Sally's Journey with Lapband & Gastric Bypass Surgery

Tuesday Weigh-In - 149

2012-01-31T06:21:00.001-05:00

Sorry I missed last week - totally forgot it was Tuesday until it was Thursday ... it was just one of those weeks.

Saw the bariatric surgeon yesterday for my 6-month follow-up. Vitamin D level is low - will work on that. Calcium is a borderline low - will work on that. Not eating enough protein - will work on that.

Protein - plan to tackle that by eating an additional Greek yogurt everyday. Vitamin D - the doc gave me a prescription so I'll get it filled. Calcium - I'll double the supplements I take and will add some milk & cheese in my diet - for instance, if I eat a LC meal I'll eat the protein from it, throw away the rice or pasta and replace it with some cheese. If I cook a protein I'll complement it with another protein, maybe a boiled egg. Today I'm going by the seafood shop to pick up some fish - ones that will freeze so I'll have them on hand.

The surgeon told me of a good website to check out for information, support, motivation and ideas: www.bariatricfoodie.blogspot.com.

Tuesday Weigh-in - One Pound Under Goal

2012-01-10T09:33:00.001-05:00

154. The doc said I would probably continue losing for a while - maybe even another 10-15 lbs., then I would gain back a little. So, I wasn't surprised to see the loss when I weighed in this morning.

I made a chicken stew-soup concoction that is pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. It's very filling and usually I can eat it without problems as long as I eat slow. Also, it's made in the crockpot so it's mostly hands-off cooking. Definitely a good winter "comfort food".

1 package boneless/skin chicken thighs - boil these for about 30 minutes in lightly salted water, drain and cool enough to handle, then cut into 1" chunks. You could use chicken breasts if you like, or a combo of the two - I just think the thighs have more flavor, and sometimes I have difficulty eating chicken breasts.

Add the chicken thigh chunks to the crockpot with some chopped carrots, a bag of frozen lima beans, a small-ish bag of frozen corn, a small-ish bag of frozen green beans - you could also use peas, sauteed onions, celery, and/or potatoes if you want - even mushrooms - but I would not add mushrooms if you think you're going to freeze this - what I'm getting at is that this is definitely customizable! Then add a 32 oz box of fat-free chicken broth, a little salt, a little pepper. I also added about 2 tsp of dried herbs de provence - but you could add southwestern seasonings if you prefer to give it a little kick - again, totally customizable. Cook in the crockpot on low for 8-10 hours. Very tender. It makes a ton and freezes well. Low cal. Low fat. Good amount of protein. You can control the sodium. Hope you'll give it a try.

Goal!

2012-01-03T09:59:00.002-05:00

155. I actually reached my goal last week on Wednesday. So, it did happen by the end of the year. Cool.

Quiche ... it's been a staple for me because 1) it's high in protein, and 2) it's fairly easy to eat. If anything about it is going to give me a problem it's the crust so I avoid it. I've made a number of quiches and they're super easy to make, plus I can control the ingredients. I easily get 8 servings out of a pie.

I go back to the bariatric surgeon next week for the 6-month follow-up and, probably, bloodwork.

Even though I've reached my goal, the surgeon said I could expect to continue losing maybe another 10-15 lbs. but then I would gain some back and probably settle at a weight of 150. He's been spot on so I have no reason to doubt what he says. I'll see if he says anything different next week.

2012 is off to a good start.

Tuesday Weigh-In ... Almost there

2011-12-27T06:40:00.000-05:00

Hard to believe but this morning I weighed in at 157 - 2 pounds from the goal the doctor set for me.

Christmas was great - family and fun. And we saw the new Sherlock Holmes movie - good flick.

De-clutter is my word for 2012 but I've actually been working on de-cluttering material items for over 2 years, a little at a time, and I can finally see results from that task. De-cluttering physical items from a 20 year marriage and a child, as well as my tendency to want to collect things ... I decided to tackle it a little at a time. It feels good to have the burrow to the point where I can pretty much put my hands on anything I'm looking for, and I don't feel like I'm tripping over clutter. What I've learned from the long de-cluttering journey is that I have not once missed a single material item that I either gave away or threw away.

For de-cluttering in 2012 I plan to continue my weekly task for the small material items to make sure clutter doesn't take over the burrow again, but will also focus on de-cluttering other elements in my life - cooking simpler and more natural foods and meals, streamlining my gardening, streamlining my cleaning chores, being more flexible, turning off the TV ...

I wish all a very happy and happy new year.

Tuesday Weigh-In and Merry Christmas!

2011-12-20T08:33:00.003-05:00

159. So, after a lull the weigh loss has started again. I've done nothing different. The goal my doctor set for me is 155. I have no doubt that I will reach that goal. However, as I said previously, I'm very happy with where I'm at and if I don't lose another pound, I'm okay with that. I like the way I look. I like the way my clothes fit. I like the way my body feels and moves.

The difference between gastric bypass and lapband, for me? The lapband was great! And it worked so I was very disappointed when I started to have complications and had to have it removed. Then I took the gastric bypass route. With the lapband I was always aware of it, aware of what I was eating and how much. With gastric bypass the feeling was the same, to start with. But now that the weight loss has leveled out it just seems to feel like a natural way to live - it's kind of difficult to describe. I'm selective about what I eat choosing to stay away from bulky foods and sweets. I do not try to overeat - when I'm full my appetite shuts down and I have to put the food down. Maybe that's the difference - with the lapband I still always had an appetite. With gastric bypass I have very little appetite, sometimes forgetting meals altogether. I don't have that desire to snack and graze. I still love to cook, but eating that food has fallen way down on my list of priorities.

I may end this blog at the end of this year. I don't feel I have much more to contribute to the folks that follow it. It's been 3 years and my weight-loss life seems to have normalized so I'm itching to move on to other things that interest me. However, I will continue to follow the weight-loss blogs and comment when I can. I will continue to answer questions that are emailed to me. The support from the weight-loss blogging community has been terrific. If I felt I had some wonderful pearls of wisdom to contribute, I would continue it, but I think those pearls of wisdom have been exhausted!

My word to live by for 2012 is "de-clutter". It's much more than just a physical de-cluttering of material items in my life. It also represents de-cluttering my outlook on life, my opinions, etc. I simply want to live a more natural and simpler life.

I wish you a very Merry Christmas, and a delightful, safe & healthy holiday season.

Tuesday Weigh-in

2011-12-13T07:50:00.002-05:00

161. Things are pretty easy in the eating/weigh-loss arena. This is how I'd hoped and imagine that weight loss would be after bariatric surgery - it just feels natural.

Word to live by for 2012 - declutter. Will work on decluttering my life of material things I just don't need, thought processes that hinder me, etc.

The holidays are in full swing - just a tiny bit of Christmas shopping left to do, otherwise I'm ready.

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Tuesday Weigh-In - It's been 20 weeks ...

2011-12-06T08:07:00.001-05:00

I weighed in at 163 this morning. Have lost 53 lbs in 20 weeks or 2.65 lbs/week. The majority of the weight loss for me occurred in the first 14 weeks.

My goal was 155, and I guess it still is. But I'm feeling so good right where I'm at - I don't care if I don't lose another pound. I'm very comfortably in a size 10, am moving around effortlessly, feeling good.

I do not TRY to lose weight. I simply eat what I can eat, avoiding sugars, and I have to stop eating after a small amount. There's no "trying" to it. And it feels good.

So if I naturally continue to lose weight, that's fine. And if I stay right on this number, that's fine as well.

Tuesday Weigh-In

2011-11-29T08:35:00.001-05:00

166 - holding steady. Thanksgiving was fun but food-wise was a non-event.

Am feeling great. Energy level is way up. My new way of eating is becoming more natural to me.

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY

2011-11-22T10:42:00.002-05:00

Saturday is Small Business Saturday. It's a reminder to visit some of the wonderful small businesses in your area and see what they have to offer. Maybe sometimes we just find it easier to go to the mega-marts instead of making an extra stop but I believe that small businesses are the backbone of our wonderful country. These small guys are struggling to survive in this economic environment. They offer some unique products (think Christmas gift ideas!) and a high level of personal service that that mega-marts cannot or do not offer. These owners are your friends and neighbors. Supporting them is well worth the extra stop.

Tuesday Weigh-In

2011-11-22T08:32:00.002-05:00

166 - I'm officially down 50 lbs. since the gastric bypass surgery on 7/19. Yay! Weight loss has certainly slowed down - that's in direct correlation to my ability to eat a little more. However, I'm not eating a lot more. My first goal is to get to 155.

I have found that I can eat Hamburger Helper meals if I pick around the pasta - pasta is still difficult to eat. Sunday we went to PF Chang's and I had the filling part of lettuce wraps - just a little - and one egg roll that was delicious! After PF Chang's we went to see the performance "Stomp!" - absolutely awesome, please see it if you have an opportunity to do so.

Breakfast is usually Greek yogurt. Lunches and suppers are usually the meat from Hamburger Helper meals or Lean Cuisine meals. Snacks are usually cheese and/or sugar-free/fat-free popsicles, very occasionally I'll snack on nuts. That's about it ... I know it doesn't sound very exciting but I'm a happy camper.

Bottom line, though is that I feel great. Better than I've felt in a long time. And am sleeping better.

So I tell my son that I won't be doing much, if any, cooking for Thanksgiving because I don't want all that food around my house which will just go to waste. He said, "well, there are a couple of things you make that I really like; would you make those things for me?" I said sure and asked him to email me what he'd like for me to make. Okay, here's The List: turkey, gravy, dressing, mashed potatoes, squash casserole, green bean casserole, and cornbread. YIKES! I told him I'd make all those things but he's got to come to the burrow and help, and he has to take all the food back to his place! So Sunday we're cooking all day. He loves to cook and this is a good opportunity for him to learn how to make some of his classic favorites.

Happy Thanksgiving all. Be safe.

Tuesday Weigh-in

2011-11-15T13:39:00.003-05:00

169 - was 168 over the weekend but am 169 this morning - so 45 lbs. down.

Feeling great, too! Friday I made Hamburger Helper without the pasta ... I get 8-9 meals out of it. If I choose carefully and eat slowly, I can usually eat a Lean Cuisine meal - I have to steer away from the ones that are mostly pasta, though.

Weigh-In Tuesday ... A Plateau? Already?

2011-11-08T07:44:00.002-05:00

170 ... I seem to already be in a bit of a plateau, but I feel good and am satisfied with the way my clothes are fitting, so I'm not stripping a gear over this. Will see where things go over the next few weeks.

Almost Thanksgiving ... got an action plan in place? My sister, niece, boyfriend and I are doing the same thing as last year - movie day. Yay! It seems we're all going ninety-to-nothing all the time; it will be great to have one whole down day to just chill, chat, laugh, watch movies, snooze, snuggle with the puppies.

Word for 2012 ... first, my word for 2011 was "simplify", and I think I've done a good job using that word to guide me this year. I have managed to streamline things around my burrow, use up stuff I already had, get rid of waste, etc. My word for 2010 was "adventure" and I still used that word to guide me in 2011 as well. For 2012 I'm choosing the word "natural" - will try to eat more natural foods, compost waste and use it in my garden, maybe try my hand at canning some foods, continue to use my clothesline more than my electric clothes dryer, handwash the few dishes I use, and so on.

What's your word for 2011 and what word will you choose for 2012?

Weigh-in Day!

2011-11-01T06:53:00.001-04:00

170 lbs. Down 46 lbs since 7/19.

The weight-loss had kind of stalled out but now seems to be going again. Yay!

Can you believe it's November? Wow!

14 Week Post Surgery weigh-in

2011-10-25T07:58:00.000-04:00

172 lbs! - 46 lbs down.Eating continues to become a little easier. Last night I had a Lean Cuisine meal and took it real slow - did okay with it. I made a quiche last night which will be my lunches and dinner for the rest of the week. Greek yogurt is my typical breakfast. Usually nuts or a piece of cheese for a snack. And as a little indulgence in the evenings, a sugar-free/fat-free popsicle or two.

Eating These Days

2011-10-19T09:21:00.000-04:00

Today I'm 3 months post-gastric bypass surgery. A month ago I was really struggling to eat anything. I can tell that in the past two weeks things have relaxed a bit and I'm able to eat a little bit easier. However, last night I tried to eat a scrambled egg and that was a big no-no. I still tend to gravitate towards very soft and mushy foods like quiche and thick soups. I start most days off with a container of Greek yogurt. I try to eat two snacks a day - cheese. Lunch ... I've been making homemade veggie-bacon quiches so I usually have a slice for lunch - I easily get 8 slices from one quiche. Supper ... I made a delicious corn chowder that I ate for supper for a number of days. Sometimes I'll pick up a bowl of soup from Panera's, or a shrimp salad from the deli at the grocery store. I went to the surgeon Monday for the 3-month follow-up and was chastised for no consuming enough protein. I'm having some issues with constipation and also with water retention - my poor left ankle is so swollen and uncomfortable - the right ankle is fine - go figure. The doc said to use Miralax to help with the constipation so am giving that a whirl. I'm kind of hoping that has the constipation improves the water retention will, too - but I don't have a clue if they're related.I've lost right at 40 lbs in 3 months. I'm back in an easy size 12. The P.A. said I will probably lose another 25-30 lbs. Wow! So, that's the update.

Tuesday Weigh-In - 174

2011-10-18T07:09:00.003-04:00

So, still up a little from my low 2 weeks ago, but I'm also retaining a lot of fluid (swollen ankles) and still having some digestive issues. Went to the surgeon yesterday for a follow-up and was told to try Miralax and just continue drinking lots and lots of water to help with the water retention. I can tell a bit of an improvement in the last couple of days so maybe by next week's weigh-in I'll be back on track.

Message for Dee at My Kajun Life

2011-10-11T08:25:00.002-04:00

I'm still unable to comment on blogs - very frustrating.

Anyway, Dee's blog today hit close to home for me. My experience with the lapband has been so similar to her's - initial success, acid reflux, fills/unfills ... my band was removed and I gained back about 50% of the weight I had lost. Then I had gastric bypass surgery in July. It was a big decision and so far I'm happy with it, however GBP is very, very different from lapband.

Wish I had some magic words ...

Dee, want you to know I'm thinking of you and wishing every success in this battle.

Today's weigh-in - 177 - a jump up from last week - in fact, a big jump. But, am also having some "intestinal issues" if you get my drift. So I know this is short-lived.

11 week post-op weigh-in ...

2011-10-04T14:19:00.002-04:00

172 lbs. - 46 lbs. Gone-zo. Yay. My first goal is only 12 lbs. away.

Am still having difficulty eating. I made some delicious corn chowder over the weekend and am able to very slowly eat about 1/2 cup at a time. It doesn't have much protein in it but at least it's something in my stomach. Tonight I'm going to make a bacon-spinach quiche. Over the weekend I also made homemade pork sausage and roasted a big ol' turkey - no, I didn't eat either of those items.

I don't know why I'm finding it so difficult to slow down when I eat - I did pretty well with that when I had the lapband, so why is it different with gastric bypass? Whatever, I have found that if I eat 2-3 bites then make myself STOP and get away from the food for 5-10 minutes, I can usually eat the remainder of the 1/2 cup serving with little trouble after that.

Protein ... Who Knew?

2011-09-28T13:12:00.003-04:00

I certainly didn't know that the plant-based protein I consume (beans, soy milk) does not count towards my daily protein consumption. Right now, so newly post-op, only animal-based protein counts. Hmmm ... I've got to do some serious rethinking.

I saw the nutritionist today and discovered that I am 100% normal when it comes to being gastric bypass post-op. The issues I'm having with food are mostly textural in nature and will improve. Food texture did not bother me nearly as much with the lapband as it does with gastric bypass.

It was an interesting visit and I discovered that I'm going to have to do some major reworking on my meal plans.

10-week post-op weigh-in ...

2011-09-27T07:47:00.002-04:00

40 lbs. - GONE-ZO!

Feeling good. Eating is gradually becoming easier although I'm still finding things that I can eat one day and the next day am unable to eat. Last week I discovered that if I eat it really slow, I'm able to eat quiche - lots of protein so I'm going for it. I can eat a slice that equates to about 1/2 cup of food. What's kind of curious is that while I'm okay with quiche, I usually cannot eat a scrambled or boiled egg. I can usually eat cheese with minimal problems. Sometimes I can eat a protein bar, sometimes I cannot - that is still very if-fy. I can usually eat grits. I've even had a few chips and did okay with them. I do fine with soy milk and yogurt. Tomorrow I go to my first-ever visit with a nutritionist - I have a list of questions for her!

I still rarely get hungry. I also rarely have an appetite, which makes it difficult to decide on something to eat. When I have no appetite, nothing "sounds" good to me. I've been tracking my food intake and my average daily caloric intake is around 600-700 - and I struggle to consume that.

Happy Autumn everyone!

Tuesday Weigh-In - at 8 weeks post-op

2011-09-13T08:07:00.002-04:00

34 lbs GONE-ZO! Woot! Woot!

Eating is still if-fy. One day I can eat something fairly easily and the next day I can't. So, still taking it very slowly. Breakfast today was an ounce of fresh mozarella. For lunch I brought 2 Tbsp of egg salad. Supper is up in the air ... My appetite is still poor and I rarely feel actual hunger pangs.

Will be out of town next week so will not update my Tuesday weigh-in until 9/27.

Tuesday Weigh-in ... late ... sorry

2011-09-09T07:40:00.002-04:00

It was 186 - down 30 lbs. Sorry for the delay - been cleaning up from Irene and taking care of a sick child - well, he's almost 20, but they're always your baby, right? The ability to eat is getting better - I'm finding things I can eat rather easily and am still surprised by some of the things I absolutely cannot eat (like peanut butter???!). But overall it's going well.

Thanks MacMadame!

2011-09-01T10:33:00.002-04:00

MacMadame commented on my previous blog that the restriction I'm feeling is normal. I have to tell you, I was getting a bit concerned. So, thank you for commenting and letting me know this is normal.

This restriction is far greater than what I ever felt with the lapband. I'm concerned about not getting enough protein. I have an appointment with the nutritionist at the surgeon's office on 9/28 so I'll chat with her about it then.

With the lapband I felt good restriction when I was losing weight at a rapid rate, however even so, I was still able to eat about 1/2 cup of healthy food at a time - same rules - no liquids 30 minutes before/after, eat slow, small bites.

But it's working - today I'm down 29 lbs. from the surgery-date weight. And I'm rarely hungry.

Which brings me to answering Jacquie's comment on my last posting too. This is something I've been avoiding because I feel badly that I let it happen. But after the lapband was removed in December I went from 156 lbs. 12/3/10 to 216 on 7/19/11. Yikes! My lowest weight during all my problems with the lapband was 139 or 138 but I feel most of that weight loss was probably due to dehydration. After the lapband was removed I tried to be very careful about what I ate and the amount but there was no longer anything stopping me so there were times I ate without thinking - I also stayed stomach-growling hungry. And by May when the surgeon agreed to push me forward for gastric bypass I simply gave up trying to control what I ate.

My weight this morning was 187 - 29 lbs. gone AGAIN.

Tuesday weigh-in - 27 lbs. in 6 weeks

2011-08-30T13:45:00.002-04:00

Wow. The portions I can eat for a meal are still extremely small - for instance, for lunch today I had 1.5 tablespoons of shrimp salad and prior to eating it I took a sharp knife and finely chopped it. Am still depending a lot on soups, yogurt, and occasionally peanut butter. I know it will get better - it's only been 6 weeks since the gastric bypass.

Tueday Weigh-In, A day late

2011-08-24T07:39:00.002-04:00

I weighed yesterday but never got a chance to post the blog. Anyway, am down 24 lbs. since the surgery! Yay! Feeling pretty good, too. Still relearning to eat Very Slowly. Take care all. In my hood we're preparing for Irene.

SLOOOOOOW DOOOOWN

2011-08-19T15:04:00.002-04:00

It worked! I've made a determined and thoughtful effort to dramatically slow down my eating - even slower than I ever did with the lapband - and it's working. I'm doing much better. Still not eating a lot but that is the point of this whole deal, right? I'm sure it's different from person to person, but for me it seems to be important to eat very slowly for the first 3-5 bites, then after that I can eat a little faster although certainly not fast. It still takes 30 minutes to eat a meal unless it's something tiny like a Laughing Cow cheese wedge.

The P.A. at the surgeon's office who is a GBP patient said she developed kidney stones after the surgery. I asked her if it was common and she said yes, if you don't hydrate enough. She said her doc told her that crystal light has enough of something in it (citric acid maybe) to help reduce the chance of developing kidney stones. I found that interesting.

I can now eat regular food but am taking little baby steps in that direction. This weekend I may get brave and try some fish or a scallop or crab.

Have a great weekend!

One Month Follow-Up

2011-08-17T16:57:00.003-04:00

The surgeon said everything is perfect. The P.A. in his practice had gastric bypass surgery in December, so when I go into gross detail about my occasional issues with eating, she understands completely.

Bottom line ... I have to eat super super super slow. Last night I had some refried beans. I put about 2 Tbsp in a small container and nuked it in the microwave. Then I got out one of my trusty baby spoons. I ate a bite, put down the spoon and walked away. I even timed it! I stayed away for 5 minutes. Then I had a second bite, walked away again and waited 5 minutes. Then I had a third bite, walked away and waited 5 minutes. After that I was able to eat the rest of the serving in about 30 minutes. I did fine. He also stressed, as did the P.A., about REALLY chewing the food well. I had to do all this with the lapband but I wasn't as sensitive about eating with the lapband as I am with gastric bypass.

The P.A. said even now - 8 months out - she will still sometimes take the first bite too fast and experiences the "stuck" feeling.

I'm now cleared to eat regular food - very carefully. But I'm a little gun-shy right now so I think I'll remain on soft/mushy foods for a while longer.

I asked the P.A. what I could take in the event I get a headache - chewable baby aspirin or tylenol or motrin. She said to steer away from the liquids - the only times she has experienced the "dumping syndrome" was when she took the liquid medications because they are so syrup-y.

Anyway, I'm feeling much better about things. I was a teensy bit worried about the eating situation but am happy to hear I'm totally normal!

Tuesday Weigh-In

2011-08-16T09:55:00.002-04:00

Down 21 lbs. since the 7/19 GBP surgery date.

Wow.

However ... when I see the surgeon tomorrow for the one-month follow-up I will be discussing with him the fact that I can eat VERY little. Very little, as in 1 or 2 bites. And I must eat those 1 or 2 bites (I'm talking thick soup here, nothing truly solid) extremely slowly. And if I get sick because I get that "too full" feeling, I'm toast for the rest of the day. Until then, I've put myself back on liquids and yogurt. Honestly, though, I'm having no hunger whatsoever.

Clarification to my last "Stuck" posting

2011-08-13T13:24:00.002-04:00

When I had the lapband, if I ate too fast, or too much, or if I ate a food that was not well chewed, that food would sit like a rock in my stomach and would not move. As it sat there my digestive system seemed to kick into overdrive as far as producing a thick, mucous-y (sorry to be gross ...) type of substance that sat on top of the undigestable food. Then I got REALLY full. And the result was ... it had to come up. Personally, I never experienced pain with this "stuck" feeling, only discomfort.

When I got "stuck" a couple of days ago (I'm a gastric bypass patient, now), it felt very much the same, but it took much less food to cause the same reaction. I simply ate too fast. I have to follow the same rules I did with the lapband ... chew very well, easy very slowly.

I experienced this stuck feeling with a soft food. So, note to self, when starting regular food on Tuesday use great caution!

Can You "Get Stuck" After Gastric Bypass?

2011-08-12T14:44:00.003-04:00

Why yes! You can! And it's not pleasant; it brought back memories of the lapband. It happened to me yesterday and it was totally because I ate too fast. I'm finding it challenging to get back into the habit of taking a small bite, putting down my spoon and even walking away, chewing well, swallowing, waiting a bit, then taking another bite. Also, my food processor and immersion blender need to become my oft-used tools again.

To Lapband Gal

2011-08-09T15:54:00.002-04:00

I'm still having trouble commenting, but I feel strongly enough about Lapband Gal's blog posting today to try to get a message to her. To fill or not to fill ... gosh, it seems to working really good for you right now - you're maintaining your weight splendidly. Yeah, there might be a little bit of hunger but you seem to be handling it really well. I guess I'm saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." If you start to gain you can schedule a fill any time.

Overall you seem to be eating healthy and in healthy portions ... the occasional fall of the wagon I think represents the fact that you have incorporated band life into your real-world life perfectly.

Tuesday Weigh-In

2011-08-09T07:32:00.001-04:00

Down 16 lbs since 7/19 surgery date. Woot! Woot!

A Typical Food Day, These Days

2011-08-05T08:11:00.002-04:00

I'm several days in to the soft/mushy foods stage and a typical day is this: an egg in the morning, yogurt for a snack if I feel like it, soup for lunch, ~2 tablespoons of mashed potatoes or refried beans for supper, a yogurt in the evening if I feel like it. Today I brought a couple of the Laughing Cow cheese wedges for a snack - if I feel like it.

I'm thinking about the feeling of fullness I'm having now, after gastric bypass surgery, compared to the feeling of fullness I experienced when I had the lapband. This feels more natural. I'm having no issues with stopping eating when I'm full. I am eating slowly and thoughtfully. Other than the 30 minutes before/after rule when it comes to drinking, I keep a drink handy all day - unsweet tea or water or water with crystal light. Am having no issues with staying hydrated.

I am not consuming enough protein. The protein shakes or drinks like Ensure are unpleasant to me. This weekend I'm going to a nutrition center to check out the protein supplements that can be added to water/crystal light drinks.

It will take a while to settle in to a good routine. And when this food stage is over in 2 weeks I'll be able to consume proteins through things like fish, so I know it will become easier.

As far as the effects of the surgery - other than a tiny bit of tenderness, I think I'm over it. My energy level continues to increase every day.

Every now again something happens that just reinforces to me that I've made the right decision. When I went to the surgeon's office for my 2-week follow-up Tuesday the P.A. stopped in to see me - she had gastric bypass fairly recently. It's always nice to run into a practice-what-you-preach person.

Blogger question\

2011-08-03T18:51:00.003-04:00

Comments ... I've read that others are having trouble commenting on blogs - I am, too. I can comment on some blogs, and others I cannot. I click to comment, write my comment, then have to select a profile. So I select Google. Then it takes me to a sign-in page. I sign-in, then am directed back to the comment for the blog and am listed as "anonymous". I can get no further - just get into a loop of going back to the sign-in page/password, back to the comment for the blog. Anyone else experiencing this? Is there a work-around?

First Post-Op Visit

2011-08-03T16:12:00.002-04:00

Everything is perfect. I'm feeling good - in fact, I felt good enough yesterday that I mowed my entire lawn, with a push mower, in the 95-degree heat. I was whipped afterwards but had no issues. The skin glue I'm allergic to is called DermaBond - note to self - for any possible future surgeries request that something else be used. The soft/mushy food part of the plan is going well. I usually have soups, egg salad from one egg, protein shakes, fat-free yogurt. I get full quickly and am satisfied and find it easy to stop eating. I have to admit that it's nice to see results right away whereas with the lapband surgery I had to wait about 5-6 months before I experienced enough restriction that I felt it was helping me to stop eating when I was full. I'll go back to the surgeon in 2 weeks for a one-month follow-up, bloodwork, and after that they want me to make an appointment with a nutritionist.

So, after a rough 8-10 days starting out, I'm feeling pretty darn good these days. Still a tiny bit of tenderness on my left side, and I still get tired pretty easily, but I can tell my energy level is rebounding and with each passing day I'm feeling like my normal onery self.

Tonight I'm treating myself to mashed potatoes! Woot! Woot! HAHAHAHAHA

Tuesday Weigh-in

2011-08-02T09:26:00.002-04:00

Down 13 lbs. from the surgery date two weeks ago. Am doing good. I've slowly started soft foods like egg salad, yogurt, soups. Doing good with drinking liquids. I'm still quite tender on my left side. The skin reaction to the surgical glue has calmed down. My follow-up with the surgeon is tomorrow afternoon. So, after a rough initial 8-10 days, things are much better now. Still quite tired but I know my energy level will come back over the next few weeks. The surgeon said there was a lot of scar tissue from the previous two lapband surgeries so I'm sure that has been a factor in my recovery. No regrets, though.

So Far, So Good

2011-07-27T16:47:00.003-04:00

The gastric bypass surgery has been a bit more to get over than either of the lapband surgeries, but I'm getting there. The surgery was Tuesday, 7/19. I returned to work Monday, 7/25. I'm hind-parts-dragging tired ... it was too soon to return to work. I should have stayed holed up in my burrow another day or two. I'm having no pain whatsoever. What I am experiencing, though, is an allergic reaction to the super-glue the incisions are closed with - I have an itchy annoying rash around each incision site. I did not have that with either of the lapband surgeries.

Still on liquids. Tuesday will be my first "mushy foods" day. My appetite must be returning because I find myself pondering what I might eat on Tuesday. hahaha But I'm not experiencing any hunger. I drink the Ensure. I also drink some 100% fruit juice that I water down 50/50. And Crystal Lite. And soy milk. I've not paid attention to my protein intake but will do so when I can start on mushy foods.

I've decided to make Tuesdays my official weigh day. So yesterday I weighed-in. I'm down 10 lbs on my scales, or 7 lbs. from what I weighed at the hospital pre-surgery.

A Happy Surprise

2011-07-24T15:17:00.003-04:00

This morning my friend Merry, a very successful 2-year gastric bypass patient, stopped by with a "pot of protein". What a fabulous and unexpected surprise. She's been there! She knows what works! I'll use every single thing in the pot, and then I'll use the pot for potting a bromeliad pup. Thanks Merry! What a wonderful pick-me-up.

So far, gastric bypass surgery has been, to me, a more difficult recovery than either of the lapband surgeries. I'm not having pain, but discomfort. Yesterday I sewed for about 5 hours straight - that constant sitting down to sew, getting up and walking to the ironing board, back to the sewing machine, then getting up and walking to the cutting table, then back to the sewing machine did me a world of good. Gas pains yesterday. None today.

My two-week follow-up is 8/3, then I'll start soft foods. So far, though, I've had very little appetite. I've been drinking Ensure, soy milk, water, some fruit juice, and Crystal Lite - trying to stay hydrated. I've had a nasty on-off headache that I truly believe is likely due to dehydration.

But today is much better than yesterday. So I'm hoping tomorrow will be even better. I'm going to make Tuesdays my official weigh-in day since that was the surgery day.

Happy Sunday everyone. Hoping you're staying cool. The heat index in my hood is 113. Yikes!

Home

2011-07-22T05:58:00.002-04:00

It's good to be home.

I'm feeling ... okay. Yesterday was a pretty rough day. I'm not having any pain really, more like a very bruised feeling. Am having a few issues with the gas, especially in my left shoulder but I'm walking to help work that out. I think the anesthesia, then the pain medication they gave me in the hospital, has been the most difficult part to get over - the hangover effect. Yesterday I had some nausea and a pretty nasty headache most of the day. I slept off and on all day and all night. This morning I have a dull headache but nothing like it was yesterday. I'm on "liquids only" for 2 weeks before I start soft foods but honestly, I have no appetite at all.

So there you have it - not much to report comparison-wise yet. That will come over the next few weeks. I'm glad to have the surgery part behind me.

See You Later ... From The Other Side!

2011-07-18T07:05:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is gastric bypass surgery day. Wow - it got here fast. I have absolutely no fear, no worry, no doubt, and I have complete trust in my surgeon. So, I'll update my blog when I get home from the hospital, Thursday or Friday, to let you know how things are going, how this is different from the lapband, etc. Have a good week!

All Systems Are Go - Here We Go!

2011-07-07T13:26:00.003-04:00

Today I had my pre-op appointment for the 7/19 gastric bypass surgery. Bloodwork. Chest x-ray. EKG. MRSA screening. And immediately start the Atkin's diet to prepare my body for surgery.

That's it.

NOTHING like all the appointments to get ready for the initial lapband surgery in 2008. The doc says I've been there, done that, no need to do it again.

Yay!

I'm not too wild about the Atkin's program, it bores me very quickly, but it's only for 11 days.

And, I already have my post-op appointment scheduled for 8/3.

Lapband Removal - What Were My Symptoms?

2011-07-06T09:50:00.003-04:00

In the weight loss and lapband blogs I follow, several patients have either had to have the lapband removed recently, are pondering it, or are experiencing issues. I thought it might be a good idea to clarify exactly what my symptoms were. It took a very long time to actually diagnose my problem as being specifically related to the band. So, here goes:

Original surgery - 8/8/08 - no problems until early Sept. 09 - then I started having more issues with vomiting than I had previously, and acid reflux - oh my gosh, it got bad - burning sensation all the time, regurgitation at night that woke me up coughing and strangling. But in late Sept I had what I thought was the flu - high fever, chills, headache, and during this "flu" it became very difficult to eat and keep food down and to drink. Everything seemed to want to come back up. After about 3 days it went away as quickly as it had started. I do want to note that I was at my goal weight by the time all of these symptoms started. The surgeon started me on an acid reflux med that unfortunately, I cannot remember the name of right now. I'm trying to remember ... I think he removed a bit of fluid from the band.

But then I had the "flu" again a couple times in Oct, Nov, Dec. with each episode being a little worse than the previous one. The acid reflux was really awful. I went to the bariatric surgeon in early Dec and some of the fluid was removed and I was prescribed Nexium. Things improved for a few days but by the end of December I was having the flu symptoms every few days, having terrible night sweats, unable to eat/drink, and in retrospect I can see that I adopted a very lethargic and apathetic attitude - very unlike me. I think I have all of this fairly well documented in my blog during the December 2009 to February 2010 timeframe, so I'm not going to reiterate it again here. Please read my blog for that time period if you're having lapband issues.

Suffice it to say, severe acid reflux is NOT normal with the lapband and should be reported to your doctor immediately. If you're eating properly the inability to keep food or liquids down is NOT normal and should be reported to the surgeon. If you have a fever, report it to your surgeon. Regurgitation during sleep is serious and needs to be reported to your surgeon right away.

After being tested for everything and ulcerative colitis being blamed for the issues for a long time, in the end (Dec. 2010) the band was removed and I believe it was simply my body rejecting the band. Every time I had "the flu" the episodes happened closer together, the fever was higher, my white blood cell count was higher, the dehydration from my inability to eat/drink happened quicker and was more severe, and the headache (probably from the dehydration) was worse. On Dec. 3 I drove myself to the bariatric surgeon without an appointment, he sent me on to the hospital and honestly, I don't know how I managed to drive myself but I guess when you're desperate and not really thinking straight you'll do just about anything.

Bottom line, if you're having issues with the lapband, please have a heart-to-heart with your doctor. Your doctor wants you to be successful and does not want you to have unnecessary surgery to remove the band, but it if must be removed your surgeon is the one to help you make the decision.

Once the band was removed the symptoms immediately went away and I have not had the symptoms again.

So, why gastric bypass instead of the gastric sleeve?

2011-07-04T16:14:00.002-04:00

Believe me, I've thought about this a lot. But I'm putting my trust in the surgeon - I do trust him, and I do believe that he wants me to be successful. My body reacted so badly to having the lapband so the gastric sleeve is not really in the cards for me, although it's probably a great option for others. I have several friends who are gastric bypass patients and their success is inspiring; it's great having them close-by so I can ask question after question after question. They've been quite patient!

Happy 4th of July everyone. Be safe.

Gastric Bypass ... pondering ...

2011-07-03T18:05:00.000-04:00

I'm pondering how I feel about this. Lapband was always my first choice as far as bariatric surgery goes because even though it's supposed to be considered permanent, it's not really permanent - no permanent replumbing is done. It seemed like the "safer" option.

Even though the lapband did not work for me, I do not regret it for a second. In fact, I'm truly sorry it did not work for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the "control" it gave me which spilled over in to other areas of my life. I've felt quite lost without it.

Now, with gastric bypass surgery on the horizon, I'm again feeling no fear or doubt. I'm at peace with this leg of my weight loss journey. At 52 I've proven to myself time and time again that I won't or can't keep my weight under control. A permanent option is now what I'll do.

It's on my mind all the time these days. I'm very ready.

Surgery Date

2011-06-23T15:03:00.002-04:00

The gastric bypass surgery has been scheduled for July 19th. I am ready! 26 days - the countdown is on.

The Reason For The Silence ...

2011-05-20T13:02:00.003-04:00

I've gained weight back, at an alarming rate. While I haven't been a perfect angel food-wise, I haven't been THAT bad. It is depressing. I've missed the lapband and the control it gave me. But now I also see that I was never really in control, the lapband was. So, don't doubt how much assistance it may be giving you.

In December when I had the lapband removed (remember, not my choice but emergency surgery instead), the bariatric surgeon said he would see me in six months to discuss gastric bypass surgery. I poo-poo'd him and said "to be sure I'll be able to keep my weight under control."

Nope. 5 lbs. quickly went to 15 lbs. which quickly went to 25 lbs. and today I'm at 45 lbs gained back in 5 short months.

I saw the surgeon this morning and asked, 1) am I a candidate for GBP, and 2) will insurance pay. Answers: 1) yes, 2) maybe - he's going to contact the insurance company to see because my BMI is 33 and the threshhold is 35. Of course, if it takes getting to a BMI of 35 I can probably have that done in about a week. (laughing, sort of, not really)

I've been very disappointed with myself and though my level head tells me not to feel like a failure, my not-so-level head tells me I've failed. I left the surgeon's office this morning, though, feeling much better. He was not judgmental and since he's never been judgmental in the least with me, I don't know why I was even concerned about it.

I talked to him about the alarming rate at which the weight has come back - he said that's common, and is, in fact, expected if the lapband is removed. Bummer.

I had a gazillion questions about GBP and he patiently answered them all. I also asked if I'd have to go through the whole pre-op thing again and he said no. Once insurance approves it he'll get it scheduled ASAP. Now that really made me feel better.

So, the silence has been because I didn't have anything good to say - and because I' a bit ashamed I'm gaining weight back so quickly. I guess it's a little bit of hiding my head in the sand, but more it's just disappointment in myself.

But things look rosier. The insurance company should have an answer to us in about 2 weeks. If the answer is yes then the surgery could be in a month or thereabouts.

GBP is forever though. The medical folks say that about the lapband, too, but it's especially true of GBP.

I've dreaded writing this post because so many that read by blog are lapband patients - I do not, in any way, want to scare you. Though no one has come out and said it, I believe that my body just simply rejected the foreign object of the lapband in my abdomen. The doctor has not said it happens frequently - actually, I get the impression it is a fairly uncommon reaction.

Cruisin'

2011-04-17T16:10:00.002-04:00

We just returned from a 5-day cruise to the Bahamas - Freeport and Nassau. What a great time. The highlight of the trip, for me, was the dolphin encounter at Dolphin Cay in Nassau. We also went snorkeling in Freeport. The whole trip was a total delight.

Food on the cruise. You know, it was good - lots of sweets - but it wasn't "over the top". I did return with a couple of good ideas for new dishes to prepare ...

Sometimes You're Given A Gift And Don't Realize It

2011-03-03T14:27:00.003-05:00

I spent so much time feeling sick in 2010, which culminated, as you know, in removal of the lapband. And since then I've really struggled to try to keep my weight gain under control and also keep my appetite under control. I'll admit, I've had a pouty lip about it - feeling a bit sorry for myself. But last night an optimistic thought snuck into my feeling-sorry-for-myself-brain ... yeah, I've been to see a gazillion doctors over the past year, had a gazillion tests run, and you know what? I'm healthy! Yeah, a bit of ulcerative colitis. Yeah, the lapband is gone. But, no cancer. No rheumatoid arthiritis. No high blood pressure. No diabetes. No lupus. No anything that they tested me for.

And that is a gift.

There are so many (too many) people in this world who cannot say, "I have a healthy body." I am the lucky steward of a healthy body. I should correctly care for this body which means eating right, exercise, mental fitness as well as physical fitness.

This is a major shift in my thought process, similar to when the realization hit me that the lapband would not do the whole weight-loss job for me and I would have to participate in the task of losing weight.

My weight is holding steady but is still 25 lbs. over where I want to be.

So Far, So Good

2011-02-21T13:34:00.004-05:00

I took me a while to get back into the frame of mind about losing weight, but I'm now there and this past week and a half has been rather painless - I've lost 4.5 lbs in the past 10 days. I'm keeping very few food choices in the house, which is easy to do since most of the time I'm by myself. When my Sweet Babboo comes over he knows to bring whatever he may want in the way of food and drink - he's a good sport about it and truly doesn't seem to mind. His cooperation in this respect is such a huge help. It also really helps that we like very different types of food. For instance, he likes coconut and I would starve to death if coconut was the only food left in this world. :-) (Same goes for liver, licorice, grapefruit and brussell sprouts!)

On the very up-side, I'm saving a lot of money at the grocery store.

And my Sweet Babboo is also saving a lot of money because we're not going to restaurants.

Using the treadmill at work has actually been enjoyable - I'm listening to an audiobook and I walk on the treadmill everyday at the end of the workday.

I do stay hungry a lot, which is something I did not experience very often with the lapband, but I am choosing to not eat snacks. Sometimes I have to really talk myself out of a snack but so far it's worked. The food journal is a tremendous help in that respect.

I'm keeping my meals to 250-450 calories each and 5-7 grams of fat each. It all seems to even out at the end of day; around 1000-1100 calories and 16-20 grams of fat. Still making sure I get enough protein, and have increased my fiber intake. No snacks.

My goal is to be back at my lapband weight by the start of summer in June. I have 20 more lbs to lose so it's very do-able.

My irises are coming up. So are the daffodils and tulips. Even the hydrangeas have some new green growth beginning, as do the roses. The season is turning. Everything continues to move forward and so will I.

27 days till spring, 20 days till the clock "springs" forward, and 46 days till the cruise. Good things are coming ...

The Old Fashioned Way

2011-02-16T08:37:00.002-05:00

The old fashioned way of losing weight seems to be working, and I'm not having ny problem sticking with my plan. I'm hoping that maybe I really did learn something while I had the lapband. :-) I keep reminding myself that this time at least my goal is to lose 25 lbs. instead of 120 lbs. so it wasn't a total backslide ...

Keeping a short list of go-to foods around, already portioned out, seems to be the biggest help. In a nutshell, I try to keep meals to an average of 300-350 calories, and a daily fat intake of less than 20 grams. Some meals are higher, some are lower, but it all averages out at the end of the day. And journaling is a big help because I absolutely do not want to have to write in my journal that I made a bad food choice. I'm also not avoiding the scale - and this morning was rewarded with a loss of a whole pound since yesterday! Woot! Woot!

After cutting out sweets for a few days, I have noticed the craving for sweets has diminished (thank goodness!).

The only differences between what I'm doing now vs. when had the band: 1) I have to make myself stop eating, hence the pre-portioned meals, and 2) I can eat some things now that I couldn't with the lapband such as bread, so that has opened up some different meal possibilities to me, i.e. the Jimmy Dean DeLite Breakfast Sandwiches - the one I eat every morning is 230 calories and 4.5 grams of fat. Well, there are probably more differences but those are the ones that come to mind at the moment.

And the spring weather ... good grief, was it a long winter, or what? At least it seemed that way to me. Normally, in NC, our big winter months are January and February, but this season it turned cold in November and stayed that way. We've had more snow than usual, as well, but mostly we've just had bone chilling cold weather (to us) day after day. I'm glad it's warming up now so I can spend some time outside in the yard and garden, hanging clothes on the clothesline, and breathing some fresh air. My tulips and irises are making an appearance, and this weekend a pair of bluebirds has returned to start nesting in their box.

32 days till Spring. Bring it on!

Back To Basics

2011-02-14T09:47:00.003-05:00

Okay, the pity party is over and I've gone back to basics. What worked for me with the lapband should also work for me without the band. That means journaling (check), portion control (check), making intelligent food choices (check), eating only when I'm truly hungry (check), and exercise (check).

Exercise - we have a great fitness room at work and I'm now taking advantage of it. I bring my exercise clothes with me and at the end of the work day I change clothes and jump onto the treadmill and listen to one of the gazillion audiobooks I have downloaded onto to my iPod.

Journaling - am back at it, writing down every single morsel that passes my lips. Already I can tell that having to write it down has kept me from sneaking some "bad choice" food items. I'm even taking a cake decorating class and have been able to stay out of the cakes and cupcakes and frosting just because I don't want to have to write them down in my journal! I consider that to be a major accomplishment because I have a strong sweet tooth.

Portion control - I'm making several meals at a time, portioning them out and putting them in the fridge so I can just grab-n-go. And the foods are simple simple simple so don't have a lot of extra ingredients hanging around the kitchen.

Making good food choices - all the crappy food is gone from the burrow, and when I make a cake for the cake decorating class I give the class project or "home work" away. I have a short list of foods right now that I'm sticking to and am doing well with that. Also keeping my protein intake way up - around 40 grams/day.

Eating only when I'm truly hungry - am waiting for real stomach growls before eating, so my meal times are all over the clock, but hey, it's just me at the house so it's no big deal. And my Sweet Babboo is supporting me 110% which helps - it's no big deal to him if I don't eat supper when he wants to eat supper. We're only together on the weekends so the majority of time it's just moi - so I can do whatever I darn well please.

I'm also weighing every single day and writing it in my food journal. Even seeing a loss of 1 or 2 ounces is encouraging. However, I went back to the basics on Wednesday and have lost 4 lbs. since then - that's very encouraging.

Am also feeling better than I have in weeks and weeks, which really helps my mental state! And the weather is improving which also helps my outlook.

Happy Valentine's Day to all. Hope you have a fabulous day.

Update

2011-02-09T09:41:00.002-05:00

Have been AWOL because there hasn't been much to report. Went back to the rheumatologist today and learned nothing - all tests normal, nothing points to an auto-immune disorder. That's very good news, right? However, there is no explanation as to why my body reacted so badly with the lapband in place. I do want to remind all lapbanders that vomiting is not normal, and acid reflux is not normal - they are warning signs that you need to communicate with your medical provider.

Okay- that aside, I'm in a bit of a funk. I've tried to limit processed foods from my diet only to find that I cook too much food and eat too much food and have gained back 25 lbs. Good Grief. Am very disappointed in myself that I do not seem to be able to control this aspect of my life. I look at my friends that are slender and never battle a weight issue - they eat only when they're truly hungry, they stop when they're full. It should be a simple process, so why can't I do that? I think about food all the time. I crave "bad" foods. And I eat too much.

So, griping and complaining aside, I have got to figure out a way to get this under control. The doctor today referred me back to the bariatric surgeon but I told her "no" - I'm through with doctors for a while. I'm tired of being bounced around from one specialist to another and no one being able to tell me anything, probably because there is nothing to say, nothing wrong (again, that should be good news, right?). The mouth ulcers ... I've lived with them pretty much non-stop for almost 20 years, I'll continue to live with them. In fact, you'd think that the pain from the ulcers would keep me from eating, but no - it doesn't seem to work that way.

I miss the lapband and wish it had worked out for me. The next step, surgically, would be gastric bypass and I'm not ready to make that jump.

I have a lot of soul-searching to do to figure out why I cannot control this aspect of my life. Which just tells me that the lapband did much, much more for me than I realized at the time (hindsight, you know ...). I guess while I was a lapbander that I really did not learn to make better food choices, and I did not learn to stop eating when I was full or to eat only when I was truly hungry - the lapband did that for me but I took credit for it. And I can confirm that it is much easier to gain weight than to lose it - pooh!

Wow - sounds like a really depressing post. Sorry.

Chat with the Rheumatologist

2011-01-07T10:31:00.003-05:00

The doctor ordered a gazillion tests - x-rays, a bone density test, bloodwork, and she's going to try to get my medical records from doctors I've seen all the way to 16-17 years ago (good luck with that!). So I think she's going to be thorough and will seriously try to figure out just what in the heck is going on or was going on with the lapband.

I did ask her if there is a possibility that my body simply rejected the lapband. She pondered that question for a moment and then said she does NOT believe that was the case. In a strange way, that made me feel a little better. She thinks there is a underlying condition - or maybe it's the ulcerative colitis - that was simply exascerabated by having the lapband in place. She does believe the ulcerative colitis, mouth ulcers, and lapband failure are all connected somehow.

My follow-up visit isn't until 2/9; we'll see what she comes up with.

I do want to reiterate to lapbanders that a lot of regurgitation and acid reflux is not normal and if you experience these symptoms, you need to call your provider soon.

Homemade ... bread etc.

2011-01-05T10:30:00.004-05:00

In response to my previous post, Dee asked if I used whole wheat when I made bread - nope but only because my word for 2011 is "simplify" and I'm trying to use what I have on hand which is plain old white flour. When I'm out of white flour I will buy some white and wheat and use a combination of the two. I'm making the loaves rather small and am cutting the slices quite thin - that works for sandwiches. One loaf goes in the freezer until I'm ready for it.

Homemade salad dressing ... I simply mix together some dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, a little olive oil and whatever spices/herbs I happen to feel like at the time - while I would love to use fresh herbs, I don't have them in my garden right now so I use dried herbs that I have on hand. Another very simple homemade dressing for salad is a balsamic reduction - use an inexpensive balsamic for this - bring it to a boil then reduce to a simmer and let it reduce away - it will reduce by about half and will get kind of syrup-y.

Another salad dressing trick to try to save a few calories is to mix it with a little water. I have a tendency to use too much salad dressing on my salads. Personally, I do not like the fat-free dressings - they have a funky taste to me. I don't mind using regular salad dressings, though, like a Caesar, and diluting it with a little water. Sounds weird, I know, but you get the taste without using as much and since it's a little looser it actually goes further on the salad. That trick probably don't work with a lot of dressings but it works with some.

Limiting processed foods in my diet has been a little more difficult than I anticipated but I think that is because I had a semi well-stocked pantry and am trying to use that down. It's getting whittled down, though, and now when I re-stock it will be with a different mindset - dry beans as opposed to canned beans, for instance.

My 2011 motto to "simplify" also includes using what I have on hand before rushing out to the store to buy something. I can't believe some of the stuff I've found in my pantry and cabinets that I had forgotten about! And duplicates! Good Grief. I found two containers of crushed red pepper and two containers of ground cumin and two containers of seasoned salt. So I'm using up what I have and am finding substitutions for things I don't have or don't have enough of, and giving duplicates to my son. That also works in my crafting life, as well. Last night I made a carrying case for all my knitting needles and associated supplies and used only what I had on hand - it turned out good! I'm blogging about that little feat on my other blog: sallysburrow.blogspot.com.

Resolutions? No Thanks ...

2011-01-04T15:58:00.002-05:00

I didn't make any "resolutions" but like last year I've chosen a word to guide me in 2011. My 2010 word was "adventure" - it served me well and I'll probably keep it in the back of my mind for the rest of my life.

My 2011 word is "simplify".

It's not a resolution but a guide. I keep it in mind when making purchasing decisions, food decisions, travel decisions, vacation decisions, decorating decisions, crafting decisions ... you get the picture.

I'm heavily depending on "simplicity" when it comes to food. I'm trying to severely limit processed foods in my diet - that limits of lot of hidden fats, sodium, carbs. I'm eating a lot of salads, salads with something like grilled chicken or shrimp or steak, fruits, veggies. I'm making my salad dressing. I've made bread for sandwiches. I do sometimes eat cereal for breakfast but that's not the norm. And it's taking a while to make the switch to less processed foods because I had so much already in the house. Once I get to a diet that is virtually processed-food free, my refrigerator will be quite empty!

On the down side, I know will get tired of salads quickly. So I'm going to have to really put my thinking cap on to come up with some different menu items. Breakfast is usually eggs, sometimes with a slice or two or bacon. Lunch has been veggies, salads, or a sandwich. Dinner has been salads with some type of meat. I'm snacking more than I should - I'm hungry. And while I try to snack on healthy items, I'm eating more than I was before the lapband was removed. I'm having trouble controlling the urge to eat and the hunger. Food has once again become very important to me - when I had the lapband, however, food fell way way way down on my priority list.

This is something I'll work through and figure out. And the word "simplify" will guide me.

Getting Ready for 2011

2010-12-20T19:43:00.002-05:00

Simplify! Simplify! Simplify!

Simplify is my word for 2011. Food wise I will simplify by using more natural foods and less processed foods, simpler cooking techniques. House wise I plan to pack away knick-knack type things to make my burrow easier to clean and maintain. And I plan to continue decluttering to keep papers and junk at bay; continue to organize my burrow. I plan to simplify the footprint I make on this earth by using less energy, reducing the waste I generate, and re-using/re-purposing.

The surgery to remove the lapband has been much more difficult to recover from than the initial surgery to have the lapband put in place. The main area of discomfort has been where the port was removed. That incision is larger than the original incision and I continue to have a sharp, pulling type of pain; I feel like I'm walking slouched over because standing straight is uncomfortable. If I'm still experiencing this after Christmas I'll call the surgeon and ask the nurse how long is too long for this to be going on.

Eating less and maintaing my weight loss has been difficult and I don't feel I'm winning that battle. While we travel over the holidays I will do some soul searching and put a plan in place. Part of the whole issue is that I am disappointed the lapband had to be removed and am a bit down in the dumps about it. But, this is the card I've been dealt so I'll figure it out. I've also let myself get quite bogged down with the holidays.

I've been referred to a rheumatologist and go on 1/6. That will be interesting. I have had no more fevers, inability to eat/drink episodes, or acid reflux since the band was removed.

I'll be back after the holidays. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a safe, happy, and healthy holiday and New Year.

Had Me A Little Chat With The Doc Yesterday

2010-12-09T11:36:00.002-05:00

He believes I have some kind of an auto-immune disorder - I do have ulcerative colitis and I didn't realize that is considered an auto-immune disease. And the mouth ulcers. And the skin breakouts. Maybe they're all related. However he said my band was perfect but the esophagas was not - it was dialated and that was causing my issues - the lapband had to come out. So now I'm waiting for a referral to a rheumatologist (sp???). Wow, it would be great if they could figure out what causes these blasted and incredibly painful mouth ulcers ... So, no new news really. But I was relieved, in a strange way, to know that the bad was not the issue or the cause. Now I'm going to do that very dangerous thing of surfing the web to try to learn more about auto-immune disorders ... there is so much good information out there but there is a load of crap out there, too.

So? Can I tell a difference without the band?

2010-12-07T17:07:00.002-05:00

Oh! My! Gosh! Yes, I can. Unless I tune everything out and pay attention to nothing but eating my meal, I slip right into a mindless eating state paying no attention to whether I'm full or not. So far what's stopped me from overeating is making sure my portions are small. But my meals are scarfed down in seconds, in seems. I miss having the band tell me, "Look Lady! You're full so stop eating." Also it seems weird to be able to drink and eat at the same time.

I miss the lapband but the doc said no way could I have another one. He did say that at some point I may be a candidate for gastric bypass but since I'm at my goal weight, I'm not sure what that point would be. My follow-up appointment is tomorrow and one of my questions is about that. Another question is, "Just what the heck happened??????"

For those of us who have fought weight issues most of our life, I think there is a tendency to ignore real warning signs like acid reflux or vomiting or other discomforts by whispering to ourselves, "this will pass in a few days, then things will be okay." In retrospect, even though I went to the doctor a number of times I should have pushed more and harder about the warning signs I was experiencing. But I didn't want to open the door to hearing possible bad news about the lapband.

Another symptom I experienced that I attributed to menopause was night sweats. I mean severe night sweats. Miserable. Wake up soaking wet and have to change your clothes and sheets type of night sweats. Back in January I was told that was sometimes a symptom that accompanied some forms of cancer but then they ruled out cancer. Then I was told I was going through menopause, and at 52 I very well could be. However I have not had night sweats since the lapband was removed. Kinda strange ... I get warm, mind you, but that's probably because I'm sleeping in PJs with socks, under a sheet, under a quilt, under a blanket, with a cat curled up along my left side and my Sweet Charleston puppy curled up along my right side. But no night sweats. I can't help but wonder if that wasn't a warning sign as well.

Oh well, highsight ... I can't beat myself up over what's happened and just need to figure out how to go forward. I've given myself a few days to recover from the surgery. And as I said earlier, I have some questions for the surgeon. But it's time to move forward and figure how to handle this card I've been dealt.

Thank You So Much

2010-12-06T12:32:00.002-05:00

I thank you all so much for the support and well wishes. It means so much!

The reality of not having a lapband anymore is starting to sink in. Wednesday afternoon is my follow-up appointment with the surgeon and boy, do I have a list of questions for him or what?

I'm back at work today and am trying to be very careful what I eat and how much I eat. Yesterday I had some corn casserole that I had already portioned out and put in the freezer, and some clam chowder. This morning I had an instant breakfast drink and for lunch more of the corn casserole. Supper will be some pan seared shrimp. I'm hoping to keep my lapband eating habits in place as an effort to control my weight. This is scary territory, though. I also bought a Wii Dance game but have not a clue how to work the Wii system - my son will be home in a few days and said he'll show me how to work it. Maybe that will be good and fun exercise.

A little warning to lapbanders ... acid reflux is not normal. If you begin to experience acid reflux symptoms call your medical provider. Not being able to drink water is bad news - again, speak with your medical provider ASAP if you experience this.

Friday afternoon I had acid reflux so severely I wondered more than a couple of times if I might not be having a heart attack.

A Bandster No More

2010-12-04T15:29:00.002-05:00

Last night at 9:00, I underwent emergency surgery to have my lapband removed.

If you have followed my blog for a while, then you know that late September 2009 I started having periodic episodes of what I thought was the flu - high fever, achey muscles, accompanied by severe acid reflux. Sometimes I would also get sick to my stomach for a couple of days. Right before all of this started I took minocyclin for adult acne for a few days and I have to tell you that this medication tore up my stomach; whether this medication is a player in the whole picture, I do not know.

Anywho, these episodes occurred every couple of weeks and became increasingly more frequent by December. I had 4.5 ccs of fluid in my 11 cc band. In early December 2009 a barium swallow x-ray was done that showed the band was in good shape; the lapband doc removed around 1/2 cc and that helped the acid reflux quite a bit. However, the fever episodes continued.

In early January 2010 I went to my regular OB/GYN doc for my annual and told her about my recurring "flu". She said, "Uh Sally girl, it's probably NOT the flu. Let's do some bloodwork and see if we get any answers." Well my white blood cell was extremely high, the episodes were occuring a couple of days, I was getting more and more dehydrated.

Long story short, after a scary possible diagnosis of some kind of cancer, the final diagnosis was ulcerative colitis. All of the fluid was removed from my band, I was put on medications to control the U.C. and things got better.

Around April the lapband doc started gradually adding fluid back to my band and the episodes started again within a few weeks. The U.C. was still not under control so the general thought process was that my "flu" episodes were really flare-ups of U.C.

In early June all of the fluid was removed from the band again and I was sent to an internist. I explained what was happening and the internist told me to go straight to his office for blood work next time I had a "flu" episode. Of course I had no more episodes until mid-November and that episode occured on a weekend! Go figure ...

A small amount of fluid had been added to back to my band in October because I was gaining some weight back.

On Nov. 20, after a particularly severe "flu" episode that was also accompanied by vomiting and an inability to eat or drink anything, the lapband doctor removed all the fluid from my band, which was a little over 2 ccs. I felt some relief but still continued to have problems eating/drinking.

On Wednesday of this past week I had yet another severe episode. I gave it a day to pass, and by yesterday (Friday) it had not passed. I could tell I was becoming quite dehydrated so I went to the lapband doctor - there was no fluid to remove from the band but he agreed there was something going on and the lapband was not helping; the acid reflux was severe. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that on Nov. 21 I had another barium swallow x-ray that showed everything was fine with the band. That just meant there was some inflamation somewhere causing me to be unable to eat/drink.

The lapband doctor admitted me to the hospital yesterday (Friday) around noon for IV fluids and some tests. Around 6:00 they did a CT scan. By 7:00 I was being prepped for surgery and by 11 p.m. I was back in my room, sans lapband.

I go back to the lapband doc this coming Friday for a follow-up but it seems the CT scan showed something going on with the esophagas and the connective tissue. I was pretty out of it and didn't think of the right questions to ask but will do so during my follow-up visit. I did understand that this is something that needs to be addressed by an internist. The lapband doc also said that the CT scan showed the band was not in the same position it was in during the recent barium swallow x-ray.

So there you have it. I no longer have a lapband and while I'm kinda bummed about that, I have to admit that it's nice to be able to eat and drink and I am feeling remarkably better. Not being able to eat or drink anything is a pretty miserable feeling. And the headache and general overall icky feeling of dehydration is no fun either.

I'm trying to get my mind around having to maintain my weight now without the help of the lapband. There is no reason why I should not be able to do this but it is scary.

I plan to continue blogging but it will be about trying to maintain my weight without the band. I hope you will continue to follow my blog. I'll find out more about whether or not the band was the culprit but right now I think the doctor was telling me that I have another issue that needs to be addressed and the band was only making that issue worse.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T10:56:00.003-05:00

Wishing you a safe, happy, and healthy Thanksgiving!

And The Doctor Said

2010-11-17T11:31:00.002-05:00

The doc said to leave the fluid level in my band where it is at the moment (3.5 ccs in an 11 cc band) - I'll go back 12/8 and he may do an adjustment then.

I have days where I feel little or no restriction. Then I have days where I have difficulty eating anything, even soft foods. Unfortunately, I have more days of little to no restriction, than tight days.

Besides journaling, the main thing I did during my rapid weight loss phase that seemed to keep me on track was having foods already prepared in small portions. I've gotten away from that so this weekend I'm working on going back to that system. Will go back to eating 6-8 tiny meals a day - having them already pre-packaged and ready to grab-n-go.

I'm also taking prednisone for the mouth ulcers and that certainly isn't helping with my weight - prednisone really increases my hunger level and when I'm that hungry I make stupid food choices. Not a good excuse, I know, but that's the way it is.

The doc did tell me that since I've lost my weight I don't need to concentrate on my protein intake quite as much - that's very good news because that opens up a bigger variety of food choices for me, like more veggies and fruits. That will help alleviate some of the food boredom I've been experiencing.

According to my scales, I've gained 15 lbs. According to the doc's scales I've gained 20 lbs. I like my scales better ...

Maintenance is Hard Work

2010-11-15T11:02:00.002-05:00

Maintaining my weight loss is more difficult than I was hoping it would be. I think some of it has to do with the fact that I became ill and had to have the fluid removed from my band, so I gained a little weight back, and am now having to go through the adjustment phase again. I'm back to 3 ccs in my 11 cc band and go back to the doc Wednesday for another adjustment - will probably take me to 4 ccs. Am a bit nervous about it because the last time I was between 4 and 5 ccs I became ill - no one knows if the band was a contributing factor or not but I guess we'll find out. I've gained about 15 lbs. and want so badly to get those pounds off, but I stay stomach-growling-hungry. I try to only keep good foods around but do find that I when I'm intensely hungry I will easily stray. I'm finding it difficult to get back into the frame of mind I was in when I lost weight at a good clip. I do journal but can look at my journal and tell that I'm having trouble getting back into the right mindset. Maybe after Wednesday's adjustment things will improve. I've also been battling another issue: aphthous stomatitis - I don't know if you experience it but it is severe mouth ulcers. They are painful and last for days and when current ones heal new ones form. I think that has also really affected my ability to control my weight.

I've been ready others' blogs though not commenting much. Everyone seems to be doing good; settling into a weight loss routine. Plateaus are normal and though I totally understand how frustrating they are, patience is a must for getting through a plateau. From experience I know that if you have a plateau that lasts 3-4 weeks, you need to contact your medical provider - they will want to know about it and will also help you through it.

What are you doing to prepare for Thanksgiving? We are having "old movie day" - I've down loaded some older movies to my iPod like "Breakfast at Tiffanys", Alfred Hitchcock's "It Takes A Thief" and "The Birds", and "Casa Blanca". We have elected to skip the turkey and all the fixin's and instead have lasagna, salad, bread and pie. It will be a fun day ... I may even wear my jammies all day since we're going to lay around on the floor and watch movies!

Food Boredom .... zzzzzzzzzz

2010-10-26T16:09:00.002-04:00

Do you ever just get plain bored with food? I'm so incredibly bored with food right now; and when I'm bored with food, nothing sounds appetizing. I'm bored with the grocery store. I'm bored with recipes. I'm bored with cooking and cleaning up. I'm bored with trying to plan out meals. It's just a phase and I'll snap out of it - I always do because deep down inside I truly love to cook and I love my kitchen. I'll bet my Sweet Babboo hopes I snap out of this soon. ;-)

Pop! Pop! Pop!

2010-10-18T08:19:00.002-04:00

That's the noise my right knee makes about 70% of the time. I had started exercising - jogging and walking - but stopped when this popping sensation began. I thought it would go away, but it's still there. It's more of a sensation than a noise, although it is definitely audible, and there's no pain. Kind of like popping a knuckle. I go back to the surgeon on Wednesday and an adjustment will be in order because I've put on a few more pounds. The ulcerative colitis is under control so I'm hoping he'll let me be aggressive with a good adjustment so I can really tackle these pounds that are creeping on.

Wearing Charleston

2010-10-14T14:16:00.002-04:00

This posting has nothing to do with weight loss ... last night I hosted Bunco at my house and knew that my Sweet Charleston would be so terrified around a bunch of people he's never met, so I tossed him in a carrier and "wore" him all evening. He was one happy camper, my Bunco pals loved him, and I had both my hands free all evening.

Charleston is a good "accessory"! HAHAHAHA

Comfort Food In A Mug

2010-10-11T20:08:00.002-04:00

I love to use pretty dishes when I eat - pretty dishes, pretty flatware, and a pretty glass. Even a hotdog tastes better when it's served on fine china. I have tooooo many dishes, but I use them - I don't hide them away to rarely be used on special occasions.

But every now again, my favorite way to serve a comfort food is in a beautiful mug. Tonight I had turkey chili in a beautiful coffee mug that I bought as a souvenir. There is just something so cozy and delightful about curling up with a beautiful warm mug, filled with a delicious comfort food. Sometimes if I'm not in a mood to cook, I'll nuke a Lean Cuisine but will serve it in one of my floral tea mugs. The sensation of wrapping my hands around that warm mug and holding it close is just so relaxing. Complete the scenario with a linen napkin instead of a paper towel and you have an event, not just a meal. Just because we're watching what we eat and how much doesn't mean it has to be unappealing.

Most mornings I these days I have a one or two slices of bacon and a scrambled egg (lots of protein). The night before I will set out my dish, linen napkin, vintage silver fork - it's a good way to start the day.

A Reality Check

2010-10-11T13:17:00.002-04:00

You know how sometimes something will happen or something will be said that makes you see a "norm" in a new way? Well, Friday night Bruce and I were watching the first two Carolina Hurricanes hockey games of the season (I had recorded them, and they won, by the way. Woot! Woot!) and the sportscaster was talking about some of the players, saying things like, "he's a really big guy at 6'1" and 280 lbs."

Uh, on the day of my lapband surgery I was 5'6" and 266 lbs.

Ouch. I mean, I knew I was a big girl but dang ... that reality check kind of hit hard. Seriously. It stopped me cold for a couple of minutes.

I had never thought it of that way before.

Which makes me all the more thankful for bariatric surgery and the success I've had with it.

The Crawlspace Under My House

2010-10-08T10:23:00.002-04:00

I know ... doesn't sound exciting at all, does it? However, yesterday afternoon I crawled into the crawlspace under my house, armed with some insulation to do some repair work: a flashlight, a box cutter, and fully donned in my armor of facemask, hairnet, safety glasses, gloves. I repaired several areas where the insulation had come down. The crawl space is about 2.5' tall at the highest points, most areas being less than that. That is a job I could NOT have done 100 lbs. ago. Wow.

Too Much Water!

2010-10-03T21:05:00.002-04:00

This is what my backyard normally looks like. A creek runs along the back edge of my property and I can see it from my deck, although it's not readily accessible because the property slopes so much and it can be a bit swampy.

However, between Monday morning and Friday afternoon this past week 20 inches of rain fell in my hood, and this is what my backyard looked like Friday. I held my breath that the water would stop rising, and it did. Today it's actually receded a bit.

The neighbors on the backside of my hood have not been quite a lucky. Some have water coming in to their homes.

Water and and rain, we've had too much of a good thing.

Falafel - the verdict

2010-09-27T08:11:00.002-04:00

It was good! I used Guy Fieri's recipes from Food Network.com - Falafel in Pita with Yogurt Sauce. A bit labor intensive to make because it's made in steps but very tasty. I also discovered that my small KitchenAide food processor is not big enough for this recipe. And I also discovered that I had to add twice the recommended flour to make the dough stiff enough to hold together during the frying process.

So, I would make this again.

I'm taking the day off from exerise since I had such a rough time jogging yesterday. It's raining anyway and we need the rain, so no complaints. Hopefully the weather will cooperate long enough tomorrow either in the morning or in the evening so I can get in my little jog.

Just Could NOT Do It Today

2010-09-26T08:26:00.002-04:00

Today I simply could not jog the entire 1.5 mile route. And I knew it was going to be tough with my very first step. My leg muscles felt so tired and fatigued. I hoped it would get better as I jogged but it did not. I jogged probably 80-85% of the route but I also walked part of the route. There is a good chance it will be raining when I wake up tomorrow so tomorrow may end up being my "rest" day - I read somewhere that it's good to take a day a day off once a week or so to give your muscles a chance to recuperate.

I'm attempting to cook something new today - well, it's new to me. Falafel. I'll let you know how it goes.

Still Jogging ...

2010-09-25T08:38:00.002-04:00

The muscle soreness is better today - still there but not as intense as it was yesterday. So now I feel pretty sure that it will get better everyday and eventually go away completely! I had my doubts there for a while. I'm no speed demon - it takes me 22 minutes to jog 1.5 miles. No matter ... I'm out in the beautiful autumn weather and moving. Many years ago I heard that it takes 13 weeks to develop a habit and one week to break a habit. If that does hold true, then by 1/1/11 the jogging should be a habit for me.

My neighbor jogs most mornings - she likes to run marathons. She is beautiful when she runs - she really runs - long, steady, even strides - she makes it look very easy. I feel like I shuffle along. Still, no matter ...

The little song birds were singing so loudly this morning, deafening in a delightful kind of way ... when all of a sudden down by the lake a very large-sounding owl hooted ... crickets ... those little song birds shut right up. After a minute or two, though, they either figured out that Mr. Very Large Sounding Owl was finished hunting for the night or he was further away than he sounded and they started right back singing.

Dinner tonight is a garbage salad - we haven't had that in a while. I cut up all the different fixin's that we like on a salad and grill up some chicken pieces, then lay everything out and each person fixes their own salad just the way they like it. Other than chopping and cutting, there is very little work involved. The chicken grills up in minutes. All the leftovers are stored separately so tomorrow they can be pulled back out and another fresh salad can be assembled quickly. Garbage salad ingredients are lettuces, onion, tomato, pecans, olives, roasted red peppers, boiled eggs, bacon, the grilled chicken, shredded cheeses, cucumber, chick peas, and a variety of dressings - our favorite is a balsamic vinegar reduction. Sometimes I'll toss some fresh chopped fruits in the mix, or use walnuts instead of pecans, cut up a few radishes and/or mushrooms. Anything goes. I do usually omit the croutons - don't know why, though ...

YIKES! Too Sore To Jog ...

2010-09-24T08:57:00.002-04:00

But I did anyway. And after about 1/2 mile the intense discomfort started to subside and I could actually think of things other than how badly my leg muscle hurt! hahahaha I jogged the entire 1.5 mile route and by the time I got back to my burrow I was feeling better. I'm still quite sore but not as much as I was when I first rolled out of bed this morning.

Neighborhood observations ... My neighbors to the west are expecting their 2nd child and I suspect it's occurring right now because his trash can was still at the street this morning which is something he NEVER does. A sweet beagle that lives on the backside of the neighborhood used to run up to the street and sing his sweet beagle song to me whenever I walked by last spring but the last 3 days I haven't seen him; I fear the worse. He was a pretty old guy. Another neighbor I see walking in the mornings ... he lost a lot of weight quickly about 2-3 years ago and I suspect he had gastric bypass surgery although he told folks he had his gall bladder removed (and very well could have). I have noticed that he's gained back some weight so it's good to see him out walking in the mornings. Between he and me, we have probably, together, lost over 300 lbs. Wow. I always say hello to him but he's not a very friendly person. This morning I noticed how many of my neighbors leave their blinds open so I was able to see that most of them watch the same local morning news show that I do. It's not a very exciting neighborhood but these distractions kept me from dwelling on my own discomfort.

Walking Fast or Jogging Slow?

2010-09-23T06:48:00.003-04:00

Well, to be sure, it ain't no race! I did get up again this morning and jog the 1.5 mile route of my neighborhood (I am sore but not nearly as sore as I had feared I'd be). There were several folks up and about and it was delightful to jog by moonlight. The barely waning, big ol' orange moon was still high in the sky to the west while the eastern sky was gradually becoming lighter and brighter. At one point I was behind a neighbor gentleman who was out for his morning walk and the thought struck me .... either he was walking as fast as I was jogging, or probably more accurately expressed, I was jogging as slow as he was walking. HAHAHA No matter. It felt good. Happy Autumn everyone.

Well, I Did It!

2010-09-22T17:29:00.002-04:00

This morning I got my lazy arse up and jogged for 1.5 miles. It was not my intention to jog for 1.5 miles. I was planning to walk/jog, mostly walk, but I would set a little goal like "I'm going to jog to the red mailbox" and when I got the red mailbox I'd think, "Hmmm, I can jog a little further." And so it went and before I knew it I had jogged the entire neighborhood route which is 1.5 miles. Of course, I was out of breath when I got back to the house but recovered my normal breathing very quickly. And my legs were a bit wobbly feeling. Tomorrow I'm liable to be very sore, but I'm going to try to get up and do the same thing tomorrow. I've got my exercise clothes and shoes out and ready to go.

And I've decided that "simplify" will definitely be my 2011 word to live by. I'm starting now by trying to use stuff I already have on hand as much as possible when cooking, gardening, cleaning, crafting. No need to wait until 1/1/2011 to start living by that word. My kitchen pantry is already looking better!

I hope the B.O.O.B.s have a wonderful trip, a delightful meeting, and tear up Chicago! Go get 'em, Ladies!

Chicken Chili Recipe

2010-09-21T14:45:00.002-04:00

I've been asked to post my recipe for chicken chili, so here it is.

This makes a LOT!

3 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
4-5 boneless/skinless chicken thighs
3 cans pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, whatever you like, do NOT drain
3-4 cans rotel tomato or other crushed seasoned tomatoes (14.5 oz cans, I think)
chicken broth
2 packages of chili seasoning mix or make your own, I use French's, I think
1 onion chopped
1 chopped jalapeno pepper

optional ingredients - chopped garlic, can of corn (drained), green peppers, red peppers, mushrooms (but don't use mushrooms if you plan on freezing this because mushrooms don't seem to freeze very well). You can also use a pre-roasted chicken from the store and just debone it and remove the skin. Whatever floats your boat - this recipe is just a base - mix it up however fits best in your lifestyle and to your taste.

Boil chicken pieces in water for 30 minutes or so. Drain and cool then chop into 1" pieces (or thereabouts). Combine all the ingredients except the chicken broth in the crockpot and give it a good stir, then add chicken broth to just barely cover the ingredients. Cook on low for 10 hours (or high for 4-5 hours).

As it is at this point, it is very low in calories and fat, a bit high in sodium because of the undrained beans. It goes without saying that if you add a bunch of toppings like shredded cheese, avocados, sour cream, chips, etc., that's where you can get into trouble.

This works with beef, too, just use beef stock instead of chicken stock. Personally, think the chicken version has more flavor.

Then buy yourself a bouquet of fresh flowers.

Enjoy!

Autumn!

2010-09-15T10:37:00.002-04:00

It's almost here. In my hood the change in seasons from summer to autumn seems to happen - weather-wise - on time. The temps are already a little cooler (mid- to upper-80's during the day and around 60 at night). I can already tell the angle of the sun is changing because my backyard is not getting much sun any more. I can go 2 weeks between yard-mowing chores. The air is clearer - that humidity haze is gone. The green leaves are getting that "tired" look and some are even starting to turn. And it smells like autumn - every once in a while I catch a "whiff" of someone burning leaves and limbs - soon it will be the scent of wood burning fireplaces, one of my favorite scents.

And I start thinking of cooking for autumn - the squashes, the stews and chilis, the casseroles, lasagna. All of which are great for cook-ahead meals. This weekend I'll bring out my crockpot that has sat unused for the past 2-3 months, and make up a big batch of chicken chili. After a few days I'll be tired of eating it and will freeze the rest in individual portions. Then I'll make some soup, eat on it for a few days, then freeze it. Autumn and winter foods just seem to freeze better than summer foods - for instance, I think of chicken salad or shrimp salad as a "summer" food, and that cannot be frozen, so I have to make it in much smaller batches.

One part of my lapband journey that I've done a miserable job with, at best, is exercise. My excuse over the summer was the intense heat. My excuse over the winter and spring was the health problems I was experiencing. Well, those excuses are now gone and I have no more excuses. I was hoping my puppy would motivate me to get out and walk with him, but we're having quite a time learning to walk on a leash so it's really not an enjoyable walk at all - he may only weigh 5 lbs but when he's on the leash you'd think he weighs 50 lbs! I need to put on my big girl panties and give myself a good talking to - I've done so much to lose weight and make myself healthier, I need to exercise as well. Hmmm ... gotta work on this ...

Word To Live By For 2011

2010-09-08T15:44:00.003-04:00

I know it seems a little early to be thinking about 2011 but I have periodically been pondering what my word for 2011 will be. "Renew" was a strong contender, but I think "Simplify" is going to win out. I have a little more time to think about it, though.

Simplify represents to me a good way of life. To remove the complexities of life ... to simplify everyday tasks, simplify the foods I eat and how I prepare them ... to find contentment and happiness in the simple things in life like my puppy, my house, my yard and garden, and mostly my family and friends.

I've enjoyed having Adventure for my word to live by in 2010 but I'm looking forward to downsizing where I can and simplifying every chance I get.

I'll decide for sure by the end of the year, but for now "Simplify" is sure looking good.

And The Doctor Said ...

2010-09-01T17:49:00.002-04:00

Well, the doctor and I agreed that an adjustment would be a good thing. We disagreed on what my optimum weight should be.

He added 2.5 cc's to my 11 cc band - we'll see how I do with it. I go back in 6 weeks.

He likes my weight at 150. In fact, he'd like to see me level out at 155. Ouch. I like 142. We might have to agree to disagree.

So, all is well and the coming days will tell how things are going to go. My doctor does not require liquids after a fill, just use common sense to be careful. So I'm having soup tonight.

A Little Backsliding

2010-08-30T10:53:00.002-04:00

As of the first of June all the fluid was removed from my band because of health issues. I'm better now. Even without fluid in the band, however, I was still having some restriction which helped me maintain my weight between 140-144 until the past 3 weeks. Then the hunger set in. And the intense desire to snack. And the gradual upping of my food intake - well all of sudden 7 lbs over my max desired weight (143) are on - so I weigh 150 this morning. I have an appointment with the lapband surgeon Wednesday and am going to request that he add 1 or 1.5 ccs of fluid to my band. Hopefully he will agree.

But this strongly demonstrates that I will probably always need to rely on the lapband to help me keep my weight in check. I'm okay with that, I guess. It is a little scary because I worry about the "what if's" ... what if the band has to be removed ... what if medically it becomes something that is no longer supported ... But I can't live my life worrying about "what if's" - I'm just going to play with the cards I have in my hand now and right now one of those cards is the lapband. I plan to use it to its full potential.

My food choices overall are good, and my caloric intake is not through the roof - around 1600 calories/day as opposed to 1000/day when the lapband is operating at full-tilt. So I am a bit concerned at how rapidly I've gained weight without a dramatic increase in caloric intake. I plan to ask the doc about this.

I'll let you know what the doc says Wednesday.

Autumn (the mellow season) in 3 weeks ... my word for this year has been Adventure. I'm starting to contemplate my word for next year. Adventure will still be a word to live by but I'll supplement it by selecting a complementary word.

Sweet Charleston Is One Today!

2010-08-24T09:39:00.003-04:00

My little Cuddle Bug is one year old today. What a joy he's been. He makes me smile and laugh every single day.

Life Is Changing!

2010-08-18T13:43:00.002-04:00

My son moves into the dorm tomorrow and officially starts college on Tuesday. Wow! I'm excited for him ... and for me. He's excited about the upcoming college experience and having a bit more independence. I'll miss him, but I'm excited about having the house to myself.

Just think what this will mean!

- a shorter grocery list
- no junk food in the house
- I can put away the coffee maker since I don't drink coffee
- I can set the thermostat at a higher temp without someone getting bent out of shape about it
- I can clean my house and it will stay that way
- there won't be a gazillion lights left on all over my house
- less laundry to do
- smaller utility bills

Yeah, I'm going to miss him (honestly) but this is going to be a fun experience for us both.

Breakfast for Supper and a Wendy's update

2010-08-16T15:15:00.008-04:00

First, in response to my previous post entitled "Buyer Beware," Steph left the following comment:

The Wendy's salads aren't as bad as they seem. If you go on their website, you can click "personalize" to customize them, and the nutritionals include TWO packets of dressing, and I think 1 packet is enough with all the flavors. For example, I plan to have the apple cranberry salad for lunch one day this week. I will use half of the nuts (they come on the side) and only one dressing packet for a total of 465 calories - perfectly within my calorie range for lunch. I'm a lucky bandster who can easily eat lettuce and grilled chicken, and I looooove apples and cranberries and bleu cheese, so it is perfect for me.

Now, on to Breakfast for Supper ...

There is just something about breakfast for supper. I love it. It's a "go-to" meal for me because it's fast, easy, cheap, full of protein, and there's very little clean-up since I baked the bacon in a big batch over the weekend. And to keep my mother happy I even have something green on the plate - avocado.

Serve it up on a pretty dish. With a real napkin. And vintage silverware. And a mug of soy milk.

What's not to enjoy about that? Healthy and pleasurable dining - even for one.

Buyer Beware

2010-08-16T13:57:00.003-04:00

I've seen advertised on TV some new salads from Wendy's. There is a Wendy's close to work. I hardly ever eat at fast-food places but thought a salad from there might be good, especially since they're close. BUT, before venturing out I did a little on-line research. The four new salads are: Apple Pecan Chicken Salad, Baja Salad, Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad, and the BLT Cobb Salad.

Oh. My. Gosh! I am so glad I checked. All were over 500 calories; in fact, two were pushing 800 calories. The two pushing 800 calories were also pushing 50 grams of fat. Since the dressings were listed separately I'm assuming their calorie/fat totals are in addition to the salad totals.

I know the quantity of the food I eat isn't a whole lot but seriously, even half of one of these salads would be been 25 fat grams in one meal.

Goes to show that even with the lapband you have to be somewhat on your guard about what you eat. I was expecting the salads to be in the 300-400 calorie range and 15-20 grams of fat, then figured I'd eat around half of it.

Instead I went to Panera's and got the strawberry poppyseed chicken salad - it's about 300 calories and 8 grams of fat but is high in carbs. No dressing.

To Wendy's credit, I don't believe they're marketing these salads to the diet-conscious person but there is just something about the word "salad" that kind of lulls me into a false sense of believing the salad is healthy in a weight-loss kind of way. Not true.

Versatile Blogger Award

2010-08-13T13:24:00.007-04:00

How cool! Thanks Sparkler.

I'm supposed to do the following - so will do, to the best of my techno-challenged ability.

1. Thank the person giving the award. (check)

2. Share 7 things about yourself. (read below)

3. Nominate 15 newly discovered blogs. (read below)

4. Let your nominees know about the award. (will make sure to do this)

Okay - 7 things:

1. I can't believe I'm old enough to have a child starting college. I don't feel like I'm old enough. Wasn't it just last week that I was holding his hand and walking him to kindergarten and getting a big ol' bear hug right before he walked into class?

2. Though I love my job, I would really love to have much more time at my home (The Burrow) to craft and sew and putter and piddle and play with my critters. I enjoy sharing these endeavors through my other blog: http://www.sallysburrow.blogspot.com/

3. I am honored and thrilled with all of the delightful people I've met as a result of weight loss surgery. The doors it has opened to me have involved much more than weight loss alone. I have met some phenomenal people through my blog, at the physician's office, and through folks just seeing my weight loss and stopping to ask me about it.

4. In my little world I'm trying to really simplify things - cook more simply, eat more simply, create a simple and lovely burrow that I enjoy - and living by a simple philosophy of just trying to be the best person I can be.

5. I love my Prius - best purchase I ever made.

6. My heart is in North Carolina but I have to tell you, Charleston, SC may be the coolest southern city I've ever been to - I never tire of visiting that majestic city. Savannah, GA is next on my list of places I want to visit.

7. I can't dance worth a flip.

So, 15 Bloggers that I'm nominating for the Versatile Blogger Award:

1. Southern Belle at http://lifeasiknowitsc.blogspot.com because her blog is down-to-earth and I also love her 2nd blog: grits, greens, & everything in between – great recipes
2. Amylou at http://www.amylouwho.com because I enjoy her creative energy that comes through her blog
3. Rebeka at http://artsycraftybabe.typepad.com/artsycrafty_babe because I enjoy seeing the items she makes and sells through her etsy shop, and her photography
4. Susan at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com because her tablescapes are just spectacular!
5. Jan at http://wwwbobbypinsboardwalk.blogspot.com because of the fabulous ideas she shares on her blog
6. Cecily at http://craftopotamus.blogspot.com because of the fun things she creates and shares
7. Kim at http://deardaisycottage.typepad.com/daisy_cottage because her blog makes me slow down and enjoy life
8. Susie at http://free2bme-susieq4givn.blogspot.com because Susie’s battle with weight loss has been similar to mine yet she’s had some other battles along the way that she’s handled beautifully
9. Dee at http://kajungumbo.blogspot.com because she comes across and just enjoying life and being who she is
10. Lapband Gal at http://lapbandgalsjourney.blogspot.com because she’s such a pretty girl who is tackling, successfully, a major issue in her life – weight loss
11. Laura at http://www.mixonian.com because her postings are professional AND fun – you can do both!
12. Sandra at http://www.cumberlandislandquiltchick.com because I enjoy reading about her unique life on Cumberland Island GA, and seeing the gorgeous quilts she makes
13. Cara at http://carasquest.blogspot.com because she reminds me almost every day that even though we’re a hemisphere apart, our lives are so very much the same
14. Stephanie at http://www.bystephanielynn.com because her blog is just plain fun to me
15. Nicole at http://whimsy-lane.blogspot.com because her blog finally got me to get off my hindparts and make my laundry closet not only functional but pretty

There you have it. Hope I've done it correctly. I'll notify all these lovely bloggers.

Scars - two years post-surgery

2010-08-13T08:34:00.003-04:00

The surgery scars are barely visible, but the port is quite visible.

I have to admit that I'm a bit uncomfortable about posting this photo on my blog but then I figured it's no worse than wearing a bikini.

So, some stretch marks, a bit of sagging, very faint scars - overall my body bounced back from the surgery and the weight loss pretty well. My waist measures 26 inches.

Charleston Update - Such a cutie!

2010-08-10T20:27:00.002-04:00

Here is an updated photo of Charleston. He came to live with me in late March of this year. On Aug. 24th he'll be one year old. We love him to pieces ... except the cat. The cat is still resisting the urge to love Charleston. It might have something to do with the fact that Charleston torments the cat to no end.

Success Tips

2010-08-09T13:45:00.004-04:00

After yesterday's 2-year anniversary blog, I spent the evening sewing and pondering ... I have been successful at losing weight. And so far I'm successful at maintaining my weight loss. But what has allowed me to be successful?

First, I have to say what you already know ... what works for me may or may not work for you. You have to filter through all the information you receive and pick & choose what will work in your life.

For instance, journaling was a huge contributor to my success. I firmly believe that. But journaling may not be your thing. Or maybe you're not into "paper" journaling like I am but some electronic form of journaling may work.

Measuring my portions ... I still have a tendency to stretch the truth about what a 1/2 cup serving of something is. So, measuring was and still is important to me.

Thinking outside the box ... a meal doesn't have to be what we conventionally think of as a meal. Tonight, for instance, my supper is going to be one of 3 things - either a boiled egg, or some canned beans, or one piece of corn on the cobb. Pre-lapband a meal to me meant a meat, a starch, a veggie - anything else was incomplete and didn't cross my mind.

Thermoses ... kind of a silly thing, I guess, but I like being able to prepare my own foods at home, get them hot or cold, as the case may be, pack the food in my thermos and tote it with me. No need to find a microwave or fridge, no need to leave my desk, no excuse to not eat what I brought to eat.

Eating protein first ... even when I pack my thermos I make sure the protein is on top so it will be the first thing I eat. Same thing on my dinner plate.

Finding something else to do with the time that was previously spent shopping, preparing food, and eating ... I have filled that time to the brim and more with crafting, sewing and gardening projects and have loved every single moment of it.

Support from family & friends & medical staff ... soooooo important. Especially the support from family and friends. I cannot imagine how frustrating it must be to a lapbander who is trying so hard to be successful and make good food choices only to have a friend or family member say something like, "oh com'on, one piece of fudge isn't going to hurt you." Or saying, when you still have 50-60 lbs to lose, "you don't need to lose any more weight." That was especially annoying to me. I wasn't trying to get to Twiggy status, but at 190-200 lbs. I KNEW I still had 40-50 lbs AT LEAST to lose. Support from your immediate circle is something you have to demand. I feel lucky in that my immediate support circle never put me in the situation of having to demand their support.

Are there things I could have done better? You betcha! Especially exercise. I have been terribly lax at that. There are times I could have made better food choices, although I have to admit that during the rapid weight loss part of my journey I made good food choices probably 95% of the time. I also cut out alcohol and now only drink occasionally.

I'd love to hear what is working for you. And I know from emails and comments that you have questions. Please ask them. I'd love to answer them if I can.

P.S. - Don't keep any clothes you can no longer wear. Donate them. Sell them. Share them with other Lapbanders. But don't keep them. Don't give yourself any ammunition for going backwards.

Two-Year Lapband Anniversary

2010-08-08T16:37:00.001-04:00

It’s been quite a ride. From 266 lbs. to 140 lbs. I look at these two photos and cannot fathom who each person is. I never, not for a second, imagined myself to look like the person in this 266 lb photo – that’s not the image I saw in the mirror. However, the 140 lb person doesn’t look right either – every time I see that person in the mirror a little shock goes through me ... “who is that?”

In preparing for lapband surgery one of the required evaluations was a “psychological evaluation”. I figured out rather quickly while talking to the psychologist that she was trying to determine how prone I was to depression, but she did give me a heads-up that I would be meeting a new “self”. I blew her off at the time but now I totally get what she was trying to tell me. I’m still meeting that new “self” and realizing things I can do, physically, that I’ve not been able to do for many, many years.

The last time I was a normal weight person I was 41-42 years old. I’ll be 52 in a few months. So not only have I lost a lot of weight, I’ve also aged a decade.

My surgery was 8/8/08 – 266 lbs.
January 2009 – 245 lbs. (around 4.5 cc’s in my 11 cc band)
April 2009 ~200 lbs. (around 5 cc’s in my band)
June 2009 ~ 185 lbs.
August 2009 ~160 lbs.
November 2009 145 lbs. (4.5 cc’s in my band)
January 2010 140 lbs. (illness had a lot to do with the last 10 lbs.; all fluid removed from my band)

Let me tell you, it’s been a ride. I would buy a pair of slacks and only be able to wear them for 3 weeks. I got back in to clothes I never thought I would wear again. In fact, one pair of slacks that I was saving, hoping and hoping and hoping I would one day be able to wear again, once I got the nerve to try them on they were too big!

A day never goes by now that I don’t think about my weight. I weigh every day. I think about every morsel of food I eat – I don’t always make perfect food choices but I think about every single morsel. I no longer have a voracious appetite; in fact, I have little appetite.

Almost every single time I get out of my car I’m amazed at how easily I just slip right out; it used to be an effort.

Every time I work in my yard I’m amazed at how nimble I am; I think nothing of crawling around on the ground for long periods of time, something I could not do at 266 lbs.

My “weight loss body” is not perfect. My arms are a bit flabby. I have a small skin roll at the base of my belly. I have some wrinkles on my face and neck and hands that are new. But overall I think my body has bounced from 266 lbs to 140 lbs quite nicely.

I am thankful for this journey again!

Updated photo

2010-08-03T11:14:00.003-04:00

One day I'm going to get brave and take a photo of my stomach area so you can see how far the port sticks out and how barely visible my surgery scars are.

I took this photo this morning to show off a scarf/cap/gloves set I knitted, but decided it would be an okay "photo update". (Isn't the set darling, though? I can see it with a jean jacket ....)

Still maintaining. I'm very bored with food and the whole eating thing. I guess that's an indicator that food is still falling on my list of priorities. I'm barely cooking - part of that is lack of interest but part is also because it's been such a hot summer; just too hot to turn on the stove.

My freezer is almost empty. It contains 6 Lean Cuisine meals, and 2 packages of soup I prepared and froze. There is also a bag of frozen edamame. That's it. My fridge is full of condiments that probably need to be tossed, a partial quart container of soy milk, some leftover salad fixin's, half dozen eggs, a few slices of pre-baked bacon, and one final serving of Brunswick Stew. My pantry has a couple cans of beans and 4 envelopes of instant breakfast otherwise it's stocked with staples for cooking but nothing that you would eat outright.

I will go to the grocery store tonight and my shopping list is: soy milk light, Sargento cheese sticks snacks, and a few more Lean Cuisine meals or pizzas.

I never thought I would see the day that food wasn't important to me. The Lean Cuisine meals are high in sodium however it is not affecting my blood pressure. Maybe this autumn I'll get back in the cooking mode.

What Is The Best Thing You've Done For Yourself Lately

2010-07-30T13:36:00.004-04:00

The best thing I've done for myself lately is giving myself the gift of time. However, I didn't realize at the time that's what was happening.

Let me start at the beginning which is several of weeks ago.

I ordered a 40' retractable clothesline from Target.com. A clothesline. Big deal. But I was excited about it. I asked my sisters, "wonder what it is about a clothesline that has me so excited?"

My sister Shelley said, "it's probably the nostalgia associated with it." We all remember the clothesline in our grandmother's backyard and our own backyard. Of course, back then if my mother had told me to hang the laundry out it would have been such a hideous chore and I'm sure I complained quite loudly. Now, however, I love it.

My sister Jeanette said, "It makes you slow down."

Bingo!

That's exactly it.

I can dart all over the house dusting, vacuuming, tidying things up, cleaning the bathrooms, mopping the floors but when the washing machine stops I stop ... and put the clothes in the laundry basket ... and put on my apron with the clothespins in the big pockets ... and grab my bottle of lavender water (let me know if you want the "recipe" for this) ... and head outside. Slowly, one piece of clothing at a time, I take it out of the basket, smooth it out, hang it on the line and spritz it with the lavender water. Before going back inside I stop again and look at the clothesline with the clothes waving sweetly in the breeze ... and it makes me feel the breeze. Several hours later I go back and, one piece of clothing at time, take it off the clothesline, put the pins back in my apron pocket, carefully fold the piece and put it in the laundry basket. And as I do that I can smell the clean and slightly lavender-y scent on each piece of clothing.

So while I may do practically everything else at a break-neck speed, laundry I do slowly.

Come to think of it, that is probably why I enjoy hand washing my dishes ...

Tasty Summer Salad

2010-07-30T08:30:00.002-04:00

Fresh spinach, a few fresh basil leaves torn, sliced red onion, chopped avocado, chopped roasted chicken (already made, from the grocery store), some slivered almonds, a few craisins, maybe a few sliced black olives and some chopped mozarella. A little sprinkle of salt & pepper. Drizzle with just a tiny bit of whatever dressing you like (I'm going to make a balsamic reduction!!!). On a hot and humid day, this salad just hits the spot. I'll do all the prep work in advance (there isn't much) and let everyone prepare their own salad.

Sometimes there isn't anything better than a good ol' salad.

Not A Quickie

2010-07-26T14:07:00.002-04:00

The Realize band has had a magazine ad running for while that says, "Weight loss surgery was not a 'quick fix.' It was the start of my new life."

Hear! Hear!

That is so true. I may have lost weight a little faster than some other weight loss methods, but not that much faster. What's important to me about my band is that I now have a tool to keep the weight off.

Maybe in the end it's more about keeping the weight off. I have zero fluid in my band but still have some restriction.

My surgery scars are just about gone. I see them because I know where to look but they have faded so much - anyone else would not notice the scars.

My two-year band anniversary is 2 weeks away. When I take a moment to reflect about how much things have changed in my life during the past two years - things other than my weight - it's mind boggling. The change in my weight is just another ingredient in the mix of life.

Eenie Meenie Minnie Mo

2010-07-24T17:46:00.002-04:00

"Eenie Meenie Miny Mo: Make More Excellent Decisions," is a FREE teleclass on Tuesday, July 27 at 8 pm. offered by Laura Mixon, Ph.D. (www.mixonian.com)

This 45-minute is about:

Laura sharing what she's learned to go from Miss Sitting on the Fence to being a really decisive person.

The class will serve you if you're facing a tough decision or feel you need to be more decisive overall.

Laura describes the major topics of the class as follows:

1. How I came to be an expert in making decisions. (I've made a HUGE change in this area.)

2. Why it's so difficult (for some of us) to make decisions.

3. 5 keys to becoming decisive.

4. 3 things you can do NOW to be more decisive.

If you're interested in registering for this class, send an email with "eenie meenie" in the subject line to info@mixonian.com and they will send you the call-in information. A recording of the call will be sent to all who register. Feel free to email any relevant questions you'd like answered.

Laura is my friend and I've personally seen her amazing evolution over the past few years. Her class will most certainly be worthwhile to you.

Bakin' Bacon

2010-07-22T06:17:00.003-04:00

Well, I finally gave it a whirl ... I baked bacon instead of frying it.

It turned out great!

I hate to fry bacon because no matter how careful I try to be, it still makes a huge mess. I rarely use the bacon grease for anything, so it's not like I need to save it. I had begun to buy the pre-cooked bacon but I'll tell ya, that stuff is super expensive, especially if you have a teenager in the house who can finish off a package of pre-cooked bacon in one sitting, two if he's trying to be conserative.

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Put a cookie cooling rack on the cookie sheet and spray it with Pam. Fill the rack with strips of thick-cut bacon - I just put one piece of bacon right up next to the other and get easily 18 strips on the cookie sheet. Then place in a pre-heated 350-degree oven on the middle rack for 35 minutes. And no mess! Afterwards just toss the cookie rack in the dishwasher and throw away the foil. Wrap the cooked bacon in foil or some other airtight container and refrigerate.

This will be my preferred way of preparing bacon from this point forward.

Hamburger Meat - My Nemesis!

2010-07-19T16:30:00.003-04:00

Even with zero fluid in my band, hamburger meat (like meatballs or meatloaf) remains a no-no on my "can I eat this?" list.

Other beef products remain on my no-no list as well, such as steak. No matter how tender that steak is, it just doesn't want to go through my stomach.

I generally do okay with chicken unless it's dry, then it becomes a no-no.

If I'm going to have to be careful with any foods at all, it will be meat products.

Which raises concerns about eating enough protein in the day. I do eat beans, eggs, bacon, and am especially happy with the addition of soy milk to my diet for the protein it contains.

Hmmm .... I've not had a single fever episode since all the fluid was removed from my band. Isn't that odd ... or coincidental?

A Giveaway Opportunity

2010-07-14T15:55:00.004-04:00

A $30 gift certificate giveaway opportunity from CSN Stores is available on my other blog. If interested, please visit: http://sallysburrow.blogspot.com/2010/07/csn-stores-giveaway-dining-rooms-and.html

You'll also get to see what other mischief I've been up to if you look at the other postings. Just proves that life can go on after weight-loss. I've spent so much of my adult life being consumed by thoughts about weight loss. I think more rewarding than being at my goal is not having my life controlled (as much) by thoughts of weight loss. Those thoughts will always be a big part of my life, but not to the extent that they were. As I've said before, weight loss with the lapband has been very liberating, in so many ways.

Good Bye Beach, Hello Reality

2010-07-13T20:00:00.002-04:00

What an awesome week at the beach. The weather was perfect. It was fun to just hang with my sisters. I never get tired of going to my hometown beach.

But now it's back to reality ... back to work and catching up after being on vacation, and getting back into good eating habits which started with a good cleaning out of the fridge and a vow to "freezer eat" until the freezer is empty.

Silk - Soy Milk

2010-07-12T09:10:00.003-04:00

Have you tried this? You know, it just didn't sound good to me but I did finally get up the nerve to buy a half-gallon of the light vanilla soy milk and give it a whirl. Calorie/fat-wise it's very similar to skim or 2% milk. Protein-wise it's packed with 6 grams of protein per serving. I mixed it with a little Nestle's chocolate mix ;-) and loved it. I also mixed it with one cup of strongly brewed chia tea, some sweet-n-low, and a tiny splash of vanilla extract and that was good to me. Because of the number of calories, though, whenever I drink this it will replace a meal -but it's a great grab-n-go breakfast meal.