Summerrain

Welcome to the other side as others have mentioned stay hydrated and walk walk walk. Best of luck and a speedy recovery to you all!

Years ago I did a high Protein diet for five months and I ended up developing gout, I only thought you got gout from excessive drinking but I was wrong. I'm not a drinker, before being banded I'd be lucky to consume three bottles of wine a year. It caused a lot of pain in my ankles and toe joints which made it hard to walk. I do eat carbs but healthy carbs, there is no way I could do zilch carbs long term and its not healthy as we need complex carbs for our bodies to function properly. I've lost 70 pounds in five months and eating carbs hasn't hurt my loss.

Alcohol is fine by my nutritionist and surgeon but of course in moderation.

Actually I only eat 1/2 cup per meal three times a day, sometimes a little bit more. As advised by surgeon and nutritionist between 1/2 cup too one cup per meal and stop at 20 minutes. I always make sure my meals are protein rich to meet my daily requirements and that half cup lasts me five to six hours before I'm hungry again.

I was banded at the beginning on July and I have the same size band as you and I'm at 7.8. My doctor said on average 9 is when you get to greenzone. I'm there with what I already have in my band. If you are still hungry it means you need more fill to get you to the greenzone. Some people need more others need much less. As I loose more weight I slip back out of the greenzone and I go in to get just small top ups, like .3 or .2 and it puts me back where I need to be not feeling hungry for four to six hours between meals.

Do you have enough fill? Have you been in contact with your Bariatric people? If you can find the will to get back to basics those ten pounds will be gone quickly, if you don't and keep putting more on its going to be more of a struggle. Don't buy foods that tempt you in a weak moment, don't make yummy desserts, get rid of all the food that make you cave. Take it one day at a time, do more exercise to burn off the extra calories. Honestly the majority of us that have weight issues even though we loose it will always find a time we struggle and revert to old habits. Now you have a tool to help you, pull out all that will power you had when you lost it all and get back to good habits. Don't let all that hard work go to waste!

Hi Jeny, sounds like you are doing all the right things and yes if you are getting hungry in such a short time you do need a bit more fill. Another indication as mentioned to me by my nutritionist is if you wake up feeling hungry that's another indication of needing more fill. When eating I've been told to stop at 20 minutes, at that time you hit satiety. Eating beyond that is eating too much.

I went through periods of no energy and it was because as you mentioned lack of nutrients and minerals especially in the liquid phase, spoke to my nutritionist about it and was told to take Vitamins and to make sure my liquids contained lots of nutrients. I made my own vegetable Soups and put them through the blender till liquid and would have that and within a few days started to feel better again. V8 juice is highly nutritional, if you can drink it, I couldn't but the one with fruit and vegetables I was fine with. And lots if Water helps, two litres a day to help stay hydrated because being dehydrated can lead to bring tired also. Once you start on solids you should be ok. Hope your energy levels return quickly!

The hardest part for me was the pre op diet, I had to do a months worth, I wasn't perfect and ate a couple of things that weren't on my list but I was 90% compliant. I still managed to loose over 20 pounds in those four weeks. There were a few days of struggling after the band in relation to mourning food and feeling sorry for myself and days of crying till I worked out why I was so emotional. There were weeks of constantly feeling hungry till I got to the greenzone but it was manageable, I just kept myself busy and stuck to my instructions but a few times I ate more than I was supposed to but with the right foods not junk food. I'm just over four months banded, my obsession with food has gone, I eat healthy now with the occasional treat, my cravings have gone, my tiredness has disappeared, my confidence levels are returning, I'm sleeping really well, was snoring a lot pre band, I wake up refreshed and full of energy. And the best thing is that in the past after having lost weight if I hit a plateau or got frustrated I'd be back to my old eating habits and put all the weight back in plus some, then do it all again. Now if I get to that stage I'm more determined to break the plateau and work harder to keep loosing. Being in the greenzone, not having constant hunger makes this so easy. If I don't go to the supermarket with a shopping list I walk around the aisles not putting anything into my trolley as nothing interests me. There are ups and downs at the beginning but if you be honest with your surgeon/care team they help you work things out. I've been lucky as I've had no issues but unfortunately some people do. My only regret is not doing this years earlier. The band is making weightloss so much easier for me. I eat when I'm hungry and don't think about food till I'm hungry again and these days that's anywhere between 5 to 6 hours. My advice is educate yourself, ask a million and one questions and make sure you understand all your instructions because that part can be daunting initially. Life with the band is good!

This is normal what he is experiencing and it will get better as the days progress. When the shoulder pain hit me, which was only about four or five times thank goodness. I would get up and walk around the house for a while in between laying flat on my back or sitting up in a chair and relax as much as I could and deep breath for ten mins then walk again and keep repeating this process and found that within half an hour I had relief. I only took pain killers the first time and they didn't work. It's referred pain from the diaphragm area not gas. I wish him a speedy recovery!!

Jenymac, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! What an amazing NSV. I totally understand what you are saying. You proved to me by posting this NSV that you are in control now not the food in control of you, this is a conversation I was having with someone at a party I went to last night. You had a margarita and it was loaded with calories? You incorporated it into your new lifestyle and you accounted for it, to me that says you indulged in something you don't always have and enjoyed but were still within your calories for your day, this is what developing a healthy relationship with food is about and you sound like you've nailed it. Living with the band IS a lifestyle change not a deprivation diet. You didn't sound to me like you were rewarding yourself with food you came across to me as a person who is finally in control of living with food. I've only been banded four months but with my preop diet included I've lost just over 70 pounds. As part of being banded I knew I had to change my relationship with food and I have done that, yes it's early days and who knows how I will be in 12 months time, but last night at the party I proved to myself that I can go to a party or a restaurant and not make food so important that it takes over me completely. Did I have some birthday cake? Hell yes but it was only a sliver, enough to satisfy my taste buds and still be within my portion controls ( I don't count calories). In the past I would have been so focused and drooling as soon as I laid eyes on that cake and couldn't wait to have a piece or two. Last night it was totally different, it was like that's a nice cake and I totally forgot about it till some was offered to me and when it was I was no thank you just had some from my sons plate and went back to my conversation without giving the cake another thought. Again I say well done!!

I purchased the Dukan diet book after coming across it in a program on tv. I'm not going to follow it religiously but mainly bought it for all the high Protein recipes in it, they all look pretty good. One thing that is used a lot is quark cheese, I've never used this in the past nor have I come across it, so not sure how easily available it is. Does anyone know what a substitute or equivalent to this cheese in case I have a hard time finding it at the supermarket. Thanks.

Wendy you are right old habits are hard to break but each day it gets easier and easier. I agree with all these posts, no more dieting, no food is off limits, it's all about healthy eating and accounting for that treat or that extra bit if food or that slice of cake or that glass of wine or cocktail.... We need to develop a healthy relationship with food and become more active and not obsess over something we shouldn't have eaten. Count it in your daily calorie or portion intake, do a bit of extra exercise, enjoy what you eat. Last weekend I made chocolate chip banana muffins for the kids and I knew I would have eaten them too so what I did is I made them normal size and I made two tiny ones in those tiny little cupcakes and had one one day and one a few days later. It was just the right amount to enjoy with a cup of tea and enough to satisfy my palate. I really am enjoying this new healthy way of eating and enjoying the odd treat with no tummy pains or bloating from overeating. In the end if we don't account for things we are only lying to ourselves that's one thing I no longer do.

Thank you ladies, I just accepted, ill need to start logging now and see how I go. We shall see how long I'll last logging calories.

To those that use mfp and count calories religiously can you add me please, summerrain1962, I don't calorie count but might give it a go and just want to compare to my portion control. Thanks

I'm glad you've made an appointment. Because of all the stuck episodes and taking too big a bite and maybe eating too fast you have swelling and aggravation. What you need to do when this happens is to go on liquids till it settles then progress to mushies then back on solids. You are having problems with stuck episodes because your bites of food are far too big. If you continue this way you will cause yourself harm. I know it's tough but you've taken a huge step having a lapband put in to help you loose weight. You need to take a big step back and accept that your way of eating is different now. Don't think that you can never eat things you like, you still can but in much smaller portions, you aren't going to be deprived. Have you seen a nutritionist? If not I urge you to do so and talk to your carers about what's going on, they will be able to help you make the necessary changes. You have to want to make the changes to have a safe lapband journey and loose the weight. Also all that excessive mucus is your body producing it to help pass your food. Take the time to get your inflammation down and eat like you're supposed to and you'll find you won't be producing so much mucus either.

I've never been told not to drink or eat before a fill, I always go in early in the mornings so I don't eat as I'm not hungry but I do drink my water and have had no problems. I am required to do liquids for a day and if all is fine then progress to mushies then solids.

Yep sounds like ketosis which is a state you want to be in as your body will efficiently burn stored fat. High protein, low carb diets put you into ketosis.

To date I've lost 68.1 pounds (can't forget the .1). Some of it was on pre op diet ( just over 20 pounds) rest after being banded July 2nd. I attended seminars and meetings with my nutritionist, she taught me about portion control and healthier choices which I have stuck too. I'm one of those that doesn't count calories. I drink over two litres of Water a day, the occasional herbal tea. I've also had the odd cookie and chocolate, which is allowed as a treat. I mainly eat Protein and either vegetables or salad, I have bread maybe once or twice a week and occasionally have rice or Pasta. I've also become more and more active every day and I walk no less than an hour a day. And most importantly I keep in regular contact with my Bariatric centre, I was in the greenzone but the last week was starting to want to snack again at night and in between meals, after discussing it with my fill doctor she gave me a .4 ml top up and it put me right back where I need to be back in the greenzone. It's all about eating your right portions and right foods and having your band fine tuned all the time. A lot of people say the band is just a tool you need to find the will power to do all the right things, which is partly true but if your band is filled correctly then it is sooooooooo easy to follow the rules 100%.

Looking great!!!

Lol I love the cooking shows and I also started cooking like mad about a month after surgery but never ate any of it my husband and three kids told me enough mum!! My favorite cook to watch is Nigella, she is so seductive with her foods.

Yum I had turkey and salad for dinner tonight.

Actually I'm in the greenzone and have decent restriction and have chugged a few times with no problems. Some people can, others won't be able to. I drink 2 litres plus a day of water but some days when it gets really hot a good chug is the only thing that quenches my thirst.

Floridays you are all that!!! You have every right to stand on the highest mountain and shout it out at the top of your lungs. I'm only five months banded so still very new to all this. If I have any issues I will come to the forum to see if others are experiencing the same issues and I read the responses. Your posts are posts I seek out often. You've had great success and have invaluable advice and information to give us bandsters starting out and I appreciate that you care to share. There are a couple of others whose opinions/ answers I highly respect also. Missy is another fav of mine, she is also a great inspiration and gives sound, correct advice. I've been staying away from the forums lately as I was so sick of the nastiness going on and all the wrong info being posted and the personal attacks on others. Ffs we are all adults here with a common problem but most act like little kids in a playground. So I appreciate your responses and the time you take to still give us advice, if people want to take it take it , those that don't then move on. And just as importantly to those that just post for the sake of posting do your homework before posting wrong info because that can be very harmful. You go girl!!!

Just read an interesting article in a fitness magazine. It was about weightloss and feeling tired. One if the things they mentioned was carbs. If you restrict your carbs severely that can also lead to being tired.