Woodys

Oh my.....400 calories! 1,000 - 1,200 calories min. It is well recorded that anything less than 800 calories a day forces the body into starvation mode. Very low calorie diets are modified fasts and should only be used under a Dr's supervision if for more than 1-2 wks. These diets are regarded as unsafe and counterproductive to the ultimate goal of long term weight loss. If you are approx 100 lbs overwieght and consume an average of 1,000 to 1,200 calories per week this will promote an approx loss of 2 - 3 pounds per week. To lose any more than that on a consistent long term basis is not healthy nor safe. You need to confront your Dr. and ask him if perhaps he made an error....if he stands by the 400 calorie assessment then I'd get myself another Dr. because this one is clearly setting you up for failure. Carol

I'm 2 hours n/e of Toronto......enjoyed the thunder storms today and expecting one more tonight. The heat is good for my business (fine dining restaurant)......when its really hot and humid no one wants to cook and heat up their kitchens. 1 minute from the lake and 12 minutes from in-laws Balsam lakefront cottage.....if I can ever get there its a great relief from the heat Carol

I have drawers full of them....I'm going to be very happy when my laundry consists of "skinny" clothes.....should take 1/2 the time because the loads will be smaller.....LOL Carol

I very rarely went shopping for myself and would make excuses not to socialize.....mostly with particular groups where I knew I would feel very self conscious about my weight. My excess weight has prevented me from showing people who I really am....I'm less confident, quieter, not so quick to speak my opinion, hesitant to be funny or participate in fun things because I don't want to draw attention to myself. I knew I was fat because I could see it and feel it.....but it really hit home with me 3 months ago when I reached the point where it was difficult for me to clean myself after using the toilet......I know this sounds disgusting and that maybe you don't want to go there with these thoughts but it is FACT for me.......I cried....I cried so hard that I couldn't control myself. Then the self loathing started......I couldn't believe that I allowed that to happen.....it was all my fault....there was nothing or no one to blame but me for reaching that size that this would happen. I hated myself so much, you can't imagine the thoughts that were running through my head.:think This was totally unacceptable, there is NOTHING at all that would make this okay......I didn't want to know how to cope, how to work around it, how to adjust.....to me ADJUSTMENT was not acceptable. It was then that I called the Clinic and booked the earliest possible consult. I swore I would never look back after I vowed to change this...but I have to look back....it's necessary to keep that feeling strong, to keep the comittment strong. Carol

OMG......get the Depends!

To me its designated driver

Hahahahahaha............that was so damn funny Jack..........Thanks! Of course, there are always exceptions to every rule! Carol

LOL.....if losing weight shrinks my boobs so that I don't have to worry about accidently tucking them in my belt then I'm okay.........but then what do I do about gravity? Carol

Has anyone had their eyelashes permanently dyed? For me, when I have just a bit lipstick and mascara on I look fresh and natural.....so I was thinking of having this done. Carol

You don't know what the heck is on the bottom of your shoes when you enter someone's home. To me it is a sign of respect.........besides, I hate shoes, what better reason do you need to be out of them for a while and be comfortable for a few minutes.

I didn't mean "pig out" by saying "last dinner". I have been instructed to eat only cottage cheese and yogurt for 2 weeks....all I REALLY wanted to know is if anyone ate anything other then their preop food on the day before surgery, even if just a piece of toast. Pigging out has been a thing of the past for me for a month now.....and you couldn't be more wrong..........I am MORE than ready for this surgery. Carol

I am a CA by profession but now my husband and I own a fine dining restaurant in cottage country, we live and work in the same building. He is a professional chef........argggghhhh....so hard, this is such an unsafe environment for me. I also own a small ladies fitness centre based on the Curves concept....it hasn't help me to lose any weight because until now I haven't been able to change my eating habits.....however, it has kept me from expanding..it does help me to maintain my current weight. Carol

BRAVO! Responsible action has the last word

Did anyone have a "last dinner" outside of the fast on their last day before surgery? Carol

Holy Cripes.....................people, give it up already.........this crap is so damn tired and I've only been visiting this board for 2 weeks....this stuff is way too negative and is overshadowing the good this board can do. Please.......let it die and go away! Carol

This is exactly why I have told only a few very close people who I can anticipate their reaction either way. I sure do not need to open myself up to other's "measurement" of my success or failure....only I am allowed to measure my success. I am the one that made the decision to be banded, I am the one who will be controling my food and beverage intake, I am the one who paid for it, I am the one who has to live with the consequences if I fail, I am the one who will live with everything good when I succeed.....only my thoughts, comments, complaints matter..........everyone else can keep their toxic comments to themselves and I will tell them that......positive motivating comments I'll accept with thanks. Carol

Hmmm.....I don't use a huge variety.....love my St. Ives blue ocean shower gel, Nina Ricci L'air du Temps cologne, and Oil of Olay Plentitude face cream. I don't wear a lot of make up. However, I am an abosulte Louis Vuitton freak, so its more what I put it in, not what its in it. I own a fine dining restaurant in cottage country...we are extremely busy during July and August and my tips are great. We run a 7 day schedule from May to Sept and 5 the balance of the year. As a treat at the end of the summer I spend some of my tips on a new piece of LV....usually on ebay, still hugely extravagant on my part but I don't really spend money elsewhere. I have spent more money on my oversized wardrobe which is hideous....so I feel justified in spending it on the LV. Carol

These are great ideas. Unfortunately, when fasting we do not have a lot of options for what we can eat. Keeping active is definately a coping mechanism that works for me, one that doesn't work for me......even though others are successful with it, is the 100 calories Snacks....I would not be satisified with one, the temptation would be too huge, I'd eat the entire bag. Good Luck Carol:nervous

I would say that most of my excess weight is because of head hunger. I'm on the losing end now, when I get head hunger I remind myself of what satisfying it did to me and that it caused what I'm going through now. I remind myself constantly how much I hate my state of health and my appearance because of the excess weight and just how depressed I would get from the guilt of when I ate too much of what I shouldn't have been eating and for no good reason. There is no feeling like the feeling I have had the past four weeks while I'll have been losing.....no way does the feeling from food satsifaction for head hunger measure up. Keep something on you at all times that will remind you of this.....look at, feel it, maybe even it will be something to read.........to remind you that there will be no other feeling in this world then the happiness when the weight starts to go away. Also, I do suggest that you make your environment friendly to what you are doing......no unsafe food items should be within your reach....and work at surrounding yourself with positive support....negative support will sabotage you for sure. Hope this helps, Carol

Depending on how good your blender is....you have to stick with it, keep blending until it gets to nice thick creamy consistency....may take some time.

This is my 4th day on the preop fast. I'm not having that bad of a time of it yet but still 1-1/2 weeks to go. A sense of humour about the whole thing goes a long way. I was instructed to eat only lowfat cottage cheese and lowfat yogurt, coffee, tea, crystal light, and lots of Water. I find that I do a lot a better with just plain yogurt and flavouring it myself with low calorie sugar free jams and preserves. Yesterday my husband (a chef) made me a smoothie for Breakfast, it ended up making two large drinks because of the ice and the air. In the blender he put 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese, 1 cup lowfat plain yogurt, 1 cup ice, 3 tbls of sugar free raspberry jam and whipped the heck out of it. Because it was so thick and had some substance to it, it took me a long time to drink it. I may not be sweet enough for some so I would suggest just adding more of the jam or some artificial sweetner. I guess because it was about 12 oz and so thick it satisfied me for a long time. Today he made me one with unsweetened cocoa powder and sweetner.....unsweetened cocoa powder contains very low fat and is only about 12 calories / tbls. 1 cup yogurt, 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup or more of ice just to loosen it and add volume, 3 tbls of cocoa powder and 2 packets of sweetener....it tastes to me just like the chocolate frozen soft yogurt you get in the cone except its drinkable.....very good. I'm not really a big fan of cottage cheese so I don't have any other appetizing suggestions, however, for yogurt....I flavour it with lots of different things, that is why I like the plain. I sprinkle cinnamon on top....heard you can do this with cottage cheese too. Also, I have had plain yogurt with curry spice in it for dips but don't what it would be like eating it straight. Just hang on girl ...... you'll make it, just like all the rest of us. Carol

Photonut....its either yogurt.......or yogurt........I'm on my preop fast now........LOL

????? why do you have to tell them anything???? I have dieted many times and lost lots and when people ask I just tell them that I've been behaving myself.....when they ask how I'm doing it I just simply tell them that I'm watching what I'm eating and cutting out the "bad" stuff...that is all they need to know....everything else is clearly none of their business if that's the way you want it to be. Graciously accept their compliments and rellish in them.....only tell them what YOU want them to know. Carol

A similar situation happened to me.....I just flipped them the bird....got the middle finger up right quick. Such insensitive comments and actions really leave me feeling quite anxious like I need to get a knife and cut off all the fat so that I won't have to go through that ever again. Well....leopards do not change their spots.....I bet that these men do this again and sooner or later someone will deck them for it. Carol

and not how much? I haven't been banded yet (June 8th). I think the amount you are losing is fantastic, I'm hoping that I will be consistent with a 1 - 2 pound loss per week but I also know that it depends on me too, not just the band, to be successful. I can only speak for myself, in your situation I would keep a food diary of what I eat and how much and then show it to the nutritionist / dietician where you get your fills done or other professional who can help advise. From all the research I have done prior to booking my appt it is clear that you still have to watch what you eat and that not just small portions is the answer. Only you, your hard work and attention to what you are doing will determine how successful your weight loss will be. Good luck and keep up the good work. Carol