My diet isn't great and besides, most people don't want to go to 600 calories daily.

Really, the thing to consider is how you want to eat. Do you want to eat what you do today but in smaller quantities? Do you want to go low carb? Low fat? Low calorie? Also, regardless of which food plan, how many max calories do you want to consume daily? If you answer this lots of us can give you menu ideas.

Well so far i have been eating the same just smaller amounts but i think that it has to change. I think low cal maybe 800 cals a day. Thanks everybody I need all the help I can get.

I usually have a protein drink the morning. For lunch I usually have yogurt with a tiny bit of fiber one cereal mixed in. For dinner I often have ground turkey. I spray pam in the pan and cook it with taco spices. I usually have a some sort of veggie with the evening meal. Sometimes for lunch I have yogurt with about 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese mixed together. The yogurts I buy are dannon 4oz ones that are made with splenda. They are 40 calories. Sometimes I have a protein bar for breakfast or lunch . I usually have a quarter of an apple of a couple of strawberries for mid afternoon snack.

It's just that I have a very slow metabolism. I had that resting metabolic test taken, and it even showed I don't burn many calories. Thank goodness I like to exercise.

Bubble, if you have any other questions, I am very open to suggestions.

I am going to try drinking protein drinks twice a day and having one meal
all next week and see if that changes anything. And I do drink 64 oz of water.

I was banded on Dec. 21, 2005. My band surgery has helped me get off a number of medications but the most serious one was because I have type 2 diabetes. I have been off the diabetic medication since the day before surgery. It feels great not to have to take that medication anymore. I still check my glucose levels but that is alot better than taking that medication on a daily basis. I lost originally 50lbs the first year with my band. From Aug 2006 to Jan. 2007 I plateaued. However, From Feb. 2007 to April 2007 I was sick with my asthma and was on prednisone for 2 1/2 wks. and gained almost 20lbs. I have not been able to exercise since then and just got over a surgical procedure non-related to band. However, now I just got the go ahead I can exercise again and will be going for a fill next week. I plan on shaking up this body to lose weight again!!:) I have the largest band.. a VG band and you have to be more aggressive with the fills when you have that one. I have not been filled for a year my surgeon said. However, first he didnt want to fill me because I was doing great and the other times he wouldn't fill me because I was sick. Now, it is the right time to move forward. My goal is to lose another 60lbs to get under 200. My mini goal is to try to lose 8 to 10lbs per month. 1-2lbs per week. I plan on exericse 30 minutes per day beginning with 3x per week and working up to 5 to 6 x per week. I know now you have to gradually do this or you will wind up in physical therapy for a long time!! Some people have to learn the hard way:) Looking back on my band experience if I had to do it all over again I would!! I look alot better than I did a few years ago and feel alot better overall. Before I had the band I lost 40lbs that I kept off, So total overall lost is 80lbs!! That number gets me happy because I never lost that much in my life before. I still have more to go but I do know I will get there.

I would love to hear from others about their experiences since they had the band especially those who had it in Dec. 2005!!

Jan421
banded: 12/21/2007
Hackensack University Med. Ctr.
Dr. Trivedi
Size before Band: 28, 3x
Size Now: Pants: 20; shirts: 14/16, or 1x

Oh I like that we're finding each other again.

I haven't lost much, but it's totally my fault. I go for a 3rd fill on Tuesday (because I still can eat too much and I do).

I also bought an elliptical machine for home. I'm hoping this will spring me into action.

I don't regret my band but I do feel like a failure sometimes.

Glad to see everyone again, was wondering if December people would ever post again. I am doing ok , could be better if I would get off my lazy butt. Have hit some plateaus , not real fond of them but when they break I lose but it is slow. I have gone from a 22-24 to a 14, actually fit in a size 12 Levi capris the other day, that was a milestone,lol. I have had a handful of people I haven't seen since December actually not recognize me and that has been kinda fun, one was my ex mother in law and I was married to her son for 15 years! A couple were people I worked with for years and I had to walk up close and speak to them before they knew me. Glad to see everyone posting again!

I wish I could get out of plus sizes. I can't find any pants to fit. My 18's in the plus size are too big and the 18 in the ladies department are tight.

I hate that I lose so slowly. This is a bad weekend. There are a lot of friends in town that want to eat out. I am going to stick to my plan of going on liquids all next week. I am mad that I gained back the 2 lbs that it took me a month to lose.

Maurdan-I totally understand what you're saying....I feel exactly the same! I know this is up to me but I still don't feel the restriction I think I should have. I need another fill, I think. (Would be my third,also.) How much have you lost? I was banded in Dec. and have only lost 30ish pounds. Old habits are hard to break. I'm thankful for this site and all of the people here.

Denise- Don't be too hard on yourself! It's a tough fight but we'll get through it.

I've only lost 30ish, also! My ticker actually stopped working because I didn't log in to change it for so long.

I'm so hoping this next fill helps. I know I have to do my part but I need some help. (The whole point of getting this thing!)

Hello everyone. I am a Dec 06 bandster too! I am doing well, not on a specific diet, but watching what I eat and serious cardio about 4 times a week. Looking forward to the support on this thread. Best wishes.

Hi all. I had my surgery in December also. I have lost 52 pounds (48 to go!) and dropped from a size 20 to a 14. I have found that if I follow the protein diet that is more similar to that followed by gastric bypass patients I lose much more quickly and can get off of a plateau by doing so also. Basically it involves getting protein into your system at regular intervals during the day. By adding protein drinks or suppliments and making sure you are getting 60 grams or so daily you will speed up your weight loss and lose most of your cravings. There are several places that you can order protein powders (mix them with water not milk - milk adds sugar and calories) but the one I have found that is most weight loss surgery friendly is Vitalady.com - Protein Supplements, Vitamins & Minerals, and Safe Snacks!. Her proteins are whey (this is the most beneficial type protein for wls patients), low/no sugar and designed for bypass patients so that they don't have all that extra stuff that we don't need and they aren't the type that are for building muscle mass. She has other snacks, vitamins, etc. also but I have only ordered protein and the slim jim type beef sticks. She sells sample amounts too so that you can try them. To me, most protein drinks smell yucky so she suggested I drink them from a cup with a lid - works like a charm. I have found a ready mixed drink at WalMart from EAS called AvantEdge. It is sugar free and doesn't taste too bad if it is really cold. I have friends whose surgeon has told them that powdered drinks don't dissolve enough (I haven't had any problem with this but I use a shaker or small blender to make mine) so that is a good option for them. I am even able to drink the Boost high protein and continue to lose but it does have more calories and too much sugar... I subscribed to a yahoo group for wls protein discussion that I get some really good advice from. It is mostly bypass patients but they definately have good recipes, ideas, etc for getting enough protein that is beneficial to us also.

Cyndie
VBG-12/19/06
Dr. Ilahi
220/120/168

I wonder at what point I'll get serious about losing...I have this wonderful device but not the will power to stop eating the crap! I'm very unhappy with myself. Why is food so important to me? :cry

Got my 3rd fill today. Probably crazy to do since Saturday I'm leaving for Key West for a week. But, I really need to get this weight loss thing going and why waste two weeks I figured.

The fill went great. I went from 1.8 to 2.2. Right now liquids are fine. I'm interested to see how it goes when I transition to solids.

I'll keep you all updated!

I just joined today! I've been looking for threads from Dec. 06 folks and never saw any before today--thats why I joined today. I was banded on 12/26 by Dr. marc Bessler from Columbia at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ. I am down 62 pounds (including preop diet) but boy are things getting slow now! Any tips to speed things up without a fill (I think that I have enough restriction)?