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Rule 1 - Eat only three small meals a day

The Lap-Band® System creates a small stomach pouch that can hold only about half a cup (3 to 4 ounces) of food. If you try to eat more than this at one time you may become nauseous. You may also vomit. If you routinely eat too much, the small stomach pouch may stretch. That will cancel the effect of the operation. Frequent vomiting can also cause certain complications, such as stomach slippage. You need to learn how much your stomach pouch can hold comfortably and then not exceed this amount.  (I acutally eat about 1- 1 1/2 cups of food)

Rule 2 - Eat slowly and chew thoroughly

Food can pass through the new stomach only if it has been "chopped" into very small pieces. Always remember to take more time for your meals and chew your food very well.

Rule 3 - Stop eating as soon as you feel full

Once your stomach is full, your body receives a signal that you have eaten enough. It takes time though, for you to become aware of this signal. If you hurry your meal, you may eat more than you need. This can lead to nausea and vomiting. Take time over your meal. Try to recognize the feeling of fullness. Then stop eating at once.

Rule 4 - Do not drink while you are eating

This operation can work only if you eat solid food. If you drink at mealtimes, the food you have eaten becomes liquid. Then the effectiveness of the Lap-Band® System is greatly reduced. You should not drink anything for one to two hours after a meal. That way you can keep the feeling of fullness as long as possible.

Rule 5 - Do not eat between meals

After a meal, do not eat anything else until the next meal. Eating snacks between meals is one of the major reasons for weight-loss failure. It is very important to break this habit.

Rule 6 - Eat only good quality foods

With the Lap-Band® System in place, you should be able to eat only a small amount. So the food you eat should be as healthy as possible. Do not fill your stomach pouch with "junk" food that lacks vitamins and other important nutrients. Your meals should be high in protein and vitamins. Fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, and cereals are good foods to choose. Foods high in fat and sugar are not. You may eat apples and oranges, but try to avoid orange juice and apple juice.

Note: Solid food is more important than liquid food. The Lap-Band® System will have little or no effect if you eat only liquid food. Liquid food passes through the stomach outlet very quickly and does not make you feel full.

Rule 7 - Avoid fibrous food

Food such as asparagus that contains many fibers can block the stomach. That's because you can't chew this food well enough to break it up into small pieces and your saliva can't break it down. Fibrous food should be avoided. If you would like to eat asparagus or other fibrous foods once in a while, then you must be sure to cook them well, cut them into very small pieces first and then chew thoroughly.

Rule 8 - Drink enough fluids during the day

If you lose weight, your fat content will drop. That results in waste products. You will need to drink large amounts of liquid every day in order to urinate more and excrete these waste products from your body. Individual needs will vary, but you should drink at least 6-8 glasses of water a day. Also, keep your food and drinks completely separate during the day.

Rule 9 - Drink only low-calorie liquids

Drinks, including those containing calories, simply run through the narrow outlet created by the band. If you drink liquids high in calories, you will lose little weight, even if you otherwise follow your diet.

Rule 10 - Exercise at least 30 minutes a day

This rule is just as important as the other nine rules. Since physical exercise consumes energy and burns calories, it is very important to successful weight loss.

Exercise can help improve your general health. Your size may make it hard for you to exercise as much as you should. But get started, even if it is a little at first. The more weight you lose, the easier it should get. Start with simple exercises, such as walking and swimming. Gradually expand your program to include more vigorous forms of exercise such as cycling, jogging and aerobics.

Increase your activity level in the course of daily living. For example: stand rather than sit, walk rather than stand, be outside rather than inside, walk rather than drive, climb the stairs rather than use the elevator, etc

I am so very excited about this surgery.....not the least bit nervous or scared (hopefully I will be ok tomorrow morning too).   Tomorrow starts a new life for me.....I know that there is a thin person inside me that is just dying to get out.....Look out  here I come!!!!!

I have to be at the hospital at 7:00 and surgery is scheduled for 9:00.  My mother in law will be here in the morning to get the kids off to school.  She is the type of person that knows everything and tries to tell me how to raise my kids and live my life.  Needless to say I have learned not to fight with her and just let you talk her gibberish.  This is the only Grandma that my kids know (my Mom dies back in 1981....I was only 17 at the time). 

I am taking a few moments to write this entry before heading out to get my kids.

My husband is very supportive of this surgery...he is probably more nervous than I am.  He is afraid that something is going to happen to me and he wouldn't know what he would do without me.  

We had a major setback in our marriage about 2 1/2 weeks ago.  I thought for sure that we were going to be splitting up...but we have worked things out and LIFE IS GOOD.  I work days and he works nights.  So basically we never see each other.  Now we talk and communicate.....wow that's what a marriage is all about....among other things of course.   After 11 years of marriage we are back to where we were when we first met.

I have two beautiful children....My son just turned 10 (boy oh boy is he getting tall) my daughter  (my little ballerina)will be 7 in May.  I love them very much but they drive me NUTS.....They are great kids but they drive me NUTS.  No really I am very fortunate to have 2 wonderful children and a great hubby.   

Enough for now......I will write more after my new life begins.

Tonight I went for my last meal before starting my "liquid diet".  One week from tomorrow I will be heading to the hospital for a new start to my life....I am petrified!!!  

My son,my daughter and I went to Pappadeax for dinner.  I had fried calamari for starters and for the entre blackened mahi mahi with this wonderful sauce over it. I actually only ate 1/2 my meal...but it was a big meal to start with.  Since it is my sons birthday this Sat and mine is Mon we got our dessert for free....I normally never get dessert (usually cause I am too full from the dinner) but I ordered the bread pudding, my daughter ordered the creme brule and my son ordered a banana parfait.....all three dessers were to die for.  I walked out of the restaurant about $100 dollars poorer and very full and kind of unhappy. It really really made me realize that this is definately not the way I want to live my life.    I feel lethargic and drained right now....too much rich bad for you food that's what is causing these feelings.  
On April 19th I will start my brand new life....and I just can't wait!!!!  Look out world here comes the new me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so excited....I finally got my approval for Lap Band surgery yesterday (it took less than a week for my insurance company to grant the approval) and have scheduled the procedure for April 19th.  I could have done it on April 16th which is my Birthday...and what a present this would have been.  But I decided to have it done 3 days later so that I would celebrate this 43rd Birthday with my  my 9 year old son and 6 year old daughter.

I have a wonderful support group of friends that are excited for me.  Which is must say is nice.  I realize that these friends love me for who I am not for what I look like.  I have always felt that people look AT me and MY size but I know that this is not true and I hope that this feeling will go away.  Actually, I hope that people will be looking at me and thinking "look at that hot slim chick".

My husband was not thrilled that I am doing this. My support group is my family and friends...he will come around i think.  He is going to take off of work to take me to the hospital on 4/19.....I think that he is just afraid because this is "surgery".  I had already arranged to have my sister take me but when I called and told him the news he said that he would take me.  

This is my first blog of many.  I decided to wait until I actually officially got the approval to write.