biginjapan

Pre-made shakes are unavailable for me here in Japan so I have to make all my own shakes. So far my favourite brand is Syntrax - I have their unflavoured, chocolate, and vanilla protein powders, as well as various flavours of nectar (roadside lemonade, green apple, pink grapefruit, very berry) - they taste great, like regular juice. I also add PB2 peanut butter powder to my chocolate shakes for a little added flavour and protein. Except for the nectars, I mix all my shakes with low-fat soy or unsweetened almond milk so they have a richer flavour (I'm not allowed any dairy at the moment). I also have some unflavoured Isopure but I haven't tried it yet (I'm saving it for post-op).

I love the dress! I can't wait to wear something like that. I can remember when I was only 105 kgs - I guess that's 5 years ago now. But I'm on my pre-op diet and have already lost 6 kgs so I'm slowly but surely getting there. Just curious - why do you have to wait so long for the surgery? Are you required to go through tests and dieting like many in the U.S. have to do for insurance purposes?

I'm having my sleeve done a week after you! Good luck! From what I've read on these forums, the most important thing to worry about in the week post-op is to keep your fluids up and try to get as much in as you can. Don't worry about Protein so much in the first week - some people can't tolerate it all. The main thing is to not get dehydrated and end up back in the hospital.

I have a Fitbit One - I hate wearing anything on my wrist, so I like the clip on aspect of it (I clip it onto my bra). That said, I may upgrade to a Charge, Blaze, or Surge in the future when my physical activity will warrant having a heart rate monitor. But right now I walk, and will probably continue to do so for a few months after surgery, so I'm waiting on that.

@vsg_dan: Nice video! Like you, I'm on a low carb high Protein diet during my pre-op. I'm two weeks in, have one more week to go. I have to say that I haven't had any cravings or any real hunger, although I do get hungry or light-headed if I don't drink Protein drinks between meals. I've lost 14 pounds in 10 days (still holding steady since then) which is good. Five more pounds and I will have lost all the weight I gained last year. I was hoping for a Valentine's day surgery, but mine will be done 5 days earlier. Can't wait!

15,000 Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 5 I've been taking a much lower dose (5,000) - but I'll be taking more after I have my surgery next week!

How many milligrams is the Biotin you take?

Congrats - I'll be having surgery two days after you. I've taken a couple of full body photos but they are not the greatest. I'll try again sometime before next week. Good luck with your surgery!

It's day 11 (now 12) of 21. I did feel some hunger the first few days, but I really don't anymore, as long as I eat real food either for Breakfast or for lunch. And it's like the cravings stopped overnight, which I can't explain, since that's something I've struggled with all my life.

Me too. Adding PB2 to a chocolate shake is fab!

I'm also using the Baritastic App. I'm on day 11 of my pre-op diet, which doesn't seem like one compared to everyone else's. I've fallen into this routine with it: Breakfast: "full" Protein shake: made with soy (or unsweetened almond) milk, one scoop Protein powder, and 1 tbsp of chia seed powder. If I use vaniila protein powder, I also add a 1/2 cup of frozen berries, like strawberries or raspberries to the shake (which I'm allowed). If I use chocolate protein powder, I also add some PB Peanut Butter powder (yum) and maybe half a banana. Morning "snack": Syntrax nectar Protein Drink. It's just Water and the powder, but tastes great. I drink one of these throughout the morning. Lunch: Right now I've been eating 100g (4oz) of some high quality salmon (or tuna) sashimi, with a side of cooked spinach and/or green salad. The last two come from the open deli section of my supermarket where I work. If I plan ahead, then I'll cook lunch which will be poached chicken or salmon on a bed of lettuce with some olive oil (1tbsp) for dressing. Afternoon snack: Another Syntrax protein drink and/or a bottle of herbal tea (lots of varieties here in Japan). Dinner: Surprisingly, I'm often not hungry for dinner, and have gone with just a Syntrax drink or tea and I'm usually okay. But my NUT wants me to keep my calories above 1200 each day, so to do that I'll either have some veggies (cherry tomatoes, etc.), gobo (burdock) salad, and/or maybe some chicken, fish, or thinly-sliced roast beef from the supermarket. I have lost 12 pounds so far, but my NUT says the focus is not on losing weight, but shrinking the liver and establishing an alkaline environment for the stomach.

Miso is a paste made of fermented soybeans. There's all kinds of miso - white, yellow, red, and black, although yellow and red are by far the most popular and available (I've never seen black miso). It's kind of high in sodium, if that's a concern for you. Most people know miso from miso soup, which is miso paste made with a broth called dashi (seaweed and dried fish or shiitake mushrooms (for vegetarians).) But miso can be used in many other ways, like using it as a marinade for fish or chicken (not that that helps you right now), or as a salad dressing, etc.

Actually, I was going to mention that too, but forgot!

I love Dr. Weiner! I binge-watched all of his videos on YouTube and knew this is what was right for me based on his videos. I really wish I could have had him as my doctor. I also bought his book but I haven't read it yet. I don't think I'll give up animal protein post-op, unless I can't handle it, but I really think his focus on vegetables is the right way to go.

I'm still in pre-op, but I've been using Better Than Bouillon when I want something more savoury, and to poach chicken in for added flavour. It's great - I'll never go back to regular bouillon cubes or stock again.

Great question - I have been wondering this too, but have been weighing virtually everything (besides liquids) because it's the only accurate way of really knowing.

No one moment was the one, but a series of events that happened over the course of a year must have impacted me somehow, because I woke up one morning, sat down at my computer, and started researching WLS, having never thought about it before. Never. I've mentioned a few of these moments before, but there are also some new ones: Having an appendectomy. My experience in the hospital made me realize that I never wanted to be hospitalized in Japan ever. I also had herniated disc in my back which lead to some really bad sciatica. I hate the thought of being incapacitated, and the fact that I'm single means I would have no one to take care of me, both physically and financially. So I knew I wanted to get healthy, and that meant losing weight. I like to travel, but now I actively search for airlines that have the largest economy seats. In addition, I have been cancelling plans (when travelling) to do certain activities I could have done in the past when I was thinner. I'm also avoiding meeting people I have known online, and have missed 2 family reunions, because I don't want people to see how big I've become. Last year, a large American woman in my city passed away. All the "big" ladies in the area, including me, were contacted to see if we wanted any of her clothes (I ended up with over a suitcase full). She had a lot of nice stuff, very pricey, some with the tags still on (smaller sizes - I do the same thing too.) But that got me thinking about what happens when you die in another country, especially when you are not married to a citizen of that country. I started planning for that eventuality, even though I'm not that old, because it may be a reality, partly due to my weight, even though I don't have any co-morbidities. I think that, combined with the 2 other reasons mentioned above, are what (subconsciously) motivated me to start this process.

Yes, I'm now into my second week. I'm allowed two small meals (lean protein/veggies) and 3 protein shakes a day, but for this week I'm dropping one of the meals to see how that goes. I started yesterday and it was fine - I did not have hunger issues throughout the day (or cravings, which a lot of people seem to have). In fact, I probably could have gone without the meal.

Another "niner" here - I'll be having my surgery south of the border. I can't believe it's only two weeks away.

I'm not sure - I'm guessing it's the B12 and other B Vitamins that are making me feel better, as that seems to be a common result for people. I've never taken before, so I'm going to assume it's that. Also, when I first started taking Biotin, I noticed a kind of tingling sensation over my scalp on a daily basis - that lasted at least six weeks (I don't feel it anymore). I can't tell if it really had an effect or not. I'm also using biotin shampoo and conditioners to help - they certainly give my hair more volume and thickness, but at the expense of softness.

My nutritionist has me on probiotics (to help the stomach post-op), calcium 3x a day, and B12 (but I take a B complex pill for the other benefits). I've also been taking a multivitamin, vitamin C, and extra biotin as well, to help counter (maybe) the hair loss. The last bit I've been taking since November, but the NUT recommendation has been since mid-January (probiotics were recommended to start as early as possible, but I only got my hands on some a couple weeks ago). My surgery is Feb. 9th. I have to say, that since I started taking the vitamins, I feel so much better and more energetic.

I'm so jealous - none of this is available to me at all! I do have protein powders that I've ordered from the U.S., and vitamins of all kinds - chewable, gummy, sublingual, etc - since I don't know what I'll be able to tolerate after the sleeve. However, being in Japan means I've got lots of tofu, soy, and miso products available to me, as well as other real sources of protein (like chicken and fish). My local supermarket has Oikos yogurt, but not the triple zero. Anyway, I'm sure I'll make do - even if I keep dreaming of a fridge that's filled like yours!