Paul McDonald Before	Paul McDonald After

Paul McDonald's Journal - 8.11.04

One Week Post Surgery

It is now 7 days since I had my lapband inserted and for the last 4 days I haven't felt the slightest bit of pain. I have already lost 5kg and have dropped down in shorts size from 135cm to 130cm! Having said that, I've also decided I'm not a 'liquid' kind of guy and, while I never in my life thought I would say this, I find myself actually counting down the sleeps until I'm off the liquid meal replacements and can have pureed vegetables!

One thing the Psychologist, Jenne told me is that the lapband is not the be all and cure all for weight loss. Instead it is better to think of it as a valuable aid in achieving a healthy body weight. For optimal results I must also take part in some form of physical activity most days and make better food choices than the rubbish I used to eat. This isn't to say I can't enjoy the occasional takeaway, but instead of needing 1-2 large pizzas to fill me, it will be 1-2 slices that will do the trick.

In my opinion what the lapband has given me is the same opportunity as those lucky people who never had to suffer from constant hunger. What this means is that, for the first time in 27 years, I have the control. My destiny is in my own hands and that is a very exciting proposition indeed! I have already started walking for 6 minutes a day Monday to Friday which I will increase by a small 2 minutes each week - but hey Rome wasn't built in a day!