Weight loss....bump in the road?

Hi there. I had Lap-Band surgery in July 2012, I'm coming up on a year soon. I haven't lost very much weight at all, and I know its due to poor eating habits. Also, last week I had to have a repair done because the tubing was going through a muscle in my stomach which was causing severe pain. After the surgery, I feel so much better and am excited to get back on track. Problem is, I'm not really sure where to start. Should I do low carb or low calorie? I've seen people have success with both types of diets. I have 6 cc's in my band right now, and there is zero restriction and I'm still hungry quite a bit. 

I'm sure being hungry has to do with my food choices, so I'm working on that. Its a fresh start and I really want to succeed. Any advice would be completely welcomed. I'm confused as to what diet I should follow. I know low carb works the best, but its also the hardest to follow with three kids...one being a toddler. Low calorie seems much easier, but again I know I should only be eating 1 cup or 1/2 of food? I should be going to talk to my nutritionist next month, but I want to get on track now. 

-San

We are to have protein first.  Than veggies.  With the band I was on a 1200 cal diet with protein > 80 g.  When I was having trouble with hair lose. it was 100-120 g protein.  If you can eat solid dense  protein it will fill you up.  I wasn't able to and had to get protein from soft sources and shakes.

I have had my band for over 4 years and lost a little over 180lbs.   

I focus on proteins and low carbs.  I cut out all simple carbs...meaning no white bread, pasta, cookies, cereals...and the like.  Really completely cut out all bread...it's just not that important to me.  I will eat tortillas once in awhile and pasta once in awhile...but otherwise...I cut pretty much cut these out of my diet. My diet consists mainly of lean protein, fruits and veggies, nuts and peanut butter, cottage cheese, eggs.  These are my main food items.  I also never, ever eat at fast food restaraunts.  In fact I limit eating out as much as possible because the food is almost always more calories than if you eat home.  I always cook my food and I don't use frozen foods or processed foods.  I also never drink my calories.  99% of the time my drinks are 0 calories. 

Exercise and activity is key to losing weight. I work out 6 days a week and a friend and I run up and down the stairs at luch time to get some activity in during the day.   

My meals for today looked like this

Breakfast- raspberries and blueberries 1 cup, 14 almonds

Snack- 1 string cheese

Lunch- 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 hard boiled egg, 4 carrot sticks

Dinner- Crockpot meal...  2 chicken thigh, 2 with salsa and 1/4 cup corn and green peppers and 3 tbls refried beans ...just a lite sprinke of cheese

snack- 1/2 apple 2 tbls of organic peanut butter

My total calories 1133

carbs 58

Protein 86

I try to keep my calories around 1200, carbs less than 65, and protein at 80.  I did pretty well today.   

I also exercised today.  I did a 20 minute weight circut and 60 minutes of kickboxing. 

 

 

I am with Crystal. When I was losing, I cut out all white bread, pasta, sweets. I exercise every day about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. I mix it up sometimes bike ride, swim, lift weights, etc.

I did not drink any of my protein, only real food. I was only eating 500 calories a day for quite some time and only ate two meals and two snacks,

1 c of dense protein (chicken, fish, ham, roast beef, pulled pork, eggs, turkey cheddar brats) with 1/3 c veggies and a little fruit for my two meals. Snacks were celery with peanut butter, Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese with Special K multigrain crackers, almonds with banana chips and Quaker Oat Squares (my trail mix).

Glad you are back and good luck!

You got great advice from two successful bandsters, if you need motivation and being held accountable post more and to track your meals and exercise routine.