Couple of questions... Okay 3

First, is ketchup good or bad? I know it has some sugar in it, but I'm just wondering.. is there enough to make me regret it later? Secondly, what does everyone drink these days? I'm so sick of water and crystal light. What else is there?? Can I have sweet tea made with splenda?? Thirdly, when is everyone introducting meat into their diets? I'm not talking about chicken... like hot dogs, ground beef, etc. I think that will do it for now... Everyone have a wonderful Friday and weekend!!! Karine

Ketcup is mainly calories. I eat ketchup. I do drink coffee and tea with equal --with splenda----lemonade---milk----SF hot choc--plain ole sugar free koolaid is good too. Like grape. Ground beef will probably be hard for you. Nibble on stuff for a while. I mean like tiny pieces. I couldn't do meat for months. I have just started doing steak some and chicken salad and I am 16 months out. I was slow on my eating. I still do salads and soups alot. I can eat sandwiches now after a year. bye for now tired!! Jane

Hi Jane... Sounds like you are doing really good.... I bet you look great.. I sure would like to come to the bash... Going to try really hard!

I eat ketchup with no problem. I do drink tea. I buy the Red Diamond at Walmart that is made with Splenda. The meats I ate early on were canned meats like canned chicken and tuna with a little lite mayo. I was told to not eat hot dogs as they are a really fatty processed meat and really have no nutritional value. Stick with real pure meats. I could not eat beef for a while. It is one of the harder meats to digest. Chicken and fish are easier on the pouch. Just make sure it is really moist. That is why I did canned for a while. My doctor suggested that to me and it worked well. Melissa

I know they are no good for you but they are really good... Yummy! Who can pass up a good ole Bryan weenie? You know in this house hold a hot dog is a nessecity! At least I have them conformed to eating Bryan. I dont really even like them cooked - want them raw. PS... I had Amberjack here and it was awful. Maybe its cause you werent eating it with me! I miss you.

Oh, you know I like hot dogs. But I was posting to someone only a month out, girlfriend. Hot dogs that early out not a good idea. I eat me some hot dogs now that I am almost 3 years out. Sh*t, my tummy can pretty much eat anything now except sugar. I do eat the healthier hot dogs when I eat them though. And yummy, they have to have chili and onions. I miss you too. Really bad. Don't get me wrong, I have friends but none as silly and fun as you. I really miss laughing like we always did. We could always laugh no matter how bad things were around us. I am glad to hear your friend Danielle is moving from Baton Rouge to Orange. Now, you have a friend there. That is great. How did her moving there come about? Does she have family there already? I haven't talked to you in ages it seems. Maybe we can talk soon. Love ya, Melissa P.S. Only had amberjack once since you left. Wasn't the same without you.

Good Morning Karine, I haven't had any ketchup since surgery. I drink the Great Value (Wal-mart brand) SF kookaid grape & fruit punch. I have eaten A LOT of chili with beef in it since my surgery and have had no problems at all. I have had problems with chicken however. The main thing (and it is with anything we eat) is to chew, chew, chew. ***5 months until the cruise***

I'm with Dawn on this one - my pouch is invincible (made of steele), I can eat almost ANYTHING - so, I'm not a lot of help with this one. I know in the first year, I did drink lots of tea with artificial sweetener (still like sweet-n-low in my tea, and splenda in coffee). Crystal lite makes me really crave carbs and I have heard lots of other people say that, and a few who do not have that problem, so just check yourself on that one and how you eat after having.... One of my favorite first year meals was a "tuna melt" - I would use a flour tortilla, top with a little canned tuna (or chicken) cut up real fine, cover with shred cheese and chopped fine onion - broil until cheese melts, then top with a little low fat sour cream, little taco sauce.....I think I ate this every day for weeks during the summer... Also, if you want, Becky Bellamy (sp) on the AL board sent me a WLS friendly cookbook they put together, tell me and I will e-mail you a copy. I saved it on Word Pad. I have not had a good chance to look over it yet, but I bet there are some good recipes in there. You may have to find some combinations of meats mixed with other stuff especially at this stage.... I am so proud of you!! On the board, asking questions, trying to do this the right way! DeAnna

DeAnna, could you pleeeeeeease send me that cookbook. My email is [email protected]. I would greatly appreciate it!!! Thanks! Karine

Hey DeAnna, would you please send me a copy of that cookbook as well? It sounds like exactly what I need. I think I could eat one of those tuna melts right now. Sounds tres yummy. My email is [email protected] Thanks again ma'am! Meghan