January is traditionally the time of New Year’s resolutions. How about you? Did you make any yourself? Let the New Year inspire you to aspire. No matter whether your New Year’s resolutions are about weight or something else, here are some tips on how to make those resolutions not melt away with the beginning of February.

1. Start slowly

Habit change is probably one of the hardest things to do. Especially if the bad habit is pleasurable, and change may not seem to be as pleasant (beginnings are always hard). So how can you change? Start slowly. Habit forming is a slow process, and breaking a habit with a new habit should be a slow process too. It’s not that no one can do it. We all know someone who has quit something, or at least claims he or she did, cold turkey. Nevertheless, by attacking your habits with an all-or-nothing attitude, in reality you greatly diminish your chances. Start slowly and keep expectations modest and realistic – that’s how to best start on resolutions. Set yourself achievable goals and be positively surprised when you meet them. Don’t confuse starting slowly with setting yourself up for failure; by starting slow you’re setting yourself up for a long-term success.

Lap-Bander Tip from DayOne Health:

No matter if you have a lap-band or not, everyone has their good times and bad times. If you feel like you have fallen off the dieting wagon, the New Year is a great moment to get back on track.

• If you have a band, get an adjustment.
• If you’re eating portions that are too large or you’re just eating the wrong foods come and visit us, or talk to your dietitian.
• The best place to begin your diet is to start a food log. After a few days of keeping track of what you’re eating and in what amounts, this will give you a rough idea on where to make some cuts. Don’t change everything at once, and get tired after two weeks. Instead, make changes gradually.

2. Tell everyone around you

Depending on what your New Year’s resolution is, you may consider telling other people around you. Despite the social norm that resolutions shouldn’t be told out loud, you should definitely consider breaking that rule. After all, why wouldn’t you? Maybe you’re worried that if you fail others will know… Well, that’s the point. Your friends and family will be your external motivators. Don’t set yourself up for failure by assuming you’re not going to tell anyone because you’re afraid of failure. Boldly step up and let your friends know. You’ll see how much easier it is to make changes with the support of your closest ones.

Lap-Bander Tip from DayOne Health:

We understand that talking about your weight can be a hard thing to do. Things might not have worked out for you in the past, and maybe you’re afraid more than ever for people to judge you on the basis of prior experiences. You may really not feel like sharing the idea with anyone. Nevertheless, it is good if you have someone there to support you in your quest.

• If you don’t feel comfortable telling everyone, tell just your closest family member or a friend.
• If you are a DayOne Health patient, but you don’t feel like talking to anyone from your surroundings about the lap-band or your weight loss, call us. We’re here to help you get through all the good and all the bad.

3. Team up

Sometimes the best support you can find is in those who have made the same resolutions. Team up and support each other in your quest. Your resolution buddy will get you out of trouble when you fall back on your promises, and if your resolution requires any activities like working out, you’ll have someone to join you at the gym. If you’re planning on quitting smoking, there’s no better companion than the co-worker you’re going with on smoking breaks. If you feel like you’re already falling off the New Years resolution wagon, get out there and find your resolution buddy!

Lap-Bander Tip from DayOne Health:

At DayOne Health we have many patients who have received their band along with a friend or a spouse. Having a partner in your weight loss journey is one of the best things you can do. There is no better way to get through your lap-band experience than to have someone around you who can understand everything you’re going through because he or she was or is in the exact same place. If you don’t have anyone to team up with you, let DayOne Health and our patient advocate be your team for rainy days. Gladys, our patient advocate, is a lap-bander herself and will be more than happy to talk to you about her gastric band experience. Gladys will not only answer all of your questions about the procedure, but will be able to provide you with the insight that only a fellow lap-band patient can provide.

4. Reward yourself

Every time you’re doing good, reward yourself. Find something you like, and every time you feel you met your goal for the day/week/month, give yourself a small gift. If you’re goal is to lose a certain number of pounds, cook something or eat something you love as a reward. If you’re trying quit smoking, you may put aside all the money you would be spending on cigarettes, and once you reach a nice sum buy yourself something nice. The prize can be anything, from a time of relaxation to a material incentive. Never allow a victory to pass unnoticed!

Lap-Bander Tip from DayOne Health:

• If you are significantly overweight and you are ready to change, make 2012 your year to become a new, healthier you. Call our Chicago clinic today and schedule your one-on-one consultation with a lap-band surgeon.
• If you would just like to talk about the lap-band procedure or our DayOne Health weight loss program, call our patient advocate and a lap-band patient at 312-239-3838.

*Image from here.

Fibrous Foods

Number one on the list of foods that get stuck easily is any kind of fibrous food such as raw veggies and certain fruits (especially their skins). Usual offenders are asparagus, broccoli, celery, mango, grapes, pineapple, apple skin, grapefruit membranes, and corn on the cob. All of those can get easily stuck in your stoma, which can cause swelling and discomfort in your stomach. If you really like any of these fibrous offenders, or any other foods that are getting stuck, try to make them less strenuous on your stomach. In other words, if it’s the skin that bothers you, peel it off; if the whole veggie or a fruit is a problem, remember to chew it thoroughly before swallowing. In the case of veggies, cooking them well can also help with the texture problem.

Sticky gets stuck easier

Sticky and gooey foods can get you in trouble. Foods like peanut butter and doughy breads can plug your stoma, and even come back up. The same thing can happen with rice or pasta. Either eat them carefully in small amounts, or avoid all of those doughy dumplings, bagels, and sticky rice all together. Dough and bread may be especially difficult to deal with because it swells and becomes more sticky and stretchy once it gets into your stomach.

Tougher than you think

The kind of meat that goes down the easiest is the well-cooked kind. Undercooked, cold, or dry meats may give you a hard time while going down, or not want to go down at all. Many patients say that it’s better for them to reheat their foods on the stove or the oven instead of a microwave. Because of how the microwave heats up the food, it very often dries it up in the process. If you don’t have any other way to warm up your lunch other than a microwave, add some water to it before heating. It will keep the food moist, and make it easier on your stomach. Some patients report problems with red meat, since it’s tougher and more fibrous than the white meat. In the case of inherently tougher meats we advise our DayOne Health patients to just take their time and chew it a little more.

Say no to soda

Soda or any bubbly drink can cause gas pressure and discomfort. Try to avoid carbonated drinks all together. If you cannot completely swear off soda, try to leave the bottle or can open for a little before drinking. Letting some carbonation out from the soda before drinking will decrease your discomfort later on. Nevertheless, remember that what’s worst about soda is not the gas, but the sugar content. The sooner, you’ll get the soda out of your diet, the better.

Although the items above sometimes appear in DayOne Health patients’ stories, remember that everyone is different. As a lap-bander you may have your own list of problematic foods that may include only a few of these or different items. The list above is meant to give you an idea of what may cause you problems, but it doesn’t have to. You can always contact a DayOne dietitian to discuss your lap-band diet.

If you have any questions regarding lap-band procedure, or our DayOne Health weight loss surgery program please contact a lap-band patient and our patient advocate at 312-239-3838 or schedule a one-on-one consultation with one of our weight loss surgeons.

You already did your research, chose the weight loss program, and booked your consultation, and now your weight loss team will help you to determine whether you are a good candidate for the lap-band procedure. In order to do that, we at DayOne Health will need to learn about your eating habits, BMI, medical history, and previous weight loss efforts. If you wish to use your insurance to pay for the procedure, we will also need your insurance information.

Do I need to prepare any documentation before coming to consultation?

At DayOne Health we ask our patients to bring only a photo id and a copy of their insurance card. Once you come to your appointment, the doctor will talk to you about your overall health, medications, and any past surgeries. Your medical history is important to us, and during your first visit the doctor will let you know whether you need any supplemental tests. Most often, a bariatric surgeon will ask for additional testing such as sleep study, or chest x-ray if he suspects that a patient has some undiagnosed condition that may interfere with the surgery. Some of the additional testing such as blood work can be done at DayOne Health. Also, you don’t have to worry about checking your insurance policy. Once we have your insurance information, our insurance coordinator will be able to verify whether you have bariatric coverage or not.

How to do your initial insurance verification

If you are not sure if your insurance policy covers a lap-band procedure, and you would like to know before visiting the clinic, you can do an initial insurance verification yourself. To get the information regarding your policy, you will need to call the number on the back of your card. However, before doing that you will need to know your height, weight, BMI, diet, and whether your medical history is significant for any weight associated conditions. Once you have all of that information, talk to the representative and ask whether your policy covers bariatric surgery. If the answer is yes, you can ask whether it covers the adjustable gastric band procedure specifically. Finally, ask whether you can choose any doctor to do the procedure or whether there are any surgeon restrictions. If you would like to read more on how to do your own initial insurance verification, you are more than welcome to visit our insurance page for more detailed instructions. Regardless, remember that we’re here for you, and that we are here to help you make those initial steps.

What is the next step after the consultation?

Depending on whether you decide to pay for your weight loss procedure out of your own pocket or if you can have your insurance pay for it, there might be different steps that you will need to take after your first visit. For instance, while some insurance companies do not require anything more than your height, weight, and medical history to cover the lap-band procedure, some policies may want you to go through a six month diet program and undergo a psychological evaluation prior to approving you for the lap-band procedure. Also, if your lap-band surgeon asks you to do some additional testing, you will either have to have them done at the weight loss clinic, or make appointments in another facility.

Having said that, if your policy doesn’t require any additional documentation or you decide to go the self-pay route, and you have no medical conditions that require testing, your next step is to schedule your preoperative visit.

If you would like to hear more about the lap-band procedure or a DayOne Health weight loss program, contact our Chicago clinic at 312-239-3838 or e-mail at pcc-chicago@dayonehealth.com. To speak with a bariatric surgeon, schedule your one-on-one consultation.

Where should I start my lap-band journey?

A great place to start is the internet. Do your research and learn as much as possible before contacting a doctor. Having most of the basic aspects figured out will help you formulate more specific questions during your first consultation. We tried to put as much useful information throughout our website as possible, but if you feel that you could use some more detailed information about the device you should definitely visit the manufacturer’s page (lapband.com). Reading blogs, articles, and forums may also be a great source of information; nevertheless, when going through all the information, always remember to be critical towards what you read. Always check the author or the organization that published the article. When it comes to forum posts, keep in mind that those who usually post are from two opposite sides of the spectrum – either extremely happy or disappointed. Remember that the most common lap-band experience lies in between, and try not to get too excited or freaked out with what you read.

Which weight loss program to choose?

Currently there are many surgeons that offer the lap-band procedure. Nevertheless, when deciding on who will do your weight loss surgery, always check credentials, years of experience, and reviews from other patients. When looking for a doctor, make sure that he or she is not only a surgeon, but also is a part of a comprehensive weight loss program. Remember, the surgery is just the beginning; the follow up program is the key. It is best to find a program with a dietitian and a follow up program that will help you keep to your adjustment schedule and on track with your diet. A good program should also have an insurance specialist to help you jump through the hoops of the health insurance bureaucracy approval process.

What will my first appointment with the surgeon look like?

Once you choose your weight loss program, book your first appointment. During your first visit, your surgeon will discuss with you everything you need to know about the band and the procedure. You will also meet the support staff. At DayOne Health, if you decide to use your insurance or need financing to pay for your surgery, you will most definitely meet with our financial coordinator. She will discuss with you all the requirements stated on your policy, as well as assist in filing a financing application. You will also meet with a dietitian. The bariatric dietitian will discuss your eating habits, dieting requirements just before and after the procedure, and a long-term diet plan once the lap-band is in place.

If you would like to learn more about the DayOne Health weight loss program and lap-band procedure call our patient advocate and a lap-band patient at 312-239-3838 or schedule a one-on-one consultation with a lap-band surgeon.

For lap-banders, stretching the stomach can be especially tricky, and that is why if you feel your portions are getting bigger than 4 oz, it is extremely important that you become more conscious of your serving size and try to cut back. Easier said than done, right? Well, it’s not easy to cut down on your portions once you stretch your stomach, that’s for sure. That is why at DayOne Health, we came up with a four step stomach-shrinking plan for lap-band patients to make getting back on the dieting wagon a little easier.

Step #1:  Back to Basics

Do you remember your first week after your weight loss procedure? Trying the liquid diet from time to time can be very beneficial – especially if you feel that you may have exerted your stomach too much. By no means should you treat the liquid diet as a regular post lap-band diet; nevertheless, when your stomach is in distress either due to swelling or stretching, staying on liquids is your best bet. While on liquids you must remember to monitor your calorie intake, make sure you get enough protein, and watch your carbs. Depending on how long you strained your stomach and how severe the pouch is, we advise our DayOne Health patients to stay on liquids for two to three days.

Below you’ll find a short list of things that we usually recommend to DayOne Health patients. If you have questions regarding portioning, please reference your dieting booklet or contact your bariatric dietitian. So the first step of your diet will revolve around:

• Low-carb protein shakes
• Clear or cream soups
• Sugar-free jello or pudding
• Low-sugar popsicles

Step#2:  Soft Foods

The second step is the slow progression from liquids to soft foods. Soft doesn’t mean typical “slider” foods that will go straight though the band, but soft protein and things like soft fruit and veggies that will fill your stomach and are at the same time easier to digest. During this part of the diet, you can steam your veggies as a side or a snack, or munch on berries. In terms of meat we advise our patients to stick to fish, steamed or canned. If you find your canned tuna to be rather dry, you can add some low fat mayo to ease it up, but not too much so it doesn’t slide right past through the band.

During this phase it is important that you portion your food well. To prevent overeating, measure your food and make sure your portions are between one or half a cup. The objective is to get your stomach back to its original size it was fresh after the lap-band procedure. Also, it is very important for you to keep to the rule of not drinking with your meals. Wait half an hour with your meal after drinking, and don’t drink earlier than half an hour after a meal. Drinking with your food will put the strain on your pouch again, and make the food slide faster down the band. So, keep your drinking separate from your eating at all times and continue the soft food diet for two days.

Step #3:  Firm up

After soft foods, you can start on firmer protein like ground meets and seafood. Again, make sure your portion size is appropriate, meaning four ounces of solid food three times a day, plus two 100 calorie snacks in between. By now you should feel that your stomach shrunk, and hopefully you are able to feel full after eating considerably smaller portions.

Step #4:  Back to Normal

By the end of the week you can finally start eating regular foods again. Nevertheless, you still need to watch your portions. This last step includes implementing all the golden rules of the lap-band diet while eating regular foods. Now when your stomach shrunk back, you should not have problem with getting full on four ounces of food. Remember not to drink before, during, or right after your meals, eat three meals a day, and count your calories. Also, observe whether you get full on four ounces of food. If you notice that you are still hungry after you ate the recommended portion, you should contact your weight loss clinic. Most probably your band is just too loose and you need some extra fluid put in.

We hope that this simple four-step plan will help you get back on track. Please remember that all our DayOne Health patients are more than welcome to call us any time to schedule their appointments or discuss their eating.

If you are not DayOne Health patient, but you would like to hear more about our lap-band program call our Chicago weight loss clinic at 312-239-3838 and speak to real lap-band patient about our comprehensive weight loss program. You can also schedule your one-on-one consultation with a lap-band surgeon.

What is a gallbladder and how does it work?

The gallbladder is a small sac located below your liver in the right upper abdomen. The gallbladder is a storage area for bile that is produced in the liver. When bile is needed, the gallbladder pushes it out into the common bile duct that carries it to the small intestine. Once the bile is in duodenum, bile salts break down fat and help with digestion. While gallbladder stones are formed in the gallbladder, it is when they pass through the ducts that they can get lodged causing inflammation of the gallbladder, ducts, or the liver. If left untreated, gallstones can lead to infection and even death.

What are gallstones?

The gallstones are pebble-like substances, usually hardened cholesterol, which form in the gallbladder and may travel to the bile ducts causing blockage or inflammation. Gallstones usually develop as a direct result of chemical imbalance in bile stored in the gallbladder. Researchers usually lists main causes of gallstones conditions as increased amount of cholesterol, inadequate amount of bile salts, or incomplete emptying of the gallbladder. The stones vary in size from a grain of salt to a golf ball, and their mere presence can cause formation of additional stones. If you have a family history prone to gallstones, are overweight or diabetic, eat foods high in cholesterol and low in fiber, and/or you’ve experienced significant weight loss, you are at an increased risk of developing gallstones.

Gallstones and weight

If you are a bariatric patient you have an increased risk of developing gallstones, first due to your higher weight and co-morbidities associated with it, as well as the relatively rapid weight loss. If you are taking cholesterol-lowering drugs you are at an even higher risk because the medication, while decreasing the amount of cholesterol in blood, significantly increases its amount secreted into the bile. The relationship between higher BMI and gallstones comes from the reduced amount of bile salts. Decreased amount of bile salts leads to higher concentration of cholesterol. This in turn, interferes with the emptying of gallbladder and further increases the risk of developing gallstones.

Lap-band and gallstones

Even though you will cut down on most of the fatty foods after the lap-band procedure and your new eating habits will largely improve your co-morbidities, change in diet may contribute to the development of gallstones. Prolonged fasting or “crash diets” can cause the liver to secrete more cholesterol than normal into the bile causing gallstones. If you keep on track with our lap-band giveaway contest winner, Amy, you will know that this is exactly was what happened to her. After losing almost 90lbs in ten months after her lap-band procedure, Amy experienced what is commonly referred to as  “gallbladder attack”. With strong stomach pain, Amy rushed into the ER where she was diagnosed with gallstones. Like most of the patients, Amy initially didn’t associate her pain with her gallbladder; after all, she’s avoided fatty foods and watched her diet. If you are at increased risk of developing gallstones don’t ignore prolonged pain, nausea and vomiting, or a fever. If you think you may be experiencing the gallbladder attack, contact your doctor immediately.

If you are interested in lap-band procedure or you are interested in our DayOne Health comprehensive weight loss program, contact our patient advocate at 312-239-3838 or schedule your one-on-one consultation with a weight loss surgeon.

Why do we Recommend My Lap-Band Journey to DayOne Health Patients?

My Lap-Band Journey can be a great tool in helping you stay in control of your eating, prepare for your lap-band journey, and finally direct throughout your lap-band experience after the procedure. At DayOne Health, no matter if you will end up getting the band or not, we really recommend you to download the app and sign up on lapband.com or either of the two. Soon after you create your profile you will notice how easy and user friendly tracking your weight loss can be. The portal is also a great resource of information not only about your progress but also about nutrition and weight loss options. Real time tracking will give you detailed insight in how you are doing in every aspect of your weight loss. In addition, if you decide to get a lap-band, My Lap-Band Journey will remind you about your upcoming follow up appointments.

Preparing for Lap-band Surgery

Allergan’s portal does a great job in preparing an easy step-by-step interactive checklist for anyone planning to undergo the lap-band procedure. Unless you decide to have your procedure performed at DayOne Health, you may be a little confused in terms of where to start in your lap-band journey and finally what lifestyle changes will be required prior to the procedure. My Lap-Band Journey gives you a detailed outline starting from educational materials and where to find a surgeon to healthy recipes and support group information. LapBand.com will also provide you with basic information considering your insurance and financing options. If you are a DayOne Health patient much of that information in far more detail will be given to you during your initial consultation and follow up visits. Nevertheless, if you feel that the program of your choice doesn’t give you enough insight it’s good to have alternative option under your fingertips.

After Lap-band

This is where My Lap-Band Journey shows most of its functionality. You can enter everything here including your food log, calorie count, weight, changes in your health, and even updates on your mood. All of that information will come back to you in the form of clear reporting and updates. If you are a very results-oriented person you’ll be more than happy with the comprehensive balance sheets that My Lap-Band Journey has to offer. Although receiving daily reports on your progress may seem weird, you will soon notice that they are a very motivating tool. The best part about it is that My Lap-Band Journey is very objective. The truth is everyone has moments when he or she reaches plateau in weight loss or just has a hard day. Believe me when I say that My Lap-Band Journey is what may be what will keep you compliant with your goals when the bad day strikes. Their portal will always give you a real assessment of your progress, not just an impression created by temporary self-doubt. So if you have a lap-band or you are planning to get it, don’t wait any longer to create your profile. The service is completely free of charge and can change the way you view your quest for weight loss forever.

If you would like hear more about DayOne Health comprehensive weight loss program, or learn about the lap-band procedure, contact our Chicago clinic at (312) 239-3838 or schedule your one-on-one consultation with one of our surgeons today.

No Weight Loss After the Lap-Band

If you think about the lap-band failure in terms of not losing any weight, I can tell you right now that we have never had a patient who followed our recommendations and didn’t lose weight after getting the lap-band. Over 80% of our patients appearing for their follow ups lose at least 50% of their excess weight within the first year after surgery. When you think about it, that means that at least 80% of our patients lost 50 pounds or more within the 12 months after getting their lap-band. If you’re curious about the other 20%, these are mostly patients who were overweight by more than 100lbs, and their relative percentage weight loss is slightly lower than among lower BMI patients. This does not mean that the higher BMI patients are less successful, but rather that they have more weight to lose to achieve their 50% mark.

Maximum Weight Loss in the Healthiest Amount of Time

At DayOne Health what we promise is the healthiest weight loss in the healthiest amount of time. In other words, we will never want you to compromise your health for the sake of an abstract weight loss goal. Weight loss with the band is a stable process that is aimed at helping you to achieve a healthy balance, and then to maintain it for the rest of your life. Our goal is not for you to lose all the weight within the first few months only to gain it all back later. We want your body to slowly adjust and get use to your new weight. Our patients lose on average two pounds a week, and believe me when I say those pounds add up fast. If you don’t believe me, you can always check out our lap-band giveaway contest winner’s blog – Amy lost over 70 pounds in nine months.

Those Who Didn’t Lose Weight

When you read forums or even talk to friends who have had lap-band surgery, once in a while you will come across someone who will say that the lap-band didn’t work out for them. When you hear stories like this you have to take into consideration that the lap-band procedure requires some major lifestyle changes and not everyone is ready to make them. Still, when you ask those “unsuccessful” lapbanders what they consider failure to mean, you will hear them talk about not losing as much as they expected. Further, if you ask them about their eating habits and how often they come for follow up visits, you will soon discover that these patients largely didn’t follow even the most basic recommendations. Some patients were just not ready to have the weight loss surgery but decided to undergo it anyway. Remember, if you decide to have the lap-band surgery you need to be absolutely sure that this is the best possible solution. One of the reasons why our success rates are so high is our careful evaluation process. During your first visit you will meet with our patient advocate, surgeon, and dietitian who will guide you and help to decide whether the lap-band surgery is your best option.

If you would like to learn more about the DayOne Health lap-band program call our patient advocate and a real lap-band patient at (312) 239-3838. If you would like to talk to an experienced lap-band surgeon schedule your one-on-one consultation.

When less feels like more

We always tell our patients that what they eat and in what order they eat it may greatly improve their overall results. Remember, a lap-band divides your stomach into a smaller upper section and a larger lower section. Once you fill your upper stomach (around 4 oz), the food slowly goes down and gets digested. The main idea behind this is to keep you full and satisfied as long as possible. While the band will always give you restriction, no matter what you eat, it definitely works much better with solid food in terms of keeping you satiated longer.

So where’s the trick? Plan your meals thoroughly and make sure that you fill your new stomach with things that will get digested and go down slowly. In other words, to make sure you get the full benefit of your band don’t eat soup for lunch, have a piece of chicken instead. We can guarantee you that after soup you may find yourself in search of a snack just an hour after, whereas a piece of chicken will give you enough fuel to get to your next planned meal. Probably to your surprise as well, you will see that a four ounce portion of a regular solid meal will keep you satisfied longer than eight ounce protein shake or a large soup. Talk to your dietitian, and prepare some good combinations that will keep you full longer and get you all nutrients you need.

Lap-band food log

While this idea may sound lame, you’ll be surprised what a great tool it is. Patients ask us what’s the purpose of a food log? They say, “I know what I eat, I don’t need to write it down.” We can tell you one thing, you’ll be surprised. Very often we don’t even realize how much and what we eat. We sit down in the evening, feeling heavy and try to summarize what we ate throughout the day that made us feel that way. I don’t know how your recapping goes, but mine usually doesn’t go too well. My self-esteem and I have some honesty issues. In other words, while my recapping tells me, “Oh my why do I feel so bad, I only had a salad and a smoothie today,” my food log clearly shows two latte’s, a bagel, yogurt, a large salad with a full chicken breast, pretzels, and large mocca on my way home. Yeah, me and my self-esteem have some things to figure out, but if you suspect that you may not be fully honest with yourself either, a food log it the best way to keep in check how much you really eat. And not only that, you will soon notice that keeping the food log will make you feel more in control by watching what and how much you eat. For me, a food log simply keeps me in check.

If you would like to hear more advice on how to keep yourself on track and make the most of your lap-band, call us to talk to our program dietitian at 312-239-3838 or schedule a one-on-one consultation with one of our weight loss surgeons.

Attitude is the king

One of the factors that can greatly increase your chances of success is the right attitude. Before you decide to have weight loss surgery, you need to ask yourself whether you’re ready to make all the lifestyle changes that the lap-band requires, and whether you are ready to stick to them. It is not a question of whether or not it’s going to be easy, but whether you’re up to the challenge of trying. After all, lap-band is a surgery, and despite being reversible, no one wants to find her or himself in the position of having to undergo another surgery, just to reverse the first one.

A lap-band is a great tool, but it will require from you to change how and what you eat. Things like, cutting high calorie foods, not drinking while eating, making sure you eat enough protein, and eating only three meals a day. If you are not ready to commit to those changes, you may not be ready to get your lap-band. In contrast, if you’re sick and tired of being overweight and you are ready to fight it, getting the lap-band may be the best thing you ever did for yourself.

Keep to your follow up visits

You should never allow yourself to lapse on your follow up visits. No matter whether you’re fine, or whether you feel like you’re not doing as good as you expected to, you should always come to your appointments. During your first year after surgery we recommend to our patients to visit us every three to four months. In the second year, you should come by at least every six months. Follow up visits are not only to check whether you have the right restriction, but also for you to have a chance to talk to your dietitian. Because changing eating habits is not an easy thing to do, you will definitely need some guidance – especially in the beginning. Therefore, in order to make sure you are on the right track, we want you stick around. We’ll remind you when to visit, but it’s up to you to show up.

Do it for yourself

Another reason why some patients may not do as good as expected is that they decided to get the lap-band for wrong reasons. If you don’t really want it, but someone is pressuring you, it’s better that you not get it. Again, this comes down to your attitude. If you are not sure whether the lap-band is something that you need, and something that is going to help you, you should not get it. Undergoing a weight loss procedure is a major step, and we would prefer that you not make that decision under pressure or without certainty that this is what you want. A lap-band is an amazing tool that can help you to get on track with your health and do things that your excess weight keeps you from doing; nevertheless, if you feel you’re not ready yet, then maybe you’re not. Remember, we’re ready when you are and we’re here to help you – even if you just need to talk it all though, we’re here.

If you would like to talk about our lap-band weight loss program with someone, or just speak to a real lap-band patient call at 312-239-3838. If you would like to speak to lap-band surgeon, and see whether you are a candidate for a weight loss surgery, sign up for a one-on-one consultation.