B-52

I am not going to tell you what you should or should not be doing....listen to your Dr.... I will say what I do and I believe.... Early on, one of the most liberating steps I took was to stop monitoring, and calculating everything I ate, everything I did in the way of exercise, etc....stopped using those apps....they were driving me crazy.... I also stopped counting calories, although I have a good idea of where I am at just by common scenes.... I am OLD SCHOOL....in other words, I believe the less I eat, the more I will loose....and make sure I get my Water, Protein and Vitamins everyday...that is my only concern.... There are people here that track everything, and there are people here that will say you need to eat more to loose more... Hey, if they believe it and it works for them...then I will applaud and encourage anyone's successful experience... But for me, it has been the opposite mantra....I eat only when I am hungry...which is not very often...I stop when the band says stop, which are very small portions....I concentrate on high protein, nutritious foods.... I exercised on a empty stomach first thing in the morning to "Burn Fat" more efficiently, and it worked! I now need to take a shot of protein before working out because I have no more excess body fat.... Again, that is me.....and I'm happy with the results....other people have their avenues to their success, and I will not interfere with what works for them.... My surgeon looks at me, is pleased with my successful weight loss journey, states as long as I am not hurting myself, and that I am obviously healthy and fit....to continue doing whatever it is I'm doing, don't stop!.. he understands no 2 people are alike with his thing....that's obvious. I have a friendly confrontation with the Nutritionist at my Surgeons office.....I jokingly and lovingly tell her what she can do with her charts and logs, etc....and she always comes back at me....

The # of fills is not the issue...how much is actually in your band is.... I knew someone who had 12 fills over the span of a year...one per month...the Dr. only gave her LESS than .5cc per fill.....she was convinced the office was soaking her for office visit $$ by spreading it out, and NOT so concerned about her progress.... What she got in a year, some people get on their first adjustment....the entire support group was moving forward and she was not getting anywhere...... She did dump him and got a new Dr......last time I checked she was very pleased with her progress.... NOT saying this is your case...it's just that when people talk about the # of fills they have had, it does not give a clear picture.

75 gm of Protein per day? I don't think you meant 75gm protein per shake.... I read somewhere the body cannot process more than 55 gm at one time, the rest gets flushed AND can overload your kidneys...35 may be high, but that is what I have every morning... I have been taking a morning high protein smoothie ever since being banded...not to loose weight, but for nutritional value...plus my band is tonight every morning and it is a challenge to get anything solid down.... The amount of protein and nutrients I get from a single shake....try to match that with solid food and it would be impossible. especially for someone whose food intake and portion sizes are restricted due to weight loss surgery... Protein drinks are the craze right now...all my friends are doing it for Breakfast, and they have not had WLS, nor are they fat...just health and fitness minded....you can make your own, and also find them for sale just about anywhere...I buy a brand called "Naked" in the produce section of our grocery store, and always have a few in the fridge for those days I'm on the run.... It's none of my business....but you say you have 9 cc in a 10cc band....with all respect, something does not sound right...did they actually verify that last time at the Dr.'s? I would insist they do, NOT by reading the chart, but by actually pulling it all out, measuring it in the syringe, then replacing it with fresh clean saline....My Dr. used to do this every visit...you would be surprised at the discrepancy's they found from time to time... Also, do you not feel ANYTHING when you swallow? Can you tell the band is even there? My band speaks to me with every swallow,...even straight Water if I drink too fast too much at one gulp....the band does keep my eating techniques in check...I have to do it correctly or else... Like I said, 9cc's....something is not adding up somewhere. Get back to a Dr. ASAP....

Few things have happened to me since being banded.....one, I have very little interest in food, and eating for that matter...it's not physical, but mental...it is as though my brain is saying I am full, satisfied, whatever, even though I have not eaten anything...and food is just not important anymore... Some people only experience it after eating, and then only for a few hours...I have this all day long. 2nd...my "Taste Buds" have changed...a lot of foods just don't taste that great anymore...I'll order a meal, take a bite or two and just don't feel like continuing...does not appeal to me, and has little or no taste....a do-nut can taste like a piece of cardboard..in other words, no taste. I'm like the 7 year old boy that sits there and plays with his food....it's weird, but definitely has to do with the band....before surgery I could eat anything, anytime...could not stop, and LOVED IT.....that was my problem...out of control eating.

I've lost over 100lbs, and have very little loose skin..... I do not have a definitive answer as to why, but it is probably a combination of things... Lots of Water...good for skin tone...I go through 32 ozs during my workout alone Plenty of Cardio exercise...45 minutes in the zone, 5 days a week.....also good for skin tone... Protein...daily requirements met every single day since surgery.. Sauna....I sit in a 160 - 170 degree sauna 30 minutes, 5 days a week at the gym, and drink water while doing so...opens and cleans the pores while ridding the body of toxins....THEN an ice plunge (when available), if not then a brief cold shower to tighten up the skin and close the pores......the swedes knew the secret..jumped in the snow afterward... And last, I use a moisturizer every day head to toe...( I do see a dermatologist for skin issues, although non-existant since loosing weight) My Wife buys Facial treatments in packages of 5 at the Spa, and I will use one from time to time...but that has nothing to do with loose skin throughout the body...just the face...

I have had people tell me once, when I was speaking at a support group and this topic came up.....they carry "Zip-loc Baggies" in their purses for stuck episodes.... NOW THAT'S GROSS !!!

Pre-op diet.....I was told, starting on a certain day, I would have to loose XX amount of weight (can't remember the amount) in order for him to perform hr surgery....or else he would postpone it. He did not care how I did it, as long as I did....so I could eat anything I wanted, as long as I lost the weight.... It just so happens, that a full liquid regime is the quickest and easiest way of dropping the weight.... But I did have regular food from time to time...there was no falling off the wagon, so to speak...other than Loose it, or no surgery...so it was in my best interest to do the best I could..... I had my final "weigh-in" on a Friday, for a Monday Morning Surgery....I lost more than I needed..... Saturday, we all went to a Restaurant I knew I would never set foot in again, for my "Last Meal" Sunday I fasted, and Monday Morning I was good to go.....had the surgery, was home late Monday afternoon. Everything came down to those final days...and after everything I had to go through to get there, I was not going to blow it then....

I told people at work NOTHING! I simply took a week's vacation time....had my surgery early on a Monday morning, was back at work the following Monday...

I have not, but I have many friends who won't leave home without it......they swear it works. I like to eat fresh papaya....it is good for the digestive system.....

First and foremost....Listen and follow your Dr.'s directions, advice...most important of all.... Having said that disclaimer.... I'm having a "Samuel Adams Winter Lager" as I am reading these posts....it's friday, been a long, hard week.... and My Dr. knows I do....

I could not wait to get released to get back to the gym..... I had a post-op appointment with my Surgeon exactly one week after surgery, to check incisions, etc.... It was then he cleared me to go back to the gym and "Knock myself Out".....as I was walking out the door he shouted..."Don't over do it on the heavy lifting for another few weeks" But I went right back and did my Cardio workout.... BTW, I was also cleared after one week to soak, and/or swim....including the whirl pool...

B-52...I knew I liked you for some reason. I love fasted runs for burning fat. My wife runs half marathons fasted with no problem. I don't always do it fasted but I might eat some nuts and a boiled egg. The fats and protein sustain me....I absolutely do not carb load and I try to stay in a fat burning mode while exercising so that I never bonk. And I do not bonk ever. But question...you said you always run on an empty stomach...then you seem to be saying you drink a protein shake before hand...which is it? Just curious. +1 for the energy squares from Nuts.com But fiddle....don't alot of crossfitters also eat Paleo? If so, they manage without carb loading right? Just curious. Hi Niki. Obviously, there are alot of differing opinions on this. I've done alot of cycling and running. I hate gu's and gels and I cannot eat solid food on a long run or ride. I'm fine for anything less than 2 hours but after that I need something. My absolute favorite thing is pocket fuel.... http://www.pocketfuelnaturals.com/products/chocolate-haze/ They are almond butter based little packets. The flavors are good. The ingredients are all natural. The are dairy free and gluten free. They are the one thing that does agree with my sleeve on a long run or ride. I did cardio every morning to BURN FAT...which in my case worked very well....had a protein shake AFTER my workout.... But now, that my body fat % is very low - "Athletic", I have to take at least one shot of protein before heading to the gym.... It is controversial, here is one of many articles about it...remember, I'm talking about BURNING FAT as in weight loss.... \ http://www.livestrong.com/article/530586-does-running-on-an-empty-stomach-burn-fat/

And the hit's just keep on coming....this thing DOES WORK!!! Congratulations....

My first fill was 4 cc's in a 10cc band....4 weeks after that for my 2nd fill...in between I GAINED weight.... 2nd fill...things were 50-50...did not gain, but did not really loose either...was ok between meals, but no restriction on how much I could eat. 3rd fill was the charm for me....portions limited, hunger non-exisitant...that was over 2-1/2 years ago, no fills since then...have same amount of restriction now as I did then.... Everyone is different, not a good idea to compare fills wit another...some do fine with no fills, others are different...

Three years in and I have yet to ever have that feeling of Fullness" so many others talk about...... For me it is all mental....the band giving my mind signals of hunger, need to eat, or not.

It is a fine line between proper band adjustment, Goidelic food choices, and self behavior....was very hard for me to juggle all three till I found that perfect balance.... That was 2 -1/2 years ago, have not needed an adjustment one way or the other since then, and now that I have found it I do not want to do anything to disrupt it..... But it can be difficult to get it just right..... This topic came up before, but many dr.'s are advocating surgeries other than the band because of the wide variables with adjustability....resulting in low success rates.....least that's the discussion I had with my Dr. And staff once.

If you have been banded since 2006, then you should know when the slightest thing is abnormal....I have only been banded since 2011 and know my band very well....and can select the slightest differences...in other words when to contact my Dr. that something has changed after all this time..... Reflux is common, but to suddenly pop up after 7-8 years?? No offense, but being banded since 2006...this is a question you should be giving the answer to others....

Not to get off topic, but is your ticker correct? You have lost 132.6 lbs, with 6 to go and NOW you are contemplating surgery? Just trying to understand.....

Loosing weight is all about calories in versus calories burned.....always has been whether your dieting, or had WLS, it is about limited your calorie intake, or burning off more..... How many calories do you burn during one of your workouts? Workout routines can vary....I have found Cardio burns the most efficiently...in my case running....I get to 85% of my max. heart rate and stay there for at least 30 minutes. 3500 calories = 1 lb of fat....that would = 500 calories burned per day, to loose 1 lb per week....that is 500 calories MORE than you consume....so if you are consuming 1200 calories per day. you need to burn 1700 calories per day to loose 1 lb. per week....increase that to loose more per week...you get the idea. You can increase your activity to burn more, eat less calories per day, or a little of both...the ratio is still the same When people say they are gaining weight, they are either consuming more calories or not burning off enough....the more calories you eat, the more you need to burn.... PS: Personally, I NEVER followed the advice you need to eat more to loose more...and have NEVER had an issue with energy levels or metabolism...burning fat. But I do understand it works for some people.

As you get closer to that "sweet Spot" as you call it...it is more important for me to learn how to "listen" to my band, that is learn the foods that are tolerable, obey all the signals unless pay the consequences....develop those new habits in order to co-exist with the band to where it is functioning at it's peak, and less of me doing the work...just learn to comply, which can be very hard at times, but rewarding in the end. Fighting the band, I never won....

So what happened when you took a bite of the Fried chicken??? You got sick? as in Stuck? Did you experience any type of pain when you swallowed? Your band can still be tender, depending on how long it has been since your surgery.... I'm not sure I'm clearly understanding what happened....I know any deep fried foods for me can be troublesome with the band....have to be very careful.... and yes...what happened to your first band...you had have been through this before?

For me,,,I am at the point where I don't diet anymore...don't like the word....I am at a point where I let my band dictate what and how much I eat....and since my eating is very limited, I make the best of what I do eat...make the best decisions possible.... An old rule from those old dieting days...."don't eat anything white" White bread, white rice, sugar, salt, flour, milk, potatoes, etc..... I don't eat anything made from flour anymore...bread, cakes, do-nuts, etc...just does not agree with my band. Rice is not band friendly for me, as the case with potatoes....sugar, milk and salt...self explanatory... I also have given up meat since surgery...another food that does not agree with my band...and since everyone was trying to get me to quit...it seemed as good a time as any... But again, that me....and I let the band be my guide....it has not failed me...

Ok, this is just MY THEORY.... First, I don't bike ride, I run...5 miles a day... I always run on a empty stomach...it has burned much fat more quicker....5 days a week at 5:30 am.... I do take my vitamins/supplements before a workout, and always plenty of Water.... We are Hunters/gatherers....and tend to store energy etc in the way of body fat for those seasons of famine..to get by and not starve.... I always felt that I am going to draw energy/fuel from that storage tank rather than eat food.....I also fought the strong urge to eat after a workout...that would defeat the purpose...did not want to replace what I just managed to burn off....so I would finish with a high Protein smoothie...recovery shake. I have been at my optimal weight for 2 years now...I have a very low body fat %...better than normal, in the "Athletic" range. NOW when I run, I NEED to fuel my body with something for the endurance and energy beforehand, usually a Protein Shake filled with other nutrients..... having nothing stored away to draw from.... I have always done it this way since my surgery...and once I found a medical study in a health magazine confirming what I was doing was the best way for men to loose fat. Not saying this is the correct way to do it...just saying this is the way I did it...successfully..

PrettyThick1....Why stop there? I only say that because for me, I had set goals along the way, met them and kept on loosing.... I spoke with my Dr. about what will happen when I met my goal...do I get a unfill? The answer for me was No...Who's goal? Mine or my body's? This is a new lifestyle....new eating, new activity level with plenty of exercise, everything is new, and I never want to go backwards... And as long as I am living this new lifestyle, my body continued to loose weight, and then settle at a place that was "Normal" for me...it is at a place I never imagined it could ever be...but it is where it should be.... That was 2 years ago....when I stopped loosing....have not gained or lost weight since then...I am convinced if I should get a un-fill, I would start to gain weight back.....why would I want to do that...just so I can eat the old way again? I am living the new lifestyle that leads to a healthy body and mind....... not the old style that was destructive and lead to obesity and numerous health problems..... I don't rely on the scale that much anymore...rather I have access to a place where I can get a "Body Analysis" for a small fee...one of the many things it tells me is my "Body Fat %"....and it reached a very healthy level....right where I am supposed to be..a little better than normal actually, is now in the "Athletic" range......it found that place all on it's own, eventually, just because of the new lifestyle I am living...and here is where I want to stay.

I don't know if this has anything to do with the ACA or not....but....Hospitals and Dr.'s are dropping certain things because even though the ACA will approve them, the reimbursement is too low for a Dr. or Hospital to continue that particular procedure.... But I don't want to get off track.....that's another topic entirely.