Sept. 2010 Bandsters !!!

[cmr8tch 1]

Above missjoanny asks "how are you all going to cope with the holiday food? " This is very much on my mind, too, and I look forward to supporting each other through all of this. For starters, I'd like to share this article that I received from my doctor this week:

How to Let Go of Your Food Crutch

Even though you say you want to be successful with your

surgery, do you sometimes eat when you wish you wouldn't?

When it comes to eating, is guilt a frequent companion

of yours?

Welcome to the club.

In our culture, with the amount of unhealthy food we're

exposed to, and with the holiday stresses bearing down

on us, it's safe to say many Americans, including WLSers,

will be using food as a crutch in the coming weeks.

In fact, eating food with no nutritional value during

the holidays has become such an accepted pastime, we

don't even realize that we are eating to deal with

feelings.

And because holiday eating is sanctioned by nearly

everyone, we have a golden opportunity to hide in plain

sight -- to use our crutch without anyone really knowing

we're using it. We take a brief vacation from the guilt

(or at least we try to).

"I am not going to feel deprived at Thanksgiving," we

insist. "I can handle a little indulgence." "I've been

so good this year, I deserve a holiday from food rules!"

"I've modified the recipe; this is *healthy* fudge."

Clearly, some of us *can* handle a little indulgence,

but why do we tempt fate? Why do we turn to food with

gusto and self righteousness?

Feelings.

Many of us don't want to feel our feelings. We don't

like the discomfort of deprivation, longing, feeling

different from others, isolation, loneliness, anger,

fear, sadness, shame, loss, or abandonment.

The truth is, however, that finding healthier ways to

deal with our uncomfortable feelings is essential to

long-term success.

Even when you feel resistance to putting down the food

crutch, it boils down to this: Do you want long-term

obesity remission or don't you?

I had to look in the mirror and ask myself that question

a few days ago, as I obsessed about whether or not I

should make gluten-free brownies for myself. "Maybe I

can handle Desserts, " I reasoned like a pro. "Maybe it's

been the gluten all along, and I really can handle more

sweets!"

When I asked myself whether or not I wanted to keep my

obesity in remission, I knew the answer immediately --

yes!

Some of us aren't so lucky. We really don't know what

we want. We don't know if putting down our food crutch

is possible, or even desirable. Is it worth feeling all

those negative feelings just so we can stay a size 12

(or whatever)? Apparently, the answer for some of us

is "NO!"

The only way to know if it's worth it is to give it a

try, to put down the crutch long enough to see what

might happen once we get used to living without it --

and to see that we can survive, or even better, thrive.

There are a ton of resources available to help us

learn to stop using food as a crutch, but the bottom

line is that we need to put down the offending foods,

identify and feel our feelings, find healthier ways to

deal with those feelings, and get as much support as

necessary to accomplish this challenging task.

Here's what seems to work for most people:

1. Devise a strategy you will experiment with when

you have uncomfortable feelings, instead of using

food as a crutch.

2. Take a few minutes first thing each morning to

visualize yourself moving through your day, trying

out your new strategy, allowing your feelings, and

making healthy food choices.

3. Resolve to be self aware before, during, and

after your eating -- no matter what.

4. Welcome your feelings warmly and "make small

talk" with them, so you can understand what they

are trying to tell you about your needs.

5. Honor your needs.

6. Notice without judgment the thoughts and

feelings you are having about your feelings.

7. Make notes about what you did in response to

an uncomfortable feeling instead of eat, and how

well it did or didn't work for you.

8. Resolve to stick with the experiment until you

know whether or not the new strategy can work.

9. If the new strategy is not working, get more

support. If it still isn't working, do some

research and try another strategy.

10. Never give up!

As one of my coaching clients reminded me

recently, the only way out is through. To

keep obesity in remission, we need to practice

putting our food crutch down, and bravely feel

our feelings, as often as we can.

It's possible!

[cmr8tch 1]

Hi everyone!! Glad everyone is so upbeat, I enjoy reading all of your adventures.

PURPLEVIC I don't have a support person that lives with me. My best friend is always asking me how i'm doing though. Sometimes spouses are good support, but sometimes unintentionally sabotage you. I can't have tomatoes either because of the skin, but I am allowed no sugar spaghetti sauce. I just starting making spaghetti squash, then put the sauce and some turkey meatballs over it. And I had chicken for the first time the other day, over salad greens and fat free Salad Dressing. I was in heaven!!

MONICALEON18 Thanks for the birthday wishes!! That is a great idea to have some different clothes and to see each week the progress of getting into them. I bought some shirts from QVC, and they only had 1X, so I bought them, and now working my way down to fitting in them.

I agree journalling does help, but I am having difficulty hitting 70 Grams of Protein and staying within 1200 calories. I am writing my feelings on this journal as well, and it's fun to go back and read my thoughts from Sept, such as the pain I was in, how I cried cause I couldn't pick up the kitties, and the weeks of broth and pureed foods!!

I watched this show yesterday of a woman who had LAP-BAND®® surgery, but now she eats past the full point, until it comes up to her esophagus then throws up every day. I think she needs counselling. But that is why I am afraid to try different foods, I don't want to all of a sudden go crazy. Yesterday at the grocery store, I was eyeballing all the holiday Creamers for coffee, and I almost bought one- but at 35-50 calories a tablespoon I finally said no!! I guess the closer to the holidays, it will be more of a challenge, but I will be proud of myself if I don't deviate and still lose weight. How are all of you going to cope with holiday food?

I sooooooooo appreciate the question you pose above, missjoany -- "How are all of you going to cope with holiday food?" I'm hoping there will be tons of discussion on this issue for the next few months. I just shared an article from my doctor that I found interesting in a separate post. Thanks for opening this discussion. It's an important question for all of us to ponder and share.

[Rambunctious 2]

There are three of us in my family who had WLS (three different procedures). My stepdad had RNY bypass two years ago this Thanksgiving and my mom went to all of his nutrition classes since she is the cook. And dinner will be at my mom's house! Just today she emailed me asking for dinner suggestions because she wants to lighten it up from our traditional dinner. The three of us who had WLS are not the only ones in the family with weight issues. I will have plenty of support around me to stay on track.

The hardest part for me will be the grazing period before dinner when chips and crackers will be out. And of course dessert. I am often the dessert provider. I'm trying to figure out a couple of desserts that will not obliterate my plan. Any suggestions?

I plan to get in some good exercise during my stay with my parents. They live in the mountains so it's easy to get an intense incline walk in each day.

[cmr8tch 1]

There are three of us in my family who had WLS (three different procedures). My stepdad had RNY bypass two years ago this Thanksgiving and my mom went to all of his nutrition classes since she is the cook. And dinner will be at my mom's house! Just today she emailed me asking for dinner suggestions because she wants to lighten it up from our traditional dinner. The three of us who had WLS are not the only ones in the family with weight issues. I will have plenty of support around me to stay on track.

The hardest part for me will be the grazing period before dinner when chips and crackers will be out. And of course dessert. I am often the dessert provider. I'm trying to figure out a couple of desserts that will not obliterate my plan. Any suggestions?

I plan to get in some good exercise during my stay with my parents. They live in the mountains so it's easy to get an intense incline walk in each day.

Can we come with you for Thanksgiving?! Wow. Thanks for sharing your plans. The closest thing I've had to dessert since being banded on 9/1 is a 4oz serving of dark chocolate or butterscotch sugarfree nonfat pudding with a tiny dab of fatfree Cool Whip type topping. Works for me!

[missjoany 0]

I find it interesting how different the food guidelines are from one doctor or nutritionist to another. I have no forbidden foods. Of course there are foods that are not recommended that should be very limited. And there are foods that my bariatric nutritionist does recommend to try until three months post surgery.

Have any of you experienced changes in taste? I tried a couple bites of my husband's fish and chips and tempura this weekend and none of it tasted good to me. I also no longer like foods to be sweet unless they are specifically meant to be. I wonder if it may be simply because I'm so focused on eating whole foods, that I have lost my taste for some foods.

The only thing sweet I have had is my calcium chews and I am treating them as my sweet for the day. I cannot believe how awesome two chicken strips, salad greens and fat free dressing tasted the other day. WOW- it was so great. Other than that, I don't feel any different. We had a fantastic Veterans' Day potluck yesterday. I had two pieces of chicken, but no cake, pies, biscuits. The chicken was from Bojangles, and I did not have any problems eating it, but so glad I had nothing else. I think I might be ready for a fill (have not had one yet) with some more restriction. I am afraid if I had some cake, I would wake up my taste buds and then I would be gone......Can't wait to lose my taste for such stuff.

[missjoany 0]

Above missjoanny asks "how are you all going to cope with the holiday food? " This is very much on my mind, too, and I look forward to supporting each other through all of this. For starters, I'd like to share this article that I received from my doctor this week:

How to Let Go of Your Food Crutch

Even though you say you want to be successful with your

surgery, do you sometimes eat when you wish you wouldn't?

When it comes to eating, is guilt a frequent companion

of yours?

Welcome to the club.

In our culture, with the amount of unhealthy food we're

exposed to, and with the holiday stresses bearing down

on us, it's safe to say many Americans, including WLSers,

will be using food as a crutch in the coming weeks.

In fact, eating food with no nutritional value during

the holidays has become such an accepted pastime, we

don't even realize that we are eating to deal with

feelings.

And because holiday eating is sanctioned by nearly

everyone, we have a golden opportunity to hide in plain

sight -- to use our crutch without anyone really knowing

we're using it. We take a brief vacation from the guilt

(or at least we try to).

"I am not going to feel deprived at Thanksgiving," we

insist. "I can handle a little indulgence." "I've been

so good this year, I deserve a holiday from food rules!"

"I've modified the recipe; this is *healthy* fudge."

Clearly, some of us *can* handle a little indulgence,

but why do we tempt fate? Why do we turn to food with

gusto and self righteousness?

Feelings.

Many of us don't want to feel our feelings. We don't

like the discomfort of deprivation, longing, feeling

different from others, isolation, loneliness, anger,

fear, sadness, shame, loss, or abandonment.

The truth is, however, that finding healthier ways to

deal with our uncomfortable feelings is essential to

long-term success.

Even when you feel resistance to putting down the food

crutch, it boils down to this: Do you want long-term

obesity remission or don't you?

I had to look in the mirror and ask myself that question

a few days ago, as I obsessed about whether or not I

should make gluten-free brownies for myself. "Maybe I

can handle desserts," I reasoned like a pro. "Maybe it's

been the gluten all along, and I really can handle more

sweets!"

When I asked myself whether or not I wanted to keep my

obesity in remission, I knew the answer immediately --

yes!

Some of us aren't so lucky. We really don't know what

we want. We don't know if putting down our food crutch

is possible, or even desirable. Is it worth feeling all

those negative feelings just so we can stay a size 12

(or whatever)? Apparently, the answer for some of us

is "NO!"

The only way to know if it's worth it is to give it a

try, to put down the crutch long enough to see what

might happen once we get used to living without it --

and to see that we can survive, or even better, thrive.

There are a ton of resources available to help us

learn to stop using food as a crutch, but the bottom

line is that we need to put down the offending foods,

identify and feel our feelings, find healthier ways to

deal with those feelings, and get as much support as

necessary to accomplish this challenging task.

Here's what seems to work for most people:

1. Devise a strategy you will experiment with when

you have uncomfortable feelings, instead of using

food as a crutch.

2. Take a few minutes first thing each morning to

visualize yourself moving through your day, trying

out your new strategy, allowing your feelings, and

making healthy food choices.

3. Resolve to be self aware before, during, and

after your eating -- no matter what.

4. Welcome your feelings warmly and "make small

talk" with them, so you can understand what they

are trying to tell you about your needs.

5. Honor your needs.

6. Notice without judgment the thoughts and

feelings you are having about your feelings.

7. Make notes about what you did in response to

an uncomfortable feeling instead of eat, and how

well it did or didn't work for you.

8. Resolve to stick with the experiment until you

know whether or not the new strategy can work.

9. If the new strategy is not working, get more

support. If it still isn't working, do some

research and try another strategy.

10. Never give up!

As one of my coaching clients reminded me

recently, the only way out is through. To

keep obesity in remission, we need to practice

putting our food crutch down, and bravely feel

our feelings, as often as we can.

It's possible!

Thank you so much! I am printing it now.

[david314 0]

I have not posted much since I joined this site and not at all in the last few weeks. When I get discouraged or need information I go straight to this site and always feel so much better and have so many new ideas on things to try. I sometimes feel that I just don't have much to offer beyond what you guys are offering. Honestly, I have had zero problems with the surgery, except some pretty bad Constipation for a week or so afterward. I am trying not to recommend the surgery to others but I'm happy to share my personal experience. I have been very open about having the surgery with anyone who inquires about my weight loss and don't feel embarrassed at all. In fact, I feel as if this has been one of the most important, pro-active steps I have ever taken. I'm proud to be a bandster and thrilled that, after receiving a diagnosis of pre-diabetes, my labs have shown significant improvement.

I was banded on Sept 27 and have lost 39 pounds as of this morning. I have an appt with my surgeon on Wednesday and I want to be down 40 pounds. I have not had a fill and I would like to do this without one.

I had no weight loss for a week or so, but then it started again. Must have had something to do with exercise!!! I wasn''t doing much before and, as a result, wasn't losing. I am drinking two Protein Drinks each day...sometimes 3. Also am eating small portions of basically anything I want. I do not do well with meat yet, but I have some small portions. I don't think I have been actually stuck, but when I have eaten too fast, I've had this feeling that I had to get up and walk around before I could take another bite. After 5 minutes or so, I'm back to eating, but much slower and chewing much better. Sounds like STUCK huh?

I didn't mean to write a book, but just wanted to share my experience and express my gratitude to all of you for your ideas and your willingness to share your experience.

[LisaA 1]

David 134 your comments are great, thanks, I was banded on that day, sadly I've only lost 30y lbs but thats better then ever before.

cece great post, thanks.

Holiday's, one thing I am doing is coming armed with a dark leafy green salad, dressing on the side. I find if my plate has a lot of dark leafy greens - I feel liike less isolated, and salad never gets stuck. My salads don't have cheese, just lots of nice green veggies, maybe tomatoes, and shredded carrots etc, maybe some dried fruit and toasted nuts on the side too for the holiday. I figure a fluffy salad, which if i didn't bring it wouldn't be there or would be like iceburg and cheese and bacon bits or something.

some good wls derssert recipes are on

worldaccordingtoeggface.com

also frozen bite sized pieces of fruit and even grapes can be a nice desert, even with a little real whittped cream.

also some of that light and fit or greek plain yogurt- some sugar substitute, some fruit, or rubarb, or something festive-

or 4apples or pears with some 3 tablespoon sugar substitute (optional), 1 T brown sugar and 4-6 chopped fgs, 1 lemon zest, 2 tinimon, 1/2t nutmeg-fruit cored and skiin scored- stuffed with the other ingrediants- baked 350 in a sealed baking dish for 45 mins- should be soft. one apple 135 cals and very festive. that and 2 T of real cream redi whipp (15 cals)(or 2oz of light and fit vanilla yogurt and you are ready, cut the apple in half, and add 2 T of a low fat granola and it pertty close to pie or cobbler

Come prepared, meat, some treat for you self, and your own low cal thing, mine is salad. 4 oz turkey, 1/4 cup veggie (or 1/2 cup or more salad if it has no cheese etc you can have more. and if room a 1/4 starch, potato, or roll or stuffing.

then have a light dessert- or if chips are your thing, come prepared with a pre measured snack baggie or a treat you already know how many caloies and eat a bet less at a meal so you can do it, like my thanksgiving is at 2 so I won't eat any dinner, or just a plaiin salad or something, that will give me some room for some cals snacking, as long as I'm not reaching into an endless bowl it's ok, I measure, I chose the snack, it's in my bowl, and I'm safer but.

worldaccordingtoeggface.com, everymonth new wls recipes.

good luck everyone.

I get my fill on monday. I'm coming after that 39 lbs, 10 more by xmas,

Lisa

I have a book too that has

[Rambunctious 2]

Corrected link:

theworldaccordingtoeggface

There are some great recipes. I'm definitely going to try the Protein ice cream.

LisaA - I like all of your dessert suggestions!

I consider recipes to be suggestions and idea starters. I found a few recipes ideas on another site with desserts for diabetics that I will modify using some ideas from TheWorldAccordingToEggFace. I'm considering a thin cheesecake base (vanilla or lemon) with a fresh fruit topping and a layered pumpkin cheesecake. I have estimated calories at 100-150 and 10-12g of protein per slice based on my revisions. TheWorldAccordingToEggFace had a great idea to use Torani sugar-free Syrup instead of butter or margarine when making the crumb crust.

[donnasang 0]

Hello Bandstanders!

Banded 9-24-10, down 33 pounds, feeling terrific and looking pretty good too ! haha . I'm still feeling restricted and happy with three meals a day (4 -4 1/2 ounces), surgeon is also happy- so no fill yet for me.

I've been setting my mindset like this for the holidays- It's a time to be with my family, NOT a time to resurface old eating habits...

We've all been through too much and come too far! OOps- forgot to update ticker!

Edited November 13, 2010 by donnasang

[Rambunctious 2]

happy with three meals a day (4 -4 1/2 ounces)

Are you really only eating 300-600 calories per day? I would be miserable. At 700-800 per day I was having serious issues with fatigue and could not focus at work. I had to increase my intake to 1000-1200 so I could function, exercise and get adequate nutrition. I'm not asking to be critical, I'm asking because I'm curious how a person can function with only 4-4.5 oz three times a day for an extended period of time. Maybe it's just the difference in how each one us functions. We are all unique after all.

[LisaA 1]

I hear that Rambunctious, I also, - I do like 5 1100-1200, one 9-1000, and one 13-1400's anyway even on the 9-1000 days getting like even 60 grams of Protein is hard.

I wish I could form complete sentences on less, I just can't. Plus my body like stop losing weight, like after surgery when I was on liquids my weight was like at a standstill.

so do any of you do the cheese chips all the low carb people rave about. I guess it's real big in the low car community, I don't have any idea about calories or fat, but apparently you shred cheese into a skillet and basicillay cook it till its kind of crisp and flip it. you can put like garlic powder or whatever , use different cheeses, but in the end you get chiips, and alot of the oil is gone from the cooking process. that's what people swear by anyway. I was thinking about that in relation to chips and holidays. I also have a thing for toasted nori, like the seweed sheets they make sushi with, I love it plain toasted crispy, nori is crazy high in protien, and salty, I love it.

[Rambunctious 2]

LisaA - You pegged my calorie schedule! I too have a high day and a low day. Did a 2-hour hike today so this was my high day. I haven't had a problem getting in my Protein as I've been averaging about 78g per day. I have 3 oz of chicken tender or salmon or 4 oz of lean seafood for lunch and dinner which is 40-45g. The rest comes from soymilk, Beans, egg whites, grains, etc.

I had never heard of making cheese chips. It's basically the same thing as getting crispy cheese edges from spillover. It would be interesting to see nutritional values since the protein remains and some of the fat melts away. I suspect it is not as nutritionally good as it is tasty good. BUt I could be wrong.

I hope everyone is doing well and feeling good.

[RGinHB 0]

Hi Brian,

Thank you for taking charge in a sense and keeping us September 2010's together.This chatting is all new to me , so bear with me.My question to you is, have you had a fill yet? I was banded September 29, 2010. All has gone well with a total weight loss of 25 pounds (which includes weight loss from the week before surgery).I went in for a fill November 11th and the Dr discovered (after injecting a full syringe of saline) that my port is not working properly. Saline cannot be drawn out of it.Possibly a kink in the port's tubing.Have to get an xray with a injected tracer to find out what the problem is.Fortunately the amount of saline the Dr injected was not too much. I am comfortable and content, even though I am back to liquid and pureed foods temporarily.Have you heard of anyone else with this challenge? I am a bit dissapointed. Not sorry I got banded but a little depressed because of this.

[LisaA 1]

yeah I'm scepical on the cheese chip thing, people really talk them up on this site.

here is a strange site with some info

Calories in Cheese chips - Nutrition Facts

it looks a little better or maybe equal to my no transfat tortilla chip. which I still avoid. but low carb.

here is recipe

Joyful Abode

apparently there is a store bought product too, I"m not sold on the value but would love to hear something different as they look good.

yeah when I hAVE trouble with the protien is on days try not to do meat in both lunch and dinner. and then if I try to do no meat the whole day, which Id usually do several times a week, it is almost impossible, it is hard to be low cal and a vegetarian, and get 60 + g of Protein. well unless you are doing a lot of Protein Drink, which I try not to cause my doc doesn't recommend them, he like solid food.< /p>