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Debra G

LAP-BAND Patients
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Blog Entries posted by Debra G

  1. Debra G
    This low calorie dish is One of six speedy — and delicious — sauces to serve with sautéed turkey breast. With these robust flavors bursting into your mouth, will have you wanting more.
     
    230 Calories per 1 breast serving
     
    Makes 4 main-dish servings
    Total Time: 20 min
     
    CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR MORE INFO ON THIS RECIPE AND SO MANY MORE:thumbup:
    http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/
  2. Debra G
    These Ricotta Crêpes with Plums are a combination of all the best things in life, great after any meal.
     
    Prep Time: 25 min
    Cook Time: 10 min
    Calories 235 Per 1 Crêpe
     
    CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR MORE INFO ON THIS RECIPE AND SO MANY MORE:thumbup:
    http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/
  3. Debra G
    What a beautiful day today in New Jersey! The sun is coming out - the weather is going to be nice, with a chance of rain later. Rain or no rain, warm weather or not, I am in a happy place. I have not felt this great in a long time.
     
    I am down to 197 pounds, from 288 when I had my surgery. There could be thunderstorms, hailstorms, 10 below, freezing rain -nothing will bring me down today!
     
    I have done a lot of hard work with this LAP-BAND® to stay on track - meaning exercising on a daily basis, eating healthier, watching every calorie that goes in my mouth. As we all know, this takes a lot of work. As I told those who said I took the easy way out - I said BAH - HUMBUG! There is nothing easy about this. I think lap banders are some of the strongest people. This is a life, body and mind change, just like with all the diets out there, you have to make a major change in your life, and this is no different.
     
    Everybody chooses the path that works for them, and I chose this one. With all diets and weight loss, we have to still do the work. I made the best choice in my life by doing this. I have so much more energy - I am so much happier, personable, confident, and I have so much more self-esteem.
     
    Last year at this time I was miserable - so sad. What a difference a year makes!
     
    My husband and I are going out today to celebrate my day. I am so giddy and happy, I feel like a kid going on a school outing to the circus (we actually ARE going to the circus today!).
     
    To all my friends out there, have a wonderful day, and thanks so much for your ongoing support! :tt1:
     
    CHECK OUT MY BLOG TO SEE ANY OF MY RECIPES OF THE DAY AND EXERCISE TIPS OF THE DAY ALONG WITH SO MUCH MORE.
    http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/
  4. Debra G
    Looking for a desert for a dinner party or just a nice family desert.
    Impress your friends and family with this great summertime tiramisu!
     
    Makes 8 Servings
     
    175 Calories Per 3 oz serving
     
    CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR MORE INFO ON THIS RECIPE AND SO MANY MORE:thumbup:
    http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/
  5. Debra G
    Serve these pretty lettuce wraps as a first course or a light entrée. Fresh mint and cilantro keep it fresh, while savory sautéed shrimp and vegetables provide substance and color.
    Makes 4 serverings
     
    CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR MORE INFO ON THIS RECIPE AND SO MANY MORE:thumbup:
    http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/
  7. Debra G
    I had been feeling ill from my last fill on Thursday. Today am feeling so much better, am almost back to my 100% self again. Taking it slow today am only going to eat mushy foods and my Jell-O with my boost and some of my low cal ice pops, and some broth that will fill me up for the day. Do not want to eat solid foods just yet. The last time I ete solid food was on Wednesday. Yes I want it so badly but slow is the best way. Tomorrow I will have solids again. I so wanted to break my 200 mark by my birthday June 16th, the scale was moving very slowly for me last month but I did it, I BROKE MY 200 MARK!! As of today I got on the scale and I was amazed to see what I saw. I'm 198 as of today. I'm down 90 pounds. YEAAAA:biggrin:. So I cried for a while and had a long look at myself in my mirror and I loved what I saw, for the first time in a long time I did not mind looking at myself in that mirror. Wow what a huge difference. I CRIED FROM PURE JOY!!:thumbup:
     
    CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR MORE INFO ABOUT MY JOURNEY AND SOME GREAT RECIPES.
    http://life-after-lap-band®.blogspot.com/
  10. Debra G
    I had my 1/2 cc fill on Thursday and
    I'm feeling tight. This is the amount I get all the time - it has worked for me, until now. I have been sick for a few days now, not 100% myself. And I have not eaten anything since Wednesday night. All I have been able to eat was Jell-O, and my low-cal ice pops. Even my boost is not going down well.
     
    I lost 5 pounds from Thursday, down to 201 now. I try to take my 3 mile walk on Friday but I had to cut it short, because I felt like I was going to throw up. So I went back home.
     
    In the past when I had this feeling it would take a few days before I would be ok again. This is takeing a little longer to get back to my 100% self. So if I'm still feeling this way on Monday I think I will need to go back to my Doctor's office and get my frist unfill.:frown:
     
    CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR MORE INFO ABOUT MY JOURNEY AND MY RECIPES OF THE DAY.
     
    http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/
  11. Debra G
    This is what I have experienced and noticed. This is only my view on this - it may not reflect everyone else's view.
     
    Men are nicer to thinner women. The reason I say this is, now that I have lost close to 86 pounds, I have noticed some differences in men's behavior towards me. They are offering me their seats, holding doors open for me, letting me get in line ahead of them, fighting to keep the elevator doors open so they do not close on me, more men are saying good morning, looking and nodding toward me in a friendly way. A few have have even tried to pick me, up - even men as young as my 30 year-old daughter! (I am a happily married woman and would never take the bait, but... it's nice!)
     
    No matter what our ages are, we as women still like to know we still got it! LOL.
     
    When I was 86 pounds heavier, not many would offer their seat to me (while at the same time they would offer their seat to a thinner woman right next to me) or hold the door for me - and they probably prayed I would not get on to the elevator because of the capacity of the elevator's weight load. There is a lot of discrimination in this country against heavier people. I'm still the same person with a good heart with or without the 86 pounds.
     
    The reason I bring this up is that I had a doctor's appointment yesterday, and I saw a huge difference in the way men interact with me.
     
    Again, this is only my point of view. Please share your comments on this - I'd like to hear from others about this particular situation.
     
    You can check out my blog to follow my journey at: :bored:
     
    http://life-after-lap-band®.blogspot.com/
  12. Debra G
    This traditional cajun-Creole dish will please the palate with it's mix of robust flavors! With this dish, you can bring Louisiana to your kitchen. I'm sure it will be enjoyed by your friends and family.
     
    CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR MORE INFO ON THIS RECIPE AND SO MANY MORE:thumbup:
     
    http://life-after-lap-band®.blogspot.com/
  13. Debra G

    Had My Fill Today!

    By Debra G,

    I did lose more weight then I thought. I thought it was 4 pounds, truned out it was 6.5 pounds from the last Doctor's appointment. Not to bad. I get a fill of 1/2 cc when needed each time, that's enough for me. I had wanted to lose enought weight to break that 200 pound mark, by my birthday June 16th. Not going to happen:sad:, but on the up side, I'm down 82 pounds in all from last year's brithday.:bored:
     
    CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR MORE INFO ON ME AND MY GREAT RECIPES OF THE DAY AND SO MUCH MORE.
     
    http://life-after-lap-band®.blogspot.com/
  14. Debra G
    What a summer treat on a hot day. This tangy treat can be made in adults-only and kid-friendly (no booze, just juice) versions.
    Make this in advance.To have enough time to freeze this dessert, it’s as simple as can be: water and sugar are boiled, mixed with lemon juice and lemon zest and frozen until ready to serve.
     
    CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR MORE INFO ON THIS RECIPES AND SO MANY MORE.:bored:
     
    http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/
  15. Debra G
    Looking forward to today - I'm getting my 6th fill - 1/2 cc, which works for me. This has been a very slow month for me losing weight, the scale has not moved much - I know I lost at least 4 pounds - maybe more than that, I'll find out when I get to the doctor today.
     
    But on the upside, I'm very grateful and happy for all the weight I have lost, and I view the scale as my friend, not my enemy.
     
    I'm still cooking my delicious meals - I so love my cooking, lol. I've been a cook for a long time, and I'm so happy I'm still able to do it - and to share my passion of cooking with all my friends and family and all my blogger friends.
     
    So untill I come back, that's all for now.
     
    :eek:
  16. Debra G
    Satisfy your sweet tooth with this under-200-calorie treat.
    Who says you have to skip dessert to stay lean? The following low-calorie confection lets you indulge without any of the guilt.
     
    CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR INFO ON THIS RECIPE AND SO MANY MORE!
    :eek:
     
    http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/
  17. Debra G
    I had the best affair of all times. We loved each other, understood each other, wanted each other. When I was sad FOOD was there for me, when I was happy FOOD was there for me. I woke up wanting it and went to sleep wanting it.
     
    In the mornings when I opened the refrigerator it would say "Hello Debra, how was your night, I miss you", and I would reply "I am well, I could not wait to see you too". I would say "what do you have for me today to eat?". And I would hear "hummm - take a look - I have some goodies in here for you eat, be happy lets start our day together". And my "Food Love Affair" would start all over again.
     
    Food has never let me down when some people have - I could always count on my food, to give me that extra boost and that happy feeling in my heart. When I had a hard day at work, I knew there was something waiting for me when I got home - my food, my best friend. Food never said 'no' to me, it was always "yes Debra!".
     
    I finally had a long talk with my food and told it I must end this affair - it was no longer working for me. And I did cry, I must say knowing that it was coming to an end. I made sure to tell the food we will see each other again, so it's not good bye, just so long for now we will meet again one day. The day I said goodbye was the day of my surgery, October 26, 2009.
     
    I felt like I was detoxing from something I had been with a for so long. We eventually
    became reunited, not as the love affair we once had, but as dear friends. I set some ground rules to my food friend: I will only come to you to eat healthier, not use you as a crutch, nor let you become my whole life again.
     
    So my love affair is no longer, but I now have a healthier friend - MY FOOD and I.
     
    I know this may sound nuts but its really how I used to live and how I viewed my food.
     
    :eek:
    CHECK OUT MY BLOG. FOR MORE INFO AND MY JOURNEY.
     
    http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/
  18. Debra G
    Hello to all my friends and cooks out there, here is another one of my dishes for you to try out. Hope you like it.
     
    This is a great Greek recipe that is not only healthy but tastes good too. A wonderful appetizer great for the summer and all year round. It's called a cigar because once it's rolled and stuffed it looks like a cigar.
     
    CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS RECIPE AND SO MANY MORE! :eek:
    http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/
  19. Debra G

    My Story - Part I

    By Debra G,

    Date of Surgery: October 26, 2009 (my "re-birth day")
    Pre-op weight: 288
    Current weight: 208
    weight goal: 150
     
     
    Pre-op health issues:
    sleep apnea
    asthma
    high cholesterol
    joint pain
    difficulty walking, needed cane often
    shortness of breath
    had surgery on both knees due to torn cartilages from excessive weight
    back surgery was recommended
     
    I could not walk more than 1 1/2 blocks before I was out of breath, and experienced severe lower back pain that made me cry and stop in my tracks. My doctor was adamant that I had to have back surgery, saying it was not related to my weight. I needed numerous cortisone shots to relieve the pain. The back doctor told me I had to have back surgery if I wanted to be able to walk without pain - "I SAID NO". I wanted to see if the pain would subside if I lost some weight, AND IT DID!
     
    I no longer walk with a cane. I can walk many blocks without shortness of breath and WITHOUT PAIN.
     
    Dr. George Fielding of the NYU Program for Surgical Weight Loss and his staff saved my life. There are two other wonderful doctors at NYU, Christine J. Ren Fielding (his wife) and Marina Kurian. Although I was confident that any of these three doctors would do a good job, I chose Dr. Fielding for several reasons. First, he had the LAP-BAND® surgery himself, and I felt he would really know what I was going through, and that he would really understand my feelings. Second, he is an Aussie, and I love his accent (LOL) - I love to hear him talk, so I ask him a lot of silly questions just to hear him talk in that Australian accent.
     
     
    I have had five fills so far - I skipped one month because my band was still very tight, and I knew they would tell me I did not need a fill - and I would still have to pay the co-pay. I saved myself a $40.00 co-pay (lol).
     
    I am going in for my 6th filling today, May 13, 2010.
     
    The only thing I hate about their office is that their scale always shows me three pounds heavier than my home scale! So I always ask if I can bring in my scale with me but after laughing at me, they tell me I can't do it (Grrrrr).
     
    I was told by Gaspar, one of the Nurse-Practitioners, that I should write an article for their newsletter about the type of exercising I do to help with the weight loss. I do lots of home exercising by using things commonly found at home, such as lifting weights (liquid laundry detergent), etc! I am thinking about doing that, but I also thought about starting this blog to have a shared support system.
     
    In this blog, hopefully you will find many helpful tools, such as:
    1. healthy recipes, called recipe of the day
    2. types of exercises
    3. activities
    4. ability to share your thoughts and feelings
     
    http://life-after-lap-band®.blogspot.com/
    :thumbup::thumbup:
  21. Debra G
    Still struggling with pacing my food intake. I find myself quite often making several mistakes. I sometimes I forget to pay attention to the lab band eating rules, and this always ends up causing me distress. I sometimes eat to much, or too fast, not waiting 60 seconds between each bite, or failing to chew my food 30 - 40 times before swallowing.
    Sometimes I do not wait 30 - 60 minutes after eating before I drink liquids. When I do not follow these rules, I end up in distress - I feel tightness in my chest, I start belching and sometimes I have to throw up.
    I am lucky - my husband and family are my biggest supporters. I must say my husband is a gem - he has made a point of knowing the rules, and tries to diplomatically (LOL) let me know when I am eating too fast or breaking any of the other rules. When he brings this to my attention, It helps me pay attention to what I should be doing.
    I went out yesterday to a family event, where there was tons of food. I began nibbling on the appetizers, and I got excited about the fact I was able to eat, and that is when I should have stopped. But I did not stop eating, and that's when I began to experience that tightness in the chest, and I ended up running to the ladies room to throw up.
    So, although I have been doing very well for the past seven months since the surgery (I have lost 80 pounds so far), it has been a challenge for me to change the eating habits of a lifetime. They say it takes about a year to develop the new eating habits, and I am continuing to work on this very important aspect.
    So let's all work on remembering to follow the LAP-BAND rules!
     
    CHECK OUT MY BLOG TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MY JOURNEY.:thumbup:
     
    http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/
  23. Debra G

    Morning walk!

    By Debra G,

    It's time for my walk. I need to get it in before the heat comes. It's now 6:00 AM.
    For the past month and a half I have been walking daily, and now I am up to 3 miles. It has helped me with toning up my legs. I find after my morning workout, I have lots of energy for the day - it keeps me positive.
     
    I have a lot of toning to do. One of my biggest fears is losing so much weight and having my skin stretch out so badly that I will have all that hanging skin that is common with this weight loss.
     
    With the lap band, working out is a big key, and I know a lot of us are not used to it. I was not always this size - I was a size 12 for many years, and a fitness junkie. But as I gained weight, I lost the energy and the will to want to work out.
     
    So with the loss of 80 pounds, I got back the motivation to get back into fitness and health. In the past, I have joined gyms, but like most, I stopped going. Now, what I've done is come up with, and incorporate many exercises I can do from home and get the same results as if I were in the gym. In this economy, where things are so hard for so many of us, we try to save money where we can - but it does not mean I have to skimp on my health - hence I started my home exercise routine.
     
    You can check out my blog, with some more information on this and what I do to help deal with the sagging skin.
     
    Check out this site: http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/ :thumbup:
  24. Debra G
    I'm having my 8th doctor's appointment. In my previous 7 appointments, I have had only 5 fills. On one occasion, I turned down a fill because I still felt tight, and I knew I didn't need it. Last month, my doctor said am doing great -I lost 12 pounds from my last fill, so I did not need one. I lost 80 pounds since my surgery on Oct 26, 2009.
     
    I know I need a fill for June because I am feeling a little hungry at times and drinking a lot more liquids. I'm still doing great, BUT IN MY HEAD I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD HAVE LOST A LOT MORE - 'grrrrrrr'. I lost only 4 pounds from last month to now, so it's time for my 1/2 cc fill - that's what works for me each time I get my fills. It took some playing around to find what works for me. So I'm going in next Wednesday for my tweaking, that's what the Nurse Practitioner and I call it.
     
    I did not lose as much as I had hoped this month. I normally lose anywhere from 8 pounds to 13 pounds a month. I feel great and I'm looking good to. I work out every day, walk 3 miles a day. YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON MY BLOG. I have a lot of tips, workout exercises that I do and wonderful recipes. I love to cook, always have. I love to have dinner parties. My friends and family tell me that I should go into catering. I had to find a way to keep doing what I love the most, and that's cooking. Ok, and eating.. lol.
     
    Seeing how I do not eat as much anymore, I love to watch others enjoy my cooking. I have recipes of the day on my blog and a lot more, so have a look and let me know if it's helpful to you. :smile2:
    http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/
  25. Debra G
    I'm having my 8th doctor's appointment. In my previous 7 appointments, I have had only 5 fills. On one occasion, I turned down a fill because I still felt tight, and I knew I didn't need it. Last month, my doctor said am doing great -I lost 12 pounds from my last fill, so I did not need one. I lost 80 pounds since my surgery on Oct 26, 2009.
    I know I need a fill for June because I am feeling a little hungry at times and drinking a lot more liquids. I'm still doing great, BUT IN MY HEAD I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD HAVE LOST A LOT MORE - 'grrrrrrr'. I lost only 4 pounds from last month to now, so it's time for my 1/2 cc fill - that's what works for me each time I get my fills. It took some playing around to find what works for me. So I'm going in next Wednesday for my tweaking, that's what the Nurse Practitioner and I call it.
    I did not lose as much as I had hoped this month. I normally lose anywhere from 8 pounds to 13 pounds a month. I feel great and I'm looking good to. I work out every day, walk 3 miles a day. YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON MY BLOG. I have a lot of tips, workout exercises that I do and wonderful recipes. I love to cook, always have. I love to have dinner parties. My friends and family tell me that I should go into catering. I had to find a way to keep doing what I love the most, and that's cooking. Ok, and eating.. lol.
    Seeing how I do not eat as much anymore, I love to watch others enjoy my cooking. I have recipes of the day on my blog and a lot more, so have a look and let me know if it's helpful to you. :smile2:
    http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/
     

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