BANDSTERS~! Question about your losses?

[kellyjoiii 19]

Ok, I know, I know, slow and steady win the race. I am so ready for a fill, some days I am hungry all day and some days I am not. Maybe it is because I am having softer foods on some days and it empties faster? Here is my question. I was banded on the 29th. I am down 14lbs (YEA ME) but I was wonder how many of you eat. Do you do high protein/low carbs(south beach), High protein/no carbs(atkins), WW, what are some of you doing? It is such a curve in figuring out how to maximize my weightloss. I know I am not going to lose 85lbs in the first three months, but alas, like I said, I want to try to maximize my weightloss. I am going to the gym today (trying to get into that habit is so hard, when you have been so lazy for so long). HELP. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

K:blushing:

[Katy517 1]

I'm not eating solids yet, but will start soon - two days after my first fill on 5/26. My plan is to eat mostly lean Proteins and complex carbohydrates. Both are required for good health in addition to good fats in moderation. Without adequate carbs our bodies will use up the Protein to fuel our energy levels rather than to build muscle, etc. as it is intended to do. I'm definitely of the belief that both are required. My nutritionist suggests eating Protein first to ensure I get enough and I'll do that.

I think the key is to choose wisely - good Proteins like fish, eggs and maybe chicken along with complex carbs like vegetables, whole grains and fruits. I really aim to steer clear of processed foods and simple carbs.

[Momto3redheads 18]

I am over a year out....but I can pretty much eat anything except bread. I have had two fills, so the quanity I can eat is limited...but I find that I mostly crave Protein when I get hungry, so I try and stick to mostly Protein stuff. I eat yogurt, string cheese, smoothies, am addicted to Wendy's chili, chick fil a nuggets....as I have kids sometimes I have to be creative when we are out and about - so eating the meat and cheese off a small cheeseburger is a good alternative at places like mcdonalds - tho I love their fruit parfait, too!

You will quickly find what you can and cannot eat....go slowly and don't stress too much....make sure to get in enough protein and take your vitamins!

Good luck on your journey! :thumbup:

Kim

[Fern 0]

Don't be surprised if you plateau and it takes a few fills to kick the band into action. Everyone is different and bandster hell can take months. My Surg. recommends 100g Protein (impossible) post fill. I'm waiting for my second fill and since returning to solid foods post op I've barely lost a few pounds and have been doing everything I can to loose. It's willpower and work... and not the same for everyone.

[BetsyB 9]

Just to split hairs a little, South Beach is neither high Protein nor low-carb. It's well-balanced, protein-adequate, and carb-conscious--but mostly in the sense that it advocates choosing the right carbs. After Phase 1, they are permitted in quantities that push the diet out of low-carb realm.

It's the way I aspire to eating---because I really do believe it's the way our bodies are meant to be fed. But it's not for me yet. With finite stomach space, I need to bump up the Protein and knock down the carbs. (My body has plenty of stored energy, so I don't need the carbs for that, and my nutrient needs are well met, otherwise.)

During the ongoing weight loss phase, I eat very low calorie, high-protein, low-carb. If you were to pare the fat out of Atkins--or bump the protein up on South Beach Phase 1, I guess that's pretty much what I do. I take in 800-1000 calories/day, with 100+ grams of protein, usually 35-50-ish net grams of carb (from veggie sources), and a real eye to keeping my fat intake at <20-30% of calories (with sat fat as <7% of total calories, as per the American Heart Association).

I've taken the diet recommended by my doctor and bumped up the protein a bit (because I exercise a lot, I add 2 protein supplements/day)---and my rate of loss has been really good. (Though I'm only now starting to approach restriction--hopefully tomorrow's fill will take me there!--I have lost nearly 45 pounds in the 4 months since banding.)

My doctor's rationale is that committing to a good year of eating low carb gets you to goal--after which you have a lifetime to finesse/add healthy carbs back/learn to maintain healthfully.

Without adequate carbs our bodies will use up the protein to fuel our energy levels rather than to build muscle, etc. as it is intended to do.

This is not quite correct. Bodies that have fat stores have more than adequate energy---and do not require the energy from carbohydrate for good health. Protein is still used for cell building, maintenance, and repair. Stored body fat is used for energy--and that is the whole point of being banded and changing eating patterns.

On the other hand, we do require a broad array of nutrients, so if we pare carbs down, we have to be sure that we are getting, from another source, the nutrients that we might be missing out on if we limit certain foods.

This is not to say that your new way of eating won't have room for complex carbs; for most people, there's no real reason to pare them out. Some of us do better when we limit grains--not just in terms of weight loss, but because grain-based foods can be tricky, band-wise. If you don't have these difficulties, certainly incorporate them into your diet; I look forward to incorporating them further down the road, if my body is cooperative.

Tracking your intake using a program like Fitday.com (it's free!) can show you where you need to bump up micronutrients (vitamins, minerals) you might miss out on by limiting grains.

Edited May 18, 2010 by BetsyB

[Fern 0]

I agree with Betsy B!

I'm a vegetarian so Protein is way important for me to get daily.

[pipedoc 0]

I was banded Oct.07,2009 down 92lbs post surgery and 107 total. I found if I stick to protien mostly the band works for me. I do not restrict myself from anything. If I want chocolate I eat it, if I want cheesecake I eat it. Thing is I try REAL hard to limit my portion to a very small one. Often if I feel the need for candy a 25cent candy works instead of the $1.29 candy bar. it is not what I eat that made me 5'7", and 312lbs it's how much of each item I eat. Do not deprive yourself, but you must learn Portion Control. Worx 4 me so far!:w00t:

[kellyjoiii 19]

I just want to start off saying Thank You for all of your posts, especially yours Betsy. You are so informative, and a big contributor to all of the threads. I welcome the gentle reminder about South beach and Atkins. I remember doing atkins a long time ago and eating a lb of bacon for Breakfast (I know, not the correct way at all) and learning to lower my calories with the Protein intake still being high. And complex carbs are the only kind of carbs I eat now. Higher amounts of protein help me, and I am trying my best to stick to it. So far it is working and I am down 15lbs in 19 days. I go for my first fill on the 2nd of June ( I am in what ya'll call bandster hell?...is that correct?) I can't wait for more restriction. It is a learning curve, I know. One day at a time.

Agian, THANK YOU.:w00t:

[BetsyB 9]

Yep, you're right in the midst of bandster hell. And it is SO hard!

It gets lots and lots easier--I promise. Hang in there---it really is worth it.