Start of another work week

Well weekend is over.. got my C25K training in this weekend... 1.94 miles on W1D3 so further than ever so far.... Got to go see my nephews, this makes an Auntie so happy!
Wednesday this week I am 4 wks post op and I cant believe it... I have an apt with the Nutritionist Wed afternoon for a group class on how to eat moving forward going in to "soft ' food for 2 wks then regular after that. I will confess though I am struggling with the idea of  "food" I mean by this point in my mushies stage my Dr told me I could be eating Chicken Salad which I love, and I was very excited to try>>>>>BUT, I have tried twice and both times was too scared to actually swallow the food in my mouth. So I ended up spitting it out and tossing out the rest of what I had in my cup. I am so scared to be stuck and get sick. Maybe its because I have been on liquids and mushies so long and I don't have any issues with those, ahhh bc they are slider foods... I know I gotta woman up and try something again so I picked out a new recipe from the Bandwagon Cookery to try later this week, Chicken w Orange Sweet and Sour... I believe is the name I don't have it right in front of me. I will let you know how it goes :)
I also plan to talk to the Nutritionist about my fear. I have a feeling it maybe a common fear, so we will see what he says.
On another note.. I think my body has finally caught up with all the changes, major surgery, nutrition overhaul, 2 wks out of the gym, then back in everyday...etc... I was going to wait till Wed to post new weight loss but I cant wait... down since surgery 17.2 ... that is 3.3 lbs since wed 4/24/13 and it gets me over the 30 LB mark for pre and post op weight loss to a total of  30.50 LBS....Here are some examples of 30 Lbs ... 20 Dozen Large Eggs =240 Eggs ( ok you know I had to put that in there we raise over 100 chickens for eggs we got eggs comin out of our ears) or 3  10Lbs bags of Potatoes, or 4 Newborn Babies... things that make you go HUMMM....

Moto fo the day! Maybe wk! HECK MAYBE LIFE I LIKE THIS ONE!!!

Big Weekend

Well my Sissy had gave birth to her second yesterday! Yay her! We are going down to see her tomorrow for a few.
C25K W1D2 Update!!!
Legs hurt going in but I toughed it out and made it through the full 30 min. Got 1.80 miles in this time that is a whole tenth of a mile further in the same amount of time! I CAN DO THIS THANG!!!

OK so next lets talk food... To anyone banded or pre op if you dont have the
"Bandwagon Cookery" By Jean McMillan I strongly suggest you purchase it.
I got mine on Amazon but you can also find it on Jean's Blog also. She is a cook and also banded. So the recipes are good band recipes and in many she had listed ways to "adapt" to liquid stage or mushies stage. This cook book has saved me and given me variety in the dreaded liquid stage.
I am going to share with you my absolutely FAVORITE recipe right now I ate it all the way through liquids and now that I am in mushies still have it for lunch every day.

Chicken and White Bean Stew
1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp died oregano
2 tsp Olive oil
1/4 C chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 C Chopped roasted red pepper
1 can ( 15 oz) Great Northern or White Kidney Bean (rinsed and drained)
1/2 C Chicken Broth
2 Tblsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Grated Lemon Zest ( optional)
1/4 C Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Cream ( Philadelphia brand Cooking Cream)

Sprinkle Chicken w cumin, pepper, salt, and oregano, set aside

In a large non stick skillet, heat Olive oil over med-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 min stirring often.Add the Chicken and saute until the chicken is lightly browned on all sides, about 5 min.Add red peppers, beans, broth, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir to combine and cover reduce heat to med- low and simmer for ten min. Remove cover and add the cooking cream a Tblsp at a time, stirring to melt the Cream and combine w the rest of the ingredients. When the sauce is smooth and creamy, remove the strew from the heat and serve.
6 serving
194 Cal 6 Fat Gm 20 protein gm 4 Fiber Gm

ok so the way I did this on Liquid was I put the Stew and added Chicken Broth in a blender and blended it to liquid consistency.. Now that I am on mushies I just blend the stew and add  just a splash of broth ( this makes it thicker than it was on liquid) I like the creamy soup consistency but that's me always have liked a cream soup over a chunky stew.

Even if you are not a WLS patient if you are looking for some healthy fresh new recipes pick up a copy of Jean's book its awesome

New Measurement Stats

Jan 23, 2012                      March 24,2013                  April 25,2013 (22 days post op)
Chest X                                     -2.5                                       -1" (total 3.5)
Waist X                                     -1.5"                                     SAME
Hips X                                       -2.25"                                    -1.5" (total 3.75)
Thighs X                                   SAME                                   -1
Cafs X                                                                                     -.75"
Biceps X                                    -.50"                                      -.5" ( total 1)
Forarms X                                                                               -.75"
Ring Finger  X                                                                        -.25"
Wrist  X                                                                                  -.25"
Neck   X                                                                                 -1.5"


I know some of those are silly but I wanted to track it ALL..

C25K W1D1

I started my 5k training last night and it was no where near as bad as I had worked it up to be in my head. The training was 30 min in all and that includes a 5 min warm up and 5 min cool down in that 30 min I ended up going 1.71 mile... that means at my current rate it will take me an hour to run ( ish) a 5K BUT with that said I am 3 wks post op and this was day one of my training. I cant wait to see how fast I am in 8 Wks!!!!! Super Excited!

3 Wk Post Op Weigh In

Today has been 3 wks since I was banded and I am feeling wonderful! I am back in the gym every day, was able to get in the pool last night for H2O Fitness Class. And I am training for my first 5K.
Total loss so far is 27.2 Lbs
Total loss since Banded is 13.9 Lbs ! YAY!!!!! 100.8 Lbs to go..

I love this pic and how true it is. I think sometimes its hard not to say well

ABC has lost _______ already  or why am I working so hard and the weight is not justt falling off. BUT if we really evaluate who we were yesterday as long as we are more healthy today, we are moving in the right direction. Can I run on the Elliptical 30 seconds longer today than yesterday before I have to slow back down to a walk. Are my pants fitting better or are they loose. Here is one of the first thing I noticed and it sounds silly.. I HAVE SAUSAGE FINGERS there you go I said it. Like had to hold my hands under cold water and really work to get my rings off prior to surgery. About a wk ago I noticed not only were my rings spinning I could easily get them on and off with little to no effort. HELLO Christy!!! that was a HUGE NSV for me.... that same wk the scale did not budge but I knew other parts of me were changing and for the good.

Color Vibe Raleigh

So I signed up for my first ever 5K run! Super excited... I am training using the couch to 5K program. And as long as I finish I will be proud of myself, I got to start somewhere!


Also I was approved to get back in the pool last night, so H2O Fitness here I come, Oh how I have missed you :)

What a difference a week makes

I am feeling so good this weekend. Mushie food and eating more regular have made all the difference in the way I feel. I am able to..um "go" . And I've lost 1.5 lbs since Wed when I was able to start back on foods.. Also I started back in the gym Wednesday 40min cardio, then 45 Friday and 51 min today (Sunday)... I will start back daily tomorrow. Still can't get in the pool but within the next wk and a half I will be able to:-).  We also as a family went to see a Roller Durby match yesterday. ..so much fun and I had no idea Raleigh had two Roller Derby Teams. Afterwards we ate dinner out for first time since surgery.  Well if u can call Waffle House dinner out, LOL. But it was a good choice for this stage of my post op diet , I was able to have 2 scrambled eggs. I have to tell you I was very scared to attempt to eat out, I didn't want to have any issues get stuck etc, so I am glad this was our first dinner out. No one was there,  post op band friendly food, I ate very small bites chewed the mess out of them, was the last one finished and had no issue! Yay me!
Overall I would say I feel 98% better only time I have any pain is when I bend wrong I have a little pain around my port. And pain may be wrong word uncomfort may be better.:-)

Post Op Appt with Dr...updates

Ok so I am officially 2 wks out and today I feel great.... Still down 12 Lbs since surgery.
Last night I saw my surgeon for my post op appt. I spent most of the visit with the nurse, Dr was behind and I was last patient of the day so she had lots of time to spend with me. We discussed my fluid intake ( I got an awesome on that) protein intake ( awesome on that too) has been 60 grams a day now they want me 70-80 grams a day. However I have not been eating enough I should be, right now, eating every 2 hours ( not sure how but I missed that info) Ive been eating 3 times a day, and when I am just so hungry I cant take it any more I was eating some SF Jello. No wonder I was having issued with lightheadedness and being tired. I was give Ok to try to get my B Complex in gummy form since the chewable waffers were so nasty to me..Also I was given the OK to eat mushies!!!  YAYYYYYY!!!!!
So today here is what my food looks like
Light Yogurt for Breakfast ( I was not able to finish though)
Apple sauce for snack
Homemade soup for Lunch
Cottage Cheese for snack
Protein shake before Gym
and Re fried Bean for Dinner....
Dr said my incisions looked great but not great enough for me to get back in the pool yet. Also that he sees on average 10-15 LBs lost the first month with the band... I am at 2 wks and 12 lbs so he said I am doing wonderful with that.
Today I saw my PCP and he thought I was doing wonderful TOO.. its so nice to go to the Dr and get a good report... I am coming off one of my meds already and he is switching up 2 others, hopes to have me off  BP meds eventually.
And I cant tell you how much better I feel just eating a little bit more regular... but other than occasionally bending wrong and feeling the port tenderness still I would not notice I had had surgery....
So Blessed to have had a quick recovery!

Ruff Weekend ...TMI WARNING

I had a realy ruff weekend this weekend. I am having a hard time ...ummm... going potty...
I know I know but its part of life and I am guessing it is bc I am on liquids right now with LOTS of protien but NO Fiber....I tried everything from Milk of Mag to hot tea and hot prune juice to a tblespoon of Olive Oil.... Finally got some relief real late last night. Today even though I am still supposed to be on liquids through tomorrow I am eating some apple sauce for some fiber ( My daughter drinks it out of a straw so I am going with the fact it has to be thin enough) and laying off the protien shakes the next 2 days, I am sure the Dr will frown when he sees my low protein count for 2 days in a row but my appt is tomorrow and I will tell he the issues I am having then. I have a chart showing everything I have drank since day one so he will be able to see Ive only changed it up right now and really only bc I know I have an appt with him tomorrow... if it was any further out I would call the office for some advise. I am hoping once I can incorporate some different foods in later this week that will help.
Any ways so sometimes I am slow and things just don't dawn on me or sink in but I had a major DUH moment last week.
I put my regular work pants on Wed morning ( Monday and Tue had just worn black yoga pants to work) and my regular pants were TIGHT in the waist. OK  now  I know I just had surgery a wk before it just had not dawned on me that my stomach would be that swollen. I mean these pants were so loose before surgery I could pull the up an down with out un-buttoning them then Wed they were so tight in the waist they hurt... I know it was just swelling but just something I just had never thought of before hand. They were however very baggy in the butt and legs so woo hooo!!!!

So like I mentioned above I have my 2 wk post op with the Dr tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing what his scales reflect.. ( mine have been bouncing up and down the last wk I am sure due to my potty issues ) I have another list of questions for this appt.  And I am so looking forward to him telling me I can move on to mushie foods on Wednesday :)

Then Wednesday I have a post op appt with my PCP... he wanted to see  me 2 wks post op to review my prescriptions and see if we can reduce or if I can come off any yet :)

So I got a big first half of the week on taps !

One week Banded!

Wow what a week its been! Everyday I am getting stronger and am able to do more than the day before. Total loss since surgery (1 wk) 12 lbs! I know this is a lot of water plus the fact I am on all liquids still and it will slow down a lot here next week when I enter into the mushie phase of my post op diet, but that's ok 12 lbs is 12 lbs... I'll take it!
Here's somethings that are different from a wk ago... today I can keep my eyes open when people are talking to me ( lol that anesthesia kicked my butt, was Sat before I was not in a haze)..I am hungary(swelling has gone down on my insides) last week I knew how many grams of protein I needed and forced myself to eat them (mainly used a 3 oz protien shot w 42 grams of protein. ..didn't have to drink but 3 oz got 2/3rd of my days protein) . So this week I've had to figure out the best ways to space my liquids so I don't get to hungary. .. My incision are itchy this week. ( good sign of healing)....I have real work clothes on today, including a bra! Yay me!!!...These are just a few:-)
Can't wait to see what the next week and next week and next week will hold!

2nd Work Day and update from yesterday

Well my energy level is just not back to normal yet so even though I came to work yesterday, I had to go home at lunch to take a little nap. Also yesterday I was very hungary, I am guessing this is b/c the swelling is going down on the inside..
Today I changed the menu up a little bit to hopefully control a little of that.
My follow up with the surgeon is one wk from today :) that is exciting. I also have a post op appt scheduled with my PCP to review my prescriptions next Wed... so I am looking foward  to some good appts next week!
Well I am back at work today another full day..  if I had a different work situation I would have worked 1-5 yesterday and today to ease my way back in. Last night by time I made it home I was wiped out and I am expecting the same tonight..

Big Day!

So today is a big day! I came back to work.. I have a very sedentary job. So even though I am not 100% yet I felt as long as I could make it there and to my chair I would be ok.
Everyday since surgery I have gotten stronger so I think I can make it :) I am however hungry for the first time since last Wednesday.. not terribly hungry but a little bit. Maybe that's b/c I have done more in the last 2 hours than I have been doing all day for the past few days... but I have all my yummy liquid meals here with me so that shouldn't be an issue.
Also I am down 11 LBS since last Wednesday, so if I was down 14 pre-op and 11 so far post op that is 25 LBS. That means I am 20 % of the way to my goal ( goal being to loose 125). Cool huh.??
My plan is to head back to the gym Wednesday after work... to do what I am not sure yet... Dr said treadmill is best right after surgery ( I hate the treadmill and it makes my back really ache) he said the Elliptical ( my favorite) would pull too much on my stomach. And I cant get the pool yet. So I am not sure what I will do, probably just walk on the treadmill  slowly like he suggested and when I get home sit with a heating pad on my back  :)

2 days post op and pics of incisions

Well 2 full days post op and I feel so much better than I expected.  I am however very sore in my stomach like if you go running and you use those muscles real good... I would not call it pain though.. but I am still getting tired very fast... all I was able to get done yesterday was a walk around the yard to feed the birds and out to the barn.
Today I took a shower first thing...completely wiped myself out... then after lunch went to work for about an hr.. and once we got home I gave my hubby a haircut. So I was able to get more done today but it came in waves bc I needed to rest btwn task..
I have done well the last 2 days getting my protein in, thanks to New Whey liquid protein ... 3 oz and 42 gram of protein so one of those a day and one protein shake and I had my 60 g of protein. ..
Oh and in another note since surgery day I am down 4 lbs woo hoo..I guess that's enough update for now.

Surgery update!

I had my surgery yesterday.  I am so glad I only had a one day notice. I did not sleep much the night before which is to be expected.  We left home at 430 am got to the hospital at 5...surgury was scheduled for 715.. according to hubby Dr came out to talk to him about 945 to tell him how it went ( and gave him pics of the surgury. I thought that was nasty but hubby liked it). recovery didn't go as well, I had a hard time waking up and staying awake.. I was in recovery for about 5 hrs. I was released about 330 and home about 4
I have to admit I expected the pain to be much worse. Yesterday even when I got home I pretty much just slept, today I have walked around the yard, feed the birds , checked on the baby chickens in the barn..The nausea is pretty bad today even w the anti-nausea meds but it will be ok. I have 5 incisions I will take a pic and post in the next day or two again they are not as bad as I was expecting either....
I also included pics from 4 am before we left for the hospital and one in the preop room!

PRE OP APPT

Today I went to my pre op appt .. It was a pretty awesome appt all in all... First off I am down 14 LBs since my first appt with him 2 months ago :) AND he had a cancellation in his schedule for tomorrow so I am scheduled for surgery tomorrow morning at 8:30. I have to be there at 6:30.
Liquid Diet today nothing to eat or drink after mid night. Hospital just called they said they show he wants me to stay overnight for observation, this makes me sad. I really wanted to go home but its for the best I guess.. I do plan on begging him to let me go home but we will see, if not I will live.
So with one day notice not much time to be nervous for freaked out... I made up my mind and here we go !