Wed March 9th - questions & update

Went to the seminar last night for my surgeon. He is fantastic!! Very personable and even has a sense of humor. He has done over 450 Lap RNY procedures. I like that he didn't sell the surgery but just gave us a great deal of numbers and information. If anything he discouraged it for people not ready or not having medical reasons. Had a good workout this morning. 30 minutes spinning 30 minutes upper body circuit 3x15 each series - 70lb free motion lat twist w/ squat position - chest while laying on ball (activated those abs) with 25lbs dumbells - 35lbs free motion shoulder press - 20 lbs dumbell incline french press (dropped to 15 on last set) - 20 lbs dumbell bicep curl with shoulder press - cybex assorted weighted abs - few sets of right and left punches on the heavy bag Did anyone do anything special with diet the week or two before surgery. Few people said they were going to liquid - protien shakes only just prior. I was wondering if there was any value in this. I'm sure it did make that bowel prep a little easier. Also - did you guys do the liquid or pills for your prep?

I was on Atkins right up to surgery, I had to lose weight for the hospital to ok the surgery, I was over the BMI limit of 55; yes, I was to fat to have weight loss surgery The day before bowel prep, I switched to soft foods, and liquids the day of bowel prep. Great workout!!

It's funny that I've heard of several people who had to lose weight in order to have the surgery. My BMI was like 59 and I didn't have to lose any weight. I think it was because I had a lot of muscle which made my BMI higher and I didn't have very much fat around my abdomen. I had fat below my belly button, but not much above it. You could still feel most of my ribs and such. It's funny because I hate BMI and weight. In order for me to have a "normal" BMI, I would have to lose muscle. I'm 4'11" tall and I weigh 177 lbs. I had gotten down to 171 from 292 in the last two years, but gained about 6 lbs after getting pregnant. I know it hasn't been coming back off because I went through about a week of eating and sitting after I miscarried. When I go home today I'm back to my weights!! Back to what I was saying about BMI and weight. I will be doing my bodyfat on my Tanita scale tonight, but last I checked it's about 39%. My scale is pretty acurate because I've compared it with my Bodpod measurement and they were the same. Unless I lose muscle or get down to an extemely low bodyfat, I will never have a "normal" BMI. When are doctors going to get with the times and go by bodyfat instead??? Sorry to ramble on. I just get so frustrated with weight. If you tell someone that you weigh 177 lbs, they assume that you are huge and I wear a size 14 jeans. I know that's not small, but it's certainly not huge. Thanks for letting me vent! Sorry! Jennifer

I agree, it is very frustrating, I had a good muscle structure as well, but the hospital had a BMI limit of 55 to have surgery. They weighed me before I went in and if I would not have made it, they would have cancelled my surgery. I have found the same accuracy with my Tanita BF monitor (Not with bodpod, but with all the other testing methods including hyrdastatic). I am pushing 27% at 280 pounds, so I will never hit a normal BMI; that would mean weighing 180 pounds, right now I have 213 pounds of lean body mass, and I am trying to increase that. My goal is about 235 with below 15% body fat. You do not have to apologize for rambling here

Stacy, your new pic is beautiful! I really need to get some pics online. I have no excuse!!! My surgery was almost two years ago, so I know my surgeon does things a little differently now. They learn as they go, I guess. I wasn't on a special diet prior to surgery. In fact, I ate a few of my favorites that I knew I wouldn't get to have again. I did a liquid, something citrate I think. It tasted horrible. It was like it caused a chemical reaction in your mouth. I drank it with a straw, over ice, washed it down with sugar free Koolaid, held my nose, and it still tasted horrible. If you're allowed to do pills, by all means, go for the pills! Jennifer

Thanks guys. That is actually an old picture from about 3 years ago. I was about 40lbs lighter. It was just before my husband came out to visit me for the first time from San Jose, CA. We had been talking online for about a year prior to that. I think I sent that to OH like 3 months ago. I guess they were back logged on updating pictures. I'll keep the sugar free koolaid in mind if I have to do liquid! Thanks for the tips.

One other thing I was noticing.. the head tilt in the picture.. it strategically hides the double chins!! Will be nice when that goes away someday =)