Making progress BEFORE the band!

I've had two appointments with the dietitian so far.  I really like her.  She's not actually in the same city as me - she's in Vancouver - so I have my appointments by Skype.  I've actually never Skyped before these appointments, and I don't mind it at all.

Anyway, there's been a lot of talk with the dietitian, with the nurse, and with my psychiatrist about changing habits and ways of doing things.  The dietitian has been careful to remind me that the band is a tool, not something that will automatically limit my intake, and that how well I do is really up to how well I learn to use this tool.  My dietitian believes that nothing is necessarily off-limits after the surgery (except for foods I don't tolerate, and foods during the healing phases).  Once I'm clear to eat a full diet, the choices are mine.

I've had a few moments over the last couple days where I realize my thoughts and behaviours about food are beginning to change - already!  My boyfriend's kids are at their mom's house for a few days, so we have been puttering about this weekend.  We were filling their Christmas stockings up, and I had 2 chocolate kisses.

2.  That's all.

In the past, I would have had at least a dozen, probably more.  But I had 2, and I didn't really need the second one, in hindsight.

I also baked cookies tonight, and I had one small one.  Not a half dozen plus a huge glump of cookie dough. No cookie dough, and just one small cookie.

I'm very proud of myself, and I feel like I'm really getting what life will be like with the Lap-Band.  I can have one chocolate kiss.  Not one chocolate kiss every hour, but one after dinner, once or twice a week.  I can have a small cookie.  I can have a few fries.  What I can't have are the massive portions I've been used to eating, and I am very okay with that!

Time to participate!

Wow.  I do a lot of blog lurking (is that called blurking?) but I haven't written in a long time.

So, after a too-fatty liver and some other health problems that delayed surgery, I am finally moving forward: I'm getting my Lap-Band on January 14, 2014, and I can honestly say I am crazy excited!  I start my pre-op diet on January 1.  What a way to start the new year!

So I've spent the last couple months doing research, having my dietitian appointments (I <3 my dietitian!), doing some meal planning, paying for the procedure (gulp!), and trying to lose a few pounds before January.

We are going away at Christmas.  The manfriend and kids and I are going to Disneyland, Legoland, and then a few days up in San Francisco. I'm going to try hard not to binge eat my final couple weeks of "freedom." We don't come home until the 5th of January, so I'm going to be taking a case of Boost Diabetic with me on the trip - lucky me!

In less than a month, I'll be banded and on my way!  Any advice for a soon-to-be new bandster?