Arria

I eat it sometimes when I feel like having something sweet, but I don't put it on bread. I spread a little dollop of peanut butter and of jelly on a wheat thin and make a wheat thin sandwhich out of it. It satisfies my craving, and believe me, I used to LIVE on PB&J's, so that's saying something!

yeah...i'd say bikini is my goal too! hopefully the scars won't be too visible by then...lol i've always wanted to bungee jump, so when I hit my goal weight, i'm gonna find a place to bungee jump and do it!

As far as pasta goes, it usually doesn't give me any trouble and I've got a decent amount of restriction. As long as I'm very careful with chewing it goes down just fine! And if pasta gives you trouble, the filling is honestly the best part and that's where all the protein is anyway, so you could just make it without the crust...that's what i'm considering doing next time!

I can't stand the taste of most protein bars...so if you're like me, and you're willing to sacrifice a bit of protein for taste, I would recommend Special K Protein Meal Bars. They have 10g. of protein per bar, and taste really really good! I usually eat one in place of breakfast.

Ok so this is kind of a splurge carb wise w/ the Pasta...but it's chock full of Protein and it is AMAZINGLY good! INGREDIENTS 6 oz. Spaghetti, broken in half 3 egg whites 2 Tablespoons Grated Parmesean cheese 1 Teaspoon olive oil 10 oz. Ground Turkey Breast (Italian Style if available) 1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped 1 Onion, chopped 2 Garlic Cloves, minced 1 (8 oz.) can Tomato Sauce 1 Teaspoon dried Oregano 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper 1/3 cup Shredded Mozarella Cheese DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9" pie plate with low-fat cooking spray. 2. Cook the spaghetti, rinse under cold Water for 30 seconds and drain. Transfer to medium bowl; stir in the egg whites and parmesean cheese. Pat into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. 3. In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the turkey, bell pepper, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until the turkey is browned and the veggies are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, oregano and black pepper; cook and stir constantly, about 2 minutes. 4. Spread the mixture evenly over the pasta. Bake for 25 minutes; sprinkle with mozarella cheese and bake until melted, about 5 minutes. Per Serving: Calories: 334 Fat: 5 grams Protein: 30 grams

The best way to get your energy up is to walk, walk, walk! Even if you're just walking for a few minutes around your house, or to the end of your driveway, block, etc...it's also gonna help you get rid of those troublesome gas pains. As far as the pain in your port, it's normal for you to feel soreness around that area post-op, but if your gut is telling you something is wrong, mention it to your doctor and see what he has to say about it. Things will get better soon, so keep positive!! Congrats on being banded :thumbup:

I bought a shirt from Arden B!!!!! They only carry Small, Medium and Large! Granted...the shirt was a Large, but still, I would never even have gone into that store before I had lapband!! :thumbup:

I'm about 10 months out and I still have a bit of pain in my port at times. It may be just normal pain, but nobody can tell you for sure except for your doctor. If I were you I would call my doctor's office and ask to speak with a nurse who can perhaps let you know if pain near your port is something normal or if you'll need to schedule a visit to get it checked out.

Oh! I forgot to mention, pineapple juice works WONDERS for when you feel stuck. Sip it though, don't chug it!

Hi Sheila! Congrats on being banded Welcome to the club! Anyway, about PBing, it's not nearly as bad as you've heard. Go slowly when testing out new foods, remember to chew a lot, and don't drink while you're eating. I think not drinking while eating is the most important factor because my most violent PB's (which still were nothing compared to actual vomiting) have been directly caused by that. You will deal with PBing at some point in time, but you won't choke to death! Good luck and be careful!

small world!!

i'm from friendswood, tx (near Houston!)