Bufflehead

Syntrax Unflavored is relatively inexpensive: http://www.amazon.com/Syntrax-Nectar-Medical-Unflavored-1-Pound/dp/B001I1NSUY Keep in mind that as with almost all protein powders, if you mix it with something hot, you need to use a food thermometer and make sure it is under 140 degrees. Also - unflavored doesn't mean no taste, it just means that no extra flavor such as chocolate or vanilla has been added. It will have its own flavor - easiest to hide the flavor if you mix it with something strong tasting. Another relatively inexpensive unflavored protein powder is Isopure: http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Best-Isopure-Unflavored-3-Pound/dp/B002TG3QPO I haven't tried the Isopure unflavored. I do use the Syntrax and find it is fine as long as I keep the quantities relatively low.

I don't think it's the easy way out either. But if it is, so what? What's wrong with taking advantage of scientific and technical advances? I drove to work this morning instead of jogging all the way there. Or riding my nonexistent donkey. Easy way out? One of my friends takes birth control pills to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Sounds like the easy way out . . . she should struggle with the rhythm method and hope for the best like her foremothers did. Basically anyone who uses a power lawnmower, accepts anesthesia for getting a filling, or buys meat at the supermarket (instead of hunting, killing, butchering, and cleaning it themselves) has no moral high ground when it comes to taking the "easy way out."

Booniedog, if you are looking for a powder to mix with water and make into a clear protein drink, a fruit-flavored type thing, look into the Syntrax Nectar powders. MUCH better tasting than Isopuke IMO.

Isopure is the juice flavored rtd "protein water" mentioned above - comes in lots of different flavors - but they also make protein powders in flavors like chocolate and vanilla. The juice flavored RTD stuff is truly horrific IMO -- but the numbers on it are great. I drank a lot of it in the first 4 weeks or so after surgery, but I had to mix it 50/50 with G2 or Essence Water to be able to choke it down. Still, I did it because the most important things are to meet your hydration and protein goals, not to like what you are drinking. The Isopure, a/k/a Isopuke, made it easy to do that.

My surgeon's team is also on the liquid-snacks-only bandwagon. I asked about it and the dietician told me it's because for most people who fail to lose all their extra weight, it starts with snacking. Snacking turns into grazing, which turns into mindless eating, and pretty soon mindless eating of slider foods that are high in calories and low in nutrition. So they have decided to be pretty hardcore on liquid Snacks because they believe (and their stats show) that for many of their patients, this approach leads to greater overall success.

Yay, thank you for the awesome update!

Are you getting weighed in at your surgeon's office? They have every motivation ($$$$$ - they don't get paid unless you get your surgery) to make sure you qualify. So if you show up in your heaviest clothes and boots, with hidden ankle weights on and some more tucked into your pockets, and the first thing you do when heading to the back is say, hey, let's get the weighing over with - I seriously doubt they will insist you strip and give you a pat-down. Now if for some odd reason you are actually getting weighed in at the insurance company office, that might be a different story!

Weight loss slows down for most of us after the first few months. Are you on track with your diet and exercise? If so, keep on going and you will keep losing weight, just maybe not at the pace you expected or in a smooth line. Most of us have some "resting periods" during weight loss then it picks up again. I had lost pretty much exactly what you have lost at three months out. I put my head down and kept going, and at 8 months out I'm down 105+ lbs since surgery and 155+ lbs overall, and I'm happy with that! I know it's a cliche, but it really is a marathon rather than a sprint. The worst thing you could do right now is tell yourself something like, I'm going to fail at this, I may as well give up and eat cupcakes -- if you follow your plan you won't fail and you will meet your goal. When it comes to weight loss and fitness goals, look at the big picture, but when it comes to what you are going to do to meet those goals, look at succeeding today by following your plan. It will all work out.

I was sleeved this past June and I think my weight loss is going well. I try not to compare myself to others but all my health care providers seem pleased. I've lost weight pretty steadily instead of losing a whole bunch really fast in the first few months and then slowing down. I was down 103 lbs from surgery (lost 55 lbs prior to surgery) at my 8 month surgiversary but I haven't weighed in the last 10 days or so since then. I started out (before my insurance required 6 month pre-surgery diet etc.) at 339 lbs and about a size 34/36. Currently a 14/16 in trousers and size XL top. I don't have a goal weight but I would like to wear a size 10 in trousers at the end of all this.

http://www.unjury.com/store/protein/unjury-protein/unjury-starter-pack.html http://www.chikenutrition.com/buy-chike.html http://www.nashuanutrition.com/store/protein-powders/protein-powder-samples-1-serving.html (my favorite brands here are BSN Lean Dessert, Chike, Optimum Nutrition, Designer Whey, and Syntrax. Least favorites were Bariatric Advantage, Bariatric Fusion, Click, Muscle Milk, Isopure, Protizyme, and About Time - but this is such an individual thing! Also the BSN Syntha 6 is delicious IMO but super high calorie and carb for protein powder). https://vitalady.com/protein-supplement/ - has many of the same brands as Nashua, but a few additional ones plus some different flavors than Nashua has. http://www.jayrobb.com/protein/whey-protein-samples.asp http://www.mybariatricpantry.com/Coffee_Lovers_Sampler_p/mbp-coffee_sampler.htm http://www.mybariatricpantry.com/Pantry_Selections_Hot_Chocolate_Protein_Drinks_p/ps-ht_choc_variety.htm (I really love this brand of hot chocolate, but I prefer to use just the plain "classic" version of it and add my own flavorings - Torani sugarfree syrups etc.)

I don't think 4 weeks on liquids helped on weight loss much - my weight loss the first month was pretty average I guess. My surgeon does it that way so that stomach swelling is gone and nerves are healing before moving on to purees, and we can feel restriction properly.

I use an immersion blender for my protein shakes and wouldn't use anything else. It adds no air to the shake - using a regular blender can make your shake a mess of bubbly foam that you have to let sit for an hour in the fridge to make it drinkable. http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-2-Speed-Immersion-Blender/dp/B00ARQVM5O/ I tried a blender bottle with a whisk ball thing and I found it didn't mix particularly well and I had the same issue with the drinks being too foamy. I used a mini food processor for puree stage, but really haven't used it much since then: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DLC-2ABC-Mini-Prep-Processor-Brushed/dp/B0000645YM/ A Bubba Keg to keep your drinks cold or hot: http://www.amazon.com/bubba-52-mug-classic-turquoise/dp/B00EECHRF6/ Make sure your kitchen scale is digital, that it weighs in both grams and ounces, and has a tare function. I use a lot of little ramekins and tiny casseroles to heat up and serve food. You may not need this if you are cooking for a family, but they are helpful for singletons. http://www.amazon.com/Fiesta-568-337-Ramekin-4-Inch-2-Inch /dp/B00CP2NBHA/ http://www.amazon.com/Le-Creuset-Stoneware-Casserole-8-Ounce/dp/B00BH98D1G/ and I use these little cocktail forks: http://www.amazon.com/Libbey-Just-Tasting-Appetizer-12-Piece/dp/B008HHRLCI/ btw, if you haven't ordered yet and want to check them out, these are my favorite measuring cups: http://www.amazon.com/Chefn-SleekStor-Collapsible-Measuring-Colors/dp/B004HINF58/ and these are the best measuring spoons I have found: http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-International-Stainless-Steel-Magnetic-Measuring/dp/B001GAQKKW/ (or a plastic version that I love almost as much): http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-International-Magnetic-Measuring-Spoons/dp/B000V8F07E/

My surgery took 90 minutes - mostly because my surgeon is extremely meticulous and he also repaired a hiatal hernia. Most people's surgeries go faster. I have had no complications. I was cleared for all forms of exercise at four weeks out. I hate gyms and don't set foot in them but I started on things like aerobics and weights at home then.

man oh man, talk about wanting the floor to swallow you up! I am going to keep the trick of imagining running into my surgeon (or dietician) in the line if I get tempted by something like mini peanut butter cups at Trader Joe's. seriously, I would have died.

I wasn't on purees until week 5, but when I did move on to purees I was getting between 550-650 calories per day and 75-85 grams of protein. I have never increased my calories due to working out unless I have an exceptionally big day with exercise, like at least 75 minutes of exercise.

I do one Petite at a time and am careful with how I swallow it, but so far I haven't had any problems.

I looked into the band but saw a lot of horror stories about slippage and erosion. I also saw that the statistics on weight loss were not as good for the band as they are for the sleeve and the bypass. I didn't want to keep going back to my doctor for fills or unfills, and I really hated the idea of a port right under my skin that I could feel (and so could my partner - creepy!). Still I had an open mind with respect to all three surgeries (though leaning towards the sleeve) when I went in for my initial consult. My surgeon said he would not perform the band on me. There are too many complications and he believed that I would not have adequate success with it as I was SMO. He said he rarely performs bands on anyone anymore, now only on lightweights and only if they insist on it and won't consider any other surgery. So we discussed the bypass and the sleeve - he thought I would do really well with either one and for a variety of reasons we agreed that the sleeve would be the better option for me. My surgery and recovery has been super easy so far. I am 14 months out from starting my 6 month supervised diet -- lost 55 lbs there and about 105 lbs since my surgery in June. I am so glad I did this. I still have about 40 lbs to go.

Once we get to soft foods stage (and beyond) my surgeon allows us to drink up to the meal, but not during it and not for 30 minutes after. He doesn't allow us to eat cereal or soup (the kind with chunks, cream style is ok) because it is the same as drinking with your meal, so he is pretty strict. Yes, I follow this rule. I don't really have any particular thoughts about it except that he and his team are the experts, not me, so I follow their rules and not the rules I wish existed.

I know for many people this surgery is about their health, first and foremost. But when I went in for my psych evaluation and was asked why I wanted the surgery, I was honest: --my number one reason was to lead a more normal life, i.e., shop in regular sized clothing stores, be able to fit into any chair without worrying, be able to ride roller coasters, not have to purchase an extra airline seat or use a seat belt extender, not feel like people are staring at me and judging me, which made me want to be invisible -- and was leading me into a more and more socially isolated life. --my number two reason was to feel better about the way I looked overall, to not hate my body any more and try to avoid looking at it. --my number three reason was for health. The psychologist thought this was perfectly normal and appropriate btw.

I have had no problems with spicy food. Some of the first things I did on pureed were tuna or chicken pureed with sriracha sauce, and refried beans with lots of hot sauce added. No issues whatsoever. But try new things slowly, YMMV.

Sorry to get personal but are you possibly constipated? A lot of people are after surgery. If so, might be time to hit the miralax and get the scale moving in the right direction again.

I did liquid multivitamins, calcium, and iron for four weeks after surgery and did great on them. I'm considering going back to the liquid iron as it is supposed to be more bioavailable and it seems to have been easier on my digestive tract.

I came home from surgery on pills, as long as they weren't giant horse sized pills (such as a standard multivitamin or calcium supplement). I didn't have any problems with them though.

I love Chike! My favorite flavors of theirs are the Iced coffee and the banana Magic. I do only use 1 scoop at a time, otherwise for me the calories and carbs are too high. And I add something else to boost up the flavor, to make up for using only one scoop. So I do something like this: 1 scoop Chike Iced Coffee + 1 teaspoon instant espresso granules + 1 cup Carbmaster milk - 125 calories, 21 grams Protein, 8 carbs 1 scoop Chike Banana Magic + 1 shot Torani sugarfree salted caramel syrup + 1 cup Carbmaster milk - 145 calories, 25 grams protein, 9 carbs

I wasn't allowed fruit or veggies until the soft food stage, and then I could have anything I could cut with a fork. So, a few bites of ripe banana = fine; a nice crisp apple = nope. Still had to keep within my carb limits (under 60 per day) and eat protein first. The fruits I eat with any sort of regularity these days are strawberries, raspberries, prunes, and dried apricots.