Louise U.

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Here is my favorite recipe that I have come up with.


Sweet Caribbean Turkey chili 

1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup minced onion
2 lbs ground turkey
1 tsp Five spice seasoning

2 cans white beans
1 can kidney beans
3 cans S & W caribbean black bean mix
1 12 oz bottle of sweet chili sauce
1 cup lite sour cream

saute onions in butter until soft,  add ground turkey and five spice. Brown meat. 

Into the crock pot add, rinsed white & kidney beans, entire can of Caribbean mix beans (do not drain) and bottle of sweet chili sauce. stir and set crock pot to low.

Drain meat if needed add to bean mix. Stir in sour cream.   Leave at low all day.

April 3^rd 2008,

Ok, I haven't journaled in while, it is because I have been so frustrated....I have been stuck in an AWEFUL plateau. For almost 3 weeks I hadn't dropped a pound not a ounce, and I just got a fill. I thought it might have to do with my period but that came and went and NO weight loss. I was consuming between 800 - 1400 calories a day, biking for 35 minutes everyday, circuit training twice a week and still NOTHING....GGGGRRRR. 

My diet consisted of two eggs or oatmeal in the am, Southbeach diet lunches or tuna salad and 10 low cal crackers for lunch, chicken and veggies for dinner, and a lowfat chz and cracker snack. Maybe sugar free pudding. The major difference was I had added carbs to my diet.  Also my portions had grown as I add low calorie veggies. But I was always hungry. By nighttime I was ready to eat anything. Since my fill I was able to eat more then before I had the fill. ‘

I began to doubt what I had done. Had I just spent all this money to lose 36 lbs? Oh my god I hope not.

I went on the OH lapband forum stumbled across the Plateau diet, it limits you to 5 small meals a day and basically only protein, low-fat cheeses, peanut butter and beans. And eat when you are physically hungry - not mentally.  I figured what the heck, what did I have to lose?? 

Well what I had to loose...3 pounds in 4 days. ????? I am a true believer now, protein is the key to weight loss. I feel more energy, I am not hungry like I was before, I wait until I feel hunger now and actually really enjoy what I am eating. 

Right now my diet is something like this - Cottage chz in the am, chicken breast for lunch, string cheese for a snack, some type of meat for dinner (no sides), and a big tablespoon of peanut butter for dessert. I don't count calories but just eat when I am hungry, which some days isn't even often enough to get in the  5 meals a day. I am also still working out daily.

I am ok with not having the sides or extras right now, as I know that I will be able to have them soon, just not right now. 

I have a new goal of 255 by May 1^st. But I am not going to pressure myself. I am just happy to see the number going down.

That number now….267….woo hoo….I have never been so happy to see a 6 in my life. I was stuck at 270-272-271-270-273….for 3 flippin weeks. I love 6’s but will not get to attached as I am looking forward to 5’s ….

I know I know, 2 weeks have gone by since I last wrote. My sincerest apologizes. It has been a busy 2 weeks. I have work work worked. The scale has not moved much in the last 2 weeks. The first week (March 4^th – March 7^th) I exercised but didn’t eat enough, so my body revolted and just stopped losing. I figured it out by that Saturday. However by that time I had actually gained a pound and was sick as a dog. A week later I am still battling the bug. I have however gotten my body to cooperate by feeding it more and being more consistent in my exercise. I rode the bike everyday this week for at least a half an hour, and also started doing circuit training. I found a great website www.thedailyplate.com and have been using it for the last 10 days. It calculates the amount of calories you can eat on a daily basis, based upon the number of pounds you want to loose in a week. I have an optimistic goal of 5 lbs a week. I am happy to say that Friday morning my scale read 270. Now Sunday it reads 271 but I have got PMS from hell and have been unable to stop eating. I consumed 1600 calories yesterday and only burned 650 and today I have consumed 1250 and only burned 600 or so. I know doesn’t seem like a lot but every calorie counts. I can say that I feel healthy and I love exercise…who’d a thunk that could happen.  

We went to the high school play last night and got to see our son Kenny’s stage set that he designed and built. We were very proud of him. While there we ran into some friends and got to brag about my 36 lb weight loss. I can not wait until I can say 50 lbs and then 75 lbs, I dream of the day I can say 100 lbs. Jeremy has never seen me that skinny, neither have the kids. I have been overweight for so long that my family has no idea what I look like any other way. How sad is that.

 

I have been having a great time trying on new clothes. I went and bought some new work out clothes and I was able to purchase size XL in sweats…NOT 2X or 3X but only XL. How sweet is that. I also have had to get rid of more clothes, and am finding clothes in my closet that I haven’t worn in years that I am now able to wear, if only for a short while. My pants size is now 22, down 2 sizes in less then 2 months.

 

I am so happy I did this. I am so thrilled when Jeremy puts his arms around me and I don’t feel like he has to reach. I am also proud of myself for staying focused. I have a new challenge for myself and this should make it easier to remember to journal. I hope to make an entry every Sunday night. Posting my weight-hours exercised-new exercise tried.  I have accepted a challenge on the OH and am calling it my Sizzlin Summer Prep Exercise challenge, SSPEC for short. Here is my first entry.

 

March 16^th 2008 
Weight 271 
75 minutes of exercise
New exercise tried = Golf driving

March 3, 2008

Have I mentioned that I SUCK at journaling…yes…ok, at least you are informed.  Jeremy and I  just got back from our annual birthday weekend yurting trip at the coast…WE HAD SO MUCH FUN!!! We stayed just south of Reedsport at a state park. We got there Saturday about 6:00 pm. Got all set up and had stir fried chicken for dinner. Then played cards until 1:00 am. 

Got up Sunday morning to blue skies and birds singing. We drove up the coast to Newport. Spent the afternoon wandering around the aquarium and the wharf. We ate at Mo’s Chowder house. I had clam strips and a cup of chowder. The chowder I couldn’t finish, but I polished off the clam strips. Fortunately they had a childs menu and I was able to order off of that. I have become a cheap date. The only error I made was eating some of the cheese toast … I love cheese toast…I peeled off the top layer and left the soft squishy center. Thought that would be enough but I am sorry to say I was wrong. BREAD IS NOT MY FRIEND. It felt like I had eaten a lead brick for about a half an hour. 

On our return trip to the campground, we stop at Devils Churn. I had never stopped there before. It was a ½ mile hike down to this incredible inlet that the ocean as carved into the mountainside. The wave crash in with such force it is amazing. Also amazing was the fact that I was able to hike all the way down, including a bunch of stair steps. It was listed as a moderate hike…not easy. 2 months ago, I would have made it down (no one tells me I can’t do something) but up with have been a different subject. My knees would have killed me, and I would have had to stop a couple of times and catch my breath. I was able to as I mentioned hike all the way down, then a little extra side trail to watch the sunset, and then back up the hill. I kept pace with my husband the whole time. Now granted he may have slowed up a little as he is accustomed to stop with me. I got up to the top and was winded don’t get me wrong but I didn’t hurt and still had energy.

We got back to camp and played cards again. I was so tired but it was a good tired. Slept like a baby.

 
Monday morning we got up and decided to spend the morning before my doctor’s appt out searching for sunken pirate ships. Ok well it is a sunken ship off the coast that they think is from the 1800. We searched for an hour and a half for the location. Once we found where to park we had to hike in….1 ½ in the sand…OH MY GOD!!!! We walked and walked and walked through the sand dunes. Once we reached the ocean shore both of us was winded. It took us about 25 minutes to hike in. We looked for about 10 minutes for the ship before we had to turn around and head back. We had just over an hour until my doctor appt for my first fill. I hadn’t eaten anything yet so we need to get back in a hurry. I hustled on my way back and made it in less than 20 minutes. So for today’s exercise walking 3.5 miles in the sand. We will go back again and search for the ship, I don’t give up that easily.

Today was my first fill. I was anxious to get weighed, after a weekend full of snacking. I have lost 32 lbs…woohoo. I stepped on the scale and it read 275…I don’t remember the last time I read that number.  The doc had a little trouble getting the needle in the port, it kept turning. He put in 3.5 cc of saline. He also filled it to show me how TO MUCH restriction can feel like. I am on liquid until dinner tomorrow. I am confident that I will reach my Easter goal of 265.

More later. I am glad to see that my journal entry this time was more about life then about my weight loss.

It has been a good week. I am back on solid food….THANK GOD!!!! I have still been keeping my calories between 700-900 calories. The only day that I splurged was on my birthday, my first birthday banded. We went out to Applebee’s and I had 8 pieces of shrimp, a cup of soup, and a sinful dessert shooter. I didn’t feel over full but knew I had had enough.

I have found out that while fast food places are great at accommodating, with small sides and serving meat only. They are also SUPER HIGH in sodium and it turns out all that sodium is just not good for me. I was so bloated Thursday night it was even funny. My weight had gone back up to 286.5…??? Started the week at 282. I knew that I hadn’t eaten 15000 calories, so all I can think is it has to be sodium. I had bacon at lunch and KFC shredded bbq chicken on Wednesday for dinner. So I will be a lot more careful at what I eat. I have found that South beach frozen lunches are the best, I love the Kung Poa chicken. Also Lean Cuisine meals.

As of tonight I weight 281. Can’t believe that. I am working out everyday at work. I have been walking for 30-40 minutes during lunch on the treadmill. Generally burning 220 – 260 calories. I am still striving for my Easter goal of 265 – 16 lbs and 4 weeks to go. So I have to lose 4 lbs a week.

 Better go start working out .

February 13, 2008

OH MY GOSH I didn’t mean to let a whole week go by without a entry. I had my post-op DR appt today. It went REALLY well. The Doc says I am doing great. I have lost 22 pounds since I began this journey…WOO HOO…283 !!! It has been at least 2 years since I weighed that, 300 is definitely a thing of the past. 

 I have started to really notice a difference in my clothing. I have started a get rid of pile. I only have maybe one or two pairs of my old pants that fit. ON THE FLIP SIDE…I have jeans and dress slacks that I haven’t worn in YEARS that I can now get on. BYE BYE 26’s….

I have been eating much better the last week. Still keeping the calories at 700-900 and have been successful with that. I am eating egg salad, hummus, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, soup, and have nibble a couple of times on a bite or two of chicken. I had deviled ham last night…kind of resembled cat food. I think I will pass on that again. I am still drinking my protein shakes and taking my vitamins. Trying to be a good girl, don’t want my hair to fall out.

This week I was struck with my old friend PMS…how I hate PMS…I am bloated and HUNGRY. I am trying to allow myself a few extra calories without going overboard.

I go back to work tomorrow, so I packed my lunch tonight – hummus, cottage cheese, split pea soup, and a protein shake. I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of life. I have focus the last 3 weeks on me and quite frankly, I am tired of myself. I need some other people to talk to.  

I have set a new goal for myself …265 by Easter, which is 18 lbs. I have 6 weeks to achieve that, 3 pounds a week. Pretty sure I can do that. I will be starting back at the gym tomorrow, so that should help. I can’t wait until Mar 1^st so that I can start incorporating circuit training back in. I am already starting to see things ‘drooping’ and want to start to combat that as soon as I can.

 

Well that’s it for now. I will try to not go so long…but no promises.

I have been having a great day. Put on a pair of pants that have always been nice and snug out of the closet, well they aren't snug now. I could actually take them off with out buttoning....HAPPY DANCE!!!! Also I got in the car and looked down and could see the seat between my legs....WOW!!!

I have been eating lots of soup and hummus. Keeping my protein intake to at least 80-90 grams. Feeling good.

I did have a bit of stomach irritation the other day. But I know now when that happens to drink lots of hot liquid, take a couple ibuprofen and put the heating pad on my tummy.

I have lost 19.4 lbs in 19 days....CRAZY. I am so so excited. I will never weight 300 lbs ever again. WOO HOO!!!!

Can't wait to see what the next weeks bring. I have a doctor appointment next wednesday. 

More later

My lap-band journey began on Jan 7^th 2008, with my first visit to Dr Tersigni office. The day began with an hour and half drive to get to his office. During the drive I had plenty of time to really work up some serious anxiety. By the time we arrived my blood pressure was 170 over 90…I felt as if I might just pop. Now some of that anxiety was because I knew that once and for all I had to be honest with my weight and that my husband was going to see that ungodly number. Now he reassured me over and over that he didn’t care what the number was and that he did not even need to know it. I however had made the decision that it was time to just come out and be honest. The scales read 305….now it was out there. The 3 little numbers that were controlling my life were exposed and now we could begin the exorcism of them from my body.

  

We discussed the surgery, what to expect, how long the healing took, how to take care of myself. I soaked it all up. This is a training on how to live the rest of my life….THIS IS NOT A DIET!!! I want to learn everything I can. Jeremy learned what he needed to do for me before and after.  This is a team effort between us. I am so happy to have a wonderful husband who is willing to support me.

  

My surgery is scheduled for Jan 21^st 2008.  I am nervous about this life change but an so ready for it to begin. I have spent enough days fat and out of shape.

   

We returned home with packets of information to absorb and with lots of preparation ahead. We had to stock up on high protein low carb liquids. As for the first 4 weeks after surgery I  will be on a liquid diet while my stomach heals and gets use to the band. I will spend the next two weeks sampling, so that I will have a pantry full of things I can eat. Next we buy me all of the vitamins that I will be taking Vitamin C, Multi-vitamins, Citra-cal Petites, and B-12 all chewable. I am not crazy about the chewable vitamins but I will adjust.

  

I scheduled my appointment with the psychiatrist for my mental evaluation. I find myself trying to start preparing the ‘right’ answers for the questions I assume she is going to ask.

“Do you have food addictions” ‘Well of course but I feel as if I am strong enough now to overcome them’ “Do you know how you came to be the weight you are?” “Why yes I do. I know the I have overeaten and am now strong enough to over come that”….does that sound convincing… and I wonder why I have anxiety….oh god is she going to find out about that?

 

The truth about the psych exam, she asked my age? 38. She asked my marital status? Married. She asked if I had a good childhood? Yes. She asked if was satisfied with my career? Sure. All in all she asked about 20 questions, and then said have a nice evening. I was a little shocked. I thought their would be more probing questions. I asked if she was sure and she simply said “When there isn’t anything wrong with you there isn’t much to dig up”Well that was easy.

  

In the mist of this I am trying to incorporate more liquid into my diet. Also trying to stick primarily to proteins and veggies, limiting my carb intake. I continue to work out at the gym next to the office. I am walking about 1 mile everyday. Not much but it is a start. The final thing I have to do in preparation is my lab work.  I do that Jan 17^th.

I do ok until our oldest sons, Kenny’s 18^th birthday on Jan 17^th. We go to Chinese food, my weakness. I eat too much and feel like a hung over sailor on Friday. Thank god I went to the lab the day before, I am sure my blood sugars would be way out of control on Friday. I will not miss this feeling. I am truly looking forward to have a tool to help me control my intake.

I have started a list of the things I hate about being overweight. #5 Stairs, # 4 Airplane seats, #17 finding clothes, #28 Scales, #36 stupid comments people make, #39 the term Morbidly obese.

   

Number 36 has come up a lot lately. I have been letting friends, co-workers, and family know what I am doing. Most have been completely supportive but still say the most stupid things. I have been asked repeatedly “What is going to be your LAST meal?” I have had to remind people I am not dying, I am shrinking my stomach so that I will eat less. I will eat again, just not like a starving bear. My other favorite “Are you sure about this? Have you really tried?”….WHAT? Anyone who knows me knows that I have been dieting since I was 16 years old. Finally “With all that leftover food you could feed a small country”…Just how much do you think I am eating for goodness sakes. I try to remember the just don’t understand and that they aren’t trying to hurt my feelings. Besides I will have the last laugh, when I am healthy and can run laps around them.

I have really begun to pay attention to people. I find myself people watching all the time. I am shocked at how many morbidly obese people there are. I don’t remember this from when I was a kid. It seems as if for every 10 people I see 1 is seriously overweight. When is the world going to understand that diets just don’t work? Now I am in no way saying that surgery is the answer for everyone. But something has to be done. Our society has become so dependent on fast foods and convenience foods. We live in a time where both parent’s work and no one has time to cook healthy foods. Because of this our health and our children’s health is deteriorating. Something has to change or we are in big trouble as a country.

 January 20^th 2008

Well tomorrow is the day. I have to be there at the medical center at 8:30 am. Surgery will be at 10:00 am. I am respectfully nervous but also giddy with anticipation. Jeremy and I will drive over and spend the night. I am so happy that tomorrow begins the loss of this body crushing weight.  I filled my prescription yesterday at Wal-mart and the lady at the counter recognized the medications, as she had the procedure done in May of 2007. She has lost 67 lbs since her surgery…how cool is that. I see this as a sign that everything will be just fine. 

Have I mentioned my goal yet? Funny, but no. I want to weigh 175-180, a loss of 125-130. I hope to reach my goal by next January. I think that is reasonable. I intend to keep this journal as well as a photo journal. I began the photos the day of my first appointment and will continue until Jan of next year. Then I will develop the film and look back and reflect.

 

I find myself today thinking of my last meals…how funny is that. I had Sesame chicken for lunch and will try to find something light for dinner. I can honestly say I am looking forward to not thinking about food for 4 weeks. I am so tired of trying to think of things to eat. Oh and there is the fact that I hate to cook so it will be nice to not have to do that for the next month or two.

I have all my stuff pack and ready to go. When I write again it will be after the surgery.

Talk to you all soon.

  
January 22, 2008

Well the surgery is done. Went in Monday at 9:30 am and was done and on my way back to the hotel by 12:30 pm. I pretty much just kind of slept on and off all day. The pain on my left side, where they placed the port, was worse then I imagined. I am learning not to try and be tough, take my pain medicine. My stomach started gurgling and grumbling about 9:00 pm. Not such a comfortable feeling. Also getting up and down from bed or chairs really takes some time. Thank god I have such a wonderful helpful husband. Without Jeremy I would be miserable. He has taken great care of me.

Went in this morning for the swallow test. They have you drink this nasty chalky stuff and then watch it go down the throat into the small stomach thru the band and into the larger stomach. It was cool to watch. They gave me the ok to start drinking the protein meals. I  began with a mill----- milk, and then 1 ½ hours later I had some of the corn chowder soup from the dr office. It was so good but I think I got over full. Got to take it slow.

The only real problem I am having is sleeping. I am a stomach sleeper and that isn’t an option now, with 5 incisions on my stomach. I tossed and turned all night. I tried a couple of times to get on my side but with no luck. So I didn’t get much sleep.  Called the DR office today and talked to the nurse about crushing a sleep aid pill tonight so I can get some rest.

The ride home today in the car was MISERABLE. I was in a lot of pain when we finally got home. But now I am home and can get some rest.

Have been trying to get as much protein in me as possible. It is hard because it feels as if I am constantly eating. How funny is that.

Well more tomorrow. Oh when I went into the DR office Monday morning I had lost four pounds, down to 301 from 305. YEAH!! When we got home today however my scales said 306.5 ?? So we are looking for new scales. How depressing is that.
 

January 24, 2008

Ok it has been 3 days since my surgery. The incisions are healing well. The port side incision, which ironically is on my portside, is still very very sore. The incision it self is not sore but rather the muscles underneath. Getting up and down is still a painful process. I am going to walk a little more today. Yesterday, Jeremy and went out and walked at a couple of stores. Today we head out again.

When I weighed myself this morning it read 297…9 pds since Tuesday. How crazy is that. I am using our home scale to keep track of pounds lost but not actual weight because I think it is off.

 
I am finding eating is hard. I don’t like the feeling of constantly eating. I called the nurse yesterday to ask about it. She said that eating every 1 to 2 hours is a suggestion and that as long as I am getting enough (90 grams or more) protein in my body that I should not need to eat like that. But that I needed to make sure I was drinking plenty of liquids. Also she said that what ever I eat to make sure and sip NO GULPING. I can tell you that this is true. It hurts terribly when you do this. I also asked about all of the gurgling and bubbling and stomach noises. She said these were all perfectly normal and would go away in a couple of weeks. It is just the stomach adjusting to the band and the lack of food.

  
I can honestly say that Tuesday night wasn’t good for me. I laid in bed watching TV and I swear that every commercial was either for fast food or weightloss products. I started to worry if I did the right thing. I started thinking ‘Oh my god I can never have a cheeseburger again, what have I done?’ Then I reminded myself that I would be able to again have these foods, but in smaller and healthier portions. It was funny because when I called the nurse at the DR office, who also had the surgery, She reflected the same feelings about her first days home.

Last night was a little better the Tuesday night for sleeping. Getting comfortable is just so frustrating. I feel like a whining bitch but I can’t help it.

  

I did wake up today and feel a little better. Not quite as stiff. So yeah maybe this is the beginning of the healing.

  

January 30, 2008

Ok it has been a few days since my last entry. The reason being is I have been having a hard time. Saturday I was in a lot of pain from the port. I didn’t know that it was going to be as painful as it was. I had begun to wonder if possibly I had developed a hernia. The pain splits you in two and left me in tears. I haven’t slept a lot because I can’t get comfortable on my back. I have been trying to make sure I get enough protein and fluids. It seems all I do is think about what to eat and when. Sunday Jeremy and Matt had to go to Medford for a bowling tournament. It began to snow an hour or so after they left. It continued to snow all day long. Leaving us with an uncommon 4 or 5 inches of snow on the ground, and the passes between here and Medford closed due to accidents and downed trees and power lines. Jeremy and Matt had to spend the night in Medford. Which meant that Kenny and I were on our own. I was frustrated by the pain and hunger by Sunday on top of everything else. I had started adding Cream of Wheat and protein powder to my broth. This seemed great until Monday morning. It would appear that I ate something that upset my stomach, not to mention the stress of having half of my family stuck away from me. My stomach felt as if it had been knotted. I didn’t have any problem drinking liquids but I wasn’t even remotely hungry, I began to wonder if I had blocked it with the cream of wheat and powder.  I called the DR about both the pain in my side and the stomach. They told me the side pain is normal and will continue for another week or so…yeah. As for my stomach, I was instructed to drink only hot liquids for the next 24 hours, take ibuprofen, and relax. They said that my stomach was probably just inflamed from the food and the stress. Taking the ibuprofen was awful, I had to break it up and put it in a mouthful of yogurt. Where the powder touched the insides of my mouth it burned like crazy. No wonder they say it burns a whole in your stomach.

I woke up Tuesday morning and I did feel better. I will be taking it a lot easier with introducing any food. It is really hard not eating. I miss food. As any normal person would. I kind of felt guilty at first, thinking “I am a food junkie” but the simple truth is that every human being eats. Liquids are not eating.

   

I did cook dinner for my family Tuesday and actually found some pleasure in cooking. Who’d a thunk it.

 

I have lost 13 or 15 lbs, my scales at home are junk and I hate them. I can weight myself in the morning 291 and then 2 hours later, 295…???? I am not sure how I can gain 4 lbs in the matter of hours. Especially since I am consuming no more then 7 or 8 hundred calories a day.

  

I actually went on a walk around the neighborhood today. The pain in my side comes and goes. I have managed to get on my side at bedtime, so I can get a little more sleep.

This journey is hard, harder then I thought it would be. I have a little depressed today because the number on the scale really hasn’t moved since Sunday. I know that I am just being silly but I worry that this is going to be like every other ‘diet’ I have done. Where you lose the 15 lbs and then your done. The only difference here is that if that is the case, then I am no better off and I can’t eat. Jeremy tells me not to pay attention to that infuriating scale, as we know it doesn’t work anyway. But its all I can do right now. I will try to not have such a lapse between entries again.

 

  Side note: Things I can’t wait to eat again.

 ¶     Sesame Chicken

 

 

¶     Grilled cheese sandwich

¶     Cheeseburger

¶     Tuna fish

 

 January 30, 2008 6:38 pm –

 

Just went to the gym to use the scale there. I weight 293.4 lbs. Not to shabby. That means I have lost 12 lbs since last Tuesday, 8 days. I know that it won’t continue to drop like this. But I hope that I lose 25 lbs total by the time I go back to work on the 14^th of February. That’s 15 days to lose 13 more pounds. Maybe that is too optimistic but hey I have to have a goal.

 

February 2, 2008

  

Ok it is amazing the difference a couple of days makes. I am down to 290…16 lbs since my surgery. CRAZY!!!! I feel so much better then I did a week ago and I imagine that I will feel even better in another week. I have started adding blended or liquefied soups, this has helped. I am just watching my calorie intake no more then 800 calories and at least 90 grams of protein. I don’t feel like I am constantly eating or drinking. I am eating/drinking 4 meals a day. Breakfast – lunch – afternoon – dinner plus 2 or 3 snacks / protein drinks. It is amazing how little food fills me up. 6 to 8 oz of soup and I am stuffed. I can’t wait to see how full I get from real food. 

I really think that my stall in weight loss was due to too few calories. I was only taking in maybe 400 or 500 calories a day. My body I guess must have go into conserve mode. Also I am not loosing the pound a day like I was. Now I am looking for 3 lbs a week. Ok I would love to see 5 lbs a week but I will be happy with 3.

I went out today…On my own…ooohhhh.  It was nice to go out and shop and drive around town. It was nice to get out of the house. I was going stark raving mad.  I also was able to pick up another scale that is not digital, so now I have 2 that I can compare. Yes I know I am obsessed with the scale but for a good reason for once.

I can’t wait to get back to the gym and start walking again. I will start walking at the mall this week for 30 minutes or so.

I am so excited to have joined this group. I am looking so forward to my lap band journey. I have a new zest for life. I am viewing this as the beginning of a new way of living...this is not a diet. 

I look forward to meeting other banders and learning about their journeys as well.