Kime-lou

Yes, I was told to thin them down good because if you don't add enough water or milk they will become like concrete after a few min. Be sure to add enough liquid to it.

Yesterday every time I ate I felt like I was getting stuck in my throat not my band. It didn't feel like a normal stuck occurance. Just felt like I couldn't swallow. Almost like I had a burp the need to come up and the food was trying to go down. No pain just an odd pressure. Basically I ate as little as I could get away with yesterday. Today I seem fine. Didn't have any trouble with Breakfast and eating an orange and cheese right now with no problem. Anyone else have this happen? It was really annoying.

Thanks Ladies- I have been having some sinus issues and it's been CRAZY at my house prepping the house for the in-laws coming this week. I have been going from sun up to past sun down the last week and feel like I don't have enough time to get it all done in. So stress and sinus- maybe that was the cause.

That was in my mushy period. Talk to the doctor or nutritionist.

I am the same as Missy and Carolina Girl, I can drink until I start eating, but once I start no liquid until 30 min after I finish my meal. My nutritionist said that drinking during the meal, pushes the food through quicker, all WLS pt are told this including gastric bypass pt. I tried drinking during a meal once and it's true I was hungry much quicker, so I just choose not to drink during meals, will drink a glass of water before and one 30 min after.

So I am pretty down at the moment. Last month I kicked butt - lost 8lbs. This month 1 so far. I am stuck at 201. I know that for the last week I am eaten a little more than normal, but still well below my BMR. I know I only have myself to blame so I should just shut up and get back on the program. With Thanksgiving coming and me cooking it, I hope that I can be good. I am really an addict. I see all the wonderful food and I want it. I have got to get back in touch with my control. I was so gun ho at the get go, but now I am falling down. Life has gotten busy and I am rushing trying to prep for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have something scheduled every single weekend from now until mid-Jan. I don't make time to excercise because I am going from before the sun rises until my head hits the pillow at night. Hadn't even had time to have "play" time with the hubs in 2 weeks until he finally said last night you gotta stop I just need a little time- so I stopped at 8:30 and spent and hour with him, feel kinda bad I feel asleep on his should. I know this journey is all about me and I have got to take ownership of it, it is my responsibility to do what is required to make the band a success. The thing of it is that I have never had a lot of confidence in myself so I always have that fear in the back of my head that I will fail. Today when I get home I have to go to the attic and get out all the christmas stuff - since Thanksgiving with the in-laws is both Thanksgiving and Christmas we are decorating. This is going to be a long couple of months!!! Any encouragement would be appreciate!

Ok, let me preface this with, I know I could see my nutritionist, but I can't afford to see her right now. It cost me 300 bucks to see her, I'd rather spend my money on seeing my doctor monthly to checks. I am having morning hunger issues. I get up about 5:15a and have to leave for work at 6:15a. I am NOT a morning person. I have eaten Cereal for years for Breakfast, but I find my one cup of cereal normally last till about 8:30. If I eat a snack then it still doesn't last me till lunch. This morning I tried brining my breakfast with me to work and ate about 8, but I was hungry by 9:30. I wish I had the time and get up and go to cook eggs, I know the Protein would help, but I don't have the time and drive. I have a hubby to help get ready for work (He is blind- I pack his lunch and his work bag), and two dogs to deal with before I can leave. Normally, if I can make it to lunch without eating the house down, I eat, and then I don't have any problems until about 4 when I will eat a hand full of nuts or an apple and that will hold me till 6 when we eat dinner and I don't have issues after that. Any AM snack/breakfast ideas would be apprecated.

I understand. I have lost 43 lbs since June and I still feel fat. I am hovering at 201 and know i am still obese, but I still feel big. I think it is our mind. Try to finds something postive to concentrate on. Mine is my face, when I look in the mirror I notice my double chin is gone and I can see my cheek bones and my neck. So when I start feeling that way I look at my face in the mirror and smile- and see my dimples that I have never seen before and know I have made progress. Stay strong.

Sounds good!! I am doing Thanksgiving this year. The fam doesn't know it yet, but it will be SF thanks to splenda and as healthy as I can make it Let's hope they like it.

I am not a black woman, but I believe what you are saying transends the color barrier. You are right on all your points and I am sure you are an amazing speaker- would love to hear you. Your view reminded me of a lot of things that I had forgotten or just overlooked for a while. I was lucky, my parents were wondeful and raised me well. But once I started school I was picked on horribly for not having fancy clothes, for not being as thin as others, then for being all out fat and then for glasses, then for being smart- the list goes on. I was an adult before I started to gain self esteem and it was because I over heard someone describe me. The person speaking was a former teacher of mine, he said that girl is as weak as a kitten so timid and shy, yet her dad is one of the most well spoken, repected and like law enforment officers in the county. I was shocked, that was what people thought of me. I made of my mind right then that this kitten was going to grow up into a lioness- and I have and still am. Keep speaking, keep preaching- all of us no matter our race, age, sex we need to hear these things you are saying. You are Awesome and I appreciate this post greatly.

You are very correct. People do treat you different when you are obese. Glad you are now on the flip side.

You are scared that is all. Each of our bodies react differently to weight loss. Some are able to tone right up and be fine, other have the saggy skin. You do not know and won't know until you loose where you will fall. Most people fall in the middle, have a saggy skin in key places. Some have to have it removed for medical reasons, some donate it to burn centers to lower the cost. Just try not to stress, dreams are often just manifasations of our own fears.

I was lucky, I have an amazing surgeon who doesn't try to push any surgery on anyone. He said in the seiminar that he could talk up point of any of the surgeries and make it sound like that is the best one, but the truth is no one of the surgeries alone will make you loose weight. You will only get out of any of them what you put in. I know someone who had gastric bypass 8 years ago, she is now bigger than she was before she had it. Yeah she lost 150, but only kept it off for a year before putting it back on. The decision is yours, you must look at the facts and make the decision that is best for you. I wavered back and forth between the band and the sleeve. I opted for the band. What my surgeon told me is that for anyone you will loose as much as you are committed to loosing. Yes, you loose quicker with the sleeve and with the bypass, but at the 1 and 2 year mark the total weight loss averages are about the same thing. My BFF had the bypass 2 years ago, she lost 100 lbs quick, now she has gained back about 10 and is maintaining there and happy. I think I will also loose about the same, but mine will not be as quick. So look at the facts of all the surgeries and go with what you feel comfortable with.

You may need to have a heart to heart with the hubs, me and mine did before surgery. I told him I needed his support not his policing me. He has done great. He encourages without pushing. For the first couple of months I felt the same way. Now I have gotten more into a groove and actually think about food less than I ever have. Also, I suspect that the feelings you are having are depressive. I have battled depression since I was 12 years old. I am on meds and boy do I feel better. I am able to cope and not get frustrated or angry or overwhelmed which would lead me to emotional eat. It sounds as if you are emotional eating. Try something- the next time you head to your fridge as yourself am I hungry or do I want xyz to fill a void. Also, instead of eating something 1st try drinking a glass of cold water- that will often stop that desire to eat. Attempt to journal. Change work out plans (different excercise). Find something to get excited about. The best thing to get out of a rut is to find something to look forward to. Good luck

Like you said - it helps keep you hydrated, you aren't taking in as much food and food contains Water so you need to get it from the water. 2 it does help you stay full longer. 3. it helps flush salt from your body, you may not eat a lot, but it doesn't take much to cause water weight gain. The water helps delute the salt and your kidneys flush it out. I have also heard that it helps up your metabolism, but that wasn't from a doctor so I am not so sure I believe it.

Take a deep breath ladies!!! During my first month I was a basket case only wanting to see the weight going down. However, daily your weight fluctuates. Like you said when you are living on a calorie count of 800-1000 it is impossible to gain!!! Like missy said your weight can be up from Salt content, period, and depends on the time of day you weigh. I am one of those who weighs dailey, each morning as soon as I wake up and pee. All I have on is a light weight T-shirt. This way the day to day is more accurate. I chart this. My weight flucuates between 2 lbs a week. One day I may be 201.6 the next 202.6, however living on my 1200 calorie diet it is impossible for me to have gained a pound. The pound can be from Water weight, exericse, ect - tons of reasons. This is why I weigh each day. I chart daily and at the end of the week I take an average- as long as that average is down I am good, if it's up I go and look at what I did for the week or what time of the month it is. Honestly, you really may not have gained. Not to mention like Missy says the first month you are healing, if you don't lose don't sweat it, you will. Try not to stress that nasty stress horomone will not help you!

I'd wait and resize when you hit goal. What my BFF did when she was losing was went and bought and inexpensive stack ring (you can get nice onces from Jared for $60) in a size that fit and put that on the end. It looked like she just had an extra ring beside her wedding rings and looked good- that prevented her wedding rings from sliding off. You can also buy an insert that will make the ring tighter. Great problem to have!!

I am doing what I was told and DRINKING!! I drink any where from 80-100 oz of water a day and I seem to live to potty. I swear my co-worker must think I have an over active bladder. Unfortunately my bosses office is right across from the woman bathroom and I am afraid he will say something about me going to the bathroom every 20-30 min. Do you have this problem? However, now that I have started drinking this much a day, if I go a day and drink less (like a busy weekend day) I feel thirsty. I know it's good to rid my body of the bad stuff, but geez I feel like I have to go pee as soon as I get into anything. To another topic-- My weight has stalled out for 2 weeks in the 201-202 range. It is my week for my TOM, but no bleeding- only cramps. I do weigh everyday (chill it's ok- I do not let this bug me- I look at patterns not the day it's self) and each day I am getting any where from 201.6 to 202.4 and I weigh at the same time of day each day with the same thing on. I have had this happen before so I know it will get better, however, I had made a goal for myself to be below 200 by Thanksgiving and I am so freaking close. The last few days in prep for the holiday I have been steaming/shampooing my carpets rather than working out. I work all day then come home and start working on my carpets. I have a 3000 sq ft house and 2 dogs (one is a puppy), 2 cats and a husband. I gotta get back to the normal workout, but I also have to have my house ready for the invasion of in-laws (which I am happy about). Then this weekend the hubs wants to deck the halls since this will be our Thanksgiving and Christmas with his family. Oh well, pray for me all I will need it!!

I would also say call your doctor and find out the best course of action. But other than that I would say make sure you are drinking lots of liquids- Water, hot cider (be aware of calories), decaf sf hot tea (add splenda if needed) and make sure you are taking your Vitamins. My Dr okayed me using the nasal sprays for stuffiness that has really helped me when I feel a cold coming on (I use 4-Way from the local pharmacy). Hope you are feeling better soon.

I am almost 5 months out and mine is still noisy. Not sure why, but the doctor says it's normal. It's annoying in church when the preacher is praying and my stomach talks back- people think I am starving myself, but I'm not.

Start over- do a week or at the least a few days of liquids, then mushy, then solid. Always keep portions to one cup, eat high Protein, and keep calories around 1000 (some go for 800, I can't handle that I keep mine around 1200 and that works form me). Good luck.

I got pregnant 3 times prior to lapband, and I lost all three babies. The doctors can't find anything wrong with me or my hubs. They don't believe my weight caused the miscarriage. When my weight hit 247 after the 2nd and I only got it back down to 244 in 2 years, I decided to get the band. After all losing weight is can't hurt. I was told by my band doctor and my OBGYN that I should weight one year post op to try and get pregnant again. So we will wait till next summer.

Thanksgiving day will be my 5 month band anniversary. As of today I have lost 43 lbs. I feel good and feel that I have been pretty successful. This hasn't been the easiest journey, but hasn't been as difficult as I once imagined. I struggle with hunger at times and am in an ever evolving mode of searching for new healthy food options. I love finding tasty new ideas that are healthy. I have found a tasty stir-fry that both the hubs and I love that uses chicken breast, onions, 2 cloves of garlic and a bag of bird eye steam fresh asian medley veggies- so yummy with just a touch of low sodium soy sauce, a sprinkle of ginger, and a dash of red pepper flakes for heat. Breakfast has become a struggle since I don't do mornings and can't drink protein shakes (makes me sick- I am odd I know). Some bandsters on here said to try a boiled egg or oatmeal- which I will be trying over the next couple of days. Gotta come up with something that will feel me up and not let me get so hungry before lunch. Each time I go in for a feel and as I lose more weight things change and evolve regarding what works and doesn't work. At the start bread was no issue for me, however now, bread gets stuck, I guess that is because of the band being tighter. Whole wheat thin toast works ok. All meat use to be ok, but now if it is the slightest bit tough and I mean slightest I can't do it- just as well spit it out (I know gross). I have had to learn to brush a touch of olive oil over my chicken breast prior to baking so they are tender and juicy and that works great. I am learning not to be so picky. As time goes on, I can eat so little at one time that I have gotten over being picky about what I have for a meal. If I have some left over veggies and can sprinkle some WW cheese on it heat them up and call it a meal. Before I would have had to have a full course. I suppose everything is an evolution, I evolved into a fat person over years of over eating, not I am going the other way. I guess a slow steady evololution is the best way to go, which is what the band is helping with. As this journey continues, I wonder what else will change? I wonder what I will learn to eat and what I will learn I don't want any part of?