donna12

yes feb27 I've had that recipe with the sour cream, mandarin oranges and a little shredded coconut but that may be too fattening now but this recipe is delish too. thanks for sharing.

Some of my family members add mini marshmellows to it and that is a wonderful add too.

I am SO struggling with a major sweet tooth. I have always had one so this is nothing new since lap band 6 months ago but goodness gracious me, I hate this, I literally crave somethings sweet all of the time, especially at night. I drink Water and only water with crystal light in it so that has artificial sweetner in it, don't know if that's causing the cravings or not. Can't stand plain water, I'm doomed! I didn't have to give up soda or anything like that I've always drank water. Now back to the sweets, I know some of you are saying don't have it in the house, well, since my untimely and devastating divorce last year I am forced to live with my 73 yr old mom, who is very active by the way but she keeps her candy around and I'm tempted and I cannot ask her to remove it, that would break my heart. I want to succeed on my journey and I know this is a head game with wanting, needing and eating but I think that is why I'm only down 50 lbs at 6 mos, I mean it could be more had my hand not been in the candy jar a time or 2! I know, I know, confession time here. I need help and advice. I love Oikos greek yogurt with the fruit in the bottom of it and that satisfies my sweet tooth and I keep that around all of the time and I do turn to that but when I grab that let's say 10:00 at night my mom nags me "are you eating again"? and this is the only snack I've had for the day along with 3 meals, it makes me feel guilty and a failure. I know she means well and is being my food police and my accountability partner in this journey but dang. Heck, maybe I am wrong for eating a snack like that at 10:00 at night. Help!

See I love cottage cheese so this recipe I gave I also love but don't make it that often or else I would eat it all up, lol. As for liver, yuck, I hate organ meat as for that matter I don't like beef that much anyway, the only beef I will eat nowadays is Wendy's chili and that's it for me. I do mostly chicken, fish, turkey, ham, pork chops ever so often but mostly chicken and fish for me.

my birthday is coming up Jan 20th and I'm gona see if my mom will pitch in and pay half for my birthday. Can't wait to get it!

Again, I stress the recipe calls for whipping cream, I use fat free cool whip and if there is a sugar free version of cool whip use that one, I haven't checked.

1 box Jello (any flavor) 1 16 oz. small curd cottage cheese 1 12 oz. can of crushed pineapple 1 10 oz. tub of whipping cream Drain the pineapple. Mix the cottage cheese and whipping cream together, until well blended. Next, stir in the pineapple. Mix well. Stir in Jello mix. Mix well until Jello is completely dissolved. Chill 4 hours prior to serving. Of course this is her recipe and you could make it fat free cool whip and sugar free jello and pineapple in its own juice and fat free cottage cheese. its delish!!! good luck.

Let me get back to you on that, I need to text my cousin. She has a recipe with jello (powder mix) and fruit and I may be leaving something out but you could use sf jello and make it, its delish.

thank you so much Patti for posting pics and taking measurements for me. gotta get one for myself now...woohoooooo

Thank you everyone for your wonderful suggestions and your support. Tonight after eating a light dinner I was craving something sweet, as usual and I had some sf chocolate pudding in a cup that satisfied me, I think it was the sweet temptations choc mousse, anyway, it was yummy. Need to hit the grocery tomorrow for some chicken breasts as I'm down to one in the freezer and I'd like to make another crock pot of chicken taco soup and you guys keep telling me to eat skinny cow ice cream. With that said, I'm not really an ice cream eater never have been but I do enjoy it if I eat it so I will also look for that in a flavor I will enjoy for myself and my mom. Since on my journey most times me and my mom will share meals because there's too much food especially when eating out and she has lost 15 lbs in all of this.

Thank you Floridays, I feel comfortable with letting my mom know that and to keep it in her room UNDER LOCK & KEY!!! LOL. Good advice, thx. Also thank you for letting me know that while you were in the losing stage you allowed yourself one treat like sf treat or skinny cow ice cream, I can handle that. Thanks both of you, I feel better. Thanks for your support.

Patti, I'm interested in this machine as I had to sell my Elliptical when I moved in with my mom after my divorce last year and I moved in with her this past June and we are limited on space, yikes! I was wanting to know if you could tell me how it folds up and what the measurements are when it folds up? I've looked at it on Amazon and it doesn't show it folded up??? I do have a closet to put it in and room to pull it out and work out in my bedroom. This sounds like something I would like to have and do here at home and great workout for me and not so much impact on my knee. Thx Donna

Amen Tara, that's exactly what I've read and I'm sorry I didn't mention that. I try to limit my fat intake but the medicine I'm on helps a lot too. I had IBS prior to lap band and I was on Cholestyramine for that for diarrhea every day and when I had lap band surgery my diarrhea stopped and I got off of the medicine but then I had to have my gb out and now I'm back on it, ugh.

I am 6 mos post op and had to have mine out Dec 3rd. Went in to have an unfill of 2cc's for surgery, was scared that I would gain but lost 5 lbs, woohoo. Stayed with portion control. I did however, enjoy a 2" sub from Subway one day, missed that so I indulged. Had complications during surgery and had to stay in the hospital overnight, it was supposed to have been same day surgery but all is good now with the exception of me getting my strength back because I bled so much, I lost blood due to my gallbladder had grown or was attached to my liver and he had to cut it away and it was diseased pretty bad. I will tell you this, after surgery, everything I eat goes right thru me so I take Cholestyramine every morning to keep from having diarrhea. When is your surgery? You'll do fine. Good luck.

Nothing against EAS protein shakes, maybe it was the strawberry I tasted. Maybe the other ones are good. Just ones preference.

My surgeon suggested EAS ones so I bought those prior to surgery for my pre-op and took a sip and about gagged. I told him I couldn't do it, I literally about threw up. I then went to GNC and told them I hated a chalky tasting type of ones so they let me sample some. I found one called GNC brand Lean Shake Swiss Choc., didn't like the Strawberry or Vanilla but the Swiss Choc was great, anyway, I drank those and then also drank IsoPure in grape however those had an aftertaste. The IsoPure is a clear like Kool-aid type of protein shake and I alternated between the two for my pre-op. Now, I keep the Lean Shake choc. on hand for something quick or when I get fills and I'm on liquids right after. I'm sure there are others at GNC that they would let you sample, I just didn't. Good luck.

yes hot tea will help. I'm six months post op and have had my share of stuck episodes and puking. Never have had to make myself throw up, it just comes up either PB'ing or just plain throwing it all up. Anything warm or hot like that will relax the band. Also you need to take it easy with food intake for 24 hrs, usually liquids for 24 hrs or mushies/soft foods. Good luck and take it easy. Donna

Right after my surgery the pain meds and combined with the trauma of surgery to your body I was severely constipated. I hadn't gone for 5 days and I tried everything and I mean everything then my surgeon suggested Magnesium citrate but to only drink like a 1/4 cup, I did and it moved me. Yes it caused me to have diarrhea afterwards but I was glad to get that compacted mess out. You might try drinking that. To this day I still keep it on hand when I get that way. Good luck. Hope you feel better.

Lee thank you so much for the insight. Well today went very well. Mealtime came, the gross oyster casserole, yuck I hate it, lol, came out of the oven, did not tempt me, the corn pudding or corn souffle as some of you may call it came out of the oven, my brother had made sausage balls (I had three) before mealtime, I in the meantime had baked me a Marie Callender's turkey dinner under 350 calories and ate the turkey and had a spoon of corn pudding and my sister-in-law makes this jelled cranberry salad so I had a spoon of it, all was yummy and I didn't overeat. About 2 hrs later I did indulge in splitting a piece of homemade pumpkin pie with my mom. That was all for an early lunch. For dinner I ate light, half cup of cottage cheese with 2 crackers and for Breakfast I had a Protein shake, so that sums up my day! A lot of laughs and memories were had by all. It was great to spend time with my brother and he be in good health since he is in remission from colon cancer right now but still taking chemo so it was good he felt good today. All in all it was a blessed day.

I am celebrating Christmas tomorrow with my brother and his wife and my mom and I am thoroughly tempted with sweets and candies I could cry. My mom baked a pumpkin pie (my fav), she made candied pecans, my brother made and is bringing Chex Party mix, I could just sit and cry! I just went to the freezer and pulled out a chicken breast and put it in the frige to thaw out so that I can bake it tomorrow for myself to eat while others eat ham and rolls and other stuff that I'm not too fond of. However, the pumpkin pie is what's killing me here, don't want to gain any weight over the Holiday's yet don't want to feel, how do I say this, deprived for lack of better terms. I'm not really depriving myself as I know I need to eat healthy and want to and want to lose the weight but I am having the hardest time with tomorrow!

Thanks everyone for your kind words and your encouragement! @ Honk, I can have ham it's just the other day I threw it up and I really don't want it again...lol, so I decided to have a chicken breast instead. Also, my family makes an oyster casserole bake that I cannot stand, ew!, so no need to tempt me there, it's a Christmas tradition for that dish and I won't be eating that. The only things that were calling my name was the pie and chex mix. Today I got up and weighed and I was down 2 lbs, marking the 50 POUND mark for me so I believe with the mind set of that, nothing tastes as good as that. I won't deprive myself but it feels so good to have lost 50 lbs. Again, thank you all and I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and hope you all get to spend it with family and friends. Donna

I was told medically speaking, doing the liquid diet shrinks the fatty liver and makes it easier for the surgeon to work around in there, less complications so yes, why not start protein shakes.

Went in today for my 3 week ck up from my gallbladder surgery and all was good. He said do you want .5cc or 1cc, I said 1cc please. Initially he took out 2cc's prior to surgery in order for me to have gallbladder surgery and let me tell you, I was hungry often but I managed to lose 5 lbs and he was pleased, he said "see, you managed to lose 5 lbs with little fluid in your band and with willpower, I'm so proud of you", I was beaming. I know 5 lbs in three wks isn't much but hey it's a loss and I'll take it. He was a little hesitant on 1cc, he said "you will be tight especially this early after surgery but I will do it if you want it"? I said DO IT! So let's hope I don't get stuck and I will chew chew chew and take tiny tiny bites.

So happy to see you are home and feeling good. Have been thinking about you. Glad things went well and happy for your results. Hopefully it will be me one day. Stay strong and well.

Awe, you make me cry because that is exactly how I felt. How in the world did I let myself go and get this big. My biggest was 294 day of surgery. Like Maddys it was my last hope for weight loss and luckily my ins paid for it and my 20% that didn't pay my surgeon wrote off so I didn't owe anything, wow I couldn't believe it. I pray you too will soon be having WLS like us. Keep in touch with your ins company, weekly if not daily regarding the surgery and I pray you get your credit. God works in mysterious ways, keep the faith girl! Hang your head high with pride and walk tall. Change your eating a little, eat lots of Protein first then veggies then good carbs and maybe do some walking if you are able. Please hang in there, things will get better, I have faith it will. Blessings Donna