Basicwitch

I actually saw my surgeon yesterday, and she was (surprisingly) like, you're doing great, slow weight loss is more sustainable, blah blah, but I asked if I needed a NUT and she asked me what I was eating...and then she was like, nope. Seems legit. I was surprised!

I have been enjoying the Natural Force organic chocolate whey. It can get a little foamy, but it isn't too sweet and only has a few ingredients. I used to use Tera's Whey, another organic brand that uses stevia, but the flavor was not very good.

You can try adding white Beans into blended soups. They up your carb count, but if you are controlling portions it should not be an issue. Another plus (besides the protein) is they act as a thickener without really changing the taste.

So I have been getting involved with fitness (both personally and strangely as a research subject, I'm an academic) right as I am launching back into getting the most out of my lap band. I eat about 800 calories a day (per my original directions from my surgeon and her NUT) and get at least 80g of Protein. The thing is, I'm getting a lot of information from elsewhere about the importance of not having too large of a daily deficit in calories (recommended seems to be 500, but I'm doing well over 1000) from your maintenance level (using BMR and TDEE to calculate). The 800 calories help me lose weight, and I don't have trouble with hunger, but is it safe in the long run? I also understand that many of us are an exception. If we kept living the way we were before WLS, the consequences could be quite severe or even deadly. The WLS is a surgical intervention. I think the lap band has saved me from a terrible future. I'm willing to cut huge deficits for as long as it takes. Maybe I'm just having trouble wrapping my mind around the double standard. Thin people at 800 are disordered, but a heavier person is sticking to their diet? I get so much input from the people around me. Do I just need to focus on myself? It's all so confusing! Do you have thoughts on this? Do you ever wonder whether your ultra-low calorie diet might be unsustainable or even damaging in the long run? How do you deal with people trying to help you by saying you're eating too little? How do you deal with straddling two different ideologies when it comes to diet and exercise?

Totally! But you can drink it out of the bottle without worrying about adding fruits, etc., to make it palatable. It essentially evens out. Especially as the OP is having issues with not being able to handle shakes.

I recently got into the B'More Skyr Smoothies! They taste better than my whey Protein shakes and so I alternate. One bottle has two servings, and the macros are pretty great: Vanilla, 8OZ 110 Calories 6g sugar 0g fat 20g protein If you can find them, I highly recommend.

I'm also thinking about this! I did not like the nutritionist that worked with my surgeon and so I have not seen her since before my surgery. She didn't really respect my expertise, talking down to me like I had no clue that soda and bread were not recommended and that I should turn to high Protein and veggies. So maybe to open this up: if your issue is portions, but not food choices (IE. I could sit down and eat 100 servings of something nutritious, but I almost never, ever eat junk)...do you need a nutritionist? Are there NUTs out there who work with patients who know what to eat, but just struggle sometimes with portion control? My physician sent me a referral for a NUT after I told her I was not interested. I was offended at first, but I wonder whether I can get something out of this...thoughts?

I'm a big tuna fan, and get around the mayo issue by subbing in either greek yogurt (Fage 0%) or a bit of avocado. With the Nutribullet, it is easy to whip up a quick dressing to mix into the tuna. My husband doesn't really diet much, and he loves these like crazy. I'm bad with recipes, but here's a couple ideas...feel free to play with amounts to fit your preferences! For kimchi tuna salad: Quarter avocado 1 tsp gojuchang juice of half a lime One or two scallions depending on size or preference 1 tsp sherry vinegar 1 hunk fresh ginger Teeny splash (TEENY TINY) toasted sesame oil Blend those ingredients and mix into 2 cans tuna and 1 cup chopped kimchi (cabbage is best for this) and diced celery. Top with sesame seeds! Zaatar tuna salad: 1/2 cup greek yogurt (Fage 0%) 1 tsp EVOO Juice of 1 lemon (and zest if you're feeling zesty) 1 clove garlic 1 or 2 sprigs of dill 2 tbsp parsley 1 tbsp zaatar seasoning (more or less depending on how you like it) optional: a little zchug, a kind of hot pepper paste! Combine ingredients and blend. Toss with 2-3 cans tuna, 1 cup diced cucumber and 1/2 cup shredded carrot. You can top with a little bit of feta cheese!

Thanks for your kind encouragements! I made an appointment to see my surgeon in a couple weeks and I intend to keep the engagement. The other good news is that for some reason, I was wrong about my weight! I was on a scale a month or so ago that said 250 (which seemed high in relation to my pant size...). Well, it must have been WAY off, because I had a physical this week and I'm right at 230. I was in such disbelief that I made the doctor take me to another scale to confirm. It's not perfect, but it is definitely nicer than the alternative.

During my initial consultation, I wanted a sleeve. My family was very anti-sleeve because it is permanent. My doctor actually agreed, saying my health was fine and that I didn't need to lose so much weight that I would need a permanent surgery like the sleeve. When I saw my doctor last, I asked about revising to the sleeve as I have concerns about the band longterm. She said again that if I was having no problems, I did not need to revise. Maybe the weight gain since then would change her mind? In the band's defense, despite not being great for actual weight loss, I did not experience many of the horrible complications I have read about online. My gallbladder actually had nothing to do with the band, but with years of extreme high protein/low carb dieting and quick weight loss. Still, I want to lose weight! Maybe I will see what she says. I don't really have time right now for a revision, but I want to be healthy and if that is what it takes... It is hard because she is so glamorous and I can really tell when she is disappointed. Well, I worked up the courage to reschedule the appointment I cancelled this week. I have one in a few weeks. Maybe by then I will have lost a couple pounds from restricting calories? Yeah, that feels right to me! I am shooting for that as I find it difficult to meet Protein requirements (and be a pleasant, functioning human person) at 600-800. If I find that I'm not losing weight, I can restrict down.

I have screwed up a lot since I got my band, namely gaining nearly all the weight I lost back. To be honest, I barely can tell I have the band and it doesn't restrict me much. I never got a fill as back when I was seeing my surgeon on a regular basis, she felt I was losing at a steady pace; however, I began to have problems about six months after the surgery and she dismissed my pain as gas. She is a very busy person, that's fine, and I don't blame her. The pain escalated until I was barely eating for fear of triggering a pain attack I thought came from gas. I was probably hovering around 400 calories a day and I never looked better... Until the pain got really bad, lasting for 15+ hours at a time, and I ended up in the ER. It turns out my gallbladder needed to be removed. I was so relieved that I could finally eat after the removal that I just kept eating...and eating...and eating. Constant hunger + habitual emotional eating + new career + a husband who eats amazing things for work = essentially back to where I started. Here I am, fat and considering myself a failure. I have gained and lost a lot of weight multiple times in my life, using willpower, a personal trainer, Phentermine and then the lap band. I am very lucky that I don't have any weight-related health issues, but as I get older I know that won't be true forever. I haven't seen my surgeon since January 2015, and I am too ashamed to go in and talk to her about the constant gaining. I've decided to go back to dieting on my own until I feel like maybe I can face her without being really anxious. Has anyone failed after the band and come back on their own through diet and exercise? I'm not great at fitness but I'm going to try my best. Am I doomed? Do I just need a fill or even a revision to deal with not feeling restricted? Hunger? I am thinking about going for 900-1000 calories (less than 40g carbs, mostly protein) and working out about 5 days a week. I'm eager to hear stories of a second try at weight loss after surgery...