ElfiePoo

My doc's guidelines were 1 cup of food in 20-30 minutes. If it takes you longer than that, then you're 'grazing'. I can't ever remember being hungry, so I'd just measure out my food and when it was gone, I was done. After I had restriction, I noticed that many times I'd still have a couple bites left but something just told me that I was done. Hard to explain. The few times I ignored that little voice, that last bite kind of just sat there for 10 minutes until some moved out of my pouch. If all you had was 2 eggs, I wouldn't worry about it. If you had other things with that egg, then it'd be too much. .

If your doctor said 1 cup, then he/she was talking volume. In my nutrition meeting, they said we should be eating one cup...and then the nut pulled out a plate with plastic food and it was more like 3 cups. Personally, I eat 2-3 oz of meat, fish or poultry and 1/2 cup of vegies and 1/4 cup of carbs. Sometimes I don't make it through everything.

I'd call Aetna and find out why and ask them why they would delay the very thing you need to make the band work. Perhaps they're uninformed. My doc only charges $150 for a fill for people with no insurance coverage. .

I had a really bad stuck episode last week and had the same aftereffect. A few days later it was gone. .

In some ways this show is unbelieveable...a first grader not knowing what a tomato is...or not using forks and knives? But years ago I knew someone who was amazed that my 4 year old was using a fork and commented that her 9 and 10 year old still use spoons because they're too dangerous with forks. I love what this man is attempting to do but I do think half the attitude he's getting has more to do with 'what's that fur-ener think he's doing coming here and trying to teach us anything' than with what he's trying to teach them. John, sorry to hear of the backlash in the U.K. I'd heard great things about that program and it would be sad if they went back to the way things are just because the children refused to eat their lunch. I say let them refuse. No child ever deliberately starved themselves to death and when they're hungry, they'll eat. .

Congratulations!

Bob, I wear Crocs, size small, and you can have your choice of crayola purple, sunshine yellow, neon green or brilliant tangerine. Oh and I have a pair in woodland camo. .

Mine is 'Hilda'. Fans of 'Rumpole of the Bailey' will know that Rumpole refers to his wife, Hilda, as "She Who Must Be Obeyed". .

I'm not quite sold on the idea that we don't drink for an hour after meals in order to keep from washing our food through the pouch too quickly because when that hour is up and we drink, we're doing the same thing...and we still have 4 hours to go until the next meal. The logic doesn't work for me. I don't drink with meals and wait for at least 30 minutes after meals to eat mainly because if I try to drink during this period, I get stuck episodes. Since I don't eat any solid food until lunch (I posted my daily meal plan in the 'banded, banding, band' thread), getting 20 oz of water in before lunch isn't a problem. After lunch, I just wait 30 minutes and then it's not a problem getting in another 20 oz before dinner since my mini-meal is another protein shake. Even if I chose to eat some cheese or a handful of nuts and waited 30 minutes, I'd still have plenty of time to get that next 20 oz in. Then no problem getting it in the evening for the same reason. .

I agree in theory. However, there are a lot of 'hidden' calories that people tend to overlook. Some would say that a dinner of 3 oz of Protein, 1/2 cup vegies and 1/4 cup carbs (pasta, Beans, rice, potatoes) is a balanced, low calorie meal...but fry that protein instead of grilling or baking, add butter, cheese, sauces or dressings to your vegies and slather on gravies, butters and sauces to your carbs...and you can easily add 600+ calories to your daily count. Broil, grill or bake your protein, steam your vegies and learn to enjoy their flavors and not use them as an excuse to eat the butters and sauces...same with the carbs. I'm not saying you can't have these things...just be aware that they can take an otherwise healthy, low calorie meal and turn it into a nutritional (and scale) nightmare. I don't count calories and I do use real butter, etc. but I'm conscious of how much and how often I use them. In the last 18 weeks since surgery I've lost 47 pounds which is more than 2 pounds per week (granted 18 of it was lost in 3 weeks). I've been happy with that but now I want to lose 13 pounds by April 30th so plan on cutting back on these 'extras'. .

I've loved my band from the day I went to the seminar (6 weeks prior to surgery) because it gave me 'hope' that I would one day get this weight off and live (and eat) like a normal person. Just knowing I was going to get the band changed something in my thinking to where I actually dropped 14 pounds in that 6 weeks before surgery and without any dieting. Each day with a changed outlook towards food...each pound down...make me love it even more. .

My doctor doesn't have any special requirements either. He said to eat if I can or drink if I can't. Until my last fill, I could eat the same after the fill as I did prior to. My last fill though...wow. I was drinking Protein shakes for almost a week. Now, 3 weeks later and I'm finally back to where I can eat without worry (as long as I remember the 'rules'). .

Many doctors tell their patients they want them to eat 3 meals and no 'snacking' and this is translated into 3 meals and absolutely nothing...no matter what...in between. Please keep in mind that most doctors have little to zero knowledge regarding nutrition. It's just not part of their training. Sadly, even some nutritionists are not keeping up with the changes in the field of nutrition. Studies have *proven* that 6 small meals per day control and stabilize a person's blood sugar levels better than 3 meals. Stable blood sugar levels mean less cravings and hunger...and even if you aren't a diabetic, your blood sugar does fluctuate and can cause cravings and hunger as a result of that fluctuation. Most diabetics I know do 3 main meals and 3 mini-meals...not snacks. A snack is just something to munch on for the sake of munching or craving or whatever. The mini-meal is nutritionally sound and serves a purpose. Snacks are generally empty calories and/or high in carbs, sugars and/or fats. The mini-meal is high in protein and low in carbs, sugars and fats (when balanced against the protein gained). I'm putting something into my body every 3 hours, starting at 7 a.m. I am never hungry...never craving...and I never 'snack'. .

Whillow, Don't let your scale beat you up. It sounds like you're doing all the right things. The only thing I would suggest is to take a look at that 1 cup of food and dissect it as far as fats, carbs, etc. and make sure you aren't overdoing any of them. Normally I use real butter, regular dressings (blue cheese, caesar, etc.) on my salads and don't worry about those little extras because I said the band meant I would never have to diet again. However, as I just posted, I want to hit onderland by April 30th (about 13 pounds) for my sons commissioning as an officer in the army and I know that means cutting out these 'extras'. So my salad at lunch today will be vinegar and some McCormack's Salad Supreme seasoning. Believe me...the fat calories add up quickly.

Annie, Here's my typical day of 6 'meals' 7 a.m. Double scoop protein powder in 2% milk (380 calories, 18 carbs) 9:30 a.m. EAS readymade shake (110 cal, 3 carbs) Noon: 3 oz protein, 1/2 cup vegies 2:30 p.m. EAS readymade shake (110 cal, 3 carbs) 5:00 p.m. 3 oz protein, 1/2 cup vegies, 1/4 cup carbs (pasta, rice, beans) 7:30 p.m. EAS readymade shake (110 cal, 3 carbs) 10:00 p.m. Normally I don't eat after my last mini-meal but if I'm really craving, I'll hold off until 10 p.m. at which time I decide whether I'm going to bed and can 'tuff it out' or whether I really 'need' that snack. It may consist of a couple crackers with cheese, a sugar free jello or pudding or, sometimes, a piece of good quality dark chocolate. I probably end up doing a snack only 1 or 2 nights each week if that. Oh and I make sure I drink a 20 oz bottle of water or Crystal lite betweek my 3 main meals. That, combined with my 4 oz water with Benefiber and my evening tea add up to my 64 oz of water. I do shakes for my mid-meal snacks just because I'm usually too busy to stop and eat...and with full restriction stopping is necessary when I eat solids unless I want to get stuck and start sliming. If you aren't much of a shake person, good mid-meal snacks are usually protein: a few almonds (10 or so) 2 oz of hard cheese (as opposed to cream cheese) Hard boiled egg (assuming you're the exception and have no problem with eggs) The purpose of the 6 meals is to keep the blood sugar stable which in turn keeps the hunger and cravings controlled. Protein is the key which is why you don't want those mid-meal mini-meals to be a typical 'snack'...even if it's sugar free. You want that protein. If something isn't clear, just let me know.

Leigha: Not only do prone positions do badly with the band and eating, but slouching at the table is a problem as well. Glad you had a great time in N'awlins! I went during spring break one year and had such a great time strolling through the French Quarter. I'd seen pics of it during Mardis Gras but it was much more enjoyable during the daytime when there was actually room to walk down the streets. HB: 80 pounds? WTG!! Betsy: Congratulations on reaching 'onderland'!! Lizzy: Hey...3 pounds lost is still 3 pounds not gained! Christie: Have a great time...on the vacation and finding a new bra. Oh and give your new fill time. It's taken me 3 *weeks* to get past the swelling on this last fill. I was almost going to call this past Monday to get that .25cc taken back out cuz I figured I couldn't possibly be swollen this long. Wrong. Finally over the weekend and as this last week progressed, it's better. Only 2 stuck episodes this week and both my fault! Anne: I'm a diabetic and have found that 6 'meals' works best for me. I'll do a separate post follow this one to explain what I do. Gloria: At about 6 weeks postop I took my son to the Hot Dog House and found that, despite no fills, I got stuck on the first bite. I found on the second bite that I had trouble controlling the size of the bite so I went and got a knife and fork. Problem solved. From that day I stopped eating with my hands. I had a corned beef on rye last night and I used a knife and fork on that as well. Much easier to control the 'bite'. Bobbie: Welcome...the more the merrier. Hey, I'll be your neighbor (as well as FV neighbor). I'm Melody Parker Upham on FB. Just remind me who you are when you send the 'friend' invite cuz I only friend people I know. Bob: I hear you on Farmville. Usually I avoid these types of games after being seriously addicted to Final Fantasy Online 4 years ago. Fortunately, these one isn't nearly as fun but right now it's one of the ways I deal with events outside my control aka my friend who had the accident with the tree. As for not 'feeling' positive. Well stick around your lap buddies. I find when I'm feeling a bit down, just reading through these uplifting posts helps raise my spirits. I realize I'm not alone with all these 'feelings'. Let us help raise your spirits...your humor has certainly raised mine on numerous occasions. Now put the veal down! Update on Mark (my friend): He's awake and knows everyone but still having some short term memory loss...common in brain injuries. Nothing is being said yet about any type of possible paralysis but considering their initial prognosis was that he'd die, this is all good news at this point. JM: Be careful with trying to do too much too soon. Too many people think strep throat is just a sore throat...and it has the potential for being far more serious! Glad you're feeling somewhat better. Ok...a couple more responses and then I need to get moving. Friday is the first day of my 3 day weekends and lots to do starting with laundry, vacuuming and dusting. Have a great day y'all! .

Good morning everyone! It's cool and crisp (more like a fall morning) here with brilliant blue skies and sunshine! Not a cloud in sight! The day is only made better (if possible) by an e-mail from my mom telling me they had a couple inches of snow. Since they're a bit southeast from us and about 2-3 weeks ahead as far as seasonal changes, I usually have to hear about how nice it is there when I'm still slogging through winter. I haven't gone in for an unfill yet, but I do seem to be doing better over the last several days as far as stuck episodes. I think I've only had 2 in the last 4 days (versus a few every day) and both times it was because I was distracted and didn't chew well enough. Minor episodes. I made grilled reubens with a home cooked corned beef on thin sliced rye last night for the family and, buoyed by my several good days, decided I was having one too. I left the saurkraut off mine because I knew it wasn't going down, grilled it really well and then cut it into 4 small pieces. The rye loaf was quite small so the size of the sandwich was probably 2/3 the size of a sandwich made on a regular bread. I took a small bite (heaven!) and chewed *thoroughly*. Then I swallowed that one bite in small increments so it wasn't going down in one mass. Yes I did eat the whole thing and with not one stuck episode or PBing! If I had crammed it into a measuring cup, it would have been just slightly more than a cup in quantity so I think I 'done good'. Granted it did take me the entire 20 minutes just to finish that sandwich and I have to say I was a bit tired of chewing and eating by the time I finished it so it's not something I'll do on a regular basis, but oh my gosh...what a nice treat! I said I'd never diet or exercise again, but I lied. My middle son (just turned 25) has been in the army for 5 years and 2 years ago they sent him back to finish his bachelor's degree. He graduates on May 1st, but his commissioning ceremony (lieutenant) will be on April 30th. It is my goal to be under 200 pounds by that time. I have 5 weeks. I can do this.

My lunch is usually the previous night's dinner. I always cook double portions so when I'm clearing the food away after dinner, I just pack everyone's lunch for the next day. Thursday - chicken tenderloin (about 3 oz) that was dipped in egg and a mixture of flour and French's french fried onion rings and then baked and a small spring greens salad with caesar dressing. Wednesday - 3 oz crab cake and a small salad made with spring greens and blue cheese dressing. Tuesday - spinach and cheese filled ravioli with a small salad and italian dressing Monday - 3 oz of thin sliced roast beef spread with a bit of mustard, sprinkled with shredded asiago cheese and then rolled up with a green onion. Small salad with caesar dressing and garbanzo Beans.

Good for you for confronting your doc. Perhaps you just got him on a bad day...not an excuse for bad behavior, but a reason. You might ask him what he considers 'successful' because according to my doctor, a patient is considered a success (for statistical purposes) when they lose 50% of their excess weight and bypass patients will lose roughly 2/3 just because of the malabsorption. If you look at how many actually take off all their excess weight (and there are no stats), I'll bet you'll find that most do not...and may even later gain it back...because their bad eating habits do not change. I make that assumption based on the info I've gleaned from the various bypass forums and the people I've known personally. .

I just wanted to check in and let you know I may be disappearing for a day or two. I'm in a state of shock this morning. I woke up to find an e-mail from a friend letting me know that a dear friend, one of my spiritual mentors, was taking a tree down yesterday when it fell the wrong way and hit him in the head. He was airlifted to the medical center and had surgery to remove the blood on his brain. He's now in ICU with severe injuries to his face, back of the skull and several vertebrae. At this point they don't know whether he'll be paralyzed and/or have serious impairment of his mental faculties. To all my band friends who pray, please pray for this young man, his wife and toddler son. If he survives, it will be a long long road to recovery. Thanks.

Apology accepted. :thumbup:

In which case you should have asked for clarification instead of going off on a totally unrelated rant. My post was in response to your surgeon's comment that some people *never* get a fill and must be strong willed thus the implication that those who get fills are lacking in such. You obviously have had fills so my comment obviously had nothing to do with you. There's no point in responding to any of your accusations because they are false accusations based on your misassumptions. In fact, your entire post was based on a wide range of misassumptions about what I said, so perhaps we could back up a bit. .

Which begs the question, "If they don't need the band, why did they get banded?" As for 'strong willed'. I have to say this type of comment really torques me because the reality is that banding does not remove the need for self-control and will power. Even when I was overfilled and so restricted that I lived on Protein shakes until I could get an unfill, high calorie slider foods were still a possibility...if I did not practice willpower and self-control. Many banded people struggle not to graze through the day...which we can still do when we have restriction...and that takes self-control and will power. I love my surgeon. He was only 60 pounds overweight but because he had a problem controlling his portions...and because he was gaining more weight every year, he was banded. I believe that is why he has a much better understanding of this whole process than most surgeons do. He was very clear in my seminar that being banded is not about being a failure and lacking self-control and will power. It's just about finding the right tool. If WW or Jenny Craig work, great. If the band works, great...but all require self-control and willpower.

Oooo...yeah! I'm on FB and a couple of my 'friends' started discussions that almost dissolved into virtual fist fights. I stayed out of those conversations :confused:. If nothing else, it sure will be interesting to finally see how this 'national health care' actually plays out now that they're 'doing' something. .

EAS whey protein shake (2 scoops) Calories 260 Fat 5 Saturated Fat 2 Trans fat 0 Calories from fat 50 Cholesterol 130mg Sodium 100mg Total Carbs 6 Fiber 2 Sugars 2 Protein 46 Are you sure about the cholesterol number because that seems to be a huge difference between mine and yours and since the fat in yours is higher, doesn't seem logical.