ElfiePoo

It sounds like part of the problem is that on the weekends you have more time on your hand to think about food. Find a new hobby...something that keeps your hands busy. I find that I need to keep my hands busy even when I'm watching tv or they (my hands) want to go into the kitchen and find food to shove into my face. Also, does an alcoholic feel they must keep the bottle in their house to prove they've overcome their addiction and that they have willpower? Nope. They recognize that it's a temptation best avoided. If at all possible, clean out the temptations in your own house. That way, in order to give in, you actually have to go to the store and that requires more effort and time to talk yourself out of it...and time for the willpower to kick in. Be patient with yourself. It takes time to change the relationship you have with food...but you can do it. .

Just remember that all of the rules we learned with the band will still apply with the bypass. With bypass you'll get a honeymoon period where the weight will just fall off, but (as many have found out) if you don't retrain your eating habits and follow the rules, the bypass will not be any more successful than the band...although for different reasons since you won't have to deal with the vagaries of the band. Good luck with your bypass surgery.

What's right is whatever works for you. When I was first banded in Nov. 2009, I had to eat about every 3 hours just to keep my blood sugar stable. Then by fall of 2010 I was able to happily cut back to 3 meals, eating every 4-5 hours. Most of the time I'm still able to do that but occasionally, like today, I just seem to be 'hungrier' and I just go with it. For example, around 2 this afternoon, even though I had eaten lunch at noon, I was hungry so I just took 2 hardboiled eggs and turned them into deviled eggs. The fat and Protein eliminated my hunger and I'll have no problem waiting until 6 p.m. to eat dinner. I don't stress about the extra calories because I think it's better than trying to white knuckle through it and then falling into the refrigerator and eating anything I can get my hands on when it gets to be too much.

It's the middle of April and it's freaking snowing! At 7 a.m. I could still see the grass through the snow. Now, 2-1/2 hours later, it looks like a winter wonderland! My lilac bushes have already started to bud so we're going to have yet another year with minimal lilac blossoms, if that. Not a happy camper. So, getting rid of my band did not get rid of all my problems...and may even have created another one. The pain in my arm has been slowly coming back and I have some interesting pains across the area where the laparoscopic incisions were (and they were rooting around to install and uninstall the band) that makes me (and the surgeon) think it's more adhesions developing. He said he removed a bunch when he took the band out but if that created more, it seems idiotic to go in and remove these since wouldn't that just create more.? Then again, he thinks it's the adhesions that may be causing a problem with the diaphragm. On the plus side, it appears that the band permanently reshaped the entry into my stomach so that it's still like having the band in without a fill. Which means taking small bites and eating slowly and if I forget...yep, sliming. The sliming isn't a plus, but the 'reminder' to continue to take small bites and eat slowly is nice. Can you tell...I'm in a fine 'mood' this morning. I think I'll burn up some of this irritation and wash down the living room walls in preparation for painting them...but won't pick the paint out until I'm in a better mood or I'll end up with either blood red walls or pitch black. .

Ahhh...ok. To me excess weight is anything over the ideal weight. .

If you find that you still need to take meds despite losing weight and cutting out the bread, pasta and rice, you might check out Dr. Bernstein's "The Diabetes Solution". In order to get off all of my meds, I had to cut out grains, starches and fruit and keep my carb count low. I'm hoping that this will also reverse my insulin resistance. .

A 5 year Harvard study on low carb/low fat vs low carb/high fat showed that more weight is lost on the high fat and lipid profiles improved at double the rate of the low fat. If you want the science behind it, here are my 3 favorite resources. "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes "The Diabetes Solution" by Dr. Richard Bernstein "The Great Cholesterol Con" by Dr. Malcolm Kendrick .

First, it's not all about calories. Some people can lose weight just by decreasing their calories. For others, the type of calories make a difference. I don't know you or your particular situation and am just putting this out there as food for thought. If you are tracking your calories in something like fitday.com or livestrong.com and you are absolutely sure of what your daily intake is, then you're ahead of the game because you have a foundation for tweaking your diet until it works. Studies show that women lose weight better when they stay between 1000-1200 calories. Decreasing carbs to between 30-60 will speed up the weight loss and getting those carbs from green vegies only will speed it up more. Studies show a low carb, high fat diet will generate more weight loss and better lipid profiles than a low carb, low fat. Eat diet products may stall your weight loss...and you may even gain because they contain things like maltodextrin which creates an insulin response in the body. I'm sure a lot of people are tired of me talking about the insulin response but diabetes is becoming an epidemic in this country. I read an article recently that said they believe that 75% of overweight Americans are insulin resistant...which means the potential for diabetes is there. Hypoglycemia and insulin resistance are both precursors to diabetes and many people slide quietly from one to the other and on into diabetes without ever realizing it. They don't call it the silent killer for nothing. So, it's just something to keep in mind when you start asking why you aren't losing weight...or are gaining. Exercise, while good for you for any number of reasons, plays only a small part in *weight loss* (if any) if you're like the average person and work out for an hour a day. Obviously, the people who work out boot camp style for 2-4 hours per day 6-7 days a week will lose weight...but most people do not go this extreme so it really comes down to what you put in your mouth.

My surgeon had no problem with diet products or carbonated products but did warn that carbonation might be painful for some people. Personally, I've given up artificial sweeteners along with the sugar because I find the 'taste' is enough to get me craving. Sometimes it's not just because of the taste. Many of these sugar free products also contain maltodextrin which acts like a simple carbohydrate. Dr. Bernstein warns that this is a problem for people with metabolic disorders because they create an insulin response in the body. My guilty pleasure, however, is the Faygo pink grapefruit carbonated Water. No sweeteners, artificial or otherwise. .

I'm confused by those who say they want to lose more than 100% of their excess weight. What does that mean? To me, losing 100% of your excess weight means you are at your ideal weight...so losing more means you're now underweight. As much of a problem as being overweight.

I'm on a low carb (<30gm), moderate Protein (30%) and high fat (60%). Moderate protein vs high because excess protein can cause a glucogenic response similar to carbohydrates. For someone with a compromised metabolic system, that can be a problem. I eat just about any type of protein and green vegies. No starches, fruits or grains. .

My surgeon didn't have a problem with caffeine as long as we don't have a problem with it. Caffeine can cause crashes for hypoglycemics and even diabetics so I avoid it and always have. He didn't have a problem with carbonation after 30 days (and said it's a myth that carbonated beverages will stretch the pouch) and only gave the warning that some of his banded patients find carbonated drinks painful. I don't and as someone who can't have grain, fruits or starches...the Faygo carbonated grapefruit water was my treat. .

Some doctors give the same postop diet to all their WLS patients...which doesn't make sense. bypass and sleeve patients need that longer adjustment time to solid foods because their internal organs have been sliced into and need time to heal. The organs of band patients have not been compromised in the same manner so there's no reason for such a restrictive diet...and leads to feelings of failure for most people when they can't stick to it because they don't have the same restriction as the bypass and sleeve patients. Many of us are back on solid foods by 2 weeks because we only had to do each stage for 2-3 days. I would let your doctor know if you're having trouble. Most likely they'll give you the go ahead to move to the next stage. .

If that doesn't work, you might try decreasing your Protein and increasing your fat. I lost quite a bit of weight doing Atkins which is moderate protein (30%) and high fat (60%). I kept my carbs around 30-45 and they only came from green vegies. Whatever you do, stick with it for a month and keep track in something like fitday.com and that still doesn't work, then you can tweak it. However, you said you were only 3-1/2 weeks postop so I wouldn't worry about not losing weight at this point. You're still healing...and the best thing you can do is stop comparing yourself to other people. .

My pre-surgery said to remove all jewelry, don't use any hair products and clean any nail polish off fingers. If yours doesn't require removal of jewelry, even the belly button piercing should be fine as long as your doctor isn't doing the incision there. All of my laparascopic incisions are just below the rib cage. .

Denise, We may be related. Your family's shenanigans sound so like the dysfunctional behavior of my family. When my grandmother died 2 years ago, it was a circus. .

Again...depends on a number of things. Wendy's is one of my favorite places to eat when I'm out during dinner time...or the Greek place. At Wendy's I'll get a single with cheese, hold the bun and a side salad. At the greek place I get the greek salad, hold the pita bread. .

I know I will be satisfied with not losing 100% of my excess weight because I know that in order to get to my 'ideal' weight, it will involve a rigorous exercise program and I'm not interested in spending several hours every day in a gym. Absolutely not interested. If I can get my diabetes under control (which I have) and get my weight down to where I can comfortably do the activities I enjoy...then that's my goal. Not a number on someone's chart or scale. .

You should do whatever you will do long-term. If you have a metabolic disorder (e.g. diabetes, hypoglycemia), low carb would be the best bet for a number of reasons. Dr. Bernstein's "Diabetes Solution" is a good resource. If you go low carb (<60gm per day), you can eat a diet that is higher in fat. Studies show that a low carb, high fat diet results in better lipid profiles and more weight loss than a low carb, low fat diet. Another good resource is Gary Taubes "Why We Get Fat". Basically, on this type of diet you get protein and 'green' vegies - no grains, starches or fruit. Some people do well just by making good choices and eating less. Some choose to exercise a few hours each day, 7 days a week, allowing them to eat far more calories. Some just count calories. Some do Weight Watchers. Even while all the 'experts' are arguing about which diet is best, they all say that the best diet is the one you can stick with. .

Some people do fine with just the band. The band works by putting pressure on the vagus nerves which tell the stomach to quit producing ghrelin (the hunger hormone). Some people get enough pressure just with the band. Others need varying amounts of fill. So if you aren't hungry, then leave it where it is so you can eat the foods you need to without getting stuck. Too many people make the mistake of looking for physical restriction and end up overfilled and unable to eat the 'good for you' foods. Which is not to say that you won't have problems on some days since the band tightens and loosens on its own. .

The best thing you can do is record what you're eating in something like fitday.com. You may find that you're eating too many calories or too many carbs...and you can't just go by what the charts say are acceptable calories for your age, height and weight because your metabolism has a lot to do with how many calories you actually need and that's not something the charts even deal with. Once you know how many calories you're really eating, then you can tweak from there until you're losing but remember...you have to be consistent. If you have 2-3 good weeks and then one week where you fall apart and blow it...or 4 good days out of the week and 3 bad days...you'll like not lose any weight because it's all balancing out. Success takes consistent commitment. .

^^This^^...and is something that happens with bypass patients as a result of rerouting around their upper intestines. It's not something that happens with banders.

Tell the naysayers that if they have nothing positive to say to keep it to themselves. This isn't a bypass so you aren't going to lose weight as quickly. You'll feel hunger until your band is at the right restriction. In the meantime, just try to make good food choices. Eliminating things that have an immediate impact on the body's insulin (which may increase the hunger) may help - grains, starches, fruits. Focus on Protein and low carb vegies. At some point, the band will start working too. .

You might check out a book called The Great Cholesterol Con: The Truth About What Really Causes Heart Disease and How to Avoid It (9781844543601): Dr. Malcolm Kendrick. You can see a review of it here. The person reviewing it pulls a few highlights from the book which should've been titled "The Great Cholesterol Scare". After reading the book, I'm a bit horrified at how much of the 'science' behind our medical community's beliefs is not based on 'science' but badly skewed small group studies. Anyway, just one more bit of knowledge in the arsenal of people who take charge of their own health rather than turning it over to whatever their doctor believes. .