Great Idea - I will do it right now !!

Hi

I am Janet and I am a recovering food addict :wink2:

I was banded 7/17/07 - My starting weight was 250 - I'm 5'4

Today (just over 10 months out) I am 154 - size 8 pants (was 18/20) Medium tops (was 22/24)

I got banded as I wanted to extend the years that I have left on this planet and to do that I knew that I needed to lose weight.

The band has been the tool I needed. For the first time in my life I have been able to achieve this goal (actually getting to my goal weight)

If you want a buddy - support - help - suggestions - Please feel free to call upon me - I will gladly share my journey with you - the journey is still on going and by helping you I will be helping me (staying motivated and accountable) and then one day you can pay it forward and help someone else.

Tina...you've come to the right place if you are looking for support. We enjoy when new ppl pop on and stick around for support, advice or just the need to talk about their lives and life with the band.

Keep us informed as to your surgery status. Don't hold back when it comes to questions you might want to ask. So sorry you did not get the support you wanted in the chat room. Maybe a little easier on a thread since you are able to explain a little more in detail

Welcome and fire away with any questions you might have.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO YOU

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO YOU

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, DEAR ARLENE AND DH

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO YOU!!!! AND MANY MORE!!!!!!!

Happy Anniversary Arlene.

Prayers, Tex.

Welcome Tina,

Choo, choo, Melissa. You can do this. I slipped yesterday. Shouldn't have committed to carb free on a Sunday when I know we're going out. But I held it in check and today I'm doing well. Just going to get another Protein Drink. Sometimes I have to have a lot of Protein drinks the first day I'm back on all Protein. The next day I'm usually able to cut down as my body loses its cravings for carbs.

Apples, so glad you had such a good time with your 'grand'kids. They sound like a stitch. Mine are always so glad to see me. Absolutely warms me up inside.

Got a lot done today. Finishing touches tomorrow on the project. My assistant is a huge help.

Arlene, one of these years I'll go on a cruise. The Alaskan ones sound fascinating to me.

Gonna try to get some cards done. Might arrive after Christmas but who cares. Gotta wrap presents. Gotta shop for parties. Got a few more little toys to pick out.

Lori, post or e-mail me your crockpot potatoes recipe.

Walked this morning early at the community center for third day in a row. Needed a break from walking all the steps at work anyway. Nice walking track free to all. I was awake by 5 a.m. Won't really be relaxed enough to sleep in till after Christmas. All projects should be complete.

Cheri

Welcome, Tina, ask away with any questions you might have. We are very supportive here. Without knowing any specifics the best advice I have is to remember the lap band doesn't do the work for you. YOu still have to do the work and it's only a tool to help you. If you can go into with this mindset you will be more successful. Folks who think the band does it all are usually disappointed. Janet likes to point out that they didn't band our heads, meaning we still battle with head hunger. Also be sure and journal your food and eat Protein first. Good luck to you.

Arlene, did you know that Chik Fil A Southwest chicken salad has about 20 grams of carbs in it? That's w/o the tortilla strips I think, not sure which one you got. Happy Anniversary to you! Did you have a Christmasy wedding? My parents got married in Dec and their pics have all sorts of pointsettias in them.

Apples, sorry about the test results on DH. My ex got it after he left me. He's doing well,

Here ya go Cheri, warning it's not 'low calorie' or anything:

Garlic Potatos

3 lb. red potatoes

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 C Water

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 8-oz pkg cream cheese

1/4 C butter

1/2 to 1 C milk

Quarter potatoes and place in slow cooker. Add garlic, water, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high 2-3 hours or low 4-6 hours, until potatoes are tender. Add water if necessary. Lightly mash potatoes. Stir in cream cheese and butter. Add milk to desired consistency. Serve immediately or keep in slow cooker on low, adding more milk if necessary.

Hello!

Im new to the site and just wanted to say im inspired by all your stories. I am in the process of having the lap band surgery and just playing the waiting game now since i turned in all my information to the surgeon. They said they would call me back when they got everything together for me to meet with the surgeon himself.

Im on Weight Watchers right now and am going through major food withdrawal. I was thinking of Over eaters anonymous but idk how they feel about lap band or about WW.

Im worried right now because i didnt really lose much weight in the last 6 months of the program that my pcp had me on for pre op that was required. I hope this doesnt mean i cant have the surgery. Like i said, im on WW right now.

I went to the chat room and no one would answer my questions and they wouldnt talk to me really and i was disapointed with the lack of support i found here in the chat rooms. I tried to find another site with chat rooms but didnt find anything.

Anyway, im looking right now to find a support network so i have this in place for the surgery next month ( i hope)

Thanks for listening to me ramble. I appreciate all of your comments and support.

Tina

Welcome Tina.....

I have never done chat room - I think it's more soical than anything else - where as the treads are where pple get answers to their questions..

The pre-op is just a precurser as to what to expect after surgery. It's to show your doc/insurance that you are able to adhear to a specific eating plan and it's to help to shrink your liver too. I didn't have to do one (6 month pre diet) and I was lucky only to have 1 week of actual pre-op diet - where as a lot of pple have them for at least a couple weeks..

Best advice that was given me when I started my journey and it's the advice I parrott when ever I am asked..

The band is only a tool - it doesn't lose the weight for you - it doesn't make your food choices (you can eat around it) and it doesn't exercise for you either..

The only thing is does is make you fuller (once you get proper restriction) on a smaller amount of food.

It will stop you from eating 20 oz of steak but won't stop you from eating a 1/2 gallon of ice cream..

If you want to be successful in this - you really gotta get it - that this is a total lifetime lifestyle change in your eating habits - it's not a diet - it's about eating healthy - Diets don't work cuz when you go off them and back to eating normal - you gain the weight back - what you have to understand is that our eating normal is what made us fat in the 1st place.. It's not just about how much we consume - but the types of foods we eat - Preband - I ate high fat (love cheese, butter anything fried) - high sugar (candy Cookies ice cream) - high starches (pasta - bread - rice - potato) and sat on my butt 24/7 - that's how I got fat.. So to get healthy w/the help of my band (it did 25% of the work and I did the other 75% by eating healthy and exercising)

I give tough band love - so be prepared - but we are here fo you... Ask away...

Welcome Tina!

Lori, it was a small cup of chicken salad.8pts. It has six carbs, but I didn't check the fat till now. 27g of Protein. Too much fat though. Gotta scratch it off my list.

Thanks Apples and Cheri. Yep, we are going to eat chicken fajitas tonight. I text my DS and told him we had been married 41 years and if he wanted to beat us on years he would have to hurry up. Is that a hint or what? Then my ex DIL dropped by and pumped me for info about DS's girlfriend. Ugh! I have to watch my words with her. She did tell my that my DD was dating one of her friend's ex. HMMMM!! At least she is not with that loser again. I like this guy, but I won't hold my breath. He might be too nice to her. lol

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A BETTER METABOLISM!!! Oh wait.......I'm Santa!!!

Hello.......... welcome Tina....... You've got the best people giving you advice already... Just hop on in and make yourself at home...

My girls are "resting" and watching Little Bear.... A couple more hours and DD will be here... They have been good, so can't complain... Only thing is my neck and shoulder are biting at me today... It's my first day without the Medrol pack... Hope I don't need more.. the last few days have been so wonderful.... Just a bit of pain now and then..... I could handle that for along time... But if it stays like today I'll be calling the doc real fast....

I really should be doing something, but just don't have the ambition today.. Christmas plans are still up in the air for us, so haven't gotten excited about planning anything... I know my DB and SIL from SD will be here on Christmas Day, and we will have our Christmas with DD's family on the 26th.....

So, I was thinking while wrapping gifts yesterday and putting them under the tree.... I've got a just for fun question for everybody..... Do you do the fancy tree with a theme and color coordinated trimmings and gift wrap or do you do the more simple thing with old ornament collected throughout the years and many different wrappings??? I'm the second type... Tree topper is an angel that DH's mother made (crochetd and then starched)..... multi-colored bulbs with candy canes this year.. I was too tired to unpack all the old ornaments, but usually do this... and I use many different colors and styles of wrapping.. I like to do pretty ribbons and bows and spend time on it... not just slap a bow on and go.... What do you all do at your house... I'll bet we all have a little bit different traditions.... I'd love to here about it.....

Well, better go see to my girls.. they are getting more rambunctious.... Karen, good wishes for DH with his doctoring... Hope all will be fine soon... Hugs to all... Julie

Arlene, we were posting at the same time...... Happy Anniversary to you and your dear one.... 41 years is a long time... 45 is the ruby anniversary... We had a big party for my parents for their 45th..... good thing as my dad didn't make it to 50..... Wish you many more happy years together.... love you... Julie

Julie...as I have stated b/4, I have 3 Christmas trees. The large tree in the living room has all the ornaments we have collected throughout our marriage. The tree in the kitchen has a "winter" theme with colors that coordinate and the large tree in the basement is decorated with rustic type things. Pine cones picked up in our back yard, wide ribbon and twigs. I was going to take a photo of each after I saw your post but went wild with the camera yesterday and now recharging battery. Will post them later.

Thanks Julie. I know what you mean. My parents were one year shy of their 50th. Yikes! I guess I am getting old.

I have had both kind of trees. When I started doing a 4ft tree I quit putting out all of my Hallmark collectibles. I really need to give them to my kids. I like theme and traditional. I think whatever gives you joy is what you ought to do. I used to do matching wrap and bags. This year I bought all foil bags in five different colors. Like I said earlier........Dollar Tree is my new go to store for wrapping. Today I went there and bought more canisters for the chex mix.

Happy Anniversary Charlene !!!!!

Julie - This yr no tree ;0) - But I change it out every couple of years - packages under - well - they don't match the tree - but do wrap in diff paper - so say I have 5 rolls - you would have 5 packages in ever color of paper - when I was youner I did all the fancy stuff - now I just slap on a bow...

Forgot to add the gifts under the tree question. Each year (after Christmas specials) I buy three different but color coordinated rolls of wrapping paper and 3 different patterns of wide ribbon. I do not put the gifts under the tree because we have a beautiful hand crocheted tree skirt that we don't want to cover up. We place the wrapped gifts off to the side of the tree

I was all color coordinated but now I share the tree decorating with my son. He picked out the tackiest star to go on top. I tried to convince him to go with another but he really wanted it so I gave in. Now the tree has some ornaments on it he made in preschool and kindergarten. It is neat to see when we pull out our decorations his little hands and pictures of when he was little.