bogiesmom

Good for you =D> I lost another .6 lbs in the last 48 hours. I have been using WW On-line and when I entered this week's weight loss yesterday I got this serious warning message appear on my screen about how I am loosing too much weight and that I should only be loosing 1 to 2 pounds a week. If this continues I will have to start lying otherwise they will kick me out of the program But I know besides the fact that I am on liquids, I know beyond a doubt that 50% of my weight loss so far has been because of my WW tracking. Thursday I will be thanking God for WW By the way my menu is already planned out and I am so excited eventhough I will not be eating like everyone else I am looking forward to my Butternut Squash Soup, my Sweet Potato Soup, Pumpkin Pudding Puree and Nestle Caramel Hot Chocolate. Mmmmmm!

So there you go Get a letter from Doctor Ortiz asap and submit it and you should be ready to go. I am sure his office can fax something over to you this week. This letter should be fairly simple given your family history.

I agree that you may want to find another GP that understands you and your needs. Your family history AND your struggles are relevent to the care you receive. It sounds like she is not giving you credit for having already trying to loose weight by traditional means and you deserve more than that in my opinion. Taking your family history into consideration I am a bit worried for you now and I hope you at least get a second opinion from a different practioner. Please let us know how it goes.

Mandy, That is great news! Just curious, why do you think your GP would disapprove? When I brought it up to my GP she was all for it and very supportive to my suprise. She told me that in this country she has to fight with the insurance companies tooth and nail just to get a chest ray authorized and understands that my options in the US were limited at best. She gave me paperwork from my file to give to Dr. Ortiz. I was suprised at her support because I have a low BMI and most doctors are not as understanding (in my case anyway) when you have a low BMI. But if you have a history with your GP he/she should be familiar with your struggle and all the red tape involved in this country. Maybe you will have a sympathetic ear in the end. Give it a shot and let us know how it goes.

POINTS® Tracker entries Monday, November 23, 2009 Morning 2 Tbsp Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Liquid Creamer 1.5 1 tsp coffee, instant or regular, powder 0 1 Tbsp sugar 1 1 serving(s) Naked Fruit Juice - Berry Blast 3 Subtotal 5.5 Midday 1 serving(s) Mishima Miso Soup Mix 1 1 cup(s) Creamy tomato 1 Subtotal 2 Evening 1 item(s) split pea soup in cup 3 1 serving(s) Applesnax 4 ounce cup Pech Applesuace 1 1 envelope(s) Rich Chocolate Cocoa 2 Subtotal 6 Anytime 2 Tbsp half-and-half cream 1 1 tsp sugar substitute 0 2 serving(s) Bigelow Vanilla Chai Tea 0 1 serving(s) Mishima Miso Soup Mix 1 Subtotal 2 Food POINTS values total used 15.5 Food POINTS values remaining 6.5 Activity No entries for activity. Activity POINTS values earned 0 Check off these important items daily: Liquids: 6 glasses of water Milk & Milk Products Fruit & Vegetables: 4 servings Multivitamin/Mineral: 1 Flintstone Chewable Healthy Oil Activity Lean Protein Whole Grains Approximate Calories: 800

Thank you for reminding me about this! I attended a WW meeting about 18 months ago and the hour long discussion was all about plateaus and how long the can last. There was one woman there who had a plateau that was over a year and another one who had a plateau for over 6 months. The meeting leader was approaching a year in her plateau and she mentioned that she had to finally give up anything white in her diet just to break it and finally reach goal. It seems like the closer you get to goal the harder it gets and we have to go the extra mile just to get it.

Elizabeth, I think it sounds like you are in a good place (judging by your positive yet realisitc attitude) right now to make a fresh start. Im my opinion it doesnt sound like you completely fell of the wagon to begin with so better now than latter. The first thing that popped into my mind after reading you post was "Back to basics" and I think if you just make sure that you are drinking 6-8 galsses of water, journaling what you eat and when you eat it, watching portion sizes (no more than 2 decks of cards), so on and so forth you will find yourself getting back into a routine and back in the groove. It just takes those initial steps and you have already taken the first one Just think, it is not unrealistic for you to loose 2 pounds per week and by the end of the year you will have lost the weight you gained back. Relatively speaking it is very managable goal. How to grow a back bone...Once you start integrating small changes back into your lifestyle I believe you will gain confidence and thus a back bone. Studies have shown that when we suffer from low self esteem we are more vulnerable to our environment and people in it. You need your groove back and little by little you will work up the courage for that next fill. When I was laid off from work one piece of advice that was given to me was to set 1 realistic goal per day to advance my career. For example, work on my resume today or make a lunch appointment with an old contact. I am thinking maybe you can set one small goal a day to get where you want to be if the changes seem too overwhelming to do all together. Like mabe tomorrow your goal can be to get 30 minutes of excercise for example.

POINTS® Tracker entries Sunday, November 22, 2009 Morning 2 cup(s) Low-Sodium Vegetable Juice 1 2 Tbsp Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Liquid Creamer 1.5 1 Tbsp sugar 1 1 tsp coffee, instant or regular, powder 0 Subtotal 3.5 Midday Naked Fruit Juice Might Mango 4 Subtotal 4 Evening 1 serving(s) Mishima Miso Soup Mix 1 1 serving(s) Campbell's Condesed Cream of Celery Soup 2 Subtotal 3 Anytime 2 serving(s) Campbell's Condesed Cream of Celery Soup 4 1 serving(s) Active Life Gelatin Cup 0 1 serving(s) Bigelow Vanilla Chai Tea 0 Subtotal 4 Food POINTS values total used 14.5 Food POINTS values remaining 7.5 Activity 20 min Walking the dog 1 Activity POINTS values earned 1 Check off these important items daily: Liquids: 1 water Milk & Milk Products Fruit & Vegetables: 4 Servings Multivitamin/Mineral: 1 Flintstone Chewable Healthy Oil Activity: 20 Minutes of Leisure Walking Lean Protein Whole Grains Approximate Calories: 825

Hi Debbie, With your success, can you please share the recipe for Tomato Pie? I know I cannot have it until 12/3/09 but this should probably be one of my very first "meals." Thanks!

I believe it depends on your specific plan as all plans are different. I know there is another member on this forum who found out that her fills did not qualify under her FSA. The best thing to do is wait for an answer from your plan administrator.

POINTS® Tracker entries Saturday, November 21, 2009 Morning 1 serving(s) Yonique Strawberry Yogurt Drink 3 1 tsp coffee, instant or regular, powder 0 1 Tbsp sugar 1 2 Tbsp Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Liquid Creamer 1.5 Subtotal 5.5 Midday 1 serving(s) Naked Fruit Juice Mighty Mango 4 Subtotal 4 Evening 2 cup(s) miso soup 3 2 cup(s) water 0 1 serving(s) Campbell's V8 Butternut Squash Soup 2 Subtotal 5 Anytime 1 cup(s) Organic chunky tomato bisque, light in sodium 2 Subtotal 2 Food POINTS values total used 16.5 Food POINTS values remaining 5.5 Activity No entries for activity. Activity POINTS values earned 0 Check off these important items daily: Liquids: 3 glasses of water Milk & Milk Products: 5 Servings Fruit & Vegetables: 4 Servings Multivitamin/Mineral: 1 Flinstone Chewable Healthy Oil Activity Lean Protein Whole Grains Approx Calories: 825

OMG!!! Thank you for sharing! I am only one week in but this info is priceless in my opinion. This is great information to keep in my back pocket. Never know when it is going to come in handy but I am bound to need it sooner or later. Thanks Again!

Thank you very much Carrie and Debbie for you encouragement. It is just great to know that there are other banders out there that have success with the larger J&J band. Having specific example to compare myself to is really the only thing that is going to lift my spirits. People like Debbie are my inspiration right now. Hopefully I can be an inspiration to someone else very soon too.

HG's Vanilla Crème Pumpkin Cheesecake PER SERVING (1 slice, 1/12th of cheesecake): 160 calories, 3.25g fat, 579mg sodium, 20g carbs, 5g fiber, 7g sugars, 15g protein -- POINTS® value 3* It's pumpkiny, creamy, cheesecake fun for the whole family (if you share!)... HG Heads Up! You'll need a springform pie pan for this recipe. You can usually find 'em cheapie-cheap at any supermarket, or click here to order one online. Ingredients: For Crust 2 cups Fiber One bran cereal (original); ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in a blender or food processor 1/4 cup light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Smart Balance Light or Brummel & Brown); melted & mixed with 1 oz. water 3 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, granulated 1 tsp. cinnamon For Filling 32 oz. fat-free cream cheese; softened 1 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters) 1 cup canned pure pumpkin 1 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, granulated 1/4 cup light brown sugar (not packed) 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice For Topping 3/4 cup fat-free sour cream 1/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, granulated 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine all crust ingredients and mix thoroughly. Spray a nonstick springform pie pan (about 9" wide) lightly with nonstick spray -- make sure to get the sides as well as the bottom. Then evenly distribute crumb mixture, using your hands or a flat utensil to firmly press and form the crust along the bottom of the pan. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients. Using an electric mixer set to medium speed, mix until completely blended and lump-free. Pour mixture into the pan. Bake in the oven for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes (or until set). Allow pie to chill in the fridge for at least 3 - 4 hours (overnight is best). Once pie has chilled, carefully release and remove springform top. Mix all topping ingredients together, and spread topping evenly over the pie. Return pie to the fridge until ready to serve. Cut pie into 12 slices. MAKES 12 SERVINGS

Rockin' Lean Bean Casserole PER SERVING (1/10th of casserole): 76 calories, 2g fat, 431mg sodium, 13g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 4g sugars, 3g protein -- POINTS® value 1* Ingredients: Two 16-oz. bags frozen French-style green beans, thawed, drained & thoroughly dried Two 10.75-oz. cans Campbell's 98% Fat Free Cream of Celery Soup One 8-oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained 1 bag (about 1 oz.) Crispy Delites Red Onion Chips or 1 oz. (about 25 pieces) onion-flavored soy crisps, crushed Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Make sure green beans are thoroughly drained and completely dry -- use a towel if you need to. Then, place half of the green beans in a casserole dish (a 2 - 3 quart rectangular one works best). Pour 1 can of soup evenly on top of the layer of green beans. Place half of the sliced water chestnuts over the soup layer. Cover with remaining green beans, and then top with the rest of the soup. Evenly top with the remaining water chestnuts. Place dish in the oven, and cook for 45 minutes. Top with crushed soy crisps, and return dish to the oven for another 10 minutes or so, until chips turn golden brown. MAKES 10 SERVINGS

Save-the-Day Stuffing PER SERVING (1 cup): 89 calories, 1.5g fat, 275mg sodium, 17g carbs, 4g fiber, 4g sugars, 5g protein -- POINTS® value 1* We loooove this swap, especially since we can't resist the usual carb-laden, high-cal version. Most of the credit goes to using low-calorie bread. (We heart Sara Lee's Delightful bread BIGTIME.) "Save the day" indeed! HG Tip! Zazzle up your stuffing by adding any of the following to it before baking: an ounce of raisins, 1 medium-sized pear (chopped), 2 tablespoons of sliced almonds, an ounce of sweetened dried cranberries, or 1 medium-sized Granny Smith apple (chopped). Each one adds less than 20 calories to each serving! Ingredients: 6 slices light bread (40 - 45 calories each with around 2g fiber per slice) 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped mushrooms 1 cup fat-free chicken or vegetable broth, room temperature 1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original) 1 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown) 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, to taste Directions: For best results, leave bread uncovered at room temperature for a night or two, until slightly stale. Otherwise, begin by lightly toasting bread. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Spray a medium baking dish with nonstick spray, and place bread cubes evenly along the bottom of the dish. In a medium pot, combine broth, celery, and onion. Cook for 8 minutes over medium heat. Remove pot from heat, and add mushrooms and garlic. Season mixture to taste with salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme. Let cool for several minutes. Add egg substitute and butter to veggie/broth mixture and stir. Pour mixture into the baking pan, evenly covering bread cubes. Mix gently with a fork. Bread cubes should be moist, but not saturated (if necessary, add 1 - 2 tbsp. water, and then mix again). Cover with foil, and cook dish in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil, and fluff and rearrange stuffing. Return dish to oven (uncovered), and cook for an additional 15 minutes. MAKES 5 SERVINGS

Kickin' Cranberry Sauce PER SERVING (1/3 cup): 63 calories, 1g fat, 20mg sodium, 13g carbs, 2g fiber, 8.5g sugars, 1g protein -- POINTS® value 1* Dab or pile this stuff on top of your turkey. Or just eat it plain! (There’s so much good fruit in here, we wouldn’t blame you.) P.S. For quick day-of assembly, start this off the day before... Ingredients: One 12-oz. bag whole cranberries One 11-oz. can mandarin orange segments in their own juice 1 cup peeled and finely chopped apples 1 envelope (1/4 oz.) dry unflavored gelatin 2/3 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) 1/4 cup Almond Accents in Original Oven Roasted 1/4 cup granulated white sugar 1/8 tsp. cinnamon Directions: In a medium pot, combine cranberries, Splenda, and sugar with 1 3/4 cups water. Set stove to medium heat, cover pot, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 10 minutes, uncovering to stir occasionally. Meanwhile, in a small dish, combine gelatin with 1/4 cup cold water, stir well and set aside. Turn off heat and stir in gelatin mixture, stirring until dissolved and thoroughly combined. Stir in cinnamon and apples and mix well. Transfer mixture to a bowl, and refrigerate for at least 5 hours (overnight is best). Once chilled and set, remove mixture from the fridge and give it a good stir. Drain juice from the can of orange segments. Roughly chop orange segments and drain any excess liquid from them. Slightly crush almonds so that they break into smaller pieces. Add chopped orange segments and almond pieces to the cranberry sauce, and mix thoroughly. Serve with lean turkey, pork, or chicken, or anything else you like cranberries with! MAKES 12 SERVINGS

HG’s I Can't Believe It's Not Sweet Potato Pie Get Squashed! This one's an instant classic, people. We promise. By substituting butternut squash for sweet potatoes and using some key light ingredients, you can save over 200 calories and nearly 17 grams of fat per serving on this Turkey Day classic. And it tastes EXACTLY like the real thing (yes, EXACTLY). Now THAT'S something to be thankful for! Butternut squash, with half the calories (and all the yummy fun) of sweet potato, is our new best friend. (Pssst... In case you haven't tried 'em yet, our Bake-tastic Butternut Squash Fries ROCK!) Ingredients: 1 large butternut squash (large enough to yield 2 cups mashed flesh) 1/2 cup Egg Beaters; Original 1/3 cup light vanilla soymilk 1/3 cup sugar-free maple syrup 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 cup SPLENDA; Granular 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2/3 cup miniature marshmallows Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel squash and cut into large chunks (removing seeds). Fill a large, microwave-safe dish with a half an inch of water. Place squash into dish and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for approximately 8 minutes (and drain). Squash should be tender enough to mash, but not fully cooked. With a potato masher, food processor or fork, mash squash. Measure out 2 generous cups, lightly packed, and place in an oven-safe baking dish. Add all ingredients except for marshmallows. Mix ingredients thoroughly, but do not over-stir; squash should still be pulpy. Allow to cook for 45 – 50 minutes. Remove from oven, and disperse marshmallows over top of pie. Return to oven for 5 minutes, until marshmallows begin to brown. Allow to cool. Serves 4. Serving Size: 1/4 recipe; approx. 2/3 cup Calories: 110 Fat: <0.5g Sodium: 115mg Carbs: 25g Fiber: 1.5g Sugars: 7.5g Protein: 5g *2 Points

Cheesy-Good Cornbread Muffins PER SERVING (1 muffin): 85 calories, 1.5g fat, 240mg sodium, 14g carbs, 1g fiber, 2g sugars, 4g protein -- POINTS® value 2* Cheesy cornbread muffins for only 85 calories each?! How can it be??? Ingredients: 1 cup canned cream-style corn 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal 1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters) 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream 1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese 1/4 cup chopped scallions 2 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt Optional: 1/4 tsp. hot sauce Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, cornmeal, Splenda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, mix together all other ingredients -- then add the contents of the small bowl to the large one, and stir until well mixed. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray or line it with baking cups. Evenly distribute muffin batter among the cups. Bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes (until muffins are firm and a light golden brown). Allow to cool and then enjoy! MAKES 12 SERVINGS

HG's Miracle Mashies PER SERVING (1/5th of recipe, about 2/3 cup): 82 calories, 1g fat, 168mg sodium, 16g carbs, 3g fiber, 2g sugars, 3g protein -- POINTS® value 1* Mixing cauliflower and potato is a GREAT way to get true mashed potato taste and texture, with a healthier, lower calorie spin. Woohoo! Ingredients: 1 large (about 13-oz.) potato 3 cups cauliflower florets 3 tbsp. fat-free half & half 1 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread 1/4 tsp. salt pepper and additional salt, to taste Optional: 1/2 tsp. crushed garlic Directions: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, peel and cube the potato. Once water is boiling, add peeled potato cubes and cauliflower. Wait for the water to return to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes (until potatoes and cauliflower are very tender). Remove the pot from heat and strain out all of the water. Transfer contents to a large bowl, and add half & half, butter/buttery spread, salt, and (if you like) crushed garlic. Mash it all together with a potato masher, until completely blended. Season to taste with pepper and additional salt. Enjoy! MAKES 5 SERVINGS

OK I have a really cool idea for you!!!! Make some low calorie dishes but do not tell anyone and see if they prefer your dishes over to the loaded ones!! This email is looonnnng since I am putting some receipes for you from hungry-girl.com emails I get: Pump It Up, Again! In honor of Thanksgiving (it's the day after tomorrow!), we decided to serve up a second helping of one of our most popular recipes EVER -- our Too-Good-To-Deny Pumpkin Pie! This pie will fool EVERYONE into thinking that they're eating a fat-filled, high-calorie dessert. Make it and see... Ingredients: For Crust 2 cups Fiber One bran cereal (original) 1/4 cup light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown) 3 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) 1 tsp. cinnamon For Filling One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling!) One 12-oz. can evaporated fat-free milk 1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original) 3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) 1/4 cup sugar-free pancake syrup 1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/8 tsp. salt Optional Topping: Fat Free Reddi-wip or Cool Whip Free Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine butter with 2 tbsp. water. Microwave until just melted, and set aside. In a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency. In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter mixture and crumbs with remaining ingredients for crust. Stir until mixed well. Spray an oven-safe 9-inch pie dish lightly with nonstick spray. Evenly distribute crust mixture, using your hands or a flat utensil to firmly press and form the crust. Press it into the edges and up along the sides of the dish. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for the filling. Mix well. Pour mixture into pie crust. The filling may be taller than the crust -- trust us, this is okay! Bake pie in the oven for 45 minutes. Allow pie to cool slightly. Refrigerate for several hours (overnight is best). Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Cut into 8 slices and, if you like, top with Reddi-wip or Cool Whip before serving! MAKES 8 SERVINGS Serving Size: 1 slice Calories: 133 Fat: 3g Sodium: 236mg Carbs: 28g Fiber: 9g Sugars: 8g Protein: 6g POINTS® value 2* Kickin' Cranberry Sauce PER SERVING (1/3 cup): 63 calories, 1g fat, 20mg sodium, 13g carbs, 2g fiber, 8.5g sugars, 1g protein -- POINTS® value 1* Dab or pile this stuff on top of your turkey. Or just eat it plain! (There’s so much good fruit in here, we wouldn’t blame you.) P.S. For quick day-of assembly, start this off the day before... Ingredients: One 12-oz. bag whole cranberries One 11-oz. can mandarin orange segments in their own juice 1 cup peeled and finely chopped apples 1 envelope (1/4 oz.) dry unflavored gelatin 2/3 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) 1/4 cup Almond Accents in Original Oven Roasted 1/4 cup granulated white sugar 1/8 tsp. cinnamon Directions: In a medium pot, combine cranberries, Splenda, and sugar with 1 3/4 cups water. Set stove to medium heat, cover pot, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 10 minutes, uncovering to stir occasionally. Meanwhile, in a small dish, combine gelatin with 1/4 cup cold water, stir well and set aside. Turn off heat and stir in gelatin mixture, stirring until dissolved and thoroughly combined. Stir in cinnamon and apples and mix well. Transfer mixture to a bowl, and refrigerate for at least 5 hours (overnight is best). Once chilled and set, remove mixture from the fridge and give it a good stir. Drain juice from the can of orange segments. Roughly chop orange segments and drain any excess liquid from them. Slightly crush almonds so that they break into smaller pieces. Add chopped orange segments and almond pieces to the cranberry sauce, and mix thoroughly. Serve with lean turkey, pork, or chicken, or anything else you like cranberries with! MAKES 12 SERVINGS Save-the-Day Stuffing PER SERVING (1 cup): 89 calories, 1.5g fat, 275mg sodium, 17g carbs, 4g fiber, 4g sugars, 5g protein -- POINTS® value 1* We loooove this swap, especially since we can't resist the usual carb-laden, high-cal version. Most of the credit goes to using low-calorie bread. (We heart Sara Lee's Delightful bread BIGTIME.) "Save the day" indeed! HG Tip! Zazzle up your stuffing by adding any of the following to it before baking: an ounce of raisins, 1 medium-sized pear (chopped), 2 tablespoons of sliced almonds, an ounce of sweetened dried cranberries, or 1 medium-sized Granny Smith apple (chopped). Each one adds less than 20 calories to each serving! Ingredients: 6 slices light bread (40 - 45 calories each with around 2g fiber per slice) 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped mushrooms 1 cup fat-free chicken or vegetable broth, room temperature 1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original) 1 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown) 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, to taste Directions: For best results, leave bread uncovered at room temperature for a night or two, until slightly stale. Otherwise, begin by lightly toasting bread. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Spray a medium baking dish with nonstick spray, and place bread cubes evenly along the bottom of the dish. In a medium pot, combine broth, celery, and onion. Cook for 8 minutes over medium heat. Remove pot from heat, and add mushrooms and garlic. Season mixture to taste with salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme. Let cool for several minutes. Add egg substitute and butter to veggie/broth mixture and stir. Pour mixture into the baking pan, evenly covering bread cubes. Mix gently with a fork. Bread cubes should be moist, but not saturated (if necessary, add 1 - 2 tbsp. water, and then mix again). Cover with foil, and cook dish in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil, and fluff and rearrange stuffing. Return dish to oven (uncovered), and cook for an additional 15 minutes. MAKES 5 SERVINGS Get Squashed! I Can't Believe It's Not Sweet Potato Pie! This one's an instant classic, people. We promise. By substituting butternut squash for sweet potatoes and using some key light ingredients, you can save over 200 calories and nearly 17 grams of fat per serving on this Turkey Day classic. And it tastes EXACTLY like the real thing (yes, EXACTLY). Now THAT'S something to be thankful for! Butternut squash, with half the calories (and all the yummy fun) of sweet potato, is our new best friend. (Pssst... In case you haven't tried 'em yet, our Bake-tastic Butternut Squash Fries ROCK!) Ingredients: 1 large butternut squash (large enough to yield 2 cups mashed flesh) 1/2 cup Egg Beaters; Original 1/3 cup light vanilla soymilk 1/3 cup sugar-free maple syrup 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 cup SPLENDA; Granular 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2/3 cup miniature marshmallows Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel squash and cut into large chunks (removing seeds). Fill a large, microwave-safe dish with a half an inch of water. Place squash into dish and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for approximately 8 minutes (and drain). Squash should be tender enough to mash, but not fully cooked. With a potato masher, food processor or fork, mash squash. Measure out 2 generous cups, lightly packed, and place in an oven-safe baking dish. Add all ingredients except for marshmallows. Mix ingredients thoroughly, but do not over-stir; squash should still be pulpy. Allow to cook for 45 – 50 minutes. Remove from oven, and disperse marshmallows over top of pie. Return to oven for 5 minutes, until marshmallows begin to brown. Allow to cool. Serves 4. Serving Size: 1/4 recipe; approx. 2/3 cup Calories: 110 Fat: <0.5g Sodium: 115mg Carbs: 25g Fiber: 1.5g Sugars: 7.5g Protein: 5g *2 Points The holidays are here. Know what that means? It's green bean casserole time! But did you know that even though the main ingredient in the classic dish is green beans, each serving can have about 250 - 300 calories and TONS of fat? How can that be? It's all those crazy canned fried onions that are crammed into and piled on top of the thing. One little can of those crispy catastrophes has roughly 900 calories and 70 grams of fat! Eeeks! The good news is, with just a few easy swaps, you can make your own version of this holiday fave, for a fraction of the fat and calories. Check out HG's NEW recipe and share it with everyone you know... Rockin' Lean Bean Casserole PER SERVING (1/10th of casserole): 76 calories, 2g fat, 431mg sodium, 13g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 4g sugars, 3g protein -- POINTS® value 1* Ingredients: Two 16-oz. bags frozen French-style green beans, thawed, drained & thoroughly dried Two 10.75-oz. cans Campbell's 98% Fat Free Cream of Celery Soup One 8-oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained 1 bag (about 1 oz.) Crispy Delites Red Onion Chips or 1 oz. (about 25 pieces) onion-flavored soy crisps, crushed Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Make sure green beans are thoroughly drained and completely dry -- use a towel if you need to. Then, place half of the green beans in a casserole dish (a 2 - 3 quart rectangular one works best). Pour 1 can of soup evenly on top of the layer of green beans. Place half of the sliced water chestnuts over the soup layer. Cover with remaining green beans, and then top with the rest of the soup. Evenly top with the remaining water chestnuts. Place dish in the oven, and cook for 45 minutes. Top with crushed soy crisps, and return dish to the oven for another 10 minutes or so, until chips turn golden brown. MAKES 10 SERVINGS Heads Up...Your Casserole Will Be Larger! HG's Miracle Mashies PER SERVING (1/5th of recipe, about 2/3 cup): 82 calories, 1g fat, 168mg sodium, 16g carbs, 3g fiber, 2g sugars, 3g protein -- POINTS® value 1* Mixing cauliflower and potato is a GREAT way to get true mashed potato taste and texture, with a healthier, lower calorie spin. Woohoo! Ingredients: 1 large (about 13-oz.) potato 3 cups cauliflower florets 3 tbsp. fat-free half & half 1 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread 1/4 tsp. salt pepper and additional salt, to taste Optional: 1/2 tsp. crushed garlic Directions: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, peel and cube the potato. Once water is boiling, add peeled potato cubes and cauliflower. Wait for the water to return to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes (until potatoes and cauliflower are very tender). Remove the pot from heat and strain out all of the water. Transfer contents to a large bowl, and add half & half, butter/buttery spread, salt, and (if you like) crushed garlic. Mash it all together with a potato masher, until completely blended. Season to taste with pepper and additional salt. Enjoy! MAKES 5 SERVINGS

Mandy, Since I am still on a liquid diet and have not tried consuming the above mentioned I really can't comment. However, I was told by the nutrionist at the OCC that Breads (non-toasted), pasta & sticky rice would cause pain and discomfort. At what stage (1st fill, second fill?) well everyone is different I supose. You are not to have any carbonated beverages until 6 months in then you can have 1 carbonated beverage per week as a treat (per nutrionist). Since I do not have any ristriction in my band right now I have a hard time believing that I will not be able to get down a piece of bread in a few weeks but I could be wrong. The main thing to remember is that eventually I will not be ablie to comsume non-toasted breads and for me that is sad (no more red velvet cupcakes, 98% fat free bologna sandwiches, naan, sushi...) but worth the sacrifice. In my opinion the biggest change is going to come when I cannot have a beverage with my meals. That sounds scarier then giving up breads, sticky rice and pasta.

I forgot to mention; The Doctor is the one who decides what band you will get. I am still a little upset about this so I will not say anymore on this subject. Let's just say I wanted a different band then what I got. As far as fills, the doctors at the OCC say that people have more sucess with fills if they are preformed under Flouroscopy (Xray). The are done this way at the OCC but you can also find other centers/doctors throughout the US who also do them under flouroscopy (not near Los Angeles however...go figure). I have decided to keep my mouth shut at work regarding my band and the reason is people can be vendictive. I learned form WW that whether you have the band or not people will talk and when it comes to weight loss people can be rude. If someone were to question me about my weight loss my canned answer is "I have been watching what I eat and excercising" which is the truth. They do not need to know about my band. My immediate family members know and 2 people at work that I trust and that is it. I may be a little peranoid but when it comes to my career and oppertunities for premotion and advancement I do not need executives getting a preconceived notion about me due to my band. You just never know and why take the chance.

Thank God you and I have the exact same band! Now I doubt it less. You give me hope that I can do this with the gigantor band I have been spending all week jealous of those who have the 4CC band

POINTS® Tracker entries Friday, November 20, 2009 Morning 1 serving(s) Naked Fruit Green Machine 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 16 fl oz V8 100% Vegetable Juice 1 Subtotal 1 Evening 1 serving(s) Yonique Mango Yogurt Drink 3 1 cup(s) Organic chunky tomato bisque, light in sodium 2 2 cup(s) water 0 1 serving(s) On the Go Wild strawberry, prepared 0 Subtotal 5 Anytime 1/2 cup(s) Corn chipotle bisque 1 2 serving(s) Mishima Miso Soup Mix 1.5 Subtotal 2.5 Food POINTS values total used 13.5 Food POINTS values remaining 8.5 Activity No entries for activity. Activity POINTS values earned 0 Check off these important items daily: Liquids: 6 cups of water Milk & Milk Products Fruit & Vegetables: 6 Servings Multivitamin/Mineral: 2 Flinstone Chewables Healthy Oil Activity Lean Protein Whole Grains