KatyG

I need my scale to keep me accountable. I weigh once a day in the morning and it has kept me honest and on the right road. I personally think that most people who don't weigh VERY regularly have a hard time keeping the weight off...

I'd definitely get another fill. When I got to my sweet spot, my grazing was significantly reduced... Too many people do not work their band. Use your tool for all its worth.

Good job on the weight loss! As for clothes, I echo the Kohl's sentiment. I work for Kohl's actually and a lot of stuff is 90% off, and you may luck out and find some summer stuff from last year still hanging around... I also am a BIG Goodwill shopper. My weight has stabilized, but I am still dropping sizes, so I am still finding some time to go once a month to Goodwill... I've found some GREAT clothes with tags still on for dirt cheap. You just have to take YOUR TIME while looking there. Budget at least an hour to really pick through stuff. You will be amazed at what you can find... And TRY THINGS ON. Don't just 'think' you might be able to wear a size. Don't be afraid to grab different sizes. Different cuts=different size options. I've been wearing a 6 for awhile in things and was at Kohl's the other day and found some Dockers for $4... but they were in a size 4. I was going into the fitting room anyways, so I took them to see how tight they'd be. They fit. I am still a six... but certain lines are a 4. And some Levi's are an 8, but some are a 6. It is really weird. Don't think you can't possibly do it, cause you might surprise yourself. Ice cream is a downfall of mine as well. Substitute 1 oz of DARK chocolate (70% or more). I like the Lindt 86% Extreme Dark. One small square kicks the sweet craving and there is a LOT of science that SUPER DARK chocolate is GOOD for you, helps you eat less, and makes your blood flow better. As long as you keep it to a small piece per day, you'll be fine. and for me, it REALLY kicks the sweet craving. I just suck on it until it is competely melted... DIVINE. I hope your back feels better soon! You're doing GREAT!

Valleygirl, We have been very fortunate with our girls. They will choose salad over french fries 100% of the time. I make a lot of vegetable based meals, including a simple succotash which is basically tomatoes, corn and lima beans with some butter and seasonings. Our girls will eat that for every meal, if given the choice. We've never made a 'big deal' of veggies... they see us eat them and LOVE them, and they agree. Jessica Seinfeld has a book called "Deceptively Delicious' where you 'hide' veggies in the meals, which seems like a great idea, but our kids just LOVE THEM in any form, so no need to hide them... labella, My portions are I'll be honest, very small. I typically don't eat breakfast cause I am too tight in the AM (except for my chocolate!). Today we went out for brunch and I ordered a 3 egg omelet with corned beef, swiss cheese, green peppers, mushrooms and onions. I proceeded to give 1/2 of it to my kids, 1/3 to my husband and ate the rest (not much!). It was the perfect amount and I got lots of good veggies in... We went to Sam's Club on the way home from errands tonight and bought Nathan's hot dogs home for dinner. They are 1/4 pound hot dogs. I ate 1/3 of my hot dog accompanied with 1/6 cup baked beans and Tabasco sauce. I'm going to eat 2 strawberries for dessert... That is pretty indicative of what I eat on a daily basis. Not a lot of food, but it is exactly the amount I need and I am very satisfied.

CONGRATS!!!

Carrie, Congrats on the success! Not being concerned about food is a sign of the sweet spot, so milk it for all its worth!

Sarah, I just saw this post... What a GREAT story of your successes so far! I am so very happy to hear that YOU SEE YOU! You are beautiful on the inside and out... try to remember that, okay? Sometimes it is hard to look at our outward selves and see US, but our inward selves are still the same. I have no doubt you are going to hit your goals.

JazzyJude, Just wanted to tell you what a great post this was. Especially helpful and insightful... and you've got ME all encouraged!! WTG!

I've gotten a lot of emails asking me how I was so successful with my band. I admit that some of my philosophies are not within typical 'band rules' but FOR ME, they work. I was HUNGRY before I got my band. I didn't have a psychological'need' to drown my sorrows in Bon-Bons, I just had a hunger valve that nevershut off. The band FIXED THAT for me. I just sent the following email out toanother newly banded person, and thought it might be good to share with thegroup. I wanted to share MY WAY and put the disclaimer out there that I AM NOT SAYING it is the 'right way.' This way just worked for me, considering my circumstances. That being said, I've found my success on a bit of a different road, and wanted to share, and also would like to hear others successstories and the path they took to get there... Here goes... "...Are you sure you want to hear my philosophy? I get pretty passionate about it, and a lot of the people on the board think I am smoking a little bit of the "wacky tabackey!" Here goes... I agree with you WHOLEHEARTEDLY about this being a lifestyle change. A lot of bandsters think this is a new diet. This is NOT another diet. Some bandsters think they have a lap-band, but they still should be counting calories, protein, etc. I got the band because I wanted to FREE MYSELF from that mindset. I wanted to live my life, and not be concerned with food anymore. So, in my banded life, I have adopted that very philosophy. I DO NOT COUNT ANYTHING. I eat healthy foods, try to stay away from the processed junk as much as possible, and eat small portions. Very small portions. There is nothing that I consider 'off limits' and I don't set a goal for protein or carbs on a daily basis. I know this flies in the face of most bandsters and their doctors, but I think all that dieting does, is transfer one obsession to another. If you look some REALLY successful banders, the ones who have lost all of their weight (and not just gotten to their 'goal' of a certain size or something, I am going based on a HEALTHY BMI, not overweight), most of them practice some semblance of this philosophy. And a VERY LARGE MAJORITY of them are from Australia. In Australia, they have had the band longer than in the US. And in Australia, their statistics are MUCH MUCH better than the US statistics. I am sure there are many reasons for that. One is a patient's access to follow-up afterwards. In the US, patients have to pay SOMETHING for their fills (even if it is just a co-pay) and they find that cost-prohibitive. Another is in the US, I REALLY don't believe doctors emphasize the importance of fills nearly enough. YOU MUST make the band work for you. YOU MUST get your fills until you are in a 'sweet spot' where your life no longer revolves around food anymore. I have quite a 'revelation' or 'epiphany' when that happened to me. I simply realized I was no longer waking up in the morning thinking of what was for breakfast, and planning 4 hours (or more!) in advance what dinner was going to be... I was no longer living my life for the next meal. Another reason Aussies are so successful is because they eat like normal people. Their doctors tell them to eat whatever, just in small portions. Here are mantras I have for my diet. And when I say diet, I mean what I eat, not what I am doing to lose/maintain my weight. 1) Whole foods are best. Keep processed to a minimum. in our house, we eat a TON of veggies. We eat vegetable laden meals and have lots of beans on a weekly basis. My kids (ages 6 and 4) LOVE veggies and I never have to tell them to eat them. They love veggies more than junk food, so I am blessed. 2) I do not watch my fat intake. That being said, I am not this crazy consumer of fat, but if the label says low-fat, I am probably not going to buy it. Low fat often means it has other 'fake' fillers and sugars to make it still taste good. If I want meat, I buy what I like. We drink whole milk, we eat whole yogurt, we eat whole cheeses, and if I am going to eat ice cream, I am not going to waste my time with some low-fat ice cream. I eat Haagen Dazs. And get this... I start EVERY DAY with one piece of chocolate. Not Hershey's or some other 'cheap chocolate.' I eat Lindt, Toblerone, something like that. My current favorite is Lindt Chili Chocolate. If you can stand a little heat, I HIGHLY suggest you run yourself to Target and buy a bar from the specialty chocolate bar section. I eat one square from the bar a day, so the bar lasts over a week. This is not a bar that ANYONE would want to consume in a sitting, it is very special, and a DELIGHT to your tastebuds! 3) I DO watch my slider foods. Foods like Ice Cream, Chocolate, Cheetos, Chips, cookies, popcorn, etc. go through the band very easily and do not leave you filled up. Also, they are NOT good sources of nutrition... So, I make sure I limit myself on these, but like I said, NOTHING is off limits. I just eat in VERY small portions. 4) I DO NOT believe artificial sweeteners are good for you. I believe that they are worse for you than regular sugar. They slow your metabolism down, they make it so your body does not heat up to metabolize your food. I am also not sold on that "truvia" stuff that Coke and Pepsi are rolling out. They can claim it is 'natural' but it is an ENGINEERED substance, that has been sprayed BIG TIME with pesticides, etc and I am not thinking that it is any better for you than sugar. See the following article: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,...1711763,00.html And something to think about: Why is it that ALL FAT PEOPLE drink Diet Coke/Pepsi? And often in large quantities? I think there is a very big connection that the general public does not seem to 'get.' 5) I try to eat organic as much as I can, where it is not cost prohibitive. Pesticides are AWFUL... 6) I do not drink soda. I used to be an 8 Diet Cokes/day girl. I REALLY BELIEVE that those fake sugars made me even hungrier. I don't miss it. If I want caffeine, and I do on a daily basis, I drink coffee or tea. 7) I do not believe that vitamins are necessary for most banded people that eat a varied diet. That being said, if you get into a period of super tightness where all you're consuming is liquids until you get an unfill, I don't think a multi-vitamin is a bad idea. BUT NOT on a daily basis. More and more science is proving that multi-vitamins don't do ANYTHING for your health, and sometimes make it worse. HOWEVER, I do supplement with two supplements. I take 2000 IUs of Vitamin D daily. Vitamin D is not something we can 'overdose on' and it is a vitamin that has CLEARLY shown major health benefits. When it is nice outside, I also make sure to get some sunshine to get 'real' Vitamin D. It is just really important. The other supplement I take is Fish Oil. I take 2 1000 mg Fish Oil capsules, this equates to 600 mg Omega 3's. We are ALL highly deficient in Omega 3's and I HONESTLY believe that my taking fish oil is going to give me BIG TIME health advantages down the road. It helps with cholesterol, inflammation, heart issues, etc. If you buy these supplements, buy them from somewhere very reputable. I often order supplements from Puritan's Pride because their pricesare pretty good, and they have VERY high standards for quality. I buy my fish oil from Costco, because A) the price is good and their quality standards arethe best out there. I work a part time retail job, so I am on my feet a lot for that. My exercise has not been what I'd like it to be, but plan on upping it this spring/summer with my husband and kids. Lots of outdoor time, bike rides, etc. I am also planning to do the Couch to 5K. I need to be active for ME. I've just been kinda lax in that department. There are two books that I HIGHLY recommend. 1) Rethinking Thin: The New Scienceof Weight Loss---and the Myths and Realities of Dieting and 2)In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto #1 will help you appreciate who you are TODAY. WHY you are the way you are... #2 will teach you some cornerstones to implement for eating. It also teaches you about the food industry, the FDA, etc, and how warped they all are... Until I got to my sweet spot, with real restriction, I DID count my calories. I did not want to be the person who got farther behind post-surgery just cause I had no restriction. I did not consider that a license to eat. So, I swore off the 'good stuff' till I got to a decent restriction. Thinking back, I would eat 'regularly' if I had to do it all over, but again count the calories. I wouldn't limit my 'fat' or whatever. and protein IS important, but 80 grams of protein is a bit much, and very hard to get in via natural sources. You're going to hit lots of plateaus and get super frustrated, but keep the faith and keep doing the right things. And GET YOUR FILLS no matter WHAT. The fills are the key to your success. I am so tired of hearing people cry about how unsuccessful they are, or say how they can't afford their copay for their fills, so they are putting the appointment off. Would you buy a car without being able to afford gas? You MUST invest in yourself to get return. You must invest in your band to get the results you are looking for. I may seem 'passionate' in my email to you. I just want others to have my success... The band is a great tool for that!" **I hope this helps some of the banded people out there see there are many roads to success. I'd love to hear the philosophies of other successful banded folks. I love comparing notes!***

Congrats Misty! You look great!

I did not go back to the OCC for any of my fills. I also found a doc who was willing to follow Inamed's guidelines for fills. He was aggressive and also took into account MY feelings. He ha also been a God-send for when I had an issue of being too tight. It happened a couple months after the last fill, and happened gradually. I got myself into an emergent situation though, and needed an emergency unfill because I could ONLY keep down HOT liquids (not even SOUP would go down). He came in on his day off to help me out of the jam, and also ordered an upper GI for me to make sure my band was ok. YOU WILL run into issues with your band as you go along. IT is a GREAT tool, but imperfect. It will get tight and loosen up for no reason whatsoever. Therefore, I suggest you find someone local who is on the same page as you as far as your fills and care are concerned. Because most people can't just hop on a flight at the drop of a hat if you run into a problem. It is nice to have a fill doc that knows your history as you go along. Dr. Ortiz can often make recommendations for good fill docs in your area. That's how I got my doc.

Most people with the sleeve DO NOT need supplements because there is NO malabsorption with the sleeve. Your body digests food the same way, you just have less stomach to fill. Also, your hunger hormones are removed, which helps with that craving for food all of the time.

Melly, I suggest to a couple local seminars by surgeons who do both and talk to the surgeon and patients who've had BOTH procedures done. On this board, there are a lot of newer people who've had their bands for less than 2 years, who are still kind of in the honeymoon period with their bands. I appreciate my band and the new lease on life it has given me. I am a success with my band. Having said that, I'll be honest. I am waiting for the other shoe to drop, have some issue with my band, and end up needing a revision of some sort. I am NOT being melodramatic. Long term, a very significant portion of bandsters end up needing a revision or some sort of repositioning surgery or something. My husband and I have a 'sleeve fund' that we are currently contributing to, so if something happens, the money is there. I know that sounds really negative, and I REALLY hope you understand I am NOT being negative about my band. It has given me a whole new lease on life! I'm going to work for as long as I can. But, I am realistic. You must not make a choice on a procedure based on something being reversible. Anyone that needs WLS is going to need something there FOR LIFE to keep that weight off. I know if my band went buh-bye today, my weight would come back. Even Ortiz is very clear with you when you go in about that. You will ALWAYS have to get fill and unfills with your band. You won't ever 'get to your goal weight' and never need another adjustment. Thing happen, you get sick, stressed, etc, and you WILL have to get fluid taken out/put in. Weigh all of those things before making a decision. Talk to a lot of people, from BOTH sides... Warmly,

Ok Angela, Here's my take: you done screwed up. (I don't really talk like that, but it always funny saying that!) You need to sit down and figure out why you are sabotaging yourself like this right out of the gate. Whats going on in that brain of yours? Evaluate. You ARE hungry cause you don't have restriction. BUT, you just made a big investment in yourself, and if you think rationally, you have got to figure out why you're not willing to do the work to make the investment give you a return. You need to do some true soul-searching so that you can get yourself on track. Now, that being said... you are going to be hungry till you get a couple (or more) fills. You need to follow your post-op diet to the letter so that you don't screw your band up. Once you are eating solids (when you're supposed to), you need to count your calories, do whatever the hell you have to do to keep that weight loss going until you get those fills to give you the restriction you need. Some people gain during post-op. Or they fail to lose until they get their fills. That is a reality. BUT, you can make yourself not be one of those statistics. The more closely you follow what you eat until you are properly restricted, the further you will be ahead in the game. One of my favorite retro movies is Better Off Dead. One of the characters says one of my favorite lines, "Buck up little camper, we'll beat that slope together." So dust yourself off, and make YOURSELF a priority NOW and start over. You can do it.

Elaine, What a good warning for everyone out there! Pancreatitis is EVIL and I am so sorry you're going through it, but GLAD you are on the road to recovery! Get well soon!