How Are You Doing??? February Roll Call

                                     



Well y'all we made it through 2009, and we're well into the new year.  Goals have been met, milestones have been crossed, and barriers have been broken!  I am so proud of all we have accomplished. 



The board has been kinda quiet lately.  I'm sure it's because we've all been so busy in the gym working off the extra calories and tightening loose skin right?  




So, update us on what's

going on with you. 


- Where are you on your wls journey?

- What goals have you met recently?

- Any wow moments to share?

- What challenges are you facing?

- How much weight have you lost? 

- Do you need anything that we can help  you with (clothes, diet or recipe ideas, surgeon suggestions, insurance battles, etc.)?

 











            



          
                                           

I guess I'll get this started....

1. I had my 6 month surgiversarry  last week.  Yay me!  I am down 110 pounds. I have gone form a 26-28 3x to a 14-16 .  I can wear regular off the rack stuff.  My feet have also shrunk from a 10ww to a regular 10.   I don't have to get Cloudwalkers and Aerosoles anymore.


2. I got my support group established, which was one of my post op goals.   I also joined the gym, something I never imagined I would be doing when I was 330 pounds.  I do 30 min cardio and 30 min strength training.  I can't believe the energy I have.

3. No particular wow moments to speak of that I can think of.   In fact it seems every day in general is a wow moment!  I just can't believe how much of a burden all that weight was. Granted I have about 50 more pounds I want to lose, but I am very happy where I am now.  I am also very blessed to have minimal loose skin.  Thank God for melanin!

4. Challenges???? Hmmm? Trying to replace a new wardrobe every month.  Trying to keep my son on track to graduate in May. He has a serious case of senior-itus.

5.  Don't need anything except some meet n greet ideas.  PM me your suggestions. Ms E. I checked Viking cooking school and it's $89 per class.   I think that's over budget :-(   But, I did look into it.  If you can find one more affordable, send me the info.



                    I  MY  DS!!!

1. Had lap band surg. Nov. 3

2. I have not met a goal yet but I am VERY close. My 1st goal was to get under 200 and I should do that by the end of the month.

3. My 1st WOW Moment: The last time I went to visit my daughter said "Mommy! Your getting so skinny now!"

4. It is very difficult for me to get enough fluids and still hate to exercise.

5. 25 lbs.

I am 6 weeks out.

I have lost 40 lbs.   My students are constantly telling me that I am skinny now.  Although I have the same wardobe, I  was told that looked "sophicated" in one of my outfits today.  I am currently at 202 and looking forward to get to onederland.

Still working on my short term goals.  Clothes exchange would be nice.  However, I have to add I am short (5'2).  I am teetering around a 16.  Other challenge is daily just trying to find protein riched  foods that I like.

- Where are you on your wls journey?
I am 30 days out today, Jan. 4th 2010

- What goals have you met recently?
None, I guess I need to set some small ones

- Any wow moments to share?
None, looking forward to some though

- What challenges are you facing?
Getting in my vitamins and protein

- How much weight have you lost? 
35 lbs since liquid diet and 44 since May
- Do you need anything that we can help  you with (clothes, diet or recipe ideas, surgeon suggestions, insurance battles, etc.)?
Recipe ideas

Early out I survived on the basics,  tuna, scrambled eggs, fish. I didn't have the desire to experiment much with recipes cause food just was not appealing. I had to force myself to eat. Plus when I did want something, I still had the restriction from the new sleeve, and it seemed pointless to cook a whole meal for just a few bites.   It was about 3 months before I could get down a more normal portion of something and really crave food again, and when I crossed that hurdle, I became foodzilla wanting to consume everything in my path!

Here is a recipe idea for you:

Protein Rich Hot Chocholate

1 cup milk  7g
1 scoop chocholate protein powder 20-25g
1 pack diet swiss miss cocoa mix (NOT the no sugar added because it has more carbs) 3 g

30-35g protein total depending on your protein powder


Something about the Swiss Mis kills the protein flavor.   

                                                     

Warm the milk in microwave, but not to boiling, (too hot protein powder is a gross lumpy mess)and mix in the powder and cocoa mix.   You can add marshmallows and whipped cream too to make it special if you don't have a surgery that causes dumping.


I still use this one when I come up short for the day and need to get in a quick boost of protein to get my count in for the day before bed.  Otherwise, I stay away from shakes and eat strictly real food.  I only do the shakes for protein emergencies.  You will have to work your way up to weaning off the shakes as your sleeve stretches to hold more real food, so be patient. Your sleeve should stretch enough in 2-3  more months to where you can just do real food.  
        
                                                         I HATE PROTEIN SHAKES!!!







Breakfast Bowl

1 pack instant grits   2g
1 piece fully cooked frozen Sausage patty  (from Wal-Mart) 7g  or 4 slices cooked bacon crumbled
2 slices cheddar cheese 10g
1 soft scrambled egg 7g

total 26g protein

Make grits according to package,   micro the sausage 1 minute and slice into bite sized pieces, scramble the egg.  Mix cheese, egg, and sausage piecess in to the grits.    Put into a styrofoam or insulated cup and it's easy to take to work or wherever.   




If you take a while to eat because you are early out. Consider getting a mug warmer or candle warmer about $5 at wal-mart. .  You can keep soups, coffee, tea,  or whatever warm by placing the food in a heat safe mug or bowl and keeping it on the warmer while you munch on it.  


                                                             


You will find with your DS you will have very few restrictions on what you can and cannot eat. If you can just get through the next couple of months it will be a breeze.  I guess you can tell that from the way Rita and I were pigging out Saturday night.  That dessert trio was delish and I almost felt guilty for enjoying it so much in front of my dining mates. But,  that only lasted a quick second. 

 Hopefully you will be one of the lucky DS'ers with a good carb tolerance too.  I still have to pinch myself cause it seems too good to be true.

OK getting in vitamins...


This one is not easy, especially when you're still on chewables cause they're just plain gross!  You will be able to swallow pills in a few weeks because you have a fully functioning stomach, so you won't have to worry about crushing, etc. 

The best way to get them down now is to either make a chart or buy one of those pill organizers. That way you have a visual reminder of what you are actually getting in.  

The chart works for monitoring  the protein intake too. Protein will be less of a chore as you get further out.  Since a serving of any meat has 20-25g,  if you just eat 3 meals and a high protein snack every day, you will pretty much get it all in.   It becomes more automatic once your sleeve stretches, and you don't even think about it anymore unless you skip a meal or are sick or something and just know you haven't eaten enough.  I PROMISE!

The 1st few months post-op it seemed like the DS controlled my life from my 1st BM in the morning to the last vitanmin at night.  I was obsessed with counting protein, fluid, making sure I didn't get a blood clot, etc. 

Now, I am still concious of it all, but it is an afterthought, not a burden.   I PROMISE it get's better!

 

If you do not already have a surgery buddy, I pray God sends you one.  It's cool to have someone at the same stage post op.   
                           CALL EACH OTHER DAILY     and do a buddy check! 

My DS surgery buddies Izzy and Curvy Barbie  kept me on track.  If it were not for those girls I would be a sad sickly mess today.    If your surgery buddy get's on your nerves deal with it! Sometimes you need somebody to hurt your feelings to keep you healthy and alive!  

I have an OH friend who shied away from phone calls and advice and isolated herself, and the last time we spoke, she was not doing well.

Being a post-op can be lonely and depressing.  Your life is so different now. You don't fit in anywhere.  All the fat stuff you used to do, you can't do anymore, and you don't fit in with the skinny stuff yet either.   DO NOT isolate yourself.  Your family loves you, but unless they have had surgery, they just can not possibly understand everything you are going through. You need someone that can relate on your level.

I have seen 1st hand the difference a good real life (not online) support buddy will make.  You need someone to do lunch, shop, and call you in real life.   And someone to nag you into complying with your follow up care.
 

- Where are you on your wls journey?

I had RNY surgery on 12/4/09, so nearly 2 months out now.

- What goals have you met recently?

Getting out of the 290's

- Any wow moments to share?

Nothing specific, but every day lately I feel like saying "wow" several times a day! 

- What challenges are you facing?

Still struggling with water consumption and exercise, and constipation! 

- How much weight have you lost? 

I've lost 52 lbs total. 19 on preop diet, 33 since surgery.

- Do you need anything that we can help  you with (clothes, diet or recipe ideas, surgeon suggestions, insurance battles, etc.)?

I'd love ideas on how to make the bowels move. Something that's worked for you.

- What challenges are you facing?

Still struggling with water consumption and exercise, and constipation! 



Consume more A to eliminate B  :-)   



Try setting out 64 oz of water every morning in a pitcher, refillable bottles, or whatever.  Know, that whatever happens you have to have those empty before you go to bed no matter what. 
 
Having a visual reminder of how much/little you are consuming in front of you helps to keep you accountable.



The exercise will become more fun when the pounds come off. It is just plain hard to move around when you are fat!  I remember struggling to go a mile around the track. Now I can easily go 30-45 minutes.    It will get better.  

- How much weight have you lost? 

I've lost 52 lbs total. 19 on preop diet, 33 since surgery. 



          52 pounds in a couple of  months!

        Dang girl. That's 1/2 of an Olsen twin.