kittyforet

Hey there! Welcome to Bandland!! Congrats on the decision to make your life and health better!!!

Sounds like you've done well so far. Keep it up!

And you will go through food mourning. It's hard to give up old habits but eventually you will see the world of food differently. I'm at the point where I'm not constantly thinking about food, or trying to eat everything in sight. I've had to change my whole attitude and lifestyle about food. But it's been worth it.

I'll be 39 in February. Starting weight 223, now down to 180. Hoping to reach 170 by my birthday.....not sure if 150 is reachable for me or not but I gotta try!!

One thing that's really helped me is to track everything. I use www.myfitnesspal.com. Lots of people from here use that site too.

Best of luck to you! Feel free to friend me or email kittyforet@yahoo.com.

Merry Christmas!

Kristi

For my first two fills, I was told no restrictions, eat normally. For every fill after that though, was told only liquids for 1-2 days, then back to normal food. I can tell you from experience, follow those directions!!! The first time I didn't and got stuck and was in pain. Tried to eat the wrong thing. Your band gets tighter and it's swollen and harder for food to pass the first day or two. Let it rest.

My nutritionist said to try to sip 1 ounce every 15-30 minutes in the first week or so, then up to 8 ounces per hour, and so on to get you started being used to having liquids again. Even if it means letting Soup get cold.

Totally normal. Almost everyone feels that way. Nothing's wrong with you.

It sucks though. But it will pass. Concentrate on healing and walking and not on food/calories. Try to get in your fluids and Protein and you'll survive.

I'm also a teacher but I had my surgery in June. Had hernia repair also. Went to my assistant principals' dads funeral the next day but I didn't drive there. Getting up and down the first two days or so were rough but once I got up it was easy. My surgery was on a Monday and was almost 100% by Wednesday so if I had to go to work, I would have been ok.

Everyone is different so take what works for you.

My doctors office plan was not valid until I started on solid foods. So glad I went to a separate nutritionist and she gave me a plan. Day by day and listed ideas of what to eat.

If you'd like a copy, send me an email.

Kittyforet@yahoo.com

Now you've got me interested. I'd like to know about it too.

I don't know that doctor but I use Dr Reilly at True Results Houston. He's nice. Only saw him pre-op and day of surgery 6 months ago today.

A word of advice, schedule fills in advance. They book up fast!!

I'm a slow loser too. I also have a thyroid issue, so that makes it even harder to lose.

I go through spurts where I loss nothing and then another spurt where I lose a pound or two. I am

Averaging .5 pound loss per week. Today it's been 6 months since I was banded. Lost total of 40 including pre-op diet.

I too get down when I see other people losing more faster. But everyone is different. My doctor is satisfied with my loss so far.

I weigh each Wednesday and that's the weight I record. I'm trying not to weigh daily, as that has driven me crazy! Try not to compare your situation to others. Remember someone else is losing slower than you

I've been laughing about this too.

I hate sleeping on my back but it never fails, when I wake up that way, the cat is right there on it. And won't move.

Cracking up about the seagull comment.

Sorry. Fat fingers.

It's not worth it.

I feel bad when I eat the wrong thing, both physically and emotionally.

Since I have a thyroid issue, I lose slower than others. That gets discouraging. But you know what, the fact is, I'm losing. Not gaining. And what I've lost I've been able to keep off. Never did that before.

I've given away half my clothes that were once tight. My favorite pants fall off when I wear them. Someone else is looking great and feeling good in my old clothes. I get to shop for myself, and soon it won't be in the plus-sized section. I'm less than pounds away from the weight I was when I married 15 years and 3 kids ago. I'm under 200 pounds for the first time in 12 years. I'm one size away from wearing a dress that I wore on my wedding day...I saved my all-time favorite purple dress and soon I'll be able to zip it (now I can actually get it over my thighs!). 40 pounds. That's the weight of my 4-year-old!

My doctors office is happy with my weight loss. Some days I'd rather it come off faster. But I didn't gain it all in one day, so I can't expect it to fall away overnight.

People at work notice. My family notices. Best of all I notice. I still don't love my body, but I'm learning to like it a little better.

The best Part??? Measuring myself!

Before:

Waist 48

Bust 48

Hips 54

Thighs 26

Upper arm 16

6 months later

Waist 41

Bust 44

Hips 48

Thigh 25.5

Upper arm 15.5

Can't wait to see what the next 6 months bring!

LBT has also helped. I've been able to read both the good and bad stories, met amazing and inspiring people, and had people cheer me on. People that don't even know me. I couldnt have done it without support.

If you're struggling, LBT has people who've been there. If you're new, same thing. Lost? You're at the right place. Want to help others? Again, here we are.

Best wishes everyone.

I've learned a lot the last 6 months and today being my 6-month bandiversary, I thought I'd share.

To those who say it doesn't work, you're right. It doesn't work for everyone. It's designed to work if the patient learns to work with it and have a complete lifestyle change.

I don't diet. I changed what I eat, how much I eat, how fast I eat (now I actually get TIRED of eating!), and how often I eat (or as the case is now) how often I think I need to eat. I do use myfitnesspal to track my calories and exercise. I've started exercising but am in no way the poster child for how to exercise. I can get better at it, and I'm working on that aspect.

It's been hard work on my part. Retraining my body and eyes with food. Telling myself I don't need to eat or drink that. I no longer WANT to. I can go down the candy aisle/cookie aisle at the store and say, wow that looks good but I don't want it. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I DO want the crap! Some days, I'd kill for a piece of Mrs Bairds large white bread. But in the end, it's k

Jimr,

Yes your restriction can change. Mine is usually tight for the first two weeks after a fill, but then it losses slightly. Even Dr Paul O'Brien, a band pioneer, says it happens: "after each adjustment, there is an adaptation, a settling in, a molding of the band and the stomach.".

With my fills I notice that usually the first week or so i tend to get stuck easier. Maybe it's just my eating habits. But I do feel tighter the first week or two.

Jay Robb has a good vanilla. I've bought single-serve packets at my grocery store.

Also hear muscle milk cake batter is delicious. Wanting to try that next.

Let us know what you try and how you like it.

I'm a wife, mom to 3 kids, and a teacher...very little "me" time but I love to cook, bake, shop, and read.

I'm pretty boring.

I drove 2 days later. Surgery Monday and driving short distances Wednesday. Nurse said once I was off the pain meds, I was ok to drive.

I use myfitnesspal and so do many others from here.

It's easy to use and if you want you can even input you'd personal recipe ingredients into the system and it calculates all of the nutrition info for you.

You can have your food diary private where only you see it, or where just your friends can see it. That helps keep me accountable, knowing people will check out my day. It's also a great site for support and encouragement.

Good luck.

We don't have one in my area. I've heard that soon we might get one in Houston, easily a 45-60 minute trip for me each way, but can't wait to check it out.

Someone should start a sticky thread with things to buy there so once it opens (if the rumors are true!), I'll have a full shopping cart!!

I still drink a Protein shake 4-5 times per week. I don't have time during the regular week to eat a real Breakfast before teaching my class.

If you're not into buying Protein but still want to drink a drink, take milk and add 1/3 cup powdered dry milk to it and make double milk. Gives it more protein. My nutritionist told me this. I would mix that with a carnation instant Breakfast for a cheaper version of a Protein Drink. Sometimes I use the double milk plus half a packet of the carnation instant breakfast to save calories. I also use the no sugar added instant breakfast.

For other protein sources, consider eating eggs, boiled, poached, in a quiche (I found a recipe for an egg "puff" that's like a crust less quiche, I made it in a large pan and it makes 12 servings that are very filling and full of protein!). Sometimes I break my routine and eat tuna salad or chicken salad as breakfast. Greek yogurt has also become a staple in my fridge, as it is good at keeping me full.

Even with buying protein powder, I'm still spending less on food, since now it's hard for me to find breakfast choices at fast food places that I can eat without issue AND that have enough protein. My mind wants an egg mcmuffin, but my band and food journal say its not worth it.

I buy either Ideal chocolate Milk protein powder or unjury powder and add to skim milk to get almost 30 grams protein for breakfast. I hear lots of people go to costco but there's not one near me. I tried the brand at Walmart and while it's cheap, I didn't care for the taste.

Some people drink coffee and add their protein powder to it. I'm not a java fan though. Geez I sound picky! Lol

Good luck!!

I'm the same way! All of a sudden yesterday it was like I was a crazy person with sweets! And again today, my students brought me a Baggie of Cookies and mini muffins and I couldn't stay out of it! I had to hide it so I wouldn't scarf the whole bag! Now I feel a little sick for even eating any of it. Don't want to feel this way again.

Everyone's tastes are different. You'll have to try and find what you like.

I've had unjury and it's not bad. They sell chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, unflavored, and chicken Soup. Unflavored is good to add to other items like applesauce, etc. But it still has a taste.

Lately I've been buying The Ideal chocolate Milk and like it better than Unjury chocolate but again personal opinion.

I didn't care for the synthrax brand flavors but those are mostly fruit flavors and coffee flavor, which I don't like anyway, but I hear lots of people love those and Isopure from GNC.

Most Protein can be sold in sample size packages. Buy a few from different places and see what you like. Also what you like pre-op may change and you might not like it post-op. that happened to me.

I'm going to try the muscle milk cake batter next.

Some days, watching people eat makes me gag.

Especially my hubby. Love him but can't eat with him anymore. I've been losing and he's been gaining. Ugh.

At thanksgiving dinner I ate by myself so I wouldn't have to watch any of my inlaws gorge themselves (they don't know I've been banded!). Will do the same at Christmas too. Usually my 4-year-old daughter is stuck to me like white on rice, so she's the only one that I can eat with and not want to hurl.

Just know you're not the only one. It's a pain (literally) but I've heard taking the fiber stuff helps. I'm looking into that now too. Will probably try the fiber gummies first, since my Multi-Vitamin and Calcium are Gummy too.

App FAIL!!

Hi bashy!

I'm in Houston and would like a buddy too. Banded June 20, 2011.

Email me anytime kittyforet@yahoo.com