Those of you who have already started your liquid diets.....how do you manage to cook real food for your family while being subjected to yucky shakes? I need tips so I don't cheat, my diet starts tomorrow. Thanks and good luck!

Get them involved and have them help if they are old enough. I am finishing day 3. We are eating quicker foods. Not full blown meals. Over the weekend my husband bbqed twice. We made quesadilla's with the left over chicken. Last night I made spaghetti early and had my daughter make a salad. I can have egg beaters and turkey. So I cooked it up and ate with them while they were finishing their last bites. I did not clean up. I did not want to be around the left over pasta. For the next few months family dinners will look diffrent. For me right now that has to be okay.

Don't have any advice for you - only myself and my husband. I CANNOT even IMAGINE having to cook at this point! This is the hardest thing that I have EVER done and can't imagine that stress. Good luck to you!

I start this morning and the shakes taste like banana or vanilla flavoured Vitamin poop!

I couldn't stand it this evening so had a chicken breast and lo-carb veggies done in a spicy stirfry which was really good. Anyone have any idea if this would be forbidden??

I am going to call the doctors office tomorrow to find out. The Meal Replacement stuff makes me nauseated and if I am getting no carbs and within the calorie range surely that's ok?

I am proud of myself though. I was really good today which is a change from the last I don't know how many Sundays where I eat all day.

Saturday is my birthday and for that and our 10th anniversary DH has gotten me an eternity band. Here's hoping a week of this mess will have my fingers shrunk a bit from losing all the carb swelling!

Anyway I keep telling myself it will be worth it!

No kids here, either...just the two of us...my husband can cook but cannot make a decision when it comes to eating or preparing a meal. I am a good cook, he loves my cooking, and I love the taste of my own cooking! It would not bode well for me to cook anything in the first 2-3 weeks. So, at the advice of my therapist, my DH has to fend for himself.

One of the reasons I am an emotional eater is that I keep doing so much for others, and neglect my own health/well-being. So, this surgery is for me. Re-learning how to eat is for me. Learning what to do instead of eating is for me. I will do this for myself and the world will not come to an end because I didn't cook for my husband for a few weeks.

I have 2 kids and my husband. My daughter is 11 so she is able to help out some. I usually ask what they want for dinner, cant be anything to involved. I make it and my daughter is able to make up any sides as salad, veggie .... After all is made, I serve up my kids and I leave while they eat with m husband. My husband and daughter clean up as this part is equally as hard. I have been on liquids for a week now. Half way through it was hard. My husband brought home pizza for he and the kids. I realy wanted a piece,but it got put away. Nobody ate on the left overs for a day so I threw it out. Attemptation is now gone! Take out works well too. Order want the family wants, leave the room when eating,throw away the rest. I also drink my shake for breakfast with my kids. I keeping telling myself: What wil I enjoy more? The food or a smaller size in clothing. Clothing wins!

Good luck! Tell yourself that you can do it. I have one more week before my procedure and I want to be as good as I can. I can do it and I will do it for me.

wow you go jules you freakin Rock!! how much weight have u lost on the pre op?

My husband is on his own as well. He will probably go back to his carnivore diet and will grill a lot. He will also lose weight during all of this if we're not making fries/pasta/rice for two, he will happily just have a patty melt or whatever meat he grills. Which will be great for both of us!

Luckily my little boy is just a toddler so his meals aren't too involved and I will not make too much of my trigger food (paste or rice) so as to not tempt myself.

Called the doctor's office BTW and a meal of low carb veg and a chicken breast is ok for dinner, just stay below 100 calories. Thank God!

Thanks for the encouragement! I need it. As long as I stay real busy, I don't seem to miss eating. After one week, I have lost 7 lbs on liquids and 10 lbs prior to liquids. 18 total lbs so far. I have 1 more week before banding. I hope to stay strong...it help me knowing that I shelled $3,500 prior to surgery for my band.

Good luck to you. I wish you success. The end of June will be here soon.

flavored Vitamin poop! LOL!!! You and your stomach eventually get use to them.

I start this morning and the shakes taste like banana or vanilla flavoured vitamin poop!

I couldn't stand it this evening so had a chicken breast and lo-carb veggies done in a spicy stirfry which was really good. Anyone have any idea if this would be forbidden??

I am going to call the doctors office tomorrow to find out. The meal replacement stuff makes me nauseated and if I am getting no carbs and within the calorie range surely that's ok?

I am proud of myself though. I was really good today which is a change from the last I don't know how many Sundays where I eat all day.

Saturday is my birthday and for that and our 10th anniversary DH has gotten me an eternity band. Here's hoping a week of this mess will have my fingers shrunk a bit from losing all the carb swelling!

Anyway I keep telling myself it will be worth it!

Good news all around. I did the shakes for today in the blender last night and put in the frig. I had my Breakfast one and blended for ages w/o ice and refrigerated over night at least gets the powder dissolved better. So still icky but not AS bad. I felt bad spending the $ on three cannisters recommended by my doc and then just doing slim fast so will soldier on with them.

OK and apparently this works. In three days I have lost 10 pounds. I know it's all Water, but weight nevetheless and my shoes are nice and loose, trousers buttoned more easily. Only 95 more to go!

Have to love the "Vitamin poop" because that pretty well sums it up! I can't get them down. Also, Jules, you are a wonder, and I agree, so far the losing is winning over eating.

I have 2 grown daughters living with me and my husband. I gathered them all together and said, "You are on your own for the month of June and -- maybe -- July, too." I have bought lunch meats and other things, but mostly they wanted frozen individual dinners, like Smart Ones, because they are all trying to lose weight this summer too. None of them really have much to lose, but DH could drop 10-15 pounds and look really good.

Good luck!

I'm doing 2 shakes and a lean cuisine and although i REALLY look forward to that lean cuisine every night i have to say i'm really not all that hungry. I've only been doing it for three days now so i hope i don't hit a wall!!!

---dita?

I am better after feeling like I was dying yesterday and I am not crazy hungry which is wonderful. I have to wonder if the carbs really are an evil drug like some people say they are. Maybe it's because I am so geared up to suceed at my surgery but the thought if tucking into some toast or a bowl of Cereal makes me really sad. I am not really craving anything right now. Odd. And I managed not to have a drink watching the primaries last night (big time political junkie) so yaaaaay me :thumbup:

OK so I am not totall liquid but today I had:

120 calorie poop shake

grilled chicken salad with lettuce and pico de gallo, no cheese and about a teaspoon of dressing or less

190 calorie slim fast

120 calorie turkey sausage (my slip up)

Turkey burger patty & brocolli

I think that's ok isn't it? The salad was at black eyed pea and before I would have had a few rolls plus chicken fried chicken tenders with brocolli rice casserole.

OK so not techinically a liquid diet but if I can be under 1000 calories and not eat carbs?? I am pretty happy with myself, must keep this up after the surgery.

I'm on day two of my 2-week liquid diet - 5 Slim Fast High Protein Shakes/Bars plus a meal of 5 oz meat and 2 cups vegetables. Yesterday I managed to down one bar and half a shake. This morning I put the other half of the shake in the blender with some ice and a little bit of coffee. It went down easier, but it was still pretty nasty. I also had a bar today.

I'm really hungry, but so far the hunger is not overcoming the aversion to the taste of the drinks. So I have not gotten in my required 1200 calories these past two days (I'm eating the "meal" I'm allowed, so I'm having to actually learn to cook for myself!).

Slim Fast High Protein has very limited flavors, so I'm also shopping for other shakes that have the same (or at least similar) nutrition. The doctor's menu specifies these shakes, but there's no way I can do only them for 2 weeks. I'm going to try an EAS AdvantEdge in a few minutes.

-Marianne

I am really sucking at my diet. REALLY sucking. OK maybe not but I am still beating myself up. In addition to my three shakes and sensible dinner I had about 6 bites of sons potatoes this evening. Plus a piece of sausage and just had some fruit salad. The birthday weekend did not go well. I had a lot of wine on Saturday and had cake for breakfast Sunday morning.

I am still down 10 pounds but am really worried that I haven't been perfect like I should. DAMMIT I have been starving. Pray for me Thursday when I HAVE to be on Meal Replacement drinks only. YUM.