Redux...How are we all doing?

Aloha my WLS friends......Awhile back I asked some questions and the updates were great. I'm going to ask again, and add some other questions. I think this helps us all know where we are on this journey. Here goes...please fill in your own answers: 1. Surgery date: July 26, 2006 2. Lbs. lost: 54 (slow but sure like the turtle!) 3. Main source of protein: Shakes, PureProtien and South Beach Diet bars, chicken, shrimp, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese and 1% milk. 4. How much water are you getting in?: Approx. 85 oz. a day 5. Are you keeping up with your vitamins/calcium, etc.: Yes, doing good here 6. What vitamins are you taking? 4 Flintstone chewables a day, magnesium citrate (for constipation), B12 sublinqual (1 a week), UpCal in shakes and gallstone meds twice a day. (forgot colace...for constipation) 7. Any hair loss? Keeping fingers crossed..but haven't noticed any loss yet. 8. What kind of exercise are you doing? I'm going to the pool three times a week to walk/jog/exercise for an hour. I'm going to add walking on the beach soon. 9. Approximately how many calories are you taking in a day? 750 - 1000 10. What foods give you problems? So far...none, but I don't eat flour, sugar, caronated drinks or pasta either. 11. Biggest problems so far? I guess frequent stalls for me..they bug me! I don't know what to do and always worry that I'm eating too much or the wrong things. Thanks for completing these questions with your own success story. Our journeys are all unique, but it is so interesting to see how each of you is following yours. Especially interested in the new people on the loser's bench. Aloha nui loa, KarenS

1. Surgery date: July 24, 2006 2. Lbs. lost: 58 3. Protein: Shakes, protien bars (various), cottage cheese, cheese and Mootopia Milk (lactose free 2%), beef, chicken. 4. How much water are you getting in?: about 60 ozs a day 5. Are you keeping up with your vitamins/calcium, etc.: yes 6. What vitamins are you taking? GNC liquid multi-vitamins (tried Centrium chewables, but I was still tired with those, used them about 2 weeks), B12 twice a day, Vit c twice a day, calcium twice a day. 7. Any hair loss? Plenty, the dogs don't shed as much as I do. 8. What kind of exercise are you doing? Excerise bike, 3 times a week 9. Approximately how many calories are you taking in a day? if I am lucky 800 10. What foods give you problems? Everything. Fish, chicken, carbs, eggs. 11. Biggest problems so far? Food issues. I get so depressed about it sometimes. I have started praying before I eat that I will be able to keep it down. I have had strictures and had those dealt with, so I know what I am going through now is my tolerance to certian foods. Plus I am getting damn tired of cottage cheese.

1. Surgery date: July 19, 2006 2. Lbs. lost: 67lbs 3. Main source of protein: IDS Whey Protein Vials (25mgs), Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Balls, Cottage Cheese, Yogurt, Chicken, Fish, Steak, Eggs, and Cheese. 4. How much water are you getting in?: 80oz+ a day 5. Are you keeping up with your vitamins/calcium, etc.: Vitamins, yes. Calcium needs work. 6. What vitamins are you taking? 2 Flintstone chewables a day, 500 mgs of B12 a day, and Calcium Chewable 630mgs. I'm going to add a few new ones soon! 7. Any hair loss? Not really, just a little shedding. 8. What kind of exercise are you doing? Not nearly enough. Just walking and lifting little five pound weights. I will join the gym by January 1. 9. Approximately how many calories are you taking in a day? I don't really have a clue. I don't eat more than 300 calories per meal and I eat three times a day. So under 1000. 10. What foods give you problems? Lettuce is the only thing that hasn't agreed with me. All meats must be moist. 11. Biggest problems so far? Plateau's are the devil. Other than that, all my tests came back great. I just wish I had more time for exercise.

1. surgery date 07/18/06 2. 63 lbs lost so far. 3. main source of protein : one fit365 vanilla shake every morning for breakfast, sf peanut butter, refired beans, chicken, beef jerky,steak, fish, cheese. 4. usally about 60-80 oz of water a day. 5. no problem with vitiamins, but having problem with calcuim. 6. 2 chewable vitiamins a day. 1 1000mg b-12 a day. 1 bio-tin 1000mg a day. 7. starting to shedd hair 3 mos. out. So far just thinning. using nixion shampoo and treatment, plus the bio-tin. 8. had been doing water walking for 30 mins a day, but due to knee pain haven't even done that in over two weeks. just going to wait it out till after knee surgery scheduled for next month. then hopefully can start some serious walking. 9. maybe 600 on most day. some days less some days more. 10. chicken breast or any dense fish. can't eat any rice or pasta. 11. biggest problen is not being able to eat just anything, always have to plan ahead.

1. Surgery date: July 25, 2006 2. Lbs. lost: 63. 3. Main source of protein: Variety including chicken, pork, fish, fat-free cottage cheese, part-skim mozzarella string cheese, 20gm protein powder added to anything possible, and soy milk. 4. How much water are you getting in?: Minimum 64 oz daily. 5. Are you keeping up with your vitamins/calcium, etc.: Yes, thank heavens for weekly pill-planners--have got two to hold everything. 6. What vitamins are you taking? Centrum chewable twice daily, Caltrate-600-D four times daily, one sublingual B12 1000mcg daily, one Biotin 300 mcg daily, one Potassium Gluconate 595 mg daily, and Carbonyl Iron 50mg twice daily. 7. Any hair loss? Minimal shedding. 8. What kind of exercise are you doing? Pilates Yoga four times weekly, various workout routines at gym--elliptical, lift weights, treadmill, plus regular walking. 9. Approximately how many calories are you taking in a day? At three-month post-op, was told by nutritionist to stop tracking calories and carbs, and now only count protein, since etting minimum 60 gms daily, all would level out. I eat mostly protein, with two ounce veggie and two ounce fresh fruit as one-cup meals three times daily. Also, one cup soy milk mid-morning and mid-afternoon. 10. What foods give you problems? None--haven't tried beef, and avoid anything white other than soy milk and fish. Favorite meal: three oz Yoplait light mixed with 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese plus one scoop 20 mg protein powder. Recently started having 3/4 cup Special K-High Protein cereal with one diced large or two diced medium strawberries, with 1/2 cup soy milk three to four breakfasts weekly. 11. Biggest problems so far? Getting over the constant amazement of this ever-shrinking body! Really no problem!

1. Surgery date: July 26, 2006 2. Lbs. lost: 66 pounds 3. Main source of protein: Eggs, Chicken, Yogurt, Low-Fat string cheese, Protein drinks (IsoPure). 4. How much water are you getting in?: Shooting for 60 oz. Getting close. 5. Are you keeping up with your vitamins/calcium, etc.: Yes with vitamins, not so great with the calcium 6. What vitamins are you taking? I switched to prenatal vitamins instead of flinstones, a couple that both had the surgery swears by them and thought they might help with hair loss. Baby asprin, iron/B12, calcium, something for gallbladder, and prevacid. 7. Any hair loss? Oh yeah - started a few weeks ago, and I'm worried I'll be bald in a month - ha ha! (didn't have alot to start with). 8. What kind of exercise are you doing? Treadmill with the moveable arms, and chasing after a 1 1/2 and 3 year old. 9. Approximately how many calories are you taking in a day? Guessing about 600? 10. What foods give you problems? Bread, Heavy pasta (about everything except angel hair), Tortillas. 11. Biggest problems so far? I guess it's trying to figure out what to eat, I'm getting tired of eating the same things. Also, wish I was losing more in my stomach. Still have a hard time finding pants 'cause if they fit me around, they are too big in the legs, length and width.

Hi All: Surgery Date: July 19, 2006 Weight Loss: 70.6 lbs. and 12 inches Protein Sources: IsoPure Zero Carb RTD & IsoPure Zero Carb Creamy Vanilla Powder; Pure Protein bars; Power Bar Nut Naturals; tuna; salmon; eggs; tofu; tilapia; shrimp FLUID INTAKE: 64-75 oz a day Vitamins: Doing great... labs were excellent at 3 months. I am taking CENTRUM ADULT CHEWABLE, once a day; Omega 3-6-9 fish oil capsule, 1000 mg., once a day; Stool Softeners, 2 a day; Citrical Calcium Chews, 2 a day; Vitron-C (iron supplement with Vitamin C), 1 a day; B12 (subliminally), 2 x a week. HAIR LOSS: just started seeing some shedding... got a great blunt haircut to shoulder length and although it seems thinner there is no appearance of significant loss yet. Cannot wait to pass the 6 months mark of when the body catches up with the loss and stops the hair loss... worried I will look like Ben Franklin by then...giggle. Exercise: 7 days a week at the gym - running; training 3 times a week with a trainer for 30 minutes at a session; bicycle and elliptical trainer. Running 15-20 miles a week. CALORIES: 800 - 1000 a day FOODS THAT THE POUCH DOES NOT ACCEPT YET: cruciferous veggies; chopped meat; onions; lemons; iced tea. FOODS I DO NOT EAT ANY LONGER: white flour, bread, simple sugar, High fructose corn syrup, palm oils, enriched flour, snack foods, fast food, high sodium foods, soda, beer, liquor, wine, butter, full fat anything!! PROBLEMS: nah, no problems just opportunities to make healthier choices. I am a work in progress. No dumping, some painful incidents when I did not comply with eating slow enough or taking too much at once. I just starting recognizing the just before full feeling so I am getting better at preventing the too full and ouch stage. My pouch gets very grouchy if I overeat or ru**** Otherwise I am eating more normally now and about 3-4 oz at a meal. Drinking 30-45 minutes after a meal instead of an hour and drinking about 1 oz at a time without having to sip,sip,sip. Internal burping now just before full tells me to stop eating because the next bite will hurt. I am learning this very very well. LOL Take care of you. ShelleyAnne