reverie

So raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, red wine, and anything else with a color in it are bad too? LOL! Crazy. Maybe you don't do well with artificial sweeteners. Per the original post, I drink it everyday, as do millions of people. Drink up and stop being so paranoid

Nothing wrong with it. If you're too worried about it try using True Lemon, or lemon + Water + stevia. Or just drink your water plain. You can try SF Torani/Da Vinci syrups as well. I sometimes use Powerade Zero; half water half Powerade.

Exactly what becky said. Your body is recomping itself which is a good thing. Inches lost is MUCH better than a loss on the scale as a loss on the scale can indicate Water loss, fat loss, and/or muscle loss. Inches lost represents nothing other than fat loss -- the main goal of weight loss. Congrats and realize it's a good thing.

I like these threads, and usually they are helpful for new meal ideas. What are you enjoying today? Snack: Cantaloupe Breakfast: eggs, turkey bacon, 1/4 cup steel cut oats with cinnamon raisin Peanut Butter Snack: Protein "ice cream" with mini oreos Lunch: salad with chicken, broccoli, cheese, and ranch dressing Snack: Protein Bar Dinner: Tilapia, brown rice, mixed veggies, and LC hoisin sauce.

First things first; congrats!! Before surgery you may want to go grocery shopping if your doctor has you on a certain pre-op or post-op diet. You will probably be put on liquids then soft foods before you can eat normal foods again. Look around the forum for some things to buy to get your through those phases. You may also want to look around for some post-op "band friendly" recipes. There are a lot out there; many of them are tasty! Buy some Gas-X strips to use post-op. Otherwise I'd just spend time looking on the forums, especially the post-op forum, to see what to expect. Pre-op may be helpful as well. As for weight-loss, it varies per person, so there is no number to really give you. Some people lose early on post-op, some don't. Keep in mind that the first 6 weeks are about healing; I can't stress that enough. It seems every day there is someone asking why they aren't losing when they are only 4 weeks post op, or 2 weeks post op. Your body needs to heal and for 6 weeks it will do so. During this time I'd advise staying off the scale and really focusing on allowing your body to heal. Take some before pictures and take your measurements! You'll be surprised how many inches you lose.

Common. Weightloss throws your body off in so many ways. Fat loss often results in estrogen imbalances. I'd ride it out. My period was normal when I started losing, now that I've began lifting weights and exercising, it's magically disappeared again.

When my food is gone. I portion out everything I eat ahead of time; easier that way

Yay glad to hear it; maybe when you start to get fills again have him go VERY slow and small since your band only holds 4cc.

60-80g per day usually works for the average woman. I've eaten up to 165g a day. I'd stick to 15-20g per meal, if possible.

I wouldn't worry so much. Decide when you get there. My original goal was 120lbs; I've moved it to 125lbs because I'm a size 2. I think it's best to take it as it comes, not plan and stress yourself over nothing.

Smart move

It's happened I'm sure. Will surgery be cancelled if you slip up once or twice? Probably not. Should you neglect the liquid diet? No. Do your best but don't completely go off track with it.

1. It's probably the port 2. Are you tracking what you eat? You could easily be eating too much or too little. Why are you doing a protein shake for lunch? Convenience or..? Rarely will liquids keep you full. Try eating whole foods. Use a website like dailyburn, fitday, or myfitnesspal to track your calories. Also buy a digital scale to measure all of your food. When you start tracking, depending on the number, play around with it. I started at 1200 calories and upped 100 calories each week; I am now at 1700 calories and only now am I losing again. It's a game of testing the waters. 3. No, I don't believe it should sit there at all. Mine doesn't; I usually feel it go through. You should feel satisfied for 3-4 hours however, if you have good restriction/are eating properly. 4. I eat fast as well; work on it. You may even want to buy baby utensils to get yourself used to it. Sometimes a hiccup can indicate that your body doesn't want anymore; I get one sometimes, other times my nose runs a little. Hope that helps some.

Play with your calories/exercise. Can't do the same thing day in and day out.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/127922-why-am-i-not-losing/ That thread should help

This. Your weight can fluctuate 10lbs in one day. However, the doctor's will go by their scale, not yours. Still, track your own progress at home.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002423.htm http://www.formulamedical.com/Topics/Nutrition/Magnesiuim.htm http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21384403 May be helpful.

Congrats! Buy some Gas-X strips and wear something comfy to and from the hospital (ie. PJ pants and a sweatshirt.) It may be ideal to find a Protein drink you like that you can drink post-op. I recommend trying Muscle Milk, Labrada RTD, and Isopure. Good luck!

Time will definitely tell though if I lost my band tomorrow, I think I'd be just fine. I think I finally understand the coorelation between weight loss, exercise, and the need for a caloric deficiency to lose weight. I think the band gave me the push I needed to learn/understand and as long as I keep myself on schedule, I don't see myself gaining the weight back.

Correct.

You'll have to learn control, honestly. Maybe see a counselor or therapist, something. Your relationship with food is far from normal and I really think you need to figure out why. Keeping a tight band may keep you from gaining weight, but you're also starving your body of the nutrients it needs to function properly. Yeah you're 100lbs lighter and not gaining, but good luck to your body internally. Also, are you unaware of the serious risks of having a tight band for too long? Look into erosions and slips; this is why so many people turn against the band because so many people think keeping it tight is wisest. The band isn't a one-fix tool and you're trying to make it be such. I'd see a therapist to figure out what's causing this extreme love with food, honestly. Have you ever considered you're stuck because you aren't eating enough nor enough of the good stuff? Not eating does NOT and will not cause weightloss, a calorie deficit does, however.

Consult weight for me.

Do low carb; you'll drop pretty quick I bet.

I wouldn't be afraid to get a fill but you can lose weight without one; I've lost 114lbs with an empty band. I'm not afraid of a fill but I am not a fan of having certain foods completely gone from my diet; that's just silly and unnatural in my opinion. Some people do well with it; I do not. I eat all sorts of foods and I will say I have gotten stuck due to lack of chewing/taking my time. Without the fill I usually eat a cup - cup and a half of food and I stay full for 3-4 hours. Good luck!

None; you cannot spot reduce fat. You can build up the ab muscles, but you're only building abs covered by fat. Weight loss is pretty much the answer. Good luck!