Zannie

Heh, heh, heh...somehow I knew nobody'd go for that! :eyebrows: :) :biggrin1: :) :eyebrows: I was really just kidding, but I like your idea of making an thrid row to keep track for myself of how many extra sessions I can get in. A visual reminder of my efforts would be nice, since I've got no NSVs to speak of and the scale hasn't moved in a week now! :straight I really want to do the Water & exercise right -in additon to the food- to get things going again!!

I should leave the replying to more veteran bandsters than myself, like you requested, but as no one else has responded yet… I just wanted to pass along what I was told. Okay, remember, I am NOT an experienced bandster – just banded 7 weeks as of Thursday. But it sounds to me like you ate an awful lot of food for the mushies stage if that was all at one sitting. That is not meant to sound judgmental!! This is all such a new way of thinking & eating, but we'll get used to it! Both my doc & dietician said meals should be “about 1/4 to 1/3-cup of food at a sitting that lasts no more than 30 minutes” on the mushies stage. My dietician referenced “1 egg = 1/4-cup” as a rough estimate. Soft scrambled eggs, heavy-mayo tuna, egg, & chicken salads were all suggestions on my mushies diet plan. I’ve been on solids for a couple of weeks now & the recommendation given to me was not to eat more than a 1/2-cup of solids at a meal. If you are feeling hungry, don’t forget your Protein drinks & Water – they really help fill me up. Review your materials & look at the guidelines your clinic provided for each stage…and call them if you can’t find the information you need! Every clinic is different, so my guidelines may very well not be the same as yours. But since you seem concerned about causing damage, I wanted to be of some help before you went to see your family. Hopefully you’ll get some replies from people with more experience, too!

Hey there to all you Huskers! I’m living in Virginia now, but spent 8 years (on & off) in the Offutt AFB/Bellevue area as a kid. My husband’s family still lives there. I get a kick out of seeing y’all post…like old home week even though I don’t know any of you! I just wanted to say HI and wish you all well! :wave: Good luck with your Bands.

I can’t believe I actually treadmilled (ooh, the conjugations just keep getting better) twice today! :whoo: At Breakfast, it took me 40 mins to make the 1-mile mark. Just now it only took 35.5 mins to get there! Wahoo! Granted that's no 12-minute mile, but I have NEVER IN MY LIFE done double the “required” amount of exercise in one day – never. I’m so surprised at how motivated I’ve become from this challenge. It’s like I’ve been replaced by a pod person…where did the real (aka LAZY) Suzanne go??? So , do I get to mark this down as 2 30-min workouts on the challenge ticker? And, Babygirl, I took your advice. Rather than a bottle of Water, I made it my goal to finish a full glass of my Protein Shake while treadmilling. I’m happy to report that I hit the water mark today, too!! :high5: Oh, and I had my 1st fill, too. What a day, what a day…:cheer2:

My surgery was 7 weeks ago today...I have not had a fill yet & I'm still nicely restricted (i.e. Three 1" meatballs fills me up for dinner). I couldn't finish an egg or more than 1/4c of tuna salad on the mushie stage before gettign that slight chest pressure feeling, followed by a dry burp. I can eat about 1/3c of less-mushy tuna salad now that I'm on solids, and about 1/3 c of chicken pulled off a thigh. I've got a pattern now of mild hunger at the 3 proper meal-times and I have one snack in the late evening, too. I'm doing really good food-wise, and I feel great aside from some occasional port-pain (which I was told might last about 2 months). We called off my 1st fill by a week because of it. I'm supposed to go in today for FIll #1, but the dietician I saw on Monday thinks my doc will postpone it again after making sure everythings okay via x-ray. I think I'm the exception to the rule, however. Bloody well figures!!! The dietician was laughing at me when I said "3 friggin' meatballs -- how much more restricted do ya want me?!?" She thought I was doing wonderfully well, even with my 1/2c. OJ several times a week. Anyhow...take heart! You are NOT the only one! And that means I'M not the only one either! Haaaahahaha! I'm off now to my 1st fill...we'll see what happens!

That's great! It was HARD post-op to get down those shakes until I found one that I actually liked. Well, perhaps I should say until I played around with one until I liked it! I was not a huge coffee drinker pre-op, but I have started adding instant General Foods International coffee powder to [Zero Carb] Isopure Protein Powder. "SF decaf French Vanilla Cafe" works well in the Vanilla powder with milk or Water or both -- makes a latte that is pretty yummy. And the "SF decaf Vanilla Cream" is good when I blend my Vanilla protein powder with 1/2 c. orange juice & water or milk -- makes something close to an Orange Julius. Aslo, adding SF daVinci syrups to your shakes is an easy way to change up the flavors. I actually buy mine at TJ Maxx & Marshals. The 2 worst protein things I ever made were: ~ unflavored powder in cheddar cheese Soup - JUST AWFUL!! ~ strawberry protein powder blended with crystal light Pink Lemonade, which I really thought was a brilliant idea because I love flavored lemonades. Oh, sooo bad!!!!!! :clap:

I’ve made a discovery! Perhaps the rest of the world knew this before now, but I didn’t… You can READ on the treadmill! Yesterday I talked on the phone, too! Ha! I stay-at-home with our 2 kiddies, so it is hard to A) find time to read a good book (without pictures), and find time to workout. Today I blended up my 50g Protein shake, fixed Breakfast for my babies, settled them in to eat by the treadmill, jumped on with my shake & a book…and did my workout! Shocking! We all were nourished & I did TWO things “for myself” at the same time! Talk about your multi-tasking! AND I’ve already had 16oz of Fluid, too! Wahoo! :clap: I’m starting to see the beginnings of this “Lifestyle Change” we’re all striving towards… I wouldn’t have thought to TRY figuring out how to workout while they were awake without this challenge, so I thank you again!

At your earlier "protein juice" suggestion I went to www.Healthy-Weight-Supermarket.com myself. They do not have internet shopping (yet), BUT you can view their product line at the website. Click on Food Products, then click on MENU & a PDF will show the goods. You have to call (417) 881-8600 to place an order, with shipping usually $7-$12, or so I was told. I placed my order on Monday, so I can't give any feedback on the products or delivery yet, but the service Martha gave was very helpful! HTH

4 workouts down :clap2:, but I'm short on Water again today... I didn't realize how much I've really been slacking on the water. But, as the song says, tomorrow's gonna be another day - hey, hey, hey hey!

Now Tracy, that is a non-scale victory if I've ever heard one! :clap2:

My 1st fill is on Thursday, rescheduled from March 29th. I really do have restriction still without a fill. For last night's dinner I ate 3 of 4 (1" frozen) meatballs in tomato sauce, with cheese -- I was full before starting the 4th one. I can't fathom more restriction than that... Both the dietician (whom I saw Monday) & the nurse surgical coordinator who leads the clinic’s support group (with whom I confirmed my fill appt.) seem to think Dr. T will hold off on my 1st fill for a while longer. They said that NOT getting a fill is something he & I can discuss once he’s been able to recheck the position & function of the band by x-ray. I can’t believe I’m contemplating not having that fill now because, as of this morning, I have not lost anything in a full week. I don’t even have any non-scale victories yet! ARGH! My goal is 200 lbs afterall, it's not like I don't want to make the most of my Band!! I did slack off the treadmilling for about 2 weeks after catching a bug with my kids, and I’m still struggling to meet that fluid requirement. Hopefully exercise & water are my problem, because I feel pretty good about my food intake overall… Did anybody else hold off on getting that 1st fill because you were still doing well with the initial restriction of the band alone? Am I crazy to consider waiting while NOT continuing to loose?

My 1st fill is on Thursday, rescheduled from March 29th. I really do have restriction still without a fill. For last night's dinner I ate 3 of 4 (1" frozen) meatballs in tomato sauce, with cheese -- I was full before starting the 4th one. I can't fathom more restriction than that... Both the dietician (whom I saw Monday) & the nurse surgical coordinator who leads the clinic’s support group (with whom I confirmed my fill appt.) seem to think Dr. T will hold off on my 1st fill for a while longer. They said that NOT getting a fill is something he & I can discuss after he’s been able to again check the position & function of the band postoperatively by x-ray. I can’t believe I’m contemplating not having that fill now because, as of this morning, I have not lost anything in a full week. I don’t even have any non-scale victories yet! ARGH! I did slack off the treadmilling for about 2 weeks after catching a bug with my kids, and I’m still struggling to meet that fluid requirement. Hopefully exercise & water are my problem, because I feel pretty good about my food intake overall… Did anybody else hold off on getting that 1st fill because you were still doing well with the initial restriction of the band? Am I crazy to consider waiting while NOT continuing to loose?

I feel the same way! I have not lost anything in a full week, as of this morning. ARGH! I know my food is not the issue becasue A) I really do have restriction still without a fill, and I saw the dietician on Monday & she said my diet was great -- even with a 1/2 cup of OJ a day! So maybe it's that I've slacked off on the treadmilling...and I've had a hard time with Water since the start. Hopefully this challenge will continue to help me address both of THOSE issues!

I didn't quite hit the water mark today, but I refused to go to bed without getting on the treadmill! Yea me! Handy that exercise wipes me out rather than invigorates, because it’s bedtime and even though I’m just off the treadmill, I feel like I could sleep for days…

Welcome to Bandland, maziemommy! I hope you are recovering nicely! And thanks for the Healthwise suggestion; I ordered all the different fruit flavors today. So far my post-op liquid diet stage (2 weeks) has been the hardest part. Just get through this one protein drink at a time! My 1st fill is Thursday, and I’m a bit nervous! Christy, definitely try some different shakes if yours are not prescribed! You’re gonna be drinking your protein for a good stretch of time, and it’s worth it to find one you like. You don't want to burn out on icky protein & start fooling with your post-op liquid diet. Everybody's tastes are different, so you really need to poke around with flavors & brands yourself. I would highly suggest sampling protein powders PRE-OP. There were tons of people who told me that my tastes would change post-op. That may be true a little further down the line, but I have not experienced it yet at nearly 7-weeks out. I didn’t have a pre-op diet, but I almost wish I had one to experiment with these shakes & drinks before surgery! :mad: It's become my daily mission: Sample New Protein Drinks! I finally found this website that sells samples of most of their protein powders. www.WLSSupplies.com The shipping wasn’t cheap, nor were the actual samples a great price (ranging from $1.30–1.60 each for the ones I’ve selected). But ya really just can’t buy small quantities of protein powder! And twice I’ve bought the 2lb tub of something that sounded good, only to gag on my $25 at the blender! So I’ve just invested in a sample of every powder that they offer described as a drink, cocktail, or juice (so tired of milky shakes). I really miss juice, so hopefully I’ll hit on something that's protein, juice-like, and tasty! There’s another site that will send you 2 free samples from a limited selection of protein powders (plus 3 bonus vitamin samples.) The free sample link is: http://order.store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/wg-request-catalog?bariatriceating and the main site is: Also, I keep hearing about people who’ve tried samples of the new bullet/ shooter style protein tubes (3oz of liquid protein in a test-tube), but I have not found a website selling less than a 12-pack. Can anybody point me in the right direction?:help: Good luck to both of you!

This challenge was such a good idea! :clap2: With the balmy weather we're having in Virginia, our whole family headed out for a walk this evening -- me sneezing all the way (darn allergies, I’m still sneezy 6 hours later). But I did it! When my DH & DS(4yo) 1st brought up the idea of them taking a walk, I’d automatically begun planning around time alone with my DD(1-1/2yo) -- at home. And then it dawned on me…go with them! I am NOT a walk-in-the-neighborhood girl, so this was not an immediate leap. But as they were getting ready, I realized that a walk would count as my 1/2-hour & I could be drinking, too! So I fixed a mobile dinner for m’girl, got Water ready for the rest of us, and off we went. Naturally, we had a great time.:high5: It’s so sad how much my weight (more specifically my physical discomfort) stops me from doing. My blasted allergies are an obvious & handy reason to refrain from outdoor activities in the spring & summer. The weather is an obvious & handy reason to remain indoors in the winter. But really, I just hate my thighs rubbing together, my boobs sweating, my waistband chafing, my knees throbbing, my arches aching…everything to do with being active outdoors. This walk we took today is just a little achievement in the grand scheme of things, I know. But I could literally count on my fingers the number of neighborhood walks (including Halloween) we’ve taken together since moving to our house in 2005! I’ve got major lifestyle changes to make beyond just portion control. Getting outside is one of them!! And I’d have passed up today’s opportunity if not for this challenge. (Plus, I drank all my fluids, too!) So, again, thanks for the motivation. :whip: And keep up the good work everyone!

I'm looking for a good, but affordable digital scale, too! :help: I hate trying to peer over my belly to see the reading on my analog(?) scale. Now that I'm under 300 lbs :biggrin1:, I hope there's a reliable digital that'll fit my budget! And I hope my scale now is accurate -- I go in today for a dietician consult prior to my 1st fill on April 5th. Port Pain!! I've got the same thing -- sharp twinges of pain when I over do even the smallest thing (bend, stretch, twist, DRIVE!). My doc said that some people don't get this, but those who do tend to have it for about 2 months post op. I'm 6-1/2 weeks out now, and it's happening far less often than before so I'm hoping it will end all together in the next 2 weeks!! My port incision is also "sinking in"...that’s the only of my 5 cuts with this phenomenon. (My kids (1 & 4yo) think it’s funny, like Momma’s tummy has a mouth.:kiss2:)

That's what I do, too! I use Vitaballs for my Vitamins (www.vitaball.com). They're a gumball which you chew for 10 mins to get all the vitamins out of it, and then you throw it away like regular gum. I chew one after lunch & one after dinner once I finish the meal. A) It provides moisture after eating, :girl_hug: it stops me from nibbling more, C) is a reminder to take my vitamins, and D) it helps kill the time until I can actually drink! I was banded 6-weeks ago, and NOT drinking with meals is by far the hardest part for me.

I just completed my longest single workout since my Banding!:whoo: And that’s no foolin’!! Granted it was only a ½ hour on the treadmill, but before now I’ve only pushed myself to 20-mins at a time. And many days I just wouldn’t get around to getting back on for the other 10-15mins for my 30-min goal. Today I did all 30 minutes in a row, and at my fastest pace yet! I’m completely wiped, but I feel ~dare I say it~ proud of myself, too.:humble: This challenge came at the right time for me. I’ve really been lackadaisical about exercise the last 2 weeks… A) I really dislike it :confused: exercise is where I’ve “failed” with every other weight loss attempt before C) my kids & I caught a bug & I really haven’t gotten back on the horse since, because any excuse will do D) I have absolutely no energy after my treadmilling <O:p</O:pE) I know how important this element is to success, but I need more motivation than that, apparently And I'm working on the fluids, too!:spit: Thanks for the inspiration! :clap2:

Not that I follow my own advice , but on your non-gym days you could try stretching/bands or yoga at home...something soothing rather than punishing. I'm right with your other post in that after my workouts I could just go to sleep! :tired So much for exercise getting the blood pumping. :bored Perhaps as I move from UNFIT to ACTIVE that will change... And hopefully the accountablity of this challenge will spur my tuchus along!

Count me in, too, for whatever the final challenge looks like! I'm in need of some major proding on the 3 big fronts: Protien(70g min), Water(64oz) & Exercise(6 days-ugh)! I'm doing fine with food, but then I've always been good -very good- at sticking to a "diet" for about 3 months. It's this whole "lifestyle change" thing that's a problem! Heh!

One thing that I’ve read about pre-op diets is that some insurance companies require them. I was self-pay, so that wasn’t a factor (darn exclusion clause!). More importantly (I hope) is that my pre-op blood work all came back fine, so I didn’t have a pre-op diet to follow either. All I was told was to start my Vitamins as soon as possible, eat “take it easy meals” (Soup & salad, etc.) the day prior to surgery & no food after 10pm, no drink after 12am. Easy as that. Everybody’s clinic seems different, so be sure to get a handle on what your doc wants. I think that’s the most important part. Their protocol is prepared for their surgical situations. Good luck to you!

My kids are 1-1/2 and 4. Obviously, our baby girl has no clue about the candy involved in this holiday. But my son is aware of Easter treats in general & the pre-filled baskets are everywhere. And he's a very observant kid, so he's seen "the stuff" when we're out & on TV, too (darn that Dora). He even remembers jelly beans & peeps from his basket last year (shocked me). They're young kids, so our baskets are very small anyhow. I'll probably just cruise our dollar store for holiday toys. I do plan to buy holiday themed individual candy this year, so as not to have leftovers. A new PEZ guy was always in our baskets as kids & that won't hang around either... And I was thinking a frisbee (for him) & bubbles would fill up their baskets well, too. Plus a small stuffed animal. That is so much less than the abundance of my childhood baskets, which my mother (a converted Jew) delighted in making for us! I feel a bit guilty to be giving them "less" than my own traditions. But they're little -- and I'm making changes on all sorts of fronts -- time to change my Easter celebrating, too. I really was surprised at his memory of the candy from last year...it's not even like he ate much of it!!! We'd just bought the stuff DH & I like, divvied it up into the 2 baskets from the Easter Bunny, and then recombined it into the "junk bowl" that night. I don't usually let him have "candy" (& she never gets it) in the 1st place, but the exception to that rule is holidays. My problem is that I adore Easter candy! :hungry: Fruit flavored & full of sugar -- that's the way I like my junk food! So while other people fret about winter holiday weight gain, baked goodies can't compare to the temptations of the Easter Basket in my book! I guess that just means I face my big challenge early. Once(if) I make it now, it's all down hill!!! :biggrin1: <O:p

Happy Birthday, Andrea! :happybday: And congrats on the 50 pounds, too!!! Wahoo! :cheer2: I'm sorry about those cabbage leaves though! Yikes! Isn't body composition funny... My starting BMI was 58.5, since I weighed 320 at 5'2". I also wore a size 32W. I've lost 30# in 6-weeks, but my clothing size hasn't changed at all!!! You've given me some hope that by 50#, I'll be fitting into my old jeans again! Though FIFTY POUNDS does seem a long way off...

Wow…you’re having a really hard time, Kurn! You've lost as much in 2 weeks as I lost in 5 weeks, so that ought to make you feel good (I'm 5'2" & started with a BMI of 58.5). Hang in there!! My advice is to regroup & fall back to the basics!! Of course every clinic has its own post-op diet, but at your stage in the game, I was just being advanced from full liquids (soup, pudding, jell-o, and 2 Protein Shakes a day) to mushies (egg, chicken & tuna salads, refried beans-n-cheese). Take it one day at a time – and stop eating solids if that's not on your plan yet!!! You’ll only undermine the extraordinary task you’ve signed on for…and self-sabotage won’t help you reach your goals. I guess one of the hard things about having surgery in a different country must be lack of local support. Maybe you can start there? My clinic offers a monthly support group, which is open to all Bandsters (even those banded elsewhere). Try calling a local doc to see if there are support groups in your area! If there is no local support group, perhaps the clinic can recommend a counselor familiar with WLS to help you through the difficulties you’re obviously having adjusting to life with the band. And a trick I use when I’ve got a case of “mental hunger” is to log on here! I find myself motivated by the efforts everyone else is putting forth! Even if I have nothing to contribute, I’ll surf the forum until I shake the head-hunger! Perhaps that would help you, too. Those first 2 weeks were my hardest, and you’ve just hit that mark. Time to regroup & recommit yourself to your Band. And that's the great thing about the Band -- it's a tool that's always handy. You can do this!!!