Drum Roll Please...

December 24, 2011

Yesterday was my official 13 month post op anniversary. Last week I promised I would update the pics for you at Christmas, so to stay true to my word, I, forced myself to have photos taken at our family Christmas Eve gathering last night...and, as promised, here is my current "current" photo:

Not bad considering that I started out here, just 1 day before Thanksgiving last year:

It really has been the incredible shrinking year! It feels like it just flew by. It's amazing what can be accomplished taken one day at a time. It hasn't been easy, but it definitely has been worth it. In this season of giving, I have taken much time to reflect on what a wonderful gift I gave myself last Thanksgiving when I gave myself the gift of a healthier life. I hope that each of you remember to be generous to yourselves too. Merry Christmas to each and every one of you, or a blessed Holiday of your own chosing. May you always remember that sometimes the greatest gifts we can receive are the healthy choices we make for ourselves.

Well I Know What Doesn't Work, Now To Find Out What Does

So, last week was....well...I'm not gonna call it a fail...I'm just gonna say, I can and will find a way to do better...I just haven't found it yet. I'm not gonna run down everything I ate last week, but instead, will just give you what I tried that turned out not to work for me. Which is good -- the way to find out what you want out of life is to first know what you don't want. I suppose finding out what does work is a lot the same -- Now I know what doesn't work, so instead of calling it a failure, I'll just call it progress.

I tried to just add 3 8oz glasses of Skim Milk a day. Seemed like a great plan. It has good nutritional value, it's good for the bones, and gave me the extra calories I needed. Now, for many of you, this might have been a good plan, but for me....not so much. Turns out I'm lactose intolerant. I'm ok with a little, like my morning Fauxa and maybe even a bit of cheese at some point, but 24oz of milk in a given day and, well....let's just say I get....ummm...well....let's just say I have a little problem with gas. OK, maybe I wouldn't call it "little."  Honestly, in the 2 days I tried this route, I thought maybe I'd end up losing my husband....not that he would leave me, but that my gas might actually kill him. LOL!

I broke down one day and gave into something sweet. I used needing to up my calories as an excuse, since there are almost 300 calories, so why not? I'll tell you why not...now I'm struggling with a sugar jones from hell and have to ride it out again. Damn it! Plus, there was absolutely no nutritional value in the extra calories. Speaking of the whole sugar thing, I realized I forgot a rule in my last post. I have now fixed it, so if you have not seen the updated version, you may want to go back and check it out here:


I did eat 3 tbsp of Peanut Butter one day. I dipped a single 6" celery stalk into it. LOL! A little celery on my peanut butter. I loved it, but the fat content was a little too high, so it's not like I can do this on a everyday basis, but it did help calm my sugar cravings in a healthier way than a candy bar, right?

I have decided that it's a good time to check in with my nutritionist and have her help me set up a plan. It's on my agenda for today. I'll let you know how that works out next time.

Well, last but not least...I know there are a lot of you who have been asking for an updated picture -- so far I just haven't gotten around to it. But, the 24th is officially my 13 month post op day, so at my family's Christmas Eve party, I will have someone take one for me and will post it for you on Christmas.

Happy Winter Solstice to you all. Make good choices and find the beauty in the day.

Yeah Well I'm Still Learning

OK so the last two days, try as I might, I couldn't hit the extra 300 calorie target....but I'm getting closer. Like I said it is a learning process and I am learning. Anyone out there in post op maintenance phase who has any tips for me to increase the calories without increasing the volume of food while STILL staying within my fat and carb maximums (30g fat and 40g carbs) please shoot me comment letting me know of any suggestions you have for me. Thanks in advance to any of you who offer your assistance.

Here is a run down of my Monday and Tuesday:

Monday December 12, 2011

Breakfast:
Double Scoop Protein Shake, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Flavor
(see my protein shake page for recipe)

Mid Morning:
Single Fauxa (pronounced like Mocha with a "fa")
(Recipe: Espresso, 1oz Torani Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup, 3 oz Hot H2O, 4oz Steamed Skim Milk)

Lunch:
Tyson Frozen Chicken Breast Fillet
2Tbsp Golden Miso Sauce

Dinner:
3oz Carnitas (precooked from Costco)
2Tbsp BBQ sauce
1/4c Finely Shredded Lettuce

Dessert:
Yasso Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Bar (a.k.a. The Best New Thing In The World Today)

This area will be switched for nutrition count later -- I don't have my food journal with me at the moment

I'll tell you about Tuesday in a minute....right now I  want to talk about sugar. First, I have to tell you about these yogurt bars I found at Costco! OMG they are GOOD!! I don't even know how I found them? I usually avoid that section of freezer so as to avoid having to look at cheesecakes and such, but I thought I'll just walk by fast and not look....but I looked. (Kinda like a train wreck happening near you, I suppose? I just couldn't help myself.) What was it that caught my eye? It wasn't cheesecake, it wasn't cream puffs, it wasn't ice cream....it was a box that said "70 calories 6g Protein." Now like I've said, in the past year this way of eating has become very natural for me, so when I saw 70 calories, 6g protein, I thought to myself, "hey I know those values....that's an egg!" LOL! So I opened the freezer door and grabbed a box to look more closely at what it was. They are fat free frozen Greek yogurt on a stick -- they come in a box with 2 flavors, strawberry and blueberry....and both are DELISH! I bought them and took them home with me, but then I worried that they may be too good to be true, so I discussed them with my doc and he gave me the green light!

They are now in my arsenal of "instead ofs"....I, like many of you, am a sugar addict. I'm in recovery, but I'm still an addict. Unfortunately, there are no help products out there for those of us with sugar issues. There have been several studies done on sugar addiction, and it has been determined that trying to break a sugar habit is equally as difficult as as trying to break yourself from heroine. I'd say it's probably harder, though I've never been addicted to heroine to have to ride out the cravings for that, but at lease heroine addicts have methadone to help them....sugar addicts have nothing but will power. IF you want to make BILLIONS.....create a product similar to a nicotine patch that takes sugar cravings away!

I have an easier time of it now that I've been "sugar free" for a little over a year, but I still have a rough time. I have set my life up to not be faced with my demon of sugar on a daily basis. Fortunately, I have a supportive family who agreed from the beginning of this process that my being healthy was more important to them than having access to sweets in the house, so we just don't have that stuff around. I only have a limited supply of will power, and if I needed to use it everyday to "just say NO" to sweets, then eventually it would get all used up and I'd give in.  My doctor likes to say, "Even a fox who is a sworn vegetarian will eat a chicken if you put it in the hen house enough times."  So why would a person who has sugar issues keep that stuff around? Honestly, I just don't know??

Even though I don't keep the stuff in my house, it is the holiday season and so I've been faced with it for extended periods of time occasionally this past month, and there are nights I wake up at 2 a.m. wanting to eat sugar....but because I don't have it available, I am able to talk myself down. I chose not to get up and drive to a 24hr supermarket and buy candy -- but if it were in the house....or if that happened every night....well let's just say I'm glad I don't have to have my will power tested that extensively!

I have a friend Lynn who is struggling with sugar right now and having a hard time, so for her (and anyone else who needs a few suggestions here is how I stay successful in my battle with sweets:

• GET THE STUFF OUT OF THE HOUSE! (Don't use your family as an excuse to keep it around. They love you more than sweets, and they will support you if you ask them too. If one of your family members had a nut allergy or gluten allergy, or shell fish allergy, etc...would you balk at not having the risky items around? No you'd find an alternative -- they will too.)
• FIND "INSTEAD OF's" (For me that is a cupboard full of Torani Sugar Free Syrups [for LOTS of uses...shakes, coffee, flavoring yogurt, "desserts", etc...], an occasional sugar free candy [but don't over do it or....well, let's just say you'll have to stay close to the bathroom for the day], Yasso Bars, Wylers or MIO to flavor my water, & Sugar Free Jello [which I use to make "fluff" from Eggy's website just go there & search fluff].)
• FIND A "SPONSOR" (Have a friend that you can call who won't "sugar coat" your sugar jones and will actually call you on your stuff. Someone who loves you with tough love...but who LOVES YOU -- for me that's my Kayla! Thank you Kayla...couldn't have come this far without you. If all else fails and you can't find anyone else...send me an email and I'd be glad to help.)
• HAVE A PLAN Know what you're gonna do ahead of time when you know when you know you're gonna be faced with sugar. For instance, at Christmas I know there will be sweets -- so I plan on bringing some of Eggy's Strawberry Cannoli. I have used these for every family event this past year and they have been so well received that they often go before the sugared desserts. (I also alter them by using fat free ricotta so they are really healthy alternatives). Another plan I used this year at Halloween was that I offered to "buy" my kids candy from them. I offered them a video game of their choice in exchange for their candy. Then I donated the candy to my son's teacher for her prize box. That way my kids got to do their thing at Halloween and I didn't have to suffer through the temptation of having all that in the house for more than an overnight.

You'll be surprised at how much will power you actually have when you find a way to stop using it up on all the unnecessary stuff. When you stop spreading it thin by using it on EVERYTHING, you really will amaze yourself at just how strong you really are.

Well, maybe Tuesday will have to wait....I've really said a lot already and don't want to bog you down with too much today. After all, it's a BLOG not a BOG! LOL sorry, couldn't help myself!

Long Time...No Bloggie!

Hey!.....Remember me?......I'm that skinny chick that climbed out of that fat chick. Took a bit more than a year to emerge, but here I am....and I'm back!

I know you all must be wondering what the heck happened to me? I do apologize that I abandoned you all for more than 7 months now. I'm a baaaaddd girl! LOL! I used this blog to keep me on track and stay honest to both myself and my readers. The problem? My new way of eating became so second nature, that I was able to just do it without worrying about hitting my targets as stringently as I needed to in the beginning, so I got lazy about spending the time to blog and instead, filled that space up with other things. For that, I apologize to all. The truth is that just because I didn't feel like I "needed" it anymore, doesn't mean that there weren't those of you out there who may have needed it.

Well, now I'm back and making this blog a priority again, so let me catch you up:

• I started this journey as a size 20W and now wear a size 4
• I am currently 5lbs away from goal weight
• I am now a runner who can finish a 5K without collapsing!
• My knees thank me every day
• I went to Great America a couple times this summer and fit in all the roller coaster restrains!
• I take no medicine
• I have great blood pressure
• I no longer suffer from GERD
• I am now able to play with my kids and enjoy it
• I no longer live to eat, but rather eat to live
• I have incredible family and friends who support me 100% in this transformation & I am thankful for them every day
• I have lost evenly and have a flat stomach without the need for plastics. Thank you angels! 
• I am healthy & I am happy

Well, I know that's the really short version of things, but If you have any questions, leave me a comment and I will answer anything you want to know there.

I saw my doctor Saturday, December 10. He is very pleased with my results. Because I am only 5lbs away from goal, he wants me to slow my loss rate down and take the next 2 months to get there. This means he wants my calorie intake to be increased by 300cal/day. Which for those of you who followed me before know, that's an extra half a day's amount of food! At first, that seemed a little overwhelming but after further discussion with him, it's doable. The thing is I don't necessarily have to increase the volume, but can eat denser calorie foods to make up the difference. I can now have low fat cottage or ricotta cheese as opposed to my usual fat free. Nuts are easier to include in my day (and a whole serving of peanut butter is now OK)

So my new rules:

• 900-1000 calories a day
• minimum of 85g protein
• maximum of 40g carbs
• maximum of 30g fat
• minimum 64oz water
• exercise 3-4 days/week
• stay active

I know I owe you all an updated photo. I think the current "current" was about 45lbs ago -- I am still having body issues while learning to accept the "new me" so to me I don't look to much different, but to all of you the change will seem drastically different. I will get to that within the next week or so. At the very latest, I will post one of me at Christmas. The thing is -- there's still a part of me who is still that camera shy fat girl, but I'm working on that and learning to be comfortable allowing myself to be on the lens side of a camera -- so bear with me.

Well, that's is I suppose. I am currently tracking the day and will let you know what I did soon. I may not post every day (but rather 3-4 times a week or so) but will include every day in the weeks postings for sure.

Hope you're all having a great holiday season and making wise choices as you are faced with those holiday choices that center around food.

Oh yeah, and my friend Michelle over at The World According to Eggface is having a great contest to give away a Christmas stocking full of samples. You should check out her blog and sign up for your chance to win here:

Stocking Full of Samples Giveaway



While you're there check out some of her delicious recipes -- they have been a great part of my eating plan that has gotten me to where I am now!

A Couple Better Days

I did it! At 12:05 this morning I finally entered the last invoice for April -- which means today I can print them all, stuff envelopes, and get billing out first thing in the morning. I do this every month, so why am I so excited about it this month? The answer to that is that my trip to Hawaii depended on me getting billing out before I left. Now, after hitting the post office tomorrow, all there is left to do is pack, and jump on a jet plane. OK, I know this blog isn't really intended to tell you about my going to Hawaii, but I'm a little excited. I even have a plane plan. I bought two new blender bottles the other day to take with me, so I can have a shake on the plane and one during my layover in Honolulu.

So now that you know what I'm gonna do, let me tell you what I did:

April 29, 2011

I tried the Kirkland Pre-mixed Protein drink. The verdict . . . YUCK! I just can't do pre-mixed.I know there are times when a good pre-mixed would come in handy, but I have yet to find a pre-mix that is what I would call "Good." I could only choke down 2 drinks, one to find it horrible, and one to confirm it really was as horrible as I originally thought. So I decided to instead have:

1 1/2 Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast

On Fridays, my cousin Latisha comes over on her lunch break and we workout here. I always make her a shake for lunch, and since I hadn't yet tried my new shipment, Latisha was my guinea pig! Turns out the protein is good again -- the funny thing is the label is even back to blue -- not shiny metallic blue, but still, the original look of the label -- the label on the bad stuff was white.

After Latisha left, I made myself a shake, since I now knew the powder was good! (LOL) I had a Peach Pie Shake since that's the flavor I made for her and it smelled so good.

By this time of the day, I had only consumed 401 calories and already gotten 86g of protein in, so it seemed like a good day to catch a movie with Kana & Dan, since I definitely had room in my day for popcorn! We saw Hoodwinked Too in 3D. I love 3D movies! Plus, each time we see one, I get closer to getting Dan to agree to buying a 3DTV.

I ate approximately 2 cups Movie Popcorn without the gross butter flavored topping. And that was it. That was my Friday. I definitely felt like it was a successful day, especially compared to Thursday. Now, on to Saturday:

April 30, 2011

Breakfast was a new protein shake recipe. It;s a work in progress, so it's not on my protein drink recipe page yet. I was trying for a Cherry Almond Tart Shake. It's close. It was good enough that U didn't throw it out. It just seems like I'm missing something? I don't know what yet, but eventually I'll figure it out. Here's the recipe: (feel free to make it, try it, and send me suggestions on what to add to make it perfect)

2 scoops Vanilla Protein Powder
1 oz Torani Sugar-Free Black Cherry Syrup
1 oz Torani Sugar-Free Almond Syrup
4 oz H2O
12 Ice Cubes

Lunch was a picnic of Hors d'oeuvres with Dan & Kana. We had Homemade Salami, Cheese, Low Fat Crackers, Chicken Salad, and Lots of Sunshine. After eating, it was off to the pool for swimming and Kana's lesson.

After swimming it was off to our weekly treat of Frozen Yogurt, I had:

4 oz Strawberry Lemonade Yogurt
4 Fresh Blackberries

I considered frozen yogurt my dinner and when we got home, got right to finishing up invoicing (with a quick facebook break and had the live stream of the Merrie Monarch Festival playing split screen) but I did finish up, so I went to bed happy.

My stats for the day:
Calories Consumed: 586
Calories Burned: ? 1 hour swimming
Protein: 70g
H2O: 3L

The So "Super Easy Way Out" That It's Almost Like Cheating Method? Where's That?

So I have something to tell you....I have been struggling. This last week or so has been especially hard. I feel hungry all the time! I don't know if it has something to do with this weird current "void course" of the moon, or maybe my own moon, or that I'm just not tight enough to make any real kind of difference right now? What I do know is that I feel hungry all day and am working very hard to try to make all the right choices. Some days are easier than others, but never actually easy. Some days, well....some days I feel as if I just want to cry, but I just keep moving forward. I just keep trying to make healthier food choices than I wish I had to, and exercising when I really just want to watch TV. Yesterday was a really tough day.

Then, because Life knew I really needed a sign of support, I was given a little gift today. My wonderful friend Kayla finally took my advice and started writing a blog, which she entitled "K & Co." Guess what her first post was about? She was responding to some idiot who pissed her off (apparently, they had the nerve to say bariatric surgery was taking the easy way out).  Well, as I read her words, I teared up a bit, because I felt that she was addressing the difficulties I was going through, without even knowing I was having such a struggle. Thanks Kayla! You reminded me that this decision is NEVER easy, but you also reminded me that I am not in this alone. Sure, I have my "team" just as you do, but I also have great friends who seem to know what I need the most, even if I never tell them what is. I have great friends who have also gone through what I am going through (and continue to do so each day), who inspire me to keep fighting this battle against obesity day after day, no matter how hard it may seem. I will do this every day for the rest of my life. I hope somehow I can be that inspiration to any of you who should you ever need it (like if you ever feel like you're having an especially hard day(s) and need a little pick me up. That's what we're here for, to pick each other up and inspire each other to be the best (and healthiest) people we can be.

As I said earlier, it has been especially difficult lately, and I am not proud of all of the choices I made yesterday, but I did the best I could, (I did better today, and will strive to do even better tomorrow -- that's how we WLS'ers do "easy"). That said, here is my yesterday:

April 28, 2011

The "Easiest" part of life post-op is that you always have to plan ahead. You can no longer just wing it. If you don't give yourself enough time for the pre-planning phase of your day, you're screwed. Say, you wake up late, and run around trying to get out of the house in time to get to your day's appointments, work, etc. Did you make sure you took enough time to make a healthy breakfast meal? Did you make a shake? Did you pack something to take with you (if you're gonna be busy until after your next scheduled meal -- yep SCHEDULED!)? No? Do you have a healthy option plan in place then? How are you going to ensure you get your protein and fluid levels in? Are you going to be able to do so while sticking to your strict 600-800 calorie target? No? Oops! You're screwed! Eventually, how are you planning on handling the guilt, shame, or other emotion you associate with failing? You better start figuring it out. See? Super Dooper Alley Ooper Easy!......NOT!

So to answer the above questions: I woke up later than I was suppose to. I had a nail appointment and a hair appointment back to back that lasted from 9:00-12:45. I rushed around to get my kids up and off to where they needed to go, dropped of my youngest off at my in-laws (thankfully they feed him). Then straight to the salon. Translation: I didn't make a healthy protein filled breakfast, didn't pack anything to eat at noon, and didn't take any water with me. Three strikes before 9:00 a.m. -- not the best way to start the day.

My 1st meal of the day wasn't until 12:45, so I was REALLY hungry! The second "easiest" part about life post-op is that if you have skipped a meal (or two), when you do eat, you have to remember to eat really slowly (a 1/2 to 3/4 cup of food should take a half hour to eat and all the contents should be chewed so thoroughly that they are considered "self-pureed" -- if you've never had Bariatric surgery, you should TRY doing this, 'cause it suuper easy! *sarcasm*). My mother-in-law made me:

1 Deviled Egg
1/2 can Tuna
1/2 Dill Pickle

I almost blew it (again!) right off the bat. I swallowed too quickly and thought I was going to get stuck, but it turns out I didn't. So I finished my lunch and even though I was behind on my protein, I did get 18g in this meal. I was super thirsty, but the rules are that you can't drink for 20 mins before or 45 mins after eating. I didn't get anything to drink until well after 2:00 p.m. This part would be #3 on the "easiest part list" -- Eating without drinking ANYTHING before or after still feels unnatural. Eating makes you think you're thirsty. The funny thing is that getting too thirsty triggers a hunger response (which is probably why I got Morbidly Obese in the first place....Morbid.....That means "Drop Dead FAT") Anyway, the dehydration meant I spent the rest of the day battling "hunger" I fought, I exercised, I tried to distract myself (Squirrel!), I drank water and a "Pumpkin Pie Protein Shake" to try to stop the urge to start putting food into my mouth and continue to do so until the feeling went away. It didn't go away and eventually I gave in. I didn't eat dinner because I spent the evening grazing, each time I got a little something the only feeling it took away was the "feeling good about myself" the "head hunger" stayed with me all day long until I finally went to bed. To the best of my memory, I believe this is what the tally result is of my bad choices:

4 Tbsp Peanut Butter
1/4 cup Dry Roasted Sunflower Kernels
1/2 oz Extra Aged Gouda Cheese

So that was my super easy day. Oh yeah, and I forgot to tell you the best part, I went to bed feeling bad about myself, and my stomach was growling like crazy. I felt like I was starving and had just pigged out at the same time. Wrap your head around how easy that is to deal with.

Now, do you think I cheated and took the easy way out? Because I don't. It's not easy, most days it's not as hard as yesterday, but it's never easy. That said, would I do it again? Absolutely! it was the best decision I have ever made. I am so much healthier now than I was before, I no longer have: GERD, high blood pressure, a hole in my diaphragm, my stomach in my chest cavity, I sleep through the night and am no longer woken up in the middle of the night because I am throwing up in my sleep, I can play with my kids, I can exercise, I can live life to a much fuller and higher quality. I am a proud WLS'er! I'm proud of myself, I'm proud of Kayla, I'm proud of Eggy, and if you've had surgery, I'm proud of you. If you haven't had surgery, but are on a journey to be healthier, I'm proud of you too. I am proud of anyone who chooses to fight the battle against obesity, no matter what decision you make to get there. And I am proud to defend you and your choice. Life's too short to not support each other!

My daily stats:
Calories Consumed: 820 (20 cals over my high target)
Calories Burned: 600
Protein: 66g (4g below my low target)
H2O: 2L

I've Lost My Key

I somehow seem to have lost my gym key. Which sucks, because it just gives me one more excuse to not exercise. I have been lucky the last few days and show up at the gym just when someone else has been walking in, so I could get in myself. I need to talk to the owner and let him know I need a new one. I can't believe the damn thing is gone. I hang it up everytime I walk in the door -- first thing! My youngest son said he saw that it had fallen on the ground just below the hook but that was before our housekeeper got here. I have a bad feeling she may have swept it up and threw it away, not realizing what it was (it's an electronic key card), but I'm holding out hope that maybe she just put it somewhere and I just don't know where that somewhere is....yet. Here's to hoping. I'm going to have to pay to replace it anyway, I suppose. Anyway, here was my yesterday:

April 27, 2011

Breakfast: I samples the Kirkland Vanilla Protein Powder I reviewed for you yesterday. (It was so good I had to tell you right away -- too good to make you wait until now!) As I said yesterday -- The TRIFECTA of protein!

Lunch was a Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast and an Easter Egg, I just wanted to see which came first.....LOL,,,,,,, In case you're wondering, it was the egg -- I peeled it and was eating it in under 30 seconds. While the Chicken took 3 1/2 minutes in the microwave. I know, all that time wondering and now you have a definitive answer and can finally put that one to rest! There ya go. You're welcome.

In the mid afternoon I still had one last Hershey Sugar-Free Chocolate bar left, so I ate it. Now I have no more little pieces of chocolately evil around pretending to be heavenly little bites of yummy goodness! I ate it with 1 Tbsp Peanut Butter

For dinner I had leftovers from Tuesday Night's Dinner -- Pastaless Lasagna with Spaghetti Squash. Ever since my contribution to the Easter Dessert table, I have decided I am in LOVE with Low Fat Ricotta Cheese! In love I tells ya!......love, love, LOVE!! So this recipe was my experiment with my new found object of affection. I used:

24 oz Lean Ground Turkey Itallian sausage
24 oz Low fat Ricotta Cheese
16 oz Low fat Mozarella Cheese (grated)
2 Jars Ragu Sweet Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce
1 bag Fresh-Express Baby Spinach
3 large Portabello Mushrooms (sliced thick)

1st layer:         Meat and 1 Jar Sauce (blended together)
2nd Layer:       (1) 12 oz container Ricotta Cheese
3rd Layer:       1/2 bag Spinach
4th Layer:       1/3 Grated Low Fat Mozerella Cheese
5th Layer:       Portabella Mushrooms
6th Layer:       3/4 Jar Pasta Sauce
7th Layer:       (1) 12 oz container Ricotta Cheese
8th Layer:       Remaining Spinach
9th Layer:       Remaining Grated Mozarella Cheese
Top With:      Remaining Pasta Sauce

Cover with foil (tightly). Place in a pre-heated 375 degree oven. Cook for 1 hour.

I have a double oven so I made my Spaghetti Squash at the same time and served the Lasagna over the squash. I think though, that you could add pre-cooked squash in the layering as if it were a pasta layer, and it would be fine (I'm guessing as this was my 1st experience with this cool new veggie).

Oh yeah, and the above recipe.....It's HUGE! (you gotta read that with a Donald Trump accent! LOL). I used a Large Turkey Roasting Pan and got 24 servings out of it (I have lots frozen in single servings, for quick meals). You might want to cut the recipe in 1/2 for an average Lasagna!

I did workout yesterday and burned 911 calories -- Funny, it didn't seem like an emergency! Hahaha.

Here are my stats:
Calories Consumed: 652
Calories Burned: 911
Protein: 83g
H2O: 2L*

*Here's an interesting fact I just learned:
Research has shown that within 10 minutes of drinking a pint of water, the metabolism increases by as much as 30 percent. Other drinks did not show the same effect. Drinking 2L per day can burn an extra 100 calories!

Why wasn't I told this YEARS ago? The whole, "good for your kidneys, skin, ect..." is great and all, but doesn't have quite the motivation of, "burn more calories!" Well, now we know. Drink, Drink, Drink!!!

That Was Then This Is Now

Last Week:

You should worry about me when I don't post for more than 3 or 4 days. It usually means I'm up to trouble! (unless I'm in Hawaii that is -- then I'm just enjoying myself and don't want to be bothered with technology!!! LOL). Last week wasn't my most bright and shiny week post WLS. Between my fight with SEI and Easter happening (the 1st holiday on real food), I have not made the wisest of food choices. First of all I didn't drink a single protein shake until yesterday. I ordered Unjury to try since I didn't really like any of my protein I had here, but it didn't show up until Monday afternoon. SEI's new replacement shipment showed up yesterday. A friend also gave me a sample of the Kirkland brand Protein powder yesterday too (Thanks Denise!). I will review them at the end of the post. Until then, here are some highlights (and low lights) of the past week:

PRO's:	CON's:
Tried Zumba -- and loved it! Made healthy menu options for Easter Didn't gain any weight SF Chocolates = no Easter candy	Didn't workout everyday Made a few bad food choices Didn't lose any weight SF Chocolates = Regular                                        bathroom trips Didn't blog

Starting with the PRO's list:

Zumba was really fun! I couldn't believe how quickly the hour was up. I am concerned about my knee though. My sister told me it's how she blew her knee, so it may not be right for me. I'm still debating returning.

Easter dinner was great. I made Sweet Chili Sauce glazed Prawns served with Pineapple, and a triple batch of Eggface's delicious Strawberry Cannoli. Both were a huge hit at Easter dinner at my in-laws. Everyone was trying to figure out what the filling in the strawberries was. And EVERYONE was surprised to learn they were sugar-free (minus the natural sugar in the berries). Thanks to Eggface for making me look like a pro at a family function. These may become a regular for me. As for the prawns, I simply cooked them in a wok sprayed with Crisco Easy Release Spray until nice and pink. Then placed them in a colander to drain. In the wok, I then poured 1/2 cup Sweet Chili Sauce (found in the Asian foods isle) and let simmer to thicken. When the sauce was thick and sticky, I added the prawns back in to coat. That's it -- quick, easy, and delicious.

I was happy to have some Sugar Free Chocolate to keep me from wanting to sneak a piece of the real thing. I bought two bags of the stuff. I probably would have been better off with one. My original thought was that 1 would be for the cannoli recipe, and the other would be for me. The recipe called for four bars grated. I was making a triple batch so that would be 12 -- there were 10 in a bag, so I figured ten would be enough....four would have still been MORE than enough (as only 1/2 of them were dipped in grated chocolate. The other half were dipped in crushed pecans). It's OK, I'm still learning.

The thing about sugar-free chocolates, is that they're sweetened with sugar alcohols. If you're not careful, you could wind up spending quite a lot of time in the bathroom with a bad case of diarrhea. I did limit myself enough to not have that happen, but I did end up being a lot more "regular" than usual. I know, TMI! But it's really more of a warning than an exposé.

Now for the CON's List:

I already told you about the Sugar-Free chocolates. I already told you I didn't drink protein. I didn't eat enough protein either. I did indulge in a few carbs, but am now back to detoxing from the damn stuff. Carbs are my drug of choice, so it takes a while to get the cravings to go away after you give in, but I'll get back to that place again.

Well, that's all the energy I want to devote to that. The thing is stumbling and falling are not signs of failure post WLS. Not working on getting back up, dusting yourself off, and moving forward to make healthy choices again is. So look out world, 'cause here I come making healthy choices once again.

Now, as I promised. The protein powder review:

UNJURY --  Tried Strawberry Sorbet (their replacement for the old strawberry). The cool thing is that they sent a list of mixing suggestions with their trial packets. They suggested mixing it with lemonade for a "refreshing" flavor. So I added a packet of Crystal Light into the blender along with the protein powder and water. It tasted good. Kind of made me think of Summer. The down side is that I could smell the protein, but thanks to the included mixer bottle with a lid, I drank it without any problems. All in all, I'd give this protein a score of 7 on a scale of 1-10. Mostly because I don't mind drinking out of a blender bottle if the stuff tastes good. Also, the texture was much lighter than the creamy type protein and that's nice for a change once in a while.

Kirkland -- (The Costco brand. I tried the vanilla flavor). OK, let me just start by saying "I am shocked!" I would rate this stuff as good or better than SEI. Plus it's easier to get here, because our GNC is a corporate owned store and therefore doesn't sell SEI (it's only available at franchise GNC's) so I have to buy from the website. And as we found out last week, the Satisfaction Guarantee doesn't necessarily mean they guarantee you'll be satisfied. Although I did raise enough of a stink to make them replace my entire order. This stuff is so crazy good, I don't even know where to start. Let me break it down in the order I realized the greatness of this powder:

• COST -- It cost less than SEI. I have not gone in to see what the size of the bag is (yeah, a bag? That's a little weird, but I have tubs to store them in, so....whatever?), but I was told there are 80 servings in a bag. SEI's 2 lb tubs have 30 servings, so I'm guessing it's a 5 lb bag? The bag sells for $30 (SEI's 5lb tub sells for $80). Cheaper and just a delicious? Bye-Bye SEI!
• SMELL -- This is where I started to take notice. (Yes, I knew about the cost factor first, but a cheap price isn't the most important factor if you don't like the stuff.) My friend gave me a scoop in a Ziploc sandwich baggie. I drove home with it on my passenger seat. I couldn't figure out why my car smelled like cotton candy? When I got home I threw the bag on my kitchen counter, and continued working on my spring cleaning projects. I noticed that every time I went into the kitchen, I again smelled cotton candy. Could it be possible that the wonderful smell I was smelling was the protein (stop. rewind. did I just say wonderful smell and protein in the same sentence?). I picked up the bag and sniffed. Yep. This stiff smells just like cotton candy!
• TASTE -- As many of you know, being able to drink protein out of a regular glass without a lid, is a big deal for me. I need a protein that not only tastes good, but also doesn't stink. I will use a blender bottle if necessary, but not for a long term solution. So I am giving this protein a perfect score of 10 out of 10 and a bonus of 5 stars! This stuff is delicious tasting and smelling. I tried it plain first and it was amazing, then I added chocolate chip cookie dough SF Torani, and made one of my favorite recipes, either way was nothing short of perfect!!!

Basically, my suggestion to you is that if you have a Costco near by, run, do not walk, and buy this protein! It's delicious, smells good, and is inexpensive -- The trifecta of protein! I haven't even opened my SEI yet and am thinking about returning it for a refund.

I hope you all had a good Easter (if you celebrate) and are making healthy choices today. I know I did, and I am.

Life Is Too Short To Drink Bad Protein

I have decided that until my new shipment of protein arrives, I will just do the "hike, chicken, chicken, chicken, hike, chicken, chicken, chicken . . . " Thing. What the heck does that mean you ask? Because it sounds like some strange dance move. hike, chicken, chicken, chicken -- do the hustle! LOL. Nope, it's not a new dance craze. It just means that for a while my posts may become a bit redundant! Hike up the tread mill, eat chicken breasts 3 times a day, then start all over again the next day -- second verse same as the first. The thing is, as far as drinking a protein shake goes right now -- I did TRY to drink the damn stuff yesterday (and again this morning) but after a couple drinks . . . Blach! I dumped them out. Life is just too short to drink BAD protein! I have a very picky pallet, and only the best will do for me! So, if I have to eat 3 chicken breasts a day . . . so be it.

April 17. 2011

OK, so I didn't really eat chicken three times today. One of my meals was an egg. What came first -- the chicken or the egg? The egg of course . . . with a side of ham and a pancake (that I gave to Kana). It was VFW Sunday breakfast weekend. So we took the family. I ordered a child's plate (because last time the portions were too big for me and I ended up getting stuck. Today, they were just right (after I got the pancake off my plate anyway!) I had:

1 Egg Over Easy
3 oz Ham (approximate)

Lunch and dinner were both the same thing:

1 1/2 Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast
2 Tbsp Peanut Sauce

And somewhere before the dinner portion of the day I did a spit take with the vanilla cake batter shake I attempted to drink. YUCK!!!!

Didn't really workout today -- was more of a spending family time Sunday than a hitting the gym Sunday (even though I know I needed some make-up time).

So here were my stats:
Calories Consumed: 660
Calories Burned: BMR Only
Protein: 110g
H2O: 2.5L

No Squirrel Needed

I forgot again yesterday. It's so weird! I swore I would never be one of those girls who
"forgot" -- I mean how does a person forget to eat? I use to think that was such a dumb statement. "Oops! I forgot to eat." Really? I could never figure it out. I've always (and I mean ALWAYS) had this built in device called hunger to remind me.  I still have have it -- it just doesn't work like it use to. It use to be a workaholic, and now it's just a part time employee -- due to my downsizing! (you know, recession and all! LOL)

The concept makes a little more sense to me now. I mean I get it. I still find it incredibly stupid . . . but I do now understand how it can happen, if you're not paying attention. No squirrel needed yesterday, but if there were a squirrel -- I probably should have eaten it (for the protein). Just Kidding, but I ended up way too low on my protein intake. Well, maybe I should just explain to you what I did (or rather didn't?):

April 16, 2011

First off, I need to start drinking my protein again. Guess Vanilla Cake Batter it will be for a while? I did not do that today. That was my first mistake, especially when my breakfast only contained 9g of protein (with meals containing that little protein, I'd have to eat 8 times in a day to even reach my 70g/day mark -- then I'd never get my water in because I'd constantly be waiting my 45 minutes after eating). So, here was my breakfast:

1 large Scrambled
1 Tbsp Crumbled Bacon

After Breakfast, I wrote up my blog post, then hit the gym. I'm still struggling to achieve the level I was at with exercise before I got sick, but I did do a bit better than yesterday. Today I burned 650 calories plus did some arm and leg exercises. (plus it's Saturday, so I'll be swimming later on -- but I don't want to get too far ahead of myself.)

After the gym, I came home to Britton asking me to take him to the skate park in Eureka. I was going that way soon anyway, so I agreed, I jumped in the shower and got ready to go. I figured I would take the opportunity to stop by Kohl's on the way to swimming since I was now leaving over an hour earlier than I had planned (saw the cutest dress in Kohl's last week that would be perfect for my upcoming trip to Hawaii)

Somewhere between shopping and heading to the pool, it dawned on me that I had forgotten to eat lunch. I asked Kana if he had eaten. He said he had a sandwich when I was working out. I decided that as long as the kid was OK, I would wait. My mother always told me you can't swim for 30 minutes after eating anyway. (but then again, my mother was ridiculous, so . . .)

We hit the pool and had some quality mom & son time. I'm so glad his confidence is so much better that he actually likes the deep side now. I feel like I get more exercise in over there than in the shallow water, Plus, I don't get hit in the face with any balls being thrown over there.

After swimming (at 4:00 in the afternoon) we went to a new Frozen Yogurt Bar in Arcata, "Ultimate Yogurt" (it's very similar to Yogurtland in Hawaii). You serve your own and add your own toppings (if you want them) and pay by the ounce. They had nutrition facts for all their flavors on hand -- so I knew exactly what the #'s were for my stats. I had:

4 oz Original Tart Yogurt
3 Blackberries
1 small cube of Mango
3 Strawberry Slices

So it was 4:30 by the time we left the yogurt shop in Arcata and after 5 by the time we got home. Technically I should be done eating for the day by now, but I had only consumed 200 calories and 12g of protein for the day, so I had to eat something for dinner -- regardless of how late it was. Now, If I were being smart, I would have made a protein shake . . . but I didn't. I did however, make an amazing dinner. I made Chicken Breast (yep, the frozen Tyson Grilled Breast -- they're quick and easy and already proportioned) with Peanut sauce, Coleslaw, and (for the family) Rice. Unfortunately, I bit my tongue really hard just shortly into my meal, and decided to stop eating. I did get down:

1/4 Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast
1/2 Tbsp Peanut Sauce
2 bites of Coleslaw

OUCH! Damn. I hate when that happens. I didn't eat anymore, because with the sore tongue, I was afraid I would not chew enough before swallowing my food and cause a second problem -- stoma blockage. So I quit while I was ahead.

Here are my recipes for both my Slaw and sauce:

Coleslaw --

1 small head Cabbage
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
2 Tbsp Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 packet Splenda
Ted & Barney Seasoning to taste

Shred cabbage. In small bowl add oil, vinegar, and splenda together. Pour mixture over cabbage. Season to taste with Ted & Barney's.

Peanut Sauce --

2/3 Cup Peanut Butter
1 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
2/3 cup Soy Sauce
Liberal Amounts of Chinese Hot Mustard Powder (to taste -- I use LOTS 'cause I like it Hot!)
Crushed Red Chilies (to taste)

This was a double recipe because I wanted left overs. I've been eating a lot of chicken breast lately and wanted something to flavor it up with a protein based sauce. (34 calories per Tbsp with 1.31g of protein)

Daily Stats:
Calories Consumed: 270
Calories Burned: 650++
Protein: >20g
H2O: 3L (keep a case of water bottles in my trunk to assure I never forget to drink)

One Mile Stone Reached, But More To Come

I'd like to start today's post by saying WELCOME to all the new readers. Yesterday LapSF suggested to their patients to check out the blog, and my page views went up 4 times more than usual! Hope you guys stick around and continue to read my blog. Please leave me a comment once in a while -- it really helps me to hear from you.

I also have some exciting news I forgot to tell you all yesterday. I have past my half way mark!




Yep! I've lost 67 Lbs and now have 63 Lbs to go. I'm not really keeping my eye on the long term goal right now. Instead, I'm focusing on the century mark. Just 33 Lbs to go to hit the 100 Lbs lost point. I find that smaller goals keep me more motivated. Anyway, let's talk about yesterday:

April 15, 2011

Tax Day . . . OK . . . not tax day. I'm still not sure why the weekend reprieve, but that's cool -- means I did not wait until the last minute this year! The good news is I'm getting a refund! Which is good, because I have a couple new wardrobes in decreasing sizes to buy!

So, I am happy to tell you that my day started by hitting the gym! It felt good to be back at it. I did take it easier than I did before I got sick -- well not easier, just shorter. I did a 30 minute fast uphill hike/jog with a 5 minute cool down (instead of my usual 45 & 5). Then I did some exercises on the ball that Kayla taught me when she was here. I burned 600 calories on the treadmill and ? calories doing the exercises.

The morning started out with the gym, then getting the kids off to school then to the accountants office to sign the taxes. I wonder if they would call that GST or GKA on Jersey Shore? LOL!

After going in to the accountants to sign my taxes, it was back home for some breakfast. Today I had the same thing I had yesterday (the precooked frozen Tyson grilled chicken breast are so easy and convenient plus there are 28g of protein for just 110 calories)

1 Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast
2 Tbsp Golden Miso Sauce

For lunch I had some of my homemade Split Pea Soup. I just made a new batch a few days ago. I like to keep it in the house. For those of you who are new, I wanted to repeat my tip: If you freeze the soup in ice cube trays, once frozen, you can put the frozen soup cubes into a zip-loc freezer bag and you have quick easy portions you can pop into the microwave anytime. I had:

1 cup Split Pea Soup

Dinner was Taco Salad (another great staple to have in the house is the taco part of the mixture to which you can add the salad part when ready to eat) Here is my recipe:

1 Lb Ground Turkey Breast
1 can Santa Fe Style Beans
1/4 Small Onion (diced)
2 cloves Garlic (diced)

Lettuce
Tomato
Avocado
Light Cheese
Salsa
0% Greek Yogurt

Spray your pan with cooking spray and saute the onions and garlic until soft and translucent. Add Ground Turkey and cook thoroughly. Drain any excess fluid. Add canned beans and continue to heat until beans are warm. Add salad ingredients as desired. I always put tortilla chips on the table for the rest of my family to add to theirs if they desire, but the salad doesn't really need them.

Well, that's about it for my day. Here are my daily stats:
Calories Consumed: 578
Calories Burned: 600+
Protein: 66g
H2O: 2.5L

Nope. Being Sick Didn't Kill Me -- But Having To Drink Bad Protein Might

OK I'm sure some of you have been wondering what the heck happened to me. I told you I was taking sick leave, then just disappeared for 9 days. The truth is I was well a few days ago, but took a few extra days just to be nice to myself and rest.

There has been  something happening that I wanted to give you a heads up about though. I normally buy and recommend SEI Pharmaceuticals Brand Protein (Ultimate or MAX). That's because after much gagging and choking down bad protein, I had found a protein that was actually delicious. Then, I ran out of the yummy delicious protein and placed another order.

This time . . . NOT so yummy! I thought maybe it was just that flavor and opened the second tub (I had ordered three 5lb tubs one chocolate, one strawberry, one vanilla) -- The second tub (vanilla) was even worse. I thought, "no problem, they say Satisfaction guarantee right on the tub. I'll just return them."

I called SEI Customer service at: (800) 808-8800 and was told that "per the policy on the back of my invoice," I was only allowed to return the one remaining unopened tub. Per the policy on the back of the invoice??? Who the heck reads the back of the invoice? But I turned it over and sure enough there it was in the fine print -- will not accept open containers and no refund or exchange will be given. What the??!! What about the not fine print where every container states "Satisfaction Guarantee"

I asked the representative what the company was guaranteeing I would be satisfied with if not for the quality or taste? Were they guaranteeing that I would be happy with the way the container looked before I opened it? She told me that that was not her department and that she would have a supervisor return my call. Guess what? They didn't call.

For those of you who know me, I obviously wasn't going to let it end there. I next went to their facebook page and "liked" them (so I could gain access to post on their wall -- cause I wasn't liking their customer service at all by this point) Here was my wall post and their response:

Khrystine Bugbee Can you please tell me what the phrase "Satisfaction Guaranteed" on the MAX Protein label means? Because if you actually open it and are unsatisfied -- you're screwed as you can only return unopened products. So is the satisfaction guarantee that you'll be satisfied with the way it looks before you open it? or what exactly are do you guarantee I'll be satisfied with???

SEI PHARMACEUTICALS  Why can you only return unopened products? You bought it at GNC correct? If you are not satisfied with the taste you should be able to return it where purchased for an exchange or store credit if not your money back.

Khrystine Bugbee  No, I bought it from your website and was told by customer service that I could only return 1 of 3 tubs because I tried the other 2 -- but they said they couldn't tell me why, so I thought I would ask you 

Once again . . . no response. But I wasn't going to go quietly into the night! So the next day, I found this post on their wall:

Very disappointed in the change made to the chocolate Ultimate Protein (I assume the Max is the same). Bring back the good recipe!!!!!

Very interesting! They changed their Flavor Formula and did not think to alert their repeat customers? Not only that, but they then refused to allow a return of the product after it was opened under the assumption that it was the same as it has always been. So I took the opportunity to again try to elicit a response, and I commented on the post by saying:

Khrystine Bugbee  They must have changed something about the MAX too -- the 1st bad tasting/smelling protein I have gotten from SEI. Have you called to try to return it? I was told if you opened it -- it's yours we will only refund you or exchange the product on unopened jars. I have asked here (and via phone to their customer service reps) what Satisfaction Guarantee means if we can not return it when not satisfied -- But so far no one seems to have an answer for me!!??

They again told me that I could return it by calling customer service, but they did something to further reveal the mystery of the bad protein. They actually admitted in their response that they think they got a bad batch of protein (and quickly deleted their comment -- but not before facebook emailed it to me) so Now I knew that not only did they change their flavor formula, but they also were aware of the bad protein and still tried to refuse to accept them as a return . . . hmmm . . . the plot thickens! Here is the original version of their comment:

SEI PHARMACEUTICALS wrote: "Hi Mike and Khrystine. We believe it was a bad batch of protein. You are definitely able to return your product and exchange it for a new one. Please call us at 800-808-8800 and the rep from your state will take care of it for you!"

The new comment was exactly the same minus the part about knowing the protein was bad. So again I called customer service. They tried to pull the same "per the policy on the back of the invoice" crap with me and I told them that I knew that both they were aware of the bad batch of protein and that they had changed their flavoring formula and that per their rep on facebook I could absolutely return ANYTHING I was unsatisfied with.

Enter the customer service supervisor. (yeah, now their willing to talk!) I told her about the facebook exchange (including the deleted and rewritten comment about the bad protein) -- she wanted to know the name of the rep. Really? It's your company! You go find out who your social media representative is! I offered to forward her the emails from facebook as proof, but in the end she said she didn't need them and that she would make a one time exception to the rule to allow for the exchange.

A one time exception? Hello! SATISFACTION GUARANTEE!!?? The Guarantee was also not her department so I still have no idea what their guarantee is actually guaranteeing? The thing is, I'm a post-op WLS patient. Protein drinks will be a part of my life forever (well, I'm 42 -- so I'm hoping at least another 40 years or so!) Their protein, no matter how good one batch may or may not be, should be able to be returned anytime if it's a gamble everytime I order that it will be consistent. And their telling me that this is my one shot at returning a product I'm not satisfied with? Well then . . . hmmm . . . Let's do a little math here. It costs right around $250 each time I order and I have to order at least twice a year. That's $500 per year for at least 40 years. That means in my lifetime I will spend at least $20,000 on protein with them . . . or not them. Customer service is important, and unless they change their "back of the invoice policy" and start thinking long term, I will be shopping for another recommendation for you all. 

They are picking up my bad protein Monday and shipping out the new stuff out on Tuesday or Wednesday (after the new batch is finished). I will keep you updated.

So that is my rant. Sorry it was so long -- but I really feel you all needed to know this information, so I didn't hold back. Now on to my yesterday:

April 14, 2011

As you probably can guess, I'm on protein shake strike right now. I have been instead substituting my usual shake with either a chicken breast or 0% Greek Yogurt until my new batch of protein arrives. I do have other brands, like the Health Wise Hot Chocolate and Celebrate Vitamins Brand Complete Nutrition Protein Drink in Vanilla Cake Batter flavor. They are both good -- The health wise isn't loaded with protein though (15g -- but there are only 80 calories, so if I drink a double serving I'll get 30g for only 160 calories. I think I'll start doing that until my new shipment arrives) and the Vanilla Cake Batter complete nutrition is really good and as a bonus a double serving gives you 100% of your calcium and vitamins each day. However, it really is like drinking vanilla cake batter (even the same consistency) and there is only so much cake batter you can drink before you're just over it!

So for breakfast I chose:

1 frozen Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast
2 Tbsp Golden Miso Sauce

I know, unusual choice for breakfast, but I am just trying to make the best out of my current situation for now.

Lunch was "Lobster Salad." It was good and only slightly on the naughty side *wink*

5 ozs Imitation Lobster
2 Celery Stalks (diced)
1 Tbsp Mayo (yep the real stuff)
1 Tbsp Fage 0% Greek Yogurt
Ted & Barney Seasoning to taste 

I always fell a little guilty when I use Mayonnaise, but in this salad the yogurt by itself doesn't cut it for me. (plus I figured I had a few extra calories saved from breakfast to use to make up for it).

My husband and I were invited to a dinner for Goulds Pump Dealers, so I got to eat dinner out. The choices were Chicken Parmesan, Cheese Lasagna, or Tri-Tip. I of course chose Tri-Tip as the other options were too carb packed with the breading or the pasta. I asked my server for a togo box before my food got there (which she happily obliged). I did eat about four bites of my green salad (avoiding the parts with dressing) and when my meal arrived, I boxed up the salad and most of my entree (then put the remaining entree onto my salad plate to psych my head out and make it believe I had a whole plate of food. I never eat off the big plates anymore -- they're just too over whelming! I ended up eating:

1/8 cup Green Salad
2 oz Tri-Tip
5 sauteed Mushrooms
2 spears Asparagus

Dinner was quite wonderful and as an added bonus, I am feeding the rest of it to my husband as round 2 tonight! (He normally doesn't eat leftovers, but for this, he'll make an exception!)

The bad news is, I didn't workout. (Don't worry tomorrows post will not say the same) That said, here are my daily stats:
Calories Consumed: 580
Calories Burned: BMR Only
Protein: 72g
H2O: 3L

I'm Taking Sick Leave

So you know how, at the beginning of yesterday's post I told you that I got up, turned off my alarm, and went back to bed instead of going to the gym? Well, now I know why I was so tired . . . I'm sick. I think I have just run myself down. Well, maybe I should start at the beginning:

April 5, 2011

After a night of getting up every hour and a half for one reason or another, the alarm went off at 5:15 as usual. I promptly jumped up, turned it off, turned around and went immediately back to bed. I never do that! I thought maybe I was just too tired and made a deal with myself to do a home workout later in the day.

When I woke up to get Britton up and ready for school, I was still feeling a bit slow, but I was able to force myself to do what was necessary.

After I got Britton off to school, Kana fed, medicated, and situated on the couch with a movie going, I decided to make myself breakfast. I was really excited to have strawberry protein powder again. Time for a Lava Flow Shake! I thought I had tagged the shake, but could not find it, so I will post the ingredients again and tag it here:

2 scoops Strawberry Protein Powder
3 oz Torani Sugar-Free Coconut Syrup
1/2 oz Torani Sugar-Free Strawberry Syrup
1/2 oz H2O
12 Ice Cubes

I chatted with a friend on facebook while I drank it. I thought I was just procrastinating getting the stuff done I needed to do (which I am very good at doing), but after I was done drinking my shake, I just felt like I had no energy (not usual after finishing a whole protein shake). I actually laid down on the love seat and took a late morning nap.

When I woke up from that I noticed my eyes were runny and the fluid was a bit sticky. I thought, "please, don't let me get Kana's pink eye!" I knew I was always careful to was my hands before and after I medicated him, but he did sleep in my bed the night before, so maybe . . . ?

Shortly, I noticed my throat hurt. Then came the fever. GREAT! I did manage to get billing done (thanks to Britton's help after he got home from school), but that was the end of my trying to fight it off. I decided my body was shouting at me to rest, so I gave in and spent the rest of the day sleeping.

I decided not to stress to much on anything other than staying hydrated. I had plenty of hot tea and broth, water and even a sugar free Popsicle, but there really isn't much to tell about what I ate. Oh yeah and as for exercise, I just couldn't.

I don't know how long this is going to last, but posting updates that tell you what flavor tea or broth I drank, what movies I watched on TV and how sick I feel -- won't be any fun for either of us, so I am taking a few sick days and will return the day after I feel better enough to get back to my regular routine.

Thanks everyone, hopefully it will only be a day or two!

Too Tired To Try To Be Humorous Today

Some days, I sit and stare at this blank page for what seems like hours and can't think of a thing to say. Other days it just types itself. Today isn't one of those "types itself" kind of days. It could be just because I'm tired. Last night I didn't sleep very well. Between Dan coming home late and waking me up when he got in bed; to Kana having Pink eye and needing me to "unglue" his eye lids so he could see when he got up to go to the bathroom; to waking up to again unglue his eyes to put medicine in them; to the Alarm going off @ 5:15 to go to the gym, and me thinking "yeah right! not this morning" and going back to sleep! (I just couldn't do it). But this post, as you know, isn't about the sleep I did or didn't get last night, it's about what I did or didn't eat yesterday and whether or not I exercised. So here it is:

April 4, 2011

The gym was good this morning. It's always hard on Mondays, after taking Sunday off, but I pushed myself (even when my muscles were begging me to stop) and burned 890 calories.  I certainly have a love/hate relationship with running/hiking up hill really fast. I hate it during, but after, I'm so thankful for the calories burned.

I still didn't know what my plan was for the day. I still didn't have any protein powder. Thankfully, it came UPS later in the day.

I had to volunteer in Kana's class this morning (even though I normally don't go in when Kana is sick, but I knew there was a substitute and she really needed me there, so I had Dan stay home with Kana until I got back). So I decided to eat something small before I left -- I usually take a shake with me. I had:

2 slices Deli Turkey Ham

When I got home from volunteering, I wasn't really hungry, so I figured the turkey ham must have been enough for breakfast. The thing is I wasn't really hungry come lunch time either (guess it was just gonna be one of those days). I had:

1/4 cup Sunflower Kernels

Seemed like a good idea at the time, but they are kind of a chore to chew. By the time I was done with it all, my jaws kind of hurt! LOL.

My protein powder showed up while I was cooking dinner. What to do? What to do? I really wanted the meatballs I was making, but knew I wouldn't have enough protein if I didn't chose the shake. I decided to compromise. I would drink my shake right away, then eat 1 or 2 meatballs later. I had an "Apple Pie Ala Mode" Shake. The funny thing is when all I had for an option was vanilla protein powder, all I wanted was strawberry, but now I have strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla to chose form and I still chose vanilla! LOL -- go figure?!

A few hours later I did have:

2 Meatballs in Sweet BBQ Sauce

I made the sauce with Splenda Brown Sugar Blend to cut down on the carbs and calories. It did taste a lot different, but was sweeter than normal, so I will try to adjust the recipe more next time and use less sweetener. I'll post the recipe once it is "right"

Daily Stats:
Calories Consumed: 665
Calories Burned: 890
Protein: 74
H2O: 3L (I wasn't super hungry, but I was VERY thirsty all day!)

This Is Getting To Be A Really Bad Habbit

So here I am again doing a double day post. Which I don't really like doing. Was I too busy to take the time to write yesterday? Nope. Then why did I not post yesterday? I don't know? I sat down to write it a few different times through the day, but each time, I would get distracted doing something else. Maybe I just need a day off once in a while? Maybe I was just being lazy? (Sunday's do tend to do that to me.) Whatever the case, here I am writing my "Weekend Post" . . . again.

Saturday April 2, 2011

I chose not to go to OA again this week. It just doesn't feel like a vibrational match for me, so I'm probably not going back. They talk about wanting to stop the negative self-talk (I shouldn't have eaten that, I'm no good because I ate that, etc . . .), then they all repeat the same negative mantra each time they wish to speak (I'm a compulsive over eater). I need to surround myself with positive people. I will figure out the support group thing later -- my Dr's support group will begin meeting once a month, so I'll try that. If I decide I need something more, I will begin my own that is more metaphysically based.

Breakfast was a protein shake with the last of my protein powder. I guess I should have placed my reorder sooner. My new shipment is scheduled to be here on Monday. So my last 2 scoops of chocolate powder went in the blender to make a new concoction I called, "Hawaiian Joy" (like an Almond Joy, but with macadamia nut instead of almond). It was really good and chocolaty! Here is my recipe:

2 scoops Chocolate Protein Powder
2 oz Torani Sugar-Free Chocolate Macadamia Nut Syrup
2 oz Torani Sugar-Free Coconut Syrup
12 Ice Cubes

It was good, but it was lunch that I had been looking forward to since the night before. I had as much of my leftovers from last nights dinner as I could eat -- unfortunately, it was no more than I could eat the night before (but that's good for the weight loss journey, so I was completely OK with it). I ate the Ahi, Yellow Fin, and Salmon, but the Maguro was very stringy and difficult to chew into puree, so I gave it to the cat. I also had a few rolls with the rice taken off (easy when they're inside out rolls). I unfortunately had to toss the rest out. Left overs from a sushi restaurant are only still delicious for a short time.

Then it was off to swimming and frozen yogurt after. I had very little (maybe 2 ounces if I was lucky, because Kana asked if he could have the rest of mine pretty quickly (knowing that when I have decided I have had enough, I offer it to him before throwing it away). It was fine with me, I knew we were going to the movies in a couple hours (and would want to indulge in my guiltiest of pleasures -- POPCORN!), so I didn't really need the rest of the yogurt, and took Kana's asking as a sign from the universe. So I had:

2 oz Cactus Cooler Tart Non-Fat Frozen Yogurt

It was a delicious flavor. A mixture of Pineapple, Orange, and Coconut. It's probably good that Kana asked for mine, because I would have most likely eaten the whole thing.

Next it was off to visit my in-laws and have a cup of tea with Marie. I was enjoying our conversation so much, that I almost made us late for the movie, but we made it. (and with enough time to spare to stop by the concession stand and buy popcorn. I ordered:

1 small Popcorn (and I ate a little more than 3/4 of the bag by myself!)

Why do they always ask you if you want "butter flavored topping" on your popcorn? Gross! No thank-you, no butter flavored grease for me please. We took our snacks and headed into the theater to watch Hop with Kayla and her family. I gotta tell you, as a post-oppie, the movie was hysterical with candy making treadmills, and lines like "Ah, my old nemesis, the stairs, we meet again." That one made me laugh out loud!

Daily Stats:
Calories Consumed: 796
Calories Burned: Swimming
Protein: 80
H2O: 2.5L

Sunday March 3. 2011

What to do what to do? I had no protein powder (well none that I would drink anyway!) I had to start the day with a plan to get my protein in. I decided that Greek Yogurt had almost as much protein per serving as my shake, the problem was quantity. Adding an extra scoop of powder to a shake doesn't significantly increase the volume, but to eat 2 cups of yogurt, was going to take some effort and a plan. I decided to drink a bottle of water to start with (thinking, it may be a while before I can drink again -- due to the no liquids until 45 minutes after food rule). Then I got started on my yogurt:

2 cups Fage 0% Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup Torani Sugar-Free Red Raspberry Syrup

I started on it at just a bit after 9:00am by the time I had completed it, it was 12:30 in the afternoon! It took over 3 hours to get it all down. Makes me appreciate my shakes for sure. Such an easier way! I decided that the mornings endeavor would count as both breakfast and lunch.

Which was good, because by the time I had waited and got another 2 bottles of water down,l it was 4:00. I decided, I'd better have some dinner, I ate the last of pre-cooked chicken breast I had bought earlier this week. (but this time I had something very special to dip it in!) Here was my yummy dinner:

1 Tyson Frozen Grilled Chicken Breast
2 Tbsp Golden Miso Sauce

I love golden miso sauce, but don't know the nutritional value of it, so I am just using the miso paste in my calorie and protein count -- if any of you know what the true NV of golden miso sauce is, please let me know.

Here are my daily stats:
Calories Consumed: 451
Calories Burned: BMR only -- sunday is my day off
Protein: 72g
H2O: 2L

The Truth About Thursday and A Really Great Day

Hope you all enjoyed yesterday's prank post. I laughed the entire time I was writing it. The real Thursday was NOTHING like that!

Obviously I did hit the gym. I did a short cardio, then legs, arms, and abs, and ended with another short cardio. I burned 340 calories from the cardio and ? calories from the weights/machines portion of my workout.

Breakfast was a shake, lunch was 2 Tyson Chic Breast with a little Barbecue Sauce mixed with Hot Mustard for dipping, and dinner was 1/3 of a meatball from Pizza Co in between open house and Kana's Play.

My Stats were:
Calories Consumed: 561
Calories Burned: ? (340 + The Non-Cardio portion of my workout)
Protein: 100g
H2O: 3L

Now for my yesterday:

April 1, 2011

I had the best day! Kayla came down from Oregon for our "Girl Date" Day -- I really wish we lived closer so they could happen more often.

I knew we were going to have our shakes for lunch together, so I made the guts for a breakfast burrito (AKA a burritoless burrito or a spicy scramble). I mixed it all together in the pan. Here's what I used:

2 Tbsp Crumbled Bacon
1/2 cup Egg Beaters
1 individual package Light Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup Hot Salsa

Kayla got here at 10:30am and we promptly hit the gym until noon. We did the cardio, workout, cardio thing again. This time I burned 440 calories during the cardio portions and I learned some really great new exercises!

After the gym, it was back to my house to shower and get ready for our day. I made our shakes (Kayla had a "Cookie Dough Ice Cream" Shake and I had a "Peach Pie" Shake) and we took them with us to Parasol Arts for paint your own pottery. We made sushi plates and matching dipping bowls. I can't wait to pick them up next week. We're meeting in Bandon next weekend for a 5K run, so I can bring hers up to her then.

After painting our sushi plates and dipping bowls, we were off to Platinum Studio for Pedi's and Glitter toes! Yay pampering ourselves! First an art spa and now a beauty spa -- the day just kept getting better!!

Then it was on to dinner at The Bay Front Restaurant for Sushi! Delish. OK, so here we are, two post-opies with maybe a cup and a half of stomach room between us and you would have thought we were a couple of NFL linebackers by the size of our order! We ordered:

The Sashimi Combo (Ahi, Salmon, Yellow Tail, and Maguro)
The Black Kitty
The Kaleidoscope
The Volcano
Sunomono
Edamame
and a side of Golden Miso Sauce

Needless to say, we didn't even put a dent in it all! We both took a ton of sushi home with us.

To end our night we went SHOPPING! Kayla was great at picking out things for me that I probably wouldn't have found on my own (and in smaller sizes than I would have guessed). I got 2 dresses (one long, flowy, and goddessy -- and one short and flirty) and a really cute top. Plus we parked at one end of the mall and shopped at the other, so we got a lap in. We would have shopped longer, but they closed the mall down around us, so it was time to call it a day.

Daily Stats:
Calories Consumes: Approximately 650
Calories Burned: 440 + The Non-Cardio stuff (for which I just don't know a total, but Kayla has convinced me I need a body bug -- so this part is gonna get way more accurate here soon)
Protein: Approximately 93g
H2O: 2L +

It's time to retire the 3 month post-up pic, as it has now been replaced with the new "current" So here is one last look at what I looked like a month ago:

I'm Almost Ashamed To Have To Write This . . .

I just had a great "Girl Date" day with Kayla. I'll tell you about it tomorrow. Today's post is about yesterday, so here's what happened:

March 31, 2011

I decided to skip the gym today. Sleep just sounded like a much better option.

Something funny started happening to me since I started losing weight. I sometimes dream I am just stuffing myself with crazy amounts of food -- usually some kind of crusty bread is involved somewhere, but the other items I devour in my dreams are totally random. When I finally woke up I felt guilty, but I was so hungry! I knew breakfast should be a protein shake, but I felt like I was actually craving food, and because I had just been dreaming about bread, it was what I felt like I was craving. I decided to have french toast made with white bread and some bacon (for the protein). I had:

5 pieces French Toast
3 Tbsp Butter
2 oz Syrup
4 strips Bacon

It was soooo good, and I was completely stuffed! I didn't really think it would all fit in my pouch, but it did without any immediate problems. I wasn't sure what all that white bread would do as it tried to pass through my stoma, but I figured if it got blocked, I probably just wouldn't be hungry the rest of the day. I had just consumed my whole days calories anyway, so I wasn't too worried about it.

Funny thing, I thought that would keep me full all day, but I got hungry again around 2:00. I told myself that I couldn't have anything else and tried to just drink lots of water to fill myself up. That worked for about 3 hours and then I was so hungry that I couldn't stand it. Now, I started to question myself and my breakfast choices. If I ate again, the day would be ruined!

I just couldn't go without eating any longer, so I decided to eat and just call the day a "learning experience", but I figured since I already blew it, I might as well go big on my failed day. So, I went to McDonalds and got:

20 piece Chicken McNuggets
small Fries
large Coke

I ate most of the nuggets, but couldn't really eat the fries and the coke didn't really taste like I remembered. It was a really stupid move, but what's done is done and I'm moving on. I don't want to tell you my stats for the day -- you can already tell that they aren't good. There is something I do want to tell you though:

APRIL FOOL'S!!!!!

You weren't really buying all that were you? Hahahahaha Best April fool's joke ever!!!

OK, so I really did have a "Girl Date" day with Kayla today -- but the rest . . . Even IF I made the stupid food choices I said I made, the portions of either meal would be physically impossible to consume in less than . . . ummm . . . a couple days?

OK so the real yesterday will be added to the real today post that I write tomorrow. Hope you were entertained LOL!

It's Been A Grab & Go Day!

It's late. I know. What I really want to do is go to bed. What I really need to do is write today's blog. I've kind of been in a do what you want to do mode, but once you let yourself slack off on writing, it just gets easier and easier and easier. So, tonight as I type up this very late blog entry (that I'm suppose to do in the morning), I am making an attempt to force myself back into doing the right thing and writing this blog daily as I promised you I would. So here's what I did yesterday:

March 30, 2011

Britton jumped right up to hit the gym with me today. I guess that letting him sleep in and catch up on some Zzz's really paid off. I had a decent workout . . . Burned 886 calories!

Breakfast was a Luna Peanut Butter and Chocolate Protein Bar, because I was off to watch the morning performance of Kana's play. I would have made a shake and taken it with me if the morning just would have come with an extra 15 minutes! But it's times like these, that I bought these bars for in the first place. I'm so glad I had them available or I would have been too hungry by the time the play ended.

Lunch -- Sometimes it is better to cook your food the old fashioned way. Usually means a healthier option with more nutrients. However, there are also times when convenience wins out on so many levels that it just doesn't make sense not to do it the "new fashioned" way! Because life isn't always lived in an ideal world. Sometimes I just don't have the time, like this week. Not only are we finishing up with Kana's 5 day a week swim lessons or the fact that it is open house this week at school and Kana (being in a 2nd/3rd split class) is in the "3rd Grade" Play and they have performances every day this week and he wants me at all of them. (I have, however, learned all the words to every part -- in case they need an understudy come the actual open house performance!) Plus, this is the end of the month, which means, I need to get billing out . . . and the list goes on . . .

So for days (or weeks, months, whatever?) like this, I like to keep Tyson Frozen Grilled Breast Fillets on hand in the freezer. I love them because they're: quick and convenient, low calorie (110 per breast), and packed with protein (24g per breast). My son Britton, who is not a huge fan of protein shakes asks my why I just don't eat them instead of drinking shakes everyday since they lave less calories and more protein per serving. The answer -- Variety! There are only so many things you can do with a plain chicken breast, but thanks to Torani, the shake possibilities are endless. I did spice up my chicken breast though with something new today. I had:

1 (4 oz) Chicken Breast
2 Tbsp Wasabi Mustard (as dipping sauce)

It was really good -- but I think anything with wasabi on top is good!

In between my lunch and dinner there was A LOT of running around (I'll spare you the details as I want to post this before it officially becomes a "two day's ago in my pouch" post) I was glad when swim lessons were over! That meant all I had left to do was feed everyone, do Kana's homework with him, and get him bathed and ready for bed. (Which by the way is also my bedtime so that I can get up at 5am the following morning!) So guess what dinner was? Yep . . . quick, easy, frozen chicken breasts for everyone! Add some easy mac and a salad for the kids, and everyone can be served a meal in under 15 minutes! My favorite -- aside from simply making reservations that is! I had:

1 (4 oz) Chicken Breast
2 Tbsp Hot Salsa
1 individual pkg Light Cheddar Cheese

I nuked the Chicken Breast, spread salsa and shredded cheese on top of it, and put back into microwave just until the cheese melted. Yummy, easy, and full of protein -- the perfect post-op option!

Here were my daily Stats:
Calories Consumed:  525
Calories Burned: 886
Protein: 67g
H2O: 3L