Menu Monday!

This week I'm starting a new accountability series: Menu Monday. The objective is to post my menu for the week on Monday and then the next Monday tell how well I followed up with it!

So here's this week's menu!

Monday:
BF: Oatmeal with Almonds
AM: Cheese stick
L: Refried Beans
PM: Nuts and Cheese
D: Chilli
AD: Jello

Tuesday:
BF: Ezekial French Toast with Strawberries and Balsamic Vinegar
AM: Nuts
L: TBD (out to lunch with my mommy!)
PM: Protein bar
D: Sausage and Peppers w/ Spaghetti Squash
AD: Pudding Pop

Wednesday:
BF: Gluten Free Waffle w/ peanut butter
AM: Nuts
L: Leftovers
PM: Triscuit and Cheese
D: Roasted Chicken, sauteed squash, green salad
AD: Coffee

Thursday:
BF: Oatmeal with Berries
AM: Cheese
L: Leftovers
PM: Nuts
D: Leftovers
AD: Pudding Pop

Friday:
BF: Ezekiel french toast w/berries and almonds
AM: Nuts
L: Leftovers
PM: Cheese
D: Shrimp Stir Fry
AD: Jello

Saturday:
BF: Kashi Cereal
AM: Cheese
L: Meat, Cheese and Crackers
PM: Nuts
D: Makeover meal w/ chicken
AD: Coffee

Sunday:
BF: Gluten Free pancake and sausage muffins
AM: Nuts
L: Leftovers
PM: Cheese
D: Leftovers
AD: Pudding Pop

Be sure to check back next week to see how I did!!

Update and Good News!

Well, it has been a while since my last update - there have been a few mini-crisis this past couple of weeks!

I was initially worried a few days ago because the scale showed that I had GAINED 2 lbs! My thoughts were "REALLY?? HOW can I GAIN weight? I barely have a stomach!" But then . . . well, mother nature arrived for her monthly visit, and I lost the 2 lbs, plus another 2 almost overnight.

As far as eating goes, I am ALLOWED to eat whatever I like. My sleeve would disagree with my doctor and nutritionist, however. Slim (My sleeve's nickname) doesn't like untoasted bread or meat (of all things!!). I can see the bread - after all, it is pretty hard to digest anyway. But the meat could pose a problem. I mean, I'm SUPPOSED to be eating a high-protein, low-carb diet! It's kinda hard to do that when you can't digest the #1 source of protein on the market!! I also can't seem to stomach shakes and protein powders. And I've tried just about every one I can think of on the market! So, I'm eating a lot of beans (and I mean a LOT - I have beans in one way or another at every meal!). I am not sure if I will be able to eat tofu, so I've kinda avoided that. I was eating greek yogurt, but Slim is tired of it (it's easy to get tired of after a while). So, it's beans and nuts and cheese and eggs. I do try meat almost daily. There are some that I can tolerate better than others - steak and shrimp so far are the two I do best with.

I have started a new workout program - Body Gospel. Now, it's in conjunction with a supplement shake program called Shakeology, but since I can't do the shakes I'm just doing the workouts. And I have to say I love it so far! As a Christian, this program is GREAT. I get to workout and worship all at once. I've also been doing a "Christian alternative to yoga" called Praise Moves that I like a lot as well.

So that's what I've been up to lately, now on to the good news!

My mother had the lap-band surgery about 7 years ago. Since then, she has had issues with stalled weight loss, weight gain, and other issues. After speaking with our surgeon (Dr. Frank Veninga, if you're interested!), she has been approved by her insurance to have a revision surgery (band-to-sleeve)! This is very exciting news, and we know that this will solve 85% of her problems with weight loss. Plus, because she won't have to keep returning to the doctor for fills every so often, it will save them money in the long run!

Thanks for taking this journey with me - I will post a new vlog very soon!

Holy Shart, Batman!

So, you're walking around, minding your own business, doing your thing. 

Suddenly you feel a bubbling in your tummy and slight pressure you know where. 

So you look around to see if anyone's around watching 

(you wouldn't want to embarrass anyone, lest of all yourself) 

and decide to let 'er rip. 

Then you realize something. Something horrifying. 

That gas you just passed . . . wasn't gas! 

There goes not embarrassing anyone!

If you understand what just happened there, congratulations, 

you're now an official memeber of the Shart Club! 

If you have no clue what a shart is, then you haven't experienced one. 

Trust me when I say they're not fun.

The thing is, this phenomenon is a part of the life of a person that has had WLS. 

That goes for by-pass, lab-band, sleeve, duodenal switch . . . 

EVERYONE goes through it at some point in time or another. 

The lucky ones know what's coming and make it to the restroom in time. 

But the rest of us

. . . yeeeeaaah . . .

So how many times has this happened to me? 

Um . . . Never . . . Yeah, that's it. 

I've NEVER had THAT problem 

*crossing fingers behind my back whistling a jaunty tune* . . .

The More I Learn, The Less I Know . . .

Let's face it, eating healthy is not easy in today's society. In fact, it's darn near impossible. Food - and large quantities of it - are thrown at us from every direction. It's everywhere. On TV, in magazines, on the radio, on billboards - and it's not going to get better. We have to make the choice to stick with one diet plan for a longer length of time then five or ten minutes. This includes saying no to all of those food fests shoved in our faces.  Sabotage can come from anywhere, but the key is ourselves.

When I made the choice to have surgery, it was so that I could change my lifestyle for the better. To be honest, I didn't have the will or the strength to say no to what others threw at me. I knew more about nutrition than your average fat girl, but I ignored everything I knew for five minutes of pleasure. The surgery gave me the will to get through that. It made it so that, essentially, I HAVE to say no. I couldn't eat a cheeseburger if I wanted to!

It makes me sad when I see people "give up" on their lifestyles and give in to temptation. And then they justify it. "I barely ate anything today, so this is within my calorie count" or "Oh, I haven't had this is so long, one's not going to hurt . . ." And then the cycle begins again.

To be honest, bad food is bad food and your body is going to react to it in a bad way. Something one of my favorite chefs, George Stella said really hit home with me: "Starving yourself all day so that you can order a pizza and still stay below your daily carb limit isn't going to work for you in the long run. A small chocolate candy may have the same amount of carbohydrates as a cup of broccoli, but these foods are so fundamentally different that it makes counting them seem inane." (George Stella's Good Carb Family Cookbook, 15) I can't tell you how I nodded my head in agreement and had to share this passage with my husband. It's one of the cycles I threw myself into - "Oh, I'm under my points today, I can have a snickers bar!" or "Hmm . . . If I eat only carrots today I can have fried chicken tonight!" No WONDER at best I was maintaining at 285!

I am finding that the more I learn, the less I actually know. Low carb, for example, does not always result in ketosis if you're eating the RIGHT carbs (fruit, veggies, whole grains). But the key is IN MODERATION. Low calorie doesn't mean nothing but lettuce and carrots all day long. Meat is essential in a low calorie diet because of the amount of protein it contains. And justification is justification no matter how you look at it.

So, here's to the end of my cycle. I am so glad it's finally broken.

Tomorrow is my 6 week appointment with Dr. Veninga. I am so excited for him to see where I'm at right now, and to get some of my burning questions answered. My prayer is to this week be released for more vigorous exercise and do be able to finally get in some AB WORK!!

PS School has started today for the kids so look for more frequent posting! And don't forget to visit my weekly VLOG on YouTube. Post comments, ask questions, and don't forget to like and subscribe to my feed!

Progress - and LOTS of it! And . . . What's the deal with Carbs??

It's amazing the changes one is forced to go through after life-changing surgery.

For one, my attitude and outlook on life has changed dramatically. I no longer dread getting up in the morning. I no longer dread exercise. I no longer let depression rule me and fuel my desire to eat.

I had the vertical sleeve gastrectomy surgery on July 11 of this year. Since then, I have lost a total (as of this morning) of 30 lbs. I have gone (so far) from a size 26 to a size 22 (!!!). I am officially thinner than I was when I met my husband!! I have yet to try on my wedding dress - although I think that's going to be fun.

I no longer am able to turn to food when I am depressed or upset, so I have found other outlets for that. Crafting is coming back into my life, for one thing. Interestingly enough, I'm also starting to develop recipes specifically for sleeve patients. Our issues are different than other WLS issues. There are some similarities, but several differences as well. For example, lap-band patients have problems with many foods whereas most sleeve patients can pretty well eat what they like (within reason). So, be on the lookout for future recipes!

This week is the pivotal 6 week mark. This week I get to start a regular diet. Next week I go in for my 6 week follow up, and I have a ton of questions for my doctor. For one thing, I'm confused on carbs. Being on a couple of online forums and a facebook group, I'm noticing that every doctor and nutritionist are different on their guidelines. AND some doctors and their nutritionists have differing opinions! Some say low carb, some say no carb, some say don't worry about counting carbs. So you can see where the confusion comes in.

Something else to wonder about is protein - HOW is one supposed to get protein without resorting to protein supplements and powders? The problem for me is, I can't drink them. They're WAY too sweet. I have yet to find one that I like. And I'm supposed to be getting 60-80 grams of protein a day (!!!). I can't seem to eat enough food at a time to get to that point. So, I'll have to ask my doctor about all of that as well.

One thing that I've been asked about is complications. I haven't had any real complications thus far - no leaks, no gall bladder issues, etc. I HAVE had really bad heartburn (I take an OTC medicine for it) and I've thrown up once or twice (my own fault!). But otherwise, nothing major. As long as I take my vitamins, I'm usually good energy wise, so that's not an issue either.

Now for the good.
I need some new clothes already. Not a whole lot - just a few things for church and going out. My shirts are all falling off of me and I need new bras. My husband told me one night as we were snuggling in bed that I felt smaller to him.

Speaking of my husband, he's been dieting along with me and has ALSO lost around 30 lbs! I am so proud of the two of us doing this for our health.

Don't forget to check out my weekly vlog on youtube! My channel link is: http://www.youtube.com/user/jennijune21?feature=watch

Don't forget to subscribe to my you tube channel so you can get weekly updates!

This Week's Vlog: Rollercoasters and Suitcases

Today I ramble a bit about the emotional rollercoaster before surgery and I talk about what I'm taking with me to the hospital.

My dog decides to get in on the conversation as well.

And Now . . . One For the Support Team

My last post was geared toward those that were still negative about my decision to have the Gastric Sleeve.  Today, I have decided to write one for those of you that have stood beside me 100%. For my followers and friends that understand my struggles and know how important this surgery is to my life:

To My Husband: I love you with every ounce of my being. Thank you so much for being there every step. You encourage me daily and love me unconditionally. You strive to not just aid me in my own journey, but in making positive, healthy changes in our entire family. Without you, this journey is fruitless, and may not have even happened. Thank you, LOML. ♥

To My Children: My little cheerleaders: each of you push me a little farther. When I'm struggling, you tell me "you can do it Mommy!" I am doing this for each of you - so I can see you graduate, watch you get married, and hold my grandchildren (in 50 years, of course). I love you each more than you can imagine.

To My Parents: You have stood by me and lifted me up. Mom, you have inspired me more than you can possibly know. Daddy, your love and support have been the world and more to me.

To My Brothers: I know how much you understand what I'm going through. Thank you so much for cheering me on.

To My Sisters: My very best friends: You guys push me to be the very best person I can be, regardless of my weight.

To My Friends: You each have supported me in so many ways - dieting with me, calling me to check on me, distracting me, and even yelling at me sometimes. And that's just the beginning. Many of you have known me since elementary school and know just how far back my struggles have gone, yet you never judged me based on my weight. True friendship lasts through the ages, and I thank you for yours.

In less than a day I will be making the biggest change of my entire life. Every emotion known to man has gone through my mind - from joy and excitement to fright and sadness. I am ready for this - emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically. And those of you that have supported me on this venture are part of the reason why. I can't wait to see the real me. And I can't wait for all of you to see her too.

Love and Hugs,