Almost to Onederland!

OK, so I got on the scale this morning and had a big realization! Only 6 more pounds until "Onederland"! I will be under 200 pounds for the first time in over 12 years!!

I've set a small goal for myself -- to lose those 6 pounds before I leave for vacation on August 16th. That gives me three weeks -- two pounds a week. I think that's do-able, don't you?

I had an incident yesterday involving an orange, of all things. I am able to drink orange juice (50% reduced sugar from Tropicana) with no problem. For some reason, I was craving a real ice cold orange yesterday afternoon. So, I sliced it into four pieces and started sucking the juice out of them. I got through three quarters and then, all of a sudden, I got this shooting pain in my tummy. After about 10 minutes, I ended up having to force myself to throw up because I couldn't handle the pain anymore. I suppose that it was too much acid, but I certainly learned my lesson. No more oranges for me anytime soon!

I have my three-month checkup with my WLS doctor on Wednesday, so I'll see how things go. I do know that my potassium levels are still a little bit low, so I'm really trying to focus on eating more bananas and other foods high in potassium.

Here's a recipe that I'm going to try for dinner tomorrow night. The kids (and me) are looking forward to it:

Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie

1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup Reduced Fat Bisquick®
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup liquid egg substitute

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 9” pie plate. Cook ground beef and onion in skillet until beef is brown; drain. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate; sprinkle with cheese. Stir remaining ingredients in separate bowl until well mixed. Pour into pie plate. Bake for 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes 6 servings.

NOTE: To reduce fat, use extra lean ground turkey in place of the ground beef.

Nutrition information per serving: 310 calories; 26 grams protein; 18 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrate; 243 mg sodium; 205 mg calcium.

I will let you know how it comes out!

Have a great week!! Until next time, peace out!

This roller coaster is slowing down...

I can't believe that this Thursday will be 3 months since my weight loss surgery (WLS). Time has really flown by rather quickly. I will say that there were a few weeks where I wondered whether or not I did the right thing. But, once the stricture that I had was confirmed and Dr. Boe performed the endoscopy, things improved drastically and I once again KNEW that having this WLS was the right decision for me.

Weight isn't coming off as quickly as it was in the beginning, but that is to be expected. I can't say that I'm disappointed because I still feel great and I'm still losing about 1-2 pounds/week now. I think a lot of the slowdown is due to eating foods again (protein-rich foods) and also that I've been exercising and building muscle. It's a long process and I'm only 3 months out. It could take between 12-18 months to lose all my weight (still aiming for another 40-50 pounds).

I feel great and have been trying to exercise as regularly as I can (2-3 times/week is where I'm at now). I'd like to build upon that and make it 4-5 times/week. It's funny how much better a 30-minute workout goes on the treadmill when you are feeling good about yourself. Before surgery, it was such a chore walking/running on the treadmill. I had no motivation because that one 30-minute workout on the treadmill wasn't going to help me lose any weight. It was all so overwhelming to think about how much weight I really had to lose.

This WLS has given me a huge jumpstart -- not only on losing weight, but also on eating healthy and maintaining an active lifestyle. I think about what I'm putting in my mouth now. I try to eat foods that will give me the biggest bang for my buck: protein comes first always. Everything I put in my mouth has to have protein in it, or it's not worth it. I've gotten to love my protein-filled snacks of almonds, Greek yogurt, peanut butter crackers, etc.

Since things have been going well lately, I've been branching out and trying new things and new recipes. Cooking is fun once again, and so far, my family has enjoyed everything that I've cooked recently. Although I usually can only eat a bird's portion of dinner, it sure is nice being able to sit down with the family and enjoy dinner.

I've decided to post a new recipe that I try on each blog, so you can try it if interested. Here is a recipe for a yummy Chicken and Salsa dish that I've made twice for my family so far. It's so filling and goes perfect with some refried beans (extra protein!).

Chicken and Salsa

1 lb. Chicken breast, boneless, skinless
16 oz. salsa
2-15 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz. cream cheese, fat free

Add chicken to a large frying pan. Add salsa, beans and cream cheese (cube cream cheese into small pieces). Heat on medium heat until warm and cream cheese has melted. You may need to add a little water (1-2 cups) if become too thick. Makes 6 small servings.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: 302 Calories; 29 grams Protein; 3 grams Fat; 28 grams Carbohydrate; 1291 mg Sodium.

So, if you try the recipe, let me know what you think by leaving a comment. I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, peace out!

61 Pounds Down -- Photo

More than halfway there...

Today marks 11 weeks since my gastric bypass surgery. I really can't believe it's been that long. It seems like it was just last week that I was coming home from the hospital.

In those 11 weeks, I have lost a total of 61 pounds! I feel and look like a new person. I've gone down 4-5 sizes -- depending on the outfit.

Check out the pictures of my progress below:

I've been doing fine with my food intake and have had only two incidents of dumping (throwing up) since my endoscopy. I think both times were the result of eating too quickly and probably not chewing my food enough. Barix tells you to chew slowly and take three minutes in between each bite. That's a little unrealistic, but I do try to take my time.

I have also been focusing on my exercise. I joined the YMCA about a month and a half ago and I've been working out there as often as I can. Some weeks are more difficult than others, but I do try to do at least 30 minutes on my treadmill in the basement if I can't get to the YMCA. I'm starting to notice more definition in my arms and legs, but I still have a ways to go.

My biggest challenge right now is getting all of my protein in. I'm supposed to be getting 70 grams of protein/day. Unfortunately, I don't get it all in most days. Part of the problem is that I'm just not hungry in the afternoons and evenings. I eat a healthy breakfast (usually corn flakes, 1% milk, and sliced banana). But, come lunchtime, I just don't have an appetite. Dinner is worse. I try to supplement in between with snacks during the day (peanuts, crackers, fruit, etc.).

Because of the lack of protein and as a result of the surgery, I have started to lose my hair. This started about two weeks ago, and it has gotten really bad. I have noticed that my hair is really thin now. Even my husband noticed it last night. Nobody else has, but I fear that if it continues much longer, it will be REALLY noticeable. Hair loss is a common side effect after gastric bypass surgery, but I think my hair loss is heightened because of the problems I was having before my endoscopy. I'll hang in there, and hopefully it won't get much worse!

All in all, things are going well and I feel good. Hopefully, each day will get better and better...

Until next time, peace out!