Purplekt

I agree. Having recipes and food options is important. I found that needed to have my grocery shopping list easily available AS WELL AS keep the recipes new, exciting and flavorful. I joined the FREE online site: Allrecipes.com
(They also offer a pay/subscriber membership but I haven't found the need for it).
After creating my account, I added recipes to my RECIPE BOX. You can add recipes from various websites and personalize/input your own recipes. I am now able to create shopping lists easily from these programs and access them from my smartphone via the app "Chef Tap" which links to the Allrecpies.com site.
I have found many recipes from these sites:
Linda's Low Carb Menus & Recipes
www.genaw.com/lowcarb/
Low Carb Luxury: Recipes
www.lowcarbluxury.com/lowcarb-recipes.html
Emily Bites - Weight Watchers Friendly Recipes
www.emilybites.com/
The World According to Eggface
theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/
Low Carb Recipes
lowcarb.betterrecipes.com/
Low Carb Recipes - Cooking Good Food That Keeps Your Diet on ...
www.low-carb.great-recipes.tv/
Bariatric Surgery Recipes
www.froedtert.com/SpecialtyAreas/BariatricSurgeryProgram/Recipes/
Bariatric & Lap-band Surgery Shared Recipes
recipes.sparkpeople.com/cookbooks.asp?cookbook=47556
Bariatric Eating
www.bariatriceating.com/
Recipes, Cooking and Baking Forum - Weight Loss Surgery, Obesity
www.obesityhelp.com/forums/recipe/

So ladies and gentlemen, I have thought of a pretty good idea. I went to the store (Target) but also you can go to the grocery store or Walmart. I bought:
a binder
page protectors
dividers
highlighters
colored pens
one folder
I sat for two hours on my computer and looked up recipes for all different stages of our post-op diet. I separated all the different diet recipes that I liked. And also separated them into Breakfast, lunch, dinner, Desserts, and drinks. This makes it easier for quick reference to make meals. Also it is easier to plan a week's worth of meals. And also for food shopping!
I put all my important paperwork gathered so far from all my doctors and specialists regarding the surgery into a folder. Lists of food groups and nutritional information from my nutritionists, I put in page protecters and put them in the front of the binder for easy reference. I also put loose leaf paper in the back to write things down if necessary. I plan to make a to-do list before and after surgery and a to-read list as well for good books to read regarding our surgery.
Everything is in one place, clean, and organized just the way I like it. Hope this helps all of you busy bees!

I've been losing since the beginning of my 3rd month (almost 6 mths out). I take biotin and I don't know if it's going to help or not but I heard good reviews about biosil so I ordered some. It doesn't make new hair but helps preserve what you have and makes it healthier. I also had 6 inches cut off my hair, the weight was pulling it down and I was forced to wear it up alot during the heat..which isn't good on your hair. I may be losing hair but I'm losing weight,,the hair will come back,,the pounds won't

My doctor seemed pleasantly surprised I lost 20 pounds since he last saw me especially since he doesn't do a pre op.
Today was my last preop meeting with doctor. Have two more doctor appoints before surgery : cardiologist and pulmonologist.
Should be all set to go by end of day on monday other than my egd on thursday.

Just went in my my consult yesterday and got my surgery date for July 2. I am do excited, it's less than 2 weeks away. I started the preop diet yesterday. It's all going by so fast! Very thankful that my husband, family, and friends have been so supportive.

This is the best secret no one buys. I hate protein powder, but GNC has a pre-made shake called Lean Shake. It sits in the front of the store, because it sells so good. It has 25g of protein, lactose free and is YUMMY! By the way, it is pre-made. I knock one down driving to work every morning after walking two miles. I will have another for a mid-morning snack. Check out my blog, if you want to know what they look like. I drank these pre and post op. Awesome!

UPDATE!
July sleevers surgery dates
July
1
2
Smoggy, Patrick Curl, Faganberry, sleevertobe, ChristineS NY, ladyarwenrose, emptynesterpam, Milca, Pattyhdz,
3
Nabird77 (Gena) , StarshineMama, letsdothis!!!, Christylove, z3djinn,
4
5
6
Mishy, Beth-n-e,
7
mizzliz83,Sweetsusie, joyfuljoy,
8
9
10
lacie1221, tjloser, KSDallas, bmooney364, lizzybeth,
11
Mimismom, thinmomsoon, biggiesmallz, DelongH, lowe1961, SkinnySmurf,
12
wyattgsmommy,
13
LizEac,
14
15
Mrslittle (Sharnae),
16
Amyl219,
17
misschris, purplekt, lynnz,
18
aleach0003, momoffive, prisytomboy, stephyfly, ButterflyAngel,
19
Minnie Me,
20
fbelle29,
21
22
23
PhoenixFire, Texarkolina, Mamaof8, StrangelyNormal, skowronski777,
24
kimbernada, Red597,
25
Tinker,
26
27
Ymabme, Vegassleeve, BlessedBeyondMeasure2012,
28
29
30
newmrsL,
31
Lovemeifyoucan,

The count down has begun. 14 days 23 hours and 15 minutes left to the big day.

I'm slated for surgery on July 3rd and started my pre-op regime this Wednesday. Right now I'm supplementing one protein shake per day to replace one of my 3 main meals. Next week I'll replace 2 of the 3 meals, then finally all liquid leading up to the surgery.
I have to admit on Thursday I went out with my hubby and had a Rib-eye dinner with all the fixins. I did not feel one bit of guilt about it. I have been doing well since deciding to do the surgery so I did not feel one last harrah was out of order.
I'm back on the lean-mean meal plan and getting my exercise on!

Hey everyone I am a new member as of today! yay! My surgery date is July 30th and I am soooo excited! It has been a long road so I am ready. Pretty much had to jump through hoops to get here! I am super nervous about surgery, anyone else had a tough time deciding between RNY and sleeve?

I'm pulling up the rear on July 27 with Ymabme! I'm so excited!

YEA!!! I just snuck in with a July 31st surgery date!!!!!

I will be sleeved July 18th!!!! Woohoo!!! Can't wait! I'd love to keep in contact with my fellow July Sleevers!

Thanks Smoggy for the organization and work!

My surgery date was Aug 1, 2011 and I weighed 199lbs with a doctor's goal of 140lbs and my personal goal was 135. I only had a 2 day preop so no problems there. The first 3 months were tough due to nausea and vomiting but I got past that. I averaged 10lbs a month the first 4 months. Excercised 3-4 times a week. Mostly walking but now I am starting some strength training. I do have loose skin on my tummy from being overweight and having 2 kids. I have "butt wrinkles & thigh wrinkles" and flabby underarms but I am working on reducing the loose skin. But I am 50 yr old so I do not expect to look like I am in my 20's lol! I try to always follow the protein first, then veggies,fruit,carb if I have room. I have wonderful restriction and have found this to be the best thing I have ever done for myself. I still have issues from diarrhea that I have to watch but that is also because of liver medication I have to take. I would recommend this procedure to anyone that wants to get off the diet merry go round and find the right tool for successful weightloss. I weighed in this morning at 128.8 and I am not "trying" to lose anymore. Very Happy! :D

I'm 13 months postop in the beginning I started at 282, my goal was to lose 132 which would put me at 150. I'm currently 178.. Total lose so far -104 pounds..Still have 28 pounds to get to ultimate goal! I had lost 80 pounds in my first 6 months and the last 7 months I have been a very slow loser. My surgeon told me my next 28 pounds are going to be from hard work and exercise! I did not exercise alot in the first year, but am realizing in order to get to goal I must!!! I do not have loose skin as of yet! Thank god!! But who knows what the next 28 pounds will do!!! I went from a size 24 to a 12 so far.
Good luck on your journey!!!

I had my sugery on May 16th and my goal was to lose 90lbs. I started at 275 on the pre-op diet, and on the date of the sugery I was 267. I am now overall 32lbs down(243) in less than a month from sugery!

Thanks Smoggy for the organization and work!

Hi everyone,
I'm compiling a list with everyone's names and dates on it so we can see when we are all having our surgery and support each other. I'll post it in the "Hey July sleevers!" thread and here. If anyone is not happy to be on the list please let me know. Similarly if you are not on it I'm sure I can update it and add you.
Onwards and downwards!

I was just approved this last week for surgery on July 18th!! I am excited, nervous, and full of anticipation. My husband is 2 months out from his VSG surgery which is helpful and nerver racking all at the same time. I haven't gone 'public' about the surgery, so I guess I'm in the middle of the "coming out" process. lol
I am definitely looking for group of people to discuss and vent with throughout this journey, which as my husband put it 'no one understands until it happens to you'. Let's be friends!!

My surgery is July 18th so I have some time. Until then I'm supposed to be following a low carb, high Protein diet. However, I have a ton of food in my cabinets that I need to fix and get rid of so I'm continuing in moderation while cleaning out my pantry.
I've also begun working out at the local gym.
Other than that, I check the forums and keep on living!

Hi my date is July 10th and I'm so ready too! It's practically all I can think about. I've had my date since march, and the months feel like they're going so slowly! I'm a teacher, so I chose to wait until the summer so I could have a nice long time to recover and get usedc to my new life. I've been trying to get heathier by working out 4-5 times a week and making some of the dietary changes now. I think I'm going to start replacing one of my meals with a protein shake now so it won't be so hard when I start the preop liquid diet. Besides that, I just come here and read a lot of posts to see how it's going for everyone. July can't get here soon enough!

Congrats on your approval.