FLORIDAYS

I found if I didnt drink enough water it slowed my loss down... it wasand still is a huge factor for me.

agreed...call your Dr

I read it backwards.... I dont see the hidden message......

thank you I was a maniac about sticking to a diet.. This was a very drastic decision for me and I decided to do whatever it took to make this work. so I followed my Dr's orders and ate 1000 calories each day. I can tell you I can count on my fingers the number of times I "cheated" and even then it was a bite here and there.... the band wouldnt let me eat more than 1 cookie!! As for junk food... If you mean ice cream cake, chips, fast food.... none of it. My go to crave was peanut M&Ms... And I would limit myself to 2 when I needed a fix. Seriousy 2 was enough. I stay away from all fried food. Here is an idea of a typical day Bfast - sugar free carnation instant Breakfast ( early food is hard for me) morning snack - banana or 90 calories Fiber bar lunch - 3-4 oz tun mixed with fat free dressing, lettuce, onion, tomatoes / 6 wheat thins / sugar free pudding cup afternoon snack - v8 juice dinner - 4 oz fish, chicken, pork or beef / 1/2 baked potato or wheat Pasta / 1/2 cup of veggies nightime snack - sugar free popsicle hope this helps

LOL its all relative.... I am tall and no one guessed me at 377... most would say... 250 / 275 mybe. I think its because I carry weight low.... my legs were tree trunks. But maxi skirts were my friend. LOL My measurements were / are Bust 46 now 34 Waist 43 now 29 Hips 77 now 38 so I still carry low....LOL Damn Genes

Not really.... the hardest part of all of it was the pre op diet in my opinion. I was on Optifst for 2 weeks.... not eating for 2 weeks did make me realize i only need to view food as fuel.... other than that I had one 3 week plateau which was frustrating ... it was about when I hit the 100 lbs loss mark... but looking back I didnt have any major obsticles.

its not as bad as I have seen...but there i most certainlly excess skin. I would say the worst places are my upper thighs, under arms and boobs. My tummy isnt too bad but I have a 1/2 inch of flap at the hip area and my belly button now frowns which i really hate. Nothing a tummy tuck and boob job will not fix. I am not sure about getting the arms and thighs done.... that seems very drastic to me although I am sure they would look better. The good thing is I look pretty good in clothes. In a bathing suit I look...well... a little wrinkled. But I think thin, healthy and wrinkled is better than fat and unhealthy.

I tried to eat 4 oz protien, 1/2 c of veggies and 1/4 c of starch at each meal as soon as I was off liquids. Some days you will finish it... but most days especially in the beginning you will not. 1000 calories each and every day worked for me. My Dr wanted 1500.... but it was just too much and I didnt lose well. I discussed it with him and he agreed to letting me go to 1000-1200...which worked very well for me.

I would bet there arent many people in your office who hasnt dieted at one time or the other. You dont have to say anything other than ... I am dieting if nosy people inquire. Remember this is about taking control of YOUR life. And mixing up the Optifast tastes better with ice.... so why not enjoy it? Best of luck!

Hopefully you have a Dr. appointment soon because I am sure your surgeon will have an answer. I didnt have that specific trouble but maybe someone on here may have. Hopefully its nothing but I would certainly ask the Doc! Congratulations on making the decision to change your life!

I got mine the day before surgery.. Nice huh. But then that was the last one I had.....my obgyn thinks my weight loss maybe somehow triggered my body into menopause ....Sounds weird I know but everything checks out... And I am through menopause according to my blood levels.... and I never ever realized it...I guess there was too much going on in my body....but I sure do not miss it!

My dr was an optifast guy too... I had to have 5 each day during pre op diet... I wasn't allowed anything but shakes, v8, chicken broth and sugar free Popsicles. The shakes are so much better if you mix with ice in a blender. I on,y liked the chocolate...but others have added flavoring to the vanilla ones I have been told. Just drink them super cold. If a blender wasn't availed...like at work I would pour them in a cup and toss in the freezer for about 20 then shake.

Obviously this is my post band list...lol 1) sugar free carnation instant Breakfast 2) tuna fish 3) chicken noodle Soup 4) v8 juice 5) sugar free Jello instant pudding

I felt like I was floating but I got in 1000.

For those of us over 50 who have lost over 200...it's a sadder state of affairs. If you look closely at my profile pic you can see all the skin on my arms. It's not as bad as I thought but if time and money weren't an issue I would do something about it. My upper legs are the worst...and my tummy isn't horrible but it could use some lifting.... And my chest is....well all I can say is thank goodness for padded bras. I may look into the chest....and I hear they can do the tummy at the same time so we'll see.... Being young I would think you should fare pretty well.

I wasn't allowed avo's on my pre op diet because I was on a liquid one. However as much as I enjoy them theyre so high in calories I eat them rarely.

I didn't do it nor was it suggested by my surgeon. Which of course doesn't mean wearing them wont be beneficial ....but I wasn't required to.

I was told no caffeine on the pre op diet. But then my dr is pretty strict from what I have heard on this site...

I started in 2-3x shirts and 26/28 or 4x skirts and shirts or leggings so I had been blasting through a lot of sizes! I basically pinned my skirts until it just wouldn't work and more.... Then I started buying cheap .... what I call disposable clothing... Tj maxx, Walmart, target, old navy online sales are super......etc. I work in an office but it's not suits and heels thankfully so I work skirts and blouses or leggings with long tunic sweaters in the winter.. I would buy elastic waist stuff so it was forgiving.... And then start the pinning again when they would get too big. I only had about 5 things I rotated for work and not much more than that for the weekends. It's funny it as you get closer to goal the clothes seem to too big way faster...before I could make them last through 40 or 50 lbs... Now every 10 lbs I am noticing things are too big! It's a fun problem to have.... But costly. I did go to a few thrift stores which I would never have imagined myself doing in my fat days. I bought 4 tops which all had the original tags that were all brand names...for 4 bucks each!!

I felt like that as well I had to make myself eat what I was supposed to eat many times it was tough for me to get to the whole 1000 cal because I was just afraid I was going to eat too much....I had a conversation about it with my doctor and he said those feelings are very normal.... I was able to do so however in the back of my mind it's still a looming thought. but I don't look at it at as a bad thing because I think having it back there in my brain will help me never to get back to where I was ever again.... the band just won't let me.. Congratulations on your success I'm sure it's just one of many to come

I used to hate shopping it was just no fun so I used online a lot.... easier to try on in the comfort of my own home... but now I am like a woman unleashed I can go into any store and find something that fits it is amazing I love it and can't get enough of it...lol

Wow...thanks.

Thanks Karen.. I actually need to get anothe one taken.... That one was 30 lbs ago in march.

I currently have 5.5 cc in my band. I think my band is a 10cc. I hit the green zone about month 4.I am not exactly sure but I think I've had six fills. My doctor is very stingy when it comes to fills he really wants to make sure I need them! From the minute I was able to eat regular food which was three weeks after surgery I have been eating 1000 cal per day each meal consists of 4 ounces of protein, 1/2 cup of veggies and 1/4 cup of starch. I allow myself 2 snacks per day... each not exceeding 100 calories. I have not done any formal exercise at all but I have started walking and biking now that I am almost to goal.

Mine was a 7 hours stay.... from begininning to end.... which was fine with me. I had no complications and was made to get up and walk about 4 hrs after surgery. I suspect as with all we see on this board....every hospital and every Dr is different. I am sure if I wanted to stay I could have... but I was much more comfortable at home and really had no need to be in the hospital.