MamaMichelle

Dr. Ortiz is amazing, you will love everything about the OCC!! Best of luck to you and CMTurner on your upcomming surgeries!!

Throughtout my journey I have often gotten questions about my success and what kind of tips I can offter to other bandsters, while I am by no means any sort of expert (and I still have a long ways to go before I reach my goal) so I can only offer my advice about what has worked for me, and what is still working for me... I hope it can help others!!! I pre-plan everything I will eat for the day, I don't write it down in advance but by the time Breakfast rolls around I know what I will be eating for the rest of the day... maybe it's from my past life of eating a meal and already thinking about the next meal, lol. I also keep bad foods out of my house so I'm not tempted into thinking about indulging. I do have a hubby and son and I don't want them to be denied the things they want to eat, so I make sure that some of the "bad" things they like are things I don't like (oatmeal Cookies, BBQ potato chips etc) they may not be their total favorites but they understand it's a way for them to enjoy what they like while still doing what's best for me and my diet. I do try to write down my calories and Water for the day, I have used sparkpeople.com and fitday.com but lately I have been using my new phone that has a calorie counting program. If I know I will be going out to dinner, or if I am in the mood for a dessert one night I shave off a few calories here and there throughout the day to keep my daily total around 1,000-1,200. I also make sure that every meal has 20-30 grams of Protein because my daily protien goal is 70-90 grams, I use unflavored protien powder in things like my slimfast shake, Soup or even my salad dressing to help me reach those numbers! I am one of those who is more than happy to eat the same things everyday, this used to mean cheeseburgers for lunch and pizza for dinner. Now that my band doesn't allow many of those bad foods anymore I find my diet consisting of pretty much the same things daily: a shake for breakfast (about 200 cal), a salad with chicken or soup w/ protien powder for lunch (about 350 cal) and some sort of chicken or beef with veggies for dinner (about 500 cal). Yes some people may consider this kind of eating "boring" but for me I am eating the things I REALLY enjoy everyday (yes I do actually like my daily protien shake) and I am still able to lose weight so it is something that works for me! I like pre-packaging meals/snacks a few days in advance, this means I'll grill 3 chicken breasts on Sunday and then divide them up in mini containers (my fave are the Gladware Mini Rounds, each one holds 1/2 CUP or 4 OZ, perfect bandster size and only cost $3 for 8 Containers & Lids). This makes me less likely to overeat because things are pre-measured for me and it's easier to control calories because I know the exact amount I am eating. I even make batch of either sugar free mousse or sugar free Jello each week and divide them up for a portion and calorie controled snack (1/2 cup equals about 80 cal). I do indulge in 1 or 2 Snacks per day ONLY if I am hungry. Some doctors say 3 meals a day with no snacks and others say 5 mini meals per day is best, I think you need to find out what works for you. Because I limit the food I eat during my meals (keeping to bandster sized portions) there are times that I feel that twinge of hunger a few hours after I have eaten so instead of going hungry till my scheduled meal time (and risk overeating at that meal) I will have a snack. Usually something small and pre-measured like SF jello, SF canned peaches or some applesauce, whatever it is I make sure it less than 100 cal so that even if it's more of a craving than hunger it can't do too much harm to my diet. If I am being honest there has only been about a total of 3 weeks total where I have had "good" restriction, but I am determined not to fail with this band so even when I don't feel restriction, I eat as if I do have restriction. In my opinion this is one of the major attitudes one must have in order to be sucessful with the band, it's very easy to use the excuse "I have no restriction" to eat as one did before being banded. George Washington Carver said "Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses" so I choose to not use my little restriction as an excuse to make poor choices. This means stopping eating after about 3/4 cup of food (approx 20 bites the size of a pencil eraser) I find that when I stop after that much even if I "think" I am still hungry the hunger is gone (though I don't feel that magical feeling of fullness) and it stays away for a few hours. Of course there are times if I am really enjoying something I might eat more but usually I wrap it up or get it to go so I can enjoy it all over again the next day. I think the time I spend on the forum is very important to my success. I find reading the struggles and success stories that people post on the forum help me understand and explore my own experience with the band. I try to post helpful things to others or just encouragement when someone needs it because we all have had those good days and bad days. Many of you have said that I am an ispiration to you which is very hard for me to imagine but that is very flattering, for me posting my pictures and stats publically gives me an acountability because if I know others are watching my progress it helps me want to be more successful! That's all I can think of for now! <!--IBF.ATTACHMENT_39126-->

Thanks everyone for your encouraging words!! My skin seems to be shrinking along with my body but I guess I won't really know till I am closer to my goal... I have had a child so I still have the lower tummy pooch but again I guess I will have to wait to see what my skin does as I get smaller! :biggrin: lol it just occured to me after writing that last statement that before the band I would have said "IF I get smaller" now that I am banded it is only a matter of "WHEN I get smaller" no questions about it, it will happen!! It still amazes me what a powerful tool the lapband is!

I was finally able to get my new camera working and the pics uploaded so here they are... I lost 10lbs this month (I think my week of boot camp helped me eek out 2lbs more than my past average of 8lbs a month) I guess the smaller I get the less I notice the changes but one thing's for sure my new camra takes a lot better pics than the old one! Since I was able to get my old dress (Junior's size 12) all the way zipped up it is time for a new goal dress... So here's my new size 6 goal dress, I only got it on the 14th so there's not a lot of progress there in just those 2 weeks but I can see some changes! Here are my measurements: Jan 1st 2008 – Highest Weight/Start of Pre Op Diet Weight: 246 lbs Chest: 48″ Waist: 46″ Hips: 51″ Arms: 16.5″ and 16.5″ Thighs: 30″ and 31″ Feb 28th 2008 – Date of Surgery Weight: 226 lbs Chest: 46.5″ Waist: 43″ Hips: 48.75″ Arms: 16″ and 16″ Thighs: 29.25″ and 30.25″ June 28th 2008 – Current Weight: 184 lbs Chest: 40″ Waist: 34″ Hips: 44″ Arms: 13.5″ and 13.5″ Thighs: 25″ and 25.75″

Here's one more (you can only upload 5 pics I guess)

Here are my 2 month post op pics, I have been kind of bummed that I only lost 7 lbs this month (and haven't lost anything in the past week) but the pics show my progress so that makes me feel so much better!! I'd love to see the progress of other Las Vegas Bandsters!!

Sure feel free to add me on myspace!! I post every 2-4 days on my regular blog and on myspace and I love chatting with other bandsters!!

Wow Guys... Thanks so much for the kind words!! I read the board daily though I save most of my posting for my blog it's great to have a support system here and to be able to repay some of the inspiration that many of you have given me!! I think that anyone who is wanting to really track their progress should take pictures in a similar way, once a month in the same outfit. Even if you never choose to show them to anyone but yourself it really helps you to see how far you have come, even if the scale isn't moving as quickly as you'd like it to!

Here's the 2nd set (I had to change shorts because the other pair wouldn't stay up, lol) Again click to see the bigger picture!

Here are my 2 month post op pics, I have been kind of bummed that I only lost 7 lbs this month (and haven't lost anything in the past week) but the pics show my progress so that makes me feel so much better!! Here's the first set: Click on the smaller picture to see a bigger version

I posted this on my myspace blog ( http://www.myspace.com/mamamichellelv ) but I thought I would share it here too so hopefully those yet to be banded or just recently banded can get a little inspiration from my progress. Jan 1st 2008 – Highest Weight/Start of Pre Op Diet Weight: 246 lbs Chest: 48" Waist: 46" Hips: 51" Arms: 16.5” and 16.5” Thighs: 30” and 31” Feb 28th 2008 – Date of Surgery Weight: 226 lbs Chest: 46.5" Waist: 43" Hips: 48.75" Arms: 16” and 16” Thighs: 29.25” and 30.25” March 28th 2008 – One Month Post Op Weight: 209 lbs Chest: 44.5" Waist: 37" Hips: 46.5" Arms: 15.75” and 15.75” Thighs: 28.5” and 29.5” RESULTS: Weight: -17lbs lost in 1 month post op (-38lbs lost since starting pre op) Chest: -2 inches lost in 1 month post op (-3.5 inches lost since starting pre op) Waist: -6 inches lost in 1 month post op (-9 inches lost since starting pre op) Hips: -2.25 inches lost in 1 month post op (-4.5 inches lost since starting pre op) Arms -.25 and -.25 inches lost in 1 month post op (-.75 and -.75 inches lost since starting pre op) Thighs: -.75 and -.75 inches lost in 1 month post op (-1.5 and -1.5 inches lost since starting pre op) For a total of 17lbs and 12.25 inches lost in 1 month post op and 38 lbs and 21.5 inches lost since starting pre op! BEFORE AND AFTER PICS - Taken Feb 28th and March 28th My first "Goal Dress" Size 12 - Hope to be in it by July 4th for my Husband's Birthday Dinner! Back view of my "Goal Dress" couldn't even zip it an inch on 2/28 and then halfway zipped on 3/28. Side view, YUCK! You can see I still have a long way to go! This is what I wore while shopping after my surgery on 2/28 it looks a lot better on me as of 3/28. Another side view, my stomach has gone down alot... it even looks like I've had a breast lift, lol. Face Shot, sorry that I'm not wearing any make up and you can see my bra, lol.

Las Vegas support group starting this weekend!! Hi All, I posted a week or so ago and I just wanted to follow up and let everyone know that the Las Vegas Bandster Suport Group will be meeting for the first time THIS Saturday 3/15/08 at 5pm. If you would like to be included on the mailing list please email the organizer Monet at lawdiva2006@yahoo.com (Just tell her MamaMichelle sent you) and she will give you all the details.