SageTracey

I still enjoy food, in fact, I think I enjoy it even more now. The big difference for me is that taste is much more important than before. I know I can only eat a small portion so I want it to taste nice while still meeting my nutritional needs. So I skip the breads, rice and anything else that is bland. I also eat out a lot due to work and other activities. I either order an entree or my husband and I will share a main meal where he gets the lion's share. If he wants more he will order a dessert. Because we are often socialising or lingering over a meal out, I wait while others eat and then have a coffee with them. I also tend to keep a glass of water in front of me so people think I am drinking (you would be suprised at how infrequently anyone notices that I am not actually drinking!) good luck.

I went from not having a period for 15 months pre-surgery to having three in six weeks immediately post-surgery. Now almost five months post, I am back on monthly schedule but, oh boy, is this one a doozy! At the risk of TMI, I got out of bed this morning to go for a walk but needed a shower and to change my bed instead!

Hi Elena, I'm doing well, thanks. So far I have lost 39kg and am feeling great. Now that the weather is warming up, I am really looking forward to getting out and exercising even more, although I discovered this weekend that the magpies are nesting already, which is a real pain when I am out cycling. Would love to hear any food selection tips you have, especially for eating out as my husband and I are quite active on the rock n roll dance scene which, while great exercise, also involves a lot of eating out with friends! Cheers Tracey

Woo hoo! And the next step is that you will have to buy new, smaller clothes! Enjoy and keep up your great work.

Hi Rebecca, it is frustrating when the scales don't reflect all your hard work! Just remember that your body is still healing and adjusting to your new eating and exercise regime. Plus, we all lose at a different rate. Just keep your chin up and keep up the good work. I am sure that the rewards will come for you. BTW - where are you in Australia? I'm in regional Vic.

Hi from another Australian.I'm in Vic but get to WA about once a year for work. Hope you are improving each day.i was banded in April and have lost 39kg so far.good luck with your journey, hope all goes well for you.

I find it helpful to plan my eating as much as possible by taking my food with me to work. This means that I fill out myfitnesspal.com with my calories for lunch as well as breakfast at breakfast time. Then I add my dinner when I have decided what I am going to eat for that meal. Good luck and keep working at it. This is a lifelong journey for all of us.

It's still early days for you so dont get discouraged. Restriction after just one fill is really unusual and may actually take three or more fills. As coolchick said, keep working on your diet and exercise. This is a life long journey for all of us. Good luck.

It'S a glorious spring day here in eastern Australia and I felt so so great bouncing out of bed. So far I've washed my car, washed my two dogs and hung out the washing. Next up I'm going for a long bike ride in the sun, maybe with a coffee break in the next town. 39kg ago I couldn't have achieved so much in the same time. I love being lighter and feeling so much healthier and more active.

I use myfitnesspal.com,too. Same screen name as here. I usually put in my breakfast, lunch and snack calories at breakfast time when I pack my bag for work. Then it's really satisfying to add my exercise later in the day. I addvdinner when I know what's on the menu.feel free to add me.

Hi Elena, I'm in Australia, regional Vic and was banded in April this year. Where are you? cheers Tracey

Sounds like you are on track. Remember, restriction doesn't usually start until you have had at least one and usually three or fills, although it is different for everyone. Just remember to follow the band rules and your dr's advice and youll be right. Good luck.

Temptation is a b*tch! I just went to get my morning coffee from the kitchen at work - black with an artificial sweetener - and some kind, well meaning colleague has brought in birthday cake. I walked past it this time, but I know it's sitting out there and there will be temptation all day because it's a large cake! At this stage I am still battling to select smaller portion sizes with these sorts of yummy foods so it's much safer for me to have none at all than to start and pig out. Happy birthday work mate, I'm sure you didn't mean to torture me!

Wow, you are doing really well, congratulations! People started commenting for me when I had to buy new clothes. I think it was less obvious while I was wearing my old fattest clothes because they couldn't necessarily see that they were looser and I was losing. I am sure you will start hearing all of those positive comments very, very soon!

Hi Chelsea. I'm sorry you are feeling frustrated but please remember that it is still early days for you. There is lots of great informational this forum so be sure to do lots of reading and ask lots of questions here- my personal philosophy on questions is that the only dumb question is the one you don't ask. And it sounds like you have your mom to share this journey with so why don't you encourage each other and work together? Best wishes.

demand answers, starting with why you were filmed and how that film will be used. Refuse to leave the room until you get answers. This is your body and you have rights. And if nothing changes, find a new dr.

It's always great to post after Niterun because she has such practical advice to offer! I'll answer the two simple questions based on personal experience - recovery wasn't too bad at all, very little pain with the incisions, just shoulder pain for about 10 days or so. I took two weeks off work. And I don't get sick from eating - this may make me lucky, or simply that I am too scared to break the eating rules because I hate vomiting! I've significantly changed my eating habits and am really doing well with weight loss. The only difficulties I have are when I eat too fast or too much and then I get shoulder pain.

So I got off to a rollicking good start with my lap band journey and I am thrilled with my weight loss so far - 60lb in four months. But now the expected and dreaded plateau has arrived and I need advice from those who have been before for me. What do I need to change to break my plateau? Do I need to vary my calories? Up? Down? I am currently averaging 1200/day. Should I change my exercise routine? More? Less? Different? I exercise at least 30 minutes per day, five or six days a week, a mixture of exercise bike, actual outdoor cycling, vigorous rock and roll dancing, and a bit of walking (but not too much because that is the one thing guaranteed to make my knees ache!) I look forward to learning what has worked for others. Thanks in anticipation.

Tabby Ann - make sure you are drinking plenty of water and keeping your fluids up. I find that I get bad headaches when I let myself get dehydrated, even slightly. And upping my water intake helps them to go away. Good luck.

Light headedness could be an after effect of your anaesthesia or low blood sugar. It is very hard to get enough calories in on the liquid diet post-op to keep your blood sugar levels are at a good level.

Congratulations Nicole. I haven't been pregnant while banded but managed to lose 23 kg while pregnant with my last child. I was under dr supervision and both I and my baby were healthy throughout.

Welcome aboard! Good luck with your journey. These forums are a great place to get support and advice.

Definitely a NSV! I'm reaching the point where I miss exercise if I can't do it when planned!

That sounds really unpleasant. Sorry I can't offer any suggestions or insight, but I hope you get some results really soon!

be sure to tell your Dr how you are feeling and he will understand that you are bringing willpower to the party and should be supportive of giving you a fill to help reach your sweet zone. Good luck.