gowalking

Wonderful to be in control, isn't it? Keep it up!!

Welcome Megan. Good luck with your upcoming surgery. Are you wondering what to eat right after the procedure or are you talking about what you can/can't eat long term? In the short term, follow your doctor's instructions...liquids first, then mushies, soft foods, and lastly, regular food a few weeks out. Long term....it's whatever your band can tolerate. I have no fills so I can eat anything. I stick to 1000 or so calories daily....protein, veggies, carbs and it's working for me. Down 71 lbs. in 6 months.

I'd rather walk away from most of my meal rather than show a card like that. I know that's probably silly but I'll be damned if I advertise to a server that I'm banded.

Good luck!!

I'm not that far from you...New York City. Five hours by Amtrak

Wishing you much success this time around. Just one thing....don't set unrealistic weight loss goals for yourself. You won't lose 15-20 lbs. in three weeks. No one loses that fast. If you lose between 1-2 lbs. a week, you're doing really well.

what a difference in just a month. congrats on your success.

too bad you can't call it Fat F**ks. Hahahaha!!

Nope. kina hurra? sp? is when you're bragging or boasting and want to make sure not to invoke the evil eye. I must have heard my Nana say that phrase a million times.

I'm Jewish so I believe the word you are describing is 'zaftig'. Yes?

Oh Arlene...I just burst out laughing at that remark. Thanks!

Depends on what you mean by work out. You can walk right away but running or spinning, or more strenuous activity usually takes a while....like around six weeks or so. I swim and had to wait for the incisions to completely heal so as not to wind up with infections.

I went to the seminar a year ago. I was approved and my surgery set for early November. Then Hurricane Sandy came through New York and damaged the hospital so badly that it was closed for more than two months. I was finally banded on January 14th of this year. Just be aware that the insurance companies all have differing criteria for approval so it can take as little as a couple of months, or more than six months depending on what tests and documentation you need. Good luck, and don't be discouraged if it takes a while. In hindsight, it's a good thing so you can get used to the idea of this life changing procedure you'll be going through.

Are you post or pre-op? I've said it before...and I'll say it again. I have such respect for those of you who are trying to do this while feeding others. I live alone and that means I eat only what I need to...and I don't have to worry about anyone else. Good luck to you and stay strong!!

If I waited 5 minutes between bites, it would take me two hours to eat. One minute is usually plenty of time...even less if the food is small bites and well chewed.

The tricks for me are being in the bedroom rather than the living room...same idea as being on another floor. And I have to be doing something while the TV is on....a crossword puzzle, being on the computer, reading...anything besides just watching TV....and all those darn food commercials....oh lord, they are the worst.... If I really have nothing else to occupy me, I stream a movie. It keeps me engrossed, and there are no commercials. As Missy said, try some of the suggestions on this thread till you find what works for you. Believe me, as you can see, you are not alone with this particular struggle.

A banded friend of mine suggested I try hypnosis before actually going through with the surgery as an atempt to trick my mind into thinking I was banded. I decided not to do it just because I think I'm too cynical to believe something that isn't true. Having said that, I think ii's certainly worth exploring this tool if you think it can help. Good luck..let us know how it works for you.

Really?? You want to lose another 100 lbs.? You already look wonderful. Congrats on your success!

Wow!! That's amazing. What a great jump start for you.

Nah...not weird. You sound alot like me. I can guzzle Water no problem...I have inadvertently eaten larger bites than I should and have no issues. The difference between before banding and after banding is the not hungry between meals, and satiety after eating a fraction of what I used to chow down. I'm hoping this lasts and I can do this without ever needing a fill.

Sorry Loretta, I'm not your dream guy...I'm a single female in my 50s living in New York, but I just had to comment on how funny this was...LOL!

great blog! I really enjoyed reading about your 'adventures with clothes'...LOL!

Oh sure. What you're feeling is very common. I knew I was losing weight because the scale said so but I couldn't see it. And then I tried on a blouse that I couldn't button when I started this journey and to my amazement, the darn thing buttoned up just fine. For a moment I actually thought the blouse had magically gotten bigger instead of just realizing that I had.gotten smaller. It's important for you to get that tangible evidence that you are losing weight until the realization kicks in.

Can I make a suggestion? Don't weigh yourself. It sounds like you are focused too much on the number and get disappointed when you don't hit what is basically an unrealistic goal. Even bandsters who do amazingly well do not lose a pound a day. The average is 1-2 lbs. a week. Remember...you didn't gain it overnight, and you won't lose it overnight either. Plus you are still healing as you note and you will absolutely fluctuate for some time until your body starts to regulate and your band starts to kick in. As you saw today, your band is working. Don't test it or you'll open yourself up for problems that make not losing any weight seem like a walk in the park. As so many successful bandsters on this site say, the band is a tool and you must work with it, it won't do the work for you'. Good luck on your journey!

I'm banded six months and have had no fills. I too can eat anything so I'm very careful to portion out my food accurately. After I eat, I am satisfied and don't look to eat more. Once I overate a little and was uncomfortably full for several hours afterwards so I really pay attention to portions. From what I've read on this forum, when bandsters get fills, they often have difficulty with foods that they could eat before fills but some people can still eat anything even with fills. My situation is not typical...71 lbs. down in 6 1/2 months (including 2 week preop diet) with no fills. If you are satisfied and not hungry...or looking to eat between meals, you might not need a fill.