Maddysgram

After spending a lot of time on LBT and now having some experiences under my belt, I have come to the conclussion that the LB is like a game of Chutes & Ladders.
 
We start our surgery and we're going along and climb a few LADDERS by losing weight and then we might do something not so smart, get stuck, not enough protein or water, injuries, sickness etc... and we hit the CHUTES, back to shakes, rethink how and what we're eating.
 
The best part is there is always a winner, as long as you don't give up the game.
 
Just my thoughts

After spending a lot of time on LBT and now having some experiences under my belt, I have come to the conclussion that the LB is like a game of Chutes & Ladders.
 
We start our surgery and we're going along and climb a few LADDERS by losing weight and then we might do something not so smart, get stuck, not enough protein or water, injuries, sickness etc... and we hit the CHUTES, back to shakes, rethink how and what we're eating.
 
The best part is there is always a winner, as long as you don't give up the game.
 
Just my thoughts

After spending a lot of time on LBT and now having some experiences under my belt, I have come to the conclussion that the LB is like a game of Chutes & Ladders.
 
We start our surgery and we're going along and climb a few LADDERS by losing weight and then we might do something not so smart, get stuck, not enough protein or water, injuries, sickness etc... and we hit the CHUTES, back to shakes, rethink how and what we're eating.
 
The best part is there is always a winner, as long as you don't give up the game.
 
Just my thoughts

After spending a lot of time on LBT and now having some experiences under my belt, I have come to the conclussion that the LB is like a game of Chutes & Ladders.
 
We start our surgery and we're going along and climb a few LADDERS by losing weight and then we might do something not so smart, get stuck, not enough protein or water, injuries, sickness etc... and we hit the CHUTES, back to shakes, rethink how and what we're eating.
 
The best part is there is always a winner, as long as you don't give up the game.
 
Just my thoughts

Stress was one factor that always made me eat. Well heck before the band I never needed an excuse to eat. But now some how when I am stressed, I just write. Sometimes people think they can sway your day at work, or in life generally but what they don't realize is that the more they keep stressing you, the better a person you become. It makes you stronger, makes you realize they are just one person in this whole big world trying to rain on your parade and guess what? It won't matter one darn bit in ten years. I will still be who I am, still be successful in my weight loss, still teach my nutrition classes, still fight for animal rights, still have a loving husband and continue to improve my writing skills. You can't always make everyone happy in life, but why let food get in your way. There will always be people who will try to spoil your day, ruin what you have worked hard for because they themselves have failed.
 
I had a client who was miserable to the point the doctor kicked her out of his practice because she wouldn't listen to him and failed at her band. She tried to make the whole group miserable but what she did not realize is the more she tried to make them miserable the more weight they all lost just to prove her wrong so that in turn made her even more miserable because she failed at what she was trying to do.
 
Don't let stress make you eat and miserable because its just one time in your life that you have to take the bull by the horns and know that food won't solve the problem but only add to your problems. Have a blessed day because I will for sure.

I love food, I mean really love food (which is why I hit 247). I have always been a foodie. While sweets were never a huge pull for me, I find myself wanting them more now, but I have managed to stay away from them except special occassions.
 
I am and always have been a protein / carb girl. I am mildly adventurous, willing to try new foods and such. Since being banded I have found I like: Greek Yogurt, couscous, beans. I eat a lot more fish (talapia, salmon, mackeral).
 
Being that I love to cook I am always researching new things and new ways of cooking.
 
I still, however, do enjoy going out to eat. What I like best is having someone else clean the kitchen!
 
Last night, Valentines, the hub wanted to go to the 1st resturant we ever went to. That resturant is On the Border, which serves southwest style food. I love southwest/mexi, but it is loaded with salt and calories. I downloaded the nutrition and was shocked the my southwest chicken taco's were 1200 calories- ouch. I found that the fajita mix was a better choice, I was able to order the chicken with grilled onion, pepper, zuchini, with no sides (beans, rice, tortillas). I ate just the meat and veggie and ask for sauce on the side (which I only used a bit of). Since I hadn't been there since surgery this really showed how my eating has changes.
 
Before surgery I would eat the meat, veggies, rice, beans, tortillas and a dessert. Last night I wasn't even able to get down all of the meat and veggies. Wow, what a change. My husband said he was so proud of me.
 
I went home feeling good and not over stuffed. Yes, this morning my weight was up by a pound, the salt really worked on me.
 
So today I am drinking my water like a made woman and cutting the salt back.
 
I guess this is what life should be like, not giving up the food we love, just cutting back on the amount and making adjustment for the bad stuff.
 
What in the heck did I learn this years ago??

So why do I have a blog??? No idea really.....Not feeling too hot today. The normal monthly poo that we women have to deal with, made worse by a yeast infection (that I never get unless I'm on anti biotics, and I'm not!) and a really sore knee (too much Just Dance) some of those moves are impossible!
I woke up to flowers, a huge stuffed bear, a hand made card and my favorite sugar free licorice jelly bellys...love my man, he totally rocks. Every day is like Valentines day when you love your spouse and he loves you just as much if not more, like we do, I am truly blessed.
I have always been a pajama wearer, I must have at least 40 pairs of pants and shirts. I think it stems from them being over sized, elasticated and my not wanting to go anywhere in public, so I live in them (until I have to pick the children up from school). I had to say goodbye to my old friends, size 2x purple and white fuzzies this morning, I will most likely keep them (it's the hoarder in me) but it's time to move on to the smaller size..
Hubby wants to go to dinner tonight. I'm just not feeling it. I would rather eat my chicken and green beans, maybe have a glass of wine and watch Impractical Jokers, the kids love to watch it too and after they are in bed we will probably catch up with some Game Of Thrones (we are still on season 1)
On this Valentines day (and every day) love your family and love yourself..you both deserve it

This article went out to all 3,000 employees at my state agency. Guess everyone knows now.
 
 
Surgical maneuver: Amanda changes course with weight loss surgery
 
Weight loss surgery is simply a cosmetic issue; it’s taking the easy way out. Amanda is witness to the fallacy of these notions. Candidates for surgery have exhausted other means of weight loss and are at risk of illnesses that can be life threatening. And treatment does not end with surgery. Success demands from patients a long-term commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
 
For Amanda, weight loss surgery afforded her the opportunity to make the necessary and permanent change in her life that other methods had failed to do. Her body mass index was in the severe range. The three medicines she was taking were not stabilizing her high blood pressure. And Amanda’s doctor had diagnosed her as prediabetic.
 
Amanda recalls, “I couldn’t even walk up five stairs to get into the building without [being winded]. Medically, I was completely unhealthy. And I had to do something to change that.”
 
Choosing the right course
 
Of the three main types of weight loss surgery, Amanda opted for the least invasive: laparoscopic gastric banding. She was concerned that sleeve gastrectomy, which involves removing about 75 percent of the stomach, is too new a procedure and is irreversible. And gastric bypass surgery, although more common, is also considered to be irreversible and has a higher risk of nutritional deficiency. Gastric bypass surgery involves sealing off the upper part of the stomach and connecting it to the lower part of the small intestine. Thus food skips part of the digestive tract, and the body absorbs fewer calories.
 
Amanda chose laparoscopic gastric banding (lap bad surgery) not only because it is the least invasive but also because it is reversible and involves routine checkups. A band is placed near the top of the stomach and is inflated with a saline solution to create a pouch, or kind of funnel. When a patient eats, the pouch fills up with food much sooner than the entire stomach would. As a result, the patient feels full sooner. The food also takes longer to pass into the lower part of the stomach, which increases the amount of time that the patient feels satisfied between meals.
 
The band is adjustable, allowing doctors to routinely evaluate and optimize its effectiveness. A tube runs from the band to an access port — a small, discreet incision under the skin on the patient’s stomach. The doctor inserts a needle into the port to add saline solution to the band. The solution tightens the band, which shrinks the size of the opening from the upper stomach to the lower stomach and so reduces the patient’s food consumption. The port can also be used to remove solution from the band if the band is too tight to allow food to move through the digestive tract or is causing problems, such as pain or vomiting. Regular checkups enable the doctor to find and maintain the “green zone,” the most effective opening size for the patient.
 
The journey has just begun
Amanda’s surgery was successful, but it was just the beginning. For the first two weeks after the operation, she could consume only clear liquids. She graduated to full liquids for the following two weeks. Only then could she move on to the luxury of mushy foods.
 
Recalling her trial by diet, she says, “The first two weeks, [you’re not so hungry] because your stomach is full, and you don’t have an appetite. But once the swelling went down, the hunger returned with a vengeance.”
 
Amanda did eventually get to move on to solid foods, but in order to avoid discomfort or potential problems, such as band slippage, she has had to adopt strict eating habits. She eats only about a cup of food per meal, which she serves on a side dish to appear more abundant. She chews her food very well, about 20 or 30 chews, before swallowing, and she must wait at least a minute between bites. She downloaded an app to help her time her bites.
 
“The idea is that it takes you about 20 or 30 minutes to eat your meal. And then you’re full. If you follow those protocols, nine times out of ten you have no problem. Most complications are from patients’ not following the guidelines and not changing their eating habits.”
 
Band or no band, most anyone would likely benefit from those eating practices.
 
Steady as she goes
Referencing Leslie Mitchell’s comment in a recent article about the Calorie Counter app, Amanda notes that surgery, like the app or any weight loss tool, is not a magic wand. The surgery helped Amanda lose 80 pounds in a year, but its success depended on her discipline to consistently make healthy choices, a discipline that
she must enforce for the rest of her life.
 
Amanda now exercises daily. Not only did she overcome those five steps that used to wind her entering the building, but she now climbs the stairs to her office each morning…on the eighth floor! And sometimes, she makes the trip more than once a day.
“My exercise is walking. I don’t do gyms,” she laughs.
 
Once a month, Amanda meets with a support group. Fellow members, who have all had lap band surgery, offer emotional and moral support as well as exchange recipes and ideas.
 
Amanda also strictly monitors the food she eats. Since she is eating less food, she must ensure that every bite packs a nutritional punch.
“I eat high protein — three to four ounces of protein per meal; then, veggies. Then if I’m still hungry, I add the carbohydrates. But most carbohydrates give you energy but don’t fill you. They make you hungry, especially…non-complex carbohydrates….If I’m going to eat something, I’m going to make sure it’s worth my while.”
She’s even been known to turn down a piece of chocolate these days. Her rationale: A piece of chocolate may be only 45 calories, but that’s 45 calories of mostly empty nutritional value.
 
The surgery, she explains, “doesn’t change the type of food you put in your mouth. You have to control that. Ice cream will go straight down — [the band] is a funnel. For a lot of the people who aren’t successful, it’s because they don’t change their eating habits. It’s the same with any of the surgeries. Like with the bypass — some people lose all this weight and then just gain it right back.”
 
Although her new diet is strict, Amanda can still enjoy the occasional treat. “It all boils down to calories in versus calories out. It depends on how physical I am,” she explains. Eloquently articulating her new outlook, she says, “Now I eat to fuel the body and not the obsession.”
 
Balancing the costs
Unfortunately, costs for lap band surgery can be prohibitive. The procedure is expensive, and the amount of insurance coverage depends on the plan. To qualify under many plans, an individual must have a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or greater and two comorbid conditions, such as high blood pressure and prediabetes. Currently, the state of Texas plan uses a higher BMI minimum and includes some additional requirements. Naturally, other costs can include deductibles and copays. Individuals interested in weight loss surgery should consult their provider for details.
 
The initial expense may be high, but the investment is sound. Weight loss surgery can be a valuable tool in promoting healthy lifestyles and likely reducing the high costs of long-term medical care. In addition, investing in healthy individuals can, as this agency has recognized with its successful wellness program, yield solid returns for all.

Just have to put down in print a NSV I had today
 
Yesterday I got myself down because my day started just like every other day
for lunch I wanted soup and decided to have a bowl of onion soup...then another...
and in each bowl I put oyster crackers in them...My down fall is pretzles and saltie crackers are
trigger foods for me... so from there on it was a eatting frenzi for me...Thank goodness I dont have any junk food in the house...so I over did with good things...
 
I woke up this morning with a fear OMYGOODNESS please let me get ahold of this eatting and not have a day like yesterday...( I swear I even dreamed of food)
 
So breakfast I had my usual yogurt...ok....lunch time I had a bowl of salad with a C of cottage cheese garnished with some slivered almonds....4 bites in and I was wow...Im full !!! But I was scared not to get my protein in so it took me a hr to get it all down....
 
Then I started watching TV as I folded laundry....The Cake Boss....and they were baking with Choc...and OREOs....and OO WOW I wanted choc !!! SO I got myself a small SF jello cup....took 2 bites and really enjoyed and thought about the taste...I satified my craving and folded the foil lid back over the cup put it back in the fridge and I was happy...
This may all sound like such a small thing to some of you...but for me its a HUGE NSV....
A year ago I would of had one cup cuz I wanted one....the second cup to taste it...and a third cup cuz I didnt even taste the first 2......Food controled my every min of my days...to be in control of food is the best......

The band continues to amaze me. I am down 2 lbs since last week and I haven't even been trying. Granted I am not eating recklessly or anything but I have been eating normal (for bandsters) portions which I don't have to measure anymore thanks to 26 months of practice.... But I had a few bites of cheese cake for my birthday and ate out alot this week due to a busy social week....and I was sure I would have gained a lb or 2 ... And I actually lost 2 lbs. the band is doing exactly what I hoped it would do!!

This weekend my husband & I went to Lubbock, Texas for the Wine Chocolate Fantasia at Llano Estacado Winery. This is an annual event and is both a fund raiser for the ACF Texas Panhandle Chefs de Cuisine and the West Texas Parkinsonism Society; as well as a chocolate competition. There are entries from amateurs, professionals and chefs. The evening includes many of Llano Estacado’s wines for sampling.
 
It was quite enjoyable hanging around barrels of aging wine, sampling some interesting chocolate creations and sipping on my favorite wines.
 
I consumed about 800 calories this evening; pure sugar and fat calories. My total calories for the day were 1600. I am at goal and that is the only reason I chose to attend this event. I would never recommend anyone still losing to attempt managing an evening like this. I don’t know the actual calorie count for the chocolate I sampled nor do I know their actual weight so I took my best guess.
 
Why am I telling you about this? Two reasons; it was fun and I want to share my experience managing the maintenance lifestyle. I know that I am going to attend things where the only choice is wasted calories, full of fat. As long as I stay in moderation I will be successful.
 
I planned for this event I knew I would be eating chocolate and drinking wine. I knew about how much I wanted to have before I arrived and I stuck to that. The evening was an absolute blast.

Cleaning our closets out finally got to me, so I went in to do mine, and it is only about a quarter full now. Got a nice NSV in the process as well. 2005 I hit the lowest weight of my adult life when I went from 324 to 249.8, I stayed there for a couple of weeks and then started gaining again. During the that time I bought a couple of nice sports shirts that I really loved, but haven't been able to wear since, and I ran across them while I was cleaning. On a lark I tried them on and they fit.
 
Now looking forward to the sale at Kohl's in a couple of days with a 20% off coupon in my hot little hand.

So two days ago I got really disappointed in myself, because I did something I shouldn't have. That night I said a long pray and God answered it for me. The very next day I got my head into the game and I'm proud to say I have been to the gym two days in a row. And today alone I did a mile and a half on the traidmill and a half mile on the eliptical. Go Team Me!

Ok i have been sitting here reading the furums this morning...
and WOW....
I mean were all in the same place....sure some of us are a lil more ahead then others...but we all started at the same START LINE....we all want to get to the same place....
yet Im reading so much meanness from so many people....Were living in a world with so much meaness right now....It just saddens me to see a group of people with the same goals...hurting and even wishing bad to each other.....I just cant wrap my mind around this....

I went in for a fill today, my weight had gone up by 5 lbs since last week so I wasn't thrilled about going in. I went in they weighed me- up 1 lbs since last month!!!!!! I was pissed. She checked my band and gave me another cc - I always get fills with floro. I told her about my weight jump from last week and explained it was my TOM time even though I don't actually bleed. She said that the weight fluctuation was not abnormal, that everyone will have fluctuations from week to week. She also ask how many calories my fitbit said I was burning a day- I told her between 2000-2200 depending on if I work out or not. She ask about my eating habits - I told her I was only eating 3 times a day and sometimes having an afternoon snack. She ask about my calorie intake- I told her I was getting between 1200-1300 a day.
 
Surprise- she said I'm not getting enough calories. Now this is what my doc said, I trust my doctor, she is a Duke Doc, I have full confidence in her- do please do not bash her or me; if you doc said something else fine ok, I am just putting out there what mine said.
 
She said that since I am now over 6 months post that eating 1200 calories a day isn't enough. She said that having a 3-500 calorie a day deficit was good, but not more because the body would not let go of the fat- sorta like starvation mode. She said if I upped my workout routine to up calories. To try and keep my deficit around 3-500 for optimum weight loss.
 
So I am going to try and see what happens. Maybe it has to do with where I am in weight- I don't know, but she is my doctor, she is trained, so I will listen to her.
 
If you don't agree fine, but again don't bash!!

I started out 8 years ago telling people about the band. I was excited, I had researched the hell out of it and answered/resolved a lot of my fears, and was adjusted (pun intended) to the idea. For the most part, I got positive or no comments, but very few negative comments about my decision.
 
Once I was banded, and losing weight, it started to become less novel and more of an everyday tool. Nothing exciting about that. It's like that sparkly pink ink pen that you coveted as a kid lost its magic once you started to write with it...and write...and write...!
 
The same thing happened with the band. I loved it, it worked, but it was a harsh master and would ruin events if I didn't follow the rules. It would make me decide whether I wanted to go out on a given night. It became so big and familiar to my friends that it practically needed its own chair at the table. My friends would ask if a restaurant was okay, what could I eat, and basically make a fuss with the best intentions that became, frankly, tiresome.
 
But the band got boring around food, too. The novelty of eating tiny amounts like I had one of those enviable "bird like appetites" in public waned. There I was, talking, nibbling at my meal, eating healthy for the band (but under-eating to the rest of the world) and the waitress would come over and ALWAYS ask me if everything was okay. It got embarrassing after a while. I would start out by joking that I was a slow eater and a fast talker, then moved to asking for a doggie bag at the beginning of the meal and pretending I wasn't hungry, and finally started "sort of" lying and saying I had an issue with my esophagus and had to eat small meals and quantities.
 
Explaining the band to complete strangers was just too exhausting and time consuming...and I became embarrassed again explaining myself to waiters in front of the same coworkers and friends. It's like the band was this huge elephant in the room. (lol) For me, though, the sparkly pink pen had lost its luster and it was just a writing implement. There were more interesting things to say and learn and do rather than discuss my digestion and caloric intake.
 
I think this turning point of my relationship with the band had it good and bad parts. The band becoming every day and boring was great because it was working in the background, and I respected it, and we both were happy. But it was so unbelievably easy to start forgetting that yeah I might need calories but it DID NOT need to be a chocolate chip cookie. That's when you start learning how to eat around the band, because the sheen of respect has worn off.
 
I want to remember this going into my rebanding.

I feel fantastic today..... My stomach has completely stopped hurting, I dont feel tired any more (the first few days I was so sleepy). My back no longer aches, and it feels like the stitches are healing nicely. I do have some decent bruising around the entry points, but nothing that wont go away... it isn't like I'm wearing a bikini or anything so that is not that big of a deal.
 
the truth is, if I woke up from surgery like this I would find it very hard to believe they actually did anything while they were in there. I'm staying focused on healing right now. AND I'm also trying to read as many blogs and advice from veteran SUCCESSFUL bandsters. It is pretty clear that this thing feels and works differently in every one, but from what I can tell, those that grasp that this is simply a tool that will HELP us lose weight, instead of a "fat cure" are the ones that have the most long term success.
this is a life style change... and I'm going to embrace it for all it is worth!

so i was hanging with friends yesterday and we dont see each other very often. once a month maybe. anyway they decided they wanted to drink. n i wasnt gunna. but they convinced me to have a sip. no big deal. it made my stomach kind of crampy so i didnt continue (wasnt planning on it anyway but yeah) i did have some "scale-less victories" yesterday though. we were at subway. i didnt eat anything there. but we have friends that work there and they sort of burnt some cookies like 2 dozen and she brought the tray over and asked hey free cookies u want some? i didnt take any! and i love those cookies. my one friend took about six my other two. so that was good. but then we went back to my friends house to drink (them not me) and we decided we were gunna see what all the fuss was about on that chatroulette site. it was a horrible demeaning experience..
 
so we maybe talked to idk 15-10 people and three of them asked if i was my other friends' mother... im 21 for christ sake... one person as soon as they could see us started pointing and yelling "fat lady fat lady fat lady!!" over and over. another person said they didnt want to talk to us because i was a heifer... another person once they could see us said "WHOA" we asked what.. they said man she's fat.
 
my friends just dont get it.. they just ignored these people and what they were saying to me..didnt even try to stick up for me.. they know its all true and so do i.. i would have just left but i never get to see them.. so it ruined my night and i was depressed all night. being the "buzz kill" that i am. it certainly didnt help i have been having a tough time w my depression and stuff this week.. not sure why but it feels like im off all of them.. not good.. they just dont get it and they literally are avoiding talking about the ELEPHANT in the room.. they tell me what do u care what random people think of you.. well cuz its confirming how i feel others look at me everyday especially at classes.. i have a hard time making friends and i feel thats half the reason.. i have no confidence and am so insecure that when people hit my like that it really really hurts... this is the only place where people might understand.. i dont expect people to say im beautiful, but my god..
 
 
another reason im posting this is so maybe when im successful with my band that i can look back at this and not forget how horrible things are/were. also i have now decided if i ever date people again my test is going to be what they think of obese people.. if they have bad feedback. theyre out of here.
 
people suck. thats all i can say..

I would really hate to think I was being paid a service and the person paying me did not take my knowledge that I went to medical school for 12 years enough that they would have to get help on a website for medical issues.
 
I can not believe that people really refuse to call their doctors after surgery. They are getting paid to take care of you and a pretty penny I might add. Issues regarding pain, swelling, chest pain, can't eat or drink, throwing up, leg pain, what you should be eating are all questions that your surgeon should be answering. They are getting paid 24 hours a day 7 days a week. If you are having chest pain dont post it here, get your butt to the er. If you are vomiting and cant stop, feel dehydrated, cant keep food down, have leg pain or any kind of unnormal pain then call your doctors.
 
I dont know why you all are scared of them. I have my doctors personal cell phone that I can call anytime I am having an issue and he will answer every single time. We are not medical professionals and posting here when you are having chest pain you could have been to the ER or dead by the time you"re done typing it.
 
Stop playing with your lives and your bands. Call your surgeons if you are having these issues. What really are you afraid of? That you're bothering them? Well bother them they make 4 times the amount that most of us make a year for a service. A service they chose to have.

Two months ago my doctor said as far as they were concerned I was at goal, 175 lbs. I was happy with that and started onto the maintenance stage of my journey.
 
Last month I gained 2 lbs, first time I had a gain but hey holidays. Doctor’s office was still very pleased and said that my weight will vary like that on maintenance.
 
Then a dear friend here on LBT put out a challenge “100 miles in January”. Walk or run 100 miles during the month of January. I was in! I needed something to get me moving more. I reached the 100 miles on Monday; my total should be around 120 miles for the month. (go me!)
 
Today I went back to the doctor, weighed 171! (lost 6 pounds in 4 weeks) I haven’t seen that much loss since the beginning months of this journey. So, what did I do different? My eating was the same as it has always been 1200 calories a day, etc…. The only thing different is the increased walking for the challenge.
 
I am so happy with myself. I couldn’t ask for anything more. Okay, maybe a tummy tuck and….. Well guess I could ask for more.
 
I love & respect my band. Yellow rose you serve me well, thank you!

Sitting at my desk wishing it was Friday... when I received a call from the hospital where I had my lap band surgery in December 2010 and most recently a sonogram after my tummy tuck to see what was causing the bleeding from my belly button. My first thought was they found some dreaded infection or worse yet…tumors… I braced myself for the bad news wondering why my plastic surgeon wasn’t calling…
 
The woman identified herself as the Director of Patient Relations and she was calling to congratulate me on my successful Lap Band journey and ask me if I would be interested in a starring role in their new advertising campaign. It’s just in the works now and it may be print or television…no details are firm yet.
 
After I picked my mouth off the ground and tried to wrap my head around the fact this wasn’t bad news… I thanked her for the call and asked how much it paid. Well maybe not quite that blunt but in a roundabout sort of way…. LOL. She doesn’t think it pays but it may open the door for other things… Like what…. I have no idea.
 
So anyway…. I thanked her for the call, told her I would consider it and she assured me I would be hearing from their creative department. I hung up the phone and the first thought I had was seeing my body on a billboard on the highway…. I spent all this time to get thin and now they want to blow me up…. Hysterical.

I live on a good size piece of land in central Texas. Most of the land is zoned agricultural and therefore we have to make sure that land is used accordingly.
 
I have always loved gardening and since Texas has two growing seasons we have fresh veggies growing almost year round. We have an orchard with fruit trees (pears, plums, peaches, nectarines & pomegranates) and two years ago we got a flock of chickens. This next year we plan to expand into livestock with rabbits and goats.
 
Having all these agricultural items require a lot of maintains (chores). I have chores to do everyday whether it’s tending to the chickens, picking or planting veggies and let’s not forget the never ending task of pulling weeds. This is my exercise. When I get home from work I spend the first hour tending to these chores and the weekends are always filled with projects.
 
Just this last weekend my husband and I removed an old barbwire fence that ran along the front of the property. It was a full eight hour job. First we had to clear all the dead weeds from the fence, pull the barbwire down and then roll it up and finally pull up all the posts. I walked over 6 miles that day and found muscles in my shoulder and arms that I didn’t know I had.
 

Me rolling up the barbwire.
 

Me using our tractor to pull up the posts.
 
 
This is my exercise plan and it works for me!

So a banded friend tells me..."I can eat 3 cups of salad before I'm full". Ummmm, yea? My response "doesnt mean you should eat 3 cups". Her response was that we are supposed to eat until your full.
 
No, that is such a false statement. You still need portion control. If I am still hungry after eating, I wait the 30 minutes after eating then I start drinking my liquids. If you are not getting your liquids in every day, your full spot will trick you into wanting more food. I'm sorry, but I just don't think there's a lot of truthfulness about why the band isn't working for some people. I can sit and eat chocolate pudding and candybars and a bunch of other crap, then post my menu and say I'm eating a well balanced diet....that doesn't do me any good.
 
I GAINED 2 POUNDS IN 6 WEEKS BECAUSE I WAS NOT EXCERCISING OR EATING PROPERLY. I was sooo proud of my 31 lb loss that I got cocky and thought I needed to reward myself with foods and treats that didn't comply with my instructions. I screwed up, not the band. Well, since my fill last Friday I am down those 2 lbs plus 1. I contribute that to following instructions.
 
The first and most important process to this journey is being honest with yourself, if you mess up, recognize it accept the consequences (possible weightgain), fix it and move forward. I have only been banded for 6 months, I don't want or expect to lose all my weight in the first year. I don't want to...I want it to come off slow and steady.
 
Does the band work for everyone? No, some have true medical complications, some are just not using it correctly. Some are relying on the band to work for them instead of using the band as the tool it was meant to be. If you follow instructions to the letter, excercise 2-3 times per week, be patient with the weightloss process....the weight will eventually come off. Maybe not as fast as others, or in the first year. It wasn't meant to be a quick fix. Frustration is just an emotion, don't let it consume you or drive you. You have to take the wheel on this journey. So many say if I had the will power I wouldn't have had the surgery...it's not about will power. It's about following instructions. My will power sucked before the band, but I would have never of gotten the band if I wasn't ready to put those feelings aside and just do the work. Got a sweet tooth, then find a recipe for a desert you can have. Be prepared. Have the need for some comfort food, MAKE IT!! But use lower fat and carb options. Its all out there. Yes, some things are a little more expensive, but you won' be eating as much so it will last longer.
This is solely my entitled opinon...and I am sure that some will agree, some will disagree and others will feel the need to "set the record straight". That's fine. Just make sure you are honest with yourself before commenting.
 
Anyway...that's my rant.
 
Breakfast:
Mocha protein shake
 
Lunch:
LC/LF chicken enchilada
 
Dinner:
White bean chili
 
Chai tea
water with MIO
Multivitamin
 
1 Cor. 15:33 My bible verse for today.

Ok, here I am a year and a half later!!! I have changed employers and landed a better job and found out that I may have a chance to undergo lapband! So we shall see! I have my nutritionist & psych eval Friday, had my physical and blood work done, EKG etc today! I already had my physician letters together from the last insurance process, so I am keeping my fingers crossed...if this doesn't happen, then it wasn't meant to be. I have been under a supervised weight loss program and I have been having success, albeit very slow and has extreme ups and downs. I am at peace with whatever decision is made...very hopeful to get all of this taken care of and live a normal, energetic and exciting life!!!

I find it hard to believe that so many lap band patients do not follow their doctors instructions. You are given post op instructions of liquids and upgrading your diet slowly for a reason. You band is stitched to the stomach and eating before you are supposed to YES CAN BE HARMFUL. When you eat the stomach has to work and churn and move and if you are filling it with food before you are supposed to then you are not giving your surgery sites time to heal. Its not just about your incisions but about the band placement too.
 
Why risk it because you are hungry? Why take matters in to your own hands and eat what you want when you want then down the road you will be the first person complaining the band failed me.
 
Any doctor gives you instructions for your health. Do you not take your routine medications like they were prescribed? Would you not take insulin or high blood pressure medication just because you didnt feel like it? Heck no you wouldn't. So why take a chance with the band? A month out of your life is not going to kill you to be hungry. Just do what you are told to do then you won't have to be asking did I do something to hurt my band.