dylanmiles23

As you may have seen Someone posted that to me today.... Stop preaching.
 
 
I really thought about it and decided that if my preaching about.... be good to the band and it will be good to you....helps one person out... Its worth having someone tell me to stop preaching.
 
So I am not stopping. I will shout it from the rooftops... I love my band and my band loves me because I treat it with respect and dedication... If it chooses to fail me down the road it won't be from my doing...and I will just deal with it when the time comes. In the meantime the band and my effort gave me a thin healthy outlook on life and I plan on singing it's praises forever....

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.

on my couch with teeth whiten trays in and smelling the sweet smell of my tanning lotion left on my skin while typing with my new pretty clean manicure, I realize I spend a lot of time and money on trying to look good....to compensate for the fact that I am not skinny.
 
On Tuesday I'm going to be calling my Weight loss facility and then my insurance company to make sure of the next few things that need to get done before my last nutrition appointment which is on the 25th of Feb, so I hope to be able to be approved and banded in early March. It seems so far away.
 
So the reason why I am really writing this blog today.... something that I plan on starting to do again and from here on in. When I was in high school I used to eat in front of a full length mirror that was in the dining room. As I was able to see what i was putting into my mouth and how much of it was entering my body. I used to stop eating long before my plate was empty! and I'm going to start again.
 
Let me know what you think.

Everyone goes bat crazy here when they are hungry but I love feeling hungry. Yes you may think I am crazy but this is why I love feeling hungry.
 
 
All of my life I was obese and I consumed probably about 4 to 5 thousand calories a day and never gave my stomach a chance to ever be empty. I would even get up in the middle of the night and eat cookies, cereal, peanut butter and jelly or what ever darn thing I could find to stuff in my face.
 
The very first time I felt hungry after lap band surgery I was pissed off but then I thought "I have never felt hungry before in my life". When I am hungry it means it really is time to nourish my body. The days following the post op diet of liquids only were not pleasant but from that time I welcomed hunger. I realized I was not going to die due to no food for a few weeks because I could drink as much as I wanted. I was not starved to death because that only happens when people can not afford to purchase food or live in a country that has no food or if someone is anorexic and refuses to eat. I was not in any way going to starve to death.
 
I love feeling hungry, hearing my stomach actually growl once in a while. I know I won't die because of it. So when you are feeling hungry if it is true stomach growling hunger enjoy it because I guarentee you have never really felt hungry while you were obese. You are not going to die from being hungry but maybe just uncomfortable.
 
If you are just head hungry then don't complain about it because our heads made us obese unhealthy people. The preop and post op is only a small portion of your life that goes quickly. Welcome hunger and know that it really is a signal to nourish your body with healthy food.

I haven't been on here in a long while. I lost my dad to cancer this past November and then delt with the whole flu...I just haven't felt much like doing anything. I haven't lost anymore weight but I haven't gained either. In fact lately I have been so on board that I am trying to find good easy fast ways to lose weight...When in fact there really isn't much to it. Just healthy eating and exercise. I hate exercising because its not fun to me and it hurts...I have to remind myself that if it were easy everyone would do it. I am trying to get better with my food and have been doing well...I am still having a hard time getting enough calories in. I am drinking and eating every 3 hours but Still not enough...This weekend I plan on buying more veggies and fruit..Time to get real and time to quit feeling sorry for myself. I am ready for this and have been. I shouldn't stop because my dad wouldn't want me too. I wanna do this because this is for me no one else.

My weight has been a constant struggle since the birth of my first child (around 25 years ago). I have been on nearly every diet invented. I have spent thousands of dollars and have pretty much tried some form of all of the diet fads known to man:
 
-Weight loss pills (Phentermine, Phen-Fen, Cal ban, Metabolife, Healthy Trim, Hoodia, The Amazon Diet, Zendo Dieter's capsules, Green Coffee Bean capsules, etc.)
-Weight Watchers
-Weight loss teas
-HCG injections (spent nearly $1k)
-Medifast, Slimfast, Nutrisystem
-Body wrapping
-Lipo Dissolve (spent around $3k on this)
-Cabbage Soup Diet
-Mayo Clinic Diet
-d**k Gregory Slim-Safe Bahamian Diet
-Grapefruit Diet
-Low Carb Diet
 
Trust me, I could go on A-L-L-L-L day. I had some successes over the years, but the weight would always come back with a vengeance. I stayed on the prescription diet pills for many years, always concerned that they would affect my organs. I knew I couldn't stay on them forever, but whenever I tried to stop taking them, the weight would pile back on. Around 5 years ago, I managed to get down to around 175. I gave away all of my clothes and vowed that I would NEVER allow myself to go over 200 again. Once again, I got off of the pills, and once again, I regained all of my weight within 2 years.
 
When I hit 40, NOTHING worked any more. Not even the pills. Since they no longer worked, I got off of them altogether and simply gave up. I ate WHATEVER I wanted, WHENEVER I wanted. I told myself that I work hard, so I shouldn't deny myself of anything that I want, even if what I wanted was carne asada nachos at midnight. I hid behind designer clothes, purses and jewelry to try to draw attention away from my expanding waistline. I'm just being honest. I ballooned up to 230 pounds, which is the most weight I have ever had on my 5'1 frame. I looked and felt miserable. I avoided cameras at all times. I no longer felt attractive to my husband or to myself. My back and knees started bothering me, and I was constantly out of breath. That was when I decided to look into the Lap Band procedure.
 
Exactly 3 weeks after the operation, I am 16 pounds lighter (20 pounds lighter than my heaviest weight), and I am in a good place. I feel like I finally have hope. I will have my first fill next week, and although I admit I am a bit nervous (especially after some of the posts I have read on here), I am looking forward to my journey towards finding my "sweet spot". I also intend to utilize the gym membership that I am still paying for once my doctor clears me to do so.
 
This is my story TODAY. I am now 100% committed to this new journey, which is why I finally made the decision to post my picture. I cannot be ashamed of the path that I have chosen to take. If I don't take my journey seriously, who else will??? Today, I choose life. I choose to take my health back. I choose to believe that I have made the right choice for ME, and that the band WILL work for me, as long as I work with the band. I will be drawing upon the strength and support of all of my fellow bandsters here, and will be updating my story periodically as I reach new successes. Feel free to add me as a friend if you wish. There is strength in numbers.

I just can't seem to get it together. i read all other blogs about menus and updates and all that stuff and I think to myself....I'm witty, I'm organized I CAN DO THAT.
 
Uh...NAH!
 
I am disappointed in myself, but that's just me. I am a planner, a doer, a go getter.
 
Anywho.
My menu plan for the next 2 days are won't be worth posting. I just had a fill today and I'm on liquids for the next 24-48 hours, then soft for the following 3-4 days. I didn't follow the directions properly the last time and found myself gaining 2 lbs since my last visit. I can read all about how important it is to follow directions, and how this is my choice and on and on and on. I know, I get it, I had to fall before I could pick myself up. When I saw that 2 lbs, I wasn't surprised, but I was very upset. I had to reboot myself and decide for myself that I have to let the lapband work for me, and in order for it to work I have to use it properly.
I have followed my menus, but I found myself eating a little more here and a little more there. Yes, calories do count. My 2 lb weightgain proved that to me.
I had my 6 months bandaversary on Jan 16th and I am happy to have lost about 30 lbs. It was not done easily or without effort, and I just don't think I could have done it without my band. It was my wakeup call....I qualified for a lapband. Not my proudest moment, but so very thankful for it.
 
So, I promise myself to blog...more often. May not be everyday.
To continue my 30 minutes a day walking.
To add some light hand weights.
To accept that I am worth this. I deserve to be healthy. I am already happy.
 
I'm always happy. Yeah, I am one of THOSE people. I smile through everything, I strive to see the good in every situation.
And when it starts to get hard, I have a rock I can lean on...my awesome husband. Very greatful and blessed.

It's my 5 month bandiversary, and I have lost almost 52 pounds so far !!!
 
I'm feeling good about my weight loss thus far, and look forward to losing more. It's been quite the journey & learning experience. I'm making better choices, and defnitely eating less. More importantly, I'm actually making time to work out (exercise bike). I'm looking forward to the Summer where I might actually be able to go on hikes without losing my breath, and enjoying the outdoors! I feel that my weight gain kept me in hybernation for way too long. Well, it's time to get out & enjoy life again!
 
Congrats to all of you that have lost & continue to lose. Every day you become a healthier you!

I got a fill last Tuesday of .5 cc to give me a total of aroud 7cc. Last week was normal didn't really feel much extra restriction. This week- wowser!
 
Yesterday the restriction kicked in and I think I had the best band day ever (food wise)
day started with 20 oz of water
1 cup of coffee (black)
1 cup of Special K with 1/2 cup 2% milk (breakfast)
Smart Ones Four Cheese Pizza (lunch)
3oz chop steak 1/2 cup scalloped potatos (didn't eat it all)
 
No snacks!!!
 
I stayed satisfied all day long with no snacks. Yesterday was the hubs B-day and he requested seasoned chopsteak and homemade scalloped potatos, so this was what we had. The chop steaks are 3 oz each. Preband I would eat 2 plus 2 sides and still have room, not now! I eat about 3 bites of steak and 2 bites of potatos and full! I thought WTH, wow, I am full on no more than that!! So I pack the remainder in a tupperware bowl for lunch today. I didn't get hungery later in the evening, I just felt good.
 
I am loving this new found freedom from food. I like getting my fill on so much less- it's rush.

This is a sour subject amoung banded life. Everyone loses hair but why? Telogen Effluvium is stress related hair loss due to surgery, drastic weight loss, or other traumatic events that happen in your life. Some say because it is lack of protein, which in some cases it is true because hair lives on protein, but actually hair loss in weight loss surgery patients comes from vitamin deficiency. Your hair needs B-12, B-6, niacin, zinc, biotin and vitamin e. The stress of excessive weight loss and less nutrition will cause hair to start falling out. Taking these vitamins may not stop hair loss but not letting yourself get dificient to begin with may help you not lose your hair.
 
We all hate losing our hair but if you are concerned about it then take your vitamins from the beginning. Once it starts falling out it's hard to get it back under control. It won't last forever but it can be very annoying.

​Good evening all. I was reading an article on Yahoo about a woman who lost 222(?) but not with WLS. It said that there is a National Weight Control Registry. Has anyone ever heard of them? After you have kept off a certain amount of weight for 1 year you can register. Interesting.
​Tonight I had one of my favorite dinners. Large shrimp, pea pods, water chestnuts, a few almonds that I cook together with hoison sauce and another Chinese sauce and put it all onto brown rice. I love that meal.
Have a great snow free evening.

I think I have a clot in my nose... if I take a picture can you tell me what you think I should do?
 
Also, I ate chips and salsa in my post-op phase, do you think I hurt my band?
 
Can you tell me what to eat?
 
Why is my cat losing more weight than me... We eat the same diet?
 
OMG PEOPLE... GET SERIOUS. This is not a game. I get so depressed reading this crap! I think I will take a mini vacation. I need a tranquilizer to keep this crap from driving me insane.
 
Do these people think we are not working our butts off to do this? Who the F U C K told them it would be easy?
 
Rant off... sorry having a bad morning... hope yours is better!

Got home from the hospital about an hour ago. Still having a lot of discomfort. I think it's mostly from trapped gas. Getting up and down is the hardest. Other than that I feel pretty good. Still wanting to sleep a lot. I was on ice chips only all day/night yesterday. Finally got to have sugar free jello and popsicle before I left the hospital and just finished a protein shake a few minutes ago. Even after the two weeks of preop diet, I still find myself craving something crunchy and salty, even if it's just a cracker . Hopefully, this will pass soon because I have to remain on liquids until I go back to the doctor on the 30th.

I have not posted in a few weeks and have been reading many of the posts regarding the same questions and the tone of some of the answers.
I work in the medical field and researched the band for 2 years and went to all of my preop classes etc... I was fully aware before surgery that the band is only a tool. The best way of thinking about it for me is the band holds me accountable to myself and what I eat!!! It is a tool only ,I have done the work so far. My loss has been very slow but I feel 100% better. I feel the first mistake some make is thinking the band is a cure and an easy way out. I have been stuck for 3 weeks now but will not let that stop me. I was banded 11-8-12 have had 2 fills. At my last fill the NP told me "you get it, you really get it"!!! Its only a tool, they cure for obesity comes from within and the desire to for once in my life do something for me and to become more healthy and active. I don't need to lose as much as some but the battle is the same. For those of you that have met your goal, you are an inspiration to me and gives me hope that I can do this with the HELP of my band. I do no rely on the band but always know its there. I have lost 21 pounds with 30 to go and its any every day decision but the band always reminds me how much and what I can and cannot eat. Looking forward to the green zone and until then I just keep doing the best I can. Not sure why I felt the need to write this but hope this help someone the way others on this post has helped me the last few months. By the way I am a 51 yr old grandmother raising grandkids the works full time so believe me I know the stress of everyday life and how I turn to food for comfort. No more thanks to my lap band, accountablity tool

I am watching Wendy Williams and Lisa Lampanelli is on about her sleeve surgery. She is down 102. She wore a size 24 and now is around a 6!! Good for her. She had the surgery in April, I think. She looks great. She said she felt the sleeve was better than the band at her age, 51. I am 62. They keeping bleeping her language. Lisa is saying that it is a tool and you have to work with it. Her husband had the sleeve a few months after her. Good for them. She is very funny and crude but that is what I love about her. She is saying her sex life is better and the stomachs can now touch.
We all need people like Lisa to tell the world that surgery is a helper/tool for all of us.
Thank you, Lisa.

Good Evening all,
 
 
Just wanted to stop by and give a little up date. I had my final appointment today and everything went well. I got a tour of the floor after surgery, and went over some final information about the procedure. Then I get home and get a phone call from the hospital and they wanted to go over some information that was needed before I get there and once I hung up the phone it hit me. My surgery is really going to happen in 6 day. Can you say excited.com:)

Good evening all,
​I had my support meeting tonight and we met our new dietitian. She handed out new recipes and I just tried a great one and needed to share it.
Homemade Baked Cheese Crisps (they are great)
preheat oven to 350 and put parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Must!! use parchment paper.
use shredded cheese and seasonings (I did not use seasoning) and put little lumps of the mixture on the parchment paper, spaced out because the will grow. and spread. (Their words not mine) about a teaspoon of cheese.
Now put it on a rack centered in the middle of the oven and bake 5-7 minutes. When they start to turn brown take them out and let them cool.
I made mine with a pizza cheese blend and the hub and I loved them
Enjoy!
You can use cheddar/jack and Ranch dressing to make it a Mexican blend. Add garlic, chili powder.

Tonight for dinner I had extra large shrimp with pea pods, water chestnuts, almonds and brown rice. It was wonderful. I used a chinese sauce to cook it all together.
Then around 10pm (I am a night owl and sleep all morning) I made sweet and sour meatballs. They are so good. I use sugar free/reduced sugar grape jelly and equal part chili sauce and heat together and then add your meatballs (raw). I use some seasonings and a drop of panko and then cook them on low for about 1 hour. I have a food saver so I can freeze into small amounts for me. My husband doesn't eat meat and doesn't eat turkey sweet and sour balls. He had American chop suey made with ground turkey. He loves that. I hate that.
Husband just left to meet my DIL at the mechanics. My son forgot they have an early appointment and their baby is 1 1/2 months old so tonight was better than early morning for them. My son is almost 38 and still needs us, I am happy about that.
Have a great sleep everyone.
Arlene

I never thought I would find that question so offensive. I am guilty of asking such a question when I was younger to my own Sister. I do believe people have no malicious intent when they ask such a question but yet it can come off so offensive. My Wife and I have tried for three years to get pregnant with no luck. We both went through extensive testing and seen numerous specialists. It was determined I was the problem. I was not producing viable sperm. I under went Surgery last February to determine if I had a blockage and to see if they could extract viable samples to be used in conjunction with IVF. They got a little and we had it frozen until such a time we could move forward with the IVF. We were warned by both my Doctor and My Wife's that we should be prepared for back up options such as a donor as they had little to work with. My wife and I decided donor was not something we wanted. If we could not have them biologically then maybe we would consider possible adoption down the road.
 
My surgery was in February of 2012 and the IVF cycle was in May. Even though we were told the odds were not favorable but yet possible we had very high hopes and less than 24 hours later after the IVF cycle our world came crashing to a halt as we were notified it didn't work. We both cried for two days and I personally took it harder than I expected I ever would. I guess part of it is because even though I did nothing wrong I felt like I failed us both.
 
Now 8 months later we talk about it less but the memories are fresh. I still blame myself and haven't really moved on. This past weekend we were visiting my Wife's cousin who has 16 month old twins who we simply adore and love to spend time with. My Wife posted the below picture on facebook which lead to a lot of "When are you going to have babies of your own?"

 
Naturally, it is our own fault for posting the picture but I cannot help but be annoyed. One of the people who asked is an Aunt who does not have kids herself due to medical complications. One would think she would've been more tactful.
 
 
Next time you consider asking someone when they are going to have kids take a moment to consider that there maybe more to the story and that it could be a sensitive subject!! I guess this is my payback for asking my Sister and Brother in law many years ago. I am however a proud Uncle of a 22 and 15 year old!

Just giving a little update. I'm on day six so far so good. yesterday was so so. A co-worker was eating some old bay wings and boy oh boy did they smell good. She offered me so and as bad as I wanted to eat just one I didn't. I'm really proud of myself for that. With this pre-opt diet I'm learning more of myself each day. Mainley that I do have will power and I can do this. :wub:

Good evening all,
​I had my support meeting tonight and we met our new dietitian. She handed out new recipes and I just tried a great one and needed to share it.
Homemade Baked Cheese Crisps (they are great)
preheat oven to 350 and put parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Must!! use parchment paper.
use shredded cheese and seasonings (I did not use seasoning) and put little lumps of the mixture on the parchment paper, spaced out because the will grow. and spread. (Their words not mine) about a teaspoon of cheese.
Now put it on a rack centered in the middle of the oven and bake 5-7 minutes. When they start to turn brown take them out and let them cool.
I made mine with a pizza cheese blend and the hub and I loved them
Enjoy!
You can use cheddar/jack and Ranch dressing to make it a Mexican blend. Add garlic, chili powder.

Good Evening all,
So today I'm in day 4 of this pro-opt diet and i can say i feel great. But I see why they say drink plently of water. If you don't you will pay for it....

B-
1egg scrambled with
1/4c mushrooms
Sprinkle of low fat cheese
 
L-
Tina on lettuce with light raspberry vinaigrette.
 
D-
Chicken
Side salad light dressing.
 
Snack
Mozzarella cheese stick
 
Busy day, but I made sure I got my 30 min walk in.

So I have a co-worker who was banded in February, and when I tell you she has been helping me, she is a God Send. I'm half way through my my first day of pre-surgery liquid diet. When I felt myself getting hungry I went for a walk and it helped. I see that when the hungry pains come in to drink water and do things to take your mind off of it. Mind Over Matter!! I will be checking back in tomorrow. Plus I will be doing before and after pic's soon. Jan 21, 2013 will be here before I no it.

Well kids.. just got home from work and from a little stop at Wal Mart.. I have been struggling lately with the whole eating thing.. (as if it'd be different now that I've got this band huh? Anywho - as I'm sure everyone else also had some struggles with the Holidays this year... whew.. first holidays with the band.. and wow.. talk about tough!! Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if I gained.. boo.. but then again - what was that word? Oh yeah.. Self-control... good lord...not even surgery can give us that!
 
So I am back on the wagon again.. (although truth be told - I've been eating and craving everything in sight!!) of course you all know what happens when we eat what we arent supposed to.. yup.. upchuck city.. so I made the decision that I'm going back to basics.. I have to... so I've pulled out my pre-op menu and am starting once again on that... and then my plan is to slowly reintroduce 'real' food back into my diet.. I think this will help 'remind' me that my stomach isn't what it used to be - and even though I'm eating less - I can not be eating the types of food that I used to..
 
So I stockpiled on my protein powders again, replenished my supply of vitamins and supplements and yes even cleared my kitchen of all those "forbidden" foods... huh.. how did they get back in there in the first place?! I blame the cat... heh heh.. oh wait.. I don't have a cat... Darn.. well far be it for me not to take responsibility... although truth be told.. I hate to take the blame in this case.. ah well yep... its the nature of the beast... time to develop and exercise my self-control.. afterall I got this far didn't I?
 
So I think for today I did fairly well.. aside from the fact that I didn't exercise like I should have.. but alas tomorrow is another day... Lets see how I do this month shall we? Yes.. I'm a bit excited about the prospect... afterall even though these past 10 months since the surgery - I've only lost a total of 50+ lbs.. I did manage to fulfill my short term goal.. get back into wearing high heels.. (granted they're only 2.5 inch heels - but heels nonetheless and I bought my first pair of boots.. Yeah baby.. Huh.. I just realized I don't have a goal for this year.. Hmm... gotta start thinking about that one.. Yep - this year can only get better right?