Zannie

I agree - your entry seems fine. I don't eat red meat, but aren't spare ribs on the bone? Really, how much meat is there anyhow? :guess I can't do the fries (pesky potatoes), but the (turkey)burger-no bun is a regular meal item for me. And salad doesn't count -- it's totally ground up & mashed down if you really chew it!!! :biggrin1: You're doing well! No one looses weight on vacation, so make smart choices where you can with your gaol being not to GAIN. My vacation/holiday tip:ip:: only take 2 bites of dessert, and only if you're hungry!! None leaves you feeling deprived and ONE bite is never enough, but after two bites, you're just eating to eat it! (Of course it's only good advice if you take it - and sometimes I don't! ) Just remember - Protein first, then green veggies, then carbs (if you're allowed carbs at this point, which I am not). And have a great time!

OMG, Babygrl! :omg: Your day is off to one hell of a start! I'm glad you're okay -- over the handle bars is not a nice way to go! But that sucks about the bike! Man... And here I spent a half an hour lounging in bed with my hubby & kiddies -- all cozied up and dreamy! Now it's time to kick them out of the house & start on the chores myself... Such fun. But we have company coming next week & frankly :phanvan, I've let the housework slide since my surgery & it needs a major overhaul! :eek: Perhaps my affirmation for today will be: cleaned the house How's everyone else's Saturday going thus far.......? Suzanne Feb'07 July Challenge: Level 3-Moderate 3 of 20 days exercising for 30 minutes

I'll be honest... This surgery is not a quick-fix. It is slow-going and you have got to exercise! I'm 4-1/2 months post-op & down 52 pounds. That's right about where many of my fellow Feb Bandsters are at this point, but some are further and some have lost a lot less. So i think I'm pretty average in terms of progress. And FIFTY POUNDS sounds GREAT! It's 1/4 of what I want to loose, ideally. But, frankly, I was not happy with the way I looked when I was at 268 the last time...and I'm less happy with my appearance now since along with still being FAT, my hair is limp & falling out, my "pterodactyl wings" are flapping, my boobs have deflated like balloons, and my sagging gut has "done lapped" even further over my underwear than before!!! It isn't a pretty picture here. I feel like there's nothing I can eat except meatball & chili! I crave yeasty & quick breads, as well as JUICE!! And that is my reality. But I do have more energy than pre-op AND my astronomically high cholesterol is within normal ranges!!! :Becky: I'm off the metformin I was taking for PCOS & my cycles have returned (knock on wood). I feel better! And though it's going to take a very long while, I am loosing weight. The band is there when I fall off the wagon, catching me before I hit the ground! And a fill puts me right back on track. I think of my band as Jiminey Cricket -- singing "always let your conscience be your guide" when I get stuck or slime on something I didn't chew well enough or shouldn't have eaten in the 1st place. I have no regrets. But my dreams aren't coming true overnight either! And i still hate working out! :confused: I'm not saying any of this to scare you off -- the Band was the best thing I could have done for myself at this point. (Well, that and actually exercising in the 1st place.) But if you DO have high expectations & the reality differs...well, that is enough to send some Bandsters right to eating around the Band. And I wouldn't want that for you at all. The Lap-Band is a tool, not a quick-fix. Just remember that when it seems like you're trudging uphill through the snow...it's a tool, it's a tool... :biggrin1: Good luck to you with your Band!

Hi Elm65! :welcomeB: Two new Bandsters in as many day! Hot damn! And I did not have any pre-op diet at all, except to eat easy-to-digest foods the day prior to my surgery. I've already confessed my sins on the food Accountability thread, but I wanted to post my Frosty here too... Argh! Better than eating a slew of crap that could disturb today's fill, but not a pattern I want to have become regular! Two days in a row on the treadmill -- lets keep focused on that! Suzanne Feb'07 July Challenge: Level 3-Moderate 3 of 20 days exercising for 30 minutes

Well my day started out pretty good.... Breakfast: 25g-protein shake made with OJ lunch: 40g-protein drink dinner: 23g-protein drink-box And that's where it started to go down hill! I had 3 blobs of birthday decorative frosting before getting on the treadmill! And, knowing I was going to cave & eat bad-for-my-band stuff, I asked DH to bring home a Jr. Frosty! He got a small frosty & I've eaten half of it! Okay - clean slate. I'll start anew tomorrow...

My affirmation for today: I did NOT stop on the way home from my fill for the BK strawberry milkshake that was calling my name! Instead I went to the Vitamin Shoppe & got a cold drink box of Muscle Milk Light. Yea ME! I'm just about to jump on the treadmill, but I wanted to check in first! Hope all is well in our far reaches of the country! Suzanne Feb'07 July Challenge: Level 3-Moderate 2 of 20 days exercising for 30 minutes

In our house, the tooth fairy always left "coin dollars" -- be it the Susan B's of my childhood or the Sacagawea & Presidential dollar coins of today. We've been collecting them since my son was born for tooth fairy time!! Who knows how much other kids are getting, but mine are gonna continue to receive coin dollars. (My 4-1/2 yo had his 2 middle bottom teeth fall out a few months after a good bonk on the chin, so it has already begun here, too. How old is DD?)

I made a crock pot full of of turkey-chicken meatballs in marinara & that was my dinner, too. (I hate that the only think i can think to eat is meatballs!!! Argh!) I had mine topped with shredded cheese -- a very Band-friendly meal, if I do say so myself. And tomorrow I'll be on liquids again after my 4th fill...no solids for me until dinner on Sunday! Suzanne

That is GREAT, Carole!! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: Wahoo!!!! Quite an affirmation! Sure wish my clothes were reflecting progress! I'm no longer growing out of a 32W, but I'm not shrinking out of a 28W yet either! I can't wait to be able to shop in TJ Maxx or Marshalls again... Just to go in there & know I'll be able to find something that will fit without breaking the bank -- Fat Lady clothes are expensive!! That's my goal for 6-months: discount shopping!!!!

Wait a minute! Here I thought you meant to say "15, 20, 30" not 12/15/20!! Or 15/20/25/30 even?? I mean, what happened to the EVERY DAY level?!? Is that not your goal this month, BabyGrl?!? Well, we still need a Level 4, too, for those who'd want to go for the full month! That, as yet, is NOT me, but I hope to be there one day...! I was so impressed by your dedication in June - even when it sucked in the rain & all!!!! I'm surprised to hear you plan to cut back by a full 10 days! Why, it's MY goal to do 20!! Surely you can beat out a SLUG like myself!!! :biggrin1: Suzanne Feb'07 July Challenge: Level ?-Moderate 1 of 20 days exercising for 30 minutes

Hi, Carole! :welcome: I love your Kool-Aid kid! Good to have you aboard! I thought of another good Protein powder I tried... Dymatize Elite Whey in "Butter Cream Toffee" (as well as their "chocolate Mint" that I mentioned before) is excellent. Both were delicious and, in both taste & texture when mixed with milk, went down like a melted, runny milk shake rather than like a protein drink! If you used ice & a blender I bet it would fool even the family! If you can stand the sweet stuff early in the day, or can drink your protein at night for dessert...both of these are safe bets. Hummm...now I've got myself thinking! I wonder if I could blend these up in an ice cream maker for protein-packed Desserts this summer?!? Suzanne Feb'07 July Challenge: Level 2-Intermediate 1 of 20 days exercising for 30 minutes

Damn it all -- I just at the last sliver of birthday cake! All day long I'm home with food, food, food & I do pretty well! But then my son does something requiring a time out & while he's in the hall for 4-1/2 minutes, I'm at the fridge! Argh! And today, the birthday cake was just too much for me! Tomorrow is my fill, and more to the point, my weigh-in!!!!! I know that piece of cake is gonna kick my butt form here to Alaska! Before the cake, all I'd had today was protein-packed juice for breakfast & lunch. I thought I was doing pretty good considering the BBQ that will be tonight's dinner... Why is it that one slice of cake can make me gain 3 lbs over night?!? :cool: Suzanne

That's what I miss most (besides yeasty & quick BREADS) -- JUICE!!! I thought it would be pizza & Pasta, but it's juice, punches & fruity sodas that I miss the most! I can rationalize the soda cravings away with the whole "carbonation is not good for the stoma" theory. But the "juice is mostly empty calories" bit doesn't have the same effect! I never much minded empty calories but for so long before, now did I?!? So I've reached a compromise with myself -- juice only if it is Splenda-rized or mixed with Protein powder. I feel like I already know you're not into coffee... But if you are, there are several nice (not gritty, not foamy) latte-like protein powders. I didn't keep track of them since I was looking to satisfy my juice cravings & had the coffee part down already, but I'm 99% sure that the latte-type protein from Syntrax (Matrix or nectar, I don't recall) was very nice... (For the record - I do not like actual COFFEE, but I love coffee ice cream, Frappuccinos, iced or hot cappuccinos & creamy-sugary variations there of!)

My DH is hard at work now, too, meaning I also don't get a holiday. AND there's no OT pay working for our county on any holiday. Falling on a Wednesday, it just feels like any other day here -- except that we're all dressed in red white & blue. Odd... BBQ & fireworks tonight though! :biggrin1: I hope you go to that concert, even if it's by yourself! You'll have a great time!!! Okay, so my affirmation for yesterday...I forgot to post it! We received in the mail a newsletter from the organization sponsoring the Fun Run/Walk!! And there -in print- was proof that I'd completed the mile!!! Granted my family members take the final ranking in each of our age categories, but the point is WE DID IT! I have not done a "mass" walk or run since 9th grade gym! I really felt good about myself for trying that day, and seeing it in the newsletter yesterday was a much needed reminder! I need to focus on what felt good about that accompaniment rather than on the effort of changing clothes & taking a 2nd shower that is involved in working out at home! I need to make a real plan and stick to it. While I can exercise when the kids are awake, it never fails that something interrupts my efforts. So ignoring the fact that I am "home all day" my real workout opportunities look like this: Sun/Mon/Tues are days with strength training opportunity (DH claims the treadmill at my usual time) and Wed/Thur/Fri/Sat are cardio opportune days (DH works evenings). Though it technically is a poorly planned workout schedual...if only I could just MAKE MYSELF get on either the treadmill or the gravity force trainer (yes, BodyByJake - we're infomercial junkies) after the kids are in bed...every single night!!!! It boggles my mind! Once the I've got them down & the silence finally ensues, the last thing i want to do is listen to a half hour of whirling thomps from the treadmill!!! And I just don't have a good routine down with the BodyByJake yet. But those are merely excuses! I need to suck it up and JUST DO IT!! Embrace my inner Nike. Or something like that. :cool: I don't know how y'all are making this happen...the daily workout sht...uff. But I want to be where you are!!

Okay...um...time for another fill! :hungry: We had Red Lobster for dinner tonight and I finished all SIX coconut shrimp (yum - my favorite), a few bites of mashed potatoes, & 1/2 a biscuit! :cool: Not good, not good! That is less than the 8 shrimp, 2 biscuits, full serving of potatoes & 1/2 a dessert I'd have had in my previous life, but still...!!! This weekend I was able to chug water, too (smaller gulps than pre-Band, obviously, but still chugs). Up till now, I'd been really satisfied with this 3rd fill & thought I'd gotten to a very nice place with my Band. But apparently not. Thankfully my next fill was already scheduled for July 5th!!! I guess those doctors of mine really do know what they're talking about, eh? :heh: :biggrin1: :usa2: :usa: :usa2: Happy 4th of July!! :usa2: :usa: :usa2:

Travel Girl --- 18!!!!!!!!!!! That's FANTASTIC!!! You GO!:cheer2:

I’ve got no need for “Oops” – when I’m consistent with my protein drinking, I need prunes!! And I am aspartame-sensitive, so I stick to Splenda stuff for the most part. Question: I’ve seen about protein this 25g max mentioned in threads quite a lot, but I have never come across anything about it outside of posts. Where did you hear it, TravelGirl? I make a blender-full of 3-scoops/75g-worth in the morning, keep it in the fridge, & drink from that all day. I’m not really concerned since I spread out my drink anyhow, just curious. I've always wanted to ask, but have not!

Because I bought gigantic tub of it, I am using Isopure Zero Carb vanilla - 25g per scoop. I like my Protein drink on the thin side, and the Isopure are not very thick, just milky. I mix mine with Water & General Foods International coffee powder (French Vanilla) for an Iced latte effect. I would not recommend their other powdered flavors though. And Isopure powders foam in the blender, meaning you’ve got more to drink down than a powder that doesn’t foam up. I’ve made quite the study of Protein Powder in my 4-1/2 months Banded. I am apparently very picky about my protein powders. The ones that I really like a lot are: Elite Whey:chocolate Mint– a thin drink that tastes just like green Mint Chip ice cream!! Yum-o! The best Protein Drink I've tried yet!!! 23g per scoop Syntrax nectar:Apple Ecstasy– a bright green “Kool-Aid consistency” drink that has a candy-like sweetness, not ‘sour apple’ but more like “Jolly Rancher apple” flavor. 23g per scoop Syntrax Nectar: Crystal Sky – a bright blue “Kool-Aid consistency” drink with candy-like sweetness, not a classic red ‘fruit punch’ flavor as it’s description led me to expect, but more of a “berry Blue” flavor. 23g per scoop If you are willing (calorically & carb-wise) to mix your powder with juice – and I will if it is one of the new Lite OJ’s made with Splenda & tons of other chemicals (argh!), then I also like: Syntrax-Matrix 5.0:Orange Cream – milky, but mixes smooth without foaming, tastes like an Orange Julius when made with OJ instead of water. 23g per scoop SciTech-IsoFruit Delite: pineapple – thin, “cranberry juice” consistency, great mixed with OJ or real pineapple juice (or both!) instead of water. It would also probably be good to cook or bake with in place of pineapple juice...and in a Pina-Colada. I have not tried finding other uses for my protein, but other people do stuff like that! 21g per scoop You can buy sample-sizes of TONS of protein powders at WLSSupplies.com - For all your WLS supplement needs – that’s where I got mine to experiment with. The shipping takes forever, so don’t place your order with only a few days of your own powder left! They come dosed out in these mini milk bottles, not envelopes, which I found handy for pouring in the mixing liquid & shaking to determine if a blender would be needed for thorough blending or not. To me, it was worth the premium for samples rather than waist another $95 on retail-sized tubs of protein that just doesn’t taste good! Good luck – and if you find something really good, report back! :biggrin1:

Well, I did have cake & a bit of ice cream (as planned) at DD's 2nd birthday party , but the rest of my meal on Sunday was totally within my regular diet-plan. So there's my affirmation for July 1st: stuck to the eating gameplan a the party. :biggrin1: July 2nd wasn't bad either... I ate appropriately at a pool party ~AND~ I took my kids in for a swim (suit and all) in front of fit, tanned near-strangers! Yea, me!! While in the pool, I did an on & off “workout” with my *sniff, deep breath* two-year-old. *sigh* (My DS starts preschool this fall – I am not coping well with their growing-up!!!!!:cry) So the month is off to a good start. I still have a BBQ on the 4th :usa2:to get through, and then 2 weeks of family reunions (my own & DH’s), plus a weeklong visit from my best friend & her kids. This will be my toughest month in terms of “events” since the Banding. But I am determined!! :boxing: My next fill is on Thursday, the 5th. I doubt I’ll need much, but I can chug Water again, so it does need to be tweaked. I can’t tell you how good it felt to have semi-gulps of coldness rushing down my throat after a day spent splashing around outside... I was a big-time gulper in my previous life! Of course, that was of icy cold Mt. Dew/Code Red & Root Beer not diet lemonade & water!! The fill will do me good with all the “out of my control” eating ahead this month... Thank goodness for the Band, because I can only imagine how much weight I would have gained this July without it!! Suzanne Feb'07 July Challenge: Level 2-Intermediate 1 of 20 days exercising for 30 minutes

And I was so scared! :laugh (This is my affirmations exercise icon! Why is there no exercise smiley on here?!? Don't they know that I'm smiley obsessive?!?) You're right -- we all need to moan once in a while, and I prefer to do it online @ LBT where I'll be bolstered, rather than in person with people who might agree with my moaning...:heh: :biggrin1: But a "daily affermation" ala Stewart Smalley sounds kinda nice... So long as y'all promise to still kick my butt when I need it! This month I'm shooting for: Level 2-Intermediate 20 days for 30 minutes I'm off to go pick up a birthday cake...

Um...now I'm scared! Babygrl, what have you in mind for us this time? You frighten me with your Couch-to-5K enthusiasim... I'm nervous now...and hesitant to go see what you want us all up to in July... *quake* I'm off to go check it out, but feeling a little like Grover...afraid of the monster at the end of the book!! :paranoid

Travelgirl, did you start that Food Accountability thread? If so, kindly post the link... I've got a party this weekend & then a BBQ on the 4th, so I'm game for keeping myself honest the rest of the week by telling Y'ALL what I've eaten!!! :biggrin1: I have a 4th fill scheduled for July 5th -- and even if I don't need more juice in the Band, I am going in for that official weigh-in & body composition analysis! Babygrl, how about July's Exercise Challenge? What's your thinking there? I really liked the levels idea if everyone agrees. I'm gonna try to kick it up a notch next month, so how about adding a 5 days a week/30 min of exercise level (which is what my surgeon wants me to be striving toward)? I assume the forums are going to be quite for the next several days with the holiday weekend upon us & so many people traveling... Even if it is a tad early, Happy Independence Day to my fellow Americans! :usa: Keep up the good work evreyone! Suzanne

GOOD for y'all!! :clap2: My lower half has yet to improve (and my dunlap -as in "done lapped over the belt"- is drooping much lower now), so I'm not seeing the tags go downward yet, either. :straight The Misses dept. is quite a ways for me...I just can't wait to be shopping in stores, rather than out of catalogs! UGH. It's a bit discouraging not to fit comfortable in smaller sizes yet, but then I don't try clothes on to check very often either. 50 pounds and 4 months of effort ought to have concrete results, but I'm not seeing many. My daughter's 2nd birthday party is on Sunday & I was thinking of asking DH to bring down a box of 26/28 from the attic...but I don't want to be depressed if nothing in there fits yet!!! :paranoid :mad:

Oooh, that sounds good too! Day-to-day I try to watch the sat.fats, but when you cut out the carbs, you've got to replace them with something! For a special event I want Band-friendly more than low-fat foods. :biggrin1:

Okay -- I gained last week, but have lost all that plus some! Wahoooooo!!! 268 even on my clinic's scale this afternoon!!! 52 POUNDS DOWN!!! Whew -- I was panicking there that I'd hit some sort of roadblock at 50#, much like my old 20# stall with other diets. I'm so relieved...and... ...wait for it, wait for it... I've completed the June Exercise Challenge!:whoo: Suzanne Feb'07 Bandsters: June Challenge ~ Level 1 15 of 15 workouts (30 minutes a day for 15 days)