**IP~LB**

Very well said Floridays!! Being a new Bander Dec 4th, I have been experiencing the last few days of Christmas parties of food "having my name on it" I had self control for the first time in my life!! Gosh, I am so pleasED! Congrats on all your AMAZING WEIGHT LOSS!!

Great, keep up the wonderful work!! You are looking fabulous!

Congratulations!! I got dec 4. I started at 282 and today weigh 257, I am extremely pleased so far. For ME I am setting the following goals. 1st goal: 50 pounds (232) 2nd goal: 33 pounds (199) 3rd goal: 25 pounds (174) 4th goal: 25 pounds give or take (147-155 ish) Good Luck!!

First of all congratulations!!!! It was the best thing I have ever done for myself!! Dec 4 was my band date: Word of advice that you will hear all over this site which is key: FOLLOW YOUR DOCTORS ORDERS. It is imperative! There is a tremendous a lot of very good information on this site, but always consult your doctor first. Lets us know how it goes for you!! Congrats on your new life.

Good luck Peace, we are here for you. I was banded dec 4 and its the best thing I ever did FOR MYSELF! For many years I heard the same thing "you can do it on ur own". Well I tried and tried. I couldn't be happier right now, happiest I have been in years! It's gonna be fantastic for you and your new life to come! Enjoy it!

ISOPURE ZERO...... 40 grams of protein, get the Alpine Punch....tastes amazing. Goes down easy....... plus is has branched chained aminos acids!! BCAA's

Hey All, Hope everyone is doing okay! I have been using vitacost for years and I have found they have very good pricing on many items. I am a doctor and I get discount pricing on vitamins/supplements for my office, but vitacost is actually below some of the items I supply. Needless, to say I use this site now for most items. They also have coconut oil, homeopathic items, etc. It is shocking to me sometimes what they have. Its like the walmart of vitamins Since I was banded Dec 4, I now take all my vitamins in liquid form. Vitacost has most of them that you will need. vitacost.com Have a great weekend Irene

Congratulations!!! Keep up your great attitude.

Grass fed beef ala eggplant Ingredients: 6 oz grass fed chop meat 2 1/2 inch slices eggplant 4 oz florida avocado 2 farm fresh eggs 3 tablespoons cilantro- i use a ton!! Salt and pepper Pinch oregano EVOO- ( i use a mister In a bowl mix your six oz beef with salt, pepper and oregano. Make two equal patties Spray your evoo on both sides of Eggplant slices add salt and pepper Grill each side about 3 mins on medium Now start to cook your two burgers. I like mine rare, the quality of grassfed is amazing so I dont want to lose any taste by overcooking While grilling get your two eggs cooking between low and medium. Remove eggplant and garnish eggplant slices with cilantro and a 2 oz portion Of avo put burgers in top of avo, sprinkle cilantro on top Add egg on each burger and you have the most amazing lunch! 630 calories 13 carbs 41 fat 49 protein Love this as my post WOD Drop the two eggs and you are at 450 calories 13 Carbs 27 Fat 36 Protein Seriously probably one of my tasting creations!

Congratulations!! I am 12 days out and I am finally back to normal. The first few days LOTS of discomfort, but I walked and walked and used heating pad. Day 4 off pain killers. Good Luck!! It will get better very very soon for you!

Coconut Aminos....its 65% less than Soy sauce but still 113 per teaspoon. You can leave it out if needed. Remember its between 1200-2300 per day of sodium.

So before I decided to do the lapband surgery, I had lost a lot of weight doing PALEO. Which means no sugar, grains, dairy. I did very well with this. But like all my diets its my self control etc... anyway great meal!! So tasty! 174 calories 10 grams of fat 6 grams Carbs 16 grams Protein 420 sodium 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, season them with salt and pepper each side. 1/4 cup coconut oil ½ medium red onion, diced 3-4 garlic cloves minced ½ cup unsalted chicken broth ¼ cup coconut aminos (any health food store, i use this instead of SOY Sauce) ¼ cup apple cider vinegar Lots of black pepper heat coconut oil in pan, then put the chicken thighs, brown both sides. remove from stove stop and add the onions to same pan saute them, add the garlic and stir around for another 1 minute. The ad the unsalted chicken broth, coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar to the onions and garlic, mix it all up and bring to simmer. Add chicken back to pan turn heat down to low and cover and simmer for 5 minutes, turn chicken over and cook for 5 more minutes

Calories: 106 Fat: 3g Carbohydrates: 19g Protein: 4g Sodium: 141 Heat up oven to 375 Bunch Kale 6 beets salt pepper CCO (organic coconut oil) mince up some fresh garlic Peel beets and cut them into fry size. Chop up kale. In a bowl throw everything and season with the salt, pepper, garlic and CCO. Mix all together and place a flat pan...and bakelike 20-30 minutes!! So good, thats if you like beets!

Very true, peaceful!

Thank you for your responses and support. I think having surgery this time of year is absolutely hard, but I am glad that I did have it done on Dec 4. I would have gained 15 pounds over the holiday season, instead now I will lose 15 pounds over the holiday season. Yesterday was so hard with my "head hunger" but I made it and had a wonderful night sleep and I have ready to face my next Christmas Parrty today in 45 minutes!! I did however cancel my weekend Christmas Party invitations, there will be heavy drinking and food. I don't want to be tempted by wine and get sick! Again, thank you for all the support all of the LB members provide me and others. It definitely has made my pre-op and post -op bearable, knowing others are and have encountered what I am going through!!!

Gosh that sounds amazing. I love Feta Cheese!

Day 10: Things were pretty tough today. I had two christmas parties today, one for lunch and one for dinner. I am still on liquids until Friday so at one of my favorite restaurants, I ordered soup. I only ate half of it and took the rest home. I barely heard any of the conversations that were going on between the 16 people that were there. All I could think of was wanting the 14 different appetizers they ordered, having a coke, eating a big burger or shrimp fetticini and then the unbelieveable desserts. This was pure torture. In the past when I was "dieting" I would have caved, hence the reason I had to have banding performed. I made it through that lunch, but then I was getting ready for my evening party and I was like whooaaa this is just to much to go through again, 10 days out, 2x in one day! So I called and canceled! I am having extreme head hunger right now, but FORTUNALTELY I can't have anything but liquids. I have so many more parties to go to by the end of the year and frankly, I am scared about it. ): Anyone else experiencing this? Gosh, I want some pizza right now. Luckily I am scared to death of getting stuck or I would order one. This site has petrified me of eating pizzza and bread! The entire lunch in my head I was obsessing over everyones food wanting it.....will this end? IP9 Happy Holidays too!

Dec 4 I just had my lapband. I was crossfitting 6 months ago and kept getting injured. I am anxious to get started but don't want to start too soon and mess up my band. I also had hiatal hernia surgery they found when they went in. Any help would be great!

Thank you for all the replies. I am going to my doctor at 4 and have a list of questions I typed out for him, lol. I am sure he will love that! I am down 21 pounds now and after day 7 I am starting to feel someone normal.....whats normal anyway lol. Good luck to all of you!

Hey Guys when you see someoneiusedtobe on my fitness pal, its me. I added all of you! if I missed someone please add me. It is so comforting to have a group of people who are going through the same things I am. Thank you!!

Great story! Keep up the fantastic work!

Hello, I am 6 days post op and looking for workout/lapband friend. If you are within 30 miles of these cities. Let me know please!

Hey Guys, I am 2 days post op. I did a 5 day pre-op. I went into surgery at 9 and came out of room at 10:30 home by 11. I have a little tightness while drinking clear fluids and my broth. I am assuming it is because I am still swollen. Did anyone have this and if so how long did it take for the tightness to go away. It only last a few seconds....but its different. I have been getting up walking around, it just feels like i did 7,000 sit ups. I don't even want to eat, lol never thought I would say that. Today I start liquid Soups and puddings. I weighed myself this morning and couldn't believe my eyes. 18 pounds in a week. Needless to say I am pretty excited. Thank you everyone for all your posts and knowledge I have learned. Also can someone tell me how to attach my tickers and how to update it? Thank you!!

Don't let anyone get in your way. You know its horrible but when we (fat people) work out people are judgmental, but when we don't whats the first thing they tell us? WORKOUT. Seriously, you got lapband for yourself and now you are going to go workout for yourself! Keep up the good work and hold your head high!