10 days post op and EATING!

[green 6]

I was probably most frustrated about my clinic not being as supportive as I expected them to be. I wish they could have encouraged me to keep going instead of telling me "NO, stay on clear fluids only" and ending it there. But I guess that's just another excuse for what I did wrong!

But like I've said - back where I'm suppose to be.

I think it often helps to have an explanation for the post-op dietary restrictions. It is often difficult for us folk who love to eat to abide by the rules when breaking them results in no immediate damage. I speak as one who broke all the pre-op rules that my band docs laid down. Instead of trimming back on my food intake, I went on the blonde ambition farewell food tour. And I continued smoking right up until the night before Big Day. My post-op behaviour was much better, though. I did stick to the rules and lost 11 lbs before my first fill.

Anyhow, you are back on track. Congratulations! I hope you enjoy the weight loss journey as much as I did. You too, DaMomb.

[DaMomb 1]

Kudos to you Green. That is the kind of response I am talking about. Honesty (not enabling) with encouragement. I did the opposite. I did great pre op, and through Christmas no less. Never cheated, but post op I completely fell to pieces. And when you fall to pieces and break all the rules you feel like a worthless piece of $hit (excuse the language:blushing:) and like you are the only one in the world with such a pitiful lack of willpower. What happens here is you find that others have fallen to pieces too, but still went on to be successful. I needed to know that all was not lost. I was okay, and I could just go on.

So here i go.... off to "skinny land"! WOOHOO!! LOL

I can't wait to be weighed again, and I am looking forward to posting some before and after pictures. hehehhehe

But first...just to make it through the next few weeks I guess.... I am glad I am in this boat with others.

[green 6]

Thanks for the kind words, DaMomb. I see that you have already lost a bunch. This is cool. What helped me during the journey was that I didn't weigh myself too, too often. This way I had those fabulous weight loss surprises when I did jump on the scales. And I cut way back on the carbs and fats (my personal faves, eh) but ate lots of Proteins and fresh vegies. Because I am very lazy and I don't have to cook for a family, I relied on my microwave quite a bit. I ate a lot of eggs because they are lo-cal and yet rich in nutrients and I ate a lot of tuna. Stir fried vegies and eggs were another biggie. Come to think about it, I ate a lot of eggs.... lol

Anyhow, I reached goal about 10 months after banding.

[Donna113 2]

green, I am OBSESSED with the scale. I weigh when I wake up, when I use the bathroom and before I go to bed. If there was a scale at work, I'd be visiting it hourly. While on vacation during Christmas, I was practically having withdrawal symptoms because I didn't have access to a scale. I'm afraid if I don't keep a close eye on my weight, it will creep back on me. The last time I put the scale away a year prior to surgery, I put on 30 lbs. I know it wasn't because of the scale, but I feel if I had kept better tabs on the weight gain, I wouldn't have been in so much denial. This is all probably an addict's way of justifying an addiction.

[BethFromVA 5]

Everyone reacts differently to different kinds of treatment - I prefer to be supported when I'm down. I don't think too many ppl enjoy hearing the "know it alls" when they feel like shit.

But, Unsure, with all due respect, people are coming here and ASKING the "know-it-alls" for advice and if what they did was good/bad/indifferent. Those "know-it-alls," for the most part, are bandsters who have been on this journey for a lot longer than you and I.

I suggest if some people don't want to hear from the "know-it-alls," then they need not ask them questions.

And not everybody here is going to react the way every poster likes. I politely suggest that if you are not getting the form of support that speaks to you, you can talk to friends or family who know you and your specific needs. Posting to a public message board such as this is likely to get responses different from what speaks best to people.

[Unsure15 0]

Agreed, as previously stated.

[BethFromVA 5]

Agreed, as previously stated.

I read the rest of the thread just now.

[DaMomb 1]

Thanks for the kind words, DaMomb. I see that you have already lost a bunch. This is cool. What helped me during the journey was that I didn't weigh myself too, too often. This way I had those fabulous weight loss surprises when I did jump on the scales. And I cut way back on the carbs and fats (my personal faves, eh) but ate lots of Proteins and fresh vegies. Because I am very lazy and I don't have to cook for a family, I relied on my microwave quite a bit. I ate a lot of eggs because they are lo-cal and yet rich in nutrients and I ate a lot of tuna. Stir fried vegies and eggs were another biggie. Come to think about it, I ate a lot of eggs.... lol

Anyhow, I reached goal about 10 months after banding.

Green... just wanna say... I may not know ya... but I like ya!

Excellent job on reaching your goal so quickly. How much have you lost? How long has it been? I totally agree about the weighing thing. I got rid of my scales years ago, and told my hubby I refuse to be a slave to that stupid scale! I have lived in that place where all my emotions are dependent upon those numbers. Plus, my scale at home and at the doctors never is the same.

The thing I am looking forward to the most is not just losing the weight, but for once in my life, keeping it off! That would be more than awesome!

Anyway, you are smart and funny! (Just like me!) hehhehehhe:tt2:

Edited January 14, 2009 by DaMomb

[green 6]

Overall I lost about 55 lbs in 10 months. I was on the lower end of overweight when I got banded at the age of 57. I was always a sturdy grrl, but I started gaining weight once I hit menopause. Every year I got fatter and fatter. In this I was just like my mum. In fact I gained weight in exactly the same way she did thus proving that genetics play a role. We were both apples with skinny arms and legs. My mum would say that she looked like a pregnant spider. So did I. People would often ask me if I was pregnant even though that ship had long since sailed! lol

I personally found the band a very good tool for losing weight. My problem was that I was a glutton. I ate fairly well but I just loved eating. With the band I filled up quickly and did not feel hungry for hours and hours. I did spend a lot more time reading the nutritional facts info on prepared foods - this info must be printed on everything up here in Canada by law - and was often surprised and dismayed at how hi-cal and empty of nutrients these often are. Even such items as Soups are fairly empty of Vitamins and other nutrients!

My personal challenge became finding stuff to eat that did not require a lot of prep (because I am lazy), was healthy for me, and that I like to eat. I am lucky that my husband, who is still working, makes his own meals. We usually eat at different times.

I also made a point of doing a lot of walking. It is the only form of exercise that I really like. I would combine this with doing a chore, like walking to the store in order to pick up fresh vegetables....

[green 6]

green, I am OBSESSED with the scale. I weigh when I wake up, when I use the bathroom and before I go to bed. If there was a scale at work, I'd be visiting it hourly. While on vacation during Christmas, I was practically having withdrawal symptoms because I didn't have access to a scale. I'm afraid if I don't keep a close eye on my weight, it will creep back on me. The last time I put the scale away a year prior to surgery, I put on 30 lbs. I know it wasn't because of the scale, but I feel if I had kept better tabs on the weight gain, I wouldn't have been in so much denial. This is all probably an addict's way of justifying an addiction.

There are additional ways in which to measure the success of your weight loss. These are called NSVs (non scale victories) and they often arrive when your scale is delivering disappointing news. For instance, you will find that your scale has gone up by two lbs but your belt can be cinched in by another notch or two. Or you have gone down a size.

Actually, to tell you the truth, I am thinking about buying myself a scale. It is winter here and very, very cold. I am thin (since reaching goal I have lost a lot more weight due to a medical problem) and am feeling the cold and have been eating. I suspect that I have been packing on the pounds. Ugh! It would probably be a good idea if I could monitor myself........

[twiggysmiff 0]

Calm down Kelley. Not everyone's doctor follows the same guidelines. My doctors only had me on Clear Liquids the first 2 days. Today, I am allowed full liquids. Then on Saturday and Sunday I can move on to pudding, yogurt, by Wednesday, I can eat pureed food. After that I can start adding in "real food". Not every doctor does the same guidelines and it doesn't make them a bad doctor because they don't match your doctor's rules. My surgeons have an extremely high success rate and have done literally thousands of these surgeries. Really, the only thing you should do is tell your experience and refer the person to their own doctor. Not criticize their intelligence or their doctor's competence. I doubt any doctor would say to eat a hamburger this early (or ever).

[flowers 0]

How do you unsubscribe to a thread?? Never wanted to before, but this one just seems full of folks who NEED to dictate how other posters respond.

[twiggysmiff 0]

Ummm...not sure. I didn't realize you could subscribe to a particular post, much less unsubscribe. I just come online and read the ones that are in bold and look interesting to me and stop reading when they no longer interest me.

[kiz 1]

How do you unsubscribe to a thread?? Never wanted to before, but this one just seems full of folks who NEED to dictate how other posters respond.

You just need to go to your subscribed threads, check the box beside the thread you want to delete, and go to the bottom of the page, go to the pull down, and highlight "delete subscription" and hit enter.

Or, even easier, you can unsubscribe to a thread by going to "Thread Tools" at the top of the thread, and pull down the options and click on "unsubscribe from this thread".

You can also subscribe to a thread without posting to it from the "Thread Tools" button.

Edited January 16, 2009 by kiz

[elirules 1]

just get back on the horse and do the full liquid or mushies diet now..no biggie, it took years for us to get big it could take years to be small again...hang in there.....