Search the Community

Think of this as a lessons learned thing Sweetpea. Stay away from fast food joints. There is nothing healthy for you there. Would you go into a bar if you were an alcoholic? Food is our addiction and until you see some real results, it will be hard to walk away from yummy yummy bad food. Start to investigate yummy yummy good food. It's out there...just search for it. Look up websites, make better choices. Heck, I bet there's even a healthier version of a taco salad. You can eat refried bean and tomatoes and even a dash of sour cream. This way, you can eat a taco salad and not feel bad. Good luck....you can do this!

Today I am officially at the 5 month mark following my surgery. I've lost 65 lbs and I feel fantastic! I hit Onderland a week or so ago which was a huge goal. I am also into normal sized clothes and am delighted with the selection - actually a little overwhelmed to tell you the truth! I'm a much happier person too - which is a big part of why I did the surgery in the first place. In five months I've had very few problems. I've thrown up once after eating too quickly (learned my lesson and have never done it since). I've pretty much stuck to solid proteins although lately I am slipping a little and adding more carbs back in - but I get too full too fast from them. I do enjoy an occasional alcoholic beverage - but need to be mindful of the calories and adjust my intake accordingly. I do not drink carbonated beverages at all. I still miss my diet cokes sometimes, but have replaced them with iced tea and that does the trick. I am noticing my hair getting thinner lately so I am refocusing on the vitamins which I have been bad about taking. I do think at this point I need to refocus and set some new goals. The weight isn't coming off as easily any more, and so it's time to up the effort. I've also noticed lately thinking about food more - which is something I never did in the early days. I seem to be hungrier - especially when driving home. I just noticed this trend so now I am filling up the water bottle before leaving work and using that to combat the feeling of hunger. I'm still sticking to three meals a day which is pretty easy. Goals: Exercise 3x week for 30 minutes - this is a challenge for me as I have significant difficulties with basic activity because of my MS - but I have to do this. Increase H2O consumption by half Journal ALL caloric intake Things I look forward to doing in the next 5 months: Never see the 200's again (sustain wt. loss) Go ziplining Lay out at the beach Wear a sleevless shirt lower my BMI below the "obese" range Get to the point where the weight I've lost is a higher number than the weight I have left to lose (be more than half-way to my goal) Ultimately I knew from the beginning that this journey was going to take a while. Sure - I had dreams about being one of those people who lose all the weight in 6-8 months, but I've also learned that I cannot allow myself to think that any pound lost (no matter how quickly or slowly) is anything but a success. When I hit the one year mark I hope to be very close to my goal - but if it takes longer then I will just keep on plugging along.

Sharpie, food, drugs, alcohol different tools, but the same addiction.

Don't be too hard on yourself! We are all addicts. Alcoholics/drug addicts don't have to consume their drug of choice to survive like we do. Drink lots and lots of fluids and maybe leave the house when the family eats.

I'm liking these ideas of baking extracts, but can I ask where these are being purchased? Around here, there is alcohol in true baking extracts. The knock off extracts have sugar.

I don't think it's just fat people who do this.. I am sure alcoholics, drug addicts, etc. have the same thoughts.. well I had one drink so I might as well get drunk,,, I think some of it is just human nature.. I used to weigh myself, if I had gained I would spend the day eating what I wanted cause I thought what the hell.. self punishment I guess.. now a days I weigh in the morning and I take it and go.. if I haven't lost oh well I will see if I need to change something like drinking more water or skipping a carb.. I have not gained anything since surgery so I am lucky.. I feel confident that this will work and I do not feel deprived...

I wasn't much of a drinker & suddenly I love it. I began drinking too much but not to the point of being or acting stupid. I stop my self cuz #1 wine is expensive and I don't want to become an alcoholic #2 I rather drink more cafe from Starbucks lmbo seriously I was over drinking but now I do it like weekends or skip a week or so but no more a daily glass or two of wine

I know....it will help me to prepare. I've already been preparing for nearly a year though. I've totally weaned myself off of any carbonated drinks, when I used to be addicted to diet cokes. I don't drink alcohol....except maybe once every six months or so. I don't really like the way it makes me feel. I only drink water now, but every now and then I'll have lemonade, and rarely, tea. I have found some protein drinks that I like, and I swap them for meals every now and then. The Premier Protein chocolate drinks are exceptionally good. I think my main problem right now is getting in any exercise. I had knee surgery in December, and my knees still bother me to the point where it is difficult to walk, much less walk any length of time. Swimming pools are not an option. I could join a local gym, but the motivation to go just isn't present. THAT is what I need to work on.

There are at least two ppl in my support group that admitted to Alcohol abuse post rny. It's very easy to trade one addictive behavior (over eating) for another (drinking, shopping, sex, gambling ect). If you see a trend I'd recommend counseling. I'm really not a fan of drinking so I don't think ill miss it.

I like all the bars mentioned though I try to keep sugar alcohols to a minimum. So far Quest bars are my favorite. I like the Banana Nut and Chocolate Chip. Just ordered a box of Berry, looking forward to trying them since I don't eat much in the way of fruit right now.

Thanks for the words of encouragement everyone. It's insane that our circumstances can be compared to an alcoholic or other addiction but it is so very true. Well, I made 2oz of egg salad with one large egg and low-fat mayo. I mashed the hell out of it with a fork then chew, chew, chew until it felt like applesauce and it went down ok. A lot of tummy noises (I'm so hoping that dies down a bit). I couldn't even finish it (left maybe a teaspoon). My body told me exactly when to stop. That has NEVER happened to me...or maybe I just never listened.

Maybe you feel a little bit like an alcoholic taking that first social drink? It's a bad move for an alcoholic, but unfortunately, we really *can't* avoid eating for the rest of our lives. You won't backslide if you just keep following your NUT's instructions. And at some point, staying on liquids only will be the WRONG thing to do because you'll be more hungry. You need to eat solids eventually. So follow the guidelines, eat slowly, try one new thing at a time to see how you handle it. It'll be ok!

LAP-BAND Surgery Pre-Op Diet About two weeks before your Lap-Band surgery, you will be expected to start making changes in your diet. Your surgeon will have you begin a special pre-op diet that is designed to get your body ready for surgery and make recovery easier. Although you may be tempted to splurge on all your favorite foods, this is not the time to let your health worsen. The purpose of a pre-surgery diet is to: Reduce body fat around the stomach and liver, as well as shrink the liver itself. If the liver is too large, the surgery may have to be postponed. Improve surgical outcomes and recovery. By reducing fatty triglycerides from around the liver and spleen, it can reduce potential surgical bleeding. Increase Protein intake, which will help preserve and protect muscle tissue. The pre-surgery diet will also prepare Lap-Band patients for the post-op diet and increase the rate of weight loss following surgery. Pre-Op Dietary Guidelines As a generality, most Lap-Band pre-op diet plans are high in protein while low in calories, fats, and carbohydrates. The average calorie allowance for the Lap-Band pre-op diet ranges from 800 to 1200 calories per day. Foods that will need to be decreased in your diet include high-sugar foods, high carbohydrate foods (including bread and pasta), fats (such as butter), fatty meats, fried foods, whole milk products, high-calories beverages (including regular soda and alcoholic beverages). Your diet will be limited, but foods that may be included are yogurt, fruit, Cereal, eggs, oatmeal for Breakfast and lean meat or fish with green vegetables for dinner. Your diet may also include protein supplements. As individualized pre-op diets will vary between surgeons and patients, it is important that you follow the specific recommendations of your doctor. Protein Supplements High levels of protein will help the body heal after surgery as well as protect muscles so that the body burns excess fat instead of muscle tissue when on a low fat diet. The typical pre-op diet will include 70 to 120 grams of protein each day. To ensure adequate protein intake, the Lap-Band diet will rely on protein supplementation. Protein powders, such as Myocel, are designed to lower the fat content of the liver, maximize recovery, and promote weight loss. Myocel can be mixed in with skim milk, Water, fruit juice, or fat-free yogurt. http://www.lapband.us/pre-surgery-diet.html

I have never drank carbonation, but I have had a glass of wine, 3 times since surgery. Made me tipsy quickly. But thats fine one glass takes about an hour to drink, and never have I drank it with food. Im 2.5 months out. And for those of you who are saying we shouldnt drink alcohol becuase of the empty calories, I know I know, but give me a break...I have 3 teenagers, and 1 of them is a GIRL teenager...LOL so only 3 glasses of wine in 2.5 months is pretty good.

I was never much a drinker - if I drank more then twice a month, that was a lot. I would always prefer to eat my calories, from large amounts of carbs, rather then drink them. My doctor has always said that having a small glass of wine every day, cannot hurt you, unless you are one of those people who have a problem with alcohol. You do need to count that 100 cal into your daily totals for the day. I very much enjoy my wine now, (maybe 2 or 3 times a week), and savor that glass like it is a dessert.

Edit: Thinking about this challenge some more, it should be opened to everyone. I originally thought about it being tackled only after weight loss because it would not seem good to have such a transformation challenge interfere with weight loss. However, now I think anyone should be able to do it even to help with weight loss, as long as you are able to physically and mentally rise to the challenge. I will let you define what this criteria means to you, but I would think it excludes those that are less then 2 months post op. I would probably not attempt it until 5 months post op, but that is just my opinion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Transformation is something that may interest some veterans who are done with the weight loss phase of VSG. Losing weight is the beginning of the transformation process to become a beacon of health and radiant energy for yourself and those around you. I am really a big fan of both transformation programs that the Phillip brothers have spearheaded. In 1999, bill Phillip created the much revered Body-for-life program that is 12 weeks of intense transformation. Some have trouble extending their success of the 12 week program to the rest of their life, possibly because they jumped in too fast or did not have the mental and physical strength to continue after 12 weeks. That is where his brother Shawn Phillips came along more recently and created the Strength-for-life program. This program focuses more on developing habits of strength in all areas of physical and mental health. The results gained from exiting the 12 week strength-for-life will be foundational for the rest of your life. The strength-for-life program includes a base camp phase that is 12 days long. It is important to do this base camp phase before starting the 12 week program in order to set your body up for success. During this time, you focus on rebooting your body. Essentially, 1. Eat lean, clean and green 2. Drink Water in abundance (no alcohol, sugary drinks, energy drinks, etc, just water) 3. sleep at least 7-8 hours of restful sleep a night 4. Have an attitude of gratitude 5. Recharge with the base camp training plan As VSG post op, we know how to eat and how to drink water. Try and keep the Protein as lean as possible. Drink as much water as you can, but do not drink the energy or sports drinks ( too much sugar). sleeping restfully will lower the cortisol levels and help the body detox. The base camp training plan is essentially Training 3 days a week with body weight movements. Do 3 sets of 3 different exercises, pausing for 30 seconds between each set. Monday: 15-20 reps of push-ups. 3 sets. Wednesday: 15-20 air squats or lunges. 3 sets. Friday: 12-15 ab crunches. 3 sets. If you slip on any of the 5 principles listed above, start over. It is important to get thought the 12 days successfully before moving onto the 12 week transformation. You may see some weight loss and or lean muscle gain during this short reboot. However, the real change will occur over the next 12 weeks. Here is where I would like to propose a transformation challenge. The challenge will be 12 weeks long and success is defined by achieving a set of clearly defined goals. Make sure the goals are as personal as possible and link them to your feelings. Create 2 physical goals and one inner strength goal. For me, I am : 37 years old 5'11" 188 lbs pre transformation (as of yesterday) Married with no children, a dog, 3 cats and currently provide a place for my brother. Physical goals: I will lose 15 pounds of fat, gain 5 pounds of lean muscle and lose 2 inches around my waist by September 1st. I have high energy and soaring confidence. Mental/emotional goal: I will have positive energy to share with my wife and brother. We enjoy 1 family activity a week that is not centered around the tv. I will read 2 leadership books and hire a business coach to strengthen my career by September 1st. Be sure to measure along the way: Weight Body fat percentage Resting heart rate Blood pressure Cholesterol Other Take weekly photos : front, back and from each profile. Shoot the photos in the same position and location, wearing the same clothes. At the end of the 12 weeks, you will literally be able to see the transformation from week to week. During the transformation, consider the following eating guidelines: 1. Shoot for macronutrient balance, eating lean protein first. 2. Eat 5-6 x a day, keeping each meal small. 3. Avoid sugar and alcohol 4. Eat your Omega 3s. These really help with inflammation. 5. Get more Vitamin d either as a supplement or being in the sun 6. Eat organically During the transformation, consider the following strength training guidelines: 1. Monday - Upper body push (chest, shoulders, triceps and biceps) 2. Tuesday- HIIT and abs 3. Wednesday- lower body / legs ( quads, hamstrings and calves) 4. Thursday - upper body pull (back, rear delts, triceps, biceps) 5. Friday - HIIT and abs 6.saturday - circuit (strength, stamina, stretch) 7. Day off - recover and rejuvenate Train strong and not long. 1. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday should last 33 minutes to 44 minutes 2. Tuesday and Thursday HIIT would be 20 minutes 3. Saturday circuit should be 20 minutes followed by 8-12 minutes of stretching The strength workouts should be no longer then 4 sets: Set 1: 12 reps Set 2: 10 reps Set 3: 8 reps Set 4: 8+ reps For example, I will be using a pair of dumbbells at home to complete the strength training Try and be very focused during the strength training. It is the focus that is going to help the most with achieving the transformation. Be progressive and increase the weight from week to week. Make every rep count. Make them super high quality. HIIT training is far more effective then long cardio training at steady state. 1. Start with 3 minute warm up 2. First interval is 60 seconds at high intensity 3. Second interval is 60 seconds at lower intensity (catch your breath) 4. Repeat 2) and 3) for 18 minutes. No more. 5. Cool down for 2 minutes For example, I will be using cross fit training with a PT to complete the HIIT workouts. On the 7th day, it is a rest day both nutritionally and physically. If you want to eat more calories or have that treat, this is the day to do it before diving into the next week. Each week should be programmatically the same, but should also increase in intensity. It is important to keep a diary of your training during this 12 week challenge. This will help you with keeping on the program and motivation. After the 12 week transformation challenge, you will be in a position of strength to set new goals and achieve them. Good luck everyone!

Protein is a major building block to repair your body and to survival. After surgery you are unable to eat large amounts of foods and shakes come in handy to help us get our protein. Everyone tries so many different ones because our bodies change after surgery. Like I can no longer drink any milk base items or anything with sugar alcohols in them or I dump. I also take a large amount of Vitamins as we that have had rny must..

During the weight loss phase, drinking any alcohol will slow it down. There are conflicting schools of thought on this, but I found it to be true for me. Our bodies do not recognize alcohol as any type of food source, and given that, can only store it as fat. The other issue is the food cravings alcohol brings on, and the tendency to eat more when alcohol is involved. Now that I've said ALL of that, I'm going to a BBQ on Memorial Day weekend, and plan to drink. I haven't had wine or anything else in three months, and I'm looking forward to that first (and maybe 2nd) glass of wine. I'm guessing it will slow down my loss for that week, but I'm willing to suffer the consequences. I miss wine too, even though I don't drink it every night. More like once a week, but then I can drink a good 1/2 to 2/3 bottle. I love it, and getting a little loopy is totally fine with me

LAP-BAND AND ALCOHOL: CAN YOU DRINK AFTER LAP-BAND SURGERY? Thursday, 15 December 2011 11:54 You may have heard conflicting information about your ability to drink alcohol after Lap-Band surgery, or even horror stories about WLS surgery patients who have had a dangerously high blood alcohol content after just one drink. Some doctors may warn you that you can never drink alcohol again - ever - after being banded, because of the risk of damaging your liver. Others say that it's fine to begin drinking moderately six months after surgery, but to exercise caution. So why the difference in opinion? WLS AND ALCOHOL The warnings about WLS and blood alcohol content apply mainly to patients who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RNY). Because of the changes to the digestive system that occur with RNY, alcohol passes directly into the intestines, where it is rapidly absorbed. This can cause patients to become dangerously intoxicated from small amounts of alcohol. Gastric bypass patients should use extreme caution when drinking, and should never drink and drive. Lap-Band patients do not undergo the same changes in anatomy and therefore do not experience the same rapid absorption of alcohol as RNY patients. However, that doesn't mean that Lap-Band patients don't experience some risks related to alcohol consumption. There are some important considerations to take into account when deciding whether or not to pick up a beer or pour yourself a glass of wine. ALCOHOL MAY STILL AFFECT YOU DIFFERENTLY You're losing weight and eating less, which means that you may feel the effects of alcohol more strongly, especially if you drink on an empty stomach. If you do decide to drink, do so in a safe environment, and never drink and drive. Sip slowly and keep your alcohol consumption low until you know how it will affect you. ALCOHOL CONTAINS A LOT OF CALORIES Many doctors prefer that their Lap-Band patients don't drink because of the empty calories in alcohol. Mixed drinks such as margaritas, mai tais, pina coladas, and long island iced teas contain a lot of sugar and as much as 600 calories. Always factors in calories when drinking, and opt for low-cal drinks such as dry wine, vodka mixed with Crystal Light, or light beer - if you can tolerate the carbonation. Some Lap-Band patients find beer easier to drink than soda, but it may take some experimentation to find out what works for you. If champagne is your drink of choice, you may need to open it well in advance and let it go a little flat. SOME WLS PATIENTS STRUGGLE WITH ADDICTIONS Your doctor may prefer that you err on the side of caution as many WLS patients experience a phenomenon known as addiction transference. Because they are no longer able to overeat, they may turn to other unhealthy behaviors for dealing with stress and emotions. If you have a history of alcohol abuse, it's best to avoid it completely. If you want to continue enjoying an occasional drink after Lap-Band surgery, consult your medical team and follow their recommendations as closely. They may advise you to wait six months following surgery to give yourself time to heal and adjust to your new diet. http://www.malleysurgical.com/news/lap-band-and-alcohol-can-you-drink-after-lap-band-surgery.html

So does anyone out there suffer from the inevitable ending of the day glass of wine.?! I'm sure alcohol has attributed to some of my weight gain and I'm scared of it continuing to be a problem going forward after surgery because it's a liquid. I know I'll have to scale back but I have a very stressful job and family life and long for that evening relaxing glass of wine. How do I cope? Thoughts??

Every doctor is different when it comes to scheduling surgeries, so it's hard to tell. For most as long as you have everything completed and allow enough time to do pre-op diet (if required), they will get you in ASAP. But, sometimes insurance will drag out the process for a while (assuming that you are going through insurance). As far as the psychologist visit, mine was a joke. I filled out a 300+ questionnaire, and talked to the psychologist for about a half an hour. He asked me about my weight history, about what my expectations of the band were, made sure I knew this wasn't a quick easy fix, asked if I use drugs/alcohol, depression etc... It was a joke, don't worry about that part. Good luck!!!

Have you researched other WLS options? More than likely a Band is going to just create MORE problems here.I'd get the problems treated first. And if your Doctor is SMART? that would be his recommendation also. If your already experiencing problems with the esophagus the band isn't going to HELP, instead probably make things worse. Esophagitis is inflammation that damages tissues of the esophagus, the muscular tube that delivers food from your mouth to your stomach. Esophagitis (uh-sof-uh-JI-tis) often causes painful, difficult swallowing and chest pain. Causes of esophagitis include stomach acids backing up into the esophagus, infection, oral medications and allergies. Treatments for esophagitis depend on the underlying cause and the severity of tissue damage. If left untreated, esophagitis may change the structure and function of the esophagus. Some people suffer from Achalasia post banding, and If your already having difficulties with the Esophagus getting a Band "might" just add to those problems. Acute hemorrhagic gastritis is an important cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, accounting for approximately one fourth of UGI bleeding in endoscopic studies. Most patients with hemorrhagic gastritis have underlying predisposing conditions, such as alcohol abuse, portal hypertension, short- or long-term NSAID use, and physiologic stress associated with hospitalization in an ICU for severe life-threatening disease or trauma. The key to management is prevention; however, once established, hemorrhagic gastritis is treated with both supportive measures and measures directed toward healing the mucosal damage. In general, therapy is the same as that for classic peptic ulcer disease. These patients present a challenge, however, because of their underlying diseases and because of the potential for diffuse mucosal bleeding, the latter making the use of endoscopic therapy more difficult. Surgery is an option of last resort for the patient who continues to bleed despite aggressive medical and endoscopic therapy. Future investigations will focus on pharmacologic therapy to enhance mucosal defense mechanisms, therapy that will likely attain increasing importance in the years to come. I've posted the above information as a FYI, you may already be aware of what each of these conditions are, but it also helps anyone else that might not and can benefit from the posted information. Good Luck~

You will still be able to consume alcohol. The volume consumed will be far smaller.

You will be able to drink post op. I had a couple drinks about 6-8 weeks out. Calorie wise, alcohol isn't a good choice though.

I am curious also ? I have my sleeve May 28 (Dr Aceves) so I will be off the booze for awhile. But I do enjoy a glass of Lambrusco while I watch my TV (True Blood, Dexter, Borgias, Homeland, etc). Wondering if I will be able to sub some wine on the rocks as part of my "liquids" ? or will alcohol cause problems after a couple months post-op ?