Will_B_Healthy

OMG. 4 or 5 cups per meal? What were your portions pre-op? I'm 3 months post op and my meals average just over 6 oz. I am 308 pounds now having shed 79 pounds so far. I also exercise 45 minutes a day. I do have periods of extreme but managed hunger. I am amazed at the 4 - 5 cups / meal though. Has your nutritionist chimed in on this?

Today marks three months since banding. What a difference! * I can cut my toenails without passing out. * I am wearing a dress shirt with a 17.5" collar. * I have a belt that I last wore two years ago and I am in the fifth notch. * Six trousers are in for alteration --taking them in rather than letting them out! *I can put my socks on without help and no longer am confined to loafers and slip ons -- laced shoes again. * My wife is smiling when she sees me and my daughters tell me how proud they are of me.:cool2: * The dog that used to hide whenever I picked up the leash now cries, barks, and jumps at the front door at the mere mention of "going for a walk." * I wore the heels off a pair of sneakers and wear a pedometer with a goal of 10,000 steps per day. * My tidy-whities are drooping and I fit into chairs that used to require a shoe horn.:thumbup: * To date I am down 79.6 pounds and now am logging my measurements to track the losses in inches, too. * I have not had any insulin since two days after banding, cut my oral meds to 1/4 of my pre-op doses, weaning off one drug at a time under the supervision of my family doctor. Blood sugar is gradually declining and well within the recommended borders.:smile: * In short, I am truly living life again, thanking the Lord for leading me to this path, allowing me to serve others in a multitude of ways. I continue to be blessed through His grace. I had my second fill last week and felt the restriction right away but have adjusted well without ever revisiting what I consumed. Met with my nutritionist earlier this week and I am making smart choices and learning to adjust my food selections to achieve my daily and long term goals. Although I haven't attended the support group meetings and want to, the best I can do is meeting with them once a month (they meet twice each month). I have a time conflict: I feed the hungry with my Mission Committee volunteers the same night the support group meets. Enough about me though. This blog is a wonderful resource and an easy means to share and exchange ideas. Please actively participate. As always, WB

I am 62 and it is three months since my banding. I never considered age as a determining factor. Maybe the insurance company Nazis do and maybe some cynical thirty-something doctors might allude to the increased risks, dangers, etc. But forget them. There are three blog sites devoted to fifties, sixties, and seventies. Don't make age an excuse for not living. Twelve months pre-op I had reconciled my fate, accepted I would die an obese pathetic diabetic. And then I had a brush with that harsh reality, close enough to smell the flowers strewn across my coffin, close enough to realize had I ignored the after hours doctor I would have died. It was an epiphany, not Saul struck blind on the road to Damascus, but it was a truly defining experience for me. Simply: I chose to live. I chose to start living and was determined to make this a life choice not a surgical procedure. If you read my blog you will discover in the past 90 days post op I have all but abandoned the need for diabetes medication. That alone is reason enough to have banded. There is much more I could tell you but it comes down to a choice. Do you want to revisit quality living or discover it? Get informed, ask the surgeons and physicians and nutritionists and other banders the value, the personal value of banding. Keep us posted. As always, WB

I was banded exactly three months ago so my memories of the pre-op anxiety is relatively fresh. By the time I had my surgery, I was ready, truly committed to making a huge change in direction. I am not here to tell you to not worry or relax or anything soothing -- how could I do that? I have no earned "cred" with you. I do hope you have or are building a support team of friends and family from whom that advice has value. This isn't something you can do in isolation. For me electing to get banded was the most selfish decision of my life and the smartest choice I've ever made. Within a few days post-op when I was walking around the block for the first time in years I knew this was a great adventure. It didn't take long to understand what my surgeon told me early on: the band is just a tool, offering a temporary and artificial barrier that most any human can overcome. Homo sapiens are notoriously creative problem solvers and have a superb ability for self-deception, too. We can convince ourselves that what we are doing is really okay even if all the evidence points otherwise. There is post on this site about how a bander was able to eat a Big Mac and fries; all he had to do was chew and chew and chew. My older sister was banded two years ago and has lost a total of thirty-five pounds; considering she still tips the scale at over 200 pounds and is only 5'3" that is not too noteworthy. Her portions are small but it is what she is eating not how much that is her undoing. She is the poster girl for pathetic rationalizing. But I have also read and spoken to hundreds of successful banders who have been down these paths, pranced and preened, and have sometimes run with abandon, sometimes stumbled, even fallen, and yet found something somewhere important enough to get back on the course. It isn't just will power, or commitment, or routine, or any one thing. It is finding what will work best for you. It is taking charge of your life, of learning all you can and not being afraid to ask when you don't know, of setting achievable goals and looking at how far you have come rather than how far you have to go. In short it is finding your own way. And understanding we often get in our own way. You have begun a journey that will be unlike any other. Guaranteed. Enjoy the scenery, get actively involved, be bold and open as you gain confidence in what you are doing. And don't forget to post and visit this site. Regards as always, WB

When did you get banded? How are you progressing? You commented/replied to my blog today and I thank you for your kind words and encouragement. Your concern about the flabby stuff is a common thread amongst the former fatties. At least you are doing something about it. I am looking forward to seeing less and less of you. You are photogenic so we will all be beneficiaries of your success. Post when you can. As always, WB

Today marks three months since banding. What a difference! * I can cut my toenails without passing out. * I am wearing a dress shirt with a 17.5" collar. * I have a belt that I last wore two years ago and I am in the fifth notch. * Six trousers are in for alteration --taking them in rather than letting them out! *I can put my socks on without help and no longer am confined to loafers and slip ons -- laced shoes again. * My wife is smiling when she sees me and my daughters tell me how proud they are of me. * The dog that used to hide whenever I picked up the leash now cries, barks, and jumps at the front door at the mere mention of "going for a walk." * I wore the heels off a pair of sneakers and wear a pedometer with a goal of 10,000 steps per day. * My tidy-whities are drooping and I fit into chairs that used to require a shoe horn. * To date I am down 79.6 pounds and now am logging my measurements to track the losses in inches, too. * I have not had any insulin since two days after banding, cut my oral meds to 1/4 of my pre-op doses, weaning off one drug at a time under the supervision of my family doctor. Blood sugar is gradually declining and well within the recommended borders. * In short, I am truly living life again, thanking the Lord for leading me to this path, allowing me to serve others in a multitude of ways. I continue to be blessed through His grace. I had my second fill last week and felt the restriction right away but have adjusted well without ever revisiting what I consumed. Met with my nutritionist earlier this week and I am making smart choices and learning to adjust my food selections to achieve my daily and long term goals. Although I haven't attended the support group meetings and want to, the best I can do is meeting with them once a month (they meet twice each month). I have a time conflict: I feed the hungry with my Mission Committee volunteers the same night the support group meets. Enough about me though. This blog is a wonderful resource and an easy means to share and exchange ideas. Please actively participate. As always,

No offense but change the moniker; there is truth in the self-fulfilling prophesy. How about FormerFatGirl? We who have joined this blog and post are here because we were something we didn't want to be, because we value life to that of suicide by eating, because we know there is power in the support from others, because we can find beauty where we once only dreamed. Put on your positive armor and don't fear the unknown. You are headed down a path to success, gaining momentum as you shed the flab. Take a last look at what you are leaving behind. You don't drive your car looking in the rear view mirror do you? An occasional glance to make sure the past isn't gaining on you doesn't hurt but keeping your focus on what you are becoming will plant the seeds for your achievements. As always, WB

I may as well join the chorus: it is a great post. Insightful, honest, inspiring. Thanks for taking the time to share your talents with us. BTW: I am not sure what a DH is though. Perhaps a Designated Husband, Dear Husband, Devoted Husband, Demented Husband, Delightful Husband, Damned Husband . . .

Amen to Maggs79 except the oatmeal and tuna. They both can create more pain than pleasure. Hold off on the oatmeal for a while. The canned tuna or chick packed in water when drained tends to be too dry; mix a 2 oz serving with a tablespoon of non fat/low fat mayo and a tablespoon of pickle relish and it takes on an easier consistency. To Maggs79's point, a small food processor can turn most anything into puree of your imagination. Experimenting is half the fun. BTW: Jello's new chocolate mousse is an answer to prayer. Check out a book you can use through all phases of post-op: Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery by Patt Levine. Some yummy stuff therein. Keep your focus on the long term goals and you can overcome the greatest obstacles you imagine.

I posted this question on my blog and got absolutely no feedback, so I figured either nobody wanted to step up to the question, or everybody was reading somebody else's horror story, or I was spitting into the wind. After my first fill (three weeks post-op appointment), I asked my surgeon when should I have another fill and he rattled off what sounded like a zen koan: when you are able to eat most anything, keep it down yet still feel hungry shortly after your meal, and you are not losing weight or it has really slowed down, then call for an appointment . . . You know the sound of two hands clapping; what is the sound of one hand clapping . . . So pretend I am your grandchild and explain it so I can understand it, please!:ohmy: When should I ask for another fill? I think I am doing great with this whole thing but how do you really know? What are the metrics for success? Along the way I have hit a few plateaus, the longest was three days and zippo: my scale was frozen. So I thought maybe this is what the doc meant. Sure enough the next time I stepped on the scale I was down 1.8 lbs. So here is what it comes down to: Can anybody offer some sound advice to this newbie bander? With affection and gusto, WB

I've been a type 2 diabetic for more than ten years, on insulin for the past 18 months (up to six injections a day) and taking heavy does of oral meds on top of all of that just to keep my BS around 140. I am ten weeks post op. I tell everyone having either banding or bi-pass, you are doing the best and most selfish thing in your life. You, your surgeon, nutritionist, and God are putting 10+ years to your life. The weight loss is fantastic, but for me the best byproduct is I am no longer taking insulin at all -- none since my surgery -- and I am weaning myself off my oral meds with the help of my doctor -- 1/8th of the dosage. That pleases me more than anything else. Of course it is nice to wear clothes not just 4X warmups that fit, sizes from the distant past, even my old everyday shoes are roomy. All in all this is a wonderful gift. Just keep in mind, this is a marathon not a sprint. Time is what you are giving yourself so use it wisely and develop if you don't have it already a positive outlook. There are still many hills to climb and plateaus to cross, but the journey is the joy. Enjoy it. I will say a prayer for you on your surgery date. Hope you don't mind.

Free? Wow! The only free stuff I got was a CD-ROM (cheesy marketing pitch mostly; would have liked a copy of Jurassic Park instead!) along with a spiral bound book on nutrition and hints about the post op phases of diets (which was cool). I don't think I am ready to shell out 55 clams for a plate, bowl and book. Not that I am cheap I just find that ramkins, dessert plates and small cereal bowls work fine for me. I use a scale and measuring cups, too, so having a graduated bowl seems silly and that goofy plate with lines is over the top: I really am capable of dividing my plate with half Protein, one-quarter each of veggies and fruit. I mean how hard is that? Measured portions is the key but whatever floats your boat! If it works for her, great. I will spend my dough on foods I can eat and enjoy or maybe take in a movie . . . or get a new pair of slacks that fit me. Time for me to sign off. I am making too many typos and spending too much time correcting this. Blessings to all.

You rock girl. That is one sumptuous meal and great pics. too. I am up at 2 AM -- couldn't sleep. Loose stools - yuk. Had my 2nd fill Monday and doing the POW diet for a couple days to adjust (Protein shake, broth, Jell-o, with a SF snack or two to keep from killing a family member or co-worker). The dinner ware looks terrific; I have bookmarked the site for future use. You are looking good. Keep it up.

I am a Christian man living in a primarily secular world and in a nation that ironically espouses Christian ideals but practices and worships otherwise, I appreciate the observation of born agains as pushy and displaying insecurity. I liken this behavior to anyone new to a healthy experience: i.e., the recently converted non-smoker, the newbie bander, someone who has just completed a 5k/10K run. I don't mean to pigeon hole them, but these and new born agains in their joyful enthusiasm are too often extolling the virtues of what they perceive as a newly found panacea -- real or too often otherwise. There are striking differences: Christians are encouraged to be patient and accepting with/of others, even those who bear them malice. Seculars may share this same belief but spurn the communal experience. What seems to be a growing declaration (a position I see as hedging your bet) is "I am spiritual rather than religious." Such a statement is either invested with circular reasoning or absence of any: netting out, as Mr. Spock would observe, illogical. If someone is pushy it may be decidedly because of the individual feeling the pressure. Understandably: your sensibilities and mores are challenged and that makes you uncomfortable, defensive, angry. Yet if the table was turned, that you are the instigator of the "attack" instead of the target, would the level of discord be different? So it is a matter of how secure you are in your belief structure not how "pushy" someone else may be. The eminent psychiatrist Carl Jung was asked if he believed in God. He said, "No. I don't believe I know." Regards to all, WB

Thanks for the other sites you shared. Good luck with your banding. Seems like you are intellectually ready and working on the emotional side, too. Relax. It was a great and life-saving choice. Brace yourself for a great ride ahead of you!

That is great advice and I appreciate you reaching out to me, too.

Thanks for the response. Good luck. I will have to try the tostada test sometime!

Thanks for your reply and helpful suggestions, too. I suppose the only thing worse than being hungry is coping with the anxiety of the scale. Losing weight is so motivating; anything else seems, well, failing although I know it isn't. I have to appreciate where I am rather than where I am not. Sounds easier than it is. Regards in any case. Will

Wow! That is fantastic, girl. As that old song goes, "It's not where you start it's where you finish. . ." Best wishes and God's speed! Keep posting your results. WB

My shrink whom I had one consult over the phone pre-surgery (my insurance required it) recommended EATING WELL AFTER WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY. I found it very useful, informative, plus the recipes are varied and simple and geared to where you are in your journey, too. I was going loopy on the "baby food consistency" phase and this was an oasis.

Although I am a hopeless romantic:redface:, I usually don't put much stock in faux-anniversaries since the root of "anniversary" refers to a year. Two months is just that: two months. A two-month anniversary sounds stupid to me or at the very least oxymoronic. But I digress. Just over two months ago I was anxious, fearful, self-loathing, discouraged, and fat to name a few. I am still fearful but I have learned to like/love myself a lot more now since I showed both courage and fortitude in banding and sticking to a rigid food regime. As that ugly goo slips away and the scale shows a downward plunge, I am encouraged. People are noticing the change in me -- both physically and in my overall attitude, I am fitting in clothes that have hung unworn for months, my energy level is noticeably higher, exercise is not a "have to do" but a "want to do", planning meals is actually fun, reading labels, understanding the difference in a good choice vs. a bad one, becoming nutrition knowledgeable is very cool, and all in all, I'm convinced banding was the smartest choice I have made since marrying my wife. I love visiting this site and enjoy posting, too but I feel like I may be overstating the case. I know I am still very much a newbie -- two months is nothing compared to some of the others here. What I can speak to with authority is how this new adventure is helping me right now. I hope to be encouraging to others in what I say or write but I still have difficulty responding to the negative posts or comments. I suppose that is to be expected given what I know about human nature. Anyhow, if anyone wants to respond or just engage in a dialogue, especially anyone that has some creative breakfast suggestions, please do. Until we meet again, I hope to see less and less of all of you (LOL):thumbup: WB

I had to let you know how much I love that photo of you! My old weak eyes detect two different decks of playing cards in your hand, fanning coyly at the camera. Your post-op log is great, too. I should have done that and regret it now. There were swirls of ideas, thoughts, comments literally spewing through me over the initial hours and days after my banding (03/26). Like most memories, we get selective in our recollections, inflating and deflating, all diffused. It is crazy that anyone believes the testimony of witnesses given what happens to our memories over the span of time. You rekindled a few with your comments though. My initial recollection coming out of surgery was anything but fine; it was downright scarey, nightmarish. The good news was it wasn't that long. The bad news was they hadn't removed the catheter and when they did, whoo-wee did I let out a scream. Big sissy that I am! Anyhow, best of luck. Glad to have you on the blog. Think beautiful thoughts and when Tinkerbell comes by you can fly. WB

I have read a few of your other entries and you are becoming the poster girl for banding. You look great and you must be feeling fantastic. What is it like to walk a mile in a pool? How long does this take you? I have access to a junior olympic size pool about three blocks from my house that is free to HOA members. It is only 25 yards wide in the shallow end, so if my math is correct I would need to do 51 laps (down and back) walking. That must take you a while but it is far easier on your ankles, knees, joints, etc. than regular walking while offering increased resistance -- like pulling a child in a wagon behind you. Great idea! Don't know if it is something I would do or could do without a waterproof iPod. Keep up the great work. WB

Dallen: I found the Muscle Milk products, too. They are great, tasty, and priced fairly. I haven't seen the S&C you mentioned -- where did you find it? GNC? I recently picked up a tub of strawberry flavored whey protein powder at Walmart; label indicated 52 grams of protein so I tossed it into the basket. When I got home and actually read the label, it turned out to be 2 scoops for 52 gms. The Muscle Milk I was using was 26 gms per scoop, so there was no real difference. Hang that Read The Damn Label sign around my neck. I was on the POW diet (that is what I named the all liquid portion: protein drink, broth, Jell-o) for two weeks before and three weeks after; by the time the Baby Food phase kicked in I went nuts fixing my first 2 oz serving of refried beans! It wasn't like chewing a steak, but it was heavenly. Hang tough. It isn't easy (some days are better; some are worse) but it is managable. And you have broken the code: it is a mind thing! Add to this exercising 30 minutes total each day (walking), then do the math. You are taking in about 30% of the calories you are used to and burning calories: you can't help but lose weight. Congrats and best regards, WB

MellBell: I feel your frustration and pain. Most of the fatties I know or have corresponded with empathize, too. But that isn't much comfort. What I can say is keep an open mind and research this. Look for every resource you can to get as much info as possible. Search the Net for everything there is on lap-banding; find people who have been through it or are about to and ask them why they chose lap-band over other choices. Create a list of questions and book a consultation with a weight specialist and a nutritionist. Discriminate. In the best sense of that word, learn to sort the wheat from the chaffe because you are going to hear some BS from some people, some will be sincere, some will be exaggerating, and some will simply not know what they are talking about. But listen to all of them. There is a common thread for you. Take your time. This can be a serious life changing experience. You need to be 100% on board with your decision. Banding was a life saving choice for me. Three reasons for my choice: my wife and my two daughters. As I look back now, I was committing suicide by food. I was at the brink of 400 pounds (actually had reached 408), my type 2 diabetes was in check but only because I was injecting insulin four to six times a day along with heavy doses of oral medication, and I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. My job was toxic. I hated who I was and what I had become: a loser. A big fat loser. In short I was miserable, exhausted, and sickly. I spent SuperBowl weekend in the hospital with acute bronchitis (originally diagnosed as congestive heart failure). I had been pursuing Lap-banding for over six months but not until that hospital weekend did I really commit to living. This is not Pollyanna: when I made that decision, everything fell into place. I had prayed about it and researched it but there comes a time to fish or cut bait: you have to do something. My choice was to band. Now I can't say it has been easy or simple. It hasn't. And I was scared even up to the time they wheeled me into the OR. My immediate post op hour was dreadful. But given the options -- living healthy, feeling good, sleeping regularly, eating smart, exercising regularly -- versus what and where I was -- choosing to band produced positive things. I am about one-third of my way to my goal weight; today is exactly two months since my surgery. My attitude is 180 degrees different than before. There are still mountains to climb and disappointments to face, but if it weren't a challenge the fruit wouldn't taste so sweet. I am committed to living. MellBell, you can become a different person lots of different ways. Ultimately it comes down to personal choices. You still have plenty of those before you. Don't settle for anything but what is the best choice for you. May God give you His grace and courage to find your answer. Keep us all posted. WB