waitingpatiently

Fab u less-there isn't an easy answer. Best thing to do is speak with the nitritionist. Each nutritionist is different as well as each doctor. I speak to mine all the time because she lives two houses down from me. You may just need to try some different approaches to see what works best for your body. I'm 5'6" and 204 pounds. both doctor and nutritionist say keeping my calories to less than 900 is great (if I can do it, but if I need the other 100 calories, then to use them. I do also have PCOS so that make weight loss a little harder sometimes. How much you are eating now, I think 1000-1200 like Mis73 said is great place to start. If you have had weight loss at that level and don't anymore, and haven't changed your exercise routine drastically....then you might want to cut back a 100 calories and see what happens. If you have never seen great weight loss, and you are only at 1000-1200 calories, then maybe adding an extra 100 might wake your metabolism up. You seem to be exercising a lot, so it could be possible you need more. It maybe a little of trial and error untill you figure out what works best for you.

Just about everyone that is over weight has a low Vitamin D level so don't freak out. My doctor put me on over the counter vitamin D first.....when that didn't work he prescibed it. I took 1 pill a week for a month. My level was 9.....and this was during the end of summer last year and I lived at the lake!!....so any way, now I still take Calcium with vitamin D and then 2000 additional units. I should be getting a blood draw soon. I do feel a lot better now that I had the prescription.

I agree with honk...this far out you shouldn't need to drink for protein and calories. I would suggest you head back to your doctor and see what he thinks....maybe you need a slight unfill.

Armymom2012- I agree with you whole heartedly!! Unless you are a completely seditary person with little or no activity then only eating 500-600 calories a day is probably too low for you. My mother in law thats only activitive is walking from one room to another room in our house, probably only eats about 700 calories a day....and is 5"1 and 240 pounds. Because she does absolutely nothing EVER...she does not need any more calories...infact with a bmi of something like 90 she would need to even eat less or exercise to loose anything.--infact her doctor wanted her to drop her calories to 600 by drinking 3 Protein drinks a day. Funny how most of us didn't have a problem loosing weight during the pre-op phase when most of us were on liquid diets and only getting 500-600 calories a day in....I lost 5 pounds a week during that time.---ummm maybe the next time I hit a slump I will shock my system with a week of liquids....that will teach it a lesson--haha BTY- I hit a slump on april 13. I had been making good progress with 1-2 pouns a week on april 13 (THATS FRIDAY THE 13th) I was at a Sping Ball with my daughter and eventhough I saved all 30 of my carbs for that evening ..I slurged and had 1 brownie...and it ended my ketosis....even though I still had calories left over for the day, I guess the extra influx of carbs was not good,ketosis was over. The last 12 days I kept eating the exact same foods, still exercised and still stayed under my 800 calories....but the scale didn't move. Yesterday I decided to deprive my body of almost all carbs (less than15!!) still kept the calories at 800 and this morning the scale dropped 2 pounds!! So sometimes we just need to show our bodies whose the boss. shake things up. Shock it.-but whatever you do.....just don't give up. 5 more pounds before I hit 199!!! I set a goal to make that my May 4---thats when we leave on our cruise!

feel free to add me as well same username:waitingpatiently

This I can believe....if you aren't eating enough to substain your body...I could see where the body would slow the metabolism down. That is logical. But I guess we can start a new debate on how many calories actually needed to hold off self induced metobolic syndrome (SIMS)---haha..................Its not 2000 calories!!! My guess is it will be different for each person. New question: So if a person has been doing well at a certain calorie intake, and loosing their 1-2 pounds a week, hasn't added any additonal exercise.....when they hit a patch of not loosing.....we should be able to assume that it isn't SIMS right? Afterall, they are loosing weight and then their bodies shouldn't need any additional calories because its not working as hard as it was when you were 5,10,15 heavier. In fact, it might be worth considering that since you have lost weight and your body isn't working as hard as it was that by eating the same amount of calories after loosing a significate amount of weight MIGHT be why you are not loosing anymore. Think about Weight Watchers.....You are allowed so many points if you are 300lbs....but as you loose weight, you aren't allowed to keep eating the same amount when you are 200 lbs, you have got to reduce the points. Now if a person adds additional exercise to their daily routine, then they very well may need to add additional calories. but just because you stop loosing weight, it doesn't mean you should automatically add more calories.

You might to check out the Starvation Mode thread that was started a couple of days ago and is still very active I think you would find some theroies and ideas over there. (not that you won't find them here--hahaha...but they are already over there and you can read them now rather than waiting for replies)

well maybe it just doesn't exsist for me---hahaha When I was a teenager (healthy and fit just average weight) I had to have I massive reconstruction done on my face. My jaws were wired shut for 12 weeks and I had over 300 stictches in my mouth....the only think I could "eat" were thin liquids...could not have any texture what so ever. During that 12 weeks I watched myself dissapear in the mirror. When all was done, I was 5 foot 7 and 95lbs......If my body didn't go into starvation mode then, I better assume that I wasn't built with that feature. I have never required a lot of calories. As a teenager and young adult I ate very little and was very active so I guess I never put much thought into ever being over weight. It wasn't until after children I became less active and had a problem. suddenly eating 1200 calories a day I would be adding pounds every month. I determined for me to loose weight (1-2 pounds a week).....I must be under 900 calories....to maintain I can do about 1000. Those are my magic numbers.....I think everyone has them. We all are made differently so yours may be less.....but are most likely higher than mine. The point is learn your body......sometimes it takes months, if not years, to figure out what our body wants from us. just hang in there, make good food choices,(because even though our brain wants the chips, our bodies have no need for them) and figure out your magical numbers.

I'm not sure if you can reset it, but you can just go to www.tickerfactory.com and make a new one, then copy the computer language on the last page that says bbd (blackboard). then paste it under your signature (located on the settings page) hope that helps

I agree, if you aren't sure ask your doctor. No argument here. I did because this whole band thing is new to me and didn't know what to think about it. BUT the suggestions were great. It was part of the educational process. I think everyone is saying the same thing. I think you are more concerned that some will go out and buy all these OTC drugs and WON'T have all the information they need rather than someone making the actual suggestion---I can see that I think most of make suggestions with the understanding that they have/or will understand what they are taking and assume that if they don't they would ask their doctors. Its kind of like the OTC drug commericals on TV. How they tell you they have the best cold medicaine out there and you should buy it. Well if were a heart patient, I might would want to make sure it wasn't going to raise my blood pressure before I take it, so I would call they doctor. But I'm not a heart patient, (and don't have any other major health issues) so I feel comfortable going and buying cold medicine without consulting my doctor first.---the same is true here. Members are just giving a suggestion for what worked for them......each person needs to make a decisions as to wheather or not they should take it or not. And if you aren't positive check with your doctor. No one would ever suggest "here take this"...........and whatever you do don't call your doctor.

You need to do what is right for you. If eating out is going to sabatage you then you are wise to stay away. If you aren't ready to tell her that you are having surgery, but don't want to leave her hanging, I would suggest maybe you could have dinner at your house.....more work for you, but you get to control the menu and can still spend some time with your friend.

I didn't have a binder, but I did put on a pair of spanx that were to big, the extra pressure did feel nice.

As a newbie on here I GREATLY appreciated all the suggestions that people made. I never new they made gas X in dissolvable strips!!They were a life saver after surgery. Or papaya enzemys may help if/when I get stuck. I made a list of everything people suggested I have on hand before surgery from heating pads to life savers and took it to my doc and asked him there was anything on there he didn't want me to have.....He said nope. And asked if he could make a copy of the list to give to other patients. Most people that have serious health conditions are aware if other medications will interact with OTC medicines and if they don't, they should. Thats being a inform patient. Regradsless if they are taking any advise from this bunch.

mandyluvmylapband-What a great attitude!! We ALL make mistakes but its what we do in the aftermath that makes us a sucess or a failure. You aren't a failure, until you give up. Some might have choose to blame the band and have it removed....Its sometimes hard (at least it is for me) to admit to ourselves that we have messed up....and have no one to blame but ourselves. It sounds like you are back on track, motivated and ready to get down to business and loose that last 45 pounds. Thank you for sharing.....it helps us newbies realize if we get complacent and stop following the rules, we too may face the consquences. Please stay pluged into the site so we can help support you, and you can help guide others that have gotten sidetracked BEFORE they end up with a slip.

Although the scale might be on vacation right now.....have you thought about measuring yourself?Sometimes we are building muscles and our bodies start to change shape. It might help to have a base measurement of you waist, thigh, arms, calfs...and when the scale stops, switch to measuring yourself, you may see some differences and that will help you keep motivated during the slow times. Also I would suggest shocking your sysytem. Change up your exercise routine. If you always do 30 mins on a treadmil, try doing 30 mins on the elliptical.Consider adding an extra day of exercising. Same thing with diet. If you aren't already doing a high protein/low carb diet...consider shocking your system by depriving it of carbs for a couple of weeks.....that usually works for me.

Probably have a little low sugar...I felt similar on day 5 and tested my sugar and it was 52...I called my sugeon and got permission to move up to full liquids and added a few things with carbs in it to my diet and I felt much better.

Some feel that it does exist others (like me) say no. It just doesn't make since to me. I work in healthcare and just can't see where its possible. However, I do think everyones body is different. Some bodies I think work more effiently than others and don't require as many calories. My body must be REAL effient because if I ate 1200....and didn't work my butt off exercising, I would gain weight. But I know I'm not quite the average. I was on a 1200 calorie day limit for years and still gained about 1/2-3/4 a pound a month. Since December I have religiously kept my calories to less than 900 and for the last 5 weeks have been less than 800 (all but 3 days) and have only lost 30 pounds...this includes pre-op and 4 weeks of post-op. It crazy how our bodies are different....but I would STRONGLY suggest that you don't eat the 2000 calories a day. Maybe normal people can eat this much and not gain weight, but most with weight issues would probably gain. I would suggest you start at the 1200 calories and give it a good try....if you aren't seeing progress, then I would drop it down to 1000 and try again. Hopefully that you will do it for you. Plus I would consider doing a high Protein low carb diet.....it seem to work well for a lot of bansters (including me). Good luck. Oh...ps.....be careful counting your exercise calories from my fitness pal. I noticed it was giving me credit for burning way more calories than I had. (i put in that I did the elliptical for 30 minutes and it gave me credit for something like 550 calories...where my actual machine only gave me 240. ( I have a high-end machine....so I believe it over myfitnesspal) I know 30 pounds is nothing to sneeze at, but thats only about 2 pounds a week.....thus the reason I decided to get the lap band I'm hoping with a few fills I will be satisfied with only eating 800-900 calories and not feel like I'm on a diet all the time.

The first few days, you probably won't be able to get a Protein shake down. I bought a product called New whey...you can get it at walmart. It has 42 grams of protein in just 4oz and it is like kool-aid....I would mix it with 32 oz of crystal light and sip on it all day. I also bought the unjury chicken broth..it has 20grams protein per cup. Most doctors have you on thin/clear liquids for atleast a week before moving you up to full liquids where you would be drinking the traditional thick Protein drinks....but every doctor is different Oh by the way the New Whey comes in grape, acai berry and watermellon I mix grape with the grape kool-aid purple smash, the acai berry with the walmart great value grape blackberry, and the watermellon with crystal lights cherry lime-aid.-----I will also throw some ice in the blender and pulverize it to be a snow cone consistence and then pour the drink over it. I would drink it with a spoon and it helped me control how much I was drinking (no large gulps) the first few days.

Depending on how much swelling you have, some patients have a hard time just getting water down....so you may need to crush it. If you are like me....I must not have had any swelling...it would not have been an issue.You will just need to wait and see where you are after the surgery.

I found it at an asian market....but you may need to look for it under other names....miracle noodle, yam noodles.--just make sure it is 0 carbs and 0calories. It was very hard for me to find in my area...only 1 store out of about 7 I tried had it. They are pretty good....they smell a little fishy when you open them....but once you rinse them off its not too bad. They hold up to light sauces, but they would get lost in a heavy spaghetti sauce. But definately worth a shot.

Hi sarahbear...sounds like you are doing everything correct. I have found the high protein/low carb diet working well for me. I will tell you I keep my carbs a little lower at 35, but everyone can tolerate them a little differently. I do 800 cal/60+protein/less than 35 carbs I was consistently loosing 3 pounds a week until the dreaded Friday the 13th!! it was my daughters Spring Ball and I was organizing it so I was there...I was good to make sure there were pleanty of veggies for me to eat and I saved all my carbs for that evening "just in case"...in a moment of weakness I ate a brownie....Just 1 brownie!!! I know it probably well exceeded my 35 carb limit and that ended my ketosis.....I'm so sad. I went back to my regular high protein/lowcarb diet the very next day...but nothing has changed....the scale has not moved since.grrrr It is my plan to really restrict my carbs this week...back to less than 20 in the hopes of entering ketosis again, and then make my way back up to 35 in a couple of weeks...hopefully this will shock my system into compliance!! Thought maybe you might had had one of those days recently...and maybe you aren't in ketosis anymore. Might be worth a shot.

I would agree with cazzy....I wouldn't have it removed unless I was experiencing significant issues. But if you really would like to remove it, I would do as she suggested and have a unfill first just to make sure the band isn't a lifesaver instead of a crutch.

ntassiello- Hang in there you are still at the starting gate. everyone is a little different when it comes to healing time. It took me a good 10 days to even think about exercising and another 4 days before I actually did--haha As for your hungar....congradulations!! that means you are healing nicely.....You probably haven't had as much swelling as others and aren't experiencing any restriction at all. therefore the liquids are holding you very long....I was much the same way. I would suggest that even though you can probably drink a Protein drink like you did before surgery, I would still work on nursing it for as long as you can. It seemed to help my hunger pains. I know its hard but hang in there, You will make it....just listen to your doctor and don't break the rules.

Not a problem as long as you eat protein....those with bypass have issues with it because they aren't able to absorb all their nutrients.

I was the same way....I must not have had very much swelling because drinking was never an issue....and by day 4 I was starving.But you will survive.....by day 7 your stomach gives up and figures out you aren't going to feed it. My stomach grawled so hard and for so long it was actually painful....just keep drink those Protein shakes and waters Its worth it. hang in there