Happy New Year Everyone! ???‰I'm doing this blog to help others who are trying to find support and information for their weight issues. Today is the end of week one of my gastric plication journey. I had surgery on Dec. 26 in Tijuana Mexico with Dr. Ortiz. The whole experience was great and it has been much easier than expected. This first week is all about creative ways to get quality calories into my body that come in the form of clear liquids. I have always had trouble with milk products but after plication my intestines REALLY, REALLY don't like milk. I made a drink from the "Bariatric Advantage" 27g of protein powder mix. The reaction was extreme gas. The noises were impressive but I was not happy! The base of the protein is whey, which is milk protein. BAD IDEA? This was the only real discomfort I have had so I heeded to lesson #1: Nix the Milk.

I am not hungry at all but I am recognizing a specific tightness that is relieved by some yummy clear liquids. On new years eve I decided that wine was a liquid and gave myself permission to drink a bit but when it came down to it, I couldn't drink it. Even thinking about it right now turns me off. The other unexpected turn offs are chocolate almond milk, which I mixed the protein powder. YUCK! I LOVE chocolate almond milk and I drank this with the protein for two months preparing for plication but I could not get it down. So far I have had no cravings, just the opposite. I have also had no pain, except from lesson #1.

I am off of work but if I had to, I could probably have worked today. I took down all the Christmas lights with my amazing husband ( my personal cabana boy). No problem with light lifting, stretching and bending with my knees.

I left weight till last. There has been a lot of discussion about weight loss On this forum, but the fact is, no one has control of their weight loss, only of their actions that contribute to weight loss or gain. I started drinking two meals a day and eating one 7 weeks before surgery and lost 19.5 pounds. Since I returned home I have lost 4 pounds. BUT in the 5 days I was away for surgery, which involved less than 400 calories a day I gained 6.5 pounds. I toss this into the WTF file and rest well knowing I did everything right. Bottom line, I'm thrilled with my decision and excited to see what 2012 has to teach me. ???™