stateofzen

How long do your periods of excitement last? Days? Does your sleep change during those days?

So I'm definitely enjoying the comments from people about how good I look, don't get me wrong. BUT. I have worked at my current place of employment for 5 years. For 5 years, a male coworker (significantly older than me, and married) hasn't really interacted with me much at all. We don't work in the same building and usually we only run into one another about once a month for meetings. So a couple of weeks ago, he sees me and starts gushing about my weight loss and actually asked me HOW MUCH in lbs I had lost. I decided I was proud of it, and told him. The next week, he asked me what I was doing on Friday night. Luckily I had plans, because I have no idea what was going to come out of his mouth. Probably an invitation for socialization with his wife/department, but still-- I've worked with him for 5 years and he's NEVER been interested in my weekend plans before. Then I see him when I'm walking between buildings today and he stops and comes up, and whispers in my ear "hi skinny!" while I'm talking to someone else. I realize that this is most likely his way of being complimentary. But I have to admit, it's starting to creep me out.

I would go in to the doctor tomorrow. This does not seem normal to me, and you should get it checked out.

Yes, I had them and it freaked me out. One of them the doc pulled out. The other one was so tiny that the incision sort of healed over it-- I still have a tiny bump where I can feel the tip of that string and I'm almost 8 months out. I'll tell you, my surgeon wasn't concerned at all.

Name, real or screen~ Stateofzen Age~ 35 Weight on May1st~ 183.8 Goal Weight for May 29th~ 175 Exercise Goal for May~ Dietary Goal for May~ back to basics, no fast food Personal Goal for May~ Date Banded~ 9-17-2010 Total Weight Loss Since Banding~ 80 since surgery day, 109 total

Awesome!

If you have a high protein diet, it may be that.

I've been mainlining Ny-Quil type liquid medicine for the past couple of days-- it has tylenol, which is the ok pain reliever but I'm mostly taking it for the cough suppression.

It's definitely hard to figure out what to do when you hear 10 different things from 10 different people This is something like what my diet looks like now that I'm totally healed (and it's normal for you not to be able to imagine eating this much considering you're so close to surgery-- you probably couldn't!): Breakfast: 2 cups of coffee, followed 1/2 hour later with a Zone Perfect Protein Bar Lunch: salad with chicken and cheese, or leftovers of some kind: today I'll be having about 3/4 cup of leftover fajita chicken (chicken with onions and peppers) topped with a dab of sour cream Snack: somedays-- not every day-- but if I am hungry late afternoon I will have a couple of ounces of hard cheese or maybe some low carb crackers with hummus Dinner: protein and veggies-- for example, 4 turkey meatballs with marinara sauce, or a piece of fish or 3 oz of steak with a side of steamed veggies. Sometimes I have a quesadilla made with one whole wheat tortilla, cheese, and shrimp folded in half (usually I can't eat the whole thing though) Right now, though, you're probably fine! You are still healing and figuring things out and your body will catch up to you eventually.

The 1/2 cup of food thing-- that's not how most people with the band eat, as far as I can tell. It's a number that gets thrown around a lot-- but it's because that is 4oz by volume and I'd say most people eat 4 oz by weight (which is not half a cup). So 4 oz of chicken isn't whatever you can mash up to fit into a half-cup measuring cup. It's 4 oz by weight of chicken. I probably eat up to a cup (in volume) of food most meals and I've been losing above the expected weight per month. Edited to add: Your doctor is going to give you a "one size fits all, most restrictive possible" program to follow. But the fact is, you're going to have to figure out what you can do that's safe but also that allows you to lose weight but live your life. This is completely opinion-- but I think that people who have the most struggle with the band are people who have been told they shouldn't be able to eat more than 1/2 cup of food, 3x a day, and that amount should make them full. Because those are the bandsters who search for such tight restriction to force that 1/2 cup issue that they are way way too tight and develop problems like acid reflux and an inability to eat healthy solid foods.

I have never seen a piece of science that says an unfilled band is dangerous. There are several people on here who have never had a fill and lost a bunch of weight (there was a thread not too long ago- you could try a search). For some people, the band itself provides hunger control. For others, it takes a very small fill amount. Still others need much more. It's hard to predict where any individual will fall. So far, I'm getting by with very little in my band, but I do have somewhere around 2cc's in a 10cc band.

Pamela, you're right where a lot of people are-- no need to worry! You are still on a liquid diet, so of course your calories are too low. That's why you aren't losing, and it's completely normal. I stalled out for 3 weeks after my surgery eating practically nothing. The body is healing, and it's freaking out that you aren't feeding it, and it's holding onto calories. It will not stay that way forever. Keep following your doctor's orders. Eventually you will be able to eat more than 1/2 cup at a time -- which will mean you'll get in some solid Protein and veggies and you'll start losing. But right now, you're doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing. My suggestion is that you stay off the scale. Concentrate on following the rules, learning a new lifestyle, etc. The pounds will come off but it takes a while and sometimes our bodies work in very mysterious and unpredictable ways. Don't unnecessarily discourage yourself when there is no need for it.

This is usually my cue that I have eaten too much. Like right now (ugh).

I'm sure it's harmless, actually, but that doesn't mean I don't think it's creepy that someone who didn't have the time of day for me when I was fat is suddenly falling all over himself to compliment my appearance every single time I see him. Once was really nice. But seriously, it's just weird now!

I eat pizza about once a month-- thin crust. At 180-210 calories a slice (for my preferred kinds), it fits quite well in a balanced low-calorie diet (though it doesn't fit in a low-carb diet very well unfortunately). I don't have very much fill, so it doesn't give me any problems. You may or may not be able to tolerate it.

I do a lot of TJMaxx, Ross, etc. We have an outlet place where I live, so I also do Gap and banana Republic outlets. Finally, the clearance racks at Belk's and Macy's can be amazing-- the last time I shopped at Belks I got a shirt, a Michael Kors sweater, and a Sophia Maxx dress for $21 total. The thrift store is a good option-- though I have to admit I stopped at ours yesterday, bought 3 pairs of shorts and two pairs of jeans, and when I got them home only one pair of shorts fit me (everything else is too small). It sucks if you can't try things on, but I guess I have some stuff to grow down into now.

You should be fine. When I drink wine, I do so with dinner (in other words, I don't follow the no liquids with meals rule, but ONLY with wine). This seems to work for me just fine- you'll have to try and see if it gives you any problems. And of course, count the calories

I highly doubt it's band related. The band is actually fairly high in your chest.

I don't have any problems. i don't keep my band tight though.

Nope, not unless you want it to be The thing i love about the band is that it lets me enjoy holidays-- but at a reasonable amount. Take a bite or two of everything you love, enjoy it, and you'll stop before you get so stuffed you have to take a nap.

Good for you for sticking with it and staying optimistic. I'm glad that you've finally had some payoff for all of your hard work.

Breakfast: egg, half-sausage, cheese Lunch: 1/2 reuben sandwich on rye, teaspoon of hummus Dinner: 3 oz steak, steamed veggies Snack: Blueberry Pomegranate trail mix crunch (nuts and dried fruit)

Amen. Today I went out to lunch and I ordered a reuben sandwich on rye. I ate half. It was so good. I looked at that second half, wanting to keep going (I haven't had a sandwich since surgery 7 months ago!) But then I asked myself if I was hungry, and the answer was not.at.all. Was I stuffed? Absolutely not. But I didn't need to eat more, so I didn't and I'm definitely not hungry. It's a hard learning process and I'm still struggling with it.

Oh my gosh, yes. I spend way more time on my appearance than I ever did before. I put makeup on fairly regularly now and I have a closet full of really nice clothes. I worry much more now about having "fat days" than I did when I was 100 lbs more than I am now. It's bizarre

I've never been stuck. It isn't inevitable, though it could be I'm a rarity.