NewSho

LENGTH ALERT! (This has very detailed tips and tricks, so this is not a short post. Just a "heads up") People asked me a lot how I went from Slow Loser to getting to goal. I did better my second year of banding and when the weight came off - it really came off. This is something that worked for me, and I recommended to other Bandsters. Granted, these are tips that's not in any LapBand brochure or doctor's manual, and YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY - but if you already think of yourself as a Slow Loser like I was, then maybe you will be open to trying something to shake things up a bit. When I needed a weight-loss push, I didn't cut down on calories much (if I'd recently had a fill adjustment, that's different) but in general: I *added* Protein to every thing I ate. This helped me to lose steadily (although it sped up my weight loss, more importantly it kept it steady). And it worked! Some Bandsters in my same banding date were better at counting calories - I wasn't. Some were better at counting carbs, I wasn't, but I excelled at ADDING protein. And I did well and later, other fellow Bandsters were asking me for help and tips. :crying: How did I do it? I did not reduce calories or the amount I consumed (without a fill it wasn't much need to try that) and yet, I still lost. (I added a little bit of Beans, or a sprinkle of cheese (my favorite), or eggs - whatever I could. I didn't reduce what I ate, but I "upped my protein" - and it worked. With the band, if you eat more protein, you generally will find yourself eating less overall - it doesn't feel that way but you do. Every single time I added more protein to my regular Band-friendly meals, I lost more weight, even though I wasn't eating less calories sometimes. Sounds crazy - but in my particular case, if I didn't keep my protein levels up, my body held on to calories a lot more. Who needs their bodies "hoarding" calories? :thumbup: If adding a bit of food meant I would lose more, it was worth a try. It worked. And I paid attention to the TYPE of protein I ate. (Even before banding, I didn't eat beef or pork at all. And the band was developed in other countries where the pork and beef consumption is a lot lower than it is here in the 'States. I'm not a vegetarian, I just eat seafood and poultry only. My doc said this helped my weight loss a lot because the protein I ate was leaner, not fattier protein like pork/ham/bacon or beef/hamburger/fatty red meat. So I didn't have to regulate my portions as much as some Bandsters did. My can of tuna did more for me than a hamburger ever would have.) Also, I'm a single/childless Bandster who lives alone, so I eat out for almost every meal. If I could make it to goal - while eating out - ANYBODY can. How did I do it? Here were some tips. At Breakfast, with my morning egg(s), I added a bit of cheese on top. Or I would have cottage cheese added. For protein and hunger reasons, cottage cheese did better than yogurt for me - unless I just had a fill or was very very filled or adjusted. The most filled I am, the less I eat in the mornings. So especially if you are not at your sweet spot, try Proteins that "stick" with you more to keep hunger away. Yogurt alone was not good enough of a breakfast for me, with the band it just went through, and wasn't really filling. Now if I charged up my yogurt with lots of nuts, seeds, and wheat germ - then BAM! I'm not much of a cold Cereal eater (I prefer hot cereals) but if I had one I made sure it was a protein-packed one (I LOVE Grape Nuts cereal best. Go Lean is awesome, and several of the Oatmeals & Cream of Wheat cereals have good protein content. I also added a few nuts to those, too. If I had a yogurt smoothie drink as a snack, I had them had a half scoop of Protein powder (a full scoop can make it too thick sometimes) or some soy or nuts. Lunchtime was easy to get more protein in. I'd eat a scoop of tuna salad or chicken salad for lunch - and have them add some shredded cheese, some seeds and/or some nuts. I also love Soup. Usually a cup is a nice start to my lunch if I'm having a scoop of salad or tuna. If it's my whole lunch I get a bowl of soup and eat what I can from it. My band will tell me when to stop. Almost any kind of any soup is great with a sprinkle of cheese or nuts added. Beans, too! With my dinner I always like a cup of soup to begin. Gets me going, jump starts & 'primes' my band and it's a great protein opportunity. Then if I could, I concentrated on seafood. ANY type of fish worked great with my band - From catfish to salmon to snapper to Tilapia. Or even shrimp or my all time favorite, calamari. I enjoy oysters in season and clams all year. The weeks that I ate more seafood, I lost more weight - across the board. Usually grilled is a good choice to be honest I even ate it fried (sorry, weight loss experts) and I still did well. And with my seafood, if I could I added beans to almost everything. With my steamed veggies, I added nuts and a sprinkle of cheese sometimes. I know it's not very It really does work! See when I restrict my calories or even when I try to cut down on fat - I usually just end up cutting down on protein. And no matter how "well" or how much less I eat, if I cut my protein my body won't 'burn' up the fat. It holds on to it. I know that protein is the fuel that helps the LapBand machine work and not trying to diet or 'cut down' was a blessing to me. I've had other Bandsters try this, and yes they are skeptical at first but when they start seeing inches lost (muscle really does weigh more than fat, so your clothes tell you before the scale ever will) then they get on the bandwagon. So don't just 'cut down' - ADD some food on your plate. That's right. ADD MORE nuts, boiled/diced egg, beans, cheese, seeds and other yummy forms of protein. Your body and your LapBand will thank you for it. Also adding protein allowed me to eat fewer carbs and save them for what was really a nice treat - a nice martini or occasional glass of wine, with dinner. Yes, I'm a drinking Bandster. All the successful European Bandsters I knew drank a glass or two now and then and they were my role models. I can't drink a lot AT ALL - a little goes a long way, but it was nice to get to goal weight without ever missing a Friday Happy Hour. I got the band to enhance my life, not take away some of the things that make it enjoyable. I eat out at restaurants, I go have drinks with friends - and I feel and look great. BRAVO! Good Luck to you. (And since so many people asked me the same question in private posts - that's why I am posting it on the Slow Losers board too...) Keep up the good fight. I did it - and you can too.

Alright, I'll 'weigh in' (pun intended) on this topic. In my actively-losing post-op phase I weighed myself too often. Once a week is plenty. Anything more than that, you might make yourself crazy even if you're losing. Why do I say that? Sometimes I'd go weeks without losing a single pound - but I was losing inches. Seriously, the scale would NOT move - but I my clothes were still getting looser. And I care much more about how clothes fit than some magical number. Seriously folks - I let my doctor watch the scale, but I watched my clothes. And after hitting goal, going past goal and trying to find some balance in life... I DO NOT own a scale anymore. I no longer try to let myself get wrapped up in a pound here or there (or even a couple here or there). Now it's different because I've been banded so many years and aren't trying to actively lose (although after the holidays there is always a little less room in my 'skinny girl' jeans but it should even out in a few weeks). But the bottom line is that a working Lap-Band that is well-restricted won't let you down over time. You'll get there even if you have a bad week and that Digital Devil (as I call scales) doesn't show any progress. But like everything else with LapBands- everyone is individual. So do what works for YOU, just don't drive yourself crazy. Enjoy your journey and don't get too wrapped up in numbers. scales lie, clothes rarely do.

I usually suggest people take a week off to recover physically and mentally. I didn't feel too bad after the surgery and went back after 3 workdays off. But going back to work (I never told my job, there were TOO many fat-prejudiced people there) I had to choose my wardrobe carefully to conceal my wrap (I wore a binder after surgery which I recommend) and to not irritate my incisions. Plus yes, I tired a bit quicker but I was in no way physically incapacitated. A week is fine, but if you just HAVE to go back in 3 work days, you'll survive no problem. Good Luck!

Awesome, Mischievious! This sounds so backwards, but it DEFINITELY works. I can't wait to hear more about your continued success. Losing by adding - and not subtracting? It's worth a try. It does work.

Hi, everyone. This has been my fave thread for a long, long time - even before it was over here in a separate area! Like my ID tagline says I really am a Slow Loser - Who Made it Past her goal. And I have read some of the recent comments on this thread as someone who has been there. When I posted pix on the "Before and After" page (I try to do that every 6 or so months because sometimes it's easy to not recognize our own progress) I got LOTS of private messages - especially because I identify myself as a Slow Loser. Actually I call myself the "Worlds Most Remedial Bandster" because I was both a slow loser and a slow band learner - but that's another story. I didn't get this band because I wasn't a successful dieter - pills, fad diets, foods, groups/meetings - I did them all. But I never got to goal weight (and certainly not past it) and my body never allowed me to keep it off. So the fact that I was a Slow Loser shouldn't have been a surprise to me. My body thought: "Oh,another diet. We'll show her!" :thumbup: But when I got it worked out, I really did make it work and the band came through for me. (Knock wood, it will keep doing so). Anyway, I've been asked for tips on some things I did as a Slow Loser that helped me. I'm going to post them here on a quick thread and although these aren't "Officially Listed in the Lap Band Manual" they helped me tremendously.

Gosh, your post touched me. Tracy, I dealt with all of it. I was where you were. BIG TIME. The story is too long to recount but trust me, I have been there. I was "The Worlds Most Remedial Bandster" - I mean really. I knew folks who had the RnY Bypass around the same time, and of course, they seem to lose so quickly. Then I actually had people around me (5 were my CLOSE friends) who gave me so much flack.They meant well but they were like "Errrr.... it's not working, is it?" And those were the nice comments. My body wasn't doing all that it should have do with the band, and no matter what I did I couldn't lose my flabby lower abdomen area. I was so desolate - I also thought of the RnY Bypass. Luckily, I stuck with the band and I'm glad I did. It all worked out and three+ years later I can say I had the last laugh. I got to goal (slowly but in time, I started losing & losing) and a bit past it. I found out I didn't have a flabby lower abdomen - it was fibroids. My Plastic Surgeon found them. Oy vey! That meant a fibroid removal surgery that was the equivalent of a C-section. OUCH Recovery was so slow & long but I now have a smoother mid-section. Of those 5 toughest critics, 4 (yes, 4 of them) are now LapBanded too. I lost as much as some friends who had RnY. It took me longer, but the slower weight loss helped now look (to strangers) as if I've never been heavy. As they say, living well is the best revenge. (There are pics on the Before and After thread that document my progress.) Don't give up yet. You've got a great tool, don't beat yourself up. It can happen.

Hi, Michelle. There are some good LapBand surgeons in Israel. The LapBand is relatively new in the USA (only approved for less than 7 years) but in the rest of the world it's a common, safe procedure and generally preferred over the gastric bypass worldwide. My own original surgeon is Israeli-born and trained (his brother is a doctor in Israel, also) and he was doing the procedure there and in Europe for many years before it was approved here in the 'States. So, relax, keep doing your research and know that you are taking a safe, proven effective way to combat the chronic, debilitating problem of obesity. Good Luck to you....

Boo Boo - what a transformation. You have gone from classic beauty to downright knock-out! (I love your Warhol-ian signature pic, too!) ________________________________________________________ OK - it's been 6 months since I posted on this thread. Time for a pic update, although I basically look the same (it's been 3 years but I lost sooooo slowwwwly at first. Took about 15 months to get that band jump-started, :embaressed_smile:) This band is a journey, some of our bodies continue to "tune up" even long after it's done. Here it is - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Be kind - and remember: "Sagging Can Be Sexy!" (Or so I tell myself til I have lipo & boob job, LOL) THE FIRST YEAR after Banding THE SECOND YEAR Still losing... ...Lost a bit more STARTING THE THIRD YEAR: Earlier in the year, almost got 'too' small, but now it's evened out nicely. (Hey, I finally figured out how to make the photo links smaller. Hooray! ) 6 months ago: 3 Months Ago: Yesterday: All I'm trying to say is - The scale is never the real authority on your progress. It's how you look and how you feel. And also - this band takes you places that you never thought you'd go. Who knew there was a 'skinnier girl' inside me? If I get a "Nip/Tuck" I will be unstoppable! Even without it, I feel pretty good! Enjoy the journey.

D'oh! I almost forgot. The panty-shopping and Victoria's Secret comments - reminded me of the coolest coupon I got. :embaressed_smile: This is a Banded girl's dream. FREE PANTIES! No, really. Remember I've lost a zillion sizes so I've had to replace every single pair of undies. Victoria's Secret has been a lifesaver. Don't give up on Victoria's Secret yet, ladies. Their cotton panties (and thongs and V-strings) are very comfortable and NOW (now that I've finally peeled off the pounds) the classic cotton panties come up to size XL in the store. They have tons of neat colors (perfect for summer wardrobes) and styles. No I don't work there, but I am a frequent shopper and if you sign up via e-mail, you get cool coupons from them. So here's a coupon - use this for a: 1. A free pair of cotton panties (worth up to $8.50). NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. All free. Just pick out the cotton undies, and take them to the register with this coupon. 2. $10 off any regular-priced bra in the store. Great deal - bras now come up to Sizes D & DD in the store. (Larger than 40 and DD's will still have the catalogue as an option.) 3. Or both. Use it for a bra, panty or both. Either way the panty is always free. Now - you can only use ONE coupon per person per visit. But hey, print out a couple. (I went 4 times last week - it's absolutely OK as long as you only use one per visit, per store, per day.) The link is here: FREE VICTORIA'S SECRET PANTY COUPON This is a great deal. I have a new drawerful of sexy, comfy, cute panties, thongs and V-strings. ALL FREE. And you can use the coupon with out any purchase. (Of course,I sometimes end up picking up something else while I'm there - oh, gee, that's how they get us, right! ) Enjoy, my fellow Banded gals.

I had to had an unbelievably complex myomectomy when my beloved plastic surgeon found my fibroids. No really, my PCP or OB/Gyn never had a clue. (I'm single, never had kids, not one symptom of fibroids - they had been growing happily under layers of fat for years - until I lost the weight and they had no where to hide anymore.) Anyway he was kind enough to open/close me and give me a much-needed 'mini-skin-and flab tuck' during my myomectomy. He did his bit, let the OB/Gyn's do their thing and then after they finished, he did a bit of tucking & snipping to tidy things up down there. Since this was a medically-necessary fibroid removal, I wasn't at goal yet so I didn't take that opportunity for lipo and breast re-fluffing [:tt1:] but those will come now that my weight loss has slowed. I surprised myself by actually going past my goal (quite accidentally and painlessly, I'm happy to say) so it's good that I'm taking my time to get "The Works" done later. This was especially important because: 1. My fibroids were advanced (like I said, they had been growing undetected under layers of flab) so once removed, I would have had additional sagging. 2. I believe that OB/Gyns are great at delivering babies but often, are not as good as scars as Plastic Surgeons are. So although I had a C-section like fibroid removal (Grrrrr, recovering from that procedure really sucked and I sure don't look forward to ever having a full C-Section if I had kids) I ended up with a nicely flattened mid-section. 3. If I did ever have kids (again, statistically unlikely since I'm single right now, with little prospects of marriage, LOL) - but if I did have a C-Section, the OB/Gyn only has to use the incision line my PS left. So I totally sympathise with the journey that you've made and I've been watching your progress. You Go Get 'Em, Girl! :tt1:

What a difference two years later - can make! Two years ago, I spoke about Dr Garth I have seen Dr Garth - and I see him regularly. I sent so many referrals to him (when I worked at an insurance company) and I knew of his excellent reputation. But once I went on a consult with him (just to support another Bandster pal), I signed myself up and became his patient. He and his father are great surgeons and people. Excellent bedside manner. He does follow up, monitors my labs and testing and always has something complimentary to say about me and my band progress. :clap2: He makes me feel like a Band success story. He's a jewel. And now, in 2008 - he is doing more and more Lap-Bands (as is his Dad). I also like the fact that he can hit my port in one try (I have an oddly-placed band, since it was moved after my TT) without flouro. He proctored (learned LapBanding) under one of the best and most experienced LapBand surgeons in Texas, and it shows. He was already a great RnY surgeon, so adding LapBands to his practice, is a real plus. I send a lot of my friends to him, and they all love him & his Dad. [The only thing is that now that he's a "TV Doc" his already-busy practice is even more full now. People fly from all over to have Dr Garth & his dad, Dr. Robert - do their Weight Loss Surgeries. The waiting room is pretty full but we all still get personal attention, which isn't easy.] And yes his sister is Banded, and he always talks frankly about her progress. I like doctors who make you feel like they are partnering in your success. I recommend him highly, and as 2008 begins, he will be doing more and more LapBands. ______________________________________________________________________ From Jan. 2006:

I eat almost every single meal out - and have since Day 5 after being banded. I haven't ever looked back. It is so rare that a restaurant (even fast food which I don't care for) doesn't have something band-friendly. Now 2 more of my pals are also banded (so that's a total of 6 good friends that also have LapBands) so we go out, split an appetizer and each have a cup of soup (Plus since I have a glass of wine or a martini, I'm still in the 'social swing' of things. Nobody notices, really.) Since LapBanders can eat most foods in moderation or smaller portions, I rarely feel limited. People really aren't paying attention to what we eat / or don't eat - unless WE focus attention on it. The Soup of the Day is always a good choice, as are Baked Potatoes as mentioned above. Seafood is almost always a winner for us Bandster folks. Since I don't eat pork or beef (nor did I eat it before being banded) I can always find a yummy appetizer and/or a satisfying soup for my meal. I usually order a "starter" or appetizer course as my main dish entree, and I generally start with a cup of the soup of my choice. I eat Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and beyond with my band - and we've yet to have 'an incident' at a restaurant that I couldn't handle. Remember this band is going to be an accent to your life - not a hindrance. You'll get the hang of it, I promise.

JFran, that is "twisted brain talk" and we've all heard ourselves do it. But the thing is, in Dad-speak, he meant well. And your pictures tell the story. You're blossoming from "Cute" to "Pretty" To "Smokin' Hot" - so yeah, Dad better load up & ready his aim. 2008 is going to be our Victory Year, so get ready, JFran!

Exactly! My Plastic Surgeon recommends doing it before goal weight for just the reason that shortgal says. He was right, and waiting until after goal weight means I no longer qualify for insurance payment of this procedure. (So I make sure my Bandster buddies get it before goal if they are aiming for insurance payment. If they can self-pay or finance, then they can wait if they want. But the insurance company wants to see large volume breasts before they pay, and at/near goal - then your breasts may still need work, but no longer have large volume left. Think about it!

No mystery there - that means you're getting fuller faster. That's pretty common as you get a higher level of restriction. If I am eating "real" solids and solid proteins - I will sometimes notice the Bandster "Nose Reaction". We don't know all the details but when Banded folk get full - their nose responds and sends the signals (it's another way of knowing that your new smaller stomach is getting full). It varies from banded person to person. Some people's nose itches, some folks noses' run and some get the sneezing. All of those are signs that your now-narrower esophagus is feeling pressure. This pressure moves up through to your sinus cavity (like when you have sinus drainage, it unfortunately goes the other way) and then you get the Nose Reaction. So it's not unusual, really. It may just mean "Check Please" or that your meal should be ending soon - you're full.

I'm a fan of Hot & Sour soup and Egg Drop soup during Pre-Op, Post-Op and even after fills. They are both Band-Friendly.

I've been there, folks. Sure it's a real concern but I sometimes our bodies are smarter than we are. The great thing about the band is that we lose slowly enough for our heads to catch up to our weight loss. I remember doctors telling me that I'd lose 10-12 more lbs with the RnY Bypass than with the band. Generally the band doesn't make anyone thin - it just gets you to or near, your normal adult weight, whatever that is. The RnY can make you thinner than you were ever in life, but that wasn't my goal. I wasn't trying to get to a small, just get to normal sizes. But luckily I decided I'd rather not go thru all that more complicated surgery for a few more pounds. So not only did the band get me to goal weight, I also ended up losing those extra pounds too. I lost as much as I would have lost with the RnY. That was a total surprise to me. I'm not losing now - and don't weigh myself. But I never cared for scale loss, clothes sizes meant more. As long as I maintain the same size, I'm cool. So I can wear size Small tops and Medium bottoms, especially if they are Tall or Long lengths. (Some of my Holiday presents included 2 pairs of Pajamas from my sister. But they were a generous Size Small. I held them up thinking that they would never fit - Of course they fit perfectly. I wore them last night.) Did I ever think I'd be a size Small anything? Heck no. But I'm not skinny like I feared I'd be. In fact, now I'm a very curvy girl even at a Size 6 or 8 (there are semi-recent pics of me on the "Before & After" Pix thread here on this forum - although I look slim in my clothes, I truly look like a thick girl when in my undies ) so luckily I'm in no danger of being thought of as thin. That's a good thing! I won't ever be as thin as someone who's never been fat, but people constantly tell me that I don't look like I was ever fat;. That's a miracle, really. So all the concerns I had at the beginning of this journey have evaporated. Let this tool work for you. As you lose your weight, your head is going to catch up with your body. So you won't keep wondering who that smaller (not small) girl is in the mirror: you'll know it's you.

Wow? Down to 4 a week? Well I don't know what your previous consumption was, but if you're cutting down to 4 a week, it was probably pretty robust. I'm the Bandster exception I guess. I look to the European Bandsters since they have been banding there for decades with great success. Euro Bandsters drink quite regularly and still lose well. Of course moderation is key, but I never missed a Friday Happy Hour during my banding (except for the 2 Fridays after my TT - ouch!) and I lost fine. In fact I think that most of the light social drinker Bandsters I know seem to have lost a bit more some of that didn't drink. Doesn't make sense but it's true. (And the Bandsters' unofficial fave liquor is vodka - from coast to coast. Don't know why but it is.) Anyway, that's completely unscientific but bottom line is that I was never a beer drinker but those who do drink it say that the carbonation isn't easy to tolerate in larger quantities. I believe it. Two or three drinks a week will probably not slow anyone down from weight loss - if they account for those 'empty' cals or carbs elsewhere. No one got this band to make their lives miserable, I bet. I think I lot of us chose this option to help us make good choices and maintain our weight over a lifetime. It's not a reason to eliminate things that we enjoy - the band is suppose to help us moderate our intake of those things, and that might well include alcohol. (I can't drink as much as I did before banding, basically because I eat so much less. It's simple. I'm a cheaper date now! ) So for that reason it's important to find a way to incorporate the band into our lives - not to make our lives dry (so to speak). Let's be banded and live our lives to the fullest - I'll tip my martini glass to that!

This is a great thread. I can see your post-ops pics from right after your surgery and you're going to look great. I know from my own fresh post ops pics (you can see my current pics on the "Before & After" thread here on LBT). Funnily enough, I got more "results" from my TT than I did my entire first 50 lbs of loss (my goal was 80+lbs so I was 2/3 of the way there when I had the TT.) Yes I had lost most of my weight but getting rid of that excess skin made my body wake up and realize "Oh we're going to be a smaller person now." After the TT, people really started commenting on my loss. I can't find my old post-op pics (they would scare anybody, LOL) but I can tell how much contouring and shaping your doc did. Trust me, I haven't had an ounce of lipo or any body lift but that one (life-changing & frankly, not so easy) surgery made me look better. It made the @&^%$# drains, the garment and the incision all worthwhile. And my skin continued to improve, contour, and contract for months after the TT. So congrats Gh0st - every 8 wks after recovery, your body is going to amaze you!

For this surgery: to be this healthy, to be this content, to look like I do now (I got brave and finally put new pics on the Before & After thread this morning) I would have paid a LOT MORE. I know it's a bit high for self-pay but if it's inclusive, you won't be sorry not one bit.

OK, now for the "grown up" ones. WARNING: These were taken right out of the shower, so I'm in a camisole and undies. I doubt anyone cares, but you've been warned. The first one is relatively current, but the second one in the skivvies, was taken some months ago...I'm a little smaller than that now (I was fleshier then). Plus it's just not a flattering picture, but I obviously take them straight out of the shower, LOL. Anyway, it's an ongoing journey...