isaviolinist

I generally do a Protein shake for lunch (and I'm not really a Breakfast eater). Its primarily because up until about 3-4 PM everyday my band is pretty tight and I was getting tired of throwing up lunches. As far as figuring out what to eat, I use fitday.com to track my calories (and protein, carbs, etc.) and I use mealsmatter.org to plan my meals. I don't get crazy caught up with what is part of the plan, I just try to make healthy balanced meals using whole grains and organic foods. I try to get a good variety of things so I'm not eating the same thing everyday (which is where meal planning on mealsmatter works well for me). I try to stick to 800-900 calories a day which is working for me. Right now, I'm a little less anal about protein (although I do eat a decent amount, but I'm not eating 100g a day or anything) and more focused on meeting (and not exceeding) my calorie intake of 900 a day (and getting in all my exercise). I'm working with a practitioner who is monitoring my lean (and fat) mass loss to make sure I'm not losing an inordinate amount of lean mass and losing mostly fat. I think once you get into a routine of choosing foods and tracking them, it becomes easier. Hope that helps!

Hey does anyone have experience with insurance covering revision surgeries? I don't have any plans in the near future to have a revision but if my band slips I'd probably want to revise instead of having the band replaced (if it required a surgery....if they could just take out Fluid and the band would go back, then I'd do that). In another scenario, at some point after I get to goal, I may want to revise, as I don't want to have a plastic device in me for the rest of my life (it just makes me nervous). Do insurances usually cover that or is it almost always out of pocket? Thanks!

Hey - thanks so much for the replies. I really need to find a dr in Michigan so I guess this is a good excuse to get on that. I hope nothing is wrong with my band. Hey Alien! How are you?! Yea - I took a break (aka I completely fell of the wagon) for awhile. But I'm back and losing weight pretty steadily now! Exercising like crazy! I haven't been to Korea recently. I was going to go this past summer but then we decided we were moving (fiance got into law school in Michigan and decided its where he wanted to go), so he went back home and I stayed here to pack and tie up all of the loose ends before we skipped town. At the time I was grumpy about it, but now I'm glad that I did stay because we had SO much stuff (I couldn't even have imagined how much stuff we had in that little apartment until I started packing it) and I wouldn't have been able to get it all packed in just a few days. But we've planned our wedding for August 2012 in Hawaii, and after the wedding, we'll just fly to Korea for a few weeks. So I'm looking forward to that! My fiance may not be able to go home next summer because of whatever summer internship he gets, but I'm hoping that he will because I really miss Korea and can't wait to go back! His mom is taking us to Hawaii in December and she was just in the states in May - so I'm glad I'll get to see her more than just once every 2 years when we go to Korea.

I think I got approved the same day that everything was completed. But my hospital's bariatric center had a working relationship with BCBS so virtually all BCBS patients were automatically approved. But I think it varies from ins. to ins. co.

Thank you so much for your reply. Ugh, now I'm scared - I hope nothing is wrong with my band. I just moved to a new city and am still looking for doctors so I can't even go see my surgeon. Ergh. When you got an unfill and waited for a few weeks, did your pouch go back to the correct size?

I'm just bumping this to see if anyone has had a similar experience. Thanks!

I was wondering if anyone else gets a distended abdomen/upper belly area (like right underneath the boobs) after eating? I've begun noticing recently that my upper abdomen swells after I finish eating (it looks a little like I'm pregnant). I'm worried that this is going to stay there even after I've lost weight. Anyone else have this issue? Am I being paranoid?

Hey! Congrats! I totally agree - getting up and starting is the hardest part by far! After you get over that initial hump it gets more routine! I don't love working out, but I'm in a groove. Ive accepted that I don't love working out, but an hour a day won't kill me! And I agree - go to a gym, and get into a group training schedule or find a good personal trainer, and try to find a gym that will help you with food logs, weigh-ins, body composition (fat mass vs lean mass) and general coaching. Great job!

Hey thats so strange :-( Hm, well if someone reactivates it, it might be easier to do the formula based on just entering your start weight, goal weight, and your weekly current weight (and then the spreadsheet will calculate how many pounds you have lost automatically), as opposed to entering how many pounds you lost each week. Probably a lot of people have kept a log of their weight each week and even if we haven't, you can estimate what your start weight was, and then enter your current weight for this week, and then the spreadsheet will calculate it. I don't know how to make that formula, but I know that's usually how the challenge spreadsheets are setup. Just a thought so we can easily recover the info.

Hi - I just recently moved to Ann Arbor. Does anyone know of support groups in the area or close by? I'm also looking for a doctor for follow up care in the area (or close by). Any suggestions would be so helpful!!!! Thanks!

I just added myself to the spreadsheet - is there anyway to get my name in the main list (above the running tally)? I posted below the running tally - not sure if my weight will be added in. Also, I just put zero's for the months that I wasn't in on the challenge. LOL Nevermind - I figured it out.

Yay I was looking for a challenge!! I was going to ask about a Thanksgiving one, but this is perfect! Woohoo I love challenges!

LOL at the trashy bras :w00t: I am looking forward to getting some sassy wedding night lingerie.

I'm going to wait until I'm at goal and then I'm going on a shopping spree like you've never seen. I'm going to buy everything I've ever wanted since I was in my teens but couldn't wear because I was fat. The damage could be well into the thousands. I've already warned my fiancé lol :w00t:

7ish weeks ago I started exercising 6 days a week. 3-4 days with the trainer, the rest for 50 minutes on the elliptical and 1 day a week off.

Hey guys - just thought I'd contribute to the pizza thread! I just made pizza with tortillas and it was amazing! I found a low carb tortilla (60 calories, 11 carbs, 7.5g Fiber, 6g Protein and made with soy flour and oats - its a decent sized tortilla too! Here is the brand if anyone is interested: Tumaro's Gourmet Tortillas - Low Carb Tortillas, Healthy Flour Tortillas and Wraps, Organic Tortillas, Flavored Tortillas, food Service Tortillas, Soy-Full Heart Flatbread Tortillas the one I used is the garden veggie kind), an organic roasted veggie tomato sauce at whole foods with 35 calories per 1/2 cup (I can't remember now but I think it was the 365 brand you find at WF's), and skim mozzarella cheese (70 calories for 1/4 cup). I sprayed the tortilla lightly with olive oil cooking spray, used 1/2 cup of sauce, used a little under 1/2 cup of cheese (I tried to just use one quarter cup but I love cheese!), and popped it in the oven until the cheese was melted and the edges of the tortilla were browned. OMG SO YUMMY! I was able to eat about 4/5 or so (although I could've stopped at 3/4). For the entire pizza it was 225 calories! So if you split it with someone its only 113 calories for half and SO tasty! I just checked through ALL the sauces until I found the most low cal one (which was delicious!) and went through all of the tortilla's too, and Ill be sticking to that Tumaros tortilla because it really was delicious! If you rummage through all of the sauce and tortilla options (sometimes there are TONS - especially with the sauces), you can maximize taste while still reducing calories.

Congratulations! How are you feeling? Are you just getting off full liquids at this point? Definitely stick around on these boards. When I am posting and supporting others (and getting support from others here) I do so great. I left for awhile and fell off the horse. Now I'm back to stay! LBT is a great tool to keep you accountable. Congrats on your successful surgery!

Congrats to you for taking control back! I am also in a similar boat. I lost about 80 pounds in the first few months. Then I started going the wrong direction and gained 50 back. 6 weeks ago I decided to get my butt up off the couch and sign up at a fitness center. And I reactived my fitday account so I could start tracking calories again! And I dragged my fiance with me too lol! In the past 6.5 weeks I've lost almost 30 of those 50 pounds and am feeling great. It was hardest to get to the gym. But once you go, you get into a routine and its easier! You have lots of support here! And also, now that we know how HORRIBLE it feels to regain the weight we worked hard to take off, it will hopefully serve to motivate us to make it work!

Yes! That is awesome Congrats to you!

Oooh I watched the first episode of that show and I really like it! I'll definitely watch for you! I also gained back about 50 pounds of what I had initially lost, but 6 and a half weeks ago I decided to get back on the horse and have lost about 30 of those pounds again. I'm so determined, and like you, I feel that I haven't addressed my psychological issues with eating. I have thought about counseling and even OA (my fiance isn't a fan of OA and when I bring up counseling he says its for when you're not doing good and I'm doing good....Love him more than life itself but hes missing the point ). Anyways, congrats on being on the show and I'll definitely be watching for you!

I've been banded a little under 5 months. In that time, I've lost about 76 pounds which is 50 percent of my excess weight. I'm not even sure if I have proper restriction yet. I'm just getting started. I have no intention of stopping until I reach my goal. I'm no one special - if I can do it, anyone can.

I also eat dinner a little later. That way, I'm still not really interested in food when it comes time to go to bed. Since banding, my sleep schedule has been way more regular as well, so I know when I'll be going to bed, and can try to plan accordingly. Its kind of like tricking yourself but it seems to work!

I agree. Call your surgeon right away. I have heard people say that blood can sometimes be a sign of a slipped band. Please let us know what happened.

Hi Erin. We were banded around the same time (I was 9 days after you - June 18th). I have the Realize C band. I think the capacity is 12cc or maybe 13. I've had 4 fills. In total I should have 9cc, but when my surgeon withdraws the Fluid its always 1 cc less. I think 1 cc gets trapped in the tubing and cannot come out (thats what he said). So technically I have about 8cc's in my actual band with 1 residual cc in the tube. I do feel restriction and there are some foods that it seems like I can't eat at all (like pizza). I've been getting stuck a lot lately (I threw up 3 times in the past 5 days) so for the next 3 days I put myself on liquids to give my tummy a rest. I think I may not be chewing well enough. But its strange because some foods I can eat with no problem (like macaroni and cheese for example...I can eat an entire plate of it). So Im really confused whether or not I have good restriction. I'm giving it a few more weeks to try and feel things out. I think when I was at 6 ccs I had no restriction (but everyone is different). Good luck!

Hey I just wanted to say congrats on your weight loss! I love hearing from people who have had their bands for a long time and have had success. Congratulations on your new healthy lifestyle! :tongue_smilie: