ValleyGirl

You can also ask Dr. Miranda if you can make your own meal once per day instead of Lean Cuisine. I did this and just followed the grams of fat/cals/protein she said I should limit the meal to, and found I was able to eat laregr portions than a Lean Cuisine which satisfied me more! Back then, a Lean Cusine was like an appetizer. Now it's more than enough. Sabrina:)

Yeah, without those "stop signs" I would never stop eating....which is why I tell my friends the band is basically "forced behaviour modification" for me! Sabrina:)

The show is pre-taped and she has actually lost 70 pounds since being on the show- plus, she GAINED a boyfriend. She's now dating the young guy on the black t-shirt team! Sabrina:)

I don't get "full" like Thanksgiving full where I feel like I could pass out if I took another bite, but I feel like there is no more room and I'm not hungry at all- hardly ever hungry....and I used to have a bottomless pit! Eating very little when you are not hungry is much easier than eating very little when you are. That said, I'll still eat the odd thing (like last nights cookies) just because it is there and looks/smells good but never because I'm actually hungry. That's why it's best for me to keep junk out of the house or treated as a "special treat" like baking with the kids was yesterday. Sabrina:)

Decided to do full liquids today since my PB on a pork chop last night. I lasted exactly 24-hours, and just had some solids with no problem! B- Coffee with fat-free French Vanilla creamer and half cup french vanilla yogurt 100 cals/ 0.5 grams fat/10 grams protein L- Weider Pure Pro Protein Shake 170 cals/0.5 grams fat/35 grams protein D-Kozy Shack ready-grains instant multigrain cereal cereal 180 cals /2 grams fat/8 grams protein ***Note, although the cereal for supper totally satisfied me, I've been baking with the kids and just ate two chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven, plus one piece of left-over bacon from the quiche I was making*** Total before the junk....450 clas/ 3 grams fat/53 grams protein New Total........... 680 cals/12 grams fat/58 grams protein four bottles water, but skipped the gym. Going Mon/Wed/Fri for now. Still think it was an okay day. Sabrina:)

No, I justy think I'm going to be one of those people that can't tolerate most meats because I don't chew well....and also because I'ma terrible cook that over does it and it ends up all dried out every time!!! Sabrina:)

B- Coffee with milk and Oatmeal to go square L- 3 small chicken strips and half a sweet potato with half teaspoon butter and garlic S- handful of Cheerio snack mix D- other half of sweet potato with half teaspoon butter and garlic and half a porkchop (which made me PB) This was my first PB since my refill. Until now, I've hardly felt any restriction with this fill. Maybe meat is still out for me or maybe it's beacuse I'm having my TOM. Either way, it has me a little freaked. I'm going to do liquids until Friday morning. Three bottles water and an hour walking/running on treadmill despite the fact I REALLY didn't want to go!

I've never seen a single show.....until last night. Pass the kleenex here too please! I was trying to talk myself out of going to the gym today, but I could hear Jillian Michaels screming in my head, so I went! Sabrina:)

B- Coffee then Oatmeal with dried fruit and nuts L- Home-made veggie soup with carrots, onions, celerey, green beans, corn and sweet potatos in a non-fat tomato broth, YUM! S- bag of Smart Pop D- More of my soup and half a pear S- Skinny Cow mint ice cream dipper Drank four bottles of water and walked/ran an hour on treadmill!!!

There's an informal meeting once per month and it is tomorrow night , any time after 6:30pm, in Conference room A at Lions Gate Hospital in North Van. Banded or just thinking about it, everyone is welcome! Hope to see you there. Sabrina:)

Thanks! I want to go t o Whole Foods when I go to the lap band meeting at Lions Gate this week. It is tomorrow night and providing my husband gets home from work in time, I'll be there. Hope to see you! Sabrina:)

B- home-made blackberry, banana, and vanilla yogurt smoothie and a Nutrigrain bar (240 cals) S- coffee with fat-free french vanilla creamer (30 cals) L- Honey Mustard Chicken Lean Cuisine (260 cals) D- skipped because I went to bed with a migraine:(

Carrie, Of course you can do whatever you want on your bday and I would NEVER judge, but I have suggested to mine that instead of taking me out to dinner, he can take me to something else that we wouldn't normally splurge on. I was thinking maybe a concert or play, but he bought us tix to an NBA game that's coming to Vancouver Oct 22nd. We used to have seasons tix for the Grizzlies when they were "Vancouver Grizzlies" but basketball doesn't sell well here (hockey town) so we lost the team...anyway, looking so forward to seeing a game again! Oh yeah, instead of a fancy dinner on his bday, we went to a baseball game and had a blast! I'm trying really hard to find other forms of entertainment since dining out was all we ever did to celebrate stuff. Sabrina:)

Isn't the chilli good and filling??? Also, what the heck is an Armadillo egg? Sabrina:)

B- nutrigrain bar and TONS of coffee ....I'm at work running on three hours of sleep, but it was a good party;) (150 calories) S- cheese string (80 cals) L- half cup light cottage cheese and a "chunk" of summer sausage (yes, I packed my lunch in a blur at 3:30am so no weighing) S- went to the beach and had HANDFULS of the kids Cheerios Snack Mix for no other reason than that they were there D- Went to food and wine show (free tix from work) and sampled about six different things- ( VERY small portion of candied salmon, turkey and sun-dried tomato sausage, a cracker with home-made salsa, a piece of dark chocolate, and some local fruits and veggies- I lost track of calories today, and I'm certain I won't lose any weight this weekend but I had a really fun one. I rarely go out so I enjoyed myself. Drank SIX bottles of water!!!

Your work has self-serve ice cream??? Oh man, I'd have to quit! That must be torture. ALthough at my job (a radio station), we get coffee and donuts sent to us every morning and I haven't had one in nine months. Ice cream would be a whole other story!!! Sabrina:)

Yep, I take a chewable multivitamin no problem. Sabrina:)

I had a good week too. It was my first week filled after my unfill. I only got 2 cc's put in so not as much restriction as I am used to but I still managed to shed 6 of the 9 pounds I gained during unfill. I also joined a gym and am training myself to run. I've always wanted to be a runner. I had a few treats in moderation, but mostly made good choices and never once had to slime or PB....hope to never do that again. Getting back on here has really helped, thanks! Sabrina:)

Since I don't eat all that much anymore, I thought it was time to do blood tests and make sure I wasn't needing to supplement anything. They ran tests for everything under the sun and the only issue was my iron, which I have very low levels of. I'm going to look for some liquid iron and eat more leafy greens and maybe give red meat a try again. I was THRILLED to have normal blood sugar, cholestoral etc. I was about to buy some B12 but that looks really good too! I had to laugh though, it was my doctors partner that gave me results (he'd left for the day)... she doesn't know about my band and, in the nicest way possible, she did say that I might think about trying to lose some weight!!! I told her I had just lost over 70 pounds and you should have seen the look on her face. Sabrina:)

Dave, I have two very skinny parents and I'm still fat!!! They are those annoying people who can eat whatever they want and never gain a pound! We were fed enormous portions and a lot of fried food my whole life. At least now you will be able to model good eating habbits for your daughter. I was thinking the other day how often my little ones (4 and 6) used to eat at McDonalds because I was a fast-food addict. Now it is a real treat for them- I've taken them once in nine months and we RARELY go to any other restaurants as I try to find other forms of entertainment besides going out to eat. Good luck to you. Sabrina:)

I think it's a lot harder for people with a lower BMI to lose with a lap band so this is quite an accomplishment! Sabrina:)

Did you ask the doctors if there is anything they can do about that, maybe move your port or re-position teh band? If you're gonna have your lap band for life, you need to be comfortable. I've only had that pain afew days and can't imagine living with it every day but I'm a big baby! Sabrina:)

Carrie, you need to move to Canada....we have no Mexican restaurants here, hahaha! At least you got in some exercise, that's more than I can say! Sabrina:)

SO SO SO hungry today....needed to graze to keep the rumbling at bay (TOM tomorrow???) B- coffee with 1% milk and a half cup of light cottage cheese cup ( 100 cals) S- Quaker chewy strawberry yogurt granola bar (150 cals) L- huge bowl of Squash, carrot and curry soup with 2 slices of deli garlic roast beef (200 cals) S- cheese string (80 cals) D- went out with friends and had two bloody mary's and 4 stuffed mushroom caps (240 cals in drinks and 400??? in mushroom caps) Total 1170 cals plus Four bottles of water but no exercise- back to the gym Monday!

I hope this is the fill for you! It's all about a good fill for me. Believe me, if I can eat without feeling restriction, I DO!!! When I was unfilled for three weeks this summer, I gained 9 pounds! I only have 2 ccs now but I don't want to get too tight again so I'm trying really hard to make this one work for me. I eat three small meals per day (using my kids plates) and I have been PMS'ing for the past few days so I've been having a small treat every day too but shouldn't be. You will be shocked how little you need to eat with a good fill- a few tablespoons of food is often enough. Of course, I would think "I don't want to waste it" or "that can't possibly be enough food" etc and take one bite too many and ended up pb'ing and then I got so swollen from PB'ing too much that I needed the dreaded unfill. Just STOP when you start feeling full- even if it's only a couple bites. And during this active weight loss period, make sure you are taking vitamins and maybe even put some protein powder in your coffee cause you won't be able to eat much. sabrina:)