losingitat41

I am doing great. No problems at all. I am down to a 10/12 from an 18/20 and i have lost 54lbs. I get up every morning to work out, i eat healthfully (but not alot!) I had my last fill in October, and havent needed one since. I have great restriction. The band has changed my life. It isnt always the easiest- i have had some PBing if i eat too fast or have a chunk of bread, but i am so happy i did this. I have 20lbs to goal and i am ahead of schedule. The dr. thought it would be july by the time i lost 50lbs (b/c i am a low BMIer) but i should be close to 60 or 65 by July.

My doctor makes us choose a food plan. Either Eat for Life or Eat Clean. I am following the Eating clean food plan. www.eatcleandiet.com Buy the book! it has great recipes and they are so band friendly! The premise is to eat 5-6 small meals per day with the right amount of protein and carbs (carbs from fruit and vegetable)s. My weightloss was slow in november and december but it has been falling off since Januray when we really took our eating clean up a notch. Most of you are already working out so you probably need a little more food to help your body let go of the extra weight. Think of the small clean meals as a way to get your body fueld to lose weight. With the band, its been amazing, i actually have to make sure that i eat properly and when i do get enough protein (there are protein calculators out there for people who exercise) then i lose . and lose inches!!! its fantastic. I am 179 yet in a 10-12. I fully expect to be at goal of 155 by july (that is only 24 lbs more in 4 months and i have lost almost 50 in 7 months) Its great, consistent weight loss. Try either plan, eating for life or eating clean, you will love the results! My colleagues (who have not been banded) recently started to eat clean and theya re dropping the pounds and cant believe it b/c they feel like thye are eating all the time!

I am so glad to read these entries. My doctor approved soft foods- yogurt right away then after he checked me 10 days post op i was on thicker foods and approved to move to fish and move on to whatever i could tolerate. I have been following a very clean eating plan- smoothie made with protein powder and fruit for bkfst, yogurt for snack, some hummus and vegetables on ryvita crisp bread for lunch another snack, maybe hand ful of nuts, then fish and steamed veggies or quinoa or tofu for supper. sometimes a little protein shake before bed. i have also made hamburger patties (very moist) and we had that one night. I can pretty much eat everything and i was banded on July 22nd. I am anxious for a fill b/c i dont feel full. I try to limit myself to 4 oz- 6oz per meal, but i am still hungry. I am self pay so i feel ike i just paid 20K to diet!!! But i do know that with the fill i will be feeling more restriction. After reading about strict diets of liquids and mushies for a month, i was a bit scared that i had moved to fast but my doctor seems to think its just fine.

when i get back to eating i plan on doing the "right" carb vs. low carb- it ends up being low b/c the carbs come from veggies,fruit, whole grains, like Quinoa- which has 9g of protein in it! My doctor recommends the Eating for life program, which is outlined in a big book with tons of right carb and right mix recipes. his patients have tremendous success and excellent weight loss for this. our family follows a simliar program, the eat clean diet- eatcleandiet.com which has cook books for men,families, kids and regular recipes all again based on right carb- veggies, proteins,whole grains. loads of recipes in both books. and a great way for healthy eating

I am in a bit of trouble, like stuck trouble but at the other end of the digestive track. I think a glycerin suppostory might help? i always get this way from the drugs and anestesthia. i should have taken colace in the weeks before. how have you stayed regular in the first few weeks. can we take mineral oil?

denoument i am so sorry you are having such trouble.it is a huge adjustment. you are doing great-taking in the broth and whatever fluids is good. Call your doctor and let him know you arent any better. Day3 i heard was the worst and by day 5 you are starting to feel likeyourself, which will be tomorrow, but it sounds like you are behind schedule. The pain meds have helped me- i havent been able to do popsicles and crystal light seems to bother me. i have been drinking warm apple juice for the gas. I am very very thirsty and if i drink too quickly - it HURTS. we did have something put into our body and itwill take time for us to get used to them Maybe the pain med isnt the best one for you?dont forgetto breathe! sending you speedy recovery thoughts.

My doctor insists that we follow EAting for life and his patients have been very successful. we follow the Eat Clean diet as itis very similar- 5 small meals per day, lean protein, whole grains, veggies, fruits. The whole idea is to fuel your body with the right foods for weight loss,highly nutritious and packed with the right vitamins, proteins and minerals. When i get back on to foods, i willl be back on eating clean. (around 3 weeks post op)

in a 24 hour period i read in various nutrition magazines that many women have low vitamin D and that it contributes to slow weight loss! i ordered liquid vitamin D3 from luckyvitamin.com and i put it in my morning protein shake. i also ordered liquid calcium and add that as well. the two work together for absorption.

It is a challenging time- our bodies are just healing from surgery, we want to see the scale move and we want results- heck we put ourselves through all of this, would the darn scale please move!!! But the most important thing to remember- we chose a tool that is a longer term solution. We WILL lose, just not all in one day or one month. My doctor has forbidden me to weigh- because it plays with your head- if you are holding Water, or waste, it goes up or doesnt move and we think we arent losing or gasp! gaining! We have all played the scale game and we know that when we dont see a number we like, we get discouraged and upset. Remember, its all in your head- our emotions are powerful. You have chosen a tool that will work and we will work it! As we start to feel better we can exercise,and eat clean and healthy. two books for following healthy eating plans that my doctor recommends are Eating for life- following 5 smal healthy well balanced meals and my personal favorite- the eat clean diet. The Eat-Clean Diet They are both bout fueling our body so we can lose weight and i think they are a compliment to the surgery. In fact my doctor asks that ALL his patients follow Eating for life and he has some great success stories. These words are supposed to be pats saying its all right, it just takes time, and we have the tools available to make us successful. You can do this! Look at your name- Healthy me in Arizona- yes you are and yes you will be! Hang in there:thumbup:

Jerzyshore, Big Mama 514, RobinAnn, Ayyypapi, Pereza211, losingitat41, teresajesq July 23rd: Daqui26, Toot, Lilpeach_059, missymouse, kimmaylynn, cdinky, angelic3432, aubreanna How is everyone doing?

Is everyone back home safe and sound? please check in! I had my band put in on the 22nd. last night, the 2nd night w as much worse and today was a bit of a challenge but i could drink more Water at a time and i am soooooooooooo thirsty. How is everyone? I will start a new thread for July 23 updates

had a great positive experience! have had 2 Optifast shakes over the course of the day and Water but going very slowly at it. i was able to pick up my baby and had a nap- on my side- with a little pillow to support , as was suggested above. I am shocked at how good i feel. my nurses warned me about tmw. these boards have really helped me. Catherine33- our stats are very simliar, i was a low bmi bander as well. i have been reading your blog alot. thanks for being so candid and vulnerable on it.

I joined the group the 23rd b/c i didnt see on for the 22nd.I am home and doing great! I got to the hospital at 730, they did more bloodwork, and an ekg. everyone was so amazing at the hospital. They explained everything. Did all the regular pre op stuff- got an iv, got something to relax me, then they took me to or and put me out. i was back in the recovery room an hour and a half later and then on to the other recovery room. They did my surgery from 10-1130, i left the hospital at noonish and was home by 1:30 pm. it was a very positive experience for me. i slept this afternoon, thanksto the pain meds and i had some shoulder pain from the gas, about a 3 on a scale of 1-10. the nurses did say that day 2 was worse so to be ready for that. i will let you know i was on Optifast for 2 weeks and my doctor said my liver looked good! he sure knows how to make a girl feel lovely :thumbup: He also asked me NOT to weigh myself, that he would weigh me on the visits.... i have had 2 optifast shakes over the course of the day and some Water, but you really have to go slowly- you get FULL!!!/sore. i am so happy that i did this! 3 of the nurses that were in the OR did it and one was tellling me- she hasnt had a fill and she has lost 88lbs!!! we have to be careful to compare ourselves to too many people or stories and need to just listen to our body. good luck tomorrow- may it go as smoothly as mine did- b/c thatis a GREAT wish for you!

It is getting very close! i have been on the liquid diet for almost 2 full weeks. I know that we have clear liquids after but some how i am okay with that, i am just getting tired of all the shakes. But I am doing okay, the scale moves a bit more each day. Big week! Cant wait!

I feel your pain. i am on day 2 of Optifast and my headache is unreal. I am allowed to have caffeine, so its not that. It must be sugar and carb withdrawl. we can DO this. We haveto! My doctor said- "you should drop some weight on the liquid diet- and for the first time in your life you will get to keep that loss...it wont be coming back". I look at it as a jumpstart to the overall loss. i try to remember that when my head is hurting and my stomach is growling!

I started mine today too and my surgery is the 22nd! It wasnt so bad. I am allowed 5 optifast shakes and 2 protein shakes from other protein powder. I did them every 2 hours. and drank a TON of water. Today was not so bad. I am curious to see how tmw goes. I am okay with just doing the shakes b/c i had "last supper" syndrome the last 3 weeks and gained 4 lbs. I think i ate everything i wanted so i feel like this is pay back for eating all of that!

I am July 22nd. Thought that was close enough to the 23rd! i started my 2 week liquid diet (Optifast w/ 2 additional Protein shakes per day) today and it wasnt that bad! I drank lots of Water so that helped.

July 22nd.