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I would add that you should also pay attention to your meat selections. The nutritional makeup of grass fed beef is significantly better than most of the beef that is available in the grocery store. We eat such a small amount and the Protein and other nutrients that it provides us are so vital - it is so important to get the most nutritional value out of every bite we are eating. It is also lower in calories. Free range chicken is also much better for you. It takes some time, but is worth learning about. Here is a link to a good article that explains it well: http://www.americangrassfedbeef.com/grass-fed-natural-beef.asp Carol

ugh..ive been at such a stand still...and it is totally my fault..its gotten so cold i havent walked and i havent gone to the gym. im stuck at 216 right now. i have a drs appt on monday afternoon..last month i was 220..so my dr will be proud to see ive gone down a lil..but i think i was just bloated and stuff that day i saw her bc within a day or 2 i was back at 216 and have been there ever since. NOT GOOD!! i have to kick myself starting tomorrow..i need to do something..i feel like im getting lazier and lazier..this is wat happens to me in the winter. monday night i think im going to attempt to go swim at the gym..if not then def..no matter what..walk at night. i have to take control right now!! grr..so fustrated!!

Was approved today and I should know within a week when my pre-op is....what can I expect I am kinda nervous just bc I like knowing what is gonna be happening and I don't have a clue lol

I am 4weeks post op tomorrow and I just went a week long vacation where I struggled with my Vitamin regimen and did not eat enough - but my Water was very very high and I exercised extensively I actually was able to do a 6 mile hike (cleared by my surgeon) I came home and I gained 3lbs and my body fat percentage went UP 1%. I am ready to cry. I know how important Protein is my goal is 100 grams a day and I hit 70 for most of the week bc of food options I was relying on Protein shakes and tuna (plain) a lot. I averaged 100 oz of water daily and exercised daily for 30 min to an hr. Has anyone experienced this? I assumed I might have gained muscle until I saw the body fat % & my calorie intake was around 5-600 a day. Please help. Sent from my Z970 using the BariatricPal App

Hey guys so my surgery date is Fri and bc of all the weight I've gained the last few months just walking hurts my back A LOT if I do it for extended periods of time. I know we have to walk frequently to prevent blood clots but has anyone else struggled with this? Is there an alternative exercise?

I was sleeved 10/11/12 and my BC/BS covered all but $1000 and I only had to pay $500 of that (plus co-pays). My dr. said it was a 2 night hospital stay, but insurance spproval letter stated only one. My surgery was at 9:30 am, by 7 pm that night, my dr. came by-said I looked wonderful and would go home the next day. I hadn't had my leak test yet, so I was surprised! My test was fine and I was released by 3:00 the day after surgery. The ride home was awful, but to sleep in my bed with my family there was comforting. At my 1st post-op visit, I asked how he knew I could go home early and he said he does so many surgeries he can tell by how thepatient is doing right away after recovery. (I was watching tv, reading a magazine when he came by. When you feel too sick to read or watch tv-it's a good indication you need more time. Good luck!

I know this might sound silly. What's a ricotta bake?? Sour cream was ok?? I'm Going to get some avocados I love those and didn't think of it. My surgeon is very very strict. It's hard bc I asked him about beans and mashed potatoes and recommended against it. He said its on the list but I would say no. So asking him For input is a little difficult and gets to be frustrating. I follow his orders as much as possible but I also do a lot of research on my Own for guidance. Any suggestions on chili?? I know it's not fully puréed but it goes down quite easy.

I had my 8 week appt yesterday(even tho tmw is 8 weeks)...I got released to eat "real food" yahoooo! I had a mini salad and loved every bite! My doctor was very happy with my results thus far, down 37lbs from preop diet...over 1/3 of my excess body weight(100 lbs) we discussed my goal and his goal for me, which were surprisingly different, I am 5' even and he said he thinks I should be aiming for 130. I had set my goal in my mind to 110(started at 211) this puts me smack dab in the middle of normal BMI & what I weighed when I was super physically active and in shape. He thinks I will have quite a bit of excess skin due to a difficult pregnancy I had that stretched my body into the oddest shape, phooey! So he says 130 and a tummy tuck and I should end up at 115...I'm ok with that and see his point! At this point I'm just so pleased people are noticing my weight loss! My pants are big but due to being so disproportionate the waists are still fitting(tho surely loose). I'm excited to go down in size!! Heck at this point I'm in my old maternity clothes, which brings me to another part of my update I haven't talked much about on here... The week before Christmas I had a bit of a scare, I was 4 weeks out and woke up to terrible pain and wringing feeling in my stomach, like twisting and wrenching...saw my surgeon, he thought gastritis and possible start if an ulcer, got meds and slowly things calmed down...the day before Xmas I started having some pain on my left side next to my stomach, it got severe on Xmas day...I barely made it through presents then went to bed and slept allllll day...the next day I got a fever so the on call sent me to the ER with two thoughts, possible leak and dehydration...CT showed no leak thankfully but my spleen was gigantic...they were so rude and gave no explanation nor care to further check why and sent me home...the next day my surgeon called very alarmed, they were thinking I may have mono which caused my spleen to expand, so off I went for that test and another Upper GI just to be extra sure no leak....thankfully negative on the leak but sadly mono was negative, that would've been a nice clean easy to deal with diagnosis. So I was put on exercise precautions and asked to be very careful around my children or anyone bumping my side bc it was that big! Both my PCP & my Surgeon decided to take a wait & see approach where my pain was slowly subsiding. So followed up with my PCP last week and he thinks I did catch some sort of virus and it just attacked my spleen...we will do another ultrasound at the end of January and hope to see it shrinking...my surgeon was happy with that yesterday and I see him in one month! So long sorry short I have a gigantic spleen, it was crushing my little sleeve, making it very painful(the wringing and reflux symptoms before Xmas)It is still enlarged but a couple weeks ago I was able to start eating agin and now I feel normal! Phewwwwww! If you caught all that congrats! Lol! I have some preop pics on my laptop but I have one from my sister in laws wedding which was my last straw, I was 211 here, same as I was at my preop diet appt & the other is this weekend at my sons 3rd birthday party, where I got two wonderful compliments!

Absolutely. But we have most of modern Western society telling us that fat is not and cannot be sexy, and many (most?) of us had parents, SOs and total strangers telling us that we were fat -- and therefore unattractive, undesirable, unsexy. Between American culture (when does the fat chick get the hunk? when is the fat chick anything other than the best friend or an object of ridicule?), our families, and our own regrettable belief in all this BS, it's near impossible to tune out the unsexy message and see ourselves as desirable. Those lucky enough to be members of the maligned SuchAPrettyFace tribe have it easier than most of our large sisters. If a woman has never heard that anything about her is sexy, she's going to have a hard time believing that she can be a hot mama. This thread is a great start toward addressing an important topic. Thanks, Sarah and Crystal, for getting the issue out there!

Hi, I just wanted to tell my experience.. I too feel like a failure.. I had lapband surgery over a recent gastric bypass in jan 2013. I currently have 13.2 cc in a 14cc band, and too be honest I feel slight restriction.. sometimes food get stuck from not chewing my food and I have to take a sip of Water to make it through. Last month when I went in for my adjustment, I asked for my surgeon and told him I wanted him to show me what was in my band bc I can't believe it's taking me so long to get to my sweet spot. Well, he took it out and boy did I feel like someone hit me in my stomach.. btw, yes I had what they said I had in there.. So he gave me a huge adjustment and I left with 12.8cc in my band and it felt tight for a few days then it eased up.. I assume bc of the Fluid being taken out and added back, it swole it up and that was what I was feeling. This month I got .4 cc added and am up to 13.2 cc and like you am like~ how long is this gonna take bc am almost full. Since it's been almost a yr and I haven't really lost much, ive decided to stop focusing on feeling that full feeling and count calories and watch what I eat and evidently i'll get some sorts if results. It seems like am depending more on this band as a miracle cure instead of doing my part. I have to admit, I haven't been eating right... I love sweets and I was eating them. I exercised but was eating badly. I guess I wanted to see this band do it's part before I do my part but for me it hasn't worked. So my advice to you, is to never give up... all of our bodies are different. Because I had a previous wls my stomach was already small and it is taking me a long time to feel that restriction. But I have come to realize, nothing will work without YOU doing your part and sticking to it.. Good Luck

Well, I'm a new one here. After much waiting, my surgery day is tomorrow. I'm scared, anxious, and excited all at the same time. I really hope this is the right decision and that I come out on the other end where I hope to be. I've struggled with food my entire life an fed up with heartache dealing with my weight. I'm very nervous tonight... jason

I am getting banded on Friday Oct 26 and was wondering where Dr Oritz BC patients get fills from? Does anyone have any recommendations?:help:

This helps me bc I can easily get into the "I've had a bad day/week/month and I DESERVE this _____________ (<---insert unhealthy food here)" mindset.

Thank you all so much for the positive words really the bs I get sucks my " friends" will joke saying well you don't have to worry your getting surgery and I tell them ok my life is going to change it's not going to be easy I know it but really I'm ready to overcome the weight and finally moving on with my life

The plastic surgeon really talked this point you're making through with me. She said my metabolism would TRIPLE in recovery! She also said if I didn't stop losing now, I'd lose too much during recovery even though I'm not working out because I can not eat enough to keep up with that metabolism. So...I've been meal planning and making lists for DH so he can grab stuff from New Seasons (like Whole Foods) deli and meat counters to keep me fed. I do feel fortunate to have had some experience with surgery since I've had 2since VSG and I kinda know I really have to make it mental. I've got lots of crafts I can do while recovering but still.... I don't think I have a carb monster anymore either. Case in point, my kids ate cinnamon sugar pretzels today, which I used to love, and I got nothing. I did not want any. Mostly, I'm eating by the clock. I do get hungry but not enough to eat 1800-2000+ calories every day. I really want to eat for wellness.

Feb 4th I had my surgery ive been worjing my ass off everyday. I had my first ever photoshoot bc I finally feel good about my self. These are just a few! !!

Thank u. I was taking pot b4 surgery bc I hate bananas. But I quit taking all. The dr said I really didn't them. But the heartburn is the worse right now. Get it after eating every thing. Even Popsicles

so i was banded on 2/9/09 so im almost 12 weeks out....everything about the surgery went great and i was up and ready in no time i was doing really great when i went in for my 1 week post op i had lost 13lbs and i was loving it:thumbup:!! i went in 4 weeks late on march 9th and got my first fill 2cc in a 10cc band...after the first fill everything was pretty normal my portion sizes were ok i guess i could eat about 4-6 oz of food and then a med fruit like an apple with no hunger in between. Some time after my first fill (maybe like week 2) i started to get hungry in between meals but still kept my eating to a minimum so when i went back for my 2 month post op appt on the 15 of april i had lost 17 lbs!!:thumbup: my doctor thought that was great and so did i but gave me a fill anyway because i said i was hungry in between meals and thats when it all began after that 2nd fill everything would get stuck!! even mashed potatoes i could drink liquids just fine and i did not pb or anything(almost did once i gagged but nothing came up) but all my food was getting stuck so i lost another 3lbs in 4 days i was so frustrated that i could not eat anything that i went in and got 1/2 of a cc taken out so now almost one week after that im hungrier than i was before i was "overfilled" for example today i ate 1 cup of coffee with some pound cake (bad food choice) for lunch i ate about 6 oz spaghetti and 1/2 a flour tortilla (anothr bad food choice:frown:) for a snack i had 1 string cheese and about 12 crackers then for snack number two i had a s.f ice cream sandwich (100 cal) and for dinner i had 4oz deli meat (turkey rolled up with avacodo inside and 16 crackers and about 12 small cubes of melon which i think is waaaay too much food so now im starting to think that getting that unfill was a mistake maybe i was not really overfilled:cursing: im really lost with this situation right now i dont know whats normal as far as portion and since the unfill i have not felt "full" i only stop eating becase i know i should not eat more...its also that time of the month and wondering if that has anything to do with it??? please help im a little dissapointed in myself right now bc of that unfill :thumbdown:

Hi, I'm Mary from North Carolina. It has been a long road for me. I started the process in March and only just got approved by BC/CS after jumping through many hoops. This week I had my labs at the hospital. I have an appointment with the doctor next week and hope I will know the big date then. I teach school, so I am anxious to finally get this done before I have to report on August 19th. I know I will need to be on liquids for 2 weeks prior to shrink my liver. I would especially like to hear from someone from my age group (late 50's to early 60's) and see how you have fared. Labs July 15 :thumbdown:

After doing some research here and the other forum, I decided on the Nexplanon. I am feeling much more comfortable with having a foreign object in my arm rather than my vagina. It's a very personal choice and definitely varies by individual and what fits well for them. My only complaint with the implant is the pizza face and the never ending PMS during the first few months. Hormones are 10x more amplified with both RNY and new BC. Craaaazzzyy!

I know I should be able to check inside for the strings and be able to feel them. But these strings are hanging out of my vagina. And they are irritating the opening. I know she sit them down during insertion bc she talked about it. I wonder if its coming out or if she just didn't cut enough off? I would call her but she left for Cali this morning so guess ill wait until Monday.

And my depression has kicked in and in a really bad way. All i feel like doing is sleeping all day bc i dont want to deal anymore :-( never in my life have i experienced depression so badly

I am in San Diego. My last visit on april 22nd my Doctor asked me to lose 12 pounds and put me on 2 meal replacement shakes a day for breakfast and lunch. I have been sticking to it and have lost about 13 lbs already. I have lost the weight so fast I contacted my doctors office and office lady told me to just try and maintain the weight loss and not lose much more. I called BS and they told me that if during the 6 month weight loss period if I showed success with the program, that they could deny me due to diet and exercise working... I have never had an issue losing the weight, it's keeping it off. I have lost maybe 2 times my highest weight throughout my life only to gain it back and more. The BSCALIFORNIA lady was great though, just gonna try to stay where I am and not lose too much. I still have another month to go after this next consult so I could lose way too much at this rate. I Need to satisfy the surgeon and the insurance... Sigh.

Thanks guys..quick update...I was actually admitted to the hospital bc the nausea and gas pain was so bad. Feeling better today and hopefully going home tomorrow. Thanks for your support and kind words. Ready to get back to normal!

I realized today as I was getting dressed that I always seem to go the “extra mile” when it comes to my appearance on days I go to the doctor. Today I meet w/my bariatric surgeon & dietician on the path forward. Sept 21 will be here before I know it! But back to appearance – it just dawned on me that I think I go all extra on days I know I’m going to the Fatty Doc, bc I feel like my “cute” will somehow overshadow my “fat” – which is often…or at least SOMEtimes the case in the real world. But at a bariatric Dr.’S office – they rarely see the “cute” – if at all, and mostly only see a person that they are glad had sense enough to do something major, about a major health crisis. *sigh* I’m good at being fat. Have been fat my entire life. And though after all is said & done a year from now, for all intents & purposes – I’ll still be a fat girl…but a lot healthier one (and 75-100 lighter). It didn’t hit me until today that this will most likely be my last “uncomfortable, morbidly obese, disgusted with myself and how big I’ve gotten” summer. This time next year – I won’t be so cramped in the metro seat as I blog by crackberry, ill be walking taller w/a lil more pep in my step, AND I will have ridden the rollercoasters that I haven’t been able to get on for the past 5 yrs – at least a thousand times. While still struggling with some future vanity concerns and how ill feel in my new body – I’m still excited. & optimistic that this was the best decision for ME. I know I’m cute (most of the time)…but for so long the magnitude of my good-lookigness has been overshadowed by my weight. Get. Ready. Here she comes… *doin my Geyonce dance* uh oh uh oh uh oh…