MD, Mercola, Joseph.  “This Sweetener Is Far Worse Than High Fructose Corn Syrup.”  Huffington Post 15 April. 2010.

Well, needless to say, I am now only eating 2 ounces of protein at each meal.  Everything else is the same.  I have to also say that the scale continues a constant downward turn.  Today, I am 343.2 pounds.  My doctor wanted to see me lose about 10 pounds per week for the next 4 weeks.  I am half way there, but I only have 2 more days to get the last 4.9 pounds off.  Since I am not able to exercise like I should, the weight loss plan has been very slow.  It may be the only reason for the stall.  How I wish I could get my knee fixed and move on to being able to be more active and helping my diet with exercise.

This brings me to another thing the doctor was focused on.  It appears that the stress induced by my worrying about getting my knee surgery completed and through rehab ASAP so that I can get back to work before I lose my job, may also be hampering my weight loss.  My doctor is now trying to get my work on board with the plan and protect my job so that I can focus 100% on my weight loss.  The premise being that the more weight I can lose as quickly as possible, puts me in a better place for recovery after knee surgery as well as making me healthier for work when I do return.  While I see his point, I can’t help but wonder how much longer I can receive disability pay and still makes ends meet.

I have been waiting since April 7th for my knee surgeon to get insurance approval and schedule me for surgery.  So, I guess this is playing into the WLS surgeon’s idea of ideal.  I am using all delays to my benefit as best I can.  I pray that all works out and everyone, including me, is happy with the end results.

The pool, is another matter.  I am becoming an amateur architect, contractor, electrician and plumber.  I hope that the pool is up and running by mid May…now, almost a month longer than originally planned.  I have to find alarms for each door that leads out of my house into the back yard, put latches on same doors at a height of at least 5 feet, automatic closing hinges on same doors, change the fence gate to swing outward with automatic closing hinges and latches at 5 feet high.  These things alone, will run us about $500.00.  This small above ground pool was supposed to be a more affordable option that has turned out to be nothing less than unaffordable.  I have had to make concessions on the heater for the pool.  I will not be able to add it until after I return to work because I cannot afford to pay for the gas line and installation of the heater.  The only good thing is that the weather is on my side for the next 6 months, which will give me the time I need to save the money to have the heater installed when I will really need it.

I guess this brings you all up to date.  I hope this finds you all well and having a great day.  Later, my friends!  

I thought the stall had left me behind a few weeks ago, but was sadly mistaken.  Even though I have been following program with no lapses, I had weight gain!!  I was terrified and crest fallen.  I could not bring myself to write about this then as I felt so guilty…even though I didn’t do anything wrong.  I am told that these feelings are normal.  I am having a hard time accepting the normalcy of my feelings.

The bad thing about having the buyer’s remorse was that I couldn’t throw in the towel and eat what ever I wanted (not that I wanted to eat).  My new vertical gastrectomy stomach would not have allowed it.  I guess that is the double edge sword here.  I couldn’t make myself feel better in my old ways because of the actions I took that brought me to this pit of despair.  Is that poetic justice?

Well, I am happy to say that I have left the funk behind and am no longer having buyer’s remorse.  As everyone has told me, the stall will pass, you will see.  There are changes going on in your body that you can not measure with a scale.  Knowing this and accepting this are two very different things!  I made one very big mistake when I started this journey.  I did not take measurements!!  How could I not do that?  I could really kick myself for that one!!  All this time, I could have been taking measurements and seen the changes through them when the scale was not giving up any secrets.  My funk may have been avoided had I done this.  Needless to say, I have getting measurements as soon as possible down on my list of must do’s.

I guess I better make this understandable as best I can.  A few weeks ago I posted that I thought the stall had broken and I had a reading of 353.0 on the scale.  That lasted for a few days only…3 to be exact.  The 4th day, I stepped on the scale and I was back to 355.9…I was mortified.  Well, to make matters worse, the next day, I was 358.0!!!!  I had no words for this…just immense discouragement.  That really kicked me into that horrible funk that got worse before it got better.

Today, I stepped on the scale…drum roll please…funk ending results….351.9!!!!!  To say I’m ecstatic is an understatement.  This is the lowest it has been.  I still do not understand what was going on and why I had to suffer so (I know much of it was self imposed), but I am truly glad that it has passed. 

I am sure that stalls will come and go as I make way through this long, and at times very lonely journey, but, I know now that they do pass and I will live through them.  I thank you all for your support and encouragement.  If not for this support and encouragement, I would have caved under the pressure of this big first stall.  This why I have not been successful in the past with doing this on my own.  The tool of surgery has helped me, actually, made me stay the course during this trial.  Because it is permanent, I will never have to doubt that I will have it always to get me through.

I hope this finds you all well and happy.  Enjoy your day, my friends.

The U.S. health care bill will now require vending machines, fast food chains or restaurants with 20 or more locations to list their calorie counts on the menus.  It’s true that some restaurants and fast food chains are already listing this information in pamphlets, bulletins or online, but the information will now be placed next to the item on the menu.  Though we might not see this take effect for another year, bringing the calorie counts and nutrition facts out from hiding is a step in the fight against obesity.     

Dining out often results in an increased caloric intake.  Portions are larger and the food generally includes more fat and sugars than if you were to prepare a similar meal from home.  In fact, a recent survey from the American Dietetic Association found the calories in 10 chain restaurants to be inaccurate.  The actual calorie content was 18% higher than the calories listed in the facilities. 

Weight loss surgery patients should take extra care in these situtations. Use the nutrition facts listed to help guide you in making a healthy choice, but keep in mind that preparing meals from home is always the healthiest way to go.  When you do chose to dine out, go to a sit-down restaurant and take a close look at the menu items.  A shrimp cocktail appetizer might just fill you up.  Otherwise, steamed fish, baked chicken or lean meat with a side of vegetables are good choices.  Japanese restaurants offer fresh fish; the small portions are filling and an excellent source of protein. 

Amy Ingols, RD

The lobster was good and I tolerated it without difficulty. The lobsters were very small so I was able to eat one tail and have a piece of roast beef as well. I was satisfied from all the protein when we were done. Everyone else was stuffed to the gills, but I was comfortably full. It was kind of funny to see them miserable and almost sick and me feeling so good. Not too long ago, that would have been me. Those days are forever gone. And, it feels so good!

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The V8 juice that has been keeping my foot and leg cramps at bay is now out!!  At least my doctor has given me a potassium supplement.  That should take care of the cramps.  I can’t wait to get the pool.  I will have the money tomorrow and then the pool will be on it’s way!!  YEA!!  I am anxious to get moving and get these pounds off.

Got the go ahead to move up my diet to soft foods…now can have things like cottage cheese, yogurt and scrambled eggs.  So, being the good weight loss surgery patient that I am, I made my first soft meal a scrambled egg.  It was made with love by my husband who has been super supportive of my decision to get healthy.  I was only able to eat about 1/3 of the egg and that took 30 minutes to do.  I have to use a baby spoon and chew forever before I can swallow.  Have you ever chewed a bite of eggs for a 20 count?  I challenge you to do it…chew every bite of anything you eat at least 20 times before swallowing.  You will get full so fast and you will eat less.  Funny how something so simple can make such a difference.

Well, I guess that is enough rambling for now.  Have a great day!

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I broke the “I will not weigh more than once a week” rule today…couldn’t stand it!!  It has been a few days since I last weighed and my ankle and foot swelling has decreased dramatically.  So, the scale read 364.1!!  I am down a total of 36.4 pounds since my consult and 10.4 pounds down from vertical gastrectomy surgery day.

While I am not proud of what got me to the 400.5 pound weight or of the number itself, I find that I am increasingly proud of the numbers as they decline.  Not that long ago, I would hide that number from everyone and was so embarrassed by it that I never put myself in a position where weight mattered.  Now, just a few shorts months later, I can openly tell anyone what I weigh and am proud of my accomplishments thus far. 

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