viking_girl

I dont like yogurt of cottage cheese, but the cream soups will work fine for me...protein shakes....I made one today with apricot nectar and unflavored protein powder. I only have to do pureed for a week, so I think I can fake it that long.

I tried some baked beans today -- I know I need the protein -- and seriously, I almost puked. I think I would rather stay on full liquids than puree my food!! Luckily, I am not overly hungry, just a bit.

I tried some baked beans today -- I know I need the protein -- and seriously, I almost puked. I think I would rather stay on full liquids than puree my food!! Luckily, I am not overly hungry, just a bit.

Really, how do you do this? I am sitting here with my 1/2 cup of cream of wheat this morning and I am literally dipping the spoon and licking it off. I have been sitting here for about 10 minutes and it is almost gone (and getting cold- I hate cold food!) so I finally just set it aside. Any ideas??

A couple things to try: Either more time and more stairs, or do the same stairs but FASTER.... work to cut your time each week. Start keeping a food journal, measure your portions, and write everything down. That way you can see if what you are eating matches up with what you thought you ate. (I am really good at not paying attention and eating more than I thought I did.) Big one especially since you are exercising so well -- ARE YOU EATING ENOUGH???? Every one of us needs X calories just for living; if you workout regularly, you need more. If you go over that -- well, one through the lips, forever on the hips (my dad always told me.) If you aren't eating enough to compensate for your activity, your body isnt about to release the excess weight. A good nutritionist can help you determine what is the proper amount of calories for your age, weight, height, etc. You are SO close that with a few more minor changes, I am sure you could reach your goal. Good grief, you could obtain that goal, Celebrate with a nice cruise to somewhere warm and still come out ahead financially! (Saying that because fall is here, which means winter is pending......:thumbup:) And seriously -- congratulations on the weight loss you have achieved so far.... believe me, I know it is hard, hard work and the low-carb thing can be so challenging.

How much DO you exercise? There are two things that come to my mind -- (A) EVERYONE hits a plateau in the course of trying to lose weight. It may be that you need to add the exercise, or increase, or change up what you are doing to bump you out of that plateau. (:thumbup: I can't tell you how many times I left the gym after a good hard workout in the morning, craving nothing but a crunchy apple and a bottle of Water. The last time I seriously tried to lose weight - I started out walking three miles a day, and did well. When I hit the wall, I added weight training, and did even better, especially in terms of inches lost. My problem is that I reached a point that I was in the gym for 90 minutes a day, add in the 40 minutes travel time to and from; and sometimes a second trip to the gym because I was angry and frustrated (about to go through a divorce.) I was watching what I was eating very closely, and downing water, reduced the diet coke to one a day, etc. After all of that, and a year and a half, I ONLY LOST 80 POUNDS and I only went from a 28 to a 26. Add diabetes and high blood pressure, and 4 amazing kids that I want to be here for -- you bet I wanted surgery! Only you can make the decison, only you know if you have gone through all of these processes. Your life, your body, your choice. The surgery is simple, but not fun -- so make it worth it.

One day at a time - seriously. Stay busy. I was banded on October 5. Mostly, I haven't wanted anything more. Coming home to sick kids, well, that was a diversion. I did the countdown.... day 5 is today. Today is the first I have wanted other foods. But I kept telling myself that I just have to have broth for one more meal... I can have cream of wheat in the morning and what a feast that is going to be!! I also tried to meet whatever need I felt... hungry=broth. Real food=Jello. sweet -- or blood sugar control=juice. And truth be told -- I am not sure about taking my food and putting it through a blender, so I am thinking that full liquids might even be preferable to pureed. :thumbup:

Not everyone will have issues (right away) if they do not follow doctor's orders. But it is still very important that we all do it anyway. The reason for clear liquids is to allow the stomach time to DO NOTHING while the tissue is healing/getting used to the band. In the long run, it helps the band stay in place. I think none of us can say how long the clear liquids are really necessary -- my doc has me on clear liquids for 5 days -- then two days of full liquids, so that it isnt such a shock on the stomach to go from next to nothing to regular food again. If weight loss was easy, none of us would be here. THe Lap-band will make it eas-ier, but not if we take advantage of it. I dont know about you, but I am a single mom on a really restricted budget. My family paid for this. I am not going to let them down by questioning doctors orders. I am not going to let my children down - they need their mom. And I am not going to let ME down. My kids are going to be grown before I know it and I deserve to have this time for me.

what? Food Network is a bad thing? Oh wow. :thumbup: No actually, I watch it all the time too, and I was worried that it would be really hard. HOwever, I was banded on MOnday and have spent my week at home watching FN and I have been totally fine with it. I thought it would be hard,, but the reality is -- those guys have grocery budgets that I will never have in my lifetime and they aren't cooking the sort of things I can cook - I think that is the key for me. Call me wierd, it just isnt a problem. And yes, Bobbie Flay is my friend, Emeril is my bro and I have a minor crush on Robert Irvine. :sad:

Wow, what a week this has been! Surgery on Monday, two sick kids etc. The surgery itself went well, and I am so impressed with my doctor -- he called me on Tuesday to check on me. Not so impressed with the surgical center and staff, but hey, it is done, everything turned out well in spite of them. I definitely have some restriction going on because I have been quite happy with my broth and jello. Even half a mug of broth is plenty for me. Tomorrow, I get to move on to "full liquids." I get cream of chicken soup -- what a feast that is going to be -- I can't wait!! The gas comes and goes, the stitches and the tape on them are starting to ITCH!! I am still a bit sore but it is bearable. My back hurts more than anything from all that time in the recliner. I made it to the grocery store yesterday, with help from one of my daughters. And this afternoon I will do a little bit of work from home. My kids are improving and home again.... that is a relief to me. THe humidifier and the airborne are doing their jobs, so I have not had more symptoms yet, thank goodness. Coughing is still painful. So is laughing. Jeff Dunham is not recommended during early recovery, lol. So, after 5 days of rest and too much relaxation, it is time to get back to living -- in between naps anyway. :biggrin:

Wow, what a week this has been! Surgery on Monday, two sick kids etc. The surgery itself went well, and I am so impressed with my doctor -- he called me on Tuesday to check on me. Not so impressed with the surgical center and staff, but hey, it is done, everything turned out well in spite of them. I definitely have some restriction going on because I have been quite happy with my broth and jello. Even half a mug of broth is plenty for me. Tomorrow, I get to move on to "full liquids." I get cream of chicken soup -- what a feast that is going to be -- I can't wait!! The gas comes and goes, the stitches and the tape on them are starting to ITCH!! I am still a bit sore but it is bearable. My back hurts more than anything from all that time in the recliner. I made it to the grocery store yesterday, with help from one of my daughters. And this afternoon I will do a little bit of work from home. My kids are improving and home again.... that is a relief to me. THe humidifier and the airborne are doing their jobs, so I have not had more symptoms yet, thank goodness. Coughing is still painful. So is laughing. Jeff Dunham is not recommended during early recovery, lol. So, after 5 days of rest and too much relaxation, it is time to get back to living -- in between naps anyway. :thumbup:

And I cant put a finger on what exactly it is. Partly gas I think. The CO2 dissipated on the first day, but today I get these pains in my sides -- I can feel it moving upwards....a bit of belching, etc. Not sure what that is. Also, feeling a little heavy in the chest today, and I have coughed up some thick green phlegm. I came home to two daughters with seine flu, so I am a little worried. I have asthma, very susceptible to bronchitis, and I cant cough this stuff out of the lungs right now. I have been taking airborne. I have a pot of water simmering on the stove, but my house is so big I am s=not sure how much that is helping. I am feeling like I should be up and moving a little more today, but really,I am so sleepy -- I could easily take a nap! :biggrin:

And I cant put a finger on what exactly it is. Partly gas I think. The CO2 dissipated on the first day, but today I get these pains in my sides -- I can feel it moving upwards....a bit of belching, etc. Not sure what that is. Also, feeling a little heavy in the chest today, and I have coughed up some thick green phlegm. I came home to two daughters with seine flu, so I am a little worried. I have asthma, very susceptible to bronchitis, and I cant cough this stuff out of the lungs right now. I have been taking airborne. I have a pot of water simmering on the stove, but my house is so big I am s=not sure how much that is helping. I am feeling like I should be up and moving a little more today, but really,I am so sleepy -- I could easily take a nap!

That is interesting what you are saying about breathing because there are times I felt like my entire ribcage/abdominal muscles are so sore I have to make myself breathe at times. That has been scary because I have asthma and I came home to two children with the swine flu. So, believe me, I am working on the breathing as much as possible.

Wow! My doctor said when I start mushies I can eat the smallest amount necessary to feel satisfied but no more than 3/4 cup. His nurses - many of who have had the band - said 1/2 to 1/3 cup.

WOw, tonight they were in the 120's. It has been a long time since that happened. But then, that is what a clear liquid diet will do for you, right? I am so not complaining!:biggrin:

WOw, tonight they were in the 120's. It has been a long time since that happened. But then, that is what a clear liquid diet will do for you, right? I am so not complaining!

Haha...I slept in my recliner too, mostly due to the abdominal pain though. In fact...that is where I am headed right now -- it is nappy time!!

I was banded yesterday morning. The gas pain disapated last night so all I have today is the abdominal pain. You know...like someone punched a bunch of holes in my belly lol. No staples, just stitches. One larger hole -- still under an inch -- the other four are tiny, maybe 3-4 stitches each. It;s not bad -- you can do it!:thumbup:

thank you awill...it's just that I am the mom -- hard to turn the care of my child over to someone else, even my parents. My doctor called me this morning to check on me... that was nice. I have been much more impressed with him than the surgical center. (although, I have to say, the anesthesia guy sure smelled good!)

I was banded today, it went well but took forever coming out of anesthesia, so the stupid damn nurses just forced me into it and practically shoved me out the door -- didn't bother to make sure I could hold down liquids. The bad news....my mom took my daughter to the doctor for me after spending the whole morning getting me to surgery and back. My little one has swine flu. My doc knew I was having surgery so he didn't want her home with me, so my mom has her. So my little one is really sick and she wants her mama and she is so so sad. I am incredibly sore right now and stressed to the max.:thumbup:

oh yeah, Cleo -- dont be so hard on yourself and give yourself a chance to heal girl!! it has only been three days, and any surgery would be like this for a few days, so just enjoy the opportunity to take it easy and relaz as much as you can!

it sounds like you still have some gas pain maybe, so yes, getting up and around will help. My doctor told me to get up and move at least once ever hour; when I did get up, I would putter aroud the house for 15 minutes or so - refill glasses, potty break, visit with my kids, etc. Me personally, I also like a warm rice back on the shoulder. I was banded yesterday, and the pain I have today is mostly in the abdominal muscles. Can't wait for that to go away!

If you are truly ready for change, and absolutely ready to work hard, then please don't find the idea of a band as merely a tool, but embrace it because it really is just that. If you aren't ready to change your lifestyle along with the band -- then there are ways to get around it and you may not be as happy with the results.

I actually take the chewable Viactiv - a multivitamin and a calcium vitamin D & K. Because I am diabetic and a sugar addict, I am cutting out sweet stuff altogether, so those two little squares each day are really something to look forward to.