Welp ... I'm sure you can imagine that I ended up on the Lap Band's doorstep because I tried every other diet/workout/fad imaginable to lose weight ... and somehow still needed more help.

I've tried Atkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers, Paleo, Green Tea pills, Phentermine pills, B-12 shots, Lipo Shots, Liquid diets, and any other thing you can think of.

I was very unimpressed with the side effects that the pills and crash diets had on my body - jitters, constipation, etc.

And as I am here now struggling still with the lap band trying to get my weight down wiht a feeling of my own will and discipline, I have something else to "try" and I navigate my way to the green zone.

So a few months ago I bought some "chia seeds" from Trader Joes. I mixed them with some water like Dr. Oz said on his TV show, and they were the weirdest grossest feeling thing ever. They were lumpy and slimy and crunchy at the same time ... I was confused and grossed out and never opened the bag again.

BUT ... I realize that on my journey to the green zone what I really need is something that keeps my hunger under control, so that I can feel more satisfied eating small portions of healthy foods ... and supposedly this is exactly what Chia Seeds do ... they swell once they are mixed with a liquid, and therefore make you feel full once you eat or drink them ...

SOOOOOOOOO I figured I would try to outsmart myself and eat them again without making myself gag. I tried them yesterday morning with my protein shake. I didnt mix them with the shake, but I took a gulp of the shake and shoved a teaspoon of the seeds in my mouth, then swallowed quickly and drank some more. Well I have to say that if I was guessing, I may have subsided my extreme hunger pangs for maybe an extra 30 mins or an hour ... so I did the same thing before I left work late in the afternoon ... and again I felt satiated for maybe 30-45 mins.

So I'm at it again this morning, drinking my protein shake and eating the seeds simultaneously. And I'll do the same thing this afternoon before I leave work (1.5 teaspoons per sitting). I'll see if there is correlation to how long they supress my hunger, and the amount of seeds I take in, so I'll gradually increase the amount and see what happens.

I'll keep you all posted. If you woild like to try them, they have them at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's (and probably fresh market) for under $5 per bag. I suspect that this bag may last me about 3 weeks.

And if anyone else has had some experience with them please let us know!