vickyd

This is without a doubt the best thing I have ever done for myself. Do I wish I had done it sooner? Yes, and no. Yes, because it has been such a positive, life-changing event and no, because I don't think I was mentally ready for this journey until now. From everything you have written, it sounds like you have done your homework and have realistic expectations of what the band will do for you as well as the fact that you have to play a big part in the process. From my time on these boards, that is the biggest thing I have noticed is that not all surgeons adequately prepare their patients for the reality of living with a lap-band - it does require a lot of work on your part and most likely you will have a period of time before you reach adequate restriction where you feel like you are doing this all on your own (I am one of the lucky ones who had restriction from the get-go and actually just last week had my first fill) but the challenges of this journey are certainly worth it when you see the numbers on the scale going down and your clothes getting looser. Good luck to you!

Well, I guess it had to happen sooner or later...I PB'd for the first time tonight on some salmon left over from dinner last night. It was my own fault...I had just cooled down from working out for an hour and I was so hungry that I didn't chew it thoroughly. I haven't been as careful as I should with the chewing but I guess now that I have had a fill I need to pay more attention. Lesson learned!

You are doing great Becky! You are right where I was about a week ago...I just passed my 50 lb mark and just had my first fill last week - I was still losing but getting hungy about 2 hours after eating so they recommended a fill. I can't say that I feel much difference restriction-wise, but I am back to where I was before with being able to go 4 hours between meals without being hungry. Keep up the great work!!!:bananapartyhat:

I haven't really found anything that I can't eat, but I choose not to eat pasta, bread, chips, etc (other than the occaisional bite) because those types of carbs are not my friends. I thought I would miss them more but I really don't...I also thought I would miss diet coke but I did have a sip of one the other day and it didn't really taste that good. One thing that I have found is that I have been able to have "one bite" of certain things that I want...i.e, if my husband is eating pretzels I will have 1 mini pretzel and that is enough to satisfy my craving for it, or the other day at a Mardi Gras parade everyone in my family (except me) was eating cupcakes so I had one small bite of one and that satisfied me. I know it is completely mental but if I let myself have that one bite I don't feel like I am depriving myself...

Did your NUT give you any guidelines for how many carbs you can have in a day? I had a conversation with my NUT about this at my last appt because I was thinking that my carbs were too high (I normally only watch protein and calories) but she told me that as long as I keep them under 50/day then that was considered a low carb diet. I realize that many people keep their carbs much lower than that so I should also say I am not a diabetic and don't have any issues with my blood sugar so this level of carbs works for me. Also, she reminded me that there is a difference between getting your carbs from white rice and pasta and getting them from dairy. If you make sure that you choose a "good" source of carbs and keep the rest of your diet in balance then you should be ok - although I agree with honk that right now you should just focus on healing and not worry so much about the carbs unless you have specific medical reasons to do so...

I have a lactose intolerance, so I really like Isopure from GNC (vanilla and chocolate, not the fruit flavors). That said, you really need to just try different kinds because as you can see from the replies everyone's taste is different.

I agree with stateofzen...stop comparing yourself to your friend!!! I know it is hard but, seriously, your experience is your own and if you are comparing yourself to others you are only setting yourself up for disappointment - there are always people out there who are losing at a faster rate than you are. Another suggestion I can offer is that just because you can eat 6 oz of chicken at a sitting doesn't mean you should. Try weighing and measuring your food for a while - I do 3-4 oz Protein and 1/2 cup veggies (some people also add 1/4 cup carbs). Put that on your plate and eat only that...I am finding that although I don't feel the sensation of being full, I don't feel hungry anymore and I can go 3-4 hours or so without being hungry. It wasn't easy at first but I had to wrap my head around the fact that satisfied and full are different things and it is ok to just be satisfied. If you can't go 3-4 hours between meals using this method, then I do think you should see your doctor about a fill. Good luck!!

That is terrific!! Keep up the good work!!

March Madness Weigh-In

The NUT will use that info to advise you on the dietary changes you need to make. For example, mine talked to me about the fact that I wasn't eating enough fruits and veggies and that I would need to significantly reduce my carb intake. The meeting had nothing to do with whether or not I was a candidate for surgery. You need to be honest with them because that is the only way they can help you...

I like myfitnesspal and also fitday...

Oops! I meant "bandster hell". Darned auto complete on my IPhone!!

It is different for everyone. I can eat anything - the only thing I have ever gotten stuck on are dry meats (chicken and pork). That said, I choose not to eat pasta, bread, white rice, etc because they are the foods I tend to crave and by not eating them at all I am finding that my cravings are going down.

What you are feeling is normal. It takes most people several fills to feel any restriction and, unfortunately, that means that you will have to do the work yourself until that time. You will see many people refer to this time without restriction as "bandaged hell". I am also an emotional eater and I can tell you that as far as my experience goes my band doesn't help me with emotional eating. The restriction I have makes me satisfied on less food but if I wanted to I could eat pretty much whatever I want. I keep things in check by tracking everything I eat and trying to find something to distract myself with if I start wanting to eat something I shouldn't. It isn't easy but the results are worth it!

If the doctor e-mailed you to ask why you haven't scheduled yet, I would respond and tell him exactly why. He needs to know how you are being treated because you almost certainly aren't the only patient she is treating this way.

I will post the sheet either today or tomorrow. Up until yesterday we still had people joining and I want to give everyone time to post their weight for this week.

Vicky reporting in at 274.6 - down 5.4 lbs thanks to my first fill this past Wednesday! I also hit the 50 lb loss mark so I am VERY happy!!!

I haven't tried this before but I have heard that if you chew papaya enzyme ( you can get it at your drugstore), it will help disolve the food so it can pass.

600 calories a day seems low. My NUT wants me to eat between 900-1100 calories each day.

Not every surgeon uses the same criteria for when to give a fill but I can tell you that I just had my first fill (3 months after being banded) even though I had lost 10 lbs during the previous month. Each time I go in, they have me fill out a questionnaire to see what and how much I'm eating and whether or not i think i need a fill. Then we discuss my answers and determine whether or not I will get a fill.

For a while, my "go to" snack was Turkey sandwich meat (1 serving) with laughing cow cheese spread on it and rolled up. It's high protein and filling. Lately, I've been on a Greek yogurt or lowfat string cheese kick. I don't have snacks every day but if I do I try to make sure it has a good amount of protein.

I have been banded for 3 months and still have a Protein Shake almost every day for Breakfast. In addition, I have 3-4 oz Protein at lunch and dinner. If I do need a snack, it is always something with protein - string cheese, Greek yogurt, etc. By doing this I have no problem getting in my daily protein. If you have trouble eating enough protein I would definitely recommend continuing the shakes.

Don't be afraid to ask questions about how things are prepared. Request any high calorie sauces on the side...if you want some of the sauce the dip the tines of your fork in the sauce and then pickup whatever food you want to have the sauce with. You will get a taste if the sauce but will only end up using about a tsp of the sauce.

Breakfast: 1 cup coffee with half & half and splenda, 1/2 of a 3 egg omlete with ham, mushrooms and cheese Lunch: ham and cheese roll ups Dinner: not sure yet Snack: Chobani yogurt

Breakfast: Protein shake - 1 scoop Isopure chocolate with 8 oz Light Silk Vanilla Soy Milk Lunch: 3 oz Turkey burger, .5 oz Swiss cheese, 2 tbsp black bean turkey chili Dinner: 10 medium shrimp, 1/4 cup deviled crab, 3 chargrilled oysters Evening snack (because I needed more calories): Chobani Honey Non-fat Yogurt