Tuesday, August 4, 2010

Today not so good.  Meals good.  Cookies in between meals not so much!  Really need my meeting tomorrow!

The stress of moving overseas in 6 weeks is really hitting me.  I have TONS to finish at work which takes priority over everything else at the moment, but the stress it's giving me is causing me to eat!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Breakfast (6:30 am):
     Protein Smoothie (see previous food logs for info)

Woke up super early because I couldn't sleep.  Decided to get up though I eventually went back to bed.

Morning Pills (9:00 am):
     Multi-Vitamin
     Calcium
     Wellbutrin
     Prilosec

Morning Snack (10:00 am):
     Light String Cheese
     100 Calorie Bag of Nuts

Slip Up (11:00 am):
     1/4 of a Chocolate Chip Cookie

Lunch (12:00 pm):
     1/2 Grilled Chicken Breast topped with Gouda Cheese
     6 Sweet Potato Fries

Afternoon Snack (2:30 pm):
     4 Sugar Free Fudge Dipped Mint Cookies

Afternoon Pills (3:30 pm):
     Calcium

Very antsy and snacky today.  Just trying to stay calm and not let my being tired and stressed get the best of me.

Slip Up (5:00 pm):
     1/4 Chocolate Chip Cookie
     1/4 Sugar Cookie

Dinner (6:30 pm):
     Pork Roast
     Corn
     Julienne Potatoes

Evening Snack (8:15 pm):
     Skinny Cow Ice Cream Cone

Need to get myself more centered!

Monday, August 2, 2010

Morning Pills (8:00 am):
     Multi-Vitamin
     Calcium
     Wellbutrin
     B12 Sublingual
     Prilosec

Breakfast (9:00 am):
     Protein Smoothie made with:
        10 oz. Tropical Blend Diet V8 Splash
        1 scoop of Vanilla Max Protein
        2 tsp. Fiber Supplement
        1/2 Goya Fruta Mango Fruit Pulp
        Frozen Peaches & Strawberries

Slip Up (9:15 am):
     1/4 Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie

My absolute favorite cookie flavor at work is this cookie.  It is a seasonal flavor so it is only around for 3 months.  Today the receptionist decided to put them out as samples and when I walked by this morning I just took one without even really thinking.  Thankfully it shook me back to reality and I have resisted the urge every other time I've walked by today.  I am praying for strength to resist the rest of the day.

Physical Activity (11:30 am):
     Swam 26 laps (650 yards) in 30 minutes

Lunch (1:30 pm):
     1 Hard Boiled Egg
     Chicken & Couscous Salad

Afternoon Snack (4:00 pm):
     4 Murray's Sugar Free Fudge Dipped Mint Cookies

Slip Up (4:25 pm):
     1/4 Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookie

Grabbed another piece on my way out the door.  Grrrr.

Dinner (6:30 pm):
     5 small Meatballs
     Slice of Light Provolone Cheese
     Sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese

Evening Snack (7:15 pm):
     3/4 of a regular Gelati from Rita's made with
        Sugar-Free Citrus Green Tea Italian Ice
        Slenderita Custard

I should have stopped at like half way through the Gelati as I ended up feeling way uncomfortable and bloated when I finally slowed down and realized I was past full.  Just a reminder I need to S.L.O.W. down when I eat.

Physical Activity:
     Walked 1.7 Miles

After taking my nieces to Rita's, they didn't want to go home yet so we walked around downtown.  I was glad to do it as I was totally uncomfortable after eating too much and could use the movement and it hasn't been unbelievably hot lately which is great.

Spiritual/Mental/Emotional Work:
     Spending time with my nieces is always good for me mentally and emotionally!
     Oh and getting my registration information and official loan confirmation for school was also great emotionally and mentally.

Fluids for the Day:
     20 oz. Protein Smoothie
     20 oz. SoBe Lifewater Black & Blue Berry
     20 oz. Water

Evening Vitamins:
     Multi-Vitamin
     Iron

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Morning Pills (8:30 am):
     Multi-Vitamin
     Calcium
     Wellbutrin

Physical Activity:
     Rode bike to and from OA meeting (total of 3.5 miles)

Spiritual/Mental/Emotional Work:
     OA Meeting
     Continuing to work on Gratitude List

Breakfast (11:00 am):
     Protein Smoothie made with:
        8 oz. Tropical Blend Diet V8 Splash
        1 scoop of Vanilla Max Protein
        1/2 Goya Fruta Mango Fruit Pulp
        1/2 cup Frozen Peaches
        2/3 cup Frozen Strawberries

Physical Activity (1:00 pm):
     30 min. Cleaning & Vacuuming the Bathroom

Lunch (1:30 pm):
     Boca Cheeseburger
     Slice of 2% Cheddar Cheese
     Pepperidge Farm Deli Flat
     Heinz Reduced Sugar Ketchup
     3 Medium Strawberries

Afternoon Pills (2:30 pm):
     Calcium

Afternoon Snack (6:20 pm):
     Small Piece of French Bread topped with 2 tbsp Crab Dip

I am going out to dinner with a friend and am waiting for him to call me.  It's much later then I like to eat and was getting famished so I had a tiny bit of the crab dip my parents were eating.

Dinner (8:15 pm):
     Bob Evans Egg Lites Combo:
        Egg Lites
        1 Turkey Sausage Link
        1/3 Strawberry & Yogurt Crepe

Evening Pills (1:00 am):
     Multi-Vitamin
     Iron

Fluids for the Day:
     20 oz. Protein Smoothie
     40 oz. Water

Late night chatting with a friend, who just bought his first house.  So excited for him and had fun chatting about decorating ideas.

Friday, August 30, 2010

Morning Pills (8:00 am):
     Multi-Vitamin
     Calcium
     Wellbutrin

Breakfast (9:15 am):
     Protein Smoothie (approx. 20 oz.) made with:
        10 oz. of Berry Blend Diet V8 Splash
        1 Scoop Vanilla Max Protein
        2 tsp Fiber Supplement
        1/2 Frozen Banana
        1/2 Goya Mango Fruit Pulp
        1 cup Frozen Strawberries
     Lactaid Pill (the Lactose from the Whey Protein doesn't agree with my stomach)

Lunch (1:30 pm):
     2 Hard Boiled Eggs
     2 Strawberries

I spent all morning working on my UK Visa application and before I knew it, it was after 1 and I was famished!

Afternoon Pills (3:30 pm):
     Calcium

I get all my vitamins directly from my doctor.  They are the offices' (there are 3 different offices in the area under the same practice) own "brand".  They are easily digestible for WLS patients (duh!) and the prices are reasonable, often times cheaper then other bariatric vitamins.  All but my calcium are pills I can just swallow.  For whatever reason the calcium tablet flavors very each time I get them.  Sometimes they are a yummy citrusy flavor.  This time they are just generic fruit and not so good but it's easy enough to crunch on for a second and swallow.

Afternoon Snack (4:00 pm):
     3 Murray Sugar Free Oatmeal Cookies

I know, I know, not the greatest choice but they are the one thing that keeps me from eating all the REAL cookies around here!  Carbs don't cause any problems for me (honestly, not many foods really do) but I know I am supposed to limit them.  While these cookies may be more carb rich then other snack options, they are sugar free so they don't send me off on a binge.  As I said yesterday, I am still figuring all this out.  I may be almost one year post op and it may seem like I should have this all down by now but, for me, this is going to be a life long learning process, of that, I am sure!

Dinner (6:30 pm):
     2 Slices of Thin Crust Cheese Pizza

Not the most stellar dinner.  Friday is pizza night in my parents' house so I either eat pizza with the family or cook something for myself.  I should have just eaten one piece, as I was satisfied after just one, but pizza is somewhat of a trigger food so I went ahead and had a second piece which left me feeling pretty well stuffed.  Thankfully my family has started ordering the thin crust pizza since my surgery so it's not nearly as bad as the pan pizza they used to order!

Evening Snack (8:15 pm):
     Klondike Slim-a-Bear 100 Calorie No Sugar Added Fudge Pop

Physical Activity for the Day:
     NONE

Need to work on this!

Mental/Spiritual/Emotional Work for the Day:
     Began working on a gratitude list (will be posted when complete)

Fluids for the Day:
     20 oz. Protein Smoothie
     40 oz. Water

Evening Pills:
     Fell asleep and forgot to take them!

Not too great.  Not too bad.  Perfectly imperfect.  :)

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Morning Pills (8:00 am):
     Multi-Vitamin
     Calcium
     Wellbutrin

(Out of my Prilosec.  Need to restock ASAP!)

Breakfast (9:00 am):      
     Protein Smoothie (approx. 20 oz.) made with:
        10 oz. of Tropical Blend Diet V8 Splash
        1 Scoop Vanilla Max Protein
        2 tsp Fiber Supplement
        Mix of Frozen Fruits (Peaches, Blueberries, Mangos, and Strawberries)

Lunch (12:15 pm):
     From Hard Times Cafe:
        2/3 of a Grilled Chicken Breast topped with Cheddar Cheese and Bacon
        4-5 bites of Salad (No Dressing)

Slip-Up (2:00 pm):
     1/4 of a 2 oz. Double Chocolate Cookie from work 

I had to cover the front desk this afternoon and they often put samples out on the counter.  I was taking the samples to throw them out so I wouldn't munch on them myself and still ended up eating a piece.  At least it's better then having a whole cookie and I know myself well enough to know I couldn't stare at an entire tray of cookies for 3 hours and not be tempted.  So I guess, kudos for knowing that and taking action (even if I did stumble a bit).

Afternoon Snack (3:30 pm):
     9 Turkey Pepperonis
     Light String Cheese

I know some people are adamant about not snacking.  At first my surgeon was with me as well but at my last appointment I reiterated that I get very famished between meals, particularly lunch and dinner, and he said so long as my snacks are healthy and smaller then a meal, I can have one or two a day.  I tend to like string cheese, nuts, and fruits as snacks.

Dinner (5:45 pm):
     1 1/2 Eggs Scrambled with:
        Spinach
        Ham
        2% Cheddar and Provolone Cheese

Evening Snack (9:00 pm):
     1/2 No Sugar Added Apple Tart

I do regularly have some sort of sugar-free or no sugar added treat as an evening snack.  Since it's a planned snack, it helps to keep me from mindlessly eating all night long.  It also keeps me from gorging on sugary sweets.  It appeals to my taste for a treat but doesn't send me off on a binge.  I am still figuring out just what works for me and what doesn't.  This is all a learning process.

Nightly Pills (10:00 pm):
     Multi-Vitamin
     Iron

Fluids for the Day:
     20 oz. Protein Smoothie
     60 oz. Water

Spiritual/Emotional/Mental Work for the Day:
     OA Meeting

Activity for the Day:
     NONE

Need to get back to walking but it has been soooooo damn hot around here it's hard to get motivated.  I should just go to the Y and swim but I hate having to wash my hair every day.  All lame excuses, I know. 

Tomorrow's a new day.

Hope everyone had a good and healthy day.  :)

A Slight Update/Change to this Blog

I have decided that in order to keep myself slightly more accountable, I am going to attempt to use this blog as a way of keeping track of my daily food intake and activity. 

From now on, expect to see a post a day with a list of what I've eaten that day, along with any movement or activity I've done.  I will also likely include any thoughts or feelings on the day.  I will not necessarily be tracking any stats, like calories or protein, because, as previously mentioned, I do not feel that this sort of militancy is beneficial for me personally.  On some days, I may take an inventory of these stats to gauge things but it will not be an every day thing.

Should I feel the need to share how I made or where I got what I ate, I will do so but also feel free to ask if something you see strikes you.  I am always happy to share what foods have been beneficial to me on this journey. 

I will still continue to write other random blog entries as they come to me.  I realize not everyone cares to read someone else's daily food and activity journal so feel free to skip any blogs with titles that are just the day and date as these will be my food and activity logs. 

As always, thank you guys soooo much for your support and encouragement!

The Importance of Taking Your Pills!

I am not even talking about vitamins here. 

For me, I am talking about my two non-vitamin pills, Prilosec and Wellbutrin.

Surprisingly enough, these two pills are just as important to my WLS success as my vitamins are.  Why?  You ask?

Well, I was diagnosed with depression about 8 years ago.  Through therapy and medication, I've been able to live a healthy and, for the most part, happy life, despite what, for some people, can be a debilitating illness.  Not to say I don't struggle.  Hell, I got to 350 pounds, in large part due to my depression and challenges I've had learning how to cope with some of it's symptoms.  (I learned to cope, just not in the most healthy way.  Eating served it's purpose but it was "hurting" me along the way.) 

In order to assist in my recovery from depression, I take Wellbutrin.  I know there are mixed views on medications.  It took me a long time to decide to go down that path myself and I do not have any intentions of being on them for the rest of my life, if I can so help it.  I have only been on medication intermittently over the last 7 years.  When I find that my disease impedes me from living my normal every day life or I am faced with a rather large and emotional challenge that I am struggling to handle on my own through other means (ie my recent job loss), I do seek medical attention which often will lead to my going back on medications to help me "get over the hump".  Because, when it comes down to it, my brain don't work quite right.  It's chemicals are just a little off key sometimes.  I do know and truly believe this disease can be fought without any sort of chemical substance but I am not yet in the place where I feel I can go it alone so for now I take my minimal dose of Wellbutrin, along with working with a therapist and making healthy choices.

One of the admitted downfalls of taking any medication is that I notice when I've missed a dose, like today.  My morning got off track today and I managed to forget my pills.  While I feel fine emotionally, I do notice my brain skipping around more then it would when I remember my medication.  This skipping around and lack of focus can often lead to grazing and eating whatever's on hand.  Not so good for someone trying to follow her WLS rules.  I am aware of this fact though and am making a conscious and concerted effort to push through the skipping brain and not graze.

The second pill is Prilosec.  This one is to keep my acid reflux in check and it plays an über-vital roll in my WLS success.  You see even after surgery I was always hungry.  I didn't get it.  I would eat and would often end up even more hungry right afterwards.  I thought I was going totally insane or my surgery didn't work so I called my surgeon's office.  To my surprise the PA said it was likely acid reflux.  I was completely confused.  "But my chest doesn't hurt?  There's no burning or strange taste in my mouth?  I'm just hungry!"  She explained that when your stomach is empty, there is no food to help keep the acids down, so when the acids start coming up, your body's own defense mechanism is to ask for food to push it back down.

So, while reluctant, I began her suggested Prilosec regiment and within two weeks time I noticed a vast difference.  No longer was I constantly feeling hungry.  No more did I get hungry immediately after I ate.  I could now actually trust my hunger sensations as they were true cues it was time to eat.  That stickily wig of it though is that one day sans Prilosec and am a ravenous pig!  Like today!  All day long my stomach has been gurgling and bubbling and feeling like it hasn't been fed in days.  I have learned to push through this (it was my own fault for forgetting my pills in the first place) but man does it suck to feel like you are starving all day long! 

It just goes to show how connected all of our parts really are and how important it is to focus on our whole self and not neglect one thing for another.  Wellness for the entire self.

(P.S. If you are struggling with physical hunger I definitely suggest checking with your doctor to see if it might actually be acid reflux.  I am sooo glad I did!)

I am NOT a runner!!!

It's official...

I AM NOT A RUNNER!

I have been getting back into follow all my lovely YouTube subscriptions to help get me over this hump with which I've been struggling.  It seems a lot of my fellow WLS vets have taken up running.  Well, I have never been to keen on running but I know my pup is so today on our walk, I tried to mix it up and add some running.  Well, as I said, I am NOT a runner!

Since I'm active in TNT, I know a lot of runners and I've also learned that anyone can do it but there are certain people who's physiques lend themselves to running more so then others.  Needless to say, I do NOT have one of these physiques. 

At other times in my life I may have beat myself up for this but honestly, I don't much mind.  I do love a good walk and I know that is just as beneficial and also less stress on my joints.  So, maybe I will never be a runner, or maybe I will learn to love it once I am down another 50-60 lbs or so.  Who knows?  But, either way, I am not beating myself up about it.  Whether or not I am running or walking, I am still moving, which is something I didn't do very much of when I was 350 lbs. 

So today's revelation is just a simple realization that moving in ways I like, matter far more then exactly how I am moving.  All in all, not a bad thing of which to be reminded.

And to all you runners out there, God bless ya!