NYTeacher

I still get stuck a lot and I know it has to do with taking too big bites or not chewing enough. I've discussed this problem at my doctor's and they keep reminding me it's a learning curve. I've eaten one way for 46 years, and another for less than a year. It is every single bite of food, every single meal. Sometimes it's super frustrating, but I wouldn't trade my lapband for anything. I've noticed it happened when I was hungrier,so now I try to pay extra attention at those times.

I have a skinny ten year old who weighs sixty pounds. He's hard to pick up, let alone carry around. As of this morning--sixty pounds is now gone from my body! I have been excitedly waiting for this because he is a walking milestone. Any time I want to see what it felt like at my heaviest, I just have to pick him up and walk around with him. It's so weird to think of the idea that I used to have to "carry him" upstairs, to work, every single step, etc.

unjury is a high quality Protein powder. They have several sweet flavors, including the usual chocolate and vanilla. The also have an "unflavored" Protein Powder that many people love, I can still taste it though. The chicken flavor is like chicken bullion. I add it to things like broccoli and low fat cheese. Suddenly, I have 20 more grams of protein! Look up unjury on the Internet and it will take IOU directly to their site.

I wish they had this in more schools. We are lucky enough to have a culinary arts program, but that "just" teaches about food preparation. My kids know so little about handling money, nutrition and how to read labels. I teach ESL and I try to teach label reading and medicine taking directions every two years so that most kids will have that basic info by the time they leave my school.

Kathy, I find it weird to say "congratulations" for all your hard work but I can't think of a better word. I also wanted to thank you for coming to post here. I started at 401 and am now down to 350. My surgeon has told me that realistically I could expect to get down to about 240, but I would so love to get below 200. It is really inspiring to read of your success and accomplishments.

I want to add another suggestion. I have a really bad knee and may also need a replacement when I get the weight off. I was also planning on joining the Y, but I never seemed to do it. I just bought a Gazelle Freestyle from the Tony Little exercise collection. It does not hurt my knee at all! It is a non impact glider--like an elliptical,so you can exercise your arms and legs at once. I have lower back pain as well, however, I can use this machine.

I asked my nutritionist and she said focus on getting 60-80 grams of protein a day and limiting the portions. She said that is more important than counting calories. however, in spite of just doing that, I am trying right now to eat around 800-1100 as I am not exercising much.

My doctor doesn't prohibit caffeine--thank God! However, I think Monster drinks are carbonated which she does consider a big no-no. If I really need a boost in the afternoon, I use a five hour energy shot.

I use light (olive oil) mayo and sweet pickle relish to make tuna salad. It can really easily go into a small 1/2 or 1 cup container. I know you said you are staying away from carbs but I found some rice crackers make by a company called 34 degrees. They are insanely low in calories and eating my tuna salad on them has more of a crunch and "meal" feeling to it than plain tuna salad. I have also started adding unjury Protein powder, chicken flavor, to Soups and other things to boost my Protein intake.

That was a really nice and very informative piece. I am losing far more slowly than you or your sister, but I will get there in the end. I have just recently started exercising due to pain from an arthritic knee, but I have found chair exercises and resistance band training. I like your idea of thirty second changes.

Thanks everyone. Please believe me when I tell you all, this is the absolutely only place I can share this!

My BMI went down to 59, so I am "just" morbidly obese! Weird victory, butsince I started at 66, I'll take what I can get.

I have had a similar problem with leftover fish. I think the reheating makes it more rubbery, so not lapband friendly.

I was banded on October 15, and have lost "only" 15 pounds since surgery, 41 in total. I've been really down about losing about a pound a week but my doctors have told me I'm doing great. I knew going in the lapbanders lose way more slowly than gastric bypass but emotionally it is still hard. I have been on a sabbatical from my teaching job and return on January 29. I had hoped to have a super noticeable difference by the time I went back, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards, I've had three fills. The first one I felt great restriction for about a week, then almost nothing. The second one was the most successful so far as I lost nine pounds in five weeks. I just had my third, so I am up to 6.3 ccs in a 10 cc band. I'm still on mushies and it seems to be working well. I am curious about how many calories a day people are averaging?