Phoenix79

Aaah- much better! Carmel apple pancakes from Eggface's website- a few improvements such as a squirt or two of SF caramel Torani syrup, 1tsp Splenda, and 1/2 tbsp butter. I didn't have pancake mix so I added 1/2 tsp baking powder to 3 tbsp whole wheat flour and it came out great! I would eat these even when I'm not low carb! Moist and delish! More of a splurge on the carbs than I'd like but worth it. I see this as a Saturday am tradition.

Since the heat will kick it up a notch during summer I think something refreshing is in order. How about a shave ice with Torani or Davinci sugar free syrup? I'm going to get in about 8 oz of water with each one but I can adjust the size as I progress after surgery. Flavorful, refreshing and easy to eat! Hawaii Ice is a great one to buy- comes with circular solid ice molds for lighter fluffier shave but you can use regular ice cubes and it's still pretty good. Try pineapple, watermelon, grape, root beer, orange etc....yum!

Happy birthday Laura! Thanks for the support and friendship you've given to my husband on this site! I second the skinnylicious menu suggestion at Cheesecake Factory- lots of yummy stuff that's low cal!

Thanks- I'll check it out!

Cleaning out the pantry today- lots to donate and throw out. I'm going to girly up my protein powders by putting them in large wide lipped vintage glass jars. Who needs ugly plastic bottles?

I have been submitted for approval by my insurance, and my goal is to have surgery in June due to a garden tour I'm hosting at my garden in late August. Lord willing I don't have any complications, that will give me time to get a little energy back and do some finishing work in the garden before the tour (lots of master gardeners & magazine/book featured gardeners coming). Per the surgeons office my insurance could take up to 1 month, but typically they said 1-2 weeks. After approval, we go to a consent signing and nutrition class pre surgery and they start us on a 2 week diet. So that would typically put me out into July. But because I went through all the pre and post surgery appointments with my husband last year (fiddleman), I know how to do the pre surgery diet they want and started the day I was submitted to insurance so they can fast track me and squeeze me into the consent signing the moment I hear something from insurance, and then if there is an opening, surgery almost immediately after the consent signing instead of having to wait the two weeks! The nutrition team was okay with it since they know me and I've already lost 25lbs on my own and know the diet. I'm okay I think if I go into early July- my husband was sleeved July 2 so that might actually be pretty cool if we were exactly 1 year apart, but I'm hoping for June. Whew!

Yummy lime shave ice for dessert- calories 0! Not nearly as good as Hawaiian shave ice, but it works.

I haven't had surgery yet, but my surgeon wants no lifting more than 10lbs for 6 weeks! Torture for a gardener like me, but necessary to protect your new sleeve!

I've never hear that! It seems it would be just like eating food or drinking- shave ice is pretty compact- if you can have sugar free Popsicles post op you should be able to have this. I'll check withy surgeon to be sure though at my surgery consent signing day. You probably could make Popsicles out of it too!

Okay- here's my review on the Wild Grape Syntrax Nectar protein powder! The powder is white, not purple so that sort of threw me when I opened the container. I mixed 8oz of water with added ice cubes with one scoop of powder in a blender bottle. Once the protein touched the water, parts of it started turning blue then purple- sort of psychedelic! It foamed like all Syntrax does but died down fairly quickly- less foam than cappuccino flavor. The first thing that hit me on taste was I could taste the protein- then that died away and I tasted a tangy grape- like biting into a wine grape at the orchard. The tang and grapeyness stayed with me for a while, until I took my next sip- then protein taste again. It's not my favorite flavor Syntrax makes but it's not the worst either. It's great for not having a protein aftertaste- you get hit with it at the beginning of the sip then forget about it when the grape flavor hits. I though it would taste more like otter pop grape but it really is more of an orchard grown grape taste with a tang. Give it a try and see what you think!

I have AS and use Remicade to help with symptoms, given by IV every six weeks. I'm just starting on my pre- surgery diet for surgery in late June (no date yet- just submitted to insurance). My rheumatologist told me they wanted my last infusion to be at least four weeks before surgery and I can restart Remicade two weeks after surgery. I have been very stable and almost no symptoms since starting Remicade and I'm so excited to be able to exercise after surgery- crew team here I come! I have also been told that the band is contraindicated for folks with autoimmune issues so it's good that you folks are switching to sleeve! Small silver lining about having AS, Lupus, RA etc is that we're already used to lots of pain- chronic, which can be worse than acute and we'll probably have a better pain tolerance right after surgery and that IV will be a piece of cake!

My surgeons office that sells Nectar as its protein powder didn't even know they come out with a new flavor so I think it will take some time to find. Bought mine on Amazon.com.

Just had my last appointment before insurance approval! It's submitted, my bloodwork was excellent according to the nurse and they're going to try to expedite surgery once I get insurance approval (hopefully I can still sneak in for June). I'm starting the pre- surgery diet tomorrow which is high protein, low carb (20g or less per day). I've said goodbye to my fave foods gradually, losing 25lbs in the process, but I realised I was running out of time to make/eat my favourites and had Swedish pancakes, Indian buffet, Phad Thai and jasmine rice, and a napoleon, grapes, ice cream, etc in the past few days. As I start the diet tomorrow, I was feeling sad thinking "there's so many things I wanted to eat still! It can't be over! I mentioned it to my Mom, and she said that people who are dying often have the same reaction- "there's so many things I wanted to do still...I'm not ready!". I guess there is a similarity there- the old me is dying and a thinner healthier me will be taking my place. I'm terrified and excited at the same time- my first surgery ever.

Is it just me, or do the blender balls tend to get caught on everything when washing them? I do absolutely nothing, and I find two blender balls wrapped up in each other or stuck in the dishwasher tines! I have one stuck in the dishwasher top rack that I haven't had the patience to detangle for months! Agggh! They need to come up with a better design!

I reported it! Seems to be the same "person" on multiple threads, multiple times. Grrr

Try PB2 - it's powdered peanut butter that has tons less calories and fat but you can add it to protein shakes and other foods. I'm told you can also rehydrate it to use as a spread but I haven't tried that. A chocolate protein shake with PB2 and you have a peanut butter cup! My husband started eating regular peanut butter about 8 months after being sleeved. It's high calorie and high fat with very little protein. Best to save the calories for protein and get the most bang for your buck in your first 6 months of weight loss. I bet PB2 will take care of the craving!

Thanks for this idea- I will look for one. No babies for me yet so don't have any on hand. Actually, that's one of the reasons for me having surgery- 3 years of trying and no babies and after researching options I realised that I was too heavy for most IVF and adoption foundations to approve me!

LOL - I know, right!? Ah well, after surgery he'll get to do everything for a while, so that thought brings me joy.

Hand washing would be good for one, but I've got four everyday to wash, sometimes more on top of the other dishes, so I shove everything in the dishwasher after loosening any crusty stuff on the lid by running a knife around the edge. Unfortunately, my silverware section is too narrow to fit the balls in and I don't have the other baskets since I'm the second owner of the dishwasher. They don't even have to get to the dishwasher though- 3 or 4 blender bottles taken apart in the sink dishwater, I've reached in to find 2 blender balls entwined like someone spent time twisting them together! When it happens a few times it's fine, but over the course of a year it gets soooo annoying. We'll have even more blender bottles soon with me having my surgery this June- my husband had his last July. Oh well, at least we know we're getting our protein in! Thanks for the advice!

Yay! Hang in there and sip, sip, sip & walk, walk, walk! Can't wait to meet you in June!

About an ounce, more if you prefer!

How are you doing after surgery? The support group only meets the 2nd Saturday of every month - next one is June 8th at 10am. That's the one we go to, don't remember when the Tuesday group meets. The groups are led by Brittney and she's great! Hope to see you there!

I tried their vanilla bean yesterday - good, tasted a little like melted vanilla ice cream, and it tasted even better when I added Davinci SF root beer syrup. Root beer float baby! I can see all the possible combos- blueberry pie a mode, strawberry float, purple cow, etc. I think this is my "I'm craving a dessert" shake base. .