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MamaMichelle

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Everything posted by MamaMichelle

  1. Hello and welcome... another guy on the block, very cool!! I think Chad needs to make a subforum called "The Men's Room" so you boys have a place to ask male-specidfic questions!! That way all of girls don't get jealous about how quickly you guys are able to lose weight, lol! Welcome to the group!!
  2. Hello and welcome, looks like you are making great progress already! No reason to be shy we are a super friendly group and there are no stupid or silly questions here, we've all experienced the same things you are going through!!
  3. Lol, I am right there with you on the height thing... I am a squatty 5'4 (well 5'3 1/2 acorrding to Dr. Miranda) so I'll never be tall and leggy like that!! I don't know what I am excited to wear, I've always worn sleeveless no matter what my weight (when it's 110 in the vegas heat most people are) I always choose capri pants over shorts, more of a fashion thing than an insecurity thing- but it might be nice to wear shorts on those super hot days... I guess I will have to go with a bikini, that would be my ultimate!
  4. That is awesome sweetie, I can't wait to see some of my family during the holidays... hoping for some similar reactions!! Even half the reaction you got would be worth it!!
  5. I weighed myself this afternoon, and I FINALLY got down to 180lbs!! This is huge to me because I haven't weighed this much since I can remember... It's not just about the number on the scale what I am most excited about is that I am 2/3rds of the way to my goal, only 33 more lbs to go!! I really can't express how pleased I am with my lapband and I am so thankful for Dr. Ortiz and all of the OCC and of course all of you wonderful bandsters that are so full of support and inspire me everyday! I am finally in most of my size 10 pants from college and I can actually say I don't hate the way I look in pictures lately! Oh and my son got a new toy digital camera yesterday from one of those mail-in cereal offers and took my pic (it's only like 2megapixels so the quailty is not so great) But here I am in a size 10...
  6. TOTAL BB FAN HERE!! Here is a great website: http://www.hamsterwatch.com they do daily updates on what's going on in the house beyond what they actually show on CBS, it is AMAZING how much stuff they leave out... Of course real life BB is 2-3 days ahead of the TV show so if you go to that site now it describes the most reecent food comp and who is on slop (that will air on Sunday) and by tomorrow it will say who is nominated (again something that usually isn't revealed till Sunday) I like to know everything about the houseguests and what's going on and that's the easiest way to keep up plus the person that runs the site does daily ratings and comments about each person which is usually very funny stuff! Cathy if you missed episode one (or any episodes from now) they have full episodes you can watch on http://www.cbs.com/primetime/big_brother/ Let's everyone name who you think is going to win (you can pick 2 players) My choices are: Ollie and Memphis
  7. The hardness under your main incision is most likely your port, nothing to lose any sleep over!
  8. Adjustments How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted You are losing 1-2 pounds per week. If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week: A. You may need an eating adjustment 1. Are you eating 60 grams of protein a day 2. Are you eating 25 grams of fiber 3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories [/color] a. Soup can be sign of “soft calorie syndrome” b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories – 7 calories per gram (1) It’s also a stomach irritant c. Fruit juice is just sugar water 4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? a. Are you avoiding soft foods b. You can’t just eat what’s easy c. Cheese is glorified fat 5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals 6. Are you eating too much junk a. Chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, cookies and other highly processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a healthy diet. But don’t avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived. b. Stay out of fast food places 7. Are you getting in two servings of calcium daily 8. Do you always eat the protein first 9. Then the vegetables or fruits a. Five servings a day b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable 10. Is your portion size appropriate? a. Meat or fish (1) 3 ounces – the size of a deck of cards b. Vegetables (1) ½ cup – the size of your fist c. Starch (1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don’t need much (2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, pasta 11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar c. They teach you to like things too sweet d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner than people who don’t 12. Avoid most diet foods a. Real food usually tastes better b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not that great (1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet margarine (2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats a. They may go into permanent storage b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzed fats from the body B. You may need a behavior adjustment 1. Are you eating only when you are hungry? a. If you’re not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait. 2. Are you eating three meals a day? a. With maybe 1 or 2 small snacks 3. Are you sitting down to eat? 4. Are you eating consciously? a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away, pay attention to your food and your companions 5. Are you eating slowly? a. Put the fork down between bites b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying 6. Are you taking small bites? a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork 7. Are you chewing well? 8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals? a. Practice water loading between meals b. You won’t be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal 9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? a. Sometimes it’s a whisper: not hungry, had enough b. Hard stop versus soft stop 10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing. 11. Do not eat when you are not hungry C. You may need an activity adjustment 1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week? a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week? c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes? 2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physical activity? a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding c. Parking your car further away from the entrance d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash g. Playing with your kids D. You may need an attitude adjustment 1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey? 2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eating and exercising? a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days 3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional issues? a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your eating? b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those emotions? c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor? 4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings? 5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends? 6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically? 7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss journey? 8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating? a. Obsessive – compulsive thoughts (1) Obsess about something else b. Perfectionism (1) All or none, black and white thinking c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss 9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards? 10. Have you learned how to take a compliment? 11. Are you giving up diet mentality? a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day b. Stop dieting c. Stop depriving yourself d. Stop defining food as “good” and “bad” e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food 12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place? E. You may need a band adjustment 1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate portion sizes but getting hungry between meals? 2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large portions. 3. You are having to struggle to lose 4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and having a good mind set. F. You may need your band loosened 1. There are times when you can’t get fluids down 2. You are vomiting too much a. How much is too much? 3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night? a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: (1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods (2) Chocolate (3) Caffeine/Alcohol (4) Some fruits and vegetables such as; oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers (5) Peppermint a. Baking soda toothpaste e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals f. If you smoke, quit smoking g. Reduce stress h. Exercise promotes digestion i. Raise the head of your bed j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist k. Stress increases reflux l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime (1) Tylenol is OK n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications p. See your health care provider 4. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if a. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest, especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast heartbeat or nausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack. b. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise. c. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you also have nausea or fever d. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee grounds. Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar in it. These are symptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention. e. If your pain is severe (Note: Pepto-Bismol or other medications with bismuth will turn your stool black. Iron supplements can also make the stool tarry.) This was written by Jessie H. Ahroni, Ph.D., A.R.N.P., C.D.E., B.C.-A.D.M.
  9. Glad your fill went well, I also use the Unjury Protein (www.unjury.com) though I don't mix it with water (I usually put it in my soups and shakes)
  10. Looking great sweetie, I can see the changes!! How did the fill go??
  11. Looking great Anita!!!!!!! You are totally shrinking......
  12. Did you check out the instructional post in the Technical Help area?? Here's the link: http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?showtopic=5317 Let me know if you need more help!
  13. Then we have Silvia Christina, she is my little tiny delicate non stop talker This is my Anita Louise - note the hershey kiss on her nose This one is my Benjamin Eddy - he is my teddy bear! And this is Davey George as a baby
  14. This is Missy Bright Eyes. She is her daddy's girl. And this is Roger Bob. He is my wild boy and pretty much lives in my bedroom. He doesn't allow petting ot touching. Oh, and this is Davey all grown up - he is a nut case. LOVES strangers. Will scream VERY LOUD if you don't pay attention to him. He grabs your arm with hisnail and pulls you towards him so you can pet him. And if you don't, SCREAM!!!
  15. This first one is my Johnny Gizmo when he was a baby, gotta love those ears! And this is him now - all grown up This next one is my beauty queen Julie Camille: This one is my Lilly Rosie. She is the sweetest cat that ever was! (She is on a leash - never outside without mom and a leash)
  16. There we go... I went into every pic that you posted and opened into a new window and recopied the links and your text in all the posts and now it looks like your pics are showing up as well!
  17. Congrats sweetie, glad the fill is working it's magic!
  18. It sounds like you might have something "stuck" in your pouch, maybe a bite that didn't get chewed well enough? IT should work itself through the band in a few hours, if you are still in pain in the morning you might want to contact your doctor. The only way to verify a pouch stretch is under fluro (x-ray) though being able to eat a large amount of food while having a pretty good fill in your band is a clue for many people that something might be wrong... Here's a link to the 5 day pouch test, a way to try to reset some bad bandster habits and allow your pouch to (possibly) shrink back down some if it is stretched: http://www.5daypouchtest.com/
  19. I very rarely get that "full" feeling and have never felt like I have a golf ball stuck on the few days that I have felt restriction... even during episodes that caused me to PB never got that golf ball feeling! When I did feel restriction the food felt like it was like sand pouring into an hourglass each piece stacking on top of the one before it and I don't "feel" the food in my pouch till I get to a certain height/level in the hourglass, once I reach that point I would stop... Now that I don't get that feeling anymore I am controlling my portions myself, estimating how much I should eat before a meal and never going past that.
  20. I've had 3 fills (2.35ccs total) and can eat steak with no problems, I have a filet mignon at least once a week maybe a total of 3 or 4 oz total and always cut up the pieces to the size of a pencil eraser. I also get my steak medium rare so it's plenty tender/chewable!
  21. A stretched pouch won't cause any pain, the esophagus is designed to be able to stretch and retract to some degree, only if you stuff food down your esophagus that rests above the band or pressure from liquids not being able to pass through the food will cause continual stretching of the pouch... The only way to possibly repair this is for all the saline to be taken out of the band along with a liquid diet to see if the pouch will retract back to a normal size, if it does not the only option for repair is surgery... Again none of this is known to feel painful to a bandster so maybe you can explain more about the pain you are having so we can help to figure out what's going on, as always if it is really severe I would contact your doctor ASAP!
  22. For me 17lbs in the first month (Feb28th-March28th) I lost 21lbs in 2 months on my own version of the pre-op diet I think you are doing well and shouldn't focus on how you measure up to others, everyone's body is going to react differently and with such generic descriptions of what can be eaten during the various post op stages (milkshakes vs protein shakes during the liquid phase, pizza and burgers vs salads and grilled chicken during the solids phase) means that everyone is going to have a different amount of weight loss in that first month and beyond. All you can do is make the best choices for yourself and watch your body shrink at whatever rate it is comfortable doing... With the band it's not a question of IF you'll lose the weight or not, it's a question of WHEN and we even though it's not a race we will ALL get to the finish line at some point!!
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