Desdemona

For sure FF (and frozen prepacked foods) are lethal. Better to avoid them -- but Wendy's -- particularly the chili is a pretty decent choice. Subway salad can work. It's good to know what the best choices are in those FF places just in case. I do a ton of driving between my various work sites and 2 homes. I try to always carry a small individual wrap of Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp cheese, a little single serving of almonds, a carton of low carb premixed protein drink just in case I'm in a situation where I'm missing a meal or really need a little protein snack. It seems to help me from going crazy and over doing it later in the day. Shortgal--you are SO right! The holidays are tough. I'm so glad they're over. By the way -- I live up in Westfield, MA. I also have a small place up in Williamstown that I stay at a few days a week (work related). So we are practically neighbors.

There are several very good comments on here from people defending low carb. But Hammer is the only 1 who actually demonstrates that he or she has READ the studies! He mentions a number of very important studies here -- but there are MANY more --- and NOT from just "diseased obsessed Western countries." I'm a researcher. I read the whole body of studies and I know HOW to read them. Given the mounting evidence from a wide range of low carb studies done at major research centers that include everything from weight loss to disease development -- it is clear that the world --particularly Americans -- are eating far too much crap --and that crap is basically made up of processed foods --- which is basically carbs. I don't think anybody thinks carb in the form of beans, whole grains, veggie are the great culprits. You can eat some of that and it's perfectly fine. But all that flour and sugar is crap. It has almost no nutritional value and turns becomes sugar in the body. All that glucose is bad for the human cells and it is causing a lot of problems --including obesity and disease.

I agree with sberrys. It does seem to me from what you are saying that you are probably OK. The next thing for you to do is try to eat at least a quarter cup of solid meat (chicken, beef etc). Take little bites, chew well and completely swallow before taking the next bite. I'd say you should be able to get it down in within 15 or 20 mins. If you can do that -- then I'd say things are snug but fine. The belt will loosen as you lose fat around your belly in the next several weeks. Once you find you can get the solid food down -- try adding a little veggie. Veggie and meat is the first thing to get in because of the nutritional importance of them. Beans are far less important to your nutrition than the high quality protein of meat. You can work those in later (if you really want those carbs) but you'll lose better sticking to protein and veggies. After a fill you can feel very snug but you should not feel pain. Water should go down. Thicker drinkers (like Atkins Protein drinks can feel snug going down but still not hurt and you should be able to comfortably drink 1 over a half hour or less). Your better to eat solid foods but many people find that having a carton of pre-mixed protein drink with them during the day is very helpful in case they get hunger or craving or need a meal while they are on the go. They don"t have many calories, are satisfying, supply energy/nutrition and prevent the type of bad, unplanned eating we can do when we skip meals. I tend to have 2 small solid meals a day and have either an Atkins protein drink or Atkins cho. Advantage bar either as a meal or snack during the day or eve. I keep either a low carb bar, a low carb drink, an individual small pack of cheese and an individual little bag of nuts with me almost all the time. That way I can just pick 1 if I'm in a situation where I can't sit down and have a little solid meal or if I get a bad craving.

I understand your anxiety about it but it's very hard for others to judge accurately how it feels to you. In theory -- if you can swallow liquids and get down small bites of solids then it is OK. However, you got your fill 5 days ago. I would expect that you can get down enough liquid and food each day to be healthy. If you are eating too few calories and are too limited in liquid because of the slowness of things going down then I'd say it's too tight. If you are in doubt call your MD. Too tight can cause trouble.

You're doing great! Breakfast was half of a Jimmy Dean omelet and coffee. Lunch was an Atkins bar and coffee, dinner was a small slice of daisy ham with small serving of cabbage, 1/2 of cooked carrot, 7 or 8 sting beans. Eve snack was 15 almonds, 2 breadless chicken wings and 3 cups of chia tea (no milk).

Hi Zeke and Special---Good to see you. You nailed it! I feel exactly the same way about being a bit complacent with my partial success. I do think that once we find that we are feeling so much better after weight loss and improved eating, sleeping etc that it becomes easier not to finish the journey (to goal). I was first motivated because I felt so darn lousy both physically and emotionally. Then I got a Breast Reduction and felt even better. So it does get harder to keep my eye on the prize when I'm not hurting as badly. But it does feel like something is really changing in my head. It feels like now I want more than to "not hurt" and I want more than to "look and feel significantly better." I want to be all that I can be and I'm getting REVVED UP to reach for the whole enchilada (sos to speak -LOL). But I DO want to also say that looking back on this "rest" -- I DID stick to a very good eating plan for at least 8 mos (although not that much exercise to be honest) and I just plain had the MOTHER OF ALL STALLS! I got discouraged. I lost a ton of weight very quickly and then NOTHING. I DO think that my body just plain wanted/needed to rest and did not want to give up more weight. I don't think everyone's body is like that but I do believe that mine is. However, it has now had its long rest and I just FEEL like something is happening and it's ready to start losing again. I have been losing over the past 2 weeks so I'm psyched!

I have been watching weather in Georgia on the TV. I'm in MA and I have been very concerned about you down there w/your weather over the past few years. We are used to it up here and we have the equipment to deal w/it but it's gotta be very hard on people there. My best regards to you. I was BAD over the holidays. I think I gained a few lbs but I climbed back on the wagon toward the end of Dec with my good ole low carb plan and I'm happy to say I losing again. I keep forgetting how helpful it is for me to check-in on this board every day. It really does help to keep me focused. Happy New Year to all of you. Let's be careful out there!!!

OLD!!??? I was 57 when I was banded and now I'm 35!!!!! Cookies? Bread? Uh! I can do a LITTLE but if I am not very careful my band will kick my butt --- and that is what saves me. Can't do much clams or lobster. I think I'd be concerned if I couldn't do veggies or salad or most meats. Phyllser---but can you get McDonald's hamburger down without a problem? I used to stop and just get the hamburger and toss out the bun when I was doing low carb before the band. It worked well (the hamburger -- not sustained weight loss). But AFTER the band I have tried 4 times at different points to just eat their hamburger w/o rolls. Each and every time I got very serious PBing with just a small bite! I don't know what in the world they put in that meat but I suspect it isn't all meat.

Special ---When you first started talking about that Fat Free Caramel Apple Dip I thought you were gonna say it was 1 of the "creative" things you were going to do with the chicken!! Kinda stunned me there for a moment! Just couldn't wrap my brain around caramel dipped chicken! LOL. But then I figured it out. Oh I just know I can't go there on trying to bring things like that in the house. If I buy a quart or half gallon of ice-cream or anything else -- it will be gone before I go to bed. The 1 thing I can say is that I do find I can buy a box of Atkins Advantage Bars and have just 1 a night. I do low carb so it works out for me. Also -- I have never been much of a tea drinker but I'm finding that a cup of lightly brewed green chi tea without milk (Yogi) a few times a day and eve seems to somehow soothe craving and tension in me. They also claim that 4 to 5 cups of green tea help with belly fat. What do you find helps you stick to your plan?

Bread (and most high starch food) is not my friend weight-wise which is 1 of the main reasons I did the band over by-pass. I read that the band would either stop me --or at least seriously slow me down -- on bread. I was afraid I'd eat it if I did bypass. I can eat some bread but not much!

Special---WOW! Now it's really clear why you have been struggling. I can really relate to it. I had a similar situation about 8 and 9 years ago. It's really terrible to work with someone who has power over your work who is sick and abusive. When I left that situation I felt like I lost the excitement of doing the very high powered federally located research in the big city but I did also feel good to be free of that person. In the last 2 years I had been feeling very frustrated and stuck because I was put on hold for tenure and that would have meant the loss of my job if it didn't come through. I knew I deserved it and I knew the problem was really the budget but politics being what they are, they denied that was the hold up. It really took a toll on my self-esteem. Finally, it came through in late Fall. I felt better - but I didn't feel I could rest until they told me the truth and gave me restitution for all the project stuckness -- loss of $$--sleeplessness--worry. Just within the past couple of weeks they actually fessed-up and admitted it was the budget and not ME. They have also come through with the proper support so I can move a head with my projects. I just can't get over the difference. I'm relaxed. I sleep. I'm not losing it with my family anymore. I'm laughing and enjoying life again. What a relief! The best thing is I focused on losing again and I have lost several lbs in the last 2 wks for the first time in about a yr. I really do think there is a relationship between stress and how we eat. I also think the stress alone --even when we are eating less can still cause us to hold on to weight (stress hormones). I think sometimes we get stuck with our weight when we are under stress. And sometimes when we lose a lot of weight we decide at some level to throw the "rest of the baggage" out of our lives at well as the weight. This really shows how much food is a metaphor for us and how we use it. I think we had success on the band but then "life" and hard times came along and we fell back to our old relationship with food. But it's a NEW day -- and we are going to finish what we came here to do!!!

Well -- I have to say something has kicked in! I seem to be back on track and I'm losing. I think that I tend to eat so much during the holidays that I actually make myself physically sick and mentally disgusted with myself and food. I got back on the wagon shortly after Christmas with just a day or 2 around New Years. I went to my surgeon yesterday and was dreading getting on the scale. I was shocked that I really only gained a few lbs. I thought for sure it was much worse. I asked my MD if I could see him again in 6 weeks because I thought that would help keep me "honest" for the next several weeks. I also talked with him about doing a WLS study and he is going to provide me with major help so now I'm psyched. I'm really motivated to go back there in 6 weeks with a respectable weight loss. Hope this works. I hope everyone has a good New Year.

Hi Harley--you have certainly had quite a year. I was really touched by your post and I have to say that when I got done I was VERY impressed with your weight loss. You have gone through really big changes since March 08 and that is not easy. I wish I could give you a hug. I do believe at some level there is a lot of inner wisdom in the choices you have made and a lot of courage in seeing it through. I wish you Peace.

I'm pretty aware of when I'm craving vs hunger but the problem is I know I'm craving and eat it anyway! Darn! I've actually been doing well with eating since Jan 1 but something really weird is happening now. For some reason I'm REALLY bloated. I haven't had any soda, sugar, alcohol. I don't smoke. Haven't eat that much so it's a puzzle. I just took my 2nd does of Gasx today and it just isn't going away.

That's all exactly what I just said. I've read it too! And in addition, I also said ---you and the rest of us are all believing whatever we NEED to believe. People are on this board trying to tell us that we need to VOTE for American laws and American leaders and live our lives according to THEIR beliefs about who wrote the Bible, to what extent THEY think it's literally true, and what THEIR interpretation is. All I'm saying is that NOBODY knows the mind of God. NOBODY can PROVE who wrote the Bible and people who have certain beliefs about it do not have the right to make their beliefs into laws that the rest of us have to be subjected to. I'm a liberal -- which means if you don't agree with me you still get to live your own life according to your own beliefs even when my politician wins an election. When people like Palin get elected -- I and most other Americans LOSE our FREEDOM to choose. Those of us who have a different understanding of the Bible than you do must live in a society ruled by people who want us to live according to beliefs that we don't agree with. That is my point. That is why I don't like to see religion brought into political discussions.

Oh Brother! Please! This link is supposed to be about PALIN --not this YAWN of subject of the Bible again! But for openers--the New T, does indeed, say that the Old Ts laws fell under a previous "method" made up of "laws" and behaviors for "man" to use to get right with God again. That's where all those laws come from. But then in the New T (written by a special sect of Jews and Gentiles) say -- God saw that it wasn't working and had mercy because he understood that mortals weren't going to have a prayer (sos to speak) so there is a New Covenant to replace the old one. The new T: 1) includes Gentiles; and, 2) sends the son of God to be a sacrificial lamb so that the impossible task of "man" working his way back to God could be replaced with forgiveness of sin. Now if you're gonna start on the 10 commandments -- let me just mention that the Old T was written by Jews for Jews. The orthodox Jews follow the letter of all the laws. They also never saw 10 "special commandments" in the Old T. The Old T never says there are 10 "special" commandments. In fact, the New T never says that either! I'm not aware that the Jews have (so far) given permission to Gentiles to scarf up their religious writings and start claiming ownership to them. However, in reality, perhaps that is not such a terrible injustice after all because anyone who is open enough or cares enough to actually do proper research into world scriptures will find that pretty much ALL the stories in both the Old and New Ts (including Adam and Eve, the creation, virginal births, miraculous cures by Messiahs, resurrections etc) are, in fact, very ancient recycled stories whirling around the Middle East, Far East and Africa long before the Old or New T was ever thought of. Nevertheless, there were some nice additions and angles contributed to those old stories that both the Jews and Christians added. Now we have everybody and their mother doing there own interpretation of what is written -- and of course THEY claim to KNOW the mind of God. How very convenient for them!! By-the-way --how did God get to be MALE? I mean male and female is about genitalia. So what would a spirit be doing with genitalia?? Somebody answer THAT one!! Isn't this REALLY because all world Bibles were actually written by males? And isn't that really the reason you have to search with a fine-tooth comb to find the few female heroines that appear in the Bible? And doesn't that really lead us back to what laws and mores really are applicable and useful for TODAY's culture? Are you aware of how much the Bible (Old and New T alike) actually supports and promotes slavery??!!! That alone is enought to tell a logical rational person that we need to seriously rethink who wrote the Bible, who it was written for, and what does and doesn't make sense for our culture today. In fact, these same ancient stories are told in a very different way before people realized that men had something to do with the birth of a baby. Prior to that - God was female! I guess life (and judging how other people ought to be living their lives) is a lot easier if you can believe that you have the answers. Look! I'm out here --just trying to be a decent human being and doing the best I can. From where I sit -- Palin (remember Sarah Palin???) is about as Christian as an Alaskan wolf. And a dumb but very cute one at that!

Wow! I've heard of cellulitis but I don't know anything about it and didn't know that could happen. I'm sorry to hear it. Janet--I think you're probably right. It does seem more like craving than hunger. I do feel hungry faster but it doesn't take much to make the hunger go away. I'm eating more food than I need. I went to a FINAL party tonight in Boston. Now I'm home and I intend to get back on track in the AM.

Ruthie--You said you want to be healthy and get your life back. We can identify with that. I tried and tried for years to lose weight and keep it off. It didn't work ---and the heavier I got the sicker I got. Now ---no more sleep apnea. It's gone. No more high blood pressure. It's gone. No more Protonix. I don't need it anymore. All blood levels that were too high are now perfectly normal. I can climb up and down steep sand dunes on the beach again for the first time in 20 yrs. I don't hold on to the banister for dear life as I'm walking down stairs anymore. My back doesn't hurt. I can stand on my feet all day to cook Christmas dinner or walk 6 miles and be as fresh as a dasiy at 11PM. I sleep all night. I'm calmer and happier. People treat me better --- and I suppose I act better. Just make sure you get a GOOD MD who really has a LOT of experience and really knows what their doing. There are a lot of MDs racing into this to make money and they don't have the knowledge or experience. Once you get a GOOD MD - do exactly what you are told to do. You will see a lot of people on the board who do things they aren't suppose to do. Don't listen to them. They usually are sorry in the end. Listen to people like Indigo. Good luck.

I never thought of this in terms of "liberals HATING Palin." I guess there are people who would call me a liberal but I do not HATE her. I think she is attractive and has an engaging personality. However, she is also very poorly informed about very important issues and seems to have very limited capacities for inductive and deductive reasoning. Although that makes great comedy -- it would be very dangerous in a leader. "Liberals" are, as a matter of record, better educated so perhaps it is more accurate to say that better informed people tend to disagree with her. From what I'm reading -- those people are on both the right and left. There are MANY smart conservatives who are deeply concerned about her.

I'm back too --- or at least I'm going to TRY to hang in. Like so many other people here - my year has been 1 big blur. So much went on and it was hard for me to focus on weight. I did get BR surg and that helped me a LOT w/body image and feeling much better. I wonder if I let the improvement from BR surg take the place of more weight loss. I haven't gained or loss but I need to get the rest off because it's all belly fat. It's good to see so many people still here. Hi UniqueZeke. Thanks for coming back and letting us know how you are. Please try to hang in with us.

Hi Janet- Hi Phyl Hi Lynn -- I see a few pages back that you got a 1cc to try to help w/hunger. Did it work? I haven't had a fill for a good 6 mos and I'm eating too much too -- but I often feel like there is tightness around my esophagus (rather than fullness in my stomach). I think my last fill was 7cc and I know that was enough at the time so I just thought that 7cc should be my limit. I see my MD on the 7th and I'm wondering if I should ask him to put some in or not. I hate to go too tight because I think that could be bad for my esophagus. I'm still out here truckin' along. Haven't really lost more and haven't gained either. I relate to the "stress eating" comments -- but I can finally say things have blessedly calmed down some at work. Now it's a new year --- a new beginning. I healed well from the BR surg and I have to say I feel and look much better after that.

And how about food and eating and exercise for people who have recently had PS? I'm having a renewal of motivation re: low carbing and the gym -- but I'm still not allowed to do strengths training yet and I do more trendmill than bike right now.

I see my surgeon for follow-up on Sept 17. Had the B reduct. on Aug 7. They said they are going to give me a cream of some sort and teach me how to "massage" the area. Perhaps it's the same cream you have, Lynn. I'm not sure what the massage part is about but I'm guessing for either healing the scar or helping to reshape my breast. I too am feeling pretty good but I do feel a bit low energy and maybe a bit depressed. Someone at work said that is "normal" for after surg. How about you ladies? How are your spirits -- energy levels?

Hi Special -- Sorry to hear about this. It's the type of thing I've worried about for a long time. I don't know about the abdominal machine but it's an excellent question. Perhaps your MD will have an idea about that. Please let us know what you find out. Maybe s/he'll give you medication like Protonix to cut down on the acid in your stomach.

I had my band done at a teaching hospital that required a 20% weight loss before they would put the band in (along with a bunch of other requirements). They use a low carb diet for post-op so I used it for pre-op too. Linda has already pointed out that Atkins is flexible. I agree that it's important to find your comfort zone with it. The FDA has been slowly lowering the daily carb limits as more and more research emerges on health benefits and weight loss success of lower levels of carbs. Once you are on the band - you will find that it's much easier to stick to a lower carb plan. You will also see your health indicators get much better.