Kime-lou

Lucie- I only have a .25 acre lot in the city, so I go to the farmers market and buy my veggies. Some of the veggies my parents grow (they live an hour and a half away in the country) I will go up and get them on weekends to work on. Most of my friends think I am crazy to work so hard over it. Even my husband though that to start with, but then he tasted the fresh garden stuff and he changed his mind. I know what you mean about the plinking of the can lids Brings back memories of Grandma's house every time I hear it.

I am 100% born and bread southern girl. I even grew up on a farm. Being from a small community and a small baptist church food is everything. I mean seriously, being southern and southern baptist = we eat for every reason. The southern way is when someone dies you take food, when someone has a baby you take food, we someone has a birthday you have a party with lots of food. The old saying about baptist and fried chicken are not far from the truth. Our church go together all the time for means, homecoming, revivial, bible school, weddings, funerals, heck we had Wed night dinners at church. At home each summer my mom, grandmother and I would work in the garden. At 31 years old I can freeze or can any veggie and make my own home made pickle. There is no fruit I can't make a cobbler with. In the summer each weekend we would make some kind of sweet treat for whom ever may drop by for a visit on Sunday afternoon. Yes, people still lived like this in the last 30 years. I am totally not complaining I had an awesome childhood. I knew how to cook by the time I was 13 and was cooking a full meal for the family at least once a week at that age. I still make my own pickle each summer, I hate store bought and I freeze fresh corn and can string beans and tomatos. I know I am odd, but I am me. All this life revolving about food got me to nearly 250 lbs. Since I was 5 years old my weight has fluctuated up and down. In 9th grade I was already in a size 20. My senior year of high school I lost weight and got down to a size 16, but that was after an accident when lead to months of pain and physical theraphy. I manage to keep the weight off through college, but once I was out I gained that plus some. When I married I wanted to be the little ms suzy homemaker, so I would cook enough for an army because that was what I was use to, but it was just me and my husband. To keep the food and sweets from being thrown away we would eat it, so both mine and my hubs weight went up. Now at 31 years old, I have decided to change. I have had to change my way of thinking. First off I have become the odd one who instead of bringing food to a greiving family I bring paper plates, and napkins or stamps. Since the family send thank you notes the stamps keep them from having to buy them. I have learned when hosting a party one sweet something the rest healthy ( think fruit plate and veggie plate). Instead of drinking the house wine of the south (SWEET tea) I drink water. Instead of frying everything, I grill, bake, broil and steam. This has not and continues not being an easy transition, but it is happening and it is rewarding. Since I began this journey back in April, my husband's eating habits have changes and exercise habits have changed. He is eating better and working out more. My parents even though they are not here with us I talk to them a lot and they are trying my new healthy recipes and I have gotten my dibetic dad to change from gaterade to propel. So my trying to change me for the better are changing the ones I love. So it is worth it. I told my husband once that nothing worth having ever came easy and this is no different. So instead of dreading each change I look forward to the challenge and will meet it head on with the help of my family. I am still a southern belle, but I won't continue all the southern traditions.

sometimes all the fluid is removed for a time and the band will go back into place it's self, if not surgery is required - if the band is slipped badly then it will have to be removed, replaced or you opt to have a revision to a diffent type of WLS.

Obviously Bravo has something to hide because no info has been filled out. If you have had a band placed, please tell us your story so we can understand your hatred toward it. So in other words put up or shut up dude. If you had a bad experience then we can all understand, but don't make is sound like the band is a horrible thing for everyone. The band has been a savior for many and that shouldn't be discounted, while yes some have had horrible times. We are all adults here and it is up to us what we do with our bodies. If we choose the band that is our choice. For those who want to know more about the band tell your story rather than saying crap and not backing it up. We all tell our stories so put up or shut.

I DO NOT regret my decision and haven't had any problems. I feel great lost 30 lbs so far and very happy. I sleep on my tummy again. I still go out with friends. I just watch what I eat closer and work out.

My husband is totally anti veggies. I have always had to come up with creative ways to get him to eat any type of veggie and this one is a hit. Slice up you fav veggies (I used 2 fresh yellow squash, a fresh green and black pepper, and one large red onion- it was just what I had on hand) I cut the veggies in bite size pieces and placed them all in a bowl, I added 1/4 cup of italian dressing and a 1/4 cup of parmesean/romono cheese and tossed all together. I let the veggies sit for about 15 min. Pre- heated the grill on high heat. Spread the veggies out on to a grill pan. Turn the grill down on medium heat and place the veggies on the grill. Stir veggies periodically- cook about 15-20 min until veggies are tender. These were awesome. Of course it made a lot and we ate on them for 3 days, but they were a wonderful side dish with anything. The hubs even said they were really yummy to be veggies.

To me slider foods are realitve. I can eat a half cup of ice cream (Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom) for a snack and it satisfies me for a few hours. Maybe it's just mind over matter.

chips, ice cream, yogurt, pudding, mashed potatos, any others of that consistancy. Or at least that is what I was told.

I had my second fill on Thursday, she gave me a little over a cc. Before now I had been holding my portions down myself and not really getting a single of I am good I don't need anymore. Since my fill on Thursday I am getting the single before I hit my normal portion size. YEAH!! It is right before my TOM and I am craving sweets like crazy, but so far I have been able to just say no. Today will be difficult it is raining and we are staying in and normally this type of day would mean me in the kitchen baking, yet I know if I bake I will eat, so I just can't do that. I have considered baking something for my husband to take to work tomorrow for his co-workers, they would like that. I love to cook, to bake, to be little Ms Suzy Homemaker; just like my mom, but I know I have to break those habits to, but it is a hard one to break. I feel closer to my grandma and mom when I am baking, rainy cold days were the days they taught me how to cook. Those were the best days of my childhood. Do any of you out there have a day that they allow themself a sweet treat, or do they just always say no?

Thanks Carolina girl. The last 3 months have been a total change for me. I don't think I ever realized I was an emotional eater. But in in the south you eat for everything - to celelbrate, to greive, to have fun, to visit. When I go visit my family it's tough, my mom was always use to showing her love through food, so she is having to adjust to my new eating habits. Me, my mom, and grandma spent a lot of time together through the years. I am now an hour and a half away and my grandmother is on hospice and basically just a vegetable- really hard. The 3 of us spent a lot of time cooking for the family, canning veggies, freezing veggies, most of our time together was in the kitchen. On days like today I remember and want to be in the kitchen. I don't have kids to start new tradtitions with and doubt I will ever have any. So days like today make me remember and yearn for the days gone by. But, I am getting up now and hitting the elliptical!!

Time of the month

My port was sewn into the muscle so it doesn't move. Is that not the common way?

We were very careful, but we only waited about 5 days. Hubs was gentle to make sure we didn't hurt anything.

How close to going to be are you eating? My doctor told me not to lay down for at least 30min to and hour after eating, that it would cause reflux issues. If you are waiting a decent enough time you are likely to tight.

The band will not help with mental health disorders. See a therpist, your doctor, and counselor - whatever and get help with those. Two totally diffent conditions. I deal with an anxiety disorder and take Paxel. While a lot of people complain about Paxel, I love it, it has helped me greatly. Between the Paxel and the weight coming off I feel better than I have in years.

I had my 2nd fill this afternoon. I am not at 4.5 cc's. I had only lost 5 lbs since my last visit, which my doctor said was good since I was basically doing it on my own. The doctor said that the scales can be deceptive, but she knows I am losing weight due to how much she is able to put in my band at one time. Thankfully I didn't pass out this time, she pushed the fluided very slowly this time as to not stimulate vagus nerve. I am glad I took the step to get my band. This journey isn't always easy, it's not alway fun, but it is worth it. I am proud of myself for sticking to an exercise routine, for having will power to stop stuffing my face. I wish I would have to ahead and gotten my band 5 years ago when I first looked into it. I just hope that I did it soon enough to prevent any of the health problems I was heading towards. One of the things I have learned now that I didn't know before is - food is still good, but it can be even better when you don't gorge yourself on it!!

It's common, likely a little capulary was nicked and caused a bruise and a bruise always hurt due to inflamation.

Awesome!! I had lapband surgery performed by Dr. Yoo June 22nd. I didn't do plication, but I still hope I do as well as you are doing. I love Duke Weight Loss.

Yep, I did - they were recommended to me. I didn't have any problems. They are about the same size a one of my perscriptions that I had to take and the doctor told me that was fine, but nothing any larger.

I started my journey at 244 and I have a bike. My husband and I love to ride on a river trail near our home. The best thing to do is go to a good bike shop not walmart. Have them recommend something. The best thing to do is buy and larger seat, which is what I did.

I really like the myoplex shakes and the atkins shakes are good to. SF popcicles are great after surgery and different flavors of Jello. I know some people couldn't have jello after surgery, but I could, it was on my list. I also found that I like to put my Protein shake in the blender with ice and blend it, it makes it think and kinda like a milk shake. Also unjury unflavored Protein Powder is good to add to anything to add more protein and not a bad taste. Good luck!!

Carolina girl is right on. Eating to fast will get you everytime. If you have a difficult time with slowing down try putting you fork/spoon down between bites. I know they say do be distracted while you eat, but I fix my plate with my one cup and sit down with the hubs at night. I will take a bite, put down my fork and listen to him tell me about his day while I chew and chew and chew. Then another bite. I takes me about the same amount of time it takes him to eat, but he eats twice as much if not more than I do.

Amen sister!! I think all banders feel like this on at least one day, and if they say they don't, likely they are lying. This has not been an easy process. I have lost 25 lbs since surgery on June 22. Most of the weight came off the first month, the last few weeks it's just been 1 lbs a week even though I have a large calorie deficit. Some days are major frustrating and some days it's awesome. You are right when I see a skinny chick eating a big milkshake or a yeast roll, I want to slap her However, I want to loose this weight so I will discipline my self and count my calories and once the weight is gone I will enjoy shopping.

my doctor said that the average is about 5 to 6 cc's people reach their sweet spot, but that is just an average.

I had to have my gallbladder out last year, emergency surgery, then I had lapband this year. My surgeon though required if you did still have you gallbladder that you have an ultrasound of it, if you had stones he would remove it at the same time, because if he didn't you would likely have to have it removed in the near future. My gallbladder surgery was a breeze compared to lapband.