jensjoy28

Also, cut out processed foods...they are the biggest culprits for sodium In most Americans' diets...only 15% comes from table salt

Do you have a structured ore-op diet? The good thing about BP is how quickly it can change (at least that is something I've noted for me). Agree w previous posters comments, but also cut out caffeine...is a stimulant that can elevate BP

Ouch! Well, you can blame him for the genes he passed along that determine your body shape...I don't think it is possible to change that...won't matter how much weight I lose, I will always be more pear than apple

...and that is one of the reasons you are so darn helpful to the forum members! But, it is true...the Spanx I've had have an "overlapping, open gusset" that technically would allow someone to go potty w/o needing to pull down (I however cannot vouch for if this works) For the OP, how about a long skirt? You could take the undergarments off but still offer convenient...um...access while maintaining some modesty/ability to cover up. Is a little trickier to figure out something convenient for the top half (lest the girls feel left out)...maybe a big ol' Snuggy that you both could wrap up in. I have to say, this is an interesting Challenge!

Lol...I can see how that could serve to distract!! I just love that term, and find it fitting for some of my thought processes as well as others :-).

I was cleared for crunches at 4-6 weeks...

Cool link...thanks for sharing. I'd be thrilled to look like the "after"...and I may be unique in thinking my "before" looks a little better in some places than this...

Correction...mine is supposed to be less than 12g of sugar per serving.

Check out the sugar per serving. Most surgeons have a "low-calorie, low-sugar" rule and a guideline to not consume your calories w liquid... for my surgeon that is supposed to be less than 8g of sugar per serving...that said, he did clear me to juice (but I try to do a 70% veggie / 30% juice mix when I juice). The times I recall looking at Naked the sugar content was pretty high.

There is a comedian who says "you don't ask a woman if she is pregnant unless there is an actual baby coming out if her at that moment...and even then, it's dicey" :-) I had a friend's 4-year-old son ask...

Oh, and about seatbelts...think that will depend on your anatomy and incision sites...personally, mine were positioned so that amazingly they did not hit me at my waistband or bra, so I would think the lap band belt on the plane would be okay, but that may not be a universal truth :-)

Personally, instead of going through what I would imagine is rigamarole to be able to take liquids through security, I would plan to take powdered Protein with you so you can mix up drinks to your sleeve's content after passing through security (Either buy exorbitantly priced Water at the sundries shop in the terminal or bring a blender ball) That close to surgery, I would loop your surgeon in to the extended plane trip plan...blood clots are still a very real concern 2 weeks post-op and a 6-7 hour plane trip could be problematic (at the very least, your surgeon can provide you with some "rules" for how often to get up, etc)

I agree...of all the controversial topics, this seemed to be one of the few that had little dissension (basically how soon BEFORE eating you were supposed to stop)

It is subsidized medical for people with low-income...at the federal level it is called Medicaid

I haven't had an issue with chicken, but it can be influenced by cooking method...for instance, if you grilled it vs cooking it in a casserole or roasting whole, you may have had trouble because there tends to be less moisture in the finished product.

Love the nectar Protein shakes. Personally, I gravitate towards the fruit flavors because that is what makes them so different than other brands (everyone has chocolate and vanilla)...that said, I did try the double-stuffed cookie and enjoyed that w milk. I also know many people use the vanilla bean as a base to add sf syrups and extracts (root beer, orange etc) to. Bj's Bariatrics is less than the site you mentioned (you get more packets, something like 11 or 13 packets, for 14.95 or so)

They have been spoken for...happy they will be put to use :-)

Sorry, I posted in first section I saw that seemed appropriate, didn't realize there was a clothing exchange category...not sure if there is a way to move??

I cleaned out some drawers today and came across some 2x size Danskin brand workout clothes that I bought from Walmart.com and didn't care for, but never returned (WTH is wrong with me!?) Most still are in the shipping bags/have tags on them. anyway, I am offering the lot of them to whomever wants them...I'll ship them to you for free, too! I've got 2 T-shirts, 2 sports bras, 2 boot cut pants and 2 Capri pants. Feel free to PM me if you are interested.

4.5 weeks out... Breakfast 4.5 oz of a breakfast burrito I made that had egg, black bean, Greek yogurt, 2% shredded cheese and hot sauce on a wheat and black bean blend tortilla (Mission brand) Snack Handful of cashews and a grande skinny latte from sbux lunch 4 meatballs (1.5 oz total) with a thai peanut sauce I made dinner (planned, anyway) The no-dough "pizza" that there is a recipe for on this forum w/ reduced fat turkey pepperoni and mushrooms.

Right now, I'm only talking to myself here (and that's fine) but I figure at some point someone will stumble across these drinks as well and find this in a search...so, tried the pomegranate this morning, my favorite so far!

That is a great question for you to ask your surgeon...he knows how he closes up incisions (dermabond vs traditional sutures) and if you will have a drain. Personally, my limitation on swimming/soaking in a tub was until after the dermabond peeled off, which was about a week post-op...and a few more days for the drain incision to fully scab over.

Way to go...rock that tankini (and I say splurge on a bikini to treat yourself to ONEderland, you will look great in that, too)

Thanks for the encouragement! Workout was good...nothing crazy, 25 min of cardio and then some crunches, push-ups, planks and squats (all of which proved how far down the rabbit hole I'd gone)...but, I'm happy I went. I have 2 month-long passes to barre method classes, (which are supposedly great toning and conditioning classes that integrate interval training, isometrics, and dance conditioning and have similarly ardent supporters like Cross-Fit) that I plan to use beginning in July as I can tend to get bored with the same ol', same ol'...we shall see :-)