caroless

thanks ladies! it's wigging me out a bit!

i buy butter lettuce and wrap it around ham and fresh mozz. works with any deli meat/cheese/chicken... add whatever sauces, though i don't usually use any on the deli ones.
STRING cheese. <-- obsessed.
http://pinterest.com/carolinity/after-wls/ this is a board i have on pinterest that links to all types of recipes and ideas.

i buy butter lettuce and wrap it around ham and fresh mozz. works with any deli meat/cheese/chicken... add whatever sauces, though i don't usually use any on the deli ones.
STRING cheese. <-- obsessed.
http://pinterest.com/carolinity/after-wls/ this is a board i have on pinterest that links to all types of recipes and ideas.

think about it.. if someone has a bad experience with a business, they are more prone to tell 10 people how horrible something was. but when you go to a restaurant and have a good meal, do you tell everyone about it? no. you expected it to be good.
human nature is to b***h, not compliment. for every horror story there are exponentially that many more great experiences.

think about it.. if someone has a bad experience with a business, they are more prone to tell 10 people how horrible something was. but when you go to a restaurant and have a good meal, do you tell everyone about it? no. you expected it to be good.
human nature is to b***h, not compliment. for every horror story there are exponentially that many more great experiences.

think about it.. if someone has a bad experience with a business, they are more prone to tell 10 people how horrible something was. but when you go to a restaurant and have a good meal, do you tell everyone about it? no. you expected it to be good.
human nature is to b***h, not compliment. for every horror story there are exponentially that many more great experiences.

think about it.. if someone has a bad experience with a business, they are more prone to tell 10 people how horrible something was. but when you go to a restaurant and have a good meal, do you tell everyone about it? no. you expected it to be good.
human nature is to b***h, not compliment. for every horror story there are exponentially that many more great experiences.

I get it, it's terrifying!
Do it anyway. Do it anyway!
You will not regret doing it....you will regret NOT doing it!
Getting your stomach ripped out won't kill you, it will make you a badass!
It will give you back your life!

I am at 3 months and enjoy 2 Protein Shakes a day, one when I get up and one when I go to bed. I drink them to ensure that my metabolism keeps grinding away, but they also taste good. If you are looking for a good brand, go with Syntrax. Both their nectar and matrix product lines are yummy with milk or with Water.< /p>

I am 15 months post-op and I have lost 100% of my excess weight. I have been at goal (180 #) since March.
I attribute my success to following the rules explicitly.
Eat lean Protein first
Don't drink with meals
Exercise
I did not do low carb. I believe in the whole calories consumed vs calories burned. In order to have the energy to exercise, you need carbs. If you have energy to exercise, you burn a lot more calories ... you lose weight.
When I am talking about exercise, I am not referring to walking around the block 5 times. I'm talking about getting your heart rate up to 80-90% of your target and maintaining it there for at least 30 minutes. Do that, and any sleever will lose. I'm sure of it. Do that, and you, too will lose 100% of your excess weight.
Don't be a slave to the scale. You are going to stall. It is a natural and necessary part of this journey. The best way to beat a stall is to not weigh yourself but once a month. That way, you always see loss and are not discouraged. The scale measures weight, not fat.

I don't think you need to loose any more weight to go out in that outfit! It looks awesome on you! I love that look and hope to one day be able to where a dress like that! Oh and I love the boots too!

I think the OP was being sarcastic. At least that's how I took it.

My husband is a football coach and has been at the same school for two years. At the begining of the season all the coaches and family have a get together at the head coach house. I went last year and I was 60 lbs heavier than now. Now I'm 133 this time last year I was 188. So my husband told me that one of the coaches pulled him to the side and said hey coach I didn't know you were bringing your girlfriend. My husband looked like what is he talking about. He then responded that she(me) is my wife. He was like wow. I was wondering what you were doing with that hot chick.lol
Then lastnight we went to go look for a new car. Mind you his friend works at a dealership. We went to this same friend about four years ago to buy a car. So lastnight we went again looking for a new truck. It was cold in the building so I left to go get a jacket out the car. My husband told me when I went out his friend asked if he was still with me his wife and my husband said yes. He then proceeded to say why are you with another woman? My husband stated that is my wife. The friend then stated man I was about to say you are trifiling out with you mistress and you have a wife. I found this too funny had to post.

i would contact someone at the insurance company again to find out that info... that person sounded like they were having a straight bitchy day. mine told me where to find the entire 20 page list of technical coverage information on their website, so surely they can tell you whether it is covered and what is required. there is no reason they should tell you to ask your dr to ask if it is covered. that is nonsense, and you aren't paying them to give you smoke and mirrors.

Just my first marriage. After that I retired winless.

"Full" isn't the same post op. I'd eat only a few small spoonfuls and stop for a while to make sure it will sit well. Then I'd go back and finish, making sure to eat no more than 2 oz. in the very early stage.
~Cheri

trader joe's has TONS of premade sauces from all parts of the world. their tikka masala (indian) sauce is great. they have a green coconut curry that is good also. you can just dip your chicken or whatev if you are worried about the digestive reaction, though typically the chicken is actually simmered in the sauce til cooked to absorb the flavor.

Just thought I'd post a quick update for my family here at VST. Today I am exactly one year out from surgery. On August 30, 2011, Dr Patrick Domkowski changed my life and introduced me to Rex, my new sleeved tummy. The short of it is that I'm now 117 pounds lighter than I was last year. I'd have given my eye teeth to lose that weight before surgery, but I just never managed to do it! Rex and I have had one heck of a ride and I couldn't have predicted how this year went if I'd have tried.
I lost a best friend. She died suddenly in January, but she was one of my biggest supporters every single day. I'm proud to tell Lynn that I have lost more than her entire body weight. I've lost a couple of other friends along the way. They are still alive, but jealousy has eaten both of them alive. I wish them both well on their journeys. Mine is going a different direction than theirs apparently.
I've gained a TON of family, right here on VST. I want to thank all of you for your support and well-wishes this year and I will continue to try to give back to those who are following in my footsteps. It's wonderful to come here and post the absolutely most bizarre questions and KNOW that someone here has experienced the same problem. You guys have been MY support group even when no one else in the world seems to understand! Thank you all!
So, I'm still about 50 pounds away from my surgeon's original goal for me, although he thinks I'm completely successful. I've lost over 1/3 of my total body weight, more than 72% of the total weight I wanted to lose, and I'm still working my plan. I will get to my goal...then I'll reach the goal the plastic surgeon set for me.
I'll post pictures tomorrow. My house was hit by a tornado on Monday and I've spent most of this week cleaning up from that. I am very lucky that my damage is minor and that no one in my community was injured. My final act of clean up was to go through my closet, which got drenched, and sort through my clothing. Everything that's in there now is either the correct size or too small (for the moment) and I'm sending another six bags of freshly washed, dried and folded clothes off to bless someone else.
I have to work tomorrow, so I'll take and post some pictures after I get dolled up for that!
Again, big hugs to everyone here and, for the newbies, THIS is why I had surgery. So that I could live my life without being held back by anything. All this week I have worked from sunup to sundown on cleaning up, repairing and helping others. Pre-surgery, I could barely walk from my front door to my car. This week, I've proven that I am capable and able to do ANYTHING I need to do, from hauling tree limbs to climbing on a roof to help patch it. I'm living, not merely existing. I love life!!!

So, I was on a first date yesterday. It was a lot of fun, we met for coffee, talked for a couple of hours, and then parted ways. When the evening wound down, I walked her to her motorcycle which was parked out in front of a skeezy dog park in downtown Seattle. Lots of drunks and sketchy folks hanging out.
When we got to her bike, after a little more small talk, we had a nice good night kiss. A VERY nice good night kiss. In fact, it turned into a bit of a make out session in full public view (prompting, I **** you not, a round of applause from the bums drinking in the park!). As we were drawing apart, ready to go our separate ways, she had her hands on my waist, and she commented "wow, nice abs!"
I have never had ANYONE in my ENTIRE LIFE say "nice abs" to me before.
THANK YOU, SLEEVE!
(edit: realized I was being overly defensive about my life choices... without need. Changed the tone!)

Yes common, I was up I think 10lbs, I dont think I even weighed myself the first week. Give it time! easier said then done......... LOL

I have finally found the best Protein Shake. I've been experimenting with making different shake recipes. I made this one for my morning shake today and I loved it!
214 Calories (which is fine for me as I try to get 200 for breakfast)
18 carbs (same as above, the majority of my carbs come in the morning)
3 grams fat
32 grams Protein
49 grams of Calcium (this is big for me!)
14 grams of sugar - a little high but the sugar is mostly from the fruit and yogurt
1/2 cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk
1/4 cup Non-Fat Greek Yogurt (I used Chobani)
1 scoop chocolate Protein Powder (I used Unjury Chocolate Splendor)
4 small Strawberries, halved
2 T. Torani sugar-free vanilla Syrup
4 Ice Cubes
Blend in Magic Bullet or Blender and Enjoy!

Today my surgery date was set. September 18, 2012 will be the first day of the rest of my life as they say. I am very thankful for this forum! I am amazed at the mountains of information I have found just i the last two hours.
I am a diabetic. ( oral meds) I have sleep apnea. I also have Barretts esophagus. For those who do not know what this is it is a pre cancerous state of the esophagus from prolonged acid reflux. My triglycerides are 563.
I have about 65 to 80lbs to lose. My endo doc and my gastro doctor have told me its imparative that I lose weight. Its been very very frustrating. I have tried many diets to no avail.
I have a concern I am going to throw out here to all of you. I am VERY afraid that I may sabatage my own success. Not sure if this makes sense to anyone out there but I have always cared and done for everyone else in my life.. ie my husband parents and children and friends. I have always put others before myself. It's very difficult for me to ask for help or to be center stage so to speak.
Tonight my husband and I talked and I was so very suprised at how supportive he was and intends to be. Our insurance has a Bariatric exclusion so we are paying cash for this procedure. I told him I feel guilty that I have not been able to lose this weight on my own in the last two years. I cried and he told me he loved me and he wants me around for another 25 or more years and Im worth any amount of money that it takes to help keep me here.
He made me feel so much better but I asked him not to tell everyone because I really can not handle people negative opinions. Is that the wrong type of attitude to go into this with? Should I be standing up and telling everyone?
Anyway this newbie thanks those of you that have shared their experiances. I will be watching and learning! Thanks for taking the time to read my some what neurotic post!

It has been one year and I have lost 111 pounds! Just wanted to share my before and in progress pic! Still have a few more pounds to lose, but I am almost there!

it's the rice. have some sashimi! bonefish grill has great tuna sashimi with no rice. i'm not sure about the sesame seeds though?

Yes..I now have ankles...not cankles