So, for years, and years, literally my whole life, I've associated food with the feeling of satisfaction (not hungry). Having started this journey, I've learned that food is not really necessary to feel satisfied. What do I mean? Well, for example, what did I have for breakfast today? A small apple, and a protein shake. I stayed full until lunch. What did I have for lunch? I had a Premier Clear Protein drink (kind of like a Protein packed Crystal Light), a small amount of fruit, and a SF Jell-O Dark Chocolate pudding cup. And to my complete surprise, I'm satisfied. I'm not hungry right now.
So, why is this? Well, what I'm eating is mostly protein. And the body takes longer to digest protein. So, it's literally a matter of changing that mindset again. Of not thinking of food as food, but thinking of food as fuel; as what my body needs to keep going. So, even though I've only had a few drinks today for meals, my body is content and going on the protein. Which is really good to know for post-op, when I'll literally be on a liquid diet for two weeks.
So, anyone have any plans this weekend/Tuesday?
~♥~
Lady D
Friday, June 30, 2017
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Bread Cravings
So, when you're not allowed to have bread, bread cravings are a thing. Lately for me though, it's not been bread. It's been pancakes! Pancakes, or crepes. So, I went searching on Pinterest, and I found a good recipe (that I of course adapted from the original) for protein pancakes. The original recipe comes from BariatricEating.com They're amazing. You can always of course, adapt my recipe to fit your needs, or wants, but this is what I liked. :)
Protein Pancakes/Crepes
-2 large eggs
-1/2 c. 1% or skim milk (I used 1%)
-Pinch of table salt
-4 tbsp. Splenda
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-1 scoop Vanilla Protein powder (or whatever flavor you want to use, I used Quest brand)
-PAM or similar cooking spray
-Fruit or SF fruit preserves
-Ricotta lightly blended with Splenda (Since it was really hot in the house last night, I skipped the ricotta, but I bet it would be really good!
-Preheat the oven to 200* (To keep the crepes you've made warm while you make the rest)
-Combine all ingredients but the fruit/topping and ricotta in a bowl and mix well.
-Pour your batter into a small egg/crepe pan, and cook like an omelette (only flip once).
-Top/fill with fruit and/or ricotta.
-Enjoy!
Ignore the ugly one that broke in half... I made that one thicker to try and make it a pancake. My pan was too small to do this. LOL. I spread each pancake/crepe with SF Strawberry preserves. The thick "two" I ate like a pancake. The thinner, fully round two I rolled like a crepe, and ate them correctly. The recipe actually makes one more crepe style disc, and probably two crepes instead of the one pancake... so, 5 crepes total. They taste so good! I'll definitely be making these again... Soon!
~♥~
Lady D
Protein Pancakes/Crepes
-2 large eggs
-1/2 c. 1% or skim milk (I used 1%)
-Pinch of table salt
-4 tbsp. Splenda
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-1 scoop Vanilla Protein powder (or whatever flavor you want to use, I used Quest brand)
-PAM or similar cooking spray
-Fruit or SF fruit preserves
-Ricotta lightly blended with Splenda (Since it was really hot in the house last night, I skipped the ricotta, but I bet it would be really good!
-Preheat the oven to 200* (To keep the crepes you've made warm while you make the rest)
-Combine all ingredients but the fruit/topping and ricotta in a bowl and mix well.
-Pour your batter into a small egg/crepe pan, and cook like an omelette (only flip once).
-Top/fill with fruit and/or ricotta.
-Enjoy!
Ignore the ugly one that broke in half... I made that one thicker to try and make it a pancake. My pan was too small to do this. LOL. I spread each pancake/crepe with SF Strawberry preserves. The thick "two" I ate like a pancake. The thinner, fully round two I rolled like a crepe, and ate them correctly. The recipe actually makes one more crepe style disc, and probably two crepes instead of the one pancake... so, 5 crepes total. They taste so good! I'll definitely be making these again... Soon!
~♥~
Lady D
Monday, June 26, 2017
Recipes
So, I made three awesome dishes this weekend. Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers, Chili, and Cauliflower Fried "Rice." I'll show pictures of two of the three, and share "recipes" of all three.
So, Friday night, We had the Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers. The recipe for this one actually came from the blog The World According to Eggface, but I found it on Pinterest. I did change a few things... used a Yellow onion (because I have no idea what a Maui onion is), skipped the mushrooms, because it is my everlasting belief that fungus does not belong in food, switched the cottage cheese to low-fat ricotta (I don't like cottage cheese), I added a bit more Worcestershire sauce, and I added: garlic powder, and paprika to the onions and meat. Other than that, I followed the recipe. My husband bought the biggest peppers on the planet, so, we only ended up having enough for 2 full peppers, 4 halves. It was ok, though. I just saved the other two peppers for our chili the next night. Here's a picture of the final product. It was VERY good, and something we'll be doing again.
Saturday night, I made chili. I don't really do anything special with my chili, and it's super easy to make. Unfortunately I can't tell you measurements on the spices, because it's all to taste. So, here it goes.
-1 lb. lean (90/10 preferably) ground beef, or other lean ground meat (venison is also very good!)
-2 cans of diced tomatoes with chilis (I usually do medium, but since I knew my daughter would be eating this with us [she's one] I did mild)
-1 Can of tomato sauce (I usually get the bigger can, and add as I need... I like my chili thicker, and my husband prefers it thinner)
-1 can of black beans
-1 can of Bush's Chili beans
-1 medium diced green pepper
-1 medium diced yellow onion
-Chili Powder
-Garlic Powder
-Paprika
-Cumin
-Salt (we use sea salt in our house)
-Fresh Ground Black Pepper
-Dice the onion and green pepper, and put into a non-stick pan with just a tiny spray of Pam. Season with all the seasonings to taste.
-Once the peppers are slightly tender, and the onions are translucent, add the beef or other ground meat. You can add a bit more seasoning at this point if you like, I always do.
-Once the beef is browned, if it needs drained, drain it. If not, you can transfer over to your crockpot (I do this recipe one of two ways. If I'm going to be around most of the day, I'll do it in the crockpot. If not, you can do a decent version stovetop in about an hour to an hour and a half).
-Add all your canned goods to the crockpot. Season, and mix well.
-Put on high just long enough to get the ingredients heated, and then turn to low. Let simmer on low for 4+ hours.
I'm sorry I don't have a picture of the chili... I'll try to get one next time I make it. I usually top my chili with LF or FF Sharp Cheddar or Mexican blend cheese.
Yesterday, I decided to try something different. My husband and I had purchased a bag of pre-riced frozen cauliflower a while back, which we'd never used. Well, yesterday, a friend of mine made chicken fried cauliflower "rice." I didn't want to make the full dish as fried "rice," since my husband doesn't normally like cauliflower, so, I decided to make it as a side. The chicken on the plate is made with a Mandarin Teriyaki sauce packet that I found at Meijer. Here is the recipe for the Cauliflower Fried "Rice." I basically followed the recipe, except I didn't have any onion at home, so, I used dehydrated onions, which are a great option if you don't have one. They provide the flavor. I also would recommend fully thawing the cauliflower "rice," and then squeezing all the water out that you can using a cheesecloth. There was a LOT of liquid in my pan that didn't need to be there. My dietitian doesn't allow peas, so, instead of doing a peas and carrots blend, I used broccoli and green beans. It was good! Even my husband who doesn't like cauliflower liked it. The nice thing is that it has the consistency of rice too. Honestly, if you have a picky eater coming to your house, just don't tell them it's cauliflower. They probably won't know the difference! :) We're definitely making it again! :)
So, did anyone else try anything good this weekend?
~♥~
Lady D
So, Friday night, We had the Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers. The recipe for this one actually came from the blog The World According to Eggface, but I found it on Pinterest. I did change a few things... used a Yellow onion (because I have no idea what a Maui onion is), skipped the mushrooms, because it is my everlasting belief that fungus does not belong in food, switched the cottage cheese to low-fat ricotta (I don't like cottage cheese), I added a bit more Worcestershire sauce, and I added: garlic powder, and paprika to the onions and meat. Other than that, I followed the recipe. My husband bought the biggest peppers on the planet, so, we only ended up having enough for 2 full peppers, 4 halves. It was ok, though. I just saved the other two peppers for our chili the next night. Here's a picture of the final product. It was VERY good, and something we'll be doing again.
Saturday night, I made chili. I don't really do anything special with my chili, and it's super easy to make. Unfortunately I can't tell you measurements on the spices, because it's all to taste. So, here it goes.
-1 lb. lean (90/10 preferably) ground beef, or other lean ground meat (venison is also very good!)
-2 cans of diced tomatoes with chilis (I usually do medium, but since I knew my daughter would be eating this with us [she's one] I did mild)
-1 Can of tomato sauce (I usually get the bigger can, and add as I need... I like my chili thicker, and my husband prefers it thinner)
-1 can of black beans
-1 can of Bush's Chili beans
-1 medium diced green pepper
-1 medium diced yellow onion
-Chili Powder
-Garlic Powder
-Paprika
-Cumin
-Salt (we use sea salt in our house)
-Fresh Ground Black Pepper
-Dice the onion and green pepper, and put into a non-stick pan with just a tiny spray of Pam. Season with all the seasonings to taste.
-Once the peppers are slightly tender, and the onions are translucent, add the beef or other ground meat. You can add a bit more seasoning at this point if you like, I always do.
-Once the beef is browned, if it needs drained, drain it. If not, you can transfer over to your crockpot (I do this recipe one of two ways. If I'm going to be around most of the day, I'll do it in the crockpot. If not, you can do a decent version stovetop in about an hour to an hour and a half).
-Add all your canned goods to the crockpot. Season, and mix well.
-Put on high just long enough to get the ingredients heated, and then turn to low. Let simmer on low for 4+ hours.
I'm sorry I don't have a picture of the chili... I'll try to get one next time I make it. I usually top my chili with LF or FF Sharp Cheddar or Mexican blend cheese.
Yesterday, I decided to try something different. My husband and I had purchased a bag of pre-riced frozen cauliflower a while back, which we'd never used. Well, yesterday, a friend of mine made chicken fried cauliflower "rice." I didn't want to make the full dish as fried "rice," since my husband doesn't normally like cauliflower, so, I decided to make it as a side. The chicken on the plate is made with a Mandarin Teriyaki sauce packet that I found at Meijer. Here is the recipe for the Cauliflower Fried "Rice." I basically followed the recipe, except I didn't have any onion at home, so, I used dehydrated onions, which are a great option if you don't have one. They provide the flavor. I also would recommend fully thawing the cauliflower "rice," and then squeezing all the water out that you can using a cheesecloth. There was a LOT of liquid in my pan that didn't need to be there. My dietitian doesn't allow peas, so, instead of doing a peas and carrots blend, I used broccoli and green beans. It was good! Even my husband who doesn't like cauliflower liked it. The nice thing is that it has the consistency of rice too. Honestly, if you have a picky eater coming to your house, just don't tell them it's cauliflower. They probably won't know the difference! :) We're definitely making it again! :)
So, did anyone else try anything good this weekend?
~♥~
Lady D
Friday, June 23, 2017
Hangry and New Protein Drink
I'm sure this is a word we've all heard, and even maybe experienced. But Hangry, when on this diet is a real thing. Also, because you're losing your fat stores, your body is now surging with hormones. What does this make? A psycho. No, literally. I find myself going from weepy, to angry, to starving, to fine sometimes in a matter of minutes. But, the good news? It will get better. The bad news? It won't get better until post-op, and not until a while post-op, since my body is going to have to adjust to even further changes.
So, last night, I was waiting on my husband to come home, and I was starving. We had plans to make ham for dinner, but I really, really, really did not want to cook. And he came home, and he was hot from being in the kitchen at work (he's a general manager at a nationwide Pizza chain), and he just wanted to take a shower. So, I was sitting on the couch sulking, because I didn't want to cook, and my poor unsuspecting husband sat down in the chair. I asked him if he was hungry. He said he was, but couldn't remember what we were having. I told him we had decided on ham. He said, ok, go ahead and start it. I said I didn't want to cook. He said that all I had to do was throw some pieces in a pan to warm it up. I yelled at him, I DON'T WANT TO F***ING cook! Yeah. Hormones. And Hanger. It's a thing.
Then, I knew I was horrible, so, I started cooking. He got out of the shower, and came to help. Well, I put the entire 1/4 ham into a medium fry pan. I was getting angry at the ham. He made me laugh, and then kicked me out of the kitchen so that I didn't send the ham through the wall. By the end of the night, I was in tears, apologizing, and just giving in to the emotions. Part of my problem is that I bottle things up. So, I'll let it get bigger, and bigger, and then it just explodes. Part of the problem is that I don't really have anyone to talk to that's going through these same things. I have my online support group, but, we're all at different stages in our journey. And unless someone is keeping a big secret, no one in my life is experiencing these things at this same time. So, I feel alone. I know I have my physical support (family and friends), and my online support, but, I still feel alone. So, I bottle. And that's bad. So, my suggestion? Find a battle buddy so to speak. Someone who is going through the same thing as you at this very same time. Someone to commiserate with. Someone to talk to at the very least.
So, again, if you choose this journey, warn those around you that you're going to be a little psychotic occasionally. So, anyone out there have any fun hangry stories?
So, this morning, I finally got to try the Premier Clear Protein Drink... not going to lie, YUCK. It's got the strangest after taste... almost like beef broth, and it's supposed to be Tropical Punch flavored. I'm at least able to tolerate it, which is a good thing, because I had my husband buy a case of it... I'd still recommend trying it, but, as of right now... ew.... I told my husband that, and he was like, Honey... you should know by now that these things are not going to taste good. *sigh* Why can't they taste good? :(
~♥~
Lady D
So, last night, I was waiting on my husband to come home, and I was starving. We had plans to make ham for dinner, but I really, really, really did not want to cook. And he came home, and he was hot from being in the kitchen at work (he's a general manager at a nationwide Pizza chain), and he just wanted to take a shower. So, I was sitting on the couch sulking, because I didn't want to cook, and my poor unsuspecting husband sat down in the chair. I asked him if he was hungry. He said he was, but couldn't remember what we were having. I told him we had decided on ham. He said, ok, go ahead and start it. I said I didn't want to cook. He said that all I had to do was throw some pieces in a pan to warm it up. I yelled at him, I DON'T WANT TO F***ING cook! Yeah. Hormones. And Hanger. It's a thing.
Then, I knew I was horrible, so, I started cooking. He got out of the shower, and came to help. Well, I put the entire 1/4 ham into a medium fry pan. I was getting angry at the ham. He made me laugh, and then kicked me out of the kitchen so that I didn't send the ham through the wall. By the end of the night, I was in tears, apologizing, and just giving in to the emotions. Part of my problem is that I bottle things up. So, I'll let it get bigger, and bigger, and then it just explodes. Part of the problem is that I don't really have anyone to talk to that's going through these same things. I have my online support group, but, we're all at different stages in our journey. And unless someone is keeping a big secret, no one in my life is experiencing these things at this same time. So, I feel alone. I know I have my physical support (family and friends), and my online support, but, I still feel alone. So, I bottle. And that's bad. So, my suggestion? Find a battle buddy so to speak. Someone who is going through the same thing as you at this very same time. Someone to commiserate with. Someone to talk to at the very least.
So, again, if you choose this journey, warn those around you that you're going to be a little psychotic occasionally. So, anyone out there have any fun hangry stories?
So, this morning, I finally got to try the Premier Clear Protein Drink... not going to lie, YUCK. It's got the strangest after taste... almost like beef broth, and it's supposed to be Tropical Punch flavored. I'm at least able to tolerate it, which is a good thing, because I had my husband buy a case of it... I'd still recommend trying it, but, as of right now... ew.... I told my husband that, and he was like, Honey... you should know by now that these things are not going to taste good. *sigh* Why can't they taste good? :(
~♥~
Lady D
Thursday, June 22, 2017
Keto Flu...
So, apparently this is a thing. I've been feeling really fatigued, getting headaches, moody, mind fog, light headed, my blood pressure has been up a little. I had the fatigued thing when I first started the diet, but it got better. So, I didn't think this could be related to the diet. I asked one of the online support groups I'm in, and someone suggested it might be "Keto Flu." My husband Googled Keto Flu, and hey, guess what the symptoms are? Everything I've got. Plus, it can also include sniffles, and a cough. Just like a flu. Well, Vitamin B12, and more electrolytes are the suggestions for dealing with keto flu. I was at the store last night, and meant to pick up some 0 cal Gatorade, or Powerade Zero, but I forgot. :( So, for now, I'll just drink water, and add some salt to my lunch. :)
Has anyone else had keto flu? How's your week going so far?
~♥~
Lady D
Has anyone else had keto flu? How's your week going so far?
~♥~
Lady D
Monday, June 19, 2017
The Past
Part of this journey, I'm learning, is coming to terms with yourself. And seeing my psychologist on Saturday brought back a lot of memories that I had repressed. I'm really good at repressing memories. But in order to heal myself completely, I need to get over the things of my past. I've even started apologizing to people that I've wronged in my past... heh. Kind of like a 12 step program.
Anyways, as I mentioned in the other post from today, I didn’t have great teenage years. I had a really hard time dealing with my parents’ divorce, and my mom was working two jobs, so, a lot, we ordered out, or she’d give us money to get fast food, ect. I am a big emotional eater. I will turn to food if I’m upset.
Kids, also, as I mentioned above, are mean. I grew up being teased about my weight. When we lived in Toledo, it wasn’t too horrible, because we moved when I was in the third grade, and kids at that point are just learning social structure. When we lived in WV, that’s when I really started getting teased. I hid how I felt by wearing very large t-shirts, and hiding my body. There were days that I was so upset, I remember going into my parents’ room, laying on their bed, and just sobbing.
It got even worse after my parents’ divorce. We moved in with my Aunt for a while, and the kids at the school that I went to for a semester were horrible. I remember one girl in particular that was horrible to me. She asked me one day if I took baths. I told her no, I took showers. She said that was a good thing, because I would probably need an elephant bath if I did. I don’t even remember her name.
The school I went to after that was a bit better. The only bad thing is that I was super self-conscious. I don’t think that people are really as mean as I thought they were at the time (with the exceptions of girls like above), but I’m just not sure. I did have several more incidents in Junior High that were horrible for me.
I was not a popular girl, partially because of my size, and partially because that’s just not me. If you ever meet me, you’ll see this bubbly happy person. But if you look a bit closer, I’m a total loner. I stay at home, read books, play with my cats, and my family. That’s about it. I was in an after school club, I don’t even remember what it was now. But we were doing some type of fundraiser, and we decided to turn one of our gym teachers into a giant hot fudge sundae. Well, we forgot the camera. So, I had to run and get it. Well, I decided to literally RUN, since they weren’t stopping the process for me, and I got laughed out of the gym.
That same year, I am not pictured in my 8th grade homeroom yearbook photo because I was cut out of it. Literally, you can see my arm is all. And no, it wasn’t that they ran out of room, since there’s plenty of room on the other side of the frame.
High school got a bit better, but not at the same time. Since things that had happened in the past stuck with me, I was still very self-conscious. And we had a school where we had to change clothes for gym. So, getting almost naked in a locker room with a bunch of skinny girls was not good for my self-esteem. But as I said, high school all in all was better. And I got a boyfriend in high school who adored me, so, that helped too.
College was even better. Not food wise, I gained quite a bit after my Freshman year, when I lost a bunch of weight. I met my wonderful husband in college as well, and he is the joy and love of my life. He the is center of my support, and one of my biggest things in life right now. People for the most part stopped being mean in college. They just didn’t care. And after that, it’s the same. You’ll hear some things you think are people talking about you… but for the most part, they’re not. They’re too swept up in their own lives.
I have only had one instance in my adult life where I’ve ever really felt bad by someone else about my weight. It was when I worked at Subway, and one of the other employees made a VERY crude comment about my weight. My manager went to bat for me though, and even talked about trying to see if we could do anything legally against said person. My former manager is an awesome person.
I will turn to food also if I’m bored. After my daughter was born, she slept. A lot. I cleaned what I could of the house, did the laundry, but after that I was bored. So, what did I do? I ate. I would eat a whole tube of Pillsbury biscuits with margarine in an afternoon for lunch. Or a whole box of garlic bread for lunch. Needless to say, what little weight I lost during pregnancy, I gained back… and then some.
I think I said this in my other post as well, but I really need to reiterate it. I really hope that by seeing me, and my life, my daughter is more tolerant of all people. Not just people with weight problems, but anyone that's different than she is. I've tried to adopt a completely judgment-free attitude when it comes to others, and while it's hard, I do my best not to judge anyone. Who knows what they're going through that lead them to their choices (Disclaimer: I totally judge people who turn to physical abuse, murder, or anything like that. You all suck. I just mean non-judgment when it comes to everyday life). I really love the idea of Live and Let Live. If what you're doing makes you happy and isn't harming anyone, then you be you. I'll be me. Let's love life. It took me a long time to get to this point. I won't lie. But I'm so much happier being here. So, in the words of Elsa, "Let it Go." ;)
~♥~
Lady D
Anyways, as I mentioned in the other post from today, I didn’t have great teenage years. I had a really hard time dealing with my parents’ divorce, and my mom was working two jobs, so, a lot, we ordered out, or she’d give us money to get fast food, ect. I am a big emotional eater. I will turn to food if I’m upset.
Kids, also, as I mentioned above, are mean. I grew up being teased about my weight. When we lived in Toledo, it wasn’t too horrible, because we moved when I was in the third grade, and kids at that point are just learning social structure. When we lived in WV, that’s when I really started getting teased. I hid how I felt by wearing very large t-shirts, and hiding my body. There were days that I was so upset, I remember going into my parents’ room, laying on their bed, and just sobbing.
It got even worse after my parents’ divorce. We moved in with my Aunt for a while, and the kids at the school that I went to for a semester were horrible. I remember one girl in particular that was horrible to me. She asked me one day if I took baths. I told her no, I took showers. She said that was a good thing, because I would probably need an elephant bath if I did. I don’t even remember her name.
The school I went to after that was a bit better. The only bad thing is that I was super self-conscious. I don’t think that people are really as mean as I thought they were at the time (with the exceptions of girls like above), but I’m just not sure. I did have several more incidents in Junior High that were horrible for me.
I was not a popular girl, partially because of my size, and partially because that’s just not me. If you ever meet me, you’ll see this bubbly happy person. But if you look a bit closer, I’m a total loner. I stay at home, read books, play with my cats, and my family. That’s about it. I was in an after school club, I don’t even remember what it was now. But we were doing some type of fundraiser, and we decided to turn one of our gym teachers into a giant hot fudge sundae. Well, we forgot the camera. So, I had to run and get it. Well, I decided to literally RUN, since they weren’t stopping the process for me, and I got laughed out of the gym.
That same year, I am not pictured in my 8th grade homeroom yearbook photo because I was cut out of it. Literally, you can see my arm is all. And no, it wasn’t that they ran out of room, since there’s plenty of room on the other side of the frame.
High school got a bit better, but not at the same time. Since things that had happened in the past stuck with me, I was still very self-conscious. And we had a school where we had to change clothes for gym. So, getting almost naked in a locker room with a bunch of skinny girls was not good for my self-esteem. But as I said, high school all in all was better. And I got a boyfriend in high school who adored me, so, that helped too.
College was even better. Not food wise, I gained quite a bit after my Freshman year, when I lost a bunch of weight. I met my wonderful husband in college as well, and he is the joy and love of my life. He the is center of my support, and one of my biggest things in life right now. People for the most part stopped being mean in college. They just didn’t care. And after that, it’s the same. You’ll hear some things you think are people talking about you… but for the most part, they’re not. They’re too swept up in their own lives.
I have only had one instance in my adult life where I’ve ever really felt bad by someone else about my weight. It was when I worked at Subway, and one of the other employees made a VERY crude comment about my weight. My manager went to bat for me though, and even talked about trying to see if we could do anything legally against said person. My former manager is an awesome person.
I will turn to food also if I’m bored. After my daughter was born, she slept. A lot. I cleaned what I could of the house, did the laundry, but after that I was bored. So, what did I do? I ate. I would eat a whole tube of Pillsbury biscuits with margarine in an afternoon for lunch. Or a whole box of garlic bread for lunch. Needless to say, what little weight I lost during pregnancy, I gained back… and then some.
I think I said this in my other post as well, but I really need to reiterate it. I really hope that by seeing me, and my life, my daughter is more tolerant of all people. Not just people with weight problems, but anyone that's different than she is. I've tried to adopt a completely judgment-free attitude when it comes to others, and while it's hard, I do my best not to judge anyone. Who knows what they're going through that lead them to their choices (Disclaimer: I totally judge people who turn to physical abuse, murder, or anything like that. You all suck. I just mean non-judgment when it comes to everyday life). I really love the idea of Live and Let Live. If what you're doing makes you happy and isn't harming anyone, then you be you. I'll be me. Let's love life. It took me a long time to get to this point. I won't lie. But I'm so much happier being here. So, in the words of Elsa, "Let it Go." ;)
~♥~
Lady D
Psychologist Eval and Appearances
So, my psychological eval went really well. He cleared me for surgery with no additional recommendations. It was really long. It lasted a full 90 minutes. They had me fill out a questionnaire at first, where I had to fill in the bubbles, just like back in school. And then, when he took me back into his office, he went over most of those questions again, as well as literally every aspect of my life.
He started with my childhood, asked about who was in my household, did that through every step of my life.
As an aside, kids are assholes. One thing that the psychologist asked me about my weight was teasing. I've been heavy for a long, long time. He said that typically, with the women they speak to that are overweight, and have been overweight for most of their life, that they experienced teasing starting in elementary school, getting worse in middle school and early high school, and finally leveling out towards the end of high school and in to college. He's right. That completely explains my life with teasing about my weight. Kids are assholes. Having gone through this process, I really hope that my daughter will be more tolerant and loving when it comes to other people. I swear, if I ever hear that she teased someone like that, she and I will have one hell of a sit down... but I digress.
He asked about my parents' divorce, did I suffer any type of abuse (verbal, physical, or sexual), what are my eating habits when I'm not watching my weight or on a diet, who does the grocery shopping, what are the stresses in my life. Lots, and lots, and lots, and lots of questions.
Probably the question that made me stop and think the longest, and hardest, is why am I fat? Why did I get this way. Luckily, it's on the questionnaire they have you fill out as well, or my appointment would've taken a lot longer than that. Easy answer? I'm an emotional eater, who also eats when she's bored. I started gaining weight very early in life, and it just continued from there. I had a hard time with my parents' divorce, which made my teen years not fun, and I gained more weight. In college, it just continued. But honestly, if you're considering this journey, or you just believe you need to lose some weight, step back, and honestly ask yourself this question. What made me gain the weight? Without asking, and honestly answering this question, I really don't believe that you'll be successful in any weight loss situation that you end up in.
Which brings me to my next topic for this post. I've been watching a show called "My 600 lb. Life." Obviously, since I've been putting my stats on here, I'm not 600 lbs. But this show covers a lot of issues that anyone who is going to have the surgery will face. Support from family and friends, realizing that you need to change, making the changes, and really making this a lifestyle. Unfortunately, what I'm seeing on the show, and even with some of the people I talk to about my decision, and others who've made this decision is that it's an "easy way" out. A big stigma around weight loss surgery still is that this is a quick fix. It will fix all the weight problems that a person has. I can remember a specific time in my life, where I laid in bed, smushed my belly fat, and was just like... "Oh, if I could just cut it all off, it will all be better." Heh. About that. I hate to tell you, but this is NOT easy. Not if you're doing it for the right reasons, and not if you're doing it correctly. And by correctly, I mean that you're making this lifestyle change, and not making this a quick fix.
So let's talk. What kind of changes are really needed to be successful? Well, firstly, you'll have to have a new relationship with food. Do I still have cravings? Hell yes I do. I was driving to work this morning, thinking about how awesome it would be to stop and get a donut. Or two... or three, and some chocolate milk. But, here's the thing. I've kind of learned to get into a new headspace when it comes to food. Food is not a pleasure for me anymore. I'm not saying it doesn't taste good anymore, because, trust me, it does. But food for me is fuel now. So, I think about a donut. Will that get me through until lunch without being hungry? Will I have to snack between that and lunch in order to keep myself going? Well, let's think about what a donut consists of: sugar, flour, and fat. So, will it keep me going? No. So, if you begin to think of food as fuel, you're stepping in the right direction.
What else do you need? A good exercise routine. I'm going to be completely honest. I don't hate exercise. What I hate is the time I lose to do exercise. I feel like there are so many other things I'd rather be doing. The good news is that my little one LOVES taking walks outside. So, while later, I'm going to have to up the number of times I'm walking post-op, but I'm also going to have to up the length of the walks. Right now my walks range from 20-40 mins on the short end, and an hour on the long end. I do 3-5 walks per week. Something else I used to do a lot of and really liked, and I should get into again is yoga. I was still doing beginner positions, but still. I DID buy a small hand weights set, which I could totally incorporate into the yoga... not so much into the walking, since I'm usually pushing a stroller when I walk...
Well, diet, exercise, what else do you need to be successful? Support. One of the biggest parts of this journey is your support group. I'm extremely lucky in that my husband is literally supporting me every step of the way on this journey. It's not only him though. I have an amazing network of supporters that want to see me succeed. Everyone from other family members, to friends, to co-workers, even members of a few online support groups that I joined. I don't know one person who doesn't want me to succeed. So, if this is a journey that you're going to embark upon, you need to make sure that you'll have people around to support you on this journey.
Sorry this is such a long post. I just was thinking about all this over the weekend, and wanted to get it out.
~♥~
Lady D
He started with my childhood, asked about who was in my household, did that through every step of my life.
As an aside, kids are assholes. One thing that the psychologist asked me about my weight was teasing. I've been heavy for a long, long time. He said that typically, with the women they speak to that are overweight, and have been overweight for most of their life, that they experienced teasing starting in elementary school, getting worse in middle school and early high school, and finally leveling out towards the end of high school and in to college. He's right. That completely explains my life with teasing about my weight. Kids are assholes. Having gone through this process, I really hope that my daughter will be more tolerant and loving when it comes to other people. I swear, if I ever hear that she teased someone like that, she and I will have one hell of a sit down... but I digress.
He asked about my parents' divorce, did I suffer any type of abuse (verbal, physical, or sexual), what are my eating habits when I'm not watching my weight or on a diet, who does the grocery shopping, what are the stresses in my life. Lots, and lots, and lots, and lots of questions.
Probably the question that made me stop and think the longest, and hardest, is why am I fat? Why did I get this way. Luckily, it's on the questionnaire they have you fill out as well, or my appointment would've taken a lot longer than that. Easy answer? I'm an emotional eater, who also eats when she's bored. I started gaining weight very early in life, and it just continued from there. I had a hard time with my parents' divorce, which made my teen years not fun, and I gained more weight. In college, it just continued. But honestly, if you're considering this journey, or you just believe you need to lose some weight, step back, and honestly ask yourself this question. What made me gain the weight? Without asking, and honestly answering this question, I really don't believe that you'll be successful in any weight loss situation that you end up in.
Which brings me to my next topic for this post. I've been watching a show called "My 600 lb. Life." Obviously, since I've been putting my stats on here, I'm not 600 lbs. But this show covers a lot of issues that anyone who is going to have the surgery will face. Support from family and friends, realizing that you need to change, making the changes, and really making this a lifestyle. Unfortunately, what I'm seeing on the show, and even with some of the people I talk to about my decision, and others who've made this decision is that it's an "easy way" out. A big stigma around weight loss surgery still is that this is a quick fix. It will fix all the weight problems that a person has. I can remember a specific time in my life, where I laid in bed, smushed my belly fat, and was just like... "Oh, if I could just cut it all off, it will all be better." Heh. About that. I hate to tell you, but this is NOT easy. Not if you're doing it for the right reasons, and not if you're doing it correctly. And by correctly, I mean that you're making this lifestyle change, and not making this a quick fix.
So let's talk. What kind of changes are really needed to be successful? Well, firstly, you'll have to have a new relationship with food. Do I still have cravings? Hell yes I do. I was driving to work this morning, thinking about how awesome it would be to stop and get a donut. Or two... or three, and some chocolate milk. But, here's the thing. I've kind of learned to get into a new headspace when it comes to food. Food is not a pleasure for me anymore. I'm not saying it doesn't taste good anymore, because, trust me, it does. But food for me is fuel now. So, I think about a donut. Will that get me through until lunch without being hungry? Will I have to snack between that and lunch in order to keep myself going? Well, let's think about what a donut consists of: sugar, flour, and fat. So, will it keep me going? No. So, if you begin to think of food as fuel, you're stepping in the right direction.
What else do you need? A good exercise routine. I'm going to be completely honest. I don't hate exercise. What I hate is the time I lose to do exercise. I feel like there are so many other things I'd rather be doing. The good news is that my little one LOVES taking walks outside. So, while later, I'm going to have to up the number of times I'm walking post-op, but I'm also going to have to up the length of the walks. Right now my walks range from 20-40 mins on the short end, and an hour on the long end. I do 3-5 walks per week. Something else I used to do a lot of and really liked, and I should get into again is yoga. I was still doing beginner positions, but still. I DID buy a small hand weights set, which I could totally incorporate into the yoga... not so much into the walking, since I'm usually pushing a stroller when I walk...
Well, diet, exercise, what else do you need to be successful? Support. One of the biggest parts of this journey is your support group. I'm extremely lucky in that my husband is literally supporting me every step of the way on this journey. It's not only him though. I have an amazing network of supporters that want to see me succeed. Everyone from other family members, to friends, to co-workers, even members of a few online support groups that I joined. I don't know one person who doesn't want me to succeed. So, if this is a journey that you're going to embark upon, you need to make sure that you'll have people around to support you on this journey.
Sorry this is such a long post. I just was thinking about all this over the weekend, and wanted to get it out.
~♥~
Lady D
Friday, June 16, 2017
Psychologist tomorrow
So, I see my psychologist tomorrow. I was freaking out big time originally... what if he doesn't approve me, what if I have to do more steps to get my surgery, so on and so forth. But, I've relaxed now. I came to realize that even if I don't get approved right now, it's because I'm not ready for surgery.
My surgeon's office literally does everything they can to make sure that you will succeed in your new life. Their dietitians are available to speak with anytime the office is open, they have so many steps that you have to take to get to surgery, because they want to make sure that you're mentally and physically ready for this lifestyle change.
I won't post about it until Monday probably, because I only do these posts on an actual computer, not my phone. My daughter loves to try and "play" on the computer with me when I pull one out, or go over to my husband's desktop. So, either tomorrow during nap, or after she falls asleep, or Monday. I guess we'll see how it all goes. Wish me luck. :)
~♥~
Lady D
My surgeon's office literally does everything they can to make sure that you will succeed in your new life. Their dietitians are available to speak with anytime the office is open, they have so many steps that you have to take to get to surgery, because they want to make sure that you're mentally and physically ready for this lifestyle change.
I won't post about it until Monday probably, because I only do these posts on an actual computer, not my phone. My daughter loves to try and "play" on the computer with me when I pull one out, or go over to my husband's desktop. So, either tomorrow during nap, or after she falls asleep, or Monday. I guess we'll see how it all goes. Wish me luck. :)
~♥~
Lady D
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Birth Control and Medical ID Bracelets
So, as you can probably tell by the title of the post, this is going to be a personal post... at least the first part. So, if you don't want to read that part, skip to the third paragraph. So, I use the pill for birth control. But, after surgery, I won't be able to take pills for a while. That fact slipped my mind until just recently. And if you're on this path, it might have slipped yours too. Also, if you're on this path, you might have PCOS, like I do. Hormones are a good thing for PCOS patients. So, what are some alternative forms of birth control that you can consider? Of course, always talk to your doctor about this, but here are the basic other forms of birth control:
-Depo Shot
-the Implant
-NuvaRing
-IUD
-Condoms
-Female Condoms
-The patch
-diaphragm
-spermicide
-cervical cap
-tubal ligation/vasectomy
Of those, IUD, Depo Shot, Implant, NuvaRing, and the Patch all have hormones in them. It's a very personal decision, but, you WILL need to have some form of birth control if you're on this journey. Doctors do not recommend getting pregnant until 12-18 (they prefer 18) months after surgery. A while after surgery, if you're a die hard pill fan, you can talk to your doctor about going back on the pill. I've switched mine (if you really want to know, PM me on Facebook, or leave a comment, and we'll talk), and I'm not going back. :)
So, I read something on Pinterest that really piqued my interest. I never thought about it until I read this article, but, how many of my post-op RNY/Gastric Bypass ladies out there wear a Medical ID Bracelet? Why would we need to wear that? Well, if you're RNY (or even VSG I have a feeling), if you're in a medical situation where you're unconscious, and they need to do an NG Tube, if they do it blind, they have a good chance of rupturing your pouch. That would turn into a VERY bad situation VERY fast. Also, Post-Op, you cannot have NSAIDs. NSAIDs can lead to ulcers in your new pouch. So, while the article that I was reading WAS put out there by a medical ID bracelet company, I'm not taking my chances. There are some very cute medical ID bracelets out there. Amazon has quite a few, and they all do engraving on them. This is the one that I'm looking at getting. It's very cute. I'm going to have "Gastric Bypass, (Date of Surgery), No Blind NG Tube, No NSAIDs" engraved on the back of mine. They all come with a wallet medical ID card as well, which will have further information on it as well. Definitely something to think about.
~♥~
Lady D
-Depo Shot
-the Implant
-NuvaRing
-IUD
-Condoms
-Female Condoms
-The patch
-diaphragm
-spermicide
-cervical cap
-tubal ligation/vasectomy
Of those, IUD, Depo Shot, Implant, NuvaRing, and the Patch all have hormones in them. It's a very personal decision, but, you WILL need to have some form of birth control if you're on this journey. Doctors do not recommend getting pregnant until 12-18 (they prefer 18) months after surgery. A while after surgery, if you're a die hard pill fan, you can talk to your doctor about going back on the pill. I've switched mine (if you really want to know, PM me on Facebook, or leave a comment, and we'll talk), and I'm not going back. :)
So, I read something on Pinterest that really piqued my interest. I never thought about it until I read this article, but, how many of my post-op RNY/Gastric Bypass ladies out there wear a Medical ID Bracelet? Why would we need to wear that? Well, if you're RNY (or even VSG I have a feeling), if you're in a medical situation where you're unconscious, and they need to do an NG Tube, if they do it blind, they have a good chance of rupturing your pouch. That would turn into a VERY bad situation VERY fast. Also, Post-Op, you cannot have NSAIDs. NSAIDs can lead to ulcers in your new pouch. So, while the article that I was reading WAS put out there by a medical ID bracelet company, I'm not taking my chances. There are some very cute medical ID bracelets out there. Amazon has quite a few, and they all do engraving on them. This is the one that I'm looking at getting. It's very cute. I'm going to have "Gastric Bypass, (Date of Surgery), No Blind NG Tube, No NSAIDs" engraved on the back of mine. They all come with a wallet medical ID card as well, which will have further information on it as well. Definitely something to think about.
~♥~
Lady D
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Fat Brain
Since I started this journey, I learned this term. And while I'm able to control it most of the time now, it still slips in occasionally. What the term means is that little voice/craving that hits us when we see a donut, or think about having a second slice of cake, or another scoop of ice cream, or whether or not to continue eating when we think we're done. I guess you could call it the devil on your shoulder (think of the devil and angel on someone's shoulder debating good or bad). I've let fat brain rule my life for far too long, and I thought that I had locked it up, and thrown away the key.
Well, last night, I had a slice of my diet compliant cake. And I really, really wanted a second slice. All night, I had to fight myself, telling myself no, I don't need it, I want it. I ate a small snack of cheese, hoping protein would help. I tried distracting myself with doing other things. But it just kept wriggling in my brain, chanting "Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate." Now, I totally did NOT give in to my craving. I was a good girl, and just went to bed in the end. But boy did I want that cake last night.
So, where did this sudden outbreak of fat brain come from you ask? Well, I need to get a little personal here, and I'm sorry if it's TMI. But, I'm at the end of my time of the month, and during this time, I tend to crave chocolate. Over the weekend, I gave in to my craving and DID eat a second slice of cake (I had one in the late AM, and one before bed). So, by giving in, I gave fat brain a foothold back into my life. Big Mistake. I WILL NOT let it take over again.
I think the biggest thing, when dealing with Fat Brain, is to recognize when you're being tempted, and to walk away. If you have a support group at home, and you know you need the help, ask for it. I know my husband is NOT afraid to call me out if I'm eating something unhealthy, that I'm not supposed to. Use whatever help you can to keep yourself on track. You've got this. :)
~♥~
Lady D
Well, last night, I had a slice of my diet compliant cake. And I really, really wanted a second slice. All night, I had to fight myself, telling myself no, I don't need it, I want it. I ate a small snack of cheese, hoping protein would help. I tried distracting myself with doing other things. But it just kept wriggling in my brain, chanting "Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate." Now, I totally did NOT give in to my craving. I was a good girl, and just went to bed in the end. But boy did I want that cake last night.
So, where did this sudden outbreak of fat brain come from you ask? Well, I need to get a little personal here, and I'm sorry if it's TMI. But, I'm at the end of my time of the month, and during this time, I tend to crave chocolate. Over the weekend, I gave in to my craving and DID eat a second slice of cake (I had one in the late AM, and one before bed). So, by giving in, I gave fat brain a foothold back into my life. Big Mistake. I WILL NOT let it take over again.
I think the biggest thing, when dealing with Fat Brain, is to recognize when you're being tempted, and to walk away. If you have a support group at home, and you know you need the help, ask for it. I know my husband is NOT afraid to call me out if I'm eating something unhealthy, that I'm not supposed to. Use whatever help you can to keep yourself on track. You've got this. :)
~♥~
Lady D
Monday, June 12, 2017
Dietitian One on One
Well, my dietitian appointment went well today. She was happy to see that I've lost 12 lbs. since I saw her last. Looked through my food journal, checked out my vitamins, and said that everything looked good. I told her about my one big non-compliance with the diet, which is my fruit addiction. I do two servings of fruit per day instead of the one that they recommend, but she was kind of on the same page with me with that. The reason that I do it is that it's keeping me from eating chocolate, or other non-compliant items. And since, right now at least, I'm still showing weight loss, it's not too bad of a thing. She seemed surprised that I went cold turkey on all carbs, but as I said here before, with me it's an all or nothing deal. Again, I use the gateway drug analogy... a slice of bread today, a whole chocolate cake tomorrow.
She told me that the rest of my classes would be in the classroom, and to keep up the good work! I see the psychologist on Saturday, and since my labs are already done, after seeing the psychologist (unless he has other recommendations), the only other thing I'll have to do is finish my classes. I'm well on my way in my journey, that's for sure. It's going to be a long journey, but, 3 months have passed since my seminar. So, not as long as it really seems. How are your Mondays going?
~♥~
Lady D
She told me that the rest of my classes would be in the classroom, and to keep up the good work! I see the psychologist on Saturday, and since my labs are already done, after seeing the psychologist (unless he has other recommendations), the only other thing I'll have to do is finish my classes. I'm well on my way in my journey, that's for sure. It's going to be a long journey, but, 3 months have passed since my seminar. So, not as long as it really seems. How are your Mondays going?
~♥~
Lady D
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Diet Compliant Chocolate Cake... :)
So, I found a recipe on my surgeon's Facebook page for a flourless, sugarless, chocolate cake that I was allowed to have. I decided to try and make it, and honestly, it's not that bad. So, here are the pictures. 
This is the cake in batter form. I don't own a food processor, so I used my stand mixer on speed 10 to get an ok consistency. It's kind of like the cake has coconut in it... (Since the cake is made mainly from black beans, it's the shells of the beans that give it that consistency) It's also not super sweet. I used Splenda, and followed the recipe. I think next time I'm going to double the amount of Splenda that I used to see if that makes it at all sweeter.
All in all, the cake is NOT bad. And it totally satisfies my chocolate craving, which right now was getting bad. :/ I am looking up more bariatric-friendly recipes on Pinterest today, so, wait for more recipes. :)
I see the dietitian tomorrow for my one on one. I'm excited to meet with her to see how she thinks I'm doing. I just have to remember to bring my vitamins with me. I think I'm going to take pictures of my vitamins tonight in case I forget to grab them in the morning. :)
~♥~
Lady D
I see the dietitian tomorrow for my one on one. I'm excited to meet with her to see how she thinks I'm doing. I just have to remember to bring my vitamins with me. I think I'm going to take pictures of my vitamins tonight in case I forget to grab them in the morning. :)
~♥~
Lady D
Friday, June 9, 2017
Stress and Hard Times
**Comments are turned off for this post due to the sensitive nature of the post**
So, life is hard. I know! What a shock, right?!
Something I haven't talked about a lot yet is the hard times. I was going back through my blog, and as I was reading it, I was like... wow, I sound like I'm really handling this well. And honestly, the diet part of this process, I am indeed handling well. But the psychological side is tough sometimes. I get inside my head a lot, and I just don't want to talk to anyone or see anyone. Mainly, when I do this, I'm thinking about... what if this doesn't work? What if I go through all this, and it just... doesn't work for me? I mean, the logical part of my brain of course tells me that it already IS working, since I've lost almost 30 lbs. so far. I also know that post-op, I will indeed lose a lot of weight. A LOT of weight. So, yes, logically I know it will work. But there's a part of me that's scared that it won't. Not that I'll go back to my old eating habits or anything like that, just that, I'll do all of this, and I won't lose the weight.
Another part is, I'm a little afraid of losing so much weight. I know that inside I'll be the same, but, what if I don't like the new me? I was actually getting to a point in my life where I was ok with the way I looked. I was ok with my body shape and type. And then, since my health was going downhill, I had to make this change. So, as I said, what if I don't like the new me? Don't worry, I'm not going to change my mind about going through this for that reason. It's just something my mind turns to.
Now, I'm not like this all the time, or even a majority of the time. But, I do get this way. And it's tough. It's really tough. Honestly, what I usually do when I get like this is go take a "melt your face off" (my husband's term) shower, and just get back into a good headspace. Or, I have him hold me, or, we take a walk, or play a video game, or, I play with my daughter. I do something to get my mind on other things. This process is definitely a life altering process. And it's something they don't want you going into lightly. That's why they have you take a MINIMUM of 3 classes with the dietitian, and they have you meet with a psychologist. My program also has a clinical social worker on staff to help if you need it as well. They literally want you to succeed.
It's good as well, knowing that I have such an awesome tight-knit support group in my family and friends. I have so many people that want to see me succeed with this... it helps. A lot. I love you all for it. *e-hug*
So, just remember, please, if this is a journey that you are on, or considering, that as upbeat as I sometimes seem on here, it's not all sunshine and rainbows for me either. This is the fight of my life. It is literally the hardest thing I've done to date... But it's going to be totally worth it in the end. And if this IS something that you're on or considering, and something you too are dealing with, comment on a different post, or PM me on facebook, or Text me, or smoke signal me. ;) I'd be a sympathetic ear, or a shoulder to cry on if you need it. You're not alone.
~♥~
Lady D
So, life is hard. I know! What a shock, right?!
Something I haven't talked about a lot yet is the hard times. I was going back through my blog, and as I was reading it, I was like... wow, I sound like I'm really handling this well. And honestly, the diet part of this process, I am indeed handling well. But the psychological side is tough sometimes. I get inside my head a lot, and I just don't want to talk to anyone or see anyone. Mainly, when I do this, I'm thinking about... what if this doesn't work? What if I go through all this, and it just... doesn't work for me? I mean, the logical part of my brain of course tells me that it already IS working, since I've lost almost 30 lbs. so far. I also know that post-op, I will indeed lose a lot of weight. A LOT of weight. So, yes, logically I know it will work. But there's a part of me that's scared that it won't. Not that I'll go back to my old eating habits or anything like that, just that, I'll do all of this, and I won't lose the weight.
Another part is, I'm a little afraid of losing so much weight. I know that inside I'll be the same, but, what if I don't like the new me? I was actually getting to a point in my life where I was ok with the way I looked. I was ok with my body shape and type. And then, since my health was going downhill, I had to make this change. So, as I said, what if I don't like the new me? Don't worry, I'm not going to change my mind about going through this for that reason. It's just something my mind turns to.
Now, I'm not like this all the time, or even a majority of the time. But, I do get this way. And it's tough. It's really tough. Honestly, what I usually do when I get like this is go take a "melt your face off" (my husband's term) shower, and just get back into a good headspace. Or, I have him hold me, or, we take a walk, or play a video game, or, I play with my daughter. I do something to get my mind on other things. This process is definitely a life altering process. And it's something they don't want you going into lightly. That's why they have you take a MINIMUM of 3 classes with the dietitian, and they have you meet with a psychologist. My program also has a clinical social worker on staff to help if you need it as well. They literally want you to succeed.
It's good as well, knowing that I have such an awesome tight-knit support group in my family and friends. I have so many people that want to see me succeed with this... it helps. A lot. I love you all for it. *e-hug*
So, just remember, please, if this is a journey that you are on, or considering, that as upbeat as I sometimes seem on here, it's not all sunshine and rainbows for me either. This is the fight of my life. It is literally the hardest thing I've done to date... But it's going to be totally worth it in the end. And if this IS something that you're on or considering, and something you too are dealing with, comment on a different post, or PM me on facebook, or Text me, or smoke signal me. ;) I'd be a sympathetic ear, or a shoulder to cry on if you need it. You're not alone.
~♥~
Lady D
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Surgeon Consult
Well, the surgeon's consult was a very short visit, indeed about 15-20 mins. The only bad part was that my surgeon was running a bit late. When I got to the office, there were 4 people in the waiting room ahead of me, and I got there at about 1:10 (my appointment was for 1:30). It really didn't take them long to get me back. When they took me back, they had me step on an uber scale, that not only measured weight, but BMI, Fat %, and several other measurements. They also took a waist measurement.
After that, I got to the exam room, and they asked me all of my medications, if I had any reactions to anesthesia (my epidural made me itch like crazy!), and some family history questions. Then she (the MA) took my vitals and left. And then I waited. And waited. And waited. I debated on asking what was taking so long, but I didn't want to be THAT patient. Finally, at 2:30, I decided to make sure I hadn't been forgotten. I was in luck, and the MA that took me back was in the hallway. She apologized and said the surgeon was running behind because of rounds, but that she'd be with me any minute. Literally, that second, my surgeon grabbed my folder from the holder on the wall, and walked in. LOL.
The meeting with the surgeon as I said was short. She took some notes from my chart, asked me what had brought me to make this decision, we talked about which surgery was better for me (she and I both agree on RNY [they prefer to call it gastric bypass I guess]), and she said she thinks I'll do great with it. She told me that surgery would only take an hour to an hour and a half, and then I would be in the hospital 1-2 nights depending on how I was feeling. As I said, a quick visit, but a productive one. I don't know when I see her next, but there's no point in me really seeing her again until right before surgery, so, probably not until surgery is scheduled (after my classes are done in September, and all my tests are done, and insurance has officially approved). Anyways, on to a new day today. :)
~♥~
Lady D
After that, I got to the exam room, and they asked me all of my medications, if I had any reactions to anesthesia (my epidural made me itch like crazy!), and some family history questions. Then she (the MA) took my vitals and left. And then I waited. And waited. And waited. I debated on asking what was taking so long, but I didn't want to be THAT patient. Finally, at 2:30, I decided to make sure I hadn't been forgotten. I was in luck, and the MA that took me back was in the hallway. She apologized and said the surgeon was running behind because of rounds, but that she'd be with me any minute. Literally, that second, my surgeon grabbed my folder from the holder on the wall, and walked in. LOL.
The meeting with the surgeon as I said was short. She took some notes from my chart, asked me what had brought me to make this decision, we talked about which surgery was better for me (she and I both agree on RNY [they prefer to call it gastric bypass I guess]), and she said she thinks I'll do great with it. She told me that surgery would only take an hour to an hour and a half, and then I would be in the hospital 1-2 nights depending on how I was feeling. As I said, a quick visit, but a productive one. I don't know when I see her next, but there's no point in me really seeing her again until right before surgery, so, probably not until surgery is scheduled (after my classes are done in September, and all my tests are done, and insurance has officially approved). Anyways, on to a new day today. :)
~♥~
Lady D
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Pictures and Surgeon Consult
So, on Facebook, I've started posting update photos. I'm not sure how often to post them... I posted our trip to the zoo, where I was 23 lbs. down (I put 20, for ease of numbers), but now I'm 28 lbs. down. Should I post every 10 lbs.? 20? I'm just not sure how often. Oh well, I'm sure I'll figure it out. So, if you're a pictures person, I have an album on my Facebook page titled "My Weight Loss Journey" with update pictures. Feel free to take a look. :)
I'm very excited and a little nervous about today. Today is my initial surgeon's consult. I'm not sure what to expect, but it's apparently a super short appointment... online it says it's scheduled as a 15 minute appointment, which is why I didn't ask my husband to take off work to come to it with me. It's at 1:30 today. Depending on if it's really a 15 minute appointment, or how long it takes, I'll be coming back to work. If it takes too long, I'll just call it a day. We'll see. I weighed myself this morning with my new scale (which works great, by the way...), and I'm interested to see how it compares with the doctor's scale. We'll see. Anyways, that's about all I've got right now. :)
~♥~
Lady D
I'm very excited and a little nervous about today. Today is my initial surgeon's consult. I'm not sure what to expect, but it's apparently a super short appointment... online it says it's scheduled as a 15 minute appointment, which is why I didn't ask my husband to take off work to come to it with me. It's at 1:30 today. Depending on if it's really a 15 minute appointment, or how long it takes, I'll be coming back to work. If it takes too long, I'll just call it a day. We'll see. I weighed myself this morning with my new scale (which works great, by the way...), and I'm interested to see how it compares with the doctor's scale. We'll see. Anyways, that's about all I've got right now. :)
~♥~
Lady D
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Another success! :)
Put another notch into the success column. I went to put on a pair of jean shorts today, and the pair I grabbed were a size 22. I knew I had dropped a size into 24, but I was like, what the hell? We'll give it a shot. So, I tried them on. Guess what? They fit. They were a little snug, but not uncomfortably so. So, I can officially say I've dropped two pants sizes. I'm at least down one size in tops too. :) And 23 lbs down overall. Go me.
~♥~
Lady D
~♥~
Lady D
Thursday, June 1, 2017
Protein Shakes
Welcome to June! Where has this year gone? O.O
Well then... my first experience with protein shakes is meh. I bought some Quest protein powder that I made a shake of this morning. It tastes.... okay, but, the consistency is strange. I'm sure it will get better when I get my blender bottle. I spaced that I was going to need a blender bottle when I bought my powder. I'm having a vanilla shake this morning, and, heh, as you can see below, it doesn't look too appetizing.
What do I mean by it only tastes ok? Well, I've never had whey protein shakes before, and there's a... flavor that I can't describe to it. It's not horrible, and honestly, after the first 5-10 sips, I'm already getting used to it. But it's definitely something to get used to... I'm not a fan of the smell though. Someone on my support group Facebook page said that she puts a lid on hers and drinks it through a straw. The lid thing is helping for sure. :) I made vanilla this morning, and I brought chocolate for lunch, so, we'll see if the chocolate is any better.
As I said, the consistency is my big thing... I was expecting something along the lines of a Slim Fast shake, but, no, this is THICK. It's closer to drinking an actual milkshake, and honestly, all I did was mix the powder and water. They do recommend mixing it in a blender for the best consistency, which is why I'm hoping my blender bottle will be a bit better...
I did order some Quest protein bars yesterday! I'm excited, because from what I'm reading, all their bars taste AMAZING. And they have such awesome flavors: Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Chocolate Chip, Double Chocolate Chunk, Strawberry Cheesecake, S'Mores, Cinnamon Roll, Blueberry Muffin, Mocha Chip, Mint Chocolate Chip, PB&J, PB Chocolate, White Chocolate Raspberry, Rocky Road, and tons and tons more. I personally ordered the Cinnamon Roll bars to start, since I made Cinnamon Rolls for a co-worker's birthday yesterday. :) I'm excited to try them.
Do any of you eat protein bars/drink protein shakes? What are your favorite brands?
***UPDATE*** So, I brought one serving of each chocolate and vanilla to work today. And the more I drank the vanilla, the more I realized just no. LOL. But the chocolate, which I had for lunch, was really good! Again, it didn't mix well, since I didn't have it in a blender bottle, but, it tastes good. So, chocolate is in, vanilla is out. :)
~♥~
Lady D
Well then... my first experience with protein shakes is meh. I bought some Quest protein powder that I made a shake of this morning. It tastes.... okay, but, the consistency is strange. I'm sure it will get better when I get my blender bottle. I spaced that I was going to need a blender bottle when I bought my powder. I'm having a vanilla shake this morning, and, heh, as you can see below, it doesn't look too appetizing.
What do I mean by it only tastes ok? Well, I've never had whey protein shakes before, and there's a... flavor that I can't describe to it. It's not horrible, and honestly, after the first 5-10 sips, I'm already getting used to it. But it's definitely something to get used to... I'm not a fan of the smell though. Someone on my support group Facebook page said that she puts a lid on hers and drinks it through a straw. The lid thing is helping for sure. :) I made vanilla this morning, and I brought chocolate for lunch, so, we'll see if the chocolate is any better.
As I said, the consistency is my big thing... I was expecting something along the lines of a Slim Fast shake, but, no, this is THICK. It's closer to drinking an actual milkshake, and honestly, all I did was mix the powder and water. They do recommend mixing it in a blender for the best consistency, which is why I'm hoping my blender bottle will be a bit better...
I did order some Quest protein bars yesterday! I'm excited, because from what I'm reading, all their bars taste AMAZING. And they have such awesome flavors: Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Chocolate Chip, Double Chocolate Chunk, Strawberry Cheesecake, S'Mores, Cinnamon Roll, Blueberry Muffin, Mocha Chip, Mint Chocolate Chip, PB&J, PB Chocolate, White Chocolate Raspberry, Rocky Road, and tons and tons more. I personally ordered the Cinnamon Roll bars to start, since I made Cinnamon Rolls for a co-worker's birthday yesterday. :) I'm excited to try them.
Do any of you eat protein bars/drink protein shakes? What are your favorite brands?
***UPDATE*** So, I brought one serving of each chocolate and vanilla to work today. And the more I drank the vanilla, the more I realized just no. LOL. But the chocolate, which I had for lunch, was really good! Again, it didn't mix well, since I didn't have it in a blender bottle, but, it tastes good. So, chocolate is in, vanilla is out. :)
~♥~
Lady D
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