A Day With My Band

Once you've had several fills, the band is much tighter and limits the amount of food going in. If you eat too fast, if you eat large bites, if you drink while you eat..."we've got trouble, right here in River city"!! The elevator will reverse and the food is g o i n g u p!! Not fun!

Less is more...meaning meals that consist of 4 ounces to 12 ounces. The end. It's taken me an entire year to 'give in' to that necessity! But, now that I have, I'm on the weigh down again! Eureeka.

Breakfast - an instant packet of oatmeal (in a bowl, cover with water and nuke it for 1 1/2 minutes...enjoy)

Lunch/dinner - no later than 2 p.m. protein, veggie

mid-afternoon snack Zone Protein Bar Chocolate Almond Raisin...yum and yum

evening - can of Campbell's healthy request soup
the end.

You can not keep eating larger portions even if your band allows it. You must minimize you food intake, shrink your mind and realize you rarely feel hunger at all. Why? Well, excuse me, but that is the purpose of the band!! IT WORKS! Pay attention and work on your mental abiblities.

I hope this is helpful, in some ways for folks who slow down and read. Oft times, I think of my days at Humble Middle School and the spring I went to Weight Watchers with my best friend "Shu". We had a blast, lost weight and loved every minute of it.

By the Fall semester,, I was 50 pounds lighter, miles happier and wondered why none of my students said anything. My new lease on life had brightened my classroom and made me far more enjoyable to be around.

Then, one afternoon, I walked out of my classroom and saw an eighth grade Mom sitting there, waiting for her daughter to finish practice. We began to talk...she said, 'I hope you know how great an influence you've been on these kids'. I was shocked. "Why", I asked. They are excited over your weight loss and your new, happy spirit they see every day.

They had talked about it and decided, if I could do that, they could accomplish whatever they set their minds to. I asked why none of them had commented on it all. She said, they weren't sure they should. I told her to encourage them to share thoughts!

Wow, talk about impact without knowing it or thinking about it. We are role models in every step of life. People are watching, sometimes wishing they could do that and sometimes, they make major changes due to what they've seen in us.

I've shared my health story with various individuals in the past months. Many have said, "wow, everyone should be exposed to you. Your enthusiasm is contagious." Good for me! I'm proud to know that somehow I have possibly affected folks for the better.

I do know that a couple of cousins have undertaken bariatric surgery after seeing me or hearing about me. Yeah. If it saves lives, I'm all for it.

Here's to today and many new tomorrows. Life is ever changing and it's up to us to seek the best 'avenue' for our life path. As for me? I have two very special friends...J and M. Both of these people have been close by my side and shared their love and support! They are not the only two great folks in my life, but they are two noteable BFF's. I will also thank an old LVHS classmate, Billy.

Although we never shared a lot of laughs, classes or time together back in the day, we are still BFF's, connected with all of the remaining graduates and keeping in touch via email and Facebook. He is one individual who has shared some of the sweetest thoughts and opened my eyes with every word. After many of my classmates heard of my near demise back in March, 2004...he took time to write one of the most moving emails that I've ever received from a long past friend.

I thank him. I thank J and M. I thanks all of my BFF's and family. I thank it's time to quit writing now.