50 Days Post-Surgery
Mood: Optimistic
Weight Loss Status: 36 lbs
It's been a while since I've had the chance to write an update. My life has certainly changed in the past 50 days, but I've gotten into a good swing of things. While I'm still very conscious of every thing I put into my body, it's become much easier. Michael and I eat in almost every night, which gives me the security of knowing exactly what my food is cooked with and how healthy it is. With the help of the many cookbooks I've ordered, I've been able to get really creative with cooking, and am eating foods that are both high in protein and deliciously diverse. In fact, here are some meals that we have planned for next week:
- Greek
Souzoukaklia with Toasted Pita Chips and Greek Tzatziki Dip
- Slow
Cooker Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin with Sugar Snap Peas
- Grilled
Italian Chicken with Red and Green Peppers
- Lemon
Rosemary Salmon with Quinoa and Black Beans
- Creamy
Chicken Lasagna
- Catfish
Tuscany with Pesto Spaghetti Squash
- Turkey
Burgers with Homemade Sweet Potato Chips
- Desserts: Sugar-Free Baked Donuts and Sugar-Free Baklava
Does that mean everything I'm eating is 100% healthy? Absolutely not. For Easter I had a Reese's chocolate peanut-butter egg: certainly not the best thing to put into my body! I'm finding that every once in a while, it's ok to eat something that isn't totally chock-full of protein. Moderation and planning is key.
Below is a product that has changed my life since surgery:
I'm not always able to eat something with 20g of protein for a meal, and since I need to be getting approximately 60g of protein per day, these Protein To Go shots have made my life SO much easier. They pack in 28g of fat in a shot-glass sized container, with very few calories. This allows me to have fruit for lunch or something that is healthy but not necessarily full of protein. They're expensive, sold between $2.50 to $3.00 per bottle, but there are deals online that allow me to stock up. I drink one of these a day to give me more flexibility in my diet.
This week has also been a new chapter in my Bariatric life, as I started working out on Monday. I've been using a DVD called Walk Away the Pounds, which uses aerobics and light weights to get the heart rate up in 1, 2, 3, or 4-mile exercises. I started on Monday and have done the video every day this week, and even though I'm only doing the 18-minute, 1-mile exercise, I can already tell a difference. My energy has increased, and I can't wait to start seeing more muscle tone and those numbers go down more on the scale!
Overall, it's a very exciting time in my journey, and as I hit the 2-month mark, there are no regrets in my decision!
25 Days Post-Surgery
Mood: Drained
Weight Loss Status: 25 lbs
For the past two days I've had a lot of difficulty eating food. This morning, for instance, I made cream of wheat and could only eat about two spoonfuls. I wasn't feeling nauseated, just overly full. This hasn't happened since week 1 of surgery, so I'm concerned. I've been needing the Phenergan more than last week (once a day or so). I go for my 1 month checkup with the surgeon and dietitian on Wednesday and am hoping for clear some of this up.
Taking the 5 daily doses of vitamins and calcium supplements has been a challenge this week. Getting 8 glasses of water a day has become my main daily focus, similarly to the first few days after surgery. Why am I suddenly going backwards?
20 Days Post-Surgery
Mood: Food Coma
Weight Loss Status: 23.5 lbs
Mmm! I tried out a new recipe tonight for dinner: chicken pot pie with crepes (instead of traditional crust). It was delicious! (Click the image below for the recipe) 150 calories and 13g of protein for some excellent comfort food.
18 Days Post-Surgery
Mood: Jittery
Weight Loss Status: 18.6 lbs
This weekend I attended the first wedding since my surgery. It was extremely difficult to resist temptations, especially with all of the alcohol and sweets. Here are some pointers I wish I had known before this weekend:
- Stay hydrated. Drinking water will help you to avoid getting an alcoholic beverage or sugary punch. If anyone offers to get you a drink, try "I'm pacing myself," "I'm the designated driver," "My medication doesn't let me drink," etc.
- Avoid the dessert table. If you can't avoid it, find a cookie with dark chocolate chips to nibble on or pudding.
- At the buffet, use the "3 minute rule." When eating something with unknown nutritional information, take a small bite and wait three minutes before proceeding. This will let you know if your stomach will be able to handle a few more bites.
- Have a buffer. Having a buddy who knows about your eating situation can help you out a lot. Use them to get you water refills, scope out the buffet before you visit it, and run interference when guests offer you a drink or food.
- Find a task to do. It's overwhelming to sit down and watch the other guests eat and drink alcoholic beverages all night. I found it incredibly restless. If this happens, find a helpful "task" to do at the reception, like taking pictures.
14 Days Post-Surgery
Mood: Relaxed
Weight Loss Status: 15+
Today marks two weeks since my surgery. And for the first time since I went to the hospital, I've gone the whole day without feeling nauseated and haven't had to take my Phenergan. What a HUGE difference in my mood and appetite now that my nausea is subsiding! I've had a few people ask me how eating is going since the surgery, now that I'm moving up to soft and regular textured foods. I'll answer by posting what my menu for today looks like:
Breakfast: Protein pancake with bananas and sugar-free syrup
Lunch: Whole wheat grilled cheese and turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce
Dinner: Crispy chicken tenders with cinnamon apples
Who says people can't eat well after bariatric surgery?
12 Days Post-Surgery
Mood: Nauseated
Weight Loss Status: 15 lbs
Yesterday I was proud of myself for drinking well over 64 ounces of liquid. I found that tea was a lot easier to drink than water, and it helped settle my stomach as well. Resisting temptation to get my usual sweet tea, I dropped by the McDonald's drive-through and ordered an unsweetened iced-tea to sweeten with Splenda. I drank Arizona Diet Iced Tea with Peach and could barely tell it was artificially sweetened. All was good.
This morning, I could barely get out of bed. I felt hung over and nauseated. After forcing down some water, I wondered how I could feel so dehydrated after all the liquids I had taken yesterday. It eventually dawned on me that I had spent most of the day unintentionally drinking CAFFEINATED beverages, which further dehydrated my body. It didn't even occur to me to think about caffeine with tea, since tea is known to be such a healthy beverage.
Needless to say, I'm paying the price. I've been nauseated all day and have been breaking out into cold sweats. I made salmon for dinner and couldn't even stomach two bites of it before I had to stop and switch to a milder food.
I can't help but feel frustrated that my menu of approved foods and beverages has been slashed again, and discouraged by the continuation of nausea.
11 Days Post-Surgery
Mood: Cautious
Weight Loss Status: 15 lbs
During dinner tonight, I swallowed a medium-sized chunk of food and went through an excrutiating 10 minutes of pain as the piece slowly made its way into the pouch. I walked around with my hands over my head, barely able to breathe. Michael asked if he needed to call the doctor, and I might have taken a trip to the E.R. if the pain had continued. It certainly wasn't a large or tough piece of food, but I now realize how fast I've been taking things. Because I've been feeling better and my pain has mostly subsided, I've become too comfortable taking risks and trying to eat at my normal speed.
Since the tube leading to my pouch is so much smaller, and still swollen from the surgery, I need to be way more careful. I never want to feel that pain again.
