I want to know how everyone is doing! :sad: I've seen us all on a couple of threads and I thought I'd just start a new one to hear about everyone's updates, how you're feeling, and generally how this whole process is going for you!

I'm only down 15lbs since surgery, I can eat pretty normally now and am having trouble reducing my food intake as a result. I'm 4 weeks out, my scars are barely noticable (I generally heal well) and I'm going to be scheduling a fill within the next 2 weeks. I'm not exercising yet as I've been having a problem with what I think is scar tissue pain where my port is. I have a hard time eating dry chicken and scrambled eggs - but everything else I don't have a problem eating.

Hi.

I was banded on 3/20, about 3 weeks post-op. Doing good but haven't lost much weight :drool: Most of my weight came off during the pre-op diet, only a couple of pounds since surgery. Not fully back into my exercise routine & I know that will help.

Last week of mushie stage -- hurray for that. Looking forward to "real" food again. Tracking my food, exercise & Water on the daily plate. I'm getting about 60 grams of Protein a day in less than 1200 calories....so I think that's probably OK. I found a limited client app for the iPhone which allows me to track my food on a more timely basis.

hello everyone,

march 31st i was banded and had a few rough days but everyday gets better ..only 12 days out right now but i'm very happy and feel great. food just isnt that important anymore and i'm glad and i hope i can keep this mental state..lol

i'm not sure of my progress just how i feel..no scale at the house ( on purpose) i'll just wait till my doctor visit on the 15th of april to see what the evil scale has to say and i'll be sure to let yall know...i've been on liquid diet since surgery and the first 5 days i could hardly swollow Water, but like i said it gets better..

i am very open about what i am going through with anyone who wants to know. i think its important to not hide it. i hope to inspire others to turn their life around as well....and i know that sounds a little deep or maybe b/s lol but i had a problem and now i am 12 days sober from my addiction. i'm not going to preach to anyone but if they ask then watch out....

good luck to everyone and i hope all is well....here we go

Banded 3/30. Really rough first night in hospital (gas/nausea), but since then everythings been fine. Went in to Drs office for a nutrition/exercise class on 4/7 and he said I was doing so well, that I could start mushies! Yay! Trying to walk for about 30 minutes a day. I'm down 20 lbs since starting the preop diet on 3/20. Still dealing with fatigue and sore incisions, but that's not a big problem. Going in for my first fill on 4/28.

Banded 3/26 after reading all yall's posts I feel like my weightloss is a little slow, but I'll take what I can get.

Feeling pretty good these days, I have had some discomfort around my bellybutton but I think that is radiating from my port, I'll be watching this I think it's most likely healing pains but if it continues I'll call the Dr.

For those of you having trouble with getting your Water down, if it is a taste issue I have been drinking decaf cold brew tea add a little Torani sugar free raspberry flavoring (found it on the coffee isle).

Keep up the great work everybody!!

I was banded 3/6. I lost 8lbs on the pre-op diet and 12lbs since surgery. It's not coming off as fast as I would like, but at least it's coming off.:cool2:

I had my first fill this past Thursday. I feel I have some restriction, but I do think I'll need more than this one fill before I have full restriction.

Sounds like everyone else is doing well!

Its GREAT to hear from everyone. It makes me feel a little more 'normal' hearing everyone update where they are and how they feel.

I too am having trouble eating too fast or large of mouthfulls. I realize I need to pre-plan my meals better and really focus on what I'm doing. I'm frustrated by my lack of pounds lost. So many of you are really doing awesome in that department! Congrats to you all! I'll be there soon with you!

I did some searching online and enjoyed some 'refresher' info from Dr. Connie Stapleton of MindBody.com. on youtube. I'm also going to purchase a book from Judith Beck "THE COMPLETE BECK DIET FOR LIFE : The Lifetime Solution for Permanent Weight Loss" which I think will help me personally with training myself to eat/think like a thin person. I've observed the differences between my 'normal sized' sister and I. I realize that I need to think and act more like her which involves more planning of my meals so that my hunger is no longer the 'emergency' that I normally feel that it is. Beck refers to planning as being important for many things but one that struck a chord with me was that planning helps b/c you can withstand hunger b/c you know exactly when you will eat next and what you will eat. So mentally it becomes more bearable and less of an 'emergency' to eat now!

I also am going to try a tip given by Dr. Stapleton which is to create a tip jar. You cut up 50 (or 100 or as many as you want) of small slips of paper. On each you write down things you can do INSTEAD of eating. When you feel the urge to eat outside of your plan, you go get a slip of paper from the tip jar and do whatever it is that you pulled. It can be as simple as 'go pull 5 weeds from the flower bed' - the idea is that it should be a distraction to go do something else. By the time you're done with the distraction - you may be past your moment of weakness and you're re-training yourself to deal with the urge to eat vs. feeding yourself and your emotion/issue/craving with food.

The other major difference between my fit sister and I is that she exercises daily. I swear I have it in my mind that beautiful men and women who look fit - just are - without working out everyday. I'm learning that just isn't the case. So if I want to act like a thin/fit person - I have to exercise daily. At the Harvard conference on Obesity, according to Dr. Stapleton, exercising 60 min per day: prevents weight gain. What do you know, that's what she does - about 5x per week. I mean, we all know this right? Its not earth shattering - I've just got to get wtih it!!

I'm also going to post this top 9 list for myself fr Dr. Stapleton. I'm sorry for the long post but wanted to share in case it helps any of you:

1. Make consistently healthy food choices. With the band, we're eating less - 60g Protein per day is important to us. So making the consistent choice to eat the right food source to provide 60g of protien is something I'm going to have to do. Protein, then Vitamin rich & antioxidant rich vegetables and fruit! That means - don't eat food from white flour/white sugar. Don't knock myself down if I screw up and eat some chocolate - in fact plan into my eating to enjoy some of those 'forbidden things' just eat really well 90% of the time!

2. Maintain portion control: for me, no more than 1 cup of food, 3x per day.

3. Have to exercise on a daily basis - I'm a busy working mom - so I really don't have the time. That means I'm going to have to steal 60 mins from somewhere else - some other thing I'm doing - I'm going to have to give it up. Maybe that's watching tv, sleeping in, or some other activity that's going to just have to give way to get replaced by exercise b/c I really DON'T have the time to exercise. I just have to figure out what 60 mins I'm going to have to replace with exercise.

4. Drink Water all day long. I won't drink 30min before or 30 min after. And this is the only way I'm going to stay hydrated.

5. Plan your meals. On Sun, I'm going to cook some ckn breats in a crock pot and portion it out for the upcoming week. I'm going to have cottage cheese, Soup, tuna, etc. on hand and planned for the week.

-No grazing. (I do this and I know its where extra calories are coming in)

-No sliding (I do this too b/c its comforting. I'm leaning toward mashed potatos, refried Beans, all the easy stuff)

6. Keep a food diary. I'm using calorie-count.com, but there is the daily plate, and so many others. I even read about an iphone app someone is using. Writing it down keeps me accountable but more importantly - when my weight is stalling, I have a clear picture of what may be contributing to it- and I'll also have a history to track what breaks my plateaus so I can use the same strategy later when I need it.

7. Keep an Exercise Log. This is going to allow me to give myself rewards for accomplishing what I dislike the most. I may also purchase a pedometer -studies have some shown people who wear pedometers tend to meet their planned steps per day and end up exercising more b/c they have that 'accountability' and tracker right there on their waist.

8. Get adequate sleep. Its good for my brain, my skin, and for my metabolism.

9. Utilize a healthy support system. That's what this forum and you Lucky Losers are to me! What an amazing group of people you all are - and we need to continue to fully support each other when we're down and when we're up!

Sorry again for the long post! Keep up the great work everyone!

Edited April 12, 200917 yr by LifeStartsNow

Hi everyone. Things are going okay since my surgery on 3/4/09. I'm down 29 lbs, but the scale continues to be my frenemy!! I think that I still need to work on slowing down when eating. Exercise is walking 2 miles 4 days a week. My first fill is scheduled for 4/20. I can't wait. Good luck to you all!!!

I was banded March 27th. I started liquids on March 13th and in the past month have lost 33 pounds. I am on the mushies stage and need to learn how to eat slower! I have my first fill on April 28th! I am so glad I did this, i can tell such a difference in my health with losing only 33 pounds! Woohoo for us!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cool2:

I was banded on 4/8 and I feel okay..I've had a lot of pain more then I thought on would. I was suppose to return to work on 4/13 but I took an extra day to make sure im okay. I have tried walking small steps but pain become to much..I lost 15lbs before surg not sure if I have lost anything now.. I am going for my post op on 4/22 I will keep u all updated..

banded 25th , lost 13lbs but now seems to be slowing down and stablising as only lost 3lb this last week , other than initial problems getting medication stuck and having to have surgery again to fix band on 1st , things have been ok since .

I am now however begininng to feel hungry more often and within an hour or so having had something prior, trying to up on my Protein intake as was too low at 30-40 grams a day, and now managing to get 60-70 grams in a day with the help of Protein shakes.

Had a nibble here and there of mushies but looking forward to wednesday when I can start on solids again. Meet with the doc on 23rd to discuss things and where to go from there onwards. Last we spoke he said he was going to put off first fill at end of this month as lost in his opinion just a little too much. Perhaps he will change his mind when we meet now my weight loss seems to be slowing down , but not to concerned if he doesnt , as long as when I step on scales and even lost a pound each week Im still happy ..

Edited April 13, 200917 yr by bignik

bignik- I was also very hungry even after just eating an hour or two earlier but once I went on normal food that changed. I do not have any restriction so I still have to watch how much I eat but I can last a few hours before I am hungry again.

Hi

Well I have only lost about 8 pounds and feel like I am doing something wrong. It is good to hear about others sucess. I am hopeing that after my next fill I will do better. I don't feel like I am eating a lot but may be I am.

Also can anyone tell me how to but the ticker on my page?

LifeStartsNow - Great post! I loved reading it and enjoyed all the info.

Thanks for sharing!

Hi

Well I have only lost about 8 pounds and feel like I am doing something wrong. It is good to hear about others sucess. I am hopeing that after my next fill I will do better. I don't feel like I am eating a lot but may be I am.

Also can anyone tell me how to but the ticker on my page?

You shouldn't feel bad or beat yourself up. We are all going to lose at different rates. It could be that some of the folks that are losing 20-30lbs have alot more to lose then you do. Keep your head up, you are losing and not gaining. Watch the amount of carbs you are eating those can sneak up on you and carbs are in EVERYTHING.

Just keep following your doctors regimen and I'm sure the scale will start moving.

Hi, I was banded on March 27, I have lost 15 lbs since surgery. I don't like protein drinks so I have been eating baked chicken. My port area is still real sore I have a lot of scare tissue removed before they put my band on.