LB4Me

Name, real or screen~ Joyce Age~ 52 Weight on December 1st~ 296 Goal weight for December 29th~ 284 (it will be hard, but I promised myself i would lose 40 lbs before the New year and my vacation) Dietary goal for December~ Watch portion sizes Exercise goal for December~ Just do it! Personal goal for December~ Pamper myself. It's been awhile. Date banded~ 10/20/11 Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 28 lbs One thing that has improved with your health since banding~ Less pain, better attitude

I'm so glad to hear that. I know you were nervous about it. Someone on here said the other day that you really have to like your surgeon because you're going to be spending at least the next year together. It is so true.

Welcome from another New Yorker.

You can search for a surgeon in your area by clicking on the Surgeon link above. From there, view their profile and their websites. Most will list their info seminars on their websites. Look for a center of Excellence surgeon. Good luck.

Congratulations. Remember to stay hydrated and get you protein in when you feel up to it.

Forgot yo include that LB4Me is "Joyce".

Larry your next challenge brought a big smile to my face! I am at 296. 2 more lbs this month. I did not make my goal, but I did pretty well. Thanks for the competition and motivation.

I had my first fill about 10 days ago. She put quite a bit in 4cc and I already had 1.5cc. Once I moved back to the solid food stage I went slow. I think my first solid meal was meatloaf and mashed cauliflower. I am less hungry now, in fact I often skip breakfast and I am definately fuller sooner at meals. I know when to stop. So far, so good. No issues. I thik if you follow your doctor's instructions and listen to your body, it is all good.

Let me be the first to welcome you to the "other side". After the surgery, those ice chips are heaven. Get plenty of rest, sip your water and drink as much protein as allowed and you can.

The more protein you can get in now the better. Try using low fat or soy milk in your shakes. I even blended in LF peanut butter at times. Sip water all day. Once you get to mushies, the hunger will pass.

Hey Matt! You and I are almost in the exact same place and have the same to loose. I'll race you to 40 lbs lost?

I really had very little surgery pain, gas, etc and was feeling too good. I made my doctor show me the xray to prove they actually inserted it! LOL. It's in there and after my first fill, it is working (or helping me work it!).

Just had to do clear liquids the day before.

I did pretty good over Thanksgiving. In fact the scale this morning showed 1.5 lbs lost. Usually we turn the leftovers into pot pies. Not this year. Tonight I plan on chopping up the leftover turkey and stirfrying with some chopped veggies and having turkey fajitas in lettace wraps. What are you doing with your leftovers?

I added chicken broth to organic cream of mushroom (not that high sodium concentrated stuff) and then strained out the mushroom chunks. If you like spicy, try V-8 heated up with some smooth salsa mixed in. You could probably put your favorite soup in the blender with soe added broth or skim or soy milk and blend the lumps out.

I had a serving of turkey, brussel sprouts and homemade cranberry sauce (my fav!) first. Then I had a small portion of mashed potatoes and gravy and stuffing. Did not finish it. I made a low carb strawberry dessert (we're not big pumpkin pie eaters) and enjoyed it while watching a movie later in the evening. I also indulged in 2 glasses of wine. My first since pre-surgery diet. It was definately the highlight! I felt good after dinner. Not grossly stuffed. I've said it before and I'll say it again - - I love my band.

Welcome to the other side. The next couple weeks are the hard part. I had my surgery a little over a month ago. It gets easier.

Welcome! You've lived such and interesting and exotic life. I look forward to hearing about your WL journey.

Yea for NSV!

That is terrific! I can honestly say this was one of my best Thanksgivings ever. I kept the dinner simple, with foods that I could eat - but still made some of my husband's favorites. I ate a healthy portion of turkey and tried a little of everything else. Made and ate a low-carb dessert and had a couple glasses of wine. Did not have that sick, awful overfull feeling and my weight remained the same. I too love my band.

Keep drinking them until you're on solid food. You need the protein for the healing process. Post op you can make them more tasty. Add a tbsp of LF peanut butter to chocolate or frozen fruit and blend.

You can also have strained soups, cream of wheat, mashed cauliflower or squash, FF refried beans that have been made mushier. Cottage cheese.

I have UHC. But there are different versions of the plan and they vary. I have UHC choice. My plan required a Center of Excellence surgeon and hospital and a 5 year history of weight loss. My surgeon required a lot more. Once the surgeon had everything they required, the approval only took a few days. UHC also provides you with a nurse that follows up with you and answers any question you may have. It is a good service.

I am a bit over a month past my surgery and have had my first fill. So far, I have been able to eat everything I have tried, just much smaller portions. I know this will probably change as I get more fills. One of my favorite dinners is to chop up white or bella mushrooms into a small dice and then add it to ground chicken. Season meat as desired. Make into burgers and grill or sautee on top of the stove. The mushrooms make the burgers real moist and easy to eat.

Enjoy!