blondiepierce

I started clean eating when I was able to start eating regular meals. Is anyone else doing this? Basically, I eat nothing processed or that comes from a box. For instance, I will eat half a hamburger patty, but I use Laura's Lean Ground Beef (4%), fruit as my carbs and salad for a meal from my lapband plate. I buy only organic fruits and veggies. All I drink is Water. No crystal light, nothing else. Just wondering if anyone else is doing this. I do it for not only weight but health reasons.

I had it done and had very little pain. Actually, I was out shopping the very next day for a few hours with my hubby driving of course. The worst pain was gas pain that radiated to my shoulder. I was back at work within a few days.

I have a co-workers that has asked about lap band and is trying to go through the insurance process. Our insurance requires 6 months doc supervised dieting, psych eval, dietician, etc. Though I've tried to be supportive she is making it really hard. She is not even trying to do the diet portion, or exercise. She makes McDonalds runs for burgers at least twice a week. We had a Breakfast meeting at Cracker Barrell and she ordered 5 biscuits with gravy. She complains that she loves bread and has a hard time cutting back on her "diet". (According to her, she's three months in and has only lost 4 lbs) She told me she hates to exercise because she finds it boring. She wants to have surgery because she thinks once she's had it, then she won't have to exercise or do anything else. I've gone over the restrictive diet with her, little to no bread (there goes her biscuits and rolls), lean meats, 3-5 hours of exercise a week, etc. She still has it in her mind that she won't have to do any of that because she will feel full after a few bites. I've tried to convey the mental AND physical lifestyle change to her, but she's not buying it. It's not a product to purchase, its a fact of life if you have the surgery and want to be successful. She keeps coming to me for advice and asked what I did for the pre-op yet she doesn't want to take my "been there done that" advice. Now she is mad me for telling her that I will no longer support her endeavor if she feels that this is really not a lifestyle change, but a "miracle" cure for excess body weight. I kept a binder of everything I was given and notes that I took during my process. I let her photocopy it, but she says it was too much to read. She's obviously not ready to have this surgery. ARGH. Sorry just had to vent!

I've decided just to quit talking to her about the lap band. I've reminded her til I'm blue in the face that it's a life style change, not a miracle cue. While I had prepackaged grapefruit and crab meat for lunch today, she had leftover pizza. (Yea I know great combo eh?) Hopefully she will actually see my lifestyle change (walking at lunch, changing to workout clothes at the end of the day to head to the gym, healthier food choices, et) and realize that she will have to change. In the meantime, I'll live my life and let her live hers.

I was told to basically avoid all breads. The dietician said that bread can easily get stuck. LapBand's website had great ideas for substitutes. Like low carb flour tortillas.

Just wanted to introduce myself. I was banded 12/27 and tomorrow will make 4 weeks since then. As of today, I'm down 17 lbs from the weigh in the morning of surgery. I had the iLap procedure (with stomach plication). My co-workers and most of my family have been very supportive (with the exception of my mother in law). What I have come to realize is that a positive mental attitude is key. I've changed my entire outlook on eating. Not as a thing to socialize at, or do when bored, but as something to provide nutrients for my body. I may have gone a bit overboard, but I now eat organic as much as possible and make sure I have my daily vitamins and protein. I'm working out 4-5 times a week starting off slow and building up. No one can go in from being a couch potato and expect to get on the treadmill for an hour. I started with 20 minutes have worked out up 30 and added weights to help tone up. Any other workout suggestions would be great. I'm so glad to have found a place with others in my situation.

Woot Woot. It's been a month (tomorrow) from my surgery and as of this morning, I've lost 20 lbs!! YEA ME!

I'm so excited. I'm still on the pureed food stage for another week. I'm so sick of the same ole same ole. Today, my favorite restaraunt (an organic place near my office) was having their healthy coconut chicken noodle Soup. I called and spoke to the owner who agreed to puree a cup of it for me. Even though I was unable to take more than a few sips until I was full, it was so good to have something different, healthy and pureed for me! Woot woot! Had to share, I'm so excited!

Be ready to change your entire outlook on food. And try to keep a positive mental attitude, even if those around you don't. This is about you!!! I had my band on 12/27 and would do it all over again a million times. My husband has praised me to everyone he talks to about this. How positive I have been. I think that has helped A LOT in keeping me in track with the diet, working out, etc. Remember, this is about YOU getting healthy. Don't let anyone change that for you. When it comes to the medical questions, ask your doctor. If there are support groups available, attend those. I've been to one and it was a tremendous help to me. You can do this.

I had the surgery on 12/27 and was back at work on 1/3 (Only because the office was closed on 1/2) I was up and out shopping the next day after surgery. Of course, my husband drove since I couldn't. I waited until 1/1 to drive. I have an office job so it wasn't so bad.

Oh dear. I feel your pain. But I've had to take the approach that my decision to make a lifestyle change is just that. Mine. Not theirs. Why should everyone around me change their eating for me? I had my lapband a few days after Christmas. That new years, my brother and his family came down to Celebrate. While my husband, daughter and his family sat at the table eating pizza, I sat in the living room sipping on broth. Yes, I wanted pizza, but I knew that this was my decision, not theirs. Why should I ask them not to eat what they want when they don't have the problem?\ My mother in law is a different story. She had no supported me in this at ALL. She was so unsupportive, she would not even pick up my child from day care the day I had surgery. We had to ask a family friend. MIL even works in surgery in a hospital that performs these procedures weekly. She's worked on these cases herself. But her idea of a family gathering has to center around huge meals. No less than 6 sides plus 2-3 Entrees per meal. With multiple Desserts too! I had to lose 5 more lbs over the holidays. My mother in law actually put a plate of chocolate truffles in front of me three days before surgery. "Here, have some" I hurt her feelings by declining them. Then the day before surgery,she wanted the entire family to eat at Cracker Barrell for Breakfast. I went and drank Water. Then a week after surgery, she wanted us to all go to Olive Garden. Those breadsticks looked SOOO good. And the salad. Oh my. I drank tea sweetened with splenda while they ate. I had to take the mental approach that I'm there to enjoy their company, not the food at Olive Garden. Please remember it does get better. I'm 4 weeks out from surgery and while I would LOVE to sit and eat a steak with my hubby, it's not going to happen anytime soon. Keep your chin UP! You can do this!!!!!! I know if I can, ANYONE can. We all have to get used to people eating things in front of us that we can't have. I know its hard, oh how I know. Remember, it's a much mental to the patient as it is physical. It's a lifestyle change for us. Either our family and friends can understand it or not. Regardless, we cannot make the change for them.