I'm here to help...

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Hi there, it sure is quiet on here..... The weather must be better for everyone and they are out and about enjoying it.... It's very nice here, too..... above 30 I believe.... DH had Laromi out in the snow and pulled her around on the sled......

I've been pretty lazy today... changed sheets on our bed, folded some laundry, did dishes from last night, ate lunch with Laromi, took a long bath, and now a little computer time... I want to bake a pan of bars shortly as I have nothing in my house... DH likes to have something for his midnight snack raids......

Hope all is well with everyone and that little party in California is going well.. I'm jealous........... I want to be there, too.............. I'm pretty sure I can't come to Chicago............ baby coming in May, our town's celebration in June..... Graduation in Ohio in June........ I just don't think I can do it this time........ we'll see.....

Well, a little game time and then off to bake bars..... Hugs to all........ Julie

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

Wow! I sure miss our West Coast ladies junking up the thread. So, I'm struggling today to not have many carbs. I am planning on a salad tonight and I put some dried fruit and cashews in that with raspberry vinaigrette so I'll be getting carbs then, but I do put in Feta cheese to get my Protein. I really find the Protein drinks are the easiest thing to do, sometimes twice a day. It's going to take me a while to lose the other 5 lbs I gained since I can't exercise as much due to injury and bad weather. I can't wait till I can walk outside again. I hate having to drive even a few miles to walk around an oval track with no view. Feel like a horse with blinders on.

Went to eye Dr. this morning. Had to see an opthalmologist because of my Sjogrens Syndrome and the medication I have to take for it. I need to be monitored by an opthalmologist. I also needed new glasses, as usual. Otherwise I'm bored out of my mind. Perfect conditions for overeating. Limited physically, nothing to do, nowhere to go, no money to spend, no one to talk to. I signed up for Groupon but you have to make an immediate decision whether to buy things on there, and they still cost too much and most of the things don't interest me. I hate salons, and massages, and mani pedis which seems to be the main thing they offer. My ADHD goes crazy in those places. I'm trapped in a chair or on a table. I know no one and I never feel prettier or more relaxed when I leave.

In fact, I usually feel poorer and uglier and tense and like I just wasted a lot of time and money. Not that I get anything done at home on days like this. I don't get at cleaning projects unless I've got people coming over. Read for a while but my eyes get so tired. Dr. prescribed eye drops which I should try now but my prescription shows that I don't have a strong enough strength for reading. My husband sleeps days so I can't do much of anything around the house. Eating out is no longer a pleasure since there's so much I can't eat and I can't eat much unless I order sliders. Plus we have to stop spending money. Going to Europe is eating up all my extra $. I have to keep telling myself its going to be worth it.

My weekends have gotten so boring with my husband working nights and sleeping days, and my grandchildren less and less availbable, and hardly anybody posting on weekends. If I could just get outside and walk it would help tremendously. I'm not one to call people up and talk on the phone. Nothing on TV. Can't read because of my eyes. Aargh. Depressing.

Sandi, are you out there? Tomorrow might be a good day to meet and discuss the June 9,10, 11, 12 reunion here in Chi-town. How's Charlie doing?

A highlight this week has definitely been reading people's posts about how bad it got for them before the band. I appreciate everyone's honesty. I was just thinking about how I used to look in the mirror and not be able to see my own face. It felt like my features were held hostage by the fat.

I think I'm going to call my sisters or brothers or maybe my old friend I'm starting to reconnect with.

Cheri

[Kiskis 56]

Hi gals, I doing well on my 3rd post-op day. Down 2 more pounds . Feeling good, had a shower today - yipee! Had pureed oatmeal for Breakfast but it didn't go down that great. I still have a tight chest & want to make sure nothing gets stuck or comes back up.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Cheers,

Kristi

[Meredith2424 0]

Cheri~ I agree, I miss the West Coast Clique on here too!!!! I hear ya on the boring times. Thats how I feel here on Mon and Tues. I lost 5 lbs on my 5DPT too! Thank goodness. It's about time. Now people definately notice when I lose 5 pounds, where as when I was HUGE, they hardly noticed the first 30 or 40!

Julie~ Sounds like you are feeling better! Enjoy your time with you little Mimi!

Kristi~ Congrats on 2 more pounds!!! Thats great! Take it easy though with food IMHO. I did liquids only for 10 days after surgery. oatmeal in any form is still tough on my band. Give your body time for the swelling to go down. Just an idea. I would go with puddings, mashed potatoes, yogurt, stuff like that for awhile as to not irritate your band. But, it sounds like you are doing really great! You got out, took a shower, losing weight, you are on your way to becoming thin!!!! Yay!

Lori~ Enjoy your Hawaiian vacation!!!!!

CBL~ Meredith

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

I had liquid Protein after my surgery. I didn't mess around with carbs of any kinds. SF jellos and puddings. No carbs got me off to a great start. SF Yogurt. had things like refried Beans which are high Protein. No mashed potatoes or oatmeal or carbs of any kind. I was told no carbs so I did no carbs. Baby food meat works too. Scrambled eggs with a little LF cheese. Couldn't eat much of it but I ate frequently.

Cheri

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[Kiskis 56]

Cheri - Thanks. Yah, I didn't love the oatmeal that much either. Had sugar/fat free pudding last night, yummy! That is my new treat. Kinda getting sick of Jello. Nice to have another 10 cal option in the mix.

All - I am doen another pound - 246lbs - yipee!

Chest pain still tight but I have been walking and breathing hoping that it will go away.

Tomorrow I have my massage. I can't wait! I also start work tomorrow. I am working from home to ease in.

Hanging with my neice & nephews today. Have a great day all!

K

I had liquid Protein after my surgery. I didn't mess around with carbs of any kinds. SF jellos and puddings. No carbs got me off to a great start. SF Yogurt. had things like refried Beans which are high Protein. No mashed potatoes or oatmeal or carbs of any kind. I was told no carbs so I did no carbs. Baby food meat works too. Scrambled eggs with a little LF cheese. Couldn't eat much of it but I ate frequently.

Cheri

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[ljv52 2]

Morning everyone. It's a balmy and sunny 36 degrees already!! Whoo Hoo!! Feels sooo good. Was nice yesterday -- took my Merry on a short walk -- she loved it and did great - haven't walked her much since her surgery -- she always loved her walks -- and she still does. She's such a trooper.

Aylah spent the night - she's feeling better. She fell asleep early so she's still fighting off the bug, but not too bad.

Not much else going on - went to Zumba and then the gym afterwards yesterday -- had a good workout and then came home and cleaned house.

Kiskis, I add Protein powder to my sf pudding -- I just add an envelope of unjury unflavored Protein mix to one box of pudding with two cups of skim milk -- you can't really tell it's there and that makes it even more beneficial when you eat it. It really helps curb hunger when you get hungry.

Gotta run -- have a great day everyone.

Linda

[Kiskis 56]

Linda - you rock. Great idea!!! Thanks

[Charlene K 1]

Good Morning Peeps! I couldn't go to church......coughing too much. So, I just turned on A&E. There are two episodes of HEAVY. It is a good reminder of what could happen if you quit living a healthy life.

[ladykcusa 1]

ite has been down a great deal. Think I may have posted this update before. Oh well,,,,,,,, I'm old and forgetful. Last Wednesday had 1 cc removed from band and was told the scan showed a gas bubble in my stomach. "it will go away" was the advice.

Also was given script for Carafate which Laura suggested. It is working very well. Feeling better and can eat again. Slowly and carefully.

S

[ljv52 2]

Joyce, no, I don't think you posted about getting some taken out -- you did post about the prescription -- glad it's helping. I don't understand how you can get a gas bubble in your stomach - makes no sense to me - but glad you can eat again -- did they do a scan to look at it?

Happy Birthday to Sandy -- hope you have a lovely day and a wonderful year!!

Arlene, sorry you are under the weather -- hope it clears up soon - OMG - I just noticed that it's 46 outside!! Aylah and I took merry for another walk earlier - may have to get back outside and enjoy some more of this gorgeous spring like weather while it's here. How's your weather Arlene? Has it warmed up? Hope so.

When long were Eva and Apples staying? are they going home today or maybe tomorrow -- hope they post some more pics.

No loss on the scales again this week - normal for me -- I did have two off days this week where I ate carbs -- so happy not to have gained any weight.

CBL - hope you all have a great day!

Linda

[Charlene K 1]

Joyce, no, I don't think you posted about getting some taken out -- you did post about the prescription -- glad it's helping. I don't understand how you can get a gas bubble in your stomach - makes no sense to me - but glad you can eat again -- did they do a scan to look at it?

Happy Birthday to Sandy -- hope you have a lovely day and a wonderful year!!

Arlene, sorry you are under the weather -- hope it clears up soon - OMG - I just noticed that it's 46 outside!! Aylah and I took merry for another walk earlier - may have to get back outside and enjoy some more of this gorgeous spring like weather while it's here. How's your weather Arlene? Has it warmed up? Hope so.

When long were Eva and Apples staying? are they going home today or maybe tomorrow -- hope they post some more pics.

No loss on the scales again this week - normal for me -- I did have two off days this week where I ate carbs -- so happy not to have gained any weight.

CBL - hope you all have a great day!

Linda

Linda, the weather is sunny and 70. In fact, it will be in the seventies for the rest of the week. I went outside, but something in the air causes me to sneeze and cough. UGH! I think the wind will die down tomorrow. I will be glad to get back to walking and Water aerobics.

Boy, the Heavy episodes were good. Dr. Marvin used to work with Dr. Davis. I am glad they are doing a series on how to live a healthy lifestyle and not so much about the surgery. How well we know the healthy eating is key to success.

[sndycnrd 1]

Hi everyone. Just a fly by. I have been super busy lately. I catch up on posts late at night but have been too tired to respond. Sorry.

I went Friday for a consult with the plastic surgeon about a TT. I have a date set for late May. Basically, he said I do not need to wait until the last 20 pounds are off. As long as I was within 40 of my final goal it will be ok. He said that most women are so inspired when they see the results of the surgery that they regularly go on to lose another 20 or 30 pounds. I set the date for late May because my DH and I are going to the Grand Canyon and I want to be able to participate fully in all of the hiking. The doc suggested I have the TT after the trip to be sure. He said I will need to be home for about a week and then I can return to work. This is because I have a desk job. If my job was physical it would be longer. So it is all set. If any of you have any questions about what I found out you can ask here or PM me.

Going to bed. I am tired after all the visiting we did today. Good Night.

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

Been reading more Kaye Bailey. I have a better understanding of why we are not supposed to drink for half an hour before, during, or half an hour after a meal. And why that meal needs to be lean dense Protein without much liquid or sauce added to it. When we eat Protein we burn up fat. I'm trying to remember the words, something about 30 % higher thermogenic? burn. That's why substituting carbs for the protein, even though you may be consuming fewer calories, keeps you from losing weight. Your engine doesn't work as hard to digest the carbs and use them for fuel as it does protein. The harder your engine has to work, the hotter it gets, the more fat it burns.

And the discomfort you feel when you eat dense protein and your inability to eat a lot of it is your band telling you to stop eating. Dense protein, unaccompanied by liquids that turn it into a slider, is the best food for signalling fullness and increasing satiety by staying in our pouches for much longer periods of time. Fatty meats slide through and even dense meats will slide through more quickly when accompanied by liquids. So really, the 5th day of the 5DPT is the way you are supposed to eat most of the time. Lean, dense Proteins, chewed very slowly and very well. That's why, if you gain weight and make yourself too tight, you can't even eat the dense Proteins that will help you lose weight and you may need an unfill in order to start eating right again. So the 5DPT is not just a test of your pouch, to see if you need a fill, it may indicate a need for an unfill, or it may get you back on the road to eating the right way so that you don't need an unfill.

That's why we eat protein first. After three or four oz of protein, then we add veggies and a little fruit. The amount of protein should range from at least 65 g a day to well over 100 g a day. Its hard to get in that amount if you're not putting protein first.

That's all I'm remembering right now. Maybe Linda has some of the details down more exactly. Kaye has a really interesting article on how to eat popcorn, which is one of the worst carbs you can eat. She suggests doing it with the no drinking for half an house before, during, or half an hour after. As long as we don't turn it into a slurry by adding liquid, it will sit in our stomachs a long time and we won't be tempted to keep eating it. I think she suggests limiting to one cup. And she suggests doing it only once or twice a week. Her experience has been that it makes you so uncomfortable, you're not likely to do it again soon.

Cheri

[ocotillo 0]

Evening ladies,

We are back, but a little burned out. Too much yack yack yacking for the last three days, but we had a great time. Someone took pictures, and I think I did too, but not sure if they will get posted on FB or not.

We went to a street fair on Saturday and there was some nice stuff, then to Palm Springs and then to Phyl & her DH who cooked us a wonderful dinner. This morning we sat around and talked, then we had to drive back.

Yes, it was very nice visiting and I guess I'm so brain dead, that's about all I can say.

I do have some homework that I've neglected. So have a great night, I need to read some.

Eva