JerseyGirl80

Hey everyone! I'm joining WW for the millionth time again (my first time post-band though). I'm losing weight on my own but really loved WW's old program and wanted to learn the new one as a guide for my meal plans since it now incorporates carbs and proteins when determining point value. Is anyone else using the new program and if so what do you think of it?

You seem to be doing great. I've been losing 5-7 pounds a month since my surgery in December and my doctors are very happy with it, they say I'm right on track. Slow weight loss is the way to go! Of course I would love to lose much faster but weightloss is weightloss and I'm happy with things so far. Some of us are just a little faster than others. From snooping around the site it seems those that have alot more weight (100lbs+) to lose seem to be the ones losing the fastest, that's just what I've noticed, but that's not everyone. Every Body is different and the rate you are losing is right on point, you are doing better than I am! Good luck to you!

My doc didn't say not to but didn't recommend it either. The nutrionist said if I want to drink soda to wait for it to go a little flat first. I have no problems with carbonated beverages, I certainly can't guzzle them down like before or drink them real fast as soon as I pop open a can but I can still enjoy them within reason. BTW, I only drink sugar free things, "don't drink your calories" I guess some Doc's are very against it because it can cause pain for some people, it may cause some stretching and hurt the stomach if taken in too fast. I can't drink really fizzy things with food, it hurts and will come back up. Doc's probably just want patients to avoid that all together.

Wonderful, this is exciting and inspirational! Thank you for sharing with us, I can't wait to have 100lbs gone forever too!

I've always liked the Weight Watchers point system, it's always worked for me, while I stuck to it. Once you stray from the program the weight comes back. Those that get frustrated with that have to realize, once you stop eating healthy, which is what WW teaches you to do, you WILL gain the weight back. And for me, from doing it through the years ALOT of good habits stuck permanently, like 8 glasses of Water, reading labels, never drinking my calories, having balanced meals ect. Alot of us have no clue as to how to eat the right way, and in my experience with nurtionists telling me to eat this and not that, I've learned nothing I didn't already know. $75 a session for them to tell me what is common sense, they didn't teach me how to do it or how to read labels or how to count anything other than calories, but WW did. Eating right isn't just about counting calories, theres so much more to it. People think calculating points is annoying and too much of a hassle, but it really isn't, at first it may seem overwhelming but after a while you don't even think about it. WW is not for everyone, I love it because it keeps me on track and helps me stay accountable, focused and I enjoy the support at the meetings. To me it isn't dieting, it's eating healthy, it's just another tool or a guide or a helpful suggestion, or whatever you want to call it, and it works if you put your all into it. Just like the band it's not a magic overnight fix but the combination of the 2 can offer wonderful results. The alloted points will probably be way to much for us to eat but it's ok, they won't take us out back for a beating if we don't get all our points in lol. It's the learning part and the accountablity part that, I think, makes WW work. The problem I've always had was over eating, I would just eventually tire of smaller portions and just want to stuff myself, which is why I failed WW the 6 times I did it, pre-banding. But now, thanks to my band I can't do that anymore. I like to think that "I have had portion control installed". My feeling on WW is that it teaches you how to eat the right way, the healthy way. If anyone is considering doing it for the first or the 10th time, do it, it doesn't hurt. I'm going back myself tonight and I'm so excited to learn the new plan as it now incorporates carbs and Proteins to determine point value! Good luck everyone!

Hello and welcome. This isn't an easy decison to make, this is life altering so be sure to do your research and talk to as many banded people as possible, this journey is different for all of us. I came to my final decision for a number of reasons, but having PCOS (like you), that was a big factor for me. The struggles of PCOS are enough to make anyone crazy, espcially the weight gain end of it. For me it basically came down to either... A. continuing to yo-yo diet for the rest of my life like I had been for the last 15 years and end up just getting bigger and more unhealthy. Or B. swallowing my pride and admitting to myself that I couldn't do it on my own and that I needed help. So on Dec 13th 2010, I was banded. I know that was a chance and I may fail at this, but I really felt there was no other choice for me. I had dieted and worked out, and dieted and worked out, over and over since I was 15yrs old, and frankly I was tired. I was ready to give up myself. Until my boyfriend, knowing I had been thinking about surgery for years, encouraged me to go to a seminar. So anyway, to me it was taking a 50/50 shot on succeeding with this surgery or 100% shot at failing on my own again. So far it's been worth the shot. I've lost 39lbs and I'm feeling so much better and my clothes are starting to fall off me. I'm not embarrased to be out in public anymore, and not embarrased to go to a bar with my girlfriends and just enjoy myself. I am starting to find 'happy' again. It's not easy and my band isn't doing all the work, but it sure is helping me do things I never thought possible. I know this story is different for everyone, and I'm still just starting out but as of today I wouldn't change a thing about my decision. Good luck to you!

I did not have a pre-op diet. My surgery was rushed at the last minute due to insurance issues, it happened a month sooner than planned. Anyway, I only had 9 days to eat a healthy diet before surgery. I didn't follow any strict plan, the doctors and nutritionist told me to follow a low fat diet as best as I could, which was basically the diet I had been following all along. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

My Doc recommended MiraLAX. I'm sensitive to laxatives and usually get really bad cramps for a few days after taking them, but not with this it's very gentle.

I thought the majority of the food was disgusting, and I'm not a picky eater, very few items were tolerable. I also think I'm sensitive to soy, all of it has soy, it gave me major bathroom issues. 3 of my friends did it with me and we all felt the same way about the taste/quality, and the food effected us all the same way in the bathroom. It also gave us uncontrolable gas, it would happen wherever and whenever it wanted with no warning.. I bought 6 weeks worth of food and maybe ate 2 weeks worth. those 2 weeks were torture. To me it was a huge waste of money and I gained the 12 pounds I lost back right away. I wouldn't feed it to a stray dog in all honesty. It's also still high in sodium, I would have been better off just eating all food and snacks made by weight watchers and least those taste pretty good.

I'm sorry for your loss, but at least he is at peace now. What a wonderful gift from what sounds like a wonderful father. My father passed away dec 2009, he was very sick for about a year after having a heart attack. We talked about me getting surgery many times and he said he'd do anything to help me get it, he just wanted me to be healthy and happy. Towards the end I found out he had been saving all of his social security for the last few years for me. My insurance paid for most of it but not all, so what he left me helped. Thank you for this post, it made me think of my Daddy and how selfless he was for me. Congratulations and best of luck to you!

I said the same thing to myself when I bought a bag of cat food, that was about 20lbs. It really puts things in perspective. Congratulations on your loss!

Good question. I think if you are still losing weight, and you are accounting for the calories I don't see a problem with having that much as a snack, but I would try to stick to a serving size (whatever that is). Popcorn is so fluffy and airy so my thinking is that 2 cups popped really isn't all that much. I know for me pretty much any crunchy snack food goes down no problem and I can just keep eating it, so I have to limit myself to serving sizes. It wouldn't hurt to ask your nutritionist about it. Every one is different in what they eat, how they are eating it and how much that are eating of it, what works for one may not work for another.

I eat beef jerky, I have to chew it to death but I don't have a problem with it. But everyone is different, you won't know how you can handle it until you try it for yourself. My doctor actually recommended it for when I'm craving something salty like chips.

I have it too, it didn't move my process along any faster (although my insurance didn't require a 6 months waiting period, I only needed 3 months of visits) all it did was add to my list of co-morbidities to help me get approved. I don't think it will speed up the process for anyone, if your insurance requires a 6 month diet or any kind of "waiting" period you will have to follow their requirements. I haven't heard of anything rushing this surgery, this is not the kind of thing someone should rush. As someone that's already had the band, I think waiting 6 months is probably the way to go to get used to the idea and start your lifestyle change. As PCOS is considered a co-morbidity, it doesn't warrant a rush on surgery and is not seen as something as, for lack of a better word, important, as other ailments a person may have. Even patients with high blood pressure, sleep apnea, diabetes ect, have to follow the steps required by their insurance. Keep in mind that PCOS isn't well known, it's not until recent years that it's even being taken seriously by doctors that don't specialize in it. I work in the medical field and have delt with my share of doctors and nurses, I have mentioned PCOS to them and I get "what's that?" as a response from them. A few times when I dicussed it with my previous doctors before I was diagnosed, they just dimissed it as if I didn't know what I was talking about. So just imagine what insurance companies may think of it, most of them are not medical professionals, they're paper pushers. Good luck to you and be patient, 6 months will go faster than you can imagine.

I just had my first fill on Jan 18th. I felt "tighter" or "restricted" for a few days, then back to normal. It wasn't until 2 weeks later that I really felt the full effect of the fill. I can't eat as much as before and I can't drink as much in one sip as I did before my fill. I even feel tighter at certain points of the day. I can't eat heavy foods for breakfast or else it will get stuck, so I stick to protein shakes. That has been my experience so far. it's odd how this thing works sometimes.

Hello Brandi and welcome. Just breathe, it will be ok! This is a big change mentally and physically, you have to be patient and take your time with it, don't be too hard on yourself. Most of us are food addicts, we all love food and we've all freaked out with the thought of never being able to have our favorite things ever again. We didn't get to the sizes we are because we love salads and boiled chicken lol. You just have to tell yourself you are doing this to be healthy, you have to want the change more than you want your favorite foods. Don't think about what you might be giving up, it's just food, yes I said it, it's just food, you are worth more than that. I don't tell myself that I will never have Mcdonalds ever again or I will never have this or that again because that had been the basis of every crash diet I've been on, it's caused me to panic in the past and has caused me to feel deprived and in the end, that kind of thinking was what's caused me to fail over and over again. But that's just me. The band is restrictive, it's to help us from pigging out and to help us make better choices in making every bite count towards nutrition and not pleasure. it will never make our food choices and will never cook us a healthy meal, and it most definitely will not exercise for us . Yes, some of us can't eat certain foods anymore, but that is something you will gradually come to find out for yourself and you may not even want those things anymore once (or if) they give you problems. I know that thought seems impossible in the beginning but it can happen, and has happened for some of us. Right now if I wanted to I could eat Mcdonalds, but I'm choosing not to because I didn't go through all those hoops, and my surgery to sabotage myself. Will I ever eat Mcdonalds, or any other of the junk food I love ever again?, yes, one day down the road I will allow myself to have it as a treat, maybe just some of a cheeseburger and not half the menu like I've done so many times before. But I choose to not incorporate "poison foods" in my everyday eating, like I used to. I go to restaurants with friends and eat, much less than before, and I always have lots of leftovers, but I still can enjoy myself, I just don't over indulge anymore, there's no need to and no uncontrollable drive to anymore. Those are the changes I've chosen to make, and you will and can make your own healthier choices too. Don't look at it as an end all to yummy foods, it's a gradual lifestyle change. We are not perfect, we have bad days but we move on from it and push ourselves to get where we want to be. I never thought I could do this either so you are not alone in that, but I made my change in August 2010, and I am now 7 weeks post-op. I still have days when I doubt myself, but this site is awesome and very supportive, it keeps me on my toes. Being here is a constant reminder of what I am doing and helps me stay accountable for my choices. I wish you the best of luck. Remember anything worth having is never easy. You can do this!

I had port pain once I started doing things too, even small things like doing the dishes or laughing alot would cause some pain and discomfort. You only being 4 days post-op I'd say it's normal to be feeling pain from doing even minor tasks. 2 or 3 weeks out of surgery I felt fine with some port pain occasionally, but I decided I was well enough to take the garbage out, not a good idea, from lifting, pulling and taking the trash out to the curb I was hurting in my port site for 2 days, it didn't hurt while I was taking it out, but afterwards I sure felt it. My pain was inside too at the port, not so much the incision itself. If you are having pain try to slow down a little, I know doing dishes isn't terribly physical work but your body is still healing and even little things sometimes can disrupt the healing process. Keep moving of course, like walking around and leaving the house do to errands, but be careful and aware of any, even slight, pulling, lifting, pushing, even holding any excess weight like pots or dishes. You may not realize it but these small movements can effect you, you are using different muscles and you don't even know it. If the pain is unbearable or continues to be really bad I'd talk to your doctor. I am 7 weeks post-op and I still have occasional port pain when I'm more active than usual. Nothing severe just an occasional light stinging that only lasts a few seconds, maybe minutes and sometimes at night when I'm laying on my stomach I'll feel something, but it's nothing terrible. Feel better soon!

So I'm 7 weeks post-op and the initial excitement of being banded is fleeting. *big freakin' sigh* Am I alone in this? Does anyone else feel like they were super excited in the beginning and now it's just like, "ok , now what?" Friends and co-workers keep asking "how much have you lost?" and it's making me feel pressured. Every time I talk to them they ask and it's getting on my nerves because I see their puzzled faces when I don't have any big numbers to tell them. I feel like no one gets it, no one really understands the band, and I don't have the time or patience to explain every last detail of this process to every single person that asks. Grrrrrr!!! I knew all about bandster hell, which is where I am and I've accepted it so I don't need to be yelled at or lectured by all you snotty-better than everyone else-know it all-sitting on my high horse-senior bandsters, so save it, I don't need your negativity and neither does anyone else. Anyway, right now I'm feeling the need to whine, and you are the only people that can understand! I also get the fact that this isn't some magic pill and that I do need to work my butt off, and that's fine, it's really how I wanted to lose the weight anyway, but I'm just getting frustrated lately. I'm getting full faster, eating way less and eating the right things 98% of the time, but still getting a little hungrier between meals than I was a few weeks ago (especially in the last few days) and I could still eat like a linebacker if I really tried (even after my first fill on Jan 18th, which is normal, I know) but I don't eat that way in fear of barfing, again. I had my first meeting with the porcelain Gods the other day, that wasn't fun. It was my fault, ate too heavy too early in the day and got stuck on the 2nd bite. .Oh well, I survived, lesson learned. My weight is trickling off very very slowly especially in the last 2 weeks, but I was just hoping that I would have done better or would have found more motivation to work out by now. I really am happy that I have lost what I have lost, I'm just more upset with myself for not feeling more motivated. Again, my initial excitement is fleeting and I want it back. I was all gung ho and motivated to work out after surgery then within a month I fell back into my old lazy slump. I need some motivation and some accountability buddies! Thanks for reading my rant!