Ok I'm cleared for my surgery. All the paperwork, test and insurance cleared nw I'm waiting for a surgery date. I'm driving myself crazy over here. What did you guys do to prepare during the waiting period?

Research: what to eat, when, how, and how much. Stock up on good stuff, shed the bad stuff. Research exercise, find what works for you, plan out your lifelong commitment to being mean and lean.

Think a lot: what is food....really? Is it life..is it love...is it meaning? Or is it energy that tastes good going in? It will still be that, chew slower, concentrate more. Quality time with food has nothing to do with quantity. Your taste buds are in your mouth, not in the stretchy part of your belly that will soon be gone. I enjoy food now more than before. Knowing that food is no longer making me prematurely dead seems to enhance its appeal.

Anticipate life without obesity. If you have used it emotionally find other coping mechanisms. If you have hated yourself because of it, prepare to forgive and love yourself.

Find non-eating pursuits to distract yourself, especially in the pre-op diet time.

Prepare to empty your closet several times, buy cheap clothes until goal. Thrift stores are Gman approved.

Wow! Thanks for the input!

You my friend are in very good (and probably ample) company. I'm going crazy here myself. Here are some of my things I need to get done in the next 7 weeks.

1) Go through message boards. Try to at least look at positive ones more than negative ones (this is hard for me as I am searching for reasons to prove I'm crazy for doing this)

2) Research tasty Protein powders. Looks like they are hit or miss. And don't buy too much it seems since I've read here sometimes taste buds change postop.

3) Clean out my pantry and make room for the powder and the broth. Definitely need to overhaul mine. If I don't it will be a reminder of what I can't have.

4) Try not to do anything stupid to get my surgery cancelled or delayed. 4A. Don't worry so much I accidentally have a heart attack. I'm not giving advice- this is my personal list. 4B. Beef up on Vitamins so my preop blood work looks stellar. If I have any bleeding issues hopefully the Iron I take will reduce/eliminate the need for transfusion due to blood loss and will probably help me feel better postop. 4C. Don't catch a cold. Avoid sick people like the plague.

That's my short list. I'm sure it will grow over the next 5 weeks.

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I haven't even had my first appointment and I'm driving myself crazy waiting until the surgery I'm so excited. Spend my time on here. I needed that reply even though I still have a ways to go.

Yes! I stalk this website! Lol! I'm starting to stock up on my protein drinks. Have you tried the Isopure drinks? They come in different fruity flavors.

I haven't tried any drinks yet. I work 6 days a week right now and literally have very little time to prepare. The Isopure brand is on my list of those to try. I hate milk and from what I've heard many taste like milk so I have to figure something out. By the time I will have more time off which is in 5 weeks I have to start my preop diet. What a mess! I need help so I need to search for what people who don't care for milk did.

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No I haven't bought any yet. What I have heard from a lot of people is that your taste buds will change so I don't want to try them all, find one I like and buy that. Then turn around and it just taste awful! I figured I would buy the samples maybe a pack a pay check and then try them after the surgery when I can.

Barb, I've seen a lot of people talk about a protein drink like a tea. But right now I can't remember the name of it.

Thank you Lolly. I plan on making the Protein drinks my top priority right now. If you happen to remember let me know and if I find out I will let you know

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I Think this is it.

Syntrax nectar whey Protein Isolate, powder, Lemon Tea

I've never tried it. Only heard about it on one of the threads. I ended up having to google it to get the name. >.< terrible memory of mine. Hope this helps.

Thanks Lolly it does. I will add it to my list. I hate that I don't like the taste of milk, but I'm ok with ice cream (I know weird). I don't eat ice cream often, but I was thinking maybe I can get small containers and freeze the shakes and eat them with a spoon like ice cream. Don't know but I have to get it in and I was thinking that would be a way to trick myself into it. Ill have to get it in somehow!

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Good luck with it. And let me know if it works. I tried the Visalus shakes before and they tasted great at first then after three weeks that was it. Made me kind of sick.

If you go to a website, BJ's bariatrics, you can order a shipment of samples of the syntrex nectar - I think you can get 12, but YOU choose which flavors. They have a tea, a lemonade, fuzzy naval - a few things that seem fruity and not milky.

Do you like milkshakes? I've been putting my protein shakes in the blender with some ice, milk, and a banana. Tastes like a milkshake to me, but I don't mind milk.

Good luck! I'm testing them too, I googled protein shake samples and came up with a bunch of things!

I have all of my samples. Now I just have to find the time to try them!

I'm about to start ordering mine surgery in 3 weeks sometimes my stomach end up in knots thinking about it:/ keep me posted tell me which ones are good!