We have a new soon to be banded blogger out there folks. Please stop by and say hello to Cheri over at Lap Band Fluxion.
Yeah, I had to google the word "fluxion." But then I saw that Cheri's first blog post had the definition for fluxion as: the action of flowing or changing.
Cheri hopes to get a band in November or December. She emailed me a few days ago about her concerns about being a failure with the band.
Here's an excerpt from Cheri's email (she gave me permission to put it here on the blog):
I have so much to lose and I have failed over and over and over. I am scared I will fail at this too. I ask myself "is it worth it?" and the answer is yes but I answer rather weakly. I really do not like to exercise and have a VERY limited budget. My hubby is disabled and we live on a very fixed income and spending this much money, stretches us very thin. The thought of failing again is overwhelming. I know it is worth it to be healthy and one of the reasons I am doing this is because hubby is not healthy and one of us needs to be. I think I just need encouragement that I AM doing the right thing...........thanks so much for listening.
Cheri
Yeah, I had to google the word "fluxion." But then I saw that Cheri's first blog post had the definition for fluxion as: the action of flowing or changing.
Cheri hopes to get a band in November or December. She emailed me a few days ago about her concerns about being a failure with the band.
Here's an excerpt from Cheri's email (she gave me permission to put it here on the blog):
I have so much to lose and I have failed over and over and over. I am scared I will fail at this too. I ask myself "is it worth it?" and the answer is yes but I answer rather weakly. I really do not like to exercise and have a VERY limited budget. My hubby is disabled and we live on a very fixed income and spending this much money, stretches us very thin. The thought of failing again is overwhelming. I know it is worth it to be healthy and one of the reasons I am doing this is because hubby is not healthy and one of us needs to be. I think I just need encouragement that I AM doing the right thing...........thanks so much for listening.
Cheri
Did you have similar thoughts like hers when you were considering getting a band?
Please post your comments below. Cheri will be reading!
Thanks.
PS: Here's today's funny:
What advice would you give Cheri?
Hi Cheri
ReplyDeleteIf you can afford it - even if it means a couple of lean months or even years following your op - I believe you should go ahead with it.
This procedure will improve your quality of life - and the life of your family too.
If you ask me for my main and honest reason for having surgery I would have to say "vanity". And that's the main reason I must reach my goal weight.
However, for someone who does this for mainly health reasons, even a 10% weight loss will mean a huge improvement in health and quality of life. Especially if by this you want to improve your husband's life too. You don't want to do it to fit into a skimpy dress, but to be there for your hubby. So I don't think you would fail. You might not get down to 130 or 150 lbs, but even if you lose just some of your excess weight both of you will feel the difference.
On the other hand you cannot forget that even though the surgery is the biggest chunk of money, you will have expenses in the future: fills, checkups, vitamins, etc. You shouldn't worry about the workout: walking and jogging is just as good as anything else, and you can find workout DVDs later in second hand shops.
So good luck - and don't forget: even seemingly little achievement on the scales might mean a big difference in your lives!
Cheri, I think most people who decide to get the band have the same concerns. I know I was extreamly scared I would fail. But keep in mind you get what you put into it. This is a tool and is meant to aid you in weightloss. That being said it has been by far the best tool that I have used!
ReplyDeleteBeing that most of us were well over weight to begin with, we all can say exercising wasn't our fav thing. But having lost a good chunk I do enjoy it much much more. Even the smallest people out there need exercise for their health so I urge you to try different types of exercise to find something that you do like. There are countless workouts on YouTube, from dance to strength. You'll find something for sure. Being that I am about 9 months out the weight isn't just falling off like it did in the beginning so exercising is helping me get to my goal!
Good luck and prepare to work for what you want! But you will get there for sure!
If you feel this is your last resort and really believe you will make changes (even if you have moments of falling back and knowing you'll get back up again)... then do it. I'm not one of the banders that lost all the weight within a year. I'm still learning... about myself, my habits and the changes I need to make to be successful with it. Its an ongoing process... so don't think this is the end all to all the things you tried before. But I also don't feel like a failure in this. I just keep getting back up and going again. Personally I have had a hard time making those changes... but its like a light bulb went off two months ago for me and I see things working if I truly put the effort in.
ReplyDeleteI wish you the best in making this decision and also in working hard to be healthy. All the hard work is definitely worth it...
I had my surgery in February 2010. My fella had been off work since December and I didn't realize that is would be the following December before he managed to land a part-time job. Needless to say, money was tight. Despite that obstacle I have no regrets about my surgery or having to self-pay to have it and the after-care. I'm now at my goal weight and I've found maintenance to be a natural progression of my weight loss. I don't have to do anything too crazy to maintain.
ReplyDeleteI think for me it was the turning point when I saw a picture of myself and I did not recognize me. That was not ME in that picture!! Because what I saw in the mirror was someone who was NOT that fat. I am sorry but you have to get to that point. You have to really really want this. If you go in to it thinking that it is a miracle cure without work, then you will be disappointed. The band is merely a way to keep you from eating too much. However, if you still eat ice cream, drink soda, candy bars, cakes, pies, breads and pastas as you did in the past, with lots of gravies and sauces and added calories. Please hear this, that you will NOT be successful. I was very successful in fact I had lost 85 pounds on my band and 18 months after it I began to eat around it. I would drink and eat things that would slide right through. Low and behold here I was back with nearly 60 pounds of that weight back on my ass!
ReplyDeleteI have lost nearly 50 of it back off again, but it has taken lots of hard work and committment. You will not be a success if you do not do some sort of exercise. You cannot expect the weight to just drop off. For some it seems like it might, but the reality is that it doesn't.
I would always counsel anyone in your position this way. If you are tired of the old diet and gain that you may have done all of your life, then the band will be your BEST FRIEND!
Good luck in your decision! We are here to support you if you need it.
Hi Cheri, I think the big thing to know going in is that snacking or what we like to call head hunger isn't going to be helped by the band. What you're going to find though is that when you start to lose a little weight, you're going to be able to exercise a little easier. All you have to do is start taking a walk. Excercise doesn't need to be fancy gyms, pools or equipment. You can find a local zumba class and do that once or twice a week and get your walk in on the other days. It's not expensive and most Zumba's have packages you can get too that you buy 5 get the 6th class free or something.
ReplyDeleteI honestly have never thought I'd fail, but I can certainly understand. I just think that I made a permanent change to my body, I had to do my part to make sure I succeeded. I also highly recommend getting a good digital scale. It should only be about $20 at Target. It's priceless. Seriously. Best of luck.
Hey y'all! It's me, Cheri! Thank you for all the advise and support. It has helped. I really appreciate it. I am still scared but it is worth it and IT IS A GOOD THING! I am hoping to get to know everyone along this journey. Thank you again! BLESSINGS!
ReplyDelete