7 Bites_Jen

GREAT idea!

There's a lot of contestants that have had WLS before. A couple seasons back one of the contestants had had the bypass and gained back all his weight. So it's not really that uncommon - I'd be willing to bet that a lot of them just don't talk about it ... I love the show though, and was so excited to see Ruben on there this year!!

We are writing our next few episodes to be filmed in November - what would YOU like to see in an upcoming episode? Do you have any topics you'd like to see discussed? Any recipes you'd like to see made sleever/bariatric friendly? Sound off! We're here for YOU!! If you have NO idea what I'm talking about, feel free to go check out our YouTube channel - the link is in my signature below. Thanks everyone!

Yep!! I think everyone does. I went through periods of excitement, anxiety, worry, elation ... The whole thing. And when it was all done, I was floating on cloud 9!

Amen to that!!

That I had never reintroduced things like carbs and soda into my diet. Now I'm having to wean myself off them to lose this last 50 ... I also wished I'd known how important eating REAL food is rather than relying on Protein supplements. eggs, meat, fish, cheese ... those things are so much better for you than a shake or Protein Bar. Fewer chemicals and you can pronounce everything on the label ...

I used to say that my clothing size resembled a porn rating! LOL There are so many things that I take for granted now that I didn't realize I couldn't do until I COULD do them - ie. crossing my legs, moving quickly when I need to, bending over to tie my shoes ... Those of you that are about to have surgery, or have just had it - you have SO MUCH to look forward to!!

BREATHE!!! I was TERRIFIED before surgery. But I did it anyway. Those videos are designed to scare the ever-living-crap out of you. There are risks, yes - but they really are minimal and don't happen very often. And, the benefits SO outweigh the risks. And, honestly, what is riskier - NOT having this surgery, or remaining at your current weight?

Hope this helps:

Yo ho ho... In all seriousness, though - I am so sorry! I am honestly surprised that more people don't get it b/c of the lack of vegetation in most of our diets. Glad they caught it and hope it all clears up soon! PS - You could always find a good peg leg and hook for Halloween ...

It really depends on the one you find. The first one my mother went to had a table set up with food and Snacks - including "no-no" foods like soda and cookies!! The one that we'd been going to together was OKAY, but really they didn't share a whole lot that we didn't already know, and a lot of the people there were uppity and had the attitude of "no one should ever mess up on their diet plan ever". The last one we'd been going to was great, but was, sadly, an hour away.. I guess what this rambling post is saying: if you can find one that suits your needs they are awesome!

My mom's cousin was like this with me as well. But for the most part, most everyone in my life knows that I'd had these struggles since high school, so everyone that knew me was on board with what I was doing. And if they didn't, well, "sorry, but this is what I've chosen to do and I am comfortable in my decision."

????? WHAT are you TALKING about?? Don't bother ... don't think I'll be responding to your crazy anymore ...

They did this with my mom as well - she has been losing just fine. Just do what you're supposed to and you'll do great. Remember Protein first and Water WATER WATER!

I think we're all just confused over where the hostility is coming from ... You're seriously not making any sense, and little of what you said has had anything to do with what anything else has said ...

There are several wonderful sites for that. Two of the most popular are My Fitness Pal (MFP) and Spark People. I like them both for different reasons.

Leakage is almost impossible that far out - the scar line has completely healed by then, and has even fused together. I'm not sure the surgeon in question knows what he is talking about, LOL. I chose the sleeve over any other surgery because of the lack of risk involved. If you look at the complications that come with every other surgery, the sleeve has the fewest risks. Also, it's not as new as some people think. It's actually the first stage in the duodenal switch. Leaks do occur, but not often and when they do they are caught fairly quickly. With other surgeries, you can have complications sometimes up to 10 years after!

I was on full liquids which is the same as pureed foods. I think most people are :-)

Weather it's required or not is between you and your nut, but it's always a good idea to do so, even if it's not. It keeps you on track and if you're not losing or something you can look back and say, "oh, here I had too many carbs" or "oh, this day I had WAY too much sodium" that kind of thing. It really is helpful!

Sounds like you're doing an awesome job! I love grabbing a pair of jeans or shirt and thinking 'oh, that's not going to fit' and lo and behold it does! It's a great feeling to be smaller than you thought, isn't it?

Okay, this almost made me spit my coffee on my computer, LOL!!

It does sound a little restrictive, but there is always a reason. Is the nutritionist working directly with your doctor? If not, I would come right out and ask your doc on your next appointment what he thinks about it. My pre-sugery diet was two weeks of a packaged Protein shake (we bought through the doctor's office) and directly after was two weeks of full liquids then two weeks of soft foods. Although I don't fully understand the restriction of beef and pork, I do know that leaner meats have more protein, and will also speed up the weight loss, so that might have something to do with it. What about fruits/veggies? Are there restrictions on those as well?

Awesome!! Thanks for sharing this! I'll be watching for it!

I and my mom went to Dr. Frank Veninga at Presby in Carrolton. He is one of those doctors that is very upfront and matter-of-fact with you. The thing I like about him is that he is not a "meat market" doctor. He has many patients, don't get me wrong, but he doesn't do THOUSANDS of surgeries in a year like some of the bigger ones in DFW do. He only does the lap-band and the sleeve (and there's a reason for that) and he is very good at what he does. His nurse, Barbara, is also his nutritionist, and she is absolutely wonderful as well. She is a lap-band patient and will give you a TON of information. They will really take their time with you, walking through every step. Once you become their patient, it's like you become part of the family. I love this office. My last appointment, I almost cried when I was told I didn't have to go back for another year (it was my one year surgiversary)! Whichever doctor you chose, make sure you do your research. Go to their web site and check them out. Read their testimonials. Find some online reviews if you can. You need to be sure that the doctor you go to will be 100% there for YOU not for THEM. Any doctor that tries to pressure you to do something you're not comfortable with is not the right doctor. Good luck!

I was never told not to chew gum. There is nothing wrong with it IMHO. We're grown ups. Most of us know not to swallow our gum, LOL.