gobbler

for coffee, tea & such, i must have cream (if i put enough milk in to get my drink the right color it gets cold). for drinking and cereal any thing more than 1% tastes too thick. 2% & whole milk just taste too much like cream for use as a beverage. i spring the extra cash for organic when its available. it tastes better and doesn't have the stench of cruelty that non-organic dairy products have.

thank gawd i am not the only person that thought that. i had a little image of alex trebek with a screen behind him with categories (candy, insects, wood) and a contestant saying "alex, i will try insects for $400 please". :smile:

the purpose of the pre-op diet is to reduce the fat on the liver, making it easier for the surgeon to place the band (reducing the length of the procedure and other risks). my surgeon uses Optifast (low calorie, high Protein, low carb, low fat) because, in his words "we know it works every time". the clinic nutritionists work with people who can't tolerate the optifast to devise other programs (slimfast, protein powders, high protein/low fat/low carb diets). i also asked him, what happens if i eat real food (i have a wedding to attend smack dab in the middle of the pre-op diet phase - i will be on the diet for three weeks) and he advised that he does not expect perfect compliance. he told me to enjoy the meal at the wedding and start back on the shakes the next morning.

i would consider looking for a different surgeon. if his office is not helpful, not returning your calls and not giving you instructions with respect to an important aspect of the surgery (the pre-op diet), do you really want these people cutting into you. what if you have post-op questions? or god-forbid, post-op complications? i would be veeery uneasy about turning myself over to a team that was 'not the most helpful'. just a thought.

i am really glad to hear this. i am booked for the end of july and my surgeon advised that there would be no counting points, calories or the like - that the band would take care of portion sizes (once it was filled and restricting properly). ww, with its points system makes me feel incredibly deprived and food focused. i want the band so that i can be satisfied with less food. if i binge on Cookies and am full after 5 rather than 25 cookies, the band will have been worth it.

thank you for your encouragment. this looks like a very supportive forum and i look forward to participating.

i have scheduled my surgery. i did a lot of research before deciding that this was the way to go. i researched the procedure itself and my surgeon. i am comfortable that this is a reasonable step to take to improve my health. i recently gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. i love being a mom but the 150 extra pounds i am carrying are making it hard. my feet hurt, my knees hurt (my pre-mommy job was veeeery sedentary) and i get tired fast. i need to start addressing my weight problem before he is an energetic toddler (or i will not be able to play with him or even keep up with him). in less than two months my relationship with food will change forever. i don't consider myself an emotional eater and i generally make good choices in terms of what i eat. i am in this mess because i eat too much of everything - the good (fruit, veggies), the bad (frozen yogurt, vanilla lattes) and the stupid (gummi and sour candy, super salty sunflower and pumpkin seeds). i have had great 'success' with a number of very low calorie diets until i stop being on the diet. i have lost the same 100 pounds three times now (once in high school, then i college and again when i started my career). i have gained it back and then some each time. my greatest hope is that with the band i will have help to stay on track portion size wise once i have lost the weight.