honk

When I mentioned to my doctor that I would miss my coffee he said why should you give it up? Here's the deal though any time you add anything milk based to your coffee you are on a slippery slope. I read a story on line where a guy asked his friend a Nut. to help him figure out why he had gained 20 pounds. After all he had'nt changed his food habits. Well he had started a job that had free coffee; but he did'nt take it black. He discovered he was adding several hundred calories a day from the sugar (16 cal per teaspoon), and creamers (20 cal per container). Here in NE at Dunkin Donuts a regular consists of two heaping spoonfuls (larger than tablespoon) of sugar plus two squirts of cream.

I told my family (though my sister discussed it with my niece so she would understand this is a medical intervention for me becuase my weight was killing me. This was not just about vanity and wanting to be thin. She luckily has her pateral grandmother's body tall and very thin; size zero), a couple personal friends, and some people from my gym. The only reason I told them was because they saw me comming in every day for a year and a half BEFORE sugery and loosing 80 pounds. Two of the ladies had lapband one had it removed (she kept it too tight was living on liquids a year after surgery); and the other is losing slowly. Any one who actually knows me, sees that I eat outragously healthy food 90% of the time and go to the gym 7 days a week. If that's cheating well so be it. I guess the reason I haven't told misc. co-workers is I don't need food police. In my experience even if I eat greek yoghurt for Breakfast and skinless chicken breast and plain veggies for lunch and dinner 7 days a week; it will be that 2 in square of office birthday cake once a month that they will remember.

I did buy low salt broth and it was horrible. You will feel yucky enough without having your main source of sustanance taste disgusting. Buy the regular stuff trust me. Also buy stock instead of broth it tastes so much better. Did you get a diet plan from your doctor? Mine was Clear Liquids AND thin Protein sakes (just fat free milk and Protein powder, and sugar free pudding powder NO fruit) for the first week. Towards the end of the week I strained chicken noodle soup and drank the liquid tasted like heaven! Second week I could have full liquids: Soups like tomato and sweet red pepper (Pacific Brand is excellent often kept in the organic section. I found it in larger containers at costco which made it cheaper.) and thin Protein shakes. Buy the name brand Jello and fat free sugar free pudding cups they just taste better (and (I am a super cheapskate. My mother was mortified that after my first package ran out I did'nt buy the store brand. If you have access to a Costco Premier ready to drink protein shakes are excellent (if you run a search you will see many people agree. I know I sound like a Costco commercial. When you move to mushies. For protein I used a stick blender to mix up fruited low fat chobani greek yoghurt (higher in protein than regular yoghurt); add fat free milk if you think it is too thick. Fat free can be sour even with fruit so I added splendra. First week of mushie I could have yoghurt and fat free cottage (with herbs is great) or ricotta cheese. I made a Italian bake cottage cheese and ricotta with smooth spagetti sauce. Tasted soooo good. Second week of mushies I could have egg whites. I measured a total of 3 oz egg whites and cottage cheese (cooked egg white and added cottage cheese at the end. I know it sounds crazy but by this point this stuff will taste like the best thing you have ever eaten.

I agree if you are exercising you could be adding muscle. And since muscle burns calories it is doing you good in the long run.

I agree that it sounds to me like you are too tight. My doctor says if you can't eat 3 oz of solid protein and veggies and fruit that you are too tight.

Personally I can eat everything I did before surgery I just choose not to! I don't know about your doctor but I had to loose a certain amount of weight or he would'nt do the surgery. Not to be mean spirited but the band is only a part of the process. At least 50% is mental!!!!! Does your doctor require therapy sessions on mindful eating? If not find a therapist and go. I found these session to be very helpful. Helped me understand why I overate; and why I was drawn to certain foods. I used to have 3-4 difffernt bags of low fat chips, rice cakes, etc in my house. Low fat does not mean calorie free. You know Pirates Booty, low fat puffed corn, snack. The bag has 5 servings I would easily eat most of the bag before I would stop and then eat dinner.

I think this doctor does'nt like to do Lapband surgeries. They require having more staff to do the fills maybe he does'nt like having 1-2 nurses on staff. In regards to people "your age" he may feel that younger people have trouble living a life style where they choose heathly foods 90% of the time. Though I think that's a bit judgemental. Do I wish the band was availble when I was your age ABSOLUTELY! As to alcohol. Did he/she say alcohol or did they say beer? Most doctors say you should not drink carbinated beverages (beer OR soda). Luckily for me I have never been a drinker. So I know this is easy for me to say. I just googled Long Island Ice Team and it has 292 calories. Could have a nice piece of cake or bowl of ice cream for 292 calories (yeh I know they have higher fat). My opinion? Find another doctor.

It took me 6 months of fills to get restriction. I recommend buying a good digital food scale (walmart or target is fine). Measure you solid protein and when it's gone no seconds.

I measure solid protein; my doctor says 3 oz. I then eat veggies until full. I would say that is more than 1/2 cup. Heck the protein alone is prob. 1/2 a cup.

It took me 6 months to get restriction so this could take you a while. Buy a digital scale and measure out your protein when it's gone no seconds. The rest of you meal should be veggies.

I have very thick hair and I felt I was losing a lot but I'm sure no one else could tell. My mother say's I don't know where you got all the hair it certainly was'nt from me! Anyway I started to take Biotin 5000 mg (tick tac size) and the hair loss leveled off. I asked my doctors office if the weight loss was causing the loss and the nurse said "not at the speed you're losing". Gee Thanks.

While I enjoyed diet soda I did not drink it as much as some people. I did however have it up until the day before surgery. I have'nt really missed it but did have a funny thing happen at Walmart one day. It was later in the evening and the store was practically empty. While I was paying at the register someone came up behind me and opened the soda fridge. The sound of that door opening gave me this huge urge to drink a soda (or tonic as my mother would say). So random!

I don't know if I have an evil food. My personasl demon however is anything that goes crunch (sweet or savory) and cake. Sooo I don't keep them in my house. I do however occationally go to Costco's on a Saturday and troll the free samples. They only give you a bite of each thing and it makes me feel like I'm not giving up fun foods for ever. For example last week they had pita chips with hummus; and the chip was only 1 inch square.

I have 11 cc band and did not get restriction until 10.8 cc'

I add about 1/3 of cup of high protein Kashi Go Lean. Check the boxes though as there are different types.

I also recommend optimum nutrition gold standard whey isolate and premier brand ready to drink from Costco.

I had a stroke at 39. This was after I had changed my diet and had been exercising daily for 8 months. After the stroke I had a routine eye appointment where they saw a problem with my optical nerve. I went to a specialist and he asked me "Have you ever considered weight loss surgery. We have a Bariatric Dept I can give you a referral if you need one." I was so upset. I had improved my diet and was continueing to exercise and was feeling good about myself. Less then a month later I went for my consultation and I weighed 332 lb.

Regret no discouraged at times yes. I lost 80 pounds from diet and exercise preband. I am a year and 5 months out and have lost 55 pounds. Which is a lot less then some people. My food choices are very healthy and I go to the gym 7 days a week. I did not get restriction for 6 months and about 6 weeks ago I went back for another fill because my restriction was not as good as before. However I will say the band does help me maintain lower food intake where as in the past I would have gotten tired of dieting and given up. When I started my lifestyle change I weighted 362 pounds and took size 30/32. Today I weight 227 and take size 18 bottoms and XL tops so no I don't regret it.

Are you allowed protein shakes? If so I would recommend having your clear broth and then an hour or so later the protein shake. This will help with the head hunger since you will be eating at regular intervals. I also went back to the gym at like day 4. I did however come home and take a nap after.

I agree that you may have gained muscle. Remember muscle burns calories so it it better for you in the long run. Since my recent lay off I been trying to go to the gym twice a day. This morning I was up 6 oz. Probably water weight since I know I did not eat 1500 surplus calories yesterday but it still annoyed me.

I can eat bread. Keeping in mind I really really like bread I don't keep it in my house. Too much of a temptation. If I do eat bread I want it to be worth my while and choose really fancy types. I don't feel I would be able to really enjoy the bread as much as I would like if I included meat and cheese with it.

Definately ask your doctor. I was doing the treadmill on day 4 and was back to lap swimming (moderate/rigorous) for 60 minutes at two weeks.

You can lose fat under the band and then it is not tight enough. Hopefully when the band is closer to the stomach and you have the right amount of fill your restriction will stay. I went 6 months between fills and the nurse said I had less fill in there than she had on record. She does not think I have leak more that even with saline it does evaporate. So after a long time like 6 months some of the fill can disappear.

I'm not going to be food cop. I will say that my doctor required 3 group therapy sessions where we went over what triggers/causes overeating. Really affected me more than I would have expected. It ended up taking me 8 months from first consult to surgery (due to other health issues). During this time I really tried to live the life of a bandster. I made myself choose healthier foods; and foster a new relationship with food. I wish more doctors stressed the mental aspects of being banded. Though I think some don't want to be brutaly honest that some bandsters have to try/work really hard to loose weight. For me at least it has'nt just fallen off. Do you have a good friend/family member who is thin? What are their food habits? How much do they eat? This stuff is'nt natural to us we need to learn.

My doctor does not really approve of snacks. At my last job however I would have lunch at 12:00 and between my commute and going to the gym I did not get dinner until about 8:00. I would have a Premier ready to drink protein shake as my prework out snack.