MrsShannonDennis

Ok so I am a year postop down 73 lbs. I am at 5.75cc in a 10cc band. I feel like I am at great restriction. My issue is when I eat, I am hungry within 1-2 hours after. My meals are super small cause I usually start getting stuck before I can get a good size meal down. So I usually stick with eating small amounts but often. This has sped my metabolism up nicely. My concern is am I not supposed to be getting hungry that often? I am eating mostly Protein which is supposed to satisfy you longer. I dont know. maybe my body has juust gotten used to eating often? Could the faster metabolism have something to do with it? Am I doing something wrong? Do I need a fill? Please help!

HEY!! Well I have really grown to LOVE working out. I started working out all the time 2 weeks post op. I am now 1 year post op and the gym is my 2nd home and I LOVE gOINg. Ive had a trainer for 9 months and she had literally helped me become a trainer. I am so knowledgebale now on fitness and what it takes. First here is what I do weekly: Monday 5:00am: Advanced Step class (1hr) 5:30 pm: Boot Camp (very intense)(1hr) Tuesday 5:00am: Weight lifting class (1hr) 5:30pm: Cardio circuit training (1hr) Wed 5:00 am: Kick boxing (1hr) 5:30 pm: Boot camp (1hr) Thurs 5:00am: Weight lifting (1 hr) 5:30pm:Zumba (1hr salsa dance aerobics) Friday: anytime 1 hr cardio curcuit training. I take weekends off. Heres the deal. I figured this out personally and from doing research. There is NEVER TOO much working out as long as your calories can support it. I realized I was wprking out more than I should for the amount of calories I was eating. So eigher cut back work outs of up calories. I upped my calories. The people on the biggest loser do work out all day, but they have a high calorie diet to support it. To figure this out, once you have your total calories for the day, subtract calories burned, then you should have a deficit between 1000-1200 calories. This is an average estimate, but its the one that helps me lose consistantly even at a year out. My advice to you is to up your workout, its fun and it helps give your body new things to do. Just make sure you are upping your calories to fuel your weight loss. Also make sure you are doing a combo of weight trainging and cardio so you are losing and toning! Working out had been amazing for me. I actually read so many (most) post about people working out and I am like THATS IT?? Maybe I just do a lot, but still I dont think 30 min a day is going to help you become more fit and grow to live a very healthy life and loving fitness. Maybe it can, but I dont see it. Working out gives me energy and gives me knowledge to live an OVERALL healthy life and maintain it for life. I love it so uch, I am now training people to lose weight and am using my story to push them through. If people would go to a gym and take different classes they wouldsee how much FUN FUN FUN working oiut can be. There is so much to do! I eat based off south beach diet. It is mainly lower carbs/sugar (eating complex carbs only), big emphasis on veggies, Protein etc. My surgeons live by it as well as my nutritionist and trainer. Its a nice well balanced diet to live off of. I could go on forever about this topic. Its a huge passion of mine. I heard of too many people doing the minimum or nothing at all in exercising after surgery and I SWORE I would not be one of them. My goal is not just to lose the weight, but build a new found passion for a healthy life is all aspects of it FOREVER!

There is a protein powder called "ANY WHEY" and u can put it in anything. Its almost flavorless. Helps add some protein to foods u like.

I understand if you are not concerned too much about protein but I do major weight training and lifting and I work out twice a day. A HIGH protein diet is NEEDED to keep and build that muscle. WIthout it, you will lose muscle. My goal is to replace my fat with muscle and only way to do that is high protein.

Those of you who dont do shakes, how many grams of protein are you getting in a day? I stay between 80-100. Its what my doc and nut recommend. If you are this high, how the heck are yoou getting it all in? One shake has about 45g of protein. I eat a lot of eggs and turkey bacon and lean protein meats and nuts, but I cant physically eat 80-100g of that a day based of quanity alone. Would love to know your secret

I get it at Vitamin Shoppe only $19.99. Used to pay over $40 at my surgeons until I found it here. I see youre in Tulsa, I looked and they dont have one. There might be somewhere else there that carries it, Nectar is another good one.

Cocoa is right. My surgeon and many others I know want you to limit drinking calories. Your more apt to consume for because it doesnt stick as well. My surgeon suggests drinking one in the morning cause I too am super tight. If I dont get to one in the morning, or I eat something else cause Im more loose, then I have one for dinner after a good workout cause the Protein will keep the muscle I just built up. The only thing is that shakes are where you get a LARGE amount of protein so I rely on at least one a day to get my protein in. Tip for those who cant find a good shake: I HATE HATE HATE the taste of shakes. I was even forcing myself to drink them and would throw them up. I have since discovered Matrix Protein powder (I like chocolate). I mix it with 1 cup choco soy milk (or fat free milk), half a banana, and 2 tbsp chunky Peanut Butter (no sugar added all natural). I SWARE TO YOU, it tastes like a milk shake. If a shake tastes anything like protein powder to me, I wont drink it and I can drink these allllll day if I had to. I actually look forward to having one daily! Hope this helps!

Did your surgeon not tell you of workout restrictions? I know every doc is different. For me, I was told not to lift anything really until 2 weeks post op. 2 weeks post of I could start working out, lifting no more than 10 lbs. Then 3 weeks post op no more than 25 lbs, then at 4 weeks I had no restrictions.

Glad you had a good experience and its interesting to hear how other surgeons do things. I have a 10cc band with 5.75cc in it and I THINK I'm good. SOme days I can eat a horse, but most I'm at a good restriction. I find it interesting that your surgeon does a barium swallow after a fill. That sucks! I am SOOOO glad mine doesnt. I just drink water to make sure it doesnt bubble up in my throat before I leave. I guess the barium would be a very precise way of doing it but I HATE HATE HATE doing it! My PA and Surgeon are very gentle with my fills. One little numbing shot, then the poke to fill. Nothing to it. Never been sore or even felt like anything happened there. Well hopefully this fill helps ya out!

Its normal guys! Im a year out and it still randomly gets sore. But at a year out, mine really sticks out. I was told it just the scar tissue and remember they stitched the port in you so anytime you have stitches, the area is sore. Trust me, you still have major healing to me done. Dont rush it

Mushs- My doc took out some fluid and said I have having the acid reflux cause I was too tight. I knew I wasnt too tight, but he did it anyways. As I suspected, it didnt fix a thing. A lot of docs thing the acid is cause buy being too tight so they wont fill, but trust me it doesnt make a difference. I was SOOOOOO loose and still had reflux BAD! So now I just take Prevacid daily and Im golden. As long as I have the reflux under control, my doc will fill me. Problem is that when your stomach is not keeping down the acid, it can start eating away at your throat and esophagus. Its so bad for you, so the docs dont want to make it worse. Good luck!

I have it super bad too! I have to take Prevacid daily. Only thing that works for me. If I dont take it, im miserable

Happened to my friend. She had to have surgery again to fix it

I actually inherited acid reflux 4 months post op and I MEAN A BAD CASE OF IT! I have to fully rely on my prevacid DAILY. If i forget it for more than a day, I am in pain even with Water. If I take it, Im golden all day. Do you drink the vinager by itself? And do you have to do it every time you have heartburn? If so, I'd rather take my magic pill! Let me know

Good luck monkey mama! I live in the gym! Once you make it routine, its easy to stick to. I do VERY intense work outs 6 days a week, twice a day on three of those days. I dont know if you belong to a gym, but the thing I have been doing to trying classes out. I now go to a boot camp, step, zumba, weight lifting, and yoga! Its great way to switch things up and trick your body also! It is soooo fun and now I miss not going if I ever have to miss! Exercise should be fun and enjoyable, not a chore. Keep it up and you will get there. Just try to do things to make it fun for you!

Thanks guys! Guess I just need to go shopping and stock up! I do really love the frozen green giant veggies. Thanks again!

Ya ditto! I suffered from SEVERE gas pains mainly in my shoulder. Im a year post op and the funny thing is that if I sit took long (close to 2 hours) I get it bad again in my shoulder. Also, make sure you are not drinking through a straw of chewing gum. If still gets me a year later. Horrible pains. You sucks up too much air doing those things. Just hang in there!

It is basically the time from surgery day until you get your first fill (or some say until you get good restriction). Its the time when the meds wear off and you start to feel better and you are STARVING! You have to remember that during this time, its healing time. You will not have much if any restriction, you will be hungry and could prob eat anything, you prob wont lose weight and most gain. Its just basically a small period of time we ALL have to go through to get to the end result. I dont think people are informed and educated enough about this time period. People have expectation of good restriction and losing weight, thats just not reality. If you read peoples post who are in this stage, they are relaly confused and upset. Trust me its all normal. I never really felt like I was banded until I started getting restriction. Take this time as a healing time and dont stress about everything else. Just try to eat right and when given the go, work out. I lost weight during this time because I stayed strict, but its not easy cause you can still east a horse! Just know that this too shall pass! Mushies: Man I ate a lot of cream of wheat, shakes, sweet potatoes, refrided Beans with some fat free sour cream and taco sauce or salsa (pureed), avocados, eggs (lots of eggs) with fat free cheese and salsa, Soup, sugar free pudding, homemade apple sauce with your own spices, chili pureed up. I cant remember much more. I basically ate the same things all the time. I didnt have time to get too creative and Im super picky. Hope this helps!

Hey! I'm a year post-op and pork is still an issue for me. Its just tough and doesnt break down well and usually not too moist. I can do deep pit shredded pork great. But ya, pork is hit and miss for me.

I have in need to getting more veggies in big time. Im kinda a picky veggie eater. I need some ideas for ideas to get my veggies in. I would love some easy recipes or tips for upping my veggie intake. PLEASE HELP!

I dont think you can ever work out more than necessary. Its not possible. The more active the better. I mean I know I work out more than most LapBand patients and frankly, more than most in general, but I love it. Youre right about the muscle gain, but I still think there should be some movement on the scale.

Ok so I am one year post op. I have hit a major wall. I went from 255lbs to 184 right now. I work out 5-6 days a week, 3 days I'm in the gym twice a day. I work out VERY intensly: Boot camp, weight lifting, step, Zumba, cardio, you name it EVERY WEEK!. I have been at the same weight now for about a month or more and now this week I have gained 2 lbs (I have been low on cals this week). My questions is, are you guys still losing weight at 1 year? If so, how? I am just at a loss. My eating isnt perfect, but its good. Is it cause Im not eating enough cals? My trainer said I need to be around 1700 and when I do that, I seem to lose but its so hard getting that much in. Ive tried lowering my carbs and sugar, but it doesnt seem to do anything. I'm just at a loss. I have about 30 lbs to go and could use some advice. Thanks

Congrats girl!! Today is my 1 year!! You've done awesome!!!! Keep it up! Ive got 30 more to go!

Thanks for all your comments guys!! I am very proud of myself. I WORKED HARD for every one of those pounds! I am in the gym 6 days a week 3 of those days its twice a day! I am very active! This allows me to still enjoys yummy treats every so often. Its a whole life change! Stick with it guys you can do it! Working out and being active is KEY!!! Check my profile for before and after pics!