A thread for super-sized bandsters - starting BMI over 50?

[losingjusme 12]

dezadoo,

that's an awesome story!!! :biggrin1:

[Teresita 0]

"what is that?" when i told him it was my hip bone he seemed surprised! i'm not sure if that is a good story or a bad story?!?!

I agree good story. That was a good thing, I'm excited about my bones also. LOL:) I'm excited about my collar bones coming through the fat. :clap2: :clap2:

[dezadoo 0]

hi all! down 9 lbs from my last checkup 2 mos ago, not much but better than nuthin! only 2 weeks until christmas!

my christmas goal...10 lbs more! wishful thinking?

[losingjusme 12]

dezadoo,

i will join you in your 10 lbs by Christmas challenge!!

[Cat804 0]

I finally found a clinic that will do my surgery. I went to the seminar last night and asked "the question" about cut off weight for lap band and the doctor looked at me like I was nuts. Said each case was indiviual and he had only one patient who couldn't have the lap band because of his size and his bmi was 75. I'm jazzed!

So today I went to my GP and we talked about all of it again. He is going to rush my paperwork to the clinic and even help me out by going ahead and scheduling me a stress test for next week. I know it will take a while to get everything okayed...but I'm seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

Oh, and all this time spent here on LBT must help. I had also lost 7 lbs in less than a month.

hugs to you all...cat :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

[Teresita 0]

Cat804 that is wonderful. Good Luck and keep us posted. Eeyore still doesn't look happy though.

I'm scared to say I want to lose 10 pounds by Christmas. I only have 2 more weigh ins this year. 12.12 and 12.19. My next weigh in will be 1.2. I have not been exercising or eating very well this week so I will set a goal for my 1.2 weigh in....15 pounds that would put me at 365.

[Zannie 6]

Hi! I’m 32 & an unbanded stay-at-home mother of 2 with a BMI of 57.6, which means I have 179 pounds to loose (Ha!) before I’d be a healthy BMI. I’ve lurked this board for quite a while now, knowing I could not afford to self-pay & accepting that my insurance has an exclusion policy for WLS. But I’ve just been given a wonderful Christmas present by my parents & grandmother!!! They’re going to pay for the LapBand!!!! :clap2: I am in such shock… Anyhow! Now that this is reality rather than a pipe dream (as it has been for 5 years!), I will ask the burning question: What do y'all eat NOW?!?

I’m not so worried about the early post-op time because that is when the doc & other support will be guiding me through this huge change. Those of you who are successful, what does an average day of food look like in the 6-months post-op range if you were to keep a food journal? And what about in the year+ post-op stage? I keep hearing it’s an egg-worth of food per-meal in the early-filled stage. But what does that MEAN on a plate? :girl_hug: And at some point down the line it becomes a cup of food…when is that, what is that? :xena_banana: :girl_hug:

Will it always be Protein powder shakes for Mommy or do healthy choices from average foods that I will continue to fix for my family become an option at some point? I can’t imagine eating ‘regular foods’ further down the line when the weight is nearly & then finally off. I can’t picture eating out, for example. And what did you EAT for Thanksgiving…?:hungry:

I cannot believe this is really going to happen!! I’ve been to 4 informational seminars & lurk around a handful of Lap-Band sites, always knowing I was a big fraud because this wasn’t an option financially. And now…:wow2: I just need to call for an appointment to get the ball rolling! Wish me luck!

[dezadoo 0]

congrats, zannie!!!

what a supportive family you have and you know they will continue to help you for sure! for thanksgiving i ate 1 sm pice of turkey a spoonful of green bean casserole, a spoonful of squash, and some stuffing. i had a very small sliver of pumpkin pie with fatfree cool whip for dessert but it was a while after dinner. i just had my 4 month check up and my doc reminded me that my meals should be about 1/4 cup or so since that is how big my tummy is. it's not too bad. i am a snacker and am trying to curb that habit. look to your clinics psych staff for counseling, it helps. my clinic;s counselor is a loon but i am looking for someone else. you can eat reg foods about 2 mos after sx. good luck!

[misschrissie67 0]

Congrats to you! :clap2: My insurance had a WLS exclusion also and if it had not been for my fiance stepping up and paying for my banding, I could not have had it done. I am now 11 days out and doing great. I do keep a food diary so I can easily add up how much Protein and Water I have had :xena_banana: . But they say, eventually it will become second nature. In a few months I can eat whatever anyone else does (but don't think I will want to go back to my bad habits of junk food). We have been out to eat a couple of time since my surgery. At first I just ordered a cup of Soup (and you would be surprised how much better soup tastes in a restaurant, I guess just like everything else does when you don't have to do the work or cleanup:Banane28:). Two days ago we went to Red Lobster, my fiance and I shared a cup of chowder, and then I ordered the 1/2 order of broiled Tilapia and mashed potatoes. I ate about 2 ounces of the Tilapia a few bites of mashed potatoes and left the vegetables. I took the rest home in a doggy bag. It's really not as hard as I thought eating out would be. Good luck on your journey. :gluck:

[DeltaDawn 0]

Hi Zannie,

Congrats on having a family that is willing to support you!!! That is such a big step.

For, me, 8 months banded, I eat anything I want, but in small amounts. This morning I had 1/2 a Breakfast sausage and 1/2 a pancake ( a small dollar size one in 1/2) and 1/3 a cupo of no fat yogurt. For lunch I had 1 cup of Tomato Soup (mixed with water) and some salad. I also had a small cookie mid day.

That is how I am. I eat out a lot (I travel for work) so right away I cut my meal in half and usually don't finish that.

Good luck to you!!!! You'll do it!!!

Dawn

Banded April 4th

Montreal

358 (starting)

219 current

180 (goal)

[Wheetsin 714]

I'll put my answers in blue so they stand out.

I’m not so worried about the early post-op time because that is when the doc & other support will be guiding me through this huge change. Those of you who are successful, what does an average day of food look like in the 6-months post-op range if you were to keep a food journal?

I would consider myself successful, but please don't necessarily think you should model your intake after mine. I lost my appetite 2 days pre-op, and it never came back. Eating is now a chore for me, and unless I'm really hungry I have to do something to remind me to go get food (lately I've been putting reminders on my calendar at work).

So for me 6 months post-op, a day's worth of eating would look something like this:

Breakfast: don't eat it 99% of the time, but on the rare occasion I do, a half of an over hard egg, or a half container of low carb yogurt.

Lunch: about 25 turkey pepperoni chips microwaved until crunchy w/ some garden vegetable cream cheese OR about 2 pieces of deli meat with a few spoons of cottage cheese OR a small lunchable (the ones that have 6 or 8 crackers, slices of meat, and cheese) OR 1/3 to 1/2 of a Chipotle bol with no rice and extra black Beans.

Dinner: One or two chicken tenders and a spoon of vegetable OR a half a piece of fish and a small salad OR 2 fat free hot dogs w/ mustard OR two slices of prepared tofu.

I'm normally not hungry enough to need Snacks, but when I need a little something I usually have a Protein shake made with low-carb 2% milk, powder, and flavoring - a scoop of Peanut Butter, a splash of SF DaVinci, etc. If I don't have a Protein Drink for snack, I will have a 100 calorie pack of Oreo or chips Ahoy, or Nutter Butter.

I should restate that a little. 95% of the time I have a double-scoop Protein Drink at least once a day, just to make sure I get the Protein in, regardless of whether or not I snack.

And what about in the year+ post-op stage? I keep hearing it’s an egg-worth of food per-meal in the early-filled stage. But what does that MEAN on a plate? And at some point down the line it becomes a cup of food…when is that, what is that?

All of this "egg size", "cup size" -- you're taking it too literally. Everyone is able to eat different amounts of food. Generally I reach the point of "no longer hungry" after 2 or 3 bites, and could stop then & be satisifed. Sometimes I may eat half of my meal - though rarely.

Will it always be Protein Powder shakes for Mommy or do healthy choices from average foods that I will continue to fix for my family become an option at some point?

I opt for the Protein Shakes because I enjoy them and they become my "treat", but I know several people who haven't touched one since about 3 weeks post-op. If you're able to eat enough food to get your protein requirements, then go that route. You just have to make good choices. Fish is one of the best protein sources, especially when you compare nutrient ratios. And different fish have different amounts. Whitefish tends to have more than others. Regular tuna has more protein than the premium/albacore tuna. I eat the turkey pepperoni because it has massive amounts of protein, virtually no fat once I get it crunchy, goes down well, and is perfect when I'm jonesing for something crunchy.

I can’t imagine eating ‘regular foods’ further down the line when the weight is nearly & then finally off. I can’t picture eating out, for example. And what did you EAT for Thanksgiving…?:hungry:

I eat out all the time. Why can't you imagine it? Hubby is not one to share his entree, so when we go out I'll typically order a regular entree or an appetizer, depending on what sounds good. If I get a regular entree, I tell them to bring me a box when they bring me the food. When the food arrives I'll eyeball out my dinner portion, and then immediately box everything else up. This keeps me from "picking" at my food once I've eaten my meal. If it's something I won't be taking home, when I've eaten enough I'll press my napkin over/into the leftovers.

[bluehill 0]

I am proud to say that I have achieved a significant milestone in my weight-loss trip, namely, my BMI has dropped below 40.

I AM NO LONGER MORBIDLY OBESE!!!

[losingjusme 12]

bluehill

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

[Wheetsin 714]

I always hated pictures at my high weight. For several reasons. One of which was my face - I couldn't stand that it disappeared into this puffy ball of fat. DH and I took some photos the other night and I realized - my face! It's starting to come back!

Pre-op & post-op (just the other night):

[lifelongband 0]

WOW! Congratulations! What a wonderful NSV!!