SueBee01

Try some clear liquid protein or unflavored powder to add to you drinks.

Hopefully that first fill will be just enough for you. That was all I needed. Good you are able to get to the one cup now with 3-4 hours. That is awesome. You may not want very much added. Go slow as you matpy be a lucky one like me. I have only had one fill and almost 11 months post op.

That is great. I remember the first month, I was eating about 1/2 a cup 4-5 times a day and drinking all day. I counted the protein in on my meals. It tool me an hour to drink one! Hope you are feeling better.

IHOP, kid's meal egg, turkey bacon and multigrain pancake with blueberries (1/2 the pancake). Any Mexican place, 3 chips with salsa, one chicken taco (lettuce, tomato, cheese) with a spoon of refried Beans added and no shell. Seafood place, grilled Mahi Mahi, grouper, swordfish or Tillapia with green beans and a little bit of sweet potato (sometimes sweet potato fries but only 4 or 5 fries). McDonald's, grilled chicken snack wrap (throw away the wrap) and a bag of apples. Any sandwich shop, 1/2 of a six inch sandwich on a wheat or multigrain bread, usually itallian sub, cheese, lettuce tomato with vinegar and oil or mustard (take the top piece of bread off and throw it away) you can add all the other veggies, but I am picky! Love Golden Corral, small piece of grilled fish, small piece of pot roast, any grilled veggie and small amount of fresh fruit. Domino's pizza, thin crust ham and pineapple or California veggie (1 piece). I don't like to do this one because it is white bread and too tempting. Only if I am out with others that insist on pizza. I pretty much gave it up unless I make it myself. I have a great pizza recipe if you want it. Arby's, a new favorite. Ask them to make you a special sandwich. Childs turkey with sliced cheese lettuce and tomato on their multigrain bun, throw half the bun away. It is awesome! Wendy's half size apple pecan chicken salad. I don't eat salads but love this one. I feel that a salad is just filler. There are so many other things you could eat that stay with you longer! Chili's, love their Margaretta chicken, I change it up to have black beans and broccoli, tell them no butter! Makes three meals for me. Ted's Montana Grill, kid's size steak, medium rare with fresh broccoli, no butter. The steak melts in your mouth. It is two meals for me even at the kid's size. Panda Express, I usually share a meal with my husband or you can get the bowl which will be two meals. The grilled chicken, no extra sauce and they have grilled veggies or I get the beef and broccoli for the broccoli. No rice or noodles. I could go on forever... At home... chicken with black beans and brown rice. I buy the uncle ben's brown rice you heat in the little Soup can and mix it with a can of drained black beans. Lasts me a week. I only eat 1/3 c mixed and 2 ounces of chicken all mixed together. Add a dab of sour cream! Baked fish in the microwave, any veggie, sweet potato. Takes 5 minutes. It has to be quick or I don't cook! Hope this helps! If you have other favorite restaurants, just ask!

You may want to find a new NUT! Mine is great. No calories counting from her, but I do it myself to see what I am doing. There are a lot of other proteins you can eat like cottage cheese, edemame, shrimp, crab, tofu, veggie burgers, refried beans. You can also Google proteins and it will give you a huge list. I also found that my taste buds have changed so much through this process that I am eating all kinds of things I wouldn't eat before. Good luck!

You can by them at any sporting goods store like Sports Academy or d**k's Sporting Goods. I picked up a couple from physical therapy, the plain rubber band and I tie knots on it to hold or put around my ankle. I also have a set with handles so I can stand on the rubber and do arm exercises. I also went online and Goolgled hip and leg exercises and found a couple good videos that shoe you some good stuff! Just do a little at a time to start.

Don't feel bad, it took me 12 years to figure it out!

Catherines makes great plus size exercise wear, Liz & Me. Also Glmourise sports bra! I still wear it and have had to by a smaller size every couple months now, but very comfortable and supportive without wire. You can watch their website and get them half off every month or so.

Love your dog, looks like my baby!

Are you logging what you are eating? If you are having to eat out, ask for the nutritional value menu. It will scare you into making good choices while out! Also, don't forget to split your meal before you eat or ask for the kids or senior size. I eat out most days. It just takes time to ask for what you want and made the way you want. Are you able to exercise? Get back on track with fish, chicken, etc. You can do it!

Healthy50, just makesure you are getting in 64 ounces of liquid. It is ok not to be hungry. you just have to stay hydrated and if you are early post op drink protein drinks, the make clear ones or unflavored powder if you are still on clears.

Wgbem, I have been pretty steady (2-3 pounds a week). I have had a couple weeks of gain and a couple weeks of maintaining. You just keep doing what you are supposed to do, change up your exercise a little and it starts again. I have really concentrated on more exercise, 1 to 1 1/2 hours each day.

Remember to not just to get fills to get fills. Practice the calorie counting just to see what you are really doing and adjust to the cup of food to see how long it is really taking til you get hungry. The smaller portion is hard to get used to. Don't eat until you are full. Just eat the cup and wait. You should not feel stuffed or actually "full" you should feel "satisfied." if your are not hungry for 4-5 hours, then you do not need a fill, just need to get used to the new portion size. You sound like you are well on your way! You may want to try some strength training too. I used rubber bands at home at first. Time permitting I go o the gym. I can always fall back on the bands.

Ask your doctor. I was not allowed to do strenuous exercise for six weeks. I would be safe and call them. That uses a lot of muscles.

What do you mean you can't eat? Put unflavored fiber powder in your water each morning, take a stool softener twice a day and to get you back moving take a Senocot pill. Now that your diet has changed you are not getting the fiber you used too. You will need to supplement it.

Amazing all of the different paths people have taken! Love how passionate people are about what they do, that will make you successful here too.

That is amazing! Most people don't stick to one job.

Glad you took the safe route to achieve your glow!

That is so funny, good for you! Amazing how people react to what others do or represent!

I did too, but I could not walk due to the pain. I exercised in a pool and bought a $20 set of pedals, sat my ass on the sofa in front of the TV and pedaled away. Still do when I can't get to the pool or gym. Every little bit helps! I started at 15 min and now I do 1 to 1 1/2 hours each day. Just find something, it doesn't matter what it is.

So true! Also exciting to see the change in yourself. I now would not even think of ordering thing I used to order. Doesn't even interest me anymore. I want to see the scale to continue on it's downward slope!

Wow CG, that is a lot of people! I work for the U.S. Navy as a Public Affairs Officer and cover the southeastern United States, Cuba and other parts of the Caribbean. Mostly internal communication - the media issues get crazy every once in a while though. Lot's of fun!

Restriction is a term people use that is a feeling that when you eat your "solid" protein, veggies and carb meal of roughly one cup you do not feel hungry for so many hours. It is different for everyone and the amount of fill to get you to where you want to be is different for everyone. It is also different based on the foods you are eating. Ideally you would like to be full in between your meals. I am not a good example because I am the rare person that eats a cup of food and is full for 6-8 hours. Most people shoot for 3-4 hours (that is what I read here). So don't go by what others do, get to a point where you are happy with how often you eat and make sure that you are measuring with real food and not mushies or protein drinks. And only eat when you are hungry. BTW, I have had only my initial first fill.

I was the same way except I let it go for 20 years and ended up at 330. I was a grazer and at when bored. I started cutting certain things while making the decision and going through all the preop stuff. Having the surgery really brought reality to all of those thoughts of being stuck and other possible band problems. It scares the **** out of me so I am very careful and I think that fear has helped me to be so successful so quick. I never expected to lose as quickly as I have. Hope to be at goal by my first anniversary. Do a lot of hard thinking, but I would also start tracking everything you are doing on MyFitnessPal so you really know. Make you commitment to exercise too, even if is just a little each day to start. I started at 10 minutes a day and now I do 1 to 1 1/2 hours each day. Good luck with whatever you decide!

I agree with everyone. Once you have had skin cancer you will never do it again and wear suntan lotion every day, summer or winter. I had sqwamous cell on my face, most painful surgery I have ever had. I live in Florida an wear lotion every day since then. No tanning for me anymore, anywhere!