IndioGirl55

Eeyore I don't mean to come off rude here but if you were eating healthy then you wouldn't be in the obese category where you would require the band. So you must be eating more than chicken and veggies. Chicken is not always band friendly either alot of pple can't eat chicken unless it it very moist. The band is only a tool - you choose the foods you eat - it doesn't teach you to eat healthy the only thing the band does is restricts your portions once you attain proper restriction and it doesn't exercise for you. I too ate pretty healthy - I ate fish and veggies and salads prior to being banded - but those veggies had tons of butter on them the fish was fried and the salads drenched in high fat salad dressing - do you know that a chefs salad can have more calories than a hamburger. Eating healthy means low fat - limited carbs (especially white refined carbs) and low sugar foods - The band is a great tool that helps you feel full on a smaller amount of food - it's a different kind of full - it's not the same full that you feel now - and it takes awhile to figure that new fullness out - but after awhile you do. I will be physically full after a meal - but I know I only at 1/4 of what I use to eat - I still want to eat - I still want to taste the food - I still have mental hungry which for me manifest itself in to me thinking I am physically hungry and I am not - cuz if I eat more I will pb. Again - I really didn't mean to come off rude - it's just that in order to deal with our food issues (and we all have them - food is our drug of choice) we have to be honest about what we eat how much we eat - why we eat etc... The band takes care of the restriction for your portion control but there is tons of mental work that has to be done in order to be successfully. To me I have done 75% of the work as I am the one who has chosen to eat healthy and no to eat around my band and I have chosen to get my butt in gear and exercise and the band did the other 25% of it by providing restriction As the saying goes diets don't work - cuz once you go off them and go back to eating normal - you gain all your weight back and then some - Our eating "normal" was what got us fat in the first place.. So this is about a lifetime lifestyle change in your eating - this isn't to say you can't have a piece of cake every now and then - heck 1 piece of cake isn't what got us fat - it's cuz we ate 2 - 3 - 4 pieces if not the whole darn thing. A real serving size of mashed potato's is 1/2 cup - not 2 cups with a stick of butter in it - a serving size of steak is 4 oz not 16 oz - etc - so it is the combination of our serving sizes and the types of food that we eat and lack of exercise that has gotten us into the obese or morbidly obese category (I was morbid obese) Wishing you the best on your journey to get healthy...

Meredith I am just a fat chick talking fat chick talk - my body might be alot smaller now adays - but that fat chick is still inside and like I always say - no one understands a fat chick like another fat chick does.. I know why you eat (well not exactly you but in general) I understand the emotions behind eating - it can be something as simple as boredom or as terrible as abuse - I know what it's like to be a closet eater - been there done that.. I think its great for you to go into the bariatric field - I would love to do it too - but alas - I have 30 yrs in Prop/Casualty Insurance and don't think at this stage in my life I want to change careers - so I will just spout off my mouth hear - alot easier :0) Y

Apples - you want to talk about a big chatty person me - this is my 4,864 post :0) - I joined lbt 5/14/07 - that's an average of 211.48 post a month :0) Long - Congrats on the 116.5 WTG girl - you are doing fantastic - and I loved your pictures Meredith - Last meal syndorome - well I gained 6 lbs from 5/31 (my 1st visit with suregon) to 7/6 (pre op test day) But like someone told me at that time or shortly afterwards - it's not like you aren't going to eat again - you are still going to eat - but you are going to feel full on 3 or 4 oz of steak instead of 16 oz )

KD - Welcome Here's the link that explains how to get a ticker http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f5/ticker-tutorial-pictures-41782/ follow the instructions on that then after that's completed you just add whatever you want to your signature box... I am not real good at explaining how to do tech stuff - I just mess around with it till I get it and it can take a couple of tries.. On the forum page there is a thread for the diff food stages - most of our doc stress low white carb foods.

Looks quite good on you - Very Eastery !!!!

LOMA - :smile: But yep Julie - you gotta think postitive that's half the battle in getting well... Keep up posted... Hugs J

Elayne - Prayers for a safe surgery and speedy recovery!! Doodlebug - Glad to have you - Ya sometimes weight loss goes to pples head - I try not to flaunt mine too much :0) but gotta say I love saying I wear a size 4 pair of pants - but I don't think I have gone over board - what my freinds & family comment the most about is all my new found energy - that I can take a flight of stairs and not be dieing - where as before I would take the elevator - weight loss is no diff than any other reform - you know like a reform smoker hates pple who smoke - a someone who has found Jesus and preaches at you all the time - or someone who has become a vegetarian and then spouts the evil of eating meat... Everything in moderation - Orea - Congrats on 106 gone - I just noticed your ticker - way to go girl... Apples - alot of us cheat with FB too..... Pink This is why I love LBT cuz it's open 24/7 and yes we talk about everything from our weight/food issues to what we did for the day - #1 this is why I stress not to look at the band as a diet - it's not about dieting it about eating healthy for the rest of our lives - I have said it a million times - I will say it again - Diets don't work - cuz once you go off them and eat "normal again" we gain all our weight back plus some Our eating "normal" is what got us fat in the first place. This is truly a lifestyle change in our eating habits - I eat healthy 98% and allow for treats 2% of the time. First get all the junk out of the house - then sit down write a menu for the week including healthy snacks - go to the store buy only the foods on your list.. Go back to keeping a food journal - weight - measure your foods - keep your calories between 900-1200 daily varing them - get out and exercise 4 to 5 days a week. Make sure that your menu had good healthy foods that you enjoy - just make sure they are low in fat and limited carbs It's not about eating things you shouldn't - being deprived doesn't work - it's about moderation - eat healthy all week then say every other Sat or Sun - go out and have a small piece of whatever you love be it cake, pie, cookies candy I don't buy bags of candy - but about once a month I buy and eat 1 candy bar - or go to the bakery and buy 2 cookies - I can't have a bag of cookies or candy in my house - cuz I would eat them til it was all gone - but if I go out and have them then I don't have them calling my name once I get home.. Food is our drug of choice and it's hard to get back on track once you have slipped - this is again why I am not dieting or think of it as dieting but as eating healthy - I just got back from a cruise - I had dessert every nite - and didn't gain a pound - but I did take the stairs 98% of the time - I hit the gym - and I didn't have 3 desserts just 1 ... You can do this you have already lost 51 lbs you can get to goal - you just gotta get your mind in the right place and a little kick in the butt and we are here to help you get there... Hugs Janet Where in the heck are you going to find time to twitter - fb and lbt... I got invite from PJTax to join twitter - then thought to myself - I am already in overload between FB & LBT - So I haven't joined

Claudine GF I struggle daily especially after dinner to to continue to eat. And when I can't fight the demons any longer - I have a snack pack popcorn . Yes it could be a sign that you need a fill.. How are you after eating 4 oz of hard Protein. My doc says 3 meals and 2 healthy Snacks - since I am a night time eater - I save my snacks for night (budgetting my calories) and some doc's say eat 6 mini meals - I really beleive that you have to do what's best for you - what works for you - I have taken my doc's guide lines (low fat - limited sugar & starches/carbs) and work them in a way that works for me.. I eat 1/4 to 1/2 cup rice every night with my dinner - but I don't eat many other starches (white carbs) with my other meals - lunch today butternut squash & salmon - breakfast was yogurt - I only counted calories and protein grams during my weight loss phase - I eat mostly sf and I bake or bbq my fish/meat/chicken - Were as before I fried everything ate tons of cheese and went thru a tub of marg in 1 week - now a tub last me a month and I use I can't beleive it's not butter spray on my rice and veggies. I was super tight on Friday - I could barely eat - Saturday still on the tight side when it came to eating hard protein - ate my 4 oz of steak and maybe 2 bite of veggies and one of rice - but then Saturday nite ate a whole piece of apple pie with ice cream.. and then some of my GD left over easter candy... Bad bad bad - In my defense - I don't eat candy at home - seem to do it when traveling - so it's an indulgence that I have every few months - and it usually does cause the scales to go up a couple of pounds - but now - I just come home go back to eating healthy and a little lighter and make sure I get my exercise in and they (the added weight) comes right back off Some days I can eat and be hungry within 1 hour and other days - I can eat and stay full all day. It really depends on what you are eating (soft foods vs hard proteins) and whats going on in your life.. For me my band does not take away my hunger... and to me head hunger morphes itself in to physical hunger and I find if I am stressed or bored that head hunger kicks in big time.. This is one reason LBT & facebook have become my transfer addictions - it keeps me busy.. And it's is normal to be hungry - Just thinks Breakfast at 7 or 8 - starving by lunch Normal it's time for a meal - 3 p.m. snack - dinner 6-7 starving again again meal time - snack around 9 and then to bed - This is normal so don't look at being hungry as not normal.:0) Julie - Can't wait to hear the results of your test - prayer that you are healing well and can start taking nurisment by mounth again soon... My Dad's colon burst too and I don't think there was a cause - crap just happens sometimes - I think of it as God's plan on teaching us stuff - a learning lesson for us.. I think and always have even before pple started talking about this on tv - that what ever happens to us happens for a reason that we are suppose to learn something from it - we might not realize it when it's happening - but we can always look back and see where something was learn. I am glad that pple come here for support - it takes a village to raise a family :0) - I can say things one way - you can say the exact same thing but in another way - one person will be hit by what I said and the other by what you said so I love all the support that we have here - we all work together to help each other to succeed and keep the motivation up...

Cheryl Per my doc 30 minutes !!! Some say 1 hr

Phyl - Heading out - Oh I'm Sad - I know that we have only seen each other a few time - but just knowing that you are so close is comforting ... Hope the tummy issue settles down.. Steph just throw the damn things away !!!! Karla - Prayers will continue :0)

Good Morning Gang - I'm Back !!!! OMW we were busy over the weekend.. I am just going to start out with quick notes to our newbies :0) - You guys have been giving great advice and I really can't top what Apples, Long & Phyl have already said - but just want to let you all know that I have read your post and glad you are joining us.. Laura Welcome !!! Slow down - you were just banded - you are doing great !!! One day at a time - it doesn't come off overnight - I know that we think it should cuz we are hardly eating compared to how we use to eat... Marty - Welcome - Glad you joined us... #1 Nov is 7 months away - why did you cancel your trip !!! You have just started this journey - why are you giving up before you even start... Spayneuter - Of course Jilliepooh - Glad to have you.. Deb Welcome you are just 1 month out - take a chill pill - this doesn't happen overnight.. Ok - To all above - most have already read the great help that you were given while I was visit my DS & family this last weekend Here's my 2 cents. #1 Banding is NOT DIETING - Diets don't work what happens every time you go off your diet - you go back to eating normal - and then you slowly gain all your weight back - WAKE UP CALL - EATING NORMAL IS WHAT GOT US FAT IN THE FIRST PLACE :0) We have to learn to eat healthy !!! #2 It's not the magic cure all easy fix to our issues with food. Our issue with food are mostly mental IMHO #3 The weight isn't going to come off over night - but will tell you that 1/2 here a pound there all adds up and you will be totally surprised that by the end of the 1st year how fast those little #'s add up.. #4 Our bands are only tools - They don't make our food choices - they don't go out and exercise - they only provide restriction once you have gotten to your sweet spot - and for some that may take longer - but it will come and in the mean time you have to eat healthy Our band's don't stop us from eating slider foods (soft or liquid calories) Cookies - chips/dip - candy - Ice Cream - milkshakes - wine - margaritas etc - slip right thru the band Janet's Secrets to weight loss and how I did it.... I tracked all my food for the 1st year. I kept a little note book in my purse - my doc gave me a calorie counter book and if I needed to I would google how many calories where in my food and log it - but there are tons of sites where you can track on line. I weighted and measured my food for correct portion size - who knows by sight how much 3 or 4 oz of something looks like.. I eat off dessert plates - I use children's silverware - and I have 1 cup bowls I am not dieting - I am eating healthy - my prior diet was large portions - high fat and high sugar My diet now consist of eating healthy 98% of the time allowing for treats 2% of the time and Exercise 3-4 days a week.. During my weight loss phase - I ate 800 - 1200 calories a day and varied them - I exercised 4-5 times a week - slowly at first then gradually increase my speed and time on the treadmill - I only did treadmill for this 1st 8 months - then last march got a trainer and now work out with weight 2 x week and do the treadmill 2 x week in addition to my weight work out... Bander rules - Protein 1st, veggies and starches/carbs if any room left - tiny bites, eat slowly and chew well. no drinking after meals for at least 30 minutes 60 grms protein - per my doc Tracking - weighting - measuring your food is all just a learning tool - you don't have to do this for the rest of your life - just until you have learned what 4 oz of meat looks like and that if it's fish it has about 150 cal for those 4 oz's - for us a serving size was a 16 oz steak - a large baked potato with the works and the basket of bread before our meal ever came along with the Soup and salad.. It's all about planing - and keeping the junk out of the house - we are food addicts - would you leave a bottle of booze on the counter if you had an recovering alcoholic in the house - hell no - so why would you have a choc cake on the counter or cookies in the pantry if those are your trigger foods and you have no control if you start eating them Keep a food calorie budget - allow for treats occasionally but withing your calorie budget - if you go over that budget that means you are going to have to increase your exercise and eat a little lighter the next day.. Ok - this is just some of my secrets - but they really aren't' secrets - but I gotta get to work and need to close this for now... So will check back later - Keep the questions - feelings etc coming we are all here for you.. Niecey - I did a tv commercial for my doc's office - part of it has shown on our local station - but not the whole thing with me talking - so far they just flash my before pic then you see me talking (but don't hear anything) now - so it's my after - it's really more about a commercial for the local channel and the doc's on their website... Julie - Hugs Girl Friend I have kept you in my prayers [ Claudine - Glad you had a great time with your sis and great on the exercise !!! Long - Love the current pictures - you go girl... Phyl - didn't reconsign your new avatar - was that your easter bonnet?? Ok gang - I have been on here for and hr - and I need to get to work - my boss just came in - so I will ck back later Hugs Janet

Good Morning Gang !!! I made it to DS & back safely... OMG you all have been quite - Phyl hasn't even posted - OK I guess I am going to have to call her :0) Kari -Sorry & Hugs for the loss of those families and yours - It's alway so hard to understand why babies have to go to heaven.. As to not making good food choices this weekend - Count me in - I did fine friday in fact I was super tight - Saturday did ok (well did have one piece of an apple pie with ice cream that had cinniabom icing on it - oh to die for but that in it self was ok considering what I ate all day) BUT here's the kicker I went to bed with a bag of white choc reese pb cups - were I preceded to eat 3/4 of the bag and am up 2 lbs today... But no problem with the scale moving back in the right direction - cuz now that I am home - I will eat healthy - had salmon rice & spinach for dinner last nite - have salmon & butternut squash for lunch today. Truly I ate healthy all weekend except for the candy - But gotta say - these are the only time I indulge is away from home for the most part - and Steph - eating on the road is almost impossible (talking fast food type of eating) gs stopped at taco bell - had 1/2 chick quesdilla and it sticks - on the way up there I munched on things like popcorn - I hate eating on the road - choices aren't great - salads really aren't a drive and eat kind of thingI am a bit dissappointed in me ... Ok gotta get to work ...

Good Morning Gang Just popping in before I go to wish all my peeps Happy Easter Love to you all - Have a great weekend !!! Watch out for the candy and all the food that will be around for the holiday - Plan Plan Plan - have a little of this and that so you don't feel deprived - it's not about being deprived - moderation and if you over do it - then you have to comitt to extra exercise ...

Good Morning Gang Just popping in to say Happy Easter [/url] before I go Karri -We have told our bosses the same thing - cut a day instead of pple - Will keep good thought that this is going to workout for you... Phyl - Yep it's stil a loss and almost a pound - as you know it will come and what needs to be done to get it... Sorry about the tooth - Ya I never had a crown come off just the temp ones :0) Karla This liquid stuff is very hard it was on all of us.. I chewed food and spit it out - Here was my ah ha moment with the band when I was on mushies I came home from work tired (big food trigger for me) was hungry - so decided to make mushie white cream gravy and mashed potatoes - as I was frying the bacon in the pan (for the grease to make gravey) I looked at it and said "Janet did you just have major surgery in order to continue to eat this way - yes this is a mushie but it's high fat and unhealthy" The answer was No you didnt have surgery to continue to eat this way - So I threw it out and made something healhty. Darling - the band isn't about not eating - it's about changing your eating habits - that is - This isn't a diet and gotta say that most of the work (as you will find out on this journey) is mental. When you want to eat something you shouldn't - think did I have surgery to eat this crap. You really gotta find good healthy food that satisfies you. And there are foods that you will enjoy that are healthy - one day at a time - even one second at a time - Get out of the house if you can- find a distraction Well gang - I gotta pack and get dressed - go to the bank and wake Andrew up. Love to you all - I will ck in on Monday - Have a Great Easter and watch out for the candy

Phyl How did the weigh in go?? How was Earl's Bday - Has he had a good day so far?? Candice Are you avoiding me Denise How's the Mom and roomate issue Donna What are you doing for Easter Car Where have you been Steph When are you coming home Kari How's your restriction and what's up with the Easter Candy - I know you have a sweet tooth too - The food cop's on your shoulder too - only planned treats - no going over board and if you do you gotta bike an addition 20 miles :sad: Karri Are you on FB and not posting here ;0) Oh ya gang - I do have some news - Guess who's coming to see me in June - Guess - She will be here 6/11 afternoon and stay thru 6/16 - She's a Lucky #7 and my Band Daughter - YEP Karri is coming to visit her old mom I am so excited !!! Karla How are you doing - How's your Dad Ok gang you all have been pretty quite since I've been back - but will be gone tomorrow thru Sunday - So don't go into over drive with your chats and don't increase your font size either Ok - going to go pack - gotta pull my winter stuff out - I put it all away a few weeks ago - but it's suppose to be in the mid to high 60's at DS house and maybe rain tomorrow... Sweats - jeans - sweaters & tennis shoes.... So will CBL :wub:

Julie - after a while of not eating I think our body adapts - we consintrate too much on food - and it's not for nutrution but for taste and comfort - I know that I can go all day without eating when I am busy and not be hungry - the only reason I eat is cuz I have to - and after that first bite the flood gates open up (taste buds go into over drive) Glad you are getting better day by day - Can you tell us how you ended up with the problem - we are curious... Emma - some doc's are conservative and others aren't - they are so diff - Also know that you may get tighter after a day or 2 or the oppisite can happen you will get looser - I know that I felt my 1st fill right away - but then about 2 weeks after I was calling for another fill - and then that second fill took a couple days to settle in ... Long - 4000 eggs omw that was alot - I love the egg dying with the kids - but I like tradtions that remind me of the good times I had as a kid with my Mom... Well just cking in gang - you all know I won't be around Frid/Sat/Sun so don't go over board on the candy - and if you need help come and post and check in on each other - Between Phyl Apple Long & Charlene & Becky (our long time posters) you will get an answer and the help you need. Well I gotta pull out my winter stuff out - I had put it all away - but the weather at DS is suppose to be in the 60's and you know for a desert rat that's cold... Will cbl:wink:

Nope you aren't alone or the odd duck - After surgery all I knew was that my DS told me that my Doc said I had the new cadillac band - (turns out to be the new AP band that came out July 07) 1st & 2nds fill didn't ask & doc didn't say how much he put in all I ever cared about was that it worked. One time the doc said I had large then small and the only reason I know now how much is in my band is that I had to get 99% of my 3rd fill taken out - If I remember correctly I have 5 cc - and I think I have the large - assume thats the 14 that everyone is talking about... But don't really know - like I said - all that I am concerned with is that I have restriction In the beginning I asked the then long time banders - why is everyone so concerned with how much was in their bands - when in all reality - I could have .01 and be at my sweet spot and you could have 10 cc and still not be at yours. I don't remember the exact answer - but they said I was right it really didn't matter.. IMHO I think pple to focus too much on how many cc's are in their band - As stated all that really matters is that you have restriction - and that can change as you lose the fat inside around your stomach I haven't had a fill since 1/08 Got to my sweet spot in 2 fills and then what ended up being just a tweek of .01 cc in 1/08

Charlene - I hear you about the sugar - if I start watch out and I will be sorely tested this weekend - My DS is a big sweet eater - both him and my DIL are over weight and so is my little 5 yr old GD - I'm always telling her to eat healthy and she will eat fish and veggies with me - but they let her eat too many hot cheeto's.... Having a little bday cake is life I had some last week too and then some of my GS Graduation Cake !!! But I did adjust my calories on Saturday to make up for those treats last week - As Apples says - Planned Treats !!! and if you can't say no - just don't start... Phyl may know - I don't do the fish oil since I eat so much of it :0) - PHYL ??? I will enjoy making easter eggs w/GDers - I love doing holiday stuff with them - xmas we make cookie - easter dye eggs - trick or treat halloween - fireworks - I guess it's cuz I remember the holidays the most when I was a kid and how it was all about family...

BF - Pear & 5 slices of lean ham - String Cheese (280 c) L- 1 cup One Pot Wonder - cubed pork - tomato sauce & hot sauce - corn - little rice (300 c) D - 4 oz Fish - 1/4 c Spinach - 1/2 c Rice (305c ) S- 100 snack pack popcorn (100 c) - 10 cheeto's (80?) - strawberries (50c) - raisin bran (230) Total 1,350 cal for the day....