Thursday, April 28, 2011

Back On Track

A getaway was definitely needed. I got out of town for a relaxing weekend away. Relaxed, Read, Cooked healthy no carb meals... and basically recharged myself for this week. It has been very stressful at work. I am a stress eater and I am trying to make better choices when I am in that mode. I am always on the go and need a quick snack to tide me over or something quick to grab on my way out the door. The past week or so I have been making my Egg Minis. It is a spin off from a SouthBeach diet recipe. It makes cute little cupcake sized egg quiches. Perfect for breakfast and on the go. Very easy to make ahead since it makes 6 qty in the tray I use. 


I also made an effort to make a small healthy snack for when I am so busy I forget to eat and then I get famished and want anything and everything bad for me. I made Roasted Chickpeas. Again, very easy to make and make ahead. I found that you have to cook them until they aren't soft in the middle, if not then they are too dry for me to eat and kinda get stuck. The crispier the better. Here are the recipes.... 


Egg Minis
Ingredients
1 cartoon of egg white liquid
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
Morning Farms Veggie Sausage Patty (chopped)
salt / pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Divide Spinach and Sausage into cupcake tray (I used a 6 qty tray for larger minis). Pour egg white liquid into each spot and do not fill since when cooking it will expand. Cook for 20 minutes or until egg is cooked thru. Cool tray and remove egg minis. 


Roasted Chickpeas
  • Ingredients 
  • 1 (12 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt (optional)
  • garlic salt (optional)
  • cayenne pepper (optional)

  • Directions
  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
  • Blot chickpeas with a paper towel to dry them. In a bowl, toss chickpeas with olive oil, and season to taste with salt, garlic salt, and cayenne pepper, if using. Spread on a baking sheet, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until browned and crunchy. Watch carefully the last few minutes to avoid burning.





I was also recommended to try Shakeology. This is a super shake. A protein shake on crack. It has so many vitamins and such. It doesn't have caffeine which I liked and also 17grams of protein and under 200 calories. The bad part is that a bag of 30 servings runs about $110. I tried a sample yesterday of the chocolate flavor mix. It tasted like cake, very yummy cake. It kept me full so long and it also gave me lots of energy thru my whole day. With the Premiere Protein Shakes I usually drink, It fills me up but not as long as the Shakeology. I ended up buying 2 bags to get me thru a few months. Check out Shakeology for more information.

I am turning my crappy mindset into a positive one and so far I have stuck to my no carb plan for over a week. The only thing didn't rule out was soy milk for my protein shakes. But I have kept my calories below what I am allowed and also keeping track on my BodyMedia Fit program too. I may of found a good ratio going. The fill I got last week is working out very well. I am eating less and getting full quicker. I just have to eat the right density in the foods and I feel it. Fingers crossed.

We finally booked our trip to Maui for 7 days! It will be in mind July. And I am so excited. time to get crackin' cause I want to be able to eat whatever I want guilt free that whole week and look good in my bathing suit again. 70+ days and counting.

Goal for this week: Keep up No Carbs! Stay under 1300 Calories.

Weight for today: 199 (Yey the scale is moving again)


Thanks for baring with me!

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Little Bitch

I just got back from seeing my surgeon and even getting a fill. He added .5 mm. He was concerned how I told him that from the last time I got a fill (3 months ago) that the first week was perfect, then I got sick with the flu. I threw up for 3 days and then the restriction changed. His eyes perked up with concern from this. He mentioned the slight chance there could be some erosion. 


He proceeded with the fill. When I first had received fills they were difficult for him to hit the silicon entry point. I could feel him hitting the hard plastic portion of the port. As time went on and I was better healed it became easier for him. Well today, no such luck. I became a pin cushion once again. He fiddled around for 15-20 minutes just trying to hit the silicon area. He thinks as it has healed and formed to my muscle tissue that it is at a slight angle downward. I kept joking with him... as I am sweating and clammy from the nerves of him poking me... that what a pain in the ass it must be for him and that we should call my band "Little Bitch". He was definitely agreeing to this from day one.


I am to call back in 2 weeks to check in and tell him how I am feeling about my restriction. If there isn't any change in the right direction he will have me do my next fill under the Xray again and check for band erosion with drinking contrast dye. Did I mention I am allergic to that stuff? 


RED FLAG... What is Band Erosion?


Lap-Band erosion is migration of the band through the stomach wall into the stomach. This complication occurs in less than 2% of patients when surgeons use present day technique (pars flacida technique). It was significantly more common early on when the band was placed tightly against the stomach (peri-gastric technique).

Presentation. When the band erodes into the stomach, bacteria from the stomach enter into the capsule that mutually forms around the band. The infection then travels along the tubing into the pocket around the subcutaneous port. Thus many patients who develop erosion first notice pain, redness, and swelling in the vicinity of the access port. Another way that band migration presents is with loss of the band's restrictive effect. When the band erodes well into the stomach, food can bypass around the band. The patient can eat much more than before.

Diagnosis. Band erosion is best diagnosed with upper GI endoscopy. The endoscopist can actually see the band as it penetrates the stomach wall. IAn eroded band can also occasionally be identified on CT scan.

Treatment. Lap band erosion is usually not an emergency. If the access port site is infected, the port must be removed promptly. The band can then be removed semi- electively. Removal of an eroded band can be a difficult procedure requiring an open approach. Most surgeons simply remove the band and then perform rebanding, a gastric bypass, or duodenal switch as second procedure. Some surgeons have had success removing the band and performing a simultaneous rebanding or gastric bypass.

1 YEAR 6 MONTHS progress photo



Since I didn't have this until today, here is a the follow up from my post yesterday.

And I also started my No Carb today. Day 1. Last night I made egg and spinach minis for breakfast and heart shaped turkey burger patties for lunch. I made enough of each to get me thru the remaining week.

Today I have my doctors appointment..... I am gonna show him this....


Tuesday, April 19, 2011

1 YEAR 6 MONTHS

Today marks my 1 and a half year mark!

I would love to say that I am happy at where I am at from what I used to weigh but yet, I am definitely not happy about not loosing much since 3 months ago. In fact, I am up to 203lbs today. I am in shock. I am sad. I am very mad at myself. I know that scale number is well... just a number...and it should have no effect on me and my mind set... but it does.
It haunts me.
It changes how I face my day.
It gets me down and I make bad choices.
I even can get snippy to those who don't deserve it.

If you would of told me 3 - 6 months ago I would be at the same weight I would of given you the stink eye. It is amazing how hard I worked to get to 197, and how little effort I needed to make to get back to 203. I have worked hard on being active. Making it count at the gym. But on the other hand, I have not made as much effort with eating right. I did my no carb diet for 3 weeks. It made me feel like I was back on track. I felt more energy thru my day. I felt like I was toning up. Then 1 week after starting my no carb diet, I got my BodyMedia Fit arm band to help keep me even more accountable. I love the damn thing. It is great. It doesn't lie.

I guess I have gone thru some ups and downs in my years of battling my weight. It is not easy. Being banded is not easy. It is hard to keep up with being 100 percent conscious of what you eat, how you eat, how slow you have to eat, it encompasses a lot of your life. I don't regret being banded. I would never want to give it back. It is who I am. I have gone on some pretty insane diets in the past, but being banded is no diet. It is a life. This is the first time ever that I have been able to keep off weight for over 1 year. I would usually loose some and gain it all back, plus 10. It was a viscous cycle. Being banded has helped me break that pattern. It still freaks me out that I do have something foreign in my body tied around my tummy. That I actually did get surgery.

I am living in this grey area on what I know I should be eating, and what I am eating. I am very nervous about going to my surgeon this week for my check up. I am not sure he will give me a fill. I don't know what to tell him. I have to be honest. I am going to confess my bad food choices. I am also going to tell him how I don't feel as restricted as I did the first week he filled me last time. It is like telling your parents you did something bad and you know they are going to punish you. Granted I know my doctor wont do this but I know what he will tell me. It is a nervous feeling since I haven't been the perfect bandster. It is going to be a clean slate. A day to refresh my mind and body.

I know I need to change what I am doing. It isn't working. I felt that the no carb diet really got me back into feeling good, eating right, taking my vitamins, and drinking lots of water. It was successful for me. I want to return to doing no carbs. That means no more crap food, sweets, fruits.... sugar sugar sugar... I did great without it, then got hooked to eating it again. My body was acting like a sugar addict. Every second I thought about what super sugary foods I could eat. It was bad, a very dark place. It needs to be my past and something I have to learn from. I need to move forward onto eating right.

There is a new billboard on the way home from work. It is a Lapband 1-800-GET THIN Ad. It is a lady eating a bowl of fruit with a light and sweet smile on her face. It is a SIGN for me!

Eating right, working out, taking vitamins, drinking water... are all simple steps I HAVE to do to keep me on track. I am going to get back into the no carb diet for real this time. I am going to open that Atkins book and the 4 Hour Body... re read - re charge.... so then when I blog about 1 year 9 months I will have something grand to say.

Weight for today: 203

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

They Haunt Me!

I put off posting for a few days since I couldn't bring myself to post something that wasn't a happy and positive entry. But dammit girls, I am on a bandwagon of junk, junk and more junk food.

Granted ups and downs are a part of life - But why is it my eating pattern is just f'ed up right now?

I was really great with 3 weeks of No-Carb, I went down a  few pounds... then went out of town for 5 days - ate like crap and enjoyed it - but since then I have continued to make horrible food choices. And I mean horrible... like a Oreo shake that is over 900 calories for a SMALL size! Not sure if it had anything to do with my period or maybe my stressful life... what ever it is I have to get out of this funk. It is causing me to gain a few pounds and put me back up to 200 for the last 2 weeks. I tract all of my foods so I know 100 percent of crap I have put in my mouth - But yet, Does that stop me!?!

I am lacking my mo-jo, my drive, my passion... I am loosing my steam. I have just been so down about the scale not moving. I try to blog that I have to focus on the positives but inside I feel so mad at myself for not focusing. I need to guide myself right back into the driver's seat. No more bad habits, no more junk food stops right after working out or being lazy to cook. These are the OLD ME habits. I thought I got rid of them. But yet THEY HAUNT ME. I dream and crave sweets. I think of hamburgers and french fries. I think of what toppings to put on ice cream. Things that I may not always follow thru on doing.. but these are thoughts that I don't want to have.

I increased my water, I increased my cardio... what I am missing that is re-directing my path... vitamins maybe? I haven't taken my daily vitamins in over a month. Could be it. But not sure. I know I shouldn't buy this crap food, carbs galore or sweet tooth treats... I get into a fog and just do it. I know it is wrong. But yet I do it. Like I am in a trance.... Must come up for air...

Goal for this week: ???

Weight for Today: 200.6

Monday, April 4, 2011

Mark My Word!

It has almost been a month that I have been using my BodyMedia Fit armband. I do love it, I do recommend it... but I haven't lost one freaking pound since I have started. This of course if VERY frustrating but I know why. I am eating like I don't care as much as I should. I am eating in that grey area of  'only this once' mentality. I am just choosing the wrong foods. I track all of my foods so I know I am just not eating right. Last week I wanted to go back to my 6 days on - 1 day off No carb diet. Did I do it? Nope. Why? I have no clue. But I am here today, yet another Monday still lingering way to close to 200's. Maybe even 200 today since I haven't weighted myself since last week. I need to change. I need to get my mind around eating right and just do it!

So even though my eating habits have sucked the last few weeks. The BodyMedia Fit band does show you how your heart rate levels are. It places it into low, moderate, and vigorous. This is one thing I have done right since I started wearing the armband. I am making note of how much my little tracker says 'vigorous' on it's bar charts at the end of the day. I have been pushing myself harder, making myself run faster in intervals, using the stair stepper, riding my bike on the weekend. I feel great about this change. Even if I didn't wear my arm band every moment of the day - I would continue to use it at the gym just to keep up with my output levels. It is so much better than trying to track your calories burned on a generic treadmill. That isn't ever right anyhow.

I am coming up on my 1 and a half year mark in a couple of weeks. This is so scary to me since even though I have improved in so many areas... I still weight what I did over 6 -8 months ago. It is very disappointing actually.  I should be further along than I am. I have 13 more days till this mark in my life. I will post photos so I can see for myself if there are any changes.

Today is a new day and I have to make it count!

Goal for this week:  No carbs and continue with increased water!

Weight for today: 200.2 :(