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♕ajtexas♕

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Blog Entries posted by ♕ajtexas♕

  1. ♕ajtexas♕

    9 Months Down!

    By ♕ajtexas♕,

    I had my surgery 9 months ago, February 7, 2012. It seems like just yesterday, but no its 9 months ago. Wow, time has flown and wow things sure have changed. In celebration of being 9 months reborn I made a list of 9 things that have changed (excluding the weight & inches lost):
    No more medication – When I started this journey I had to take 3 different medications to control my high blood pressure. Today my blood pressure is normal without medication.


    Giving the elevator the day off – I work on the 8th floor, every morning I walk up the stairs to my office and in the evening I walk down. Plus during the day I go up and down at least 3 floors, several times.


    Sex – Sex is definitely better. I’ll skip the details…


    How my skin feels – I like rubbing my hand up and down my arm, my skin feels thinner (Don’t know if this makes sense to you)


    Wearing heels – When I was at my heavies my ankles couldn’t handle heels. Now I’m back to wearing heels again!


    My confidence – I walk taller, I smile all the time, I really like being me now!


    I like looking at myself in the mirror – dressed or naked, I like what I see. It’s not perfect but I like it!


    Finding my extravert self – When I was in high school I was very outgoing; I had no fear of talking to strangers. When I was at my heaviest I was so shy, I wouldn’t look people in the eyes, afraid to talk to them. Now, I’m back to looking people in the eyes and talking to strangers.


    The way others look at me – I love seeing guys take a second look; the expression on my friends faces when they see me and how the family responds to me.

  2. ♕ajtexas♕

    A confession

    By ♕ajtexas♕,

    Many of you know my story, banded February 2012, reached my goal weight in December 2012 and have been trying to maintain that weight since. Many of you say I’m a success and look to me for advice & guidance.
     
    My biggest fear with this journey has been gaining my weight back once I reached my goal. I never feared the surgery or the weight loss; I knew I could do it. But, could I handle maintaining this weight for the rest of my life?
     
    Tonight, I failed. I failed myself, I failed my band and I failed my family. I am so disgusted with myself that I want to hide in a corner so no one will know…..
     
    But, I must face it and confess.
     
    I had purchased a box of chocolate drumstick ice cream cones for my step daughter this weekend. She ate 1; tonight I ate the other 9. YES 9! At 170 calories that is 1, 530 calories in less than 1 hour. One right after the other, big bites shoving them down as fast as I wanted. The band didn’t stop me, in fact it didn't make a sound, let me gobble away a lot of hard work.
     
    I write this confession with tears running down my face. I feel like a complete and utter failure. I knew I would f** it up and I did. I can’t even tell you why I ate them. My evening routine was no different than any other night, wasn’t bored or depressed or stressed. I saw the box, opened one knowing darn well I shouldn’t and then the only thing that stopped me was getting to the bottom of the box. I honestly wished to get sick so I would stop.
     
    It was complete sabotage. I was trying to failure. I have to face this and stop it. I do not want to gain weight, I do not want to binge eat like this and have this sick feeling.
     
    I had to make myself write this blog, I had to face up to it. This is the only way to grow and learn. I am only human doing the best I can. I will put this behind me and move on.
  3. ♕ajtexas♕

    A Dogs Life

    By ♕ajtexas♕,

    These are my babies!
     
    Atticus, Black Mouth Cur. He is the biggest baby in town.
     
    Hank, Blue Healer. Gill's dog, follows her around the whole time she is here.
     
    Sophie, Dachshund. Daddy's baby (but he won't admit it) and the BOSS of all the dogs!
     
    Bugsy, Rat Terrier and Dachsund mix. My baby, he is with his best friend Smokey the cat.
  4. ♕ajtexas♕

    Alcohol & me

    By ♕ajtexas♕,

    I was banded a little over a year ago, I've lost over 80 pounds and I am at my goal weight. I also drink wine every evening. I don’t hide this from anyone. I have posted such information several times and when I get PM’d about it I answer honestly.
     
    I knew when I decided to get the band that I would have to change my life and I was more than willing to do just that. But, I was not willing to give up my wine. I enjoy wine, I like the taste. My husband & I often go wine tasting at some of the Texas wineries. So, I decided that wine was going to be a part of my lifestyle.
     
    From day one (& before) I have enjoyed my evening wine. Yes, the evening of my surgery I had a glass.
     
    I count the empty calories (110 calories for 5oz of wine, approximately) and I am careful. I know that wine relaxes the band right along with you. So if you drink too much and the munchies set in…..everything will go down & then some.
     
    I am responsible with my wine. I don’t drink for the effect of the alcohol. I drink wine because of the taste.
     
    You wonder, does my doctor know? Of course he does, I tell my doctor everything. Hiding information from your doctor only hurts you.
     
    My thoughts are this, if you have something you love and you can manage it then you should enjoy it. Make it a part of your plan. I have a friend that has a treat once a week of their favorite fast food meal, and another who has a single serving bag of Cheetos every day. Depriving yourself will not work. If you are anything like me, you will get resentful and end up splurging and hating yourself after.
     
    Enjoy your love, just manage it and you will succeed.
  5. ♕ajtexas♕
    I went shopping today for sweaters. It appears that I am cold a lot these days & I don’t have many long sleeve tops that fit.
     
    So I picked out a few tops and walked by the jeans…. Out of complete curiosity I picked out a couple of different style in size 10 (currently size 12).
     
    Holy Sh*t they fit!!!!! I was dancing around in that dressing room and laughing. I’m sure the attendee thought I was nuts (ok I know I am but that’s a different story).
     
    That explains why the size 16 pants that I wore today bugged me so much; they were 3 sizes too big.
     
    Wow I don’t even know how old I was the last time I was size 10, 9 maybe 10 years old??
     
    I am so floored, I’m numb.
  6. ♕ajtexas♕
    They say we didn’t gain all our weight overnight and therefore we shouldn’t expect to lose all the weight overnight. And as we get closer to our goal it gets harder and harder. It becomes a very frustrating thing.
     
    Then when we finally reach our idea weight, we have to maintain that weight FOR LIFE! No relaxing allowed. Because it will creep back on bit by bit.
     
    That is where I am at, I let my eyes do my measuring and bit by bit the sizes kept getting bigger…..
     
    Then I let myself make some not so good choices. Oh I can have a little of this and a little of that, I’m not trying to lose weight, just maintaining so it won’t hurt…..
     
    Guess what, I am pushing that five pound threshold that my doctor said I should keep. Yep up five pounds from my goal.
     
    Oh, I could sit here and say I don’t understand. I haven’t changed my eating or my exercise. But I did change things (slightly). A little bigger size of this and that. Extra treat here and there. Skipping on this exercise or that. It all adds up and at the end of the day I have gained five pounds over the last month.
     
    Now what, cry in my Wheaties? Nope, I get my a s s back on track. Weigh my food, eat my protein first, drink my water and exercise every day. And guess what, I will have to do this for the rest of my life.
     
    So for anyone thinking that the Band (or any WLS for that matter) is a quick fix, guess again! It takes change and lots of it, and it takes a lifetime commitment.
     
    I’m in it for life and bit by bit I will get these five pounds back off.
  7. ♕ajtexas♕

    Blew past my goal!

    By ♕ajtexas♕,

    Two months ago my doctor said as far as they were concerned I was at goal, 175 lbs. I was happy with that and started onto the maintenance stage of my journey.
     
    Last month I gained 2 lbs, first time I had a gain but hey holidays. Doctor’s office was still very pleased and said that my weight will vary like that on maintenance.
     
    Then a dear friend here on LBT put out a challenge “100 miles in January”. Walk or run 100 miles during the month of January. I was in! I needed something to get me moving more. I reached the 100 miles on Monday; my total should be around 120 miles for the month. (go me!)
     
    Today I went back to the doctor, weighed 171! (lost 6 pounds in 4 weeks) I haven’t seen that much loss since the beginning months of this journey. So, what did I do different? My eating was the same as it has always been 1200 calories a day, etc…. The only thing different is the increased walking for the challenge.
     
    I am so happy with myself. I couldn’t ask for anything more. Okay, maybe a tummy tuck and….. Well guess I could ask for more.
     
    I love & respect my band. Yellow rose you serve me well, thank you!
  9. ♕ajtexas♕
    I have not been around as much lately and several LBT friends have asked why……
     
    I was banded in February of 2012, lost 80 pounds in 10 months and have maintained that weight until I had a tummy tuck on Halloween…
     
    After the surgery I had 2 drains, they were removed after 2 weeks. Within 5 days, my tummy filled up with fluid and my doctor drained it (this is like drilling for oil with a really BIG needle….. not fun!). Within about 5 days my tummy was full again so my doctor put a drain back in. The next week the area above my belly button filled up with fluid and I had another drain put in just below my bra line.
     
    About a week later I had the upper drain removed & that issue was resolved, BUT….
     
    I was still accumulating over 50cc of fluid a day from my lower drain. Doc said the magic number was less than 20cc a day for 2 days in a row, well that wasn’t happening. So on Monday doc flushed Ethanol thru the tubing of my drain into the pocket in my tummy (100cc total). This is supposed to irritate the area between my skin & abdomen wall and cause it to stick together. Today (Thursday) I am still getting 30cc of fluid a day from my drain…… I go back to the doctor Monday.
     
    My options are, do the flush again and if that doesn’t work…..another surgery. Ugh
     
    Complications happen, I know that. But, how has this affected me mentally? Well, I can’t exercise (every time I do the amount of fluid goes up), I can’t go in my hot tub with my husband (open incision), Have this glamorous drain to carry around in my pocket….. IT SUCKS!
     
    And I have gotten very depressed over it. I have disconnected from my life lines (Local support group, LBT wait I mean Bariatric Pal, and my family) Yes I looked to food for comfort. (We won’t even add the holidays on top of all this….)
    So you wonder….how is my weight? I am about 10 pound over my original goal weight (I weigh between 177-180, depends on the day). But even more important is how I am mentally? I will be honest, I am struggling. I am pissed, why is this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this? WHY? Oh WHY? OH WHY????? Full on pitty me party here!!!!
     
    This is my confession, I am not the perfect role model. I struggle, I have pitty me parties, I ask why me…… and so I stayed away from my support. Too many people saw me as inspiration. How can I be inspiration when I am like this????
     
    I am taking my complications day by day. I am not giving up (& yes the tummy tuck was worth it). I just don’t think I can motivate anyone right now.
  10. ♕ajtexas♕

    Crazy Week

    By ♕ajtexas♕,

    This week has been extremely busy at work. I haven’t been getting home till almost 7pm each night and before I know it the evening is gone and midnight is around the corner. I have had no time for my LBT friends and boy do I miss it!!
     
    This is the first time since being banded that life has got hectic on me. Did it affect my band? I think so, I have suffered from what I call last bites syndrome. Similar to first bite syndrome when you are so hungry that your first bite is too big and not chewed enough…. You know what that is like. Well, last bite syndrome is when you only have 1 or 2 bites left on your plate and you quickly stuff them in your mouth, don’t chew enough & swallow as you are taking places to the kitchen to wash…. Ughhh. I’ve done this a couple of times this week simply because I wanted to get things done & rushed my meal time. Boy it is the most discomforting feeling, the weight on the chest, the extra saliva in the mouth. All I can do is wait it out.
     
    I am to blame for the discomfort, my own impatients. It is so easy to do, hurt yourself (and your band) by being careless. The band does forgive, however as this week goes on I find my band getting tighter & tighter. Stress of the week? Sinus drainage from my head cold last week? Is it in my head? These questions start running through my mind. I can eat and drink (as long as I slow down and follow the rules), so I know it’s not too tight.
     
    I look forward to the weekend and relaxing!!!! Hopefully spend some time catching up with my LBT friends…..I miss you guys!
  11. ♕ajtexas♕

    Diet Vs Lifestyle

    By ♕ajtexas♕,

    When I think of diet I think rules & restrictions. You have to eat this; you can’t eat that, you have to drink this; you can’t drink that, etc…. Doctor’s orders are diets, rules that we have to follow. Now the rebellious teenager in me (I know shocking right?!) says “What do you mean I can’t, watch me!”
     
    When I think of a lifestyle I think choices, things I want and am willing to try. Lifestyle means changing the way you live for the rest of your life. The level headed adult in me (again, shocking!) says, “I want to change and live a healthier lifestyle”.
     
    So what works in my head is I am not on a diet because I have changed my lifestyle. I follow the recommendations (orders) from my doctor and therefore I see success.
     
    My new lifestyle does not restrict me for eating the things I love. I have chocolate, cookies, cakes, breads, pasta, potatoes when I want. I enjoy family gatherings (well most of them). I enjoy my new life.
     
    This is what works for me!
  12. ♕ajtexas♕
    I read a post today that irked me, no it pissed me off. This Texas gal was ready to put her boots on and find her gun….. Hunt her some grammar and spelling police.
     
    A fellow bandster said they read a thread where bandsters were criticizing the grammar and spelling of other bandster’s posts. It hurt this bandster so bad that she had steered away from LBT. REALLY…….why?????
     
    Does it matter if we don’t use complete sentences or if we spell words wrong?????? Those of you who have a problem with bad grammar and spelling please comment and tell me why it’s so important to you. Cause (oh wait I should say because) I don’t get it.
     
    We are all fighting a terrible disease called obesity and one of the side effects of this disease is low self-esteem. We don’t need our brothers & sisters pointing out more of our faults….. We do just fine doing that ourselves.
     
    You are wondering why this bothers me….. So many times I hit that POST button and watch my written words appear on a thread and think SH** I spelt that wrong or that doesn’t make any sense hope they get my point. We are here for support in our weight loss journey. We consist of all different people, different education levels, different languages, different everything and we need support.
     
    What we don’t need is the grammar and spelling police after us!
  13. ♕ajtexas♕
    I am so sick of playing by the band rules; I just want to break one or two of them. Eat a big huge meal, take big bites, or wolf food down in ten minutes flat.
     
    Wish I could have a break and not think about my food choices, my portion size, how I eat, my water intake, and exercise, ugh….
     
    Calgon take me away!
     
    Do you feel that way some days? I’m sure we all do. So how do we get past this?
     
    There are some who have reached their goal and have been maintaining for years. They say they think like a thin person. They never think of food.
     
    Will I ever be like that?
     
    I reached my goal in December and have been maintaining since then.
     
    Has it been easy? NO.
     
    It has been the most difficult part of my journey so far. But, I won’t give up because I look in the mirror and I really like the person that looks back at me.
     
    So, I will continue to play the game. I will make health food choices, take small bites (hubby calls them band-bites), drink water and exercise. I will do this for the rest of my life because I am worth it!
  14. ♕ajtexas♕
    I have been having difficulties with my eating for about a week, I blogged about my lunch episode on Friday. When I say difficulties I mean, I’ve been getting acid reflex (first time since being banded) and I get a lump in my throat from time to time. I have been able to eat and drink, but it’s been more challenging.
     
    Over the weekend I decided I needed to see my doctor and find out what was going on. Either I am being paranoid or something isn’t right.
     
    So, I was on the phone to my doctor’s office first thing this morning and fortunately they could squeeze me in this morning.
     
    Upon arriving I was escorted to the x-ray room. Martha (the x-ray tech and support group leader, who is also banded) said, “What are you doing here girl?”
    “I’m either paranoid or something isn’t right”, she laughed and said let’s find out.
     
    We did a barium swallow and as my doctor said, “It looks perfect.”
     
    “So, I am paranoid?”
     
    “No, you are aware of your band and something changed.”
     
    “So what am I doing wrong? Why the acid reflex now?”
     
    “Could be you irritated your band in some way or it could be that you need a fresher on the basics. Size of your bit, how much you chew, time between bits. Maybe you need to get that egg timer back out that we gave you at your first post op visit.”
     
    “Funny, just last night at dinner my husband had to tell me to slow down on my bits.”
     
    We talked a little more and I was on my way feeling so much better. End result is something wasn’t right and that something was me. I was slipping back into old habits.
     
    It’s time to dust off that egg timer, cut my bits smaller and chew, chew, chew. Everything I tell newbies to do.
  15. ♕ajtexas♕

    Everyone knows now

    By ♕ajtexas♕,

    This article went out to all 3,000 employees at my state agency. Guess everyone knows now.
     
     
    Surgical maneuver: Amanda changes course with weight loss surgery
     
    Weight loss surgery is simply a cosmetic issue; it’s taking the easy way out. Amanda is witness to the fallacy of these notions. Candidates for surgery have exhausted other means of weight loss and are at risk of illnesses that can be life threatening. And treatment does not end with surgery. Success demands from patients a long-term commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
     
    For Amanda, weight loss surgery afforded her the opportunity to make the necessary and permanent change in her life that other methods had failed to do. Her body mass index was in the severe range. The three medicines she was taking were not stabilizing her high blood pressure. And Amanda’s doctor had diagnosed her as prediabetic.
     
    Amanda recalls, “I couldn’t even walk up five stairs to get into the building without [being winded]. Medically, I was completely unhealthy. And I had to do something to change that.”
     
    Choosing the right course
     
    Of the three main types of weight loss surgery, Amanda opted for the least invasive: laparoscopic gastric banding. She was concerned that sleeve gastrectomy, which involves removing about 75 percent of the stomach, is too new a procedure and is irreversible. And gastric bypass surgery, although more common, is also considered to be irreversible and has a higher risk of nutritional deficiency. Gastric bypass surgery involves sealing off the upper part of the stomach and connecting it to the lower part of the small intestine. Thus food skips part of the digestive tract, and the body absorbs fewer calories.
     
    Amanda chose laparoscopic gastric banding (lap bad surgery) not only because it is the least invasive but also because it is reversible and involves routine checkups. A band is placed near the top of the stomach and is inflated with a saline solution to create a pouch, or kind of funnel. When a patient eats, the pouch fills up with food much sooner than the entire stomach would. As a result, the patient feels full sooner. The food also takes longer to pass into the lower part of the stomach, which increases the amount of time that the patient feels satisfied between meals.
     
    The band is adjustable, allowing doctors to routinely evaluate and optimize its effectiveness. A tube runs from the band to an access port — a small, discreet incision under the skin on the patient’s stomach. The doctor inserts a needle into the port to add saline solution to the band. The solution tightens the band, which shrinks the size of the opening from the upper stomach to the lower stomach and so reduces the patient’s food consumption. The port can also be used to remove solution from the band if the band is too tight to allow food to move through the digestive tract or is causing problems, such as pain or vomiting. Regular checkups enable the doctor to find and maintain the “green zone,” the most effective opening size for the patient.
     
    The journey has just begun
    Amanda’s surgery was successful, but it was just the beginning. For the first two weeks after the operation, she could consume only clear liquids. She graduated to full liquids for the following two weeks. Only then could she move on to the luxury of mushy foods.
     
    Recalling her trial by diet, she says, “The first two weeks, [you’re not so hungry] because your stomach is full, and you don’t have an appetite. But once the swelling went down, the hunger returned with a vengeance.”
     
    Amanda did eventually get to move on to solid foods, but in order to avoid discomfort or potential problems, such as band slippage, she has had to adopt strict eating habits. She eats only about a cup of food per meal, which she serves on a side dish to appear more abundant. She chews her food very well, about 20 or 30 chews, before swallowing, and she must wait at least a minute between bites. She downloaded an app to help her time her bites.
     
    “The idea is that it takes you about 20 or 30 minutes to eat your meal. And then you’re full. If you follow those protocols, nine times out of ten you have no problem. Most complications are from patients’ not following the guidelines and not changing their eating habits.”
     
    Band or no band, most anyone would likely benefit from those eating practices.
     
    Steady as she goes
    Referencing Leslie Mitchell’s comment in a recent article about the Calorie Counter app, Amanda notes that surgery, like the app or any weight loss tool, is not a magic wand. The surgery helped Amanda lose 80 pounds in a year, but its success depended on her discipline to consistently make healthy choices, a discipline that
    she must enforce for the rest of her life.
     
    Amanda now exercises daily. Not only did she overcome those five steps that used to wind her entering the building, but she now climbs the stairs to her office each morning…on the eighth floor! And sometimes, she makes the trip more than once a day.
    “My exercise is walking. I don’t do gyms,” she laughs.
     
    Once a month, Amanda meets with a support group. Fellow members, who have all had lap band surgery, offer emotional and moral support as well as exchange recipes and ideas.
     
    Amanda also strictly monitors the food she eats. Since she is eating less food, she must ensure that every bite packs a nutritional punch.
    “I eat high protein — three to four ounces of protein per meal; then, veggies. Then if I’m still hungry, I add the carbohydrates. But most carbohydrates give you energy but don’t fill you. They make you hungry, especially…non-complex carbohydrates….If I’m going to eat something, I’m going to make sure it’s worth my while.”
    She’s even been known to turn down a piece of chocolate these days. Her rationale: A piece of chocolate may be only 45 calories, but that’s 45 calories of mostly empty nutritional value.
     
    The surgery, she explains, “doesn’t change the type of food you put in your mouth. You have to control that. Ice cream will go straight down — [the band] is a funnel. For a lot of the people who aren’t successful, it’s because they don’t change their eating habits. It’s the same with any of the surgeries. Like with the bypass — some people lose all this weight and then just gain it right back.”
     
    Although her new diet is strict, Amanda can still enjoy the occasional treat. “It all boils down to calories in versus calories out. It depends on how physical I am,” she explains. Eloquently articulating her new outlook, she says, “Now I eat to fuel the body and not the obsession.”
     
    Balancing the costs
    Unfortunately, costs for lap band surgery can be prohibitive. The procedure is expensive, and the amount of insurance coverage depends on the plan. To qualify under many plans, an individual must have a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or greater and two comorbid conditions, such as high blood pressure and prediabetes. Currently, the state of Texas plan uses a higher BMI minimum and includes some additional requirements. Naturally, other costs can include deductibles and copays. Individuals interested in weight loss surgery should consult their provider for details.
     
    The initial expense may be high, but the investment is sound. Weight loss surgery can be a valuable tool in promoting healthy lifestyles and likely reducing the high costs of long-term medical care. In addition, investing in healthy individuals can, as this agency has recognized with its successful wellness program, yield solid returns for all.
  16. ♕ajtexas♕

    Family Reunion

    By ♕ajtexas♕,

    My nephew Benjamin got married this weekend in California and I was able to fly out there. This was the first time I have flown with Yellow Rose (my band). Jonathon (another nephew) and I flew out Friday morning arriving in California around lunchtime. As we are exiting the plane Jonathon requested In & Out Burgers for lunch (the greasiest burgers in town!). We retrieved our rental car and headed south to my brother’s house (via In & Out). We collected burgers for all the kids. I had no urge for a burger as Yellow Rose was letting me know she did not like flying….
     
    Once we arrived, burgers delivered, my sister-in-law asked if I wanted anything for lunch (seeing that I didn’t have a burger). Yes, I was hungry but I knew that I couldn’t manage much more than mushy foods. I hesitated in answering and she quickly said “I have some greek yogurt or laughing cow cheese….” Ok how did she know?????
     
    She had called my mom (who knows everything about my band) and asked if there was anything she could get for me. So after choking back tears and a big hug I settled for some greek yogurt.
     
    The weekend was a blast! I saw family that I have not seen in 5 years and they were all very complimentary over how I looked. I heard “You look amazing” over & over and I loved every minute of it. I had some treats, like Trader Joes Dark Chocolate Espresso Beans but I also made good food choices (Ahi Tuna for lunch).
     
    I am proud of myself as I managed a weekend away from home (comfort zone) full of family (can be stressful) and had a great time.
     
    Oh and the best part was my hips DID NOT touch the sides of the seat on the planes. How cool is that?!!!!
  17. ♕ajtexas♕
    Thanksgiving is next week and with that is the all too famous family dinner…
     
    I will have my band portion, 3-4oz of turkey, ½ green beans, sweet potatoes & carrots, ¼ cup stuffing. I will be first in line and first to sit down at the table (my family makes me go first cause it takes me longer to eat).
     
    I will take my small bite and chew chew chew, then I’ll wait about a minute. In the mean time I’ll watch as my family members take bites the size of Mt Everest, chew 3 times and swallow while preparing the next bite…
     
    “Did you taste that?” “Can you taste the juices in the turkey?” “What about the stuffing? Can you taste the pecans and bacon?” “Oh my, don’t forget to breathe…”
     
    Wow, do people eat fast? My family sure does!
     
    So, I eat and watch. Everyone is finished except me. I tell my mother to go ahead and serve dessert while I finish my meal. Again, they wolf it down. “Hey, savor the bites I spent hours in the kitchen making those pies. Enjoy them, please!”
     
    I finally finish my dinner as my mother and niece finish clearing the table. The men make their way into the living room moaning and groaning about how full they are….. Me I am satisfied!
     
    Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!
  18. ♕ajtexas♕

    Food Stages

    By ♕ajtexas♕,

    I see a lot of newbies asking what they can have during this or that stage of the pre/post op diet. Doctors give different diets to different patients; however the foods on the different stages are often very similar. Here are the 4 stages I had during my post op diet (straight from my post op paperwork):
     
    Stage 1: Clear Liquids
    · Water
    · Broth or the clear liquid poured off of soup (strain out solids, no creamy soup)
    · Black coffee (may be sweetened with artificial sweetener; preferably decaf)
    · Clear juices (not OJ ~ it’s not clear); 100% juice (not from concentrate)
    · Crystal Light
    · Sugar-free Jello (with no solid fruit)
    · Sugar-free Popsicles
    · Gatorade/Powerade
    · Herbal teas (caffeine-free)
     
    Stage 2: Liquids
    · All clear liquids
    · Protein shakes (low-fat, low-carb)
    · Fat-free milk
    · Orange Juice
    · Low-fat instant breakfast mixes
    · V8 juice
     
    Stage 3: Full Liquids
    · All clear liquids
    · All liquids
    · Apple sauce
    · Oatmeal/cream of wheat (thinned)
    · Smoothies
    · Low-fat creamy soups (strained out solids)
    · Puréed soups/vegetables
    · Low-fat, low-sugar pudding
    · Low-fat, low-sugar yogurt
    · Puréed fruit
    · Low-fat ice cream/frozen yogurt
     
    Stage 4: Soft food (aka Mushy)
    · All of the items on the liquid food list
    · Tuna/egg/chicken salad
    · Well-cooked mushy vegetables (no stalk or crunchy vegetable)
    · Thinned scrambled eggs (if tolerated)
    · Baby food
    · Soft, over-cooked pasta
    · Soft canned fruit (in natural juice)
    · Thinned mashed potatoes
    · Soft sweet potatoes/yams
    · Thinned oatmeal
    · Greek yogurt
    · Thinned low-fat refried beans
    · Low-fat cottage cheese
    · Soft/rip bananas
     
    This is just what MY doctor had for ME. Your doctor will have different orders. I wanted to post this list to give an idea of some of the things on each list.
     
    I hope this helps.
  19. ♕ajtexas♕
    I ran into my patient advocate, Paul, at True Results today. The patient advocate is the first person you meet with and they walk you through all the pre-op stuff. Once you have the surgery you don’t see the patient advocate. Anyway, I ran into Paul and he about fell over when he saw me. (btw, Paul has been banded for 7 years – lost 120lbs)
     
    We sat down and chatted a bit. He said he remembers our first meeting and how I cried because I was so unhappy. And now I glow (his words). He said not only do I look great from the weight loss but my face glows with happiness. He said I was a walking Lap-band billboard. Me? Wow.
     
    It was so cool hearing that. I just had to share it. Now I just have to figure out how I’m going to get this big head through the doorway. lol
  20. ♕ajtexas♕
    I live on a good size piece of land in central Texas. Most of the land is zoned agricultural and therefore we have to make sure that land is used accordingly.
     
    I have always loved gardening and since Texas has two growing seasons we have fresh veggies growing almost year round. We have an orchard with fruit trees (pears, plums, peaches, nectarines & pomegranates) and two years ago we got a flock of chickens. This next year we plan to expand into livestock with rabbits and goats.
     
    Having all these agricultural items require a lot of maintains (chores). I have chores to do everyday whether it’s tending to the chickens, picking or planting veggies and let’s not forget the never ending task of pulling weeds. This is my exercise. When I get home from work I spend the first hour tending to these chores and the weekends are always filled with projects.
     
    Just this last weekend my husband and I removed an old barbwire fence that ran along the front of the property. It was a full eight hour job. First we had to clear all the dead weeds from the fence, pull the barbwire down and then roll it up and finally pull up all the posts. I walked over 6 miles that day and found muscles in my shoulder and arms that I didn’t know I had.
     

    Me rolling up the barbwire.
     

    Me using our tractor to pull up the posts.
     
     
    This is my exercise plan and it works for me!
  21. ♕ajtexas♕
    First you have to be willing to jump in anytime
     
    Then take the thread completely off topic and talk about pretty nails, dragons & princesses .
     
    And finally you have to kiss the pink princess’s butt.
     
    Once you have been accepted by the princess you must protect the princess from all evil (especially VD).
     
    Are you up for the job?
     

  22. ♕ajtexas♕
    Be careful in your selection do not choose too young and take only such as have been reared in a good moral atmosphere. Some wives insist on keeping husbands in a pickle, while others put them in hot water. This only makes them sour, hard, and sometimes bitter. Even poor varieties may be made sweet and good by garnishing them with patience, well-sweetened with smiles and flavored with kisses to taste. Keep warm in a steady fire of domestic devotion and serve with peaches and cream. When thus preserved, they will keep for years.
     
    This is from Carla Emery’s book The Encyclopedia of Country Living.
  24. ♕ajtexas♕
    Have you ever taken a bit of something and as you are chewing it you think “this is way too big of a bit” so you stuff half the bit in your cheek and swallow the other half? And a few seconds later you swallow the half in your cheek… How did that work out for you?
     
    It has never worked out successfully for me. Usually within minutes I am at the sink or toilet watching the bits go down the drain… sorry if this is TMI.
     
    I hate it when this happens and often it happens when I an overly hungry or the meal is really tasty. That makes it even worse because it ends the meal completely for me.
     
    So, I have to remember to take small bits, even when it is really really good and chew them completely, otherwise my yellow rose will reject them and I will not enjoy my meal.
     
    Lesson learned; I am not a squirrel!
  25. ♕ajtexas♕

    I Can't

    By ♕ajtexas♕,

    I can’t exercise at work.
    I can park in a parking structure that is a block from my building
    I can give the elevators the day off and climb the stairs (my office building has 11 floors, my office is on the 8th floor)
    I can go to the bathroom on the 11th floor instead of my floor (& take the stairs, of course)
    I can take a break & go for a walk (it’s amazing how refreshing it is to get away from my desk for 10 minutes)
     
    I can’t drink that much water in a day.
    I can add lemon/lime wedges or crystal light mixes to the water for variety.
    I can carry a bottle of water with me everywhere I go.
    I can take a drink of water every 5 minutes.
     
    I can’t stop snacking.
    I can stock my pantry with healthy snacks
    I can pre-portion my health snacks.
    I can drink 8 ozs of water before having the snack I think I want.
    I can go for a walk instead of having the snack I think I want.
     
    As long as “I can” I will maintain my weight and I know I CAN!

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