Wisteria75

Hi Everyone, I am a fellow lap-bander (banded October '09) and I use MyFitnessPal.com to track my foods, exercise and weight loss goals. It's a great tool. Are any of you members? It is free, if you are interested. If you are members or become members, what do you think of becoming "buddies" on this site so we can look at what each other eats and excercise, etc. for help and tips? Reply here or PM me if you're interested. I can give you my email address and you can look it up on Myfitnesspal.com so we can be linked. Be well, Renee

Go to My Home, then Goals (underneath). Click Change Goals at the bottom of the page. You can choose Guided or Custom. I chose Guided and put in 1200 cals per day. I hope this helps. Renee

Thanks Vickyd! I just think it'll help us all with meal choices, ideas, etc.

I set my diary to be seen by "Friends." Is anyone else willing to do that too?

Great thank you!

I got your friend request. Thanks for the support everyone!!!

Cool thanks, added! I love the fact that it tracks your protein as well. Very helpful. Thanks!

I think I figured it out but not sure. I had my food diary set to private. So... I went to My Home, then Settings, then located bottom left is Diary Sharing. You can choose Private, Public, Friends Only, or Locked with a key. I changed mine to Friends Only. Try to see if you can see mine now.

Hey vickyd, Not sure but when I find out, I'll let you know! I haven't had much time to browse yet... still working.

Thanks again so much, I appreciate that. I saw your "home" page and people on there are VERY encouraging. It's wonderful! I read your summary on there as well, and I've been battling weight loss for 11 years now. Got the surgery Oct. '09 but have only lost 30 pounds. There are reasons behind that, that I am embarrased to mention. Anyway, I liked your summary.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, everyone! I will add you... I am Wisteria75 on there. I have such a hard time with what to eat since I am VERY picky with foods. Not good for a lapbander... I have been having a hard time with weight loss as well and I'm trying to stay under 1200 calories. So we'll see. Thanks for all of your support. We can all support each other there as well. Yay to us!

Hello everyone, I am from Easthampton, Mass. I got banded in October, 2009 and am having a terrible time. I've only lost 28 lbs. I have another fill coming up on 1/31/11, so hopefully that will help. I am wondering if anyone is interested in getting a group together in the Northampton area? I would love to have a "band buddy" in the area. Good luck to all.... Renee

Hello Everyone: All I can say is Thank God for this thread. I can relate to almost all of you. I was banded on October 16, 2009, yes my one year anniversary is coming up. However, I've only lost about 28 lbs. I am struggling as well with the emotional issues of eating and not exercising (because I hate it). Things haven't been great in my life and I eat as a result. Although I have cut down to about 1200 to 1300 calories per day, I am still not losing. I am 5'1" and 185 lbs. I hope we can all be of help to each other. All the best, Renee

Hey Kcg, My fill went well, thanks for asking. Being on fluids for two days then mushies for another two is hell. LOL I was starving! Anyway, better days over the weekend and today. I hope this gives me restriction also! I am still feeling hungry after having a Breakfast and a morning snack and lunch is an hour away… we’ll see how this fill goes. I am not sure about where the band is placed. How would one know? An x-ray? When I went to my doctors for the fill, both the nurse and the doc said I was losing weight as I should for the amount of fills I have had (not many and not much). So hearing that gave me some relief. I did lose one more pound in 2 months. I look forward to seeing your intake. Mine is going to be quite different from the one I posted. Because like you said, I am going to cut off processed foods like you said and see how I do. I also found this great gelato for a snack that is only 30 calories, no fat, and 5 grams of sugar per 4 oz. serving. When I previously logged my intake I was within my calorie range (1200) or below. I did consider cutting back and have on the ice cream and such. What you said about sacrifices is so true… I need to do this NOW for myself, because it’ll pay off in the long run. I appreciate your post very much. Your post and my nurse and doc all have provided me support and motivation, so thank you! Oh and what I drink besides the AM coffee is water and crystal light all day long. Usually 6-8 oz. of crystal light and water (no sugar; no cal). I don’t drink any sugary or carbonated drinks. I also don’t drink alcohol all that much; very rare occasions. I have some “light juice” on occasion too. I don’t go to the gym because of the cost and it is not comfortable for me. Not really a motivator either. I know it is a motivator for some people... I walk, jog, kayak and also do aerobic exercises on the Wii Fit (which is super fun!) I definitely will redo it as a challenge. Absolutely. We all didn’t go through this for it to be a breeze, now did we? Nope! Thanks again for everything. Good luck to you also. Sounds like you are doing a superb job! :wub: All the best, Renee

Hello KCG, I am hoping I can get some help! Any support is welcome! I do have restriction. Sometimes when I get hungry and eat too fast, the food gets stuck which isn’t happening all that much anymore because I chew chew chew! Breads are hard to get down, so I try to avoid them. I have a 10cc Realize Band and have 6cc’s fill in that band. I am going to my surgeon today to get another fill because although I do have restriction, I do get hungry between meals. My bariatric team is very conservative. But, because I have to pay for each visit (which is $25) I haven't been very aggressive with my fills; my husband and I have been struggling with money. So I go pretty much when I can. I had logged my intake for months and then I stopped about a month ago because nothing was happening; no weight loss and I felt I was doing so much work with nothing to show for it. I can tell you what I eat though. I am a creature of habit so usually my diet is as follows: Breakfast: ½ Caffeinated coffee and ½ decaf with sugar free hazelnut Coffee Mate Quaker Oats Weight Control oatmeal OR GoLean Crunch with 1 cup of Lactaid Fat Free Milk Morning Snack: Yoplait Delights chocolate strawberry Yogurt OR an orange and as of late possibly a donut but not every day or every week at that. Lunch: Mostly Skippy Chunky Peanut Butter with Ritz Wheat Crackers OR Lactaid Cottage cheese with Ritz Wheat Crackers; and as of late: Boars Head Ham and Cheese on toasted Rye Bread. Afternoon Snack: Usually nothing or just an orange (if I don’t eat it earlier) Dinner: Usually 2 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast marinated in my own teriyaki sauce or BBQ rub with a side of salad or a sweet baked potato. After dinner snack: One serving of light ice cream OR Mixed berry Gelato (30 cal. 0 fat, 6 sugar per serving) and whipped cream And for your other question, how would I know if the band is not in the proper place? I mean I feel restriction, so I guess it is? I certainly hope it is, because surgery for me was hell. I don’t want to give up… I also don’t want to deprive myself of foods I do like every now and again. I would really like your help and support. Thank you so much and good luck to you as well. Renee

Hello, I was banded on 10/16/09. I've only lost 24 lbs. So I know what you're saying. It's so tough and I myself am feeling very frustrated. I have lost EXTREMELY slowly and because of that I cheat as well too. I've exercised for weeks as well as eating the right foods, but still nothing. This is what happened to me before the band, which is why I wanted the band... for help. Now I feel lost, like this isn't working for me either. The initial 20 lbs. was lost post-surgery. Ugh. Glad everyone else is doing well though. Best, Renee

Hello everyone, I have been watching this thread for quite a while. I had surgery back in October 2009. The portion sizes that I see on here are so small! I am VERY sad to say that I eat a lot more than what I see on here. I've had 4 fills already. 5.5 cc's in my 11 cc band. Next one will be on 5/26/10 because I am hungry in between meals *STILL*. Ugh... I cannot wait until I get to my sweet spot and be able to have little to eat everyday. Any helpful tips? I drink lots and lots of Crystal Light and when I get hungry I drink some Caffeine Free Red Zinger Tea, which is really good, but that only takes the edge off... Help please... thanks!

Thank you all so much for responding. I got a 1 cc fill last night. I'm hoping it'll help. I'll be on liquids for another 2 days, then mushies, then soft, then finally solids. The book that was mentioned (about emotional eating) was very helpful; I got a copy of it at the library and will start reading it tonight. Thank you for that. :scared2: Also, blunt is good. :wink: Thanks also for the visualization exercises; I will try that out. As for my boss bringing in goodies (not goodies for me, baddies for me LOL) I will try to walk by. Unfortunately I am in a VERY small room with 5 people in it so it's hard to ignore. They other people seem to enjoy them, and it has been said for him to stop bringing them in, but he won't listen. I will be fine... I know it. Good luck to everyone on your journeys! :wub:

Hi all, I was banded on October 16, 2009. After surgery, I seemed to have done pretty well with what I ate and lost 20 lbs. As far as I know, I have not lost more. :thumbup: Because I have had such a slow weight loss, I "fell off the wagon" and starting in with my old "binge-eating" habits about two months ago. Emotional eating, they say. I get upset, then feel like I deserve to eat a bag of Milk chocolate Mini eggs. Ugh. And not the small bags. :crying: Anyway, I have been struggling with this off and on for a while now and it's even harder when a) I have restriction but not enough because I feel hungry all the time, have an awful sweet tooth, and c) my boss brings in pastries, donuts and/or chocolate EVERY DAY. :huh2: :crying: Seriously, EVERY DAY!!! I cannot take this tempation any more. I have to struggle every day with seeing these foods not even 6 feet from me. In addition to that, I don't have enough restriction. I am getting a fill on Monday hopefully that'll help with feeling hungry. :smile: I need help, though, with the temptation and "beef-up" my willpower. Any suggestions, ideas... share thoughts on what you have done? Thank you in advance. Renee

Hi Oliverdog, I apologize for taking so long to get back to you. So we are banding buddies! I was banded in the U.S. Have you lost anymore weight other than the 19 lbs.? I definitely know that I have lost 20 but not sure if I have lost more. I have been struggling with my eating habits (chocolate, sweets, etc.) I haven't really been as good as I should and I feel I've been "abusing" the band. I had my 3rd fill a month ago; I now have 4.6cc's in a 10cc band according to my doc. Sounds like you are right on track. It is very hard work, and like I said I am struggling, and need to find some support and support groups. I'm so very glad I have it as well because it's been a very long time since I have been able to lose weight (over 10 years) so I love it. I have to be better to myself and the band though. Cutting out all the sweets. I also find myself hungry a lot so I have a fill on 4/26 and hopefully that'll help me. Best of luck to you too. Keep in touch "buddy". Renee

Hi Everyone, I haven't posted in a while. I got banded on October 16, 2009. I have lost only 17 pounds so far. I didn't have much restriction on the band and fell back due to feeling defeated. BUT, I'm back on my feet again, just got another fill, and gone back to eating "right". I have also been exercising too with the Wii Fit. What a Godsend that thing is; if you DO NOT like to exercise, then I highly recommend the Wii Fit. It's awesome; like you're in the game while exercising. Anyhow, sounds like everyone is doing well on their weight loss. Good luck to all! :rolleyes2:

Hi! I am 3 months post op and my port area gets sore while I sit at my desk at work on a daily basis. It is definitely an internal pain. Not sure why... I thought this might be normal; I probably should talk to my surgeon when I get my fill next week. Anyone receive answers yet?

I have a very low-threshold for pain and I have to say that the fill hurt but it pinched just like giving blood. Wasn't so bad.

Hey there, I wish you the best of luck. I'm sure everything will turn out just fine. Keep us posted.

Thank you very much Salbri! Good luck to us on our journeys!