GoingforGoal

You won't like me after that heheeeh... (blowing her whistle..yelling "Now give me 10") ahhaha j/k

cottage cheese, quinoa, spread cheese, bonne belle cheese, milk, chili, meatballs, eggs, turkey bacon and turkey hot dogs, nuts, beans, high protein veggies/fruits like spinach, broccoli, peaches and avocado, canned meats to make salads, tofu, and even some soups.

Ok let's turn this into positives first... #1 Congrats on the baby I too got pregnant with my third son while banded and I hope that this was a happy surprise #2 Congrats on the great weight loss so far... 62 (with a high of 80ish) is outstanding and shows this will work for you #3 Congrats on not gaining excessively with the pregnancy. I only gained 20 as well and breastfeeding helped knock that away shortly thereafter #4 Welcome back. When I was ready to start losing again I threw myself back at the LBT community for a daily mental reminder that I'm committed to this and the support/ideas is what helped me along. Now let's clarify... 1) Did you have to take any Fluid out when you got pregnant? If so, getting back to green will need to be a goal 2) What is your plan for breastfeeding..6 months, a year, 5 years <snicker. If you are sustaining yourself and baby, that will require more calories than normal. Give us an idea of how many cals you are eating? or what an average day of food looks like for you? This will help us tweek your diet by adding or subtracting calories where needed. Protein shakes may become a new best friend again if you are unable to eat large volumes in order to get sufficient and nutritious calories without eating too much or continuously. 3) Stress releases cortisol which is a nasty hormone that readily allows the body to store fat and makes it near impossible to burn it. Sounds like life got stressful there for a moment and just wanted to know if things have settled down any. If not, it'll be equally important to learn to balance and cope as to not allow stress to negatively thwart your goals. 4) Exercise.. I've had 3 c/sections and I just came out of cosm. surgery (including tummy tuck). So I know the word exercise is not the most appealing. However, perhaps somethign as simple as a mommy & me yoga or similar workout is just whats in order. It's more like playtime. If you find parenthood is draining you, you'd be amazed how daily exercise can reenergize you and create some bonding time w/ baby Food choices are probably the most critical part here. So developing a strong high protein hungar-diverting menu is what's in order. Best part is, these are ideal food choices for a breastfeeding mom AND great intro foods for baby when he transitions into mushies and solids himself. Staple foods: milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, meats (keep them moist, or use canned meats which are super low cal lunch alternatives), get quick and easy low at meats like turkey bacon and hot dogs to sub out all beef versions, oatmeal is great for a burst of carb energy laced with walnuts and dried fruit for a yummy protein rich flavor for Breakfast, eggs if you can manage it- try egg salad if not, be sure to get some veggies and fruit in there as well but go for high protein versions like brocolli and spinach or avocado and peaches. Proteins the key for keeping hunger at bay. As for hubby...oh well...I have one of those too. He is also banded, however, that doesn't mean we are always on the same note. Just like the ol' days, when I was good on my diet he would not be. That just resulted in my sabotaging my own diet and kicking myself afterwards. As the weight dropped I became very protective of my new weight and to this day my wl is independent of my husband's diet and/or motivation levels. I know it's easier to have a partner etc, but in reality, this all lies on your shoulders. Sounds like a burden, but it's actually empowering to free yourself of other's behaviors, attitudes, ambivalence, etc etc. Trust me, a happy wife makes a happier husband..he just doesn't know it yet. Best of luck hon. You can always email if you need more info/ideas

Most docs lol...Yeah, the accredited and licensed ones. No doctor is going to risk putting your or your band in jeopardy. Most docs are either conservative or aggressive in their approach to fills, but that's usually with the volume they are willing to give you with each fill opposed to frequency of fills. You do not want to do a back to back fill because you have not had sufficient time to evaluate the effect of that fill. You can easily leave a fill filling tight and by end of the week it loosens. AND vice versa. 2 weeks is a bare minimum. 4-6 weeks is the norm.

Thanks guys. And thanks to all my friends who kept me motivated and gave it to me straight. xoxo Love you xoxo

OMG it worked hahaha

Post already HAHAHHA

and Take 3...

Take two and abs/body

Top shot of implants (trying to be discreet here) lol

Sorry guys, LBT is being tempermental w/ pics. Going to upload one at a time

Alright, yesterday marks my 4 year bandversary. Yeah!!! I started at 250 lbs, size 22+. I am now 148 lbs, size 4-6. On October 8th I underwent Cosmetic Surgery to get rid of excess skin. Although I will be posting tons of pics to show the before/after and the weekly progress postop, I wanted to share these pics. Not only has the band transformed me, both body and mind, but it has truly freed me

Hi 5

I just want to make a correction. I don't think MOST of us suffer from constipation as a given. I've been banded for 4 years and can't remember being constipated until I had 8 hours of cosmetic surgery in October. If you are undergoing anything (like surgery, or being on pain meds etc) that will cause constipation, try a stool softener. Laxatives can make things uncomfortable AND are not designed for continual or long term use because it causes a) dependency in order to stool and a wicked constipation/diarrhea cycle. To avoid constipation, keep fluids up, minimum 64 oz per day. Eat Fiber items or natural laxatives like prunes.

If you are not vegan, milk, cheese, yogurt etc are must haves If you are, look for soy/rice versions. Than invest in Quinoa- excellent Protein, legumes, tofu, vegetarian versions of meat (like vegan dogs/burgers), nuts, and making hummus. Start tuning into the nutrition labels and you'll be surprised to see a portion of peas can be as much as 8g of protein and brocolli is 6g. Add those kind of veggies to something like tofu and you got yourself a meal! Protein shakes and/or additives are also helpful when you are starting out and getting your barrings on how to concoct a protein packed veggie meal.

I did not have any Fluid in my band and was one of the fortunate ones who did not get hungry until the end of week 3. However, take that factoid away, hungar did eventually find it's way in. I find that days I managed to get optimal Protein intake in, I was much more satiated with my 3 meals than days I did not. That is because it takes the body longer to break down protein and keeps is a longer acting energy source than say carbs. Could you give us an example menu you have planned and perhaps we can add to it to help you make optimal choices Protein shakes were critical at this stage as well

Hello, Congrats on partaking in such a challenging event and best of luck to you. As for muscle build up, it all comes down to Protein and far more than your average daily intake. Some suggestions: 1) Alternate core muscle groups when you do circuit weight training. This gives sufficient resting time for each muscle group to rebuild. For example: arms, pecs and upper back on Mon, legs and abs on tues, lower back and accessory muscles on wed etc. 2) liquid Protein is the most easiest/quickest absorbed protein and is necessary within less than 40 minutes after a workout to optimize muscle recovery. This is when Protein shakes come in handy and an excellent source of additional protein without feeling like you have to eat continuously. 3) Take a day to consult a trainer for them to a) detail how many grams of protein you should be taking in daily for your height/weight and fitness goals to achieve your goals and to outline a good circuit program, specifically when it comes to upper arm/shoulder strengthening. Hope this helps

Turkey Chili, Cottage cheese, Greek Yogurt w/ fruit, Canned Turkey w/ mayo, Laughing Cow Cheese spread on a rice cake, Turkey bacon or turkey dogs, meatballs (which I don't mind eating w/ variety of sauces like bbq or tomato for added flavor), sandwich meats and bonne belle cheeses, and egg salad are the common staples go-tos in my house. Protein shake and/or bar for emergency backup when going out, but I also have a list of restaurants I have preselected low cal and high protein meals at and can eat at guilt free.

Not sure if you are an RN or not, but if you are, you know how it is... one day slow and next day you can't catch your breath. I took 2 weeks off after my surgery and made my manager aware that I would kindly request 2 weeks of low acuity patients. The reason being is that not only are you healing physically, but as you transition from liquids to solids you are taking in very little calories that get burned up quick on a 12 hr shift. Definitely make Protein a priority and bring shakes with you to keep your energy up. Also, sit down as much as you can. Forget nurses bladder, go to the rest room frequently (another excuse to sit down hahaha) and drink alot of Water which is another thing we overlook when we get busy. Hope this helps

Doesn't sound like you are stuck, sounds like you irritated the stoma. Be careful because it's a slippery slope. Irritation turns to inflammation turns to occlusion. Best to go to liquids for 1-2 days until that pain subsides to not further agitate the stoma. If at any time you cannot get any fluids or solids to pass, you will need a temporary unfill until the swelling subsides.

Will all our pictures and friends list carry over? When this finally launches, how do we sign in? Same screen name/password or? I didn't see anything about the live chat option? Is that still available????

First, congrats on a successful surgery and wishing you a speedy recovery. Can't wait to see the pics (tapping Alex on the shoulder....cough cough) I did want to share my experience so others considering Cosm. Surgery can get other opinions/experiences. I had a Tummy Tuck, Breast Lift and Augmentation and Arm Lift on October 8th. I don't know if it's because I had 3 previous 3 C-Sections or what, but the pain was nowhere I was expecting. First couple days I needed help with most things like getting up from the couch (aka bed), cooking, and of course household chores like laundry etc. But the pain in general was manageable. Everyone from the get go said the tatas and arms would be nothing compared to the TT pain and I disagree, the arms have been the most uncomfortable but even they are manageable. By day 3 I was more mobile and was starting to get around with less assistance. By Day 7 I was wearing normal clothes and only needing assistance putting on my sports bra because my arms have limited range of motion, but I was getting out of the house for 3 hours or less. Walking for long periods was the most stressful, not because of pain but ab muscles felt tight/fatigued. By week 2 I was flying alone back to Canada, wearing regular clothes and I was able to get my own sports bra on, do my own cooking etc. I am now 2 days shy of one month and the only thing I don't do is heavy lifting (think picking up kids, picking up laundry baskets or heavy food items like milks and dog food). Now there is sensitivity and will be for many more months as the incisions continue to heal. My arms are uber sensitive and I think it's because you always use your arms, therefore they don't catch a break, even while sleeping because pressure is being put on them. As for the band, I did not get any fluid taken out and have had zero complications. I too transitioned with liquids to solids over 3 days to rehydrate and get my band readied. But I am SO grateful I did NOT get any taken out. Pain tolerance, healing, acclimation/adjustment and coping ability is highly individualized so there's alot of variance in what we experience and what we can tolerate. I won't post any opinions or recommendations. Just sharing my experience as an example of how things can go a different way

It's not getting the band, it's getting the fills that makes the magic happen. Need to keep the self will and control until you get yourself to green. Good luck

Beans, tofu, yogurt and even soft spread cheese are good Protein mushies Protein shakes are definitely a good filler, some are as high as 30g protein per serving and will fill you right up

Sweetie, I think you got this backwards. We are talking about people who post questions and get straight responses and become emotional/sensitive about it.