AngieB

I am not a big gum person, but I wanted to tell you I love your Snoopy! I heart my band too.

Limit you portions, I am far more sucessful when I plan and measure out my food portion. I have containers that hold one cup of food. When the food is gone I am done. That way there is no fuss or worry. Would doing something like that fit in your life style?

Louise - I know all to well the clogged drain issue. My hubby fixed out tub, same issue. I've also lost 1/3 of my hair in pony tail speak. You wouldn't know it by looking at me. Although I don't like it, it really hasn't affected my daily life, other than a slow drain. My hair loss has slowed, but I don't expect it will stop any time soon.....I do my best to get enough protein in. Sometimes I do a protein shot to boost me. Although I do my best to eat my protein, sometimes I fall short. Great post, I blogged about this issue a while back too. Over all I think it is pretty common. Biotin is said to help, I have not purchased any YET, myself. Only because I have been taking some brewers yeast instead.

Awesome! You are doing great! Keep it up. I struggled with my pre-op, but lost the weight needed for surgery! It felt good to be able to do it! You will feel good to do it as well!

Sabrina! That is wonderful news, and so glad hubby happened to be there to hear it from the horses mouth! I am sure he is very proud of you, even if he is still holding a grudge. I think it says so much about your determination that you have done so very much without a 100% supportive husband. I am sure he wants you to be healthy, skinny and SEXY!!!! He wins all around even if he doesn't want to admit it! Glad to hear you had a good check up! What a good appointment!

Hi Janice - I eat mushies for breakfast. I often have greek yogurt with fruit. I choose greek over your tipical yogurt because of the protein content. I cup of greek = 14 g. I also use it for dip recipes, as a replacement of sour cream....the list goes on. Sometimes I do a protein bar, or shake. Breakfast is hard to do none mushies. I've had bacon before, but now that I have to chew it so much it kinda grosses me out by the time it's done. A slice of ham is also handy. Sorry I am not much help, but I look forward to seeing how others reply.

Amen! I love being able to stop eating and feel full. What I like even more is being able to stop eating when I feel satisfied! Yes, that is a success in my book!

So excited and happy for you! Keep in touch and let us know how your trip goes!

Okay so I've learned my bowels have changed since having surgery. I went throught the adjustment period of "hard poop" where I was not getting enough of what I needed to have a good BM. I added benefiber to my morning coffee and it seems to have done the trick. I do poop alot less volumn wise as well. See, I told you from the get go....this subject contains entirely to much information. Holy Crap! Literally, I had a BM this morning and was amazed at how much came out! I hadn't gone for the past couple days really, and it was all held up I guess. My lower tummy feels so much better too. Not that it hurt, but let me tell ya, I feel more freed up and relieved. Since I eat a considerable amount different than I use to the size of my BM's are reflecting that. I guess since I have been eating a bunch of holiday treats it really took it's toll on my intestines. I feel so much better and hadn't really realized I had not been feeling great. It's weird to have a old "normal" bm now that I am a bandster. That seems funny to me.

Thanks everyone for your encouragement. It is a bit of a downer to gain, but when you eat all the goodies...... I thought about weighing myself this morning, but didn't. I am gonna give the WTWTWI a good go before I decide if I need to change up my scale woochie ways. I am surrounded by sweets everywhere I go, and they are a big down fall for me. I will say I've enjoyed them, and the scale says so too.... I am hanging in there and haven't thrown the towel in on the challenge. It's tempting to go to a once a day. But that is part of the reason I challenged myself to Wed only. So I wouldn't gage my food consumption by my weight. Seems that can back fire as well. Really searching for some balance and over all behavior modification. My stress level is elevated, so I am aware of that. When I stress, I eat more. I am hanging in though. (The good, the bad, the ugly.)

I've read about how eating the same diet will give you success! I believe you are living proof! If only I could make myself eat the same things over and over. My hubby does it all the time. We are two different cuts of cloth he and I and that is why we work so well. At anyrate! I would do well to take a lesson from you Ms. RevyD! B - coffee with FF cream 1 bite of pumpkin bread with choc chips 1 pc of pumpkin cake, cream cheese frosting. L - black bean patty D - TBD VW -

Mamabear - I wouldn't recommend pushing yourself till you feel like you want to vomit. I'd do short bursts and build up your endurance. Excerise is great! If you are going to push it, make sure you are checking your heart rate.

AshleyMarie - although I understand the need to make healthy choices for ourselves, I hope that you stay. Personally I have been a member or this forum for the greater part of the year and there are a few posts that get like this one, I think the benefit from being a member here far outways the negativity. If a person is a bother to you, use your ignore feature. I have mine in use and I am glad it is there. Weeds out the stuff I don't care to see. Maybe that would work for you....

B - coffee with cream greek yogurt with stawberries 5 choc covered almonds L - slice of ham, scalped pots 20 water

Once again....you show your best side....I wonder if anything will help you nasty dispostion?

Soft stops signals our bodies give us. Learning to listen to the soft stops helps us achieve success and harmony with our bodies. Productive burbing is not fun and shouldn't be done if we can avoid it. If you have these signals stop eating. (You may even want to spit out the last bite of food.) With the lap band, one bit to many can equal a PB. Shoulder ache Hiccups Eye twitch Sweating Tightness in the chest Phlegm in the back of your throat - feeling of needing to clear the thoat Runny nose If you have a soft stop that is not on this list, please post it. My soft stop more often than not is a case of the hiccups. If I hiccup, that instantly means I am finished with my meal. One more self endulgent bite for me can mean discomfort, or a PB.

I pulled this information off the internet. I did not create this guide.... FYI HOW TO TELL WHEN YOU ARE PERFECTLY ADJUSTED. You are losing around 2 pounds per week. If you are NOT losing 2 pounds per week You may need an eating adjustment: Are you eating 60 grams of protein a day? Are you eating 25 grams of fiber? Are you avoiding all liquid calories? Soup can be sign of "soft calorie syndrome" Alcohol contains a lot of calories about 7 calories per gram It's also a stomach irritant Fruit juice is just sugar water Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? Are you avoiding soft foods? You can't just eat what's easy! Cheese is glorified fat Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals Are you eating too much junk 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. Stay out of fast food places. Are you getting in two servings of calcium daily? Do you always eat the protein first? then the vegetables and fruit Meat or fish - 3 ounces - the size of a deck of cards Vegetables 0.5 cup - the size of a small fist Starch: If you eat the protein and the vegetables first, you don't need much Avoid: rice, potatoes, pasta, bread You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners Some people think artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar They teach you to like things too sweet There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner than people who don't - except diet sodas. Avoid most diet foods Real food usually tastes better Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes When you are only eating a tiny bit, the caloric savings are not that great Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet margarine The body has no way to break down artificial fats They may go into permanent storage Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzed fats from the body. You may need a behavior adjustment: Are you eating only when you are hungry? If you're not sure, drink 8 ounces of water and wait. Are you eating only three meals a day? Are you sitting down to eat? Are you eating consciously? No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away. Pay attention to your food and your companions. Are you eating slowly? Put the fork down between bites Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying Are you taking small bites? Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork and a small plate! Are you chewing well? Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals? Practice water loading between meals You won't be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? Sometimes it's a "whisper"... not hungry... had enough Hard stop v. soft stop Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing. Do not eat when you are not hungry. You may need an activity adjustment: Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week? Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day? Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week? Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes? Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physical activity? Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators? Walking on the escalators instead of riding? Parking your car further away from the entrance? Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through? Getting off the bus one stop before your destination? Washing your car by hand instead of the car wash? Playing with your children. You may need an attitude adjustment: Are you committed to your weight loss journey? Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eating and exercising? Log your food and activity for 3 days. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional issues? Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your eating? Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those emotions? Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor? Are you attending and participating in support group meetings? Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends? Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically? Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss journey? Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating? Obsessive-Compulsive thoughts? Obsess about something else! Perfectionism All or none, black and white thinking Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards? Have you learned how to take a compliment? Are you giving up diet mentality? Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day Stop dieting Stop depriving yourself Stop defining food as "good" or "bad" Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food How do you feel about all the changes taking place? You may need a band adjustment: You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate portion sizes, but getting hungry between meals. You can still each white bread, fibrous vegetables and large portions. You are having to struggle to lose You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and having a good mind set. You may need your band loosened: There are times when you can't get fluids down. You are vomiting/PB'ing too much How much is too much? Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night? Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime Rinse your pouch with a glass of water an hour before bedtime Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods Chocolate Caffeine Alcohol Some fruits and vegetables (some examples: oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers) Peppermint Baking soda toothpaste Carbonated drinks Eat slowly and do not eat big meals If you smoke, quit!!!!! Reduce stress Exercise promotes digestion Raise the head of your bed Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist Take estrogen containing medications in the morning Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime Tylenol is OK Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications as well and see your healthcare provider See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if: 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. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you also have nausea or fever 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. (Note: Pepto-Bismol or other medications with bismuth will turn your stool black. Iron supplements can also make the stool tarry.) IF YOU HAVE SEVERE ABDOMINAL PAIN. Note: This is information that has been compiled from Inamed and is in the public domain. I did not write it, but I did edit it.

Dave - I believe your post did just that. I know it brought me back to the search feature, which by the way has improved greatly with the upgrade. It is much easier to find a members posts now. (maybe I can leave Carrie alone now.) I do agree wholeheartedly about using the search feature for the wealth of information it can provide, and it was very good of you to speak up. I will say the delivery of what is said is as important in business, as in real life with the buds. Lindsay pointed out that this forum tends to be more sensitive in nature. Awareness is 1/2 the battle. I am teachable, however if you thawap me over the head, what is that teaching me....? Not to post again....? We are a better forum because of the members we have here. I appreciate your guidance and support. I remember your kindness when I was new and freaking out about my pre-op diet....You messages set me back on the ground again and assured me that it was going to be okay. I am grateful you took the time to help me. What I have come to understand about this board or any for that matter, is that there are a ton of lurkers. Those who don't speak up. You can bet they are reading and searching there butts off too! I will be more aware of the search feature because of this post. Not saying I won't run to my "friends" for help and support, but that is part of what makes me me. LOL

AMAZING! I love it! Looking good Debbie! You will be rollercoaster ready in no time! (I love rollercoasters!)