Lyoness82

I've been carb cycling for just over two weeks. Down 10lbs. I can do this forever. I love it, and its so easy. I have a hard time to getting over 1000 cals on low carb days. My husband is doing it too and has lost even more weight.

The only food that's off limits is soda. I was a six pack a day drinker of diet Pepsi before my band. I haven't had one sip of any carbonated beverage since being banded. I know ll about foods and cravings. And no no food is off limits. There are things that should be eaten seldomly and rarely but not off limits. I don't eat pasta or rice, donuts, bagels, etc. not because its off limits but because I can't. My band won't permit it. Some people with bands can eat these foods. No one said I eat pizza every night. I know what the difference in carbs are. I am carb cycling from a metabolism view point. I could do it forever. Unlinke most people my problem with food was not taste or cravings. I ate because I loved the feeling of being overly full. That's why the band works for me, it makes me full fast and I stop eating. I never go over 1500 calories even on high carb days as I can't eat a lot. I eat my cereal on high carb days and have a protein shake on my non carb days. I get a min of 60 grams of protein a day. Cheryl was making it sound like carb cycling was evil and no one should ever done it. She's never even tried it. I wouldn't go around giving advice about the Adkins diet, because I've never tried it. You know that old saying don't judge until you've walked in their shoes?

Well you obviously don't know what carb cycling is. And again you haven't tried it so you should really give advice on what you have done yourself. Who says I don't get high protein? Carb cycling doesn't say you have to eat carbs and no protein. I get 60-80 grams a day wether its a low carb or high carb day. My doctor says carb cycling is great. I track everything I eat. You don't have to be a gym rat for it to work, many people have had long term success. I haven't been to the gym once since getting banded, I try to walk for 30 min or do my wii step. I will never be fanatical about exercise. I have lost weight just fine.

You know what honey, maybe you should take your own advice and not assume. I can carb cycle for the rest of my life. Lapband is not about eliminating carbs if that was the case all those Adkins dieters wouldn't have failed. This is about balance. The carb cycling has to do with keeping you metabolism from slowing because it gets used to your 1000 calorie no carb diet. That will eventually make you gain. Considering you lost your weight, you should really only consider preaching about what you have experience with. Since you have not carb cycled you really have no basis to comment on it.

Chreyl, that's a lot of assumptions. I've been carb cycling since last Wednesday. I've lost 5 lbs since then. And for your information I don't use this as an excuse to eat a bunch of carbs. That may have been what you did, but not everyone is doing that. I can't even eat pastas and most breads and on my high cab day I maybe get up to 150, and a third of that comes from my Special K cereal. Like I said you may have failed or know someone who has but there are people who can control themselves. Lapband doesn't mean carbs are off limits. No food is off limits. You're unrealistic if you think never eating certain foods won't come back to bite you in the ass. Be realistic, this is a lifestyle change not some fad.

I waited 3 weeks but in between I had my period so by the time I was ready I started and waited til that was over lol.

I've had 3 csections and a gallbladder removal. My first csection was worst of all. I got an infection. I stayed in the hospital for 5 days then when I got out my incision opened and I got and infection. They used nitrous sticks to chemically seal it up. Worst pain ever. That being said the next two csections were a breeze. I think being conscious is the big difference. When I woke up from lapband surgery I felt like I got hit by a Mack truck. It was so weird too because when I was awake I was completely mentally there but I could get my words out or control my body. I just kept moaning and calling my husbands. They told him that they had given me all the pain meds they could and anymore and I would be knocked out. Which At that point I would have preferred. The gas pain is ridiculous, by far some of the worst pain I have felt, but it is different for everyone. I also had a hiatal hernia repaired. I should also add thAt I am a natural redhead and they always have to use at least 20% more anesthesia on me and pain meds then a normal person. Most of the pain from the lap band is the gas and the port pain which feels like someone is poking u with a hot poker. I felt better in about 5 days and I would do it all again even with the pain. I have lost 37 lbs and I continue to drop. Best decision I ever made was the lapband.

Peaceful1, I don't follow Chris' book exactly. I do one low carb day then a hi carb day and alternate. I don't do a free day either. There is a post in the food section called carb cycling an experiment gone right. You should read through it. So what I do is on a hi carb day I take what calories I need just to maintain my weight which is about 2600-2700. I can never go over that by honestly I rarely even get close to that. You can have up to 240 carbs and up to your max calories. It depends on your weight. On low carbs days I don't have more then 50 carbs and a 1000 calories less then my max cals. Yesterday was a low carb day and I only had 1000 calories and 49 carbs. The day before was a hi carb day and I had 1400 calories and 145 carbs. I'm trying to get higher on my hi days but its hard because I'm such a picky eater. My weakness has never been the breads and pastas its always been chocolate, so on low carb days I avoid the sweets and on my hi carb days I get a few pieces of chocolate. Doing it day by day makes it real easy too stick with for me. Hope this helps.

Rn925, I do have restriction, things do get stuck so I avoid them. If I don't chew chew chew things get stuck as well. I feel like I can eat a little more then a cup but it still takes me about 20 min to eat beacu I take smaller bites and chew a lot.

Girlfriend I know where u are. My doc said no fresh veggies and most fruits til I was 2 months post op. and I am a salad eater. U can't eat bread and pastas and meat is hard to go down its like wtf are u suppose to eat? I lived off of Juanita's tortialla chips, fat free sour cream and tomatoes on days 30-58. On dec December 21 I got the go ahead and I ain't looked back lol. I've been eating salad everyday. And I've been carb cycling since we'd, and I've lost 4.5 lbs in 3 days! Seriously it's worth he wait. You can do it!

I was banded on oct 25 th and I have an empty band. I won't be getting a fill anytime soon. I'm down 37 lbs. I'm happy with my weight loss. I lose 3-5 lbs a week which is plenty IMO. If you are losing why mess with it?

I've thrown up twice since being banded on oct 25. 1 time when I decided I would be fine eating Chinese food. Well I wasn't. One bite and it was stuck. First came the productive burp, then my mouth started to water bad. I was over the sink, and once my mouth started to water my stomach started to feel like I had the flu and the heaving started. It was only a few heavs though. I was freaked too though my band would slip. But the doc said only someone who vomits all the Time for days is at risk. The second time I threw up was a few days ago. Sometimes I forget I have the band. I walked into the pantry and saw the fig newtons, they hadn't been open so I was like hey why not get one. I ate it but didn't chew like I do when I am conscious of my eating, a few seconds later I was ready to do my wii fit and I took a drink of water, well the water didn't stay down it came back up instantly, good thing I had a cup near me lol. Then i was over the sink mouth watering like I had a faucet in my mouth. And I was heaving. It was way worse then the first time. Sometime it just happens. You aren't paying attention of eating consciously. Just try to be aware at all times lol. But now and then it won't hurt your band.

I don't agree. Behaviors we are trying to avoid are binge eating, eating mindlessly, overheating, head hunger, emotional eating etc. normal weight people eat pizza and burgers, they just don't do it all of the time. I had half a slice of pizza tonight and a salad for dinner. I'm carb cycling right now. Yes make healthy choices most of the time and sometimes have a chocolate or a slice of pizza or a martini! It's rediculous to think that someone will never eat another "bad" food Again. Happy bday to your son. Enjoy it!

Well after a fill most people do liquids for a few days and start food back slowly. My doc says once you know ur body, eat til ur full, which is usually 3/4-1 cup of food for me.

I am just over 2 months post op. and I avg about 1500 calories a day. Days 1-7 post op I was on clear liquids and protein shakes. I got around 500 cal a day. Days 7-30 mushies. After a month I was clear to cautiously eat what I wanted except for fresh veggies. That was really hard as I am a salad girl. Honestly for a month I lived off of Juanita's tortilla chips, fat free sour cream and tomatoes lol. I had a hiatal hernia so I had some swelling still. It seemed only crunchy things would go down. Now that I am two months post op I eat whatever I want. I have found that some things don't work. I don't eat pasta, rice, most breads unless toasted, and some meats. On dec 21st I had my first salad and it was AWESOME! Lol. I've been eating salad ever since. If I drink a protein shake in the morning and have meat on my salad I have adequate protein for the day, but no protein shake and I seriously lack in the protein department. I am carb cycling now. On day 2 and I have already lost 3 lbs. good luck!

Like they said every doc is different. My doc said no drinking 30 min before after and during. I find it uncomfortable to drink while I'm eating.

I wish I would have known about the tummy sleeping, every time I tried to roll it hurt so bad, so for weeks I slept on my back and I have always been a side or tummy sleeper. I still sometimes wake up and it feels like my band is in my throat. My band is also much tighter in the morning. It just take time. Good luc.

I'm 7 weeks post op. mine took a few weeks to stop hurting, and every once in awhile if I bend over a certain way I get a sharp pain. Also if one of my kids is sitting on my lap and lean back on it it gets a little sore. I think this is normal, I mention to my doctor and she didn't seem concerned.

Nancy, I was banded on oct 25th so I am definitely not an old timer. This is just reality. All this talk of the band doesn't work for everyone or sometimes the band just doesn't work is excuse my French bull ****. The band does exactly what is suppose to do. If you find ways to eat around it or don't do your part it is not the band that's not working, it's you. When people come on here and say they are doing everything exactly like they should but are still not losing only 1 of two things is happening, and neither of those things are the band. It is either you are lying and you really aren't doing your part, or you have something going on medically, like a thyroid problem. That's all there is too it. It is scientifically not possible to fail unless 1 of those two things happen. You shouldn't be so quick to jump on "the old timers" they have much experience and been down these roads and have a lot of helpful advice. Didn't your mother raise you to respect your elders?

My doc said no caffeine for 3 weeks. I was on protein and clears for 7 days. Is coffee a clear? Chek with ur doc.

I don't mean to sound rude, but if you are doing everything right, it is impossible for you not to lose weight. Unless you are eatin all carbs, or go all day not eating and eat at night. Even without exercise the band should still be taking weight off. If you are 250lbs and it takes roughly 2000-2300 just to maintain your weight, and you only eat say 1500 calories a day that is a deficit minimum of 3500 cal. Resulting in a weight loss of a 1l b a week, and that is if you live a completely sedetary lifestyle. I just find it hard to believe.

Wow you go guys! I don't even think I could o a 5k lol.

Are you banded? My doctor says I get them from drinking to fast. I get them all the time since I've been banded. But I also had them before, not this much but more then the average person. I also had. Hiatal hernia.

Don't get discouraged. You won't need anyone to take care of you, I don't think. I didn't even stay obvernight in the hospital. If you don't have kids you should be fine. Maybe have a friend or a parent come visit with you while you're home? It's his loss. Be glad you found out what kind of guy he is now. If can do this right before surgery there is no telling what other stuff he could pull later. Keep your head up and stay positive. There is lots of support here.

You can use as a meal replacement or as a snack.