

Is it easy, no, not at first, but as time goes by, you will find that exercising is really easy. You might start out walking a mile. Before you know it, you'll be jogging 5 miles. As long as you keep pushing yourself, the weight will come off. Just don't get discouraged. Start with baby steps, then work your way up. It sounds impossible now....jogging 5 miles a day, but as you slowly increase your workouts, you will see that 5 miles is easy. Heck, you might go for 10 miles. Just be sure to start off slow and work your way up, that way you won't get discouraged. Remember, you didn't put on the weight overnight, so it won't come off overnight. Just keep plugging away, and if you get discouraged, come here and we will give you encouragement.<g>

Cytherea

I have read many different member's profiles and it seems a lot of you have had the the lap band surgery. I have 87 lbs to loose by October 1st 2011. Is that impossible to do without the lapband?

Of course it is not! Plenty of people haven't had it, too! You can do it!

I am curious as to why you have such a strict deadline for yourself though. Sometimes when you think about it like that it seems overwhelming. I had no idea when I first started what I could expect to lose and by when. Now, that I'm just about halfway to my goal (and when I started in January, I had just about to lose as much as you do now), I finally felt confident enough to start setting a mini-goal, and a long-term goal, with dates, for myself. Literally, just the other day. Don't constrain yourself too much. You have to wait and see how your body reacts. And a lot of people say that the less weight you have to lose, the harder it is, so while you might lose 5 pounds a month for the first year, those last 20 or so pounds might take a lot longer. Obviously I don't know that from experience, but I have heard it from just about everyone who has been successful. So take your time, don't stress yourself too much, and enjoy the journey!

Good luck!