Jachut

My morning "muesli" - greek yogurt, walnuts, pumpkin, sunflower and chia seeds, cold hardboiled eggs, snall cans of salmon and tuna, babybel cheeses, cans of chick peas and three bean mix and my recent fave indulgence from the local thai restaurant - chicken satay skewers.

You know, it was so easy to just start another diet. Because deep down, I knew nothing would change. I wouldnt have to face my fears, my issues, I wouldnt truly change my eating habits, the status quo would remain and my obesity and my eating would fulfil the same (unidentified) needs it always did. Getting banded - now THAT was hard. Because I knew this was it, everything had to change and for once in my life I really had to face up to what I had become and what I was going to have to do to be what I wanted to be. It doesnt matter if nobody understands that. Their judgements dont touch me, I dont care personally.

I'm in a very similar situation, but like you, grateful that I've had the success I've had and confident that anything can be dealt with. For me, I just never got back my normal restriction after I unfilled and once or twice there's been confusion as to how much Fluid should be in my band versus what's there when its removed. I had a barium swallow and am seeing my doc on the 15th, but I looked at the films and it "looks" ok, lol, I madly googled what eroded bands would look like on xray and it doesnt appear to be the case, but a leak means a new band just the same, doesnt it? Oh well, what will be will be I guess, and its good to see you're taking the same approach, what point is there in getting stressed and worried and frantic about it all. You've changed, and any non restrictive periods will be temporary and you wont regain all that weight. I've got a little I'd like to shift, but a few pounds is very doable. Keep us posted, and be thankful you're here in Australia and not fighting insurance companies and such.

Ok, so everyone assumes that problems after the band will be physical. But I too have been "too skinny" - not entirely as a result of the band but because of cancer too - and I too loved it. I fought tooth and nail to stay that way, despite the advice of my doctors, and my family. And even despite my best efforts (I was unfilled), I did gradually gain a bit, not quite up to pre cancer weight but I have really been affected by that regain - heck it was only 12 lb or so - and have finally at the old age of 44 ended up in the psychologists office. To me, as a perfectionisit, there is no such thing as too thin and I know logically that I have no need to lose more weight, no need to eat restrictively and every right and reason to relax and enjoy eating now that I am a normal weight and have a band to keep portions under control. I feel 'gross' at 145lb and 5ft 10. I truly feel fat. I obviously have always been an overeater and sugar and I do not have a functional relationship. But I have never been a binge eater, anorexic, bulimic or had anythign that could be called an eating disorder. That has been brought on probably by the stress of cancer yes (I definitely used my weight as the only control I really had during active treatment) but also by the band and my success at weight loss - I wanted more more more success. I am really addicted to the high of standing on the scale and seeing that I weigh less than I did yesterday.

That's fantastic! But am I the only one thinking, WTF, only a man would get on a scale where other people could read the number! There is no way on earth I would EVER do that! I still feel the need to lie about my weight. If anyone asks me what I weigh I always knock off a kilo or two! That's why I've never bungee jumped.

I am still struggling with this at six years out, in fact it really got out of control along with a lot of symptoms of extremely restrictive eating whilst I was unfilled and going through cancer treatment. I am working with a psychologist, but truth is, I dont think its curable. I think I will always be this way and in many ways, although I voluntarily sought help (not for this alone) I'm not sure I even want to change. The thought of not dieting and always trying to fix my body is really scary to me.

Brooks Brooks Brooks all the way. I wear the Adrenaline, I have wide, flat slightly inward rolling feet - which would fit the description of the feet of many heavy people - and they are brilliant running shoes. I am on my 5thor 6th pair. But really, itsd impossible for anyone else to advise. Different shoes fit different people and whilst I would certainly have some derisive things to say about NB shoes that's based only on my feet and my experience. I know Asics are good shoes too but I find them way too narrow and not good for me at all. I think NB, Brooks, Asics are all well made good quality shoes though. Generally, with shoes, you get what you pay for.

Smaller portions of normal food, lots of running and a lot of headwork centred around lettng go of food rules and the idea of guilt around good and bad foods ( the hardest part for me). Plain, simpke, logical. I dont know how much Protein i eat, no idea how many grams of carbs or even really calories in a day. When i exercise i go all out.

I dont really worry that something will happen to my band, more that i still think about food, not eating food, restriction and losing weight all daybevery day. Im thin, but dont think i will ever lose the fat mind.

With ease, its a guaranteed safe restaurant food for me. I always choose risottp if its on the menu. I know it wont get stuck, yet its not so absolutely delish that i will overeat.

It increases the risk of erosion but Ive never seen that actually quantified in anything Ive read. This is only my opinion, not medical advice but I would think constantly vomiting and having the pouch full would be more of a risk with regard to slippage. If you are not able to see a doc for a while I would be very careful to not fill the pouch too much - eat little and often, do everything ypu can not to get stuck and vomit and be very aware of of overeating slider foods, our bodies tend to drive us to get the energy in anyway we can and you end up living on chocolate and icecream. If you can avoid that and lose wight your band may even loosen up enough.

Oh god PLEASE get this checked out right away. I learned the hard way there is NO reasonable excuse not to investigate rectal bleeding right away. I know it will frighten you but im going to say it anyway because it will mean youll do something - I had fairly innocuous rectal bleeding which was both red and black and tarry - it was hard to recognise that but in hindsight it just smelled weird, sort of metallic. I even posted on here a few times. In the end i had a stage 2 rectal cancer and have just come through the hardest eighteen months of my life. I had no other symptoms. He needs to go and ave a colonoscopy as sdoon as possible. Im sorry to be alarmist, but i put off doing anything about it for six months and my doctors all freaked at me, time is really of the essence as to pick this disease up in the early stages mean you can avoid chemo, which is beyond foul and has left me with a lot of other minor health problems.

Yes, henias dont heal. But unless theyre causing real problems, its often difficult to get a doctor to repair them as so often they just recur. Ive been fobbed off for years by gp's over my 'incisional hernias' at each end of my caesar scar. When i showed my colorectal surgeon, he freaked. They're advanced inguinal henias with quite a lot of bowel and omentum protruding, and at jigh risk of strangulation. Theyre getting fixed in March. I never knew i had them till i lost weight! But theyve grown heaps! So do keep getting them checked out when you visit the doc.

I had a very brutal radiation induced menopause last year - i had rectal cancer. It has been beyond horrendous. Ive had hot flashes, depression (to the point of suicidal thoughts), panic attacks and extreme fatigue and lethargy. I got extremely thin following my bowel resection and have regained about 15 lb over the last year and am still very thin, but ive really noticed the change in my body. I can literally feel my strength and endurance draining away by the week ( i was extremely fit, still am, just less than normal for me), i have definitely lst muscle and gained abdominl fat. I can barely be allowed out of the house on my own, i lose my car constantly at the shops, or will be out driving and forget where Im going, etc. But the worst has been INSANE sugar cravings, my body is literally screaming for energy. I strted HRT two months ago and am seeing a psychologist, but Im also about to start testosterone therapy (very l levels) and my doc says thats fantastic for mood, lethargy, fuzzy headedness and libido - did i mention i ave no libido at all and even when i force myself it just doesnt really feel that good anymore. Menopause is a BIG deal for women, its mo laughing matter.

We dont get told to focus on protein in Australia, and I dont like protein shakes, so quite simply, I never drink them. I never replaced that protein with anything other than three normal meals a day. I doubt I get 100 grams plus of protein a day, I dont count, but I lost weight, very successfully and have kept it off for a good couple of years. You just dont need to worry about it that much. Eat a balanced diet and you will get enough protein. Post op, I did make smoothies with milk and fruit. Perhaps yogurt. You can always chuck an egg in tool.

Bootcamp is absolutely awesome, and you can do it as a beginner,you just go at ypur pace. The beauty of having ypur "butt kicked", which is really just a desire to keep up, is tgat ypu will get results that far far outstrip walking. Circuit training is a combined cardio/ strength routine where you use big compound moves with usually a combination of body weight exercises and heavy dumbells/barbell/even sandags and such and you move quickly from one exercise to the next -again awesome fast results and true functional strength gains not just big but fairly useless biceps. Most bootcamps will be loosely ased on a t least some circuit training as circuit lends itself so wll to. Group setting.

It took me two years to lose the last 20. My goal was always ambitious, but once id hit the top of my healthyweight range it had slowed right dow and i figured for the longest time thats where id stay, not that i was particularly appy about it. Im a terrible perfectionist so i kept at it and eventally got under 150 - at five foot ten that was ok for me.

Wow, glad to be of service :-)

I love apiece of toast for breakfadt. Wholegrain carbs are very nutritious and valable foods, white processed ones arent. There is abolutely no requirement o cut out carbs unless it appeals to you to do so. But it is true that you may find your bnoesnt lie them

I never have. I think about food, my band, my weight all the time. And i was very successful with the band, lost over 100 lb down to a bmi of 20 and have been below goal weight for about four years now. But its never helped me. I still think im fat, i still cycle between restrictive eating and a bandster version of overeating, i dont think it will ever go away.

It is highly unlikely you will be able to unfill it when you reach goal. It doesnt work that way. You will still need restriction to msintain your weight. If you ave to unfill your band at any point, you will be surprised to find you really havent changed lije you think. I ad mine empty for most of last year after six years of great success. I didnt gain but its the hardest thing ive ever done! All the old appetite came right back! That is why, statistically, almost everyone who unfills or loses their band gains all their weight back. You need to understand that successful banding - and some degree of restriction - is forever.

I would go ahead and consult with a surgeon. I've not had any cosmetic surgery but I know that for me, it was about at the higher end of my healthy weight range that I would have looked best if I'd had some lipo and a tummy tuck and stayed a bit heavier. I lost all that weight and then some and in reality, what's happened is I am literally skin and bone around the shoulders, face, neck and have nice long thin legs, but still have the same problem of flabby butt and loose tummy. I'm more of a pear and carry my weight very evenly, so if you have a real problem area like a tummy, that holds even MORE true. I would look better with a little more weight around my shoulders and chest, but if I regain, it wont all go there, most of it will all go to my bum. Cosmetic surgery really does have value for reshaping uneven figures.

I would, have said exactly what Elcee did.

I agree, when people cry high carb low fat hasnt worked, that's not true. When you analyse their actual diet, its high carb HIGH FAT. They eat loads of sugar too - I remember in the 90's reading jellybeans were a great snack becuase they had no fat. Oh, boy did I take that advice on board! There's nothing evil about good quality, wholegrain low GI carbs. For most people that is, there are exceptions to every single situation.

I saw my sugeon yesterday about this darn band that has never been the same since I unfilled it. He gave me a monster fill and I'm going for a barium swallow. we think there's several possibilities - it might be leaking for starters. Although all through the refill process as I've complained of not having the restriction I think I should have (although I have had restriction, just not what I previously would have had a certain fill levels) when the docs have checked the Fluid, its been there. But this time, I only had 3cc, when we thought I should have 3.4cc. Well, the records say that, verbally the doctor I'd seen said I had 3.8cc! When it was unfilled, there wasnt the fluid in there we thought there should be. So the other possibility is that the records have been stuffed up along the way, we've gotten confused and I've never had in there what I thought I had. Other than that, of course, there's the possibility of a slip, I'd be surprised as I've had 3 CT scans and about 4 abdo xrays in the last year for cancer related reasons and my band has never looked obviously out of place. A very remote possibility is erosion - I'm horribly Iron depleted to the point that suggests a GI bleed somewhere and I know its not from my colon as that has all been checked out only in November. But my surgeon didnt think that at all likely, he said I'd have lost restriction entirely. After my monster fill, this morning, I can feel it, its at least held overnight. Its pretty good restriction but again, I've never had this much fill in before and would expect to be actually too tight. But lets just see how it goes. I've held off any weight gain the whole 9 months I was unfilled, and managed to get through seven months of this fill process with inadequate restriction but its darn hard work and I'm ever so slowly losing the battle now, a half kilo here and there that sticks around. Hopefully at least this fill will stick long enough just to lose 4 or 5 lb again! Not terribly worried, if the band needs to be replaced, the way it works here with my clinic, I paid $4000 up front and the rest was covered by Medicare and Private Health Insurance. All my aftercare, including any revision surgery will be free to me, the cost is billed directly to Medicare and I never have to put my hand in my pocket again. It will just be incovenient but oh well!