I attended my lap band support mtg tonight (monthly), big turnout, the nutritionist leads it. Had 4 ladies in there in their pre op diet phase and one having surgery tomorrow I was so excited for her that I was joking around and told her I just may show up at 5:30 am with pom poms to cheer her on, of course we just laughed. I'm almost to my one year bandiversary next month and though things have been slow coming off I'm proud of my weight loss, wish it was more but very proud and never in a million yrs did I ever think I'd be sitting here thinking I'd be down 68 lbs in 11 mos and how great I feel. My nutritionist tonight at the meeting was saying as long as you're getting 4 oz of Protein a day you're doing great. Well, I can eat 3 to 4 oz of protein like a chicken breast for example or a piece of baked Tilapia in one meal. Now you're listening to someone who's losing hair right now and I told her that. She mentioned to me that it could be hormonal, yes I agree, I've had a hysterectomy in '04 but I am on a patch but I guess my hormones could be out of whack at this stage so I don't disagree with her completely there. She also was telling everyone not to count carbs or calories. This goes against everything I've read for over a year being on here from all you veterans and all the books I've read and all the research I've done.

Today's meals and don't judge: Breakfast was a half toasted bagel (I know carbs) and a spoon of Peanut Butter, lunch was out and about-Chick-fil-A, I had 6 pc chicken nugget, apple sauce and choc. milk (drank before meal) and dinner was 3 oz of chicken salad I made with light mayo and 5 low fat crackers. No Snacks today.

confused

Donna

Oh Donna...hey, theres a song like that!

You're doing just fine! 68 lbs in 11 months...CONGRATS!

My opinion is be mindful, but don't stess over carbs/calories/etc. Protein, yes...to some extent. My doc didn't give me a calorie/carb limit....said the band will eventually take care of that, so long as I make good food choices and don't drink calories. He was right!

I have tracked what I'm eating recently, just because I want to, not as any limit. It's interesting to see how my choices in food/exercise add up. The app also tracks carbs/fat, although I rarely even look at that. I tracked carbs when I did atkins years ago....only to gain back all I lost when I quit doing it. A diet I couldn't live forever with. Although it certainly worked while I did it.

I probably average 4-6 oz of solid protein most of the time for at least two meals per day..not so much for "breakfast". I wouldn't get the 80 grams per day recommended by my doc by only eating a total of 4oz.....UNLESS, I drank it. I think theres a disconnect with your NUT somewhere there...

PS....just got back Saturday from visiting the Bluegrass state (Madisonville/Greenville) on a nice vacation. Sure miss that place sometimes...

Hi Donna,

First of all you are doing fantastic!! I also got some conflicting info from two Nuts at my center. I finally had to go to them and tell them they have me confused and I'm going in circles in my head, They got together and told me not to worry about calories or carbs too much. I was getting overly concerned about my low calorie intake because of what I read on here and other places. They told me not to focus on that because as a band patient I would be typically taking in far less then a normal (non band) who is dieting. I was also a former Atkins person so sometimes I was getting hung up on serious carb counting. I still have issues at times with it.

They told me to make sure I am doing portion control, measuring whenever possible and make sure I get minimum 80-100g of Protein a day and stay away from bad foods or trigger foods that will set me in the wrong direction. I do one meal per day (usually breakfast) with a Protein shake. I am usually tight in the morning so that works best for me. Both Nuts have told me they find their patients tend to lose better when they substitute one meal a day with a shake. I have read on here that some people were told by their Nuts that is not good practice. Which I do not understand but as we know everyone has different rules/guidelines to follow.

I would suggest talking to your Nut and explain how you are getting conflicted information and it has your head spinning with confusion. If they're good at what they do and are dedicated to their patients well being then I would expect they would pull together and get you on the path. I would bring them a good sample pool of food journals for them to review.

All the best, Jim

i am with my friend catfish and jim here

i dont count (carbs)..but what i do count is my Protein (i get as much as i can) and eat alot of veggies/fruit and always (always) make sure i burn off more calories than i take in by eating (3500 cals is a pound ate/drank)..my nutritionist advised me to choose fresh foods vs boxed/processed and i have adhered to that and it works.. i eat better foods and i let my band dictate how much (which is about a cup or cup and a half of food)......how i see it, you got to eat to lose weight....make better choices and exercise and drink alot....that is all i do......(plus use my want power attitude). you can do this donna. doing good so far. i just keep (hearing) doubt from you...let the band work and do its job.....and you just make good choices :wub:

I think just like every band patient will tell you something that work that is different from the next, so will every NUT. Bottom line is, we all have to find what works for us.

I like you am almost 1 year post op and feel like I haven't done as well as I'd like. I've gained 3 lbs in the last week due to bad choices, so now is the time to get control again. I do believe what works for some is an ever evolving thing.

I lost fast to begin with and did little exercise. Now I think I must get back into exercise if I am ever to lose anything else.

I'm another protein counter... low-fat yogurt cup for breakfast, and maybe four fish fillets (7 or 8 oz total) for lunch and supper. 450 calories, but those account for 80 to 90 grams of protein. The rest of my 400 calories is from veggies or fruits. I find this works for me, but I will swap a chix breast for fish to vary the meals.

My Dr. and nut are not going to have me on any calorie restriction, they said to eat healthy and the band will take care of the rest. I'm going to school to be a nut and there are "rules" you learn in school, but after that everyone seems to spread off into applying there on beliefs from what they have learned, there not right or wrong there just personal believes that come out of what they have been taught, some people will go by the book though. But you learn about all kinds of different things in school. So you might want to do what jim1967 said and see if your nuts can get together for you. As far as me I'm still going to count calories because I know me and even eating healthy I can over do it calories wise, and I don't want to take a chance and stretch my pouch, and as far as carbs I'm addicted so I can't eat re-fined carbs and I have to measure complex carbs or I'll over do it You'll figure it out. Good luck

~~~Stephanie.

My problem is I was struggling at times to reach 800 calories a day and everything I had been reading and hearing was telling me I was possibly putting my body into starvation mode. At that time I was going through like a month and a half period of the scale just sitting in one place. So I went to see the Nutritionist about it and they set me straight. Come to find out I had gotten away from band portions and was eating too much and eating around my band which is what slowed down my weight loss. I also had a couple of stuck episodes during that period and still I didn't see the signs I was doing it wrong.

Still though it was confusing because I was consuming more than usual but still struggling with low calories counts and not losing. Now my calorie intake is still on the low end but my portions are back on track and the scale is moving with a little more ease.

Like Stephanie says I think its a matter of learning the basics and then finding out what works for you individually. It's too bad it doesn't just work by following basic rules. If it did then none of us would have weight struggles.

I use MFP to count calories and Protein. That's it. I'm not too concerned about carbs, because I try & get all of my protein from real food, not shakes. Given that, most carbs take up too many calories to stay within my 1000 per day, and a minimum of 60 grams of protein.

I agree with many above.... Just participating in these forums, there is SO much conflicting information on pre and post-op diets. Everyone advises differently. I'd say, follow what YOUR doctor/NUT prescribes, and in time, you will find your OWN eating "sweet spot"

i am with my friend catfish and jim here

i dont count (carbs)..but what i do count is my Protein (i get as much as i can) and eat alot of veggies/fruit and always (always) make sure i burn off more calories than i take in by eating (3500 cals is a pound ate/drank)..my nutritionist advised me to choose fresh foods vs boxed/processed and i have adhered to that and it works.. i eat better foods and i let my band dictate how much (which is about a cup or cup and a half of food)......how i see it, you got to eat to lose weight....make better choices and exercise and drink alot....that is all i do......(plus use my want power attitude). you can do this donna. doing good so far. i just keep (hearing) doubt from you...let the band work and do its job.....and you just make good choices :wub:

CG you hit it girl, self doubt in me is so true. I feel like a failure here lately and especially today when I woke up this morning and had gained a half lb that makes 4 lbs in a week and half. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Everytime I say something to my surgeon he supports my nutritionist, they both don't count cals, carbs or Proteins just tell me to eat my protein first then veggies and carbs last. Heck this is his rule: The girl sitting behind me in the meeting last night was having surgery this morning and she was excited that she was going to be able to eat mashed potatoes tonight, yea. His rules don't follow ya'lls. He doesn't do a liquid diet after surgery, he sends you home on mushy or soft foods right off the bat. I didn't do that I did liquids for a week then mushies after reading on here but still. I love him to pieces don't get me wrong. And then I looked at the girl sitting next to me that had lost 134 lbs in a yr and half and was super skinner with no sagging skin and was just having a pity party for myself because I have sagging skin already on my inner thighs and my arms have always been huge and they hang and are heavy. I just started walking a few wks ago and all I can do is about 20 mins or my knee will give out, yes I know sounds like a pity party and may be so but I feel like such a failure.

CG you hit it girl, self doubt in me is so true. I feel like a failure here lately and especially today when I woke up this morning and had gained a half lb that makes 4 lbs in a week and half. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Everytime I say something to my surgeon he supports my nutritionist, they both don't count cals, carbs or Proteins just tell me to eat my Protein first then veggies and carbs last. Heck this is his rule: The girl sitting behind me in the meeting last night was having surgery this morning and she was excited that she was going to be able to eat mashed potatoes tonight, yea. His rules don't follow ya'lls. He doesn't do a liquid diet after surgery, he sends you home on mushy or soft foods right off the bat. I didn't do that I did liquids for a week then mushies after reading on here but still. I love him to pieces don't get me wrong. And then I looked at the girl sitting next to me that had lost 134 lbs in a yr and half and was super skinner with no sagging skin and was just having a pity party for myself because I have sagging skin already on my inner thighs and my arms have always been huge and they hang and are heavy. I just started walking a few wks ago and all I can do is about 20 mins or my knee will give out, yes I know sounds like a pity party and may be so but I feel like such a failure.

i wish i could write more but am at work......but girl child you really gotta stop worrying about what he said vs she said...you gotta find that balance that works for you. you done lost nearly 50 pounds, so obviously something is working.....eat good food in your allotted amounts, drink alot and do whatever exercise you can.....you help the band by letting it work.....you are doing it so stop questioning it.......AND wanna talk your knees. when i started out, i could not stand for 5 minutes. that is correct, i dont think i ever told that out loud as its embarrassing. i was that large......but every day i stood longer and took a few more steps..we gotta start somewhere. i cant be like catfish and bike around paris france in the afternoon and his mad obsession with the KY wild cats but anyhow......point being......so you got some sag....i am pretty dangum sure not as much as yours truly here but it doesnt matter. if you cant or wont believe in yourself......it wont happen........do what works for YOU. that is the only thing that matters.

hey now, don't step on our Ky wildcats, we bleed blue here....hee hee. Thank you for the pep talk. My mom bought me a beautiful boquet of flowers a bit ago with all colorful gerber daisies in it to cheer me up, God love her. Between you all and her being my biggest cheerleaders how can I go wrong! Thank you again.