Trappedinafatbody

I need some words of encouragement to get back on track. One year ago I was down to 174lbs. I felt better and looked better than I ever had in my life. I also met the woman of my dreams. I fell in love and the two of us have become very happy and content with each other. The only problem...I have also lost focus of all the hard work that I put in to get where I was. I find myself eating things that I would never dreamed of eating a year ago. A few drinks here and there. And I have gone from exercising 2 to 3 hours a day to barely at all. I am back up to 195. I feel terrible. I know now is the time to get this under control before it goes any further. I'm just not sure how. I get up everyday and tell myself get back on track. I can do it for a few days and then I slip up again. I still see my doctor regularly, going again this week. I am thinking about asking for another fill. Although I am honestly not sure if that is the smart thing to do. Day to day it varies. Sometimes I can sit down and eat a meal like I don't even have a band, other times one or two bites and I'm in terribly pain. When I first started this I was on this forum all day long. Looking for inspiration and motivation. I'm back. I need help, I do not want to go back to that old person that I was. I refuse to. So today I start again. I am a smart person and I know what to do to get this under control. I'm sure there are other folks out there that have been and still are where I am. We hear it all the time...lap band isn't an easy fix. It is a tool to help you along with lifestyle changes. You can't go back to your old way of living and expect to never gain the weight back. It takes work every day. Wish me luck...

Thanks for the replies folks!! I am not here to make excuses. I know I have been slipping up big time. Honk - to answer your questions...I never have any trouble eating in the morning, although the only thing I ever eat for Breakfast is oatmeal. So maybe since its mushy anyhow it just goes on down without a problem. I eat a ton of salads, they seem to give me the least amount of problems. I run into trouble when I add in the Protein. Somesdays I can eat an entire grilled chicken salad with no problems, the next day I'll be lucky to get a couple bites down. If its just the salad without any protein I'm fine. Like I said I'm not here to make excuses, and for the most part I still make good food choices for my meals. My problem is with inbetween meals and late at night. I completely admit I am eating the wrong foods. As far as the exercise goes, once again I admit it fell completely to the side. I have started back up a few times a week for the past couple weeks. Yesterday was a fresh start for me. I feel like I have my focus back to where it needs to be and I getting back on track. I have gone back to doing something that I really believe helped me with the weight loss. Drinking Water and lots of it. I hit the eliptical machine again for the first time in months and found that I had actually forgot how good I felt after a good workout. I have been overweight my entire life...over 300lbs for as long as I can remember. I lost the weight and like everyone else swore to myself that I would never regain a pound of it. It's not that easy. This is going to be something that I have to work with everyday for the rest of my life. Thanks for listening and your words of encouragement. It really does help to know that I am not alone in this.

I guess I am like many others. I have lost 124lbs, I know there is a difference. I have gone from a size 52 in waist to a size 34 and from 3X shirts to small or medium. Everyone tells me I look like a different person. I don't see it. When I look in the mirror, I still see the same overweight person that I have seen for the past 40 years. What I do find interesting is if I see myself when I dont expect it, then I see the difference. (Walking in a store, catching my reflection in the mirror). I have actually stopped and took a double look to see that its me. I've talked with others about this. What's interesting is a friend of mine had always been thin and then put on a lot of weight. She still saw herself as being the thin person, even though she knew she wasn't. Myself having always been overweight, still sees me as being fat. I was at the doctor about a week ago and he made the comment that as a "thin person" my body is working differently than it ever has before. That really hit me. I have been called a lot of things before, a thin person has never been one of them. I have discovered for me losing the weight was only the beginning. The real work is going to be finding the person that I really am.

My favorites are "Pure Protein" High Protein bars. I get them at my local Walmart or Target. There are 4 different flavors and all but one is under 5g of fat. They have either 19 or 20g of protein per bar depending on the flavor and most are 180 calories. They taste good too. I took the box in for my doc to look at and he said they seemed like a good choice, but stay away from the one that is 6g of fat. They run around $6.00 for a box of 6. Target sells them individually so you can give the different flavors a try to see what you like.

So here's my situation. I began this journey at 306 lbs. I have followed EVERY word that my doctor has said from day one. I lost 56 lbs pre op. I had surgery on 8/28/09. The surgeon put 3 ccs in the band at surgery. I have had only one more fill since then, that was in October, another 3 ccs. As of this morning (1/11/10) I am down to 193 lbs. I have lost a total of 113 lbs. My family and a few close friends know that I have had the surgery. However now everyone is asking me how I have lost all the weight. I'm never sure what to say. I'm not trying to hide that I had the surgery, but at the same time I am very aware and my doctors have also said that I have had such good results because of the work that I have put into this not just because of the surgery. I am eating the healthiest diet that I have ever ate. I exercise an hour to two hours daily. Usually when asked I just say I have lost the weight through a lot of hard work, but I always feel like I'm being dishonest. So then I'll tell someone that I had the surgery and I get that look like I took the easy way out. How are others addressing this question? Do you tell everyone about the surgery? I believe the surgery was a great thing and it has certainly changed my life. Just wondering??? Thanks, Doug

Thanks for the comments everyone. I feel like I have told the people that matter most to me. No one else needs to know all the details. New Joy, I like the answer that you come up with... a "Modified Lifestyle". That truly is what I have done. I will use this as my response from now on, and hopefully I won't have to get "the look". As always thanks for the support that this board offers! Doug

I would have to agree with all the others; my only regret is not having it done sooner. I began this process on April 28, 2009 (306 lbs). That was my first appointment with the surgeon. I began my pre op diet that very day. I had surgery on August 28, 2009. I had dropped 50 lbs by surgery. Here it is December 30, 2009. I am down 107 lbs (199 lbs). I feel better than I ever have in my entire life. I will be 40 this coming year and I am definitely in the best shape I have ever been in. It has not been easy, you get out of this what you put into it. I have worked hard to acheive the results that I have. If your willing to make changes in your lifestyle then the lapband is the perfect tool to help you. Best of luck, Doug

I had surgery on a Friday, by Sunday evening I was walking my 5 mile route that I had been doing presurgery. I was walking much slower than normal but by the end of the following week I was almost back to normal. The walking really helped to get the gas out of my body after surgery too. I was back in the gym the following week. Nothing abdominal for another 4 weeks after that. But by all means start the cardio back up as quickly as you feel up to it.

nlawlor341, Don't think you are the only one that has never been a "Normal" weight!! I was a fat baby, a was a fat child, I was a fat teenager, I was a fat adult. I have no memories of EVER being under 200lbs. I have spent most of my life well above the 300lb mark. (My highest was 360) I am now 39 years old and this is the smallest I have ever been in my entire life! I understand how you feel and I even posted a similar question back when I started the LB process. If you are willing to put in the effort and make some changes then the lap band will work for you! I have lost 96lbs so far and I'm only about 20 lbs from my goal weight. It has not always been easy and you will have to make some tough decisions along the way. With that said it has all been worth it!! I only wish I had done this years ago!! I look like a different person, I feel like a different person, and this one still puzzles me a little... I am treated like a different person. I never realized how differently people perceive you when you are overweight. It's a sad fact but it's true. Good luck to you, use the band to your advantage and it will work to your advantage. Doug

I eat both types of the Hormel Chili all the time. (With Beans and No Beans). I get them at my local Wal-Mart. They actually have a few different varieties. The "No Bean" version has the highest protein.

Hi, August 28th for me. I am doing great. I just had something get "stuck" this week. It was a bite of egg salad. That was an experience that I don't want to have again. I have been very lucky in that I can still eat just about anything, chicken, salads ... all the foods that I hear so many say they have trouble with. I had a 3cc fill at surgery, and another fill of 3ccs on 10/09/09. Things are going great. my last weigh in I was down 76lbs. I'm sure I've lost some more since then, but I have decided to wait and see what the scales say when I see the doc again. Hope everyone else is doing as well too! Doug

I am 39 years old and had not been to a doctor since I was in my teens. I just got a new PCP last year and had only seen him twice. You may have to get some more testing done by your primary before he/she will give you the referal for LBS. Other than that I wouldn't be to concerned. My doctor was very willing to work with me and thought I was making the right choice having the surgery. He also wrote a great letter to the insurance company encouraging them that the Lap Band surgery was the best option for me. I got approved with no problem. (I met the qualifications only on BMI, I had no other health related problems, although I was on the borderline for high blood pressure and diabetes.) And yes it is the best decision that I have ever made! I'm down 76lbs since I began the whole process in April of this year. Push forward and good luck!

I know one of the hardest things for me is staying motivated to exercise. I came up with this plan to help me see how far I've come and to motivate me to stick with it. I purchased a large map of the US and mapped out a journey through all 48 states along with Mexico and Canada. I track the distance that I walk/run/bike each week and then transfer that to my "virtual journey" across the USA. I started walking on January of this year, but didn't get really serious about it until April when I made the decision to have LBS. I began in Delaware and have traveled through seven states; as of 9/29/09 I am officially in Hattiesburg, MS and have logged in over 1065 miles. My next stop will be New Orleans, Louisiana. I should be there in about three weeks. Whenever I stick a new pin in my map, I go online and learn about the location where I am at currently. I've learned several interesting facts along the way. So I guess you could say this has been a "journey" for the mind and the body. I have this map on the wall in my office, and it's a great way to keep me motivated to get out there and MOVE. I get a lot of moral support from this too; everyone at work is always checking to see where I'm at. My final goal will be to wrap back around to the East Coast, heading down to Florida. Final destination... Key West. Once I accomplish this "virtually" I intend to treat myself to a well deserved real vacation there! This whole idea cost less than 10 bucks for the map and pack of map pins at Office Depot. The exercise is free. For those of you with limited budgets, think about giving it a try.

I'm glad to hear that others are going to try this also. I have found that it really does motivate me to push myself. Sometimes I'll look at the map and see how far I am from a "destination" and work even harder to get there. Have fun "traveling" everyone!

I tried several different protein powders, different brands, different flavors; they all made me feel sick. I swear by the Unjury unflavored protein powder. I use it daily, normally in either oatmeal or soup. You do have to be careful not to put in food that is to hot. It doesn't change the taste but it will change the texture. It's kind of hard to explain, but it's just not a very appealing texture. It just takes a little experimenting with to figure out the best way to use it. (You may have to add a little more water to some foods.) I don't see where it has any taste. Which is exactly what I want. If you are like me and other protein powders don't cut it, I would certainly give it a try. It's the only one I use now. I can only find it online, and they will give you a discount of you set up a regular shipping schedule with them.

Hi, I was banded on 8/28/09. You are not alone! I too have been having good days and bad days since my surgery. I guess that is the reason everyone refers to this period as "bandster hell". Hang in there, I know it's tough but remember why you started this journey. The scales have not been kind to me over the past couple of weeks, so I have stopped weighing myself. I've just been concentrating on how far I've come and the differences in myself. I feel great and that's enough for me right now! I go for my first fill on Oct 9th. Best of Luck!

You are not alone!!! It sounds like you and I are in about the same situation. I was banded on 8/28/09 and lost the first week after surgery during the liquid phase. I started back on soft foods and since then nothing. Not one pound!!! I to am frustrated about the weight lose stalling out, but everyone keeps telling me that it is normal. It has now been just over three weeks from my surgery and I weighed myself this morning. DOWN TWO POUNDS!! I know it's not a lot but at this point; I'll take it. Keep moving forward, don't give up now! You have taken the first step in the process, now it's time to move forward and discover the new person inside you. That is what I keep focusing on. I know where I've come from, I know what I am now, what I don't know is what I will become. I can already see changes, and I like them.

Hi, I have not posted anything on here before, but I need some advice. I met with my Weight Loss Surgeon for the first time on April 24, 2009. I have followed every word he said and everything has been going great. I started at 306lbs and by the time my surgery date came (8/28/09) I weighed in at 250. I lost another 13lbs during the liquid and mushy stages after surgery. I saw my doctor again on 9/3/09 and I was at 237. I started soft foods on 9/7/09 and have had no problems with anything. (I have been cautious with my food choices, I do not want to throw up or experience that "stuck" feeling). It's been two weeks and I am back to my old exercise routine and eating around 1100 calories a day, including about 90 grams of Protein a day. I am still at 237. I know I should be thrilled with the weight loss that I've had, but it seems like I was doing better before the band??? I guess my biggest fear is I am only 10lbs away from my smallest weight ever as an adult. I was hoping that the band would help me break this barrier and finally meet my goal weight. What if the band does not work? The doctor put 2cc of saline in at surgery and I can say that I feel no restriction right now at all. I am controlling my eating purely by my will power. Did anyone else completely stall out after surgery? How long did it take for the weight to start coming back off? I am happy with what I have acomplished so far, but in my mind I just keep saying what if this is just another thing that will not work for me? Why can't I beat this??? Any suggestions for jump starting the weight loss again? Thanks, Doug

I do realize how lucky I am that the process has been going so smoothly for me. It's just the numbers that keep playing with my head. I knew a plateau would come and there would be a time that things would get tougher. I just really hoped that I would break past these last 10lbs before it happened. Don't worry, I will not let this stop me from acheiving my goal. I have come way to far, and I refuse to go back. Thanks for the support, it has really helped.

Thanks for the encouraging words! I was suprised to see a couple of replies so quickly! I know a plateau is to be expected and I have no reason to complain, having done as well as I have. I just felt like I had to talk to someone and let them know how I was feeling. THANKS!!!!