I suppose it was the 'outing' of Fern Britton that did it - she was 'found out' with the gastric band and called a cheat in the British media. I suppose that in the early days of the band I didn't know enough about how it would work so I think a part of me believed that there was an element of cheating involved. Of course now I know different. I know from experience that if I want to, I can eat pretty much anything. I can eat all of the unhealthy foods that I used to be able to eat. I can eat chocolate in volume and binge on the stuff almost as easily as I used to. I know that other famous celebrities gave had their band removed because they gained weight eating loads of chocolate! I know from months of hard work that band success means careful calorie counting, rigorous maintenance of a food diary, tonnes of exercise and constantly making good, nutritional food choices. It means sticking to a whole heap of rules, like chewing everything to death, eating slowly, not getting distracted while eating, using small utensils, eating off a side plate, practising environmental control and balancing proteins, carbs and veggies. It also requires sticking to the hardest rule of all, which is not to drink for at least one hour after eating!!
Because I was uncertain about how the band was going to work, I was careful early on not to tell anyone except my husband, that I had a band. Over time, and as I've learned more about what is involved in making the band work for me, I've become more relaxed about telling people. I guess I feel more confident that I am not a cheat! I feel I can explain to people properly how the band works and I can justify my reasons for having one. Some would say why do I need to justify anything to anybody - but that's just the way I am!
About six weeks after getting banded I told my immediate family. Since then, I've told several close colleagues and friends. Even just today, I told my office mate (as he was stuffing his face with a muffin!). Whereas many months ago I couldn't really see myself telling anybody, now I firmly believe that I will probably eventually tell everybody! I think that basically I'm just a coward, and am scared of telling people in case it doesn't work. That's why I expect I will eventually 'out' to everyone only once I reach my target!! I said I was a coward!
So, as far as people calling me a cheat is concerned - I no longer have that fear. At the end of the day, it's my body, my money and my health. As is plainly clear for anyone who knows me to see, the band has done wonders for me and it clearly does work. If having something that only does 30% of the work is being a cheat - then I confess to being one. But I jest. I am not a cheat, I don't feel a cheat, and anyone who thinks I am one is plain and simple WRONG! There.
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Great blog Theresa! I know that there are a lot of people that think we bandster's are cheating. But of course we all know that this is not the case.
ReplyDeleteI however, never kept it a secret from anyone that I was either getting a band or that I now have one. I just discuss it with them if they have questions or let it go at that if they don't.
So far, no one has tried to tell me (at least to my face) that I was taking the cheaters way out!! Just let them try to say it to my face!! LOL. If my DH was with me, HE would stand up for me & I wouldn't have to say anything at all!
Happy Holidays
Good for you!!
ReplyDeleteTrees x
In our experience the results from this type of procedure speak for themselves. Without question surgery is a serious decision, however for those that have struggled with weight issues for a long time, banding surgery can be an extremely effective tool.
ReplyDeleteHowever as you've illustrated...it's not the entire picture. Diet, exercise and overall lifestyle changes are keys to success as well. You understand what's truly involved. There are no shortcuts.
One of our recent patients truly embodies the spirit of this "change for the good" as a result of undergoing a gastric banding procedure. He was gracious enough to share his experience on video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoAEAdHf7yc
Congratulations on your progress! Your happy will ultimately convince any doubters. And we love hearing uplifting stories!
اhi theresa my name is mahi I found your blog accidentally when I was searching in the google for gastric banding thank god because it helps me a lot! much more than any article ! I almost have read all of your post till now !it was amazing I mean for me it was like a journy in your past and my future it wiped most of my fears and doubts ! im going to have g-op in feb 2010 !but I have a few questions that I want to ask from you !first I am very afraid of loose skin im 22years old 5.76 f height and 253 pound And im singel ! even thinking about loose skin realy annoy me I don’t know how to explain it !do you have a lot of loose skin? is there any way to get rid of them(not surgery)or is there any way to prevent them! My second question is about your diet it was completely different form all bandits ,I think it was so healthy!i read in some blogs that they dont have any diet at all!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope I celebrate my first bandiversary next year just the way you did!100 pound lighter:D!))
And also I want to ask you about multi vatamins and supliments you use!which kind of supliments exactly do you use?do you steal use those chewable chlidrens vita?can you sallow a tablet without chewing??what abaout effervescent tabs? can we use them(because I heard they are like coke because of gas)
Ps :exuse me if I am very awfull in English I have just starded learning it so:D
Aaa one more thing that I want to say that your posts was like a courage to me and make me 100%sure to do the surgery!
Thanks a lot:-*
Hello Mahi,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you find the blog useful and helpful. I will try to answer each of your queries - but do remember that (a) this is only based on my experience - the experiences of others may vary, and (b) I'm not a doctor (well, not a medical one anyway!)!.
Loose skin: Yes, I have loose skin and it was one of my greatest fears before I got the band. However, it is much less of a problem than the health problems, humiliation and lack of fitness that go with being obese. I will need to have a tummy tuck and am considering other cosmetic surgery too. However, you are only 22 years old and your skin will be much more elastic than mine (I'm 45 years old). That means it is more likely to 'spring' back into position after you have lost weight. Therefore, you should have a very good chance of not getting excess skin after weight loss. You can do lots of exercise and muscle toning activities,and there are also lotions you can apply to help keep your skin taut. I'm not sure how much these are effectve. The main factors are how overweight you are, your age, and how rapidly you lose weight. You are young, you're not as heavy as I was when I started out, and people don't tend to lose weight too rapidly with the band (compared with a bypass, for example).
Diet: In theory, it shouldn't be necessary to 'diet' with the band. It is not about following a special diet; more about healthy eating, good nutrition and portion control. However, I find that my willpower is so weak that I need to count calories and keep a rigorous food diary to keep me on the straight and narrow most of the time. Most of my meals are healthy and portion-controlled. I also tend to have healthy snacks most of the time. However, I also slip up on a regular basis - yesterday, for example, I managed to fit in two bars of chocolate and a mince pie....!
Multivitamins: I take a daily multivitamin - just a common off-the-shelf variety from Tesco. I use a chewable one. I can swallow small tablets but prefer the chewable ones anyway - they are much like eating a sweet! As a bandit, you should find that after the initial liquids only phase, you can eat a fairly normal diet - albeit with much smaller portions. Therefore, it is not usually necesary to take any other supplements as it is if you have a bypass. I don't use any effervescent tablets but I could if I needed to - I am still a regular drinker of Diet Coke. As long as you pour it into a glass to allow the worst of the gas bubbles to escape, and drink it slowly and carefully, - I've never had any real problem.
Thank you for your kind words. I do hope that your surgery goes well. Do make sure that you get a good aftercare package that includes follow-up appointments, fills and an emergency number just in case you need it. I've never needed to use the emergency number given me - but it's a great comfort knowing that there are people available should anything go wrong. I've just read about a lady who had her op done in Belgium and her surgeon os only over in the UK once a month. She urgently needs a de-fill but has to wait a month for it - I, and some other bandits have advised her to get a de-fill from somewhere else and not wait. So - make sure you get a good aftercare package included with your surgery!!
All the best, Trees x
Hi, I just found your blog and have to say its like reading everything I have been through with my band :)
ReplyDeleteI just felt the need to comment on this specific post for Mahi's sake as I am only 22 and had the band fitted at 20 so can answer the loose skin question. When you have the surgery at this young age everyone inculding the doctors and dieticians keep telling you that you are 'young' and its a good thing - which it is.. its like putting a stop to the bigger problems that come along with being obese before they have had chance to develop and how much quicker you adjust to the band.
However after losing 6 and a half stones I do have loose skin, no matter how much I exercise it is there and nothing but surgery will remove it.. which is why I am going to book a consultation for a tummy tuck (sooo excited.. bikini here I come!). That being said don't let it discourage you, I can only highly reccommend the surgery and say that at this 'young' age it has changed my life for the better and I would not be without it, I am the happiest I have ever been and love being me!
Katie
xxx