I get up at 5:00am I am at curves buy 6:15 before I go I have a bannana, around 10:00am I have some hommus with zuchinni and mushrooms, at about 3:00pm I have a chicken salad or shrimp salad and a piece of bread (65 cal) I do have a jello pudding for a snack (60cal) and light whippo, and sometimes I sneak in a jellow with whippo the jiggly kind (5cal) I also sometime during the day for a snack will grab a piece of ham or a beef slice. I have not been lossing say for good month and a half but have in inches, and my clothes are definetly bagger, I actually down another pant size, but I am wondering if i am getting enough protien, what is everyone esle doing? Also I know we are suppose to only eat 3 times a day, but I need those snacks, is that ok you think? its a long day for me!

Are you keeping track of your food intake. You might not be losing because you aren't getting enough calories. I've been sticking to a 1000-1200 calorie diet with a 40-60g Protein intake. I'm keeping track of my caloric intake using www.thedailyplate.com So far I have lost 16 pounds and have been walking. I've also made sure that I'm drinking 64oz. of Water or more a day. I'll give you an idea of what I ate today.

Breakfast:

snack pack of 2% cottage cheese

Lunch:

3oz. of white albacore tuna with light mayonaise

Dinner:

Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup with 2% shredded cheese

snacks:

Jello pudding

Decaf coffee and half and half

Wow Luna, is that 1000-1200 calories? It doesn't seem like it but I haven't calculated it out either. You were banded the day after me (and we are almost the same height and weight, what a coincidence!). I'm trying to do 1000-1200 calories a day too (I'm assuming when I have more restriction I might not be able to do that) but so far I have only been averaging about 900 calories a day. I am using The Daily Plate and I like it a lot. I tried using the Realize Band site but their food diary isn't nearly as user friendly nor is their database of foods very good. Anyway, here is what I ate today:

Breakfast:

1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese topped with a

snack pack of sugar-free peaches

Lunch:

Cream of Celery soup made with fat-free milk

and I tossed in about 1/4 cup of chopped up leftover green Beans

Dinner:

5 oz. salmon filet

Green Giant Brocolli & Cheese "serving for one"

Snack:

Single-serving pack of sugar-free pudding topped with fat free Cool Whip

Lord I can't tolerate Breakfast....and the few days I actually want to eat first thing in the morning, I am hungrier all day!

I usually eat lunch and dinner and do a horrible dance between justifying calories in small portioned food (ohhh like cupcakes) because otherwise with the cup of soup and wheat roll (even with a pat of promise margarine) I'm only at 400 calories for the day!

Then I usually go way over :thumbup:

But that's my issue.

lulu, I have been stepping up my Yoga and have noticed a huge increase in my appetite accordingly. Your body wants the food, and it's not gaining fat but sounds like your gaining muscle! People asked me last week if I lost weight, and even my one suit jacket with the "tight" button was looser - evidence that I'm putting on muscle which is AWESOME!!! It means I'm burning calories all day long without trying.

Keep up your routine as long as you are not gaining and you are seeing an improvement in your shape. If you continue to stall and you're not dropping sizes or pounds, you might have calorie creep somewhere in your regimen.

Wow your calorie intake does not seem much more than mine, and looks like I have more food, I figured your to be around 800 for the day give or take a few calories since I don't know what type of pudding you had or how much soup, but maybe I should up it a bit, god seems to me I am still fixed on the calories!

Hey Kate, thanks, its hard when you don't see the pounds move , I'm so geared to the scale , like its a god (evil god) lol ! I had hoped I would lose 8 pounds a month but..... nothing this month at all, although I did drop 3 but it came back ahhhh! I'm thinking maybe with the walking and exercise I need more calories, I don't know! lol I mean is this band not about eating less? I hear people say you eat to little you go into starvation mode, but.........if you are full and satisfied you are to stop, I mean at some point the starvation mode has to stop no? anyway I don't know, now Iam just blabbering.

I'm not calorie set. I'm in soft stage food for next 3wks. But here's my allowances:

2oz (1/4cup) each meal, no snacks between. 48-64ozs of water daily. At least 60gms protein daily. That keeps my snacking hunger away. Right now for brkfst, I'm eating 1oz FF cott cheese with Thai chili tuna (yummy until my DH says it's just like hot sardines...EWEE!)

For lunch it will be 1/4 cup of tuna casserole I made the other day.

I was 239 on band day (5/7) and today I'm down to 217.

Hey Kate, thanks, its hard when you don't see the pounds move , I'm so geared to the scale , like its a god (evil god) lol ! I had hoped I would lose 8 pounds a month but..... nothing this month at all, although I did drop 3 but it came back ahhhh! I'm thinking maybe with the walking and exercise I need more calories, I don't know! lol I mean is this band not about eating less? I hear people say you eat to little you go into starvation mode, but.........if you are full and satisfied you are to stop, I mean at some point the starvation mode has to stop no? anyway I don't know, now Iam just blabbering.

Well there are certain constants in the world, like death, taxes, and the "math" of calorie consumption and food.

You might want to calculate exactly what your body needs to survive. The more extra weight you have on you, the more calories your body will beg borrow or steal to keep your extra skin, extra veins, extra-hardworking heart functioning. It's just a given - if you have a bigger body, it needs more just to survive. I need 1600 calories to maintain, according to some calculator I found online. If I eat 1200 calories, and exercise and burn off 300, I have a net of 900 calories. And in essence I'm depriving my body of 700 calories a day of energy it has to look at my fat a$$ for :thumbup: (And it HAS indeed been going to my butt for extra stores...thank GOD) If I do that for one week, 700 calories X 7 days = 4900 calories - I've just lost a pound and a half.

But the caveat is, when you exercise, you WILL stimulate your body to wake up and do more, so your hunger will probably get a little more noticeable, just feed it good stuff. The weight will come off. The numbers will owe you if you're tracking what you're eating.

Your body is designed NOT to lose weight. Every time you hit a plateau, it's your body getting used to the routine you put it in. It's amazing, really. That's why they say you need to switch up your exercise and your eating when you hit a rut. If you're walking the same road, the same pace, the same amount of time each week, and you eat the same foods, your body WILL catch on and be like "A HA! Now I get it. We're not losing our precious body weight...I understand now." If you do a new exercise that works different muscle groups, like Yoga, or Pilates, or a dance exercise video, your body's all confused and will drop weight because it's not used to what you're doing.

It sure seems like every surgeon requires different post-op food. My surgery was on the 13th and I'm still on "foods that you can mush naturally w/fork" -- no meats or veggies yet. I'm on 1200 calories a day w/70 grams of protein and feel great, not hungry.

Breakfast: 1 egg, 2 egg whites, 1/4 c. veggie shreds

Lunch: 1/2 c. beans, tofu (I usually cook it as chili w/some veggie broth, saute a little onion, garlic and spices --easy to take to work) with 1/4 c veggie shreds

Dinner: varies, last night I had 2T peanut butter w/6 saltines and one avocado.

Drink lots of water inbetween.

Hey Kate thanks, what you said made sense, forsure I am not getting enough calories, and not the right ones, (right now I am at 219 from 261) I went pack on my nutriton tracker, and found I was barely getting my protien in maybe 20 - 30 a day if that, so today Im switching things up, I am going to shoot for at least 60 protien a day and up my calorie intake, and forsure I am in a routine, thanks everyone for your daily menus, it was very helpful as I seemed to have forgot how to eat right (starving myself) I am back on track today! Now I am at myself for wasting time!! arrggg!

Breakfast: 1/4 stone ground oatmeal sweetened with 1 splenda and flaxseed meal mixed in

OR

Isopure Protein shake with 1 c. ff milk, 1 tsp. natural pb

OR

Protein Bar

(any of these choices are just under 200 cal)

Lunch: Lean Cusine-the ones with 2x veggies and if they come with rice, I don't eat it, I'll substitute a piece of fruit instead

OR

6 sushi innards like the crab mix and avacado

(approx.300-350 cal.)

Dinner: salads with turkey or chicken

OR

chicken with black Beans and a extra small salad

OR

if we go out to eat, I order whatever and eat 1/4 of it

(400-500 cal)

Snacks and or dessert:choice of: string cheese, fruit, pita chips and hummus, and last but not least- I am obsessed with frozen yogurt.

(60-150 cal)

Somehow it's in the 1000-1200 range. These are examples that I revolve around. I try not to go crazy and just listen to my body. If I notice I gain, I cut back the next day- but it may be Water weight. I try to eat Fiber foods like broccoli, rasberries and avacados with my choices. I never drink liquid cals like juice, I drink lots of water and tea and wine is on the weekend and limited. I need Tony Robbins to give me a pep talk to excercise, but once I'm doing it- I wonder why I didn't do it more often. My goal is to excerise more.

I am new to this, but I am almost 2 wks out from Surgery. (05.20.08). I am on soft foods. But the 1cup moderation is not cutting it right now. I have 75grams of Protein. I really can not wait to have a fill. Hopefully this will help.

Typical Daily Meal:

Protein shake - Meal Replacement - 50g blended w/banana and Skim Milk

Protein Supplement -

Taco Soup - made w/Ground Turkey

Baked Fish w/ Steamed Veggies

I am losing the weight but feel like I am starving myself in the process. I am always feeling like I am not getting enough. :confused2:

I was banded 5/23/08 and I was wondering when can you start eating salads. I am eating very small amounts of mashed potatoes and a few bites of beans. I am scared to try baked fish, tuna, or any meats. I had some trouble with my band post-op and I know I am not eating nearly enough. I've already been in the hospital once for IV's and really don't want to go again. I don't measure my foods, I just take a couple of spoonfuls.

ok, I just started mushies on Thursday, still eating about 500 cals per day (trying to step it up, but hard so far) and I gained 2 pounds. what the hell??? Does this even out?