I've been reading through from the beginning amazing to see what you've been going through. When you said the above of course the questions in my mind which you may have posted about so excuse me if I missed it. Do you think you could have done it alone? Was it worth everything you've been through? Has it been how you expected? Has your opinion changed.since you wrote this or do you feel the same? Thank you for sharing your journey.
Singer mo
Right I'll try answer these best I can.... Here goes ...
I've been able to diet for maximum 6 months proper strict over exercising , WW plan or slimming world and been so strict I won't eat anywhere but home- so no meals out no chocolate. I e done that since 18 years old and by Xmas I've put all 5st back on and more. Then new year started and if do it all again, I can't maintain weight loss at all. Do I think I could do it alone? In maintenance sense - NO 100% this band has been the best thing, I have portion control now.
Is it worth everything I've been thru? At present over restriction is not a nice feeling at all, makes me feel miserable. I can't enjoy good as much but every day I preserver. I'm not a quitter. Do every day I try again - gosh Monday this week I consumed 1700kcal then lost 3.5lb! How does that work. I miss my running but not enough that I'm not loving the fact I hardly have to exercise to loose this amount of weight in such short time. Currently 3st11lb since 26th march and I promise you I've had a biscuit or chocolate every day ( bar fill days when I'm on liquids) so I have a mcdonalds frappe usually instead. The stress I'm expericing in my life at present and career change etc has made it difficult, and the fact NO ONE bar my OH knows is SO hard. Stress really does impact on the band massively, like flying, this is why I think I'm suffering so much as the month goes on nearer to my next fill... ( which I will ask to be de filled) it's worth it. It's worth every day I don't regret it. I'm just sad my other half suffers so much with his weight and I can't make it better for him too.
Has it been what I expected? At first I was so scared I'd wasted my life savings, I wanted to eat I craved and ate all the wrong things but as each month and each fill went in it got better and this time at summer I didn't think if be wearing best tops and 14 shorts and my diesel jeans again.... So it's exceeded my expectations at present, also the provider I'm with have been very good, I feel safe in their care, I know a lot of people have ended up with companies that have liquidized ... How awful.
Have I changed opinion? Well I bit I guess because WLS you have to have the will power to realise u can still eat all the crap with a band, chocolate , milkshakes slide down lovely. But you gotta keep up having the good crunchy foods. The band is great that the one thing I never really feel is hungry... It's literally the habit of eating you have to train yourself to stop doing. That need to put something in your mouth, or just coz your at the shops or coffee shop u eat at the same time, once I conquered that I was well away and the weight has not stopped coming off.
My story is typical of YoYo dieters. That's what I was and despite being over weight I could carry it off - ( I saw myself at the zoo the other day and I still felt huge) I still need to be 11st10 to be not over weight. But I still feel but because so un toned.
I hope this helps your decision.
Could I ask what your considering ?
Xxx