A patient asked me yesterday, what is the biggest adjustment one has to make with the Band or Sleeve?
I answered, "You have to plan".
I currently have my band tight enough to lose weight. When the band is tight, you need to be sure that you are getting enough protein and plenty of water. You have to plan for that. You cannot chug a gallon of water to make up for not drinking any liquids all day. You have to plan to space your protein out at intervals and not eat a side of a cow in one sitting.
Even with a sleeve, you have to make plans. Small amounts is all you can take in. If you eat too much, you will feel queasy and may even spit up. Going slow and chewing well are very important with either procedure. If you wait to eat until you are very hungry, you may eat too quickly and get an air bubble trapped in there or not chew your food well.
I hate to exercise! If I don't have some sort of plan, I will find any excuse to avoid working out. I have to think about what I am doing. Remember, your body works on predictive behavior. It wants to store energy. Your job is to get it to expend energy. Therefore, one needs to switch it up. Don't do the same thing all the time. Trick your body into working harder for you and then you don't have to work out as much!
Any weight loss surgery is a commitment, but you need to make some adjustments. I make a plan and stick to it. I might have lunch plans or I might have a busy schedule and no time for lunch. When I am busy, I need to take a protein bar with me or maybe bring some turkey and cheese roll ups to cover lunch. I don't need to be too hungry and I don't need to look for options at Walgreens or 7-11.
So I plan. I think of my day or what is coming up for me and I adjust accordingly. So, if you are thinking about weight loss surgery, do you have a plan?
