TStew

LAPAROSCOPIC GASTRIC SLEEVE DIET Joseph E. Chebli MD FACS Introduction The following information provides guidelines for you to follow before and after Gastric Sleeve Surgery and for the rest of your life. Gastric Sleeve Surgery is a weight loss tool. After surgery, you will be required to make lifelong changes in your eating habits and to exercise on a regular basis in order to achieve and maintain your weight loss goals. Gastric Sleeve Surgery reduces the size of the stomach which restricts the volume of food that you can consume at one time. This means that you will feel full after eating a small amount. The surgery also induces hormonal changes which help prevent you from feeling excessively hungry. You should avoid drinking liquids with meals. This is to prevent overfilling of the stomach. Frequent snacking or grazing must also be avoided as this contributes to excess calorie intake and can slow weight loss or cause you to gain weight. Exercise is an important component of weight loss success. Exercise is recommended before and after surgery in order to maximize the amount of weight that you lose and keep off. If you have not been an active exerciser, always consult with your physician for clearance and recommendations before beginning any exercise program. It is important to follow the lifetime Gastric Sleeve diet rules, supplement guidelines, and exercise recommendations in order to achieve and maintain optimum weight loss success. In order to begin preparing for surgery, start implementing the pre-surgery diet goals listed on the next page. Pre-Surgery Diet Practice Tips 1. Choose low-fat foods, and avoid fried foods. 2. Stop using sugar. Use healthy sugar substitutes. (T) 3. Decrease intake of Desserts and candy. 4. Stop drinking sugar-sweetened beverages such as regular soda and sweetened Kool-Aid. 5. Start weaning off of caffeine and carbonated beverages. 6. Start cutting back on fast food and eating out. Begin making healthy meal choices when eating out and at home. 7. Eat 3 meals a day. Do not skip Breakfast. 8. Start decreasing portion sizes. 9. Eat more fruits and vegetables. 10. Practice drinking Water and other fluids between meals, not with meals. 11. Drink 64 ounces water a day. 12. Practice sipping liquids. 13. Avoid alcohol. 14. Begin some form of exercise. 15. Review the following information on the gastric sleeve diet. 16. Practice chewing foods thoroughly, 20 - 40 times or to paste consistency. 17. Purchase your Protein drinks or supplements. 18. Purchase your Vitamin and mineral supplements. 19. Begin planning a schedule for mealtime, fluids and vitamin and mineral supplements. Post Gastric Sleeve Surgery Diet Important Diet Guidelines: 1. Eat 3 meals per day. Avoid snacking and grazing. 2. Eat small amounts. Initial portion size should be no more than 1 - 2 ounces - approximately 2 - 4 Tablespoons - of food per meal for the first month. At first you may not be able to tolerate this amount. Over time, you will slowly tolerate more volume at each meal. Long term, the stomach will eventually hold about 4 - 8 ounces (1/2 - 1 cup) of food per meal. 3. Eat protein foods first. 4. Do not try to eat food and drink liquid together. • Consume liquid 30 to 60 minutes before and/or 30 to 60 minutes after eating meals but not during meals. 5. You are required to take a multi-vitamin with minerals for the rest of your life. 6. Eat slowly! • Each meal should last 30minutes or longer. • Avoid gulping foods and drinks. • All foods must be well-chewed to a paste consistency. • Using a small fork or spoon (i.e. baby utensils) can help control portion sizes. • Have one place to eat (such as at the table) and avoid reading or watching TV while you eat. This helps you to enjoy your food, concentrate on eating slower and to realize when your stomach is full. 7. Drink plenty of calorie-free, non-carbonated, caffeine- free fluids between meals. • Drink slowly-sip fluids, never gulp. • Calorie-containing beverages should be limited to skim milk and Protein Drinks. • Limit juice to no more than 4oz. per day. • Consume zero-calorie beverages throughout the day. Diet Progression After Surgery The diet after gastric sleeve surgery progresses through several stages. Your surgeon will let you know when it is okay to progress to the next stage. Day 1 - 2 after surgery: Clear liquid diet The clear liquid diet means fluids or foods that are liquid at body temperature and can almost be seen through. You will be on a clear liquid diet while you’re in the hospital. Examples of Clear Liquid Diet (No Added Sugar/ Sugar Free): • Clear (diluted) fruit juices without added sugar: apple, grape or white grape or diet cranberry • sugar-free Crystal Light drink mix or popsicles, Sugar-free Kool-Aid. (T - careful, usually sweetened w/Aspartame) • Herbal tea, caffeine-free tea • flat soda • Sugar-free Popsicles • Sugar-free Gelatin • Clear broth • Water �� It is best to dilute juices by 50% with water. �� Avoid citrus juices (orange/grapefruit) and tomato juice for the first three weeks. �� coffee and de-caffeinated coffee contain acids which are irritating to the stomach lining and should be avoided for the first few weeks for healing. Day 3 through Week 2: Full Liquid Diet The next stage is the full liquid diet which consists of sugar-free, low-fat milk products and the Clear Liquids listed above. You will need to supplement with protein (drinks or powder) after surgery. Remember to sip liquids, do not gulp. Examples of Full Liquid Diet (No Added Sugar/Sugar-Free, Low Fat): • Skim Milk or Lactaid milk • Soy Milk (non-fat) • Low fat, thin, strained cream Soup (smooth, no pieces of food) • Sugar-free instant breakfast • Protein drinks – Start daily when you get home from the hospital. (See section on protein and protein drinks) • Plain or “light” (no sugar added) yogurt with no fruit pieces • Sugar-free pudding or custard • Thinned cream of wheat or rice Cereal Week 3 through Week 8: pureed Diet You may now begin a pureed diet. This includes all items listed for clear and full liquids, and the items listed for the pureed (blenderized) diet. • Eat PROTEIN foods first • Make sure foods are well blended. • Start slowly. If you do not tolerate pureed foods go back to the liquid diet and try again in a few days. • Remember to drink liquids between meals, not with meals. • Continue protein drinks or protein supplements every day. Examples for the Pureed Diet (Sugar-Free/No Sugar Added, Low Fat): eggs cheese Pureed or blenderized scrambled eggs or egg substitute or cheese omelet; melted low-fat cheese, low-fat or non-fat cream cheese, ricotta cheese, very smooth/mashed soft cheese such as mozzarella, string cheese, low-fat or non-fat smooth or small curd cottage cheese meat, Fish, Poultry, Baby food meat or pureed meat or poultry moistened with broth or low-fat gravy Blenderized shrimp, scallops or fish Pureed tuna or salmon (canned in water) or pureed egg salad with low-fat or non-fat mayonnaise Potted meats thinned with broth; smooth deviled ham Starches Unsweetened instant oatmeal (strained), cream of wheat or rice cereal, mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes, smooth polenta, hummus, refried beans; low-fat or baked crackers or chips Vegetables Baby food vegetables or pureed cooked vegetables (no corn or peas) Mashed winter squash, tomato juice or sauce, pureed salsa, marinara Soup Strained, low-fat cream soup made with skim milk; fat-free broth Blenderized lentil or split pea soup or chili Fruit Baby food fruits (bananas, pears, applesauce, peaches, mango, etc) Unsweetened applesauce (smooth) Unsweetened canned fruit – blenderized Unsweetened fruit juice (diluted, no sugar added) Remember: IF YOU CAN CHEW IT, DON’T DO IT! Tips to Get Started Everything that you eat on the pureed diet should be sugar-free or no sugar added, low fat and blended to the consistency of baby food or smooth applesauce. • You will need a blender or food processor or you can purchase baby food. • Start with 1 ounce (2 Tablespoon) portions - no more than 4 Tablespoons at the most. Listen to your body and stop eating as soon as you feel full. • Eat protein foods first. Then if you are not too full, try vegetables or fruits. • Continue protein supplements (80 g protein per day from supplement). Helpful Hints for Blenderizing • Cut foods into small pieces before putting into the blender or food processor. • Remove seeds, skins and fat. • Add liquid for ease of blending. Add enough liquid to cover the blades. Options include skim milk, broth, strained low-fat cream soup, low-fat gravy, low-fat or non-fat sour cream or fat-free half & half. • Blend the item to a smooth, applesauce consistency. • Make sure there are no particles, seeds or lumps remaining. If so put through a sieve or strainer. • If you have leftover blenderized foods, try freezing in single serving portions in ice cube trays and put the frozen cubes into plastic freezer bags. Meats – Very lean and dry meats puree better by adding a small amount of fat (margarine, oil, light mayonnaise, gravy, etc.) Fish also tends to be dry. Improve the texture by adding small amount of lemon juice, light mayonnaise or strained low-fat tartar sauce. Starches – Try pureed peas, canned Beans, sweet potatoes. Starches puree better when hot. Rice and potatoes tend to puree into a gummy paste and are not recommended. Substitute cream of rice cereal prepared with a flavorful broth and seasoned with margarine. Pasta or noodles are not recommended as they are not well-tolerated. Vegetables – Cook vegetables until soft. If using canned vegetables, drain first. Add melted margarine and puree. Add a small amount of liquid until it reaches the smooth applesauce consistency. Fruit – If using canned fruit, drain first. Add a few drops of lemon juice to help prevent them from discoloring. Begin to take advantage of your favorite leftovers before surgery. Process these foods, and freeze them in an ice cube tray. (Each cube is approximately 1/2 to 1 ounce). When frozen, pop out into Zip-lock bag; label and date, and freeze cubes until needed. Meal Guidelines for the Pureed Diet (See Sample Pureed Meals listed in the Appendix) Once you begin to eat pureed foods (which are considered solids) you will want to start differentiating between liquids and solids – meals should include pureed foods, and so liquids (including protein drinks) should be taken separately from your meals. • You should eat 3 meals a day with protein drinks between meals. • Protein drinks containing at least 20 grams of protein per serving should be consumed as needed to meet 80 g/day goal. • Start with a portion size of 1 to 2 tablespoons of pureed food for the first month. At first you may not be able to tolerate this amount. Eat your protein source first, and then if you have room a small amount of fruit, vegetables or other foods may be consumed. Hints for Measuring Foods: Liquids or soft/pureed foods are best measured in measuring cups or spoons; they can be measured in ounces, Tablespoons or mls. 1 cup 8 Fluid ounces 240 ml 16 tablespoons 3/4 cup 6 fluid ounces 180 ml 12 tablespoons 1/2 cup 4 fluid ounces 120 ml 8 tablespoons 1/4 cup 2 fluid ounces 60 ml 4 tablespoons 1/8 cup 1 fluid ounce 30 ml 2 tablespoons 1 Tablespoon = 3 teaspoons 1/2 Tablespoon = 1-1/2 teaspoons Week 9-12 After Surgery: Soft solid food Diet If you have been tolerating pureed foods, you may now begin a soft diet. This includes all items listed for clear and full liquids and pureed diets plus items listed for the soft diet. Try 1 to 2 new foods a day. This will help you to learn what foods you tolerate. • Remember your stomach pouch empties more slowly with more solid or dense foods than with liquids, so you will be able to tolerate a smaller quantity of food than you could with liquids. • Go slowly. If you do not tolerate the trial of soft foods, resume pureed foods and try again in a week. • Eat protein foods first • Avoid foods high in sugar and fat. • Space meals 4-5 hours apart • Continue your protein drinks between meals • Drink other fluids constantly between meals Examples of Soft Diet (No Added Sugar/Sugar-Free, Low Fat): • Baked fish (no bones) • Imitation crab meat, baby shrimp • Bananas • Canned peaches or pears in water or juice • Well-cooked vegetables without seeds or skin (no corn or peas) • Scrambled, poached or hard boiled eggs • Tuna or egg salad (no onions, celery, pimientos, etc.) • Finely shaved deli meat • Baked, grilled or rotisserie chicken o Moist foods will be better tolerated. Moisten meats with broth, low fat mayonnaise, or low-fat gravy or sauce. o Fish and seafood Proteins are softer and easier to break down than poultry or red meat proteins. o Reheating foods tends to make them dry out and hard to tolerate. Common Problem Foods (Avoid for 3 months after surgery) • Red meat such as steak, roast beef, pork. Red meat is high in muscle Fiber, which is difficult to separate even with a great deal of chewing. Avoid hamburger for one month after surgery. • Un-toasted bread; rolls, biscuits. (Toasted bread may be better-tolerated.) • Pasta • Rice • Membrane of citrus fruits • Dried fruits, nuts, popcorn, coconut • Salads, fresh fruits (except banana) and fresh uncooked vegetables, potato skins. Month 4 After Surgery: Regular Diet • Problem foods as listed above can now be tried. • Rice, pasta and doughy bread may not be tolerated for 6 months or more. • Try fresh fruits without the skin first. If tolerated, the skin can be tried the next time. Salads are generally well-tolerated if chewed well. • Go slowly. Try a small amount to see how you feel. • Avoid high sugar and high fat foods to avoid a high calorie intake. Foods to Avoid: Hard/crunchy foods may always be poorly tolerated. Nuts and seeds are difficult to break down. Fried foods/greasy foods are hard to digest and are very high in calories. • Corn chips, potato chips, tortilla chips, hard taco shells • Nuts and seeds • Fried foods and greasy foods Points to Remember: • Solid foods will fill your stomach pouch more than liquids so you will be eating smaller quantities of foods versus liquids. • If you don’t tolerate a food the first time, wait a week and try again. • You may find that you tolerate a certain food one day and not the next. It is normal for this to happen. • If you don’t tolerate certain foods or notice nausea, vomiting or diarrhea during or after eating, ask yourself the following questions: o Did I chew to a paste consistency? o Did I eat too fast? o Did I eat too much volume? o Did I drink fluid with my real meal or too close to my meal? o Did I eat something high in sugar or fat? o Was the food moist or was it too dry? Steps for adding solid foods: • Try only 1 small bite of the new food and chew well. Wait awhile and if there are no problems, take another bite. • If at any time you feel too full, nauseated or vomit, stop eating and rest. Take only clear liquids at the next meal and add blended foods and liquids at the following meal. Try one solid food again the next day. PROTEIN Protein is the most important nutrient to concentrate on when resuming your diet. Because the volume of your meals will be limited, you should aim for a minimum of 80 grams of protein per day – this needs to come from your protein supplement. Why is protein important? • Wound healing • Sparing loss of muscle • Minimizing hair loss • Preventing protein malnutrition Remember to eat protein foods first at each meal, followed by vegetables and fruit. These are some good sources of protein: Protein Sources Serving size Protein (g) Skim or 1% milk 1 cup 8 Evaporated skim milk (canned) 1 cup 19 Soy milk beverage 1 cup (8 ounces) 7 Non fat dry milk powder 1/3 cup powder 8 Nonfat, sugar free yogurt 1 cup (8 ounces) 8 Nonfat or low fat cottage cheese ½ cup (4 ounces) 14 Nonfat or low fat cheese slices String cheese *1 ounce/ 1 slice 6 LEAN meats – skinless chicken or turkey breast, fish, beef, ham, Deli meats *1 ounce 7 Egg or Egg substitute 1 egg or ¼ cup subst. 7 Peanut Butter (creamy) 1 Tablespoon 5 Tofu ¼ cup 5 Legumes; dried beans peas or lentils Chili, bean soup ½ cup cooked ½ cup 7-9 6-7 Soy/vegetable patty (like Gardenburger) 1 patty 8 - 10 Hummus ½ cup 6 Measuring Hints: *1 ounce of meat is equal to about 3 – 4 Tablespoons of chopped or ground meat. 1 ounce of grated or cottage cheese, tuna or egg salad is ~ 1/4th cup (4 Tablespoons). A 3-ounce portion size of chicken or meat is about the size of a deck of cards. High Protein Ideas Chicken or Turkey Pureed – Use baby food or make your own. Try mixing it into strained low-fat cream soup. Breast – baked or grilled Thin-sliced/shaved deli slices Ground – meatballs, meatloaf Canned – works great for chicken salad

Pre WLS but I thought I would share this with all of you because it's known to help skin elasticity and it releases toxins and I'm sure that losing weight dumps a TON of toxins into your body. Fat cells are where most toxins are stored. I don't know if it will be safe right after surgery but I'm sure that it would be extremely beneficial after healing. Did a quick Google search just to see how much is out there on this topic and this was listed the first page: Benefits of Dry Skin Brushing: 1. Removes cellulite 2. Cleanses the lymphatic system 3. Removes dead skin layers 4. Strengthens the immune system 5. Stimulates the hormone and oil-producing glands 6. Tightens the skin preventing premature aging 7. Tones the muscles 8. Stimulates circulation 9. Improves the function of the nervous system 10. Helps digestion 11. AND it’s easy, inexpensive and invigorating! Dry Skin Brushing The skin plays a vital role in ridding the body of toxins and impurities. Dry skin brushing is one of the best techniques to open up the pores of the skin, and to stimulate and detoxify the lymphatic system.The skin is the largest organ in the body, and is responsible for one-fourth of the body's detoxification each day. It also makes it one of the most important elimination organs! For this reason the skin is also known as the "3rd" kidney, with the lungs being known as the 2nd kidney.Our circulatory system has its own pump (our heart) to move blood through our bodies but our lymphatic system does not. It primarily relies on our movement to assist it. Typically, the more active we are physically the better condition our lymphatics will be.Skin brushing helps move lymph Fluid and gives us a jump-start on health. When the pores are not clogged with dead cells and the lymphatic system is cleansed, the body is able to carry out its important function of eliminating toxins and waste material. Under normal circumstances the skin eliminates more than one pound of waste products every day. If the skin becomes inactive with its pores clogged with millions of dead cells and other debris, toxins will remain in the body. This puts undue stress on the other eliminative organs, mainly the kidneys and liver, making them increase their activity. Eventually they become overworked.Skin brushing helps exfoliate and invigorate our skin too. It increases our blood supply to the area bringing with it nourishment and oxygen. Dry skin brushing will not only help increase circulation and elimination of toxins, but will also make a huge difference to the quality of your skin and it will look and feel healthier.Dry skin brushing improves the surface circulation of the skin and keep the pores of the skin open, encouraging your body to discharge metabolic wastes. Dry skin-brushing - dry meaning not in the bath - will change the health of your whole body by helping it get rid of toxins. Benefits of dry skin brushingstimulates the lymphatic systemcleans toxins from the lymphatic systemhelps digestionstimulates circulationincreases cell renewalstrengthens the immune systemtightens the skinremoves dead skin layers and other debris collected in its pores Use the right kind of brush The brush used should be a long-handled, bath-type brush. It is essential that it contain natural bristles and not synthetic ones. Synthetic bristles will scratch the surface of the skin and are harsh and irritating. The brush should be kept dry and not used for bathing.For hygienic reasons it is wise to have a separate brush for each member of the family.Thoroughly wash the brush with soap and Water every couple of weeks. Always allow the brush to dry out when not in use. How to do skin brushing The body should be dry, and the brush should pass once over every part of the body except the face.The best time to do skin brushing is before showering or bathing at least once a day, and twice, if possible.Do not wet the skin since it will not have the same effect because this stretches the skin. The skin should not become red. If it does, you are probably brushing too hard.There should be no back and forth motion, circular motion, scrubbing, or massaging - one clean sweep does it. Use long gentle, but firm, stokes.The direction of the brushing should generally be towards the lower abdomen. To brush the skin, use long gentle, but firm, strokes Start at the feet and legs brushing upwards to your groin.Then do your hands and go up your arms to the armpits.Then brush upwards on your buttocks.Brush down the neck, chest and trunk.Brush your lower abdomen towards the center.It is permissible to brush across the top of the shoulders and upper back as the best contact with the skin is made that way.Don't brush your face.Brush the breasts very lightly avoiding the nipples. Additional information If you haven’t done skin brushing before it is wise to start with only one pass over the skin’s surface. Over time you can gradually increase the number of strokes done during each skin brushing session. The reason is that too much stimulation can be too hard on the body. And always use long gentle, but firm, strokes. Remember that your skin should not turn red, which means the pressure on your strokes is too heavy. The idea is to stimulate and not to irritate the skin.Many people may find large amounts of lymph mucoid in their stools a day or two after beginning skin brushing. This is the emptying out of the backlog of mucoid from the lymphatic system and is the effect of detoxifying the lymph system.

I'm a little confused with what I've read about consuming liquids and I'm wondering if I'm getting my information a bit confused because I was originally interested in the band.... I bought a very expensive juicer and I'm trying to get back into it. I juice veggies only, very little fruit. It's difficult for me to cook/eat veggies and this is just a great way to feel full and get a lot of phenomenal nutrition. I remember reading that liquid meals were a no-no because they pass through too quick and you don't feel full for very long. However, I keep reading about people drinking the Protein shakes so is this different with the sleeve? I know you're not supposed to do liquids/solids at the same meal but what about liquid meals? I know I'll be on a liquid diet for a while after surgery - is juicing an option or do I need all protein all the time? I'm wondering how I can incorporate the juicing into the post WLS diet. Your input is appreciated!!!!!

Hash browns Substitute: Squash for potatoes Summer squash (the football-shaped yellow kind) tastes similar to potatoes when cooked—but has just a fraction of the carbs. Grate the squash, mix in an egg as binder, make patties, and fry them in olive oil, says Mary Dan Eades, M.D., co-author of The Low-Carb Comfort food Cookbook. Carbs eliminated: About 15 grams (g) per hash-brown patty The taste: "Not as firm and crispy as regular hash browns, but the potato flavor is there." Mashed potatoes Substitute: Cauliflower for potatoes One of Dr. Agatston's favorites: Steam some fresh or frozen cauliflower in the microwave. Then spray the cauliflower with butter substitute, add a little nonfat half-and-half substitute, and puree in a food processor or blender. "Salt and pepper to taste and you've got something that quite honestly can compete with the real thing any day," says Dr. Agatston. To make it even better, try adding roasted garlic, cheese, or sour cream to the mixture. Carbs eliminated: 30 g per cup The taste: "After a couple of bites, you forget it's not potatoes." Lasagna Substitute: Zucchini slices for noodles Slice four to five medium-size zukes lengthwise into 3/4-inch-thick strips, instructs Lise Battaglia, a New Jersey chef whose past clients include Jon Bon Jovi. Sprinkle Italian seasoning on the strips, place them in a single layer on a nonstick cookie sheet, and bake at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes. You want them firm, not crisp. "Then simply make the lasagna as you normally would, replacing lasagna noodles with the baked zucchini," she says. Carbs eliminated: 36 g per serving The taste: "Delicious. The zucchini provides texture that you don't get from noodles alone." Spaghetti Substitute: Spaghetti squash for spaghetti A cooked spaghetti squash is like Mother Nature's automatic spaghetti maker — the flesh becomes noodle-like strands. "All you have to do is cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Then place each half — cut side down — on a plate with a quarter cup of Water," says Elizabeth Perreault, a chef at Colorado's Culinary School of the Rockies. Nuke the squash for 10 minutes or until it's soft to the touch. Let it cool, then scrape out the "spaghetti" strands and top with Pasta sauce and cheese. Carbs eliminated: 30 g per cup The taste: "Great. Spaghetti squash has exactly the same consistency as real pasta." pancakes Substitute: oatmeal and cottage cheese for pancake mix Here's a can't-fail recipe from The South Beach Diet. Mix together half a cup of old-fashioned oatmeal, a quarter cup of low-fat cottage cheese, two eggs, and a dash each of vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Process in a blender until smooth. Cook the mixture like a regular pancake. Carbs eliminated: 45 g per pancake The taste: "With syrup, you could never tell the difference." Scalloped potatoes Substitute: Tempeh for potatoes You may think you don't like soy-based foods, but that could be because you don't cook them right, says Beckette Williams, R.D., a San Diego-based personal chef. "Tempeh can be really bland, but if you jazz it up with herbs and spices, it's a great substitute for potatoes." Her recommendation: Saute a couple of cups of thinly diced tempeh with garlic and onions. Then pour a cheese sauce (sharper is better) over the tempeh cubes and bake for half an hour. Carbs eliminated: 11 g per cup The taste: "Just like a slightly nutty baked potato." macaroni and Cheese Substitute: Diced vegetables for macaroni Even instant mac and cheese can go lower-carb; use only half the pasta in the box and bulk it up with a couple of cups of frozen mixed vegetables, says Sandra Woodruff, R.D., co-author of The Good Carb Cookbook. Carbs eliminated: 13 g per cup The taste: "I hate broccoli, but I wouldn't mind eating this." Pasta salad Substitute: Mixed vegetables or black Beans for half the pasta Same idea as the mac and cheese, but try black beans, diced tomatoes, and chunks of ham, tuna, chicken, or hard-boiled eggs, suggests Richard Ruben, an instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. "These kinds of salads are a blank slate, so you can top them with anything from a creamy blue-cheese dressing to vinaigrette, or even lime juice and slices of avocado," Ruben says. Carbs eliminated: 10 g per cup The taste: "Awesome. I don't miss the extra pasta at all." Cheese-flavored chips Substitute: Low-fat string cheese for chips Just crazy enough to work: Cut sticks of string cheese into quarter-inch-thick slices and scatter the rounds on a cookie sheet coated with nonstick spray, leaving them an inch or two apart. Bake at 375 degrees F for 4 to 5 minutes or until the cheese melts and turns golden brown. Let them cool, then peel the chips off the tray. Carbs eliminated: Up to 90 g per serving The taste: "Like the cheese you pull off the top of a pizza." Pizza Substitute: Portobello mushrooms for pizza crust Cut the gills out of the inside of the mushroom, says Ruben, "then place the mushroom on an oiled cookie sheet and bake for 5 to 10 minutes so it dries out slightly." Add tomato sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni or other toppings and broil until the cheese begins to melt. Carbs eliminated: About 20 g per slice The taste: "Like pizza, but moister. Give me a fork!" Beef-a-Roni Substitute: Eggplant for pasta Mixing diced eggplant with ground beef is healthier and more highbrow than this old skillet special — call it moussaka American style. You have to soften the eggplant first, says Williams. Cut it in half, brush it with olive oil, and then broil for 10 to 20 minutes. "Let it cool, dice it up, and mix with hamburger, tomato sauce, and spices," she says. Carbs eliminated: 26 g per cup The taste: "Exactly like Hamburger Helper, in a good way." Sandwiches Substitute: Napa or Chinese cabbage for bread Slap your turkey and Swiss onto a leaf of cabbage and roll it up. "I've made some great-tasting BLTs using cabbage instead of bread," Battaglia says. Dip the roll in low-fat mayonnaise or mustard. Carbs eliminated: 29 g per sandwich The taste: "Better than eating plain cold cuts."

My (late) niece gave me and her mom an awesome low carb recipe a few years back and I've been searching the internet for it and cannot find it. I'm sure I could still make it by memory but I would have to guess at the measurements and I have no idea if spices were used. It went sort of like this: Mix cream cheese with milk and shredded parmesan to a medium consistency. Add cooked (barely) chicken breast chunks and broccoli to a baking dish and pour mixture over it. Cover with shredded parmesan and bake until browned and bubbly. This stuff was absolutely DELICIOUS! Does anyone have this recipe by any chance? I may have forgotten some ingredients here....? I'm just trying to get some recipes in anticipation of mushes and then REAL FOOD! Can't wait!

I just found this in my files and don't remember where I got it so I can't give credit - probably Dr. Ben Kim's website. Anyway, for those of you learning to cook and experiment - this might be mighty handy! Enjoy! Which Spices/Herbs to Use How many of us have spice racks with jars of spices we bought years ago and never used – whose sole purpose is to collect the dust in your kitchen? ☺ Now is the time to dust them off (or replace them) and start adding flavor to your dishes-The correct spice or herb (whether it is fresh or dried) for any food is the one that tastes right for you-When you're at a loss about what to add to a dish, try something from the list below WHICH SPICE GOES WITH WHAT FOOD? Beans - cumin, cayenne, chili, oregano, parsley, pepper, sage, savory, thyme Breads - anise, basil, caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, garlic, lemon peel, orange peel, oregano, poppy seeds, rosemary, saffron, sage, thyme Fruits - allspice, anise, cardamom, Chinese 5-spice, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, mint Potatoes - basil, caraway, celery seed, chervil, chives, coriander, dill, marjoram, oregano, paprika, parsley, poppy seed, rosemary, tarragon, thyme Salads and salad Dressings - basil, caraway, celery seed, chives, dill, fennel, garlic, horseradish, lemon peel, lovage, marjoram, mint, mustard, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sumac, tarragon, thyme Soups - basil, bay, chervil, chili, chives, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, marjoram, parsley, pepper, rosemary, sage, savory, star anise, thyme Sweets - allspice, angelica, anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, ginger, lemon peel, mace, nutmeg, mint, orange peel, rosemary, star anise Tomatoes - basil, bay, celery seed, cinnamon, chili, curry, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, savory, tarragon, thyme Vegetables - chili, chives, curry, dill, marjoram, parsley, savory, thyme WHICH SPICE/HERB GOES WITH WHAT FOOD? Allspice: An ingredient in many baked goods as well as "Jerk" sauces Anise Seed: Mild licorice flavor, used in Cookies, or candies Arrowroot Powder: Use as a thickener in puddings, pies, soups, sauces, and gravies Basil: used in Italian and Mediterranean cooking, especially good with tomatoes Bay Leaves: Perfect use in stews, sauces, soups, and marinades Caraway Seeds: Great in baked goods and with fruits Cardamom, ground: A wonderful addition to Indian dishes Cardamom, whole: Dry roast the whole cardamom seeds for more flavor in your recipe Cayenne Pepper: Wonderful heat for any Mexican dish Chervil Leaf: Similar to parsley, a mild flavor for any meat, soup or vegetable dish Cilantro: Used in Mexican cooking & salsas; may also be used in Indian dishes- Cloves, ground: Popular in Desserts, syrups, and sweet vegetable dishes- Coriander seed, ground: Citrusy, sweet & tart flavor to be used at the end when cooking Cream of Tartar: Adds consistency and stability to any cookie or cake- Cumin Seed, ground: Wonderful with tomato dishes, chili, salsa & Indian dishes Dill Weed: Great in dressings and sauces and on potatoes Ginger, crystallized: Sliced ginger partially dried in a sugar syrup solution - For sweets Ginger, ground: A sharp, aromatic spice is used in many sweet baked goods and curries Lemongrass: A grass with citric oils, very popular in Thai cooking- Marjoram: Like oregano & from the mint family, it has a sweeter and subtler taste Nutmeg, ground: A sweet, nutty spice is used in custards, pastries, and vegetables Oregano, Greek: A must for Italian cooking, Greek oregano has a mild, delicate flavor Oregano, Mexican: Slightly stronger than Greek and less sweet, used in Spanish cooking Paprika, hot: Mixed with cayenne, these red peppers make the Hungarians famous Paprika, sweet: This sweet, milder Paprika will add radiant color to any dish Parsley: This versatile herb can be used as a garnish or with anything other than sweets Poppy Seeds: Used in baked goods, breads & to flavor noodles Rosemary, ground: Use ground in sauces or stocks to avoid the "needle" look Saffron, whole threads: Use for saffron rice and Indian dishes Sage: Well known for use in stuffings Salt, Kosher: Coarser than regular granulated, easier to control in cooking Savory: Strong, peppery taste, good with veggies & stuffing Sesame Seeds: Used mostly for baking breads & rolls, nice for stir-frys Spearmint: A popular tea flavoring, used in sauces and veggie dishes Tarragon: Aromatic herb used to flavor vinegar, dressings, breads- Great with potatoes! Thyme, ground: Great for Greek & Italian cooking, use ground for sauces & soups Thyme, whole leaf: Versatile in flavoring veggies, pizza, stews & herb blends Turmeric: Used as a natural yellow coloring for soups, sauces, rice, curry, & tofu scramble TIPS FOR USING SPICES/HERBS STORING • Store spices in a cool, dark place- Humidity, light and heat will cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor more quickly- Although the most convenient place for your spice rack may be above your stove, moving your spices to a different location may keep them fresh longer • As a general rule, herbs and ground spices will retain their best flavors for a year Whole spices may last for 3 to 5 years-Proper storage should result in longer freshness times • Because the refrigerator is a rather humid environment, storing herbs and spices there is not recommended-To keep larger quantities of spices fresh, store them in the freezer in tightly sealed containers USING • For long-cooking dishes, add herbs and spices an hour or less before serving..Cooking spices for too long may result in overly strong flavors • Use restraint! In general, ¼ teaspoon of spice is enough for 4 servings • Do not use dried herbs in the same quantity as fresh- In most cases, use ¼ the amount in dried as is called for fresh- • Seasoning food is an art, not a science-Experimenting with herbs and spices can be fun and educational, and while you may occasionally be eating a less than perfect dish, you may also end up creating that recipe that will become a classic in your household

Hey Jackie! I'm in San Diego, too! I'm about 5 months out and don't sign on here much anymore but if you'd like to send me your email I'd love to chat! Tami

Brenda, it does get better. I'm just over three months out and I've felt completely normal for over a month now. I mean, I can eat anything, I don't get sick, I have no pain whatsoever and no problems. I forget I had it sometimes!!!

Have you heard of calorie cycling? Google it. It takes some discipline but it may break your stall and give you the opportunity to eat more on some days (and less on others). I'm three months out and I've been experimenting and can pretty much eat ANYTHING. Not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing because while I do have more self control now, I think I'd rather have that safety net of feeling terrible when I eat something terrible! However, when it comes to amounts - some foods feel me up REALLY fast (cottage cheese, any meat) and some foods go down way too easy (I guess these are what people refer to as sliders and I shouldn't be eating them anyway). Experiment with new foods and since chicken fills you up - try experimenting with chicken (prepared different ways).

I posted in 'my story' but realize that pre-ops looking for information would more likely look here. My goal is probably overstated (to weigh what I weighed in high school) and I’m now over halfway there so I’m writing to share with those who may be interested in what I’m experiencing after the first half of my journey. I’ve lost about 70 lbs in three months. Approximately 25 lbs a month is amazing! Especially considering I rarely get to the gym and I’m not at all obsessive about what I eat. I just passed my three month surgiversary and I’ve yet to begin full on exercise. I work out about once a week but I am more active on a regular basis than before. However, I NEED to start working out with weights because my skin looks and feels so gross! I feel like a bit of a failure in the sense that I’m not making much of an effort to really take advantage of this wonderful tool and help my body adjust the best it can. I’m hoping that by acknowledging this fact in a public forum will get me off my ass and in to the gym! Please kick my ass with your comments because I need it! J Let’s start with the fact that nobody knows I had this surgery. Well, my doctors and therapist know and it’s not that I really care who knows but my family was not at all supportive so I decided to keep it from them because I don’t want to deal with their negativity. And I don’t think it’s any business of my coworkers and I don’t really have any close friends these days. Sad but true. Now food. Since I’ve started eating out and have very little problems with any foods, I stopped my food log because it was rather difficult and time consuming when I had no idea of the calorie and nutrition level of what I was eating. The good thing is that I eat such small amounts and I try my best to keep it healthy (Protein first) that I don’t think it matters. At least it doesn’t matter all that much because I’m still losing. I’ve only had the slime once and that was about a week ago when I inhaled two eggs instead of the usual one. It was gross. I kept burping and burping and then began coughing a bit and threw up this big glob of phlegm like substance. Well, I didn’t see it but it felt like phlegm. Sorry, I know it’s gross…. I can pretty much tolerate anything but I notice some discomfort with nuts. I eat bread and even have an occasional sweet but it’s all in moderation. My diet really consists of a Protein shake in the morning with lots of Vitamins or some steel cut oatmeal from Jamba juice if I don’t have time to blend my shake in the morning. For lunch I will have 1 to 2 scoops of tuna or chicken salad from Panera (they will sell it as a side item for $1.79 per scoop) or leftovers. For dinner I’m all over the place…. If I eat out I will have steak, chicken, or fish and if I’m home it’s usually some cottage cheese or a scrambled egg with cheese and I’ll usually have a piece of sugar free chocolate for dessert. Sometimes I feel like I can eat a lot and other times I can barely get in a few bites. I guess it all depends on what I'm eating and how my stomach feels. I've been trying to wean myself off of the Nexium in the past two weeks and it's not easy. I often get that feeling that something is rising up in my chest but it seems to pass relatively quickly. I'm going to buy some prilosec or something for bad days but I really don't want to be taking any meds every single day. General well being. I feel great! Sometimes I get low on energy but my pain level is decreased (I have fibromyalgia) and I’m much less depressed. I suspect that my Vitamin D level may have a lot to do with the decreased depression. I’ve been struggling to raise my levels for years (was taking 1000 IU once a day and 50,000 IU once a week and only got it from 12 to about 24. I began taking a spray from Dr. Mercola a few months back and now it is at 42. Now I’m beginning to get a little sun here and there so I’m hoping I will manage to get it to 60 or 70. I have not begun taking vitamins in pill form as I'm afraid they will hurt my stomach. What do you think? Am I far enough along yet? I open some vitamins up and add to my morning smoothies but I'm not taking enough. I have others in sprays (D and B12) and I LOVE those! Social life. I’m much more outgoing and feeling like my old self. It’s almost a little sad how much nicer people are to me now. They open doors and hold elevators and smile at me all the time…. I’m sure part of that is the positive energy that I’m radiating but I’m sure a lot has to do with the fact that we live in such a shallow and superficial world and all of a sudden I’m more worthy now that I’m better looking. Sad but true. I met a guy in March and we’ve been dating and having fun. This is the first guy I’ve been involved with since last July. Unfortunately, I think he’s grossed out by the loose skin and the sagging boobies. Sex is not a big part of our relationship and I guess I don’t blame him for being turned off. I am seriously looking in to breast surgery because I’ve never been happy with them and now they are deflated and gross. They don’t look bad in a good bra but when the bra comes off they’re not attractive at all. He doesn’t mean to make me feel bad and he pretends there is no problem but I’m very sensitive and intuitive and I can feel it and it really does make me feel bad. He changed a lot after seeing me naked for the first time! I know he still likes me a lot but I think he is struggling a bit with being turned off by my body. I’ve tried to speak to him openly but he denies any issues – I even told him that I don’t blame him for being turned off and that sex doesn’t have to be a part of our relationship and we can just be friends and have fun together but he claims that nothing is wrong. It doesn’t seem like being in a relationship can be a positive thing for me while I’m going through this transition but we have a lot of fun and do a lot of things and that is very good for me because I’ve been very isolated for so long. Another thing that bothers me is that this guy is tall, dark, and very handsome if you don’t know what a huge dork he is and he’s a huge flirt and gets tons of attention from women and that makes me feel very self conscious and unworthy. I plan to start dating more so that I can be around people who make me feel good instead of making me feel like crap all the time. My body. It’s gross. My breasts are deflated and sagging, my arms are much worse than I anticipated and so are my thighs. I can’t stand the way my body FEELS. It’s almost like a layer of rubber or something and it’s just gross! I hope to God most of this snaps back on its own because I can’t stand it! I know it’s my fault for not exercising like I should be but I have so much going on lately. I’m looking for a new job, trying to complete repairs on my condo that have been years in the making and trying to adjust to a new social life. Even my face seems a bit saggy. I’m noticing weird things on my eyelids and lines around my mouth that weren’t there before. I’m using MSM powder in my smoothie every morning and that helps the skin structure and I use Tamanu oil on my face and scars. I can only hope for the best! My hair. It’s been thinning considerably for years and I can see my scalp in the front and this concerns me. My hair has always been the most (and sometimes only) attractive thing about me. It’s very long and curly/wavy and although it’s not thick, I had a ton of it! Well, for the past several years I’ve had a lot of hormonal stuff going on and a ton of stress and the hair on my head was falling out and I was growing hair in places I didn’t want it. So, I’m at three months and I hear the real damage from WLS starts around 4 months and I’m really scared. I went out last night and bought Rogaine for women and I’m thinking I will use it for the next 6 months or so and see what happens. I can’t afford to lose any more! General health. My labs are all good and my liver enzymes are back to normal. I had a gynecological surgery in Aug 2010 and had no idea my liver enzymes were high until the pre-op labs the day before surgery. My naturopath said it was probably due to the trauma of the first surgery and I began taking Choline 40% in my daily smoothies about 6 wks ago and the counts are now normal! Everything looks good and I’m about to get my three month check up. I began having liver pains about a month before WLS. I think it was due to my favorite food diet. I was eating horribly and feeling worse. I was having pains and afraid it was my gall bladder as well but now they are gone and I'm feeling great. That powder was a real miracle worker! All in all I do NOT regret the surgery in any way shape or form. I’ve had no problems at all throughout this process and I don’t foresee any in the future. Even though I’m still disgusted with my body, I’m much less disgusted than I was 70 lbs ago. I went from a tight 18 to a comfortable 14 and I have tons of clothes all the way down to a 10 waiting for me because I never accepted this weight and kept all my non-fat clothes! I have so many cute clothes but they become too big very quickly! I‘m getting ready to sell a bunch of clothes on ebay because most are worn only once or twice and many still have tags. It’s so exciting to try on a pair of pants and have them fit comfortably when a few months ago I couldn’t get them over my thighs!!! It’s the best feeling in the world! If someone asked me about this surgery I would tell them GO FOR IT! I wish I would have done it two years ago and I wouldn’t be dealing with all the loose skin and I could have avoided many of the health issues that I dealt with the past few years. I asked a friend to send me some pics she took at a Christmas 2010 gathering in early Dec. I am HUGE and so disgusting! I will use that as my ‘before’ pic and post a recent pic soon! In closing, I wish you all great success in your weight loss journeys!

Thanks Kelly! That is exactly what I'm trying to do! I'm trying hard not to over-analyze everything and just to enjoy myself and not worry.

My goal is probably overstated (to weigh what I weighed in high school) and I’m now over halfway there so I’m writing to share with those who may be interested in what I’m experiencing after the first half of my journey. I’ve lost about 70 lbs in three months. Approximately 25 lbs a month is amazing! Especially considering I rarely get to the gym and I’m not at all obsessive about what I eat. I just passed my three month surgiversary and I’ve yet to begin full on exercise. I work out about once a week but I am more active on a regular basis than before. However, I NEED to start working out with weights because my skin looks and feels so gross! I feel like a bit of a failure in the sense that I’m not making much of an effort to really take advantage of this wonderful tool and help my body adjust the best it can. I’m hoping that by acknowledging this fact in a public forum will get me off my ass and in to the gym! Please kick my ass with your comments because I need it! J Let’s start with the fact that nobody knows I had this surgery. Well, my doctors and therapist know and it’s not that I really care who knows but my family was not at all supportive so I decided to keep it from them because I don’t want to deal with their negativity. And I don’t think it’s any business of my coworkers and I don’t really have any close friends these days. Sad but true. Now food. Since I’ve started eating out and have very little problems with any foods, I stopped my food log because it was rather difficult and time consuming when I had no idea of the calorie and nutrition level of what I was eating. The good thing is that I eat such small amounts and I try my best to keep it healthy (Protein first) that I don’t think it matters. At least it doesn’t matter all that much because I’m still losing. I’ve only had the slime once and that was about a week ago when I inhaled two eggs instead of the usual one. It was gross. I kept burping and burping and then began coughing a bit and threw up this big glob of phlegm like substance. Well, I didn’t see it but it felt like phlegm. Sorry, I know it’s gross…. I can pretty much tolerate anything but I notice some discomfort with nuts. I eat bread and even have an occasional sweet but it’s all in moderation. My diet really consists of a Protein shake in the morning with lots of Vitamins or some steel cut oatmeal from Jamba juice if I don’t have time to blend my shake in the morning. For lunch I will have 1 to 2 scoops of tuna or chicken salad from Panera (they will sell it as a side item for $1.79 per scoop) or leftovers. For dinner I’m all over the place…. If I eat out I will have steak, chicken, or fish and if I’m home it’s usually some cottage cheese or a scrambled egg with cheese and I’ll usually have a piece of sugar free chocolate for dessert. Sometimes I feel like I can eat a lot and other times I can barely get in a few bites. I guess it all depends on what I'm eating and how my stomach feels. I've been trying to wean myself off of the Nexium in the past two weeks and it's not easy. I often get that feeling that something is rising up in my chest but it seems to pass relatively quickly. I'm going to buy some prilosec or something for bad days but I really don't want to be taking any meds every single day. General well being. I feel great! Sometimes I get low on energy but my pain level is decreased (I have fibromyalgia) and I’m much less depressed. I suspect that my Vitamin D level may have a lot to do with the decreased depression. I’ve been struggling to raise my levels for years (was taking 1000 IU once a day and 50,000 IU once a week and only got it from 12 to about 24. I began taking a spray from Dr. Mercola a few months back and now it is at 42. Now I’m beginning to get a little sun here and there so I’m hoping I will manage to get it to 60 or 70. I have not begun taking vitamins in pill form as I'm afraid they will hurt my stomach. What do you think? Am I far enough along yet? I open some vitamins up and add to my morning smoothies but I'm not taking enough. I have others in sprays (D and B12) and I LOVE those! Social life. I’m much more outgoing and feeling like my old self. It’s almost a little sad how much nicer people are to me now. They open doors and hold elevators and smile at me all the time…. I’m sure part of that is the positive energy that I’m radiating but I’m sure a lot has to do with the fact that we live in such a shallow and superficial world and all of a sudden I’m more worthy now that I’m better looking. Sad but true. I met a guy in March and we’ve been dating and having fun. This is the first guy I’ve been involved with since last July. Unfortunately, I think he’s grossed out by the loose skin and the sagging boobies. Sex is not a big part of our relationship and I guess I don’t blame him for being turned off. I am seriously looking in to breast surgery because I’ve never been happy with them and now they are deflated and gross. They don’t look bad in a good bra but when the bra comes off they’re not attractive at all. He doesn’t mean to make me feel bad and he pretends there is no problem but I’m very sensitive and intuitive and I can feel it and it really does make me feel bad. He changed a lot after seeing me naked for the first time! I know he still likes me a lot but I think he is struggling a bit with being turned off by my body. I’ve tried to speak to him openly but he denies any issues – I even told him that I don’t blame him for being turned off and that sex doesn’t have to be a part of our relationship and we can just be friends and have fun together but he claims that nothing is wrong. It doesn’t seem like being in a relationship can be a positive thing for me while I’m going through this transition but we have a lot of fun and do a lot of things and that is very good for me because I’ve been very isolated for so long. Another thing that bothers me is that this guy is tall, dark, and very handsome if you don’t know what a huge dork he is and he’s a huge flirt and gets tons of attention from women and that makes me feel very self conscious and unworthy. I plan to start dating more so that I can be around people who make me feel good instead of making me feel like crap all the time. My body. It’s gross. My breasts are deflated and sagging, my arms are much worse than I anticipated and so are my thighs. I can’t stand the way my body FEELS. It’s almost like a layer of rubber or something and it’s just gross! I hope to God most of this snaps back on its own because I can’t stand it! I know it’s my fault for not exercising like I should be but I have so much going on lately. I’m looking for a new job, trying to complete repairs on my condo that have been years in the making and trying to adjust to a new social life. Even my face seems a bit saggy. I’m noticing weird things on my eyelids and lines around my mouth that weren’t there before. I’m using MSM powder in my smoothie every morning and that helps the skin structure and I use Tamanu oil on my face and scars. I can only hope for the best! My hair. It’s been thinning considerably for years and I can see my scalp in the front and this concerns me. My hair has always been the most (and sometimes only) attractive thing about me. It’s very long and curly/wavy and although it’s not thick, I had a ton of it! Well, for the past several years I’ve had a lot of hormonal stuff going on and a ton of stress and the hair on my head was falling out and I was growing hair in places I didn’t want it. So, I’m at three months and I hear the real damage from WLS starts around 4 months and I’m really scared. I went out last night and bought Rogaine for women and I’m thinking I will use it for the next 6 months or so and see what happens. I can’t afford to lose any more! General health. My labs are all good and my liver enzymes are back to normal. I had a gynecological surgery in Aug 2010 and had no idea my liver enzymes were high until the pre-op labs the day before surgery. My naturopath said it was probably due to the trauma of the first surgery and I began taking Choline 40% in my daily smoothies about 6 wks ago and the counts are now normal! Everything looks good and I’m about to get my three month check up. I began having liver pains about a month before WLS. I think it was due to my favorite food diet. I was eating horribly and feeling worse. I was having pains and afraid it was my gall bladder as well but now they are gone and I'm feeling great. That powder was a real miracle worker! All in all I do NOT regret the surgery in any way shape or form. I’ve had no problems at all throughout this process and I don’t foresee any in the future. Even though I’m still disgusted with my body, I’m much less disgusted than I was 70 lbs ago. I went from a tight 18 to a comfortable 14 and I have tons of clothes all the way down to a 10 waiting for me because I never accepted this weight and kept all my non-fat clothes! I have so many cute clothes but they become too big very quickly! I‘m getting ready to sell a bunch of clothes on ebay because most are worn only once or twice and many still have tags. It’s so exciting to try on a pair of pants and have them fit comfortably when a few months ago I couldn’t get them over my thighs!!! It’s the best feeling in the world! If someone asked me about this surgery I would tell them GO FOR IT! I wish I would have done it two years ago and I wouldn’t be dealing with all the loose skin and I could have avoided many of the health issues that I dealt with the past few years. I asked a friend to send me some pics she took at a Christmas 2010 gathering in early Dec. I am HUGE and so disgusting! I will use that as my ‘before’ pic and post a recent pic soon! In closing, I wish you all great success in your weight loss journeys!

Thanks! Definitely need to get serious with the workouts though!

Thank you! You know, the worst part of it is that he mislead me (actually, he flat out lied) and told me he was attracted to bigger girls and even went so far as to tell me his ex girlfriend was 250 lbs and 350 at her heaviest. I told him I was self conscious and he did what he had to do to make me feel comfortable and it was all a lie. Now I feel like an idiot for ever getting intimate with him in the first place.

Thanks ladies! In reality - 12 lbs was lost in the 7 day pre-op diet and that is included in the ticker. One thing that I've noticed is that a little carb fest will get a stall moving every time! I have some pizza or something and wake up 3 or 4 lbs lighter! How crazy is that?!?

I'm just over 8 wks out and had my first drink last week. I had about half a glass of champagne and it was the first thing I had with bubbles and I had no adverse reactions whatsover. Didn't even think about the bubbles until I read your post.

Noooooo - a YOUNG Diane Keaton! She's gorgeous!!!!!

Totally off topic here but Coops - everytime I see your pic I think of a younger Diane Keaton!

I bought some Lifetime liquid Calcium Magnesium Citrate and it's natural blueberry flavor. I love it!!! I'm not sure if Citrate is the best but I do know it stops you from getting constipated and I've had no problems with that.... I'm going to go back to my normal calcium supps at three months so I figured that this is better than nothing.

I'm two months out and I've eaten untoasted bread several times. No problems whatsoever. Everyone is different. I do get uncomfortable with cottage cheese and with hummus but not with bread.... weird.

When you finally do eat those foods I think you'll find yourself a little disappointed. They don't taste nearly as good as you fantasized! lol Which is a good thing I suppose!

I live in San Diego and the airport is not that big. Especially if you're flying Southwest - if that's the case you don't have far to walk at all. Security is near the entrance and you go up an escalator and down a hall and the gates are right there. I also had surgery with Dr. Aceves. I had terrible nausea after surgery and couldn't eat or drink - had to stay on IV. I was a little weak on the drive home but not nearly as bad as I thought I would be.... I think I'm probably the minority as well - most of the other women were up and walking around and feeling fine.

It has tiny bits of hard pieces and I remember reading that you can't have veggies or fruit with seeds so I'm thinking this will have to wait? Any input is appreciated!

I made this tonight and it was pretty tasty! When I first saw the baking crust I thought I blew the recipe somehow because it looked so gross but after baking again with the toppings it was yummy! It came out slightly chewy and the whole thing was really good! My non-WLS sister thought it was good as well! I'll be eating it all week for lunch!