Hey 50 & over gang We have a new spot

[Lizalee 1]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I am so afraid of slipping backwards - and I want to enter onederland so bad! The serotonin thing makes total sense - I've been struggling for the past month, and am convinced it's seasonal.

The Halloween candy is gone, the caramel corn portortioned in just enough baggies for my daughter's lunches for the week. No more fatty food left from the weekend and I'm ready to get back on track!

Last night I looked through a Coldwater Creek catalog that came, and realized I could fit into almost everything in the catalog! That's such a huge thing for me. I'm not buying anything, but it's nice to know that I COULD! On the other hand, the Lane Bryant and Roaman's catalogs I've been throwing away. Since I can actually go to the store and find clothes, no need to pay shipping. Now that's a liberating feeling!

Now I just gotta get through today...one day at a time.

Thanks again.

[angelshere 0]

One of the things that has helped my psychological cravings for sweets is almonds: cinnamon almonds or raw almonds.....Costco sells them and a handful is such a treat! Another thing I just discovered at costco is ground flax seed.....you can add a scoop to oatmeal or Soup or a shake (just about anything). It seems to havee no taste, but has lots of nutrients, like Omega-3, etc. It is low carb and it is very filling! It even helps with depression (which has been an intermittent problem for me and doesn't help me to stay with a healthy program). Thank you all for being here for me; when I have been down, your posts have inspired me.

Nancy

[JoannMarie 0]

Nancy, that's a great tip about the almonds and flax seed. DH and I have used flax seed for a couple of years now - he is more apt to use it than I am. No reason - I just forget about it! It is very good for you, and so are the almonds as long as you don't overdo. I was concerned that I might not be able to eat nuts, but it sounds like they will be okay.

Orea, I hear you about the fruit. My blood sugar reacts very badly if I eat high carb or fruit by itself. A small piece of cheese to accompany the fruit works like a charm.

Beautiful sunny fall days are great - but days like this are so hard for me. It is gray, drizzly, cold - and I hurt all over. I'm trying to stay out of the kitchen! Fortunately there is not much there that can hurt me too badly - I tossed all the bad stuff long ago. But overeating on good stuff doesn't do much for me either. "Overeating" is the operative word here.

I hope everyone is doing okay today.

[deedee16117 0]

Have a question had my second fill today and again they said just liquids for 48 hours. Why os this? I feel fine and have had tea, coffee and Water since then with no problem. I just get so hungary and I wonder why I just can't have soft food?

[orea15 0]

It is to give your stomach time to adjust to the new pressure on it. Your flesh may get irritated and swell up a bit initially, so you don't want to irritate it further, or get stuck possibly, by eating something too challenging too soon.

That said, when your 48 hours are up, and I was practically counting the minutes:wink_smile:, take it slowly. Each new fill level is a learning experience, so it behooves us to be cautious and start with the relatively easy stuff at first, to see what we can now tolerate.

I kind of enjoyed my two day sojourn with yogurt and Protein Drinks, etc. And I dropped a couple of pounds of Water from the lack of sodium in my food choices. :laugh:

[Great2BThin 5]

Have a question had my second fill today and again they said just liquids for 48 hours. Why os this? I feel fine and have had tea, coffee and Water since then with no problem. I just get so hungary and I wonder why I just can't have soft food?

Not sure why so long, though I think Dr's vary on this. I only have to do liquids for 4 hours and can have soft foods that evening and normal the next day. Maybe it depends on the size of the fill?

[orea15 0]

That might be a factor. I was only told to do 24 hours of liquids with my first fill, 4cc. in my 10cc band, by Dr. Halmi. The second time, last week, Dr. Tran added another 2 cc. and said 48 hours. This made sense to me because I was definitely tighter, and I couls see how my stomach might object to the sudden squeeze.

[Oregondaisy 2,019]

I only have to be on liquids for 24 hours after a fill and then mushy for the next 24.

That makes sense about the seratonin. I also buy almonds at costco. I have been putting ground flax seed in my yogurt or if I eat my high Fiber Cereal. I have to grind it myself though. I am not eating my cereal this week though because I trying to eat low carb. I need to get the few lbs I gained back off. Plus when I eat low carb, I don't have the cravings. Unfortunately, not eating my cereal causes me to be backed up if you know what I mean. It's hard to get the fiber in when you eat low carb.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Hey there gang - I know I have been MIA but my Internet is down at home - and just too busy at work to ck in everyday..

Ok here's my 2 cents on the holidays/sweet cravings.

I really try and stay away from real sugar - cuz once you eat it - it becomes my heiron... Yes that dangerous... Once you eat it the more you want - so just don't start..

When I want something sweet - I really do stick to the sf stuff - I love the dark choc sf puddings - choc/banana one too - fudgecicles and I am now even added sherbet 1/2 c only 110 calories.

As someone mentioned its all about the planning... Last Xmas - When I would go into the lunch room here at work which was filled with junk - I would look at the calories for 1 piece of See's candy - and then just said to myself oh no it's not worth it

Also, I made a deal with myself - I make Xmas Cookies with my GDs every year - I love them (the cookies and girls too :0) - it's a tradition going back to my childhood w/my Mom - So I said Janet - you know that when you make cookies with the girls you are going to want some - so as long as you stay away from all the junk in the lunch room for the Xmas season - you can have 5 cookies & 1 tamale (yes we make them too - I am pretty well versed in other cultural foods) - So that's what I did - I said no to all the junk in the office but allowed myself some of the cookies that we made and do you know what - I didn't gain any weight during the holidays - in fact I lost weight..

I find that if I have something in the house that I love or want to eat - if I put it out of sight - then I won't pick at it. pizza - we have it every now and then - but when I have allowed myself 1 piece - then it goes in the oven so I can't see it every time i walk in the kitchen - (I have an open kitchen/family room setup).

Another trick is to budget your calories - if you know that you are going to a party where you can't say no to that glass of wine or some of the rich foods - then just make sure that they budgeted for in your daily calorie allowance - eat light for bf - lunch - so at the party that 200 calorie glass of wine and 200 calorie indulgence isn't going to throw you into calorie overload.

Remember we are not dieting but making a lifestyle change and the trick here is to understand that it's ok to allow for a treat now and then - it's not cheating ladies - it's life - it's not that one piece of cake that made us fat it's cuz we ate the whole damn thing...

Don't keep foods that you can't say no to in the house - avoidance worked for me - you don't need them and neither do your families - it's all about eating healthy not deprivation..

Someone said - cheating with cottage cheese - Well, since I am a WW girl - I eat extra veggies when I am hungry - to me veggies are free - this is how pple who we think of as skinny do things - they eat real food but just healthy food - fill up on your Protein - then your veggies - then your carbs and if you are still hungry have a few more veggies..

You all can do this - you just gotta put your mind to it - just don't eat that one fun size bar if you know that you can't stop with just one or 2... especially if the junk is in the house - If I want candy - I will buy just 1 pack of reese pb cups - its 210 c and when it's gone it's gone - in the past I bought the king size or the big bag and then ate it till it was gone - if it's not there you can't eat it - so just don't buy it..

I feed my hunger - I just do it in the lowest calorie form that I can.. Heck it takes me 2 hrs some time to grocery shop cuz I real labels - I want to know how many calories are in a serving and if it's like 700 for 1 piece of cheese cake - I just say no...

Well I gotta get back to work - cbl:tongue:

[orea15 0]

In a weird for m of reverse psychology, we actually bought full sized candy bars for the trick or treaters, and DH got Them a month early! What with all my hunger and cravings, I never touched them until the box was opened on Halloween. I could have justified a mini bar, but never a huge one! They scared the hell out of me, so I was able to resist no matter how they called my name.

On Halloween evening, I made a conscious decision to have two candy bars. I didn't enjoy them, they were good but not that good. i didn't get sick afterward, but I didn't feel all that great either. I had not had sweets in any quantity for quite some time, and my body told me in no uncertain terms it did not appreciate them. That was what I wanted to know. Message received.

The next day, my stupid body still asked for more sugar regardless, but fortunately the candy had gone with DH to work, to poison the rest of the staff! :thumbup:

[lynnt1215 1]

Too much stress - being a stress eater, i have been tried over the past few days. If it is something I enjoy I ate it, but small amounts. With my current restriction my intake is limited, so that has helped. I just want to get past this recent family situation and get back to a normalcy. Whatever tht may be

Today for lunch I had about 2 oz. of beef. I chewed it really well and took small bites. OMG, pbing...discomfort and slime... this is the worse I have ever hard. So taking it easy for a few days with liquids and soft foods.

My last fill was mid September and still having great restriction, but at times it does seem to be too much...(recent pbing incident) the weight has finally begun to go down again, so I am going to see how things go, my next appt with doctor is 12/30/08

[orea15 0]

Stress does tend to tighten us up. {{{hugs}}}

[thin2bme 2]

Congratulations Terry on ONEDERLAND. I also just hit that mark yesterday and isn't it a thrill. Orea, sorry to hear you have been hungry. You are doing sooo well. The fill should help though. Thinner, I am having a fill on thursday and the last fill finally did something for me. Since it did do something for me, I also don't want to be too tight. My doctor goes slow but we will see. Talk with ya all later.

Beckyo:tt1:

Hi Becky,

Congrats on you reaching Onederland also, yes it does feel good. Hope you're still doing well, I'm struggling but still there.

Teri

[Maggies 0]

Thanks for all the great tips on avoiding all the goodies during the holidays.

OK, I screwed up this morning and drank a whole Protein Drink while driving to pick up my grandson (15 minutes). By the time I got home I was so sick. I had diarrea and I threw up. I was banded on Oct. 29th and am still on full liquids. I have not had any problems until today. In fact I was wondering if they really put a band in me because I felt so good. I have a 14cc band with 3cc saline put in at time of surgery. Every time I have a bowle movement it is diarrea, so the doctor is having a lab test done. Do you all think I messed up my band with throwing up. It wasn't that much, just some of the Protein drink. I will never drink anything that fast again. I haven't been hungry since my banding, just trying to get in the protein. Thanks, Maggie:shades_smile:

[bochs 0]

Yes you do have to go slow when you eat or drink. I can eat and drink pretty fast but I sure would not try eating too fast as I do that alot and it hurts. I am really trying to slow down but that part is hard for me. Tomorrow (THURS) I go to see Dr. I have done well this month. I think since last fill I have lost 7 lbs (4 weeks). I felt perfect with that last fill and have done well until about a week ago. I noticed I can eat more but it isn't serious. The key for me is if I am not hungry I can resist any kind of food. If I wait too long to eat then I want to eat fast and then I choke. Sounds like all is well with everyone so talk with you all tomorrow night after I get back from Dr.

Beckyo:biggrin: