I was banded November 2nd, and have had no fills yet. I lost 17 lbs post up, but as soon as I started my mushie stage I stopped loosing weight! I've been on mushies for two weeks now, and I'm hardly eating. It makes me sad seeing that the scale hasn't moved at all.

I eat 1/2 cup to 1 cup of food for lunch and dinner, and Breakfast is usually just my Protein drink. I haven't been exercising yet, was told I couldn't start until 6 weeks post-op. Am I eating to much? Is this normal? I was starting to think I wouldn't need a fill because I only felt hungry about 20 minutes before I was due to eat (so a meal would last 3-4 hours.) Now I'm not sure since I haven't lost any weight. A normal day is my Protein Drink for breakfast (on the weekends it's one egg scrambled and about 1 tablespoon of cottage cheese), egg salad (or tuna sald) for lunch, and mashed potatoes with some Beans for dinner. I don't eat between meals and I don't drink until an hour after I've eaten.

Being discouraged so soon is not a good feeling!

Other questions I had: I will be 4 weeks post-op tomorrow, and it's a bit unclear on how to progress my diet. What are some things I can add? Also, is caffeine 100% a no?! I know soda is a no-no because of the carbonation, but I was SO tired at work today and was dying for a small cup of coffee or Cappuccino. Just for a little bit of energy to survive the day. Has anyone had coffee from time to time?

You are completely normal. You are eating some semi solids now and your body is absorbing it. the first 4 weeks is not about weight loss, it is about healing. you are swollen inside and it takes awhile for that to go down, that is why they want you on liquids, then mushies for so long to allow healing. i drink coffee everyday. i did wait until about 4 weeks postop before i had some coffee. i do drink pop from time to time, i work the weekends so i am pooped.

i ate alot of creamy soups during my mushy stage, cottage cheese, mashed potato soup. go to www.lapband.com and there are a ton of recipes on there for all stages.

and 17 lbs in 3 weeks is awesome.

I thing that most of us post op have been through what you are going through right now. I know that I personally lost 28 pounds during the liver shrinking diet and 15 more during the liquid stage post op. When I moved to the mushy stage everything seemed to stop. I hit a plateau that lasted for 8 weeks. talk about going crazy. Recently I got my second fill and I have stepped up the workouts and now things are moving again. Congrats on your weight loss and Good Luck to you.

I lost 8 pounds during the pre-op diet, then 4 pounds the first week post-op. And that was it for about 3 months. Your body has been through a lot. You've been through surgery, and are coming off a crash diet. It's frustrating to eat so few calories and not lose, isn't it?

My losses went in fits and starts. I'd hold steady for a few weeks, then drop a bunch, then gain, then steady, then lose 1, then steady, then get a fill and lose a bunch. So it went for 70 pounds. It was annoying and frustrating, but then all of a sudden, there I was at a normal BMI!

It is a journey, not a sprint. You are doing great!

As to week 4 diet. By then I was allowed to be adding all foods as tolerated. Just to go easy. Each doctor is different though.

Oh good Lord, I never stopped drinking coffee! I drink 2 cups of coffee every day...I seriously wouldn't be able to function without it. Haha. Caffeine is fine in moderation. I did cut back a little bit. But as long as you don't over do it go ahead and get your caffeine fix!

I cut out caffeine during the pre op diet and while I was on liquids post op. The day I started mushies, I returned to having my coffee. I only have two cups per day and I have extra water to compensate for any diuretic effect caused by the caffeine

I would try cutting out the mashed potatoes they are a lot of carbs I know they put them on the list of mushies but they really are just carbs. Refried beans are a good source of protein but then again they are high in carbs also. I think you need to eat something high in protein at night so your body will keep burning all night. Try cutting out the mash and see what happens.

I think you are doing well. Slow and steady.

The mashed potatoes that I eat are less than 6 grams of carbs, and they have 2 grams of Protein, which doesn't seem like much but when you are aiming for that 70 grams of protein it helps haha. There isn't much more I can eat for dinner. I will give it a shot though.

I would try cutting out the mashed potatoes they are a lot of carbs I know they put them on the list of mushies but they really are just carbs. Refried Beans are a good source of protein but then again they are high in carbs also. I think you need to eat something high in protein at night so your body will keep burning all night. Try cutting out the mash and see what happens.

I love this site! Thank's guys, I do feel a little bit better! I'm starting to feel like myself again for the first time since surgery and I didn't want the fact that the scale stopped moving to change that.

I'M SO EXCITED to hear that I coffee isn't out of my life! I don't drink it all that often but there are certainly them days that you just need a coffee! I heard a lot about starbucks tall skinny Carmel something or other. I will have to try that!