“I am learning to love myself for the first time in my life…”
Most doctors advise waiting at least 18-24 months after banding to become pregnant. The band helps with weight-control during the pregnancy and does not interfere in any way. Women with lap bands have babies all the time, with a normal birth weight. In fact, losing weight reverses the hormonal imbalance that reduces fertitilty, making it much easier to get pregnant.
Exercise at least 30 minutes each day once you are able following lap band surgery. Your size may make it difficult at first, but get started a little at a time. The more weight you lose, the easier it will become. Start with a simple walk and expand from there. Your doctor will advise you on a good exercise strategy.
Your Patient Facilitator and Patient Education Coordinator are there to help you every inch of the way, including helping you stay connected and motivating you. In addition, we recommend our patients join us on Facebook. We find it very helpful for patients to be connected to other banded patients who are going through the same issues they are.
Our Patient Education Coordinator can help you discover your emotional food triggers, and help you work through these complex issues. In addition, we have information available to you on our online Patient Forum that can help you with emotional and stress related eating.
The most common cause of weight retention is not having the proper level of restriction. Another issue would be lack of exercise. Exercise is key in any weight loss program. Building muscle mass increases one’s metabolism. Long-term Band weight loss maintenance requires developing good habits during your weight loss phase: exercise, eating slowly, watching your portion sizes, limiting treats, etc. Regular exercise such as walking 4-6 times per week for 30 minutes will help you lose the weight and keep it off. If you’re focusing on these 3 things and you are not losing, you could probably benefit from another fill.
