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Hello Luvmetru, Have you considered calling your nutrionist from your bariatric center and starting up with them again? Maybe a few visits to get you started on the right track again so you can lose the weight? I know it's not easy, we're all here because it's not easy, that's for sure. I wish you the best and hope you find what helps to kick things back up for ya.

I'm allowed 3/4 cup of food three times a day with 2 Snacks. I usually never eat that much. I try between 600-800 calories daily. I see a therapist that specializes in working with bariatric patients. He's wonderful because he understands everything I'm going through. This is a life changing event and having someone to talk to really helps!!

Yesterday I got a call from the surgeon's office to find out if they received the referral from the psych eval. I know I'm supposed to wait for them to call me but I'm too anxious. I know what the psych doc will say he told me that he sees no reason for me not to have the surgery. I called the Bariatric Coordinator and found out that she's going to be out of the office until the middle of next week. Well that is just unacceptable. I then called the surgeon's office and had his nurse call me back later that day. She said since they were so booked up that he wouldn't be able to see me until July so by the time I would have my appointment then they would have my evaulation and been able to review it. I now have my first visit on July 11th. I'm so excited. I know what to expect during this visit but I'm still curious about what the surgeon is going to talk to me about. Will he say he won't do it? Will he be able to do it soon? I asked the nurse for her honest estimation when I could be banded and she told me barring any extra tests at the earliest the end of July. WOW! That would be great. She says they already have the OR booked at the hospital here on the 15th and 29th of July so I could have one of those days. I'm going to talk to her today to see if I can knock out some of those tests needed early. I'm hoping I can. I told the doc at the first seminar I attended that I am VERY aggressive when it comes to something I want. Worse case senario they tell me I have to wait. We can only see.

Last Chance to Save on Registration for the 2015 Your Weight Matters National Convention! “I had bariatric surgery and I knew I had a second chance at life, so I wanted to do everything I could — even if it meant making myself extremely uncomfortable — to learn enough to be successful.” –Jennifer Coleman, Past Your Weight Matters Convention Attendee No matter where you are on your journey with weight – just getting started and considering all of your options, or several years out from a bariatric surgery – the 2015 Your Weight Matters National Convention offers you the RIGHT education to manage your weight and health. Attendees from across the Nation come together for this 3-day educational event featuring thought leaders in the fields of weight, health, nutrition, exercise and more. We invite you to join in, “Our Journey: Restore. Refresh. Renew.” at the 2015 Your Weight Matters National Convention taking place this August 13-16 in San Antonio! Register NOW for the Best Price! The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), host of the 2015 Your Weight Matters National Convention, strives to keep the prices affordable for all of our Convention attendees. Registration pricing will increase after June 5, so take advantage of this competitive price, including: $95 for a Full Convention Registration - includes access to all educational sessions, group exercise classes, meals (except for lunch) and tickets to special events. $30 for a One-day Registration – includes access to all educational sessions, group exercise classes and Thursday and Sunday’s special events. Meals are NOT included. After this Friday, June 5, registration pricing options will increase to $125 for a Full Convention Registration or $40 for a One-day Registration. With fun special events, an unsurpassed educational agenda and a welcoming community of attendees, the 2015 Your Weight Matters National Convention gives you the support and resources you need to manage your weight. Early-bird pricing ends on Friday, June 5, so get the savings by CLICKING HERE to register now!

Are you afraid of an unhappy outcome of your weight loss surgery? You're not alone. Use your fear to conquer obstacles rather than letting it conquer you For most of us starting a WLS journey, bariatric surgery is vast, uncharted territory, full of unknowns. We long for a happy outcome – maximum weight loss with minimum problems. We listen to stories told by other patients with a combination of hope (to be as successful as they’ve been) and fear (that we won’t experience the side effects or complications they talk about). No one wants to be haunted by the specter of anxiety and dread, but I think a little bit of fear is a good thing. I don’t want fear to dominate my life, but without it, I’m likely to become complacent about my weight loss success and/or revert to the old, all-too-comfortable ways that made me obese in the first place. In small doses, fear keeps me on my toes. Like pain tolerance, fear tolerance varies from one person to the next. Perhaps I’m able to tolerate and use fear because my childhood and adolescence were so full of fear-provoking experiences. By the time I was in my late 20’s, I actually got a little thrill out of fear, possibly because it stimulates adrenalin production. There’s nothing quite like a knife coming at you to activate your fight-or-flight system, causing a perverse fear “rush”. At the same time, prolonged exposure to fear has also taught me to respect it. I don’t play with fear the way daredevils like Evel Knievel did, risking life and limb for the brief thrill of jumping 14 buses at a time with his motorcycle. But I do like the way fear can clear my mental field, forcing me to draw a line between important and unimportant. When the choice is survival or surrender, I’d rather choose survival. I’m not a quitter. When challenged, I’m going to fight back, especially if something precious like my health is at stake. If fear tends to paralyze rather than mobilize you, you may have to use your own compass to navigate a problem, or play follow-the-leader (provided you have a trustworthy leader) instead. Whatever you do, don’t give in. Giving in turns you into a victim (click here to read an article about victim mentality: http://www.lapbandta...-of-obesity-r79), which is not a position of strength in any battle worth fighting. And your health is worth fighting for, isn’t it? So, how can you make fear a working partner in your WLS journey? Let’s take a closer look at two of the more common faces of fear. FEAR OF FAILURE Somewhere between my first, mandatory pre-op educational seminar and my pre-op liver shrink diet, I became uncomfortably aware of a shadow that followed me everywhere. It was dark and scary, and even bigger than I was. It was my fear of failure. After decades of struggle – diets, weight loss, weight gain – I felt that WLS was my absolute last chance to be healthy. And after slogging through all those pre-op tests, evaluations, consults and procedures, I danged well was not going to fail this time. Since I had to admit that my weight management skills were sadly lacking back then (as amply proven by the number on the scale and the numbers in my medical files), the only option available to me was to become the most compliant patient my surgeon ever had (click here to read an article about patient compliance: http://www.lapbandta...g-deal-abo-r112). I had to believe that he and his staff knew what they were doing and would guide me well. I’m a very curious and often mouthy person, so I asked a lot of questions and did my best to understand what was going on in me and around me, but I spent very little time trying to second-guess the instructions I was given. That approach freed up a lot of time and energy that I was then able to devote to changing my eating and other behaviors in ways that helped my weight loss. FEAR OF COMPLICATIONS Compliance served me well I this area also. I can’t claim that I was never tempted to cheat on my pre or post-op diets or to test my band’s limits. I can’t claim that I believed I’d be forever exempt from the side effects and complications I heard about from other WLS patients. But when my dietitian told me (for example) that I’d be mighty sorry if I accidentally swallowed a wad of chewing gum and had to have it scraped out of my stoma, I quickly lost my interest in chewing gum. When I observed that many bandsters experienced certain types of side effects and complications after engaging in certain types of risky behaviors, I resolved not to follow them down the road of no return. Eventually I discovered that life after WLS can deliver some unpleasant surprises, just as in every other aspect of life. I had to learn some things the hard way, like: If you swallow a large antibiotic capsule that can’t pass through your stoma and slowly dissolves into a corrosive mess, you will end up in the ER thinking you’re having a heart attack (and end up with a big unfill). And no, liquid antibiotics don’t taste good, but they taste a lot better than the weight I regained after that unfill. Most of the mistakes I made were the result of impatience or carelessness, but I did my best to learn from those mistakes and keep moving on. A handful of mistakes was about all it took for me to decide not to challenge the validity of my surgeon’s and dietitian’s instructions, and that kept me trudging along the bandwagon trail, getting ever closer to my weight goal. And once I reached that wonderful place, I was determined to stay there!

I could swallow everything except for Ursodiol and those giant calcium tablets as soon as I got out of the hospital. The PA at my bariatric clinic said anything the size of a pencil eraser or smaller could be swallowed whole - so, I did. The above poster is correct, though - some meds can't be crushed, so check with your doctor or pharmacist.

They have a fabulous bariatric program. I hv Aetna and they cover it all. All my surgery cost was my copay of $125. Dr Hallowell is awesome and so is his whole staff. I asked him bout plicaton n he said he does it with every band because the band company recommends it for better results.

Oh wow...I had the worst itchy stomach too and small red bumps around only one of my incisions. The doctor said that's all part of the normal healing process. But now that I think about it, since I took the bandages off that one incision site, the itchy's are gone...hmmm. Odd that it'd only happen in one spot. I was sleeved on the 29th and went back to work yesterday. So far so good, but did have to take a couple of breaks and rest and took 2 shots of pain medication. I had stopped taking the pain meds but didn't want to wait in case the pain got worse. I feel better and better every day but I know I'm not getting in enough Protein and just dread the hair loss! I have super curly hair and have heard that when hair grows back, it tends to come back as a different texture. Water is also pretty narly right now. I tried Crystal Light but that didn't do much for the taste, what helps is making sure it's very, very cold and adding a little bit of cranberry juice. I tried pushing myself too fast on what food I could eat, I thought since the Dr. said it was okay to eat the next stage that I'd be okay as long as I chewed my food really well. I ended up feeling kinda queasy and gassy, so I've gone back to eating pureed food. A problem for me is taking my Calcium. I ordered from Bariatric Advantage and it's just so hard to get that chewable down. Ugh! Does anyone have any suggestions? Laura 5'2, 41 y.o., sleeved by Dr. Wallace, Suburban Surgical Care 310 before starting pre-op diet 294 day of surgery weight 274 currently

I am one week post-op, and feeling well today. I went out with my Mom, sister, and some friends, and did quite a bit of walking, and even some shopping! Took the train home, and when DH picked me up at the station, I was a bit tired and sore, but really not bad at all. The worst is behind me! Weight-wise, well, I'm copying from a post I just made: Holy canoli, what a difference a week makes! Even though I was only just banded last Tuesday, check this out!!! The first pic is from last Monday (1 day pre-op), the second set are from today. This gives me renewed energy to keep on with the liquid diet!!!

Www.WLSvitamins.com has vitamins made special for bariatric patients.

PAR, that's a very slippery slope you've tried to manage and it is one best left alone. The best way to discuss these things is in one of the support groups where everyone, including the employees, open up about their experiences. They generally tell their beginning weight and what they have lost to date and sometimes show the before and after pictures. This is where you will get the true gist of what is working for whom. Some people have larger amounts of weight to lose and it takes them quite awhile to get to the point that you might not consider them to be overweight. Everyone is different and not all bariatric patients wish to keep working to get thin. Some just want to get enough weight off to help them deal with their medical problems. I'm not that familiar with the band but from what I've read on here, the weight loss is slower than with the other surgeries so you can compare the bands with the VSG or the By-Pass. The surgery is a tool to assist patients with their diets, it's not a miracle cure and it won't work unless you stick to the diet and we all know that not everybody sticks to the diet. So, you can't look at that particular Bariatric Office to see if the surgery is successful. This forum is awesome and you can see by the posts people make, that they are getting out of the surgery exactly what they put into it. Some people have better results than others, it's just one of those things. Another thing, are you having the lap band? If not then you should be directing your questions more towards the people that have the surgery you plan on getting. I had the sleeve on Feb. 10th, I've lost 46 pounds and I feel its the best thing I've ever done for myself. Good luck.

I was told by my Bariatric nutritionist that meats did not have to be pureed, but rather chopped finely and moistened with broth, fat free gravy, or low-fat Mayo. As long as you chew properly, the food is pureed before it hits your stomach. Chicken salad and tuna were staples of mine. I also did shredded crock pot meats that were chopped prior.

I don't think that is common. I would be insistent with your bariatric team about follow up to determine what might be going on. Good luck!

So I'm sitting with the bariatric coordinator now and she is scheduling my surgery July 7th!! Finally a date set in stone!!!! So ecstatic! just thought is share with you all!

I haven't been here in a few months but I had not given up on getting VSG surgery approved. I've written some posts which tell more of my story if anyone is interested and is going through the same thing: http://www.verticals...er-suggestions/ This has been such an emotionally draining time that I wanted to share that I have finally had SUCCESS and I thank all of those who encouraged me to keep trying. I will be having a Lapband removal and revision to Sleeve - Surgery date not scheduled yet since my surgeon's office said they have to see if any pre-tests will be required. I was originally denied by UHC in August stating that I had not met their requirements since I hadn't completed a 6 month pre-op physician supervised diet. I was, however, approved for the Lapband removal due to complications. I wanted both done at the same time and found the fact that they approved one and not the other completely illogical. My surgeon's office suggested I move forward to start a physician supervised program (since UHC says it specifically cannot be a Bariatric physician). I started seeing my primary care Dr. specifically for weight loss. I had recently moved to FL so had to find a primary care Dr. to begin with. So essentially I decided to go down both tracks - appeal the denial as well as work on the six months pre-op diet so, in my mind, worst case I would still qualify by March. However, I was still upset about the whole 'principle' - or lack of - principle of requiring someone who lived with the Lapband for so long to do another 6 month pre-op diet. I sent an appeal letter to UHC and received the most ridiculous response I have ever seen - let alone another denial. They had another Dr. review my case - someone supposedly with knowlege of bariatrics and his lame reason for denying me was that since I had failed with the Lapband I would just fail again with a Sleeve and then I would be asking for a gastric bypass - almost his exact words... no lie. This infuriated me and showed a total lack of knowledge on his part in my opinion. I mean, just like that, this Dr. who does not know me at all, has never even spoken to me, let alone examined me, decides that I am just a BIG failure!!! I was told the next level of appeal would go to my employer since my employer self insures the plan or something like that. In the meantime I continued to go for my monthly Primary Dr. visits and the first few months lost about 5 lbs then after the holidays gained that back and more. I forgot to mention that my Band was unfilled back in July and my appetite has been worse than ever let alone that I can now eat a whole lot more plus things I couldn't eat for years. It took me another month or so to finally write my second appeal letter which went to my employer. By the time I sent it off it had grown to 70 pages - 2 for the letter and the rest my prior letter, denials and other medical records. The first appeal letter was 4 pages of a letter and 30 pages of records but I went ahead and obtained more records in the interim from my podiatrist, etc. I didn't intend for this post to be so long - I guess I'm kind of venting along the way so forgive me for that. I finally received a letter from my Employer the other day stating that they, too, had had another surgeon review my case who had bariatric experience and this Dr. (bless him) completed validated my case - stated that both surgeries are absolutely medically necessary and that I was correct in pointing out that UHC's own Bariatric policy contradicted them denying me both times before. I choked up as I read his words - and just praised God for his answer to my prayers! I don't have a date yet - I am supposed to hear from the Nurse at my surgeon's office on Monday to go over my health questionnaire to see if I need any pre-tests for sleep apnea, etc. I am really healthy other than my morbid obesity and even when I had Lapband in 2006 only had to have a pulmonary test done aside from the routine blood, etc. So if all goes well I may still have the surgery by the end of the month or in March. All this to say that if you are going through the same type of thing - particularly with UHC - DON'T GIVE UP!!! I'm willing to share my letter with anyone interested - email me if you want a copy. It's sad that they make us go through all of this; upon reflection it has all the more strengthened my resolve, but will still really unnecessary. As my plans progress I'll post in other topics. Thanks. Susie

In addition to the Surgical Review Corp. linked to above, Medicare will cover surgery at centers certified for Bariatric Surgery through the American College of Surgeons, a seperate program. I don't have the link for that handy. From a sticky above I found this link for Medicare approved Bariatric Surgery sites: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareApprovedFacilitie/BSF/list.asp#TopOfPage

Jen good luck. I don't want to discourage your pursuit to get your insurance to pay for the surgery. The others you mentioned, do they work for your company? I still stand firm in that BCBSSC will pay for the surgery if your company paid for this benefit and you meet their criteria for bariatric surgery.

There is a lot of misunderstanding about telogen effluvium (post-surgery hair loss), so I thought I would post about it. Even bariatric clinics sometimes don’t understand or explain this condition adequately. “It is normal to lose up to about 100 hairs a day on one's comb, brush, in the sink or on the pillow. This is the result of the normal hair growth cycle. Hairs will grow for a few years, then rest for a few months, shed, and regrow. Telogen is the name for the resting stage of the hair growth cycle. A telogen effluvium is when some stress causes hair roots to be pushed prematurely into the resting state.” ”If there is some ‘shock to the system,’ as many as 70% of the scalp hairs are then shed in large numbers about 2 months after the ‘shock.’ This sudden increase in hair loss, usually described as the hair coming out in handfuls, is acute telogen effluvium.” “Among the common causes are high fevers, childbirth, severe infections, severe chronic illness, severe psychological stress, major surgery or illnesses, over or under active thyroid gland, crash diets with inadequate Protein, and a variety of medications.” [Quotes from “Biotin and someone else didn’t doesn’t necessary have anything to do with respective amounts of hair loss. Which leads to… 3. You don’t need to do anything other than get enough protein. “No treatment is needed for most cases of telogen effluvium. Remember that the hairs fall out when a new hair growing beneath it pushes it out. Thus with this type of hair loss, hair falling out is a sign of hair regrowth” [Telogen Effluvium Hair Loss]. You don’t need to take biotin. However, failing to meet your prescribed protein goals can also trigger this condition (see quote above about causes: “crash diets with inadequate protein”). 4. You can’t prevent it. Even if you get adequate protein, major surgery is still a shock to your body. Almost everyone who has bariatric surgery gets some degree of telogen effluvium afterwards. Someone who has lower surgery stress and thick and/or short hair might not even notice telogen effluvium. As someone who has been through this several times, I can reassure everyone worried about it that the effects are temporary and don’t do any long-term damage! Cheers

@@mrs kaje Thank you! Yes all Bariatric Pal has their own bars and other items .... Just click the little purple box at the top of the page that says "STORE" ...

Tuesday, July 21, 2009 Look for the Smilemarkers A sliver of moon was showing in the sky the other day while I was playing outside with my grandson, David (4yrs). As usual he wanted to know why. I told him the moon wanted to play with him. Later he was drinking chocolate milk on the front porch and said, "The moon is drinking chocolate milk. He has a chocolate milk mustache." I love it when a four year old can use his imagination and make a joke. I love it when a four year old accidentally amuses me. David was riding in the van with his dad when he announced, "I want my crocs (sandals)." His dad stopped the car and asked him what he was wearing on his feet. David replied in all seriousness, "Dad, I'm wearing my toes." Children and laughter go hand in hand. I love being a grandmother and not having to do much of anything when I babysit but enjoy the kids. My two year old granddaughter loves to play hide and seek in her house. She always hides in her closet and she always tells me she's going to hide in her closet. When I try to go home she frequently tells me I'm hungry and I need to eat in order to keep me there. LOL. She already knows my weakness. There's a lot of evidence that laughter is good medicine. The Reader's Digest knew that before there were studies proving it. I use a lot of silly humor when I teach. To teach the ang sound I have a picture-card of a vampire with fangs showing. I'll put on my best Transylvanian accent, make my hands into claws, and say," I vant to bite your neck; I vish to suck your blood." The kids all shriek and laugh and are more likely to remember that ang makes the sound you hear in fang. I have a game that involves tossing a soft ball back and forth between me and a group of kids while saying math facts. I love to watch for the kid who stops paying attention and I'll look at another child while throwing the ball at the daydreamer who frequently gets hit by the ball which cracks everyone up and serves notice to pay attention. Today I was on Lapbandtalk, which has become my on-line support group and one of the women told a hysterically funny dream she'd had about another member of the group. Can't repeat it here because it involved partial nudity and showing off a well-shaped body part. Jokes were still flying hours later when I checked back in. Some of the best and funniest speakers I ever heard were recovering alcoholics telling their stories at open AA meetings. Some of the things they did and the situations they got themselves into were, in retrospect, hysterically funny. Without the humor, they'd have been too painful to tell. The funniest stories I tell on myself involve my ADHD and some of the things I've done as a result. Humor makes pain palatable. I'm not talking about sarcasm or angry ranting expletive deleted humor. Frankly, I don't consider that humor because it tends to be at other's expense. I'm talking about self-deprecating humor. Humor that gently pokes fun at the human condition but doesn't denigrate others. One of the funniest stories my deceased mother-in-law told involved driving off to work with her teeth on top of the car. One of the funniest stories my son tells is what happened when he tied our 6 month old 75 lb. Chesapeake Bay Retriever to a lightweight charcoal grill in my parent's driveway. Thank God for the passing motorist who chased down the dog and stopped him before the grill chasing the dog down the street caused the dog to drop dead of a heart attack. These stories and jokes we tell each other can only happen in community. We weren't created to live in isolation. And I firmly believe that God laughs with us. We're created in his image and he loves us with all our foibles so he must have quite a sense of humor. Humor is his gift to us, a gracelet that allows us to be refreshed, renewed, re-created and ready for the next thing life throws at us. So, even though food addiction is a serious disease, I try not to take myself too seriously. Life is a journey. Look for the smilemarkers along the way.

This might not sound good but my husband is also looking into getting lapband but does not meet the weight right now. Someone suggested weigh down your pockets to help your weight be higher. Also leave your shoes and on when you step on the scale that will help add a few pounds. My thought is get a few rolls of quarters and see if that helps. And if you are close then maybe gain a few pounds. I know that is not something fun to think about but in the long run if it helps you get approved specially after all the time you have invested into looking into it I would do it. Here is something I copied off of a BMI info for being approved - A BMI of 35 - 40 is generally high enough to qualify you for bariatric surgery if you have comorbid conditions such as diabetes (type II), hypertension, sleep apnea or other potentially life-threatening diseases. So if you have sleep apnea, you have one so far. Has your PCP mentioned anything about being pre diabetic, hypertension. Does it run in your family? Maybe the ins will accept it if there is a family history of it and getting the band will help you develop them all together. Best of luck to you!!!

I called medicaid and they told me as long as my primary care doctor gave me a referral and it was documented medically necessary by my PCP and weight loss surgeon that they would approve it, however I must go through 6 months of supervised weigh loss and see a nutritionist, a psychiatrist and get lab work done. I already got my referral from my PCP and got my lab work done. Unfortunately, I have not found any bariatric surgeons who would accept share of cost as of yet. I am located in Orlando Fl. Has anyone found a surgeon who takes Medicaid share of cost in Orlando, Fl?

Welcome Diamond! Congratulations on deciding to take steps to get healthy. Whatever you decide to do, we are here to help you the best we can. Since your doctor didn't refer you to a surgeon, I would suggest you see if there is a Bariatric Center of Excellence in your area. Once you find one (or two), sign up for one of their free seminars. They can help you determine next steps as well as work with you and your primary Doctor. Since many insurance companies require a doctor supervised "diet" before surgery, you may be able to count what you are doing now with your primary Doctor. But, a good Bariatric surgeon's office can help you figure that out. Where are you located? There may be some folks here who ate in your area who may be able to suggest a good surgeon.

Not sure if this would help with the Protein but my bariatric clinic at the hospital gives a lobg list of recommended protein supplements both powder and liquid. On the list is a liquid protwin called body fortress suoer protein shot. Is liquid form, only 3oz, and packs in 26g of protein. No caffeine, sugars. Someone on the board mentioned to be careful bc of the different types of protein (soy versus others). But I think its an awesome way to get a good amount of protein in with just a few oz total. I bought 24 little tubes since the bariatric nutritionist said it was a okay

I posted this thread in the Success Stories section by accident. :confused1: This is where I meant to post it: Hi everyone! I see a lot of questions on this site about pre-op diets. I thought I'd post mine, just as a guide for those who aren't prescribed one, but think they might need or want one. Good luck to everyone. Pre-op liquid Diet It is recommended by your surgeon and dietitian to follow a low calorie, low fat, low sugar and high Protein liquid diet for ___ days prior to undergoing bariatric surgery. The purpose of the liquid diet is to reduce the size of the liver, reduce the risk of bleeding during the surgery and to show commitment to the program. Below are the nutritional guidelines for the pre-op liquid diet. You will need to measure your intake and keep a food journal. Depending on which items you choose to consume throughout the day, your intake should be approximately 1000 calories and 60-80 grams of protein. You will be expected to lose 5 lbs per week on this plan. The nutritional guidelines are as follows: UNLIMITED SECTION: These liquids can be taken in any amount since they do not contain sugar. 1. sugar free or diet beverages such as Crystal Light (Great Value @ Walmart), Sugar Free Kool-Aid, Sugar Free Tang, Diet Snapple, FUZE, Powerade Zero, Diet V8 Splash, Propel, Fruit 2 O, coffee, Tea and Water. 2. Low Sodium broth Soups (chicken, vegetable, beef- tomato Soup is not a broth soup). It needs to be a clear liquid and can NOT contain bit and pieces of meats, tofu, noodles or vegetables. Each 8 oz serving shouldn?t be more than 140 mg of sodium. Bullion cubes are not acceptable as they are too high in sodium. 3. Sugar Free Jell-O and Sugar Free Popsicles LIMITED SECTION: Please do NOT consume more than the maximum # of servings listed in each category for each day you are on the diet: 1. Juice: Limit intake to 2 cups or 16 oz per day. Fruit Juice(apple, orange, cranberry, grape, and grapefruit),Gatorade, G2, Vitamin Water, Life Water, Snapple, Powerade, Low Sodium V-8 juice and V-8 fusion ? limit intake to 2 cups or 16 oz per day. 2. Limit to 3 servings per day: ? cup of Regular Jell-O, Popsicles or NO ADDED SUGAR Fudgesicles. 3. Limit to 3 servings per day: 1 cup (8 oz) of milk (skim, 1%, Lactaid, Almond, or Soy), 6 oz of LIGHT or Greek Yogurt (no more than 110 calories and 12 grams of sugar/serving), ? cup of SUGAR FREE Jell-O pudding, ? cup of FAT FREE or LOW FAT Cottage cheese 4. Protein Shakes: Limit to 2 servings per day: The following are approved protein shakes: Muscle Milk LIGHT (costco, Target, GNC and major grocery chains), Pure Protein shakes (Trader Joe?s), Premier Protein Shakes (Costco), NO ADDED SUGAR Carnation Instant Breakfast (Target), EAS 100% whey Protein (Walmart), Isopure (GNC or The Vitamin Shoppe), Zero Carb Isopure (GNC or The Vitamin Shoppe), Body Fortress Protein Shots (Walmart), Body Choice Liquid Protein Shots (Costco). *** DO NOT BUY SLIM FAST, ENSURE OR BOOST ? these drinks are high in calories and sugars. If you chose a brand that?s not listed above please check the nutrition label first and make sure it meets the following criteria: less than or equal to 160 calories, less than or equal to 6 grams of fat, 15+ grams of protein and less than or equal to 6 grams of sugar. ***For those that are lactose intolerant please choose the following: Isopure, Zero Carb Isopure, Body Fortress Protein Shots or Body Choice Protein Shots. ***For those patients with diabetes, we recommend that you consume 15 grams of carbohydrates every 1-2 hrs. Be sure to monitor your blood sugars and contact your doctor if necessary. If your blood sugar is >150 mg, spread out your sugar sweetened liquids over a 3 hr period.