lellow

I eat when I'm starting to get hungry - at this point, it's usually 3 times a day as each meal lasts me at least 4 hours. My surgeon's instructions have always been 'eat when hungry' and he doesn't prescribe 3 or 4 or 5 set meals/snacks. I think most Aussie Drs do this. I exercise at night (35-40kms on a spin bike three times a week) but my body seems to be happy on what I'm eating because I'm not needing more food than I'm having at the moment to sustain the exercise.

I actually didn't have any hair loss until this last month or so. I thought it was because of my last two fills (and eating quite a lot less now!) I was actually planning on getting some Biotin today. I started with lots of hair, so it's not super noticeable that I've lost a bit lately, but I want to catch it before it gets too bad. :smile:

Last week (and the two weeks prior to it) 78.5kgs This week: 77.7kgs Loss 0.8kgs (1.8lbs)!!!! Yay plateau broken!!!! Fill this arvo at 12 noon too. :huh2:

okay to get back on topic, I, like Jachut, eat whatever I want, just less of it, as instructed by my Australian Dr. I eat white bread, I eat rice, I eat Pasta, but I also eat meat, and veg and I even sometimes have a cookie if I feel like it. I don't count calories (so no, I have no idea how many calories I comsume a day), I don't weigh my food, my band controls my portions for me. I exercise 4 times a week at intensities that ensure I'm sweating buckets and panting from being out of breath, and with this approach I've consistently lost 3kgs (10lbs) or more a month. I also never feel like I'm on a diet, and I know I'll be able to sustain this for the rest of my life. I don't feel deprived of anything either, which I love about being banded. I have lots of energy and IMO, the way I eat makes me feel like a 'normal' person, in that I am not constantly avoiding certain foods. The best part of the band, too, is that in not avoiding any sorts of foods, I've lost interest in many of them, effectively killing off most of my head hunger. :tounge_smile: Knowing that I could have fried chicken or chocolate if I wanted to, I tend to think 'oh I'll have it another day when I'm really craving it' and usually, I don't end up craving it!

I actually only suffered a loss of energy in the days right after surgery. But as soon as I started on mushies, the energy returned, and now I actually have more energy than I've had in over 20 years. Even after when on liquids (after a fill) I can still ride 35kms on my stationary bike. Nope, I definitely don't suffer from a lack of energy. Though I do know of some banders who do.

yep. At a course I went to recently, everyone was complaining about how stuffy it was, and I was shivering! I know it's because I've lost 45lbs of insulation though!

Mine was 35, but was 37 when I decided to get banded. I'm less than 5 months banded and have lost quite consistently, and hope to make it to the surgeon-set goal as per my ticker over the next three months.

Lol accountess yes 'arvo' is aussie slang for 'afternoon'. We shorten heaps of words! My Dr actually said yesterday that he considers me a huge success and he would love all his patients to be doing as well as me. I got a 0.5cc fill (more than I asked for) but am doing okay on it. I'm on liquids for a few days, and then the real test of whether I'm managing it will begin.

Finally broke my plateau! Down just over a lb only but I'll take it! It means it's going in the right directon. Plus I have a fill tomorrow! Brad, thanks, matey! I also hope I'll be at goal by the end of summer. And you're right I can't believe how much things have changed for us since August. I actually have an initial consult with a PS in late January, too. Very excited about that - I have quite a lot of loose skin, even from prior to my weight loss, from having 4 (big) babies. :shades_smile: Well, to recap on the challenge for me: 0.4lbs from my first set goal of 10lbs, but 2.4lbs from my revised goal of 12lbs.

Great job Brad! You rock! You've got to tell us what your surgeon said after you've been to see him. In fact great job everyone! I reckon us All-Stars are an amazing bunch. :blushing: I realise that despite my moaning about plateauing, since my last visit to my Dr on the 6th of November, I've lost 9.7lbs. That's just under 2lbs a week, which is right on track for me to be honest. :mad2:

I can't manage structured exercise 5 times a week unfortunately, with my work, family and study schedule. I do 40 minutes hard cycling 3 times a week (about 35kms) and a one hour power walk on Sundays. To be honest I don't think I could pry more exercise in even if I wanted to, so anything I do in between is 'incidental' exercise - walking to the shops instead of driving, taking the stairs whenever I can etc. I quite enjoy my 'off' days too I have to admit.

I've actually had my fill moved up from Feb to this Friday because I've been getting hungry sooner, and can burp again (which is my first sign of less restriction). I'm hoping it will help with my plateau too. I'm definitely eating more now than 2 weeks ago, though I have been making good food choices. I still have 3.7lbs to lose to get to my goal. But having stood still for two weeks, I'm wondering if I'm going to make it.

For me it was finding out my younger brother is severely diabetic. And he weighed less than me at the time. Then finding out his wife is due to have a baby soon, and knowing he's wondering if he will see his child into adulthood. Finding out he wanted WLS but would have to self-pay. Yet I had health insurance which meant I only paid a fraction of what it would cost him.

There you go! If 85% of all patients are losing 60% of their excess weight at a minimum, that's some success rate for WLS if you ask me, I think the slippage rates here are 1%, and erosion less than 1% here in Australia. I wonder if it's to do with surgeon skill.

Another Australian bander here and I have to admit, I also don't count calories. I eat whatever I want, just a lot less. I eat all foods, including bread and Pasta. I don't do the 'protein, veg, then carbs' things at all. I have lost all cravings for ice-cream, cola and other fattening slider foods, but I do occasionally have highg calorie foods like fried chicken and fries (small portions as my band dictates) so I generally don't feel like I'm ever on a diet. Australian surgeons are always available to you. My fills are largely covered my Medicare and I don't worry about calling my Dr for a fill/unfill. I call when I need to see him and he books me an appointment, period. Australian generally have great after-surgery care. They don't feel deprived, they don't feel like they're dieting. Many of us exercise, because it's made clear to us early on that the band will help you lose 60% of your excess weight on average, but the other 40% is up to you. And it seems like that approach works for Australian patients, with approx 85% of Australian banders losing a minimum of 60% of their excess weight.

Hi lonestar5212, it's timely that you've posted this. I also only am able to eat 3/4 of a cup of food on average per meal, but lately have been getting hungry within 2-3 hours, which does not happen when I'm well-restricted. My next appt for a fill was supposed to be in Feb but this morning, I decided that I actually probably do need a bit of an adjustment, simply because I'm not feeling as restricted as I used to feel. So I booked myself in for a fill this Friday. I will be asking for a small adjustment only, maybe 0.25cc, just to bring back that restricted feeling. Perhaps you should also look at a small-ish adjustment, because it sounds like you're close to your sweet spot, you just need maybe a little bit to get there.

Everyone's made good points but just wanted to add my experience. I always believed that my excess weight was a result of me not having the will power to control my eating. But the honest truth is, you can have will power to portion control without the band for maybe 2 months, maybe 2 years, but to eat the portion sizes I eat now for the rest of my life? I'm sorry but I don't think I would have ever had the will power to do that forever. That's where my band comes in. What the band has done for me is this: It stops me feeling hungry all the time. I actually sometimes forget to eat! It won't let me eat too much. I can still overeat sometimes, but my 'over-eating' is still only a fraction of what my 'normal' meal was pre-band. I don't count calories, so I still eat fried chicken and creamy pastas sometimes, so I don't really feel like I'm missing out on anything. But I don't crave them all the time like I used to, I only have a little bit when I do eat them. Mostly, though, the main benefit of the band is that I don't love food the way I used to. I've lost ALL desire for carbonated drinks and ice cream and Cookies. My husband can't believe it. Hell, I can't believe it. But when I only have limited room in my stomache, I want savoury foods that will fill me, and not slider foods that sabotage me. And I am able to exercise. It's a lot easier to exercise when you're not so heavy. I have always exercised, even pre-band, but having lost some weight initally after the op, I found I was able to exercise more intensely, and for longer, because I wasn't as heavy. I went into the op half sceptical about whether it would work for me, but it's working all right, like no diet and exercise plan has ever worked before. I don't think I could have had the results I've had, or keep it off, if not for the band.

tutornmum, after some great weight loss at the start of the challenge, I've plateaued now for almost 2 weeks. I'm not sure I'm going to get to my goal of 12lbs loss by New Year's either at this rate. But that we tried and got as close as possible is better than nothing, and I think it's motivating to set ourselves targets. I'm still exercising and eating well but am not losing anymore at the moment. I figure my weight loss might be slowing significantly now. My next appt with my Dr isn't until February next year, so right now I guess I've just got to accept that I'm just not going to lose as fast as I did those first few months.

After a week of eating well (and sometimes forgetting to eat!) and regular exercise, I've stayed the same! Argh! I know that in the last couple of weeks, I've lost over 8lbs, so I guess I shouldn't be too upset about a plateau. But I am! Lol! Last week: 78.5 kgs This week: 78.5 kgs. Exercise: 3 X 35kms on the stationary bike 2 X 1 hour walks.

I am today sitting on a BMI of 30 exactly. By my Dr's chart, this means I'm now overweight and no longer obese! I don't know why I'm so excited about it, but I am!

My size 14 jeans were too loose so I went out yesterday to buy size 12s. :wink: They're a little tight (think muffin top) but they do up no problems. The older guy my hubby works with is teasing him about how all the guys at work are now drooling after me now! LOLOLOL! My husband's arms overlap each other when he hugs me. Two ladies at work are having lapband surgery over Christmas because I am apparently 'a walking advert' for it.

Non-Scale Victory. :wink: Ro, what a great NSV! I have found a whole new love of shopping, too! You, girl, must look HOT HOT HOT!!

Yesterday was a bit crazy at work. It wasn't until I drove all the way home, and got out of the car that I noticed that my whole body was trembling. Only then did I realise I hadn't had anything to eat all day! I recall being hungry but telling myself I'd eat later when I finished whatever I was doing. I must have forgotten though. I had a small dinner and then this morning, I had GAINED 0.5 of a kilo! Obviously my body went into starvation mode or something!

Hi peoples! Since upping my exercise and watching what I'm eating, I'm losing faster than I ever have since just after surgery. I am getting close to goal though, so expect that I will slow down. Last week: 80kgs (176lbs) This week: 78.5kgs (172.7lbs) loss this week: 1.5kgs (3.3lbs) Exercise 2 X 1 hour walks 3 X 35km ride on the stationary bike.

Loss since start of challenge: 8.3lbs lbs to lose to get to New Years Challenge goal: 3.7lbs tutornmom, I hope your son's op goes well. And I believe you can do it, too!