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Scrambled egg, yogurt, tuna salad, mashed peas, ricotta with tomato sauce... Get creative!

Did you perhaps start drinking whey protein shakes? You could be lactose-intolerant which might cause bloating. Maybe switch to soy and reduce any dairy you've been having.

Mix the shakes with more water. You should be getting them down. I have a feeling your surgeon may have put some fluid in your band durih surgery. If this continues, call them and ask. If there is fluid in there, have it removed. Most people here have felt immediate relief after that. Hang in there!

I work out hard six days a week and just talk a long slow walk on the seventh day. Sometimes, if I am really sore and tired I use my rest day early. Today I had a crazy session with the trainer and am set to run tomorrow but we will see if my legs can handle it! If I cant run tomorrow morning then I will swim tomorrow afternoon.

I'm doing core strengthening instead of crunches but I was told I could do crunches whenever I want so long as I tolerate them and I do just fine with them.

I've been making my own organic Popsicles. Right now my favorites are Strawberry Balsamic and the other is Pineapple Chili Lime. When sweetener is needed, I use agave instead of sugar. I also made some yummy Blood Orange ones using a small amount of honey as a sweetener. Delish!

Just do lunges and squats. No DVD required. You can't spot reduce fat but you can build muscle.

I have to agree with Rev. The fact that your doctor says three bites of food with an extremely tight band worries me. I can see why you had anger issues at their failure to provide proper information but I have to say that their information still conflicts with what most of us know about the band. Your test results might be ok right now but most of the time they dont test for prealbumin and other Vitamins in a regular blood test. I suspect that your malnutrition indicators will kick up quickly with only a few bites of a food a day. Best of luck with your band and please keep an eye on yourself.

Try searching the forum for SILS. I think I have hears it referred to as either that acronym or "single incision laparoscopic surgery".

WOW! Good work! I just ordered some Nuun online a few days ago. I saw that on nomeatathlete.com per your suggestion! How far in advance of your run to do eat? Most days I make the decision to have a cup of coffee instead of Breakfast in the morning but I need to change that!

Good for you for sticking with it - even though it is hard. Don't disobey your surgeon's orders without clearing it through him/her first. I don't have many suggestions for you other than to try to vary your shakes a bit - if possible. Can you get some other flavors? Are you allowed broth or a small amount of low sugar fruit juice?

Tracy, How about looking for a support group in your area? Also, meet up.com (all one word) might have some exercise groups that you can attend and make some friends who will push you to exercise. You're only 40 pounds from goal - me too and I am exercising intensely 6 days a week because I am training for a triathlon. Maybe sign up for a 5k and start training. There are free podcasts called "Couch to 5K" that are run/walk type lessons that get you running 5k in eight weeks. I find it is much harder to lose now that I only have 40 left to go so I am trying to focus on getting fit instead of losing weight. You can do this!

I put Benefiber in my coffee every day. You should check with your surgeon to see what they recommend - just in case they prefer you to use something else.

Woah woah woah, Erica! Give yourself a break! I can guarantee you that you will feel better soon. I was really weak after surgery - I think I napped every day for two weeks and had a pretty good headache most of that time. Do your best to get your Protein shakes in (if your doctor allows them at this stage). Before you know it, you will have moved on to the mushies and that can be fun. It's totally normal to be down or worried and hating yourself for having to do this to yourself but let me tell you this - you won't feel that way 50 pounds from now. Just be gentle with yourself for now. Rest, drink and look forward to the positive changes. You can do this! Chin up!

Don't get a lap band then! Seriously. This is hard work and you have to make the right choices every day. All you have to do is read this message board and you will see that most people with the band are not forced into eating healthy. You'll see people saying they eat the same way they did before the band. You'll see people saying that they have gained weight with the band. The band only works if you work with it (and then sometimes even then it doesn't work for everyone). Sure, I could have ice cream and alcohol and Cookies but I choose not to. I choose to eat healthy and I am not being forced. I also exercise intensely six days a week and the band is not forcing me to do that. Do some more reading on this board and get an accurate snapshot of what the band will do and won't do. The band helps but doesn't force. You'll see that what you need to force you to lose weight is you. May THAT force be with you!

Im not talking about carb loading for a four mile run or anything. I exercise first thing in the morning and sometimes I tire quickly. My trainer tells me I'm crazy not to eat before strength training or doing cardio. He said I should be waking my metabolism up as early as possible. Today I ran my four then biked for ten. I didn't eat until 5:00 tonight. I just don't know if I would perform better with some food in me or not. Nothing appeals and I am looking for something that doesn't take up much tummy space but will give me a boost.

Could it be some acid reflux?

A lawyer? No. A new doctor? Yes. Find a practice that is one cohesive unit with a doc that has a nutritionist in staff.

Are you having a calorie deficit every day? If so, just stick with it. This is a slow and steady path.

There is a thread in the exercise forum about crossfit.... I haven't done but most places offer a trial session to see if it's the kind of thing you like.. Call a few places and see!

This is not a green zone condition. If your doctor fills you to that point, I'd be concerned.

You have to make yourself stop. At three weeks out, I was only allowed 1/4 cup of mushies three times a day plus one protein shake. Don't push it!

Walk at a 15% incline on your treadmill. Do lunges, squats, push ups, sit ups, plank, rows.. Id add some weight training. You can use cans of soup or water bottles as weights to start off with.

Ooh! Thanks for this website. I've been mostly vegetarian for almost three years (I say mostly because I eat fish but no other animal products). I wish I had an appetite. Since the day I was banded I've had none.

My surgeon just wanted me to not gain more than five pounds between consultation and surgery. That was four months. I had no pre op diet other than soft foods the day before surgery.