October 2006 Bandsters!

[threebeauties 0]

Gottaluvave - Am I reading that right, have you lost 48 lbs since Oct????

If so, you are not doing anything wrong at all!!!!!!!!!

Sounds like a plateau which is totally normal after losing that much, way to go!!!

As much as this sucks to hear, I think you have to work through it. Maybe change up the workouts, alternate calories higher and lower for a while and most of all, be patient.

I know it sucks to work so hard and not see the scale move but I bet your body is getting smaller even if the scale doesn't show it.

Good luck, you are doing awesome!!!!

[54Shirley 105]

I'm not a Dr.,So I can only give 2 cents worth. Before I even had surgery, they had me on 1200 calories a day. Post op has been between700-1000

calories a day. "I hang around 850-1000." I average about 6Lbs. a month.

If youre working out, and still stuck! I would cut back on the calories some. That might help. Take in less thean you burn off, then the body goes to it's reserve tank for more calories. You loose weight. Keep your Vitamins up though, you don't want to get run down... Shirley...

You go for it!:clap2: :clap2:

[soniacan 0]

ah mondays. Hope you guys are having a good day!

did we already have the how many calories a day do you shoot for discussion? are you counting your calories?

I've been right under 1200 and still dont know if thats good or why my weight loss is still only about a pound a week. the info book i got says 1000-1200 and today thats seeming like a big window,

sure i didnt make the best dinner choice tonight - some cchedder cheese, ritz crackers and a glass of wine. i was much too pooped to think further than that. I think at one point today at work I could actually feel my soul being sucked out! teeehee... gotta love mondays....

[gottaluvave 1]

Ladies - you have helped alot - and Three Beauties, you are sweet, but my 48 pound loss has been since pre-op, so technically, I am only down about 36. I am not complaining, don't get me wrong...it is just that my boyfriend has been out of town for a whole month and I really busted my butt to try to lose as much as possible, and it didn't work in my favor. Maybe I have hit a plateau..

[raynie 0]

Hi guys! I know its been awhile since I posted..... heha.... but I still read this site every know and then. Hope everyone is doing well.

I just wanted to say that this band isnt what I thought it would be! Go figure I can still eat candy and junk food! And I can still gain weight! I lost a total of 32 pounds- but this past month in Jan, I dont know what the heck happened but I gained back 7! I could die! And Yes I am so pissed!! Why did I eat 2 candy bars last night? hehe no Seriously though.... I get frustrated. I feel like I am still in experimenting mode as to see what I can and can not eat! Its been fun! I have learned that I can not eat much! Except the crap food, I can eat a ton of that! I have had 1 fill, but I think I need another. I can eat a whole lean cuisine meal. No problem, as long as I chew and eat by the rules. Its weird to see my DH chow down his meal, and I cant. By the way, he is gaining cause of all the food I cant eat. Yays! hehe.... But.... I still have problems- I want to eat damnit! I feel frustrated that I cant hardly eat anything and I still cant loose the weight. Like why am I doing this? why am I going thru all this crap with not much result? I ran into a lady who had Gastric Surgery in Oct and she lost 80 pounds! As we were chatting and my DH was near me, I wanted to shut down inside and cry! I felt like the biggest looser! I felt so embarrased and ashamed! I even felt that I wanted a divorce. I just wanted to say forget everything. Like I wanted to be alone going thru this, that way If it doesnt work out then, no big deal. But I hate getting nagged by friends and family about how much I am losing.

Its like the first thing they ask me! As it is I cant even really eat anything until around 3 pm. So I have a few hours to scarf in a few hundred calories. So here is a question.... when do you stop eating? I can start eating a normal size plate of food.... if I eat like a turtle- about 45 min later I have eaten all the food! Thats why I think I need another fill. But on the other hand- my brain says no way! Like it cant handle the idea of trying to eat any less then I am already. Maybe thats why I keep eating bad crap. I know its bad- but it will go down! Sometimes I just have to feel like I can enjoy this serving of Ice Cream- but still feel so quilty. Ok Ok I will stop rambling.... *snickers* Have a good Tuesday!

~Raynie!

[raynie 0]

Ok one more question, and this one is really dumb....

So whats the fill supposed to do? Make my pouch smaller so I hold in less food and feel fuller? Or just make the opening smaller so less will go in? Cause if thats the case- I think I might end up eating more junk food. I wonder what kind of eating disorder i have! Anyone know?

Dont get me wrong though- I dont sit here and pig out all day.....

heres a daily recap=

up until 3 pm- I try and get all the liquids in I can. I will try a few spoons of a yogurt, or 100 cal pudding, or Jello.< /p>

After 3- its useally a Lean Cuisine and then later around 7pm I can eat popcorn, candy and Ice Cream. A nice size bowl of Ice Cream too. And then thats eat.

Now to me- thats a drastic decrease in food cunsumption. I used to eat fast food 3x a day! Plus the junk food and Alcohol. My cal intake before lap Band was about 6,000. Maybe even more.

So now its like, whats the normal amount that I should be happy with? I thought that Lap Band ment I should be able to eat 1/3 of my meal and be full. Or is it eat a 1/3 of calories from what you used to eat? Does anyone else seem to be having a rough time mentally with understanding that its ok to just eat such small portions? ~Raynie!

[54Shirley 105]

A lot of it depends on what, and how much you are eating. Take the 100 calorie pudding? Why not by the sugar free and it's only 60 cal.. Sorry but if it were me, well the remainder I would trash. Try a good power bar or protien shake, and add 1/2 the Water and that shake is now pudding.

How does Cookies n cream sound, or chocolate carmel swirel sound????

Not to mention the list goes on. These are protien shakes, and,, damn good ones too. I can help in this field if you want!!! Email me and we'll talk. Shirley

[~Jules~ 0]

Raynie,

The band will help you eat less, but it isn't going to stop you from eating candy bars and ice cream. You also need to get something in your body before 3 pm. Find a Protein Drink that you like and drink one of them every day. I make sugar free/fat free pudding with skim milk quite a bit. It is a wonderful treat. The fills help the band hold the food in the upper pouch longer and keep you "full" longer. Remember not to drink anything for at least an hour after you eat.

I know it is tough sometimes, but the band is a tool that we have to work. As another bandster says, the band is 70% and the other 30% is you. Sometimes I think it is the other way around, but either way we have to do our part.

Hang in there. It is soooo worth it in the long run.

[~Jules~ 0]

Also, Raynie... the bypass patient do lose really fast, but do you really want part of your stomach and intestines rerouted? With all the side effects that they have, I will take the band any day.

[54Shirley 105]

You said a mouth full Jules! I've seen patients that were 500-600 Lbs. in wheel chair, both legs amputated, "diabetic" and they don't want RNY.

Because they can't give you a idea about longevitey. These people live a miserable life, "majoritey" and once under a 100Lbs. a lot die from infection. I've got a cousin threw marriage that is for ever sick, she's under 100Lbs, but she is ASH GREY in color, and she no's she is going to die. I'm sorry people, I even apologise for my discription. I'ts just that i'ts true. So pick yourself up, dust yorself off, and start all over again. Shirley.

[BandaCat 1]

Hey Raynie,

I'm in the same boat you are! I totally feel your struggles. I can probably count the days on my fingers that I haven't PB'd since my first fill in November. So in that respect I feel that I'm definitely tight enough. However, I have been on a plateau for almost 8 weeks now. It's frustrating, some days I can barely eat and other it feels like the flood gates have opened. I had another fill at the end of December, but it hasn't made a bit of difference on the scale. I find myself resorting to junk food alot too because it's the only thing that will stay down. But now it's at the point where I've just developed some really bad habits. I don't really think I need a fill, but I definitely am not working the band right.

I've been thinking about putting myself back on only Protein Shakes for a week or two to see if I can shake things up a bit. But then I don't seem to have the willpower to stick to it.

I'm not a good bandster by any stretch of the imagination, and I know that's part of my plateau problem. But I guess I'm hitting a mental block to kick into gear and make things happen.

Anyways, I just wanted to whine and say I totally understand your feelings.

Best of luck.

Catherine

p.s. As I write this I'm struggling to drink a cup of hot tea. UGH!

[raynie 0]

Awww thanks guys for the love and support! I know that I can BE a good Bandster- Sometimes I even pretend that I am! heha..... But I really need to get my ASS to that Gym! I bet that will help me! Anyone else want to go? hehe And I have a fraking membership too! Ok and heres a secret- My DH thinksI go to the gym 3-4 times a week! Or atleast thats what I tell him! What I really go do is hang out with my friend and chain smoke for about 25 min. Thats how long I am supposed to be on that darn Treadmilll!!! lol.... I seemed to be in a sort of depression I suppose. A fear of losing weight? Its a scary feeling and alot of anxiety..... like I cant realax over weither or not this band will work, and then I go and mess it all up by the end of the day! I think I will refocus and turn things around for the better. Heres a lil story- My DH said on Sat- hey sweetie lets go to San Francisco- its about an hour away- I said "Yays!" then I thought- food, Frisco, Chinese Food! Yummy!" and then I my next thought was Oh God! I cant eat that crap! and then I was bummed out. We still went, but something was missing- a feeling. Like if I cant eat those things that makes an adventure even funner, then do I really want to do this?

I bet after I loose all my weight- it will be worth it. But I wish I knew what my eating disorder is called... rofl

Oh and I have had sf pudding- its good! Just my store didnt have any this week. Also about the Shakes- I almost been gagging drinking them- they remind me of my PB..... I cant seem to get over that. I havent tried alot- other then Slim Fast and the generic knockoff of Slim Fast called Equate Weight Loss Shake- strawberry. It seems to be less chalky tasting. So Shirley, do you have any solutions for me? HELP MEEZ!!!!

I do know that I do not yet have feelings of removing the band! I do still like it, and deep down I know it would work right if I did the right things.

Basically I needed to complain and vent.... so thanks everyone for listening to me today! Whoa... ok I better go now...

~Raynie!

[~Jules~ 0]

Raynie, vent all you need to. That is what the boards are for. If you don't like the chalky Protein Drinks, go to GNC or The Vitamin Shoppe, or somewhere like that and see what they have. There are a few brands that are clear or that mix with Water. There is even a brand that is little like in a test tube. I haven't tried it but have heard a lot about it.

Hang in there!!! We are all here for you!

[threebeauties 0]

Raynie - I would bet that most of us have had similar feelings in varying degrees. I too mourn the loss of "pleasure eating". I LOVE chinese food but know that I can't handle it.

Please let me say that as many times as my dr. told me the band is "just a tool", I too, thought I wouldn't have to work so hard.

Would a cup of tea or coffee in the a.m. help with your ability to eat in the a.m. I am a coffee drinker so I always start my day with a few cups of coffee. Around 10 I am able to ear, I usually like a Protein Bar, some are really delicious and taste like a candy bar. Special K meal Bar and South Beach bars are excellent.

Ice cream will go down no problem with tons of calories, I would try to toss it in the trash.

As far as your fill, you've only had one?? I am finally at the point where I feel full on a small portion and I've had 4 fills!

My peanut gallery advice, get a fill and eat good solids, toss the junk!

You can do it, I know you can. Don't give up on this yet. I too am still experimenting with what I can and can't eat, what will go down, what won't.

[threebeauties 0]

btw- I told you I was at a good point after 4 fills.

I STILL EAT THE ENTIRE LEAN CUISINE, yes, I even run my finger along the bottom to get all the sauce