I am including today's entry on my OH profile, so that you can know why I ask. Basically, for those of you who have ever binged since being banded, how much damage did you do?

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I forced myself to update my profile today, because I need to be held accountable for my recent bad band behavior!

First, I'll share my good and exciting news. This week two other American Expats here in Saudicame to visit me, from another region, so that they could go to the hospital and surgeon that I went to and have the band placed. I am so happy for them. I pray that we are all successful losers!. It's nice to have a semi-local support system.

My family usualy has pancakes once a week for Breakfast, but since we had guest this week we made them several times. I normally have 3-4oz of srambled eggs and one pancake (as opposed to 4 eggs and 4 pancakes preband). One day this week I went over board. i ate my pancake, half of one of the newly banded woman's son's pancake and half of my daughters pancake. I had pancakes three times this week. i also brought back the evil Peanut Butter in my house this week for all the extra kids that were here. well I fell victim to it's calling again. as soon as this jar is finished it will be banned again from my house, insha'Allah.

Today, I had an all out binge! I'm not sure if I need a fill (never had one really don't want one) or if I was just testing my band. I don't exactly regret it, because I always say I want to eat normal which means that if I have a day of bad food choices it's ok as long as i get back on track. I started the day fine with a cup of Cream of Wheat for breakfast. Later my daughter brought some dates and cream cheese to me and asked me to fill the dates with the cream cheese for her. I ate one. I think that set off my binge, cuz later I had some organic Cookies that my guest left and my kids found. Then I had to go to the store to buy milk and salad...healthful stuff. Since banded, I prefer to send my dh to the store because the store is hazardous to my band! I saw oreos and bought them, a snickers, and a fruit and nut chocholate bar. I honestly don't know what came over me. I also ate 2 bags of chips. I don't even buy this junk for my kids anymore. Instead of chips they have mixed nuts or popcorn for Snacks.

Another reason I just didn't care today is because when I got on the scale today for my weekly weigh in, it was the first time in my 12 weeks of banded life that I had not lost a pound. In the past on diets, this is the very thing that set me off on a binge or a downward slope. I am grateful that I didn't gain because have not exercised at all this week either. Tommorrow is a new day and I will rediticate myself to healthful eating and exercising insha'Allah.

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Pre-op 277

1 week 260 -17#

2 week 253 -7#

3 week 250 -3#

4 week 241 -9#

5 week 240 -1#

6 week 238 -2#

7 week 235 -3#

8 week 231 -4#

9 week 230 -1#

10 week 218 -12#

11 week 216 -2#

12 week 216 -0#

I think it is much harder to gain weight now with a binge than before. I went on a cruise in the beginning of May and instead of gaining the usual 5-7 lbs that I would have normally gained I stayed exactly the same. While I didn't lose I was very pleased with my results b/c I ate lots of bad foods and drank the entire time I was there. I think the band curbs a lot of our binges and if anything you will just stay the same instead of lose. By the way you have done great so far on your weight loss!! Tomorrow is a new day so just keep your chin up and start fresh tomorrow!! Best of luck!

~Liz~

banded 03/10/06

Dr.Ortiz

241/197/150

5'7''

Think of all the weight you have lost and don't focus on the one week you didn't lose. Your accumulative action over weeks is what counts. When I have extra people around I get stressed out and tend to over eat/graze. I don't know if this is the case with you. Actually I had a bad day today, myself. It was an especially stressful day and I took in probably about 500+ extra calories, I'm sure. I'm going to give myself the same advise i'm giving you. We all know what to do, it's just hard to do sometimes.

I've done a lot more of this sort of stuff lately, I do need another fill. I also think I need to put myself on a "program" to refocus a bit. In fact I had pancakes myself this morning, and I had two reasonably big ones. I suddenly feel almost entirely unrestricted.

But I've not been able to eat enough to actually gain, and I manage to hold it together and continue losing but very very slowly.

Thanks everyone!

Jack! Not you!!! Say it isn't so...

I decided to detox myself today and do spome kind of liquid fast. So far it's working great! All that crap (juck food) is being flushed (literally) away.

Haven't binged, not a binger - but a single binge is not going to do much to you . Any weight gain is likely from the break in ketosis, and should come off as soon as your ketosis is - reinstated.

Tomorrow is always another opportunity. So is right now. (Meaning - the "tomorrow" syndrome kills plans, the "right now" doesn't).