Hi, I really would like to be able to keep in touch with all of you waiting for

December surgery and as we progress on our way to success. Maybe start with Date of surgery, Where banded, Present weight and goal weight. Of course, add anything else that is helpful to others or if you need some words of encouragement hopefully someone here will step up and help us.

I will be banded 12/12/06

Banded in Wisconsin

Starting Weight 266

Goal 140

First off I am bumping this thread back to the first page! I found it on page 3 :::GASP::::

The weather here is frightfull, the roads are frozen over and I have been stuck in the house for 3 days now. I am almost willing to brave the roads just to get away from my children... They are driving me nuts!! Also, being so bored makes it hard to not eat. I just want to eat, eat, eat. God I am SO BORED!

I saw the news last night and thought of you! It sounds like there have been some pretty hellish ice storms your way. Take care of yourself. We are getting the cold rain part of it now, but I think more is coming our way. Kids in the house and cabin fever is tough! I have some of the same going on.

I also think you are being too hard on yourself. I like what Steph said as far as what you should have told your dad when he asked how the weight loss was. 2.5 pounds is right on track. A loss is a loss and welcome each on you get. Beating yourself up will only continue the poor choices we make with food. You are learning new habits and like learning anything new, you have to expect some setbacks. Hang in there.

God I love you guys!! Thanks so much for the support.

Steph and Kay you are both exactly right, had I been prepared I would have said just that and I regret lying to him, I was kind of put on the spot so to speak. Yesterday was a really sour day for me, thanks for being there when I needed you. This forum really helps me stay away from the food, when I get bored and want to eat I come here and read. IT helps!

Gerbera--when do you get to transition to solid food? I get a kick out of your "vitamised" food. :confused: I assume that means blended or pureed, right?

We haven't had the worst of the weather, we still have power and the main roads are plowed and passable, thank god. I get to get out of the house today and I am really excited even if it means going to work! Here is a little prayer for those without power...

Good Morning Bandsters :confused:

Guess who's excited? Yup ME Finally these scales are showing regular weight loss - Yippeeeeeeeeee. It's my official weigh in day today, I dropped another 1.2 kilos (2.64 pounds) this last week.

StephC: You Go Girl, Thats awesome advice you gave to okiefamily. So supportive and so true. A loss is a loss. It's better off than on, thats my theory

okiefamily: Hope your day was better for you today I "officially" move onto vitamised/mushy food on the 21st January, however my Soups are getting thicker and thicker and as you can see I tried some mashed/vitamised spaghetti last night (giggle). I'm starting to slowly try a few things. Tonight I'm making "Porcupine Meatballs" for my neice,(Her favourite) so I'm looking forward to trying 1/2 a meatball with some mashed potatoe. Wish me luck

Porcupine Meatballs

<TABLE class=MsoNormalTable style="WIDTH: 100%; mso-padding-alt: 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt; mso-cellspacing: 0cm" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 3.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 3.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 3.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 3.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" vAlign=top>1 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2kg Minced ground beef

1 cup MINUTE White Rice, uncooked

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 Large jar spaghetti sauce

<O:p</O:p2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

<O:p</O:pSmall tin crushed pineapple (optional)

</TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 3.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 3.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 3.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 3.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">MELT butter in small skillet on medium high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds.

ADD onion mixture to combined meat, rice, egg and seasonings in large bowl. Add 1/4 cup water; mix until well blended. (optional Pineapple) Shape into meatballs.

MIX spaghetti sauce and 1/2 cup Water in skillet/pan. Bring to boil; add meatballs. Return to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer 15 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. Or cook in pre heated oven 30mins or until cooked.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

What a great thread! This is the way it is suppose to work!

I hope to cotinue to hear from all of you!! :)

Hey Roband G'day

Welcome to the December Bandsters Thread

Feel free to join in anytime. There's amazing support here

I love this whole Forum in fact

Look forward to hearing more from you also

Ok off to work for me - have a GREAT DAY/NIGHT ya'll (practising my Texan Tawk)

Thank you! I've visited the December Bandsters b4 and observed some disturbing behavior.

I'm glad it is now a real support thread!

Looking forward to chatting again soon.

Best,

I also was banded on the 19th of December. I was so excited to start my new life. I keep track in a journal of my exersice, food, and feeling that I have. It has helped, but reading here what others go through has been a huge help! I have lost 18 lbs. and keep bouncing between the same 3lbs. Can't wait for the fill appt. this week. I find it interesting how the feeling of being full trips a guilt feeling in your head.... any of you know what I mean? I keep trying to tell myself that I really didn't eat that much! It's hard to tell yourself it's okay if the weight comes off slowly, but of course we wanted it yesterday:) I guess we all have good days and bad days... thank you all for sharing!

Okie, I love Stephs suggestion to you to try and explain to your Dad that this is a process...maybe you could give him some literature to read that says 1-2 pounds per week is the expected weight loss?? Anyways, I hope you're feeling more chipper today!

SLOW EATING.....does anyone else have this problem!?? I've got the small bites down and chewing thouroughly....but the slow eating thing is REALLY Hard for me! I try to time it so I take one bite a minute to make sure my meal lasts for at least 20 min....but it's HARD!! Especially when I'm HUNGRY!! Anyone got any good suggestions on how to get this down once and for all??

<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:p</O:p

<O:p</O:p

hisnhers: Hey seems you and I were banded on the same day!. But you know really mine was a day earlier, because us aussies are always a day ahead into the future. Our Weight loss is also similar – Congrats- keep up the good work.<O:p></O:p>

I know what you mean about the full feeling, sometimes (old habbits) I want to still eat till I’m full. (strange I know) But I kinda miss the full feeling, but full now hurts, I’ve only done it twice and it took 1 ½ cups to fill me. Heavens knows why we feel guilty about that!<O:p></O:p>

<O:p</O:p

VABandster: I like you have got the small bites thing & the small sips and swallows down pat, but still struggle with eating slow. This morning I particularly noticed it while eating my yoghurt 1 cup and I was finished in 15 mins. Earlier it was easier to do, but now that I’m managing thicker foods and swelling has gone down, I’m finding I’m wanting to eat at my “Old” normal rate. Looking forward to any tips others can provide J<O:p</O:p

<O:p</O:p

CHEERS to all – Happy Healthy Eating <O:p</O:p

Hey ladies! (At least I haven't seen a guy on here in awhile!)

Questions for y'all:

1. I am just at the tail end of week three and find that I can eat about 1 cup of soup/cottage cheese or whatever. 1 cup to me feels "normal". As it is, i struggle with getting enough calories in per day so I am wondering how you're supposed to do it on 1/4 cup per meal? The Water wait time doesn't seem to mesh for me in terms of having 5 small meals.

2. Has anyone started the clothing swap on yahoo? I didn't see one there. (I have 28-30's to give away if anyone needs them.)

3. Is anyone concerned about getting enough of the right fats in? I'd kinda forgotten about that so I have started to add flax seed oil and virgin coconut oil (really good for you says my trainer!) to my foods. Just 1-2 tbs per day. I'm so used to buying fat-free items that I realized I am hardly eating any. I think this should help with dry skin and BM's, too!

Hey ladies! (At least I haven't seen a guy on here in awhile!)

Questions for y'all:

1. I am just at the tail end of week three and find that I can eat about 1 cup of soup/cottage cheese or whatever. 1 cup to me feels "normal". As it is, i struggle with getting enough calories in per day so I am wondering how you're supposed to do it on 1/4 cup per meal? The Water wait time doesn't seem to mesh for me in terms of having 5 small meals.

2. Has anyone started the clothing swap on yahoo? I didn't see one there. (I have 28-30's to give away if anyone needs them.)

3. Is anyone concerned about getting enough of the right fats in? I'd kinda forgotten about that so I have started to add flax seed oil and virgin coconut oil (really good for you says my trainer!) to my foods. Just 1-2 tbs per day. I'm so used to buying fat-free items that I realized I am hardly eating any. I think this should help with dry skin and BM's, too!

1.I am not sure about the water meal thing either, I am getting it in but I practically have to chug it. I am concerned that I won't be able to chug it after I have had a fill. I am also 1 month out from surgery and I can eat almost as much of anything as I want so I think one cup is normal. I couldn't survive on a 1/4 cup of food.

2. I haven't seen a clothing exchange, some of the members on my yahoo groups are talking about it too and if it happens I will forward it to everyone.

3. My doc wants us to supplement with flax seed oil and fish oil. I haven't yet.

Pickles pickles pickles!!!!!! Pickles keep me happy, they are crunchy and salty. I just ate 3 pickles and looked at the nutrition info...It said 0 cal and 0 fat...how about that!!! I think I'll eat some more. I wonder if I can still eat pickles after a fill.

LOL Okie! Enjoy your pickles. Just watch the sodium and make sure you are getting enough water to balance it out. Otherwise you will be retaining fluid. Man, I sound like a fun killer! Enjoy nonetheless.....

Okay guys, I created a yahoo group for a clothing exchange... send me your email and I will invite you, feel free to pass it along. The name of the group is WLS Clothing Exchange. We will give it a try to see if it works!