betty_s

Muscle doesn't actually weigh more than fat. a pound is a pound, but a pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat. so, during stalls, you could very well be losing inches (and fat), but replacing them with muscle.

yay! im enjoying my first fill i had last wednesday. i hope the same happens to you!

Its funny how doctors differ so much. My doctor advised me to stay away from Protein shakes as meals. She wants me to be able to be satisfied by eating my meals. not drinking them. I was told 3 - 1/2 to 3/4 cup meals a day. A snack is allowed if I'm not staying full between lunch and dinner.

Have you tried logging your meals into a calorie counter and looking at your macros just to get an idea what your daily intake looks like? I find that is most helpful to me. I'm a little newer post-op than you, but I just stick with Proteins and some veggies, never much room for more. I try to measure everything. I'm less than a week out from my first fill. I think if the 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of food arent keeping you full for few hours, you may need another fill. If its head hunger, I control that with a stick of gum and some Water.

how are all my may banders??

How are all my may banders doing?

2. I pray that whatever is on the other side of this surgery feels far better than food. I'm struggling today. I promise, it does!! I'm only 5 weeks post-op, but I'm loving my band so far. 3. I'm having thoughts of self-sabotage. Well would happen if I just took a bite...(but I won't!) I still struggle with this daily, but my finance always tells me, "what about that dress you want to fix in November for your friends wedding?" Don't let them get the best of you! 4. This is the first time in the process since I've questioned whether or not I'm doing the right thing. I put of wls from 18 to 26 because I just knew I could do it myself (i've been overweight from childhood). Obvi, when I tipped the scales at 303, I couldn't do it on my own. If you've gotten this far, you know this is the right decision for you! You've got this girl! I cant say enough good things about my band so far, and hopefully you'll feel the same about yours!

hey girl! i have one recipe that i really like.. even when i wasnt dieting which is saying a lot! 1 scoop of whey Protein (i was using mrm vanilla or choc - low in carbs) 1/2 frozen banana 1 cup of almond milk 1 handful of ice cubes 1-2 T of dark choc dreams pb (this is the KEY INGREDIENT) I like to keep my protein powders low in carbs, so i use MRM, Beverly Internation UMP, and Protizyme. UMP has a Cookies and cream flavor that I really enjoy and Protizyme has a Peanut Butter cookie flavor thats pretty yummy too.

I sometimes mixed the chicken flavored Protein (unjury brand) with low sodium chicken broth. i heat the broth up first, make sure its its not over 140*F, then add the protein and shake it in my shaker bottle. good to switch it up when you mainly find sweet Proteins.

okay, so i KNOW i've read this topic before, but they seemed to be newly post-op. so, background: i am 5 weeks post-op yesterday and had my first fill wednesday. my doctor put me 2 days liquid, 2 days soft, then back to regular. so, today was first day softs. heres the thing.. i ate 4 bites of eggs and was full. then, 4 hours later, i'm not hungry. do i eat my 1/2C of food? do i take a few bites? do i just keep on going with my day? i am working out 5 days a week (lifting + cardio), so i know my body needs some kind of calories for energy, but it seems like at this rate, its gonna be 4 bites then full. i know i'm newly filled, probably swollen, and my restriction wont be like this forever, but what do i do right now? i'd hate to force myself to eat, but i also want to be able to fuel my workouts properly. i think that's one reason my weight loss seems to be stalling so often, because most days, i'm not getting in more than 1,000 calories and burning anywhere from 500-700 during a workout along with the 2,000+ i burn just from daily activity. this is just all so new to me, so i appreciate any feedback. i never thought i would have to think about forcing myself to eat. its still hard sometime to determine when i'm full, so i'm taking it all in slowly, but hopefully getting the hang of this tool.

I promised I would keep everyone updated with my fill I had yesterday, so here it is. I got to the office at about 12:30, signed all my paper work, then got brought up to the 7th floor where I would wait until it was my turn. My doctors office only does fills certain wednesdays of the month, so there were a few other people there waiting to get filled, too. Well, about an hour and 15 minutes later, it was my turn. I walked back to the room where 3 lovely women greeted me. I lifted up my shirt and tried to stay as calm as possible, since i was on the verge of an anxiety attack. The doctor stuck the needle in and removed all (if there was any in there) Fluid, so she could get an accurate measurement of how much was in there. Well, as she started to inject the saline, I felt all this Water running down my stomach. Turns out, the needle had a crack in it. Just my luck! So, she got another needle, stuck me again, and this time we got it right. She put 4.4cc's in my band and sent me on my way (after the barium swallow, of course), wet pants and all I def overreacted over nothing. It wasnt painful, even being stuck with the needle twice. I'm on full liquids for 2 days, mushy 2 days, then can eat real food again sunday. Now I'm nervous about getting stuck! I'll just have to be verrrry careful when eating.

@@Bandista thank you! i appreciate your feedback. just such a weird feeling NOT being hungry! takes some getting use to!

waking up and not dreading getting ready. knowing something WILL fit and not getting winded from getting dressed. crazy how 34 lbs makes such a difference!

I was wondering if anyone who had the band has tried the Advocare cleanse? Did the Fiber drink bother you when it went through the stoma? This isn't something I'm doing to lose weight; I've done the cleanse a few times, and actually enjoy how I feel while I'm doing it. It's not a 'harsh' cleanse and I feel like I need it, since I still cant get my body 'regular' since I've had surgery. So, If you have any tips or tricks, I'm all ears. I've basically tried everything I've read on this forum to help get myself going, but I'm just not the 'normal' person I used to be, and I HATE IT!

@@mias76 im trying the miralax mixed into my 'sleepy time' tea at night and it hasnt seemed to help. i dont necessarily feel bloated, but i know how my body operated pre-surgery and it was at least every other day.. now its like once a week.

so, other than sf popsicles, fudgesicles, and sf pudding, i havent really had anything sweet for awhile, even pre-op. i try not to have these every night, or even a few times a week, because they do trigger my sweet tooth. well, it was my T.O.M. (sorry men), and i was CRAVING something sweet and chocolaty, and i knew these wouldn't hit the spot, so i made up a recipe that was AMAZING, plus it had 10 g of protein. again, this isn't something i will eat every night or even every week, because it triggered my sweet tooth, but i had a very low carb day and just went with it: 1/2 quest bar brownie 2 T of nonfat cool whip drizzle of SF caramel I cut the quest bar in half and stuck it in the toaster oven at 375* for about 3-4 mins, until it was warm and soft. Took it out and topped it with about 2 T of cool whip and just a drizzle of sf caramel syrup (by smuckers). I cant even tell you how amazing this was. I knew i was satisfied with what i ate, but my inner fat kid wanted me to make 3 more! If you have a hard time controlling your sweet tooth, this might not be the dessert for you, but if you REALLY want a treat, i def recommend this! approx nutrition: 125 CALS, 21 CARBS (11 NET CARBS), 3 FAT, 10 PROTEIN.

@@jktefft yes! try them out! and if you dont like one flavor, try some others. and if you heat the cookie dough one in the oven for a few mins, it tastes like a fresh baked cookie!!

wow!!! thats awesome! congrats!

I know, in my own experience, I actually DO feel better. At 303 lbs, I hated taking the stairs, tying my shoes, or even just getting dressed because I was out of breath afterwards. I was always tired and just really felt depressed. Now, even just 33 lbs lighter, I feel the complete opposite as above. I'm going to the gym, can run at a 6 pace on the treadmill, and take the stairs everywhere I go. So, I do feel so much better, personally, but if you already felt good, great for you!

good luck!!! you'll do great!!!

You'll be fine. yes, it is surgery and there is some pain that goes with it, but its TEMPORARY. i didnt have gas pain, but was very sore on my port side/hernia side. After 3 days, the pain was little to none unless i was doing too much at home. 3 weeks should def be more than enough. I went to a wedding 7 days post-op and was fine. Yes, a little sore, but fine. I had 2 weeks off because my surgery week backed up to my already planned vacation and i was out and about that whole second week. You will do fine. I love my band and I'm so happy i made this decision. I wouldnt take it back for a second!

well congrats on handling maintenance better than expected! i dont want to be skinny either, so i can def tell where you are coming from. if i could just get to 170, i'd be happy! thanks for keeping us posted on your journey!