Domika03

I only told 1 person at work & it was a guy, LOL... I didn't want to deal with all the questions, etc.... especially from some of the caddy lady co-workers. Nah, let them wonder... When people ask me about my weight loss I simply tell them that I worked with a nutritionist for several months, and am now very mindful of what I eat & how much I eat, and that I also work out. It usually ends there. As for restuarant's, typically I chuckle at the serving size. They're HUGE. I wind up eating 1/4 cup tp 1/2 cup of food, depending on what it is. I've had waiters ask if the food was good. I politely tell them it was delicious, and ask for a box to take it home.

My husband says I belch like a sailor & would make them proud :-)

I hear ya, sometimes it does seem to take "foreverrrrr to go down a simple pound!" I see you right behind me.... :-)

I weighed myself this morning & it said 190.4. Did you hear me? I said 190.4. That mean's that I've lost approximately 55 pounds Yes, I said 55 pounds!!! Holy shi*, that's a lot of weight. My God, I've lost a 2nd or 3rd grader in weight. Wow, just sit back & think about that.... Now that I'm under 200 pounds, I'm finding these numbers to sound so surreal. They keep doing down, which is the goal, but it almost feels like a dream. It's been such a looong, looong time since I've seen under 200. This might sound crazy, but it just seems so unreal to me. I almost have to ask myself if this is really happening. Does anyone else feel like they're living a dream while they continue to lose weight? Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm not unhappy. Quite the opposite, I'm just dumb-founded. It's hard to believe that after only 5 months I'm starting to feel more confident & better about myself just by losing weight.... Can't imagine how GREAT I will feel with another 40 off.

Does anyone else find they can no longer eat / digest bread, or that you just don't enjoy it anymore? I bought a package of Jimmy Dean's Delight Honey wheat english muffin with canadian bacon, egg whites & cheese . Sounds kinda yummy, no? It had everything I like & what I perceived would be a tasty muffin. Well, while I managed to eat it, but I think it was more because I was challenging myself to see if I could eat the whole thing or not. Hey, I never said I was a genius. I learned that I would have been just as satisfied with half, or better yet, without eating the bread all together & only eating the inside. I learned that it was basically a waste of money, for me. I learned that it would have been even more healthy without the muffin. I learned that my stomach doesn't have a great time processing bread, regardless the type. I had a stomach 'ache' the rest of the day. I learned that I should challenge myself with better challenges.. LOL ... And there you have it... yet another lesson learned..

Wow, that's great news! Congratulations. LOVED your ending comment... too funny!

I was banded back in August & I remember feeling a bit anxious and excited before the surgery. I still think it's the best decision I made 5 months later. Just remember, you definitely get out what you put into it. Follow the rules & learn from some of our mistakes. Join MFP to track your food on a daily basis. Welcome to the Bandster World!

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!

OMG, you cracked me up because I was wondering where you were going with this? Send pics... LOL...

If you're not already doing this, track your food on myfitnesspal.com. It keeps you accountable & helps you see what you're really eating & taking in. You will also be able to view other people's food diaries to see what types of foods they are eating. Sometimes, it's just a matter of shaking things up. Another option is talking to the nutritionist at your surgeon's office 'and' your surgeon. You may need a fill to help keep you satisfied. My surgeon once told me that as a surgeon, he only does 15% of the work for lapband patients, and they have to do 85% of the work. It's true. The band is our tool, but it's up to us to really follow through on how to properly use it. I don't think it's difficult, but it is a challenge, and quite the journey. I"m always learning something. Hang in there. The weight will come off.

We have our yearly dealer meeting coming up in a few days. It's going to start off with a Staff Dinner this Saturday at Maggiano's http://www.maggianos.com/en/Pages/Menu.aspx . I'm a little concerned what I'll be able to eat there. I've been playing around looking on the website, but am unsure what to select. I enjoy seafood, but can no longer eat shrimp since I've been banded. I just can't chew it well enough to let it digest. I also don't like the taste of salmon I see several chicken options, but they don't sound "light." I'm not worried about the pasta because I won't have any. Wait, it gets better! We're going to the Cheesecake Factory Monday night. My BIGGEST challenge will be not eating a slice of the vanilla bean cheesecake, my all time, absolute favorite. Heck, I don't have to eat anything else while I"m there, just that.. OMG, I just saw a SINGLE slice is like 869 calories & a HUGE amount of carbs. How do I stay away from that after hearing that ridiculous "nutrition" value? Need help from my fellow bandsters....

Where there is a Will... there is a way!!! I just did quite a bit of searching on MFP for several food options. First of all, I need to remember that I'll never be able to eat a full serving offered by either of these restaurants. My guess is that I might be able to eat 1/4 of the meal, perhaps slightly more. I printed & emailed myself a bunch of food options I might consider so I can make a better educated choice. I found a "skinny" menu option for Maggiano's, which makes me giggle a little bit. The Cheesecake Factory, on the other hand, will present a bit more of a challenge. However, I decided that if I split that yummy cheesecake into 3 servings, I can satisfy my craving & not over do it. I expect during the 5 days of my business meeting that I will run into a few challenges. After doing a little homework, I feel better about myself. I have choices & I plan on making the best possible ones with the options I'm given! Bring it on.

There are several websites available for healthy crock pot cooking. You can google some. Here are a few of m favorites: skinnytaste, wicked yummy & cooking light.com One of my favorite recipes is Turkey Chilli. YUM!

I can't say that I really "miss" anything because I don't like to deprive myself of anything. Most of us can eat the same foods, but in moderation. You just need to think about whether having a piece of bread offers you enough nutritional value for the full / stuffed feeling it will give you. I used to be a HUGE carboholic, but (thankfully) don't really miss breads or rice. The one thing that I can't have anymore, but is actually healthy, is SHRIMP! I just can't chew it enough to let it digest. So, I guess I do miss something... LOL

I agree with Floridays in that most people aren't malicious. I think they just blurt things out without thinking things through. No, it doesn't make it right, or any easier for you & your wife. I appreciate the reminder about being sensitive to some personal questions that, quite frankly, aren't anyone's business. Wishing you the best! Fran

I went to my primary Dr today because I'd been feeling light headed lately. I hadn't seen him since before my surgery last August. I walked toward the private waiting room, and his nurse says to me, "Wow, you look great. I almost didn't even recognize you!" I thought to myself, are you talking to me? Yea, you ARE talking to ME!!! YIPEE YAHOOOO!!! She proceeded to weigh me & I'm down "49" pounds!!!! The Dr. walked in, smiled & said "you look great!" All I could do was nod & smile!! This Dr. has known me for about 8+ years, so he knows my crazy yo-yo weight history (up,down, up, down, up, up). And, aren't we all familiar with that concept? He also knows the depression I spiraled into as a result of my being over-weight. I didn't want to go out, or even be seen in public, not even by my own brother & his family! I digress. The point is that it felt good (damn good) to hear compliments about my progress so far. I swear I felt myself getting taller as we spoke about my lap band journey. Heck, I'm actually even starting to like the way I look now that I bought a few new outfits. My closets are much emptier now, but I'm OK with that. I know I'll be in this size for several months because I don't go down in size until I lose 20-25 pds. I still need to lose another 40 pds or so, but it's all good! I'm already feeling more confident about myself & that's whats important.

My vote goes to vanilla. Hard to believe, but I"m not a chocolate fan. It's full of Protein AND you can use it when making a fruit smoothie too!

Ya know, this weight loss journey is just that .... a journey. Sometimes it's a smooth journey, other times, not so much. You might want to change things up a little. Look on other people's food diaries on MFP to get new food ideas. Try new recipe's. I would even try a different form of exercise as well. Most importantly, your Dr seems to have a shi**y bed-side manner, so don't let him get to you. Let him know you're trying & think the fill will help with the restriction. Take one day at a time, one pound at a time.

It was about a week or less. But, everyone is right. If you feel OK, then you're good to go. Just be careful!

I was banded almost 4 1/2 months ago & have lost 45 pds so far. I haven't lost any weight in the last 2 1/2 weeks, but I didn't really exercise as much or eat as healthy as I had been. I'm not thrilled about it, but I'm not stressing about it either because I"m much more aware of what I eat these days. I still struggle with getting enough protein in, but I'm working on it... So, with that said, I've done quite a bit of closet cleaning the last few weeks. I'm happy to say that I've donated A LOT of clothes to Good Will. Time to put all the over-sized clothes to rest. I went to Dress Barn, and found myself, comfortably, in size 18 pants, and 1X shirts. Well I'll be damned if they didn't look pretty good on me. Hum... go figure. Since it takes me around 20 - 25 pds before I go down a size in clothes, I figure these clothes will last me a while. My goals are now limited to 10 pounds at a time. I think this is much more manageable & it'll make me feel better about myself. I still have another 50 pds to go to make my goal, but it's OK. I'm enjoying the journey!

I also had it done on a Thursday & was planning on going back to work the following Monday. Turned out I was way too tired to go back, so I took the following week off. Total of 7 days! I highly recommend it!