Let THEM Eat Cake

It is with great sadness and an equal amount of joy that I note Christmas is behind us. I got through the holiday cheer with little to no issues or temptation of goodies and I was able to see a 4 pound weight loss. My energy levels were up, I enjoyed company, and delighted in my children’s faces as they opened up each gift.

Did gastric bypass hinder my celebrations? NO. I was free from:

-Overindulging thus encouraging a loosening of the belt buckles or changing into sweats. I’ve lost 54 pounds. I need a tighter belt.

-Being embarrassed in pictures. I’m still overweight but don’t care as much because I’m doing something about it.

-Needing to take a nap during special holidays because my weight eats my energy. I ran circles around my very thin brother!

-Spending more money on dinner/dessert when I don’t need it anyway. I just ordered soup and took tiny bites off others’ plates with permission -- most of the time.

-Feeling bad that once again I didn’t lose weight this year.

-Empty fridge from over eating. My fridge is stock full of the leftovers that should have existed in previous years.

Back in October I was a little saddened knowing that I would be having the surgery before Thanksgiving, Christmas, my 30^th birthday, and New Years. I knew I would not be able to partake in the extreme feasting that goes on and felt that I would be left out. Obviously I was proved wrong at Thanksgiving as I’d posted before. I was proved wrong once again during Christmas and my birthday (which will be over in 1 hour as I write this blog).

How I Survived Christmas:

On Christmas morning we were joined by my brother and sister-in-law who were visiting from Southern California. My kids loved having them around and it was nice to be around family for the holidays. I made our traditional cinnamon rolls for everyone. They looked and smelled amazing. (Hey, out of a can you can’t go wrong! Unless you burn them…) I had ONE bite and I used one of my baby’s spoons to cut the bite out so you know it was tiny. I ate my regular cottage cheese and drank water while everyone else drank OJ. For dinner I made lasagna using my great-grandmother’s spaghetti sauce recipe. Again, I had ONE bite and stopped. We made a “Happy Birthday Jesus” cake and I didn’t try it. The smell was so sweet that I felt like I’d had 5 slices.

There have been a number of times when I’ve felt like binging as soon as no one was looking, kind of like I used to. Of course the consequences are a bit gross (I’m really getting tired of vomiting) and so that helps the temptation. Part of me didn’t want to make anything I would be interested in but instead I decided to pull it together and do what I really enjoy doing – cooking delicious food for others. It was a great satisfaction to spend 6 hours cooking Grandma’s spaghetti sauce even though I didn’t get to indulge as before because my family enjoyed and appreciated it. I enjoyed baking the birthday cake with my daughter because she enjoyed spending the time with me “helping”.

Gastric bypassers, don’t feel like you have to withhold the goods unless you absolutely cannot resist. Instead, go for it for your family and let THEM eat the cake!

Size Is Just A Number...

... but it's a number I'm liking! Today I was able to pull on - and button - a size 16 pair of jeans. I haven't worn that size since... hmmmm... maybe right after graduating from high school?They're still a little too tight to wear on an every day basis, but they buttoned and zipped up!

This isn't me, but I sure feel like this.

Oh My, How You've Changed...

The best feeling so far was when my coworker, whom I love dearly, literally did not recognize me. Granted, the last time she saw me I was still a brunette (blond now). With having a different hair cut, color, and a significant weight loss I've looked different than I ever have in a short period of time.

The Christmas season is now upon us. Actually, today is Christmas Eve and I was remembering this morning that my blog has been somewhat neglected. That's ok - with all the stress in my life of moving, not moving, moving, not moving, things have been chaotic to say the least. My weight loss continues to move at a good pace. I had an almost 2 week stall when I started really working out but I've since seen a drop. This morning I weighed in at 224.6 which means I've now lost over 50 lbs since beginning my pre-op liquid diet. That's a great feeling! My next installment of "How I Survived" at the end of the blog.

I notice I have significantly more energy. My husband and I went antique shopping the other day and I never really got super tired and we were out for nearly the entire day. We had a quick lunch at one of our favorite pubs.

Each day I continue to learn more about this surgery and how it effects my body in various ways. It matters to ever inch of my body, every organ. Yesterday I had a nasty bout of nausea and vomiting (something I deal with on a nearly daily basis though it doesn't bother me anymore.) I could tell by about 4pm that my body was lacking everything - protein, carbs, and water. I wasn't able to get enough protein in my days end, but I was glad I could drink water by the time I went to bed!

How I Survived Christmas Goodies:

I couldn't NOT bake. It's my first Christmas with my kids (as they were only placed with us in May) and I have really wanted to bake treats for them. "What's the point?" you ask? Satisfaction, really. The smells of Christmas are divine. I made these delicious chocolate peppermint pinwheel cookies and when I was taking them off the cookie sheet, one broke and I had a small bite. It was enough to satisfy me and I didn't have any of the "dumping syndrome" you hear so much about with gastric bypass. (Everyone is different, so don't take my experience as a license to go bananas.) I also made muddy buddies, mostly as a special Christmas snack for my kids. I had a few of those as well and it was enough to keep my cravings at bay. This is what I'd always hoped for myself - a tiny taste that satisfies without consuming the entire cookie tin. A taste is okay. It won't make me gain unwanted pounds back and I won't have the temptation of "sneaking". I sometimes wish I could eat with reckless abandon, but that's how I got to gastric bypass to begin with.

How I Survived Lunch Out:

This was more of a challenge than I thought. Soups have been a saving grace at times. We went to the Post Office Saloon and Grill for lunch. The only soup they had was creamy chicken noodle and they also had chili (beans are great for protein!) but it had ground beef in it which should be avoided. I went with the creamy chicken noodle and a small salad. I had 2 bits of salad - dressing on the side - and 3 spoonfuls of soup before the pressure set in and I knew it was time to stop. The poor waitress thought something was wrong! I did make the mistake of ordering iced tea and I think I drank far more than I should have because I could have had more food instead. I think I'll have to re-do this "How I Survived" when I do better next time!

And last but not least, here is my updated picture. It turned out SUPER bright and it looks like I'm not wearing anything under my purple sweater. Oh well. :)

What did I do?!

I've mentioned before that I've asked this question of myself a number of times. Most of the time my questioning comes about 2 hours before bedtime because that is when I feel the worst. I usually have taken a bite of something I made for dinner and it sits in my stomach. I've determined that despite taking small bites, chewing and chewing and chewing, my tiny tummy still doesn't like solid foods. I think the food gets to the bottom of my stomach, gets ready to pass into my small intestine and just sits there. Then the spasms start, trying to move the food down, and instead moves the food... well... up and out. If my husband didn't know better, he'd think I was bulimic, no doubt.

I have a friend who is having the lapband "installed" in just a few days and this morning she posted she is emotional. Now, I'm not sure if it's because of the impending surgery, but I automatically assumed it is.

I remember when I was 10 days from surgery and how tough the liquid diet was. Actually I cheated. I felt like such a failure because I had been working SO HARD towards getting the surgery that 10 days pre op was not the time to give into cravings and temptations. How long have I given into temptations? I remember being 18, hanging out with my friend Elizabeth and we'd make midnight runs to Jack in the Box for chicken strips and strawberry soda. Those years are when I really started to gain some weight. I gave in over and over and over again. I feel like that is something I've gained control of post-op. I look at the food, crave it, but I don't let it anywhere near my mouth for fear of the after effects.

As far as being emotional - uh huh! It's such a big decision. If you're researching this incredible life change, know it is a hugely emotional thing. If you're overweight just imagine the freedom of being released from the bond of weight. Maybe you're like me and you simply can't imagine but you'd like to. Do something -- attend a seminar, learn about the bariatric diet, go to Weight Watchers. You don't need to let weight weigh you down. Know that you are not alone.

Leggings - do or don't?

Today I took my first shopping trip post gastric bypass. I looked online at dresses at Kohl's because I was looking for a long sweater/sweater dress that I could wear with leggings and a belt around the middle. It's quite out of character for me as I have not worn leggings since I was in junior high and believe that heavier women should not partake in legging wearing. With that being said, I've completed my fair share of fashion education and decided to give it a whirl.

Before gastric bypass, okay even now, I get so disgusted with plus size clothing. There are so many things that could be flattering on heavier women and those things aren't flowered muumuus, shapeless blouses and corduroy-like sweat pants. There are young women who are plus sized and there isn't enough to wear for us. Oh wait, Lane Bryant and Avenue are the exceptions. Then you have the "plus size" clothes at places like Target. Their version of 2x is actually just a regular L.

Anyway, back to my story. Today was my first shopping trip. I found the dress I was looking for in the junior section. Ugh, I KNEW it wouldn't fit. I got the extra large and tried it on and guess what? It fit! It wasn't very flattering, but -- IT. FIT. I examined the clothes closer in that particular section and realized that they were not constructed to hold the - ahem - larger bust that women tend to have. I went over to the "misses" section and browsed. The clothes were better constructed and so I went crazy just pulling things. Everything I tried on in XL fit perfectly. Some things were more snug, some just didn't look right, but it's that way no matter where you go, right? For fun, I also pulled a 1X of something from the "plus" (plus what?!) section. It was baggy, frumpy and incredibly unflattering. I ended up with 3 new sweaters, and I found a sweater dress which I'd gone to buy anyway. It wasn't the exact one, but it is a pretty purple. I also bought a pair of leggings. Yes, I did. When I tried the entire outfit on at home and showed my hubby, I received a nice smile and "wow!"

1 month post op pic

This pic was taken 12/2. I weighed 235.8 this morning.

1 month and 1 day post op

It's hard to believe it's been a month since surgery. This morning I weighed in at 235.8, so I'm 100 pounds away from my goal. I know it is still a long road with some bumps sure to come, but I'm feeling good about it! Noah will take a picture of me tonight, I promise!

Yesterday I took a walk with a good friend of mine. I took my toddler and pushed him in the umbrella stroller. It was the furthest and most physically intensive I've been post op. I was winded, but not like before. I felt so alive!

How I survive regular days (before going back to work):

It has been hard to really pinpoint my daily routine and diet because it frequently changes. I notice that overall I feel better when I drink liquids only. For so long I couldn't wait to eat regular food and I can't believe I actually can say that. Yogurt, cream of wheat, and my new fruit smoothies seem to just make my tiny tummy feel the best. Last night I made guacamole which was really delicious. I had 2 chips with a bit of "the goods", but it felt like it got stuck - not a good feeling. Eventually the feeling passes (may take up to 20 minutes to pass) but in the mean time I always wonder if it's going to come up because I've had that happen a number of times. Pre-op people, keep this in mind so I don't have to tell you "I told you so". Although chewing and crunching are more satisfactory mentally, physically sometimes it just isn't worth it.

Smoothies - yes. So Dole and Jamba Juice have a new line of frozen chopped fruit mixes. I picked up the Strawberry-Banana-Pineapple mix from Dole and the Crazy Strawberry from Jamba. I blend one cup of the mixture with about a cup of sugar free apple juice (milk is still just a bit too heavy for me), 3 ice cubes, and 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder (26g protein). I have had zero adverse reactions (read - dumping syndrome!) and it's easy to go down. I hardly taste the protein powder which is great because I've hated protein powder post-op. I have enough for breakfast and lunch. I've been also eating cottage cheese and then try to eat something with my family in the evening.

The thing they tell you is that you eat all the time after surgery because you have to eat such small amounts. I don't feel like this at all. I was a big snacker before and for me to say I feel like I'm not eating all the time is good for me. I have no appetite and no feelings of hunger so I treat food intake like vitamins - you just have to do it.

4 weeks post op

Today I am 4 weeks post op and have officially survived not one Thanksgiving but two! The surgical pain is completely gone and my incision sites are healing rather well. My weight is dropped quickly this week.

Things I've discovered:

-The weeks when the weight comes off fast, I can't see or feel it in my clothes.

-The weeks when the weight comes off slowly, I can see and feel it

How I survived Thanksgiving:

It was hard at times because everything smelled SO delicious! I know I was supposed to make sure things weren't made with sugar and/or butter, but I picked out a couple of dishes in which I knew wouldn't be too sweet or buttery. I measured everything by the teaspoon. I picked a piece of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and a tiny bit of green salad. I didn't finish half of it. I enjoyed conversation, paid attention to chewing slowly for as long as it took to make things "liquid". I realized that I didn't need as much food because 1) I have a tiny tummy, and 2) After chewing one bite of stuffing for 20-40 times, it's not as delicious!

How I survived the road trip:

This was the hardest thing I thought. Jack in the Box smelled great, so did KFC. I bought a breakfast pita from JITB, hold the bacon. I ended up continuing to just get bites of pita, no egg, ham or cheese. I ended up taking one too many bites and threw it up. I ate 1 potato wedge from KFC which was fine, and it was enough. I had small containers of yogurt with me and one of my baby's spoons to eat it with. I also have the proti-diet protein crystal light type stuff, so I kept a pack of that mixed with water for fluids AND protein. Overall it was difficult, if not impossible, to get enough protein on the road, but some was better than none I felt. Or, it was better than making poor choices and throwing up. (Throwing up while driving is not ideal.)

3 weeks Post Op

I've found myself a number of times asking myself, "what have I DONE?" My cravings and appetite are almost non existent which I thought would never happen. There are some times when I feel like I'm hungry, but I know that as soon as I put food into my belly I'm full so fast.

Thanksgiving was a challenge but I did it. I ended up having small - like teaspoon sized - portions of the things I wanted. I had about an ounce of turkey, a teaspoon of stuffing, a teaspoon of mashed potatoes, and about 4 leaves of salad. I didn't even finish half. It was one of the first times I have ever walked away from Thanksgiving without needing sweatpants. I had a good Thanksgiving gift from my scale when it read "240". I lost 10 lbs! Actually I'd lost 12 since the Thursday before Thanksgiving. I need to take a pic, but we're out of town right now, so when I get back, I promise. :)

Almost 3 weeks post op

Sorry I'm late posting this pic. I weighed in at 249. I haven't been in the 240's since I got married. However, I've noticed that I'm still not the same size as I was then. I've lost weight in different places, but it's pretty much all over. I'm still not in the same size jeans as I was in 2008, but I have noticed a hip bone and butt bones sticking out where they weren't before!! I only read about these things in anatomy books. ;-)

I don't have a profile pic on here yet, when I get back to my own computer I will upload that as well.

Post Op Pic

I'm a little late with this picture, but here it is anyway.

I believe I weighed in at 254 in this picture and it was on my first post op appointment with my surgeon. I don't think I look too different, but it's early yet.

Eating has been... interesting. I find that my tastes have drastically changed. Many things make me gag, mostly the protein "shakes". I added protein powder to my yogurt which was okay for a couple of days, but this morning it make me gag. Its really frustrating. My surgeon stressed the importance of getting enough protein, and I truly understand, but... it's hard.

5 Days Post-Op

Well I did it. Yes, gastric bypass surgery is over and now the real work begins.

It was a little surreal being on the table in the OR when the surgical nurses announced my name and procedure. "She's having Roux-En-Y gastric bypass." Really? Did I actually finally make it? Yes, yes I did.

I woke up in recovery - well, sort of - I dozed in and out. I don't remember being transferred to the med-surg floor. I don't remember anything except that they said my breathing was very shallow. Well der - my abdomen was all torn up! It hurt!

My stay in the hospital couldn't have been better. I had excellent nurses in Heather, Windi, and Phyllis. They made my stay far more bearable and they were so good to me. I had some problems right away because I couldn't pee. What a strange problem. But looking back, every time I've had surgery I've had the same issues. I got over it though. I ended up staying 2 additional days because my pain and nausea weren't controlled well enough. I'm sure that is partially my fault for waiting too long to ask for the meds I needed. I think I'm paranoid because sometimes we get patients in who are total drug seekers and I did not want to be perceived that way. How strange of me!

So I went into the hospital on Monday and was finally discharged tonight. It has been an emotional few days simply because of not believing I'd actually made it to the end of the pre-op phase. But I did it. I did.

I haven't lost much weight so far, just 2lbs, but one of the nurses explained that my body is in "survival mode" and is holding on to any and all fluids I put into it. I won't weight myself for another week and then we'll talk. :)

2 days Pre-Op

I am less than 2 days pre-op now. In fact, my surgery will be over with in less than 48 hours. Strange to think.

Tonight I threw away a Lane Bryant ad with the satisfaction of saying "I'll NEVER shop here again!" I'm sorry Lane - I love you, but I'm going to love not having to shop in your store anymore. Besides, I don't feel like I should pay so much money for your clothes. More fabric = more money I suppose. Although... the quality is excellent, I can't argue with that.

Here is my one week after starting my liquid diet. I weighed in today at 267.8. Pardon my sweat pants. It's been a long day at work and I needed stretch!

Relationships

We don't have a great relationship, food and me. Okay, maybe that's wrong. We've had a wonderful long lasting relationship going on 17 years now. We have been through it all together- teenage years, job changes, boyfriends, breakups, long distance love, marriage, parenthood... It hasn't been a healthy relationship but when you've known something -- someone -- for a long time, separation is difficult but not impossible.

Whenever you separate from "someone", there is always the awkward decision of who gets to keep which friendship. When I broke up with my last boyfriend (before I met my husband, by the way...), I had to give up the majority of the friends we'd made together because he continued working with them. Do I miss those friendships? Sure, sometimes.

I've asked myself, "what will I miss the most about my new lifestyle?" Here is my list:

-Mexican food... shredded beef anything. Yum!

-Sunday night Tri-tip with my family

-A big bowl of ice cream with hot fudge

-My mom's meatloaf

-Crispy Chicken burger from Red Robin

-A big slab of ribs!

-Chocolate cake

-Western bacon cheeseburger from Carl's Jr

-Subway

And my #1 - Iced white mocha from Starbucks.

It's not like I'll NEVER eat some of these foods again, but most of them are on the "no-no" list forever because of their sugar content. It will be hard at first to survive without "exes", but just like with real "exes", you get over them when you find out that there is someone better for you anyway!

Picture Log #1

This is me 10 days pre-surgery, the day I started my liquid diet. I weighed in at 276.9 lbs.

One Journey Completed

I have been researching gastric bypass surgery for years. I've talked to many people who've had it and I wonder why I never thought I was a candidate. Perhaps deep down I knew I was healthy and had no other reason to have the surgery other than to simply loose weight. In a way I felt like a failure at weight loss and it was my fault and this was my consequence.

Fast forward to 2009 when I made the decision to seriously look into it. One night, before I fell asleep, I remember telling my husband that I would pursue weight loss surgery until I'd exhausted all possibilities and was told, "no, this won't work for you." That day never came. Even though I was turned down, had insurance issues and distance issues, I continued to keep at it and I encourage you to do the same.

When I couldn't find kayak equipment to fit my body and have to have 3 grown men lift me out of a kayak, I knew it was time. That was in May of 2009. I was SO done being overweight and feeling like I couldn't participate in life and really live.

I started by meeting with my primary physician. Before I went, I wrote down successful and failed weight loss attempts for as far back as I could remember. I took the list to her and it was rather extensive dating back to when I was 13. She barely looked at it when she said, "Erin, I have had many patients who have sought bariatric surgery and I feel that you would be a perfect candidate." I couldn't believe it. Then again, why would I think anything else?

She sent my referral to the local surgical weight loss clinic and they immediately.... turned me down. It turned out that they did surgery at a hospital in town not covered under my insurance plan.

Back to square...2. I found out that UC Davis in Sacramento was the next closest facility, the next closest being San Francisco. I live in Redding, 2.5 hours from Sacramento, even more than SF. I got through all of the tests including over $2000 worth of blood work, chest xrays, an EKG, lost the 20% weight they required, took nutrition classes, documented my food intake for 4 weeks. Around January 5, 2010, I was ready to go. I called UC Davis with this great news and they informed me that sorry, but Blue Cross and UC Davis did not renew their agreement on January 1, 2010, so I would need to find a new facility.

Back to square 2. Again. I called my insurance company and gave them the rundown in early January and it turned out that I needed to meet requirements set by my employer. What more did I have to do?? I had to participate in an 8 week coaching session with a dietitian, but it took months to be referred and to finally get rolling. I was able to start that in April 2010 and finished in June.

Back to square 2. At that time, I was able to call UC Davis and have my paperwork sent over to my prospective new surgeon, which ended up being in Chico -- just a little over an hour from my house! It was July 2010 when UC Davis processed my request and another month until Chico received my paperwork and set up an appointment. It's actually been a piece of cake since then.

Today I was finally able to schedule my surgery date and it is 26 days from today on November 1. I am both excited and nervous, but here we go. As one journey to surgery ends, the next begins. it's time to rock and roll and get this weight off!

The View on Size

I don't know about you, but I've been overweight for all of my adult life. I've fallen into the "obese" category. There were times when my weight was more in check than other times, but I've always remained obese.

One thing to keep in the back of your mind when you're on any weight loss program whether it been Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutri-System, or good old fashioned diet and exercise is how are people going to perceive you? How are you going to see yourself?

Do people treat overweight people differently than average weight people? Out of the people I've spoken to about post surgery life the answer is overwhelmingly "yes". Is it right? Of course not, but I suppose it depends on who you ask. Our society is bombarded with images of super thin women and athletic looking men. It always makes me giggle when Whitney Thompson, winner of the tenth cycle of America's Next Top Model, is called plus-size. Seriously? She's a size 10! If I were a size 10 I would consider myself healthy, not plus-size.

Last year I met a girl named Monique who had undergone gastric bypass. Out of everyone I had met who'd had the surgery, she made the most impact on me. Monique is about the same age as me, had the same weight history and was about the weight I am now when she had the surgery. She looks fantastic! When we got to talking about the surgery I thought it was interesting when she made the comment, "I hope you and your husband have a strong relationship because you just wait until you lose all your weight." What was that supposed to mean? She went on to explain that in her experience she was treated differently once the weight came off. This was something I hadn't yet considered.

Once I have my surgery and my weight is in a normal range I am interested to see if I will be treated differently. I've often wondered how I will change, other than physically of course. Right now I have no idea and I hope to relay some of my observations as I continue on in my quest to become healthy. As a daughter of the most High King, I trust that He's led me to this place of acceptance of myself and the will to change my lifestyle. I also trust that He will protect my heart and mind!

The Wild World of Ghrelin

One thing I have been appreciative of is the education provided by the bariatric department at North Valley Surgical Associates. I originally started my surgery process with another surgical center -- oh wait, make that two prior surgical centers. I had not received the type of education I've received with NVSA. The doctors and nurses introduced a new concept to me. You may agree or disagree with their theories, you have to make the call yourself. As a person who has multiple failed attempts at weight loss, I tend to agree.

We all know that our society has a love-hate relationship with food and weight. They place the fresh bakery at the front of the grocery store to draw you in. They've put fast food and high calories coffee shops on every corner in this country. How many calories in a medium sized white chocolate mocha? 470. Do I need 470 calories at 6:10am? Probably not, but it sure tastes good. ;-) We're bombarded with high calorie foods at literally every turn. What makes an average, healthy adult different from an obese adult? Increased ghrelin and decreased leptin.

Ghrelin is the appetite stimulating hormone produced in the fundus (large rounded bottom area of the stomach). This hormone is said to be extra prevalent in obese people. If you have never dealt with a weight issue, try to imagine this: never feeling satisfied. It is worse when we diet. Our body is used to a certain amount of food so when we decrease what we eat, our bodies literally tell us we're starving. Diets don't always work! Actually, talk to any bariatric patient and they will yell at you, "DIETS NEVER WORK!"

If you think I (and I'm speaking for anyone thinking about weight loss surgery) "just" have a problem with will power and my lack of exercise, guess what? It's more than that. I have more ghrelin in my body which makes me more hungry more often. I also have less leptin in my body which means I have little to help suppress my appetite. Because of this problem my metabolism is way off from the average sized adult.

So where does the Roux-En-Y gastric bypass come in and how does it help? The cutting of the stomach is the most drastic measure. The surgeon cuts off the fundus which cuts off the production of ghrelin. This means I won't have an appetite post surgery and instead of eating for a variety of reasons, it is just out of necessity and the satiety will finally be present.



Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghrelin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptin
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090520055519.htm
Image borrowed from http://www.texashealth.org/body.cfm?id=1525

Way Back When...

I don't remember when or why I started to gain weight. I know that there were some things that came up from my past when I was a small girl, but it's easy to blame an incident on weight gain. It doesn't seem right to continue to blame that time on years of learned bad habits. Here I am, a 29 year old well adjusted and successful married mom of two. I know what good eating habits are. I know the basics. Calories in - calories burned = +/- calories. The more negative the number, the more the body uses thus resulting in weight loss. The more positive the number, the more the body stores which equals weight gain.
Here is where I have found my pitfalls to be, and guess what?? There are more than one!

• Portion control, portion control, portion control. Yes, I like tacos. If one is good, 3 are better! I had an epiphany a few weeks ago when I ordered a foot long sandwich from Subway. Upon looking at the length, width, and height of the sandwich, I thought about how large our stomachs are. Not as huge as some of wish - about the size of a football. At the time I was about the indulge, my stomach wasn't empty. I had eaten within that past 2-3 hours and I'd had something to drink. It finally dawned on me - how was this 12"x 4"X 5" sandwich going to fit into my stomach?? Portion size is incredibly important when it comes to discussing weight loss and even more so when it comes to surgical weight loss. When your stomach becomes as small as a medicine cup , good luck fitting a $5 footlong in there!

• Food choice. Okay, I know I'm preaching to the choir here. Why choose low fat Ranch dressing when the real thing tastes SO much better? Actually, I don't have much of an argument for this one. I absolutely hate low cal Ranch. Just pass the balsamic vinaigrette please. I know some people make the switch to everything low fat when it comes to weight loss, but in my opinion the sacrifice of taste is simply not worth it. What I've done is adapt the recipes I enjoy to be more calorie friendly. I've cut out sweets (though I have to confess my sweet husband did buy ice cream last night and I had some - but it was a small amount equaling the suggested serving size on the package) and instead eat fruit. I've tried a dozen different drinks at the local coffee shops in the sugar free variety and I like a couple of them and I try to think of them as a completely different drink rather than a new version of my favorite. In preparation of surgery, you will be required to give up caffeine for a number of different reasons, so the best thing you can do for yourself is to cut it out completely. At my pre-op class the nurse promised that a big key is cutting out all sugar as it is problematic for Roux-En-Y patients. She stated that if you can wean yourself of sugar, your journey is easier. We'll see!
  

• Lonely/boredom eating. I will admit that when no one is around I think of yummy things I can make out of what I have in the cupboards and fridge. I haven't found a solution to this problem yet. It's easier with the kids being around, it keeps me honest. I'm hoping that with the creation of a new, smaller stomach it will keep me from binging because I will have the inability to do so.

I'm hoping that I will be able to identify more behaviors when the surgery is done. I'm curious. Until then...!

Post... 1

Hi there. Come follow me on my weight loss journey. After 17+ years of being overweight, I've finally made the decision to have gastric bypass surgery. I have had my ups and downs trying to get the surgery but I know the trials will be worth the end results. Right now I am approximately 5-6 weeks pre-op which seems incredibly close considering I have been actively pursuing the surgical procedure for 18 months.

When I first began researching surgical options for weight loss online I came across very few personal stories other than Star Jones (Did she or didn't she? She did?!), Al Roker (who had many good things to say), and Randy Jackson. Sure -- it is great to have public figures to refer to. Remember that they have access to more amenities than you or I do such as personal trainers and cosmetic surgeons. I hope that my blog can give you an idea of what I've gone through and if you are researching weight loss surgery yourself or for someone you love let this be just one example to either encourage or discourage you. Surgical weight loss (thus far) is not for the faint of heart.

With that being said, stay tuned as I go for a fantastic adventure. I hope to come out the other side as a much smaller person.