Coke! My goal this week is to work on giving up give up Coke. I am a total caffeine addict. I plan to use unsweatened ice tea to to wean myself off so I don't get those awful headaches.

The other thing I plan to do in the near future is to start trying Protein powders. I'm am 100% fearful of the portions of this process that I will have to use Protein powder and eat sugar free things. I am about the pickiest eater out there and HATE anything with any any type of artificial flavoring to it.

Anything else I could do to kinda start preparing? I think its better to start working toward this process then go through total withdrawl during the preop diet. I think it will be hard enough on it's own and anything I can do to make it easier, is worth doing.

Thanks for any advice!

Back~to~me: It's very hard for some people to cut out the things will delay our success with the band. I'm totally including myself. It was hard for me to give up morning pastries, garlic bread, and lots of pasta!. but once I got over the initial withdrawal symptoms it was better, aand then I let myself slip and my body will tell me "You messed up and I have to go through it again". I Definitely try to start before you have the surgery it will make it that much easier. as many will tell tell you start journaling a food diary. its easier to see what you've been been eating good or bad.

Good luck!

Back~to~me: It's very hard for some people to cut out the things will delay our success with the band. I'm totally including myself. It was hard for me to give up morning pastries' date=' garlic bread, and lots of pasta!. but once I got over the initial withdrawal symptoms it was better, aand then I let myself slip and my body will tell me "You messed up and I have to go through it again". I Definitely try to start before you have the surgery it will make it that much easier. as many will tell tell you start journaling a food diary. its easier to see what you've been been eating good or bad.

Good luck![/quote']

Thanks for your comment It will be extremely hard for me to give up or cut way down on foods I love.....carb loaded foods. I'm 100% a carb addict. I used to say I'd rather give up smoking then carbs and that wasn't a lie. I quit smoking over 6 years ago but am still addicted to my carbs. I feel they are at the root of my issues with overrating. I would love to be one of those people who eat lower carb and this don't have those awful consequences of an extremely high carb diet. I have another surgery the middle of April so banding will have to be sometime after that. That gives me time to start get free of coke and caffeine and to start working on eating a better diet of good Proteins and lower carb foods. I sure hopes with the preop and posto diet requirements.

I welcome any suggestions from anyone.....especially anyone extremely picky who hates artificial sweetners who found a good Protein powder.

It is important to practice eating slowly and chewing a lot. Cut your meals into small pieces. Also an important thing to practice is no drinking with meals. My doc says 30 min between drinking and eating then 60 min after eating before drinking.

Good luck

wendy

Duh! That's one of the more obvious things I didnt think about. Thanks for the reminder Wendy. Small bites, chewing my food thoroughly and not drinking with meals aren't my strong points. Probably none of ours or we wouldnt be here. :-)

Coke! My goal this week is to work on giving up give up Coke. I am a total caffeine addict. I plan to use unsweatened ice tea to to wean myself off so I don't get those awful headaches.

The other thing I plan to do in the near future is to start trying Protein powders. I'm am 100% fearful of the portions of this process that I will have to use protein powder and eat sugar free things. I am about the pickiest eater out there and HATE anything with any any type of artificial flavoring to it.

Anything else I could do to kinda start preparing? I think its better to start working toward this process then go through total withdrawl during the preop diet. I think it will be hard enough on it's own and anything I can do to make it easier, is worth doing.

Thanks for any advice!

I have totally given up Diet Coke. For those that know me...know that I ALWAYS have a diet coke sitting next to me and that I am ashamed to to say that I can go an entire year without drinking a bottled Water but drink 10-12 diet sodas a day. This is what I did to quit 3 weeks ago. I stopped Diet Coke completely because of the carbonation. I thought that I would ween myself by drinking coffee. I was mean on day one...I even cussed someone out by phone (bill collector) and this not my way of doing things. Day 2 - I was still a little irritable had maybe 2 cups of coffee...but I stopped drinking coffee to. I had a slight headache for a day or two...not a major one. I have been drinking bottled waters...but I doctor it up with crystal light or Hawaiian punch flavors. No sugar or calories. I now drink 6-8 bottled waters a day. I have my surgery on April 3rd. I was told absolutely no carbonation and that is what kick started me.

On St . Patrick's Day had 1&1/2 thin slices of very soft pressure cooker corned beef. Chewed small pieces slowly and savored the taste!!!! Had one small boiled Yukon gold potato, also very small bites, chewed well. Even was able to enjoy a very small , cracker size, piece of Irish soda bread with a bit of soft butter.

Amazingly, and surprising to me, I really tasted everything and enjoyed it!

feb27bandwoman--sounds like you had a great time and had some great food! Those of us with weight issues often inhale our food without really tasting it. Glad you really tasted and enjoyed your food.

dhales--I think Coke for me is like cigarettes used to be, an addiction. I gave it up once a long time ago and went years and only had a handful. Now, I drink it like it's the last thing on earth and it is about to be gone. :-) I'm better off to get off it and just stay off it since it doesn't sound like it will be an option after banding. Thanks for the advice you gave me on weaning. I am doing virtually the same thing only using tea since it is a drink I've never liked sweetened. So far today, I haven't had any caffeine and only have a slight headache. After work though, I do plan to get me a tea.