HelloPenny

Amen Sister. Me and another lady at my seminar looked at each other and said "Oh, Lord! That is going to be hard!"

I've heard several people say that. I also like it because it does give me extra "free" Fiber in my diet. It tastes like nothing so I don't even realize it is in my coffee at all.

Wow! I am so happy for you Maggie! I hope your boat comes in soon too, Karina. I am just still shocked... one that I got approved so fast and that any of you guys are having trouble now. So weird!

Julie Ann... I so relate. I have thought several times about a last supper. My pre-op diet snuck up on me. I had gone to the Doctor's office for my pre-op testing and the pysch consult on the 6th. I stopped at our favorite grocery store in Dallas and picked up some groceries. I spent $20 on a tri-tip roast! I got home and my Mother was asking me questions about my Doctor visit and about what the pre-op diet entailed. We started reading over the literature and what I could have and not have. She looked at me and said, "You do realize that two weeks would be tomorrow right?" It hadn't even occurred to me. I was shocked and then I was angry. I didn't want 20 bean Soup (what my mother had made for dinner that night.) for my last meal! I can eat that after I am banded! I wanted Steak! Shrimp! Taco Bueno! Big soft fluffy yeast rolls! I was upset. But, I had my bean soup, and realized that it was just food. One day, I will probably be able to have those things again, in some form or fashion. They are not important in the big scheme of things. I will not let food rule my emotions or control my actions, any longer. But I did have to fix that damn roast for my parents!!! :smile2:

Great minds think alike.

Do you normally drink caffeine? Did you have any today? I am not being very good... ummm I am being terrible, about not drinking caffeine! I still have regular coffee in the mornings. I know that when I stopped drinking caffeine when I was pregnant, I had horrible headaches.

I agree. But, you don't have to publish your information if you do not want to. I started using it when I got into the phentermine.com forums. The reason I liked it was because I could add custom foods to the food log. I could add my lean cuisines or type in a whole recipe and it would calculate all the nutritional information for me. And, it had a database already established, so I could just add 2 eggs, etc. Was easy for me.

I have the free membership. I use to use it when I was tracking calories and carbs. I have only used it recently to track how much weight I have lost. I really like the food log and body log. I plan to start using it once I am banded. I need to get out a tape measure and update my info. I also used the activity log for a short time. If you are into blogging you can pay for the gold membership, and customize how your page looks. Here is a link to my blog page.http://www.extrapounds.com/blog/hellopenny

Ara... Have you tried EAS? I think I have posted that I am using EAS like a billion times. So, sorry if this is old news. I got the powder from Sam's. A huge giant size bag. I got chocolate. I make it with skim milk. Do they have Braum's where you are in Texas? Their skim milk has WAY more Protein than the grocery store brands. It tastes like chocolate milk to me. My 1yo daughter thinks it is yummy too. If use a hand blender and really whip it up good. I can take 8oz of milk and double it's volume to two cups. Sort of frothy this way. I want to get some unflavored unjury to put in broth. I am way more into drinking something savory and hot, than cold and sweet. Cold and sweet gets old to me. The sodium amount is terrible, but I really like the Lipton Onion Soup in the packets. I just put the Water in a tea kettle and then measure out 4 cups of the hot water and use my hand blender to whirl it up. Then I stick it in a microwave safe quart container and just pour out what I want. (And microwave it, if it's cold.) You may need to strain out the little bits since you have your band. But, no biggie. But, I am still on the pre-op liquid diet. And, I haven't been eating at all. I barely drink 3 Protein drinks a day. My body is probably in starvation mode, but I am not hungry. So, if I am not eating now... I am defiantly worried about not eating after I get the band.

Do you pay for fitday.com? I use extrapunds.com and just use the free portion. It has always been more than adequate because I could add custom food to the food tracker.

Ara... I totally understand where you are coming from. My whole life has been about food. I have a BA degree in Culinary Art for crying out loud! So I am serious about my food! Food is one of the most important parts of a vacation to me, or at least it use to be. Major Foodie. My Husband thought I had lost my mind when I started asking him to split with me. It was something I did with an ex-bf, and it always worked great for us. So, when I asked my Husband he reluctantly agreed. But, we each had just enough food to be satisfied. We usually split one of each course. Sometimes we would get two appetizers, because they are always the most tempting, but usually the smallest portions. He really got turned onto the idea after he saw the bill. Virtually cutting your food bill in half. In his mind it, meant he could order another cocktail! I think in most Upscale restaurant, you will be able to find something you will truly enjoy. They usually use higher quality, fresher, simpler, and healthier ingredients. You might have trouble in those specializing in strictly southern cuisine, like Lady & Son. But, it IS Savannah! I would still go. Don't let food control your life for one day longer. (I know easier said than done!) Think positive!

Friend of my Mother, loaned me a couple books to read on the lap band. I finished reading "Fighting Weight" by Khaliliah Ali. Quick read. [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Weight-Procedure-Eliminates-Hunger-Forever/dp/0061170968/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product]Amazon.com: Fighting Weight: How I Achieved Healthy Weight Loss with "Banding," a New Procedure That Eliminates Hunger--Forever: Khaliah Ali, George Fielding, Christine Ren, Lawrence Lindner: Books[/ame] It was informative as well as entertaining. The textbook like book my Doctor gave me seemed terribly boring in comparison. I learned a couple things. I enjoyed her back story and related to a lot of what she said. Her book dedication says it all. “And to all children whose parents have opted out of too many photos with them.” Made me cry because it is so true.

I was sitting here and going to type out my typical "way too long" post, and realized that I have no idea what I will be able to eat after I get my band. Seems silly me giving food advice when I have no clue what I am talking about!

I hope you like it. It tastes like oats to me! However it does have a unique nutty taste to it, and the flax seed adds something to it too. Like I said, "I am neutral." But, there are a lot of people coo coo for it.

Karen, Congrats on your lose! Complete opposite here! Grape is the last to go for me. I have access to other sugar free Popsicles. I got some that are like crazy wacky flavor combos. Looked and sounded yummy.... ehhh they are OK. I think the regular Popsicles taste the best. The Lifesaver ones are good too.

If you like a little granola on your yogurt. You might enjoy "Uncle Sam's Cereal". It has no added sugar/sweeteners. So it cuts back on the carb load, but ups the Fiber and adds the crunch you are looking for. High Fiber Cereal, Whole Grain, Flaxseed-Omega-3's My Mom and Aunt love the stuff. I am neutral on it. But, it is a nice option to granola, which I would love to eat, but avoid because of the high sugar content. By the way they sell it at Wal-Mart.

Hi Everyone. I had my pre-op Doctor visit yesterday. Was pretty uneventful. My Doctor is very nice and knowledgeable, but I think he has done this so many times, he is a bit jaded by the whole experience. He's very nonchalant, and nothing is a big deal. Maybe he's that way with me because he seems confident that I will do great. I can pick up my daughter they said. Just have to squat and lift with my legs, not bend over. We talked about me being a "poor healer" and my concern about the incisions healing. I asked him about steroid cream or a shot. He didn't like the idea of a shot, but said it was necessary we could look at a cream. He didn't want me to heal too fast or too much, so I would not develop keloids. I agree! So I bought some anti-bacterial body wash for the shower to help out with that. I got permission to go home the same day, so I don't have to inconvenience my family with driving back down to Dallas to get me and arranging for extra time off to watch my daughter. I was surprised when they said I would be admitted. I thought their regular practice was all out-patient. I went about bought all my liquid/chewable vitamin/supplement replacements @ Sprouts. If you have a Sprouts in your area, I highly recommend them. The produce and meat department are amazing. And, the produce especially is no over priced. They run lots of sales, too. Anyway, they have someone that works in their Vitamin/Medicine department full time who is very knowledge and helped me a lot. I take several supplements and wanted to continue taking them. I just hope they are not horrible tasting. I was little leery about the liquid Omega-3 options. I am not real keen on swallowing a few tablespoons of fish oil! But, I got this really cool product that is like a smoothie consistency. It's strawberry-banana flavored, and you only take 2 tsps. So I figure I can stir it in some yogurt, if all else fails. Going tomorrow morning to buy stuff to make a large pot of chicken stock. Going to make up a bunch, so I will have it for broth, and to make some cream soups for when I get there. I still need to get some unflavored protein powder. Blah Blah Blah! I'm rambling. Good Luck to everyone that went yesterday, today, and tomorrow!

I lost a lot of hair when I had my daughter. C-Section. My cousin's Doctor said it was from anesthesia. However... My Doctor said the same thing happened to her... she freaked out and Her Doctor said it was from trauma. And he had a fancy name for it... wish I could remember. But, most people lose hair from a traumatic experience like surgery.

One of my pet peeves I guess... But, there are two kinda of people out there. Ones who take medicine to cure their aliments. and Ones who don't. I don't understand the ones who don't. I am married to one of those "who don't" and it drives me coocoo! He broke his ankles a long time ago, but of course they bother him frequently. He very rarely complains, but when he does, I ask if he has taken anything. Nope. I will even offer to go get it for him, thinking it is a lazy thing, and not wanting to get up and go get it. Nope. Sometimes he will take medicine... especially if I get it for him! LOL His brother is the same way... horrible heartburn. Offer him prilosec. Nope! And the funny part is, their Mother is a Nurse Practitioner. She does not understand it either! If you are in pain... take something! I guess I don't understand why people feel the need to deny or limit their pain medication, when the Doctor prescribes it for a reason. I understand if the pain does not warrant a lortab so you opt for Tylenol. But, just not taking anything? I guess there might be past drug addiction issues there. Hell, I have to be careful about narcotics because they constipate me! What are some reasons that you would not take your pain meds, if you were in pain?

Anyone have any unflavored unjury powder that you are wanting to get rid of?? I will buy it from you! Can pay via paypal! Let me know!

I really like EAS. I got a giant bag of the chocolate flavor at Sam's. It pretty much meets my expectations as far as Protein drinks go. But, it doesn't taste bad at all to me. Or even smell too funky. Is this bad? My 1 yo daughter is not making the transition to whole milk very good. The other day she wanted a drink of what Mommy was drinking so I let her taste my Protein Drink. WELL!! She thought that was YUM YUMMY!! She had HUGE grin on her face after ever drink, and would pull my at cup for more. So, since then we have added like a tablespoon to her milk in the mornings. The milk disappears! (By the way, this is whey protein only, no muscle building or other crazy additives.)

I have no clue how any of these Snacks are going to work for me after my band. EEK! :laugh:

These are my Favorite South Beachy snacks! Natural Peanut Butter (no sugar or corn syrup, just peanuts and salt) 2 Tablespoons with sugar free Honey (I get mine atWal-Mart) on celery. Sargento's skim Mozzarella sticks (I buy mine at Sam's and they taste 100% better than any others out there.) Cabot Farms low-fat Colby Jack cheese Snacks (Get these at Sam's too. These are little pre-portioned cheeses. Awesome!) Handful of Pistachios (about 30, and I get with the shell, so it takes me longer to eat them!) Laughing Cow Lite Cheese and Triscuits or celery (French Onion is my favorite, but they sell the Garlic Herb at Sam's) Roasted Edamame (I buy it in bulk at Sprouts, but I think most fancy Grocery stores that have a bulk section will have them. The wasabi ones are good, too, but be careful! They can knock your socks off! Cure 81 ham sliced a little thick. (I get the unsliced cure 81 hams in the meat section at Wal-Mart and take it over to the deli and have them slice it for me. SO MUCH CHEAPER! Even cheaper than the pre-sliced ones!) You can also keep this around for some yummy eggs in the morning! And for those who are doing South Beach, for your 100 calorie treat.... klondike, Slimabear, Fudge Bars. http://http://www.icecreamusa.com/products/product.cfm?u=75856-01129&b=5 OMG these are hands down the best thing in the world. TO DIE FOR!!! If you are a chocoholic, you too will feel the Love for these!

Hello! I am so excited to see you are doing South Beach!!! It's SOOO Wonderful! I started in August, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! Such a refreshing and healthy approach to food. Makes life so simple and easy! I am so excited to get my band and get back to eating healthy again! If you want some South Beachy recipes just let me know! I am all about the South Beach!