Rainbow_Warrior

And you're still pre-op with 90 days to wait? Ouch.

Sublingual is the way to go ... i.e. melt under the tongue. Blackmore's Vitamins come in a style called "Rapi-Melts". They melt in less than ten seconds under your warm wet tongue.

ISOWHEY for low-sugar, high-protein, medium fibre. (Online or in pharmacies) ALDI Slim & Trim for sweet taste and high-protein. (Aldi supermarkets)

Best? Best value? I am into my fifth year of ownership of a Tribest XL which, back in late 2012, cost about $AUS156 with the 'deluxe' pack: two extra large cups, two large, two small; two blades; four screw top sealer lids, six sipper lids. It's very powerful for its size but is 'small footprint'. Nothing frozen or tough has stopped it so far. The instructions say that meat pieces should be small cubes or tiny strips. Worth a look! Half to a third the price of some very expensive ones that don't do so well in consumer tests.

Was this a result of a longitudinal study? A sociological study? Was it a Facebook post? Was it part of a book? Or a thesis? Was it in a magazine in a cafe? What sort of veracity can we expect from the source.

I did not say that. You drew that assumption. If the teacher is properly qualified, has an in-depth subject knowledge, runs lessons to the curriculum/syllabus mandated by the state and the education district, has mandatory Level III First Aid and Emergency Care training and, as well, is "safe" in all respects to work with children, that is great. That any teacher can bond 100% with 20-32 individuals in their class these days is nigh on impossible. With mandated state and national testing the big focus of school systems these days, the best teachers do their best to be fair, organised and entertaining to kids of diverse social, ethnic and economic backgrounds. We just hope that ALL the children possible will be on task and stay on task so that the educational leader (teacher) gets them through the range of knowledge, skills and experiences required. My grandkids all like school but they are all different but they are polite and friendly and are shown that in return. I chip in by doing reading support for three hours on one day and physical education support for two hours on another day. Schools are brimming with refuse-niks and misfits these days ... kids who bring their home hang-ups and eccentricities to school. The teachers at the primary and high school where the grandkids go do their 100% whenever I see them interacting. - - - As for being "a while for me", and you only being 26, I might say I am in my sixties but I can remember back to every Thursday afternoon and every Tuesday morning since the last summer vacation when I have done my volunteer hours at the schools in question. I was also there (at my eldest grandchild's high school) last autumn vacation for three of the sixteen days helping out the grounds-staff with my pressure sprayer and leaf-blower. I am very much in touch with schools and education.

Can you give a brief summary of what this is and what the key tips she suggested are, please? (Here or maybe in a new thread.) [I am using a search engine in the meantime!]

I want a professional, highly versed in her/his job, well-trained, adaptable. Friendliness is a bonus. Friendship or bonding is NOT a requirement. I want the same attributes in my plumber, my electrician, my grandkids' teachers, my hairdresser, etc ...

Hallelujah, Apple1. I was looking at the statistics and anecdotes of many people post WLS, the successes, the partial successes, the failures and the in-between post-operatives. Without a doubt, the most common causes of failures with gastric sleeving and RNY are: (a) rushing back to old trigger foods (b) not breaking the relationship with soft-drinks/sodas (c) not moving forward on the issues of only eating to satiety (d) other bad "old" habits (e) brand new bad habits - - - Aware of those things, I'm 'arming' mentally ... I have no intention of wasting this chance to grab extra years of life.

A very common revelation here, Kim. I think it accounts for at least 95% but probably nearly 99% of WLS. My wife (60yo) has a gastric balloon, her second, which is two weeks old. Her first gastric band was in eight months for a 30kg (67 pounds) loss. I am awaiting my gastric sleeve surgery on Oct 12 ... just 25 days now. (It's 8am Sunday 17th in eastern Australia as I write.) My son-in-law was 208kg on 25 Jan 2015. He lost 28kg (61pounds) before surgery in July that year. Now, 26 months on, he is 99kg. He's a very tall man. His success has convinced me that my surgery is a best choice for me. My wife and I share home with three older very demanding (i.e. NOISY) cats.

The wandering reference was that, at the gym I used to go to, there were three classes of employee/attedant. 1. the person who runs a class or is an active personal trainer 2. a desk-bound "clerk" who is a receptionist or enrolment person 3. everyone else. The wanderers who close doors, mop messes, put weights away, wipe benches, etc.

But the post where I said I was offering my 2c worth was NOT negative. In fact, it canvassed other ways to deal with the thoughts that the O.P. was having ... i.e. another way of dealing with the concern. And, also, you might have looked a tad harder and seen that TWICE in that conversation thread, the O.P. actually thanked me for the reflections and opinions. She/he did not perceive any vein of negativity.

No issue with the protein/nutrition "demand". I noted that there were great low-sugar protein shakes compared to Unjury and Nestle Optifast. As for taste, it's a bonus if the taste is acceptable to excellent. But good taste can be achieved without having 2X to 6X the sugar. There are some stand-out good flavoured, low sugar protein shakes. I like the fact that Isowhey is 87% to 94% protein and tastes great because of the successful flavour marriages. The last thing the recovering obese folks need is the sugar/sucrose/glucose "hit". And, I note, in reading some of the Unjury nutritional panels, there are some low sugar choices. (Unlike Optifast, FatBlaster and Protein Food) - - - Also, re taste, we can learn that "difficult" tastes are a trade off. In my own case, if I know a food or medicine is for my ultimate benefit, I can accept the fact that there maybe a slight/moderate unpalatability factor. We are adults and should be able to realise that.

Good point. I went with Nestles Optifast on my first shopping excursion ONLY BECAUSE MY DIETITIAN SPECIFICALLY RECOMMENDS IT. - - - But, after some research and commonsense, I have given up on Nestle Optifast for the future because: (a) poor value ... only 18 packs and 12 packs ... and, even on 20% general discount, more expensive than undiscounted ALMOST 100% IDENTICAL brands. e.g. An 18 pack of Optifast on the best special price is $AUS52 (or 36 for $104) which is $AUS2.89 per serve. Optislim, OTOH, a 99% identical formula, which comes in 21 packs is on an almost permanent two for $AUS55 which equates to $AUS1.31 per serve. Isowhey, a lower sugar, more fibre product is $AUS1.77 per serve normally and $AUS1.60 n discount. Optislim Rapid, the low-sugar, low-calorie version at two 21-packs for $65 full-time is $AUS1.55 per serve Optifast by the Swiss Nestle is a giant wallet ripoff. (b) Immorality! This is really galling. On the one-hand, Nestle owns lots of food and confectionery companies which worked their proverbial arses (asses for my USA readers) off selling us 5h1t to make us fat or obese in the first place. The seductive ads to get us to buy less nutritional and dubious foods ... but then they're waiting with a high-cost paid solution to help alleviate obesity. Grrrrr. That is why I will buy almost any other brand that IS NOT at "both ends" of the "get-fat, lose weight" continuum.

Yes, Isowhey 672g packs are 33% off at Chemist Warehouse & Priceline. Optifast (which I have resolved to buy no more) is 25% to 21% off at CW, PL and Pharmacy For Less. Optislim and Optislim-Rapid are two for $55 and two for $65 respectively ALMOST all the time. They come in 21 packs (compared to Optifast at 18 per pack).

The thing with UNJURY & OPTIFAST & OPTISLIM REGULAR is the 20%-27% sugars per 100g. UNJURY (in some flavours) has low-to-zero dietary fibre. I like to give top billing to ISOWHEY as it's 5%-7% sugar per 100g. It also rates well with 5%-12% fibre per 100g. Second best, in my observation, is OPTISLIM RAPID. ISOWHEY & OPTISLIM RAPID are also 40% less energy (calories) per serve. They taste all right and have 4-5 main flavours each

Yes, njgal, I probably need to put that on my extensive practice list or to-do list.

It's sad that they don't "all sing from the same page", so to speak. This must make a lot of food addicted sleevers reticent to move forward. I'm planning to stay away from my trigger foods or at least pre-plan their occasional appearance in my food diary.

City: Newcastle Postcode: 2300 Population: 177000 State: New South Wales (a.k.a. NSW) Country: Australia

1. Peeling off a few more kilograms and shrinking my liver in the process. 2. Practising drinking 1.75 to 2.5 litres of water per day. (Hard work.) 3. Practising the stretch in my protein consumption. 4. Checking out the quality pureed food packs at ALDI ready for post-op eating. 5. Using the blender (more than ever before) to liquidise/puree raw fruit & veges. 6. Reading the dietitian's folders. Reading advice from sleevers past and present. 7. Ending my connection to high consumption bread and beer ... practising abstinence and minimisation. 8. Warning "the trusted few" which signs to warn me of post-op. 9. Stockpiling discounted Optifast and discounted Isowhey for shakes now, soon and later. 10. Various other bits of self re-education.

A whoops moment, eh?

A bit negative there, SummerSet. In actual fact, my fitness improved massively over time. There was a range of positives albeit NOT long-lived ones. Week 1 - I could hold my breath underwater for 18 seconds and swim about 12 laps slowly in 14 minutes. Week 75 - I could hold my breath for 47 seconds underwater and swim 120 laps in 117 minutes. Week 1 - my belt was buckled at the third hole. Week 75 - my belt was buckled at the eleventh hole. I was down 2 or 3 slacks/jeans sizes depending on brand. I was down 3 shirt sizes (6XL to 3XL). In the initial stages I lost a lot of body mass but struggled to lose more later on. The NSVs were okay. I came from a BMI near 52 to the low 40s. Sadly, not long after, I yo-yoed back towards my old self ... as described elsewhere.

There's more than one way to skin the proverbial cat, Oompa Lumps. And there's more than one way to seek intimate pleasure. Nudge, nudge ...

The local indigenous people were considered vermin by the British military and the transported convicts. Unlike the white New Zealanders, we subjugated the indigenous people and usurped their traditional lands and never made a treaty. From 1770 to 1967, we considered all Aboriginal Australians non-human. A referendum in 1967 conferred the right of indigenous to be counted in the Census(es) every five years from 1971-on. In NZ, a Treaty in the 1920s established shared rights that the whites/British/Europeans could stay on with the blessing of the Maoris/Polynesians/NZ-indigenous. No Thanksgiving here in Australia as the poor black/brown Australians have nothing to give thanks for. A near-genocide took place here and resistors were shot and/or hung from trees and/or drowned. White Australians have a VERY black history here totalling 229-247 years. Scratch most white Australians and you will find a deep vein of active or dormant racism.

I have three siblings. I am eldest at 61. Sister #1 is 57; brother turns 56 two days after my op; sister #2 is 52. The elder three are all married; sister #2 has remained single all her life. Sister #2 is universally loved by all her nieces and nephews and her own children. Sister #2 and I are a great team. She was a tearaway teenager when i was in my late teens and early 20s and the other two were unmerciful to her and were both devout holier-than-thou christians. (Nothing wrong with christians, per se, but they don't have to drink five litres of self-righteous and eat three slices of judgmental every day!) I just listened and occasionally gave her a lift to LEGAL things she liked to do. As we've all aged, my mother has lamented "lack of togetherness" ... she's coming up to 84. Mother lived in sister #2's granny flat for the last five years but, just nine weeks ago, moved into sister #1's new home with sister #1 and her husband. (Sister #2 and her husband had a seven year separation which ended about 14-15 months ago.) n.b. My sisters live 3km (two miles) apart and I live almost exactly half-way between ... under 5 mins away from each. The brother lives, OTOH, lives 35 minutes away on the other side of the city from us. Sister #2 and I socialise and our kids communicate. Sister #1's kids communicate with their aunt and me and their cousins and their father but rarely their mother. (see a pattern here?) - - - Sister #1 comes to my house every three to four months and brings her list of grievances and suggestions, mostly grievances. (She also does this to sister #2 but even more regularly!!!) I wait until my sister (#1) and brother-in-law are at work or away from home before I call in to visit mum a few times (2 to 3) per week. I like my brother-in-law but I cringe in dealing with his wife, my own next-in-line sibling; she is a pitiful, whiney, judgemental pain-in-the-arse. - - - So, sister #2 knows the ins and outs of my life and me hers. She knows about my upcoming surgery. I think I have the makings of a TV drama to rival G.O.T. right here.