Had weight loss surgery

By Team BandBoozled | 25^th August 2019 | The Blog

Had a band so I don’t need to diet and exercise anymore…..????? unfortunately, this is not really the case. Don’t get me wrong – the main functions of having a band are to help reduce portions and hunger. OK, so initially you may find that a calorie deficit/weight loss is achieved, without too much focus on healthy diet and exercise. Purely from the fact that you are eating less of the foods you did eat prior to having the band, and not snacking as often. Brilliant news if this is the case.

This honeymoon period may be short lived though, and you may find that your weight starts to plateau off fairly quickly or even start to gain weight..!!!!! OK reality check alert..!!!!! now it’s time to really understand what having a gastric band is all about.

Especially in the early months of your band journey – when portions can still be on the larger side and still getting those hunger pangs between meals, especially if you are not really working with healthy diet and exercise – weight loss can still really feel like an uphill battle. You might even be doubting the decision about having a band fitted, having seen the almost devastating weight loss of only lost 3lbs in your first month (when in comparison to your first weeks at slimming world, weight watchers or when you lost over a stone in your first month on lighterlife).

So, what’s the difference – When you commit to a diet – you commit 100%, often considering both diet and exercise, and you achieve an amazing weight loss during this period. When you sign up for bariatric surgery – of cause you commit 100% too, having surgery is not a commitment taken lightly for patients that’s for sure. But because once your established back onto textures there is no specific diet to follow with a band – other than keeping your meals as healthy and textured as possible (a saying I’m sure will crop up constantly throughout your band journey) you might be lulled into thinking, that’s it with the dieting, and rightly so. But it is about getting the balance right that will give you the weight loss success.

The balance is between:

• The finely adjusting of your band – taking time out to see your nurse/dietitian and have your band adjusted accordingly.
• And working with a balanced diet and exercise. Let’s not kid ourselves on that one. The band is a tool – a fabulous one at that and gets my thumbs up every time, but you really do get out of the journey what you put in.

It is suggested that 30% of weight loss is down to the band – the other 70% is what you make of it.

The team at BandBoozled are here to help to educate and support you in finding this balance

Exciting times ahead.