Creekimp13

Ask yourself this. How often does Joe Citizen have cases and cases of his favorite nutritional supplement tested at a lab...where he then cherry picks the results and goes to court? If I seem ornery, Matt, I'm not ornery with you... This whole thing blatantly stinks of a competing brand playing dirty...and that angers me. Premier protein and all whey products....in my opinion, are cancer waiting to happen...so I don't care for them personally. Any of them. But I will say that PP is the most palatable of the ready made products I've tasted. It's an extremely successful product that is raking in cash...and its competitors are not happy that so many people prefer it. It's particularly preferred in the bariatric crowd, that as you know has a massive growing market demographic. My advice to competitors: Fix your products. Make them more palatable. Don't pursue this underhanded nonsense. People buying into the sensationalism....is sad and irritating. I apologize if my angst seemed in any way directed at you, Matt. It was not.

It was a petty lawsuit with a crappy payout. Premier Protein cares as much about 9 million dollars.... as I do about spending $4 on a Starbucks. They also deny wrongdoing or misleading advertising. Why do I say it's petty? How is this possible? The plaintiff spent a bunch of money testing a bunch of shakes. A few were found to contain between 26.9 grams and 28.34 grams....instead of the promised 30g. A few were also found to contain a bit more than 30g. Most contained 1g one side or the other....of the promised 30g. World Shattering, huh? The reality is....if you drink these damned shakes as often as the typical bariatric dieter....you're getting on average roughly 30g per shake...even if one or two of your shakes comes up short a gram or two. Who is "injured" by this? It's petty and pointless.

Alex, I have to strongly disagree with your bariatric surgeon friend on the bioavailability of caseinate to weight loss patients. Caseinate is absorbed affectively in the small intestine,,,and provides a steady stream of blood amino acid levels all day....rather than whey...which has more rapid absorption, but spikes your levels dangerously. Would whey be any better? No. That said...as you know....I'm careful with the use animal proteins in general because of the associated risks of cancer, heart disease, and early mortality in people under 65. Consuming vast quantities of milk protein under any circumstance is just a bad idea. Tofu, refried beans, potatoes, nut butters....great choices Pea protien powder with brown rice protien powder. Lot of healthier safer options. Is Premier Protien a horrible product? It's about as horrible as the nutrition advice of most bariatric clinics.

Fruit, beans and whole grains. We're primates, not big cats. Eating heavy protein and no carbs isn't just unhealthy for us, it's unnatural for us. You have a sweet tooth because you're a great ape. And as much self-denial as you want to inflict upon yourself, eventually your physiology will scream for carbs....because that's what your ape body was built to eat. The trick is picking the right carbs that will satisfy you and keep your diet on track. Fruit is high sugar, but it comes with fiber and important phytonutrients you need. Whole grains, beans, lentils, brown rice... are an awesome source of plant protein that also give you a nice slow glycemic carb burn. They are "good" carbs that help keep your sugar cravings in check. They also grow spectacular colonies of gut microbiota found in the digestive systems of thinner people:)

I wonder what smells like barbecue? LOL:) Went to one of our traditional haunted houses last night...had a blast:) Happy Halloween!

These are way cute! https://mumsgrapevine.com.au/2015/09/healthy-halloween-ideas/

You had weeks? We always ate the whole bag in like 72 hours, tops. LOL. Huge bag, too... Some alternatives to the candy gorge... Walk along with the tick or treaters:) Go for a haunted hay ride. Visit an orchard and pick apples. Carve pumpkins, roast seeds. Rake leaves, jump in them, hold leaf pile Olympics. Make costumes, learn to do monster make up Go to a haunted event:) Easiest Cardio Evah! Go to a pet costume contest...Dogoween. Host a scary movie sleepover Visit Halloween stores for the creepy decorations and displays Have a bonfire Tell terrifying tales:)

My favorites: WATERMELON! Can't get enough of it...and it's going out of season. This worries me. LOL Grapes Blueberry protein silver dollar pancakes ( half a cup of oatmeal, quarter cup of cottage cheese, half teaspoon baking powder, two egg whites, splash of almond milk...zap in blender...makes an awesome low glycemic, whole grain pancake batter high in protein...and even better, it tastes AMAZING) Bowls and bowls of homemade veggie soup: Carrots, celery, onion, garlic, zucchini, yellow squash, garlic, mushrooms, red peppers, cabbage, corn, red kidney beans, tomatoes, and any other veggie that happens to be hanging around. Homemade whole wheat bread with nut butters, or toasted with olive oil and goat cheese with dried cranberries Pistachios, pecans, almonds Apples Fiber One bars Pure Protein Chocolate Delux bars Toasted chickpeas Baked potatoes with cheese, or vegetarian chili, or both on top:) Miso soup with tofu Carrots and hummus Half a Burger King Veggie burger, just how they make it:) Yonanas soft serve frozen bananas with chocolate syrup, pecans, strawberries, pineapple, and light whipped cream Yasso bars...the fudgecicle ones

Does your family have Halloween traditions?

https://health.usnews.com/wellness/food/slideshows/best-diets-overall Interestingly...most of the highest ranked diets are: 1. High in complex carbs like whole grains, legumes and brown rice 2. Low in refined carbs 3. Have lots of fruit and veggies 4. Emphasize plant based proteins 5. Suggest smaller quantities of animal proteins 6. Emphasize healthier plant based fats

Biotin, protein, vitamins, Rogaine...naked chants under the moon....virgin sacrifices....none of this is going to save you from hair loss. Until you are 3-6 months post surgery....you really don't know what it's going to be like for you. Wait until you get there. I remember thinking...I'm doing everything right! The Biotin will save me. I'll eat extra protein. I'll use super expensive hair preserving supplements and shampoo. I'll use Lady Rogaine just in case! It will never happen to me! Bahahahaha....oh yes....yes, it did. Tellogen Effluvium, you are an evil beeyatch...and Yes, you are part of weight loss surgery that almost no one escapes. (I've asked at live support groups...so far, it's pretty universal...in spite of how much it's downplayed) I had hair loss between month 4 to month 8 post surgery, but also had lots of baby hairs coming in...could feel a fleet of them poking up under my hair.....which was pretty encouraging. (you can kinda stick your fingers under your hair and pat your scalp...you'll feel all sorts of tiny hairs regrowing, little stubbles and then little pokey hairs.....but it takes them a while to get as long as the rest of your hair) The new crop of little hairs coming in under the long hair has made from some funky hair days. LOL. My hair is weirdly fluffy and oddly full close to my head and stringier and thinner in the longer parts, which I've been cutting a little shorter to kinda "help" the new growth catch up and blend my newer and older hair back together. I have never experienced bald/thin spots on my scalp. Just a lot of aggressive shedding, followed by aggressive regrowth. It's gonna look weird for a while, particularly if you really love wearing your hair longer. For a healthy person, hair grows about a quarter inch to half an inch a month...faster in warmer months, slower in cold. I keep my hair about 7-10 inches long depending on the layer....so it's gonna be a while until all the old thin hair is trimmed out and the new full thickness is achieved. Might take about two years for mine to be like it was, but I can definitely tell it's much thicker in the couple inches next to my scalp already. Should turn out awesome:) If you like your hair long...you're gonna need patience. Shorter styles will fill back in quicker:) We were told eating enough calories is important in controlling hair loss.. My clinic recommended 1000-1200 calories per day starting at 3 weeks post surgery.

You can have bile duct stones without a gallbladder that can cause unpleasant symptoms......particularly if you were prone to them before, it might still be a possibility. Particularly, if what's setting your attack off is an egg. Try avoiding simple carbs as directed......if it doesn't work, think of this as a back up idea:)

If it truly is reactive hypoglycemia, eating small meals and snacks more frequently will help. Eat a little something every three hours you're awake. Fasting would be contraindicated. A gall bladder issue would be an extremely common reason for the symptoms you are describing. Reactive hypoglycemia is possible, but is very rare and would surprise me. 25-30% of weight loss surgery patients who have their gallbladders develop issues requiring treatment. Gallbladder attacks are often set off by high fat, high protein foods. Sensitivity to eggs is often reported. Nuts, too. Spicy foods and fatty processed carbs can set off attacks as well. Talk to your doc. If it's gallbladder....it's a horse in a field of horses. If it's reactive hypoglycemia it's a unicorn.

Thanks for the awesome, honest post. Everything you've said here was true to my experience, as well. Great job!

If you still have your gallbladder, it might be the problem. Gallbladder issues are extremely common after rapid weight loss, and they can feel exactly as you're describing.

Research Gallbladder attack. See your doctor.

Lastly......if you have not tried the Flapped Jack Mighty Muffins at the bariatric store? You are missing out! Chocolate Tart Cherry...Yum!

Everyone loves before and after pics:) Figured I'd throw in a teaser for my reveal pics at the Fat Prom..lol:) It's been suggested I might be dishonest. Nope, I have not lied about any of my stats or my eating plan. Here's a little proof, as requested:) My surgeon group is doing research on regain after bariatric surgery and the best way to prevent it. Part of the study I'm involved in included pushing us to eat 1000-1200 calories per day at 3 weeks post op. I can honestly say I have not eaten less than this since the third week after surgery. (this scandalized many people..lol. how dare I eat that much? and eat carbs! OMG! LOL) Toward the end of hitting my goal, I was eating 1400 calories per day (sometimes 1600). I'm maintaining pretty effortlessly at 1600-1800 calories per day these days. 1600 is an extremely generous and comfortable daily intake limit for me, and I don't journal anymore...just kinda keep estimates in my head of what I'm eating....and as long as the scale looks good... I figure, Meh, close enough:) I do weigh every other day. If weight goes up, I pay attention. Honestly, I'm having more problems keeping it up than down. 1600 calories is a LOT of pea salad and oatmeal. It's a lot of stir fry and fruit. It's a lot of whole wheat toast and almond butter. It's a lot of complex carbs and protein and veggies and tofu chili! I can afford to thrown in a protein bar AND have a Burger King Veggie Burger for lunch! (Ok, I can only eat half...and a few fries...but still! That's only like 300 calories and I'm stuffed) And I do follow Mayo Clinic Diet for the most part...because I love it. I bank my "sweets" calories and eat a treat here and there...and I'm allowed. I eat ice cream cones cause they're wonderful and require measurement. Though, I've gotta say, my tastes have changed. Refined stuff no longer sings to me. Love my complex whole grains! Lentils, beans, chickpeas and brown rice? Don't mind if I do! I crave fruit. I am a watermelon addict. Would prefer it to candy, cakes and ice cream. And since fruit is fair game on my diet I eat my melon most days and feel pretty smug about it not even eating up my "treat" calories. Time will tell when all the research comes in (I might be an anomaly), but it really looks like the folks in this study are doing well and are able to eat pretty normal balanced diets three years out without much regain. The whole idea is to not set yourself up for a starvation set point by restricting calories or carbs too long. Again, time will tell what we learn from the data...but I'm grateful to have my cake...and eat it (in moderation)...too:) I feel like there's a terrific chance for lasting peace in my war with food. Sleeve surgery was a life changing, wonderful decision. Gratitude to my surgeon, to diet researchers at Mayo Clinic, to my psychologist, and to my incredibly supportive family. Thank you all. PS...to all you ketovangelists...you do you! If it gets you where you want to be, that's awesome. Fight the good fight and do what makes sense to you. I've got no answers for anyone...except me:) But I've gotta say....I like my diet better than yours..because...ya know...I can eat stuff. Neener, neener, neener:) LOLOLOLOL:) (I am SO teasing...) Best Wishes! Myself and hubby in August of last year. Myself and the hubby in August of this year. Damn, it's nice to be the little one:) And yeah, I'm kinda hiding in this shot...but it's a teaser. Waiting on the formal wear for the full reveal:) So glad my hair is finally growing back! Whew!

We see them all the time. Hell, maybe we'll write one someday... OMG, I've regained! What do I do??????? You know what I like to do? I like to go back in that person's post history and read about their diet habits in the beginning when they were losing....get a feel for what kind of dieter they were. And I almost always find that the re-gainers....were super strict, super disciplined, never-touch-a-carb, low calorie extremists. And it kills me...because the advice to these folks is always the same.....get back on your super strict diet! up your protein! don't touch a carb! And I'm sitting here shaking my head. Why do people return to what doesn't work? Over and over and over. Isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? Don't mean to just pick on our Ketovangelists....there are plenty of Passive Pollys out there who ate junk constantly, never kept track....and wonder why their weight went back up after the honeymoon. My point is.....if a particular strategy ends in failure.....why in the world would you return to it? Why encourage someone to return to what didn't work longterm? if the goal is longterm maintenance....why send them back to another stop-gap measure that fails them in the long run? Ketovangelists....try something different if extremely low cal and carbs doesn't work long term for you! If you eventually lose your mind and fall off the wagon, maybe the wagon you're on doesn't fit. Try something more moderate so you can stay in control long term. Passive Pollys....try something different! If a total lack of structure is resulting in your surgery being useless.....add some freaking framework to your diet. Work on healthy limits without going completely overboard. Be accountable. More and more, I believe an addiction to EXTREMISM is what keeps people fat. So many of these folks are either "I must be in COMPLETE CONTROL"...or "I am helpless against my eating"....there's never any middle ground. Stop with the extremism. Knock that shite off. It's hurting you.

I'll be 46 this week, and my bestie got me my first tattoo for my birthday. I couldn't begin to tell you the real meaning behind this tattoo...and it would rob some of the magic if I did, so I won't. BUT....symbolically, lily of the valley is associated with "a return to happiness, humility and luck".....which is pretty neato all by itself. PS...in case you can't figure out what body part that is...lol...it's my right ankle:)

Have ya'll ever noticed how many of the vets who have maintained for 3+ years...are exercise freaks? Weight lifters, marathon runners, circuit trainers, etc... Even older folks who are committed to walking several miles every day. I've noticed that A LOT of our most successful folks....are constantly on the move. How much is exercise stressed in your program? How often do you talk about it at post surgical consultations? My team talks about the importance of exercise every time I'm seen. My doctor writes my exercise goals on a prescription pad to emphasize its importance. Diet is obviously pretty important, too...but learning to incorporate more movement into your daily life is a HUGE lifestyle change with HUGE payoffs. What are some ways that have you have successfully incorporated more exercise into your life?

My feeling about these two flavors is...... Meh. Not horrible. Not amazing. Peaches and cream is too sweet and very artificial.... kinda like the banana. It's not awful. Would be good in a smoothy. You can drink it straight. It's ok-ish. Cookies and cream is weird. Remember Cookie Crisp cereal? It tastes exactly like that. Some weird artificial chocolate chip cookie flavor that will remind you of childhood if you ever ate the stuff. Cookie Crisp Premier Protien isn't awful in coffee. Not as good as caramel. But you could use it in a pinch for a sort of weird mocha/biscotti flavor? Oh hell...who am I kidding...it's Cookie Crisp flavored coffee. LOL. It is what it is. It's not awful. So there ya go. You can buy it at Wally World. I rarely shop the evil empire...but I was there the other day and curiosity got the better of me. Happy Protein Drinks!

My doctor puts it at 50/50 I suppose this, like most things in this emerging science, is subjective.... and will vary expert to expert.

Keeping a pool...even a little above ground one...is a lot of exercise. Not just the swimming, but the constant care involved, cleaning, chemicals, etc. LOTS of trips to the pool, even when you're not swimming. Keeping a garden is the same kinda thing. Lots of weeding, watering, stuff to keep you moving. I keep both:)

Stuff I do to get more movement: 1. New rule in my life...if I'm watching a show and a commercial comes on? I have to walk. 2. New rule in my life...any time i'm on the phone, I need to be on my feet. I walk the whole time i'm talking. If it's for business, I carry my notes with me. If it's friends/family, I walk around my yard while talking. 3. When I wake up (with my fitbit on as usual), I make my coffee, do some dishes, take trash out, start laundry, and don't sit down until I have at least 2000 steps. Great way to start the day ahead of the game, and I'm usually half asleep while doing this...so I don't even feel it. LOL:) 4. I ride my bike to the mailbox everyday (it's a quarter mile from my house). Most days, I ride to the end of the road (about two miles) before grabbing the mail. Yep, I live in the middle of nowhere. Lotta land. 5. I mow a big portion of my lawn by hand with a push mower. Cracks me up to see people pay for a gym membership and then get on their riding lawn mower. LOL. Mowing lawns is an AWESOME workout. My hubby is thrilled I've picked up this habit:) Lawns are always done for the weekend. Anyone else have a few active lifestyle tips?