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I have no idea what is going on... I seemed to stop losing weight despite eating the same amount of calories and still exercising EVERYDAY!! I mean I am up to 3 miles a day at least on structured walks. I can not figure out how I am not losing ANYTHING now. I was doing great and I lost 30 pounds in less than 2 months and now... Well NOTHING... I bought two 2 1/2 pound ankle weights and started walking with them yesterday hoping that maybe I just need to do something extra, maybe my body is just used to it now??? I don't know... I am having surgery on the 6th of June, I weight in for the last time on surgery on Friday, and I feel so disappointed in myself that this will be the first time I have not lost Anything since my 30 pound weight loss. Is there something I am doing wrong? Do I need less calories now? I almost feel like I want to do liquids till I see the Dr on Friday to get weighed in so I don't feel like a total failure... So frustrated!

Protein shakes give you bad gass not sure if that's what you are referring to. If possible space out your food as much as possible so that your blood sugar does'nt fall. I am not diabetic but noticed a reaction when I was only eating 500 calories a day.

I get my calories info from calorie king, and I journal it in a 5 subject notebook. This way my surgeon can go threw it, and see how I am doing.

Anyone using visalus shakes. I'm post op day 4 everything I drink gives me terrible gas and discomfort I'm at a loss I'm only getting in 400 calories per day at Max and not all my water I feel crappy

Looking for a distinctive lamb dinner? Then check out these browned chops simmered in a flavorful sauce and served with couscous - a wholesome meal! Very most and oh-so tasty lots of flavor. ENJOY! Prep Time 10 Minutes Total Time 30 Minutes Makes 4 servings 310 Calories(1 Serving) CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR MORE INFO ON THIS RECIPE AND SO MANY MORE:thumbup: http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/

Thanks for all the input! I've added a new weirdness over the last couple of days...I get dizzy/lightheaded if I bend over then stand up too fast. I planted some new flowers this weekend and almost took a header into the bed when I stood up! :omg: ...looking at the two together you guys are right about not getting enough calories. I'm terrified of snacking (sugary stuff between meals is my nemesis) so I've been having two Protein shakes a day and one bowl of Soup. I've been adding protein to my soups, so I think I'm getting enough protein, just not enough calories. Think I'll look into the sf/ff pudding today :-) Thanks for helping out!

Hi Lisa I am a newbie too, and feel the same way. At about day three, the hunger started, and I am keeping a food journal to make sure I don't drink too many calories. As for the nausea, I only felt nausea and hunger together when I was pregnant. Are you taking any Vitamins or medicinces on an empty stomach or at night before you go to sleep? That might be the cause. You could try taking any medicine with some skim milk and see if that helps. Good luck. Dessia Banded 10/10/06

Unfortunately the glorious & heady weight loss of the pre & immediately post surgery days doesn’t last. Think of this time as the kickstart. Around month 3+/- when your weight loss starts to slow is when reality begins to set in again. You’re eating solid foods, there are more foods you can eat, your portions are getting larger & you’re consuming more calories. Just stay your course. It’s not a race. You’ll reach your goal in your time which is the right time for you. You can’t control factors like gender, age, metabolic rate, weight loss history, etc. which influence how much & the rate at which you’ll lose. Remember the axioms: the more you have to lose the faster you’ll lose to begin & the closer to your goal the more slowly you’ll lose.

I assume its three shakes plus the foods you have mentioned in your post? You could try make a fairly basic ricotta bake adapting to the egg and ricotta cheese amounts you are able to have. When I was on my pre-op diet which allowed only three shakes and low carb vegetables, a few times if I needed something different I would have cottage cheese or chicken in place of the shake but made sure it was to the same calorie count or protein amount as the shake. I would have the low carb veges with it. It wasn't the right thing to do, and I certainly don't want to encourage you to do it, but it did save my sanity and kept me on track for some of the time, unfortunately I wasn't the best pre-op person, thankfully I am much better at post op haha

Hey stranger!! I did the "goodbye" meals before surgery. Managed to pack on an additional pound, too. I can't say that I planned a "last" meal, but I started getting rid of the bad stuff a few weeks prior. I don't remember my last soda, but I don't miss it. Now I marinate/cook my meats in Diet Dr. Pepper so I still taste it You'll only see what we mean after surgery. When you're pre-op, you feel like so many foods are going to be on the no-no list. But really you can have them after. Once you look at 1,000 calories for the day, you really question if you want a Snickers, because it hogs up the calories and you end up hungrier after eating junk. You'll see...promise. The strange thing was....when I knew I was eating something for what I thought was the last time, I couldn't eat the same quantity. It actually made me kind of sick feeling. I could easily mow down 3-4 pieces of pizza Hut pizza.....but when the whole thing was sitting in front of me, I only ate two. It was bizarre. You'll probably also notice (once closer to surgery), how emotional the whole Lap Band thing is. Amy

I dont know anything about any of those protein drinks either! I like the Zerocarb Isopure because for 1 scoop it has 105 calories, 0 sugar, 0 carbs, and 25 g of protein. It is the best one I have found. There is one I get at WalMart called Body Fortress 100% Premium Whey Protein and one scoop has 110 calories, 1 g sugar, 2g carbs and 23g protein. I usually drink one in the morning since I am not a breakfast eater. I just like those 2 because they have all the protein without the added sugar and carbs.

Every night when I get off work I call the husband to see what is for dinner. The night before he said let's figure out what we are eating tomorrow night so you don't have to ask. I didn't get the fact that it bothered him for me to ask...I ask every night after work, it's just a question. I've made decisions all day and don't want to have to make one when I get off. Well last night he went off when I asked about how he doesn't know what is for dinner and I always ask and that it makes him mad because he doesn't know what to say when I ask. That threw me into thinking...my life revolves around food. Food is my best friend...it is there when I am happy, sad, depressed, bored, celebrating. It is always there and I can't stop thinking about it. I think about food from the moment I wake up until I go to bed. I think about what's for breakfast, what's for lunch, and what's for dinner. I can only eat 3 times a day so food is very important to me. I even dream about it sometimes. So I've come to the conclusion that I need to focus more on what I am doing that day and take one meal at a time. You have to be prepared when you have had the surgery, you just can't pop into McDonalds for lunch and order a burger. There has to be some meal preparation and thought into what you eat. My life just revolves around food. I love to eat out even though I can't eat that much, I like the atmosphere and getting waited on, not having to cook or dirty up dishes. I love to eat out. At first I didn't because I couldn't stuff myself from the plate of goodness that sat before me but now I am getting re-adjusted and I love it. PF Chang's is my favorite because there are appetizers that I can make a meal out of and have enough to take home for another meal later on. But just having him make me think about how important food really is got to me. I hadn't realized just how important it is and how much I think about. So that is that story. I weighed this morning and finally hit 226 lbs so I feel better since this is what I weighed last month when I went in for my fill. So anything that I lose after this will be a plus. I'll tell the doctor about my 4 day binge eating feast that I had and how I gained 10 lbs in 4 days so he will know that I am human and lost alot more than what shows on the scale. I just can't believe baked beans and birthday cake were worth gaining the weight because it has taken me 1 1/2 weeks to get it off. I don't know why I chose them to be my friends for the 4 days off but I did. I think after my fill I will stick with my protein shake in the morning along with my coffee, cottage cheese or some type of meat for lunch, and a hot dog for dinner. The hot dog helps because I know I am getting more calories from it and that is what I seem to not be hitting. Maybe that is why I am not losing the weight like I think I should be. One of the series Robert and I like started on Showtime and we missed the last 4 episodes so tonight we are going to catch up with it again. I can't wait for True Blood to start but I hope it isn't as stupid as last year. The commercials look good. We also like Dexter, it is so good and coming from being a cop, I can relate to wanting to kill off the bad guys that get away with their crimes. Yes I was a cop, I made $9 an hour working as a Deputy Sheriff for the small town I lived in. Now I make more than twice that and don't have the life threatening decisions to make. All I can do these days is turn off your cable if you don't pay. It bothers me that people come in wanting extensions on their bill because they are unemployed and can't afford to pay that month of service and you look and they have the top teir of cable there is. How can you justify paying $149 for cable for one month when you don't have a job? I know cable is a big thing in people's lives and it is the only source of entertainment for some families and I'm ok with that but don't come in and give me a pity party because you are broke and have that kind of teir. Do you really need all the channels? The high definition box and the recording box? If it were me I would downsize to just basic which runs $20, keep my internet so I could look for a job. I'm more than happy to put you on a promotion for 6 months to help you get back on your feet but we look at payment history and how long you have been a customer to do that. I've been unemployed twice lost 2 jobs and didn't have another one to back it up so I understand being unemployed. In fact before I got this job at the cable company I was unemployed and this first thing I did was get rid of the cable, internet, and house phone. I had my cell phone in case I got a call about a job and would go to the library to look on the computer for a job so I understand being in a position where you don't know where the money is going to come from for the next month. I didn't get unemployment so I didn't have that to fall back on. I understand where people are coming from that are in this position. Ok enough about that. I have the day off with the husband and we are going to meet up with my mother and her boyfriend for lunch so it should be good, don't know where we are going but it should be good wherever we go. We have some shopping to do so I'll have something to eat this coming week but really I don't need much after Monday because Tuesday is my fill and I have to be on liquids for 2 days after and then mushy for 2 days after that so that takes me to Saturday before I can eat something good. I hate getting fills for this reason but like the restriction I get from them. I'm not at full restriction but I have some. I just hope this fill does the trick. Well everyone have a good day and please don't bash me on this entry.

I honestly just tried to keep busy between work family and working out. When I first found out I was like nooooo I'm never gonna make it lol but I used the time to read up on different things about the surgery and I also worked out a lot and tried to eat healthier. I failed a few times..this past month I gained 4 lbs :-( I was so ashamed but I got back on track this month and dropped 6. I joined a Zumba fitness class so I think that helped a lot (love it) it's super fun and I forget im working out...kinda lol. You sweat like crazy and burn about 1000 calories doing and hour session...also I have a kinect for Xbox and I've been doing dance central everyday it makes u sweat also. It wasn't easy but it also wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be ull be at ur last app in no time watch

Unfortunate I would suggest stopping first. You take in so few calories when you do the pre op diet and post op that your body is really going to struggle producing milk. Plus with how restricted you will be for months after until you reach your "normal" it will be hard to get all the nutrients you need for your body let alone the calories and nutrients to provide to baby. I was only banded for 2 yrs before j had my LO and I had a hard time with supply. I did the best I could but I had to supplement and then stop completely. I just couldn't supply enough. The process to get WLS can take 2-4 months, sometimes longer so that would give both you and your new baby time to adjust to the switch. Congrats and goo luck Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I have already talked to the nutritionist and she went over my food diary and said I was doing very good. My calories are set at 1500/ day Carbs are 173g/day Protein is set at 96g/day. I drink well over 8 cups a day of water. I have already talked to my surgical team about not losing weight but all they tell me is I need to lose something to show the insurance company I'm capable of losing.

I went the other day to see Hop, it was so cute. I would stay away from the popcorn, I am 5 months out and ate about a cup and it made me feel sick. I don't even think its safe to eat popcorn yet. Plus its high in calories and carbs. Maybe you can bring some string cheese or a different snack from home and you will save a lot of money. Or buy a good cup of coffee, I love Dunkin Donuts coffee. Good luck and enjoy the movie.

As far as I know, we can still drink. Probably a few months after surgery or when the Dr clears you though. It won't be the same as bypass people where they get drunk quickly. We just have to be mindful of drinking too quickly and calories from liquid.

I don't blame you for being disappointed. It sounds like your surgeon did not stitch the port to the muscle good enough or at all. So for the next few weeks you will have to rely solely on your own will power to lose weight but you can do it. Count your calories and eat your Protein first, veggies next then healthy carbs if you still have room. Drink all the Water (64 oz). I also suggest that if you haven't already, start exercising for 60 minutes each day. Best of luck to you! Donna

My surgery is 3/21 also. Met with the dietician tonight. The only thing I'm nervous about is NOT losing the required 10lbs during my 2 week liquid diet. I already eat less than 1200 calories a day, which includes a Protein shake every morning. Hopefully my body will respond. I'm also planning to walk a mile on each of my breaks at work. Good luck everyone!

If your activity level is low there's no reason to add calories. I'm 10 weeks post op nearly and I'm still around 500cal most days.

I would be inclined to keep things on the lower end of your range. I did fine at 1100 avg. but that fit my metabolism well. I started about 50 lb lower than you are now, so I only had about 100lb to lose, and was near done at six months (was actually trying to slow things down at that point, and stretch out that last 10 lb loss to avoid excessive overshoot.) Our loss rate tends to decline as we lose, simply because there is less of us to move around all day long - it takes fewer calories to move 300 lb than it does 400 lb, etc.) So, while your loss rate is pretty good now, you still have another 100-150 lb (?) to go, and it is easy to let the intake increase over time as we get used to things (you can likely eat more at a sitting now than three months ago, and that will continue slowly over time) I currently maintain at in the 2000-2200 calorie range. As you have a similar loss rate to what I had, this implies that currently you would likewise maintain in the same range; however, with further loss, your maintenance level will likely be lower, , maybe 500 calories or so lower - all very rough estimates here. But this indicates that you probably shouldn't go any higher than your current 1100 if you want to get down to a normal-ish weight range, and preferably cut it back a bit and go closer to the 800 end of your range. Good luck in your continued success....

I'm sorry you're struggling. It's hard because a big misconception is that less food always means less calories but that isn't always true. So, even if you do have adequate Fluid in your band, there's no guarantee you'll lose just by eating less. You said you journal your food (which is awesome, btw). Do you also track the calories for the food you journal? Have you seen a nutritionist yet? And if so, how many calories a day they suggest you eat? Weight loss really boils down to simple math- when you burn more calories than you consume, you lose weight. The trick is making sure you do that and tracking calories is the easiest way to make sure that happens. Best wishes.

I was banded on 3/25 and doing well now. The first week was difficult due to the location of my incisions and infection, but overall my progress has been good. As far as diet, my nutritionist moved me to blended solids and my doc wants me eating solids prior to my next follow up appointment in a month. On my liquid diet, I was having major difficulty getting 800 calories a day but protien supplements worked well. I hit just below 200 2 days ago...woooohooooo!!! Total weight loss since surgery has been 16 pounds now. Seems slow, but difficult due to pre-op exercise routine so not much Fluid to lose after surgery. I can't wait to pick up on the exercise again. Feeling a bit lost with only walking. Keep in touch, I would love to hear how you both progress along your journey also. Happy Easter!!!!

it depends on your surgeon. I wasn't allowed to eat any of that --- just protein shakes (4-5 a day), clear broth, ultra-low or no-calorie beverages (with no caffeine), V8/tomato juice (although I think we were limited to a cup of this a day), and sugar free popsicles and sugar free Jello

So maybe this is a sign to reign in your calories again? Although for a guy who exercises as much as you do, 990-1150 seems reasonable, maybe even a little low? I'm at 9 weeks now and I am finally able to feel my restriction. In the early days I could not really tell if I even had any. @PinkMints are you following the rules of surgery? (And what did you have done?) No eating or drinking 30-30? Proteins first (the denser the better), dense fibrous veggies, some fats, low glycemic fruit?