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Hi Shelbi! How did the rest of your weekend go? Did you continue with success? Anymore PB's or Slimes? I've been thinking about you each time, I sit down to eat. dee~

Hi Macemar, I sense your frustration and it bothers me. I know that the NUT advises Protein Shakes, but I really found that if I drink my meals or Snacks, I don't lose weight. I'm 3 months post surgery and I'm down 43 lbs as of this morning and 63 lbs from my highest weight. I eat my protein, solid meals makes the best solution for me. I am very careful too about logging in all of my intake in Free Diet Plans at SparkPeople or FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal. I found they are both very similar but fitday is less involved. I agree with Green, you should log your intake in and see exactly how many calories you're eating. I also take my measuring cup with me everywhere. I have to, I am an overeater and if something tastes really good to me, I will continue past my 'soft stop' and eat more than I should. I discovered this during my early days with the band. I measure one cup and then put the rest in the fridge or if I'm out, I put the rest in a take out container and place it out of reach. It's the way you have to treat a addict, but that is really what I am. I advise, eating your protein, cut out the Protein drinks. Make your meal, 1/2 protein, 1/4 veggie, 1/4 whole grain carbs. Drink your water, (it's great if you already do this) Log your food for atleast a week, watch your protein intake there, and don't exceed 1200 calories, but try to get in 60-80 grams of protein. Start moving your body - atleast 30 mins a day. If you can't do a whole 30 mins when you start, do like I did 3-10 mins then 2-15 mins then 20 and a 10 min, now I'm up to 40 mins a day of hard recumbent cycling. Good Luck, don't be discouraged. Be motivated to use this time to reinvent yourself and your lifestyle of eating right, working out and taking care of your body as a whole person. Come back often for support and encouragement. It's not easy, Dear, but it's totally doable if you take it one small bite at a time! dee~

Oh Shelbi, I forgot to mention! My daughter says she can see me counting to 30 in my head and then she can see me counting to 9 after I've swallowed. Hey! If it keeps me on track then that's good! I'm so happy for you! Keep counting Girlie! How does the Omega-3 chewable taste? And is that the one from GNC? I'm about to put my order in online and I saw them.

:smile2: Yeah Shelbi!!! You made my evening!! I'm so happy to hear it worked! Wow! I know I have a friend who lives in Littleton and she was banded by a different doctor, but she has trouble everytime she gets a new fill. She tends to eat really fast and not chew things well. It takes about a week to get back to the slow eating routine! My meals are pretty funny looking, actually. Trying to get all of my different foods in there on one tiny plate. Like breakfast this morning was pretty cute. I had one Morningstar Farm Veggie Sausage (10grams of protein in one patty), 1/4 piece of Dakota bread (1gram of protein), toasted with 1/3 Less fat cream cheese and one egg soft scrambled with milk (6grams of protein). I have stopped drinking the protein drinks because I really don't have room for them, if I'm eating my fruit and I don't need the protein. I do admit that I drink 5oz of a MIX1 drink every morning with my crushed pills before riding my bike. (7 grams of protein in half) I feel I need to get them to the lower stomach so they can start working and I don't want them down there with just water. So I drink my MIX1 drink. They come in 11oz servings and I drink 1/2 of one. They aren't thick at all and come in fruity flavors and are filled with all kinds of good vitamins, including calcuim and vitamin D. I get them at Whole Foods for $1.50 (on sale) so if I drink half, one serving for me is 0.75cents. I haven't found a chewable Biotin, but I read some where that someone did. I'll see if I can find that post and I'll repost it here. I take the tiny tiny ones from Walmart. They taste okay - I just chew them really fast and then chase them with my MIX1 drink in the am. I also take the GNC Chewable Calcium. It's Calcium Carbonate. But it tastes okay. My chewable Multivit has some Calcium Citrate in it, actually, the one I'm taking now has 100% required. I just finished a chewable that was really good. I got it at Vitamin Cottage. Now I'm using the one from a tiny health food store in Albuquerque. The next one will be the one Brandy turned me on to from GNC. I have tasted more Multivits in the last three months than in my entire life. One day at Vitamin Cottage, I sampled about 5 different ones. I guess, it didn't click in my head that I shouldn't be eating so many vitamins, but I was searching for the one that tasted the best. They have one container open and you can sample them. I bought a chewable Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Vit D combo and it is absolutely horrible! Well, I better get going now! Hugs! AND I'm thrilled that you were able to eat a good meal. I'm so anal, that I write down the time I finish eating so I can see how long before I get hungry again! I know! I'm a nerd! I started doing that a year ago when I was checking my blood sugars two hours after my meals. I was obsessed with that too! My doctor said he'd never seen anyone like me! Oh well... Life goes on... Hugs! Kisses! dee~

Hi Lizzieann, I think a BBQ is a perfect meal for a Lap Bander. I eat a lot of BBQ now. I don't eat the Potatoe Salad, Mac Salad or Beans, but the meat is perfect for me. There is a BBQ place in Parker close to the hospital and the Similac Rep brings us food all the time. He knows I can eat their BBQ chicken. It's very very very tender. It almost melts in my mouth. (but I don't allow it to, Shelbi!) I don't eat pork of any kind, so I don't know how that would work, but Brisket is good too. Are you not able to eat really tender meats? Anyway, I agree, I think it's not so much about the food and more about socializing! Hope you can come!

Shelbi, I don't have that much experience yet, but I do remember Paula's rules as being 3 meals, no snacks and 2 protein drinks. I remember distinctly Dr. K telling me IF I was not hungry, I was not to eat anything. And the goal was to only eat 3 meals -- when I was hungry. I have to admit I haven't done that because when I did, I was only getting 600 cals a day. And when I added the protein shakes between the meals, I wasn't hungry and found myself not eating anything. Somedays, I'd have my breakfast 2 or 3 hours later as instructed, I'd have my protein shake and then I'd be full until 4 in the afternoon, I'd eat my lunch and 2 or 3 hours later it was time to drink my protein shake but by then it was time for bed and I didn't want to drink or eat anything that close to bedtime for fear of having problems. I had to change the way I was doing things because my weight stalled and I felt weak most of the time. Now I eat my three solid protein/veggie/whole grain carb meals - approx. one cup at a time, then between meals, I will eat a very small or half a piece of fruit. This helps me keep things regular and I feel I am eating more balanced and healthy. I'm getting in about 80grams of protein, because I log everything in Free Diet Plans at SparkPeople. Okay, I know that does help your PB'g problem now that you've had a fill. Sorry, but do you think you want to try to chew things more and eat them slower? I read where it takes 9 seconds for your food to get to the stomach once you've swallowed it. (I read that on the discovery channel's website in reference to speed eaters.) I think I could have easily been a speed eater. I didn't chew, I shoved food in my mouth and inhaled it. I'm surprised I didn't go the way of others who have choked to death. Maybe Shelbi, if you can start fresh with the rules of taking smaller bites, chewing to liquid form and then waiting 9 seconds until you take your next bite, maybe you'll be able to consume more solid proteins. I admit, I'm not perfect with the chewing 30 times and waiting. But I want to be -- it's a very difficult concept for me. I have to completely pay attention to my meal. I haven't slimed yet, but I had a little stuck episode one night on a piece of chicken. My second bite and it was over. I didn't want anything else and I certainly wasn't going to force myself. Also, have you tried something hot to drink just prior to eating, so you can relax and open up a little? You can do it -- take those tiny bites! I'm rooting for you! dee~ Shelbi, if smaller bites, chewing more and waiting doesn't help, then maybe you need a slight unfill. Are you having any coughing at night or reflux issues? AND lastly, you can always call Natalie and Paula... use us as support and ideas, but they are always there!

You are certainly welcome Liteweight! I feel honored to have been asked to post the information. I think it's so sweet of Dr. K to have a Reunion.:thumbup:

Thank you Sidann, That is very kind of you to say. I have really found my site to be very cathartic. Writing my thoughts, good and bad helps me understand them better. This hasn't been easy for me, but it hasn't been impossible either. I know I need to understand how I ever let myself weigh over 400lbs or it will be a battle I fight the rest of my life. I hope you can come to the Reunion. What a blessed event that will be... a group of people who have all been on the same journey! i can't wait. I think it's so thoughtful of Dr. K to host this BBQ and even more thoughtful of Natalie to give us the date so early. At work we are already scheduling for July. AND just think of everyone who lives out of state. I can't wait! dee~

You are so welcome! I'm glad you have a sibling here.

You go girl! GREAT! Get that fill! Ding Ding Ding, filler up, please!

Rene~ That's only 4 days after my 6 month bandiversary! This is something to look forward to -- isn't it? dee~

SAVE THE DATE: Dr. Kirshenbaum is hosting a BBQ Reunion August 2, 2008, Saturday Time and Place to be announced Please RSVP Natalie @ ncardenas@lapbandrockies.com by July 25, 2008 with your before and after pics!

Yes, Good doctors get sued all of the time, BUT so do bad ones. Check with the board of Medicine in the state of Texas. Also go to Obesityhelp.com - Lap Band forum and ask this question, there are several over there who could give you a better understand of him and his services.

He was not my doctor, BUT I do know two people who were banded by him. I'll put it this way, you need to check with the state of Texas Medical board. Also if you go to Obesityhelp.com, you will find one of the patients there and you can message her. The other one has already gotten a new doctor.

SAVE THE DATE: Dr. Kirshenbaum is hosting a BBQ - Reunion for all of his Lap Band Patients. August 2, 2008, Saturday Time and Place to be announced. Please email an RSVP to Natalie @ ncardenas@lapbandrockies.com by July 25, 2008 with your before and after pics. Thanks! I look forward to seeing you all there!

SAVE THE DATE: Dr. Kirshenbaum plans to host a Reunion for all of his Lap Band patients! August 2, 2008, Saturday Time and Place to be announced. R.S.V.P. to Natalie @ ncardenas@lapbandrockies.com by 7-25-08 with your before and after pics.:thumbs_down:

Renee, How did I miss your post? My Goodness, you have been through so much in such a short period of time. I'm so sorry! AND I'm so sorry, I missed your post. Your husband's accident, your Dad and Stepmom's fire and your poor Mom on the vent... so much for you to digest. Do you have siblings who live in Colorado? Let me know if I can do anything to help your family. Dr. K is very nice. He's very genuine and you can sense just from visiting with him in this office that he truly cares about your well-being. Please don't hesitate to call him and discuss your needs. Take care of yourself, Renee. Hugs, dee~

Stop!!! Brandymom! I do not want you to feel bad about celebrating your successes! None of us are the same, some of us are slow losers, some are faster losers, BUT we are all losers AND by being losers, slow or faster, we are winners and everyone of us deserve to come here to share our successes! I want to hear when you have done well! I appauld your weight loss. You should and can be very proud of how well you've done! Dont you ever EVER, I said, feel bad about sharing with us! We are your banditos! Your friends and your support! Got it Sister? smoochies~ dee~

Welcome Sidann! Congrats on your upcoming surgery! Do you live here in Colorado? Join us at Red Robins each month for some extra support, if you do. You'll be thrilled with Dr. K and his staff! This surgery has been the best thing for me! Each new day brings me a new NSV! I love it!:rolleyes2: dee~

Wow! Denise, I love your new Avatar! 40 lbs is great! You're more than halfway to your goal! That's great! Can I hide away in your suitcase and go to Paris with you? Now that you're wearing smaller clothes, I bet you'll have some extra space in there! I've lost some weight, I could fit! Please? Hugs, dee~

Wow! That is BIG NEWS! Congrats! I can't wait to see you next month at Red Robin's! I bet I won't recognize you! BTW when is your bandiversary?

Hi Marcy! I know what you mean about feeling bad about losing slower than others. I have a good friend who had Gastric Bypass in October. She's lost 170lbs. People ask me how much I've lost, I tell them and they make the ugliest faces. It hurts my feelings. My Mom asked me the other day what I had lost and I could hear the judgement in her voice. It's hard to deal with it. But I keep trying to remind myself that my goal is to not gain anymore and to lose - slow is okay. I didn't gain all this weight in one year or even 2 years. It took me 20 years to get to where I am now AND no, I don't want to take 20 years to lose it, BUT IF I can just steadily lose some, I'll be happy. Slow and steady wins the race... Remember that story? Hugs, dee, the turtle girl~:rolleyes2: (has anyone looked at those banana icons? some of them are really nasty!)

Hi Liteweight! I saw recently where Dr. Rey from Dr. 90210 came out with a line for women. It's a 'tummy tuck' in a box type of garment. You can find it online.

Welcome Nurse7263! I'm a nurse too and my birthday month and year are 7/63! Is that yours too? I just loved Dr. K too! He's the best! I feel so blessed to have found him. He makes sense with his orders and he's a joy to see each time I visit the office! Then of course his staff is the greatest too! AND so supportive! I feel like they are my biggest cheerleaders! Go TEAM!

Hi My Friend Mal!!! The Spanx at Target is called something else. I actually found some at Walmart in ABQ for $1.99. They work great! I'm at work but when I get home, I'll look at the brand name for you. I'm sure the Walmart will have them here. It's quite a sight as I try to pry my saggy body into a pair, BUT once they are on - they don't look too bad. The actual Spanx at Lane Bryant are pretty pricey, so I'll stick with the cheaper versions from Walmart and Target. I need to return to the gym. I've been relying on my bike and it's working great, but I am excited to start swimming again! :thumbup: (that's people laughing at me when they see me in my 1900 style swimsuit) Well, I better get back to work! Hugs Mal! dee~