I really want some motivation, or some "experience" because I have none...can anyone share with me your success stories, the things you did like sneak a bite of a burger and what happened and how I can avoid it, tips, suggestions, or advice...I really want to be inspired and I want to be prepared. I've waited three years to get on the right insurance and supervised diets and now suddenly my surgeon says okay - diet this way for two weeks and then we shall operate on you - it was such a shock! Can anyone help me out, here?

I had surgery may 25, 2010 and weighed 262. I now weigh 149. All I can say is really follow the rules. No carbonation, no drinking 30 minutes before, during or after meals. Get in all your protein, keep your meals at a cup even if you need a fill and feel like you could eat more. Stay away from as many carbs as possible. I have almost completely done away with white bread, potatoes, rice, etc. And exercise. And always follow up with your doctor. Good luck!

This is a step by step program. Every time you get a fill, it is a step closer to where you no longer crave foods to extremes. My doc's P. A. said that if your hungry every couple of hours,,, it's time for a fill.

I have had a fill last e 6 hrs. and not hungry at all. But to get to that point it is fill after fill. So be patient, and do what your Doc tells you. You don't want to chomp into a burger, and be stuck.

That is know fun.

Good Luck to you, and your research.

Shirley.

Stay focused and remember no matter how hard it gets you have a goal at the end to be HEALTHY AND THIN a whole NEW YOU!!! This is a tool!!! Choose to tell your friends and close family and lean on them for support, you will need them!!! Use this board and other weight loss boards for support also!!! Use a food tracker and monitor everything that goes in your mouth when you eat regular food!!! Hope your doctor makes you follow a liquid diet at least two weeks prior to your surgery and stick to it!!! It is soooo worth it!!!! Make sure you follow post op diet your doctor gives you, if you need help with ideas this site is a great resource! I am new at this but have used this site for lots of help all ready!!!

It can be done!!

My only advice is to test the waters and play around with calories and your exercise to find what works for you. Some people will say do low carb, some will say just track your calories; both work but it's up to you to find which method works better for you. For the first 6-7 months I did low carb, low calorie, and exercised. I lost flawlessly. I followed my post-op directions to a T and rarely cheated. I started off exercising since day 1 and today I exercise 2 hours a day, by choice, because I love the results. I also kept myself on schedule to ensure that I was eating enough and exercising each day. Be sure to buy a digital scale and measure your food; track everything you eat. Focus on high Protein as well.

Find what works for you; I truly believe that is what has made me and others successful. Don't try to mimic someone else's diet here as we all have different caloric and macronutrient needs. Good luck!!

I have 2 pieces of advice, excersise as soon as your doc. clears you. It works wonders for weight loss. As far as diet, I eat high protien- lean sorces like chicken breast and fish. I eat lots of non-starchy veggies. When I was loosing I ate very low carb- no bread, pasta, potatoes et.. at all. Now I eat them in moderation. I lost 107 pounds in about 10 months. Hope this helps!

I don't know how inspiring I might be, but here goes:

I'm a guy, and I know my methods won't necessarily work for women. But I'm well over halfway to my goal weight, just about four months after surgery, and I'm extremely pleased. I've worked my band to figure out how it interacts with my system to give me the best results. I've learned that (FOR ME) a modified sort of South Beach Diet eating plan (high Protein, low glycemic carbs, with good fat, minimal bad fat and sugars) works well. I avoid creamy sauces or gravy, deep fried foods, and sugary things like Desserts. I drink Water all day, and exercise vigorously at a gym for about an hour four or five days a week. Whenever possible, I take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. I park in the far end of the parking lot and walk. Things add up, and the weight consistently goes away. It works great, for me.

Having said all that, here's the disclaimer: I'm also learning how to live with my band AND function in MY "real world." I don't measure anything I eat, but I keep portions reasonable (band-sized), and I stop eating when I feel full - I don't force it, even if there's only one bite left. I DO drink liquids (mainly water, iced tea, or Crystal Light) with all my meals. I drink a few cups of coffee every day. If I feel like ordering a burger, I do it. I discard the bun, use a fork, and enjoy some (or all) of the rest of it, within reason. If I want to eat a few French Fries with that burger, I do that, too. I don't do it a LOT, but once in awhile is not a big deal for me. If I'm at a party and someone offers me a piece of birthday cake, I'll eat a few bites. I won't scarf down that huge corner piece slathered with all that thick, sticky, gooey buttercream icing, but I'll have a few bites - enough to share in the event with the other partygoers, and to satisfy my tastebuds of having a bite of birthday cake. (To be honest, I find after a bite or two my sugar meter goes into overdrive, and I get nauseated - so I stop eating it. The pleasure is gone by then.)

it's all about moderation, and working within limits of what the band allows. I know if I carb-load on a given day, I'm not going to lose weight. And if I expect it, I'm not disappointed when I'm right. A few days of reduced carbs, more protein, and a bit of extra working out, and the scale starts moving down again. It's all about balance.

It's also all about what works for ME (and that's true for everyone.) I'm the one living inside my body, and it's up to me to make the most of it. I don't feel deprived, I don't feel like I'm disappointing my family or friends, and I don't feel like a spectator in my own life. And for the first time in many years, I do feel energized, interested, and that I'm actively LIVING my life. And THAT is the kind of inspiration I can live with.

Good luck wth your journey!

Dave

My story is simple and I call it the no bullshit approach. I wanted to give up dieting forever and I just have no patience with diet regimes that have rules and you cant eat this, but you can eat that, you must count this, but you can eat all you want of that, pah. Its no way to live.

So, three small meals a day, from all food groups, basically whatever I wanted to eat that was healthy, a good hour's run most days and a bit of strength training. I have lost 120lb, although it was slower than for those who choose a "diet". Every now and then, I might eat something unhealthy, and I too would partake moderately at special occasions, I rarely say no to one glass of wine for example, but its not an at home everyday thing. I wouldnt pass up birthday cake either.

I think it paid off though, I maintained it easily for 3 years as there was no "diet" to go "off". I was unfilled almost six months ago now for another surgery and have maintained my loss since then with the ability to eat absolutely normally - because i have learned good habits that allow me to exist in my normal world, not a strict set of rules that I cannot deviate from no matter the outside circumstances. I still exercise very vigorously almost every day.

to me, you just have to cut the crap, cut the excuses, forget the promises of miracle cures, dig deep and DO it. Its that simple. Its not about Protein this or carbs that, its about growing up, stop stuffing your face and start moving. I mean, you can go to the movies and sure, you can have popcorn, but you have to accept that if you do that as well as the Starbucks coffees and the drive through breakfasts or whatever else your vices are, then you'll continue to have a weight problem.

I consider myself to be a success story and although I've worked hard, losing the weight wasn't all that painful. I agree that you just have to do what works for you and figure out using trial, error and research. For me, tracking my food intake would have been extremely painful so I didn't even consider it. I don't eat rice, bread or pasta--that's kind of been my thing. I exercise like a madwoman--that's been my other thing. I DO drink alcohol, eat dessert when I'm out, eat popcorn and candy at the movies, use whatever dressing and sauces appeal to me and have a large skim latte every morning.

Be sure to read up on Bandster hell and don't get all worked up about it. That's my biggest piece of advice. I would also not cheat during your pre-op diet and while you're recovering. There's plenty of time for treats. Those terrible days of broth and Jello are such a distant memory. It feels like it was someone else.

Good luck! Be patient, be strong and this will be the best decision you've ever made.

Check out my blog. everyone says i am an inspiration. I have lost 77.2 lbs and was banded on 12/6/10...

1. After surgery have a heating pad, helps with the pain

2. Pick one Protein shake you like and buy that. I bough them all, they are all nasty, don't bother trying every brand . Also the premixed ones taste much better. Also don't focus on liquids that aren't protein. Just get your protein in FIRST. If you still want other liquids or whatever.. do it after.

3. Gummy Vitamins taste good! The chalky ones are nasty.

4. You will be able to eat real food. Haha I had this impression i was gonna eat nothing forever but a 1/4 cup of tuna. That's simply not true. I eat fairly normally. i just eat LESS. The most important part is staying at 1000-1200 calories. Not what you eat.

5. Not everyone gets stuck. I haven't been stuck once. I don't chew my food till it's liquid.

6. Buy baby utensils, makes eating smaller bites easier at home. It also makes your small meals more satisfying when you take a little longer to eat it. Also for the first month or so I put my meals in ramekins so it doesn't look lost on a big plate. Even now, my main dinner plate is a salad plate, and most food I just put in a paper bowl.

7. My main rule for myself is "is this worth the calories" a lot of times it isn't. So then I don't want it anymore. Do I want a 400 calorie cupcake? No, because thats as many calories my entire dinner. Then I seem to lose my appetite for it.

8. Remember this is your lifestyle.. this isn't a quick fix. YES this is a diet though. A lot of people think oh I can go back to eating how I was before and the band will stop me when I should be full. That isn't the case, and it is possible to grossly overeat with a band. The band controls your hunger, it's main job isn't to control how much you eat, that is your job.

9. 90% of this battle is mental, work on yourself, and finding the reasons why you eat.

10. Don't worry so much! it's not as hard as it sounds, it's just a lot to remember at first. But ultimately my life is normal.. I just eat like a skinny person, and don't drink when I'm eating haha.

You can read my blog if you want to see my thoughts, I've had it since i started my pre-op diet.

I had surgery may 25, 2010 and weighed 262. I now weigh 149. All I can say is really follow the rules. No carbonation, no drinking 30 minutes before, during or after meals. Get in all your Protein, keep your meals at a cup even if you need a fill and feel like you could eat more. Stay away from as many carbs as possible. I have almost completely done away with white bread, potatoes, rice, etc. And exercise. And always follow up with your doctor. Good luck!

Wow....have you really lost that much weight in less than a year! inspiring.

Then I read further down in this post and see more great weight loss stories. That is what I needed to hear. I know it CAN be done....thanks everyone

My story is simple and I call it the no bullshit approach. I wanted to give up dieting forever and I just have no patience with diet regimes that have rules and you cant eat this, but you can eat that, you must count this, but you can eat all you want of that, pah. Its no way to live.

So, three small meals a day, from all food groups, basically whatever I wanted to eat that was healthy, a good hour's run most days and a bit of strength training. I have lost 120lb, although it was slower than for those who choose a "diet". Every now and then, I might eat something unhealthy, and I too would partake moderately at special occasions, I rarely say no to one glass of wine for example, but its not an at home everyday thing. I wouldnt pass up birthday cake either.

I think it paid off though, I maintained it easily for 3 years as there was no "diet" to go "off". I was unfilled almost six months ago now for another surgery and have maintained my loss since then with the ability to eat absolutely normally - because i have learned good habits that allow me to exist in my normal world, not a strict set of rules that I cannot deviate from no matter the outside circumstances. I still exercise very vigorously almost every day.

to me, you just have to cut the crap, cut the excuses, forget the promises of miracle cures, dig deep and DO it. Its that simple. Its not about Protein this or carbs that, its about growing up, stop stuffing your face and start moving. I mean, you can go to the movies and sure, you can have popcorn, but you have to accept that if you do that as well as the Starbucks coffees and the drive through breakfasts or whatever else your vices are, then you'll continue to have a weight problem.

Amen....thanks for the kick in the butt...I needed that.

Wow....have you really lost that much weight in less than a year! inspiring.

Then I read further down in this post and see more great weight loss stories. That is what I needed to hear. I know it CAN be done....thanks everyone

Yes, thank you very much! I can hardly believe it myself. Now just to learn to keep it off.

Good luck to you! You can do it!

Here are my best tips:

* Be patient with yourself until you have good restriction. Try to focus on healthy food and exercise rather than the scale during "bandster hell". It can be a frustrating time, but it doesn't last.

* Once you're on regular foods, Snacks are my secret weapon. I make sure to always eat a small healthy snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon. That way I don't get too hungry and go crazy at meal times. A few almonds, some yogurt, string cheese, a piece of fruit, whatever. It helps more than anything else, because when I let myself get too hungry my judgment becomes impaired. Suddenly I'm "starving" and all I want is fast food.

* I can't get solid food down in the morning, so I drink a Protein shake for Breakfast every day. I really like "Pure Protein" chocolate shakes from Trader Joe's (or other health food stores or online). They have 35 grams of protein and are pretty decent tasting in my opinion.

* Fast food is my enemy. No matter what, I try to avoid it like death. Anything I make at home (no matter how unhealthy) is better than fast food. Fast food makes me gain weight, always.

* Exercise helps me immensely with mood and motivation, in addition to just being all around wonderful for you. Strength training, especially, is great because muscle tissue burns more calories (all day long, even while you're sleeping) than regular tissue. Even if it's just sit-ups and wall push-ups at home, and walking around the block, exercise is terrific.

* If you make a wrong turn, don't despair. Every day (every hour!) is a new chance to get up, brush yourself off, and get back on track. Perfectionistic, all-or-nothing thinking has been a liability for me. I will always make missteps. I just try to focus on getting back to the basics that work for me. Small healthy meals, small healthy snacks, lots of protein, lots of Water, go to the gym. Plenty of sleep, etc. Taking good care of myself is a new thing for me and it takes some practice to get consistently good at it.

The reason I consider myself inspiring is that I have had a pretty hard time sticking to anything remotely considered a "diet." I try to eat healthy stuff, but I screw up all the time. I eat sweets. Fast food is my kryptonite. I don't get to the gym as often as I'd like. And yet I'm making slow, steady progress. I know for a fact that I never ever would have lost nearly 50 pounds without the band. I'm 4 pounds away from "onederland." My husband calls me "Skinny Bones Jones." I even feel a distinct improvement in my overall mood (I've suffered from debilitating depression my whole life).

And the better things get, the more motivated I feel. I eat better because I don't need to "fix" crushing depression with food. I can get around better so I'm happier doing active things. It's like an upward spiral -- the better things get, the more I do to make them even better. I'm in this for the long haul. It's a good life.

Best of luck to you.