Soup-a-Woman

I haven't made any pumpkin Soups yet because I was thinking about how to add Protein to them successfully. If I made a pumpkin (or butternut squash) soup I would definitely have to bump the protein up... there's just not enough in the pumpkin itself. However, recently I've come across some recipes for pumpkin soups that also have Beans that seem like they have potential. The New England Soup Factory cookbook also has one with Cannellini Beans that sounds yummy. I actually like Cannellini beans quite a bit, so if I were to start experimenting, this would likely be my jumping off point. NE Soup Factory Pumpkin Soup (pg 3)

Everybody thinks it's sooooo cool that I have to get all new clothes, but let me tell you, it has been one of the worst things about losing 150 pounds. NOTHING you own now will fit. The concept of getting an entirely new wardrobe, from underwear, bras, and up is mind boggling. Not to mention you have to do summer wear vs. winter wear. It's a LOT. I bought a few things on my way down, because you just don't have a choice. I pulled a pair of pants on one morning and the minute I let go they fell right back down around my ankles. Seriously. My advice is to spend as little as you can while still looking decent. It's nice to wear things that fit because they show you're losing weight. But save the big guns for when you're closer to goal. On the upside? I LOVE shopping now. And after hating it for the past 20 years (I'm sure you've been there... crying in the dressing room) it feels damn good to try on normal clothes and feel HOT in them!

From reading the forums, it sounds like different doctors have wildly different pre-op diets. My stateside doc (Washington State) had me go very low carb for 10 days or so before my surgery. I was not put on any kind of liquid diet, just had to restrict my carbs. I wish I could remember how many I was allowed, but it was really low. I could eat what I wanted, just not carbs. I ate a lot of bacon, pepperoni, meats, etc... I wouldn't want to do it as a lifestyle, but I didn't feel deprived at all during the 10 days. And I lost around 20 pounds during that 10 days!

I couldn't take my chewable Vitamins... I actually just stopped until my bloodwork busted me. My nutritionist then recommended Rainbow Light Women's One multi-vitamins. They are swallowable, but big, and have solved my problem. If you're far enough away from you surgery and you can swallow a fairly largish pill, it could work for you, maybe? I buy them on Amazon.

A.MAZ.ING!!!! Congrats on your healthier you... you are doing great!

I have a few posted on my blog and am working on more. Keep checking! Soup-a-Woman Blog

I still eat a lot of eggs, just in different ways. Remember you can poach, fry, scramble.... not to mention egg salad or deviled eggs. Each one tastes very different. Try some blended Soups as well... I have an Thai flavored edamame posted in the recipes section. But you can make white bean with rosemary or a nice butternut squash. The flavors are so different that you can't get bored. I like to freeze my soups in 1/2 cup portions in the freezer and just grab one out the door when I go to work.

I'm a year out of surgery and I NEVER have a Protein shake. I freaking hate those things. I stopped drinking them like 2 weeks after my surgery. I, too, take my B12 in a sublingual form, it's seriously no biggie. Ask your doctor some more questions. Why shots? Why protein shakes the rest of your life? Basically, the only things I "had" to give up was carbonation and drinking with a straw. I eat normal food... and I'm now only 8 pounds from my "goal." The surgery may or may not be right for you. It was the best thing I ever did for myself, but you need to ask more questions... lots more. Good luck! Soup-a-Woman

Good for you!! Keep rockin' your sleeve, girl!

I had a two-week pre-op diet... but it was simply eat as few as carbs as possible. I ate a lot of bacon. I actually lost 20 pounds in the 2 weeks before my surgery, which was crazy... but my doc was super happy with the shrunken state of my liver. This pre-op and post-op diet part is just a tiny little bit of the rest of your much improved life. I'm a year out of surgery, down 146 pounds, and living a very normal life. Stick with it... it's nothing-but-a-thing and it will ALL be worth it!

Maybe I'm not normal in the head but my BMI is freaking NORMAL this morning!!!! Holy schlamoly! From morbidly obese to normal in less than a year. Nor.Mal. Starting weight 305 This morning 159 BMI 24.2 Starting BMI 46.4

YAY for YOU!!!

Someone here asked me to post a blended Soup recipe... sorry, I don't remember who that was. But today I got into the kitchen and messed around and am REALLY happy with the results! Creamy Edamame, Lime, and Coconut Soup

Yay for YOU!!!! I find myself posting new pics of myself alllll the time on facebook. It's funny how my old pics (when I would tolerate them) were only head shots. No full body shots, please! Now I'm posing anywhere I can!

I made this Soup yesterday and it turned out really well. If you've been craving Chinese food but don't want all the starch that comes with traditional take-out, give it a try! With both chicken and peanuts in the soup, the Protein is around 10 grams for 1/2 cup serving. Kung Pao Chicken Soup

No thanks, I got plenty.

Sing it, sister. Went to Mexico in June and it was high 90's and I was finally "just right" for the first time in months. I wouldn't let my family put the air conditioning on in the room and they were very cranky. Told the hubs we might have to consider relocating to a warmer climate!

I could not, absolutely could not take the chewable Vitamins. It got so I started to gag if I so much as looked at the bottle. For awhile I simply stopped taking vitamins at all, but then my bloodwork came back and I got caught. My nutritionist recommended a swallowable pill that has saved me. It's called Rainbow Light Women's One. I only have to take one a day and it has worked great for me. I bought mine from Amazon. It's a pretty big pill, so if you struggle to swallow pills this may not work for you, but it is definitely working for me.

Of course, ultimately, you have to do what is best for you and your family. However, I do agree that waiting for the "right" time financially could never happen. For me, I would go ahead and have the surgery done. A year from now you will be healthy and strong and able to be a much better parent than you are right now. Money comes and goes in this world (it seems to "go" much easier, though). I'm just a couple of weeks away from my one-year anniversary and I've lost 140 pounds. I'm forever grateful I had the surgery!

So well spoken. Great advice!

Water, water, water! The only problems I had after surgery was because I let myself get super dehydrated by not sipping all day. I had my surgery on a Friday and went back 10 days later on a Monday. I'm a teacher, and it was strenuous... no sitting at all. I would've been fine - tired, yes, but fine - except for the fact that I couldn't get my water in. Put a bottle right on your desk and work at it consciously. You can do this!

Congratulations to you! And here I was happy to be a size 10. You look Faaaaa-bulous!

Orzo is simply a rice-shaped Pasta. You can use rice in the soup, but I think orzo stands up to freezing better. It won't turn as mushy. I always freeze my soups, because I could never get it all eaten before they went off! Orzo To be honest, I don't pay that much attention to carbs. I haven't seemed to have any issues with "regular" food. I don't sit down and eat a loaf of bread, obviously, but if I have enough Protein in the meal, the carbs don't seem to matter that much. 1/2 cup of orzo has 62 carbs (Ronzoni brand) - so spread out over 20 servings of 1/2 cup each it's pretty minimal for the orzo itself. My husband loves this soup!

I don't have any blended soups ready to publish yet, but I am working on an edamame blended soup that will be great for protein. I do think that if you know already you hate Protein shakes it wouldn't be a bad idea to make a couple different small batches of soups and freeze them before you have your surgery. You'll be ready to roll then, and you probably won't feel too much like making soup right after your surgery. Make SMALL batches and freeze in 1/2 cup portions. If you make 2 or 3 different kinds it will help cut down on tastebud boredom.