Catherine Shinn Habhab

Allah mayk! will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. keep us updated!

Maalleh, Welcome to the group! Things will get better...just give it a little bit of time This is a wonderful group, use it to it's full potential! Don't be shy to ask anything or bring any subject up...that's what we are all here for...to help each other out.

yes! eat laban, labneh and they do have fruit 0% fat yogurt here! Elle and Vivre is the most expensive 1500LL for a small carton....I have tried Elle and Vivre, Tanneyal and LibanLait/Dannon, they are all yummy.

Ultra, how far out are you? I think living in Kuwait you should be able to find several protein supplement options. Do you have a GNC store? I bought a chocolate flavored whey protein isolate. I make a shake everyday, it got boring, I'm not going to lie. One day I add banana, one day peanut butter, sometimes instant coffee crystals. You can do it, don't get discouraged

Salam Marwa, Ahlan wa sahlan! Welcome to the group. Don't worry about your English. I am an American living in Lebanon, I am sure that I give the locals plenty of laughs with my "wonderful" Arabic lol 16 kilos in a month and a half if great! Have you started exercising? It might be difficult if you just moved to London. But go out and explore your new surroundings and you will be exercising at the same time

I swallowed mine whole from the beginning. Thank God, I didn't have any problems.

Crystal Light is the only thing that I can drink a lot of. I like the Appletini and Margarita flavors. I can not get plain water down in any quantity.

that is awesome! so happy for you! thanks for the inspiration

I tried to make "hot chocolate" with my chocolate whey protein isolate.....disgusting, it clumped and burnt immediately

Walaa, I'm so jealous of you living in Boston. I lived there for 5 years and loved it!!!! That is were I met hubby too. Don't worry you will be feeling better soon. And you will be so happy that you made this decision. Allah mayk

Marhaba everyone! I was just laughing yesterday about something that I would like to share. Here in Lebanon it is culture to visit people if they are ill or have had a surgery (almost immediately after surgery!) And you must take a gift. Three people brought me CHOCOLATE!! Seriously? After gastric sleeve surgery? I thought that it was so funny.

Onlymom your comments about people immediately standing up when landing made me laugh! I know I'm on my way back to the middle east just by the way people act upon boarding that last plane, move over little old ladies and small children...the stampede has begun lol!!!

some people really like flying! let's hope that you are one of them. if you have trouble walking any distance and have close connection times, request wheelchair service. sometimes little commuter plane terminals are so far away from the main airport terminals, ask when purchasing your ticket. several years ago my kids and i had been delayed and connection times were literally ten minutes, i told my kids to RUN the 40 some gates to the plane and told them to tell the gate employees that their mom is coming! lol

walk walk walk

Kim, where did you get the recipe for those?

any recommendations for bars from GNC?

I have one fear.......gaining it back

Amazon will ship, but it is expensive! I usually wait for someone coming to visit and have them bring things

At first I didn't want to tell anyone. At a couple of gatherings friends gave their opinions and told horror stories that they had heard. Out of all of the friends present only two are not overweight. I had to tell my boss, I can't just apply for sick leave. I work in a hospital and they expect you to have all procedures taken care of there. So, if I had fibbed and said some OB/GYN issue they would have wanted to know why I was going somewhere else. I have made it clear that in any medical issue it is my body, my life and I will go where ever I feel comfortable, with the doctor that I like. Anyway, I did tell and the HR director tried to tell me that it was cosmetic and would have to come from my vacation time. I went straight to the Chief Administrator and got that taken care of, thank you very much Like "ftomivec" the culture I live in does not know too much about this type of surgery, and many view it as cosmetic for people too lazy to diet and lose weight the normal way. I'm glad that I did talk though. Since opening my big mouth, two others have had surgery and three or four more are considering it. Two are really young and I'm glad to help them, why wait till you are my age? I understand everyone's point of view. It is a personal decision.

Dear OTC, Your intentions are great, but she is living in Lebanon, and we can"t get many of the "fun and yummy" Protein supplements here I wish we could, I am tortured when reading some of the recipes/protein shake ideas posted by other sleevers!!! I can advise MrsSaso to go to GNC and buy whey protein. YES we do have a GNC but with a limited stock. There is one on Bliss Street, Hamraa Street and Mar Elias. My Surgeon also hasn't recommended any Vitamins. I'm following what I have researched on the internet. Good Luck!

hey MrsSaso, who did your surgery here in Lebanon? where do you live in Lebanon? I live in Nabatiyeh.....I lived 9 years in the Dahiyah and am so glad to be out of there!

About the month of Ramadan....I asked my surgeon. He said within the first year it is difficult. Forbidden, if within the first 6-8 months. Since Shahr Ramadan is in the summer now, the big worry is dehydration. I am certainly going to try this coming year, I will be about 10 months out. Petra I liked your comment about Egypt during the month of Ramadan. I've lived in Lebanon for 15 years and honestly, I prefer Michigan for fasting and Ashoura (I'm Shi'ite). Now that Ramadan is in the summer though, we have people over and BBQ outside. Our Beirut friends love getting away from the heat and coming south to cool down I crack up every time I hear the word ******. We say "argeeleh" here in Lebanon. It is an epidemic here. So sad to see small children smoking. I started this past summer, realized that I have an addictive personality, so I quit. I really enjoyed it while it lasted lol. I have two friends that have to have it every evening to wind down. Thanks for starting this thread!!!

what a coincidence...I was just telling a friend today that I don't sleep as early as I used to. In the evenings I sit by the fire, natural tranquilizer normally, but not anymore!

thanks for the inspiration

congrats to you! you look great! thanks for the inspiration