Too Tight or Just Right

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Too Tight or Just Right

Okay I’m sure each one of you has a fickle band like me. It is enough to drive you insane, one day you’re wide open and the next your band is so tight you can only take two or three bites and your done. I know, I know, I’ve been there done that, it actually happened to me last week. I was eating a ham steak; took three bites and I could feel the tightness in my chest. At lunch I had chicken tacos and was able to eat just fine. How can that be? It boils down to the actual food we are eating, some foods are more dense than others so it makes it harder or easier to get full, depending on how you look at it.

Take what I ate for example. The ham steak was much thicker than the cubed chicken I had at lunch. I waited too long to eat and basically tried to scarf my food. I should have taken the time to chew the ham much more than I did the chicken cubes. Had I taken the time to really chew the ham I could have had more than three bites. We are all guilty of this, we eat too fast and don’t chew well enough then we get frustrated because we want to eat more but we can’t. Don’t get upset if you take a couple of bites and you’re full, it’s one meal. I hear this all time “I only had three bites and I couldn’t eat anymore”. I know how it feels it still happens to me even four years out.

When this happens to some band patients; they automatically think that’s it “I’m too tight and I need an un- fill”. Look at what you ate and how fast you ate; it can be as easy as slowing down and paying attention to how you are eating. We have to be aware of what we are doing as patients and not be so quick to blame our fill amount.

I have stated this before and it’s worth repeating, if you are stressed or eat too fast this can cause premature fullness. If this is happening to you from time to time, start paying attention to your eating patterns.

A. Are you waiting until you are starving to eat, then you try to scarf down your food? Don’t let yourself get to this point, eat well before you reach starvation mode. B. Do you test your band to see if you can eat something? If you do that’s fine just make sure you are chewing to liquid before you swallow. This will help you avoid PB’s. C. Are you getting stuck every time you eat, no matter what the food is? If this is happening you could be too tight and need to schedule an appointment with your surgeon. D. Do you choose band friendly meals because you know you can eat it? It’s okay to eat softer foods if you are going out or will be with a big group. However don’t make it a common food choice just because you know you can get it down.

I know it can get frustrating from time to time. Try to be patient and honest with yourself before you decide if you’re too tight or just right.

Cher Ewing, CC Certfied Life & Wellness Coach website: www.bandedtogether.net email: cher@bandedtogether.net

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Call Roto Rooter I’m stuck

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How many times have you had a fill; then bam you can no longer eat like you could before? I hear this from clients all the time “I get stuck all the time”. After years of being banded I completely understand this concept and the frustration that comes with it.

I have discovered three golden rules to help minimize getting stuck.

Golden Rule One- Take smaller bites. Trust me this is a new concept for us bandsters. However our pouch is not designed for larger bites any longer so please take smaller bites; this will help you avoid getting stuck as much.

Golden Rule Two- Chew your food to liquid form before you swallow. This is probably the hardest rule to follow; I know it was for me anyway. If you take too large of a bite and have to chew it to liquid form you are going to get frustrated, angry and dread eating. By following rule one makes rule two much easier to follow.

Golden Rule Three- Don’t eat if you are stressed or angry. The band is very fickle and will tighten up on you if you are stressed or angry. When you sit down to eat; try to be as calm and relaxed as you can. A lot of us start feeling anxiety right before we eat because we are afraid of getting stuck. This is actually causing a double negative. We are worried about getting stuck before we even eat so we cause an adverse effect with our band. Think back to your pre-band days and how relaxed you were when you would sit down to eat a meal. There was no stress or anxiety about eating, well guess what it should be that way now as well.

If you follow these three golden rules eating a meal should be much easier. Now of course if you are following “The Three Golden Rules” and you are still getting stuck you may very well be too tight. If this is the case contact your surgeon to have some of your fill removed.

As you are learning to eat with your tool be kind and patient with yourself. There is a learning curve you need to overcome. It is a foreign concept to us learning how to eat again after all these years. The more you follow the golden rules the more enjoyable your eating journey will be.

Cher Ewing, CC

Certified Life & Wellness Coach

website: www.bandedtogether.net

email: cher@bandedtogether.net

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Hit a WLS Road Block?

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Hit a Road Block, take a detour

Ahh the dreaded plateau, what to do? Well actually there are several things you can be doing to get the scale moving again. First and foremost you have to be “Honest” with yourself are you following a diet, exercise plan which you actually enjoy.

Let’s be real here, if we are not eating foods we enjoy or participating in a workout program we love (yes I said the “L” word) chances are we are not going to stick with it.

Try journaling for a week to see if you’re really getting in enough calories and enough movement to actually have an impact on the scale. If you’re not getting enough calories this can cause the scale to stop moving. This will also give you a clear idea of what you’re doing well and where you’re missing the mark.

Our bodies know us better than we know ourselves. If we listen to what our body needs-wants we can work with it rather than against it. I know I hate this saying as much as the next guy but it is true “Calories in-Calories out”. If you want the scale to move; you yourself have to move as well.

This is not Rocket Science, if you follow just one rule you have ever learned about diet and exercise you will have results. Remember you had surgery on your stomach not your brain. Don’t let that little voice tell you it’s okay to eat “Junk” and expect to see results.

This is my weekly routine. I eat very well (follow the rules) 6 days a week and I workout 6 days a week. The workout I follow is by Gunnar Peterson “Core Secrets”. Then on the 7th day I give myself a free day and I don’t follow any rules.

Seriously no matter what program you choose to follow, you have to find the right balance. If you have the mind set you’re never going to eat your favorite foods again then you are setting yourself up for failure. If you follow your program for 6 days then give yourself a “Free Day” you are not depriving yourself and you will see the results you want and deserve.

I challenge you to follow this routine and watch the results. You will be blown away at how easy it is to stick to your program once you start.

Drop me and email and let me know how you’re doing.

Cher Ewing, CC Life & Wellness Coach website: www.bandedtogether.net email: cher@bandedtogether.net

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Have you played this game?

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I know when I signed up for my surgery I had all sorts of high hopes this was the be all-end all and my life was going to be what I finally wanted it to be. Well as many of you know that’s not what happened to me. For those of you who are not familiar with my story, I’ll give you the brief overview.

I was only half commited to my post-op lifestyle, I had expected my Lap-band Surgery to do a lot more than it actually did. I really believed I had found my “Magic-Bullet” and I would be on the road to losing weight and getting fit. Well I did the first year, very little effort on my part and I lost sixty pounds. After the first year everything came to a screeching halt, no weight loss or weight gain in a year, not bad uhh? After two years of staying the exact same I finally had to have the “Heart to Heart” with myself.

Are you happy with who are now? “NO!”

If you don’t lose another pound will you be happy? “NO!”

Are you willing to commit to a completely new “LIFESTYLE”? “YES”

What are you going to do to make it happen? “Adjust my eating and exercise”

I’m sure you have “Played this game”! What kind of talk did you have with yourself? Did anything change after you had the talk? I’m asking you to be very honest with “YOU” not anyone else.

I can honestly say I have had that talk with myself on more than one occasion, but this time something stuck. Maybe it’s because I’m in my forties now and have really embraced the gift I’ve received.

Here are some other things that I’ve learned that have helped me to stay on track:

· Get plenty of rest. · Eat slowly and chew my food thoroughly. · Eat until I’m satisfied, not “Thanksgiving full”. · Find an exercise program I really enjoy · Drink more water. · List all of the things for which I am grateful.

So, here’s my challenge to you: Try these suggestions for 1 month and notice how differently you feel, physically as well as emotionally. If you find that you feel better, and are experiencing some new sensations in your body and attitude, then consider extending this experiment for another month. This time, add one or two things that would introduce a small degree of change to your life. This last one is key: introducing too much change too fast just sets you up for failure, so keep it simple. I like the KISS acronym: Keep It Simple, Silly.

I would love to hear your feedback. How are you feeling about the changes you are experiencing?

Cher Ewing, CC

Certified Life & Wellness Coach Author of “Transformation Caravan” Radio Host for “The New You” Radio Show website: www.bandedtogether.net email: cher@bandedtogether.net

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Have you lost that “Losing” Feeling?

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It’s like when the new car smell leaves and we start treating our Twenty Five thousand dollar car like a Five hundred dollar Junker. It’s the same principle the newness of it all has faded and we feel like we can revert back to old eating habits. I don’t think we set out to do this on a conscience level; but we do it none the less. So how do you get it back, well we have to start with being honest with ourselves.

Ask yourself “What changed?” to make you want to revert to your old eating habits and exercise habits. Does your job suck, and you hate your boss, Are you fighting with your spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend, does the price of gas have you freaking out? All of these could be triggers that are leading you down a road of destructive behavior.

If you are reaching for food to help take away the “feeling of being overwhelmed” you are “stuffing” what you really feel. This is a behavior we were used to doing, it’s familiar, and it’s our safe haven. This is the time to say “NO” I am not going to reach for food to stuff what I’m feeling, this time I am really going to feel what I feel and work through it without reaching for food.

Trust me others are freaked out by the price of gas, a lot of folks think their job sucks and they hate their boss and guess what they have fights with their significant other. But there is a difference they don’t all reach for food to help get them through their tough times.

You have adopted a new “Lifestyle” and with this new lifestyle is a new relationship with food. Food is fuel, it’s just that simple. The only way to avoid reaching for food; is to have a plan or multiple plans in place when these occurrences present themselves. Instead of reaching for food to take away the “feeling of being overwhelmed” decide what your plan is.

It’s your plan; so make it be something you know you will do. For example when a trigger strikes plan on taking a walk to clear your mind, or you could go to the movies and get lost in someone else’s problems (skip the popcorn with the vat of butter), schedule a manicure or a massage so you can relax (this works for guys too). Or find a hobby that keeps you busy and your mind off of food.

When you are in a state that is ripe for triggers, you have to remember why you had your surgery in the first place. You wanted to become healthy, strong emotionally and physically, you were sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Reaching for food is what led you to the OR to have surgery. Reaching for food is what got you to size 18,20,22,24 and so forth. Reaching for food is what made you depressed and angry at yourself. Reaching for food is what left you with that lonely isolated feeling. Reaching for food is the “LIE” everything is going to be better. Reaching for food is a band aid to the real problem. We can make food whatever we want it to be; we can justify this in our minds. But guess what who suffers in the long run “YOU DO”. Now you have a new lease on life, Reaching for food was your “OLD” way of doing things.

Now that you have a “Plan” there is no excuse to reach for food to stuff your feelings. We did that far too long and we know where that got us. Each one of you deserves to have a successful “WLS Journey”.

It’s ok to remind yourself why you had your surgery in the first place, remember where you came from and where you want to go. Is it hard “You bet it’s hard” but if it wasn’t hard where would the reward be in it? You want to feel like you have accomplished something, you are successful, you overcame the fear and you crossed the finish line.

Cher Ewing, CC www.bandedtogether.net

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Are you worth the effort?

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I hear this from my clients more than I would like to admit “I’m not worth the effort, time or energy required to be successful in my weight loss efforts”. As I’m coaching my clients I hear this over and over. Some of them don’t say it in so many words; it’s more of their actions than the actual words.

Most people want to put the needs of their family, friends and work before their own needs. I know I was guilty of this prior to my Lap Band Surgery. I never thought about what was best for me, or what would make me a better person. My thought process was if I please everyone else then my pleasure would come. Well guess what it didn’t. I continued down the same lonely path and trust me it was very sad and lonely. No one understood the pain I was in, because I didn’t share it with anyone. I was always the funny carefree person to the world but on the inside I was a sad lonely depressed woman.

Obesity is a terrible disease; it robs of our happiness, pleasure and most importantly of our self respect. For some reason we sub-consciously believe the lie we hear from society; we are lazy, unmotivated and unworthy. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Think back to when to you were going through the approval process; it was scary, frustrating and exciting all at the same time. This was it, you were finally going to get the weight off and be the person you have always longed to be. Then reality sets in about 2-3 months post-op “Work is involved” and commitment to the process is required.

Umm this is not what you signed up for; this was supposed to be the be-all end-all. Slowly you revert back to old patterns, you stop watching what you eat like you did immediately post op, you slack up on your exercise plan and then you just give up and say “Another diet that failed me”.

Do you know where this comes from? It comes from low self-esteem, low self-confidence and most importantly low self-worth. I know how you feel because it happened to me throughout my Lap Band journey.

I had my good days and good months; then something would shift and I would revert back to old patterns. This went on during year two and three of my journey.

Thankfully all that changed; after I got fed up with being fed up. I knew this was not what I had signed up for, I realized it is hard but it needs to be embraced. If it was easy or required no work or effort on my part where would the reward come from?

Making the decision to stay committed to my Lap Band journey is hard, but trust me the rewards outweigh the guilt, and the low self-worth.

I remembered back to when I was a little girl and all the dreams I had and how none of them had come true. For most that would be depressing; it actually inspired me. I had allowed Obesity to rob me of my dreams. Then I had my light-bulb moment. “Hey I’m not dead I can still make my dreams come true”. I realized I was “Worth the effort”. So my question to you is “Are you worth the effort?”

If you are having a hard time realizing you are worth it; think again. I believe in each and everyone of you. I am inspired by your courage to get on that table to change your life. Now is the time to embrace every change you are going to experience and allow yourself to be a priority. The happier you are, the better you are to everyone around you.

Cher Ewing, CC www.bandedtogether.net

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My PB from H E double Hockey Sticks!!

(Trial & Error)

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I was about six months post op and visiting friends. We all sat down for dinner (grilled pork chops, broccoli, and mashed potatoes) I found the smallest pork chop got some broccoli and a little mashed potatoes on my plate and thought on this is going to be so good.

We were just having general chit-chat over dinner and I was not paying attention to my chewing. I guess it was about 3 bites into my meal and I knew I was in trouble. I didn’t have time to excuse myself; I knew I had to leave the table and I had to leave now. I either ate too fast or didn’t chew well enough and bam I could feel the tightness in my chest. I knew I had an elephant on my chest and he wasn’t moving. Earl scooched down and made himself very comfortable, no matter what I did to move him, he wasn’t budging.

I was in the restroom for over an hour; I had all sorts of visions running through my head about how to make this tightness in my chest stop. I thought of the car thief who uses a coat hanger to break in, I thought maybe I could perform surgery on myself and remove the band, the longer the episode lasted the more crazy my thought process became.

My friend came and knocked on the door and said my plate was still on the table (Are you kidding me I have been in here over an hour and the last thing I want to think about is eating again) no I’m good go ahead and remove my plate.

After an hour and half my PB from H E double hockey stick came to an end. My poor friends kept coming and checking on me to make sure I was ok; talk about being embarrassed and humiliated at the same time. I was exhausted by the time the whole experience was over. I came out of the restroom to a standing ovation (yeah really). Of course I was asked if I was still happy with my decision to have the band and I answered with a “You better believe it”.

So if you can learn anything from my experience I would hope it would be one of three things.

A.Don’t eat and carry on a conversation at the same time. B.Don’t experience a PB (Productive Burp_for over an half hour without contacting your surgeon. C.Avoid Elephants named Earl they are not nice elephants.

I have not had a pork chop to this day.

Cher Ewing, CC www.bandedtogether.net

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AGB (Adjustable Gastric Band) Learning Curve

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Everyone has high hopes of reaching of their sweet spot. I hear this all the time “I just want to be tight”. AGB Patients feel like if the band is tight it will stop them from overeating. With this mindset all the responsibility is placed on the band; and it will only lead to frustration. The band is tricky; there is definitely a learning curve.

Helpful hints to overcome the Learning Curve

• The band was designed to eat a normal meal. A normal meal means you eat a smaller meal without side effects. If you are properly adjusted you can eat without experiencing Productive Burping or much sliming.
• Learn to chew your food to liquid form. Chewing your food to liquid form will reduce the amount of productive burps; this will also help reduce the sliming effect as well.
• Avoid Soft Food Syndrome. If you are eating softer foods because it is easier, you have no way of knowing if you are properly adjusted. Eating softer foods allows you eat more and can halt your weight loss altogether.
• Eat your protein first. Eating protein first ensures you are getting enough protein to keep your energy levels up.
• Don’t be so dependent on the band. Some patients are expecting the band to be their “Food Police”. Taking responsibility for what you are eating and how you are eating will take away the disappointed feeling.
• The band is tighter in the morning. There is not scientific reason why the band is tighter in the morning. Just because the band is tight in the morning is no excuse to skip a meal. Mix up a protein shake to start your day.
• Being too tight serves no good purpose. If the band is too tight and you are experiencing PB after PB this will not aid in the weight loss efforts. Also having a band that is too tight could result in a slip; which could result in another surgery.
• The band is not properly adjusted. You are wide open and can eat anything you want, this is a sign you are not properly adjusted. Make an appointment with your surgeon to another fill.
• Tweaking your band. It could be as simple as .01 CC to get you to your sweet spot. Don’t think you have to have a full 1.0 CC to be properly adjusted
• Don’t compare yourself to others. Just because someone has reached their sweet spot with 2.50 CC’s doesn’t mean you are going to reach your sweet spot with the same amount of fill. There are too many different size bands on the market and the person you are comparing your fill to might not even have the same band as you do.
• Don’t deprive yourself. Eat what you like in moderation. The more processed the food the easier it is to eat with the band; it also means more calories. Read your labels if a serving size is 15 chips then only eat 15 chips not the whole bag.

Keep in touch with your surgeon so he/she knows what is going on. If you are not following up with your surgeon they can’t get you to your sweet spot. Don’t feel bad if you have not lost any weight since your last visit; your surgeon will not yell at you. Especially if you keep a food diary and exercise diary; this will aid your surgeon to help you stay on track.

If you are newly post-op take advantage of this time to really learn how to chew your food; trust me you will “Thank” yourself down the road. If you are properly adjusted; you will have to chew your food to liquid form; otherwise you will be experiencing productive burping and sliming. This leads to frustration and could possibly lead you to soft food syndrome which will halt your weight loss efforts.

You have worked so hard to have the surgery and expected to have amazing results. It is possible if you work with your band as opposed to working against it. Don’t think of this as being another diet; think of this as being a “Lifestyle”. If you watch skinny fit people eat you will see they still allow themselves treats; you should be no different.

Remember you had surgery on your stomach not your brain. It will be hard at times and you might make poor choices. Getting back on the band-wagon is easy to do. Go back to the band basics and you will see the results you want and deserve.

Cher Ewing, CC www.bandedtogether.net

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