Hello Junbies ......

I haven't seen a June Band Crew thread yet so thought I would start it .

I'll be banded on June 9th in Texas. I'm getting very excited about it. I know that the band is just a "tool" to aid in my weight loss journey and it will take a lot of hard work on my part to make it successful. I've been overweight my whole life with the earliest memories being around age 4. Although no one else in my family is overweight, I am extremely fortunate to have full family support in my decision. I know that there are many people who's family doesn't offer the support they need. I would love to meet other pre-bandsters being banded in June to walk with me to the banded side of life and offer each other support.

I wish you all the best.

Melissa Lea :hippie:

Pre-bandster 240 lbs

June 9, 2006

Spivak

self-pay

I've managed to gain 8 lbs! overnight! Can eat almost anything, of course the sauces are needed for most of the meats. I had an ultimate chicken sandwich and side salad at Wendy's tonight. Only 1/2 the bun. Lunch is always slim as I'm not that hungry, just a small salad today. I just started salads again, and have had no trouble. I really missed my lettuce. That's still small in comparison to what I used to eat. DH noticed that too.

My port area is still not healed. I go for a fill on the 25th. Does anyone know...will they do the fill if I'm still not healed? I really have some mixed emotions about getting a fill. REad posts and don't know if I want it, or if I'm just apprehensive about actually being about to loose the weight and finally acquiring some hope in all this. I still have a lot of swelling in my left side where the port is, so I will definitely do liquids for a day or two and not jump into food too quickly.

ofps

Melissa:

Spiegel has us go by ounces. 4 - 6 ounces each meal. Sounds pitifully small--but it's actually a lot if you weigh it out. Especially if you think of deck of cards = meat (3 oz.)

I'll bet you had 3 ounces if that--. Good for you! Unfortunately, if I have to wait too long to eat I'm sure I eat more than six ounces. I have this nagging fear in the back of my head that says I'm stretching the pounch and that's why I'm swollen.

Which lean cuisines do you think are best?

Last night I had some taco meat, chilli con queso, sour cream, refried Beans all mixed together with a few tortillia chips. All home made, all low fat. Boy was that good. I ate about 1/2 c of the mixture.

I didn't get my Water in yesterday, but I did pretty good for me. I will continue to concentrate on getting the liquids in.

I tried one piece of popcorn and decided it was not for me. It doesn't get to liquid so I'm not trying that. I had bought those 100 calorie packs as I read that some eat that as Snacks.

I think we must continue to fear the band. Its when we don't that we get into trouble. How are some of you having no problem eating subs and sandwiches at Wendy's? I am so afraid of all of that. Do you think we really can eat that stuff? I'm not being critical, just asking.

I will start regular food today. This should tell me how much or little of restriction I have. I will start off conservative and build up. This will be my first real food since surgery. I was only on solids 2 days before the first fill.

Have a great weekend.

:clap2: :clap2: I managed to get all my Water in for yesterday....64 ounces of pure H2O. Today i need to try for 128 ounces to make up for Thursday.

I hope everyone is doing good job on there water intake !!!

So no PB problems since my issue with the mackerel, I'm pretty sure I was eating it too quickly and not chewing well enough, even though mackerel is soft and a high oil fish. Yesterday I ate some low fat refried black beans with fat free sour cream, salsa and some grated low fat swiss cheese for breakfast. Snack midmorning of fresh raspberries and some protien powder in water. Lunch I had some maple smoked salmon and some corn. Dinner I had out at a restaurant, I had one piece of bruschetta - which consisted of a small piece of toasted baguette with goat cheese and fresh tomato salsa on top, about 2 ounces of steamed salmon off of hubbies plate, and a couple of tablespoons of baked potato with a little sour cream, and a couple of slices of grilled zucchini. Then we went to a movie, I brought in two small sticks of turkey pepperoni and a couple of small cans of V8 juice for movie snacks. Then before bed I had a sillhouette yogurt drink with my meds. I had great restriction, was full on my meals, no discomfort, no hunger. Today so far I had couscous salad with tomatoes, onions, lemon, garlic, garbanzo beans and mung beans about half a cup and half a cup of cottage cheese for breakfast. then for snack had about a 1/4 cup of mixed nuts - cashews, almonds, pecans. The key for me seems to be that I can handle even toasted bread when I have restriction, or corn, or...? the key is little bitty bites, chew very well, and take my time. I do try to eat my food moist though most of the time, I have fat free sour cream, fresh salsa, lemon juice, low fat hummus, low fat mayo, even some guacamole, in the fridge, and I use them as condiments on food to help break it down smoother when I chew. Made water goal again yesterday, and today is off to a good start as well. I'm super happy to be having restriction!!!!!!!! It was amazing to have such a small meal in the restaurant last night, a little taste of everything hubby's entre had, and splitting the bruschetta appetizer with him, and feeling totally satisfied! Hoping my restriction stays where it's at over the next week, as I know it can shift tighter or looser in the first week, sometimes even two weeks. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Keep up the great work everyone with working on the water. I'm tracking mine on fitday (I have the home PC version) and I really love the program, I've entered in my multivitamin and my other supplements, and I was amazed to find even with the careful focus I have on healthy eating, and taking a multivitamin, taking calcium, taking b vitamins, and some other supplements, that I've still been low in vitamin E and in zinc many days, so I have to pick up a some of those. I love that it calculates your levels of everything and so I can take a supplement, or not, as I need it, or I can search for a food high in that nutrient and have it as a snack. Okay, enough out of me!

XO

Leila

BeacheeGirl ---that's comforting to know that I'm not the only one that thinks the port is moving around. And it makes perfect sense with the healing process. I know right after my surgery it felt like a huge knot under my port incision. When I got my fill, I read my post-op report and it said that I had a low profile port and from what I gathered it was placed pretty deep. I'm going to try not to fret about it because there is nothing I can do if it flips.

Pinkylee --My doc too said keep between 4 to 6 ounces for meals. I think that I am doing pretty good. Today I am very hungry, got a bit weak also. But, I've also been very active today. I did a 3 mile walk this morning the walked through Sam's club, then walked through the mall, then ran a bunch more errands. I actually had to get a snack because I felt so weak. This is the first time since my surgery that my blood sugar dropped low. I am not diabetic but my sugars seem to always run on the low side.

I had my second NSV today :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: I had to go to Lane Bryant to get some new jeans. My one and only pair were getting too big (size 22). I tried on an 18 and they fit very good!!! These should last me a couple of months until they get too big. I hate to buy too many clothes right now.....I have plenty of shopping to do in my own closet.

Have a great Saturday everyone!!

Melissa Lea:hippie:

Wow Melissa Lea! congrats on the size 18's!

:clap2::clap2::clap2:.....Congrats on the size 18 Melissa Lea !!!! Way to go!!

Wow, it seems several kudos' are in order.

Kudos to all of you who managed to get in your liquid intake and for the size changes!!!

Barb - I'm so happy that you are doing better. You sound like you are bouncing right back. I agree with you about fearing foods. I am eating far more towards the safe side than risking my band or my lifestyle change. I would much rather sacrifice foods I once loved than live one more day in the body I had prior to this surgery.

ofps - you are a dear friend to me now.... perhaps you should call Dr. Stewards office to find out if it is wise to get the fill on the 25th. Maybe you and I can switch appts if need be. I didn't realize that your port wasn't healing yet. I hope that gets taken care of soon.

As far as the water challenge, I am on track. I had approx. 40 oz of water and a fair amount of tea. I am down another pound. Inching along, but still progress.

I so need another fill... I think... Totally weird, I can not eat a thing in the am, but this evening I ate 3 small pieces of thin crust pizza. Crazy...

As for liquids: 40 ounces water, 32 ounces lemonade, 12 ounces coffee...

Congrats to all with the NSV, Water Victories, and other accomplishments!

Didn't get the water in yesterday. I have to really focus and force myself to drink, drink, drink. I'll try to do better today.

Really enjoying real food, but I'm staying within my bandster portions. I don't feel any restriction. I am operating more on fear than anything. I hope I continue to be fearful as it keeps me in check. I'm keeping myself from temptation.

I think I will wait a full week before calling for a fill. I want to make sure nothing sneaks up on me and that I can handle a full week of food. I've never felt the full feeling others talk about, but I stop when I think I've had enough at any one sitting.

Hope all is well with everyone. Back to the sunday paper and the British open.

Poodles --I know how you are feeling. I am going to look at my calendar and schedule a fill. I will be going out of town in about 2 weeks so I hope to get in before I go out of town. If not, then right when I return. My portions are within the bandster servings but boy have I been hungry this weekend.

Melissa Lea

It started out simple enough, I wanted eggs for breakfast.

After 2 bites, there I was - running to burp them up.

For those of you who read the "don't do eggs" posts, and think,

"I can".... just don't. Now I feel lousy, I get nervous that it

does something to the band itself, and I'm back to liquids all day.

I know someday, when I've lost a large amount of weight, and know how the band works, and what I'm supposed to do each day - this will all be a funny memory.

No, it won't. This hurts, and thus far, none of this has been fun.

my dog loves these eggs.

Randi,

Eggs are one of the things I can eat. Its on my doctor's list of OK foods and I seem to tolerate them OK. I do try to keep them very moist and use hot sauce or cheese sauce to help them down if they are scrambled. I tried fried eggs yesterday and no problem. I also have tried them soft boiled. I read one post where someone was eating hard boiled eggs. I won't try that. It just sounds like a possible stick to me and I don't care for them anyway.

I think the world changes with restriction. We probably took a little too much out when they did the unfill. I'm not going overboard, but I am able to eat without a problem.

Sorry about going back on liquids. That's no food for sure.