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I'm 20 days post-op and I've explained as much as I could to my friends and family what this surgery is all about. But no matter how much I explain it to these people, they keep asking me the "When can you have ____?" questions. You know, "When can you have ice cream again?" "When can you have hamburgers again?" "When can you drink alcohol again?" It seems all they're interested in is when I can start eating/drinking certain foods again. They just don't get it. I've tried to be patient and explain to them that it's not just a surgery, it's also a lifestyle change. But they seem to fixate on the whole "timeline" aspect of it. And they never stop to consider that the last thing I want to do is think about all the foods I can't have yet (or can't have anymore). And god forbid I tell them something like, "I can't have soda anymore," they respond with that wide-eyed "No!! Oh wowwww!!!" in a tone that clearly indicates galactic doom. It's just not what I need right now and I've had to brusquely tell them to stop talking to me about it. I feel bad, but I can't take it anymore. Has anyone else encountered this phenomenon?

Hi Sally, first let me say that I think the mentality of starting over will be good for you. Drinking with eating and indulging in alcohol on a consistent basis and other indulgences while trying to lose weight with the band are as I am sure you already know are very counterproductive to your weight loss efforts. Maybe if you make a promise to yourself to begin anew and use your trip as your starting point you can begin to comply with your quest in ernest. Good Luck to you and keep us posted.

I feel that I need to share a statement that was written by someone who is a friend of my coworker. I wish I knew who it was so I can give proper credits. But this statement will really explain how it is to people who dare to say that "surgery is the way out". There is absolutely NOTHING easy about weight loss surgery. Enjoy. Why surgery is the "easy way out" for weight loss! Yep, you heard that right. I've decided that I agree with the myriad non-surgical, gym-loving, overwhelming weight loss successes that feel strongly (and vocally) that surgery is the easy way out. They really are correct. We all should be ashamed of ourselves for taking the shortcut approach and racking up an "un-earned win". Just think about it. To successfully lose weight without surgery, all you have to do is two things: eat less exercise often With surgery, you only have to do one thing: pay a surgeon to make you lose weight Well, perhaps that's a minor oversimplification. There are a few other steps, but they are tiny and insignificant. Not everyone has to do them either! But, just for the sake of objectivity I’ll list most of them that I can think of. (I might miss a couple, but since surgery is the easy way out who cares really.) Let’s see, there is: Convince yourself that you want to do this. This is much more complicated than it seems, so take your time. Don’t get sick before you make a decision. Convince your doctor that this is medically necessary. Convince him/her that you really do want this and you aren’t just someone unwilling to sweat a little. Convince them that you won’t die on the table. Convince them that you aren’t doing this so you can keep eating cake for breakfast. And lunch. And dinner. Because that’s the only reason big people are big people. Spend anywhere between 3 months and a year working with your PCP to make a preliminary run at losing weight. This should include: A special diet Exercise Constant office visits to measure progress Significant expense to participate in the diet (Nutrisystem, Medifast, and Jenny Craig, I’m looking at you!) Lots of documentation Likely (if not anticipated) painful, humiliating failure (PS, this is a requirement!) [*] Spend hours to days or more working with your insurance company website, phone reps, and via letter to determine if weight loss surgery is covered at all, assuming they will admit to it. [*] Once you find out it is covered, find out what exactly is covered. Type of surgery, location, type of doctors required, pre-op programs necessary, pre-op medical requirements, pre-op diet requirements, and documentation. Make sure you understand it all clearly because… [*] Meet with your PCP to go over all of the above. Explain to them what most of it means, because they don’t understand. Make sure your work so far will meet the needs of the insurance company. Convince him/her to do the work to get the approval. If not, return to step 1 and try again. (Note: make sure you do all of this quickly- most of these rules are subject to change on January 1, even if you have a 12 month diet requirement. You’ll need to find a way to violate the laws of space and time on your own.) [*] Get a psych evaluation. People who want this surgery are invariably crazy, so we need to confirm that. Don’t use a doc you know. Go somewhere you’ve never been so that they can get that first-blush, cover of the book impression of your particular brand of crazy in the 45 minutes you get with them. Let them write their report confirming your “crazy flavor” to your docs and insurance. They will approve you anyway. [*] Take an online class that confirms the crazy diagnosis. [*] Take another online class that basically tells you if you have the surgery you will likely die horribly on the table, if you’re lucky. You might just become a vegetable and be a possibly fabulous looking skinny burden on everyone you know and love! [*] Find a surgeon that can both perform the surgery (practically, legally, and allowable by the insurance) as well as doing so without causing Errors Infections Hernias Leaks Death [*] Make sure that doc can take your insurance. Not just yoru insurance, but your exact insurance. This may require them to check at least a dozen contracts. [*] Do the same for the hospital. [*] Make sure that hospital you’ll have the surgery in isn’t a festering wound itself. The surgeon can only do so much if when you get to the floor you’re placed in the same bed last used by an Ebola patient with a cold and cleaned by “Blind Larry”. Fortunately there are many websites sponsored by government agencies to help you with this. They will all disagree with each other. [*] Get insurance authorization to have the surgery. Fortunately this process starts the weight loss, as one arm and one leg weigh a surprising amount when removed and given to them. This should take no more than a day or two, tops. [*] Have a discussion with your employer. Let them know that you’ll need a full week off from work in the near future. You know, when you aren’t busy and won’t be missed. Again, if you’re lucky you’ll have vacation and can use that. If not, think of how much extra weight you’ll lose when you can’t afford to eat for lack of a paycheck! OH, you may need more than a week. If you come out healthy. If not, it’ll be more. A lot more. [*] Have a discussion with your family, if you haven’t yet. If you haven’t yet, shame on you for your discretion, personal space, and recognition of the gravity of this decision. Make sure that you convince them that you won’t die, runaway with David Beckham or Eva Longoria (or both if you’re flexible), or otherwise ruin the home. [*] Get answers to all of the questions you have. Fortunately ObesityHelp is a great place for that. You will get no less than 10 answers to every question. Some may actually agree. ☺ [*] Make sure that this is really what you want. This isn’t like buying a car or getting married. This is permanent and there is no going back. Still confident this is the right choice? Now you know your flavor of crazy from item 7. [*] Go on a liquid diet. You may not have anything that you cannot “read a newspaper through”, is solid, has calories, has carbs, has protein, has flavor, or is made of a natural substance. This will last anywhere from two days to a month. Your surgeon will tell you how long. [*] While on the clear liquid diet, please try not to cheat on the diet. More importantly, please try not to defecate on yourself. Here’s a mantra for you: “Never trust a fart!” [*] Have the surgery. This will include: Large, but not quite large enough gowns with special butt exposing panels Freezing rooms Needle fears Vein scavenger hunts Panic attacks Several other fun moments no one will spoil for you to discover [*] Recover from the surgery. This will include: Amazing drugs that will make you fear for the poor 110lb nurse that will help you walk at first. Please don’t fall during this time or you will crush her. You’ll fear this, but only briefly (great drugs remember). Just don’t fall. Walking. Yes, you’ve just had your entire insides rearranged and have more stitching in you than a rented tuxedo, but hey, let’s go for a walk. Every hour. Eating. This is really a game. You have a 3ish ounce container that replaces your stomach. It is swollen, but you don’t really know how much. If you over fill it, you will be in serious pain, and may hurt yourself severely. Here’s the fun part- you’ll be given a selection of hald a dozen clear liquids to choose from. Some will make you retch. Some will taste like heaven. All are more than 3 oz. You- the person who’s complained that Mickey D’s quarter pounders have never once been a quarter pound – now get to determine what 3 oz looks like. Don’t forget two very important things. [*] Going to a bathroom. The author of this article is a male, so with that perspective in mind, consider the male stereotype of urinating. Now imagine that sharpshooter in the hands of someone who cannot see straight, or single vision, is falling asleep on their feet, whose prostate is not yet awake from surgery but whose bladder most definitely is, and who is currently on their 4th IV bag of saline with lactated ringers running wide open. Don’t forget to measure your output! [*] Go home! This is the easy part. Stuff your swollen and now anesthesia free self into a car and try to avoid potholes, cough, sneeze, or breathe too hard. [*] Continue the clear liquid diet for a few more days [*] Progress to protein drinks. These are a joy. There are few if any samples, so make sure you get the 5lb bottle to be sure you love it. [*] Progress to pureed or baby food [*] Progress to cat food or tuna [*] Progress to gourmet cat food or flavored tuna / canned chicken [*] Progress to dog food or chunky soups / heavily cooked soft and unflavored chicken [*] Progress to human food. During this time you will need to learn a few things. These will include: How to eat. Remember you’ve been doing it wrong all your life so this should be easy. You may only have dense protein. You must take in no more than 3-4 oz. You must take an entire 30 minutes in which to do so. You may not drink before, during, or after the meal. You may not have anything spicy. You may not have anything with carbs. No alcohol for at least 6 months, or maybe forever. Nothing liquid. Carbonated anything is permanently off the menu for the rest of your life. Nothing with caffeine. Nothing with less than a 10:1 ratio of protein to carbs Keep calories as low as possible. Learn to keep something that meets all of your dietary needs handy. If you need to eat, not every place can meet your “special needs”. Make sure that you understand that you need to do this for the rest of your life. You can’t change this. Non Surgical people can indulge once and awhile. They can cheat. We rupture. [*] Please remember to keep your intake to levels that would make Ethiopians send you food. This is generally 800 calories, less than 40 carbs, and more than 80 grams of protein per day. You must do all of this in 3 meals with no snacks. [*] Take your supplements: Calcium. Note that it isn’t the same calcium that you can get for a dime on any gas station shelf (Calcium Carbonate). This is a highly refined form of easily absorbable calcium (Calcium Citrate). It will come in three forms: A disgusting snot textured liquid found at Wal-Mart for $11 per week, a myriad of chewable pills that all taste like flavored drywall and cost about $20 per month, and delicious chewable candies that cost $40 per month. Multivitamin. You’ll be doing double doses. Get the adult gummy ones. Find the ones with no carbs. Fiber. Get the adult gummy ones. Find the ones with no carbs. Iron. Some people will take iron. Get chewables. B12. You can do pills under your tongue that taste like yesterday’s fish for $10/month, injections at the doc’s office every 3 weeks, or a nasal spray that costs $350/month. Do all of the above for the rest of your life. Don’t stop or you’ll die. [*] Start to exercise! What, you thought that you didn’t have to exercise? Yep, here’s the trick. You are going to lose weight even if you don’t. Here’s the other trick. It’s easier to take that weight from your bones and muscles if you don’t exercise, so if you don’t work out, all that’s left will be fat! [*] No really, you have to exercise. [*] Yes, that means sweating. [*] Make sure that while you’re going through this easy time in which every hormone you have is at full tilt, every part of your body looks and feels funny, nothing fits, and you generally are proud that you’re losing while also being weirded out by how different everything feels you also take into account everyone else. Remember, this is about them and how they perceive you. You can’t be the popular kid. The healthy person without diabetes, hypertension, edema, or apnea. The more confident employee. The more confident lover. The physically stronger person. The person who wants attention. The person with self-esteem. You need to apologize frequently for these failures and must work hard to gently help these people along to where they can think of you as a lesser person for altogether different reasons than they did before, to preserve their psyche. Stop making your weight loss about you. See? Even with these minor things, it’s obvious. Surgery is the easy way out. Don’t be a sucker. Be strong, and just eat less, and exercise more. It’s that simple! You are stoned on anesthesia. Your judgment aint what it should be. So is your stomach. It’s not going to help you by saying “I’m full” for about 2 weeks to a month.

Careful with the Werther's. Lots of us are very sensitive to the sugar alcohols in them, and this can become more of a problem postop. I discovered the mini Werther's preop and was SO excited---until I discovered that 1/3 of the "serving" had more sugar alcohol than my poor gut could tolerate. Horrible cramps and diarrhea ensued---which is likely something you don't want to experience. So, take it slow with them until you determine whether your body has difficulty with sugar alcohols. Some people have no problem at all with them---but for others, they are misery.

Thank you so much for that Arthukd. Honestly, I do not see myself giving up alcohol entirely forever either ! Good to know I am normal in thinking so..........phew!! I am excited about the surgery too - I am so tired of being obese - I want to live in the real sense! Can't wait is right!

Nutrition and Dietetic Department Diet before your Obesity Surgery In preparation for your surgery it is important that you follow a special diet for 10 days prior to your operation. The diet must be low in fat, sugar and carbohydrate and is very restricted. The purpose of the diet is to reduce the size of your liver and will make your operation easier. Daily allowance 2-3 pints of semi skimmed milk 2 diet yoghurts – natural or fruit flavoured 3- 4 portions of fruit (you are allowed all varieties but try to include a banana, orange or grapes each day) Sugar free Jelly (optional) Low calorie vegetable soup is also allowed in moderation. Drinks Water, tea, coffee, and low calorie drinks or squashes are allowed freely. Sweeteners are allowed 1 small glass of fruit juice (orange, pineapple or tomato) No other foods should be eaten Alcohol is not allowed

But of course it's nothing at all to do with alcohol per se.

Hey girls~ What a nice evening! Rick made it home, he has to go out early, but we got time together anyway---spent some time in the backyard, just planning and saying "what if we....." lol Sitting up, waiting for Megan. They are stopping by, but it won't be until about midnight. One of the girls in their group was running so late, they did not make it by before leaving for prom, so since 2 of them have to be home at 12:30, they are stopping on their way to take them home....so I can get pictures. Even with his early schedule, Rick said be sure to wake him up! This little girl is part of our lives and part of our hearts!! When she was little our son would take off with her shoes, especially her favorite "hello kitty" platform sandals, and she would go nuts! Rick would rescue them for her, and she still acts like he can fix anything!!! But she also loves giving him a hard time! I guess she is going to Denver with us when we take Kinsey. Talked to my SIL there, and she said we could get one of her grandsons, that Kinsey gets along with really well to go ride things at the 6 flags there. We were going to take her and Connor, and that fell apart, so we will move on to plan B!!! She will be happy with it, she and Brandon played together really well, he is older, but small. Will be better anyway, they will both be tall enough to ride most things I think. Oh I will send you the info to look at her pics. You will laugh at the fake smile in some of them!!! The ones with the pink netting I had made into a collage---and also the last one, a close up of her face, I had a collage made with it large in black and white, and the 3 bright ones with all the flower backgrounds and the rock, in small ones down one side. That one is going to be a surprise for her Mommy from her for Mothers Day. It is soooo cool looking!! I am excited. I cannot see the collages on the website, or the highlighted pics. One of them, the same large one, we had just some flowers, and her eyes colored....the rest is b&w. FIL is doing better---he had some pretty serious bleeding, but MIL said tonight he was better. I have avoided going out, my cough is sooooo bad. The last thing he wants to do with how he is bleeding is be coughing like I am! YOWCH! Talked to my nephew who is going to be a Daddy today. He is kind of shell shocked, and shy about it, but happy too. His picture is in todays paper, he is a volunteer with Special Olympics, and shows him helping a boy in a volleyball game. He will make a great dad----which is really surprising, he had no role model. His Dad is a nice guy, but just not around much, and has an alcohol problem. Rick is hoping to be off early tomorrow too---but not holding our breath! We have a few things we want to do....but we'll see. Is his last day in the field. He likes his job so much better, it is a relief. I hope it remains something he likes as things are starting to pick up again..... I would have looked into the sleeve if it had been an option at the time Tracy, simply to avoid the trips involved with fills. Lucky for me, I have not needed but 3 since I had my band surgery--but even check ups are so far. Never adjusting would be nice!! DH changed jobs didn't he? What is the new insurance???? You mentioned part time work. I have 3 different people I know who went to work for Starbucks just for the insurance coverage for WLS.... I just hate seeing you unhappy! Think I will go get my jammies on and wait for the kids. My baby Megan, at prom....with a boy no less!!! UGGGHHHHHH

Thanks for the encouragement. I feel like I'm going through this mental shift to prepare. I'm preoccupied with eating things I won't have again (or at least for awhile). Also, preparing to give up my old identity. My sister had a bypass 13 years ago and had struggles with alcoholism soon after. Glad to say she's been recovered for sometime, but it brought up more challenges than she expected. I want to be prepared to handle my emotions when I can't eat them away.

Great article! Thanks for sharing this. I use these "tools" of recovery for my eating addiction as well as my alcoholism, which I have maintained for 21 years now. (The sobriety, that is) For eating, it has been since July 2014 that I have been applying these sorts of principles to my everyday life. It really works for me!

I cruise Pinterest for craft ideas. I love painting with alcohol ink on washers and make necklaces- just type in alcohol ink washer necklace and you'll see. It's so much fun and cheap. You can mix the colors like paint so you don't have to go crazy buying too many supplies. I'll post some pics when I pull them out for the craft fair next week. You have to seal them with acrylic seller though. Mich W Hw 223, SW 217 CW 179.8 GW 135

Rick has decided to get back into shape. He is doing exercises every night. Sit ups, and push ups----not me! BUT we did make a pact to begin walking each night after dinner, as soon as the Olympics are over! Following his valve surgery, we walked daily---it helped his recovery and my weight loss---but somehow, somewhere doing it fell away. We decided to do it again. I know I need to do it. I am going to uncover my elliptical today! It really is not covered, but there is a doll house blocking it's ability to spin around, as well as an unused exercise ball!!! Imagine that! Going to find new homes for those items and get with it. He wants his muscle tone back before making such a long ride....and he has a point. Our bike is really heavy, and it helps to be able to control it easier. As soon as I can ride again, core muscles should get a work out again.....til then it is inside equipment....and MAKING myself do it. Anyone want to agree to.....say....even 15 minutes of daily activity---meaning some sort of exercise----to help push me along????? Sorry y'all are feeling bad. My throat is kinda sore, like something is trying to get started on me. I spent the first half of the day yesterday not being able to get too far from the bathroom.....not sure what that was about. I took so much Immodium, I may have other issues!!! LOL Sorry way TMI I know! NM is going through a big battle in regards to the concealed carry permits. There is a group fighting to give us the right to carry our weapons into a restaurant or bar. There is a restaurant group fighting it. I KNEW I was not supposed to have it in the places, but it is usually --if I am carrying---in my purse, and I never think twice about it! Seems so silly----here they are fighting about it, and I would bet anyone who is carrying CONCEALED will keep it that way!!! There are those who get the permit, and then wear a holster so everyone can see they are armed etc--------THEY are the ones to worry about alcohol, and weapons! If you feel a need to let others know you have a gun, then the gun could well be an issue. Going to my weekly lunch with Marie today. I need to make a pot of Soup before I leave. My inlaws are sick, and she informed me that my DIL and grandsons are not feeling well either. They seemed fine, but WTH, I'll make soup. I didn't do it yesterday when the hint was made, but hey I was not feeling good then either, and no one was making me anything!! LOL So....gonna go get busy.

It is true that we are more than our struggle with weight. But for 30 years I struggled with being overweight And it wasn't until I had the VSG That I began living again. It took a year for me to lose 100 pounds And today I'm happier than I've ever been in my whole life. I hike and bike and snowshoe and dance and smile and approach people and socialize and entertain. It's been wonderful. My husband I've been married for almost 35 years and we're like honeymooners again. I feel so sorry for all those out there that have had difficulties with their surgery Vomiting pain depression other illnesses. I personally have had no problem whatsoever. I have gained about 15 pounds But that's due to drinking too much wine and alcohol and not doing enough exercising. So my husband I have begun cutting back and were hitting the gym more often. We are getting in shape for a two-week long hiking extravaganza across the country in July. We will start at Arches national Monument, Followed by national reef national Park, Bryce Canyon and then Zion national Park. We plan to hike at least two trails in each place. We will end this hiking extravaganza in Las Vegas Where my husband and I are planning to reinstate our wedding vows for 35th wedding anniversary. Good luck to all of you out there. For those of you struggling I hope that things get better for you And for the rest of you I hope that your as happy as I am

I am beginning the induction phase of the atkins diet on Monday. Does anyone want to join me in this???? I really need to focus on adding Protein and cutting carbs. Here are the rules for the induction phase.. Search Site recipes <LI class=plain id=portaltab-atkins-university>eggs and red meat, as well as pure, natural fat in the form of butter, mayonnaise, olive oil, safflower, sunflower and other vegetable oils (preferably expeller-pressed or cold-pressed). 2. Eat no more than 20 grams a day of carbohydrate, at least 12 – 15 grams of which must come in the form of salad greens and other vegetables. (see Acceptable Foods). 3. Eat absolutely no fruit, bread, Pasta, grains, starchy vegetables or dairy products other than cheese, cream or butter. Do not eat nuts or seeds in the first two weeks. Foods that combine protein and carbohydrates, such as chickpeas, kidney Beans and other legumes, are not permitted at this time. If you feel you must eat bread or some other grain product, only high Fiber low-carb products with 3 net carbs or less per serving are allowed, and you can eat only one serving a day. Be aware that even that amount may slow or stall your progress, and if that happens, drop the product immediately. 4. Eat nothing that isn't on the Acceptable Foods list. And that means absolutely nothing. Your "just this one taste won't hurt" rationalization is the kiss of failure during this phase of Atkins. 5. Adjust the quantity you eat to suit your appetite, especially as it decreases. When you're hungry, eat the amount that makes you feel satisfied, but not stuffed. When you're not hungry, eat a small controlled carbohydrate snack to accompany your nutritional supplements. 6. Don't assume any food is low in carbohydrate—instead, read labels. Check the carb count (it's on every package) or use a carbohydrate gram counter. Be aware that the law allows manufacturers to round off if a product has fewer than 0.5 grams of any carbohydrate, so that will show up as zero. The only way to detect some fractional carbs is to look for them in the ingredients list, where they must be listed if they’re added to a product, regardless of the amount. 7. Eat out as often as you wish but be on guard for hidden carbs in gravies, sauces and dressings. Gravy is often made with flour or cornstarch, and sugar is sometimes an ingredient in salad dressing. 8. Use sucralose or saccharin as a sweetener. Be sure to count each packet of any of these as 1 gram of carbs, because of the fillers and bulking agents which are added. 9. Avoid too much coffee, tea and soft drinks that contain caffeine. Excessive caffeine has been shown to cause low blood sugar, which can make you crave sugar. 10. Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of Water each day in addition to anything else you may drink, to hydrate your body, avoid constipation and flush out the by-products of burning fat. 11. If you are constipated, mix a tablespoon or more of psyllium husks in a cup or more of water and drink daily. Or mix ground flaxseed into a shake or sprinkle wheat bran on a salad or vegetables. 12. At a minimum, take a good daily Multivitamin with minerals, including potassium, magnesium and Calcium, but without Iron. Acceptable Foods These are the foods you may eat liberally during Induction: All fish, including ... All fowl, including ... All shellfish, including ... All meat, including ... All eggs, including ...tuna chicken oysters* beef scrambled salmon turkey mussels* pork friedsole duck duck lamb poachedtrout goose clams bacon**soft-boiledflounder Cornish hensquid veal hard-boiledsardines quail shrimp ham** deviledherring pheasant crabmeat venison omelets *Oysters and mussels are higher in carbs than other shellfish, so limit them to four ounces per day. **Processed meats, such as ham, bacon, pepperoni, salami, hot dogs and other luncheon meats—and some fish—may be cured with added sugar and will contribute carbs. Try to avoid meat and fish products cured with nitrates, which are known carcinogens. Also beware of products that are not exclusively meat, fish or fowl, such as imitation fish, meatloaf and breaded foods. Finally, do not consume more than four ounces of organ meats a day. OTHER FOODS THAT ARE ACCEPTABLE DURING INDUCTION Cheese You can consume three to four ounces daily of the following full-fat, firm, soft and semisoft aged cheeses*, including: cheddar cow, sheep and goat cheese cream cheese Gouda mozzarella Roquefort and other blue cheeses Swiss *All cheeses have some carbohydrate content. The quantity you eat should be governed by that knowledge. The rule of thumb is to count 1 ounce of cheese as equivalent to 1 gram of carbohydrate. Note that cottage cheese, farmer’s cheese and other fresh cheeses are not permitted during Induction. No "diet" cheese, cheese spreads or whey cheeses are permitted. Individuals with known yeast symptoms, dairy allergy or cheese intolerance must avoid cheese. Imitation cheese products are not allowed, except for soy or rice cheese—but check the carbohydrate content. Vegetables You should eat 12-15 net carbs a day of vegetables. These salad vegetables are high in phytonutrients and provide a good source of fiber: alfalfa sprouts daikon mushrooms arugula endive parsley bok choy escarole peppers celery fennel radicchio chicory jicama radishes chives lettuce romaine lettuce cucumber mâche sorrel Other Vegetables Within the 12-15 net carb daily vegetable requirement, these vegetables are slightly higher in carbohydrate content than the salad vegetables listed above, but they also provide important nutrients and add variety to your daily food intake: artichoke celery root pumpkin artichoke hearts rhubarb asparagus chard sauerkraut bamboo shoots collard greens scallions dandelion snow peas bean sprouts dandelion greens spaghetti squash beet greens eggplant spinach broccoli hearts of palm string or wax beans broccoli rabe kale summer squash Brussels sprouts kohlrabi tomato bean sprouts leeks turnips cabbage okra water chestnuts cauliflower onion zucchini If a vegetable, such as spinach or tomato, cooks down significantly, it must be measured raw so as not to underestimate its carb count. Salad Garnishes crumbled crisp bacon grated cheese minced hard-boiled egg sautéed mushrooms sour cream Spices All spices to taste, but make sure none contain added sugar. Herbs basil garlic rosemary cayenne pepper ginger sage cilantro oregano tarragon dill pepper thyme For salad dressing, use oil and vinegar or lemon juice and herbs and spices. Prepared salad dressings without added sugar and no more than two carbs per tablespoon serving are also fine. Acceptable Fats and Oils Many fats, especially certain oils, are essential to good nutrition. Olive oil is particularly valuable. All other vegetable oils are allowed, the best being canola, walnut, soybean, grapeseed, sesame, sunflower and safflower oils, especially if they are labeled "cold-pressed" or "expeller-pressed." Do not cook polyunsaturated oils, such as corn, soybean and sunflower oil, at high temperatures or allow to brown or smoke. Butter is allowed. Margarine should be avoided, not because of its carbohydrate content, but because it is usually made of trans fats (hydrogenated oils), which are a health hazard. (Some nonhydrogenated margarines are now available.) You don't have to remove the skin and fat from meat or fowl. Salmon and other cold-water fish are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Remember that trying to do a low-fat version of the Atkins Nutritional ApproachTM may interfere with fat burning and derail your weight loss. Artificial Sweeteners You must determine which artificial sweeteners agree with you, but the following are allowed: sucralose (marketed as Splenda™), saccharin, cyclamate and acesulfame-K. Natural sweeteners ending in the suffix "-ose," such as maltose, etc., should be avoided. However, most sugar alcohols have a minimal effect on blood sugar and are acceptable. Saccharin has been extensively studied, and harmful effects were produced in the lab when fed to rats only in extremely high doses. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has removed saccharin from its list of carcinogens, basing its decision upon a thorough review of the medical literature and the National Institute of Science’s statement that there is "no clear association between saccharin and human cancer." It can be safely consumed in moderation, meaning no more than three packets a day. Saccharin is marketed as Sweet'n Low™. The Atkins preference, however, is sucralose (Splenda™), the only sweetener made from sugar. Sucralose is safe, noncaloric and does not raise blood sugar. It has been used in Canada for years, and the FDA approved it after reviewing more than 100 studies conducted over the past 20 years. Note that each packet of sugar substitute contains about 1 gram of carbohydrate, so don’t forget to include the amount in your daily totals. Acceptable beverages Be sure to drink a minimum of eight eight-ounce glasses of water each day, including: Filtered water Mineral water Spring water Tap water Additionally, you can have the following: Clear broth/bouillon (not all brands; read the label) Club soda Cream, heavy or light (limit to two to three tablespoons a day; note carbohydrate content) Decaffeinated or regular coffee or tea* Diet soda made with sucralose (Splenda™); be sure to count the carbs Essence-flavored seltzer (must say "no calories") Herb tea (without barley or any fruit sugar added) Lemon juice or lime juice (note that each contains 2.8 grams carbohydrate per ounce); limit to two to three tablespoons * Caffeine can cause cravings or blood sugar spikes with some people. If you’re one of them, you should drink only decaffeinated beverages. If you don’t have a problem with caffeine, you may drink one or two caffeinated beverages a day, because evolving research indicates there may actually be health benefits to a limited amount of caffeine. However, if you have a true caffeine addiction, it will be best to break it during Induction, because any food addiction can cause problems if it isn’t taken care of. Once you’ve broken the addiction and moved on to OWL, you can carefully try adding caffeinated beverages back into your food intake, as long as it doesn’t trigger the addiction again. Special Category Foods To add variety, each day you can also eat 10 to 20 olives, half a small avocado, an ounce of sour cream or three ounces of unsweetened heavy cream, as well as two to three tablespoons of lemon juice or lime juice. But be aware that these foods occasionally slow down weight loss in some people, and may need to be avoided in the first two weeks. If you seem to be losing slowly, moderate your intake of these foods. Convenience Foods Although it is important that you eat primarily unprocessed foods, some controlled carb food products can come in handy when you are unable to find appropriate food, can’t take time for a meal or need a quick snack. More and more companies are creating healthy food products that can be eaten during the Induction phase of Atkins. Just remember two things: 1. Not all convenience food products are the same, so check labels and carbohydrate content. (See the Online Store for Atkins brand products.) 2. While any of these foods can make doing Atkins easier, don’t overdo it. Remember, you must always follow The Rules of Induction.

I'm totally with Stevee on the no drinking thing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I love alcohol and I still have one or 2 glasses of wine a week, but I don't down 5 margaritas at the bar anymore. And I actually feel SO much better the next day. I've been having a hard time losing since my last fill, but I have another fill in about a week or so. In the meantime, I've been working out hardcore -- lifting weights 3x a week and 30-45 minutes of cardio at least 5x a week. I've also cut out sugar and most carbs. I started this 4 weeks ago and the scale has only moved 3lbs, but I think I can see some changes and I feel better, so I'm sticking with it! Anyway, hope all of you are well. Welcome to the newbies and congrats, Pamela, on your new oil change. I mean, car. xoxo

Hey guys, just want to stop by and give you guys an update, and boy oh boy was I tempted to just let this one go by. Well as you all know I had revision surgery September 30 and was unfilled down to 3cc's at surgery. Now to me 3cc's might as well have been a complete unfill. So here I am 6 weeks later and UP 6 POUNDS!!!!!! Yes, you heard me right and I didnt studder, 6 fricken pounds. Am I surprised? Not really. I'll admit that I got LAZY I enjoyed sleeping in until 6am instead of getting up at 4:30am to go to the gym. My eating post op was going pretty good until my husband (how dare he) took me on an all inclusive 7 day trip to Cabo for my 40th birthday and I Lost my fricken mind. I swear when I got on the plane the scale said 185 (and I know it did because I weighed myself on the scale at the airport where you weigh your luggage). And at the airport on the way home it said 197...I PROMISS IT DID. There was alot of drinking and late night eating on that trip. And honestly I know I didnt gain 12 pounds in 7 days but I knew that I hadnt been eating right and drinking alot of alcohol plus not getting in my water (unless you take in water by sitting in the pool swim up bar?) So 5 days home and the scals was down to 190, 10 days home and there it remained 190 sometimes 191. THANK GOODNESS today was my follow up from surgery appointment where she gave me a fill and I was never so happy in all my life. Theses last 6 weeks have really reafirmed my decision to get the band. with out it I truely have very little will and I really need the restriction that it gives me. I still am a fat girl at heart and in my mind. I still have work to do. C25K here I come and 180 by Christmas!!!!

Olay so..... Most docs, NOT all docs. This is something that I spoke with MY doctor about before I started. I got the okay. Maybe I should elaborate more. I make a mixed drink with less than a single shot and have yet to finish one. I have not ever gotten drunk since surgery, barely even a light buzz. Because I listen to my body. I don't consume more than 800 calories a day, including the alcoholic drink. I have lost 31 pounds and hit onderland. I have averaged over 4 lbs of weight loss a week. Please don't criticize me and my Journey. You're not me. I'm not fooling myself. I'm not dependent. I don't get drunk. And I'm still losing weight. We are here to support each other. You may not like that I drink, but you have no right to judge or criticize. Sent from my SM-N950U using BariatricPal mobile app

Did a little over 200 miles today I think. Stopped before 2 pm a little west of Phoenix in a town called Buckeye. Janet... I think you were off by about 100 miles yesterday because we still have a little over 200 to go. May or may not come in tomorrow. I have an optional stop planned for Quartzsite, but depends on whether or not we feel like stopping there or going on. I'll tell you what... it's HOT and Earl is complaining a LOT! He's not going to like being in DHS a few weeks early! Stopped for coffee and short visit w/Eva... other thread... this morning. There is a STARBUCKS right next to the parking lot of the building she works in. So that's where we went. Hip hurting a little again today, but walking just fine. Kind of funny... as we walked up to the SBX, part of the sidewalk was all blocked off with yellow "crime scene" type ribbon. It appears that someone tried to create a "drive through" window!! Windows broken out and all boarded up and frames pushed in. Someone was a little too anxious for their coffee!! LOL! Another funny story... I bought so much wine in Buffalo...7 bottles on our wine tour, and a case of the homemade stuff from the guy my nieces know. So Earl had the case stored on the floor next to his chair. This morning he decided that since there were just a few bottles left he'd get rid of the box. So he took the remaining bottles out of the box and laid them on their side one by one. He quickly found out that the cork had popped on one of them when we went over the mountains yesterday! Several of us bought 1 or more bottles of something called "Walleye Wobbler" at the very last winery we stopped at. By that time... 5th winery, we were "happy" and this gal at that winery was a kick... said she doesn't drink but uses all the wines her boss sells in recipes. So she was rattling off all these recipes she'd made up with all these different wines while giving us generous "samples" to try. So we were all quite taken with the WW and with the recipes she said she used it for... sauteing mushrooms, scallops, etc. So... she sold a lot of bottles of it. So a couple of days ago I get a text message from my sister, Barb asking if the WW is supposed to be "bubbly" like champagne!! I told her I didn't remember it being bubbly. So I emailed the other gals and asked them... they didn't respond. But.. that is the bottle that popped it's cork! I'm having a glass now and it's definitely not quite right. I called and talked to the gal at the winery today and told her what happened and she said the calibration was off on a couple of their scales resulting in this problem with the WW. She said it was perfectly safe to drink, just might have a little more alcohol content. But it's definitely not as tasty as what we sampled. But she's shipping me another bottle.

Candice, you and me both, I haven't even had time to finish reading Beck. Actually, I'm not even sure which box it is in...sad but true. My realtor is stopping by for one of my lattes. It will be nice to see him. He is a real inspiration, 12 years ago his family had an intervention for his drinking. The family was told that if he didn't agree to go into rehab within the first hour that it would be unlikely that he would. Two hours later, he still hadn't agreed, but before the night was over, he did go into rehab and hasn't drank since. He is active in AA and frequently gives talks about his addiction. His family never gave up on him. So...if he has controled his alcohol addiction, we can control our food addiction. Granted food is more difficult because you must eat to survive, but we don't have to eat sugar. We all need to remember that we can 'beat' our addiction

Beer. I don't miss it yet, but I am in mourning for it already. :grouphug: I love beer like a wine afficionado loves wine. I'm a stout/red/amber/black/micro-brew fan, but there's nothing like an ice cold domestic light brew on a hot day at the river... And since it has carbonation, it's on the band no-no list. :puke: My surgeon recommends no alcohol for a year, mostly due to the calories and the potential for addiction transferance. Once I do drink again, it's dirty martinis for me. Good thing I love good vodka too! :hurray:

I consider myself one of the lucky ones! My parents left my siblings (eight of us) such a legacy and rich heritage. While raising us kids, they had no earthly riches except for music and a couple of old steam engines! They left their music and steam engines to 5 boys who play old time swing music (Dad) and rock and roll! All five of my brothers have boilerman licenses and know how to fire up those steam engines. Every other August we thresh, party, dance and rock and roll at our "Family and Friends reunion back in good ole Minnesota. Our children and our grandchildren and lifelong friends all try to make it from near and far including Nevada, Washington, Colorado and Massachusetts. Our life was rough too, my father was an alcoholic and died from IT and cigarettes. He quit both about 3 years before he died. I never doubted after I was a grown adult that my parents loved each and everyone of us kids more than they were ever able to put into words. I have to admit tho, I didn't feel like it sometimes when I was younger. That's when they were trying to do the best they could with what they knew. That's what I had to do too. I suppose I might have been a little better at parenting then they were but I sure made my mistakes along the way! I try to live by this little saying I ran across many years ago: Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of YOU!

Thank you, Debbie. I really appreciate all the compliments, especially since I just had a birthday on Christmas Eve and am feeling soooooooooooo old! My DH couldn't wait to be eligible for "senior citizen" discounts. Trust me, I can wait. I'd rather pay full price any day. But to answer your question....it's taken some effort to maintain, but it's not been as bad as you might think. The trick is to NOT kid yourself. If you gain 5 pounds, they will shortly be followed by 15 more unless you make some changes. I had to stop buying Cheetos. I just can't have them in the house because I am helpless in the presence of crunchy Cheetos. I will eat the whole bag in a day, or two, if I'm really trying to be good...ha! The band will not make all your food choices for you. It makes some....I can't eat bread any more, and bread had a LOT to do with my weight. But ice cream and chocolate (and Cheetos) will still go down easily and in large quantities. So if you want ice cream, drive to the ice cream shop and buy a single dip. Do not buy a half gallon and bring it home, or you will eat that one and end up buying another. Soon you will realize just how much we have in common with alcoholics and drug users!

check out my new update everyone! Okay, so this is an update on me in a nutshell… I had taken a short break from college, but now I am going back. I had moved back to Corpus for about 3 months with a sorority sister, but she ended up being a, well, a bitch and because my name wasn’t on the lease, and I stuck to my responsibilities instead of partying all the time, she kicked me out the day after I paid rent on grounds that were completely false, however I don’t have a leg to stand on in them. I have a boyfriend that Ive been dating for about 2 months that I have had hell with, however he and I are both working on our lives right now. I am back in my hometown trying to get a full-time job and goto school as well as get back in the Theatre. He is in rehab for alcoholism. I asked him to go. He is a great guy, but I cant be with someone that I cant trust with money. Atleast if he bought crap we would have something to show for it. I love him so much, and he is freakishly in love with me, but unless he straightens up his act, I can not be with him. Im diagnosed as pre-bipolar or bipolarish and Im taking trazadone and abilify to help manage that. Im not happy about being home, but its better than being homeless in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Corpus Christi</st1:place></st1:City>. I actually have a positive outlook right now, which is rare as many of you may know. Im in debt up to my ears, but with the right job I can fix that in a few months. I need a new car and new cellphone, but since I lived a homeless life in Corpus (thanks to my wonderful roomie), and lived very poor because my boyfriend was a bartender/busboy and I was a hostess at a restaurant, we couldn’t afford much after helping our friend that we were staying with out with rent. Ive never lived that way before, it really opened my eyes. Ive almost completely quit drinking myself btw. I finally saw how much money I was wasting just tipping the bartender for free drinks! I still enjoy a couple of drinks every now and then, but as for the every night party I would rather not. As for events coming up……..Im going to school to get my paralegal certificate and Im going to Substitute teach at the schools here until I get a fulltime job. Well that’s my update……….Im open to questions, I know it is kind of brief for my writing lol! I already posted this as a seperate thread but if you are still subscribed to this one, I wanted you to read it

I am going to try for a fifth time to post this!! I am writing it first on word, then cutting and pasting so if I lose this post nothing else will be lost. I want to express and my thanks and gratitude for a GREAT time that I had. I was reluctant to go, but am so glad I did. The first thanks are to Haydee, Terry, and Tracy for the great food, drinks, alcohol, and the wear and tear on their cars. Special thanks for my magnet (Judy), which will proudly hold the group picture on my refrigerator, candle (Michelle), note pad and purple pen (Kat), my purple beanie baby (Laura), and last but not least, Pam for the wonderful corsages we all had, and the violets we had in EACH room!!! A special hug for Judy for her EXTREME patience while her plane was very very very late!!! You were such a trooper. There was an incident on the river, where Haydee, Terry, and Tracy W came to my rescue!!!! Does everyone remember Martin Short playing that slow synchronized swimmer on SNL? He had water wings and a nose plug and said he wasn’t a very strong swimmer?? Well I am not a strong toober. That is putting it mildly. Let me just say it was not pretty, and Haydee and Terry took control of the situation while Tracy was risking life, limb, and back/butt to save me (I really wasn’t in that much peril, but it adds to the story!!)! All three of them didn’t even think before helping me and I applaud them!!! I really am moved to tears when I think about how much people helped me. All I can say is aren’t you all glad I wasn’t drinking?!?!?! Thanks to everyone for the hurried get away we had on Sunday!! It was a mad rush and nerves I am sure were shot, but nobody complained!! That leads to the next thank you to Haydee, she washed and dried our wet clothes! How nice was that!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to Laura for befriending technically challenged me and taking control of my pictures. THANKS!!!! I guess the same can be said for PAM?!?!? I have never laughed so much and so hard in my life. So exceptional thanks go to Haydee, Jennifer, Judy, Kat, Laura, Michelle, Pam, Terry, Tracy M, and Tracy W. This was a great trip. Last but not least extra special thanks to Terry for all her help in planning, organizing, and carting me around!! YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!! Jane

Green I know I'm always popping in (and off) with advice and that must be pretty boring. But I have to concur with Gail regarding the pillows. If you prop yourself to a practically sitting position, it can work, but usually you wind up sliding down on one side or other and not truly having the head above the feet that you need. You need to be at a true slant, although it doesn't have to be so deep a slant that during your sleep you wind up falling off the foot of your bed. With acid reflux, the very best solution - and one that can change your life, big time - is to do what Gail suggested and raise the head of your bed. It is really the only long term answer, except of course for some drugs. I had to do the drugs and they didn't do as much for me as raising the head of our bed. Anyone who tells you that you can do it with pillows doesn't know what they're talking about. This from a woman who spent many a night sleeping sitting up in a recliner until the reflux calmed down. I don't blame you if you brush off the suggestion because I talk so much, but you can definitely trust me on this one. It's very important that you do it and get some relief. Btw, I'm sure I don't have to tell you that smoking really contributes to acid reflux. I see that your doc has told you about alcohol. What about chocolate? Yup that can too. The good news is that once you get it healed up nicely and learn what makes it worse, it isn't too difficult to take care of at all. Did your doc give you Prevacid or Prilosec? Very happy about your NSV with the restaurant prissy pot owner! Do the natives of Toronto treat fat people with as much disdain as the natives do in Montreal?