Good Morning. Oh, boy...last night's support group

Group composition: 3 DS, 3 VSG w/band and 1 RNY.

Do you ever wish you could shake a WLS person, or your surgeon for performing surgery on a person who doesn't have enough sense to come in out of the rain? We had a humdinger last night. Only 2 months out and already drinking diet Pepsi w/straw, not getting her protein, vitamins or fluids in. I was thinking train wreak every time she opened her mouth. {sigh} Bad of me, I know, but this gal is in desperate need of a structured living program.

Last night's real topic was about how to pack or find "good" things to eat while traveling. "Good" things as in high protein, low carb...healthy stuff. The dietitian wanted to know how the airlines worked with our protein. (Protein powder-yes, pre-packaged protein shakes-no in carry-on.)  That kind of thing. I've been on a cruise since surgery and flown several times and have never had trouble with my protein powder or my vitamins going through checked or carry-on, but they will not let you go through security with a pre-packaged, liquid protein shake. I guess some airports are starting to carry RTD Muscle Milk in the shops once you're through security but I haven't seen it yet. 

Dr E and the dietitian are hosting Vitalady at our July support group. I hope we get a great crowd for her. 

I think that's about it. I hope y'all have a great Wednesday. What's on your schedule today?

--gina
      

Morning Gina,

Down here you can get lapband at an outpatient cosmetic center.  Obviously no counseling is involved.  Considering how many problems there are with the lapband itself it amazes me that the FDA approves having it done in that kind of setting.  I, too, have been to support groups where someone with surgery was clearly not a good candidate and wondered how they passed the pyschological!

Today I am headed to the gym for pilates to work out the kinks from yesterday's body sculpting class.  Then I hope to tackle staining the bathroom cabinets.  Started that job months ago and then lost interest!

Have a good one,

Janet

With that group composition, you SHOULD have had a great meeting. 

I am forever amazed at the lack of information so many pre-ops and post-ops get.  I guess that is because we were spoon fed every bite.  It was not sophistacated information and lots of the reasons were "because it will make you sick" for why not to do something, but we never lacked for knowing what to and not to do. Before we could meet the have our paperwork submitted, we had to attend 12 support sessions, Drs requiement, not insurance.  Then we had weekly meetings while we were on the 4 week pre-surgery diets.  Then face to face meetings with the Nut everytime we changed from one diet phase to the next after surgery. All of this was 1.5hrs away from me. Whether that is because it was a Center of Excellance or not, I don't know but the group has many fewer complications and everyone had no doubt what the program was from the beginning.  You at least learned compliance to the rules. 

My Wednesday will be getting all the paperwork from the last 2 days of meeting done.  I may try to slip down to Curves but still am suppose to be resting my knee so can't do much.  It's going to be a cool day, in the 50s with wind.  Big storm came through last night  but it doesn't look like we had any damage.  Trees down in surrounding areas.  Sounds like the rest of the spring.

I have seen a few and have thought the same things, I know 2 or 3 who are drinking heavily, not eating the right way or have started smoking again. Bothers me but what can I do...
Anyway, I am heading out in a few to get my lab work done for my follow up next week.

Yep seeing stuff like that REALLY bothers the heck out of me too . I have this one friend who was a poster child for lapband but then started eating fast food ( oh in the beginning she said it was just HALF a burger and a few fries she could HANDLE it lol) and next thing U know shes a GOOD 35 lbs heavier .. in MONTHS . Maybe fifty .

GRRR . And she ran support group / induction meetings at the surgeon's office !

And then the countless people I see in OA meetings who never WERE compliant .... and never lost any weight ...

Reminds me constantly that this surgery is nothing but a gentle NUDGE in the right direction . If we take it and run with it .. minding what we eat and trying to exercise EVERY SINGLE DAY ... yes we have a good shot at staying healthy and keeping the weight off long term- if we foolishly commit to less than that its gong to be a VERY hard and VERY rocky and probably VERY unhappy road too.....

The sad part about that is if you give some "tough love" she just won't come back because she feels like she's being picked on.

Sounds like a good meeting though - I wondered if that's where you went last night!

I have seen this too in the forums and in group. When I was still waiting for my surgery women would talk about how they would get a Blizzard and be prepared for the dump, just to indulge in a portion of the treat. It floored me that people would lose their chance of a healthier life. Goodness, you go through RNY, then plastics and then you sabotage all the work you have done. It's strange in my eyes.

I certainly have to fight temptation almost daily because old foods and habits call often but I don't ever want to be obese again. I love having energy. I love being able to care for my grandchildren (2 and 4) all day long without feeling tired. 1.5 years ago there was no way I could have handled helping my daughter with the children this way, I would have been too exhausted.

I love that I am expanding my life and I am taking care of a church facebook and twitter page now and hoping to go on a 3 month mission to Nicaragua. I would only have wished I had the energy to do these things before. Now I believe in myself and the efforts I attempt. RNY saved my life in so many ways.

I drank ALOT of diet coke everyday of my life almost and gave it up about a month before my surgery and have not had one since.  That was the easy thing to give up.  I might not be as good with the sweets, but I know when I need to get it back under control.  Some of these things are so addictive to some of us with such addictive personalities that it is like one bite and we are gone again... 

My goals were to never get hooked on the diet coke again and to stay away from alcohol(I hardly ever drank but knew it could be a problem if I started it.)  I think we have to look at our problems and try to deal with them prior to having the surgery because it is not a miracle cure for all that is wrong with us!!  I wi**** was...  I'm still a stress eater, just can't eat as much at one sitting.

Hope someone can reach her and talk to her so she can be successful.

Linda

This is why I DONT get why surgeons offices DONT push fat free , high fiber and unprocessed food whenever possible as a viable alternative food plan ... yes U dont LOSE weight but U DONT GAIN !!!!!! And if U exercise U DO build muscle and LOSE ,lowering Ur body's setpoint PERMANENTLY .

And while Ure still a food obsessed excess food addict its really NICE to be able to consider fat free splenda sweetened alternatives to that blizzard .. ( and trust me its really EASY to make one )

I really resent ( forgive me for saying this ) low carb as being presented as a viable long term alternative food plan rather than the totally unhealthy fad that it really is ... because telling people who are addicted o eating huge quantities of fat that its ok and U can lose weight doing that is SOO misleading ...

unless U have a DS and dont absorb 80% of the fat U eat U WILL get fat from low carb lol ....honestly I have seen FAR more failures on a low carb diet than successes long term - haven't U ?
It just HURTS me to see good sincere people try and Fail despite their BEST efforts especially pre-op when their entire chance of getting lifesaving WLS surgery rides on the successful outcome ...

My friend sincerely thought she could eat at McDonalds and leave off the bun and lose weight ...
!!!!! ( poor thing )

Ava, the dietitian does give the RNYrs and sleevers reasonable advice about balance and good nutrition. This gal was already trying to justify and make deals with the dietitian. "Could I maybe have just 1 diet Coke 1 day a week?" "Well, I don't really dump on sugar. Is it ok to have this granola trail mix that is 17 grams of sugar and 5 grams of protein?" This wasn't about low carb versus low fat...we never even got there. I do believe fat will make you fat if you eat carbs, but I don't believe fat makes you fat when you low carb. We will just have to continue to agree to disagree about that one.