Q.O.D. 4/20

I almost hate to ask this question...don't want to answer it myself Do you follow the instructions your surgeon gave you in regards to: What to eat? When to eat? How much to eat? Taking vitamins and supplements? Exercising? What to drink? When to drink? Is there anything they told you not to do that you do anyway? Have a great day, Jackie

I follow closely what my surgeon wanted.

What to eat?I would say yes 90% of the time When to eat? Yes How much to eat? Somedays I can't get it all in Taking vitamins and supplements? Yes, but confused about all the negative stuff said on the main board about the types of vitamins he told me to take. Exercising? No, I try, but I have such a demanding work schedule that its hard to exersise after 10+ hours at work everyday. What to drink? Yes When to drink? Yes-love my water Is there anything they told you not to do that you do anyway? Caffine-love my coffee.

HI THERE JACKIE . LET ME TRY TO ANSWER SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS.I LISTENED TO THE DR AND ATE LIQUIDS IN THE BEGINNING , WHEN IT WAS TIME TO EAT PUREE....WELL THAT WAS ALL I COULD TOLERATE WHEN IT WAS TIME TO CHANGE TO SOFT FOODS. I STILL HAVE PUREE WHEN FOOD DOES NOT STAY DOWN FOR ME THOUGH IT HAS GOTTEN BETTER. I WAS LOSING VERY FAST SINCE I WAS ALOT SO I ATE WHENEVER I COULD...IT WAS OBVIOUS HOW MUCH BECAUSE A FEW SPOONFULS THAT WAS IT. I TAKE MY VITAMINS AS I AM SUPPOSED TO. I TAKE LIQUID VITAMIN C,. IT TASTES GREAT AND I DONT WANT TO BECOME ENEMIC... MY BLOOD TESTS WERE GREAT AND YOU MUST REMEMBER I AM COMING OFF INSULIN AND 17 PILLS A DAY SO THAT PART I BEHAVE . I ALWAYS EXCERSISED SO NOW I CAN WALK BETTER AT LEAST 5 DAYS I WALK THE BOARDWALK . I LIVE NEAR THE BEACH. I JUST NOW CAN WALK BETTER AND FURTHER. THE DIABETES IN MY FEET WERE SO BAD I HAD TO STOP WALKING. SO THIS PART OF THE WEIGHT LOSS IS GREAT.... I CAN WALK TO ME. AS FAR AS WHAT TO DRINK I WAS DIABETIC SO I AM STILL DRINKING ALL THE SAME CRYSTAL LIGHT DIET SNAPPLE AND..........HATE WATER SO I COUNT THAT AS MY WATER. WHEN TO DRINK...........NOT WHEN I EAT....LOL YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS THEY TOLD ME NOT TO EAT SUGAR BUT WHEN NOTHING STAYED DOWN COOKIES AND CRACKERS DID.. CANT BE A BAD THING I STILL LOST. I WAS TOLD TO START EXCERSISING AND I DID NOT RIGHT AWAY.. FIRST IT WAS COLD HERE IN NY LOTS OF SNOW AND I WAS SO BUSY TRYING TO KEEP FOOD DOWN. I COULD DO NO MORE LORRAINE LETS KEEP TALKING OK

Good Morning Jackie and everyone else! What to eat?? Yes and no......My surgeon allows crackers and bread....but I cannt eat them anymore....they are my trigger foods and when I eat them I want to continue to eat them all day.....They also want me to drink three glasses of skim milk a day......I just can't do it....makes me so gassy.....but since I found carb countdown chocolate milk, I do drink 3 glasses of that a day! When to eat? I did really well with this up until month 3....then I started to fall off of the wagon with snacking.....Happy to report I am doing MUCH better now! How much to eat? Doing great.....only times I was eating to much was when I snacked....NO MORE!!! Vitamins and supplements? Really good with them! Exercising? I could be MUCH MUCH better! What to drink? I love to drink and getting in all I need plus some! When to drink? I never drink after meals....or before unless taking a pill quick! I admit.....my surgeon is one that says no gum forever.....Well I am not a gum swallower ever.....and I like an occasional piece of SF gum...so I do break that rule......Also I drink regular coffee....two cups every morning...but if I didn't I wouldn't stay regular!!! Take Care and have a great day everyone Jesi

Good Morning to All, Yup, I stick to pretty much all my surgeon's instructions.. I do have an unplanned snack on occasion, but don't want to fall into old habits so I avoid any unplanned food intake..vitamins and exercise I'm good about.. and I have used a straw on occasion, we were told not to use straws have a great day Elaine

Sometimes being "obsessive/compulsive" comes in handy. I follow everything, and it seems to work for me. I don't really snack, I take all my vitamins, I exercise daily, get more than enough water in on most days, and move heaven and earth to get my lean protein in every day. Those were my surgeon's rules. I never knew I had this much discipline! No one is more surprised than I am with how resolute I am, and how relatively easy it is for me to be serious about the whole regimen. Who'da thunk it? I feel very fortunate to be having such an easy time, at least now. I know I'm in the "honeymoon" phase, and the hard part is coming, but at least I've got some momentum to carry me through now! Plus, I know that if I even touch sugar, it will all come tumbling down! Donna

What to eat? no When to eat? basically with some snacking (usually to get pills down) How much to eat? yes --I do follow that or at least my pouch makes me! Taking vitamins and supplements? yes, with a few wobbles on weekends Exercising? no, time restraints with school and work but that should change very soon either way What to drink? yes When to drink? yes Is there anything they told you not to do that you do anyway? I basically eat what I want. I keep my calories in the guidelines. I make sure I get in enough protein. I try to substitue low-carb items for the snacks I really want...like chocolate and chips. I have carborite candy bars but I only eat 1 or 2 bites. Usually just 1. I have SOY tortilla chips when I need to much at home/work or use them for my chili/taco dip type things. I have switched to SOY ground beef in lots of recipes. I have increased my seafood consumption (I was not a huge fan of FISH) but I eat lots of SHRIMP! mmmm good! I don't feel like I am in any sort of restrictive or denial type diet where I normally go crazy after 1 week and BLOW the entire diet to never get back on again. I don't feel deprived. IF I want a bite of something--- I have it. I have good and bad days with my water...BUT that is all I basically drink. I can't drink much of crystal light anymore. After a few sips IT just doesn't taste that good anymore. I drink PLAIN water or have a protein shake in the afternoons and when at home on weekends I have my Carb Countdown with Any Whey when I make the time. And I have had 2 glasses of Red Wine in the past month. I feel like a NORMAL person.

Thanks Jackie, I think you're just trying to keep us all honest! What to eat? yes, trying to eat my protein like they suggest. When to eat? Three meals a day, one little snack at night time How much to eat? Yes, I guess so. Taking vitamins and supplements? ABSOLUTELY Exercising? Every day, even walking on Sunday What to drink? 64+ ounces of fluid a day When to drink? one hour before and one hour after Is there anything they told you not to do that you do anyway? Not really. I've been trying to stick to it!! Jill

Good afternoon Jackie, I'm late today. My girlfriend from highschool and I got to talking and that was it for the message boards this morning. Hope you are having a good day! What to eat? Pretty much, I think I eat a few more veggies than he would like and also I still do the protein shakes or I would never get my protein in! I think that if my doctor knew that I ever put anything breaddy into my mouth he would die of a Heart attack! When to eat? Eh, I eat when I feel I need to. I eat about 4 small meals a day. Seems to work for me best, keeps the weight loss going KNOCK WOOD!!! How much to eat? I find that I can eat more than I expected to sometimes. But they say it isn't the size of the pouch, it's how you use it! Taking vitamins and supplements? Daily, although I have been lacking in my calcium since I had that blockage (STILL no word on that...I'd be dead by now from waiting) I bought new calcium CITRATE NOT CARBONATE, that is what we should be taking no matter who else tells you otherwise (my Dr. has me on carbonate! GRRRR It is NOT sufficient for us) But the pills are HUGE and I have been affraid to swallow them since I got something stuck or blocked. I was thinking of trying to disolve them in water today. Might work. Exercising? Well, Not as much as I should What to drink? Yeah, still no sugary drinks and very very rarely one carbonated drink. When to drink? Yup, except when eating something really dry. Then I have to sip (some dr.s say it's OK) or it will stick then come right back up. I find a little bit of sipping during a meal can help me keep things down that otherwise would not stay down. Is there anything they told you not to do that you do anyway? NEVER SNACK BETWEEN MEALS-Without my beef jerky as snacks, I'd never get my protein in! DO NOT DRINK PROTEIN DRINKS- Again, without that, never get the protein in! YOU ARE GOING TO FAIL(because I ate some oyster crackers and mistakingly told my surgeon, more detail in profile)- Well, Dr. Haicken, despite your prediction and total uneducated misjudgement of me, I am still losing weight! KNOCK WOOD (always have to add that) Dreading July when I have to go back to that office! GRRRRR! Have a great day all! Tracy