beanie80

I used to peel them, then put in microwave with tiny bit of Water for about 2 minutes. Then I would spray with "I cant believe its not butter spray" and sprinkler cinnamon and splenda on them. Turns out soft and tastes a bit like apple pie. Yummy low cal treat!

I also had my first stuck episode! It was terrible. I was foaming at the mouth and had bad chest pain. Teach me to eat too fast now that I finally feel my band
Congrats LessLee on hitting the 30lb mark!

I'm new to this site and appreciate reading stories from other banded folks. I have had my band almost 10 1/2 years. I had really great success during the early years. I realized about 3 years in I had a very strong emotional component to my eating patterns so I regained a good bit of the weight I had lost. But no fault of the band. I still feel it is the best tool for weight-loss success. I originally lost 110 pounds after I had my surgery then regained probably 80 pounds. But I am back down 50 pounds and still a work in progress. **I went back and edited this post when I realized I can't add. I had my band placed May, 2003 so that would have been 10 years not 9!

Toot your horn darlin!
I have the same issue, the hubby does too. We are eating better and taking care of ourselves and it's a symphony of healthy eating.
Public toots are at your own risk though on those occasions it's beno or gas-ex or a quick trip to the restroom for a tune up.

High Protein and lots of veggies are notorious gas makers. I don't even restrict my carb intake but because of all the Protein and veggies I eat, I pretty much always have the toots.
You're not doing anything wrong...it's just how the body seems to process the food. You could always try something like Bean-o to help.

Hey everyone, hope you are all doing well.
yay new jeans! Congrats Beanie!
Allyson, I also got stuck this week. I have been mildly stuck before, but this was real stuck. It's a bit scary and not fun at all!

Just got bad from my visit at the WLS center. We decided to hold off on a fill for a month since I will be travelling. I was down 16 in the 27 days since the last visit/fill. So I can't complain about the results. I've got my eyes set on the half way mark. Now within 7 pounds of hitting it.

Another week, another check in! How was the past week for everyone?
I had to go buy new jeans because my other ones were falling off. I ended up being a 12 at one place and a 14 at another. It was so nice to not feel like crap about myself after trying on jeans! Next will be new work clothes, but those are more expensive and I don't want to shell out the money while I'm still losing.

Hi Brit,
Sliders are 2 things: 1)foods that can pass through the stoma without much resistance or 2) foods/liquids that can help normal foods pass through the stoma easier. Examples of sliders are liquids, foods that melt into liquid state, or solids that have lots of liquid that helps it pass.
Foods that pass easier: any drink, milkshakes, icecream, yogurts, Soups, chocolate, Cookies, sometimes cake (usually any junk food ahhah)
Foods that help foods pass easier: sauces, dressings, broths, applesauce,
(there's tons of example and I hope others will share theirs..but this is a good example to derive from)
While on topic..a side comment
Sliders are often referred to in a negative light. Examples are drinking your calories to avoid getting stuck. You tend to consume more calories if you do liquids (think milkshakes, junkfood) and people often either gain weight or are not getting the right nutrition.
However, sliders are also a +. For instance, I usually have trouble w/ chicken no matter how well I cook it. But if I put just a little bit of sauce, it's enough to help it slide through (not quickly but it doesnt bind and eventually get regurgitated) (same w/ pork chops and applesauce . This is a huge PLUS and we should be mindful of how to use certain foods to assist us if we have trouble foods that are actually good for us (like chicken)

You say you haven't seen this side of you since banding. Perhaps this is the time the new you learns to forgive and learns to get back up on the wagon. It's hard, but can be done. You aren't perfect, nor am I, nor is anyone. Just try to do better at your next meal. No 5 hrs in the gym. No punishment. Just strive to do better next time.

I asked myself: "why are you eating, Penny, are you hungry?"
And the answer was a resounding: "NO"
So I put the food items away, and went to clean my bathrooms. Listening to my body feels so right.

FYI-Many of us can eat anything we want within days of surgery. Your band is not filled so the stoma is wide open. BUT, most all of us are told to not eat solid food. We're told and instructed to consume liquids for a week and mushies for up to 4 weeks. solid food early after surgery can compromise the surgery by causing the sutures around your stomach to tear away.
tmf

First off, it's a victory for you just based on the fact that you are not gaining. Second..as you are already on meds and know that you are an anxiety eater, maybe the best thing is to seek professional help. Not that you can't get tips and suggestions on this site, but maybe a professional can get to the root of the issue, or provide real coping mechanisms that will help you. Good luck with school and all the rest.

Another week, another check in! How was the past week for everyone?
I had to go buy new jeans because my other ones were falling off. I ended up being a 12 at one place and a 14 at another. It was so nice to not feel like crap about myself after trying on jeans! Next will be new work clothes, but those are more expensive and I don't want to shell out the money while I'm still losing.

it isnt? its in the Water right?no wonder i dont eat fish......i cant figure out WTF it is...

Umm... Crab isn't fish CG

It's very hard!! When you've trained yourself to stick to a certain way of eating it can be very hard to give yourself permission to deviate from it.
Here is how I come to terms with it: I would need to eat an extra 3500 calories to gain a pound. And, that's 3500 above what I'd need to maintain which is less than I normally eat anyway. So realistically, I'd need to increase my calories by over 4000 to gain a pound.
That's not happening lol. I still track my calories when I'm having a weekend like you describe and even with a margarita here and a cheesy appetizer there, I never come anywhere close to gaining.
Just remember, a lot of the food you'll encounter will be a lot higher sodium than you're used to. Don't be surprised and don't freak if the scale jumps just because of the Water retention alone. Water weight comes back off pretty quickly once you go back to reduced sodium and drink lots of water.
Go enjoy your weekend. Think moderation not deprivation

Just do it!
I do the same thing when I am on vacation, I try to keep hydrated, listen to my band and only eat when others are eating. No junk Snacks laying around. You may find yourself putting on a couple of pounds, but that is the higher sodium content on restaurant foods and will come off in a couple of days. My last vacation week, I actually lost a pound AND 5 more as the excess sodium flushed from my system.
Enjoy Tara

Mis what did you end up buying? did you go for a fitting?

After having lost close to 50 lbs, the girls have gone south on me. I was just measured 2days ago. I went from a 38dd to a 36dd,or a 34ddd. I went to Dillard's for my fitting, and was very impressed with Wacoal bras. The bras are very comfortable, and they do a major lift for the girls. They lift you without all the padding. They r somewhat pricey,$50-$80, but totally worth it.

It has helped me to feel in control of me, and not feel like I'm being controlled by food. I have control of MY life now, and it gives me the confidence to know that I can do anything I want if I just put my mind to it.

Had my first fill and it was super easy! Took all of 5 minutes. I have a little over 3cc's in my band. I was hungry when I got to the appointment, I'm not hungry at all now. Yay!

Congrats on the 40lbs!!! I'm not really in the green zone yet, but I can finally feel my band. I have about 4.75 in a 10cc band.
I've been meaning to ask you LessLee, you have mentioned before that your doc did some test to determine where your green zone is. What test is this? also, what size band do you have? Hope you are having a great day!

I too have to be more careful of my bites and chewing with this last fill. Especially chicken! I got a piece stuck last night and walked away from dinner early. So far the worst stuck I've had, but it went away with in 15 min or so, then I was fine.
You will see that 60lb soon! Way to go! (yes, these tickers round up so today I weighed at 216.5 but put 217 in my ticker)
Today I have finally passed the 40lb mark since my Weight Watcher days (I never could quite make it there) and 27lbs since starting the banding journey.

I am so happy for you! Tell me what it's like?
I am sure I am not green, but I think I may be yellow-green...lime-ish?...LOL
I feel I am on the edge of green, but I am not really sure what it feels like exactly. I have been documenting everything from the time it takes to eat a meal and how I feel after, plus how long until I am hungry again. I have been eating pretty clean with lots of (solid) Protein (60-80g) and 8-9+ cups of Water a day. After a small meal, I am hungry consistently at the 2-2.5hr mark. It's been almost 2 weeks since my fill.
If I thought about it, I still feel like I am on a diet, but it is a bit more manageable. I am looking forward to not obsessing as much.
Other than that, my youngest is back in school and I am glad to have some sort of routine back. I re-started the C25K program and thinking of making my new goal to be 199 by my birthday, Dec 1st, but that may be too ambitious. I'll see how I do this week.