Kate rules

I don't always obey the 30 mins before rule. I don't drink during or immediately after meals because that results in puking. While a free calorie dinner is nice in theory, I'd rather just follow the rules the best I can and avoid a slip.

Same way I dealt with haters before I got skinny: your opinion would be best kept to yourself. The constant compliments I get far outweigh the negative ones. People are surprised when I do tell them but I also usually share that I've lost 60 pounds since last may, more than halved my triglyceride count and have almost all normal blood values. A far cry from last year.
Bottom line: the decision to get banded is a medical decision that is best left between you and your physicians. The naysayers would hate on you if you didn't make the choice to take control of your weight. Now they have a different thing to pick on. They will move on eventually. Until then keep your chin up!

Hiccups burping chest pain. Kinda like how I used to feel after thanksgiving dinner minus 1500 calories. LOL

I drink diet sodas occasionally. Though not with food because that is uncomfortable and ill- advised. I eat bread.
I was also terrified of "losing" my food. I actually cried at my shrink about it. LOL. But I find that I don't crave bread the way I used to. Probably because my diabetes has disappeared and my body processes the sugar it takes in now more efficiently. I still LIKE bread but I don't LOVE it the way I used to. I can't describe it other than to explain that I used to be the person who would go through 4 baskets of whatever bread was at the restaurant and only stop because the entree arrived. Now I grab a small bite, really enjoy the flavor and texture, carefully chew and swallow, and take a deep breath.
I had bread at dinner tonight. Enjoyed it but enjoyed being a size 8/10 more.

I drink diet sodas occasionally. Though not with food because that is uncomfortable and ill- advised. I eat bread.
I was also terrified of "losing" my food. I actually cried at my shrink about it. LOL. But I find that I don't crave bread the way I used to. Probably because my diabetes has disappeared and my body processes the sugar it takes in now more efficiently. I still LIKE bread but I don't LOVE it the way I used to. I can't describe it other than to explain that I used to be the person who would go through 4 baskets of whatever bread was at the restaurant and only stop because the entree arrived. Now I grab a small bite, really enjoy the flavor and texture, carefully chew and swallow, and take a deep breath.
I had bread at dinner tonight. Enjoyed it but enjoyed being a size 8/10 more.

I drink diet sodas occasionally. Though not with food because that is uncomfortable and ill- advised. I eat bread.
I was also terrified of "losing" my food. I actually cried at my shrink about it. LOL. But I find that I don't crave bread the way I used to. Probably because my diabetes has disappeared and my body processes the sugar it takes in now more efficiently. I still LIKE bread but I don't LOVE it the way I used to. I can't describe it other than to explain that I used to be the person who would go through 4 baskets of whatever bread was at the restaurant and only stop because the entree arrived. Now I grab a small bite, really enjoy the flavor and texture, carefully chew and swallow, and take a deep breath.
I had bread at dinner tonight. Enjoyed it but enjoyed being a size 8/10 more.

I can eat pretty much any bread but only in very small amounts. The amount of bread I eat now is equal to or less than the size of the lump of butter I used to throw on the bread. Tiny pieces and whatever you do, don't drink. Water + bread may = stuck = sucks.

pizza and wings ok for me. Although I would say that planning a walk after dinner would be wise. I can do 5 flat wings and maybe one slice of pizza was on a wing kick for about a month and actually lost weight eating wings.
If you are ok in kitchen, try baking flat wings. Mix 1/3 cup butter, 1/3 franks red hot thick sauce and one small capful of vinegar. Makes enough sauce for however many wings you want to cook up. Better than frying. If you can't resist crunchy skin, coat pan with olive oil and put under broiler for a few minutes. Yum.

I did Lima Beans and pulled chicken. I used broth and a tiny bit of butter to moisten chicken. Cheap, easy and lots of Protein. I also did Honeybaked Ham. I cut into small pieces and it went down very easily. I trimmed off fat and glaze.

Wow! That is awesome! Good job!

No more sirloin steak. I'm strictly filet mignon now. Or it just comes back up. Sorry for the TMI.

Yup, my fitness pal is my new best friend. It helped me out of a difficult spot in my weight loss. 1200 calories per day. But I will warn you if the GIGO effect: garbage in, garbage out. The app will only be as accurate as the data you enter. So be honest with yourself. I had a major slip up one day where I had 2500 calories. But I used to eat more than that every day and never thought twice. This app will help you be accountable to yourself. If it only included a cattle prod to get me off my rear end to exercise more. Maybe available on the paid version. LOL

I know how self-congratulating posts can be a bit much but I want to share that I love my lapband because I just weighed myself and the scale said 149.8. I promised myself that I would be 149.9 or lower by April 14, my birthday. This weight is significant to me because it is the lowest weight I've had in over 10 years!
I hope that this will give someone else who is struggling hope that their day will come too and it will be sweet because of the hard work it took to get there. My journey isn't over because now I have 19.8 pounds left to help me become a healthier me. Your success stories have inspired me during dark and weak moments. Thank you everyone for being here on this site!

I had my own period of mourning the foods I wouldn't be able to eat anymore. But I will be honest and tell you what your nutritionist would kill me for telling you: YOU WILL BE ABLE TO EAT pizza AND WHITE CASTLE. Ok, now that we put that bit of dirty truth on the table, I will tell you that my ability and desire to inhale an entire large pizza and a half-pound burger and large fries is completely gone. I share the 1/3 pound burger with my two kids (I eat a quarter of it and usually have to ditch the top of the bun) and eat maybe 5 fries before I feel the restriction of the band kick in. I used to love pizza but I don't really enjoy eating it that much anymore because it is hard to eat. I kind of eat like a toddler now. I sort of pick at my food and after a few bites I say "I'm not hungry anymore." It really used to bug me when my kids did that.

Welcome, and congrats on being banded!

Will pray for you both. Please take care of yourself so you can be strong for the coming days.

The hospital will have the aforementioned mesh panties and HUGE pad that they throw on you after childbirth. You'll never feel sexier. LOL

If you want to make a scene, buzz a design into it! LOL. Maybe I will do! Give them something to talk about.

@shauna yes i start it wed its liquid and very soft foods until day of surgery