vlp1968

Lifting weights would be great. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism. How about the treadmill and/or the bike. Since your already doing machines I assume you belong to a gym. You could think about a personal trainer for weights. It's pricey but so worth it. I love mine. It really keeps me accountable and motivated. She makes sure I am doing the proper form and knows when to increase the weight. Keep up the good work, you are doing great.

As stated above, it does get easier after the first few days. It's really important to stick to the preop diet- it's meant to shrink your liver. If your liver is too large they don't have enough room to work. It will result in you not getting banded. Of course you don't want that to happen. You can do it!

One thing I would do, is be sure not to go there hungry. It may be tempting to cut back all day, in preperation for extra calories at the shower. I think this will probably work against you. I would also set aside a time to eat, and then be done. Tell yourself eating more is just not an option. Focus on the friends and family you are spending time with. Hope this helps and have a great weekend!

Congrats on your surgery! As stated above, everyone is different. I think anywhere from 3 days to a week seems common. For me it was about 4 days that I had a surpressed appetite. I then reached some restriction after 3 fills- about 2 and a half months postop. Hope you are healing well, keep us posted on how your doing.

I have been banded 18 months. I swear by a lowcarb/lowfat/high Protein diet. It's tough until you get restriction. Hang in there, you are probably close I would think. In the meantime, I suggest you concentrate on eating the right foods, even if the quantities are larger than they will be once you have restriction. The other piece of the puzzle is excersise. It's got so many benefits, just one being weight loss. Start out slow and gradually increase your intensity/jduration. I started out with a medium paced walk on the treadmill for 20 minutes. I now jog for 30. I have consistently worked at increasing my speed or duration. I just increased my speed so I went from 40 min. to 30. Over the next week or 2 I will work on getting back up to the 40. If you can afford it, a good trainer is money well spent. I do weights with one 4 days a week. Not only does she make sure I am doing the moves correctly and know when to increase the weight, it really holds me accountable. Even if I don't feel like going, I do because I spent the money. Also, there is something about working out that helps with food choices. You can do it!

Thanks so much, your plan sounds very similar to what I am trying to do. All the responses were helpfull. I think for now I am going to work on maintaining where I am and not worry about the 5 pounds. I hope this gets me out of the deprivation/bingeing mode I've been in. Thanks again.

I have been maintaining a 107 pound weight loss for the past 10 months or so. I have found my days have been either really good or really bad as far as my eating. I am doing great with the excersise. I gained 5 pounds I cannot seem to drop. My question for those maintaining, how do you handle foods not on your typical eating plan. Do you have "treats" at all? Do you just have a little once in a while? I find once I eat something "bad" I say my day is blown so I might as well eat all the things I've been craving. Then I cut back severly for the next few days, sometimes just doing protien shakes for a day or 2. I know it's not the healthiest way to be, but I can't seem to get out of this pattern. Any ideas are wecome. Thanks!

That's awsome. I too found compliments increased when I had new outfits that fit. Goes to show you, if you wear baggy clothes you don't look quite as small as you are. Keep up the good work!

Typical day while I was loosing: Breakfast- a protien shake. I was too tight for solids in the morning. Lunch- a lean protien like fish/chicken/porkloin and non-starchy veggie. Snack- 1/4 cup nuts and 2 pieces of low fat strick cheese. Dinner- like lunch, lean protien and veggie.

You did get some great responses, glad they helped. I can't say enough about how important excersise is. It has so many benefits, just one being weight loss. I think there is something about it that helps with food choices as well. It's so tough to start, but it will become a matter of routine. It took me 3-4 months to join a gym. I think your wii would be a fantastic start! As well, I don't think you should be ashamed to go into a gym, I see people of all shapes and sizes at my la fitness. You should go in with your head held high and know you are working on your issues. As others have said, 40 pounds is great, you are not a failure by any means. As far as counting calories, I did it for the first 3-4 months post op. It started to feel too much like a diet and I was into a routine interms of my meals and snacks. I suggest you try it, at least for a little while. Who knows, it may just make you realize that Mcdonalds is just not work the calories lol. Wish you the best and keep us posted. You can do it!

I swear by a lowcrarb diet. When I was loosing I ate 20 or so carbs a day. No bread, pasta, rice, potatoe or even fruit. Fruit has a lot of sugar, natural sugar, but still sugar. I would have a lowcarb shake for breakfast, too tight in the morning for solids. I stuck to a lean protien (chicken breat, fish, port loin) and non-starchy veggies for lunch and dinner. I would have a planned snack of 1/4cnuts and 2 lowfat cheese sticks for a snack. Now that I am maintaining, I eat "good carbs" like whole wheat pasta and bread, fruit, sweet potatoes, brown rice. I lost 107 pounds in about 10 months and have kept it off since Sept. Good luck!

I agree, the chicken may be to dry. I like perdue perfect portions. They are marinated so they have some moisture. Might be worth a try. Keep up the good work! Your weight loss is great.

The process of my first fill went great. The doc. had no trouble finding the port and I really didn't feel anything except a little pressure. However, I could not keep water down that night. I threw up the water they gave me after the fill on the way home. I probably should have turned around but I didn't. It must have been a little swelling because I was fine the next morning. I would have called for sure if I wasn't able to keep anything down the next morning. Glad yours went well, hope it gives you some restriction for a bit. Best wishes.

I agree with the others, you are doing just great. it's common to loose a bunch of weight at the beggining, I think you will see it slow down. Your next post will probably be your weight loss stalled lol. Seriously, I hope that doesn't happen, but it might after such a large amount of weight loss. Your body will need to adjust. Keep up the good work!

I highly reccomend you get some workouts in. It is so tough to start I know, it took me 3-4 months postop before I hit the gym. However, given a little time it will become routine. I have not grown to love it, as some people do, but I don't hate it. Again, it's a matte of routine, just part of my day. Start off slow and gradually increase your duration and/or intensity. I started out walking on the treadmill for 20 minutes. About a year later, I now jog on the treadmill for 30. I had been doing 45 minutes at a slower speed. When I kicked up the speed a little, I backed down to 30. I will work on getting back up to 45 over the next week or 2. There is something about workingout that helps with food choices. I don't really know why, but I know I started eating even better when I started going to the gym. I work out with a trainer, doing weights, 4 days a week. If you can afford it I highly reccomend it. Not only do they make sure you are doing the right form and know when to increase the weight et... it is a system of accountability. You could just hire one for a month or so, learn some moves and then do it on your own. As far as eating, I swear by a low carb/low fat/high protien diet. I usually eat egg beaters for Breakfast, lunch and dinner are a lean protien and non-starchy veggie. I typically eat one snack of 2 low fat cheese sticks and 1/4c nuts. Some docs say no snacking, but I find it really helps get me through from lunch to dinner without getting too hungry. I think everyone needs to find what works for them. I don't see a problem with 1 or even 2 planned healthy Snacks. You can do this! Best wishes.

You did excellent! Goes to show this is really a lifestyle change and we really have to go with the flow. You got to eat some things you normally wouldn't, and some larger portions but didn't gain. Nice job!

You are doing great. Keep up the good work!

I stick to a protien and veggie when I go out to eat. I ask for extra veggies instead of the potatoes or pasta it comes with. Of course, stay away from the bread basket. It might help to check out the menue online before you go, and plan what you will order. Also, that way you can choose a different resturaunt if they don't have something you like and that is on your food plan.

I drink EAS carb control shakes. I like Atkins peanut butter bars. I buy them both at Walmart. Congrats on your upcoming surgery!

What kind of excersise are you doing? Are you working up a sweat? If your not, I suggest you gradually increase the intensity of what your doing. If your walking on a treadmill, you can put it on a slight incline. If your walking outside, try to pick up the pace. As far as diet, I swear by a low carb, low fat, high protien diet. Lots of lean meat and veggies. I usually have 3 eggs (1 yolk) for breakfast. Lunch and dinner are about 6 oz of a lean protien (fish, chicken, pork loin) and a veggie. I eat 2 cheese sticks and 1/4c nuts as snacks.

Are you keeping down fluids? If not, you should be seen by someone right away. If you can, I would stick to protien shakes until you see your doc. If keeping liquids down isn't a problem I doubt your band slipped. You were probably a little too tight from the fill and the vomiting has kept you swollen. You probably just need a slight unfill. Hope you feel better soon!

I looked at BMI as well. You want to be at 25 or below (there is a point it's too low but I forget what that is). You can find a BMI calculator online. You just enter your height and weight. Congrats on your weight loss so far- you are doing great.

I stayed the same size, but my foot is deffinately more narrow. Some of my shoes got too loose.

I agree! You are doing just great. Keep it up and the damn scale will move. You had a huge weight loss, your body is now adjusting. How often are you weighing yourself? I would try not to get on the scale more than once a week. The natural flucuations will drive you crazy. Keep up the good work!

I think your fine. I did have trouble "gulping" water after fills. But right after surgery I was able to drink pretty fast. You'll know if you need to slow down.