reverie

Aw, thanks Check, you're the best! I do have old photos, it just seems that some days I see the difference, some days I'm like uhh..am I really still huge? Lol. It's all a mind game. I'm sure my brain is just playing catch-up, after all dropping 115+ in a year is a drastic change, I guess it just takes time to get used to who I am now. Definitely don't feel guilty about eating! I went through that phase as well, then I realized that with my exercise and things I do throughout the day, there is no way I can gain true weight. Keep your head up and remember food really isn't the enemy. You are well aware of what you're eating now. You're definitely an inspiration as well! <3

Suhweeeet. I love seeing successful bandsters without fills. Makes me all giddy.

I wish I'd have done this; in a size 2 and still seeing a size 20 sometimes. BDD is kicking my a$$ I think.

Maybe look into the sleeve? Have you had your thyroid tested? I'm not sure of anyone who puts on 20 solid pounds of fat, which you probably didn't, unless you have an extremely poorly functioning thyroid.

Eat more, exercise. I always stress the importance of exercise because well...it's important. Doesn't have to be extremely strenuous; go for a walk for 30 minutes, you can easily burn a good 200 calories if you keep up a solid pace. I'll also say that without exercise, you're losing not only fat but muscle, the idea is to maintain as much muscle mass as possible.

I have a Bodymedia Fit and looove it. I was at a stall for a few months (still am, I think) and couldn't figure out why. According to the BMF I'm burning 2300+ calories a day, and I was only eating roughly 1700 calories, so my deficit was way too big. Nothing like buying a device that tells you to eat more. Per the original post, a 1300 calorie deficit a day is not ideal. Since you have less than 50lbs to lose, you need to stick to no more than a 500 calorie deficit per day, 600 if you really want to push it. Bigger deficits do NOT promise weight-loss, trust me. I started off eating 800 calories and gradually upped them to 1800 (now) and I will say yes I lost all of my weight eating 600-1200 calories but my metabolism is MAJORLY screwed up, as are my hormone levels. It's not worth it. Stick to a 500 calorie deficit a day. At a 1300 deficit you're going to slow your metabolism even more and off-set your cortisol levels, which can make you see a gain on the scale (not fat gain, water-gain usually). Just my 2 cents.

I just set a goal that was a good weight for my height. However, my original goal was 120lbs; my "new" goal is 125lbs..and I'm sitting between 130-134 and in size 2s; reconsidering if losing more is the way to go. Definitely set small attainable goals that don't seem so far away. Take part in the weight-loss challenges we have on here (I think there's one for 4th of July) as they really keep you motivated.

Did you pack the pounds on overnight? Doubtful. In fact it probably took years to get to the weight you're at. The weight doesn't just melt off; it's not that easy no matter if you have WLS or not. 16lbs is a great loss and at 6-weeks your body is just now almost 100% healed. If you're not tracking your calories, maybe Weight Watchers is something to look into. Also meal timing and how many times you eat a day are irrelevant. I've gone from eating 6 times a day to fasting for 14 hours and eating all of my calories within a 10 hour window. It does not matter. Eat when you're hungry. It can take more than one fill to feel any type of restriction so hang in there. Good luck!

Doesn't look like an infection.Your biggest incision will take longer to heal. Keep an eye on it and call your doctor if it starts to ooze or become warm to the touch.

I think you'd be fine. I eat all sorts of breads with no problems, though I don't have a fill. If you can eat a slice of bread without eating the whole loaf, go for it! Everything in moderation. Eating white bread doesn't make you gain weight, excess calories do. The only difference between white bread and whole wheat bread is the fiber content.

You can make protein shakes ahead of time. Protein doesn't "die" off or anything. You can freeze protein, bake with it..anything. The amino acids are still there and can be digested

No problems here. I take pills of all sizes and have had no problems. Unless your band is extremely tight, a pill shouldn't be a huge worry. Just be sure to take them on a full stomach and drink a lot of water after.

Give it a few days. Your food intake has been extremely low so there isn't too much to get rid of.

Protein differs depending on where it comes from, though in the end protein is protein; the only protein not worth counting is the kind from collagen (you'll find that in Gelatin.) Read this for a pretty good explanation: http://www.wheyproteinking.com/isolate-and-concentrate.html There's also soy, egg protein, hemp protein, casein, and so on. No one type of protein is better than another, so to speak, though it is best and advised to get as much protein as you can from whole foods. Protein shakes should only be supplemental if you need more protein. Too many people (in my opinion) depend on protein shakes as a protein source when whole foods can/should be eaten. I eat my weight in protein. If you're a woman I'd suggest no less than 60g of protein a day; if you're a male I'd say no less than 80g. If you exercise/do weight-lifting you'll want to boost these numbers. Also, protein has nothing to do with weight-loss. If anything it keeps you fuller longer. Good luck!

Definitely up your calories. Not eating breakfast does not matter (take it from someone who fasts for 14 hours a day) so I wouldn't change around your eating plan if it's what you're comfortable with. Also keep in mind that weight-loss isn't linear nor will it come off in any type of consistent pattern. You can lose a pound one week, 5 the next week, and none after that.

This. Couldn't have said it better.

Lift weights.

Just to clarify, for a sendentary person who does not exercise, yes 120g is too much. If you're doing cardio/any sort of weight lifting on a weekly/daily basis, 120g is just fine. I have been getting 120-150g of protein per day for the last 6 months+ because I weight lift. It's not the same for everyone.

It's a support forum, what do you expect? People come here when they're having problems. The band isn't all rainbows and butterflies; no WLS is.

One day won't kill you Pick yourself up and move on. I've been eating whatever this entire week; the joy of being sick. But, I'll start back up next week.

I have done P90X 3 times now. It works and I am a huge fan of it. I have 4 more weeks left and this will be my final run with the program; time to move on! If you are committed to the workouts you'll definitely see progress. They were hard to get through at first but now I fly through the vids without stopping. Good luck!

1. Start tracking everything you eat. Use an online database such as myfitnesspal, fitday, etc. 2. Invest in a digital scale; weigh every single thing you eat. Everything. 3. Focus on getting at least 60g of protein a day; the more the better. I get no less than 130g per day. Maybe try low carb; not needed but works for many. 4. Exercise; even if it's just walking, at least 3 times a week. 5. Hold yourself accountable. 6. Get a fill if you need one. 7. Speak to your surgeon, if possible, if you haven't recently.

The band won't literally stop you from eating. You have to put the fork down and move away. I portion out all of my food and it's helped with this problem.

This used to be a problem for me; I used to not track my food on the weekends and then I realized it was probably counterproductive, so I've started counting though I do allow myself a little leeway on Sundays. Since I've started intermittent fasting it's definitely not an issue as I make sure to count everyday, though this week has been horrible; been sick and eating whatever. Will restart Monday, that's the beauty of it all, we can always get back on track. Just keep in mind that a weekend won't kill you; allow yourself days where tracking and calorie counting take a back seat. You won't put on 10lbs and there's no reason to not have days where you just let go for a little while. What's good (and different now) is that you're aware of these days, and you get yourself back on track. I wouldn't linger on it; maybe allow yourself small treats throughout the week so that you aren't sabotaging yourself come the weekend. Good luck!

What do you mean by full meals? And per flying you should be fine. I had a 5 hour flight to Vegas and was fine.