LoriPA

Filet Mignon With Sautéed Onions 2 teaspoons cracked pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 garlic cloves, minced 4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks (1 inch thick) Cooking spray 1 cup thinly sliced onion, separated into rings 2/3 cup dry red wine 2 tablespoons steak sauce (such as Heinz 57) Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; rub both sides of beef with pepper mixture. Place beef on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Set aside; keep warm. Place a medium nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion to skillet; cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove onion from skillet; set aside, and keep warm. Add wine to skillet, scraping pan to loosen the browned bits. Cook over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 1 minute), and stir in steak sauce. Spoon wine sauce over steaks, and top with onion. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 steak, 1/4 cup onions, and 1 tablespoon sauce) NUTRITION PER SERVING CALORIES 257(38% from fat); FAT 10.8g (sat 4.1g,mono 4.1g,poly 0.5g); Protein 32.7g; CHOLESTEROL 95mg; CALCIUM 24mg; SODIUM 507mg; FIBER 0.8g; Iron 4.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 5.7g From: Cooking Light

So far, maybe a bag and a half of the large size kitty litter. LOL

I'm still on the soft food stage, so maybe that might have something to do with it, plus I am walking or doing Walking Away the Pounds. I've been keeping up the Protein too. One more week of soft stuff! Woohoo!:biggrin1: Of course, I am on a low dose of Synthroid (0.05 mg) for low thyroid function, so I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not.

So it's Friday the 13th. Good thing I don't believe in that superstition stuff. Just another day for me. It's raining in these parts in PA. YUCK. Oh well, it could have been snow flurries. Goofy weather. Someone didn't get the memo that it is SPRING. Where did that nice walking weather in the 70's go? Let's get it back already! Well, since I didn't bother to weigh myself yesterday, I did it today...and what a way to brighten up a Friday..six more pounds! Yayyyy! I expected maybe one or two, but I'll take the six. Heh.

Caffeine is a diuretic, which can dehydrate, and also irritates the stomach. It is also an appetite stimulant. Carbonation is a vasoconstrictor (less blood to the healing tissues) and can also cause bloating and gas.

Swiss Steak with Fresh Tomatoes Makes 4 Servings 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary or marjoram, crushed 1/4 teaspoon pepper 12 ounces lean cubed steaks Nonstick spray coating 2 stalks celery, sliced 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced 1 medium onion, sliced 1/2 cup Water 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon instant beef bouillon granules 2 large tomatoes, chopped 2 tablespoons dry red wine or water 1 tablespoon tomato paste In a shallow dish combine flour, oregano, rosemary or marjoram, and pepper. Coat both sides of meat pieces with flour mixture. Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray coating. Brown meat on both sides over medium heat. Add celery, carrots, onion, water, garlic, and beef bouillon granules to skillet. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add tomatoes, wine and tomato paste to the skillet. Cover and simmer about 2 minutes more or till the meat and vegetables are tender. PER SERVING: 189 Calories 22 g Protein 5 g Fat 13 g Carbohydrate 218 mg Sodium 54 mg Cholesterol 3 g Dietary Fiber

Try the Folgers Simply Smooth in the decaf. It doesn't irritate the stomach and is band-friendly. Plus the taste is excellent--like real coffee!!!

This is absolutely awesome. It has been raining all afternoon here in PA and chilly all week, yet my knees have not been hurting. I was able to do over 45 minutes of working out and they didn't bother me the whole time and still don't! Usually at the first sign of cold or rain, I was in agony. I'm going to weigh myself tomorrow; not sure if I lost anything, but a lot of my clothes I haven't worn in awhile fit better than they had previously. I guess I will have to see what I have to rely on more! LOL.

I'm 19 days post op, and my incisions are all healed and pink!

As my PCP said (strange as it sounds), we have to eat to lose weight. I guess that is why once we hit the mushy stage we start to lose again...lol. In my case, it really dropped off when I was on liquids...maybe because I spent so much time in the bathroom!

As of today, April 10, I am almost three weeks post-op from when I had my banding surgery done. I was weighed last Thursday and am down 32 pounds. Unbelievable, I know, but I had been existing on mostly liquids up to that point. Now I am on soft food for two weeks, and then I can go back to REAL FOOD! Yippee! And I am craving both a Veggie Delight sub on wheat bread from Subway and a grilled chicken salad like crazy (Not at once, by the way. Either will do). LOL. I haven't been sick at all (yet), and I get my first "fill" on May 7. I have been working out some for about 20 minutes a day in addition to doing Walking Away the Pounds, since it has been too cold out to do actual walking. WOW! What a difference in my knees! NO PAIN!:clap2: I had some jeans hanging in the closet I couldn't get over my thighs before I went into the hospital; now they not only go over my thighs; they also fit perfectly....not to mention I needed some other new things a size smaller. I have a feeling this is the beginning of good things to come. The bill for surgery, including the hospital and medical costs? A little over $26,000 USD . But so far, worth every nickel. And covered by insurance.

Breakfast is usually 1/4 c. egg beaters, 1 c. juice and some decaf coffee. Mid morning snack was a sugar free creamsicle Lunch today was a 1/2 c. cottage cheese with unsweetened apple sauce and a fat free tapioca pudding cup. Dinner was 1 cup cream of broccoli soup, 1/4 c. rice with 1 tbsp Promise Lite margerine and a sugar free chocolate pudding cup And a protein shake for an evening snack. Of course, I sipped water and Crystal Light in between, and worked out for about 40 minutes earlier this evening. And no, I am not hungry.:clap2:

I am almost three weeks post-op and just started exercising outside of the regular walks. And since it's been cold here, I've been doing Walk Away the Pounds in addition to a regular 20 minute workout daily.

Naked, after using the bathroom.

Before I was banded, I LOVED things like pizza, chocolate, Mexican food. Since I got banded, I just don't crave them like I did. Now I've been craving--of all things--a grilled chicken salad!!!!

I am a little over two weeks post op now and just began my soft stage not long ago, trying to be creative on how to make soft food more interesting...lol; not always an easy feat. My appetite's been in the "so-so" stage and I seem to fill up quick when I do eat. So much for going back for seconds, which I can presume is a good thing in my case:biggrin1: If I do get the munchies, I can always go for a sugar free Popsicle or a protein drink. Maybe a boiled egg if I have those around. I get my first fill May 7. I am trying to keep the scale put away except once a week in the meantime.

I have the GNC Gold Standard 100% whey Protein powder that can be mixed with skim milk (recommended 1/2 scoop with 1/2 c. skim milk). It does come in flavors and doesn't really have a bad taste like a lot of Protein drinks do.

I have just about all my parts--including my gall bladder--and they are healthy. The only thing I had removed is my appendix, and that was only as a precaution because it was on the wrong side of my body.:help:

My scars are tiny, except for one that is about an inch long where the band actually went in. They're about all pink already, and I am two weeks out from surgery.

I wasn't given a timelime for mine, with the exception of the risk of slippage/erosion being about 10% in a ten to 20 year span, which is pretty good odds. But if the rules are followed to the letter, you should be fine. I was out of bed the night of my own surgery and in very little pain. I am two weeks out from my own banding.

First full day on actual F-O-O-D! OK, it is the softer stuff, but it beats Jell-O and strained creamed soup any day This morning, it was scrambled Egg Beaters and a small bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, two ounces of tuna and egg salad and a banana for lunch, and some fat free Fig Newtons for a light snack. I'll probably have more of the tuna for dinner or maybe do a cottage cheese salad. Phew...thank goodness this is only for two weeks. LOL.

I just started on this book called You on a Diet. Normally, I am not into "diet books," per se, but this isn't one of those. It's actually very good, with some interesting facts about our bodies as well as a two-week meal and exercise plan (30 minute exercise plan! Yay!) that isn't that difficult at all and looks quite band-friendly, at least IMO. I got mine at Wal-Mart, but they have it [ame=http://www.amazon.com/You-Owners-Manual-Waist-Management/dp/0743292545/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-0285198-2664610?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175816658&sr=8-1]here[/ame] at Amazon.com quite reasonable too. I got a couple more chapters read today at the doctor's office while I was waiting for my appointment.

I just got back from my first post-op appointment...all good news! I am on the soft food phase for only two weeks then it is automatically onto the solid food phase. NO MUSHY STUFF FOR ME...imagine that; I actually get to skip a phase! I am also scheduled for my first fill on May 7. As of today I have passed the 30 pound mark, 32 to be exact. I thought some of my clothes I hadn't worn in awhile were fitting differently! I certainly feel a lot better; that I know for sure.

French-Style Stuffed eggs If you plan to dye Easter eggs, cook extras for this dish. Stuffed eggs are often served warm in France, and this recipe is similar to one from the Périgord region. 8 large eggs 1/3 cup minced reduced-fat ham 1 tablespoon minced green onions 1 tablespoon minced parsley 1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise 1 teaspoon mustard 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 (1-ounce) slices white bread, torn into large pieces Cooking spray Fresh thyme leaves (optional) Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover with Water to 1 inch above eggs; bring just to a boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 12 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold running water until cool. Peel eggs; slice in half lengthwise. Remove yolks; discard 4 yolks. Place remaining 4 yolks in a medium bowl. Add ham and next 7 ingredients (through pepper); stir until combined. Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 cup. Spoon about 1 teaspoon yolk mixture into each egg white half. Top each half with 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs. Coat breadcrumbs with cooking spray. Preheat broiler. Place eggs on a baking sheet; broil 1 minute or until breadcrumbs are toasted. Garnish with thyme leaves, if desired. Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 egg half) NUTRITION PER SERVING CALORIES 38(38% from fat); FAT 1.6g (sat 0.5g,mono 0.6g,poly 0.2g); Protein 3.3g; CHOLESTEROL 54mg; Calcium 14mg; SODIUM 127mg; Fiber 0.1g; Iron 0.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2.3g Source: Cooking Light

Wow, that is the first I've heard of that...yours must have really been stuck on there! Mine fell off after five or six days after surgery.