Kime-lou

I love me some Italian food, but Italian food tends to be calorie loaded and heavy. I have been wanting Chicken Alfredo lately, but knew I shouldn't. So I attempted to make it from scratch tonight and it was fabulous. Here is the recipe that I came up with: Pasta- Spaggetti Squash cooked in the microwave Chicken- 4 chicken tenders sautéed in a skillet with olive oil Alfredo Sauce- 3 cloves of garlic minced (use more if you like or less) 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons I Can't Believe it's not Butter 1.5 heaping tablespoons of all purpose flour 1 3/4 cups 2% Milk (you can use 1% I just had 2%) splash of balsamic vinegar salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon of splenda put the evoo, butter and garlic in a sauce pan cook on med heat for about 3 min stiring add the flour and stir until incorporated add milk and bring to a boil add salt, pepper, vigegar and splenda and stir cut heat off and let sit chop half a bag of baby spinach (I used the ninja chopper I have) Once chicken is cooked add the sauce (if it is to thick add water to thin it down). Add in spinach and stir. Stread spaggetti squash with a fork add to chicken and sauce and stir. Eat and enjoy!! This was a WONDERFUL meal!! The hubs and I both enjoyed it. It was enough for him and myself to eat dinner and have lunch tomorrow (He eat bigger portions than me)

There are A LOT of opinions on when, if, why, ect about using the scales. This is how I am and why.... I feel like I got to my highest recorded weight of 247 by not being aware and ignoring my weight. I never weighed, didn't go to the doctor often so I never really knew what my weight was. When I stepped on the scales in Jan of 2010 and it said 247 it was like being punched in the gut. Yes, I had just had a miscarriage and was carring a lot of Water weight, but that was not excuse. That was getting way to close to 300 for my taste. I managed to get my weight back down in the 230's that year, and then became complacent again and back up it went. 240's again and that is when I decided to have WLS. Now, I weight every day. I chart my weight. I am so scared if I stop being aware of my weight that I will become complacent again and start gaining. I know I have the band and all I have to do is follow the doctors instructions and it's suppose to work. But, mentally I have to weigh myself. I have to old myself accountable. Maybe I drive myself crazy with this. I do weigh at the same time daily with by birthday suit on, so I know any variations flucations in water retention, horomones, bathroom habits, or actual fat gain. At the start of this journey I would look at the trends. Bascially at the end of every week I was in the negitive- I had trended down even with the ups and down I was still trended down. Now, it fluctuates a lot more, which makes me nervous. What's your choice when it comes to the scale and why?

For the last 3 days I have had some pressure and soreness in my throat. This happens pretty much all the time, but is worse after a meal or after I drink a lot. Now, I have spoken to my doc. Since I have a sinus drainage and sinus headache the belief is it is due to that, not my band. Maybe I worry to much. The last time I had thoat pressure I has having a lot of reflux due to my gallbladder needing to come out. I hope that it's just the drainage that has my throat irritated, but worry that it's reflux and could damage my band. Normally I would take the wait a few days as see approch like the doc said, but I am leaving in 2 days for Florida for a week. I don't want to get to Orlando and end of in the ER.

I think it depends on a lot of things. My doctor didn't put anything in my band when he placed. Then my fills are done with floro so they add until the barium goes down at a certain rate. I think my first fill was 1cc. I have had fills anywhere from .2 cc to 1.5 cc just depending on the rate at which the barium went through. Knock on wood, I have not had to have an unfil yet.

When I left work yesterday I was hungery, like really hungry. I drink a bit of my Water and that helped. I had to go to the bank, but told myself I'd be fine. Well Dunkin Donuts is on my way home. As I sat at the stoplight across from it the thought popped in my head to stop in to DD and get a coffee and a donut on this cold blustery day. Then it was like a forhead slap- that said NO in my head. It hit me, I don't want sweet, I want protein!!! Odd- At one time that donut would have won out and then in like 30 min I would be hungry again. It is finally getting through my head that Protein is what I need and want and crave. Plus I was thirsty. When I got home I popped open a nice Slim Fast High Protein shake and it was WONDERFUL. It filled me up, got my protein up, settled my thirst all in one nice little shake. I like this feeling- it's good to listen to what you body needs instead of what it wants!!

As kids our parents try to teach us need vs want, especially when it comes to things we want them to buy us. But, I think that this applies to every aspect of our life. When it comes to food, preband I was always about what I wanted to eat, not what I needed. Think about it- how often do you say "hey, what do you need to eat" when are are getting ready to cook dinner- you don't, instead you ask "what do you want to eat". I have come to the point where I must ask myself what do I need, not what do I want. Yesterday I wanted a donut, but it wasn't what I needed. I am 32 years old, it's time I grow up and become more about what I need instead of what I want. So what do I need when it comes to intake: Water (my body needs hydration to stay healthy and in balance) Protein (this is food for my muscles, my heart is a muscle and it needs this) Veggies and Fruit (balance baby- our digestive system will be the better for these) Good Carbs (again, balance carbs are energy food, but we need the good ones, not bad) Good Fats (yes, we do need fat, but the good ones not the artery clogging ones) Like we were taught in school we need a balance. A balanced intake is a healthy one. I am finding that the longer I am on the journey my needs and wants are coming together. I crave the healthy protein, I want the fruit, I would fight you for my water. I have become a spinich aholic- it gets added to much of what I eat- so healthy yet sooo good. The other day I ate some fast food chicken strips- one- it KILLLED my tummy. My body is adjusting to the healthy life and doesn't like the bad stuff anymore- how great is that. I am just 9 months into this journey, I am only 54 lbs down and wish I was more; but boy do I look forward to continuing this journey. It's not the diets of the past, this one is evolving and making me better as I go. It's not one I want to jump off of and go back to old ways. So, I am now looking at what my body needs and I will endulge my wants in my sexy new clothes my healthy body needs!!

A co-worker of mine, who prior to my surgery was all about helping me along. She was a successful bander who wanted to take me under her wing. Post-op she changed. Negitive nelly, if you will. She is 3 years post of and has lost 70 lbs. I have no idea what she weighs, she looks nice, not tiny but healthy. She ask me today how much I'd lost. I told her 50+ lbs in 9 months. Rather than saying good job she snickered. She ask how much more I wanted to lose, I said around 50. She plain out said I would never be able to do it with the band and I should have had gastric bypass. If I needed to loose 100 lbs then my doctor never should have done the band. She keeps telling me that I had more to loose than she did. I have never told her my numbers so how the hell does she know. I am sorry, but that is just a b#$%3 thing to say. While my weight loss has slowed, why is it impossible to lose all of my excess body weight? I don't know if I will get that small, but I would at least like to make to the 150's. If you are going to be negitive and discouraging keep it to yourself!

Amen GIrl!!! Let 'em talk.

I was fearful like you to begin with. I just told my hubs of course, my parents and my BFF. Only one person at work knew what I was having done. After I had it done and was doing well I became more open about it. My brother when he found on, from mom, that I was doing it, he kept saying I hope you don't have the problem my friend did- he throws up almost everytime he eats. My MIL said the same thing. Now both of them are happy for me and glad that I did it. Play it by ear, if you feel strongly that you want to tell a certain person, do it, if not don't. Let it come out as you want it to.

I tend to retain water, then once the cycle is over I pee like crazy and my weight goes right back down. I could gain as much as 4 lbs of water. This doesn't happen every month though.

In the WLS journey we will meet all sorts of people: negitive nellies, debbie downers, encouragers, motivators, ect. We will find people at all stages who tell us we are making a mistake, or we will not succeed or we will gain it all back. Then we will find people who will encourage and motivate us to continue on the journey and keep working hard. However, I think the worst enemy we run accross is ourselves. I have long know that I was my worst enemy. I am harder on myself than anyone else could ever be. For many years though I took a break from honestly looking at my weight. Once I did confront it and realize where I was and I had to do something about it, I have been really hard on myself. Maybe I don't forgive myself for allowing me to get to the 240's. Now I am always second guessing myself- as I losing enough, what am I doing wrong, did I eat to much, did I eat enough. Honestly, the first months weren't to bad, the weight easily melted off and it was a true honeymoon period. Now, I am in the trenches fighting for ever ounce. I am always asking myself, am I drinking enough, am I eating to much - to little, am I moving enough. Can I, Will I? The bottom line is I, me, myself is the ONLY one who can make this journey a success or failure. My doctor and NUT want me to succeed, hey it only makes them look good. The negitive people want me to fail. However, I am the only one with the power to do it or not. I must make the decisions to eat as I am told, to eat better higher quality foods, to move more and sit less. There are people on this site that have done nothing short of AMAZING!! Amazing isn't a strong enough word here. I mean Missy- come on- 200 lbs in a little over a year- WOW that is fantastic. Carolina girl- 100lbs in 9 months- fabulous. Then there are the people on here that complain about the band not working or questioning is it okay to eat a whole pizza or did they just hurt their band by doing it. Then there are people, that I count myself in, that are trucking along- that aren't having grand losses, but aren't gaining either. I have to say I am the one to blame for not doing as well as some. While I do move more than I did, I don't move as much as I could. When I got home yesterday, I should have taken my fat hind parts and hit the elliptical- instead I took it to the chair and relaxed due to a exhausting day at work. Those are the days when I need someone to slap my hind parts and tell me to get the h$%% up and MOVE. I also am not as strick in my food as others. I was afraid that if I cut certain things out of my diet (carbs) that I would certainly relapse to being over weight. I wanted to hit a balance of eating anything I want just not as much. Well, that has worked pretty good (lost 50+ lbs), but I am starting to think after a 3 month SLLLLLOOOOOWWWW down in loss that I may have to reevaluate the situation. What can I cut or what can I cut more than I have. Like I said I am the only one with the power and I must enforce it. I know that I will be to the point I am no longer obese and I believe I will get out of or at least to the low over weight BMI range, but I will do it in time. I will not do it in year, but by the 3 year post op mark I want to be in the wonderful 140's or at the least 150-155. I have the power to do this- I just have to use the force!! May the force be with you to!!

It is much easier for me to work out in the warmer months, however, NC just can't seem to shake winter this year. We live near a greenway and love to go out with our dogs and explore or take our bikes out. In the winter though, even though we have an elliptical and a total gym, I still just want to hypernate. I DO NOT like cold weather.

It's not abnormal. Everyone will lose at a different rate. The most important person to ask this person to would be your doctor, they know you better than we do.

Walking is GREAT. But be careful running/jogging. My doctor told me nothing more strenous than walking for 4 weeks and to wait 6-8 before abdominal exerecise.

I really like this CG. I just posted a blog of similar feelings. I really have a hard time not second guessing myself. I guess I still have the old mind of a failure. I know I am not failing- I haven't gained weight in 9 months that says something, but I still always want more. You have a GREAT attitude and I wish I could be like you when I grow up . I keep saying I haven't lost anything since Dec, but when I look back at my records I have dropped 7 lbs since Dec. 2. It just feel soooo sllllooooowwww. Thanks for posting this- it put my mind in a new perspective. May have to print it so I can reread when I hit a down day.

I can't eat as soon as I wake up. My band just doesn't want to tollerate food. I usually start my day with 20 oz of Water with Crystal Light Peach Mango Green Tea mixed in it. Then I drink a cup of coffee (black) when I get to work and get settled (around 7). Then I will eat my breakfast- this ranges. Since I don't have a stove to cook anything on it has to be done with a microwave or toaster. I also don't like eating the same thing every day so here are some of my go to breakfast: Slim Fast High Protein shake (these are for days I am really tight or am not in the office, but on the road headed to meetings) English Muffin with Peanut Butter Bagel with Laughing Cow Cream cheese Special K Cereal with 1% milk Special K breakfast Sandwich (this are acutally good) Oatmeal with some banana mixed in All these are good and will hold me around 3-4 hours and since I nomrally eat it around 8-8:30 it works perfectly.

Have you tried Choc pudding? Peanut butter bust mine- love that stuff. Early on I would have cravings for cake or cookies. To prevent benges I would go buy ONE of a favorites (1 cup cake, one cookie) and eat that one thing and that was it. Most of the time it would satisfy me and I would be fine. Then as I went along, it got so when I would get one of those it didn't even taste good- to sweet, made my belly hurt. So now I don't crave as much as I use to.

Last Friday was my 9 month anniversary with my band. My journey began last year about this time with the seminar and me trying to figure out if I was ready to make this step. I quickly decided that the band was best for me and began jumping through all the hoops to make it happen. June 22,2012 was surgery day at 244 lbs!! The surgery went great and the following months were great. It seemed I was loosing between 5-7 lbs a month. In Dec. 2012 I was finally below the 200lb mark, my first big goal hit in 6 months. 3 months later and I am still sitting in the 190's and getting frustrated. I have toned some, which has gotten me in a size 14 summer clothes, which feels nice. Yet, I still keep jumping around in the 190's. Two weeks ago I saw the 190's for the first time, then it bounced right back up to 194. I saw it again last weekend, then boom back up to 193's where I was last week, yesterday 191, today back up 192.5. My doctor says all this is normal. Plateaus are expected and we just have to keep moving to break them, it will just take time. The only health issue that had begun to creep up on me before surgery was my blood pressure. Which has nicely come down and is now perfect. All other labs are perfect. I wear a size 14. Yet, I still want more. I slide on my 14 shorts and my large T-shirt and I still see the big girl in the mirror. I know I am smaller, but I want more. My BMI still has me well into the obese range. I have to lose 30 more lbs to be in "just" the over weight zone. While the 1st 50 lbs came off realively easy, apparently the next 50 are going to come only by a tooth and nail fight. I have spend the weekend being introspective, looking at myself and what I do and don't do. I must find a balance in my life that will get me to my goal and keep me there. I am not a lover of exercise, I'm just not. But, I do need to find more ways in my life to move more, which I have, but now I need to step it up even more. I had been pretty much eating much of the same things as pre surgery (I was never as much an unhealthy eater as I was a big eater). Now, I think I must start looking at things that I can cut from my diet, such as cutting, at least, back on carbs. I do try and stick with healthy carbs, but hopefully my triming even those down I can get these next few lbs off. This coming week will be a big test for me. The hubs and I are headed of to Disney for a week vacation. We both need a break from our jobs and in general life. While I am looking forward to the experience I know there will be a lot of food challenges. My doctor told me to try and not stress to much about it, that I would be burning a lot of calories moving around the parks and I would need more calories than normal. She said to remember to keep portion sizes low, make good choices and have fun. I am hoping that the extra movement, the destressing and the trying to eat healthy will help slide me out of the 190's. I've spend 3 month's here and I am ready to leave.

Awesome job- keep it up.

Congrats girl, you have done so amazing. I can only imagine how wonderful you must feel.

My Grandfather had an allergy to medical tapes. Any time they placed anytype of adheasive including a bandaid on him he would break out. They eventually had to use a cotton ball and gause wrapped around him to prevent the adheasive from touching his skin. This is a common allergy now, which is why a lot of places when you give blood use a little square of gauze and co-ban (streatchy wrapping) wrapped around your arm instead of a band aid like they use to. Normally a small ice compress will help calm the itch or a cold rag.