Question for banded men who were over 400lbs

wishiwas · May 6, 2007

Are there any men here who were over 400 lbs before your surgery?

Before your surgery, were you always hungry? What was your highest weight? Are you still hungry now that your banded? How much weight did you have to loose to have the surgery?

My problem is I dont like the taste of most healthy stuff like salads. Lettuce tastes like grass to me. I cant stand that taste. I dont mind healthy cerials or yogurts, but how much how do you make 3 meals a day - 7 days a week out of that!

Right now I am trying to cut back. I was on the fast track to getting banded with Anthem Insurance, when my company switched to Cigna (yuck!) I lost all my efforts and now I need to start at ground zero again, including the pre-op weight loss!

I would like to chat about what you ate before and what you eat now etc. On or off this forum works for me.

wishiwas@juno.com is my e-mail address.

losingjusme · May 6, 2007

are you willing to talk w/ women too or just men?

wishiwas · May 6, 2007

Sure. I guess I only said men because of the types mens habits / hygene, but I would welcome your responce to my questions

losingjusme · May 6, 2007

Are there any men here who were over 400 lbs before your surgery?
Before your surgery, were you always hungry? What was your highest weight? Are you still hungry now that your banded? How much weight did you have to loose to have the surgery?

My problem is I dont like the taste of most healthy stuff like salads. Lettuce tastes like grass to me. I cant stand that taste. I dont mind healthy cerials or yogurts, but how much how do you make 3 meals a day - 7 days a week out of that!

Right now I am trying to cut back. I was on the fast track to getting banded with Anthem Insurance, when my company switched to Cigna (yuck!) I lost all my efforts and now I need to start at ground zero again, including the pre-op weight loss!

I would like to chat about what you ate before and what you eat now etc. On or off this forum works for me.

wishiwas@juno.com is my e-mail address.

i was ALWAYS hungry ... or at least i thought i was. i am pretty convinced most was 'head hunger' though... :phanvan

my highest weight was in the low 420s. that was several months before banding though. my weight for my consultation was 402.5

i am rarely hungry now that i am banded. a lot of times it is the 'head hunger', i smell something good from an office-mate and then am suddenly "hungry." a lot of times i have to remind myself to eat.

my surgeon did not say i had to lose "X" amount of pounds, he just wanted me on his pre-op diet to shrink my fatty liver.

i actually cannot eat lettuce with the band. one thing to keep in mind though after being banded your tastes do change. some things i loved pre-banding, are just not good to me any more....

my typical meal plan:

b - cherry vanilla granola with skim milk. it satisfys my sweet craving. it is about 500 cals which is high for Breakfast but i work out in the mornings and usually burn at least 600 cals.

snack - either Oh Yeah Protein bar (these are awesome!!), wasabi/soy sauce almonds or something small

l - usually a healthy choice meal. i usually eat 1/2 - 2/3 of it

snack - see above snack

d - whatever my family is having. chicken breast, healthy choice smoked sausage, fish, burgers, you name it.

Protein first then veggies then carbs if you have room

sorry to hear about your insurance .. that stinks.

good luck and if you need anything else, let me know.

apralfool · May 9, 2007

Sorry to hear about the insurance issue....My weight as of 1/1/07 was 476---when I started my pre-surgery testing I was down to 459 and by my surgery date I was at 445. I can honestly say that I was not hungry all the time. I was one of those people that ate one time a day and when I ate, I ate! Like the reply above, the trick is eating at least 5-6 times a day--you will be amazed at how much you will lose even before the surgery. I have to agree that with her also that I too suffer from "head" hunger, but drinking Water usually resolves this for me. I usually have a pack of instant oatmeal and 2 link sausages for breakfast; lunch is then a salad with sliced deli meat; and dinner is some form of Protein and veggies....Tacos have become my friend because it is a "all in one" solution. Also drinking all the water that you can stand or even Crystal Light will help you lose the water weight. I have lost 25lbs post surgery(3/29/07)....Trust me--you can do it! At my weight, i know that I have a long way to go, but I plan on celebrating many small victories!

Chris_NJ · May 9, 2007

I wasn't over 400 but close to it. I was 389 less then 2 weeks ago and getting banded today at 371. If there is anything I can help with just pm me if you want .

jackal1209 · May 9, 2007

430 and always hungry, eating. I look back now and realize it was mostly head hunger, or habit. I would eat even when not hungry.

The band was a god send for me, but just as big a part as that was the after care, and counseling that was included in my deal. My doc was super.

2 years 2 months post op.

Starting weight of 430.

210 now, and at goal.

Life is good.!!!

jbtullis · May 9, 2007

I was at exactly 400 when I went in for my consult. down to 350 two months post band. I remember eating pre band was pretty much anything I wanted and a lot of it.

I have noticed that post band my tastes trastically changed. I used to love the food at this one chineese place and went there recently. Everyone else I was with still enjoyed it but it tasted awful to me. Just as well as I didn't need to each too much of it.

I did not have a pre-band diet to follow. My Dr. just started requiring them after getting patients opened up and having to close and send them out b/c he couldn't get around the liver.

I would concentrate not so much on switching to "Healthy foods" as I would on focusing on cutting the amount of food way down and go for 4 to 5 meals a day. Once you are comfortable with the smaller amount then try to change some of the types of food. But go slow and just pick a low fat version instead of no fat. No fat foods just make you hungrier, or they did for me anyway.