What's on your Monday Menu, RNYers?

Good morning and Happy Monday, everyone! Are you ready for a new week? I think I am! I had a nice relaxing weekend after a pretty chill school vacation week, so I am ready for whatever chaos comes my way today...even though I am on stupid decaf because of the stupid ulcer. Honestly, decaf just blows... but it seems worth it to avoid some of that radiating pain from acid. It's still there, but decaf definitely helps.

Ok, here is my big realization... I've gained 4 pounds over the last 5 months and there is no longer a question about whether it is water-weight, or weight from exercise. It hasn't gone away, so it's time to buckle down. I am no longer going to consider myself "in maintenance" until I can get those 5 pounds back off and I am comfortably at the bottom of my comfort range. So no more BLTs (bites, licks & tastes) and got to detox from the carbs and sugar. I did well this weekend and it already felt like a win, even though it hasn't shown up on the scale yet.

QOTD: Did anyone suggest WLS surgery to you, or did you figure it out on your own? I had an acquaintance come up to me and tell me about her surgery and how wonderful it was, but it was many years before I had considered it for myself. I was horrified and really upset that she said that to me. It was another 3 or 4 years before I mentioned it to my doctor and decided to look into it.

21 months post-op / 119lbs today / no longer in maintenance--looking to lose 5lbs!

B: Decaf coffee with 2% Lactaid Milk & HB Egg & Smoked Salmon Pinwheels

S: 3 oz chicken

L: Spinach, walnuts, feta and chicken

S: sliced Turkey breast

D: leftover ribeye steak

Totals: Calories: 923 / Protein: 119 / Carb: 12

Exercise: 1/2 mile run outside this morning and 45 minutes elliptical tonight

Vitamins: Patches (D3, Multi & Iron)

Good morning JB & Fam!

I'm right there with you on the carb detox. I'm trying to do that myself.

QOTD: My parents suggested it in 2006 when i was having dinner with them, and then I was only about 190 lbs. At that point I wasn't ready, nor did I feel I need it too much. I was mortified, and left in the middle of the meal. I didnt talk to them for about a month. It had to take another 70 lbs and the emergency premature birth of my son 8 years later to let me consider it in 2016. Ten years for it to actually sink in and for me to say yes.

Todays Plan:

B: Homemade Sausage Egg Bites (1 serving)

S: Premiere Protien Chocolate & 1/2 serving Egg bite

L: 3 Chicken wings sauteed in a little light soysauce and SF ketchup

S: 1 oz Beef Jerky

D: Beef Caldereta (Filipino Tomato-based Stew), SF Choc Pudding made with Fairlife Milk and 1/2 scoop Syntrax Vanilla added

Stat: Cal 981, Carb 38, Fat 42, Protein 92

Vitamins & water: about to start

Exercise: 45 min walk at lunch

Please send stew recipe to me!!

SURE! Everyone has their own way of making it. This is how i do it:

Beef Caldereta (Filipino Tomato Stew)

Base:

2 lbs Chuck Roast (Cubed, but i shred mine after the 8 hour simmer)

3 tsp minced garlic

1 small onion, diced

1 tomato, diced

1/2 packet of Mama Sita Caldereta Mix (Can be found at asian specialty stores http://msita.com/product/mama-sitas-caldereta-mix/)

16 oz (2 cans) Tomato Sauce

1/4 cup light soy sauce

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3 large bay leaves

2 cups water

Salt and ground pepper to taste

Veggies:

1 cup carrots, peeled and diced

3 large potatoes, peeled and diced (I do this for my son and husband, but i pick them out when i eat it)

1 Red bell pepper, pitted and diced

1 6oz can olives (Optional)

Put all base ingredients in slowcooker on low for 4 hours. at the 4 hour mark add the veggies. Continue to cook in slow cooker for another 4 hours. Traditionally served with rice. I just have the stew or I serve over cauliflower rice.

You can also add peas. I didn't do the olives because no one in my house likes them. Also, I didnt have red bell pepper last night so i used green bell pepper and that worked fine.

Morning!

i guess I'm in the minority. I switched to decaf months before surgery, and it didn't bother me at all!

My meal planning yesterday turned into taking any leftovers my mom and aunt offered, and buying a rotisserie chicken hahaha

qotd: well, I had looked into lap band years earlier on my own, but backed out( thank god). It was my pcp who asked if I'd be interested in a referral to the weight management clinic. Twice actually, over a span of about 4 years. The first consult I had was focused more on a medically supervised opti diet for like 6 months or something crazy. And I knew there was no way I'd have long term success with that. But the last one did the trick! I'll be eternally grateful for her gentle pushing!

menu:

B: premiere protein shake

L: chicken with avocado, lime juice and veggies

D: leftover cipaille ( like a beef and pork stew)

S: skyr with sweetener and bran buds

S: Brie and hot genoa salami

have a good one!

I switched to decaf before surgery and it was awful. But I waited over a year to go back to caffeine.

Now I wish I never had, because quitting twice sucks.

JB, sorry about the decaf. That sucks.

QOTD: there's a Dr I know at my gym who told me that several of his family members had WLS and he saw how hard I worked and thought I would be a great candidate. (This was last summer when I was trying to 21 day fix my way into being less embarrassed about being in my brother's wedding). I had already talked to my dr about it 4 years ago, though. That's when she referred me to HMR as a last ditch pre-WLS option. So I had already looked into it on my own. But dr Craig (that's what I call him) definitely gave me a big push in this direction AND the name of my surgeon!

Today: busy day. We have weekday overtime through Friday. Then a possible government shutdown if congress doesn't pass another continuing resolution. But I'm one of the lucky federal employees who will just have to keep working while they hold off on paying me. Woohoo. Thank goodness I actually have a savings account these days.

Food:
Breakfast 1: coffee with premier protein (my iPhone is learning my routine. It suggested all those words)
Breakfast 2: half cup cottage cheese
Lunch: pickled deviled egg & babybel
Dinner: fake Italian chicken (thanks Liz! I didn't get to try it last night so this will me my first taste) with Italian blend cheese
Snack: Greek yogurt with sugar free pudding mix and PB2

Exercise: just went for a short jog with the dog.

Totals
Calories 658/ carbs 30/ protein 86

The government shut down crap is terrifying. Hoping for a good resolution and that you don't need to work without pay. That's terrible...

Well, they'll pay me eventually. Just not as scheduled. I have enough in my savings to make it through a couple missed paychecks. It's the people who get sent home who live in real uncertainty. In the past congress has always passed a measure to pay everyone who got sent home after the fact so as not to completely screw over their employees. (This is one of the many ways that shut downs waste tons of money). But... that's no guarantee. It's hard to trust a congress that threatens to shut down the government and waste billions of dollars as a political move...

I can just imagine that there are plenty of people who, for legit reasons, are not able to live for several months without a paycheck.