Yesterday, I want to my local German Deli and brought home some yummy goodness. When ever I go I pick up a few packages of Weisswurst, which is a German sausage made out of veal and parsley. They are surprisingly healthy for a sausage since they are made from veal, they fill you up, and are really delicious. I would highly recommend trying them, and the place that I would recomment getting them from is Binkerts.com
Binkerts is the German deli that I have been going to forever, and they make everything taste almost exactly like it does in Germany.
Life has been hectic to say the least, but its been a good hectic. According to my scale, I am now 245.00, and I am thrilled about it. I'm really really looking forward to going to the beach this year, and looking at least somewhat normal. By the time we go I should be even below 200lbs, and ecstatic!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Recipes Anyone?
The weather was absolutely miserable here today. Rainy with thunderstorms for most of it, and overcast and just plain gloomy the rest of the time. Yet again I was stumped on what to make for dinner, and so I decided to go with something easy, warm, yummy, and yes, even low calorie. I chose to make potsticker soup. I have no clue why, but this weather always puts me in the mood for soup, and potsticker soup happens to be one of my favorites.
I choose to use the Ling Ling brand potstickers that I get from Costco, and some home made broth that I usually make in big batches and freeze in Ziploc bags to simplify things a little bit.
Potsticker soup is great because you can add pretty much anything to it that you'd like. If you ever try it, experiment with different veggies, you really cant go wrong here, because its all about personal taste. A lot of people really enjoy putting shredded bok choy in it, but its not something I care for all that much.
Harley is doing amazing, and is really picking up quickly on this whole leash thing. Both dogs are getting along perfectly, and I really couldn't be happier about that. Tomorrow I want to try taking them to a very small local beach for a nice walk and some play time. I can tell though, that one of these days Harley is going to make an excellent walking partner.
Anyways, I really wanted to ask you guys for a favor, nothing elaborate or huge, but a favor nonetheless. I am currently working on making my own little personal collection of healthy recipes. I was wondering if some of you all would be willing to send me in a recipe for a dish that you enjoy that is healthy (either low cal, low carb, low sugar, sugar free, etc). I will personally try each and every one of them, and am even willing to post the best recipe here on my blog if you'd like! Feel free to email them to me at Gastricbypassblogger081@gmail.com
Thank you!!
I choose to use the Ling Ling brand potstickers that I get from Costco, and some home made broth that I usually make in big batches and freeze in Ziploc bags to simplify things a little bit.
Potsticker soup is great because you can add pretty much anything to it that you'd like. If you ever try it, experiment with different veggies, you really cant go wrong here, because its all about personal taste. A lot of people really enjoy putting shredded bok choy in it, but its not something I care for all that much.
Harley is doing amazing, and is really picking up quickly on this whole leash thing. Both dogs are getting along perfectly, and I really couldn't be happier about that. Tomorrow I want to try taking them to a very small local beach for a nice walk and some play time. I can tell though, that one of these days Harley is going to make an excellent walking partner.
Anyways, I really wanted to ask you guys for a favor, nothing elaborate or huge, but a favor nonetheless. I am currently working on making my own little personal collection of healthy recipes. I was wondering if some of you all would be willing to send me in a recipe for a dish that you enjoy that is healthy (either low cal, low carb, low sugar, sugar free, etc). I will personally try each and every one of them, and am even willing to post the best recipe here on my blog if you'd like! Feel free to email them to me at Gastricbypassblogger081@gmail.com
Thank you!!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Harley's Healthy!
We took Harley (our new puppy dog) to the vet yesterday morning, and I am happy to announce that she is HEALTHY! She's currently being de-wormed, but other than that she is in great shape.
In hopes of trying to teach her to walk on her leash, I decided to take her on a walk with our Beagle last night. I thought it might help her to learn by example, and it actually did! We didnt go very far, because I didnt want to push my luck, but she did follow Dodgers example on the leash. I tried to walk her again without him, but she went right back to her old ways and refused to walk on the leash. Looks like I'm going to have to walk the two of them together from now on.
In hopes of trying to teach her to walk on her leash, I decided to take her on a walk with our Beagle last night. I thought it might help her to learn by example, and it actually did! We didnt go very far, because I didnt want to push my luck, but she did follow Dodgers example on the leash. I tried to walk her again without him, but she went right back to her old ways and refused to walk on the leash. Looks like I'm going to have to walk the two of them together from now on.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Walking Partner
When it comes to exercising, I've noticed that my motivation is sooo much higher when I have someone to do it with. Working out with someone is always better than working out alone.
This morning, my husband and I went to our local animal shelter and adopted a 4 month old black lab mix. We already have a 2 year old Beagle, but we made the decision to add a larger dog to our family as well for a few reasons, one of them being that we wanted a larger dog, and another reason being that I wanted a walking partner. Now, before you all start wondering why I couldn't just walk with the Beagle, let me answer that for you.... Our Beagle is not an average sized Beagle, he's pretty small in fact. He was born the runt of his litter, and had a ton of health problems. We spent almost the whole entire first year of his life getting him healthy. I guess its because he's small but he just doesn't have the energy to walk the long distances that I would like to walk. We've also had a recent increase in muggings in the area, and my tiny little Beagle isn't exactly a deterrent, he doesn't quite strike fear into the heart of anyone, but if I was a mugger I would think twice about approaching someone with a strange, large black dog.
We named her Harley, and she is absolutlely adorable. She does come with a set of challanges though, she needs all of her vaccinations, she needs to be spayed, and she has what I suspect is a massive worm problem. We have a vet appointment set up for her for first thing tomorrow morning, so we can get her the help she needs. Her physical problems can be taken care of, and she will be just fine. She does have other issues though, that we need to work on... she doesnt know how to walk on a leash... I mean it literally. If you put a leash on her and try to walk her she just lays down and wont budge. She is incredibly shy (and yes, I do mean shy, not skiddish), so it takes her a few minutes to warm up to you (she has gotten a lot better with me since I have been home with her today, but we'll see if she warms up to my husband when he gets home form work tonight.) She is also not potty trained, and since she never had a name before, she doesnt respond to that either.
Yes, she does have her issues, but she will be soooo worth it in the end. We all fell in love with her the moment that we saw her, and I will have to snap a picture of her so you all can see our new addition.
I'm so excited about getting Harley rehabed and going on those nice long walks with her. I really do think she will make an excellent walking partner.
This morning, my husband and I went to our local animal shelter and adopted a 4 month old black lab mix. We already have a 2 year old Beagle, but we made the decision to add a larger dog to our family as well for a few reasons, one of them being that we wanted a larger dog, and another reason being that I wanted a walking partner. Now, before you all start wondering why I couldn't just walk with the Beagle, let me answer that for you.... Our Beagle is not an average sized Beagle, he's pretty small in fact. He was born the runt of his litter, and had a ton of health problems. We spent almost the whole entire first year of his life getting him healthy. I guess its because he's small but he just doesn't have the energy to walk the long distances that I would like to walk. We've also had a recent increase in muggings in the area, and my tiny little Beagle isn't exactly a deterrent, he doesn't quite strike fear into the heart of anyone, but if I was a mugger I would think twice about approaching someone with a strange, large black dog.
We named her Harley, and she is absolutlely adorable. She does come with a set of challanges though, she needs all of her vaccinations, she needs to be spayed, and she has what I suspect is a massive worm problem. We have a vet appointment set up for her for first thing tomorrow morning, so we can get her the help she needs. Her physical problems can be taken care of, and she will be just fine. She does have other issues though, that we need to work on... she doesnt know how to walk on a leash... I mean it literally. If you put a leash on her and try to walk her she just lays down and wont budge. She is incredibly shy (and yes, I do mean shy, not skiddish), so it takes her a few minutes to warm up to you (she has gotten a lot better with me since I have been home with her today, but we'll see if she warms up to my husband when he gets home form work tonight.) She is also not potty trained, and since she never had a name before, she doesnt respond to that either.
Yes, she does have her issues, but she will be soooo worth it in the end. We all fell in love with her the moment that we saw her, and I will have to snap a picture of her so you all can see our new addition.
I'm so excited about getting Harley rehabed and going on those nice long walks with her. I really do think she will make an excellent walking partner.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Mmmm Healthy Lasagna
Sorry I havent posted in what seems like forever, but google has been giving me a hard time. I purchased my own domain name to host my blog through google, and its not letting me transfer everything over like it originally told me I could. I didnt disappear, or give up on the blog, I'm still here, I promise. I have just been trying to find a way to make it work with the domain name that I purchased so my money wouldnt have ended up essentially flushed down the toilet. Well, as you can see, I couldnt make it work, and google wasnt being very helpful at all, so I finally decided to just throw in the towel and give it up.
I stepped on the scale this morning, and am excited to say that I am now 253.0, which is a huuuuge deal to me, because this is something that I havent weighed since before my 3 year old was born. I can see in the mirror that I am getting more of a shape to my body, rather than just being a shapeless blob of fluff. I can actually fit well into a size xl pants and a size large for tops now. I'm very very excited about that.
Two days ago, I found a FANTASTIC farmers market with TONS of fresh produce (at a very reasonable price too may I add), so I stocked up. I found a fantastic recipe online for Lasagna using zucchini instead of pasta. I will admit that at first my husband and I were pretty skeptical, and didn't have very high hopes for how this would taste, but it turned out amazingly well! It tastes even better the next day. The only problem that we encountered was that it would turn out a little watery because of all of the water that the zucchini would lose in the cooking process. Not sure what I'm going to do to fix that yet, but I'm currently brainstorming ideas. I will absolutely post the recipe (with a few little things changed here and there) once I figure out how to get rid of the watery-ness.
I stepped on the scale this morning, and am excited to say that I am now 253.0, which is a huuuuge deal to me, because this is something that I havent weighed since before my 3 year old was born. I can see in the mirror that I am getting more of a shape to my body, rather than just being a shapeless blob of fluff. I can actually fit well into a size xl pants and a size large for tops now. I'm very very excited about that.
Two days ago, I found a FANTASTIC farmers market with TONS of fresh produce (at a very reasonable price too may I add), so I stocked up. I found a fantastic recipe online for Lasagna using zucchini instead of pasta. I will admit that at first my husband and I were pretty skeptical, and didn't have very high hopes for how this would taste, but it turned out amazingly well! It tastes even better the next day. The only problem that we encountered was that it would turn out a little watery because of all of the water that the zucchini would lose in the cooking process. Not sure what I'm going to do to fix that yet, but I'm currently brainstorming ideas. I will absolutely post the recipe (with a few little things changed here and there) once I figure out how to get rid of the watery-ness.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Lobster Video
After getting pretty busy yesterday, I decided just to make a simple soup for dinner. I did go out today though, to pick up the ingredients for the dish that I posted on Friday. My husband isnt getting home until late tonight, so we will be having a pretty late dinner tonight. I am ahead of the game though, and I have most of the prep work for dinner done and waiting for me to finish it up. I'm really excited about trying it, and I hope that its good.
I still have not gone to the gym lately and I find myself coming up with all sorts of excuses. The truth is that I guess I have been feeling a bit depressed lately. I'm not sure why, or even what I can do to make it all better, but for now, I think I'm just going to let things work themselves out.
I posted a link on youtube of my husband and I cooking the lobsters, if anyone is curious enough to check it out. Its a few minutes of entertainment to fill a few minutes of empty time in your day, and if you want to check it out, here is the link to my page:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Gastricbypassblogger?feature=mhum
I still have not gone to the gym lately and I find myself coming up with all sorts of excuses. The truth is that I guess I have been feeling a bit depressed lately. I'm not sure why, or even what I can do to make it all better, but for now, I think I'm just going to let things work themselves out.
I posted a link on youtube of my husband and I cooking the lobsters, if anyone is curious enough to check it out. Its a few minutes of entertainment to fill a few minutes of empty time in your day, and if you want to check it out, here is the link to my page:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Gastricbypassblogger?feature=mhum
Friday, March 25, 2011
Cooking
Sorry I havent gotten a chance to post sooner, but thinks have been absolutely crazy here! My husband had a major exam he needed to take that was required to pass for his job, so I was helping him study, while also dealing with a very very sick dog, and potty training our daughter. Enough said?
Ok then, moving on.... I am thrilled with how much weight I have lost in the two weeks since my husband and I went to Atlantic City. I am down to 261.3, so that's about 15 lbs. Whoo hoo!!!
I am running a bit behind today, and, even as I'm sitting here typing this, I have no idea what I'm going to do about dinner tonight for my husband and myself. My daughter ate her dinner a little while ago, so at least that is taken care of.
I'm thinking I want to do something with onions, but I feel like I have made everything healthy that there is to make with onions, and am completely tapped out of ideas. Any suggestion?
I bought the Hungry Girl 200 Under 200 book today, and after flipping through it for a good amount of time this afternoon, I can honestly say that I'm not too thrilled with what is has to offer. I probably wouldn't recommend it to anyone interested in getting it, but then again I'm sure there are some people out there who would feel differently.
I wish I could find a cook book out there written by, and written for someone who has had gastric bypass surgery. Dont get me wrong, I have found a lot of recipes online, but I would definitely be interested in purchasing a book containing the tried, true, and tested recipes.
Anyways, while I'm not sure what I"m going to do for dinner tonight, I do have dinner for tomorrow night planned out. I found this recipe on Bariatriceating.com and it looks awesome.
Lets see how it turns out.
Ok then, moving on.... I am thrilled with how much weight I have lost in the two weeks since my husband and I went to Atlantic City. I am down to 261.3, so that's about 15 lbs. Whoo hoo!!!
I am running a bit behind today, and, even as I'm sitting here typing this, I have no idea what I'm going to do about dinner tonight for my husband and myself. My daughter ate her dinner a little while ago, so at least that is taken care of.
I'm thinking I want to do something with onions, but I feel like I have made everything healthy that there is to make with onions, and am completely tapped out of ideas. Any suggestion?
I bought the Hungry Girl 200 Under 200 book today, and after flipping through it for a good amount of time this afternoon, I can honestly say that I'm not too thrilled with what is has to offer. I probably wouldn't recommend it to anyone interested in getting it, but then again I'm sure there are some people out there who would feel differently.
I wish I could find a cook book out there written by, and written for someone who has had gastric bypass surgery. Dont get me wrong, I have found a lot of recipes online, but I would definitely be interested in purchasing a book containing the tried, true, and tested recipes.
Anyways, while I'm not sure what I"m going to do for dinner tonight, I do have dinner for tomorrow night planned out. I found this recipe on Bariatriceating.com and it looks awesome.
Lets see how it turns out.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Just A Though
Last night we had our lobster dinner.... It was fun, but I've discovered that I just don't care for lobster anymore. Its too meaty, if that makes any sense. I honestly think I will always prefer crab meat, its just a bit more tender which I like a little better. It went well though, and we had fun both cooking it and eating it.
On another note, I wanted to address something that I have gotten a surprising amount of emails on. A lot of people have emailed me and said that the surgery has ruined their lives because they cant handle the eating requirements. A shocking amount of people email me saying that the surgery hasn't worked for them and they are getting sick from dumping syndrome on a daily basis because they cant make time in their lives to eat anything other than fast food. Really people? Really? I mean c'mon, if really really ticks me off to hear people trash the surgery like this because they wont make the choices to live healthier lives. The surgery is NOT a magical cure-all. Its not going to help you fix yourself, if you don't put any effort into it.
EVERYONE knew that they were going to have to make changes, EVERYONE is informed of this before surgery. In fact most bariatric surgeons make their patients agree to their new eating rule, and living a healthier lifestyle before they will even schedule the surgery. If you knew that you couldn't comply with the program then why would you have the surgery in the first place? You were warned of the consequences if you continued to eat unhealthy, so don't act surprised when you get sick after eating a double quarter pounder.
Even if you don't have time to cook your meal yourself, and you are forced to get something from a fast food restaurant, most fast food places have healthier alternatives nowadays. Salads, apples, etc.
Sorry for the mini rant, but I just cant stand to constantly hear people blame the surgery for their bad choices. The most important thing to remember is that this surgery is just a TOOL, and just like with any other tool, its up to you to use it to appropriately.
On another note, I wanted to address something that I have gotten a surprising amount of emails on. A lot of people have emailed me and said that the surgery has ruined their lives because they cant handle the eating requirements. A shocking amount of people email me saying that the surgery hasn't worked for them and they are getting sick from dumping syndrome on a daily basis because they cant make time in their lives to eat anything other than fast food. Really people? Really? I mean c'mon, if really really ticks me off to hear people trash the surgery like this because they wont make the choices to live healthier lives. The surgery is NOT a magical cure-all. Its not going to help you fix yourself, if you don't put any effort into it.
EVERYONE knew that they were going to have to make changes, EVERYONE is informed of this before surgery. In fact most bariatric surgeons make their patients agree to their new eating rule, and living a healthier lifestyle before they will even schedule the surgery. If you knew that you couldn't comply with the program then why would you have the surgery in the first place? You were warned of the consequences if you continued to eat unhealthy, so don't act surprised when you get sick after eating a double quarter pounder.
Even if you don't have time to cook your meal yourself, and you are forced to get something from a fast food restaurant, most fast food places have healthier alternatives nowadays. Salads, apples, etc.
Sorry for the mini rant, but I just cant stand to constantly hear people blame the surgery for their bad choices. The most important thing to remember is that this surgery is just a TOOL, and just like with any other tool, its up to you to use it to appropriately.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Lobster Dinner
My husband is working late tonight, and doesn't have to be into work until late tomorrow, so I'm planning a nice surprise dinner for us tonight. I'm making butterflied lobster tails topped with jumbo lump crab meat, with a salad and roasted cherry tomatoes on the side (yum).
I took my daughter out to the grocery store to get what I needed, this afternoon after my husband left for work. I decided to be brave and get two live lobsters instead of the typical blah frozen lobster tails that you get from the grocery store freezer. This will be my first time cooking a live lobster, and I must admit I have no idea what I'm doing in that regard. I've been scouring the internet, so I'm fairly confident that I'll have some idea what to do when I get ready to cook them.
One of the main reasons that I chose to do a seafood dinner (other than that I'm completely addicted to most shellfish), is that its HEALTHY! Shellfish are generally low calorie, yummy, sources of high amounts of protein. They are a great choice for a healthy dinner! If anyone has a good shellfish recipe I'd love for you to send them to me.
I had my very first roasted cherry tomato when I was in Atlantic City last week, and I absolutely fell in love. I have been dying to have more since I've been home, so I just had to but the tomatoes so that I could make them with dinner tonight. I know that this isn't the first, or probably even the second time that I have raved about the awesomeness of tomatoes, but they really really are good for you, and you should try them!
On a seperate note, I got on the scale this morning and I am down to 267.8. Sweet! The initial exeitement after the surgery of seeing your weight drop NEVER ends. Every time I see the number on the scale drop lower I just feel amazing. Its like a high. I dont think I'll ever get tired of that feeling.
I took my daughter out to the grocery store to get what I needed, this afternoon after my husband left for work. I decided to be brave and get two live lobsters instead of the typical blah frozen lobster tails that you get from the grocery store freezer. This will be my first time cooking a live lobster, and I must admit I have no idea what I'm doing in that regard. I've been scouring the internet, so I'm fairly confident that I'll have some idea what to do when I get ready to cook them.
One of the main reasons that I chose to do a seafood dinner (other than that I'm completely addicted to most shellfish), is that its HEALTHY! Shellfish are generally low calorie, yummy, sources of high amounts of protein. They are a great choice for a healthy dinner! If anyone has a good shellfish recipe I'd love for you to send them to me.
I had my very first roasted cherry tomato when I was in Atlantic City last week, and I absolutely fell in love. I have been dying to have more since I've been home, so I just had to but the tomatoes so that I could make them with dinner tonight. I know that this isn't the first, or probably even the second time that I have raved about the awesomeness of tomatoes, but they really really are good for you, and you should try them!
On a seperate note, I got on the scale this morning and I am down to 267.8. Sweet! The initial exeitement after the surgery of seeing your weight drop NEVER ends. Every time I see the number on the scale drop lower I just feel amazing. Its like a high. I dont think I'll ever get tired of that feeling.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Healthy Snacks
Well, we made it home form Atlantic City on Friday safe and sound.
As soon as I got home I went on the scale and discovered I had lost a little more than 5 lbs while I was gone. I am now 269.5 Wow. I thought for sure that I wouldn't have lost an ounce while I was away because of how high in calories the food at most restaurants tend to be, and not to mention my stupid Cheeto incident on Tuesday night. I am absolutely elated and as crazy as this is going to sound, being in the 260's feels a million times better than being in the 270's.
Last night I made the roast chicken again. I was really looking forward to eating it, but by the time it was done I just didnt feel good, and decided I would have some of it for lunch today. I ended up having it for breakfast instead and it was awesome!
This morning I decided to make my first trip into Aldi. I have seen ads and commercials for it before, but today I finally decided to check it out. One thing I can say for sure is you get a lot more bang for your buck there, and with the price of a lot of produce items going up it was nice to finally be able to save some money. Before having Gastric Bypass, eating fresh produce wasn't something I really enjoyed, and it certainly wasnt my first choice if I wanted a snack. Nowadays however, I am becoming a produce lover. Fresh tomatoes are really good for you, especially with all of the Lycopene they have in them, and they are one of my favorite go to foods if I want a little snack. I like to slice them and them sprinkle just a little bit of salt over the slices. Its really refreshing and if you're craving something a little salty it'll do the trick. Another favorite is cucumber slices (either with or without the salt).
One thing is for sure, and I know I have said this before, and will probably say it many many times over again, but this surgery is a catalyst for almost a complete change. If you would have told be a year ago, that my favorite snack would be a veggie, I would have looked at you like you're completely clueless. In all seriousness though, you should try it, great snack and very very healthy.
As soon as I got home I went on the scale and discovered I had lost a little more than 5 lbs while I was gone. I am now 269.5 Wow. I thought for sure that I wouldn't have lost an ounce while I was away because of how high in calories the food at most restaurants tend to be, and not to mention my stupid Cheeto incident on Tuesday night. I am absolutely elated and as crazy as this is going to sound, being in the 260's feels a million times better than being in the 270's.
Last night I made the roast chicken again. I was really looking forward to eating it, but by the time it was done I just didnt feel good, and decided I would have some of it for lunch today. I ended up having it for breakfast instead and it was awesome!
This morning I decided to make my first trip into Aldi. I have seen ads and commercials for it before, but today I finally decided to check it out. One thing I can say for sure is you get a lot more bang for your buck there, and with the price of a lot of produce items going up it was nice to finally be able to save some money. Before having Gastric Bypass, eating fresh produce wasn't something I really enjoyed, and it certainly wasnt my first choice if I wanted a snack. Nowadays however, I am becoming a produce lover. Fresh tomatoes are really good for you, especially with all of the Lycopene they have in them, and they are one of my favorite go to foods if I want a little snack. I like to slice them and them sprinkle just a little bit of salt over the slices. Its really refreshing and if you're craving something a little salty it'll do the trick. Another favorite is cucumber slices (either with or without the salt).
One thing is for sure, and I know I have said this before, and will probably say it many many times over again, but this surgery is a catalyst for almost a complete change. If you would have told be a year ago, that my favorite snack would be a veggie, I would have looked at you like you're completely clueless. In all seriousness though, you should try it, great snack and very very healthy.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Rain and Nothing....
Tonight is our last night here at Atlantic City. I can honestly say I am ready to go home. New Jersery has issued a state of emergency because of all of the rain we're getting here, so I'm not looking forward to the drive out of here tomorrow.
I can honestly say I am proud of myself, because I have been making great choices in regards to the foods I have been eating (expect for the first night here).
I thought I would have a ton of energy to write out this blog to you guys and tell you all about everything, but I am exhausted, so I'm going to go to sleep for the night and I will update this tomorrow.
I can honestly say I am proud of myself, because I have been making great choices in regards to the foods I have been eating (expect for the first night here).
I thought I would have a ton of energy to write out this blog to you guys and tell you all about everything, but I am exhausted, so I'm going to go to sleep for the night and I will update this tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Uh Oh
I'm here! Atlantic City! I have waited all year long to come back here again and I can honestly say that I feel a million times better about myself and how I look being here than I did last year. I can wear better clothes, and I dont have to worry about looking like a shapeless blob, which is how I felt about myself last year.
Last night I had 3 large shrimp and a little bit of crab in a green salad for dinner, so I think that was a pretty heathy choice. After dinner, my husband and I sat down at the slots to do some playing, and when the waitress came around I decided that I would enjoy myself... I mean afterall it is vacation. I ordered a white wine, and that one turned into 3. Boy oh boy... alcohol sure does effect you differently after having Gastric Bypass. After the first drink I could really feel it, but I was enjoying the enviroment, doing well at the slots, and so I figured I might as well get a few more.
Now, the average glass of wine has just a little over 100 calories in it, and about 5 grams or sugar. So, I figure I had about 300 calories anc 15 grams of sugar. Ouch. I normally dont enjoy drinking my calories, so I'm not to thrilled about that.
It gets worse though....
Naturally, after drinking as much as I did, I wasnt exactly thinking clearly. I was a little hungry and at the time I thought Cheetos were an acceptable choice.... Ugh. BIG MISTAKE. I have no idea how many calories worth of Cheetos I ate, but I would say about 200 - 300 if I had to guess. The combination of the wine and the Cheetos gave me an aweful stomach ache and I just went straight to sleep for the rest of the night.
Today, I am kicking myself for my bad decisions last night, and it is certainly not something I am going to be doing again. As long as I can remember that sick feeling I got from that unheathy junk I will not want to make myself feel like that again. Not to mention that the drinking last night left me completely dehydrated this morning. Not a good feeling either.
Last night I had 3 large shrimp and a little bit of crab in a green salad for dinner, so I think that was a pretty heathy choice. After dinner, my husband and I sat down at the slots to do some playing, and when the waitress came around I decided that I would enjoy myself... I mean afterall it is vacation. I ordered a white wine, and that one turned into 3. Boy oh boy... alcohol sure does effect you differently after having Gastric Bypass. After the first drink I could really feel it, but I was enjoying the enviroment, doing well at the slots, and so I figured I might as well get a few more.
Now, the average glass of wine has just a little over 100 calories in it, and about 5 grams or sugar. So, I figure I had about 300 calories anc 15 grams of sugar. Ouch. I normally dont enjoy drinking my calories, so I'm not to thrilled about that.
It gets worse though....
Naturally, after drinking as much as I did, I wasnt exactly thinking clearly. I was a little hungry and at the time I thought Cheetos were an acceptable choice.... Ugh. BIG MISTAKE. I have no idea how many calories worth of Cheetos I ate, but I would say about 200 - 300 if I had to guess. The combination of the wine and the Cheetos gave me an aweful stomach ache and I just went straight to sleep for the rest of the night.
Today, I am kicking myself for my bad decisions last night, and it is certainly not something I am going to be doing again. As long as I can remember that sick feeling I got from that unheathy junk I will not want to make myself feel like that again. Not to mention that the drinking last night left me completely dehydrated this morning. Not a good feeling either.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
No Gym On Saturdays
Well, I did infact end up going to the gym today, but I sure didnt end up working out. My husband and I went there this morning with our daughter in hopes of getting in a good workout.
We stayed for all of two minutes and then left. I sure picked a heck of a day to revive my gym enthusiasim. It was PACKED full of people. Every single machine had people working out on it and most of them even had people waiting. Realistically, with a 3 year old, we just couldnt wait, not to mention that even if she wasnt with us, my husband wouldnt have had the patience to wait either. So, naturally you would think that I would have come home to atleast use my trusty exercise bike... nope. I didnt do that either. Today was, for the most part, a lazy day. I did a little bit of work around the house and took my daughter out to do some shopping, but other than that there was nothing too exciting going on around here.
I'm not sure if its just me, or if other Gastric Bypass patients have noticed this as well, but medication seems to work better/faster for me now. I had a headache earlier, and I couldnt find my trusty Aleve. All that was available was my husbands Tylenol. Now, Tylenol never has worked for me in the past, I have no idea why, but it just has never done the job. Seeing as how I had no other choice, I figured I might as well try again and see if I could find some relief. For the first time in my life the Tylenol worked for me... and it worked WELL. Not only did the low dose completely relieve the pain from my headache but it did it quicker than any medication ever did before my surgery. I have noticed this, not just with the Tylenol, but with almost every other medication I have taken since the surgery. Maybe medications are now absorbed faster by my body, in the same way that alcohol would be? Who knows, but whatever the reason was, this is absolutely a plus.
We stayed for all of two minutes and then left. I sure picked a heck of a day to revive my gym enthusiasim. It was PACKED full of people. Every single machine had people working out on it and most of them even had people waiting. Realistically, with a 3 year old, we just couldnt wait, not to mention that even if she wasnt with us, my husband wouldnt have had the patience to wait either. So, naturally you would think that I would have come home to atleast use my trusty exercise bike... nope. I didnt do that either. Today was, for the most part, a lazy day. I did a little bit of work around the house and took my daughter out to do some shopping, but other than that there was nothing too exciting going on around here.
I'm not sure if its just me, or if other Gastric Bypass patients have noticed this as well, but medication seems to work better/faster for me now. I had a headache earlier, and I couldnt find my trusty Aleve. All that was available was my husbands Tylenol. Now, Tylenol never has worked for me in the past, I have no idea why, but it just has never done the job. Seeing as how I had no other choice, I figured I might as well try again and see if I could find some relief. For the first time in my life the Tylenol worked for me... and it worked WELL. Not only did the low dose completely relieve the pain from my headache but it did it quicker than any medication ever did before my surgery. I have noticed this, not just with the Tylenol, but with almost every other medication I have taken since the surgery. Maybe medications are now absorbed faster by my body, in the same way that alcohol would be? Who knows, but whatever the reason was, this is absolutely a plus.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Motivation
For the past couple of weeks I have been putting off making my appointment with my surgeon and my nutritionist. I know that its something that I should do, but I feel like I have let it go for so long now that I'm honestly almost embarrassed to call. Its completely irrational, but I'm just worried about being looked at as irresponsible for not having made my appointment sooner, when I should have. Oh well, I'll get around to it one of these days soon.
I have been buying a ton of new clothes lately, and I know its something that I really should try to avoid doing when I still have so much left to lose. Before I had the surgery I was a tight size 28, and now I'm an 18. It feels good to be able to shop in regular stores again! I keep looking forward to going to the beach with my husband and daughter this summer, because I can only imagine how much better I will look by then, and the types of clothes I will be able to wear.
This truly has been an amazing 6 months, and I never ever thought I would lose as much as I already have this fast. 120lbs is a lot of weight to lose in a year, and I have managed to lose it in 6 months!!! I am still blown away by that fact. No matter what obstacles this surgery has thrown at me, I still consider this the best thing I could have ever done for myself. Its absolutely worth it.
I do have a confession to make though... I have been slacking a little bit when it comes to going to the gym to work out. I have a gym membership at Bally's and I love it there, tons of different equipment, and even a little play center to drop my daughter off at while I work out. I just haven't been able to find the motivation to go there lately. I have an exercise bike at home, and that is where I have been burning the calories, but I just know the workout is no where near as good as the one I would be getting at the actual gym. I'm trying to talk my husband (who doesn't need to lose any weight) into going with me tomorrow, because maybe having a workout buddy this time will re-spark my interest. He seems ok with the idea but isnt overly excited either. My daughter on the other hand is looking forward to going to the play center and getting some quality fun time in with other kids.
I WILL go tomorrow. I WILL. I need to use the elliptical, and do some weight training. After all I am paying for this membership and I really shouldn't let the money just go down the drain like this.
What does everbody else to do maintain they motivation? I've heard that some people keep a mental image in their mind of what they would like to look like and just focus on that, but the truth is that I have never had an image of what I would like to look like. Well not a realistic one at least. Every time a watch a movie, and see thin, attractive women, I think to myself that that is what I want to look like, but they are normally supermodel size, and I know that that is just not what I will look like. Who know, I guess with enough hard work anything is possible. We will just have to see. One thing is for sure though, I cant wait to see just how this story will end.
I have been buying a ton of new clothes lately, and I know its something that I really should try to avoid doing when I still have so much left to lose. Before I had the surgery I was a tight size 28, and now I'm an 18. It feels good to be able to shop in regular stores again! I keep looking forward to going to the beach with my husband and daughter this summer, because I can only imagine how much better I will look by then, and the types of clothes I will be able to wear.
This truly has been an amazing 6 months, and I never ever thought I would lose as much as I already have this fast. 120lbs is a lot of weight to lose in a year, and I have managed to lose it in 6 months!!! I am still blown away by that fact. No matter what obstacles this surgery has thrown at me, I still consider this the best thing I could have ever done for myself. Its absolutely worth it.
I do have a confession to make though... I have been slacking a little bit when it comes to going to the gym to work out. I have a gym membership at Bally's and I love it there, tons of different equipment, and even a little play center to drop my daughter off at while I work out. I just haven't been able to find the motivation to go there lately. I have an exercise bike at home, and that is where I have been burning the calories, but I just know the workout is no where near as good as the one I would be getting at the actual gym. I'm trying to talk my husband (who doesn't need to lose any weight) into going with me tomorrow, because maybe having a workout buddy this time will re-spark my interest. He seems ok with the idea but isnt overly excited either. My daughter on the other hand is looking forward to going to the play center and getting some quality fun time in with other kids.
I WILL go tomorrow. I WILL. I need to use the elliptical, and do some weight training. After all I am paying for this membership and I really shouldn't let the money just go down the drain like this.
What does everbody else to do maintain they motivation? I've heard that some people keep a mental image in their mind of what they would like to look like and just focus on that, but the truth is that I have never had an image of what I would like to look like. Well not a realistic one at least. Every time a watch a movie, and see thin, attractive women, I think to myself that that is what I want to look like, but they are normally supermodel size, and I know that that is just not what I will look like. Who know, I guess with enough hard work anything is possible. We will just have to see. One thing is for sure though, I cant wait to see just how this story will end.
Eating Out
I went out to dinner the other day and I noticed that a lot of restaurants have started to put calories on the menu. I love this and hate it at the same time.I love that it allows you to make a smart choice, but at the same time, I kinda liked not knowing. I don't go out to dinner too often (with a toddler that doesn't like to sit still its kind of difficult to enjoy), and so when I do, it's kinda like a special little treat. I take those time to have something that I like without worrying too much about counting calories and worrying about making super healthy choices. My absolute favorite thing to eat out is a chicken Caesar salad. Ouch. I mean I've always known that they weren't necessarily the best thing to order, but I never knew just how bad they were! I saw the calorie count for the Caesar salad and it was 1250!!! Yikes! Thats more than I eat in a whole day on a normal basis! So, disappointed, I glanced at the rest of the menu and I can honestly say that about 90 percent of the things on the menu were about 1000 calories or higher! Holy cow! Seriously?? I ended up ordering the salad anyways, and I justify it by telling myself that I dont even come close to eating the whole thing anyways so it would be ok.
Next time I go out to eat though, I will have to make a healthier choice, and I'm ok with that. Thats just one of the things that comes with my new lifestyle -making healthier choices.
Its got me thinking though.... are there any places to go and enjoy a dinner out where they prepare healthy, low calorie meals? I'll be looking around for them from now on, and I hope I'll be able to find a few in my area.
Today, I found out for sure that my plateau is absolutely over. I stepped on the scale this morning and it said 272. Whoo-hoo! Thank God! I'm hoping that I wont have one of those for a while, it really wears on your nerves, and after a few days you start to get discouraged. Its hard sometimes to remind yourself that this too shall pass and it is indeed a normal part of the weight loss process.
Next time I go out to eat though, I will have to make a healthier choice, and I'm ok with that. Thats just one of the things that comes with my new lifestyle -making healthier choices.
Its got me thinking though.... are there any places to go and enjoy a dinner out where they prepare healthy, low calorie meals? I'll be looking around for them from now on, and I hope I'll be able to find a few in my area.
Today, I found out for sure that my plateau is absolutely over. I stepped on the scale this morning and it said 272. Whoo-hoo! Thank God! I'm hoping that I wont have one of those for a while, it really wears on your nerves, and after a few days you start to get discouraged. Its hard sometimes to remind yourself that this too shall pass and it is indeed a normal part of the weight loss process.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Superfoods and Shopping Smart
This journey is all about learning to eat heathy, and that includes making extra smart choices at the supermarket. I know it wouldnt surprise you if I told you that fruits and veggies are extremely good for you, I mean, after all, our parents have been encouraging us to eat them ever since we were tots. However, there are some fruits and veggies that are just better for you than the others. We're going to go ahead and call them superfoods! Here are some things to consider when you make your next shopping list:
Blueberries - Blueberries are a wonderful source of potassium, vitamin c, and phytoflavinoids; which can help you lower your cholesterol and also act as an anti-inflammatory. The also have anti-oxidants which can help keep your cells healthy.
Beans - Beans are packed full of fiber and just one cup of them can help you get more than half of your daily requirements.
Broccoli - Broccoli has a TON of vitamin C, folic acid, and calcium. This veggie can help boost your immune system and help prevent cancer.
Chili Peppers - Chili peppers have twice as much vitamin C as citrus fruits and can help prevent cancer, act as an anti-inflammatory and help keep you healthy in general.
Oats - Oats are packed full of vitamin E, thiamine, phosphorus, zinc and a good amound of magnesium. They can help stabalize your blood sugar, and lower both your cholesterol and you risk of heart disease.
Spinach - Spinach is packed full of vitamin K and protein. It is extremely efficient in woring to keep your body healthy.
Tomatoes - Tomatoes are stuffed full of lycopene and vitamin C and can help boost your immune system greatly.
I've recently become a HUGE fan of blueberries myself, I am addicted to them, I buy them everytime I go to the grocery store. I just cant seem to get enough of them. They are a great snack if I need a little pick me up in the middle of the afternoon, and they're also a sweet treat after dinner if I want a little dessert. Ever since I have started eating them on a regular basis, I feel better physically. I seem to have more energy, my body feels better, and I'm sleeping better at night. I have no idea if the blueberries have anything to do with this, but they are the only thing that I have changed and am continuing to do on a regular basis.
On another note, about the last recipe I posted that I was planning on trying the other night.... I did try it.... However, I did NOT like it. My husband didnt like it either. He tasted it, and wouldnt even eat it.... I would NOT reccommend making it.
Blueberries - Blueberries are a wonderful source of potassium, vitamin c, and phytoflavinoids; which can help you lower your cholesterol and also act as an anti-inflammatory. The also have anti-oxidants which can help keep your cells healthy.
Beans - Beans are packed full of fiber and just one cup of them can help you get more than half of your daily requirements.
Broccoli - Broccoli has a TON of vitamin C, folic acid, and calcium. This veggie can help boost your immune system and help prevent cancer.
Chili Peppers - Chili peppers have twice as much vitamin C as citrus fruits and can help prevent cancer, act as an anti-inflammatory and help keep you healthy in general.
Oats - Oats are packed full of vitamin E, thiamine, phosphorus, zinc and a good amound of magnesium. They can help stabalize your blood sugar, and lower both your cholesterol and you risk of heart disease.
Spinach - Spinach is packed full of vitamin K and protein. It is extremely efficient in woring to keep your body healthy.
Tomatoes - Tomatoes are stuffed full of lycopene and vitamin C and can help boost your immune system greatly.
I've recently become a HUGE fan of blueberries myself, I am addicted to them, I buy them everytime I go to the grocery store. I just cant seem to get enough of them. They are a great snack if I need a little pick me up in the middle of the afternoon, and they're also a sweet treat after dinner if I want a little dessert. Ever since I have started eating them on a regular basis, I feel better physically. I seem to have more energy, my body feels better, and I'm sleeping better at night. I have no idea if the blueberries have anything to do with this, but they are the only thing that I have changed and am continuing to do on a regular basis.
On another note, about the last recipe I posted that I was planning on trying the other night.... I did try it.... However, I did NOT like it. My husband didnt like it either. He tasted it, and wouldnt even eat it.... I would NOT reccommend making it.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Low-Carb
Ok, sorry I didn't get a change to post again yesterday, but as soon as I sat down to type out the recipe I got pretty sick. One of the cons that I have noticed from having Gastric Bypass is that sometimes the "piping" just doesn't work like it used to and its easier to... ahem.... get a bit backed up. I know that was a little TMI, but its also an unfortunate truth about life after Gastric Bypass. I've been told that that problem is usually gone by the end of the first year, so I'm not too worried about that.
I got on the scale this morning, and it read 275, which is 2lbs less that what it has been saying for quite a while. Maybe that means this plateau is FINALLY over? I hope so. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what is says in a few days.
I never really realized before just how harmful carbs really are to the weight loss process. From what I've been reading, some people can get away with eating as much as 50 grams of carbs in a day and continue to lose weight, while others cant even seem to handle 10. CARBS ARE EVERYWHERE! Well, not really, but they might as well be. Carbs are even in condiments, spices, seasonings, fruits, veggies, in almost anything that would add flavor to an otherwise bland food. Now, I know you might be reading this and thinking "well, one or two here or there is no big deal." but it is! "One or two here or there" can add up very very fast, especially since most meals have way more than you would think, and before you know it, you are out of control and have had way too many carbs for someone in the process of losing weight.
Given my new found carb awareness I have been trying to figure out what to make for dinner tonight. I know, yesterday I was going to share with you a recipe for something I thought was particularly delicious, but instead of sharing that with you guys tonight, I think I will share the recipe for what I plan to make tonight. I haven't tried it yet, so I have no idea how good it is, but the reviews on it were pretty high. At only 147 calories its worth a try. I plan to add grilled chicken strips though to get my protein in, and would recommend that to all of you guys too.
LOW CARB SPAGHETTI SQUASH ALFREDO
1 cooked spaghetti squash
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons cream
1 clove of garlic minced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
To cook spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, scoop out and discard the seeds, place on greased baking sheet open side down, and bake at 375 for 40 minutes. Once the spaghetti squash comes out of the oven, allow it to cool and then scoop the "spaghetti's" out from the inside of the squash.
Combine all ingredients above (including grilled chicken slices or shrimp if desired) and cook in large skillet until the butter is melted and everything is blended.
Again, I have not tried this yet, but it did have really good reviews and seems to be extremely simple. If anyone does decide to try it, I hope you all enjoy it, and I would be very interested in hear what you all think of it, so feel free to let me know.
I got on the scale this morning, and it read 275, which is 2lbs less that what it has been saying for quite a while. Maybe that means this plateau is FINALLY over? I hope so. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what is says in a few days.
I never really realized before just how harmful carbs really are to the weight loss process. From what I've been reading, some people can get away with eating as much as 50 grams of carbs in a day and continue to lose weight, while others cant even seem to handle 10. CARBS ARE EVERYWHERE! Well, not really, but they might as well be. Carbs are even in condiments, spices, seasonings, fruits, veggies, in almost anything that would add flavor to an otherwise bland food. Now, I know you might be reading this and thinking "well, one or two here or there is no big deal." but it is! "One or two here or there" can add up very very fast, especially since most meals have way more than you would think, and before you know it, you are out of control and have had way too many carbs for someone in the process of losing weight.
Given my new found carb awareness I have been trying to figure out what to make for dinner tonight. I know, yesterday I was going to share with you a recipe for something I thought was particularly delicious, but instead of sharing that with you guys tonight, I think I will share the recipe for what I plan to make tonight. I haven't tried it yet, so I have no idea how good it is, but the reviews on it were pretty high. At only 147 calories its worth a try. I plan to add grilled chicken strips though to get my protein in, and would recommend that to all of you guys too.
LOW CARB SPAGHETTI SQUASH ALFREDO
1 cooked spaghetti squash
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons cream
1 clove of garlic minced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
To cook spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, scoop out and discard the seeds, place on greased baking sheet open side down, and bake at 375 for 40 minutes. Once the spaghetti squash comes out of the oven, allow it to cool and then scoop the "spaghetti's" out from the inside of the squash.
Combine all ingredients above (including grilled chicken slices or shrimp if desired) and cook in large skillet until the butter is melted and everything is blended.
Again, I have not tried this yet, but it did have really good reviews and seems to be extremely simple. If anyone does decide to try it, I hope you all enjoy it, and I would be very interested in hear what you all think of it, so feel free to let me know.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Sorry
Sorry I didnt post yesterday, but we had a bit of a family emergency here, and by the time I got home, I was completely exhauted and just went to bed.
Well, I'm still stuck in plateau-ville, and so far I have only had liquid today, and have upped my exercise a little bit. I have no idea if this is the right thing to do, but I'm just hoping that it will break the plateau.
Sorry if the post is a little short tonight, but, I do have a terrific recipe to share with you all tomorrow. Its healthy, and very very yummy.
Well, I'm still stuck in plateau-ville, and so far I have only had liquid today, and have upped my exercise a little bit. I have no idea if this is the right thing to do, but I'm just hoping that it will break the plateau.
Sorry if the post is a little short tonight, but, I do have a terrific recipe to share with you all tomorrow. Its healthy, and very very yummy.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Healthy Eating: FANTASTIC Roast Chicken
I have been buying healthy cooking magazines and cookbooks like crazy since having Gastric Bypass. I have amassed quite a collection if I do say so myself!
Tonight I made a WONDERFUL roast chicken! Chicken is always great, because it is extremely low in calories, very filling and helps me meet my protein requirements.
This is the fist time I have ever roasted a chicken (or anything else for that matter) and I was worried about how it might turn out. I got the recipe from the March 2011 issue of Cooking Light Magazine. Page 104 had a recipe (and tips) for a classic roast chicken that I'm going to share with your guys here.
It only has 278 calories, O carbs, and 35 grams of protein. Its a winner in my book.
My husband -who eats almost anything, but is extremely picky about what he actually likes- really enjoyed this as well. He gave it a score of 9 out of 10, and has already requested that I make it again soon.
Here is the recipe:
CLASSIC ROAST CHICKEN
1 (4 pound) whole roasting chicken
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened
1 &1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots, peeled and halved
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 lemon quartered
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Discard giblets and neck from chicken. starting at neck cavity loosen skin from breasts and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.
3. Combine butter and next 7 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl. Rub mixture under loosened skin, over flesh, rub over top of skin also. Tie ends of legs together with twine. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack; place rack in roasting pan. Place shallots, thyme sprigs, and lemon in cavity of chicken.
4. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450 (do not remove chicken); bake at 450 for 15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in meaty part of leg registers 165. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 10 minutes. Discard skin. Carve chicken. Yield 4 servings (serving size: 1 breast half or 1 leg piece).
Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes so that it can reabsorb the juices (if you cut it too soon, it will dry out).
ENJOY!!!
This is a must try for all of you chicken lovers, really, it is very good.
Now.... what's for dinner tomorrow? Hopefully this plateau will break and I wont be stuck with liquids!
Tonight I made a WONDERFUL roast chicken! Chicken is always great, because it is extremely low in calories, very filling and helps me meet my protein requirements.
This is the fist time I have ever roasted a chicken (or anything else for that matter) and I was worried about how it might turn out. I got the recipe from the March 2011 issue of Cooking Light Magazine. Page 104 had a recipe (and tips) for a classic roast chicken that I'm going to share with your guys here.
It only has 278 calories, O carbs, and 35 grams of protein. Its a winner in my book.
My husband -who eats almost anything, but is extremely picky about what he actually likes- really enjoyed this as well. He gave it a score of 9 out of 10, and has already requested that I make it again soon.
Here is the recipe:
CLASSIC ROAST CHICKEN
1 (4 pound) whole roasting chicken
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened
1 &1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots, peeled and halved
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 lemon quartered
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Discard giblets and neck from chicken. starting at neck cavity loosen skin from breasts and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.
3. Combine butter and next 7 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl. Rub mixture under loosened skin, over flesh, rub over top of skin also. Tie ends of legs together with twine. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack; place rack in roasting pan. Place shallots, thyme sprigs, and lemon in cavity of chicken.
4. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450 (do not remove chicken); bake at 450 for 15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in meaty part of leg registers 165. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 10 minutes. Discard skin. Carve chicken. Yield 4 servings (serving size: 1 breast half or 1 leg piece).
Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes so that it can reabsorb the juices (if you cut it too soon, it will dry out).
ENJOY!!!
This is a must try for all of you chicken lovers, really, it is very good.
Now.... what's for dinner tomorrow? Hopefully this plateau will break and I wont be stuck with liquids!
Plateaus
As of late my weight loss has been on a standstill. Nothing is more discouraging than a weight loss plateau! In my post yesterday about guidelines I wrote about not weighing yourself every single day... this is why. Nothing is more discouraging to someone in the weight loss process as seeing the same numbers on the scale day in, day out.
I KNOW that standstills are just a part of the process, EVERYONE who has a significant amount of weight to lose will eventually face at least one, and probably many more than that. This is not my first plateau, and I'm sure it will not be my last, but none the less it never fails to make me feel like absolute crap when it happens.
I know there are a lot of tips out there on how to break a plateau, but the fact is that everybody's body is different, and different things work for different people.
Different strokes for different folks.
I was recently given some new advice by my general doctor, that I think I might just try is my plateau is not over my Tuesday.
The suggestion is to do a liquid post op diet for 10 days and then eat nothing but protein (chicken, fish, etc) for the 48 hours following that. The change should give my body the extra little jump start that it seems like it might be needing.
When I fist saw how fast I was losing the weight, I was really looking forward to going with my family to the beach this summer. I had myself convinced that I would be down to at least 190, would look better than I had in years, and could finally enjoy my vacation without having to worry about the looks I would get from other beach goers. It was a nice fantasy, but now I'm starting to think that it was only that... a fantasy. With the way this plateau is going, there is no way that I will be below 200lbs by then.
Don't get me wrong... I am ecstatic that I have lost as much as I have, as fast as I have. I know a lot of people aren't that lucky. I guess, I'm just scared that this wont work for me. One of the main reasons that I chose to have this surgery is because I HAVE tried diets in the past and none of them have ever worked for me. I'm just worried that this will turn out to be like one of those failed diets.
I didn't have insurance to pay for this surgery, and $30,000 is a lot of money to spend on something that is no longer going to work for me.
My rational mind knows that this too shall pass, and soon enough I will be on my way down the road of weight loss again, but the pessimistic side of me is just not willing to listen to that.
See what these darn plateaus do to your mind?
I made the mistake of continuing to go on the scale every single day, and sometimes even twice a day. Darn scale!
*SIGH* THIS TOO SHALL END
I KNOW that standstills are just a part of the process, EVERYONE who has a significant amount of weight to lose will eventually face at least one, and probably many more than that. This is not my first plateau, and I'm sure it will not be my last, but none the less it never fails to make me feel like absolute crap when it happens.
I know there are a lot of tips out there on how to break a plateau, but the fact is that everybody's body is different, and different things work for different people.
Different strokes for different folks.
I was recently given some new advice by my general doctor, that I think I might just try is my plateau is not over my Tuesday.
The suggestion is to do a liquid post op diet for 10 days and then eat nothing but protein (chicken, fish, etc) for the 48 hours following that. The change should give my body the extra little jump start that it seems like it might be needing.
When I fist saw how fast I was losing the weight, I was really looking forward to going with my family to the beach this summer. I had myself convinced that I would be down to at least 190, would look better than I had in years, and could finally enjoy my vacation without having to worry about the looks I would get from other beach goers. It was a nice fantasy, but now I'm starting to think that it was only that... a fantasy. With the way this plateau is going, there is no way that I will be below 200lbs by then.
Don't get me wrong... I am ecstatic that I have lost as much as I have, as fast as I have. I know a lot of people aren't that lucky. I guess, I'm just scared that this wont work for me. One of the main reasons that I chose to have this surgery is because I HAVE tried diets in the past and none of them have ever worked for me. I'm just worried that this will turn out to be like one of those failed diets.
I didn't have insurance to pay for this surgery, and $30,000 is a lot of money to spend on something that is no longer going to work for me.
My rational mind knows that this too shall pass, and soon enough I will be on my way down the road of weight loss again, but the pessimistic side of me is just not willing to listen to that.
See what these darn plateaus do to your mind?
I made the mistake of continuing to go on the scale every single day, and sometimes even twice a day. Darn scale!
*SIGH* THIS TOO SHALL END
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Guidelines For Post-Op Success
There are so many rules to follow post Gastric Bypass it can be a bit overwhelming at first. It takes some time to get used to, but eventually they just become automatic, and before you know it they'll just be a way of life.
Rules and suggestions of Gastric Bypass:
Wear your abdominal binder for at least 60 days post op to avoid getting a hernia.
No heavy lifting for the first 3 months
Don't let your incision come in direct contact with the water stream from a shower
Get rest
Stay away from carbs
No rice, pasta, bread
Stay away from sugar
Drink your protein shakes
Stop eating when you are full
Do not drink and eat within 30 minutes of each other
Make protein your main food source
Do not snack
Try to stay away from processed foods
Keep a food journal
Be honest with your nutritionist and doctors
Don't weigh yourself every day
Exercise as much as possible
Concentrate on getting heathy, not super skinny
Dont eat right before going to sleep
Attend support group meetings if you can
These are just some of the rules that I try to live by on a daily basis. Now that I'm sitting down to actually write them, I'm so used to them that my mind seems to be just drawing a blank on anymore.
In the past 5 and a half months I have lost 116 lbs by following these guidelines. I went from 393 to 277. I have gone from a size 28, down to a size 18. I am still about 120 some lbs away from my goal weight, but already I feel a million times better than I did before the surgery.
Rules and suggestions of Gastric Bypass:
Wear your abdominal binder for at least 60 days post op to avoid getting a hernia.
No heavy lifting for the first 3 months
Don't let your incision come in direct contact with the water stream from a shower
Get rest
Stay away from carbs
No rice, pasta, bread
Stay away from sugar
Drink your protein shakes
Stop eating when you are full
Do not drink and eat within 30 minutes of each other
Make protein your main food source
Do not snack
Try to stay away from processed foods
Keep a food journal
Be honest with your nutritionist and doctors
Don't weigh yourself every day
Exercise as much as possible
Concentrate on getting heathy, not super skinny
Dont eat right before going to sleep
Attend support group meetings if you can
These are just some of the rules that I try to live by on a daily basis. Now that I'm sitting down to actually write them, I'm so used to them that my mind seems to be just drawing a blank on anymore.
In the past 5 and a half months I have lost 116 lbs by following these guidelines. I went from 393 to 277. I have gone from a size 28, down to a size 18. I am still about 120 some lbs away from my goal weight, but already I feel a million times better than I did before the surgery.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
My Adventures With RNY
Hey there, my name is Jen and a little less than 6 months ago I had Gastric Bypass (RNY to be specific.) I was 393 on the date of my surgery.
I know there are a lot of people out there who are either interested in having this done themselves or who are just plain curious about it and want to know more. Through this blog, I guess I'm hoping to be able to educate and maybe even find a way to deal with the occasional ups-and-downs of this complicated process.
A lot of people seem to think that Gastric Bypass is a quick, easy solution to the obesity problem. That simply is NOT the case. In fact its far from it. Gastric Bypass is a complete life change. If you're getting ready to have Gastric Bypass, you must prepare for not only the physical change that it will bring but the psychological and emotional ones that also tag along. Your whole life, is literally about to change in a huge way, and in order to use the tool successfully you have to be as prepared as possible.
On August 25th 2010, at Fairoaks Inova Hospital in Virginia, Dr. Anez performed the almost $30,000 surgery that would change my life as I knew it. I was at the hospital bright and early (6am) to check in, and by a little after 8am I was being taken back to the O.R. and give that wonderful stuff that would knock me out for the duration of the surgery.
Sometime around 10am I woke up in the recovery area to hear my name being called. Next to my bed was a delightful, 40-something male nurse with a protable computer cart. I was attached to the standard pulse ox, nasal canula, and IV. I was incredibly sleepy, and somewhat annoyed at being woken up. My oxygen levels were in the low 70's and they are supposed to be in the mid to high 90's, so I was told to take some deep breaths. I sharply inhaled to take what I thought was going to be a deep breath but turned out to be the beginning of a coughing fit. The nurse told me that it was ok, and not to worry because my lungs needed time recover after being intubated during surgery. I began to breath as deeply as I possibly could with out inducing more coughing, but I was so darn tired and my body was obviously more interested in sleep. I kept forgeting to breathe deep and my oxygen levels barely stayed in the upper 70's. I was told I would have to stay in recovery until I got my oxygen levels higher. At this point I was more than ready to be moved to my own room and get settled, the low oxygen levels didnt bother me, so I figured it couldnt be that bad. I didnt feel like I was having any trouble breathing, and I wasnt gasping for air or anything.
An hour and a half later I was able to get my oxygen levels into the low 80's which was good enough for them, and I FINALLY got my own room! I met my nurses, and got my pain meds. I was allowed to rest for a little while and I couldnt have been more grateful for that. Within a couple of hours I was encouraged to try and use the restroom. This would be my next big hurdle. I had to go... but to actually do it was more challenging that I ever thought it would be. THANK GOD for the grab bars on the walls or I would not have been able to sit down. I was terrified that I would rip a stitch, and all I could picture was the potential gaping would that would leave in my upper abdomen. Surely enough though, I made it through the process just fine, and without even tearing one stitch. Whoo hoo! Second battle won!
Next I was encouraged to go on a walk around the floor.... I was not looking forward to this. However, with IV pole in hand I ventured out of my room and into the hallways. It was considerably easier than I thought it was going to be, and I ended up taking 8 laps around the entire floor which was quite impressive for the same day post op.
Three days later I was doing well enough to go home!
My husband and our two year old daughter came to pick me up and bring me back home. I was given instructions not to lift anything heavier than 10lbs for 90 days and no more than 30lbs for the next month after that. I was told to wear my abdominal binder for at least 60 days, and when I took a shower I was not allowed to let my 17 stitches get hit by the stream of water from the shower.
The rules didnt end there, but its late here, and I'd better save some of the writing for tomorrow.
I know there are a lot of people out there who are either interested in having this done themselves or who are just plain curious about it and want to know more. Through this blog, I guess I'm hoping to be able to educate and maybe even find a way to deal with the occasional ups-and-downs of this complicated process.
A lot of people seem to think that Gastric Bypass is a quick, easy solution to the obesity problem. That simply is NOT the case. In fact its far from it. Gastric Bypass is a complete life change. If you're getting ready to have Gastric Bypass, you must prepare for not only the physical change that it will bring but the psychological and emotional ones that also tag along. Your whole life, is literally about to change in a huge way, and in order to use the tool successfully you have to be as prepared as possible.
On August 25th 2010, at Fairoaks Inova Hospital in Virginia, Dr. Anez performed the almost $30,000 surgery that would change my life as I knew it. I was at the hospital bright and early (6am) to check in, and by a little after 8am I was being taken back to the O.R. and give that wonderful stuff that would knock me out for the duration of the surgery.
Sometime around 10am I woke up in the recovery area to hear my name being called. Next to my bed was a delightful, 40-something male nurse with a protable computer cart. I was attached to the standard pulse ox, nasal canula, and IV. I was incredibly sleepy, and somewhat annoyed at being woken up. My oxygen levels were in the low 70's and they are supposed to be in the mid to high 90's, so I was told to take some deep breaths. I sharply inhaled to take what I thought was going to be a deep breath but turned out to be the beginning of a coughing fit. The nurse told me that it was ok, and not to worry because my lungs needed time recover after being intubated during surgery. I began to breath as deeply as I possibly could with out inducing more coughing, but I was so darn tired and my body was obviously more interested in sleep. I kept forgeting to breathe deep and my oxygen levels barely stayed in the upper 70's. I was told I would have to stay in recovery until I got my oxygen levels higher. At this point I was more than ready to be moved to my own room and get settled, the low oxygen levels didnt bother me, so I figured it couldnt be that bad. I didnt feel like I was having any trouble breathing, and I wasnt gasping for air or anything.
An hour and a half later I was able to get my oxygen levels into the low 80's which was good enough for them, and I FINALLY got my own room! I met my nurses, and got my pain meds. I was allowed to rest for a little while and I couldnt have been more grateful for that. Within a couple of hours I was encouraged to try and use the restroom. This would be my next big hurdle. I had to go... but to actually do it was more challenging that I ever thought it would be. THANK GOD for the grab bars on the walls or I would not have been able to sit down. I was terrified that I would rip a stitch, and all I could picture was the potential gaping would that would leave in my upper abdomen. Surely enough though, I made it through the process just fine, and without even tearing one stitch. Whoo hoo! Second battle won!
Next I was encouraged to go on a walk around the floor.... I was not looking forward to this. However, with IV pole in hand I ventured out of my room and into the hallways. It was considerably easier than I thought it was going to be, and I ended up taking 8 laps around the entire floor which was quite impressive for the same day post op.
Three days later I was doing well enough to go home!
My husband and our two year old daughter came to pick me up and bring me back home. I was given instructions not to lift anything heavier than 10lbs for 90 days and no more than 30lbs for the next month after that. I was told to wear my abdominal binder for at least 60 days, and when I took a shower I was not allowed to let my 17 stitches get hit by the stream of water from the shower.
The rules didnt end there, but its late here, and I'd better save some of the writing for tomorrow.
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