On Monday (the 15th) I returned to work. It took me three days to clean up my email and address all open items accordingly...just in time to start focusing on end of quarter! I found that by the end of the work day, I was utterly and completely exhausted. I was in bed and half asleep each evening by 8 pm. Sad, I know. But with the little nutrients I'm getting and the struggle to get all the vitamins and protein down, the doctor says this is normal (for the first 1-3 mos). Thank goodness I am close to having one month behind me already!
As far as diet goes...I was allowed to introduce the following into my diet: eggs, soft baked fish, mashed potatoes, low-fat soft cheeses and canned veggies, officially.
The eggs were wonderful; but got old fast (similar to the grits of a week or so ago). I went to the grocery store and stocked up on cod, tilapia and sole. Thanks to handy dandy Pinterest, I was able to find plenty of fish recipes. Sadly, I only made one this week. I made all four tilapia filets in one recipe. Two for Kevin for one dinner, one for me (which was well over my 4 oz limit) and plenty of leftovers to have for lunches.
I decided to try a healthy Baked Parmesean Tilapia recipe along with mashed potatoes and canned green beans. I was THRILLED as I felt like I was going to eat a full on MEAL versus 4 oz of one item.
The recipe I chose can be found here: http://www.madefrompinterest.net/2014/01/baked-parmesan-tilapia/
Dinner was delicious on last Friday. Kevin liked it. I experienced the first "FULL" or "Food Coma" feeling since I had the surgery but it was tasty. I bought a food scale but the batteries weren't working; so I couldn't use it just yet. But I obviously ate more than 4 oz. as I was MISERABLE. In fact, I wound up lying down after dinner to calm my stomach and ended up going to sleep after that. I was blessed in that I did not regurgitate anything. I am so afraid to do so, given the newness of all the surgeon's hard work. I didn't want to risk tearing any incisions open, etc.
Within a day or so I mentioned the scale to Kevin who then "fixed" it; but not before walking into the bedroom where I was, shaking his head and swearing that I am blonde. Apparently I had the batteries in backwards.
I tried eating the Tilapia for left overs one day at lunch; but found myself feeling the same way again. So I never did go back for more. Instead, I've been eating all kinds of random things. I've been VERY good about staying off the carbonated beverages and sugar. However, I did lose my patience and jump ahead with my diet progression a bit....by what my stomach would tolerate. So I have been eating avocado, tuna salad, shredded chicken, etc. So far, so good, although the weight loss is going slower now that I'm eating more solid foods again.
I've also been OUT to eat a couple times this past week, which was nerve wracking yet liberating at the same time. Saturday we had cracker barrel for a late breakfast/brunch. I ordered egg beaters and cheesy grits. The egg beaters were ok but not scrambled. I only ate half of them. They had cheese and onion on them. The cheesy grits were a JOKE. They were more like grits with a few sprinkles of shredded cheese on them. Not as tasty; but I did eat all of them. It was hard looking at Kevin's two plates full of all the good stuff; but I realized that when I focused on what was in front of me, I filled up and felt content. Thank goodness.
We have been remiss (given Kevin's OT and my exhaustion) at walking daily; but we do get a fair amount of walking in, with our weekend festivities. This past weekend we attended Celebrate St. Peters. Despite VIP parking, we had a good walk past the new pavilion, food area, main stage and to the carnival fairway. I did share an $8 order of Pork nachos with Kevin while we waited for the Ozark Mountain Daredevils to take the stage. It was pulled pork with no sauce on it and cheese over chips. It was about the only fair food I thought I could actually "do". I also drank water! One thing that did surprise me was the Shaved Ice truck actually had sugar free options. No banana; but I was impressed regardless. Kevin grabbed me a sugar free strawberry. It was ok. Honestly, I'd have rather just had the plain ice to go with my water.
Sunday we walked a lot after taking Fox home. We then shopped down in the Washington, MO area at Target, Ross and Marshall's. I felt good other than the tender incision area I have. Makes it hard to get in and out of the car, all the bending and stretching made me sore. After our shopping extravaganza, we had dinner at Ernesto's, my favorite little mexican joint in that part of town. I love their chicken flautas. So my entree came with 2 chicken (pulled) flautas, rice and beans. I managed to eat some chips and cheese dip before dinner; but I was so afraid to fill up on those, that I had to force myself to wait for my entree. When it arrived, I was able to eat 1/2 of one of the flautas and a few bites each of rice and beans. I had the same for lunch today. It doesn't get any better than that! What you see on the plate below is about 4.4 oz of mexican goodness!
So, I'm starting to get a sense of normalcy back, which is nice. It's important to have a routine.
One thing I noticed (as did my loving husband) is that I have had a lot more gas since I've been eating. Not the kind of bent over in miserable pain gas; but the kind where you're not going to hold it back because the relief feels too good gas. And it seems constant. I'm not sure what causes this. But my handy dandy husband decided to research it. Next thing I know, we're lying in bed last night and he's laughing his ass off at the forum he googled and all the women talking about gas. He literally laughed out loud when one woman claimed that she nearly levitated off the bed it got so bad!!! And this is what I'm dealing with. Kevin refers to it as my butt trumpet. I'm becoming quite an accomplished musician, I suppose!
Honestly, that's really the only side effect I've had to date. I'm doing pretty well. I'm getting around pretty good. I sit when I need to. I am not lifting much as the bending and stretching part still bothers me; but I am otherwise self sufficient.
I still struggle with trying to get 3 calcium horse pills in per day....all at different times and not with the Iron pill I take at night with all my prescription meds and my multivitamin. That will be an ongoing challenge; but I'm working at it.
I also find it hard to NOT drink water 30 min before or after and during meals. It seems like I'm thirsty all the time; but since I can't take big gulps and have to sip, it takes all day (even during meals) to reach my 64 oz attainment per day. I started using my Des Peres Hospital mug that is 28 oz....I fill it up twice and shoot to drink both mug fulls a day to get close, at least. These goals are harder for me than sticking to the 4 oz thanks to my new size stomach.
Question for my nurse friends and family: If I need to get 1500 mg of Calcium per day and the body only absorbs 500 mg at a time, how long do I need to wait between doses? How closely or far apart must I take them?
Lastly, for what everyone really wants to know.........I weighed in this morning at 321. Yesterday said 320. That's down from the start weight of 356 by 35 lbs; and a weekly loss of ony 2 lbs. But I'll take it!
This coming weekend we have a concert to attend Friday night (which I'm sure will involve walking) and a birthday party at a winery on Sunday (also sure to involve some walking). I plan to forgo the vino until I talk to my doctor. I am afraid to risk the sugar and alcohol, honestly. But I do hope I can have some on our anniversary weekend wine trip (our new annual thing). I'll have to check my favorite wines to see how much sugar is in it. Wonder if it will say? Two things you supposedly give up for life when you have gastric bypass is sugar and alcohol. So I don't want to sabotage myself.
I did have this "notion" this week to have things around that I CAN eat when I have a craving, per se. So poor Kevin went on a hunt for sugar free chocolate. I asked him for some basic sugar free Russell Stover's options from the local Walgreen's. But he came home with $19 worth of sugar free caramels and turtles from Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate. BROWNIE points. I have maybe 1-2 a day and feel like I'm not doing without. I dunno, something about feeling like I can't just sets me up for failure. So I'm trying to do my own version of "Eat this, not that" right here at home. He also got me some sugar free Murray brand cookies...three different kinds (a girl must have choices). So he bought me oatmeal, pecan shortbread and fudge covered wafers (a take off of my favorite Fudgesticks). All were surprisingly good. Again, the idea is to keep me from binging and sabotaging this grand plan. And if those options weren't enough to have handy, Kevin also got me a sugar free small tub of Edy's ice cream. I haven't checked to see if it's the same Fat Free Sugar Free stuff I used to eat but could never tell the difference.....but hopefully it is. Then I can feel like I can have ice cream, too.
Next I need to find sugar free cakes, brownies and other treats I can eat when hosting parties. I ordered Fox's birthday cake and asked the lady if she could do a sugar free option. I was floored when she said no, considering there are sugar free mixes, frostings, etc. I will figure something out for me, though. Rest assured.
We still have cod and sole in the freezer; so I imagine that I will try that this week, as well. And maybe some tuna salad.
Over all I feel good; and the 35 lb loss has been nice. I am fitting into clothes differently and once again my husband told me he could see it in my clothes and that he was proud of me. There are no sweeter words that could come from his mouth.
One step at a time.........following my own yellow brick road......hoping to find the wizard of skinny. Well, maybe not SKINNY but healthy and slimmer. How's that?
Until next time............thanks again for all the kind words, love and encouragement as well as your friendship.
Lori
You are doing great Lori. Just be carefull of the SUGAR FREE options. If they have SORBITOL in them, too much can cause the gas and can cause diarrhea. You would be better off using sweet N low. It is saccarine and doesn't cause the stomach issues that other sugar substitutes can cause. I tried Stevia and that gave me issues, so it was back to the sweet and low. Too much of it in an item will make it taste bitter so you have to play with the amount you use to suit your taste.
ReplyDeleteI know it is hard to go from "living to eat" to "eat to live", but you have the will and a lot of support from all of us.
As for the calcium, check out tums, they are calcium and we did use those in nursing home as a calcium supplement and they are chewable and come in flavors. Hope that hint helps.
Good idea to judge your weight loss by your clothes and not the scales. It will show up in your face and also in your arms. Try some low stress sit down exercise at home, such as taking 2 cans of veggies, one in each hand and do lifts with your arms, this will help tone them up. You can do the same thing with your legs. a can in a sock, tie them together and hang over your foot. Do leg lifts, a few at a time till you get your tolerance built up. Check the web for some exercises you can do at your desk. Keep up the good work dear, you are heading toward your goal. So glad Kevin noticed. :-)