Jann

The strangest thing happened today. After my workout hubby and I decided to run some errands. After battling through crowds at Costco we decided to stop at a restaurant and have some lunch on the way home. I had a grilled chicken breast. YUM!

When we finished I left hubby to pay and went to investigate a tanning salon across the road that I had never noticed before. On my way out the door I got hit on! I was so shocked that all I could do was turn about 20 shades of red, smile, nod and keep on moving. As I'm walking on the guy called after me and asked me for my number anyway. Now, I've been with hubby for 14 years and will continue to be so no matter how you look at it, it was a non-starter. Add to that, back in the day that approach, generally speaking, didn't work but this guy was younger and maybe that's how it's done now? Who knows?

At any rate, it was very embarrassing and yet very cool in a really unsettling way. I thought those days were long since past!

Jann

Congrats!!!

Even though the rain came heavy this afternoon, I blew past the 10,000 barrier tonight as well (with thanks to my wife who made sure I did). Anyone else?

Taz

Nice work, Taz! You did it!

Jann

I have all four of my wisdoms and I haven't had any dental issues either. We are all so different.

Jann

I don't believe they take credit cards directly. However, they do accept Paypal, and you can configure that to do credit cards. I racked up a lot of points that way on my credit card for the surgery... which is now going to pay for my Wii Fit. :-)

Taz

Oh wicked thinking, Taz! I went the bank transfer route. What the heck was I thinking???!

Jann

The rain has stopped for a bit this morning. Time to go for a hike. Let's see if I can blow past 10,000 steps today.

Why don't you all join me? Let's see if most of us can break 10,000 today!

Taz

I have been chained to my desk since five this morning working on a deadline. The best I can hope for today is 10K when I work out later, if I can work out later. Bah Humbug!

Jann

I am sorry, I keep making posts, but I keep thinking of new questions, and you guys are so helpful I am just trying to get everything in line and get all the information I can before I schedule my surgery date. Ok, so I have a concern about allergies. I am deathly allergic to several medications, penicillin (sp?) being a major one. How do the doctors handle that? I once heard a horror story about a doctor giving a patient who was out, penicillin, and they died from it. So I am really scared of something like this happening, especially if I am not awake to stop them. Do I need to write in on my body so they know or write on my gown..j/k of course...just makes me nervous!!

They do a medical work-up just prior to surgery. All information that is relevant and important should be brought up then. That should alleviate any concerns.

Take care,

Jann

I have not gotten banned yet. I have an appt. on the 19th to see Dr. Ortiz.

I am curious about fills. How do you get them?

After your banding it takes about six weeks for your stomach to heal enough to support having a fill. There are two methods for fills, one with flouro and one without. Both require an injection of saline into the port which tightens the lapband hence the term restriction. You can either return to OCC for your fills or alternatively find a doctor or fill centre near you for aftercare. Planning your aftercare is critical and must be done prior to the surgery.

Hope that helps.

Jann

2 quarts water

8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 tablespoon onion powder

5 cubes chicken bouillon

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (16 ounce) jar chunky salsa

2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes

1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

2 (16 ounce) cans chili beans, undrained

1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine water, chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, onion powder and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, or until chicken juices run clear. Remove chicken, reserve broth. Shred chicken.
   
2. In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion and garlic in olive oil until slightly browned. Stir in salsa, diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes, tomato soup, chili powder, corn, chili beans, sour cream, shredded chicken and 5 cups broth. Simmer 30 minutes.
   

Nutritional Information

Servings Per Recipe: 8

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 474

Total Fat: 15.4g

Total Carbs: 50.4g

Dietary Fiber: 10.1g

Protein: 39.5g

Jann

How soon is it recommended to start the pre-op diet? And is almost better to start even earlier then suggested? Also, what does it consist of? I have been reading on here about needing our liver size to shrink to make room for the surgery, and I have myself all worked up about it. I am really worried mine will be too big and I will have complications. AHHH!! I haven't even scheduled my surgery yet, but I am almost wanting to start the diet now..lol.

The pre-op diet is based on the volume of weight you need to lose prior to surgery. You can send OCC an email and ask them if that is where your surgery will be. I believe for me it was two SlimFasts and one Lean Cuisine per day.

Take care,

Jann

All that hard work is paying off in spades! Those aren't small NSV's! They're huge! Good for you! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jann

13,958 for me today!

Jann

Although clearly I'm not following any diets I do try to keep up and take the strength from what they present. I'm always on a quest to find drinkables because I bore of Crystal Light and I can't stand full on water.

2 liters water (about 8 1/2 cups)

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1 medium cucumber. peeled and thinly sliced

1 medium lemon thinly sliced

12 small spearmint leaves

Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and let flavors blend overnight. Cucumber and lemon are natural dirutetics and gingers and spearment help relieve bloating. Make it to suit your personal sweet spot. I halved the cucumber and upped the lemon and ginger. I found it to be far too much cucumber flavour personally.

Jann

• Tapioca Paper -- I would suggest any good Asian Market or swap it out for a wrap or Jazzy's egg wrap.
  
• Avocado
  
• Slivers of cucumber
  
• Slivers of carrot
  
• Red cabbage
  
• Leaf lettuce
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

Roll, cut in half. Use a good chili dip and away you go!

Jann

wow, nice post Trave, Wanna date?? :wink2:

Bahahaha, I so loved that! I'm still laughing!

Thanks,

Jann

Hi All,

I have just come back from another trip to the fill centre in Troy MI. It was quite an experience this time....took 4 sticks for the Dr. to find my port. I was swooning and almost passing out! She finally got it and gave me an agressive fill. I think she dosen't want to have me coming back any time soon! She pulled out the original 2 cc's and then pushed it back in with another 1.6 cc's for a total of 3.6 cc's in my 4 cc band. I am having no trouble getting liquids down and had a bowl of mushroom soup as well. I am pretty sore however at my port site, feel like a pin cusion.

It is quite a trip for me to get to the fill centre so I was happy she didn't fool around with the amount of the fill. I spent the night at my Mom's an hour and a half from my house because I was so fried from the fill and the drive. I had gained back 3 lbs since my first fill a month ago...it just wasn't restricting me at all and I pigged out on halloween candy.

What a ride, sometimes I am amazed at what I am willing to do to get thin and look better!

Holy smokes, 3.6 cc's out of the gate. Be really careful! I'm at like 1.6 and I worry about going tighter than that! Everyone is very different. G'luck!

Jann

Ah, your first time. Gross isn't it! I ALWAYS use four papaya enzymes when that happens and wait it out. I never take it to the PB stage. If it takes me five trips to the bathroom so be it. Sliming, in my experience never hurts, it's just really and truly gross. Its a sign that either we didn't chew enough or we ate too fast. I've noticed that I eat much faster when I'm out so now I just order a bowl of soup as my meal to avoid public sliming.

Welcome to Bandland!

Jann

DO YOU ALL THINK YOU CAN STRETCH YOUR POUCH FROM DRINKING TO MUCH WATER. DURING THE DAY WHEN IAM TRYING TO GET IN MY 64 OZ OF WATER I GET VERY FULL FEELING, JUST WONDERING IF YOU CAN. KAREN

Hi Hun, I would suggest that you won't stretch your pouch just by drinking water. It goes through the stoma pretty quickly. Also, just so you are aware, full capitals is typically read as yelling on the internet. Hugs,

Jann

Okay, so I just finished my first Jillian workout and I wanted to share my observations:

• It's quirky. The instructions are not specific enough for me and it takes a bit to figure out what you need to do to perform a task.
  
• On the log jump I was doing deep fast squats. As it turned out I didn't need to do that. Just a squat and a quick force downward with both handhelds worked.
  
• The step in the tires exercise was a gong show. I haven't figured it out obviously as my avatar did not move to not even one tire yet somehow I got an excellent from Jillian.
  
• Running is all in the arms, as long as my arms were pumping my bar was lit full green. You can't run on the balance board so it's just a mimic movement side to side.
  
• I really liked the balance on the log exercise, it's harder than it looks. hehe
  
• The kickboxing component was erratic. At one point all I did was bounce from foot to foot for two plus minutes because it only gave me one command to kick!
  

Having said that I burned 400 calories in a 30 minute set and I did work up a really decent sweat so it does do it's job. It's early days and I'm sure I will master it in time.

Also, I could be wrong, and I would check with the store if you are buying it, but I'm getting the impression the Wii Fit balance board is optional.

Jann

Oddly I can eat pasta without issue but I cannot eat bread or rice. I have had limited success with toast but it has to be late at night and I don't eat after seven so that's that gone as well. I eat WW wraps all the time but I admit I tire of them. Jazzy posted a recipe for her egg version of wraps but I haven't made them yet. Given that I cannot tolerate rice now I've even given up my California rolls. I couldn't do sushi with fish (ew) but I did love the veggie version dipped in chili sauce. My treat is popcorn which I have no problem with at all while other's can't tolerate it.

Jann

You can NEVER go wrong with a good greek salad.

Love that you included the calorie break down. Thanks for sharing.

Taz

You are most welcome and I agree!!

Jann

Ya? Ok, thanks for sharing. I like the idea that it measures your progress. And I am sure my daughter would love yet another gaming console in the house. (We have XBOX and Playstation 2 already).

I'll have to head over to Future Shop next week and see about picking one up. Really wish the darn thing played DVDs so I could replace the XBOX in the main entertainment room. I bet this will look really cool on a 50in HDTV.

Taz

You can actually have both in your entertainment room. The X-Box 360 is HDTV compat so we have that in the HD slots and the Wii is regular TV so we have that in the regular spots.

Hope that helps.

Jann

I do not have the Wii fit can I use her workout without it? I just have the Wii. I love Jillian!

Unfortunately no, you need the balance board that comes with Wii Fit.

Jann

OK, so I guess its time to share.

I am losing weight in the WEIRDEST ways. In places I never used to. I always heard that tale how the last weight put on is first to come off... but that just isn't the case for me.

It's bad enough that I am losing pockets of fat in areas making me almost have an hour glass shape (not very appealing on a guy wearing a dress shirt). But now my belts don't have enough holes. Seems while walking up the stairs to my office today, I felt a draft. I was mimicing a plumber.... if you know what I mean.

As I neared the top of the stairs, you can just imagine my surprise when my "saggy jeans" which are insanely baggy on me now got the comment of "trying to re-live your youth through the white rapper movement?" from someone in the hall.

*sigh*

Eminem I am not. Just a bandster who needs to go buy new jeans and belts this weekend!!

Taz

Those are the kinds of problems you want to have, Taz! Good for you, that's some serious momentum!

Jann

Greek Salad

4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped or 6 medium tomatoes quartered

1 English Cucumber, cut into chunks

1 small Vidalia or Red Onion

2 Tbsp of fresh cilantro, or lemon basil chopped fine

4 oz low fat feta cheese, crumbled

2 cloves Garlic, peeled and smashed or passed through a garlic press

2 Tbsp of fresh oregano, chopped

2 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

8-10 Black Olives. prefer Kalamata, pitted halved

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

1. Place the first 6 ingredients in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the Oregano leaves over the vegetables.

2. Drizzle lemon juice and olive oil over the salad. Add Olives and toss gently. Season with black pepper.

Calories: 96 Protein: 4g Fiber: 2g.

I'm been wondering 2 things and wanted to get your expert opinions on these questions.

1. After having a snack, is it necessary to wait 1 hour to drink, just like at the meal? I've been following the rule for the mealtime here, and wondered if you all did too.

2. If you just have a bite of something, for example, while cooking dinner to taste test something, do you refrain from drinking liquid as well? I do not follow the drinking rule in this case, and wondered what you all did.

Thanks for the help!

Denise

I don't worry about drinking with snacks or taste testing meals. There's truly not enough volume in my opinion to worry about it.

Hope that helps!

Jann