QUESTION about diet vs lap band???

m0m2three · February 2010

OK... I have heard people talk about the 1st few weeks after lap band & they all talk about the very strickt diet (1st clear liquids for a week, then solid drinks, then soft solids, then then fruits & veggies, then last is meat)... to me it sounds like they get a huge head start on the loss b/c they are pretty much starving, so my question is why couldn't a person do that for several weeks & gradually work up to 1200 cal.??? Wouldn't the head start on loss be the same but with out the surgery???

kp3184 · February 2010

I've thought the same thing regarding the lap-band "method" of weight loss. However, I'm sure that once you have the lap-band in place, the first few days of just clear liquids probably makes you feel very full and "not hungry" for much more. As time goes on and you begin to eat soft and solid foods, your would be starting to recognize what it feels like to be full.
Trying to do just the "food diet" of the lap-band method, I know for myself I'd still have that hunger feeling and unfortunately I'm not good at self-control.
I'm thinking about talking with my doctor next week about the lap-band issue, but since I'm "only" about 50 pounds overweight...(god, that number looks even more ugly when I type it out) - I don't think my doctor is willing to refer me to a specialist.
I know several co-workers that have gotten their stomachs "stapled" and they look great, however most of them ate and added the punds in order to get to a high weight in order to get a referral and to get insurance to pay for it!!
I'm just so frustrated...

waguchan · February 2010

You need to have a BMI of 40 or higher to qualify for any weight loss surgery, which is about 100 pounds overweight (or BMI of 35 with several co-morbidities, like heart disease or diabetes). So 50 pounds isn't going to qualify.

People don't have surgery to get instant results. They have it after having many successful weight loss attempts, followed by gaining the weight back each time. Losing is the "easy" part, with or without surgery. Keeping it off is the most difficult part.

I had lap band surgery over a year and a half ago. It has been slow. It has taken just as much work as if I hadn't had the surgery, including counting calories, exercising regularly, planning meals and snacks, etc. The band is merely a tool to help you know when you've had enough, but it won't prevent you from eating high caloric foods that go down easy, like chocolate and ice cream.

I eat much less than 1200 per day or I will gain weight due to insulin resistance. At 1200 calories, I just maintain. I have to eat between 800-1000 calories a day (not counting what I burn off in exercise) to lose weight. I will start eating closer to 1200 calories a day only when I reach my goal weight. If I eat more than that, the weight will return, which was happening over the holidays this past winter, until I jumped back on MFP over a month ago.

laurierwilliams · February 2010

Yes, it is a strict diet and I won't pretend to argue that you don't "crave" foods, but the crave for me was more a mental issue than a physical issue. With the swelling after surgery and the small pouch, it really doesn't take much to fill it up. Honestly, the hardest part for me was the liver shrink diet which I did prior to the surgery. I'm holding about a cup of food at a time now and I feel very satisfied for several hours. I can't imagine trying to do a clear liquid diet with my stomach at full operating capacity. If you could, you're a better woman than I am. By the way, my insurance DID cover my surgery even though I wasn't quite at a 35 BMI. I do -- or did -- rather, have high blood pressure and was pre-diabetic (my blood pressure measured in the normal range yesterday for the first time in years!) YEAH! I agree entirely with the post below, it is merely a tool and not a cure!

tinasullens · February 2010

I have a friend who had lap band surgery. She was very overweight and wasn't willing to exercise or watch her nutrition...she did it because she was lazy and wanted results without having to work. However, she found out that it was a lot stricter on her nutrition to have the surgery than if she just would have started watching what she was eating, controlled her portion sizes, tracked her calories, and exercised.

I would say surgery would be a LAST RESORT...or should be...for anyone. If you are majorly overweight (morbidly obese), then maybe consider it. But it really isn't THAT difficult to control how much you eat or what you eat. YOU control that by NOT buying junk. If you don't bring it in the house, you can't eat it. Don't go through the drive-thru just because it's there and it's "convenient". Carry snacks with you! Keep granola bars, raw almonds, apples, pretzels, etc. in your purse or keep them in your car for times when you get hungry and aren't close to home.

I don't mean to sound harsh. I struggle with craving junk food most of the time. My weakness is chips. Instead of denying myself those "treats", I choose better, healthier versions of those things. I also buy snack size ziploc baggies and separate those type things into individual serving sizes. I always carry a healthy snack of some sort with me in case of a hunger emergency. LOL!

As for exercise - it can be fun!!! It doesn't have to be something you dread or have to force yourself to do! Find something you enjoy and do it! I love kickboxing!! Find a class that you like at a gym and sign up! Invite some friends or family along! The key is to burn more calories than you are consuming. It is possible. And if you mess up one day and overeat, make up for it with an extra workout the next day! Don't just give up and think you've failed. Get right back on track ASAP! I'm typing this as much for myself as anyone.

Make sure you eat 5-6 times per day, small meals, to keep your metabolism going. Drink plenty of water, get plenty of sleep. That's all I have to say. Finally, huh? lol.

Boston_Mommy · February 2010

I had lapband on Jan 4th and so far I'm down 13 lbs in 6 weeks and 26 lbs including my preop weight loss.

The band is merely a tool. As my surgeon said "it's a tripod of diet, exercise and the band". It's a tool to help you get full on 3-4 oz of protein and you stay full for longer periods between meals. But as a previous poster mentioned, eating things like Ice Cream or other "slider" foods won't keep you full or get you the benefits of the band. You need to be really good about eating 3 protein rich meals a day and avoid snacking in between meals. It involves alot of being mentally aware of true hunger vs. mental hunger and emotional eating. They don't let just anyone sign up for it and I went thru months of behavioral eating classes, therapy sessions, dietician sessions. They really make you think long and hard about the choice and I'm glad!!

Also, the surgery is only the first step. Many people don't feel the restriction from the band until many fills. I've only had one fill and I don't feel much restriction yet. My dr said another couple of fills and I should really feel full off 1 cup of protein at each meal.

The band DOES work if you work it. My cousin has lost 130 lbs and kept it off for 4 years. She eats mainly proteins but she said that she is rarely hungry. But it's not a fast process. Most still lose the 1-2 lbs a week that is considered healthy...the band just helps sticking to your daily calories THAT much easier.

and the part that the band REALLY helps....maintaining the weight loss. Once you reach the proper restriction level, you have that lifelong restriction to help prevent overeating. Losing is often the easy part. It's keeping it off that's hard and the band is a big help in that area which is why it has less occurence of weight regain than bypass patients.

QUESTION about diet vs lap band???

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