Jachut

I do way better when I dont snack! I've never struggled to get enough calories, still have always had to work to keep the level reasonable. I mean, i cant eat 3000 calories in a day anymore without resorting to drinking pure cream and melted chcolate but i can certainly get in 1800 with ease if I snack. And even maintaining, that tends to make me 10lb heavier than I like to be. My magic bullet level to stay at 140lb (5ft 10) is about 1400 calories a day. And to do that, I pretty much dont snack. That's three good healthy square meals (bandster sized but containing all food groups).

Go out for a big long run in the fresh air - never fails to make me feel less bloated and toxic after I've overeaten. similar to how it feels when you're soooooo dog tired, its the last thing you want to do but exercise always picks you up! I dont WANT to run when I'm full of crap food but i always always feel better when I do. The keys to me - fresh air and really working up a sweat. You could do that with hard, fast walking if you're not a runner. But it needs to be sort of punishment lol. I guess I get those endorphins going and it blows away the guilt and disappointment of having eaten the wrong things. I also need the mental relief of knowing I've burned like 700 or 800 calories. That really does undo most pig outs for me.

Given that they all taste chalky to me - none. And given that I'm now wheat free, gluten free, lactose free, soy free and anything ending in "ol" free, that pretty much rules out ANY Protein shake on the market here, lol. That's not helpful, really, lol. I do however manage to get all the protein I need with food.

Well, this is the way I think too, so I've never hidden it from anyone. Also, someone at some stage may very well have thought I eat weird, or very little, or whatever, but nobody's been rude enough to say anything. I would also have no intention of going on a vacation and not relaxing and having a drink and one or two sometimes foods! I sit on one drink for ages, nobody counts you know! I'm only a wine drinker and thought I often get cajoled, I wont do shots or anything like that, not because of my band but because I hate getting drunk and feeling like crap. I also loathe pizza and McDonalds (other than fries) and will sit and not eat when others are purely because I really dislike those foods. If I'm pressed to eat fast food in that sort of situation, I just make the best of whatever's on offer without fuss. However, I'm sorry you appear to have gone away with a bunch of b*tches. Seriously, where does anyone get off questionin people like that about what they eat? That is not normal behavious. I went away for a weekend recently, but it was with FRIENDS. People that support me. OK, they all eat crap, and the whole weekend was about sculling margaritas and stuffing down junk food. I dont do that. I hate the way i feel when I do. I dont abuse my body in that way - and it has little to do with my actual WEIGHT these days. But everyone knows I have a lapband and nobody is threatened by the fact that I'm not chowing down to the same degree. Did I have a drink - YES. Did I eat chips - YES. But not to excess. Sseriously, this is LIFE, not a diet and you're in for a seriously miserable time if you stress this much over a week away. We dont all eat perfect all of the time, its not all or nothing. You can go away, eat at people's houses and such and just eat what's on offer without going hog wild and stuffing your face you know! Just stick to small portions. All or nothing thinking leads to big downfalls. Its a vital skill to learn, how to negotiate real life and real eating situations without the security of "safe" foods or a menu plan. Just go and enjoy yourself and dont overeat - including some of the tactics you have already employed. And I would suggest, although it is difficult when people are pushy like that regarding food, you just need to develop a thick skin.

I have had a deep and unrequited yearning for a really good toasted cheese sandwich for the entire seven years I've been banded. I dream about them. I've made many, taken a bite and its just failed to live up to expectation, I think its that toasted bread, any bread, although i can eat it, really makes me feel nauseous - I think its the yeasty taste. Today I tried making toasted cheese (good vintage cheddar), spinach, tomato and ham on rice cakes! And it was DIVINE! I just put it into the sandwich press like a sandwich. The outer was crispy and warm but didnt take over the flavour of the filling. They're small, so your sandwich is small, and they've got hardly any calories. Even on maintenance, I balk at the calories of a sandwich for a meal - it nearly always comes out at 400 or more, which I just wouldnt eat in one sitting for lunch.

So you are going to totally unfill your band voluntarily? Its virutally a given that people who lose their bands (which is the same as unfilling it totally) regain their weight, pretty darn quickly too. I too dont want to be offensive, I'm sure you've considered this in depth. Just have to ask though. The thing is, once you've trained your body to live on 1200 calories a day to lose the weight (or even less!) you pretty much have to live on that. You wont be able to eat what someone else of your height and weight can. You have to stay on a diet - forever. Which is why statistically people need their bands. I got my port moved and the back taken off it to reduce its profile during my tummy tuck. Now its just a very vague lump - and my BMI is 20 and my tummy very flat, so it doesnt HAVE to look freaky like mine did. But it still accessible.

At four months post tummy tuck the scar is VERY visible and most definitely more problematic than my tummy was (I had the TT for reconstructive purposes and to prevent further herniation after big abdominal surgeries, I had a pretty flat stomach anyway). But I had an awful twisted keloid scar that needed to be revised and when the colour has left my TT scar, it will not be a real problem. Its hidden in a bikini bottom. I truy dont know how you have a tumy tuck with almost no noticeable scars - its hip to hip! But it is a very flat, neat scar that when it loses it purple/red colouring will not be terribly ugly. And it would certainly be preferable to hanging flesh. I think if you're pale, you often scar better than olive skins - their scars tend to get that dark brown pigment. Us pale people get the red/purple colour that fades away to white. My lapband scars are totally white now.

It depends where you eat of course. As an Aussie, I avoid Sophias, La Porchetta etc coz the food is not only enormous, but its awful anyway. But pub meals are enormous and who doesnt love a good counter meal? A good one that is. My kids are not completely being brought up to think enormous sizes are normal, because I complain non stop about it, lol. And when I buy fish and chips for example - I buy three flake for five of us and cut them in half! I only ever buy the minimum of chips. I dont add potato cakes and dim sims to the order. Probably only the other Aussies will know what I'm talking about! 500 grams of mince for spaghetti sauce does the five of us (two of whom are teenage boys). I dont serve them huge meals and they dont find they're starving!

Well, you can control it, by unfilling a bit. But I'm hard pressed to believe that too thin happens to many people. Personally, speaking for how I want to look myself, a BMI of 19, 20 is good. I dont think its emaciated. And stuff anyone who does. I'm not really looking to please men who like curves either, I'm only pleasing myself. So I wanted to be model thin, and I like a few bones to show. But its not to everyone's taste. Bottom line is, I think you ahve to be guided (but not a slave to) BMI, for most people of normal musculature, somewhere in that healthy range is going to be OK, even if its at the bottom of it and some people think you're too thin. Obviously if your BMI is 10, you've gone too far. I personally wouldnt adjust my exercise and do less I'd eat more. If there's one thing I've learned, it feels great to not be hungry, not think about food, go all day with only a few Snacks. But it doesnt feel so great five years later when you find out you have osteopaenia, your ferritin levels are bottomed out and your kidney function is a little suspect. I realised that I needed to unfill and eat a bit more - quite separate from my weight. And Protein is not the only nutrient you need, we miss out on a LOT through not eating moderate amounts of wholegrains and such. If you think your diet is adequate long long term, you're happy with you you feel and how you look (I've never seen you fat and I thought you looked super healthy in your recent pics, not emaciated at all) and you know you're healthy, then dont worry about what anyone else says.

My cats and dog turn up their noses and wont eat them but they love chicken, so Id guess nit

I know of two people who had trouble with the tubing because to a large degree it is free in there, and can migrate. Its trimmed to the appropriate length, but one I know of had the tubing touching/rubbing her diaphragm after a couple of years and had to have a small op to have it shortened, it was causing her alarming pain. That was someone on here five or six years ago. Another friend in real life has had the same problem. Its easily fixed, but it is surgical unfortunately. But its obviously not a common occurrence at all.

Even though I've been fat myself, have been a chronic overeater and am definitely NOT passing judgement here, I've never thought of food in terms of getting a bargain with a massive plateful. I guess i have to admit that although I did it (and still do, lets face it, sometimes) overeating was a shameful secret, not somethign done in public EVER. I have always felt disgusted by watching people scarf down huge platefuls, eat fast etc. So parmas as big as plate have never been something I would order in public, I'd eat a salad and pack in the calories with a few glasses of wine and maybe dessert. We have a chain here called Max Brenners that specialise in hot chocolates and you see all these people, big and small, sitting there drinking what is literally melted chocolate and cream and its just freaking NUTS. How can we condone doing that to ourselves? I have never been able to indulge like that without major guilt and embarrassment. I'm a snacking, grazing overeater, not a big volume at once type - and yet banding has still suited me extremely well. My hubby is banded and I cant believe how much he eats either (and he has gained weight lately). I made his Breakfast this morning as we were going in to do Run Melbourne and I made my serving size, he was starving an hour later before the run! Quarter of a cup of oatmeal, quarter of a cup of milk, a half a banana chopped up, a few nuts and a little drizzle more of milk. I thought it was a big hearty breakfast for before a 10K!

It makes a lot of sense, although you can be surprised by your body shape. I always wanted to be an Australian size 10 (which is probably too skinny at 5ft 10, an American 6). Well, to get there, I would have to be significantly underweight. And the other problem is the variation in sizes. I actually do have some size 10 things. I can easily get into a 10 on top. But at a size 12 (which is a US 8) which is my normal size, I have quite significant ribs showing in my chest, collarbones etc, so I just have a largish frame. I never would have thought that, thinking that a 12 was a fairly largish size.

I've had mine since 2005, and its still going strong. I had to unfill it for cancer surgery and struggled to get the same restriction back. Upon investigation, I have a very slighty stretched pouch. Doc says that's probably normal after so long and it was symptompless so just a good reminder to be aware of keeping portions small, eating slowly etc. Then I developed heartburn - no reflux just burning pain in my stomach constantly. That was earlier this year. I've fretted and worrried and such, and eventually had a gastroscopy - guess what. No band problem whatsoever but the Iron supplements I had to take after chemo had caused an ulcer/erosion of my stomach, from sitting in the pouch. Fixed after two months on nexium, heartburn gone. Another good reminder to take the advice about NSAIDS seriously. I am supposed to take aspirin as its such a good bowel cancer preventative but I simply cant. No matter, exercise is an even more powerful preventatative! So all up, almost seven years and no problems. Lost 120lb, have a BMI of 21, weight has been gone for several years and I even managed not to gain whilst unfilled for six months (I couldnt keep that up forever though, gain would be inevitable without my band) I am perfectly aware that the likelihood for revision is high. I'm only 44, I have years to go with this. I accept that. I mean people get fake boobs all the time and never worry that they wont last a lifetime. This is so much more important for my health. And it sure beats remaining fat.

Its insane! You know what else makes me so mad, the way when you go to the movies they force you to upgrade To bigger sizes of popcorn because its cheaper to get more. And once i had to buy a family combo because the kids wanted one each but i only wanted three popcorns and three drinks. They MADE me take the fourth (even though i said fine Ill pay for it but only give m three) i had to bin it right by the candy counter.

Theres several foods which strangely disgust me now much as i want to like them. And weirdest of all, they tasted GREAT while i was unfilled for. Couple of months, and instantly became revolting again when i had restriction back. Pizza, bread, and sort of melting, cooked cheese, chinese food ugh. Even the smell makes m gag.

I wish i hadnt unfilled it for a surgety, its neve been the same since

Yes, i noticed at one point tgat i would cough whenever i ate something and there would be a little mucous. Eventually i got soe night reflux. A slight unfill fixed it. Ive now had two small unfills ( apart fom a complete unfill for urgery) and i never gained weight after either, so dont fear, just go do it.

Ive just had to give up wheat ( even trace amounts) as ive found out im gluten intolerant. Ive been maintaining for years but wowzers, ive lost 3 kg in just a week. That's 7 lb. I didnt even think i had any Water retention! So maybe a bit of a detox? Wheat free, nothing out of a packet, can or box? I certainly havent been low carbing as Im also instructed to beef up my soluble fibre intake so ive had lots of oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa. Bbecause i also cant eat onions or garlic, that means no to most processed foods, so im probable eating a lot less salt too.

Im a fanatic snd i run very long distances now or i do a body pump and spin class back to back. At that kevel, i truly need a day or two rest per week, if i dont, i cant keep going. I just go for a walk on tose days off ( i dont consider walking exercise any more, lol) or even do nothing. But im maintaining and that pattern of a huuuuge run followed by a recovery day works ok for that. My focus is on performance not weight loss. If i need to lose now and again, i definitely do the following: More running, five days a week, less spinning, one or two days Lower intensity, longer duration Only one days rest If youre really struggling but want to keep up the days, make some days more easy and gentle on your body. You shouldny be in pain and you do need recovery.

Im not a low carber, because i e never really felt it necessary to cut them completely, and i lost a lot if weight very successfully. I start my day with a bowl of oatmeal, or muesli. lunch does tend to be lower carb, Soup or a salad. dinner is sometimes Pasta or includes potato or rice.

I think i get you. Thanks to cancer and chemo i am now gluten and lactose intolerant and cant eat certain high fructan items - onions and garlic for example. I feel SO much better off wheat, dairy and certain poroduce that i am willing to put up with a lot of inconvenience to remain on this low fodmp diet, just like i am willing to tolerate the day to day discomforts of a lapband! But i would rather not have to.

Magnesium citrat should work as its on of tthe bowel preps for before colonoscopy and surgery - you can buy it over the counter here but have to ask for it, its not on the shelves.

I think the most obvious and overlooked one is malnutrition. Seven years on, the issues of a long tem low calorie diet are rearing thrir heads for me. I eat well, from all food groups, and i know that mild calorie restriction is belueved to lead to a longer life but the fact is, because i have been monitored so closely de to cancer my body is showing some signs of long term undereating - notably bone loss, anion imbalances in the blood and mild kidney dysfunction. Nothing i could feel, i mean i feel great! But really, you cant run eight or ten kms a day for years on end on only 1200 calories without something giving. Im still learning seven years on! Lso, restriction and your experience of the band does change over time and your body adapts. It was soooo easy early on. I was never hungry , i got full so quickly but didnt need yo be tight. As you go on, you lose a bit of that and need to rely on new habits and learned behaviours to keep going because if you go ever tighter seeking that same feeling, you end up with problems.

My cravings are fairly normal from pre band, so are my hunger levels. It just takes less to satisfy both. Mind you Im not someone ho was "always hungry" or "couldnt get full" prior to surgery.