isaviolinist

Haha me too I could drink it. I love anything that involves peanuts or Peanut Butter. Its my weakness

Yes! Good for you!!! The first time going back to the gym is the hardest. But it gets easier once it becomes part of your routine! I'm so happy for you! You're gonna do great!

Why do you think you'll have a hard time?? You'll be fine! You just have to put your mind to it. Hm, I'm not crazy hungry these days. I'm not really a morning eater. I know everyone says eating Breakfast is really important for weightloss, but number 1: I can't eat anything solid in the morning for the most part, and 2: eating when I get up makes me feel sick. I'm really tight up until probably 6PM or so. So around noon I have a Protein shake. Sometimes around 3 I have a little snack (like half an ounce of cheese or a yogurt something). And then I have my dinner around 6:30. To be honest, the hardest part for me is night snacking. I'm not hungry at night, but that's when my head kicks in and tells me that I have to eat junk food. I tell myself that I don't need to eat everything in sight right now. There will be tons of food available tomorrow, the next day, and everyday for the rest of my life. I can resume eating tomorrow. Its become a mantra and has helped me curb my head hunger and has improved my relationship with food a bit. I also food log religiously. And when I'm out of calories for the day I stop (which means I have to budget in my Snacks if I want them). When I'm not food logging there is only one reason: I don't want to think about what I'm eating. I think that we, as obese people, confuse real hunger with head hunger a lot. I'm spending a lot of time thinking about my head hunger. Sometimes I do eat when I'm head hungry, but its important to me to recognize that its not real hunger. Baby steps. Hm...well there are definitely certain foods that used to be staples in my diet that I don't care very much about anymore. Soda, bread, rice (thought this one was going to be hard...I do eat rice sometimes, but I used to eat maki and sushi almost everyday and I thought I was going to just die without it ), Pasta (another surprising one...I can eat a little sometimes, but its annoying to try and eat it regularly). I LOVE cooking and being creative with my cooking (I post a lot of recipes on my blog...check it out) so I'm really never bored with food. I don't feel like I'm eating the same HealthyChoice frozen dinner everyday. I cook with fresh organic ingredients, and I try to experiment with new flavors and healthier ways of cooking things (including sweets and desserts!)...and so I'm trying to find the same excitement that I used to have for crap food with food that is healthy and nourishing. And its working. I know not everyone shares my enthusiasm for cooking, but I think if you do like to cook, its very helpful to do it when you have the band. My fiance and I used to eat out everyday...now I really don't see a need to eat out very often since I can probably make something more delicious and fresh at home and I don't have to worry about my food being drowned in fat and oil.

Well everyone's preop diet is different, but for me it was 3 shakes a day plus a snack like sugarfree ice pop, SF FF Jello, broth etc. I think my surgeon said 800 calories a day (can't remember now) but I ended up eating much less than that. Medically, its to shrink your liver so your doc can access your stomach. But its also great for jump starting weightloss and getting you used to eating less and also good prep for the post op diet! Where are you being banded?

I may do something small when I hit 199. My big reward when I get to goal will be my wedding gown. I really want a gown from Vera Wang or Amsale. I'm not setting a budget. I hope I will stay under 10,000 but if not - oh well. I've never been able to buy normal clothing - so I'm making up for it ill also buy a bunch of new clothes too. Were going for a trip at the end of Feb to Chicago to Celebrate late Valentines Day and so if I'm wearing normal sizes by then, I may go shopping while we're there for something nice to wear to dinner

Do you have a preop diet? If so, when does it start? Make sure you stick to it! I hate to say it, but between my initial consultation and the start of my preop diet, I gained 10 pounds :-(. The preop diet was crazy hard for me (I had a 3 week, liquids only diet). The first few days were hard, but then I was fine. It would help yourself out to start reigning in your eating habits now, but I know I didn't really do that before my preop diet started sadly. But then when it started, I was gung ho. Maybe you can counteract some of the eating with some exercise a few days a week? You'll need to exercise with your band, so why not start now? good luck and congrats on your surgery date!!

I'm so sorry to hear that you've had such a hard run of it lately :-( There's not much to say except that I am sending good thoughts your way! I'm so glad to hear that you have health insurance again! Definitely go back to the doctor when you can do it - he will be able to give you some encouragement. I also slipped into a hold and regained 50 of the 80 pounds I had lost. But I've relost almost all of the 50 now. If I can do it, you can too!! Please keep us updated on how things are going! How much weight have you lost in total? Whatever the number is - you should be proud of it

I agree with everyone else. See if he'll go to counseling. Don't give up on your marriage! Remind your husband that you love him and you did this for both of you so you'll be able to grow old together! As hard as it may be, communication is key (which is where the counselor could help). Hugs to you.

Hi dune! I didn't answer the poll because a couple of them fit me. When I was banded, I lost 80 pounds, including preop in a very short time. Started preop about the last day of may and by The end of October I was down 80. I then regained 50 over th following 10 months with poor old eating habits. Now ive lost almost all of the 50 with a sensible diet and lots of exercise. So I have gained weight, but when I lose, I lose fairly rapidly - on average 10-11 pounds a month. But it's definitely hard work and requires me to use a certain amount of self control. I cook like crazy and I am very creative with meals so I look forward to eating food that is delicious and also healthy. If I were eating frozen weight watchers meals everyday, I would probably not be able to do it. The hardest part about getting on track was just calling the gym, logging back into lbt, logging back into my food log etc. It was hard to face it. But now that I'm into a food and exercise routine it's become easier. I really don't love to workout. It's something I've come to accept and vie also accepted the fact that I have to do it anyways. It's a good thing to come to terms with. However I love how I feel when I'm working out. So that is a great motivator. Losing and relosing weight is hard and takes work, but when I work hard the weight falls off fast.

I think this definitely sounds like something you need to go back to your doctor about. I don't think anyone on here is qualified to advise you. Even if a doctor responded to this, they are still not qualified to diagnose or give you an answer as they can't really know what is going on, especially if this has been taken care of by your doc 4 times. If your current doctor can't help you, then you really should find another GP or even a specialist. I would do it ASAP. Good luck!

If I can get back on track, then you can too! I'm really glad that you're starting now! Better to start at 13 pounds, than 50 pounds (like I did). Let us know how its going!

This doesn't really happen to me (and I work out fairly vigorously 6-7 days a week) but when do you work out? Often times in the evening I am MUCH more able to eat larger portions, whereas in the morning I really can't eat anything. so if you're working out in the evening, perhaps that is when your band is naturally looser. When I workout, my muscles often feel much more relaxed than before I work out or when I wake up in the morning. And I'm sure that effects my stomach and makes it easier for me to eat.

I gained 50 pounds over a period of 8-9 months. It started like you. I've lost almost all of it at this point. Sometimes I can't eat anything and sometimes I can eat everything. I hate to say it, but when I have no restriction I have to rely on will power. Sometimes when I feel like I can't control myself, I remind myself that food will be there tomorrow and the day after and the day after that. I don't need to eat everything in my line of sight TODAY. The first thing you should do is get to the gym or take a walk if you're not exercising already. You'll feel better. Start tracking your calories too - that is helpful to me. When I'm not logging, its because I don't want to think about what I'm eating.

I lost 80 pounds initially with the band, and pretty much completely restricted my diet and didn't eat any sweets or desserts. My band was a little tight after a fill and I started throwing up a lot. Slowly I started reverting back to the old sliders that I had stopped eating and that wouldn't cause me to get stuck. By October 2009 I had lost the 80, and by August 2010 I had regained 50 of that. I've sinced lost almost all of the 50 I regained but I'm exercising like crazy and tracking my calories and eating healthy. However, this time, if I want some ice cream, I don't deprive. I just eat a reasonable amount (I like the weight watchers ice creams). I gained 50 pounds back by binging and eating 4 extra thick milkshakes or 2 pints of ice cream everyday (not an exaggeration). I could eat ice cream until I felt sick and the band didn't effect it at all. It was hard to get back on track, but doable The band is a great tool - but don't be fooled: you can eat around it if you choose. If you work it, you will do great!!!

Same for me. There is only one reason that I stop weighing myself: the scale is moving in the WRONG direction. I know I get crazed about it sometimes, and I'm trying really hard to focus on the changes in my body and also my body composition, but I need to weigh myself. Not gonna stop anytime soon.

Your weight loss is so great! Wow! You should be proud of yourself!

Yay!! Love it! I'm a challenge fiend congrats on the weight loss! You are doing so great!! 36 pounds is wonderful Yay!

Yay! Tofu is so yummy and nutritious. It really just takes the flavor of whatever its in. I just posted a tofu/shrimp skewer with cabbage salad and peanut dressing recipe on my blog - check it out Let me know how it turns out!

Aw, yay! Make sure you let us know how it is! Are you going to use tofu or meat?

Omg I was totally anxious as well. I was SURE I was going to be one of those people that would be half awake during surgery but paralyzed from the anesthesia so I wouldn't be able to scream, or I thought they were going to try and insert the breathing tube while I was still conscious and I was sure that the needle for anesthesia was going to hurt more than anything I've ever felt (and actually I barely felt it go in lol). So you're totally not alone. But for me, it was a very easy surgery and im sure it will be for you too And to be honest, it was kind of fun having everyone pamper me for awhile after the surgery make sure you let people take care of you afterward! You'll do great!

My boobs are getting smaller however they've always been horribly uneven (like the left side is probably a C+ and the right side is probably about a . I like the smaller size of the right side (I hate big boobs...its confusing to me why women want implants...I've always hated big boobs and have always wished for teensy tiny ones) and at some point I will probably get a reduction to even them out and lift them up a little. I'm hoping I will be at goal by this summer so maybe I could get a TT and breast "intervention" (they need an intervention...maybe I could be on that show) before I start shopping for my wedding gown in the fall. Interestingly, my entire left side of my body is a little bigger than the right side. Its really weird.

I weigh everyday (generally only twice in the morning...which is better than it used to be, because I used to weigh every few hours), but I'm trying REALLY hard to focus on my body fat percentage vs. the scale number. I get skinfolds to determine fat mass/lean mass every 6 weeks. My next one is at the end of November so I'm trying REALLY hard to just chill out with the scale and wait for the assessment at the end of the month.

Here is my chili recipe. I really love it - its delish! I don't eat red meat, pork, or poultry so I add extra firm tofu. But you could add any Protein that you like! 1 Small onion, chopped 1 Large green bell pepper, chopped 3/4 cup Chopped celery 3/4 cup Dry red wine 3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained 1 1/2 cups Water 1/4 cup Tomato paste 2 Vegetable or chicken Bouillon Cubes 1 tablespoon Chopped fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon Chili powder 1/2 teaspoon Cumin 2 cans (15 ounces each) kidney or pinto Beans, rinsed and drained 1 package extra-firm tofu Preparation: COMBINE onion, bell pepper, celery, wine and garlic in large saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. ADD tomatoes and juice, water, tomato paste, boullion, cilantro, chili powder and cumin; stir well. Stir in beans. Bring to a boil; cover. Reduce heat to low and add in the tofu; cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. You can also freeze the chili after cooking. Just let it cool completely and then freeze. To defrost, let chili defrost in refrigerator overnight, then heat it up in a sauce pan over medium heat.

I kept my incisions covered with gauze and just wore things with comfortable waist bands for the first little while. But I was able to wear my regular clothing for the most part.