amylynns

Breakfast: 1 egg omelet w/red peppers, salt free seasoning and nutritional yeast Snack: handful of almonds Lunch: Tossed salad w/ about 2TBS shredded cheese, little bit of lean turkey lunchmeat, 2TBS ranch dressing. (my splurge) 1/4 Cup cottage cheese 1% fat. Snack: Either almonds, or I brought some leftover brussel sprouts--not sure which I'll have yet. Dinner: Not positive yet what, but typically a lean meat and veggie Snack: I'd like to say I'm not going to touch the butter brickle icecream in the freezer, BUT...I may. Water: 72oz just about done. Will have at least another 40 yet today. Will have a Protein shake and BCAA's after my workout today. I should note---I have NOT journaled in a VERY long time! I'm glad I came across this post today. (thanks to the newsletter I received reminding us how important journaling is.) I also have gained back almost 30 of the 85 pounds I had lost with my band. Some of that was due to a med I had to use for RA, but part of it was lazyness after getting into a new relationship after my divorce---exercise went on the back burner cuz I was "too in love" to not be with him for an hour and a half a day.☺ But I've been working with a nutritionist to get my metabolism working again, getting back into working out and my honey is gonna start going to the gym with me!☺

Hey everyone! Congrats to everyone---you're all doing so well!! I hit my 60 pound mark this week! Yay!! Only about 45-50 till my ulitmate goal. I guess I need my stats updated too please. Current weight is 201......SO darn close to onederland!!!

Please post my current weight..... 211 I HIT MY 50 POUND GOAL!! One goal down...a few to go! :ohmy:

Updating my stats..... I'm at 215, so down 46 pounds. I just had my 3rd fill....exercise going well, etc. I just saw my surgeon and asked if I was doing ok. He said I've lost 30% of my body weight, and he typically likes to see about 25% by this point, so I'm doing well! Yay!:laugh:

Current weight is 222.

Current weight 227....and I'm ready for my 2nd fill too!! Hopefully I can get in next week.

Great question!! My dad asked me almost the same thing. When I started my liquid diet and of course started losing weight he said, " Why don't you just keep doing that?" Well..you can't really live on a liqud diet, LOL. I don't know if you're like this, but I was SO SO sick of ALWAYS thinking about food!! What am I doing to have next....constantly feeling guilty about what I was eating...kinda like "restless monkey" was saying. Being obsessed with the whole diet scenerio. And honestly----JUST TODAY, it dawned on me! I'm NOT thinking about food. I have to sometimes make myself eat because I'm FINALLY eating to live---not living to eat. My mind is not consumed with eating and food. And I couldn't be more excited!! This was by far, the best decision I've made for myself!!

Heather- I probably eat 4-5oz at a time...but I guess I'm still losing. I feel very content after 4-5oz though. I'm hoping to wait a while before my next fill. Will your Dr do a fill before 28 days? I'm just supposed to call mine when I need another fill they said. Otherwise, I don't have another scheduled check up until Feb 6th. See, and I don't even know what size my band is? I should just call the office and find out.

Hmmm, I'm not sure what size my band is? I'll have to ask at my next appt. I had my band filled the first time on Christmas Eve and I'm still feeling pretty good restriction. I'm pretty sure he said he put in 2CC's. I'd never heard of weighing my food in regards to the band. I'm eating about 1- 1 1/2C of food per meal and still losing at this point. Hopefully I'm not eating too much. I average anywhere from 800-1000 calories a day and I get in about 60-80g of protein. For the question about how long did it take to get a surgery date? I started my process in Feb 08' and I got the insurance approval the middle of October. My surgery was Nov 6th. It was well worth the wait! Well----ate a little bit of my daughter's popcorn as I was sitting here typing---not such a good idea I guess! OUCH! :frown:

I have a friend who hasn't been having a whole lot of sucess with her band, but I don't think she's using it to its' full potential. Sounds like you're having a similar problem. It's just a tool---it's not going to do the work for you. Like right now....I feel "snacky" But I have to really say to myself, Am I truly hungry? And I have to then make that decision NOT to snack on junk. It's all a mind game for me! :crying: And as far as exercise---I was 261 when I started this and I could exercise. I started just walking a few blocks and gradually increased the distance. I also have rheumatoid arthritis, so my joints hurt all the time. Now 33 pounds down, I'm just about jogging!!:frown: But honestly-----even losing 5 or 10 pounds gives you such a big boost, it'll keep you going! You just have to get your mind in that mindset that you're going to take control of this!! I know you can do it!!!!

Hello fellow Iowans! I'm near Waterloo/Cedar Falls area. My surgery was Nov 6th...doing really well so far! I'm glad I found some Iowa people on here!! Hoping those awaiting approval got approved!! I started my whole process Feb 08' and started my liquid diet on Oct 23rd. I had met all my out of pockets expenses through BC/BS, so I didn't have to pay anything towards the surgery! (well, other than a program fee paid to the surgery center) Anyway--hopefully some of you are still around!:frown:

I'm in Iowa----My surgeon is Dr. Matthew Glascock, in Cedar Falls. LOVE LOVE LOVE HIM!!!! I just had my first fill...went well.:frown:

This is my typical day....lately. Breakfast: 2 scrambled egg w/slice of cheese melted on them. Lunch: cottage cheese (1/2C) and usually Soup (maybe 3/4-1C) Supper: Baked Fish (3-4oz piece) steamed veggies (1/2-3/4C) Some evenings I have 1 or 2 popsicles too.:frown: 1 or 2 glasses of skim milk a day 50-70 ounces of Water 12oz de-caf coffee I'm interested in seeing what other people are eating though to get some other ideas!:crying:

I was just banded on Nov 6th, and I'm already loving my results! I've lost 32 pounds and I feel great! The worst part of the surgery for me was how nauseated I was after surgery. I've had a couple other minor surgeries and I'd never gotten sick with them, so I didn't anticipate that. I'm guessing it was a combonation of different meds they used for a longer surgery (?) and just the fact that it was a 2 hour surgery compared to my other surgeries that weren't over 45 mins long. I'm not sure, but that part was for sure the worst. They tried 3 different meds over about a 10 hour period, finally the 3rd one worked. Pain wasn't bad, they gave me an interthecal (SP?) block. ( I think that's what it's called) That pretty much covered my pain for 24 hours, then I went to a liquid pain med that I drank. You said your sister was just banded 2 wks ago? How's she doing?

I guess I drink de-caf coffee anyway, so my Dr ok'd it.

Thanks Jaime!!:hurray: Guess you can't see me very well in that picture. I'll have to wait til I'm at work where I have a little bit closer up picture, LOL.

Thanks for the info Pam!! That's really good to know. :hurray:

Jaime- Thanks---I must have clicked on it as she was updating. I see it now.:hurray: Hey, do you know how you made your picture show on here? I can get it to show up in my actual profile, just not on here where I post. Not that it really matters....I'm just trying to get the hand of everything.

I have heard of people mixing the protein powder in coffee, I think it's fine to do that. Do you use vanilla flavor? I need to try that. I've been drinking my coffee black since I started on liquids and would love some flavor in it again. And how much do you put in a cup of coffee? I've been drinking the chocolate shakes, they're not bad.

For the newbie. PB means "productive burp" I believe...correct me if I'm wrong.:hurray:

I can still drink my protein shakes if I'm low on protein, but I've been able to get in all my protein with my food mosts days. I usually have 2 scrambled eggs with a slice of cheese melted on them for breakfast. That keeps me totally full until about 12:30-1:00. Then I usually have cottage cheese and soup for lunch. Sometimes a yogurt later in the afternoon. I have fish alot for supper with a veggie. I also drink the K2O water. Or I buy the little K2O packets you can just add to water. Oh, and I try and drink 2 glasses of skim milk a day too. It's hard to eat/drink as much as we need to some days!! Weird feeling!:hurray: I did try bread and rice before my first fill---it went down fine, but I haven't tried any since my fill.

I felt the same way you did. I felt restriction after surgery, but then once swelling went down, i didn't feel it. I was freaking out a bit! But I knew this is a 50/50 team work type thing. The band is there to help, but we have to do the work too. So I tried hard to stay strong and limit my portions. Not to say I never strayed because I did. I ate a few cake balls and was shocked that it didn't make me sick! I wanted it to make me sick!:hurray: I was still losing weight though, and keeping track of calories and protein, etc. I went for a check up at 5 wks and told my surgeon I wasn't feeling restriction and he said that was a sign I needed a fill. However, he is strict about waiting 6 full weeks until the first fill because he wants the band scarred in there really well. So on week 6, he was on vacation and I wanted to wait until he got back rather than have the other Dr in the office do it. So on Christmas Eve I got my first fill-----and there's definately restriction now! So hang in there!! Try and be strong, knowing soon you'll feel that restriction again. You can do it!:laugh:

Hmmm, why can't I make my profile picture show????