Weight Loss Battle
Fitness centers love when January rolls around. That’s when guilt-ridden Americans rush to sign up at the gym, determined to make good on a New Year’s resolution to lose weight. The first step is dropping the 10 pounds gained over the holidays. January 2 is equal to Black Friday when it comes to the fitness industry.
I bring this up because I am still in the lapband surgery phase known as “bandster’s hell.” Last February, when I put on 15 pounds and saw when I looked like, I decided it was time to consider weight loss surgery.
By May I was seeing a doctor and beginning a three- month pre-surgery weight loss program. On October 18 I had the lapband surgery. The theory behind the procedure is that a small pouch is created at the top of the stomach. When that pouch is filled with a small amount of food, you brain gets the signal that you are full. However, to get that feeling of restriction, you need your lapband to be inflated with saline. When the doc puts the saline in the band it is called a fill.
I was still hungry when I recovered from the surgery, although I had lost about 35 pounds total. After I had my first fill on Nov. 27, I was hoping that would do the trick. No such luck; I have regained 10 pounds over the holidays. While still hoping my second fill on January 8 helps curb my appetite as promised, I made a preemptive strike — I signed up at the local gym on Dec. 17. At the moment I am keeping the weight gain at bay at the gym while watching NBC’s The Biggest Loser all the way through, not just the weigh-ins. I’m hoping for some exercise pointers.
I’m trying to stay positive but I need for this surgery to work and so far it isn’t doing the trick. Patience is an emotion that comes and goes with me and right now it is on vacation.