GLove

Didnt get a chance to try my Unjury....but I will tomorrow and let you know!

On pre-op diet and just made a delicious smoothie. 1 can ready to drink Pure Protein -32 grams protein Blended with Crushed ice, half a banana and 5 organic strawberries YUM! Im suppose to concentrate on protein, veggies and fruit for the next 2 weeks. For breakfast I had a fried egg and 1 piece of turkey bacon Mid day smoothie (above) Lunch will be a delicious Kale salad with other veggies Dinner will be homemade chicken tortilla soup (w/o the tortillas)

OK, I googled Protein Shots with Isopure and found this recipe. Isopure Protein Jell-O Shots (ok for phase I – sugar-free clear liquids) Ingredients: 1 (6-ounce) box of Jell-O, flavor of your choice 2 cups boiling water 2 cups Isopure Instructions: 1. Add box of Jell-O to 2 cups boiling water 2. Add 2 cups Isopure and stir 3. Pour into 1 oz serving cups 4. Chill in refrigerator until set We used cherry, raspberry and strawberry flavored Jell-O. The flavor of Isopure we used was Alpine Punch. You can mix and match flavors as you please! Let us know what you come up with.

Get focused woman! You have 2 weeks to get your body ready for a major surgery! Dont mess with that! Get your liver ready for the doc to fold over... You will have a better recovery for it. Donuts are full of sugar and chemicals and pizza is crap unless it's made with lots of veggies and you only eat 1 piece! Think of the pre-op as an adventure and enjoy it. We are only talking 2 weeks. Im april 2 as well. Enjoying my last manhatten tonight!!! : )

It makes perfect sense. All social activities seem to revolve around food. Happy hour with friends, weddings, holidays, birthdays, etc. You will need to focus on the people and conversation instead of the food. Life isnt all about food. There is so much more. And now you have the tool that will help you look beyond the food. I hope your depression is just temporary...and very understandable. I cant speak from experience becuz I have not yet been banded, but you are young and have soooooo much more ahead of you than to be trapped by food. Follow your docs program, make it special and exciting. Each step of this process is special. Get it goiing girl... Soon you will be dazzling everyone at the next family affair!!!!

Lisanj, why are you depressed? Are you grieving the food you cant eat right now? sorry you went thru with the surgery? What is it?

Thanks Julz. I love everything about health, wellness and exercise. I'm a fanatic about it, yet I find myself 100 lbs overweight. I'm 5' 11", and it's evenly distributed, so that's in my favor. And after years of weight training I have lots of muscle, so I dont look that overweight, but am. I need to get it off. Shoot, in the early 90's I was an aerobic instructor! Those were the days.... Anyway, I so want to do this on my own and HATE admitting that I cant, but I need to let that go. I wont have the struggle of eliminating bad food from my diet cuz I dont eat that way now...Im actually worried that I wont be able to eat as many whole, fresh foods as I want/ need for a healthy body. That last sentence sounds weird being that I'm categorized as morbidly obese! See how freakin confused I am!!!??? Surgery is 2 weeks from tomorrow. I know everything will be fine and I will be happy with my decision.

No, but I think summersue posted it or was in the stream...i will ask her.

Love Zumba!!!

Dont forget to put exercise on "The List". Make a plan to schedule in exercising everyday after surgery! At the beginning it will just be walking -maybe just walking around the house...then outdoors around the block..then a couple of miles....after the appropriate amount of time (per your doctor) get back (or begin) a gym workout, weight training, swimming, whatever you enjoy. My point here is to make exercise a new lifelong habit along with all the other new habits we will be creating. Someone wrote that the first few nights post surgery she couldnt sleep so she'd get up and walk around the house to get her exercise and prevent the blood clots. Great idea!

Are you two at a point that you can eat almost anything, but just not much of it?

Xavier, what a great post! Thank you.

A workout plan that includes aerobic exercise and weight training would be ideal. Aerobic to burn fat and weight training to bulid strength and tone while you lose. If you can afford it, join a gym. Most places will let you meet with a trainer once for free. Or, go to Target, KMart, Sports Authority and buy some kettlebells. Google "kettlebell workouts" and get started. What an awesome core workout you can do in your own home. OR, go to DrOz website and search for the Insanity Workout clip. It's a 15 min Insanity workout he had on his show and he posted it for everyone. The instructor is there walking you thru it. Wow! I did it one day and it was a killer! Then, I grabbed my kettlebell and went outside and did a KB workout. There are so many things you can do! Just get started! Toning your muscles as you lose is so important! Oh, and try to do a plank everyday and build up your time. Begin trying to hold your plank for 15 seconds and add 5 seconds everyday. Google "plank exercise". Great for the core!! And you can do in your home.

@Larch, loved your post...sounds like you are having a very positive post surgery experience. Let us know how you're doing in a few days!

Although i dont feel the need for "last meals", i do feel the need for that last adult beverage and have been par-taking in that every night. Weird, isnt it? Tonight is my last wine with dinner until.......... : (

I havent felt the urge/ need to have last meals. I feel I'm cheating when I have a piece of whole wheat toast with an egg. ...well, I guess that is cheating for a high protein no starch diet. I only have to go on liquids the day before surgery, WHICH, BY THE WAY, IS NOW JUST 2 WEEKS AND 1 DAY AWAY!!!! YIKES! Like Julz, My hope is that I will be able to eat most things, just not that much....i couldnt bare a life without tacos!!!

Join the Springers group on this site....a place for all April and May surgeries! Im April 2.

I just posted this on the general board. Have any of you asked yourself this question? I could be getting cold feet as my April 2 date gets closer, maybe I'm looking for an excuse but now that I'm on the preop diet and making a serious attempt to lose weight, I'm losing weight. Im following all the rules, getting myself ready, i.e.: drinking tons of water, stepped up my exercising, dropped all carbs, no alcohol, concentrating on protein. So, the question I'm asking myself that Im sure you all asked yourselves: If I'm losing weight now can I do this without the band IF I continue following these rules which are the same rules I'd have to follow with the band? Those that asked yourself that question, went through with the surgery and can now look back....what are your thoughts on this?...thank you so much for your insight. ELCEE, B52 and Corrigan Im counting on you to reply!!!! : )

http://wlsfa.org/2012mg-2/ Check this out! WLS Conference in Las Vegas in May...seems so timely for us April Bandsters. Great agenda.

Everyone has their own way about how and who and why. Other than my husband I'm telling my 2 adult children and best friend. If, after surgery, my weight loss is a topic of conversation I will tell. I'm not broadcasting it but I also wont lie about it.

Yes, I've had doubts this past week but the replies to my posts were just what I needed to read PLUS having a very supportive husband who is keeping me on track. He was very much against this at first but now he believes it's the best thing for my health...and we all know that.... This has been THE hardest decision I've ever made.

It took me 12 months from beginning to end, but I stalled for 2 months of that. MomaB50, the support groups are great! i've been attending for 12 months. I look forward to them. Learn a lot from those that are already there. Glenda

I received the instruction email today from my surgeon and time of surgery. 6pm! April 2. Wow! 6pm! surgeon will be exhausted by then! I will be staying overnight for sure, I assume. He wants me on a high protein ZERO starch for the next 3 wks with lots of fruits and veggies. He's just asking for no weight gain between now and then. Fortunately, I have lost some. One week before surgery drop red meat, lettuce and leafy veggies. One day before surgery go on a full liquid diet. I can do this....getting excited ladies. Getting that email makes it seem really real......

Lluna, how convenient! Im certainly going....