miranda robinson

I'm in stage 2 right now and would love some suggestions also! I am doing the full liquids, Soups, oatmeal, etc.

Week two to three:

· Remember to chew all food well in fact from now on it is chew, chew, chew.

· If there are any problems i.e. a feeling of sever tightness in the throat, pain or productive burping (small salivary vomit)

· Stop eating when you feel comfortably full

· Only eat what you feel you can tolerate and do not struggle to eat if you are not hungry

Transition to solids and thickened liquids

It Is suggested that these food can include sloppy porridge, eggs (poached, scrambled and omelettes), mashed baked Beans, fruit smoothes, low fat yogurts, well cooked mashed vegetables, bananas, tinned fruit, blended soups.

During this time it is, in my mind , important to begin to make each mouthful count, concentrating on flavour and the integrity of the food you are eating i.e. the freshest and the best. It is hard to cook for the family at the same time during this time but if you prepare some of the things suggested in the recipes then one can free one or two ½ cup portions for future.

Add

· ¼ cup browned mince to any pureed vegetable Soup. Brown 250gms altogether and use for the next stage

· finely diced neck meat saved from the stock making stage

· cooked grated or finely chopped carrot

· finely chopped skinned and seeded Tomato and finely chopped chives

· 1 tbsp yoghurt, 1 tsp lemon juice, ½ tsp powdered cumin

Lamb

Brown 250gms of lamb mince but gently so that it remains soft and does not form little bullets will be hard to chew

Add

· 1 onion finely diced and I grated carrot and divide in ¼ cup amounts in small plastic pottles

· soft mashed potatoes and a tbsp squashed thawed frozen peas

· 1 cup of tinned tomatoes, 1tsp Tuscan seasoning which can be used as a topping for Pasta a little later

Lamb with Swedish dill sauce

Fish and crustations

Add to fish stock

· 50gms finely chopped fine white fish and 1 tbsp pea puree

· Small balls of finely chopped prawns, spring onion and chopped coriander

· Fish pie

50gms of Smoked salmon is soft and a delicious lunch option served with 1 tsp dill Mayonnaise and a squeeze of lime

Mushrooms with ham dumplings

Sweetcorn soup with poached egg and ham

Frittata

Pea and avocado sauce

Ham and salami chips

Poor mans cavier

Mushroom soup thickened with toasted almond sauce

I am wondering how many people cook when they are going through the process of adjusting to having a band. I am putting together a little booklet of suggestion for each part of the journey. ie liquids, adding a little more mush, early solids and food for the future. but this requires some cooking and preparation to make sure you get the right nutrients. would this be of any help.

This is my first post. I am 61, 5 foot 1.2 inches and 200 pounds. My pcd suggested w l surgery and I am considering the lap band with Dr. Kruger in Wareham, MA. '

I will be going to the seminar next week. I am worried that I won't meet the criteria that Harvard Pilgrim or Dr. Kruger will allow for the surgery. I have been overweight my whole life and now I have the repurcusions starting..

Does anyone know what the criteria for the surgery is? my bmi is around 38

Thanks for the help

Lois:confused:

i am from New Zealand so I have no idea about the criteria for insurance as most of our banding is done self pay. all I can say to you is it is the best thing I have ever done. my stats are similar to yours and after four months I have lost 21gks (dont know what that is in pounds) but I have my dignity back and my self esteme is growing by the day. my husband and I scrimpted and saved and it has been worth every penny, it is not a cure all and one has to work hard with the band but by this stage one learns what you can eat and you also realise how small those portions have become especially when you look at the amount other people eat. good luck

hi all -

before bed last night i went to the chat room here on LBT and began by asking if anyone had knowledge of the mexican doc i am considering for banding.

other chatters started asking why mexico. they asked my BMI, height, weight, age, jean size, lots of stuff. they began criticizing me because i said i wanted to lose 40-45 lbs. i explained that weightloss had been a life-long struggle for me (and my mother and my sister). i said i feel like the band would be a tool or aide in my weightloss journey; that i didn't expect it to be a magic pill or any easy way out. they did not agree at all.

there were probably 8 different chatters, maybe more. the text was moving so quickly i could hardly keep up and type, too. one woman put her text in capitals and started "yelling" at me. she said it's people like me that give WLS a bad name. one man named dan said i was being weak (another said ridiculous) and that i should just join weight watchers and start walking. one person said two or three times to the other chatters, "...go check out crickpoodle's profile." another comment said, no good doctor would give me a band, only a hack from mexico who only wanted money. i didn't know they would take my situation so personally or that i would be a lightening rod for so much criticism.

i wish there were a way i could have saved that stream of chat. i wish you could read it. i wish i could re-read it. i want to remind myself never to go back there again.

i thanked them for their opinions and logged out. i went to bed feeling horrible, near tears. i know i shouldn't give them so much power over me but i was left feeling very selfish and vain and in doubt of my own motivations for wanting WLS.

i have also watched some very abusive exchanges on the chat line which have perturbed me at times. I have also seen some quick obscene exchanges. Weight lose has a different psycological and emotional profile of everyone and only you know how you feel about your body image and you future ability to control your weight. I found that the weight was slowly creeping up on me as I was getting older, although my BMI was 32 I know that it would be 40 in ten years time. WLS has given me new confidence and control of my own destiny. stay away from the chat room, and dont buy into any negative attitudes, this is the greatest step forward to weight lose and contol so far in this decade.

I am having a week from hell, the 'head hunger' is driving me mad, almost given up the will to live. although I have logged everything I have eaten since my preop diet on dec 3rd it might just help to log on this site each day as well.

B 1 egg with 50g soft cheese and small Tomato

L 1/2 cup bircher muslie with tsp yogurt

D 100g baked bean 2 very thin slices bacon

miranda

Good afternoon to everyone... It's a very blustery day here in North Dakota.. We are gearing up for a snow storm that is starting up with wind and rain and leading to a foot of new snow by Tuesday.. I think we're in for it...... I was hoping for a leisurly Sunday afternoon with a nap and some TV, but so far have not seen that!!! A brother stopped by shortly after church to talk about "family" business of which I am the mediator... Then mother called to ask us to take her to the farm to get some things.. She moved off the farm and into town in Oct 07, but doesn't have room for all her things, so whenever she needs something we have to go get it... And of course now that she can't drive since her seizure that leaves it up to me and DH to help out.. So, it's 5:00 pm and I'm just getting home... One good thing is that I haven't been looking around for food all this time.. Anyway......

Thanks all for the words of encouragement you gave me... I know I have been very down on myself lately... Just this moring during church it occurred to me that maybe the reason I'm unable to be happy with my progress thus far is that I've been to this point so many times before and this is usually when it stops.... and then I go backwards... Being stuck here is making me worry that this will happen again and I'll be a failure yet again.. I know that I have the tool this time to see that it doesn't happen that way, but I do think this might be why I am so troubled right now.. Earlier on I was very positive about things and could see all the good stuff... Now, when I read all your success stories and here you talking about shopping and traveling, it just seems so out of reach for me.. So, I've decided that I need to be a bit more patient with myself and just do what I know has worked for me up til now.. It's very hard when you get into a slump... emotionally berrating yourself for being bad... I do seem to have the food under control, eating my Protein first and not snacking and then the exercise is better,, I made 5 days last week... So, I'm going to try to feel better.. I thank you all for your help and for listening to me vent...

Kathy, I'm so sorry to know you are feeling so blue especially when you are out there all alone.. I do understand those feelings and have felt like crying for days, but just haven't let go because there is always someone around.... So...........I get crabby.....and quiet. You hang in there, the girls here all say we are going to make it... We have to stick together...

Linda, I here what you are saying about the cooking.. but I love to cook and entertain just like Apples does.... We have guests for supper often and family gatherings that are always at my house... I have to be very strong... I baked a banana cake with cream chees frostiing yesterday for dessert for supper.. We had T-bone steaks on the grill (in the garage, too cold outside!) baked potatoes, lettuce salad, and Pasta salad... and cake for dessert.. I had 1/2 a potato, some meat loaf(leftover in my fridge cuz I can't do steak) a Tbsp of cottage cheese and some lettuce salad... and a bite of my husband's cake... So today I sent 4 pieces of cake to my daughter and husband across the street and 2 pieces with brother and now the rest won't be such a temptation as DH can handle eating it by himself... Sometimes I can be very strong and sometimes I am weak.. I have a definite weakness for fresh bread and biscuits... I didn't make any of that last night.... But maybe I'll have to scale back some on the baking. DH is skinny, but won't complain if I do as long as I buy him a box of Honey Buns or something!!!!! I hate that stuff......

Nicey, how much more weight do you have to lose? Sometimes if you have a great deal to lose, the first pounds come off rather fast.. They say the closer to goal you get, the slower it comes off.. Don't get discouraged..... I'm a fine one to say that because I have been, but these gals are right when they say to be patient and follow the program...

Take care all.... Julie

I dont usually reply to posts but you sound so blue and some how you touched my heart. being in New Zealand my comments seems of so little help as I feel so far away but here goes.

We carry so much emotional baggage with our weight and it makes the whole food addicition thing much harder for us to accept. We should equate it more to alcoholism but much worse because we HAVE to eat to stay alive.

I have been struggling with a rice pudding which I made as I had left over milk....why I did this I have not idea...but I have just taken it out and fed it to the chickens. It is so depressing and I try to remember what my alcoholic daughter says to me 'mother if I have one drink I will die' and i suppose if we hadnt had the LB and went on putting on weight we would die too. So what I am trying to say is that at least we have the tools to be able to lose but it is a struggle.

In NZ we have to have regular check-ins with a psycologist to aid us with the baggage that we carry and it is a help, sometimes.

I have found friends and family very judgemental, not another diet, whats the point you'll only put it back it back on, we like you just the way you are, well this time I wont. I used the hernia excuse which also covers the different eating habits which come with a lapband. I was banded on the 14 January and have lost 14kgs (cant do lbs) and each day my clothes get loser and each day I get a little more energy. it is hard work and I nearly eloped with a bowl of chocolate pudding at a party last night!!!!!!!!

i feel so sad that this has not been a success for you. Have you stuck to the half cup rule? putting hard Protein first, I it is so little food I dont understand how it cannot work, even with a band as a tool?

Hi Everyone, It's been a very long time since I posted but I'm feeling very defeated right now and thought I'd share and hopefully get some encouragement.

I had my (Lap) surgery Oct. 10th of 08 and I was so happy and positive and optimistic. Didn't have any problems. I was so anxious to get started with my new habits, new life. I knew I was finally going to do it. Besides, how could anyone be so dumb and blow it after going through so much to get there in the first place? Well, it's been almost 4 months, I lost 25 lbs and most of that was in October and thankfully have not gained any back. However, I still have my bad habits of snacking, and not exercising (even though I joined a gym earlier this month). Unfortunately, I sprained my ankle a few weeks ago and still haven't healed totally so I've been staying away. Excuses.

I can't understand for the life of me how I could be so foolish in keeping up old habits and not going for the gold when I have it in the palm of my hand.

As far as my fills, I only have 4cc's (which has taken two months to get to) and it doesn't seem to have a big affect on my appetite. food does get stuck when I don't chew well enough but I can still EAT. I have tried cutting my dinner portions down to a dessert size plate so that's one good thing but the snacking, cravings, and not walking or exercising is making me feel so defeated. I wonder what it's going to take to change me. Foolishly and being totally desperate, I bought "Think and Lose" from the TV add which teaches you to more or less hypnotize yourself or to train your brain to chose good habits, etc. lol I have to laugh myself at that. Haven't even looked at it yet. :biggrin:

The nutritionist at my doctors office who gives me the fills said I'm too hard on myself and I've been loosing every time I go and the fills have not served their purpose yet and I have to be patient. Hopefully that has a lot to do with what's been going on with me and why I've been so discouraged, but I'm so worried that I won't be able to straighten myself out.

To make things perfectly clear, I know snacking once in a while is OK but I snack EVERY DAY! I just feel hungry all the time. Or maybe it's head hunger.

Sorry for the long message but what I want to know is, if anyone out there has felt the same way and when they finally had the proper amount of fill, did you get on track and start losing 1-2 or more lbs a week?

Thanks so much for listening. :thumbup: Help!

I was meant to be banded dec 18 but they went in and there were too any adhesions. banding was achieved on 14 Jan 09. so I have 5 weeks pre op. it has always been my belief that you could eat anything you wanted three times a day but you had to keep to the 1/2 cup rule and not drink before, with and for an hour after your meals. my surgeon also said it exercise was only 15% of the weight loss process. I have a lovely little white china bowl and a tiny sliver spoon and I eat very, very slowly. sometimes when we think we are hungry we are really thirsty. the cost of the operation keeps me motivated and I think.....chocolate.....$20.000 and go and do the ironing.

I chart everthing on FITDAY and try and stay below 700 calories. I have not had a fill yet and yes sometimes the hunger is unberable but nobody said this would be easy.

i have a very upset tummy and everything that goes in seems to come out, thus I am feeling very week and not able to do alot. wanted to go for a walk and catch up on the washing but just cant.

am 5 days into this as well and it is quite a journey. I have palpatations which worry me and part of anxiety attacks. I was given the mildest valium to cope with the anxiety before banding and i am finding that it is helping now too. i am worried because my calorie count is so low. I ate from very small bowls with very small teaspoons brfore the banding and now I dont seem to be able to get enough in. 200-300 calories. there is no restriction but I dont want to get out of control the main source of pain has been where the port has been placed and it really stings.

the surgery cost $20.000 and I know it is going to be worth every penny. I have several friends who have had it done and ALL of them have done really well. you really have to stick to the program and be really strick with yourself, which is like that eternal diet round about but one doesnot put on the weight. I lost 8kgs before surgery. I have 22kgs to lose which is not alot compared with some of the weights I have seen on the forum. I have found the forum invaluable and have learnt so much about the pros and cons of this operation. Have you got a copy of the lapband book? I found making the decision harder than wether I should get married or not. as one of the threads said it is better to live with a band than die trying to lose weight the other way. How much do you have to lose? I will help as much as I can and it is the kind input of strangers that has got me so far. I have been charting EVERYTHING that I have eaten on FITDAY for the last 6 weeks and it really was eye opening. My email address is miranda@mbr.co.nz if you would like to communicate by email.

i had my surgery two days ago and feel a little fragile but the band is in and I intend to work with it to lose the weight I want.

like you I have really researched using this online link but now at home i wish i had prepared a little better for the liquid post op phase as I have very little stuff in the house and cant get out to get what I need.

I think your idea of predetermining ones calorie intake is a 'light bulb' moment for me and I am going to set up a menu plan for the week instead of just grabbing what I feel like at a wim. this should also help to plan the necessary Protein intake....brillent and so logical. Not being sarcastic I really mean it.

as one post pointed out,the problem if needing to be banded is due to addiction to food and with all addiction the emotion part of learning to quit the eating behaviours that landed us in this position is deniel of that addiction. the brain plays a huge component part in any addictive behaviour and some find this harder than others to beat it. the difference between alcoholism and overeating is that we have to eat to live and this makes thing emotionally so much more difficult to conquer the desire to eat the things that make us feel happy and contented. the knowledge that this is also a brain disorder needs to be adresses as well and it is not just an issue of stupidity.

The magic bullet should be your best friend through the mushy food stage. I use it for avocados with Tomato garlic and lemon juice with some fat free french dressing or similar - it makes a very soft guacamole with goes down well, ver nutricious and easily digestable.

I also use it for hard boiled eggs with a teaspoon of lite dressing and some curry powder = curried eggs mush which is easy to eat with a teaspoon.

the trick is to make it wet .

smoothies are also good with frozen berries or fruit.< /p>

my 1st fll will beon the 22nd of Jan- not no much looking forward to that but am looking forward to the reduced capacity.

Went for a bike ride last night with my daughter, seing as how I can't go to the gym so easily as can't take kids there and I have no one to look after her.

although this reply is to a log in over a year ago I am curious about how you have managed over the last year. You give a couple of good hints for food and I need that badly. I am due to be banded on 14th Jan.

I am wondering if there is anyone out there in NZ who has been or is about to be banded. From what I am reading on the other threads the rules and requirements are different here. I am due to be banded on 14 Jan and would love to talk to anyone......anyone in this neck of the woods.

I live in new zealand and we do not have refried Beans infact I am not sure what they are even to try and emulate them. I am keem to get interesting ideas for 'mushies' as I get very bored with eating the same thing all the time.

I am in NZ and it is nice to see postings from this end of the world!!! although banding seems well established in Aus it is a realtivly new penominum here and I dont know any one who has had it done so I feel a little isolated. I think that attitudes to food are different down here and there is not such a dependence on convenience foods with most having vegetable gardens and even chickens in there back gardens. the Organic/green movment is very strong here and it certalinly makes a difference.

i am wondering about losing alot of weight whether one face wrinkles. the adipose tissue under the skin goes and must cause some problems. I am always being told how young I look but it is really that the wrinkles are flushed out with fat. is this a problem for any one or does the face cope because the wieght lose is slow. I know I sound shallow as it is the health benefits that are important but......

is there any research in regard to the rate of weight loss for those over 60. My surgeon told me to concentrate on good food choices and the exercise only contributes to 15% of weight lost after 50.

what sort of 'mushies' do people eat, interesting ideas please.

Wow, JP & Miranda I think about this very thing sooo much.

I remember, the times when I dieted and got down to about 180. I felt so good and knew that I looked much better. i kept thinking "why didn't I stay there?" "what made me gain the weight back"?

I know, for me, my weight has always been a security blanket. My protection from everything external that I couldn't control. food became a gift I gave myself, especially because I was always taking care of others.

I'm undertaking this process because lately I've noticed a severe disconnect between my food and my body. I never eat because I'm hungry. Sometimes, I'll even notice that I've eaten something unhealthy without even noticing that I've eaten it. For instance, a day will go by while I'm at work and I've had Cookies, chips, soda, a bad lunch. At the end of the day, I have had to really struggle to think "wait, what did I eat today? when was that?"

People say that your weight gain just sort of "sneaks up on you". I know that it doesn't sneak up on me, it's more like when I start to gain weight, I know that in the past, I start doing stuff like Tabithan mentioned a while ago. I stop signing into whatever site that helps me (for me it was sparkpeople.com). I stay far away from the gym and wear clothes to try to hide it.

Now, when I think about this new process of getting banded, I know that I'm deciding to do this because I don't want to hide from myself anymore. Does that make sense? Even the fact that you came on here, Miranda, and spoke about your feelings is such a huge step. It's so hard to speak aloud the fears that you whisper only to yourself.

My struggle to give up my weight. To actually "see" myself without my security blanket. That's absolutely emotional.

I hope that I can find a group of people to talk to. Like I can talk here. Again I say, if anyone's in Massachusetts and wants to meet, I'm open.

Good luck with your pre-op diet, Miranda. I start tomorrow and I'm nervous, too :confused:.

-music

i am beginning to take the oposite view and gain as much knowledge and interest as I can as I plunge towards the Banding on 14th January. I log everything I eat every day, good bad or indifferent. I know so much about banding and the use of it as a tool I could do the operation myself and set up a nutrition clinic. knowledge is strength.

I had a bad day yesterday, too hot (I live in New Zealand)too much traffic etc and I wanted a meat pie the NZ icon, so I bought the pie, thought of the angry feelings that had made me want the pie and tried to learn from the experience. Insidentially i smelt it lovingly and threw it away, would have made the days calorie count look terrible!!!!

I dont want to die fat but will cope with the feelings of thinness as they come and they had better!!! one person said that the feelings creep up slowly so it is easy to cope with them. but do explore some of your emotional baggage as well if you can bare to.

Ok so I am not one to feel the need to be the center of attention. I enjoy making people laugh and smile but I don't have to be the focus. So the family gathered at my sisters house which is 3hrs away. I had my surgery Sept 30th. I had seen my parents about 1 week after my surgery (my parents only live about 25miles from me) since then I have been in suclusion so to speak. I worked Thanksgiving so I missed that gathering. So Christmas day I was excited could not wait for everyone to see me. Mom, Dad, my sisters the whole family. When everyone arrived NOT ONE person looked at me and said "wow, you look good" you loook great" NOTHING. NOTHING WAS MENTIONED. Short of me almost in tears I mentioned it to my family I said Do you all not see I look different. Yeah we see.. but otherwise nothing. I really felt let down so to speak. I was not expecting a grand entrance but a little something from my family. A double take, a pat on the back.. I know this seems shallow but I was really hoping they would see changes that my coworkers see and tell me. Maybe this is one of the many reasons I got to the size I did. Being the middle child and looking for validation that I never seem to get. Nope that is not it.. I just ate to much. Maybe next year I'll get that moment I was wanting/wishing/waiting hoping for. Thanks for listening.

Maranda:blush:

i keep harping on about the emotional issues in regard to weight and the reasons why we hang onto it. when I told friend what I was doing she said 'I like you just the way you are' what is it with people, how could they, I dont. friends seem to feel threatened when you begin to look good and dont seem to want you to be normal (as such) I think they like to feel superior some how.

although your family may not appreciate what you have acheived those who struggle with weight issues every day understand the strength and courage that you under take every day, it is hard but keep on going but your confidence will grow and 'sod them all'.

i am wondering how much of the reluctance to give up ones weight is emotional and that it is emotionally safer to have a covering from the outside world. my surgeon insists on a psycologists report before he will operate and I know I have a real fear of how I will cope with the ultimate challenge of being thin again. (this is the ultimate aim of banding after all).

I have been opened on 18th december but he was unable to band me but hopefully this will occure on 14 January so I have had to cope with 6 weeks of pre op dieting.

this happened to me as well and i have my second op on 14 Jan but at least you have the band now and the future is briight. the idea is to lose weight and keep it off, scars fade and they are under cover anyway. I have done so much preperation I think i could do the operation myself and set up a post op clinic. I am tryiing to keep my calorie count between 600 -800 while I wait. it has been a good time to practice eating tiny bites, chewing and not drinking with meals. I have learnt so much from this site and feel that although i have a lowish BMI 30 it is a permenant solution from the continual yo yo dieting that I have done for the past 30 years.