123crod

I don't follow a diet. the reason I got banded was so that I could give up dieting.I follow the guidelines my Dr has given me 99% of the time.
What most people mean by 90/10 is not that they are only sticking to the rules 90% of the time but they are eating healthy, lowfat, nutritious food 90% of the time but they do allow themselves a small treat from time to time. For example eating 2 squares of chocolate a day will not make you obese - eating the whole block will. Nobody expects you to give up all "treat foods" for ever. Trying to do so is more likely to make you crave them and then give in and have more. Allowing them takes away that strong hold they have on you.
So go ahead give yourself permission to include treats in moderation unless you are the kind of person that cannot stop once you start - then you might be better avoiding them altogether.

What others have posted seems accurate...with the typical variations between doctors.

What I would add, for consideration, is to ask if you know what your daily Protein goal is? As per the dietitian during my pre op education, for my height and age, my daily range is 32-60 g of Protein per day. I was advised to never count calories, only to make good food choices, and limit each meal to 3 oz of protein and 2 oz of healthy carbs per day.

We do need to get enough protein daily to sustain weight loss...and also be sure to drink sufficient fluids every day.

Jake, let us know how it works out!
I know YEARS ago I went on a diet that was all liquid through my local hospital they called it HMR or something like that. I think we were taking in like 800 calories a day and it was all via shakes.
So many people were dropping weight like mad!! NOT me...
I was living at home that time because I was in my early twenties. I did not cheat an no food passed my lips not even a cracker. I was getting disoriented, my hearing and vision was affected. My hair was falling out. I lost 12 lbs in the first couple of weeks.. then NOTHING... no more drop.. people were cheating and losing weigh check in after check in. I stayed the same!!!
My physical symptoms got so bad my parents dragged me down to the hospital and demanded they take me off it. They told them that is was my choice and that they wouldn't and when I said I want off they tried to argue it.
Needless to say I started to eat and the weight started to fall off me... regular food in small amounts lots of Protein. I ended up at 163 lbs and a size 11/12 but somehow I looked like about an 8.
I did gain during a crappy marriage, but that is another story!! lol.. so here I am again..
So that is one of the reasons I decided to do the band, knowing that for me variety and the Proteins with a bit of other stuff mixed in was the best for me so that my body doesn't decide to hold onto what fat storage it has... just a thought... It is a tool to help me with quantity etc
For me cereal/oatmeal etc.. are like Crack! I can have in very limited amounts or they decide to move in to the availabel space on my butt!

Wow, there may be something to this after all. Let me explain. I've been at a plateau for over 6 months. I talked to a nutritioniist who had me keep a food journal for 2 weeks. After she analyized everything she told me that my caloric intake was to low for me. I was taking in about 900 calories a day and she told me I should be at 1200 - 1400 calories a day. My protein intake was about 60-80 grams a day. She told me exactly what Pandora stated - "your body is going into a lets hold onto things because it feels you are not giving it enough!" state. Well, out of guilt in increasing my calories, I decided to just increase my work-out time. The scale is still not budging!
I am going to try this out, by, increasing my calories via more protein and see what happens. This is the 3rd time I have heard this and am still stubborn, but, now hearing it a fourth time, there really may be something to this. jake

I am in total agreement with Mis73. I had the gastric bypass and it was sucessful for me...after 12 years it stretched out ..not by my bad eating habits just one of those things. It worked great and I did lose my weight by sticking to a healthy plan...towards the end when I knew it had stretched as my bariatric surgeon checked it and told me it was that way....I gained back weight by eating whatever and drinking too much wine ....when I got off my pity party and was ready to cope with the reality of the facts....I was told lapband surgery was the only thing they could offer me after a roux n y bypass...the lapband as any other bariatric surgery works if you work it...it is just an aid...a tool...like any other bariatric surgery..I have seen people with gastric bypasses fail because they consumed malts and fried foods etc etc...the only thing that works is YOU...these people who get on here and tell about consuming creamed Soups and potatoes and gravy and not losing weight and being discouraged is ridiculous...anyway..I understand the struggle but you need to decide your approach and the new attitude before you surgically alter yourself....not to be mean...but honestly......

Carbs are not bad and carbs in oatmeal are really good for you although I think it is better to cook it yourself than use instant. One thing oats are good for are lowering cholesterol
If this is a short term solution to get over the hump then I don't see a problem. Sometimes knowing what you are able to eat in advance and being able to grab it quickly and easily makes a huge difference. Why not try the lower calorie option and if you do get hungry have a glass of milk or some non starchy vegetables to help fill you up.
Good luck and let us know how it works.

I think and the reason I say this is that if I ate 3 pouches of oatmeal a day nothing would happen. You are drinking the shakes which is fine, but you would be better off eating something other than the oatmeal in my opinion. I like oatmeal but we do not get along that well for weight loss, I would think especially not if your eating that much of it.
Premake some Chili which is high in Protein and good fiber. I love to make it with bison it is less fat than other meats and tastes really good. It is really really easy to make!
Black Beans are a good source of Protein and easy to fix. I even toss them in a salad and it is really good!
Yogurt, morningstar farms veggie protein meat substitutes are good, cottage cheese, Grill a couple of chicken breasts and eat part of one it is already cooked and maybe diced and toss in some cottage cheese.
You lost weight on the chicken salad, try tuna salad too, or even mix some up with canned salmon.
You can preplan your meals and know what you are having, but you need to eat things that you won't get sick of and can do longterm. I think not having variety is contributing to your emotional hunger that you are having now..
Eat that protein first!

Heard of the 5 dy [pouch diet by Kay Baily . I think and my Dr says always always eat protien first you will not lose weight on carbs. And he is right for me. I try really hard to stay below 50 carbs a day, which make drinking Protein Shakes difficult so I eat my Protein real slow and well chewed..
I am going to do the 5 day pouch to get on track, you know being fat and gaining is a lot worse then being hungry and I have learned if I don't give in to my cravings I get over the hungrys .

It seems that a lot of Drs paint an overly rosy picture. It would be far more helpful if they told the truth.
I am glad that you have decided to recommit. If you are determined I am sure you will be successful. What do they say - that things worth having do not come easily?

I start reading this thread and copied this to say that herein lies the problem.However others have already pointed that out so I am just going to reinforce what they are saying.
No weight loss surgery is going to work like a magic wand. There is no surgery or pill or treatment that will enable you to eat what you want and lose weight. If you want to be slim and healthy you have to suck it up and start taking some responsibility. You have to want to change and you have to make the good choices. Having a band will make it easier for you by helping to control your hunger but it will not choose what you decide to put in your mouth. It also won't make you get off your bottom and exercise!
So it is up to you to decide if you want to stay fat and unhealthy and have all the associated health risks. If you do then give up trying , sit on the couch, eat junk food etc.
But if you really want to be slim trim and healthy then recommit and take responsibility.
Go back to your Dr and have your band adjusted. Start making healthy food choices. Noone says you have to give up chocolate and treats for ever, follow the 90 10 rule, or plan what you are going to eat for the day and include a couple of squares of chocolate or whatever in your planned eating. Whatever it takes to keep you on track.
Find some exercise you like. It could be swimming, walking, dancing whatever - if you find something you like you are more likely to stick to it. If you can find a support group - meeting with others in your position helps heaps. And keep coming on here, you will find lots of support.

My Dr explained that what they used to think was a stretched pouch can often be a problem with the oesophagus. That for some reason it weakens and cannot push the food through the way that it should. It is a complication that seems to occur quite often.

I have the same problem, im trying hard to pretend it isnt happening, because Im nit at my lightest right now. But I am going to take he plunge this week, and I will be putting myself on a home delivered diet plan hi week to try to lose wight at the same time.

I want to have children. I imagine telling them that I dreamt about them and loved them before they were even born and did one of the hardest things I have ever had to do so that I could have them.

I know it is weird to sound excited about being stuck but I am as that means my band is still there. I was beginning to wonder if it had somehow being absorbed into my body never to be seen or heard from again.
Long story short after a partial unfill at the beg of the year I have been getting my band slowly refilled. It is awful as it feels as though I have no band at all. I can eat anything,don't need to eat slowly and it is doing nothing for my hunger. Yes when the band is not having an effect the bad eating habits sneak back up on you really quickly. Next app at which I am hoping to get filled to where I previously had restriction is on 15th June and that can't come soon enough.
Anyway dinner last night was roast pork and veggies. Ate my veg and then had a slice of pork. Well obviously I must have eaten too quickly or something as I got stuck. Luckily I was able to bring it back up so the discomfort didn't last long but at least i know that the band is still there. I then stupidly had a slice of pork and some pistachios for lunch. Dumb I know. Got stuck again and this time it lasted longer. So now I know I should avoid pork - it can be dry and dense which is the problem. I haven't been able to do pork chops for ages but roast was OK.
Now if only my band could start doing something for my hunger levels then I would be happy...........

I havent gotten to the point of hating my band and wanting it out, but I've been on the same journey in the past year or so. I've had cancer, been treated band since I got "better" my life has been hell. I'm depressed, anxious, having panic attacks, have been through a hellish menopause, gone back to full time work in a very stressful job. I'm time poor and managing poorly. As a result, my eating has been simply awful. But you know the one thing that overlays all that and really pushes me into freak out territory is seeing my weight rise. It may be dysfunctional but managing my diet and exercise gives me a sense of control and makes all the rest seem not so bad. I don't succeed at it 100% of the time, probably only 50% at the moment, but I feel compelled to keep trying. The fact that my weight has stayed fairly steady is not a credit to my self control and discipline, its a freaking miracle is what it is, but it is the ONE thing I can control to some extent out of all the rest of it and I choose to hang onto that.
You would have to be superhuman for the stress and heartache not to show in the way you care for your body. Don't beat yourself up, you're only human. And try not to hate the band, do what you need to do for now and hopefully it will be there functional for you when you can have the leisure to establish a better relationship with it.

It's ME!!!!! Back in Vietnam in the same place as when I was at my FATTEST
Whew - Do I look GREAT or what??

It is definitely as stitch. I had the same thing after my hysterectomy. They are supposed to dissolve but sometimes they don't. i wouldn't worry about it. the best thing to do to make sure it doesn't catch and pull is to use clean scissors and snip it close to the skin. If doing that worries you then just put a bandaid over it until you see your Dr.

It may just be a suture from the inside of the incision site that was supposed to disolve. I don't know, I guess it could also be what they use to anchor the port to the muscle and they left a long tail on it or something.
If it were me, I would definitely contact my surgeon about it, but it would be a real drag if it's like that all weekend. I would not go to the ER for something that is not an emergency, but I also do not have insurance. It would be an expensive visit.

Here is my story: On New Years Day 2012 I realized my worst fear of hitting 400lbs would soon happen. My weight had ballooned to 369lbs and I really didn't think I could win the battle. So I decided to look into the lap band surgery, and after weighing the pros and cons along with the good and bad reviews I decided it may be my only option at saving my life. On April 1st 2012 I had my first consult with the Weight Loss Surgery Center Springfield Missouri, which lead to my choice to move forward with the surgery. My band surgery was scheduled for May 9th 2012 in Overland Park Kansas. After my liquid diet my preband weight on May 8th was 342lbs, in the month following my surgery I've lost another 30lbs and haven't yet had my first fill. For those of you considering the surgery I'd say its no worse then gallbladder surgery, you'll hurt for 7-10 days following the surgery. Your appetite will diminish right after the operation. I've lost 52lbs of my 192lb goal and still have a lot of hard work ahead, but I believe I will get there much sooner with the band, then I would have without. I'd be the first to say I truly believe this surgery will save my life.
James Perkins

Not sure how that's possible, band is on the our side

Well, I hope this won't get me flamed, but.......yes, carbonated drinks are in general just not extremely good for you....BUT....anything in moderation is ok. I stopped drinking cokes about 2 years ago, not for my weight but just because they made me feel so sluggish...however...in the past year, I have had soda every once in a blue moon and have had no problems.
sometimes, i just crave a swig of 7 up or dr pepper or root beer. when i crave it, i taste it and then i'm done. i am the same with food. I actually don't have a lot of cravings since being banded, but if i am craving something, i allow myself to have it, at least a bite or two of it. then the craving goes away and I can move on with my life. I didn't have the surgery to stop eating all things unhealthy. I had the surgery to help me with Portion Control and to allow me to eat like a normal person. the band has done that for me. I can still go out with friends, eat what they eat in normal portions (but usually less), have a drink of wine, have a bit of soda or whatever.
i'm not saying don't eat healthy. you have to eat healthy, but don't beat yourself up if you have a soda or eat something that isn't the best choice for you. just don't do it everyday.
you really are gonna crash and burn if you go into this thinking that you will never have unhealthy foods again because believe me you will have unhealthy foods every once in a while. vacations, family gatherings, holidays. you can make better choices, but also realize that you are in this for the looooooong haul, and some days will be better than others.
that's my .02 and i'm sure others will disagree, but this is what has been working for me. good luck and keep us posted.

I like to hear people's advice. Doesn't mean I am gonna do it but might be just what I needed. We all have Drs. and brains.
Cheri

Muffin tops, hail-damaged thighs, badonkadonk butts, and chicken wings: we have 'em; we hate 'em. So how do we get rid of them? We diet! We make plans to lose weight. We pick a surgeon, join a gym, and visualize the day we can zip back into those size 6 jeans.
Or so we think.
Weight loss isn’t about diet and exercise. It's not a plan. It's a battle. A battle in the mind. And without the right ammunition you're doomed to lose the Battle of the Bulge.
It is mental just as much as it is physical. Why? Because until you are honest with yourself that you can't just diet, lose weight, and live happily ever after, then you won't be successful at losing weight. Dieting is so much more than eating less and exercising. It's about recognizing your motives for over-eating. It's about accepting the fact that in order to get to and stay at your ideal weight, you need to eat in moderation and consume the right types of foods. And to do that you have to make a lifestyle change - permanently.
If you tell yourself that for a certain period of time you'll eat a high-protein diet, or drink only diet shakes and one meal per day, or eat ready-made foods from a weight loss center, or count points, or eat like a cave man - or any number of other fads which are out there - and then go back to eating how you prefer once you've shed the pounds, then you efforts will be in vain. You simply cannot go back to eating like you have been eating. We've all seen celebrities whose weight yo-yos with every passing year (hello, Ophrah?). Why? Because they stop exercising and eating right – or stop following a fad - and go back to business as usual. I'm betting they didn't internalize the lifestyle change which they appeared to embrace.
"Lifestyle change?" you echo. Yes, lifestyle change. That means your life must change. For life. Period. As in, there's no going back. Now I know most of you just cringed at the thought of chomping on carrots for Breakfast and forsaking your daily soda in favor of asparagus smoothies, doomed to a life of butterless, bland meals with no cheesecake in sight, but hear me out. Before you can successful change the things which go into your mouth, you must successfully change the thoughts which go into your head.
There are three "weapons" you must think to win the weight loss war. They are:
1. I am worthy.
It's not about what you should do for yourself to slim down and be healthier; it's what you can do for yourself. And you can lose this because you are worth it. Even if you are the only person on the planet and have no one to impress, you are still worth it to lose weight. You've got to love yourself to the extent that you want to feed yourself properly and do good things for your body. It's a process, but you'll reach that point of loving yourself. I promise.
2. I am not a fat person.
Okay, so you're tipping the scales and wear a size XXXL, but you are still not a fat person. You are you living inside a prison of your own making and you will be released. You must release yourself in your mind to be slim. Visualization is a powerful tool. Consult any positive thinking self-help book, Zen monk, or successful business person, and they will tell you the same thing: you've got to visualize the success in order to get there. Picture yourself not stopping at the fast food joint. Picture yourself working out – and then go do it. Picture yourself eating salads and drinking plenty of Water and enjoying it. See yourself reacting in horror to preservative-laden, highly processed junk food. See yourself taking the stairs instead of the elevator. See yourself in that slinky little black dress. The more you change your thoughts and think rightly, the more your actions will follow. "I am not a fat person" – think it, believe it, and become it.
3. I am not a failure.
Newsflash: the world isn't going to end if you slip up and eat something that you shouldn't eat. You made a mistake – so what? Forgive yourself and move on. You have the next minute, hour, day, year, decade, life to keeping moving forward, to be a winner. Learn this valuable lesson from your mistake: I don't have to make the same mistake again because I am worth it!
Now you have the ammunition; you know the location of the battlefield. It's time for war. Victory is yours!
About Becky Siame
Becky Siame is the author of The Lighter Side of Large, her debut novel, currently released as a kindle digital download on Amazon and Smashwords. She lives in Nelson with her two children.

You will find as many Dr's that say it is OK as say it isn't. The main thing is to listen to your body. If it hurts don't drink it. If it doesn't cause discomfort then it should be fine. Bearing in mind that you should not drink it in excess and if you do drink it then it is best to sip it slowly.
The occasional carbonated drink is not going to hurt, will not stretch your pouch and won't make your band slip. Drinking 2 litres plus per day like many unbanded people do could cause you problems.

Oh thank you for speaking up... I was getting tired of arguing with the pharmacist that he had to give me xyz drug because I someone else on LBT forum took it...
You have probably saved my life!!!