Where do I start? Feeling a tad overwhelmed.... BUT I CAN DO THIS !

Thanks for the kinds words....and yes babysteps lol

I can't say enough about how great this group of people is. I can tell you that they are compassionate and caring, knowledgeable and kind.

during this process, i have been at TWH. i am having my surgery on September 5th so soon i will be speaking from experience post surgery.

my surgery was scheduled for March 25th 2017. my father passed away two days before. It was unexpected even though he had been in the hospital since Christmas day. i don't think i could have made it through the stressful time of dad being sick and still planning the surgery and then the dad passing away and re-booking surgery, without these kind and wonderful people. I honestly believe i would have just quit. I would have just said to hell with it and ate away all my feelings. but i was kept on track and supported by so many wonderful people here. They reminded me of my goals and my dreams. and even when it wasn't direct just reading the stories and the accomplishments of my fellow OH members kept me with my goal in sight.

You have come to the right place for information. and for support. this is a great journey.

what can i offer.

for me there was a lot of wisdom to be found in books. I went out and bought the top recommended by amazon books and devoured them. I found that by acquainting myself with what changes needed to be made my system just started to shut those things out. i was a big diet pop drinker but reading about how i would not be able to have that anymore i found that i just weaned it off. first not buying it from the grocery store. then only having it when i went out to eat. then finally not having it at all. i have also quit straws, and bought a lovely insulated water bottle (longos) i am practicing drinking in little sips. I hope you find as i have that these changes come quite naturally.

Good luck and see you on the boards.

I sent you a PM. I think I did anyways......?

Yep you did!

YEAH ME!!!! TY :)

Welcome! Lots of wonderful people with good advice here. It does seem overwhelming at first but it all becomes second nature in time. Just ask anything and you will always get someone who can answer your question or at least give you support.

I'm hoping to get there this Saturday. My summer weekends tend to be jam packed.

Hi Blueeyesmiles,

I would say the best place to start is to cut out carbonated drinks, try switching to decaffeinated coffee if you can, but TWH seemed to not mind one coffee a day. I drink diet ice tea (Nestea Zero). I also started cutting back on how much I was eating at a time. An example would be when going to a restaurant, only eat half the meal and bring the rest home for another meal. This helped with loosing weight before I even had the surgery. Start looking for protein drinks to try and try and find out which ones you like and don't like. I have found that Premier Protein (from Costco - 18 pack) is a good choice. Shoppers carries it as well in four packs, so you could try the vanilla and chocolate without buying a large amount the first time. Costco is cheaper though.

The team at TWH is great, the nurses were awesome during the 2 night stay after surgery.

Keep your eyes on the prize, a healthier you!

Randy

Hi Randy,

What great advice, thank you so much. I'll check out the shoppers drug mart protein and see what doesn't taste awful! My goal is a healthier me! You are SOOOOO right!!! I do have a Costco membership. Who doesn't like to save money! Thanks again for your input and congrats on the success you have had. Keep up the great work :)

WELCOME

You are going to love the gang at TWH, they are all awesome. Andrew at the front desk is always smiling and super helpful.

I had my surgery there with Dr. Andrew Jackson about 2.5 months ago and it feels like that was a whole other lifetime. The changes that I feel and see in this short time are phenomenal. This was THE BEST thing I ever did for myself. I'm happier, I have more energy and I have COMPLETELY stopped napping (which I did A LOT before the surgery - A.L.O.T!!!!).

My advice, take in all the information you can at each and every appointment. Follow the instructions they give you and you will do great! Good luck to you on this journey :)