Bandora

I have difficulty some days getting in my Protein. I still try to start my day with a Protein shake so I can get 30g in before 10am. Does you disability allow you to exercise? It may be that you are at a stall and make need to increase or change your kind of exercise. I don't actually count all my calories exactly. I stick with the same basic meals most days. I do stagger my calorie intake. For one day I may eat 1000 calories, then 1400, then down to 1200 and rotate. It seems to help me to confuse my body so to speak. It may not work for everyone but it does for me. I also have to drink my shake and then eat 3 small meals spaced through out the day. I don't eat after 6pm if I can help it. You can find a lot of easy recipes online to make it easier to plan. Good luck to you!

Do you not want to tell family because you are afraid they will be negative? If so, just focus on your diet and do not feel the need to make an excuse for what to tell them. Focus on visiting and catching up with relatives. No one should be monitoring your food intake. I know I wouldn't pay attention to what people are eating. I am just happy to see people I don't get to see all year.

You can make a pot of white chili? Shredded chicken ( I use rotisserie to save time) White beans, roasted green chile and onions....

I like to use lentils. Mix with beef or chicken and just whatever veggies I feel like tossing in the pot. The fiber really keeps me full and sometimes I puree and sometimes I leave whole.

Don't be frustrated. Sizes are so inconsistent and I get myself confused as to what size I should be in. I am a true apple shape with the roly poly barrel body. Once I picked up my pace on cardio ( mainly hiking and cycling) my belly started to melt. Congrats on losing the foot of waist. Its a great feeling!

I am still 24+ lbs from my goal and the saggy skin is a downer. I have lost slow and steady and have really worked on toning and cardio. Sadly I am not going to bounce back like a younger person might. I am 45 years old and when I am in clothes I look pretty good. My belly is like a deflated balloon and my upper thighs are a little droopy. Upper arms are a mess. I feel great and I am confident when I am in my clothes. I know I still have a lot of body fat and I will keep working on my diet & fitness to fix what I can. A few months ago I became really obsessed with the Quest for plastics. Trying to calculate my costs and fees and how I could swing it. Unfortunately I just do not see a way ( minus winning the lottery) So I am going to plug along, lower my body fat and work hard as I can. It has really been a struggle to appear to be so vain ( when I am not in the least) I get mad at myself for feeling as if looks are everything. Every day I have to remind myself how lucky I am that I can walk and hike and I do not have mobility issues. I am fortunate to have a body that may not be picture perfect but it is healthy and strong. Always remember that no one is perfect and that we all have body issues at one time in the WLS journey.

This sounds delish! I am so tired of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. Bleeecccchhhh! Love banana

The surgery is a medical necessity and you should not feel bad asking for the time off. Check with your surgeon to see what realistic recovery time is. Maybe you could work a modified schedule?

I used to watch the show but am over it. It is just not realistic to work out as much as these contestants. I prefer success stories from everyday people, much more relatable. People who have really placed their health first and understand it is not a fast an easy process. Who in the world can exercise that much?

I had 2 reasons I wanted WLS. Number #1 was to prevent health issues. I was borderline high blood pressure, sleep apnea and starting to experience joint pain. I have family members who are dealing with health issues which most definitely were caused by weight. It just seemed like a sad way to live and I got tired of it. I wanted to be able to be the best me I could be. Number #2 was to feel normal. Being fat is terrible and it is not attractive. It breaks my heart to see so many fat children. I notice this more and more since I have been on this health journey. There was so much in life that I was missing because of my size. People can sugar-coat it and say that you should "embrace your size" and " love the big beautiful you" all of that is a bunch of bs. There was no joy in debating whether I can fit in a theater seat or if I could find something to wear at Lane Bryant. People should not starve themselves to be stick thin and obsess over looks but everyone should strive to maintain a healthy weight. I am a major people watcher and one thing I notice is how people seem to be getting larger.

I do not weigh in daily. I really get upset when I see a .4 increase. So in order to avoid a bad day, I simply weigh myself once a week on a Wednesday. I starting taking measurements several months ago and that helps me. I love seeing my belly get smaller

Awesome job! I was banded one month after you and I am in my final countdown to goal. I know eventually I will get there.

I would check with your bariatric team. Higher protein may be fine since you are newly banded. I know that excessive protein can cause kidney stones etc....but the protein grams would be super high and I doubt you could exceed once you are on solid food. You are drinking lots of water which is very important.

finediva- Yes, all the years of negative fatty comments it sure does feel good when you hear the " skinny' word for the first time . Going into a regular store and having the sales staff pay attention to me gave me the biggest cheesiest grin on my face. Feeling invisible was the worst part of being fat. I always felt I was noticed only for my size. You are on your way!

I like Muscle Milk Light( banana Crème) but found that it was easier for me to mix my own with Protein powders.

Although I am getting smaller I still feel like a big girl. When someone I see has not seen me in awhile and they give a positive compliment, I feel I always shoot it down. If they say " You look great" instead of answering " Thank you", I go on this ramble like " Thanks, I still have 20lbs to go." I make more of a deal of it than anyone. I am going to just accept a compliment and move on. I overanalyze too much. I tend to gravitate towards large sizes when I go shopping. I never used to be in pictures( I did the fat girl face selfies only..lol) so now when I see myself in a picture I am pleasantly reminded that I have come a long way.

Those dang commercials always made me so hungry! UGH those big cheesy burgers etc.. I also was an emotional eater. I would eat to celebrate and when I was sad and all occasions were special reasons to eat. One of my tips was to not buy anything that I could snack on. Even now if I want a small snack I walk or ride my bike to the store. If I don't want to go out, I then I don't need the snack. I also love to cook. The difference now is that I cook with quality ingredients and really go for taste where as before I went for volume. I cannot believe how much I used to eat. I save a lot of money since we eliminated processed foods and most convenience foods from our menus. It will pass. Exercise really helps me when my cravings hit.

Lately I have been alternating between 4 different breakfasts. I wake up at 5:30 am and usually make one of these items eat between 7-8. Its hard for me to eat solid foods before about 11am. I find when I keep it simple I never want to cheat and sneak a doughnut or some sugary iced coffee. Green Protein smoothie ( Spinach, pineapple spear, protein power, flaxseed w/crushed ice and little water) oatmeal w/protein power & raisins. Super thin texture and I add flaxseed Fruit smoothie w/Protein powder. ( Strawberry/Raspberry are my latest favorites) 2 eggs- scrambled w/ spinach and shredded cheese

I have an acquaintance who I do not see all the time and she always says " Hey, Skinny Minnie" in front of people. I think it is done in a way to embarrass me. Well, I take it that way at least. I don't like attention in that way. I do love when people notice other physical changes like my shrinking tummy and toned legs. Sometimes people comment I look so small and I LOVE that!

I remember that feeling well. It is really hard at this time of the year. Most of your hunger is just head hunger. In many cases I just had to avoid places where I was offered food all the time. It is hard when your family eats all the time and you have co-workers who love to bake. Its rough but you can make it through! Just stay focused on portion sizes and eating your protein first. Remember to eat slow and chew, chew, CHEW. Ha ha ! As far as the scale, it is still my enemy at time. Don't weigh in but once a week. Try taking measurements instead or take a picture of yourself weekly. The scale can mess up my mood all day. I have to remind myself how one bite of this and a taste of that kept me fat for such a long time. That usually makes my craving pass. Good luck!

I was very nervous before my first fill.My nurse gave a small numbing shot before doing the fill. It was a slight pinch. She talked me through it and it was not bad at all. She made me do almost like a crunch-like movement so she could locate the port. I had about 5-6 fills ( one unfill ) before I was in my "green zone". I have a 10cc band and I am at 6.9. I have been here for the last 6months and very happy. My office makes you hang around after the fill to make sure you can drink a full cup of water. I didn't mind because I didn't want to get home and be unable to eat/drink.

I don't usually like chocolate but I have been buying the Premier Protein Chocolate Crunch bars ( 30g protein) and I like them. They are dense like a brownie and keep me full for several hours. I prefer making my own, but when I work late or have to miss a meal for some reason...these are 270 calories and although not as great as a real candy bar...not too bad. Usually can find on sale 4 for $5

I had to do a sleep study because I exhibited symptoms of sleep apnea. I was fortunate to do an in-home study for 2 nights. I am not sure I would have been comfortable in a sleep clinic setting. It was a requirement for the AETNA policy I had at the time of surgery.

I didn't tell many people at first. I think mostly because I was afraid of failure. These were the people who had seen me lose and gain many times. Once it became obvious ( at about the 50lb mark) I did open up to a few people. Now I am open with everyone who asks or has not seen me in a long time. Some people are private I guess and don't want to make a big deal. It is the same to me as a person who gets a facelift or a breast augmentation. We can see you did something, why lie? But I just know in my own situation I did not want to broadcast something until I knew I was successful.

Great article! I experienced some hair loss after my lap-band about 3-6 months post surgery. I was diligent about getting my protein in ( even if I had to drink a shake a day to get it in) I take a multi & iron and feel pretty good. I didn't lose much hair and my hairstylist says it is common to experience slight hair loss after any surgery as well as when we age. I simply had a hairstyle change and didn't sweat it much.