LapNYC

I used to order rolls and sushi but now just order sashimi. I also try to limit tuna because I eat so much fish in general that I'm sure my head is exploding with the mercury. A piece of eel is fine, but think of it more like a treat than a staple. For me these days (my band is on the loose side) some miso Soup, three pieces of salmon sashimi, two pieced of tuna and one yellowtail and some edamame make up a good meal. Theee-o I'll try and order a handroll without the rice. Good idea. Spicy tuna here I come!

I think that it's indeed all about age, genetics and how long you were overweight. I like to think I made the best efforts possible. I worked out like a crazy person and tried to build muscle to fill out my skin where the fat had been. I had a tummy tuck because there was no hope there, but I did build a good upp0er body, even 130 lbs down. Don't be scared of heavy weight training. Muscle really helps everything pack in there better.

It's more that I don't think about it rather than forgetting about it altogether. I'd never "forget" and therefore eat bread in a restaurant or something, but I'd chalk that up to new habits, more than anything else.

Yesterday: Breakfast: Oatmeal with dried cranberries Iced skim latte Snack: cheese plate from Starbucks Lunch: Turkey chili Another iced skim latte Snack: Protein bar Dinner: Giant salad with grilled chicken, tomatoes and feta, balsamic vinaigrette Two bowls of vanilla frozen yogurt with raspberries I know I eat a lot! I exercise a lot too. But not yesterday actually...

p.s. Just remember that you WILL get to eat again. All the good stuff. Just in a new way. No need for dead man's last meal. Now I drink alcohol, eat desserts, heavy sauces and do all the "bad" stuff. I also exercise and make good choices most of the time, but you really don't have to think of this as a life sentence.

I ate a giant, white bagel (hot out of the oven from a bagel place) in the middle of my pre-op diet. Funnily, I barely cheated from then until I reached goal. So...I'm saying from experience that it's possible to move past it and live happily ever after. Best of luck to you. Lesson learned. Now full steam ahead!!!

Almost a year and a half out and I have an appointment for a fill in a week. Always trying to find that perfect spot. I might cancel the appointment and I might not. I keep changing my mind!

Indeed that is the sucky part. You're officially in bandster hell. I'm not sure if it helps or not, but I think that according to many, I'm a pretty good lapband success story. Few problems and much success within a short period of time. During that month of bandster hell I gained a few pounds. I did show real restraint, but I also ate way more than I was able to once I had restriction. I got that magical fill (fill #3 maybe?) and that was that for many many months. I don't want to say it got easy but it wasn't the lifelong struggle I was used to. So hang in there, keep your eye on the prize, don't beat yourself up and don't gain some new bad habits. If your portions are too large, so be it. But don't even dabble in those band friendly/diet unfriendly foods you'll want to avoid in the future (chips, ice cream etc.) You really sound like you'll be ok. This is the hard part. One day at a time, as they say. The band is the best. Just give it time! p.s. I just had a tummy tuck and after that was done they sprung it on me that it takes a YEAR to get to a final result. Suddenly, the band sounds quite immediately gratifying to me!

I notice it when I drink using a straw. Just a thought.

I'm a daily weigh-er too. It keeps me honest!

I wouldn't. Candy isn't probably the best way to start off a weight loss venture. The pre and post-op stuff is TORTURE. I just did a week of it post tummy tuck, and I don't have any weight to lose. So I totally feel your pain. And you can have candy at the movies later. But for now I'd really try to stick to the program. This will all be a blur, I promise!

No change at all. I only had skin to remove. The band took care of the fat! If anything, I'm bigger, but it's only been a few weeks and I'm really swollen.

Huh. Interesting. However I don't feel that he's really describing my experience. I can't put my finger on it, but to me this sounds very much like a non-banded person talking! I eat far smaller portions for dinner than I used to, for example, but it's not as simple as pure willpower OR the band restricting me in some way I can describe.

130 lbs down and my feet haven't changed a bit. Too bad, because I'm thin and my feet are still annoyingly wide!

I've never heard of that restaurant but I think that even once you're banded, soup is a great restaurant option. It is indeed a 'slider', but it's been a key part of my weight loss equation. It's an easy way to get vegetables, easy to find, often low carb and very satisfying. There's absolutely nothing wrong with eating slider foods--even all slider foods--if you're total calorie count is in line. Soup and then fish in a restaurant is also a great option because you most likely won't get stuck which can be a pretty rough experience in front of others. Good luck to you! The band is the best.

I felt exactly like you do at that stage in the game and I think I'm considered to be a far above average success story. This is no indicator of how you're feel and fare after a couple of fills. For now though, it is just mind over matter. You can do it. It's not a life sentence! I had a hamburger and some ice cream last night. Today I had a fill (post tummy tuck) and can only have clear liquids for a few days. Cream soups sound thrilling and decadent to me right about now. It's all relative. You'll be able to indulge later, I promise! For now, sadly, you're just got to suck it up!

No reason to mourn pizza. You're just taking a break. I had a hamburger last night (sans bun - band unfilled for tunny tuck) after well over a year. I loved every bite of it, but don't feel the need to have one again tomorrow or anything. I lost my weight partially by not eating carbs. I recommend it because it's pretty crisp and easy to follow. Then again, now that I've lost the weight, if my band would allow and I was in the mood, I'd definitely have a slice. I'm not sure what I'm saying here. I guess that you just need to figure out your style and take it from there. I would say that a good doesn't doesn't involve a whole lot of pizza. But no reason to deprive yourself for eternity either! Just tell yourself you won't have pizza for a certain period of time and then reevaluate.

I'm a week in after a tummy tuck with muscle repair. I did stay overnight at the hospital and wasn't sent home with a pain pump. Taking percoset orally has helped manage the pain. I didn't blink after c-sections or the band surgery but this one is something. I can sleep and get around and I never had any help at home since I needed my husband to take care of the kids, but I would count on a good bit of time for recovery. I budgeted a week and clearly that's not going to be enough. If you do tell friends, family and co-workers about the surgery you should be just fine. It's the hiding it from people that's making things difficult. Luckily DH is a saint. Let me know if you have any specific questions. I get my drains removed on Wednesday (hopefully) and I'm thinking that this will improve my quality of life markedly. Congratulations on making this big decision. Pain aside, I'm already so glad I did it. I had so much extra skin on my abdomen even with being in great shape, and overnight it's totally gone. All very exciting!

When I go out with friends and try and drink during a meal I have to be very careful. I can sip wine here and there but mostly I try and drink my wine or cocktail before the food comes. Once I've eaten I very often can't drink, even if I try. So there's that, and the fact that it's a good habit to get into. If you start bending the rules this early in the game you're not setting yourself up for a successful run at this.

I wasn't nervous about lapband surgery, but this time I'm sweating it out a little. That was elective but this is ELECTIVE! My husband told me to walk away from the light and I told him he's not allowed to get married again. We're both joking, but it is quite major surgery. Four hours, I think. If anyone has any recovery tips I'd love to hear them! I have young kids and have to fake it through daily life. As with the band, I plan on being pretty private about this. Any and all advice would be much appreciated, and I'll be happy to answer any questions as I go. Here goes nothin'!

Thanks for all the support! I'm four days in and feeling marginally better. Somehow I've convinced my kids that I have the flu, even though I walk like a 90 year old woman and am constantly guarding my stomach. I've been trying to wear myself from the percoset but I still really need them. After c-sections I just took them for two days but this is another ballgame. Still, even with all the grossness and swelling, all that skin is definitely gone. I had a great stomach once and I see it on the horizon. I wish I could disappear for another week, but next week I'm going to have to fake it and do drop offs and pick ups from school. I'll have to act natural and not scream in pain when my kids come rushing out of nursery school with a hug. I'm not sure people will buy my 'story', but I really wanted to keep this private. I'm also bummed because I work out like a crazy person and all my hard earned muscle has gone to mush so quickly. Maybe it was the anesthesia or something. Anyway, enough complaining. I feel lucky to have been able to have this surgery and can't wait for August when I'm fully healed, the swelling is gone and I'm back in shape. It's so weird to not dread summer clothing! What will I do in freezing summer movie theaters without my natural padding?

I lost about 130 and it took a year. I chalk my success up to cutting carbs and lots of exercise. I eat tons of soup and fish and wouldn't say that my portions are all that small. I haven't had a bowl of pasta or a slice of pizza or a bagel in over a year. For some reason I decided that those were lifelong things to avoid, whereas I do drink alcohol, eat dessert and some french fries every now and again. The point being that you have to make rules that you can live with for yourself and stick with them. I think that lifting weights has been another key to my success. I weigh almost 150 pounds but wear a size 6. It just helps you pack it all in better. I never spent any time feeling sorry for myself and I went to the gym even when I was really dragging and exhausted. Still, I wouldn't say that I suffered all that much, and now it's a blur. My kids don't even remember that I was fat!

Congratulations! I agree about the exercise and that BMI stats don't tell the whole story. It lets you weigh (and eat) a lot more and fit into a smaller size. I weigh 150 lbs and also wear a 6. I think the exercise lets you pack it in a lot better. Are you fully recovered from your tummy tuck? Back into heavy exercise and your old sizes and everything?

2beskinny - I actually don't plan on wearing a bikini and I'm 43 years old, so I'm not really trying to impress anybody. I also didn't have any fat left on my stomach. The skin was so bad and wrinkly though that someone would be horrified if they saw it. I work out a ton and I'm pretty toned, but my stomach was a disaster. My boobs aren't great either anymore but i can live with them. The stomach was bothering me every day. I'd go to the gym, lift up my arms to do something and pray that no one saw my stomach. All that said, the surgery was pretty rough and I think I have a pretty good pain tolerance! It hurts to laugh, breathe and sneeze and I'll have these annoying drains sticking out of my abdomen for another week. My kids are wondering what's wrong with me and my poor husband is my manservant. Still, I think it will prove to have been a good decision. Some things you can live with and some you can't. Thanks for all the well wishes! I'm hoping that once this eight week recovery is over I can get back into great shape and then move onto a chapter in my life that doesn't revolve around my body and food!

I'm actually jealous! I've been exercising for long enough now that it's almost impossible to get that sore feeling. I'd love it--it would make me feel like I had a good workout! Be sure to rest between workouts, drink enough water, take your vitamins, eat enough protein, take baths, ice sore muscles, and maybe tone down the intensity a little until you've built up the stamina and muscle endurance. Hang in there though. On top of the health benefits, exercise lets you eat more and weigh more and look better. I do it so I can eat dessert and drink wine when I feel like it. No pain, no gain, as they say. But build up to it next time!