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Thursday, March 4, 2010

3 week post-op update


Today is my official weigh-in day and I am down another 3 lbs. this week! This brings my total to 18 since my first weigh-in four weeks ago. Tomorrow I will be three weeks post-op. I’m supposed to be returning to regular foods tomorrow, but I’m afraid I jumped the gun a bit and started eating regular foods last weekend. Oh well!

These are the things that I am doing well:
1) No drinking with meals – I thought this would be harder, but so far it has been pretty easy. Except when I forget to look at what time it is when I get done eating and then I realize a bit later that I don’t know when I can drink again.

2) Journaling – I have a cute purple notebook in my purse that I am using to write down what I eat and track my protein.

3) Exercise – I walk every morning with my dog for about 30 minutes.

4) No soda – Oh how I loved my daily diet cherry Pepsi, but I’ve only thought of it a few times since being banded. I’m drinking Arizona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng (sweetened with Splenda) instead which is very yummy.

These are the things that I am not doing so well:

1) Eating slowly – I had a couple “stuck” episodes early on (like last week – LOL), but now everything is pretty much going down no problem. I think I sort of want something to get stuck so I know for sure my band is there and working.

2) Eating no more than one cup portions – I have been eating about a cup and a half for dinner which goes down fine, but maybe ten or so minutes later I get that weird pain in my neck/shoulder. It’d be nice to get that WHILE I am eating so I’d know I was eating too much.

3) Resting – I was back to work a couple of days after surgery and I’ve been running on full speed ever since. About a week after surgery, I developed this horrible cough and I’m just now starting to feel better. I know my body is still recovering. I don’t know why it is so hard for me to take it easy.

So this is my three week evaluation. I made it through a minefield of birthday parties last weekend and I feel great about how I did and especially that I still lost three pounds this week. Overall I am really happy with my weight loss (the last time I dieted, it took me six months to lose 25 lbs.).

I am also wondering if there are any other vegetarian “bandsters” like me? I’ve been a lacto-ovo veg since I was 19. So far I am not having too much trouble getting the protein in, but I feel like I’m really working at it. If you are a veg or know of one, please let me know.

9 comments:

Lap Band Groupie said...

Great WL!! It's really coming off fast!! Sounds like you've got some restriction going...YAY. I'm allowed up to 1.5C of food at a meal, but until 6 weeks post-op they told us it was better to eat smaller meals more often (just because the stitches holding the band to the stomach need to heal without being pulled on).

workinprogress said...

You are doing really well! Congratulations :-)

I'm not vegetarian - but I mainly eat vegetarian food. Growing up we pretty much only ate vegetarian at home and meat if we went out to eat (it was much harder to get vegetarian at restaurants back then!).

ANYWAY!! Check out my blog - I posted a cottage cheese loaf yesterday. I make it without the walnuts and it is a great bandster food. It tastes better than it sounds - lol!

When we were in the US I think my mum used George Washington Broth instead of the stock powder (does that sound right? Is that vegetarian?)

Take care "-)

Jacquie said...

You are doing fantastic Amanda! What are you doing for fills and follow-up care? I have a doctor lined up but he is 100 miles away. There is a Fill Center uSA 20 miles away and I keep going back and forth. Not sure which way to go.

Keep up the great work!

Amanda Kiska said...

There is a natrualpathic doc that does fills for Mexican bands where I live in Eugene, Oregon. There is also a Fill Center USA about 60 miles away so that is my back up plan. I only found one place locally that did not do fills except for their own patients. It made me wonder what someone would do who relocates from one area to another. Why are you hesitant to go to the closer Fill Center USA?

Jacquie said...

I don't really know. I think I am just being paranoid about something going wrong with my band and not having a bariatric doctor to go to. Tell me I'm being paranoid, my husband does! He told me today I should go to the Fill Center for a follow-up when I get home after a week or two and see if I like him/her. If not, I can go to the other doc.

Amanda Kiska said...

I think you will know if there is something wrong with the band. 100 miles seems like a really long way to go, but I understand you have to do what you feel comfortable with.

BanderificBeauty said...

You are doing sooo good I am so proud of you! I havent started the journal thing yet because I am so bad at keeping up with things. I know I will lose the notebook. Maybe one day I will start that.

I am also having stuck problems especially first thing in the morning. I am trying to break my 3 chew and swallow habit LOL Girl we are rockin this lol

Bonnie said...

Way to step back and evaluate. Resting is super important so make sure you focus on that one. Good luck.

Jacquie said...

As of today, I will be going with the closer, fill center USA. Thanks for your thoughts about it! 100 miles is a long way to go just to find out I am doing fine and to get a fill! Positive thoughts here.