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Ok so I'm so close to Onederland that it is killing me. I am a frequent weigher, I weigh everyday that's just something that I do. So I thought that instead of obsessing over that 1 stinking lb, I could make a list of NSV's that I'm happy about, maybe that would make me feel better. So, here it goes: 1. I can fit in the booths at the diner that we go to, no more taking the table just because I could'nt breath in the booths. 2.I can slide the seat in the car all the way up and everything fits just fine. yeah! 3. I can fit in the smallest size hand-me-down clothes that my sis gave me when she lost weight. 4.Now everyone at work is starting to tell me that I look good, have lost a lot of weight. 5. I can wear my grandmother's heirloom ring, it fits me now. 6. I can wear necklaces again and not look like a walrus in a tie! 7. I actually have a neck now, it's amazing. 8. I tried on coats in Wallyworld in the regular size dept, and they fit! 9. I walked around the fair for 6 hours, was not out of breath, didn't have to sit down every 10 minutes and my feet didn't hurt. 10. My singing has improved, I can hold a note a lot longer than I could before, I guess my lungs needed the room to expand that the fat was taking up. Woo-hoo, I am feeling good, OK you 1 stinking lb, you are going to be history!!!!

At the beginning of this year I decided once and for all I would finally do something about my weight. For years my weight has yo-yoed. I have dieted and lost 50 lbs, just to turn around and gain 60. I needed something a little more permanent. However since I really hadn't been going to the doctor I had to go through a 6+ months of meeting with my PCP, dietician and psychologist. We are getting close. The paperwork has now been filed with the insurance company and we should hear back within the next two weeks. Hopefully it should only be another couple of weeks after that when I can truly start my weight loss journey. While I can't wait the surgery is probably going to take place less than a month before my next big BBQ competition and of course Thanksgiving. Clear liquids during a BBQ competition and Thanksgiving will suck. I will have to trust my "pit crew". My pre-surgery weight is currently 455. When I got married, I was 270 with body fat % of about 10%. My goal weight is to get back to the weight I got married at, that will be 175 lbs. Wish me luck. Paul "Bear"

I put on the dress that I have on in my before picture...I asked my 7 yr old to take a picture of me today! Just 2 months out! He said, "mom, you don't like taking pictures!" So I told him to just take it! I was so surprised when I did the side by side photo, what did we ever do without these!!! Holy crap...I SAW the difference! Is it possible to look at yourself everyday and NOT see the changes? In my case YES!!! I'm still working on my mind seeing me as a lighter version of myself...and sometimes I just don't see it...but today I did! And for the first time in a long time I like what I am seeing! Happy Friday, and thanks for listening to my rant!!!!

Good luck and hope all goes well. Please keep us posted.

I always have problems with lettuce. I know it is soft and it should go down but some of my worst stuck episodes have been when eating some type of leafy green veggie. My theory, which may be wrong is that even though I think I chew i feel it must slip down partially unchewed and lay over the opening of my band causing me to be stuck. Sounds good in theory. Some of the dishes you are eating are more difficult to digest, pasta, lettuce, salads, cereals. If I may make a suggestion, stick to simple cooked soft proteins. Fish is a moist soft protein that is easy to digest and packed full of protein and oils that are good for you. There are also some other cooking methods that will allow you to eat chicken and some of the other proteins and this will make them easier to digest. One method is to seal your meal in pouch, vacuum and cook the meal in boiling water, this method is called Sous-vide. It may sound like a lot of trouble but it works and the food is moist and delicious. Also another method to tenderize meats is an old Chinese method using baking soda. The baking soda will give the meat an almost silky texture and make it so tender and much easier to digest. I realize that this may sound like a lot of work but learning to live with lap band requires a life style change. I am 3 years post op and have worked through many tight episodes during this journey. Many of my problems were not my bands fault but mine for making poor choices and finally learning that I needed to make this work. I was determined to make this my life and make it work for me and my family. I cook wonderful meals that most would think, you can't eat that, you have a lap band. But you know what I can and do eat most anything I want but some days, I have to remind my self to slow down, chew and spend a few days in the penalty box for not following the rules and drink my protein. So rethink what choices you have been making and stick to basics for a while. Good luck and I hope your journey is successful. Also, never feel stupid.. this is a learning curve and we all learn everyday even 3 years out. http://www.ehow.com/how_5560702_tenderize-meat-baking-soda.html

Sleeved in Nov 2011 started at 330 now almost 2 years after I'm about 255. About a year back I sort of went into maint mode. Down to a comfy size 18 I was very content. I did want to go down one more pant size so I attempted to "diet" to lose more weight. I excersied, joined a gym ( URGH!! ) I so hate gyms, I so hate excersise. I bought the Wi Fitness Zumba Kit,, Did enjoy that for quite a while. My daughter and I really got into the dances. But as with most things time gets in the way. Got home too late from work to get in a good zumba session before having to cook, eat diner and get the grandson ready for bed. Went back to the NUT she suggested a 3::2 way of eating.. Stick to 3 low carb high protein meals a day and only 2 snacks. Did that.. and careful tracking of everything I ate. Found that I had been snacking more than I realized. Eating the 3:2 way helped me stop the food grazing and gain some control. With that I did lose another 5 pounds,, which got me to 255.. Where I've been stuck again for many many months. I"ve recently stumbled on Intermittent Fasting (IF). yes another FAD.. but appears to be working. You basically eat normally ( what ever your normal is ) for 5 days and eat 25% less calories for 2 days called fasting days. I call them CONTROL days. Having done that for about 4 weeks the scale is moving in the right direction again. During the normal 5 days, I eat what I consider sleeve normal, low carb high protein with added veggies. Portion sized are larger than in the very beginning of the sleeve, but still smaller than most. I do track what I eat using my Fat Secret phone app and I can see I average between 1200 - 1700 calories a day for normal eating days. I've cut back on the snacks, but will admit to having the occasional bad snack a couple of times a week. Then on what I call CONTROL days ( Monday and Thursday) I don't eat until evening diner. Then its my normal chicken, fish, pork, minimal days beef, with hearty veggie, on occasion small amount of rice, or pasta, totals to about 300 cal meal. Followed by a power crunch bar (200 cals). The rest of the day I drink, typically hot green tea. there is science behind the IF way of eating.. Might very well be another FAD, but the theory is two fold. One of course obvious.. eating less calories 2 days a week, then you'll average out eating less calories for the week, resulting in weight loss. The other, not so obvious.. is making the body rest from eating for a length of time caused the body to " eat its on fat" for energy. Therefore I stop eating from 7pm on Sunday night and don't eat again until Monday night around 7pm, giving my body 24 hours of rest..hence the term Intermitting Fasting. MOnday would be considered my FAST day. I call it my CONTROL day. because that's the day I start off with a cup of protein hot chocolate, then control my urge to eat until my diner meal. If the urge to eat ( typically not hungry ) gets the best of me I eat a small salad. These days have helped me gain control over my grazing and junk food eating binges. So.. I'll be bloging on my goal to go down at least one more pant size. I'm on my way!!