peaches9

Black Bean Brownies 15oz can black Beans (drained & rinsed well) 4 large eggs 1/2 cup granulated Splenda 3 tbsp cocoa powder 2 tbsp strong coffee (or 1 tbsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water) 1 tsp baking powder 2 tbsp canola or olive oil 1 tsp vanilla Fat: 3.4gCarbohydrates: 8.9gCalories:79.2Protein: 4.1g Preheat oven to 350*F. Prepare an 8x8 baking pan by spraying it with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Add the beans last and make sure you blend VERY well. Bake for 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing. Brownies are approx. 2"x2" in size. Number of Servings: 16 *** I was having a chocolate attack today and almost stoped and bought something bad.... then I happened across this recipe. I baked them and it was pretty good!!

I am so sorry your first experience is not going well. Flipping ports does happen but if must be a real bummer. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you that your GP gets some good advise and is successful the next try. My fill #1 was restricted for the first few days and then I could eat anything agian. But my second fill was very tight, just starting to loosen off a bit now, 1 week later! The good news is that I'be only been able to eat about 800 cals per day each day this week and I am consistantly dropping weight. I am so happy. You will be happy too... just try and hang in - we're all rooting for you!

Hi Lorie, are you not feeling well? I am sorry to hear that. Best wishes for you!!!

Hi Chickie, congrats!!! You look fabulous... I am so glad that you losers keep coming back on the boards to inspire us newbies!!! Thanks for caring to share

Hey Bob! Welcome I think I met you this afternoon at lunch, right??? You were sitting at the end of the first table? You'll love this site... so many super people... and some great support and companionship. We all have ups and downs.... mostly DOWNS hee,hee,hee... get it? Oh I am 'sic' tonight LOL

Thx SSanofka! I appreciate that. In the last 20 yrs I have gained and lost the same 100 lbs over and over again. Spent a fortune on Herbal magic (the only magic is how fast your money disappears!); Weight Watchers (multiple times- a lifetime member LOL) Beverly Hills Weight Loss Centre; Hypnosis; Diet Pills (Meridia & Xenical); South Beach; Aitkins; Calorie counting; Overeaters Anonymous Meetings... the only thing I didn't try was Hormone injections... After my year of platauing my Family Doctor FINALLY agred that LapBand Surg. might be of value.... duh!!! This is the first time in forever that I have HOPE of losing and KEEPING IT OFF for life. I am so happy to have made the decision and even happier that we have this great web site to share our stories on. The best support ever!!! ROCK ON

:confused:

Yes my ticker is correct, except that I lost the FIRST 40lbs Pre-banding, by dieting/excersising on my own, but I was plateaued for a year, and was terrified of REGAINING my weight so I decided to get the BAND in July07. At surg. I was 200, today I am 180 and on my way to 130 hence I am down 60 lbs, with 50 to go.

HOly FLICK ! THose pictures are awesome!!! It is a complete transformation girl... Yahoo for you! I am SO inspired. Now, tell me how did you do the photo collage, that is so cool!

testing, testing 1 2 3

Dear Sue, Peter, Laurie, Lori, Nancy,Donna, Lisa, Andreea and everybody else who attended today.( I really do have menopause brain when it comes to names) WHAT A HOOT! I had such fun, I am only sorry that I couldn't stay longer and mingle with you all... Next time, I'll drive myself and stay til the sweet ending. DH was prompt picking me up and then we dashed off to the airport to take DD to terminal. She works M-Th in N. Carolina but home on the weekends. It was so great to be able to tie in a morning visit with her and lunch with you guys... DH ate my leftovers from lunch after he ate the dinner that I made tonight, curried chicken thighs & Veg. over basmati rice. Good thing he does an Hour on the rowing machine daily or else He'd need a lap band by next year. Special thanks to the organizers!!!

I snack too. But I try to make it SOMETHING with Protien in it.. Right now I have LOTS of restriction, and I'm finding it difficult to get 800 -1000 cals in per day. PLUS I am tracking myself on SparkPeople.com so that it tells me how many grams of Protien and Calcium I am taking in per day. I don't want my hair to fall out, and I don't want to get week. Ya know? B: 3/4 cup Oatmeal/ skim milk L: Tuna salad 1/2 cup, decaf coffee/ double milk Snk: 15 Triscuit thins S: 2 Scrambled eggs, 1 Oz. HamBacon Snk: vanilla SF FF pudding w/ protien pwder in it. I was only able to get 5 glasses of Water in, + multivit + Caltrate D

Are you going to the Sept Luncheon today>???? I'd love to meet you!

I'm from (Georgian Bay Area), drove to Toronto for my proceedure

ROSE, that is a bummer! We'll miss you... I personnally was looking forward to meeting you in the FLESH

Hi Julie, I am sorry that your fill exp. is not going so well. Like some of the other suggestions with full liquids, try some warm tea. That loosens me up a bit. 1st thing in the morning I am really tight, can hardly sip any liquid, BUT the fill nurse at my clinic asked me to try warm Oatmeal /milk... guess what .... it was the first thing that went down without a hitch.! I am 4 days since my last fill, still a wee bit tight - but each day seems a bit more managable. I am using a baby spoon to eat with (force myself to take small bites) and try to not rush those 2 -3 bites... if you are slow with those the rest seems easier. Easier said than done though especially if you are HUNGRY. Good luck:hungry:

Oh my, what a dance! If a US citizen who has to selfpay, why not consider Canada? Toronto there are TWO good clinics to choose from... Fly to Buffalo N.Y and drive across to Toronto.. short trip. COST in Cdn. $ 16-17,000 more than Mexico, but way less than in the US. just my 2cents

WOW, I can't wait until I can feel ribs!!!! I was excited at collar bones! Just beginning to find pelvic bones, still a fair chunk of flesh on those puppies.. LOL

Hi Missy; I am certain that what you are feeling at this moment is NORMAL. After surg. there is so much swelling inside and until that subsides, you may have less of an appetite than normal. Not to worry, it will come back. My Doc recommends 6wks post op until 1st filled. Once I was on solids, Oh my gosh - did my appetite come back. It is what as known as "bandster hell" because you feel great, could (can) eat anything in sight and have NO restriction because you havn't been thru the fill process yet. and regarding Fills, it is a process... it takes longer than anyone of us wants to wait until we get the restriction that we "paid for".. LOL Enjoy you non appetite for now, just get in your Protein as recommended by your nutritionist and you'll do fine.

How was your experience there? My GF had her Ru-n-Y bypass done by Barix in Michigan and they were fabulous there... what was the cost of the Lapband by them? Did you have any ins. coverage to help out? or were you self pay?

Hello, I was 'done' in Toronto Canada. My first fill at 6wks was 5 cc's... Nurse tested me by making me drink 500ml of water before I was allowed to leave the clinic. I was tightish but the water could go down, it took me 1/2 hour to drink the water. NOw this past Tues, I got my 2nd fill = 2 cc's.. so now I have a total of 7 cc's in my 9.5 cc BAND. Just today I am able to drink and eat a little more comfortably. .... but oh my is the weight starting to come off. Between fill #1 and #2 I only lost 2.5 lbs.. and I was pissed with that, but also had not much restriction. After fill#2 I have lost 1 lb per day so far... BONUS!!! I hope you get the fills you wish for, try and be patient as being TOO FULL is no fun either. Good luck!

I am just a noisy nelly, I am really looking forward to meeting everyone on Sunday!

Don't worry, a week without protein will be o.k.... Your body has lots of stores built up. PLUS the healing around your BAND is critical at this time. Don't rush to Full fluids or mushie's follow your Doctors instructions to the tee and you will have a Great Success! I know the clear liq phase is the WORST of all!!! I hated it too, what I needed to feel "well" was electrolyte drinks... Gaterade or some baby Pedialyte... mixed with my Apple juice did the trick. I was losing my potassium and sodium just on clears and was starting to feel week, and had diarhea too. Liquids in = Liquids out. Yuk, but once I started on Full Fluids (ie Protien shakes) everything was fine ... I still feel really good, and I'm 3 mos. post op. have lost 19 lbs. since surgery so I am very happy. I'be had 2 fills to date./

Hi there, I have had 2 fills, 1st being 5 cc's, then my second fill anothe 2 cc's put in... total of 7 feeling a bit better today, eating oatmeal for Breakfast and its feeling comfortable and not stuck.. whew.. I was dreading the 3 hr drive back to the clinic if I needed a slight de-fil.

In my opinion, get TWO consults... one from SWLC Dr. Mumford/Coburn and also go and see Dr. Yau at Toronto Lap Band Clinic... nothing like comparison shopping to see who YOU feel is the best fit. I was banded at TBLC Jul 11th everything surgically went very well. I've had 2 fills now and am losing weight well.. Good luck in whatever you decide. If you'd like to Private Message me I can provide answers to any ques. you may like to ask.