Getting Ready... Tell me your faves!

Hi all!  I've never posted here before, but it's good to find some young people!  I am scheduled for surgery (enter hallelujah chorus), and I am so excited!  Now (to avoid going stir crazy) I am stocking up for things that I will need to have around for recovery and beyond.  What are some of your favorite products, your staple proteins, your lifesaving treats?  I have heard good things about the achievone drinks, but I don't know which flavor to get.  What are the things that you can't live without now?  Or things that you wished you had known beforehand?  Thanks!! P.S. how the heck do I make a signature? -Scarlett

hey scarlett!  congrats on the surgery date.  I'm exactly 2 weeks post-op, and I can tell you, you def want some form of "easy-to-swallow" protien shake...I like the Muscle Milk products, and a lot of others here have recommended that brand as well.  Get lots of SF popsicles, juice, jello, pudding, etc.  They do wonders for you.  After a week of drinking fluids, and being switched to Full Liquid diet, the pudding and popsicles were a God-send.

Soups are good, I like split pea (pured), tomato soup, chicken noodle soup (strained not blended, cuz it's just nasty).  Also, a great soup that is WAY good, go to your favorite chinese food restaurant and get their broth, best thing under the sun!

I'm also enjoying a lot of cottage cheese and yogurt.  Down in Florida, we have a store, Publix, and they make their own low fat yogurts that have less calories and more protien then the national name brands....so I stock up on the flavored ones.

If your having Gastric Bypass, avoid those sugars, you dont want to experience the dumping syndrome, it's no fun!

As for the signature, over on the left, select "User Settings" (see below) and you make your signature in there and save it.

Weight Loss Surgery In Your 20's
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Congrats on your surgery date! Do *not* stock up on anything pre-op... you will find your tastes will change post-op. You will also find when it comes to protein suppliments what one person loves another person hates. I suggest finding someplace with protein samples - stock up on some of those so you can try them post-op and see which one is the best. You can always go back to the store post-op to try things. We all want to feel prepared... Im guilty of it. I loaded up on a lot of stuff and ended up tossing or giving away a lot of it. I found immediately post-op anything too thick just did not sit well - certain soups, SF jello... it all went to waste.  However, it is good to start a list of what people like so you can reference it back later :-)

I stocked up on Carnation instant breakfast, I ordered tons of it!  But after I had my surgery, I couldnt even stand the smell of it let alone drink it!  So I had to give it all away.  Luckily my friend was having surgery a few weeks after me so she could use it.  So dont go over board.  Make sure that you have someone that can make store runs for you.  I also had bags of SF pops on hand but I just couldnt stomach those either!  I couldnt have milk either!  Its so crazy how one day I could handle that stuff and then the next day I couldnt!   Good luck on your surgery! 

I went WAY over board preparing for my homecoming. I bought protein mixes that I loved pre-op and tons of them. After I got home.. they made me sick! As far as things I loved. SF Jello was a must for me. I also really enjoyed pureed soups.  I will agree with Missy though.. it was quite weird for me. One day something would sit EXTREMELY well.. then the next day make me sicker than a dog. So-- just take it one day at a time.  Best of luck to you!!! ~*Zandra*~

Here are some of my staple foods from the various stages: Carnation Instant Breakfast No Sugar Added (blue box or containers) - I like it better than SlimFast Nonfat Greek Yogurt - I get mine from Trader Joe's. Greek yogurt typically has more protein and less sugar. Shredded chicken and pork - very good with all sorts of sauces Black beans - good mushed up with hot sauce or salsa and guacamole

Not fair, no trader joes around here. Oh how i miss trader jose.

Welcome to the 20's board and congratulations on your srugery date . Now let me see if I can answer some of your questions.... What are some of your favorite products/staple protiens/lifesaving treats? I don't like protien drinks, but I really enjoy muscle milk products.  I would drink muscle milk just because I like it.  For vitamins, I take Fiber Choice plus multivitamin chewables.  They aren't too terrible tasting and if I take them I don't have to take an additional fiber supplement (ask your dr if Fiber Choice fits the bill for your vitamin needs...). My staples as far as diet goes - well, I'll give it to you in stages.... Clear Liquid - water, skim milk, sugar free jello made with 100% fruit juice subsituted for 1/2 of the water, sugar free popcicle brand popcicles Full Liquid - Skim milk w/ milk powder stirred in to double the protien, muscle milk products Mushy foods - Cottage cheese w/ saltine crackers, pureed bean-less chili, and everything listed above - some people really like pintos and cheese, personally I'm not a huge bean person, but if you like beans.... Regular food - pepperoni slices w/ provalone cheese on wheat crackers, string cheese, beef jerky, Ka****LC honey almond flax granola bars, kashi go lean cereal (DRY), I eat a lot of adapted Mexican foods, generally adapted to have less carbs - fajitas, tacos, taco salad, enchiladas - all with less tortialla than meat, cheese and veggies, mixed nuts (preferably almonds, macadamias and peanuts). carb controlled yogurts w/ fresh fruit (I LOVE no sugar added vanilla yogurt w/ diced strawberries and a tablespoon of kashi cereal when strawberries are in season).     Keep in mind that what you like pre-op may not even resemble what you like post-op, so don't go and get huge tubs of any one protien powder, even if you like it now because you might hate it post-op.  See if you can get samples of several different protien supplements so you can try them out as you're able.  And the things I wish I knew beforehand...I could write a book.  The big thing is - THIS WILL ALWAYS TAKE WORK if you you want to keep the weight off.  It has to be a concious decision to eat right and exercise.  Your tool will help you, but not unless you edo your part 90% of the time.   And as for the signature...on the left hand side of the screen click on "User Settings" and that should take you where you need to go.  After that I am a little helpless.

Wow!  Thanks everyone!  I'm going to print this out and keep it handy in the future!