BrickHouse

Ooooh, that's going on my shopping list! I love them both, and I'll bet they're delicious combined!

Peanuts and bacon are low- or zero-carb foods. The point of most pre-op diets is to detox your liver of glycogen by depriving yourself carbs. They have to lift your liver up and hold it out of the way for this procedure. A smaller liver is much easier to work with. You didn't really do any damage, so stop beating yourself up, Parris!

While I have told my immediate family, when the time comes, I'm preparing to say that I had a hormonal imbalance (grehlin) and had a procedure to fix it. And now I can finally lose weight and keep it off. All true. This is assuming that I feel that I have to explain anything. I may tell certain people to mind their business since there was no concern from them while I was getting fat. As for restaurants, I plan to just simply say I lost all but one tenth of my stomach to surgery and as a result, I can only eat small amounts. Regardless, I'll be truthful in what I say, even if I leave a few details out. Hopefully people can leave it at that, and don't feel it necessary to keep poking. If they do, an honest "Why do you ask?" should shut them up. They won't want to admit they're just nosy! LOL!

The plain fat-free Chobani has only 9 carbs per cup due to the lactose. Trust me, it's NOT sweetened! But it's best to put your own "stuff" in it.

At my surgeon's info seminar, he said the entire process takes from 3 weeks to several months. That includes first appointment through date of surgery. I hope I am on the shorter end of that range!

Chobani and Fage are my favorites, just plain with a little Splenda. Watch brands like Yoplait since they contain gelatin as a thickener and don't contain nearly as much protein as the better brands. Check labels!

I had spinal surgery early this year and I know I'll be using some of the items I used then. There was a long-handled shoe horn, elastic laces (LockLaces) for my shoes, even a contraption that helps you get your socks on (SockAid). My water bottle has a straw and I know I'm swallowing a straw-full of air each time I use it, so I'll be getting a water bottle without a straw. I'm still a week and a half from my first visit with the surgeon, but it's never too early to start planning!

Bwaaahahaaahaaaa!!!

I will start at 250-ish. I've never been below 145 in my adult life, so there's a goal. If not lower. We'll see where my body wants to stop.

I dropped my daughter off at an early music lesson this morning and went back home to get myself ready for several doctor appointments that we had. I scheduled them all on the same day to make it easier. Once I was finished getting ready, I went back to pick her up, and it was there in the car that I noticed that I had left the house wearing my slippers! With SOCKS! I forgot to put my sneakers on and didn't even notice. Am I the only one that does things like this?

My first appointment with the surgeon is also on the 16th! I have already attended his seminar and now the minutes are passing like DAYS!

That's awesome. I did something similar many years back during one of my short periods of weight loss success. I was leaving work and leaned over to put my sneakers on and crashed the bridge of my nose into the edge of my desk! Badges of honor!

I lost a bunch of weight several years ago (of course, it's back with its whole family this time) and there was no shame in going to a "gently used" store. I bought clothes throughout my entire loss at one of these shops. I still have many of the items (like shift dresses and jeans that don't lose their style) and I can't wait to go closet shopping! What are some favorite sites? Mine are Newport News, Forever 21, and NY & Company.

Anyone else doing this? I am about midway through the process of getting my sleeve and I've spent HOURS looking at the new styles for fall and winter! It's so exciting to picture myself happy and stylish and working the single-digit-sized clothes! And don't get me started on hairstyles! I find that looking at websites for wigs (yes, WIGS!) gives me a lot of ideas for styles that might work for me once I set my inner skinny girl free! Wheeee!