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Everything posted by Vixynne
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You're a stronger person than I am. I would soooooo be giving him his "hey hey hey" right back again; let him chew on that from the other end and see how he likes it. What a turdburglar.
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I'm a Syntrax Nectar fan (mainly of their line of "sweets" flavors, like Vanilla Bean Torte and Double-Stuffed Cookie). Those two are great with milk or almond milk. Caribbean Cooler tastes like a piña colada and it's my favorite of the fruit flavors--the fruity ones go well in water. This website lets you mix and match 11 single-serve packets to find out what you like (or what you hate) in the Syntrax Nectar line. The sampler costs about $15. (Personally, I'd say steer clear of the Crystal Sky flavor. *shudder*) Don't forget to buy a blender bottle too!
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This link (<---click here!) does a GREAT job of explaining how the pyloric valve at the lower end of your sleeve handles water and food--and why we should never drink with meals after being sleeved.
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I don't have my surgery binder (a.k.a. "sleeve Bible") with me atm...can one of the vets remind me how many total carbs we should limit ourselves to in a day? I know how many grams of protein and how many ounces of water, but I need to memorize the carb total, since carbs have always been my Achilles heel!
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Tums use calcium carbonate (a form of calcium found in chalk--thus the gritty texture). Although it is fairly effective for minor issues with heartburn, calcium carbonate isn't absorbed as well as calcium citrate, which is usually the type of calcium recommended by surgeons and nutritionists for bariatric surgery patients. Bariatric Advantage and Celebrate brands both make calcium supplements specifically for WLS patients.
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Maybe with your Project Manager, when she wants to chitchat about weight loss, you could divert her with "I'd love to, but before we talk about that, I really need to catch you up on some key information and updates about how my work is going right now." I think jensjoy is right--it's hard sometimes to hit that good balance of not too much attention/feeling like your progress isn't even noticed. Hang in there.
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Sending you positive thoughts and prayers for your surgery and recovery. You have a great mindset and you know how to find your inner peace--we're all in your corner and can't wait to hear that you're well on the way to recovery soon!
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Jacked up body image....and NSV?
Vixynne replied to Nicolanz's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Good for you!! I bet most of us have really warped body images, which makes it hard to see the results of all our hard work as easily as people around us can. When in doubt, believe your clothes--they tell it like it is. Congratulations on your progress--I can't wait to join you! -
July 1 sleevers- are we getting ready?
Vixynne replied to ewhitt's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
There's twelve days left... Maybe we should do a parody of the Twelve Days of Christmas to mark each day. ♬♫ ♪"On the 1st day of waiting until I got my sleeve, I had one food funeral, so I could grieve." ♪♫♬ -
My NUT told me to get 64 oz. post-op, but others might have different rules. From what you ladies are saying, it sounds like 64 oz. will be a challenge for me to get to!
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I have found inexpensive and really pretty small bowls and tiny plates at Target and CVS (in their summer cookout/picnic supply section). I hadn't really thought of using small utensils, but it makes perfect sense--thank you for the tip!
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July 1 sleevers- are we getting ready?
Vixynne replied to ewhitt's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
My psych/lifestyle workshop leader has asked group members to become more mindful eaters, to take very small nibbles instead of wolfing down a meal, to savor tastes and chew everything much more thoroughly. That, I can do pretty well. The strategy of putting down the fork/spoon between bites, though, is really tough for me--isn't that silly? I'm so used to having the fork in my hand that I can't seem to remember to let it go; and when I *do* remember to put the fork down, it's like I don't know what to do with myself until the next bite. I had no idea I was using my fork as a crutch, LOL. I'm also nervous about staying on schedule with vitamins and remembering when to stop drinking before/after meals. Those are my big hurdles to get through; annnnd not freaking out that I've never had general anesthesia before...meep!! -
Protein powders/ shakes...looking for suggestions/ ideas please
Vixynne replied to oopsydaisy77's topic in Protein, Vitamins, and Supplements
In my experience, Syntrax Nectar's Blue Sky is horrifically bad. I'd rather drink Windex, LOL. Their Caribbean Cooler is pretty good, though, even in water--like a pina colada. I've had Dymatize Elite's vanilla powder, and it's pretty good--I prefer the vanilla bean torte from Syntrax, but Dymatize wasn't bad at all. I haven't tried Syntrax's "Max" line yet, so far just the Nectar version--I think it was the nutrition label that nudged me toward Nectar. I've heard good things around the forums about EAS protein and Premier premade shakes, though I haven't tried them myself. Isopure makes a clear premade drink in several flavors; they come in glass bottles--their coconut version was quite yummy. At $4.00 a bottle, I can't live on them, but they make a nice treat now and then. -
Not a happy little tummy :(
Vixynne replied to ladylaura's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Poor Hathery--I still giggle, but I do feel for you in that awful experience! -
Unflavored protein really just means it doesn't have added flavoring; it still has a slight taste to it. I think it works best when added to a food that isn't too bland, that way the protein taste doesn't come through. I have a 1-lb. container of Syntrax Unflavored, and so far I'm happy with it!
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...to making a really yummy pre-op Protein shake for Breakfast is that if I leave the shaker bottle unattended for any reason, my 13-year-old daughter sneaks sips of my meal! I made 16 oz. this morning (protein-fortified almond milk, 1/2 Syntrax vanilla Torte, 1/2 Syntrax Double-Stuffed Cookie, half a capful of Torani SF Caramel syrup). Stepped out of the car to grab a yogurt for my lunch, and when I got back the cup was mysteriously down to 12 oz. even though I hadn't had any of it yet. She insists she only had "a couple of sips". Oh well, that just means I can lower my calorie count for breakfast on MFP today!
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The almond milk I use is a brand called "SoDelicious", in vanilla flavor, and it has 5 grams of extra protein per serving, which I like. (Click here to see it.) I'm a big fan of the Syntrax Sweets line, and I agree with Tesser, the sweets are better with milk, while the fruity ones are okay in water. I've mixed the Double-Stuffed Cookie flavor with water, and it's drinkable, just a bit thin and less creamy. Out of the fruity ones, Caribbean Cooler is probably my favorite--for some reason most of the fruity ones have a scent and aftertaste that remind me of the old penicillin liquids of my childhood.
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Hi, everyone... I've only been on the forums for a few days, but I'm already so grateful for all the fantastic, helpful people I've met along the way. What an amazing resource for us new folks! I'm just starting out on my VSG journey, with a bariatric seminar and my first surgeon consultation under my belt. (Well, I think it's under my belt, kinda tough to see sometimes...) I'm 5'2" and have struggled with my weight since I was 18--I'm now 44, and ready for a new start. I'm hoping to have my surgery at some point over the summer, since I'm a middle school English teacher. *fingers crossed* It's nice to find a group that's geared around the more vertically-challenged VSG patient. I think the phrase someone used in one of the threads here--"fun sized sleever" is the perfect description!
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Need Advice About Protein
Vixynne replied to AggieSleever's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I've started mixing my shakes using almond milk (SoDelicious brand, vanilla flavor, with added protein). I like the creamy texture better than either water or regular milk. -
...starting with 80% of our stomachs. But it doesn't stop there, does it? We give up solid foods for a while. We give up things we used to love, like coffee, cigarettes, alcohol--either completely, or at least temporarily. Here's a list I found online called "Fifteen things You Should Give Up to be Happy". Not give up to be skinny, just to be happy. (The sleeve will take care of the scale, but the headspace work is up to us, after all!) And being happier is probably something we're all in favor of, pre-op or post-op, right? I know there are many things on this list that I could definitely identify with. So, I thought I'd share. Enjoy! Credit: World Observer Online, April 25, 2012 Here is a list of 15 things which, if you give up on them, will make your life a lot easier and much, much happier. We hold on to so many things that cause us a great deal of pain, stress and suffering – and instead of letting them all go, instead of allowing ourselves to be stress free and happy – we cling on to them. Not anymore. Starting today we will give up on all those things that no longer serve us, and we will embrace change. Ready? Here we go: 1. Give up your need to always be right. There are so many of us who can’t stand the idea of being wrong – wanting to always be right – even at the risk of ending great relationships or causing a great deal of stress and pain, for us and for others. It’s just not worth it. Whenever you feel the ‘urgent’ need to jump into a fight over who is right and who is wrong, ask yourself this question: “Would I rather be right, or would I rather be kind?”--Wayne Dyer. What difference will that make? Is your ego really that big? 2. Give up your need for control. Be willing to give up your need to always control everything that happens to you and around you – situations, events, people, etc. Whether they are loved ones, coworkers, or just strangers you meet on the street – just allow them to be. Allow everything and everyone to be just as they are and you will see how much better will that make you feel. “By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try, the world is beyond winning.”--Lao Tzu 3. Give up on blame. Give up on your need to blame others for what you have or don’t have, for what you feel or don’t feel. Stop giving your powers away and start taking responsibility for your life. 4. Give up your self-defeating self-talk. Oh my. How many people are hurting themselves because of their negative, polluted and repetitive self-defeating mindset? Don’t believe everything that your mind is telling you – especially if it’s negative and self-defeating. You are better than that. “The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive.”--Eckhart Tolle 5. Give up your limiting beliefs about what you can or cannot do, about what is possible or impossible. From now on, you are no longer going to allow your limiting beliefs to keep you stuck in the wrong place. Spread your wings and fly! “A belief is not an idea held by the mind, it is an idea that holds the mind”--Elly Roselle 6. Give up complaining. Give up your constant need to complain about those many, many, maaany things – people, situations, events that make you unhappy, sad and depressed. Nobody can make you unhappy, no situation can make you sad or miserable unless you allow it to. It’s not the situation that triggers those feelings in you, but how you choose to look at it. Never underestimate the power of positive thinking. 7. Give up the luxury of criticism. Give up your need to criticize things, events or people that are different than you. We are all different, yet we are all the same. We all want to be happy, we all want to love and be loved and we all want to be understood. We all want something, and something is wished by us all. 8. Give up your need to impress others. Stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not just to make others like you. It doesn’t work this way. The moment you stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not, the moment you take of all your masks, the moment you accept and embrace the real you, you will find people will be drawn to you, effortlessly. 9. Give up your resistance to change. Change is good. Change will help you move from A to B. Change will help you make improvements in your life and also the lives of those around you. Follow your bliss, embrace change – don’t resist it. “Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls”--Joseph Campbell 10. Give up labels. Stop labeling those things, people or events that you don’t understand as being weird or different and try opening your mind, little by little. Minds only work when open. “The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don’t know anything about.”--Wayne Dyer 11. Give up on your fears. Fear is just an illusion, it doesn’t exist – you created it. It’s all in your mind. Correct the inside and the outside will fall into place. “The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.”--Franklin D. Roosevelt 12. Give up your excuses. Send them packing and tell them they’re fired. You no longer need them. A lot of times we limit ourselves because of the many excuses we use. Instead of growing and working on improving ourselves and our lives, we get stuck, lying to ourselves, using all kind of excuses – excuses that 99.9% of the time are not even real. 13. Give up the past. I know, I know. It’s hard. Especially when the past looks so much better than the present and the future looks so frightening, but you have to take into consideration the fact that the present moment is all you have and all you will ever have. The past you are now longing for – the past that you are now dreaming about – was ignored by you when it was present. Stop deluding yourself. Be present in everything you do and enjoy life. After all life is a journey not a destination. Have a clear vision for the future, prepare yourself, but always be present in the now. 14. Give up attachment. This is a concept that, for most of us is so hard to grasp and I have to tell you that it was for me too, (it still is) but it’s not something impossible. You get better and better at with time and practice. The moment you detach yourself from all things, (and that doesn’t mean you give up your love for them – because love and attachment have nothing to do with one another, attachment comes from a place of fear, while love… well, real love is pure, kind, and self less, where there is love there can’t be fear, and because of that, attachment and love cannot coexist) you become so peaceful, so tolerant, so kind, and so serene. You will get to a place where you will be able to understand all things without even trying. A state beyond words. 15. Give up living your life to other people’s expectations. Way too many people are living a life that is not theirs to live. They live their lives according to what others think is best for them, they live their lives according to what their parents think is best for them, to what their friends, their enemies and their teachers, their government and the media think is best for them. They ignore their inner voice, that inner calling. They are so busy with pleasing everybody, with living up to other people’s expectations, that they lose control over their lives. They forget what makes them happy, what they want, what they need….and eventually they forget about themselves. You have one life – this one right now – you must live it, own it, and especially don’t let other people’s opinions distract you from your path. http://worldobserveronline.com/2012/04/25/15-things-you-should-give-up-to-be-happy/
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My response would probably have been something along the lines of, "Wow, thanks--and you're really cute for a total jackass." I'm so glad you set him straight, and your friend needs a thwap on the forehead, too. Hopefully he learned something from the experience!
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I ran the smoothie items through MyFitnessPal, and the only big carb ingredient was the pineapple--of course that was the one ingredient that reaaaaaally made the mixture taste great, but hey, no biggie, it can be switched out easily enough next time. Thanks for the reminders about "good carbs", Johnlatte. Sometimes I forget that "carb" isn't always a synonym for "evil"!
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Yes, it's true that they send out your info for approval after you complete the first class--at least, I know mine was! My first class was June 4th, and my request was sent in to Harvard Pilgrim the next day. I had my approval letter in the mailbox by the 7th. Each insurance company is a little different, though, some are pickier and some ask for more paperwork in your file before they send out the letter. It sounds like you're moving right along--let me know if there's anything I can help answer or clarify, since we're part of the same system!
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I just run it without pulsing--on "crush" rather than "blend". It does a really good job; one of the things I've learned already is that if you add a little bit of Water to the ice before you crush it, you get a wetter mixture, more like a classic Sno-Cone. Crushing the ice alone makes a very powdery, snow-like ice, which can be good, too; it's just a matter of which texture you prefer.
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My Dumping Syndrome horror story (read if you dare)
Vixynne replied to HatheryOnHerWay's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I'm so glad I read this while I'm pre-op. A) Hopefully it will be a lesson to me when I start braving "real foods" again post-op. and 2) If I had to laugh this hard with incisions, I'd probably pass out! You're a great storyteller. Thank you for the giggles (and I'm sorry about your barnyard tie-dyed sundress)!