vickyd

Breakfast - 3/4 mushroom and cheese omelet lunch - tuna salad (5 oz tuna with 1 hard boiled egg and light mayo) dinner - Turkey burger with mushrooms and Swiss (no bread) on a bed of lettuce Snacks - 1 piece babybel light cheese, iced coffee with skim milk

Great weigh in today, loaded with several NSVs...I finally broke through my mini plateau by losing 4.6 lbs this week (in the end, it just took patience and increasing my exercise a bit). For the first time in over 21 years, I weigh less than my husband and just to put a big old cherry on top, I am now no longer morbidly obese (my BMI is now 39.8). :party: I'M SO HAPPY!!!!!

Vicky checking in this morning at 246.4 (down 4.2 lbs - WOO HOO!!!)

A few other suggestions...ricotta cheese with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese heated up in the microwave (tastes like lasagna) or retried beans with salsa and cheese heated up. I also liked egg salad, chicken salad or tuna salad...try to make it protein centered if you can...

I havent tried to eat a subway sandwich since surgery...I don't have issues with bread but I don't think I could eat that much food...if you can do it without feeling overly full then I don't see a problem with it...

For me there are just too many things to count...not being so obsessed with when and what I am eating I feel so much freedom. Every day I notice things I can do now that I couldn't do before I lost weight...cross my legs, sit in a booth at a restaurant, fly without a seat belt extender, not take blood pressure meds, no knee pain...these NSVs make me so happy and remind me why I am doing this.

I didn't have to do a medically supervised diet but I would think that the nutritionist would be working with you on how and what you will be eating after surgery (at least, that's what mine did...and still does)

I agree with Dave. I eat out frequently (3 times since last night)...I find that since I am eating less I can participate more completely in the conversations that are going on and I really enjoy my food because I am taking my time and actually tasting the food rather than shoving it in as quickly as possible. Just to give you an idea of the types of things I eat...last night at a Japanese restaurant I had 3/4 of a Snow Crab roll and a piece of Fish Tempura, this morning at Breakfast I had 3/4 of a mushroom and cheese omelet and tonight for dinner I had a turkey burger with mushrooms and Swiss cheese on a bed of lettuce (I choose not to eat bread but my band doesn't prevent it). These are very typical selections for me and I don't feel deprived at all...

I would still choose the band...at the time I had surgery, it wasn't an option because insurance didn't cover the sleeve but I still go back to not wanting my stomach cut up. That said, the people I know who have the sleeve are very happy with their results.

Hungry all the time I can understand . I know everyone has to find their own comfort level with how tight to keep their band...I just wanted to try to understand another perspective. Thanks! I'm glad he can see you on Monday (too bad it couldn't be sooner). Good luck - I hope you feel better...

You said that "there are times" when you still feel hungry after eating so I am assuming that this doesn't happen all of the time...What I would do is take a look at what you are eating during the meals that you still feel hungry after. Is the meal higher in carbs, lower in protein than usual? Are there any dietary adjustments that you could try to see if that help? If not, I think you might need a small fill. When I got my first (and only) fill, I was losing weight at a good pace and my portion sizes were good but I was just getting hungry between meals. The PA suggested a fill and it really did the trick...I am still losing well and my portion sizes haven't changed but I am no longer hungry between meals.

I think I lost about 12 lbs in the month after surgery with the majority being during the 2 week liquid post op period (I had absolutely no appetitie) but I did stall for about 2 weeks when I started on mushies (which is VERY common).

I don't know how your surgeon's office works but is there not someone other than the surgeon who could do an unfill? At my surgeon's office, there are two surgeons and a PA who can all do fills and unfills (the PA does the majority of them)...yours may operate differently but it seems like a PA or nurse should be able to do it... I have never been tight for a long period of time so I have no experience with it, but possibly sticking to warm liquids (tea, etc) will help you at least get something down so you don't get dehydrated... I do have a question for you...and this is not in any way meant to be mean, I just want to understand...why do you feel like if you can eat chicken or bread then you need a fill? I have only had one fill in the 5 months since surgery (I am happy with my band on the loose side) and I guess I am trying to understand why you feel like you need to be that tight.

I think I got my scale at target...it is a digital scale that allows you to zero out the weight so I can put a plate in it, zero it out and then add the Protein I need to weigh. The only other thing you need is a set of measuring cups and measuring spoons. Since my family doesn't eat like I do, I no longer put bowls and plates on the table during dinner...instead, I serve from the kitchen so I'm not tempted to eat more than I should. For my plate, I measure out 3-4 oz protein and 1/2 cup veggies. Then I eat that, and only that. I also don't pour myself a drink at all...if it's not on the table then I can't drink it while I eat.

No...and I rarely drink it now. I had a lot of headaches during pre-op while my body was withdrawing from it and I really don't miss it.

Not that I know of...if it did happen then I wasn't aware of it.

Such good news!! Glad you are doing so well...

I take Synthroid and I don't have to worry about the impact on my thyroid because I had a total thyroidectomy 12 years ago so guess it really depends on why you need it . The few people I know who have tried natural remedies have not had good control of their hypothyroidism but natural remedies have changed over the years so there are probably some better ones on the market now...

I think variety is the key. Do things to switch things up...I put instant decaf coffee in my morning shake so it was kind of like a latte, buy some DaVinci or Torani sugar free syrup to put in your shakes to change the flavors and get a couple of different flavors of Protein powder for variety (one of my favs was strawberry Protein Powder mixed with crystal lite lemonade...tastes like strawberry lemonade). Also, drink broth when you are cooking and your family is eating...not much protein but it tastes like chicken so it somehow feels more like you are "eating" something. Remember... it is only for a short period of time...YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

A lot of us have spend the majority of our lives comforting ourselves with food. I can't speak for you but is it really bread that you are so upset about losing or the ability to comfort yourself with food in general? It is normal to feel some anxiety but in order to be successful you need to develop the skills that will help you cope without using food. That said, I don't think you can say for certain right now that you have to give up bread. Yes, there are a lot of people who can't eat it because their bands don't tolerate it well, but there are also many of us who can eat it if we choose to. My band tolerates anything (with the exception of dry meat) so if I want to eat a piece of bread, I can do it as long as I take small bites and chew it well. Some people can't eat plain bread but can eat it toasted. The only way you will know for sure is by waiting to see what your band can and can't tolerate. Before surgery, I was a carb addict...my favorite things were Pasta, pizza, chips, bread, etc. Then something crazy happened...during my pre-op diet, I noticed that I wasn't as ravenously hungry as I expected to be and started to wonder if the difference was due to the lack of carbs in my pre-op diet so I decided to try to maintain a low carb lifestyle after surgery. This has been a great decision for me because I am not hungry (and never really had major hunger issues after surgery) despite only having 1 fill during the 5 months since surgery and I don't feel the need to binge eat (which I did often before surgery). I thought that giving up those foods would be horrible but since I made the decision (not my nutritionist or my band) I think it made it easier for me to deal with. Just my .02

My first fill appointment was 6 weeks post op and after that every 4 weeks. So far, I have only had 1 fill (at the 3 month point) and I am doing so well that I now only go back every 8 weeks with the understanding that if I think I need a fill then I can make an appointment sooner. Each time I go in, I get weighed and then talk to the PA about my weight loss, portion sizes and hunger level before we determine if I am getting a fill - the reason I said "we" determine whether or not to do a fill is because they always ask my opinion (which I love because it means I have the final say as to what happens.

I agree...I find that I can get away with wearing tops for a bit longer than pants but I still only have about 6-7 that don't look like I'm wearing a tent. As far as pants go, I have 1 pair of jeans, 2 pairs of capris and 1 pair of workout pants that fit (I do lots of laundry ). I usually buy the size I need and 1 size smaller when I find jeans on sale to hold me for a few months but I'm with you in not wanting to spend a lot of money on clothes that won't fit in another month or two...

I am another one who has kept the band a secret (with the exception of a very small group of people). While I would love to be open and upfront about it (i'm not embarassed or ashamed at all), I have some extremely judgemental family members who enjoy making everyone around them feel miserable in order to make themselves feel good. Since I don't want these particular people to know, I chose to just keep quiet about it because you never know who will tell who (even if you ask them not to tell). If people ask, I say that I am working with a nutritionist to change my eating habits and am exercising (which is the truth). Everyone I have told has been very supportive but it is hard to justify telling some people when you aren't telling certain family members.

It depends. Some people start off with a small amount in their band, some don't. I didn't have any fill when my band was placed...

I am down 4 sizes in pants, 3 sizes in tops. No longer on BP medication Almost no knee pain (I have arthritis so it may never go away completely) No longer having to use a seatbelt extender on a plane (and not worrying that I am encroaching on the seat next to me) I can fit in a booth at restaurants Having to run out at the last minute to buy new clothes before I go on a business trip because the pants I bought for my trip last month no longer fit. Having people that I have worked with for years do a double-take when they see me in a meeting because I look so different. And...the best one yet...having my husband pull into the driveway and say to me that he is amazed everytime he looks at me because I look better than I did 15 years ago :wub: