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Now, this is an obvious generalization, so please bear with me. There are two types of people on this forum, Moms and Dads...And it has nothing to do with gender. Moms are the empaths, sympathizing with the hurts and bruises of the people here, taking into account their feelings when they give their advice. Patting them on the back as they are bent over the toilet puking their guts out because they tried to test their band. Dads are the authoritarians, telling people who ate a cheeseburger and fries on the way home from post-op "WTF did you do that for, are you stupid?" and "I was able to work my band, what the hell is wrong with you"? The friction I see on the site comes many times from the Moms and Dads fighting over the best way to help the kids, when in reality, both types of advice and help are necessary for the people who come here. We need to stop beating each other up, and start realizing that we NEED both types of people. So, in the words of that great wise man Rodney King, "Why can't we all just get along"? BTW, as I said at the start this is a generalization and the reality is not quite so clear, I personally relate more to the "Dads" on the board, but my heart also weeps for those who are struggling getting the band to work for them, especially when it has been so easy for me.

I love me some Italian food, but Italian food tends to be calorie loaded and heavy. I have been wanting Chicken Alfredo lately, but knew I shouldn't. So I attempted to make it from scratch tonight and it was fabulous. Here is the recipe that I came up with: Pasta- Spaggetti Squash cooked in the microwave Chicken- 4 chicken tenders sautéed in a skillet with olive oil Alfredo Sauce- 3 cloves of garlic minced (use more if you like or less) 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons I Can't Believe it's not Butter 1.5 heaping tablespoons of all purpose flour 1 3/4 cups 2% Milk (you can use 1% I just had 2%) splash of balsamic vinegar salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon of splenda put the evoo, butter and garlic in a sauce pan cook on med heat for about 3 min stiring add the flour and stir until incorporated add milk and bring to a boil add salt, pepper, vigegar and splenda and stir cut heat off and let sit chop half a bag of baby spinach (I used the ninja chopper I have) Once chicken is cooked add the sauce (if it is to thick add water to thin it down). Add in spinach and stir. Stread spaggetti squash with a fork add to chicken and sauce and stir. Eat and enjoy!! This was a WONDERFUL meal!! The hubs and I both enjoyed it. It was enough for him and myself to eat dinner and have lunch tomorrow (He eat bigger portions than me)

When people fall in love they are head over heels with each other. They can't get enough of each other and decide we are in this for the long haul. As time goes on life changes and that in love feeling changes to a new love. People have to work at it because if it goes stale then the only thing that happens is either divorce or break up. People don't stay married for 50 or 60 years because it was always easy. Work, children, stress and everything in between come in to play and if you give up then you are giving in. When you choose to have weight loss surgery you are entering in a new relationship. In the beginning you are all gung ho over the band, bypass, or sleeve because you are getting results. Then your weight loss starts to deminish, it goes slow and that feeling of giving up plagues many. That in love feeling with your band becomes stale and sometimes obsolete. To keep your love alive with your band you must make an effort to have a healthy relationship with it, not give in because the going gets rough or you're not losing as fast as you want too. You have to change up your diet and not give in to eating the same old boring foods day in and day out. If you don't work with it or for it, it won't work for you. We had a good relationship with food before the surgery so you now have to have a good relationship with food now that you have the band. The only way that you are going to let this make you or break you, is your determination that your relationship with the band is going to be ever lasting. We don't give up on our children because they don't behave well, we don't give up on our jobs because they stress us, we don't give up on our loved ones because they are ill and we can't give up on our bands just because at the moment the scale won't move or we are having a hard time in life, stressed, dealing with things that we don't want too that would make us eat before. Our relationship now is different. It will in time give you life, health and happiness if you are willing to stay married to it for the long haul. If you want the band to work, then develop a loving healthy relationship with it. Don't let it get stale. Keep your momentum alive and think about why you did this. It is only up to you and you alone to make this relationship work. If you don't then you will be right back where you started. It's not always easy to have a new relationship but it's not impossible to have a healthy relationship with food. Love yourself enough to make this work because the benefits are priceless. If you ever doubt that you can't or won't succeed then its up to you to know that you are worth more then that.

One of the best parts of getting back on track and living like a compliant bandster is the amazing food I get to eat. Nope, not kidding. I happen to be a pretty darned good cook. The problem is that when I'm not living right with my band, I get lazy. Cooking for one person half the time just doesn't seem "worth it," as if I'm not worth taking care of as much as the other people I cook for. That leads to take out, dining out, fast food, convenience foods, and processed foods. And that leads to weight gain. But when I'm concentrating on improving my life by working with the band, I eat not only healthier foods, but often tastier ones as well. Just in the past week, I made band friendly versions of beef Bourguignon, macaroni and cheese, braised chicken thighs with mushroom sauce, and for dinner tonight, Asian lettuce wraps with chicken and vegetables. It's all fresh, high protein, low fat, unprocessed, organic, and so much better than anything I could get at a supermarket or a cheap restaurant that it makes me shake my head that I ever made those choices. Even with the band, I love to cook, I love to eat, and I love flavorful foods. Now, I'm just finding ways to eat them the right way in the right amounts with the right ingredients. And it just rocks!

I have wine every night, I have since day one. Just remember that they are empty calories, log them in your calories for the day & enjoy!

So, I started the couch to 5k program this week, using the online support and the app I downloaded to my Android phone for free- I like it. It just vibrates my phone when it's time to switch from fast walk/run. I started it Monday and did ok- it's a big change from being off pretty much all activity other than walking to an actual regimented work out...I did a walk yesterday, and then the couch to 5k day two is today. I'm pretty proud of myself, I was 240 post op, and today weighed in at 216 Can't complain about that. I'm not in new clothes just yet- but my old ones are falling off of me, which is finally a good feeling. I still don't see it in my body, I guess a bit in my face- and that's what people seem to tel me- plus my wedding ring is spinning like crazy on my finger- time to get one of those adjustable band attachments until my weightloss settles in and then I can go get it resized. Kinda exciting stuff if you ask me Hope all is well with everyone else!!

I probably waited a couple of months after surgery, but you say you have been cleared. I also have a glass or two, a couple of times a week. I work rotating shiftwork and quite often will have a nice 6am, "bedtime" drink. I never noticed any difference in how alcohol affected me pre or post banding, but as many people say, it does affect them differently. Go slow until you see how it affects you. Its still the same amount of alcohol as it was pre banding. As you can see from below, calories can add up...and no protein in wine, so have some cheese with it. Calories A typical 3.5-oz. glass of Cabernet Sauvignon wine contains a total of 88 calories, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Alcohol makes up 77 calories within the serving and 11 calories come from carbohydrates. No appreciable amounts of proteins or fats are within the wine. Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/312718-calories-in-cabernet-sauvignon-wine/#ixzz2Onla0wd9

I don't drink, so I have no idea about the wine. But my SIL drinks wine all the time and has lots of ice and waters it down. Maybe try that. My doctor doesn't want me to eat and drink within 30 minutes of each other, so how do you dine and drink at the same time unless your doctor lets you. Well, anyway, have a wonderful date night-enjoy a great movie.

I waited to have a glass of wine until I was back on solids and cleared by my surgeon to eat whatever my band would tolerate. Alcohol is not encouraged by my surgeon because of the empty calories, but it is allowed in moderation. If you want to be safe, clear it with your doctor first. Two words of caution though. Because we eat less now, the alcohol has a more potent effect on some people that before banding, so sip slowly. Also, restaurants routinely pour glasses of wine that are 6-8 oz. each. One actual serving should be no more than 5 oz, and wine lover that I am, at home usually pour myself only 3 oz, and it's plenty! Enjoy your date night!

I too went to Disney only in Florida and it was so nice to fit on every single ride, such a huge nonscale victory for me.... Isn't it an amazing feeling???