catfish87

Great Job! You're well on your way to your goal. You got this! Awesome

I'm on the eat whatever I want stage, and I still ALWAYS have Lite n Fit Greek yogurt with me at work (12 hour shifts) for a snack. I have one almost every day. Its like my dessert. To add even more Protein, I like to add a couple tbs of PB2 and mix it well. Very low cal and Delicious! Sometimes a half cup of oatmeal, grits, or polenta does good. I've usually got either grapes, raspberries, apples, strawberries available too. And I keep Protein powder and/or a premade Protein Drink handy too, although I don't use them much now. For meals, I eat a lot of fish, once a day on average. Baked, blackened, and fried....I know....I try and limit that to once per week. Those pre-packaged tuna salads are good for me too.....so easy. I do a lot of crockpot cooking.....beef ribs, chicken breast, pork steaks (that's what they call pork shoulder roast/pork butt here in the Lou??? ) Nice and moist and tender that way. Preportion them in tupperware and just barely warm them up....if I overheat them in a microwave, not so good. Veggies that makes my band happy, like squash, salad, most all fresh veggies I want. I have trouble with brussel sprouts of all things... So really any food that anyone eating somewhat healty would eat now....just less of it. I used to eat the same stuff day after day, because I was concerned of getting stuck, PB'ing, etc. Not an issue now. It took quite a while to get it through my head though.

Not sure about The National Guard, but I can't imagine going thru Army basic training again and telling my Drill Instructor, "I need to take small bites, chew, chew, chew, and take 20-30 minutes to eat." It wouldn't work out so well, from my experience. CONGRATS on your great success!

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calorie-calculator/NU00598 If the link doesn't work, try going to mayoclinic.com and type "BMR" in the search area.

Cedri, Nice job naming this post! You'll get lots of views for sure! As I see you are newly banded, I'll offer a bit of encouragement/advice: WHEN you get to proper restriction, and it may take some time, this ADJUSTABLE band will kick in and do its part. I don't have to portion control now, I just try and choose healthier options and my band does the portion control...and I'm loving it. Until then, follow your surgeons/Nuts recommended plan as best you can. Don't get discouraged if you have a bad day/week, etc. You'll make mistakes, probably get stuck, PB, etc. NOT TO WORRY, you'll learn from it and move forward. It is a diet in the beginning, now it's just normal to me. Congrats on your decision to improve your life, and best wishes for your success!

Sounds like you forgot to answer!!

I'm 6'0" as well 43y/o. This BMR/Calorie, from the Mayo clinic website ( http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calorie-calculator/NU00598counter ) would tell me I could "eat" 2950 calories per day to MAINTAIN my current weight. (I chose the "active" activity level, because it sounded correct to me) I started tracking/logging my food/exercise on Jan 14th. NOT to limit what I eat, but I was just curious. Here's what I have found. I averaged eating about 1750 calories per day. Average calories burned exercising was appx 600 per day. So my Net was 1150 calories. During this timeframe, three months, I went from 252# down to 218#, for a loss of 34#'s. Everybody says a pound equals 3500 calories. THEY'RE right! My BMR 2950 My Intake 1750 1200 calorie deficit for 90 days = 108,000 calorie deficit. 108,000/3500 = 31 And I lost almost exactly that.

Nice job!

I've recently got the juicer used on the "fat, sick and nearly dead" movie. It works well. $149 at BestBuy. The veggie juices work for me as a Meal Replacement for "breakfast". BUT, if you can find the "NakedJuice" brand juice in your local grocer/quick stop, they are almost as cheap as making your own. Plus, NO CLEANUP! And I think they're pretty good tasting.

I was gonna watch it...but it didn't show up??

I don't feel mine...physically wouldn't know its there, unless I'm eating or maybe drinking something thick or fast. Just letting it do its thing...

I usually wont have anything except a 1/2 cup of cooked oatmeal if its moring time, at least 1/2 hour before exercise (the ONLY "exercise" I do is cycling really) plus about 16 oz of water/coffee. If I'm on a longer ride, I found I do better if I have a low cal Protein Bar or a stick of cheese after the first hour and half or so. For me, I don't usually feel hungry after a ride....really no matter how long it is, until at least a couple of hours later. Then I just eat a "normal" meal.....hopefully with LOTS of protein. Today I had lean corned beef and an avocado. If I need extra protein, I found that I can take a Dannon lite and fit cherry yogurt, 2 tbls PB2 (everybody should try this stuff!). Stir together VERY well. 125 calories, 1.5 grams fat, 17 protein. If I still need some more, I'll add a scoop of chocolate Protein powder. Its really good, with or without the added protein powder!

I second guessed myself a lot! Why couldn't I just diet? Why not exercise more? Why not just eat better foods? Do I really need surgery to eat less? etc, etc,etc...... My answer to myself was I had already tried all the above several times, for several years, yet I continued to gain. I could do all those things....for a few weeks at a time. I needed something to help me get my eating under control, LONG TERM.....and my experience with it is YES, this IS what I needed! I would do it again tomorrow! Best wishes to you, know that a lot of us have been through the exact thoughts you're going through.

If I may make a suggestion....I'm not sure where you are with getting adjustments to your band, BUT for me, getting the hunger under control is a seperate issue vs exercise. I thought I could exercise my weight off too for the first couple of years being banded. Then I continued to read on here and other places..from the one's I found who were very succesful at getting their hunger under control......I forgot/refused to do the ONE thing that's important....ADJUSTABLE lapband. Otherwise, why have adjustable band surgery?? I could have just exercised and ate like I had for all my life and NOT LOST longterm weight. If you're really as hungry as you describe, I know what I would be doing....getting an adjustment! I realize everyone's different, but this was very, very important to me. I'd exercise 300-500 calories, then be hungry, and eat everything I had just burned...or maybe even more. NOW, with a properly adjusted band, I am NOT hungry....and I've burned 3000 calories today just exercising....between biking and mushroom hunting. Hopefully, this comes across in the way its intended.....a supportive suggestion. Get the hunger under control, the exercise and weightloss will follow. I wish you the very best in your journey. Never, ever give up! You're worth it!

That is SO AWESOME! Thanks for sharing

Hmmmm... I've had mine since 2009. Because you're new to the site, I'm wondering what these "dangers" you're concerned about are? BTW, I haven't had any band problems....so I'm curious. Thanks

As the others have said, follow what YOUR surgeon suggested/ordered. Each may be different on their directions/"menu" postop. Don't beat yourself up if you aren't losing weight during these first few weeks postop. Lots of folks actually gain a bit during the first few weeks/month(s) post op. Not to burst your bubble, but unless you have an agressive doc or one that does fills using fluoro, it may take several fills over several visits to progress to any real level of restriction. Rest assured, you can get there. Hang tough and be in this for the long haul... Best wishes!

If you only had two fills, you may not have stretched anything. Did you feel restriction? If they were small fills, and you drank to wash food through, you probably haven't caused any longlasting issues. Only you and your doc can be for sure. You can read on here almost every day about folks who "fell off the wagon, eating too much, don't feel any restriction, not losing any weight, etc, etc". Thats the good thing about the ADJUSTABLE lap band.......its adjustable for a reason. I'm speaking from experience. I too, at one point a couple of years ago had almost given up on this whole band thing working for me. ALMOST being the key word....I got on here and read the success stories, met a friend who had the band in my area, and said "get your butt back to the doctor. I did that, although I was somewhat embarrassed because I had not been following up like I knew I should have been. Now, perfect restriction and completely loving my newfound lease on life....IT WILL WORK!! Obviously, the first step is a big one. Getting back to seeing your doc should be your first goal. Hopefully, he/she will understand your reasons, and allow a payment plan as the poster above described. Best wishes for you to find this same happy/successful ending. YOU CAN DO THIS!

Thanks Steph! I owe you

Thanks for posting! I really enjoy reading longterm/lifestyle success stories like this. CONGRATS!! Well done!

Lexi,One thing that is pretty consistent with all the responses above you'll notice is that the one's who've experienced it, HAVE LEARNED FROM IT. "too dry, totally my fault, etc." Notice how they all seem to mention that. Was true for me too. I learned the hard way too. I was so hardheaded...didn't chew well, ate too fast. Now, never an issue anymore. Don't fret it...we all learn.

Maybe PM toomuchfun for his device. I think its a Polar that links to his IPhone. I know there are tons of them that do that. I seen one yesterday that plugs into your headphone jack, with a passthrough that lets you still use the jack for music, etc. It was on Heartratemonitor.com i think.

Dannon Lite and Fit Greek Cherry yogurt mixed WELL with two tablespoons of PB2 in it. 125 cal, 1.5 grams fat and 17 grams of protein. AWESOME!!!!

T Pops...I could have written your exact post a couple of years ago. I just knew I was eventually gonna get right back to my old habits, thinking this was only a diet, I'd return to eating too much, etc, etc. But I was wrong! At least for me, for now, I no longer have that same fear. It took me much longer than a lot of folks to reach this point.....but I'm here! Now, I am at a wonderful spot with my band. But more importantly, even with my head. Congrats to you, my friend, and keep on rolling!

It makes PERFECT sense to me...now that I there.