HeatherinCA

Under 200lbs so 199 hehe

Nada, I can eat anything.

Well yea, you probably can't walk around block just yet. But i would walk around the living room or something, or i'd go check the mail, little things. Just movement helps. I also liked my heating pad!! if you have one that felt good on the pain.

Yea, 1000-1200 calories, and don't worry about it just yet, I think I started to get normal weight loss after about 6 weeks. Remember, you are looking for about 1-2lbs a week that is normal. You lost 1 pound each week! I lose on average 1-2.5lbs a week, depending how strict i am.

It's probably gas, just walk a lot if you can. Also take a deep breath when you stand up, sit down, or lay down, lessens the pain. Take your pain meds and that will help too. Make sure you are sipping your shakes and Water all day.

Don't worry... but you have to follow the diet, you don't want to stretch out your pouch. You can eat food soon enough. This is a good lesson in discipline Unless you at a ton, I wouldn't worry.

1. Salad when you are on solids.. some veggies can be hard to digest. Just remember, lettuce isn't that filling, and dressing has a zillion calories! be careful... not my favorite meal choice. 2. Veggies, I think you should be ok once you are on solids, my book said introduce them last because they are fibrous and hard to break down. But your band is empty, you shouldn't have problems getting any food down after you are cleared for solids. 3. Bread, again, when you are on solids.. I was aloud toast and crackers on soft foods... i was scared of soft bread for a long time, but I have eaten it and it goes down fine for me, but some people have problems with it getting stuck. 4. I'd say advil when you are on solids, before that you aren't aloud pills, I used liquid tylenol. 5. You just have to figure out when to stop eating, it's about learning to realize when you are no longer hungry. The band will help with hunger when you get your fill. For me, I can go a good 4-5 hours without eating. The band will never stop you from eating. I certainly eat less, but I can eat enough to sabotage my diet.. (and I certainly did this weekend on vacation :-/) Unless you have problems where everything gets stuck, and you get sick a lot you gotta watch your calories! I usually feel moderately full after eating, but you won't ever be bloated thanksgiving day full. As for eating out, your meals are 300-400 calories.. which is hard at restaurants! I eat out a lot too. Do some research before you go, most chain restaurants have nutrition information online. If all else fails, just get grilled chicken or fish, and veggies. Also a good rule of thumb for restaurants, unless you have a "Diet portion" eat half your meal... Also remember, most restaurant meals (not including the bread, dessert, drinks etc...) have about 1000 calories.... For me, I was on liquids for 7 days, pureed food (like chili, oatmeal) for 10 days, soft foods for 10 days (eggs, crackers, basically things that are easy to digest) then day 28 real food. Your nutritionist or doctor should of given you guidelines? 15-20 is fine. I try to do 15 before, 30 after. Honestly, just don't drink with your meal and you are probably fine.

I don't have any problems with any food. I have a recommendation! I eat turkey meatballs with pasta sauce and little mozzarella cheese i don't miss the pasta

Yea, everyone is different depending how they eat, and exercise. For me, i'm trying to keep things realistic, I could eat a bunch less, and exercise a bunch more, but that isn't comfortable for me, and I can't maintain that lifestyle. I'm happy with my weight loss.

Yea, it's just healing!! You don't lose weight till you are back steady on solids. Not to mention, normal weight loss is 1-2lbs a week, you've lost 21 in 3 weeks, you are fine, don't freak out. You won't have bowel movements because you aren't eating. But in the long run it's hard to have them.. I have to take something. Are you have 60g of Protein, from shakes a day? 4 weeks of full liquids? That's usually for bypass. That's a bit crazy, but every doctor is different... probably retaining Water maybe? Any reason you aren't on mushies or pureed food yet?

It's good to get SOME in, but after living with this for a few months, I don't feel hours and hours of exercise a day makes too much of a difference in the actual weight loss, but it will help shape your body and keep your skin from being less saggy. I try to at least walk 3x a week. I like the Leslie Sansone DVDs too, you can watch em for free at Exercisetv.tv

Healing first. I know it's hard but you can do it. The first few weeks suck BUT its only a few weeks, you will survive . Think of it as something you are FORCED to do, not a "suggestion" that helped me. Cause really, it isn't a suggestion. It's a requirement. I know it's hard, but you have to follow the rules, or you won't lose weight. I know nobody wants to hear that, but it's true. Just focus on changing your eating habits, focus on things that aren't food, do something else, get a hobby, distract yourself.

Yay! I'm flying tomorrow too. and I have my period :-/ ugh though I could use some tightness, I've been eating too much. This is my 2nd vacation this week. Yea, I'm losing about the same, I'm happy with that. I just HATE exercise, I don't think I will ever enjoy it! Ick.

I don't eat 3 bites of food. That's crazy.. 1 cup to 1 cup and a half of food, you should be full. If you aren't satisfied, then you aren't... but you gotta train yourself to stop eating. If you aren't super restricted, you just have to watch what goes in. I can eat anything I want (steak, cupcakes, bread, Pasta...whatever), and I can eat fairly big portions. So I have to watch what I eat and how much. I don't think even if I got more in my band I would be restricted. But I'm NEVER hungry. So the band is working. What is your calorie intake? If you are 900-1200 a day no reason you shouldn't be losing, exercise or not... be honest with yourself!! know I try to rationalize things, and put blame on something other than myself, but at the end of the day, if I eat bad it's my fault. If you can go 4 hours without eating you are filled enough. Make sure the mental hunger isn't getting in the way, train your brain.

Cool! My first fill was 5.5ccs. I thought it was weird, but now I'm glad I don't have to waste time going back getting 10 more fills.

I think I'm going to try going lower carb next week, anyone else do that? I think I'm getting a little lazy, I want to get my diet back in check.

Are you on solids yet? For me, eggs for breakfast, chicken salad for lunch, and turkey meatballs for dinner. That's about 70g of Protein for my day with everything I eat. A lot of things have protein that you wouldn't think... cheese has protein, oatmeal has protein.. here and there it adds up. Just make sure, the main portion of your meal is a solid protein, chicken, fish, meat, eggs, soy.. whatever. I gave up Protein shakes the second I could, they are so nasty! haha.

You just have to train your brain, the hunger is 90% mental. We are addicted to food, it's hard to say no. That's a big lesson we learn when we get the band. Hmm maybe don't give your daughter your trigger foods (like pizza)? I don't know what will work for your family... but if it's out of sight it's out of mind. In the end I have pizza! I just have one slice, or a lean cuisine pizza on ocassion. Not the end of the world. One of the biggest bandster rule is don't graze! If you don't follow the diet, you won't lose weight. Plan your meals out so you will be less likely to cheat... write them down, try fitday.com

It sucks, but just remember it's only a few days you'll get through it! It makes food that much better when you can eat it. Makes you ready to "start over" with a good diet. Yea, try the Isopure, at least it's fruity.. I threw a packet of sugar free kool aid in mine to make it taste a little better. I just wish they made a savory Protein shake hahaha.

The liquids are the worst, mushies are like heaven once you start them haha. After a month or so you are back to eating normal. Basically a 900-1200 calorie diet, and you will be on that until you lose the weight. Then I think you up it a tad to maintain. It is work, but the band helps you out, and helps your hunger

Almost all chain restaurants have their menus online, which is extremely helpful. Yea if I can I try to plan... I eat out a LOT I can't always make the decision, but my friends and family are considerate of my eating habits. I've had good luck at: Red Lobster: Almost everything on the menu is pretty good for you. http://www.redlobste...nus/lighthouse/ I mean broiled Tilapia with Broccoli is 210 calories, 3 grams of fat. Pretty much anything grilled is pretty good for you there. Cheesecake Factory: Weight Management Grilled chicken, comes with rice, and some kinda of tomato salsa. It's 580 calories, but it's like 3 chicken breasts.. you can easily go with 1/3 or a 1/2 of the entree. They also have weight management salads. They are about 570 calories.. Again their portions are so big. Mimi's Cafe: http://www.mimiscafe...reshandFit.aspx Their regular menu is terrible!! (salad dressing has 600 calories haha) Mostly because of huge portions, but they have a light and fit menu, with lots of good options. I had the Turkey Breast and it comes w/ brown rice, veggies and cranberries 505 calories. Also quite a large portion, I think I ate about 3/4 of it. El Pollo Loco: I get the Chicken Tortilla Roll, it's 387 calories, and it's actually quite big. It's a good portion, and it's hella cheap. They also have a Lindora meal which is a skinless chicken breast with veggies and a salad for 275 (I'm just not a big veggie or salad person) The worst place I've found so far is California pizza Kitchen... they have no healthy Entrees really. I had to get a soup. Chinese food is pretty bad too, like PF Changs.... Unless they have a specific low cal entree. (haven't been there yet). Those sauces are loaded with calories. If in doubt, just get something grilled or broiled. Most places have grilled or broiled salmon or chicken and veggies. Just no skin, no sauces, no Pasta all that ads up! Also just keep in mind, almost all regular entrees at a restaurant are about 1000 calories, before salad, bread, dessert, drinks.....

Mine was bout then... maybe 5 weeks? It wasn't far after i started real food. Just for scheduling reasons more than anything.

What Jackie said, and Nutrisystem is DISGUSTING. It's like eating catfood Yea and i don't think you'd learn much.. and I think nutrisystem might even be too much food for a bandster. On top of what is in the box, you eat a salad and a veggie and fruit (or something like that) WITH the meals.. Not to mention it's extremely expensive. And you can't be on it for the rest of your life. You will have to learn about counting calories and all that anyways.

I'm just curious... in my opinion and personal experience (I've been banded about 3 months) I feel the fills are to keep me from being hungry all the time... I have 5.5ccs in my 11cc band(which was my first fill), and I can go a good 5 hours without eating, I still have to police what goes in, I can over eat if I chose to (within reason, obviously not pre-band amounts), and I haven't had any stuck episodes or problems with any food. But I'm not hungry so I feel the band is doing what it is supposed to. Losing steadily 1-3lbs a week. Yes, pre-banding I thought it would physically stop me from eating, but I view it differently now, and now I'm not so sure. Then I see people posting about having and/or wanting "restriction" from their fills.. as to stop them from eating so much, and people that have their bands filled to the max,... I'm unclear which is correct, or is it a little of both? I don't wanna start a fight, I'm just curious what everyones opinion is on each side of the argument.

Yea, but it stretches when you eat.. My book says what yours says for healing. But it does say in the long run you will eat about a cup to a cup and a half of food. I guess whatever satisfies you, and how you decide to get your calories. For me, I like to eat more regular portions. I eat 3 meals about 400 calories each, and I don't snack. If you were eating 5 or 6 200 calorie meals, yea it probably would be 1 ounce of Protein. The fills control your hunger. I can go 5 hours without eating. But I still eat a pretty decent amount of food.