Humming Bird

It just feels very heavy like a blob of dough .... same as bread for me.... not a good feeling at all.

Everyone is different with the pasta issue. This may also change as you get fills. When you do try it just use much caution and go slow. As for me, pasta has been a no go from the beginning and I don't miss it.

So, you have already chosen a lapband doc and know he requires a liquid pre-op diet? I will never understand why some docs put their patients through that. I, along with many other bandsters, did Atkins for 2 weeks as a pre-op diet. It works very well to shrink the liver and is a much more pleasant way to do it.

My surgeon told me to use Adult Centrum chewables and I have stuck with those all along. I also take a couple other things, but not sure they are helping anything. I know the fiber gummies work great, but the others?

My Dr. did not set a goal weight for me. At first I set a weight of 150# because that is where I felt good when I was younger. Since then, I realized 155 is a better number for me at an older age. When I drop below 155 I start looking sickly. I think anyoneone would be at a pretty good place in the normal BMI range. (25 is on the high side of normal, not 22). As others have said, you have to consider so many other things like your build, your age, your fitness level, where you carry your weight.. When you hit a BMI of 25 it is considered 100% of your excess weight is gone I never heard those silly things about the band only working to take off 40-60% of the excess weight until I came here to LBT. I don't undersatnd that. In my own experience, the band worked to take off 100+% with very little effort on my part.

You won't know until you are banded. Some people can eat everything in small portions, but some people can't. Either way, it is so worth it to no longer be morbidly obese. *******oops! just posted in the men's room....sorry guys, I sometimes stumble into the mens room ..... can't help myself.

After that first constipation issue is resolved with some sort of laxitive, you may find it helpful to take some sort of fiber daily. Vitafusion brand fiber gummies (Target) saved me! They are very tasty and melt in your mouth soft.

For me the needle isn't bad at all. It's like getting a shot in general. Once the needle pokes through the skin you don't feel it because it's inside the port. It is really much nicer than I thought it would be. It's tough at first when others around you eat things you can't, but it gets so much better. Now those foods that other people in my family eat don't bother me at all. Just last night I cooked a very nice meal for my family that was all things I can't eat. I was happy to cook a tasty meal for them ...... it made me feel good. I made myself a little salad with some Protein in it and got satisfied just fine. Much of the first part of the journey is attitude. You have to think positive. Instead of thinking, "poor me, I can't eat that anymore." , say to yourself, "It's a good thing I can't eat that anymore because that stuff made me fat."

Beans are a protein in my book, but I don't count, or journal, or track anything.

You have to make sure which one your doc takes, but I used HealthOne. The interest rate was lower for me with them. My min. monthly pmt was around $100, but I made very large payments and paid it off in about 18 months (9,995).

protein is key ......you will get sick of the shakes and things, but you will find that even if the protein puts you over your calories or anything else you are counting, the weight will still melt away. I drank many many many protein shakes in the first year. .....Breakfast, "snack", or just when I felt like I needed something. I never considered a protein drinks any sort of a "cheat". I stuck to my doc's rule of shakes should be 150 cal or lower and 15 or more grams of protein. If you get sick of the milky type order some Nectar brand fruit flavs.

That's true and you are doing well We just have 2 different styles. I did zero "work". I got a couple fills and 100 pounds melted off in 1 year. No matter how we do it, as long as the weight comes off it's a good thing.

pssstt.......... go get a fill Thee-o

Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your LIFE !

It would be very hard to do it exactly the way you would if you had the band. After you get banded you will be amazed on the tiny amount of food you can survive on. I reached my sweet spot very early in the process, so hunger has not been a problem. When you don't have the band and restriction, hunger will get to you. That being said ......... I do like your thinking ..... There are a few things I started before I was banded that helped me quite a bit. I started taking very teeny tiny bites of food no matter what I was eating. I made sure every bite was well chewed. I didn't chew things to a liquid state or chew so much I got grossed out (and still don't even with a pretty tight band). I just made sure every tiny bite was well chewed before it went down the hatch. I watched how other people eat. I am amazed at the large bites and lack of chewing! I ordered sample packs of Protein drinks. I started sipping instead of gulping ..... just some lap-band basics. The not drinking while eating is a good one too.

I am one of those people. The band has taken it away for me. I'm not starving at all. Maybe you have not found your sweet spot or something.

Yes! Go back and get the band adjusted. You will be so glad you did. I'm sure the miscarriages would have made many of us pack on a few pounds. I'm sorry this happened to you. These are very tough situations to deal with and I'm sure you will have more tough things happen in your life. I feel for you. The good thing now is that your mindset is back on the weightloss journey. Go get the fill and let the band help you, Let it do it's job. It almost seems like self punishment if we try to take off the weight the hard way before going back in to see the doc for a fill.

You won't stretch your pouch at this stage. You have no fills, so the food is not staying in your pouch. You need to follow the "diet" your Dr. tells you to follow. If you have eaten in the way the Dr. tells you and you are still hungry, ask yourself it is is true hunger or "head hunger". You may go through a very hungry stage (Bandster Hell) untill you have a couple fills. Untill then you need to "diet".

my vote is for a fill ! Let the band do it's job and help you. Over time some of the fluid does go away. I go in for a tiny tweek fill about every 10-12 months now. It helps me keep restriction and maintain a normal BMI.

Don't take off the 15 the hard way. Just go get a fill and use your band. Tell them you are ashamed about the weight gain and I'm sure they will be glad you came in for a fill.

That's GREAT!!!! The NSVs are what keeps me going. I LOVE wearing "normal" sizes!! I'm so happy for you!

I think it will be good for you to do something for YOU! I'm happy for you

Great NSV! That's why I always say TRY IT ON. As we take off the weight it takes awhile for the brain to catch up. Just holding up a clothing item and trying to judge if it will fit does not work well. Good for you! I had a "Merry Christmas to Me" moment myself ........ I was in ROSS doing a bit of Christmas shopping on the 23rd and found a $10 laying on the floor! Not an NSV, but for sure a "Merry Christmas".

Sounds like nerves to me. Try to focus on the positive things about your future.

Right after a fill I go get something very ice cold to drink so it helps reduce the chance of swelling from the fill. After that I stick with liquids for the rest of that day and then just proceed with caution ......