I would like to ask everyone a question, and I want the honest to goodness truth, really. I want to know if everyone is eating what there suppose to (fat free, caloriewise, mushies, etc...) 3 proper size meals a day, also 2 snacks in between, then now throw in 48 - 60 ounces of water, not to interfere with the meals. I am really, really, really not complaining, honestly. But I seem to be having a little trouble doing a this and juggling life (3 kids, work, hubbie, farm, etc) and fit all this in. It's all about timing. I need to hear from someone who has this down packed. Oh, not to mention excersize and vitamins, protein counting, am I forgeting anything?:faint:

Many people use Fitday.com to track their caloric intake. I work full-time and go to school full-time so the answer to your question for me is no, I don't do all the things you mentioned. I don't get in all the water all the time and I don't get in 2 snacks a lot of the time.

I got my second fill yesterday and am on a soft diet for today and tomorrow (liquids yesterday). I think I FINALLY have restriction for the FIRST time since having the surgery so now I am not over eating on the required amounts of food.

I consider the requirements you listed to be ideal goals and I do try to come as close as possible to meeting them but I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't achieve those goals everyday. As you pointed out, life is busy and modifications are inevitable.

Honestly, I'm proud of myself if I manage to get all my Water in! I know I should, but I'm not counting anything. Some times I'll eat 3 times a day, sometimes I'll eat twice. Sometimes I'll have Snacks... sometimes not.

I tried to get into fitday.com and sparkpeople (supposed to be more 'canadian' friendly), but I just can't. Writing down everything I eat, and figuring all the calories and protien and fat in a dish I make is such a pain in the @ss... and makes me feel like I'm on a diet. If I start having major problems losing (and/or it really bothers me), then I'll consider tracking all that info.

Mandi

I have really tried to approach this as a lifestyle, not a diet. No, I do not get or do all the things you mentioned. I do try to make more healthy choices in foods, whether it is a snack or a meal. Some days I graze, I just try to keep what I am eating healthy. Other days I have to try to remember to eat...just like I did before, only then I ate anything I could get my hands on without regard to whether it was a wise choice or not, I felt like it was an impossibility to ever change. Now I know I can and will change. However, I need to do it to my schedule, or it will all change when I eventually have to go back to "normal". I can only eat a portion of what I did before banding, so I have that to help me along. Knowing I am only going to eat a smaller amount, keeps it in my mind to make them wise choices. The one thing I DO try to make sure of is the water. I try to get in no less than 80 ounces of water/decaf, unsweet iced tea. If I slow down my fluids, I halt my weight loss. So I do push the fluid, and make sure I get my vitamin each day, and also make sure I try to get maximum protein out of a meal.

If I had time to sit down and log each bite as they offer on the websites, I might have time to get all the other things together with this. But I figure I am going to be doing this for the next 30 years or so, so I better make it a plan I can stick to. I likely would see quicker weight loss, but as they say I didn't gain it all overnight, it is going to take me awhile, but I am going to go on enjoying life while I take off the weight. I hope you can make the changes you need to to find the happy medium. It is a personal balancing act, only YOU can feel when the right balance is at hand! Good Luck to you!!!

Kat

If I use fitday.com i do much better but I find its like everything i do - faithfully for a few weeks, maybe months then i quit. I'm always amazed at how the calories add up as i try to stay at 1200 and 1500 is much more in line with what i would grab. It is also easier for me if i eye ball every meal and try to stay within 400 calories AND Snacks are ONLY fresh fruit, cheese stick or yogurt - (but you can see that is 400x3=1200 + the snacks already is over 1200. My worst habit is grazing and not counting the calories, I do fix my plate and try to not eat seconds or go for more and don't drink for at least an hour.

The more vigilant i am the better results I see, the further I get away from monitoring in any way, the weight loss stops or i gain. I get my 2nd fill on tuesday and i'm hoping for more restriction tojump start my weight loss and get some lbs off. So, for me I do have to pay attention to what I eat now and make good choices and watch calories. The more effort I put into that, the more weight I lose however, I refuse to "diet" ever again and try to make this a lifestyle change - eating variety of foods in small portions with occasisional treats. Good luck - It is challenging.

This is good information. When you talk to the experts they tell you what they ultimately want you to do, but the reality is , is that it is difficult to fit it all in. I was kinda beating myself up a little when I wasnt reaching all the goals, and inevitably I beat myself up by eating wrong things so I don't want to do THAT!! If anyone has read some of my posts they probably have figured out that I'm a little impatient and kinda a perfectionist, these are my biggest hurdles. Thanks for helping:)

No, not me. To me this is a lifestyle that I want to maintain for ever and that being so, I eat like an ordinary person. That means my calorie levels are probably all over the place low some days, high others, they vary with my monthly cycle. For periods I eat really well and then might have a few days that are shockers. I have no idea how much Protein I eat and I dont want to count it.

I've lost weight, I still have a headful of hair, so I suppose I"m doing OK.

Well, I'm just a week post op and the thought of the PB's and sliming family and friends is repulsive, I have stuck to it 95%. As for excercise, I can't wait to get back to the gym next week but don't know how I too will be able to juggle it all.

Those days of eating and driving are long gone so preparation is going to be work for a while....it's a lifestyle change we all will get used to and be glad for it.

My story...

I do not eat fat free ANYTHING... ick!!! I eat tons of Protein... but I don't count it. I don't usually have sugar at all. BUT, if I want some, I will. I exercise AT LEAST 5 times a week. I drink AT LEAST 64 oz of Water. I don't count anything and I don't stress about stuff too much.

I am very lucky though, I think, to have lost the amount of weight that I have. You have to find what works for you.

I do all of the above with no problems while working 50-60 hour weeks and taking care of my 2 babies (hubby and DD) I don't believe anyone when they say they don't have "time" to exercise. Because I used to say that when I had no DD and worked 40 hour weeks. I just wake up at 3:30 AM so I can work out!

Good Luck to you!

Hey Cloe....good question.

Yup, you'll have to find whatever works for you. Some want/need to count the calories, fat, Protein etc...others don't and still others are somewhere inbetween.

I don't (& refuse to) treat having the band like a diet. I will never "count" anything (other than my Water or I lose track). During the week, at work, it is relatively easy for me to get all my water in...on the wknds, it is a lot harder (ie. not sitting at my desk drinking water all day). I eat 3 meals a day and snack when I want to (try for no more than 2 Snacks a day). I just make wiser/healthier choices and eat less. The eating less is by willpower right now since I have no restriction. The eating healthier means to me trying to get more protein in (but no counting) and choosing the "healthier" carbs. Have I had some chips? yes. Have I had chocolate? Yes. But I will have a handful of chips as opposed to the whole bag or one aero bar square as opposed to the entire bar...etc etc. I do not intend on depriving myself of anything or this won't work for me in the long run and I feel angry and resentful. Oh, and of course I do exercise. A LOT. Then again, I always have exercised a lot...but it didnt do much (mostly because of the PCOS). So far, everything is working for me and I'm getting the average 1-2 lbs weight loss a week. I hope that it will be "easier" (?) or a higher average of loss once I have restriction (going for the 3rd fill next week...so hopefully the 3rd time is the charm).

Yes, it is hard to juggle....but you just have to make the time...for YOU...ya know? Generally speaking, women make the time for "others" (ie. spouses, children, relatives, work etc) but not themselves...time to change that habit!

I also like to eat good food and enjoy my treadmill workouts, my problem seems to be ME. I am working on ME, but I tend to be hard on myself when I miss 1 workout or eat more than I thought I should. I need to lightnen up on me, give myself a buffer zone. Its nice to no that no-one is doing this perfect. But apparently in my strange mind I must think I should. "but alas this is my journey":)