puddin

I couldn't agree with you more on this. I have a coworker who is facing this same issue. She's seen several exercise and diet specialists who are ALL telling her she's not getting enough to eat. She's ignoring that advice and continues to struggle. I think your body begins to break down muscle to lower your metabolism if it think it's in danger. Perhaps you're in this muscle-burning state as well. I've personally experienced a boost in weight loss on certain "cheating" weeks. I think you're not eating enough. Try eating more (ECSPECIALLY Protein to fortify those muscles, and don't forget to include some carbs to synthesize the protein) for just ONE week and see what happens. I bet you see a drop in your weight.

The question confuses me. It seems like 2 questions are being asked: How quickly do your fills kick in, and how many fills did it take for you to really start feeling restriction. For me, it took about 3 fills to start feeling restriction because they filled me VERY slowly, but once I get the fills, it takes about 1-2 weeks before they start kicking in.

3/1/06 B: 1.5c SF Carnation Instant Breakfast (240 calories, 18g protein) L: Orange chicken (~350 calories, 20g protein) S: ~22 almonds (160 calories, 6g protein) D: Taco Meatloaf & Veggies (300 calories, 19g protein) S: 1 SF ice cream bar (110 calories, 1g protein) Bunch of water Totals: 1,160 calories, 63g protein

Okay, I just remember my grandma's pressure cooker which scared me because the top thing rattled and my grandma said to not go near it. But I found a pressure cooker that's a standalone unit and is very safe. You just put your ingredients in, lock the top, set the time, and let it go! So I cooked a meatloaf and veggies in the pressure cooker last night in about 15 minutes and it was GREAT! I cooked a piece of chicken for lunch today in about 12 minutes and it was SO tender and moist, like it had been in a crockpot for 4 hours. Most of you know that dry, tough meat is often hard to eat with the band. I think this is my new real find so I can eat meats a lot easier and QUICKER! Anyone have pressure cooker recipes? I think you can adapt most oven and crockpot recipes for the pressure cooker but I don't quite know how to do it yet.

HA! It's so friggin easy. I just make the meatloaf and put it in the loaf pan. Then I put 2 cups of water in the bottom of the pressure cooker then set it for 12 minutes (once it's up to pressure). I'm scared of the burner pressure cookers so I bought one that's a standalone unit, like this one: http://tinyurl.com/kcdkf

Today so far: B: Carnation instant BF (230 calories, 15g protein) S: 2 bites of black bean brownie & 3 fudge sticks (185 calories, 2g protein) L: Taco meatloaf & mixed veggies (~280 calories, 18g protein) S: 2 more stinkin fudge sticks (100 calories) D: Planned: Orange chicken & brown basmati rice (in pressure cooker) totals so far: 795 calories, 35 g protein

Mmmmmmmmm... Cabbage and corned beef. Sounds soooo good. Okay Stocky, I just realized you weren't banded. You are going to kick butt with weightloss when you are banded! If you're doing this well now, it's going to be 100 times easier once you're banded. Well I'm trying to figure out why I'm open in the morning and tight at night. Maybe it's the weather change. I'm okay with that! I'd rather have it this way than tight in the AM and open at night! Today's meals: B: SF Carnation Instant BF (230 calories, 15g protein) L: Turkey & veggies lean cuisine (150 calories, 15g protein) S: 22 raw Almonds (160 calories, 6g protein) S: 2 pringles (15 calories) D: Taco meatloaf & mixed veggies (300 calories, 18g protein) S: 2 fudge sticks (100 calories) Totals: 955 Calories, 54g protein Well, I didn't get quite as many calories and protein in as I'd like, but tomorrow's another day. Who would have thought I'd have a problem like this?!!

Today: B: SF Carnation Instant Breakfast L: Confetti chicken lean cuisine S: 22 chocolate chips & 1 Tb Peanut Butter D: Cranberry chicken & sweet potato (have to use up my supply!)

I'm going out of town on business to Florida on Thursday. Since I live in Utah and it's a very dry climate here and Florida is quite humid, I'm wondering if I should get an unfill before I go so I don't retain water like a water buffalo and end up not being able to swallow my own spit. If so, how much should I get unfilled? Anyone have experience with this?

What does drinking enough have to do with Water retention when you go out of town? In my experience, any time I've had a significant amount of difference in the amount of sun exposure I get I retain water to the point where I can't even fit in my shoes. I had good restriction; for me that would probably mean closing right up with a lot of sun. I'm glad I got the unfill. I probably ate around the same amount. After talking with my nurse she actually recommended a slight unfill. I'd rather have slower weight loss for a couple of weeks than I would a trip to the emergency room because I can't swallow my own spit. I'm just about back to where I was before I got the unfill and my portion sizes have not changed from pre-unfill. I'm leaving town again on March 5 (again to a place with lots of sun) and I'm staying with my current fill (of 2.0) until I get back.

Today: B: SF Carnation Instant Breakfast L: Pork taco & black Beans S: about 15 raw almonds and 1 bite-sized snickers D: Planning to have salsa chicken & sweet potato

I'm back from Florida! And apparently I only gained 1 pound despite the fact that I was wide open the whole time (because of the unfill). I'm okay with that. Back on the bandwagon! Had a fill back to 2.0cc's so... B: Carnation instant breakfast L: Carnation instant breakfast S: Carnation instant breakfast S: 3 almonds S: 1T Peanut Butter and abt 15 chocolate chips D: 3 oz Cranberry chicken

Hey Canooks! I've lived in Calgary, Lethbridge, and High River, Alberta, and Cranbrook, B.C. and I can now speak Canadian. Man, it was really hard living in igloos the whole time and travelling around by dog sled, but I got through it LOL. Can't say where you can find a surgeon but I sort of felt homesick when I saw the Canadian reference so I had to respond.

My doc said to eat only 3/4 cup of food at a time, even if we can eat more. If we are hungry an hour later than have another 3/4 cup, but don't eat more than that at a time. Keeps us from stuffing ourselves. For myself, I have a hard time guaging when I'm full so the 3/4 cup rule has worked very well for me.

Hey Scott, I was banded by Dr. Hansen. He's great! Vivienne does my fills now, though. She does a great job and really cares. Anyhow, Dr. H. told me that the #1 reason where he sees people not succeeding like they should is because of drinking with meals. Interesting observation. I personally don't think it's difficult if you drink your water in between meals, though I couldn't have imagined NOT drinking with meals before I got banded. Just though I'd share...

Ooh, nitty gritty details. This could get gross. Prepare yourself: First question: What causes me to PB? Eating too fast, hands down! I can actually take big bites if I chew really well and swallow a little bit at a time. I can eat all foods if I eat them slow. I have to eat white bread EXTRA slow so I just avoid that entirely usually. PBing at a restaurant: I've done this one time. For me, it's not a mad dash. I realize about5 seconds after the swallow that it aint goin' down. I just sit quietly for a moment and then sometimes excuse myself to the bathroom if I can tell it's really not going to go down. It's not like projectile vomiting where you get this impulse right away to throw up. What does it feel like: Feels like food not going down. Almost like a big lump in your chest, or like bad heartburn without the burn (?). Lots of pressure and tightness in your chest. If the food is not going down my mouth begins to fill with slime and I've got to spit it out. Sometimes if the PB is bad enough I start to try to spit up the food I've eaten. It's more like a forced burp to ease the pressure in your chest than your body forcing you to throw up (though I'm sure that happens). I've only PB'd about 5 times and really it was no big deal. I didn't want a repeat, but it wasn't like a heart attack. The longest one I had lasted a half hour. I can almost predict when they're going to happen because 1) I'm eating too fast or 2)I'm eating in the car or without thinking about what I'm doing. I don't really know the difference between a PB and a slime. I suppose a PB is where you try to burp it up and a slime is just where it goes down on its own but you've had to spit out a bunch of slime. I had the exact same question before I was banded. I was so afraid of the PB. Now I know it's not a big deal as far as pain goes. My PBs are further apart because I'm learning what triggers them. It's a learning process. Don't fear the vurp!

Today was not such a bad day, even though I only have 1.6 cc's in my band now. I'm REALLY going to try to be good in Florida. B: Woke up too late to eat breakfast! L: Stuffed pepper (probably around 320-350 calories, 30g protein) S: 12 almonds & a mozarella cheese stick (160 calories, 12g protein) S: Carnation Instant Breakfast (160 calories, 12g protein) D: Wild Salmon with mango salsa & 1/2 baked sweet potato (guessing around 320 calories & 25g protein) S: 3 squares extra dark chocolate & 1T peanut butter (250 calories) About 10 cups water Total calories: 1240 Total protein: 79g Exercise for the day: Really I probably burned enough calories white-kuckling it while driving through the terrible snowstorm today, but I did 20 minutes on the Arc trainer & 20 minutes on the eliptical.

I'm in agreement that sometimes people use their quote powers for evil. But it's in some people's natures to be contrary and to analyze every word for the purpose of "one-upping" someone else's opinion. I usually leave these threads as soon as the nastiness starts. They don't help and it appears as though they're driving people away. But I don't know how we'd stop it or if we should. Good luck to those who have decided to leave. I hope you can find the support you need. One avenue might be the smartbandsters through the Yahoo groups. They seem to stay a bit more on the topic of the lap-band. Also, Yahoo may have a local online lap-band support group. I know my local group is fantastic.

Thanks for indulging me in my pity party, Teresa. You're sweet. I'm over it now. I actually just got back from the gym so I did ONE thing right today. Does that mean I can be done for the day? Hooray! My brothers are really fun. One is 15 and doesn't really need babysitting. The other is 11 and probably doesn't need it but likes it when I babysit anyway. We always have dance dance revolution tournaments. ONE DAY I'm going to beat the pants off my 15-year-old brother! But for now he kicks my trash. My 28-year-old sister is on a cruise right now otherwise we could commiserate with each other.

Holy freaking cow, I gained like 3 pounds in 2 days! Makes me so mad. Yes, I had WAAAAY too much junk yesterday. This is really not fair, I tell you. I haven't exercised in about 3 days because I've been too busy (no, really). Can't my body give me a freaking break? Well I guess this is the first rough spot I've hit, really, so I'll try not to obsess about it. I'm just stressed because I got a little unfill (to 1.6) for my conference in Florida because I was afraid I'd retain water. I just know this means more weight gain. I just REALLY wanted to lose like 30 more pounds before May 22 when I go on my cruise. Now I've got to lose like 33 more pounds and after this weekend probably like 35 more pounds. Okay, yesterday's meals: B: Carnation instant BF S: Like 2 sugar cookies L: Stuffed pepper w/ tomatoes S: Like 2 more sugar cookies D: South Beach frozen dinner because no one loves me :cry S: Like probably 3 more sugar cookies and a mint brownie!!!!!!! I just can't have this junk around me. I have NO self control. This is why I have to plan my meals. Not to mention it was yet another Valentine's day alone and I was emotionally eating. Actually, I was babysitting my brothers while my PARENTS went out for Valentine's day. I just absolutely hate that holiday. Okay, sorry to bitch and moan. Back on the bandwagon!

Thanks for your responses. I went ahead and got a bit of an unfill (to 1.6cc's) just for peace of mind. I'll just have to be careful about what I eat. I'm only going to be there until Saturday.

Oh man, Valentine's day is here and I've made sugar cookies for those I love. CRAP! That means I had about 3 frosted cookies too many! In addition I'm going out of town on Thursday, getting unfilled (to be determined how much), and I'm sure things are not going to go so well with my diet. So I guess I'm going to have to get back on the bandwagon on Monday when I get back!

Feb. 12 B: 2% milk with SF Carnation Instant BF (160 calories, 12g protein) L: costco chicken Parmigiana S: 2 Dark chocolate covered strawberries D: Ham, cauliflour & broccoli w/ cheese, cottage cheese, rice S: 1/2 C Chicken parmigiana, weight watchers ice cream bar & some custard (had an early dinner at my folks house) Water so far: 8 cups Exercise: Dance Dance revolution competition for 45 minutes

Today (Feb. 11) B: 4 oz milk w/ Carnation instant breakfast (75 calories, 6g protein) Rest of Breakfast: 8 oz milk w/ carnation instant breakfast (150 calories, 12g protein) lunch plans: Wild poached salmon with mango-ginger salsa (goooood recipe: http://www.meals.com/Recipes/RecipeDetails.aspx?RecipeID=130335 Actual Lunch: Samples from costco dinner plans: Teriyaki T-bone steak with squash Actual Dinner: Stuffed myself SICK at Tony Roma's and THEN had dessert at Dairy Queen (I did only have half of the dessert, though)! I need to learn how to control myself when I go out to eat. Water: 8 cups Exercise: Did piloga for 15 minutes, had wardrobe malfunction and then switched to 35 minutes cardio on Elliptical & treadmill My sister went on her cruise today. So my mood=JEALOUS:evil: But I'm going to feel better by going to the music store and re-stringing my instrument so I can get ready to play with the Salt Lake Symphony again. Their section leader FINALLY went on sabbatical so they NEED ME! So glad to be getting back into the scene again. I missed it! :violin:

Feb. 10 B: 8 oz milk w/ SF Carnation instant Breakfast (150 calories, 12g protein) S: 1 oz almonds (120 calories, 6g protein) L: 1/2 lunch from Little America: Alaskan Halibut, mashed potatoes, veggies, roll (no idea about the calorie/protein content) D: rest of lunch from Little America S: About 6 bite-sized candy bars at a movie theater Not enough Water & no exercise!