Hello. I had my surgery on Nov. 13,2007 also. I sure wish I had been given the sechedule you have. I have been really confused, because I too was bumped up to the stages early and can't really tell where I am supposed to be. It is all a guess now. Can you tell me about where I should be? I really haven't had any problems, and I would like to be keeping a chart like I see on here but not sure how. Any advice or help will be appreciate. Thanks, Lynn

I had surgery on 11/7 and I've lost 39 pounds to date. I was stuck for several weeks at about 25 pounds and very discouraged. Have been walking 3 days a week and will start weight training on Tues and Thurs after New Year since my doctor released me for regular exercise on 11/21. I've gone from a tight 28 jeans with spandex to a comfy 26 with no spandex. It's weird not having any stretch in the jeans!

May you have a wonderful day with family and friends and find a smaller size pants in the New Year! ~Shirley

Have you not been doing shakes since your surgery? Did your surgeon tell you not to drink them? Did you get an actual eating plan from your nutritionist that you're suppose to follow? If so, go back and read it again to see if there's anything in there that you forgot or missed (I read mine often and refer to it almost daily). My NUT wants me to drink 3 shakes a day. This might change after I see her for my 6 week check up next week, though. However, I'm only doing 1 or maybe 2 a day depending on what I'm eating. Here's a typical day's food for me. 7:30 am - protein shake 10:00 - breakfast (Vanilla Egg Custard - link below) http://www.wlsgourmet.com/node/41 1:00 - lunch (usually tuna or chicken salad w/ crackers) 4:30 - small snack (cheese stick, deli meat, etc.) 7:30 - dinner (either more tuna/chicken salad or fish or chicken w/veggies) 9:30 - cup of hot cocoa -- if I am short on protein, I'll make it a protein hot cocoa instead My goal is to hit at least 75 grams of protein per day. (My NUT's goal is 60-80g.) If I follow this schedule I am at 49g after breakfast, so it takes the pressure off for the rest of the day. Meat is pretty hard for me too, but tuna salad and chicken salad go down pretty easy. I also have Wendy's Chilli pretty often and that's loaded with protein -- and it is easy on my pouch as long as I chew the beef really well. If you're not hitting your protein goals every single day --- you run the risk of very dangerous complications such as loss of muscle mass (your heart is a muscle), hair loss, lack of energy. So getting in all your protein should be your #1 daily goal (with hitting your water goal being a very close #2). Good luck, Pam

11/12/07 30lbs last week, will see if doc's office is open on Christmas eve and weigh in then. bmj