mdrai

My pre-pre-op plan from the surgeon's office is: Each Day: 70 g Protein, 30-50 g carb, 15-30 g fat 65 oz of Water No bread, rice, past, potatoes Multivitamin 2x/day replace 1 meal each day w/high protein, low carb Protein shake elimiate sodas, juice, carreine, and carbonated beverages For the 2 Weeks Prior to Surgery: "Your diet will consist of liquids and 3-4 of your favorite Protein shakes. At the end of the day you need to have 70 g protein, 30 g carb, 15-30 g fat, and 64 oz of Fluid." Acceptable Fluids = zero calorie drinks, water, crystal light, decaf coffee & tea, low sodium broth, sugar-free Jell-o, sugar free popsicles, skim/lactose free/lowcarb millk, Protein Drinks First fourteen days after LB surgery: Sip 6 to 8 glasses of 8 oz each day of fluid. Sip protein drinks throughout the day until you have taken in 70 g protein. Sip slowly! If you take too much fluid @ one time, the additional volume can stretch out your pouch. Hope this helps!

I saw the commercial on TV back in December... the one w/the lady who's hunger is like a lion she can't tame... then she got banded and now her hunger is like a cute little kitty. I was intrigued!

I love the Atkins shakes in ready-to-go cans. I also ordered the "variety trial" pack from bariatriceating.com, which contains a lot of different products & brands of Proteins. It's a nice way to try a lot of things w/out having to buy a case of something. The low carb chai tea made w/the micellar milk was a nice treat the other day. I also ordered samples of the unjury powder, as it is recommended by my doc. I mixed the unflavored into a 60-cal Jello pudding and it was fine -- I didn't notice the taste of the powder at all (altho the mixing did make the jello more of a runny, drinkable consistency... i guess I could've put it back in the frig to harden up a bit if I'd had the time). I also went to GNC & bought 1 each of the ISOPURE zero carb drinks, again to try them for my liquid stage. I guess I'm just a "trier"! At least this way I'll know what I like & what I don't when I get to my 2-week pre- and 2-week post-op periods! Good luck!

WARNING: This post contains discussion of binge-inducing foods... read at your own risk: I just discovered a previously unrealized source of food cravings -- COUPONS! There I am, innocently sitting at the kitchen table, sipping my water and clipping coupons for today's foray to the grocery store, when lo and behold I turn the page and what JUMPS up and catches me totally unawares but a (sorry girls for what I'm about to type!) BEN & JERRY'S ad for a new flavor of ice cream -- CINNAMON BUN! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Cinnamon buns are my kryptonite! I absolutely have no power to avoid them. And now some evil genius has put them into ice cream???????? Well, I turned the page as quickly as I could, but the image has been burned into my brain! And from that point on, all I noticed in the coupon books was how luscious and tasty and inviting all the food is in there! I honestly had NEVER noticed that before!!! YIKES and OH MY! Seriously, I never noticed all that. Wow. We really are bombarded at every turn. No wonder Americans are so fat! It's like telling people not to smoke but dangling cigarrettes in their faces 24/7, or alcoholics not to drink... on tv, radio, print, magazines... it's cruel & unusual punishment! And the weekends are ALWAYS my hardest days to be "good" on any food regimen... and today & tomorrow will be no exception... I think it's because the routine of the work week is gone and things are so free-form and more casual and we're out and about, so we tend to eat out whenver the mood strikes us v. at regular intervals (which helps me a lot during the week). For instance, we're about to leave for the city park where my ds's jazz band is playing at a children's festival, and then after that I drop off dd @ the stable, then grocery shopping, THEN home... so we'll leave @ 10:45am and return ??.. probably around 3 or so??... so I'm trying to think what I can pack w/me to have to eat so I'm not starving and cheating by the time I get home... phew... it's hard! Can you gals/guys relate??? Ok, got that vent out of my system. Thanks for listening, everyone! Have a GOOD DAY!

Kat -- Prayers and good thoughts going out for your husband and yourself!

Me, too! I'm a sweater -- no, not a piece of clothing! -- a person who sweats at the slightest rise in temp or activity (I blame it on my Dad's genes!). Anyhoo, I've been FrEeZiNg all week! Crazy! But if cold = weight loss... bring it on! I'll just get me a blanket!

Hi Mary, my RL name is Michelle... but I'll answer to anything! Sounds like we're following a similar lc-based plan... I'm not going to let myself get into the ice cream game, tho... too much temptation. I like the portion-controlled popsicles... Do you have to follow a liquid stage pre-op? I actually have a "formal" plan from my nutritionist... I'll pm it to you if you're interested. Even with all my good intentions & behaviours, I must admit that THIS TIME OF DAY IS THE HARDEST! 4pm 'til bedtime... ugh... the "eating hours"... snacks, making dinner, eating dinner, cleaning up from dinner, dessert... my dh even just called to see if we wanted to go out for dinner (my ds's soccer practice was cancelled due to rain)... I was like "Uh, hello? Do you not listen to a word I say? Do you not remember that I'm prepping for surgery?" and he's like "Whoops!" Men! grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Ok, really, I am leaving for the day. Really. I mean it. Bye!

I'm in Maryland... no Fudruckers here, but I think there are some nearby in Virginia. Personally, I'm glad they're waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay over there! MEW -- what is your date? I'm May 29. 31 days to go. I've started the pre-op diet and am doing really well following it (ok, slight snafu last night but NOTHING, NOTHING like what it would've, could've been if I'd not been working so hard on this!). I'm drinking an Atkins shake for breakfast, eating something lc/sensible for lunch (usually chicken or tuna, today I splurged & had a left-over Nutrisystem meal that fit into the nutritional guidelines of my nutritionist), then I "test-drive" one of the protein pack items I ordered for a mid-afternoon snack (the part of the day where I usually cave in on all previous diets) (yesterday I mixed a pack of unflavored unjury protein powder into 60-cal pudding... mmmmmmm; today I made a low-carb chai tea latte with 8 oz of micellar(sp?) milk, you get the picture), then another Atkins shake for dinner, a sugar free popsicle for dessert (reward!), and at least 64 oz of h20 a day. Phew! Hope that's not TMI! LOL! I'm being so strict because I meet w/my surgeon in 1.5 weeks and I want to be DOWN in weight... I was 317 when I last saw him in Feb and I'd love to be down at least 10... then I'll have one week where I *could* (the old me definitely WOULD) look at it as a "anything goes" or a "farewell to food" tour week, but am DETERMINED to keep to this lc plan... then it's 2 weeks of liquids leading up to surgery day. My private dream goal is to be at least 299 (295 would be even better) on surgery day. But I realize that may be a bit overly ambitious. But a girl can dream, right?? Any amount LOWER will be amazing! Wow, I sure am going on and on... what's up with that? I guess it's just that I'm excited and you guys are the only ones I can really go on & on about it with... I know you understand & have been where I am... people in RL often don't get it, ya know? Well, the weekend is almost here and I must get going... have a great weekend, everyone!!!

Thank you!

And don't forget about me... the rogue "April" bander who's not getting banded 'til May 29! I know there's a May bander group, and I did go over & check them out & while they do seem like nice enough folks... I really feel like I know & luv all of you... your pain is my pain... your victories mine... and so I'm going to stay put here w/my "big-sis banders" to live, laugh, and learn with... K? Thank you!

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

WOOT! Yay Tracy! Happy to hear from you and so glad that all went well! You are exactly right when you say that we are so much more prepared than those who don't know about this site! I really am just so thrilled for you! YOU"RE BANDED, GIRLFRIEND!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I know you think you're "superband girl", but please TAKE IT EASY and REST... use these 4 days to HEAL... have dbf go out & get a movie & watch it at home -- don't push it!! ((hugs))

(I tried to edit my immediately prevous post but when I clicked on "edit" it was wacky -- smilies are in between every letter! Crazy!) So... edited to add: NOT that I'm not thrilled to read everyone else's posts, too!!!!!!!

Anyone else keep refreshing to see if Tracy's posted??? I'm editing a chapter (boring) right now for work & my treat for each 5 pages done is to click over & check... how weird am I??? But I'm so excited for her... can't wait to "see" her post!

Welcome, Flowergirl!

Congrats Becky & Adorable!!! ;)

T-r-a-c-y... ohhhhhh T-r-a-c-y... come out come out whereever you are! Wish your dbf would post for you... silly boy! I have to believe that you're snuggled up in your hospital bed... or better yet, walking all over the place preaching the good word of the band to everyone & anyone who'll listen! Hey... they're all sick people, so they can't run away from you real fast! LOL! Wishing you pain-free dreams...

Kity~~ Oh good, I was worried there. I thought I'd have to fly out to Ca for a Springsteen intervention! and yes, I think "100 times" gives us new insight into you! Having a good day... day 3 of pre-op eating... it's ok... I keep my goal in mind, which is to be down at least 10 lbs by my surgery pre-op... that's keeping me honest! Then I'll go on the 2-weeks liquid diet in prep for surgery... which will definitely keep me on track, cuz' I don't want to get there & have them say "uh, no!". Then it's the band for life! :lunch:

Kity~~It's not just the tune, it's the words too, but I just changed the word "badlands" to "bandlands"... it's by Bruce Springsteen! Please oh please tell me you're familiar w/him?? He's one of my all-time favs (him, James Taylor, Jimmy Buffet...)... my #1 song in life is "Rosalita"... it's so rockin' & energized & I have such great memories of dancing & dancing to it in my carefree youth... I've even told my dh that I want it blasted out at my funeral, as I don't want everyone sobbing around, I want them to be celebrating my life & enjoying my fav song.

Fantastic! Congratulations!

C'mon now everybody... let's sing it loud & proud for our Tracy... out there on the table somewhere getting her band -- (sung to the tune of Bruce Springsteen's "Badlands"): "Band-land, you gotta live it every day, let the broken hearts stand, as the price you've gotta pay... we'll keep pushin' 'til it's understood, and these band-lands start treating us good... whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa... BAND-LAND... whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa... BAND-LAND!" Guess I woke up in a rockin' kind of mood! Hope Tracy's rockin' her band! Have a great day, everyone! :rockon:

Tracy, Tracy, Tracy!!! I am SO excited for you!!! Your "Head Start on Spring" has arrived -- it's finally HERE!!!!!!! All best wishes for smooth sailing for you tomorrow... know that we're all out here thinking of you & sending you good thoughts!!! ((hugs))

The only one I've tried so far is the Icy Orange. It's pretty good... after I drink it I swear I feel a little film in my mouth though... maybe it's aftertaste?... but it's not nasty. I'd buy it again.

It's like Christmas in April here! My protein sampler pack just arrived, and I feel like a kid @ Christmas unpacking the bag and checking out all the different powders & potions. The next couple weeks will be interesting as I sample my way through them all! Will share my results with the hopes of helping others.

((hugs)) Jennifur! On another note... has anyone had any problems editing your signatures? I've tried a couple times this a.m. and I keep getting a message about I have to have fewer than 500 characters and 6 lines... well, I do have fewer than that w/the edit! frustrating. I'll e-mail that alex admin guy I guess. FUNNY cartoon!