SteveFrett

Hi Julie,
Sorry to hear about mishap. I sure can help you out with a contact, My Dr. Marina Kurian, She's @ NYU medical center, Manhattan. She's not only a excellent Dr, but great lady. If you want I can give you office # ,talk to them see what they can do to help you out.
Let me know.
And again sorry about problem. But good that your not giving up! Proud of you.

Hi fellow bandsters,
Wanted to give you all a good tip, with the recent craze in phone apps, so many great recipe apps available for Free. food network, happy oven, big oven, just to name a few, really worth downloading. Most have diet recipes, gluten free, vegan. Hope some of you take advantage of the countless apps available, as matter of fact thus forum is available in app store for free. Good luck to all

Hi fellow bandsters,
Wanted to give you all a good tip, with the recent craze in phone apps, so many great recipe apps available for Free. food network, happy oven, big oven, just to name a few, really worth downloading. Most have diet recipes, gluten free, vegan. Hope some of you take advantage of the countless apps available, as matter of fact thus forum is available in app store for free. Good luck to all

not sure how many of you fellow bansters are 420 friendly but so glad the munchies don't effect me... just makes me more horney... lmao hey ill take burning over adding calories !!!

I made this as a mistake (was going to make oven chimichangas) and i'm glad I made it!
3 or 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or 4-6 tenderloins)
1 can green enchilada sauce
1 can red chile sauce
2 cans refried Beans (I used the spicy ones)
1-2 cans black beans
1 carton (or a few cans) chicken broth
1/2-1 cup quinoa (depending on how much liquid you have)
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 Tomato
1 package or one can corn
olive oil
however many tortillas you want to eat, or you can just use tortilla chips
salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, chile powder, lime juice, etc..whatever you like..to taste
put chicken (don't even have to thaw it) in slow cooker, pour sauces and broth over it, add beans, stir it up as best you can (it will look kind of yucky at this point) saute the onions, peppers, and tomato in the olive oil until just brown. Add to crock pot. Set on low and cook about 4 hours. Add quinoa, cook another 2-3 hours. Add oil to pan and fry tortillas (this isn't deep frying, just fry on each side for a few seconds until crispy) and put on a plate with a paper towel to soak up grease. Break up the tortillas. Serve with n/f greek yogurt or sour cream, guacamole or chopped up avacado, and cheddar or whatever cheese you like. You could also just serve with tortilla chips or soft tortillas (but soft tortillas are sometimes a problem with the band)

Hey Steve,
I moved to Staten Island a year ago, July 2011. I had my lap band surgery back in December 2007, in Mexico. At the time I lived in Southern Utah and it was cheaper to go to Mexico. Anyway, fast forward 5 years, I have gained back all the weight I did lose and now I trying to figure out where to even find a lap band center here in New York City. If you could reply to my email and give me some information on this, I would greatly appreciate it!
JulieMOm

Hello fellow bandittos,
Some of the wonderful Ladies and Gentle peoples have been wanting some recipes, I have decided to do one Better, I have Many Secret Recipes from the big name Resturants. chilli's T.G.I. Friday's, Olive Garden, Outback Steak House, Applebee's just to name a few. anyways I have posted in my blog i will post one or two new recipes every few days. I tell everyone to modify it so you can enjoy these dishes still at home for you and Families. So keep in mind you will probably need to change some ingridents but still get same results as if you ordered it at resturant. so Best of Luck And please give feedback both pos & neg.
Oh .. P.S. The Recipe today is Chilli's Quesadilla Explosion salad.. ENJOY!

Hey, I would LOVE an online mentor, buddy. But I'm too shy to ask. Maybe I will ask on of you...maybe. :-)

You are 100% correct Pbk, I did but again, can only give advice, can't babysit.... can tell you alternatives based on experience. Band is just a tool. If you use tool improperly you will get hurt by it.

Hey Peepz,
Sorry I haven't made my way to this Forum yet. Spend my time in Mentors/Buddies.. anyway.. I have a large amount of Top Secret recipes from many of the Famous Resturants such as T.G.I. Friday's Applebee's Olive Garden, Chili's to name a few. What I have done is started a Blog in which I will share the recipies i have each week i will post a few. What I tell everyone is this , There are Obviously some things you won't be able to eat, but if you think there is always an alternative source of that item. shredded beef, deli sliced chicken, ground beef .. the options are endless. just need to think outside the box. So I thought I would just drop a posting and let everyone know their there for the takings!
Enjoy, & Good Luck to Everyone on your new chapter in LIFE!
Steve aka Former fat kid.

He's a good guy ladies, but ya better keep your eye on him!!!!! lol

Hello,
I am looking for a mentor / motivation buddy for support and guidance.
I work too much, so online and via text seems like a realistic approach.
I am not sure if anyone else is in the same boat but please let me know
Thanks!

My name is Steve i've been banded since 2006 and have succsessfully lost 160 lbs. I know that there are alot of new members joining daily looking for a mentor/buddy, well anyone who has any questions,concerns or in need of some moral support look no further. again I ask just one thing from everyone i speak with wich is, Pay it forward! in other words help someone out no matter how simple it may be, just consider that everyone needs help sometimes, regaurdless if friend or stranger, a good deed goes along way, this country was founded and built on these principals and we All have forgotten that over time dealing with our day to day events, but bottom line is no matter race, creed or color we are all just human and need help, so please pay it forward. feel free to send message if you like help or just post away... You are all a success story, some at differnt chapters keep that in mind. never quit never give in!

Hey Rookies.
As i often do, i was thinking of ways i can help guide you thru some of your frustrations and questions.. been reading alot about food getting stuck. Primarily because you're eating bread still. Not going to lecture you about it, But rather give you a trick to try. take a small glass of Water, and take a bite size piece of bread, the one you are considering eating. put that bite size piece into the glass of water, let it sit and watch. This is exactly what is happening in your Pouch, Not Stomach, remember you have a smaller stomach and the remainder is sorta like a catch basin. You'll see how much thatsmall piece expands to a large piece in seconds. so if it's that big in the glass, imagine your pouch. I know it's hard to avoid bread. But if you are going to eat bread again I tell you all. you have Options.
1. You can get the Ultra thin sliced bread, (Arnold's makes white & wheat) and toast it. If you are going to eat a bagel, Remove the inide Dough just eat the crust. You're going to discover Crispy & Crunchy are your Allies Soft & Chewy are Foes. Triscuits, Wheat thins, Saltines.. the possiblilites are endless.. Just Think Outside the Box. roam the isles of super market, you may discover something you never knew exsisted that can be an Allie

It's been 6 years this past may 160 lbs less of me today.. started 385 present day 225 and holding strong! Good luck!

Hey, We don't use the F word in here! Have you been keeping a chart of your daily intakes for past 4 months? If so I would contact your Nutricianist and set up appointment to show them your chart, they can make any nessasary changes to diet. Another thing may be the fact that your body is taking longer to heal from Hernia Op. without the proper fills you're obviously not going to lose more than current rate, Again Not your FAult, Your still healing. It's easy to give up. don't be discouraged, and you can't judge your personal losses to others each person has differnt metabolisims. Stressing and being upset will only leed you to doing the wrong things . keep a positive attitude, and know tha tonce your back on scheduled fills you'll lose more each week. Please don't feel like the F word. Nobody ever said it was going to be easy.. You have some good people on here willing to help. Failure is not a option!

Hey Rookies.
As i often do, i was thinking of ways i can help guide you thru some of your frustrations and questions.. been reading alot about food getting stuck. Primarily because you're eating bread still. Not going to lecture you about it, But rather give you a trick to try. take a small glass of Water, and take a bite size piece of bread, the one you are considering eating. put that bite size piece into the glass of water, let it sit and watch. This is exactly what is happening in your Pouch, Not Stomach, remember you have a smaller stomach and the remainder is sorta like a catch basin. You'll see how much thatsmall piece expands to a large piece in seconds. so if it's that big in the glass, imagine your pouch. I know it's hard to avoid bread. But if you are going to eat bread again I tell you all. you have Options.
1. You can get the Ultra thin sliced bread, (Arnold's makes white & wheat) and toast it. If you are going to eat a bagel, Remove the inide Dough just eat the crust. You're going to discover Crispy & Crunchy are your Allies Soft & Chewy are Foes. Triscuits, Wheat thins, Saltines.. the possiblilites are endless.. Just Think Outside the Box. roam the isles of super market, you may discover something you never knew exsisted that can be an Allie

Please don't feel like that! Patience is the first key to lapband life. For the first 5 mths after my surgery (until my 3rd fill) I lost an amazing 4 lbs! Yep, you read it right. Because I COULD eat just as much before surgery, I did. I didn't get restriction until my 3rd fill. About 7.5cc in a 14cc band. As soon as I got that 3rd fill, the magic started happening. I felt full after just a toddlers portion. I promise you - it WILL kick in eventually.
You have to be patient....it will be all worth it soon!
Marci

First of all, CONGRATS on losing 14 pounds!!
Secondly, I'm so sorry to hear that your not satisfied with the rate of weight loss. maybe get your thyroid checked for hypothyroidism. I know people who have hypothyroid's and it majorly slows down their metabolism and causes them to gain weight (or not lose any) through no fault of their own
Good Luck,

Hey, We don't use the F word in here! Have you been keeping a chart of your daily intakes for past 4 months? If so I would contact your Nutricianist and set up appointment to show them your chart, they can make any nessasary changes to diet. Another thing may be the fact that your body is taking longer to heal from Hernia Op. without the proper fills you're obviously not going to lose more than current rate, Again Not your FAult, Your still healing. It's easy to give up. don't be discouraged, and you can't judge your personal losses to others each person has differnt metabolisims. Stressing and being upset will only leed you to doing the wrong things . keep a positive attitude, and know tha tonce your back on scheduled fills you'll lose more each week. Please don't feel like the F word. Nobody ever said it was going to be easy.. You have some good people on here willing to help. Failure is not a option!

A long time ago, my husband used to call it the P.C.E Factor. The pizza Crust Expansion Factor! He never ate the crust because it expanded in his (normal) stomach and made him feel full too fast.
SteveFrett, that was a great delivery of an often overlooked point. Why people still eat bread amazes me.

Hey Rookies.
As i often do, i was thinking of ways i can help guide you thru some of your frustrations and questions.. been reading alot about food getting stuck. Primarily because you're eating bread still. Not going to lecture you about it, But rather give you a trick to try. take a small glass of Water, and take a bite size piece of bread, the one you are considering eating. put that bite size piece into the glass of water, let it sit and watch. This is exactly what is happening in your Pouch, Not Stomach, remember you have a smaller stomach and the remainder is sorta like a catch basin. You'll see how much thatsmall piece expands to a large piece in seconds. so if it's that big in the glass, imagine your pouch. I know it's hard to avoid bread. But if you are going to eat bread again I tell you all. you have Options.
1. You can get the Ultra thin sliced bread, (Arnold's makes white & wheat) and toast it. If you are going to eat a bagel, Remove the inide Dough just eat the crust. You're going to discover Crispy & Crunchy are your Allies Soft & Chewy are Foes. Triscuits, Wheat thins, Saltines.. the possiblilites are endless.. Just Think Outside the Box. roam the isles of super market, you may discover something you never knew exsisted that can be an Allie

Hello fellow bandittos,
Some of the wonderful Ladies and Gentle peoples have been wanting some recipes, I have decided to do one Better, I have Many Secret Recipes from the big name Resturants. chilli's T.G.I. Friday's, Olive Garden, Outback Steak House, Applebee's just to name a few. anyways I have posted in my blog i will post one or two new recipes every few days. I tell everyone to modify it so you can enjoy these dishes still at home for you and Families. So keep in mind you will probably need to change some ingridents but still get same results as if you ordered it at resturant. so Best of Luck And please give feedback both pos & neg.
Oh .. P.S. The Recipe today is Chilli's Quesadilla Explosion salad.. ENJOY!

My name is Steve i've been banded since 2006 and have succsessfully lost 160 lbs. I know that there are alot of new members joining daily looking for a mentor/buddy, well anyone who has any questions,concerns or in need of some moral support look no further. again I ask just one thing from everyone i speak with wich is, Pay it forward! in other words help someone out no matter how simple it may be, just consider that everyone needs help sometimes, regaurdless if friend or stranger, a good deed goes along way, this country was founded and built on these principals and we All have forgotten that over time dealing with our day to day events, but bottom line is no matter race, creed or color we are all just human and need help, so please pay it forward. feel free to send message if you like help or just post away... You are all a success story, some at differnt chapters keep that in mind. never quit never give in!