ThinknHealthy

Once you get banded you'll find a way to make it work for your life style. If you have a kitchen area, you might think about some frozen meals like Lean Cuisine or Smart Balance. Also you could keep handy some protein bars. I keep some fat free yogurt in our office fridge for a snack that will give me another 1-2 hours of satiation. Hope this helps.

A lot of factors go into how much weight you will lose and how fast. Not the least of which is how you body adjusts to the band. Some bandsters start off quick and never slow down until they reach goal (those are usually the ones who feel restriction right away and don't require too many adjustments). Others lose a lot at first then settle to a slower pace (these are probably people who follow the post surgery rules very well but when the swelling goes down they experience bandsters hell and get real hungry, they test the boundaries of what they can eat, they feel no real restriction until after a few adjustments). Then there are the few who see no or little loss of weight, even after several adjustments (these are those who feel no restriction, it really is difficult for them to lose weight). Then there are all the other people who don't fall into any mold at all -- those are probably the majority of us. I have a graphic by my desk depicting the story about the tortoise and the hare. I've always considered myself the tortoise. It will take me longer to lose the weight but I will get there and enjoy my journey. My sister was always the hare. She could lose weight so fast it made my head spin. Well, the hare is now over 400 lbs and will finally be getting the lap-band. She'll still probably lose weight faster than me but hopefully this time it will stay off. Your personal lap-band journey will be your own story. How fast or slow you lose weight is up to you and your band. Never compare yourself to anyone else because your body is different and your mind is different. Where you are in your life journey is also different than anyone here. The important thing is that you've chosen to take this journey. Your bags are packed and you are about ready to fire up the car. What you'll see and experience and how long it takes is a mystery, but your destination is not. You will get to where you are going.

It's a very individual thing. After you start getting restricted, you'll figure it out. Some foods will be different then other ones. It's almost a trial and error thing. But when you error, you'll remember and will start forming your own rules. Absolutely take it slow and easy. Don't test your boundaries until you are fully healed. After each fill, you'll probably test your boundaries again. I reached my boundary on a crab rangoon at a Chinese buffet. Won't do that again!

I did it 100% for health reasons. However, I knew I would enjoy being able to fit in smaller clothes and so that is definitely a boost of confidence. I suppose the reasons depend a lot on your age and the sense you have of who you are. When you get older, you realize that your appearance is not as important as it was when you are younger. For appearance sake, I do just want to be normal and find clothes in normal stores. For health sake, I want to get off blood pressure meds, relieve stress off of my herniated disc, and not have floppy flabs when I choose to take a jog. God Bless!

It is true. You do have to do your part. But it is difficult when you are not feeling the restriction. I can understand that. It is frustrating. I was in a similar situation for weeks. I felt there was nothing I couldn't eat. That period feel over the holidays which made it worse. I was grateful that I didn't gain weight. Sometime in January it was like I woke up and decided that I had not been putting weight loss on the top of my priority list. Whether I felt the restriction or not, I knew I had to step back on the band wagon and get in the game. I went back to the basics, started exercising, and forcing others to work around my schedule instead of the other way around. That was the beginning of taking charge again and losing weight. Add to that another fill and I'm back in the ball game again. I know it is a difficult thing to accept, but sometimes we have to admit that we are our own worst enemy. Our choices daily represent the importance we place on our goals. At 7 cc in your band, I suspect that although you can eat a lot of things, you are limited in the quantity you can eat. Compare what you can eat now with what you could eat before your birthday. Is there a difference? If there is a difference then something is working. Be grateful that you can eat a wide variety of things. I can eat a hamburger too and I enjoy treating myself to a small hamburger once a week. I can still lose weight if the hamburger is in my rules. Find another tool to work with your band. I personally use Weight Watchers which works great with the band because it encourages you to keep track of what you eat. If not already doing so, make time each day to exercise. I love to walk and take a 3-mile walk daily or I'll go to the gym for an hour if the weather is bad. Find the right exercise for you. But I believe I'm talking to the choir here. You know what to do. You already have inside you what you need to make it happen, and I'm not just talking about the band. God Bless!

I agree. Follow your doctor's advice. Give him accurate information regarding how much you eat, how often you eat, etc. Then he can judge the right amount of fill for you. Too much of a fill can cause problems requiring you to go back for an unfill. Remember, this is a long journey and you are just in the beginning. Pace yourself and you will enjoy long term success and will be able to finish the race without pooping out.

It depends on the type of work that you do. For me, I had surgery on Thursday and went back to work (in an office) on Monday for a half day. Full days the rest of the week but I took it easy. Your stomach will be sensitive. My issue was the that port incision kept rubbing against my desk. Also, I had to get off the pain meds before going back to work because they made me loopy. So all things depend on your situation. God Bless!

I go to Dr. Timothy Eldridge in Oklahoma City for my fills. He was my surgeon. He is a very nice guy and skilled surgeon that I would recommend to anyone. If his office doesn't do fills for patients he wasn't the surgeon for, I'm sure they can lead you to the right place. Just Google "Surgical Specialists of Oklahoma" to get contact information. Hope this helps. God Bless!

One thing I would do is go to a sandwich restaraunt (like Panera) and get a cup of Soup to go. I would take it home, put it in my blender and beat the heck out of it. Poured it in a cup and yumo it was good. Had all the flavor without the risk. I did this with all kinds of soup. I would also pair it with some butter crackers that I would let dissolve in my mouth. Really, there are a lot of things you can put in a blender that will still taste good. God Bless!

You are doing fine. If you are following the Post-op diet as your doctor subscribed, I wouldn't worry about it. Ignore the scales for right now. Your body is going through some shock and may be holding on to your fat. When we do not get enough calories, our metabolism slows down and we don't burn as much fat. For this reason, many surgeons will tell us to expect a small weight gain during these weeks. Personally, my goal at this stage was to heal, not to lose weight. I just followed the doctors advice regarding the types of foods I could eat, not the quantity. Once your body heals, you'll have plenty of time to lose the weight. Just be patient. God Bless!

I think Heather and LibbyJane are absolutely correct. Really, a 1 1/2 week plateau is not much. I often have a 2 week plateau around my TOM. Our bodies do have a mind of their own sometimes. It is like our bodies are rebelling against what we want it to do. Remember, you are the boss of your body, not the other way around. So throw a few tricks in there, change what you're doing and your body will not know what to do except succumb to your will. A little patience with yourself can also go a long way. God Bless!

MamaJava: I'm sorry you are losing some steam. I suppose it is bound to happen to all of us sooner or later. I hope you have success with changing your diet around a little. My neice has had great success at just doing the natural diet. She is very thin and healthy so I'm sure it will work for you. Personally, I use Weight Watchers with my band. I think using more than one tool is a key. Good luck and God Bless!

Welcome to the difficult time called Bandster's Hell. For some, they already have restriction right after surgery. But for the rest of us, we have to suffer through until we start getting our fills. So is it bad to eat 1 to 1 1/2 c of food per meal? Not in my opinion. You have limited restriction now that your swelling has gone down. You have lost an impressive amount of weight! Allow your body time to catch up. I personally would encourage you to increase your calories a bit so that you don't lose weight too fast. Try to keep an average of 2 lbs per week. The size of your meals will reduce when you get some restriction. Until then, just take it slow and steady. Please do not beat yourself up if you gain a pound or two now and then, that is to be expected. Remember, it is the average that is important. Keep up the good work. You're doing great. God Bless!

Yes. I would recommend it to anyone.

That's awesome that people are noticing. The last time I lost weight, it was the coolest when people I hadn't seen in a while DIDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE ME!! It was a hoot. I'd say like "Hello Sally" and Sally would look at me like I was a stranger. People are noticing less now than before just because of how my weight re-distributed itself when I regained, and this is my 2nd time around within a few years. If they are noticing now, then this is the time it starts. They will notice first your face. Beware though that when you settle closer to your goal weight those comments will come less and less. Do not rely on those to keep you going but do enjoy them for now. God Bless!

I use 1 scoop GNC vanilla, 1 c. skim milk, some agave nectar to sweeten it, then I add any powdered (from capsules) Vitamins and psyllium Fiber. Put in blender and pulse once to combine. Then I add 1 c frozen whole strawberries and 1 c ice cubes. Put blender on Ice crush and blend well. Of course, this is better in the warmer months than the colder ones but I like it. I'm going to try some of the other ideas too. Sadly, I can't eat bananas though.

Jodi Great information! However, it is not necessarily related to the surgery. I experienced the same kind of hair loss when I was on Weight Watchers alone for some reason. Fortunately, your right, it does grow back. God Bless!

Michelle & Olivia: Having the "I think I've screwed up my life" moment is actually a good thing. Yes, we've all made huge mistakes allowing us to get to the point of having to have surgery. Realizing this is the start of success. It's at that moment that things can change. Grab a hold of that feeling, own it, take responsibility for it, and determine to make it right. We do it for our kids, for our family, for ourselves, but we know we have to do it. WE CAN DO IT!!! WE WILL DO IT!!! Michelle, tomorrow will be a wonderful day. You're on your way girl! Be patient with yourself and follow the rules and you'll be fine. God Bless!

Olivia, I also have two herniated discs, since 2002. I do go to the gym but am careful about what strength training equipment I use. The elliptical is a great way to burn a lot of calories in a few minutes. But serious walking is hard to beat too. If the weather is good, I take a 3-mile walk around a small lake near my house. It is our city's "central park" area that is very popular. Too cold today though and it is snowing :confused: so I guess I'll go to the gym today.

Eating out is a challenge on any diet. I've been successful at losing weight while eating out 5-6 nights a week. No doubt I would lose weight faster if I did not eat out. However, eating out is part of my busy lifestyle and my philosophy is to have the band work with my lifestyle because I believe that helps in long-term success. My tips for eating out: 1. At a buffet show your Lap-band card and you can get in at the Child's rate. 2. Order from the child's menu if there are healthy options. Have your card ready if they should ask. 3. Ask if you can order a half portion of the entree. 4. When ordering grilled chicken, be assertive and tell your waiter to ask the cook to not overcook the chicken. Return it if it is overcooked because if it is too dry it is very difficult to eat. 5. Always ask them to not put extra butter on the vegetables. 6. If the meal usually comes with bread (i.e., dinner roll or texas toast) ask them to not serve you the bread. 7. If you like potatoes, ask for mashed (no gravy) instead of baked so you don't overload with too much extra stuff. 8. When they deliver the meal and you see it is definitely too much, ask then for a box. When you get home, transfer the contents to a microwave-safe container so it is ready to heat up the next day. 9. Share a meal with a family member. Ask for a second plate and put your smaller portion on that plate for you. Your family is on this journey with you, this is how they can support you. Maybe get an extra side if needed. 10. Don't be afraid to leave food on your plate. 11. As soon as you feel restriction, ask the waiter to remove your plate so you don't keep grazing. You'll probably be the last to finish anyway. 12. When they ask for your drink order, always just ask for some water. They get confused when you tell them you don't want anything to drink. 13. Don't order a soup or salad as this will fill you up before the entree is served. If you do want a salad, wait and eat it later. 14. Experiment with new foods now and then. Eating out doesn’t always have to be grilled chicken. Remember, you are going to have this band for the rest of your life. You have a lot of time to develop your own strategies for how to have it work around your lifestyle. Be creative and bold enough to ask for what you want. You'd be surprised at how accommodating they can be. You are the "always right" customer after all. Hope you don't give eating out the boot forever! The restaurant industry needs your business to help the economy . God Bless!

You are doing great. Your body is really still healing and you should not expect to lose too much at this stage. It is a long process and you are just at the beginning. Be patient with yourself and with the band. Since you have no restriction it will be difficult for you to get down to the level of calories you need to eat to lose weight. So just do your best until your first fill and then see how it goes. Don't beat yourself up during this time if you don't lose weight. This is the period they call "Bandster's Hell" and they call it that for a reason. God Bless!

I've had 5 fills and may be in my sweet spot. I am losing and I am comfortable. I do not plan my meals as I am at the mercy of my very demanding father and daughter who both have strong opinions about where we eat for dinner (we eat out a lot). So what I eat is what I can find on a menu. I do often share a meal with either my dad or daughter, or I will order from the children's menu if there is a healthy selection. Some restaurants will allow me to order a half order of something. For Breakfast it is always oatmeal. For lunch usually a lean cuisine or a subway mini-sandwich and once a week I'll splurge and get a Braum's sixth lb hamburger, no mayo. Snacks are usually low-fat yogurt, mixed-fruit cup, applesauce, or a Protein bar. So far, I can still eat anything but just not a much and much slower. Finally, exercise does make it better. It does affect you appetite and the general "I can really do this!" feeling. God Bless!

I'm looking forward to onederland too. Just 6 lbs to go. So close yet so far away. This will be the 2nd time I've lost down to that level over the last 5 years. The first time I was there I didn't have the band to help me stay there so I gained the weight back, got the band, and getting close again. This time for good. Good job Catherine. You've worked hard and you deserve to Celebrate, but not too much because you're journey continues. You're doing great. Congratulations.

Everyone is different and a lot depends on how much weight you need to lose. Some people, like lapbandtalker, can lose weight relatively quickly with minor changes in lifestyle other than portion control. For others, like me, it is a slower process. My advise is to take the time now to read these posts here on this website and you will get an understanding of what others have experienced. Then you can expect it to be different for you. There are no two of us who are the same. There are a lot of questions that you will have that you don't even know about yet. Keep researching and get ready for a change in your life.