nickdemarco Member

No need to worry. At my psych evaluation, afterward, I asked the shrink whether I "passed". He explained that he wasn't there to tell my doctor whether I should have the surgery, only whether he saw anything that leads him to believe I should NOT. Be honest about your past, and realistic about your future leading up to and…

Not a protein shake, but if you're at CostCo, you can buy Pure Protein high-protein bars. You'll get 20 g of protein for 180 calories (the Chocolate Deluxe version, anyway; the others are close), and you can throw these into your knapsack, pocketbook or whatever to be ready for a snack. 20 easy grams!

I make a daily shake in the morning with Premier Protein's chocolate shakes, and put all sorts of stuff into the blender with it. I'm sure you can find pumpkin "meat" that won't sabotage your efforts, and can blend that into whatever shake you prefer. I personally put a tablespoon of peanut butter, a good sprinkle of…

Did anyone attend the September meeting? How was it?

My wife, Cathy, is ready to throw the scale out the 2nd story window because it has indicated the same weight, even to the tenth of a pound, for about a week. We're told that 3 or 4 weeks is a legitimate plateau, so don't give up hope. Make sure your exercise is up to snuff, and I've heard occasional stories of people…

I'm rooting for you both. Focus on the habits they've taught you - these will be the tools to success. Do either of you attend a support group?

Congrats, Jorlin! I'm coming up on my 2 year anniversary for the sleeve, and my wife, Cathy, just had it done in May of this year. Solidarity!!!

Excellent news, Ruby! Check elsewhere on this site for good suggestions about program content. Anyone else out there from Chicagoland? Let Ruby know!

Hey, Cheryl! Hope your surgery went well! Like you and your husband, I'm coming up on my 2-year anniversary, and my wife, Cathy, just got her sleeve surgery in May! Couple-power! If anyone's from near Laredo, let Cheryl know!

Great idea! I look forward to trying it. I wondered how to "stir up" those greek yogurts so I could freeze them. Anyone else try this? Any other recipes?

Sorry I've been out of touch! I was blown away to meet someone at our meeting who actually learned about it at this site! We had a great "buffet" of protein sources at the last meeting, and hopefully everyone came away with new ideas to envigorate their protein intake! See you at the next one, Monday, September 16! Contact…

Hey, Red! Best of luck, hope everything goes well. I encourage you to peruse the various chats on this site for good perspective on the surgery, and for moral support. You, and all on this site, are in my prayers!

Hey, Priscilla! Best of luck. I'm almost 2 years out from sleeve surgery, and have had much success! Be patient with the process, and good luck!

Lindsay is IN THE HOUSE! Good meeting last night. Great meeting, in fact! Colleen Naylor, an RN with Lourdes, presented her relaxation exercises and her Setting Intentions "seminar". She's a great speaker - contact her through the hospital! Everyone was sharing, and a few tears welled up in several sets of eyes. Everyone…

Near Philly? Meeting tonight at 6 pm in Pennsauken, NJ (near Cherry Hill, NJ) at Lourdes Care Medical Offices, Route 70 and Brace Road corner.

Meeting TONIGHT!!! Meet at 5:45 pm for a quick mile walk around the building, followed by the meeting. And, I'll be handing out money at the meeting...

Hey, Flora! I'm post-op by almost 2 years, but remember living on sugar-free Jello! No calories, and it counts as liquid. Win-win. Also, a good shake to try is the Premier Nutrition chocolate shake, premade. I buy them at Costco, 18 for about $25, but you can find them elsewhere as well. Best of luck to all of you - you're…

Hey all - anyone with a desire for a bariatric surgery support system, but no support group close by? Post here!!!

Calling all OLL Group Members: Please join this group and drop a note to let us know how you are doing... Cathy and I are doing well. She's down about 35 lbs., and I'm back losing weight again after a long layoff. See you on the 15th?

If it makes all you Pre candidates feel better, today I'm starting another round of cutting back the food. I'm going to try to eat 31,000 calories in July. Think of it as solidarity for all of you, particularly those of you on pre- or recent post-surgery restrictions! Good luck to all! :drinker:

Sure thing, Kali - let me know how your support group experiences go. That goes for everyone!

How charming, Charmin'! :wink: Nice of you to say... Impulses will always be a threat, and will even crop up a few months after the surgery. That's okay - you'll have the tools you need to resist, overcome or move past the impulses. The deal with the "rules" is to get you into the proper habits to maintain. You will…

Some of my friends at our support group regularly drink a shake for breakfast, or some other part of the day. Every time we blend one up and before we take the first sip, we like to 'toast" each other, and all of our fellow bariatric veterans (and vets to be)! Even if no one's around, it's a nice gesture of solidarity...…

Is New Hyde Park near you? State: NY City: New Hyde Park Doctor: Garber, Shawn MD Are patients from other practices welcome at your Support Group? Yes Are you willing to follow other surgeons' patients in your office? Yes Support Group Leader's Name: Shawn Garber MD 3003 New Hyde Park Rd., Suite 307 New Hyde Park, NY 11042…

Does anyone attend a Bariatric Surgery support group? Here's a "shameless" plug for another group that I started on MFP: Bariatric Surgery Support Group Central. Search for it under Groups, and feel free to join the group. I've posted a bunch of things there, but nothing would please me more than to see that Group take…

Okay, Charmin', rock 'n roll! Let not your heart be troubled. All will be well. Have patience and confidence in your surgical team, and yourself. Commit to the process, including the pre-surgery diet, and the post-surgery rules. And you shall be rewarded! Congrats on getting the date - I'll be prayin' for ya! Nick

Whatever you choose, here's a good way to evaluate food. Foods with a ratio of calories to protein of 10:1 or less (e.g. 10 grams of protein per 100 calories) are excellent "bang for the buck". 2.5 ounces of tuna in my salad, half a standard can, for example, gave me 18 grams of protein for only 82 calories - a fabulous…

Hey, Charmin' - any news on your date? Are any of you waiting an abnormally long time to get a surgery date?

Does anyone attend a Bariatric Surgery support group? Here's a "shameless" plug for another group that I started on MFP: Bariatric Surgery Support Group Central. Search for it under Groups, and feel free to join the group. I've posted a bunch of things there, but nothing would please me more than to see that Group take…

A note about timetables. Expect a fairly long wait, even after you're convinced of the need for this surgery. Most insurance (and trust me, you don't want to pay out of pocket for this) will require several "just to be sure" visits to a weight control group before approving the surgery as covered. This could take several…