Stuck for the 1st Time...Pork Chops are NOT my friend!

[Barbee 1]

Thank you so much for taking the time to really explain it to me. That's exactly how I pictured it... like, finally I can stop dieting and I can eat like a normal person only much smaller portions... that's what I want.

But I saw on the 60 and over thread that the people seem to be still on the South Beach with their menus. and that scared me. I've been dieting for 20 years and I'm sick of it. For one thing I never lost but a few pounds and for all the torture it wasn't worth it.

I feel better about the surgery now. :thumbup:

[whatakindgirl 0]

There are 2 foods that I stay away from with a 10 foot pole... and that is Pork and Steak. I would not even try it shredded. Never has gone down well. You learn real quick what foods make you feel good... and what foods make you sick. You will be an expert in no time. Oh, and if you feel food stuck, then try getting up and walking around the block or getting on the treadmill. As a nurse, we always encourage mobility to get the digestive processes moving.

[adagray 1]

For those doubting the surgery now after reading this, just keep reading and learning. Try not to have a knee-jerk reaction to anything you read on here. Everyone is different in what they can tolerate and also how tight they wear their band. I was lucky to have have a mom that was already banded for two years before I was banded. She told me all about the good, bad, and ugly of the band.

Here's the thing, though... she was an insulin dependent type 2 diabetic, high cholesterol, had trouble walking more than a block before surgery. She lost over 100 pounds in a year post-surgery and it solved all of her obesity related medical conditions. I have no doubt that it probably added 10-20 years to her life by having this surgery AND a much better quality of life.

Prior to my surgery, I took meds for high BP (10+ years), meds for high cholesterol, was diagnosed w/sleep apnea, and prediabetes. There is no doubt that I was gonna end up going down the same path as her even though we had both dieted our asses off for years. On regular diets, we both lost weight very slowly and couldn't keep it off.

Now, I'm 6 months post-surgery and ALL of my obesity related medical conditions are GONE. My BP is completely healthy without meds, I no longer need meds for high cholesterol, my fasting blood sugar is 80 (well below pre-diabetes level of 100+), and I don't even snore (let alone have sleep apnea). Yes, I've PB'd a few times. And, yes, I've given up some foods that don't work for me. But, it really seems like a small price to pay for what I have achieved health-wise. And, I NEVER feel like I'm dieting. To me dieting=hungry. I don't mind giving up certain foods as long as I don't have to be hungry. And, really, the list of foods that don't agree with me is very small compared to all the great foods I CAN eat AND truly enjoy now that I don't have to be stressed about my health and measure every single morsel that goes in my mouth.

I do think you need to consider this surgery w/your eyes wide open, though. It is not all roses. But, also consider what your life will be like if you don't gain control of your weight and health. I wish you all the best!

[Barbee 1]

ADAGRAY, you really made a difference. You've tipped my scale over to the yes, side. I'm 66 and very healthy and active except for high blood pressure, arthithic knee and back pain.

Has anyone had hair loss? I fear Hair loss because as you get older you lose a lot anyway and I'm at the point where I can't afford to lose any more.

Thanks to you all for making a difference to the new people. I will definitely come back and share my experiences too, so I can help the pre surgery people also.:smile2:

[~amy~ 1]

Agree 100%!!! There are positives and negatives. There are people who still diet...there are people who don't. It's a mental thing for me. If I "diet," there's no way I'm gonna lose the weight because shortly after a diet, I tend to binge my way back into my fat jeans.

I have found that when I balance my Protein with my caloric intake, I tend to have more weight loss, and my system seems to work better. I try to stay at 50 grams of Protein a day, and between 800 and 1000 calories. At first, I was all about the counting. And I lost a BUNCH of weight. Now, I'm trying to keep track of what I eat in my head, I'm still conscious of what I put into my body, but I'm not writing everything down like I did before. My weight loss has slowed, but it's still going down...which I consider a success.

Like adagay said, you'll be an expert in no time! Try to take all the advice you see on this forum as just that...advice. Your experience is your own - your body is unique, and there's nobody out there that will have the exact same successes/struggles as you have.

And just because I love it now, doesn't mean I didn't have my doubts about a month after surgery...the post-op diet is NOT fun. And you will have to change your eating habits. If you're not ready for that, you may want to reconsider. But from what you've mentioned, it sounds like you have already been doing that anyway.

But don't let me talk you into it...make sure you research everything thoroughly, and make an informed decision. That way, you're more likely to be successful and happy with your decision. :smile2: Good luck!

[Barbee 1]

One of the reasons I had the best success with Atkins is because you don't have to count... I'm sort of lazy on that score. I hate counting. I can cut down, eat the right foods... but counting and weighing my food... no way.

Right now I eat a big Breakfast of 2 scrambled eggs... ham/bacon/or sausage. I put cheese in the eggs.< /p>

lunch is light since I'm still on hungry. Today I had a hard-boiled egg. (By the way... eating all the eggs I do... my chloresterol is great. My good went up and my bad went down)

Supper tonight is a large dinner plate size salad with cheese, shredded broiled chicken, onion and lettuce of course. I'm out of tomatoes.

for bedtme i eat some cottage or ricotta with a touch of whipped cream.

Not over eating... yet I can't lose. I have to diet to stay the same....LOL.