SandyM

My surgeon says to fill a small plate with the recommended protein vege and starch. Eat protein then vege then starch. If you get hungry before the 4 hour mark...next meal increase amt protein on the plate. He doesn't like to fill unless you've done this and still get hungry before 4 hours. Purpose is if you're eating more proteins you'll be eating less starch. I try to avoid starches in evening cuz I think they make me crave more starch. I try all protein in the evening but not always easy to do. I've only just started this practice so I'm still waiting to see results. All of us are different. I do know that 90% of mine isn't hunger cuz sometimes I've just eaten when these urges hit and I start looking for things to satisfy the cravings. Head hunger is something we just have to learn to deal with. 7 months out and I'm still learning early signs of saity. Also I'm training myself to limit my weighing. I find myself rewarding myself for losing and punishing myself for gaining...both with food. Ugh.

Carolinagirl had band with plication and hasn't required a fill yet. I have 5 in mine and am reasonably satisfied. I may need a little tweaking.

Check walmart. Atkins bars has a big choice. I bought some yesterday. My surgeon doesn't have a problem with shakes but I can see where they might not satisfy you as long as a bar would.

Sometimes this is genetic like the shape of feet. If it's not veinous they should thin down a lot when the weight is gone but you may never have skinny ankles. Walking running elliptical etc. burn it off.

It's where they tuck and sew the stomach, making it smaller. Kind of like the sleeve but no cutting. Reduces risk of slip and reduces fills supposedly.

I think you need to take everything you read for face value. There are folks that hit green and their weight loss seems to come off very easily. Others seem to continue to track monitor all the way through their journey. I've tried several different things trying to find what works for me but I don't expect it will ever be as easy as some say. I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing cuz I know it's right. But stop setting impossible expectations for this little appliance and take some responsibility yourself. I'm guilty too. I know it'll happen, but the body does a lot of adjusting during weight. My surgeon says if I continue to want to eat after a meal I should double up on my Protein. I find I'm good during the day (even with carbs) but the evening time is my enemy. I know it's not hunger cuz sometimes it happens right after I eat. What I've done the past few days (and it seems to work) Is protein only at dinner. I give myself a double portion of whatever meat we are having. I eat til I'm satisfied and I do mean satisfied. Then I don't want the hohos, twinkles, pbj sandwiches, bowls of Cereal etc that I always keep in the house for the gks. Hey, I've gone to bed the last 3 nights with a feeling of saity from what I ate and didn't eat and no guilty feelings. Now just waiting for the scales to drop.

Get a new outfit. It is fantastic for your self esteem. I want new uniforms. I've only been wearing this batch 3 or 4 months, but I'm going to wear them through the winter cuz I can get my long johns under them.....and easily.

My surgeon and his surgeon wife are fitness and health fanatics. I asked him on my last visit about how much was too much protein. His response to me was that I wouldn't be able to eat too much protein especially with my band. He said that protein would not damage my kidneys and unless I had bad kidneys already I'd be fine. I'm also a nurse for 22 years who had a mother who was a dietician and based on what I've been taught both in my childhood and since, his words didn't surprise me. I was just confirming what I already believed. I don't believe all mds are qualified in all areas as are any health care persons. You just have to filter what you read or hear and make up your own minds.

I'm having problems with this too. It's just one bite....ugh!!!

Lol. That's just prove all males aren't jerks and all jerks aren't males.

Gas strips

Good for you. It will eventually be reflected on the scales

There is someone people on here that say that once you reach green zone your weight loss will be effortless after that. I hope that is true but personally don't believe it. I believe this is a diet of sorts and will be to some extent forever if I don't want to lose regain lose regain. No, I don't believe that you have to jump on the scales 2 times a day. I don't believe that you have to obcess about your food, but I sorta believe you do as well. Until the weight is gone and even afterwards, you have to watch what you eat and your activity. But you're human and will have slips. Don't let it define you. Just get back up dust yourself off and start again. I find myself punishing myself and the results are usually worse than the crime in the end. This is just the way I feel and I'm not saying anyone who believes differently is wrong.

Just remember if the 1st piece doesn't go down well, aint no way the 2nd or 3rd will either. for me its really small pieces, chewed well. Give time to make sure it went down. I use ranch to dip mine and I try to stick to the dark meat. I never eat warmed over chicken from the microwave cuz it inevitably will be rubbery to a point. This is all just me.

Pittsburger, you are losing weight really well. It has only been 6 months correct? I've actually skipped a few fills that have been offered cuz I don't want to be too tight and I think I'm doing ok. I've noticed that my weight hasnt budged in the last 2 weeks, but my clothes seem to be getting bigger. I go to the gym religiously and monitor my intake closely. I have appt in 2 weeks and don't know whether I'll take a fill yet. But the last thing I want is an overfill.

Congratulations Susan. It will be worth the wait. Just keep reading. I found this site a month after my surgery but have learned alot since. I did ok until then by calling my lap band md and talking to a friend who had the surgery. But the site has made me a lot more comfortable with my symptoms and such. Take some measurements. The times when the scales don't move, measurements will give you someway to measure your progress, and those times will come.

I've been stuck and its lasted up to 40 minutes. All I did was wait for it to relieve itself. I slimed alot and had tiny (and I do mean tiny burps) each followed by swallowing a little slime and producing more discomfort and slime. Anyway, I don't think I could tolerated that all day. I found the last time that jumping jacks helped progress everything. I haven't tried to drink anything cuz I'm just way too uncomfortable for that. I do believe you can have different degrees of sliming as I have had smaller episodes that passed quicker and didn't hurt near as much. Regardless of what you call it, sounds like stuck to me. Nobody knows how you handle things but you.

I chewed pretty good and ate slow with small bites. Still the turkey got me. Now I know why people with problems revert to slider foods. I did the same for the rest of the day. But I'm back now. I have to say that my stuck episodes have hurt like ------!

Agree. Try to get your 60 gms of Protein and stay hydrated. Enjoy the ride.

You look awesome.

I do jumping jacks. Get me some exercise that way too.

As stated earlier, when an incision pops open its not for no reason at all. Most of the time there is an infection process that has stopped the healing. ER told you to see your surgeon and you should asap. These incisions can tunnel. I've actually taken care of a lapband pt that all of her incisions tunneled to one another. She ended up with a giant wound all across her abd. This is definitely meant to scare you. I even had to pause before having my surgery after treating her wounds for over a month daily. So, as stated, see your doctor asap.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody. I've noticed that every year I make a new years resolution that I don't keep, but I give myself a whole year to do it and then by February I don't even remember making one or what it was. This year I've decided to do it differently. I'm making mine on Thanksgiving. The best part of this is we have slightly over a month to achieve it and we should be able to do that standing on our heads. The 2nd best part is it will get us through the holidays. Join me here. Make them things that are realistic and rewarding. I'll start: 1. I'm going to make sure I drink 80 oz of Water per day. This will be in addition to any tea, coffee, crystal lite, milk or other beverages I may have. 2. I'm going to stay off of the scales except on my drs visit and on New Years day. This way the scales won't guide whether I decide to be compliant or noncompliant with my diet. I have found this has become problem with me. This will be my hardest one. 3. I'm going to log my calorie intake every day even when it hurts. 4. I'm going to do 90 plus grams Protein per day. I've already asked my Doctor and he says "good idea" 5. I'm going to go the gym 5 days per week and do both cardio and strength with each visit. I'll spend 1 hour minimum there. 6. I'm going to be just overweight and not obese by standard bmi table. 7. I will not regret my actions on the holidays infact, I'll keep healthy Snacks handy to ward off the evil or less healthy ones. 8. I'm going to be satisfied with the results whatever the scales say because I will know that my body has benefited from it in many ways even if the scales don't verify it. .

Stool softness didn't work for me. I do miralax as needed. Takes a little to kick in but it's real good. Plus my surgeon told me to start taking magnesium every day and fiber

I'm not fond of evercise either but feel such satisfaction afterwards.