Dub

I really enjoy grilling. One of the things that my family really loves is when I cook pizza on the grill. I normally use fresh pizza dough sold in the bakery vs making my own. I like to roll them fairly thin and use whatever toppings everyone wants on their own pizzas. I've done very little grilling in the last few months due to some back problems....but that didn't change my love for pizza. I opted to have pizza from Pizza Hut as my last meal before begining the liquid diet. It was thin crust Supreme. What I'm craving right now more than anything is the Seebreeze salad w/ Salmon from Fatz Cafe with their strawberry Vinegarette dressing. No kidding. I chew my way through a chainlink fence to get to some of that.

I never in a million years thought I'd pay that for a freaking cup. I laughed at people who did. Turns out to be some of the very BEST money I've ever spent. Outstanding products.

Great point. I went to the first appointment and weighed in and all that jazz. After the first couple weeks it was driving me nuts not knowing where I was. I bought a big-boy scale and have enjoyed having it. I now look forward to getting on it every morning and hearing it talk to me. Knowing where you are can cut down on a lot of the stress.

I lost 30 lbs in the first two months of my supervised diet. I was encouraged to lose as much as possible down to 40 bmi. I wish I'd have been more aggresive. My surgery is in a week and a half and I've only lost 50 lbs. I needed the weight off quicker for relief on a back injury. I let being immobile for two months hold me back from losing. I will say this.....the pre-op liquid phase is getting some quick results. I don't know if I could have stuck with it had I started it earlier, though. It's intense but I know it's short in duration so that makes it easier to endure.

Howdy Will. I'm also doing the pre-op diet for surgery on October 13th. I started it last Monday. It does suck, but the surgery footage videos and instruction from my surgeon and nutritionist was enough of a scare to keep me strictly adhereing to it. I've been trying to stay busy and not think too much about it. I've found that I do better when using the pre-mixed Pure Protein shakes as they are much thicker and taste really good. They seem to hold me the longest. The other thing that I've had to learn is to drink them on schedule and not wait long intervals between shakes. I actually forgot to have my second shake of the day the past two days as there was no hunger......but then all the sudden I started feeling weak, lightheaded and puny. I remembered that it'd been 6-7 hours since the first shake and I'd been walking a good bit at work when the feeling hit. I'm sure that this is a bad, bad suggestion......but it is helping keep me sane and not cheating: coffee & DIET MOUNTAIN DEW. I feel bad for this admission, but I've had a couple Diet Dews each day and began each day with two large cups of coffee (with Splenda). I miss the flavor of creamer....but it's better than not having it at all. I'm slamming down the Water, too. I find myself making hourly walks to the bathroom. I'll be well hydrated right up until the night before surgery. The absolute most difficult part of this deal for me by far is not being able to have NSAIDs. Tylenol is not winning the battle. Even though I'm enthused and upbeat....I'm moving around like an old, old man. Good luck. You are rewarding yourself by staying strict. Surgery day will be here soon.

How long until your surgery ? They may come off during the pre-op diet.

The over 6' crew is represented. Best of luck to you. The anxiety is sure understandable. I can remember being highly anxious during prior surgeries when getting stuff repaired....hernias, ankle, etc. I'll be following a week behind you on the wls. A little bit nervous now, too. That's great progress @VLD

If you can eat two slices of pizza......you could also probably eat 4 cream filled doughnuts......or 2 candy bars......or a heap of ice cream...... We all have the opportunity to sabotage our weight loss results no matter what type of surgery we elect to have or not have.

UPDATE: I will not be buying any more of the Bariatric Advantage Protein powder. I gave the chocolate, latte and bannana flavors a try. None were remotely good to me. Luckily I only had the sample bottles and one bag. Who knows....maybe I'll like it better post-op. Their "powder in a bottle" design would be much improved if the bottle opening was large enough to put ice cubes in it.

I've tried a few different chewables. Some taste better than others, but none have been objectionable. FWIW, I could crunch on Flinstones and be content.

Powerful statement. That's some compelling motivation to stick with the plan.

I haven't cheated yet......but I'm only a week into it. It's easier for me if I stay focused and stick with it. Sushi is not so bad......better than hitting a Golden Corral. Get back on track and ride it out.

no, he's terrified of doctors and surgery and he doesn't want to do anything about his weight. I really don't think it's a matter of jealousy, he's just not a very romantic or considerate guy I'm finding out I was in a similar mindset up until last year. Didn't believe in going to the doctor for routine stuff. A strong disciple of the "if it ain't broke" school of thought. I started off having to make more appointments with my regular doctor for things.....he'd refer me to specialists who'd ultimately treat the various maladies. All the specialists had one suggestion in common......."You need to loose weight.....a lot of it, too". I'm dumb but not stupid. Heard that enough times to realize it was time take a serious approach to my weight or else the huge medical bills and maladies would escalate. Dumb that I let the financial side of be the catalyst more than the physical concerns. I'm just glad my focus arrived before my weight paved the way to an early death. Hopefully he'll come around and realize life doesn't have to be lived like that. Maybe your progress will inspire him to be open minded and make healthy changes.

In the seminar conducted by the first surgeon I consulted......he gave a scary statistic on post-op divorce rates. Got my attention.

I'm sorry to hear things are like they are. Being a husband........I can speak from experience that I do some pretty boneheaded stuff at times. Boneheaded by own admission, yet most likely worse from my wife's perspective. She must think I'm a moron at times. I do feel that a lot of stuff in my marriage can be cleared up just by getting it out in the open. Discussing it. I sure as hell don't have a crystal ball......I work long hours......usually in pain in numerous areas.......so I don't "see" a lot of stuff. Sleep-shower-work-shower-sleep..... Things work out best for us when we stay in communication and I'm not expected see and know everything. Long weekends and days off are different. We sort of fall into the same pace and relax. I also think this bariatric stuff is a huge deal.....tremendous part of life that our spouses may not understand. They may not realize how much you put into it. They may not acknowledge your efforts. One thing for certain is the old adage, "Ignorance is bliss" is a bunch of hogwash. As I husband, I benefit greatly from being kept in the loop on stuff. The best times we have are a few minutes a day when we block out all else and just talk. No mysteries and guesswork. In sync.

Huge appreciation to each of you. Thank you for the encouragement. It means a great deal coming from those that have been there and done it....and have the smaller t-shirts to prove it. Those cases demonstrate some tremendous amounts lost in such a short time. It is certainly helpful to see it can happen. Thank you for sharing those. I screwed up earlier tonight. Had a Breakfast shake when I woke up at 2:30 pm. Been busy at work all evening and all of the sudden I started feeling puny. I realized it was 10:30pm and I'd had zero calories since breakfast. I was never hungry, either. I mixed up a shake and knocked it back. I felt completely fine in ten minutes. I'd forgotten how the hunger diminishes while in ketosis. It's a pleasant reminder from my Adkins days. I'll stay on schedule from now on. Looking forward to 9:00am when I should be getting into bed. Hoping for 7 solid hours of sleep. I can almost feel it now........

You have got this !!!! Your desire to get where you want to be will motivate you to be strict and successful. You'll reap the rewards every day of your life. I hate the booths in restaurants, too. Hearing my wife and don tell the greater to make sure we get a table not a booth makes me cringe and get more motivated to get my arse into "booth size" shape. Best of luck.....right there with you on the surgery date, too.

Very grateful to see this thread. Thanks to everyone who posted their successes.

My surgery is scheduled for Oct 13th. I had my upper endoscopy on Tuesday. Surgeon came by afterwards and said he found a hiatal hernia as well during the scope. He's already planning on repairing a large umbilical hernia, then the sleeve and now the hiatal hernia as well. I guess I'm getting my money's worth. I've had two open abdominal surgeries in the past. Both were outpatient. Both sucked outright. I'm glad that this is being done with a hospital stay and obviously glad that it's laparoscopic. FWIW.....I'd been saying all along that I wanted a bypass. The first surgeon I was working with said it was doable, but I needed to be aggressive on my weight loss leading up to the surgery (at the time I thought I had ~8 months). I switched over to another program that my insurance company mandated (a Center of Excellence certified program) and had a new surgeon. Long story short is that I dropped the insurance and chose to self fund to speed things up. My new surgeon was very clear in that he though the sleeve would be better for me. He felt that I'd benefit more from it right now....less complications with the elevated BMI, bone-on-bone knee situation, back issues....ability to use NSAIDs and reap their benefit. I was going to have hernia repair this Fall anyway......decided to go this direction at his advice. I'll work his plan hard and do what I can to get my results. Down the road.....were there ever a need......I can use my insurance and have my sleeve revised to a bypass. I am not proceeding as if this is a safety net.....but it is nice to know that there are options in the future. I do not have diabetes, nor is there any family history of it. This combined with the reasons above as well as some other issues made the sleeve vs bypass decision easier for me. Everyone has unique circumstances.

I"m pre-op so I haven't hit that taste changing phenomenon. I do like Crystal Light in most every flavor that I've tried. I notice that there is a wide, wide range in sweetness in the various flavors. Their grape is awesome.....I really enjoy it.....but its much sweeter than other version. I loaded up this week when the local BiLo store had Crystal Light on sale. I looked like a Crystal Light fiend when I hit the checkout line.

Funny stuff. Truly aggravating how easy is seem for some folks. I've watched my wife for decades......will go out with me....go to our favorite spots like Cheesecake Factory....have some calorie laden frozen cocktails.......then a ginormous salad with all the rich dressing toppings.......then a killer entree.......then a piece of cheesecake.....and another to go. She'll eat all the stuff I've frequently grilled: ribs, pulled pork, sausages, steaks, etc. etc. Enjoy it with the mac'n'cheese, baked Beans, sugary slaw and etc. She's basically enjoyed all the stuff I've enjoyed over the years. The aggravating part is that she maintains a weight that's darn near the recommended height-weight recommendations. Her keys to staying thin are to weigh at least twice a week and make course corrections. She'll kick up the cardio for a few days and get back into line. She'll eat better choices....healthy stuff most of the time independently but then indulge in stuff with me. I strive to be like her.........get to goal.......and set up the structure to freaking stay there while enjoying life all along. I'm hoping that by kicking up the cardio and living a more active lifestyle I will awaken the machinery that will help me feel better and stay in the weight range that I structure for myself. Course corrections all along the way and stopping to smell the roses, too.

That is what I'd expect, too. How worried are you ? Let that worry motivate you.....and not just for insurance reasons. Does your surgeon require a pre-op diet of any kind ? Only you know where you stand in terms of BMI, health issues and comorbiities. Only you know the real risks at this point. For me things were fairly straightforward. I was told by the staff of both surgeons that I've dealt with along the way this Summer-Fall that they would delay surgery if they saw weight gains as they believed it's a sign that you aren't ready. The two that I've dealt with were real sticklers about this and each went out of their way to show actual surgical films that show the liver of folks that did the pre-op diet successfully vs folks that didn't . It really hit home when you see them lift up the liver and suspend it out of the way so they can work. I was convinced that I wanted to do whatever I could to allow my liver to get smaller and less prone to damage when lifted. It makes sticking to this short pre-op diet a piece of cake. That footage scared me. I'm not kidding about the difference in patients, either. It was hard for many in our class to watch.....but it was powerful stuff to see. Sh!t got real. I try to keep in mind that the goal is weight loss......before a& after surgery......weight loss. Giving my back, knees a much needed break. Anyway....not trying to be a jerk......just hoping that you'll keep in mind that the insurance guidelines aren't the ones that really matter. There's a compelling reason you are doing this surgery that is unique to you. It's important to you for some specific reason. Tap into satisfying that need and let it drive your behaviors towards positive results. I wish you the best. You can do anything.....anything that your mind gets behind and wants.

Well said. Combine that with the fact that every patient has unique circumstances and it's understandable there is a range of treatments. One of the things I value is the nutritionist's take on things. Both of the ladies that I'm currently working with have each had wls and understand things at a very personal level. Their insight is really valued.

Not only did the samples come in today.....but so did the regular order. i haven' tried their Protein powder yet.....but wow.....each of the chewables taste great. Like candy. These Calcium citrate bites are off the chain !!!! I will look forward to Vitamin time every day. I need to refer back to the info the nutritionist gave me about the timing of all this. I'm fairly certain she said to stagger the combustion of the various supplements throughout the day. Some don't play well with others and have to be timed separately to get the benefits. Also some were to be taken with the Protein shakes.....some as stand alone. The flavors, though....so far without even trying their protein powders......I'll give Bariatric Advantage an A+ on product flavor and desirability. Their standard and even free shipping at this order level....was really fast. There was also a freezer pack enclosed inside the box. Everything was very carefully packed. These folks impressed me. It's pricey....but I figured I'd start of with the stuff I liked during the next couple months of weirdness. It's certainly less pricey than what I've spent on my own frequent drive-thru forays before & after work.....combined with the expensive fried grub at the worksite cafeteria. I figure that I was spending $36 a day on fast food & Snacks. The financial cost and the physical toll such eating was taking on my body.........INSANE. Quality supplements and protein will be so much better all the way around. I have some unjury powders coming and that should take care of me for a good while. I grabbed some of their chicken Soup in hopes that it's a nice change up when I'm home from the hospital and sore but hungry.

I didn't feel much like stopping at the store on the way home from work this morning.....but Biotin and Gas-X strips are high priority items for me to get and stash in my "hospital bag". I was thinking that best thing for me to do would be atay as busy as possible prior to the surgery. Woke up early today and wanted some java and relax for an hour or two watching some college football. I wasn't prepared for what HD TV had offer........one Hooters, Hardees, Zaxby's commercial after another. GRGRRRRRR !!! On the positive side of things, a box arrived from Bariatric Advantage with some sample chewable Multivitamins (berry is much better than orange I found out) and some bottles of Protein powder (chocolate, Mocha and Banana). I like the convenience if nothing else.....it comes in single serve bottles with just the Protein Powder.....you fill to top of label with Water and shake it up. Super convenient and lightweight portability. I'll test run them tonight and report back on my flavor impressions. I was caught off guard at work last night by what I did on my final day of work last week...... I'd removed all the stuff from my desk and locker that wouldn't be permissible for my future diet. No packs of tuna. No Quest bars. No ibuprofen or Aleve....etc. I did this in anticipation of knowing I'd be returning to work on the pre-op restrictiveness. No problems with the foods. I am toting in my protein powders daily. What I forgot was to bring some Tylenol. Not too wise. Temperature drops, rain........first day back at work and trying to achieve my fitbit step goal all combined with the arthritis wasn't fun. I'd forgotten how much i rely on the use of Advil.....too much of the stuff. 800mg at least twice a day. It was a good reminder and I suspect the need for this stuff will seriously decline as the weight keeps falling off.....certainly a great incentive to reach goal and maintain it. It also helped reaffirm the sleeve for me as I can use Advil and the like on days where it's absolutely necessary. I'm looking forward to the days where my aches and pains come mainly from self inflicted punishment from gym work and other active adventures.