WannaBe1/2TheWoman

Today: B/L - Leg & thigh chicken (w/skin) , 1/4 c. coleslaw, biscuit D - Red Lobster - 1/2 of dinner salad w/ranch dressing, 1/2 of a biscuit, entire Maine Lobster w/butter, 1 steamed broccoli spear.

Yesterday: B - 1/2 c. LF cottage cheese & 1/2 c. spaghetti & meat sauce D - Tilapia cooked in garlic & lemon, 1/2 c. saute'ed yellow squash & zucchini w/cooked noodles S - popcorn :smile2: S2 - ice cream Today: B - 1 scrambled egg w/chopped deli turkey & mozzarella, and a buttered English muffin L - 1 scrambled egg w/chopped deli turkey & mozzarella, on bread w/ff mayo & ketchup D - 2 cheeseburger patties on bread w/ff mayo & ketchup

I have been absent for about a week, but reading your posts has re-motivated me to post. Yesterday: B - 6 oz ff yogurt, 1 oz. string cheese and 1.5 oz. salted almonds L - Cheese ravioli Lean Cuisine (220 cal) D - Bowl of Italian Wedding Soup & a roll w/butter S - 1.5 oz of salted almonds

Good job to everyone! I totally forgot to post my last weeks' weight and haven't been online all week, so it is exciting to see how well everyone is doing. Lingling - my Friday, June 26 weigh in was 230.6 and today, July 3 - I am at 227.6. Little by little...we'll get there! Everyone have a wonderful weekend!

KMCD: Keep your chin up - we are all going to have "family reunions" or other events, incidents, etc that are going to cause us to get off track for a day, a few days.....but don't give up. Get back on track tomorrow! A few weeks ago, I had a Saturday night when I went to TGIFriday's for dinner and ate 2 cheeseburger sliders and then later, went to Coldstone Creamery for ice cream. I gained 2 lbs that weekend, and I was so mad at myself. The ice cream was not worth the 2 lbs. This journey is all about baby-steps and the more steps we take, the easier it will get. Sometime soon, you will go to an event and the sweets will not control you. Tomorrow is a new day, so hang in there!

Yesterday: B - 1/2 c. leftover chicken mixed w/3 T. spaghetti sauce, heated up and put over 1/2 c. l/f cottage cheese L - Fruit kabob (lg strawberry, chunk of kiwi, lg chunk of cantaloupe, lg chunk of pineapple) and sample of white wine (about 1/3 c in size) D - 1 small slice of sausage & bacon pizza on very thin crust, 1/2 small caprese salad (2 slices tomato w/mozzarella) in olive oil, w/about 6 kalamata olives and 1 small croutette S - 1.2 oz, Nonni's chocolate biscotti (150 cal)

This sounds wonderful - thanks for sharing, Linda!

Last week while doing laundry, I re-discovered some clothes in the back of my closet that haven't (or never did) fit for a long time. So, I took them out to see how close they were to fitting now. One of them was a beautiful 2-piece suit that I bought on sale in August 2007. I didn't try it on in the store, because it was "my size" - 22W...lol. Well, I got it home and it didn't fit. I never tried it again, cuz I knew it wouldn't fit...I had gained weight over the next year and a half and moved onto 24W. Well, last week the 22W fit me and I wore it to work the next day. I had a ton of compliments, and my boss told me that I'd better get a little bit of use from it, as she thought it looked a little bit too big for me now. :biggrin: So, I guess I am officially comfortable in 22's now. On to the 20's!!!

I am staying on plan today because: (1) for the first time in 20 years, I feel IN CONTROL, and I love being in control, and (2) because my insurance co. paid all but $250 of the cost of my surgery, and that is a gift I can only repay by changing my habits and the way I look at food.

Yesterday: B - 8 oz chocolate/cheesecake protein shake (1 1/2 scoops protein) L - 1/2 c. low-fat cottage cheese & 1 oz. Wee Brie wedge D - 1 1/2 c. chicken noodle/egg soup S - 1/2 c. smoked almonds. (Yes, 1/2 c. Not a handful - not 1/4 cup! :biggrin:) Watching the ballgame on tv with the can sitting next to me on the table....BAD idea.

Good job to everyone - for either losing or maintaining! 1980 - hang in there - 194 is still awesome. I can't remember the last time I saw 194!! I am at 232.5 this week. Had my first fill yesterday, so that was exciting. Now I have to wait till Aug 6 for #2. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Had my first fill this morning, and so glad! Tuesday: B - 1/2 c. l/f cottage cheese & 7 Milton's wheat & sesame crackers L - Lean Cuisine - chicken & veggies (240 cal) D - 3 very thin slices of lean deli ham (45 cal), string cheese S - 1/4 c. smoked almonds Yesterday: Birthday party at work :sad: B and L - 1/4 of one of the egg souffle things from Panera Bread, 3 tostito scoops w/a tsp. cheese & bean dip, 2 baby carrots, 1 celery stick, 1 cherry tomato, 1 tsp. ranch dressing, and 2 brownies. D - 1 1/4 c. homemade chicken chili and 1/4 c. smoked almonds Today: Fill at 10am L - bowl of chicken broth w/tiny, tiny noodles in it (mostly broth) D - cookies and cream protein shake All day - lots & lots of crystal light

Yesterday: B - Banana Creme Yogurt 1/4 c. smoked almonds L - 1 c. leftover chicken, no skin w/1/4. c. l/f mozzarella cheese melted over it. D - whole wheat tortilla w/1 T. FF mayo, 3 thin slices deli ham and 1 Wee Brie wedge. Today: B - 1/2 c. l/f cottage cheese & 7 Milton's Wheat Crackers L - Lean Cuisine - Chicken & Veggies (240 cal) D - String Cheese and 3 thin slices of deli ham, 1/4. c smoked almonds S - 1/4 c. smoked almonds (They are so addicting!)

Never mind - someone posted a new thread about this at almost the same time I was asking the question. thanks! Truediva: can you or anyone tell me what the 5-day pouch diet is, or if it is posted somewhere on LBT? Thanks!

I agree with Beth. I have my first fill this Thursday, and I know I need it because I can eat more than 1 c. of food, and I don't need to chew it to death. However, I do feel full after I eat, so I know I'm "satisfied". Sometimes I have that feeling too, that I still want to eat. Or I'm not HUNGRY, but I want to eat. I have just been chalking it up to head hunger. We have been eating whatever we wanted for so long, that it is a very hard habit to break. Hang in there and stop eating when you are full - it will be worth it, and eventually, the head hunger thing has to get better too, as we have consistently better habits.

Yesterday: B - Peach yogurt L - Lean Cuisine (Cabbage roll & mashed potatoes) - 220 cals D - 6 oz of bbq chicken (no skin) and about 4 oz. of bbq pork steak. Yes, I need my first fill! Today: B - 1 c. chicken noodle/egg soup with 1/2 c. leftover bbq chicken thrown in it (no skin) L - 1 c. cold leftover chicken (no skin), 1/2 cucumber and 1 small sliced tomato w/ 1 tsp. mayonnaise D - 1 c. chicken noodle/egg soup & about 4 oz. leftover bbq pork steak

I've only had this happen a couple of times since being banded, but sf/ff pudding did it for me. Butterscotch...yum. And, I was short on my protein gms for the day, so I thru in 1/2 scoop of unflavored whey protein, and couldn't even taste it.

I am at 235.4 today. Had alot of work to do this week, because last weekend, I GAINED 2 lbs between Friday and Monday (Can you say Cold Stone Creamery and TGIFridays in the same day???) Yes, you play, you pay. I get my first fill next Thursday. Have a good week everyone!

Yesterday: B - Lemon Chiffon Yogurt & 1-oz String cheese L - 1/3 c. LF cottage cheese, 14 tiny wheat crackers (130 cal), 1-oz string cheese S - 100 calorie Cheez-its D - 1 c. chicken noodle/egg soup, 1 hotdog w/1/8 c. mozzarella, 1 tsp. mayonnaise, 1/2 t. ketchup

B - 1/2 c. LFat Cottage cheese & 1-oz co-jack cheese stick L - Chicken & Veggie Lean Cuisine - 240 cals D - 4 oz. tilapia cookd in a little olive oil, garlic, lemon juice & sprinkled with dill. Yum! and 1 c. chicken noodle/egg soup

I'm sorry you were denied. That was my biggest fear when I was waiting, too. Did the insurance company say that they denied you because your BMI is 35? I would talk to them and ask about an appeal process, if it were me. There is no guarantee that you'll be approved with a PPO. I'd ask alot of questions of the insurance company. Hopefully they will be helpful to you in letting you know what their approval process involves. I also have BCBS - an EPO which is similar to an HMO, and my approval was a breeze, but I met all of their qualifying criteria. Is it possible that there is some criteria in the policy that was set by your company, that you don't meet? Good luck to you!

Hi Lisa, I am 5 weeks out and have been on solids now for a couple of weeks. Here are some of the things that my doctor had on the "OK" list for the mushy stage: Yogurt, FF/SF pudding, low-fat cheese (I like string cheese), LF cottage cheese, soft boiled potato or pasta (1/4-1/2 cup), creamed soups, scrambled egg, canned fruit (no sugar added), soft cooked veggies (no dry beans, peas, onions, cabbage, broccoli or cauliflower). A couple of other things I added, mostly at the end of the mushy stage: this may seem weird, but I like it...I would make a can of chicken noodle soup with the water, and when it comes to a boil, pour in 1-2 beaten eggs. It is kind of like egg-drop soup with soft noodles. It is low-cal, low-fat if you eat only 1/2-1 cup, and I find it very filling. I also love roasted zucchini & yellow squash, so one night, I cut some up and tossed it in garlic and olive oil, roasted it till very soft and then puree'd it in my blender. It was so yummy. And filling. I also made a quiche out of the softened veggies, with egg, skim milk and LF cheese. Those items, along with a variety of protein shakes are what I lived on during the soft/mushy stage. The 2 weeks goes by fast, so hang in there! Good Luck!!

Hi All, I've been lurking here for weeks, and now that I'm 5 weeks out from my surgery, I'd like to post my daily foods too. I've gotten some great ideas & recipes from all of you! Yesterday: B - 6 oz. FF Yogurt L - 2 string cheeses S - Sm banana D - 1 c. of chicken & veggie frozen dinner in a bag - 240 cals. and 3/4 c. cold leftover roasted chicken w/no skin Today: B - 1/2 c. LF Cottage cheese w/ 1/2 c. cold chicken meat L - Chicken & Veggie Lean Cuisine - 240 cals. D - 1 c. chicken noodle/egg Soup & 1 oz. co-jack cheese stick

I am at 237.4 this morning. Happy Friday to everyone and good job! When the scale is only moving .4 to 1 lb, (like last week), I get discouraged, too, but I just remind myself of where I was 6 months ago - almost 270 lbs, taking 5 kinds of medicine everyday, a1c was 8.0, most of my clothes were tight, and NEVER losing a lb. Up till this week, I was only getting 600-800 calories a day, so I concentrated this week in getting more calories, but still at or around 1000. Have a great weekend, everyone!

This is a very long list, but here are a few for me: - To lose my diabetes and blood pressure meds - To be able to sit in a chair and cross my legs comfortably - To be able to wear heals again, without killing my poor feet - Not being limited in the "type" of guys I might date.... - Not looking & breathing like I ran a 10k after just climbing one flight of stairs. ....and on, and on, and on......