zubie1eye2

So I noted a few topics on Hagerstown/Frederick areas but not really up to date. I just moved to Hagerstown about 3 months ago but have worked in the area (DC/NOVA) for the past 5 years. Looking for some sort of support be it a meeting or exercise buddy, etc. I was banded in March of 2009. Initially I went from 350 to 250 in the first year. I stayed pretty steady after that. Managed to get down to 210, annnnd somewhere in the past year I've popped on back up to 240. Not cool. I had my band checked via radiographs and a very slight fill about 6 months ago. Band is in fannnntastic shape. I'm at a point where I'm filled to a point where I can eat proper portions and still have trouble with some items (and probably always will). Breakfast is my hardest meal by far, and dinner is usually fine. When I'm nervous, I can't eat (always fun!). I don't want another fill because it puts me to liquid breakfasts and trouble eating solid Proteins and veggies, which pretty much defeats the purpose. I managed to not touch soda for the first two and a half years. Then one day I took a sip. I drink 2-3 cans per day now. That's in process of getting nixed. In short, I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for. Perhaps just someone (or multiple someones) that have been through the banding process that aren't across the country. Whether you be new at it or a vet like myself, I think it'd be snazzy to keep contact with others, specifically locally. If someone wants to coordinate working out, I'm game for that. Time to get back on the wagon for me, and support from people going through something similar is always a large motivator for me. For locational purposes: While I live in hagerstown, I commute to DC once per week, Leesburg twice per week and work from home 1-2 days per week. I pass through Frederick 2-3 times weekly so it's an easy stopover for me.

I posted in location specific forums as well but this seems to get more traffic. I live in Hagerstown MD but pass through Frederick 2-3 times weekly, am in DC once weekly and Leesburg, VA 1-2 times per week. Banded in March of 2009. Initially lost 100 pounds in year one. Dropped 350 to 250. Then dropped another 40 in year two to 210. Back up to 240 at this point. Fill is not a useful tool for me at this time. It would take me to liquid breakfasts and trouble with proteins and veggies, which defeats the purpose. I need a friend (definite preference on LOCAL) that is interested in chatting via email, possiblity meeting up from time to time, and/or working out. I'm pretty flexible on all of this, but would like to get back on track with someone that is in a similar situation or has recently been banded, as either of these would be motivation for me, and I would like to help motivate right back. I have started back out on a workout regimine that includes walking/running (doing couch to 5k) as well as cardio and weights in gym. Current exercise rate of 4-5 times weekly for 30-45 minutes each time. Would like to up this once I am ready physically.

Trial and error, unfortunately. I went through a period where my band was too tight for lettuce. I nixed that. Defeats the purpose. I do have trouble with a good amount of fruits and veggies. My solvent has literally been to eat very small amounts, frequently. IE i can eat grapes... but only like 6-10 at a time. Same goes for green Beans, etc. If I have trouble with something (veggies) made one way, I'll try them another way. Most of the time I can figure out a way to make them easier to get down.

Yeah, don't do that. I was soda free for over two years after surgery. Then one day, I took a little sippy. Then another. In the past year I've gone from 210 (I was 350 prior to surgery) back up to 240. My food diet hasn't really changed. But guess what has? Drinking 2-3 sodas a day (okay, and my exercising has slacked but I'm getting back on that). I nixed soda again as of two days ago. Day one and two were tough. This morning, I'm golden and feel a lot better with just Water. Soda = devil. And don't sub it with Vitamin water or sweet tea. Drinking your calories is literally the worst thing you can do. Your band or stomach or whatever they tell you will not explode, implode or anything similar. But it will seriously backtrack you. Don't bother. Trust me on that.

I know people have bathing suit issues (I do, but I deal)... swimming will win it every dang time. If you don't know how to swim... or don't remember... or suck at it (that's me), take a class. The Y offers them, along with many other places. Indoor heated pools mean it's an easy winter thing. Classes mean you pay for it (not a ton), so you're more likely to show up. If you know how to swim, do laps. Or a class like Water aerobics. I know that's linked to old folk, but there's a reason they do it. Physical exercise without joint strain. Win win.

I have new balance minimus runners and I love them. BUT. You will likely want to start out walking in them, and move forward. IE keep running in your current runners, and walk on your off days to 1. break in the new ones 2. not kill your muscles My legs/knees/ankles/feet liked the new shoes immediately, but i was sore after the first few runs. Now that I'm used to them though, my ankle and knee pain is literally nonexistant when I run, and afterwards as well.

I don't really know what to tell you about getting the fat person out of your head, but I do know what you mean. In the past three weeks I've put five pounds back on and I feel HORRIBLE. It's literally the first time in the two years since I've been banded that I've gained weight. I need a fill, for sure. I can eat bread (which I've never been able to do before no matter where my restriction level has been), which is not good. Anyway. Once you get used to your body being a certain place, it feels bad when it goes back (especially when you know how that weight gain felt before). I get that on a 225 pound girl like myself, 5 pounds isn't a ton. But it sure feels like it. I hate getting dressed for work because everything feels tight again. Dig in and get yourself back where you want to be. The whole weight loss thing takes longer as you get smaller. So that 15 pounds is just about the same as dropping 90 when you were bigger. Good luck and don't lose hope!

Hey there. I've been banded for two years (almost to the day). I've lost over 100 pounds but am still working on getting rid of some more! The only thing I can tell you is to watch what you eat and exercise. Same as anything else. If one thing doesn't work, try something different. If you're eating 1200 calories a day, sometimes bumping it up to 1300 does the trick. Or the opposite. It's something you have to play around with. Make sure you're eating in a healthy manner as much as possible. Track what you can. I used to hate counting calories but as my weight loss has slowed, I've had to pay more attention to what I'm putting into my mouth. Be careful with Protein shakes and Soups. While they have the protein you need, they won't necessarily make you feel full for long enough because they aren't going to sit in your pouch like solid food will. See if your next fill helps. Just be careful with it. You technically should be able to eat just about anything (just in smaller quantities). I do have trouble with most breads and a few veggies (mostly celery and brussels sprouts) but that's about it. You don't want to get too tight. I made that mistake at the beginning. Then I was going through a lot of slider foods and drinking my protein because I couldn't get healthy foods down. That's not a good place to be! Don't be afraid to speak up to your doctor when you go in as well. If your insurance will cover it, go back to the nutritionist that you did your initial pre-surgery stuff with to see if they have any advice. Good luck and be patient. Be flexible and try new things when others don't work. Switch up foods and exercise routines. Whatever you do, keep yourself motivated and on the right track.

Ditto to the morning suggestion. If you're not a morning person (heck, even if you are) you'll hate it for the first few times. Then you get used to it. I work 60 hours a week, typically 12 hour days at work plus another hour of drive time. If I don't go to the gym before work, I don't get there. I have zero motivation after that long of a day. I want to come home and relax. So I wake up at 5:15 and go to the gym for an hour before work. It's the only time I have unless I go late night and that doesn't work for me. Some people are probably reverse and do much better at night. Whatever works! Now that it's nice outside, you can walk/run. If you're not currently in run/walk shape, try the couch to 5k program if you have an mp3 player or ipod. It's great and will get you going. If you're not keen on running a lot of people will walk at a normal pace during the walk phase and speed walk during the run phases. I'm not one to sit inside and do work out dvds. I get bored and distracted. So I take the dogs on a walk or run, or I hit the gym. Find a time that works for you 3-5 days a week. Probably best if that time can be the same time for each workout. I tried doing 3 mornings and 2 nights (my work times change) but that killed me. If one thing doesn't work, try another. But if you can tolerate the morning thing, I highly suggest it. You get it out of the way first thing, you have extra energy during the day, and at the end of a long day? You can relax and not have to worry about doing it.

It's possible that your taste buds will shift around a little. Regardless, let yourself be open to both new foods, and foods that you have tried before but hated. I used to hate fish. I still don't love it. But there are a few kinds that I actually do really like. I used to love most veggies and fruits but there were a few I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. I tried them again after surgery and some I still didn't like... but some I did. That could be from surgery. Or it could be that I had them prior and they weren't cooked or prepared properly, or it could even be that I was so used to the thought of a double cheeseburger from mcdonalds tasting so good that something fresh and good for me couldn't possssssibly live up to it. Heck, I'm two years post surgery and I'm still trying new foods (and old ones that I didn't like before) and finding that I like them now. I hate mushy broccoli but I love it lightly steamed. I hate brussels sprouts unless I make them one of two ways. I used to never cook, and now I do all of the time. Trust me, I couldn't before at all, which is why I ate so much crap before. You'll find that as you get healthier, some "bad" foods just won't be appealing either. I never liked Beans before, now they're great. Just be careful with the picky eater thing. Don't close yourself off to foods just because you either don't like them, or don't think you like them. Be open to trying things again, and trying new things. The trouble spot I hit right after surgery is that I'd snub my nose at certain things because i "knew I wouldn't like them" and I set myself up with some bad habits by only eating certain foods, and eating slider foods because they were easier and I knew I liked them. That'll get you into trouble! You'll also start to get sick of certain things if you eat them over and over again. The one thing I wish I liked are eggs. I just... don't haha. But you know what? Any time I go somewhere and someone gets eggs, I ask to try them because you never do know... Good luck!

I change up my Snacks super frequently because I get bored pretty quickly. I've found that the 100 calorie packs are a little too expensive for my liking. So I'll buy a few different things each week. When I get home, I open the bag (or box) and portion them out into individual ziploc bags. That way everything is portion-set per bag and I don't have to think about anything in the morning when I'm still half asleep getting ready for work. I just grab stuff from the fridge and pantry and get on my way. I also keep a few things at work because that's where I get into trouble (if I don't come to work prepared, I eat HORRIBLY). Like everyone else, fruits and veggies are good. You can go back to kindergarden and rock some ants on a log (celery with pb and rasins), chips are my weak point so I don't indulge in them often but there's one called pirates booty (think cheese puffs but healthier) and those are great. Nuts. Granola. My favorite part about my grocery store is the bulk candy/snack aisle because I can make my own "trail mix" with sunflower seeds, nuts, dried fruits, et al. I usually throw a few m&m's in there to keep my sweet tooth happy as well. Snak paks are good but like anything else, get old after a while. Cheeses. Yogurts. Veggie chips. If you have a sweet tooth... try getting low fat cinnamon graham crackers and fat free cool whip. Split a graham cracker in half, make a sandwich using the cool whip in between. Put a bunch of these in a tupperware container and freeze them. The graham cracker gets a little softer and the cool whip freezes so it makes a make-shift ice cream sandwhich. No lie, they're REALLY good. Don't know the calories or fat but it's not high and I seem to remember it being very low. Definitely nice to mix it up at night when you need something sweet after dinner.

A word of advice... Take foods with you that you KNOW you can eat/drink without issue. Someone above listed grapes and carrots. Those are two foods that I absolutely cannot eat. It's different for everyone. You might not have any issues with any types of foods right now, if your restriction is low. But since you don't work in an environment that allows you to slip off to the bathroom in a case of a "stuck" episode, make sure you chew well, go super slow, and give new foods a test run at home before taking them on the road with you. You'll find that what you can handle may change after fills as well. Foods I'd be able to eat prior to a fill would change drastically after a fill. I'd go from being able to eat an apple, to not. Or not being able to eat lettuce, to being able to eat it. It changes every time. As far as what to eat and when, go with soft Proteins and anything on your "okay" list from your doctor. I tend to eat very small portions every 3-4 hours. But it usually takes me about 30-45 minutes to eat said portion, so I guess I'm eating every 2-3 hours. That's what works for me. It keeps me satisfied and keeps me from making bad food choices. I work 10-12 hour days so I find that prepping the Sunday night before my work week is the best idea. I pre-bag Snacks, chop veggies for a few days, and cook one or two meal items that will give me some easy fix dinners for when I get home late and don't have the time nor the desire to make something good and healthy. Prep is the key. Saves you from going back to fast food, or snacking on bad foods. Good luck!

Hi, I have a wheat/gluten allergy. Oddly, I didn't realize it until after I was banded. Bread/pastas didn't really go over well with my band anyway. But I'd try them when I had less restriction and realized that I felt horrrrrible after I ate them. So I stayed away and I feel so much better. I actually have issues getting down "gluten free" foods such as gluten free pizza, et al. So really I just stay away with it for the most part. If you need any suggestions or help or whatnot, feel free to send me a message. I've been banded for almost two years, so I'm very used to the band and the allergy!

It's hard to get that true "full" feeling that you're used to with liquids and some mushies because they aren't actually sitting in your pouch for the most part. So you're getting the Protein and you should be full, but you're not going to feel it as much as real food because it's not sitting. Make any sense? Once you're on some different foods, you'll start to feel a little differently. Also, if you eat a portion of food (say chili or a soft fish protein or something), remember to eat slowly to give your brain time to process the fact that you're satisfied with what you've had to eat. Helps to drink Water, oddly enough. Between meals or when your brain is saying you're hungry, even though you just ate. When you're overweight, your brain thinks full is a little different than most people. Your full is really "way too freaking much food" - you should simply be satisfied after you eat. Not stuffed. That's been the hardest thing for me to understand. It'll take time. Just stick with it!

Hey Kim, I'm happy to answer any questions you might have, to the best of my ability. I'm new to the forum, but I've had my band for almost two years, and have lost 120 pounds so far. Feel free to send me a message if you'd like. Danielle

Hey there. Sorry you're having trouble! Maybe your perspective on food just needs to change a little. Mentally, that's a pain. I figured out that after surgery, I craved crappy food. But when I tasted it? When I went through McDonalds and got something fatty and what I was craving? It tasted horrible. I feel you on getting tired of the same things. I literally can't look at a Protein shake without feeling a little nauseous myself. The thing that worked for me? Vary what you eat, even with mushies and soft Proteins, if you're willing to go outside of your comfort zone in terms of what you're willing to try, the possibilities are endless. Before surgery I lived on fast food and frozen meals and pretty much anything between two slices of bread. Turned my nose up at fish, veggies, et al because I thought they'd be gross. Well. Turns out that's not so much the case. Food can still taste good. Great, even. Your eating habits will change. There's no choice. You can't gorge and stuff food in your mouth without consequence. But you can still eat. Food can and will taste amazing. Give yourself some time to adjust. Look up some recipes and make things that sound awesome. I never did know how to cook before I got my band. Now I love it, and I can adapt pretty much any recipe or food item to be "band friendly." I now pretty much consider myself a "foodie" - before? I just ate because I liked it, without reason. And most of it was crappy, processed food. Now? I eat well, and food tastes better than ever. You'll see. Find something you love as much as food. Find a hobby, be it indoors or out. Submerge yourself in it. You have to focus your brain elsewhere. It took me a while to find something. Keep pushing. This is honestly the most important time to do everything right, and really use your band to your advantage. The habits you form now will stick with you, good or bad.

Hi everyone, Just thought I'd make a quick introduction. I'm Danielle, 26 and live about an hour outside of Washington DC. I got my band in March of 2009, so I'm coming up on two years. I started off at 350 pounds, and am now at 200. Unfortunately I still have some weight to shed. I've been on a bit of a plateau for the past 3 months or so. I just joined a gym at the beginning of January for the first time in my life, and that combined with my (much better than they used to be) eating habits, has finally gotten the scale inching down. I just recently found this site. I've been browsing for about a month and decided to go ahead and join. So hello everyone. I'm glad to have found this site and look forward to moving forward!