Jen T.
2nd post-op appt
May 15, 2009
Silly me, I thought it was just a regular saucer of food. So I've been eating too much!I lost 6lbs in 5 weeks so that's 27lbs total in 12 weeks. I have lost 14% of my excess body weight which I was very happy about. She did give me another fill and I can defininatly tell it. I can ONLY eat that tea cup saucer of food now before being full. I think this is the sweet spot I hear about. I hope it is anyway.
I go back to the doctor on June 11th for my 3rd post op. I hope to have lost another 10lbs by then.
doing SO much better these last couple days!!
Apr 29, 2009
I'm getting the grumble in my stomach again too that I had up until I started eating solid foods again. I'm not hungry between meals except in the afternoon before dinner so I'm using my one snack during that time. I'm living off oatmeal and Smart Ones dinners right now, but that's because that's all I had in my freezer that is on the menu. Oh, and I've had a tortilla pizza one night too. This weekend I'll do some grocery shopping and get some more choices off the menu.
I'm trying not to stress over the weight and trying to stay OFF the scale. My dear friend, Nancy, reminded me that getting on the scale daily is SO bad. I knew that, but her sort of getting on to me helped.
figured out my problem....I think
Apr 27, 2009
After looking at the list I noticed that I eat about twice as much as what was suggested on the list. I thought I was eating a proper portion and now I realize I wasn't. So THAT is why (I think ) that I've been playing up and down with the same 5 lbs. Here's the list in case anyone is interested.
Breakfast:
1) 2-3 egg whites with 1/2 banana
2) 1 cup cheerios with 1/2 cup skim milk with 6 strawberries
3) 1 cup oatmeal mixed with skim milk or water
4) egg beaters (or egg whites) with 1 piece of wheat toast (40 calorie bread) - use butter spray and sugar free jelly
5) fat free yogurt with blueberries
6) 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup fat free cottage cheese with peaches
7) 2 slices of turkey bacon with one piece of wheat toast
8) 3/4 cup of corn flakes + 1/2 cup of milk
9) 2/3 cup of light fruit yogurt + 1/4 cup of granola
10) 1 serving of protein supplement
11) 1 small apple + 1/2 cup of milk
12) 1/2 english muffin + 2 tbsp sugar free strawberry spread
13) 1/4 large whole wheat bagel + 1 oz fat free cream cheese
14) blenderize: 1/2 cup light vanilla yogurt + 1/2 cup berries of choice
15) 1 low-calorie granola bar + 1/2 cup of milk
16) 1 whole grain waffle + 1/4 cup of mixed berries + sugar free syrup
17) 2 egg whites, scrambled
Lunch and/or Dinner:
1) tuna fish mixed with pickle relish or mustard (can add fat free mayo too) and 5 fat free crackers and 1/2 apple
2) any Lean Cuisine or Weight Watchers Meal that is 5 or less fat grams per meal
3) deli turkey or deli ham with 5 fat free crackers and 10 grapes
4) salad with grilled chicken or shrimp (only lettuce and veggies) with fat free dressing (or 2 tsps of light dressing)
5) baked potato with 1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese or fat free ranch dressing
6) grilled or baked chicken marinated in BBQ sauce or fat free italian with 1/2 cup brown rice and steamed veggies
7) grilled or baked fish with 1/2 sweet potato and veggies
8) 1 cup whole wheat pasta with red sauce with chicken or shrimp in the pasta
9) grilled or boiled shrimp with cocktail sauce and veggies
10) vegetable soup
11) chicken noodle soup
12) 1 tsp tomato sauce, 1/4 oz fat free mozzarella cheese atop 4 whole wheat crackers
13) 1 slice whole grain bread with 1 oz lean ham or 1 oz fat free cheese
14) 3 oz baked chicken + 1/2 cup of green beans
15) salad: 1/2 cup salad greens, 2 oz grilled chicken, 1/4 cup raw carrots, 1/4 cup raw bell peppers, 2 tsp low calorie vinagrette dressing
16) 1 serving of low calorie beef and vegetable soup + 4 whole wheat crackers
17) 1/2 pita stuffed with 2 oz turkey, lettuce, and tomato
18) 2 oz baked fish + 1/2 cup broccoli
19) 1 medium baked potato + 1 oz grilled chicken, 1 oz cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
20) 2 oz turkey + 1/2 cup mashed sweet potato with 1 tsp of margarine and 1 tsp of cinnamon
21) 1/2 cup refried beans, fat free sour cream, and salsa on a whole wheat tortilla
Snacks: (one a day)
1) any fruit
2) fat free popcorn
3) 100 calorie snack pack (only 1)
4) yogurt
5) turkey or ham slices from deli
6) 1 piece of laughing cow cheese with 5 fat free crackers
7) kiddie size frozen yogurt (sugar free/fat free) from TCBY
8) 1 small peach, plum, apple or orange
9) 1 low fat, no sugar added ice cream sandwich
10) 1/2 cup light yogurt
11) 1 oz fat free cheese with 3 whole wheat crackers
12) 1 low calorie granola bar
13) 1/2 cup vanilla fat free, no sugar added ice cream
14) 1/2 cup sugar free jello or pudding
15) 17 grapes + 1 oz fat free cheddar cheese
16) 1 small while grain bagel + 1 oz fat free cream cheese
17) 1 no sugar added juice popsicle
18) 1/2 cup etamame (soybeans)
19) 1 small apple with fat free caramel
Still working hard, but no loss yet
Apr 25, 2009
I'm still keeping up with my food intake on dailyplate.com and it looks like I'm eating about 800-1000 calories, 20-25g of fat, and 100-150g of carbs. I think the carbs are what's holding be back. I have PCOS and am insulin resistant and carbs are my worst enemy. I'm going to work really hard this week at not eating any bread or crackers. I don't eat pasta so no worries there.
I'm sticking with my saucer of food now and that's not a problem for me anymore. I'm satisfied with that amount and I don't constantly think about food anymore. So now if I could just get that darn scale to MOVE!!!
I'm going to support group on Monday and it's supposed to be about food and setting up a menu that will help us lose weight. I hope I can get some good information that will help me start to see the scale go down again.
It's Easter!
Apr 12, 2009
I've been working really hard at sticking with the plan and exercising as much as I possibly can. I've not lost a single pound since my fill a few days ago, but I'm going to stick with the plan and pray that the weight starts dropping soon.
I also need to mention that AF came to visit the DAY I had my fill so I suspect that may be part of my problem in why I'm not dropping any weight right now. Anyway, I know I have to stick with the plan and I'm doing that. I'm eating a saucer of food 3 times a day.I decided on Thursday last week to start journaling my food intake. I found this great website (www.thedailyplate.com) and most everything I've eaten I've been able to find in there. Dr. Woodman wants me to count fat grams (25-30g a day max) and this site not only counts that, but also calories, protein, and lots of other stuff. In the time I've been putting in my daily food, I'm averaging about 600-800 calories and 20-25g of fat. That's BEFORE my workouts burn part of it off.
Yesterday was the first day I've exercised twice in one day and it felt great! It was a big accomplishment for me as I used to NEVER exercise. That make 5 days I've exercised this past week and a total of 3.25 hours this week. Dr. Woodman wants me exercising 3-5 hours a week minimum. So the 40 minutes 5 times a week is not really going to cut it. I'm going to have to exercise twice a day to make his 5 hours. He said the patients that lose the most are exercising more than the 5 hours and I want to be one of those patients.
Oh, and as for the fill, I CAN feel a little more restriction. I get full faster than I did. However, I'm working to not get FULL anymore, but to be satisfied with the saucer of food. I learned that at my last visit and I've taken it to heart. I don't want to screw this up. I want to get it right and I'm trying really hard to do so.
my first fill
Apr 10, 2009
I had lost 12lbs since surgery, 20lbs since pre-op diet, and a total of 11% of my excess weight. My surgeon was not happy with me. He wanted me to lose more. He's really sort of a jerk.....well....actually he is a jerk about it. He told me I wouldn't be successful and that I need to mature some. He also said I've already stretched my pouch because I'm eating more than a saucer of food. He's big on breaking people down. Good thing I knew this ahead of time and so I didn't let him get to me.
I thought I was supposed to eat until I was full. He corrected me on that yesterday and said I should eat until satisfied and NEVER more than a saucer of food. So now that I'm clear on that, I'll stick to that method.
Yes, I could have done better, but this is a process and I'm just learning. I'll get there though. You see, I hear he makes patients cry. Not this patient! His comments just fire me up and make me want to show him what I can do.
My exercise is going well though. I'm up to 1.9 miles in 40 minutes. My goal is 2 miles in 30 minutes. (at least my short term goal anyway)
Well here I go on another week of this journey. I've made it through the first 5 and I'm looking forward to many, many more weeks of losing weight and getting healthy!
a rough few days
Apr 07, 2009
However, these lasts few days I've allowed myself to eat and eat until I am as full as I can be and I know that's not what I should be doing. In the process I've gained 1.5lbs in the last 3 days. I can't be mad at anyone but myself though. I chose to eat more than I should have and to eat things that were NOT on plan.
I'm getting back on track though. I walked 1.8 miles in 40 minutes last night which was really good for me. Pre-surgery I was walking about 1 mile in 30-40 minutes. I'm making a promise to myself that I'll walk 5 days a week for 40 minutes and try to continue to walk more and more miles in that 40 minutes. Also, last night I REALLY wanted a snack (I've not night snacked in MONTHS so I don't know where that's coming from), but instead I got a glass of water, drank it all, and went to sleep. So I'm trying really hard to repair the 3 days of crap I gave my body.
Tomorrow will be my first post-op appointment with my surgeon. I was hoping for a 20lb loss (since surgery day), but I don't think I'll quite make that now. I just have to keep reminding myself that I'm changing habits I've had for all 30 years of my life and it's GOING to take time.
One month ago....
Apr 04, 2009
For a couple weeks I wasn't sure if I'd done the right thing, but once my body finally figured out I wasn't trying to starve it, it started working with my band. So in one month I've lost 14.8lbs. Including the 2 weeks pre-op diet, I'm down 21.4lbs in a month and a half. I don't think I've EVER lost that much in such a short period of time.
I can tell the swelling is mostly gone now because I'm hungry more and I can eat probably a cup to a cup and a half if I wanted to. I'm trying really hard to stick with 1/2 a cup, but sometimes end up eating a cup just to keep from getting out of control with snacking.
Physically I'm feeling SO wonderful!!! I'm just 11lbs from being into the 200's and I'm SO looking forward to that. Mentally, it's still hard and probably always will be. I'm an emotional eater and so I want much more food than my body will allow me to have. That part gets frustrating sometimes, but I'm dealing with it.
It took me a year to get banded and at the time I was dreading that year, but now looking back, I can say it was the best thing for me. That year gave me time to deal with alot of the reasons I am overweight in the first place and the reasons that I choose to eat to hide my feelings. So to anyone that's wanting surgery, but it's taking a while to get it, I tell you, use this time to learn how to deal with whatever issues you have with food and then when you're banded it will make things easier (I think).
I go Thursday for my first fill. I'm curious to see what that's like and if what I'm able to eat will change at all.
Looking forward to many more great months!!!
finally going down again!!!
Mar 31, 2009
I've been waiting and waiting and starting to get impatient and it finally happened!!! So that's 13.2lbs gone since my surgery on March 6th.
really having a rough time
Mar 29, 2009
I'm now 3 weeks and a few days post-op and the last two weeks I've managed to lose NOTHING. I'm so very disappointed. I know that this stage is for healing and weight loss should not be expected, but when you are eating less than half what you used to (mind you I lost 75lbs on my own and was eating alot more than I do now), you kind of expect to be losing something.
This is my last week on pureed and then I move back to solid foods. I've got a week and a half before my first fill. I just hope that after going to solids and getting a fill that I'll start losing again.
I also hope that soon I'll be able to post good news instead of all this bad. It's really starting to get me down and I don't like being that way.
