Re: Random questions... - Late reply to Gabs WARNING - LONG POST!

[Guest guest]

Hi Gabs

Hope you are doing well and enjoing the lead up to your banded life.

I have only just had time to read through the old posts and thought I

would reply to your questions, as I am still a relatively new bandit

(6 months on 31 Jan) and still learning all about it too.

I was also pretty nervous/excited about getting my band, We have a

very similar history and if I reckon if just exchanged your name for

mine on your blog background and that could be me! I have lost over

30kg on 3 occassions and I had been very good at losing weight

before, but not good at keeping it off....

Here are my answers:

1/ What has been the best thing about getting the band?

so many things.....

finally losing weight that I know will be relatively permanent,

getting fit and strong,

having energy to do things,

actually enjoying incorporating exercise into my life,

keep up with my little boy,

not feeling like life is all about my next meal (I found this a bit

like giving up smoking - (terrifying to think of but totally

liberating to actually do!),

finally learning to listen to my bodies hunger signals,

to be finally free from the vicious cycle of swinging between huge

periods of denial and self torture through using willpower and then

periods of gluttonous, insatiable eating......

knowing that I dont have to keep the size 20-22's and that as I have

shrunk I dont have to keep them in a suitcase under the bed for when

I grow back into them (so destructive to self esteem),

embracing my new life and enjoying the process of spending some time

on myself and learning more about me (I have tried to take a

wholistic approach, I have been seeing a dietician who has helped me

recognise and listen to my body's signals (ie, learning to eat slowly

and chew well, stopping when I get hiccups, recognising feelings of

satisfaction rather than getting to the point of fullness etc), a

psychologist fortnightly (free on Medicare) about my previous eating

behaviours/use of food, got a personal trainer and actually go to the

gym (when previously I just had the membership!)... sorry, this all

may sound very basic but I had never done any of it before.

2/ What is the worst thing about having the band?

I really struggle to answer this because I cant think of anything too

bad.... here are a few.....

- dealing with my own feelings about 'cheating' (I still havent told

many people and have some issues of feeling a bit ashamed about it,

dont ask me why I know its silly but I dont want to be judged and it

is still very hard work, its just different to other types of weight

loss!)

- I have been very, very lucky with PB'ing, I have still NEVER had a

PB, but on the down side I do get incredibly bad indigestion pains if

I get a blockage and the sliming etc is pretty gross/scary the first

few times (ie, when your body naturally produces lots of saliva to

try and slide whatever is stuck through but you cant swallow it so it

all comes back up - YUCK!)

- not being able to eat bread! It was one of my staple foods and I

would LOVE a sandwich.....

3/ Has the band been what you expected? More? Less?

I have learnt that everyones banding journey is very different, I

expected to have restriction (and PB's!) very early on and still dont

have it totally (but personally I think I prefer to use the band with

a bit of willpower rather than not be able to eat the foods I want

to, especially when there are so few people that know about it).

I thought it would be a lot easier than it actually is and to lose

weight alot faster than I have!

As I said earlier I am still learning too!

The best advice I could give you is continue to use this site, and

continue to come along to get-togethers, as this group of amazing

people have been a total lifeline for me, and the other piece of

advice is eat S L O W L Y and chew chew chew!

I have found it very very liberating, as for the first time I am

losing weight with some confidence that I wont be putting it all back

on (+GST) in a few months time!

Good luck and please feel free to ask me anything, if you email me I

will give you my mobile number.

take care,

cheers

Ellen (Angel) xx

>

> Me again!

> As my date for the band gets closer I find myself sometimes so

excited

> about getting the journey started i can be heard squealing with

> delight....other times I catch myself experiencing the very normal

> jitters about the operation and the settling in period

> afterwoods....and I guess my new life with the band. So Im

interested

> to know -

> 1/ What has been the best thing about getting the band?

> 2/ What is the worst thing about having the band?

> 3/ Has the band been what you expected? More? Less?

>

> I love brutal honesty.

>

> Just maximizing this great opportunity to talk openly and honestly

> with a group of people who've been through it.

>

> Thanks very much xxx

>