bella5425

Rosemary French Fries and Dip Take one sweet potato and cut it into steak cut fries, marinate for a couple of hours in the fridge w/ about a tbs of extra virgin lite olive oil, minced garlic cloves (abt 3), cracked black pepper, sea salt, dried rosemary, dill and a tsp of lite balsamic vinegrette. bake at 450 for 10 mins, then flip and bake another 8-10 mins. Dip For the dip, I use 1/2 c ff sour cream, 1/2 ff plain yogurt and 2 tbsp of reduced fat olive oil mayo, mix well w/ fresh cilantro and the zest from a lemon, lime and orange. chill well and serve. Lo fat/lo cal...addictive

walking was the key for me, i just went very slowly and as i walked breathed in and out through my nose. it really helped. good luck!

I am a little bummed about working out. I haven't been able to until now. I had a really bad injury and spent most of last yr in a wheelchair and altho I am walking now, that accident shoved my hip into my thigh and I my gait is off now so I stay in constant pain over my back. I joined a gym and have my first water aerobics class in a couple of hours but I went in yesterday to try that eliptical machine b/c I heard it was no impact and I lasted maybe 7 minutes and the pain was horrible. I feel like crap...the heart is willing but the back is fighting me. I suppose you have to start somewhere, it's just hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Hope everyone has a happy Memorial Day. Katie

B-total cereal w/ some strawberries and blueberries l- a divine lo fat lo cal homemade chili and a few mini rice cakes s-nothing yet d-don't know i did go to the gym for the first time today. i have a severe spinal injury and knee injury from a fall at work and i haven't walked much in a yr. but i was able to do 5 mins on an eliptical machine. depressed at that was all i could do but you have to start somewhere.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Debra, I can really relate to your anxiety. I had surgery April 22nd of this year and I was a massive dr pepper addict...seriously. I would rather have had dr pepper than food and I ate up til midnite the night before my surgery and I am fine. I quit my dr peppers, all refined sugars, plus salt and I feel fine. You are completely normal in having the anxiety you have but you will be just fine. I will give one piece of advice, drink ALOT of water, it will plump up your veins for when they do the IV for your surgery. I didn't, kept right on with my sodas, and they had trouble getting the IV in so just keep that in mind. I have lots of good recipes to share and if you want a lapband buddy, just PM me. Wish you all the best luck! Kate :purplebananna:

b - 1/2 c. total cereal w/ fruit s - glass of non fat milk l - quaker mini rice cakes (ranch) w/ 1 wedge of garlic herb laughing cow cheese and shaved turkey - made little sandwiches s - sf fudgesicle d - baked flounder w/ spinach (135 calories - very good)

i'm eating healthy but i haven't had my first fill and i find myself eating a bigger quantity than i should

Hi - I was told to stop drinking an hr before meals and not to drink for 90 minutes after meals. I was also told to drink 64 oz of Water a day and I was also told 3 oz of protein. I am allowed 2 snacks a day and should be between 1100 and 1200. Tonite I made a recipe from a book they gave me. It was baked flounder with fresh spinach that I cooked in a tb of olive oil and the juice of 1 lime. It also had 2 tbs of grated cheese on top. Very filling and only 135 calories. I hope this helps. Katie

trust me, i felt the same way...i was a self pay and i was kicking myself when it was over b/c i was so sure i was going to sabotage. i went into bandster hell and felt like i had NO restriction but once i started measuring and stopped relying on my own eyeballs, it got easier. i quit dr peppers (major addict), quit smoking, cut all sugar and salt and mayo out of my life and i feel good. i swear it will get better. :biggrin: katie

i feel your pain...my dr is allowing me to go on regular foods in 3 days (i have been on mushies) and i am so starving...my first fill isn't til june 5 and i am eating healthy...at least i think i am...but good lord...i could eat a horse right now. good luck and keep up the great work! katie

I'm really bummed and hope someone can just send some encouragement out...I was banded on April 22nd and the first 5 days I lost 15 pounds. I was able to get on the mushies on the 29th and have been eating tuna, tilapia filet, cottage cheese, lite pears and green peas for days now and I have gained 2.5 pounds back. I am unable to exercise at all right now...due to a serious fall (waiting to get fitted for a brace this week and can get in a pool in 2 weeks) and my stupid fat girl head has me obsessing over what I am putting in my mouth. I feel horrible guilt when I eat even tuna with a little lite mayo. I am very linear so everything is either black or white. Pre surgery, food was great...now I feel like all food is the enemy. <sigh>...I am just so bummed tonite. Thanks for reading and sorry for the long post. Katie

I can really relate to you and your struggles of hunger. I was banded on the 22nd of April and was on liquids for a week and I didn't cheat until the night before I was allowed to go mushy and I had 3 bites of cottage cheese. I just couldn't take it..I feel like I will never eat soup again. I am technically on the mushy stage until Thursday and have been eating tuna salad, cottage cheese, canned pears, peas and tilapia filet for 4 days now but I am so hungry it is hard for me to stop. I am putting my food on a small dessert plate and eating from there but my head is so messed up about food I feel like I am overeating. ackkk! I would check with your nutritionist or your dr. just to make sure you aren't doing anything to damage the band. Good luck! Katie

Hi Brittney, I was just banded on the 22nd and I know exactly how you feel. I just bawled the 2nd night (the first one I was fine - go figure). I have just been allowed to go on the mushy stage by my dr. and I feel guilty every time I eat...like I know I am on the right path, but my head still wants to sabotage and make me feel bad for having tuna or cottage cheese. Please know that this will pass, if you want to chat, please PM me...we are all in the same boat. I set up a blog at Bella5425’s Blog just so I could vent, bitch, cry, whatever...it helped. Stay strong! You can do it! Katie

I will be glad when I am able to work out. I was banded on April 22nd. They had to modify my walking program b/c I had a bad fall last yr and spent most of the yr in a wheelchair but I fell earlier this week again so I am waiting to get fitted for a walking brace and I can't get into a pool for 3 weeks. It's discouraging but I keep looking forward to working out again. I am glad for this thread Katie

I had: B - 5 spoonfuls of grits and glass of non fat milk L - white albacore tuna w/ lite mayo, cottage cheese and lite pears and a few bites of avacado D - tilapia filet cooked in a tiny amt of lite balsamic vinegar, few bites of peas and cottage cheese no Snacks today

I was banded on the 22nd and just entered the mushy stage a couple of days ago...I lost 15 pounds the first week out and now that I am eating, I am SO hungry that I am able to fill myself if I have food on a small dessert plate but I almost think I am eating too much. I am eating stuff like cottage cheese, lite canned pears, tilapia filet, refried beans, stuff like that and of course not all at once. Is anyone else feeling like they are stuffing their face? Katie p.s. I want a Bunny Bandster signature but I am really pc illiterate :thumbdown:

i was banded on the 22nd and i didn't have a pre-op diet. i went out for chinese the day before and ate up til midnite 8 hrs before surgery and i was fine. in fact, from my consultation to my surgery date i had gained 4 pounds (quit smoking after 24 yrs and munched alot) and there were no issues with my lapband. went mushy today and oh my god, the cottage cheese and lite pear was DIVINE.

I can totally relate to the fear and concern. I was banded a week ago on the 22nd and i was a mess right before but once it was done, I just feel so much better. I live in Phoenix and had mine done thru Dr. Terry Simpson who I highly recommend. I have lost 15 pounds since last week and am really stoked that i get to move to the mushy stage tomorrow. i have been blogging at Bella5425’s Blog. it will be the best decision you can make. i am 42 with all kinds of health issues at hand. I looked at it this way...there are always risks in major surgeries but on the other hand, if you don't do it you have a much bigger chance of dying early anyway. trust me, you will never ever regret it. my email is southernbella67@yahoo.com if anyone needs a lapband buddy :ohmy: katie

congratulations! i was banded exactly 1 week ago and i feel great! good luck and keep us posted! katie Bella5425’s Blog

Hi Kimberly, Congratulations on getting your approval! I just had my surgery last Wednesday the 22nd and have already lost 15 pounds. I didn't quit drinking soda until the day before (no pre-op diet required) so you are already in a better position. I live in Phoenix and am always looking for buddies to chat with. My blog is at Bella5425’s Blog Keep us posted and good luck! Katie

hi everyone, i am newly banded and had a question. i've lost 15 pounds in 5 days and don't have an appetite at all. i get in my carnation Breakfast drink in the morning, maybe 1/2 a cup of Soup a day and a couple of sf popsicles and Water and gatorade. the smell of any soup is nauseating to me but there isn't much else i can do until i go soft. is this weight loss too much? not that i'm complaining mind you, just curious. i'm so grateful for this group! katie

i feel so intimidated. i was banded on wednesday april the 22nd. they modified my walking program b/c last yr i had a bad fall and shattered my knee and damaged my spine. i was in a wheelchair or a walker most of the year. walking even 5 minutes outside is a chore and really painful to my back. they said i could get in a pool in 3 weeks. i have a treadmill but the physical therapist said not to use it b/c of the impact being bad for my spine. i have lost 12 pounds in 3 days but the lack of excercise is frustrating. :laugh:

i also quit smoking, back in february...cold turkey after 24 yrs...i am feeling good but what i wouldn't give for a mcdonald's cheeseburger and a soda right now. i feel like i am white knuckling it. i cannot wait for the mushies!

i don't know if anyone else has been as tired as me. i was banded on the 22nd and was a major dr pepper addict and now i just feel horribly sluggish and sleepy all the time. i have lost 8 pounds in 2 days. does the craving for food and soda ever leave? my god, what i wouldn't give for a cheeseburger right now. i am glad for this group...it's good to know there are people who are or have gone through similar feelings. katie