Advice looking back 2 years
Wish I would have shopped at Goodwill during my weight loss time. I spent money on clothes I can't get back now that I've stabilized that don't fit me.
Shoes: my feet shrunk. Had to get rid of all my old shoes, because I went from an 8.5 to a 7, and wide width to narrow. I can wear the highest of heels now all day with no pain. Before I had to wear special arch supports and flats.
Vitamin organization: Wish I had purchased these one-month set ups in the first place. When going on a trip, grab how many days I'll be gone and I'm done. Leaving for work in the AM, grab one set, done. Sure beats packing all those bottles. DUH
Rings: Wish I had waited 18 months to resize all my rings. Did my wedding band twice. The rest I only resized one time.
Favorite Chair: Wish I'd bought my $99 massaging Walmart chair before surgery. It has vibration and heat & footstool. For recovery, that was my throne. At first, I had to wedge myself into my husband's chair. Now I can sit curled up in it.
Posture: Wish I would have sat up straighter from the start. My back was sore and I didn't know why until my Chiropractor told me why. The weight loss throws us off, we are used to "leaning into" our front weight, so we hunch over as we lose weight. Could have saved myself lots of pain and needless back aches, not to mention chiropractor adjustments, and Motrin.
OH: Biggest regret of all. Could have saved myself so much angst if I had found this place before my surgery. When I think how close I came to RNY, I just shake. The advice on this site alone saves so many lives after DS, and corrects so mu*****orrect physician advice, it's incredible. The Vets here ROCK!
Vitalady: Thank God for Vitalady. Nuff said.
Appetizers: When eating out, only order an appetizer. Or order the meal and have the waitress bring you a take home container with it, so you can stow most of it for leftovers.
Fast Food: Arby's mozzarella sticks. KFC Double Downs. Peeled chicken nuggets. Asian foods at the mall. Taco Bell soft tacos, eat what you can squeeze out of them like a toothpaste tube, toss the shell.
Hair Loss Products: Skip them. They don't work, but they sure are making somebody rich.
The things I lucked out and hit on right away after surgery?
Carrying my thermos of iced tea everywhere with me. Bedside, shower/potty breaks, driving in car, grocery shopping, running errands around the office, at home from room to room. In short, it's always by my side, awake or asleep. I stayed hydrated from the start. Oh, and sugar free Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng. Should have bought stock in the company.
Protein drinks. Did them from the start, still do them.
Scale: Never stepped on it, still don't. I go by how my pants fit me. Getting snug? No bread or sugar for afew days. Problem solved.
Depression: Got back on my meds as soon as I noticed a problem. Weight has nothing to do with it for me. I could just as well be a sad fat person as a sad skinny person.
There's probly more, but can't think right now. What do you wish you'd have known pre-op? What did you luck out and pick up on right from the start?
Shoes: my feet shrunk. Had to get rid of all my old shoes, because I went from an 8.5 to a 7, and wide width to narrow. I can wear the highest of heels now all day with no pain. Before I had to wear special arch supports and flats.
Vitamin organization: Wish I had purchased these one-month set ups in the first place. When going on a trip, grab how many days I'll be gone and I'm done. Leaving for work in the AM, grab one set, done. Sure beats packing all those bottles. DUH
Rings: Wish I had waited 18 months to resize all my rings. Did my wedding band twice. The rest I only resized one time.
Favorite Chair: Wish I'd bought my $99 massaging Walmart chair before surgery. It has vibration and heat & footstool. For recovery, that was my throne. At first, I had to wedge myself into my husband's chair. Now I can sit curled up in it.
Posture: Wish I would have sat up straighter from the start. My back was sore and I didn't know why until my Chiropractor told me why. The weight loss throws us off, we are used to "leaning into" our front weight, so we hunch over as we lose weight. Could have saved myself lots of pain and needless back aches, not to mention chiropractor adjustments, and Motrin.
OH: Biggest regret of all. Could have saved myself so much angst if I had found this place before my surgery. When I think how close I came to RNY, I just shake. The advice on this site alone saves so many lives after DS, and corrects so mu*****orrect physician advice, it's incredible. The Vets here ROCK!
Vitalady: Thank God for Vitalady. Nuff said.
Appetizers: When eating out, only order an appetizer. Or order the meal and have the waitress bring you a take home container with it, so you can stow most of it for leftovers.
Fast Food: Arby's mozzarella sticks. KFC Double Downs. Peeled chicken nuggets. Asian foods at the mall. Taco Bell soft tacos, eat what you can squeeze out of them like a toothpaste tube, toss the shell.
Hair Loss Products: Skip them. They don't work, but they sure are making somebody rich.
The things I lucked out and hit on right away after surgery?
Carrying my thermos of iced tea everywhere with me. Bedside, shower/potty breaks, driving in car, grocery shopping, running errands around the office, at home from room to room. In short, it's always by my side, awake or asleep. I stayed hydrated from the start. Oh, and sugar free Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng. Should have bought stock in the company.
Protein drinks. Did them from the start, still do them.
Scale: Never stepped on it, still don't. I go by how my pants fit me. Getting snug? No bread or sugar for afew days. Problem solved.
Depression: Got back on my meds as soon as I noticed a problem. Weight has nothing to do with it for me. I could just as well be a sad fat person as a sad skinny person.
There's probly more, but can't think right now. What do you wish you'd have known pre-op? What did you luck out and pick up on right from the start?
I. am. not. a. doctor.
HW 250ish SW 219 CW 110 LW 100
Good stuff! Love my probiotcs, and greek yogurt. So grateful for OH and all the wisdom on here!!! So grateful for Vitalady also! Ozium and incense are my friends and help keep my home smelling nice. DS potty smells seem to travel around the house.
I struggle with constipation, due to iron and calcium intake. Miralax and stool softeners are also my friends! I go once or twice in the am, and I am done for the day. I worried so much about not having control over my potty and gas issues before surgery. That was wasted energy!
Thanks for this post!
Oh, and good point about ealry DSrs not getting in their calcium!
I struggle with constipation, due to iron and calcium intake. Miralax and stool softeners are also my friends! I go once or twice in the am, and I am done for the day. I worried so much about not having control over my potty and gas issues before surgery. That was wasted energy!
Thanks for this post!
Oh, and good point about ealry DSrs not getting in their calcium!
HW/ 302 SW/287 CW/140 GW/135
I take Magnesium Oxide twice a day (Vitalady) and also eat two prunes with every calcium dose. That seems to be the magic fix for constipation for me. Pre-DS I got diahhrea from iron supplements. Post DS, calcium is the culprit and I have the opposite issue: constipation.
Isn't it funny how we were told to prepare for diahrrea and all the stink, and then we wind up struggling with constipation? Makes me wonder if the early DSers were taking their calcium or not. I bet they were not.
Another gem I forgot: Ax deodorant spray in the sample sizes in my purse for potty breaks on the go. I keep a ziploc baggie of wipes & my Ax spray with me in a little drawstring purse. Don't know if any of you were ever told about "courtesy flushes", but I was taught to flush to camoflage noise and such in a public bathroom. I'm amazed at how many people don't know about the courtesy flush.
What exactly do probiotics do?
Isn't it funny how we were told to prepare for diahrrea and all the stink, and then we wind up struggling with constipation? Makes me wonder if the early DSers were taking their calcium or not. I bet they were not.
Another gem I forgot: Ax deodorant spray in the sample sizes in my purse for potty breaks on the go. I keep a ziploc baggie of wipes & my Ax spray with me in a little drawstring purse. Don't know if any of you were ever told about "courtesy flushes", but I was taught to flush to camoflage noise and such in a public bathroom. I'm amazed at how many people don't know about the courtesy flush.
What exactly do probiotics do?
I. am. not. a. doctor.
HW 250ish SW 219 CW 110 LW 100
Probiotics keep the bad gut bacteria in check, and help crowd them out. It's good bacteria vs bad bacteria. Lots of good studies on line that show the benefits of probiotics! If just starting them, they must be introduced very slowly over time, or you will have terrible, painful gas.
Also, I have added Mag Oxide with each calcium dose, and it does very little for me. All summer I ate prunes, and also, big fat nothing. My constipation seems to be very hard to deal with! Even if I eat lots of fat! I have even needed on occassion, to do an enema!
I quit all my calcium and iron for a week to make sure that was the culprit, and my bowels moved just fine. So, I know it's those two things. I was ready to see a GI wondering if something else was going on!
Oh, and I have small little Oziums I ordered online that I keep in my purse!
Also, I have added Mag Oxide with each calcium dose, and it does very little for me. All summer I ate prunes, and also, big fat nothing. My constipation seems to be very hard to deal with! Even if I eat lots of fat! I have even needed on occassion, to do an enema!
I quit all my calcium and iron for a week to make sure that was the culprit, and my bowels moved just fine. So, I know it's those two things. I was ready to see a GI wondering if something else was going on!
Oh, and I have small little Oziums I ordered online that I keep in my purse!
HW/ 302 SW/287 CW/140 GW/135
OMG, the peeled chicken nuggest part made me laugh my rear off! Everyone laughs at me because I peel all the breading off my chicken nuggets! It's the best way to eat them!!!
So thankful for my DS! 1/20/2012 - SW 290/CW 155 - 1 year to lose, 1.5 years and counting maintaining!
A Run With Meghan (My Running Blog)
My First Half Marathon: Fort For Fitness (9/24/2011): 2:22:58
My Frist Marathon: Marine Corps (10/30/2011): 5:39:59
My First Sprint Triathlon: Trek Series (8/7/2011): 1:55:18
gena267
on 12/9/11 11:50 am
on 12/9/11 11:50 am
Love what you said about posture. I am a minister and I was shocked when I watched me preaching on a video last month. I have lost 185 lbs. Yet when I watched this video I saw I lean forward all the time. I use to carry most of my weight in my hips and thighs and my spine is fussed. After watching this, I saw the Chiropractor today and learned a LOT about starting to hold myself properly and work on posture. Were my shoulders should be and my hips and the habit of being stooped over with the weight of 48 DDD. So glad the breast size has changed too.
Who knew you needed to learn how to walk in a little body? Not me. My Doc said you can't weigh much more than 100 lbs lol. I found out I am small boned and everyone thinks I weigh a lot less than I do. I flex between 138- 145. If I'm not doing the water retention thing. Still, after turning 50 in Sept. I decided to take better care of this body both physically, nutritionally, and mentally. If not now, when?
I want to enjoy the next phase of my life. Thanks for all the info to all. Gena
Who knew you needed to learn how to walk in a little body? Not me. My Doc said you can't weigh much more than 100 lbs lol. I found out I am small boned and everyone thinks I weigh a lot less than I do. I flex between 138- 145. If I'm not doing the water retention thing. Still, after turning 50 in Sept. I decided to take better care of this body both physically, nutritionally, and mentally. If not now, when?
I want to enjoy the next phase of my life. Thanks for all the info to all. Gena
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