Arabesque
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Everything posted by Arabesque
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Diet Doctor - Keto plan
Arabesque replied to DaisyChainOz's topic in GLP-1 & Other Weight Loss Medications (NEW!)
Hey @DaisyChainOz I’ve been wondering how you’ve been going. Glad you’re having success on the diet doctor program. Your poke bowl looks yummy. Sorry the new job’s been stressful. Hope it settles soon. Have to admit I do miss that glass of wine in the evening. Sitting back, relaxing & letting the day disappear. Then sipping on a top up as I’m cooking dinner. Sigh. -
Thanks @Zoomzoom. The relaxing if the restriction sounds promising. It might help with the tightness I get when I go out to eat. Think I get anxious about finding something to eat on the menu, wait staff questioning left over food, my slow eating when everyone else is finished. PS: Just noticed I wrote I get a max of 75g protein on a good day - that should have been 65g (fat fingers). I wasn’t hungry last night but forced myself to eat a small protein bar. It was a new flavour banana & salted caramel. It was delicious. I glanced at the protein content: 21g. I look again thinking that can’t be right. I squint & hold the wrapper this way & that only to discover it said 2.1g. Extremely disappointed. Moral is check the nutrients on everything even brands you trust.
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Food Before and After Photos
Arabesque replied to GreenTealael's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Been a voyeur on this thread for a while but today I baked these great tuna, sweet corn & sweet potato frittata muffins again. They’re so yummy & freeze really well. I threw in a stalk of finely chopped celery. Was going to add some capsicum too but it had died in my fridge. About 100cals each, 9g protein, 8g carbs & 1.3g fat. Found the recipe in the guide to weight loss surgery nutrition my surgeon gives all his patients. -
Thanks everyone. If I can wear them you can too @Sheribear68. You’re like 4 inches taller than me girl & my legs are short & stumpy too (they’d probably reach your knees). You should give a wider straight leg a go. They always look smart day, night, work, socialising. Just keep the top neat & close to your body. Love that even though you just had surgery you still put on your red lippy @Sophie7713. That’s classy!
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Finally 100 pounds down🙌🏼 Whoop!!
Arabesque replied to djgirl19's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Congratulations. This a fantastic achievement. -
WHAT am I doing wrong ?
Arabesque replied to Arthur Belly's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I think you may have encountered the infamous 3 week stall which can last a week or more. It won’t be the only stall you’ll encounter on your journey. (I had one that lasted more than 3 weeks - not a single gram lost then I just started to lose again.) Some people suggest to stop weighing yourself in a stall or reduce how often you do. Keep following your eating plan and don’t stress about how much you lose each day or week - don’t let it mess with your head. -
You always look fab @GreenTealael - deliberately blurred pxt or not. Love the print on your cute dress @AngieBear and your checked pants @shanza. Out and about this morning hunting & gathering to restock the stores ( no weapons needed on my expedition 😜). Picked up top at 50% off sale yesterday 🎉. Let’s say yes to checks. And I always love a wide leg pant esp no iron pants.
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Double holy crap @MarvelGirl25. As Angiebear said at least your hair will regrow. You were so lucky it wasn’t worse. I agree - go to a salon and get it trimmed plus you get the added benefits of a lovely head massage when they wash your hair - great to relieve the stress of the experience. OMG @JRTMom. Can’t believe you lost your brows & lashes. Workplace health & safety would have had a field day with that. Yep, @ms.sss I’ve been told that your BP will be higher at your Dr’s surgery too because you’re consciously or subconsciously anxious about the result.
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My surgeon & dietician are fine with me not drinking protein shakes as the high protein yogurt drink I have as a snack has 22g per serve so similar to protein shakes as well as all the other sources I eat every day. My other afternoon snack option combinations give me 15-20g as well. I don’t track my intake everyday but do random checks especially when I change my diet. I seem to fluctuate between about 50 to 75grams of protein. Low on days when I’m not hungry & am forcing myself to eat to get in the nutrients.
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Hey @sillykitty. Some days I look in the mirror & I think the lines aren’t as deep or long but others I can’t see any change. My neck is definitely better >50% reduction in the lines that ran down from under my chin. Just left with the deeper ones. Also think the ones that ran around my neck have decreased in depth. I didn’t take any before photos to compare. My beauty therapist is very reasonably priced For which I’m grateful. (Not like the flash upmarket one down the road where I had my microblading done - I swear they charge you $$$$ just to walk in the door!) If I don’t get the results I dream of I know I haven’t spent a fortune. Plus the additional & unplanned for 5kg I’ve lost is giving me the hangdog look again. Sad face.
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Yes, there are a lot on the market that are high fat, carbs &/or sugar so do your research & compare the nutrition value first then taste test. Same for protein balls. I started including a bar a couple of times a week as a snack once I hit maintenance. Sometimes I find them gluggy & I often only eat half a bar. I agree, they are handy to have when travelling but so is throwing in some protein shake mixes. A friend did this while in Europe for a month recently. She bought a cheap shaker & tossed it on her last day.
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Snap re low blood pressure @AngieBear. This morning I got up & fell straight back on my bed - thank goodness not the floor! And I suffer from reoccurring vertigo virus. Two attacks in the last week. Waaaah! And today my smoke detector started chirping. Climbed up on the ladder, wrestled the damn thing open, put in a new battery & it’s STILL CHIRPING. 🤬
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Liquid poo after surgery?
Arabesque replied to SparklyInNOut's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
I feel your pain. Just a thought ... were you given laxatives in hospital? They are super strong. I got up on day three to pee & ... gush mid shuffle. Yikes. No warning & a hideous smell. Had to throw out my knickers & shower. I threw those MFs out immediately. But I’d still call the doctor’s line to be sure. -
Tell your houndstooth flats (which are very cute) not to be scared there are flats & low heels in my collection @Sophie7713. When I put on my weight, my feet ached so much I couldn’t even look at my heels. Also I started a new job where I had to go to the post office in the shopping centre next door every day. The travelators and slippery stone floor were death to heels - terrible, terrible slip hazards. So goodbye to the 4+ inch heels I always used to wear to work. So lovely to be able to wear them again. Just stride on out. I went from 38-38.5 to being 38.5-39 with the weight gain. I’m back to being 38-38.5. 🎉 As to what I’ll wear the new shoes with ... I don’t know. I bought them because I loved them but they’ll work well with all the black in my wardrobe. 😜 Those toe shoes are fabulous @summerset but I don’t think I could do the individual toes. Can’t do toe socks or thongs (not distressed about the thongs) - irritates between my toes.
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Yep. My hand is up @summerset. I’m a shoe *****. Remember that scene in Sex in the City when Carrie Bradshaw realises she can’t afford to buy an apartment because she spent all her money on shoes. Yep, that’s me. It’s my addiction. The evidence (or the shame) & my latest pair.
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Thank you for everyone’s advice & suggestions. My dietician isn’t concerned. She believes the high inflammatory markers are from the weight loss as is the liver function concerns. I’ve read that HRT can also cause the inflammatory markers to increase. She doesn’t understand all the fuss especially as I’m not underweight. We joke & say maybe my metabolism has finally kicked in after 40 years. I saw my surgeon on Thursday. He wants me to put on about 4kg which I don’t want to do. He said protein levels can increase the markers too. But I did get confusing info from him. First told to reduce protein (high protein can raise the markers but so can low protein), then to add an egg every day, then put on weight. Part of his reasoning for adding weight is it’s better for my bones??? My bone density is very high - top percentile - so why worry about my bones??? Said no endoscopy but maybe a liver MRI in month’s time. Had another blood test yesterday. Sigh. He also said he’d reviewed my cholesterol history & said it was always up & down (between 5&6) so no concern. I’ve added to my daily diet - a mid morning snack & another afternoon snack - but still lost weight this week - only 400g but still. Now alternate tuna frittata muffins, hummus on multigrain crackers, high protein yoghurt (in a smoothie (with silica, collagen & benefibre or alone), fruit, high protein bar, cheese. I feel like I’m forcing myself to eat & feel full most of the day. My worry is if I continue to lose weight, which I don’t want to do, & this constant focus on food. It’s taking over my life. Waaaah! Throws hands in the air.
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Went to see the Star Wars movie yesterday. (Glad I waited as no one else was in the cinema for the midday session - yes!) Hadn’t been to the cinema for a few months and OMG I suffered the most terrible butt pain. So uncomfortable. Started after 30 mins. Was in the premium cinema so grabbed a cushion to sit on but it didn’t help. Ended up sitting sideways in the chair, stretched out on an ottoman. Soooo super glad no one else was there. Sometimes I do miss my old butt fat cushioning... but not really.
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Why did you choose the surgery you had/will have?
Arabesque replied to KlaPV's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I did lots of pre reading. (I avoided personal you tube clips & social media sites like FB pages detailing how to purée burgers! Be judicious - there’s a lot bad info out there.) Then after going through my medical history with me, my surgeon went through each of the surgical options highlighting the pros & cons of each surgery for me based on my history. He recommended the sleeve which I had been leaning towards from my pre reading. I suffered from a little reflux (often stressed induced), over produced acid in my stomach, had a sensitivity to lactose & would suffer terribly with hiccups. Don’t think my reflux has changed, my hiccups are less severe, my stomach doesn’t seem as acidic as before & I can tolerate dairy a lot better. As @AJ Tylo said there’s heaps of informative posts here. Members are always willing to share their experiences & offer support. Good luck. -
A couple of days behind. You do have game @Dtrain84. Super cool soxs. Love your wife’s yellow accessories. Such a cute couple. That black skirt & low cut red sweater are smokin’ @GreenTealael as is that piece from VS. Cute overalls @Cheeseburgh. Almost too good to be painting in. There’s a whole new world of cute dresses & skirts out there for you to explore now @Winchell. So exciting & congrats on your progress.
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Try eating peeled apple slices @Beast(RNY). In some material I got from my surgeon, it said that apple skin (& orange & mandarins pith) is hard to digest & pass through our smaller tummies. It’s just trial & error to see which fruits you can tolerate. Hey @ms.sss I was talking to my team last week & I mentioned sugar & dumping They said it’s not an issue for sleevers which surprised me because of reading about experiences like yours & others. I thought I was just lucky I hadn’t reacted to fruit (or those Christmas treats I sampled). Now I’m very confused.
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Yep I eat fruit regularly. Have eaten grapes, watermelon (ups your fluid intake & can help with bowel movements), cherries, lychees & mandarins. Mangoes give me the gurgles which is devastating to a Queenslander in summer. Used to eat a lot of red paw paw but haven’t tried it again yet. Didn’t enjoy strawberries or blueberries like I did before when I tried them. I usually eat fruit as my afternoon snack every second day or sometimes as an after dinner snack. Eat them slowly. My doctor & dietician happy with their inclusion as I neared & then hit maintenance.
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You do have game @Dtrain84. Super cool soxs. Love your wife’s yellow accessories Too. Such a cute couple. Hey @AngieBear that dress has a great shape. Super flattering. Love the colour of those Chico pants @BayougirlMrsS. Understand why you kept them.
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I hear you @Everythinganna. Mine’s all crumpled and creased like crushed unironed linen. I’m jealous of those with flat, tight abs like yours @mousecat88.
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It’s my eight month surgery anniversary. Whoo hoo!
It hasn’t been easy but then it could have been much, much more challenging. I’ve had stalls that lasted weeks & weeks. I’ve mysteriously developed some health issues (fingers crossed they don’t become serious) which I didn’t have before. I’ve forgotten what a regular bowel motion is, vomit bile & saliva about once a week (damn morning vitamin) & some days I gurgle like a blocked drain! My energy levels aren’t great & I often feel tired but I’m sooooo glad I made the decision to have the surgery.
I feel way better about myself. I look way better than I did. 😜 My feet don’t ache. My hiccups and reflux are not as severe as they used to be (no more sore muscles after a hiccup attack). I don’t breathe heavily walking up a couple of flights of stairs. I’m the smallest in my family not the biggest (though I’m still the shortest - tee hee).
There have been unexpected learnings & realisations that resonated. Like realising I am a small person but I ate like I was a large framed 6ft 2. Like realising my nieces & nephews didn’t see me as their fat aunt but just saw me as their Sissy; their favourite & bestest aunt who loved them to pieces. Like I can sip one drink for hours, not eat the cheeses, dips, charcuterie or fries & still have lots of fun when out with my friends.
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You’ll find BMs are a regular topic of conversation here. 😁 I think it’s a combination of low food intake, high protein intake & low fibre.
I go in cycles. Sometimes everyday, sometimes every second or third day. When I hit three days with nothing I usually take a single Coloxyl tablet that night. That’s enough to get things started again. Was originally given Dulcolax by my surgeon but I found it way too harsh. Also, I take benefibre every second day. It’s important to keep your fluids up to keep things moving.
Good luck with your surgery.
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But you’ve lost 50lbs?! That’s great! You’re averaging about 7lbs a month or 1-2lbs a week. That’s nothing to be beat yourself up about. Remember where you were before you began this journey and where you are now. Everyone loses at different rates & has different experiences while losing. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else: it only messes with you bad. Focus on your journey & achievements and 50lbs is an achievement. There is a slow losers thread. It may help you refocus and keep you motivated. Don’t give up. You’ve already come so far.
