Beni

Eating at restaurants is absolutely fun. It was not one month after surgery but one year later I am happy to say, I can always find a good choice anywhere I go. The portions are usually too big but hello, lunch for the next day is already done. There are lots of healthy options, There always were, it's just that I was so hungry I would inhale anything. Now I have self-control. If this is how the rest of the world (the non-morbid obese portion) feels about food, now I see, I would have never had a chance. Lion sized hunger won every time. Now, I actually have enough time to think about what I should or would like to eat. Life after surgery is good!

I use almost only fresh foods. The exception are Greek yogurt, the occasional Protein bar for a snack mid afternoon when I have to run out the door. An occasional can of chick peas and a very occasional Diet Snapple with Peach. Everything else is fresh and the best I can find. Even the tea I drink is loose leaf and comes in a can from Sri Lanka. After surgery. I did look at what I ate before surgery with fresh eyes and the picture of health did not come to mind. We have to make the changes that can best fuel our bodies. Given our reduced absorption it is of the outmost importance to be smart about what we eat.

When I had RNY October 28th, 2014. I was expecting to lose a little weight but I was sure I would be an underachiever in this journey. I had always underperformed in all my diets. In my mind, it followed that it was going to be the most likely scenario with bariatric surgery. There is a range of weight loss and of course I would be a slow loser. Not true at all. I have lost 99 lbs in 8 months. I have been successful beyond my dreams. I would have been over the moon with half that amount. The difference, I am not hungry all the time. Now my hunger is manageable and I have (literally) enough time to make good choices about what I eat.

I think it's sad that a doctor would make such a statement. I think it is in direct violation of the Hippocratic Oath (do no harm). Every patient is an individual and each medical decision should be made with that in mind. There is no size fits all for anybody. For a doctor to be engaging in generalizations is cavalier and harmful.

For me, the easiest way to eat healthy is to actually freeze several meals into snack sized baggies. If I don't, I find myself up the creek without the proverbial paddle way too much. I cook several veggies and bag them and as Protein leftovers come about during the week, I add then to the baggies later. Example. I have a dozen baggies right now and only 4 have protein but tonight I know I'll have leftover chicken and I'll add that in. These baggies become the "emergency meals" and they are ready to go when cooking is not possible. Because of the mixed bags, it results in a varied diet without much effort. Otherwise, I gravitate to what I feel like eating rather then what I should eat. I add the fruit fresh. A few blueberries, a strawberry, 1/4 of a banana and so forth. A couple nuts and salad as well but for me these are in only in very small amounts.

I saved a great number of children in Ethiopia by finishing my meals. I recall a particularly gnarly incident were I had to sit at the table, for what seemed like hours, to finish a plate my grandmother had filled to the brim at some family gathering at her house. My tummy hurt but I HAD to finish it.

I think it boils down to choice for me. There are many ways to lose weight all the way from tapeworms and amphetamines to mindful eating and living off the land with everything in between. As long as it is not illegal, it should be okay. People need to research the solutions and make the best decisions for themselves. At the same time, if a procedure becomes less used or advised, it does not mean your choice was the wrong one. For example, I have no doubt Gastric Bypass (my choice) in the future (not too distant) will be thought of as an obsolete surgery, akin to a butter knife surgical approach to weight loss. It won't even take much to convince me, it already sounds barbaric to me. That does not mean my choice was wrong. However, I do sense a bit of defensiveness coming from the Lapband community after reading all the posts. Perhaps it's time to ask why? I think it is important to evaluate the issue because no doubt this will come up again. As we all know a defensive approach is never well regarded.

So right Alex. Even though I have not chosen the Lapband for myself. I can certainly understand why some people have elected to have that procedure. Even though statistically, it has shown lower weight loss results then other procedures, everyone has a right to make their own choice. There is a lot that goes into the success rate of any of the gastric procedures. For me, I know I love sugar and I need to have the bypass because of the biofeedback mechanism. You eat sugar, you get sick, you don't want to get sick, you stop eating sugar. But that's me, everyone is different. Let's examine statistics on the 50% statement. Let's say 50% of couples divorce (it is close in the US.) Does that mean people should stop getting married? Rosie herself is married. Someone should point to her, statistically speaking she made a terrible choice.

Yes, that's what I am doing, using the plastic popsicle maker. I just saw another post for Capella Flavor Drops. It's available online. There is Crystal Light too. I am trying not to use too much artificial sweeteners. I may have to think about this some more.

You mean like lemon extract and the like? Aren't they alcohol based?

Wondering if anyone found a recipe to make them? I could use Stevia or Nectresse but I am not sure how to add flavor. Kool Aid sounds so unhealthy, even if I pick a non-red flavor. There's must be something else out there.

Yes, it helps me because your story is my story. I too am the only person that can rescue me. It's so scary. I feel like I am standing at the edge of a rock cliff with one of these triangle wing things you sail through the air with and deciding to jump in the hopes the wing will hold you up. But doing it in the full awareness that you can not stand at the edge of that rock anymore. Good Luck to you, Beni

You Rock! Great job. I can't wait for my turn to wear bracelets. I am going through the 3 months of obligatory (insurance requirement) nutrition consults at the moment. Beni

Oh so true. I have been thinking about weight loss surgery for years but I am always shot down by doctors and family. They make me feel like I should workout more and eat less. OMG, don't you think I want to.