Come join us. We are bandsters without a local support group, and we're going to meet, say hi, and chat about possibly starting our own group.

We are meeting this Wednesday December 13 at 6:30 PM at Humble City Cafe near the SE corner of the intersection of 1960 and 59, on Main Street.

Let me know if you're coming and I'll make a reservation in the name of Bandsters.

Lana: That site is http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/HoustonAreaBandsters/

Had a great time. Lana and I went to Spivak's first weekly support group meeting downtown. He wants us to be healthy and party animals, I think. There's going to be a Christmas party and he's sponsoring us in the Komen breast cancer walk/run. I asked about similar changes to the Speigel changes, and there's nothing... OK to continue to go to the Surgicenter for fills, no change in procedures for anything, no required meetings. He seems more into door prizes, fun challenges, belly dancing...jeez! Anyway, the first meeting was terribly interesting. There were probably 50 people, I'd guess, and a bunch of successful bandsters. It was eye opening....it looked like the ones who had the aggressive weight loss with the band were also being serious dieters. Doing things like eating half a yogurt for breakfast and saving the other half for a snack, having a lettuce and tomato salad for lunch, and a protein and veges for dinner...total 600 calories AND working out 5 days a week. Just depends what your goals are.... They handed out some articles and I found that the one of how to deal with plateaus/no weight loss was especially good. Anyway, I have lots of thoughts going on in my head, and tomorrow will be a new day for me.... Most of all, I enjoyed your company, Lana.

See you all soon.

I found a great fast Martha Stewart protein recipe! 3 cans of tuna, 1 egg slightly beaten, a very small handful of bread crumbs (I use Panko instead), 1/3C chopped cilantro or whatever herbs you like, a little jalapeno if you like it, a little lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of lite mayo...all stirred together. Make palm-sized little cakes/burgers. 1T of oil in a pan, or cooking spray...but very little oil anyway. Cook for a few minute on both sides. They are like crab cakes. Good hot or cold. I found that one makes a meal for me...well, actually 1.25, and I'm full. Dave eats them with his hands, like snacks. The combo of ingredients seems to go down smoothly for me, but not so smoothly that I lose that full feeling.

That sounds good. I will try it.

Unfortunately, Spiegel's support group meetings are nothing like that! He is having a chef from University General in after someone suggested it at the meeting. He does not attend and I don't think has much to do with it other than to say we must attend 4 a year. His staff handles it and with that enough said.

Lana glad you had a good visit. There was 3 of us. We had a good visit, but missed you. We'll catch up at La Villa the last Monday of the month at 5:30. I'm looking forward to it.

Had my fill on Monday and so far OK. I am still hungry, but taking it real slow. Maybe, if all goes well I'll get another small one in 3 weeks. We'll see.

Glad you're doing well, Barbara!

Barbara and Besty it was very nice meeting you ladies. I was able to learn a little more about my band. Look forward to meeting the others.

 

Barbara thanks for letting me catch a ride with you to the group support meeting down town.

Bikergrammy, you're fun! Glad you've joined us.

OK. I took it to heart that these big losers of Spivak's were doing 600 calories a day and eating like birds. Birds, I tell you! I had to decide what's right for me, and that seems to change frequently. The best I've ever felt before the band was on a diet of protein and fruit for breakfast, a salad for lunch and protein and veges for dinner. So I did it. But I added in my protein bar or diluted shake as a snack....Gotta have my chocolate. Did it for 3 days and lost a pound. Counted the calories and I went from around 1100 a day to around 950 a day. That's where I'm gonna hold 'em for now. But I'm slacking off on exercise! Gotta get back to it. If it isn't one thing it's another........ Ah, the life of a bandster.

Hey girls,

Just wanted to check in with yall. Loved going to the meeting with Betsy! I had out of town company the next 3 days and immediately got sick the 2nd day with a terrible cold--fever and all! I'm just starting to feel ok again. Can't wait to get together again and discuss Spivak meeting. It was really an eye opener--haven't gotten to try anything yet cause I've been sick in bed. I lost 3 pounds, but I'm sure it's just dehydration from being sick, so I'm not counting it yet. This is my first day back on the computer.

Lana: Sorry you're feeling puny, especially with company!

 

I just heard a radio show today with a lap band Dr. being interviewed. He said that the people who "get it" (meaning lose a lot and consistently) are the ones who use the band for one thing----to realize they don't feel hungry anymore. Consequently they limit themselves to 3 solid low fat ,high protein, high fiber meals with no snacking....and then spend their time dealing with the emotional issues of losing food as a companion. Period. That's his summary.

 

He said that those people who "get it" from the beginning may not even need any fills. Everybody else has to learn it somewhere along the way.

 

He said the Atkins diet works best, and said eating mushy foods (and sliders) is as bad as eating liquids: Food should have to be a big effort to chew chew chew until liquid. Period. "No fat person has ever chewed their food well enough...They couldn't and still get all those calories in in a meal." "One reason for the mushy diet at first is to get people used to chewing food well enough."

 

What do you think?

It makes some sense. I do chew, chew, chew, but i still use a slider to help me chew it up. I also don't like just to swallow. I get too scared so a slider helps me adjust.

 

I think the emotional issues are definitely ones that have to be dealt with. I think the band helps with the hunger, sometimes. I am hungry and still able to eat more than a normal bandster. I don't eat in between, but I still get hungry.

 

Whatever works for you is OK. You still need to learn to eat like a normal person. I don't think that means "diet". I think that means moderation. Just my thoughts.

Yeah. I want to improve wherever I can, but I can't complain about the weight loss so far...other than the normal impatience. I gotta quit snacking! I'm snacking on extremely low calorie foods, but I know I'm doing it out of habit and not hunger.....

Wow! That interview is interesting. It makes a lot of sense to me. It sounds something like what those high losers at the doc's meeting were trying to say. Every time I hear more info, it starts to make more sense to me. I wish I had heard that interview. Was it a doc you had heard about before? I think I'm going to cancel the fill I had for Monday. I have some restriction--I think I was looking for a quick loss.

Well, Lana, you know another thing that seems to be different is the amount of fill. Although they hadn't had much, one gal said she liked a hint of restriction and the other said she liked it REALLY tight. So if you wanted more restrictiona nd that's where you feel best, go for it! We're too late to be the gals who get NO fills! Ha!

 

Odd to be quoting him, but Donald Trump's style of eating appeals to me. An extremely healthy "diet" at home, and then eat anything but with portion control when eating out. He also never drinks alcohol....not sure that appeals to me, but I haven't had a drink since I was banded and haven't even thought about it.

 

I really need to hear ALL this stuff over and over. I learn bits at a time and don't retain the rest. I guess it's taking awhile to undo the bads of a lifetime.... I need to stop snacking. I know I'm OK now with it, but it's dangerous for me in the long run. AND stopping it will bring up my emotional issues, I guess, since it's the thing I keep hanging onto. I know it will bring up issues related to eating while bored. I used to live a very busy hectic life. Since I got Lupus, I have to be slower and I can't multitask, and I get bored and eat.

Well, here's the other thing that keeps nagging at me. I hear so many research Drs. saying that the average loss with lap band over time is 50% of th excess weight. I want to beat the average. I don't want to be a perfectionist about it, but I'd like to do better than 50%.