Maddy

I find myself weighing everyday and I am getting nuts. Ya think its a good idea or not...weigh in

Holiday time is coming around the corner. Its a tough time of year to be on a weight control plan. How are you going to get thru this holiday season?

Do you know someone who is going to have the lap band or gastric sleeve surgery in the very near future? I had the pleasure of lending my own advice yesterday to a woman who was having the gastric sleeve. It was so nice to be able to talk with her and explain some of things that will be going on. It felt so good to calm & relax her mind. Have you helped someone on your journey? Lets hear from U!

Do you know someone who is going to have the lap band or gastric sleeve surgery in the very near future? I had the pleasure of lending my own advice yesterday to a woman who was having the gastric sleeve. It was so nice to be able to talk with her and explain some of things that will be going on. It felt so good to calm & relax her mind. Have you helped someone on your journey?

Does old habits die hard or its just me falling back into the "bad ways" I used to? How can we break bad habits when it comes to eating?

Is it just me or old habits die hard? I found myself this morning going back to an old habit...skipping meals! I don't know I am doing this?

Arnetta I am so moved by your story. We do come so attached to food don't we? And we don't even know it. When I got home from the 1st day of my gastric sleeve surgery, I cried too! I asked myself "omgosh what have I done to myself"? The intial shock of finally getting the surgery and now dealing with the reality of "reality" is a lot to bare. In time, you will become so much more at ease with your decesion. Once you start to see the weight is coming off and you are making wiser choices of foods to eat. This OMGosh theory will soon fade. I wish you all the best and if you need anything...just a email away..GOOD LUCK

I love strawberries and pears. So i take the pears and peel the skin off. Take the strawberries and pears and puree them together. Add alittle sweetner if needed and voila... a satisfying desert!

Sarah, Thanks for writing in... Your friend doesn't seem happy? Perhaps she is jealous that you are taking the right steps to a better life. Shame on your friend for not backing you. You need positive people in your arena not people that are going to give you a hard time. Family is your BEST support. Without the strong arms of my husband (Eli) and our daughter (Sami), I don't think I would have made it this far. Congrats on sticking with it and not giving up on you dreams... for a better you! Keep in touch and let me know how you are doing. Maddy

Opie, well said "shame" and why should we feel shame? Personally, I have been on a diet my entire life. I feel for the first time I am in control of "me". Talking about this issue helps me and I know helps our other fellow lap bands and sleevers get passed the fears of being in the closet.

Recently I ran into an old friend I haven't seen in a while. She recognized my weight loss Nf asked me how I lost the weight. I hesitated for a moment. I wasn't sure if I should tell her I had the gastric surgery 3 months ago. Why? I decided quickly to tell her that I had the surgery. Why should we hide our smart decision to finally attack our weight issue? Do you have a hard time telling people about your weight decision?

I had the gastric sleeeve. I recall counting the days down too. I was a nervous wreck. Talking to other people who had the surgery was not an option to me at the time. I did talk to Dr. Feitz A LOT about my concerns. That helped a great deal. If you have any concerns don't be afraid to call your doctor. Remember to walk after the surgery. This well help you a great deal. Whether you are having the lap band or gastric sleeve this helps get all the air out. Don't skip drinking your protein drinks as well. As this will give you the nourishment you need to keep your body going. Let us know how you are doing and I wish you the best of luck!

Bravo Bravo you give inspiration for all of us. Keep up the amazing weight loss!!!!

I am also very open about my surgery with my friends and family. I wasn't at first but now I am proud I have done something for myself and that is to change my life as I see food. I have the same issues when I eat too fast or I eat a food that is too dry. That feeling of "pressing" in the middle of my stomach is so uncomfortable. The gastric sleeve is a "mircle" to date I have lost over 50 pds in 13 weeks. I have nothing what to complain of. How are you doing with your post surgery? BTW ...thanks for the reply.

[quote name='brittney24' timestamp='1318362479' post='1673042'] hey guys, i just took my first step by going to a local wls siminar. it was very helpful but also made me rethink the lapband. i know this is a lapband forum but has anyone here ever considered the gastric sleeve? she made it seem like the band caused alot of prblems like throwing up and infections and lots and lots of follow ups for life. when the sleeve didnt.. i dunno im lost. Hi Britney, I was in the same spot where you were in many months ago. I didn't know which way to go. I went for a consult for the lap band and landed up learning about the gastric sleeve. After doing a lot of research on the this i elected not to do the band but do the sleeve. The reason why, I wanted a more permenent solution to my weight issue. I didn't like the issue of a foreign matter in my body for one and I was deeply concerned of slippage. The gastric sleeve, was a permenment solution. Once the stomach was cut it was cut and I like the fact that I wouldn't have the urge to eat more than I could at a time.The Micro Gastric Sleeve with STARR Treatment instead. The reason I chose this surgery over the Lap Band is I wanted a permanent solution to my weight issues. The STARR Treatment (Surgical Tiny Access and Rapid Recovery) Treatment allows for micro gastric sleeve surgery which is the same as the gastric sleeve surgery but performed entirely through a single very miniscule incision. Dr Feiz uses a single laparoscopic platform called "The Spider Surgical System" which is contained within a very small thin metal tube. The tube creates a very small incision and once inserted into your belly the instrument unfolds inside you like a tiny umbrella. This allowed Dr Feiz to perform the micro gastric sleeve surgery with full right and left instrumental movements. When Dr. Feiz finished the surgery and was complete the instrument collapses back into the tube and is removed. What is so amazing about this surgery is almost scar-less result. I had very little scarring if any to be seen. My scarring was less than a size of a freckle and my post operative pain was if any, very minimal. I am THRILLED from the STARR Treatment and I "HIGHLY" recommend this procedure to anyone who is battling their own weight issue.

Another good trick is to eat slowwwww. Eating to fast will only give you pain. Another food I liked was cream of wheat. I bought the instant 2 minute box. Add a spray of substitute butter a pinch of salt to taste and you got yourself a decent breakfast. Oatmeal made mushy is also good but you need to make sure the oats are really soft. Make the oatmeal alittle on the soupy side. Watermelon is another refreshing fruit I purée. It's sweet tastes food and it's not hard to digest.

Be delighted to Arlene. For veggies- I cooked carrots, peas, cauliflower or corn and purée them in my small cuisinart. ( a must have for all lap bands and sleevers). For chicken I cooked thighs in boiling water and put low fat chicken stock in the water. Cooked till tender and let cool. Once cooled I mixed in my cuisinart the pulled chicken from the thighs with a veryyyy small dab of light mayo and blended till purée. It's " delish". For salmon - I cooked a small piece of salmon with alittle lemon juice and salt ( for taste). After cooled I purée it like the chicken. Fruit - I took fresh peaches sliced with skin peeled and purée. You want to stay away from anything heavy like steak or hamburger meat. What I did for deserts I purée strawberries and then froze them into pops. That felt so soothing going down my throat.

Mushy can be difficult cos everything has to be grounded down. I bought a small cuisinart blender. I use it every day. Specially after surgery.

Thanks for getting back to me. You have very good ideas. I am really sticking to my goals as I shrink down so to speak. I am going to add 5 minutes onto my excerise regiment. Do you have any good recipes you can trade with me? Thanks again for answering me back.

Good luck with your surgery. If you need any advice I would be more than happy to help you. Been through it and I know what it is like. So nice of you to respond!! Have so many easy recipes to share.

I just came home from having dinner out with my husband and friends. I ordered grilled salmon and veggies and portioned it out. Easy!!! What do you eat when you go out?

I have a super recipe for chicken and it's so easy to prepare. Take 2-4 oz of chicken wash and dry well. Take 3 whole wheat crackers crush them to a fine like bread crumb add to the crumbs garlic and onion powders. Dip chicken in egg whites and roll into bread crumbs. Spray into the botton of the baking pan and Bake at 350 for 40 mins or until done. Serve with veggies. Soooo good. Enjoy

Thanks for the tip! I really appreciate it. Mixing up the diet is a super idea and I will do that. I was also thinking that I would add on an additional 15 mins to my nightly walks.

Hi there...Newbie to the group..been an sleever since July of this year...doing great lost 54 pds in 12 weeks! Was wondering how to get passed that plateau we all get? Any suggestions? love for advice, thanks

Hi my name is Maddy... I had my surgery July 13th of this year and I am doing fantastic with the "new me". Love that I can now excercise without getting out of breath. Love that my clothes are getting bigger and bigger as I get smaller and smaller. I hit a plateau this week and I am feeling frustrated... any tips?