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I was never given a limit, just sample meals, I know some who eat 1 cup, some who eat 1/2 cup and some who eat more and it works for them. Iv been having 3 strips of turkey bacon and one fried egg and it works for me, I need the extra Protein. Thats still less than 200 calories for Breakfast. Just got my first fill and trying to determine if I can feel any restriction, but I dont think so. They did remind me that if I ate more than 20 grams of protein at a time, the rest would be wasted, the body can only absorb 20 grams of protein at once. I have been trying to do lots of fish to up the protein. As long as you watch the carbs/sugar intact and eat lots of protein to fuel muscle and fat burning you will lose. Im not eating bread but rarely, doing low calories veggies and shrimp or fish or sometimes chicken. I dont lose as well on chicken because it has more calories for the amount of protein. I would love to wave a majic wand but I know for me this works. When you arent restricted try for protein because you wouldnt get as hungry in between times.

Keep a Water bottle with you at ALL TIMES! As far as not drinking while eating, don't even tempt yourself and bring a cup to the table with you. Leave the drinks elsewhere while you are eating. I've been told that very small sips of water is ok, but you really need to avoid it if possible as it works against the band, flushing food though that was supposed to stay and keep you full. Drink more tea with non-calorie sweetener at set times, I've got a large coffee mug that holds 1/4 my total days water intake, I'll nuke that to temp, put in a stevia pack and a tea bag and sip that. 4 of those a day and I've got my total intake, but I usually go above and beyond my normal intake. You just need to work at changing the habit. It's not easy but with time and effort your habit will change. Just remember to stay focused and stay strong!

You & I had surgery on the same day. I too was feeling that way for awhile. I had my first post-op appt Monday & my surgeon thought it was because I wasn't getting enough calories even though I was following the nutritionist's guidelines exact. I added another (approx) 200 daily calories & it made a huge difference the last few days. My Dr said I should be between 800-1000 right now. I hope there's more pep in your step soon

Yep! This is your time to heal. Any weight loss at this point is a bonus. However, I would closely keep track of what you're intaking and keep bad food choices (empty calories) to a minimum. It takes most people quite a few fills to get settled in. It's hard to keep from getting frustrated but it will get easier as you progress. Brad

I had my fill today - Not a big deal AT ALL! ANyway, she (Dory Ferraro--very experienced LapBand NP) said that I should be able to drink alcohol no problem -- even tonight. Of course she warned about the empty calories but still, good to know I can celebrate St Paddy's!

I thought the Ladies would appreciate this information!!! Menstrual Cycle and Weight Article By: The Weight Watchers Research Department While there may be minor changes in metabolism, food intake and cravings throughout the menstrual cycle in addition to possible Water retention, these will not impact weight-loss success. Food cravings, overeating and weight gain are commonly reported during the one to two weeks before menstruation occurs. But what is the science to support these symptoms, and what is their impact on weight-loss success? Food Intake and Metabolism While overeating is the popular perception, research has shown that there are only minor changes in actual food intake throughout the menstrual cycle. Most studies suggest an increase in eating of around 100 to 200 calories in the days before bleeding occurs,1,2 but this appears to be offset by the small rise in metabolism (around 5 to 10 percent)3 that occurs during the same time period. In other words, the body tends to adjust the calories in/calories out on its own. Therefore, in a weight-stable state, no changes in weight will occur. However, if actively losing weight by following a restricted-calorie food plan, the likely result would be a slight (but hardly noticeable) increase in weight loss due to the increased metabolism without the usual increase in calories. Alternatively, the result instead could be a slightly greater difficulty in following the food plan because of increased hunger during that period. Food Cravings Although food cravings are commonly reported during certain times of the menstrual cycle, the scientific evidence on the subjects is limited. Some smaller studies suggest a link, particularly a craving for high carbohydrate sweets.4,5 These studies also show that cravings tend to occur more often in women with <A href="/health/sciencecenter/Glossary.aspx#premenstural">premenstural syndrome (PMS) and that the cravings increase as symptoms worsen.6 While more research is needed to understand food cravings, the good news is that they do not appear to translate into large increases in calorie intake and subsequent weight gain. Water Retention The most likely reason for a weight gain is water retention. While this is a common symptom that can be particularly discouraging when following a structured food plan,7 the weight gain is usually minor and temporary (that is, any weight that is gained is lost around the time of menstruation). Furthermore, water retention can be lessened during this time period by making small dietary changes, like reducing sodium and increasing fluids. Bottom Line: Major fluctuations in eating and weight during certain periods of the menstrual cycle are a common perception, but studies done in the area find that the changes are minor, temporary and will not impact weight-loss success. This content is reviewed regularly. Last updated September 24, 2009.

I live in Birmingham, Alabama. I had lap band surgery on May 30th, 2008. Hospitals are never fun and my surgery went ok, with a few minor issues. I had surgery 6 years ago for sleep apnea and then gained some weight and the apnea came back with out me knowing it. I stopped breathing during my lap band surgery and had to be intubated. Then because my O2 levels were so low , they made me spend the night. By the following day I was better and went home. The surgery was not very painful and the day I went home I was just a little sore but the doc gave me lortab . I had a lot of nausea from anesthesia. So I also took phenegren. I had some issues with feeling really severe pain in my chest and back. It turned out to be caused from swelling and air bubbles. My best advice is to never drink and eat at the same time. when you drink you swallow air. The air gets trapped between the slow moving food particles and the liquid, creating bubbles. It feels like a heart attack. It helps to try and burp. It will pass after a few minutes. I think that the physical aspects of the lap band, are easy to deal with in comparison to the emotional and metal aspects. I can only speak for myself in this regard but for me it's the honest truth. I am addicted to food, I have suffered from emotional eating my whole life. I believe it is a learn behavior that I developed in childhood. I had serious issues with the liquid diet even after just a few days. I was starving! I cheated and ate food way too early. But it's part of the reason I didn't loose as much weight as some people. Once I realize I could eat, psychologically I felt better but at the same time I was disappointed that the band didn't seem to be "policing" my eating habits. I went through weeks of being depressed and sometimes really upset with myself for spending so much money on something that didn't seem to be working. I paid out of pocket because my insurance wouldn't cover it. About 8 years ago when I was much thinner, I had a tummy tuck and breast reduction. I developed MRSA which is a staff infection. It became septic and I almost died. Since then my body has been colonize with MRSA. Now all of us have staff that naturally grows on our skin, but the kind I now have is resistant to antibiotics. I was sent by my surgeon to an infectious disease doctor before surgery, he had me take two different antibiotics for 30 days prior and after my surgery to minimize the risk of another life threatening infection. These antibiotics cause the natural bacteria in my digestive system to die. So I had a lot of diarrhea and still do. I have also felt very tired since surgery. I have missed a lot of work and it has all been a big struggle. Almost 2 weeks ago I found this website. It took me a while to sign up and get the nerve to start posting and blogging. Since I have been here I have learned a ton. I started taking probiotic which help replace the natural flora lost from antibiotics, I also have taken since surgery a muti vitamin called Vitaband. It's chew able and taste pretty good. I also take a calcium supplement by Vitaband. They are cinnamon and are so good! I added Vitamin D, 1000 milligrams and plan to talk to my doctor about getting a B12 shot for some much needed energy. I take glucosomine chondrotin for my joints, as a heavy person I have bad knees and this seems to help. For me the key to vitamins is consistency. It takes a while for my body to tell the difference from taking them. I feel much more "proactive" since coming to this website. I feel empowered by the answers that I have gotten and by the support of the people here. It's great to hear success stories, they keep me hopefull. I have the realize band instead of some of the other band's on the market. I love the realize website. I have started keeping track of my progress there and it has really helped. It has a place to sign in and I can fill out every thing from recipes and food diary to triggers and emotional issues. I keep track of my workouts, glasses of water, vitamins, band tightness ect. A year or so ago, I bought the biggest loser books. I never used them and just brought them out the other day. It turns out that the things they preach in the books go along with the eating and workouts with the lap band. I have found so many really great recipes that are low fat, low carb with portion control. There is also a great workout and great advice on how the body works, what it takes to loose weight and keep it off. If you google "biggest loser books" amazon as sets of them for sale, all three books for 20.99 right now. Or the biggest loser website sells them. My diet.. I am trying to limit my calories to 1800 daily. I know that sounds like a lot to most people but what I have learned is that if you starve your body, it will hold on to fat! I also try to eat consistently every 4 or 5 hours, eating small snacks at a time. this keeps the metabolism balanced and working for me, without having ups and down with blood sugar. This keeps the weight coming off. I try to get in 100g of protein each day and I keep my carbs as low as possible. I have did a bunch of research on protein shakes and finally settled on one. I ready several reports online about obese people and soy protein. Apparently it helps obese people loose weight faster than whey or wheat protein. I have order some and when it gets here and I try it, i will blog my thoughts and the brand. My doc also recommended VHT Evtreme smoothee. They are a simple good tasting drink that helps when you don't have anything for breakfast or a snack. they are made for people who have had the lap band, Ebay has the best price I have found. Chocolate is my favorite. It's great when I crave chocolate like for those PMS moments. I joined a gym and it came with a few personal training sessions. I got some great tips from my instructor. He said the more protein the better within the calorie range for me. He also advised that I eat my carbs in the morning. They will give me some energy to work out and also give me time to burn them off before they have a chance to turn to fat. I would say the hardest thing for me so far is to stay away from sugar. I love sweets and I love a good cup of coffee with real cream and sugar. I am having coffee in the morning and using the splenda that is part sugar part splenda. I plan to ween myself slowly off of the sugar. It turns out that carbs actually make you more hungry!! I just learned that. That's totally why I am so fat! i was a carb junkie! In turn protein makes you feel full longer Let see... what else am I doing? Oh, yes... I still don't think my band is tight enough as I can eat big bites. I think from what everyone told me in chat, that I need to be tightened again. So Monday am, I am calling to request it. I do really well on my diet all day.. then late at night I want to eat. I was thinking about trying a diet pill but I haven't found one for the evening. I don't want it to keep me up. I think tonight I am going to try and go to bed if I start feeling hungry or read a book. Well, that's all I can think of for now. I am just happy to be here, happy my fever went away and happy I am re hydrated from yesterday. I am going to keep drinking my clear liquids and stay hydrated, as for the diarrhea issue. If it comes back today, I may have to go to my general care doc and find out what the heck is going on. I am so tired of going to doctors that I hope that won't happen. Maybe my body just needs a bit more time to adjust to this new life style. Thanks for reading! Stay strong! We can all do it! Rachelle Perrin As of today I have lost 14lbs in almost 6weeks. Slow and steady wins the race!

Just checking in. Today marks day 6 with being banded and i have lost a total of 7.5 pounds since Monday! My weight this morning is 203.5. I cannot believe it! I am strictly on fluids and got the okay to start protein shakes yesterday. I was told to drink 1 ounce every 15 minutes of the shake. I thought this was a minimum because i was able to drink the whole 4 ounces pretty much at once. BIG mistake. I suddenly got all bloated and gassy for the first time. I was extremely uncomfortable. I still am actually. So today, i have been doing what is instructed. One thing I have noticed.... I can't burp. I have the urge to but it never comes all the way up and out. Anyone else experience this?? It weird. I am still pretty sore in the port area. I am actually taking a bit of pain medicine for it. Having 2 little toddlers is definitley a challenge after surgery. I have a hard time bending over to pick stuff up. I was fixing them lunch and popped a piece of pasta in my mouth without even thinking about it! I quickly spit it out after I realized what I just did! I will have to say I am not hungry yet. The liquids are still satisfying and they will have to be until April 9th. Thats when I have my appointment to start pured foods. I hope i can last till then! I am just surprised on the amount of energy I have on really no calories. Its weird. So far so good though!

Some other tricks to make Protein shakes better are: 1. Add a tablespoon of dry unsweetened cocoa powder (even to chocolate flavored protien). It only adds 12 calories, (3 gm carb, 1 gm fat, 1 gm protein) and really intensifies the chocolate flavor. 2. Add a tablespoon of fat free, sugar free, instant Jello pudding mix to your shake. It adds flavor, thickens it up, and generally makes it pretty good. My favorites are butterscotch and cheesecake flavors. 3. Add a tablespoon of fat free cream cheese. It takes a minute longer to blend up, but it adds very little calories and makes it very tasty. 4. A couple of fresh or frozen berries (raspberries, cherries, strawberries, etc.) give a subtle, but different taste to chocolate or vanilla protein mix. It helped me, and I hope that this helps you too. Bryan

Your body is catching up. Just keep it up and you will lose again. A majority of us go through stalls. You will usually notice that your clothes get loser even when the pounds aren't dropping because you are still losing inches. Try walking if you aren't already. That helps you get your metabolism going so that you burn more calories all the time. Hang in there and congrats on your great success so far!!!

I'm not sure if you are still looking for ideas, but I've had good luck with the P3 Protein packs. They are found in the refrigerated section by the Lunchables. They are small, bite sized pieces and easy to digest. I have those and the Ham and Cheddar with Crackers Lunchables in a drawer in my fridge so I can just grab them quickly. The sodium can be high in some, but they are high in protein and quick, and they taste good. I also have turkey sticks made by Jennie-O in the same drawer. They are shaped like cheese sticks, but only have 25 calories and 5 g protein.

I feel exactly the same way and have maintained for almost 2 years without an unfill. I do eat more calories though - I now dont worry about enjoying a glass of wine, going out for dinner and i eat things like nuts, and yes, chocolate. Volume of food still small, most choices still healthy, but well rounded out by enjoyable, normal treats. I can eat REALLY badly for weeks on end though (tends to happen when I'm very busy) and coz of the running, I never ever gain, not even a pound or two. Dont be afraid of a small unfill if you need to though, you're not going to suddenly gain heaps of weight. Those who have discovered how to really exercise properly, it really is a ticket to easy weight control for life. I'd have to say over a long period of time, my fill has loosened off anyway so that I can eat more than I could when I was losing. Not a lot more, but obviously enough to keep me at 150lb.

good morning; i'm at my goal weight and I DO NOT WANT ANY OF MY FILL TAKEN OUT...NOT EVEN JUST A LITTLE BIT...LOL... i exercise like a mad woman...and i love the way it makes me feel...i basically eat what i want...and i do not want to up my calories by eating pure junk food and i don't have a sweet tooth..can i maintain my weight without an unfill...still exercising like a mad woman and not eating pure junk??????? i am almost 11 months post-op...

Ive been totally thinkin about those hcg drops and want to try it but been kinda iffy if its okay to do those types if diet with the band. Although i count calories i still eat whatever i want except for soda, cakes, and breads as they tend to get stuck. I would love to hear if anyone has tried the hcg diet and see how it has worked for them!

How long has it been since your surgery? Are you following a calorie restricted diet by chance, like weight watchers?

We have so many fears.... all along this journey. Its weird how used to failure we all are. I was a binge eater before surgery. I would do pretty good all week but then I would eat massive amounts of food on the weekends. It was my coping... my a way to self sooth and manage my lonliness. I have had a few 2 "binges" since surgery. The first one... in hindsight... I think I was just testing the limits. I ate a good number of calories accross the day... lots of sliders etc. I consumed a fraction of the calories I did in a pre surger binge and I felt absolutly awful. For the next three days food just sounded abhorant to me (I am a food lover like you have never seen... food NEVER seemed abhorant to me in the past). Binge number 2 was a real live binge... with all the accompanying out of control feelings. I ate icecream and Cookies.... I was doubled over with what I can only attribute to be a "dumping" syndrome of sorts. Sweating nauseaus etc. I will NEVER do that again. Bottom line... even though sliders go down pretty good... binges just dont have the same reinforcing value they used to. Also... the weight loss is so motivating that it really helps you stay on track. I have looked for other ways to nurture and self sooth... hot baths... a little wine with friends...a message.... aroma therapy. Being thinner has given me alot more confidence now too.... so I'm dating someone and I spend much less time alone thinking about eating and much more time out living my life. I know its scary... but this process really is amazing... even for those of us with serious eating disturbances. good luck stacey

At your stage I could eat 2-3oz of food depending on what i was eating. Dense protein only 2 oz, but yogurt I could eat 4oz. I weighed my food because I felt it was more accurate. I didn't have any problems eating either. I was a fast healer. I think it is great because you can transition away from shakes faster then those that have more issues eating. Just stick to appropriate portions sizes and the eating plan your doc gave you and you should be fine. I am 3 months post-op and I eat between 900-1100 calories a day and I am losing just fine. I run 2-3 miles 4-5 days a week for exercise.

It is quite normal for you to be able to eat more now than you could earlier in your post op progression, and for you to be able to eat more in the future. This doc gives a pretty good window on this progression: There is also nothing that says that this progression will be linear - you may feel quite restricted for a while at the outset and as the inflammation subsides, notice that you are eating more than you were not long ago. What I like about this vid is that it teaches us how to live with this fact of increasing meal volume, rather than fight it. This isn't to say that you shouldn't continue to keep your eating volume under control, but to realize that some increase is normal and not to go to the extremes like these reset diets to try to counter it. You may or may not like this doc's prescription for living with this increase (I don't agree with everything he says, either) but to use this as a guide in finding your own path. As we progress, we tend to be able to eat a wider variety of foods - which is a good thing, nutritionally - but also a danger if we get into eating the wrong things consistently. His concept of eating veg first is sound - make sure we get in our protein requirement, but fill in that additional capacity with bulky, low calorie veg. It may not be your thing, but it is a good example of what can be done that you can use in finding your own path to long term success. Good luck...

Well guess what..First day of winter vacay and I am sick. I am hoping its not the flu because my bones feel like they hurt. My band is tight as a 10 year old virgin! (sorry, but I have wanted to say that for a long time!) I suppose that's good because I don't think I will be burning many calories today. Getting my butt from the bed to the easy chair to the bathroom isn't exactly aerobic. I subscribe to a newsletter from Hungrygirl http://hungrygirl.com. She is a super peppy non banded (I think) chronic dieter. I know that she is financially hooked in with some of the companies she reviews, but her reviews are pretty straight on. She reviews new diet food and has come up with some good ones before I have heard of them elsewhere. Some of her recent rave reviews have been on the light double churned ice creams-haven't tasted a bad one yet (100-120 cals). Quaker Mini Delights in caramel drizzle (90) flavor. These are fantastic! She is fanatical about Fiber One and uses it for breadcrumbs in the recipies she adapts to make them low cal. She is also nuts about tofu shiratake noodles. While I suppose they don't taste too bad after cooking, when you open them they smell like old seafood. I just can't get past it. My new fave is using ranch dressing for a dipping sauce for anything savory. It packs a taste punch with just a bit. It also helps to "lubricate" food for us bandsters. Anyway-I got on this Hungrygirl topic because I ordered a case of Vitatops (muffin tops) http://vitalicious.com at a decent price through her website. They are really expensive, but I got 30 for $29. They have 5-6 grams of fiber and about 100 cals each and are enriched with vitamins. I know some people with bread issues might not like these, but they are delicious if you can tolerate this sort of thing. I had the peanut butter fudge for breakfast this am. So back to moping around garnering sympathy from my DH and DS. Trystelle

What stood out to me is that you are not eating during the day. If you do not eat during the day your brain thinks its starving so it tells your body to over eat at night. Start eating on a schedule. Breakfast 9 am 250 calories, snack 10:30 am 150 calories, lunch at noon 250 calories, snack at 3:30 150 calories and then dinner at 7 pm 250 calories. If your out during the day, fix a small cooler with these things in it and at those times. Eat on schedule, come hell or high water! (I'm in Texas too!) It will help you at night. Let us know how it goes.

I called it bull because I don't want to see it deter anyone from walking. When I am looking for an excuse to not do something and that is more often than it should be; I get into the mindset like, "ah, it won't help me in the long run. Why bother?" By "in shape" I was speaking in broad terms. Meaning below a BMI of 25. The only thing these billions of people have in common is that they all walk. No matter how long you've been walking, it will always burn calories. It will be less as you lose weight and as your metabolism improves but it will always burn calories. If you are consistent with walking and with your calorie consumption, your weight loss will slow down but it will persist. Eventually you will reach your weight goal. It just may not be as fast as some would like.

Have you tried using Orange Crystal Light with a vanilla protein powder--I personally use Unjury mixed with Light Vanilla Soy Milk. I also use Walden's Sugar Free/Calorie free chocolate syrup with Light Chocolate Soy Milk and Unjury Chocolate Splendor. If I have the calories to spare, I'll throw in a sugar free chocolate pudding for a really rich yummy treat. If you aren't having issues with dairy, adding 1/3 cup powdered milk helps and makes for even more protein.

Yesterday I ate between 750 and 800 calories and had 85 grams of protein....when I woke up today I lost 4 pounds! My week and a half stall is over I hope! How many calories should be consumed at a month out?

EXERCISE! Everyone preaches this. Everyone who has ever had a tiny little weight problem knows this. Exercise is key to weight loss and maintenance. However, we CAN lose weight without exercise. I've done that before. If you restrict yourself to 800 calories per day, you will lose weight. You can lose a lot of weight. You will be flabby and tired and you will lose your hair, but you will lose weight. However, if you want to maintain a certain weight you MUST exercise. It's a fact. Like mathematics, taxes and death, it's required. No escaping it! I've maintained a healthy weight, in the past, by exercising faithfully. But, I hate to exercise. Well, that's not true. I hate to excercise as a fat person. Now that is true. I mean, right now, my morning shower is a workout. Let's not discuss walking long distances, jogging, stair-climbing, spinning, aerobics, resistance....not pretty. I think I mentioned before that lately I've been very emotional. I've been crying easily, been a bit bitchy, seems like I jumped on the emotional roller-coaster ride from hell! But I don't live alone. And it's unfortunate, but others have seen me going up, down and all around. For Mother's Day, my boyfriend gave me Wii. He ran the risk of me bursting into tears...and I can almost hear my fretful words now...Why did you get me a mother's day gift, sob, sob, am I old enough to be your mother?? So he bought a card from the dog and said the gift was from the dog. Whatevah...Wii is GREAT! I am sore today. That good kind of sore you feel when you stretch your arms. That good kind of sore you feel when you lean forward. It's that good kind of sore that shouts out CONGRATULATIONS, YOU MOVED YOUR ASS YESTERDAY! Yeah..I moved my ass yesterday...my big ass...and I feel great! And I can't wait to get home tonite and move my big ass again! It's fun! Here is something I can do! I can play this interactive video game, laugh, and exercise all at the same time! Oh, this guy is a keeper! So now I have my gardens (and I do work in them) and I have my Wii. And my boyfriend is the Best Guy Evah! He's a keeper. I have never had anyone more loving, caring and supportive in my corner since my Mama was alive and healthy (and that is many years ago now). yeah...Wii can do this and Wii will get this done! I love you Stevie...:biggrin:

Yes bandster hell is very real. For me this was will power diet for 6 months! My best recommendation to you would be to buy a digital food scale. Measure out your Protein (my doctor says 3 0z). Eat low fat/calories veggies until full. Also everytime you go to eat something ask yourself "Would I eat this in front of my doctor"? If not don't eat it. Am I an all or nothing dieter? Not anymore. I try to live by the 95/5% rule. Live super healthy 95% of the time and the other 5% you can have some fun. The first couple months after surgery however I think you need to be very dedicated and eat healthy all the time. Also, are you exercising? If not find something you can force yourself to do for 30 days. After 30 days you will see weight loss and feel motivated to keep going. I highly recommend lap swimming (preferrably with Water proof MP3 player) or water aerobics. Great for those of us with joint problems.