BabyGotBack

I was on a protein drink for breakfast, lean cuisine for lunch/dinner. I did devieate a couple of times for lunch and diner. I just made better choices.

You are doing great!!! We are just a work in progress! Your surgery date is only a few days away!!!!:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: It will be here before you know it!!!

Forget about the last meal syndrome, when my surgury date got postponed I went nuts from Dec. 15 to my pre op Dec. 30!!! I called it the Un-diet! I ate EVERYTHING I never allowed myself to have due to always being on one diet or another. It was total nuts!!!!!

Oh, did I mention they have a three bed trauma unit,just in case and have never had to use it!!!! State of the art medical equipment. Even better than what they have here. Made my plastic surgeon in the US look 3rd world in comparison!!!

Yes, for them it is standard procedure. I also bought some Scar Zone which I will start to apply on the ones that are completely healed. I was also told the more water you drink, the better your skin has a chance of going back with out wrinkling. I can't wait till you see it there. It is awesome. I was in shock. Dr. ORtiz and his staff are the BEST! The nurse who does your IV, Josefa, she doesn't speak any English, but she is the best!!!!! The IV is what hurt me the most in my 5 different surgeries I've had here in the states, and she got me in one prick!!! She even drew my blood and I didn't even know it! Tell her Audree says hi! She is a sweet heart!! Wait till you check out your private suite!! Flat screen tv with relaxing music, mini water fountain, beautifuly decorated room, with roman shades, sofa and chair for you companion. I didn't even know my nice bed was the bed they wheeled my into surgery on!!! Unlimited free calls from your room too! And the Hotel Lucerna!!! VERY NICE!!If the bed is too firm for your liking, they will come in and put 1 or 2 more pillow top thingys on for you. The chicken soup broth, jello and tea from room service right after surgery, the room service was the BOMB!!!! Personal drivers to and from. Lifestyles of the rich and famous, baby!! I paid a lot for my tummy tuck/lipo and it was NOTHING like Dr. ORtiz and his staff. Be prepared to be blown away!

Sounds great!!! The measurements will get you through those plateau times. I took mine and posted them on my journal. Pre op diet also got me prepared for post op eating. Prior to Pre Op, I was totally pigging out badly!!!!!

Yeah, it happens to me too and I check everyday. The other day I got to talk to someone and they were not even from LBT

Those are cool! I used to do a conference call like that when I used to be involved in a MLM business. It was so neet! We did a roll call/shout out and we got to talk to people from all over the country at the same time!!! Please add me! Audree_Vasallo@hotmail.com

I emailed you someones email who was banded by Dr. Kuri and is in charge of support groups here in Southern CA. Audree

I was just told they will give you gas and gas is so painful when you are banded

Coffee is my Breakfast with one cup of soy milk everyday!!! I used to read that with a lot of bandsters and I couldn't believe it, but it is all I can consume in the morning due to being so tight in the morning. Audree

Yeah!!! It is the kind they use on boxers when they split their faces open. It is great. I have had surgery before with staples, stiches, steri strips and the crazy glue leaves a lot nicer scar. Three of mine just look like a little read bump! Audree

I am going to do it too, when I can in a couple weeks!!! Let's do it together!!! Anyone else want to join us???? Don't feel bad about posting what you eat. We are here to support each other. The great thing is, I am not hungry. Also, if anyone has any awesome recipes for South Beach, please post them. I remember another good one was Whole Wheat tortilla pin wheel wraps. You slather on cream cheese/skinny cow cheese, put any cold cut of your choice, mustard, roll and cut. Audree:hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry:

Tami, you are an inspiration!!! I plan on doing a South Beach type thing which sounds a lot like what you are doing!!! Thanks for the great advice!Audree

That is what kept me going. I believe that all the circumstances that led up to my banding were ordained by God. So many things went so smoothly. Everything fell into place. If it is His will, nothing can get in the way!:amen:

Dr. Ortiz stiches on the inside and uses surgical crazy glue on the outside. My little ones, the glue has been off for a few days and are completely healed. The two bigger ones still have the glue. Audree

You can also get a lot of info on Prevention.com South Beach Diet Recipes Once you get to Phase 3, you will be eating all the foods listed. The following recipes are sample of food you can eat. Feel free to explore new recipes by referring to South Beach Diet foods list. Breakfast – Tex Mex Style (South Beach Diet Menu) ½ grapefruit 2 scrambled eggs mixed with Monterey Jack cheese and salsa 1 slice of whole grain toast Decaffeinated coffee or tea, fat-free milk and sugar substitute if desired Mid-Morning Snack 1 hard-boiled egg Lunch – Roast Beef Wrap 1 ¼ cups reduced-fat cream cheese 4 flour tortillas (9” or 10”) ½ red onion, sliced 4 spinach leaves 8 ounces roast beef, sliced Spread a small amount of cream cheese over the tortilla. Layer the spinach, onion, and roast beef, roll up, and fold. Serves 4. Mid-Afternoon Snack 4 ounces Dannon Light ‘n Fit yogurt Dinner – Lemon Couscous Chicken (South Beach Menu) 1 ¼ cups water 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 cups broccoli florets 1 package Near East Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil Couscous mix 1 ½ chopped cooked chicken 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice ¼ teaspoon lemon peel In a large skillet, bring water, oil, broccoli, and spice from couscous mix to a boil. Stir in couscous, cooked chicken, lemon juice, and lemon peel. Simmer until heated through and then remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Using a fork, fluff lightly, then chill and serve cold. Serves 4. Dessert – Lemon Peel Ricotta Crème (South Beach Diet Menu) ½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese ¼ teaspoon grated lemon peel ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract 1 package sugar substitute Mix the ricotta cheese, lemon peel, vanilla extract, and sugar substitute, served chilled Link to some more: http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/recipecollection.html

SouthBeach Diet Tips and Guides The SouthBeach Diet is different from the Atkins diet in that it is not a low carbohydrate diet. Regardless of which phase you are currently in, you should follow these recommendations: Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water, decaffeinated beverages such as club soda, tea, coffee, or decaffeinated sugar-free soda every day Limit your intake of caffeine-containing beverages to 1 cup each day Take one multivitamin and mineral supplement daily Take 500 mg of calcium for both men and women under the age of 50, and 1,000 mg for women over the age of 50, each day Eating can be both pleasurable and healthy as long as you eat the proper foods. All the meals in the SouthBeach Diet consist of healthy combinations of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Dishes can be made by anyone and the ingredients can be found in most grocery stores. These foods will satisfy your hunger without depriving your system of the low-quality starches and sugars that caused problems with your blood chemistry in the first place. The SouthBeach Diet does not involve counting calories, fat grams, or portion sizes. This plan was designed to be simplistic and will help you understand the principles of metabolism and put it to work for your own body. A major key to success with the South Beach Diet is the Glycemic index (GI), which ranks carbohydrate foods based on the effect on blood sugar levels. When you start adding foods back into your diet in Phase 2, keep your focus on low-GI foods such as apples, berries, grapefruit, high-fiber cereal, and whole grain breads. Preparing For The Rest Of Your Life Mindset Change for South Beach Diet You have learned what the South Beach Diet is, how it works, and what to eat. Now, you need to get prepared to change the way you eat, for life. Start by accepting that the first couple of weeks will be a big change but one you will not regret. The first morning of this diet, you will eat a breakfast that may consist of a two-egg omelet with two slices of Canadian bacon, cooked in either spray canola or olive oil. In your old life, you may have toasted bread or a bagel and had fresh fruit or fruit juice to go along with your omelet. However, with the South Beach Diet, the bread will have to wait. Most people have been conditioned their entire life to add bread to meals. You have toast with breakfast, sandwiches on bread for lunch, dinner rolls with dinner, and cake, cookies, or pie for dessert. However, during Phase 1, you will have to forget about the bread. It may take a few days to leave old habits behind but keep in mind that it is during this time that your body’s inability to process sugars and starches is being reversed. After trying numerous diets, most leave you feeling hungry, is one of the most difficult aspects of any diet. A common denominator seen with overweight people is that most of them skip eating breakfast. When this happens, blood sugar drops, which then increases the desire for bad carbohydrates to escalate until lunch when the entire meal is blown. Planning for South Beach Diet Planning will help you stay away from snacking or substituting things that are not healthy and could cause weight gain. Remember that once you start into Phase 2, carbohydrates will start being introduced back into your diet along with fruits. You also need to remember to eat your mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks, even if you do not feel like it. Some of the greatest low-fats foods to incorporate into your planning include cheese and yogurt to replace the fats since they have no bad carbohydrates. In addition, the sugar is found in the lactose, milk sugar, is one of the things you can have with the South Beach Diet. The South Beach Diet is a lifetime change, lifetime commitment, and a lifetime of health and vitality! How Does The South Beach Diet Work? As mentioned, the South Beach Diet is unique, successful, easy, and works in a three-phase process. Unlike many other so-called diets, with the South Beach Diet, simply substitutes your bad carbohydrates and fats for good ones. After trying this, you will be amazed by how well and quickly it works. South Beach Diet Phase 1 South Beach Diet Phase 1 lasts for two weeks. During this first phase, you will eat normal meals of chicken, beef, turkey, fish, and shellfish, lots of vegetables, eggs, cheese, nuts, and garden salads using 100% olive oil for your salad dressing. Each day for 14 days, you will eat three, well-balanced meals. While eating until your hunger is satisfied may go against most diets, with the South Beach Diet, it is part of the plan. Trying to lose weight and become healthy by depriving the body of food makes no sense. In addition to the three meals each day, you will also eat a snack between breakfast and lunch, and then again between lunch and dinner. Even if you do not feel like eating these snacks, for the South Beach Diet to work, you need to, and after dinner, you will even have dessert. Additionally, during this phase, you can drink all the coffee and tea you want and be sure to drink lots of water. You may be thinking that this is a lot of food - it is! With most diets, you deprive your body, eating only small portions of foods that are unappealing. The change you will make during this phase is that you will cut out all bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, baked goods, fruit, candy, cake, cookies, ice cream, or sugar. Keep in mind that these eliminated foods will be added back into your diet, starting in Phase 2. In addition to taking these foods out of your diet temporarily, you will also need to avoid beer, or any kind of alcohol. Once you start Phase 2, reasonable amounts of wine can be added back in. Instead of feeling overwhelmed about the foods that will be taken out of your diet during the first two weeks, stop and think about this for a minute. To achieve a life of health and lose unwanted weight, two weeks is a small investment to make. After all, you are worth it! The first two or three days will be somewhat challenging, but breaking any bad habit starts out a little bumpy. Once you pass this small hurdle, the rest of the time will go by quicker than you think. When you see the results that these changes bring, you will be glad you did not give up!

Allowed Foods in Phase 2 (Foods you can reintroduce to your diet) <TABLE cellSpacing=0 borderColorDark=#ffffff cellPadding=6 width="80%" border=1><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%">FRUIT </TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%"> Apples Apricots-dried fresh Blueberries Cantaloupe Cherries Grapefruit Grapes Kiwi Mangoes Oranges Peaches Pears Plums Strawberries </TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%">DAIRY </TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%"> Milk-light soy, fat-free or 1% Yogurt-light, fruit-flavored, plain, low-fat or fat-free </TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%">STARCHES (USE SPARINGLY) </TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%"> Bagels, small, whole grain Bread-multigrain, oat and bran, rye, whole wheat Cereal-Fiber One, Kellogg's Extra-Fiber All Bran, oatmeal (not instant), other high-fiber, Uncle Sam Muffins, bran-sugar-free (no raisins) Pasta, whole wheat Peas, green Pita-stone-ground, whole wheat Popcorn Potato, small, sweet Rice-brown, wild </TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%">VEGETABLES AND LEGUMES</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%"> Barley Beans, pinto Black-eyed peas </TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%">MISCELLANEOUS</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%"> Chocolate (sparingly)-bittersweet, semisweet Pudding, fat-free/sugar-free Wine, red </TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%">FOODS TO AVOID OR EAT RARELY!!! </TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%"><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="50%">STARCHES AND BREADS Bagel, refined wheat Bread-refined wheat white Cookies Cornflakes Matzo Pasta, white flour Potatoes-baked, white instant Rice cakes Rice, white Rolls, dinner VEGETABLES Beets Carrots Corn Potatoes </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> FRUIT Bananas Canned fruit, juice packed Fruit juice Pineapple Raisins Watermelon MISCELLANEOUS Honey Ice cream Jam

South Beach Diet Food List During Phase 1, the foods eaten will be in controlled portions to include chicken, beef, turkey, fish, and shellfish. These types of foods along with vegetables, eggs, cheese, nuts, and salads can also be eaten, although all of it will be in controlled portions. Refer to the following list to see the types of foods that are acceptable in phase 1, 2, and 3. Remember that bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, baked goods, fruit, candy, cake, cookies, ice cream, or sugar will be slowly added back into your diet in Phase 2. Foods to Enjoy Phase 1 <CENTER><TABLE borderColorDark=#f2f2f2 width="80%" bgColor=#ffffff borderColorLight=#c0c0c0 border=1><TBODY><TR><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Boiled Ham</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Canadian Bacon</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Canola Oil</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Chicken Breasts (skinless)</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Cheese (fat-free or low-fat - American, Cheddar, cottage, cream substitute, feta)</TD></TR><TR><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Cornish Game Hen</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Eggs (whole)</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Fish (all types)</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Green Vegetables</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Lunchmeat (lean)</TD></TR><TR><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Peanut Butter</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Peanuts</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Pecans</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Pistachio Nuts</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Olive Oil</TD></TR><TR><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Seasoning/Spices (broth, butter sprays, pepper, anything containing no sugar)</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Shellfish</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Sirloin</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Sweets * (chocolate powder, cocoa powder (baking type), hard candy, sugar substitute (sugar-free)</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Tenderloin</TD></TR><TR><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Tofu</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Turkey Bacon</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Veal</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7>Vegetables (artichokes, asparagus, beans, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, legumes, lettuce, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, zucchini)</TD><TD width="20%" bgColor=#f7f7f7></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER><CENTER></CENTER><CENTER></CENTER>Quick Shopping List for South Beach Diet Starter - Phase 1 A lot of eggs! (at least two dozen. I ate 3 a day) Turkey and Canadian bacon Sugar free Jell-O Lettuce & whatever else you want in your salads (buy enough for the week) Salad dressing (balsamic vinaigrette is good) Veggies (no carrots)(broccoli & zucchini are good) Chicken breasts and whatever other meat you like Nuts (for snacks) Low fat string cheese & shredded cheese (I use it on my salads) Part-skim ricotta cheese Splenda or other sugar substitute

Yeah, South Beach lets you have carbs, like whole wheat pasta, whole grain bread, brown rice, wheat tortillas. There are a lot of good substitues for South Beach. I will post them on here just in case anyone wants the info. Thanks Silry! I am glad I can help you by what I am going through. I am one of those who research to death also. I even bought Dr. ORtiz's book and read it three times, underlining all that apply to me. I also heard that they younger you are, the easier to lose and your skin has a better chance to no sag! I am using some cream I bought with cocoa butter, shea butter. It is supposed to be for weight loss and pregnancy. Audree

Today I am tired. I am not getting enough calories and have been cleaning the house and organizing, etc. This is what I have eaten so far: Breakfast: 1 cup Gano Mocha Coffee with soy milk; 200 cal, 6 g. protien Lunch: Creamy split pea, 1 cup: 120 cal, 9 g. protein Snack: Nectar Protein Shake, Strawberry Kiwi (90 cal, 23 grms of protein) with 1 cup soy milk( 100 cal, 6 grms protien Snack: 1 drinkable dannon light and fit;60 cal, 5 grms protien Dinner: tortilla soup with shredded cheese; 250 cal, protien; unknown Total calories; 820 Total protein: 43+ I have not had any extra liquids as of 4 pm. Maybe that is why I don't feel so good. I also was doing too much around the house and find I get tired easier. I will definitely be going to bed early. I still also have not weighed myself yet. I would be disappointed to not lose much, so I don't want to set myself up for failure, even if it wasn't. I'd rather wait to see a bigger loss. I think I will wait until I can "See" a difference. I can now somewhat.

Today I am tired. I am not getting enough calories and have been cleaning the house and organizing, etc. This is what I have eaten so far: Breakfast: 1 cup Gano Mocha Coffee with soy milk; 200 cal, 6 g. protien Lunch: Creamy split pea, 1 cup: 120 cal, 9 g. protein Snack: Nectar Protein Shake, Strawberry Kiwi (90 cal, 23 grms of protein) with 1 cup soy milk( 100 cal, 6 grms protien Snack: 1 drinkable dannon light and fit;60 cal, 5 grms protien Dinner: tortilla soup with shredded cheese; 250 cal, protien; unknown Total calories; 820 Total protein: 43+ I have not had any extra liquids as of 4 pm. Maybe that is why I don't feel so good. I also was doing too much around the house and find I get tired easier. I will definitely be going to bed early. I still also have not weighed myself yet. I would be disappointed to not lose much, so I don't want to set myself up for failure, even if it wasn't. I'd rather wait to see a bigger loss. I think I will wait until I can "See" a difference. I can now somewhat.

Madden: I will keep you in my prayers. Let us know how you are doing. Silry: MOre info the better so you can come and share!!! Any you will lose a lot more than 20, especially if you listen to the bandster rules. I for one do better with a low carb. Carbs leave me feeling cloudy headed and my stomach feels like a bottomless pit where I have no cue of being full. I am sure that will change now, but I don't want to hurt my band by eating too much. I always feel healthier doing a South Beach type thing. Audree

Since we both have the same type of post op eating plans, what did you eat? I am so tired of creamy Soups and shakes, I dont even want to eat anymore. The drinkable yogurt is the only thing I kinda like and I am running out of ideas. I made tortilla Soup with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese and that was good. I just don't know what to eat and feel weak because my calorie intake is too low. I am feeling weak and sick to my stomach from only having about 400 calories today and it is already 4pm. What can we eat that is not a mushy? But, then creamy soup is a mushy technically isn't it? She said not even oatmeal because it has chunks in it and no applesauce. Did they say why??? Thanks,Audree