season4change

Had my doctor appointment today and wasn't sure if I wanted another fill. I do show restriction but I've also noticed that I'm eating more than I did after having the surgery. However I've also experienced a few times where I have thrown up because something has gotten stuck, so... doc and I agreed to just do a "little" fill.

Great story of your success. I like this. You have done well. Can you share your daily eating habits with us while on your journey. Most of us are looking for a variety of foods to eat, not just one or two options. Congrats on your loss, your an inspiration to all of us.

Sure, though I've been sloppy since I've gotten back from my cruise... so I'll post a sampling of my pre-cruise eatting habits.

Breakfast - Either 1 whole egg with a sprinkling of lowfat cheddar cheese or 2 egg equiv. of eggbeaters. I like the southwestern style and sometimes I add lowfat cheese to it to make it like an omlet.

Breakfast - another option is cold cereal (I don't like hot cereal). I buy high protien cereal individually wrapped in single servings from bariatric choice. I like the Kay's Better Balance Brand

Breakfast - when I'm in a hurry I grab a protien bar

Morning snack - yes, I'm the kind of person who must have 3 snacks a day. I can't make it on just 3 meals. I buy individually wrapped 100 calorie pack almonds from the grocery store. Or I might have a protien bar or a yogurt

Lunch - might be soup or a salad which I add 1 or 2 oz of ham or chicken with low fat dressing, sometimes low fat cheese too

Afternoon snack - I'm a cheese lover so once again I might have lowfat cheese. I buy cracker barrel singles 2% cheese or I have lowfat soft cheese like laughing cow. I also buy high protien chips from bariatric choice. Kays Better Balance makes some good ones. It really satisfies my need to crunch on something. Another snack I might have is fresh fruit or applesauce (unsweetened)

Dinner - often it is 3 oz of fish with 1 oz dried pasta cooked and then sprinkled with parm cheese (no oil or butter). Sometimes I have chicken but I have to be careful with it as it can get stuck. I've also eatten veggie burgers, veggie barbecue style riblets. I will order steak in a restaurant and have a small portion. Those are just a few examples. I try to vary it to keep it interesting.

Dessert: fat free jello or skinny cow ice cream sandwiches or ice pops

Well gotta run to a dentist appointment but if you have more questions, let me know.

keep up the good work,it can be done. i lost 100lbs and then set my goals 25 lbs at a time,already lost that 25(1 yr 10 days altogether)slowing down losing considerably but still losing none the less, now working on my other 25 then i'll only have 3 more rounds of 25's to go. 50 or a 100 at a time is to daunting for me.but to each their on. ROCK ON!!!!!!!!

Good for you! I may need to rethink the 50 lb goals, or maybe I'll do the next one at 50 and then instead of the 3rd at 50, I'll do two at 25. That sounds good now that I wrote it! LOL!

Keep up the good work!

Judy

Okay, so I set my first goal at losing 100 lbs, this was set from my heighest weight when I had my first consult with my lapband surgeon so it will include the 11 lbs I lost pre-surgery. Guess what? I'm only 9 lbs away!!! I'm thrilled. I'm so close now I can taste it. I will get there, no doubt about it now!!! :wub:

I've never lost this much weight before, so it's a brand new feeling for me. I've set my next goal at losing 50 more pounds and the one after that at 50 additional pounds. I felt I needed to break it down it substantial individual goals because I had so much weight to lose, however the first goal had to be the toughest because I felt it would be easier to lose in the beginning.

I have slowed down, of course going on a 12 day cruise didn't help but I came back only 1 lb heavier which I think was water retention from all the salty food. I did walk a lot, even the days we spent at sea so it is far more exercise than I would normally get at my desk job. As for my eatting... I admit to indulging in alchololic beverages and desserts, and higher calorie foods. But my portions were smaller than they would have normally been and my activity was higher.

Right now I'm having a bit of difficulty getting back into routine but I'm not doing horrible either... especially if the scale is still moving!

We had a blizzard here Orange County, NY and had 3 feet of snow in two days. Yesterday the sun finally came out but today it is snowing again. Why do I mention that? Well, because apparently it brings out the hunger in people! I'm not the only one, I've heard it from others! I tried to be careful, but had a few things I wouldn't normally. Last night I made comfort food... meatloaf, mashed potatoes and corn. Still, my eatting is no where near what it use to be. I think I'm just afraid I'll go back to the awful place. So... was I pleasantly surprised when I got on the scale this morning at it read 277 !! Last week I had such a problem with the scale moving. I guess that proves you shouldn't hop on the scale too often.

So, I not only feel great about that but in just one week we sail out of NYC to the Southern Caribbean. So, I got out my boxes of old summer clothes that don't fit and found a whole new wardrobe! Some of the clothes still had tags on them! I went shopping in my own bedroom! LOL! Now on the cruise I plan on eatting healthy stuff but I know there will be some temptations but I have a feeling the amount walking, swimming etc I do will help balance out. It's got to be better than my desk job sitting in front of a computer all day!

Twoterville.... I LOVE IT! I knew about Onederville but didn't know what to call it when you get down to the twos. Thanks!!

Thanks everyone! It does feel great. I have never lost this much weight at once EVER, let alone in such a short period of time. Good luck to all of you, wishing you all success with your band.

Hit a major milestone this morning, going under the big 3-0-0 at 297 lbs. As God is my wittness I will never be over 300 lbs again!!!! Thank you El Bandito!

(El Bandito is the name of my band as Mr. Bandito has stolen my appetite away... and gladly I might add!)

Doctor's appointment yesterday. I wasn't sure if I should ask for a fill or not so when the doctor asked me if I was ready for one, I told him I wanted one but was concerned about not being able to eat things that I can now, so he said why don't we just try a small amount and then see next month how you are doing. Sounded good to me. So... today I had some applesauce and noticed I had to eat it very slowly. No problems drinking though.

Thanks everyone! Good luck to all of you and may you have a great 2010!

I'm doing a victory dance this morning! :Dancing_wub: Weighed in today at 308... actually 307.4 but I just had a nightgown on and I think last weigh in I had regular clothes on so I rounded it up. This means I've lost 51 pounds since my first visit to Dr. Pucci in July, and 40 lbs since my surgery date on Nov 2nd!!! This is the most I've ever been able to loose on any diet. I think on Jenny Craig I lost 40 something but never hit the 50 mark.

I know 2010 is going to be a great year, I just feel it in my bones!!! I have been getting out there and walking, weather permitting, during my lunch break. I plan on adding other types of exercise once I get back from my trip to NC for New Year's weekend. I hope I won't gain anything when I'm down there, so I'm bringing some packaged diet foods along to help. :present:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Doctor's appointment was yesterday. In the last 2 weeks I lost 3 more lbs, so that's average now I think. I knew it would slow down sooner or later, but that is understandable.

Anyway, since I've lost 30 lbs in 6 weeks the doctor said that was fantastic and that he preferred that I hold off one more month and see how it goes before I get a fill. He said by what I'm eatting and how much I've lost that I appear to have good restriction. I told him it doesn't come without some strong will power! But I understood his reasoning. Sometimes after a fill there are lots of foods that you can no longer tolerate eatting or I could all of a sudden have a problem with reflux or vomitting if over restricted, so he said no rush. Plus I was banded with a smaller band and already have some fluid in the band, so I was glad to hear that.

So, actually I'm pretty happy with that because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to eat at our early Christmas dinner at my sister's house on Sunday. Now I know I will be careful, but at least I can have small portions of what I want to try. Christmas at home will be just us, so my cooking will be pretty healthy. New Year's I'll be at my Brother's house, so another challenge. I think though it is better to just have tiny bites than to feel deprived. I hope I'm right!

AND... my new "legal" treat are protien chips that I purchased from www.bariatricchoice.com. At only 110 calories it has 10 grams of protien and 3 grams of fiber. Just the thing when you need something with a burst of flavor and lots of cruch!

that's great. Keep up the good work. I just got approved for the LAP-BAND® today. I'm so excited

Good for you! Good luck!

I'm so excited! I was getting nervous since I started solid foods that the weight loss would be really slow now and I have 2 weeks until my appointment for a fill, so I called the office and asked if I could go in and get weighed. (My scale doesn't go high enough unfortunately and I don't want to buy a new one right now because I don't want to get obsessed with the scale). So.... I was pleasantly surprised to know that I've now lost 27 pounds in one month! Wooohoooo! I'm now able to do some walking and that will help too. :thumbup:

By now you should have had your surgery. I hope everything went well. Good luck to you and let me know how you are doing!

Moving on to the next stage... Starting with scrambled eggs. I made two just to see how much I could eat and I had about one bite more than one egg. I won't be trying meats until next week so no turkey for Thanksgiving. But I will probably have a spoonful of mashed potatoes.

Next to try before the meats would be tuna and then other kinds of fish. :cursing:

Woohoo, went to the cardiologist today and I lost another 9 lbs, so that makes 20 lbs lost since surgery on November 2nd and 29 lbs lost including pre-surgery diet. My cardio doc was happy too cause my blood pressure was good. He wanted to do a recheck because the surgeon has removed the water pill from my bp meds since he said the diet was enough of a water pill. so, all is good. I have an appointment with the nutritionist on Monday. Hopefully I can move to the next stage!:biggrin:

Hey Season, sounds like you have a pretty good handle on the situation!! I was wondering . . . did you have an incision to have your band put in or was it done laproscopic? I was wondering because I read in your other writings that you had pain meds. Was the pain bad? I am scheduled to have surgery in the first part of Dec and I was just wondering what to expect...thanks for the help...

It was laproscopic. There are 4 very small incisions and one larger one where the port is. While there is far less pain in a laproscopic proceedure and quicker healing you sill have to expect some... after all, your skin does get cut and there is some moving around inside in order to place the band. Also, I had a hernia repair, so they said I would probably experience more discomfort than the average but if that is the case, it really wasn't bad. Good luck to you!

Today I went to the doctor for my follow up appointment, the first since surgery on the 2nd. I lost 11 lbs since surgery! Everything is healing well. My next appointment is a follow-up with the nutritionist when I go into the next phase of eating pureed solids. And in 5 weeks I see the surgeon again to determine if I need a "fill" or not.

I had my first serving of natural applesauce (in one of those little snack cups) which turned out to be a good test. Not sure if I ate it a little to fast but about 2/3 of the way all of a sudden I realized I needed to slow down. Wasn't sure if I could get more in or not... and I was hungry when I started eating it. Woo-hoo! I did slow down and was able to finish it and that held me until it was time for a late lunch after the doctor appointment.

I will be 3 weeks post op tomorrow and I am barely drinking protein shakes because I am tired of the taste. I did them the first two weeks as much as I could...I wasn't hungry at all the first week and a half and now I am hungry all the time...I couldn't have the ricotta cheese until now, I am on pureed foods..I have pureed everything from tuna salad to chix salad to get my protein...I live on cottage cheese...As for napping I hear ya...Take all the rest you can get. It sounds like you are doing great...keep up the good work...

I guess I was lucky because my surgeon did require us to go on a protien drink diet prior to surgery. They asked us to increase protien and decrease carbs and go low fat. That was my first thought of being tired of the shakes by the time surgery comes. Have you looked at the website bariatriceating.com? They have lots of recipes and ideas of what to do with protien shakes. One suggestion is to put it in your coffee or tea (mix with a little water first if it is powdered) and they sell lots of different protien drink alternatives. My doctor told me today that the protien drinks will keep you from being hungry if you have them inbetween meals. Good luck to you.

Tomorrow will be 1 week post surgery. Today I'm not just having protien shakes but have added yogurt, cream of wheat cereal, fat free ricotta cheese and creamed soups.

I'm not a hot cereal lover so that didn't go over too well but everything else I had small portions of and liked it. I even had a small fat free pudding which was good too. I've got to remember to fit my protien shakes in there too inbetween but sometimes it is hard. Maybe once I get back to work tomorrow I'll have a better system and I won't be taking 2 naps during the day! That sort of messes things us too but I figured I needed the rest.

Got through the day without pain meds! Not that I'm pain free, but I can get in a comfortable position and feel fine. Upon moving it's still quite tender but managable without needing pain meds. I hate taking more pills than I have too, especially since I need to cut them up!

Today saw improvement in the incision area but had a little problem with gas/bloating so it was harder to get in liquids. I keep walking circles in around the house and it does seem to help. All in all I have a positive outlook and know that each day will be a little better. Tomorrow I can have the regular protien shakes instead of the clear protien drinks. That may help a little to as I find the isopure a litte sweet. Meanwhile I'm using this time off from work as time to clear my head mentally as well as physically.

Here I am, one day post surgery and sitting up typing! Doing pretty well I must say. They told me I may be more uncomfortable than most banders because I also had a hiatal hernia repair done. Considering that, I'm feeling pretty good! Yes, there were a few moments while in the hospital but that is the worst part of it. I'm taking the minium dose on the pain pills and it is enough. Biggest challenge is getting in and out of bed. But I'm psyched because now it is all behind me and each day will be better as I recouperate and lose the weight!!!

I'm getting ready for the big day tomorrow. I need to arrive at 7 a.m. which means I need to leave at 6 a.m.! I better go set my alarm now since I usually only wake up at 6. There, now it is set for 4:45 a.m. I hope I sleep well. I'm thinking it will be like the first day of school when I can't sleep that night! I usually don't have a problem sleeping though, so maybe not. I've got all my protien drinks ready and my clear liquids. Guess there isn't anything else, except relax! Can you tell I'm excited???