motivatedlap

I see a lot of people on the boards discussing drinking Protein shakes and cutting out food food groups to get in 70-80g of Protein a day and still stay in the 1000-1200 calorie range. I feel lucky that the guidelines I received were to get 30-40g and to eat a variety of foods as long as they're good foods. I'm not very far into my journey, but I have already learned that I don't want my band so tight that I can't get down fruits and veggies. I do have to use will power sometimes because not having my band really tight means I sometimes get a little hungry between meals. Sometimes I can stave off the hunger with hot tea, but sometimes I have a few almonds. However, it's not a hunger so powerful that I want to eat a bag of chips or something! I can totally manage it, but I know that this is not the case for everyone.
I'm eating a good variety of foods and my loss has been steady so far. I don't think I want the kind of restriction that would eliminate certain good foods from my diet because I think that would just cause other issues- I think mariedebbie is a great example to learn from!

This just goes to show how individual- from both a patient and surgeon perspective- this journey is for everyone! We're all comparing numbers to help us feel like we're in the "right" area of where we think we should be, but there's a lot more to it. People have different amounts of fat around their stomachs and different sized stomachs, so 10ccs may put one person on a liquid only diet while another person with 10ccs can still eat pizza. With my band almost full, I could still have anything I wanted.
Also, I sometimes wonder if getting multiple tiny fills is a method used by some doctors to make more money off insurance companies/patients for those who are paying a considerable amount for them. My fills are only about $10, so I don't think my surgeon wants to see me that often (kidding!).

Going into my closet and not being able to wear any of it because it's too big, which led me to go shopping where I purchased dresses and tops a size or two smaller than usual. Also, my "skinny jeans" were a little saggy yesterday- but they were tight two weeks ago.

Going into my closet and not being able to wear any of it because it's too big, which led me to go shopping where I purchased dresses and tops a size or two smaller than usual. Also, my "skinny jeans" were a little saggy yesterday- but they were tight two weeks ago.

I got this out of Bariatric Choice Magazine .... I thought some here would be interested

THE LOW CARB LOW DOWN

The most important thing you need to know is this - carbs are not the enemy. Carbohydrates are fuel for the body. They provide the body with glucose, it's preferred source of energy. If you eliminate your body's fuel, you decrease the speed of your metabolism and the amount of lean muscle mass simultaneously.

That doesn't mean that you can go crazy and splurge on Bagels and huge servings of pizza and Pasta. Moderation is key. The solution to successful long term weight loss is a low calorie, high Protein diet with consistent moderate and high intensity workouts, simple as that. But as a lot of you know, that type of regimen is easier said than done. Here are some tips that will keep you on the right path and hopefully keep you from believing all of the hype associated with the carb-free phenomenon.
Low Carb Does Not Equal Low Calorie

Many times, low-carb options are higher in fat and calories than their original counterparts. This is true for most low-carb comfort foods that try to trick you with their healthy mantra. Examples include low-carb ice cream, Pasta, and breads. If you watch your caloric intake and monitor bad (empty) carbs and fats, you will probably see more substantial and long-lasting weight loss than merely cutting carbs alone. And remember- junk food is junk food, no matter how low-carb it is.


Rev Up Your Metabolism

As long as your metabolism is in great shape, eating carbs in moderation will only make you more energetic and therefore more active. Eating healthy carbs such as fruits, veggies, and whole wheat bread and incorporating in continual exercise, will cause your body to become a caloric furnace.

First, that is exactly why I have not told anyone, except for close family, that I even had the surgery.
When it all comes down to it, it is all about me, my health, and my well being.
Everyone else can just go and ....well everyone and go and do their thing, but I had to take care of mine and my own.
Second, I have tried all diets known under the sun. I'm not kidding! Medical supervised programs to cabbage soup!
I started out good, lost weight, and it all came back, and then some.
I'm one of those people who cannot diet, and stay with it and be succesful. I quess some people can, the celebrities on TV pushing these programs say they did so I guess it's possible, but not me.
I needed surgery to alter me physically and force me to eat better and loose the weight, permanently!

I had another NSV today .
I live in the country on 5 acres so my neighbours are not close enough that I bump into them very often. Today I stopped to get the post out of my postbox which is at the end of our rd. My next door but one neighbour pulled up behind me and we both got out of our cars.I said hi and asked how she was. She said fine and asked if I was the new person that had just moved into the street. Now I know I haven't seen her for a while other than waving as we drive past each other but she seriously didn't recognise me. When she realised who I was she was gobsmacked and told me how amazing I looked and asked how much weight I had lost.
This is the second time this has happened in a couple of months. the same thing happened when I saw one of my other neighbours at the post office.
It's amazing how fantastic something like this can make you feel.

I don't know one person that has lost no weight with a band. Yes there are lots that do not lose as much as they would like or put it back on but the same is true with the other surgeries as well. The problem with the sleeve is that as it has only been around as a stand alone procedure for a couple of years we do not yet know whether the majority that have it will stay successful or if they will also regain.
What is obvious from reading the sleeve board is that there are people who are struggling, who have not lost as much as they would have liked , that still struggle with hunger etc.
Fluffy we know that you for some reason have not been successful with the band. This seems to make you bitter and determined to put everyone else off having the band. Whether you mean to or not you come across as some kind of missionary trying to convert people away from the evil band.
It would be better if you posted your opinion in a way that outlined facts and did not come across as so judgemental. Trying to scare the c@@p out of people who are struggling to make a decision is not helpful.

I get a lot of ideas from allrecipes(dot)com. You should check that site out because there are lots of reviews for each recipe with some good modifications mentioned. A couple of my favorites from the site are chicken Breasts with Balsamic Vinegar (I use tenders instead of breasts, onions instead of mushrooms) and Garlic and Sweet Mustard chicken Bake (also use tenders instead of breasts and i make sure they're touching in the baking dish, actually all squished together, so that the juices keep them nice and moist).
Another idea is really hearty Soups or stews- I make lentil Soup a lot. Chili is also really good in the cold months and you can add veggies and Beans to give it more variety.

My first fill was 10ccs in an 11cc band. I felt NOTHING. It was tight for a couple of hours after the fill, but once that feeling went away, I felt the same as I did before the fill. I was also able to eat anything I wanted- Pasta, bread, rice, steak- all with no hint of sticking. I was freaked out because I was thinking- 'he can only get one more cc in this thing- what if I'm one of those people that the band just doesn't work for?'. Well, yesterday I went for fill #2. He put in 0.5ccs. I had to wait for 10 minutes in the office to make sure I wasn't uncomfortable. I felt a little like I had heartburn and felt burpy- there was a definite difference with that tiny amount. But I didn't really feel totally uncomfortable, so, I left and hoped on the subway. I got about 3 stops away and decided something was wrong. I had a sharp pain in the middle of my back and in my chest. I called the office and they said it was the sign of too much fill. They gave me the option of coming back and getting a little out or letting it settle for a couple of days. I decided to get some out, so I headed back and as soon as they took a little out, the pain went away.
The moral of the story is don't give up! It just may take your band being almost full to get you the restriction you want. My doctor is pretty agreesive with the first fill and has me coming in every 2 weeks to check my progress. You're gonna get there, it just takes a little patience and a little more saline!
(oh! the weight gain might just be muscle building from the exercise- use body measurements and how your clothes fit to help gauge your progress when the scale discourages you!)

I read an article, can't remember where, that mentioned focusing on what you CAN eat rather than what you CAN'T eat- planning is really important. This is hard at first, but it gets easier. I find if I don't think about what I'm going to eat ahead of time and make sure it's available, I end up eating crap.
I also weigh myself every day! I know a lot of people say don't do that because your weight fluctuates, it's depressing, etc, BUT it's not depressing if you're seeing the numbers go down every day. And if they're up a little, it makes me pay more attention to what I put in my mouth that day so that I can see a drop the next morning. If I'm not seeing a drop (or at least the same number) then I know I need to change something.
Good luck on Friday!

I read an article, can't remember where, that mentioned focusing on what you CAN eat rather than what you CAN'T eat- planning is really important. This is hard at first, but it gets easier. I find if I don't think about what I'm going to eat ahead of time and make sure it's available, I end up eating crap.
I also weigh myself every day! I know a lot of people say don't do that because your weight fluctuates, it's depressing, etc, BUT it's not depressing if you're seeing the numbers go down every day. And if they're up a little, it makes me pay more attention to what I put in my mouth that day so that I can see a drop the next morning. If I'm not seeing a drop (or at least the same number) then I know I need to change something.
Good luck on Friday!

Love my new life. Banded 2 months ago today. Started - tight size 30 pants. Today - loose size 22s. Feel better than I have in years. Looking forward to three weeks over Christmas in the islands. Can't wait to get back on the sail boat by myself and sitting comfortably in airline seats. (First fill is next week.) I'm taking my sunscreen and enjoying a drama free holiday.

Why do people put stock in these television grandstanders? They're there to make shows and take ratings! I cant stand freaking Dr Phil or Dr Oz. I wouldnt put any stock in what they said - they're selling a product, themselves and their show and like ALL media, you cant place much faith in it.
Make your own decisions based on your own research.