Knowing What You Know Now, What Would You Do Differently?

[Amanda 3.0 140]

For me, I wish I hadn't bought so many supplies before the surgery. I am so tired of looking at the huge Protein product stash I've purchased. I have a whole shelf on my pantry with premade Protein products and powders, Jello, and baby food (until I took all the baby food to the local food pantry).

I guess I was afraid that I wouldn't feel well enough to go shopping, and I didn't want to be a burden to my husband if I could prepare in advance. That turned out to be far from the case.

I wish I had bought stuff in moderation, maybe some small sizes, instead of getting multiple huge tubs of stuff at the warehouse clubs.

What about you?

[SKCUNNINGHAM 298]

I bought several bottles of different flavored Protein Drinks - most of which I thought tasted nasty. I passed my unopned ones on to a friend who was having surgery. I did the same with a tub of Protein and all of the chicken Soup protein packets that I had ordered. I should have ordered one of those sample packets before I ordered anything in quantity. The other thing I would do different is do more work on my head in addition to making my food choices. The food stuff was easy for me early on. But now that I am normal and eating mostly how I will eat from now on, I realize the psychological stuff that led me to have a bad relationship with food is still there. I don't do the bad behaviors (mostly) but it's like an alcoholic taking it one day at a time. I wish I had started working on this stuff 6-10 months ago.

[Catracks 865]

I am going to continue with Protein shakes indefinitely. I have about 16 pounds of chocolate and vanilla Pro Max and 3 pounds of unflavored Isopure. I would have skipped on the baby food, but SF Jello and pudding powders can be used to flavor Protein Shakes.

High Protein makes me lose weight and I can make Protein Shakes that taste like real shakes. You know if you use at least 2% milk in them, they can be made into ice cream.

Here's one recipe I use from The world according to eggface:

strawberry Cheesecake shake

6-9 oz milk 1 or 2%

1 scoop of vanilla Protein powder

1 tsp strawberry SF Torani Syrup

1 tsp SF instant cheesecake flavor

3 frozen strawberries

Whip in blender, serve in you best dessert glass with a tiny squirt of fat free whipped cream.

The shakes taste good and the possibilies are endless. I even did a pineapple shake.< /p>

[Amanda 3.0 140]

I don't mind the actual products that I bought (although I am not in LOVE with everything), I just wish I hadn't bought so much. Eventually they will get used, but what a stockpile until then. I am not a cluttery person and I feel like I have too much junk.

For example: costco had a sale on the large tubs of Muscle Milk. Why did I have to buy two? The tubs are huge and since I only use one scoop per day in my coffee, I have SIX MONTHS of Muscle Milk on hand. This is not fun for a person who is not cluttery. That in addition to the two months of Premier shakes, and Protein powders I am not even using at the moment. Plus all the Vitamins I bought before just going with the Celebrate brand so I didn't have to think about if I was getting all I needed.

I should have just bought the minimum.

As for the head work, I am not sure how that will play out. Of course at four weeks out I feel in control with no cravings whatsoever. I don't think I had real cravings even before the surgery.

I did do some counseling and reading, and I do need to do some more. I used to enjoy drinking but now it doesn't interest me. I was majorly depressed about my weight and now I don't feel helpless or depressed at all. I am full of hope now. I hope that most of my eating problems are behind me but at least during the preoperative process I finally found a counselor I would go to, not just one who claimed to have knowledge of eating issues but was actually clueless. Don't get me started on that!

[Amanda 3.0 140]

I am going to continue with Protein shakes indefinitely. I have about 16 pounds of chocolate and vanilla Pro Max and 3 pounds of unflavored Isopure. I would have skipped on the baby food, but SF Jello and pudding powders can be used to flavor Protein Shakes.< /p>

High Protein makes me lose weight and I can make protein shakes that taste like real shakes. You know if you use at least 2% milk in them, they can be made into ice cream.

...

Those shakes sound really good, but I don't have much of a sweet tooth at all. I expected to be making protein smoothies post-surgery, and that is one of the reasons I bought all the powders, but I have no real interest. Also, quite a while ago I stopped using artifical sweeteners, as it isn't sugar that made me fat. So while I realize that these Protein drinks I am using for now do have artificial sweeteners, it is my long term goal to minimize sucralose, aspartame, etc., etc.

Also, since surgery, I can't imagine getting a whole smoothie into me before it separates and looks gross. I had been making them with frozen unsweetened fruit before surgery.

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

Actually, I would not do anything different. Well, maybe not have gone to the scale everyday. I liked it better when I didn't weigh myself on a daily basis. So much more rewarding. I liked the experience of my body readjusting in inches and discovering that my pants got toooooo baggy in a day time.

[circa 333]

even in preparation for lowering our food intake, we buy too much. Its a cyclical problem. I made sure to buy one of each, chocolate and vanilla for Protein powders and some ready-made. Everything else is stuff I'd normally have in the house anyway - chicken broth/stock, ramen noodles (just using the seasoning packet, tossing the noodles - easily transported in the purse too!), SF Jello. I didn't go the babyfood route - I may at some point, but you can pick that up one jar at a time to see if it works for you.

If you have too much, purge your products and share with someone who could use these - check with a local infusion clinic - see if someone there has stomach or esophageal cancer that could use your excess.

[andersonlj 32]

I also have a lot of Protein Shake supplement in chocolate and strawberry. I also have some powdered chicken and Tomato Soups. I did buy about 10 jars of baby food along with some gatorade etc. before surgery as I live alone and did not want to be a bother to anyone if I should need something once I got home for the first week or 2.

This week I had a stall so for the next 5 days I have gone back to the diet of Protein Shakes. I am hoping that this will jump start my weight loss again. I do not mind the shakes and usually use them once every day for a Meal Replacement so that I can have some things that may be a little higher in calories at another meal or special occassion. I did have to toss a couple jars of baby food as it was so bad that even salt and pepper would not make it edible. I would suggest that before you have surgery that you buy a jar of what might appeal to you and try it before buying several jars. The Lasagna and chicken and noodles were edible when doctored up.

Also I like to have the packaged soups for times when I might be going on the road and want something quick that has Protein and is good for me.

[Sassygirl06 962]

I would have started exercising more frequently from the start. It is easy to think in the begining that you dont need to exercise because the weight is just falling off. I didnt realize that if I had been exercising that 6 pounds of my weightloss would not have been muscle. I thankfully have been able to correct this from exercising now, and have actually recovered that 6 pounds and gained 9 more pounds of muscle since. I felt so weak back then when I was losing all of the muscle and it really has made a difference in my energy levels by just getting out there and getting busy! I am in a bootcamp now and it feels wonderful to get my ass kicked....lol

[Pookeyism 1,143]

If I could do something different - this is something born only of hindsight, but I would have read more books (although I read alot) and would have tried to work it out in my head if anything happened while I was recovering, such as bad news or emergencies - but I guess you cannot anticipate some of what can come your way (as some of you know, my Mother passed away on my 1 week post-op date. She was 58 and it was totally unexpected).

Some things I did do but did not need, BUT would do again (before you read it, let me explain I have always been what I call a pesimistic optimist - I plan and implement, then if nothing happens so be it):

-My medical records stored on an online email account, and a memory stick, as well as my life insurance policy, health insurance info, etc. A list of meds, too.

-a bug-out bag that I added some specifics to. I had baby wipes, hibiclens, and small "kits" of sterile gauze and tape,but added packets of protien powder and a small shake bottle (I always keep a bug-out bag, emergencies will not wait until you recover).

I also added an old-lady( lol sorry) push cart that you can fold and unfold to my useless gadgets in the trunk in case I had a bit more than I could carry somewhere for awhile.

-make sure you have the correct phone numbers for emergency services in your area on you phone and listed somewhere - 911 may not be able to find you if you use a cell phone.

-towing/roadside assistance - even if you do not normally use it, make sure your service includes full tow, full tire change and if possible the "ride home" feature. I usually change my tire but even two weeks out I would not want to risk it. Probably not for awhile.

- If I had not had a hubby that could stay with me while I was (am) healing, I would have probably signed up for the life alert home system for at least the first couple of months.

If it sounds over the top, everything I listed took me less than two hours to shop for, arrange, confirm, etc...

[Amanda 3.0 140]

Come to think of it, I am going on a trip next week so I will be taking some of this stash away with me. That's a relief!

Oh, exercise! I was back at it almost right away. Especially since I had the post-surgical gas shoulder pain for over a week! I was on my elliptical just a few days after surgery (with surgeon's blessing). But it was just for 15 - 20 minutes. Now I am back to 30 minutes of more intense. But right after, I would do anything to get rid of that miserable shoulder pain. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise.

I don't think I could do a bootcamp yet. Eek!

[Catracks 865]

Thanks for the exercise tip. I'm walking but not much else. I'm only a week out so will will sit on my exercise ball and do weights. I'll keep walking too.

Amanda, store the excess stuff in the garage. I made a special cabinet for my stuff and bring it in as needed. If not garage, then a storage space in a carport? That way you won't get the cluttered feeling.

I don't have a sweet tooth either, but I enjoy the shakes. May drink 1/4 cup at a time and leave the rest in the blender in the fridge and whip as needed?

[andersonlj 32]

If I knew then what I would now I would have pushed for surgery many years ago instead of listening to the doctors tell me "Oh you can do this yourself by dieting and exercising". Well I did that and wasted so many years of my life on yo=yo dieting and being miserable with myself and my life. Today I feel that I have been given a NEW LIFE and wish that I was younger but I intend to live the rest of my days with a new appreciate for things that some take for granted.

[favoredone 590]

I think I would have had my surgery during the summer... It's winter in Chicago and I can't "workout" yet, so I like to walk.. It's TOOOOO cold outside!! I need to buy a treadmill!!! And I would have made a greater effort to lose more weight during my 6 month supervised weight loss program...

Other than that, I would change nothing!!

[Pookeyism 1,143]

I think I would have liked to have the surgery while I was younger - but I also disagree strongly. Hindsight is 20/20 but ten years ago I think I would not have been ready to feel comfortable with myself, I would have felt like I was giving up.

I am just happy to do it now - and now I am in a much more stable place financially, at 28 I would have had to take out loans and accumulated sooo much debt - and then pay it off just to be able to get loans to afford the plastics!