BLERDgirl

@@HaddocksEyes - Some nutritionist focus on carbs, others don't. Just think about simple carbs (processed foods, breads, white flours, white rice refined sugars, pasta) versus complex carbs ( they are found in veg , Beans, sweet potatoes, etc...). White carbs are harder for your body to process and burn off. It's the reason that athletes sometimes carb load. Their bodies are burning at such high levels they need carbs like potatoes and rice so they have a bit o reserve to burn off. Complex carbs on the other hand process quicker and also provide Fiber and nutrients. Some people are given formulas to follow I just try to keep my carbs below 50 if my total calories are around 800.

I like putting it in the freezer and getting something like a cross between a pudding and ice cream.

Your still only getting the sugars. The fiber is in the pulp.

Juicing gives you concentrated sugar without the fiber to break it down. Think about how many oranges it takes to make a 6 ounce glass of juice. It might take 4 oranges or more. Would you eat 4+ oranges a day? A better option is a nutrabullet, ninja or similar which pulverizes the whole fruit instead.

My rules for posting online: speak honestly but not rudely. Do not be afraid to apologize. Understand that just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean they are attacking you. Acknowledge their opinion, agree to disagree and move on. As fas as pain & complications; do not be afraid. I'm 4 mths out and had NONE. No gas, no pain. A little soreness, no nausea, no dizziness, nothing. Everything has been insanely easy.

Please post as much as you want! Lean on us! Better to come here and rant than bury yourself in foods you shouldn't eat. The point is your husband may be gone but you are not. If he didn't value life he wouldn't have fought so hard. Honor him by living YOUR best life.

Also I advise you to get some grief counseling. It may be the thing to help you from drowning your sorrows in food.

The Breville's are terrific machines, however it depends on what you plan to use it for. I cook most of my food from scratch. A Vitamix or Breville is a good investment for me. However if all you want to do is mix your smoothies and protein shakes then it best to save the $300+ these machines cost and get something a bit more basic.

I know this is frustrating, but I swear it works. Have you tried clean eating? It's really quite simple. No processed foods, no refined sugars Cook from scratch at least 85% of the time. Read labels at the market. Do not buy anything with more than 10 ingredients listed or ingredients you need a science degree to decipher. I still drink coffee, for sweeteners I use the real deal organic sugar, raw honey occasionally real maple sugar and coconut sugar. I don't care for agave, but that's allowed as well. I also limit the amount of simple carbs I eat so minimal white rice, Pasta & breads. 3 months after I cleaned out my pantry I felt 100% better. More energy and my palette changed. Since the sugars I was getting were all natural I didn't crave them like I used to. I could put a tsp of sugar in my coffee instead of a tbsp and be satisfied. I discovered I not only liked the taste of crisp, clear, plain Water, I craved it! You've come this far, keep fighting. Once I got the hang of this it became second nature. The only thing I do not drink are sodas. I don't feel deprived for one single minute.

I don't avoid dairy at all. I eat cheese and 0% Greek yogurt almost daily. The same thing with fats and carbs. I eat healthy fats and complex carbs regularly. Your body needs these nutrients. I avoid fake, processed foods and sugars that are more challenging for your body to break down and use.. I do the exact same thing as @@WL WARRIOR. I only get weighed once a month, preferably at my f/u appointments. I hit my 4 month mark on the 18th but I'm going in this morning to get IVC filter removed so today will be my weigh in. I'm not sure what I will do next month since my next bariatric follow up won't be until I hit the 6 mth mark. I may go see my primary instead. My point is I don't allow myself to become married to the scale. I take my measurements and simply work really hard following my program and getting adequate exercise.

@@Mariah13 Aw man that sucks! So sorry that you had to go through that. Hopefully they get you rescheduled soon.

@@BLAKQUEEN - LA Fitness. I caught a membership deal online. All access for $8.95 a week and no initiation fee. I've been a member for 3 years. I primarily do water aerobics but also take other classes and use the machines.

STEP. AWAY. FROM. THE. SCALE It is not your friend and will make you nuts. Work your program and the weight loss will happen.

@@Miss Mac - As much as I like this forum I would never recommend it for pre-ops. The horror stories outweigh the happy successes and if you aren't someone who has had previous positive medical experiences it can be intimidating. I've seen far too many post of people who perseverate on worries about the gas, nausea and pain. I found the support groups my program offers to be much more helpful. I wanted to get my pre-op questions from the my bariatric team. Thankfully they were a tremendous support and of course, I had the handbook my program offers that I was able to use a my bible.

Step away from the scale. It will drive you nuts. Work the program, get your protein and fluids in. Exercise 3 - 4 times a week. The weight loss will happen.

I think a lot of people who opt to have surgery in Mexico bring Gas-X strips. I was started on omeprazole in the hospital so I didn't need to bring anything. Most hospitals will want to know what meds you are taking and if you need it they will likely provide you with something for the gas.

Yes to good facials! I am a makeup gal so I believe in facials and good skin care. I use my Clarisonic daily and wash & moisturize with either coconut oil or shea butter each night. I was always a big Water drinker because it's good for my skin. Please do! I guess it's cultural, but I always moisturize head to toe each day. Coconut oil and shea butter for my face and baby oil gel everywhere else. I use this after I shower & towel off. I have extremely dry skin and this leaves my skin smooth and soft. Hearing it may help with skin retaining some of it's elasticity makes me very happy. The only downside is I go through a bottle a month and it doesn't come in economy size.

And here's the other weird thing. When I started cleaning up my diet & removing processed foods and fake sugars my palette changed. Good Water tasted better to me and I no longer craved sweets.

I knew my insurance was accepted at the major hospitals. I investigated 2 in my area. I went to one and talked to the surgeon. I wasn't impressed. I then happen to run into a friend who had gotten bypass and asked who her surgeon was. I had to attend a seminar before I was allowed to even schedule an appointment but once I did I knew he was the one. I don't think I even told my primary until after they received a copy of my insurance approval letter about three quarters of the way through my pre-op testing.I wasn't worried as I knew she would be supportive and she has been. The seminars are a great way to see if this is an option for you. It will also help you to decide which type of WLS is best for you. I attended the seminar at the end of April, had my first surgical appointment in May and had surgery in September. It would have been August, but I had to take a month off for family vacation. The process can take anywhere from 3months to 12months depending on the program requirements and protocols for pre-op testing.

I'm getting my IVC filter removed this afternoon so I'm once again NPO. Needless to say I have a headache am I'm starving! However I know these docs. everything went easy for the inserting of the filter and the sleeve surgery itself. I know things will be okay. When I get home, I hope to see a post from you letting us know how your rocked this like a champ! Welcome to the sip, sip club!

I think it's easier to cut back gradually. Glad to hear you are already using some of these tools. I used Protein shakes before surgery because it was easier for me to stomach before going to the gym. oh yeah and You're Welcome!

Sounds like you are attempting some pretty heavy foods for just 4 weeks out. What was the protocol that your nutritionist suggested? As others have mentioned it's typically, shakes/all liquids>purees (baby food texture)>soft foods>regular food as tolerates. With each stage you have to eat super slow. Start with easier to digest foods like chicken and eggs. Remember to keep a 30 minute window on your meals where you do not drink and Water or fluids. Do not worry about ketosis, on a short term basis it won't harm you. If you still have trouble call your nutritionist.

I drink plain water as well. At first I had t have it at room temp, but now I prefer it ice cold. However I still have to sip, sip, sip. Now that I am mostly eating regular food, I make the rudest burps! I assume it's the gas from filling such a small space. I'd rather burp than have heartburn or gas pains.

You can over investigate an make yourself crazy. You'll need to do your research in choosing a doctor and a program that works best for you. Once you decide on the specific type of WLS you'll know what foods to buy. For know I wouldn't even come here. Just do basic prep such as: Incorporating some form of regular exercise into your daily routine, even if it's just walking 30 minutes or more each day. Start a food diary. Pay attention the macro nutrients. Processed foods are full of sodium and sugars. Try to reduce your use of them as much as possible. Fast Foods are also extremely high in sodium and sugar, again try to reduce your usage Try to opt for more complex carbs versus simple carbs like refined sugars, white rice, potatoes and breads Cut back or eliminate soda and caffeinated drinks like coffee & teas If you can locate a seminar on WLS surgery in your are and attention. It will give you an overview of what to expect. How long the pre-op process will be for your particular program and the like.

The difference it if you look at something like FAGE 0% the ingredients are clean and basic; milk and active cultures. Compare that to Yoplait that contains: Cultured Pasteurized Grade A Nonfat Milk, Milk Protein Concentrate, Sugar, Kosher Gelatin, Pectin, Lemon juice Concentrate, Natural Flavor, Locust Bean Gum, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3. FAGE also has more protein than Yoplait