SID081108

291.6

293.2!!

299. Again.

299

I lost. 70 pounds in college on a low fat diet and my hair fell out like crazy. It's common with significant weight loss, not just surgery.

@@della street
Lactose is milk sugar.. gives some people the runs.. Lactose intolerant, more common (apparently) after WLS (and as you get older)... Lactaid, Lactase supplements usually help. whey Protein isolate is a yummy source of Protein for these people... because almost all of the sugar is typically removed anyway.
whey is milk protein... gives some people hives, closes their airway... ALLERGIC to milk, don't try it in anything - not even baked in a cake. So whey protein isolate would be completely off limits to these people.

No, it's a closed group. Your friends won't see it. I joined it and I haven't told many people either.

Yeah what the hospital bills and what the insurance actually allows is two totally different things. If the hospital participates with your insurance and they have an agreement as to what they will accept. My hospital billed about 40000.00 and accepted 17,000.00 because that is the allowable amount. My surgeon only got about 2400.00. And I stayed two nights in the hospital. Anesthia billed 2400.00 and the allowed amount was like 700.00. It's deceiving. Billed amounts and allowed amounts are two very different things.

300 on the dot.
Tried everything to get that darn scale to say 299.8 but no luck. Lol

I'm going to make these cauliflower mashed potatoes. Something that I don't have to feel guilty about eating! I'll be 3 weeks post -op on Thanksgiving so I can have soft foods.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mock-garlic-mashed-potatoes-recipe.html

I'm going to make these cauliflower mashed potatoes. Something that I don't have to feel guilty about eating! I'll be 3 weeks post -op on Thanksgiving so I can have soft foods.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mock-garlic-mashed-potatoes-recipe.html

November 2014 sleevers?!

I pour a Premier Protein pre- made shake into a Blender Bottle and add a scoop of GNC whey powder. Add crushed ice and shake and I never have any clumps. 50 grams of Protein (I only drink half of it in the morning, about 6 oz, and the other half in the afternoon). And you can definitely add PB2 and other flavors to the premier Protein shakes...just pour them in a Blender Bottle and mix.
I don't like blending my shakes in a magic bullet or blender because it makes them frothy, which I hate.

Everyone's tastes are different. Personally I like my shakes like I like my women, thick. However, after surgery I found that I couldn't handle the thicker shakes as they filled me up too quickly. If you like thinner shakes, more like flavored water, look for powders without gum additives (xanthan, cellulose guar) because these increase viscosity in liquids. Many excellent ones have been suggested here and I'm sure you'll find the right one for you.

I pour a Premier Protein pre- made shake into a Blender Bottle and add a scoop of GNC whey powder. Add crushed ice and shake and I never have any clumps. 50 grams of Protein (I only drink half of it in the morning, about 6 oz, and the other half in the afternoon). And you can definitely add PB2 and other flavors to the premier Protein shakes...just pour them in a Blender Bottle and mix.
I don't like blending my shakes in a magic bullet or blender because it makes them frothy, which I hate.

I don't like the froth either. I normally throw it in the fridge for 10 minutes after blending to let it dissipate before drinking, or pour it over ice, which also helps kill the froth.

300 on the dot.
Tried everything to get that darn scale to say 299.8 but no luck. Lol

I am pretty open about my surgery with many people, but I have a sixth sense about who I shouldn't tell and who gets the "drastic diet, exercise, high Protein, low carb" truth without information about the surgical tool. I work in a small department and had to tell my co-workers early on. I made it clear to all of them (including the blabbermouth that i was concerned about not keeping my business to herself) that this was my story to tell and that I would choose who I told.
Perhaps that is one of the things that you should tell your friends if you choose to share your story. If they know that you are telling them because you love them and need their support but that this is YOUR STORY to share and not theirs, it might help.
With that said, we are going to my in-laws for Christmas and I have no intention of telling my in-laws the whole truth. My mother-in-law cannot be trusted to keep inappropriate comments to herself. My kids all know that I had surgery and know that it has helped me be healthier, but I have not focused on or discussed the weight loss issue with them, and I don't want my mother-in-law to destroy that focus. She has a history of saying very inappropriate things, so I have good reason to be wary.
Trust your gut on who to tell and not tell. When people ask me, I get a feeling about wheteher or not I should tell them. Often, it is an obese person who wears the same sadness and despair that I used to wear. I finally got my sleeve after several generous people trusted me with their sleeve stories, and, since my surgery, my success and contagious joy has been part of the motivation for at least 3 other people to have the sleeve themselves and begin their own transformation. Good luck

There are so many posts in here that I agree with, even though they give advice on all different ends of the spectrum.
The reality of the matter is, people who make such a drastic lifestyle change will lose a few friends along the way. Your "fat" friends will most likely be a casualty of your surgery. But the comparison was made about if you quit drinking, you can't keep hanging out with drinkers for your own good. I follow that logic for this as well. You're not forcing your decision on them to do the same thing, but the premise is the same - if they want to keep perpetuating an unhealthy lifestyle rather than trying to better themselves, then it might be best for you guys to put some time/distance between you until they work it out.
The piece I really feel bad for you about is your friend with the blabber mouth. I can see being willing to, and wanting, to share this news with your close friends, but knowing that the blabber mouth friend is going to tell everyone? that would put me off telling her. I'm sorry you have to deal with this decision. You have enough to deal with!

Again, remembering that I'm no shrink....
I can't speak to your privacy issues – I'm pretty much an "open book" kind of guy. That being said, here are my thoughts on how to approach sharing your story if you decide to do so....
I don't know if your group has discussed the surgery solution or not. Are they even aware of that option? Let's assume that the subject has never seriously come up, because otherwise they would already suspect that's what you've done. If you decide to open up about your surgery, you may want to tell them together. That way they can get their initial reactions out immediately, and right in front of you. If you tell them separately, the first thing they'll do is call each other and have a conversation about you, which could spiral into negativity. The more information they have before they talk to each other about you, the better!
I think I'd invite them over for coffee, tea, a game, or something, and when everyone was relaxed (not with booze), I'd start with something like, "I know you guys have probably wondered how I'm losing weight so quickly." Then explain how miserable you were at your former weight. And then, "Well I have a confession to make...." (They may start to figure it out now.) You might couch your reluctance to share the news with them as being embarrassed about having the surgery. (That doesn't have to be true, it's just diplomatic.) Explain that you have since learned, through a bariatric forum and support group meetings, that there's no reason to be ashamed. That it's a wonderful tool that has been proven to be very effective at helping people lose weight and keep it off. And that you wish you had had the nerve to tell them sooner. You might also tell them that you'll never push it on them, but that if they have any questions, you'll be happy to answer them as best you can. And that you sincerely hope that you can continue to be close, but that your eating habits need to completely change now. That doesn't mean you can't hang out, just that you'll be making different food choices than you would have made before. And promise not to judge anyone else's food choices! I think the longer you can keep the conversation going, and the more questions they ask, the better the chance that they'll end up being supportive of your decision. I have found that many people are fascinated by the topic! If they're really interested, sometimes I describe the 3 types of surgery, and even draw simple diagrams about how they work. Your friends may or may not want that much detail. It all depends on how threatened they feel by the subject. But you know them best, so you'll sense how they're reacting. And finally, if you want to, you can say, "You know I'm kind of freaky about privacy stuff, so I'd really appreciate it if you could keep this to yourselves. I wanted you two to know, but I really don't want to share it with the rest of the world."
Whew! Okay, so that's how I would tackle your situation. Personally, I've opted to share my decision with anyone who asks how I'm doing it. "Clean living, diet, exercise [pause].... and bariatric surgery." (It usually get a laugh!)
Again, good luck! I hope you are able to maintain the friendships, but it's even more important that you succeed in your weight loss journey!!!

It is tied to your total calorie goal so just keep playing with the numbers until they look right.

I had to play with mine for a while, too. I think I ended up with 20% carbs, 50% Protein, 30% fat.
SID081108

Out of curiosity, why did you have this surgery if you were never obese?

It is tied to your total calorie goal so just keep playing with the numbers until they look right.

I've done a lot of research and trial and error for what works for me...I do believe that Caesin is as important for my success as whey isolate. It's what bodybuilders use for a "slow burn" as someone said in another thread, and it keeps me satiated much longer.
collagen? I'll pass. But Whey concentrate and Caesin and among those recommended by my doctor and I have had great success with them. On top of that, Whey Isolate alone often makes me nauseous, so a blend works best for me.
But I am NOT a medical professional. You chose your Dr because you trust their medical opinion. I defer to your doctor. However, I suggest you ask specifically about the particular product you are interested in and bring a copy of the nutrition label (you can find it on Amazon or GNC or Vitamin Shoppe online to print out) rather than just accepting a blanket "nothing but Whey Isolate" statement.