1st 6wks for optimum weight loss- diet followed?

Good Evening! Quick question!  I know that for the first 6 weeks we are to follow a "strict"diet on what we can eat. 1st week clear liquids, 2nd & 3rd week full/solid liquids etc. Anywho, did any of you do a "food lay-out' of sorts and plan your meals though it is limited?? Such as what did you eat, and how much of it.  I am finding some can lose up to 15lbs the first month and then I just met some guy who said he lost 30lbs in a month???!!  I am just wondering what some ppl do for their eating and all.  Mainly for mushy food time.  If you got banded and have info on your eating during this time let me know please.  Loving me some broth and SF jello....never tasted so good!!

First and formost, what you lose in a month is up to you and your body. Everyone is different. I only lost 8 lbs the first month, 12 the next.  For the Dr. I have, his recondmendation is as follows: Day 4 -2 weeks, full liquids (1/4 t0 1/2 cup) 3 meals and 3 snacks a day.                               low fat cream soups                               skim milk                              Carnation instant breakfast                              sugar free puddings                              cream of wheat                              vegetable juice Week 3 and 4  pureed foods Week  5 and 6 Soft diet Week 7 all foods as tolerated PLUS water  at least 64 ounces a day and at least 60 ounces of protein. Have you found a Dr. yet for your fills? He will have information for you to go on also. Hugs

Good Morning....I have found a DR. or two or few! The one that I have found that I will be going to is located outside of Peoria.  His name is Dr. Sidney Rohrsheib and he came highly recommended by some ladies who had their bands down out of the country.  I called his office up and they were so polite and helpful that after speaking to the other Dr.'s offices that had said..."hhhmm, okay"...I knew right off the bat this was the place.  I did find a few doctors out towards Chicago but on top of their charges I would be charged by the hospital and considering I am a self-pay it was going to cost me about the price to get another ticket, fly to Mexico, get my fill down there and come back.....so I have chosen against going to them...for now.  I do know that from speaking to some ladies that were there at the hospital getting fills that some had restriction right away and some did not.  I also know that the one's that did not also had lost the least because they were eating more and eating things that are not on the "list" per se for the first 6 weeks.  I did meet a guy at the airport who had had lap band done a year ago and he was so ecstatic and had been so pumped from losing the weight that he said it made him feel more "committed" to losing the weight and sticking to his regimen.  He said he has had his moments where he has felt that he has "cheated" on his foods but has learned to either portion control it or has had to avoid it all together because of the horrible side effects.  I know this process is really, really hard and the level of committment is difficult at times. But I keep telling myself that it is THIS or DIABETES....pick my battles wisely I guess. I am telling my friends and family that from now on out....I am not perfect and I will have moments of weakness but w/their help and ecouragement I hope to get through this. Beings diabetes along w/stomach/liver/kidney/heart problems are very, very prevalent in my family I am forcing myself to try to keep to a diabetic diet and make sure that the rest of my family does to. I do believe if we continue to do this as a family it will be so much easier and much more healthier for all of us in the long run.  Well, I'm sure I'll chate more later....hugs

I'm glad you found a fill doc that works for you!  The nice thing about the band (at least for me) is that there is a physical limitation to how much you can actually eat!  No matter how much you want to keep going, the body just won't let you.  And if you push, there is a very painful push back!  The other day I had a cheeseburger (no bun).  I ate about a third of it and knew I had eaten my fill.  But it was a party and I forced one more bite.  The pain was almost unbearable!  Luckily, it passed within about 20 minutes and I learned my lesson.  The truth is, I was very full before I tried that last bite, but my bad habits of over eating kicked in.  In time, I will learn my limits and be able to stop before I get to the painful stage.  I know that I can eventually force myself to overcome the band and fail if I work at it, but success seems like it will be easier than failure!  That's the beauty of the band.  There is a learning period, of course.  But I find that for the most part, I'm full most of the time, I have energy, and I'm shrinking at a very rapid speed.  Paul

Paul, you know...it's like the battle of the minds. One half is saying "Nooooo don't eat it." while the other is saying "Go ahead, you are still hungry, finish what is on your plate and do not waste food!!"  But I do agree with the kick back.  I have had a few times already w/kick back to the point I have to stop and go walk to get the discomfort feeling out of me.  And that was from eating to fast.  Never knew how fast I ate and most consider me a slow eater so this is trial by error period right now for me.  I am so pumped and excited I think that is what keeps me going!!

You are absolutely correct.  And that battle of the mind has been going on in me for decades!  But that excitement seems to last.  Yesterday, we had Chinese food.  Traditionally I have a huge plateful, soup, egg roll and then another huge plateful.  Last night I had a small egg foo young and some soup.  As i slowly chewed my egg foo, I sipped a little soup.  I finished the egg foo young patty and just felt full.  I put the remainder of the soup back in its container and will have that tonight.  I would normally eat 3 egg foo youngs, and all the soup, plus all the other stuff!  I was completely satisfied with what I did eat, and now have several meals in leftovers!  Mentally, I felt like I was suppose to eat two or even three times as much, but I listened to my body, and I ended up very happy with the small portion that was my dinner!  But learning is everything.  Friday, I made up some red snapper.  I had a tiny amount which I chewed very well.  My body said "NO" and I ended up with an hour of sever pain and even through some of it up.  No more snapper for me!  It was really a small amount, but it just didn't work.  So I continue to learn.