We all have them... those foods that our minds tell us we just can't live without. It may be something good for you like chicken breasts or steak, or it may be that, like me, you always seem to crave something that the world tells us is "bad".
Now, I don't believe in good or bad foods, but I know there are some foods that help us reach our goals and some foods that don't help us reach our goals. I tend to crave the latter.
Those who "know" me from VST, Bariatric Pal, and Facebook know that I have a major addiction to Cheetos. Early post-op, eating a few Cheetos here and there wasn't a problem. I could have a handful and move on, mostly because I had too much restriction to eat more than a handful. The problem with that is that the restriction eases up as you get further and further out from surgery, so you can eat more of any food. Add that Cheetos are a slider food, meaning that they don't truly fill you up, and I could do some serious damage to a family size bag, even with my little sleeve!
Today there was a discussion about whether post-WLS patients are Abstainers or Moderators. Sadly enough, I'm neither. I crave certain foods fiercely, even 2.5 years out. What works best FOR ME is to allow myself one serving of my craving food per month. I will buy one serving size package of whatever the food is... used to be Cheetos, now it's Hershey's bar with almonds. Then I will sit down and eat that one serving size package with all the pomp and circumstance I can muster, enjoying every single morsel. Then I will not allow myself to have another serving for a month. It's a weird head game that I play with myself, but I cannot tell myself that I can't have something forever and ever or I will crave that food until I end up binging on it. This works for me. Your mileage may vary.
So, what are you? Are you an Abstainer or a Moderator? Or do you use some other method to handle your food cravings?
Six Months Out - Full Body Picture
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Bucket List
So, there are a few things I want to accomplish in the next few years and I've decided that I need to hold myself accountable for them. Most are not weight loss related, but, this is my blog, so I'm going to use this space to start my list. I'm sure I will revise this list as I think of things, but here's a start:
1. Spend more time doing charity/volunteer work. Goal is 10 hours a month.
2. Spend more time with my grandson and kids. This involves travel, but it's definitely worth it!
3. Walk daily.
4. Get a bicycle, preferably one that has a big basket and foot pedal brakes.
5. Use the bicycle instead of my car as much as possible. Bonus: Built in exercise.
6. Visit the Grand Canyon
7. Visit Washington D.C.
8. Learn Spanish. I speak a little, but I'd like to be fluent.
9. Travel more. Maybe even give up living in a house and be a gypsy for a year or two.
10. Buy an RV/pop up camper to help accomplish goal 9.
11. Do more genealogy research on my family.
12. Sew more of my own clothes.
13. Sew a wedding dress for someone.
14. Sing at a wedding... and a funeral (morbid? No. Just think it's a huge honor to be asked to help someone depart this world)
15. Travel outside the US (Scotland, England, France?)
16. Write a book and have it published.
17. Dream bigger.
18. Be bolder, stronger, wiser.
19. Own a little cottage on a piece of land somewhere where I can garden and have chickens.
20. Love more.
21. Spend more time at the beach. It's my calm, happy place. Maybe ride my bike there at least once a week.
22. Have a white picket fence.
23. Get one more tattoo. I know what I want and I have four already.
24. Run a 5k, 13k, full marathon.
25. Live off-grid. (probably not something I can do full time, but I'd love to do it.)
26. Make a king-size quilt.
27. Burn great-smelling candles every day
28. Be happy. Practice gratitude.
29. Walk the Camino de Santiago.
30. Win the lottery. ;)
Okay, that's my start. What do YOU want to accomplish?
1. Spend more time doing charity/volunteer work. Goal is 10 hours a month.
2. Spend more time with my grandson and kids. This involves travel, but it's definitely worth it!
3. Walk daily.
4. Get a bicycle, preferably one that has a big basket and foot pedal brakes.
5. Use the bicycle instead of my car as much as possible. Bonus: Built in exercise.
6. Visit the Grand Canyon
7. Visit Washington D.C.
8. Learn Spanish. I speak a little, but I'd like to be fluent.
9. Travel more. Maybe even give up living in a house and be a gypsy for a year or two.
10. Buy an RV/pop up camper to help accomplish goal 9.
11. Do more genealogy research on my family.
12. Sew more of my own clothes.
13. Sew a wedding dress for someone.
14. Sing at a wedding... and a funeral (morbid? No. Just think it's a huge honor to be asked to help someone depart this world)
15. Travel outside the US (Scotland, England, France?)
16. Write a book and have it published.
17. Dream bigger.
18. Be bolder, stronger, wiser.
19. Own a little cottage on a piece of land somewhere where I can garden and have chickens.
20. Love more.
21. Spend more time at the beach. It's my calm, happy place. Maybe ride my bike there at least once a week.
22. Have a white picket fence.
23. Get one more tattoo. I know what I want and I have four already.
24. Run a 5k, 13k, full marathon.
25. Live off-grid. (probably not something I can do full time, but I'd love to do it.)
26. Make a king-size quilt.
27. Burn great-smelling candles every day
28. Be happy. Practice gratitude.
29. Walk the Camino de Santiago.
30. Win the lottery. ;)
Okay, that's my start. What do YOU want to accomplish?
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Weight Loss Surgery in Mexico Caution
Some of you may know that I am "Lissa" on Vertical Sleeve Talk, now BariatricPal.com. I'm an old-timer there, having been on those boards since March of 2011. I've been away from the boards for quite some time, but not because I don't love them. Life just has a tendency to get in the way.
The reason I tell you all of this is so that you can follow my posts there and know that I have always advocated for people to do their own research about doctors and make the best decision for their own journeys. And, I've always been the one who says that Mexico IS a viable option for many people to have WLS. I even sent one of my best friends to Mexico with all my blessings because of research I had done on VST/Bariatric Pal.
I did that based on the experiences of quite a few people, but some of those people were more influential for me than others. Susan Lackey, an administrator at Bariatric Pal, is one of those people. She has always been level-headed, posting good information and positive affirmations for those who felt nervous about any aspect of WLS. I have the utmost respect and admiration for Susan.
Lately, though, several people (Susan, Lil Miss Diva/Irene, and others) who have had surgery in Mexico have posted that they are having major problems with their sleeves. One has an hour glass shaped stomach and another discovered that she was never even sleeved!
I'm going to reiterate to do one's research, but I see a huge backlash coming against Mexico... and maybe that's what NEEDS to happen at this point.
I am posting Susan Lackey's experience from Mexico. The doctor is Albert Aceves. For verification purposes, here is the original link for Susan's post http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/306039-think-twice-no-think-100-times-before-having-surgery-in-mexico/. AND, just so you know, I have asked Susan Lackey for permission before reposting her words here.
BY NO MEANS am I saying anything negative about anyone, just posting information because the topic has been raised.
Everything below is a direct cut and paste from the Bariatric Pal website.
First off, I have nothing to gain by posting this topic. I do not represent any doctors, I do not work for a doctor, I have no financial gain whatsoever! I am a long-time member and administrator of Bariatric Pal. I am an advocate for your safety! Learn from my experience and learn from my knowledge!
Before considering weight loss surgery in Mexico, make sure you consider all the possible ramifications of doing so. Is it really going to save you money if you don't have insurance? Is it really worth it just to avoid jumping through insurance hoops? Is it worth risking your health, or even worse, your life?
Here is my story...
I had my sleeve surgery done by a doctor in Mexicali. I have now learned my surgery was botched. He did not properly sleeve me. I now have severe side effects, including a major hiatal hernia that is pressing against my heart, a malformed/malfunctioning stomach and major acid reflux that has done severe damage to my esophagus. The only way to fix everything is for me to convert to gastric bypass. Today, my surgery was denied. I am stuck with this problem because I do not have the financial means to cover surgery myself. Had I had this done in the US, I would have some sort of recourse, but because I had it done in Mexico, my hands are tied.
Like so many employers in the US, mine has opted to not cover any obesity or weight loss surgery issues because they believe it will save them money. They fail to think about how much more money all of the medical issues that arise as a direct result of obesity will cost them. Please, we need to educate our employers on this issue, they are costing themselves money and adversely effecting their employees. Like it or not, obesity is a true medical diagnosis, and it is time it be treated as such.
Now, to continue, I personally know two other people who used the same surgeon I did, and are having the same exact problems. Not only that, this surgeon also recently had a death and tried to cover it by stating the patient had not disclosed heart issues to them. Well, guess what, at the time, I was coordinating for a medical tourism company owned by this very site (please note, I am no longer coordinating for anyone, I am now all about being an advocate for patient safety, lives are more important than the almighty dollar!). The patient that died, I referred her to the doctor. I am devastated and have to live with the guilt of this. I spoke with the spouse of this patient, she did not hide any medical issues, she had none!
Through the course of coordinating, I became friends with another doctor's coordinator. She trusted him, not only as her employer, but her surgeon. She had him perform sleeve surgery on her. Or so she thought. It turns out, he didn't remove any portion of her stomach, instead he just stapled it. Upon doing some research, she has found six other patients he did this to, and who knows how many more are out there. When she confronted him, his response was, "us doctors lie". Needless to say, she is no longer coordinating either.
So please, think twice before leaving the US for your surgery. I know personally how desparate we become because we want to lose the weight, our insurance won't cover it and we think we have no other recourse. However, if I knew now what I now then, I would have never stepped foot out of the United States, even if it meant not having surgery. Even though Bariatric Pal offers you discounted surgeries in Mexico, the site owner himself said he would never have surgery in Mexico. What does that tell you?
There are some good doctors there, but truly, how do we know for sure which ones are good and which ones aren't. I thought the doctor I went to was the best, he had the best reputation, was the most well-known and most recommended. Where did that get me? The other doctor I mentioned above, he is extremely popular with members of this site right now. That scares me, it really, really scares me.
If you want more information, you may contact me on facebook at
https://www.facebook...elackey?fref=nf
The reason I tell you all of this is so that you can follow my posts there and know that I have always advocated for people to do their own research about doctors and make the best decision for their own journeys. And, I've always been the one who says that Mexico IS a viable option for many people to have WLS. I even sent one of my best friends to Mexico with all my blessings because of research I had done on VST/Bariatric Pal.
I did that based on the experiences of quite a few people, but some of those people were more influential for me than others. Susan Lackey, an administrator at Bariatric Pal, is one of those people. She has always been level-headed, posting good information and positive affirmations for those who felt nervous about any aspect of WLS. I have the utmost respect and admiration for Susan.
Lately, though, several people (Susan, Lil Miss Diva/Irene, and others) who have had surgery in Mexico have posted that they are having major problems with their sleeves. One has an hour glass shaped stomach and another discovered that she was never even sleeved!
I'm going to reiterate to do one's research, but I see a huge backlash coming against Mexico... and maybe that's what NEEDS to happen at this point.
I am posting Susan Lackey's experience from Mexico. The doctor is Albert Aceves. For verification purposes, here is the original link for Susan's post http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/306039-think-twice-no-think-100-times-before-having-surgery-in-mexico/. AND, just so you know, I have asked Susan Lackey for permission before reposting her words here.
BY NO MEANS am I saying anything negative about anyone, just posting information because the topic has been raised.
Everything below is a direct cut and paste from the Bariatric Pal website.
First off, I have nothing to gain by posting this topic. I do not represent any doctors, I do not work for a doctor, I have no financial gain whatsoever! I am a long-time member and administrator of Bariatric Pal. I am an advocate for your safety! Learn from my experience and learn from my knowledge!
Before considering weight loss surgery in Mexico, make sure you consider all the possible ramifications of doing so. Is it really going to save you money if you don't have insurance? Is it really worth it just to avoid jumping through insurance hoops? Is it worth risking your health, or even worse, your life?
Here is my story...
I had my sleeve surgery done by a doctor in Mexicali. I have now learned my surgery was botched. He did not properly sleeve me. I now have severe side effects, including a major hiatal hernia that is pressing against my heart, a malformed/malfunctioning stomach and major acid reflux that has done severe damage to my esophagus. The only way to fix everything is for me to convert to gastric bypass. Today, my surgery was denied. I am stuck with this problem because I do not have the financial means to cover surgery myself. Had I had this done in the US, I would have some sort of recourse, but because I had it done in Mexico, my hands are tied.
Like so many employers in the US, mine has opted to not cover any obesity or weight loss surgery issues because they believe it will save them money. They fail to think about how much more money all of the medical issues that arise as a direct result of obesity will cost them. Please, we need to educate our employers on this issue, they are costing themselves money and adversely effecting their employees. Like it or not, obesity is a true medical diagnosis, and it is time it be treated as such.
Now, to continue, I personally know two other people who used the same surgeon I did, and are having the same exact problems. Not only that, this surgeon also recently had a death and tried to cover it by stating the patient had not disclosed heart issues to them. Well, guess what, at the time, I was coordinating for a medical tourism company owned by this very site (please note, I am no longer coordinating for anyone, I am now all about being an advocate for patient safety, lives are more important than the almighty dollar!). The patient that died, I referred her to the doctor. I am devastated and have to live with the guilt of this. I spoke with the spouse of this patient, she did not hide any medical issues, she had none!
Through the course of coordinating, I became friends with another doctor's coordinator. She trusted him, not only as her employer, but her surgeon. She had him perform sleeve surgery on her. Or so she thought. It turns out, he didn't remove any portion of her stomach, instead he just stapled it. Upon doing some research, she has found six other patients he did this to, and who knows how many more are out there. When she confronted him, his response was, "us doctors lie". Needless to say, she is no longer coordinating either.
So please, think twice before leaving the US for your surgery. I know personally how desparate we become because we want to lose the weight, our insurance won't cover it and we think we have no other recourse. However, if I knew now what I now then, I would have never stepped foot out of the United States, even if it meant not having surgery. Even though Bariatric Pal offers you discounted surgeries in Mexico, the site owner himself said he would never have surgery in Mexico. What does that tell you?
There are some good doctors there, but truly, how do we know for sure which ones are good and which ones aren't. I thought the doctor I went to was the best, he had the best reputation, was the most well-known and most recommended. Where did that get me? The other doctor I mentioned above, he is extremely popular with members of this site right now. That scares me, it really, really scares me.
If you want more information, you may contact me on facebook at
https://www.facebook...elackey?fref=nf
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Tuesday Thoughts
I've been all over the boards for the last few days and have seen a couple of trends that make me happy, as well as a couple that make me sad.
Happy is seeing people recommit to their goals. Folks are doing liquid diets to break stalls. They are adding in exercise and more of it and I'm seeing so many people post their before and after pictures. It's inspiring and thrilling to see folks getting to their personal goals.
What doesn't make me happy, though, is seeing how judgmental we can all be. Someone posts a picture of a meal and others have to jump on the person. I've seen comments ranging from "You can't eat that!" to "That's not allowed!" Really, folks? A sleever can eat anything they want to eat. I have always allowed myself to eat whatever I want on holidays. I actually ate a tiny slice of pecan pie on Easter! Oh, the horror!
Truthfully, I don't eat too much junk on a regular basis, but I didn't have this surgery to deprive myself forever. I had this surgery to LIVE. Unless I see someone saying they eat bread every day and drink nothing but soda, I'm not going to comment on someone else's diet unless they specifically ask "What could be causing me to stall?"
Most of us have enough issues without someone tearing us apart because we eat red meat, or because we don't eat red meat.
I'd love to see the WLS community learn to be much more supportive of one another. Boy, would that be something to write home about! :)
Happy is seeing people recommit to their goals. Folks are doing liquid diets to break stalls. They are adding in exercise and more of it and I'm seeing so many people post their before and after pictures. It's inspiring and thrilling to see folks getting to their personal goals.
What doesn't make me happy, though, is seeing how judgmental we can all be. Someone posts a picture of a meal and others have to jump on the person. I've seen comments ranging from "You can't eat that!" to "That's not allowed!" Really, folks? A sleever can eat anything they want to eat. I have always allowed myself to eat whatever I want on holidays. I actually ate a tiny slice of pecan pie on Easter! Oh, the horror!
Truthfully, I don't eat too much junk on a regular basis, but I didn't have this surgery to deprive myself forever. I had this surgery to LIVE. Unless I see someone saying they eat bread every day and drink nothing but soda, I'm not going to comment on someone else's diet unless they specifically ask "What could be causing me to stall?"
Most of us have enough issues without someone tearing us apart because we eat red meat, or because we don't eat red meat.
I'd love to see the WLS community learn to be much more supportive of one another. Boy, would that be something to write home about! :)
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Temperature
So, yesterday was interesting. I spent most of it huddled inside asking myself if I really live in South Florida! It was 63 degrees when I got up. I know that those who live anywhere else in the country are thinking that's a beautiful temperature, but that's COLD to Floridians. Monday it was 86 degrees here, so 63 is a big drop in temperature and I actually wore sweat pants, socks, and a long sleeved shirt most of the day.
Since my WLS, I've been cold anyway. Apparently ghrelin is partly responsible for regulating the body's temperature and mine has been out of whack ever since my Sleeve. Almost all of my clothes are long sleeved these days and I prefer long pants unless it's around 90 degrees outside. Forget going into a doctor's office or hospital! I need a winter coat for those places.
I have noticed that I don't feel as cold when I make sure I take my vitamins, so that's one of my primary resolutions this year. I'm working to make sure I get my vitamins in every day and I'm trying to eat a bigger variety of fruits and vegetables.
Time for me to find a pair of socks and get to work for the day.
Since my WLS, I've been cold anyway. Apparently ghrelin is partly responsible for regulating the body's temperature and mine has been out of whack ever since my Sleeve. Almost all of my clothes are long sleeved these days and I prefer long pants unless it's around 90 degrees outside. Forget going into a doctor's office or hospital! I need a winter coat for those places.
I have noticed that I don't feel as cold when I make sure I take my vitamins, so that's one of my primary resolutions this year. I'm working to make sure I get my vitamins in every day and I'm trying to eat a bigger variety of fruits and vegetables.
Time for me to find a pair of socks and get to work for the day.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Well, the scale was nice to me two days in a row! I'm down yet another pound. Of course, today I think it might be because I didn't drink enough water yesterday. I still struggle for that 64 ounces every day, but I'm very creative about drinking it.
I have to confess that I do have diet coke a couple of times a week. There's one sitting beside the keyboard as I type this. However, I'm nowhere near as addicted as I was pre-surgery. I've already had a 17 ounce bottle of water and two cups of decaf coffee this morning, then I ran out to a customer who offered me an ice cold bottle of diet coke. Yummy. I know that means I have to drink an extra bottle of water to make up for the soda, but that's worth it, in my opinion.
I'm adding a new picture to the blog today. This was taken a few days ago and I think it shows a lot about how far I've come in my journey... both in terms of weight loss and in terms of how happy I am normally.
Loving life and looking forward to what's coming next! :)
I have to confess that I do have diet coke a couple of times a week. There's one sitting beside the keyboard as I type this. However, I'm nowhere near as addicted as I was pre-surgery. I've already had a 17 ounce bottle of water and two cups of decaf coffee this morning, then I ran out to a customer who offered me an ice cold bottle of diet coke. Yummy. I know that means I have to drink an extra bottle of water to make up for the soda, but that's worth it, in my opinion.
I'm adding a new picture to the blog today. This was taken a few days ago and I think it shows a lot about how far I've come in my journey... both in terms of weight loss and in terms of how happy I am normally.
Loving life and looking forward to what's coming next! :)
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Lunar Eclipses and Life
So many people were talking about the Lunar Eclipse last night on FB that I really wanted to stay up and watch it. However, I hit my wall around 1 am and didn't actually get to see it. I'm enjoying all the pictures this morning, though, so it's all good.
The scale gave me another present this morning, another pound gone. It's amazing to me that all I had to do was commit again to drinking my water, moving more, and sleeping enough (see above paragraph) and the weight is coming off again. Of course, the weight loss now is not as rapid as it was early post op, but I still have my tool and it still works!
I'm 2 years and 8 months post op and STILL learning things about my sleeve! It's a great feeling to get up knowing that my sleeve is going to help me prevent regain and, when I forget, my sleeve is going to restrict my eating anyway.
Where have I been while I wasn't blogging... hmmmm, let's see. I'm self-employed and I was extremely busy for a few months last year. SO busy, in fact, that I didn't do any sewing or gardening, which are my two favorite hobbies. As of January, work slowed down so much that I have actually considered a "real job", but that hasn't panned out yet either. Right now, I feel like the universe, God, or karma (whichever you believe in) is sending me in a completely new direction, but I haven't figured out quite yet what that direction may be.
While I was walking this morning I was thinking about my next venture and I've come to the conclusion that I am going to work all the angles that are open to me right now and see which one bubbles to the top. Sometimes all I can do is let go of the control and see what happens.
So, here's a breakdown of what I'm working on, both at home and out in the big, bad world:
Sewing. I've always sewn as a hobby and lately I've been really into making purses, wallets, and baby stuff. Did I mention that I have a new grandson? He's definitely inspired me to make lots of things... blocks and bibs and baby quilts. I'm head over heels in love with him and that IS a new Granny talking!
Gardening. Everywhere I've lived I've had some kind of garden. I got away from it for about 18 months after my WLS because it was so hard for me to process raw veggies and I ate so little of them that it didn't seem worth my time to grow vegetables. However, I missed having my hands in the dirt regularly, so I have planted a container garden, plus a couple of flower beds. I'm starting small, just radishes, tomatoes, green beans, peas, squash and some herbs for now, but I may add more later.
I've discovered that I love lightly steamed veggies. More importantly, my sleeve loves them as well. I may only be able to eat a very few at a time, but it's nice to go to the fridge and pull out two or three steamed green beans when I'm hungry. I also planted a flat of lettuce mix inside and I love cutting a small handful of that to use as a salad or to eat alongside my protein. Yummy!
Karaoke. This is a big one for me. As an adjunct to the year of therapy I did after my WLS, my therapist asked me to find a way to be more social. I've always been outgoing, kind of the life of the party type. What she wanted from me, though, was to learn how to interact with people without having to make myself the butt of jokes. We have all had one, or been one, you know... the fat person who is always making others laugh while poking fun at themselves. What I had to learn was to interact with people socially without picking on myself. That's where karaoke came in for me.
I sang "Delta Dawn" (very badly) for my debut at karaoke. My hands shook, my voice shook, and I wanted to crawl under the table... then everyone applauded me. The KJ (karaoke jockey) gave me some encouraging words and I had the nerve to get up and sing again... and again... and again. After doing it for over a year, I'm pretty comfortable at it now. I have been told a few times that people like my voice and I even won a karaoke contest at the local bar! I don't flatter myself that I'm great, but I am okay at it.
Oh, and the biggest thing is that I'm no longer making jokes at my own expense. I have other things I can talk to people about when I'm out and other connections with people socially. THAT was my therapist's goal.
I guess the lesson here for me and for other post-WLS people is that eventually our weight becomes a secondary issue in our lives, whether we reach goal or not. For so long it seemed to be all consuming... worrying about the number on the scale, measuring my food, being totally obsessed with every aspect of my "food life". Now I'm learning the long-term requirements of WLS. I have always said I had this surgery to LIVE and now I'm learning how to live with my surgery. The tool is there and now I'm learning how to adapt my lifestyle and hobbies to my new normal.
Overall, that's a great thing. I'm still on MY journey, but I'm finding that I (still) love the journey.
The scale gave me another present this morning, another pound gone. It's amazing to me that all I had to do was commit again to drinking my water, moving more, and sleeping enough (see above paragraph) and the weight is coming off again. Of course, the weight loss now is not as rapid as it was early post op, but I still have my tool and it still works!
I'm 2 years and 8 months post op and STILL learning things about my sleeve! It's a great feeling to get up knowing that my sleeve is going to help me prevent regain and, when I forget, my sleeve is going to restrict my eating anyway.
Where have I been while I wasn't blogging... hmmmm, let's see. I'm self-employed and I was extremely busy for a few months last year. SO busy, in fact, that I didn't do any sewing or gardening, which are my two favorite hobbies. As of January, work slowed down so much that I have actually considered a "real job", but that hasn't panned out yet either. Right now, I feel like the universe, God, or karma (whichever you believe in) is sending me in a completely new direction, but I haven't figured out quite yet what that direction may be.
While I was walking this morning I was thinking about my next venture and I've come to the conclusion that I am going to work all the angles that are open to me right now and see which one bubbles to the top. Sometimes all I can do is let go of the control and see what happens.
So, here's a breakdown of what I'm working on, both at home and out in the big, bad world:
Sewing. I've always sewn as a hobby and lately I've been really into making purses, wallets, and baby stuff. Did I mention that I have a new grandson? He's definitely inspired me to make lots of things... blocks and bibs and baby quilts. I'm head over heels in love with him and that IS a new Granny talking!
Gardening. Everywhere I've lived I've had some kind of garden. I got away from it for about 18 months after my WLS because it was so hard for me to process raw veggies and I ate so little of them that it didn't seem worth my time to grow vegetables. However, I missed having my hands in the dirt regularly, so I have planted a container garden, plus a couple of flower beds. I'm starting small, just radishes, tomatoes, green beans, peas, squash and some herbs for now, but I may add more later.
I've discovered that I love lightly steamed veggies. More importantly, my sleeve loves them as well. I may only be able to eat a very few at a time, but it's nice to go to the fridge and pull out two or three steamed green beans when I'm hungry. I also planted a flat of lettuce mix inside and I love cutting a small handful of that to use as a salad or to eat alongside my protein. Yummy!
Karaoke. This is a big one for me. As an adjunct to the year of therapy I did after my WLS, my therapist asked me to find a way to be more social. I've always been outgoing, kind of the life of the party type. What she wanted from me, though, was to learn how to interact with people without having to make myself the butt of jokes. We have all had one, or been one, you know... the fat person who is always making others laugh while poking fun at themselves. What I had to learn was to interact with people socially without picking on myself. That's where karaoke came in for me.
I sang "Delta Dawn" (very badly) for my debut at karaoke. My hands shook, my voice shook, and I wanted to crawl under the table... then everyone applauded me. The KJ (karaoke jockey) gave me some encouraging words and I had the nerve to get up and sing again... and again... and again. After doing it for over a year, I'm pretty comfortable at it now. I have been told a few times that people like my voice and I even won a karaoke contest at the local bar! I don't flatter myself that I'm great, but I am okay at it.
Oh, and the biggest thing is that I'm no longer making jokes at my own expense. I have other things I can talk to people about when I'm out and other connections with people socially. THAT was my therapist's goal.
I guess the lesson here for me and for other post-WLS people is that eventually our weight becomes a secondary issue in our lives, whether we reach goal or not. For so long it seemed to be all consuming... worrying about the number on the scale, measuring my food, being totally obsessed with every aspect of my "food life". Now I'm learning the long-term requirements of WLS. I have always said I had this surgery to LIVE and now I'm learning how to live with my surgery. The tool is there and now I'm learning how to adapt my lifestyle and hobbies to my new normal.
Overall, that's a great thing. I'm still on MY journey, but I'm finding that I (still) love the journey.
Monday, April 14, 2014
So, I've been the WORST blog host ever! I let life get in the way of my posts and I decided that it's time to get back on my horse, so to speak.
To update the two of you who still follow me, I've moved back to my hometown and my business is in the process of reinvention. I haven't regained much weight (about 20 pounds), but I don't want to start down that slippery slope, especially as I never made it to my goal weight.
However, changes are happening here and I have committed to my diet and exercise plan all over again and dropped 17 pounds with very little effort. Gee, this is supposed to be hard, right? It is and it isn't... and that's the thing no one ever tells you.
WLS (weight loss surgery) gives you a tool that is good forever. But that tool is only as good as how you use the tool. If I give you a power saw and you try to cut wood without plugging it in, then it's going to be really hard to cut the wood. That's where I'm at right now. I'm working hard to plug my power saw in and use it properly. Of course, in my case, the power saw is my sleeve.
I have been really bad about not drinking my water and about allowing carbs back into my diet. As of about a week ago, I have started meeting my water goal again and simple carbs are out!
To update the two of you who still follow me, I've moved back to my hometown and my business is in the process of reinvention. I haven't regained much weight (about 20 pounds), but I don't want to start down that slippery slope, especially as I never made it to my goal weight.
However, changes are happening here and I have committed to my diet and exercise plan all over again and dropped 17 pounds with very little effort. Gee, this is supposed to be hard, right? It is and it isn't... and that's the thing no one ever tells you.
WLS (weight loss surgery) gives you a tool that is good forever. But that tool is only as good as how you use the tool. If I give you a power saw and you try to cut wood without plugging it in, then it's going to be really hard to cut the wood. That's where I'm at right now. I'm working hard to plug my power saw in and use it properly. Of course, in my case, the power saw is my sleeve.
I have been really bad about not drinking my water and about allowing carbs back into my diet. As of about a week ago, I have started meeting my water goal again and simple carbs are out!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Updates as of 9.33 months post op
Sorry for the inspired title, but this is a housekeeping post, mostly! :)
First, I reached my first major goal on May 18, 2012. I'm now in the Century Club, which means I've lost 100 pounds!!! I've been happy dancing over that for a couple of weeks.
Second, I am now an elliptical convert! I started out trying to use the elliptical about a month ago. My first session lasted all of one and a half minutes. I'm now up to using the elliptical for 30-60 minutes daily and I'm in love with it. I even prefer it over my beloved recumbent bike!
Third, I'm down to a sixteen/eighteen in pants and shirts, although jeans, being less forgiving, still require a 20 for me. :)
Here's an updated picture of me:
I took this one on June 2, 2012.
I still can't believe how fast the weight is coming off me! :)
First, I reached my first major goal on May 18, 2012. I'm now in the Century Club, which means I've lost 100 pounds!!! I've been happy dancing over that for a couple of weeks.
Second, I am now an elliptical convert! I started out trying to use the elliptical about a month ago. My first session lasted all of one and a half minutes. I'm now up to using the elliptical for 30-60 minutes daily and I'm in love with it. I even prefer it over my beloved recumbent bike!
Third, I'm down to a sixteen/eighteen in pants and shirts, although jeans, being less forgiving, still require a 20 for me. :)
Here's an updated picture of me:
I still can't believe how fast the weight is coming off me! :)
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Here's what I'd advise to anyone just starting this journey:
1. Take your measurements pre-op. Keep track of them as you lose weight. When you stall/plateau, and we all do it, take your measurements again. Stalls are when I seem to lose sizes and notice the inches going away.
2. Stick to your post-op diet religiously. Your doctor has prescribed this diet because s/he feels that it's the safest diet to avoid complications with your new sleeve (pouch, etc).
3. Start walking as soon as possible after surgery. Always try to do a little more than you did yesterday.
4. The minute you're released to lift weights, start lifting weights. I do a lot of low weight, high repetition work and I started out doing 10 reps of the simplest arm exercises I could find. Biceps curls, triceps extensions, skull crusher.
5. Be patient. You didn't gain all this weight in a hurry, so you won't lose it in a hurry. It will still seem incredibly fast when you get to goal.
6. Visit a therapist to help you learn how to deal with the life changes from VSG. We wouldn't be here if we didn't have food issues.
7. Drink your 64 oz of water daily. Get in your protein daily. Repeat and repeat.
8. Join My Fitness Pal or one of the other food logger sites. It's tremendously motivating.
9. Look for the Non Scale Victories (NSV) every single day. It will help you stay positive about your journey and will give you motivation when yours is flagging.
10. Stolen straight from my friend on VST, FavoredOne... ENJOY THE JOURNEY. This isn't a race. You don't get extra points for not eating properly or for being the fastest/slowest/most average loser.
11. Make sure you take your pain meds immediately post-op if you need them. There are no awards for not taking the pain meds...just more pain.
12. Don't compare your weight loss to someone else's weight loss. Many things affect how fast we lose weight, including our genetics, metabolism, how much water and exercise we're getting in, and the mysterious "whatever". Those with higher BMIs tend to lose faster immediately post-op, but then slow down to a crawl for awhile. It happens.
13. Do NOT become a slave to the scale. All it tells you is how much you weigh. It doesn't tell you if you're eating or drinking enough. It doesn't tell you that you've put on 4 pounds of muscle weight while losing 3 pounds of fat. The scale is a dangerous mistress. Take away it's power over you.
Above all, if you think something is wrong, call YOUR doctor. Don't wait for someone on a message board or a blog to tell you what to do. You (or your insurance company) paid this doctor for his or her expertise. Let the doctor tell you what's a problem and what isn't a problem.
Good luck if you're a new post-op, or even if you're pre-op and just starting this journey. There's nothing like it in the world.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
I took myself out to lunch today and ordered a bunless cheeseburger with sweet potato fries. I actually ate about half the cheeseburger, the slices of tomato, some pickle slices, and 3 of the fries. The cook came out and I ended up telling him that the food was delicious, but I just couldn't eat any more. I was so full, but that cheeseburger was SO good.
The point of that is that you can have ANY food you want after surgery. You just won't be able to eat as much. I'm pleasantly full and not in carb overload from my meal. I'm just now finishing my unsweet iced tea and it tastes divine as well.
93 pounds lost feels really good today, especially knowing that I can eat anything I want.
Oh, and for my appetizer and dessert, I had 7 flights of stairs on either side of my meal. Being able to walk up and down those stairs without pain is a MAJOR incentive for me!
The point of that is that you can have ANY food you want after surgery. You just won't be able to eat as much. I'm pleasantly full and not in carb overload from my meal. I'm just now finishing my unsweet iced tea and it tastes divine as well.
93 pounds lost feels really good today, especially knowing that I can eat anything I want.
Oh, and for my appetizer and dessert, I had 7 flights of stairs on either side of my meal. Being able to walk up and down those stairs without pain is a MAJOR incentive for me!
Monday, April 23, 2012
My Exercise Journey So Far
Exercise is a BIG issue for those who have had WLS. Non-WLS people don't seem to understand that we do have to exercise to get to our goals. I hate the comment about us taking "the easy way out". There's nothing easy about this. It seems like some WLS patients don't get it either. They really believe that this is a magic bullet that's going to make us lose weight with no effort on our part. That's not true.
When I first had WLS, I couldn't walk from my car to my front door without being winded. When I started researching WLS, I saw people who were crazy about exercise and I thought they were nuts. But, now I get it.
As I've progressed with my weight loss, I've also progressed with exercise. At first, I was literally walking up and down my hallway, then around the small end of my building, then the larger end of my building. At 3 weeks post-op, I was THRILLED when I managed to walk around the lake in my apartment complex. Wow, that seems like it was so long ago.
Over the last few months, I've added in more walking on the treadmill and then lots of time on the recumbent bike. Last week, I walked home from the gym and found that I can't walk as far on real ground as I can on the treadmill, but that's okay. My attitude now is that it WILL get easier as I continue to walk, so I'm making it a point to walk to and from the gym when I go to work out. That adds an extra 1.5 miles a day to my exercise totals.
I also started a weight routine right after surgery. At first, I did well to get in 10 repetitions with 2 pound weights. Now, the 2 pound weights have been moved to the car and I use them to get in some arm work while I'm driving long distances daily. I'm now using 5 pound weights for my "regular" weight routine and 8 pound weights when I'm doing abdominal crunches.
My workout routine is definitely low-intensity compared to some of the exercise gurus I see on the boards, but it's working for me. Nope, I'm not Bo Derek yet, but I'm seeing results. I have biceps; I have a waist...and my butt is looking pretty good, or so I'm told by some guys I know. I'm not training for a marathon. What I'm doing is incorporating exercise into my life, hopefully in a manner that I can follow for the rest of my life.
So, like the turtle, I'm taking it slow, but I will get to goal! :)
When I first had WLS, I couldn't walk from my car to my front door without being winded. When I started researching WLS, I saw people who were crazy about exercise and I thought they were nuts. But, now I get it.
As I've progressed with my weight loss, I've also progressed with exercise. At first, I was literally walking up and down my hallway, then around the small end of my building, then the larger end of my building. At 3 weeks post-op, I was THRILLED when I managed to walk around the lake in my apartment complex. Wow, that seems like it was so long ago.
Over the last few months, I've added in more walking on the treadmill and then lots of time on the recumbent bike. Last week, I walked home from the gym and found that I can't walk as far on real ground as I can on the treadmill, but that's okay. My attitude now is that it WILL get easier as I continue to walk, so I'm making it a point to walk to and from the gym when I go to work out. That adds an extra 1.5 miles a day to my exercise totals.
I also started a weight routine right after surgery. At first, I did well to get in 10 repetitions with 2 pound weights. Now, the 2 pound weights have been moved to the car and I use them to get in some arm work while I'm driving long distances daily. I'm now using 5 pound weights for my "regular" weight routine and 8 pound weights when I'm doing abdominal crunches.
My workout routine is definitely low-intensity compared to some of the exercise gurus I see on the boards, but it's working for me. Nope, I'm not Bo Derek yet, but I'm seeing results. I have biceps; I have a waist...and my butt is looking pretty good, or so I'm told by some guys I know. I'm not training for a marathon. What I'm doing is incorporating exercise into my life, hopefully in a manner that I can follow for the rest of my life.
So, like the turtle, I'm taking it slow, but I will get to goal! :)
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Sunday update
I guess I should update a few things around here. I'm now at 261, and a size 16/18, depending on cut of the clothes. While my weight loss has slowed, I've been increasing my workouts and I'm now up to walking 1.5 miles (to/from gym) plus at least 30 minutes on the recumbent bike while at the gym. I have two goals on exercise: sweat profusely and get in at least 7 miles on the bike.
I'm seeing results, both in my clothes size and in my body. When I first started on the bike at this gym, my butt and hips rubbed my hands when I grabbed the side bars. Now I have at least 2 inches on each side between my hips and my hands. NSV for sure!
I have less restriction than before, although I still can't eat a lot at one sitting. I've recently been adding in more carbs and veggies because the carbs seem to help keep my endurance up for the workouts I've been doing. I'm still doing weights as well. I carry a 2 pound weight in the car and do my arm exercises while I'm driving long stretches. When I'm home, I use 5 pound weights for those arm exercises. I'm seeing results in my arm muscles from that as well.
The last couple of weeks have seen me add more protein replacements into my diet in order to meet my protein goals. I bought some GNC Total Lean protein shakes yesterday...meh. I'll drink them because they aren't horrible, but they aren't great either. OTOH, Clif bars are YUMMY! They have 15 grams of protein each and taste good, although the bars are kind of ugly looking.
Stir-fry has been my go to food lately. Lots of shrimp and steak stir-fried with veggies. I bought a couple of different sauces to try in them and the philly cream cheese sauces are okay. I haven't tried the two chinese sauces I got, although that's on the agenda for this week.
For some reason, my visit with my surgeon last week has really upped my confidence level about my weight loss. I feel like goal is really achievable now. I'm so close to 100 pounds lost that I can almost taste it. I'm anticipating the happy dance for it already!! :)
I'm seeing results, both in my clothes size and in my body. When I first started on the bike at this gym, my butt and hips rubbed my hands when I grabbed the side bars. Now I have at least 2 inches on each side between my hips and my hands. NSV for sure!
I have less restriction than before, although I still can't eat a lot at one sitting. I've recently been adding in more carbs and veggies because the carbs seem to help keep my endurance up for the workouts I've been doing. I'm still doing weights as well. I carry a 2 pound weight in the car and do my arm exercises while I'm driving long stretches. When I'm home, I use 5 pound weights for those arm exercises. I'm seeing results in my arm muscles from that as well.
The last couple of weeks have seen me add more protein replacements into my diet in order to meet my protein goals. I bought some GNC Total Lean protein shakes yesterday...meh. I'll drink them because they aren't horrible, but they aren't great either. OTOH, Clif bars are YUMMY! They have 15 grams of protein each and taste good, although the bars are kind of ugly looking.
Stir-fry has been my go to food lately. Lots of shrimp and steak stir-fried with veggies. I bought a couple of different sauces to try in them and the philly cream cheese sauces are okay. I haven't tried the two chinese sauces I got, although that's on the agenda for this week.
For some reason, my visit with my surgeon last week has really upped my confidence level about my weight loss. I feel like goal is really achievable now. I'm so close to 100 pounds lost that I can almost taste it. I'm anticipating the happy dance for it already!! :)
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Today's Exercise Check Up
Okay, so I've been KICKING BUTT on the bike lately, to the tune of 7.5 miles in 30 minutes!I love my own butt - it's getting SWEET! I can also walk 4 miles on the treadmill. I decided to do some moving things around this afternoon that resulted in my having to walk about .7 miles home on a paved road...no problem, right? Yeah, no problem my aching thighs and calves! Apparently walking isn't as easy on real roads as it is on the treadmill...
Monday, April 9, 2012
Seven Month Check Up ... and Awesome NSVs!
So, I went in today for my six month check up with my doc...even though I'm already 7 months plus post-op. He gave me a graph of my BMI and weight loss since my first visit with him. The graph was eye-opening! I think I'm stalled, but his graph shows that I'm losing steadily.
After I asked my questions, including for a copy of the video of my surgery, he asked me a few questions. He gave me some samples of different brands of bariatric vitamins for me to review for him and asked that I let his office know if I like them. I'll do that over the next month.
Then he asked me if I'd mind answering a few questions online for him. I thought he was asking me to take some kind of online survey at first, but as he went on I realized that he wants me to answer questions for visitors to his website! WOW! I'm so flattered to be asked and, of course, I am more than willing to do that!
From what he said today, I've already exceeded his expectations for my weight loss and fitness level and he mentioned that I'm staring 100 pounds in the eye. He expects that I will be well over 100 pounds lost when I go back at the end of July for my 1 year check up. My anniversary isn't until the end of August, but to accomodate both or our schedules, I have an appt nearly a month early.
I've mentioned before that I think my surgeon is the bomb and he proved it to me again today! In just that short appointment, he managed to make me feel wonderful about my progress insteadof the frustration I've been feeling for a few weeks. He also explained a few different things to me about what to expect going forward. That really made me feel better about the next stage of my journey.
I was worried that I am out of the "losing" stage and now am into the "have to work really hard at it" stage. I want to be his poster child for the sleeve and he assured me that I already AM a poster child for the sleeve because of the loss I've had so far and how hard I am working at my weight loss. He also told me to expect big losses over the next few months, both because of the sleeve and because of my newly formed exercise habits.
I'm feeling pretty awesome tonight, especially for a sleever who went in fully expecting to find out that my results are disappointing. I'm actually pretty far ahead of the curve!
After I asked my questions, including for a copy of the video of my surgery, he asked me a few questions. He gave me some samples of different brands of bariatric vitamins for me to review for him and asked that I let his office know if I like them. I'll do that over the next month.
Then he asked me if I'd mind answering a few questions online for him. I thought he was asking me to take some kind of online survey at first, but as he went on I realized that he wants me to answer questions for visitors to his website! WOW! I'm so flattered to be asked and, of course, I am more than willing to do that!
From what he said today, I've already exceeded his expectations for my weight loss and fitness level and he mentioned that I'm staring 100 pounds in the eye. He expects that I will be well over 100 pounds lost when I go back at the end of July for my 1 year check up. My anniversary isn't until the end of August, but to accomodate both or our schedules, I have an appt nearly a month early.
I've mentioned before that I think my surgeon is the bomb and he proved it to me again today! In just that short appointment, he managed to make me feel wonderful about my progress insteadof the frustration I've been feeling for a few weeks. He also explained a few different things to me about what to expect going forward. That really made me feel better about the next stage of my journey.
I was worried that I am out of the "losing" stage and now am into the "have to work really hard at it" stage. I want to be his poster child for the sleeve and he assured me that I already AM a poster child for the sleeve because of the loss I've had so far and how hard I am working at my weight loss. He also told me to expect big losses over the next few months, both because of the sleeve and because of my newly formed exercise habits.
I'm feeling pretty awesome tonight, especially for a sleever who went in fully expecting to find out that my results are disappointing. I'm actually pretty far ahead of the curve!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
I fit in my goal dress!!!
So, when I first started my journey, I met a gal at the support group wearing a super cute dress. A few days later, I ran into her during my post op at the surgeon's office and she was wearing the same dress, so I told her it was cute. She offered me the dress and I said Thanks, but no thanks. I told her it would never fit me, but she told me to have faith that it would!
At last week's support group meeting, she told me she had the dress in her car for me. I tried it on today, with absolutely no hope/thought that it would fit today. Well, it does!! LOL
I think it's too young for me, and it's definitely too low cut, but I'm crying because I never in a million years thought this dress would fit me and it does. THIS is a true NSV!!!
Maybe in another 20 or 30 pounds I'll feel differently, but right now, I will not be wearing this dress in public. I'm pumped, though, to see real, tangible results of all the treadmill, exercise, and recumbent bike time I've put into me!
Happy Dancing Today!!
At last week's support group meeting, she told me she had the dress in her car for me. I tried it on today, with absolutely no hope/thought that it would fit today. Well, it does!! LOL
I think it's too young for me, and it's definitely too low cut, but I'm crying because I never in a million years thought this dress would fit me and it does. THIS is a true NSV!!!
Maybe in another 20 or 30 pounds I'll feel differently, but right now, I will not be wearing this dress in public. I'm pumped, though, to see real, tangible results of all the treadmill, exercise, and recumbent bike time I've put into me!
Happy Dancing Today!!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Life with the Sleeve
So, for the last few days, I've been incredibly busy with work. That's a great thing, but it makes keeping up with my eating/drinking a little tough. I've posted before that I must get 64 oz of water and 70 g of protein in me daily for optimal results from my sleeve. So, here's how I've done it the last few days.
Each morning, I try to drink 1 16.9 oz bottle of water before I leave the house. I also take my meds with this bottle of water, so I have a mini babybel right after I take the meds. My multi-vitamin is in my morning med routine and it contains iron. Iron on an empty stomach for me is a no-go.
I take a Premium Nutrition protein bar with me in my purse. This often becomes my official breakfast, and it's a great start to my day. They are under 300 calories and have 30g of protein. I prefer the Yogurt Peanut Crunch bar, but any of them are okay tasting. I buy a box of 15 at Sam's for around $14 dollars. Another bottle of water goes with me, usually flavored with Mio drops. If you haven't tried these, they are the BOMB! The orange/tangerine drops make my water taste like Sun**Kist, IMO.
Since I usually drive about an hour, I try to finish the bottle of water and the protein bar on my drive. Food first, wait half an hour, then drink the water. I'm usually pretty close to finishing the water. Thank goodness I can drink faster now than I could right after surgery!
If I have lunch, it's usually around 1:30 or 2pm. I take something with me if I know I'll be out that late, usually a tuna kit or a can of soup. If I do have to resort to eating somewhere, I prefer a sit down restaurant because they almost always have a chicken breast/veggie combination I can eat. If I must do fast food, I'll order a salad with grilled chicken or a grilled chicken breast sandwich and eat part of the chicken and veggies on the sandwich. I'm still not eating much bread at all. I think I had a piece of bread last week...to sop up the gravy from my homemade beef stew! ;)
I'm getting a little more creative at home with dinner. Chicken and pork have been my go-to meats for a long time, but I'm now adding a little beef in there. I like to set up the crock pot in the morning with a piece of meat and some dried beans. Season it well with chopped onion and some spices and I can let dinner cook all day. It's been really nice to walk in the door with dinner waiting on me the last few days.
My real challenge in the last couple of weeks is to start cooking for one person instead of half an army. When I bought this place, my son stayed in the apartment we had been sharing. He was a great disposal for all of my leftovers before and now I have to eat them myself or get over throwing away food. My thrifty brain has a conniption every time I toss food, so I have been working on cooking smaller amounts, or on freezing the leftovers.
One trick I found is to purchase a full package of meat, pork chops, thin sliced steaks, etc, freeze them on a cookie sheet, then store them in a plastic bag or container in the freezer. Right now mine are in a round tupperware container, but I'm going to look for two or three medium containers on my next goodwill run. With a label, these should be a great place to store my meat. It's not like I need a ton. I can still barely handle 3 oz of meat per meal, so a medium container should be more than enough.
I also bought some "single serving" size veggies. Those are two servings (or more) for me, so I'll buy a bag of loose veggies next time and just dish out a spoon or two at a time.
One thing that seems to work really well for me, though, isn't tightwad at all: bottled water. I have a couple of water bottles and a water dispenser in my fridge, but I seem to remember to take water better if I can just grab a bottle from the fridge. Since I'm spending so little on other food, for right now, I'll use them. I really need to get myself in the habit of filling up my reusable water bottles and keeping them in the fridge, but I'm making a little progress at a time.
I do snack, but I try to make it healthy. I keep string cheese, mini babybel cheese, and peanut butter in the fridge/pantry. I've found that I really like something crunchy, too, so I have a bag of pretzels. I can eat 4 or 5 and feel satisfied, and they are great to dip in peanut butter for a sweet treat. I also keep skinny cow ice cream in the freezer, but my lactose intolerance hit me pretty hard this week.
In other news, American Idol is back!! That's my one TV show that I don't like to miss. I really enjoy watching the young singers who are trying out...and, my track record is pretty good on who will be the biggest stars. That doesn't mean I always pick the winner, but I can usually tell who is going to go on to have a good career.
Each morning, I try to drink 1 16.9 oz bottle of water before I leave the house. I also take my meds with this bottle of water, so I have a mini babybel right after I take the meds. My multi-vitamin is in my morning med routine and it contains iron. Iron on an empty stomach for me is a no-go.
I take a Premium Nutrition protein bar with me in my purse. This often becomes my official breakfast, and it's a great start to my day. They are under 300 calories and have 30g of protein. I prefer the Yogurt Peanut Crunch bar, but any of them are okay tasting. I buy a box of 15 at Sam's for around $14 dollars. Another bottle of water goes with me, usually flavored with Mio drops. If you haven't tried these, they are the BOMB! The orange/tangerine drops make my water taste like Sun**Kist, IMO.
Since I usually drive about an hour, I try to finish the bottle of water and the protein bar on my drive. Food first, wait half an hour, then drink the water. I'm usually pretty close to finishing the water. Thank goodness I can drink faster now than I could right after surgery!
If I have lunch, it's usually around 1:30 or 2pm. I take something with me if I know I'll be out that late, usually a tuna kit or a can of soup. If I do have to resort to eating somewhere, I prefer a sit down restaurant because they almost always have a chicken breast/veggie combination I can eat. If I must do fast food, I'll order a salad with grilled chicken or a grilled chicken breast sandwich and eat part of the chicken and veggies on the sandwich. I'm still not eating much bread at all. I think I had a piece of bread last week...to sop up the gravy from my homemade beef stew! ;)
I'm getting a little more creative at home with dinner. Chicken and pork have been my go-to meats for a long time, but I'm now adding a little beef in there. I like to set up the crock pot in the morning with a piece of meat and some dried beans. Season it well with chopped onion and some spices and I can let dinner cook all day. It's been really nice to walk in the door with dinner waiting on me the last few days.
My real challenge in the last couple of weeks is to start cooking for one person instead of half an army. When I bought this place, my son stayed in the apartment we had been sharing. He was a great disposal for all of my leftovers before and now I have to eat them myself or get over throwing away food. My thrifty brain has a conniption every time I toss food, so I have been working on cooking smaller amounts, or on freezing the leftovers.
One trick I found is to purchase a full package of meat, pork chops, thin sliced steaks, etc, freeze them on a cookie sheet, then store them in a plastic bag or container in the freezer. Right now mine are in a round tupperware container, but I'm going to look for two or three medium containers on my next goodwill run. With a label, these should be a great place to store my meat. It's not like I need a ton. I can still barely handle 3 oz of meat per meal, so a medium container should be more than enough.
I also bought some "single serving" size veggies. Those are two servings (or more) for me, so I'll buy a bag of loose veggies next time and just dish out a spoon or two at a time.
One thing that seems to work really well for me, though, isn't tightwad at all: bottled water. I have a couple of water bottles and a water dispenser in my fridge, but I seem to remember to take water better if I can just grab a bottle from the fridge. Since I'm spending so little on other food, for right now, I'll use them. I really need to get myself in the habit of filling up my reusable water bottles and keeping them in the fridge, but I'm making a little progress at a time.
I do snack, but I try to make it healthy. I keep string cheese, mini babybel cheese, and peanut butter in the fridge/pantry. I've found that I really like something crunchy, too, so I have a bag of pretzels. I can eat 4 or 5 and feel satisfied, and they are great to dip in peanut butter for a sweet treat. I also keep skinny cow ice cream in the freezer, but my lactose intolerance hit me pretty hard this week.
In other news, American Idol is back!! That's my one TV show that I don't like to miss. I really enjoy watching the young singers who are trying out...and, my track record is pretty good on who will be the biggest stars. That doesn't mean I always pick the winner, but I can usually tell who is going to go on to have a good career.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
How fast did you lose weight?
Family members have asked me if I think I'm losing weight quickly or slowly compared to others who have had VSG. My response is that truthfully, I could care less if I'm a slow loser or a fast loser, so long as I'm a loser (of weight, that is)! I started at a 53 BMI, and I've lost 81 pounds in 4.5 months. IMO, that's the perfect rate of weight loss for ME.
One thing about losing slowly is that it gives your skin more of an opportunity to rebound so you will hopefully have less loose skin when you get to goal. Losing slowly also means you are probably losing more fat than muscle, which is great! Less muscle to have to rebuild.
And, numbers on the scale do NOT tell the whole story. I look for the NSVs or non scale victories. Are my pants looser? Can I walk further, do more, do I have more energy? All of those things add up, not just the pounds lost according to the scale. If you look through the any picture gallery, you'll see people who are 172 pounds that wear a size zero and people who weigh 172 who are a size 10. The differences are in height and muscle tone, usually. So the scale doesn't tell the whole story.
Muscle does weigh more than fat. Muscle also helps us burn fat, so building strong muscles is important. I stall when I work out, then a few pounds will whoosh off in a day or two. But, when I work out, I lose inches. By doing basic workouts, walking, bicycle, light weight lifting, I have lost two pants sizes in the last three weeks. I also haven't lost an ounce in over a week. Am I worried? Nope. I keep eating my protein, drinking my water, and working out. The weight loss will happen, but I want to be a solidly built 170, not a flabby 170.
The bonus of working out is the energy boost. IMO, everything looks better when you get that serotonin boost from working out and, BELIEVE ME, I can use that energy boost right now!
I started at a 53 BMI, and I've lost 81 pounds in 4.5 months. IMO, that's the perfect rate of weight loss for ME.One thing about losing slowly is that it gives your skin more of an opportunity to rebound so you will hopefully have less loose skin when you get to goal. Losing slowly also means you are probably losing more fat than muscle, which is great! Less muscle to have to rebuild.
And, numbers on the scale do NOT tell the whole story. I look for the NSVs or non scale victories. Are my pants looser? Can I walk further, do more, do I have more energy? All of those things add up, not just the pounds lost according to the scale. If you look through the any picture gallery, you'll see people who are 172 pounds that wear a size zero and people who weigh 172 who are a size 10. The differences are in height and muscle tone, usually. So the scale doesn't tell the whole story.
Muscle does weigh more than fat. Muscle also helps us burn fat, so building strong muscles is important. I stall when I work out, then a few pounds will whoosh off in a day or two. But, when I work out, I lose inches. By doing basic workouts, walking, bicycle, light weight lifting, I have lost two pants sizes in the last three weeks. I also haven't lost an ounce in over a week. Am I worried? Nope. I keep eating my protein, drinking my water, and working out. The weight loss will happen, but I want to be a solidly built 170, not a flabby 170.
The bonus of working out is the energy boost. IMO, everything looks better when you get that serotonin boost from working out and, BELIEVE ME, I can use that energy boost right now!
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