J_BandRanger

sunds good! hang in there!

I'm afraid of this!!! I go for my 3rd fill tomorrow but i can tell that i am very close to my "sweet spot"!!! so i'm praying that it doesnt b/c an "over fill"!!!

Just wanted to share this w/any “newbies” (like me) or anyone else interested …. Today I took my food journal w/me to my Doctor’s appt. It was a life saver when I had to visit the Nutritionist!!!! I was able to show her a typical day instead of trying to recall it from memory!!! I write everything in my journals- type of food, amount, time, brand name (they always ask the brand!)…it’s even got columns for calorie amount, protein amount, etc… and of course totals for the day. It has a space for “notes” which is good and it has a space for exercise-type-intensity-length… blah, blah, blah… it is very small (about 5”) so I just keep it in my purse always! It even has reference charts, etc, built in. It’s called: THE ULTIMATE POCKET DIET JOURNAL by Alex Lluch … $9.95 … ISBN-13: 978-1-887169-56-1

Even “Pre-Band” I’ve always preferred to use powder. This way I can use WATER not milk. Sounds gross at first but actually I use 4 ICE CUBES and just enough water (1-2 ounces max) to get the blender going. This makes for a thick shake that takes longer to drink and I stay fuller longer….and…NO GAS!!!! Since I know I’m lacking calcium, I add a yogurt to my shake. Right now I add a “Dan-O-Kids” b/c it has a double shot of calcium packed into a little container. I also add fresh frozen fruit (no sugar/no syrup) and sometimes 1 packet of Splenda. My whole breakfast (the shake) is 280 calories and 52 grams of protein.

@imaluckyog.... "Food Inc"??? nope! havent seen that one----> but I'll be on the 'Look Out"!!! THNX!!!

@ 2excited: well.... (I think) I know b/c right now i just prepare the portion that I should be having at each sitting (as confirmed by the Doc & nutritionalist) and I eat that, but i could eat more, I just dont. I make myself stop. the fact that i could eat more tells me that I'm not full BUT.... I'm not starving after and I dont get hungry again for the right number of hours (5).... So that tells me that I'm stopping very close to where my band (if adjusted properly) would stop me anyway..... The nurse pretty much said the same thing. she also asked me if anything was getting stuck and if i ever feel like "one more bite would make me vomit". Nope-----> So she also said that I need another fill to hit my Sweet Spot.

I watched this documentary today on Netflix/On Demand: "KILLER AT LARGE: Why Obesity is America's Biggest Threat"... I was shocked to hear that the kid's meals at places like McDs & BK is actually the serving size that is recommend for an ADULT!!! :thumbup: and the Adult meals/combos are enough to feed a whole family!!! :cool2: OMGosh!! then people "Super Size" that???? WOW!!! no wonder America is Overweight!! (to include myself).... fortunately I dont like McDs at all and I seldom visit BK....

Went to my LB Doc today....was so excited to weigh-in but then my "monthly" came on this morning!!!!! that puts 3-5 pounds on me (temporarily) every time!!! but i still weighed in 18 pounds down!!! so that means I could be as much as 23 pounds down!! love it! I return to my general doc Fri (which is the original scale that I weighed in pre-op). So I can weigh-in there and get an accurate reading!!! BTW-the nurse made a mistake when she logged my weight originally (today) and ADDED 5 pounds!!:cool2: I was so upset when the doc read my chart to me that he let me weigh again and sure enough, I was right!!! :thumbup:He fixed her mistake on my chart!! everything else checked out fine. I'm exactly 2 months and 1 day post op. the doc and the nutritionalist were both pleased all around. I am going for a 3rd fill Wednesday (6/30)....just a little should do it b/c I can tell that I'm almost there! :thumbup: The nurse says that it seems like I need one more fill.

I felt EXACTLY the same way! then i found out that until you have your first fill, there is no restriction in the band at all!!! you may feel a little tightness ("restriction") right after surgery but that is just swelling. the first 4-8wks is just for internal (and a little external) healing. many ppl report that they dont feel restriction until they hit their "sweet spot" around their 3rd fill. im also told that: each time you loose a certain amoount of weight, the fat around your stomach reduces and the band loosens. so until you hit your sweetspot (the perfect band restriction for you) you are basically just "dieting & exercising". My doc and nurse say that the band doesnt "kick in" until between 3-5 months after surgery/fills, etc... I am exactly 2 months out today -I hv 8.75 in my band. I can tell tht I need a "tad" more to hit my sweet spot. as of last weigh-in, I'd lost 16.5 pounds!!! :-) I officially weigh-in w/my LB Doc tomorrow (6/28)...i will update my blog/weight then!!! ***fingers crossed***

last night my family and I went out to an Italian restuarant for a celebration. it was a last minute invitation, so i kinda' panicked w/the invite.... but I did very well!! I ordered shrimp & brocolli and STILL stayed within my calorie allotment for the day! no wine, no appitizers, no dessert!!!! I also confirmed that I can NOT eat bread! this was my 2nd attempt at eatting just a small slice of the bread that arrives in a basket with your water, etc.... no go! wouldnt go down! got stuck! :crying:had to sip water and hope nobody noticed my "problem"! (they didnt)

THNX "loseit"! for the first time ever in my life i am looking forward to going to the doc to weigh in!!! @"finally..." - no, I'm not full. I havent hit my sweet spot yet. i just stop eating when the meal that I fixed is gone, b/c i premeasure and count out the calories in the meal. I stay full for pretty long though, so i must not be too far from my sweet spot. I probably need very little to get there. maybe my 3rd fill will do the trick?

did you eat soon after the fill? i only ask b/c after my fills, i have to do 3 days clear liquid, then full liquid 1 wk, then mushies 1 week, etc.... i dont get to solids until 3-4 weeks. its a pain but i really think it helps.... havent "lost" any food yet :-) the 30 pounds down is great! keep up the good work!!

wow! "flashed your card"? that should be universal!!! :-) do tell us more!!!

Whoo-Hooo! this is great!!! keep up the wonderful work!!

i LOVE my workout DVDs! all that sweating in the privacy of my own home! LOL! this week I've been using the 3 & 4 mile challenge walking DVDs. one uses light weights for toning and the other uses that giant stretchie band thingie! love it!

i was starving on the clear liquid phase too....when i couldnt take it anymore, i had to move up to a VERY thin type soup....like food mushed down to a drinkable state... sounds grooss, but it was filling. I havent tried salad yet but i want to...sounds like a LOT of chewing to me! I will ask my Doc about it on my visit Monday

I have a little inexpensive mini-chopper...wasnt even $15!!! does wonder to make everything MUSHY! if the food is stubborn, I add a drop or two of water or chicken broth, depending on what I'm "mushing". I use to make my babies', food rather than buy it, when they were younger. its pretty easy! I did buy a case of Beechnut babyfood at Sam's club! (for myself, after surgery) all the flavors were good! I thought it was yummy!! maybe I'm weird?

Good question "2excited"!! I've been dieing for a nice crunchy salad too! I've always loved that!!! so? does salad go down for you???

i put in 75 mins one the treadmill today-felt great! been doing 3 mile walking DVDs all week too....trying to cut my calories and increase my w/o! my food diary told me that i was still over by about 600 calories a day... So i've cut my portions in 1/2. i never feel full - so i have to just make myself stop eating.... but i am not "absolutely starving" either. i will speak to my doc Monday (6/28)and get his opinion on another small fill. What does it sound like to you guys?:smile:

funny about your neighbors! sounds like a comedy movie! glad you're feeling ok :-)

hey! so glad to hear that you're up & about!! you're doing much better than i was on day 3!!! great!

i buy the store brand frozen fruit from Target (peaches, mangos, pineapple....the "berrries" had tiny pits in them when juiced and that annoyed me). The bags of fruit from Target are 100% fruit-no sauce, sugar, etc.... I add some fruit to my shakes along w/4 ice cubes and 1 pack of Splenda (0 calories) every morning for breakfast....it makes my shakes nice and fluffy and very filling! other mornings, I might add 1/2 banana or a spoon of peanutbutter (w/the chcolate shakes)..... of course, check w/your Doc first, but these shakes are filling, healthy and high in protein for me!

wow! what an ordeal! glad you made it through! and yes, you CAN reach your new goal! go for it!!

My glue started peeling around a week.. then it got itchy and i got impatient, so when i showered i washed my stomach just a Liiiittle more aggressively (not too hard, mind you)...it finally finished peeling around 3 weeks....

funny about the oatmeal b/c i was never so glad to see cream of wheat, farina & cream of rice as i am now!! ha! ha! today i did a "3 mile challenge walking DVD"!! i felt great when i was done! thnx for asking!!