02/26/08 Bandit

Hi, thanks for telling me how to do my signature.  I have a couple of questions.  Does it hurt to get your fill done?  And about how many calories are you eating daily now?  I am having a struggle with getting my exercise level up to pre-surgery levels.   I finally was cleared to get back into the pool, but a few days later I tore something in my right knee.  I have an appointment set up with the ortho. doctor on the 16th.   Until then I have to walk with my leg perfectly straight.  Such fun. :) Could be worse.  Glad you are doing well. Blessings, Linda N.

Hey there, Linda, Ack -- sorry to hear about your knee.  And that you have to wait two more weeks to see the orthopaedist!!  That doesn't seem fair. I do have some good news for you, though -- getting a fill sounds a lot scarier than it is in real life.  I can't speak for everyone, but my fill didn't hurt one little iota.  I think it was just the idea of it that gave me the willies.  Now that I've had the first fill done, I'm cool as a cucumber about the next ones. As for calories, I'm currently taking in about 1,200 a day.  I was averaging 1,000 for a while but I was walking an hour a day and 1,000 calories just wasn't cutting it. -- and I wasn't losing weight (as odd as that sounds).  Barb (one of the awesome people here on OH) told me about tracking calories on www.mydailyplate.com, so I have a record of everything for the past ten weeks.  There's a feature that allows you to graph your weight loss and your calorie intake so you can see patterns in what works and what doesn't. The calorie thing is different for Bandits than it is for RNY'ers -- which is one reason we lose weight more slowly than they do.  Ask your surgeon the calorie range he or she thinks is optimal.  Mine told me 1,000-1,500 calories a day, depending on what works.   I can't say enough good things about www.mydailyplate.com.  I update my record assiduously after each meal so I can see how many calories I have left "in the bank" and can tailor my meal plans accordingly for the rest of the day.    The program also charts how many grams of protein, carbs, fat, etc., so it keeps me mindful about getting my protein in and keeping my carbs low. Hope your knee is better soon, and that' you're back to your usual level in no time!