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I hope you find them as helpful as I do..keep mine by the bedside, or on weak days in my purse...Pavel's book has been my most helpful one I picked a coule of the 141 practices and typed them out to put around the house, like the fridge! or in front of the TV..really they have helped me to break a lot of my bad habits. Good luck! Later maybe we can all share which are most helpful. For instance one of mine is "Exhale your craving." Michele

Hello, That was me. Here is the name and authors of the books. 1. Eating mindfully by Susan Albers 2. Eating in the moment by Pavel Somov I like the second one the best. Both are pocket size and can be carried around with you. Good luck hope you like them. Michele

I know this is hard to believe but it get's better. I haven't had junk food in over two years. I can't even believe I just wrote that. McD's chicken nuggest used to be a fav...I too am alone and have learned to "be" alone. My latest lesson is that the kitchen is not my enemy and I can take the time to cook and eat things that are good for me..this has been fun. I have been finding and making one or two new reciepes a week..you will work it out.. Michele

Hi Karen, Thanks for the info. What is the cost? Does she use flouro? Appreciate the info! MJ

I'm with you all on that. Maybe some history on how he was chosen? How much/many he has done? I am seriously considering the TL in December but would feel much more confident with some more background.

Hi Donna! Me too, I was there..aside from some bruising..loving the services! Michele

I agree with what Lindsay has said. I have had my band for about 18 months..is my weight loss rapid..Heck no...there were periods where I didn't move for months..but I did move and it's going in the right direction. Here are some of my thoughts. Keep in mind I have done all the things you mentioned and then some. 1. "The Art of Eating Mindfully" Buy the book...it says it all. I was total emotion eating, I figured it out, and am still working/learning the tools. 2. Yep, weigh and measure. Take the time to make your own clean food and freeze/fridge for the following weeks. Does this take time, yes, but as you said you have already invested the money, the other half is the time. I bought a bunch of small glass containers.. I have to say I was shocked at the numbers once I started weighing ounce on my scale..you have to do it. and don't expect to feel "full" just not hungry..the book will help. 3. "The rules" protein first, now drinking water, no alcohol...really have to keep on this one..I learned the hard way. I too am filled under fluoro. I wouldn't do it any other way. I can see for myself the band is doing what it is supposed to do..It's me that needs fine tuning! Michele

Well almost at the 200 mark. For some this may seem like nothing, well for me its a big deal. from 290 to here was a huge trip. But the last 60 pounds are thanks to the lap band and the OCC. New lesson, count food in ounces...wow what a concept. I hadn't really been utilizing my new tool I found out as I tried to see what the "hold up" was. I needed to go back to basics. 1. Eating protein first really does make a difference! 2. Cutting out sugar in all forms - hard as hell but needed, this alone has made me feel so much better 3. No white flour or gluten - go figure, I guess I was sensitive to this one. Only reason I bought into this was how much better I feel without it. No more asthma attacks, racing heartbeats, and more energy (cutting sugar probably fits in here too) 4. When I feel like eating go "play" with my cloths and tape measure..yep it works 5. Start with 3 ounces and have 1 more if still hungry. (4 ounces is half a cup). Funny how when I see this visually my thoughts change. 6. Eat clean foods that I prepare myself to the best of my ability. Another way to have control and pick the best food I can, since I am eating less of it. Now, if I can get my exercise in I will be happy. My next area of improvement, after 30 days (length of time it takes to form new habits). Onward!

Well, as one who even now get reminded in the most unpleasant way, you have to chew your food to get it to fit through your band. Just last night I thought I could have a potato skin at a student pot luck..I even chewed it the 20+ times...heck no, add that to the "not for me" food list. You too will start discovering foods that no matter how much you chew you cannot tolerate. To this day I miss one of my most favs...Steak!! I almost choked to death even with the 30 chews.

Hi all, Lindsay is right..eat clean, and be aware of what your eating. I found it can be different for everyone. For instance I can eat some things my daughter can't (she too has the band). Small size portion control is important and I have learned to prepare food ahead (once I knew what I liked and could tolerate) and then freeze it. You can go into foods right away but perhaps not what your used to. Consider this your first lesson in your new life...I keep a list of yes/no foods after having tried to eat them..I haven't had a bite of steak in over a year (but the loss is worth it). It gets easier. Think high protein low fat. Greek yogurt is a new fav, protein powder in a morning breakfast shake cause it's hard for me to eat solid at 7 am (band tight in AM). And lot's of water..this is real important. Over the last year I notice serious issues if I do not drink my water..this seems to be the hardest to remember of all..but getting better. There are some books out about post band eatting..but most of all take it slow and enjoy the journey. Michele

Hi and welcome, March is my favorite month! I had my band done March 2009 and have lost 60 pounds...I too feel it is the best thing I have ever done. I am still learning..each fill is like learning new habits afterword. Sometimes you forget and eat something that quickly reminds you NO..like for me rice...hahaha. Anyway, the new habits are great once you figure them out..like you can no longer stuff feelings down with food and instead have to face them. I feel so much better then I have before...Starting to develop flab skin, and this too is another learning moment as I work toward goal and consider surgery. Either way I feel like I am living again and I am with a new and better life. Good luck! Everyone at the OCC is wonderful..My daughter had her surgery first that's what made me decide to go for it..wonderful place great staff and I love all the Dr's. Michele

Hi Tmara, glad you wrote this...I sometimes do this and find I almost faint..I also have a hereditary heart condition which doesn't allow be to do much exercise other then some walking on flat ground and some lap swimming, a real bummer cause I would love to build some muscle..Yoga is good for flexibility...I have been at a 6 month plateau and can't see to get below 200..of course this is 89 pounds lower then I have been in 20 years but still....let me know what you end up doing. I have found that I really do need at least 1200. Still learning the ropes and about me..I would hazard to say we are all different, but I too do small snacks to keep blood sugar stable. I try to follow at all times a "Clean diet." Michele

I agree with everyone else..in fact I have said that I don't care how long it takes or how many mistakes I make along the way I will NOT ever go back..sometimes I feel like there is so much change occurring that I have to stop and let myself, body, mind, and life, catch up..sometimes over the past year and a half I would just not want to weigh, measure, fiddle with food. Especially since I work 12-14 hours days three times a week and into the evening..Good news it that you reach the place you did where you stop and re-assess the situation and start up where you left off..not continue falling back, this is where one of the big changes in my life has occured..like I said no matter how long it takes!! Michele

Hi Lori, How does this fit down our banded stomach? I have been ordering bariatric brand chewables...let me know sounds good. Michele

Hi all, I'm thinking about this soon..doing well with the band...lost 60 so far, thinking I want my "girls" lifted/fixed first..I'll keep looking for updates.. Michele

Well, it has been a very busy year post band...not only am I adjusting to my husbands death and being a widow, but also having two college age kids leaving, one for grad school, meaning this is it..I am now entering the second half of my life...and it's going to be all about me baby!! But, getting here has been an up and down journey. Two years ago after my husband passed away from a long and painful illness, my daughter went to a local MD to see about getting a band using some of the funds he left her. It was his dying wish that she loose some weight. She did this on her own down were she was attending college. I got some of the bills and halted the process and started looking online...after a missed "seminar" in which the MD failed to show up for the 10 of us waiting...I was pretty discouraged, and so was she...then I found Dr. Ortiz's site and had many wonderful conversations..So we decided to have my daughter's procedure done at the OCC. Best ever experience from that moment on. I manage a large healthcare facility and was very impressed..so much so that 4 months later I took the "plunge" and now a year later major changes have occurred. The first year seemed to fly by and many changes had to take place. Of course during this time I started a new second job as an adult healthcare professor, and added in another stress/major change factor into my life...in hindsight it didn't matter..my journey had begun and I wasn't able to stuff down feelings with food...So what have I learned? Well, for starters, what I can and cannot eat, how that changed with each fill, the time of the month and stress..how to slow down my chewing, how to give up many kinds of meat, so now I take protein, how to add in liquid/chewable vitamins and lot's of water, no soda (diet or otherwise). How to find new ways to cope with stress...my favorite being massage at Massage Envy a very reasonable place--about the same cost as overeating my feelings would have been..How NOT to weigh myself everyday and freak out, but to instead wait until my pant size or measurements go down..and buy a new "fit" instead, much better then beating myself up mentally when a number on a scale doesn't move. How to enjoy life more now that I am not constantly obsessing about my weight. How to take complements without feeling myself "shrink" inside. And how to count my blessings. Honestly, if I never loose another pound my quality of life has changed for the better dramatically. But of course there are areas to continue working on..like exercise, which is probably at this stage my last hold out..but no worries--I have a plan as soon as my last kid hits the tarmack...walking, aqua aerobics, sea kayaking..here I come..all things I enjoy. I am already doing yoga and thank god for that..I can move and touch my toes were my students 20 years younger cannot--I make them do this when we start getting tired or stiff...So unward...and upward..Best move ever!