John_Yeti

I say average of 1200 to 1600 because I might change it up & have an extra meal one day. Maybe hummus or an extra chicken breast. I've bumped up my calories before, but I can always try it again. I don't do the fat measurement, but do measure my waist daily. No movement. I've gained again, but no waist shrinkage. I'm hoping it is a gain due to boot camp & will eventually go down on the scale. We'll see. Ready for another week of boot camp. Thanks for the advice & encouragement.

So, as some may know i've posted on here before about being on pretty much a year long plateau. My doctor says it's just my body getting used to my lifestyle, I just needed to bump up my exercise routine. I was told that my eating habits are great, and nothing wrong on that end. So, i decided to join a local "boot camp" for the next month. I felt like this would really help me out by motivating me, and also teaching me what i should be doing. So far I've been to 4 sessions, and it's kicked my butt. We've done all kinds of exercises including running stadiums and miles. We focus on core, legs, & upper body. I have really been pushing myself more than ever. So, i decided it's time to weigh myself this morning. So, I do. I'm up 5 lbs. now...... no change in clothing, no change in measurements...... how is this even possible? lol Is this a joke? I should be losing some weight, even if I am "building muscle," which i'm sure i'm not building that much muscle from these routines. Has anyone else had this problem? lol Am i just doomed?

I'd say I'm averaging between 1200 to 1600 calories. I'm pretty sure I'm not gaining muscle. Not sure what's going on though.

Thank you both for your confidence. I sure hope you are right. I guess only time will tell. If nothing has happened after a month of boot camp, I don't know what I'm going to do. lol

Are Mung Bean Noodles a better alternative for pasta? There is 200 calories per serving, and 50 carbs. No fat, protein, sugar, or fiber.

I agree with Jackie, If i have a large bottle of Water, it almost intimidates me to drink so much. I usually drink 2 (16 oz) bottles of water as soon as i wake up. Then have more bottles of water as the day goes by. It seems the best way for me. I used to carry around a jug, and just looked at it like a mountain that was hard to climb. Also, try finding other things to add to the water to make it more pleasurable. I also do the sugar-free Kool-aid, but i also have a wheat grass mixture i add to water, caffeine free teas / coffees help also. Good Luck!

Hello everyone, From what i understand, the liquid diets after fills are only because our pouch/throat may become inflamed after fooling around with it during a fill/unfill. So, they put us on thin liquids at first, just in case it is sensitive. The last Fill i had actually bothered me, so it made sense, but before that, I see your point of why starve myself. So, if you can get a thin Protein drink down with clear liquids, there's nothing wrong with that. It's just to make sure you don't hurt/irritate your pouch area more. I usually stick to Water, coffee, broth for my liquid days. But, i understand when it comes to 7 days. Wooh! Good Luck!

Hello, I'm not sure what the qualifications really are, i think they vary from doctor to doctor. The first step is to find a local physician who performs the surgeries and they can tell you if you qualify or not. If you do, they will most likely: 1. Make you go on a diet before to lose a certain amount of weight, to help with the surgery and also show you have the commitment. 2. Put you on a diet that will closely resemble your lifestyle after the surgery 3. Start your consultations with a Nutritionist and other Lapbanders. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I did not have any major health issues. I only had high blood pressure. I was 470 lbs, and finally decided I needed to do something. I lost 60 lbs before surgery. Since then (2 years), i'm down to 325 lbs. It has been worth it! There is a lot of emotional work as well as physical work along with the Lapband. Exercise is a must. Eating properly is a must, the only thing the lapband does is control your portions at a time. Most people out there think this is a easy thing to do, and it instantly helps you lose... as if it's a fix. It's not a fix, it's a tool. This was the hardest thing for me to learn. A lot of problems i have are my friends. They don't understand what i'm going through emotionally with the eating / food. They are always telling me i'm not going to gain weight if i have 1 piece of candy or other things, and they don't understand what i was going through before the surgery. So, I would defiantly find a friend or family member who listens. Luckily my wife listens to me, and i am grateful how understanding she is with all my stuff. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I guess I would start by talking with a physician you find. They can give you all kinds of literature & also tell you what you need to get started. Look for some books, i have a book about life after Gastric surgeries, and websites likes these help. Although, these websites have people who can scare someone... so don't think you will have the good/bad reactions to the band. Each of us have our own experience. Good luck!

I know everyone is giving the "go get a fill" advice, and it could help... but you said it yourself in your post "I pretty much eat what i want." That might be the problem. Getting back on track with eating the right foods and the right amounts will defiantly help. A Fill can help also, but the 1st is the most important rule i would think. Are you exercising? Eating slidable foods? Drinking a majority of calories? These are other things to think about.

So, i've been taking smoothie King's Protein powder, "Gladiator," which is nice. It has only 180 calories per serving (two scoops), less than 1 carb, and 42 grams of protein i believe.. Anyway, i decided to pick up some Muscle Milk to start using both. I've been seeing a lot of negative reviews about using it with gaining muscle and especially weight loss because of the large amounts of calories it has. Muscle Milk has 300 calories per serving (2 scoops) with 12 fats, and 25 protein(?) . The fats are better than what everyone will think, but i don't feel like explaining the types of fats and stuff. I guess my question is, are the "large" amount of calories really a big problem if i'm either (A) using only 1 scoop for a drink, or (:eek: having the two scoop serving, giving me 300 calories for my meal. If i have a 300 calorie Breakfast and a 300 calorie lunch, and eat a sensible dinner, is that still what people would consider "Large amounts of calories?" OR Am are people not looking at the fact that it is Meal Replacement rather than a snack? Any thoughts would help, because i'm wanting to build up muscle, but mainly lose the weight.

I had the same exact problem. Here's what i did. At my local health food store there is something called "Cocao," which works great. Here is a link on some information: Cocoa solids - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Here is the site for the product i get: Organic Cacao - Certified Organic, Raw, Kosher - Navitas Naturals We're talking 40 calories for 2.5 tablespoons. I usually just add 1 tablespoon. It's pretty much unsweetened cocoa powder, but added to a vanilla Protein shake, it makes it all good! Just something to think about. Good luck!

Fiber will bulk you up when needed, and flush you out when needed. There are many different ways to get it. Foods (apples, oatmeal, wheat bread, etc), pills, or even drinks. Also, they make Splenda with Fiber, so maybe that's another choice. I use them since i drink a lot of coffee. I was banded in 2008, and when i started eating differently than I was previously, i could see a change in my bowel movements, so it's most likely nothing to worry about. BTW, If you go to places such as smoothie King or any other health smoothie place, they can actually add in a fiber enhancement, which makes it easy to get it down without tasting it. Good Luck!

Thank you very much!

TY very much.

My wife told me, before my surgery, that my friends and family may try to sabotage my eating habits without realizing it. Boy was she right! I've really noticed that when we all go out for dinner or shopping, i'm constantly having to deny foods from my friends. "Here, taste this!" or "Dude, you gotta have some of this, it's only one bite!" or they'll say "Oh No!, this one piece is going to give you Soooo many calories!" Does anyone else have the problem with friends not understanding what they are going through or trying to do. I've tried talking to them, but nothing seems to work. Any advice for me?

Someone close to me has anxiety constantly, so i bought her some Kava tea. I had read somewhere online how it helps calm your nerves. I picked some up just to see if it would help. It didn't help her much, but going through my Thesis quarter of Grad School, i thought i'd give it a try. It sure helped me calm down when my nerves got going. Do i think it will help you? I'm not sure, but any kind of information helps, right? Hope you get to feeling better!

I have had the same problem as you with people who are either ignorant on the subject, or deliberately want you to fail. Granted, not all of them are doctors, but they still feel as if they know what works. Ironically, most of them are always Obese themselves... lol I have had people tell me that surgery is the weaker way out, and all we have to do is drink lots of Water and walk. <------- This coming from an overweight woman working at a local fried catfish restaurant. The point is, we all know what it takes with the band. Don't let people get to you, because no matter what they say, you're still going to have the band and you're still going to be able to lose the weight. They can't stop you from reaching your goal! Good luck to you!

Hi there, I'm looking for any healthy places to shop for food. I live in Natchitoches and have about a 3 to 4 hour drive to Baton Rouge for the closest Whole Foods Store. We also go to Shreveport to a chain called "Sunshine Health Food Store," but the hours of operation & quantity of products has become an issue. Any other suggestions for the Northwest Louisiana area? Thanks. :biggrin:

Glad i could be some help.

Most all the time it's not on purpose. That's why my wife told me they would do it without realizing it. I didn't think people would, but it has happened over and over again. You're exactly right Kalipso, we socialize around food so much or at least make it a huge part of our interactions that it becomes one of those important things in our life. What i've tried to do is make them realize that i'm trying to get to the point where i eat because i need food to live, not because i'm hungry. They seem to have a problem with that. BTW, it also doesn't help that some of my friends are overweight as well. It's weird, they understand what i've had done and also understand how it works, but can't seem to grasp the idea that i don't want "ONE" chip or candy..... Because I know myself, if I get off and have that "ONE" it turns into more. I also would like to have NONE instead of ONE.

I just had a fill myself and have had a bit of a swollen throat which kept liquids from going down as good as they did before. I don't think i'm having as much of a problem as you are, but i waited a few days (staying on liquids) and i can tell my throat is way less swollen than before. I guess, what i'm trying to say is if you can stand it, and it's not hindering your health in any way, you might think of waiting a day or two more, just in case. I know everyone's usually eager to tell someone to see the doctor right away, but it's really your judgement on this that counts. You may be too tight, or you may not be used to your band unfilling then filling up again, causing a little discomfort for your stomach / insides. Your swelling may go down, if it doesn't, then i would surely go to the Doc. To sum up my long-winded rambling, it's your call on this. Ask yourself if it would hurt to go a day or two more just to see if it's only temporary swelling of the esophagus. Good luck with everything, and hope you get to feeling better soon. I know it can be more annoying than anything.

The main thing is to focus on the pros and cons. The main pro for me dealing with the Lap Band is the fact that if anything went wrong, it could easily be taken out. People who get the full Gastric Bypass are screwed from that point forward. If they feel as if it is not right for them or problems occur.... it can't be taken out. Also, another pro, which came after surgery, are friends of mine who had the Gastric Bypass having problems with hair loss, stomach issues, and constant sickness. I haven't had any of these problems at all. I may be one of the lucky ones, who knows... but i do know that i have not regretted my decision at all, and am very happy I chose the band over the Bypass. In the end, it's your decision. If it were any political topic, you wouldn't be bullied into thinking a different way by friends, so don't let them do it to you with this. Do what YOU want to do. BTW, it seems that your friend is not well informed on the issues about the band, and I have noticed that a lot of people who go Gastric Bypass look down upon those with bands. Not sure why, My guess is that they, once again, can't go back if something goes wrong. Good luck, and do what's best for YOU and YOU only!

No slobbering involved. It will slowly start building up in your throat. You'll have plenty of time to get to a bathroom to expel it out. When something gets stuck, you'll feel it. Most of the time i either sit up straight, or go and PB. If there is still some blockage after that, i'll start sliming, but will know it's happening in enough time to go somewhere private. It's nothing to really worry about, and to be honest, you're not going to have to worry about this for a while. I'm almost 2 years into my experience, and have had several fills, it was only until the last few fills where i had any incidents. Many factors work into this. The individual, the food, the time of the day, etc. You will probably have blockage problems more in the morning than at night. It's not as bad as it sounds, trust me.

Sliming: When you get something stuck, your body produces a natural mucus to help lubricate your tube to get rid of the blockage. Pretty much it is a mucus / saliva that starts to be produced when you are stuck enough. It is helpful and also annoying. It helps lubricate things, but sometimes I find that if i PB (which i will get to next) the food will come up, but i'll still be producing mucas, which can still cause me to fill stuck or blocked. PB: PB stands for Productive Burp. The cool thing about the Lapband is you don't really vomit anymore. This may get gross, so i apoligize. If you get stuck, and feel you need to vomit it up, your food will come up as if you had just chewed it. The nasty tasting acid and other additives do not come along. You'll know what i mean someday. And there is way less pay associated with it too, so no more hard vomits with nasty acid taste. Hope this helps. Good Luck!

I posted a while back about the plateau i'm having. I'm just so baffled about how i'm still stuck. I've been keeping up with my calorie intake lately, and i'm pretty much, on average, taking in about 1300 calories per day. Add that with exercise about 4 to 5 times a week (either 45 min. cardio or weights). I guess i'm just confused on why i'm not going down... even slowly. Instead, i stay in the same 5 lb range. I started at 470 Sept 2008, and now i'm at 315 to 320 lbs now. Yes, i've lost a lot, and am feeling way better than ever, but i shouldn't stop here... i want to do what i set out to do... and not be forced to stop short of my goals. I know this happens a lot, but does anyone ever have this happen for more than 4 months? It's been since October 2009 that i haven't moved much. I have another fill coming up this week, so i'm hoping this will help... but then again, the last few fills have been worthless. btw, portions isn't a problem, and i'm sticking to the diet... nothing bad at all.... in fact, mostly salads and solid Proteins... so i don't know. Any help will do, thank you for your time. :thumbup: