westcoastmom

This is kind of off the topic of anything - except the fact that I mentioned going puree crazy... For anyone that has picky kids, we have been having fun with the cookbook "Deceptively Delicious". Now I have to admit that I usually don't follow along with too many popular trends and this book was quite popular for a while (it was written by Jerry Seinfeld's wife) and I also don't recommend lying to your children. The book has lots of recipes that "hide" veggies in regular food items. Luckily my kids take after my husband with his metabolism, but I happen to have one child who eats maybe 7 different foods. I try to avoid forcing them to eat anything because I think that is partly what got me to where I am today. But she will at least try to eat brownies that have spinach and carrot puree in them. (And I do make them with both kids so them do see what goes in them.) OK - so that was a very wordy way to say that there are some fun, healthy and actually good recipes in the book. My 6 year old is asking for the Mozzarella sticks with cauliflower puree right now. We haven't tried those yet...

I would have to say it really varies by person. I don't think you will know for sure how you will feel until you are recovering. But I would say that you should be OK to return after a week. I am not working (outside the house) - but I sent my husband back to work the next day - and took care of the kids. I was able to do pretty much what I normally did, however, I didn't feel completely back to myself until about 2 weeks after surgery. I would say that until you are eating solid food again, you don't feel completely right.

Thanks Tess - boy, protein is a problem for me. That is a good reminder! And yes, I am on a plateau. But I guess it isn't too bad. I have probably only lost about 4 pounds in the past 3 or 4 weeks, but at least it is creeping in the right direction. I think I have gotten too comfortable here and have to get more motivation again. I have enjoyed feeling a bit more "normal" for a while - that may have slowed me down!

I think I would like to officially change my goal weight to 180 pounds since I cannot get my body to get past that point. Maybe I will banish the evil scale - I will see if my 10 year old can hide is somewhere I cannot find it for a while... My young one wants green eggs - so we are off to try some egg with spinach. We are puree-ing fools these days.

Kerri - It must have been such an emotionally tough time for you. But it was so nice that you were able to be there for your family and hopefully have some memories that will become more special as time passes. food has been such a focus for so long for most of us, it is so hard not to feel guilt or think about how it impacts us. But hopefully, you can look past that to see what impact you had on your grandmother and family over the past few days. The food you ate really won't mean much over the long haul. But having those realizations about why we do eat can help in the journey. I hope you find something nice to do for yourself!

Amanda - my husband would be so jealous of your boat. It is funny that even though he grew up on LI and his family has a great place at Lake George that he didn't get his sail boat until we moved to Seattle. Anyway, we have a Catalina 27 - which is just big enough to fit the 4 of us and our dog when we go off on trips. I like the recreational part, but my husband loves racing. Mylah - the hunger pangs get bad sometimes! I just try to ignore them and give myself some rules. I guess fear has been a great motivator! ... and red we love those 2 red-heads. It is hard to lose them in a crowd.

Thanks for the support! I am getting closer to being ready for a fill - I am more hunger and looking to snack more often. Our office is great about working with you and I probably have a ways to go before I would feel much restriction. I posted a photo on your progress thread -which is hard for me to do! I have worked it so far, but this stand still probably means I need to think more seriously about a fill. Or at least think less about the Flat Earth Tangy Tomato Ranch Baked Veggie Crisps...

Oh, these are the reasons I just can't seem to make myself go in for fills. I am just too afraid I will be out somewhere and won't be able to get to a bathroom. (Or to be more honest, I am just to afraid to experience the restriction and side effects all together.) I have never been just a chicken in all my life...

I don't know if I will get these photos to work right. I used to be so technically literate. Some women bounced right back after having children. I lost a lot of brain cells and then just never came back - my oldest is 10, so it is a lost cause. But I am great at reading books from an upside down position to a large group of kids. I actually OK'd a few pictures this weekend sailing on Puget Sound. Although it was hard to find any before shots. Feel free to just comment on the scenery, dog, or children!

I find myself watching all the kids and worrying about the lives and problems they will have as they grow up. You just see so many kids eating unhealthy and spending so much time inside with video games and TV. But I think so much more is how our society has changed - everything is about how much we can get and how much money a business can make. You hear talk of the crisis with kids being overweight, but I am not sure what is being done to change that. Even in schools, things like gym and recess get cut and the lunch programs are scary. Personally, I am at a standstill with weightloss these past few weeks. I have been thinking about trying out a small fill finally. But I haven't really been eating much differently, so I am not sure if that is really what I need. Although, it might be good to actually start giving the band a real try! For some reason, I am craving chocolate for Breakfast.

And weight loss is just a hard thing for some people to talk about. There are so many factors that go into it. I know I still have trouble telling people when I have noticed that they lose weight. It feels like I am commenting on how they weren't "OK" before. I try so hard to notice more than what someone looks like that I will have a hard time talking about weight and beauty related issues. And sometimes you will have people who might not be "feeling the love" for you. They might find a way to let you know specifically that they aren't noticing. Especially if they are a bit overweight or someone that has gone through losing/gaining - or just can't be happy for someone. I have lost a little over 40 pounds and have between 20 & 40 more to go (depending on how ambitious I feel). I know I have I have a few friends that are very loud with praise and notice just about every time I see them - and I have a hard time not being embarrassed. I have other friends that just won't say anything even though I catch them sort of doing a double take when they first see me. I know they don't mean anything by it, it is just not something they are comfortable talking about.

I hope everyone had a nice holiday. We had fun sailing on the Puget Sound - it looked like the weather might be what you would expect for Seattle, but it turned out great. We had enough sun to need to apply lots of sunscreen on our pale Irish skin. I even let my husband take a few photos of me with the kids and dog on this trip - I still didn't like it, but I did allow it. Nothing like a few dorritos and a brownie for dinner while watching the fireworks on a sailboat (except trying the get the big dog on the dinghy to take her to shore to try to go to the bathroom)...

Happy 4th to everyone! We will be off sailing for a few days, enjoying some fireworks on the Water. Well, we will enjoy it, I am not too sure our dog will... The family requested that I make brownies. It is a weakness of mine. I hope I can eat just one a day!

I was banded on 3/27 and I am going for never...

Thanks, Fenton, for that added "couple" boost. My husband will thank you too - and he is quite a great guy. I need to find some baby sitters! Now the only other problem is that our 10 year old stays up until at least midnight every night reading...

Thanks, Amanda. You did not overstep your bounds - and you are so right that we need to get out more! We do lots of family stuff, just not the couple stuff. Oh, by the way, my husband is from Long Island. He grew up near Jones Beach...

Ooo, I am so excited that there is going to be an Arrested Development movie. I couldn't believe more people didn't watch that when it was on tv. I guess my husband and I will have to get a sitter for the first time in about a year. (We are not too good at planning. And the only time we were away together alone overnight was when our 2nd child was born.) And, Fenton, that is amazing how much weight you have lost with or without being filled. I had some taken out from what they put in during surgery to leave me where I am now, but I am still hungry quite often. When I go to support group meetings, I usually get people there looking at me with what I call the "puppy dog head tilt" when I say I haven't been filled yet.

March is one of the busiest times at our house - the kids are in the St. Pats parade and dance in so many shows. It is such a fun month for us! 1. I want to be at my goal weight. 2. I would like my waist measurement to be at a healthy size. 3. I will do more difficult hiking with the family. 4. I will do a 3 hand reel with my kids!

OK, Fenton. Now everytime I read one of your posts, I am going to picture you as Stewie maybe standing somewhere in the Village holding a roasted duck (I used to live on the East Coast). Maybe we should all come up with a charachter that best describes us. I used to use the Winnie the Pooh analagy - about how every personality can fit into one of them. But that always made me go on about how my husband is a "tigger" and how those happy-go-lucky-everyone-else-will-take-care-of-it types keep telling us "rabbit" types to be more fun and spontaneous when we are cleaning everything up. But I digress. Now on to fills - can I ask you all about them? Do you like the restriction you are getting? Do you all feel much less hungry between meals? Is that the part that is the most help? I have not wanted to get fills because I really don't want much of what goes with restriction (I am afraid of sliming and PBs or maybe just don't want to go there). I have 2.2 ccs in right now. I know I don't have any restriction and have really just managed the hunger on my own so far. I do get full quicker, but I get hungry much sooner than I should. I also don't want to get reflux. I did not have it pre-band, but notice myself clearing my throat a lot since having the band. I don't eat too much or too fast (for the most part) and have never had anything stuck... Speaking of TV, my husband (who runs marathons, is 6' tall, and still wears the same size 32 when he was in high school - I try to feed him sticks of butter) & I can't seem to fully enjoy another sitcom since Arrested Development was canceled. That is how lame we are...

I have crunch knees too. I have never talked with a Dr. about them. I weigh about 183 right now - after losing about 40 pounds and they still seem about as crunchy. I keep waiting for them to lessen. I was always pretty active, and it isn't painful for me either. But I do really just notice it on stairs. I will have to ask a Dr. about it next time I see one. Sorry I don't have better info!

This is one reason I haven't had fills yet - I just can't imagine handling this especially with the kids. I am sorry - I hope it is better!

Oh, I can sympathize on the slow weight loss. I would be happy with the 1-pound-a -week-train right now. I probably averaged a bit over 3 pounds up to this point so I got used to that! But it seems to have been at a stand still for the past 2 weeks. I am about 20-25 pounds from my original goal and I think it might take more exercise than typing on the computer to get there. Plus I am pretty sure I will need to go further than that conservative first goal - not that I won't be happy to get there. I will certainly dance a jig with my girls (but not on stage with them). I was reading somewhere about how the "healthy" cutoff for women's waist size is at 35". I tend to carry weight in the more un-heathy way - around the middle. I might have to change my goal away from weight and to waist size, but it seems so far away! OK, off to chase my 2 little leprechans.

I just found this area of Lap Band Talk. I am fellow March bandster. It has helped me to read everyone's stories. I am a 41 year old Mom of 2 beautiful red-head irish dancing girls living in the pacific northwest. I feel like I am introducing myself at the beginning of an AA meeting... I was banded at the end of March. I have always been very level headed, research everything, and know what I want to do. I never even dropped a class in college. For some reason, the band was not that way for me. I knew it was what I wanted to do - until I got it! It shook me up a bit. I am still learning to live with it. I guess I got scared after the fact about PBs, sliming and the fear of the band slipping or failing. So far though, it has made me more mindful of how much I eat, how quickly and what I eat. If nothing else, I have changed my habits out of fear! I have finally been brave enough to have a fill - well, 0.3 cc - just so I could say I had one. I only have about 2.2 cc in now. I don't stay satieted long, but I have been able to lose about 40 pounds so far and have about 25 more to go. I am sure I will slowly add a bit more at some point. Hopefully I can find a way to manage my fears and getting the benefits of the band. Anyway - hello and I have enjoyed reading your stories.

We have thought about the wii fit a bit too - but I am an evil Mom. My girls don't have game boys and we don't let them watch TV (other than a movie on the weekend). So now without electrongic games in the house we are afraid to bring them in. We may be sucked in! We will have to live vicariously through you all for a while...

I have the same problem with pulling pants up to my bra texgirl. I am low waisted and big belly-ed. I feel like I need pants 2 sized bigger for my waist than for my hips and bum. Not to mention that my arms and chest will always need a bigger size than the rest of me...