Sunday, May 30, 2010

HEAD TRANSPLANT CURES WEIGHT PROBLEM

"That's what a patient told me the other day.

"I feel like I have had a head transplant. My cravings are gone, my obsession with food and weight which I have had for over thirty years, is gone. I have such mental clarity now, I can't believe the fog I have been living in all these years. And I am losing weight without even trying, and I'm not even dieting."

Did she have a head transplant? Not exactly, but she was "cured" of her obsession with food, and when relieved from the burden of that preoccupation, her mind expanded instead of her waistline."

(from http://www.shrinkyourself.com/?bhcp=1)


I got this email yesterday and it totally cracked me up! I just had to share... I think I've had a head transplant too. It is amazing how different I feel about food after having the Lap Band placed. It really has been a transformation.


Saturday, May 29, 2010

After a good nights sleep...

I am feeling WAAAAYYYY better! WAHOO! YIPPEE! HOORAY!

I have a new found respect for "MRS. BAND".
I am not going to provoke her again anytime soon... (if I can help it) She has a nasty revenge mechanism and a bad attitude. She makes for a finicky friend... but I will make due. ; )

Friday, May 28, 2010

Bandster Rules

This might be a good time to post this list.

Apparently, I am in serious need of reviewing this list
myself! sigh.

Feeling better... I really won't know, how much better until tomorrow but I think things are loosening up. THANK GOODNESS!!


BANDSTER RULES
No liquid calories (except 2 servings of non-fat milk).

No soft foods.

Two 3-4 ounce servings of protein every day.

Always eat the protein first, then the produce.

Avoid bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, and other starchy foods.

Consume 20-25 grams of fiber every day.

Eat only three small meals a day.

Eat slowly and chew thoroughly.

Stop eating as soon as you feel full.

Do not drink while you are eating.

Do not eat between meals.

Eat only good quality foods.

Avoid fibrous food.

Drink enough fluids during the day.

Drink only low or no calorie liquids.

Avoid carbonated beverages.

Exercise at least 30 minutes a day.


Bandster Rules from Jessie Ahroni

ugghhh...

Still feeling tight and swollen.

Drinking only liquids today.

I can "feel" the water and liquids hitting my band. UGHHH!

Hoping that the swelling goes down and that I can resume eating normally tomorrow.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Sometimes, I am just plain stupid...

I had my fourth fill yesterday it went incredibly well... I now have 4cc in my band.

Did liquids all day yesterday and this morning, I had a bran muffin, it went down perfectly. For lunch I had chicken with a few chow mein noodles I couldn't eat much but it went down great also. For dinner we had spaghetti and meatballs... I had sauce with 1 meat ball and a small amount of noodles. It wouldn't go down.

I gave up and put the bowl in the fridge took my son to his rehearsal and then came back and tried again it just kept getting stuck and causing me major discomfort. So I tried some chicken from lunch... the first few bites went down without a hitch. But then the same feeling of discomfort happened. So I gave up on eating anything solid for the night.

An hour late I tried to drink some apple juice (I know, I know not very calorie friendly) and I got that stuck feeling again. Waited another 1 hour and half and then decided to go to bed but take my vitamins... stupid, stupid!

I have only just now recovered enough to be able to type anything at all... I was literally drooling and there was/is a lot of discomfort. I keep mini burping up the vitamin taste. (gross) I really thought at one point that I was going to puke. But so far I am hanging on.

What was I thinking? REALLY? Why would I go and take my pills... after drinking water caused me problems????

I don't think I am to tight because I went through most of the day eating just fine. Why would I have so much trouble over dinner? I don't know!

I need to see how I do over the weekend. I fly out of town on Tuesday so if I am going to need an unfill I would have to do it on Tuesday before I fly. (that would be nuts but probably possible.)

At this point I am thinking that, for some unknown reason, I agitated the band and the tissues swelled up. I am thinking that the best thing to do is to go on liquids/mushy foods tomorrow and see if I can eat normally on Saturday.

All I know, is that I just had a "hands on/real life" band learning experience. Hoping that the discomfort of the pills goes away soon... it is 12:20 am and I have two little boys who will be up at the crack of dawn. I know I won't be able to sleep until this whole thing settles down.... sigh.

Way to go, Heather! : (

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

What is a typical day for me...

Patty this is for you! ; ) Since you asked... I figure others would want to know too!

Food Journal

7 - 7:30 am - WATER (about 2 large glass fulls)

8:30 am - Breakfast

Options -
- 3 scoops of protein powder mixed with 1 cup of milk and water - 330 calories
- 2 soft boiled eggs with a 50 calorie piece of toast w/ butter - 3o0 calories
- 1 egg, 3 pieces of turkey bacon and piece of toast w/ butter - 300 calories

12:00 pm - Lunch

Options -
- Frozen Lean Cuisine - 300 calories
- Left overs from night before - no more than 300 calories
- Mac Snack Wrap with out cheese - 300 calories

3:00 pm - Snack

Options -
- no more than 150 calories often it will be a Wasa cracker with some lunch meat on it. Which is more like 100 calories.
- Air popped popcorn with a low calorie butter spray and salt.
- A 60 calorie pudding (but then I am still slightly hungry) : )

6:00 pm - Dinner

Options -
- Since I am cooking for the family during this hour I eat whatever is on the menu... Sometimes I can substitute in something different but for the most part I eat the same things... I only put on my plate about 1 cup of food... made up of mostly protein and veggies with a small side of carbs (noodles/potatoes/etc)


I try to make dinner my last meal of the day. If I eat anything after dinner it normally is junk or has too many calories. If I go to bed around 9:30 I don't get hungry but if it's a later night... I have to be very careful cause I get hungry and I HATE going to bed with my stomach growling.

As always... the "schedule" is VERY important to me... if I don't schedule my meals then I tend to graze and eat whenever and whatever I can. Not a good thing! This way... if I am hungry at 11am I just say to myself... "hang on, lunch is in 1 hour, that's not far away... go busy yourself for an hour." It works wonders!! This is also the time that I will try and get in extra water... it helps hold off the hunger.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Question for Experienced Bandsters....

I went for two and half weeks without losing a single pound then this week the lbs seem to be melting off. (I've lost about 7 lbs in 1 week.) I don't think I am doing anything different in regards to my diet...

I have heard that sometimes when you have lost a lot of weight all at once that your body has moments when it hangs on to the weight before it starts letting the weight go again. Is that really true??

I was just talking to a fellow bandster who is "stuck"... I am wondering if that isn't what is going on with her too?

Thanks ahead of time for your thoughts and comments! : )

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Thanks Kate!

I have a dear friend Kate, who was giving me blogging tips... just want to prepare you all for the onslaught of creative ideas running through my head. Hoping this week to start applying them. : ) Check back... it will start slow but this is going to be fun!

Ironic...

Gotta love having this post right after a post about failure.

I have lost 30 lbs!

How cool is that!!! It's been 61 days since surgery and it has been a crazy ride! Today's weight was a pleasant surprise. I must be learning something... ; )

(ps That's 4 bmi points gone! Oh, yeah!)

Friday, May 21, 2010

Failure...

I was in the shower today and started to have a panic attack. "What if I fail at this? What if I am one of those who just isn't able to do what I need to do, to lose the weight? What will I do if I still can't lose weight after this tool has been placed inside me? What if.... What if...."

It's was frightening....

The Band is only a tool, it still takes A LOT of work on my part. In some ways... things have become super easy for me and in other ways, harder. sigh.

EASY: I feel full faster, I can eat small amounts and feel full for longer

HARD: I have to plan what I am going to eat and when I am going to eat, other wise I graze and eat small unhealthy food all day. (which is what I did before but on a larger scale) Learning to eat when I am hungry... not because I am bored or because I am emotionally drained.

The band has taken away my physical need of eating and being hungry and all I am left with is the raw mental side of it all...


It's overwhelming at times.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

2nd Fill

WOW! That's what I am talking about... a fill appointment that answers questions and teaches you something.... : ) SOOOO , much better than my 1st fill appointment. (see earlier post)

I decided to stick with the same Weight Loss Clinic that I had my horrible 1st appointment with but I made an appointment with their satellite office (which is closer to my home anyways) and had a P.A. do the fill.


Appointment low down:

The front desk ladies were nice and I was quickly brought back for my appointment. There was a nurse who took my blood pressure, temp, pulse and weight.

The P.A. came in and sat with me and went over my chart... SHE ASKED how I was doing (what a concept) and we talked briefly about my wins and losses. We discussed how much fill would be appropriate and decided that she would try to add 2 cc to the current 2.5 cc in my band.

She than prepared to do my fill. She even did a pre shot that numbed the port area before placing the needle into my port. (that was neat) There is always a small amount of discomfort with a fill but I liked the numbing before hand.

For those who have never had a fill... it's kinda of a strange feeling... once the saline is pushed into the port I can feel a small minor burning sensation where my stomach is... nothing bad, just noticeable to me. It only lasts for a second.

Anyways, she had me sit up with the needle still in my port while I drank a cup of water.......

HOLY COW!!! It would NOT go down... kind of like a hose with a kink in it. The water was bubbling and I felt like I was drowning. It didn't hurt but it really put my body into a panic mode... I felt like the water was just sitting in my throat gurgling and trying to get out. HORRIBLE!!

She had me lay back down... which was exactly what I DID NOT want to do at that moment... and she drew back out 1cc. It was like a gate opened up and the water pressure was immediately released.

She mentioned that I can have a free fill or adjustment within two weeks of my fill... she said I should come back next week and we'll see if we can get another .5 cc or 1 cc in the band.

Cool huh. She mentioned that she really wanted me to see some success and get me to my "sweet spot" sooner than later. I liked that alot. Proactive, caring, knowledgeable. I think I found an office that I will like. She even gave me her after hour card in case I needed an unfill.

So, liquids for the rest of the day and then back to normal foods tomorrow. I'll keep you posted!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Do you have a bandster blog?

If you have a bandster blog let me know, I would love to check it out and list in on my blog roll!

Worst Drinks

Check this site out.... http://worldmysteries9.blogspot.com


Photo Borrowed from http://worldmysteries9.blogspot.com

Worst Water
Snapple Agave Melon Antioxidant Water (1 bottle, 20 fl oz)

150 calories
0 g fat
33 g sugars

Sugar Equivalent: 2 Good Humor Chocolate Éclair Bars


NOW THAT IS SCARY STUFF!

a good reminder that we need to check those labels...

Monday, May 17, 2010

Rice, is not my friend...


Remember my sushi episode??


Well... I have decided that rice is not a friend to me and my band.

(I haven't had a bad attack since the sushi but over the last couple of weeks I have noticed that whenever I eat rice.... it get's close to causing a SERIOUS problem.)

So, goodbye rice... it was nice knowing you. You were such a good friend once, but now you make me uncomfortable and make me want to throw up. I know, I know... tough words for such a dear friend... but it's the truth. Since you can't be a friend to me, I can no longer can have you in my life. sniff.

Gone, are our talks over sushi, fried rice, tofu rolls... I'll remember those days with fondness but I just can't tolerate your affect on me any longer. Consider this note our final farewell.... sniff. sniff.

I'll try to find some comfort with our other friend Chow Mein... but unfortunately I see that relationship being very limited. sigh.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Feed me...

Been trying to eat on a schedule the last two days. It is working really, really well.

Here is my schedule:
6-7:30am - Water, Water, and more Water
8am - Breakfast (300ish calories)
12pm - Lunch (300ish calories)
3:30pm - Snack (100ish calories)
6pm - Dinner (300ish calories)

Trying to stay within 30 mins of my selected time. I was hungry this morning at 10:30am told myself that lunch was only a little more than an hour away... drank a cup and half of water and was able to forget about being hungry. That is just nuts! Something I would have struggled with before the band.

I have such a past of grazing that this really has put eating in perspective for me. Food = Fuel!

Also, I have really been trying to eat no more than a cup of food per meal... and trying to keep my main meals approximately around 300 calories (give or take).

If I go to bed late I normally have to add a bedtime snack in... but that just feels like wasted calories... solution? Go to bed earlier. LOL!

Wonderful....


Explorer

Cuddlebug


Life is wonderful... spent the morning with my boys. Blowing dandelions around... enjoying God's beautiful world. How blessed I am.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Just another thought...

It's interesting to note that as you lose weight you think to yourself.... D A N G! I look good! Or, OH YEAH, my pants are getting so loose! I AM DOING SO DANG GOOD!

But very humbling to realize that even though you look better and feel better you still have a very long way to go.


(note: this thought, probably had something to do with me trying on new clothing in preparation for an upcoming vacation, seeing photos of myself and trying on last years summer clothes which really were not loose at all... sigh....)


Because I "think" I have done so well, I allow myself to not be as strict as I should be. Shame on me! This is a life long change, not just a diet fad.

It's a tricky thing... because I had SOME progress... I started to fall back into old food related habits...

At least I realized what I was doing and am putting a stop to it, TODAY! I have some good ideas, I am going to chew on those ideas a bit longer and then I'll post my thoughts.

Have a good night, my friends.

hmmmm

Did you know?

HUNGER IS NOT AN EMERGENCY

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Tip - www.dlife.com

I am on the hunt for yummy low calorie foods. I LOVE to cook so of course I am always trying to change things up around here and try new and exciting dishes. I just ran across this website:

http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/diabetic-recipes/

It's a diabetic site and I am not diabetic nor is this a diabetic blog but we probably should all be eating like we are diabetic... at least to some degree. : )

I love that you can pick what you are looking for right from the front page, low calorie, low carbs, by course and by main ingredients. I could go on and on... check it out. You might like it too...

Monday, May 10, 2010

Yakitori

Yakitori
YUMMY! Even the kids liked it... it was a winner...

Serves: 6 to 8 as an appetizer, 4 as a main course

For the yakitori:
2 bunches scallions, trimmed
1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
For the yakitori sauce:
1 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 scallion, trimmed, white part gently crushed, green part thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, gently crushed with the side of a cleaver
1 slice peeled fresh ginger (1/4-inch thick), gently crushed with the side of a
cleaver
1 strip lemon zest (1/2 by 2 inches)
Toasted sesame seeds for garnish

You’ll also need:
32 small bamboo skewers or 16 double-pronged skewers
Heavy duty aluminum foil folded into thirds, like a business letter, to make a grill shield.

Trim any sinews or excess fat off the chicken breasts and discard. Rinse under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Cut the scallions and chicken breasts into uniform 1-1/2 inch pieces and double skewer them (run two bamboo skewers through the meat and scallions). Refrigerate, covered, until ready to cook.

Prepare the sauce: Place the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, scallion white, garlic, ginger, and lemon zest into a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let the sauce simmer until thick and syrupy, 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent scorching. Strain the sauce into a nonreactive bowl and let cool to room temperature. Set some aside to serve as a dipping sauce, if desired.

Set up the grill or hibachi for direct grilling and preheat to high. When ready to grill, brush and oil the grill grate. Lay the aluminum foil grill shield parallel to the front edge of the grill. Place the yakitori on the grill, arranging in a line so the exposed bottoms of the skewers are protected by the foil shield.

Grill the yakitori, turning after 2 minutes, to cook the outside of the meat. Begin basting with the sauce, and continue basting and turning until the chicken is cooked, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Alternatively, put the sauce in a shallow dish. When partially cooked, dip the yakitori in the sauce and continue grilling. The sauce should cook to a shiny glaze and the meat should feel firm to the touch when done.

Transfer the yakitori to plates or a platter and sprinkle with the scallion slices and sesame seeds. Although it’s not strictly traditional, I like to serve a little reserved glaze in a tiny bowl as a dipping sauce.


note: I didn't use all 32 skewers... I probably packed more chicken on than suggested.. I think it took longer to cook my way.

Original recipes from: www.primalgrill.org

Monday Update - Mother's Day

My mom and me!


Whew... it's been a whirl wind weekend. Sorry for the lack of posts. Had a migriane, had my birthday, had mother's day... spent all day Saturday being a mom... running here and running there. It was crazy!

I am ready for a normal week...

Weight Loss Update: Made some good choices.. made some bad ones.... hoping for an all together better week. No huge weight loss this week... Did hit the gym this morning... YIPPE for me! Oh, had great BBQ chicken dinner on Mother's day... YUM... I'll post the recipe.

Hope you all had a great weekend too...

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Migraine

I was at the gym this morning when it started... partial blindness changing to water lines in my vision. Then came the roaring migraine pain....

Sigh. Pilot, (my hubby) stayed home and took care of the kiddos this morning while I locked myself in my bedroom and tried to get past the worst of it. It's 12:35pm right now and I am wiped out. I am calling my surgeons office to find out what I can take the next time this happens.

Wasn't sure if my prescription for migraines was safe to take with the band... (not supposed to take NSAIDS after my surgery and for the rest of my life) so I took the last of my leftover post-op pain med and that knocked me out. At least I was able to sleep most of it off... still have a headache but nothing to extremely bad right now.

I think this is hormone related... in Feb 09 I miscarried and had about 5 migraines in a week... I had another migraine 2 weeks after my Lap-Band Surgery and right after Aunt Flo visited and now today this migraine comes right after Aunt Flo's visit. Pretty sure that it is hormones causing it...

Anyways... I'll see what the Dr. says.

Going back to bed now... more later.

UPDATE! My S.D. Surgeon said I could take my Migraine prescription... THANK GOODNESS!! It's 9:30pm and I am finally human again!!! I HATE MIGRAINES!!!

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Turkey bacon

I was craving bacon and saw this package at the store.... Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon. I bought it and gave it a try today... I was extremely leery at first because it looks so completely unnatural but once I fried it up it was surprisingly pretty good!!

O.K., O.K. so nothing can replace "real" bacon but it was a good substitute that did quench my craving.

1 slice has 35 calories and 2g of protein.

So, if you are having a "I want bacon" attack... try these for a lower calorie substitute.


* Paid for by the people at Oscar Mayer. NOT! - I am open to negotiations... ; )

Lap-Band Video - WARNING!

I ran across this video tonight... it is video of the actual placing of the Lap-Band. Maybe it's my past nursing back ground but I found it really cool to watch.

To be completely honest I don't think I would have wanted to watch it prior to my banding... but watching it post-op, just made me want to take better care of my band. It's amazing what surgeons can do... everything is so delicate and small yet they can go in and use these small tools to change your body. Crazy Stuff!

Now, you know your limits... don't press play if it's not your thing. I'm not forcing you to watch anything. : )

note: there really isn't much blood just mostly fats and organs


Monday, May 3, 2010

Monday

GO ME!!

It's one thing to have worked out 5 days in a row last week...

But I got up this morning and started at it again!! I admit, I was tempted to keep sleeping but I was able to reach past that point and pull myself out of bed.

GO ME, GO ME, GO ME!!!!

Just had to share. ; )

Yogurt Pie - YUM!

Nothing better than the mangled up mess of what was left of the pie..
but I forgot to take a picture before it was served. lol. Maybe next time?


Sunday's are family day for us. My parents, my sister and her kids all come over... we play games, talk, and have dinner. Everyone is use to having a Sunday desert too, so I am trying out different low calorie desserts to make everyone happy. Last nights dessert was Frozen Yogurt Pie. It was great!


Frozen Yogurt Pie

20 graham cracker squares, ground into small crumbs (1 cup)
3 Tbsp unsalted butter ( I used 1 Tbsp of real butter & 2 Tbsp of a light butter)
2 Cups of Lite Cool Whip topping
2 cartons of raspberry yogurt
1 cup of frozen raspberries (sprinkled with truvia/stevia)
(optional 1 tbsp of no calorie raspberry sweetener, just to give extra flavor)

  1. Pre heat oven to 350
  2. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter in 8" pie pan. Pat firmly into pan. Bake 8-10 mins. Let cool.
  3. Place whipped topping in bowl and mix in yogurt. Spoon into pie pan. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours.
  4. Remove pie from freezer 30 mins before serving. Top with raspberries before cutting.

Servings: 8 servings
APPROX: 1 serving - 210 calories, 3 g protein

Sunday, May 2, 2010

My Favorite Things: Morning Star Burgers

Morningstar Farms® Grillers® Original

I actually like these a lot... I just toss a burger in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes add my favorite toppings and wrap it all up in a big ole piece of romaine lettuce and enjoy. One of my favorite lunch choices at the moment.

I think it's pretty darn good... and I'm not even a vegetarian. lol.
It has: • 130 calories • 15g protein


Wanna try it?

1 Morning Star Griller Original Burger
large romaine lettuce leaf
sliced tomato
ketchup
salt and pepper to taste
optional: a tsp of mayo or slice of swiss cheese

Warm the burger up and then wrap all the burger and the toppings up in the lettuce leaf.



If you are want to see more burger ideas & recipes look here:
http://www.morningstarfarms.com/recipe_search.aspx?productid=331

Sunday Stats

313/287/180

Pre-Op Weight/Current Weight/Goal Weight

DOWN 26 lbs!!!!!!!!

(5 weeks 5 days post-op)

Note: I did lose 8 lbs the 2 weeks before surgery but I consider that part of the big total loss. Wouldn't have been dedicated to lose those 8 lbs if it wasn't for my upcoming surgery.