Poodles

I love my crock pot. Think I may get it going today. I am just so scared to get stuck again (Chicken is the devil). Thank you for all of the ideas, please keep them coming!

Yummmm... I have one bottle of water down already girls!!! Better drink up!!!!

I'll do a water challenge. I drink 20 ounce bottles, so should be easy to count... NO restriction today. I have eaten way too much. Craving time for me... PMS on the way...

Oh my gosh... My Hubby is Jealous. I was watching the Simpsons tonight and Jack was on there. I said. "Oh, I love Jack.", and he said, "You know, if I was stalking a woman on the internet, you would throw a fit." I said, "are you jealous?", his reply, "No, not really, but you sure talk about that man every time we watch the Simpsons." I laughed and said, "If you only knew the beautiful way Jack words things." Even "cut up your meat into chicklet size pieces" is poetry to me. Then he rolled his eyes. Guess I am going to have to think "I love Jack" the next time I watch the Simpsons.

My favorite is on my sig. Be bold, true, stout-hearted, and brave. To me this means: Be bold in everything you try, true to everyone around you, stout-hearted so you don't give up, and brave enough to change. It is something I made up a while back to engrave on a ring that I wear everyday...

Pizza and Cake???? Oh my. Guess they want us to stay loaded on carbs! I am hyper enough!!!

Funny, I just went there. It says I need to keep my calories between 1220 and 1570. I think I can handle that. :eek:

Uhmm, I think every body is different. Before I went low carb I never had a cycle, and my cholesterol was 298. After Low carb my cycles returned to normal, and my cholesterol went down to 201. I added Milkthistle to my Vitamins and my cholesterol went down to 188. As for anorexia... I wish... If I don't stay low carb my PCOS attacks. I must take my Multivitamins or I crave sweets. But as for having a bad attitude... get bent....just kidding! :love: I follow the Swartzbein Principal diet more than Atkins. It is more tailored for women, and has specific vitamins to help with sugar cravings and mood swings. Post band I have been taking a chewable multi, and the Vitamin shoppe liquid multi for the b vitamins. I think we all need a good vitamin no matter what we eat.

Well hell. I think I have a fickle silicone fist (like Jack...***deep sigh***I love Jack). This morning I could barely get down 1/2 cup of Protein (hamburger meat). What a pain. I stepped on the scale and still only 15 lbs down. But still better than nothing. Went over to the July thread. It was just like reading ours. We all have the same issues and concerns. Good thing we have each other too. :eek:

I can eat ground turkey and ground meat, but solid pieces of chicken, or steak will not work. Even when I "coat" it with something. Do you have any suggestions? recipes? Sometimes I feel that the ground meat will go thru the band too quickly? Am I insane?.... oh wait, we know I am.... What do you guys think?

Hey, has anyone that was filled last week notice their restriction going away. Today I could eat way too much. Have heard about first fills "disappearing" but don't know if that is it or not...

Mert: I have a funny story about BCBS TRS Activecare. I am switching school districts and wanted to make sure there would be no lapse in coverage. I called BCBS and spoke to a woman about it. When I told her why (because of my followup/fills) she started asking me a ton of questions. (And I told her about this site). She is in the middle of her 12 month supervised diet right now. I thought, how weird, they do this junk to their own people too. Good luck getting your surgery date. I hope you can get it in before summer is over!!!!

Discipline is the hardest part. I teach 9-12 grade, last year taught business and art, next year will be full time art. Keep rules to 5 or under. Mine are: 1. Be in your seat when the bell rings 2. Bring all supplies to class 3. No food or drink in class 4. Respect each other, materials, and art work 5. Follow all school rules. I tell them day one about the rules, and stress the word RESPECT in rule #4. I tell them about my self, give them a short resume if you will, so they will know I am not an idiot. I tell them that they are all "perfect little angels" until they prove other wise. I don't care what they do in so-in-so's room, I don't want to know if they have recently been released from prison. I live in my own little world and they are welcome into it. I have had gang members come into my class and produce awesome work, then they would come back again for another year. I will let anyone that wants to into my groups, and I have had the roughest kids watch my back for me, while at the same time stealing other teachers heart medicine (that really happened). Pick your battles wisely. Don't send everyone to the office. Give sentences... they hate that. (ex: I will use appropriate language in the hallways.) If they don't do the sentences, give them a detention and make them do the sentences. I have had a student in ISS that owed me 250 sentences for cussing and failure to serve their detention. At the end of the day, I had my sentences. Make sure your principal will back you up on that though. This approach works for me, but may not work for some. You also have to know the kid. I had one kid come into my room every morning to avoid the cafeteria. If he acted up in class, I would not let him come in to my room. This was VERY effective punishment for him. You can search a variety of different websites for lesson plans, but the best ones will be the ones you make up yourself. Your confidence will show when you have made your own. The best evaluations I have received have been with the lessons I made myself. I have been in the classroom for 8 years, and the best advice I can give you is to not get too attached, love them like they were yours, and never forget the lessons they teach you.

Keep in mind after you are banded, NO more capsules...

Here is the link to the powder. The Health Plus brand is the best one I have found. It does not hurt you (gas) and it works very quickly. http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=HQ-1007

Marc, Welcome to the board. I understand your feelings and want you to know that you have come to the right place. In the world of love, I believe, every fat person feels like they are unwanted, but there are different types of people out there that have different preferences. My hubby married me, because he is a chubbychaser. We have been married 12 years, and I am scared he will leave me if I get too small. But because of health reasons he says he will chance it. I have researched all weight loss surgeries, and have been on every diet in the world. This was the best option for me. I was scared to death, even to the point of wanting to cancel the surgery, but I realized that I HAD to do this or die. The surgery went much easier than I thought it would and the recovery has been a breeze. I now have a fill and am amazed at how little food it takes to fill me up. Although I have only lost 15 pounds, it is still more than I would have lost in a month before. I totally understand the looking in the mirror thing. I think to myself sometimes that the size 10 cheerleader has been eaten by a big fat monster, but then I think that she is in there somewhere. Even though I know I will never see "her" again, I am looking forward to discovering the healthy person within me now. You are obviously a caring person, and I wish you true happiness. Be brave, trust your decision, and begin taking care of yourself. :love:

Well, I use Super Colon Cleanse by Health Plus they have it on sale at vitamin shoppe stores and online. You can also check out healthplus.com. http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=HQ-1003 Or for powder: http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=HQ-1007 I use the full dose when I know I am going to be home the next morning (and I use the powder not the capsules, just mix it with water hold my breath and down it. It has a peppermint flavor.), and I use just a little each day to keep me regular. But I promise if you take it at lunch on Friday, and then again at dinner, by Monday you will be lighter. And I usually feel better too. Good luck!

Yeah Randi don't compare yourself to others. It will drive you nuts. I was just thinking about counting calories today to try and see what I am getting in, but then I though forget that, I am eating slower and less than before so why count calories? I have not lost as fast as others, but then I do not have as much as some to lose. You need to think about your life before the band. Would you have lost those 10-15 lbs with out it? Your new little friend will help you out, and believe me it will let you know when you have overdone it. I have learned that gound meat and ground chicken are good choices. Non ground meat just does not work for me right now. Guess I am letting the grinder help with the chewing. I am so proud of all of you/us. We are right on track. :love:

Uhmmm, not to recommend anything unhealthy or anything... but a good colon cleanse would help get a few pounds out...

Some people are restricted with just the band. My stalkee, Jack, did not get a fill for several months post op. Today I have had a 6" sub from Subway, without the bread, one taco from Taco Bell, and Beans and cheese, and 1/2 an Isopure shake. I think that is restriction, what about you? I know they were not the best choices, but we were out all day...

I felt better about 5-6 days out. My port still hurt for about 3 weeks, but I would have been able to get back to work after a long weekend if I had to. Guess it depends on what kind of job you have.

Congrats on the weight. I do believe it was swelling that went down, I felt the same way. You want the liquids to go down with no problems. You can try the Protein from

I am a recent member of bandland, and have found that all the good carb stuff goes thru rather easily, but today I had a can of tuna, and a basil chicken sausage from Sprouts. I took the case off and it went down fine! Figure ground chicken would be about the same. For sweets I do Carbwatch ice cream from Braums.

Are you guys getting your fills under flouro???

Had my first fill on Tuesday, and ate the same amount of liquids and mushies. Thought for sure I was not restricted. Then I started solids today. Literally quite full with 1/4 cup of chili. Just ate a Jello pudding cup to take my meds, and I'm miserable. My advice is to wait until you are on solids before you give up on your fill. :love: