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LoseIt!

LAP-BAND Patients
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Blog Entries posted by LoseIt!

  1. LoseIt!
    I guess I didn't really know what Bandster Hell was until today. I stepped on the scales for my weekly weigh-in and I was .2 pounds up. I know that doesn't seem like a lot, but I was .6 pounds up last week, so I am definitely moving in the WRONG direction.
     
    I have been eating in a way (calorie-wise) that would have produced results in the past. Now...not so much. Plus, I worked out 4 times last week. And not just "activity" work outs...hard, high intensity work outs.
     
    I had myself a nice little pity party on the way to work. Unfortunately, my mom had to attend the party because I talk to her during my commute. I'm not good with these types of parties, for myself or anyone else, so as soon as I got to work...I made a plan. I always feel better when I have a plan.
     
    Step 1: I honestly don't know how much effect I can have on my "diet" until my next fill which is 3/22. So, I'm going to do that which I hate and LOG EVERYTHING. UGH. Seriously, I hate it. But I can't deal with these types of results until I hit my sweet spot. If I log my food, I will have one of two results. 1. It will turn out that I am indeed fooling myself and there are changes to be made. 2. I'm doing everything I need to do and will get some sort of weird satisfaction in showing my nurse. Heh.
     
    Step 2: Additionally, I have gotten a couple of co-workers to work out with me (elliptical) at lunch two days a week. This is HUGE for me. I hate staying in for lunch. I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY hate staying in for lunch. I'm a single girl who lives by myself and lunch is one of my only social interactions. But I recognize that in the short term, I need to make a committment to this. So, I'm planning to do this 2 days a week for 8 weeks.
     
    Step 3: I'm getting a personal trainer. I go to Jazzercise 2-4 times per week. I get a fantastic work out from Jazzercise, but it is hell on my feet. I think it will always hurt, but if I lost 50 pounds, I bet it would start huring less!! Anyway...I can't add Jazzercise classes because my feet will fall off. I thought I would try more muscle building so I can burn fat faster. I have had issues with hurting my back in the past, so I want to work out with a personal trainer to try and keep that from happening. That would just not be helpful at all. I meet with someone at the gym tomorrow at 7:30 PM after my Jazzercise class.
     
    I am committing to 8 weeks (through the end of April) to give myself a good jumpstart. I cannot yet say what I will do after that, but that is not the point. Short term committment. 8 weeks.
     
    I can do this!
  2. LoseIt!

    One Month Out

    By LoseIt!,

    I've been having trouble posting my blog entries and have lost about three. Supposedly things are fixed, so here I go!

    I am one month out. I have lost 22 lbs and 8.75 inches. YAY!! Most of that was during my pre-op diet, but I'm still down in total since the surgery. I understand this is bandster hell and I'm trying! I've found that I'm less obsessed which is good, but since I didn't lose anything last week...maybe it isn't too good.

    I analyzed what I ate last week and found that I'm spending too many calories on carbs and fat. So my goal for this week is to really focus on high protein and low carb meals. My scale goal is to get on a downward, losing trend. I'm trying not to be too selfish and impatient, but I just want to go in the right direction!

    Working out again feels really good. I think it will take about 6 weeks for me to get in the habit of going to class 3-4 times a week, but that is my goal. I used to do that without a problem, but it is amazing what you can get used to when you are being lazy! I know that without a doubt, the exercise makes me feel better and it will help me get off those pounds.

    I am definitely feeling more restriction since my first fill. I have had trouble when I eat too fast or take too big of bites, so that has helped me to slow down. I have also had some trouble with heated up chicken no matter the size of the bites, so that has helped me modify my meal plan.

    Right now I'm having a protein shake for breakfast, my "big" meal at lunch (today was some chicken on a baked potato), an afternoon snack of pita chips and laughing cow cheese, and dinner (grilled chicken salad with boiled egg.) My breakfast, snack & dinner don't see much diversity, so I really try to mix it up at lunch. For instance, yesterday I had grilled catfish with a small amount (2 T?) of broccoli rice casserole.

    I eat lunch out almost every day. If anyone has any meal ideas for restaurants, please send them my way!!

    Have a great week!!

  3. LoseIt!

    Missing blog entry...

    By LoseIt!,

    I have been having trouble with my internet connection and accessing this site the last few days. I just noticed that my blog entry from yesterday didn't actually make it to posting. It was brilliant too, I tell you. Brilliant! :rolleyes2:

    Anyway, I lost another 1.5 lbs this week which was really good because I had GAINED 3 lbs early in the week preceding my fill. 3 lbs! That is nuts. I got my fill on Friday though and all is well. Being on liquid for two days really jumpstarts the weight loss. YAY!

    My first fill was great. My surgeon has all the newbies have the first fill together. It was a little mini support group and I got to hear a lot of different experiences. The fill itself did not hurt at all. Plus, I got a Scooby Doo bandaid. Excellent!

    Tonight is my first night back to Jazzercise. That should be interesting! I had excellent intentions of walking or working out on my Wii prior to getting back to Jazzercise. Didn't happen. Not even remotely. I just need structure to exercise. I hate that, but at least I have found something that works. I'm sure I will whine for the next few weeks, but in the end I will feel great!

    I want to lose this weight and I think for me, exercise along with the healthier diet is the key. I want this, so I am committing myself.

    I hope everyone is having a great week!
  4. LoseIt!

    Olympic Fever!

    By LoseIt!,

    I absolutely LOVE the Olympics!! I know a lot of folks don't, but I do. I love the competition, the pageantry, the patriotism, the cute guys...I love it all. It just makes me happy. Although while I was typing this, I got a CNN Breaking News about one of the races. That is just mean. I don't want to know! I want to watch and enjoy it. Sigh. Oh well, I LOVE the OLYMPICS!
     
    Today is Ash Wednesday and as a Catholic, I practice fasting as defined by the Church. That means no meat today or on Fridays during Lent. It also means only one "large" meal with two smaller meals, but I already only have three small meals because of the band! I went to church during my lunch break and picked up lunch when I got back at the deli in my office building. Typically I would get a sandwich, but since I can't have bread yet for a while (surgeon's orders) and I can't have meat (Ash Wed), it created a mini-challenge for a high-protein diet. I settled for a scoop of egg salad on tossed greens which ended up being quite good.
     
    Tonight is my monthly dinner with my girlfriends. We are going to Jaxx Steakhouse which offers a nice choice of seafood. Yummy!
  5. LoseIt!
    It is nice to get back to normal after Thursday's record snowfall. We in the DFW area do not really know how to function with a foot of snow on the ground. I used to live in Indiana and I never let snow bother me. I have fully converted to Texan life it seems.
     
    I have been logging my weight daily which turns out to be a very smart thing for me. I feel like I have not been losing anything...stuck on the same numbers for a while. I jump up and down by 1-3 pounds everyday, but it all evens out. It turns out that isn't true. First week preop diet - 7.3 lbs lost. Second week preop diet - 4.5 lbs lost. First week postop - 2.0 lbs lost. Second week postop - 5.4 lbs lost. Third week postop - 1.7 lbs lost. Woo hoo!
     
    I realize that the "right" answer would be for me to stop weighing everyday. However, I 100% know that I cannot get myself to do that. And I can honestly say that up or down, it doesn't change what I do. I'm quite focused at this point. So, instead I'm logging my weight each day so I can see the weekly/monthly results and not focus so much on the daily fluctuations. I am much less frustrated now knowing that I lost 1.7 lbs this week!
     
    Also, I am looking forward to going back to Jazzercise. I froze my account for a couple months so I didn't have to pay for time I couldn't go, but it unfreezes on 3/1 and I should have no trouble going back physically. March 1st is only two weeks from today! I will have to take it easy at first because I am WAY out of shape, but I know that it will jumpstart my weightloss and make me feel great!
  6. LoseIt!

    Perky!

    By LoseIt!,

    I talk to my mom during my daily commute to work. This morning she told me I was perky. Ha! I guess after two weeks, I'm finally getting back to myself.
     
    I guess I was feeling a little psyched up today. Once I started eating solid food, I gained a couple of pounds. Today I had lost those plus another tenth. I feel like I'm getting started again!
     
    Also, today is the first day I'm wearing jeans. I sit a lot and the waistband hits right at my incision. I have put off wearing them because I didn't want to irritate it. Today I put on a tank top to tuck in under my sweater and it seems to have made a nice protective barrier. Plus, the jeans fit well...almost loose! Since they were getting very snug before surgery, I'm feeling pretty good.
     
    Today is also the first day I can have real (non-canned) chicken, fish, & vegetables. I'm going to Rockfish for lunch so YUM!
     
    I don't eat my breakfast until 9:00 AM and we leave for lunch around 11:30 AM. So, lately I have been drinking half of my protein shake for breakfast and then drinking the rest around 3:30 when I'm starting to get a little hungry. It really seems to be working well and it is the same amount of calories, etc., they are just spread out!
     
    My perky self better get back to work. Have a bandtastic day!
  7. LoseIt!

    Ho Hum

    By LoseIt!,

    I'm feeling very "ho hum" today. Not great, not bad...just a little bored. I know that once I can go back to Jazzercise (two more weeks) that will get me revved up again. I am just not a walker so right now, it is hard to get motivated to "work out".
     
    So, I'm trying to do other things. Tonight I decided to have my first massage post-banding. I don't think it will be an issue since I have no problem lying on my stomach. I guess if it bothers me I will just ask them to let me do it on my back.
     
    On a completely random note, I started using cocoa butter on my stretch marks. That stuff really works. I'm quite impressed!
     
    Do you all have anything good you used on your scars? I'm in the market. My incisions still have some healing to do, so I have some time to shop around. :tongue_smilie:
  8. LoseIt!
    All of my pains from surgery are behind me and I'm feeling good. I've not had any trouble eating from the beginning although I didn't have an appetite until this weekend. I gained 2 lbs this weekend from the solid food, but I guess that is normal. I'm not aloud to eat a lot of types of protein yet so I'm getting too many carbs. Wednesday I can add chicken and fish to my diet so that is going to help tremendously!!
     
    I also need to get moving. I know I can't Jazzercise yet, but I can walk and work on my Wii. I need to make a committment and do that this week.
     
    I have a support group meeting tonight, my first since being banded. It will be nice to be able to share some of my experience and to better understand some of what others will be sharing.
     
    I'm sure Bandster Hell will get worse before it gets better. My first fill is a week from Friday. I just have to set my mind to "dieting" for a couple of weeks. That will be easier once I can eat meat and vegetables.
     
    I can do it! Have a great week everyone!
  9. LoseIt!

    20 lbs & 2 NSVs!

    By LoseIt!,

    It has been 10 days since my surgery and I'm really starting to get back in the swing of things. If you read my earlier blog, you know that I was having esophageal spasms that hurt tremendously. Well, as the swelling has gone down, the spasms have almost fully gone away. Yay! I hope that means that I won't have problems with fills, but I will definitely keep track of it.

    As of today, I am down 21.1 lbs. I include my pre-op diet pounds in my total because it is all part of the process. I am a little worried that I will gain some now that I am eating solid food, but alas, that is part of the process as well.

    I had TWO non-scale victories today. I am a HUGE Colts fan and my best friend is a HUGE Saints fan. She mentioned a couple weeks ago that she was planning to wear her cute little women's cut Saints jersey to work today. Well, my XXL men's Colts jersey hasn't fit for months. I tried it on last night and it doesn't look half bad! YAY! So, I can represent! That is NSV #1.

    NSV #2 - I haven't worn my rings in several months. I kept telling myself it was because I was "swollen". Heh. Anyway, they are a little snug, but I'm wearing my rings (that I wore everyday for about 10 years) again today.

    It is only the beginning and good things are just flying at me!!

    Hope you all are having a bandtastic week!
  10. LoseIt!

    Post-op appointment

    By LoseIt!,

    Hi all! Today was a busy day, but quite productive.
     
    I had my post op appointment this morning. I felt a TON better today and feel like I'm well on the road to recovery. I still didn't understand why my gas was so freaking bad, but other than that, all was well.
     
    I told the nurse about the gas and as we discussed it she got a look on her face. She said that they weren't gas pains that they were spasms in my esophogus. She said that is what happens when your band is too tight. Hmm...interesting. How anybody could ever live with that, I have no idea. She said that if it is to continue that they will take the fluid out that was put in at the beginning until I fully heal. I think that the swelling is going down quickly enough that I won't have to do that. If it continues though, I will fix it. Living with it is not an option!!
     
    She also gave me my diet progression. I can eat most canned foods now..fruits, veggies, tuna, etc. I can also have eggs, refried beans & innards of a baked potato. Soft cheeses are okay too. This diet is for one week. The next week I can add all veggies and all chicken and fish along with a few other things. The following week (after my first fill appointment routine), I go to my full post op diet. YAY!
     
    I still have a lot of swelling so I'm not hungry at all. Not good for the spasms, but since they are lessening now, at least it is a positive by product. For lunch, I had one scrambled egg and I dipped my bites in salsa. For dinner, I had a baked potato with cheese, sour cream, and butter. I only ate about half of it.
     
    So far, I have had absolutely no issues with food going down. I have high hopes that will continue! :drool:
    I spent my first afternoon at work. I was exhausted after about 3 hours so I was really glad I only did a half day. We will see how tomorrow goes.
     
    Have a great day, fellow bandsters!!
  11. LoseIt!

    Day #7 - Healing

    By LoseIt!,

    Hi everyone! I've been absent for a couple of days because I had been following the rule that if you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all. :bored: I knew from everything you all told me that the pain would pass, so I just waited it out.
     
    I can't say you all didn't warn me...you totally did! I guess that since I have a high tolerance for pain, I thought I could handle it better. Plus, I don't think I expected it to last so long. They didn't really get bad until Day #4 and they lasted excruciatingly until Day #6. Alas, it is Day #7 and everything is tolerable. I am still quite uncomfortable, but I feel that it is downhill from here!
     
    Food has turned me off since the surgery so I still have to force myself to eat the mushy stuff. I don't feel hungry at this point. I'm sure that once all the swelling goes down, I will be hungry again.
     
    Tomorrow is my post op appointment and they will tell me what I can eat from here. I'm trying not to hope too much that I will be able to eat something new. :mad3: That would be super awesome though.
     
    I have a girls group that goes to dinner once a month and we are getting together tomorrow. I would be fine to get soup and just eat the broth or get a smoothie on the way, but it would be so great if I can have flaky fish and mashed potatoes or something!
     
    Hope as is well with you all!!
  12. LoseIt!

    Day #3 - Healing

    By LoseIt!,

    One more day down and getting better. I still have a lot of gas pain so I have been walking and I have taken the advice for using a heating pad. Maybe that will help. All in all, it is doable.
     
    I took off the bandage on my belly button this morning to take a shower. Not pretty! I'm sure it will heal fine though. Just one other small incision and it looks like it is healing perfectly. The belly button incision stings a little more since being bared so I have some ice on it.
     
    I had hot tea for breakfast this morning and it went down fine. Around 10:30, I had some protein powder in milk. It wasn't too bad, but I definitely like it better cold.
     
    I love all the tips I'm hearing from you guys so if you think of something, bring it on!
     
    I'm so fortunate to have my mom here helping me. I don't know how some of you all do it on your own. It is just so comforting and makes it easier to relax. We are going to have one more completely lazy day (except for the walking.) Tomorrow I'm going to try and make myself presentable for a trip to church. I think I should be able to do that. I have theater tickets for Sunday, so church should give me a good indicator if I will be able to do that. It is only a couple of hours. We shall see.
     
    Have a great weekend everyone!
  13. LoseIt!

    Day #2 - Healing

    By LoseIt!,

    Hi everyone! I am officially a bandster. Woo hoo!!
     
    Mom flew in the night before and we briefly chatted and got ready for bed. I was really tired, but once I was in bed I was quite anxious so I took my $13 Valium. Next thing I knew it was morning.
     
    We had to be at the surgery center at 6:45 so we were up and at it bright and early. We happened to walk in with my surgeon so I felt that was a good sign somehow. I was slated to go second for the day and I filled out my paperwork. They took the first girl back and it seemed just a few minutes later that they called me back. The nurses were super sweet as they prepped me. I had to give a urine sample before I had the surgery but I had to wait until the first girl was out of the bathroom. That took about 20 minutes, I think. Poor girl could never go so they brought her out to give her fluids and bumped me up a spot. Woo hoo!
     
    I talked to the surgeon a bit. He's a feisty one. But I like that. I remember meeting the anesthesiologist (CA-UTE!) but nothing much after that. Next thing I knew I was in recovery. The nurse said that I did so great during my preop diet that my liver looked fantastic and the normally 45 minutes surgery took only 20! That made it all worth it.
     
    I felt like I had been hit by a truck, but I was also feeling optimistic. I had to sit in post op for about an hour and I started to feel a bit better. As I was about ready to go the girl that got bumped came out of surgery and she was not having an easy time of it. I felt bad for her but it made me realize how well I was doing.
     
    That was it and I was ready to go home. Mom drove me and I realized it was only 9:15. Wow. I was home three hours from the time I left in the morning. Crazy!
     
    The day was long. I wasn't sleepy at all so a nap was out of the question. My mom kept me company and we watched mindless TV all day. I would move back and forth from the TV to the couch throughout the day. One thing I noticed is that I could lay on my side almost immediately. That surprised me, I took pain medication every four hours regardless of how I felt. I think that helped a lot. I also took a lot of GasX. It didn't seem to do much until late in the evening when I started to feel things moving in my tummy. I have been farting like a trucker ever since.
     
    My throat hurt worse than I expected it to, my incisions hurt less than I expected to and my gas hurt about like I expected.
     
    My friends at work sent me flowers which was super sweet. And I had a lot of friends and family members sending me good thoughts and messages.
     
    I went to bed around 10 PM. I was able to cuddle a body pillow and sleep on my side. I slept quite well until 4:30 when I got up and took more pain medication. I went back to sleep and woke up around 8:00 to a text from my friend. (Side note: she recently had a break in, but is trying to hook up with the police officer that came by and I have been giving her pointers. She had just taken some thank you cookies to the station and needed some support. :thumbup: )
     
    I still have gas today, but it has subsided quite a bit. Insicions hurt but only a little bit. My throat is almost all better. There is just a small cut on the top of my mouth from the breathing tube that is driving me crazy.
     
    I have been drinking water like crazy. Yesterday I had grape juice, a popsicle and a tiny bit of chicken broth. No issues whatsoever. Today I have had more juice and I'm having hot tea now. I also took my birth control pill and had no issue. For lunch I will have some more chicken broth and for dinner I might get crazy and have some beef broth.
     
    All in all...not a bad experience. Yesterday I felt like I got hit by a Mack truck, but today just a VW bug. Ha!
     
    Hope you are all doing well out there!!
  14. LoseIt!

    Day #14 - Liquid Diet

    By LoseIt!,

    This is it. This is the last day! So close!! YAY!
     
     
    In my mind the process is broken down into steps:

    Waiting period - done.
    Pre op diet - almost done!
    Surgery
    Healing
    Weightloss
    10% of weight lost (28.5 lbs)
    50 pounds lost
    75 pounds lost
    Hit 200 (85 pounds lost)
    100 pounds lost
    Nutritionist goal (120 pounds lost)
    Surgeon goal (135 pounds lost)
    Adjusted goal TBD

    [*]Maintenance

    I have no idea how long this all will take, but I do better when I have smaller obtainable goals. Getting through surgery is a biggie for me and that itself will be be done (probably) by this time tomorrow. Whoa. Ahem...anyway...
     
    The only thing on my mind is to get through the surgery safely then start on healing. I consider the healing process to be from tomorrow afternoon through my first fill which is scheduled for 2/19.
     
    I will give you all an update as soon as I can!
  15. LoseIt!
    I had a major smoothie meltdown over the weekend. I certainly don't hate smoothies, but I was at the point that I couldn't even think of one without gagging. I honestly didn't know that was possible. I didn't eat much on Saturday and I knew that wasn't healthy. I still felt that way yesterday, but managed to choke down a protein shake in the AM, but I ended up having a little less shake and a little more soup than I am supposed to have in the PM. I felt slightly bad for "cheating", but since the two soups together were actually less calories than some of the other soups I can have, I can't imagine that it caused too much damage. Plus, I feel much better today and know that I can finish out the diet from here.
     
    I had a little bit of excitement this morning. I was talking to my mom about her flight in (she is helping me post surgery). She is coming in Tuesday evening and my surgery was Wednesday morning. Well, long story short, her plane ticket is for Wednesday evening, not Tuesday. Sigh. There was a lot of drama, but the airline switched her up and she is coming in Tuesday evening, just like she thought. YAY!
     
    The surgery nurse called me today and I'm to be at the surgery center at 6:45 AM. I like that. I would rather get there early and get it over instead of waiting much of the day...especially since I have to fast. So, it is really starting to feel real. I thought I would be more freaked out, but I'm not. Yet, anyway.
     
    My girlfriends are going to go get pedicures with me tonight so I'm not sitting at home thinking about it. They are awesome!
     
    Wednesday morning will be the official end of my pre op diet and I will weigh in then, but as of this morning I am down 11.8 lbs. So, I think I will hit my goal of 12 lbs. lost on the pre op diet. I'm definitely proud of myself for that.
     
    *** I want to thank you all for your support. I appreciate each and every response because it makes me realize how "not alone" I am. I can't even put into words what a difference it has made. ***
     
    Have a wonderful day!!
  16. LoseIt!

    Day #10 - Liquid Diet

    By LoseIt!,

    I had an interesting coversation with a friend the other day. She was the first person other than my mom that I told about my decision to have LB and she is very supportive. I was reminiscing about days long ago when I was smaller and I said something about having no idea what I would look like at 180 because i have never weighed that as an adult. Her eyes got wide and she said that she didn't think I looked 180 now. Ha! I'm currently 280. I love my friend, but I'm quite sure I don't look 180. She said that she thinks her husband is lying to her about how much he weighs since it isn't as much as me. I told her that he probably wasn't as I weigh more than most men I know including my dad (who is NOT a small man.)
     
    That got me to thinking about my body type. I have been so fortunate in my life to always look like I weigh much less than I do. My weight is very evenly distributed over my body and I've always (well, until very recently) had a shape. The last area to really gain is my midsection. As I've gained this year into weights I have never been before, I have developed fat areas that I've never had. I now have a large belly and the dreaded intertube.
     
    I have lost about 10 pounds on my liquid diet and I can tell a difference in my midsection. Although this area is smaller, I think I can tell that it is never going to be the same. Although I feel sure it would have only gotten worse, I am a little sad that I didn't start this process earlier.
     
    Oh well, what's done is done. I'm quite sure that once I get to 180, I won't be disappointed!!
  17. LoseIt!

    Day #9 - Liquid Diet

    By LoseIt!,

    I defnintely got over my hump from yesterday, so YAY!! I'm so glad that I have stuck to it.
     
    Since I have always been entertained by BG's poop stories, I have one of my own. Everything has been "regular" since starting my liquid diet. That is, until this morning. Whoa. Liquid in...liquid out. Blast off. Holy moly. Ahem. Anyway, I guess I have this to look forward to for the next few days. Fun times! Note to self: no quick toots in the file room! Not that I ever do that sort of thing. :thumbup:
     
    I got my blood work today, so another things down. Just have to get my allergy shot today and go by the pharmacy for my post op meds.
     
    Wow...it is really coming quickly! But I still have 5 more days of liquid, so it is okay that it is.
     
    Have a super duper day!
  18. LoseIt!

    Day #8 - Liquid Diet

    By LoseIt!,

    I hit a wall this morning! I thought I was going to barf if I had to eat another smoothie. But then I ate a smoothie and didn't barf, so now I feel like a champion. Ha! I feel like I broke through the wall and I'm on track again. I do feel more hungry today, so I'm not quite sure what's up with that. I KNOW I will work it out though.
     
    I had my non-official "official" one week weigh in this morning and I am down 8.7 lbs. So yay! My goal for the two week liquid diet is 12 lbs, so I only need to lose (less than) half that this week to meet it.
     
    I haven't cheated AT ALL. I'm pretty sure that I have never done that before...ever. I went to an event last night that had a buffet dinner. On my way, I drank 2/3 of a protein shake and had the rest a couple hours later on the way home. That's HUGE for me, people!
     
    I have my monthly dinner with my girlfriends tonight. There are 6 of us and all but one know about my upcoming procedure. My friend in charge of picking the place this month chose a place with broth based soup so I can eat there. I love my friends. Three of them have slight problems with weight, but not like me at all. One is very active and a really good size. The other is a runner and very petite. We are all different, but we are quite tight.
     
    I WILL be good today. I'm not thinking about anything but today. I know I can do it.
     
    Have a great day everybody!
     



  19. LoseIt!

    Day #7 - Liquid Diet

    By LoseIt!,

    Although my CPAP is not yet completely effective (it will take another 20 pounds for that, I think), I'm feeling really great! Tomorrow morning is my one week weigh in and I know that I have done great, so far. I was thinking this morning that I wish this diet was only one week, but I know that if I can do one week...I can do two weeks!
     
    I'm going to go have a popsicle. Have a great day everyone!
     
    Oh - can anyone tell me how to make my ticker automatically insert itself when I post something? I'm not sure how to do that. Thanks!!
     



  20. LoseIt!

    Day #6 - Liquid Diet

    By LoseIt!,

    So, it hasn't been quite as bad as I expected. Knowing that I only have 9 more days...there is a definitive end...makes all the difference. I obviously couldn't keep this up indefinitely. If I could, I wouldn't be in this situation!
     
    My liquid diet consists of protein shakes twice a day and a bowl of soup once a day. I can fill in with sugar-free jello, pudding and popsicles. I have to say that I'm quite tired of jello, pudding and popsicles. :thumbup:
     
    I'm still not very good at making my own protein shakes, so I tend to drink ready made or Smoothie King. I love Smoothie King's Chocolate Gladiator with berries, but I can't seem to replicate it yet.
     
    I have lost 7.3 lbs. and I'm excited by that. I had gained around 15 lbs. over the holidays, so it would be nice to get at least most of that off before surgery. I have no doubt that the loss will slow way down now, but I still have 9 days. I plan to update my ticker once a week, so official weigh in will be Wed. morning.
     
    I am so proud of myself for not cheating. Not even a little!! I have diet coke in my fridge and I don't even really miss it. What I do miss is Chipotle. Mmmm...Chipotle. I actually blame Chipotle for 30 of the 40 pounds I have gained this year. I love the stuff and I could never content myself with just a little bit. I'm hoping the band with help with that, but I know it might be something I have to stay away from for good. Only time will tell.
     
    Things I still have to do before surgery: get my blood test, get my allergy shot, pick up meds at pharmacy, and grocery shop for the necessary post op diet. But I have a lot to keep me busy this week, like a NASCAR dinner at Texas Motor Speedway (that's right...I said it), "dinner" with friends, a couple of movies and some training at church. Plus, a couple of friends are going to get pedicures with me on the Monday before surgery to help keep my mind off it. Then mom comes in Tuesday night and Wednesday is surgery. It is going to be over and done with before I know it!
     



  21. LoseIt!

    Day #1

    By LoseIt!,

    My smoothie this morning was great as usual, so no issues there. I even started my morning with some hot tea as recommended by the nutritionist and I really like how it cleared my throat.
     
    About 10:30 I started getting hungry. At 11:00 I ate a sugar free jello cup which is allowed on the plan.
     
    I told a friend that we could ride together to grab lunch. There isn't a Smoothie King by there, but there is a Jamba Juice so I decided to try it for the first time. I have to say that I was quite dissappointed. They had some good choices, but their protein powder is only 10g of protein. Not enough for my plan, but I decided to go with it this one time. I got a Mega Mango (all fruit) with the protein. I honestly almost can't drink it. It doesn't have much flavor and I can really feel the protein powder coat my tongue. It is going to take me 2 hours to eat the darn thing.
     
    In the end, I guess it is a good thing. Won't be tempted by something that doesn't really fit in my plan.
     
    I brought a jello cup and a pudding cup for afternoon snacks. I have theater tickets tonight so we are going to dinner somewhere I can get some soup and I have another pudding cup for dessert.
     
    It will feel good to have one day on the books!! I'm hungry, but psyched up enough to keep on track.
     
     

  22. LoseIt!
    I had my pre-op and nutritionist appointments this morning. I think I'm a little overwhelmed. I definitely started to panic on my way from the doctor to work, but I was able to get past it. I think I'm good to go now!
     
    I'm starting my pre-op diet tomorrow. It is mostly a liquid diet. Two protein shakes and one serving of either broth based soup or cottage cheese. You can even have "chunks" in the soup. So that will be good. It is going to be super hard. I don't know why I thought it would only be one week of liquid diet. Oh well, maybe I will lose my holiday weight before I actually have the surgery. That would be excellent!!
     
    I keep thinking about how ridiculously hungry I'm going to be. But then I think I can do most anything for two weeks.
     
    I actually told several of my employees today. I wasn't planning to tell most of work, but we were discussing me been out and I was asked specifically what surgery I was having. I started talking about how it was stomach surgery, no big deal. But then I realized that I love these people so I just said, "well, I'm having LAP-BAND®®® procedure." They were all so happy for me (of course, I guess they work for me so it would be weird to trash me.) One of them has a daughter who had a band, but she had a lot of complications. She still said she thought it was a good idea and thought I would be good with it. That was a great feeling!!
     
    So, now it is definitely not a secret. I'm okay with that. I just don't do secrets well.
     
    I took my before pictures last night and they are beauties! Ha! I will post them soon.
     
    That said...tomorrow is officially Day #1. Here I go!
  23. LoseIt!
    I am truly getting excited about this process. I am a planner though, so I have been holding back somewhat because I haven't known what kind of pre-op diet I will have. Normally, I would have had a day-by-day menu already prepared. :w00t:
     
    That's how it happens for me. I join WW or Jenny Craig and I meticulously plan my meals. And I do great!! I lose weight and everything is groovy. Until, of course, I can't plan that one week. And then everything starts to crumble. So my new goal is to be more flexible and "go with the flow".
     
    My other nagging feeling is the guilt I feel for gaining weight since my initial mid-November appointment. The surgeon didn't put me on a diet, nor did they say "don't gain weight", although I'm guessing it was implied. Through Thanksgiving and Christmas, I gained around 15 pounds. Although I'm a little embarrassed by that, mostly I just want to move forward. I feel confident that I can go on any pre-op diet that I am given and be successful. I just don't want to be judged and get a lecture. Sigh. I'm 12.
     
    Tonight is my last support group meeting pre-band. I'm going to have someone take my "before" pictures, so (even though they will be icky to look at) that will give me some turbo-incentive!
     
    To me, 1/12 has always been the date I was waiting for even though my surgery date isn't until 1/27. Tomorrow it starts! YAY! I have decided that even if my my pre-op diet is less than two weeks, I'm going to make it two weeks.
     
    I'm getting fired up now just thinking about it!! I will post my before pictures tomorrow. Try not to lose any sleep in anticipation, y'all! Hee!
  24. LoseIt!
    I'm a self pay patient and I'm scheduled for 1/27. I love the doctor and the package of care that is included, so I was fine with the price. Expensive, but it is what I wanted.
     
    I saw a commercial today and the advertised price for EXACTLY what I have scheduled had dropped $3k. Holy cow.
     
    I made a call to the office and left a message with my contact to see if I can get the newly advertised price. Hopefully, they will just say yes and that will be the happy end of it.
     
    But of course, I'm nervous that they won't.
     
    Nothing I can do until they call me back.
     
    For you GNR fans...
     
    I sit here on the stairs
    'Cause I'd rather be alone
    If I can't have you right now
    I'll wait, dear
    Sometimes I get so tense
    But I can't speed up the time
    But you know, love
    There's one more thing to consider
  25. LoseIt!

    22 days to go...

    By LoseIt!,

    ...and only 7 Days until my pre-op appointment. Wow. I'm ready though!
     
    I decided that I wouldn't police myself over Christmas. I figured that if I gained 5 or 6 pounds, so be it. How many of you just laughed to yourself about my naivete? Yes, I actually gained 9.5 pounds. Add that to the 3 pounds I gained at Thanksgiving and I am almost 13 pounds heavier from the holidays. Ugh. Can't blame a soul but myself.
     
    I did work out last night for the first time in forever. My feet are killing me these days (from the extra weight) so I can't Jazzercise, but I worked out for 40 minutes on my Wii Fit. It isn't a super duper workout, but I sweat and got my heart rate up. It is a start and I will make a goal to do at least 30 minutes each day this week.
     
    One of the company partners brought in a Bacon Explosion today. What is that you ask? See for yourself: Bacon Explosion: The BBQ Sausage Recipe of all Recipes Yikes! I had one bite. Probably my entire fat count for the whole day. Ha!
     
    Another random thought: I want to take my official "before" picture this weekend before I start my pre-op diet. I live alone and it is not super fun to imagine asking a friend to do it. (I want it to be in workout pants and top. Those seem to show the differences best to me.) So, I was thinking that I would take my outfit and camera to my support group meeting on Monday. I bet one of them would take it for me. I love having that group along with this site. It has really allowed me to talk about it a lot without driving my friends crazy. Plus, my mom talks to me about it all the time so that helps too.
     
    I just need to get through this week then time is going to fly by! Happy week, y'all!

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