Frustration!!

It's been a few days since I posted and it is partly because I guess I am having my first plateau or as everyone in wls land seems to call them, my first stall :(  I know I shouldn't weigh every day but I just can't help myself!  Sunday - 202, Monday - 202, Tuesday - 202, Wednesday - 202 and today, Thursday - 202 and just in case you missed that I am stuck at 202!  LOL!  I'm really okay because I know it will move, it has too because most days I am lucky to get in 600 calories.  Maybe I am in that boat where my poor body says, "Hey, if this is all you're going to give me then I am going to hold on to this fat for dear life!"  I have heard people say to eat more or drink more water but for right now I'm going to wait it out.  In fact I am believing that tomorrow will be the big day and I will drop into "Onederland"!  Hey, it could happen :) 

So Tuesday night my brother-in-law was in town from AZ for work and we went to dinner.  We went to Red Robin and I checked the menu out before hand and knew what I was going to have.  I ordered the Chicken Tortilla soup without the tortilla strips on it.  I asked them for a to go container when I ordered and I put half the bowl of soup in the container immediately.  It was pretty good, not hot enough for me because I like soup really hot and I know I was very light on my protein for the day because there were only maybe 3  little pieces of chicken in there but it felt good to go to a restaurant with family and have something to eat and do okay.  One of my grandsons was there and sat next to me and we played the games on the kid's menu which kept me distracted and not feeling deprived at all.  Anytime spent with a grandchild is better than eating anyway in my book.  Love, love, love my grandchildren!

I have a really goofy look on my face but if you look at the before picture at the beginning page of the blog you can see I have lost a substantial amount from then.

That is all for today, peeps!  Hope everyone has a great night!

         Wisdom can be found everywhere!

Found this online and it is much better than anything I have to say today.  I will aspire to not make these mistakes.  I hope this helps someone else too!

1^st Mistake: Not Taking Vitamins, Supplements, or MineralsEvery WLS patient has specific nutritional needs depending on the type of surgery you have had. Not only is it a good idea to ask your surgeon for guidelines, but also consult with an experienced WLS nutritionist. Understand there is not a standard practice that all surgeons and nutritionists follow in guiding WLS patients. So, it is important to do your own research, get your lab tests done regularly, and learn how to read the results. Some conditions and symptoms that can occur when you are deficient in vitamins, supplements, or minerals include: Osteoporosis; pernicious anemia; muscle spasms; high blood pressure; burning tongue; fatigue; loss of appetite; weakness; constipation and diarrhea; numbness and tingling in the hands and feet; being tired, lethargic, or dizzy; forgetfulness, and lowered immune functioning. Keep in mind, too, that some conditions caused by not taking your vitamins, supplements, or minerals are irreversible.
2^nd Mistake: Assuming You Have Been Cured of Your Obesity  
A "pink cloud" or honeymoon experience is common following WLS. When you are feeling better than you have in years, and the weight is coming off easily, it's hard to imagine you will ever struggle again. But unfortunately, it is very common for WLS patients to not lose to their goal weight or to regain some of their weight back. A small weight regain may be normal, but huge gains usually can be avoided with support, education, effort, and careful attention to living a healthy WLS lifestyle. For most WLSers, if you don't change what you've always done, you're going to keep getting what you've always gotten -- even after weight loss surgery.
3^rd Mistake: Drinking with Meals 
Yes, it's hard for some people to avoid drinking with meals, but the tool of not drinking with meals is a critical key to long-term success. If you drink while you eat, your food washes out of your stomach much more quickly, you can eat more, you get hungry sooner, and you are at more risk for snacking. Being too hungry is much more likely to lead to poor food choices and/or overeating.
4^th Mistake: Not Eating Right
Of course everyone should eat right, but in this society eating right is a challenge. You have to make it as easy on yourself as possible. Eat all your meals--don't skip. Don't keep unhealthy food in sight where it will call to you all the time. Try to feed yourself at regular intervals so that you aren't as tempted to make a poor choice. And consider having a couple of absolutes: for example, avoid fried foods completely, avoid sugary foods, always use low-fat options, or only eat in a restaurant once a week. Choose your "absolutes" based on your trigger foods and your self knowledge about what foods and/or situations are problematic for you.
5^th Mistake: Not Drinking Enough Water 
Most WLS patients are at risk for dehydration. Drinking a minimum of 64 oz. of water per day will help you avoid this risk. Adequate water intake will also help you flush out your system as you lose weight and avoid kidney stones. Drinking enough water helps with your weight loss, too.
6^th Mistake: Grazing 
Many people who have had WLS regret that they ever started grazing, which is nibbling small amounts here and there over the course of the day. It's one thing to eat the three to five small meals you and your doctor agree you need. It's something else altogether when you start to graze, eating any number of unplanned snacks. Grazing can easily make your weight creep up. Eating enough at meal time, and eating planned snacks when necessary, will help you resist grazing. Make a plan for what you will do when you crave food, but are not truly hungry. For example, take up a hobby to keep your hands busy or call on someone in your support group for encouragement.
7^th Mistake: Not Exercising Regularly 
Exercise is one of the best weapons a WLS patient has to fight weight regain. Not only does exercise boost your spirits, it is a great way to keep your metabolism running strong. When you exercise, you build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn, even at rest!
8^th Mistake: Eating the Wrong Carbs (or Eating Too Much)
Let's face it, refined carbohydrates are addictive. If you eat refined carbohydrates they will make you crave more refined carbohydrates. There are plenty of complex carbohydrates to choose from, which have beneficial vitamins. For example, if you can handle pastas, try whole grain Kamut pasta--in moderation, of course. (Kamut pasta doesn't have the flavor some people find unpleasant in the whole wheat pastas.) Try using your complex carbohydrates as "condiments," rather than as the center point of your meal. Try sprinkling a tablespoon of brown rice on your stir-fried meat and veggies.
9^th Mistake: Going Back to Drinking Soda 
Drinking soda is controversial in WLS circles. Some people claim soda stretches your stomach or pouch. What we know it does is keep you from getting the hydration your body requires after WLS--because when you're drinking soda, you're not drinking water! In addition, diet soda has been connected to weight gain in the general population. The best thing you can do is find other, healthier drinks to fall in love with. They are out there.
10^th Mistake: Drinking Alcohol 
If you drank alcohol before surgery, you are likely to want to resume drinking alcohol following surgery. Most surgeons recommend waiting one year after surgery. And it is in your best interest to understand the consequences of drinking alcohol before you do it. Alcohol is connected with weight regain, because alcohol has 7 calories per gram, while protein and vegetables have 4 calories per gram. Also, some people develop an addiction to alcohol after WLS, so be very cautious. Depending on your type of WLS, you may get drunker, quicker after surgery, which can cause health problems and put you in dangerous situations. If you think you have a drinking problem, get help right away. Putting off stopping drinking doesn't make it any easier, and could make you a lot sicker

                       This and That

Life is such a learning experience and having wls starts you off on a whole new learning curve.  One thing I have learned is that it is much easier to try to blog every few days rather than every day or even every other day.  I am a very interesting person (LOL!) but even I don't have that much to say that anyone cares to hear!

A few things to tell you though.  I have a guy friend that had wls last Tues. 9/24.  Turns out the surgery that should've taken about 3 hours took them 10 hours and he has 8 incisions.  Obviously  he had major complications of some sort.  I do not know what happened yet but will post more when I know more.  He is only in his late 20's so age was not a factor.

I went to Pizza Hut on Friday night after my grandson's football game.  It was an interesting experience.  We were with the family of my 14 y/o granddaughter's boyfriend.  I looked at what they had on the salad bar and I looked at the menu and there was really absolutely nothing I felt I could or should eat at this stage in the journey so I just sipped on a large glass of ice water. The table was soon covered with pizza, calzones, breadsticks, marinara sauce and salad bar plates.  I looked at this couple that I just met and said, "Please don't think I am totally strange for not eating but I had gastric bypass a month ago and there is really nothing I can have and I am fine with just my water." Well, God works in mysterious ways and this young gentleman says, "Oh wow, I had the lap band done about a year ago and I have lost 140 pounds!" Suddenly I had a whole bunch of interesting things in common to talk to this couple about and it made it so much easier to sit there while they were all eating.  I felt a little bit sad and deprived but not majorly so and I got through it.  I had eaten my last little meal at about 2pm and it was about 10pm when I got home and I just don't like to eat that late so I didn't.  I was a bit light on my protein for the day as a result but I just figure if it doesn't happen often I will be okay. 

Then last night we went to my brother's for dinner and a movie.  They had spaghetti, garlic bread and a raw veggie tray.  I just figured I was not going to eat again but then my niece and my brother remembered they had some frozen meatballs and we nuked one for me and put a teeny bit of spaghetti sauce on top.  I cut it into about 30 pieces and it took me longer to eat my little meatball than all the rest of them to eat their plateful of spaghetti and bread.  I was completely satisfied, it was something new for me to eat and later when they broke out all the movie candy I pulled out my little sugar free chocolate pudding cup and slowly savored it.  Yay!  I can survive anything!!

Friday I went to the thrift store and purchased 2 pair of jeans and a really cute pink and brown warm-up suit in a size 18.  I was originally a 22 pants and 2x top.  I have found a few XL tops to get me by for a bit.  A size 18 may still be a big size by some standards but to me it feels like a size 6 right now!  That is kind of funny because I will never wear a size 6, I am just too large boned, just ask my size 11 shoes, lol!  But I will be ecstatic if I can get down to maybe a size 12 one day.  One day at a time, right??!!

                      Why do I overeat?

I have been thinking a lot about obesity, why some of us choose to eat too much, whether it is addiction or addictive personality, etc.  And of course, that is leading me down the path of trying to figure out why I overeat, when I began to overeat, when I first realized I was fat.  I have 3 brothers and none of them are obese.  All of them have had short periods of time where they got a little overweight but they took control, lost the weight, and have stayed pretty fit and healthy.  Why am I different?

We grew up pretty poor and food was sometimes kind of scarce.  The food we did have to eat was not of great quality and our mom was not a good cook.  I was pretty skinny as a child and I don't remember food being much of an issue.  I was very active, always outdoors, always playing, running, riding bikes, you name it so I probably would've been skinny no matter what we had to eat.  I remember lots and lots of bologna.  To this day I don't like it, had enough as a kid I guess.  I remember being upset when dad butchered our rabbits and made Hasenpfeffer.  But other than those 2 memories I don't recall much surrounding food.

When I eloped with DH at 16 I was pretty thin.  We hardly had 2 pennies to rub together and ate cheap.  Lots of things made with ground beef, hot dogs, that sort of thing.  We were in the military and made very little money and had to stretch it between paydays.  I was still pretty thin and even after my daughter who was born when I was 17, I still didn't have a weight problem.  I guess it was after my eldest son was born when I was 22 that I began to pack on the pounds.  I was a stay at home mom and I didn't have a car so I guess I began to use food as a companion.  I would bake a lot, especially cookies and when the kids would nap I would get a big glass of milk and a plateful of cookies and watch TV while I scarfed them down without paying much attention to what I was doing.  Mindless eating...I think that has been part of my downfall and I am still struggling with it.  For at least 40 years I have been eating while watching television, reading a book or doing something on the computer.  It is hard to change habits that have continued for that long.  I still find myself doing it and it is a big no-no on the list of things I have to do for my success.

I don't have any answers for you as to what was making me overeat for so many years.  I am and will continue to explore and try to recognize what it is that causes me to do it and if I come up with any answers, you, my blog readers, will be the first to know!

                     Day 26 Post-Op

Coming up on 4 weeks since the surgery.  Some days it feels like it has been a long time and I have to remind myself that this is still new.  I kind of messed up but not in a  bad way.  I have been doing 2 weeks of the pureed diet but when I re-read my info it says I only do 1 week of pureed.  It certainly hasn't hurt me but I am ready for more normal texture and perhaps more choices.  I will be moving to the soft phase of the eating plan.  No more having to make everything the texture of baby food or applesauce, yay!

I have been struggling a little with some head hunger.  Just normal life situations, for example, yesterday DH made baby back ribs for the rest of the family.  Several hours of slow cooking with that wonderful smell permeating the entire house.  I caught myself imagining trying to eat some of them.  But after a few minutes and a little self-talk I was okay.

Then today we went to my grandson's football game.  Afterwards they all wanted to go to Cold Stone Creamery.  My oldest son, Eric, is dieting so at least I didn't have to be the only one not indulging.  It was a little bit hard.  My granddaughter, Kaitlin, had a Chai flavored ice cream in one of those chocolate dipped waffle bowls.  That would've been my container of choice back in the day.  My Kaitlin is a beautiful 14 y/o dancer and has that body.  It was interesting to watch her eat her ice cream.  I would've eaten every bite and also consumed the entire chocolate waffle bowl but she ate some of the ice cream and nibbled on the edges of the waffle bowl.  She left most of it for the trash.  I keep reminding myself that is how thin people eat.  The lesson I took away from the experiences is that this is still going to be really hard.  Up until now I haven't really thought that much about food other  than the things I can currently have but I have to live in the real world and figure out ways not to feel so deprived in situations like this.  Don't get me wrong, I was fine, I got through it but it was a wake up call for the rest of my life.

Today my weight was 204.8 so I have officially hit the 40 pounds lost mark!  What I am really having a hard time with is the fact that I don't feel so much better.  I guess that somehow I thought my fibromyalgia and my painful joints and my energy level (read that as, having no energy at all) would improve or maybe go away.  And they still might but I am sad that I don't feel a lot better yet.  I just thought I would.  I am getting all my vitamins every day.  I am getting at least  60 grams of protein so I don't know.  DH wants me to talk to the docs about it so I guess I will...eventually. 

I know this wasn't a very uplifting post and that is just not me.  Perhaps I am going through some of what the gals at www.bariatrictv.com call wls puberty.  Apparently your hormones are carried in your fat cells and when you lose weight you get a sudden influx of those hormones to your system.  I am sure feeling emotional the last few days so maybe that is what it is.  I  will keep you posted, my friends.

                          Diabetes

Diabetes...really one of the worst diseases out there.  Why is it so bad?  Well, let's see...it causes heart problems, it can cause blindness, it can cause you to lose limbs, usually legs, it can shut down your kidneys, it causes neuropathy in your feet and elsewhere.  And that is just some of the complications.  Now diabetes is not just a disease of the obese, I know lots of obese folks who do not have diabetes (yet) but if you have a genetic tendency to high blood sugars and you become obese you are at a much higher risk.  I was diagnosed with diabetes about 17 years ago.  Over the years since that diagnosis my blood sugars and therefore my blood tests around the diabetes have grown progressively worse.  At the time I first went to see my surgeon, Dr. Joshua Long, I was on Metformin, taking four 500mg. tablets per day, I was on glimepiride, taking two 4mg tablets a day, I was on Victoza, taking an injection of 1.8 units daily and I was injecting 44 units of insulin twice a day.  I have read that many diabetics are able to go off their meds with some of them never taking anymore once they leave the hospital.  My doctor told me that surely my diabetes would improve but because I have had it for so long odds weren't real good that I would be one of those people.  Well, boys and girls, I am here to tell you that as of 2 days ago I am off all of the above mentioned medications. !! Yes, that's right, all of them!  My blood sugars, which used to run as high as nearly 500 are now stable at 80 - 120 most of the time.  My endocrinologist said even if I have an occasional blood sugar as high as 160, not to worry because as more of my weight comes off those should be a thing of the past.  All I can say is...Woo hoo!!  For those of you reading this who suffer from diabetes, there is hope! 

On a lighter note, I am getting into trouble as far as having any clothes to wear.  I have long since given away anything any smaller than a size 20 pants or a 2x top and those are getting really baggy.  I can take all of my size 20 jeans off without unbuttoning them.  So my dear, sweet niece told me she had a bunch of clothes she would bring over that she can no longer wear due to her weight gain. I was so excited.  Day before yesterday, her dad, my brother, brought them by.  I spent a couple hours going through 4 large bins of clothes.  The 1st bin contained all size 10's, the 2nd bin all size 12's and the other 2 bins contain a bit of both of those sizes and some large sizes.  Well, as much as I wish that those would fit me now, we all know you don't go right from a 20 to a 10, there has to be all those in-between sizes first so as cute as many of those clothes are I will have to wait.  And to add to the humor I have to tell you...Okay, when it comes to boobs the good Lord just did not bless me with much and no matter how much weight I gain it does not go to my chest.  I have a B-cup and I just go from a 36-B to a 38-B to a 40-B, etc., as I need more to go around under the bust.  My niece had about 5 bras in the bins that are too small for her now.  I had to look.  They are 40-DD's.  My hubby can only dream, lol! 

Down to 206 today, which means 1 more pound and I will have lost 40!  I can see those 100's coming!  I have seen on a lot of blogs where they call it "Onederland"  I am so excited and have to come up with a non-food way to celebrate! 

Thanks for listening again today, my friends, see ya' soon!

                           Ah, exercise! 

I have never been a really active person as an adult.  As a kid I was never still, I was a major tomboy and I climbed trees, rode bikes, played crazy games and kept myself moving all the time.  I don't know what happened but except for spurts of activity over the years I just haven't exercised much at all.  Now here I am, 63 years old, just had gastric bypass and I absolutely have to exercise to help get the weight off and more importantly, to keep it off!  But here's the rub; I am now so disabled that I can't do much of anything.  I am making a big effort though.  I walk on my treadmill about 10 minutes.  Before surgery I was getting close to 15 but I have had to kind of start over at the 1 minute point and I am getting to the 10 regularly.  Most active people just won't get this, I know.  I am on 2 liters of oxygen so that slows me down a little but the main issue is my back and my joints.  I have had a knee and a hip replaced and I need the other knee and hip replaced.  My replaced knee hurts more than the one I haven't had done so I am not rushing to have another major surgery that might not give me positive results anyway.  I walk with a cane and I cannot walk very far or stand up for very long because of something I have in my spine called lumbar stenosis.  My prayer is that losing a lot of weight will ease up the pressure on my back and my joints so much that it won't be such an issue.  Time will tell and in the interim I am trying to be faithful to my good old treadmill.  One of the blogs I love is http://www.300poundsdown.com/.  It was the first blog I ever read and Holly continues to inspire me every day.  In the beginning she could only walk to her mailbox but she did that and gradually she made it to the next mailbox and then the next.  She continued to push herself and at some point on her journey she has run a 5K and she has lost about 240 pounds so far.  I have age and physical limitations to fight against, she had a lot more pounds to deal with than I do but the point is to do a little and then do a little more and keep increasing as you can.  I just saw this article at The American Journal of Health Promotion about a study that has proven that even little short bouts of exercise are beneficial.  Yay!  Good news, huh?  If you'd like to read it here is the link.  http://www.ajhpcontents.com/doi/abs/10.4278/ajhp.120606-QUAL-286  So if you struggle like I do to move for whatever the reason, just do a little.  It counts!

On the weight loss front I am down another pound or so.  I was stuck for a few days.  My weight this morning was 208 down from 245.  That is 37 pounds so far!  Woo hoo! I am such a slave to the scale!  I hope I can someday become the person who only gets on once a week but for now I can't seem to stop myself.  That scale just stares at  me and says, "Ah come on, you  know you have to check!"  And I give in to it, lol!