Instyle98

I'm scheduled for surgery soon and was looking for a support group in my area. I looked at earlier posts but it looks like none of those groups are active.

For those of you the expressed an interest in my available unjury shake mixes, thank you. I apologize but I just had ortho surgery today and my activity is very limited (no weight bearing on one leg) and I'm on pain meds, so it will be a bit before I can do much. I will check back with you as soon as I can! I guess on the plus side, between the after effects of the surgery and pain meds (nausea) and the effort and difficulty it involves getting to the kitchen perhaps this will have a positive effect on my weight loss! Once again, I do apologize.

It's been a long time since I have bought new clothes besides the usual jeans, t-shirts, stretchy pants and shorts because the last time I tried to get something nice to wear to go out, I ended up staying home because everything looked so horrible on me. You see I'm a true lover of fashion and all that goes with it or as my mother used to tell me a real clothes horse! I have so many clothes that broke the rods in 2 closets, have rolling racks, clothes in boxes and enough shoes to open a boutique! At one point after a huge weight loss (gain almost all of it back or I wouldn't be here) I loved clothes so much, I went to work in a high end clothing store just so I could get the discount and I love to dress people! Sad, isn't it? Well anyway, I ordered a couple of dresses since I am schedule for some orthopedic surgery and I wanted something that was easy on, easy off for the hospital. I took a guess at the size and prayed that they would arrive in time not be too small. Guess what? They did come in time and they were TOO BIG!!! Not only that, but the one I really liked look pretty good one me! I quickly ordered a smaller size of the one I liked and now as I sit here I am thinking I probably should have ordered it 2 sizes smaller than just 1. It may not arrive in time for my surgery date and it too may be too big (I kind of hope so), but guess what? I'm so happy about it, I don't care!

I guess I'm just venting a little, so I do not expect replies or things to change but... FILL OUT YOUR PROFILES PEOPLE! You come here for information, support, help, etc. read all of our posts in which many of us put it all out there, but give little to no information about yourselves. It's hard to give helpful advice, share experience or relate to someone who tells you nothing in return. Look - I get it! I was new here once myself and very reluctant to share my personal information. I'm generally a very private person and to share on the internet, the one most revealing, private, humiliating and shameful fact about myself - my weight - was terrifying. But, would any of us be here if we weren't in the same boat? Unless you're really weird, have no life and enjoy reading about people's struggles with their weight and all of the funny, sad, bizarre and boring stuff that goes with it (I certainly hope not) why would you be here?. If you want to spy on people there are many more truly exciting places to do it! Most, if not all, are not here to judge anyone. Well it does seem to happen sometimes but I think it's simply because that's the nature of the beast. Take away one of life's greatest enjoyments, best friend, best panacea, and not see all of that weight fall off overnight can make anyone cranky, temperamental and generally unpleasant, but no matter how you cut it, we all want the same thing. To me this forum is my private place where I can share my struggles, doubts and successes no matter how large or small with folks that understand. It's my weight loss group therapy and just like real group therapy, I don't gossip about what I read here or talk about particular people outside of this forum. Yes, I may comment to someone about something I read, usually because I'm amazed at their success, identify with them, like their advice or even worry about them, but I don't give out names, particulars, etc. I get true inspiration, insight, ideas, motivation, encouragement and more from many that share their experiences. Here's a shocking revelation for you just in case you don't know - it's no secret that you are overweight or obese! It's the one thing that you can't hide. Everyone knows! You are (or were) fat or you shouldn't be here. On top of that overweight people have unfortunately become a majority. Having to struggle with something only makes you human. If you truly want to get something from here, then you have to give something. Now is the time to be honest with yourself and others and get real! Sorry, but it had to be said. Don't tell me many of you weren't thinking the same thing! I'm done now. Just to reiterate, I do not expect things to change and profiles to suddenly start getting filled out, nor do I expect replies. JMHO. Have a nice day and eat to live, not live to eat!

I call it a non-scale victory.

Thanks! It's just another hurdle to jump over. It's been coming on for a long time I'm afraid. I tried babying it and resting it, but obviously didn't help. However getting the band and losing some weight gave me the motivation to go see the doctor. Before I kept telling myself that was no wonder that my foot and ankle hurt and that it was my own fault for being so fat. The doctor is pretty cool and I felt good about being able to say I had lost weight and was trying to be active so I could lose more. I would love to meet up with the group when/if I can. I think that would be so much fun! For those that are getting ready for your Lap-Band, keep up the good work and hang in there. The pre-op and initial post-op recovery are the toughest parts and it gets easier from there. You can do this!

Okay, so far. I've had my ups and downs. The hardest part is that I have a torn tendon in my foot and my exercise is greatly restricted - no treadmill, no walking, etc. I tried water fitness classes but had to stop after the third one because it made things worse. I have already had 8 weeks of physical therapy with no improvement, so the doctor ordered an MRI and there it was a tear. I've been trying to get some stuff done around the house before my surgery because my activity will be even more restricted for at least 2 months or more, but it's not been good for my foot! I think the last fill I got in my band was too much because I have had discomfort ever since. They had to remove some fluid for my upcoming surgery and that has helped, but it still feels irritated. I think when I go back I'm only going to have them put a small amount back and see how that works. On the plus side, I'm still losing even though it seems slow to me. I can't wait to get past this surgery so I can start getting some decent exercise to help kick start my metabolism. My plan is to start swimming, riding an Airbike and maybe return to yoga when I get the okay from my doctor.

You're not whining and this stage is tough. You don't feel good, you're hungry and very limited on what you can eat and drink. It made me crabby and whiny sometimes too. It used to be when I didn't feel well, I wanted to eat whatever food sounded/tasted good at the time. I liked to sip on clear sodas like Ginger Ale and lemon/lime ones and that no longer is an option. Try some no sugar added apple juice. It's not too sweet and there are no artificial sweeteners. You could also try some light Cranberry juice since that's a little tart and you can mix it with the apple for some variety. I think I even drank a little no sugar added Grape juice and you can mix that with the cranberry juice too. I don't know what type of artificial sweetener you're using but perhaps you should try a different one. I usually go between Splenda and Nectresse. I'm one of those weird people who doesn't care for Stevia.

How bad is your nausea? I was prescribed suppositories in case I needed them, I think I used them twice. As far as clear liquids I had home made broth, sugar free jello, sugar free popsicles, no sugar added fruit bars, no sugar added apple and cranberry juice. I think it wasn't so bad for me because I don't like canned or packaged broth so I made my own. I make some really good soups and stocks. I think a couple of times I had my husband pick up some wonton soup for me and I took out the wontons and stuff and just drank the broth.

They always tell me for a fill or unfill to do 2 days of liquids, then a day of soft foods then back to regular food.

I got some PB2 and PB2 Chocolate the other day and today I put part of a Labrada Lean Body Banana Shake, a little bit of honey, a tablespoon of PB2 and a few ice cubes in my drink blender. It was pretty tasty!

Hi! I was banded by Dr. Reilly at True Results Houston on 12/31/12.

That's about how my recovery was too- 2 weeks clear, 2 weeks full, then mushies. Unjury also makes an unflavored powder that you can add to jello and other things.

Don't expect any of the protein shakes to taste like Slimfast, Carnation Instant Breakfast or chocolate milk, because they won't. I started out with Unjury, tried True Results mix, Muscle Milk, Labrada Lean Body etc. The Labrada Lean Body ready to drink are okay, a little sweet for me, but I usually drink the Premier Protein ready to drink. They have the most protein (30 g) for the least amount of calories (160), sugar (1g) and volume. I still have Unjury powder left. I think a couple are open and one or two are unopened. If someone wants them they are welcome to them if they pay the shipping. If not I'm going to throw them away. There's nothing wrong with them, I'm just tired of them and prefer the ready to drink. It's mostly trial and error to find a brand that you like and can stick with.

Look at it this way - you've got a headstart this time - your band is already in and you're ready to go! Welcome and you can do this!

Did you try clicking on your user name at the top (on the blue bar) and on the drop down menu click on My Profile or My Patient Profile, etc.?

Premier Protein Ready to Drink Shakes available at Costco and Sam's Club.

When I was still recovering from my surgery, I made some home made broth/stock and when I was able to move onto thicker liquids I made things like roasted butternut squash soup (very easy and delicious), low fat mushroom soup, etc. If you don't cook or don't feel up to it, you can also buy some that are fairly healthy if you look at the soups that come in a carton rather than a can. You can find many of them in the health food section at your local grocery. If you don't like them straight out of the carton you can always add seasoning or cook some vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, squash) or even a little roasted sweet potato (notice I said a little), until they are soft, puree them and add to your soup. I too quickly tired of sweet items even though I have a huge sweet tooth. In all honesty my giant craving for sweets has greatly diminished since having my band, thank goodness. It helps to break that sugar cycle.

I did forget to mention that on the rare occasion that I eat my sprouted bread, I do toast it.

If I remember correctly days 2 and 3 were the worst for me. I think it was on one of those days I remember thinking, "Why oh why did I do this to myself?" It gets better, much better. The first 3 or 4 weeks are difficult and pobably the most challenging. After that you start to feel better and begin discovering what you can eat instead of what you can't! Oops! I was thinking about my post-op days. Sorry! You can get throught the pre-op when you see needle move on the scale and remember - if you don't do this, you can't have the surgery! Hang in there!

I haven't, but I have eaten sprouted grain bread. The brand I have is Ezekial 4:9 which is found in the freezer section. It does not contain flour and has 80 calories per slice.

The Lap-Band obviously isn't a solution for everyone. I too know people who have had gastric bypass and lapbands, some are "failures" and many have been quite successful and others who have had complications from not following instructions, lack of education, inadequate medical care or incompatibility with their body. I think the key to any weight loss program is understanding the basics. Short of wiring your jaws shut, there is nothing out there that will stop you from eating foods you shouldn't or eating too much of them. Even "good for you" foods can backfire if you eat too much of them. If there is a will, there is a way. Sure folks that have had WLS surgery shouldn't eat pizza, candy, chips, dips, etc., but that doesn't mean you can't. The band has no control over my taste buds, cravings definitely cannot stop my hand from bringing a fork to my lips! There are some foods that I love and crave and I know if I start eating them, I'll keep eating them. However they are not good for ME! Some foods are my cryptonite. Although I don't think I have reached restriction yet (especially since I just had Fluid removed for upcoming ortho surgery), I still try to eat as if I do. The band does help me to not consume the amounts of foods I used to in one sitting and through education, support, and desire, I try to stick with it. No matter what I have done in the past, I have always been a slow loser so I don't expect any different from my band. Although I have a Lap-Band, I still have the same body with the same crappy metabolism and love of tasty food. Have I lost weight before? Yes - 165 lbs, no surgery, no pills. There were a lot of circumstances at the time and I didn't lose it in a healthy way but no one noticed that at first because all anyone, including myself, saw was that I was finally losing weight and looking good. Unfortunately, it caught up with me and I had some problems. Obviously I gained almost all of it back or I wouldn't have a band. However while I don't have good restriction yet and right now am having some discomfort with my band for some reason, I am steadily losing weight, which is a miracle in itself since my activity is quite restricted. I can accept that because before surgery I was one of those who was willing to do almost anything to lose weight or at the very least, stop gaining. No matter how you chose to lose weight, there are some things one must understand and accept about oneself to be successful. Responsibility, acceptance and honesty are the three most important ones. You are responsible for what you choose to put in your mouth and you must be honest about what you really are eating. How many times have you said you didn't eat a thing all day, but when you really think about it, you had a soda here, a bite of this there, a cracker here, some cheese, etc. Just because you didn't sit down to a full meal doesn't mean those calories don't count and probably add up to more than a single meal sometimes. You may not be counting those calories, but damnit your body is! Overweight and formerly overweight people just cannot eat the same way other people do. You have to accept this, know your triggers and avoid them. Your body will happily betray you and shut down your metabolism and re-inflate those old fat cells in a heartbeat. As much as I hate to admit it, food is an addiction for me. I love it. I like to look at it, read about it, watch shows about it, buy gadgets, utensils, dishes and cooking vessels, talk about it and eat it! But many of those same foods I love will make me unhappy in the long run so I don't eat them, not even in small amounts. You have to re-train your brain. While I'm at it, let me be honest. Do I measure my food? No, for some reason I haven't accepted that I need to yet. Do I eat much smaller portions? Certainly and I have greatly changed what goes on my plate and in my grocery cart. Have I eaten a "forbidden food" since my band? Of course! There are a lot of foods I haven't eaten since 2 weeks prior to surgery (ice cream, pastries, sodas, etc.). I also make much healthier choices regarding the types of foods I eat. Could I have done this without the band? You bet and I have! However for some reason having the band helps me to keep making better choices and motivates me to do it. What has the band done for me? It gave me a jump start when I was at a point that nothing I tried worked. I felt helpless and out of control. With the band I have taken charge and figured out how to help myself. How or why did it happen? I don't know and I don't care. All I know is I weigh less than I did before the band and that is a good thing. BTW, I know someone who had gastric by-pass several years ago and would probably fall under what folks call a "WLS failure". I don't because to me as long as you keep trying, you are not a failure. Any way, she is the type of person who thinks she knows more than anyone about everything. She knows more than people who are educated, experienced and/or licensed in whatever area you can possibly name. First thing she asked me when I was home recovering from my band surgery was if I had thrown up yet. I asked her why on earth I would do that. Her answer was something along the lines of if she was told she shouldn't do something, she just had to try it, just to see if it was true or prove that she could do it. She also asks me every so often how much weight have I lost and if it will make her jealous. Makes no sense to me since she has had by-pass and knows what she needs to do. She also has no idea how the Lap-Band works or that it's not an instant fix. I know there were several times when she ate something she shouldn't have or over ate and ended up vomiting. She knew she shouldn't do that, but she did. We used to go out to lunch quite a bit and her favorite place to go was an Italian restaurant where she always ordered Pasta and ate bread with oil (after her WLS). She thinks she is dieting (I hate that word) if she limits herself to one soda (regular,not diet) per day. Her answer to any problem anyone has who is overweight, whether it's financial, legal, etc., is for them to get WLS. I always want to ask her one question, but I don't, because it would be rude and in her case pointless. That question is, "How's it working for you?" She certainly is not working with her gastric by-pass.

Watch Restaurant Impossible, Kitchen NIghtmares or Bar Rescue and you will stop wanting to eat restaurant and bakery food. It's not a pretty sight behind the scenes of a lot of food establishments! LOL!

Congratulations and happy anniversary! I would say 37 years and 130 lbs are cause to celebrate! Like Labwalker said, everyone splurges now and then, just not everday like a lot of us used to.

I eat oat bran cereal a couple of times per week. I use Bob's Red Mill brand that you can get in the health food section of your local grocery. I add no-calorie sweetener, cinnamon, a spoonful of fruit only or low calorie jam/jelly and/or a small amount of berries. It's plenty of fiber, filling and helps to regulate blood sugar so you feel fuller longer. The other thing you can do is to eat plenty of vegetables.