bogiesmom

POINTS® Tracker entries Sunday, December 06, 2009 Morning 1 serving(s) Yonique Strawberry Banana Yogurt Drink 3 1 1/2 Tbsp Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Liquid Creamer 1 1 tsp coffee, instant or regular, powder 0 1 Tbsp sugar 1 Subtotal 5 Midday 1 1/2 cups Taco Soup 4 Subtotal 4 Evening 2 cup(s) romaine lettuce 0 3 Tbsp Chunky Salsa 0 10 item(s) tortilla chips 2.5 1 Taco Soup 3 Subtotal 5.5 Anytime 1 serving(s) Slim Fast Optima Peanut Butter Crunch Bar 2 1/3 bag(s) Pizzeria Pretzel Snacks 2 Subtotal 4 Food POINTS values total used 18.5 Food POINTS values remaining 4.5 Aporx Cal: 975

I guess it depends on your definition of right. If you ask WW what their definition is the answer will be that you can eat anything you want on WW as long as you count the points. My definition of "right" means I try to eat foods high in fiber and low in fat to maximize how far my 23 points go. For example I know that for dessert I can have a gelatin cup with zero grams of fat and 4 grams of fiber for zero points and top it off with 2 Tbsp of Cool Whip Lite for zero points as well. In terms of being banded the feeling in my chest tells me when to stop (even though I have no fill). For example, Tomato soup is only 1 point for 1 cup so the other night I was going to have 2 cups for dinner but after 1.5 cups the tightness in my chest told me it was time to stop so I just counted the points for 1.5 cups. From what I have read on lapbandtalk.com after getting fills it is going to be hard to consume the alloted amount of points WW has given me (if I am eating the "right" foods). So for example, right now I get 23 points a day and from what I am reading, I will be lucky if I can consume 20 of those points after fills. This statement though is assuming that I am making the right choices with the band. Let's face it ice cream, milk shakes, frappachinos all go down quite well and it would be very easy to max out points with those. I need to track my WW points to make sure I make the right choices. I am less likely to eat a slice of cheesecake for the Cheesecake Factory if I know it has an equivalent of 22 points (I'd choose the Key lime pie Martini instead for 5 points ).

I do Weight Watchers and doing full liquids on WW I average 700 to 900 calories a day. I know protein is a concern with the band but I really do not pay attention to it like I should and I feel great. I would suggest maybe trying Low Fat Kefir and low callorie/fat yogurt drinks since they are higher in protein.

My first day on solids and I made TACO SOUP & TAco Soup Omelett (egg subsitute) for lunch topped with Pace Chunky Salsa! Happy Tummy, happy tummy POINTS® Tracker entries Saturday, December 05, 2009 Morning 2 Tbsp Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Liquid Creamer 1.5 1 tsp coffee, instant or regular, powder 0 1 Tbsp sugar 1 Subtotal 2.5 Midday 1/2 cup(s) fat-free egg substitute 2.5 1 1/2 Taco Soup 4 Subtotal 6.5 Evening 1 1/2 serving(s) Garlic Bread 5 1 serving(s) Orange Cream Popcycle 1 1 Turkey Spinach Lasagna 5 Subtotal 11 Anytime No entries for this meal time. Subtotal 0 Food POINTS values total used 20 Food POINTS values remaining 3 Approx Calories: 956

Debbie, You are right the powder is A Okay Just sunbathing in the glory and awesomeness of your 79.5 pounds!!!!!!! The amazing Debbie! NO FILL with the 11CC band! Not the 4CC, not the 10CC but the 11CC band and no fill to date! 79.5 pounds gone in a little over 2 months! Seriously, you need to start doing some webinars!!! Julia Childs of banding on You Tube? New poster child for the OCC? Traveling with Dr. Ortiz to all his conferences? Appearing on Ellen? Bottle that secret ingrediant and sell it baby! Just throwing out some ideas I am dreaming up for the amazing Debbie who strikes again! The sky's the limit my friend!

Hi Steph, I don't believe in diets & I follow WW. It's like Debbie said, The band is only going to help with portion control and the rest is up to you. I already made the commitment to changing my eating habits for the rest of my life before getting banded by joining WW and I got the band to help me maintain smaller portions of the right foods. I have found that if I do not have the structure that WW provides and left to my own vices then the band would be a waste of time, energy and money. In the 3 weeks I have been banded & on liquids & follwoing WW I have thought about and noticed the follwoing things: 1. On WW alone my weight loss averaged 1.5 pounds to 2.0 pounds a week except for my TOM when I would actually gain weight. Being banded & on WW I am loosing and average of 3 pounds per week and I plateaued during my TOM. 2. On WW I was drinking diet coke and eating out, two things I have not done since being banded. 3. Eating within my WW point range before being banded actually helped limit my hung pangs during the liquid phase (dramatically) to the point where I feel completely satisfied and I enjoy the liquids I consume. 4. Being familiar with WW yourself you know there is a lot of emphasis in WW about finding new low point foods that taste incredible and are great substitutions for foods high in fat and calories and I think this emphasis has also help me cope through the "Bandster Hell" phase with a strong sense of grace and calm. There is a peace in knowing that there are viable tips & tricks around temptation that WW has informed you about. I just kept thinking "I can do this because I have been here before and I know that Miso Soup is really low in points, it tastes good and I can drink as much as I need to to feel satisfied" The above being said I have this theory, WW is going to be my safety net that gets me to my stages of good restriction and then it is going to flip/flop and during times of good restirction my band is going to be my saftey net for WW. Does that make sense? Sort of yin-yang. Right now WW is my safety net and I have it to fall back on. I guess the take away is that there are two types of people, those who shine brighter with less structure and those who shine brighter with more structure. I happen to be the later (I can't have fun unless I have the rule book on having fun). Do you need more structure or less? WW even says, if it is too structured and too rigid the less you are to stay on track and that is why you have to decide what works for you. A lot of people do half and half every other day follow a program and in between days go by instinct or follow a program during the week and freestyle it on weekends. There is even this thing called the "Mandi or Mandy Program" and the idea is that you maximize weight loss by switching up how much calories/points you consume from day to day so that your body never gets comfortable or familiar with what you are consuming.

There was a possible bacterial contamination incident at the plant & the manufacturer (Unilever) decided to recall all shakes regardless of experation dates, flavors, or type (3-2-1, Optima) so as to not take any chances. Too bad for me this was my breakfast for the last week (only 3 WW points per can) and I was going this weekend to restock since I drank the last one this morning

Hi, I am glad you liked my list and printed it The only thing is, stop drinking the Slim Fast...they did a recall of all Slim Fast shakes today and are advising that if you have some throw it away and contact Unilever for a refund. I like it the best too so this bums me out! It has 10 grams of Protein per shake which is great but you need to drink like 5 - 7 per day in my case to get the right amount of protein. I hope you find a good replacement as I have not been able to (the others are mostly chocolate or taste funky).

This is the only protein shake I drink and I have been recomending it to others so I thought I need to share the fyi: Unilever recalls the weight loss drink because of possible bacterial contamination. The maker of Slim-Fast announced a recall of its canned, ready-to-drink products due to possible bacterial contamination. Unilever, the company which also makes products like Skippy peanut butter and Ragu pasta sauce, said the weight-loss drink may be tainted by Bacillus cereus, which can cause diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. U.S. Food and Drug Administration spokeswoman Rita Chappelle said the recall affects 10 million cans distributed in the United States. Unilever (UL) said it is still in the process of identifying and correcting the production problem that led to the contamination. The FDA, which was notified by Unilever of the possible contamination on Dec. 2, is currently investigating the company's production facility in Covington, Tenn. All Slim-Fast ready-to-drink products served in cans, regardless of flavor, best-by dates, lot code or UPC number that are currently in retail distribution centers, on store shelves, in warehouses or in consumer homes are being recalled, the company said Thursday. The recall does not apply to other Slim-Fast branded products, such as powdered shakes, meal bars or snack bars. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.-based Unilever urges consumers who have purchased the possibly hazardous products to discard them immediately and contact the company at 1-800-896-9479 for a full refund. CNN's Mythili Rao and Saundra Young contributed to this report. Copyrighted, CNNMoney. All Rights Reserved.

Liz, I am glad you found some things that work for you. I know this sounds so generic but right now is really the time you need to put yourself first. You know that old saying about putting on your oxygen mask first on an airplane before you assist the person next to you. Eating before you make meals for others is a good idea. You might also want to try different and strange grocery stores in your area to see what you find as well that way you do not get bored. I get bored with one store. Right now I have 5 different stores that I shop at and I am thinking about trying a sixth (Trader Joes). The irony of it is that you will find that being on liquids is really not that bad and then you will not want to go back to solids. Today is my last day of liquids technically speaking but honestly I am too scared to go back to solids so I decided to do a combo of mushy and solids for at least 1 more week. The weight loss has been nice and I love soups especially this time of year.

Your still are very young and I was told by a doctor during my band consultation that loose skin is not a problem if you are young AND do weight resistance training to build muscle and the skin can latch on to the bigger musles better. From my understanding, you may have lost a lot of muscle during your weight loss and the skin may not have much to grasp onto. Lipo and cario is not going to fix this. At your age I would try resistance weight training first(weight machines for legs at the gym as well as excercises such as squats and leg lundges)and see if you have any improvement over the next month after daily consistancy. Only then would I have a consultation for a lift and I would get more then 1 opinion due to your age.

I just want to say that this quote really struck me in a profound way. There are a lot of people who get the band and unfortunately do not have the support from friends, family, and associates and they feel all alone in this world because they are surrounded by constant negativity. It is with forums like this one that make a huge difference.

POINTS® Tracker entries Friday, December 04, 2009 Morning 1 serving(s) Slim Fast Strawberries N Cream Optima Shake 3 1 Tbsp Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Liquid Creamer 1 1 tsp coffee, instant or regular, powder 0 1 Tbsp sugar 1 Subtotal 5 Midday 1 serving(s) Mishima Miso Soup Mix 1 2 cups soup, Split Pea 5.5 Subtotal 6.5 Evening No entries for this meal time. Subtotal 0 Anytime No entries for this meal time. Subtotal 0 Food POINTS values total used 11.5 Food POINTS values remaining 11.5

POINTS® Tracker entries Thursday, December 03, 2009 Morning 1 Tbsp Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Liquid Creamer 1 1 tsp coffee, instant or regular, powder 0 1 Tbsp sugar 1 1 serving(s) Lifeway Lowfat Peach Drinkable Kefir 3 1 serving(s) Bigelow Vanilla Chai Tea 0 1 tsp sugar substitute 0 1/8 cup(s) fat-free skim milk 0 Subtotal 5 Midday 1 serving(s) Mishima Miso Soup Mix 1 1/3 Cup Indian Lentil Soup 4 Subtotal 5 Evening 1 serving(s) 1 Cup Riviera Corn Chowder 3 1 serving(s) Active Life Gelatin Cup 0 2 Tbsp Lite Whipped Topping 0 Subtotal 3 Anytime 1 container Soup at Hand Classic Tomato Soup 2 Subtotal 2 Food POINTS values total used 15 Food POINTS values remaining 8

I posted this list under Post Op Diet & Food forum and it is titled "Liquids Anyone?" 1. Active Lifestyle Gellatin Cups - loaded with 4 grams of fiber per serving! Flavors are better than Jell-O! 2. Mishima Miso Soup poweder mix - comes in individual packets that you just mix with hot water! Only 35 calories a pop. 3. Cool Whip Lite or Cool Whip Free (great with the Jell-O. Feels like you are cheating when you are not) 4. Nestle Rich Hot Cocoa Powder with Caramel - A liquid Candy Bar! 5. Bigelow Vanilla Chai Tea Bags - A box of 20 (Try with a dash of skim milk and you would think you paid $3.5 for a cup at Starbucks! 6. Campbell's Soup At Hand (creamy flavors like Blended Vegetable Medley, Classic Tomato, Tomato Parmesan Bisque) 7. Imagine Organic Creamy Tomato Soup (comes in a rectangle carton) 8. Yonique Low Fat Yogurt Drinks (Pina Colada is awesome) 9. Lifeway Lowfat flavored Kefir (found this at Whole Foods) 10. Slim Fast Optima Shakes (The only protein shake I like) 11. Benefiber individual Drink Powder (like Cystal Light except 3 grams of fiber per pouch - sold in the Metamucil Aisle. Flavors are awesome. Mix with bottled water.) 12. Original V8 - I love this at room temp or heated on the stove as a soup. 13. Naked Fruit Smoothies (variety pack of 10, 10 ounce bottles found at Costco for $5.99. I use these for breakfast!) 14. Applesauce cups (mix it up by buying flavors like peach or strawberry) For the week after surgery you could go with #s 1,2,5,11 as well as add popsicles, gatorade, & Crystal Light On The Go. I have not seen these shakes called Optifast but like you I really like the Slim Fast shakes only because I hate all chocolate anything and the french vanilla and strawberries n Cream flavors really taste yummy.

No you can't stretch it by not eating.

Adding these 2 items to my shopping list now! Thank you very much.

Go to Whole Foods and in the Baking Goods & Canned Goods aisle you will find a pouch of Lentil Soup (liquidy version) called Recipes of India Organic Lentil Soup. Buy this if you like spicy (not hot just super spicy). If they have a pot of their Split Pea soup simmering in the deli get some of that too as it is liquidy as well and not chunky. Then go down the soup aisle and grab a carton of the Imagine Creamy Tomato & packets of the Mishima Miso Soup mix. Also grab a can of Wolfgang Puck Butternut Squash. You should be set.

Definately bring some powder mixes with you. They are easy to pack and will come in handy. I brought crytal light, benefiber drink powder, tea bags, and miso soup mix and I used them all.

It sounds like to me you need a slight amount taken out if you cannot have anything but liquids. Don't get me wrong, I like liquids just as much as the next guy and I can't imagine what it is going to be like when I am back on solids but either way I want the option to choose. You might be too tight and need a slight unfill of say .5 to 1 cc? The original poster of this post, Beth was too tight and ended up stretching her pouch. I would hate for you to find yourself in the same situation. Please be careful.

POINTS® Tracker entries Wednesday, December 02, 2009 Morning 1 tsp sugar substitute 0 1 Tbsp Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Liquid Creamer 1 1 Tbsp sugar 1 1 tsp coffee, instant or regular, powder 0 1 serving(s) Bigelow Vanilla Chai Tea 0 1/8 cup(s) fat-free skim milk 0 Subtotal 2 Midday 1 serving(s) Slim Fast Strawberries N Cream Optima Shake 3 Subtotal 3 Evening 1 1/2 cup(s) Creamy tomato 2 1 serving(s) Mishima Miso Soup Mix 1 2 Tbsp Lite Whipped Topping 0 Pumpkin Pudding - Quick-added food 2 Subtotal 5 Anytime 3/4 Cup Indian Lentil Soup 5 Subtotal 5 Food POINTS values total used 15 Food POINTS values remaining 8

Debbie - I have said this before and I will say it again. You are my inspiration! We have the exact same band and we both have not had a fill yet. You are amazing and I know if you can do it I can do it too! When I saw that you lost 5 pounds this week in your signature the other day I wanted to throw you a parade! I have a feeling it is because you eat the same things every day and stick to the basics but this is just a theory on my part Anyway my plateau that lasted one week is finally over! I lost 0.8 Ponds this week going from 177.3 to 176.5! I also go the answer to this strange plateau! My TOM came a few days early! This is amazing since I usually gain but did not this time! Congrats to everyone fighting the good fight, to those who have managed to stay away from the scale, to those who have lost and to those who have maintained.

Oh Sweetie, I forgot from you user name that you have a family. Sorry for the over sight, yah the last thing you need to be doing is cooking at this time! I have a 17 yesr old son and I basically went to the market and bought a whole bunch of stuff he could make on his own and said here you go. You children are probably younger but ask you other half to cook for them by all means and if he does not know how then I guess this is a great time to learn. I am not much of a cooker anyway so in my case it was sort of no big deal. But I know what you mean. My best friend who lives in San Diego is married with 4 kids and is like I want to get banded but who is going to feed my kids if I am on liquids? Anyway, I have been lucky in that my kid and my boyfriend pretty much understand what I am going through and try not to eat in front of me. At any rate, I added more things to the list to get you going. Have fun shopping and don't be afraid to get creative! OH! Almost forgot! Vert important...do not forget to tell the kids about mommy's food being for mommy and please do not touch. My son is 17 but I still have to have this conversation with him once a week after a shopping trip. I sound like a broken record now. Murphy's law...if you bought it for you and it is healthy and you like it they will want it too

Right Wing! Ready for a crispy, hot boneless buffalo wing swap? You BETTER be. These spicy nuggets will blow your mind! And for an all-out b-wing experience, serve 'em with celery sticks and some low-cal bleu cheese or ranch dressing (mmmm!)... Ingredients: 8 oz. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast, cut into 10 nugget-shaped pieces 1/4 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original), ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in a blender or food processor 1 oz. (about 14 crisps) Pringles Light Fat Free Potato Crisps, Barbecue (or another fat-free BBQ-flavored potato chip) 3 tbsp. Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce dash onion powder dash garlic powder dash cayenne pepper dash black pepper dash salt Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Crush potato crisps completely and, in a small dish, mix with cereal crumbs. Add a dash of each of the seasonings and mix well. Place chicken pieces in a separate dish, and cover and toss with Frank's RedHot. Spray a baking pan with nonstick spray. Give each chicken piece a shake (so it's not dripping with RedHot), and then coat it evenly with the crumb mixture. Lay the battered nuggets on the baking pan. Place in the oven, and bake for 10 minutes. Then flip the wings over, and return them to the oven for 10 more minutes, or until outsides are crispy and chicken is cooked throughout. MAKES 2 SERVINGS Serving Size: 5 wings (half of recipe) Calories: 175 Fat: 1.5g Sodium: 1,153mg** Carbs: 14g Fiber: 4g Sugars: <1g Protein: 27g POINTS® value 3*

A list for those on liquids that I found has worked for me. I am greatful that this stage has given me the oppertunity to find new things I now can't live without 1. Active Lifestyle Gellatin Cups - loaded with 4 grams of fiber per serving! Flavors are better than Jell-O! 2. Mishima Miso Soup poweder mix - comes in individual packets that you just mix with hot water! Only 35 calories a pop. 3. Cool Whip Lite or Cool Whip Free (great with the Jell-O. Feels like you are cheating when you are not) 4. Nestle Rich Hot Cocoa Powder with Caramel - A liquid Candy Bar! 5. Bigelow Vanilla Chai Tea Bags - A box of 20 (Try with a dash of skim milk and you would think you paid $3.5 for a cup at Starbucks! 6. Campbell's Soup At Hand "Blended Vegetable Medley" 7. Imagine Organic Creamy Tomato Soup (comes in a rectangle carton) 8. Yonique Low Fat Yogurt Drinks (Pina Colada is awesome) 9. Lifeway Lowfat flavored Kefir (found this at Whole Foods) 9. Slim Fast Optima Shakes (The only protein shake I like) 10. Benefiber individual Drink Powder (like Cystal Light except 3 grams of fiber per pouch - sold in the Metamucil Aisle. Flavors are awesome. Mix with bottled water.) 11. Original V8 - I love this at room temp or heated on the stove as a soup. 12. Naked Fruit Smoothies (variety pack of 10, 10 ounce bottles found at Costco for $5.99. I use these for breakfast!) 13. Applesauce cups (mix it up by buying flavors like peach or strawberry)