ElectricBoogaloo

Congratulations!

I really don't know why people do things like that. I haven't had my surgery yet, but I remember when I was pregnant people were forever coming up and telling me horror stories about women they knew who had miscarried, or had babies die of crazy obscure things, and I never knew what to say. It was always something like "My brother in law's cousin's next door neighbor's stepsister had a baby, and one day that baby's head just fell right off! I'm sure that won't happen to you, though!"
I think the only thing you can really do is roll your eyes and be glad you have enough sense in your head to not say stupid things.

I am at the point that people who have seen me walking around town for years are stopping me on the street to ask me for my dieting "secrets".
I am very open that I had surgery, and the diet I follow would not be right for someone who has not.
If they press, I pull out my pill case full of Vitamins and other supplements and tell them that despite taking all these daily, and working with a doctor and a nutritionist, I still have deficiencies. I tell them I get six vials of blood drawn every three months, so my recommended Vitamins can be adjusted. I tell them about my hair loss.
Even if my nutrition improves, and I lose all the weight I want, my body has been permanently altered. I am going to be medically supervised for life. They shouldn't follow my diet any more than they should go on the low-Fluid low-potassium diet of a dialysis patient or any other medically specialized diet.
I don't know if they could grit their teeth, bear the hunger and deprivation a normal sized stomach would surely feel, and accomplish lasting weight loss. That sounds like anorexia to me. (I am no expert on eating disorders. I am speaking only from instinct.)
What I do know is that they risk making themselves very ill.

Finally made it to onederland!! It's taken perhaps a bit longer then I would have liked, but I'll take 41 pounds in 4 months. I'm snaking up on the green zone and it's only going to get better. Getting my band was the best decision I ever made.

Recovering in hospital room after morning surgery. Everything went well. Feel pretty good. Have that left shoulder pain I've heard so much about so happy to finally have the band in. Now for sleep.

@@bulawookie
My hubby signed us up at this gym and it would not have ever been my first choice. It's a little snooty. When I first started going, I was the biggest person at the gym. No exaggeration. But, I figured, I'm not going to let my assumptions of what other people (who I don't even know) think of me, keep me from my goals. The more I went, the less I cared. I started out walking in the treadmill at 2 mph. Now I can do the elliptical for an hour and I've stated doing C25k. Just go! Work through the insecurity. It pays off!

Oh how I feel you. My BMI was around the same as yours when I first saw the surgeon. He wanted me to be at a 60 BMI as well. That was in mid February. I was going to have to lose about 85 pounds. I figured it would take me all year. I got there mid June and had my surgery at the end of June and I promise you I was not hungry all the time. Sometimes I was, but most of the time I was satisfied.
First thing I want to say is that just because it worked for me doesn't mean it is the "right" way or the only way. I'm not telling you to do this, just sharing. If you want to know more information, please feel free to send me a message.
My nutritionist at the surgeon's office put me on a program that had me using 3 Meal Replacement shakes a day and eating two sensible dinners of Protein and green vegetables. I cut out dairy, starch and sugar. They didn't insist on a certain kind of shake, they just wanted one that had at least 10g of Protein and was low in carbs and sugar. I found one that tasted prettty good when I doctored it up and drank them 3 times a day most days, only 2 times a day on some days.
I ate mostly turkey, chicken, and fish as far as protein goes because (as a true volume eater) I could have more of them than I could something with more calories. 4oz of tilapia is about 100 calories. 4oz of chicken or turkey breast is about 110 or 120. I'd steam some broccoli or I'd roast some Brussels sprouts or some other veggie and I'd be good.
Now, some things I did "wrong" according to my nutritionist (though she never knew I did them): I was told that in between meals and shakes I could only have something like a sugar free popsicle or SF Jello or a dill pickle but only 1 or two a day.
I kept myself from gorging and feeling deprived by eating those things when I felt hungry and I didn't limit it to only once or twice a day.
One thing I kept on hand AT ALL TIMES was hard boiled eggs. One large hard boiled egg has about 78 calories and 6 grams of protein with nearly zero carbs. I didn't eat the whole egg though. Instead I ate only the egg whites. One hard boiled egg white has 17 calories and 3.6g of protein. I'd peel 2 of those and eat them and feel satisfied. I'd throw the yolk outside at night for the raccoons to eat. The raccoons and stray cats around my house have a gorgeous coat but probably high cholesterol
I also made a veggie Soup with a mishmash of vegetables that would only be about 35 calories or so a cup and that helped a lot.
You CAN do this. If I can do it, I have to believe it can be done by anyone who wants it. It may take you longer to get your surgery than what you want but in the meantime you'll be developing better habits. I know I did. I learned to live without fast food and pizza delivery and I learned what foods were better choices. Slowly I started being satisfied on less as well because when I get simple carbs I'm like a shark on a feeding frenzy and I cut those out.
Please believe in yourself. You can do it.
(Jeez this got long. Sorry about that, all)

Thinking about myself in your situation....I quess my band is tight enough, but not over tight, that I cannot drink to push food through...if I did, it will come back up and out....
So when I get that feeling you are describing, it is either time to slow down, or stop eating altogether...or perhaps the food I am eating is not appropriate... and drinking Water will not make it go away, only make it worse....
So eventually, over time, my addictions, my cravings, my approach to food and eating entirely, was FORCED to change due to having surgery, not with anything I did through my own will power....(I don't have any in this regard)
It was behavior Modification.....
I am not in the habit of telling other people to do or not to do...their lives are not my business and I will not Dx over the internet with strangers....
But I will look at my experience with the band and it would appear my band is adjusted a little tighter, where in the beginning had unpleasant consequences, but forced me to change to where I don't even notice it anymore, and don't think about the band being there at all.....changing a life time of bad habits and addictions that were killing me and ruining my life.
A little while back I had a 1/2cc taken out....tipped the scales entirely allowing me to eat more, and returning my cravings and hunger....I had to get the 1/2cc put back in within 2 weeks...
But again, that's me and my story...there are 100"s of people ere who have found their success with different approaches....somewhere in the mix you will find yours.

Hey all! It's been a while since I've been on, so I'm just checking in. I hope everyone is doing well!
Since the last time I checked in, about 3 weeks or so now, I've been working on something that has been one of the scariest things for me throughout this journey, letting go. I'm almost 15 months post op and since my last weigh-in about 6 weeks ago I've lost 149lbs. I couldn't be happier with the decision I made to have this surgery! It has changed my life in more ways than I ever could have imaged and all of them for the best!
One of the things this small but mighty tool has taught me is that it's in control not me, no matter how hard I fight it, so I need to just let it happen, which for me has been the biggest struggle along this journey but one I know I need to work to over come in order to sustain long-term success. For the last month I've been letting my band do the talking, not the scale, not counting the calories, not measuring etc. Yes, all of things are extremely important especially when starting out and during the weight loss phase so don't ver from that but when you approach maintenance there comes a time when you have to let go, live life and apply what you've learned throughout your journey. I will have to say it hasn't been easy, but slowly I'm getting there. So what do I mean by letting go??? During a year of measuring, weighing, counting etc. I've learned what a portion for me should look like in terms of size and in proper nutrition, so I've stopped all the weighing, measuring and counting and am focusing my effort on making healthy choices, eating when I'm hugry and stopping when I'm satisfied. When I want a treat I eat it and I don't beat myself up over it, I have to constantly keep reminding myself that this is lifestyle change NOT A DIET so there aren't any cheats, it's about finding that balance and learning what you can and can't live without.
Last Friday was my birthday so we took a trip to the lake with some friends and yeah I had some treats but that's ok, it's not something I do everyday and by no means is it in the quantity it was before having this surgery so I'm slowly accepting it's all about moderation and balance, this is something I've always known but couldn't accept. Before I would've beat myself up over this for weeks, and stressed that one cookie or a handful of chips or a slice of cheesecake was going to make me gain weight but then I remember all of the posts on here stating the fact that 3,500 calories equals a lb and that it's all about calories out vs. calories in it made me feel better!
Tomorrow will be the real test for me, I go to see my doctor and weigh-in, it's been six weeks since I've stepped on a scale so yep even after saying all of this I'm still nervous, BUT I know I'm still being monitored so if I need to tweek some things here and there now is the time to do it. Plus I've gone down a size since my last visit so that tells me something too:-)
For the first time in oh forever, I actually posted pics on FB of me in a bathing suite and I wasn't a bit embarrassed so that right there makes this ALL worth it.

Congratulations!

It is normal to me because I recently went through it too. I actually gained weight the day after the surgery, 4lbs I think it was. I was not happy at all and then couldn't loose any for almost two weeks. Then to my surprise the last two weeks it has been coming off on a good basis. I was banded June 20th.
When I had complained to the doctors office they told me I was suppose to concentrate on healing not loosing weight in the beginning.
Don't sweat it, it will come off.
Good luck and congrats!
Colleen