Leila

I've read so many times in various threads about people eating super low calories, and it always worries me. And also high fat, high Protein, low carb diets... I wanted to post about the dangers of very low calorie diets and of high fat/protein low carb diets, so here is some info and the sources it comes from: "When you want to lose weight, a very low-calorie diet can seem attractive. After all, the sooner you lose weight the better, right? Well...no, that's not right. Eating fewer than 1000 calories a day can, at best be a short-lived attempt at dieting, at worst it could be a recipe for long term health problems. Your body is not designed to function well on a very low calorie diet. In fact, it goes into starvation or famine mode and tries to preserve essential functions at the expense of the less essential ones. So what happens to your body on fewer than 1000 calories a day? Your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. Your body uses blood sugar, made from carbohydrates, for fuel just as a car uses gas (petrol). Without blood sugar, the brain and central nervous system, as well as other bodily systems, will cease to work efficiently. To try to counteract the lack of blood sugar from carbohydrates in the diet, your body will break down fat, which is what you want, but it will also breakdown muscle and other lean body tissue. Losing lean body tissue can be very dangerous. Even organs can be broken down to use as fuel. Losing lean body tissue can also be counter-productive. Muscle tissue increases the resting metabolic rate. With reduced amounts of muscle, your metabolism will slow. When you come off the diet, increased fat cells will form because your metabolism is slow and so your body needs less blood sugar for fuel. It is also a survival mechanism in case of another 'famine'. With very low calorie diets, an imbalance in minerals and electrolytes can occur, which can be dangerous. These govern the balance of fluids in the body allowing nerves and muscles to function. Osteoporosis can be another danger, especially for women. Often dairy products like eggs, milk and cheese are cut out of a very low calorie diet so cutting out a major source of Calcium leading to loss of bone mass. Anaemia (a lack of Iron in the blood) can also be another risk. If taken to extremes, women can find that menstruation (periods) becomes irregular or stops altogether. A lack of serotonin in the brain can be another problem which leads to clinical depression. You might find that the lack of essential nutrients on a very low calorie diet leads to a deterioration in the condition of your hair and nails. One of the great dangers of this kind of dieting is that you can become acclimatised to it. As your body reduces some of its functions, including those of the brain and nerves, and as depression takes hold due to a lack of serotonin, you can slip into anorexia nervosa - a truly life threatening condition. As mentioned above, when you finally come off this diet, you will almost certainly regain all the weight you have lost plus more leading to yoyo dieting, now believed to be dangerous. Altogether, very low calorie diets are a danger to physical and mental health. They are counter-productive and can lead to long term problems as well as a lifetime of yoyo dieting. It is far better to lose weight safely and slowly on a sensible diet." (source reference: http://www.allinfoaboutdietsnutrition.com/index.php?page=21 ) "Low-carb/high-fat diets pose dangerous health risks and may increase the risk of contracting serious chronic diseases. Studies have linked extreme low-carb/high-fat diets to an increased risk of developing certain disease states, including: • Alzheimer disease • blindness and macular degeneration • some forms of cancer • cardiovascular and heart disease • c-reactive protein/inflammation • metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance • osteoporosis • kidney stones This is due to increased levels of saturated fat and dietary protein in the diet, with inadequate nutrition coming from plant-based phyto-chemicals. [/url]Low-carb diets may increase the risk of birth defects and childhood cancers. Bread, Pasta, Breakfast cereals and orange juice — foods that are “off-limits” in a low-carb diet — are fortified with folic acid, a micronutrient essential to the neurological development of fetuses. The U.S. food and Drug Administration currently requires that enriched grain products be fortified with the essential Vitamin folic acid (the synthetic form of naturally occurring folate, or vitamin B-9, found in many leafy green vegetables, fruits and legumes). Since the fortification of grain-based foods with higher levels of folic acid, beginning in 1999, there has been a remarkable 19 percent drop in neural tube birth defects in the United States. Followers of a low-carb diet do not receive the benefits of folic acid fortification. Low-carb/high-fat diets are not more effective for weight loss. According to studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association, there are no significant differences in weight loss between low-carbohydrate diets and conventional weight-loss plans. The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (April 9, 2003) reviewed studies of low-fat diets conducted between 1966 and 2003, and found that weight loss from low-carbohydrate diets was associated with length of diet, pre-diet weight, and the number of calories consumed, but not reduced carbohydrate content. The study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (May 22, 2003) found greater weight loss with a low-carbohydrate diet than a conventional diet during the first six months, but no significant differences in weight were observed after one year.1 Low-carb diets are perceived to be effective because of the rapid, initial weight loss. However, the weight loss is primarily due to the loss of muscle glycogen and Water — not body fat. Loss of muscle glycogen can result in lethargy and fatigue.1 Foods high in carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables, are generally more filling — more “bulky” — than foods high in fat, and less prone to overeating. Foods high in fat can increase energy intake (calories) because they are more energy dense, not as “bulky,” and taste good, leaving eaters desiring more and making it easy to over-consume them. A lifestyle that is high in high-fat foods and low in exercise can lead to weight gain. Carbohydrates, such as pasta, do not make you fat. Consistently overeating calories— whether they’re from carbohydrates, fat, or protein — will make you fat. The only genuine, time-tested principle of healthy, long-term weight loss is to take in fewer calories than your body burns. Low-carb diets may cause cognitive difficulties. Carbohydrates are the only source of fuel that the human brain — the most energy-demanding organ in the body — can use. Muscle cells can burn both fat and carbohydrates, but the brain does not have the “machinery” to burn fat. Depriving the brain of carbs means depriving it of energy — and the shortfall can affect intellectual performance, such as memory and cognitive processing.1 Once the body’s glycogen reserve is exhausted, the brain ends up using ketones, a by-product of the breakdown of fat. Ketones are not the optimal energy source for the brain, and their increase in the body has been shown to impair mental judgment.2 Low-carb diets can make people — especially women — short-tempered. A new study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that the brain produces serotonin — which regulates moods and emotions — only after a person consumes sweet or starchy carbohydrates, in combination with very little or no protein. A shortage of serotonin can lead to mood swings and depression. Eating a healthy pasta meal encourages the brain to make serotonin; eating a steak actually stops it from being produced.3 A Healthier Choice According to the American Dietetic Association, the voice of nutrition in America, there are no good or bad foods — only good or bad diets. At “Healthy Pasta Meals,” a recent Barilla-sponsored conference in Rome, Italy, a team of 38 nutrition scientists from around the world concluded that the “Mediterranean diet” is an excellent choice for maintaining overall health. The Mediterranean diet includes abundant plant foods (such as vegetables and pasta); olive oil; dairy products; fewer than four eggs weekly; fish and poultry in low-to-moderate amounts; red meat in low amounts; and wine with meals, in low-to-moderate amounts. A 2003 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of death from heart disease and cancer.4" Low-carb/high-fat diets pose dangerous health risks and may increase the risk of contracting serious chronic diseases. Studies have linked extreme low-carb/high-fat diets to an increased risk of developing certain disease states, including: • Alzheimer disease • blindness and macular degeneration • some forms of cancer • cardiovascular and heart disease • c-reactive protein/inflammation • metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance • osteoporosis • kidney stones This is due to increased levels of saturated fat and dietary protein in the diet, with inadequate nutrition coming from plant-based phyto-chemicals. Low-carb diets may increase the risk of birth defects and childhood cancers. Bread, pasta, breakfast cereals and orange juice — foods that are “off-limits” in a low-carb diet — are fortified with folic acid, a micronutrient essential to the neurological development of fetuses. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration currently requires that enriched grain products be fortified with the essential vitamin folic acid (the synthetic form of naturally occurring folate, or vitamin B-9, found in many leafy green vegetables, fruits and legumes). Since the fortification of grain-based foods with higher levels of folic acid, beginning in 1999, there has been a remarkable 19 percent drop in neural tube birth defects in the United States. Followers of a low-carb diet do not receive the benefits of folic acid fortification. Low-carb/high-fat diets are not more effective for weight loss. According to studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association, there are no significant differences in weight loss between low-carbohydrate diets and conventional weight-loss plans. The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (April 9, 2003) reviewed studies of low-fat diets conducted between 1966 and 2003, and found that weight loss from low-carbohydrate diets was associated with length of diet, pre-diet weight, and the number of calories consumed, but not reduced carbohydrate content. The study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (May 22, 2003) found greater weight loss with a low-carbohydrate diet than a conventional diet during the first six months, but no significant differences in weight were observed after one year.1 Low-carb diets are perceived to be effective because of the rapid, initial weight loss. However, the weight loss is primarily due to the loss of muscle glycogen and water — not body fat. Loss of muscle glycogen can result in lethargy and fatigue.1 Foods high in carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables, are generally more filling — more “bulky” — than foods high in fat, and less prone to overeating. Foods high in fat can increase energy intake (calories) because they are more energy dense, not as “bulky,” and taste good, leaving eaters desiring more and making it easy to over-consume them. A lifestyle that is high in high-fat foods and low in exercise can lead to weight gain. Carbohydrates, such as pasta, do not make you fat. Consistently overeating calories— whether they’re from carbohydrates, fat, or protein — will make you fat. The only genuine, time-tested principle of healthy, long-term weight loss is to take in fewer calories than your body burns. Low-carb diets may cause cognitive difficulties. Carbohydrates are the only source of fuel that the human brain — the most energy-demanding organ in the body — can use. Muscle cells can burn both fat and carbohydrates, but the brain does not have the “machinery” to burn fat. Depriving the brain of carbs means depriving it of energy — and the shortfall can affect intellectual performance, such as memory and cognitive processing.1 Once the body’s glycogen reserve is exhausted, the brain ends up using ketones, a by-product of the breakdown of fat. Ketones are not the optimal energy source for the brain, and their increase in the body has been shown to impair mental judgment.2 Low-carb diets can make people — especially women — short-tempered. A new study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that the brain produces serotonin — which regulates moods and emotions — only after a person consumes sweet or starchy carbohydrates, in combination with very little or no protein. A shortage of serotonin can lead to mood swings and depression. Eating a healthy pasta meal encourages the brain to make serotonin; eating a steak actually stops it from being produced.3 A Healthier Choice According to the American Dietetic Association, the voice of nutrition in America, there are no good or bad foods — only good or bad diets. At “Healthy Pasta Meals,” a recent Barilla-sponsored conference in Rome, Italy, a team of 38 nutrition scientists from around the world concluded that the “Mediterranean diet” is an excellent choice for maintaining overall health. The Mediterranean diet includes abundant plant foods (such as vegetables and pasta); olive oil; dairy products; fewer than four eggs weekly; fish and poultry in low-to-moderate amounts; red meat in low amounts; and wine with meals, in low-to-moderate amounts. A 2003 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of death from heart disease and cancer.4" (source: http://www.barillaus.com/Dangers_of_LowCarb_Diets.aspx ) Take care of yourselves! and research the effects of your choices!!! XO Leila

If you want to egg the July crew thread, nows the moment! Barb and I have been in there allready. Take care Barb, I'm sure you'll be feeling better after a slight unfill!

Not all of you may know, but one of the July crew came into the June thread and toilet papered us! So we're back at you with an egging! Besides, you can use them when you're in the soft foods stage! Congrats on your banding month! From the June Crew!

WOOOOOO, it's working! I'll crank up the ceremonial dancing another notch!!! I'm lighting more incense!!!!

I invoke the goddess of twoterville, (not the gaseous god of tooter-ville!) to visit thyself upon Cloe in her hour of need... and bless her with a visitation upon her household scale. May the number 3 be banished from all measuring devices in her domicile. May the holy state of twotervillism envelope her and may she bask in it's glory. And please pass on to the goddess of last suppers -not- to visit me -again- tonight as I wait restrictionless for my first fill on wednesday. The urge to sin upon copious amounts of junk in my unrestricted shame is neigh upon me! WOOT! (To be followed by the wearing of silly hats and much ceremonial dancing)

A lot of heavier people lose height, the weight pressure compresses our spines. Can you get your height back... some claim to have with exercise like pilates and yoga which focus on stretching and lengthening the body. I haven't checked my height to see if I've shrunk or not, I am going to do pilates and yoga though.

http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/item/83799.html http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/item/109566.html

If you're only eating around 800 calories a day, then the problem may be that you are not eating enough. If you drop below 1200 calories a day for a long period of time, and/or you are not getting enough grams of Protein to maintain your lean body mass, your body will go into starvation mode and hold onto everything. I would make sure you're eating 1200-1400 calories a day, maybe even have a couple of days higher, to get your body back on track, and make sure you're getting enough protein. If you keep on with healthy high Fiber low fat food and get adequate protein (good rule of thumb is .8 grams of protein per pound of goal body weight -minimum-), the weight should start coming off again. Don't be afraid to eat! Your body needs calories to burn fat, too little can be as bad as too many, your metabolism will get compromised. If you're unsure about this, check with a nutritionist, they will tell you the same thing. XO Leila

christa - there is no precise norm for fills and for post-op diets. Every Dr. does it a little different from the other. My surgeon does the large VG band, with no fill during surgery, which means that you are wide open with no restriction after surgery. I have no problem with pre-banding meal sizes right now. I get my first fill in two days. Post surgery he has us on two weeks liquids, one week mushies/pureed food, one week soft food, then slowly adding solid foods with a list of solid foods that are easily tolerated to try first, then a list of foods that are sometimes found difficult by some bandsters next, and a list of foods that are often found difficult by banders to be tried only after you've added the other solid foods without any difficulty. He has lots of suggested meal plans and guidelines, recipes, etc, to help you out for each stage of the post op diet. He also gives us the official booklet from Imamed who makes the bands with their guidelines and info as an added resource, though he covers the same information in his booklets and handouts, plus a lot more detail. A lot of the time with some Dr.'s is what the Dr. chooses to do will vary from patient to patient, once they get inside they can see how your stomach is, some people have very little fat attached to the stomach, and a smaller stomach, and the Dr. feels a smaller band, and/or a band with a fill is a better starting option. Or to place a large stomach and/or a stomach that is thicker around because of attached fat deposits with a larger band. Some Dr.'s vary which band they use based on the stomach width around. Other Dr.'s have switched to only using the large VG (vanguard) band, and then just adjusting it with the fill level - since it's a 10cc band with an 11cc capacity. Some Dr.'s will add a fill to the VG band right away during surgery for a small width stomach, others like my Dr., always just put the large empty band in, and then sneak up on restriction after healing with regular fills. Is there one way that's 'better' than others? Who knows! I just think it's good to go with a Dr. who has an approach that you feel comfortable with, and to trust in their experience with their methods. I'm doing my best to eat like I have restriction now, but I've definitely had a few very large volume meals - healthy, low fat, low cal - but huge vegetable salads with cottage cheese, followed by fruit, so I know I have the same large stomach capacity from having no restriction, everything passes right by my large wide open band, it's like I haven't had surgery at all. So until I get filled to restriction I'm choosing to count calories and fat/carbs/protein/fiber intake to try to keep me on track! My NSV's -The motor home we're currently travelling/living in has a tiny little bathroom like a closet, with a really small entry door, I used to have to -squeeze- in through the door, now I just brush the sides! -I had to buy a new swimsuit because the one I had was getting a little loose! I'm usually on the cusp between a 2x and a 3x, but the 2x fit great. In fact, I seemed to be on the cusp between a 2x and a 1x! but the 1x was a little too tight still and I wanted to feel comfy right away in it, so I went with the 2x. -Some of my skirt waists seem to be hanging a little low on my hips! -My two favorite dresses are ones I had custom made, 1950's style, they have a tie around the back that sinches the waist in a bit and makes a wide bow in the back.. the bows seem to be getting a little bigger as I have more left over tie ribbon! So we got toilet papered by the July crew! Should we retaliate?! I think we should go egg them! XO Leila

Argon, I don't think there's enough calcium in a Multivitamin that would interfere with the absorbtion of anything else. It's only certain medications that calcium can effect absorption, the best person to ask is a pharmacist. They will be able to tell you if calcium contraindicates with any of the meds you are taking and if it should be taken at a different time or not. XO Leila First fill coming this wednesday, can't wait!

My recommendation for protien is the ISOWhey Breezer brand, not thick, light flavours, it's a powder that mixes smooth in water to make 'juice' or they have an iced tea flavour too. With fills and restriction, remember you have to be on solids to find out how much restriction you have, liquids will always pretty much go right through the stoma to the stomach below. You won't feel full and not hungry until you have solid food sitting in the pouch and then slowly emptying into the stomach below. That's why the Dr.'s don't want us drinking liquid calories once we're on solids, and why they don't want us drinking with meals, shortly before meals, and not for at least an hour after meals. Can't wait for my fill on Wednesday! My Dr. doesn't do it under florou, just has you drink water to make sure you're not too tight and the water is going down well while you are there in the office. I'm so looking forward to the first fill. XO Leila

I've been trying to find my port, they told me it was a little lower than and more towards the middle of my body than my largest incision, but no matter how hard I poke around, I feel nothing at all. I guess it must be planted pretty deep, is anybody else totally unable to feel anything? Lately I've been wondering if they put a band in there! LOL! XO Leila

Maybe some food for thought.... Would you rather have these: Or these?:

Yoda may have something to add or different info, but here's what I know about taking calcium, hope it's helpful! It's good to take at night because while you are sleeping or laying down, your body isn't weight bearing, when your bones aren't weight bearing for a period of time they are more likely to lose minerals. Calcium is an ion, and so it can block the absorption of certain things in the digestive tract, it can block the absorption of Iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and a lot of medications, oh, and also Protein. So try to avoid taking at the same time as any medications, iron supplements, or something like a protein supplement/shake, or meal where you need to get those protein grams in. So basically, yeah, it's better to take your calcium at a different time than you take your multivitamin. My belief, best to take calcium along with a late night snack, preferably something acidic, like fruit, and where you don't need to count on the protein grams, or even with a glass of milk, or a cup of tea. Most supplements are made with calcium carbonate, so having something slightly acidic with it is good, tea has some natural acids in it that work well. There are different forms of calcium, most don't require an acid environment to get absorbed, but one type, calcium carbonate, does. If the type of supplement you are taking is calcium carbonate, you don't want to take it with an antacid, or as part of an antacid, you won't get the calcium out of it, and ideally take it with acidic food or juice, like orange juice. By the way, tums and rolaids antacids are made with calcium carbonate, if you take them in order to get the calcium, you probably aren't, the antacid property makes the calcium hard to absorb. Also calcium carbonate can cause gas/bloating and/or constipation. To absorb calcium you also need to have Vitamin D in adequate levels, a lot of Calcium supplements come with Vitamin D added now because of that. Your body can't absorb more than 500mg of calcium at a time, so don't bother taking a higher dose than that, if you want more than that, take it two times a day instead. XO Leila

I picked mine up in the pharmacy section of a large grocery store somewhere (I'm travelling around Canada right now, I'm not even sure what province I was in when I bought them). Any form of sublingual vitamin B12 will do, just ask at a pharmacy or health food store if they carry sublingual vitamin b12, they will know if they carry it or not, I'd even call ahead to save yourself the trip if they don't.

C 268.5 (-11.5 lbs total, -1.5 this week) Telly, my vote is for a fill. Right now you are losing weight, just fine, but... it seems like you have to struggle with your hunger all the time, not head hunger, but real physical hunger, with proper restriction you won't have that hanging over you all the time. Right now you are essentially losing your weight without the band, you have no restriction, it's not the band that is helping you with the weight loss it's your diet and exercise program, and that's great! But, again, but, why not make use of the tool you paid for and underwent surgery for? if you get proper restriction it is going to make it that much easier for you. If it were me I would go for a fill, creep up on it if you want to not risk being over-filled, but why not add that extra tool to your arsenal, and make it easier on yourself and hopefully more enjoyable still. XO Leila

thank you Miguel for the support, and welcome!

Today I scheduled a fill for July 19th... It seems every day I'm getting hungrier and hungrier, so I'm looking forward to hopefully having some restriction next week! The pedometer is working, it's really encouraging me to get up and move around more. Today was my weigh day, I weigh just one once a week on Wednesday mornings. Down 1.5lbs, I haven't been in the 260's for almost 2 years so it was nice to see! I checked fitday for a report on my loss, and their calculations told me I've been losing an average of 1.8lbs a week. It's crazy, my average daily caloric intake for the last month is 1150 calories a day - I track -everything- that goes in to my mouth, and I swim almost daily. The medications I take really mess with my metabolism, so it will likely be a relatively moderate losing pace for me. I will likely have to stick to around 1200 calories a day, and increase my exercise over time in order to lose all the weight I want to, but I know with the help of the lapband, I can do it! My mini goal right now, is to try to keep doing what I'm doing until I have restriction, like I said, every day I'm hungrier and it's harder to do, I'm hoping it doesn't take too many fills for me to get good restriction. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be lucky enough to hit it on my first fill, but won't be dissapointed if I don't, I know it can take a while sometimes. XO Leila

B12 is supposed to help with metabolizing fat, it also helps with energy levels and mood. I tend to take extra/higher doses of the water soluble vitamins, like B's and C, because if you end up with too much, it won't harm you, the body just flushes it out. That way I know for sure I'm getting enough. Fat soluble vitamins in mega doses can be dangerous, because they are stored in the body longer, but with the water solubles it's not a worry.

Loriely, I love all my vitamins! They are the closest thing to candy I'm eating these days. LOL! I take Jamieson brand chewable VitaVim - It's wildberry flavour, you're supposed to take two a day - sugar free. I take Caltrate Plus Chewables (with Vitamin D Plus Minerals). I take extra vitamin C, chewables. I take Jamieson Vitamin B12 strips, that dissolve in your mouth and go directly to the bloodstream.

Barbara, sorry to hear that, glad you told me, I was thinking about ordering it, maybe I'll try one of the other ones instead. There is one by Patt Levine - Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery - has anyone read it?

Randi, we can't go back in time, I'm only 37, but I have had regrets a few times that I didn't do this much earlier. Unfortunately we can't go back, we can only go forward. It's fantastic that you are doing this for yourself. We can't regain our youth, but we can regain our health. You have many many years ahead of you, and without obesity related issues, likely many more than you would have if you didn't get the help you needed with banding. I've been looking at some Plastic surgery sites and shows too, and thinking wow, you know some of these people look like models after all the weight loss and multiple plastic surgeries. The reality for me is, things are going to sag, hang and wrinkle, and I'm not able or willing to surgically 'correct' them all. Beauty comes in many forms. I'm going to try to be proud of my scars and my breasts, even if they're lower and flatter than I'd like. I'm going to do my best to focus on the health and well being aspect of it. Oh, and food obsession, definitely, and it's not going to go away... I think trying to stop my food obsession personally would be like trying to stop a freight train, so I'm going to try to become obsessed with healthy food, healthy recipes and choices, and try to make my obessession work for me instead of fighting it. You're right, life is hard... sometimes it can downright suck... LOL, but, it is what it is, and it's what we've got to work with! We should all be proud of ourselves for doing this for ourselves, it was a huge step for everyone to take, I'm sure. It's a huge event in my life series, I'm going to try to make the very best of it. ... Okay, I'll stop swamping this thread today!!!! XO Leila

Barbara, sublingual b12, like the shots, bypasses the stomach, and goes directly into the bloodstream. It gets absorbed through the lining of the mouth. Small particles are able to pass the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose. People who lack intrinsic factor in their gastrointestinal tract and are unable to subsequently absorb B12 gastrointestinally can absorb it sublingually. The B12 passes through buccal mucosa membrane in the mouth and into the sublingual vein where it has direct access to the blood circulation and is then carried throughout the whole body. This is a tough time, pre-fill, I've heard it lovingly referred to here on the forums as 'bandster hell', the time post-op before your first fill, so hang in there those of us still waiting. I call my surgical center tommorow to talk about when I'm going to go in to get mine, I'm hoping for a week from now. Today I bought a few things to help inspire me. I bought a pedometer, you can get them so reasonably, to help encourage me to move a little more, and try to increase my walking, as I'm very sedentary, and exercise is my hardest challenge. I bought a kitchen timer to take to the pool with me - I'm travelling around Canada and the US in an RV right now, have been for almost 3 months! And will be until October. We decided to turn the cross-country trip to get lapbanded into a North American tour at the same time. We try to stay at campgrounds that have a pool so I can excerise more. I don't do well walking in the heat, as I take medications that make me overheat easily. Exercising in Water works really well to keep me cool. What I've been doing in these tiny pools is just hanging on the edge and kicking my legs hard enough to splash, and since there is no clock to check my progress around usually, I've been just counting my kicks... I'm sick of counting! So now I can set up my timer for half an hour, and kick until it goes off, no more counting kicks. I also wanted to find other exercise that I can do while travelling that doesn't take equipment, so I bought a book on Pilates - The Big Little Book of Pilates, it was really reasonable, and looks good, and focuses on exercises that don't need equipment. Something I can do on the firm bed of my camper in air conditioned bliss! I've been trying to manage good eating habits and nutrition patiently while waiting till I get restriction. So far so good, but it's not easy, and every day it becomes just a little bit harder. I've cleared all the unhealthy food and junk out of the camper cupboards and fridge to make it harder to lapse into bad habits, and bought lots and lots of good options. Flavored egg whites in the carton, low fat cottage cheese, fat and sugar free yogurt drinks, lots of berries and melons... I love how I can eat a cup and a half of blueberries and it's only 120 cals, or 25 cherries is a 120 cals, and the best... raspberries, 2 cups only 120 cals, and all that Fiber is doing me good. I bought fat free onion and herb sour cream to use as a dip for lightly steamed veggies to add protien and make chewing it softer easier. I add it and salsa to things I want to make moister without adding much in the way of calories, no fat, and lots of good nutrition. I've also bought lots of water packed salmon and tuna to make salad with low fat mayo and a little relish, I eat it on whole grain thin low fat crackers. Also light creamcheese, and fat free artificial crab. crab salads, or crab and cream cheese and some veggies in a whole grain wrap. I've cut out sugar and artifical sweetners totally and just sweeten using stevia now, I only just discovered the stuff a month ago and I love it, no aftertaste, no calories, no chemicals, I don't know how I got along without it. I bought white tea (like green tea but made with baby leaves, more antioxidants and more metabolic stimulation than even green tea) and I make ice tea with it and the stevia. Or I make limeonade with lime and stevia. I've been browsing and reading the bodybuilding forums for tips on nutrition and fat loss from the people who consistently do it succesfully and it's given me lots of tips. I've been trying to keep motivated by doing internet research on health and nutrition. My goal is to use the band to help me become a healthier and happier person, with weight loss being a part of that over-all process. I also decided to switch from using butter and margerine to using un-hydrogenated cold pressed coconut oil, you keep it in the fridge and it's a solid, but melts on warm foods, even at room temperature even. There are all kinds of interesting health reasons for that choice, but if I get into it, I'll ramble on -way- too long, and I feel I've done that allready. It's easy to get good information on online if you're interested. Take care everyone, and just keep doing your best, and don't get down on yourself if you slip up now and then. We're not perfect, and this is obviously one of our biggest most challenging areas in our lives to deal with, if it wasn't we wouldn't have gotten lap band surgery. It will get better and better as time goes on. XO Leila

This came up in the book recommendations, people asking about books specific to lap-band. So I did an amazon search (most are lap band and WLS related, but it also came up with a few weird matches) Here's the [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/ref=s_b_rs/002-6452256-0337656?page=1&url=ix%3Dstripbooks%26rank%3D%252Bsalesrank%26fqp%3Dlaunch-date%2501-1y%2502newrelevance%25013000000-%2502keywords%2501lap%2520band%26nsp%3Dscore%2501proj-unit-sales%2502bin-fields%2501none%2502post-process%2501docid-ve%2502search-type%2501ss%2502fpn%25011%26sz%3D10%26pg%3D1&fpn=1&rank=newrelevancerank&x=8&y=10&results-process=default]direct link[/ame] to those interested. I think I'm going to check out Lap Band for Life and Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery - I could use some new recipes! XO Leila

Here's what amazon came up with for me when I typed lap band in the book search - [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/ref=s_b_rs/002-6452256-0337656?page=1&url=ix%3Dstripbooks%26rank%3D%252Bsalesrank%26fqp%3Dlaunch-date%2501-1y%2502newrelevance%25013000000-%2502keywords%2501lap%2520band%26nsp%3Dscore%2501proj-unit-sales%2502bin-fields%2501none%2502post-process%2501docid-ve%2502search-type%2501ss%2502fpn%25011%26sz%3D10%26pg%3D1&fpn=1&rank=newrelevancerank&x=8&y=10&results-process=default]Direct Link[/ame]