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Thank you very much Freckles, and well done on the not smoking. I had always struggled to give up but cut down t 3 a day when treatment started and havent smoked since we found out I was Pregnant. Hello everyone else well done scooby on your 6 stone xx Im gonna have to start moving my weight loss ticker the other way, put on 10lb since defill 4 weeks ago . it has levelled out in last few days thank god so must be fully re hydrated now. Seeing midwife tomorrownfor first ante natal so dont want to start being lectured for weight gain! Take care all xx

Hi there. I hope you had a nice holiday! Don't beat yourself up about the weight gain, as you said it would've been far more without the band!! At least when you have another fill it will get you back on the straight and narrow. Ur weight loss so far is great! I think we were banded about the same time.

I hate when my e-mail notify goes screwy and I don't know there are new posts here. :eek: Please bear with me while I make some lengthy posts to catch up on what's been said. Indio - on the will power rant; I know I have plenty of will power. It's usually kicked up a notch if someone makes a comment like "Oh you can't do that..." I've been quite successful with weight loss in my 40+ years. However, I've been even more successful with weight gain. I don't know what it is about this food addiction as opposed to other addictions. I gave up smoking cold turkey and it was (relatively) easy. But food...? Just can't keep at it for any length of time. I have a long list of reasons why I'm overweight, but no real excuses at all. Even when my health started to become an issue I just couldn't shake the extra weight. But I don't believe it is just a lack of will power at certain times. There have been times when I've become addicted to eating right and exercising like mad and nothing changed. Then I discovered I had insulin resistance and PCOS and those issues were working against me in the battle against the bulge. It just made things so much harder. EVERYTHING had sugar in it. It wasn't just the added sugars that were bad for me, it was the natural sugars in fruits also that my body couldn't deal with. Things like soy milk, fruit juice, cereals, yoghurt.... all "healthy" choices I thought I was making were working against me. So any will power I had just wasn't enough. I needed something to seriously restrict any and all intake of food. And that's where my band comes in. Then add into the equation the change in metabolism as we get older....... No, I don't see any of these as excuses. They're reasons. But at times I know I will use them as an excuse to be lazy or to allow myself to eat things I know I shouldn't. I've said it before, I'm a big fat liar. And if I can find a way to lie about eating something I shouldn't, you better believe that I will. :cry I need my band and I need this thread to keep me in check.

Ruby - LOVE IT !!!! :thumbup: ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT !!! HAND ON HIPS :Dancing_sorry: OK I WILL drink all my water today - I promise :biggrin2::biggrin2::biggrin2::biggrin2: Cuz I have to have my snacks - last night strawberries - and I am going to jinks this cuz I am talking about it - but my little angel has not woken me at all during the middle of the night to go potty for the last 2 nights that means I have slept 2 nights straight thru - you gotta know even without the dogs I rarely sleep all night - usually up once or twice during the night.. Not always to eat but just wake up. Karri - Yep Ruby put me in my place - but even us Food Cops need some policing too :Dancing_angry: Congrats on the Exercise - You are doing so good. I am proud of you... Your bday is the same day as my Mom's :thumbup: I am not worried about you being unfilled at all - I have read the PS thread too and heck those women are as dedicated as you and some of that weight gain is from the surgery - water retention swelling - so you can not get on the scale after the TT for 2 weeks .. I gotta say I might splurge before surgery - not so much junk - cuz that goes down OK now - but I would love to eat a big juice bloody steak (I am a cannibal ladies ) I can eat steak but not a lot... So something like that - not the sweets. well maybe a little:redface: the sweets..:thumbup: -------------------------------------------------------------- Steph That's FANTASTIC !!! That 12 lbs a month - GOOD JOB!!! ------------------------------------------------------------- Peaches You might not really feel the restriction until you get to real food. Hold on - I know it's hard - but we are cheering you on... ----------------------------------------------------------- Jackie - GF what's up ??? ----------------------------------------------------------- I made this great dinner last night - a new one pot wonder ground white turkey meat (about 8 oz) onion - bell pepper- 1/2 c corn - 1/4 c rice - 1 can of tomato bisque soup. it makes enough for 3 or 4 nights - I had one full cup - guesstimate the calories to be about 210 - 250 max - It was really good. -------------------------------------------------------------- Well, I am drinking my water - and will report in when I have this 16.9 ozs done - I have to drink 4 of them for 67.60 oz of water - I think I need it cuz I have been having tmi stopped up issues :thumbup: Ok off to work (well I am at work) but you know what I mean TTYL

Hello ladies!!! I hope you all had a wonderful day. Mine was fabulous. I just have to share. Before I do let me warn that this may be very LONG and RAMBLING and at times seem odd, but like any good story, I have to explain the whole thing.... My dad passed away almost 3 years ago. This threw me into a horrible depression. 1 week after he passed, I found out I was pregnant with Jai. I didn't want a baby that wouldn't know her grandfather, I didn't want to bring a baby into the world period, in 4 months I gained almost 40 pounds and just didn't give a rats patoot about anything. My world was falling apart. Jeff, bless his heart, tried to help and told me about this book "The Secret" and I was ready to try anything so I bought it. It was supposed to have THE answer. THE secret to life summed up in 200 pages. Well I got through the first 10 and said, "Like hell!!! How dare this woman say...." I was ANGRY. Well, I never picked the book back up and pushed it all out of my mind. Now while I was packing for this trip I came across my books on cd and was looking through to find something to listen to and here was "The Secret" that I must have bought at some time but never opened. Well, I'm in a much better frame of mind (not great but much better) and thought that I'd give it a go. If i hated it I could always turn it off. I have to say I've never had such an amazing journey as this trip across the state. It was below zero but my car ran wonderfully, the roads were perfect, someone pumped my gas when I went to fill up, the kids got along and were happy. (okay...aside....the kids can't have their happy meal toys until they eat their main "dish" and they know that. Well Nick ate his and was playing and Jai refused. I gave them to here a few times and she kept tossing them aside. Well nick says "Mom, I ate Jai's nuggets. Can she have her toy now?" That's how well they were getting along) It was epiphany after epiphany in the car today. I took a long hard look at my life as a whole and saw this "secret" played out over and over and over. I could see this "secret" in my spiritual faith. It wasn't contrary to it, it added to it. It was beautiful. Now the "secret" isn't this simple panacia to placate. It isn't wishful thinking. It's a way of living and I can see the work that it is going to take to bring about change in my life. But I'm worth it and I'm willing to work at it. So....what does this mean to you? I don't know. That depends on where you are in your world. I would recommend the book. I would urge you to give it a shot, but it's about ME, not you. EXCEPT....there was this part about how diets don't work....because we are focussing on the WEIGHT we want to lose, not on the outcome that we expect. We don't have our eye on the prize on a diet. We focus on the weight and that is what goes...but also what comes back...because it's our focus. If we change our focus to the healthy life we desire, and HEALTH is what we are striving for, the weight loss will follow naturally without the weight gain that accompanies a diet. It may seem like a very minute difference, but it makes so much sense...and I believe it. Okay...enough rambling. If you made it through that, bless your soul. If you want to know more about "The Secret" I highly recommend it. I've not felt this at peace with the world since I let go of my father over 15 months after he passed. Hugs ladies. I love you all. You are beautiful women and make such positive impacts on my life. Bless you.

Yep I am excited too :w00t:- just got my new camera - gotta figure out how to work it :huh2: - the battery is charging - I am going to go read the book but who know's how much I will remember -:embaressed_smile: Phyl bringing her laptop laptop so we can post during the weekend.. Oh that means I gotta bring my ubs cord - stupid me... We got everyones' number steph phyl you me linda in our phones - remember to bring your chargers. I gotta ck the weather - when I looked the other day it said 84 - and that's cool for me - but someone said it will be humid Ok off to read my book and take my fish out - I really should get a fill before we go - but I don't want to be too tight and it can take a day or 2 for the fill to settle - so I will just have to bite the bullet and accept whatever weight gain I have when I go tothe docs after our trip - his scale has me 4-5 lbs heavier than mine - but his doesn't count only mine does

Good morning 7's!!! I had a great day yesterday. Rode over 200 miles! That was my first big ride and I guess I did it up big. Before that 15 miles was my max. My tailbone hurt by the end though. Holey Hannah I almost cried trying to sit through graduation. Last year when I bought my bike the seat was nice and cushy. Yesterday I realized that it wasn't the seat that was cushy, it was my butt! It's not so cushy anymore. We're talking about getting me a better (read bigger) bike. I don't know, I like mine, it just doesn't have a lot of power. The zoloft must really be working because I didn't even cry through the graduation. I usually sit there and bawl. It really is sad though. I'll miss my pipsqueaks. Can I have a bit of a meltdown here though? This is going to sound very irrational but I need to get it out and my DH just isn't going to get it. My mom was here, as you know for a few weeks. She has always been small. When she had her restaurant we actually worried about her getting too small. At one point she was shopping in the children's section (she is also very short). Well so she was all hung up on my weight loss. But also very hung up on her weight gain. Now for my mom, at 4' 11" and 130 pounds, I just rolled my eyes. I told her about tracking her meals and seeing that she is eating well and balancing out her nutrition. I thought that was important because she can eat one meal of eggs and toast a day. anyway.... Last night she calls and asks about daily plate and I gave her the address again and she says she walked a mile and how excited she was and now she's looking into joining a gym. Great for her, I'm really excited about it, but a little concerned that she thinks a size 8 is fat. But then I talked to my BIL and he says "I hear your getting really skinny." uhhh....no???? What has my mom told them? What are they expecting? I'm proud of me but what if they think I'm going to be skinny when I get out there at the end of the week. I have this crazy fear that they are going to look at me and think, "So what's the big deal? She's still fat!" I wanted to go out next week and everyone be proud of me and now I think they are expecting something I'm not. Now how are they going to be happy? I know that there is no way they won't be excited to see me down almost 60 pounds, but I really think they are expecting something I'm not. See....completely irrational. grrrrr. I hate it when I'm irrational. And as irrational as it is, I can't get it out of my head. I dreamed about it last night. How stupid is that? Okay....semester tests today so I'll be online quite a bit today. I have to sit very quiet and still. So I'll correct tests but other than that, surf the net. Have a great day 7's. See you in a bit.

No problem about the question. I am actually not on it for depression but rather for anxiety which is weight related. I have obsessive compulsive personality disorder (not OCD but sort of related) and I was obsessively counting calories and freaking out over any weight gain. I had lost 100 pounds and had a total melt down (if you go to my blog and go to older posts...i think in early June...you can read what happened). Anyways my PCP thinks it is a chemical imbalance and wants to keep me on them. The anxiety and obsessive behavior was greatly interferring with my life. I was constantly hyperventilating and throwing turkey sausages across my kitchen. As for the depression...mine is pretty much gone. However I haven't felt the same since I had my TT and have been unable to exercise. But that should all change tonight when I have been given the clearance to return to full exercise with NO limitations. That is right i can do ANYTHING. :eek: So you are very much correct that exercise can help with depression but unfortunately for me it didn't help with the anxiety. I wish you the best of luck with your band. I was banded in August 2007 but was lovingly adopted by the lucky#7's. They have been there for me every step of the way...through the good, the bad and the UGLY! This has been an amazing journey for me, which is why I freaked out about the cravings!

Hi friends. I have stubbed my toe a little here in the last week and I think its because I set myself up for a hit by making myself push hard to get to that -100 number by my bandiversary and then I didn't make it by March 31 and I'm still not there. I sat down and asked myself what the heck are you doing? You're sabotaging yourself because you didn't hit a specific weight loss number and in the past I got to this magic 100 lbs off thing and then I slid back down the slope and regained it back. Maybe I'm subconsciously worried that if I pass the 100 mark I will then slide backward? Weird. I have a long way to go so I made a conscious decision today to take control back again, think about better food choices. Put tempting foods away, like hide the Easter candy, put the chips away that didn't get eaten at the neighborhood party, and if the family doesn't consume them this Sunday, to throw them away. I went back and thought about when I hit my -90 lbs at Valentines Day and maybe I should be content with about -5lbs a month at a rate of loss at this point but I think I can do better if I don't keep slipping and eating things I know I shouldn't. So tonight, I thought, what kind of a snack is low calorie and filling and I tried to eat about a 1/2 cup of cantaloupe and I couldn't believe how fast that filled me up. I obviously have restriction if that can fill me up so I need to leave 'slider' foods alone that melt or dissolve on the way down. Okay, now that is off my chest, I am looking forward to tomorrow being a better day. Also I've been taking pain pills Tylenol with Codeine and antibiotics for an abscessed tooth and I noticed that my fingers are all swollen and I had a sudden Water weight gain so I'm going to stay away from the scale and just give myself a break for a week. I had my root canal surgery today and I'm sore but I hope this will settle things. Still have to go through the process to get the crown down.. Just when I thought I was paying off last year's medical things, this is an unexpected chunk to pay.

Annie---I REALLY like your cut too! In fact – I noticed that you are looking good too (weight-wise). Fenton—I know exactly what you mean regarding the conferences. I always go with a plan of “being good.” It works for the first day or 2 and then I eat something that is off my plan. But - I also have found that I can at least try to make better off-plan choices so there isn’t any weight gain by the time I get back home. It’s important to be realistic about what we have to deal with. Last summer I was in a poor area of central Africa with nothing but potato potato, and more potato with a very small amount of meat everyday. There was just no way I could stick to low carb. I have found that it can help a lot to at least bring low carb bars with me on trips.

Hey, Sharon - I'm not even hitting the gym 5 times a week and *I* am frustrated by my weight loss! I weighed myself today 5 days after my last weigh-in - no change! I've been doing a lot of walking, and my intake has been good. But I know I'm losing weight - I'm down another belt notch (NSV - yay!), it's just taking the scales a while to catch up. You and I have to be a little less numbers-centric - the scale will change eventually. If you're eating right and working out, the weight will come off! And if it doesn't, your body has found a way to create energy, which means scientists will come and study you in order to save the world. Scrappy: are you SURE about your intake there? If your intake is low, and you're as active as usual, you should be burning fat, and that weight gain is probably Water - some kind of hormonal situation I don't even want to THINK about! I'm, uh, sending positive (but manly! Oh so very manly!) beams to evelas...

Restless, I had a similar thing with heel spurs on the backs of my heels (they're more common underneath) - I had them both removed when I was 18. Tight achilles were part of the problem, but i ahve some sort of congenital defect there and unfortunatly I think my kids have it too as they are developing some bad food problems and heel pain - DH also had surgery for compartment syndrome in his anterior lower legs, a highly unusual problem in a non athlete, so I guess they could be lucky enough to inherit that too. the surgery fixed mine, however it wasnt till I was in my mid 30's I started having heel pain again - I thought it was another spur, but it wasnt, they never got to the bottom of what it was but in the end it was an acupuncturist who cleared it up and the way the pain gradually moved from the outer hollow at the back of my heel to the medial border of my foot makes me suspect it was plantar fasciitis. However, I never ever ever wear closed shoes if I can help it! I can wear sneakers fine and boots, but any sort of court shoe, dress shoe, ugh, I loathe them and I dont wear them - my shoes are always sling backs or mules. My heels have been sensitive and just dont feel good with pressure on them ever since the surgery more than 20 years ago - and now I also have a compulsive habit of collecting funky birkenstocks, lol. As to the asthma, I agree, if it came on with increasing weight it will probably go away. But if you are born asthmatic like my son, losing weight can help you manage it but it wont cure it. Plenty of normal weight otherwise healthy people have life threatening asthma. Same as how weight loss wont fix high blood pressure or cholesterol if they're not caused by weight gain. Some people just have a body chemistry that makes the susceptible to these conditions and they need medication to cure it. DH has lost 70lb and is no longer overweight but he's still on blood pressure medication - his blood pressure did not change at all with weight loss.

GoyaChula, first of all you need to discuss this with your band surgeon, but the standard is that you need to wait 12-18 months after being banded before you try to get pregnant. You need to let your body heal and get used to your new lifestyle, and that will give you time to lose the majority, if not all, of your excess weight. I am almost positive that your surgeon will tell you that you need to be on hormonal birth control right now. If you have had fertility issues due to weight gain, you will probably become more fertile as you lose weight. Many bandsters have become pregnant without trying, after years of infertility, because they have lost weight. I got married very young (age 18) and have been married for almost 14 years. I have had bouts over the years of really wanting to get pregnant, but we chose to wait, mostly for financial reasons but also to grow together more as a couple. I understand how it feels when it seems like everybody around you is pregnant or has children. Most of my friends have children, including those several years younger than me. I have always been big but also gained weight during the marriage and hit 302 pounds at my highest point. When I turned 30, I felt ready to get pregnant in every way but physically. I knew I wanted to be at a healthier weight when I got pregnant and that is part of why I got banded. A little over a year later I am 14 pounds from my goal weight, feel great and am trying to conceive with the support of my band doc and my OB/GYN. I would suggest that you and your husband focus on getting healthy now and think again about getting pregnant a year from now (or however long your doctor advises to wait). You have plenty of time. That's my opinion.

Omg I am going to try this!!! I have been stuck for over 3 weeks!!!! Thanks sooo much missy!! You are truly great!!!! The best!!! I have been eating 800-900 calories a day and exercising no weight lose... :'( Need to increase my calories but have the fear of weight gain! I will defo try it starting from today! Hope it starts my weightloss again!! Thanks alot!!! Xxxx

I complained to a friend about my latest plateau and she sent me the following. By Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS When you're trying to lose weight, the question isn't whether or not you'll hit a plateau, it's when. Plateaus are like bad weather on a long hike: it's inevitable that you'll run into it, but knowing that in advance won't make it one bit less frustrating or annoying when it happens. Cheer up! Since plateaus are as common as rain, we have a pretty good idea what to do about them. At least one of the following techniques should help you break through a plateau and start losing again. 1. Be a Calorie Detective When clients tell me they've stopped losing weight, the first thing I ask is this: how many calories a day are you eating? Calories have a way of creeping up while we're not paying attention. Be brutally honest with yourself: food diary for a while is a great way to monitor this. And yes, sodas and alcoholic beverages count! A good calorie goal for dieters is your target weight times 10. 2. Change It Up When you're not making gains in an exercise program you change your routine. Same holds true with your eating plan. Low-carbers could go higher carb for a few days, high-carbers might switch to a plan like shake things up. 3. Try a Temporary Ban Food sensitivities can cause weight gain and bloat, and the frustrating thing is that most of us don't always know which foods are the culprits. So play the odds. Highest on the list of "usual suspects" are grains (wheat in particular), dairy and sugar. Temporarily ban all three and see what happens. 4. Take Your Workout Up a Notch Forget the "fat burning zone." High intensity intervals -- 30 to 60 seconds -- are the wave of the future. If you're accustomed to level three on your cardio machine, ramp it up to level 6 for a minute then slow down, catch your breath and repeat. Ever see a sprinter with love handles? Protein Studies show that higher protein diets make it easier to lose fat. Protein boosts the metabolism (in one study as much as 100 percent for 24 hours), and increases satiety, making it more likely that you won't overeat. A higher protein diet could be just what you need to break that plateau. 7. Try a Detox Unsupervised fasting is a really bad idea, but the idea of giving your system a rest makes sense. Try a "smart fast" of nothing but fruits and vegetables for a couple of days. The added Fiber is always helpful, and the massive amount of nutrients and phytochemicals is like "spring cleaning" for your sleep or medication. Take a look at what else is going on in your life that might need attention. Sometimes when you clean up the problems in one area of your life, problems in other areas just naturally take care of themselves. Anyone else out there struggling with a plateau? Some of these ideas might not be best for bandsters (i.e., instense workouts for newer bandsters), but it did give me cause to change my exercise time to evenings and decrease soy consumption.

Hi There, Haven't posted this thread in ages! I got banded in manchester in April 2007. here is my story so far.. Lindsey, I feel l this is important to know, as the past year I have heard mosly successful band stories, with people loosing their weight from the get go. Firstly..Five years ago I weighed 10 st 8lbs.. had a personal trainer and a body fat of 20%!!! Seven years ago I weighed 17 stone 3 lbs. I white knuckled over six stone off my frame and went from size 22-24 to a size 12 who could run up stairs 3 at a time! This lasted until I got engaged 4 years ago and then the weight started to creep on. I gained 7lbs the week I got engaged because I 'let my hair down' and I FREAKED out!! NOT FAIR NOT FAIR!! Was my mantra, and I became Very Very angry. I just wanted it gone, I wanted it to be fixed and never look back. It was only a 7lb gain but it drove me to distraction and 18months later on m wedding day I was up an additional stone. In hindsight it wasn't such a disaster, but I was just FED up that my sweat and tears didn't shake that F***ing monkey off my back. In saying that I was BEE-AUTIFUL on my wedding day, and I cherish those photos!! I gained about a stone on my honey moon, bringing me close to 13 stone. I tried getting back on track and tackling the demon again with weight watchers, Motivation weight loss clinics, hypnotherapy and counselling but I was totally defeated!! Fast forward 2 years and I'm at my lapband consultation weighing 17stone 10!!! So,I weighed 17stone 10lbs last year at my initial consultation, followed by a 10 day liquid pre-op diet which got me to 17stone at my surgery date. In the following 4 weeks I lost another stone, bringing my total weight loss to 24lbs in 5-6 weeks. That was it..I did the 2 weeks liquid post op and 2 weeks mushies after that and then went back on solid food. To my horror, I felt I was eating without restriction, BUT as I had not had a fill I knew it wasn't anything to panic about. So, because I fly to manchester to get my fills, I didn't make it over until June for my first fill. I was maintaining at 16 stone but hadn't lost a pound since starting back on solid food. After that fill, once again to my horror I felt no restriction and started to feel quite down that this band was all a cod and I had spent my money on what? This feeling continued and I said nothing to anyone but it was obvious there was no restriction as I could eat anything, and my mam sister & husband were kinda saying.."what's the story?" And i was feeling mortified, but "dieting" to maintain at 16 stone. This continues until September when I finally made it over again for my 2nd fill. At this point I was up 4lbs and embarrassed that I wasn't doing as well as 1..I thought and 2...as well as other peoples tickers were showing on this site. That fill made me feel no different either and I was able to eat Steak, Crisps (my worst weakness) Anything really. WITH THE EXCEPTION of McDonlds or any french fries/ nuggets/chicken gougons.. they were painful and would come back up as a PB.. So hey...I was getting somewhere. But Nope.. Depression..this band wasn't the magic wand I had told myself it was, I was putting too much faith in it, I didn't want to do ANY work loosing this F***ing weight AGAIN..I just wanted to EAT and LIVE LESS LIKE A "NORMAL PERSON" There was my problem, I wanted the band to magically transform me while accepting no personal responsibility for my actions either. After all, all I wanted was not to think about this weight loss thing anymore and for it to just happen to me! So I gave up AGAIN and said..waste of money, waste of time..once again defeated and this is how it is and always will be. My mental attitude was all wrong, I just couldn't face it anymore. So since Sept of last year, with Chips McDonalds Gougons etc being my only restrictions I started binge eating again, and binge drinking and could see my face getting puffier and puffier right before my eyes. In Jan this year my first Nephew was born and it made me face everything again and I decided to come out of my hibernation and contact the clinic again to tell them that I was failing miserably. To my surprise they were saddened for me and that I had gone MIA on them and wanted my over straight away to help me get back on track. So I joined Weight watchers again..weighing in at 18 stone 3lbs (Jesus!!) And went to Manchester that week for another fill. This one was aggressive. For almost two weeks I struggled to get anything but soup down. I am tight. I have hope again and I am doing my damndest to get focused and loose this weight realistically and the band IS Helping me this time. I can't eat much, but I still drink too much, and twice in the last 3 weeks I have somehow managed to scoff 8 bags of crisps in one sitting (but it takes hours instead of minutes) why and how did I manage this when I couldn't even get porridge or scrambled egg down? I just don't know, It was total after drink binge eating. But twice in 3 weeks instead of daily, and suffered the consequences of mush crisps in my neck as a result. I have lost 3.5 lbs in 2 weeks still (Oh wow..big swing..only 90 more to go) But I can't allow myself to think like that. I am now geting water back into my daily routine, cutting down on the alcohol and I am STAYING with weight watchers, and If it means ONE pound a week that's what I will take. I am too long doing this to expect starvation and horrible extreme dieting to be the answer to my prayers. I Have to LEARN to do things differently. For anyone who drives, here is an analogy that describes exactly how hard it is to change being a subconscious/ emotional/ habitual eater. If you drive, that is something you had to learn to do. At first it was difficult, you had to concentrate, you had to be conscious of looking in your mirrors, changing gears and steering. In the beginning you couldn't talk on the phone or scratch your head while concentrating on driving. 15 years later (for me) I can drive, talk (even on the phone), scratch anything that's itchy, change radio stations/cd's all while I'm driving because it has become subconscious. All the driving manuevers have become second nature and I don't need to instruct my self anymore what to do coz I just do it. Now, Imagine UNLEARNING how to drive a car? How can that be done? That is is tantamount to the challenge I have at hand now. I have to unlearn how to do what has always been second nature to me, I have to unlearn how to do what has put me in this situation at the age of 32 and that is not going to happen today, tomorrow or even this year. BUT...IT WILL BE DONE..however slowly, it will be done. I will never white knuckle it again. I will never loose 7 stone again only to gain it back, my will won't let me which is why my will has given me this whole past year of struggling to learn this lesson. What have I learned? I have learned to begin UNLEARNING. THAT is my weapon and that is what I will do. SO, I won't be slim for my nephew's christening in May, or for my birthday or for Christmas..But I will be UNLEARNING. AND I WILL BE MY OWN TEACHER, I will stumble and fall, but I will learn to get up and walk on. I will never be perfect but I will be smarter, wiser and happier. There is my experience. The Band IS great, but it is not plain sailing for someone like me. It is helping me definately, no doubt about that now, but it is not as strong as whatever it is inside me that has been yelling for the last year to get my attention about how to do this once and for all. That is my epic, my story, and I apologise for the MASSIVE post but it was to show that not everyone has the same experience with the band and that ultimately the issue is MUCH MUCH bigger than a pice of plastic or food a diet. This is coming from someone who's communion dress was let out because of weight gain at the age of 6.

Here's Kaye Bailey's this week's newsletter -- it seems to hit the nail on the head for us this week, so thought I'd share it again. From Kaye Bailey: Recently in a question and answer session I was asked "What is the single most important advice you give to post weight loss surgery patients?" Well, I was certainly caught off guard by this and on the spot I'm not sure I gave the best answer when I said "Make your own health a priority before taking care of anyone else so that when it is time to care for and nurture others you have the physical and mental strength to do so." I am not original with this advice and it does sound good in a sentence, but how do we do that in the real world of family-work-friends-social-religious-networking commitments? So, I am taking the opportunity with this 5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin to amend my answer and offer something a bit different, although I do know that we do our best when we are healthy. Knowing this, I suggest we actively pursue an internal peace treaty whereby we separate the medical condition of obesity and/or morbid obesity from our moral character and personal self-worth. In 2010 I wrote an article that explains this better: "I Am Not Obese. Since kindergarten the word "fat" defined me and I actually thought that was who I was because "You are fat" and "I am fat" were constant phrases in my world. By about age 40 I finally figured out that I am not fat. I have obesity, a disease. Have you heard a heart attack patient say, "I am heart disease" or a leukemia patient say, "I am cancer"? We are not the disease. Heart attacks and leukemia are not a moral failure and neither is obesity. We are not the disease! We have a disease that is part of the whole person that makes us the wonderfully unique and powerful person we are." Read the full article. When we disjoint our moral character, our spiritual self, and our self-worth from the medical condition we are fighting with weight loss surgery we are able to pragmatically approach the control and treatment of the condition without making it personal. We are not bad people if we relapse with weight gain and we are not bad for having this illness in the first place. It just happens to be the cards we were dealt in this life. If you have ever been the parent of a child with an illness you understand the emotional baggage that comes with the news that something is wrong. But you also know that when you take a knowledgeable and deliberate approach in the management of the problem you are better able to function and do the right things. So, I suggest we take a clinical approach toward our obesity. management. When we lose weight we put obesity in remission. When we gain weight obesity is in relapse. As intelligent beings we can take an active role in managing our remission by using our experience and the knowledge we glean from others. We can return to the behaviors that worked shortly after surgery to help us lose weight. Behaviors that are not supportive of our health can be considered and replaced. We have opportunities every day to improve our health and enjoy the pleasures good health brings. Please consider this if you are using the 5 Day Pouch Test to get back on track. Take your knowledge and let it empower you because you are a good and worthy person. You are not your disease. I have met enough of you, my WLS Neighbors , to say this with complete conviction. You deserve to be your very best - obesity be damned for getting in the way! Comfort Eating is Okay IF.... From the moment we were born food has provided comfort to us. It is natural that we are compelled to reach for food when seeking comfort. This is not a character flaw: this is the human condition. Weight loss surgery does not take away our intrinsic human need to be comforted with nourishment. WLS gives us a second chance to rethink the type of nourishment we reach for when seeking comfort. Gone are the days of empty calorie comfort snacking. We are better served with a warm cup of Soup or a delicious meal of perfectly-cooked Protein and vegetables. Sweet berries or fruit provide far more nourishment and comfort than convenience store Snacks and they come without the post-noshing guilt. So I say, indeed, comfort yourself with nourishment: it is human nature. Just use wisdom in selecting your comfort foods. Pot of Soup Never underestimate the comforting power of a healthy well-made soup: it is your best weapon in the battle against the Carb Monster. Use any fresh vegetables that you like. Saute them in a scant amount of olive oil which will help your body absorb the nutrients and then simmer in reduced sodium chicken, beef, or vegetable broth until nice and tender Serve yourself some delicious goodness one cup at a time and feel the love. Focus: Practice mental presence during the 5 Day Pouch Test. Be mindful of all you eat, how you move your body and observe your energy levels and patterns. Be completely aware of yourself and identify the things that are working and helping you to feel refreshed and alive. Use the 5 Day Pouch Test journal to record your experience and focus on learning about yourself. Awareness is not selfish, it is part of the process of understanding so that we may improve our health and wellness. Carry this focus forward to Day 6 and continue to treat your body in a kind and healthy manner and avoid stepping back into the the self-loathing and unhealthy behavior that brought you here. Lori, so excited for you - can't wait to see the pics. You will love being a grandma. Meredith - it's okay to not want kids -- I only wanted one, my DS and his wife aren't having any and that's fine -- the only time I think it is sad is when you get old -- then I think it's nice to have kids and grandkids when you're old and sick. LOL. But that's just me. Gotta get back to work. Linda

Stress, stress, stress. My how we are all so stressed. My DH just took himself back to bed because I'm having grandkids dropped off at my house around noon while my daughter goes to Chicago for some more appointments or tests. This is his day off and even though he got plenty of sleep last night, yesterday, and the day before, he thinks he won't be able to get in his usual naps before going in to work tonight at midnight. I can see he's mad at me but I'm basically at the eye-rolling stage and am ignoring him. This is my vacation and I spent the entire day with him yesterday. This is the only day I'll have the grandkids over instead of going to their house because he normally sleeps during the day. I've never met a guy who needs as much sleep or worries about getting his sleep as much as my DH. Great, I'm sorry you are so lonely. Do you think that's really what your trip down memory lane is really about? Do you think it would help you to become a volunteer again or find a part-time job now that you're settled? Or do you like being free to fly places whenever you want to? It's OK to reminisce but please don't get stuck there. You seem to have established friendships already and renewed some old ones. I envy you. When I'm working I have no time for that, just for my family, so when I'm off, like this week, I have no one but family to do anything with and they're all tied down. Fortunately, my grandkids are also on spring break and I'm needed to babysit. My friends are the people I work with, but we all have lives when we're not teaching so we don't get together outside of work. Eva, I admire your well-balanced lifestyle. I'm glad you were able to retire but still find a part-time position to keep your hand in and income coming. You have your projects and school and friendships that also involve your DH. Mine is such a loner that it's actually led to isolating me as well. Julie, what can I say. Mother/daughter relationships are some of the most complex in the world. Especially when the daughter is pregnant. You got the band to save your life and she needs to continue to hear that from you. This isn't about looks, its about living. Looking better is a bonus, but the health is primary. I don't think I'd allow anyone to hold me to a promise made under such duress. However, you do not do well with abdominal surgeries if your past history is any indication. Janet is right. Ultimately, its about making healthy choices. I'm thinking that seeing a counselor together with your daughter about your weight might be good for you and your daughter. Making the weight thing a mutual project was a good idea. Ask your daughter if she wants to be around for her children and grandhchildren. I'd also suggest that you get physical therapy for your knees and so on. Water walking is one of the safest things you can do to regain strength safely. It takes the weight off your knees while still exercising them. Also, percocet is likely to make you unstable and lead to falling again so you want to get off that asap. Strengthening the joints without inflaming them should be your goal to reduce pain. You're probably feeling these pains more now because your primary, overwhelming pain has been taken away. Using this whole situation as an incentive to lose more weight on your own will also help your physical pain. Did you know that every lb you weigh puts 5-10 lbs of pressure on each of your knees? So every lb you lose removes that much pressure on your knees. If you were to lose 25 more lbs it would take at least 125 lbs of pressure off each of your knees. That's what I keep telling myself. Even my 5 lb weight gain is affecting my knees. I can feel it. It's 25 extra lbs of pressure that they're carrying. My fake knees will last longer the less I weigh. Charlene, keep on keeping on. We all have our days of indulgence (except Linda, LOL). Getting back on track asap is the trick. For you, I would think the incentive would be that your FM symptoms are likely to improve as you lose more weight. You've done great, however, and you need to give yourself credit. Our addiction not only hurts us, it hurts the people around us. That's the hard part to remember. Our kids don't want us dead, or incapable of being there for them and their children. Hopefully, our husbands don't want us dead either (most of the time). LOL. Melissa, loved the "Green Things" e-mail. Too true. Hope you're doing well. Tell us more about your counselor. One of the simplest things I've done to automatize my meals is to always have a Protein shake for Breakfast. I buy pre-made because I have no desire to shop for and try to keep ingredients in the house, and as someone who works outside the home I need simple solutions. I have no desire to spend hours in a grocery store being tempted by all the food. For supper I prefer simple foods, like pan frying (in olive oil spray) fish, hamburger, steak, pork chop, and having a veggie on the side. My DH makes any sides he wants that are carbs (like potatoes or rice) for himself. Or I have a salad with mixed greens, cheese, nuts, a little fruit, and a flavored olive oil and vinaigrette based dressing. (Favorite-raspberry). For lunch at work I have peel off cans of tuna or chicken available, or Protein Bars, or Protein shakes to grab as Snacks or meals. I am very much a keep it simple person precisely because I am ADHD. That's why keeping rotisserie chicken in the house is another easy solution. Great Protein, always tender, fix it with various condiments. Take a small mouthful whenever you start craving carbs. Throw in a baggie and take to work. It's the KISS philosophy of food. Keep It Simple Stupid. People like Linda and Apples seem to be able to be around food and cook and bake it for others without over-eating themselves. I am not one of those people. People have to eat what I'm eating or make it and take it somewhere where I'm not around it. It's hard to stop feeling guilty about not feeding everyone around you but it can be done and its an enormous relief to stop cooking for others. You'd be amazed at the reduction in stress. You don't have small kids anymore and your son and husband can easily make themselves a pbj sandwich or something else if what you're eating isn't enough for them. One of the biggest reasons why women get fat is because they cook for everyone else and feel guilty if they don't. That's another reason why I gave up guilt for Lent. Cheri

Hi to everyone tonight, Well Janet, today was weigh day and I am down exactly 2 lbs since last Wed. I'm HAPPY:thumbup:. Today I went to my sons house to have his cable installed. I had large cup of decaf coffee and then I had choc unjury drink for breakfast. Got home at lunch and had a half cup of cottage cheese and a small helping of applesauce. Went for a 1.2 mile walk, came home, did some laundry, soon it was time for supper, so I had 2 egg salad with a few crackers (soft ones.) Was full, so I went outside and worked in the garden for an hour. Plus I had about 3 bottles of water. I am like Jill and cathychatts. I am still on mushies for the rest of this week and next before solids and I am afraid to go to regular food, not for fear of weight gain but for fear of choking. I don't understand how everyone can eat salad but get stuck so easily on other things. I started to eat a half piece of bread today and I took two bites and got afraid so I threw it away. I just wanted to see if I really missed it or not. (NOT REALLY). Also I went to daily plate and tracked my meal yesterday, and I did very well except I had 49 grams of carbs, mostly coming from oatmeal. Now oatmeal is supposed to be good for you but what about the carbs. Next page for more Beckyo

Phyl - That Kind of weight gain is water - hell even when I have pigged out I haven't ever gain 4 lbs - you would have had to eaten 14000 extra calories to gain that much - I'm know you haven't done that - I know it's still hard when you see the scale go up like that - but like you said - it will be off next week - and I agree with Apples - you did get to onderland and you deserve that purse... I haven't watched the News tonite - didn't sit down till after 7 - took Andrew target/winco shopping anyway - i know this morning they said wind today - but I haven't seen any yet - some clouds when I left work but that's it... Hopefully they will be wrong - but I know they said tomorrow 74 and you know cabazon will be a little cooler - so bring a lite jacket yes for you northern/eastern girls 74 isn't cold but for us desert Rats.. 74 high is cool - long pants - and closed in shoes ;0) Melissa - Exercise is a great stress reliever - I am glad you are doing something for you.. LauraK - my new gym has the class but it's too crowded and looks more like jazzercise - I hope to get to one at my other new gym 24 hr fitness - I have a gf who has gone and said it kicked her butt - so I want to try it too.. Julie - Hugs Hugs Hugs !!!! I could only imagine how hard this is for you with the constant health issues you have had and now this constant pain issue.. I agree with apples - you may just need to go back to the doc - I think you may be just a tad depressed from what all you have going on - constant pain like you are having can drive a person crazy. Right not consintrate on finding out what's going on and causing this pain - ck out that pain management center and getting well - the rest will fall in place and all the worrying in the world isn't going to help the family issues... I gotta say since I had that talk with my Uncle and let my anger go at my sister - things have been better between us - at least on the surface - we have talked a couple of times and the tension has gone - I am wary - but things seem to be looking up - and I think it's cuz I had let go.. Sweetie we are here for you - I think you have done and execellent job on your weight loss - I think you may not know how to pat yourself on the back - So we are all giving you those pats - you have done an excellent job - and will continue to do so - you have a set back right now and once that gets figured out you will be right back on track...

LORI, Sounds like you made out like a bandit on the leather jacket. I did not got shopping. I am not going to buy until the scales start moving down again. I need a fill, but my appt. is not until Jan. 19th. I am going to see if I can get worked in next week. I here ya on the weight gain. It is probably water gain from the salt and carbs. You can shake that off in a day or so. Glad to see you had a good Christmas. I was blessed too to have all my kids together and enjoying each other's company. I am especially blessed to have had my mother for another year. Well, girl, we better get back on the bandwagon! We have a whole NEW YEAR to reach our personal goals.:thumbup::thumbup::smile:

Man, I hate pbing. Lost a lb. Got 2 more to get back into my "safe" range. Then 2 more for insurance. Once the weight is off I'll be able to eat my meat again at night. I end up eating sliders at night because just eating a couple of ounces of meat just isn't satisfying. Once I'm done pbing I want something that tastes good that won't trigger that tightness. I have to eat unbelievably slowly and I'm almost instantly tight. Just a few lbs of weight gain makes such a difference in the band. Interesting about the various PSs. I have a very flat, flat tire that is well hidden by my clothes. I only lost 75-80 lbs and I have no rashes and it doesn't get caught under me. For, me, it would be purely cosmetic and only I would see the improvement. Same with the underarm skin and boob lift. The thing I really want to do is get my varicose veins treated. I may get partial coverage from my insurance but then have to pay the rest myself. However, if I up my flex dollars and preplan for the expense I can do it pre-tax. Even then, I'd like a thigh lift to pull the skin up on my thighs. Then I could wear shorts and be less self-conscious in my swimming suit. Since I love to swim, I think I'd be less self-conscious if my legs were fixed up. Thanks LakyK for the complements. Have a great trip to Guam. Couldn't post my concert clips. My husband is going to try to figure out why. I think its not a recognized format. Be gone from Lapband till maybe Friday night or Saturday. Gotta go to 2-day conferences in South Bend, IN. Can't say I enjoy them much. I liked last weeks conferences better. Gotta go pack. Cheri

Hi all. Had a pretty good week at work. New schedule is working well. However, 3 new students starting at our school Monday. One is just pre-school. However, 2 of them will need to be added to my schedule. One of them is coming to us from Wisconsin. Her mother "homeschooled" her and then died. A foster family put her in school where it was discovered that, though she was old enough for third grade, her academic scores were at kindergarten level. The school was providing massive help for her but grandmother, who lives in Chicago, sought custody and had to prove to the courts that she would provide good schooling where she would receive equivalent help. I couldn't promise equivalent help, but I wrote up what I could provide and talked to her sped teacher and compared methods. So grandma got custody and she's starting Monday. She is in second grade and currently tests at beginning of first grade. The other child has been out of our school since first grade and is returning as a 5th grader functioning at a mid-third grade level. Two weeks ago, I started two new kids I'd tested who also need help. One is testing at the 98th percentile in reading but below the 10th in math. Fortunately, he's only in third grade and I should be able to catch him up but I suspect a genuine learning disability in math. His half-sister is very high in computation but very low in math compreshension, so she is seeing me, too. This is the way it's like with every new kid we get. I think, when the parents find out about my program, it's one of the main reasons they send their kids to RCS. As long as RCS can keep its doors open, and some fool doesn't shut down No Child Left Behind or stop funding it, I have great job security. It means I work 10 hrs/day in order to accommodate these kids but that's my choice. I've reduced my group sizes by putting kids in before and after school and as long as my groups are small and I've neutralized behavior problems by making sure those kids are on the computers or are coming before school and not with their peers, I can just keep teaching. I do have at least one light period everyday where I just have 2 kids on the computer. I have an assistant two days a week, and another woman who comes in and tutors a couple of days a week. She is a theology student at McCormick Theological Seminary and is paid by them to tutor at our school. She got assigned to me to supervise so she comes in as her classes allow her. So, my food is OK, not terrific. The small weight gain has led to me being tight, which makes it hard for me to eat as much meat as I'd like. My high blood Calcium problems are also affecting my food choices. The Atkins products I like for treats all have high calcium in them. It's difficult to do 3 days of very low carbs when I can't use any of the products that worked for me while losing weight. Just the milk I put in my coffee contains almost all the calcium I need in one day. Add one Protein drink and I'm over the top. None of my parathyroid tests has come back abnormal. My blood calcium is only a small fraction above normal and they haven't found a cause, so I'm thinking it's just a physical anomaly of my body, and the amount of calcium I consume is probably not the cause. Nevertheless, I'm trying to at least not go over 200% of what I need. Woman my age are supposed to be taking 150% of the daily recommended dose to prevent bone loss, which I do have-though very mild-despite my high blood calcium. This is a very wierd thing. I've cut back my Vitamin D but I'm not eliminating it because its helped me so much with seasonal affective disorder. It's very hard for those of us of Northern European extraction who live in northern climates to get enough of it. My blood levels are high but not too high. However, combined with too much Calcium it could still be the cause of the high blood calcium levels. Especially since I use a laxative which can also lead to high blood calcium. So I'm trying to cut my laxative use as well, but I've been constipated since childhood. I eat a salad every night and take ground flax seed in the morning and at night and it makes no difference. So I'm frustrated. I have no time and no desire to cook. I don't enjoy eating out because I can eat so little and my husband can eat so much. Plus he eats extremely slowly because of his false teeth so I'm sitting there forever watching him eat. For an ADHD compulsive overeater, this is not a good thing. So I'm venting. If you didn't understand half of what I said, that's OK. The gist of it is that my calcium problems are causing me food choice problems since what works for me weight wise may not be good for my blood calcium levels. In addition, the slight weight gain has tightened my band enough that I'm having trouble eating enough meat and protein to satisfy me and keep my cravings at bay. This leads to eating sliders, which are always fat and carbs combined-a deadly combo. So I need to lose weight in order to loosen the band in order to eat right, but my tools for doing that have been compromised by my blood calcium. So I'm frustrated which is something I always used food to medicate. I'm not enjoying my meat because I start pbing so quickly on it, so eating is frustrating. I can't eat out because of pbing on meat and having to sit there and watch my husband eat for another half an hour while my food is cooling in front of me. Aargh. Cheri

Oops...don't know why that last one posted b/4 I was done. Long...maybe part of that weight gain is Water weight? Really push the fluids today, when you fly and while you are on vacation. You might notice that the weight falls off. But, absolutely don't let it be a cloud over your head while you are on vacation. Eat healthy just like you would at home and you will do just fine. Do have one foo-foo drink for me though! (That is if you partake...not sure). Good Morning to everyone else....I am buried deep in book work, farm stuff, cooking, gardening, etc. today and then heading for the afternoon at volunteer job. Think I need to cut back on that a little during the summer. Feeling somewhat overwhelmed and they want me to take on more. Nope...can't swing it. Still maintaining my weight which is very important for me. Can't gain though. It will come. Being very patient. Yesterday had 2700 cals. and was not easy to get it in. My DH says he knows I eat more now than b/4 surgery. At least I am not continually thinking about getting that weight back on. Just amazed that I am only maintaining. And...what's really weird is that even with no weight loss, I have gone down a pants size in the last two months. Now, don't get the wrong idea. I DO have meat on my bones and feel good and DH and most friends say I look good and healthy. You have all seen my photos and know I have some meat. I am VERY small boned. Even when I weighed 249 I wore a medium yoga pants. I am down to a size 0 or 2 in my pants now. Long...you talk about finding a good fit...I need at least a 34' or 36' inseam due to my pony legs. I think you have mentioned that you need talls also? I really like NY & Co pants for that reason. OK...enough about me....hope everyone has a great day. I need to get my A$$ back to work and keep my fingers crossed that I don't get called out to the field to pull out yet another tractor out of the mud!

Here's a great article by Kaye Bailey re snacking: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you warm and well this second week of February. Today we continue our discussion of the Four Rules - we are at Number 3: No Snacking. It's a tough one and I dare say most of will or have struggled with snacking following weight loss surgery. And, as you will see from the articles in this newsletter, not all bariatric centers follow the same Four Rules that include no snacking. But what is consistent, across the front lines of those of us living with weight loss surgery, is that out-of-control snacking on poorly chosen foods leads to a stall in weight loss and may possibly lead to weight gain. So please, take a look at the information here and revisit the information you were provided at the time of your surgery. Find your personal position on the "No Snacking" rule based on knowledge, experience, and environment -- it is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself in this ongoing battle of weight management in a world where it is much easier to be fat. Happy 2011 - We are all in this together! Kaye KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS.com A Note: We have received the fourth printing of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood cookbook earlier than anticipated. We are processing backorders as quickly as possible - so look for yours in the next few days delivered by US Postal Service. Thanks for your patience! Link to view the previously published Weekly Digests in our 2011 Four Rules Series: Rule #1 - Protein First: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest January 20, 2011 <P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> Rule #2 - Lots of Water LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest February 2, 2011 The Four Rules: Before surgery most of us were taught the Four Rules we must follow in order to achieve the best results with weight loss surgery - any procedure. Those rules (with minor variations from one bariatric surgeon to the next) are: Protein First Lots of Water No Snacking Daily Exercise In order to maintain weight loss and keep the obesity from which we suffer in remission we must follow these rules for life. When we meet patients who have maintained a healthy body weight for several years with weight loss surgery we learn that in most cases they live by the Four Rules. If it has been a while since you have given consideration to the Four Rules I invite you today to spend a little time refreshing your knowledge and enthusiasm about Protein First. Actually, this is my favorite rule because it means good food without the guilt! Link to the articles of interest and take a look at some of our great WLS recipes. There is something for everyone as we get excited again about the Four Rules! Every now and again it serves us well to step back into our pre-op mindset when we were hell-bent on making surgery work to achieve weight loss and improve our health and quality of living. Take a look at this article with your pre-surgery eyes. I think it will help renew your enthusiasm for working "the tool" and living well today: Understand the Four Rules of WLS Before Going Under the Knife Weight loss surgery is frequently perceived as an easy means to weight loss that requires little or no effort by the patient. However, patients who undergo bariatric surgery are prescribed Four Rules of dietary and lifestyle management that they will follow for the rest of their life if they wish to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Here is what you need to know about the Four Rules of weight loss surgery before going under the knife. LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 No Snacking. It is the rule that works. Rule #3 - No Snacking Excerpted with permission from Day 6: Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test by Kaye Bailey Pages 43-45 - Copyright 2009 - Kaye Bailey - All Rights Reserved "Without a doubt, the "No Snacking" rule is the most divisive in the weight loss surgery community. In fact, I've received more angry letters on this topic than any other of the Four Rules. One school of thought is that snacking is absolutely forbidden. The other school swears that three meals plus two Snacks a day are essential for the nutritional survival of the weight loss surgery patient. "I am not a doctor and I am not a nutritionist. But I work on the front lines with weight loss surgery patients every day, patients who are many years out from surgery; patients who have lost touch with their bariatric centers. What I do know for certain is this: patients who snack and who are not engaged in extreme athletics gain weight. There is a fine line between snacking intelligently and grazing and few, if any, of us have the self-control to toe the line. In my experience and in my opinion there is no reason for the average person post-WLS to ever engage in snacking. If we follow the I {heart} DIET we will not be hungry in the 4-6 hours between planned meals; there will not be a blood glucose emergency and there will not be a physiological need to snack. "This may be a very unpopular stand for me to take. But I have spent the last six years working with my fellow weight loss surgery patients and in every case of weight regain snacking has been involved. And in most cases the initial instructions from the bariatric center were for the patient to eat every 3 to 4 hours and somewhere along the third year things went wrong. Snacking on Protein Bars or nuts became grazing on pretzels and crackers washed down with soda, coffee or tea. Slider foods overruled sensibility. "No Snacking. It is the rule that works. "Now, I'm obligated to tell you to follow the very specific instructions given you by your bariatric center. If they instructed you to have three meals a day and two snacks a day that's fine: please do not feel I'm beating you up here. But please, go get your original notes and instructions. Review the list of approved snacks. Copy that list and post it on your refrigerator to keep your memory refreshed. The snacks your center permitted during the phase of weight loss are the only snacks you are allowed for the rest of your life if you want to maintain your weight loss. "I personally feel the "NO Snacking" rule is a tremendous relief. For several years of my adult life, prior to surgery, I had a 40-minute commute to and from work each day. My morbidly obese irrational thinking had me convinced that I could not last that commute without a large soda and giant cookie: both morning and night. Looking back that was about 1,200 calories of snacking I was taking each day just to "survive" my commute. Twelve hundred calories is equal to our full day caloric allowance after surgery! How was it again, that I became morbidly obese? Hmmm. My car was always full of crumbs and the back seat littered with empty cups and cookie wrappers, not to mention the expense of my snacking habit. What a relief when "No Snacking" took that burden from me. "One reason we are prone to break the "No Snacking" rule is because traditional snack foods are ever present in our society and they tend to set more comfortably in our stomach pouch than protein dense food. Have you found yourself able to eat an endless bag of crackers or chips yet struggle to get a few bites of roast chicken down? The crackers are soft and when consumed with liquid create slurry that never compacts in the pouch the way protein does. The cracker slurry slides right through in a steady stream: slider food (more on this in Part II: I {heart} DIET Basics). Solid protein, on the other hand, settles in the pouch like an unwelcome second cousin on your sofa and lingers just a little too long. So naturally we prefer to eat something that gives us comfort, not discomfort. "But the fact is, the pouch when it is used correctly, is supposed to be a little bit uncomfortable. The discomfort is the signal to stop eating. When we are snacking on slider foods we do not get that signal and we do not stop eating." LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you warm and well this second week of February. Today we continue our discussion of the Four Rules - we are at Number 3: No Snacking. It's a tough one and I dare say most of will or have struggled with snacking following weight loss surgery. And, as you will see from the articles in this newsletter, not all bariatric centers follow the same Four Rules that include no snacking. But what is consistent, across the front lines of those of us living with weight loss surgery, is that out-of-control snacking on poorly chosen foods leads to a stall in weight loss and may possibly lead to weight gain. So please, take a look at the information here and revisit the information you were provided at the time of your surgery. Find your personal position on the "No Snacking" rule based on knowledge, experience, and environment -- it is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself in this ongoing battle of weight management in a world where it is much easier to be fat. Happy 2011 - We are all in this together! Kaye KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS.com A Note: We have received the fourth printing of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood cookbook earlier than anticipated. We are processing backorders as quickly as possible - so look for yours in the next few days delivered by US Postal Service. Thanks for your patience! Link to view the previously published Weekly Digests in our 2011 Four Rules Series: Rule #1 - Protein First: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest January 20, 2011 <P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> Rule #2 - Lots of Water LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest February 2, 2011 The Four Rules: Before surgery most of us were taught the Four Rules we must follow in order to achieve the best results with weight loss surgery - any procedure. Those rules (with minor variations from one bariatric surgeon to the next) are: Protein First Lots of Water No Snacking Daily Exercise In order to maintain weight loss and keep the obesity from which we suffer in remission we must follow these rules for life. When we meet patients who have maintained a healthy body weight for several years with weight loss surgery we learn that in most cases they live by the Four Rules. If it has been a while since you have given consideration to the Four Rules I invite you today to spend a little time refreshing your knowledge and enthusiasm about Protein First. Actually, this is my favorite rule because it means good food without the guilt! Link to the articles of interest and take a look at some of our great WLS recipes. There is something for everyone as we get excited again about the Four Rules! Every now and again it serves us well to step back into our pre-op mindset when we were hell-bent on making surgery work to achieve weight loss and improve our health and quality of living. Take a look at this article with your pre-surgery eyes. I think it will help renew your enthusiasm for working "the tool" and living well today: Understand the Four Rules of WLS Before Going Under the Knife Weight loss surgery is frequently perceived as an easy means to weight loss that requires little or no effort by the patient. However, patients who undergo bariatric surgery are prescribed Four Rules of dietary and lifestyle management that they will follow for the rest of their life if they wish to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Here is what you need to know about the Four Rules of weight loss surgery before going under the knife. LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you warm and well this second week of February. Today we continue our discussion of the Four Rules - we are at Number 3: No Snacking. It's a tough one and I dare say most of will or have struggled with snacking following weight loss surgery. And, as you will see from the articles in this newsletter, not all bariatric centers follow the same Four Rules that include no snacking. But what is consistent, across the front lines of those of us living with weight loss surgery, is that out-of-control snacking on poorly chosen foods leads to a stall in weight loss and may possibly lead to weight gain. So please, take a look at the information here and revisit the information you were provided at the time of your surgery. Find your personal position on the "No Snacking" rule based on knowledge, experience, and environment -- it is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself in this ongoing battle of weight management in a world where it is much easier to be fat. Happy 2011 - We are all in this together! Kaye KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS.com A Note: We have received the fourth printing of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood cookbook earlier than anticipated. We are processing backorders as quickly as possible - so look for yours in the next few days delivered by US Postal Service. Thanks for your patience! Link to view the previously published Weekly Digests in our 2011 Four Rules Series: Rule #1 - Protein First: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest January 20, 2011 <P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> Rule #2 - Lots of Water LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest February 2, 2011 The Four Rules: Before surgery most of us were taught the Four Rules we must follow in order to achieve the best results with weight loss surgery - any procedure. Those rules (with minor variations from one bariatric surgeon to the next) are: Protein First Lots of Water No Snacking Daily Exercise In order to maintain weight loss and keep the obesity from which we suffer in remission we must follow these rules for life. When we meet patients who have maintained a healthy body weight for several years with weight loss surgery we learn that in most cases they live by the Four Rules. If it has been a while since you have given consideration to the Four Rules I invite you today to spend a little time refreshing your knowledge and enthusiasm about Protein First. Actually, this is my favorite rule because it means good food without the guilt! Link to the articles of interest and take a look at some of our great WLS recipes. There is something for everyone as we get excited again about the Four Rules! Every now and again it serves us well to step back into our pre-op mindset when we were hell-bent on making surgery work to achieve weight loss and improve our health and quality of living. Take a look at this article with your pre-surgery eyes. I think it will help renew your enthusiasm for working "the tool" and living well today: Understand the Four Rules of WLS Before Going Under the Knife Weight loss surgery is frequently perceived as an easy means to weight loss that requires little or no effort by the patient. However, patients who undergo bariatric surgery are prescribed Four Rules of dietary and lifestyle management that they will follow for the rest of their life if they wish to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Here is what you need to know about the Four Rules of weight loss surgery before going under the knife. LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you warm and well this second week of February. Today we continue our discussion of the Four Rules - we are at Number 3: No Snacking. It's a tough one and I dare say most of will or have struggled with snacking following weight loss surgery. And, as you will see from the articles in this newsletter, not all bariatric centers follow the same Four Rules that include no snacking. But what is consistent, across the front lines of those of us living with weight loss surgery, is that out-of-control snacking on poorly chosen foods leads to a stall in weight loss and may possibly lead to weight gain. So please, take a look at the information here and revisit the information you were provided at the time of your surgery. Find your personal position on the "No Snacking" rule based on knowledge, experience, and environment -- it is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself in this ongoing battle of weight management in a world where it is much easier to be fat. Happy 2011 - We are all in this together! Kaye KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS.com A Note: We have received the fourth printing of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood cookbook earlier than anticipated. We are processing backorders as quickly as possible - so look for yours in the next few days delivered by US Postal Service. Thanks for your patience! Link to view the previously published Weekly Digests in our 2011 Four Rules Series: Rule #1 - Protein First: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest January 20, 2011 <P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> Rule #2 - Lots of Water LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest February 2, 2011 The Four Rules: Before surgery most of us were taught the Four Rules we must follow in order to achieve the best results with weight loss surgery - any procedure. Those rules (with minor variations from one bariatric surgeon to the next) are: Protein First Lots of Water No Snacking Daily Exercise In order to maintain weight loss and keep the obesity from which we suffer in remission we must follow these rules for life. When we meet patients who have maintained a healthy body weight for several years with weight loss surgery we learn that in most cases they live by the Four Rules. If it has been a while since you have given consideration to the Four Rules I invite you today to spend a little time refreshing your knowledge and enthusiasm about Protein First. Actually, this is my favorite rule because it means good food without the guilt! Link to the articles of interest and take a look at some of our great WLS recipes. There is something for everyone as we get excited again about the Four Rules! Every now and again it serves us well to step back into our pre-op mindset when we were hell-bent on making surgery work to achieve weight loss and improve our health and quality of living. Take a look at this article with your pre-surgery eyes. I think it will help renew your enthusiasm for working "the tool" and living well today: Understand the Four Rules of WLS Before Going Under the Knife Weight loss surgery is frequently perceived as an easy means to weight loss that requires little or no effort by the patient. However, patients who undergo bariatric surgery are prescribed Four Rules of dietary and lifestyle management that they will follow for the rest of their life if they wish to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Here is what you need to know about the Four Rules of weight loss surgery before going under the knife. LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you warm and well this second week of February. Today we continue our discussion of the Four Rules - we are at Number 3: No Snacking. It's a tough one and I dare say most of will or have struggled with snacking following weight loss surgery. And, as you will see from the articles in this newsletter, not all bariatric centers follow the same Four Rules that include no snacking. But what is consistent, across the front lines of those of us living with weight loss surgery, is that out-of-control snacking on poorly chosen foods leads to a stall in weight loss and may possibly lead to weight gain. So please, take a look at the information here and revisit the information you were provided at the time of your surgery. Find your personal position on the "No Snacking" rule based on knowledge, experience, and environment -- it is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself in this ongoing battle of weight management in a world where it is much easier to be fat. Happy 2011 - We are all in this together! Kaye KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS.com A Note: We have received the fourth printing of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood cookbook earlier than anticipated. We are processing backorders as quickly as possible - so look for yours in the next few days delivered by US Postal Service. Thanks for your patience! Link to view the previously published Weekly Digests in our 2011 Four Rules Series: Rule #1 - Protein First: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest January 20, 2011 <P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> Rule #2 - Lots of Water LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest February 2, 2011 The Four Rules: Before surgery most of us were taught the Four Rules we must follow in order to achieve the best results with weight loss surgery - any procedure. Those rules (with minor variations from one bariatric surgeon to the next) are: Protein First Lots of Water No Snacking Daily Exercise In order to maintain weight loss and keep the obesity from which we suffer in remission we must follow these rules for life. When we meet patients who have maintained a healthy body weight for several years with weight loss surgery we learn that in most cases they live by the Four Rules. If it has been a while since you have given consideration to the Four Rules I invite you today to spend a little time refreshing your knowledge and enthusiasm about Protein First. Actually, this is my favorite rule because it means good food without the guilt! Link to the articles of interest and take a look at some of our great WLS recipes. There is something for everyone as we get excited again about the Four Rules! Every now and again it serves us well to step back into our pre-op mindset when we were hell-bent on making surgery work to achieve weight loss and improve our health and quality of living. Take a look at this article with your pre-surgery eyes. I think it will help renew your enthusiasm for working "the tool" and living well today: Understand the Four Rules of WLS Before Going Under the Knife Weight loss surgery is frequently perceived as an easy means to weight loss that requires little or no effort by the patient. However, patients who undergo bariatric surgery are prescribed Four Rules of dietary and lifestyle management that they will follow for the rest of their life if they wish to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Here is what you need to know about the Four Rules of weight loss surgery before going under the knife.