Yvette1026

I made my best protein shake yet today. My friend turned her nose up at first but then decided to try it, "I just want a lil' bit..I might not like it" she says as she tastes it she looks at me surprised and is like OMGOSH this is really good!!! And it's all healthy?!!??!?!" as she darts back toward the blender for more. It tastes just like a strawberry milkshake and it was delicious! The recipe I'm posting made 2 shakes.. The first time I split it with someone, the 2nd time I've just been sipping it all day... The upside it has SO much protein in it and doesn't taste like it at all. Ice (I fill the blender about a 3rd of the way) 4 tbsps Fage 0% greek style yogurt (I use the plain but you can use the vanilla) 2 scoops Designer Whey Protein Vanilla 6 frozen strawberries 1 splenda packet 1tbsp Agave Nectar (can use stevia or honey, etc...) 4-8 oz of skim milk (depending on how thick you like yours) Blend and enjoy! The 2 scoops of protein powder = 36 grams The 4 tbsps (I do heaping ones) = 20 grams The 8 oz of skim milk = 8 grams The strawberries are around 1 gram so we won't count those.. In this one mix you have 64 grams of protein. Easy, delicious and filling. It's around 500 calories for the entire blenderful, split it and it's 250... either way that's great. Protein powder 100 calories per scoop serving Skim Milk 100 calories 8 oz serving Fage 0% yogurt 120 calories per 8oz serving Strawberries 50 calories per 12 oz serving Agave Nectar 60 calories per 1tbsp serving For me that's all I've had today and a sugar free jello... and I've met my protein for the day while staying full and feeling like I have a delicious strawberry milkshake :Dancing_wub:

The upside of this is that it would make it easy for those who don't take the time to research this on their own (the majority of people getting banded it seems) and the downside is that we're all different, some can eat bread, some can't. Some can eat redmeat, some can't etc... So without taking individual tastes and concerns into account, "premade menus" can give a basic idea and premise as to what proper eating is. Personally not something I would be interested in or willing to pay for (not to say you were planning on charging) as the information is readily available if people were to look for themselves. Besides for me the fun of this is figuring out how to convert my favorite recipes into healthy band friendly ones and figuring out new and great ways to prepare things like protein shakes, etc...

What are you eating? What food choices are you making? Have you been checked for slippage? Acid reflux is a sign of it... Fills are uncomfortable how? there's more information required to really be of any help.

The key is to NOT eat as much as you did before... and you're not a failure 10lbs is still good. Are you making healthy choices for what you are eating? or are you eating the same things as before as well? Are you chew chew chewing like you should? Usuallly that action alone will help you get fuller faster. Are you eating high protein to stay fuller longer? Work the program and it'll work for you, and ofcourse you need a fill... or 2. Be encouraged, you're at the start of your journey and 10lbs lighter than you started it.

I couldn't agree more! I've pretty much kept to just blogging as the forums irk me and make me want to break out my red pen. Not to mention the fact that it's glaringly obvious that 90% of the people on here did absolutely NO research and just decided to get this done so they can lose weight. I researched this for 5 years prior to deciding to have the lapband. Extreme? Some may think so, but there's not much I don't know when it comes to being banded. Now that I actually have my band, I'm learning through experience for myself what of the research I did is valid or not valid. I cringe every time I read the repetative posts about loose skin, not losing, cheating, etc... I just want to leap through the screen at them and shake them. But alas, I'm committed to always walking in love, so I keep my comments to myself and close the forum or go blog. If I didn't I would end up a lot like this:

Love it and I couldn't agree more!

I had surgery 12/18 and so far so good I'm losing every day and things are healing nicely.

There's too much information missing from this.. or is it really as simple as her Dr. prefers the bypass over the lapband? Here in the states there's no real need to defend the lapband, it's the much more preferred method and people understand and even skinny people go "Oh yeah I heard about that, it's totally safe unlike the bypass thing" The only defending I've ever had to do is explaining why I was getting it, when I've successfully lost over 100lbs on my own. - Some people are just NEVER happy LOL

Very useful information.. Thanks :biggrin:

LMAO... I took my first progress pic last night and it's the first time I took a pic straight on without the use of "flattering fat girl camera angles" in I can't even tell you how long. I'm sure you all know the tricks.. Camera UP way UP so you're looking up and the excess chin or in some cases chins are below your jawline and aren't seen in the picture... Uh huh... famous for those... That being said I didn't have to do that last night and I'm just one week well 10 days post op.. I'm SO excited!!! Progress, progress, progress!!! Love to see the changes! :drool:

tell your doctor..something is probably still stuck because it wasn't chewed enough... but it will go through.. go back to liquids and broth until it goes away. Nothing to go to ER unless it's like a HUGE unchewed wad of food like red meat or something. If you want to feel 100% better you could go to the ER and ask them to do a barrium xray on you to make sure everything is fine.

I think he's feeling left out of this process and sees it as a way of connecting with you. But why would his surgery be the same time as yours if his first appointment is on the 19th? Or is he going to self pay? I would just tell him in a nice and loving way, sweetie I'm so excited that we're both getting this done, let's just make sure we're both well versed in all of this incase one or the other of us needs some help or encouragement through this, or heaven forbid, if anything were to go wrong. Tell him you want to be able to care for him when the time comes for him to have his surgery and that you won't be able to give him the care he needs until you're around 6 weeks to 2 months post-op. But it's important for him to understand all of it so he can properly care for you as you recooperate. Then make fun couple time out of studying and quizzing each other on the process, healthy choices, etc.. whatever topics you feel need to be covered. Hope that helps.

LMAO... I took my first progress pic last night and it's the first time I took a pic straight on without the use of "flattering fat girl camera angles" in I can't even tell you how long. I'm sure you all know the tricks.. Camera UP way UP so you're looking up and the excess chin or in some cases chins are below your jawline and aren't seen in the picture... Uh huh... famous for those... That being said I didn't have to do that last night and I'm just one week well 10 days post op.. I'm SO excited!!! Progress, progress, progress!!! Love to see the changes! :Dancing_wub:

Ok well maybe just for a lil' bit.. So I'm 10 days post op and today was a test for me... and I failed MISERABLY. I woke up and went to church, got a craving went through the drive through figuring i"ll just eat the meat and the cheese. I get there and I see why I had the craving and why I was drawn to go to this place to help a young man feed his family after a tragedy. But that's another story.. So I go through the drive-thru and make the order...give the guy the food I bought for him and his family and speed off down the street to get to church.. I open the sandwich and go to pull the meat out, as I pull into church ready to set everything up, it's stuck to the bread because of the cheese. Without even thinking I get out of the car and go right into work mode walking with my staff as I'm eating and drinking.. before I realize it I'm a couple of bites I'm in and OMGOSH the pain, the nausea the UGH did I really just eat 1/2 of a mcmuffin??? and NOT chew chew chew it??? OMG I hunch over 1/2 trying to see if it can come back up... it won't come up.. all I want to do is throw up, it won't come up. It's stuck.. the pain, the pressure, the burping, the watering of the mouth that turned to dryness.. sip sip sip of water.. UGH it's stuck.. it's stuck omgosh it's stuck.. GOD PLEASE, I REPENT, I REPENT.. I promise I will follow the dr's order's to the letter if you just make the pain stop and let it get unstuck... I know I got this because of you and it's meant to enable me to do more work for you... and please I repent.. Omgoodness I think I'm going to throw up.... Nothing.... heave.. nothing...heave....Nothing... Urrrrrrrpppp.. NO not a burp, just let it come up PLEASE.. Heave.... urrrrrrrrrrpppppppppppppp I feel a lil' better.. but now my mouth is dry, I need water, I need this pain to stop.. omgosh I think I can actually FEEL my band OMG what did I do, what did I do? What did I do??? Please don't slip...please don't slip.. please don't slip... Father I thank you for rapid healing and no incident or harm to come to me or my band in the name of Jesus.. Thank you Father, thank you Jesus... thank you thank you thank you... Uuuuuuurrrrrrrrrppppp *Gasp* Water... Water...Water... All I want is ice and water for the next few days.. I can actually "FEEL" it all.. it's hot on my insides... I can feel the coolness of the water and ice run through my chest and into my pouch... this is it... blah

Starbursts do not count as "Gummies". Pasta especially covered in cheesey fattening goodness, in even a small bite or two are NOT your friend. Sugar cookies dissolve in your mouth before you even realize you put one in there and you're REALLY not supposed to be eating them. No those ghirardelli chocolate and caramel squares will not just melt and slide... Christmas parties and potlucks are the devil when you're a day short of being a week out of surgery. All of the above results in gas, and gas pains coming back even though you've been pain free for a week. Today I will do liquids all day, until dinner and then I will be VERY VERY VERY careful and then go back on to liquids to repair any damage I did last night... UGH...

After re-reading this thread I think you may have been meaning to quote and respond to princess rockem and her skin cream application repsonse before my response. If it was in fact meant for me - please see above. If not either way good info for everyone :smile:

I feel great. Day of surgery (Friday) was rough but I don't remember it (yay good drugs lol) I rested all weekend, was up and getting around on Sunday and was back to normal come Monday. My tips are have your pain meds ahead of time. Gas-x strips (use sparingly and only when the gas pressure is unbearable because the sooner it gets out the sooner you'll feel better - gas-x keeps it in) Heating pad (if you have two even better) Stay upright as much as possible (I slept upright for 3 days in a recliner) Walk as much as possible. Clear liquids first 48, even after the surgery even though you won't feel like much of anything, it's important to rehydrate. Follow your doctor's orders :smile: I couldn't tell you how great I feel, minus the gas everything is great I had a rapid recovery and am healing nicely

you'll be fine, as long as you've been adhearing. Sometimes it's not about losing weight, it's more about cleaning your liver of fat and toxins. The healthy food does this and your liver shrinks making it easier for the surgeons to work around it.

My own 140lbs+ weight loss in less than a year (pre-band) My multitude of celebrity fitness personalities and professional athlete clients I represent. My doctor and their doctors/trainers. Multitudes of medical and fitness research on the subject over the last 5 years. Vitamin K is what creates skins elasticity and promotes collagen along with Vitamins C, E, A and B complex. If you research it you'll find many sites and references on the subject. Here are some that are written in layman's terms for the general public: The Myth of Loose Skin Dieters: How to Avoid Loose Skin Problems by Janice Elizabeth Small Simply Slimming How to Tighten Loose Skin After Losing Weight: Saggy Skin Can Be Prevented and Fixed, Page 2 of 2 - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com Now you may be asking ok but??? The process as the first link goes into is that Protein feeds and builds your muscles, your muscles burn fat, in turn keeping your skin tight. I could show you some medical and industry sites as well that give you breakdown on how you should eat x amount of grams of protein per what you weigh and want to weigh to avoid excess skin. If you research the topic in depth, you'll come to find the same conclusion.

Exactly...our bands are now part of our body, it's very important to listen and take heed to what it's telling us. For example I KNOW redmeat is on the absolute "do not eat" list during month one, regardless of the idealology you're following for post-op diet. However, my body CRAVES redmeat, being an O blood type it is a necessary. I feel ill and sluggish without it pre-band and post. There are ways to prepare it to make it almost "mushie" and I have. Last night and today the left overs of it. I had 4oz of it and I feel better than I have since surgery. And my body and band has processed it and digested it just fine with no problem. It's important to remember what our bands do... our bands don't digest the food, we still have a stomach for that, they just monitor the amounts of food we can put in at one time. If I told everyone what I ate yesterday they'd all want to put me on timeout...But the band is about living your best live and achieving your best you, and that's exactly what I'm doing :thumbup:

Exactly.. that's the best attitude to have!

There's varying ideaology on this.. while I'm not going to tell anyone what to do and I say follow what your doctor has told you to do. Some of the leading WLS surgeons in the world say there's no issue with eating after the first 48 hours. There's certain foods that are completely off limits within your first month like corn, starches (bread,pasta, etc...) red meat, etc.. but if you do your OWN research and listen to YOUR body. I'm sure you'll do fine.

Ok so Friday 12/18/09 I got my band, I woke up going "OMG WHAT DID I DO TO MYSELF" as the pain kicked in. I'm not sure WHO lied and said it's painless, and you could totally be back to work on monday, but somebody did. I think compared to most I'm doing relatively well. My uncomfortableness (is that a word? wait it is now) is mostly from over doing it today and gas. Have I mentioned how much I distain gas??? like it's a serious pet peeve of mine when people burp or pass gas in other ways without excusing themselves from the room first, or worse do it and think it's funny. I think I'm emotionally scarred from all the belching lol. As I hid in my mom's room away from everyone but her, just repeating excuse me, excuse me, excuse me, over and over again. So much so she was like just stop saying it lol. Moving forward, I don't remember most of Friday. Yelling at the nurse, telling her to just stop talking. My friend putting me in the car to take me home, and then hours later my mom coming to rescue and taking me home with her. Don't remember much of that either. But I remember glimpses of it. YAY FOR GOOD DRUGS! Never would I ever tell anyone to do this as an "outpatient" I would suggest if you have the option to stay in the hospitial over night, that you STAY. Friday Day 1, I didn't eat anything, just water and ice chips. Saturday Day 2, I did some vegetable broth. But mostly water and ice chips with the occassional popsicle. Sunday Day 3, I woke up hungry... maybe it was the smell of the turkey that had been baking all night, or maybe just the fact that I hadn't eaten in about 5 days but I was hungry. I woke up and had some yogurt and helped my mom cook our "Turkmas" dinner - Basically christmas dinner but we have all the thanksgiving foods and it's usually a week before Christmas, so everyone can be there. Out of habit, as I was making the deviled eggs I tasted the filling, "hmmm that went down easy." Then my sister started serving up her pumpkin bread.. check on the list.. hard breads, hard breads.. hmmm week 3.. ok but it's kinda mushy and soft and oh so pumpkiny, I won't even put butter on it. So she gives me a 1/2 of an end piece. I pinch the corner off, just enough to get the taste in my mouth and let it disolve. I did that twice and then realized it wasn't her "from scratch" bread and threw it out. Proceeding with cooking the dinner (ok well HELPING, since I was in no shape to cook it like usual.) I made yams, and thought hmmm I could puree these.. wait I don't like candied yams/sweet potatos (I use sweet potato, but make it like yams, tastes better). But the sugary sweet glaze I made for them was delicious, I kept wanting to "test" it..I fought that battle and won. I know what sugar does to me without a band, not in a hurry to find out what it does to me with one. Ok so "Turkmas" 2, Me 1... Feeling the urge of hunger again, I look in the fridge for another yogurt or jello, but I see those deviled eggs. Mmm they're cool now.. I can just eat the filling. Filling of egg #1 gone, filling of egg #2, oh wait hard boiled egg is mushy.. let me see if I can. wait yep I can. Turkmas 4, me 1... The crowd gets there and they devoure my sister's homemade peanut butter fudge. I'd been avoiding it, no problem, but when everyone was surrounding the plate and raving about it.. I wanted a taste. I went to pick a lil' piece up and it crumbled. The lapband Gods make an interception.. Turkmas 4, me 1. Dinner is ready... my mom tells me she made things I could eat.. No mom, technically I'm not supposed to eat it yet, well wait let me just try it and see. Dinner is served, everyone gets their HUGE plates, I get a cake plate. I take exactly 1/2 teaspoon of all the things I think/know will go down: 1/2 teaspoon of mashed potatos 1/2 teaspoon of stuffing 1/2 teaspoon of gravy or well wait maybe a lil' more. 1/2 teaspoon green bean casserole (french) 1/2 teaspoon pistachio pudding salad 1/2 teaspoon of jello salad (my mom pureed all of the fruit into it so I could eat it and not have to chew or pick it out) 1 itty bitty piece of turkey (about the size of my spoon) So all in all I have 3-3.5 teaspoons of food on my mini plate. Everyone is looking at me and chuckling telling me, I'm a better person than they are, they just couldn't do it. That they wait all year for this meal. Umm I know, I cook it... it's freakin' OUTSTANDING.. but some things are more important. I take my time and try everything on my plate. My once around the plate equaled my brother's first piled on plate time. He says "I'm ready for seconds" and I say me too as I continue to dip the tip of my spoon into the seperate piles for the second time. About 1/2 way around I've had enough... 1/2 of what I took is now sitting on my plate. I figure if I get hungry I can go back and try more later... Oddly enough that lil' bit of food, still gave me the itis! Turkmas 10, me 1... lol I went upstairs and took a nap, woke up two hours later wondering if I missed pie. Pumpkin, hmmm I just eat the pumpkin part and not the crust...Redi whip too? Yes please... Turkmas 15, me 1... All and all I felt good, and I felt MUCH better after eating some real food, I came online and saw how some other people had blended up lasagna and chili, etc.. on day 3 so I felt pretty good about my choices, even if Turkmas kicked my butt... :cursing: