Jenn1214

Give yourself a break! I've been there too, so I can definitely relate. I could barely move off the couch my first week and I kept thinking what a mistake I had made. I cried all the time because I missed food so much and if I had to drink one more protein shake I was going to scream. But I got through it, and so will you. That in itself will show you just how strong you really are. Don't beat yourself up, you're doing great and this too shall pass.

I sleep pretty well most of the time. I'm hoping the issue is that I'm exercising more now and my body is holding on to some water weight to help my muscles repair themselves. We'll see what happens next week!

Our cats do the same thing...they seem to know exactly where my port is! Now I just cover it with my hand when they jump up on the couch or the bed, just in case.

This week I drank tons of water, exercised 4 days, and ate right. I expected to lose at least a pound this morning and I was excited about weighing in. I stepped on the scale and NOTHING! I was so mad! I know I'm not going to lose every week but I really hate it when I've been doing well and it doesn't show up on the scale. Oh well, just had to vent!

Checking in today, haven't lost anything :-(

I don't really have any "problem foods" but there are foods I stay away from (rice, steak, stringy vegetables, popcorn) because I've heard a lot of bandsters have problems with them. I could try them, but honestly I don't miss them and it's not worth it for me.

I used to feel the same way. While I was eating one meal I would be thinking about the next one. I didn't know HOW I was going to live without eating all of my favorite greasy, sugary foods. The very thought of it terrified me. When I got the band, the first couple of weeks were VERY hard. I cried all the time and was sure I made a huge mistake. The liquids phase was the longest 2 weeks of my entire life. When I got onto mushies, things changed for me. I realized that I needed food to live, but not in the way I thought before. Food is fuel to keep my body running and that's it. I still have cravings for things now and again (mostly during that special TOM) but nowhere near what I used to. It's kind of like the band reset my brain, in a way. Now when I watch my fiance eat the huge portions I used to eat, I can't help but feel a little sick (sorry honey!). I could never go out and eat a Pizza Hut combo meal and wash it down with a huge candy bar or ice cream like I used to...the thought alone makes me nauseous. I never thought I would be able to say that, and thank god. I'm no longer killing myself with food. I still eat "bad" things every once in a while, but in small amounts until my craving is satisfied. I never think of myself as "being on a diet" because that's why I failed so many times before. I allow myself to eat the things I ate before, but the funny thing is, I don't really want to anymore.

Do you drink with your meals?

This afternoon I mixed a scoop of protein powder with a cup of light soy milk and threw it in the freezer for a few hours. Not exactly like ice cream, more of a snow cone or granita. Delicious though! The soy milk gives it a better flavor (I think so anyway), and it's the perfect treat for these blazing hot summer days!

Congrats! I can't wait to say goodbye forever to Lane Bryant too!

Count me in!

Tonight I decided to go to one of the monthly support group meeting held by my surgeon's office just to see what they were all about. At the beginning we had to go around and say how far out from surgery we were and how much weight we've lost so far. When it was my turn, I got a couple of "wow"s from the other patients. That made me feel pretty darn good and eager to keep up the hard work!

Here's how a fill goes for me: Fills in my surgeon's office are done by a surgical PA. She calls me into an exam room, weighs me, then asks me questions about my hunger (portion size, satiety, etc.) and any food restrictions or intolerances (so far I have none). If she determines I need a fill, I lay back on the exam table while she sets up for the fill. She opens everything, then puts on sterile gloves and cleans the port area with some alcohol or betadine. The first fill for me was a little painful just because there was so much fat in front of the port so she had to really push to find it and missed the first time. I've had two or three fills since with no problems, it just feels like getting a vaccination. Then I sit up and drink some water to make sure there are no problems with it going down. After that I get a bandaid and a "See you next month!"

I haven't had soda since the surgery and I don't miss it. I will have a couple sips of champagne that I've let go flat at special occasions, but other than that no carbonation. My surgeon was very adamant about that and I found out why!

The Depo shot is notorious for weight gain. Can your doctor put you on something else? I would go see your surgeon and tell them your situation. Then they can suggest the best course of action. Good luck, and hopefully you can get off that Depo!

I am currently working out 5-6 days a week for about 30 minutes each session. How many days a week should I be resting? I don't want to overdo it.

Since you are only 2 weeks post op, don't worry so much about actual weight loss at this point. Your body is trying to heal from surgery and it's normal to gain some weight during this period. Make sure you are getting enough protein so you can heal and make sure to hydrate with plenty of water or calorie-free, caffeine free liquids. The weight loss will come!

Try this: keep a food diary for a week and write down every morsel that passes your lips in a day. You might be surprised that you are eating more (or less) calories than you think. Either way it will slow your weight loss. Also make sure you are drinking enough water and getting plenty of exercise. And yes the band will limit your intake but you still have to make the right choices. Good luck!

Today I went to Lane Bryant shopping for a dress for my engagement party next Saturday. I didn't find one thing I liked, but as I went past a jeans display I decided to try a size 14 just for the heck of it. They fit, but I am not paying big bucks for jeans that won't fit me in two months, so I put them back. I was just happy I could zip them up. Then I got brave. There's a NY&Co. a few stores down from where Lane Bryant is, so I decided to stop in and see what they had. I could feel some anxiety as I opened the door, since I can't remember the last time I shopped in a "normal" store. I tried on a couple of dresses in XL that also fit, but I wasn't crazy about either of them. Just the fact that I got up the courage to even set foot in there was a huge accomplishment. Yay me!

Down two pounds to 206 today!

I still enjoy eating, just not as much as I used to. I also have a newfound love of cooking so I love to try out new dishes on my fiance. So far there are no foods I can't eat so I just try small amounts of everything, making sure I eat more protein than anything else. As for going out to eat I will usually just get an appetizer or just stop eating the second I am satisfied and get the rest of my meal wrapped up.

I've never heard of Spider Surgery. What is it?

I stayed off coffee for six weeks to let everything heal. I probably could have added it back sooner but I didn't want to take a chance. I also read recently that it would take 4 cups or more of coffee a day to start causing dehydration. Not sure if that's really true so I always replace my caffeine intake with water anyway.

OMG yes! I haven't had acne since I was a teenager, except maybe for a zit here and there. Since I was banded I'm breaking out constantly!

Great post, I think it's very easy to forget that the lap band is not a magic wand (at least for me anyway). Too bad they couldn't band my brain too! Great pics by the way, you can really tell just from your face how much you've lost. Keep up the great work!