~amy~

Agree 100%!!! There are positives and negatives. There are people who still diet...there are people who don't. It's a mental thing for me. If I "diet," there's no way I'm gonna lose the weight because shortly after a diet, I tend to binge my way back into my fat jeans. I have found that when I balance my Protein with my caloric intake, I tend to have more weight loss, and my system seems to work better. I try to stay at 50 grams of protein a day, and between 800 and 1000 calories. At first, I was all about the counting. And I lost a BUNCH of weight. Now, I'm trying to keep track of what I eat in my head, I'm still conscious of what I put into my body, but I'm not writing everything down like I did before. My weight loss has slowed, but it's still going down...which I consider a success. Like adagay said, you'll be an expert in no time! Try to take all the advice you see on this forum as just that...advice. Your experience is your own - your body is unique, and there's nobody out there that will have the exact same successes/struggles as you have. And just because I love it now, doesn't mean I didn't have my doubts about a month after surgery...the post-op diet is NOT fun. And you will have to change your eating habits. If you're not ready for that, you may want to reconsider. But from what you've mentioned, it sounds like you have already been doing that anyway. But don't let me talk you into it...make sure you research everything thoroughly, and make an informed decision. That way, you're more likely to be successful and happy with your decision. :smile2: Good luck!

I eat pizza at least once a week - and I had a lean burger last night. The tricky part is the bread for me. So I started using the Sara Lee Sandwich Rounds instead of buns (or bread if I want a sandwich). They're great and they are awesome with some lunchmeat, bacon, and pepperjack under the broiler. YUMMY!! And if you are a rice person and can't bear the idea of never eating rice again, use brown rice instead of white. A lot of times, it's just a matter of doing things a little differently. The thing about the band is that every BODY and every SURGEON is different. Some docs have very strict rules, others don't. My doc told me that as long as I budget my calories and make good choices 90% of the time, then an occasional slice of pizza is fine. If I stop losing weight, then we have to re-evaluate that philosophy a little. But he allows me to live my life, and enjoy doing it. The way he described it to me was, "You should be able to still eat most of the things you love, just in smaller quantities." And I have a responsibility to myself to try to find healthier things to enjoy. :thumbup: Like I said, I've lost 63 lbs in 4 months doing it this way...I haven't felt really deprived of anything (once I got past the liquid post op diet, that is). The only thing I've craved that I absolutely can't have is a fast food burger. The bread is too much for me. But I did see where Sonic has a grilled chicken sandwhich on whole wheat bread now!! Tried it once last week, and it went down fine. So even though it seems that pork chops are not my best friend in the world, all is not lost! :Banane20: Woo hoo!! :party:

That's a REALLY good idea. I'm gonna have to get me some of that! Thanks!:Banane20:

If you're having reservations, it's better to address them now with your doctor. You don't want to get into a situation in which you felt you made a decision based on unclear information. Everybody's different. I eat meat all the time, and this was the first time I'd been stuck. Like other posters have suggested, I think it has more to do with how you cook the meat, than what kind of meat you cook. Looking back, I think my problem with the pork chops were that I am a true southern girl who fries her porkchops until they resemble hockey pucks...no self respecting hillbilly housewife would cook 'em any differently (LOL!) But after this experience, I'm thinking of becoming more open-minded to different cooking methods! ; ) Don't get discouraged - remember that everyone is different. Your experience with meat may be better - it may be worse. But in my opinion, I think it's worth giving up my fried hockey pucks. I've lost 63 lbs in the last 4 months, and I'm happy. So I guess the result is worth the cost for me! :Banane20: Whatever you do, make sure you continue to research as much as you can before you have the surgery, and discuss any questions you have with your doctor or your nutritionist. :thumbup: Good luck!

Thanks for the update!! I had absolutely no idea what to do if it didn't come up or go down by itself. :Banane20: Glad you're feeling better! :party:

The hubs made me a Vodka and DIET Cranberry last night...quite tasty! :thumbup:

Sex on the Beach is my personal fave!! :smile2:

AMEN TO THAT!!!! :smile2:

{{HUGS}} I won't offer advice...but I will offer my ears for listening if you ever need to talk. Prayers going up for you, your husband, and your marriage...

I think you're about as normal as they get! :smile2: We've all been there - starving to the point of wanting to gnaw off your right arm. (I'm from Texas, so I can say 'gnaw,' right?) I was allowed creamed soups after the first week...if they were well strained. Try the V8 soups in the green cartons...they're really good. It does get better. You are a strong person, and you can survive this!

Ha! Well, I'll bet I'm in the clear then...as my Austrailian accent is quite confusing itself! :smile2:

I didn't cheat on the pre OR post-op diets...I was too scared. BUT, on my last fill (3rd) I did a really stupid thing and ate solid foods when I was supposed to still be on mushies the day after. BIG MISTAKE...won't happen again. I didn't even get stuck - it didn't have an opportunity to get stuck...I ate a Protein bar. I vomited the Protein Bar. That quickly!! Never again!!! The thing that would scare me the most about your situation is the fear that the band can slip. Most doctors stitch the band to your stomach, so if you get stuck (which is a lot easier when you're freshly banded because you're still swollen), and vomit, you could cause your band to slip....which could require more surgery. Not something I'd like to do again. Please think about it....be strong! You can do this! I'm the biggest wuss on the planet, and if I can do it - YOU can do it!!! :smile2:

I didn't personally experience this, but I've read several posts about it. I think someone actually called them "Squarts" ??? LOL! Sadly, I'm not kidding! From what I've read, it's just a normal side effect to the change in diet, and the addition of pain medication. Once you advance your diet to mushies, and wean your system off the meds, you should start to see your system level out. Hope you start to feel better soon!

Thanks el...but it'll probably take me a while to muster up the courage to try that again! : ) PS...I have to confess: I always read your posts with my best Austrailian accent! Can't help it! Especially with words like "fickle"! Is that odd?? LOL! :smile2:

Agree 110%!! :smile2: