tmcd59

You look awesome! Congratulations!

I'm right there with you! I was encouraged the first two days after my first fill because I wasn't as hungry, but since then, I can eat pretty much whatever I want and way more than 3/4 cup of food! My doctor told me beforehand though that it would take 3 or 4 fills to get to that "sweet spot" so I was prepared for this. I'm just doing my best not to gain weight before my next fill (Sept. 2). I've had two pounds I gain and lose but I weigh faithfully every morning. I know some people say this isn't good to do, but it keeps me on target. Luckily, I can exercise and have been sticking with it! I do Water aerobics twice a week (LOVE it) and walk on my tread mill at least three times a week. I am just trying to stick with the foods that I know are high Protein and low calorie and track everything (even when I cheat) on myplate.com. It helps me keep my calorie count down. I read somewhere that eating Beans helps (high protein and filling) and have been eating at least 1/2 cup of baked beans every lunch and dinner. It does seem to fill me up more and is very satisfying. Hang in there! This is normal and it will come for us!

I can tell you a positive story! I was banded on July 10 and it's been a wonderful experience. The sugery was easy, recovery was easy (some bad gas pains, but nothing unbearable) and I've survived a death in the family and vacation without doing my usual....blowing a diet because I just couldn't stick with it under those circumstances. I did gain 3 pounds on vacation because it was week three after surgery, before a fill and I could eat about anything I wanted. Eventhough it was smaller portions, I was eating foods high in calories. Thank goodness I lost it quickly once back home. I had my first fill last Thursday and have lost 3 more pounds. I have read that a lot of people don't feel much difference after their first fill, but I sure can. I'm not able to eat near what I could before the fill. For all of you about to have surgery....be excited! I kind of think it is what you make it! My doctor warned me that if you just start eating like you did before, only in smaller portions, you won't lose much (why the majority of people only lose 40% of thier excess weight). I use a site called The Daily Plate to count my calories and I'm exercising every day. I do Water aerobics twice a week and walk 30 minutes on my treadmill every day that I'm not swimming. Like my doctor told me in the beginning...this is NOT a quick fix. You still have to eat healthy, low calorie foods and exercise to lose weight. sugar free popsicles are my lifesaver! My doctor said no snacking between meals, but popsicles count as liquid so aren't considered snacking. I eat two or three a day. Best of luck to you all.....I hope your surgery goes well.

Well, I know every doctor is different but that sure isn't what mine said. In fact, he said if you go back to eating the wrong foods, even in small amounts, you won't lose much at all after a while. I've read in a couple of places that the majority of people only lose like 40% of their "excess" weight. I would imagine that's because they eat the wrong foods. My doctor told me to eat lean meat and vegetables and stay away from breads, potatoes, Pasta, anything fried....basically eat the way we've always known we should be eating. He did say that it's ok to splurge once in a while, but you can't eat "normal" and lose. I was on vacation last week and it was that week before my first fill and I was hungrier than I had been. I ate more normal foods, but in very small portions and gained 3 pounds! Since I've been back home, I've been back on my "plan" and lost that 3 pounds already. I got my first fill yesterday and am very excited with how full I am on just liquids! The nurse said it would probably be Monday, when I'm back on solids before I really noticed it, but I have had one 4 oz. Protein drink, Water and 1/2 cup of tomato Soup all day and feel very full. I wish it felt like this all the time!

I've been using a site called The Daily Plate. You can enter your weight and how much you want to lose per week and it tells you how many calories a day you should eat. Then you list everything you eat and it calculates out all of the nutritional values for you (nearly every food imaginalble is already listed to choose from). You can also list your exercise and it adds the extra calories burned into your daily allowance. I printed out a report (from the site) of what I had eaten for a week and took it with me to the doctor and he said it was an awesome tool. He saw that I was eating less than 800 calories a day (just two or three weeks after surgery) and told me if I keep it below 1,000 calories a day, I'll lose weight. I try to do that but make sure I get my protein in as directed.

I was banded on July 10 and just started exercising this week. My doctor recommended Water aerobics and I found out our local natorium has several classes offered throughout the day. I've been twice this week and love it! I hate any type of exercise too but am finding this so much fun....and it's in-doors, out of the HOT Texas sun! I am also walking on my treadmill on the days I don't swim, but I'd much rather do the swim class. We use water weights and noodles and it's amazing the workout it gives my arms and back! That's the only thing that felt sore after the first class. Just an idea for others who may hate, or have trouble with other types of exercise.

From what I hear, it would take a lot more than that and it's harder to do any damage before a fill. I was banded on July 10 and got my first fill yesterday. The past two weeks have been very hard because I got my appetite back while on vacation. I quickly found out I could eat just about anything...not as much as before surgery, but still more than I knew I should be eating. I never spit up or got sick at all. From reserach I've done, that's pretty normal for "before fill". I did manage to gain 3 pounds during that week's vacation, but have gone back to the plan this week and already lost that 3 pounds. I ate a couple of bites of things about week two or three that weren't really on the approved list, but I just made sure I chewed really well and ate only a bite or two. I have two teenage sons that have also added to my difficulty. They don't need to lose weight and it's impossible not to have food for them in the house. Cooking for them before I could eat "real food" again was very, very hard. It's amazing how many times I had a bite in my hand, headed for my mouth out of pure habit! Tuesday is my son's 21st birthday and we have three dinner parties planned to celebrate! I know it's going to be hard, but I have just planned in advance what I'm going to eat and will keep reminding myself that I have to do this. Tomorrow is going to be the toughest...his girlfriend's family is having a cook out (ribs!!!!) and I am still on mushies after my fill yesterday. I'll just take a sweet potato to bake and maybe some SF pudding. If you have a sweet tooth like me, try the Popsicle brand sugar free popsicles. They are my lifesaver. Best of luck!

I'm sorry, but I'm not sure. I just signed up for the daily plate a couple of weeks ago so am surprised they aren't still taking new members. It does the same thing as the Body Bugg does as far as telling you how many calories a day you can have. You might try that site. I am surprised at how many calories Water aerobics burns! My surgeon recommended it to me and I love it! It's so much more fun than walking on my treadmill (which I do on days I'm not swimming). I was terrified of being seen in public in a bathing suit, but found out there were others there in the same shape as me, or worse, so I felt much more comfortable going. If you have a place close to you that offers the classes, I would highly recommend them!

I can't believe your Dr. didn't give you more information. Every doctor is different, but mine only had me on liquids for several days, then mushies (mashed potatoes, yogurt, SF pudding, etc.). Sugarfree popsicles were, and still are, my lifesavers! I also found a Protein drink at The smoothie Factory that I love. If you have one of those nearby, they'll mix you up samples in the store to try so you know if you like it before purchasing the huge, expensive jugs of powder. They seem to fill me up pretty well. I had my first fill yesterday afternoon and after one Protein Drink this morning, feel stuffed! I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to get my morning Water down. Good luck!

I found this great, FREE site that I have been using and thought I would share it. You can enter your current weight and how many pounds per week you would like to lose and it calculates how many calories a day you can have. Then you can enter foods (nearly everything possible is there) and it breaks down the nutritional content.....even tracks exercise and gives you more calories for that! www.thedailyplate.com Good luck!

Nikole, my doctor put me on the Southbeach Diet pre-op instead of all liquids (thank goodness). As recommended by Southbeach, I kept sugar free popsicles (Blue Bell) and fudgesicles handy and ate them every time I got a sweet tooth.......I am still relying on them post-op!

I went for my first evaluation and consultation April 22 and was banded July 10. Much of that time was waiting on insurance approval. I have UHC and they denied my claim the first time and we had to submit an appeal. After waiting the required three weeks for the appeal to reviewed, we called and they never received it so it had to be submitted again. After another two weeks, I got the approval on June 20. During that waiting period, I was able to have all the tests and evaluations done so was ready to go as soon as my doctor had an opening. I'm so thankful I didn't have to go through the six months of doctor visits to discuss my weight.....I've done that for years! Good luck to you!

I was banded on July 10 and haven't started exercising yet. My Grandmother passed away last week and I was out of town during that time. Just dealing with being around all that food was trying enough! On my surgery day, my doctor told me about a woman he saw the previous day. She was banded on Dec. 13, weighing 340 and on July 9 she was down 90 pounds! I asked "wasn't that too fast and wouldn't she have a lot of loose skin?" He said "not if you are exercising". That lady had been doing water aerobics 3 or 4 times a week. As soon as I got home, I started looking for a local place that I could take water aerobic classes. My doctor told me not to start until I see him for my post op next week, but as soon as he gives me the ok, I'm starting!