GoingforGoal

Not sure where you got your information, but it's not what I experience as a 4 yr bandster in the green zone. I eat every 3-4 hours. I'm focused on calories more than portion sizes, meal times or any set regimen. A typical day for me is: Breakfast (200 cal) 8:30-9:30 am 2 slice turkey bacon 90 cal I egg with veggies 110 cal -or- Protein shake (200 cal) Snack (<100 cal) 10-11 yogurt 2x protein 90 cal lunch (200-300 cal) 12:30-1:30 Turkey breast with mayo 150 cal grapes/carrots with dip 100 cal Snack (<100 cal) 2:30-3:30 1/2 c cottage cheese 80 cal dinner (300 cal) 4:30-6 example chicken/veg kabob 170 cal salad 120 cal This is just one example. I do endorse the q 2-3 hr method of eating and keeping metabolism going. You do not need to eat large volumes or high cals to accomplish this but it does yield the best fat burning results. The trick to our diet though is to keep that protein up. As you can see from my example meal plan, my Snacks are high protein (not junk that won't satiate me for 2-3 hrs) The lapband and ALL other diets are not regimens. They can adapt to your preferences and any routines you wish to insert (ie exercise, shake replacers etc). Much of the personal mods are due to personal experience and preference. For example, if you have issues with a tight band in the morning (and this can happen in or outside green zone) than a shake may appeal to you. If you exercise alot, eating post workout shakes as snacks is definitely key but cals must be deducted and this does force you into a eating more frequently to spread out the necessary calories etc.

Hello and welcome back I have a sort of similar story. Banded Nov 2009, lost 50 lbs. Got pregnant and than had a bad accident that resulted in 8 mo of rehab. I was off diet for a total of 18 months. The fortunate side was that I maintained at the 195-200 range (from my original 250) but I was no where near goal. In Jan 2013 (at 195 lb) I decided it was time to get back on track and i am now 150/155. Here's what I did: 1) I returned to lbt. It's an addicting site and allowed me to become fixated on my efforts once again. 2) I started a food log to keep myself accountable, and again, to dedicate some attention and energy into the diet 3) I got a fill. I think this is one of the smartest decisions. It had been 3 yrs since my last fill. 4) I eliminated calories like a madman. I am in the 800-900 range (no exercise). I gradually decreased cals as to not go cold turkey. After a week I was back in wl mode and feeling great 5) I started shopping. Every time I lost 5-10 lb I would buy a new shirt, new jeans, maybe get my nails done etc. It's instant gratification to show you how much you lost and how great it feels. Caution: this is addictive ahhahaha 6) I took the pressure off and became more sensible with my expectations. The weight seemed to fall off once I changed my mentality. I am now at 155 and a tad agitated with myself as well. I find myself at goal, however, I feel like I can lose more weight (I think its because the excess skin still makes me feel overweight). I am scheduled for cosmetic surgery Oct 8th. Ideally I'd like to lose 5-10 more lbs beforehand but can't seem to get myself off of 'maintenance mode' mentality. I won't allow myself to gain more than 3 lbs before kicking it into high gear and losing the 3 lbs..but I'm not going further. I got as low as 151 and am irked I didn't maintain that weight. I know the numbers may seem piffy, but the experience/mentality is the same no matter what the goal you set for yourself. So one of the things I'm doing now is deliberately subbing a meal w/ a Protein shake and starting up on the treadmill. Once you start putting some serious effort into your wl the less likely you are to sabotage it because of all the hard work/sacrifice you are putting into it. At least that's how my brain is wired. Hope this all helps

If in the US, most insurance company providers will only cover plastic surgery if it is medically warranted. Each provider is different and has clauses that stipulate what they will cover and what criterion must be met to qualify. Some examples of plastic surgery being covered include an excessively low hanging pannus, typically lower than the genitals. Lose skin that causes frequent irritation, breakdown, infection etc. These typically need to be documented and treated to no avail for a period of time to be deemed medical conditions. Most plastic surgery is not covered as it is considered elective. They psychological impact of having excess skin is not factored and is still considered cosmetic.

Congrats on a job well done..keep going, you obviously have what it takes to go all the way

Hi Gowalking.. Never apologize for sharing your success. It is inspiring to hear others accomplishments and motivates us to strive to achieve our own goals. Thrilled to hear of all your NSVs you are obviously putting hard work in. Congratulations

As a registered nurse, you already know what I'm going to say. 1) Medical conditions cannot be diagnosed via internet. Whether through self diagnosis after reading a few articles or finding posts that describe similar symptoms nor through ignorant people who use their limited knowledge to give medical advice far out of their scope of knowledge, experience and expertise. 2) If you think the symptoms correlate with your fill, than the logical next step is to get an unfill. Just like going to the doctors, you have to eliminate sources of pain/disease/illness etc to find the answer 3) I know you may not have insurance, however, if this is not related to the band and is a medical emergency than you are taking a gamble your life can't afford.

This is an extremely biased post based on personal experience. Although I can empathize with your situation, your experience should not be the litmus test for others decisions. I too can post a story about myself and I how I never suffered a complication and reached goal. But I am not presumptive enough to believe that my story will be the same for everyone. The band is like every other medical intervention...look at some who take XYZ med..works for some, and gives others additional symptoms. Or perhaps other surgeries, 1,000 safe cases and than a death. But to imply that sleeves and gastric bypass are the better, safer, more reliable procedure is just as naive. I have a friend who's daughter died from complications with GBypass. We are all responsible for doing our research and making an informed decision as to what will best serve us. You are the unfortunate bandster who suffered complications but your post offends the likes of me by implying the decision I made for myself was useless, unsafe and will ultimately fail me in some capacity. Side comment Mis73 is spot on for calling out the details you failed to include in your sermon. Research is constantly improving upon itself. Old bands, old techniques vs the new is incomparable. This post is in effort to encourage newbies to please understand that one experience does not dictate everyone's outcomes. Please do your research. ALL surgeries have possible complications. It's a matter of which ones seem less invasive, less probable and less permanent.

Congrats hon. I saw your stats and you sound like my twin Looking fabulous

I think a better question than can I get the band is should you get the band. Things to think about... 1) Alcoholic drinks are empty liquid calories. You have to be cautious in deducting these calories from your overall daily allotment. However, remember, with the demands of getting high Protein in each day, this can quickly become a problem is a large portion of calories is coming from alchohol 2) Some alcohol may cause increase gas, beer is the #1 culprit. It's like other carbonated beverage (sodas etc) that can result in discomfort and if not exercised with caution can result in band slips 3) Also, some people experience GERD/reflux issues with band. Alcohol is a culprit for increasing stomach acidity. This can result in increased symptoms/ulcers etc I think most bansters would say that yes you can have an occasional glass. But if you are planning on frequent drinks or back to back nights out etc than the band may not be as effective as you would like it to be.

Man, I haven't bothered to go to any other wl sites but I have overheard conversations about other sites and their animosity towards the band. What gives? lol To each their own, but I am frustrated that people are formulating opinions on single stories or the rare statistic (they exist in all procedures you know !!!) lol

I'm not sure what you ate that you consider 'cheat' worthy. However, to keep you accountable, you should not be eating off your diet especially a mere 11 days out. This is not about getting to the first fill because it can take 3, 4 5+ fills to get to green which means theres 4 ,5, 6+ months of opportunity to both lose and to gain weight. So many times we have people who come on exasperated that they did not lose as much as others, or worse, gained after surgery. You have a choice and there's only 2 results gain or lose. I want to point out your last sentence " We all can say stick to eating right and all that. But we know its not that easy or we not be over weight from the start". There's also to WE talk but it is imperative you understand that WE is really I and should read " I can stick to eating right and all that but I know its not easy or I wouldn't be overweight from the start." When you translate your inner thoughts like this, you free yourself from getting support for wrong inner thinking. And than you will find support to have the courage to be accountable and to be strong to achieve your goals. You also said I just dont want to gain any back. That too is a fallacy as Im sure your goal was not to lose 23 lbs. Your goal is to lose all your excess weight and that will require a commitment. Please do not misperciece this response as cruel or negative. I am merely trying to show you something I am seeing in your post and hope it'll help you change the mentality. Wishing you all the best

Satisfaction... ahhh yes, I remember those days... I'm prone to believe many dieters would let those words fall from the lips on occassion. How can we not when we so frequently tie diet with withdrawal of old ways, old foods, and old favorites. To eat was to satisfy, and not just our hunger. For some it was a coping mechanism, for others a retreat, perhaps a reward. And what about those who tie eating with socializing. To remove one, seems to remove the other and without the other it's like living without balance. And thus dieting is an imbalance, certainly does not sound like satisfying ey? So than one must ponder why they eat. Are you more satisfied when your hunger subsides or when some innate need is fulfilled? Ahh, that is the question. Obesity is now recognized as a chronic disease (someone smart finally figure that out But obesity is complex is it not. It's not straightforward as if we all experience this disease the same. Some overindulge, some crave sweets etc etc So it's fair to say we experience food differently. However, I would be certain that being obese has nothing to do with hunger. Rather the insatiable appetite we have for certain foods (sensations) and the remarkable capability to overindulge in these foods like we are eating for a party of 10. Hunger was satisfied a long time ago, yet we insist on eating more and more because, again, there is an innate need that we are attempting to please. But isn't this an imbalance too, one as intolerable and unsatisfying as dieting? There is a dysfunction in our relationship with food. And we need to reassess how to build a healthy one. Similar to marital counseling, it requires alot of introspection, creation of new boundaries, and identifying solutions that will restore harmony. And thus enters the topic of satisfaction... Satisfaction needs prioritization and redefinition. Obviously priority one is to satisfy hunger. But now we need to satisfy our taste buds. Foods are packed with flavor, but sometimes we immediately reach out for foods that are high in flavor/sugar/salt etc. It's an instant gratifier indeed. However, we simply miss out on the subtle flavors lurking in other foods that are actually equal contenders in the satisfaction department, we simply don't afford them the opportunity to show us what they can offer. I discovered this personally after the band when I had to resort to the basic staples. After withholding all the thrills (spices, oils, name it) I grew a palate for basic foods. Something as simple as grilled zuchinni and squash were just simply to die for. Even plain yogurt took on a new life. My plain oatmeal is more satisfying with a few nuts on it than the old version which was nothing but sugar (cinammon, brown sugar etc). So imagine what happens now when I go out to eat and have a rich dessert or a sauce covered meal. For one, it's too rich and I can only eat the smallest amounts. Two, I feel deprived..like I'm not eating a satisfying meal. I have in essence, redefined satisfaction. Having goals after wls will evolve in time. I am near my goal and am actually in maintenance mode. My goal in the beginning was simply to be skinny. But as you become awakened to this new way of eating new goals emerge, like intentionally eliminating certain high fat/high sugar foods, and the manner in which you ate (excessive, too frequent), and addressing the innate needs you were fullfilling and finding new methods to fullfill them through new foods (ie sweet is a handful of blueberries not tubs of icecream) or new activities (hobbies instead of boredom splurges). Than it all becomes a challenge. You transform your body as well as your interests. Taking up physcial activities, maybe a cooking class to really exploit those natural flavors etc becomes not only rewarding, but satisfying on many levels. So is this becoming 'normal'. NO! It's better than normal. We have this false belief that skinny people are healthy, active and that they do not suffer from the same ties to food as we do. Be better than normal, be the best.. and experience sublime satisfaction!

Ohhh I just love this extremely intellectual post. I am swamped with farm tasks at the moment, but I am up for the challenge to reciprocate an equally appealing and thoughtful post. Stay posted

Kace, This is not an appropriate conversation for lbt. The reason being is that you are experiencing atypical symptoms that are not usually experienced by bandsters. It is not fair to you to have strangers (even well intentioned ones) give you advice/feedback on issues we simply are ignorant to. The reality is you need to be an aggressive patient and have your doctor draw labs, take xrays, do an upper GI whatever it takes to find the answer. I would like to share that there is a very small percentage of people who just have zero tolerance to the band for unknown reasons. Your body could simply be rejecting the band. That is why your doctors need to start performing tests to rule out any condition that may be causing your pain. However, it is inappropriate to just accept that there is no answer and lie there in pain being nonfunctional. If necessary, go to the ER, change primary physicians etc and be prepared to commit to appointments and exams to find the answers. Good luck and I hope you find your answer soon

I think the question is why are you able to eat anything with 4cc in your band already (without any negative symptoms) correct? If so, I don't understand why you think anything is wrong? Can you please elaborate

It is extremely rare for bandsters to have appropriate restriction without a fill. I appreciate the fear to not be overly tight, but ladies, to put it into perspective... the average fill is 5cc and that is usually accomplished in 3-6 fills over 4-8 months depending on the doctor. If you do not move forward with getting fills and finding your green zone, you will be like you were pre band just with a new plastic toy that you put inside your body serving zero purpose. The apparatus is not the instrument or tool, it's the amount of pressure needed around your new pouch to manage food intake/hunger.

yep same as Mis said. Whenever you have an regurg you should probably skip the eating. Wait a few hours. Intro a drink, if that passes, maybe a shake for that follow up meal just to ensure all is well but also to give your pouch more time to settle down. Than slowly intro food. Fries ALWAYS get stuck for me. Its important to remember that the foods you eat after fill 1 may not be tolerable after fill 2, 3 and so on. You have to go slow until you've tried all your typical foods and figured out which work and which don't.

I'm 5'6.5 <laughing Start Weight 250 BMI 40 Start Size 22/bottom and 3xl top Current Weight 155 BMI 24 Current Size 4-6 bottom and xs-s shirt Goal should be BMI 24 and ideal BMI is 22 Even at this current weight/size I want to lose more. But now it's based on appearance, not numbers. I am getting cosmetic surgery because the excess skin alone will make you feel like you are still overweight. I will reassess if I need to lose anymore after surgery. For now I am more maintaining and have done so for months now.

I agree with both posts. I also look on my cellphone to lookup restaurant nutrition menus to select a guilt free meal prior to going in the restaurant Not sure if Canada has this available for CAN chains..but if it's American it can be found. Find a handful of restaurant you are ensured a healthy meal and try to limit your ventures to those restaurants. Do not sacrifice your wl goals and success for work-period As for meals, I like Guy's clever water tip. Other ideas- eat off the appetizer menu. You can say your not hungry, or you just ate and want something small. One of the reasons I go small (apps) is because when I get a regular meal I get harrassed by the waitress when I dont eat it all. They insist something must be wrong. And you get to the point you want to yell "Good god woman I just cant eat a whole planets worth of food!" lol It's annoying and brings alot of negative attention your way (embarrassing in front of clients). Other ideas are soups, salad if you can manage them, moist food like fish, or be modern and eat at restaurants that serve only dime size portions anyway ahhahahah

lol unfortunately patience is the name of the game both before and after the band. I'm not sure when you made your appt but one thing to be mindful of when choosing a surgeon is how busy they are. If they always seem to schedule you a month+ out than be concerned that if you need a fill, emergency followup etc that it may not be as convenient as you need it to be. Good luck hon, see you on other side of the band

Yes, normal. Many woman on here discuss how the TOM changes various things since being banded. These include increased gas and tighter restriction (some mild, some not), It may help to log these changes so you can pinpoint if TOM is the real culprit

Ok... couple questions first 1. Do you know how much your doc gave you (fill volume) and what you are at? Some docs can be too aggressive and give us larger volumes than we can tolerate. This is nto a standard practice and must be tweeked on an individual basis. 2. What are you eating? Is protein first? I don't to assume anything. If you are not getting enough protein than this will most definitely result in hunger. Also, you should be able to at least 1/2 cup of food at one time. If not, you may indeed be too tight 3. Please remember, that after every fill we have to go through the food experiment of what works and what doesn't all over again. For instance, I could do chicken easily after first 2 fills, but after 3rd fill my chicken better be small, moist and eaten between other easier foods for it to go down successfully. Start compiling a list of foods that you have issues with and which go down easy. It's a good log for your too keep but even better to share w/ doc.

Congrats on a successful surgery and first day lol I'm curious..what movie did you watch ahhahaha

Hello from Calgary! Congrats on your decision to get the band. These pre-surgery jitters are normal. But the only advice I can give you is to transfer the energy you are putting into worrying into actions that will help you succeed: 1. Reinforce positive thinking. Don't focus on what if's. Focus on telling yourself you are going to succeed. Focus on life after success. What changes will you make? How will life be different once you reach goal? These motivate the subconscious into realizing a new reality not reinforcing the one that already exists. 2. Get ready for change. Get out and start buying all the essentials. Whether it's shakes/food, new plateware etc start replacing your pantry now to prepare yourself for surgery and life thereafter. These visual changes in your environment will start to change other actions (mentality, eating habits etc). 3. Setup a reward system. Some of us fail because our goals are either to lofty or our expectations are insensible. Start writing down your short term goals (ie lose 10 lbs) and what will your nonfood reward be for achieving the goal. If you have the $, one of my fav things that I did was buy a shirt one, two and three sizes smaller than your current size. Seems silly in the beginning, but once you get your wl momentum going you'll be looking forward to getting to a new size. Having those clothes right there in your closet is another visual reminder and incentive to stay strong. The reward is huge and an instant gratifier. Just be sure not to buy too many things of any one size because you'll be flying through them 4. Giver yourself permission to understand this is a process. There is no 100% fail or succeed in the band. I presume you carried weight a long time. It's insensible to think you'll lose it overnight. When you take the pressure off, you are more apt to succeed. Do some introspection as to why you feel you are overweight. Start making secondary goals on top of just wl. Like, stopping late night snacking, or mindless eating and make a conscience effort to rid those habits for good. Those are just as important to tackle for long term success. But again, its not an overnight one time effort. Make subtle changes. Embrace how good it feels. Recognize how the changes positively effect you. Continue to reinforce those changes and just embrace getting healthy. Weight management is like a mental& physical puzzle. You need to put all the pieces together to reveal the end picture. This is not like any diet you've been on. All those things that seemed impossible before (smaller portions, calorie control etc) will suddenly seem doable because you have a tool that can help you in the areas that are usually our biggest obstacles. It's not possible to really appreciate the difference between diets adn the band until you actually have one. So don't overly focus on the what ifs. Having buddies is great, we all need the support. But please find a mentor who is an 'oldie'. Rapid wl in the first year is typical but does not speak for experience. Hook up with someone who has been banded for years and can guide you through all the stages of having the band.

Sorry to say, but everyone is an individual and this will be a personal experiment. My husband (who is banded) eats spicy no problem. I dont do spicy so I am not a fair judge. However, those who are prone to any gerd/reflux issues will find that certain foods (spicy is one of them) will increase their symptoms. You will have to gauge how you feel after you eat spicy foods to see if you can still tolerate it and if you feel any changes (ie irritable stomach, increased acid/heartburn etc). Not sure what kind of tex-mex you are aiming for, but other considerations that may stop you in your tracks is taco shells and fajita wraps may be too heavy to slide through the band without getting stuck. So you may want to start slow and eat the insides before eating it the good ol fashioned way.