LifeStartsNow

Thanks for the words of encouragement SaraEmily! I know you are so right about exercise. I just need to make it happen. I also need to get a fill and get myself motivated. Hearing how well you've done actually does encourage me. I'm so very impressed with what you've accomplished - this is truly not easy at all. I'm really surprised at how this is 90% me. My weakness is also ice cream and soft stuff. Thanks for re-energizing me. i needed it!

Thanks for the words of encouragement Knightmo. Congrats to you and I can tell you I wish I stayed on liquids longer and tood advantage of the loss of hunger during that stage. I like to cook also - I miss crusty bread with goat cheese, roasted garlic and bruschetta. sigh. I also can't imagine going without coffee. My dr never said I had to go without. Best of luck to you!!

I've eaten Easter candy and ice cream. I'm sabotoging myself. I was hoping I could hold out and not have a fill but I'm realizing I need it. I can eat pretty much anything and as much as I want. I'm not making the right choices and I've gained 3lbs. I hurt my back on Easter sunday - I've never hurt my back before. I simply got up from playing with the kids on the floor and had a pinch in my lower back and I couldn't stand up straight. It was so very painful - I could barely walk. I didn't even go to work on Monday and I never miss work. Anyway - I think taking it slow may have helped my port pain - actually I think I've been compensating so much for that pain when bending certain ways that perhaps I created this lower back pain injury. Anyway - it just tells me that I need to exercise, stretch out my muscles and strengthen them to hopefully help that I don't have this happen again. I was hoping to be smaller by my next business meeting - well its next week - and I'm not any smaller. Also my birthday is in 2 mos - guess I won't be where I'd hoped by that time. The worst part is, that its all my fault. When am I going to fix this? When am I going to make the right choices? Am I greiving the loss of food? I have felt a little depressed about not being able to eat what I want and I've noticed myself eating like I'll never get to eat that stuff again. Self sabotage. I think I'm PMSing also. Lovely. I'm going to order that book - on cognitive re-learning - its at my local library so I think I'll do that before I go and purchase it. I'm going to make myself a tip jar - things to distract me in the moment where I want to eat something. I need to get myself straight! I need to buck up!:scared2:

Good for you Jennibells! I find myself still doing the very same thing. I have no restriction anymore and I need a fill I think. I had some restriction and had a very hard time eating chicken and eggs but this week I've had no problems at all. I'm going to call tomorrow and see if I can get a fill scheduled before I go out of town next week. I kind of wanted to hold off if I could but I'm realizing that I'm slipping back into old bad habits, feel hunger, and can eat anything. I liked the feeling where I didn't think about food at all and I want that back!

RockinMom - impressive that you can exercise such great self control. I was banded on the 9th and I'm not doing as well as you in portion control. I almost felt panicked - like I would never get to eat certain things again and I'm still doing the emotional eating thing. Mostly when I'm stressed. I do great at work, its when I get home that its the problem. I've had too much easter chocolate. I need to get back on the wagon. Good luck going back to work - you'll do great there b/c you're doing so well at home!

Thanks Silly Goose. I was starting to think people would think I'm totally nuts and blabbing on too much. They still might - I seriously didn't mean for it to be such a long post! Thanks again for making me feel a little better lol!....

You're doing crunches??!! WOW. there is no way I could do crunches right now. I have pain at the port site (not the incision site) and have to be very careful when I get into a squatting position. It burns and hurts very much - doctor stated he thought it may be scar tissue causing the problem. I have a very high tolerance for pain - and this is definitely painful.:cool2: The pain I feel in my side it just below my last rib on the left side. I'm deciding its my 'signal' that I'm full. I've read where many people get a single hiccup, or some other odd effect. I think this jab in the side might be mine since I notice the more I eat, the worse it hurts.

Its GREAT to hear from everyone. It makes me feel a little more 'normal' hearing everyone update where they are and how they feel. I too am having trouble eating too fast or large of mouthfulls. I realize I need to pre-plan my meals better and really focus on what I'm doing. I'm frustrated by my lack of pounds lost. So many of you are really doing awesome in that department! Congrats to you all! I'll be there soon with you! I did some searching online and enjoyed some 'refresher' info from Dr. Connie Stapleton of MindBody.com. on youtube. I'm also going to purchase a book from Judith Beck "THE COMPLETE BECK DIET FOR LIFE : The Lifetime Solution for Permanent Weight Loss" which I think will help me personally with training myself to eat/think like a thin person. I've observed the differences between my 'normal sized' sister and I. I realize that I need to think and act more like her which involves more planning of my meals so that my hunger is no longer the 'emergency' that I normally feel that it is. Beck refers to planning as being important for many things but one that struck a chord with me was that planning helps b/c you can withstand hunger b/c you know exactly when you will eat next and what you will eat. So mentally it becomes more bearable and less of an 'emergency' to eat now! I also am going to try a tip given by Dr. Stapleton which is to create a tip jar. You cut up 50 (or 100 or as many as you want) of small slips of paper. On each you write down things you can do INSTEAD of eating. When you feel the urge to eat outside of your plan, you go get a slip of paper from the tip jar and do whatever it is that you pulled. It can be as simple as 'go pull 5 weeds from the flower bed' - the idea is that it should be a distraction to go do something else. By the time you're done with the distraction - you may be past your moment of weakness and you're re-training yourself to deal with the urge to eat vs. feeding yourself and your emotion/issue/craving with food. The other major difference between my fit sister and I is that she exercises daily. I swear I have it in my mind that beautiful men and women who look fit - just are - without working out everyday. I'm learning that just isn't the case. So if I want to act like a thin/fit person - I have to exercise daily. At the Harvard conference on Obesity, according to Dr. Stapleton, exercising 60 min per day: prevents weight gain. What do you know, that's what she does - about 5x per week. I mean, we all know this right? Its not earth shattering - I've just got to get wtih it!! I'm also going to post this top 9 list for myself fr Dr. Stapleton. I'm sorry for the long post but wanted to share in case it helps any of you: 1. Make consistently healthy food choices. With the band, we're eating less - 60g Protein per day is important to us. So making the consistent choice to eat the right food source to provide 60g of protien is something I'm going to have to do. Protein, then Vitamin rich & antioxidant rich vegetables and fruit! That means - don't eat food from white flour/white sugar. Don't knock myself down if I screw up and eat some chocolate - in fact plan into my eating to enjoy some of those 'forbidden things' just eat really well 90% of the time! 2. Maintain portion control: for me, no more than 1 cup of food, 3x per day. 3. Have to exercise on a daily basis - I'm a busy working mom - so I really don't have the time. That means I'm going to have to steal 60 mins from somewhere else - some other thing I'm doing - I'm going to have to give it up. Maybe that's watching tv, sleeping in, or some other activity that's going to just have to give way to get replaced by exercise b/c I really DON'T have the time to exercise. I just have to figure out what 60 mins I'm going to have to replace with exercise. 4. Drink Water all day long. I won't drink 30min before or 30 min after. And this is the only way I'm going to stay hydrated. 5. Plan your meals. On Sun, I'm going to cook some ckn breats in a crock pot and portion it out for the upcoming week. I'm going to have cottage cheese, Soup, tuna, etc. on hand and planned for the week. -No grazing. (I do this and I know its where extra calories are coming in) -No sliding (I do this too b/c its comforting. I'm leaning toward mashed potatos, refried Beans, all the easy stuff) 6. Keep a food diary. I'm using calorie-count.com, but there is the daily plate, and so many others. I even read about an iphone app someone is using. Writing it down keeps me accountable but more importantly - when my weight is stalling, I have a clear picture of what may be contributing to it- and I'll also have a history to track what breaks my plateaus so I can use the same strategy later when I need it. 7. Keep an Exercise Log. This is going to allow me to give myself rewards for accomplishing what I dislike the most. I may also purchase a pedometer -studies have some shown people who wear pedometers tend to meet their planned steps per day and end up exercising more b/c they have that 'accountability' and tracker right there on their waist. 8. Get adequate sleep. Its good for my brain, my skin, and for my metabolism. 9. Utilize a healthy support system. That's what this forum and you Lucky Losers are to me! What an amazing group of people you all are - and we need to continue to fully support each other when we're down and when we're up! Sorry again for the long post! Keep up the great work everyone!

I'm not sure if this is the same thing, but I feel a sharp pain in my left side also after I eat for about 30 mins. The best way I can describe it is it feels like a runner's cramp - or a "stitch" in your side (not a surgical stitch) - from when you're exercising and not taking in enough oxygen. It started for me after I got off liquids - I think its from getting full and it must be presssing on a nerve or something that is radiating pain to that spot. Does yours hurt more when you take a deep breath? I wonder what it is?:cool2:

I just realized its been one month since I was banded. I've lost 15lbs, 10-12 the week before surgery on a liquid diet, and only 3-5lbs since surgery. I am able to eat normally and am going to be scheduling a fill in the next week. I feel disappointed that I've not lost as much as I've seen other people lose. But I am trying to follow the advice I'd give someone else which is to not give up and realize that everyone loses differently and at different paces. I do miss eating the way I used to - I also have not been perfect. It has helped me to understand that I'm not perfect and as everyone says - the band isn't going to do it for you. You still have to be motivated and driven to lose the weight and stick to a diet that would make you lose weight even if you didn't have the band. The band is there I think just to help you eat less and not feel so hungry. We can all eat more, but you have to make the conscious choice not to do so. I am secretly scared that the pulling pain and burning I feel when I lean forward or bend the wrong way is a problem with my port having detatched or come lose on one side. Has my body built up scar tissue that has atttached itself somehow in my abdomen so when I lean over that's why it hurts? My 40th birthday is in 2 months. Where will I be then? I'm afraid to predict b/c I've clearly predicted WRONG already. I calculated I'd lose 25lbs by now and I've only lost 15. I'm also traveling for business in a few weeks, I really wanted to have lost a lot of weight by then. My friends at work in other cities are training for marathons and triathalons. And here I am! I'm not the fit one - not yet anyway. What is it going to take to get me back to the personal trainer and on the treadmill everyday? I think I need the motivation of seeing the scale move and I hope a fill will do that for me.......

WOW - I see a HUGE difference! Your forehead after pics are amazing!! Hope you're enjoying! I'm seriously considering now.....

So I'm eating solids. I've learned that chicken is hard to eat and so are eggs. humph! So much for good protien sources! I ate dark meat and very carefully and seemed to do better. I called the dr today and told him about the 'pop' and burning sensation at my port that I felt the weekend before last. I called because last night, when I was attempting to roll over and lay on my stomach, I got a very sharp and burning pain at the port area. I woke up and its still sore. I got a little worried that I really did pop a stitch and totally screwed something up. The dr said it could have been scar tissue that popped. That makes a lot of sense and I sure hope that's what it was! One thing I'm learning - is that I'm good at eating around the band - as some have called it. I find that I don't want to eat solids, don't want to eat the protien first - want to eat what's easy and painless to eat. But that's not what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong - to not have lost anything - and I find I'm eating refried beans, mashed potatos, soups, very soft veggies. I'm also drinking with my meals. All stuff I'm not supposed to be doing. So today I'm focused on eating that (dark meat) chicken - no drinking - and I found b/c it was so hard to eat - I ate much less over a longer period of time. Helloo? That's what I'm supposed to do! I got on the scale over the weekend, noticed that I gained a lb overnight. I weighed myself tonight and found that I'm back to normal. I'm also finding comfort in reading posts from people who are also not losing even though they're doing a fairly good job following the rules. The nutritionist said not to get too discouraged by the big losses I'm seeing from other people - that sometimes it depends on the bmi - the higher the more someone 'might' lose. Regardless, its disappointing to not have lost more by now. I had such dreams (as you can see in my signature) of being much lower than this. I just need to get off my butt, start walking on the treadmill, and stop eating soft foods! I AM getting enough protien, I AM getting my daily vitamin and cholesterol medicine in. All very good things! I AM 15lbs lighter than I was a month ago! I AM going to get through this and someday look back on this 80lbs lighter and appreciate how far I've come! :thumbdown:

Glad to know I'm not the only one! I was banded 3/9/09, lost 12lbs, then 3 more and nothing in the last 3 weeks. I've been dilligent (although not exercising yet as I should) with eating properly, etc. I called the dr today, and they said its completely normal to not lose anything. They said, with nothing in the band, its important not to gain until the 1st fill. Just like all the wonderfully experienced ladies have said here! So I'm going with just not gaining until my first fill. It made me feel a lot less depressed about it! I see so many other people with such great success in the first few weeks - dr acknowledged - totally normal. But you will lose weight - we just have to wait unti our first fill!

Nessa, I don't think its bad. Just don't over do it. If you're hungry - try the protien shakes. I'm just concerned you're not getting enough protien in.

Hey Ben! It will get better. You know its amazing how different the recommendations are. I was on clear liq one week, full liquids for 2 weeks, then solids in week 4 (which is this week for me). I tried scrambled eggs twice, can't eat 'em. They get stuck in my throat. ugh. Same with a bananna muffin I tried. I find I tend to eat like I used to - not much chewing - and I get the lump in my throat and stop right then. Its like I have to burp but can't. Its terrible. And trying to drink to wash it down makes it worse. I know I've read that so many times on this board - now I understand. When was your surgery date Ben? Best of luck to you!

You are NOT alone. I've not posted much lately b/c I think I'm the only one not losing....ugh. :nopity:I've barely lost 4lbs in the last 3 weeks. I'm dilligently tracking my calories - never more than 1200 per day. I'm not working out - b/c I'm tired I think from the lack of calories. I didn't try solids until after 3 weeks. Even WITH solids, I can't eat eggs - that was one of my first things I tried - it just stuck in my throat and made me salivate like crazy. I dilligently got protien requirements - but slacked in the past week b/c I wanted to change things up to see if I could jump start the weight loss. I'm not eating around the band - I swear my body just doesn't want to let go of this weight. My plan this week is to eat 1200-1300 calories one day, then cut down to 900 the next day in attempt to jump start my body. I even increased my water intake. I'm taking a liquid vitamin everyday. And need to start walking on the treadmill. I noticed when I increased my calories to 1200-1300, I'm a LOT more hungry during the day. If I just don't eat, I'm not as hungry. That's something new. I'm really happy for everyone who is losing so much. I just wish I was with you all! *sigh!*

You're not alone! I was banded only 2 days before you on 3/9/09. I've only lost 4lbs since surgery. I'm putting my faith in what the others posting here are saying - and as you can see from their signatures - they were successful. I really appreciate thier input and I'm glad you're posting as well so I know that I'm not alone. As someone else has said, i do notice some change in inches lost. Let's hang in there!

I've done well sticking to 3 weeks of full liquids after surgery. I kept remembering Dr. Ortiz telling me that the most successful people stick to his reccomendations. My full liquids have been mostly soups, tomato, black bean, cream of asparagus, cream of chicken - you name it, I've had it. I added mashed potatos a few times in week 2 b/c I really needed it. I was so fatigued and tired all the time. I also began taking super whey protein shots last week. I actually really like them. They're almost like tart candy. Anyway, I'm religeously tracking my calories on calorie-count.com. In this last week I'm averaging between 1100-1200 calories per day. I'm not working out and know I need to start on the treadmill and personal trainer deal. I've just been so darned tired! Officially, on Monday, I'm supposed to start eating solid food. (Ortiz doesn't believe in the mushy stage). I've started eating solid food now. I can eat a graham cracker, I tried scrambled eggs for the first time and *almost* had one of those slime moments. I just kind of felt that little 'warning' of don't eat any more. I've felt the stuck/sliming feeling once. I was not thinking, ate a piece of my daughter's bananna nut muffin without properly chewing and it was painful - like a lump stuck in your throat and you can't burp even though you want to. Your mouth salivates like crazy so all you want to do is spit b/c you're in too much pain in your chest to swallow anything! It only lasted about 2 mins and it was over. Don't want to do that again! I've realized how cool it is to not be hungry all the time. I think the band 'massaging' the vegas nerve at the top of your stomach is really working. I never fully understood that. I asked so many times on this board and I just couldn't get it. Now I GET IT! You could eat, for sure, but you're not like I gotta have this or that. I've got to dissuade myself by drinking water, or crystal like, or a cup of coffee but I never get ravenous like I used to. That alone is awesome. I hope it stays that way. Its subtle - but a controlable hunger. Way cool!:thumbup: So, I'm not losing as quickly as so many others on this board. I'm constantly amazed by people losing 20lbs in 2 weeks since surgery. I was 236 exactly 1 week prior to surgery. I did the 3 protien shakes a day and according to Dr Ortiz's scale was 224 on surgery day. That's 12lbs in one week which doesn't seem real. I weighed myself and was like 228 the day before surgery. Anyway, here I am, almost 3 weeks post surgery and I'm sitting STILL at 222 lbs. So maybe I really was 228 and I've lost 2lbs per week in the 3 weeks since surgery. BUT STILL - why aren't I losing all the weight like everyone else here?? I KNOW my calorie intake - I'm not going above 1200. And in the first week, I'm lucky if I got 600 calories in. If I were hearing that from someone else, I'd tell them, slow and steady wins the race. I'd tell them to be happy to have lost a total of 14lbs in the last 4 weeks. I guess I was just hoping for more like 20 lbs. :frown: I'm starting solids this weekend - 2 days early - but I know that's what my body needs and can handle. I'm listening to my body. I'd also tell myself that I need to work out - so I've just got to make that happen. I'm going to stay on board - be kind to my body and this wonderful gift of a lapband and be gracious. NO NEGATIVITY allowed! I'm also going to use Soups - since I've learned they are soul soothing and like a comfort food. I find if I have some warm soup - it just makes me feel cozy - which is, I think, a lot to do with what I used mass amounts of food for in the past. To soothe my soul. Its why I could never get enough - or I couldn't find the right thing to satisfy my craving for comfort and fullness. Now that I have that - I'm also working on my work/life balance. Focusing on spending less mind energy on work and more on my kids and my family. More time on knitting, sewing, and yes even cooking! I'm learning to NOT waste calories/what my stomach can hold on bits here and there while I cook. I want to sit and savour it and savour it for a looong time. My scars are healing quite nicely - a couple of them I can't always find right away - so that's good. The port incision site is still sore. I can tell my port is right below the incision - I can feel the little bump that must be the port. I hope they look better and better and disappear! LOL. I have 3 months until my 40th birthday. What will I weigh on my birthday. I have dreams of weighing like 190-180. That would be 30-40lbs in 2.5 mos - not a healthy goal. At 10lbs per month, I'll only be at 198 - if I'm lucky! Now, that just feels depressing....:frown:. But its better than where I am today. I just wanted to look really GREAT on my birthday. Ok, enough pity party. Stick to it - Duke University study shows lap band patients lose their weight in the first 12-18 mos. So will I! I'll make it! I hope solid foods give me the energy I need to turn the corner and start dropping weight - or have it just fall off- like everyone keeps talking about. Is that really going to happen to me?

Not me but my friend that I work out with said that happens to her. The first time she told me she asked if it happened to me too and I looked at her and and said..uh...no.... Anyway now, anytime she goes near that machine I can't watch and I end up cracking up laughing on the floor. So, you're not alone, lucky, but not alone....LOL

I bought mine at a local chain store called "the vitamin shoppe" I paid 3.47 each and bought 1 of each flavor so I could decide which I liked best before I looked online for a cheaper price. Here's a link where they are 29.00 for 12, much better price. I'm not sure which site is the most reliable/safe site to go to. I'll do a little more resarch about that - but here they are. I've decided I don't like fruit punch and I do like the orange. New Whey Liquid Protein - Gastric By Pass Diet

I got them at a store chain called "The Vitamin Shoppe" They cost 3.49 each and I wanted to try them out before I bought some online cheaper. I've learned I can tolerate the fruit punch, but I much prefer the orange flavor. The orange is actually quite good! Here's a link to a page (never bought on line but this is a good price and are the same brand I have)Bulk Nutrition - IDS New-Whey Liquid Protein 42g at discount prices! here's another site: New Whey Liquid Protein - Gastric By Pass Diet

Whaa? :thumbup::eek: I am 15 days post surgery and am eating 900-1000 cal per day. For how long were you eating 600 cals per day?

Wow - India! what do you do for a living? I would suggest some pkged instant mashed potatoes that you only need to add water to. And what about bringing some canned refried beans for protein? India has a lot of potato dishes - so that might be good. Best of luck to you!! I also bought some of those super whey 42g protein bullets - and they weren't bad at all. you could pack some of those too!

I've been really discouraged too about the lack of weight loss - I finally broke a barrier of no loss for last 9 days! woo hoo! I'm down to 221 this a.m. and was 224 yesterday. I know a lot of that is water also - reducing my sodium intake from all the soups and such caused that. I also bought the 42g super whey shots in orange flavor - so increased my protien which might have made a difference also. Anyway - sure is nice to finally see even a small change of a few lbs!!