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Clearly, you are NOT a doctor. What you are mixing is crazy-- very dangerous! In my opinion, it also sounds like you are on the way to crossing over from a food addiction to an alcohol addiction.

I hit 249 this morning! I haven't been this weight since I was 20, maybe 21. My body looks very different from what it was back them (not as nice), but I am still please with the progress. Only 50 lbs to Onderland, a place I haven't been since Junior high. When I started this I had so far to go it seemed impossible, now I just looking forward to the passing of time. Also turns out it wasn't post alcohol dehydration after my birthday, it was sign #1 that I was getting a cold! And end of summer hurrah for my body apparently. I'm hydrating like crazy. Drinking OJ for Vitamin C, and green tea with antioxidants, and trying to sleep a lot. I tried to eat my dinner last night of 6 to 8 ounces of chili no beans and I could only eat half. I think it's cuz I only had 30 minutes to eat before I had to leave (otherwise I could have eaten the whole thing, I know because I did the night before). But Hormel chili no beans is AMAZING with a little cheddar cheese. Try it out if you haven't yet!

Hmm, my case was quite different. I attended my orientation on August 10, first meeting with surgeon, psych, and NUT on September 2, got approved for surgery on October 1, surgery on October 6 - entire process under 2 months. I live in California in the winter and Boston in the summer. My flight to California was booked for 11/7, so 10/6 was pretty much my go/no-go date. There were multiple reasons why I was able to pull this off: 1. I have a very good Anthem CA policy (PPO) that was grandfathered from Obamacare. Before the ass-clown destroyed the US Healthcare system, I was paying $450/mo with an $6,000 deductible. Now I pay $1300/mo with an $8,000 deductible, but they approved my surgery in 5 days without question. 2. I went to Newton Wellesley and handpicked Dr. Partridge - the head of surgery. I told her that I had to be in California for Thanksgiving in the first meeting and she said she'd do what she could to make it happen if I did everything they told me to do. I did. 3. I'm in my 60's and I've been dieting for almost 50 years. I always kept weight and diet records. I attended the first meeting with a 2 page write-up of my diet/weight history along with a 2008 diagnosis from my PCP of obesity. 4. I think I impressed the psychologist with my conviction and my logical case for why I wanted a VSG. By the time I met with the surgeon, she said "everyone on my team is very impressed with you". 5. Given my relatively low BMI (38), I ate like a pig the day of my orientation and then convinced one of the assistants do an official weigh-in after the August 10 orientation. I came in at 281 (BMI 40.2). This cleared me through insurance for comorbitities. 6. Before my first meeting, I met with my PCP (mid August) and got a strong letter of recommendation. 7. From the day after the orientation on, I dieted like crazy. I was down to 266 by 9/2 and 256 by my final session before approval, and 251 on the day of surgery. I think the fact that I lost 30 lbs in less than 2 months helped my surgical team do a very minimally invasive operation. I went to every support meeting I could and actively participated - further impressing the staff. 8. I continued being a model patient for 7 weeks after surgery. Eating exactly what they told me to eat and walking/riding my bike at least and hour/day. By Thanksgiving I was down 65 lbs and resumed a new normal but healthy lifestyle. Today I weigh 204 - down 77 pounds and 14 pounds from my goal - 5 months after my orientation and 4 months after my first meeting. I'm eating what I want, drinking alcohol in moderation, enjoying a social life, and still losing 2-3 lbs a week. The first 3 1/2 months was hell - a self imposed "biggest loser" contest (no social life, alcohol, coffee, or soda), but now I'm thoroughly delighted with the results. You can do this if you totally focus on the endgame!

When did you have your first alcoholic drink after your surgery ?!

I’ll be 62 in March so first looked into the over 60 group on this app but there wasn’t much going on there and the posts were pretty old. So if I behave myself can I stay in this group?! I’m almost 9 years post-op. I had my RNY on 10/24/2008. Hey I was 51 then! The day before my surgery I weighed 243.6 pounds. I lost 110 and kept it all off for a few years until I started eating the wrong foods, grazing and drinking alcohol. It wasn’t long before I had gained back 60 pounds. I’ve gotten 10 pounds off but would like to lose maybe another 40. I’m coming to this app looking for support from people who understand the struggles with regain. Have any of you regained some of the weight you’d lost? Are you having success losing again and if so how are you doing it?

My answer would be no alcohol. Not worth the calories - 90 calories for a glass of white wine, 120 - 160 for a martini. That’s a lot of the calories you’re allowed at this stage. The pre surgery diet is the beginning of your weight loss journey & the start of removing food dependencies like sugar & refined carbs from your diet. (Yes, I know, spirits have very few carbs but the mixers often do.) Many programs say no alcohol at all because of the calories, the risk of addiction switching - food to alcohol - & that it has no nutritional value. Nutritionally dense foods should be your focus at all time. Honestly, I had a drink at about month 2 or 3. I nursed that g&t for 3+ hours. I only have a drink about once a month or even less frequently. Not worth the calories & I don’t enjoy it as much. Don’t really miss it either. But it is your choice.

My 1st husband and I did NOTHING but argue (he was a bad alcoholic, which didn't help...pretty emotionally abusive). Money was ususally our main topic, he liked to spend LOTS of money we didn't have. He was the primary breadwinner and didn't like for me to have any control over our money...at all. My current boyfriend (soon to be DH), works and I stay home (for the past 7months). I handle all the finances and the only question he has for me is: "Do I have enough to buy electronic device (a)?" We are currently putting money back for co-pays, I told him I would probably have to put money back for PS after I reach goal. He's cool with it, he wants me to be happy. Talk to your hubby, see if you can get him to understand how important this is for you. Sounds to me like he needs a wake-up call.

This has been a very tough winter for a lot of us here in the midwest and I have heard many, many people talk about being depressed. I have heard that taking the vitamin Bs as there is more than one of those little guys, is suppose to help with depression and so as soon as I can take pills again, I am going to buy some. I try burning scented candles in my house when it is dreary out, but it is just darn tough to deal with and I really feel for those of you who have it so bad. I agree with Trystelle that is seems to run in woman and especially those of us who are really over weight. I think in the past, men who had depression, drank to deal with it and thus the reason for so much alcoholism in families with depression. Sounds like a lot of good suggestions are coming out with this thread and I plan on trying some of them.

Sooner or later you'll find yourself in a situation where you have little or no control over the food served. That doesn't mean you have to abandon all your band eating skills or go hungry. The key is to have plans, even for unpredictable situations. Social eating poses all kinds of challenges to the bariatric post-op. How to resist the dessert cart? How to refuse an extra helping of potatoes that Mom mashed especially for you (with just a little gravy)? How to chat with nine people and still concentrate on taking tiny bites? One recommendation applies to all social eating situations: do not experiment with new foods. You don't know how well they'll go down and you don't want to disgrace yourself in public. This has been a challenge for me because I love to try new foods, especially when I travel, but taking food risks in public is just not worth the potential pain and embarrassment. How easily you can pull off social eating will depend in part on whether your hosts or fellow guests know about your weight loss surgery (a topic worthy of an article of its own, so stay tuned). Sometimes I think my new eating habits are harder on my friends than they are on me. For example, a few months ago I went out to lunch with a group of women, including a friend (we'll call her Kathy) who knew me when I was fat and knows I had weight loss surgery. This was not the first time I had dined with Kathy since my surgery, so I was a bit surprised to realize that she was studying me as I ate. "Is there a problem?" I said. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't stare," she answered, "But I just can't get over the way you eat now." "Isn't it great?" I said with hearty enthusiasm. "Um, yeah, I guess so." There was an awkward pause. Then she rallied and said, "So how many dogs did you say you have now?" I have survived many post-op social eating occasions with acquaintances who don't know about my weight loss surgery (and I'd rather keep it that way). Most of them keep their opinions about my eating (if they even notice it) to themselves. Sometimes they ask, "Don't you like the food?" (I answer honestly, yes or no), or "Are you diabetic?" (yes), or "Are you allergic to nuts? (no). Sometimes I have to use Kathy's change-the-subject method of getting out of an awkward moment (asking the hostess for the recipe, or a portion of dessert to take home, works well as both a compliment and a distraction). Advance planning is crucial for successful social eating. Try to find out what will be served and decide what you'll eat. Eat something before you leave home, because the old advice to save your calories for the party is risky business for a post-op. Imagine how irresistible the buffet table is going to look if you haven't eaten for 10 hours. You're not just risking extra calories at that point - you're risking a stuck episode, a productive burp (regurgitation), or sliming - because you're too hungry to eat carefully. If at all possible, bring some food that you can eat and share with the other guests (tell the host or hostess you're going to do this or it might get whisked away and stashed in the refrigerator). If you know alcohol is going to be served, bring a pitcher of a non-alcoholic beverage you like and announce that you thought everybody might like to try your special punch or fruit tea or whatever it is. Stand-up can be easier than sit-down affairs because everyone is busy balancing a plate, cutlery, beverage and conversation and it's easier to sneak off and ditch the food without being seen. At sit-down meals, I'll grab my plate and a neighbor's (making sure it's empty first, of course) and head for the kitchen saying, "Do let me help clear the table" or "Can I get you anything while I'm up?" (that's hard to pull off in a restaurant, though). Speaking of stand-up affairs, finger food is a terrible idea for bandsters. Human teeth are just not designed to take a small enough bite of anything solid enough to be held in the fingers, so proceed with caution. Whether you're standing up or sitting down, cutting up your food into tiny pieces and occasionally moving it around your plate with your fork are good ways to camouflage your spare post-op eating style. And one last piece of advice: please do not give your uneaten food to your host's dog (or cat, or potted plant), no matter how hungry the dog claims he is. You have no way of knowing if the food is even safe for the dog. My dogs are four-legged garbage cans, and they have even worse judgment about food than I do!

How can you socialize and stick to your food plan? Sooner or later you'll find yourself in a situation where you have little or no control over the food served. That doesn't mean you have to abandon all your band eating skills or go hungry. The key is to have plans, even for unpredictable situations. Social eating poses all kinds of challenges to the bariatric post-op. How to resist the dessert cart? How to refuse an extra helping of potatoes that Mom mashed especially for you (with just a little gravy)? How to chat with nine people and still concentrate on taking tiny bites? One recommendation applies to all social eating situations: do not experiment with new foods. You don't know how well they'll go down and you don't want to disgrace yourself in public. This has been a challenge for me because I love to try new foods, especially when I travel, but taking food risks in public is just not worth the potential pain and embarrassment. How easily you can pull off social eating will depend in part on whether your hosts or fellow guests know about your weight loss surgery (a topic worthy of an article of its own, so stay tuned). Sometimes I think my new eating habits are harder on my friends than they are on me. For example, a few months ago I went out to lunch with a group of women, including a friend (we'll call her Kathy) who knew me when I was fat and knows I had weight loss surgery. This was not the first time I had dined with Kathy since my surgery, so I was a bit surprised to realize that she was studying me as I ate. "Is there a problem?" I said. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't stare," she answered, "But I just can't get over the way you eat now." "Isn't it great?" I said with hearty enthusiasm. "Um, yeah, I guess so." There was an awkward pause. Then she rallied and said, "So how many dogs did you say you have now?" I have survived many post-op social eating occasions with acquaintances who don't know about my weight loss surgery (and I'd rather keep it that way). Most of them keep their opinions about my eating (if they even notice it) to themselves. Sometimes they ask, "Don't you like the food?" (I answer honestly, yes or no), or "Are you diabetic?" (yes), or "Are you allergic to nuts? (no). Sometimes I have to use Kathy's change-the-subject method of getting out of an awkward moment (asking the hostess for the recipe, or a portion of dessert to take home, works well as both a compliment and a distraction). Advance planning is crucial for successful social eating. Try to find out what will be served and decide what you'll eat. Eat something before you leave home, because the old advice to save your calories for the party is risky business for a post-op. Imagine how irresistible the buffet table is going to look if you haven't eaten for 10 hours. You're not just risking extra calories at that point - you're risking a stuck episode, a productive burp (regurgitation), or sliming - because you're too hungry to eat carefully. If at all possible, bring some food that you can eat and share with the other guests (tell the host or hostess you're going to do this or it might get whisked away and stashed in the refrigerator). If you know alcohol is going to be served, bring a pitcher of a non-alcoholic beverage you like and announce that you thought everybody might like to try your special punch or fruit tea or whatever it is. Stand-up can be easier than sit-down affairs because everyone is busy balancing a plate, cutlery, beverage and conversation and it's easier to sneak off and ditch the food without being seen. At sit-down meals, I'll grab my plate and a neighbor's (making sure it's empty first, of course) and head for the kitchen saying, "Do let me help clear the table" or "Can I get you anything while I'm up?" (that's hard to pull off in a restaurant, though). Speaking of stand-up affairs, finger food is a terrible idea for bandsters. Human teeth are just not designed to take a small enough bite of anything solid enough to be held in the fingers, so proceed with caution. Whether you're standing up or sitting down, cutting up your food into tiny pieces and occasionally moving it around your plate with your fork are good ways to camouflage your spare post-op eating style. And one last piece of advice: please do not give your uneaten food to your host's dog (or cat, or potted plant), no matter how hungry the dog claims he is. You have no way of knowing if the food is even safe for the dog. My dogs are four-legged garbage cans, and they have even worse judgment about food than I do!

Thank you everyone for the advice and encouragement. I will think of you all as standing between me and that fork that I want to use to shovel all that food in my mouth. I don't normally binge but after all this time waiting for regular food, it's pretty scary. I feel like an alcoholic-in-treatment going to a wine tasting event at a vineyard without being able to take a friend for support. But, I will follow your advice and report back how it goes. Thank you again!

I chuckled when I saw your comment about the Iced Cap being better than beer. Then I started to wonder - would an Iced Cap be better, nutritionally? Well hold on to your Timbit, Rosie! A medium original Iced Cap, with cream, is 320 calories. A medium original with milk, is 240 calories. But a regular beer is anywhere between 150 and 200, depending on the alcohol content. So strictly calorie-wise, a beer is better than an Iced Cap.

Hi Rowena I asked this question before I was banded as I tend to drink wine on a regular basis. Now I am 5 weeks banded and speaking from my own point of view, I can still drink wine & champagne, but probably not as much as I used to, and I also dont feel like it as much (depending on the day:) ) Everyone will tell you that to achieve maximum weight loss you should not drink alcohol as they are empty calories - I agree as this is probably the single biggest contributor to my weight gain. But the reality is that most bandits who drank alcohol before banding still drink afterwards. Chin chin :bandit

Here is just some information that is probably already out there. Please let me have your thoughts/opinions on this. Apologies if there are any errors, again just give me a heads up. My surgery is with Prof Fried he comes well recommended and certainly seems to be an expert in the gastrointestinal/gastroentrological field. Though I am a little concerned that there is no specific suturing device being used! I checked out the doctors in Mexico, USA AND INDIA and most are well versed/good at the procedure, they tend to use the correct number and size of incisions to go in laproscopically i.e. 1, 10mm and the others 5mm; they also look at the individuals stomach to determine the narrowness of the tube/bougie size, ranging from 32f through to 42f, possibly there are larger bougies out there; though some stick with one tried and tested bougie size usually 34f to prevent stomach twisting, slippage into chest cavity, reflux etc. Prices vary with the USA being the most expensive around $9,000-$13,000 dollars unfortunately that is also where some of the better surgeons are, I suppose you the old adage "you get what you pay for," is true; through to Mexico and Europe being mid range around $ 8-9000 dollars and approx ? 6,500 if you consider the higher end of the exchange rate, this would include price of flights and accomodation and finally India being the cheapest, around $ 5- 7000 approx ?4000- ?5000 British pounds again depending on Rs/currency fluctuations and which clinic you attend including flights and accomodation. Most take a full medical profile but not all and follow the NIH (National Institute of Health) or British equivalent (NICE )guidelines re. BMI and Co-morbidities. Many good surgeons also perform an thorough OGD endoscopical check to ensure that there are no nasty surprises lurking within your abdomen that could cause future discomfort or pain, i.e. ulcers and hiatal hernias. I understand patients are advised accordingly and any size of hernia is fizxed/sutured up accordingly to prevent further heartburn/reflux. I understand that by and large sutures are made of varying non absorbable materials i.e. PDS and that the surgeons tend to apply at least two layers of Prolene running sutures using the Endoflip device by Crospon, again not every imbrication surgeon is authorised to use this device as it isn't being marketed everywhere yet and you will need to check, i.e some clinics in India and Europe are using the old needle thread holder and grasper. The stomach retains viability and therefore the procedure is reversible, the few that have had a reversal have been due to early complications such as prolonged nausea that has affected the individual and may have had an impact on the stitches? There does not appear to have been any dihension, loosening away or give in the stitches thus far. Furthermore though there have been some concerns about the stomachs elasticity it is thought that as the greater curvature, the elastic part, is being reduced and folded into itself and that the remaining inner sleeve is both smaller/narrow and generally considered to be the firm part of the stomach, that stretching of the stomach or dihension of stitches, shouldn't really be an issue as long as you try to stick to the dietary guidelines and stop eating just before you feel full. Pre op guidelines tend to be similar to other weight loss surgeries and are both dependent upon your surgeon/clinic and BMI. Though I always think it is is a good idea to try and shrink your liver. Post op dietary guidelines are as follows: 1st and 2nd Week after TGVP Clear broth or Soup without vegetables or meat and not too creamy. Low fat, sugar free yogurt. Skimmed milk. Natural fruit juice or pureed soft fruit (apple, banana, pear, etc). Vegetable juices. Low calorie drinks. Sugar free Protein supplements, with skimmed milk. Water ( 6-8 cups / 2.0- 3.0 liter a day). In between meals we recommend that you drink vegetable juice, milk, fruit juices, and water, to ingest sufficient liquids and prevent dehydration 3rd and 4th Week More liquid/pureed diet included in your meals during week 3 and 4 after the TGVP, to assist in adapting to smaller stomach How can I prepare a pureed diet? This may be a challenge for you. You will need a blender or food processor. The food has to be blended until reaching a Gerber or applesauce consistency. Avoid spicy flavours; they may irritate your stomach. Use the following list to give you an idea of what you can eat on weeks 3 and 4: Liquids or beverages, and milk. Good options: Tea, non-carbonated drinks, natural fruit juices, Crystal Light, coffee, water, skimmed milk, low fat and sugar free yogurt. Limit or try to avoid: Artificial fruit juices, soda, alcohol, all carbonated beverages, iced tea with sugar, milk or yogurt products with nuts or seeds, chocolate milk, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk. Fruits. Good options: Applesauce, pureed pears, and bananas. Limit or try to avoid: Canned fruits or fruits with syrup. Vegetables. Good options: Pureed vegetables, vegetable juice. Limit or try to avoid: Raw vegetables, canned vegetables, vegetables that cause discomfort (gas forming). Soups. Good options: Broth, cream soups make with skimmed milk, egg drop soup, low sodium bouillion or consomm?. Limit or try to avoid: All others. Starches. Good options: Mashed potatoes. Limit or try to avoid: Bread, Pasta, rice and all other starches. meats or protein supplements. Good options: Pureed chicken, fish, tuna, veal, beef, low fat cottage cheese, baby food meats, mashed or pureed tofu, pureed egg or egg substitute, sugar-free Protein shakes like Designer’s Protein, Boost Breeze, no sugar added Carnation Instant Breakfast. Limit or try to avoid: Peanut Butter, others. Fats, sugars and others Good options: Sugar free gelatine, sugar free popsicles, pudding. Therafter general recommendations are as follows: Eat three small meals a day and limit snacking in between meals. Eat slowly and chew food until it reaches a mushy consistency (15 to 20 times per bite). Stop eating or drinking right before you feel full. Eat only good quality foods. Drink low calorie liquids. Drink enough liquids /about 2.0 – 3.0 litres per day . Drink after eating. Exercise moderately, however not sooner than 2 weeks after TGVP procedure. Limit: Others. Note foods high in fat, acid, sugar and stodgy foods are to be avoided due to calorific content and problems with bloating and digestion, as well as their potential for heartburn and reflux. Carbonated drinks are to be avoided because they contain too much fizz and cause an explosion type effect in your stomach causing problems with gas and of course they are also corrosive and there may be some concerns that their explosive effects may have an impact on stretching the stomach?!! Though if you do desire these they appear to have been known to be consumed in small quantities or after the drink had been left to breathe for a couple of hours thereby disposing of some of the bubbles. Most hospital keep patients for approx two days to monitor them. I think there are some really good surgeons and these are as include, Dr Daniel Cottam, Dr Sunil Sharma, Dr Mahinder Narwaria, Dr Brad Watkins, Dr Lopez Corvala, Dr Jose Rodriguez etc apologies to anyone I may have missed off my list. Anyway I could chunter on forever, however my little ones are demanding my attention. I hope this information helps, please do not take it all as read and set in stone this is just my own research, the whole point of this site is to get better equipped by talking to experts who are willing to give up their valuable time and assist with putting this procedure out there and others intending to or that have already undergone the procedure. Finally the procedure remains in its infancy and like the sleeve we have no longer term data or comparisons of longer term weight loss, or health issues or reduction in ghrelin levels to go on, though it seems to be working. Warm Regards Cake is my favourite food

Regrets? ZERO. Nada. None. I've not been overseas since surgery but I don't see how that's any different than daily life for me. After the initial healing period, about 6 months before I felt "totally normal" again, I eat what I like in small quantities. I'm still compliant with my Protein goals, but eat, bread, Pasta, even the occasional sweet treat or alcoholic beverage, just in smaller amounts. I think I enjoy food more now that I'm not controlled by it.

I watched these videos on YouTube by dr Paul obrien who says that it's ok to drink alcohol (obviously in moderation) he says wine is probably the best because its not carbonated. Maybe ring and ask your doctor but I think if you stick to one it should be ok.

I am 7 weeks out as well, and I have only lost 22lbs since my surgery. You are not losing slowly, that seems normal to me. If anything you might want to avoid just counting net carbs and try counting your total carb intake (including fiber), because there is research suggesting that certain Fiber and sugar alcohols affect glucose levels similar to other carbs. Honestly though you seem to be doing fine. Just think, would you have lost 25 lbs in 7 weeks before you had surgery? I know this is easier said than done because I am still very anxious about my weight loss and I want to do everything possible to ensure that I get to goal. Just make good choices and exercise. I exercise 5-6 days per week, never eat more than 700, and always eat less than 40 grams of carbs (total carbs!), and drink about 64-100oz of Water every day. I do all these things and I have only lost 22lbs since surgery. Unfortunately, part of this experience is learning to go with the flow, even when you think that flow is too slow!!!!!!

I admit that I miss champagne. I didn't drink it all that often, but it's a big part of family celebrations. I'm allowed to have an occasional glass, but when I tried a couple of sips over Christmas, it felt weird and just didn't taste like it used to, so I haven't tried it again. I may try it next month when I visit my parents and see if anything has changed. I also miss being able to sip a glass of wine with dinner -- again, I rarely did it, just when out at nice restaurants or visiting my parents (who are great cooks with an extensive wine cellar). I'm allowed to have wine on my program, just no drinking with meals. There was something lovely about a really good wine correctly paired with a delicious dinner. I'm not really that interested in wine on its own so I just don't drink it anymore. I realize these two "I miss" statements make me sound like someone with a drinking problem! The thing is, I am sure I averaged less than one alcoholic drink per month before my sleeve. I never bought alcohol on my own, just had it when I visited my parents a few times each year. But I guess I really do miss it for those few visits! That said, I would not trade my sleeve and my weight loss for all the champagne and great pinot noir in the world! It's a tiny little thing to give up to have a whole new life.

So here I sit journaling. I am pissed off at my family! My mother came to help me out with the kiddos since my husband works all the time, and also to help get things ready for the holidays. I have a bunch of family coming. My house has seem to have gotten real messy, dishes and so on and it SURELY isn't me using the dishes!!!! Hmmmm tonight they want to order pizza from Pizza Hut. Man that sure sounds good. In all reality I was banded on Monday and it hasn't been a week and yeah at this point and time that sounds really darn good! Well the way I am thinking about this is, my mother is an alcoholic who just successfully completed rehab in November. Shall I sit and drink some alcohol in front of her to see if she can hack it? GRRRRRRRR :help: I am trying real hard for no soda and no junk food and have made it thus far, I am however real tired of chicken broth and beef broth and you know... the same ol bland pureed stuff!!!!! Grrrr I don't know.... I am just real frustrated today I guess. I know I CAN do this... I wonder if it will get easier....

How to Lose 22lbs or 10kgs in 28 Days Without Starving or Training Like an Olympic Athlete!' By Stephen Smith BSc If you seriously want to lose 22lbs or 10 kilograms in 28 days then you must perform all of the principles exactly as recommended. Unlike the recommendations in my book, ‘Look good, feel great!', where you can pick the principles you want to use and ignore the rest and where you can even modify the principles to suit your lifestyle, these principles must be followed exactly as they are outlined. If you want extraordinary results, then you must be willing to put in an extraordinary effort! I realise that some people may be thinking, ‘But it is impossible to lose 10 kilograms of fat in a month!' I agree- it is! However, the truth is, it is impossible to only lose fat on any type of weight-loss program. You will always lose a combination of fat, water, stored carbohydrate and some muscle. Furthermore, most people who want to lose 10 kilograms in the first place are generally retaining excess fluid anyway, so a system that helps get rid of the excess fluid is certainly going to accelerate their results. Perform 30-60 minutes of aerobic exercise morning and night. Yes, you read that correctly, morning and night- 2 sessions a day… every day! No excuses. We're all busy, we all feel tired some mornings, but if you're serious about getting amazing results, then you must be willing to do everything necessary. When we talk about aerobic exercise, we're talking about exercise! Not walking around the shops, doing the gardening or doing housework. It must be exercise, which means your breathing rate increases, your face goes red, you sweat, you get tired- simple! Some examples of aerobic exercise include: walking (pounding the pavement at a brisk pace- not dawdling), cycling (stationary bike is ideal), swimming, rowing, stepper, cross-trainer, aerobic classes, boxing, etc. Use ‘thermogenics'. There are several very effective thermogenic supplementson the market that can accelerate your progress towards your goal. Those containing caffeine, green tea extracts and an extract from a plant called coleus forskohlii are the most effective. They will boost your metabolismand promote the release of fat from the fat stores. ‘Scorch' by MAN Sports is a good example. It contains a combination of 7 powerful herbal ingredients specifically designed to boost your metabolism, burn body fat and increase your energy. Unfortunately though, thermogenics are not ‘magic pills'. You can't expect to take a couple of thermogenic capsules and then go home and eat pizza and drink alcohol and expect to get results. Thermogenics only work when their use is combined with a good nutrition and exercise program. Take 1-2 capsules twice a day; once prior to your morning exercise session and once with your lunch. Don't take them later than 4:00pm in the afternoon because they may keep you awake at night. Before using thermogenics, see your doctor first and obtain their approval. Do not eat anything for 30 minutes after the completion of any exercise. As a result of using the thermogenics combined with the exercise, your metabolism will remain elevated for some time after the exercise session is finished. This means your body will burn fuel at a faster rate than normal. Any exercise causes the body to use carbohydrate (muscle glycogen and blood glucose) as a fuel source. This means that after the exercise is completed the carbohydrate stores in the body are low and the body will be forced to use fat as its fuel. If a meal is eaten immediately after the completion of the exercise session, the blood glucose level will rise, inducing the secretion of insulin from the pancreas. One of the effects of insulin is to stop fat burning in the body. Therefore, wait 30 minutes (but no longer because cortisol will rise) before having your next meal. Perform a weight training workout 2-4 times a week. Lifting weights is the most under-estimated way to lose fat fast! Now, before you start saying, ‘But I don't want to get big muscles!' or ‘I don't want to look like a man!', consider the following. The main purpose of lifting weights when your primary goal is to lose body fat is to preserve the muscle massyou already have. You see, muscle is the ‘engine' within which the fat, or ‘fuel' is burnt and maintaining or even increasing your muscle mass slightly will help ensure your body fat is burnt off efficiently. If you don't lift weights, your body will quite happily lose both fat and muscle as you drop the kilos. Lifting weights forces your body to maintain your muscle mass, therefore keeping your metabolism elevated and turning your body into 24-hour-a-day fat-burning machine! Incidentally, it only takes two 30 minute sessions a week to obtain the muscle preserving benefits of lifting weights. Have 5-6 small meals a day. One of the most common strategies people use to lose weight is to skip meals. Whilst reducing food intake is certainly an effective way to lose weight, having fewer meals is not the way to go. Many overweight people say, ‘I don't know why I'm overweight, I only eat once or twice a day!' Unfortunately, this is exactly why they are overweight. Having a mild calorie restriction is effective because if you consume less calories than you burn each day you will lose weight- simple! However, skipping meals forces the body to invoke its ‘Starvation Mechanism' because it thinks it is entering a famine. As a result, the body slows the metabolism to preserve energy. It also increases cortisol output and cortisol is the most powerful catabolic hormone in the body, which means it goes around the body breaking down lean tissue, particularly muscle. A loss of muscle slows the metabolism even further. Skipping meals also results in an increase in appetite, which forces you to eat larger amounts of food when you do eat. In addition to all these factors, the body also increases the activity of fat-storing enzymes, lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and fatty acid synthase (FAS), so when you do eat the food gets stored as fat. All of this results from simply skipping meals! By having a small meal every 2-3 hours throughout the day, your metabolism stays elevated and your body will happily burn fat all day long. Unfortunately though, most people are conditioned to having large meals and they automatically assume they will put on weight if they have 5 or 6 meals a day. The fact is, the ideal portion sizes for most people are actually quite small and in order to lose weight fast it is essential that you never feel full from a meal but you do feel satisfied. Also, most people find it difficult to have a meal every 2-3 hours throughout the day because they are so busy with work and/ or family commitments. Here are some suggestions to ensure you get your 5 or 6 meals a day. • Plan and prepare your meals the night before • Use meal replacements (protein shakes or bars) • Select foods that are quick and easy to prepare and consume Ensure each meal contains protein. Protein is a component of all cells and makes up over half the dry weight of the human body. Furthermore, the human body is a dynamic structure, which means it is constantly building up and breaking down tissue. Just imagine a bath full of water. At one end of the bath the plug is pulled out and at the other end the tap is turned on full. The water level in the bath doesn't change but there are ‘new' water molecules entering the bath and ‘old' water molecules leaving the bath all the time. The human body is exactly the same. If the body breaks down more tissue than it builds up, then it is said to be in a catabolic state. This results in the metabolism slowing down due to the loss of muscle tissue. Having a portion of high-quality protein every few hours throughout the day provides the body with a constant supply of amino acids- the building blocks of the body. This prevents the catabolic state, promotes an anabolic state (tissue building) and therefore keeps the metabolism ‘fired-up'. If only carbohydrate or fat is consumed for a meal, for example a piece of fruit (carbohydrate) for the mid-morning meal, then the body will still enter a catabolic state because it doesn't have the building blocks (amino acids) to re-build body tissues. Protein, as its name suggests, is of primary importance. Reduce your intake of high-density carbohydrates. Most high-density carbohydrates like bread, pasta, rice and cereals cause a rapid rise in blood glucose. This invokes the release of insulin from the pancreas, which in turn stores the glucose. The body stores glucose in the muscles and liver as glycogen and once these sites are full, the remaining glucose gets stored as body fat. Not only this, but insulin also stops the body from mobilising and utilising fat for fuel (burning fat). So if you want to maximise fat loss, you need to keep insulin to a minimum and the best way to do this is by reducing your intake of starchy carbohydrates without cutting them out altogether. Cutting them out totally is a philosophy of many low-carb diets on the market. However, these are very hard to sustain long-term and may lead to nutrient deficiencies. Each day, have a small amount (1-2 serves) of high density carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, cereals); a moderate amount (2-3 serves) of medium density carbohydrates (starchy vegetables and fruits); and a large amount (5-6 serves) of low density carbohydrates (fibrous vegetables). [For a complete list of carbohydrates, see pages 136-138 of the book, ‘ Look good, feel great! ] Do not have a Treat Day. Since you are expecting an extraordinary result, it is essential that you put in an extraordinary effort. Accordingly, for the next 28 days you must follow the plan exactly as it is outlined without deviating. This means you can't allow yourself to indulge in any ‘forbidden foods'. This also means avoiding alcohol for the entire 28-day period. I know this may be hard for some people but let's face it, it is only for 28 days! By committing to the plan and disciplining yourself to see it through, you are ensuring that the results will follow. Plus, the disciplines you create to help you achieve your physical goal will have a ‘carry-over benefit' to other areas of your life as well. I wish you the greatest success in achieving outstanding results! * Before using any nutritional supplement, speak with your health care professional.

A little birthday cake, shrimp, a little alcohol, drinking less than 20-30 minutes after eating, on a rare occurence? Shame on you Mister! You need to turn in your BariatricPal card. In all seriousness, you did a great job. You are enjoying life post surgery, very mindfully and intelligently. Kudos to you. From the title of the post, I would have thought this involved hookers, cocaine and a bottle of Jack Daniels.

Well I am rooting for you ladies and at least you know you're not alone. Everything I cook (with the exception of a turkey and beef meatloaf I made), turns me off. I generally love turkey and chicken and if I make it, I despise it. I've only thrown up once (thank goodness because I hate throwing up). Dealt with dumping a few times (only once from food though, the rest of the times it was because of sugar alcohols in my Glucerna shakes which I no longer drink). Hydration...loathe it. Eating to fast, I'm trying. Good news is I've lost 30 pounds and my A1C is finally under 10 (8.9 to be exact). Sometimes I regret my decision and then other times I think I can't believe I waited so long (well actually insurance only approved my lap band, otherwise I would have done this 3 years ago). In any case, no matter our obstacles, we did something to improve our health. I appreciate you all sharing your struggles. Not because I want you all to struggle, but at least I know I am not alone in my thoughts, feelings and experiences. Keep going! Monique

The Friday confessions were such a big hit last week and all the way through Monday that I thought I'd open it up for the entire weekend. My flame free confession? I had 4 glasses of wine last night and I smoked (because I was drinking of course) The really bad part is that when I started drinking I had only had about 20oz or so all day, so about half of my Fluid intake yesterday was alcohol. Mmmmmm Reisling

Thank you so much for sharing that article. It answered all the questions I had about "slider" foods. I'll guess I'll have to put them on the list of "things I just cannot have again". I'm an all or nothing type of person who KNOWS--like an alcoholic cannot have a sip of alcohol ever again---I CANNOT have just a tiny bite of some foods. Oh well. Life is good. I'm enjoying being able to move with less pain--so I can forgo certain things in order to be able to move with less pain.

I realize this conversation was from a year ago, but I can't locate anymore recent talk. I am almost 14 months post op and having terrible acid/heartburn. I know tomatoes and alcohol contribute, but must I really give them up or take a pill? My surgeon never advised to stay on anything for heartburn or indigestion. About 6 months ago I had 4 attacks that were all pressure and felt like an elephant on my chest. Now it's just the acid and I cannot even sleep lying down. I've Zantac, but everyone on this thread seems to have better luck with omeprazole or Prilosec? Thanks for any advice as I'm finding it difficult to find talk for post op issues.