GuyMontag

Sometimes not all diets are all they are cracked up to be. I tried the gluten free diet and gained weight. Lol.

The awesome thing is you already have the band so even if you've gained some weight back you still have the tool installed that you need to lose it. Having to go through the rebanding process would be even more of a hurdle. All you have to do now is find a surgeon and start getting fills again. You can do it!

They should offer a warning label on the band that warns about increased sweets craving. I never used to crave sweets like I do now. The largest drawback to the band in my opinion. Lol.

I like nuts or jerky for good high protein low carb snacks.

+1 for gummies.

That's a very carb heavy breakfast. For me that would spike my insulin and make me hungry super fast. Carbs tend to be processed by the body very quickly. If you are going to eat in the AM you might want to try something with more protein like almonds or just skip breakfast completely like I do. I found that a lot of 'healthy' foods actually caused me to gain weight such as oatmeal, granola, and fruit.

I like to weigh myself every day but you have to really look at it at more of a week by week measure. I had two candy bars yesterday and went down. On the flip side, I have had 'great' days and gained. It's amazing how much little things can affect our scale day to day such as salt intake, liquid intake, exercise, bowel movements, etc. Don't get discouraged because you thought you were 'good' one day and the scale went up. One last thought, make sure what you think is a 'good' day really is a good day. I found that when I was trying to eat 'healthy' by eating fruits, oatmeal, and granola, I was actually overdoing it on carbs and gaining weight.

Rapid weight loss commonly causes hair loss. Lots of protein, vitamins, and biotin can help but if you lose weight quickly your body usually reacts with some hair loss although this isn't permanent. It's just your body adjusting to the rapid change in your system. Once you have the weight off your hair should go back to normal.

My general rule of thumb was to keep getting fills until I could not comfortably eat a sandwich or a cheeseburger. If you get too tight you will regret it later. I generally eat and get hungry about 4 hours later. My general day goes like this, wake up around 8am, eat around Noon, 6pm and maybe a snack around 9pm. I also make sure to drink liquids nonstop when i'm not eating as this helps me maintain my 'full' feeling.

Eating less of the same foods will work for awhile but eventually you'll have to have to switch up what you eat to lose more and get to goal.

Look at the positives which are you are still lower than you started AND you already have the great tool installed that will allow you to lose again!

Put your fork down in between every single bite.

I'm at over 14cc in a 14cc band. Sometimes you just have to crank that baby to 11! That being said, I exercise almost every day and I follow a low carb high protein/fat diet and avoid sugar, fruits, breads, rice, etc.

I have found that fat free isn't as effective for me as low carbs for weight loss. I choose regular olive oil mayo the most.

I would say no because of all of the sugar in 7up. That being said, I went about a year with no soda but I have been drinking them fine for the last three years with no adverse effects. Just remember, your mileage may vary. Just because one person hasn't had trouble that doesn't mean they won't or you won't if you start.

I skip breakfast every day. Too tight and too many calories.

Tracking my progress has been key for me. I use the Nike+ app on my iPhone and the couchto5k app as well. Both are great.

For me it's just been going back to the basics which are exercise and diet. I try to cut out many carbs such as breads, sugar, fruit juices, etc. and stick to proteins such as meats, cheese, and beans with some veggies thrown in as well. It's good to realize that weight loss is about 80/20 diet/exercise. As for exercise I would recommend consistent cardio such as walking/jogging or swimming.

Just Google lap band and your city name and start calling around to get prices. Also, you can look in the forums under your area for doctors and reviews.

Back in the day chat used to be very helpful to motivate me. However, chat isn't what it used to be so you may want to consider some type of local support group. Most weight loss clinics offer support groups and they are a great way to get ideas and to stay accountable. Unfortunately, the band does take a lot of work on your part and constant adjustments/fills are key to early success as well as diet and exercise changes. I've found that the best diets for me are the South Beach or the Atkins because they are very band friendly and protein heavy. Stick with it but definitely get some support! Good luck.

I generally can't eat sandwiches unless I toast the bread and flatten it to get air pockets out.

I have a 14cc band. For about 2 years I had over 14.5cc of fluid in it but now I'm around 14.25cc.

You might really want to take a look at your liquid intake overall. Bandsters typically live their lives in a constant state of slight dehydration. It's really important to make sure you are getting enough liquids. Most people I know are tight in the morning and loosen up as the day goes by.

Some people add milk or water to 'fluff' up their scrambled eggs. I think that causes problems for bandsters. If you have eggs I'd recommend NOT adding any kind of liquid to them when you scramble them or eat them over easy or fried. However, it's always a learning experience with the band. You could just be tight one day...or that time of day...or dehydrated. I try not to cross any food completely off my list. I just try to learn when it's okay and when it's not okay to eat it or how I have to eat it whether that be really slow or lots of chewing or BOTH! Good luck.

Excellent! I figured it was something like that. It's cool to have them all laid out. Thanks so much!