tanqueray

I just went to the Salvation Army tonight and was able to fit into size 12 pants. That has not happened since 1990. Hot damn!!

You can make it Steven!!! I LOVE Cream of Rice. I still eat it about three times a week. Breakfast is always difficult because I am real tight but the Cream of Rice always goes down fine.

That's wonderful!! Congratulations. We need to appreciate these victories as they happen

Prune Juice. A quarter cup should help. I also take fiber gummies every day.

Okay, I am starting this by saying I am preaching. If you don't want to read it, skip this. I AM SHOUTING THIS....THERE IS NO CURE FOR OBESITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (this is well documented by professionals) All weight loss surgeries are TOOLS to deal with the side effects of obesity--weight, joint pain, high blood pressure, etc.. but they are NOT CURES!!!!!!!!!! The only "cure" for obesity is cutting out bad food and bad choices. Yes, that sucks. I know that. But there is no cure for cancer either--just chemo and radiation and that may or may not work. But people accept that help because they want to rid themselves of the cancer. You accepted the band because you didn't want to be obese anymore. But you are defeating the purpose of your choice for fighting obesity but eating all the wrong things and overeating. (by your own admission) Those that look at weight loss surgery as a cure are fooling themselves. It takes courage, determination, the willingness to get back on the boat when you have fallen off and are flaying in the ocean, and most important mental fortitude to overcome this problem. People that are obese are addicted to food. You need to own up to that and the choices you make daily. I constantly repeat to myself that "there is not cure for obesity" and that I am instrumental in overcoming this addiction. Yes, I have made crappy choices in the past year a half. Yes, I have fallen off the diet wagon but I pull myself up again and start over. Sometimes, that means doing a 2-3 day Protein shake only choice or I simply eat properly again. Either way, I am the only one responsible for what goes in my mouth.

I would suggest you log your food. I am a year and a half out and still make sure I get enough protein. I don't know that unless I log my intake. I use Lose It for iPhone but you can also use it on the web. There are many sites (SparkPeople, Livestrong) that also offer food logs.

I use liquid Tylenol. Or I use Advil. My surgeon said any pill was okay as long as it was not bigger than a pencil eraser. So, if I do a pill, I try to find the smallest. Or, I half the pill. (like sinus medication)

Like someone wrote above, I miss sandwhiches. I see people eating them and am jealous of how "normal" their lives are and how abnormal mine is. Yes, I do feel sorry for myself sometimes. There, I admitted it. The other thing I would love but can't digest it is ICE CREAM. Lordy, I miss that! I think my Mom gave me crusty bread to chew on when I was teething and ice cream in my bottle. Those are my weaknesses and my absolute favorite things to eat. Alas, I can't eat either.

I agree with Kalipso. Like you, I have kids that have activities, I work full time, etc... When I am in a funk, and there have been many, I do something for ME. Yes, time is hard to carve out, but it is important because I can't eat my funk away. So, I will go to the local thrift store and buy something, or my favorite is getting a pedicure. I found a place near me that will do a one hour pedi for $25.00. Well worth it because I feel like a new person when I come out. It is important to focus on you throughout this journey. As women, we don't do that well but we need to.

I am a year and a half out. Still use Protein shakes daily because I am VERY tight and can only eat about a 1/4 of food at a time. I use Kefir, a dairy product similiar to yogurt. It has 14 grams of protein for 8 ounces. Then I add in a greek yogurt for another 14 grams so each shake is 28 grams of protein. I will also add some fruit and some Splenda Brown Sugar for sweetness. Love them!

I have been using Lose It for the iPhone. LOVE IT!!!

I am 15 months out and I have had my period for every day of every one of those months! Yes, it is only spotting (for the most part) but it is there. I am on the seasonal pill, so I get a "full" period 4 times a year. However, the daily spotting and bleeding has NEVER stopped. I went for my yearly GYN visit last week and my doctor says that due to my weight loss, my hormones are in flux and that's why I am continue to spot/bleed. Doesn't matter if you are a fast loser, the fact is that female horomones are in constant change and that can cause someone to bleed. Doc also points out I am eating differently and that alone can change my body. According to my GYN I am healthy, my PAP came back fine but he warned me that I am VERY fertile. Make sure you use birth control ladies because as my surgeon and now GYN points out, my hormones are in flux and that can make one very fertile. We are done having kids (I am 42 and too old in my opinion) so we are always careful.

Down 105 pounds and can't believe it. Quite a journey but I could not be happier. I wish I did this years ago

I have the Eating Well cookbook and also Before and After by Susan Maria Leach. She also has most if her recipes (free) on her web site at www.bariatriceating.com. Everything I have made from her recipes are wonderful.

You go Lucky! Congratulations. What a great feeling.

I just got over a stomach virus last week. Yup, it sucked! And I have to say, it felt different than before banding. However, I am very tight and if I cheat,, I will puke so I have spent the last six months learning how much and what I can eat. So, I have purged quite a bit, and then this stomach virus. But I am fine now and can eat/drink okay. I know slippage is something we always need to think about but I don't feel I have to obsess and worry about it. I will know if I slip because there are pysical signs of slippage.

Congratulations! Each milestone should be celebrated. (as long as you don't celebrate by eating a whole chocolate cake!)

I too used to keep these but I don't anymore. I don't like the flavor now that my taste buds have changed. What I decided to do right before surgery is invest in a Food Saver System. So, I make fresh low fat protein rich recipes and then portion them out in 3 ounce portions. Then I put them in the food saver bags, suck the air out and put them in the freezer. So, volia, my own "Lean Cusines". Which I enjoy the taste of and know exactly what ingredients went into the bag!

You go girl! What an accomplishment! You should be very proud of your hard work!

Spark People has a whole section on crock pot recipes. I use this web site a lot for my cooking because the recipes seem good (and the ones I have made are) but also all recipes have nutritional information. I won't make a recipe unless it has the nutritional info so this site is ideal. Www.sparkpeople.com. Click on recipes. You can also do a search for crock pot

Youo go girl! That's great about the pants. Better still is the college. Congrats. Takes lots of nerve to pick up where you left off.

Sure, you are right Mom2. But if you perceive a person is being self rightous, you have the right to say I don't agree with that or you can't base everying on your experience. However, without allowing people to post what they want, you will never be able to see another opinion or view--even if you don't like it! Why I started this thread is that I simply do not prescribe to the idea that we as "supporters" need to tell people what they want to hear. Sometimes it may come off as selfish but really, we are living in our world so things often feel very personal to us. What I say is that "well, that is your experience, but here is mine..." But I do absorb what others have said. Regardless if I liked it or not.... Perhaps when I truly disagreed I mulled the answer over and may actually learn something.

Started out over 300 pounds. So, now I can: Tie my shoes Wipe my butt Have sex without feeling like I wasn't able to breath Play with my kids Run Exercise Did I say sex? Yup I did Roller skate Wear a size 14 Buy "normal" clothes in a store. (not the fat chicks department, which I fondly called it all my life) Laugh without my belly jiggling Wave without my arms jiggling Walk without my joints (especially my ankles) hurting Enjoy food because I am tasting it instead of inhaling it Did I mention sex? Better blood pressure and overall health

I have to get this off my "chest". This issue has been bothering me since last night when I read some threads that people posted. This is just my opinion here but I do hope some of you will agree. This is a open forum for people that have had (or are having) a major operation in order to help assist (but not cure) obesity. Because there is no cure for obesity--the band is simply a tool to deal with the symptoms of obesity. In order to become healthy, the users of said band must make lifestyle changes that are not easy. We cry about these changes, morn for our old lives and eathing patterns, and either chose to overcome these obstacles or go back to our old habits. That's our choice and we need to live with it. Addicts never have an easy course but we need to own up to it and make changes. When we sign on to this forum,, we are looking for help, support, guidence, and sometimes a kick in the butt to answer our question or motivate us. Sure, most of us are supportative but are also offering opinions. Because that is what people are asking for!! We should not have to monitor ourselves or hold back if we feel strongly about a subject. I am disheartened to see replies like "well, that was really supportative" because someone offered a different opinion than what the writer really wanted to hear. Folks, sometimes being supportative means giving people a reality check. We should not all be expected to be cheerleaders and only be positive and say "it's okay". No, if the situation is warranted, we offer opinions and feedback and sometimes that may not be receptive to the writer. If you perceive that as people being rude, that's your own feelings and you are entitled to them but then don't write "you were rude and not nice and not supportative". You might as well say "you didn't say what I wanted to hear so I am taking my Barbies and playing in the other corner". If you write "I am not losing weight and I go to Burger King twice a day and don't exercise--why am I not losing weight?". My response might be "because you are eating junk food and not exercising--that's why you are not losing weight". However, if we are to believe certain people on this forum, we are only supposed to be supportative and say "it's okay..you just need to get on track". Sorry folks, but here a reality check is in order. We can have disagreements and have civil conversations when we don't agree with someone. However, I disagree that the only thing we should be is positive and supportative. Sometimes peolple want to offer a differing opinion and that's OK! This is an internet forum and all opinions are warranted. It's up to you on how to perceive it but please don't make those of us that disagree with a writer feel guilty or bad because we disagree with them. There's too much of that in politics and we don't need it here!

I am adding my two cents here. FF--get ready to raise your blood pressure again because you anger is RADIATING off the pages. Yes, your band did not work for you. We hear you. BUT you are allowing your less than satisfactory experience taint your view of others and that is simply not right. No one said you were in the wrong and no one commented on your experience. What people here were asking was more follow up to a post that said "my band does not work" but then offers no more details. Talk about dropping a load in the forum but with no information. So people asked follow up questions--there is nothing wrong with that. So, you jumped to the conclusion that people were picking on Swirl which is simply not the case. I too have to ask (because someone asked before) why do you stay? To continue to share your bad experience and be mean spirited in this forum? I get you want people to know the band does not work for everyone but truly folks--you are embarking on major surgery here with a doctor cutting open your intestines. You should know all the risks and the failure rate before you allow yourself to lay on the operating table. If people do their homework, they will find articles and statistics on the success and failure rate on this surgery. Second, if someone comes into this journey saying "I want cheeseburgers" and they want to eat cheesecake, cake, and Cookies but in limited portions, then they are setting themselves up for failure. There, I said it. NO LIFESTYLE CHANGE WILL WORK UNLESS THE PERSON REALLY WANTS TO CHANGE. That's like saying to an alcoholic "well I am apporaching soberity as I can have one drink a day instead of none". Or the drug addict can have one joint a day. NO--doesn't work that way. Addicition comes in many forms but overweight people are addicted to food. You can cure an addiction by saying "well I can have just a little" because a little is never enough. Sorry but that's just the truth. So, FF and Swirl, yes, the band doesn't work for some but for others it works but people self sabatoge themselves by saying it doesn't. So it didn't work for you. We get it. But for the majority of us, it has and enabled us to have totally differnt lives. Don't diss the people that have made the effort to get the most out of this journey. It's insulting and rude.