Wordsmyth

I was banded 1/14 and am now in the pureed/mushy stage of the diet. I am trying to follow the diet guidelines and am struggling. I am supposed to drink protein throughout the day (but not 30 min before/after eating) and have 3 small meals. My biggest problem is that I am huuuuuuungry. On average, I am getting about 50-60 grams of protein from protein drinks, but my food portions are tiny. For example, I had a protein drink this morning and 4 oz of yogurt for breakfast. Now for lunch I am having 4 oz of lentil soup. I am doing my best to fill up with water and tea, but still very hungry. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you!

Seriously, is there a good angle to be had from these things? The lighting is like a gas station bathroom. I know I posted this before, but is anyone vlogging? I'd like to see videos if you've posted them. I hope this site will have that capability. To all of you who list albums of your journey: thank you. I have often found inspiration just looking at your transformation.

2/1 - Whew. I was initially so excited, then it seemed I had to crawl to the last pound. Bodies are weird sometimes. I've started exercising now, and it feels great, but I haven't had my first fill and so hunger is an issue. Tonight I may have had my first backtalk from my band, whom I've yet to name. I was on the phone with someone after work and absolutely starving (I need to plan better), so while he was chatting I ate a hb egg (okay, two) too fast, and I felt like it was stuck in my chest. That is a really panic-inducing sensation. Fortunately I didn't have to speak, but I drank some water to try to force it down (although I've read I shouldn't) because that was my instinct. That'll teach me to come home starving. It did go down, but it's not something I want to experience again. Now that I'm in the pureed stage I've got new territory to explore and it's a bit scary to tell the truth. It's hard to know what I should be eating. I guess the lesson is, even if you think you're starving, you're not...so slowwww down! Phew. This was one of my first times feeling like I had the band. Come on, fill! Anyone name their band? I like the idea. Wanda Sykes named her stomach "Esther" so I am wondering whether I should go with a more traditional name. Decisions, decisions. Helga? Stella? Genevive? Madge?

I'm in the same time frame (banded 1/14). I haven't had my fill yet, either, and I don't feel restricted. If you can, I'd love to hear about the difference. I had to reschedule, so I'm not sure when my first fill is. Good luck@

Congrats! I hope I can be as successful after 4 more weeks, :smile2:

Seriously, is there a good angle to be had from these things? The lighting is like a gas station bathroom. I know I posted this before, but is anyone vlogging? I'd like to see videos if you've posted them. I hope this site will have that capability. To all of you who list albums of your journey: thank you. I have often found inspiration just looking at your transformation.

That's great! I guess that means they aren't from hell anymore?

Keep it up and hang in there. Sometimes our bodies don't cooperate with our hard work, and then all of a sudden it does. Try not to lose sight of your long-term goal. I think you've given up enough for Lent. My personal opinion is that God would want you to be gentle with yourself during this time. Take care.

Interesting. As an English teacher, I cringe at misspellings and poor grammar. I would welcome a "that being said" over "tuday Im rely nervouse"...I just cannot read on. The DH crap annoys me, too, though.

2/1 - Whew. I was initially so excited, then it seemed I had to crawl to the last pound. Bodies are weird sometimes. I've started exercising now, and it feels great, but I haven't had my first fill and so hunger is an issue. Tonight I may have had my first backtalk from my band, whom I've yet to name. I was on the phone with someone after work and absolutely starving (I need to plan better), so while he was chatting I ate a hb egg (okay, two) too fast, and I felt like it was stuck in my chest. That is a really panic-inducing sensation. Fortunately I didn't have to speak, but I drank some water to try to force it down (although I've read I shouldn't) because that was my instinct. That'll teach me to come home starving. It did go down, but it's not something I want to experience again. Now that I'm in the pureed stage I've got new territory to explore and it's a bit scary to tell the truth. It's hard to know what I should be eating. I guess the lesson is, even if you think you're starving, you're not...so slowwww down! Phew. This was one of my first times feeling like I had the band. Come on, fill! Anyone name their band? I like the idea. Wanda Sykes named her stomach "Esther" so I am wondering whether I should go with a more traditional name. Decisions, decisions. Helga? Stella? Genevive? Madge?

Hey all... I need help. I am SO sick of being on the post-op diet. I am now at the pureed stage. I started liquids 1/5 and now am in pureed. Blah. My weight loss has also slowed, so I am going to be keeping a food diary and began exercising yesterday. I've lost 19.5 lbs. Is anyone in this stage too? How are you handling it? I'd appreciate any advice.

Yes, indeed...tips please! I have been on a liquid diet for 18 days and have lost almost 20 lbs (no fill yet). I would like tips on how to increase sucess. Congrats, that's incredible! I'm sure your body is thanking you in many ways.

Thank you so much for the encouragement. I'm looking forward to the fill and having just half a cup.

1/22 - Move scale needle, move, damn thee! Still trying to reach the 20. But something else has come up. Temptation. Craving. Crumbling resolve. So I've discovered (has this happened to you?) that now that I am feeling better, I am also a great deal more hungry and interested in old vices. Strangely enough, strongest of all is the urge to smoke. I started taking Chantix well before surgery and have been just fine. But with wellness creeping up it seems my brain and body are at war. Also...In-N-Out. Panda Express. Chocolate. Chocolate. Chocolate. Chocolate. Choc... Must...get mind off them... I haven't given in, Dear Reader, and I'm thankful for it. Although our plumber was outside smoking a cigarette and it was all I could do not to tackle him. It was awfully stinky, though. Deep breathing helps. It was a bit shocking because it's been so long since I've felt this way. This liquid diet is the pits. I crave texture, crunch, but I have another 7 days on full liquids. Sigh. I am most looking forward to scrambled eggs, which I think I can have at the semi-solids/pureed stage. Mmmm. Eggs. All that said, I feel wonderful. Clothes that were tight now fit perfectly, sometimes even a little loosely. How cool is that?

I'm convinced my messages are going to a cyberspace version of the "round file". I've written twice on different subjects, and despite the reassuring "thank you for your post. You will receive a response within 24 hours", I've not received a response of any kind. How do you get through to the Wizard behind the curtain?

I'm convinced my messages are going to a cyberspace version of the "round file". I've written twice on different subjects, and despite the reassuring "thank you for your post. You will receive a response within 24 hours", I've not received a response of any kind. How do you get through to the Wizard behind the curtain?

1/22 - Move scale needle, move, damn thee! Still trying to reach the 20. But something else has come up. Temptation. Craving. Crumbling resolve. So I've discovered (has this happened to you?) that now that I am feeling better, I am also a great deal more hungry and interested in old vices. Strangely enough, strongest of all is the urge to smoke. I started taking Chantix well before surgery and have been just fine. But with wellness creeping up it seems my brain and body are at war. Also...In-N-Out. Panda Express. Chocolate. Chocolate. Chocolate. Chocolate. Choc... Must...get mind off them... I haven't given in, Dear Reader, and I'm thankful for it. Although our plumber was outside smoking a cigarette and it was all I could do not to tackle him. It was awfully stinky, though. Deep breathing helps. It was a bit shocking because it's been so long since I've felt this way. This liquid diet is the pits. I crave texture, crunch, but I have another 7 days on full liquids. Sigh. I am most looking forward to scrambled eggs, which I think I can have at the semi-solids/pureed stage. Mmmm. Eggs. All that said, I feel wonderful. Clothes that were tight now fit perfectly, sometimes even a little loosely. How cool is that?

Please feel free to comment or suggest. I'm using this primarily as my record... I started my preop diet 1/5/10, had surgery 1/14, and today is 1/18/10 (Happy Bday, Dr. King). I've lost 16.6 lbs. I guess it's not that amazing when compared to the other losses I see, but for me, it's amazing! I know that the last 20 lbs I put on really seemed to put me over the edge in terms of my health. I discovered that I have severe sleep apnea, had acute GERD (reflux) and other problems. I remember the joy over learning I had sleep apnea, because it meant there was actually a reason and a solution to my constant fatigue. I thought it was just fat. I am sick of the liquid diet, though, and actually concerned that I'm not getting enough calories. I've heard that your metabolism just slows to a crawl if your body thinks food is scarce, but it is hard to increase my calorie count and follow instructions, so I am favoring the latter. My protein drinks (Isopure and Pure Protein) only have about 150 calories for 40 grams of protein, and I am supposed to consume them in small 1-2 oz amounts every 15-30 mins. It's easy to forget. And I am still full of burp bubbles. Ugh. So I am on protein, yogurt, broth, water, s/f jello or pudding, and low-fat creamed soups. It was hard to walk today because we had a powerful rainstorm. No more significant pain, so I'm off the narcotics. Incisions are itchy! I have been very careful about not lifting and not using my abdominal muscles (I'm sure they're buried under there somewhere). I wonder how long that will last. It's a lonnnnnnnng way to food. Sigh. It's only Monday, and I have two weeks. If the loss continues in the way that it has I will be thrilled. There was a "Biggest Loser" marathon on the other day so I watched. Their weight loss is incredible and the show is a good reminder of how much physical activity is an integral part of this process. I don't want to lose momentum. I tried some Muscle Milk light and loved it, so of course when I Googled it there's a controversy about using it. It seems there's andro...something steroid-ish in it. Bummer. It reminded me of the carob drinks I had as a kid (that I can never find now). Well, that's it for now.

Thank you! I am so excited. Where are you in your process?

Wow. It's 1/21 and I'm at 19.1, which lowered my BMI from 43.7 to 40. Remarkable. I definitely want to keep the momentum going. I spoke with my nutritionist yesterday because I was concerned I wasn't getting enough calories. I was averaging somewhere between 300-500 daily, which is about 1/3 of most diets I've been on. When I started feeling light headed, I decided it was time to call her. She assured me that while I need to continue to consume protein in between meals to ensure I get the 70 grams daily, my fat stores would provide ample calories for my body.:thumbdown: She also said I might be dehydrated, and I think she's probably right, so I'm trying to step up the water consumption. I asked her about my oft-present burps that feel like bubbles in my chest, and she said I was probably drinking too fast (gulping or swallowing vs. sipping) and as I adjusted they would go away. Because I told her I was almost at 20 lbs, she said that the next time I was in the market to go look at a 20 lb bag of cat/dog food. I did. It's really remarkable. I guess my question is...where does it all go? I'm not having BMs, so...am I peeing out nearly 20 lbs, or is it just evaporating into thin air? Weird. But cool. Itchy stitches. Bubble burps. Missing food. Yesterday I got my son McNuggets (I know, yuck, but we had an appointment to make and he was hungry) and they put fries in with our order by mistake. That smell almost undid me. Almost. It's all still worth it. TJ's has some terrific organic broths and creamy low-cal, low-fat soups. I've started reading Dr. Vuong's (sp?) book about getting the most from your band. It's simplistic and straightforward, which is just what I need right now. It's about maximizing your success. I also got a cookbook about eating after weight loss surgery that looks pretty good. Just gearing up for the days when I can cook. I recommend both. Ah, to dream. In November I started stacking my 1X clothes to put them away because they didn't fit and I was starting to venture into size 22s and almost 3Xs. But at the rate I'm going, maybe those should be flipped. I found an old bottom of some cutesy little pajama shorts I wore when I was in my 20s. They were my (only) sexy little pjs. Looking at it, I could not believe I ever fit into them. They are a size medium but look tiny to me. I am saving them. Soon I will be looking through clothes stored in the attic for...hmm...(geez, when did I last wear those? There are probably sizes 8-14 there)...8 years? 9 years? Whew. Come on, big 20!!!:thumbup:

Wow. It's 1/21 and I'm at 19.1, which lowered my BMI from 43.7 to 40. Remarkable. I definitely want to keep the momentum going. I spoke with my nutritionist yesterday because I was concerned I wasn't getting enough calories. I was averaging somewhere between 300-500 daily, which is about 1/3 of most diets I've been on. When I started feeling light headed, I decided it was time to call her. She assured me that while I need to continue to consume protein in between meals to ensure I get the 70 grams daily, my fat stores would provide ample calories for my body. She also said I might be dehydrated, and I think she's probably right, so I'm trying to step up the water consumption. I asked her about my oft-present burps that feel like bubbles in my chest, and she said I was probably drinking too fast (gulping or swallowing vs. sipping) and as I adjusted they would go away. Because I told her I was almost at 20 lbs, she said that the next time I was in the market to go look at a 20 lb bag of cat/dog food. I did. It's really remarkable. I guess my question is...where does it all go? I'm not having BMs, so...am I peeing out nearly 20 lbs, or is it just evaporating into thin air? Weird. But cool. Itchy stitches. Bubble burps. Missing food. Yesterday I got my son McNuggets (I know, yuck, but we had an appointment to make and he was hungry) and they put fries in with our order by mistake. That smell almost undid me. Almost. It's all still worth it. TJ's has some terrific organic broths and creamy low-cal, low-fat soups. I've started reading Dr. Vuong's (sp?) book about getting the most from your band. It's simplistic and straightforward, which is just what I need right now. It's about maximizing your success. I also got a cookbook about eating after weight loss surgery that looks pretty good. Just gearing up for the days when I can cook. I recommend both. Ah, to dream.:thumbup: In November I started stacking my 1X clothes to put them away because they didn't fit and I was starting to venture into size 22s and almost 3Xs. But at the rate I'm going, maybe those should be flipped. I found an old bottom of some cutesy little pajama shorts I wore when I was in my 20s. They were my (only) sexy little pjs. Looking at it, I could not believe I ever fit into them. They are a size medium but look tiny to me. I am saving them. Soon I will be looking through clothes stored in the attic for...hmm...(geez, when did I last wear those? There are probably sizes 8-14 there)...8 years? 9 years? Whew. Come on, big 20!!!

Hi there, I was banded 1/14. It's a new year, new focus! Keep me posted on how you're dealing with the foods. I'm still on liquids and my biggest problem is that I keep burp, burp, burping. Good luck! I'm not going back to work for another 1-2 weeks.