Gregnlr

It has been too hot to walk like I was walking and it has slowed down my weight loss.I really need to be down another 15 pounds by the last week of July for my Vegas trip, self imposed goal. Anyway I will continue on and I am not discouraged, I know it will continue to come off if I don't cheat and work my band like my company works me (not a complaint, glad to have a job). The 4th of July will be different, instead of me grilling, drinking and eating. I will be chill-in. I did buy a brisket for a friend to cook for me, don't know if I can eat it, but will give it a try. Chopped up in the food processor a quarter cup at a time. I have just now begun to get a little solid food down since my tragic chicken episode last week. I also bought another chicken today, took it off the bone and chopped it to shreds, then shredded it with a fork. Maybe and just maybe I will be able to eat some of it. No worries if I don't eat no big deal. I also think my lack of food has stalled my weight loss. Happy 4th of July to everyone.

When I say the chicken was stuck it was stuck and it has taken me 4 days to recover. I am back to drinking protein shakes and eating chili and soups, I have not tried any solid food at this point, too scared. Not scared of the food, but scared that I will have to have an un-fill not that I feel I am at the perfect place after only two fills. You can't imagine that so little can really be so much in your band. I now know why doctors give very small fills, especially if they don't use the fluoroscope. I did buy a new protein drink at Walmart this morning Muscle Milk light, has anyone tried it? If you read my blog thanks, please do not get scared with one entry, if you read more you will know I LOVE my LB and there is nothing to be scared of, but some of it you learn trial and error.

When I say the chicken was stuck it was stuck and it has taken me 4 days to recover. I am back to drinking protein shakes and eating chili and soups, I have not tried any solid food at this point, too scared. Not scared of the food, but scared that I will have to have an un-fill not that I feel I am at the perfect place after only two fills. You can't imagine that so little can really be so much in your band. I now know why doctors give very small fills, especially if they don't use the fluoroscope. I did buy a new protein drink at Walmart this morning Muscle Milk light, has anyone tried it? If you read my blog thanks, please do not get scared with one entry, if you read more you will know I LOVE my LB and there is nothing to be scared of, but some of it you learn trial and error.

Thanks for the encouragement

Bernadette, when you find that sweet spot you will know it and hopefully it will be soon. I am only half way to my stretch goal so I still have a ways to go and you know men lose different than women so don't be hard on yourself. The fact that your on here encouraging everyone shows you have the dedication it takes to be successful. Hope you enjoy your hometown BBQ.

Waylayer you can expect to have those type of fluctuations up 5 pounds is no big deal and you have not failed you have all ready succeeded. Make sure you are getting around 1000 calories and if you think you might be eating too much, you probably are. Track you food, I use the daily plate. Only then will you understand what works and does not work for you. Work the band, don't work around the band. Best to you..

Coach, it looks like you continue to do awesome. I understand on the groceries, I save about $400 a month, the LB pays so get your kids the pool and I bet as thin as you and your wife will be you will enjoy it as much as they will. Treat yourself, you deserve it.

How all are well. I have struggled since my last fill and have had some swelling after getting stuck. Wednesday I could barely get water down, yesterday water and broth, today I hope I can get some protein. I have talked with my doctor and he offered to un-fill but for now I am good. I am down 70 pounds, so that part is great.

OK, I have really been struggling since my last fill. On Tuesday I tried to eat some chicken and it got stuck, by Wednesday I could barely get water down. Yesterday I was able to drink some water and a little broth. I spoke with my Dr. and he offered to do a un-fill. But I am going to hold out for now, as long as I can get water and broth I am good. I hope it will loosen up in a few day, may have some swelling due to being stuck. I was at a good spot and don't want to regress. The good news is I am now down 70 pounds in 3.5 months. Keeping the faith...

OK, I have really been struggling since my last fill. On Tuesday I tried to eat some chicken and it got stuck, by Wednesday I could barely get water down. Yesterday I was able to drink some water and a little broth. I spoke with my Dr. and he offered to do a un-fill. But I am going to hold out for now, as long as I can get water and broth I am good. I hope it will loosen up in a few day, may have some swelling due to being stuck. I was at a good spot and don't want to regress. The good news is I am now down 70 pounds in 3.5 months. Keeping the faith...

Thanks for the tip I will give the turkey tenderlion a try.

I love my protein shakes, I use Chike. To me they are a treat and when I add my fruit even better. Some doctors don't want you on them after surgery. Mine encourages them while your losing weight. Go with what your doctor advised.

The Magic Bullet is my most used kitchen tool. I mix all my shakes in them. If you are doing shakes as part of your diet, get one, they are at Walmart and are great.

the second reason I would not do popcorn, is because that is not protein and it would be empty calories. You either work the band for results,meaning you eat good food and are successful at your weight loss. Or you work around the band, seeing what you can eat even though it is not a good food choice. My cheating is having an extra protein shake as opposed to some who drink milkshakes.

You should not drink carbonated drinks with the LB. I know some people who do, I drank 12 diet cokes a day prior to LB, I reduced one every 15 days till I was off of them prior to surgery. I don't miss them at all. I would not even attempt popcorn for two reasons, one it might get stuck, and the only place I ate popcorn was at the movies. So there would be nothing worst than missing a movie while I am in the public restroom hacking it back up. Not appealing to me at least.

Cool, I am a workforce project manager for AT&T. I was a supervisor in a call center s I know what your talking about.

Yes, it all depends on how tight you are depending on your fills. I am very tight, by my request, on my second fill. Some people take several fills to get to their "sweet spot" I wanted to get there quickly as possible since my doctor covered the first 3 fills as long as they were in the first 90 days. I simply chopped my chicken very fine and added it to a orzo pasta dish which goes down just fine. Everyone is different so what I can eat you may not be able to, it is trial and error.

OMG I thought I was going to die. A little background first, I love chicken, I ate chicken almost daily before the LB. Well I am 3 months post OP and have had a second fill that has me very tight, now your caught up. So yesterday I go to Sam's and buy a rotisserie chicken, like a have done a few hundred times before pre-LB. I got it home and took it off the bone and in the fridge it went. I am thinking I can eat this, the ground turkey is getting old and I needed something new. Now the gross part. I am setting at lunch today have a very small plate of chicken approx 3 ounces and I take a bite chew very well and a nice change from the ground turkey. I few more very small bites go by and then it happens. I get stuck, it is so painful and just down right nasty. I stand at the sink for at least 30 minutes foaming at the mouth, coughing up nasty and every time I think I am done, I am not. I chew papaya enzyme pills trying to get unstuck while I am in pain. At one point I thought what am I going to do. It just keeps on....then one last painful puke and it's gone. Boy did that suck. I thought I was past this..... I was so tired afterward I layed down for a while. Now the good news, when I got up I had a brainstorm as opposed to the brain farts I usually have. I wanted ice cream, so I broke out my ice cream maker and turned my chocolate protein shake into ice cream by adding a little splenda and some sugar free Hershey's chocolate sauce to my protein shake milk and soy milk. It was great, I don't have to feel left out.. I can live with my LB. Oh the chicken was finely copped and added to chicken broth, orzo, corn and pea dish that I had no trouble getting down at dinner. I should also note that I did not walk this weekend it was just too hot, it's time to Wii.

OMG I thought I was going to die. A little background first, I love chicken, I ate chicken almost daily before the LB. Well I am 3 months post OP and have had a second fill that has me very tight, now your caught up. So yesterday I go to Sam's and buy a rotisserie chicken, like a have done a few hundred times before pre-LB. I got it home and took it off the bone and in the fridge it went. I am thinking I can eat this, the ground turkey is getting old and I needed something new. Now the gross part. I am setting at lunch today have a very small plate of chicken approx 3 ounces and I take a bite chew very well and a nice change from the ground turkey. I few more very small bites go by and then it happens. I get stuck, it is so painful and just down right nasty. I stand at the sink for at least 30 minutes foaming at the mouth, coughing up nasty and every time I think I am done, I am not. I chew papaya enzyme pills trying to get unstuck while I am in pain. At one point I thought what am I going to do. It just keeps on....then one last painful puke and it's gone. Boy did that suck. I thought I was past this..... I was so tired afterward I layed down for a while. Now the good news, when I got up I had a brainstorm as opposed to the brain farts I usually have. I wanted ice cream, so I broke out my ice cream maker and turned my chocolate protein shake into ice cream by adding a little splenda and some sugar free Hershey's chocolate sauce to my protein shake milk and soy milk. It was great, I don't have to feel left out.. I can live with my LB. Oh the chicken was finely copped and added to chicken broth, orzo, corn and pea dish that I had no trouble getting down at dinner. I should also note that I did not walk this weekend it was just too hot, it's time to Wii.

You know I was a slug before the LB, I did not feel like doing anything other than stuffing my face and watching the tube. Not anymore, since dropping the pounds it is all about what can I do today. Today I worked all day and cam home and mowed the yard, remember I fired the yard boy. I went to Sams Club today and the only thing I bought was water, that has to be a first. I have saved enough money on food in 3 months that I am treating myself to a trip to Vegas. It has got very hot so now I walk in Walmart at lunch, I can still work up some sweat and I only have pushed on "bluehair" down so far. Hope your all doing well.

You know I was a slug before the LB, I did not feel like doing anything other than stuffing my face and watching the tube. Not anymore, since dropping the pounds it is all about what can I do today. Today I worked all day and cam home and mowed the yard, remember I fired the yard boy. I went to Sams Club today and the only thing I bought was water, that has to be a first. I have saved enough money on food in 3 months that I am treating myself to a trip to Vegas. It has got very hot so now I walk in Walmart at lunch, I can still work up some sweat and I only have pushed on "bluehair" down so far. Hope your all doing well.

Hello Fab by 50 Bernadette. Hope your doing well, I am. The immersion blender is a blender on a stick that you can stick in a pot of soup or whatever and turn it into a puree without having to pour it into a blender or food processor. It has been a life saver since my second fill.

You can get an immersion blender anywhere. I already had mine from making soups. It is a slender tuber that has a blender shaft on the end. You can put it in anything and turn it to a creamy consistency in a matter of minutes. Then you pop off the end which goes in the dishwasher. It is a great kitchen tool, but really good when you need pureed, without having to pour it into a blender.

I have struggled since my fill last week getting any solids down. You read where I tried steak. Last night it was ground turkey, still had major issues, took me an hour to eat then an hour at the sink getting it back up. Not much fun. So today I turned my ground turkey into chili, then hit it with the immersion blender till it looked like red apple sauce. At that point I had no issues consuming about a cup, maybe more. Since it was the first real food I have had in days I did not mind going over a little. I know this tightness will loosen up, but for now I will say I can't imagine having another fill. It is all about working the tool and I would say that is what I am doing. Best to all of you for reading my rants, Greg

I have struggled since my fill last week getting any solids down. You read where I tried steak. Last night it was ground turkey, still had major issues, took me an hour to eat then an hour at the sink getting it back up. Not much fun. So today I turned my ground turkey into chili, then hit it with the immersion blender till it looked like red apple sauce. At that point I had no issues consuming about a cup, maybe more. Since it was the first real food I have had in days I did not mind going over a little. I know this tightness will loosen up, but for now I will say I can't imagine having another fill. It is all about working the tool and I would say that is what I am doing. Best to all of you for reading my rants, Greg