Good Morning my April friends!

Today I plan on finishing my laundry and vacuuming my house. Then I am going outside to work in my vineyard or mow my yard. It is a beautiful day although hot. I am thoroughly enjoying life. Tomorrow my family will be going to the river to play. I feel better, I can move better, and I have a lot more stamina. How about you? 1. What are you going to do this holiday weekend? 2. How is your energy level? 3. Have you started noticing a difference in your lifestyle? Let's have a wonderful weekend. Kari 311/265/150

1. What are you going to do this holiday weekend? Yesterday I went to a Toastmaster meeting, then made fruit salad for a bbq today, made dinner for a friend in the complex. Then went for a swim. This morning swam for 30 minutes, finishing the salad and going to the bbq. Maybe another swim before I go. Tomorrow????? Laundry, Find the summer clothes that I packed away before surgery to get them out of the way. And yes I have plenty of those in smaller sizes. 2. How is your energy level? It's a lot better than it was. 3. Have you started noticing a difference in your lifestyle? A little but I haven't gone back to work yet. Jeanne

I wish I could go swimming. I don't even own a suit!! The closest I get is wading in the river in cutoffs. Swimming is such good exercise! How was the BBQ? What did you find that you could eat? It is still a lot of trial and error for me. Sounds like you are doing great!! Kari 311/264/150

Kari, I actually haven't had any problems with food yet. That is unfortunate for I found myself nibbling/grazing on the corn chips all night. As for the food at the bbq, since many of them are diabetics it was pretty healthy. I had a few roasted vegetables: Garlic, zuchinni, and asparagus. 1 marinated chicken thigh and 1 rib, about a tablespoon of potato salad and a tablespoon of fruit salad. What also didn't have was the chocolate cupcake, pasta salads, etc. Later I had some strawberries with splenda and cool whip. I was pretty good earlier in the day I had about a 1/4 c. of oatmeal, my 1/2 c. of carnation instant breakfast (with milk and a scoop of chocolate protein powder), a strawberry, and a piece of string cheese. When I went to the pool I put an ISOPURE drink in a thermal cup with ice so I had the liquid and the protein. I actually had 3 swimsuits (not packed away) a 20, 16 and 14. The 20 is a little loose the 16 is OK and I haven't tried the 14. And the swimming was great. I found that when I walk more than a mile or so my knee hurts to much so the swimming is what I need to do. In fact I hear the pool calling now. BTW, I had the Ok to swim from my surgeon a couple of weeks ago, and my incision and drain hole are well healed. Jeanne

My hardest thing with food is that I can't eat very much at all. I am supposed to be able to eat 1/4 cup and most often I eat between an 1/8-1/4 cup. I get this pressure feeling in my chest and I don't put another bite in my mouth or I will end up throwing up. I wish I knew if that was normal or not. I don't feel like I am getting enough vegetables and I get next to no fruit, because I put protein first and that is usually all I manage. I am really proud of you with your swimsuits. I haven't really changed sizes yet. I am about to though. I started out in very tight 24-26s and now I am in very loose 24s. I don't have any 22s to try, but maybe I will try that out at the store sometime this week. So exciting! What IsoPure drink have you found that you like? I kind of like the frosty grape, and the icy orange, but even they have kind of an aftertaste that gets to me. Any hints? Kari

Kari, I think the pressure is normal. I do get it but it's unpredictable. Some meals I can eat what seems to me to be a lot other times only a couple of bites. It seems to happen more with the meats. I haven't thrown up yet and sometimes I get one hiccough (sp?) and I know to stop. I like the frosty grape and the icy orange. The only one that I can't get down or at least haven't tried since before the surgery is the Mango Peach. One of the best things to do is to make a smoothie with it. I've taken fresh fruit - melon, berries, pineapple and frozen about a tablespoon in the little snack bags. When I make the smoothie I take about 8oz., one of those bags of frozen fruit, 1-2 tbls of COOL WHIP free or lite, 3 ice cubes and blend them with my magic bullet. I suppose you could do it with a regular blender. Pour it in a fancy glass. Jeanne

1. What are you going to do this holiday weekend? Not a durn thang. LOL... we are relaxing at home, bbq tomorrow, and rest rest rest 2. How is your energy level? alot better than it was, I can go for walks now and not get all tuckered out! 3. Have you started noticing a difference in your lifestyle? Not too much... Yet.... but I know I will soon!!

Good for you! That is exactly what you need to be doing at a little over a month out! Resting!!! I remember just a couple of weeks ago, I was right where you are and I am glad that I took time to rest as much as possible, because I have a good deal of energy right now. Follow your body's instincts and you will be doing better soon. How was the BBQ? Did you find anything that you could eat? I hope so. I have done pretty well with hamburger patties, as long as they weren't dry. I have also had pork steak cooked on the grill and that went pretty well too. The more moist the better! Keep up the good work and rest, rest, rest! Kari 311/264/150

Hello Kari!! I wish I had the gumption to clean my house like you do. I'm just feeling all blah. 1. This weekend, hubby and I went to Santa Barbara and Oxnard. I got a lot of pretty pictures! 2. Energy is good, but I miss my midday naps while I was out of work! 3. My lifestyle is pretty much the same, minus drinking out with my buddies. Eating dinner out still stresses me, and unfortunately, that's what my husband loves to do! Have a great holiday everyone!

Hi Jenn, I felt kind of blah until I started taking some extra Vitamin B. I take a mega vitamin b 2x a day and that has really helped with my memory, my energy, and my stamina. That might help if you are not doing that already. I am sorry that your husband still wants to go out to eat so much. I know that it hard. Have you found things that work well for you when you go out? I can eat shrimp and some chicken fajita meat when we go out to eat Mexican food (and refried beans). And egg drop soup when we go Chinese. I haven't really tried much else. Hang in there, I am a week ahead of you and believe me, a week makes a world of difference! Kari 311/264/150