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

I have said this statement more than any other in my life.
And, can I just say, that sometimes TOO MUCH INFORMATION does more damage than good.
There are so many "eating lifestyles" around now, how can a person tell what they should or should not be eating?
This is a topic I've revisited again, and again.
And I've come to a realization.
Since my surgery, I cannot look at food as a non-surgery person looks at food anymore.
I should have had this figured out a year ago, but I didn't.
You see, a year ago, I was still in the mindset that, after healing, I could go back to eating whatever I wanted, only in smaller amounts.
This is a lie that I was telling myself.
Actually, this is a lie that MY ADDICTION was telling me.

Yes. I am an addict.
I am a FOOD ADDICT.
I have talked about this before - several times, I'm sure. But it doesn't sting any less for me to say that out loud.
I am a FOOD ADDICT.
Yep, I had to say it again.

So, here's what I'm learning:

Eating for sleevers is NOT the same as "dieting".
We can no longer be on diets, actually.
We have to eat a certain amount of certain things daily for us to even be able to FUNCTION.
One thing I learned that is NOT a fad diet thing is that the human body requires a certain amount of protein, water, vitamins, and minerals a day in order to function. Without these primary building blocks, our bodies shut down. We become listless, have less energy, and become sick.
Some of what we need:
Protein: 60 g
Water:  64 oz
Calcium: 1000-1200 mg
Iron: 8-18 mg.

There's more, but these are the ones that I found to be the most important to a sleever specifically.
So, what does this mean?
This means we have to eat differently than everyone else on the planet.
Remember when the doctor told you "protein first"?
Yeah. He wasn't joking.
Where are the BEST sources of protein?
Well, here's something else I've learned of the last few days:

The leaner the protein source, the higher the protein count.
REALLY?!
Yes. Really.

For example:

1 whole egg contains 6 g of protein.
1 egg white ALSO contains 6 g of protein.
I can eat a whole egg.
I can also eat TWO egg whites.
So, if I chose the egg whites over the egg, that's 12 g protein vs. 6!!

Here's another example:

1 oz of chicken breast contains 9 g of protein
1 oz of thigh meat contains a mere 4 g!
So, I can eat 3 oz of meat (usually) in a setting, so if I chose the breast over the thigh, I can get in about 27 g of protein - almost HALF of what I need!!

But what about fiber? Vitamins? Minerals??

All-natural gurus won't like this much, but:

SUPPLEMENTS ARE A WLS PATIENT'S BEST FRIEND!

Take your vitamins - DAILY.
If you need it, add a fiber supplement to your diet.
Yes, these vitamins and minerals are VERY IMPORTANT so PLEASE don't pooh-pooh them off!!

SO, now that this blog post has gone on for MUCH longer than I anticipated . . .
I think it's safe to say that I have learned a LOT over the past year.
And I have figured out that it's time that I start over - again.

Remember, kids:

Protein, water, vitamins.
Repeat.
God bless you all,

Tasty Tuesday: Tacon Turger Salad w/Condiment Vinagarette

This week I started a new challenge with my dear friend, Melissa who is a Beach Body coach! It's a mommy boot camp - 90 days of transformation. To learn more about why I'm doing this, check out my video here. Each Tasty Tuesday will include a delicious recipe along with my dinner and workout schedule for the week.

My program of choice is Body Gospel which is a high-spirit work out plan. It's mid-impact (not low, not high) and is easily modified for those that need it. What I like about it the most is the fact that it's spiritual in nature. Another great perk is that there is a variety of workouts, so you won't get bored with it for sure. The eating plan goes right along with it - it's a low GI plan filled with fresh foods and high fiber! Delicious!

Alright, enough about that, here's the recipe I know you've been waiting for!!

In our family we make turkey burgers and turkey bacon - a lot, in fact. We've made up our own word for both as well: tacon for turkey bacon and turger for turkey burger. It's fun to say and the kids love having Tacon Turger night!

With the hubbs and I lowering our carb levels, we decided that we would make this one with no bread - making it into a salad. Topped with a homemade dressing made of all the usual burger condiments, it hits the spot and doesn't feel like a deprivation in the least!

Tacon Turgers:

2 frozen turkey burger patties OR 1/4 lb. ground lean turkey, formed into patties and refrigerated for at least an hour.
4 slices turkey bacon

Cook burgers on grill (High) or in a skillet (med-high) on the stove - 3-5 minutes per side until cooked through (should be around 165 when checked with a meat thermometer).

Cook turkey bacon in a skillet coated with 1 tsp oil (I used coconut oil) and heated on medium heat. Flip every minute or so for the first five minutes, then every thirty seconds until as crisp as you like.

Salad:

4 C chopped romaine lettuce, mixed greens, baby spinach, or a mix of all three
1/4 C chopped dill pickle
1/2 C cubed cheese of choice (I used an applewood smoked gouda!)

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.


Dressing:

1 T mustard
1 T mayonnaise
1 T Ketchup
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T water
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp celery seed

Mix all together in a small bowl until well combined.

Now assemble:

Put two cups of salad on a plate. Toss with 1 T dressing. Break up turkey burger over top. Top with two slices turkey bacon. Drizzle with a touch more dressing, if needed.

Delicious and so, so tasty!!!

And here's my menu for the week (Dinners only) with my workout schedule.


Tuesday: Bacon wrapped steaks, salad, roasted veggies - workout: Body Gospel Core Revelation
Wednesday: Turkey Bratwurst, sauerkraut, salad - workout: Body Gospel Body Revival
Thursday: Grilled Chicken Salad - workout: Body Gospel Stretch in the Spirit
Friday: Homemade pita pizzas, salad - workout: Body Gospel Body Revival
Saturday: Smoked chicken, roasted veggies - workout: Body Gospel Stretch in the spirit
Sunday: Grilled Turkey Burgers, Salad - workout: REST DAY
Monday: Portobello Mushroom pizzas, Salad - workout: Body Revival

30-Day Paleo Challenge Weekly Update - Confessions of a Carb Addict ...

Well, this week has been decidedly NON-paleo for me.
I jumped right back on the whole "Oh, this won't hurt me - not this once!" bandwagon - but I jumped on it EVERY DAY THIS WEEK.
Yeah - it's been THAT kind of week.
It started when I got results back from my blood work with my primary doctor. According to him, I'm one of those people that is not only not effected by dairy, but actually NEEDS it in order to produce certain necessary vitamins and enzymes in my body. As a result, I added back in cheese and yogurt to my diet.

Now, cheese and yogurt are not bad things. But I never thought they'd be my gateway drugs into a path of destruction ...

Monday - I ate a half of a biscuit I had made for my kids. I had an allergic reaction! It was as if I had eaten an entire handful of pollen.  My nose stopped up, my eyes started watering, and my ears even started to act as though they were closing up. One step farther and I might have gone into anaphylaxis! So this tells me that I have some kind of reaction to wheat. Which I guess is good to know . . .

Tuesday - I took my children to the doctor for their check up, which actually ended up going very well. And it was a pretty good eating day as well, for me. It was all meat and veg that day - and I even made up a batch of hard boiled eggs that my daughter and I snacked on.

Wednesday -  I was having a BAD day. It was one of those "pity party" days where I just didn't feel good enough. I didn't want to get up and do anything. I was feeling like a bad mom, a bad wife, a bad EVERYTHING. Then my parents took us to lunch. I had a flauta and a few bites of rice and beans. I did NOT have a reaction to these things. But still . . . two days off the wagon in ONE WEEK??

Thursday - I was snacky. And the pediatrician had told us to clean out our cabinets this week of all unhealthy foods. So we did. And I had popcorn. And rice cakes. And a handful of gluten free snack crackers (my kids eat a lot of gluten free foods because they like them). And some cereal. Good heavens. My carb monster came out to play.

Friday - Friday was grocery shopping day. And another lunch with the fam. Which meant another flauta. I didn't eat the rice or beans - is that an improvement . . ?

So where did I go wrong? What was it that led to this inevitable downward spiral this week? Stress? Lack of will power? I'm not 100% sure. I know it's not the group - there is an AMAZING group of people that are very supportive there. I think it's something inside of ME - there's a reason I was up to 300 lbs. I am a food addict, plain and simple. This is something that I obviously need to work on for myself.

So as a result, this week I gained back the four I'd lost last week. Yeah, see what carbs does??
So how am I going to handle this next week?

Better planning, for one thing. I already have every meal planned to a "t" for the next week. Most of them are not, unfortunately, on Leanne's plan for the week, but that's only because we are on a very tight budget and the cuts of meat I can get are different from what is in the plan. But that's not going to affect my eating plan. I did shop this weekend and bought fruit and veggies, plus I still have carry over veggies from last week, so I'm good there. And all the carby snacks that were tempting last week? They're out of the house now, so those won't be a problem.

So here I go. Back to square one.
Next week should -
WILL -
be better.  I know it.

How was your week? Sound off below!

30-Day Paleo Challenge Weekly Update

In case you missed this post, I've decided to give Paleo eating a shot. My friend Leanne over at Saving Dinner has issued a challenge! A 30-Day Paleo Challenge, to be exact. This challenge is a STRICT Paleo eating plan for 30 days. It began Monday and ends Wednesday, June 5th. Haven't joined yet? It's not too late! Run over there now and get signed up!

So how did this week go for me?

Well, I have a mouthful of canker sores. Not sure if that's b/c of something I'm eating or another reason, but it's NOT FUN. I can't seem to get rid of them. I was hoping that Paleo eating would help with this issue, but so far . . . notsomuch.

That being said, I do have GOOD news. I have lost about four pounds this week. Which means that AWFUL stall (you know - bouncing between 198-200?) is DONE. I am at 194! Whoop whoop! SO excited about that.

Do I feel better? Well, no. Honestly, I can't say that I really feel any different than before. But then, the only thing different I'm doing now than what I WAS doing is that I cut out dairy. I wasn't eating grains before, and it's been a long time since I've had any beans or other starchy veggies. I've also eaten more sweet potatoes than I have in a long time. Found that we REALLY like them. Maybe too much . . .

So what did I eat this week?
Lots of eggs. Bacon, ham, pepperoni, roast beef, pork tenderloin, moroccan spiced chicken legs, really good vegetable soup, lots of roasted and sauteed veggies. I also made some great paleo friendly pumpkin muffins. REALLY great.

Is it easy? Yes. Super easy. A lot easier than I actually expected, honestly. And fun! I am using spices that I've never thought I'd ever use (think coriander, curry, rosemary . . .). I am actually taking the time to MAKE my lunch (like sauteed shrimp and asparagus with cilantro-cashew pesto!). I am enjoying food. A lot. And watching my portion sizes to boot. Which is super important for us sleevers (ever heard the term sliming? Yeeaahh . . . You don't really want to know what that is . . .).

What do I miss? Sucralose. Stevia's just not cutting it for me.
                          Surprisingly, popcorn. I wasn't even THAT into popcorn (did you see my nose grow just
                          then?) Okay. I confess, I LOVE popcorn. Everything about it. But I can't figure out a
                          viable substitute . . . Yet. Just wait. I'll figure one out.
                          CHEESE. I. LOVE. CHEESE. A lot. And I miss it too. A lot. *They* say nutritional yeast
                          is a good substitute for cheese, but I'm sorry it's not. Not when you're craving a nice chunk
                          of a good aged raw-milk cheddar . . . Mmmm.

What I don't miss? Coffee creamer. I really thought I would. But I don't. I found a great one that is made
                              coconut milk. So Delicious Coconut Creamer. So far I've found plain, French vanilla,
                              and hazelnut. My favorite is hazelnut.
                              Peanuts and peanut butter. I am HOOKED on almond butter. It is the BOMB. Slather
                              some on a piece of celery and . . . Fuggitabowtit. SO delicious.
                              Crackers.  Who needs 'em when you've got so many other really yummy crunch things
                              like cucumbers, carrots, and celery. OMG, did I just say that? Yes. Yes I did.

So, challengers, how'd your first week go? Successes? Messes? Moments of "Oh my God what the heck am I doing??" Chime in and tell me how you're doing!

*Note - I was GOING to do a link up party, but the service I used - Linky tools - is now a PAID site. Bummer. So if you have a blog, please leave your link in the comments and I will be sure to visit!! Thanks for joining me in this journey!*

30 Day Paleo Challenge! Starts MONDAY!!

So I am stuck at 200 lbs.
I hate being stuck.
I have this HUGE fear of being stuck since I was at 285 for TWO YEARS.
I've been toying with the idea of changing my diet plan, and researching different eating plans for some time. One that really draws me in is the Paleo style eating plan.
What is Paleo? Well, in a nutshell, it's a diet with no grains, no legumes or beans, and no dairy. It sounds really weird, and very "fad" diet-ish. But it's backed by science. A LOT of science.
Now, as far as some of the philosophy ("This is what the caveman ate!") as a Christian Creationist that's not something that I buy into (but that's another blog post). But reading the research behind it has been a very interesting activity and one that I'm really glad I've done.

So what CAN you eat on paleo?
Meat. LOTS of meat.
And fat. Animal fat. You know, lard, bacon grease, chicken fat, pork fat, butter. . .
And other fats too - coconut oil, palm kernel oil, dende oil, olive oil, walnut oil . . . (just no peanut oil).
And lots of veggies - even sweet potatoes (in moderation).
Even fruit - apples, berries, mango, kiwi, citrus . . .
So, there's not a whole lot of  "denying" one's self.

What are the no-no's? Well, of course theirs the obvious - no dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese, etc. - butter is the one exception), no grains at ALL - including corn, wheat, rice, etc., no beans, no legumes, no peanuts, no peas. Also excluded are starchy veggies like peas, white potatoes, and fruits with a very high sugar content (bananas, etc - although they are not 100% excluded in every version of Paleo eating).

So, as you can see, there's really a whole lot more you CAN eat, than you CAN'T.

IS IT HEALTHY?
Well, you're eating a low carb diet filled with protein and vegetables. It can't be UNhealthy . . .

So what I'm leading up to is this.
My friend Leanne Ely runs this AMAZING website called Saving Dinner. If you've never been there, you need to go. NOW. Go on . . .  I'll wait . . .
. . .


. . .


. . .


. . .

Oh, good, you're back! See! Isn't she AMAZING??
Well, she is doing something wonderful. She is starting a challenge that will last for 30 days.
It's called the 30 Day Paleo Challenge with Saving Dinner. If you have been thinking about eating Paleo, or wondering "what's all the hub-bub, bub?" about it, this is the PERFECT opportunity for you to try it out. And the best thing? You get emails, videos, and encouragement from Leanne DAILY.

Your mission, if you chose to accept it, is to FLY over to Saving Dinner and TAKE THE CHALLENGE!!

Every Friday I will do an update with a LINKY PARTY! So if you are taking the challenge (or even if you just want to link up!) you can come join in the fun! The Linky Party starts NEXT FRIDAY! And you have until MONDAY to sign up for the challenge. It will be the best $15 you've ever spent - seriously!

By the by - let it be known that I am NOT getting paid for this plug! This is a product that I 100% believe in and I think that you can benefit from it!

See you Friday!

Are We Health-Obsessed?

I recently found an article about an eating disorder I had never heard of:

Orthorexia

In a nuthsell, orthorexia is an eating disorder where a person becomes obsessed with eating the most healthy diet possible, to the point of eliminating food groups such as dairy or meat from your diet. The problem here is that, over long periods of time, it can result in malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies, and other health problems.

Big business seems to be pointing us into the direction of a society filled with orthorexia. With new diets popping up all the time, many people are being sucked into believing that the only way to stay healthy is to only eat certian foods all the time, or to eliminate certain foods all the time. Diets such as the Paleo diet or Gluten Free (without having celiac disease) eating are just a handful of these elimination type diets.

While, short term, they can be quite harmless and even jump start weight loss, long-term they can cause problems. Some of which could be similar to those experienced by anorexic or bulimic people including hair/tooth loss, fertility problems, and even, in some cases, heart problems - all due to lack of vital nutrients.

What does this mean for the sleever?

Once upon a time, we were the ones that were trying every diet imaginable trying to find that "magic fit" - that one diet that would end our battles with obesity once and for all. To us, trying a new "fad diet" is just as natural as breathing. For some, it's even easier. We have fought so hard to be healthier versions of our former selves, and we will do anything to keep it that way. For those that have reached goal, the fear of gaining again looms over your head. For those of us that have yet to reach goal, the though of never losing those last 30-50 lbs terrifies us. As a result, we will try anything.

These eating plans are NOT necessarily unhealthy for the most part. In fact, some are very healthful in nature. But what is important to remember is that ANYTHING 100% of the time long term can have detrimental effects. Yes, it's good to eat meat and vegetables most nights. But, believe it or not, it's also healthy to have the occasional cookie or potato chip.

We need to move farther away from our food issues. Those are what got us here in the first place. I didn't get to 310 lbs by not having issues with food, let me tell you (but that's another post). But the point is, eat healthy 97.3% of the time. The other 3.7%, allow yourself some leeway. You will be better off for it.

Kick Start For Sleevers Week 2 (and Weekly Update)

Weekly Update: Last week was tough. Not because of what I was trying to eat, but because of what was going on in my life. This week is going to be just as tough as we are making transitions left and right in our little household. From homeschooling, to starting businesses, to working on cookbooks, to children moving location, it's becoming a little hectic around here. As a result, last week I succumbed to temptation a LOT. As a result, I gained weight. Did you know that you can gain weight on the sleeve? I didn't. This is the first time it's happened to me. But rather than sticking with all protein last week, I had carbs - sweets, chips, alcohol . . . It's my own doing. So this week, I am restarting with week one. I am confident that I CAN do it, I just need to get away from my addiction mentality once and for all.

Now back to what we were doing:

Kick Start For Sleevers Week 2!

After the last week, your body should have returned to a state of ketosis, which means your body is back into fat burning mode. While protein is wonderful, man can not live on meat alone. Okay, well technically man CAN live on meat alone, but WOman needs CHOCOLATE.

Jokes aside, while protein IS a vital part of nutrition, the next most important component belongs to our little plant friends: VEGETABLES. And this week is all about bringing them back into our lives.

Vegetation is important for so many reasons. First of all, there are the nutrients. Although we can get vitamins and minerals from a pill, actually EATING your vitamins is so much more beneficial! Second, there is the fiber content. Remember last week when you took all that fiber supplement? That's what plant foods do for us!

This week some of the most beneficial plants are going to make a comeback. Foods like spinach, kale, and lettuces. Squash and tomatoes and bell peppers.  Broccoli and cauliflower any and all non-starchy vegetables! Now we are not bringing fruit back yet - that comes next week, but this week it's all about the veggies!

Week 2
The Return of The Vegetable!

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love my veggies.
I could eat a pound of asparagus in one sitting. It might take me two hours, but I can do it!

Week one always sucks for me!

So when week 2 rolls around, I breathe a HUGE sigh of relief!

VEGGIES!!

During week one our focus was to recommit ourselves to our protein needs. This week we begin to reacquaint ourselves with those foods that we once balked from.
 

Now there is a rule of thumb for sleevers – 7-10 bites of food is (usually) enough. That roughly translates to about 3 oz of protein and 1-2 oz of vegetables.  (roughly 5-6 oz of food total). Most of us, past 6 months, can eat about a cup of food at a time. This amount should measure close to that. If you’re still hungry after finishing everything, feel free to have more. These are good, healthy, and nutritious foods that will not harm your body.

Week 2 Allowed foods:
ALL week 1 foods PLUS:
ALL leafy green vegetables such as spinach, kale, lettuces (in small amounts)

Broccoli, cauliflower, ALL squashes (summer, winter, and in-betweens!)

Onions, leeks, garlic, green onions, shallots, etc.

Tomatoes, avocados, ANY pepper (bell, chili, jalapeno, poblano, banana, etc)
Cucumbers . . . ANY non starchy vegetable!

Avoid:
Continue to avoid all carbs – flour, sugar, oats, etc.
Starchy vegetables and tubers such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, carrots, corn, peas, etc.

Beans and legumes
Artificial sweeteners (may use stevia)

Now, go eat your veggies, kids!

Please note there is not a sample meal plan for this week published at this time. If you would like to have one, please comment or email me and I will provide that information!