HealthyNewMe

First, many people do not lose AT ALL the first few weeks after surgery (others do lose from the beginning). I think a big problem with most people is that they expect quick weight loss. The fact is, a good weight loss is one to two pounds a WEEK, not a day!!!!!! So, if a person loses between 4 to 8 pounds a MONTH, they are doing well. SUCKS, right???? I chose a different route along the last two years. I chose not to weigh but once a month...... I have seen anywhere from a three pound to nine pound weight loss each month. I do not get on the scale daily (my choice). Others get on the scale daily. It depends on what you can handle. Can you handle not seeing the number change on a daily basis? Can you handle a pound or two gain due to Water retention? I could not, so I decided to give up weighing daily. As I'm sure you have read, there is a period after lap band surgery and before getting enough fills to get in the GREEN ZONE. Many people experience little or no weight loss, hunger, and no restriction. Why on earth doctors and nurses don't explain this to banded people, I have no clue. My doctor and nurse practioner did explain that to me...... BEFORE MY SURGERY. So, I knew what to expect. It can be frustrating, but the band is not a magical fix. It works for those that work with it, and your total weight loss will NOT happen overnight, over a week, over a month, and in some cases over a year. Thus, you read about the weight loss as a JOURNEY. There are ups, downs, curves, flat plateaus , slips, and slides along that journey. Enjoy the journey. Log calories. Excercise. Make good food choices. It will work. It will work. It will work. Best wishes on YOUR JOURNEY.

Happy Day, Happy Year, Happy Life ! Slow and Steady WINS THE RACE !

There are a lot of successful, compliant banders on this site, so you are in the right spot. I have never "mentored" anyone before, but I have become a "buddy" with several banders. I have private message conversations with four different people, and I answer questions, offer support, and share what works for me and what doesn''t. I would be happy to buddy up with you. You can PM me. TAMMIE

As usual, a very well written article. The thing that touched me the most though, was in the title...... 20 YEARS. I knew I could "lose weight." Hell, I'd done that often. Lost 100 pounds twice before in my life. But, I've never once been able to MAINTAIN a weight loss. This is what gives me so much hope. Thanks Alex, a great read with my morning cup of coffee down here in The Big Easy !!!!!

I am so happy to read posts by WLS twenty-something year olds, but I am even more happy to read posts by the FABULOUS FIFTY + group of women and men who have taken charge of their health by FINALLY getting the right tool needed to deal with our weight issues. I may have had the surgery for totally different reasons than a younger person (maybe not)........ But, for the most part, look how much healthier we all are by getting a hold on all the weight related health issues and mobility issues we all faced or would have eventually had to face. Not to mention, how much better we feel in our own skin, now that it is not strectched out from here to there...... LOL

You and I were probably banded around the same time..... Life changing, huh? Best wishes for continued success!

Just checking to see how all of you are doing? @Julielockwoodjerrett...... I did take the family to Disneyworld in June..... Such a great trip. Not crowded, good temps, and being 130 pounds lighter made a HUGE difference in my stamina..... Thus, we stayed in the parks till MIDNIGHT every night!

I think the strange part of the whole "fill experience" is that we sometimes don't have the true effect of the fill until sometimes a few weeks later....... And I mean both ways. I can feel tight after a fill and it settles down to where, after a few weeks, I then feel NO restriction, and on the other hand, I've had fills that didn't seem to do anything right after, and then over a few weeks after the fill, I've had great restriction. A true ART for sure!!!!!!!

Believe when I say that I AM NO EXPERT...... Just wanted to mention maybe doing more cardio in your workout to burn more calories. Best Wishes!

Thanks @@Ladylapband and @bandarella.

Love that SMILE. Way to go!

I was told by two ER nurse friends that I must drink those fluids...... Water..... They have seen several post-op patients that dehydrated. You may be hungry or you may be experiencing head hunger, since you stated that you feel "more than full." My suggestion is to drink that water. Best Wishes!

How awesome..... Good for you. Hope that this is the first of MANY NSV's !!!!!!!!!!

Rayanne, Sadly, the only way I will get rid of mine is with surgery. The muscles I have developed are masked by INCHES of cottage cheese fat and extra skin...... Pitiful looking. Hopefully, that is not the case for everyone. I think I could jump off a cliff and fly with all of my extra bat skin.

I just re-read EVERY SINGLE POST.......... Makes me sooooo happy for every one of us !!!!!!!!!!!!

No problem for me !

Looking good there! Happy for your happiness !

The difference in my weight loss before deciding to exercise and after deciding to exercise ( a year ago) made a huge difference. I know there are MANY people on here that have never exercised and have lost a substantial amount of weight. But, for me, the exercise is what helps give me a monthly weight loss. I follow up with monthly doctor's visits. I weigh just once a month. The scale used to, and still, dictates how my days go, so I avoid it except at the monthly doctor's visits. I kept getting monthly fills until I had good restriction. I eat lots of Protein, and have cut out all sugar, white flour, bread, white potatoes, white rice, and white Pasta. I log into MyFitnessPal every single day. I eat about 1200 - 1500 calories a day, but burn about 700 calories a day through exercise. I do have a few days with a higher calorie intake...... Just to mix things up. I'm not saying that these are the answers for YOU....... Just sharing what I do.

I always wanted to be a "runner." However, I don't think it's meant to be...... I easily do 60 -65 minutes a day on the elliptical now. But, two weeks after surgery, I started out on the bike. I was able to do cardio, but not have to bear my weight.

That is so interesting...... Like I always thought...... I just want to be AVERAGE!

I ignore that message also....... Some days too few, some days too many, some days right on target....... It's LIFE!

I'm starting to get those comments from family and friends....... "Surely, you don't want to lose any more weight....... You don't want to get too thin." Are you kidding me?????? I still weigh 194 pounds and I still have an OBESE BMI. Of course I want to lose more weight, and don't worry...... I'll never be too thin!!!!!!!!

Congrats on being so successful. I sort of lurked on this site for a while w/out posting bc I couldn't remember my password to log in...... That's why I should only post on the the 50-something board.......LOL.

Walk, walk, walk. For me, the worst days were the first three, but not unbearable. I stayed on top of my pain meds. Best wishes and welcome to a whole new world!

I modify all Pasta with whole wheat pasta, and all bread with whole wheat bread (even hamburger buns and hotdog buns) for my family....... However, I usually don't either. I usually eat the hamburger patty with lettuce and tomatoes as the "bun". I usually eat the chicken and tomato gravy or the meatballs and tomato gravy in a bowl, and not even on the whole wheat pasta. I was addicted to bread and most carbs. Breaking that carb cycle was VERY HARD for me, but once I was able to do it, all cravings have subsided. Best wishes!