smiley_k’s Posts
Topic: RE: Shopping
You should definitely. They really do work, at least for me, I'm quite happy with the purchase.
Topic: RE: Shopping
So true Monica! I see so many things now that I can shop the whole mall instead of two stores and it's so tempting to go buy a bunch of stuff, but I know that in a few weeks, it's not going to look very good and I'm not going to feel comfortable wearing it because it's baggy and sloppy looking.
Sometimes, if I feel the urge, I buy accessories that make me feel great. I bought a new scarf and gloves for the winter, and I also look for freebies. Like for instance, if you go to the Bay until December 9th and get your make up done (for free) at the Clinique counter, they give you a full eyeshadow kit with three shadows in it for free! It feels good to get a make over, especially when it's free!
One thing I did purchase, which has been really helpful in extending the length of my shrinking wardrobe is buy Perfect Fit Buttons at the As Seen on TV store (or I think you can get them at Walmart now too). They let me where my too big jeans without looking sloppy, so hopefully I can skip buying the next size down and go straight to two sizes down and save some money!
Sometimes, if I feel the urge, I buy accessories that make me feel great. I bought a new scarf and gloves for the winter, and I also look for freebies. Like for instance, if you go to the Bay until December 9th and get your make up done (for free) at the Clinique counter, they give you a full eyeshadow kit with three shadows in it for free! It feels good to get a make over, especially when it's free!
One thing I did purchase, which has been really helpful in extending the length of my shrinking wardrobe is buy Perfect Fit Buttons at the As Seen on TV store (or I think you can get them at Walmart now too). They let me where my too big jeans without looking sloppy, so hopefully I can skip buying the next size down and go straight to two sizes down and save some money!
Katie ♥
Topic: RE: How long for weights/exercise?
I started off with walking, and gradually built up my stamina. When I felt comfortable enough, probably around 2 months, I joined the gym and did 30 minutes of the bike or the treadmill and then 20 to 30 minutes of weight machines. I never, and still don't really at 4 and a half months, do ab exercises (my plan says to wait till five to six months before doing any real core activities). I mostly do the leg machines (the ones that target the thighs) and a couple of the arm machines (the ones that taget the batwings and the bra buldge so to speak: you can tell I have an excellent grasp of anatomy right?! LOL). I added aquafit at 3 months and recently did trampolining, which does technically work your abs because it causes core instability, but I listened to how my body was feeling.
Take it easy and start slow, but fix those stones first!
Take it easy and start slow, but fix those stones first!
Katie ♥
Topic: RE: Half hour or hour wait.
As far as I know, it's different for each centre. At HRRH where I went, it's a half hour before and after.
Katie ♥
Topic: RE: 1 week down and 2 more to go!
Hi Robin,
Sounds like you are doing really well. I had the opposite problem than you in regards to bathroom trips but my clinic suggesting adding benefibre to each shake. You are not getting in the daily recommended dose, so you can add a bit more, but it helps to keep you regular, regardless is you have the optitrots or the optistop. I found it took a bit of time, but eventually, it did help! Congrats on your one week down! Sounds like you are ready for this!!
Sounds like you are doing really well. I had the opposite problem than you in regards to bathroom trips but my clinic suggesting adding benefibre to each shake. You are not getting in the daily recommended dose, so you can add a bit more, but it helps to keep you regular, regardless is you have the optitrots or the optistop. I found it took a bit of time, but eventually, it did help! Congrats on your one week down! Sounds like you are ready for this!!
Katie ♥
Topic: RE: silly question
I'm about 4 and a half months out. I do get the hungry feeling, which is different than how I experienced pre-op so it was difficult for me to determine exactly what that feeling was initially. Usually though, I was told that if there is four or more hours between a meal, than I need a snack and then at my 3 month follow up, they said include snacks period. Often, I start to feel ill if I haven't eaten in a long time, like four or five hours, but not hungry like I used to experience. Also, sometimes I'll portion out my four ounces of food (that's how I was told to measure, in ounces, not cups) and I think to myself, there's no way I'm going to feel satiated after that, but if I remember to eat slowly, I usually am. And then some days, it's almost like I have to remember to eat. Which isn't a bad thing but can make meal planning difficult.
I also find, oddly enough, that when I am "hungry" I look for more food items, like savoury, flavourful items, rather than sugary carby stuff I would have gravitated to before. I don't know if this is because I haven't had sugar and excessive carbs in so long that they are just detoxed out of me, or that my body is saying, you need nutrients A, B and C so eat this... or what, but again, I'm okay with that.
I also find, oddly enough, that when I am "hungry" I look for more food items, like savoury, flavourful items, rather than sugary carby stuff I would have gravitated to before. I don't know if this is because I haven't had sugar and excessive carbs in so long that they are just detoxed out of me, or that my body is saying, you need nutrients A, B and C so eat this... or what, but again, I'm okay with that.
Topic: RE: silly question
I understood it as that is where the hormone Ghrelin (not sure on the spelling) is produced and because the leftover stomach is not fully connected, just to further down the intestines, our body doesn't receive the Ghrelin signal and thus hunger is reduced. The only effect the reminant stomach has is giving the gastric juices to the jejunum later on in digestion, to help break down whatever food is still solid. That's why it's so important for us to really chew our food, because the bulk of the digestive juices that would normally break it down for us, doesn't get a chance at it until much later and we can have some uncomfortable experiences if something too big tries to go down not properly digested.
At least this is what I understood.
At least this is what I understood.
Katie ♥
Topic: RE: 5 Month Surgiversary
Congrats Beth! You should feel very proud of your accomplishment! 
Katie ♥
Topic: RE: Had surgery in July and am LOVING life!!! (Pic added)
Congratulations! You'll look great in that dress at your XMAS party!
Katie ♥
Topic: RE: Advice please...X Post from "What R U Eating/Doing Today?"
Hi Marny,
Sorry you are having a hard time with the scale. I think it's probably a combination of things. I know with me at my TOTM things normally go up, also, the carbs and being sick probably aren't helping. Instread of the P28 bread, with 10 net carbs a slice, have you tried super awesome bread with 1 net carb a slice? It's not bad. The other carbs, like you said are mostly coming from fruits and veggies and I believe, although I wasn't told specifically, that fruits and veggies are good for you, even if they contain some carbs, I think it's more refrain from the processed carbs, breads, pastas, etc. The few crackers in the tuna kit shouldn't be too awful.
I think focus on upping your protein, your body needs it regualrly, but especially if you're healing still from being sick. I hope things get better for you, and remember, even though this is a major disappointment, our body can fluctuate day by day by up to like five pounds, just from water and salt balances.
Good luck and stick with it!
Sorry you are having a hard time with the scale. I think it's probably a combination of things. I know with me at my TOTM things normally go up, also, the carbs and being sick probably aren't helping. Instread of the P28 bread, with 10 net carbs a slice, have you tried super awesome bread with 1 net carb a slice? It's not bad. The other carbs, like you said are mostly coming from fruits and veggies and I believe, although I wasn't told specifically, that fruits and veggies are good for you, even if they contain some carbs, I think it's more refrain from the processed carbs, breads, pastas, etc. The few crackers in the tuna kit shouldn't be too awful.
I think focus on upping your protein, your body needs it regualrly, but especially if you're healing still from being sick. I hope things get better for you, and remember, even though this is a major disappointment, our body can fluctuate day by day by up to like five pounds, just from water and salt balances.
Good luck and stick with it!
Katie ♥
Topic: RE: Milestones restaurant
Hi NervousNelly,
I have eaten at milestones a few time since surgery, but I'm on solids and have salad, no dressing with grilled chicken breast so that option is out for you. I looked up the nutritional information for Milestones, and even though the info for the spinach dip includes the tortillas, I don't think it's the best bang for your buck calorie, carb or protein wise.
They list two soups as there feature, and I don't think I've ever been to the one near me when it has not been the tomato bisque. The problem with this again is low protein and higher carbs. If you were able to eat a whole bowl of soup, which I highly doubt and don't recommend because their portions are huge, you would only be getting 12 grams protein and 35 grams net carbs. If you could bring in a plastic baggy in your purse with some unflavoured protein powder, than this might be okay.
My best suggestion would be, considering it's available on their brunch menu, so shouldn't really be a big deal to get them to make off menu, but call ahead and explain you have dietary restrictions and was wondering if this is possible, to order the poached egg. This is probably soft enough and you could try this.
But my biggest issue is that this should not be your first soft solid meal. Trust me, it's an adjustment you don't want to go through in front of people in case something goes wrong, if this is your third or fourth meal and you try this option out before hand, this might work.
I hope you and your clinic find a solution and you get to enjoy the christmas party. Remember there's nothing wrong with going for the company and just ordering a decaf coffee...
I have eaten at milestones a few time since surgery, but I'm on solids and have salad, no dressing with grilled chicken breast so that option is out for you. I looked up the nutritional information for Milestones, and even though the info for the spinach dip includes the tortillas, I don't think it's the best bang for your buck calorie, carb or protein wise.
They list two soups as there feature, and I don't think I've ever been to the one near me when it has not been the tomato bisque. The problem with this again is low protein and higher carbs. If you were able to eat a whole bowl of soup, which I highly doubt and don't recommend because their portions are huge, you would only be getting 12 grams protein and 35 grams net carbs. If you could bring in a plastic baggy in your purse with some unflavoured protein powder, than this might be okay.
My best suggestion would be, considering it's available on their brunch menu, so shouldn't really be a big deal to get them to make off menu, but call ahead and explain you have dietary restrictions and was wondering if this is possible, to order the poached egg. This is probably soft enough and you could try this.
But my biggest issue is that this should not be your first soft solid meal. Trust me, it's an adjustment you don't want to go through in front of people in case something goes wrong, if this is your third or fourth meal and you try this option out before hand, this might work.
I hope you and your clinic find a solution and you get to enjoy the christmas party. Remember there's nothing wrong with going for the company and just ordering a decaf coffee...
Katie ♥
Topic: RE: What are you eating/doing today ( Monday)
If you are looking for ideas and don't want to buy the kids something, one year I got a donation made under my name to world wildlife fund, my cousins and myself each got a different animal adopted under our name for the year and we received an info booklet on the endangered animal and a little stuffed animal version of it. It was a nice gift. Maybe you could do something like that.... just a thought!
Topic: RE: Bariatric Advantage multivitamins at HRRH
I bought some BA stuff there. I don't know if they have that specific vitamin, but the prices weren't too bad. I especially like the sublingual B-12 tablets, they taste great and were a good price per the amount of pills you get. I did buy calcium, multivitamin and iron, because the multivitamin didn't have iron in it, but didn't use any of it. I found liquid better for calcium right after surgery and because of other meds I'm on, having to take the multi and the iron separately was difficult for my schedule.
They did have quite a selection available though and they said that they would ship products to your house. I don't know the number but I'm sure it's available somewhere on the hospital site.
Hope this helps!
They did have quite a selection available though and they said that they would ship products to your house. I don't know the number but I'm sure it's available somewhere on the hospital site.
Hope this helps!
Katie ♥
Topic: RE: splenda brown sugar
I use sugar twin brown sugar. It's an all sweetener substitute, so no sugar at all. It doesn't look like the real thing, but it tastes like it if mixed into something else, like flavoured teas or baking. I like it. If you are looking to eat it more in a non-baked version, because the texture is different, but in baking fits the same purpose as brown sugar, you can mix maple syrup with splenda to create brwon sugar. You can buy sugar free maple syrup at the Low Carb Grocery or in the diabetic section of the pharmacies at places like Zellers and Walmart. It's realtively inexpensive and comparable to the price of regular syrup. I hope this helps.
Katie ♥
Topic: RE: 9 1/2 months out 150 pounds gone for good
Sorry to hear about your losses...
However, congrats on all your success, especially with Onederland just around the corner!
However, congrats on all your success, especially with Onederland just around the corner!
Katie ♥
Topic: RE: Hair Loss Question
Mine started about 2 and 1/2 months out and seemed like a lot initially. It really wasn't too bad *knock on wood* but just that my natural part got really wide and some of my hair at my hairline receeded a bit. I notice, but no one else and I started parting my hair at a different place. At 4 months + out, it's slowing a bit but still coming out. I haven't really noticed any regrowth yet.
Katie ♥
Topic: RE: What a surprise ! and not the good kind
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Big hugs to you! It sounds like you need it. I think almost everyone on this forum who is going through or has had surgery has had one of those moments that just makes you want to cry (I know I have). Know that the scale is not go to hurt you, it's just a machine that weighs things and shows numbers (unless someone picks up the scale and smacks you with it --sorry just trying to add some homour-- it can't hurt you), but it's good that you are recognizing where you are so you know what you are aiming to go down to. Know, like many others have said, you are already showing that you are not okay with this number and are doing things to make a change. I wish you all the best in your surgery adventures!
Big hugs to you! It sounds like you need it. I think almost everyone on this forum who is going through or has had surgery has had one of those moments that just makes you want to cry (I know I have). Know that the scale is not go to hurt you, it's just a machine that weighs things and shows numbers (unless someone picks up the scale and smacks you with it --sorry just trying to add some homour-- it can't hurt you), but it's good that you are recognizing where you are so you know what you are aiming to go down to. Know, like many others have said, you are already showing that you are not okay with this number and are doing things to make a change. I wish you all the best in your surgery adventures!
Topic: RE: OT - Best price for a Keurig?
I was in Walmart yesterday and they had a single serve Mr. Coffee Keurig maker on for $48. I think it only makes one cup size though...
Katie ♥
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