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I found a lot of ppl that had this problem when I was weight lifting. They would eat very strict paleo diets and to get the healthy fats in they would cook a lot with coconut or avocado oil. Some ppl I would talk to would just eat a tbsp of coconut oil. I tried it once and had to mix some PB2 powder I it for flavor. I found a recipe that puts pesto on salmon. That has good olive oil in it. If you google how to eat healthy fats I think you would find a lot, especially if you focus on the weight lifting community eating. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

When I first started my 90 day diet, I did the same thing. I didn't take it serious. For the entire first month, I made sure to get the necessary veggies and stuff but continued as well to eat whatever else I wanted. By the end of the first 30 days, I was 3 lbs heavier. When I went to my Dr, she said, "You won't get approved for this surgery if you don't lose weight! I was hoping you'd lost at least 18 lbs before the surgery, but I don't think that's going to happen now." Those words really hit home. I immediately began taking the diet serious and following my dietitian’s suggestions for how to control my hunger. By the end of 90 days I was 23 lbs lighter. My doctor was shocked and I was quite satisfied to have proven her wrong. Aetna approved my surgery request pretty easily. Everything seems to be going really smoothly. I should have my surgery date by the end of the week. I'm really excited!! Good luck to you- and remember, the diet will get easier as long as you remember what you're fighting for :biggrin::biggrin: :thumbup:

I'm like 8-9 months out of surgery and i have hit the biggest stalls i cant go under 240 after losing 120 pounds or so i used to weight 362 I'm at 241-244 and i just can't seem for like a 6 weeks now to get over this stall, usually my stalls would be 1 week or 2 and id randomly lose like 4 pounds all of a sudden but now nothing. I think my problem is not enough protein and calorie intake

The VSG is probably the least prone to complications due to its relative simplicity. There is the risk of leaks, as with all of the stomach reducing procedures including the RNY and DS, but this is an immediate postop concern the probability of which reduces to virtually nil after the first week or two. Some, or most, surgeons do leak testing a day or so after surgery before releasing you from the hospital - something that is more difficult to do with those who do "outpatient" VSG's - check with your surgeon about their procedure. The RNY and DS are more complex procedures involving some intestinal rerouting, so there are more potential leakage points with them. Longer term, adhesions can cause problems with things sticking internally that shouldn't stick, but the chances of that happening increases with the more complex procedures. The bands seem to have less risk of initial complication due to the simplicity of the procedure, but have more complications down the road from band slippage and erosion, along with statistically poorer weight loss and maintenance. Nutritional issues are a concern with any of these procedures, particularly with the RNY and DS due to their malabsorptive components (though at least with the DS you get some benefit in return in the form of better long term weight maintenance which one doesn't really get with the RNY) but even the VSG can have some problems in this regard simply because we are eating a lot less, so there is less opportunity to get in all the nutrients that we need. So, some supplementing will probably be necessary, though not usually to the extent that is usually needed for the RNY and DS. Even pre-op, most of us need some supplementation just to make up for the typical American diet, but post-op we tend to be better educated about it so it is a bigger concern for us! Reflux is potential problem with these procedures. There is some controversy amongst the surgeons as to ideal stomach size (if there is such a thing,) as the smaller stomachs seem to be more prone to reflux problems while it is feared that larger stomachs won't produce as much success in overall weight loss and maintenance - there is not firm consensus on this as the procedure is still relatively new and longer term data isn't very available. Talk to your surgeon about your concerns and see what he can do to tailor things for your situation. My wife had an unknown hernia when she had her DS a few years ago, and they simply repaired it as part of the job. On the other side of the coin, you have to weigh the risks of not doing anything, the complcations and health issues of being overweight. Good luck with your decisions,

Here's the science behind some weight loss stalls, if you're interested: http://www.justinowi...nd-glycogen-de/ Basically it comes down to this - glycogen is your short term fuel, and first to get depleted in the weight loss battle. Glycogen is usually the source of that AMAZING first week weight loss of 7-10 pounds. Glycogen takes a LOT of Water to store, so when you use up all that quick-access energy, the water goes with it. Eventually your body goes "We need more glycogen!" and starts rebuilding those stores... with the water it needs. Because your body is now storing up that extra water (which weighs a lot), that can lead to short term weight loss stalls even though you're still using up fat and losing inches!

Jennye, no lectures from me, I promise. But when you quit smoking you will be AMAZED at the difference in your health. It's a more abrupt difference than weight loss, and so cool. Things you didn't even know you were missing will come back, like your senses of taste and smell. I think it would make being banded easier, not harder, since you can enjoy the food you do eat all the more. Let us know when you are ready to quit, and we'll be cheering you on all the way!!

Also staying fully hydrated helps you pass things through your pouch and makes it "less sticky-ish." That was from Dr. Alvarez the bariatric surgeon. If you are at all dehydrated, it may take a couple of days to really replenish your fluid levels. To me, it makes all the diff in how I handle food and post prandial nausea. Also, if you're having issues with protein, use meat lube (low fat, low cal, low carb gravies, soupy stewpy things like your chili and for god's sake, don't overcook eggs! LOL.) Also soft cooked white flaky mild fish is usually pretty easy for most people, as can be soft scrambled eggs with yogurt or lite sour cream mixed in to make them creamy. Beans and cheese, or canned beans mashed with some yogurt or cheese go down easy. If it were me, I'd stay away from the obvious slider culprits. You're losing well now, but that habit is hard to shake and your weight loss WILL level off and you could potentially stall out. Sorry you are struggling.

10 lbs in a month is great, plus you haven't had any fiil. You're worrying like most of us have. I had my surgery on September 1st and just had my first fill October 3rd. My goal is to loose 10 lbs a months and when I went to the doctors, I had reached my goal. Although I was so disappointed in myself because the week before my first fill, oh my, not only was I recovered from having surgery (which makes you hungry) I also had that PMS hunger . It wasn't good, I won't lie. The night before my appointment I even had nightmares my doctor was yelling at me. Well to my suprises, my doctor was so kind, he looked at me and said why are you beating yourself and much have you gained? He opened my chart and said you lost 10 lbs since surgery and you had no fill , your doing great. I have the best doctor, I won't lie, he's very motivating. We sometimes need to remember, we didn't put this weight on overnight and we surely aren't going to take it off overnight. I even wish that I everyday, but for me I know its more realistic for me to set smaller goals. 10lbs a month, I think I can do it, and I have to have faith in myself that I will do it. I still have 90 lbs to go and hopefully by next summer, I will be able to put a swim suite on for the first time and not feel like a beached whale. I see people some people loose quickly on this site and everyone is different. I even read alot of people having issues with the band on here and I try not to focus on negatives. It will happen, have faith and good luck in your journey.

About eight months ago my weight hung around three hundred pounds like un wanted company. I checked my food intake, looked at my card to see if I was green. I had my last fill in Feb. 2008. I had great restriction and felt like I finally hit my sweet spot. Long spaces of time between meals, not even thinking about food, obsessing about food is more like it. That was gone. Drinking my meals, gone. Gulping food, gone. I had retrained myself successfully but each time I tried to do the rest of it, the working the body to strengthen it I got nothing but pain. The more weight I lost, the greater the pain. This wasn't part of the bargain, sure, my knees stopped hurting, my feet stopped hurting, no more diabetes medication, no more snoring. This part I had hoped for but the pain. It radiated down my spine. It shot down my right leg. I felt stabbing pains in my groin and lower stomach. The more I walked the worse it got. The only thing that gave it remedy was bed rest. My life was work and then going to bed. It was easy to see why my weight had slowed up. It took getting caught at work not being where I should have been because the distance required walking was too much, and having my boss sit me down and confronting me to force me to confront the pain. What the truth was and is remains. That I have lost over eighty pounds, over fifty since being banded, and despite have good restriction and food control I am unable to walk any distance or stand longer than five minutes. I stepped back from focusing on the scale and focused on cause. I started with my doctor who ordered an MRI of the area most disturbing. It came back and there was part of it: arthristis, bulging disc, compressed vertabrae, scoliosis. My lower spine was a mess. To keep me working, I cannot afford to stop working, I was placed on morphine and it helped slightly. In late November I went to the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, Florida. A second MRI was done, a CT Scan of my abdomen, revealed the beautiful band Dr. Kirshenbaum had inserted was exactly where it was suppose to be. My band was fine. I had a hiatel hernia though. I had a hernia filled with fat in my stomach near my navel. This will need to be repaired when they do the surgery to remove the skin that is becoming part of the problem. I will need a lower body lift. My stomach had gotten so large and now that it was shrinking, my body was redistributing the weight and it was pulling higher up on my spine. In that location where I had the most stress from my stomach, the spine slides out of place. The nickname is SPONDY and the long name is two other versions of SPONDY that I was diagnosed with also in my cervical spine. The next test will be a CT Scan of my entire spine. Now that they found one, two maybe three or four sources of the pain, no one is stopping the doctors. This next year will be filled with rehab. Physical and Occupational. When I get over this hump I have the vision of a better life, the same vision that got me started. Onward I go...

I am stuck, my weight is at a plateau and I don't feel good today. My head is pounding just on the right side, my stomach isn't feeling that great and I have no idea why. Tylenol isn't taking the headache away either. I just want to whine today :thumbup: Thats my complaint for the day :tounge_smile: I can't wait to go away to Vegas!!!!

So I finally scheduled my first fill, one week ago on Wed. I'd gained 5lbs in the past month b/c I truly could eat anything and did. I think I was mourning food - so afraid I'd never be able to enjoy eating again. The fill was very easy, I'm using fill center usa and used the same weight loss doctor that I've been going to for years. She used a needle to numb the area up and after a few misses (you could feel and her slipping off the plastic side of the port a few times) she hit it. I was relieved only b/c I really and truly thought I had flipped my port (see episode of a pop and burning sensation about 6 weeks after surgery that must have turned out to be scar tissure after all!) Anyway, she would put a little liquid in, pull some out. When she put too much in, I could feel my throat closing. It was like that feeling you get when something gets stuck. Its kind of a panic filled feeling b/c when you get something stuck you know the misery that comes next. She would barely pull a tiny bit of fluid out and it would go away. All the while I was drinking a cold, cold bottle of water so I could tell if the water rushed down or not. Well, in the end I ended up with 1.8 cc in my 4cc capacity band. I thought that was a lot! She said everyone is just different and that testing using the water is the best indicator. Great experience at the dr, no problems, etc. Well, I followed instructions, drank protien shakes the first day, mushy food the next. WELL, when I tried to eat solids that's when I got scared. I ate some salsa and one bite of fajita chicken on the 3rd day at lunch and it was horrible. I had to ask the friend who drove me twice to pull over on the way back to the office b/c I was salivating so badly and had to spit. I actually threw up once on the side of the road. I felt like such an idiot - they don't know I had the band and they MUST have thought I had the swine flu! Anyway - I couldn't swallow, foam-like spit came up and it felt like I had to burp but couldn't burp or swallow. And that Pain in my throat -UGH! THAT's precisely when I thought - did I do the right thing? Is this what its going to be like for the rest of my life? Is this what it feels like to be too tight? I was really questioning myself - I WANT to eat, enjoy, savor, cook, experience food - I just want to eat LESS! NOT feel like this!! I thought to myself - I PAID for this myself - what did I DO?? Well, I had to tell myself that I'm learning. I probably ate something too soon, didn't chew enough and I need let my body calm down from the fill - just like I had to allow it to settle in and calm down after the band itself. What I AM learning about this whole process is that I have to be kind to my body - allow it to heal and accept these changes at a slow pace. My job and my personality means I rush, rush, rush! Well, when I rush through eating - eat a large mouthfull and don't concentrate on really chewing the food. I'm going to pay the price. And THAT IS what I paid for. It is at just those times, that I overeat, eat too fast, eat the wrong things. So, I've had a few more similar episodes since - from eating one too many sweedish meatballs at IKEA to going to a mongolian grill with my husband and eating one piece of pinapple and excusing myself to the restroom to spit up foamy spit for 30 mins. I know that's my body trying to get that food un-stuck! I'm learning - I'm learning! And I've lost 3 lbs in the week since the fill! Finally the scale is moving again!

Using an implant during a breast lift after weight loss helps in 2 ways: 1. It helps restore the volume that has been lost during weight loss. Most women's bresats are over 50% fat tissue, so as you lose weight, you will also lose volume in your breasts. 2.It helps adds fullness to the upper portion of the breasts. After weight loss, this upper part, or superior pole, becomes very flat. A breast lift (without implants) often does not add much volume to this upper pole of the breast. There are newer techniques that have been developed specifically for women who have undergone weight loss, desire more volume (particularly in the upper pole) but do not want an implant used. Experience bariatric plastic surgeons can perform this technique and give the appearance of implants...even though there were none used. Here are two examples of women who wanted the look of an implant...without the implant. The technique uses the extra skin from the side ("bra roll, "side roll") and transfers it to the breast to act as an "implant" of your own tissue. Example 1Example 2 I hope this information helps.

I didn't see the psych post op. I am 7 weeks out and I still like to snack and pick...I don't know if it will ever go away, but I concentrate on drinking sugar free drinks and SF popcycles at night to help with the need to have "something". I eat pumplkin seeds (break them out of the shell), I can't eat too many of them so it doesn't impact my weight loss, but the activity of shelling them helps with hand to mouth fixation... I am suprised more people don't have something to say about the mental eating...I am sure so many of us must be dealing with it in some way.

I didn't lose or gain. My BMI was right at 40 the doctors office told me to maintain my current weight.

Thank you for sharing your story, it is very inspiring. Congrats on your weight loss!

Bfast - Dannon Light & Fit carb control yogurt mixed with Live Active lowfat cottage cheese - yum Coffee with cream - no sugar Lunch - shaved turkey breast, string part skim cheese Dinner - tuna, light mayo, and spinach salad (very small) Exercise - Elliptical Machine 20 min HIIT Arms with weights, sit ups Wt - Didn't weight this morning. Good for me! I love it when I do not get on the scales! I feel pretty good, I feel like I am getting my life back and that I am recommitted to my program. I know that I need a fill, and I can't wait to get it in less than 2 weeks now. This will be fill #10 for me. I sure hope its the one that takes me to my goal weight!

I`m almost 6 months out, I eat heaps between 6pm and 11pm. I eat alot better foods such as fruit and "some" not so good. I exercise or weight train every day, my weight loss has slowed to a crawl. I am very, very happy with my sleeve. As long as I don`t put on weight then I feel I have already succeeded, I thought I wanted to be slim but it turns out I just wanted to not be fat.

Hi. I was sleeved on 7/31. I lost 43 lbs in the 4 week pre-op diet, gained 7 lbs while I was in the hospital, lost that and then gained 9 lbs during the full liquid stage (that was a heartbreaker!). I finally lost that. I have lost a total of 58 lbs since July 1. Rationally, I know that I have never lost 58 lbs in 10 weeks in my long history of dieting and I should be thrilled. I am measuring, counting, exercising and following the plan religiously and have only lost 13 lbs. since surgery. When you have a lot to lose, this is a little defeating. Just need some encouragement. Thanks!

I was sleeved in May 2014. I've lost 70 lbs. my husband was sleeved at the same time. He's lost closer to 100 lbs. he gets a lot more compliments than I do. I'm noticeable but not as significant as him. He's drawing a lot of attention from female admirers. Two of which he's not ignored. He's started online friendships with them that include some very questionable conversations that I find very inappropriate for a married man. He says he loves me and I have nothing to worry about since he's home with me every day and night. This whole thing makes me sick. I've become very depressed and feel so lonely. Last night I took a handful of pills. Enough that I knew would make me very sick but my daughter ended up taking me to the ER and I am fine. I took two of those same pills tonight hoping they would make me sleep but all I've done is make myself more anxious. Any other couples where the weight loss but a significant strain on their marriage? How do you cope?

I have enjoyed asking questions for the past week or so, so I figured that it was time that I do an intro... I always naysayed WLS. Then about 6 weeks ago while waiting in a dr office with a daughter I read an article on lapband. I was immediately interested. Lapband as opposed to other forms of WLS addressed all of my reasons for not being interested in WLS. I didnt think it an option as I was not a 40BMI, in fact several points off. Right about that time my oldest got her permit to drive and they asked her height....she didnt know so they measured her and I was stunned because I knew how tall *I* was, and she and I were nearly the same eighth and they were saying that she was shorter than THAT! So I hesitantly told them that they were wrong...they contended back that they were not, long stort short, I was measured that day (and several times in teh next few days) and I am SHORT. Well, a full 2 inches shorter than I thought...which also means that I am fat...as in my BMI qualifies me. The joke in our house is that in one week I got short, fat and old. (This all happened the week I turned 41 ) (I know, that 41 isnt OLD per se and that a BMI of barely 40 isnt near what some people have to deal with, bu to *me* that is how it felt) The next week I had a checkup and lo and behold I am also now diabetic and my BP, always 90/60 is now reading 130/mid 80's. :phanvan Time to do something...for good, as opposed to what usually happens where I lose 30-40 lbs and gain it right back again. Except that I have not been this weight for 5 yrs which the insurance company mandates. And the insurance requires a 6 month diet at which point we will have been transitioned to the insurance at my husband's new work which excludes WLS altogether. So, my dh has committed that we will do the lapband even if it means taking out a home equity loan on our already paid-for home. We have applications out for loans and we are just waiting to see what we will do. Our plan is to use Dr Wilkenfeld in Conroe, TX. We are hoping to have more children and the goal is to get this done SOON as time is not on our side for many more children. I am not telling people that I know, not even my older children at this point because I do not want to be disappointed if/when it doesnt work out. I fel like I am holding my breath right now. Even if/when we DO proceed I am not inclined to tell anyone. We already get lots of prying questions about personal decisions that we have made such as our family size, homeschooling, etc, so I dont feel like adding yet another reason for people to feel like they can weigh in withtheir opinions. Anyway, sorry for the tome. I SO appreciate having this place to come and learn.

OK...how tall are you? Maybe 162 is a good weight for you to settle? I could only dream to be 162!! Secondly, plateaus are a real pain. When I hit one I selectively shake things up. I will stop my normal exercise routine and start doing something different. I will also up my calories for a day or two. I do believe our bodies become accustomed to what we're doing and starts becoming less efficient at losing weight. The same exercise routine over and over just trains our bodies to adapt. You probably notice that your 90 cross-country walk is no where near as challenging as it was when you started, right? Yes, that's success...better fitness. But it also means your body doesn't have to work as hard to do it. So, try some new exercises or even just try a new walking route. Using some fresh muscles in a new exercise will shock your body and it will wake up again. Also, I know some people might blast me for suggesting upping the calories but for me, at least, a day or two of eating more can also wake up my body again. Also, sometimes I switch Vitamin brands too. It probably has no scientific benefits but I feel like I get a little metabolism spark if I try a different multi-vitamin once in a while. This is just MY ideas for helping you. I feel badly that you've been stuck for 6 weeks...I'm ready to freak after two! So, I'm tossing out anything I can think of for you to consider!

Hey! I am going on the 12th too. They just called in fact and moved my 3 o'clock surgery to 8:30 in the morning. Okay, I don't have anything to tell you about life after, but I will tell you that I was thinking the exact same things as you. I have three kids and don't want to risk for a moment being around them for a long time, but in reality I am sort of guaranteeing that I will be here with them a lot longer after tomorrow. I have lost and gained and lost again only to gain it all back. This will be the help we need. I am sure of this at this point. In less than 24 hours we will both be on our way to being who we REALLY are. You will be fine. I am a big chicken but am just taken it minute by minute and I am determined to have a nice nap tomorrow and wake up sore, but feeling great! Can't wait to hear how you are doing. :scared2:

I have lost 100 pounds on my own too many times to count...but this time, with the band, I've lost 250 pounds and kept it off. I am 6 years post op as of 5-28 so I speak with some experience. Being nervous is normal. If you'd like some inspiration maybe you can find it at my blog Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story Goo dluck to you as you join the world of Banded Living.

Remember your still in the healing phase of all this! :biggrin: It is very common to slow weight loss or even gain during mushies. I promise when you get through this part and then your first fill you will see the weight come off again. Good-Luck to you!

I told anyone who asked, but I didn't volunteer it. I really don't give a fig what people think about me or my healthcare decisions. I only received one negative reaction but it wasn't anything like "you took the easy way out" -- it was more, "it's so unfair that you get to do that, I need to lose thirty pounds and surgery isn't an option for me." Anyway, I had some responses prepared in case I did get a negative reaction: "thanks for your concern" with a big smile "my doctor and I agreed that this was the best medical decision for me" "I wish I could have lost weight without surgery, but I'm too dumb and lazy to figure it out" (if I was feeling very snarky) "hmm, try dieting and exercise before submitting to major surgery? Wow, I never thought of that. No one ever suggested that to me in my entire life. I wish I had heard of "dieting" before I had surgery! Maybe you should mention this strange concept to other people. Why didn't you tell me about the secret process of "diet" and "exercise" earlier?" "thanks for your support! I appreciate it!" with a big eye-roll Seriously, if you just pretend they said something nice and respond that way, they can't criticize you. Just keep smiling and saying "thanks for your support! Your kindness means so much to me!" in as sincere a tone as you can manage. Eventually they will give up and leave you alone. Don't try to engage them with arguments or get super-defensive. Act like any criticism they give you just makes you laugh because you know more than they do (YOU DO). All that said, it's unlikely people will say negative things, at least in my experience.