als74

Hi All, Wow, I can't believe how much I am learning from you all. 1st of all, I feel great about the 30 lbs I have lost since my pre-surgery liquid diet. However, I am at a standstill (well, gain and lose). After reading on here, I think my problem is salt. I am craving salt and iron like crazy! So I have been eating a lot of spinach (covered in salt because that is the only way I can stand it) and everything else- salted. How can I break this AND give up carbs and fat and chocolate and caffine and carbonated beverages!!! It is not fair. What else can I do? Guide me!!

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I know this too shall pass. And I have controlled my cals enough now where I only get hungry at times, but I am eating like I would assume I can eat when I am filled (except for today). Like 2 oz of fish and 1/4 cup broccoli. When I was on the liquid diet the pounds fell right off. Now I am on solids and trying to watch my diet, it has pretty much stopped. I have noticed though that when I keep the cals around 800, I do better. The couple days this week I was closer to 1200 I gained. I am really nervous to have more. And those days my cals were higher I had more carbs and fat than I wanted. How do I get in more calories that don't add more fat and carbs, without feeling like I am stuffing my face full. Today I ate at Olive Garden and where usually I am around 300 cals by this time of day, I am closer to 700! I had bruschetta, soup, salmon, and broccoli (obviously only half). I know I overate, not that I am in pain, but I just KNOW. Is there a place I can find out how many carbs and fat I should be consuming to lose weight effectivly that fits my body type? 1st fill coming on 2/3. I am worried I am one of those people who loses in the beginning, then stays the same "but not gaining," and never loses any more. I am 265, and that is not an acceptable weight more me to be stuck at. What I really hate is this is where all my other diets get stuck. 20-40lbs gone, the nothing for MONTHS of dieting, and then back to bad habits. I know I won't do that this time, but still. Sorry this is so long winded- there should be a cap! But when I was in high school I weighed 205 as a freshman. I went on a dietician supervised diet of 1000-1200 calories and ran my ass off in volleyball, and I lost 60 lbs from Nov to June. I was losing 3-4 lbs a week. I stopped at 145, then gained steadily since then. I am not supposed to be exercising until after week 6, but could it really hurt to start a couple weeks early?

Let me start off by saying how frustrated I am. Today is my one month bandaversary, and so far I have lost 30 lbs. This is great- I know, and I am very excited about it. However, I have been dieting. I am very careful about what I eat, and for the most part, am not starving (much) anymore. I consume 800-1100 cals a day (I change it up to keep the body guessing- thanks Bam) and for the two weeks have been on a rollercoaster. Down 29, up 1, up 2, up 3, down 1, up 1, down 2, same, same, down one, same, same, up, down, you get the picture. I am working my ASS off, and my question is, how am I going to lose weight with my fills if I am eating the same now as I will then? In fact, I am forcing myself to eat more than I am hungry for now just to get in enough calories for the day. Someone guide me through this with some "I was the same way" encouragement. Tell me what you did to get past this, and how later will be different:scared2:

Ok, I laughed after reading your last line. Take this as funny, but my first thought was a sarcastic- "No kidding, a fatty belly? None of the rest of us have that problem..." LOL. I have to push hard to feel mine too. I feels like a nickle sized "scar tissue" area. Watch me go to my first fill in a couple weeks and find out that's not my port at all!!! I am watching my fatty belly getting less fatty and more droopy. My fat rolls aren't as hard or big as they used to be, so it is transferring from fatty to flappy:lol:

I am really confused. I have NEVER heard protein hinders weightloss. If you don't eat enough protein, you body starts eating lean muscle tissue- so I guess you would lose weight, just not fat?

I'll trade my soup for your weather:tongue2:

That is sad you do not have it. It is wonderful, and only 190 calories! Maybe it is a cold state thing. Guess if your temps don't fall below zero... I though all McD's carried soup. They only do it here in the winter though.

I woke up late, so my breakfast was "lunchy" Breakfast- McD's cheese and broccoli soup, 4 saltine crackers Lunch- 1/2 cup ff refried Beans, 1/4 cup cottage cheese, 1 hard boiled egg Dinner- 2 oz liver sausage, 5 ritz crackers, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1/4 cup spinach Snack- 1 Tbsp Peanut Butter, 8oz skim milk 1000 cal 73 g protein!! Why does this seem like a lot more than what you guys eat...

StephD, You really should not be eating things like steak, no matter how it is cooked. I am 3-4 weeks out and eating meats like liver sausage, cottage cheese, etc, and tomorrow I start encorporating tuna and ground turkey. My doc said no beef meets until at LEAST 8 weeks out, and preferable 12. Some foods require more stomach movement to digest, no matter how you chew them, and could cause damage to your band, which is only stitched on. I know how you guys feel, and I know you are hungry, I have been right there with you. I have been working really hard to have around 1000 cals, high in Protein. I feel like I am eating all the time. For example, Breakfast is yogurt and 1/2 banana, snack- Protein shakes, lunch- 1/2 cup lowfat cottage cottage cheese, 2 oz liver sausage, 1/4 cup spinach, snack- Protein shake (sometimes I only have one shake) dinner- 1/2 cup refried Beans, 2% lowfat cheese, 4-6 crackers, more spinach, OR Soup and crackers. I sometimes have 1 tbls of peanutbutter as well. I snack on some healthy stuff to get me close to 1000 cals, I was only having 700-800 and my body started rebelling, but as soon as I upped the cals I started losing again. You should really talk to your dietician about how you are feeling. Bandster Hell is a really hard time to get through- use all the resources you can!

Here is anothe protein site... Protein - High-Protein Foods and Amount of Protein in Each Food

The same thing happened to me. I called and they asked if it was bright red or dark red. Mine was bright red, so they said not to worry (from roid). I agree though to call your doc. Shoot, you could have eaten red pepper- red stood can be from lots of stuff.

My sister-in-law just joined a weight loss program where they give you shots of B12 and something else (app. supressant). She said there were some people there who had been banded and gained some weight back and were looking for some help.

My doc told me as I lose weight the band my get lose as well. I like both advice, probably weight loss, also caused by other factors. Give it time and take notes, look for patterns, get to know your "new" body:thumbup:

I don't know how helpful this will be, but I have noticed that the heavier a person is, the quicker the weight comes off in the beginning. I started off 295, and lost the first 20 very quickly, and now am slowing. I notice some people around 200 don't loose as fast in the beginning. Just a thought...it doesn't apply to everyone. I am an impatient, and want the weight off NOW, so the fact that I am slowing down bothers me. I know it shouldn't, so I am working on that.

All our schools were closed today due to -25 windchill. I get cold easy, but that is due to hypothyroidism. I stinks because when the cold creeps in, I have to sit in the shower for 1/2 hr to feel right again... I get 1st fill in a couple weeks. I have some restriction, but fullness only lasts an hour or so, depending on how long I can stand to not drink afterwards...

Are you trying to torture me? There is nothing low cal about that recipe- although my hubby really liked the sound of it.

Thanks for the great ideas guys. I love the pudding idea. I have been using the drinks Hurley made me buy, so next week I am going to buy some protein powder and sugar free pudding mixes.

Thanks, I have looked a little already. I suppose I was hoping for some miracle recipe that I hadn't already considered. Looks like I am kinda stuck with what I am already eating for 3 more days...I am such a whiner. I feel bad for anyone on weeks -2 through 3 who can't even eat what I can. I should be greatful. WOW am I PMSing.

A friend made a point that I am cranking my sodiem a little bit- probably not helping with the water retention.

I would like to eat more, but I am having trouble. Not with amount so much at the content. I can have egg salad, cottage cheese, up to 6 crackers, cooked pureed veggies, fat free refried Beans, low fat shredded cheese, yogurt, Protein shakes, liver sausage, beans, and a couple other things I don't remember. I eat the same thing almost every day. Breakfast- yogurt Lunch- refried beans, cheese, spinach Today I had egg salad and crackers instead Snack- Protein shake Dinner- Liver sausage, crackers, chesse, cottage cheese, spinach (I don't know why I am craving spinach- must be low in iron) Sometimes another shake. Last night I had almost 1000 cals and 82 grams of protein!!! I tried stepping it up and gained. Any other suggestions what I can eat at this stage? (not allowed "real" food yet like tuna)

Thanks!!!! Duh!

I really wish this web site had a thread search, so intead of started a new thead, I could see if my question was already asked and discussed.

I also felt weird right before and a week or so after. Now, because it is like it isn't even there, it doesn't bother me.

My dietician said no shakes once I start on solids, but I don't think this is forever, just while you get used to solids. Everyone else I talk to says they drink the shakes. I plan to, to help get cals and protein that I need.

I am frustrated, and I know I need to wait it out, but I have been loosing pretty consistanly, eating anywhere from 700-900 calories. I am getting in 50-80 grams of protein a day as well. The last two days I have have been gaining. I have gained two pounds. Now, this might not sound like a lot, but to me, it is. I am on day three of TOM, and am hoping this is the cause. Does anyone else have this problem?