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OH I ALMOST FORGOT, REGARDING THE 64 OZ OF WATER MENTIONED , ALL MY ADULT LIFE I HAVE BEEN AN ADVOCATE OF DRINKING WATER, I DON,T DRINK TEA OR COFFE JUST WARM WATER, (OR ALCOHOL...LOL ) BUT SERIOUSLY I THINK IT IS SOOO GOOD FOR YOU IN MANY WAYS. YET WHEN I ASKED MY DOC ABOUT HOW MUCH I SHOULD BE DRINKING HE JUST SAID "DRINK WHEN YOU ARE THIRSTY" HE SAID "THE BODY IS A VERY COMPLEX AND CAPABLE MACHINE THAT WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOU NEED TO DRINK" WHAT,S THAT ABOUT? I THOUGHT ALL DOCS WERE KEEN FOR US TO DRINK MORE WATER?:rolleyes WHEN I WAS TRAINED FOR S/W WE WERE TOLD TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DRINK WATER AND THAT HOW SOMETIMES WHEN WE THINK WE ARE HUNGRY WE ARE ACTUALLY THIRSTY. I KNOW I GET HEADACHES IF I AM DEYHDRATED. SO I AM GONNA CARRY ON SIPPING LOTS OF WATER.

Never say never. I’m 3 years out, and i can (and do) eat anything. Well, except excess sugar in one sitting (i dump)…when i do eat sugar (i.e., dessert) its always just a little at a time. I eat bread, cookies, chocolate, fried foods, sauces, the occasional pizza slice (albeit only when Mr. makes it, as its delicious), rice (in my sushi), pasta (again only when Mr. makes it), and drink alcohol. I go out to eat at restaurants regularly. I’d go even more if it wasn’t so Covid-y out there. So long as my average calories stays at or below my maintenance calories (i track EVERYTHING), then its all good. If my weight goes north of my self-imposed high weight limit (i weigh myself everyday) for 3-4 consecutive days, i cut cals for a while, until I’m in my happy weight range again. I had to do this 3 times in year 2…haven’t had to do it again so far *crosses fingers*. All my labs come back uneventfully. I have maintained below goal weight (127lbs) for 2.5 years…i was 116.6lbs this morning. So i figure I’m doing something right. Some people can have a similar lifestyle, others not due to a host of things (food tolerances, medical issues, temperament, activity levels, etc…). Where you will end up on the spectrum of “foodie-ability” can and will be determined only by you. Yes, you may be one of those that will not be able to “enjoy” food and keep weight off. BUT, you also may be one of the ones who do. Alot of it is up to you. My take is that you have to decide which is more important to you: the *possible* loss of your current food enjoyment OR the possibility of weight loss. There is no wrong answer. P.S. Of course, these aren’t the only two outcomes: there is also “possible weight loss with a NEW way of enjoying food”.

I am 2 years post-op from RNY and my weight is flat-lined. As a matter of fact I weighed myself this morning and I am at my lowest weight thus far. So what am I doing. First, I am not hypersensitive about my weight loss. I weigh myself each morning but I use the scale only as a tool, not something to beat myself over the head with. It only tells me if I am making the wrong decisions on my experimentation with food. Second, I am getting most of my Protein from meals. I consume high protein meals and do not take protein supplements any longer. Third, I strictly stay away from processed sugars. I use low calorie sweeteners (such as Stevia), no calorie artificial sweeteners (such as Splenda), natural sugars (found in fruits and milk) and sugar alcohols. I had diabetes prior to surgery and have been in remission since the surgery and periodically monitor my blood sugar levels. And the testing shows this approach works. Fourth, I consume fats. Fats have the power to take away hunger. So generally, I am rarely hungry. Generally, I have a cup of coffee in the morning with a giant scoop of home made whip cream. I make it myself and use Splenda in place of sugar. I use whole milk and real butter. I might have 3 Adkins treats during the day which also have fats and no processed sugar. They take the edge away from hunger. I asked my nutritionist "Why do people have surgery only to gain some or all of their weight back over the years?" Her response was "grazing" which is probably synonymous with snacking. I will be the first to admit that I snack, but I think it is important to understand what is appropriate to snack on. I snack on protein and fats and exclude processed sugar. Fifth, I do not drink carbonated beverages anymore. I believe it is the carbonation that causes weight gain. It is like generating miniature explosions in my stomach that over time expand it out and allow it to grow and as a result, I gain weight. Six, I am aware of the conditions that cause me to loose additional weight and will sometimes take advantage of these conditions to capture and achieve additional long term weight loss. These fall into two categories. I have found that when I get the stomach flu, I will lose weight. I have also found that when I travel and am forced to eat out, I generally lose weight.

Hi guys. I was searching for Protein drops online and I came across this website. It has sooo many interesting recepies for low carb/low fat drinks.....and it lists all the liquid Protein Drinks available and their websites I believe....Maybe it this can be made into a sticky? I dunno. Please check it out and lemme know if its been helpful! There are some AWESOME non alcoholic, low fat, low carb mixed drinks in there too! http://www.teklawgirl.biz/Liquid_diet_recipes.htm It is entirely possible that this link has been mentioned here before...and I am sorry if it has, but I got excited over it. :cheeky TTYL

I believe every obese person has to hit a point where they say, That's it, I need to make changes for ME." One could liken this to an alcoholic hitting rock bottom. If someone WANTS to know how you're losing weight he/she will either ask directly or make not so subtle hints. So, unless asked, I don't offer.

Same here moonbeam, I told my boss I was having girly stuff done, and same as one other chick at work. Our company are BIG Drinkers and very social, so I am going to have a tough time, especially since my alcohol tolerance will be RUBBISH after this! I think we can get away with "smaller portions" or ordering the Soup so we can at least eat most of it!! if we do it under the guise of "being healthy, trying to eat 6 portions a day, and I am saying I have a personal trainer who works me to the core every morning before work - they'll never know!! muhuhuhahahahha!!:smile2:

Sleepyjean, you hit this nail on MY head! "Is drinking a lot of alcohol like overeating? Is it a compulsive thing that you have to fight to control? Is telling someone not to drink as useless as telling a binge eater not to eat?" Yes, yes, and yes. I don't crave alcohol (unless it's been a really bad week like after taxes.) I can go weeks, even months, without drinking. But I can't have just one once I start. One drink sets off a trigger and I need more. Sometimes it's just like our cravings for sweets that makes us need salty that makes us want more sweets. First it's the candy, then the chips, then the ice cream. Well, I'll start with a glass of wine, which leads to a 2nd, which makes me crave something else, which makes me crave something else. Soon I'm bombed doing shots. For me, it's definitely part of the obsession of just cramming something down my throat.

Hi Cathy! So sorry youve had a rough start. But taking the prevacid should help. If your symptoms are not improving by a week or 2, please call your doctor back and ask for something else for your tummy. Its not uncommen to have to switch around meds (any meds) to find the right one for you. The stomach meds are no different! About the antibiotic - YES! some DO irritate the stomach. Try sticking to mild foods for a while - just until things heal. Stay away from stomach irritants like alcohol, coffee, tomato based foods, spicy things, etc. A stomach ulcer WITH our band is not something to take lightly. So please be careful!!!! Also, just as a personal rule, when I MUST visit my PCP, I *always* remind him of my band and the need to have scripts written that are gentle for the stomach and preferbly something in liquid form. (((hugs))) Hang in there, you should be on the road to recovery!

If it gives you any hope at all, I used to have a lot of joint pain throughout my body. I now only occasionally have pain and I'm only about halfway to goal! I hope that you start noticing some improvement after losing just a small amount of weight! I know a lot of people with joint problems promote swimming as a good exercise. That may be something to consider since swimming is very low impact as compared to running, etc. As far as "getting stuck," I've learned that I only get into trouble if I eat too fast and don't chew my food thoroughly. I try not to eat dry chicken, pork, etc. I always cook lean meats in some type of broth to keep it moist. I also use a lot of fat free mayo, salsa, and chopped tomatoes to season food so it isn't too dry. I avoid regurgitating food by not eating and drinking at the same time and by not eating too much at one time. Once you adopt these practices and they become habit, it's second nature and not hard to do at all. It is still unbelievable to me, but I don't eat white bread anymore. As a former carb addict, I think that is remarkable! There's only two of us in the house, so the bread I buy keeps going bad (I'm thinking of not bothering to buy it anymore). Some people have reported having difficulty eating other carbs like Pasta and processed foods like doughnuts, quick breads, muffins, etc. At this point, I rarely eat pasta and focus on more of a "South Beach" type of diet. It seems to help me keep up my energy. I noticed that when I do eat a meal that is mostly carbs (for example--if I attend a conference and all they are serving for lunch is a pasta dish), my vision gets blurry and I feel like crap the rest of the day. I can actually feel my blood sugar going out of whack. It makes me very sluggish. Ugh! :sick As far as maximizing weight loss, I'm probably not the best person to give advice. My strategy has been "slow and steady wins the race." I would like to reach my goal weight by the end of 2008. I didn't want to lose weight really rapidly like when you have gastric bypass surgery. I'm almost twice your age, so my perspective is a little different. As you get older, I don't think you're in as big of a hurry about things--2 years out of life for a 40-year-old doesn't seem so long as compared to how a 20-year-old would view 2 years! LOL! From my observations, I believe that those who do these things tend to lose weight the fastest (and maintain their weight loss more easily): -have a strong commitment to living a totally different lifestyle than the one that made them overweight to begin with (they continue following their new lifestyle even when weight-loss plateaus hit rather than giving up) -break their weight loss into smaller, easily achievable goals to keep themselves motivated (when you have a ton of weight to lose, it's easy to become discouraged) -strictly follow "bandster" guidelines about diet (low-fat, low-sodium, low-carb, high Protein, lots of low-carb veggies) -avoid fast-food establishments (or choose smart options like salad) -carefully watch their calorie, fat, protein, and carb intake -avoid drinking "empty" calories via alcohol, soda, high-fat milkshakes, etc. -stay away from high calorie foods that are easy for a bandster to eat like ice cream and chocolate -take in at least 64 ounces of Water (in various forms) per day -have a positive attitude and Celebrate their accomplishments with non-food related rewards -exercise regularly (both aerobic exercise and weight training) That's what I've been able to pick up from reading lots of threads and from other bandsters I've met in person for what it's worth!

I have been sitting here all night trying to figure out what's wrong with my band since I have such bad heartburn. My GERD has been gone for the last year since banding. I was sure that I had slipped (even though I can still eat the right portion sizes) Then it occurred to me this all started after having a Mikes Hard Lemonade last night. This was my first alcoholic drink in the last year and I am pretty sure it's the culprit. Right now I am waiting for the antacid to kick in I definitely have not missed the reflux !

hello, I do drink only wine and coctails, but nothing bubbly. I havent waited too long to drink alcohol again like a month or two:-)but I dont drink much like once or twice a month, but then its usually at a party so I drink like 4 glasses of wine. I once tried bubbly wine and I got bad stomach cramps since the bubbles were going from the lower stomach back again to my pouch. It really hurt so since then I dont drink bubbles:-) But as I know some people tolerate beer pretty well.

The frozen orange juice is really good as far as a sorbet goes. If you have no issue with alcohol...try finding a mixed a fruit juice concentrate you like---I like pineapple orange, and mix in a little amaretto, and pour into small cups and freeze. The alcohol does not allow it to freeze to an ice consistency but it remains a bit softer, though not quite slushy. MMMMM satisfies my after dinner sweet craving in just a few bites. Not enough alcohol to be an issue, and I use 100% fruit juice----so it is not too bad. I like some of these ideas! Thanks!! Kat

Hi everyone.:biggrin: Yesterday I went to the Veterans Hospital as normal for routine testing. Found out I have what is called NASH...Non Alcoholic ???? of the liver. In layman's terms Fatty Liver which can be a pre cursor to liver disease down the road, this is in addition to my high BP, high cholesterol, diabetic ... great, as far as I am concerned its just one more reason I need the surgery. And my doctor agreed. Here is the problem, the Veterans Hospital in Philly, as I found out yesterday, will only do the VGB procedure and I only want the Lap Band procedure. So I am a bit :frown:depressed and irritated. Makes me feel like I ever get is second best and as usual have to compromise. Ya I know its the depression talking. So my plan B is to try to tap into my civilian/HMO insurance. The problem with that is the civilian Dr. has never meat me, has no clue about me. The VA is very happy to send my files and test over to the civilian doctor to help out. I called my HMO yesterday and they have no provider who will take my NJ HMO over at the University of Penn in Philly (where I wanted the Lap Band done), in NJ since its a form of Medicaid.

Lost 100 pounds. No idea what my macros are. Don't count, don't measure, don't track. Never have. I keep a running tally of fluids in my head and typically drink 80-100oz. I have a Protein shake and Quest bar everyday which gives me 40-50g protein. Then I eat 5-6 times/day....mostly high fat/high protein things, but I do include a little fruit and non starchy veggies every day. And of course my fiber. I occasionally indulge in Desserts, candy, alcohol, bread, and rice, etc but it's certainly not an everyday thing. I'm one of "those" people who had surgery so I wouldn't HAVE to diet and measure and track everything I eat. If I wanted to do that I could have saved my $7000 and joined weight watchers instead.

In general I don't think alcohol should be part of someone's post weight loss surgery lifestyle. Would you make a habit of eating a candy bar or nice cream sundae I doubt it. Some of the people who will tell you it's okay to drink alcohol will be the first to tell someone they shouldn't eat Greek yogurt with fruit in it because of the sugar. Personally I don't understand the logic in that. Before anyone says that red wine is good for you I don't think the sugar you get from the wine is really worth the health benefits that you're going to get.

I have suffered from anxiety and clinical depression for many years. They are treated with medication. I am also an alcoholic in recovery. I was really worried about the psych evaluation. My psychiatrist was against me having the surgery for whatever reason, so my therapist completed it. He knows me very well and I was worried for nothing.

He does love me, I am BLESSED in that respect. Hmmm... I can't fit into a tub anymore and with my back issues I'd have a hard time getting back up in the first place. And yep, I can reach to do the "deed" because my "massager" is 18" long. Otherwise, nope, can't groom or reach. I'll take your advice on the wine though. I have 3 more days before I have to start my pre-op diet. I'm not a drinker but alcohol might put me in a position of not caring about my self esteem issues.

I was not commenting on the effects of sugar alcohol, and xylitol. Also thank you for posting peer reviewed evidence as far too many people don't understand the importance of peer review. I always read real research ( peer reviewed), and never get sucked into the fitness woo( pseudoscience), and bro science. My advise also comes from my surgeons, and an outstanding registered dietitian, and not a nutritionist as nutritionist is not a professional title or actually certification. Net carbs does not have any actually scientific backing, and was created for marketing. There is no standard for how net carbs are counted on packaging or printed. All the current research does support the concept of net carbs. While xylitol for example has little effect on blood sugar, many packages use sugar alcohol as their reason to off set carbs in their net carbs calculation. That is very bad, and can be dangerous for some with diabetes. There is a reason net carbs don't appear on the nutrition labels. That's because it is not a regulated term by the FDA. It's a made up term by food manufacturers. It's also important to understand not all sugar alcohols are equal. Some do raise blood sugar. So how does the lay person know which raise blood sugar, and which don't? How do you calculate the net carbs not knowing if the sugar alcohol in that product has a higher glycemic index? You also need to be careful subtracting fiber in some products. Should someone subtract fiber to figure out net carbs? Well if they do that, and eat protein bars they need to be careful. Most protein bars use a form of fiber isomalto-oligosaccharides(IMO). IMO is highly processed and barely a fiber. On the glycemic index it is also equivalent to grapefruit or apple juice. I wouldn't call either of those low glycemic index. IMO also has 2 calories per gram. That counts for something. The point of my post is you need to be very careful with net carbs. You seem informed, and as such my post was directed at you, but it was for people who may just think net carbs printed on packages are what they can go by. It's much safer to count all carbs, and more important calories.

alcohol?@@Whitney1968

Really no secret, just your basic, healthy meal plan..... For the first 6 weeks I followed my surgeon's meal plan and transitioned slowly through the food stages (very good restriction did not allow for "skipping ahead"). As hard as it was, I met Protein and Water goals 90% of the time. Once I was on regular food I focused on protein and non starchy veggies. Steak, burger, ham, ribs, pork, chicken, BBQ, tuna, refried Beans, eggs, milk, Protein Bars, PB2, Greek yogurt, avocados, cheese, cottage cheese, mixed nuts, beef and turkey Jerky, broccoli, spinach, kale, green and yellow beans, mushrooms, red peppers, edamame, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, Chinese mixed veggies, you name it.... Now at just over 7 months out I have a 24-32oz protein smoothie with 30-40g protein everyday and eat 4-5 meals and Snacks. I get a MINIMUM of 64oz water daily and I take whole food based Vitamins. I have had sweets, deserts, chips, fries, alcohol, bread, Pasta and rice, but in moderation and probably not even once/week. As I got close to and passed goal, I started adding more fruit and whole grains. Besides protein bars (Natures Valley Protein, GNC Lean Bars, Fiber One Protein) I added whole grain bars like Kind, Kashi pumpkin Flax, and Pure Ancient Grains. I snack on mixed nuts, pumpkin seeds, edamame, Peanut Butter and apples, frozen pineapple, melons, and plain Fage or Chobani Greek yogurt flavored with Protein powder. I add berries and other fruit as well as Metamucil and benefiber to my protein smoothie. But really, the simple answer is I eat a healthy, balanced diet of protein (always first priority) veggies, fruit and whole grains. I eat when I'm hungry and only until satisfied, not full. Besides protein and water, I never tracked anything. I have no idea how many calories or carbs or fat I eat. As for exercise, I've got no magic formula there, either. I haven't been to a gym in years. Immediately postop I walked a lot but that was pretty much to help with digestion and to decrease the bloated feeling I had. I rode my recumbent bike 20-30 minutes/day for awhile but I haven't been on it in a couple weeks. I actually just have a very active lifestyle. I work 60+ hours/ week. I am a vet tech, so I'm standing, squatting, bending, lifting and walking all day. On the weekends I ride my horse, sometimes 15-20 miles/day (which is an excellent Pilates and thigh master workout if you are riding "correctly"). And along with the horses comes chores...shoveling shit, fixing fences, hauling water, feeding and stacking hay. Last weekend I got 42 bales of hay. Each bale weighs 80 pounds and I had to lift and move each one 3 times (big stack to truck; truck to shed; stack in shed). So essentially I lifted 10,000 pounds in 2 days....and at least part of that over my head (Basically lifted weights and did stair master for a couple hours). I got another 21 bales yesterday and the day before went whitewater rafting and rowed a boatload of friends 8 miles (more Pilates and push-ups). Anyways, everyone's journey is going to be different. What works for me might not work for you. Just figure out what you are most comfortable with (establishing a workout routine and tracking everything is not a bad thing, it's just not what I did). And if you are still reading this, let me say my biggest advice is don't compare your weight loss to others. Concentrate on being healthy, don't torture yourself with guilt, keep a good attitude, and look for NSV's for validation, not the numbers on the scale.

I've lost a good bit by now (84lbs with 39 to go) my belly button isn't getting any air and it's gross and smelly and wet. Sooo gross. I've tried lotrimin spray and alcohol to clean it but it's still gross. Any advise on how to deal with this? Also when do you start thinking about plastic surgery. Again I still have a ways to go but I'm already seeing belly button issues and thinking I need to wrap my head around another surgery. And also what's the chance I get my insurance company to pay for it? Band to sleeve revision surgery 1/16/17 HW: 283 CW: 199 GW: 160

1) Work on addictions BEFORE surgery - get rid of the caffeine, alcohol, carbs, and sugar so you don't go through withdrawal while you are recovering. 2) Develop some mantras to get you through challenging times. "I AM NOT GOING BACK!" "I can't have this now, but I will have it again -later." "It's just not worth it." 3) Listen to your body to tell you if you need to go slower with your diet advancement. The surgeon can give you guidelines, but your body may not be ready yet for certain foods. Don't be afraid to take it real slow and easy. 4) Don't compare your progress to anyone else and think your journey has to be the same as theirs. 5) Start exercising right away - walking, walking , walking. Start building this into your new lifestyle from the start. Advance to other exercise forms as you heal. 6) ABOVE ALL - keep a positive mindset. This is hard, but it is the start of a whole new life for you. Use each challenge to reframe your thinking from a negative to a positive. The early weeks are hard, but they really will pass and you get to chose if it is a positive experience or a negative one. It sounds like you are going to do great!

i had 1/2 glass of white wine on xmas eve. first time i had any alcohol since may (when i started my pre op)

You could have be me writing! I also came to that realization quickly - and it made me very sad. I created a world for myself where it was the food and alcohol that I looked forward too and the people and events were secondary. Having lunch, going home at night from work - it was all about the next food "fix". What to do on weekends with the family - why there was nothing to do unless it revolved around food. I had the same realization day 2 of my pre-op (once I felt human again) diet. Mentally it has gotten easier over the weeks and I realize now that I need to find things that bring joy and happiness that do not revolve around food. On the weekends - I want to start taking my little ones everywhere - so that they too do not develop this terrible habit! I'm not cured - but I am aware of it now! This will be harder for me than the diet.... Best Ann

I think that they report everything that you all discussed in regards to lapband, committment, psych issues, alcohol, drugs, etc. I will not be able to get a copy of my report until monday to tell you more. He asked about my support system, meds taking, weight loss programs attempted before, do I know wht the lap band is and how I will be affected by it, stuff like tht. But I did do a questionairre of about 500-600 questions. My visit total time was 1 hr and 10-15 minutes of that I spent talking with the psychologist. My psychologist was linked to my physician so that made it easier for me, I did not have to find one on my own or take in papers. So, he automatically knows wht they request of him to do. As long as ur comitted, I think u will be fine, it was a breeze for me.Goodluck.