jhawkchick75

OK, I was able to go to Wal Mart and buy another pedometer last night. Let's see if I can make it more than a day without losing this one! It has a clasp on it, but I can't seem to figure out where it attaches to the pedometer so i'm working on that, but i've got it on today! I'm not getting a chance to walk much as i've got something going on every night this week, but I am going to a concert tonight so i'll try to do some dancing in the aisles! Next week i'm going to be getting up before work and using my treadmill so I can get some walking in.

I hear ya there! I think the one thing that will keep me eating slowly and small bites will be the fear of PB'ing and the thought of having to go on liquids for a couple of days to heal!!!! Pizza sounds sooo good! I bought a couple of healthy choice french bread pizzas and i'll see how I do with those. I really like them, just hoping they go down OK.

Blue is most definitely your color! I hope you had a blast dancing the night away. You deserve it! Congrats on all your hard work. It shows that this really pays off!

Congrats you look fantastic! I've been taking notes anytime you talk about what you do to be successful so I can try to even come close to what you have done. I sure hope I can come close!!!!

I am so jealous! Looks like you all had such a great time!

Here is my take on your questions: I agree on how much money to bring it really depends on if you plan on shopping or not. I did a bit of shopping, but there were also many places that took debit/credit cards and I had no problem with that. It's always good to have cash on you though for cabs, etc...I don't remember how much the soup in the restaraunt was - $4 or $5 bucks maybe? I also got jello one night and it was about the same. I ate the night before my procedure and probably ate way too much, but that is because they got me in a day early. I didn't know i'd be banded that day! Everything went off without a hitch, but if I would have known i'd be banded that day I would have eaten, but not nearly as much. At a TON of seafood the night before! Not sure about the clinic but the Lucerna has free WiFi and let me tell you that was fantastic! Was able to lay right on my bed or on the balcony and check my email and what not. The clinic has little kiosks with computers there so I didn't use my laptop there. Can't help on the zoom, but I agree that might be too much for one day. They do offer pedis and manis though and I kind of wish I would have done that! As far as what I wish I would have done, kind of wish I had a day before to sight see, hit the pool, and what not. It was nice getting it over w/ a day early, but afterwards I was too tired and sore to really do anything. Went shopping for a bit, but that didn't last long - people are really pushy and I got cranky. Did a bus tour but that really wasn't a good idea - too bumpy that hurt! I've been told that around the corner from the hotel there is a place for manis and pedis and massages - that would have been really nice. Best of luck! No fears it will go off without a hitch. Let us know when you are all done!

Just to clarify....do many of you have problems with bread even before your first fill? I was under the impression that these issues didn't come up until then. Actually, if that is the case i'm kind of glad because I don't want to go back to eating that stuff and then have to wean off it again. Went to the store last night and I think my first meal will be some egg beaters and a piece of canadian bacon. I really want an english muffin too, but i'm afraid to eat that first meal then go to work so i'm being careful. Might try an english muffin in the evening sometime just in case so i'm at home and can suffer alone!

I say it's never too early to start changing your eating habits and doing things to improve your habits like weaning off pop and things like that. Not sure I would go do exactly the pre-op if it were me too early just because I would have gotten REALLY tired of protein shakes! But I did start a pre-pre op diet about 2 weeks before the real one started. I cut out pop, majorly reduced my carbs and started focusing on smaller portions and getting more proteins. Good luck!!

I've got 3 days as well and i've been craving the oddest stuff! I want refried beans and chicken with taco seasoning. I also want just a plain english muffin with butter on it. I had to go to the store tonight b/c i'll be busy all week and it made me so hungry as I bought the food. I wanted to go home and just devour it! I'm not going to let myself go nuts though. I'm going to count calories and do major portion control even though I know I could just eat whatever with no restriction. But I can't let myself go nuts or i'll up my appetite again now that it is so much smaller. Can't wait for Thursday!!! One thing I can tell you - I never want to see soup again!!!!!

That is so great!! Even if you are married i'm sure it feels fantastic to get attention from others and show your partner just how lucky they are!

Ditto to what everyone else has said. If anyone has an issue with it, then they should not be either my friend or my boyfriend. You would hope everyone's partners would appreciate that they are trying to get healthy and live an active life. If not, at least for me I don't have time for them in my life. My issue I know i'll have to deal with (because i've done it before) is when I do lose the weight questioning if they would have dated me when I was larger. I tend to sabatoge any men who hit on me b/c I assume they wouldn't have been interested when I was bigger. I say that because I rarely get hit on when i'm bigger, but I think a lot of that is just plain old confidence and how you present yourself and put yourself out there. When we are bigger we tend not to do that. Especially with skinny tramp friends like mine! Just kidding! Have a good weekend all! I'm off to help one of my best friends shop for wedding dresses in another city. All the bridesmaids will be there so it will be a blast. She's been super helpful, looking at menus and finding places to eat where they have soup so i'm taken care of. Her wedding is in May, so i'm struggling over when to buy my bridesmaids dress and what size. Good problem to have huh! Have a great weekend!!

When I talked to Carolyn at OCC she gave me a list of doctors in my area that will see patients that get banded elsewhere. I am able to go to a very reputable doctor right down the street from me which is nice. Ask them and they can tell you who is near you. The closest fill center to me is 5 hours away so I feel more comfortable going to this doctor.

No dangit! So i'm gonna buy a new one this weekend. I really hope I can find one w/ the little leash thing on it. Sounds like there are some good selections at sporting goods stores so i'm gonna try there. So on Monday hopefully i'll be official!!!

Agreed. I've lost quite a bit since surgery, but i'm not even focusing on that. When I first arrived home I was 5lbs up after surgery. That is all b/c of swelling and just your body adapting and healing. I have been able to lose since, but like everyone said everyone is soo different you just can't compare youself to others. I'm not getting too excited about the weight loss yet because I know as soon as I start solids it's OVER!!! Good luck and stick with it! Stick to the plan and let your body heal.

What happens is that helps the food slide right through the band and it defeats the purpose. Dr. Miranda told me you have to be careful with salad too. The dressing can slide it right through.

I was suprised when I looked through my stuff I have a 10cc band and I was 206 at the time of my surgery. So it's hard to say how it works. Maybe I have a big ole tummy in there. Would explain why i'm always hungry!

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just hope I can find it. It was only $12 bucks but damn I just bought it this week. Wish me luck i'm hoping it fell off in my house this morning.

I'd also love to hear everyone's experience with this. I would love to eat tortilla wraps and things like that but i'm worried to. Also, for some reason i've been craving like mad an english muffin with jelly on it. Wierd I know but I guess 15 days of liquids will do that to you!

I'm gonna have to do that too because I somehow lost mine today! I put it on this morning and while sitting at my desk realized it has fallen off my pants somewhere. I'm going to keep my eyes to the ground because I haven't really gone anywhere so it's somewhere between my house, car, and the walk from my car to the office. Hopefully I can find it b/c I finally just figured out how to reset the clock on it!

That is hilarious! Although you secretly want everyone at work to think you are a professional rapper admit it!

Our health and wellness center got a wii fit recently so i'm gonna go up there and check it out. If I like it i'm gonna go buy one. Once I do it i'll let you know what it is like. I get bored easily with exercise so I like things like this.

Hi Jude! I've been trying to mix it up as much as I can. Problem lately is been the weather is turning cold here so i'm struggling with the K2O water. The protein shakes are fine, but i'm not a big sweets person so that and the yogurt gets old really fast. That is the problem with the kellogs water too. That is where my issue lies. I haven't had too much trouble with the soups, but I learned I REALLY don't like cream of broccoli soup! I've eaten tomato soup at least once a day since going on phase 1. I'm one of those people that can eat the same thing over and over and not have an issue as long as I like it. I've been reading stuff and it does sound like i'm in keitosis (sp?). I have rank breath and dry mouth. I probably go through 5 bottles of water at work each day and then I sip away at home too. So i'm trying to get in as much as I can. Water is the one thing that has never been an issue for me - I LOVE it! So far it's been clear so I think i'm OK. My issue lies (and i'm really sorry this is a TMI!!) is that I haven't gone #2 pretty much since I had surgery. I don't feel constipated, but that doesn't mean anything. My new issue is I have caught a NASTY cold! My head is all stopped up and I have a fever. We can take ibuprofen right? I am freezing but my face is on fire so i'm sure I have a fever. Doesn't help I got about 2 hours sleep last night b/c I had a gas bubble in my shoulder. Took gas X, walked everything and I just about cried it hurt so bad! It lasted until about 10am today. OK, sorry, i'm being a big baby but i can't win for losing today! OK, i'll quit whining now!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! YOU EAT THAT CAKE!!! You've done such a great job you need to splurge every so often. And that is great you had a lower fat option. Have a great one!!!

Good to hear...I figured as much but it's nice to hear it from others too. Hopefully this week it will pick back up. I'm taking the liquid Centrum and man that stuff is rank! I might have to get the chewables like Jude said. I think it is more the smell than anything. I take it then brush my teeth right away to get the taste out!! I'm trying so hard not to count down the days until I can eat solids, but man it's hard! My brother grilled up some chicken last night and it smelled so good I thought I was going to have to leave the house! But if the weight starts going down again that will keep me motivated.

Welcome to the group! Just a few notes on my end: * As was said before, watch the interest rates on the medical loans. I also got a small personal loan through the bank * I was told no lifting anything over 10lbs for 6 weeks. But as far as work I was banded on a Th and back to work the next Wed. I was pretty tired the first day or two, but was totally doable. * Surgery date really just depends. When I called, they were asking if I wanted to come that next week! So if you are flexible they should be able to get you in pretty quickly. * And for vacations, again just remember the no lifting and you should be fine. Also, be aware that for the 1st 21 days you are on liquids. So that might be tough when traveling. I know i'm going out of town just for this weekend and i'm trying to figure out how i'm going to manage that. Good luck!!