Is it what you eat or how much?

[judych 225]

After reading hundreds of posts over the last few weeks, I think I've come to the conclusion that everyone is different. Whether it's calorie intake or exercise, low carb or low calorie, eating healthy or eating what you want, everyone is unique.

I almost can't stand the suspense of finding out how it's going to be for me. I have read stories of people urking over a sip of Water, and people in a panic because they are always hungry. I have surgery in 9 days, and the only thing I've really learned is that I have to find out how this is going to work on my own body.

I know I have determination, my willpower has never been higher, and my monthly weight loss goals are achievable (10 lbs/mo). Plus I have the support of all of you when I have questions. That's the best comfort of all.

Carlene

thanks for this Carlene... i agree with you all the way. I dont want to be ''blinded'' by the science of it all, but i need to find out what works for me. REading posts like yours helps my will power to remain high as well. this is a great forum.

[habbaspilaw1 1]

Every one here is talking about only taking 4-5 bites of something but no one is talking about how big of bites you are talking whether its a normal teaspoon size or smaller like a baby spoon size?

[yvonne74 73]

Ugh, this topic is something that my dietician and Dr disagree on all the time! He says no matter what only 1/2 cup (Absolutely no more!!). However, my dietician tells us eat as much as you want as long as you are making healthy choices and eating less than you did before band.

[judych 225]

I was banded on April 9th, 2011. I read your post above and im very interested in asking you what would you suggest for me to consume in daily calories, how many Protein grams per day and the minimundaily amount of workout. I had my surgery in Mexico and i dont have a nutritionist and i want advise and guidance from some one that has been very successful in the weight loss. Please help with some guidance.

im in the same 'boat'' only my problem is that i have arthritis in my hips. after my surgery my feet, ankles and knees responded beautifully. So did my pelvis. now, after two weeks post op, my pelvis/hips are starting to grab me again. as a result im finding it harder to do the walking that i know i should be doing. im still on fluids with some solids introduced, but still Soup. What can you suggest for me? initially a great weight loss.. about 13 lbs. most of that was unhealthy Fluid. Im wondering if there are any really good books out there to buy that arent too complex to understand?? im going to have to learn how to ''tweek' my metabolism without the heavy workouts. by the way, im nowhere near any gyms. apart from swimming and walking i have nothing. two artificial knee joints does make things a bit harder. So.. do you know of any good books ??... any info appreciated very much.

[zingalon 0]

Now i am on dieting and i eat vegetable salad.< /p>

[judych 225]

Every one here is talking about only taking 4-5 bites of something but no one is talking about how big of bites you are talking whether its a normal teaspoon size or smaller like a baby spoon size?

the size should be the size of the fingernail on your little finger. This appears to be the rule for all solids.. and then chew, chew chew.

[bambam31 168]

I did ease into a strict diet by making slow changes, and I still have a soda per day, which keeps me from feeling deprived.

Full octane soda or diet??? Full octane = Bah!!!!!!

[bambam31 168]

Ugh, this topic is something that my dietician and Dr disagree on all the time! He says no matter what only 1/2 cup (Absolutely no more!!). However, my dietician tells us eat as much as you want as long as you are making healthy choices and eating less than you did before band.

Both are just way too simple of answers IMO... It's not just volume nor quality... ITS BOTH - and a whole pile of other factors... But the bottom line: Intake Vs. Export...

[judych 225]

I got my lap band April 23rd, 2010. So far I've had 1 fill, 4cc's, and I've lost 22lbs.

So far I've basically been eating most of the same foods that I ate before the lap band, except for breads and meats that aren't ground (such as steak or pork chops) because those things get stuck and hurt me!

I think that I'm losing weight simply because I'm eating far less than I did before, and what I'm wondering is if anyone has had long term success this way....or am I just kidding myself?

I'm waiting for the idea of a nutritional, structured diet to kick in with me, but so far it hasn't. Before I got the lap band, I thought eating a healthy diet would be easy because I wouldn't be hungry...but I am still hungry. It doesn't take much to fill me up, but the craving for the "old" food is still there in a much bigger way than I thought it would be.

Will this pass? Am I still just getting used to this? That's the excuse I give myself...but I need to hear from others, because I don't know what is normal.

As I read on this forum, it seems like everyone is SOOO into the nutrition part of it all, and they always eat the right things and do exactly what their doctors tell them..and I wonder if they were like that from day 1 or if it took a while for the lifestyle change to really kick in.

I would appreciate any input on this, I want to really know what everyone's experience was in the first 3-6 months..

Thanks,

Debora

Debora... i can assure you, im not doing all the right things with my diet yet... im post op four weeks. i havent had a fill yet and my appetite is getting to be a worry for me. the colder weather is setting in here and my appetite always spikes now . i know that there is emotional hunger as well as physical hunger. im not sure just how much of what im experiencing right now but whatever it is, its giving me problems. i cant wait for my first fill. i wonder what i will be like after that? without the fill i do experience some restriction, no doubt about that. ive come close to being stuck a few times but managed to get out of it. I havent lost any weight for a week now. i havent gained either but i may start to if i cant stop eating more than im supposed to. i am supposed to have 100 cals per day.

[judych 225]

Debora... i can assure you, im not doing all the right things with my diet yet... im post op four weeks. i havent had a fill yet and my appetite is getting to be a worry for me. the colder weather is setting in here and my appetite always spikes now . i know that there is emotional hunger as well as physical hunger. im not sure just how much of what im experiencing right now but whatever it is, its giving me problems. i cant wait for my first fill. i wonder what i will be like after that? without the fill i do experience some restriction, no doubt about that. ive come close to being stuck a few times but managed to get out of it. I havent lost any weight for a week now. i havent gained either but i may start to if i cant stop eating more than im supposed to. i am supposed to have 100 cals per day.

1000 calories a day...correction. judych

[says_simon 10]

This thread has convinced me to make an extra effort to exercise every day. I want to be one of the successful bandsters who lose all of their excess weight. Because of my situation, I can only walk. But I can walk for an hour, even with intense pain in my legs. That's a good start, right?

[bambam31 168]

@says_simon... Any exercise is better than none. Start out doing what you can and increase intensity - not necessarily duration - if/when it becomes easier... The most important thing is that you are continually increasing the challenge. If your lower body limits you, try to do as much upper body work as you can to fill the gap.

Brad

[judych 225]

This thread has convinced me to make an extra effort to exercise every day. I want to be one of the successful bandsters who lose all of their excess weight. Because of my situation, I can only walk. But I can walk for an hour, even with intense pain in my legs. That's a good start, right?

says simon... you are so right. im the same with pain in my lower body, my legs arent good either. Like you i want to be able to get rid of every bit of excess weight that my dr and i discussed before surgery. i still need to lose about 75 lbs. im still hoping to go swimming but havent been able to organize that yet. whatever i do i need to keep expanding my exercise routine as well. at the moment im not doing that.

[smilinginside 16]

Sorry... I am way behind on LBT... Life sure gets busy...

Interesting information if you research fat loss and leptin levels. That "cheat" meal or day (depending on where you are in the journey) will replenish leptin and help keep your body burning fat. Continuous low calorie approaches crash leptin levels. Once again... how many people do we encounter here who eat 800 - 1200 calories a day but the fat loss stalls... It's not a secret why, but breaking out of that cycle is very hard pschologically because what it takes seems self defeating (eating carb rich food).

Anyway... For me anything above 3000 calories is a high calorie day. For awhile now I've been eating 3 days low calorie (for me about 1500-2000) followed by a recovery day (3000+) BUT... I workout religiously... If you try this without sufficient exercise - you'll induce disaster. But quite honestly if you try to do this journey without sufficient exercise, you'll never get even remotely close to your maximum potential.

Good Luck! Brad

What do you consider is Sufficient Excersize how do you know you are working out enough?

[bambam31 168]

I prefer 4-6 days of cardio ... about 40 minutes a session, while continually challenging yourself. As things get easier - up the intensity - but no need to increase the duration. If you're exercising hard enough then 40 minutes is plenty and your muscles need time for recovery. Add in 1-2 full body strength training sessions a week and you should be good... I highly recommend a heart rate monitor to be certain your exercise is of sufficient intensity and allows you to more accurately track calories burned.

Brad