BRAT

My favorite so far has been White chicken Chili bc it was packed full of flavor and Protein and only took about 40 minutes total to prepare: 4 cans great northern Beans, 1 lb. chicken, 2 cloves garlic, 1 cup diced onion, 2 t. Oregano, 2 cans lowfat cream of chicken, 3 cups lowfat chicken broth, 1 can diced green chiles,6 oz low fat/fat free sour cream, and 2 cups low fat monterey jack shredded cheese. Cover your skillet with olive oil, add the diced onion, crushed garlic cloves, chicken (I added whole pieces and cut up later, but you can cut up beforehand if you want), and canned chilies. I set the stove top on about 4-5 and covered with a lid and let all of this cook together. I went ahead and got my larger pot ready and added the Beans, cream of chicken, broth, and oregano and let this start heating up on low to medium heat. After about 10-15 minutes (when my chicken was cooked through) I added the skillet ingredients (I cut my chicken up at this time) into the pot so that everything could cook together. I cooked on medium heat for about 30 minutes. At the very end, we added the 6oz of sour cream and the cheese and let simmer for another 5-10 minutes and then it was ready to go. I added about a tsp of sour cream on top of Soup right before I ate it and I loved it. I will probably have this again for lunch tomorrow.
You could also add unflavored Protein powder to this mix and I doubt you'd notice it was there. Good luck!
Rach

For the theigh area try a homemade mask. Make a paste with baking soda and any face wash and let it sit for awhile on the skin then wash off repeat twice a day really clears up pores. Also try mixing lotion, coffee grounds (can ised already used ones) and olive oil together to make a rub for your stretched out skin. Works wonders!

Ingredients
4-5 lbs. chicken parts W/bones (legs, wings, thighs, whatever's on sale)
1 med. onion peeled and cut pole-to-pole
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 rib celery, roughly chopped
7 peppercorns (optional)
10 or so stalks parsley
Couple sprigs thyme
Bay leaf
Put chicken into a stock pot (at least 8 qts.) and add just enough Water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and let boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat and drain. Add enough Water to cover chicken again and bring to a simmer (not a full boil) for about 2 hours. Add onion, carrot, celery and peppercorns and simmer for another hour. Tie parsley, thyme and bay leaf with twine and add to pot and continue to simmer for another hour. Remove from heat, strain into another pot, then cover and set in sink half-filled with cold water and a few handfuls of ice. Once stock has cooled, let sit in refrigerator overnight then remove and skim fat from surface of stock. Remaining stock will keep for about a week in the refrigerator, but should be brought to a boil again after 3 days if doing so. Can also be divided and frozen for about 6 months.
You can halve or double this recipe. I would reheat a half cup at a time during my liquid phase. You will want to salt to taste as there will be none.

Turkey Chili
Minutes to Prepare: 20
Minutes to Cook: 360
Number of Servings: 10
Tips
Change amounts of to taste. Cayenne and white pepper add the sting at the back of your throat. Some sleevers may want to lower amounts due to the fact that we cannot drink with our food. If you still find too spicy at end of recipe, make a note for the next round (this stuff is so easy you will make it a lot) and add a little sour cream. This really calms it down.
Ingredients
*Turkey, Ground turkey, 93% lean, 2 lbs
Beans, pinto, 1 can
Beans, red kidney, 1 can
Hunts Sauce for Chili, 1 cup
1 1/4 tablespoon Cumin
1 tablespoon Black Pepper
1/4 tablespoon White Pepper
1/2 tablespoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tablespoon Paprika
Directions
Brown Turkey meat. While browning, add all beans and spices to. Finish browning meat and add to spiced beans in crockpot. Let simmer on low for 5-6 hours.
Serving Size: 10 1 cup servings
Number of Servings: 10
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LADYIVY79.
This seems like a lot of calories, but most of us can't eat a full cup. A half a cup sits well and is usually all I can handle at 8 weeks out.
Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 10
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 256.1

Total Fat: 7.6 g
Cholesterol: 72.0 mg
Sodium: 496.8 mg
Total Carbs: 21.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 7.8 g
Protein: 26.0 g

I'm really feeling it today... I went to Walmart and I purchased my medications:
Children tylenol, GasX strips, pepcids, hall's cough drops with Vitamin Cc listerine strips, chapstick, and filled my prescription for B12 nasal drops and most important "the codine."
I also purchased my Ninja blender, food scale, lil graduates plates, fork, and spoon set, broth, s/f puddings to add to Protein powder, propel zero, and Isopure RTD for the next 11 days....
I hope I did not forget anything!!! If I did someone please chime in...

I know there is an October group here somewhere but I thought I would start this off by introducing ourselves!
I'm 25 years old and from British Columbia, Canada. My surgery is set for October 2. My pre op ensure shake diet starts September 2 but I have started a week early for a head start I am
A nurse by profession and engaged but no kids. With my history of PCOS kids will come after I drop the weight. Starting weight: 280lbs Current Weight: 275 and losing everyday!!

Hello, my name is Sara and I have finally decided to share my VSG story. I had the VSG procedure on 12/28/2011 and I have my 9 month post op check up next week. I was 309lbs when I went to have a consultation appointment with my surgeon back in September 2011. I always considered myself as healthy except for my weight because I didn't have any comorbideties.
What really got me wanting to do something about my weight was when my husband was in a motorcycle accident (June 2011) and he was diagnosed with diabetes. While in the hospital and dealing with his diagnosis, he turned to me and said "if any one should have diabetes, it should be you, not me". He's 6'1" and weighs about 225 and I am 5'4" and I weighed 309. That comment he made was the final straw. I was finally going to do something about my weight and knew surgery was my only option because I had tried to do it on my own so many times before and failed.
I waited until he was all healed up from his accident and on my birthday (September 1) I called Dr Castro's office and set up the appointment that would ultimately change my life forever. I was was very fortunate to have such great insurance because I only had to do 3 month nutrition class before they would approve my surgery. The dr did have me also do a psychiatric evaluation, but that was all I had to do.
A week before I finished the 3 month nutrition class, my dr's office went ahead and submitted my case to my insurance and that next week they had the approval and I had my surgery date and had to go in the next day for the pre op appointment and start my pre op liquid diet.
I remember the day of the surgery like it was yesterday. I was so scared because I had never had any surgeries before and I have 4 boys and was so worried that something would go wrong and they would be left without a mother. I have never had any broken bones or anything. The dr and his team came and talked to me and got me to relax and I don't remember much after getting in the OR and them getting me situated on the operating table.
I was up and walking just 4 hours after surgery and have been moving ever since. I've lost a total of 135 lbs and my current weight is 174 lbs. I've gone from a size 26/28 to a 10/12 in just 9 short months. It has been such an amazing journey and I'm so proud of how far I've come and all the work I have done. For once in my life, I finally have some self esteem and my life is changing everyday for the better. I just got a promotion at work which has allowed me to finally afford to hire a lawyer so I can finally file for a divorce. I won't go into a lot of details, but the marriage has been very bad for a long time.
I always stayed because I never thought I could do any better. Now I finally believe I deserve to be treated better and I actually love myself enough to finally let go of all the bad stuff and do what's best for me and my boys.
I'm excited to see where I'll be at my 1 year anniversary (which is only 3 months away). I only have 34lbs.to go to reach my goal weight. The surgery saved my life in more than just my weight. It was the best decision I have ever made for myself! Sorry for the long story and thank you for taking the time to read it!