steph_co

I just don't want to overdo it. food has always been my joy, my comfort. I worry that I won't be able to stop myself and I don't want to gain back the weight that I have lost so far. So I pretty much eat one meal of soft foods and my other two meals are Slim Fast low carb. I feel in control this way. Especially being up here at work at night by myself - food has been a major hobby of mine. I can sit and graze for hours sitting in front of my computer in between patrols. I guess the main thing is that I don't want food to be what I look forward to in my day anymore. Having two meals that are Slim Fast seems to make this easier. It's more of a job to accomplish so that I have energy to do my real job. Anybody else not wanting to move onto real food?

I'll consider it. LOL Probably on my next days off which'll be Monday/Tuesday. Now I have to find a health food store. Um. Would fresh hummus like that be in produce, then? Because our Vitamin Cottage has fresh organic produce. I could check there. Do you cook it or eat it raw? Do you eat it with something?

Geeee. I WISH I could only eat a 1/4 cup at a time. I limit it to a cup (as per doc's instructions), but I could eat more. I did once and regretted it. LOL I stay at a cup and feel a *little* bit unsatisfied, but doing my best to get away from the table. So yes, I have a little bit of restriction, but not where it should be. I'm limiting my daily calories under 900 and so far haven't gone over 800.

Awesome, Tish! I get my first fill 3 days after that - I'll be thinking of you and wishing you lots of get-well wishes!!!

I love your posts, Bandpal. Thank you for sharing your journey. You have some great insights. Now...I've heard of hummus (movies, seen it on store shelves), but what EXACTLY is it? Like what is in a can of that stuff. Do you cook it, or what? I LOVE garlic, but I'm nervous about trying new things.

I do want to add...who says that having Lap Band takes no discipline. Are you kidding? I have to watch every single thing that passes my lips. I have to take small bites and chew to mush. Later on down the road, there's a possibility that there may be foods that I can never eat again because my body will expel it (bread for some, chicken for others, as examples). I've never been a big Water drinker. I now make it a point to get 64 oz of fluids everyday. I take a multi-vitamin everyday. I watch my Protein and make sure I'm getting my doctor-recommended 60-80 per day. I take a Calcium supplement everyday. I make sure to move my rear-end a little bit more everyday. You know what? In the past, I have always found some excuse to slack off and/or beat myself up for missing a day and giving it up altogether. But I know my band will not give up on me - so I will keep fighting for it. This band MOTIVATES me to keep up the good work because even though I still have the same thoughts about dieting cross my mind ("I'm having a crappy day - I want to go eat junk food," or "I forgot to take my vitamin/drink enough water/exercise...I might as well give up, I'm a failure"), I remember that I have this powerful tool inside of me that keeps me strong. I couldn't do this without the band. I tried. And for the past 13 or 14 years I have gotten on and off the bandwagon. But I have NEVER felt as strongly as I do today. I basically have a daily reminder that I get to take care of myself. The band in my body is priceless to me. Knowing what I know now, if the band cost 5x what it cost me, I would have kept saving until I could afford it!

BINGO!!! What's more important to me: the method I chose to lose the weight, or how long it'll be gone?? Honestly - I have dieted a lot and done different exercise programs. Yes - I was always excited when I saw pounds come off, but I had this niggling little thought somewhere in my sub-conscious that would ask, "Yeah, but I wonder how long THAT'S going to last." I have NEVER felt how I feel now - when I see pounds come off on the scale, every SINGLE one is a victory because I know it is GONE. You want to know what pushed me into surgery rather than just taking on yet ANOTHER diet? I heard the statistic that 98% of people that lose weight like that (sometimes referred to as "white-knuckling") gain it back within 5 years. Yes, there will be some success stories. SOME people that are able to do it on their own AND keep it off. But why torture yourself like that? Lap Band is such a powerful tool to assist us to LOSE weight and keep it OFF! :whoo: That's worth it to me!

December 20th. Yep - just before Christmas. Yay - no more crazy holiday eating for me!

I think you'll have to do a new thread and then you could just put in the main part of this message the link to THAT thread. This one will eventually die when people start going to the other.

I'm so glad nothing is wrong with your liver! Now I'd be angry with your doctor for making you miss your date. :eek: LOL Hope they can get you in soon. And YES - in my mind you'll always be a November Nymph!!!

OMGosh...that's just scary.

You guys still have civil rights. If there's a problem that needs immediate attention, then ask to see a supervisor because you don't agree with how they are searching you/your property. This way you have somebody that is over their head so they can't claim that you did something wrong - you'll have a witness. I wouldn't recommend telling them how they are supposed to do their job...human nature in general doesn't like that. But you could simply ask why they are doing something a certain way when it would make more sense to just (for instance) touch OVER the clothing rather than having to see bare skin so that nobody is embarrassed. If they still won't see reason, when they get finished, ask to speak with a MANAGER. There is almost always one nearby if you are in a larger airport. Explain the problem in detail, let them know that you put up with the poor treatment, but that it was uncalled for and that you'll be putting in a complaint and possibly contacting the ACLU. That'll put the dread in any manager's heart. LOL

Dr Thomas Brown Lowry Surgical Center Denver, CO self-pay

:clap2::whoo:

In addition to what Wendell said, caffeine is a diuretic. It can make it harder for your body to hold on to fluid. Dehydration isn't good for anybody.

It sounds like emotional abuse to me, but you've already said your peace. DH would never say anything like that - in fact, he was appalled. Some people can deal with being talked to like that, some can't. I wouldn't. Everybody has different relationships, I guess.

I just wanted to say that the doctor in question is in the UK. I could have sworn they spoke english there...what language barrier?

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory makes kick-ass chocolate-covered Twinkies.

I wasn't saying that YOUR surgeon does fills before two weeks. I'm going on the indication that he would do a fill AT two weeks? Yikes. That's what had me worried. Not to mention the no post-op diet. After reading and researching, I'd be scared to death to not have a post-op diet. Even the maker of the Lap Band (Allergan) recommends a post-op diet. I'm just shocked that your doc is being so lax. Do you know how many bands total that your doc has placed? Does he have any stats on his own failure rate?

Well, rather than just NOT talking about your body in front of her, maybe it would do her good to hear her mom say good things about her body. I know as women, there are a severe shortage of good role-models that teach girls to LOVE their body as is. Kids hear everything we say and will carry it on into their adult lives. I said something about my body in front of the little girl of a friend of mine and she repeated it to several people. OMG, I was mortified. LOL Don't feel like a bad mom. What were the negative messages YOU got growing up? It's just time to figure out a way to turn them around and use them for good instead of evil.

This is an excellent thread to read about "issues": http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/why-you-fat-5223/ I honestly don't think that EVERYBODY has them. I do. But I'm willing to accept that not everybody does.

I didn't realize I had a fear to be thin until the night before my surgery at 1 o'clock in the morning! You are way further ahead than I was mentally. Be grateful for that - you can start your work now. Knowing that I have that fear has made me realize WHY I have sabotaged myself so much in the past - so now I can get a grip on it and find other things to do with my time. It's interesting that one of my hobbies used to be eating and I'm not all that interested in it right now - mostly because I know I physically cannot do that to myself anymore. I plan on going to see a counselor, but already the realization and help from the band is changing my view on the world of food. You can do this! Think of all the things you can do with your time when you're not eating. I plan on learning the guitar (getting one for Christmas) and I got a page-a-day calendar that teaches origami. Anything I could think of that would just keep me busy. I was scared of saying goodbye to food, too. But you know, I'm already thinking of new ways to cook things or make things so that they are acceptable to my new way of eating. It's making me be creative. And with all the money I'm saving from not eating out constantly, I should be able to buy that new wardrobe as I get skinny! Heck, now that I'm thinking of it, I think that's a great idea - I'm going to put about $40/week into a savings account because that's about what I'd spend eating out...then I can take that money and buy new clothes. Think of everything you'll be able to do in your new, healthy, skinny, easier to move body! It's exciting. We're all here for you! I know you can do this!

In the morning on my way home from work. I work at night 6p-6a, so my schedule is reverse from most. So I guess it would be that I get hungry at "night." LOL I drink my last protein shake about 2am and try not to drink anything else after 3am or I spend the time that I SHOULD be sleeping running to the bathroom. I start getting hunger twinges about 5am.

I had to LOL at the story about the band and you having to hand-deliver it yourself. Good heavens. I'm glad the hospital decided to cooperate. Sounds like an adventure altogether! I, too, find it easier to resist temptation. Isn't the band great?

Banded on the 15th and feeling pretty good. I still have a *little* bit of the run-down feeling, but it gets better everyday. My port site almost feels normal...it was giving me the most grief.