Susanne

Don't worry about the fridge, in the US almost all hotels have some sort of ice dispensing machine. Try to find a bottle with a big opening, where you can pour in Protein powder, Water and top it off with ice to shake it. The "ready to drink" stuff may look like a better alternative, but in most cases warm Protein Drink are awful and you are better off with a mix shaken on ice. I do like GNC too, and they are very generous if you buy something you don't like. You can just bring it back - even opened and used (moderately used of course), no problem at all. I like the GNC Wheybolic Extreme chocolate - chocolate has almost no aftertaste and a serving has 280 calories and 60g of protein (I usually have half a serving for breakfast). I mix it with water. Don't forget, in the US you can pretty much tell the waiter what you like and what you don't like - I am from Germany (but living in the US for 11 years now) and most waiters in Germany would slap me over the head if I would tell them "No butter, no croutons, dressing on the side, no almond slivers on the salad and no mayo on the bun" etc. I imagine Denmark is similar :-) And I don't think anything on here is ever TMI :-) Have a great trip!

It almost sounds like heartburn - was this the first time that you didn't take your PPI by any chance or that you took a different PPI?

As long as you stayed within your calories, it probably doesn't matter at all. Wihout trying to push my own blog, I just wrote this a couple of days ago which is along the same lines: http://bananatummy.com/2011/02/does-it-really-matter-what-i-eat/ I have just found for myself that it pretty much doesn't matter too much what I eat as long as I stay within my calorie range and have enough Protein. Admitted, I don't eat real junk, but I do feel like a nice slice of crusty white bread from the Euro bakery with some nice capicola and it really doesn't hurt me. Don't worry, part of getting the surgery is that you need to worry less about these things and that you need to obsess less about what you ate, when, and why. What's your calorie goal? Stay within with a good mix of protein, carbs and fat and you'll be just fine. PS: Just because a bread is brown doesn't mean anything. Just because it says "whole wheat" doesn't mean anything either. If you want to make sure it is healthier, it should say whole grain and it should have somewhere around 2-3g of Fiber (depending on portion size).

This may sound a little harsh, but let me play devil's advocate. If something so small as the simple taste of a Protein shake can make you doubt whether you should get this surgery or not, maybe you are simply not ready for it. This is a decision for life, and you have to be ready for it. The taste of a shake is such a minor inconvenience, but if it has such a strong effect on you that you may NOT want to get surgery, maybe there are other reasons why you shouldn't have surgery. People will tell you that you should get it, but no one should be able to influence you either way...and definitely not the taste of a shake!

All they did was lower the requirement to a BMI of 30 if I read that correctly. I think that's actually not a bad thing. I think it fails for a lot of heavy people and that's what we read all the time. On the other hand, I believe that people who have a BMI of just 30 RNY or VSG is quite a drastic step. 30 is barely obese and maybe for people in this lower range, the weight CAN be controlled with a band and no drastic surgery is necessary. Never had a band either, I was looking into it but for me, VSG was the better choice. BUT...if I had a BMI of 30, which would be 185 pounds at 5'6" I would NOT have gone for such a permanent procedure.

I am hoping we are having some more experienced runners around. I am planning on doing my first 5k in May. I am a treadmill runner/walker, and as I am losing weight, I am getting a lot better. Yesterday morning, I ran 40 minutes with an average of 4.5mph (2.8 miles), which included a slower start up and going up to 6mph for a few minutes. Now, I am my own worst critique, and no - just making it won't be good enough for me. I am not of the "Gold stars for everyone" generation, I want a time that I am not embarrassed about - I can only imagine people looking at me thinking "Oh geez, finally the fat chick drags her a$$ across the finish line - good job wasting our time here". So, now I am wondering, what is an acceptable time for a 40 yo woman? Someone said a 10 minute mile is decent enough for a first timer. Doing the math, my run yesterday was a 14:18 minute mile - is an improvement from 14 to 10 minute mile doable in 3 months? How do I improve my speed - aside from "Just run faster"? I like to spend at least 40 minutes on the treadmill a day but I have to admit that at least right now, I cannot do 4.5mph every day. Should I do a slow day at 3 mph alternating with fast days? Should I rather run shorter times and faster? I think I am beyond the C25k program - or should I just start somewhere in the middle? Any advise for me? Thanks Susanne

Oh gosh, that sounds wild! I am glad everything is OK now. I am wondering if after surgery we are just more sensitive to all kinds of things? I for example, have been a caffeine junkie all my life, coffee, espresso, energy shots and drinks - the more the better. Now, coming off caffeine for the surgery was a bitch, but I made it. So, come New Years Eve - 2 months post surgery - and I am tired at 9pm. I had started up a little bit of coffee again, so I thought I have some sort of energy shot in the cupboard. I divide the small bottle amongst two shot glasses for me and hubby. I drink my glass, and a minute after I feel like I am getting warm. And then I am getting warmer. And then I am getting hot. And then I start to itch - all that maybe within a few minutes. I go to the bathroom, and it looks like I am turning all red and am getting hives from my scalp down...it was at my shoulders and I could almost watch it move down. I called my husband and he was laughing/worried/laughing/worried. It moved down to the boobal area but then luckily started to recede again. About 20 minutes after the energy shot, the whole thing was over again... This was by no means as bad as yours, but a similar reaction to something that shouldn't do any harm in general - over the counter herbal stuff.

It'll take a while before people are noticing or at least until they'll comment - that's my experience. People are often hesitating to comment on a fat woman's weight loss because they don't want to insult you. By then, people may have also noticed that you eat better and smaller portions, and maybe that you exercise so they may attribute it to that. Now, the other thing is a discussion that is coming back all the time - tell or not. Some people say it's none of their business and while that is true, it still doesn't help when someone asks -- unless you have no problem to flat out lie. Some people are offended if people ask but I don't think this is always mean spirited or intruding. I personally would tell. I am not ashamed of my surgery - I have been struggling with losing weight for many years, I have exhausted all other options and now chose to do this. It was my choice, but it doesn't mean it has to be a secret. I would tell if a person asks, and if I feel their attitude is negative, I would probably just say that this was a medical decision I did for myself after exhausting all other options, and that I would prefer not to discuss it any further. On the other hand, if people are supportive, it is a great boost and it feels great to be able to tell about your success. I feel it is a little bit like "coming out of the closet" for a gay man/woman. Yeah, it is no one's business - their sexual orientation isn't and my medical procedure isn't, but if we all treat it like a shameful thing, we can't blame other people for also treating it like it is something embarrassing. Just like being gay, this surgery was not a choice for me, but it was a medical necessity for a healthy, happy life after everything else failed. And for the worst case scenario - haters, tell them to go fcuk themselves and don't think about it anymore - but I'd still tell them.

If you follow your NUT/surgeon, which is probably the best right now, please make sure you tell them that you work out that much and make sure they know you are not just talking. Everyone says they "work out". You can work out and barely burn 150 calories walking at 2.5mph for 30 minutes. You can also work out lifting weights for an hour and then doing 30 minutes of intense cardio. Make sure your doctor knows what you do and adjusts your calories/meal plan accordingly. You only consume around 400 calories, and your trainer is absolutely right to say that you cannot workout on this low calorie count. His recommendation is clearly not for a fresh sleeve, but you have to find a middle ground between the person who knows your medical history and the person who knows your activities. Cross check his recommendations with your NUT and you should be good. If you cannot eat that much, tell your trainer and ask for some foods with a higher calorie density - a slice of whole grain bread with Peanut Butter and some low sugar jelly can give you a good energy boost with 200 calories and should be easy to eat. Don't try not to eat more - it may look counter productive, but it isn't. Even if you drive your car very fuel efficient - you MUST have fuel or you don't go anywhere or strand half way down. Just when working out, you don't strand but keep going and damage your engine. As for Snacks, I too eat snacks. I was told 4 meals - ie. two meals, one snack, but I usually have two smallish snacks and at times, it looks more like I am having 5 meals with a little less than 200 calories for a total of 900 calories. In the end, the NUT gives you recommendations - you have to find what works for you. Over the last 3 months since surgery, I have found that it doesn't matter too much when I eat, what I eat or how often I eat, what matters is my total calories and my workout. If I stall, I stall no matter what. If I lose again, it's just because my body is ready and not because I worked out more/less, ate more/less carbs/fat or so. I just came off a 23 day stall, and that after I ate everything "wrong" (like sushi, alcohol, snacks)

Why get a head start? Doesn't make much sense to me. I am not saying you should have a last hurrah, but you have two weeks of pre op diet, then surgery, and after that up to 6 weeks without half way decent food, that's 8 weeks... I wouldn't start a day early even though I understand your enthusiasm.

My nutritionist told me that they are good if they have protein isolate and NOT protein concentrate. Isolate is higher quality protein and usually more expensive but it is a protein that the body can absorb more easily and completely. I like Wheybolic Extreme from GNC, very high quality isolates I was told.

The problem is that you binge for a reason and you have to get rid of the reason for binging. I am surprised people say you cannot binge anymore. you most certainly can!!! The desire for binging has NOTHING to do with Ghrelin. Binging is not triggered by hunger but by other things. The sleeve may prevent you from shoving copious amounts of dense, solid food into your mouth, but it won't prevent you from binging on milk shakes, chips, cookies, chocolates, softer cakes, cornbread, ice cream, soda, cocktails etc. so yeah - I believe the counseling is a must to resolve or recognize the issue. We are often wondering how people can have the sleeve and not lose weight or gain it all back (I think I read a topic like that earlier here) and I believe it is those unsolved binge triggers that will come right back and are NOT eliminated through surgery. Don't get me wrong, people are trying to be supportive and nice - but in the end, if you want to binge after surgery, you can certainly do that with a lot of foods!

Wheybolic is my go-to protein to - especially chocolate, vanilla is good too. Ha, I'm going to get one right now!

Desperate times if someone takes what can only assumed to be used goodies....yikes-o-rama!

I will have to go and find other multis - I have the ones from Costco/Kirkwood right now and they are just huge. At the moment, I am taking: 1. Multi Vitamin 2. PPI 3. Vitamin B12 4. Vitamin D (just a precaution because I was low on D before surgery, and they are tiny gel caps) 5. hair, Skin and Nails stuff (trying to fight the hairloss before it starts, it's Biotin with some other stuff) 6. Crazy pill (as my husband lovingly calls it, Wellbutrin) The problem is 1 and 5 are huge - I often have to gag and don't get them down with one swig and it is driving me crazy. I dread taking them. Who likes to gag unless it is...well, never mind. Pill 5. screwed me over because I only realized after I bought them that the serving size is THREE HUGE pills - I only take 2 because I can't handle 3 of those. I love the Ds because they are those nice little gel pills. I like the idea of the gummy Vitamins but the only ones I can find are for children and don't have nearly as many vitamins as the other one - which ones do you get specifically?

Congrats on your decision! Don't be fooled by some diet plans, I had clear liquids for 2 weeks, full liquids for 4 weeks and only after week 6 I was allowed normal soft Proteins and food (and then regular food at my discretion) -- pretty much the same as yours or even a bit worst You can do it!

Use ground chicken and make meatballs :-)

How is everyone swallowing air with straws? The air - and please consider the size of a straw, it's TINY - stays in my mouth - it's not like I am inhaling my drink through a straw like smoking a cigarette. I keep hearing this and I think it is silly. If it was true, normal people would burp a lot more when drinking through straws than when drinking directly from a glass because of the extra air -- I don't think this is based on any facts

I believe the keyword here is "up to 12 weeks" - it doesn't say anywhere that everyone has to do that for 12 weeks

I find having meat balls and small portions of chili around very handy. Especially the meatballs are often a life saver - a great, hearty Protein snack, easy to eat warm or cold, and once cooked they last for quite a while. I can make a lot of flavor modifications, make them spicy, mild, BBQ-style, dip them in peanut sauce, add ranch dressing, throw them in Soup - endless varieties, same little meatball. As a mix, I use this http://hansaimporthaus.com/store/product/12199/Maggi-Fix-%26-Frisch-Hackbraten-92-g/ - if you have a German/European import store, you can probably find it there too. It's no cuisine, that's for sure, but the stuff keeps the meatballs from getting too dense and it adds a nice flavor but also carbs and calories - not too many, I come out at about 50 calories for a small meatball when using 93% ground beef or turkey. But I am sure you can use just plain meat and add bread crumbs and whatever seasoning you like - you can try any kind of grilling spice mix, rubs etc. Or check with your butcher, if they have some ready spice mix for meatloaf and make little balls. Best snack ever...travels well too!

Really? From my calculation, £12,000 come out to a little over $19,000 which seems to be less than most people here quoted

Why is self-pay cheaper than insurance paid? That seems weird to me... I had $1000 out-of-pocket and $3000 deductible and about another $1000 for miscellaneous like consultations, bariatric food items etc. -- so, even if your insurance covers WLS or VSG, you still have a good chunk to pay out of pocket

I am a little too far from goal to be used as an example, but I think Chilo did well and even though she is struggling, just looking at the pictures you can tell it has worked well for her!

I just got my hair cut - I had it a little longer than shoulder length and I believe the blow drying and pulling it back in a pony tail for exercise would increase hair loss. So I just cut it off, and it is short now. You have lost so much weight and your look has probably changed quite a bit, so it may actually work for you! I know I liked hair longer because I was able to hide behind it...I got a lot of compliments for my short hair, and I think a lot of those wrapped in the weight loss in a general "You look great".

Same here, but here in the Midwest, it's also because you are staying indoors more, no grilling lean chicken breast - just generally a decreased amount of exercise. I am also getting bored a little more easily, and while I was never eating because I was stressed or frustrated, I am noshing because of boredom. And yeah, I could keep myself busy but there is only so much I can do :-) What winter doesn't have as much for me is cocktail hour - in the summer, it is much more tempting to crash on the patio after work with a nice margarita, cosmo, classic daiquiri, lemon drop and all this good stuff (no mixes though, all "home made")