bxlisa

Hi Gail, Below are some of my favorite foods or drinks I eat to get all my protein: Nature's Best Presents: Zero Carb Isopure Drink Ready-to-Drink Bottle - There are tons of flavors from Green Tea to Apple Melon. Protein Zero Carbs. 40 grams of 100% Pure Ion Exchange whey Protein Isolate. Only 160 calories. Lactose free. Fat free. You can get it from GNC, The Vitamin Shoppe or "www.bodybuilding.com" they are a little expense but I use to waste more money dining out. I only drink half of the bottle at a time so I drink it during my snack time. I also freeze the drink into little cups especially during our last few days of this heat wave instead of having sugar free Popsicles. --------------- I have for Breakfast or lunch is chicken of the Sea Chunk Light Tuna in Water, 2-Count Cups - Available in: Chunk Light Tuna or Skinless Boneless Pink Salmon - Protein 18g per cup and only 80 calories Peel and eat — these easy-to-open cups give you a quick protein source. With no draining required, this wild-caught tuna and salmon is perfect for on-the-go lunches and Snacks. Enjoy them alone or toss them on salads! I really like this product because it already portion perfectly for us. --------------- Egg Beaters® With Yolk Southwestern - Calories 40 and Protein 5g per severing size 1/4 cup. I love the bold taste which has red and green peppers, onions, and a mix of spices to a nutritious breakfast table, with ≤ 2 g fat and ≤ 45 mg cholesterol per serving. Make sure to check out the "food and Nutrition" section for more ideas.

I totally agree. I also split the Isopure bottle drink but I take small bathroom cups and freeze it for my summer icy snacks.

Have to try look at http://einsurance.com ?

Hi Jodie, I'm from Newington, CT USA. How are you? Are you on a liquid diet now? I need to lose a lot of weight too. You can add my as your friend if you like? -Lisa

Salmon Templada Ingredients: Salmon with 5 Essentials fat (olive oil) salt pepper aromatic (fresh or dry herb) acid (lemon or lime) White Bean Mash can of white beans (canelli) olive oil salt pepper Savoy Sauté cabbage olive oil onion Directions Slice salmon in its raw state (like you would with lox) and place on oven safe plate. Drizzle salmon with olive oil, sprinkle salt, pepper, and herb over salmon and squeeze a fresh lemon or lime. Put salmon in broiler and broil on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until just pink. Open up can of white beans and drain. Mash them in a bowl, then drizzle olive oil, add salt and pepper. Mix and microwave until warm. Serve. Chop up cabbage length-wise, drizzle with olive oil and combine with finely chopped onion. Sauté for 5-7 min. Serve.

I just read your post and can you be my band buddy/mentor, too? My name is Lisa and live in Newington, CT. I also was over 300lbs and I want to be like you next year... :thumbup: I'm going to start the "regular diet" stage next week. Any tips you can give me?

With the lap-band - The carbonation from soda expands the pouch and the goal is to keep the pouch as small as possible. It is actually dangerous to your health! Here are ten of the many reasons to kick the soda habit. Phosphorus found in most sodas contribute to bone loss by inhibiting the absorption of Calcium. High fructose corn syrup is linked to high blood sugar and diabetes. High fructose corn syrup is not absorbed like other sugars. It is processed through the liver and is the sugar that is most easily converted to fat. Carbonated drinks are linked to acid reflux, and esophageal cancer. Kids who drink soda on average have more cavities than kids who do not drink soda. Caffeine and sugar both cause dehydration. If you think diet soda is better think again. Aspartame is made from formaldehyde and and menthol. These toxins are known to cause nerve damage, headaches, and blurred vision. New studies link Aspartame in diet soda to sugar cravings. Experts believe that tricking your palate with artificial sweetener can cause the body to want the sugar in another form. Drinking either regular or diet soda is linked to obesity. There are so many better (and tastier) things to drink than soda!

Things You’ll Need: Jello Instant Pudding mix, Fat Free, Sugar Free Fat Free Milk Protein Powder Graham Crackers Fat Free, Sugar Free, Whipped Cream ------ Step1 Place 2 cups of fat free milk in a bowl or blender. Step2 Add package of Fat Free, Sugar Free, JELLO instant pudding, I prefer chocolate. Step3 Add 1-2 scoops of your favorite protein powder. Step4 Mix with a whisk or blend in your blender until creamy. Step5 Pour into bowl and refrigerate for about 5-10 minutes to thicken. Step6 Service in your favorite bowls with graham crackers, topped with whipped cream. Or just eat by itself. OH SO GOOD!

I was told soft deserts such as ice cream and pudding should be avoided in most cases as the LAP-BAND is not designed to restrict such items.

I found morning protein shakes are not helping me lose weight. When I switched to tuna or eggs in the morning I started dropping pounds again. Do you stop drinking fluids 30 minutes before and 1 hour after meals? Are you choosing protein foods 1st? And lastly are you taking all your vitamins?

Which is better for you for protein: regular eggs, Egg Beaters or Egg Whites?

10 Ways to Jazz Up vanilla whey Protein powder Make Protein Powder Taste Better! By Lisa Thibault Pietsch, published Aug 17, 2007 If whey protein powder is a staple for you like it is for me, you're looking for ways to dress it up a bit. After all, you can only drink so much vanilla anything, right? Following are some tried and true suggestions on how to mix it up with vanilla whey protein powder. Spice Cake In a shaker bottle or blender, mix one dash each of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg with one scoop vanilla whey powder and eight ounces of Water or milk. Blend and enjoy. Pumpkin Pie In a shaker bottle or blender, mix ¼ cup canned pumpkin and one dash each of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg with one scoop vanilla whey protein powder and eight ounces of cold water or milk. Blend well and serve cold. Orange Creamsicle In a shaker bottle or blender, mix one tablespoon sugar free marmalade with one scoop vanilla whey protein powder and eight ounces of cold water or milk. Blend well. Cherry Vanilla In a blender, mix ¼ cup sugar free cherry pie filling with one scoop vanilla whey protein powder and eight ounces of cold water or milk. Blend well. Banana Bread In a blender, mix 1/2 banana and one dash each of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg with one scoop vanilla whey protein powder and eight ounces of cold water or milk. Blend well and drink promptly. Banana/Strawberry In a blender, mix 1/2 banana and ¼ cup fresh or frozen strawberries with one scoop vanilla whey protein powder and eight ounces of cold water or milk. Blend well and drink promptly. Cheesecake In a shaker bottle or blender, mix one ¼ cup prepared Jello sugar free cheesecake flavored pudding with one scoop vanilla whey protein powder and eight ounces of cold water or milk. Blend well. Pina Colada In a blender, mix ¼ cup drained crushed pineapple and one tablespoon shredded coconut with one scoop vanilla whey protein powder and eight ounces of cold water or milk. Blend well and drink promptly. Latte In a shaker bottle or blender, mix one teaspoon instant coffee crystals with one scoop vanilla whey protein powder and eight ounces of cold water or milk. Blend well. Great for a pre-workout pick-me-up or mid-morning snack. Vanilla Pudding Did you know you could make pudding with your protein powder? Yes, you can! Just place one scoop of vanilla whey protein powder in a small bowl and add about ¼ cup of water or milk. Mix thoroughly. This usually mixes up into a nice pudding consistency but you can vary the amount of water/milk to your taste. There is no need to settle for plain old Vanilla when you can make every liquid meal an adventure! 2008 © Associated Content, All rights reserved. Web Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/347749/10_ways_to_jazz_up_vanilla_whey_protein.html?cat=51

I usually watch FitTV :: Home Page - All Star Workouts - I really like Sarina Jain presents her world famous Masala Bhangra workout. It's great for dancers and beginners.

I personally have been using "Stevia" which I got from Trader Joe's. I was told “low–sugar” or “sugar–free” products can make it difficult to lose weight because of constantly high insulin levels, which causes the body to store excess carbs as fat. According to the information I read one thing is certain: some of the chemicals that comprise artificial sweeteners are known hazards — the degree to which you experience side effects just depends on your individual biochemistry. Manufacturers are banking on the fact that our bodies won’t absorb very much of these compounds at any one time. And many of us don’t. For more info take a look at this article: http://www.womentowomen.com/nutritionandweightloss/splenda.aspx

I will make an appointment with a pulmonologist to get my sleep study. Please double check with your insurance if you need a referral to a specialist. I had my lap-band with Connecticut Surgeons Center for Obesity Surgery and all patients must schedule consultations with a nutrition consult, pulmonary consult, psychiatric consult and cardiac consult.

My GYN doctor recommended Dr. Barba because his team is really good with getting approval for the lap-band procedure. Dr. Barba's staff was the utmost professional and Dr. Barba is very pleasant and truthful. The staff is very caring about the patient's needs and concerns. The practice now has a monthly support group and the office nutritionist Melissa was super nice and very informative. She will always call you back and even takes emails. I hope people find this helpful - Feel free to contact me at if you have any questions. For the month of June 2008 only, the support group will be held in the Gengras Auditorium on the 1st floor of the 1000 Asylum Ave building in Hartford, CT. This support group is open for everyone. For more info: Connecticut Surgeons :: Home

Thanks for the info!

My new addiction is looking at my scars especially where the port is. I keep on thinking it's going to open.

You can contact me anything!

If you have Intermountain Healthcare then you need to schedule an appointment, or ask for more information by calling (801) 314-2926.

I heard this book is good - Susan Spungen's Recipes: A Collection for the Modern Cook.

Hi Everyone, I know we are supposed to be sipping Water all day but I'm a little confused. Do we have to stop sipping 30 minutes before eating food? Also is swallowing pills considered gulping? -Lisa