I have started to realize that when I have a sneezing fit during a meal, it means that I have swallowed something bigger than a peanut size M&M. It starts as sneezing, then I get a pain in my chest area, and then I realize that there is no solution for the problem except for a trip to the bathroom. It is one of the least desirable things that happens post surgery.
Tonight I had a piece of leftover chicken. It was dry. And I wasn't enjoying it so I was hustling to get down because everything else on my plate looked way more appetizing. Oh well, better luck next time. :(
Tonight I will need to have a Greek Yogurt Fresh Peach smoothie in order to catch up on my protein. I guess I'm okay with that! :)
Got a good amount of work done today at school. I have to pick music today and tomorrow for all of my groups...
I canned a bushel of peaches yesterday as a way of procrastination.
And for those of you who are facebook friends.... I got my circa 1995 Praise Walk tape replacement today. It was utter disappointment as I realized that it was the same one that I already owned. The seller said I can return it...so I will and I will keep looking. Sadness in the fitness department!
Well, the kids are both in Praise Band tomorrow at church so it will be a fun service. And then I plan to come home and cook lots for the week and get ready to start my professional development stuff on Tuesday. The end of summer is so near.
Make it a great day!
Blessings,
Heidi
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
God's Gift to me.
In mid June, when I had to give up all fresh fruit and vegetables for the good of weight loss, I knew it would be a horrible summer. I am in love with fresh peaches. I love them. When August 5th rolled around and all fresh fruit and veggie restrictions were lifted, my world changed forever. This is my ultimate favorite snack right now:
And by the way, I would never take a picture with a dirty spoon. But Google images was a bit short on the FRESH peach and cottage cheese pictures. YUM.
Canning a bunch of peaches this weekend. Double yum.
Blessings,
Heidi
Canning a bunch of peaches this weekend. Double yum.
Blessings,
Heidi
Doctor's Visit
I am sitting in my local walk in clinic at my doctor's office. I am not fond of this clinic but when I called to get an appointment this morning, for a mystery rash on my belly, I was told that the earliest I could be seen was tomorrow at 3:30 and I was welcome to come to the walk in clinic today.
I am frustrated that doctor's offices are so overbooked. When you are sick or uncomfortable, you should be able to be seen THAT DAY! And you shouldn't have to go to a walk in clinic and then have to wait an hour and a half to be seen by a nurse practitioner. I am irritated.
On the upside, they actually have working internet. So, I will be able to catch up on my games on Facebook. Win-Win.
Make it a great day!
Heidi
I am frustrated that doctor's offices are so overbooked. When you are sick or uncomfortable, you should be able to be seen THAT DAY! And you shouldn't have to go to a walk in clinic and then have to wait an hour and a half to be seen by a nurse practitioner. I am irritated.
On the upside, they actually have working internet. So, I will be able to catch up on my games on Facebook. Win-Win.
Make it a great day!
Heidi
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
The Never Ending Pasta Bowl
I have never been a giant eater. Each summer, when Olive Garden, brings around the "Never Ending Pasta Bowl" offer, I usually go at least once and shove down one bowl and then ask for a second bowl just so that I can take the contents home for another meal. It's a great deal, after all. You get TWO meals for $8.95!! Hello??? Is anyone listening to that ridiculousness? Umm...cook at home and you can get much more for your money.
A few days ago, the kids and I went to Olive Garden. Although I am still never hungry and don't really have cravings, I know that I LOVE pasta (or I once did!). I also knew that it would be ridiculous for me to ask for a 1/8 of a cup serving of each sauce/pasta combination that I would have liked to try.
Buffets and never ending pasta bowls are no longer "good deals". And as I ponder that last sentence, I realize that they were never good deals...for the waistline at least!
Make it a great day!
Blessings,
Heidi
Monday, August 22, 2011
Interesting thought
I just got home from a great visit with my husband's family. They live in Perkasie, PA. I love the company and the scenery but they really need to fix the roads! They are way too curvy! After driving them in the rental car for 5 days, I had just started to figure them out and then we left!
A vacation doesn't seem like a vacation when the scale registers LIGHTER at your return night than the morning you weighed in and left for the trip! Very strange. Looking forward to a real weigh in tomorrow!
Hopefully I will have more time to blog this week!
Blessings,
Heidi
A vacation doesn't seem like a vacation when the scale registers LIGHTER at your return night than the morning you weighed in and left for the trip! Very strange. Looking forward to a real weigh in tomorrow!
Hopefully I will have more time to blog this week!
Blessings,
Heidi
Monday, August 15, 2011
A random thought.
If I ever need a "last meal", I want Wendy's chili. It goes down well, doesn't over fill me and has a whopping 19 grams of protein. Tonight I ate a WHOLE small with 2 saltines crackers crumbled into it. Delicious. Nutritious. And SO TASTY.
That is all.
Blessings,
Heidi
That is all.
Blessings,
Heidi
Saturday, August 13, 2011
A different weigh of thinking!
I am very punny tonight. A little thought for my 15 readers!
All of my adult life I have been chained to the scale. I would weigh myself a few times a week in hopes of not gaining too much weight. And when I was dieting, I would weigh myself to see if I lost anything, and sometimes be happy when the scale would move a half of a pound a week and be really sad when it was a good week of exercise and eating that the scale wouldn't budge. At. All.
With this new journey, I have started to almost realize that I am not gaining weight anymore. If I get on the scale, I either am down in weight or I stay the same. I am starting to trust that my body is actually doing what it is supposed to be doing and I am just along for the ride. Although it is exciting to still step on the scale and see that things are going in the right direction, it is also starting to get old. I don't need to step on the scale every morning. I just need to keep doing what I am doing and trust that things are good. Just a different way/weigh of thinking.
And on a side note, after 3 years of training, Gracie is FINALLY catching popcorn in the air. Hopefully when she stays with Grandpa and Grandma next week, she will catch those cheerios and impress them with her talent!
All of my adult life I have been chained to the scale. I would weigh myself a few times a week in hopes of not gaining too much weight. And when I was dieting, I would weigh myself to see if I lost anything, and sometimes be happy when the scale would move a half of a pound a week and be really sad when it was a good week of exercise and eating that the scale wouldn't budge. At. All.
With this new journey, I have started to almost realize that I am not gaining weight anymore. If I get on the scale, I either am down in weight or I stay the same. I am starting to trust that my body is actually doing what it is supposed to be doing and I am just along for the ride. Although it is exciting to still step on the scale and see that things are going in the right direction, it is also starting to get old. I don't need to step on the scale every morning. I just need to keep doing what I am doing and trust that things are good. Just a different way/weigh of thinking.
And on a side note, after 3 years of training, Gracie is FINALLY catching popcorn in the air. Hopefully when she stays with Grandpa and Grandma next week, she will catch those cheerios and impress them with her talent!
Friday, August 12, 2011
6 weeks.
I had my 6 week appointment today. It has really only been 5 weeks since my surgery but I told my doctor that I was going on vacation and wanted the appointment BEFORE the trip not after! And boy, am I glad I made this decision!
When I arrived at the doctor's office, I knew that my first of three appointments was with the Nutritionist and it was a group appointment so it would last an hour. I don't prefer group appointments because they usually contain at least one clueless patient who ends up monopolizing the conversation but since I was a "reschedule", I took it without complaint. And in hindsight, I am glad I did. 2 other woman (who both had the "sleeve" not gastric bypass) were part of the group. As we were walking down the hallway to our lecture room, the power went out. It stayed out for the next 2 hours! We were in a room with windows so it was fine.
The six week Nutrition appointment rocks. Here is the basic gist of the conversation: Eat all kinds of meats/proteins. You can have legumes (woot!), beef, pork, chicken, seafood, etc., and soy. So, go for it. If you get your protein in, go ahead and have raw or cooked fruits AND veggies. Oh, and if you would like to, try eating pasta, rice, potatoes, and bread. And PLEASE don't count calories. Just count protein. AND...you can now eat high protein cereal WITH milk. Big day of good stuff!
My second appointment was a trip to see the Exercise Physiologist. He is a very practical kind of guy. I like him. He was extremely impressed that I was walking 40-60 minutes each and every day. He told me it was okay to skip a day. He helped me to set weekly goals instead of daily goals so that when school starts back up, I can see how to fit things in. I am very worried about my skin sagging and he simply stated that it wasn't about working out, it was about getting the vitamins in and keeping my skin healthy. SO, that was a big relief and I will religiously take those vitamins daily and pray for good elasticity.
My 3rd appointment was with my surgeon. He is a very soft spoken man and really listens. I shared with him that my sugars were pretty much hovering right around 80-90 whenever I was testing. He looked at me and smiled. He then proceeded to say that within the next 20 lbs of weight loss, I would need to start weaning myself down on my Lantus insulin. And eventually I will stop the insulin. This was very sweet music to my ears. This was the reason I had the surgery in the first place. And this imminent reality was the best news of the day! It is plain to me now, why some doctors are calling bariatric surgery a CURE for diabetes.
I lost 6 pounds from my last visit 3 weeks ago. That is great news too but very secondary compared to all of the other news.
It has been an excellent day. I am going to celebrate it with a nice long sleep!
Blessings,
Heidi
When I arrived at the doctor's office, I knew that my first of three appointments was with the Nutritionist and it was a group appointment so it would last an hour. I don't prefer group appointments because they usually contain at least one clueless patient who ends up monopolizing the conversation but since I was a "reschedule", I took it without complaint. And in hindsight, I am glad I did. 2 other woman (who both had the "sleeve" not gastric bypass) were part of the group. As we were walking down the hallway to our lecture room, the power went out. It stayed out for the next 2 hours! We were in a room with windows so it was fine.
The six week Nutrition appointment rocks. Here is the basic gist of the conversation: Eat all kinds of meats/proteins. You can have legumes (woot!), beef, pork, chicken, seafood, etc., and soy. So, go for it. If you get your protein in, go ahead and have raw or cooked fruits AND veggies. Oh, and if you would like to, try eating pasta, rice, potatoes, and bread. And PLEASE don't count calories. Just count protein. AND...you can now eat high protein cereal WITH milk. Big day of good stuff!
My second appointment was a trip to see the Exercise Physiologist. He is a very practical kind of guy. I like him. He was extremely impressed that I was walking 40-60 minutes each and every day. He told me it was okay to skip a day. He helped me to set weekly goals instead of daily goals so that when school starts back up, I can see how to fit things in. I am very worried about my skin sagging and he simply stated that it wasn't about working out, it was about getting the vitamins in and keeping my skin healthy. SO, that was a big relief and I will religiously take those vitamins daily and pray for good elasticity.
My 3rd appointment was with my surgeon. He is a very soft spoken man and really listens. I shared with him that my sugars were pretty much hovering right around 80-90 whenever I was testing. He looked at me and smiled. He then proceeded to say that within the next 20 lbs of weight loss, I would need to start weaning myself down on my Lantus insulin. And eventually I will stop the insulin. This was very sweet music to my ears. This was the reason I had the surgery in the first place. And this imminent reality was the best news of the day! It is plain to me now, why some doctors are calling bariatric surgery a CURE for diabetes.
I lost 6 pounds from my last visit 3 weeks ago. That is great news too but very secondary compared to all of the other news.
It has been an excellent day. I am going to celebrate it with a nice long sleep!
Blessings,
Heidi
Sunday, August 7, 2011
A great day of eating!
Things are starting to be much easier in the eating department. I have noticed an increase in the amount I can consume and that is a good thing. Last week I was consuming about 4-6 ounces at my main meals and then getting in three small snacks. This week, I have dropped a snack and now am easily eating 6-8 ounces on a pretty consistent basis. I don't have large snacks...usually a quarter cup of cottage cheese with a little fruit (I like those Breakstone Doubles) or a cheese stick.
Out of boredom, I have self advanced my diet. (Sorry, Miss NUTritionist). The carbs that give me the most issues are still bread (which I have hardly tried) and rice. My "good" carbs that my body can tolerate at a very small level are mushy pasta and potatoes of all sorts. I can have bread in toast form...I have done very well with the thin Pepperidge Farm white bread toasted dark. It's kind of like a crouton! I miss Legumes...but those do a lot of expanding in your stomach so I will hold off a bit longer.
After rereading that last paragraph, I am reminded of the fact that God always provides. Before this surgery, I had a heart to heart with God and told him that I really didn't think that I could give up potatoes or pasta because those are my "white carb" loves. I seriously struggled with the fact that if I couldn't tolerate these two foods, my eating life would be very shallow and sad for me. SO, I guess he was really listening, because so far I am ok to eat small amounts of these foods. And when I say small, I mean like 2-3 tablespoons or so!! :)
I also have added hamburger meat to my growing list of protein. I like red meat. It tastes different than seafood and chicken or cheese or eggs. And since I am not a big fan of cheese, this helps get those protein counts up. I haven't tried pork yet. And I don't really miss that!
Nate has been gone to a friend's house since after church. He just called to get permission to spend the night. I am grateful that both of my children have good friends. And that I have good friends too.
Man, so much thankfulness tonight...I might need to make a turkey tomorrow and celebrate!
Blessings for a great week ahead.
Heidi
Out of boredom, I have self advanced my diet. (Sorry, Miss NUTritionist). The carbs that give me the most issues are still bread (which I have hardly tried) and rice. My "good" carbs that my body can tolerate at a very small level are mushy pasta and potatoes of all sorts. I can have bread in toast form...I have done very well with the thin Pepperidge Farm white bread toasted dark. It's kind of like a crouton! I miss Legumes...but those do a lot of expanding in your stomach so I will hold off a bit longer.
After rereading that last paragraph, I am reminded of the fact that God always provides. Before this surgery, I had a heart to heart with God and told him that I really didn't think that I could give up potatoes or pasta because those are my "white carb" loves. I seriously struggled with the fact that if I couldn't tolerate these two foods, my eating life would be very shallow and sad for me. SO, I guess he was really listening, because so far I am ok to eat small amounts of these foods. And when I say small, I mean like 2-3 tablespoons or so!! :)
I also have added hamburger meat to my growing list of protein. I like red meat. It tastes different than seafood and chicken or cheese or eggs. And since I am not a big fan of cheese, this helps get those protein counts up. I haven't tried pork yet. And I don't really miss that!
Nate has been gone to a friend's house since after church. He just called to get permission to spend the night. I am grateful that both of my children have good friends. And that I have good friends too.
Man, so much thankfulness tonight...I might need to make a turkey tomorrow and celebrate!
Blessings for a great week ahead.
Heidi
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Lost and Found!!
I have been "finding" things lately. I think it is a lot of fun to find things you have misplaced. When I was painting the bedroom and bathroom, I had to move the bed. It had probably been many years (not months) since I moved the bed so it was scary! I knew I would find the dust, dirt, and grossness that accompanies no cleaning but I was not expecting to find the pair of glasses that I had "lost" on the Chicago trip that I took with my students back in April! I had already replaced them with an exact replica so now I have a spare pair. It was a good feeling to find them.
Today I was taking my daily walk around the neighborhood around 8 a.m. this morning. It was very humid and it must have briefly rained sometime in the night given the sidewalks were not their usual color. About a mile into the walk, I stumbled upon a ten dollar bill on the sidewalk. I have NEVER found money. I have lost a lot of money in my lifetime but I have never found it. So the real thinking began....there was not a soul around. Should I pick it up? It was wet which meant it had been there a while. I looked around again. Why didn't anyone pick this up? Certainly other exercisers passed it. Well, I picked it up. And I smiled and decided that I was being paid to exercise today. It was a great job!
Had 3 meatballs in some tomato sauce at Noodles and Company today. They agreed with me well. So far Chicken, seafood, and beef are all winners for me! I don't get cravings and I still don't have an appetite but I have been thinking about pizza lately. I can't eat the bread but I think that there is a super thin crust pizza that I might be able to handle. That might be a tomorrow activity! Of course it will only be about 1/2 of a piece but it will be a start.
Tonight we had salmon. I don't really like salmon. I tried to eat it but it didn't really go down all that well. I think I will make myself a crab cake or shrimp next time the family wants salmon!
Ok, enough talk about food. Time to enjoy the rest of this Tiger's game from the comfort of my couch!
Have a great day.
Blessings,
Heidi
Today I was taking my daily walk around the neighborhood around 8 a.m. this morning. It was very humid and it must have briefly rained sometime in the night given the sidewalks were not their usual color. About a mile into the walk, I stumbled upon a ten dollar bill on the sidewalk. I have NEVER found money. I have lost a lot of money in my lifetime but I have never found it. So the real thinking began....there was not a soul around. Should I pick it up? It was wet which meant it had been there a while. I looked around again. Why didn't anyone pick this up? Certainly other exercisers passed it. Well, I picked it up. And I smiled and decided that I was being paid to exercise today. It was a great job!
Had 3 meatballs in some tomato sauce at Noodles and Company today. They agreed with me well. So far Chicken, seafood, and beef are all winners for me! I don't get cravings and I still don't have an appetite but I have been thinking about pizza lately. I can't eat the bread but I think that there is a super thin crust pizza that I might be able to handle. That might be a tomorrow activity! Of course it will only be about 1/2 of a piece but it will be a start.
Tonight we had salmon. I don't really like salmon. I tried to eat it but it didn't really go down all that well. I think I will make myself a crab cake or shrimp next time the family wants salmon!
Ok, enough talk about food. Time to enjoy the rest of this Tiger's game from the comfort of my couch!
Have a great day.
Blessings,
Heidi
Friday, August 5, 2011
A typical day.
It has been one month since my surgery. I feel great! I have logged about 25 miles of walking, painted 2 rooms, cooked countless meals, and gotten back into the swing of life.
Everyday brings choices for me now. Since I haven't found any food yet that my body can't tolerate, I am busy trying new options. Today I had a chunked up nectarine in my 1/2 cup of cottage cheese. It was sooooo delicious. Tonight for dinner I had a crab cake, 1 tablespoon of winter squash, and a few broccoli florets. Everything tasted yummy!
On Friday I will go to GR for my 6 week check a few days early. I am hoping that I will be able to add beef and pork to my list of "good" food. I have had hamburger (in Wendy's chili) and have done fine with it so I don't forsee a problem.
I am losing weight again!! I have lost a total of 27 pounds! I am trying to hold off on buying any clothes for school because I still have a month left!
I step on the scale everyday. I look forward to the little reward. I am going to start to ween myself off of this habit and maybe aim for 2 times a week. And then actually record it only once a week!
One thing that my doctors office participates in is an online support program. You are able to log your workouts, keep food diaries, keep track of your measurements, read little articles, etc. I like the accountability that the site offers. It helps me keep track of what I have had as far as protein goes each day...and it also reminds me to take my vitamins! :)
Well, I have been told that the Pineapple Mango juice and the Mountain Dew are gone so I am off to the store. Nathan can't survive 2 hours without these things!
Pray for Maddie. She isn't feeling too well tonight.
Make it a great day ahead.
Blessings,
Heidi
Everyday brings choices for me now. Since I haven't found any food yet that my body can't tolerate, I am busy trying new options. Today I had a chunked up nectarine in my 1/2 cup of cottage cheese. It was sooooo delicious. Tonight for dinner I had a crab cake, 1 tablespoon of winter squash, and a few broccoli florets. Everything tasted yummy!
On Friday I will go to GR for my 6 week check a few days early. I am hoping that I will be able to add beef and pork to my list of "good" food. I have had hamburger (in Wendy's chili) and have done fine with it so I don't forsee a problem.
I am losing weight again!! I have lost a total of 27 pounds! I am trying to hold off on buying any clothes for school because I still have a month left!
I step on the scale everyday. I look forward to the little reward. I am going to start to ween myself off of this habit and maybe aim for 2 times a week. And then actually record it only once a week!
One thing that my doctors office participates in is an online support program. You are able to log your workouts, keep food diaries, keep track of your measurements, read little articles, etc. I like the accountability that the site offers. It helps me keep track of what I have had as far as protein goes each day...and it also reminds me to take my vitamins! :)
Well, I have been told that the Pineapple Mango juice and the Mountain Dew are gone so I am off to the store. Nathan can't survive 2 hours without these things!
Pray for Maddie. She isn't feeling too well tonight.
Make it a great day ahead.
Blessings,
Heidi
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Bad day/ Good day
I have been very successful at eating and drinking these past few weeks. I have managed to get my 60 grams of protein in each day and my 64 or more ounces of fluid in as well.
A few days ago, I decided to take a whirlwind/unplanned trip to my parents for a few days. It was great because we had no agenda, the kids lounged around, the parents were talkative, etc. BUT, the eating and drinking were another story. I brought lots of protein stuff but my routine was thrown off so I never got all my protein in and my water intake was very low but I did have a lot of fun!
Today I am having a hard time keeping anything down. Smells are bothering me. Food is not appetizing and I don't feel the desire to keep drinking.
So, I will stumble through this day and jump right back on the discipline of eating/drinking tomorrow. Tonight a cheese stick will be dinner. And then maybe a double dairy smoothie for snack. I'll at least hit 40 for protein today.
Off to see my husband and son play in a church baseball game tonight. I love being the designated cheerleader!
Blessings,
Heidi
A few days ago, I decided to take a whirlwind/unplanned trip to my parents for a few days. It was great because we had no agenda, the kids lounged around, the parents were talkative, etc. BUT, the eating and drinking were another story. I brought lots of protein stuff but my routine was thrown off so I never got all my protein in and my water intake was very low but I did have a lot of fun!
Today I am having a hard time keeping anything down. Smells are bothering me. Food is not appetizing and I don't feel the desire to keep drinking.
So, I will stumble through this day and jump right back on the discipline of eating/drinking tomorrow. Tonight a cheese stick will be dinner. And then maybe a double dairy smoothie for snack. I'll at least hit 40 for protein today.
Off to see my husband and son play in a church baseball game tonight. I love being the designated cheerleader!
Blessings,
Heidi
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