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Intro and "Thank You"


Rev Me Up!
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Wow - where do I start? First I want to say that I am relieved beyond belief to have found this forum. All of you that had a lapband know how isolated and frustrated you can feel when it is failing. I've been banded for 3.5 years. Initially lost 40 pounds and have gained 20 back. And that's where I sit. It wouldn't bother me so much, except that the band is also uncomfortable -I can't stretch backwards, I can't bend over with pants on, I can't sleep on my side without pillow support. You know what I am talking about...

Finding this forum has been my salvation.

So. I'll move on to the introduction. My name is Lara. Unlike a lot of folks, I have not been overweight all my life. In fact, I was slim most of my life. I am lucky to have a good metabolism. However, I have always been a HUGE eater. My weight didn;t get into unhealthy territory until I got married 10 years ago. It was a bad marriage and I was deeply depressed. I got pregnant and had a daughter. This pushed me into an even deeper depression. At my heaviest, I was 215 pounds. I was also desperate in my life. Bad marriage, lots of debt because of his irresponsible ways, unemployed because I was at home with my daughter. I honestly feel that I got the lap-band in an attempt to take back some control in my life - I needed SOMETHING to make me feel empowered again. I was working again and had to do something positive for myself. You have to understand, I am a strong, vibrant person by nature and I just wanted my old self back.

Then it got interesting...

4 weeks after my lapband surgery, I kicked my husband out. 6 weeks after that, he left the country permanently to avoid paying child support. He abandoned his 3 year old daughter, left me with a house in foreclosure, many 10's of thousands of dollars in debt, etc. I think that all this pressure made it impossible for me to focus on my weight loss. I did lose weight, but I was not all learning how to maintain it over time - I was just getting by emotionally.

Fast forward 3+ years: my life is AWESOME! My daugher is thriving. I have an amazing job where I make great money and work with great people. I have a man in my life who is perfect for me in every way. I love where I live. I turned my finances around and am excited about my future.

But, the weight came back. I am maintaining at 195. I am really tired of the lapband discomfort. I want to get it out, but I am afraid I would baloon up, so I have decided on a VSG revision. I have been lurking here for a while and the stories are truly inspirational. I will be self-pay so I have to wait until October to save the money - but now that I have decided, I can't wait!!!!

To all of you that are brave enough to share your stories: thank you. To all of you that participate here without judgment: thank you.

Looking forward to meeting each and every one of you---

Lara

Current weight: 195

Surgery weight: TBD

First goal: 175 - lowest weight with band

Second goal: 160 - weight before it all got out of control

Third goal: 145 - weigh the same as my partner

Fourth goal: ??? Not sure what the ultimate goal is. I'll have to think about it :-)

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    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

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      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
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      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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