Welcome to After the Band Blog

Living Large after Weight Loss Surgery

Crunch the Numbers

Mar 23, 2016

Im always looking for ways to add a little crunch into my daily diet. I'm in love with the new Chobani Simply 100 Crunch line! Have you tried any of the flavors yet? Their new campaign “crunch the numbers” encourages people to dedicate themselves to living life a...

Slow and steady Lap Band transformation

Mar 1, 2016

How to Prepare for Weight Loss Surgery

Jan 6, 2016

Recently I received an email asking if I had any advice on how this person should be thinking, or any concerns she should have before her upcoming surgery date. After pondering the question and taking my mind back to what I was thinking and feeling in September...

Can I Feel My Lap-Band Port?

Jan 6, 2016

Some of you may be reading this and saying, ‘”what is a PORT?” A gastric band, commonly known as the Lap-Band®, is a silicon band that is placed around the upper portion of the stomach. On  the inside of the band is a balloon. Attached to the balloon is a tube that...

Have Question’s About the Lap-Band?

Dec 8, 2015

Do you have a question you would like answered about the before, during or after portion of Lap-Band surgery? Leave a comment or send me an email at karen @ karen gillman . com I'll be glad to share my experience with you!

Can I feel my Lap-Band?

Dec 4, 2015

The answer is; no, I can’t. It’s impossible for me to feel my Lap-Band because there is no “feeling” on the outside of the stomach or in organs surrounding the place where the band is. Mentally I know it is there. And when I eat, I feel restriction and am immediately...

FREE Lap-Band and Balloon Webinar

Nov 13, 2015

Check out these upcoming FREE webinars on Lap-Band and Balloon! Someone you know (me) will be on the webinar answering your questions about the Lap-Band and how it has helped me maintain a weight loss of 145 lbs. ------------------------------------------ Are you...

Check out my newest find!

Oct 23, 2015

Love my newest find! Super Papaya Enzyme Plus Rollpack I was just about to check out of my local Whole Foods market and I asked one of their employees what was the closest thing they had to a Tums? The led me to this product and for a whopping .99 per roll I decided...

Check out these potatoes!

Oct 22, 2015

My sister Shirley harvests a plentiful garden every year on the west coast of Oregon. This year her and her husband Mike grew 12 variances of potatoes! Who knew there even were 12 variances of potatoes? Certainly not me. Check out these beauties! It’s a surprise...

Enter to win!

Oct 14, 2015

TIP: You've got to enter to win! Some people say i am the luckiest person they know. I'll take that! But thee truth is...I play to win. When I see a contest or drawing I am interest in...I play! And I pray for intention to win! This month I entered a social media...

Sometimes it is easy turn to food to beat bordom

Oct 14, 2015

Breaking bad habits can be hard. If we are used to reaching for food to soothe our every whim we need a good plan of attack if we plan to be successful at changing our ways. Plan for what you are going to reach for. or do the next time you have the urge to binge or...

Manatee Craft for Kids

Oct 9, 2015

My son's school classroom calls themselves the MIGHTY MANATEE'S. Being the crafty family that we are we decided to make good use of all the plastic baby food tubes we had been saving. Take a peek and see what we crafted for his classroom Halloween treats! Mighty...

Protein After Weight Loss Surgery

Sep 28, 2015

Did you know: ***The average human body is 18% protein. Protein is vital! It contributes to appetite control, supports lean muscle and fuels our bodies with energy. It's found in nearly every body part, including muscles, organs, bones, skin, hair and nails. The...

Nancy Meiser Starting Anew After Shedding 132 lbs w Sleeve Surgery

Sep 16, 2015

After reading Nancy Meiser's story about starting life over after shedding 132 lbs after undergoing laparoscopic gastric sleeve surgery, I decided to reach out to her and send her a copy of my book. Here is the sweet note that I received back from her today. It...

Feeling Grateful

Sep 4, 2015

On the heels of our return from California I am feeling particularily grateful. I'm looking forward to sharing the details of my recent trip to California and all that was accomplished. In the meantime, I felt a sense of urgency to express GRATITUDE. In the midst of...

Book Review of It’s Never Too Late – A Ten Year Journey With Weight Loss Surgery

Aug 4, 2015

If you simply judge the book by its cover, you might think that Karen Gillman’s “It’s Never Too Late - A Ten-Year Journey with Weight Loss Surgery” is a book giving advice, suggestions and information for those only interested in losing weight. However this book is so...

Media Statement Regarding Weight Loss Surgery in Mexico

Aug 4, 2015

Contact: Julie Heidelberg 813-784-6288 Julie@HeidelbergPR.com Plant City Bariatric Surgery Patient Stands by Weight Loss Surgery Choice Statement from Karen Gillman, author of “It’s Never Too Late” TAMPA, Fla. (August 4, 2015) – A recent ABC Action News story...

Snuggling burns calories

Jul 28, 2015

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My Favorite Peanut Butter Shake – (without peanut butter or ice cream)

Jul 1, 2015

½ cup almond or soy milk (I like the reduced sugar vanilla) 2 TBS Peanut Powder 2 Scoops GNC Brand Lean Vanilla Protein Powder ½ cup crushed ice 1 cup cold water 1 Stevia, Splenda or Equal Add all ingredients into a large tumbler drinking glass. Blend with hand mixer....

OAC Member Spotlight :: Karen Gillman

May 16, 2015

OBESITY ACTION COALITION MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Karen Gillman Plant City, FL We are happy to introduce to you one of our passionate OAC members who has made it her personal mission to spread awareness about obesity, weight bias, support of bariatric surgery and advocating...

Please send your before and after pictures to karen@karengillman.com to be featured on my blog!

KAREN GILLMAN.COM DISCLAIMER: All information provided (including verbal information, graphic, and images) is for informational purposes only. It is not to be constructed as medical care or medical advice and is not a replacement for medical care given by physicians or other qualified healthcare providers (s) when experiencing symptoms or health problems, or before starting any new treatment. I am a patient, not a physician, and speak only of my personal experiences and about the information that I have gathered over time.