Diamondgirl81

Don't beat yourself up. Everyone loses at their own pace. As long as it's a loss, you're still in the game. If you are not already doing so, perhaps you should log your food and activity. I don't have "real" restriction yet, but I am tracking my calories. That seems to keep me in line, keep me honest and keep the scale moving down. All the best, Lauren

Name*********Starting****Current******Goal******ToGo Adjua....................347...............337...........240......... ....97 Angie64.................270...............270...........210....... ......60 Astrasmom............254...............254...........170............. .84 Babe....................265...............265...........199.... ..........66 Band_Groupie........172.5.............161.5..........158-148........3.5-13.5 BetsyB.................226.6.............215.2.........109...... ......106.2 BobbieND..............224................212...........150..... .......62 Bree99.................259................259...........155..... .......104 Brigette................198...............198............150.... ........48 Bristlecone............157...............157............130....... .....27 crzytchr................217...............217............180..... ... ...37 Dana36.................233...............229............160....... .....69 daqui26.................274...............274............200....... .....74 destined4thinness..215.5.............215.5..........150............65 5 Diamondgirl81........317...............309.............250............ 59 ericanda1973.........198.5............198.5..........130......... ..68.5 HummingBird..........204...............192............150........ ...42 jenibeni.................224...............212............165....... ....47 Jennih...................232...............232.............130.... ......102 KDEE....................240................240.............150...... .....90 kyleegirl01.............211................209.............160...... .....49 Lady LAP...............217................217.............125...... .....95 Lisa65...................174.5............165..............145..... ......20! Liz........................193.4............193.4...........155...... ......39.4 lotzasunshine.........247...............245..............175........ ...70 newdicarlo.............187...............174..............135...... . ...39 Northernmist..........289...............265..............175.......... ..90 ol55andahalf..........184...............184..............144...... ......40 RandaPanda...........194...............183..............150........ ....33 RAYNE913.............234...............234..............160........ ....74 RobinAnn.............232.4...............224..............160........ ....64 scoutmama...........270...............270..............180........ ....90 shadst8................333...............317..............217........ ....100 skinny31................261...............255..............182..... .......73 SNDYCNRD.............207...............199.5............150..........4 9.5 sueinne.................220................220.............180.... ........40 Tabithan................244...............234..............190....... .....44 TARASGIRL.............305...............294..............225....... ......69 tdtucker................256...............256...............160...... . ....96 Teacher2010..........192...............183...............150...... . ....33 Tealeaves..............305...............289...............150...... . ...139 TeriLu....................215...............212...............150.. .... ....62 TIGGER71G............224...............224................130....... .....94 unshackled............277...............277................180....... .....97 Valerie.................190................190................150... . .......40

Hi, CONGRATS on your weight loss and much continued success. We are two peas in a pod. Like you, I've been heavy my whole life, so this change is leading to a transformation both inside and out. Every now and again I do check out the 20 somethings board but I don't always feel very connected to the posts...maybe it's time I step over to the 30 somethings. It's only about a a year or so away anyway:) So please do keep me posted on your progress as well. Best, Lauren

Thanks everyone. I actually just had my second fill yesterday and so far I have some restriction. So we'll see how I progress now w/ a little restriction. Best to everyone, Lauren

I find them really easy to go down, alot easier than meat. As long as you don't over cook them, they can be very tender. You still have to chew, chew, chew, like always, but not has tough as w/ meat. Best, Lauren

Hi everyone, Today, I'd like to toot my own horn, if only for a moment. Two months ago I embarked on this crazy banded journey after years of yo-yo dieting. I've lost 42lbs as of today... just a few pounds away from saying goodbye to the 300's FOREVER :thumbdown: I've worked harder at disciplining myself and kicking temptation out of my life, especially since I have no real restriction yet. Tomorrow's my second fill by the way, so we'll see what edge that gives me. Have I worked out like a mad woman, not at all, but I have walked a ton and I'm actively living a less sedentary lifestyle. Today's also Ash Wednesday and as I was sitting in mass thinking about all the loved ones I've lost, it overwhelmed me. I can't help but feel the warmth of those angels walking w/me every step, telling me to believe in myself. Now it's definitely not everyday, that I am so thrilled or enlightened, it can be tough. But, today was a good day and I'm humbled by these small victories. Best to all on this journey!! Lauren

I haven't used the name brand Gardenburgers, but I have used Morningstar veggie products and they've gone down just fine. They are a good source of Protein, plus it gets me a serving of vegetables in as well. Best, Lauren

Given how limited your calories are that could be the issue. Perhaps you should talk to your nutritionist. I stalled about a month in because I simply wasn't getting in enough calories. They say your body can also go into starvation mode and hold onto your body weight a lot longer if you aren't eating enough. Take it easy though, you might not loose every week, but every other week or so is just as sweet!! Best, Lauren

Today, I'd like to toot my own horn, if only for a moment. Two months ago I embarked on this crazy banded journey after years of yo-yo dieting. I've lost 42lbs as of today... just a few pounds away from saying goodbye to the 300's FOREVER :thumbdown: I've worked harder at disciplining myself and kicking temptation out of my life, especially since I have no real restriction yet. Tomorrow's my second fill by the way, so we'll see what edge that gives me. Have I worked out like a mad woman, not at all, but I have walked a ton and I'm actively living a less sedentary lifestyle. Today's also Ash Wednesday and as I was sitting in mass thinking about all the loved ones I've lost, it overwhelmed me. I can't help but feel the warmth of those angels walking w/me every step, telling me to believe in myself. Now it's definitely not everyday, that I am so thrilled or Enlightened, it can be tough. But, today was a good day and I'm humbled by these small victories. Best to all on this journey!! Lauren

I've encountered the same negativity, especially at my first support group meeting. There were a few lap band patients that reinforced the negative criticism of the band by saying that it didn't work and was a waste of time. But what these banded bashers didn't fess up to, was their total lack of commitment and poor food/exercise choices. That, I found out, after talking to them, one-on-one. One person was so upset w/ their band only after 6 months, that they were considering the sleeve. However, when I spoke to them personally, they admitted to eating around the band, not exercising, not food journaling, and drinking excessively. Where's the personal responsibility?? I say, to each his own. Find what works for you and rock it out. Best, Lauren

I was banded on December 17th and as of today, I've lost 40 lbs. I had one fill, but no restriction. We'll see what happens after my second fill tomorrow. It's been great though. I've disciplined myself to make good choices and to follow my post-op diet even without having real restriction. Best to everyone, Lauren

Hi, My nutritionist told me not to worry about carbs because as I go along, I should be adding in more veggies and fruits, which will up my intake. The key is that these are all "good" carbs. However, since I use fit day, I end up counting them anyway. On average, I take in no more than 130 and the scale is still moving about 2 lbs a week. Best, Lauren

Hi, Here's a good source: BariatricEating.com Health & Nutrition - Bariatric recipes Regarding calories, I follow my nutritionist guidelines, but I'm sure someone here has the calorie calculation. I've seen a number of threads on the subject. Best, Lauren

Hi, I was banded on December 17th and as of today, I am down 37 lbs. It's the best decision I could've made and I only wish I had done something sooner. I've only had one fill so far, so most of my loss can be attributed to making smarter choices and portion control. There are complications with all of weight loss surgeries. It's about doing what's best for yourself and figuring out what changes you can live with. Best, Lauren

So sorry to hear what you are going through. I actually went through something similar, but just for one day. I called the doctor and he told me that if it didn't go away after taking pepto or imodium to come see him. He mentioned that it could be a virus. I forget the name of the virus, but I remember reading that it was one prevalent in hospitals, unfortunately. So, I'd call your doctor back and tell him that what you're taking is not working and demand to be seen. You don't want to get dehydrated or delay any treatment if needed. Wish you the best, Lauren

We're human. Today I had my "revised" superbowl feast :woot: ... 4 bbq wings & 2tbs of spinach dip. Do I feel guilty... hell no. I actually feel proud. Even though I've been SURROUNDED by all of this food today, I showed some growth and discipline. A year ago, I would've eaten at least 20 wings, chips, beer, & a nice sweet treat for good measure. So don't beat yourself up to badly, tomorrow is another day!! Best, Lauren GO SAINTS!!!!

Hi, As long as we are still loosing, we're in the game :woot:. I've had a tough time doing low carb (30-50 carbs a day) myself, so I'm more focused on choosing good carbs. I actually talked to my nutritionist about this and she told me to not even count my carbs, just to make good decisions, like whole grains, fruits, & veggies. So far so good. I still count them, but I don't beat myself up over having that extra 1/2 cup of strawberries. To me I've come a long way from that 1/2 a BOX of Pasta :w00t: Best, Lauren

I've got it as well. Along w/ a nice case of Endometreosis for good measure :thumbup: I see one of the top gynecological oncologist in NY and she was in the room w/ me when I had my lap-band surgery. She is amazingly supportive and really guided me to make a weight loss decision. So far the band has been a tremendous help. I went from having my period for up to 6 months at a time, having 2 d&c's this year, to at least having 2 months of a "normal" cycle. Since I have pcos, I definitely stick to low carbs, just to keep my insulin in check. It's going to take a lot of hardwork and commitment to stay on track but at least now I feel that i'm armed w/ the proper tools. Best, Lauren

Hi, I had this issue for a few weeks and my weight loss stalled. I didn't have much of a pre-op diet, so all of my loss has been since surgery. However, I noticed that after I lost 20lbs in the first 2 weeks, that I couldn't lose a pound to save my life. I called my nutritionist and we went over my meal plans. Though I was getting in at least 60 grams of Protein a day, I wasn't getting in any veggies and simply wasn't eating enough. She put me on 800-1000 calories a day and it really changed everything. I had been doing 600-700 and she said it just wasn't enough to stimulate my metabolism. So perhaps if you play around w/ changing your calories and adding in more exercise you will start to see a change. Our bodies get use to the calories we feed it and when we go too far under what we need, it can go into starvation mode and hold on to what it's got This makes it that much tougher to lose. Best, Lauren

I don't think I'll be a three meals a day gal either. I eat about 3 meals and two small protein snacks. I'm getting bet. 800-1000 calories a day and my doctor's fine w/ that. As long as I'm not eating over 4 oz of solids at a meal, he's fine with it. I had my first fill last week and it very well. One minute he's telling me to lay down and the next he's already feeling my port and injecting me. No poking around...thank goodness. However, I must say that my restriction lasted all of about 24 hours...lol. Not complaining though, I'm still losing and looking forward to my next fill. Best to everyone on this journey :thumbup: Lauren

Name***********Starting****Current******Goal******ToGo Adjua.....................347...............337...........240......... ....97 Angie64.................270...............270.............210....... ......60 Astrasmom............254...............254...........170............. .84 Babe......................265...............265...........199.... .........66 Band_Groupie........172.5.............163..........158-148........5-15 BetsyB..................226.6.............215.2.........109...... ......106.2 BobbieND..............224................218.0..........150..... .......68 Brigette.................198...............198............150.... ........48 Bristlecone............157...............157.............130....... .....27 crzytchr................217...............217..............180.... ... ...37 Dana36.................233...............229..............160...... .....69 daqui26.................274...............274..............200...... .....74 destined4thinness..215.5.............215.5..........150............65 5 Diamondgirl81........317...............317.............250............67 ericanda1973.........198.5............198.5...........130......... ..68.5 HummingBird.........204...............194..............150........ ...44 jenibeni.................224...............221.5............165....... .....57.5 Jennih...................232................232..............130.... .......102 KDEE....................240................240...............150...... ......90 Lady LAP...............217................217..............125...... .....95 Lisa65...................174.5............168...............145..... ......23 Liz........................193.4............193.4............155...... ......39.4 lotzasunshine.........247...............245...............175........ ...70 newdicarlo.............187...............180................135...... . ...45 ol55andahalf..........184...............184................144...... ......40 RandaPanda...........194...............187................150........ ....37 scoutmama............270...............270...............180........ ....90 skinny31................261...............258................185..... .......73 SNDYCNRD.............207...............202................150......... ...52 Tabithan...............244...............234................190....... ......44 TARASGIRL.............305...............298.5.............225....... .....73.5 tdtucker................256...............256................160...... . ......96 TeriLu....................215...............212................150.. .... ......62 TIGGER71G............224...............224................130....... ......94 unshackled............277...............277................180....... ......97 Valerie.................190................190..................150... . .......40 __________________

For me, I'm an attractive, fat woman and I've always been one. With so much more to lose, I'll probably still be a fat woman by time I reach goal. Trust me that won't be a feeling, it'll be a fact, given my BMI. But at least, I'll be a stronger and healthier one :thumbup:. I'm happy each day that I make better choices for myself and it's showing on the scale and more. To me, feeling good about myself has nothing to do about whether I feel "fat or skinny" but it has everything to do with the kind of person that I am. For once in my life, I actually like the path that I'm on. I've stopped chasing quick fixes to make me "skinny", but have embraced a lifestyle that will be make me the best of version of myself that I could ask for. Best to everyone on this journey!! Lauren

Glad to hear you followed-up w/ a few centers. Regarding support groups, Lenox Hill offers one, the third Thursday of every month. I just went to my first one last week and there were people there that hadn't had surgery yet. Some of them had just attended the free orientation seminar. So that might be an option for you. It's a great, diverse group. Nothing's off limits. Best Lauren

Hi, Have you talked to your nutritionist. Perhaps you need to adjust your calories. I've been banded about 6 weeks and my nutritionist had me up my calories once I hit a stall. It's worked out well and the scale has started to move again. Best, Lauren

No problem at all. Yes, NYU can be on the high side. You might also want to try the bariatric center at NY Presybterian hospital. Years ago, a friend of mine had gastric bypass and was self-pay. The prices were "NY reasonable" and they worked out a payment plan for him. Best, Lauren