bambam31

That literature is for gastric bypass patients, who, unlike band patients, do have different absorbative properties. Our stomachs aren't any smaller and alcohol should not metabolize any different. Brad

If your surgeon allows carbonation (many do) and if you tolerate it, beer is still on the menu too. Drinking beer slowly gives me no problems. :sad: OK someone needs to explain this to me.... There are no plumbing changes with the band and when properly adjusted, liquids go straight through the band, so how would alcohol have any different metabolic properties? Brad

I think Subway can fit into a healthy lifestyle. I wouldn't eat it everyday, but I wouldn't beat yourself up about eating it once a week or so. That said, like other restaurants, they sell food that is all over the spectrum from good to awful. There are certainly things on the Subway menu I would avoid at all cost - like the Cookies... Some of the sauces and condiments are not particularly healthful either. Brad

Congrats on your progress! I highly doubt that the elliptical did anything to damage your port. Soreness from exercise will come and go - especially when doing new/more strenuous exercise. The discomfort should wane after a day or two. If it is persistent or increases call your surgeon at once. Brad

Is this experience talking? :puke: ***Sorry... couldn't resist...*** Brad

This is one of those topics that varies so much from person to person. I am at a pretty tight level of restriction. I have to pick food choices that coincide with my restriction at that given moment. I would never try pizza on a stressful morning. But it goes down well on a relaxed evening. Just the other day I had a run-in with fresh blueberries during the late morning hours. The skins gave me major fits. But the following evening - no problems at all. So long as I pick carefully, there really isn't any food I can't eat - at some point. Brad

I don't really eat "meals" so to speak anymore. I eat small amounts of food all through the day. I am not a fan of eating X amount of calories at X time of day. I think this is the mentality that starts the snowballing toward obesity in some children. Many of us were raised to eat at 8:00, Noon, 6:00 and weren't allowed to leave the table until our plate was cleaned because there were kids starving to death in far away lands.... So we stretched our stomachs, overate calories, unnaturally spiked our insulin levels and the ball was rolling.... I have 2 young children... ages 2 and 7. They both eat small amounts and then want away from the table because they are no longer hungry. Two hours later they want to eat a small amount of food again. I believe it's because thats what is natural. Why do we go from feeding infants small amounts every few hours - to requiring a 7 yr old eat everything on their plate even if they are full? Probably because we selfishly don't want them coming back in two hours wanting fed again... Just food for thought... (sorry, couldn't help that) Brad

There is no denying this fact. People treat me much differently now compared to pre-band. Unfortunately, it's just a fact of society like it or not. One good thing is that it adds to the list of NSV's as you lose fat and get fit... Brad

Be strong and focused. Your surgery swelling is decreasing and monster hunger is fast approaching! It will be that way until you get sufficient restriction from fills. Be tough! Brad

Exercise doesn't really effect my tightness but the time of day does in a huge way. No doubt all those factors - and many more - effect restriction level throughout the hours, days, weeks. Brad

Sorry to hear about your injury - they can be very tough to work through. Don't give up on exercise all together! Work areas that aren't injured and watch your energy balance very close until you can get past the injury. You can do it! Brad

Welcome to Bandster Hell new bandsters! It is just a phase but one that most, myself included, were not prepared for. It will pass - do the best you can - and don't beat yourselves up too bad. I assure you it won't be the only bump in the road for your journey. Keep your chin up and focused - it's the long term goals that matter most. Brad

I'm not much into road biking (cars scare the H-E-L-L out of me), but I do a lot of indoor cycling (spinning) and linear trail riding. My longest duration trail ride has been 66.5 miles. I could not eat as much as I wanted but was able to stay well-hydrated. Good restriction is a love/hate thing for the stage I'm at. I need to be pretty tight to help keep me honest. But I also need to be loose enough to get the nutrition I need to meet my goals. I cycle my calories anywhere from 1000-3000+ but the high calories days can be difficult to achieve. Brad

food demons will always have to be managed - banded or not. The band is a tool which does give you a competitive edge to defeat them, but you must still have the will power say "no" or "stop." This is especially true in the evenings when it's easier to cheat the band. I have to be very careful not to get a "flow" going, but if I do I have to say STOP! By "flow" I mean that the pouch is well lubricated (mucous and/or beverage - TMI, I know) and you can train food without ever filling the pouch. Many people will tell you that if this is happening you need a fill. Not so fast... Most of the day I'm very restricted (I wouldn't want it any tighter at all!) but by evening I CAN eat far more than I should - I just have to say no. It still takes will power and a close eye on the energy balance. I go in cycles similar to this. You can't be 100% on your game all day every day, and day after day. There are periods when I'm very focused and wouldn't consider eating junk food ; Periods where I eat less than perfect foods in a controlled manner ; Periods where I eat waaaay toooooo much junk food and have to make a conscious intervention. The difference with the band/exercise lifestyle is that the cycle is much easier to control/break than before. Brad

Bandster hell is tough. By the time we get banded we've been in this fight for many years - or even decades. We want relief from the fat and we want it now! But you cannot subvert the band process. It can take months... yes months... (because most fills are at least 4 weeks apart) to achieve satisfactory restriction. A lot of people have the attitude, "well I didn't get this band to have to exercise, eat right, and have will power. If I had that ability I wouldn't have needed the band in the first place." This attitude is a one-way ticket to failure in the fast lane. Restriction will, in time, come. And that is when the band becomes the "tool" to help you. But YOU will still have to do the work. It is not easy - but you CAN do it! Be determined - let no demons stand in your road to success! Brad

Ah... You are correct that I am not well versed in PCOS. I understand PCOS complicates the whole process and have some friends who suffer from PCOS as well. I wish you the best in your journey! Brad

One of the drawbacks to trying to eat very low carb or low fat diets is that they are rarely sustainable long-term. When your body finally breaks you down you can find yourself binging and giving up lots of progress. Brad

As Betsy indicated, this is old information. More recent studies have debunked the myth that caffeine is a diuretic... (see link below) The Wonders of Water Fortunately, my surgeon allows coffee, caffeine, and carbonated beverages, so long as the patient tolerates them. And fortunately for me - I do. Brad

You most certainly will not continue at this pace for very long. The more you have to lose, the longer the accelerated pace will continue, but it won't last. That's ok though because it shouldn't! A vast majority of what you've lost is fluids. Optimally, you'll settle into a 1-3 pound per week long term loss. Good luck! Brad

Way too simplistic of an approach IMO... Some people tolerate sweeteners fine - others do not. And since it was raised - same thing with carbonated beverages - some surgeons will tell you that you'll explode on contact - while others say go ahead if you tolerate it well. I just drank two beers and was able to type this... :thumbup: (my surgeon does not outlaw carbonated beverages)... Brad

Sorry to hear about your ordeal. This does raise an awful lot of questions to me though... Why would your body all of the sudden start absorbing the materials and what test did they do to pinpoint that it was the band materials causing your condition? Brad

Determination is as good as cash in the bank! :thumbup: Brad

Congrats MsFab you have earned that smile for sure! Imagine how much wider it's going to be next 4th of July! Brad

Liquid diets and mushies are a temporary thing while healing. Pb'ing and sliming occur because the bandster is either overfilled, made an error while eating, or tried a new food that isn't playing nice. Everyone's experience with foods is different. Personally, there is not one food I can't eat... Good luck and gather as much information as you can so you make the best informed decision for yourself. Brad

Kudos to your trainer! It is often overlooked that very low calories over a period of time is self defeating behavior! Our body can store carbs (fat!) but the only way it can store essential amino acids is lean muscle tissue. So if your aren't nourishing your body with complete Protein sources then guess where it's going to get them instead... Brad