ShiraSimcha

@ cattoy71 - try it with the soy and report back. I did it with water and didn't care for it. A squirt of chocolate DaVinci could have saved it too though.

Yeah me too. I've gone pro!!!!!

I just tried a sample of Spirutein Cappucino. MAYBE with vanilla soy milk it would have been better but with water? G-R-O-S-S! I do NOT recommend this at all.

I appear to be down and may have my C issues under better control. I got a tip to add some Miralax to my protein drink so I put a capful in every morning and then take my regular stool softener at night and today I started to see some progress...YAY!!!! That is one of the scourges of my life. I am really worried that after my lapRNY those issues will get worse...I guess all I can do is what I AM doing. I appear to be down prior to my WI tomorrow night. That's GREAT! :eek: I was getting worried. I am not all that interested in losing right now but maintaining is good. We leave for Disney on Jan. 15 so...I will have to maintain during that trip too so I don't want a loss before that...make sense? I am BAD though. I haven't kept my food journal and I haven't been wearing my pedometer. :thumbup: Next month...those will be my goals. :biggrin: I was over on obesity help dot com...looking at before and after pictures. I really cannot wait. To think that this time next year I could have 100# off? I am so excited I can hardly stand it. :wub: What's exciting you today???? :biggrin:

Poor DS! I heard a raging pukey flu was tearing through Westmoreland County. I am not touching ANYTHING this winter.

I am starved. H made some veggie chili the other night (BG: 2 cans each of light and dark kidney beans, a bag of frozen whole kernal corn, 4 cans of diced tomatoes with onion and garlic, 2 packs chili seasoning and 1 bag of Morningstar crumbles.) It was FAB but I farted all day and all night yesterday. :boom:I am still having a hard time pooing (TMI, I know) but I have been trying to get at least 2 litres of water every day and then I take 4 stool softeners at night to help. It's a charmed life I lead. Anyway, today I decided to take a pass on that chili and so I had a double Spirutein this morning for breakfast. At 11:30 on the dot I was FAMISHED. I am now contemplating lunch and I could eat a horse but I dare not. I weighed 208 and some change last month and my WI is next Wednesday. I have GOT to be either 208 and change or less or there will be some BIG trouble in Little China!!! :thumbup: ETA: I had a chicken caesar from Sheetz and some mac and cheese. Probably could have skipped the mac and cheese but it's so cold and rainy out...

Welcome Deb! You'll find a lot of encouragement and friendship here! I am not being banded - having the lapRNY instead but I love it here so much I just stayed :biggrin:

I decided to start trying protein shakes to see whats what. After the excellent experience at Starbucks when I got the protein shot and then wasn't hungry until lunch, well, I figured that it wouldn't be a bad idea during my 6 month managed weigh in phase. As luck would have it, I went over to the health food store to find vegan cream of mushroom soup (I know, I know) around T-Day. They didn't have it...but they did have packets of protein shakes so I stocked up figuring I'd give some a try. Last night at WalMart I got some EAS Soy Chocolate which has 20 grams of protein per serving. I got the shaker that comes with it. Then I went and looked at my stash. For breakfast today I decided to try the Spirutein Chocolate Peanut Butter with vanilla soy milk (14 g protein, 13 g carb, 10 g sugars, 0.5 g fat). OMG!!!! I could just drink that every single day of the week it was so good! So a winner. For later today I have the Spirutein Cookies and Cream which I'll try with water or walk over to the caf for skim for it. So put the Spirutein Chocolate PB into the winner circle. It was damned tasty!!! :thumbup:

Fran...the Spirutein is kosher and parve. There are obviously issues with the hechsher for the DW since it contains milk products but my rabbi says its fine from a Conservative standpoint. JByrd...you can order the Spirutein online at the Vitamine Shoppe and it's not a bad price nor is the shipping!!!! I am DEFINITELY making that coffee drink this weekend AND getting a Magic Bullet!!!!!

I am starved. H made some veggie chili the other night (BG: 2 cans each of light and dark kidney beans, a bag of frozen whole kernal corn, 4 cans of diced tomatoes with onion and garlic, 2 packs chili seasoning and 1 bag of Morningstar crumbles.) It was FAB but I farted all day and all night yesterday. :boom:I am still having a hard time pooing (TMI, I know) but I have been trying to get at least 2 litres of water every day and then I take 4 stool softeners at night to help. It's a charmed life I lead. Anyway, today I decided to take a pass on that chili and so I had a double Spirutein this morning for breakfast. At 11:30 on the dot I was FAMISHED. I am now contemplating lunch and I could eat a horse but I dare not. I weighed 208 and some change last month and my WI is next Wednesday. I have GOT to be either 208 and change or less or there will be some BIG trouble in Little China!!! :biggrin: ETA: I had a chicken caesar from Sheetz and some mac and cheese. Probably could have skipped the mac and cheese but it's so cold and rainy out...

Fran...they are a powder. I snagged a shaker at WalMart for a couple of bucks. The Spirutein is REALLY thick! It shakes up well and there's a strainer in the shaker to catch the globs which really aren't all THAT bad :biggrin:

My last class is April 6 and I started in November. Do we have the same insurance - BCBS? For mine we can stay the same or show a loss but NO gain. I am panicked since I ate well last week and now I am struggling to get it off by next Wednesday!!!! Anyway, that would put my surgery in May which would be great especially if I could take advantage of the long Memorial Day weekend!

Well, I am IN LOVE with the Spirutein Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl. I could drink a gallon of it and have to be careful because I know 1) too much protein and 2) I'd never poo again. I saw a great sale at Vitamin Shoppe online and ordered another 2# can of it and a can of Designer Whey in PBChocolate Caramel. I mixed that up this morning. Its a big difference...only 3oz of water instead of 8oz of milk (Spirutein) and it was thin like chocolate milk. I liked it though. Quick easy and kept me "full" until a snack of light yogurt at 10:30 and then lunch at noon. Normally I am chowing triscuits like a fiend. I haven't had lapRNY yet...still in the 6month phase prior to...but I do like the protein drinks for an occassional meal substitute. Especially when the alternative is McDonalds. I think I could even mix up the DW and add it to coffee!!! It's really tasty. :thumbup:

Well, I am IN LOVE with the Spirutein Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl. I could drink a gallon of it and have to be careful because I know 1) too much protein and 2) I'd never poo again. I saw a great sale at Vitamin Shoppe online and ordered another 2# can of it and a can of Designer Whey in PBChocolate Caramel. I mixed that up this morning. Its a big difference...only 3oz of water instead of 8oz of milk (Spirutein) and it was thin like chocolate milk. I liked it though. Quick easy and kept me "full" until a snack of light yogurt at 10:30 and then lunch at noon. Normally I am chowing triscuits like a fiend. I haven't had lapRNY yet...still in the 6month phase prior to...but I do like the protein drinks for an occassional meal substitute. Especially when the alternative is McDonalds. I think I could even mix up the DW and add it to coffee!!! It's really tasty. :biggrin:

I saved the pants I wore when I met DH's parents. They were a size 9 from 1983. I wonder what size they are nowadays because we all KNOW they've sized up. I can't wait to wear them again :biggrin: At least I hope DH hasn't tossed them.

I am so with you BG! I had to buy clothes for synagogue - a couple dresses and some skirts and then I felt saucy and got some suits. Well, they button over the Panniculus and so therefore are tight. I mean like, I have to get 2-3 sizes BIGGER just to go around that thing. It's sad. But I am with you...I am done shopping for clothes. Fortunately I have a few drawstring capris to wear in Disney. I am set :biggrin:

BG - you are amazing! It sounds like your appointment went so well!!! Yay for you girl! I have been bad about the exercising part and okay, yeah, the food part too. I started trying protein drinks and they, well, they constipate me more than I already am but I am working through it. I was up at the dr. yesterday. Had to run in for some cipro...I felt a UTI coming on and wanted to nip that in the bud. I mean yeah, I had a wicked full bladder so I could produce a sample but still. So I got my new protein powder in. I tried Designer Whey this morning and liked it!!! Spirutein is also good but the DW was thinner and more like chocolate milk. I think I'll keep on with the pro in the AM and then lunch. Today I had vegetarian chili. I do find it's a great meal replacement when I am busy and the only other choice would be fast food. Anyway, this isn't about moi..it's about you. You are well on your way!!! YAY! When do you think you'll get your band??? Shira

Well, being Jewish, this time of year is kind of weird for us. Hanukkah isn't the same as a Jewish Christmas and I really do believe that to celebrate it as such just convinces people that that's what it really is. It's actually quite a minor holiday. Our biggies are Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur and Passover. I personally love Sukkot which is the festival of the booths and everyone builds a little hut in their yard with something like a thatched roof that you can see the stars through in the fall. It's an 8 day festival like Hanukkah but BIGGER in significance and really fun since you build your sukkah (the booth) and then have dinner parties in it all week long. Decorating it is half the fun...lots of autumny decorations and lights. I adore this holiday. My husbands family though is Italian Catholic and so on Christmas Eve we go there for the big festival of the fishes! Its loud and hot and you get to see everyone you miss all year long. This is not to say we dont exchange gifts at Hanukkah - just small ones. We actually have always exchanged gifts on New Years Eve. Its gotten harder as we have made more friends because now we want to go spend NYE with them so sometimes the gifts wait a bit. And lately we have also been taking a trip to Disney around the end of January although I think this year may be the last for a while as my DH will be on the list for a heart transplant soon! Hanukkah traditions though are making latkes and eating doughnuts which are traditional in Israel. We light the menorah and play dreidel. Every night there is a gift. This year though we will do 7 nights of gifts and then one night will be devoted to tzedakah (charity). On Christmas Day, we go do Mitzvah Day. "Mitzvah" means "commandment" and so you go do good deeds that Gd asks us to do. This year we're going to spend the morning with residents at a nursing home in Squirrel Hill. After that we have a tradition of meeting friends and doing Chinese, then a movie (or vice versa) and ending up at their house playing games into the night. I usually take the next day off and we head out to find some bargains. Its different but its a lot of fun. :thumbup:

Well, being Jewish, this time of year is kind of weird for us. Hanukkah isn't the same as a Jewish Christmas and I really do believe that to celebrate it as such just convinces people that that's what it really is. It's actually quite a minor holiday. Our biggies are Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur and Passover. I personally love Sukkot which is the festival of the booths and everyone builds a little hut in their yard with something like a thatched roof that you can see the stars through in the fall. It's an 8 day festival like Hanukkah but BIGGER in significance and really fun since you build your sukkah (the booth) and then have dinner parties in it all week long. Decorating it is half the fun...lots of autumny decorations and lights. I adore this holiday. My husbands family though is Italian Catholic and so on Christmas Eve we go there for the big festival of the fishes! Its loud and hot and you get to see everyone you miss all year long. This is not to say we dont exchange gifts at Hanukkah - just small ones. We actually have always exchanged gifts on New Years Eve. Its gotten harder as we have made more friends because now we want to go spend NYE with them so sometimes the gifts wait a bit. And lately we have also been taking a trip to Disney around the end of January although I think this year may be the last for a while as my DH will be on the list for a heart transplant soon! Hanukkah traditions though are making latkes and eating doughnuts which are traditional in Israel. We light the menorah and play dreidel. Every night there is a gift. This year though we will do 7 nights of gifts and then one night will be devoted to tzedakah (charity). On Christmas Day, we go do Mitzvah Day. "Mitzvah" means "commandment" and so you go do good deeds that Gd asks us to do. This year we're going to spend the morning with residents at a nursing home in Squirrel Hill. After that we have a tradition of meeting friends and doing Chinese, then a movie (or vice versa) and ending up at their house playing games into the night. I usually take the next day off and we head out to find some bargains. Its different but its a lot of fun. :thumbup:

Love the memories!!!!!

We were supposed to head to Pittsburgh tonight for a play but my friend M just called and suggested we do dinner at Chili's tonight instead. You don't have to ask THIS exhausted puppy twice! :thumbup: Of course I was there LAST night too! :biggrin3: Tonight will be soup and salad. I feel full and gross and really just want to go home, drink some tea and call it a night and watch Greys. Looks like I MIGHT get my wish! :biggrin:

I decided to start trying protein shakes to see whats what. After the excellent experience at Starbucks when I got the protein shot and then wasn't hungry until lunch, well, I figured that it wouldn't be a bad idea during my 6 month managed weigh in phase. As luck would have it, I went over to the health food store to find vegan cream of mushroom soup (I know, I know) around T-Day. They didn't have it...but they did have packets of protein shakes so I stocked up figuring I'd give some a try. Last night at WalMart I got some EAS Soy Chocolate which has 20 grams of protein per serving. I got the shaker that comes with it. Then I went and looked at my stash. For breakfast today I decided to try the Spirutein Chocolate Peanut Butter with vanilla soy milk (14 g protein, 13 g carb, 10 g sugars, 0.5 g fat). OMG!!!! I could just drink that every single day of the week it was so good! So a winner. For later today I have the Spirutein Cookies and Cream which I'll try with water or walk over to the caf for skim for it. So put the Spirutein Chocolate PB into the winner circle. It was damned tasty!!! :thumbup:

Last week it was Spamalot on Thanksgiving night. Tonight it's "Frost/Nixon" at the Benedum. Let's see...Monday I was home. I think anyway. :biggrin3: Doesn't seem like I'll see my puppies again until Friday night at the earliest!!! :biggrin: Laundry???? I am sending it to Band Groupie!!! :thumbup:

My dream job has become available...this week. I scraped together a decent resume (I love where I am so I haven't even bothered to keep it up) and went to an interview this week. Several issues reared their ugly little heads. :eek: First, my suit didn't fit. :car: I don't know that it would have even before I gained the 5# to get a "better" BMI but the reality was it did.not.fit comfortably enough to interview in. So I settled on a navy, jersey material dress with a little jacket. I like loose and comfy so this made me feel at ease at least. :biggrin: Second, their insurance is 1) expensive (apparently beyond reason) and 2) it isn't what I have now. I WANT this surgery but this could be an issue...not to mention getting time off for the Disney trip and then surgery 4 months later! :biggrin3: I sent the requisite thank yous and an email thank you. To be honest there was a little issue with my lack of supervisory experience :wub: which isn't for lack of ability but when you work in an 11 member office, it's more the lack of opportunity. :party: I still don't know what to do. Yes...DREAM job. It's what I do now (more or less) but in a Jewish agency which is what my career goal is...I want my Jewish holidays...ohyouhavenoidea!!! :thumbup: But I also don't know if it will fit into my life plans because lets not forget Mr. Wonderful is also looking for a new heart and lungs too. Isn't this all a bitch? :scared2: Of course it is. It wouldn't be happening to me if it wasn't! :wub: