LisaPunkinHead

@@Inner Surfer Girl and @@Babbs, I knew you would both get it. For the rest your comments have definite merit. Yes, if you dislike the shakes you have tried and want feedback on new ones to sample, ask away. The people I am referring to are the ones who say, I just can't drink another shake. That to me sounds like won't or don't want to.
Anyone who has a physical or medical reason that they cannot do something is a whole different situation, but those people are not whining they are just sharing.
We all know the ones I am talking about and yeah maybe my post was a bit harsh but I am not one to sugarcoat things. I want to be nice but lets get real here. Some of the posts here are insane with what they say. Just today I responded to a post where someone complained that if they share they cheated they get yelled at here. Well do you want a support group that "supports" you into repeating your bad habits??? Really?
I for one am looking for the advice of the long termers and I read their posts religiously and I don't want sugar coating myself. I want real talk about how to succeed here not placating so my feelings don't get hurt.
Thank you to Babbs, Miss Mac, InnerSurfergirl and others who keep it real.

Yes, when I spoke with my father after surgery he said "Why wouldn't you feel depressed? You shot your best friend..." I suppose that is it in a nutshell. Time to find new friends...

Congratulations on doing so well. And Congrats on your 1st NSV!! :-P
food losing it's domination over my thoughts was the best part of VSG WLS. Thoughts about what/when I was going to eat ceased the day after surgery. Up until then, I was always planning my next meal because I KNEW I was going to be hungry in 2 hours, no matter how much I had just eaten.
So, I feel uneasy when I read questions about "When can I eat _____ again?" or "I am worried I can't eat ______ ever again." When I read things like this, I am worried the person who posted isn't ready for WLS because it does take a commitment on their part to change their eating habits. And they may still be too attached to certain foods.
I was soooooooo ready to be DONE! with the control food had over my life.
It looks like you are too! I am so happy for you for taking control of your life.
3-C plan for success!

Control what you can (your actions and thoughts).
Cope with what you can’t (external emergencies and other’s behavior).
Concentrate on what counts.

Stay positive. Believe in yourself. Focus on your progress, not perfection.

Something that has really come to light for me during this pre op prep is how much food has ruled my life to this point...during Breakfast thinking about what to have for lunch and dinner, while running errands thinking about what I'm going to eat when I get home, during a stressful day imagining what I'll eat to relax with afterward, what Snacks I need to properly enjoy a sporting event on TV or what to order at the movies.
None of these instances was I looking at food as fuel but as a "friend". Now, having made it to day 6 of prep, I find I can do all of these things without needing my "friend". That may be the biggest "get" of this entire process!!

As a rule, ESPECIALLY in the honeymoon phase of WLS ( up to 18 months post surgery) you will still probably lose weight eating a few carbs. But as early out as you are, you should be eating protien and veggies, leaving little room for carbs (bread, crackers, etc). Protien is most important right now becuase you have such little real estate in your tummy, you gotta eat what counts. Those carbs from white stuff gives you no nutritional value right now.

Another thing about a WLS person eating carbs is that it can be a slippery slope. Sure, you can't eat very much right now, but the sleeve relaxes after a while, and a few crackers turn into a box (these are also considered slider foods because more can be eaten) I don't know about you, but I could easily polish off a box of Cookies once I get going. That's why I choose to stay away. They also make me crave more carbs and sugar, and the next thing you know, you're stalled or gaining. No thanks!

You will have plenty of time to introduce a few carbs the closer you get to goal and then maintenance. For now take advantage of this ever so important time when you're able to lose weight easily and minimize the carbs and get your protien and veggies first! After all, we all didn't get fat eating chicken and broccoli, did we?
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I agree with @@Babbs completely! During your honeymoon and weight loss phase, you will lose best if you limit carbs to those in dairy and green veggies. No starches, no refined sugar, and no alcohol. Once you get to goal weight, you can experiment with whole-grain carbs like brown rice, quinoa, barley, whole-wheat Pasta, and sweet potatoes to see what effect they have on your weight maintenance. That's where I am now -- taking baby steps to discover what works and what doesn't. This is for the rest of our lives, so there's no need to rush back to foods that used to be a problem for us. For example, as much as I love bread, I'm choosing to avoid it altogether. Good luck!

I'll keep the theme going....I shun simple/refined carbs like sugars (table sugar, brown sugar, and even honey....not a fan of honey as it makes me itch) and white starches and flour. Once in a blue moon I'll have a bite of something but that's all...just a bite. I bake a lot so the chef has to taste. I do plan for the "tastes."
I eat low-carb veggies and fruits only because I know that even the healthiest high carbs like quinoa and steel cut oats will put weight on me faster than I can blink even now when I do a lot of weight training!
Eating right also keeps one from being "hangry" lol and thus less likely to buy those stupid vanilla cream sandwich Cookies that are in the vending machine constantly staring at me. ????????????????????

LMAO!! Nothing says night out at the movies like chicken broth!!! ????

I don't have a memory foam mattress, but I did sleep on a wedge pillow for about 2 weeks postop. Just hard to move myself around when I needed to engage those abs that were sore!!

Well there is a difference between i cant take the taste of these Vitamins, and my body wont tolerate these Vitamins.
Like I cant remember to take my vitamins-Solution, set a reminder, in a book, set an extra alarm clock, whatever it takes.
I cant drink these shakes- SOlution, go to a store near you and try samples. Heck thereis a huge thread here on BP that shows all the places you can get free samples. Ive had so many it isnt funny!
Also listen to toher people as to why they like a certain type of shake, and try preparing it differently. for example.
Mocha Latte shake
1 packet ( or scoop) of Syntrax sweets chocolate truffle
1/3 scoop of Syntrax Cappuccino
4 ice cubes
6 oz of 1% or skim or unsweetened almond milk.
Blend until ice is crushed.
Yumm!
Or
Half and Half Summer cooler
1/2 packet of ( or scoop) of syntrax Roadside Lemonade
1/2 packet( or scoop) of syntrax iced tea
4 ice cubes
6 ounces of Ice cold Water
Blend
Yumm
We all have favorites. the knowledge is out there. use it!
We are all glad to help, but if you come in defeated before you give yourself a chance to win, whats the whole point

@@ShrinkingPeach
Good rant. And so true.
Lipstick Lady posted a thread not too long ago about whether it was cheating or a choice? We make choices every day, but I also understand there are some deeper issues about WHY we make the choices we make.
But in the end, it IS all about the choices we make. We got fat because of the choices we made, and we will get healthy with the choices we make. Are they always easy? No, but I am quickly learning that delayed gratification is not something easy to practice for current or formerly obese people, and we don't like anything that makes us feel uncomfortable, such as drinking Water or exercising when we don't want to. Seems to be a common trait among us.
This WLS thing ain't for sissies. You have to learn to delay gratification, do things you don't want to do, and learn to be uncomfortable sometimes. But the rewards are so worth it.

It irritates the hell out of me when my co-workers talk endlessly about their current diet and fitness routine. What really bugged me was when they would confide in me (someone that was morbidly obese at the time) about feeling fat, when in fact they are not at all. What are you suppose to say? "Sure, you are fat! Let's just be fat buddies together!" or "Why don't you stand next to me so you can feel skinny!"
If you are having trouble with your weight, it would make sense to seek advice from someone who is a weight loss success. I put much effort into not discussing diet and exercise with anyone except my doctor, nutritionist, and on this forum. If someone seeks advice from me, then that is different. However, I will not turn into one of those people that constantly talk about it. It's so narrow minded and annoying.

ill ay this, many people look at themselves as victims. they aren't fat they are big, or plump or whatever, or its my metabolism, its my ( insert ailment , syndrome, etc)
When you dont take responsibility for who you are and what you do, it becomes very easy to simply blame everything as too hard, too this or too that.
Now the only saving grace here is when you do own up and make the choice within yourself to grab the reins and pull yourself out of this negative victim hole, you look back and want to slap yourself for being so blinded the whole time. Unfortunately i see a lot of posts by people where you can tell they will never see the truth in front of them, and they are already on that slope to failure. So many successful people on here that truly inspire, like Alex, lipstick lady, cowgirl, babbs,etc ( no offense to those i didn't list.) these people have such confidence about their future because they have taken ahold of their issues with both hands and willed themselves to be successful.

Agree 100%. When I see "can't" on here, too often I am afraid it really means "I prefer not too".
I know there are rare instances when someone has an allergy or other physical impediment. But, too often it is just discomfort.
As my surgeon pointed out right before surgery, if you passed your leak test after surgery, there is no physical reason you cannot drink three 11oz premier Protein shakes in one day.
I could go on. Maybe I am lucky (or just lived long enough to gain some experience) but most of what it takes to succeed is attitude-related.

Often I hear or read the following statements:
I can't drink another Protein Shake
I can't drink Water it tastes bad
I can't drink so much water it makes me pee a lot
I want to lose but these spaghettios cost $1 a can and I need cheap lunch
Oh I can't eat that it tastes bad
These Vitamins are gross
Blah, Blah, Blah
Okay, some of these are from my co-workers and some are from BP. Grow up people! The diet industry is an over $1Billion industry, yeah that's billion with a "B". In what world do you diet to lose X pounds and then eat what you want when you are done and not gain it back?? Really? That's rocket science?
If you were told you were going to die and all you had to do was drink 3 Protein shakes a day for say 2 weeks, would that change your attitude? Bet you would find a way to like them then. No one said you have to drink them plain you just have to watch what you add so you don't add sugar or calories. It's called google people.
Yeah water can be boring or maybe even harsh on your tummy. Add something like Mio or fruit to it, it changes the molecular structure as well as the taste. Or you can go ahead and drink diet sodas and pretend they are not a problem, your choice.
Of course the water makes you pee, it is flushing out bad stuff and cleaning your kidneys. It won't do that forever, the body will adjust. Or you can stop drinking and dehydrate your body and keep your weight since you like it so much!
The girls in my office are ALWAYS dieting. None of them need to lose more than maybe 12-20 pounds but they are always trying the next fad diet, taking diet pills intermittently, doing the latest workout videos etc. Then every other day I see them dipping into the ranch dip, eating fried Chik Fil A, eating ramen noodles, eating spaghettios!!, drinking sweet tea. I really don't care what yu eat it is your choice but really?? Do I have to hear you complain about your weight while you are eating that stuff. I actually watched a co-worker eat her tuna for lunch yesterday and then when a co-worker was finishing up, she made a mini sandwich with 2 waffle fries and put pickle slices in the middle. WTH?
I see a ton of complaints about vitamins on here. I take 2 chewable Bariatric Advantage vitamins a day (one in the morning and one at night), I take 2 500 mg Calcium chewables (one morning and one at night), I take sublingual B-12 twice a week. I will gladly do the chewables because for my newly sleeved stomach they absorb better when chewed. They actually taste pretty good to me. I WOULD MUCH RATHER TAKE VITAMINS THAN INJECT MYSELF DAILY WITH VICTOZA FOR MY BLOOD SUGAR!! I knew I was going to have to take vitamins BEFORE I had the surgery so why complain now?
Okay, I feel much better! Thanks for listening, empathizing or just plain laughing! All reactions are welcome! Putting away my soapbox now, carry on!

I definitely did NOT cut out carbs to lose all my excess weight. (I'm now 6 pounds below goal.)
Carbs aren't just sweets and breads. Carbs are in milk, yogurt, fruit, green and other colored veggies, whole grain foods, etc. Carbs are necessary for high energy and good nutrition.
I don't understand why people think life after WLS means no carbs or even low carb. I think there's a terrible lack of education about which foods contain carbs and which carb-laden foods are much healthier for us than others.
Now on maintenance, I average around 100 grams of Protein a day and 150-200 grams of carbs a day. But I don't eat slider foods (Cookies, chips, crackers, Desserts, sweets, pastas) often at all. Yes, I have them occasionally, but they're not an everyday item on my menu.

I don't do no carb or even low carb. I look at the quality and source of the carbs. Simple carbs, "white" carbs (white Pasta, white rice, refined sugars, etc...) I stay away from. However carbs from vegetables, or Beans I don't worry about. You also need carbs for energy. My homemade Protein shakes have carbs from the greek yogurt, fruit and veg I add to them. They fuel my workouts. If I am having a day where I leave the house at 8am and don't get back until I may allow more carbs than on days when I'm home all day.

So a couple weeks ago I told my adult kids my decision to have surgery. Today I told the rest of my family. Brothers, Sisters, Stepfather, Uncle, and Aunt as well as a couple very close friends. To be honest I was expecting a lot of judgement. So far is has been nothing but support even from those that I was sure would judge me. I have the full support from everyone that means anything to me. I’m so grateful that I won’t have to hide this from the ones that count.
I was so afraid of them judging me that I didn't realize that I was judging them. Now I find myself asking "How long have I been judging them?" Perhaps many of the bad feelings I've felt towards some members of my family were ill conceived. I think if's fair to say that most of us "Fatties" feel that we are constantly judged and scrutinized by the "Normies". And I still believe that it's true but probably not to the extent that I thought. Is it possible that most folks are too busy in their normal day to day lives that when they see a "Fatty" they don't think twice? That they have more important things to think about than me? Why do I feel like everyone is staring at me and judging me all the time? So I ask you .... Who's judging who and who are you judging?

@@LisaPunkinHead I'm glad you are enjoying it! I must have missed the mayo incident?! My husband is bringing me home the Bowflex Blaze tonight so we shall see how that thing goes. I'd love to get my arms in shape on my own and save the money!

This is definitely an amazing journey. For so long I just wanted to be at the end of it, but now I am enjoying the process so much (except for the Mayonnaise incident last Thursday) that I don't want it to end. Which is good, but it won't!!
As for bat wings -- my trainer said mine will go away as weight comes off, but he has me doing some extra arm work now too. He even noticed I'm getting a "biceps line"!!!

5 months out, I can eat 3 ounces of Protein and 1/2 cup max of veggie. Still do Protein shakes for breakfast most days.

This makes sense to me. I've come across research recommending shorter meal times. My sleeve has a full "tell" that I try to obey. Some people get hiccups, and I get a gurgle. That's usually my stopping point, and it's around the 20 min mark.

I was told to take bites that would fit in a teaspoon, put the utensil down and wait one minute between bites. I should consume no more than 1/2 to a 1 cup of food at a time, or 4-6 ounces. After 30 minutes, I should put the rest of my meal away or I will likely overeat.

My reality is that I take my "normal sized bite" an cut it in half. I do put the fork down but I rarely wait an entire minute between bites because I am not that patient unless I am out to eat with friends and then I just do all the talking. I rarely take more than 15 minutes to eat because I can't hold much more than 1/2 a cup or 4 oz.

This is my reality 14 months out and it's a good thing. It's weird and I'm still not used to it after 42 years of bad habits, but it is what it is and I feel great!

Congratulations!! It is a great feeling!!!

Highest 2/2015- 256lbs
Surgery 5/12/2015 -236lbs
Today 7/14/15 - 199!!
I honestly never thought I'd see under 200lbs. Even with surgery, my mind knew I would but my heart just couldn't believe it. It's an odd feeling. I stalled last week and felt negatively about my progress but I stepped up and worked harder and today I hit that magical number.
Thank you to everyone on the board for their support and encouragement. Not just for me, but as a whole. Your words to each other keep me focused, motivated when I need it and hopefully
Happy Tuesday everyone!!!

HA!! I'm not even a Southern Girl, but I get it!! And I say the same thing!!!