Hi, Everyone. I had m surgery 19 months ago in Jan. 2011. I've lost 55 lbs. and have been at a plateau for a while. I still haven't found my "sweet spot," and am going in for a fill next week. For me the hardest part has been getting organized. I haven't tracked my food and, frankly, have eaten too many sweets. They are my downfall! Exercising is sporadic for me. I vaguely know that I'm usually not getting enough Protein. I forget to drink Water at work and am often dehydrated. I've developed deficiencies in Vitamins B1 and D, but don't do a good job of taking all my vitamins every day. My biggest excuse is that my job is tremendously stressful and I don't have "time" to put all that energy into taking care of myself.
I've just started trying something different.I had had good, temporary results with Weightwatchers online and decided to try it again just because the tracking tools are so good. Plus, having to pay for something gives me a bit more motivation. Also, I'm on the computer all the time. Since I spend a lot of time at work (and at home) on the computer, I already have the mindset of getting stuff done that way.
This new plan seems to working! WeightWatchers is so much easier now that I'm not hungry (starving) all the time the way I used to be. I like the point system and have found it very easy to stick to. It's easier not to eat stuff when I'm aware of how much I'm really putting into my mouth.
The program let's me track my food, liquids, activity, servings of fruit & veggies, vitamins and healthy oil. The only thing I feel like I needs that it doesn't track is the Proteins, so I'm keeping an extra spreadsheet for that.
The first few days I just kept eating the way I have been, but tracking it all. No wonder I wasn't losing weight! I was way over the daily & weekly points by a lot everyday. So then I became more serious about focusing on healthier choices. This is helped me eat more fruit & veggies too. The program gives me "happy faces" when I'm on track and that a huge motivation for me.
So far, it's working! For about 6 months I had been going up and between 195 and 192 lbs. Since I started keeping track, I'm down to 189 in two weeks. I'm amazed at how much I enjoy the new awareness of what I'm doing. This is something that I could never do before the surgery. I am not hungry, I am taking caref of myself and I feel very organized. The best part, for me, is that it doesn't feel like a "time suck." I would be happier with a program that was this easy and designed specifically for lap band. Next week I'll also meet with the nutritionist in the doctor's office to go over what I'm doing and get suggestions for tailoring it more for lap band.
Let me know what you think of this scheme. I live in a rural area and am a 4-hour drive away from the doctor's office and support groups. I haven't been on the forum for a long time, but feel like I'm starving for communication on this journey!
Here's another question: any suggestions for exercise? I've joined a gym, but it's very easy to be "too busy" to go. My main activity right now is walking at least 20 minutes a day. It always feels good, but I know it's not enough because otherwise my life is very sedenatry.
Looking forward to your responses! Sue
