Last Minute Tips to Avoid Christmas Overeating

1.        Talk. Talk with everyone in the room. (Preferrably not just about yourself; ask everyone what's new with them...you really do want to know, right?) When you are talking, you aren't eating, well, at least not politely!

2.      Keep it low carb. When the food is served, fill up on the best choices at the table. Turkey, ham, veggies, salad and do your best to either avoid altogether the starchy foods like breads and potatoes or at least only take small amounts. Once you have had the lean protein, you won't be able to just keep having more and more of the rest of the food on the table.

3.      Decide ahead of time what dessert you want. If there is a choice, pick it out and keep in mind that you will get to have dessert. This is a time of making choices, not eliminating all higher calorie foods. Granted, sugar intense foods will tend to leave you wanting more sweet foods, however if you restrict yourself completely, that's almost as bad. Smaller amounts of sweets can be incorporated into a low carb diet without disasterous results...but it's important to spread out the servings over at least a 12 hour period.



My house (just kiddin!)



I hope everyone enjoys their holidays and that we all remember what the season is truly about.      

Lap-Band Coping With Holiday Eating

Eating was a challenge yesterday as it was our annual trek to Seattle to see the Pacific NW Ballet (www.pnb.org) performance of The Nutcracker. This is a 4 generation tradition for our family now that we are taking my grandkids to the ballet. We went early because we heard that Santa was up at the top of the Space Needle! And lo and behold, he was there fully decked out with his elves in a space ship! Jolly good! Afterwards we got out pictures taken with St. Nick and there were tables set up with cookies to be decorated by the kids and avoided by the adults. I was glad I had started the day out with a scrambled egg and a turkey sausage patty. We then went to the food court at the Seattle Center and pizza was the (almost) unanimous vote; I had a side salad and some pepperoni off a leftover pizza. (Not so yum).

The Nutcracker performance was FABULOUS and kept us on the edge of our seats. During intermission I had a cup of (brewed) Starbucks coffee and part of a Mouse King cookie and a couple bites of brownie.....see what I mean by a challenging eating day?

We did a lot of walking in the rain (with umbrellas) while we were in Seattle, and for the most part we ate healthy snacks on the way home (peanuts and string cheese) that we easily found at an overpriced mini-mart) so it wasn't a  total loss, but we were absolutely surrounded by sugarplum fairies trying their best to sabotage my willpower. I did make choices that for the most part gave me a sense of fullness with my Lap-Band (think salad and low fat cheese and even the pepperoni). The cookies, brownies and all liquids hot or cold would not.

Those are my suggestions for coping with the holiday overdose of sugar and sweets that surround us everwhere. Do Your Best to Be Prepared!

FDA Panel votes in favor of lowering BMI for Lap-Band surgery.....

Here is some good news (for a change!) 

To read the article from abcnews, just click on the link below.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=12309257

Basically though, the article explains that the Lap-Band device from Allergan Inc. which is currently implanted in roughly 100,000 people each year (like me!)and usually helps patients lose 50 pounds or more currently under Federal Guidelines has been limited to patients who are morbidly obese. About 12 million more obese Americans could soon qualify for surgery to implant this small, flexible stomach band designed to help them lose weight by dramatically limiting their food intake. The Food and Drug Administration will make a final decision on the Lap-Band in the coming months. On Friday, a panel of FDA advisers recommended expanding use of the device to include patients who are less obese. The panel voted 8-2 (hey, who's holding out?) that the benefits of broader approval outweighed the risks.

If you are interested in checking out what your BMI is (Body Mass Index is how they decide when you qualify for Lap-Band surgery), click on the link:
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ and then you can enter your height and weight in the online calculator. Easy!

After the feast.....healthy eating returns!

I did some shopping today, it should have been Christmas shopping..but it wasn't. It's never a good idea to go shopping on an empty stomach (and I believe that means ANY kind of shopping, not just for food) and since I didn't take the time to eat before I left the house, I told myself to get something fairly healthy to eat before shopping. I decided on a Wendy's salad and small chili. Not too bad. The Wendy's chili has 220 calories (a little too much sodium, but it's a trade off for the 17 gm. of protein) and the salad was the half-size so the calories would be about 170 without the dressing. I felt better after eating and knew I would be able to concentrate but even more than that, I knew it would be easier for me to make better food decisions as the day went on.

Later in the day, I was hungry again (and still shopping), and I actually had a small bag of chips in my cart and was heading to the candy aisle when I gave myself a little wake up call and decided to grab some low sodium dry roasted peanuts and some turkey sticks. A diet Snapple rounded out the snack. I felt so much better with the protein snack; much better than if I had had the chips and candy...one bad decision would have led to another and another and so on....

Would Lap-Band Friendly Recipes Help?

Now that I have had my Lap-Band for a while, I tend to forget that at first I was concerned about what I could and couldn't (or shouldn't) eat. I have been wondering if other Lap-Band patients would appreciate some recipes....?

Right after surgery most surgeons have their patients on a special mostly-liquid diet for a period of a couple weeks or a little longer; this would also be a time for some good liquid protein-packed recipes...but I'll work on that a little later.



Chicken Crock-Pot Chili



Right now, I'd like to share a favorite Lap-Band friendly recipe that works well for me and that my family loves as well. I got this recipe a few years ago from dietician that worked with  Lap-Band patients. (I have to say that the girls at work have all asked for the recipe too!) I like this one mostly because it is healthy as well as extremely easy. I use canned beans and  prefer a variety of different types, but you could obviously start with dry beans and vary any of the ingredients if you are so inclined to "tweek" recipes. Most people I know like to stick pretty close to the recipe, but this is one that you can change up in many different ways and still come out with a pretty edible product.

Chicken Crock-Pot Chili

1  15 oz can black beans
1  15 oz can kidney beans
1  15 oz can butter beans (small or large, either kind is okay) or Great Northerns
1  28 oz can diced tomatoes
1  package taco seasoning mix (I use the lower sodium one)

4  chicken breasts, boneless, skinless (I use them frozen, right out of the freezer, you can use fresh too)

1  16 oz package frozen corn (optional-I prefer not to use corn myself)

Put everything except corn in the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.
The corn is added in the last 15 minutes.
Take out chicken and shred after it cools a little.
Return chicken to pot and serve hot.
This recipe freezes well (If you have leftovers!)

Optional garnishes:

• Non-fat sour cream
• Salsa
• Lower fat shredded cheese

Serve with corn bread or tortillas

I have had people ask me if I thaw the chicken first and I say no, just throw it in whole and frozen. Do I drain the beans? I have before, but most of the time I just dump them in juices and all.

If you try this recipe, let me know how it turns out for you...I would love to hear from you! 

 more Lap-Band friendly recipes!

Finished a 5K!

So I participated in a 5K on Saturday! I know that a 5K 'race' is only 3.something miles, and I didn't "run" the race, only walked, but I walked FAST! That's something I would not have been able to accomplish 60+ pounds ago. The first 5K that my daughter and I walked in was in Idaho, earlier this summer. There were TONS of very steep hills in and around that small community and we finished in 50.14 minutes. Now, she is a jogger and could easily finish a 5K in 15 minutes or less, but she's very encouraging and willing to walk with me; but don't think for a minute that I can slack off. Too much talking and I slow down. Too much sightseeing along the way and I slow down. She is quick to remind me to keep walking fast and FAST we walk! Sometimes we even break into a slow jog! So this particular 5K we finished in 48.3 minutes, we shaved about 2 minutes off our time....thanks to her "coaching".


It felt real good. Real good in a physical way; my heart rate was elevated most of the way, but it was also a real boost to my self esteem...an accomplishment to feel proud of. Sure, there were runners there, very fast, and in excellent shape but I didn't focus on them and let myself feel intimidated because I knew what I was doing was fast and excellent for me. I have done two now; will I do more? Well, if my 'coach' has anything to say about it, I definitely will! So I better keep up the regular walking so I will be ready for whatever may come.

Lap-Band Eating (Banana Bread Sunday)



 I had my granddaughter here today. She's 5 (and a half) and LOVES to make banana bread! Actually, she loves doing just about anything in the kitchen, but ever since she was little(er), she and my grandson (4 and a half) have had this little routine with the banana bread. Banana bread isn't the easiest thing to eat for someone with a Lap-Band. It depends a little on how moist or dry it is and even then, depending on the restriction of your band, you probably won't be able to eat more than a slice or even less. 



What do I mean, "won't be able to"? Well, if you think about where the band is placed (see THINKING ABOUT LAP BAND? page) try to imagine a funnel.  A wide-mouth funnel lets lots (of food) go through quickly. Now imagine a narrow-opening funnel; everything must pass through that small opening and it will take longer, with everything slowing down or backing up as the food goes through the small opening into the rest of the stomach. This slowing down or "backing up" is what creates a  feeling of fullness, a satisfaction with smaller amounts of food.

 What happens when someone with a Lap-Band ignores the 'new' full-feeling? If you continue to eat, despite the food only going through the opening rather slowly, I guess it doesn't take alot to figure that if food can't go down, it must come 'up'....not the most pleasant thing. I can honestly say it has not happened to me very often at all; and it shouldn't. There are a lot of complications that can occur as a result of chronic vomiting with the band...and it doesn't matter what term you use, PBing (productive burping), sliming, etc.; bringing food back up often is a sign or symptom that should be checked by your surgeon. 

So What's for Breakfast Today?

This morning was pretty typical. I had some Egg Beaters with Canadian bacon. Why Egg Beaters and not just regular eggs? No particular reason; except when they are already blended up in a pourable container, it makes preparation faster. Why Canadian bacon and not just regular bacon? Again, the prep time is easier...it's lean protein too. Remember earlier I said that lean protein is important in my diet. What I did this morning was spray a non-stick pan with olive oil, cut up the bacon in small pieces and saute' them a little first. Then I poured some Egg Beaters in with the bacon (about a 1/4 cup give or take a little bit) and gently cooked all together. Over-cooking makes the eggs tough so it is important to watch them and only cook lightly. (Tough eggs are hard to get down with a Lap-Band; sometimes impossible!) This morning I sprinkled a little grated cheese on top too.....I ate probably a little over half and was plenty full.                          

Lap-Band Weekend Eating - A Solution

So now that I have a Lap-Band, how has my weekend eating changed? Well, I have to admit I still relate relaxation with eating, but the overwhelming desire for non-stop eating has all but been eliminated. What changed? I can honestly say it was the "Band". My Lap-Band has allowed me to lose 60+ lbs. and keep it off for 2 years! I feel it is the best thing that has happened to me in a long, long time.

My typical weekend day begins with coffee (of course!). I like to relax with a cup of coffee and about mid-morning I will have some breakfast. I might have some soft scrambled eggs and turkey bacon or maybe just a piece of string cheese if I need to get moving and don't have alot of time.

By noon or so, if I am getting hungry again, I try to have a salad with chicken or tuna or low-fat cheese or even a hard boiled egg. See a pattern here? Yes, I try to include some form of lean protein with every meal and most snacks. This type of eating is easy when you are at home, but it also works well when you are out shopping, running errands or hanging out with friends.

Later in the day, I try to grab a quick snack and for me the best option is again (yes) protein. I might splurge and have a couple handfuls of peanuts or even some fat-free cottage cheese with sliced pears (also a good option for breakfast!).

Dinner on the weekends can be anything from whatever we are fixing at home, to eating out and because I have the Lap-Band, I find I can eat most anything that my family and friends are eating, just in smaller quantities (and I am talking about SOLID healthy food, not junk or fast food). I have found that it is very important for me to not get OVER HUNGRY! If I wait too long to eat, I have a harder time feeling satisfied with small snacks and tend to want to fall back in my old eating pattern (hard with the Lap-Band, but not impossible) Hey! I like to eat, so I need to allow myself to have all the meals and snacks I mentioned above, NOT skip meals like I used to do, thinking I could starve myself into good health.

Lap-Band Weekend Eating....The Problem

Well, it's the weekend so meals and eating are different for me than during the week. This might be true for alot of people, but since I work during the week, I find that my meals are more structured and it's easier to stick to healthier eating patterns. On the weekend, I like to relax and I equate relaxation with eating....(hmmm, wonder how I got to be overweight?). Before I was a Lap-Band patient, I would eat pretty much all weekend and the reward for making it through another hard work week would be to overeat the foods I really loved. Oh sure, I would wake up each morning not only resolving, but planning to NOT overeat. By mid-morning, or at the very best, mid-afternoon, my resolve was out the window and I was hungry, hungry, hungry!

My beginning....

The Why of it All

I hope to share some valuable information with anyone who reads my blog. I have been thinking for quite some time now about writing this blog, but since I'm not really a technology wizard, it's taking a bit of time to understand how blogs can and do work!

My goal here is to share the knowledge I have gained over the many years working with Lap-Band patients as well as my own experiences as a Lap-Band patient myself! Are these really "secrets"? Well, maybe not entirely, since if you spend enough time reading and talking and more reading and more talking, you might get all the information that I have gathered over the years, but do you really want to sift through the pages and pages on the internet (worrying if it is even accurate?) I also know that there is very little valuable information for those of us who are now living with the "Band". Sure, there are a few books out there, some poorly written or some with more technical medical terms that leave us needing a medical dictionary to translate!

WHY did I choose to have Lap-Band surgery?

Well, after years and years of frustrating dieting with minimal success, I guess you could say my weight finally caught up with me; it became a health hazard. I have heard many people say, "Well, I really don't have any health problems as a result of my excess weight". That was me. (Up until a few years ago.) During my annual check-up with my doctor, it was discovered that I was 'pre-diabetic'. We are talking Type II diabetes, which was strictly related to my obesity. My blood sugars and blood pressure were elevated and so was my cholesterol. NOT A GOOD COMBINATION. Now did I mention that I am also a breast cancer survivor? More about that later, but needless to say, I finally saw the writing on the wall and that writing was telling me that I seriously needed to lose weight once and for all. So a spent another 6 months or so struggling on weight loss plans that left me hungry, grumpy and with little to show in the way of weight loss and that is when I decided that I needed a helping hand. To make my long story shorter, I had the surgery and at my next doctor's appointment after losing about 45 lbs., my blood sugars were normal, blood pressure normal and cholesterol normal. HEY! My doctor said that I literally turned back the hands of time; medically speaking. For the first time in a long time, I felt great!

I love my band and am excited to share my journey....there is plenty more to learn!