Hey 50 & over gang We have a new spot

[Great2BThin 5]

Thanks Long

I haven't been eating slider foods. Breakfast is usually scrambled eggs or oatmeal. lunch is a salad with some chicken in it or a baked yam w/sugar free Syrup and cinnamon, an apple, a few rice cakes at night as a treat with a little Peanut Butter. dinner is usually chicken or a steak with vegs and salad. Sometimes a sugar free pudding or some almonds, that I bake in the oven with splenda and cinnamon (gives them a nice taste) That's pretty much what I eat - I might mix it up a little but that's it! Instead of oatmeal sometimes I have cream of wheat - that also could be my dinner at times too depending on the day that I have had. It seems like the episodes of getting foods stuck are getting fewer and fewer but still no weight loss. My choices are somewhat limited but that's OK because I used to eat those same foods but just added a lot of junk with it. Oh, sometimes I will have Pasta for dinner but it is always wheat pasta, which I have been eating for years since being diagnosed with diabetes. I really don't think that I am eating too much of the wrong things but the weight just hasn't been coming off. I did keep a journal today using the old WW points criteria and got to my point range with dinner with maybe a few left for an apple or pudding this evening. What am I missing?

Thanks

Sandi

Sandi, Are these portions 1/2 cup to 1 cup per meal? This sounds like a lot of food to me. I have been a long time member of WW as well and let me tell you, if I ate all the points they said I should have I'd not be where I am now. I could've done that without surgery. I hope this doesn't sound harsh, it's not meant to be. For example, presurgery at 305 lbs I was allowed 33 points per day plus by weekly allowance so could've had even more than that. That's a minimum of 1800-1900 calories a day. Post banding, I averaged 800-1000 calories a day. Hope that is making sense. Most importantly you need your hard Protein first that should comprise 80% of that 1/2 to 1 cup serving, then if still hungry the veggies, then some of the carb. I'm just telling you what I've done and what's worked for me as to what my doc has had me do. I realize there are many different docs and opinions, but only wanted to offer what works for me since you asked. I hope you find what works best for you. BTW, I still go to WW periodically but I track on dailyplate and basically eat like their Core program (they call it something different today). And I eat no where near the points they give me.

[fluffycat 1]

I just came back from a brisk walk with my dog & cat. I haven't been exercising regularly--IDK why. I have lost about 25 lbs in 10 mos. I feel so darn good about that. Its been a long long time since I've lost that much. Sometimes 10 or so here & there--but 25 lbs. I know its not nearly what a lot of you have lost; and I expected to lose double that by now going into surgery. But do you know and have you thought about--when you lose 25 lbs from your body, your body returns the favor and responds favorably. I live in Florida and right now, in April, its in the 40's!!! I ran the garbage out to the garage; my dog & cat followed (they have fur coats) and bolted half way down the street anticipating a walk. Having spent the weekend at the Blues Festival in Jax Beach sunning myself, I followed in shorts & a thin sleeveless top. (Yes, I am feeling good about myself these days!) Whoa.. Its really cold. I actually ran! I can't run. You know, my body decided (not my head) that I can run. And I did! It felt good! That's what 25 lbs can & will do for your body. Awesome. Even though it doesn't sound like much; 25 lbs, I am going to savor every little oz, gram, whatever, that comes off my body for good. I know how depressed I have felt for way too many years now. I've been on zoloft for at least 10 yrs. Its been bringing me down--day by day. Its been 10 mos & I have not put the weight back on. (That's like an all time record for me.) The band is doing its thing (my head is still way too hard) but I'm in onederland. And every day feels better than the day before. Yes, I am going to relish each & every moment of my life going forward. My "investment" was around $8,000 (airfare to MX, surgery, etc, and 2 fills.) It is so worth the money.

[deedee16117 0]

Sandi, Are these portions 1/2 cup to 1 cup per meal? This sounds like a lot of food to me. I have been a long time member of WW as well and let me tell you, if I ate all the points they said I should have I'd not be where I am now. I could've done that without surgery. I hope this doesn't sound harsh, it's not meant to be. For example, presurgery at 305 lbs I was allowed 33 points per day plus by weekly allowance so could've had even more than that. That's a minimum of 1800-1900 calories a day. Post banding, I averaged 800-1000 calories a day. Hope that is making sense. Most importantly you need your hard Protein first that should comprise 80% of that 1/2 to 1 cup serving, then if still hungry the veggies, then some of the carb. I'm just telling you what I've done and what's worked for me as to what my doc has had me do. I realize there are many different docs and opinions, but only wanted to offer what works for me since you asked. I hope you find what works best for you. BTW, I still go to WW periodically but I track on dailyplate and basically eat like their Core program (they call it something different today). And I eat no where near the points they give me.

Long

Thanks for that input. Everyone keeps telling me I don't eat enough food and have not been getting enough calories. I tried to bump that up a little but I just can't seem to do it. WW and I have a love hate relationship I was really never successful with that either maybe this is why. I always thought "calories in calories out" and I thought I was putting out more than I was taking in still without weight loss. I really don't eat all of that food in one day it's just I don't have a lot of foods that I like and/or can eat. You asked if I eat 1/2 to 1 cup of food at a time - I really don't think so. If I have oatmeal in the am I measure that to a cup. But the hard protein I know I don't eat a cup of that. Like I said I really just lose interest I don't like it all that much no matter how it is prepared. It is rare that I can sit and eat that much hard protein. My husband will do all kinds of things to chicken to make it more appealing and it always tastes great I just ususally eat some and give the rest back to him. Poor thing, I call him "Mikey" since he gets all of my leftovers - Mikey will eat anything! Two things happened in sequence around the time my weight loss stopped. In december I had a fill - it was major so much so they had to take some out before I left because I couldn't get Water down. Then I had a really hard time with that for a month or two - seems to have let up a little. Second, they had prescribed Synthroid, which is for my thyroid - I had that refilled through a mail in place and it was supposed to be brand name and it came back generic - those are the only two things I can think of that changed. Up till then I was losing -I am exercising more now and losing nothing. The doc said he thinks I am still too tight and that's the reason I can't get in the protein. He may be right but like I said I just don't like it all that much. I am thinking of calling and I will try a small unfill as he puts it and see if that helps but I am not scheduled to see him till 5/12 - maybe I'll see if I can get in a little sooner. I don't want to get too discouraged that I really fall - I am so committed to this but getting really frustrated. Thanks for all of your help

Sandi

[Charlene K 1]

Originally Posted by Long2bThin

Sandi, Are these portions 1/2 cup to 1 cup per meal? This sounds like a lot of food to me. I have been a long time member of WW as well and let me tell you, if I ate all the points they said I should have I'd not be where I am now. I could've done that without surgery. I hope this doesn't sound harsh, it's not meant to be. For example, presurgery at 305 lbs I was allowed 33 points per day plus by weekly allowance so could've had even more than that. That's a minimum of 1800-1900 calories a day. Post banding, I averaged 800-1000 calories a day. Hope that is making sense. Most importantly you need your hard Protein first that should comprise 80% of that 1/2 to 1 cup serving, then if still hungry the veggies, then some of the carb. I'm just telling you what I've done and what's worked for me as to what my doc has had me do. I realize there are many different docs and opinions, but only wanted to offer what works for me since you asked. I hope you find what works best for you. BTW, I still go to WW periodically but I track on dailyplate and basically eat like their Core program (they call it something different today). And I eat no where near the points they give me.

Long

Thanks for the reminder of portions, calories, and Proteins.

What's up with the unfill? Reflux? I started back on pepcid last week and I am not getting stuck as much. I think it may have been due to the build up of acid and gas in my gut. Well, finally, I woke up this morning......weighed ....and I was down in lbs.

LBT Buddies...........HAVE A GREAT DAY!

[cramerk 1]

Sandy, hang in there. If you have an underactive thyroid it will make weight loss harder. Is your level of Synthynoid correct? It took my friend many months for the doctors to get the level correct. Even with the correct dosage, I imagine it will take a while for the medicine build up. How are you feeling otherwise? What about depression? I have been on antidepressants for most of my adult life and they help. However, after a while zoloft quit working and now I am on Citralpane (sp) a generic version of Lexapro. Dependant upon the amount of sun, there are times I have to up the dosage. The antidepressants really help me get moving. Good luck! K

[Apples2 19]

Good Morning Girls....

Congrats on the scale moving, Charlene!

Sorry about your reflux problem, Long. Probably the scariest thing to keep in check with the band. Pay attention to it, get an unfill and prevent problems. I have been luck with that. I have continued to take an OTC Prilosec every day since banding. Just insurance. I lived with it for soooooooooo many years and very paranoid about it. Saw my doc yesterday and he still cannot believe I have lost on the two small fills that I have had. That goes to show you that everyone is different and truly feel I am at my "sweet spot" and happy with getting hungry every couple of hours and being satisfied with my small Snacks to quench that hunger. I believe the body works better when we eat more often in smaller amounts.

OK...posted this on the "help" thread also. People have been forever asking me to post a photo. Anyone that PM's me with their email address, I will forward you a photo. How does that sound? Just have never felt comfy posting a photo worldwide.

[Elayne 0]

YaY! - 5 more days for me

One complaint

and another "YaY me!"

I started my 2 week full liquid diet 10 days ago and happily lost about 2-3 pounds daily.

Too good to be true - but - hey it's what usually happens I guess.

Now - I gained one pound 2 days in a row -

No need to alert the media of course - but still a bummer.

Probably a lot to do with Water retention and the like.

(Don't mind my rant - as I said - 5 more days until B-day.)

Here's the Yay me!

TV is a very dangerous thing.

Too many P_Z_A and my beloved chocolate commercials.

Although I forbid the "c" word in the house - I still have my baking morsels which I've been known to run for during tough times.

I resisted the urge so badly it almost hurt.

I sucked down a SF chocolate pudding instead.

I realize that I'll won't be able to "suck down" pudding - nor chomp on my other beloved pepperoni - in the coming weeks - but I was still quite proud of my behavior. :glare:

[Great2BThin 5]

Charlene,

I started having a minor issue with reflux at night so mentioned it to the nurse and she suggested a small unfill to be safe. We'll see how that goes. She took out half a cc, more than I'd have liked but if I do okay she will put part of it back in soon. It just scares me that I won't lose now, but also scares me to have reflux too. I have a lot of fill in my band (it was over 11cc's) and when she did the unfill she could tell by the way the Fluid went in the needle I was very tight, so it's probably a good thing.

Congrats on your loss!

[lompocbander 1]

YaY! - 5 more days for me

One complaint

and another "YaY me!"

I started my 2 week full liquid diet 10 days ago and happily lost about 2-3 pounds daily.

Too good to be true - but - hey it's what usually happens I guess...

WOW! I've NEVER, ever been able to lose anything like a pound a day, it's almost impossible for me to lose a pound a week on ANY diet! So, lucky YOU!!! On a 600 calorie liquid diet it took me nine months (that's 36 long weeks) to lose 35 pounds. I'd give anything to have your metabolism!!!

5 days, way to go! Good luck and best wishes! :glare:

[Charlene K 1]

Charlene,

I started having a minor issue with reflux at night so mentioned it to the nurse and she suggested a small unfill to be safe. We'll see how that goes. She took out half a cc, more than I'd have liked but if I do okay she will put part of it back in soon. It just scares me that I won't lose now, but also scares me to have reflux too. I have a lot of fill in my band (it was over 11cc's) and when she did the unfill she could tell by the way the Fluid went in the needle I was very tight, so it's probably a good thing.

Congrats on your loss!

Thanks Long..........I hope this fixes your reflux. You know I started having reflux in 1991 when I had my gallbladder out. Like I said, I am back on pepcid 40mg twice a day. It has kept me from pbing. I don't get the gas and acid buildup in my gut. Also I eat gas-x before we go out to eat. It helps alot too. Yeah, I had lost 3 and gained 3 and now this morning I had dropped 5. I hang on to weight for about 3-4 weeks then I lose just in time to go to the dr. for a fill. I think this next fill will be my last for awhile. I should be reaching a sweet spot.

[grandmax19 0]

Charlene - Boy, do I understand your plight with a scale that won't move! My body is like a tar baby with the weight, holding on to it for ever, then letting go of a couple of pounds. Even, then, it will fluctuate up and down for a while before letting go of another pound. I believe the keys to losing for me are #1 keeping a food diary so that I am completely honest about the amount of food I am eating #2 daily intense aerobic exercise that varies from week to week #3 staying in touch with other bandsters so that I continue to learn about how to optimize this tool.

Congrats on your weight loss. I, too, finally dropped another 2 pounds.

I received my 4th fill last Saturday; and, for the first 3 days afterward, it was like I had no restriction. I was beginning to wonder if I had a leak. Then, suddenly last night, my restriction kicked in. It's not as much as I would like, but it's a lot better than it was. As I'm learning, each day is a new experience with the band.

Keep on keepin' on.

Anne

[IndioGirl55 32]

Charlene - Boy, do I understand your plight with a scale that won't move! My body is like a tar baby with the weight, holding on to it for ever, then letting go of a couple of pounds. Even, then, it will fluctuate up and down for a while before letting go of another pound. I believe the keys to losing for me are #1 keeping a food diary so that I am completely honest about the amount of food I am eating #2 daily intense aerobic exercise that varies from week to week #3 staying in touch with other bandsters so that I continue to learn about how to optimize this tool.

Congrats on your weight loss. I, too, finally dropped another 2 pounds.

I received my 4th fill last Saturday; and, for the first 3 days afterward, it was like I had no restriction. I was beginning to wonder if I had a leak. Then, suddenly last night, my restriction kicked in. It's not as much as I would like, but it's a lot better than it was. As I'm learning, each day is a new experience with the band.

Keep on keepin' on.

Anne

Anne

You are right !!! those things are what is needed IMHO to make it thru this journey - and one other thing - don't look at this as diet - this is just a lifetime lifestyle change in your eating and exercise - I didn't diet - I ate healthy and I moved my body - cuz when you diet then you go back to eating "normal" you gain the weight back and wonder why - well I finally realize that my norm is what got me fat in the 1st place that and not moving..

[hollyberry8 0]

Talking about exercising. Check out the Jen Lancaster web site. (jensylvania.com) Click on books. Half way down she has a you tube of herself exercising. My oldest daughter has been reading her recent book “Such Pretty fat” Jen has a fun personality and perspective.

Holly

April exercise 5/20

Banded 1/29/09

[/img]

[Lizalee 1]

Hi old friends and new ones. Today is my 1 year bandiversary! I just had to put up with the slow internet dial up service tonight that keeps me off this site most days, and say HI!

The last time I posted, a couple months ago- I was struggling to get back on track. Unfortunately, I just haven't done that. In fact, gasp, I've gained about 3 or 4 pounds.

But, today, once again, I'm starting over. I'm seeing my surgeon next week and getting an little unfill. I kept thinking that time would loosen things up - but since my last fill in November, I've been having problems with PB's, and getting food stuck. It's getting worse, which I'm sure is irritation of the tissues. I was afraid to get an unfill - thought that keeping it tight would help me loose weight. But the oopposite has been true. Restrospectively, I can see that the past 4 months have been getting worse, and being too tight might be part of the problem.

I agree wholeheartedly with the post above - logging food daily, keeping in touch, and exercise are the keys. Since we moved, I've been unable to keep on this site and log my food the way I had been. Dial up internet is a big factor -- it takes a full minute for pages to load, etc., and I've been busier now being on the farm/taking care of the horses and driving longer to get home, etc. Also working longer hours because work has been so very busy. There just isn't the time to spend on this web site. :-( When it's decent outside, I liek to go out instead of sitting here typing.

I'm hoping that the unfill will help me eat healthier foods, since the slider foods I've been eating (and craving) go down easy, but the meats, vegetables, fruits and low-cal foods get stuck way too easily. I wanted restriction - but think that its just a little too much.

I'm planing a big veggie garden this year, and want to be able to enjoy the fresh produce. Right now, I can eat cooked carrots, but things like fresh asparagus, sugar snap peas, even Beans or broccoli are too fibrous and get stuck. Meats have to be really tender. Some mornings I can't get Water down easily. So, we'll see if this helps.

Ulitmately, It's up to me to make better choices and get back on track. It's a battle -- I am a stress eater, and eating sweets (or anything) is my self-comfort. While life at home is great, work is stressful and I find the busier I am, and the more the work piles up on my desk, the more I just want to fill my face. I know this, but play the mind games and always rationalize it "one more time."

As many people have said over the past year + that I was on this site, it's a daily battle and we just have to keep with it. I've been fighting against my band, and it does it's job only as long as I do my job.

Having complained about my struggles over the past 5 month, I have to say that I'm happier than ever otherwise. Even though I've not met my goal and finished my journey YET, life has changed SO much in the past year, and I can hardly remember how awful I felt when I weighed nearly 340 pounds!

Each morning I carry two jugs of about 6 gallons each out to the barn for the horses. They are HEAVY! And each time I do it, I think to myself - I carried more than this every step of every day. No wonder I always was tired! No wonder I could never imagine exercising! NO wonder taking the stair was a herculean effort! I'm still far from goal, but I always walk up the stairs = to the 5th floor even, where I work. I can RUN up the stairs at home. I can run! (well, still a bit floppy!) I go swimming for aerobics x 2 a week. AND - my biggest achievement - I actually rode one of our horses around the farm. This was my lifelong childhood dream - to have a horse, and just ride around any where I wanted to. I did it a couple weeks ago! :-) Life is good!

My goal now is to loose 40 pounds before my son's wedding Sept 5th. Say a prayer for me fellow bandsters. I think once I get started and off the sugary carbs, I will do OK now that the weather is warming up and it's easier to get outside.(it was almost 50 today...our snow is almost gone! seriously! There are still spots of snow in ditches and north sides of woods and stuff up here, and we still have frost in the ground in the shady spots. ) We have more work to do, fences to put up, burdocks to cut out (we've done a lot already). Then there will be the garden to plant, and the list goes on. I love Spring, Summer, and Fall!

I am trying to log my foods now at work - we;ll see how that goes. I can use paper, but love the internet based programs because I don't have to look up the calories.

Hope you all are doing well!

[Charlene K 1]

CONGRATS! LIZALEE......You will make that 40lb goal. I am so happy for you.