FLORIDAYS

sugar free popsicles and fudgesicles saved my life on more than on occassion during the 4 weeks of liquid and mushies following surgery. Also sugar free hot cocoa is delicious and only 25 calories per serving. Also Gummy Vitamins are a must and in the beginning I also took the chocolae Calcium chews to insure I was getting enough calcium in the early stages. Like others have said sodium free broth is helpful to have on hand as is sugar free Jello and pudding when you get to that stage. Something I began from the day I started eating solids is using a calorie counter and a kitchen scale. I use calorie counter from fatsecret.com. Its a free ap for your phone but you can also track it on the computer. Its a wonderful way to get you in the habit of making sure you are getting all your nutrition in. The kitchen scale will teach you portion control and prevent you from overeating. Best of luck to you!

For me its one of those iffy foods.... last night I made homeade pizza for my family ... ultra thin crust, cheese, sauce, sausage and pepperoni. I attempted to eat one slice. I cut it in half, checwed until pureed... and it still came back up. Other times... I have no issues. Go figure.

I was banded 10 months ago. I have lost 132 lbs and have 60-80 to go depending on which day you ask me...LOL Since I am in the losing stage I need to watch my calories more carefully. I have had 4 fills and think I am in the green zone on most days. SInce I started on solid foods at 5 weeks post op a typical work day eating schedule goes something like this: Breakfast: Carnation sugar free Instant Breakfast Mid Morning Snack: Small banana lunch: salad with lettuce, cucumber and onions topped with 2oz of tuna / no fat or lite dressing. I try to change it up daily so may sub tuna for chicken, turkey, cottage cheese, hard boiled egg whites or occasionally a lean cusine entree. Mid Afternoon: mini box of raisins dinner: 2-3 oz of Protein usually fish, chicken, pork or beef , 1/2 veggies, 1/4 c potato, rice, noodles or 1 slice 45 calorie bread Evening: I try not to but sometimes I am hungry so will have a light snack of hummus, skinny cow 100 calories fudge bar, sugar free pudding or 100 calories bag of popcorn. The weekends are much of the same but usually eat breakfast of 1 egg, 1 pc wheat toast, 2 strawberries, 1 pc bacon and I tend to eliminate my mid morning snack because I eat later than durning the week. I rarely drink anything but Water. I try to drink 64 oz of water per day. I have noticed that if I do not, I see a stall in my loss. Interestingly after the pre op diet of Medifast Protein shakes my Dr recommends eliminating them from my diet. He says his patients who do not drink them after being banded loose more weight than the ones who do. He wantes me to get my protein through a normal diet which fills me up as opposed to protein that slides through the band.

Karen...congrats on inspiring your family. Its a wonderful story! I didnt realize we were neighbors.... I am in Plant City!!

I had to end my relationship with food. I realized that it is just too one sided.... I love it.... Its doesnt love my body. My Dr told me I must get to the mindset that Food is Fuel and stop the love affair. It was a tough withdrawl but I have done it. Of course I regress sometimes like all of us do so every time I am faced with my brain thinking I am hungry when I know I shouldnt be.... I remind myself of my favorite saying.... Nothing tastes as good as thins feels

my Dr said it usually depends on several factors..... how long the weight has been on, the age of the patient and how much elasticity is left in the skin. SO far I think I am going to need a TT.... but will not make that decision until I am at my goal. Now as for the girls.... I SO need a lift... gravity and weight loss has taken their toll. I wonder if I can get it done at the same time. I will investigate when the time comes.

I have a digital scale at home. I weigh in every morning before my shower. Thats the one I use for a guideline. However... my Dr has one of those walk on digital scales and I am usually 2-3 lbs lighter when I go to his office. I love it but I still use my home scale for tracking purposes. I was at a convention a few weeks ago and the hotel had a scale in the bathroom (which I was amazed at). I weighed in 2 lbs lighter than my home scale so I do not know which one is right but it was nice to be able to monitor my weigh while on the road.

I have lost all my weight so far without exercise...and it is still coming off nicely. That said I know I need to begin doing something besides the walking I do when I think about it. I have a bike and a treadmill so I really need to motivate myself to just do it. You would think now that I am 128 lbs lighter than I was this time last year would be all the motivaiton I need. But honestly it isnt. Exercise has never been part of my life so this is really tough for me. But I know that the last 60+ lbs will come off more quickly if I get moving. Its just so hard to start.

I am with the others who posted.... this is the roughest time because you can only have food which can fit through a straw., The one thing that saved me was sugar free popsicles and fudgesicles. Its almost over .... dont give in to temptation. You can do serious damage if you move to mushies to early. I was banded on Dec 9 and couldnt eat mushies until New Year's Day! But I promise when you get on the other side.... it will be SO worth it!

The band will prevent you from over eating which is why if you keep it filled correctly you will not regain the weight. However... its not a miracle cure...especially if you dont have good restriction and continue to eat massive quanities of food, eat high fatty foods and basically forget its there. You oculd essentially gain weight even with the band implanted. In order to take off the weight you must monitor your calories and keep in mind that if you burn more calories than you take in you will lose. Remember 3500 calories = 1 lb. Once you reach your goal your band will be a lifelong tool to keep the weight off which is somehting I am looking forward to. But until that day comes... I maintain 1000 calories per day and am watching the scale drop. Best of luck to you.

I have 5... and 10 months out... I cannot even find them.

Like others have said its not that you really need someone to do anything for you...its just nice to have someone there in case you need it. My Dr actually told my husband post op that he didnt want him to so much as get me a glass of Water... because he wanted me up and walking. Mostly you need to have someone drive you home from the hospital then back to the Dr for your post op visit a few days later.

Just had a wonderful caribbean vacation.... and lost a pound! I just love my band... it showed me that once I reach my goal I will be able to maintain my loss and still live a normal life. Glad to see everyone is coming along well for the most part.... this year as really flown by hasnt it!

I read through the posts in this thread and I think the relationship with the band is all about the individual's tolerance level. The first few weeks can be awful because you have to eat and drink liquids and mushies. Your body is recovering from surgery so you generally feel cruddy for awhile. Thats is a sacrifice and people should expect and accept it. How much you tolerate is very individualized. The next few months until you get filled and begin learning to live with the band can be challenging. But again... if you have taken the step to get banded why wouldnt you make it work with a positive outlook to follow your Dr's orders, count calories and eat what you are supposed to instead of looking for ways to eat around the band. Why go through the surgery if you are not committed? For me the band has been a life saver. It is in my opinion, the best tool I have found to not be hungry while dieting. While my physcian will club me over the head for using the D (diet) word... there is no way I would have lost 127 lbs in 10 months without dieting or watching my calorie intake no matter how much or little the band allows me to eat. Every other eating plan I tried over the past 30+ years left me hungry. The band is the only tool which allows me to eat small portions and feel full. Eating right is my own choice. Those things combined have equalled success for me so far although I still have 60 lbs to lose. Last week I has on vacation in Jamaica. We stayed at a very nice place so all the food was richer and more plentiful than I am used to and of course the frozen concoctions flowed like Water and the dessert bar was completly sinful. Well guess what... I actually lost 1 lb last week. Believe me it wasnt intentional...but I monitored my intake and I just ate smart, kept my portions in check and didnt really deprive myself. I was satisfied after every meal and I remembered to drink tons of water. The band did its job.... and I enjoyed living with it. Unless there are medical complications, anyone who can say the band doesnt work in my opinion is someone who is trying to beat it at every turn. Thats a strong opinion I know... but its honest. I was trying to think of downsides as I was reading this thread... My Dr told me at my very first appointment just about 1 year ago that the band will do 70% of the work. I liked that percentage! I suppose for me the only downside is that I just cannot eat certain foods, I cannot eat too fast and I cannot overeat. If I do... I will bring it back up. Also I have to visit my Dr to get filled as the fat shrinks and my band loosens. But is this all really a downside when I can control those factors? Isnt that just the band doing its job? It stinks that I have the fat genes. Like most of us considering or who have the band we were blessed with the ability to gain weight at the drop of a hat. That is unfair and really irks me. But instead of whinning about it I finally found a permenant solution and took a chance on the lap band. SO far.... I am quite pleased with myself and my choice.

If you are eating the correct portions and calories at meal times then you will know its your brain talking and not your stomach. It happens to all of us.... I try not to eat after 8pm. But if its one of those nights.... I'll make myself a 16oz cup of sugar free hot chocolate... The directions say to add the packet to 8oz of water but I add it to 16. That satisfies me and I have only consumed 25 calories.

I am over 1/2 way so I decided to post my progress pictures.... OMG what a wake up call. My face is wonderfully thinner, I think my skin looks healthier...but geez I look my age. Maybe its my imagination but I guess fat faces look younger... I wonder what I will look like when I reach my goal..... Oh well... I guess I will look old because I am never gonna be that fat again.... Anyone else had this revelation?

I certainly wasn't searching for compliments... but you guys know how to make a girl feel good .....thanks so much I had to laugh at lot of your responses because I am in the same boat with the boobs and a few other saggy places ....I am definitely considering some lifts but will see when I get to my goal how I feel about that ....I will be 52 in february in a lot of people say you're 52 why in the world would you wanna get boobs lifted? the way I look at it is why wouldnt I? LOL

thanks I appreciate the support it sure feels great

In my experience the band will not make you NOT think about food. It was put on your stomach...not your brain. For me I had to mentally find every ounce of will power I had to get through the first few months until I reached my green zone and am satisifed after a small healthy meal.

I have weighed in on this topic before in other threads..... and I have decided people who think this is the easy way out are morons and I dismiss them off my radar.... That said.... the reason I got banded was that I could eat a few bites of regular food, feel full and not get bored with the food I was eating to promote losing weight. Additionally I felt it would help me from putting the weight back on which has not happened with other diets. 10 months into it I can eat regular food and DO feel full after a few bites.... however I choose to eat healthier than I did pre band and count my calories so the weight comes off at a steady pace. The only thing "easy" or as I prefer to say "helpful" about getting the band is that because I am in the green zone I do feel and stay full after eating a 200-300 meal...something I wasnt able to achieve on other diets.

I can see a diference... I see you are in Tampa. My Dr is Dr Aguila....who is your Dr? Are you going there every month? Have you had any fills? Are you tracking your calories? It maybe something simple you need to change.... I sure would start with the Dr.

I get on the scale every day.... I know many people do not but here is my feeling on this matter....I didnt get on the scale for the majority of my adult life... look where it got me. as for the mental hungries.... yes I get them too. I would bet most of us do. I still wander around the kitchen looking for something to eat even when I am really not hungry although not like I used to I will tell you. Its sheer will power which makes me not put somethng in my mouth. That and a fat picture of me posted on the fridge.