Penni60

Carol: Here is a suggestion from a fellow grazer. I go to the grocery store and buy packs of baby carrots, celery, and green, red, yellow, and orange peppers. I take about 10 pieces of each and put them in a baggie. I then take those baggies and put them in the fridge. If you need something to graze on those are the best and your taste buds get a variety. I think I have the worst taste buds. They are so fickle and get bored really easy. I have to have several different tastes per meal or I don't satisfy that head demon. Pesky little critter. He is slippery too just when I think I have caught him or cornered him at least he gets away. Anyway, I digress. LOL! I also keep Fresh Fuju Apples and Valencia Oranges and D'Anjou Pears and Seedless Red and Black Grapes on hand to just grab if I find myself in the vicinity of the Kitchen and that head demon peaks out. I stuff him with a healthy and might add LOW calorie treat and he is happy. Med Apple = 80 Calories Pear = 98 Calories 15 baby carrots = 30 calories 5 celery = 30 calories 5 each Peppers = 30 calories Get some Ranch Light dressing 2 tablespoons = 80 calories You have satisfied that head demon and not blown your calories for the day. Lianna: When I was banded I never ate anything till around 9a due to the high restriction. If I did eat then it was something very soft that could essentially slide down without much chewing. Oatmeal very watery, very soft scrambled eggs, protein drink, etc. I also did the warm liquid prior to eating breakfast. The thing about high restriction in the morning has several different theories. I don't think the food in the stomach overnite is logical. No disrespect Susan OK. DUCKING NOW!!! LOL!! Here is why it isn't logical. Your entire stomach has little receptors that are triggered when food is present. It begins to digest the food immediately. That means it digests food whether it is in the top portion or the bottom portion. It just takes more time in the upper portion. It has to work harder to get it to slush to slide through the opening into the lower portion of the stomach. But normal digestion takes 4 hours. I would imagine the upper portion would take at least that long maybe a little longer but not 8 hours. So eating at night will not cause the swelling or fullness in the morning in my opinion.

WOW!! I feel like I have been called on the carpet for something I did wrong. LOL!! Maebeth, I was only unbanded in Dec and it is recommended to wait 6 months to be rebanded. At least that is what my surgeon does. He won't even consider doing any type of surgery till the 6 months are up. That will be in June or July of this year. I doubt I will get rebanded mainly due to no funds and I just don't think I wanna go that route again. Paula, how ya doing sweetie? I was thinking about your planned meals thingy. I can develop a meal plan for you if you like. I need a day to get it together. So Let me work on it tonight and I will post it tomorrow or later tonight if I get a chance. It will basically follow much of the Nutrisystem plan minus their meals of course but you can supplement with other stuff and I will give you suggestions. Hang in there and help is on the way. LOL!!!!

Susan the rest of my day was pretty good. I am so proud of myself. I do have a cupboard full of great organic teas. I just keep forgetting they are there. I get so hung up on wanting the Starbucks. LOL!!! OK they are getting pulled off the shelf. Today's plan accomplishment: I will follow my Nutrisystem meal plans. (OK stayed somewhat on track. Went for Sushi and had about 500 Calories total. I Think I went over my calorie limit by 300. Not too bad. SIGH!!) I will exercise for a minimum of 20 min a day 4 days a week. (Nope none today) I will lose at least 1 lb a week. ( Will see come Friday how this is going ) I will drink at least 64 ounces of Water a day. (I got mine in today.) Positive reinforcement mantras: I cannot continue to eat unhealthy and expect to lose weight. I cannot continue to not exercise and expect to lose weight. I cannot continue to buy pills, buy exercise equip, etc then not use them and expect to lose weight. I cannot continue to feel sorry for myself because I do not have the band anymore.

Susan the rest of my day was pretty good. I am so proud of myself. I do have a cupboard full of great organic teas. I just keep forgetting they are there. I get so hung up on wanting the Starbucks. LOL!!! OK they are getting pulled off the shelf. Today's plan accomplishment: I will follow my Nutrisystem meal plans. (OK stayed somewhat on track. Went for Sushi and had about 500 Calories total. I Think I went over my calorie limit by 300. Not too bad. SIGH!!) I will exercise for a minimum of 20 min a day 4 days a week. (Nope none today) I will lose at least 1 lb a week. ( Will see come Friday how this is going ) I will drink at least 64 ounces of Water a day. (I got mine in today.) Positive reinforcement mantras: I cannot continue to eat unhealthy and expect to lose weight. I cannot continue to not exercise and expect to lose weight. I cannot continue to buy pills, buy exercise equip, etc then not use them and expect to lose weight. I cannot continue to feel sorry for myself because I do not have the band anymore.

OK so far so good. I am still on track and sticking. When I feel the need to munch on somethng I grab an apple or some almonds. Then I grab a bottle of water as well. Today is a yucky day all the way around. I don't feel good for one thing. I have a borderline Migraine and I am still trying to function. The weather is awful here in Sunny SO Calif. HAHAHAHA!! It hailed earlier. Then the sun came out now it is 38 degrees outside. All I wanna do is curl up with a good book and read till I fall asleep. But of course then I want a Starbuck's coffee to go with. I am one of the weird ones that Caffeine at a time when I have a migraine makes it better. LOLOL!!! Anyway, I am resisting temptation right now and that is an accomplishment for me.

Lena all the doctors I have spoken with about erosion say it isn't an emergency. Now my personal opinion is if something inside me has failed to to what it is supposed to do and is causing MORE harm to my insides then I want it out NOW. I was about 40% to 50% eroded and my doc took it out that same night. Several of us that have eroded had ours out within 24 to 72 hours of finding out. Personally I would get it done pronto. You just don't know what will happen if you wait.

Yup Nutrisystem breakfast this morning and resisting temptation to pig out on anything and everything. Gonna go eat an apple instead. Oh by the way, Beef is the highest caloric and fat content of all the meats. I limit my beef drastically. Fish, Chicken, Turkey, Tuna anything but beef. If you must then only 3 oz.

Just thought I would crash this here thread. Susan and I have been doing the Committment thread thing so I thought I would see what is going on in here. So here is my day. Today the meal plan went soooooooooooo far out the window it ain't even funny. First I had an appt today for a mammogram. EWWW!! Yeah they got squashed today. Second there is this darling Italian restaurant close to the Breast Center so John and I had a little date today. So I had a Chicken Lasagna with Mushroom and Tomato cream sauce. Yes I know that was very bad but so worth it for the date. LOL!! Then paid for it later with a stress headache. Actually I was fighting it off all day. I was stressed big time over the mammogram. I had a spot on my Right breast 6 months ago and this was a follow up appt. I got the all clear though so then the stress hit me. I had to take a min and just relax. Then I got home and heard from a really good friend of ours that her father is on his death bed and not expected to last through next week. So that brought up alot of emotions I thought were long gone. My father passed away almost 11 years ago now but this brings up all thoses emotions again. MORE STRESS!!! So I ate McDonald's tonight. Yes shame on me, but ya know what I allowed myself this day. Tomorrow will be better. Hugs to everyone facing the head demons and surviving one more day.

Today the meal plan went soooooooooooo far out the window it ain't even funny. First I had an appt today for a mammogram. EWWW!! Yeah they got squashed today. Second there is this darling Italian restaurant close to the Breast Center so John and I had a little date today. So I had a chicken Lasagna with Mushroom and Tomato cream sauce. Yes I know that was very bad but so worth it for the date. LOL!! Then paid for it later with a stress headache. Actually I was fighting it off all day. I was stressed big time over the mammogram. I had a spot on my Right breast 6 months ago and this was a follow up appt. I got the all clear though so then the stress hit me. I had to take a min and just relax. Then I got home and heard from a really good friend of ours that her father is on his death bed and not expected to last through next week. So that brought up alot of emotions I thought were long gone. My father passed away almost 11 years ago now but this brings up all thoses emotions again. MORE STRESS!!! So I ate McDonald's tonight. Yes shame on me, but ya know what I allowed myself this day. Tomorrow will be better. Hugs to everyone facing the head demons and surviving one more day. Today's plan accomplishment: I will follow my Nutrisystem meal plans. (HEHEHE OOPS!! Way off track today. Long story. See above. SIGH!!) I will exercise for a minimum of 20 min a day 4 days a week. (Nope none today) I will lose at least 1 lb a week. ( Will see come Friday how this is going ) I will drink at least 64 ounces of Water a day. (Susan yes Iced Tea, coffee, and any non caloric drink counts. That is the only way I get mine in. I still need 20 oz for today.) Positive reinforcement mantras: I cannot continue to eat unhealthy and expect to lose weight. I cannot continue to not exercise and expect to lose weight. I cannot continue to buy pills, buy exercise equip, etc then not use them and expect to lose weight. I cannot continue to feel sorry for myself because I do not have the band anymore.

Sorry but have to say this. ,.... Um,.... wait for it,... a FREEZER!! Ha ha ha ha ha ha I kill me! LOLOL!!!!

THe muscle gain is possible but I think it is the slips I did with my diet instead. Who knows for sure? LOL!! See there ya go again with the "SNICKERS" STOP THAT!!! LOL!!!

First things first here. What is a typical diet look like for you in one day? That could explain alot. Second are you drinking your water? Are you exercising? We are all here to support your battles. It is a struggle every day sweetie whether you are banded or not.

My band removal was covered with my insurance. I only had to pay $900. The removal surgery cost almost $22,000 If your doctor treats the removal as an emergency then your insurance should cover the removal. Ask your doctor to admit you through the ER for the band removal. That is seen as an emergency.

They showed a 1 lb gain. So I am at 251 this morning. I am so frustrated.

OK Susan when I saw that I thought SNICKERS how dare she tempt me with a candy bar. Then I realized what you meant. LOLOLOLOLOL!!!

Sending lots of positive and white light being sent your way. I will send up a prayer too. LOL!!!

Jonathan: I coudln't have said it better myself. Anytime I binge I always have to stop and say to myself, "OK Penni, what is REALLY going on with you right now. What emotion is coming up?" Once I figure that out then the binging stops. And ya know sometimes I just don't care what the emotion is I just wanna eat and binge. I then say, "OK Penni if you don't wanna deal with the emotion right now then just know that you will have to work harder to get off the pounds you are eating." If I am ok with that statement then I binge. Paula sweetie, we have all been there. I went on a horrible binge while I was visiting my Mom and it was all because I was worried about her and I didn't wanna be there and I felt guilty for not wanting to be there. VICIOUS CYCLE!! So I ate. You are loved. You are a special person. You are a worthy person. You are a beautiful person. I am happy to have you as my friend. NOW! STEP AWAY FROM THE FOOD! LOL!!! HUGS

PS: I think Susan and I are the only ones that are using this Committment Thread. LOL!! Doesn't matter to me cause it is keeping me accountable. LOL!!

I faltered some this week with the diet. I do really good for Breakfast and lunch then it goes to hell in a hand basket for supper. I just go crazy. I will be happy to just not have gained any this week. I am actually afraid to get on the damn scales tomorrow. SIGH!! Today's plan accomplishment: I will follow my Nutrisystem meal plans. (On track so far. SIGH!!) I will exercise for a minimum of 20 min a day 4 days a week. (Nope none today) I will lose at least 1 lb a week. ( Will see come Friday how this is going ) I will drink at least 64 ounces of Water a day. (easy peasy) Positive reinforcement mantras: I cannot continue to eat unhealthy and expect to lose weight. I cannot continue to not exercise and expect to lose weight. I cannot continue to buy pills, buy exercise equip, etc then not use them and expect to lose weight. I cannot continue to feel sorry for myself because I do not have the band anymore.

I am a retired Cancer nurse from Nashville, TN. I now live in Van Nuys, CA (close to L.A.) and make and sell my own jewelry designs. www.pemerridesigns.com

I would not put a date on the band surgery for now. The concentration should be on just getting him recouped from the Thyroid surgery. I am so sorry that you guys are going through this at this time. But I do believe that all things happen for a reason. Be thankful that the Thyroid can be removed and there is no cancer. My prayers are with you and your family.

Can you eat solids ok? I had a scope in DEC and the next morning I was drinking hot liquids easily and taking my Nexium. I can still drink hot liquids and still taking my Nexium. Not sure what the problem might be but it doesn't sound like an emergency so getting another Scope might not be needed. Maybe just an xray would do it. At any rate, you should call your doctor and let him or her know.

Today's plan accomplishment: I will follow my Nutrisystem meal plans. (On track so far. SIGH!!) I will exercise for a minimum of 20 min a day 4 days a week. (10 min on Ab Lounger; OUCH; 10 min at top speed on the Recumbent Bike; OUCH; 10 min using the weight bench working on flabby arms, shoulders, and back; OUCHIE OWIE!! ) It all feels good though. I will lose at least 1 lb a week. ( Will see come Friday how this is going ) I will drink at least 64 ounces of Water a day. (easy peasy) Positive reinforcement mantras: I cannot continue to eat unhealthy and expect to lose weight. I cannot continue to not exercise and expect to lose weight. I cannot continue to buy pills, buy exercise equip, etc then not use them and expect to lose weight. I cannot continue to feel sorry for myself because I do not have the band anymore.

If you were having problems sleeping before the Ambien and you stop it then you will still have problems sleeping. The issues don't go away they are still there we just medicate them so we can sleep. You said you were taking 12.5mg of Ambien right? I was taking 5mg. I doubt you are addicted that quickly but you could have been in a withdrawal state. You don't have to be addicted to go through what is termed withdrawal from a medication. Your body gets used to a certain med then you stop it and your body rebels. It is that simple. I don't think you are addicted. Your body was just pissed at you for not keeping the dreams away. LOL!!!

I don't remember when we are getting our names. Does anyone know?