LENGTH ALERT! (This has very detailed tips and tricks, so this is not a short post. Just a "heads up")

People asked me a lot how I went from Slow Loser to getting to goal. I did better my second year of banding and when the weight came off - it really came off.

This is something that worked for me, and I recommended to other Bandsters.

Granted, these are tips that's not in any LapBand brochure or doctor's manual, and YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY - but if you already think of yourself as a Slow Loser like I was, then maybe you will be open to trying something to shake things up a bit.

When I needed a weight-loss push, I didn't cut down on calories much (if I'd recently had a fill adjustment, that's different) but in general:

I *added* Protein to every thing I ate.

This helped me to lose steadily (although it sped up my weight loss, more importantly it kept it steady). And it worked! Some Bandsters in my same banding date were better at counting calories - I wasn't. Some were better at counting carbs, I wasn't, but I excelled at ADDING protein. And I did well and later, other fellow Bandsters were asking me for help and tips. :crying:

How did I do it? I did not reduce calories or the amount I consumed (without a fill it wasn't much need to try that) and yet, I still lost. (I added a little bit of Beans, or a sprinkle of cheese (my favorite), or eggs - whatever I could. I didn't reduce what I ate, but I "upped my protein" - and it worked.

With the band, if you eat more protein, you generally will find yourself eating less overall - it doesn't feel that way but you do.

Every single time I added more protein to my regular Band-friendly meals, I lost more weight, even though I wasn't eating less calories sometimes. Sounds crazy - but in my particular case, if I didn't keep my protein levels up, my body held on to calories a lot more. Who needs their bodies "hoarding" calories? :thumbup:

If adding a bit of food meant I would lose more, it was worth a try. It worked.

And I paid attention to the TYPE of protein I ate. (Even before banding, I didn't eat beef or pork at all. And the band was developed in other countries where the pork and beef consumption is a lot lower than it is here in the 'States. I'm not a vegetarian, I just eat seafood and poultry only. My doc said this helped my weight loss a lot because the protein I ate was leaner, not fattier protein like pork/ham/bacon or beef/hamburger/fatty red meat. So I didn't have to regulate my portions as much as some Bandsters did. My can of tuna did more for me than a hamburger ever would have.)

Also, I'm a single/childless Bandster who lives alone, so I eat out for almost every meal. If I could make it to goal - while eating out - ANYBODY can.

How did I do it? Here were some tips.

• At Breakfast, with my morning egg(s), I added a bit of cheese on top. Or I would have cottage cheese added. For protein and hunger reasons, cottage cheese did better than yogurt for me - unless I just had a fill or was very very filled or adjusted. The most filled I am, the less I eat in the mornings. So especially if you are not at your sweet spot, try Proteins that "stick" with you more to keep hunger away. Yogurt alone was not good enough of a breakfast for me, with the band it just went through, and wasn't really filling. Now if I charged up my yogurt with lots of nuts, seeds, and wheat germ - then BAM! I'm not much of a cold Cereal eater (I prefer hot cereals) but if I had one I made sure it was a protein-packed one (I LOVE Grape Nuts cereal best. Go Lean is awesome, and several of the Oatmeals & Cream of Wheat cereals have good protein content. I also added a few nuts to those, too. If I had a yogurt smoothie drink as a snack, I had them had a half scoop of Protein powder (a full scoop can make it too thick sometimes) or some soy or nuts.
  
• Lunchtime was easy to get more protein in. I'd eat a scoop of tuna salad or chicken salad for lunch - and have them add some shredded cheese, some seeds and/or some nuts. I also love Soup. Usually a cup is a nice start to my lunch if I'm having a scoop of salad or tuna. If it's my whole lunch I get a bowl of soup and eat what I can from it. My band will tell me when to stop. Almost any kind of any soup is great with a sprinkle of cheese or nuts added. Beans, too!
  
• With my dinner I always like a cup of soup to begin. Gets me going, jump starts & 'primes' my band and it's a great protein opportunity. Then if I could, I concentrated on seafood. ANY type of fish worked great with my band - From catfish to salmon to snapper to Tilapia. Or even shrimp or my all time favorite, calamari. I enjoy oysters in season and clams all year. The weeks that I ate more seafood, I lost more weight - across the board. Usually grilled is a good choice to be honest I even ate it fried (sorry, weight loss experts) and I still did well. And with my seafood, if I could I added beans to almost everything. With my steamed veggies, I added nuts and a sprinkle of cheese sometimes. I know it's not very It really does work!
  
  

See when I restrict my calories or even when I try to cut down on fat - I usually just end up cutting down on protein. And no matter how "well" or how much less I eat, if I cut my protein my body won't 'burn' up the fat. It holds on to it. I know that protein is the fuel that helps the LapBand machine work and not trying to diet or 'cut down' was a blessing to me.

I've had other Bandsters try this, and yes they are skeptical at first but when they start seeing inches lost (muscle really does weigh more than fat, so your clothes tell you before the scale ever will) then they get on the bandwagon. So don't just 'cut down' - ADD some food on your plate. That's right. ADD MORE nuts, boiled/diced egg, beans, cheese, seeds and other yummy forms of protein. Your body and your LapBand will thank you for it. Also adding protein allowed me to eat fewer carbs and save them for what was really a nice treat - a nice martini or occasional glass of wine, with dinner. Yes, I'm a drinking Bandster. All the successful European Bandsters I knew drank a glass or two now and then and they were my role models. I can't drink a lot AT ALL - a little goes a long way, but it was nice to get to goal weight without ever missing a Friday Happy Hour. I got the band to enhance my life, not take away some of the things that make it enjoyable. I eat out at restaurants, I go have drinks with friends - and I feel and look great. BRAVO!

Good Luck to you. (And since so many people asked me the same question in private posts - that's why I am posting it on the Slow Losers board too...)

Keep up the good fight. I did it - and you can too.

Do any of you have trouble with constipation eating high protein ? I haven't read all the pages, but this is something I struggle with all the time. I try to figure some fiber into my diet but it doesn't seem to help.

I've had the exact same problem but have added Benefibre (a white powder that is completely odourless, tasteless and colourless when mixed with liquids) which is a natural source of fibre. I put a big spoonful in my smoothie in the morning. I also add sprouted flax seed. You get Omega 3's as well as lots of other benefits (and fibre) when you get the sprouted kind.

Hope that helps!

Mary

No I actually I would have that problem with all the protein but I can see that drinking water helps and eating fiber foods. I put ground flax seeds in my Irish Oatmeal and it always works like a charm. Eat just a tiny bit though at first I dont know how restricted you are. Had my second fill 2 days ago and I could onlly eat a cup or so. Whaahooo...this thing is working ...I used to eat 4-5 servings!

I do put ground flax in either yogurt or my high fiber Cereal. Benefiber gives me gas.

What kinds of seeds and nuts are you talking about? I already use low fat cheese.

Is your flax seed sprouted though? It's better than just ground up. I've never noticed gas with Benefiber. I wonder....

I'm not sure if you are talking to me about nuts, I didn't mention them.

Mary

The person that started this thread said she puts seeds and nuts in her foods to add protein. I will have to look for sprouted flax. I am not even sure where to get that. Does it come from a health food store?

Hi Oregon Daisy,

Yes, I get mine from the health food store. It comes in a re-sealable pack. You can just add it to your cereal.

Almonds are great nuts, as are walnuts. You only want to eat something like ten or so a day as they are still fattening. And for seeds, sunflower seeds are really good too. Sorry, this thread is so long, I didn't read right to the beginning.

Good luck! I really found that the pain from constipation from my pre-op diet was worse than the pain from the operation. I make sure now that I never get that again!

Good luck!

Mary

Mary

I read a good tip I'll pass on about almonds and walnuts which are super foods so they say, but to keep from eating too many, as soon as you get them put 8-10 nuts in a sealed snack bag and bag em and and only have your 1 bag a day.

My trainer told me a long time ago that 10 almonds is 100 calories, so I always count them out. I could eat the whole bag easily, but I count them out like a good girl.

Thank you, thank you, thank you---your post was JUST what I needed. I'm a very slow loser and always have been. I thought the lapband would be my answer and the pounds would fly off. Not so. I am going to try every hint you gave. I can hardly wait to stop at the store on my way home and get the "proper" groceries. You've renewed my hope! A Washingtonian!

I am on here tonite SEARCHING for something to help get me started again! I have lost 40 lbs. and then stopped since November. There has GOT to be something I can do to get started again. I WILL use these tips and maybe this is what I have been looking for! I copied them to a Word document and will send to another Band Buddy I have. This makes sense to me and isn't actually the first time I have heard this! I guess I just did not HEAR it until now. Thanks for doing this. I will check back and tell you if I get going now. Thanks, thanks. :crying:

Boiteacher,

You sound like me I have lost about 40 lbs and in Novemeber it stopped. I have tried more Protein, more Water and now more exercise and one week I will be down and the next I will be up. I feel good and I guess that is what matters. I will keep exercising and it will come off sooner or later.

Darla

Darla:let's keep in contact and see if we can encourage each other. I was banded in July 08. Was hoping to be close to goal by one year but I am not even going to get close.... I too feel LOTS and LOTS better and do not want the 40 lbs back! I exercise almost every day about 30 minutes walking too. I live in central Indiana so we have similar weather. If you have any words of wisdom PLEASE send them my way and keep in contact. Maybe we can help each other, huh?? :rolleyes2:

Thanks NewSho for the advise. I too have been struggling to lose. I was banded 11-21-08, to date I have lost nothing. Yes its very discouraging. But I have noone to blame but myself. Initially I lost 20 lbs post op, but gained it back due to my very bad eating habits. But im not giving up. Its worth a try. I can in no way shape form or fashion blame this on my band. One good thing, I continue to exercise here and there. Im also in need of an adjustment, as I can eat alot more food than allowed. Im a work in progress, and Im willing to try just about anything. Hey, its worth a try anyway. So thanks for the awesome post.:bored:

you sound just like me! I am one year out now and have lost only 35lbs. I am NOT NOT NOT eating bad stuff. All they say is it is MY fault and look at me like I am nuts. And I am exercising out the yazoo!! I weigh almost the same as you too! I am SICK of doing all this work and getting no scale movement! And I am tired of all the excitement of others. Thanks goodness I told almost no one I got the band or else they would be asking my WHY it isn't helping! :bored: