Paulax

I have just had my first fill today, after nearly 4 weeks of clear liquid fasting. I have started into my mushies. Ate only a couple of cubes of cheese today, and a tablespoon of chilli. I hope to be a quick learn working with this band and fill. I need to focus on getting lots of exercise and controlling my intake. My surgeon, says eat 1/2 teacup size and to focus on soft foods, cut my meat across the grain and chew well. 1/2 cup teacup size. I am going to need to wrap my mind around that. lol! Onward we go. Oh and BTW, for those who are nervous about the fill, as I was. FORGETABOUTIT! It was next to nothing. Barely a pin prick. hugs to all

Damn it Gilbert. I didn't see your note until just now, on my return. Gonnabethin. I am no Saint, I am not the most disciplined person I know. I only succeeded in clear liquid fasting because a)my stomach was in shock and I know couldn't have handled food. becuase my stomach was in shock and my doctor requires this of us to aid in healing. c)my stomach was in shock and I was really afraid not to follow my doctors advice. And really, I don't know how these bandsters are doing it BEFORE being banded. Good luck with your decision. So far so good on my end. Melody you have been so sweet to us during this journey. Thank you many times. It is so wonderful to have experienced and successful support from people like you. hugs I am filled, 1.6 whateverunit it is....lol and yes, I feel restricted. Looking forward to some fresh fish this week and soft veggies and eating with my family. yea!

Week 4 for me, my total loss is 27 pounds. Will be getting my fill on Monday. Will report back then.

Week 4 came to a close today and I lost 2 pounds last week. AMAZING when you go from clear liquids to mushies the weight just stops. But I wasn't exercising. As soon as I get my fill on Monday, I will start my small meals and walking more. But for now, I am on my way to the big city of Vancouver, for some fun and a fill. Hope you are all doing well See you Monday. 2

Thanks Mel. I am really tough, just not in the anticipation of it all. lol! Well, I dont' know whether to declair myself OFF the clear liquid fast and onto mushies. I guess that is what I will say as yesterday I tried to stay clear, but ended up having some yogurt and cheese. Very little yogurt and 2 sticks of cheese. I just felt like I needed it. And of course once you introduce your stomach to food, it wants it regularly. So my weight loss has come to a complete stop. I will try hard during the weekend and after my fill on Monday, I will start the real plan. THAT will include some daily exercising. Then I am really hoping to lose a couple of pounds a week. I'd be extatic with that. But officially I have 3 days left of clear liquid torture, I mean fasting.

Wow, I didn't know that. That is awesome!

Yes, Marie, I will miss those huge salads I used to eat. Oh well, won't miss my fat ass. I passed on the raw broccoli salad and had only 2 small bites of the Caesar salad because it was well wilted. Marie, don't worry about your weight loss reaching Dr. L's expectations. This is YOUR journey, you are a grown woman and you will lose this weight, at your own pace, with the good doctor's help. Re: fill.... I have to admit that I am a wimp. I forget the natural childbirth, 2 C-sections while awake, the other sugeries I have suffered. Now, how can I be afraid of a little needle in the tummy....but I ammmmmmmmm!!!! I will just think of my cute kitties, my cute kitties........ Keep up the hard work everyone.

Yea, ericsmom! Good for you girl! and RIGHT at the time where you are getting a fill. You will be wisking through the 200s in no time. I am starting to add food to my very long clear liquid diet. I am 4 weeks out on Friday, have lost weight very quickly and am looking forward to my small meals next week. I am also looking forward to adding some walking to my daily regime. Good to see you all losing weight. Cheers

Thanks Marie. You are doing well too. I went to dinner last night at MIL's and had a very small amount of salmon and (wilted) Caesar salad, it went down easily. I will try to go back to my liquid fast until the weekend and then I see the good doctor on Monday for my first fill. I know it seems early to have a fill, but I just happen to be in Vancouver that weekend. And then so will end my liquid fast. I have to say it has been an experience. I have gotten used to the feeling of hunger. Now I know to continue losing weight I will have to REALLY step it up on the exercise front. When the kids go back to school, day after Labour Day, I will have no excuse. 4

Alhtough I am very new to this, not quite 4 weeks out, I'd have to pipe in and say that I am a success so far. I found the surgery VERY EASY. I was up and around and exercising a bit day after. I have found my liquid fast hard at times, but I am successful. I just look forward to each new day with baggier pants and a bright weight loss in my future.

DAY 25.... I CAN DO THIS. COUNTDOWN.... I admit to having some pork from my Won Ton broth yesterday, it was so good. Back on liquids today. Actually, I feel VERY good today, lots of energy, lots of spunk. More like myself. The HARD time will be tonight. I am going to dinner at the inlaws. I don't know how I am going to handle this as I have not announced my surgery to anyone other than my dh and maybe 3 friends. The dinner tonight is to bring my dh together with his cousin, who has 3 kids the same age as mine. So hopefully the business and visiting will hide the fact that I am still on a fast. I think, I will load the plate and eat a bit of salmon, I had the pork last night and it went down fine, after I chewed it 400 times. Maybe in the back of my mind it was a dry run. I just have to think that 24 days straight on liquid has helped me heal very well and I have to believe that the swelling went down by now. So countdown numbers. 5:nervous

Word! I think my surgeon gets annoyed when patients can't stay clean for 30 days. I don't know myself, how I have managed to stay on. hugs babs, keep up the hard work....

THAT is so awesome! Congratulations on reaching goal in only 52 weeks. Man, that is fast really. Please amuse me and tell me how much weight you lost. Paula

Thanks for the encouragement Melody...hugs Josette, I am a big fan of Cream of Wheat. Can hardly wait. I don't mind you saying it at all. I think in my homemade broth, I am probably taking in only about 30 grams of protein per day. That isn't too bad. Let me go check that stat on fitday.com. Yep, I am inbetween 20 and 30 grams of protein per day. I can't stand the packaged stuff, so I make my own. I myself think it is a bit freaky, but I will do what my surgeon suggests. If I weren't feeling so damned good during the day, I'd stop. But so far so good. You may find me crying here, but I do have the energy to do my usual chores. I am also starting to walk again. When anyone asks my very skinny Chinese doctor if this is enough food for 30-35 days, he balks and says that our body will provide. Our body is using its stores and not to worry. I do appreciate your questions. I think everything should be questioned. but for now, as grouchy and miserable as I can be, I will try my hardest to complete my 30 days to the best of my ability. I may drop some eggs into my Miso today, I may have some yogurt, but I will try to stay as close as I can to my prescribed diet. AS HELLISH AS IT IS..... lol! Thanks my dear Cheers to all

Day 24, where am I? Who am I? lol I had a hard time yesterday and licked an ice cream spoon of my kids' treat. Didn't feel too guilty, but the next 6 days can't go by fast enough for me. Gee, 6 days doesn't sound too bad, so onward I go. I am going out today to get some more soup. I ordered a Won Ton Soup and a Hot and Sour soup from our local Chinese. They were AWESOME and the kids liked eating my Won Tons. lol! So onward.... Cheers

Day 23, clear liquid fast. This is getting tired, although the hot and sour soup, i ordered was awesome. onward we go.

Sorry, I can't be of any help. I was banded on July 21 and am still on my liquid diet. I would however warn you not to eat too soon, not to let situations tempt you. Your band needs time to heal, and that is the reason for the liquid fast. Please be careful. I am in my 4th week of liquid fasting. I am very hungry at times, but will not let food ruin this chance I have to heal. hugs

yes, I am just about starting to get a gagging feeling when I drink my broth. but today marks the 23rd day. I had a hard time again yesterday. I have 3 young kids and dh BBQ'd some steak, boiled up some fresh corn and broccoli. I was just about drooling. The important part is that I did make another day and I am counting down the days to my fist bit of mushies. I will start creamy stuff and mushy stuff a week from Monday when I get my first fill. So I had better get my reicpe out for some awesome broth and push through this last 8 days........... still below 255, when i get into the 40s I will feel like that was a huge accomplishment.... hugs to all

lol, that is cute. I DREAM of not being a human damn and also for the day a towel will reach around me completely. hugs

Hang in there babs. Do anything you can do to get through the day. Each morning you will feel like you conquered the world, OK well at least you have conquered another day. hugs

Congratulations! It is awesome isn't it?

Ruthie, I am in the same boat. Still on my clear liquid fast, I am expecting the same to happen to me. A great big stall. I think our body will adjust and we will start losing again. In the meanwhile, we can focus on getting our metabolism up by exercising more. Did I just say that? lol!

Sounds AWESOME! good for you. Yes, it is a blessing that we won't feel like we are eating 'diet' food. Just smaller portions of what everyone else is eating. Cheers.

Honestly, I don't know how I have done it. The past 2 years, I have not been able to stick to any kind of program for longer than one day. I guess there is a bit of fear in not following my doctor's plan and a bit of pride, I have a dear close friend who did it for 38 days!!!!!!!!!!! I am not even going to try that. Whatever is driving me, perhaps my band, I am eternally greatful for it. I started walking today and feel fine, despite my surgery one week ago, so I can do that daily now. I will walk more when I start taking in more calories. dropped below 255, but I am not supossed to weigh for another week.

OK, start of a new day. I want to confess that I was a grouch to my kids yesterday. Even while I was grouching I couldn't stop myself. I had a gynecological surgery a week ago Thursday, so I have been holed up with the 3 kids adn not able to get out comfortably. So I started to get grouchy. My band friend of 2 years warned me of this. I guess it took 21 days to turn into a raving, grouchy, picky, b@$##! I'll be better today. So starts my day 22! Where is the crying smilie. I am kind of used to it, but there were about 3 times where I seriously thought of eating something. But I must persist until I see my surgeon one week from Monday. Starting to walk again today. Going with my dh and 2 of my 3 kids on bikes. Should be a nice morning. How are all the rest of you doing?