banditalovely

use myfitnesspal to log all those things and check your calories. it sounds like what i am eating and i have lost 57 lbs. if you don't feel full you might want to talk to your doctor, but it sounds like you are making healthy choices, so you should be losing weight. are you?

I am not sure what he means by only eat animal Protein? you are going to need vegetables and other nutrients from food besides animal protein. I would imagine he is saying those who eat animal protein are most successful because unlike Protein shakes, it takes longer to digest and sits longer in your stoma, so you will feel full longer. But unlike vegetarian protein options (tofu, quinoa) animal products have fewer carbs. So i would suggest eating what you like, but definitely try to minimize your carbs. I have had the best luck losing weight when I around 100 g of carbs a day. really no matter the calorie intake for me (I can range from 1,200 to 2,500 in a day and still lose weight if i'm watching my carbs). Also, animal products will have more diverse Proteins, so you will have more of what your body is craving as nutrients satisfied. if you would rather get proteins from peanuts or vegetarian sources, just look at the carbs and account for them in the rest of your food choices, and make sure you are looking up how to get all the essential amino acids in your diet so you don't have hunger from not getting the right nutrients.

my dr says you can't absorb more than 25 g of protein in a meal, so just be careful to still have enough protein outside of this drink. also is it whey isolate protein? cause that makes a difference (according to my nutritionist). Good find though.

I am at 7.5 cc's in a 12 cc band. I had a fluoro fill last time, and they did the barium test to give me just enough saline to let fluids pass, but I think my body has since adjusted. I need to make it to the drs appointment for my next fill (if he can even do it then-- my port is hard to find) in 2 weeks. So some sort of shock to the system is what I'm looking for. Something to refocus me, tangible goals. I am probably just going to do the 5 day stoma shrink thing and stick with Protein from liquids to solids. Thanks all for the support. I think if I can lose 5 lbs in these 2 weeks I will feel much better about myself. If anyone else has a way they hit reset though I am really open to trying. (sorry to post on my own post a million times. I appreciate all the comments.)

I guess I am not bumming because I ate lasagna or even ice cream. I knew those things would slide, and I wouldn't feel satisfied, and although I ate more than normal, I don't think I actually did any damage to my weight loss. I guess I am just asking for some help figuring out a restart. I really liked the "shrinking your pouch" link that was posted here. Anyone else have ways that they restart their diets if they are slowly falling off track? I need something to focus on to help break some of my bad habits.

I guess I am just surprised I can eat 2 cups, because before this past week or so I couldn't. I would feel a fullness around 1 cup. And that was my trigger to stop. If I only eat 1 cup, I am starving an hour later. I realize I can just decide to eat less, but I thought the band was supposed to help with this part of the process. My problem has always been portion control. I have been fighting it for 25 years now. The fact I'm not eating 4 cups means I'm trying. When I'm eating 2 cups, the extra cup is coming from vegetables. I have come to love canned, no salt added green Beans with the smallest hint of bacon bits. So it isn't a calorie problem. Just a portion problem. I want to be full on less.

I had my surgery July 6th. I have lost 45 lbs since I started my preop diet. I haven't really started exercising, although I do use a fitbit and have doubled my average number of steps per day since once I recovered from the surgery (from 5000 to 10,000+). I just started this week to feel in a slump though. I lost another 1.3 lbs this morning, but somehow I just don't feel like I am on track. Today is the first day in 3 weeks I have lost any weight and last night I would say I went on a "binge" eating ice cream, lasagna, cake etc-- all accounted for in my online food log. I journal on myfitnesspal.com which has been really helpful in not letting a binge get to 6000 calories, but the last 2 weeks have been a struggle to limit my food. I was originally eating between 900-1200 calories a day and feeling satisfied. The last 2 weeks I have been closer to 2000 calories, and even got up to 3000 one day (cheese has been a real problem for me, and so has drinking my calories). Since the surgery I now have a relationship, my clothes fit better, I can objectively see weight loss, but somehow I still don't feel successful. What is wrong with me! I am going to start going to the gym this afternoon. I brought work out clothes to work so I don't have the chance to go home and start sitting on my couch. My friends don't know I have the band (except a few who are really supportive). A friend of mine I haven't seen since before surgery was trying to put his finger on why I looked so much better this weekend. I guess the weight loss is noticeable but not in a direct way-- why doesn't this make me feel better? I told my new boyfriend about the band a few weeks into the relationship and he is so supportive, but still doesn't really understand. He thinks it is just about portion control and the band will do the work for me, so the idea that I have to try and keep low carb and low calorie doesn't exactly make sense to him. I am almost grateful he is going to be gone for 2 weeks so I can avoid eating out. I don't want to be "a girl on a diet", particularly not in my relationship. I want to be "a girl who feels satisfied by less food and is more active". I don't know why I'm struggling so much today. It is the first day I have been back on this site looking for support in months. I called my surgeon today and asked for a fill appointment. I can eat more than 2 cups of food in a sitting and am not feeling satisfied at all. The preop cravings are all back-- even if I feel tight. I do sometimes get stuck though, and a few weeks ago I was PBing daily. I wonder if I stretched my pouch. That would be terrifying. I feel like I have learned to cheat my band, and I just want to kick myself for letting this happen. I guess the only benefit is that I am catching this while I'm still moving in the right direction and haven't gained any weight back, yet. That is a big difference for me compared to preop, I'd say. Please send support. I am needing someone to hold me accountable and kick me back in to gear!!! Any suggestions on how to "reset" my habits would be so helpful! Sorry this turned into a long rambled mess. I just feel so wah right now. xxox lovelybandette

I feel ya girl. I have been successful with my band since July 6th (lost 45 lbs even!) and still feeling like I am not being successful. I don't know if it is lack of support or just a mental block. I am feeling really down today about my progress and ability to control my food. Good luck getting through this slump. My attempt to get out of it is to buckle down for 5 days. Really put in the 100% effort. No eating out. No drinking. No couch eating. Get into the gym a few times. Walk more. And hopefully by Saturday I will have hit my reset point and feel better about myself. Not sure what else to tell you. If you figure out how to get out of this slump first let me know! Good luck to you!

i know it won't fix the problem totally, but i am using biotin and other vitamins (E, DHA) that are supposed to help with skin elasticity. I use MSM soaps and lotions on my stomach. I am a grad student too, so i understand the struggle to find 20k to have a surgery. maybe these small, cheaper tricks will help enough to make you feel better about that area? Let me know if it works. I am still early in my journey but would love to think that the things i'm doing might help..

water. drink more water. always happens to me.

i got 3ccs at surgery. i just got my first fill (4 weeks later). it wasn't easy to find the port so i had a fluoro fill. they were able to do a barium test and he was more aggressive with the fill. i am at 7.5 ccs now and although i can physically eat more, i do feel some restriction. i have been stuck and pb'd so i think i am in like a yellowish green zone. i might go back for more, but i would like to see how i do at this one first. try eating some foods that aren't so "band friendly", like apples with skin, eggs. Your band might be able to handle the little more chunk in the food and allow you to feel more restricted. Be careful though, I'm not a doctor.

Name, real or screen~ lovelybandette Goal weight for August 31st~ 245 Weight on August 1st~ 258 Age~ 26 Dietary goal for August~ reduce calories Exercise goal for August~ start swimming Personal goal for August~ plan a non food related activity for friends Date banded~ 7/6/12 Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 35# What is your favorite place to travel?~ best trip i took was to prague, but i like the beach.

the shakes gave me a lot of gas. you might be experiencing that too. esp in the morning when you haven't moved around a lot.