eating philosophy & favorite magazines...

I'm thinking about this for dinner.

I have been reading Eating Well magazine pretty regularly for a little over a year.  It is one of my favorites!  I have cooked numerous recipes and most have been stellar. Plus, they have a great website.  I also keep a current subscription to Clean Eating (not such a great website, though).

These are not "diet" magazines.  Rather, they focus on whole foods--organic, sustainable, & real.  You won't find a lot of chemical substitutes in these recipes--butter, not margarine; brown rice, not white; full fat cheese & milk, etc.  The theory is that if you use "whole" products, the flavor is richer and therefore you wind up using less.  I can testify that 1 oz full-fat mozzarella sprinkled over a burger gives me much more satisfaction that 1/4 cup of the low-fat kind.

This ties into my new philosophy on eating--I want to eat as close to the source as possible.  Since I won't be able to eat much in the way of quantity, the quality matters that much more.  No more processed, chemical laden foods for me!

Along those lines, I also just signed up for a subscription to Natural Home magazine.  The latest issue has a recipe for laundry detergent that I can't wait to try.

what i eat...

I am amazed at how quickly my perception of food has changed!  A couple of days ago, I actually got nauseated looking at the plate of food I had just fixed for my husband.  Not that the food itself was un-healthy--there was just so much of it!  It made me sick just to think about eating even half that much.  In the past, I could match him bite for bite (which is what got me into this mess in the first place).

These days, I'm grateful to finish 1/2 cup of chicken salad in one sitting.  This morning's Black Mission Fig and Banana smoothie (adapted from this recipe at Pinch My Salt) was a luxurious treat!  I have no desire to eat a Swiss Cake Roll--one of my former trigger foods.  A 1/2 cup of SF pudding completely satisfies my sweet tooth.  And, I've been having great fun experimenting with tofu--roasted with vegetables, grilled with BBQ sauce, silken in my smoothies, etc.

Some of my other favorites these days...

Fruit smoothies--I keep bananas in the freezer and throw them into smoothies with some silken tofu and whatever seasonal fresh fruit I've picked up at the market.

Eggs--scrambled, fried, hard-boiled, soft-boiled.  Any kind of egg will do.

Ground meats--I've branched out from just ground beef (although I've discovered that 1/2 cup Bolognese sauce makes a great meal).  I bought some ground turkey and even ground pork.  The pork made it into a version of this Spanish Pork Burger via Eating Well Magazine.

Pudding--not only have I re-discovered my favorite Jello SF Cook-n-Serve vanilla, I've also started making my own puddings from scratch using sugar substitutes (Splenda, Agave Nectar).  Lemon pudding; maple pudding; mocha pudding...

Chicken Salad & Tuna Salad--great "go-to's" when I'm stuck out of the house at lunch time.  Most lunch-type restaurants have a version.  My favorite, though, is the Chicken Salad from our local Always Fresh Neighborhood Market.  They focus on homestyle, fresh, & local foods.

I realize that it's only been 3 weeks and I'm by no means an expert.  But, as a newbie, I also realized that a lot of the blogs I'm following are people who are much farther along in their journey than I am.  So, I figured I'd throw this out there for those who have been banded in the last month or so.  Hope it helps.

Cheers!

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experiencing the fruits of my (non)labor...

I'm going to Portland!!!

Every two or three years, my husband attends the OSCON (Open Source Conference) in Portland, OR.  This year, I get to go with him--thanks to my new status as a full-time wife!  We're actually leaving a few days early to have some "vacation" time to ourselves.  Then, I get to explore and do all the things that I like to do (birding, eco-tours, museums, zoos) while he's at the conference.

And, the best part is that I'll probably be able to drop another 5-10 pounds between now and then (we're leaving on July 15) and actually fit into some of the cuter tops that have been hanging around in my closet.

WooHoo!!!

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new blogger shout out...

Check out new blogger "Blither Blather" at Maybe This Time.  She's at the very beginning of her journey and could use some support.

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fruit binge...

I couldn't stand it anymore and went on a fruit binge today.  Seriously, how am I supposed to eat all that protein when Georgia Peaches and cherries are in season?  Not to mention blueberries, blackberries, & tomatoes (technically a fruit).  I'll eat protein tomorrow.  Today, I'm eating fruit!

Cheers!

2 week-iversary...

Yesterday marked exactly 2 weeks since my surgery.  It seems like it's been much longer and I feel much better than I was expecting!  I am steadily losing 1/2 lb a day and, while I don't expect it to last, I am pleased with my progress.  I have lost 6.5 lbs since surgery and a total of 16.5 since my highest--which, coincidentally, was also the start of my pre-op liquid diet.

The pain in my lower abdomen is getting better and I am even able to lay on my left side to snuggle with hubby in the evenings.  I've had it pretty easy with the sleeping--no recliner sleeping for me! :)  I'm still struggling with super-low energy levels and have been sleeping A LOT.  I have slept for 12 hours straight the last 3 nights.  I'm no longer needing naps during the day, though, so I mark that as improvement.

Still dreading the beginning of Bandster Hell--although, I haven't seen any signs of it yet (I hope I didn't just jinx myself).  I see the surgeon in 2 weeks for my 1st check-up and it's possible I may get my first fill depending on the results.

Cheers!

i should learn to count...

Last week, I commented on someone else's blog and said that I was a little more than 2 weeks out from surgery.  And, at the time, I believed that it was true.  In reality, I will reach my 2 week mark tomorrow!  How did I get so confused?!?!?  I'm blaming it on all of the pain medication I'm taking.  Between the surgery and the sprained ankle, it's not a small amount.

To be honest, the sprained ankle is turning out to be much more of a hassle than the surgery.  I haven't had any problems related to surgery.  I've been eating fine and haven't entered Bandster Hell yet.  I'm supposed to eat 4-6 Tbsp of soft foods 5-6 times a day.  I usually wind up with only 3-4 servings a day since I just haven't been hungry.  And, I've lost about 5 pounds (15.5 since starting the pre-op liquids).  

I have been having some sharp-ish pains in my lower left abdomen.  It feels sort of like a pulled muscle and I am assuming that it is somehow related to my fall.  My husband is concerned that I've damaged the band somehow--or, that maybe something slipped out of place.  What do you guys thinK?

i'm so full of it...

...gas, that is.  It's been a week since surgery and I am still belching up a storm!  When does it end?

adding insult to injury...

...or, rather, adding injury to injury.  My first real foray out of the house since surgery was a trip to my in-laws' house yesterday.  We were celebrating my MIL's birthday.  It was nice--I had made some zucchini-cheddar soup and was quite satisfied with that.  Then, I took a nap while everyone else went swimming (I'm still only 5 days out from surgery and get tired easily).  As we were leaving, I fell off of the front "porch" stoop thingy (about 3-4 feet high) and twisted my ankle.  I'm going this morning to have an xray.  Keep your fingers crossed that it's not broken.  Bah!

In other news, I feel pretty good with all things band related.  I even moved into the puree stage today and had a scrambled egg for breakfast.  Yummy!

***update***  My ankle is NOT broken!--just a severe sprain.  More drugs, ice & elevation.  Follow-up in 5 weeks.

Post-op Day 3

My surgeon counts the day of surgery as Day 1, so that makes yesterday Post-Op Day 3.  My mother-in-law came over to keep me company.  There was still pain--not better or worse, just different.  On Day 2, the pain was very general and spread out over my entire abdomen.  Yesterday (Day 3) it was more localized.  I had pain in smaller areas, but it was a sharper pain than before.  I slept a lot.  I was able to stay awake usually for 1-1/2 hours at a time and would sleep for 2-3 hours at a time.  During one of my "awake" periods, we made lemon pudding from scratch (using Splenda, free-range eggs and 1% milk).  Yummy!

I realize that I haven't mentioned my "diet progression" as the nutritionist calls it.  Days 1 & 2 were clear liquids.  Days 3-6 are full liquids (which includes pudding, strained cream soups, yogurt, and very thin hot cereals like oatmeal or cream of wheat).  Days 7-10 I can start purees and Days 11-30 I'm on soft foods (limited to 1-2 Tbsp at a time).  Then for Days 31-45 I increase the amounts of my soft foods--gradually working up to 3/4 cup.

It's been a little over 5 hours since my last dose of pain med (I've been taking it every 4 hours).  I am going to try to stretch it out to 6 hours today.

Cheers!

let's hope I don't jinx it...

We got home from the hospital around 2:00 yesterday afternoon.  I was feeling pretty good--just insanely thirsty.  If someone had offered me a cheeseburger or a glass water, I would have chosen the water.  I was allowed to take my first dose of pain medication (Rixocet) @ 3:30.  I believe that Rixocet is liquid Percocet with acetaminophen. I get 1 tsp every 4 hours.  It tastes almost cinnamon-y.  I have some medicine for nausea which I haven't needed, yet.

There is a little more pain today--I feel like I've been kicked in the gut by a Clydesdale!  The pain is worse at the site where I think my port was placed.  Since it was attached to the muscle wall of the abdomen, it would make sense.  I'm walking fine and haven't had too much in the way of gas pain so far.  My incisions are leaking a bit, but not so much as to worry me.  My throat is sore from the breathing tube and I'm coughing up some junk--feels a little like bronchitis.  All in all, though, I feel a lot better today than I thought I would.

Darrell stayed with me all day yesterday.  My dad is here with me today (he's been napping-LOL!).  My MIL will be coming to stay with me tomorrow.  I'm sure I would be fine by myself, but it's just nice to know that someone else is here for those just-in-case moments.

greetings from the other side...

Just left the hospital. Things went well. At pharmacy getting prescription filled. Next stop home--about 45 minutes away. Feeling ok so far.

the Ramones said it best...

Twenty-twenty-twenty four hours to go

[I'm gonna] be sedated...

Nothin' to do and no where to go-o-oh 

[I'm gonna] be sedated...

Actually...a little less than 24 hours until I am @ the hospital and being sedated for surgery!  Woot!  Woot!

This morning, I planted some new flowers in the planters on the front porch.  The flowers I planted earlier were drowned out by all of the rain a few weeks ago.  I'm taking a break right now and then I'll hang the rest of the curtain rods and wooden blinds in the living room.  Then, it's just finishing up the laundry, light dusting, and cleaning the floors and I'm D.O.N.E. with the household "surgery prep."

So, I figured out why this liquid diet has been so difficult for me to follow--I'm doing it wrong!  I feel like such a dork.  As it turns out, I could have been supplementing my intake with pudding (Sugar Free of course), soup (strained), hot cereal (grits, cream of rice, etc.) and such.  How many "d'oh" moments can one girl have in just a week?  Oh well, not much to do but laugh at this point. ;)

counting down...pre-op 2

In less than 48 hours, I will be @ the hospital waiting for my surgery.  I couldn't sleep last night--too much going on in this brain of mine.  Even after taking an Ambien, I was still up before 6am.  Struggling between wanting to prepare (deep cleaning & laundry mostly) and wanting to relax.  Should I go through and organize my closet now?--or, maybe wait until next week when I have nothing else to do?

What did you do on the two days right before your surgery?

counting down...pre-op 4...i may never eat chocolate again...

Only 4 more days!!!!  I'm starting to get a little nervous.  It's not that I'm scared of the surgery itself.  I've had surgery before and, although it makes me sound like a junkie, I actually like that whole sleepy-after-anesthesia feeling that you get for a few days.  I could never be an actual junkie.--Not because I don't like the feeling of being on meds, but because I have no idea how to go about getting black-market drugs.  But, I digress. (And, if you do know how to get black market drugs, please don't tell me.  I don't want to know.)

Anyhoozle, I'm starting to get nervous.  I know in my head that everything will be fine.  But, I'm still nervous.  Normal, I think.

So, onto chocolate.  Why, why, why (ok, seriously, did anyone else notice that when you type the word "why" three times in a row it kind of stops looking like a word?--but, I digress...again)  don't they make the meal-replacement shakes in more than just a few flavors?  SlimFast?--Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry.  Ensure?--Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry.  Myoplex?  Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry.  You get the picture.  And, since I don't like the strawberry it's just Chocolate, Vanilla...Chocolate, Vanilla...Chocolate, Vanilla.  Ugh!

finally found it after all these years...

I love pudding.  I hate instant pudding.  Many, many years ago I used to be able to find Jello Sugar Free Cook-n-Serve pudding in both Vanilla and Chocolate.  Sometime around two years ago they stopped making the Vanilla...or so I thought.  I thought this because for two years I have been looking for it at Kroger, Publix, Ingles, Piggly Wiggly, & any other store with a grocery section.  Today, I found it at WalMart!!!!  I bought every single box they had (about 12).  I can't wait to get into "mushies" so that I can have some.  YIPPEEEEE!!!!!

counting down...pre op 5

Going into this, I remember thinking "how hard can it be?"  Well, let me tell you--it's hard.  I was expecting the biggest challenge to be mental.  I was not expecting all of the physical symptoms.  I FEEL LIKE CRAP!  I'm nauseated, gassy, burpy, sour stomach, & t.i.r.e.d.

I just keep reminding myself of the prize.  Only 5 more days...

counting down...pre-op 6

Thank the gods coffee is a liquid!--'nuff said.

Only 6 more days until surgery.  That's less than a week!  I go in for my pre-op stuff today (blood testing, meeting with anesthesiologist, etc.) today @ 10:30.  Then, it's back home to hang some curtains (curtain rods, too) & blinds and change out some light fixtures.  Somewhere in there, I'll run to the market to grab something for Darrell's dinner.  Just a typical day in the life of a domestic goddess. ;)