Will_B_Healthy

When did you get banded? How are you progressing? You commented/replied to my blog today and I thank you for your kind words and encouragement.

Your concern about the flabby stuff is a common thread amongst the former fatties. At least you are doing something about it.

I am looking forward to seeing less and less of you. You are photogenic so we will all be beneficiaries of your success.

Post when you can.

As always,

WB

No offense but change the moniker; there is truth in the self-fulfilling prophesy. How about FormerFatGirl? We who have joined this blog and post are here because we were something we didn't want to be, because we value life to that of suicide by eating, because we know there is power in the support from others, because we can find beauty where we once only dreamed. Put on your positive armor and don't fear the unknown. You are headed down a path to success, gaining momentum as you shed the flab. Take a last look at what you are leaving behind. You don't drive your car looking in the rear view mirror do you? An occasional glance to make sure the past isn't gaining on you doesn't hurt but keeping your focus on what you are becoming will plant the seeds for your achievements.

As always,

WB

I may as well join the chorus: it is a great post. Insightful, honest, inspiring. Thanks for taking the time to share your talents with us.

BTW: I am not sure what a DH is though. Perhaps a Designated Husband, Dear Husband, Devoted Husband, Demented Husband, Delightful Husband, Damned Husband . . .

Amen to Maggs79 except the oatmeal and tuna. They both can create more pain than pleasure. Hold off on the oatmeal for a while. The canned tuna or chick packed in water when drained tends to be too dry; mix a 2 oz serving with a tablespoon of non fat/low fat mayo and a tablespoon of pickle relish and it takes on an easier consistency. To Maggs79's point, a small food processor can turn most anything into puree of your imagination. Experimenting is half the fun. BTW: Jello's new chocolate mousse is an answer to prayer. Check out a book you can use through all phases of post-op: Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery by Patt Levine. Some yummy stuff therein.

Keep your focus on the long term goals and you can overcome the greatest obstacles you imagine.

My shrink whom I had one consult over the phone pre-surgery (my insurance required it) recommended EATING WELL AFTER WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY. I found it very useful, informative, plus the recipes are varied and simple and geared to where you are in your journey, too. I was going loopy on the "baby food consistency" phase and this was an oasis.

I had to let you know how much I love that photo of you!

My old weak eyes detect two different decks of playing cards in your hand, fanning coyly at the camera.

Your post-op log is great, too. I should have done that and regret it now. There were swirls of ideas, thoughts, comments literally spewing through me over the initial hours and days after my banding (03/26). Like most memories, we get selective in our recollections, inflating and deflating, all diffused. It is crazy that anyone believes the testimony of witnesses given what happens to our memories over the span of time. You rekindled a few with your comments though. My initial recollection coming out of surgery was anything but fine; it was downright scarey, nightmarish. The good news was it wasn't that long. The bad news was they hadn't removed the catheter and when they did, whoo-wee did I let out a scream. Big sissy that I am!

Anyhow, best of luck. Glad to have you on the blog. Think beautiful thoughts and when Tinkerbell comes by you can fly.

WB

I have read a few of your other entries and you are becoming the poster girl for banding. You look great and you must be feeling fantastic.

What is it like to walk a mile in a pool? How long does this take you?

I have access to a junior olympic size pool about three blocks from my house that is free to HOA members. It is only 25 yards wide in the shallow end, so if my math is correct I would need to do 51 laps (down and back) walking. That must take you a while but it is far easier on your ankles, knees, joints, etc. than regular walking while offering increased resistance -- like pulling a child in a wagon behind you. Great idea! Don't know if it is something I would do or could do without a waterproof iPod.

Keep up the great work.

WB

Dallen:

I found the Muscle Milk products, too. They are great, tasty, and priced fairly. I haven't seen the S&C you mentioned -- where did you find it? GNC?

I recently picked up a tub of strawberry flavored whey protein powder at Walmart; label indicated 52 grams of protein so I tossed it into the basket. When I got home and actually read the label, it turned out to be 2 scoops for 52 gms. The Muscle Milk I was using was 26 gms per scoop, so there was no real difference. Hang that Read The Damn Label sign around my neck.

I was on the POW diet (that is what I named the all liquid portion: protein drink, broth, Jell-o) for two weeks before and three weeks after; by the time the Baby Food phase kicked in I went nuts fixing my first 2 oz serving of refried beans! It wasn't like chewing a steak, but it was heavenly.

Hang tough. It isn't easy (some days are better; some are worse) but it is managable. And you have broken the code: it is a mind thing! Add to this exercising 30 minutes total each day (walking), then do the math. You are taking in about 30% of the calories you are used to and burning calories: you can't help but lose weight.

Congrats and best regards,

WB

MellBell:

I feel your frustration and pain. Most of the fatties I know or have corresponded with empathize, too. But that isn't much comfort. What I can say is keep an open mind and research this. Look for every resource you can to get as much info as possible. Search the Net for everything there is on lap-banding; find people who have been through it or are about to and ask them why they chose lap-band over other choices. Create a list of questions and book a consultation with a weight specialist and a nutritionist.

Discriminate. In the best sense of that word, learn to sort the wheat from the chaffe because you are going to hear some BS from some people, some will be sincere, some will be exaggerating, and some will simply not know what they are talking about. But listen to all of them. There is a common thread for you.

Take your time. This can be a serious life changing experience. You need to be 100% on board with your decision.

Banding was a life saving choice for me. Three reasons for my choice: my wife and my two daughters. As I look back now, I was committing suicide by food. I was at the brink of 400 pounds (actually had reached 408), my type 2 diabetes was in check but only because I was injecting insulin four to six times a day along with heavy doses of oral medication, and I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. My job was toxic. I hated who I was and what I had become: a loser. A big fat loser. In short I was miserable, exhausted, and sickly. I spent SuperBowl weekend in the hospital with acute bronchitis (originally diagnosed as congestive heart failure).

I had been pursuing Lap-banding for over six months but not until that hospital weekend did I really commit to living. This is not Pollyanna: when I made that decision, everything fell into place. I had prayed about it and researched it but there comes a time to fish or cut bait: you have to do something. My choice was to band.

Now I can't say it has been easy or simple. It hasn't. And I was scared even up to the time they wheeled me into the OR. My immediate post op hour was dreadful. But given the options -- living healthy, feeling good, sleeping regularly, eating smart, exercising regularly -- versus what and where I was -- choosing to band produced positive things.

I am about one-third of my way to my goal weight; today is exactly two months since my surgery. My attitude is 180 degrees different than before. There are still mountains to climb and disappointments to face, but if it weren't a challenge the fruit wouldn't taste so sweet. I am committed to living.

MellBell, you can become a different person lots of different ways. Ultimately it comes down to personal choices. You still have plenty of those before you. Don't settle for anything but what is the best choice for you.

May God give you His grace and courage to find your answer.

Keep us all posted.

WB

Are there any Costco warehouse stores close to you? They have an absolutely delicious vanilla protein shake - Protein+ : 26 grams of protein, 2 gm fat, 130 calories, 3 gms carbs, 135 mg sodium.

It is made by the same company that makes Muscle Milk. My daughter -- a certified choc-aholic -- prefers it to the chocolate shake. I am not so discriminating and love both.

WB

If you must snack, make good choices.

Keep reading the labels and make sure you understand the relationship and effect of what you are reading. Carbs are only one of components: protein, fat and sodium are just as important to regulate and monitor. String cheese is great to boost your protein but it is also pretty high in fat. A single slice of low sodium bacon can also give you a protein boost but like string cheese it is high in fat. I am still searching for a good tasting non-fat cheese. A hard boiled egg is another good choice.

My surgeon is big on protein, so he encourages us to have a protein shake between meals. Better to have too much protein and quell the hunger pangs than pushing a (fill in the blank with your most decadent snack food here) into your pie hole.

Charting what you are eating including snacks gives you a sense of control, especially if you are logging everything and I do mean everything. Establish some goals like no more than 20 grams of fat a day and see how you can achieve that goal. Find out what is a good calorie range for you and the same is true for protein, fat, sugar, sodium, and carbs.

If you have been banded for six months or more, celery and carrot sticks will provide fiber and give you a sense of chewing that also helps to curb your appetite.

There are some conflicting opinions but some (like the trainers on The Biggest Loser show) advocate chewing Extra sugarfree gum. A couple of sticks each day will do an amazing job of quelling the hunger monster.

More than anything else, eat your meals at the same time each day. Make that a priority and stick to it. The snacks become less important if you can really stick to a tight schedule.

Best of luck and if you get some "good" snack suggestions, let all of us know. We are all running down the same path.

WB

Don't deny yourself. But use moderation. If you want to have a taste of something you know is absolutely terrible for you to eat in quantities, don't deny yourself, just check yourself and savor the bite for all it is worth, and as you are doing that start thinking about a better choice.

Here's my confession: I love bread and I love peanut butter. If I am feeling like I haven't been topped off I will toast a slice and then spread a thin layer of pb and take my knife and scrape off almost all of the pb leaving enough so I still get my jones from the taste. I cut the slice in half and share the other half with my dog. I eat my half slowly and really savor it. By the time I finish it I am full. I haven't denied myself and I made a smart choice and a friend, too. And if you haven't a dog to share this with, a small child or spouse or significant other may enjoy the treat and worse case tossing it outside for the birds is a good choice, too.

Congratulations. You are doing great so keep up your positive attitude and keep aware; all those nasty pitfalls haven't gone away because of your banding -- you just need to keep learning to navigate better. It gets easier with time.

Every day and every meal is a new adventure so enjoy the ride, all the sounds, and changes as you progress. One thing I noticed in my first three weeks of post-op was how good things smelled -- my meals and whatever else I was taking in.

For me the hardest habit to break was drinking while I ate. My nutritionist emphasized the importance of stopping the intake of fluids 15 minutes before a meal and waiting 30 minutes after the meal. She explained why. If you don't have a nutritionist by all means get one and if you aren't comfortable with him/her then find another. Don't settle. Not now. You have invested too much to settle for anything but what you feel is best for you.

I am not a seasoned vet -- only 50 days post-op but each day seems to get a little easier and my goals get a little closer so right now I am all about encouraging others to get your head on straight. Think about where you are going rather than where you have been. You invested in you. Make the most of it.

Jilly:

I was banded just over a week ago and boy can I empathize. I refer to this current food restriction as the POW diet -- actually we are getting more food than most any Prisoner of War but it makes for a good chuckle when I share it with friends.

Last night my daughters and wife went to my b-i-l's home for dinner; he is a gourmet cook and loves to please the pallets of his family. I elected to stay home until after dinner. I missed the multi-course gastronomical fest. Because I hadn't eaten, I lugged my MagicBullet mixer, container with milk, my scoop of protein mix, a container with my chicken broth, and a little tub of SF lime Jello. While they were eating one or more of the desserts, I brooded over my meal but took my time and kept saying the mantra: this is a small price to pay now for a big reward in the future.

Attitude is 99% of overcoming the hell.

Are you getting enough protein? My nutritionist explained, you pee the protein rapidly out of your system, so don't load up on one meal, spread it out as evenly as possible. Add an egg occasionally to the protein shake or treat yourself to the new SF Chocolate Mousse from Jello as a substitute for the wiggly-giggly stuff.

You did the right thing by reaching out to your doctor. And fortunately you got someone to encourage you. You are on your way to a happier and healthier Jilly. Don't make food your enemy or your friend. It is just food. Something you need in order to live (the old chestnut: eat to live don't live to eat)!

There are plenty of others just like you or those who have trod the same game trail you are on. They are pulling for you, too.

Hang in there, girl.

W B

Loved reading your post. Not because of the pain these people tried to inflict, but because of your attitude. My in-laws are fantastic, supportive, understanding, and accepting; now my family (mother and both sisters) are more like your in-laws. (How about negotiating a trade?) There are always people that thrive on the failures of others, that in so doing feel they are better than they really are. Most of it comes from a basic ignorance and lack of empathy or interest in anything other than themselves. Fortunately, there are others who will be understanding and encouraging. You will be happier with those who make you happy.

W B