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CraftyChristie

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Posts posted by CraftyChristie

  1. Posted

    I know every post op diet is different but I'm surprised you are eating those foods at 19 days post op. I wouldn't have been allowed to even think about mac and cheese til on solid foods at 6 weeks. Also I didn't get up to 1/2 cup of food until like 6 months post op. When you say you are eating slowly... how slowly? Since size restriction is all we have, you want to fill your tummy (not too much!) and stop. If you are taking longer than 20 mins to eat you start digesting and therefore make more room to eat more food. Hope some of this may help.

  2. Posted

    I came across this article a few months ago and it helps a lot to keep things in perspective for long term success.

    Top 10 Most Common Mistakes WLS Patients Make

    I will also post it here just to make it easier...

    -----------------------------------------------------------

    While weight loss surgery (WLS) is considered the most successful treatment for morbid obesity, it is just the first step toward a fresh start. Weight regain is a common phenomenon, as is illness when weight loss surgery patients do not follow recommended guidelines.

    Breaking old patterns, establishing an effective post-WLS lifestyle, and addressing the emotional issues that often complicate obesity takes more than commitment; it takes support, information, and resources.

    The National Association for Weight Loss Surgery (NAWLS) helps WLS patients shape new lives. We teach people what they need to know and help them makes the changes they need to make to achieve long-term WLS success -- physically, mentally, and spiritually.

    In a November 2005 poll conducted by NAWLS, the following were identified as the top 10 mistakes WLS patients make:

    1st Mistake: Not Taking Vitamins, supplements, or Minerals

    Every WLS patient has specific nutritional needs depending on the type of surgery you have had. Not only is it a good idea to ask your surgeon for guidelines, but also consult with an experienced WLS nutritionist. Understand there is not a standard practice that all surgeons and nutritionists follow in guiding WLS patients. So, it is important to do your own research, get your lab tests done regularly, and learn how to read the results.

    Some conditions and symptoms that can occur when you are deficient in Vitamins, supplements, or minerals include:

    Osteoporosis; pernicious anemia; muscle spasms; high blood pressure; burning tongue; fatigue; loss of appetite; weakness; Constipation and diarrhea; numbness and tingling in the hands and feet; being tired, lethargic, or dizzy; forgetfulness, and lowered immune functioning.

    Keep in mind, too, that some conditions caused by not taking your vitamins, supplements, or minerals are irreversible. For example, a Vitamin B-1 deficiency can result in permanent neurological deficits, including the loss of the ability to walk.

    2nd Mistake: Assuming You Have Been Cured of Your Obesity

    A "pink cloud" or honeymoon experience is common following WLS. When you are feeling better than you have in years, and the weight is coming off easily, it's hard to imagine you will ever struggle again. But unfortunately, it is very common for WLS patients to not lose to their goal weight or to regain some of their weight back.

    A small weight regain may be normal, but huge gains usually can be avoided with support, education, effort, and careful attention to living a healthy WLS lifestyle. For most WLSers, if you don't change what you've always done, you're going to keep getting what you've always gotten -- even after weight loss surgery.

    3rd Mistake: Drinking with Meals

    Yes, it's hard for some people to avoid drinking with meals, but the tool of not drinking with meals is a critical key to long-term success. If you drink while you eat, your food washes out of your stomach much more quickly, you can eat more, you get hungry sooner, and you are at more risk for snacking. Being too hungry is much more likely to lead to poor food choices and/or overeating.

    4th Mistake: Not Eating Right

    Of course everyone should eat right, but in this society eating right is a challenge. You have to make it as easy on yourself as possible. Eat all your meals--don't skip. Don't keep unhealthy food in sight where it will call to you all the time. Try to feed yourself at regular intervals so that you aren't as tempted to make a poor choice.

    And consider having a couple of absolutes: for example, avoid fried foods completely, avoid sugary foods, always use low-fat options, or only eat in a restaurant once a week. Choose your "absolutes" based on your trigger foods and your self knowledge about what foods and/or situations are problematic for you.

    5th Mistake: Not Drinking Enough Water

    Most WLS patients are at risk for dehydration. Drinking a minimum of 64 oz. of Water per day will help you avoid this risk. Adequate water intake will also help you flush out your system as you lose weight and avoid kidney stones. Drinking enough water helps with your weight loss, too.

    6th Mistake: Grazing

    Many people who have had WLS regret that they ever started grazing, which is nibbling small amounts here and there over the course of the day. It's one thing to eat the three to five small meals you and your doctor agree you need. It's something else altogether when you start to graze, eating any number of unplanned Snacks. Grazing can easily make your weight creep up. Eating enough at meal time, and eating planned Snacks when necessary, will help you resist grazing.

    Make a plan for what you will do when you crave food, but are not truly hungry. For example, take up a hobby to keep your hands busy or call on someone in your support group for encouragement.

    7th Mistake: Not Exercising Regularly

    Exercise is one of the best weapons a WLS patient has to fight weight regain. Not only does exercise boost your spirits, it is a great way to keep your metabolism running strong. When you exercise, you build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn, even at rest!

    8th Mistake: Eating the Wrong Carbs (or Eating Too Much)

    Let's face it, refined carbohydrates are addictive. If you eat refined carbohydrates they will make you crave more refined carbohydrates. There are plenty of complex carbohydrates to choose from, which have beneficial vitamins. For example, if you can handle pastas, try whole grain Kamut pasta--in moderation, of course. (Kamut Pasta doesn't have the flavor some people find unpleasant in the whole wheat pastas.) Try using your complex carbohydrates as "condiments," rather than as the center point of your meal. Try sprinkling a tablespoon of brown rice on your stir-fried meat and veggies.

    9th Mistake: Going Back to Drinking Soda

    Drinking soda is controversial in WLS circles. Some people claim soda stretches your stomach or pouch. What we know it does is keep you from getting the hydration your body requires after WLS--because when you're drinking soda, you're not drinking water! In addition, diet soda has been connected to weight gain in the general population. The best thing you can do is find other, healthier drinks to fall in love with. They are out there.

    10th Mistake: Drinking Alcohol

    If you drank alcohol before surgery, you are likely to want to resume drinking alcohol following surgery. Most surgeons recommend waiting one year after surgery. And it is in your best interest to understand the consequences of drinking alcohol before you do it.

    Alcohol is connected with weight regain, because alcohol has 7 calories per gram, while Protein and vegetables have 4 calories per gram. Also, some people develop an addiction to alcohol after WLS, so be very cautious. Depending on your type of WLS, you may get drunker, quicker after surgery, which can cause health problems and put you in dangerous situations.

    If you think you have a drinking problem, get help right away. Putting off stopping drinking doesn't make it any easier, and could make you a lot sicker.

  4. Posted

    YAAAAY!!!!!!!!! This happened to me a couple months ago and I realized I hadn't even TRIED in forever. I was so used to it not fitting that I never even checked. One day I thought... hmmm... I wonder.... and it fit! I couldn't believe it, I even used my phone to take a pic of myself in the mirror, wrapped in the towel. Then I thought... um... why did I do that, who am I ever going to show this to? LOL but I am still glad I did :) I totally feel your happiness on this one... way to go!

  8. Posted

    The other day I went to Lane Bryant in search of a new pair of shorts for summer. The smallest size I owned previously was a 20, which I've been wearing in my last couple of progress photos, but of course they are much too big now. I grabbed an 18 and a 16 to take into the dressing room with me. I felt optimistic so I tried the 16's first.To my shock and amazement, they were too big. I changed and went to grab a size 14, figuring they would be too tight and I'd be in between the two sizes. To my even greater shock and amazement, they fit perfectly. Size 14. Fit. Perfectly.

    I cried in the dressing room.

    After collecting myself I decided to buy some new jeans too. The 14's seemed a bit snug so I bought 16, but they are actually kind of baggy so with those I think I'm right in between. But still... walking out with a 16 and a 14, I felt like I was walking on air.

    Even though LB sizes run generous, the important thing is when I started, I was wearing size 28 from that store. I've gone from their biggest size to their smallest size!!!!!!!!

    It still amazes me how much has changed. Today, I went grocery shopping and I had to pick up some items we were asked to bring to a party this weekend. chips and soda... two things I haven't bought in almost a year. Just walking down those two aisles of the store was a strangely foreign experience. They were so unfamiliar and I couldn't believe how weird it felt.

    That was a good reminder... things HAVE changed, so much. That even though lately I have struggled with some of my food choices... I have still come a very long way and there are TONS of things I do not even TOUCH anymore such as chips, soda, most fried foods and most fast food, that pretty much used to make up my ENTIRE diet.

    This makes me feel good.

    However, that's the bright side and I do need to look at the not so bright side also. My eating in Chicago wasn't great... I did as well as I could for the most part, but I had way too many sweets and Desserts. When I got home I had gained 3 lbs... not too shabby for a vacation. Since I did a 5K while I was there and got a great workout at the waterpark, I'm sure that helped me not to gain even more. But then I was only home 1 day and went up to our timeshare with my husband. We took all kinds of good food with us, planning only to eat out for our favorite sushi a couple times and eat everything else at home. Unfortunately we both went into pig-out vacation mode and we ate candy, popcorn and sweets.

    Night before last as we were going to bed, I exploded, telling him how awful I felt about how we were eating. He felt the same way. We realize there are both ups and downs when it comes to going through this together - we like to be bad together. But we can also talk about it and pull ourselves out of it together. When we got up the next morning, we threw away all the remaining candy, popcorn and junk (hello s'mores!) that we still had.

    I told him what scares me the most is not gaining a couple pounds - I know that is temporary and easy to get rid of. What scares me is the lack of control I have been feeling over this behavior. It's wayyyy to familiar, and i know exactly where it will take me.

    I swore I'd never say no to anything... but I think at least for a while, I have to say no to sweets. I need to get them out of my system. Other than my Starbucks twice per week, no other sweets. No candy, no chocolate, no Desserts, no Cookies, etc. And also watching my carbs more again. I am planning to be very strict about this at least until our one year appointment (which we are moving to June, at Ian's one year). Once I have all the junk out of my system, then I can decide when and IF to bring any back in. I used to be okay with a little here and there and I hope I can do that again. But right now, I can't... so I need to abstain. I never thought I would do this... but for now it is necessary. If I have it around I go nuts with it and can't stop myself. Somewhere along the way I have lost that. I think part of it is physical - when it's in your system you want more more more. Part of it is mental, and I had that part good so I think the physical of having it in my system is what is making it a lot harder. So for now... out of my system.

    I've now been eating "right" for two days and I already feel so much better. This is how it SHOULD be. This is how it WILL be.

    I'm not beating myself up, but rather picking myself up and moving forward to live the life I want to live :) I have more changes to make, more pounds to lose and more life to live! Whoo!

  10. Posted

    I'm half of a sleeved couple here too! So happy to be doing this with my hubby. It's so nice to hear about your maintenance and that you still feel your restriction. Sometimes I worry that I eat so much more than I did several months ago... but I am pretty sure the amount has leveled off. I want to follow what you said... Protein first, eat mostly the right stuff, but don't deprive myself. Sometimes my challenge is that "don't deprive myself" mentality leads to a lot of extras, too many extras. But I get sick with too much sugar at once too. Had a milkshake and thought I was gonna die, so that's off the list LOL.

    Thanks for sharing and I do hope you post pics!

  15. Posted

    I went through this too Brian! Firstly, do away with guilt. We struggle with these things and surgery doesn't make that go away, but you CAN change it. There are two forces at work here - mental and physical. Physical is easier - which is "the carb monster". All the foods you described are empty carbs and when we eat them, our body craves them more and more and MORE!!! It also makes us feel more hungry more of the time, which causes us to eat even more frequently. Now, mentally... I went through this too... "I can eat this and that because I eat so little"... I think we all have this happen because after surgery, it's true. We lose and lose no matter what choices we make. Eventually this stops being true as our capacity increases and we have GOT to make the right choices. I stalled a lot and even gained a couple times and I said enough.

    You need to "reset" your mindset again. Find that determination to make the right choices that you had after surgery... and physically you need to take a break from carbs entirely for a few days or even a week just to help your body lose its dependency on them and the craving. This can take whatever form you wish. It can be as simple as going back to all meals 100% Protein only, meats etc... or doing a "pouch test" which is where you regress back to the stages from post op... liquids, mushies, soft meats, etc over the course of 5-7 days. For hubby and I, we did Protein Shakes all day long and two small high protein meals at night for 5 days. It helped us get the junk out of our system and refocus our priorities.

    I think I remember you having kids, so maybe saying "get that food out of the house" may not be an option for you. And, being a believer in Intuitive Eating, I don't usually advocate saying "NEVER" to any food. But maybe you can put some rules in place such as a little baggie with a mixture of these foods you enjoy - like a snack size baggie - and that is the amount you can enjoy. One baggie for the day, so you can dip into it when you find yourself wandering to the pantry, but once it's gone that's enough? I am not sure the best thing to suggest but I hope these ideas help. You CAN do this!!!!!!!! It is a fight to change these habits but you can do it.

  17. Posted

    Congratulations!!!! I know what you mean about looking at your clothes and not believing you fit into them. When I got into my size 18 jeans, every time I took them out of the dryer I thought they had shrunk. They just looked too small. For a couple months, every time I took them out of the dryer I'd put them on right away to start convincing my brain they fit. I haven't changed size in a few months now so my brain has FINALLY adapted and when I go shopping I can pick up things and look at them and judge whether they will fit. Before, everything I took into the dressing room was too big lol. It just takes a while for the brain to catch up to reality!!

  20. Posted

    Hey all! I don't come on the forums hardly EVER anymore. But I do blog. I wanted to post my most recent blog entries in here to update on life at almost 10 months.

    My current loss is 102 lbs and I weigh 208 lbs. I'm eating too many carbs so that is gonna stop. I have taken up snowshoeing which is a great activity :) Those are the basics, but thought you guys might be interested in these blog posts. Feel free to comment either here or on the blog, but I will be more likely to see your comments on the blog :)

    My most recent entry:

    Current Struggles at 10 Months Post Op

    Other recent surgery-related entries from my blog:

    Weigh-In and Exercise talk (Feb 25th)

    Things I've Been Eating (Feb 16th)

    The ARM ISSUE! And Shopping (Feb 15th)

    8 Month Progress Photos (Jan 29th)

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