waitingpatiently

I found that between meals I will make myself a slushie using crystal light and New Whey Protein (tastes like koolaid) I mix 2 crystal lights with 1 protein shot and add about 28 oz Water. I then blenderize icee to a snow cone consistency and pour the drink over top of it about a 1/4 at a time= about 45 calories and 11 protein. I sometimes do one between Breakfast and lunch and then sometimes after dinner. I will use a spoon to eat the crushed ice. It usely takes a good 30-45 mins to empty the cup. The added protein keeps hungar at bay and the sweetness makes me feel like i'm having a treat. Keep trying different things...hopefully you will find something to help you get through the day.

Hi gang, Seems like the band is always a learning process. Here's where I'm at. I will go in next week and get my 2nd fill, but I feel a little conflicted as to how much/if any to allow. You see I could (don't) but could very easily eat a lot more than I do. Right now I commume about 800-900 cal/70+ protein/ 40 for less carbs. I have lost I told of 37 pounds (17 before surgery) 20 over the last 2 months post-op I enjoy being able to eat a broad aray of different foods (all of which are healthy) and not having to turn away any favorites...but it does leave a big window open to included the bad stuff. I have choosen wisely for the most part so far...and Im able to go a good 4-5 hours without being hungary. So my question is, I know I'm not at restriction....but I'm managing pretty well on the "diet" right now......should I still let them give me a fill? Or should I wait and ride this part of the process out and when It gets harder to keep my calories at 800-900, then go back. I just don't want to sabbotage myself and a couple of weeks from now suddenly "need" a fill to maintain what I'm doing.....but then again is getting a fill when you are managing just being proactive. oh by the way I have 2cc in my band...not sure how big the band is. I keep forgetting to ask

Hey Toddy I agree with everthing you just said. I'm very disciplined I will get the weight off at any cost and my issue is exactly what you stated I will need to stay at no more than 1000 calories to maintain my loss so thats why I got the band. The foods I'm not wanting to give up are all healthy ones.....very little unhealthy things make it into this body--haha I know the day will come where restriction will be needed to maintain the low calories....I know I can't do this forever on my own. But right at this moment I'm in the honeymoon stage...I'm excited, motivated and determined to do this weight loss thing one more time.---so today right this minute I'm doing 80% of the work and the band is doing 20%--but thats ok. So is it better to put the band in charge and sacrifice certain foods (which I'm willing to do if neccesary) even though I am doing good right now. Or is better to wait until the weight loss slows and my body needs another shock. I guess my biggest fear is to mess with something that is working.---but I realize with 2cc I'm not using the band to its full potential and I don't want to look back and think I messed up by waiting too long to get another fill.

Oh maybe so.....8kg is 18 pounds and 15kg is more like 33 pounds. I took it as though she had lost "8kg/19lbs" pounds but would have thought she should have lost more like "15kg/33lb"

19 pounds is nothing to sneeze at... when was your surgery? Fault isn't the right word.....this is a learning process. For some this is the first time we are doing some of these things...like weighing food and exercising. it may take you a couple of false starts before you get the hang of it. You aren't a failure in less you say you are. However...(though love coming)...it is your responsibility to educate yourself!! knowledge is everything. You must learn a new way of life. The band will do its part, but it can't control what you choose to put in your mouth.......So what can we help you with? Do you need some food guidelines? exercise ideas? I would suggest you join www.myfitnesspal.com its a great way to log your foods and keep track of what you are really eating....just don't listen to what it tells you should have in a calories...its way to high!! Feel free to add me as a buddy same username: waitingpatiently--- I will be glad to help you establish your food goals in myfitnessness pal...or help you even set some short and long term goals to help you succeed. feel free to inbox me as well.

Not sure what that is in pounds...but have you monitored you food intake...like weighing everything? I know it was an eye opener for me. what I thought was 3oz would be 5....makes a big difference. Have you cut out the bad carbs? Stopped drinking calories? how many calories are you at? what about Protein and carbs.Have you been doing any exercise? Don't mean to interrogate you--haha Just trying to see where we as a group can help give you some ideas?

Like reading a page from my own diary...I'm so sorry. I tried for 4 years before I was actually able to bring my first daughter into the world...I will tell you what my doctor told me..........."if you got pregnant once, then you can get pregnant again" it was true. Its better than those that never are able to concive. Keep trying to loose weight and to be the healthiest you can be....it does make a difference. I just hate that my daughter at 17 has been given the same diagnosis. And was told children would be difficult........I told her that what they told me...and that God gets to make thise decisions. Good Luck

I never found a protein power that I really "liked", so I went to using the SF syrups and those are great at covering up the taste....now they are more like a dessert than a substitute.

Thats awesome jennifer!! Great job!! You need to put your ticker back up!!

Since you usually are expected to bring a dish to a cook out/family reunion a have been scouring all my healthy cookbooks finding something I have never had...but would really like to try. I go ahead and make a main daish/side dish and dessert.Three new dishes that I really want to try.....then when I get to the event I'm excited about what I have brought and could careless about all the other stuff.....that way I still have some control....even if I had a bite or two of the other stuff...........there just isn't room for a whole bunch.

I described the prep stage the same way...kept telling my husband that I felt like I was having a baby with all the cleaning and freezing of family meals. So My plan was to clear out my closet and send everything to goodwill. So during the pre-op i would try on a few things and decide if it wouldn't fit when I lost 15 pounds then I would toss it. So I neatly folded a small pile (about a foot tall)of clothes up and put them in a box....the week after surgery I went to my closet and would grab one of the keepers..and it was too big!! So i spent the next hour going through my clothes again telling myself if it won't it when I loose 10 more pounds I will put it in the box for goodwill. Now I had a medium size pile about 3 feet tall. Then last week after washing everything I own, I decided to do the same thing.....Now the pile is 5feet tall !!!! Just a little shorter than me and I have nothing left to wear!!!....poor pittiful me...guess I will need to do some shopping.!!! It felt so good!! I had so much fun watching the pile grow over the weeks I purposely let the pile sit in the corner of my bedroom just to keep me motivated.----My husband came home and went to the closet to change and almost everything was gone!! He jokingly told me he thought I had left him!!--That strangely made me happy.--I love him.

Congrat!! If you are bound and determined to be sucessfull...you will be!! Way to hang in there!! Now just remember this feeling when you are starving during the pre-op/post-op stage!!

Yes baby!!! 199 this morning!! Went to take a picture of the scale....but if I hold the camera I weigh 200.......Have to wait until tomorrow to get the picture.

Belly or even face...I have lost 37 pounds from everywhere but my belly. I just look pregnant now. I have the skinniest legs and even thighs...but I'm at 199 at 5"7 and STILL wearing some size 18 !! because of my waistline. I have add an ab workout these last couple of weeks. we will see how that goes. ---but it makes my port site hurt a little.

Omelettes should be good. At a month out I was given the ok for regular food and told to be cautious when trying anything knew...and chew, chew, chew. I found that they gave me heart burn....never did before surgery, so I started using egg whites instead (never thought I would like them, but I did).....they work much better.....I usually add turkey sausage and bacon bits along with spinach, pepers and onions, mushrooms and a little low fat cheese.........I can make the whole thing for around 150 calories/4 fats/2carbs/17 Protein holds me until late afternoon.

You know what you need to do!! So get to it!! No more beating yourself up. It does no good to change the past. Get rid of the negative comments of "i'm a failure"......you'r not!!! (unless you say you are). Plug back into this site and start reading. You have a lot of work to do. You have probably forgot a lot of the stuff that makes you a sucessful bandster. Step 1- call your doctor and make an appointment he can check the band out ---but I'm sure its fine...its band new waiting for you to use it. Step 2-In the mean time start making those first few changes that every bandster needs to do *Protein first (at least 70g) *cut out the bad carbs----no more for now---you should try to break the adiction-----bad carbs are emoty calories and make you want more bad carbs. *stop drinking calories---no more soda or other high calorie drinks *start moving- just something!! start making new routines so that they can become new habbits Step 3 -Join www.myfirnesspal.com this is a great place to log ALL your food choices and exercise. you can add buddys to help you out along the way---feel free to add me same username:waitingpatiently. If accountability is an issue or if you want help making food choices....make your food journal open and others can see it. I have found that its great for finding healthy foods I didn't now were out there...like carbmaster yogurt. Step 4-Get excited!! You have made the decision that CAN change the rest of your life!! Attitude is everything!! If you are bound and deterimed that the band is not working or isn't for you....then you are right. If you are bound and determined to make this work regardless....you will. Step 5- If you are spiritual...then pray. I do. I find it has helped me the most. I promised my God that I would fix this if he would help me. Breaking a promise to my Savior will not happen-----that alone will hold me accountable. Breaking a promise to friends, family, husband.....isn't easy. but they have all broke one to me, so I no they won't mind. But my Savior.........he has never broke a promise.so I take just a few mins every morning to set my mind straight. What is really important in life. Step 6- find at least one person that will encourage you when you need it and hold you accountable when its neccesary. Good Luck!! If you ever need to talk....or you need a buddy. Just inbox me.

Hey roro you might want to check out the may flowers thread.............we do a monthly challenge where you set a goal for yourself and then check in once a week. heres a link if you are interested....its ok to join in late. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/146422-may-flowers-challenge/page__pid__1764483__st__160#entry1764483

Congradulations!!! I'm at at 200 and can't make the scale show 199.....I think its broke!!!

I haven't had either surgery so I can't help in disscuss recovery times. But It sounds like you really in your heart want to wait untill next summer to do them both. But because your husband mentioned maybe getting the breasts done this summer you are second guessing yourself. I think you are putting too much into your husbands comment. I daubt he hates your breast the way you do and his comment wasn't meant to make you feel as though they are so bad that you need to fix them now. And being the good wife I think you are, you are trying to please him too. I think you have already made your mind up and would like to wait, but are looking for a few to agree with you so that you can give yourself permission. Wait untill next summer. thats when it will feel like the right time. If you really are considering what your husband wants, then discuss it with him.....if it is something he really wants you to do then work it out if possible....but if you can't I think he should understand. Good luck!! I'm saving now!! I told my husband I claim dibs on the next 3 income tax returns!! I want I TT, Perky breasts and a small chin lift.

I'm 2 months out and still have moments of disscomfort. For some reason first thing in the morning it is very pronouned and is a little sore. then as the day goes on it feels better. Also if I wear jeans, they tend to sit right on top of the port site and since they aren't stretchy if I sit a long time and then get up, I will again have a sore feeling. But nothing is ever permanent. I asked my NP about it, but she didn't seemed concerned. Said little pains were to be expected.

Bean soup would not have been on my list of approved foods for a liquid diet (at least not the beans)---I was on clear liquids for the first 2 weeks.So 5 days out might be pushing it. I would also consider the gas as well. If it were me, I would stick to the bean broth untill i was on purees.--just my 2 cents worth.

Thats a good point to make about follow up care. As a military family myself, you never know where you might end up. Or if you will remain on a base with a hospital or end up in a town somewhere no where near a base hospital. And not everywhere has direct access to a skilled band surgeon to do your fills and follow ups. Something to consider if you are likely to be moving around. The band does require follow up visits pretty regularly for the first year or so.

Sweet potatoes, carrots, zucchini are good choices too. I just ordered one myself. My friend has one and it does pretty good. The veggie chips can't sit around too long or they loose their crispyness. But definately worth using when you are wanting a chip.