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My Lap Band Journey

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How to tell when you are perfectly adjusted:

BetsyJane posted this and I thought it might come in REAL handy. ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````   HowtoTellWhenYouArePerfectlyAdjusted: You are losing 1-2 pounds per week.   If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week:   A. You may need an eating adjustment 1. Are you eating 60 grams of protein a day?   2. Are you eating 25 grams of fiber?   3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories? a. Soup can be sign of soft calorie syndrome b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories 7 calories per gram.(It's also a stomach irritant). c. Fruit juice is just sugar water   4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? a. Are you avoiding soft foods b. You can't just eat what's easy c. Cheese is glorified fat   5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals?   6. Are you eating too much junk? a. Chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, cookies and other highly processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a healthy diet. But don't avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived. b. Stay out of fast food places   7. Are you getting in two servings of calcium daily?   8. Do you always eat the protein first?   9. Then the vegetables or fruits a. Five servings a day b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable   10. Is your portion size appropriate? a. Meat or fish (3 ounces the size of a deck of cards) b. Vegetables (½ cup the size of your fist) c. Starch (If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don't need much - Avoid: rice, potatoes, pasta) 11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar c. They teach you to like things too sweet d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner than people who don’t   12. Avoid most diet foods a. Real food usually tastes better b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not that great (Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet margarine. d. The body has no way to break down artificial fats). a. They may go into permanent storage b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzed fats from the body     B. You may need a behavior adjustment 1. Are you eating only when you are hungry? a. If you're not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait   2. Are you eating three meals a day? a. With maybe 1 or 2 small snacks   3. Are you sitting down to eat?   4. Are you eating consciously? a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away, pay attention to your food and your companions   5. Are you eating slowly? a. Put the fork down between bites b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying   6. Are you taking small bites? a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork   7. Are you chewing well?   8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals? a. Practice water loading between meals b. You won't be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal   9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? a. Sometimes it's a whisper: not hungry, had enough b. Hard stop versus soft stop   10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing.   11. Do not eat when you are not hungry C. You may need an activity adjustment 1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week? a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week? c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes?   2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physical activity? a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding c. Parking your car further away from the entrance d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash g. Playing with your kids   D. You may need an attitude adjustment 1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey?   2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eating and exercising? a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days   3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional issues? a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your eating? b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those emotions? c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor?   4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings?   5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends?   6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically?   7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss journey?   8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating? a. Obsessive compulsive thoughts (Obsess about something else) b. Perfectionism (All or none, black and white thinking) c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss   9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards?   10. Have you learned how to take a compliment?     11. Are you giving up diet mentality? a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day b. Stop dieting c. Stop depriving yourself d. Stop defining food as good and bad e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food   12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place?     E. You may need a band adjustment 1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate portion sizes but getting hungry between meals?   2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large portions.   3. You are having to struggle to lose   4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and having a good mind set.     F. You may need your band loosened 1. There are times when you can’t get fluids down   2. You are vomiting too much a. How much is too much?   3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night? a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: (1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods (2) Chocolate (3) Caffeine (4) Alcohol (5) Some fruits and vegetables (6) Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers (7) Peppermint (8) Baking soda toothpaste (9) Carbonated drinks e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals f. If you smoke, quit smoking g. Reduce stress h. Exercise promotes digestion i. Raise the head of your bed j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist k. Stress increases reflux l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime (Tylenol is OK) n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications p. See your health care provider
TerriDoodle

TerriDoodle

1
 

More useful info

CONSISTENCY   *If the food you are eating is keeping you full for 3 or less hours you must increase the consistency/thickness of your food. (Generally when you are on clear liquids and ready to move to full liquids, full liquid to mushy, etc)   *If the food you are eating is keeping you full for 4 or more hours your food is at a good consistency/thickness.   *As soon as you feel full (this may feel like discomfort in your chest) STOP EATING. If you ever feel like something is stuck STOP! Do not drink or eat. Typically, in 30 minutes the food will come up or go down.   · Special note: If all you can eat is soft/mushy foods, you are too tight and need fluid out of the band.   ADJUSTMENTS   · You are ready for an adjustment when you are eating good solid nutritious food (the highest consistency) and it is no longer keeping you full for 4 hours and/or your portions are increasing, and/or you are not losing weight.   DAILY ROUTINE   · Upon waking drink 20 oz of water (anything 1 calorie or less, no caffeine, no carbonation). The first 8 oz may need to be hot clear liquid. This is also a good rule to apply when preparing your meals. (If you feel pressure/tightness, you need to loosen your band before you eat with hot clear liquids and deep breaths, then repeat water process) · Wait 10 minutes. No eating or drinking (let the fluid drain out of the pouch). When dining out, this would be when you are waiting on your food. At home this will be the time you take cutting meat, moistening meat, and getting it ready to eat) · Breakfast: Protein 1st (use fork and knife and cut up food well), Fruit 2nd (Sample breakfast: ½ cup low fat, low sugar yogurt, 2 T of almonds, ¼ piece of fruit w/ no skin OR 1 very soft, moist scrambled egg, 1 crisp piece of bacon, ¼ piece of fruit w/ no skin · Wait 1 ½ hours (no eating or drinking) · Drink 20 oz of water up until time for lunch. · Wait 10 minutes. No eating or drinking (let the fluid drain out of pouch) · Lunch: Protein 1st (use fork and knife and cut up your food well), vegetable 2nd, carbohydrate 3rd (sample lunch: ½ cup chili (beef or turkey and beans), 4 whole grain crackers OR 1/3 cup chicken salad, ½ seedless cucumber, 4 whole grain crackers OR 1-2 oz grilled chicken on 1 cup garden salad w/ low fat dressing, 4 whole grain crackers · Wait 1 ½ hours (no eating, drinking) · Drink 20 oz of water up until time for supper. · Wait 10 minutes. No eating or drinking (let fluid drain out of pouch) · Supper: Protein 1st (use a fork and knife and cut up food well), vegetable 2nd, carbohydrate 3rd (sample supper: ½ cup stew (beef and vegetable), 4 whole grain crackers OR 1-2 oz meatloaf, ¼ cup green beans, ¼ cup mashed potatoes OR 1-2 oz bake or grilled fish, 2-3 tops of broccoli (steamed and very tender), very small baked potato w/ no skin · Wait 1 ½ hours (no eating or drinking) · If you are getting hungry between meals, you are waiting for an adjustment and you feel you must eat a snack, it should be a protein snack. (low fat chunk cheese, T of peanut butter, nuts, turkey jerky) · Once you get close to your ideal body weight you may have to pay closer attention to your calories. You should not have more than 1200 calories a day.   They also recommend when drinking right before your meal to drink/gulp to see if it moves smoothly. This will let you know if you are ready to eat yet. Also, my doctor's office does not recommend snacks.
TerriDoodle

TerriDoodle

1
 

Day 8

Total: 808 Fat:45 405 51% Sat:18 163 21% Poly:4 40 5% Mono:12 106 13% Carbs:44 150 19% Fiber:8 0 0% Protein:60 239 30%   8 days postop and Ruh Roh. Bandster hell is coming.... I'm getting hungry!!! BUT...I eat a cup of full fluids or mushies and and I'm ok for 2-3 hours....and still only getting in <900 calories, but just spending more time hungry than I was. It's all good. I scheduled my appt for my 1st fill for May 4th. My soreness is almost all gone but still get tired easily. Grateful the wknd is coming. Incisions are looking good. Signed up with a gym today and I'm really excited about that. Hit the treadmill tomorrow. Tried scrambled eggs tonight and they went down fine. Man, did they taste good!!   I can SERIOUSLY see how my relationship with food will be changing. Now, when I'm hungry, I get kind of sad that I can't go out and eat a plate full of enchiladas or a nice sandwich or a steak or even my favorite salad. But it is precisely at that moment I am grateful for my new tool. I can't overeat even if I wanted to. So I shrug my shoulders, go have a 1/2 of cottage cheese and Voila! My hunger is cured ....and so is my sadness (that I can't have enchiladas). I sometimes miss that FULL feeling I used to get....but not really. Not after I've cured the hunger with even a small amount of food. I'm over it just like that. No regrets, no more mourning. This is certainly going to be an interesting journey.
TerriDoodle

TerriDoodle

1
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