Hey 50 & over gang We have a new spot

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Welcome to all the new people joining in here in our over 50's thread.

You are all doing so well cooking in the morning. I can't even imagine cooking that early. I hate cooking and cleaning up even more.

I eat Kashi Crunch Cereal in the morning. I add ground flax seed to it. It's the only way I can get my Fiber into my diet.

Things I eat a lot are meatloaf made from ground turkey,

lunch meat rolled up with low fat cheese, egg salad, tuna salad, taco salad, turkey chili, and chicken. I buy the chickens that are already cooked from Walmart. I can eat for several days on one of those. I dip the breast in low fat ranch or make a salad and mix it in.I also eat a lot of fish. I do buy some lean cuisine meals for lunch sometimes too. Most of the time, whatever I make for dinner is lunch the next day.

In the food and recipe section, there are several sites that have low carb recipes. I try to eat the good carbs and not the noodles rice, etc.

I almost always have a sugar free fudgsicle in the evenings.

My biggest problem is the weekends when I am at social functions and there is all sorts of good/bad ( however you look at it :thumbup: foods around. I have no trouble with any foods, so my band isn't a big help stopping me from eating bad foods. I recently had to have some saline taken out because of acid reflux at night, so that hasn't helped matters either.

I ordered some Peanut Butter chocolate Protein Shake mix and I plan to stick myself back on the liquid diet. I have done that before and it's a good way for me to get the cravings out of my system.

[April410 0]

I've been reading many of your posts over the past month or so.....I've even posted a few comments myself, though not on any regular basis.

I started the "journey" last summer - going to the seminar, getting all the tests done etc.....I felt so gung-ho and ready to have the surgery. I was scheduled for August 27th. I felt excited and nervous at the same time, but had such determination to make this change.

Then my insurance company turned me down. I felt like all my energy just drained out of me.....I was devastated, angry, frustrated etc.

Well what do "fat chicks" (to use Indigo's words) do when we are frustrated and angry? I ate.

I ate so much that I regained the 5% that I was required to lose before surgery. In fact I've gained a few more!

A few weeks ago my doctor's office called to say that they had won the appeal and my insurance company reversed their decision......I have approval!

With my work schedule it will not be possible to get time off till January......so here I am .....kind of in limbo.

I think knowing I have (had) two months to lose the weight again just made me lazy......I'm a procrastinator by nature...........so I have still not pulled myself together to get the weight off. I promise myself every day to start fresh.

Sorry for the long post............but the problem I am having now is not knowing if I still want to do the LapBand.

How can something I wanted so badly, now seem like something I really don't want anymore?

I read about the challenges and struggles some of you are having post LapBand.......and your advice and suggestions to one another are wonderful .....and I am sure so helpful......but I can't help thinking to myself that if I will still have "head hunger" and cravings after the surgery, then why put myself through that?

If I knew how to maintain Portion Control I wouldn't be in the spot I'm in. I really wonder if as some of you say, the LapBand does not help to prevent you from eating too much ..... then why do it?

I have heard too many stories - both here and from friends I know - of people gaining the weight back......

Forgive me for sounding so negative......Please believe me that I am delighted for those of you who have had so much success with the LapBand.......I guess I am just really trying to reach out and have someone convince me that LapBand WILL help me......

One day I feel like "yes" I want to go ahead with this.....and the next day I say "who am I kidding?"......I will always want things like ice cream or cookies.....and again if I can use willpower to stay away from those things, then why not just go back to Weight Watchers?

[Great2BThin 5]

Well, April, I am not going to try and convince yourself to get a lapband because you need to make that decision for yourself. But I did want to correct some of the negative info you post.

Granted, the lap band is no miracle cure and definitely not the easy way out, if that's what you are looking for don't do it. You still have to do the work and change your lifestyle sometimes that's easy and others it is very hard. However, it's an amazing tool. You mention Portion Control, for me it helps so much in the portion control. I physically can't eat more even if I want to because if I do I will be miserable or throw it up. I've done Weight Watchers for years, and all the motivation and will power in the world didn't help me in the 5 yrs I went to learn portion control. I'm probably the only person to have gone weekly to WW and gain 50 lbs! Cravings well they still come and go. For me they come and go much less frequentily as time goes on. I never struggled with sweets even pre banding, my issues are with crunchy and salty things like chips and popcorn. Unfortunately the go down the band no problem, but I just don't bring those things into the house. Popcorn is for movies only and luckily DH & I see very few movies anymore. Though just saw Bond Friday night. I know before I had my band I could find posts here to validate whatever way my mind was swaying that day. On days I was panicked and scared and wondering if I really should go through with it I could find a list of posts to validate that thought, On days I was excited and anxious to get it, I could find just as many or more positive ones. What it came down for me was do i want to keep going down the path I was on and getting the same results I was getting? or did I want to devote myself to this process and invest in my future and my health. Once I decided to do the band I gave it 100%, I didn't have the luxury of my insurance paying for my band, I had to self pay. And, my goodness, I was going to do everything in my power to be sure it wasn't a waste of money. I am diligent in the band rules with very few 'cheats' and have been extra successful. Even my dr. is amazed at my progress and says I am losing at the rate of a bypass patient. Of course, everyone's results will vary. I wish you luck in whatever you deicde. But while deciding, don't just look for the negative posts, look for the positve ones too. You need a balance to make your decision. I would be the last person to say don't look at the negative side or complications, you need to go into this with your eyes wide open but don't only look at those, balance it out. If you have questions, you've come to the right place. Also, Janet (Indigo Girl) has a mentor thread and is amazing with the advice she offers.

[pj_txlady 0]

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions on what to eat. I've been taking notes. I know that fish is really good for us, but...its a problem for me. I only like it fried...grrrrr. I bought some seasoned Talapia at Sams and did not like it at all. I do like tuna, I will make a salad and add my tuna. The advice on the Slim Fast makes so much sense. Will give eggs a try.

Thanks again !! This site is so great.

[boos02 0]

Long -

Great words of wisdom for April. It is really hard and only each person can make their own decision about being banded. Although I'm losing slowly I wouldn't change it for anything. And, it is a commitment. You must be diligent with food choices, become partners with your medical team to determine when fills are needed and seek support - like LBT.

[Socialdot 0]

April, I think everyone has said this very well, but I will add my 2 cents. I had the lap band because my health had gotten so bad. I will be 60 next year and I knew that my life was being shortened every day by my weight. DH and I took a wonderful trip last fall to New England to see the leaves and I could not enjoy it as I was so tired all the time. I did it to live a life I could enjoy. I was banded on 9/29 and I have lost 30 pounds. I feel 100% better despite the pain from the surgery. I think we each have to embark on this journey with our own needs and goals. It is not a magic answer; the band is just a tool. Good luck to you in your decision. Dot

[JoannMarie 0]

Thank you again, Long and Boos. There is a lot there for April to think about - as I am sure she is doing. The banded people on this site continue to be my inspiration.

When I first came to LBTalk I read all the negative posts about complications, failures, etc. I really believe we have to understand there are risks and failures with the band - just like everything else. But after looking through the site and beginning to read the posts for people in my age group (and a little younger - teehee) I quickly realized how much the band is helping us become healthier and happier people. Most likely our lives have been extended, and best of all - the quality of our lives has been improved immeasurably. That is what kept me coming back and continuing the process of approval and surgery. In just 18 days I will be joining this select group, and for the first time in years I am anticipating the future with confidence and a happy heart. Medicare is paying for my surgery, but the price I would pay for failure would be so devastating for me and my family - as the popular saying goes "failure is not an option."

I know I can follow the guidelines and dietary requirements of this plan. Staying on a diet has never been a big issue for me as long as I was losing. In recent years, however, that means losing 2 pounds, gaining 2 pounds, losing 2, gaining 3 - you get the picture. Two years ago I lost 40 pounds on an Optifast style diet - stayed in maintenance following all the rules for 6 months - then the knee went out and curtailed exercise and the pounds started to come back on slowly but very surely. I need a replacement, but having been that route, I know the result might be a successful knee, but 30-40 more pounds by the time I am healed enough to do meaningful exercise. I will not even consider that until next year.

I do know that I will have the same issues with cravings, head hunger, etc., that everyone else has. I also know that after a while (for me) those issues will decrease. I already keep my home free of goodies and eat a healthy diet. Portion Control is my issue, and I know the tool will help me with that - for the rest of my life. Getting pounds off this knee will help me with exercise. The truth is - I am a very persistent person (DH says stubborn), and I can always make that trait work to my advantage!

April, I would never presume to tell you what you should do. You need to make that decision, as you are the person affected by that decision. I just know this is the right one for me. Whatever your decision, good luck to you and I wish you every success!

[chicks3 0]

April you sound like I sounded a year ago. Just not sure of where I want to go as far as the lapband was concerned, did I want to go through with it or try once more loosing weight on my own. I was going through menopause, I was quitting smoking and I was gaining weight to the point where I was at my heaviest weight ever, and boy did I feel horrible....I could barely move without a struggle, every joint ached every bone creaked, my clothes looked like hell on me and I didn't want to do a thing except sit and watch TV and eat. I was scared to be without food, I pretty much had no choice but to persue the lapband road. I realized that at 313 lbs and age 51 the only way out was lapband or probably death at an early age, and with my first grandbaby on the way, I wasn't too thrilled with the latter.

I was banded in July and I can honestly say that this is the best decision I have ever made for me! I am truly eating to live, and not the reverse anymore. As I sat on the floor last night playing with my 6 month old granddaughter with almost 40 lbs gone, I had a realization that I would not be on the floor with her if I were still 313 lbs, I would not have been able to get down there and get up again. So much of who you are changes for the better with every lb. you loose. I have truly changed my relationship with food and as that relationship has changed and allowed me to loose weight, my relationship with others has changed too, all for the better, my husband just is so proud of me, my kids are thrilled for me, and I am amazed at who I am becoming, The head hunger goes away, I am banded well, I am eating very healthy foods now, I don't want to eat junk, my portions are small, and I am really learning to love myself for the first time in a long time. So trust me as I say what I truly believe....that NOTHING tastes as good as skinny FEELS.....I thank God every day for the path I choose, for I KNOW that I would not be down to the weight I am at now if I had decided not to go with the Lapband. I can't wait to see what I am in for when I reach goal! I am so excited for me:rolleyes2:

[JoannMarie 0]

Chicks - I LOVE YOU!!!!! What a great story!! I am excited for you, too!

I will get to see my grandson in April when we visit them in Korea - he will be 2 yrs old, and will be welcoming a new baby brother or sister that same month. I can't wait to get down on the floor and play with him! That thought keeps me going!

Thank you for the inspiration.

[chicks3 0]

Thanks Joann.....I have NEVER been an inspiration to anyone in my life....so those are nice words to hear. After I read your letter I went back and read mine, I actually got teary eyed as I read it.....its all so true, and food has become so unimportant in my life, that sounds strange, and maybe should be worded differently, because I know food gives you life, but its taken a back seat to the rest of my life, and maybe thats how "normal" people look at food. Perhaps I am also becoming "normal" now too? wow....imagine that! I may not post alot on here, but I know all about your wait and struggle to get banded JoAnn, I am just glad your date is finally around the corner for you. Thanks for your response. I can't wait to see your weight go down for you...Just imagine how much more healthy you are going to be when you see your grandbabies in April...oh I am so excited for you:thumbup:

[Great2BThin 5]

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions on what to eat. I've been taking notes. I know that fish is really good for us, but...its a problem for me. I only like it fried...grrrrr. I bought some seasoned Talapia at Sams and did not like it at all. I do like tuna, I will make a salad and add my tuna. The advice on the Slim Fast makes so much sense. Will give eggs a try.

Thanks again !! This site is so great.

PJ, have you tried dipping the fish in something like eggbeaters and then some bread crumbs? That gives it a little bit of a breaded taste. I've also found some breaded and frozen tilapia filets at costco that aren't too bad fat gram wise. I too prefer my fish fried and these two things have helped me. And I do like it grilled better than baked when I don't have it coated in anything. Hope that helps.

Chickie, your post brought tears to my eyes. Wow to think of myself as normal too, I think I am getting there as well.

Joann, have you tried the knee injections? if so, did they help? I am going through my 2nd series on my knee and it's not seeming to do much. I have one more to go. That is my biggest disappoint since losing weight. I thought I'd feel relief in my knee but so far none. I was bone on bone so guess there's not much to help it. But just not sure I want to go through another surgery to get it replaced. But am going to have to do something as this pain is getting to me.

[JoannMarie 0]

Lori, I had the injections in the knee last March. It seemed to help quite a bit over the summer, but it is bad again. Doc said I could have another round - I'm scheduled for my first one on Dec 1. Doc also told me it generally takes 6-8 weeks to take affect. I found that to be true - by the end of April I was starting to feel better.

PJ - Ditto on the breaded tilapia fillets from costco. They've had 2 kinds - one kind was breaded w/Panko crumbs, the other w/whole wheat crumbs. Both are very good. They have approx 210 cal per generous fillet. Don't fry - they bake in a hot oven. Yum. I usually buy another bag when I open one cause I don't want to run out! DH and I both like them a lot.

Chickie, you are not the only one who was teary eyed when reading your post. and yes - you are an inspiration. I can't wait to hear more about your new life!

[phyllser 3]

April you sound like I sounded a year ago. Just not sure of where I want to go as far as the lapband was concerned, did I want to go through with it or try once more loosing weight on my own. I was going through menopause, I was quitting smoking and I was gaining weight to the point where I was at my heaviest weight ever, and boy did I feel horrible....I could barely move without a struggle, every joint ached every bone creaked, my clothes looked like hell on me and I didn't want to do a thing except sit and watch TV and eat. I was scared to be without food, I pretty much had no choice but to persue the lapband road. I realized that at 313 lbs and age 51 the only way out was lapband or probably death at an early age, and with my first grandbaby on the way, I wasn't too thrilled with the latter.

I was banded in July and I can honestly say that this is the best decision I have ever made for me! I am truly eating to live, and not the reverse anymore. As I sat on the floor last night playing with my 6 month old granddaughter with almost 40 lbs gone, I had a realization that I would not be on the floor with her if I were still 313 lbs, I would not have been able to get down there and get up again. So much of who you are changes for the better with every lb. you loose. I have truly changed my relationship with food and as that relationship has changed and allowed me to loose weight, my relationship with others has changed too, all for the better, my husband just is so proud of me, my kids are thrilled for me, and I am amazed at who I am becoming, The head hunger goes away, I am banded well, I am eating very healthy foods now, I don't want to eat junk, my portions are small, and I am really learning to love myself for the first time in a long time. So trust me as I say what I truly believe....that NOTHING tastes as good as skinny FEELS.....I thank God every day for the path I choose, for I KNOW that I would not be down to the weight I am at now if I had decided not to go with the Lapband. I can't wait to see what I am in for when I reach goal! I am so excited for me:rolleyes2:

GREAT POST!!

INSPIRING for ALL of us!!

Getting down on the floor!!

What a concept??!!

I bet I could do that now!! I probably haven't been down there in years!!

Chicks - I LOVE YOU!!!!! What a great story!! I am excited for you, too!

I will get to see my grandson in April when we visit them in Korea - he will be 2 yrs old, and will be welcoming a new baby brother or sister that same month. I can't wait to get down on the floor and play with him! That thought keeps me going!

Thank you for the inspiration.

YES!! Thanks!!

PJ - Ditto on the breaded tilapia fillets from costco. They've had 2 kinds - one kind was breaded w/Panko crumbs, the other w/whole wheat crumbs. Both are very good. They have approx 210 cal per generous fillet. Don't fry - they bake in a hot oven. Yum. I usually buy another bag when I open one cause I don't want to run out! DH and I both like them a lot.

I saw those breaded Tilapia filets in Costco yesterday and almost bought some. Next time we are there, I will!! They ARE generous! I'm not sure I could eat a whole one at this point!

[Great2BThin 5]

I have only seen the panko breaded Tilapia at costco, will have to look for the other kind as well. I eat one of these a lot for dinner as DH has his critters he's hunted a lot and I usually refuse to eat those. We just got home from buying a 2nd freezer so he can load it up with more from our upcoming trip to S Dakota. Keeps the grocery bill down when all I need is the fish fillets and a box lasts me a long time.

[Lizalee 1]

April - I've been whining lately about cravings and head hunger. But everything is relative.

Almost a year ago, I started this journey. I was 339 pounds, had given up on dieting and was on a eating free-for-all. Have never been thin since I was 21, and that was only for about a year - I was a fat kid too.

I had tried dietitian-monitored dieting, dieting on my own, etc. I know plenty about nutrition and calorie counting, and strategies to avoid overating,etc., but could never stay on a diet for more than 3 months without dreaming of food and feeling hopeless, since I had so much to loose.

I couldn't buy any clothes but what was in extended women's sizes through catalogs. I developed type 2 diabetes, and was on two medications. I had high blood pressure, and my cholesterol count was up, so two more meds. I had severe sleep apnea. My knees were sore, my back was sore. I couldn't walk around the block and not be winded - so I avoided any walking like the plaugue. I didn't want to do anything around the house -cleaning was exhausting, laundry was so many trips up and down the stairs a real challenge.

My dream-life way back when was to have a horse. Well, I lived my dream vicariously through my daughters, who were in 4H for 10 years and we now own 2 horses, which I was never able to ride because I was too fat. Horse shows were exhausting to me, all that walking and lugging stuff around.

I had completely given up on my hopes and dreams. I was looking forward to retirement, and instead of ever living in the country and having a horse to ride, I was now thinking the only thing life had in store for me was a condo where I wouldn't have to do much physically.

I read about the band 2 years ago, and thought I could never do it. I could never give up eating the foods I love. I love to eat, and I love to cook.

And then I realized that between the weight, diabetes, cholesterol, etc., I wasn't going to live very long either. I had a hernia and needed surgery, but was afrraid the risks were too great. I feared ever needing a CT scan or an MRI, because I was overweight for the machine - would have had to go where they had a extra-large machine!

My oldest son got married 1 1/2 years ago. The pictures make me cringe - so fat!!! Stick out like a sore thumb. I was uncomfortable and embarassed.

Then, I decided, enough was enough. If others could do it, so could I. I was 51 going on 70 at the time...and I didn't like it. I wanted to be here in case there were grandkids someday.

So, I started the program. 4 months or so later, I finally got the band, but I was already about 40 pounds lighter and out of the 300's then. I felt great already!

You can see from my stats that I've done well!

It's nothing short of a miracle! I am very close to "onderland!" I can wear 1X clothes now, and am very close to fitting into the regular misses sizes!

I can walk 2 1/2 miles now without any problem - in fact, I just got back from doing just that. I have ridden one of the horses now 4 times!!! :-) (but I'm not very good at it!)

And - we have an offer in on a hobby farm with 5 1/2 acres, and as soon as somebody buys our house (say a prayer!!) we will be bringing our horses home and living my life-long dream!

It will be a lot of physical work, but I'm no longer afraid of it. In fact, I'm looking forward to it, since I'm running out of ways to burn off calories now that it's so cold up here in Wisconsin.

I feel like a whole new person! I am not embarasssed to travel for work, meet new people, etc. I am no longer this grotesque fat person, but a happy 'normal' looking person.

Sure, I gripe about eating too much - but that means 1400 or 1600 calories instead of 1000 - 1200 I'd like too in order to drop the pounds faster. Not 3000 or 4000 like I used to eat!!!

So...only you can decide. What would you like your life to be? And what will help you get there?

For me, the Band was an answer to prayers, and nothing short of a miracle!

Maybe it's not the same for you ... you need to make the committment for yourself, when you are ready. Nobody can make it be successful. If I chose to eat ice cream and chocolate and Cookies everyday, I will gain weight. I work very hard not to, and despair when I have weak moments and do just that. But then, there's another fill, or I have to make a change in my lifestyle again. It will be a lifelong battle, but I'm glad I have the band in my side to help me. It's much EASIER with the band!

Good luck with whatever you choose. When you're ready, you will know what to do.