Finally I am posting. Hello everyone!

I have been BOTT for over a week now and have lost somewhere between 8-11 lbs.  I am feeling good again.  I am feeling the weight come off again and I am swimming again!  It is about time.  I am trying to exercise as much as possible so as to burn as much as possible.  So in the morning I swim for about 45min and then in the evenings I walk at least a mile and sometimes add in the wii Fit.  I am a bit concerned about my caloric intake because it is really low.  I am feeling fine and taking my calcium and vitamins, but my calories are anywhere between 230 and 400 per day.  I am hungry in btween meaqls and use that time to get my H2O in and I hate to admit it, but I am chewing gum.  I do have a fill coming up soon.  I hate my obsession with weighing in.  I know I should limit myself to once a week, but I seem to HAVE to know.  I did have one indulgence last night.  I was having a high anxiety day (like I had had caffiene, but I don't do caffiene anymore) so my husband made me a drink.  I did account for it though and it did take the edge off.  I am glad to be back on track and I have to admit, when I went to my first support group meeting about a week ago, it really helped and they kind of put the scare back in me.  You know the one you have at the beginning where if you do something wrong, you could really cause some major damage.  I have also been writing in a diary and that has been tremendous support.  I am sorry if I am going off on tangents here and there, I just have a lot of different things I want to address.  I am afraid of the band fill, because when I go on the liquid diet for the first 2 days after, my caloric intake will increase and I worry that it will throw me off.  Thank you all for being out there and I would love any comments or suggestions you all have.

Wow that is way too few calories! If I remember correctly your body uses about 500 calories just in breathing.  There are many websites that will help you figure out the correct amount of calories you need to lose or maintain.  I know you can go thru the bodybug site to get alot if info but you never have to actually order it!  Journaling is a great idea because then you can go back and see how your feelings affect your food/exercise choices. Just be sure to be honest I know I have a habit of writing what I want to read in a journal!!!
Take care and keep posting...I know I am going to try to be a better poster!!  Jen

Hi Mimwithaband,

I'm so glad that you are BOTTing here with us.  Thanks for your post.

You are way off the nutrition track and eating way too few calories.  As you already know, 230 to 400 calories is nothing.  It doesn't even come close to supporting your basic bodily functions if you slept all day long.  Take into account all the activity you are doing and it is even way too low.  But you already know that so I'm glad you reached out to us, your BOTT friends.

It sounds to me that you are possibly engaging in anorexic/exercise bulimic behaviors.  I'm not saying that you are anorexic or an exercise bulimic but those are some of the behaviors.  It is of concern that you had a drink to take the edge off and experienced the relief that you wanted.  That is how cross addictions can start.  You substitute one behavior (alcohol) for eating like you did before to help you cope (take the edge off). 

You do not have to be a slave to the scale.  Weighing everyday is a great tool for some people but if it is something that you must do from an obsession, it has crossed the line from being a great tool to something unhealthy for you.

I would encourage you to have a very open, honest talk with your surgeon and/or dietician.  From my own personal experience, I would recommend you check in with a mental health professional that is associated or referred to by your surgeon. 

I am so glad that you are a BOTTer and we/I are here for you.  I hope you'll post often. 

BOTT POWER!!
Cathy

Whoa there - way too few calories.  You are going to halt your losing as your body will hang on to everything you eat in order not to starve.  You might want to contact your nutritionist and have her/him help you with this.  And yes, you can do major damage eating this way..

I love my band fills - I had my surgery 4+ years ago and up until about a year ago I had a fill every 4 months, then I went to 6 months and now I am about where I want to be.  You will not throw yourself off - it is a grand way to get centered again and signals your body that you are serious about this lifestyle.  I look forward to my fills - it is what I like most about the lap band procedure.

There are several websites that enable you to plan your food and the site computes the nutritional contents of what you eat.  In fact, OH has one and there are many others.  I think you could benefit from utilizzing such a site.

Please check with your dr and nutritionist. 

Can you tell me where my caloric intake shoue be?  I guess I am more afraid of eating than I ever was and since I am technically eating the right amount (half a cup) of food at a time, I figured I was okay.  Is there anything in the world scarier than calories?  I have to admit that I am always in a hurry to lose.   I guess I figured that if I eat less and burn, burn, burn, my body would respond accordingly.  So far that has worked pretty well.  With theexception that  I haven't seen the scale move in a couple of days and with the way I am eating and exercising, one would think I would be losing at least a pound a day.  I am going to support group tonight and hopefully they will have some words of encouragement for me .  I know slowing down and taking it one day at a time and making sure I am healthy above all else is really what is the most important thing.  I am trying.  I am just very apprehensive.