~Bridgette~

Ebonie! You're doing great, girl!! I hope you have a wonderful anniversary and birthday!! This is a big month for you! Sorry I've been MIA lately... been very overwhelmed with everything going on. I'm going to do the shake thing starting tomorrow. But I'm hoping to be able to eat a real meal each day for the weekend before my surgery at the scrapbooking retreat. I just wanted to check in with y'all. I'll see Ebonie on Tuesday at our class. Yay!!

That's awesome!!! I'd say keep up the good work and enjoy it, girl!!

I understand what y'all are saying. I'm going to be banded on the 29th and I've already said "goodbye" to a few foods! pizza, mexican, a boston cream donut from Dunkin. I've been drinking Protein shakes for breakfast and lunch and a snack during the day, then eating a fairly sensible dinner. I'm very excited but also nervous! I bought a pair of jeans yesterday and they were smaller! I went in the store in a size 26 and bought a pair in size 22. They're a somewhat stretchy material, but they weren't really stretching... they just fit well. I even got a top that was a 22/24 with some spandex in it. I never would have done that before. I was so excited. I actually got teary in the dressing room. But it's really cool to think that this is just the beginning!! We have to stay focussed on all of the victories that we'll experience, the freedom from the hold food has on us, the ability to see ourselves shrink, getting off meds for weight-related illnesses, increased energy... How exciting!!!

Renewedhope, thanks for coming and offering some inspriation and advice! You've done very well. Enjoy your Bandiversary gift!

Good luck to everyone tomorrow! :tongue:

I'm glad you all are doing so well!! Meshultz, I was actually a member of Curves for 3 years and went 4 times I think.... I finally cancelled my membership last fall. I sure wasted a bunch of money... but was always thinking "I might want to go back"... I went into GNC today and saw those test tube things... they're HUGE... I asked the guy working there, he said they're "ok"... He recommended the Amplify protein powder. The protein shake mix my surgeon recommends is $12 for 7 packets. The Amplify was a better buy, I believe. He said the GNC brand was cheaper and had more flavors, but that the Amplify was tastier. Keep up the good work, everybody! I did go walking tonight for 50 minutes (3 miles) woohoo! :tongue:

Just wondering if you all drink this to add in some protein while drinking water? Does it count towards our water requirement for the day? Just checking....

Thanks for the tips!!! I'll have to check out the south beach ones. They sound great. :cool2:

Sorry I've been MIA... but things are going well. I found some little spoons and forks yesterday when walking around TJMaxx! How cool. I was so excited. I went looking for shoes to wear Sat night, didnt' find them, but found the utensils. Woohoo!!

Sorry I've been MIA! Congrats to all Smashing Pumpkins who've already been banded! That's awesome!!! So...tell me more about this Wii Fit thing. How much does one of those run and is it more fun that Richard Simmons? LOL I laugh at him the entire time I'm doing his tapes (back in the day). I priced joining the YMCA and it was almost $85 for me an my hubby and almost $60 just for me per month! That's crazy expensive!!!

So, today around 1:30 I made my first "weights and Inches" chocolate shake from CMH. I am just *now* getting hungry. I can't believe it kept me full that long! WOW! I cheated and made it with 1% milk though... I even used my bullet with some ice. It makes too much for the bullet though, it's huge!! 16oz took me almost 15 minutes to drink it and I don't even have a band. LOL

I had wondered about Wendy's chilli.... Thanks!

Sounds like you're doing really well, Lonestar! I want to get my house all spic and span before surgery too. What vitamins did you get?

I've been dreading this since the beginning! I finally told my parents today about my decision to have the surgery. When I started researching this procedure about a year and a half ago, I told them and was met with skepticism and lack of support. They were concerned about whether it would truly work or not and whether or not I'd be successful at this endeavor. It seemed "an awful big risk of surgery if it may not even work"... (I interpreted that as if I can't be successful with it.) My parents are constantly on a diet and sometimes very successful with it, but eventually off it and back to eating whatever they want. Yo Yo dieting. I'm an only child and am very close to my parents. I still talk with my mom daily or close to it. It was so hard for me not to tell her as I was going through for the preauthorization for the surgery process, but I didn't. I wanted to wait until I had a date and could be stronger in my decision. So.... today I told them. They were very supportive. I wished I hadn't told them on the phone, but I won't see them face-to-face until about a week and a half prior to surgery. I didn't want to do that to them. They said they know that I have done my research and will do the right thing and they'll do whatever I need to support me. Thank God!! I have been praying (literally since starting the process to get approved) that God would start to prepare their hearts and minds to receive this news and to be supportive. That was an answered prayer. My hubby is behind me 120%! They also expressed their concern that because he loves to eat and cook, that he'd unintentionally sabotage me. I told them that what I put in my mouth is my responsibility, not his. That I'm a grown woman and make my own decisions. I feel better now!! I don't feel like I'm hiding a secret. I am so glad I told them. I asked them to go to the speaker phone so I could talk to both of them at the same time. My dad thought I was going to tell them I was prego...nope, not yet. But HOPEFULLY, one day! =)

Your surgery date in October. Guess you're a smashing pumpkin too, Lone Star! Welcome to the group. =)

Good one, Anne! I was thinking of that one the other day. Um, being able to tuck in a shirt if I choose to. Not having to worry about being around little kids b/c they're so honest "Look at the fat lady, mom" Not be totally ashamed to wear a swimsuit

You will do great!! Please keep us posted on your progress. =)

Cyndi! You can do it, girl!!! Just think of the jump start you're going to get on your losing, the less you'll have to lose when you get your band. I haven't started mine yet, but when I do, I'm going to think about the suggestions that Shanna gave you. I'm cheering for you!!! =)

Welcome aboard to you all! This is such an exciting process and is going to be so rewarding for us. I just wanted to encourage each of you to keep up the good work! This board is such a wonderful resource for information, advice, and encouragement to us all. :thumbup:

Bino ~ I'm a fan of the Slim Fast Low Carb shakes too. I hope you like your samples, but that's great that GNC will take them back if you don't! You go! Meshultz ~ I'm glad your hubby is recovering well. I wanna know the nitty-gritty details, like how bad is the gas, etc? Also, I love the 5oz cup idea! I'll have to try that. I haven't used the bullet yet. But I'm thinking about using it in just a few minutes to make a shake with the Protein powder I got from my doctor's office to see if I like it. So, I started doing the blog thing here on LBT. I've posted 2 entries. The one I wrote today is long, I actually told my parents today! That was HUGE for me!

I've been dreading this since the beginning! I finally told my parents today about my decision to have the surgery. When I started researching this procedure about a year and a half ago, I told them and was met with skepticism and lack of support. They were concerned about whether it would truly work or not and whether or not I'd be successful at this endeavor. It seemed "an awful big risk of surgery if it may not even work"... (I interpreted that as if I can't be successful with it.) My parents are constantly on a diet and sometimes very successful with it, but eventually off it and back to eating whatever they want. Yo Yo dieting. I'm an only child and am very close to my parents. I still talk with my mom daily or close to it. It was so hard for me not to tell her as I was going through for the preauthorization for the surgery process, but I didn't. I wanted to wait until I had a date and could be stronger in my decision. So.... today I told them. They were very supportive. I wished I hadn't told them on the phone, but I won't see them face-to-face until about a week and a half prior to surgery. I didn't want to do that to them. They said they know that I have done my research and will do the right thing and they'll do whatever I need to support me. Thank God!! I have been praying (literally since starting the process to get approved) that God would start to prepare their hearts and minds to receive this news and to be supportive. That was an answered prayer. My hubby is behind me 120%! They also expressed their concern that because he loves to eat and cook, that he'd unintentionally sabotage me. I told them that what I put in my mouth is my responsibility, not his. That I'm a grown woman and make my own decisions. I feel better now!! I don't feel like I'm hiding a secret. I am so glad I told them. I asked them to go to the speaker phone so I could talk to both of them at the same time. My dad thought I was going to tell them I was prego...nope, not yet. But HOPEFULLY, one day! =)

In just 5 weeks, I will be in bandland! It's so hard to believe! I've been researching the band for almost 2 years and even thought I could try to do it on my own, "one last time". I'm so tired of the yo-yo dieting! I'm tired of working hard to lose weight and then regain it all plus some when I go off the diet! Thank God that I have been approved for this band. He is blessing me and helping me to finally start living my life in a healthy way to honor Him. Today a friend and I went walking. We walked for 30 minutes (about 2 miles) and planned to walk daily during the week. What a blessing to get a jump start on living a healthy life before getting banded! I have already started drinking protein shakes, limit my carb intake and try to eliminate junk food from my diet. :rolleyes2: I am very excited about this new healthy lifestyle. I am also nervous about the surgery itself and the gas/pbing that will follow. But, the potential risks are worth it to me if I can get healthy and reduce my risk of worsening my health in the long run.

In just 5 weeks, I will be in bandland! It's so hard to believe! I've been researching the band for almost 2 years and even thought I could try to do it on my own, "one last time". I'm so tired of the yo-yo dieting! I'm tired of working hard to lose weight and then regain it all plus some when I go off the diet! Thank God that I have been approved for this band. He is blessing me and helping me to finally start living my life in a healthy way to honor Him. Today a friend and I went walking. We walked for 30 minutes (about 2 miles) and planned to walk daily during the week. What a blessing to get a jump start on living a healthy life before getting banded! I have already started drinking protein shakes, limit my carb intake and try to eliminate junk food from my diet. I am very excited about this new healthy lifestyle. I am also nervous about the surgery itself and the gas/pbing that will follow. But, the potential risks are worth it to me if I can get healthy and reduce my risk of worsening my health in the long run.

I think that's it. I think they're scared to lose me on the operating table, and I'm scared of that too. But I'm more afraid of dying really early b/c of my high blood pressure and prediabetes (that will turn into diabetes if I don't do something), and any additional complications that come from being so overweight! I told DH, who's totally supportive, I'm going to die sometime, I'd rather die trying to save my life than sitting around doing nothing and getting worse!

I think I could have written your post! Almost 2 years ago, when I *first* heard about lap band and started looking into it, I went to a seminar. I was so excited! I thought: hey, this might be what saves my life! About 2 weeks later, I went to visit my folks. I took my information from the seminar with me. My parents are also overweight, my dad is morbidly obese like me. I've been on every diet known to man and *know* what to do, but it's a matter of putting it into practice. When I talked to my parents, they were not very supportive! They have always viewed folks who have WLS as "taking the easy way out".... They basically said, why will this work when nothing else has worked in the past? I let them put doubt in my head and I even decided to give it a try and do it on my own. I lasted on my diet for 2 weeks. I never exercised. I felt absolutely deflated! Fast forward to now. I have my surgery scheduled as of a week ago. I have not yet told them about it. I've gone through all of the preauthorization work ups and appointments without telling them. (And I'm an only child who is very close to her parents! I still talk to my mom daily.) I have yet to decide when I will tell them. I would love to have their support this time. I've actually been praying since before I had my psych eval that they would start to be more open-minded about me making my own decisions and to support me. Now, my parents are currently on their "diet". It's a low-carb kind of diet. Don't get me wrong, it's great. But how many times have they done that diet to lose 20 pounds and put it back on??? I don't want to work so very hard to lose the weight and put it back on! My band will help me to lose more efficiently and more importantly to me, to maintain my loss! That's what excites me the most! The added help to not have to be on that rollercoaster ride of yo-yo dieting! Sorry to have been so wordy, but your post has really spoken to me! You will do wonderfully! It's definitely not the "easy way out"!