katyana

I'm doing the same, Janice. Right now, my goal is 260 by 1/1/12. I am currently 274, so... hopefully! If I keep up at my current pace, I can make it. But yeah, I found that breaking things up into mini goals is really helpful. Is anyone else keeping measurements? Someone told me to take my measurements before surgery, because sometimes dropping inches is more easily measurable than dropping pounds. I have to say, that's true. When I "stalled" on the transition to regular fills, I was still dropping inches. It was a way to help avoid frustration.

In some situations, I will be able to, but in others, no. Basically, I am going to be bouncing around visiting family for a fair chunk of the trip. When I am at my mom's, I will be able to measure (she doesn't have a kitchen scale, but I can make do with measuring cups) - she knows about the surgery, and is being super supportive. But when I am visiting my cousins or my aunts and uncles... I just don't want to be a pain in the butt, you know? Like, "yay, thanks for letting me stay with you, and cooking and all. Do you mind if I second-guess your food choices and take over your kitchen utensils?" It just feels like an embarrassing combination of ... poor manners and high maintenance, you know? Maybe I just need to be more aggressive, but I don't want my family to feel put-out by me. We're a really close family, and I know they'd understand, but I just feel weird about it. I think that what I am going to try and do is err on the small side. Given that I am on vacation, I don't think I have to worry about **under-eating**... so I'll estimate what I think is the right amount (like, say, half a cup of veggies), and then remove some. That seems to be the safest bet.

I have my first big test this weekend - I am flying to Tennessee tomorrow night, to spend 4 days with my family. I am not so concerned about making healthy choices, because I feel pretty confident that I can do that. What I am concerned about is tracking and portion sizes. Being somewhere with no kitchen scales, no measuring cups, and just eating what other people make for me... it isn't a big deal at a restaurant, because it is just one meal and I figure that, even if my measurements or calorie / Protein estimates are a little off , it won't really hurt much overall. Four days, though, is a little more scary. It's a good practice run for me, though, to get ready for Christmas. I am going home for more than 3 weeks this year, so I will need to be comfortable with measuring things by eye. You guys would laugh at me if you saw me in my kitchen - I am constantly doing mini-tests. I eyeball something, say "mmmm, I'd guess that's 3/4 cup", and then measure it to check. I am getting more accurate each day. *fingers crossed*

I definitely have 100+ to lose, so you aren't alone.

I'm checking in!! Not going as fast as I hoped it would, but every pound gone is a good thing. Happily, I feel like I am comfortable with my 4x/wk exercise routine, so it will only get better. Name, real or screen~ Carrie Age~ 34 Weight on October 1st ~ 288 Weight on October 8th ~ 286 Weight on October 15th ~ 284 Goal Weight for October 29th~ 270 Exercise Goal for October~ 4 x per week Dietary Goal for October~ fewer carbs Personal Goal for October~ stop caving to the late-night munchies Date Banded~ 9/1/11 Total Weight Loss Since Banding~ 13 since banding, 38 since start of liquid diet

I was banded nearly 6 weeks ago, and I still get the occasional pinching in the port area. Like you, everything went perfectly for me, so I was surprised by the irritation I started feeling in the port area a couple weeks post-OP. I asked at my fill appointment 3 weeks ago, and they said it was normal to have that until the soft tissue swelling goes down... they said it can be sensitive on and off for a couple months as our bodies adjust. Ah well. It doesn't bother me that much. I don't have any problem sleeping on my sides, so I didn't ask about that.

I'd like to second what Corrigan said. Carol, it sounds like you want desperately to be healthy, but your head keeps getting in your own way. What you need is to work with someone that can help you learn to work with your brain - you and your head need to get on the same page, so you can take control of your body. Think of it is the second and most important step to getting a lapband. Step 1 - band the body, so that you have this amazing tool to help you become healthier. Step 2 - band the brain, so that you can work with this amazing tool properly. You were committed enough to do the surgery. Now follow through and get the help you need to "band your brain", so you can make the lapband work for you. I wish you all the best on your journey... !!

I'm still here, 9/1 banding. If any of you would like to share food diaries and cheer each other on on My Fitness Pal, my username is rhapsaria (katyana was not available). I'd love to be food diary buddies with ya, and we can keep each other on track.

Checking in at 286.8, which is only a loss of 1.2 lbs. I have done well with my goals this week, but I guess I am stalling a little bit.

Hiya Pugs, What stage of food are you at? I have become a pro at hitting my protein count (I am hitting between 70-80 per day), and I rarely use a protein shake to get there (my nutritionist said they are sliders, as in, won't stick with you long, so the less of your calories and protein you consume in liquid form, the longer you will remain full). At this point, I am maybe having 1-2 shakes a week, and that's just if I am on the run because of a hectic day at work. So what I am doing is a lot of lunchmeat. For example, I have been picking up sliced turkey and chicken at Trader Joe's. Three oz of turkey, which I had for lunch today at 1pm, is 90 cal / 1g fat / 3g carbs / 18g protein. That plus 4 oz of cottage cheese (90 cal / 2g fat / 4g carbs / 14g protein) kept me full for 4-5 hours without any trouble at all. One meal like that per day gets you halfway to where you need to be with protein... and getting the other half is easy. The trick to staying full, for me, is really steering clear of liquid as much as possible. Now that I am cleared for soft foods (I am 5 weeks post-OP), I am drinking very little except water or a coffee in the morning. The rest of my calories come from things that need to be eaten, and those are the things that fill my tummy for a good long stretch. Hope it helps you! -Kat

I got the Fitbit as well. At least for now, I prefer something that I can wear discreetly all day (I couldn't wear the BodyBugg at work). I might try the BodyBugg later, just to strap on for exercise, but at this point, I am really happy with Fitbit.

Like the rest of you, I have been stalled for the last week or so. I am not super-concerned, because they (me doctor and nutritionist) told me to expect this as we transition to soft foods and real foods - the way they explained it, our bodies just need to readapt to real food, and so for most people, this transition is our first "plateau". For me, what it boils down to it: I know I am doing the right thing. I have less than 950 calories every day, I drink between 64 and 80 oz of Water per day, and I am exercising 4 x per week (not anything major, but I am making a point of doing **something** 4 times per week, even if it is just a 20-30min walk, which is a big step up for me). I am getting stronger and healthier - I can FEEL the difference. Eventually my body will catch up. And that's okay with me. I picked the band over the bypass because I want slow, stable, healthy weightloss, along with a lifestyle change that I can maintain. So this works for me.

Ugh, I am so with you. I was banded on 9/1. My regular cycle had literally just ended 2 days before surgery (which was relieving). I started up again on 9/6, and it was **really** heavy for a week, and spotted for another week. Finally that stopped, and then yesterday, started again. Arrrrrrrgggggggghhhh!! I talked to my doctor, and he said that is all normal (hormones are stored in fat, and as fat breaks down, they are released back into your system and mess your cycle up), and that things will normalize in a couple months.

I'm so happy to hear that you are all-clear! Congrats!

I'm in. My first challenge, hooray!! Name, real or screen~ Carrie Age~ 34 Weight on October 1st~ 288 Goal Weight for October 29th~ 270 Exercise Goal for October~ 4 x per week Dietary Goal for October~ fewer carbs Personal Goal for October~ stop caving to the late-night munchies Date Banded~ 9/1/11 Total Weight Loss Since Banding~ 13 since banding, 38 since start of liquid diet

Hello all! So today was my first post-OP appointment, and I got my first fill... hooray! Feeling the difference is funny - I can see why I am supposed to do liquids only for the rest of the day, because I definitely have to get used to it. I can feel restriction - if I take two sips of what I am drinking too close together, I can *feel* that my second sip is just barely getting down there. The first time it happened, I was like ... and then I was excited, because I finally knew what the restriction feeling was supposed to be like. I'm going to be all kinds of nervous when I go back to mushies tomorrow. *laugh*

Hello all, I got banded last Thursday (9/1), and in the last day or so, I have been starting to feel hunger pains. I know that's not abnormal in and of itself, but they are *really* weird hunger pains. Basically, I start to feel a little hungry - generally 2-3 hours after I last ate - and if I don't eat something in the next 20-30 min after that starts, it progresses really rapidly to extreme hunger that is verging on nausea... that then becomes heartburning and crampy. A couple bites of Soup or yogurt... maybe an ounce or 2 (still on the liquid diet) quiets it up really quickly, but the extremity of my reaction is concerning me. That was never how I was before banding... I was the person who would go all day without eating and then binge eat like crazy after work. Now on the one hand, that's a habit I have been working hard to change, but... feeling physically sick every time I start getting hungry is a bit extreme. Is that normal? Should I be concerned?

I know, and you're right. It isn't hurting, so I am trying to not obsess over it. I see my doctor for my first fill next Thursday, and I can ask him about it then. My only real fear is he'll be like "Wow, that's not right, we'll have to go back into surgery." Noooooo, I am through the hell, and I am feeling really great!

I'm looking forward to starting mushies tomorrow... 4 weeks of liquids has gotten pretty boring. For those of you also at the 2-week-ish mark, I have a question: how prominent is your port? My bruising is gone, and my incisions look great - no redness or puffiness. But when I am laying in bed on my back, my port is pretty dang prominent - it makes a little hill on my belly, maybe raising the skin up an inch or so. And if I roll onto my right side, it is even more prominent, it makes a... not sure how to describe it. Coming from the top, it goes out and then dips WAY in on the other side of the port. I am just checking to see if that's relatively normal, or if I should talk to my doctor. My concern is, if it is that prominent this early, once I lose weight ... it seems like it will really be an issue.

I took 3 days off, and that plus the weekend was more than fine for me. I also do a lot of sitting at work, so it was important to get up and walk around every hour and a half or so - just for 10 minutes was enough to keep me from feeling bloated. It was easy to just do some minor things to "excuse" the walk (not that anyone in my office cared, but I would have felt self-concious doing nothing while up and around) - I'd go to the kitchen, refill my Water bottle, bring it back to my desk, then walk to the bathroom... that sort of thing. But I can't emphasize it enough: walking is the key. Every time I started to feel bloated or crappy, I got up, and was fine in 5 minutes. It was something I had to keep reminding myself, because it is contrary to my instincts - when I feel crappy, I want to curl up on the couch with a blanket. But dragging myself to my feet, even just standing and taking my first couple steps, I could feel the difference. Good luck to you!!

Yeah, haha. That is definitely not me.

Ah ha! My username is actually "rhapsaria", because this one was taken (I swear, it took me 15 tries to find something open). I just did that, though, and sent you a friend invite.

I'd love to join you guys. I use My Fitness Pal, as well - I just started with it last week. How do you add friends?

I was itching a couple days ago too. I seem to have passed that phase, and now have odd stabs of pain. To be honest, it is starting to freak me out a little bit. For the most part, I haven't had any pain at my incisions since my surgery on 9/1, but then today, I keep getting odd pinching pains at my port area. Sometimes it is when I am moving, but it was also happening when I was literally just sitting at my desk reading an email. Is that just a part of healing?