Catracks

Actually except for the carbs, your's is the healthiest cheat. I have this one inch square of 72% dark chocolate everyday. It tastes like sin

Sneaking up behind you I was 200.1 this morning. Talk about a TEASE!

Is their another choice beside pear and apple? I do know that I have significant floppy belly above my C-section scar that causes me to be a larger size than I otherwise would be. Even if left with it, I am too much of a chicken to get plastics. I saw info on tummy tucks are they are BARBARIC! People that said they had a high pain threshold like me were reduced to blubbering. Statements like "you won't be able to stand up straight for awhile put the fear of God into me.

That's what size my husband wears. I can't wait until I piss him off by wearing his cargo pants. Men's cargo pants actually have pockets unlike women's "cargo-like" pants.

The smallest I have from the past are size 5s. I have these Gap slim jeans. As a kid, I always had to have slims and they had to be straight leg. Apparently I rarely throw any clothes away. Thankfully I was never into high style and even things from the late 70s and 80s wouldn't be out of style. Well, okay, my Hangten shirts might turn an eye, but they are not all that different from today's Roxy stuff. As you can guess, I dress pretty casual. I think the reason my feet are in such good shape as the only time they have seen a heel is my wedding and job interviews. I am a Levis and Vans type of person.

I like your spirit! Thanks Irene. I was hoping the difference between sizes we're not so drastic as you got to at least the single digits or maybe starting at 12 or 10? I'm not sure my body will let me were 13/11/9/7/5/3 ... as I am curvy. I am wearing a size 17 today that are VERY loose. They are lowrise too. Bleech! Gotta wear what fits of the old clothes though.

We'll both come back and do a review :-)

Yeah, apple juiced watered down worked for me. Careful with the laxatives. You can get dependent on them. "Laxative Dependence is a risk for people who use stimulant laxatives for a long time. Cathartic colon is the name for physiological and anatomical changes caused by long term stimulant laxative use. Although some experts dispute the existence of cathartic colon, several reliable sources document the details of this disorder. Cathartic colon is characterized by changes in the nerves and muscles of the large intestine. Cathartic colon leads to laxative dependence. Once laxative dependence sets in, it becomes difficult to have bowel movements without taking a laxative. A prudent consumer may consider other colon products instead of stimulants that can cause laxative dependence." I'd say use fiber foods and apple/prune juice or Citrucell.

I do miss artisan bread - you know, the chewy and crusty outside, soft inside kind of bread. There was this Sicilian peasant bread I was addicted to. I don't miss regular sandwich bread or hamburger buns. Occasional I miss flour tortillas, but I like corn just as well and will eat a little bit of a homemade one.

I got Smart Carb 1, 2 and sourdough. I don't eat breads, Pasta or crackers unless they are lower carb and pack a lot of Protein. http://www.julianbakery.com/bread/ The texture of these breads are a little weird, but I was going to give them a try starting tomorrow. They may be better toasted I think because they live in the refrigerator. I got mine at Whole Paycheck .. I mean Whole Foods. Check out the stats for smart Carb #1 Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1 slice ( 1.5 Ounces or 42.5g) Servings Per Loaf Approx. 16 (24 Ounces or 1.5LBS) Amount Per Serving Calories 109 Calories from Fat 9 % Daily Value Total Fat1g 2% Saturated Fat 0g 0% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 140mg 2% Total Carbohydrate 13g 7% Dietary Fiber 12g 48% Net Carbs1g 0% Sugars 0g Protein 12g Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0% Iron 7% Calcium 4% Thiamin 8%

My surgeon had a plan for those people who paid him in cash that they would cover complications (medical teams and hospital). Like someone said, even if Mexico surgeons have plans like that, it would be too far to go for aftercare.

I use Pro-Max from SEI Pharmaceuticals. I bought the chocolate and vanilla. That does well for a base. They would taste ... okay by themselves mixed in milk, but I add SF flavorings (SF Jello powders, Torani syrups, coffee) and fruit to mine. I even made a pumpkin spice shake one time. Possibilities are endless.

I was on clear liquids for two weeks. I drank this (Natures Best Isopure zero carb): http://www.amazon.co...1319209&sr=8-11 I do recommend the clear liquids because your stomach is swollen and this stuff is easy on it. I drank two of these a day. Each has 40 grams of Protein and 0 carbs. It's a great way to get all your protein in. This will also help ensure you get your fluids. The main problem people seem to have is not getting enough protein and not enought fluids. The is the best whey isolate too. It comes in multiple flavors and GNC carries it. I didn't take pain meds or antibiotics so I didn't have a constipation problem. I finally did when I started eating only protein. I learned quickly that Fiber has to be added. I did this by eating a little fruit and vegetable. Even watered down apple juice will help that. I really hate medication and only take it when there is no other solution.

I'm being honest here and I don't want to ruffle feathers, but if my insurance had been denied, I would have financed it here. Again, the surgeons there are just as good and sometimes better, but what legal recourse do we have if something does go wrong? You go to the ER and they fix you up, but your insurance doesn't cover it. Yes, way broken and no thanks. I didn't have one complication, but the boards are full of people who did.

I don't think it's about the money. Even though I have heard wonderful thing about the bariatric surgeons in Mexico, there is still a stigma attached. It's even in the pop culture. I remember watching a Grey's Anatomy episode concerning a botched bypass done in Mexico. I think it's very small of them to not let you in on the support groups, but I think there is an unwritten rule like the cop's blue code that shuns the people who have had surgery in Mexico and doctors like to keep their patients separated. I was curious myself how the insurance deals with it. My surgery cost $15.000. I paid and extra 10% for lifetime follow-up and the support group. Also, what if a complication arises? Will insurance cover a Mexico sleeved patient? There also may be malpractice insurance regulations that these surgeons have to follow. They may not be allowed by their own insurance to see Mexico sleeved patients. That said, why can't these surgeons be a little kinder and explain things? As a side note, 99% of my surgeons patients are either lapband of bypass. There are no sleevers in my surgeon's support group. That's why I come here. This is a great place!

How right you are. i am an every day weigh-er. Yes, I know they tell you not to do it, but it is my morning habit. I wake up, go the the bathroom and weight myself. All the things you mention: Water retention, posture, clothing, sweating, etc. can change that number. That's why I use it as a trend and take it with a grain of salt. I do try to use the same posture and step in the same place. I will step on the scale 3 or 4 times until I can get the same weight to come up. My scale is pretty good and weighs (is calibrated) to weigh heavier than the one in my surgeon's office. HAH! So I guess I'm actually in Onderland today

You should have heard my daughter when I called her flip-flops "thongs." "MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!! They are called flip-flops!" Good thing I didn't call them what people from Southern California called them in the 70s. Ugh, i just dated myself.

That's how I was. I took one pump of the morphine, felt like hell and stopped it. Keep sipping and keep walking. You're off to a great start!

I would say to skip the latte and eat either cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, egg and cheese or some more Protein packed thing for Breakfast. Try skipping the whole wheat wrap and maybe cut the cream cheese in half or use Greek yogurt with maybe something mixed in it. I also found some crackers that are high in protein that I eat for some crunchiness. There are also high protein, low carb breads out there, but I only use half a slice or so. I mix my Protein shakes with 6 oz. of 2% instead of 8 oz. I can drink 6 oz. easily on the way to work. Then again, it could be a stall. Someone explained stalls to me. Something about glycogen and Water storage. They eventually break. Also, sometimes more calories are better than less. but make them good calories. The salmon is great. Have you tried shrimp, scallops or ahi tuna? All are excellent protein sources. Also try cardio and weight training.

I have an idea for you. Mayo has about 100 calories per Tbs. That would be fine it it had more Protein, but it's all fat. Try this that I learned from TheworldaccordingtoEggface.com: Mix plain Greek yogurt with just about anything (avocado, blue cheese, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, etc) and add it to your meats as a dip or like chicken salad. It will add a LOT of protein and cut the calories by as much as 80% I think. Today I had some grape tomatoes and the Greek yogurt avocado mix. It made THE BEST little salad and it was protein packed.

I started eating solid food when I was supposed to be on full liquids (2 weeks to 4 weeks out). I didn't do that all the time, but VERY occasionally I ate flaky fish, mashed potatoes and gravy, turkey breast slices, ham slices, cheese and the like. I don't recommend it, but it's not going to kill you. My surgeon was strict: 2 weeks clear liquid, 2 weeks full liquid, 2 weeks pureed/mushy ... then solids slowly. Hah, my first day of solids I was chewing on a ribeye bone. Could not eat much, but YUM! Did you absent mindedly pop in in? Funny :-)

You are so sweet. My husband works away from home too, but we get most weekends. It's tough, but it makes it that much more special when we do see each other. Isn't it funny how chicken is so tough on my sleeves. I can only eat a bit of it, but can eat larger amounts of most anything else. Dunk it fairly well and eat the cheese. I was thinking that you might be able to get them to give you an unbreaded chicken breast. It's worth a try. If they use frozen breaded ones then you are SOL. Breading is not too bad though. We eat so little that it really doesn't matter too much.

My surgeon's office gave me hand outs that specify EXACTLY what to do and eat. I simply cannot believe some of these surgeons who do the surgery and then leave little to no instructions for their patients. I suggest to use the nutritionist if they have one. Ask them for specific guidelines. Short of that, do some research online. If you can down 6 oz. of cottage cheese, an egg is nothing. It is tru that some people don't tolerate them well. I was not one. I have hens and eat an egg every other day. A note, sometimes thirst or acid can be misinterpreted as hunger. Oh, and lay off the soda :-)

One more nosy bit of advice. I realize that it's not you running the show all the time, but I have had to education my family because they simply do not think about it. At most restaurants i can find things to eat, but there are some place where everything seems all pizza (which I only eat the top off and it's a real bummer) and all fried. For instance, I'm going to Disneyland when some relatives. They are happy to eat corn dogs, hamburgers and french fries all day long. I can't do it. Disney has TONS of restaurants full of cool food. What I have been eyeing is a Spanish restaurant called Catal that has tapas like Mediterranean meats and cheese and paella (I would eat the seafood and Spanish chorizo out of the rice). Another place has ahi poke (raw tuna and avocado) and Asian spiced chicken wings. Frankly they are not adventurous eaters and to my joy, I can be now. I can order Jamón ibérico at $75 a pound because I will only eat an oz. of it. So my daughter who is a foodie too and I will go out after they go home and eat more healthy. My point? Oh yeah, sometimes you have to let people in on what it is you can eat. It's not all about us, but it certainly can be at times. If it is YOUR celebratory dinner, go to a place that is more sleeve friendly.

I know the thread is pretty much over, but I did want to comment. This took me aback: "He wants to take me to dinner that night to Celebrate how far I have come." That's a very sweet gesture, but kind of counter to what your journey has been about, i.e., My life is not about food and maybe not best as a "reward." How about new clothes, a pretty bracelet, a horseback ride, a spa day, a trip to an amusement park, etc.? A lot of new folks on the board concern themselves with calories so much. We eat so little that it should be Protein first. The calorie count that comes from that can be pretty low, but not rock bottom. If you go for the lowest calorie choice you may be eating huge amounts of carbs or nutritionally devoid things and not be getting your protein at all. At a restaurant, I would eat like I do at home: Protein first, fruits/vegetable second and maybe a bite of carb food if at all. Even the carbs I eat have to have a significant amount of protein like whole grain Pasta or quinoa.