Stevehud

your power?? what the heck are you talking about? Again NO ONE ASKED YOU TO DO ANYTHING! you thin I want the spotlight? I think you've been blinded by it. No one wants anything from you! My, as in me, not you , the opposite if you, my wish is that people would educate others on what it takes to go through this surgery so that they will better understand what people go through, and by doing so make it easier for others to make their decision about the surgery rather than DIE! and you have a PROBLEM WITH THAT? Fine I will revise my statement, EVERYBODY ON THIS THREAD PLEASE READ THIS. I Steven Hudson, WISH that everyone who is asked about the surgery would be able to educate briefly people about what you and others have to go through, so that they may better understand you and others. That is EVERYBODY EXCEPT GreenEyes604. OK are we done now.

No one else can be judgemental about your surgery, since they don't know about it....nah cant be that.

sorry i have to do one more brief one. WHo am I to save the world? We all should save the world, if not us the who? you see any other species doing it? Somehow it's bad that I want to help other people so they don't go through all the things fat people go through? You dont want to help, c'est la vie. I want to help and I will, and to use your words, Greeneyes, who am i to save the world...I am someone who doesnt want people to live in a world of being fat. Who are you?

I had this big response prepared, but then i realized this said it best. Denial, aint just a river in Egypt, now is it.

is it you cant stop spitting or youre spitting because you are building up a lot of saliva?

im kind of worried that you dont seem to have any guides or plans. that scares me. most people ive seen dont hit the puree stage until later than where you are at. Can you give us an idea of what it is you are eating and drinking? Im praying you weren't drinking like Protein shakes for weight lifters instead of diet ones. Heck my plan calls for three to 4 weeks of liquids before i would even hit the puree stage.

it's interesting in that my surgeon for my upcoming sleeve, has told me he stopped doing lap bands about 8 months ago because they just don't work effectively and too many have to be removed. I wonder how many more surgeons are facing this realization and how much longer they will be used.

I don't think anyone would deny there can be good reasons to hide it, the nosy boss who won't give you time off, of course that makes sense. But it is not comparable to having "female surgery" it is not in the same realm at all. As i said before and a lot of people here are admitting it. People are hiding the surgery because they do not want people to think they did not have to work at weight loss and it was all the surgeries doing. SO they want people to think they did it all by themselves with no help. I am very sorry ladies, but that is a lie and a cop out because it means you are simply reinforcing the belief that the surgery does it all and you do nothing. To say that you are worried people will talk about you behind your back that you had surgery! OOH, first off. who cares? people will talk about anything. the kind of person who will talk about you in that way is not going to suddenly start talking about how wonderful you are because they think you did it without some help. The biggest part of this is going to piss people off. I will bet you people talk about you now. And that they have for years. Not those same people, but people in general see you and think look at the fat lady or fat guy. they don't say hmm there's someone struggling with being overweight. No, unless they have been there and even worse if they are one of the few who did lose it on their own, they are WOSE!, its like an ex-smoker they are pains to smoker, I know i'm an ex-smoker, (15 years ago i quit yay) So you have endured years and years of people talking about you behind your back, and people staring, and many more embarrassing things, you made it through that, but cant take it if someone talks about you becoming healthy and fit and wanting live life? No. It doesn't fit. Now as i said obviously telling someone that would jeopardise you having the surgery is obviously a great reason. And even not announcing it, ok i can kind of see it. but yes if you were asked how did you lose the weight and you neve mentioned surgery as a helper, you lied, and you failed an opportunity to educate someone on what really happens. I told peole on my blog and my friends and co workers, what I will have to endure. liquids only, no more than 4oz of food , puree stage, never drinking within 30 mins before or after a meal, no alcohol, no carbonated soda ever, all these things, and once they learned what I had to do, everyone has said wow, i had no idea you had to do this. SO if you take the few moments to educate people, then maybe you will save the next person from going through any kind of ignorant actions from their peers. The reasons I am so passionate is because of the education issue, people actually back out of having surgery at an alarming rate, and the weight issue has become so bad that they now have new terms for obese people, we now have the SUPER obese, and the MEGA obese. People who have to be cut out of their homes, transported on flat bed trucks. Or who just die in their beds. We need to be the people who show that this is necessary, life changing and life giving. It is also because the more people who see me being open to i, then maybe they will pass along some information to someone who may then look into the surgery and keep it going foraward. I have a few friends who are young but weigh over 500+ pounds each, and they are still in that stage where you fool yourself with how big you are. We lose too many people to obesity. We shouldnt have to. to those i have offended..tough, you can take it. I love you all, We all can do this! Http://cuttingthefatwithaknife.blogspot.com

Yeah I had similar issues with a very cheap folding chair at an outdoor concert, and a friend of mine who outweighs me by at least 150 pounds was even worse off.

Lots of great comments, I used this analogy before I'll do it one more time. Basically when people ask why you are having the surgery etc, this is what I say, and it also works as to why I am open about it. If you were a runner and you are out running and your tired and you see a hill coming up, you grin and bear it and push to make it over that hill. Well that hill is like losing our pre op weight loss. Its hard but for the most part we grin and bear it and get through it. If you were out running and you're tired and you come up to the base of a mountain, you would just turn around and run back to where you were. That mountain is our goal weight loss. Professional mountain climbers use Sherpa guides to get them to the summit. Well this surgery is my Sherpa guide. He can't climb it for me, but he can show me the way. My friends , co-workers and supporters are my climbing gear they help me make the climb. I still have to do the work to get to the top.

I do love this topic so I will chime in. some people will take it personally but anyway. First off here is a great idea, lets stop calling it WLS or weight loss surgery. the surgery does not lose weight you do! if you have a knew replaced its called knee replacement surgery, not im running surgery. if we can stop calling it weight loss surgery and instead call it bariatric surgery, maybe just maybe people will stop hiding it. I know why people hide it, and whether they want to be honest with themselves or not is fine with me. It's your own mental well being that makes you want to do it that way. The man who said he was open because he wanted validation, well guess what, that is the same reason why people hide the surgery, they believe if they do the work, the surgery will get the credit if they tell people. So they don't tell people, then they feel they are the ones getting the credit for the weight loss. When indeed you should be anyway!

ok first off, please do not tell people to use sugar, yes sugar are you an idiot? why not just tell em to eat friggin donuts after surgery. Honey is SUGAR, DUH, Xylitol, and Erithritol are the exact same as sorbitol they are all SUGAR ALCOHOLS, they still contain sugar but they have a lower glycemic swing, they're good for diabetics but NOT for weight loss! also in any quantity they make you poop your brains out. acesulfame potassium is NOT related to aspartame in any way shape or form! however in many products some manufacturers will pair it with other sweeteners, so just read the label. Seriously people , you want to know why people fail , BAD ADVICE! adding vanilla to your drinks, well vanilla is sugar and alcohol. I mean do people bother to think ? Im sorry also to say artificial sweeteners should be avoided at all costs huh, how about the cost of being obese and dying horribly, of being non mobile and losing your limbs finger and toes to diabetes? is that a high enough cost? I eamn to tell people who are just out of surgery to add fruit...where did you get your surgerons degree or your nutritionist degree? Heres a real FACT. HAVING BARAITRIC SURGERY DOES NOT MAKE YOU AN EXPERT IN IT. Get over yourselves.

I know now there are outpatient laser procedures for our moobs as well. no incisions uses ultrasound and lasers to break up the fat underneath the skin and the liquid is drained out through a syringe I believe. so far it looks great im not sure of cost, ill see if I can find the link etc.

Mrs Coffey, first let me say thank you! Second I love the article. it is tough I personally am fighting against the stigma to men, which is seemingly even higher than that associated with women, although I am not belittling anything women have to go through. Men get the , why are you having surgery just stop eating crap and workout at the gym, etc. there's a macho anti acceptance that permeates society. As a result I can say that many man and I would say women, stay away from the life changing and life saving surgeries that exist. I am keeping a blog, I do a lot of video taste tests and stuff like that as I am still pre op, but I am turning the blog into an ebook to show men what this is all like. Thee are many books including your own that are great but they are very female and men have different questions and expectations. Look at the men's forum, and the questions are very different. Together all of us can show that this is not some cop out that it is hard work, and why we needed to do it. For Ruth1966- Ruth, I posted this in a different post on one forum, and it got a great response so I though I would re post it here for you. Maybe it will help you get your point across. Please feel free to use it as you need. In my blog I used this analogy for when people asked me why I am having this surgery, why aren't I just going to the gym more and eating right etc. If you are out running and your tired and you see a small hill up ahead you grit your teeth and go for it. That's losing 20 pounds. But if you saw a mountain in front of you you would probably just turn around and avoid it. That mountain is how much we ( bariatric patients) have to lose. If I climb that mountain on my own, I will never make it, I don't have the experience nor the physical tools to do so. The best professional mountain climbers use sherpas to help them. This surgery is my Sherpa, I still have to do the climbing, but he will be there to show me the way, and all my friends and coworkers are my climbing gear that support me as I climb. I love you all, together We can all do this. http://cuttingthefatwithaknife.blogspot.com

Wait are you saying the skin from your mouth falls off? if it does you should see a dentist immediately because that's not good that's well, I wont go further but to say its bad. And phosphoric acid is less acidic than the citric acid in orange juice cranberry juice or pineapple juice.

Yeah lets be frank here people one tablespoon is only about 15 grams, so you CANNOT get 30 grams of Protein from 15 grams of product. I know they say they have some magic formula but be serious for a second, how can you get more protein than there is actual product?

My nutritionist had this down pat, halfway through our first session I found I was making the suggestions and she was just helping me with the how's. It is very empowering and very satisfying. I went in to the meeting expecting to meet some skinnier than a rail, vegan who would look down on me and tell me I have to eat kale because I was a bad person, I ended up leaving having realized that I can do this, and not even thinking about how I had come to that realization. Quite a nice change to nutritionists I've had years before.

that's a lot of sugar. I was thinking about posting how I see people eating yogurt that I know has a lot of sugar in it. I personally eat the light and fit carb and sugar smart yogurt which has less than 1g of sugar. Im just thinking that its imperative that you get the sugar out of your diet before the surgery, don't just limit it, the old, everything in moderation bit is a bunch of bull, we are obese we are fat yes I say it not in anger or hate but to remind myself why im doing this, I use it as motivation, take it to heart I love you all, and lets face it, if youre not one of us you will never truly understand us or the pain we hide, some deeper than others, and some rationalize it more but I know we all have felt it. Give yourself the best chance at success. It seems like the people here that are the most successful really do the work, and don't say well this is ok, or that's ok, its only little of this etc. I hate reading about people who fail or are obviously failing. Don't be one of those we can all do this, I believe that with my heart and soul. Sure im projecting my own fears, but hey nobodys perfect, but we damn sure have to try.

I taste test the isopure drinks in my blog. I do video taste tests of many Protein drinks and powders and ready mades. personally I only like 3 of the isopure ready made's, and im not counting the cocotein because I hate coconut. BUT for me the hands down best and many agree with me, is the black tea with lemon, it is almost indistinguishable from basic diet iced tea. The alpine punch is decent, and the orange is my second favorite, the blue raspberry ws ok at first but by the end I was not as happy with it. Now isopure also makes a few flavors in small 8oz plastic bottles ive only seen them online for about 27 bucks a case. What is funny is the best powder so far has been by twinlab ( for me this is) called basic essentials and its cheap as heck but sold out in a lot of places and only avail in chocolate and vanilla. I have just taste tested a prudct called fill shake and go, from abouttime, yes its all one word. its a plastic bottle with the powder init and you just add the liquid after you open it, so its good to carry in a purse or store at work, but the flavors are all very very mild, so if you have hyper taste or don't like strong tastes those are seriously for you. I have abunch of sample of the Syntrax nectars coming as well, the company would like me to taste test those for them as well ( its nice getting free mixes, but I do a lot of taste tests lately. lol) I have had one already which was the fuzzy navel, I did mix it with some frozen fruit ( mango pineapple and peach) and for liquid I used a diet decaf iced tea, oh my it was so delicious, like a liquid creamsicle. I wanted to go an put vodka in it, t was that good. SO I should have these sample this week, check in the blog this week for the videos. 9 check out the past ones as well, theres no money involved Im doing the blog to help me and other guys but that's another story. so feel free to check them out, at http://cuttingthefatwithaknife.blogspot.com be safe, I love you all, and we can all do this!

I cant remember which, but one comedian said something to the effect of, when you lose weight and people say, "oh yeah I can see it in your face." Im thinking, my god! how fat was my face before?

my goal is to someday be called skinny. I look forward to it.

okay I started my weight loss goal ( need to lose 5% of your body weight to have the surgery, in three weeks im down 25 pounds. and I still cheat now and then, I just cheat well. no candy bars, no French fries, a couple of pop chips, no biggeee. but most of it is from Protein shakes, a good one for Breakfast, a good one for elucnh a ready made Isopure to sip on during the day, sugar free Jello and sugar free jello pudding when I need chocolate, and a nice big salad fro dinner, very lite dressing fat free and as low sugar as you can get, I like mixing my own vinegar and oil in the shaker thing. I use various types of lettuce but mostly romaine, butter raddichio, iceberg and bibb. I buy the pre cooked grilled chicken at trader joes and dice it and warm it in a frying pan, and the hard boiled eggs at trader joes as well. I chop up an egg and a good portion of the chicken and put it in my salad with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and have that. if it just wont fill me ill have a Protein shake a small one, a few hours before bed. I ate this diet for three weeks. I had to lose 18 pounds from my 361 to made my goal and im at 25, I now just go to maintenance level, where I work in some things like once a week I have a few slices of bread usualy as toast on a weekend breakfast morning. or I had a half of a small bar type pizza last Saturday night with broccoli chicken and artichoke hearts topping, was very filling because im use to having so many shakes lol. even with that cheat I was under 1000 calories for the day. I walked arouind the mall a few times and walked through the supermarket ( need my jello fix lol) in the average day no I will take in about 30 to 40 carbs and out of that maybe 6 grams of sugar. Also heres a hint, protein shakes have a tendency to um bind you up. I now mix half a tablespoon of flavorless Fiber ( benefiber or any of those is great, in with my shakes, the fiber helps move things along, but also that fiber keeps you feeling full longer. Anyway if youre interested in sometimes funny, my taste test video are available here on my blog, they are short and to the point, http://cuttingthefatwithaknife.blogspot.com

well if you like I taste test a lot of ready made and mixes and drinks on my blog in video form, fun to watch. almost all the ready shakes I think are way past disgusting A few isopure flavors In the fruit punch type are good, but I know in my guide I have from my surgeon, im to drink no more than 4 oz of liquid at one continuous time, so 16oz bottle will not work. . make sure youre allowed to have that much liquid. and anyone not taking just whey isolate is doing this very very wrong, unless you have a specific form of intolerance. Anyway if you like my blog with the taste tests is at http://cuttingthefatwithaknife.blogspot.com keep the fight going. we can all do this!

warm is okay but as the marketing person from nectar just told me in an email, do not go over 140 t0 150 degrees or you turn the powder to cement. you can mix first then heat a bit mix then heat, its not an easy thing to do. The people who make nectar are sending me out a bunch iof samples to do my video taste test on. as soon as I get them ill post them with all my other Protein drink/shake/mixes taste videos I already have up, on my blog. If you are interested check them out here http://cuttingthefatwithaknife.blogspot.com