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Eat slowly and chew thoroughly Food can pass through the new stoma only of it has been into very small pieces. Always remember to take more time for your meals and chew your food very well. Stop eating as soon as you feel full Once your stomach is full, your body receives a signal that you have eaten enough. It takes time, though, for you to become aware of this signal. If you rush through your meal, you may eat more than you need. This can lead to nausea and vomiting. Take time to eat you meal. Try to recognize the feeling the fullness - then stop eating at once. Do not drink while you are eating This operation can work only if you eat solid food. If you drink at mealtimes, the food you have eaten becomes liquid and the effectiveness of the LAP-BAND System is greatly reduced. You should not drink anything for one to two hours after a meal. This allows you to keep the feeling of fullness as long as possible. Do not eat between meals After a meal, do not eat anything else until the next meal. Eating snacks between meals is one of the major reasons for weight-loss failure. It is very important to break this habit. Patients with proper "fill" levels do not feel hungry in between meals. If you are, this may be a sign that your band is too loose and you should tell your clinician. Eat only good quality food With the LAP-BAND System in place, you should be able to able to eat only a small amount so the the food you eat should be as healthy as possible. Do not fill your small stomach pouch with junk food that lacks vitamins and other important nutrients. Your meals should be high in protein and vitamins. Fresh vegetables, fruit, meat and cereals are good foods to choose. Foods high in fat and sugar are not. You may eat apples and oranges, but try to avoid orange juice and and apple juice. Ask your doctor or dietician before you take any vitamin supplements. Avoid fibrous food Food such as asparagus that contains many fibers can block the stoma. That's because you can't chew this food well enough to break it up into small pieces and your saliva can't break it down. Fibrous food should be avoided. If you would like to eat asparagus or other fibrous foods once in a while, then you must be sure to cook them well, cut them into very small pieces and them chew them thoroughly. Drink enough fluids during the day If you lose weight, your fat content will drop. This results in waste products. You will need to drink large amounts of liquid every day in order to urinate more and excrete these waste products from your body. Individual needs will vary, but you should drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. Drink only low-calorie liquids. Drinks, including those containing calories, simply run through the narrow outlet created by the band. If you drink liquids high in calories, you will lose little weight, even if you otherwise follow your diet. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day This rule is just as important as the other nine rules. Since physical exercise consumes energy and burns calories, it is very important to successful weight loss. Exercise can help improve your general health. Your size may make it hard for you to exercise as much as you should. But get started, even if it is a little at first. The more weight you lose, the easier it should get. Start with simple exercises such as walking and swimming. Gradually expand you program to include more vigorous forms of exercise such as cycling, jogging and aerobics. Increase your activity level in the course of daily living. For example, stand rather than sit, walk rather than stand, be outside rather than inside, walk rather than drive, climb the stairs rather than use the elevator, etc. Remember you should always check with your doctor about the amount and type of exercise that is best for you. Food Choices Use this section to help you plan what you eat. you may choose what you would like from each of these food groups on a daily basis: Fruits and vegetable 1 to 2 servings of fresh fruit daily 2 to 3 servings of fresh vegetable daily Bread and Cereals 1 small portion of corn flakes for breakfast 1 to 2 slices of whole wheat or rye bread each day Meat, Fish, Poultry, Eggs 1 oz. to 2 oz. of meat, fish or poultry or one egg each day (remove all visible fat from the meat. remove the ski from poultry. Grilling, steaming, microwaving or boiling are best ways to prepare them with low fat). Dairy Products Milk and yogurt are calories in liquid form. In theory, then, they should be avoided. But these types of food have calcium. That makes them an important part of a healthy daily diet. Choose a maximum of 2 cups of skimmed milk or low-fat yogurt and 1 oz. of cheese a day. Fats Restrict the use of fat to 3 to 4 teaspoons of margarine, butter or oil per day. You can have low-fat salad dressing and mayonnaise in moderation. Drink as many calorie-free liquids per day as you wish. Suitable drinks are: Tea or black coffee with low-calorie sweetener Water Non-carbonated beverages containing few or no calories Clear soup Note: Some doctors have reported that carbonated beverages may contribute to enlargement of the small pouch and should be avoided. Foods to Avoid Some foods have a concentrated supply of calories with little nutritional value and should be avoided as much as possible. They include: Sugar and foods containing large quantities of sugar, such as: High-calorie soft drinks Syrups Cakes Biscuits Sweets Jam Marmalade Honey High-fat foods including: Chocolate Pies Chips pastries Alcoholic drinks should also be consumed in moderation

ok the alabama meet and greet is now set in stone. details is as listed below. place - springvalley beach food there. and you are allow to bring food in the park if you would like to. they do have Lifeguards on duty. they are located 2 miles north of Blountsville off of Hwy 231 on County Road 55. you can map Quest it if you need be, if you have never been there like me. and remeber.... No alcohol is permitted. No diving is permitted. this is going to be a family meet and greet so bring your boyfreinds,husband,wifes, girlfreinds, and kids. and also please have a good time. this is what this is all about. meeting everyone and enjoying the day. and remember they have alot of pools and slides to enjoy so bring the swim suits :w00t: and enjoy. :wink2: this is a list of people coming so far. i will update it when new people tell me they are coming. 1. jason r,wife,and 2 kids 2. kaninag and husband 3. fordgal88, husband, and kids 4.swneighbours 5.gone 4 ever 6.naynayto2, daughter, and grandson 7.venzwife 8.southern missy 9.debbut ok if you are going to bring someone thats not listed please let me know.

P.P.S. My bariatric PA also said she sees a lot of people during maintenance who start to drink a lot more of their daily calories -- specifically in the form of alcohol. She didn't reference this as a "transfer addiction" issue, but as an "empty calories" issue.

I am glad that you said it before me. I am 6 months post op in a few weeks. I started out going crazy over protein goals and my doctor, at my second visit when I was healed and on solids, told me to stop. His view on the protein is that it is a number that was developed with no real solid reasoning behind it. Before anyone gets crazy about my doctor HE IS EXCELLENT. He is one of the top teaching surgeons in Houston and I can't say enough about him. I started out at 215 and am now 148.5 as of this morning and I feel terrific. My eating plan is clean eating. End of story. I also eat my protein first and then move on to vegetables and last carbs. I can tell you right now I barely eat carbs. I don't eat red meat because I just can't handle it and I don't drink alcohol. If I can "pick it, pluck it or kill it" I can eat it. I will start back in he gym this week. I was ahead of the curve this last 6 months and I have been able to walk but my doc didn't want me in the gym until around 6 months because I needed to be ready and feeling strong enough to get in there. Side note- I have lost very very little hair. I have always been a shedder and it just increased a little starting last month. Just thought i would share because I know the feeling of feeling like a failure immediately post op because you can't keep up with the goals and you are already incredibly emotional and I felt a loss lift when I was given simple instructions that's i could live th for the rest of my life.

Ppl treat alcoholics and drug users better than the obese. We all have the same triggers we just use different mediums to get our own utopia. I have grown a very thick skin and an excellent use of sarcasm. So bring on the nay-sayers, I will be a triple threat when I'm thin. Smart, beautiful and thin.

My doctor says no alcohol for 3 months.

I am two weeks post op and I am now starting to drink normally. I did have issues the first week +, but now it has pretty much evened out. ( No huge gulps though) I cannot drink alcohol. Not only because of the sleeve ( absorption issues & empty calories) but because I am blood thinners. Never a big drinker, I did enjoy it once in a while. But since earlier this year that has been cut from my life. Pre op I gave up soda because I knew post op they say no carbonation. I thought it would be harder than it really was. I have had one soda since August. Took a sip or two and thought "yuck". Now, if I had to give up ice tea I would be in trouble. (non sweetened) I also do not have a lot of caffeine. It messes with vitamin absorption so no-no. So far none of it has really bothered me nor have I missed it.

My doc recommends at least 3 months, the fact is if you don't want to tell people, you can hold anything in your hand and not drink it. So if they do a toast raise a glass Cheers them on and don't drink it. The other standbys are you have been feeling a bit under the weather or that you are on meds you cannot mix with alcohol. For me, my family and friends all know but that doesn't mean I want to announce it on a billboard. I would probably just stick to water, mostly cause I think water downed Gatorade would really seem odd ha ha!! Have a great night!

So my good friends wedding is tonight... I am now 18 days post op and I feel great. Food and liquid goes down easily with not much trouble at all. I was wondering if I should stay away from alcohol tonight... I'm not a drinker but I do have alcohol on special occasions like tonight. Should I sip some wine or completely stay away? Only one close friend knows about my surgery so I don't want all of my other friends to ask why I am not drinking. I know the alcohol hits faster after being sleeved and I know to be very careful with it... What does everyone think? I need some opinions.

Empty calories, and high in calories. I do have a non carbonated alcoholic drink every so often, maybe once a month, but I did not have one until I reached goal, I reached goal in six months and had a mixed drink at about fourteen months out. I hope this helps. My doctor said a year, some say six months. I'd err on the side of caution, but I'd also follow YOUR doctor's plan.

Seriously listen to me. You can do this. What you tell friends is that you are dieting. Truth. You are changing your life. Truth. You have a diet plan of no soda, carbs, sugar, alcohol. Truth. My husband and I did this. I too felt I was not being truthful but I know in my heart my husband was right in making me promise this was our business and no one elses. People love to talk and they would be talking about us if they knew. I have lived my life too much like an open book so this was hard for me. My husband has a 30 year old son who has not said a word about his dad losing 60 lbs. Hang in there, you can do this. Hey, you are getting healthy while you recover from that hernia (like we both had) surgery and losing weight. Best of luck!

It is a long journey to gain the approval from your insurance company. I had to complete. Educational Seminar Dietician Group Meeting Support Group Meeting 2 Dietician Visits 1 Psychiatric Evaluation 6 phone courses from insurance with a trained nutritionist and exercise specialist (2 to 4 weeks apart) Pulmonary Clearance Cardiac Clearance Gastroenterology Clearance H. Pylori Breath Test (tested positive so had to do treatment for a month then retest) Monthly Weigh Ins PCP approval Proof of Diet, Exercise, Medication Mandatory Meeting to turn into insurance Insurance Approval It is not a short journey but well worth it. I feel all this hard work will make the hard work of losing weight post op not seem so stressful. Pre Op approval is the hardest part. Log your journey so you can look back and see everything you accomplished. Don't give up. Its very worth it!! I told very few people. I sort of lost a friend due to her not understanding the lifestyle changes and constantly into drinking and eating. I gave up smoking and alcohol cold turkey. Coffee is the hardest thing to give up but I still drink it and chew gum. I stopped drinking out of straws and lost 17 pounds from changing my lifestyle. 17 lbs in 10 months is not much which is why I need the surgery to help. Keeping it private helps block the negativity. I would have quit the journey if I listened to all the negativity. The truth is you do not know all the work that goes into it unless you have been through it. My husband goes to all of these meetings with me so he understands mostly. A lot of people say its the easy way out. There is nothing easy about this!!

I quit 1/7/11 with Chantix and had surgery on 1/26/11. I had to stop taking the Chantix at least while I was in the hospital. I had such bad headaches from the withdrawal that I opted not to start taking them again. I felt really confident at the time that I would not go back to smoking. So far so good, but it is REALLY hard. I was a 30 yr 1 - 1.5 packs a day smoker. Now I've given up nicotine, caffeine, alcohol and food basically. I feel like there is no pleasure in my life. I also have a lot of stress due to my 23yr old son & his girlfriend just moving in with us. The urge to smoke has been terrible lately. I really enjoy saving the money, and not smelling like an ashtray........but I'm not sure how much longer I can fight the urge. I will be 4 weeks post-op tomorrow.

Beer is liquid carb, pure and simple. But it's not just the carb count, it's the alcohol itself. Alcohol is the only carb metabolized as a fat. It screws up your liver. Alcohol and sugar follow the same pathway through the body.

Drink a lot of Water, Propel 0 calorie 0 carb also was helpful. Brush your teeth and use a non-alcohol base mouthwash, Biotene works best for me. I also floss a lot, nobody eats right after they floss. When Ketosis hits the breath can get pretty nasty and dry mouth is the worst. * added - Decaff Peppermint or whatever flavor you like tea with a little Truvia or spenda is good to stop the craving and growling. I'm on 3 Protein shakes a day only on day 9 of 14. Day 3 & 4 were the hardest. Keep busy, walk and don't think about it.

Different doctors seem to have different opinions on what causes slippage and erosion. As someone who has a doc that never said anything about alcohol causing problems, I do have beer every now and then. Some days, I'm too tight and the bubbles are uncomfortable, other days it works okay. It does fill you up, because after a certain amount of time not eating much, your stomach does shrink back to normal size, so a beer is going to fill you up for a while. liquid calories, blah blah blah, I try and avoid drinking on a regular basis, and keep it for special occasions, but yeah, I still drink beer and other things.

I date often and find myself in drinking situations alot. I can drink beer if I do it slow. I refuse to eliminate alcohol. I already gave up my beloved Diet Pepsi for this thing. Yeah, yeah, calories, carbonation, whatever. I drink about 2 beers a month and maybe 2 glasses of wine a month. Tried a sip of Diet Pepsi and didn't care for the taste anymore. Who would have thought? Down 40lbs since November. Size 10 jeans. (lots of stretch) Heartburn free! Christine

I am wondering about alcohol after surgery too... I enjoy having an occasional drink! Love to have a glass of wine every now and then. Has anyone tried wine?

It is funny but it is the American way. We only know how to socialize with people as llong as it has to do with food or drink. For me, I would love to be able to go out more for dinner. I am just tired of hearing the crap................ IT IS A WASTE OF MONEY FOR YOU TO GO OUT AND EAT. You see, he forgets I can bring home the doggie bag. I will not eat the appetizers as I do not eat fried foods anymore. I do't even drink alcohol anymore and he will not order because I don't have one. To tell you the truth it bothers other people and it doesn't bother me at all. This is the life I chose for myself and no one else. I don't expect anyone else to change because of me. If they are uncomfortable then it is their problem. Josephine

No way on earth would I have had any liquor as soon post op as that would be for you. Not flaming, either; I like to drink. But you only got your band on 2/2...don't know where you'll be on your post op diet (for me, I'd have been in full liquids, or mushies, depending on day of diet). You had an artificial device placed around part of your stomach. Your liver (where alcohol is processed) was moved and jostled so that it could be placed. You need to give everything a chance to settle down, heal from any bruising, etc. To drink too soo would be really counterproductive. Many docs say 6 months (or never...) I didn't wait that long. I did, however, wait 3 months. You should call your surgeon to be sure (they are all different) but I think it would be smart to give it longer than 2-3 weeks.

I would say absolutely not. If you are SERIOUS about this whole process, you need to begin to make the right choices. For a LOT of people who are obese, much of the problem comes down to them having made BAD decisions.....eating the WRONG things at the WRONG time in the WRONG amount, for long periods of time. You need to begin making the RIGHT decisions. Alcohol is NEVER conducive to weight loss. And, even a small amount may impair your judgement further, causing you to drink more, and even eat some stuff you shouldn't. Start making GOOD decisions.

WTF, Dan you are absolutely right some here are very rude and uppity,some are worse than a recovered alcoholic talking to someone who drinks.You know the (I been sober for 2 years ) and that makes them an expert or something.But the great news is its a small percentage .

i was told to not use quest bars that much because of the sugar alcohols. so my NUT suggested pure protein bars. i like the vanilla chocolate baked one, it's like a candy bar! also their peanut butter chocolate one is really good.

i am still surprised that people go through all the steps of surgery, are advised what to do for best results, and then do just the opposite..and then tell people i did it and i am fine...well good for you..but telling and advising people the incorrect things (that drs say not to do) is just wrong in my opinion..but hey, whatever works. melan, if you want to know if it is okay to drink alcohol after surgery, 2 weeks out, call and ask your doctor..see what they say.. i love pink also btw...hope you have a great time.

I think you'll be alright I did a few shots 11 days after surgery and then a few beers the next night and i didn't have any problems .. Just keep in mind the alcohol might hit you harder/faster now