Florida Pete

Tuesday B - Atkins shake S - Atkins Shake L - beef & vegetable soup S - Yogurt D - Pot Roast and Vegis S - None Wednesday B - 1 egg omelet with cheese, bacon, and mushroom S - banana L - leave over pot roast and vegis S - yogurt D - tilapia and broccoli S - strawberries

Welcome Debi, What would help to finish out the spreadsheet is the following... Highest Weight Current Weight Goal Weight Looks like the 166 lbs is your weight at time of surgery right?

Thanks all for the advice. I had a hard time believing them when they told me that oatmeal was not good for me at this time. They mentioned about having that later on. Oh and the rant is perfectly fine. We all do that from time to time! LOL I think what I need to do like already mentioned is mix my breakfast options up some more. Maybe oatmeal one day with yogurt the next eggs with a cheese and meat one day and even throw in some cottage cheese with a fruit or vegetable another. More of a balance between the days instead of the heavy oatmeal that I have been doing pretty much daily. I do agree that I think a lot of the weight loss centers do tend to lean towards fad diets and what they feel is best for the "now". One thing I have worked hard on was changing my whole eating lifestyle to be a healthier lifestyle. Pretty much cutting out most of the breads and pastas and eating more vegetables along with good choice on meats and lower fat products instead of the fulls fats that I was eating before. I know that before I was eating lots of carbs, high fats, and extreme quantities. It has worked very well for me to change my eating lifestyle rather then jump on a fad diet program. Like so many have it's about making the band work for you and making better choices in your life.

Hey Rose and everyone else, My first fill went very well. I went to U.S. Bariatrics in Ft. Lauderdale. It's only about 50 minutes from were I live so I gotta say that's closer then I know some have to travel. I got 2 CC's and the doctor confirmed that that's all I have at this time. I went ahead and scheduled for another fill for April 6th. I have to say that I am sure that I will need another fill by then too. Thanks so much for the congrats on the weight loss. It is something we all should be proud of. A pound here and a pound there does add up. Remember to make the band work for you. Like so many before have proven that this can be done and will be done!

So today I went to U.S. Bariatrics in Ft. Lauderdale for my first fill. While I was there one thing they talked to me about was my diet, which I know I haven't been the best about, but they threw me a real curve ball in something I thought I was doing good with. No More oatmeal for breakfast! Ok so that really threw me off. They said that the oatmeal tends to turn into bad carbs so for now they don't want me eating anymore oatmeal in the mornings for Breakfast. Now here comes the real dilemma for me. I have been having oatmeal almost exclusive during the week for breakfast and I do get sick of eggs quickly. So now what do I have???? So far all I can think of is the following: cottage cheese with some fruit scrambled egg with cheese and ham yogurt with some fruit Any ideas? Please help if you have some!!!

Monday (first fill today) B - None S - None L - Atkins Shake S - Atkins Shake D - 1 cup pureed soup S - none

Saturday B - chicken ranch wrap S - none L - 1 slice pizza, 5 chicken wings S - none D - sliced pork and bell peppers and onions Sunday B - scramble egg and bacon S - none L - tuna and straw berries S - yogurt D - BBQ beef, Beans, mashed potatoes S - popcorn

Yeah really the key is feeling full longer and feeling fuller on less. Remember this is just a tool and we do have to have some will power to make this work for us. I got my first fill today and went ahead and scheduled my next appointment for about 2 months from today. I only got 2CC today but we will see how that works.

Dropped a few more pounds heaidng to break that 400 mark!!! Name___________StartWeight___CurrentWeight______Goal_________ToGo *****<?xml:namespace prefix = v /><v:shapetype id=_x0000_t75 path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f" filled="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600">:cool2:</v:shapetype>************************:tt2:***********:w00t:********** *** Babe...............308............300.2.......199.......101.2 Brandy.............198............194.........166.......26 Cappy..............240............239.........130.......109 Chocolate_Snaps....244............229.........175.......54 Clarebear08........192............185.........160.......25 Donna113...........183............180.5.......126.......54.5 Ebonie.............307............307.........200.......107 FalloutGirl........282............278.........165.......112 FeliciaLevy75......200............194.........140.......54 FlordiaPete........413............408.........300.......108 GratefulHeart......226............223.........135.......88 health4life........279............239.........150.......89 janesays...........225............224.6.......160.......64.6 kimaly.............194............191.........160.......31 Lindar172..........246............239.8.......150.......89.8 Linksmom...........234............234.........145.......89 LocomotiveEngineer.311............311.........220.......91 Long2BThin.........216............209.........169.......40 lotzasunshine......270............266.........180.......86 Loveislovely.......216............216.........175.......41 ltgordon...........284.8..........262.8.......185.......77.2 lucyavery..........205............205.........140.......65 Mair...............231............225.........140.......85 Mamanmidwife.......264............260.........200.......60 mdgarcia31665......220............220.........165.......55 MissNilsa..........180............180.........132.......48 Tabithan...........240............240.........200.......40 Under200...........242............199.........155.......44 vzghj3.............202............202.........150.......52 WOWOX7.............173............168.........125.......43

Congrats ladies on the weightloss!

Friday B - Oatmeal S - Yogurt L - Chili and Refried Beans S - None D - Chicken and Onions n Peppers S - SF/FF Fudgesicle

Here you go! Chicken Chili Recipe : Ina Garten : Food Network

You really should look into this more because your going to pay a lot more to fly directly into Tijuana then you would to fly into San Diego. I am a US citizen so it was a little different for me but when I went to Dr. Kuri, who holds his practice at the same hospital that Dr. Ortiz does, and we just took the van that Dr. Kuri provided straight from the airport not stopping at the border into Mexico. Then coming back we had to stop at the border but still got through really easily. I am not sure if Dr. Ortiz provides transportion like Dr. Kuri does but I am sure that would help if he does.

Hey Denise! Great to see another Floridian on here! Sounds like your going to have a great little support group there to help you in the journey! Keep in touch to let us know how your doing!

Thursday B - Oatmeal S - Yogurt L - Mac-n-broccoli bake S - Banana D - Chicken nuggets and couple of fries S - Popcorn

Well this has turned out to be a great week for me. I have lost all that I gained last week and even a little more! I am down 7 lbs this week weighing in at 408 lbs!!!

Tuesday B - Yogurt S - Tuna and cheese L - chicken and Vegis S - None D - Mac-n-cheese broccoli bake S - SF/FF Fudgesicle Wednesday B - Oatmeal S - Yogurt L - Mac-n-cheese broccoli bake S - Banana D - Ginger Salmon and vegis S - SF/FF Fudgesicle

I am staying on plan today because I look forward to being able to shop for new "smaller" clothes! Yes I know a guy shopping for clothes.

It's Never to late to join! Got you added to the spreadsheet!

Monday B - Oatmeal & Yogurt S - None L - tortilla-less fajitas and banana S - None D - Steamed Stir Fry - Pork / Broccoli / Mushrooms (my own recipe) S - SF/FF Fudgesicle

I think you are so right on this. I gained 5 lbs this last week and I had to look at why I gained that much. Part of it I knew was due to going off a heavy diaretic medication that I had been on but I also know a good part of it was the food choices I had made last week. For me this was the first weight gain I have had since I started my pre-op diet back in October and through my surgery etc etc. So it hit me hard like it does us all. But I know I made bad choices and rather then jumping to a liquid diet or doing twice the amount of exercise then what I normaly would do I simply looked at my actions and choices that I had made and decided that I couldn't continue down that path and identified what I need to do differently to get back on track and keep up the good work I have already done. Don't get discouraged. Know that you have the power within yourself to change what it was that you had been doing!

Congrats! Very cool to see that after so many years I am sure. I've still got a ways to go but I can just imagine how it is to reach that victory!

You can still be very proud of your loss. Remember it's not what we lose each week or even month. It's the end goal that really matters. It's going to take time. We didn't put this weight on in a day, month, or even a year. And so it's going to take time to get it back off. Most people need several fills before they reach their sweet spots. Not very many people hit it after just one or two fills. Remember it's not the fact that you still get hungry it's the fact that you do have restriction and that you work the band to the best of your program. Hungry is a sign to us that tells us that our body needs nutrition. Even after you hit that sweet spot on your fills you should still feel hunger 4 to 5 hours after you eat. But you shouldn't be able to eat as much too. So work your program and thus with time the weight will come off!

Ok got you added to the list as well! Please feel free to use the banners!

Ok Rebecca I got your update and got you added Carebear!