Why the band?

Today I received the following comment:
only1 said...
Was there a reason you chose the band instead of the RNY surgery?

I don't think I ever wrote on this topic and it is an important one. For me it was a simple decision:

• All my 'guts' stay the way they were originally.
  
• There are no absorption issues.
  
• It is reversible.
  
• The long-term weightloss has been shown to be comparable.
  
• It is adjustable.
  

Everyone has his or her personal reasons for their choice of WLS. These were mine. For others RNY is the preferred choice and I respect everyone's choice regardless of what it is. For those of you that have had or are considering WLS, please chime in here, everyone's perspective is appreciated.

This just in!

Ben and Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie Chunk ice cream can still be eaten. Anyone that expects the band to stop junk food eating read this: almost all junk food such as, but not limited to, ice cream, chocolate, and many other yummy things - WILL NOT BE STOPPED BY THE BAND!

You still have to make good choices. Yes, you eat less (of most things), but 'crap' still gets through. I made a choice to have the ice cream...and mmmm, mmmm, that ice cream was good!

Note to self: I'd be losing more weight per week (see 1/2 pound below) if I chose not to eat ice cream.

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 187.5lbs (loss this week - 1/2 pound)
Overall loss: 46.5lbs
Lbs to goal: 38.5lbs

Hair club for women?

Yep, I am losing hair. I do not believe the 'you're not getting enough protein theory'. I know I am getting plenty and in fact when I was on a diet of protein shakes (very very high protein) I still lost a fair amount of hair.

Unfortunately, I have lost 50+ pounds of weight multiple times. If I lose it quickly, such as I am now, I have lost hair along with it. In fact, it has always been around the 4-5 month timeframe --- I'm over 4 months now. So I just keep reminding myself it will grow back (it always has before--fingers crossed it will again!) and try not to panic. Fortunately, I have a ton of hair, so I am the only one that notices. I keep asking my best friend if she can tell because she would be honest and tell me!

But how do I know for sure the root cause of my hair loss phenomena? Well I am a big goober and have spreadsheets for my 'diets'. Lots of them. In fact, if I would have had something other than 'being fat' as my issue when I got the band, I would have been all set for proving my attempts to my insurance company - this was not enough for how the policy is written. I tracked everything each time. The diet plan, what I ate, weight, how I felt, what happened, etc.

The bottom line: If I have to lose some hair to get to goal and finally lose this weight once and for all, that is fine with me!

Eating is work

Eating used to be a pleasurable experience. For me, the cold hard truth of having the lapband is that eating is now work. I have to think about what I am going to eat (make band-friendly choices) and think about eating consciously--chew, eat slowly, and listen to my body. It is not the mindless activity it was before. This is good and bad.

It's good because of the effort that is required, I just don't look forward to it. I think the emotional eating has seriously been tackled --- of course, this means that I keep candy and ice cream out of the house --- the band isn't going to help with that although I have found (contrary to what I have read other people saying) that I can't eat as much of it---I just get full.

It's bad because of the effort that is required, I just don't do it (sometimes). Or I just pick at my food. I am particularly challenged at lunch time at work. My job tends to be stressful. My experience is stress tightens my band. I recently learned not to force myself to eat if this is happening. Why? PB big time. If I am not sure, I will take a bite or two and see what happens. So what do I do instead? I will eat a protein bar very very slowly, have a latte, or some soup. Yes, except for the protein bar - soft food. But reality is that you can't squeeze food past a tight band and getting food down is important (for me) or else calories consumed for the day will not be enough.

In case anyone is thinking - hmmmm, you might be too tight. I know this isn't the case. The band is a strange little thing. You have to learn how your body deals and reacts to it. It is definitely not a science. Over time I have put together what happens with me. On days where stress is low/manageable - no issue (as long as I follow bandster rules) - so defintely not too tight. There are times during my cycle that I am tight as well, but I am getting a good sense of when this happens. It just takes time and patience (with some PBs thrown in) to figure it out.

In fact, I am still learning...

I love the 80's!

180's that is! The past two weeks I had held steady at 191.5. Although I hadn't exercised, my eating had been about 90% which should have translated into some sort of loss. Because of my 'lovely' job, I really wasn't sweating it (seriously) - plus there was TTOTM to factor in. Bottom line: 3.5lbs this week, so officially in the 180's.

The really cool part is that I had assigned myself a goal of 189 this week. I wasn't sure I was going to hit it and ended up pleasantly surprised.

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 188lbs
Overall loss: 46lbs
Lbs to goal: 39lbs

What a Week!

Where to start - it's TTOTM, I seriously hate my job, I haven't been going to the gym, nor have I been eating well. Overall I would describe this week as YUCKY! Weigh in was uneventful - I stayed the same. Why? Not eating well, not going to the gym, and TTOTM (oh, and I hate my job). No big surprises there. There is a lot of 'stuff' going around in my head, but I just can't seem to put it into words at the moment. Maybe in a couple days - or at least I will have some sort of dribble to post that someone might find entertaining.

Another Recipe: King Ranch Casserole

I am guessing many of you have had King Ranch Casserole - at least if you live in Texas. It is easy, yummy, and now proven to be band friendly. Although the standard disclaimer applies - just because it was band friendly for me, does not necessarily mean it will be for you, but I encourage you to try it! ;)

• 2 cups cooked diced chicken (I use the canned chicken breast - easy)
  
• 1 can Rotel (tomatoes and green chilies)
  
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use the Healthy Request to reduce calories)
  
• 1 can cream of chicken soup (I use the Healthy Request to reduce calories)
  
• 1/2 can chicken broth (sometimes I use this and other times I don't. It is kind of optional)
  
• 1 package corn tortillas - cut in pieces (I cut them in half and then in strips)
  
• Cheddar cheese - Put as much or as little as you want (can dramatically impact calories)
  
• Olives - optional - if I have sliced olives around I will add these
  
• Onion - optional - again, if you have an onion around and feel like chopping it up into small pieces, you can put this in as well
  

Mix the Rotel, soups, and chicken broth together in a bowl. In a casserole dish (I think it is 13x9), layer half of the tortilla strips. Follow with half the chicken, then soup mixture, then olives, onion, and cheese (you can leave the cheese out of this layer if you want less calories). Repeat. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-45 minutes - until it is all bubbly. Serve.

I estimate it at 350 calories for a 1 cup serving. Depends on a lot of variables though (olives, cheese, low-fat soup, etc.), but I am all about the rough estimates as I just can't eat a lot of food in one sitting.

Serving suggestion - throw some green beans in the microwave and you have a complete meal! The leftovers heat up really well in the microwave and make a great lunch.

PS - THANKS for all the comments on my previous post. I just LOVE comments. :) If you haven't checked out Jessica's - I encourage you to do so! She Googled the elevator conspiracy and left additional detail. Thanks Jessica!

Does it work?

The close door button on the elevator that is. Have you ever noticed that without a doubt the open door button works -- because you can hold the door open with it, but the close door button is a different story?

Here's my theory - you want the door to close and you push the button. The door doesn't close upon pressing it, so you press it again. In my case, I push the button continuously. If the button really worked, upon pressing it once the door would immediately close. Seriously people, I am not kidding you. The next time you are in an elevator try it. Does it really close right when you hit the button? (Please report your findings as I am limited to the same elevator every day.)

Here's the real scoop: It's there so people like me --- impatient people --- don't get pissed off that there isn't a button to close the door. It makes you 'feel' like the door is closing. Man, is this a stupid post or what! This is what I was thinking this morning...Oh yeah, one last thing - why does the open door button work then? It's a safety thing, so that has to work. In fact, now that I type this, the close door button could actually be a safety risk! Even more to ponder.

Today was my weigh in day. The surprise - I lost 1/2 pound. I'm surprised because I have not eaten well, had an evening of drinking, and didn't go to the gym. I am trying to focus on how much I 'could have' lost if I had been going to the gym in the hopes that it will get me back there.

A little note on the fickleness of the band - yesterday my band was loose. I ate 1/2 of a burrito from On the Border last night for dinner and some chips. No problem at all even though it was a tad more than I should have eaten. Today - I am tight as a drum. I attempted to eat lunch - salad and soup - no dice. I attempted to eat dinner - no dice. It truly is weird how much difference a day can make. (Hmmm, maybe my band is really smart? It knew I had more food than I should have yesterday, so it tightened up today to compensate? What is it with me and the conspiracies?)

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 191.5lbs
Overall loss: 42.5lbs **notice** exactly half way to goal :)
Lbs to goal: 42.5lbs

Holy Falling Garage Doors!

I got the crap scared outta me! I came home and pulled the car in the garage because the neighbor behind me had his car broken into the other night. Well the garage door made a bunch of noise when it was going up, but lately it has seemed to do that (huh, this should have been a clue). Pulled the car in and pressed the button to close it.

It went down part way and then went back up, but not all the way. First I figured the cat had gone out because it is a nice day and there is that auto sensor thing. Then I looked and said to self, "hmmmm, don't think that is it. The door isn't all the way up." So, of course I figure well I will just release it and close the door manually and call someone to come take a look at it.

Yeah me on this one - I decided I would go ahead and pull the car out before I close the garage in case I can't get it back up (again, a yeah me on this one). I then released the garage door from the opener thing -- sorry, it's not like I know the technical name for this stuff, especially 'cause if I did I wouldn't have messed with it. I start pulling on the door (hello dummy!!! it's not moving very easily - hint, hint). I keep pulling and then all hell breaks loose!

One part of the door comes down, the other is up, roller thingies fall off, it looks like the actual door is falling apart (!), and the top part starts falling IN. I freak and jump outta the way. The door stays hanging there and I am totally freaked out!

Turns out that a couple months ago I had the garage door guy out here, because my stupid cat ate the wires (seriously) on the sensor things and they needed to be fixed. So I only had to dig for about 10 mins (yes, the house is messy) instead of 45. I find the number and call the garage door guy. I say, "I am having a garage door emergency." That is really what I said. The cats have a door into the garage to do their business and I can't leave the house with the garage door open -- work now becomes an issue.

I describe to him the best I can what happened and I am thinking - holy crap, this is going to cost a ton o' money. Luckily, he heads right out this way. It is still light out because I left work early to go to the gym (more on that later). He takes a look and I say, "how bad is it?". He just says, "All ya gotta do is pay me 129 bucks." Me: "Really?" Him: "Really". Me: "Well all righty then, I am one happy camper."

He goes on to explain that what happened is his most common call. The garage door came off the tracks and everything gets discombobulated (I love that word and that I got to use it in my blog!). He replaced a roller, pushed the rail thingies back into place, sprayed some lubricant on things, and voila - working garage door!

Whew! I am sooo relieved. Although, I could have used the excuse to stay home tomorrow! ;)

As far as the gym, welllll didn't make it there this weekend. And not making it tonight either. It is too late now.

Go Figure?!

Yep, you read that right! All my laziness has paid off ;). I lost 2.5lbs this week. I am 1/2lb from the halfway mark. That is exciting, but I can honestly tell you that it isn't going to knock me out of my funk---at least not today. My most recent excuse: I haven't been getting home from work until late. Yes, I know lame...Then again, the 180's are getting close! I'm going out on a limb: I am heading back to the gym this weekend.

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 192lbs
Overall loss: 42lbs
Lbs to goal: 43lbs

Still Not on Track

Nope. Still haven't gotten back on track. No exercise since Wednesday. My excuse today is a sick stomach. I am wondering if chicken is on my banned list. I can eat it in soup, but it seems that everytime I have chicken breast it just doesn't work. Today it was moist, marinated chicken. I was sick afterward, but this time it went on for a long time. Pardon the gory details, but PB, foam, you name it, I had it. By the end of the afternoon, my tummy was not happy nor was I.

I can honestly say that today was the first day that I seriously wondered if it was worth it. (The funk gets funkier.) Right now I don't have an answer. None of this is easy and the weight is coming off slower than the last diet that I was on. I am trying to remind myself that I have always been a "champion loser", but keeping it off has been impossible. Always gaining it back with friends, this tool is to stop the cycle. Only time will tell. Maybe I am having delayed after surgery depression? ;) Can that happen 3 months later?

A bit of a funk

It's TTOTM. It has kinda put me into a funk. The weather isn't helping either since it was 85 on Thursday and dropped to 40 on Friday. Today is even colder - like 28. Now don't get me wrong that is far from cold compared to places like the Midwest and I know that. It has just had a big effect on me. I don't want to leave the house and am curled up on the couch with a blanket. I highly doubt that I will make it to the gym today.

As far as yesterday, it was my 3-month bandiversary. With cramps and all, I didn't get to the gym. In fact, I was feeling like I was going to kill someone unless I satisified my cravings. So, I ate a pint - yes, a pint - of ice cream. I didn't eat much else, but still it wasn't really on the plan. It was a conscious choice and I didn't feel guilty at all. We'll see what effect the ice cream and the lack of exercise will have on the scale, but right now I just don't care. Told you I was in a funk...so much for the attitude adjustment.

I was reading a blog - honestly can't remember which one and it referenced this site that would make your blog into a word cloud. Mine is the pic on this post. Kinda interesting. If you'd like to do yours, click here.

So close...but no cigar...

Official weigh in day. The good news is that I dropped 2.5lbs. The 'bad' (disappointing anyway) news is I was .5lb from hitting the 40lbs lost mark. Oh well, I WILL look at the positive - I am down 39.5lbs. Tomorrow is my 3 month mark. I'll post more then. I'm just not in a good mood today -- rough day at work. (BTW - elliptical today - 35mins)

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 194.5lbs
Overall loss: 39.5lbs

Whoa - I'm a S-T-U-D!

OK, probably a bit of an exaggeration, but I am on a roll with the exercising! Let's recap...

• Saturday - 50 mins elliptical
  
• Sunday - 50 mins elliptical
  
• Monday - 45 mins elliptical
  
• Tuesday - 50 mins elliptical
  

I thought about why and I have to tell you that knowing that I am going to be reporting it on my blog has seriously helped. Monday I didn't want to go (welllll, do I ever really 'want' to go? NO, but you know what I mean.). I told myself that I'd have to put on my blog that I didn't exercise and there was absolutely no reason for me to not go and put in 30 mins. And then I get there - still hating it - but there are so many people around that I feel pressured to work out longer than 30 mins. All of this works for me - even if it is mind manipulation :)

Today wasn't a struggle to go though. I just asked myself - would I rather get the weight off or sit on the couch. Getting the weight off won. I hope to have more of these days. I am going to a wedding on June 3 and plan to reward myself with a cute new outfit for the event. That's about 16 weeks away, so I am targeting an average of 1.5 pounds per week to be solidly in the 170's then.

Man oh man, I am hoping for a loss tomorrow. I am 3 lbs shy of the 40 pound mark and feel like I am due for a big drop. I really want to hit 40 pounds because the 16th is my 3-month bandiversary. Please oh please weight loss fairies - please make a stop at my house and carry away some of my weight!

Looking for a Little Crunch?

Well, my latest find that I MUST share is by PepsiCo's Quaker division - Quaker Soy Crisps! They are de-lish. Salt, crunch, low-calorie, AND protein.



I have had the White Cheddar flavor and give them a big thumbs up. I have the BBQ, but haven't tried them yet.

Here's the scoop from the BBQ bag - the White Cheddar is probably pretty close.

• 110 calories per serving
  
• 18 crisps!!! per serving
  
• 4g fat
  
• 15g carbs (4g sugars)
  
• 6g protein!!!
  

Sometimes a girl just has to have a crunch and these are way better for me than the dreaded potato chips. These are definitely good for that scenario without breaking the calorie bank.

Weekend Activities

I made it to the gym both Saturday and Sunday - Yeah! I put in 60mins on the elliptical both days. I belong to 24hr Fitness - cardio equipment is upstairs and weights are down. While I was plugging away on the elliptical, I was gazing downstairs at the weights. I realize that I need to add weights to my routine. I had a good weight routine that I need to try and locate in my pit of an office. It is the basics that I need to do to work out the core muscle groups. BUT if anyone knows of any websites that have good workouts, please send them my way.

Overall my eating and exercise has been excellent. The ridiculous part is that I am not getting to my goal on liquids. This is ridiculous because prior to the 'attitude adjustment' overall fluids were good. Sometimes I wonder if I am doomed to not be able to get all three of my goals going at once, but I will NOT give up.

I have been reading a ton of blogs. There are a lot of good ones out there. So many that I am working on a BlogRoll - assuming I can figure it out - that I plan to add to my blog. Up until this point, I have just been trying to remember where they are - I know I could use my Favorites, but I just haven't.

I have to admit though that I have developed some Blog Pet Peeves...I hate blogs that I can't figure out how to navigate through them easily - I just find it to take too much effort and move on. The other thing - blogs that launch music when you view the blog. I find this to be the most annoying thing that can be put on a blog. I am there to read what is posted not to hear a bunch of noise. Seriously, even if I like the music, I find it irritating and immediately close the blog. Just my two cents...

Yikes - Tight!!!

Man oh man - all of the female bandsters that say that they get tight during sometime of their cycle are so right! I am only at 3 months since my surgery next week, so I don't have a lot of data to go by. I can tell you that today and yesterday I have been tight! It has been hard to eat, so I am back to soft foods.

Going to stick with that for a day or two as there has been quite a bit of pb'ing and I bet that has also added to the tightness. For any future bandsters (females) - learn from me and start tracking your cycle and how tight you are from the get go. It will be extremely helpful as you go through your journey.

Today has been a bad day as far as the attitude adjustment - not enough food, not enough water, and no exercise. Oh well, tomorrow is another day, right? Since it is Saturday I have absolutely no excuse not to go to the gym.

NSV(?) - My close friends that see me all the time don't really seem to notice the weightloss much. Well, today one of my close friends hadn't seen me in a week and she was shocked at how thin my face was. It was pretty hilarious as I haven't really lost much in the past couple of weeks, but shows how a little time apart from close friends/family helps make the weightloss noticeable.

NSV(?) - I can wear jeans to work on Friday. I pretty much wear the same pair every week - for obvious reasons - it's the only pair that fits. Well, I'm not sure if it was because it was the second wearing or what, but they were falling off! This is good and bad. Good because I seem to be shrinking, but bad because I know I haven't lost enough to fit into the next size down so baggy butt will have to stick around for a while. But let me stress, I am not complaining ;)

Down 1/2 Pound

OK, well so much for the rant. I did lose a half pound. It is just so weird how weight just bounces up and down. Technically I could rant, since I lost less than 1.5 pounds (per my earlier post), but I did such a good job yesterday that I don't feel the need. :)

I did get to the gym today for a workout - 50 mins and 4.1 miles on the elliptical. Eating was OK. Behind a bit on the water, but I'll catch up before bed. Short post today.

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 197lbs
Overall loss: 37lbs

PS - Serena - Glad to hear I'm not the only one that does the weight previews! ;) I was warned that depression could be possible after the surgery. Have you talked to your doc? Maybe some anti-depressants for a bit might be helpful?

I Like This Show!

Love Monkey - And believe it or not it is on the 'old people network' aka CBS. I am trying to remember the name of the show that the lead character was on. This show reminds me in a way of that show. Was the name of the show 'Ed?' - no, that isn't right, but I can't remember the name. He was a lawyer that owned a bowling alley...

This show he is in the music business. I'm not going to get into all the gory details. I just thought that I would share that it is a pretty good show. I am a music person and the show has good music in the background and features cool musicians on the show now and then. For example: Anna Nalick, James Blunt, Ben Folds and others...

Long and short of it is if you are bored on Tuesday night and looking for something to do - give it a try and turn it on. Tuesday - 9pm CT - CBS

A Preview to Tomorrow?

I sure hope not! Yes, I did it again. I stepped on the scale before my weigh in day (Wednesday). The news was NOT good. Up a 1/2 pound. What the heck is up? I am working out, eating right, and drinking water!!!! aarrrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhh!

I know be patient. Well it sucks! I'm not officially up 1/2 pound until tomorrow, so maybe miraculously I will lose weight by tomorrow morning. Regardless, I am going to do things differently. I am going to track every single piece of food that enters my mouth to ensure that my calorie estimates are right. Maybe I am off, but HELLO? No way enough to actually GAIN weight!!!

Just a warning, this WILL be a recurring theme. Because the weight is not coming off fast enough. I will promise though that on weeks that I lose 1.5+ pounds that I will NOT whine. Look forward to those weeks...

*comments*

Craig T - I don't think you are the only one! ;) Some days the bars don't fill me up either. PS - I am not a Cowboys fan. I am convinced they are a love/hate team. You love them or you hate them. I am a hater. Also, I tried to get to your site, but couldn't get there?

Serena - Girl, I am so with you on the 'maybe tomorrow'...lol. As you can see, my attitude adjustment was short lived...and I hope/plan to get it to kick in again tomorrow. Today though I am going to wallow in my frustration. I checked you blog and you haven't posted in a bit. How are you doing?

Ramblings...

First and foremost, the Superbowl was very disappointing! I know the Seahawks weren't 'supposed' to win, but it didn't stop me from wanting them to. *sigh*

I am so tickled at how popular the Taco Soup recipe was. I will post more recipes as I stumble across them and determine that they are WLS friendly. I am thinking that I will try making a modified King Ranch Casserole---less corn tortillas and more chicken. It might not be until the weekend though that I get to it.

I did go to the gym today - 50 mins / 4 miles on the elliptical. Felt the workout on Saturday and Sunday today. Still planning on going tomorrow though. Just need to take a dip in the hot tub to get some of the soreness out. (Yes, water in and on target for food as well. Attitude adjustment is in gear today.)

Discovery of the day - I needed a meal replacement that I could eat at my desk yet still be good for me. Enter Zone Perfect All Natural Nutrition Bar - Chocolate Peanut Butter. Pretty good - not very peanut buttery, but overall I give it a thumbs up for lunch on the run. It kept me full which is the most important part. It was a tad bit high on saturated fat and 13 grams of Sugars might be too high for some.




Calories: 210
Calories from Fat: 60
Total Fat: 7g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: <5mg
Sodium: 330mg
Potassium: 110mg
Total Carbohydrate: 21g
Dietary Fiber: <1g
Sugars: 13g
Protein: 16g

On the topic of bars, I don't think I have published the other bars that I like. Sometimes I have one for a late breakfast, a lunch, or a snack. I prefer these to the Zone Perfect, but not as much protein. Less sugar though, so might be a good choice if you have to watch your sugars. They are the South Beach Diet High Protein Cereal Bars by Kraft.

This chocolate one I can only eat as a snack. I can't eat sweet in the morning. It is pretty good. Fixes me up when I have a craving.

The peanut butter one is my favorite! It seems like I am eating something that I am not supposed to.

Cranberry Almond also gets a thumbs up. I always have to make sure I chew this one or else the cranberry and almond bits can be tricky in the morning.

And the 4th of the 5 flavors is Cinnamon raisin. I usually switch between this one and the peanut butter.

They all are 140 calories and have 10g of protein. The specifics vary between bars, so I'll let you check them out if your interested. BTW - Wal*mart has been the cheapest place I have found them. In fact, I just stocked up because there was a $1 off coupon on the box. (I love those coupons 'cause I actually use them!)

Mmmm, mmm, good - Taco Soup

I had taco soup at a mexican restaurant here in Texas. It was really yummy! By looking at it, I figured it had to be pretty easy to make and has a lot of protein. In searching the net, it seems that the recipes are pretty standard. So, I made a big pot yesterday. It is AWESOME! I had to post the recipe here for anyone that is interested.

1 pound ground lean ground beef (I used ground sirloin - leanest I could find)
1 onion -- chopped
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix -- (small)
1 pkg Taco seanoning Mix
1 can kidney beans (I used the ones with jalenpenos for added zing)
1 can pinto beans
1 can corn
1 can Rotel
1 can stewed chopped tomatoes
1-2 cans chicken broth depending on how soupy you want it - I used two cans

Brown meat with onion, drain excess fat, add all ingredients, simmer to blend flavors. Estimated calorie content is 100 calories per cup

PS - Go Seahawks!

Attitude Adjustment Needed!

Yep, I definitely need an attitude adjustment. I am not working out enough. I worked out today and yesterday, but other than that I have been making up excuses. Nope, not really even making excuses, just not going.

I am also struggling with eating. I am just NOT hungry. I know, what a problem to have, right? But as I have posted before, if I don't eat a minimum of 1000 calories, then I don't lose.

And don't forget the water - I haven't been hitting my 8 glass minimum either.

Yes, an attitude adjustment is needed. I honestly didn't think this would be a problem until I could fit into all of the clothes in my closet. I'm not even to that point yet.

I am posting this to get it all out there. I HAVE to do better. I did NOT pay all of this money to not get to my goal. So, I am drawing a line in the sand right now!

• I will drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day.
  
• I will workout a minimum of 4 times a week for 45mins per session.
  
• I will eat all of my meals and get in 1000 calories.
  

I WILL HIT MY GOAL OF 149!!!!

PS - GO SEAHAWKS!!!

Jessica - I'm glad you like reading my blog! Do you have a date yet for your banding? BTW - the pictures that I use are from trips to Maui.

Another Week

Well, 11 weeks have gone by since my surgery. Overall things are going OK. Since the fill, I have had a hard time eating. Same old story - eating too fast, seem to be getting a lot of air, and not stopping soon enough (too much food).

The past few days have been good though. I have concentrated on eating slower and eating less. I'm talking like a 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of food. This seems to be working well. The key - eat CONSCIOUSLY - make sure that I am 110% engaged in the activity. This is the only way things are going to work without problems.

I lost 1.5lbs this week - not as much as I hoped as I had gone up a 1/2 pound the week before, so it is really more like 1 lb. Then again, I haven't been consistently getting in my water and workouts have been sporadic at best.

Not much to post. Mainly because work has been hectic and I haven't been in the best of moods the past couple of days. I've got to get caught up on reading everyone's blogs as well.

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 197.5lbs
Overall loss: 36.5lbs

RMR - Resting Metabolic Rate

Well, I figured since I 'flaunted' around RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) that I should go ahead and prove my theory. There are many scientific calculations for your RMR. They vary a bit, but I just took the least amount for my purposes. (If you want to find a calculator, simply Google 'calculating resting metabolic rate' and a bunch of calculators will come up.)

What is RMR? It is the amount of energy (calories) that your body requires at rest. In other words, if you don't do anything but sit around and breath, this amount of calories are required by your body to function.

There are things that affect your RMR - the amount of muscle you have (this is why you want to preserve as much muscle mass as possible - in fact, adding muscle mass would even be better!); your age (boo!); your sex (of course, guys burn more. mainly because they have a higher muscle mass naturally); climate (the colder the climate - the more energy the body needs to keep warm - but hello, who is really exposed enough to the elements for this to have a real impact?); small regular meals (supposedly).

Oh, I should mention that RMR is also referred to as BMR - Basal Metabolic Rate. There is really no difference. So use whichever one you want. But I see some differences? There are like 5 different calculations that are commonly used to determine RMR / BMR - therefore you can see up to a 50 calorie swing depending on which calculation is used.

Using one of the calculators, my body at its current weight requires 1634 calories at rest. Remember that is with no exercise - this is your body at rest.

1634 RMR/BMR x 7 days = 11,438 calories expended per week

(**Assuming 1000 calorie diet/day on average**)
1000 calories x 7 days = 7,000 calories consumed per week

Calories In - Calories Out = Weekly Deficit
7,000 cals per week - 11,438 cals per week = -4438 calorie deficit

Translation - 4438 divided by 3500 calories in a lb = 1.3lbs

Bottom line - I should be losing at least a lb a week. My overall average shows this weightloss.

Bad news is that as you lose weight your RMR / BMR goes down -- assuming constant muscle mass. Why? Well it all boils down to there is less of you to support at rest. It takes less calories to support 150lbs than 200lbs. What to do? Any combination of: Eat less, move more, gain muscle mass.

Hopefully someone found this interesting! :o) It was a good exercise for me to remind myself that as long as I am patient - the weight WILL drop off.

Whew!

**Thanks for the comments Rhonda and Jessica!**

Everything was A-OK. They did a fluoro with me standing up to check the position of my band and it was right where it was supposed to be. I then did a barium swallow and it just whooshed on through! What a relief!

I figured while I was there that I might as well ask if I could get a fill to avoid having to make another trip. Since everything looked OK and they saw how the barium went on through they said yes. I asked for a small one as I had lost well between fills (9.4lbs), but eating a tad bit more than recommended and getting a bit more hungry between meals.

As I’ve said before, I plan to ‘get away’ with as few fills as possible. Not that I am trying to be the hero or trying to diet, but want to increase restriction only when I need it. I know that I will need it eventually and will ride the wave until I get to that point.

Here’s the specifics on my fills:
1st fill – 1.2cc – 12/21
2nd fill – 1.8cc – 1/25
Loss between fills (using doctor scale): 9.4lbs (1.88lbs per week average)

Today was my official weigh in day. Not good news. Up .5 lbs. Why? I attribute this to less exercise and not drinking all my fluids. I also don’t think it is a ‘real’ weight gain. There is no way that I ate 1750 calories above and beyond what my body needs to maintain my current weight. What to do? Get my exercise in, drink enough fluids, and eat my meals as planned. Next week will be better.

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 199lbs
Overall loss: 35lbs

Unofficial weigh in stats – doctor’s scale:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 202.2lbs
Overall loss: 31.8lbs

Appointment Tomorrow

So, I called and explained what happened. I go in tomorrow for fluoro just to make sure everything is OK. Of course, wouldn't you know it, a little relief mentally and I seem to be feeling better. Ate some harder stuff for dinner without a problem. Oh well, better safe than sorry. I'll speak to them about getting a fill tomorrow.

Tomorrow is also my official weigh in. I haven't been getting in all of my water or exercising as much as I had in previous weeks. Oh well, I'll report in tomorrow.

Uh oh - tummy not good!

On Saturday I ate something that did not agree with me. What was different about this time was the vomiting. It lasted longer than normal and it felt 'deeper' for lack of a better way to describe it.

I had liquids and soft foods on Sunday and Monday until dinner. At dinner, I attempted to eat very very moist chicken, but no luck. I am keeping down liquids and soft foods no problem. What could be the problem? Was it the vomiting? I think I am supposed to be close to my period? I am stressed out!

I plan to call tomorrow to see if I can get in to get it checked out on Wednesday. Can't on Tuesday -- too much going on at work. One more day won't matter because I can drink and eat soft foods. I swear it will just be hard psychologically. PLEASE let it be irritation, swollen stoma, or something easy like that. As long as it isn't a slip.

What I did find out is there is not a lot that I can find about a slip. All I was able to locate was that it is a possibility, but not what the symptoms are. So, that's my story for now. Keep your fingers crossed. I will call tomorrow.

Ta Daaa! It happened! :o)

I weighed in at 198.5! Yippeee! Can you believe it? That is a 4 pound loss this week?!? Stats: 35.5 lbs down. That's my update for now.

Some responses to comments...

Jessica - you crack me up! ElastiGirl got on your nerves...lol. I have changed the link on the side. Keep up the diligence on working toward your goals. I'm with you on the scales - I use my home scale as my 'official' weight because I weigh heavier on every other one. I wonder what I'd do if I weighed less? ;)

Rhonda - My fellow Texan! Yes, please feel free to include a link to my blog if you want. I guess I broke protocol and should have asked you if I could include yours on mine. Hope it is OK?

First - you are doing awesome! Keep up the good work! Try not to get discouraged - I know it is easier said than done. I think you just need to try some tweaking. Here are my thoughts...

In regard to your question, and these are just my thoughts, prior to getting another fill, I would make sure your calorie intake is a minimum of 1000 calories a day. If not, I'd increase it to 1000 and see what happens with your weight. The standard response applies - it works for me and might not for you, but I think it is worth a shot prior to getting another fill. By the way, I was banded 11/16, so we are close together on our journey. (Are you getting hungry between meals right now? Are you exercising? -- these are also things I would consider before getting another fill.)

My typical day consists of: venti non-fat latte (210 calories); a Post CarbWell breakfast bar (140); lunch - it varies - but it is likely 200 - 250 calories (estimated); snack sometimes if hungry - 4-8 lowfat wheat thins and laughing cow cheese (135) [this usually depends on how big my lunch was]; dinner - again something around the 200 calorie range - I'm lazy so sometimes this is just tuna (a can with fat-free mayo) or a cup of Wolf Brand Chili - the turkey kind with beans that is something like 98% fat-free. All in all it is around 1000 calories that I am eating. Some days a little more and others less.

Things that I find that work for me:
Venti non-fat latte - expensive, but it gets in calcium and protein at once and is hot so has no problem going down in the morning
Post CarbWell cereal bars - lots of flavors - these are cheapest at Walmart
Low-fat wheat thins
Laughing Cow or any other kind of lowfat cheese - i find these are easier to control the portion size so I use them. You can find this in different flavors as well - I have just been getting them at Albertsons
Tuna/Salmon
Wolf Brand Chili
Texas Caviar - love the stuff
Lean Cuisine / Weight Watcher frozen dinners - these are a good size and are relatively inexpensive, so I have been trying these and seeing what works. I'm not so tight, so in the evenings I am pretty open and this allows me more flexibility on what I eat
Green beans

Please let me know if you (or anyone else for that matter) has any questions. Most of the time this really seems to be like a science experiment that we all have to figure out!

Will it happen???

Yep, I cheated. I stepped on the scale yesterday - or the day before - can't quite remember and was 200 lbs. BUT it wasn't my official weigh in day - that's tomorrow. I will be pleased to weigh in at 200 and will be happy with that, but will be ecstatic if I weigh in under 200!!!

I can tell that I have lost weight. I didn't feel like I had lost, but now I can feel it. It is a great feeling.

I worked out 4 times last week and on my way to the same this week (twice so far). I have been hungrier, so again I am starting to think about getting a fill. But I don't want to get one unless I really really need it. This is a bit of a different approach from posts I read on the Yahoo! boards, but seems to be working for me. I do not plan to get a fill until I am not losing any weight or I am starving---OK, maybe starving is a bit of an exaggeration :)

Well, I have been thinking about how much 'stuff' I should put out here. It would be more interesting for anyone reading if I put more, I think. So, here is the story that has been bugging me and will maybe get outta my head if I put it here...

On Saturday night, I went out with a guy friend of mine. Seriously, he is a friend -- he's gay ;). Anyway, I have not been drinking for obvious reasons. Well I had a couple glasses of wine. Needless to say it hit me pretty hard because I haven't been drinking. A guy I used to see was there. We didn't exactly part on good terms. Well, the liquid courage set in and interesting conversation ensued. In the end though he did apologize for lying - that is my pet peeve. Nothing will ever happen between us again - it was just nice to clear the air.

But as the conversation went on, this guy started throwing 'his friend' under the bus. This friend is also my friend, so I started getting mad. This other friend was out with his girlfriend - romantic evening and all. I knew that. But did that stop me from calling him? Uh no. Me and the friend I went out with CONTINUED to call him SEVEN times. Bwaaaa. This did not go over well. As everyone knows: drunk dialling is NOT a good thing.

So the next day we felt bad. My friend was mad at me of course. I think he is starting to get over it. Lesson - STEP AWAY FROM THE PHONE!:)

Weigh In

Drum roll....down 1.5 pounds! I'll take it. Now I am convinced that I was not eating enough. I increased my calories as I put in my previous post and the weight is coming off again. Whew!

So, I know how to work this thing, I just need to keep doing it. AND eat slower! AND chew a bit more.

That's it for now...Officially down 31.5 pounds. Average of 2.9 per week.

Need a Fill?

Not much has been happening. I was supposed to go out of town on business for the week, but it ended up being cancelled. That was OK with me. I was not looking forward to the lunches and dinners. I feel more comfortable being able to control what I eat right now as I am still getting the hang of things.

I have been going to Jazzercise. Tomorrow is my weigh in. Stayed the same last week, so if I don't lose at least a pound tomorrow I *might* consider a fill. I will need to review the questions in Jessie H Ahroni's book - Laproscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding -- Achieving Permanent Weight Loss with Minimally Invasive Surgery - and answer those honestly to determine if I am doing my part. I'm not going to worry about it today and will address it tomorrow.

I am somewhat worried though (ha! didn't I say I wasn't going to worry?) on waiting too long to get a fill. So, with all of what I have said above, I might go ahead and schedule a fill for a couple of weeks from now and cancel if needed. Geez - this adjustment business is tricky! I know they would give me one if I want it, but I don't want to get too tight. I am still learning how to eat slower and chew more. I don't want to be tighter and end up sliming/pb'ing more.

Things I'm pondering...
I am making healthy food choices in good portion sizes and am not getting hungry in between. Good = no fill
I can't eat white bread, fibrous vegies (haven't tried), and no large portions. Good = no fill
I might be struggling to lose. Will know this tomorrow. Based on the two items above, I should probably increase activity and monitor food intake more prior to getting a fill.
I am NOT gaining weight. Fingers crossed - will know for sure tomorrow, but don't think so.

No Loss!

Well, today was my official weigh in day and I stayed the same! *sigh* Let's be real --- I am not eating enough to not lose weight. Plus I have added exercising --- Jazzercise. So, the reality is my body is just not letting loose, but it will. I am confident.

I am wondering if I am not eating enough. For ME - stressing ME here, if I do not have enough calories in a day, I do not lose weight. I have been sliming quite a bit and have PB'd a couple times as I am still trying to figure things out. Believe me I do not do it on purpose and try to avoid it all costs, but some days things that are fine one day are not on another. It is strange. I am working on figuring out in the first couple of bites whether or not I'm going to have problems---but I am still a work in progress.

If I estimate my calories today and my estimates are normally high - 200 breakfast; 400 lunch (Definite over estimate); 300 dinner. Total 900, but honestly I think it was more like 800. I need to get up to around 1000.

Overall still working and learning.

I Did It!

Yeah me! I went to Jazzercise tonight. I didn't want to, but knew that in the end that I would feel good about going. So just got myself dressed and off I went.

It's back to work tomorrow. It is the first day back for me since my first fill. (I was off on vacation.) Lunch should be interesting. I have a hard time sitting there while others are eating without continuing to pick at my food. I am going to HAVE to break that because it always leads to eating a bite too much and then...GOLFBALL!

I'm going back with my hair 'all did' and 31 pounds (unofficially - Wednesday is weigh in day) less. Should be interesting to see if I get any reaction to either. I think the weight loss will depend on what I am wearing. Oh well, not gonna worry about that. People will eventually notice :) --- people will definitely notice the hair though ;)

Overall my calories are still a bit low. I think I got in 1000 today if I'm lucky --- but that is pretty good. But I think being on vacation is a contributing factor to this issue and will be fixed when I go back to work....how you might be wondering? Welllllllll, I have been sleeping in so late (sometimes til noon!!!) there just aren't enough hours to get the food in...lol

New Year's / New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve - well, I thought I was supposed to spend time with my best friend---hang out at her house, etc. Tried calling her, but could never get a hold of her and my phone never rang either. It did NOT start out the day well as I was looking to her for support. For some reason New Year's Eve was not an evening I was looking forward to --- friends are married or coupled up, I didn't have any 'real' plans, etc. It all boils down to I felt downright lonely.

I did get my hair straightened though. So that was the last step in a week long process...lol. Started out with a cut - cutting off over 5 inches! A color AND highlights. And finally the straightening - japanese thermal straightening. It makes my hair straight as a board. A lot of people think I am crazy to straighten my curly hair - especially considering the time and expense, but I had done it for the first time 10 months ago and figured 'what the hell' I'd do it again.

So, as time ticked away on New Year's Eve, I thought about going out with some other friends. Tried on clothes and everything I tried on I HATED. Either too tent and awning (baggy) or too small. It was not a nice experience and put me in a worse mood than I was already. I felt SOOO fat. And yes, I did try to rationalize it by saying I used to weigh 30 pounds more and that only made me feel worse - go figure.

I honestly think that New Year's Eve was harder for me than Christmas. Oh well, I went to my friend's house for a couple hours and then was home by 10:30. Flipped channels and of course started feeling hungry. Was I hungry? Hell no. It was all in my head. I made myself some sugar-free hot chocolate and had that instead. I think I fell asleep before midnight.

Today - I stepped on the scale. Holding steady. This is OK as I tend to hold steady and then drop. The big thing that would make a difference is exercising. I haven't been doing much of anything. That changes tomorrow...

My goals for 2006:
Exercise a minimum of 3 times per week.
Get fills when/if needed.
Eat bandster meals consistently.
Drink my liquids everyday consistently.
Be at goal on or before my year bandiversary (November 16) -- I thought a lot about this and this is reasonable as I have 55lbs to goal.
Date
Widen my circle of friends

Down 4 more!

Christmas was uneventful. I stayed home and enjoyed my alone time. Wednesday was my official weigh in day and I was down another 4 pounds. I'm at 204. Plan to be under 200 by the end of January if not before.

I have had a couple PB experiences. If/when I am totally honest with myself, I think I am testing my band now and then. Kind of like - how small a bite do I need to eat? do I really need to chew so much? etc. Not good. I need to adjust my attitude on that and stick to what I know works and doesn't work.

I purchased my Jazzercise membership. I will start next week. I had thought I might start this week, but that was not a goal. I am on vacation and am enjoying the time off and doing whatever I feel like doing --- which hasn't been a lot of anything! :) Although, I have seen a ton of movies - The Family Stone, Rumor Has It, King Kong, and Fun with Dick and Jane. I can't say any of them were 'excellent'. The Family Stone and Rumor has it were both cute. King Kong --- looooong - in fact, I nodded off during part of it - overall, it was OK. Fun with Dick and Jane -- maybe I just wasn't in the mood, but it wasn't that great. Enough of the movie reviews!

I am having a hard time remembering what and when I'm eating - I know hard to believe! I think that I will start tracking that on here as well, so some days there might just be entries of that and nothing more. We'll see how that goes...

Officially:
30 pounds down
Hunger - minimal - have to remind myself to eat most of the time (lucky me!)
Restriction on board
6 weeks post op - Today!
Diet - Whatever - make good choices

Cut My Hair

I received a very nice gift certificate to a spa from my friends for my birthday. Today I went up there and got my hair cut and my eyebrows done. The haircut is much different from what I had before. I let the hair stylist do what she wanted - turned out very nice! Sexy you might even say! ;o)

Next week I am going back there to get a new hair color! Not sure what color, but something definitely different. I figured I might as well totally re-invent myself along with my band and why not start now?!!

I haven't been sticking to clear liquids after the first day. I switched to the pre-op Stage 1 diet and everything has been fine---just a little bit more stuff like applesauce and . I'm not sure that I have any restriction, but won't know until I am back on real food. I move to mushies tomorrow on Christmas Eve!

Damn Port! First Fill. Weigh In.

Well I was right and was hoping I was wrong. My port is on its side. They said that it is OK and that for right now they can work with it as it is. Hopefully this will continue to be the case. Needless to say, I am a little irritated.

Lots of stuff to report today...

Official weigh in (my scale) - 208! Down a total of 26 lbs. Doctor's scale - different as expected - 211.6. As I said, because my clothes will vary and also the time of day and I won't be able to weigh in once a week, I consider this my unofficial weigh in.

I got my first fill - amount was 1.2cc. Here's the story...

Showed up at Surgery Center of Richardson - commonly referred to as SCOR. I call it a 'fill mill'. All they do is fills and they do it for many surgeons. This will become important in a minute.

Checked in. Gave them my Driver's License and got forms to complete in return. Of course one was HIPAA, another was some type of standard form about emergency contact information, and the last was what I will refer to as an 'assessment'. I think that is what they call it, but can't remember for sure. It simply had questions about diet, exercise, etc. and you take it with you to the next step.

I didn't wait long at all and they called my name. A guy took me back - nurse I assume. He told me to turn the scale on. I'm looking at him like 'what the hell? I'm new here - what are you talking about?' I figured it out on my own and stepped on after removing my shoes and my sweater. As stated previously, weighed heavier than at home, but ignoring that. Then I was standing there and he was like 'oh you can sit down'. How the heck am I supposed to know that.

He proceeds to take vitals - blood pressure, temp, etc. Asks me if I have had any problems - told him about the PB and the salmon. During this time, we overhear another nurse saying that she is going to lunch. He said, 'last one to show up and first one to go to lunch'. Then he said he shouldn't have said that. No kidding.

So, next thing I know he is telling me that his mom found out that his step father is cheating on her. HELLO? And that he has been up late all week helping his mom move. Now seriously, do I care? Is that pertinent to my checkup? At least it explains what was not a very good experience. Maybe I won't have him next time.

On to the x-ray room. Go in and there are 3 people in there. They don't introduce themselves or anything. Just tell me where to put my purse and to get up on the table. This time I said something. I told them it was my first fill (read the paperwork!) and they were like 'oh ok'.

Told them I thought something was up with my port and sure enough there was. It's on its side instead of flat. No worries for now though.

One lady was really nice - she was telling me she was going to sterilize the area, etc. Then the next lady is coming at me with a needle. Didn't say anything or what it was for. Lucky for me, none of this stuff bothers me --- that is why the fill mill didn't bother me when I was looking around. Assumed it was the numbing stuff and it was. Hardly a prick and I didn't have any stinging at all. No big deal.

Now ready for the fill. Another needle. No pain, but there was some weird pressure as she was getting the needle in there. Asked her how much she put in and it was 1.2cc. Done!

Next was meeting with the patient advocate. Saw some good pics of what happens if you overeat - stretched pouch. Then we went over the tips. Moral there is to eat only 4-6 ozs at a time and if I need a snack inbetween meals to have one. Just make it healthy. (I personally think they should have handouts that provide examples of what good snacks are, but I can figure it out.)

Then I sat around in the waiting area for 30 mins sipping water. They do that to make sure you aren't too tight. No problem. No restriction at all. Just kept drinking, since it is toward my daily total and all. NOW the bad news. Clear liquids for 3 days. Not Phase 1 diet, but clear liquids!!! (I called and verified with the surgeon's office). After that 3 days of mushies. Then on to regular food - that is when I will know if I have any restriction.

In summary, the overall experience was OK. BE SURE TO STATE YOU ARE HAVING YOUR FIRST FILL (a little late for that for me, but maybe it will help others).

Here's the sheet I got...Tips from Inamed

TIPS FOR SUCCESS WITH THE LAP-BAND

1. Eat only small meals (four to six ounces = 1/2 to 3/4 cup)
   
2. Cut food into small, dime-size bites. Eat only one bite at a time. Chew thoroughly and swallow carefully
   
3. Stop eating as soon as you feel full
   
4. Do not drink while eating
   
5. Eat only quality, nutritious foods. Remember protein first!
   
6. Avoid white, starchy foods and fibrous boods with stalks
   
7. Drink plenty of fluids during the day (eight 8oz glasses) unless contraindicated due to a medical condition
   
8. Drink only low-calorie liquids
   
9. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, unless contraindicated due to a medical condition
   
10. Call your surgeon, nurse practitioner, or SCOR if you have any problems, questions, concerns, vomiting, or are unable to keep down liquids.
    

These are general guidelines, but each patient is unique. Speak with your doctor or nurse practitioner if you have questions or are struggling with any of these guidelines.

First Fill Tomorrow!

December 16 was four weeks post-op for me. Time has flown by. If only the weight could drop off as quickly! Tomorrow is my first fill. I am not scared of the fill per se, but I am scared about my port. Why?...

I had posted quite some time ago that I swore I had damaged my port by stretching in the middle of the night -- while I sleep. Although I keep telling myself it is highly unlikely that I damaged it, I still think it is a possibility. I guess I should be relieved that I will find out once and for all if it is OK or not. I'll try.

What is next for me? Well, I am almost at six weeks. That is the timeframe that I am giving my port to scar/heal into my muscle before I go back to aerobics. December 30 is six weeks. Isn't that hilarious? Right in time for me to join all the ohter people back at the gym for New Year's resolutions. Fine with me. That way I will just blend in. (I'll be doing Jazzercise in the morning before work.)

Officially:
26.5 pounds down (Unofficial - weigh in on Wednesday - Just couldn't stand it!)
Hunger - at mealtime - just try to ignore in between
No restriction - except first thing in the morning which was proved by my PB experience
4 weeks 5 days post op (I am going to quit tracking this at 6 weeks)
Diet - Eating regular foods! yipppeeee!

Oh the Golfball!

Well, I have been touting how I don't have any restriction and I think that because of that I was ignoring 'the rules' --- or at least not following them as closely as I should.

I woke up this morning and was HUNGRY! I had some leftover salmon and as gross as it sounds, I thought that would be a good breakfast. Grabbed in out of the fridge and started eating. This was the first time I had eaten any solid food first thing in the morning.

Two things in hindsight - eating too fast and bites were too big. Wham! It hit. A golfball in the middle of my chest. I knew I was in trouble. I figured the best line of attack was not to fight whatever was going to happen next.

The golfball just kept sitting there and sitting there. I knew it was going anywhere, but coming back up. Sure enough, PB. Unfortunately it had to happen a couple times before all of it was out of me. The slime was there as well. TMI, but I want to get all of this down.

Moral of the story: I have restriction in the morning and I have to follow the rules!

And there are more rules, rules when you PB...

• Some degree of vomiting or regurgitation may occur after you eat (no duh)
  
• This may indicate you are: eating too fast (yep), trying to eat too much, not chewing your food adequately (yep), or eating the wrong foods
  
• Every person is different and some foods may give you provlems and not others. Avoid those foods that give you problems (no duh)
  

So what am I supposed to do?

• If you vomit solid food
  
  
  
  • Stay NPO (no food or liquid by mouth) for two hours
    
  • Do not force the issue and try to eat or drink again immediately
    
  • This may induce more vomiting. The more you vomit the more swelling that may occur across your band. This may lead to further obstruction.
    
  • After two hours try solid food again
    
  
  
• If you vomit again
  
  
  
  • Stay NPO (no food or liquid by mouth) for four hours
    
  • After four hours try water only
    
  • If you can tolerate water stay on clear liquids for 12 hours before trying solid food again.
    
  
  
• If you can't tolerate clear liquids or water without voiting notify the doctor immediately
  
• Prolonged vomiting (more than 12 hours) is not normal - Call the doctor immediately
  

Up 1/2 pound & Stage 3 Diet

Yep, I'm up 1/2 pound. Why? That is the zillion dollar question. I reviewed what I have been eating and 1 chocolate sundae is not going to make or break an entire week. If I average what I am eating, I am at 1,000-1,100 calories per day. Limited exercise. Water intake good. Overall, not the explanation.

So, the next question is where I am in my cycle. Another reason for my blog because I don't know! Here is how my body works though - assuming a normal 4 week cycle - 1&2 can see weightloss, week 3 - forget it, week 4 - depends. I am *guessing* based on my recollection of my last period that I might be in week 3.

Am I rationalizing the weight gain? Maybe, but overall when I add up calories and basal metabolic rate, the math does not add up to extra calories in what I have consumed. I am not going to worry about it. Yeah right, it is so easy to put that here, but in reality it is harder. But that is what I am going to do and see what the scale says next week and if I get my period.

The good news is that I officially start Stage 3 of the post op diet. Essentially, I can eat pretty much anything, I am just supposed to introduce things slowly and of course follow the rules. (Want more detail on Stage 3? Do a search of my blog and the post will come up.)

I have to say that I am a little down about the scale, but I still have a 23 pound loss and need to remember that.

My appetite has really fluctuated. In the morning, I am not really very hungry. I have a venti, decaf, non-fat, 3 Equal latte (say that 3 times fast!) to start the morning and to get in my calcium for the day. (200 calories) I am pretty much OK until lunch. Lunch is when I am hungriest--- not so much so that I think I need to add something to my latte, just seems to be the hungriest time of the day. My portions are much larger than what I was having since banding, yet smaller than what I was pre-band. Then at dinner, the hunger is more than the morning, but less than lunch time.

Do I think I need a fill? Yes - I am eating less, but getting hungry between meals (much of my success is plain old stubborness - some say will power - that is getting me through) and I am not seeing the weight loss that I should be. So, I will be going forward with my fill next week. Why am I even putting this here? Well, after banding I was told to make the appointment, but if I was losing weight and not hungry between meals, then I could cancel the appointment.

And of course I need to be exercising, but I am still letting my port heal in place -- don't want the stupid thing to flip -- and am waiting the 6 weeks per the doctor's office for how long it takes to fully heal. Then, back to aerobics for me!

Officially:
23 pounds down (weigh in on Wednesday - up .5)
Hunger - increased from earlier post banding weeks
No restriction
4 weeks post op (I am going to quit tracking this at 6 weeks)
Diet - Phase/Stage 3

Chocolate Sundae...Oh My!

Yep, you read the title correctly, I had a chocolate sundae. Why? I wanted it. I did everything in my power to avoid, deflect, and plain tough it out, but in the end the sundae won. But did it? It was small, I enjoyed it, and I didn't eat it all. I ate it and moved on. Did it taste as good as I thought it was going to? Was it worth it? A definite yes on both accounts. So, in the end - the sundae did not win. I made a choice to eat it and enjoyed every single stinking bite!

I have been eating more things that are not on my current phase. I chew well and try to eat slowly, but have found they make me fuller. This is good, but the bad part is I have not quite figured out how to determine when I am full. I have not PB'd or anything like that --- probably because I haven't had a fill, but on a couple occasions as time went on I could tell I had eaten too much. What is weird is that I get this weird sensation in my port area. Hard to describe and not anything I have read on the boards, but it seems to be what happens to me.

I MUST do better---eat slower and measure my food to ensure that I am not eating too much. What am I doing well? I get in all my liquids, eating less, and am conscious of the food choices I am making (like the sundae).

I am not weighing myself until Wednesday. I can tell you that even though I have lost over 20lbs. clothes still SUCK! I went Christmas shopping and tried on some things and didn't end up getting anything as I resembled a stuffed sausage. It is somewhat disappointing as it *seems* that dropping that much weight should have more impact on clothes...I know that exercising will help with this. In January, it will have been 6 weeks and I will resume going to Jazzercise.

Officially:
23.5 pounds down (weigh in on Wednesday)
Hunger - normal - Choice made to have sundae
No restriction? Maybe I have some because I can't eat as much as I used to???
25 days post op
Diet - Phase 2 mushies - Phase 3 officially starts on Wednesday

Post-Op Checkup

Well, I was supposed to have my post-op checkup today. It has been three weeks since my surgery. But I live in Texas and there is an ice/sleet storm and it is freezing! I called the doctor's office to see if I could get my appointment moved to an earlier time or moved to another day. Turns out they were going to be calling all the follow-up people anyway because of the weather. They asked me how I was doing/feeling, told them I was fine and they said I don't have to come in! So, I guess that was my follow-up. HA!

Wednesdays are going to be my official weigh-in day. Made that decision today and made up a spreadsheet for tracking my weight LOSS. Key being loss. So, officially as of today on my scale - which will be the 'real' scale. Especially since I can weigh first thing in the morning and in the buff. Who wants any extra weight, right? 210.5 today!!! That is 23.5lbs down.

My official starting weight is the weight that I weighed in on during my official first appointment for evaluation. So the loss includes the bit I lost during the pre-op diet. It was weightloss, so I am counting it in the grand total. So the timespan is 6 weeks today. That's an average of 3.9lbs/week. I know it won't stay at this pace, but I am going to take advantage of it while I can.

Officially:
23.5 pounds down
Hunger - normal - but hungrier today. Had to have a snack.
No restriction? Maybe I have some because I can't eat as much as I used to???
21 days post op
Diet - Phase 2 mushies - Last week! Then Phase 3

Stupid Blog!

Well, I haven't been posting because I keep writing posts, but they don't get published. Aaaarghhhh! Let's see if this one works.

Woo Hoo! Scale Moved!

Yep! Finally after eating next to nothing the scale finally moved. I weighed in at 211.5! Very exciting. Especially considering today is my birthday. Best present I received. :)

I haven't been exercising much (supposed to walk 30 mins a day), so that could be a contributing factor. I am not one for individual exercise and much prefer group exercise like aerobics. I'm not cleared to do that yet, but think I will be this week...I'll find out on Dec 7---the follow-up with the surgeon.

Well my diet is officially Phase 2 - All of Phase 1 'stuff' plus:

• Mashed Potatoes
  
• Blenderized Soup
  
• Soup with noodles
  
• Cottage Cheese
  
• Oatmeal
  
• Grits
  
• Cream of Wheat
  

I haven't been doing so well on the diet. I have had a few things here and there that are not on the list. The usual reason: I feel fine and it goes down fine. It has been soups that have 'stuff' in them that haven't been blenderized. Bad, bad...

I can tell that the band is dimming my hunger. There have been a couple times that I have eaten more than a cup of food and have paid for it later by feeling very full....eating too dang fast. This is going to be the ongoing challenge for me. Slooooooooooowing down. As I said, about 1 cup of food fills me up and sticks with me for the most part until the next meal. Overall, I am very satisfied with my band.

Officially:
22.5 pounds down
Hunger - normal - just at meal time
No restriction? Maybe I have some because I can't eat as much as I used to???
19 days post op
Diet - Phase 2 mushies

Work...Uneventful

Well, I am happy to report that my first day back at work was uneventful. Lunch was difficult because I am seriously getting hungry. Wednesday is soft mushies. The countdown continues. I'm looking forward to some potatoes and oatmeal! YUM!

Found that the 'goo' on the steri-strips has gotten softened up from showers and wearing clothes. Was able to rub off a bunch of it without having to use something of it afterall.

I was down another pound today, but not counting it yet. I need to commit to a weigh in day and only weigh in once a week. I think Monday or Friday, but then again, Tuesday or Wednesday sounds good as well. LOL. Need to just pick one to keep myself off the scale. (Oh, I think I was stalling on my weight loss 'cause it was that time of the month. Will have to see.)

Ate Today:
2 Shakes (better - yeah me)
Coffee with 1 serving milk
Beef broth
Jellied cranberry sauce
2 applesauce
Chicken broth

Officially:
20 pounds down (1 more pound down, but not believing it)
Hunger manageable
No restriction
12 days post op
1 day to mushies!!!