I realize I am posting this as the meeting is getting started but wanted to say hi and let you know I can't got tonite... Had to put my 16 year old kitty to sleep this afternoon and I am a little raw from that ordeal...and my body is reacting to it.

Bras & underwear that fit well are a must!  I haven't bought many new items but the few things I have I found at ROSS in the clearance isle.

Hiya *****ly Pear!

I have a sleeve but I also have the switch = Duodenal Switch or DS 

For the best shot at success with your BMI, you may want to consider a DS!  It has the best stats for the best results!!!

 The sleeve deals specifically with restriciton while the intestinal switch piece adds malabsorption to help you not only with the losing but with the maintaining so you don't have the regain!

I recommend continued research before you decide.  Check out www.dsfacts.com

I went with Dr. Keshishian in CA for my DS (www.dssurgery.com) but you can ask around on the DS forum for surgeon suggestions.  Some insurances say they won't cover a DS but many many many have challenged that and won!  (me included)

Good luck with your journey!  I hope it's the perfect healthy, skinny ride for you!!!!

You'd be surprised how much of those metals are in your water. I believe that's where most of them come into play in the protein drinks. They are made and then dried so the levels stay in the powders. City water systems are allowed a certain level of each chemical and you really can't get rid of them during filtration or through chemicals. Even playing in dirt (gardening) will expose you to arsenic and a host of other heavy metals. I don't know of any way to not be exposed to them even if you use filtered or bottled water. As a matter of fact, the bottled water industry is not regulated and you never know what the concentration of heavy metals it has. I guess we just have to do what we can to avoid the proteins with the heaviest concentrations. I use to do EAS and Muscle Milk but haven't done them for a long time. I also don't know how you can find out what concentrations are in the proteins you use unless they were part of the study by Consumer Reports.

 I just read this in the magazine. I am not very good on the computer and I don't have a link. You might be able to get it at www.ConsumerReports.org . The protein drinks they tested were:
BSN, Designer Whey, EAS, GNC, Jillian Michaels, Muscle Milk, Muscle Tech, Optimum, Six Star and Solgar Whey.  The max limits for them in dietary supplements proposed by U.S. Pharmacopes per day are: Arsenic(inorganic)15 micrograms. Cadmium 5 micrograms, lead 10 micrograms. 

3 servings of:

EAS had the highest levels of Arsenic 16.9 micrograms,  Cadmium 5.1 micrograms

Muscle Milk chocolate had the highest levels of Cadmium 5.6 and Lead 13.5

Muscle Milk Vanilla Creme Lead 12.2

Hope that helps.