kittyforet

We don't have one in my area. I've heard that soon we might get one in Houston, easily a 45-60 minute trip for me each way, but can't wait to check it out. Someone should start a sticky thread with things to buy there so once it opens (if the rumors are true!), I'll have a full shopping cart!!

I still drink a Protein shake 4-5 times per week. I don't have time during the regular week to eat a real Breakfast before teaching my class. If you're not into buying protein but still want to drink a drink, take milk and add 1/3 cup powdered dry milk to it and make double milk. Gives it more protein. My nutritionist told me this. I would mix that with a carnation instant breakfast for a cheaper version of a Protein Drink. Sometimes I use the double milk plus half a packet of the carnation instant breakfast to save calories. I also use the no sugar added instant breakfast. For other protein sources, consider eating eggs, boiled, poached, in a quiche (I found a recipe for an egg "puff" that's like a crust less quiche, I made it in a large pan and it makes 12 servings that are very filling and full of protein!). Sometimes I break my routine and eat Tuna salad or chicken salad as breakfast. Greek yogurt has also become a staple in my fridge, as it is good at keeping me full. Even with buying protein powder, I'm still spending less on food, since now it's hard for me to find breakfast choices at fast food places that I can eat without issue AND that have enough protein. My mind wants an egg mcmuffin, but my band and food journal say its not worth it. I buy either Ideal chocolate Milk protein powder or unjury powder and add to skim milk to get almost 30 grams protein for breakfast. I hear lots of people go to costco but there's not one near me. I tried the brand at Walmart and while it's cheap, I didn't care for the taste. Some people drink coffee and add their protein powder to it. I'm not a java fan though. Geez I sound picky! Lol Good luck!!

I'm the same way! All of a sudden yesterday it was like I was a crazy person with sweets! And again today, my students brought me a Baggie of cookies and mini muffins and I couldn't stay out of it! I had to hide it so I wouldn't scarf the whole bag! Now I feel a little sick for even eating any of it. Don't want to feel this way again.

Everyone's tastes are different. You'll have to try and find what you like. I've had unjury and it's not bad. They sell chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, unflavored, and chicken soup. Unflavored is good to add to other items like applesauce, etc. But it still has a taste. Lately I've been buying The Ideal Chocolate Milk and like it better than Unjury chocolate but again personal opinion. I didn't care for the synthrax brand flavors but those are mostly fruit flavors and coffee flavor, which I don't like anyway, but I hear lots of people love those and Isopure from GNC. Most Protein can be sold in sample size packages. Buy a few from different places and see what you like. Also what you like pre-op may change and you might not like it post-op. that happened to me. I'm going to try the muscle milk cake batter next.

Some days, watching people eat makes me gag. Especially my hubby. Love him but can't eat with him anymore. I've been losing and he's been gaining. Ugh. At thanksgiving dinner I ate by myself so I wouldn't have to watch any of my inlaws gorge themselves (they don't know I've been banded!). Will do the same at Christmas too. Usually my 4-year-old daughter is stuck to me like white on rice, so she's the only one that I can eat with and not want to hurl.

Just know you're not the only one. It's a pain (literally) but I've heard taking the fiber stuff helps. I'm looking into that now too. Will probably try the fiber gummies first, since my multi-vitamin and Calcium are gummy too.

App FAIL!!

Hi bashy! I'm in Houston and would like a buddy too. Banded June 20, 2011. Email me anytime kittyforet@yahoo.com

For my first few fills, there were no restrictions. However after #3, I was told liquids for 2 days, then mushies 1 day, then regular foods. If our doctor didn't say, take it easy and do liquids today at least.

According to the book "The Lap-Band Soultion, A Partnership for Weight Loss" by Dr. Paul O'Brien, MD (one of the lap-band originators)... THE GOLDEN RULES OF EATING AND EXERCISING (Chapter 10) 1. Eat 3 or less small meals per day (you CAN eat less than 3!) 2. Do not eat anything between meals (not even fruit!) 3. Eat slowly and stop when no longer hungry (15-20 minutes per meal) 4. Focus on nutritious foods 5. Avoid calorie-containing liqiuds (water, tea, coffee, low-cal sodas as well as wine are OK) 6. Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day 7. Be active throughout each day 8. Always keep in contact with your doctor Remember that if your band is not correctly adjusted you will not be able to follow the rules.

As a cosmetologist, I can say that some haircolors "take"/hold the color better on dirty/not freshly shampooed hair. However, there have been instances that I have applied color onto freshly shampooed hair. Once reason not to shampoo first is that if you scrub too hard, you could scrape the scalp, and that will burn or get irritated if you put color on top of it. Most colors require shampooing after so you can shampoo the color out. I would do your workout first, then color, then shampoo it.

I have a glass of wine a few times per month...actually, Dr. Paul O'Brien, affilitated with True Results, said a few glasses of wine per week is ok, even a glass daily is ok... Since banding, I've been to teacher happy hour and had an alcoholic drink each time....the first (my usual pre-band) was a margarita/sangria mix, but post=banding it was WAY too much!!! I've also had a spiked sweet tea and that was good...but it did hit me fast!! Now I just drink a sangria and have them add extra fruit to it, and drink it very slowly. Good luck!

Melissa and Lollicatt, I eat 4-6 oz Protein per meal and add fruit/veggies/carbs to that so in total I eat 1/2 to 1cup per lunch and dinner. Not close enough to what the video recommends but way way less than I did pre-banding. The video I was referring to was given to me by True Results and it just reiterates Dr O'Briens 8 golden rules of lap band. I was also given the book by the same doctor. I will try this week to pull out the book and video and list the 8 rules and send them to you. They're short and supposed to be easy to understand. It's good material to be reminded of every now and again. Things that I knew I should do but had either stopped or was slacking off.

I use myfitnesspal and yes you can customize it. It allows you to either use foods from their database or you can input your own ingredients and it does the calculations for you. Love it.

When I make tuna or chicken salad, I use the laughing cow in place of mayo...keeps fat and calories low but tastes AWESOME!! I also use it when making egg mugs. (egg substitute, turkey sausage, half a slice of bread, and a wedge of LC light).

You're welcome! I can still tolerate chicken and beef as long as I take small bites. But no way if either of them are dry!! I eat ham, turkey, white meat chicken, tuna, ground beef, the occasional steak medium well, pork loin if it's not dry or has a sauce. I can also tolerate soft fish like tilapia and love shrimp but have to chew and take super tiny bites! I love crabmeat too but that's usually mushy anyway. When I make taco soup with ground beef or chicken tortilla soup, I add extra beans To both for added protein and it helps keep me full. I'm also ok with small amounts of pasta and rice but don't try them often, maybe once or twice a month. While I love super soft white bread, my band doesn't. Got stuck on a piece the other day. I've basically stopped eating it to prevent problems. I track my food and can see when I need more protein and what I can have that will help me Reach my goals. If you're interested, check out myfitnesspal.com and friend me. You can view my eating diary...I'm not always good but I try. Lots of friends from here are there as well and whenever I see what they eat, it motivates me to do better. Good luck!! Feel free to email me anytime. Kittyforet@yahoo.com Kristi

Once you have good restriction, you should be able to only eat 1/2 cup of total food per meal. Your entire meal should be squished into a half-cup measure. So in order for that to happen, you need to fill your tiny plate with high Protein foods. Once you have the protein covered, then add tiny amounts of fruits/veggies/carbs if you can handle them. I'm not at green zone yet but eat between 1/2 cup to 1 cup total per meal. When I make my lunch for work, I measure / weigh everything. If I'm taking Soup, I put 6-8 oz in my container and that's it. (usually a high protein soup) If its tuna or chicken salad, 4 oz plus maybe a few crackers or pita crisps and baby carrot sticks. . Can't handle soft bread but can sometimes eat toasted bread. Your food needs to be able to keep you full and satisfied for more than 3 hours. I watched dr obriens video again last night with the 8 golden rules for weight loss with the band and all of the above are part of those rules. Good luck!

I'm 5 months out and with my last fill 3 weeks ago, at first it seemed I was almost too tight. I got stuck more often but noticed I was able to eat less and wasn't hungry between meals. Did great at thanksgiving. For 2 weeks stayed under 1000 calories per day and was never hungry and didn't need to snack between meals. Now, however, this week I have been getting hungry after 2 hours. Like stomach growling where people hear it hungry. Even when I get my protein. Before lunch yesterday I already had 50 grams and was starving at 11:00. Same thing today, had 30 grams protein for breakfast at 6:45 and by 9:00 tummy growling like a bear. Struggling this week to stay at 1200 calories. Feeling hungry again between meals. With this fill it seemed tight for 2 weeks and now loose for 2 weeks. Hoping next week when I go back for my next fill, they can explain it. And hopefully get closer to green zone. Good luck to you.

You're doing good. I was banded June 20, 2011. My last fill was two and a half weeks ago and at that visit, I was told that I was right on track with my weight loss, that slow was better. I told her I was frustrated and she said not to be, that if it came off slow it has a better chance of staying off and I in turn have a better success story. So don't be discouraged. Any loss is good. Don't try to rush it. Remind me of this soon, would ya?? Hang in there. It's not a race to lose

I wasn't wanting to eat a full meal before working out. I usually work out right before either lunch or dinner. Wasn't sure if I was supposed to drink a protein drink before or after. Some days I am starving while working out and thought maybe if I had a protein drink or something right before that would keep me going until my post-workout meal. Thanks everyone for the replies. I knew I'd heard before something about what to eat/drink before or after but couldn't remember what it was.

With my last fill 2 weeks ago, I felt the total opposite. I got stuck easier and was full on less food. Since yesterday though, I seem hungrier, don't get stuck, and feels like my band has gotten looser. For the first two weeks, debated whether to go get a tiny unfil (I could still eat but started to panic) and now it seems like next Thursday 12/8 is too far away to wait for my next fill. I could really tell the band was hard At work the first 2 weeks, now I'm doing more work than usual.

Swiss Miss has a 25-calorie packet of hot cocoa...I mix it with skim milk and add a few marshmallows or fat free cool whip and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Yummy!!!

Yep, that's normal. It will take time for you to find true restriction. Concentrate now on changing your eating habits for success: slow eating, tiny bites, listening to your body, track food/calories, etc and get your protein. Feeling like you have no band right now is normal. Once you start getting fills you'll notice it changes. Good luck!!

I take the target brand of gummy Multivitamin and the calcium. It's the cheaper version of vita fusion. Tastes ok. I couldn't do the regular or flintstones chewables. Too chalky for me. I did try both the name brands of the calcium chews and didn't like either of them. Also tried the target brand and still didn't like it. I guess I was expecting them tO taste like a tootsie roll. So doesn't. Lol It seems Vitamins are like Protein powder...everyone has their own taste preference. You might have to try a few before you find what you really like.

Hi Cheri! Hope you're still doing well!!!