Newbie

Where to start.... I was born in... wait that's too far back. Maybe not... 1954. I was a normal size baby, just 7 lbs. And then we got to real food. A favorite story in the family is how at around 14 months old, I beat my grandfather in a silver-dollar-sized-pancakes eating contest. He quit at 16 and when I hit 17 of them.   Then my sisters were born and they all arrived at 6 lbs, thus making me the perpetually larger and bigger sister. I've fought that battle my whole life. While they were complaining about not liking/wanting whatever was for supper, I was enjoying everything. I mean, I loved my veggies, meat, fruit, whatever.  Mom didn't make desserts because my sisters wouldn't eat supper if there was a dessert. I am the adventurous one when it comes to eating. Thai, German, Japanese, Vietnamese, Italian, Greek, good old American. The only thing I don't like is canned veggies and raw fish.  I have a girlfriend in Boston who had open RNY December 12, 2006. I hadn't seen her in ages. We talk on the phone every so often and we got talking recently because I'd talked with someone in the Albany NY LL Bean's about Lap-band surgery. And I was considering that. My girlfriend and I got talking and I ended up driving 3 hours to Boston to visit overnight and to see the results of her surgery. She'd kept telling me that I really needed to look into WLS. Well, when I got to her house, we were on our cell phones, I parked the car and she came down from her 2nd floor apartment and out the front door. I swear to you, I would NOT have known who she was if we hadn't been on the phone talking. We spent the day together talking about the surgery and I saw what it is like to eat after the surgery. I'm 5'4" and when I had my initial visit with Dr. Ward Dunnican on January 21st, I weighed 280. (do you know how bad I hate typing that number?)   I saw Carrie, the Dietitian on February 1st and I had lost 13 lbs. I have my appointment to see the psychologist on February 21st, and I've been to my first Support Group meeting. I have lots of questions. I can't wait to go to the doctor again so I can see if I've lost any more weight. I will say that right now I seem to be in some kind of new honeymoon period with a new diet. Which doesn't make sense because I'm just following the same thing I did on my last diet. That was protein, veggies and fruit and limiting the carbs. I still have some bread but I've switched to whole wheat bread and pasta (when I have pasta) instead of the regular white stuff. Before visiting my girlfriend and my appointment with Dr. Dunnican I had been trying to follow the same food plan. But I wasn't having much success. A MAJOR problem I have is that I don't eat the right things when I should. My first meal would be a late lunch. Then I'd eat supper around 9 or 9:30 pm when I got out of my second job. Since my appointment with Dr. D I've been trying to eat nothing after 6:30. I get up and before I take my shower, I've been having having some grapefruit, shower and get to work and then I have a whole wheat English muffin with some peanut butter and start drinking my water. I've given up soda for the most part. I've only had soda maybe 3 times since January 21st and I've only eaten a late supper twice.  My supervisor on my night job is very supportive of my new plans. She told me to bring my supper to eat before I get on the phones or if I'm running late and supper needs heating, she'll heat it for me so I can eat before 6 or 6:30.

WELCOME TO THE BOARDS!  Sounds like you are well on your way! Congrats on your decision to *change* your life. hugs, Britt

It sounds like you are doing very well.  It does take making a new mind set to succeed.  Once you have the surgery...it is easier to follow the program...good luck...keep up posted...we are here for you! Rosemary

Welcome aboard... you'll find this whole group to be extremely supportive and full of excellent information as we've all are going there or have been there...

Thank you everyone for the welcome. I want to learn everything I can. I'm finding that the more I learn the more focused I am and the better food choices I am making. Pam ;~D