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Off hand do you know which bars don't have the sugar alcohol in them?

Understood. I try to avoid fast food. It's high calorie, fairly low satiety, and loaded with who knows what that would probably gross me out if I knew it was in my food. If I'm forced into it, I also try to go for Wendy's chili. The important thing is that whatever you choose, control your portion size and count your calories. And still practice small bites and slow chewing. As far as alcohol goes, it's a similar story-- control your portions and count the calories. Wine is, in my opinion, the best bet. It's socially acceptable to nurse a glass of wine forever, you have a variety of flavors and styles to choose from, and it's not mixed with anything carbonated or high in sugar/calories to add to its negative impact. Also, there are proven health benefits to red wine in particular, provided it's consumed in moderation (1 glass per day). Don't be surprised or insulted by people who caution you after reading this type of question. In the end, everyone just wants to help you succeed. Good luck!

I love to dine out with friends and enjoy a drink when out to dinner. What should I learn to do if I would like to enjoy myself with a drink? I know you should not eat and drink at the same time so what should I do when drinking alcohol not to feel the full effects so soon? Post surgery 6 weeks.

I haven't really found anything to replace it yet. I watch alcohol carefully because that addiction runs in my family. Right now with my therapist we are working on the things that cause me to reach out for food (self destructive behavior). I'm hoping to break through that, because while I'm maintaining I just can't seem to make myself do what I know I need to do to get past 215. *shrug*

Everyone is different. When you are on liquid and purees, yes you are going to miss food. I couldn't watch people eat and for some reason the smell of ham made me want to cry. Which seems funny now. Once you get to the solid phase you probably won't miss much. Sometimes I miss sushi but I'm afraid to eat it yet. I also don't know how the rice will go down. Maybe when I'm further out or I can just have sashimi without the rice. I go to fast food places and I really have no desire to eat anything there. I have salad and can barely eat any of it. I would say the first few months are very hard but some people just seem to have no issues. I think I miss having a drink on the weekends more but even that is going away. I just love losing weight more than food or alcohol.

I would never consume my daily calories in alcohol. But I want to enjoy my life. I also tend to work out longer on days I do to make up for it. And yes I even log every drink I take in myfitnesspal. Yes I consume alcohol and yes I eat ice cream, well delicious frozen yogurt sometimes. Everything in moderation, that was always the problem I had before the band and it has helped make amazing changes to the way I choose to live my life.

Ducker... You sound like a friend of mine who's a recovering alcoholic. Lighten up dude.

Do not drink alcohol! There is ethanol and it is acidic, I suggest not eating or drinking anything really acidic or off to the scale of base.

First, I'm not a dude. Second, I'm not, and never have been, an alcoholic. Although some here sure seem to be. I've only ever been a very casual social drinker. Alcohol is NOT the center of my life. Nor will it ever be.

I definitely DON'T think it has to be an all or nothing thing. BUT, alcohol should not be a major player in your diet. One, it's empty calories. Two, it dehydrates you. If you're newly banded alcohol is a blood thinner and can put you at jeopardy in the healing process. And there are many reasons more not to drink in excess. Sure, ONE drink or two a week isn't going to kill you but really, we should be focusing on how to get our REAL nutrition in and not what we can leave out so we can have those four shots today. Truly, do you REALLY need to drink alcohol on a daily basis? Supposedly we all did this to have a healthier life. So what if you eat a salad and then drink a bunch of alcohol. That doesn't make your life all that healthier. Common sense. If you're leaving out food to drink a bunch of alcohol, REGARDLESS OF THE HEALTHY FOOD YOU EAT, you are not really healthy. I've heard many experienced lap band patients say that the day after drinking leaves them very restricted, tight, and sore. Is it worth it? I guess to some who absolutely can't live without it. I find it very disappointing to read people responding with "Drink clear liquor and have shots. You can drink more liquor that way." Is that the advice we're giving to other band people? How to "cheat" the system? Honestly this disgusts me. I drink on occasion. I have no problem with drinking. But you know what? Reaching my goal weight is so much more important that looking cool with my friends or partying or anything else. I'll be thin and happy. Even without booze.

Loneil, my apologies to you. I had you confused with another post about alcohol where the poster was three days post op.

I have experienced that alcohol really allows me to eat because I get very relaxed. It's a slippery area to enter... For me anyway and I'm not an alcoholic. It I do enjoy a glass of wine occasionally but it is just that....empty calories.

Sorry if you took it personally Ducker, not my intention. It just seems line you have gone a little overboard and have gotten a little too angry at the alcohol post.....

Hi Bandster , I just read your whole thread today and I feel so bad about all you have gone through. I feel sorry for your brother too and I'm sure I would've made the same mistake and co-signed for him. I can't telll you how many times in my 67 years 'ive sacrificed to help someone else out and got bit in the butt for doing so.....But, you know what, I wouldn't change a thing. That's how I am and I like myself. If he gets his act together, you'll know you helped. About the gas: Be sure you aren't constipated, take gasx or something simular, lay off sugar and artifical sweetners, and make sure you aren't lactose intolerant. The worst thing for me is the sugar alcohols they put in candy etc in place of sugar. Blows me up like a balloon. I wish you luck and hope you feel better by now. Sharon

Thank you! I'm one of those lucky people who had to do a six month supervised diet, lol. So far I've gained 5 pounds!!! So March 2nd is my final day... I have two appointments between now and then, the cardiologist and the shrink eval, and I have to have a drug and alcohol test! From what I hear my insurance is one of the few who requires that one. :thumbup:

Challenge End Tally: Challenge Starting weight: 148.4lbs Current Weight: 150.4lbs Curre1nt weight lost: 138.6lbs (Beginning Wt. 287lbs) Losing or maintaining weight: Losing!!!!! (hopefully or at least maintaining) Working on Goal#2 - 140lbs Fitness/exercise goal: Exercise 6-7 days per week with 3 days being strength building with bands Total weight loss at the end of challenge: (Post January 1st 2019) 151.4lbs (+2lbs) Check in: Tell us how you are doing - (How is your diet and exercise plan going? Any struggles? Stress level? What have you overcome? Any strategies that have helped)--I'm finished the challenge strong, but sick with a yucky cold. Very little stress heading into January. Don't have any worries about over eating or eating "the wrong things." Although, clearly I indulged over Christmas. In between indulgences I was able to modify my eating and make "cuts" to keep cals/carbs low to try to offset the more liberal "treat" meals/alcohol. Very little exercise during this time, because our schedules were so busy and I didn't have the energy to exercise on top of how active I was. Am off all meds now except Letrozole, thyroid, and supplements. BP is in remission, blood sugars/insulin in remission, cancer in remission, asthma in remission, degenerative arthritis in remission, pain is reduced over 50%, sleeping has improved 100%. Thank you so much for doing this challenge @Healthy_life!!! Although I suck at them (as you can see), I do think it helped keep me from going completely off-track this holiday season!!! I'm actually pretty proud to only be 2lbs up after Christmas. I'm used to it being 10lbs at least! So I kinda feel like I was able to "maintain my current weight" even though I'm not at goal yet. You rock girlie!!! Happy New Year to you my sweet friend!!

Scar healing/fading will vary from person to person. You could probably predict where you will fall on the scale by how YOU healed historically. I am on the far end of the scale of slow/bad healing/fading. I am 2+ years out from surgery and my scars are still pretty dark. They have faded somewhat from the early months (and at least now they are flat!) but they are still very noticeable (see pic below...the scars pointed at by red arrows are my WLS incision scars which are 2 years, 2 months old. My belly button is also healing from scarring from plastics 1 year ago.) Generally though, for ALL scar care, it is often recommended to keep them clean and dry while healing, and then moisturize often when they close. Also, it's recommended to reduce alcohol during healing (as it may act as a blood thinner and prevent clots), and refrain from smoking (as it may affect healing as well: stress on heart, de-oxygenates blood, etc, etc...). Further, there has been some evidence of Retinol and Vitamin E topical applications to help by stimulating collagen growth which reduces the appearance of skin imperfections.... Edited to add: Just remembered! For really bad scars, I can vouch for steroid shots. I had some applied to the arm lift scars on my arm a few weeks ago and they have visibly improved. Still not to the level of near-invisibility like i've seen on others (i'm looking at you @sillykitty), but def much better than before.

I'm going to throw this out here just for the sake of proving the point. Cycling carbs and calories while exercising sufficiently is a very effective strategy to strip body fat. Men lose fat more easily than women. Why? Because a man's body consists of more lean muscle tissue than a woman's. And a man's hormonal makeup is more geared toward anabolism. I like to eat. I don't like to feel deprived - and I like ice cream... No... I LOVE ice cream. I want to eat as much food as I can, while still losing body fat. Here is an example of my last 8 day period. For the first 5 days I ate relatively good foods and stayed in the 2000 calorie a day range - which is a deficit for me. I kept simple carbs to a minimum while making certain I was eating sufficient grams of Protein to protect my lean muscle mass. Then I let myself up off the mat and in the last two days I ATE... and I ATE A LOT... In the last 2 days alone I ate a combined 3000 calories plus of JUST ice cream. That does't include the mexican food at Bandidos or the alcoholic beverages or any of the other intake. I no doubt consumed somewhere around 4000 calories each day. But now I will settle back into a deficit for 5 more days, limiting those simple carbs but still keeping my protein intake sufficient enough to protect my lean muscle mass. This is certainly too extreme of a swing for most people here, but the general principle still applies. The high calorie days and sufficient exercise keep your metabolism white-hot, yet the lower calorie days keep your lean muscle tissue protected. The end result is a reduction in body fat, while not feeling weak and sluggish or depriving yourself. I have used this principle for quite awhile and have more and more muscle definition as each month passes. If you don't believe me check out my gallery. My abs are becoming more and more defined as body fat continues to strip away. It's a slow but steady process but it is very effective. When I first started I had to dig through fat to find my port. Now the damn thing sticks out like a tumor because there's so little fat over it.... I have struggled with low fat / low carb / low calorie diets and sedentary lifestyles just like everyone else. I did Atkins and so many other fads... They don't work long term... You must have a permanent lifestyle change to be successful - band or not. The proof is in the pudding as they say... Search LBT and you'll be bombarded with threads and posts about people eating 800 calories a day and not losing weight... There's a new group of them that comes along every few weeks... So many just end up throwing in the towel and declaring the band didn't work for them... This isn't stuff that my surgeon or nutritionist gave me. It's research and trial and error I did on my own to get results. Save yourselves the headaches and struggles and learn from the mistakes of those who've gone down this road before you. My advice for women trying this technique would be to do sufficient cardio 5 days a week at 40 minutes a session, working all 3 target heart rate zones. Add in two strength/resistance training sessions a week. Continually challenge yourself and increase intensity of your workouts as they become easier. Everyone's activity levels are different, but for the sake of argument I'd increase calories by 100 every 5 days until you achieve about 1200. Then every 5-7 days take 2 days and run that number up to 1800-2000 and then slam back down to 1200 for another 5-7 days. Repeat this cycle and you will strip body fat... and you will have so much more energy and not feel like you are dieting so much.

Hey everybody, Globetrotter here, long time no post! As some of you may recall, I returned from deployment one year ago this month. Life has been a whirlwind of adjustment ever since and I have become a stranger on our forum. In the year that I have been home I have lost "only" 40 lbs, bringing my post-op weight loss to 130 lbs. I am 18 months out from surgery and am still not at goal, which is just so frustrating and demoralizing. I am 15 lbs away from surgeon's goal and 40 lbs away from personal goal. Anyone who remembers me here knows that I have been a slooow loser from day one, always fretting over it, but now it really has slowed to about one or two pounds a month. In the last 7 months I have lost only 15 lbs. I exercise at least 4 days a week, for several hours at a time. A typical day of exercise for me includes a TRX class, followed by a yoga class, followed by 2 hours of tango. I still eat a lot of Protein but I will admit - I eat s*** now. I have allowed myself to eat french fries, chocolate cake, alcohol, whipped cream, bread, etc. I am incredibly lucky that, a year and a half out, I still do not have real hunger, but my tastebuds rule. I have fallen off the path my brothers and sisters, and I know that falling away from the Forum has NOT helped. I've got to get to goal folks, I've got to. I am 5'3" and 164 lbs, I am still fat. Yes, I am active, yes I look 100x better than when I started, but my chub still prevents me from running that mile, from achieving that yoga pose, from enjoying those killer stillettos longer than an hour. I plea for your help in returning me to the fold and helping me across that finish line. I didn't know if there is a place in the forum now for long term sleevers, a place to discuss the changes in metabolism, the challenges of acheiving goal after the first year when you've beena slow loser, all that. I look forward to hearing from you. =) Globetrotter

I am glad to find this topic. I remember post lapband liquid hell, I could not tolerate it more than one week due to severe diarrhea. I was drinking lowcarb no sugar added protein drinks and I guess the sugar alcohol or whatever they sweeten them with did not agree with me. Anyways I had to start mushies a few days early. I don;t guess that I will be able to do that with the RNY so I am glad to see the suggestions for different liquids esp. Salas for the liquid bean soup.

Sugar alcohols were ok in moderation but wow can they stall weight loss. Bummer

Thanks @indieflickers. I'm still learning my way, but closely monitoring weight, food and (occasional) alcohol is part of the process. I'm 63, retired, 36 years married, and virtually all our social life involves some alcohol consumption. Prior to WLS, I'd drive my wife crazy by "just saying no" to invitations to socialize where food and alcohol would be preeminent. I think my forced abstinence built an inner anger. You know, "it's not fair that I can't go out on a Tuesday night, when my skinny friends have a beer at lunch." Now, with my tiny stomach, I can socialize more while eating/drinking far less (understand, I'm talking about once a week, rather that once a month.) I've been on this site for almost a year and have come to the conclusion that there are many troubled souls here. Well meaning "newbies" report observations, ask veterans if they've had similar experiences, or just make light hearted comments and people jump all over them like they're stupid, lying, or just born losers! Kinda sad, but after suffering though the way society treats obesity, it is totally understandable.

Sorry, Penni, but Erin deserves every apple that bonks her in the head. And then some. Not only have I talked to her like an adult, but I have begged borrowed and tried reasoning with her. I've warned her, I've talked more, I've asked, I even cut deals with her. YES SHE DOES offer me pizza. She walks into MY OFFICE with plates of steaming food, tantalizing and taunting me. She was in here last week arguing with me because she wanted me to try some chocolate candy corn. I told her several times that I hate the crap, then she sent me e-mails telling me how much better the chocolate ones are, and she even sent me the ingredient list of sugar & cocoa. She walks into MY OFFICE with her Coke in the left hand, and one for me in the right after I've begged her not to. I told her I have an addiction, and it's no different than a cocaine addict. I've "talked" to her 50 times and said I don't care what she eats in this office, as long as she keeps it out of MY office. She can cook a buffet of nachos and caramel corn in the kitchen because it's not my business. Anyone can eat or drink whatever they want here, WHENEVER they want, but nobody needs to bring cocaine to a clean addict. And thanks (up there) for the suggestion, but I alreayd have an industrial strength can of Apple Lysol at my desk that I spray every time she leaves the kitchen. Everyone here is right and has been extremely helpful, so please don't stop with the great suggestions. I can't drink soda or eat when I'm laughing. People that are threatened by my success will try to bring me down. I've asked her to join me in healthier eating. I've asked her to invite me for a walk. I cut a deal with her that "Erin, if you promise not to talk about food with me, or bring me menus, or bring food in my office, or offer me Cokes, or tempt or tantalize me, then I will treat you to lunch once a month, and during lunch you can tell me all your fabulous food finds and recipes." She agreed, but then rang my line at 9:00 the next morning to tell me about the new buffet around the corner. I'm starving right now because I'm back on track, but I can hold out till lunch or I'll go over my daily calories. I don't need visions of buffets or cheese, thank you. That's mean and torture. Finally one day she spilled her plate of dinner and Coke all down the front of her all over our company documents during a morning meeting in my attorney's office. I was horrified for her and figured the embarrassment of that scene would teach her a lesson. I told her at least 30 times to keep food, menus, Cokes, suggestions, temptations, etc. out of MY office (NOT THE WHOLE COMPANY.) I close my door, but that makes me look like a stuck up bitch because I believe in an open door policy. People are afraid to come to me when my door is closed because I only close it for emergencies. After all that, she marched in here with a plate of Cookies that she knows are my favorite (fresh extra-baked sugar cookies, hint hint.) That was the last straw - she wanted me to smell them. I snapped and started screaming like a raving bitch and said I was going nailing a cup to my door and she had to put a dollar in it for every time she mentioned food near me, brought food past MY door, drank Coke in MY office, had food, candy, menus or temptations directed at me. It got damn ugly that day, and she finally learned her lesson. But it only lasted a couple days, because she's back to handing me new menus and talking to me about recipes, restaurants, cheeses... it's insane. I stopped having lunch with her at regular lunch time because she thinks it opens the door for us to discuss food all day. As far as lodging a harassment complaint, trust me, I've talked to both the managing partner and the office manager. The sad part is that she's a wonderful person, but now her year-end raise will be affected because there's a section of our review about respecting co-workers. She's been making her dinners in the kitchen then bringing them to her desk lately, so they must have talked to her. I spray Lysol when she's done (she's in the kitchen right this second preparing dinenr at 10:00.) But she still offers candy, and last week she asked if I wanted a Subway (she knows it's my weakness) AFTER I TOLD HER I BROUGHT TUNA AND VEGGIES AND NEEDED TO GET BACK ON TRACK. Then she says five times, "are you sure?" Then she stand with her purse and keys in my doorway, "Are you sure? last chance?" It's friggen weird. The look on my face alone would scare the hell out of me. Nobody needs to defend her or her actions. If I were a heroine addict or an alcoholic and someone was tempting me with drugs or booze it would be completely intolerable. She doesn't need anyone defending her, she knows exactly what she's doing. If throwing apples at her coconut will stop her, then PLEASE don't stop with the suggestions. It's not about Erin, it's about ME AND MY ADDICTIONS. I have made it through two days with NO SODA because of this thread. I resepect Erin as a "friendly co-worker," which is why this problem is ultra sensitive. By complaining to management, I screwed a friend. I could make a huge stink about it, but I'm not the drama queen most people think I am. I fight my own battles. I'm 43 years old and don't go running to management when co-workers misbehave, I just throw fruit at them. I'm not going to throw anything at anybody, but these suggestions bring humor to an extremely ugly problem in my world. All these suggestions of shaking up soda cans and throwing apples at her have kept me strong for two days. I haven't had a soda in TWO DAYS because of this thread. Can we make it three? BRING IT ON! More suggestions please. I can't drink soda while I'm laughing.

Thanks so much guys, today was better. No binge today, I did have a snickers, but I will say that is the only candy I have eaten today and after the past couple of days just that alone is a jumping a big hurdle for me. I still have not eaten over 1000 calories today, so that makes me feel better too. I will have to go cold turkey and I wish I could automatically get that feeling you have after you have done the Atkins for 2 weeks and you don't crave anything, let alone want anything to eat and yet you have massive amounts of energy. Damn that Atkins for working so well when you actually stick to it! HA! I'm at least in better spirits today and also realized it is PMS time so that could be the fire behind some of the madness and uncontrollable everything!! I know the peanut butter cups should be considered and taxed like cigarettes and alcohol, but that wouldn't stop me either way. Self control is coming back, it just took the horse and buggy instead of the Astin Martin...hopefully I can grab hold soon and stay off of sugar for a while. I bought the carnation choco breakfast drinks, so I will try them in the morn and see if that curbs my addiction any. Good luck everyone and thanks for the support!!

The bariatric foodie just reviewed Quest bars .. If you have FB you can like her page. They do have sugar alcohol called something else I can't remember but anyway wanted to let you know thaf date of surgery 02/21/12 surgery weight 340 lbs. current weight 146 lbs