Beachy_Babs

So, for the past month and a half, I have been eating no animal meat or dairy products. I do my best to look up recipes substituting meat for tofu, etc. So far, I haven't seen any special weight loss, but I feel GREAT. I drink 24 ounces of fresh watermelon juice for Breakfast, then for lunch I either have a salad or a quick meatless burrito, and for dinner, it's just veggies and more complex carbs.
My cousin is devouted vegan and I decided to jump on the wagon with her. However, I haven't been too successful at finding anyone who has gone vegan while being banded. To be honest, one of the main reasons why I decided not to consume animal meat anymore was because I was always getting stuck even when I chewed the living life of out my chicken and I wouldn't even be able to finish 2 ounces. ALso, after eating meat, I feel heavy.
I would love your insights on this!
P.S. I do not eat much nuts either. I know they are high in fat and I stay away from oils too.

Congratulations on your surgery and welcome to being a bandster! I used to eat very fast....too fast before lapband. Now, I have to take my time and follow the doctor's instructions. I've been banded since 2011 and have lost 80+ lbs but gained 30 due to my recent pregnancy and giving birth. So I am back on track again, but it has been hard!
Don't take bites bigger than the size of a pencil eraser. (You know...the old school ones where you would put it on top of the pencil). I don't wait 10 minutes between bites because then it would take me FOREVER to eat my food. I wait about 2-3 minutes and find something useful to do while I am waiting. I am a full time student so I just focus on my homework and the time passes by quickly.
Don't worry, you won't get a slip. You aren't restricted enough to cause much or any damage to your band. Just follow your doctor's specific instructions and you will be fine.

Hi Betsy,
It has only been a month and like others have stated, it's still the healing stage. Please reconsider removing the band. You have to give it time to really work. I know it can be a bit frustrating not seeing the pounds shed, but remember..the lap band is totally different from gastric bypass. We don't shed a pound a day. More like a pound to 2 a week. It's a gradual thing.
Also, maybe you are not losing as much weight because the band has no restriction. The doctor usually does not fill your band until 6-8 weeks post op so your stomach could get used to the band and not be so swollen.
Trust me, I've had my frustrations, but in the long run, the band has been a blessing.
Good luck to you!

The band has been the absolute best thing that has happened to me (besides the birth of my daughter). I no longer have to worry about my weight escalating out of control because I have taken control of the situation I find myself always analyzing food before I eat. I am by no means a saint at all, but much, much, MUCH better than I was prior to surgery.

I am smiling more. I love to look at clothes now. Even though I'm only down 39, (which is a huge accomplishment for me)..I am already 95% more active than I was a few months ago. I hiked three miles the other day and swam in our pool.

No regrets at all!

I don't know if you have PF Changs near you but they make a delicious Steamed Ginger Salmon dish. It's about 360 calories for the whole dish - I couldn't even eat half. It was wonderful.

I don't have a problem with chicken but I can't eat beef, pork or lamb. Everybody is different with what they can eat. You will find that what you can and can't eat can vary from fill to fill. There was a period of time when I couldn't eat potatoes. It didn't matter how it was cooked...baked, fried, boiled even mashed...I just could not eat it. Next time I went for a fill all of a sudden they didn't bother me anymore. I swear my band has a mind of its own!!

I think most of us have emotional ties to food, too, which does make it harder....I struggle with that off and on, the band is definately not a cure -all and contrary to popular belief it is NOT the easy way out! You have to work with it and the first part of the journey was the hardest for me - first the pre op diet when I felt so tired and lethargic and just wanted to CHEW something. (I did mine back when we didn't get to EAT anything but yogurt, shakes, etc -- most folks get lean meat once a day now...that would've been HEAVENLY!)...then post op when you don't feel a darn bit of restriction after the initial swelling from the surgery subsides and you are hungry but can't just eat anything you want....you are trying to be "good" but it feels like a diet as you are still hungry between meals.
Those first 6 weeks post op are for HEALING, not losing....I think that is one of the huge misconceptions I see on the boards - folks are like "I am two weeks out and haven't lost much" and they need to understand that those first 6 weeks are to let your body heal and adjust....you HAVE to get lots of Protein and Water in - your body needs it - and not worry about weight. That is easier said than done, since you just went through this major surgery and want to be skinny as of yesterday....and most have seen folks with the gastric bypass that start dropping weight SO fast....the lapband is NOT like that at all.
After your 6 weeks most folks get their first fill --- if you are like the majority, this doesn't seem to do a whole lot for us...it depends on how much your doc puts in as they vary. But if after 4 days or so you don't feel a change I would call your doc and ask for another fill --- no sense waiting another month....you have to be patient and diligent with getting your fills - what is really hard is to know when you have hit your "sweet spot" --- this is the magical place where you are only able to eat about 1 cup of food at a sitting and feel completely satisfied with that - don't get hungry between meals - and the weight begins to drop....SLOWLY....2-4 lbs a week is probably average. Some weeks are better than others.
I think for me, with the mental part, I had to make sure I wasn't completely depriving myself of anything.....so if I craved chocolate I was able to have something sweet --- I LOVE the Herbalife shakes --- you can do soooo many things with them....but the chocolate one with skim milk, ice, and either a bit of real PB or PB2 (powdered Peanut Butter at health stores) makes a thick shake if you use lotsa ice that is TO DIE for! I would rather have this for dinner (add in some extra protein) than anything in the summertime when it is HOT and food doesn't look good....I make a tropical fruit shake every morning for Breakfast - using some OJ, ice Water, and ice and a scoop of frozen yogurt and extra protein....it is YUMMY! You can do a million different things with your shakes so you don't get bored with them --- I cannot eat anything solid until 11am or so, so I always start out the day with a shake....you can add a tbsp of sugar free pudding to any shake flavor to spice it up --- they have cheesecake pudding, choc, etc....be creative and make it fun! It definately helps.
The other thing is to realize that snacking when bored will WAY sabotage your weight loss....I have trouble at work with that and have to bring things I can snack on that are healthy - yogurt, beef Jerky, peanuts....bring portioned out so you don't eat a whole bag. And drink lotsa water - add crystal light or something to it if you need to - when you are dehydrated your band is tighter, I have found...also that time of the month, when you are under stress, if you are sick with allergies or sinuses...there are a lot of things that affect the band.
Definately get into counseling prior to surgery --- and stay with it....it will help you along your journey to learn more about yourself and have someone neutral to help you in that process....sometimes just having someone to talk to, that you kow won't judge you, really helps....everyone has a "life coach" these days, it is the cool thing...ha ha
I guess I kinda rambled there...hope I answered your question some....the lapband is a tool and not a solution....but it DOES help to trick your mind into thinking you are not hungry, which is fabulous, and as long as you don't eat milkshakes and junk food for every meal you will lose weight....but there IS some work involved, too! I got my surgery when my third was 9 weeks old - so going home to a newborn after surgery was a bit difficult, but not too bad overall....and it helped me to lose the weight while I was busy with the kids and didn't have a lot of time to focus on ME...which is something we mother's struggle with! I wanted to have energy to be able to keep up with my kids - and this has definately done that for me - I feel TONS better!
Feel free to message me if you have any specific questions I didn't address!!
ps my friend that had the gastric bypass a few months before I got my lapband and I were both at around the same weight loss at our one year point -- she has lost a bit more than me now, but she had more to lose...this just goes to say that you want to look at your goals down the line...a 3-4 months out from surgery you may not feel like you have lost much....but over the long haul once you get to working the band it WILL come off!

I admit it - I AM scale ADDICT as well
Do it at least 2ce a day and always double check.
I know I should not but I take this new addiction over the old food addiction

Sorry if what I say offends you but I think you and your mother need some counciling. Sounds to me like she doesn't want you to loose the weight because she is heavy too and she wants you to stay heavy. Please do this for yourself. Show her that you can do this even though she seems to be sabataging you. I have delt with the same thing, I am loosing weight and people are jealuous. Your mother needs to support you and do anything she can to help even if it means keeping the bad stuff out of the house. Sometimes people don't realize what they are doing and maybe your mother doesnt realize that she is sabataging your weight loss. Please get some help and ask your mother to get help with her issues to. Let her know how much you love her and want both of you to be happy and healthy, good luck with everything and both of you are in my prayers.

Babs88 Girl I feel ya! I think its the fact that you still get so hungry is what makes it the kicker. Now I'm on full liquids and blended food. Its nerve wrecking because i get tired of trying to figure out whats what. My docs nurse did help me out some tho because she did give me more ideas so i wasn't so trapped. Like she told me I could have real mashed potatos,just make sure they are real smooth with no lumps and thin it out just a lil. I could make smoothies with real fruit I just had to puree it smooth. one that i love she said that i could do is 1/2 a banana 1/2 cup of oj and 2 oz of greek yogurt ,and ice blend then strain and enjoy. you gotta make sure you strain those fresh smoothies tho. of course sugar free pudding, yogurt yada yada yada. Oh she said I could have Beans of course you gotta blend them with lots of liquid but the Beans and potatos and smoothies do help scave the hunger pains away longer. Luckily for me it doesn't seem as tho my docs post op diet is as streneous as other peoples doc. Just be careful if you mess up let it be because you decided to leave them potatos a lil thicker!lol You can do it Babs. If you do mess up chew the crap out of that food,tell the Lord thank you and go on bout your business! I did slip up on a few foods but really I didnt feel bad about it even tho people on this board tried to make me feel bad about it. I was like forget yall it happened I'm over it. I just didn't want to keep doing it because I know this part is only for a lil while and I really dont want to hurt myself or my band. My Granny fixed me some fresh butter beans today and sweet potatos I blended that food up smooth with the juice she cooked it in and chowed down best I could. No problems! I think the key also is cooking the food yourself and seasoning it well. You won't beleive how good Soup is if you put some more celery salt,onion or garlic powder in it! Being able to cook is what help the most in my prior diet of losing the 70lbs. Just because they say we gotta eat certain foods dont mean we cant cook them ourselves and make it taste like something yummie Goodluck Babs we can do this thang!lol

As much as I would like to lose weight quicker, I would be super proud of myself if I were able to lose 1-2 lbs per week! It would help
me stay consistent and dedicated. I am not banded yet..will be in MAY so I won't know how fast my body can lose weight just yet.
I don't want the excess skin..or AS much so gradual is good for me!
Good luck Keep us posted