vlp1968

Tracking your food is a great idea. Also, if your not already, start excersising. There are so many benefits, just one being weight loss. There is something about excersise that helps with food choices. I started out very slowly, walking on a treadmill for 20 minutes. I gradually increased my duration/intensity. I walk on an incline pretty briskly for 45 minutes. It's so tough to get started, at least it was for me, but it's become a matter of routine. You can do it!

About 6 months post op I started loosing hair. I went to the dermatologist and he said it was from rapid weight loss. He said your body goes into a kind of shock. It stopped a couple months later. I didn't take any kind of supplement, and ate about 80 gms of protien a day. I was lucky to have started out with a pretty thick head of hair.

When I was loosing, I weighed in once a week and recorded it. While maintaining I weigh myself every day. I try not to let the natural flucuations drive me crazy. I think it's important that I stay within a range of a few pounds. That being said, I have had a hard time the last couple months, went to Europe and haven't seemed to really get back on track since. Now it's Thanksgiving and I'm about 15 pounds above my target weight uggg. I hope I can turn it around inbetween Thanksgiving and Christmas. I am going to go back to once a week weigh ins. Also start journaling like I was before. I figure what I was doing was working, so I should do that again to get the 15 pounds off.

Excellent! Fitting into smaller clothes is just the best feeling! I think it's as good as, if not better, than the scale moving. Congrats! Keep up the good work.

Think lean meat and veggie. I eat chicken, fish, porkloin, tuna. For breakfast I have either a protien shake or eggs. I snack on 1/4c nuts and 2 cheese sticks. Pretty rote, but it works for me. Good luck and congrats on your surgery.

New look is ok. I really like that the message is included in email notifications. I don't like that you can't just put your curser on the post title and read it- you have to open it up.

I would get a new scale. I too weigh myself every day. Mine seems accurate. If I don't like what I see, I try again, but it always comes up the same lol.

Doesn't sound like you need a fill. You are staying full for 4-5 hours on a 1/2c food- that sounds perfect. I think you are right about the carbs- I would cut out the crackers et.. I bet you will see that scale move. You can do it!

I just want to reiterate what was said in a previous post- a fill the day before flying across the country is probably not a good idea. You could end up to tight, and not be able to keep things down. In my experience I was fine the day/night of the fill but woke up in the morning and couldn't keep my coffee down. I'd hate for that to happen to you so far away from home. I strongly reccomend you wait until you return to have your fill. Just think, you won't have to worry about the liquid diet- but you did get some great ideas. Do what you think is best, I would tell your doc. about your plans.

I would go- seems like you really want to. I agree, it's nobody's business but yours. Are you doing protien shakes right away? I did, but every doctor is different. I would bring over whatever it is your doc. has you drinking and say you are looking to loose weight. Not a lie at all. Hopefully, that will be the end of it.

Thank you so much!!! Your note made my day! What a compliment. As may have been apparent in my post, I have been doubting myself a little. But look at how far I've come! that's what I need to focus on. I walked on the treadmill on an incline for 45 minutes today, first time in a few weeks. It felt great. I went a little slower than I was doing, but I'll build it back up over the course of the next week or so. Ate well too! I plan to stay 100% with the plan until Thanksgiving. I hope I can just hop right back on track after the holiday. Thanks for your inspiration!

I went to the dermatologist when I started loosing some hair about 4 months post op. He said not to worry, it was from the shock to your body of rapid weightloss. He was right, a month or so later it started to thinken up again. I was lucky to start out with a pretty full head of hair. I didn't take anything. Personally, I would save your money and it should grow back on it's own in a couple months.

Hi all, Well today is my 2 year bandversarry. I can't believe it's been that long. I lost my excess weight pretty quickly, 107 pounds in about 10 months. I ate lowcarb/lowfat/high protien/low cal. A protien shake for Breakfast, lean meat (chicken, fish, pork loin) and not-starchy veggies. I had one snack of 1/4c nuts and 2 cheese sticks. Very rote, but it worked well for me. That being said, the band wasn't the tool I hoped it would be. For the most part, I was either very hungry or getting sick. I did have a few weeks here and there where I was in a good spot. I was self-pay and the money was a huge motivator. Right now I am struggling a bit with maintainance. I am 15 pounds heavier than I want to be as of this morning. I am worried about the holidays coming up. I did the treadmill for 45 minute today. First time in a while. I have had a hard time getting back on track since a trip over seas last month. Hopefully today is the day. I have a week until Thanksgiving. Thanks for "listening". Any comments/advice on weight maintainance would be greatly appreciated.

Yes! It's normal for some foods to cause issues (bread, pasta, dry meat) but you should be able to keep solids down in general. You are loosing weight, but not in a healthy way. Unfortunatly, you are probably loosing some muscle, which obviously you don't want. I would get an unfill ASAP. Good luck.

You may want to try cutting back on carbs- 1000 (I assume the 100 was a typo lol) to 1200 cals is good I think. I would cut out the cereal and the mashers. Also the prepared meatloaf may have had significant carbs. I chose to do a very low carb diet while I was loosing, and still revert to it when the scale creeps up on me. I eat eggs or a protien shake for breakfast, lean meat (chicken breast, tuna, fish, porkloin) and veggie for lunch and dinner. I snack on 1/4cnuts and 2 low fat cheese sticks. It's very rote, but worked for me. It's not for everyone. Some people feel very sluggish when they don't eat carbs, or are just not willing to give up certain foods. I think that's fine. Everyone needs to find what works for them. Just wanted to throw it out there, it may speed up your weight loss.

That's great your going to the gym! Start out slow and gradually increase your duration/intensity. Try to change up what you do so that your body doesn't get used to one particular workout. That is, do the bike one day, treadmill another, swimming another. I find myself gravitating toward the treadmill (with my ipod) and so sometimes I walk on an incline and soemtimes I jog. I believe I am using different muscles. As already said, get a handle on how many calories a day your eating. Good luck!

Out of the mouth of babes. It was a compliment for sure! Keep up the good work.

After loosing 68 pounds I am sure you will be much much more comfortable. No need to an extender. What a great NSV. Have a great trip!

A woman in my support group does the same thing. It's got to be so unhealthy. I bet they are loosing a lot of muscle. I don't blame the doctor's though, they are probably not being honest. Telling them what they need to to get a fill, basically that they are hungry and everything is staying down fine.

I reached my goal about a year ago-about 100 pounds. I struggle with striking a balance. I eat great some days, terrible other days. My band is very loose. I had a hard time staying in a sweet spot. Went from very hungry to getting sick after a very small fill. I am 8.5 pounds away from target weight as of this morning. I am in loosing mode, eating like I was as I lost the weight (very low carb/low fat/low calories). I really hope to get at least most of it off before Thanksgiving, then it will be Christmas uggg. Curious to hear how others are doing in maintaince mode.

Sounds like you may need to increase your protien. Instead of just veggies for lunch you could add some chicken or tuna or eggs. Something lean with lots of protien- fish would work too. Same for dinner. Protien should help keep your appetite under control. I agree with the poster who said try to keep "trigger" foods out of the house. Buy things for the family you don't really care for. Hopefully there are things they like that you don't. Good luck!

I would go see a dermatologist. That's what I did. He told me your body goes into a kind of shock with rapid weight loss and loosing hair is a symptom. However, you are still very early in the game. I didn't start loosing hair until about 6 months post op. It took about another 6 months for it to stop. Good luck!

To be blunt- I think your docs are absolutely wrong. Here in the states, a high protien low carb diet is advocated both for the band and diebeties. I eat lots of eggs, lean meat, veggies and some nuts and cheese. I too have diebeties and when I eat right my blood sugar is fine, I am off the meds since I lost my excess weight and cut out the carbs. Good luck!

You are doing great! 1-2 pounds is what is to be expected. I know well the feeling of wanting more. Keep on doing what your doing and the scale will continue to move. Try to be patient. You didn't gain all the weight in a short period of time, and you won't loose it in a short period of time either. Again, you are doing awsome, keep up the good work!

I second the chapstick. My lips got really really dry. You won't be able to have anything by mouth until they do an x-ray and make sure everything is as it should be. Also, bring a pillow for the ride home, to put between you and the seatbelt. Congrats on your impending surgery!