Nikki Riviotta

I had surgery on March 21, 2011 I am down from a size 20 to a loose 12 and 70-73 pounds, it really seems to fluctuate and I get so frustrated with that. really want to hit my 15o lb goal! I have consulted with a plastic surgeon to have access stomach skin removed because of some problems it has been causing me, so waiting to here back from insurance on that is AGONIZING! LOL... I have also started school to become a certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist and I plan to specialize in bariactric patients so I am super excited! Great job to all of you! I love my band and despite a few plateus I would not change it for the world!

I am willing to help and have a buddy to lean on as well. I have been banded since March 21, 2011. Add me if you like

You can find tons of support right here on this site I know Just reading peoples stories helps me alot and keeps me motivated. Something that might help you is to sit down and write out a daily meal plan. I do it and it helps me to stay on track. I write down the food, calories, fat, carbs and protein, I write in each meal and each snack and calculate each row, then I know when my day starts what I am going to eat through out the day and I don't venture off of that. Just make sure you have at least one protein shake a day, that is vital for the weightloss. It sounds like you are doing well with your walking. Once you have done that for a couple of weeks change it up a little, go to a class at your local gym or do some circut training, or some biking, just something different If you do the same exercise continuously your body becomes used to it and you will plateau with your weightloss also throw in two days of 30 min to and hour of resistance/strength training too, the more more muscle you build up the more fat you burn. Hope this helps a little and good luck to you!

How long ago did you start your exercise routine? How many times a week and for how long? What are you doing for exercise? How much Protein are you taking in Daily? How many grams of carbs are you taking in and then how many grams of fat daily? Finally how many calories are you taking in per day? I can try to give you some pointers if you can answer these questions for me

I am not a man but I can say this, not long ago my husband and I went out to a concert. I was dressed tastefully and had all the confidence in the world. I looked good for my husband and I was excited, it was the first time I had felt that kind of confidence for as long as I could remember. He later told me that he had noticed a few men "checking me out", which I did not notice whatsoever. I asked him if that bothered him. He said to me that it did not bother him, that rather than getting jealous that other men were looking at me, he took it as a compliment and knew that no matter what he was the one going home with me so it really didnt matter. So I don't know your wife or anything but maybe if you found a way to word that to her she would see it as my husband saw it, as a compliment, I mean really a woman enjoys nothing more than KNOWING she has the prize and it has been and always will be hers to keep forever

Congrats on your beautiful new daughter! What a pleasant surprise! I am a mother of 3 so I totally understand you when you say your busy! A couple pointers I have to offer is that if you breast feed, that helps to shed the pounds a little faster. It did with my last baby. (He was the only one out of my 3 kids that totally took to the breast) I lost 30 pounds in his first 2 months. Also watch your calories very closely. Keep a food journal, that really does help and of course the exercise, even if its just getting out and walking with the baby for 20 to 30 minutes a day. I hope this helps some! Good Luck to you and enjoy that little one, they really do grow up WAY too fast

I have been told that sometimes the pain in the port area is caused since it is stitched to that muscle so when you tweek it then it causes it to hurt. Happens to me alot after I work out really hard core, especially if I am doing ab workouts. So if you have been coughing alot and then laughing for several hours after a few days of the coughing then that could very well be what it is. I mean I am no expert and this is what I have heard from other band patients, but really it does make sense.

Congrats on your weightloss! You are doing great! I was banded in March of Last year. In July I got a fill and it made my band too tight. I could not eat anything without throwing up. Unfortunately I went out of state right after my fill and was gone for 6 weeks so that entire time that I was gone I didnt lose but maybe 2-3 pounds. Since I could not eat anything I turned to slider foods. That did not help the weightloss at all. So if you can't eat anything I recommend going to have some of the fluid removed otherwise it may cause your weightloss to plateau. Hope this helps you some. Good Luck!

It takes a while to get to proper restriction. Some it takes more, others it doesnt. If I have more than 5cc I throw up everytime I eat so my surgeon has to be really careful when I go in for fills. I have not had my band slip before but I have read about other people that have and it seems that it would be EXTREMELY painful so if you had a slip you would know. But like I said it will take a couple of fills before you really start to feel restricted. Just follow the guidelines that your surgeon gives you and you will do great. Just remember Protein is key, it helps you to feel fuller longer. Good Luck!

Thank you I will definately look into it! I think my husband will be forever grateful lol I burn him up when he is home

I live in Montana, I swear I am gonna freeze to death this winter and it has been very mild here this year. I keep the heater on 75 in the house and then I also keep a space heater on and a blanket......I really hope I regulate sometime soon lol

yep I am ALWAYS cold lol guess it's a good thing

yellow squash (the frozen kind in a bag) has been one that has been really easy for me and I have found I love it! Also fresh spinach, wash it throw it in a pan with a lid and steam it goes down easy, also good source of fiber. oikos greek yogart (dannon) has 12 grams of protein per cup and depending on the fruit between 19 and 21g of carbs per cup. I have found Slim fast protein shakes are amazing (low carb diet chocolate) they have 20g of protein per bottle. walmart carries these. Turkey burgers are great too. Just a few foods that have helped me get back on track when I have strayed from my path a little. Good Luck to you!

I would have to ask you How much protein are you taking in daily? How many carbs are you taking in daily? Are you keeping a food journal? Then the big question, How much are you exercising? If you are doing all these things the way that your surgeon has advised you to do it then you may need a fill. OR maybe your too tight, are you vomiting alot with meals? Do you seem to get stuck everytime you eat? I too was banded 11 months ago and that is a problem that I had. I plateaued because I was too tight and threw up every meal I ate. I actually started turning to slider foods for a bit because I felt like I was starving. Unfortunatley during this time I was out of town for 6 weeks and could not go see my surgeon. So when I got back he did an unfill and then I have had to work back up on my band fluid a bit but have now seemed to have hit my sweet spot. I am losing steadily. I eat 3 small meals a day. Usually a yogart and a half of a banana for breakfast, then I go to the gym for 45 min for and hour Mon-Fri. Come home from the gym and drink a protein shake and shower, then eat tuna or chicken on pita bread for lunch and a veggie if I still feel hungry after the sandwhich. Dinner is usually a recipe from lapband.com something also high in protein low in carbs and a veggie. snacks in between if i get hungry are string cheese, cottage cheese, fruit, or light popcorn. I also drink 4-5 16 oz bottles of water daily. I would definately go in and talk to your surgeon or give him/her a call, or if they have a dietician in their office that you can speak with do that. Also if you have any bariatric support groups in your area those are so helpful and you meet and can talk to people that you can relate to and you can set goals together. I hope this helps. Good luck to you!