Lovin' Life with Lea

Nothing since MAY!

2011-12-30T17:22:00.002-05:00

Wow, I feel bad! I have been crazy busy this last 7 or 8 months! Work is, well, work. I love teaching and it is what I want to do for the rest of my "work" life. I've been teaching only world history this year and if you are a teacher, you know how great it is to be able to focus your planning time this way!

My Mom passed away at the end of July and started another crazy ride in my life. Between working towards settling the estate and refurbing the house I grew up in so that my family could move into it, the last 3 or 4 months have been a struggle. Just when you think you've got something fixed and finished, something else pops up to drive you insane! Don't even ASK about the hot water heater! LOL

I wanted to pop in and say hi and let you all know I'm not dead! And, I'm going to repost an old favorite recipe as it's what's for dinner tonight! The recipe is Frank's Buffalo Chicken Dip and I hope you all like it!

This one is actually a repost of a repost... I am making it tonight, so when I thought about it, I thought I'd reshare it for anyone who may have missed it! This is an awesome bake and take dish for covered dish stuff--especially with WLS postops! Tasty and full of protein! I double the recipe, but I only use about 2/3 cup of the buffalo wing sauce as no one here really likes too much spice! I've made it with the canned chicken AND with freshly cooked chicken breast that I shredded myself. Either way, it is delicious, nutritious, and a hit with any group--family or potluck!

FRANK'S® REDHOT® BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP
Servings: 3 1/2 cups dip | Prep Time: 5 min. | Cook Time: 20 min.

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup FRANK'S® REDHOT® Buffalo Wing Sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cans (9.75 oz. each) SWANSON® White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast
in Water, drained

DIRECTIONS:

1.HEAT oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir until smooth.
2.MIX in salad dressing, Frank's RedHot Sauce and cheese. Stir in chicken.
3.BAKE 20 min. or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish as desired. Serve with crackers or vegetables.

Tips:
1.Microwave Directions: Prepare as above. Place in microwave-safe dish. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 5 min. until hot, stirring halfway through cooking.
2.Tips: You may substitute 2 cups shredded cooked chicken.
3.Slow Cooker Method: Combine ingredients as directed above. Place mixture into small slow cooker. Cover pot. Heat on HIGH setting for 1 1/2 hours until hot and bubbly or on LOW setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Stir.
4.Tailgating Tip: Prepare dip ahead and place in heavy disposable foil pan. Place pan on grill and heat dip until hot and bubbly.

Nag, nag, nag... LOL

2011-05-20T19:40:00.003-04:00

Do I know how long it's been since I posted??? Yeah, I do! A friend from WV (hey Randy! hey Alice!) emailed that he and his wife have been watching here for some sort of update... It is great to know that folks still think about me from time to time! But, life has been too crazy to get here very much. It will be 3 months since I posted on May 21st! SO, I guess it is time?? LOL

I'm still teaching high school social studies. As you may recall, I got handed a class of Advanced Placement (AP) world history students this year--literally the week before school started. This meant that I got NO time to prepare for teaching this college level class and I had to start doing it without even the time to read and get a chapter or two ahead of the kids. It is a challenging course to teach under any circumstances. THESE circumstances made it more so. I have spent every week from August 16th till last week running just a few days ahead of the kids. There is so much to read and learn as you go through the course for the first time. And, there are no answers to anything to help you be sure you've come to the "right" conclusion yourself! I've found many valuable resources as the year has gone past. The largest of those has been a group of other AP world history teachers who offer support and resources via an online listserv. I can't tell you how much of my sanity those folks have saved this year! And, it will continue as I've been informed that I'll have 2 classes of AP world history next school year. I've got 51 students registered now, so that will be classes of 20 to 30 students each. That is a WHOLE lot of essays to score each week!

In addition to learning how to teach the course, the course itself is a race from the first day of school to the world history AP exam in May. You have only so many weeks to get them through 10,000 years of history and then review it all in the short time between finishing the covering of the material and the exam date. We had 2 weeks left for review. We'd originally planned about 3 1/2, so we lost over a week due to various things.

All in all, I think the year has gone well. My evaluation by my principal was awesome and I am looking forward to doing it all again next year. The good part, though, is that I will be attending a College Board sponsored AP world history workshop for a week this summer. The workshop is conducted by one of the well-known names in the AP world history game--Bill Strickland. He's been a wonderful fount of resources this year and I look forward to this face to face chance to learn more. Even better, the workshop is 2 hours from home in the lovely St. Petersburg, FL area and the funds were available to cover a hotel room, so it is like a mini-vacation with the workshop!

BTW, we won't find out how the kids did on their exam till July some time...UGH!

The AP world history that I taught was in addition to various other social studies classes--American history, regular world history, and American government. I also taught a whole trimester of reading back at the beginning of the year. Next year is supposed to be (fingers crossed) the two sections of AP world history and 2 sections of regular world history, which will run sort of parallel to the AP world history if I work it right... Plans are underway!

Life... Well, it has been crazy as I said! I'll celebrate 5 years since surgery on August 29th and I must report that my weight is up as a result of not taking enough time to take care of me... I did have my annual labs done in April and those were good. My iron is holding in the low range, not slipping lower. I'm sitting uncomfortably in the 240s these days. That is a gain of about 35 to 40 pounds over the past 2 years. I maintained between 205 and 210 for a very long time--like a year and a half. Then, the pounds started slowly creeping on about the time I started teaching full-time. I know that part of the problem is that I am not eating protein snacks like I did when I was home all the time. And, I can't blame anyone but myself. I haven't taken time to exercise. I haven't addressed the food choices and schedule. I do an okay job when I am at home, but the carbs have sure creeped back into my diet. And days when I forget to bring lunch to school means eating the school lunches. I swear those kids probably have feathers sprouting in their armpits from all the chicken they eat, but it is always breaded... Ugh! And, the school lunches are always carb-laden... One that they do regularly is terryaki chicken (which isn't too bad), but they serve it over white rice with a roll on the side and it is accompanied by either broccoli OR black beans AND a syruppy fruit cup. I hate paying $4 for some chicken and some broccoli or beans! I can tell them to keep the rice and the roll, but if I am hungry, I don't always do it. If the roll is whole wheat, I choose that. Otherwise, I eat some rice...

Good choices? No, not so much! I still keep sliced cheddar cheese in my mini-fridge. I still keep pepperoni slices in there, but it isn't the turkey pepperoni because it isn't available in a store brand here like it was in WV where we had the Kroger brand... I still keep my iced tea unsweetened and add Splenda. I don't drink ANY water...just the tea and I know that this can be a factor for weight loss/maintenance. I've gotten back to keeping protein bars in my desk again--just the Atkins Advantage chocolate peanut butter ones, but they're affordable and better than some out there. If I get hungry mid-morning OR if I fail to get breakfast before school, I can grab one of those towards the end of my second class and get me through to lunch.

What can I do about this weight gain? What do I plan to do? Well, school gets out on June 9th and teachers' last day of work is June 10th. Then, I have 10 weeks to figure it out!
Step 1--cut the carbs! I'm working on it, but every time I have a really good day, I cave in at night to the salty cravings...
Step 2--get back to exercising. Hubby's been home lately and I've got him talked into getting back to walking in the evenings... He was up to almost 2 miles per day at the time he was 3 months postop from his quadruple bypass. Then, once he was back to work full-time, he all but stopped walking any further than from the tractor-trailer into the truck stop and back again... He feels like crap and he's gained the 30 pounds that he lost right back again. SO, he's getting on the bandwagon with me when he's home. I got a new bike back before Christmas and haven't put 15 miles on it I bet... That is going to change! Between walking in the evenings and some afternoon bike rides, I hope to see that scale start to dive again.
Step 3--Planning a protein snack regimen for next school year...and finding some stuff I like to keep it going. I also need to get back to eating more salads... I like salads. I missed them SO much during that first 6 months postop! I'm going to get those back into my diet again and keep them there.
Step 4--More of the same! Getting the stuff back in place is one thing--keeping it there is another. I know that I learned all this stuff during my weight loss. I kept the weight off for a long time by just staying on track. I wasn't dieting. I wasn't going out of my way to not eat anything, but I was EXERCISING and I was getting the protein in...everyday, no matter what... Before my surgery, I was clueless how to lose the weight and keep it off. I can't say that anymore. I know what I have to do. I know how to do it. I CAN DO IT! I will do it...

Cha Cha Cha Cha CHANGES!!

2011-02-21T17:22:00.002-05:00

Now, for the changes I made to my tortellini soup recipe tonight....

Instead of ground beef, I used turkey meatballs cut into four pieces.
I added a can of black beans (drained).
I used stewed tomatoes instead of just plain diced tomatoes.

And, as I'm back in LaBelle, I added a dash of Everglades Seasoning!

It is done and it is AWESOME! Pic on my Facebook page!

Tortellini Soup....It's what's for dinner!

2011-02-21T13:21:00.002-05:00

This is a repost from a recipe I shared a long time ago... I bought some 3 cheese tortellini the other day to make it again. I actually haven't made it since the time I posted it!

I tried a friend's Tortellini Soup at a gathering for work. It was yummy, but it was intended to be eaten as part of a meal and not the whole meal as it didn't have a lot of protein to it. SO, I played with it a bit and love it!
Here's what I actually did...

TORTELLINI SOUP

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef, browned
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 stick butter
3 cans broth (vegetable and beef were what I had on hand)
1 can kidney beans
1 large can (or two small) diced tomatoes with juice
16 oz bag frozen spinach
about 7 or 8 ozs of DRIED three cheese tortellini
grated parmesan cheese (no romano here, but that is what the orig recipe
called for!)

Brown ground beef, drain and set aside. Cook onion and garlic in butter
for a couple minutes or till the onion is softened. Pour in broth and
canned tomatoes (don't drain tomatoes). Pour in kidney beans (don't
drain those either). Stir in ground beef. Bring to boil. Add frozen,
chopped spinach and return to boil. Then, turn heat down and cook for 20
minutes. Add dry tortellini and cook till they are as done as you like.
Grate in fresh parmesan cheese to taste. Serve with another grate of
cheese across the top!

Nutrition info per 1 cup serving:
Calories--225
Fat--10 grams (3.6 saturated, 0 trans)
Cholesterol--44

Sodium--600
Carbs--13.3 grams (2.5 fiber and 1.5 sugars)
Protein--17 grams

It is yummy!! Can't wait for dinner! Going to serve it with some warm
garlic bread...
Lea

3 mos again!

2011-02-21T12:50:00.003-05:00

Recently, a dear WV friend pointed out to me (by email...) that I hadn't been posting to my blog. Well, all I can say is that life has intervened yet again. My last post was titled, "Has it really been almost 3 mos?" Well, that was in December and here we are almost to March! SO, I guess the same question applies.

Lots of stuff can happen in 3 months time! My weight is up--20 pounds or so more than I want it to be. My comfort zone is in the 205 to 215 range. Moment of truth--the number is more than 235 right now and it is entirely my fault. All those things we learn in the first couple of years postop would do me a world of good right now. Cutting back on the carbs, getting back to high protein, and doing some exercise on a daily basis would help me get right back to where I want to be. My clothes are fitting poorly, so I don't have a choice now. I refuse to buy a new set of clothing in a larger size range! Just NOT going to do it! SO, I got a new bike for my anniversary. I need to actually start riding it though. I live in a rural neighborhood, so no excuse for not walking. The carbs part...not quite so easy to break, but the exercise would certainly help with that too. I did stop by Vitamin Shoppe and stock up on protein bars the other day. I just need to purge the bread from my diet again.... It is awful to know exactly what to do to turn the situation around and to still struggle to find the motivation to DO it!

My grandbaby gets to come home next Saturday! Woohoo!! And, I got him a new bike too, so I'll have the baby wanting to ride as a motivator if nothing else works! He will be SO excited to see that bike! He's only had baby bikes till now and this is definitely a big boy bike!

Hubby is working 3 weeks at a time lately, so he's only home for 3 or 4 days every 2 1/2 to 3 weeks...bummer! And, he spends the first couple of days at home just resting and taking care of honey-dos! This means that more of what needs done around here falls to me. I am also still working full time as a teacher. I have 3 different classes to teach, which means lesson planning for 3 completely different courses. I was told this week that I may get to teach all AP World History next year. That would absolutely rock! 4 sections of the exact same class ALL YEAR LONG! Only one course to prep for is totally awesome, though only a teacher can appreciate it fully... And, AP world history is new to me this year, but I am starting to get in the groove with it and would absolutely love being able to devote all my time to this one course and being able to better develop my ability to teach this one class as opposed to trying to split my time amongst the 3 classes like I'm currently doing. If I want to read something to learn more, I have 3 classes competing for my time...which is most important? What can I read to help me in all 3? This makes it hard to choose!

Mandy is still working, but not going to school. How do you convince someone who graduates with a 3.8 cumulative GPA that they should go to college? We "made" her go for a semester after graduation and she totally blew it off, got all Fs and now has a 0.75 GPA. She had a previous college class as a dual enrollment student, so isn't a total 0.0 GPA. BUT, now she has money to payback in order to retain her scholarship AND she has to go a full semester without Pell grant before she can get it back too. That means paying back about $1200 for the classes she flunked and then managing to go without the help of Pell the first semester back. She gives no sign of any interest in going back yet... UGH! She turned 19 this month and gives NO help at home. We're basically like someplace she rooms for free. She pays no rent, does no chores, helps in no way whatsoever, and we're supposed to provide her a vehicle to run around in as well. NOT!

Eliza will turn 22 next month... She's still taking classes and she is starting to grow up, finally, we think. She's more respectful of what we do for her and for the baby. She is more helpful around home and when a vehicle needs maintenance or repair. She is doing better with helping her grandmother when she needs errands run or just someone to visit with her or ride to a doctor's appointment with her. She's just plain more adult than she's ever been. AND, to top it all off, she and her ex-husband are finally on speaking terms and can have a somewhat adult conversation without him just hanging up on her.... He's got another child already--born in January. Matthew got a little brother in January. Will this make things better? No, probably worse. But, perhaps--with this new focus--things will smooth out a bit on that end of this struggle and we'll get more cooperation. Matthew is supposed to start a 3 year old pre-K in August, but we are waiting to see what his Dad has to say about it...

That is pretty much the state of things here now... I'm going to post a recipe that is actually a repost from at least 2 years ago. This is what we're having for dinner!
Hugs till next time!
Lea

Has it really been almost 3 mos?

2010-12-04T12:05:00.003-05:00

Wow, Sept 19 was my last post.... Really? I can tell you the time has flown! SO many things have happened in that time! In August, I went back to work, but changed subject areas... I am a social studies teacher. That is where my heart lies. BUT, our school district went though some budget cuts and my social studies position was gone. So, as of June 9th, as I posted before, I was unemployed. I did find a new position, at the same school---my own high school, class of 1985--but it was in Reading and ESE. I was also given a class of AP World History, so not totally out of social studies, but it was only 1/4th of my day. AND, it was a brand new class for me too as I've taught world history, but not at a college level like AP (advanced placement for those wondering--an honors course that can qualify a high school student for college credit if they pass the AP exam at the course end).

Then, in late October, I was called to the principal's office! I was a good kid, so this was new! LOL Anyway, she told me that one of our social studies teachers was leaving to go back to teaching at the elementary level. And, as I'd helped her out quite a bit this past year, she said she felt like she owed it to me to offer the position to me before she posted it. Wow! THANKS! I was so excited to get the chance to go back to social studies! She still posted a position, but it was my reading/ESE position, not the social studies slot. SO, I finished up the trimester in reading and went full-time social studies again as of the start of the new trimester--Nov 17th. I am teaching American History (2 classes), World History (non-AP, 1 class) and still have my AP World History kids as well. BUT, this also meant changing classrooms--AGAIN! I had to move all the way across campus for the reading position as teachers are clustered together--reading in one area, language arts in another, math another, etc. Reading and social studies are about as far apart as any two subjects can be. This position change meant moving all that way back to the social studies wing...again! This added flavor to the month of November!

Also in November, I attended the CHADD National Conference in Atlanta and got to hook up with old friends who live all over the country--Pam from Washington state, Belynda from Louisiana, Loretta from North Carolina, Linda from Michigan, Marie from Pennsylvania, Karran from Louisiana, Fran from Michigan, Lew from California, Melanie from Utah--YOU get the picture! We're all CHADD volunteers and we only get to see each other when we make it to conference!

I also met pro-wrestler Matt "the blueprint" Morgan at conference. He spoke about his own childhood as a child (and now adult) with AD/HD. It was very moving for all who were there and he drove the cameraman NUTS as he walked back and forth on stage! It is great to see these big, strong, successful guys admit that they, too, suffer with the same things as everyone else.

Matthew (aka world's greatest grandbaby) has been home since Nov 6th. He has to go back to WV on New Year's Day--not the greatest time to be traveling... Next court date in the custody battle is Dec 16th. Fingers crossed and prayers going up for a positive outcome there. He has grown SO much! He went right past 24 mos size clothes and straight into 2T and 3T stuff... He's tall and slender, so often ends up with what we call a "cheerleader roll" to the waistband of his bottoms as they aren't long enough if you buy the size that fits him around his tummy! LOL

Life in AP world history land is stressful at times. These are 10th graders (15 or 16 years of age) and they are not really ready for the rigors of a college-level class, but they selected this option and are now having to give it their all to stay caught up. Grades are lower than they'd be in a non-AP class and they have to live with that too. Those grades are weighted though, so a C is a B when you figure GPA and a B is an A... It all comes out in the wash for the diligent students. The rest know where they let it slide and have only themselves to blame.

Christmas is just 21 more days away! I'm making fudge today and may get some baking in tomorrow. I've entered a cake contest next week at school and will be making my turtle cheesecake.... Judging is a week from Monday!

A post WLS first for me....actually, first time in over 25 years!

2010-09-19T15:24:00.003-04:00

So, yesterday was a teacher open house day at Busch Gardens in Tampa, FL. Teachers who signed up in advance were given free admission to the park for the teacher and one guess, plus free parking (which is $12 normally, by the way). Even as a resident of Florida, admission to BG is still $69! SO, this day was hard to pass up... Hubby and I went and took our oldest with us. She posted to her Facebook that she was having fun with her "parental units!" It is good when your 21 year old child still finds you fun--even if only for brief stints!

I checked in at each of the teacher stations, heard their spiels about the field trip programs they offer for students of different ages, got my sheet stamped... You know the drill! Then, the three of us had the rest of the afternoon to do whatever we wanted in the park. We saw sooooo many different kinds of animals! And, to culminate the events of the day, my daughter and I rode KUMBA! This is a huge, fast, wild roller coaster. It was the first time I'd been on a roller coaster since the summer of 1984! I tell you, it is amazing the things you will do when you weigh 200 pounds that you won't dare try at 400 pounds!

The Perfect Boiled Egg...

2010-09-04T14:49:00.004-04:00

A fellow postop shared the following egg boiling info on the Graduate-Low-Carb-Lifestyle group over at Yahoo. I'm no Martha Stewart either, but this is how I have boiled eggs for years and it DOES work and works well. There are so many people who say that they can't boil eggs that I thought I'd post this for the masses!

http://www.goodegg.com/boiledegg.html
Extremely fresh eggs will not peel easily. In fact, an egg that is just a day or two old is almost impossible to peel. As eggs age, the shells will peel more easily. It is advisable that eggs used for hard cooking (including Easter Eggs) be at least 2 weeks old before cooking for easiest peeling. Hard cooked eggs that are cooked slowly over low heat (and not `boiled') will be more difficult to peel.

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/boil-a-perfect-egg
Despite its name, a boiled egg shouldn't be boiled (which will yield rubbery results) but rather immediately removed from the heat once the cooking water comes to a boil. Place eggs in a saucepan large enough to accommodate them in a single layer. Fill pan with cold water, covering eggs by 1 inch. Bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn off heat, cover, and let stand 90 seconds to 2 minutes for soft-boiled eggs, 1 minute 45 seconds to 2 minutes 15 seconds for medium-boiled, and 11 to 12 minutes for hard-boiled. Once the hard-boiled egg is cooked, transfer it to a bowl of ice water (this will prevent discoloration and facilitate peeling); let stand 2 minutes, then crack by gently pressing egg against a hard surface. Peel under cold, running water.

Read more at Marthastewart.com

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BUT PROBABLY DON'T

2010-08-01T15:10:00.000-04:00

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BUT PROBABLY DON'T

1. Money isn't made out of paper, it's made out of cotton.

2. The Declaration of Independence was written on hemp (marijuana) paper.

3. The dot over the letter 'i' is called a 'tittle.'

4. A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top.

5. Susan Lucci is the daughter of Phyllis Diller ..

6. 40% of McDonald's profits come from the sales of Happy Meals.

7. 315 entries in Webster 's 1996 Dictionary were misspelled.

8. The 'spot' on 7UP comes from its inventor, who had red eyes. He was albino.

9. On average, 12 newborns will be given to the wrong parents, daily.

10. Warren Beatty and Shirley MacLaine are brother and sister.

11. Chocolate affects a dog's heart and nervous system; a few ounces will kill a small-sized dog.

12. Orcas (killer whales) kill sharks by torpedoing up into the shark's stomach from underneath, causing the shark to explode.

13. Most lipstick contains fish scales (eeww).

14. Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn't wear pants.

15. Ketchup was sold in the 1830's as medicine.

16. Upper- and lower-case letters are named 'upper' and 'lower' because in the time when all original print had to be set in individual letters, the Upper case' letters were stored in the case on top of the case that stored the smaller, 'lower case' letters.

17. Leonardo Da Vinci could write with one hand and draw with the other at the same time, hence multi-tasking was invented.

18. Because metal was scarce, the Oscars given out during World War II were made of wood.

19. There are no clocks in Las Vegas gambling casinos.

20. The name Wendy was made up for the book Peter Pan; there was never a recorded Wendy before!

21. There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with: orange, purple, and silver.

22. Leonardo Da Vinci invented scissors. Also, it took him 10 years to paint Mona Lisa 's lips.

23. A tiny amount of liquor on a scorpion will make it instantly go mad and sting itself to death

24. The mask used by Michael Myers in the original 'Halloween' was a Captain Kirk's mask painted white..

25. If you have three quarters, four dimes, and four pennies, you have $1.19. You also have the largest amount of money in coins without being able to make change for a dollar (good to know.)

26. By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you can't sink in quicksand (and you thought this list was completely useless).

27. The phrase 'rule of thumb' is derived from an old English law, which stated that you couldn't beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.

28. The first product Motorola started to develop was a record player for automobiles. At that time, the most known player on the market was the Victrola, so they called themselves Motorola.

29. Celery has negative calories! It takes more calories to eat a piece of celery than the celery has in it to begin with. It's the same with apples.

30. Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying!

31. The glue on Israeli postage stamps is certified kosher.

32. Guinness Book of Records holds the record for being the book most often stolen from Public Libraries.

33. Astronauts are not allowed to eat beans before they go into space because passing wind in a space suit damages it.

34. George Carlin said it best about Martha Stewart, "Boy, I feel a lot safer now that she's behind bars. O. J. Simpson and Kobe Bryant are still walking around; Osama Bin Laden too, but they take the ONE woman in America willing to cook, clean, and work in the yard, and they haul her off to jail."

Are you getting the right LABS done??

2010-07-23T19:38:00.001-04:00

Lots of people get labs done after WLS. Do they get the RIGHT labs done though? Some yes, but most NO. Vitalady Michelle created a thorough list of post-op labs that any WLS postop should take to their doc (whether their PCP or their WLS surgeon) and request that they be run AT LEAST every 6 mos. If you have insurance that will cover it, go for every 3 mos. Do not go more than a year without a complete set of labs though! I'm borrowing the list via copy/paste, but this is the list that Vitalady and Andrea both share regularly with fellow postops:

*80053 Comprehensive Metabolic profile: (sodium, potassium, chloride, glucose,BUN, creatinine, calcium, total protein, albumin, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase) (10231)

* 84134 Pre-albumin:

* 7600 Lipid profile: (cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, chol/HDL ratio)

* 10256 Hep panel: includes ALT (SPGT) & GGT)

* 84100 Phosphorous – Inorganic: (718)

* 83735 Magnesium:

* 84550 Uric Acid: (905)

* 7444 Thyroid panel: (T3U, T4, FTI, TSH) (84437; 84443; 84479; 84480)

* 85025 Hemogram with platelets: (1759)

* 7573 Iron: TIBC, % sat

* 83550 Ferritin: (457)

* 84630 Zinc: (945)

* 84446 Vitamin A: (921)

* 82306 Vitamin D: (25-hydroxy) (680)

* 84052 Vitamin B-1: (Thiamin) (4052)

* 84207 Vitamin B-6: (Pyridoxine)

* 7065 Vitamin B-12 & Folate: (82607; 82746)

* 83970 Serum intact: PTH

* 83937 Osteocalcin:

* 84597 Vitamin K:

* 85610 PT:

* 85730 PTT:

2^ND GROUP

* 593 LDH:

* 31789 Homocysteine, Cardio:

* 83921 MMA:

* 367 Cortisol:

* 84255 Selenium:

* 84590 Vitamin E:

* 82525 Copper:

Recipe: Frank's Buffalo Chicken Dip (sort of a casserole...)

2010-07-23T17:52:00.004-04:00

This one is actually a repost... I am making it tonight, so when I thought about it, I thought I'd reshare it for anyone who may have missed it! This is an awesome bake and take dish for covered dish stuff--especially with WLS postops! Tasty and full of protein! I double the recipe, but I only use about 2/3 cup of the buffalo wing sauce as no one here really likes too much spice! I've made it with the canned chicken AND with freshly cooked chicken breast that I shredded myself. Either way, it is delicious, nutritious, and a hit with any group--family or potluck!

FRANK'S® REDHOT® BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP
Servings: 3 1/2 cups dip | Prep Time: 5 min. | Cook Time: 20 min.

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup FRANK'S® REDHOT® Buffalo Wing Sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cans (9.75 oz. each) SWANSON® White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast
in Water, drained

DIRECTIONS:

1.HEAT oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir until smooth.
2.MIX in salad dressing, Frank's RedHot Sauce and cheese. Stir in chicken.
3.BAKE 20 min. or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish as desired. Serve with crackers or vegetables.

Tips:
1.Microwave Directions: Prepare as above. Place in microwave-safe dish. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 5 min. until hot, stirring halfway through cooking.
2.Tips: You may substitute 2 cups shredded cooked chicken.
3.Slow Cooker Method: Combine ingredients as directed above. Place mixture into small slow cooker. Cover pot. Heat on HIGH setting for 1 1/2 hours until hot and bubbly or on LOW setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Stir.
4.Tailgating Tip: Prepare dip ahead and place in heavy disposable foil pan. Place pan on grill and heat dip until hot and bubbly.

Even Jillian Was Fat As A Teen....

2010-07-21T16:54:00.005-04:00

Most WLS postops can tell you a tale of woe that goes way back to their early childhood. I know I can. And, if I had them handy, I could scan pics that go back to my childhood and show you proof. I have them, but they are packed away at the current moment (project for the future!). I was a fat kid. I was a fat teen. I was a fat adult. It all lead me to become super-morbidly obese and 410 pounds! Well, in a Redbook article, well-known fitness guru and hotbod Jillian Michaels

reveals just the same story! At age 14, she carried 175 pounds around on her five foot two inch frame... Who'd have thunk it to look at her now! And, she lost the weight before the skin got all stretched beyond return. Good for her!

She tells Redbook that her mom noticed that she'd gained weight (she was 50 pounds overweight) and enrolled her in martial arts classes. If only it were that simple for some of us! If only our moms recognized and dealt with the problem. If only.... If only my mom had pursued my health issue (I was not diagnosed at hypothyroid till I was married and having my second child). If I, myself, had known that help was available and that I wasn't just a fat loser.... Well, that is how you feel when you try for years to lose weight and nothing works. Every time you see a doctor, you get the butt-chewing about your weight, but no suggestions as to what you can do about it other than "go on a diet...." Yeah, been there, done that!

I missed it...

2010-07-20T13:06:00.003-04:00

My 25th high school reunion that is... It was last weekend and was right here in town too. But, for various reasons--including $$, I didn't get to go.

I saw pics taken at the reunion on friends' Facebook pages... They had a blast! Sure wish I had been there. It would have been so awesome winning that award for having NOT gained the most weight! I am at least 50 pounds lighter now than I was in high school and I'm probably 200 pounds lighter than at the last reunion in 2005 as I was near my highest ever weight just then. I remember when we were packing to move from WV back to FL last summer and I came across the pics from that reunion. OMFG I was huge! When I can get to that stuff again (still packed away till we buy a house again), I will scan and post that pic. Ugh! Never, EVER, again!

Countdown! 9 days to grandbaby hugs!

2010-07-04T12:43:00.001-04:00

World's greatest grandbaby is in WV currently with his father. He was supposed to be coming home on 7/17 (his 2nd Bday!), but as his mom and dad have a court hearing (regarding the contempt charge mom filed against dad) on 7/13 in WV, his dad SAYS he will let mom have him back on 7/13 after court. His motivation to let him go 4 days early??? MONEY! He won't have to drive from WV to South Carolina for the exchange... Money is the only motivating factor for that man. UGH!

BUT, that means we are counting down the days till we get him back home! We (my older daughter and I) leave FL for WV on 7/12 at the crack of dawn--well, probably before the crack of dawn! It is a 15 hour drive and we need to be there for a reasonable bedtime on 7/12 as she has court at 9 am on 7/13. Then, after the hearing, we get to pickup the world's greatest grandbaby and head home!

Glad that is over!

2010-07-03T10:56:00.003-04:00

So my knee work DID get done this time... June 29th, I had my left knee scoped again. I had already had it done back in August 2009, so not quite a year had passed and it has been painful for a long time already. The orthopedic surgeon thought I might have had a bone chip floating in the joint (my knees are both bone-on-bone) and that this bone chip was chewing up the meniscus that I have left each time it was caught against the bone in the joint... Well, he didn't find any bone chips, just more shredded meniscus. I see him on the 9th for the "full report" but it doesn't sound like he really found a cause for this new damage.

On another front, I had my full labs done on June 22nd and will get those results today or tomorrow in the mail. I'm hoping my iron is at least 100 or higher (ferritin level). I won't be on it because I'm pretty certain it won't be, but we'll see!

Knees......take 2!

2010-06-20T10:54:00.002-04:00

Back last fall, I had both my bone-on-bone knees scoped and cleaned up... Once they healed from the scoping, they were pretty good. The right one was painful and clicking for a long time, but is pretty good now. The left was good for a while, but hurts like a beeyotch lately. I went back to the orthopedic surgeon a couple of weeks ago and got cortisone shots in both knees. Then, he said, "you know, what you have going on is probably a bone chip floating around in there chewing up the cartilege...." Wow, doc, thanks for that imagery! SO, due to the bone-on-bone rubbing in my knee, he thinks that I have bone spurs/chips floating in the joint and chewing up what teensy little bits of cartilage I have left! Great! That leads me to believe that this scoping/cleaning may be a regular thing till I get to the point that they just replace the whole joint(s). How's that for incentive to keep the weight off and take it as easy on those knees as you can?

I am having the left knee done again on Tuesday (6/22). Wish me luck!

10 ways to include healthy carbohydrates in your diet

2010-06-19T19:16:00.003-04:00

Not sure where this came from as a friend passed it on to me... The list is pretty simple and some are no-brainers for a postop WLS lifestyle... See what you think! How many of these are you doing already? How many could you try now that you have them in mind? 1. Choose corn instead of flour tortillas. 2. Use whole wheat pasta instead of refined white pasta. 3. Opt for whole-grain breads instead of refined white breads. 4. Choose brown rice instead of white rice. 5. Eat slow-cooked oatmeal or steel oats in place of processed or "instant" cereals. 6. Snack on whole, fibrous fruits instead of artificial sweets and candies. 7. Opt for yams instead of white potatoes. 8. Choose whole wheat snack crackers over butter crackers. 9. Try making your own pizza with whole wheat pizza dough. 10. When eating baked goods, opt for muffins or pastries containing whole grains, nuts and berries instead of processed and refined white flours and sugars. I have a wonderful whole wheat pizza crust recipe here on this blog... I only use the Barilla Plus pasta these days. There's a little Mexican grocer at the end of my street that makes fresh corn tortillas EVERY day and you get about 15 tortillas in a foil wrapping for $1! When I want tortillas, this is what I use--even for my burrito bake recipe. I don't eat many potatoes--of any type or color. Just don't crave them anymore. Crackers--my fave these days is the multi-grain Club cracker. But, I don't eat them without cheese! I haven't had a slice of white bread since July 2006. My favorite these days is Arnold's Health Nut bread but we usually use their Multi-Grain Sandwich Thins. Those are awesome and nice and thin so not too filling and leaves room for lots of meat and cheese. I never eat oatmeal. I love fruit as a snack, and I make my own sweet goods with Splenda and healthier flours. If I have to make it, I won't eat it as often!

Crisis Averted!

2010-06-19T16:28:00.003-04:00

As I informed you back in May, my position as a teacher was reallocated to the language arts department and I was unemployed as of June 9th. I've been job hunting since the end of April and there are just SO many teachers out of work right now due to budgetary cutbacks that I was really worried about finding something before school starts in August. I'm qualified to teach so many things, but there are just more applicants than there are jobs. I am certified to teach Social Studies, grades 6-12, Exceptional Student Education (special education or ESE) for grades K-12, and can teach any subject for 5-9 as I carry the Middle Grades Integrated Curriculum 5-9 certification as well. Was all of that doing me much good? It didn't seem like it!

BUT, my principal found me a position after all! It will be a hectic year, but I will be strong and "just do it!" I will be teaching ESE (learning strategies class), 2 classes of "level 3 reading" which is 11th grade reading--I think, and then 1 period/class of 9th grade physical science. Yes, me--the social studies teacher--teaching science! I've never done it before, but I passed the test and am now qualified to do it. This year, I get a chance to see how I like it! Our school is stretched really thin in several areas this year due to financial restrictions. We don't have enough science teachers. We did get another language arts teacher (due to my lost job being shifted to them). We don't have enough reading teachers or ESE teachers. The math department is stretched a bit thin AND the social studies department is going to be very thin with losing my position and adding several AP courses to their offerings... Just not enough teachers to go around and the school board doesn't get it!

I'm happy to have secured a full time position so soon in the summer. I'll have 3 different classes to teach, so that allows me more time before school starts to familiarize myself with the course materials, get moved into my new classroom (not as nice as what I had, but I'll make due!) and get started for this new position...

It's Official!

2010-06-05T18:25:00.002-04:00

It is official! My baby, Mandy, is now an official graduate of LaBelle High School--with honors! On May 31, 1985, I graduated from LaBelle High School. My graduating class was 85 graduates. Today, June 5, 2010--25 years later, my daughter graduated 39th in a class of 237! It was a beautiful day for their outdoor graduation and the people came out in droves! The stands were full and people were standing down front too.

Sorry for the delay!

2010-05-30T13:53:00.002-04:00

So sorry to say that before today it had been three months again since my last post.... Lots has happened in that time...

As you may remember, I started teaching Nov 11, 2009 at my old high school here in FL. I have had a great year and have worked with some awesome kids. Graduation is next Friday and my own baby, Mandy, will be one of the kids crossing the stage, accepting their diploma, and moving into the next stage of their lives... Definitely going to be a kleenex moment! But, life goes on and theirs is just starting!

I was informed a few weeks ago that my current teaching position has been cut for next year. In other words, "It has been wonderful having you here this year, but we're really sorry that we can't keep you for next year....." SO, back to the grindstone of finding a new job. I had really hoped that my life was finally taking a turn for the better, more level road... Apparently that wasn't the case just yet! And, in today's teaching force here in FL, there are a lot of folks looking for positions because they've been cut just like me. Fewer positions + more applicants means a harder time finding something! My principal wrote me a great letter of recommendation. We'll see what happens.

Yesterday, I went and took a test ($200!) to get qualified in a new certification area--Middle Grades Integrated Curriculum, 5-9. The passing score I received (yeah!!) means that I'll be qualified to teach language arts, social studies, math, or science in grades 5 through 9. I was already certified to teach social studies to grades 6-12 AND exceptional students (ESE) for grades K-12. I am hoping that all of this is enough to find something great and close to home. Cross your fingers for me, okay??

From HungryGirl.com a new take on the KFC Double Down chicken sandwich

2010-05-30T13:50:00.002-04:00

And yet another internet find!
Link: http://www.hungry-girl.com/askhg/askhgdetails.php?isid=2058

The freakish Double Down at KFC has 540 calories, with more than HALF of those calories coming from fat. There are 32 grams of fat in that thing! Aside from the fried chicken patties (a.k.a. the "bread"), there's cheese, creamy sauce, AND bacon! As for the Grilled Double Down? Oddly, that one isn't much better, with 460 calories and 23 grams of fat. If you really want to kick a craving, here's how to faux-fry your way to Double Down town...

Start with two 3-oz. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast cutlets, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness. Grind up 1/2 cup original Fiber One cereal in a blender or food processor, and season to taste with some chicken grill seasoning. Dip your cutlets in fat-free egg substitute, and then coat 'em in the seasoned cereal crumbs. Cook over medium-high heat in a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray until done (about 4 minutes per side). Meanwhile, mix up some fat-free mayo with a little ketchup, Dijon mustard, and a dash of cayenne pepper; that's your sauce. Cook up a slice of extra-lean turkey bacon (or thinly sliced center-cut bacon), and break it in half. Now spread a little sauce on top of those faux-fried chicken cutlets, and top one with a half-slice of reduced-fat Jack cheese. Put the bacon over that, followed by the other half-slice of cheese. Put the other cutlet on top with the sauced-side down. Heat the whole thing in the skillet, pressing down with a spatula, until the cheese melts. Mmmmm!

Your swap will have around 340 calories, 8g fat, and 14g fiber. For a "grilled" version, just skip the cereal and egg, and season your chicken directly with the grill mix -- that'll have about 270 calories and 7g fat. Not bad!!!

Awesome looking reduced sugar oreo cheesecake recipe!

2010-05-30T13:48:00.001-04:00

Just found this on the web and HAD to share!!
Link: http://eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com/2009/08/28/what-have-we-here/

What have we here?

August 28, 2009 by Linda

OREO CHEESECAKE

That’s right, kids! The good stuff is still available to us!

Creamy white and packed with crunchy bits of cream-filled wafer cookies this cake will make a huge splash whenever you serve it!

(I have to say my daughter made the one that got photographed…so gorgeous!)

~~~~

Vegetable cooking spray
2 pkgs sugar free Oreos or Murray’s sugar free chocolate sandwich cookies, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
Four 8-ounces pkgs reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups Splenda Granular
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cups sour cream
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with the cooking spray. Wrap in aluminum foil so that the butter doesn’t seep out and burn in the oven and place on a baking sheet. Set aside.

Finely crush 1 1/2 pkgs of the Oreo cookies (or 1 pkg of the Murray’s) and place in a medium bowl along with the melted butter. Mix well and press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until crispy to the touch. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl whip the softened cream cheese just until smooth. Beat in the Splenda, vanilla, sour cream, and whipping cream just until blended. One at a time, beat in eggs just until incorporated. Coarsely chop remaining cookies and gently fold into cheese mixture. Pour into cooled crust. Bake for one hour, loosely covering with foil after 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake, but do not remove the sides of the pan. Allow to cool completely. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill overnight or at least 5 hours. Remove sides of pan and slice. (Cheesecakes will be creamy, soft for the first few hours, and will become more dense and cakey the longer they are allowed to chill. They really do get better as they sit and rest!) Makes 18 servings.

Per Serving: 230 Cal; 6 g Protein; 17 g Tot Fat; 14 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; 0 g Sugar; 219 mg Sodium

Recipe: Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread for the Bread Machine

2010-02-07T15:43:00.002-05:00

We don't eat a lot of bread around here, but when we DO eat bread, we ONLY eat whole wheat. For a long time now, I've kept a sourdough starter going just so I can have the occasional fresh-baked loaf of whole wheat sourdough bread with an evening meal. My whole family loves it and it makes great sandwiches when there are leftovers... Here's how I make it using my bread machine. Got a loaf going now for Mandy's birthday dinner....she's 18 today!

Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread for the Bread Machine

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups sourdough starter
3/4 cups warm water
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vital wheat gluten
1 3/4 teaspoons dry yeast (or 1 packet fast-rise yeast)

Directions
Put in bread machine pan in the order recommended by manufacturer. This is generally the wet ingredients first, then the dry ingredients with the yeast being the very last thing you add and that being put into a dished area in the top of the other dry ingredients.
Select basic bread cycle OR whole wheat cycle if your machine has this option.
If there is a crust selection option, go with the lighter or medium crust.

Revision?

2010-01-10T17:10:00.002-05:00

So, December 21st I was supposed to have my surgery... I went in. They took me back. I got changed into the gown. I had labs drawn. I had an IV running. The anesthesiologist had already been in and explained that "you'll be asleep for this..." and asked me if I knew that. I told him it certainly was my preference! They gave me the "shot to help you relax." And I was waiting for my turn when one of my doc's nurses came in and asked me if I'd be okay with rescheduling for Weds, 12/23 (two days later).... UGH! Are you freaking kidding me? Well, she wasn't! The case before me, an RNY on a very heavy woman who'd had numerous previous abdominal surgeries and had tons of scarring and hernias inside, was running WAY longer than anticipated. The doc didn't think he'd be 100% to do me when he was done. SO, we rescheduled...and I went home...and I was still mad though I had to respect his decision.

Then, on 12/23, I went back and did it all over again. But, nothing went well. Took 4 tries to get an IV in and when it finally worked, it was at the hand of Atilla the uncaring doctor who gave me no choice in how he did it and basically had me in tears from the pain by the time he got it running. Then, more waiting. The anesthesiologist this time was cool too. Answered my questions and told me that he'd see if he couldn't get that IV out of my danged hand while I was under in the OR. That didn't happen, for whatever reason. But, he did get one in my arm in recovery. I was in a room shortly, but freezing and in a lot of pain--more than I remember after my RNY... I was using the morphine every 2 hours and taking Percocets every 4 hours for two days! The very first night, I got a roomie at 11 pm. LOTS of noise and suddenly losing control of the TV when I was in too much pain to do anything else! Not a happy camper!! LOL Plus, the darned nurses kept pulling the drape between us and they'd pull it so far it blocked the TV screen anyway, so even when this other chick was asleep, I couldn't make use of the TV. By the third day, I had walked enough to get the gas moving in my chest (they pump your abdomen up with gas so they can move around and see easier for the laparoscopic procedure). That pain was letting up, but the surgical incisions were still awful. And, they'd used that Dermabond (superglue) to close me up instead of stitches and it itched like a demon!! I would MUCH rather have stitches after this experience! The only good thing??? No drain!!

After I got home, I was doing more than I should have been, but you know how hard it is to sit there and see things that need done and know that no one else is going to do them......SO, I really did not take the proper amount of time to heal before I was back at it. And, I caught whatever the grandbaby had and got sick on top of it all! When I went back to work on Monday, Jan 4, I was more tired than I was before we got out for break.....UGH!!

Now, I am pretty much healed, but still have times when my abdomen sort of knots up for no known reason. I'll ask the doc about it at my followup this week. I was told that he took my pouch from "about 80 CCs" to "about 50 CCs," so I should feel more restriction to the amount of food I can eat, but have not really experienced that. I did have one incident with eating too much and some of it coming back up. Yuck! Hadn't had THAT happen in about 2 years! I guess I can eat a bit less than before, but it still seems like I can eat a lot more than I could early on... I have not seen any additional weight loss other than dropping the water weight I put on in the hospital from all the IV fluids... We'll see! This surgery was NOT about losing additional weight though! It was about fixing my hiatal hernia and the candy cane hook on my intestine below my pouch. I have seen a drop in the amount of burping and belching, but not a total alleviation of that problem. Maybe with time.....
Current weight? 210

Wow, 3 mos and so much has happened!

2009-12-13T16:20:00.002-05:00

When I signed in just now, it said that my last post was posted Sept 11, 2009! OMG, that is 3 months ago! And, there has been SO much happen in my life since then...

I seem to recall posting about my knee scopes. I think I posted about hubby having health issues. Maybe I need to go back and read it again myself to see just what I have posted already! BRB LOL

Okay, so I posted about my knees, but not much more health-wise. I did tell you guys that I had found a bariatric doc here in FL. Dr. Shieh is great! He did my EDG on 9/23 and determined that my bypass is sort of messed up. The end of my intestine, which SHOULD come straight up to the bottom of my pouch, is hooked over like a candy cane with the end of the intestine closed up and connecting to the bottom of my pouch from the top of the candy cane hook. This means that I have my pouch, then below my pouch the food flows into this hook/chamber area and fills up there before my pouch fills up, so I essentially have TWO pouches and can eat a lot more than originally intended. In addition, I have a hernia that needs fixed. It causes lots of burping/belching every time I eat or drink ANYthing (and I do mean anything--even a sip of water!). At the time it was all diagnosed, I was not working and doc didn't think the insurance I had would cover the surgery to repair it all. Well, I have just gotten insurance approval to have this all fixed. It is technically a revision of my original RNY, but is a surgery specifically to correct the hernia and this hooked over intestine/pouch area. I will be having surgery on 12/21 and will be all fixed up afterwards. The hard part? It is really like having the RNY all over again! Teeny little pouch (as he'll make sure all is good on the actual size when he is done--it is a little large now plus the extra pouch space from the intestine), full liquids for days, etc. The good part? I have done it before and know what to expect this time. Hopefully there won't be any of that what-the-hell-did-I-do-to-myself phase this time!

In the meanwhile, I got a full-time teaching position! I am teaching social studies (world history, American history, geography, government, etc) at the very same high school that I graduated from way back in 1985. How cool is that? In a time when most of the counties here nearby laid off oodles of teachers at the end of last school year, I move back to town and get a position in the middle of the school year! Just had to be meant to be! There is a downside. The position requires dual certification--social studies AND ESE. My current certification is social studies, so I have to obtain the ESE certification. I am taking the FTCE for that this week. I'm studying and trying to get prepared. I take the test Thursday afternoon. Fingers and toes crossed and all prayers are greatly appreciated!

The World's Greatest Grandbaby has been in his dad's custody since 10/9/09. We've been to WV for court twice since then in my daughter's attempt to get him back. We've been waiting since 11/18/09 for the judge to render a ruling. How ridiculous is that? It has been almost a month now and we were told that he'd do what he could to render a quick ruling. If this is quick, I'd hate to see a slow ruling! Geez Louise! I have gotten to spend just about 18 hours with him since October 9th and we miss him dearly. We hope to have him home by Christmas.

Hubby has been through the wringer healthwise, but suffice it to say he is finally on the mend! He has had cellulitis that caused him to have a toe amputated. He had a heart attack and a quadruple bypass. Now, all that is left is the healing and that is going well.

What else??? Well, let me think and I'll post again soon!

Iron Update...

2009-09-11T20:03:00.002-04:00

The bariatric doc called me back today and confirmed what I already knew (my hematocrit and hemoglobin numbers are in the "low" range and my ferritin is just 6.7). He wants me to do iron infusion therapy to get the numbers back up and start working on finding an iron supplement that will help keep it up once we get it there... They referred me to a hematologist and that office called me this afternoon to schedule that appointment. I will see them on 9/21 and may have the first iron infusion treatment on 9/22. Progress--finally!

Recipe: Spinach Artichoke Dip

2009-09-11T19:44:00.002-04:00

This one looks SIMPLE and sounds yummy!

Recipe: Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients
1 box frozen spinach, thawed, rinsed and drained
1 package cream cheese
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp garlic salt
season with salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Mix cream cheese, mayo, parmesan and garlic salt until creamy. Blend well with spinach and artichoke hearts. Serve with tortilla chips, pita strips or bagel crisps (OR DIPPING ITEM OF YOUR CHOICE--whatever is on your program!). Refrigerate any leftovers promptly.

Confession is cleansing, right?

2009-09-06T16:49:00.000-04:00

Starting weight for me was 410 pounds in 2006. These days, I range from 202 to 208 MOST days. That is a 200+ loss. My all-time low was 197. I know I will never see my goal of 185 without removal of LOTS of excess skin/tissue. But, I have also gone from a 36W or a 4X or 5X to a 14/16. I can also wear mediums in some stuff and larges in others. That is HUGE--being able to shop locally for all types of clothing! Trying stuff on in front of a mirror instead of shopping from a catalog... You all know what I mean!

I'm dealing with iron deficiency and will probably start iron infusion therapy soon. I'm getting my vitamin D up finally--51! I was down to 11 a year ago!

I have fallen off the calcium supplement wagon and only recently realized it. I hadn't taken a dose in almost two months! I had a routine before we moved from WV in June. I took them without fail, twice a day, EVERY day. Then, packing, moving, getting settled--my routine as broken, my supplements not located where they had been... Ugh! I just got them back in their place, took a dose and will start working to get back on track there.

I still battle DAILY with constipation.... How about you guys?? Had both knees scoped this past month and with the pain pills, that was even worse. Just getting back to normal (for me) now.

Eating....not sure I want to discuss that! LOL Confession time... I'm eating too many carbs (mostly complex, but still too many) and not really enough protein. I have changed my night-time snack from carbs (junk food) to nuts and or cheese, so hat is progress I suppose. But, still need to really get my eating back on track.

I moved from my home of the past 10 years, and my really strong WLS support group in June. I am back close to my immediate family, but they are not exactly the most wls friendly folks. Their eating habits are atrocious! And, they do NOT want to hear about it either. I have no support group here yet either. Heck, I only just found a new doctor Aug 27th! I'm still sort of stuck between home in WV and my interim home here. We are renting till we find/buy a house and go through another huge move. Everything seems sort of "in limbo" if you know what I mean. I think that is part of what has me so off track in everything.

Dr. Shieh, my new bariatric doc AND Labs results...UGH!

2009-09-06T14:40:00.002-04:00

I saw Dr. Moses Shieh on 8/27. He seems to be a knowledgeable bariatric doc and even has a lab routine I can live with. I as impressed at his list of periodic labs as compared to what so many other docs request. He was happy with my surgery outcome and the fact that I've lost and kept off over 200 pounds. We talked about my iron concerns and he seems to agree that iron infusions are going to be necessary to get my numbers up again. He does want to start trying all iron supplement options again though and find one I can tolerate long term so that we can keep the numbers up once we get them there via infusions.

He ordered my labs and was going to do an EDG scope on 9/2 but had a family emergency and had to leave town, so the scope was cancelled for now. I had told him that I had reason to think my stoma may be enlarged and allowing food to pass more quickly than it did originally.

My lab results showed that my HCT and HGB were both low (lower than in Feb 09) and my Ferritin is at 6.7. It was 5.4 in February, so all the attempts at supplementation and the single dose of IV iron did practically nothing. Now that I have insurance again, I am hot to get that iron infusion therapy going. I am not going to take any chances on losing insurance again and not being able to pursue that option. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired! I feel SOOOOOOO tired all the time with my iron in the crapper!

Knees....

2009-09-06T14:20:00.002-04:00

Mine have hurt for YEARS! In 1984, I injured my right knee in a bicycle accident. I used it (my knee) to stop a bike which ended up having no brakes. I stopped at the bottom of the hill when I hit a car fender with my knee. OUCH!! I have had a water pocket on it ever since then--25 years. And, since then, I have favored that knee and put more weight and strain on my left knee. UNTIL 1999, October to be exact, when I fell down some steps and totally wrenched my left knee. I'm talking wrenched, literally...twisted that puppy round and went down. And, in October of 2000, repeat! I re-injured that same knee in a fall down a longer set of stairs. We don't know whether I blacked out for a sec or the knee just went out from under me, but the result was the same either way.

Fast forward all these years and factor in the loss of 200 pounds. For all those years, 25 of them, I was using injured knees. And, for all but the last 3 years, I was packing around all that extra weight. Both knees were arthritic and bone on bone when I had my RNY. I was having cortisone shots in both knees every 3 mos like clockwork. Then, I stopped that in March of 2007 when I had the last set of shots. I hadn't had much problem with either knee since then. I have exercised, walked in marathon relays and other walking events. I was walking 3.5 miles every day Monday through Friday in less than 50 minutes each day. Almost all of a sudden, I started having pain in my left knee on a daily basis. It ached so badly at night. I finally gave in and sought medical attention. After xrays and an MRI, it was decided that it was primarily torn meniscus that was at fault and that the best fix was arthroscopy and trimming up the tears to get rid of the ragged edges that were probably the cause of most of the pain. They put cortisone shots in both knees and scheduled the surgery.

I had the left knee scoped on 8/18. It went fairly well. It was painful, but I was able to put weight on it after a few days and get back to normal stuff with minimal pain after a week or so. It went well enough actually that when I went for my followup appointment on 8/28, I asked about doing the right knee as well as it had begun bothering me more since the surgery on the left knee and the favoring of that knee again. One doc said "let's do an MRI and some xrays and see what we are dealing with..." His partner, who scoped the left knee, said, "Nah, let's just get in there and clean it up. It is probably just about the same as the other was..."

I had the right knee scoped on 9/1. I was told afterwards that I had "lots of tears in the cartilage..." It has been MUCH more painful and was very stiff to begin with. Since then, it has begun this lovely popping/clicking noise with each and every step I take. My brother says it is "musical, like mine" as he has the same issue in one of his knees--the clicking. The doc says it is still very inflamed and needs anti-inflammatories (such as NSAIDs...) and ice and time. I'm not patient, so the time has been hard. I am not supposed to take NSAIDs as an RNY postop, so that hasn't been easy either. Ice...well, getting back to that lack of patience, you sort of have to sit around and be patient for ice to work, right? Not happening very much! So, to get the pain and stiffness and clicking taken care of, I am going to do a hopefully short round of anti-inflammatories and see what happens. If I don't notice any improvement in a few days, we'll see what the doc says on 9/11 when I go back for followup.

Think I've found a new bariatric doc...

2009-08-11T22:06:00.002-04:00

As some of you may know, but many may not, once you have had surgery with a bariatric doc, it can be HARD to find a new doc who will take you on as a patient. When I found out I was moving back to Florida, I contacted my surgeon. He has contacts seemingly everywhere, so I had hoped he would have a comrade here that I could use once I got moved. No Such Luck! SO, I was on my own once we got here to try and find a doc that would take me AND a support group. I think (fingers crossed) that I have done both now! I am waiting for the doc to get my surgical report from Dr. S and will see what he says! It looks good. Plus, the hospital he works out of has a support group every month. I missed it this month, but will be there with bells on next month and hope to have good things to report there. It won't be MY support group and my surgery buddies and angels, but I can work to help make it what I like a support group to be! I'll have those folks thinking marathon by next year!! LOL

Sameo, Sameo...

2009-08-11T18:51:00.005-04:00

And, as the saying goes, life goes on... I'm still job hunting. Hubby has two job offers but can't go till he gets done with these IV antibiotics. Our older daughter is doing better now that her life is on a more even keel and people aren't messing with her on a daily basis. Verbal abuse SUCKS! Mandy, our youngest, will start school Aug 24th--her senior year. So, we'll be sucked in to the senior rush of portraits, ordering announcements, college applications, and more! But, it should be a good year anyway. She's got good grades, solid plans for the future, and is a bright kid who seems to test pretty well (great ACT and SAT scores!). Matthew, the world's greatest grandbaby, is growing so fast! He has like 9 or 10 teeth now and is always on the go now that he's walking.

He's loving life here away from the cigarette smoke and with his mom under so much less stress.

My weight? Well, that is at a standstill again... No biggie--not losing or gaining. I am not exercising either due to the knee, so not gaining is good!

And yet MORE before pics!

2009-07-19T15:33:00.004-04:00

It is a wonder the stuff you find when you move and are in the process of packing and unpacking..... Some stuff should never see the light of day again. Some should have been trashed or donated a long time ago. And, still yet more stuff has been totally forgotten over the years. I stumbled upon a couple more "before" photos today!

This one was taken in June of 1991. I didn't yet know it, but I was just barely pregnant with my youngest (who was born Feb 92). Eliza (shown with me in the pic) was 2 and had a blast that day. We were on a road trip with my hubby in the tractor-trailer. He was hauling a load of watermelons from LaBelle, FL to Memphis, TN. We stopped along the way from time to time to be tourists--something we don't get much chance to do. This particular day, we toured the USS Alabama, a battleship from years gone by that is permanently docked at Mobile, AL. Eliza had a ball going up and down the corridors of the ship and climbing on bunks and such. There is also a submarine on site (the USS Drum I believe it was).

Then, there is this one... It was taken in the fall (Oct or Nov) of 1999 while at the CHADD conference. We were out sightseeing this particular day and, as you can see, this was taken in front of the White House. I probably weighed in the neighborhood of 350 to 370 at that time.

I am so happy to say that this is no longer me! I can't believe I waited so long to do anything about my weight.

You're Not Done Losing Till YOU Say You're Done...

2009-07-18T12:17:00.003-04:00

There was a post on OH lately that stated that the person was 2 years postop from RNY and still 60 pounds from their goal weight. They asked what info could be shared about losing weight in the 18 mos to 2 year postop timeframe and that they really wanted to lose that last 60 pounds. One response to that post stated that you are not done till you say you're done. I really liked that attitude... If you give up, then you probably are done. If you stop really trying,then you probably are done. BUT, until YOU decide that this is it and you are not going to try anymore, then you are not necessarily done losing weight! We are told over and over that the surgery we had merely gives us a tool which we can use to lose weight. That tool is there for the rest of our lives. What we are often missing though is the motivation to USE that tool.

At any time, we can decide to utilize this weapon against fat! We can go back to what we've been taught and start using that tool/weapon again. We can eat properly, boost our protein intake, and increase our exercise. It really can be just that simple!

I post this because I am in that spot right now. I've moved, as you know already, from the hills of West Virginia (the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains) back to the flatlands of southern Florida. Walking is easier. Biking is more possible--even with my old bone-on-bone knees... I truly have no excuse for not exercising. Now, I am trying to DO it. I've gone from walking 2.5 miles per day Monday to Friday at about a 3.5 mph pace to walking almost 3.5 miles Monday to Friday at that same 3.5 mph pace. I am going to ride my bike today if the sky doesn't fall early (it rains most afternoons here). My sister and her best friend walk (at a MUCH slower pace) most evenings just before dark while their kids are riding bikes. I may start doing that too. It is just a matter of deciding that I want to do it, I am worth it, and it will help me AND make me feel better. I have made that decision. I am ready to do it. Let's just see how it goes!

Hunting....jobs, houses, peace!

2009-07-15T13:51:00.002-04:00

Moving sucks...even when it is for good reasons! All the stress! Packing. Loading. Moving. Unloading. UnPACKing! UGH!! Then, the real stress of finding a job and finding a house to buy. It never ends! Toss in the daily stress of living with two teenage and 20-something girls and a toddler and life gets even more fun!

Did I mention that my name is now "somebody"?? "Somebody has to wash the dishes..." "Somebody come help me do ___________." "Somebody needs to wash clothes..." Yep, somehow I always end up being the one to do whatever it is that needs done. So, that makes me chief cook, bottlewasher, dishwasher, laundress, housewife/cleanup crew, and all on top of trying to find a job and look for a house to buy! Talk about someone who needs a CALGON moment!

before pictures....found a couple!

2009-07-10T13:32:00.005-04:00

I've always made sure I was the one TAKING the pictures just so that I didn't have tons of pics with my big ole butt in them. I hated seeing pictures of myself when I was heavier. So, that made finding any full body "before" pics hard to do. As we moved though, I came across these... They ain't pretty!

This first one was from the Spring of 1997. We were at a get together for my hubby's family. It was the first time I ever met those folks in the picture and was the last time I've ever been around them. They live over in northern Ohio and we have always been somewhere else. We actually made that trip because my own grandmother had passed away and she lived in Columbus...

Then, the second picture I found was from my student teaching during the fall of 1998. I look so danged happy in this picture!

Thankfully, those are BEFORE pics and not current pics! Here's a pic of me at my current size just for perspective:

Almost TWO months!

2009-06-14T12:11:00.003-04:00

I just realized that as I posted a bit ago, it had been almost two whole months since my last post! WOW! Why, you may be asking????

Well, life is CRAZY here right now!
1) My daughter's divorce is not going really smoothly.
2) We're doing visitation every week, three days a week for 5 hours each day.
3) We got an offer and sold our house.
4) We're preparing to move back to Florida after 10 years here in WV.
5) We're packing and selling and packing and selling......
6) The 4-H cookbook finally went off to press with over 600 recipes!
7) 4-H camp is THIS WEEK!

I still had boxes that were never unpacked from our move in December of 1999... Granted, they were my good dishes that I never got a reason to use. But, they were still wrapped and packed from our last move! We have accumulated SO much junk in 10 more years. Where did it all come from? Why have we kept it so long? So much of it has been trashed, sold, or given away that I wonder why we ever packed it in here in the first place! Don't get me wrong, the extra cash from the stuff we've sold was cool... But, it probably would have been better to just keep the cash we paid for it way back when! LOL

And, OMG, the sorting! I have to pass on all the 4-H stuff to whoever will be taking over my club's leadership. I have tried not to save too much soapmaking stuff, so have been eBaying like crazy to move it out of here. I have a local lady who will take a bunch too, but haven't been able to even get her on the phone! I gave away a bunch of sample products I'd gotten to try formulating new recipes. Just passed them on to other soap and body product makers to play with.

CLOTHES! Wow, where do they all come from?? When I lost my weight, I gave away over 200 pounds of my own clothing. Now, as we go through drawers and closets for my girls, there is probably over 100 pounds of stuff that they are ready to give away.

And books! OMG, so many books! I am a history teacher. That doesn't help, but I have an entire 18" x 18" x 12" box stuffed full of cookbooks! That doesn't count all the stuff I've printed or written down over the years either! I didn't get to weigh 410 pounds without loving to cook! LOL

Add to all of this, the clutter of 41 years of living..... Well, 41 for me! I have SO MUCH STUFF!! Ugh!

We finally wrapped up the 4-H cookbook and ended up with 600 recipes! WOW was all I could say as I typed the list of recipes.... WOW!! That book will be a hit and I won't even be here to get one.... I'll have to leave a padded envelope with someone to send me one!

4-H camp is this week. I am the president of the Leaders Association, and camp planning was my responsibility. I was also to teach classes this week at camp, but with the move have had to find others to take that chore. Wow, my last 4-H camp... My girls are pretty much grown. Mandy could do 4-H for 3 or 4 more years (age out of program at 21), but really doesn't show enough interest to stick with it once we move and she has cousins to hang out with again... So, this may be the end of my time in 4-H unless I lead a craft group or some other specialty group in FL. It has been fun and I've made lots of friends who I will truly miss...

Emotional Aftermath of WLS...

2009-06-14T11:46:00.003-04:00

In an interesting post yesterday by Therese (Miss Redd) over at OH, the term "emotional aftermath" was used in reference to the period after WLS when we all have such turbulent emotions as we attempt to get used to living in the "normal" world without so much extra weight to pack around... It was discussed how the journey is more than just a period of weight loss. It is a time of really finding ourself all over again. We were fat for SO long. During that time, we were rejected for various reasons. We were too fat. We were unable to do things. We were unhealthy. We had no self-esteem or confidence. Sometimes it was other doing the rejecting. Sometimes it was just our beating ourselves up.

Now, as we lose the weight and take our lives back, we still beat ourself up! We are still fat in our heads and will probably always feel that way. Once the fat chick, always the fat chick--even if only in our own mind... We still struggle with SO many things. And it is more than just not really feeling comfy shopping in the juniors or misses department at the clothing store!

I related a story about shopping for cars. I looked at cars I would never, ever have even glanced at before solely based upon the proximity of my belly to the steering wheel! Someone else told about skipping a pedicure with friends because of her weight. We can get so depressed even after losing the weight that we stop going out and being with others! How can we get past this? I truly think that the emotional impact of the weight loss journey needs to be addressed more before surgery is performed. They want to know that we can deal with the eating changes that are required before they do the surgery. How about starting to help deal with the thinking changes???

Biggest Loser Addicts Step Forward

2009-04-22T21:04:00.001-04:00

My name is Lea and I am addicted to The Biggest Loser!

I have my DVR set to record all new episodes! So, yeah, I am an addict too! And I don't delete them right away after I watch them either! I sometimes watch them again before I delete them...

I really like Tara and her dedication and commitment, but I hate her attitude. She can be such a bitch sometimes! And, the way she acted about Laura going home... It truly was in Laura's best interest as she would not have gotten better on campus because she would not have stayed off of that leg.

Mike and Kristen were my favorites though. I can relate to Kristen, especially since I started at 410 pounds and truly felt helpless and perhaps like I didn't really deserve it. It kills me that just when she finally realized that she DOES deserve it, she ends up going home. That sucked! And, we know she won't do quite as well at home as she was at the ranch. Mike is becoming a bit arrogant as he sees the competition thinning a bit. But, does he have the percentages that Tara does? I think she's at 41% and he's only at about 39%. That can change rapidly if she slows down and he keeps going steadily, but who knows! Tara lost 5 pounds this week! She's down to what--one seventy something? 5 pounds of that is a LOT compared to the same amount for someone who is still like 235 or so. Tara is also at a point where she is converting to muscle and I'm surprised she lost so much this week!

Centers of Excellence--Same death and complication rates...

2009-04-22T13:53:00.002-04:00

Some insurance companies require that you go through a Center of Excellence for them to cover bariatric procedures. Why is that? Well, we assume it is because they are the best of the best and really know their stuff, right?? And, by that way of thinking, you'd also expect much lower rates for complications and deaths as a postop. BUT, according to a recent study by Dr. Edward Livingston of the University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine, that is NOT the case! He writes, "Designation as a bariatric surgery center of excellence does not ensure better outcomes."

Livingston's study, which appears in The Archives of Surgery, analyzed data from patients who had surgery in 2005--19363 total patients and 5420 who utilized a center of excellence. Of those people, the patients who had surgery at a bariatric center of excellence had a death rate of 0.17% and a complication rate of 6.3%. Of the patients who did NOT use a bariatric center of excellence, the rates were a death rate of .09% and a complication rate of 6.4%. So, despite the fact that centers of excellence are usually better staffed and more costly to run, their outcomes are not better! The extra cost is apparently not warranted.

This information is quoted in a Reuters news article.

Did you have to use a bariatric center of excellence? Was it your insurance company's stipulation? or was it the only choice in your area? When you compare your experience with that of others, do you think things were better or went more smoothly? Do you think it made a difference?

Baby Bubbles...

2009-04-20T21:14:00.005-04:00

There is nothing more enjoyable than a small baby's first bubble bath! Here's a few moments from the world's greatest grandbaby's first bubble experience!

What have YOU lost??

2009-04-16T22:43:00.000-04:00

I've lost an average adult man AND an automobile tire!

WHAT HAVE YOU LOST??

Your weight loss =

1 pound = a Guinea Pig
1.5 pounds = a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts
2 pounds = a rack of baby back ribs
3 pounds = an average human brain
4 pounds = an ostrich egg
5 pounds = a Chihuahua
6 pounds = a human’s skin
7.5 pounds = an average newborn
8 pounds = a human head
10 pounds= chemical additives an American consumes each year
11 pounds = an average housecat
12 pounds = a Bald Eagle
15 pounds = 10 dozen large eggs
16 pounds = a sperm whale’s brain
20 pounds = an automobile tire
23 pounds = amount of pizza an average American eats in a year
24 pounds = a 3-gallon tub of super premium ice cream
25 pounds = an average 2 year old
30 pounds = amount of cheese an average American eats in a year
33 pounds = a cinder block
36 pounds = a mid-size microwave
40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
44 pounds = an elephant’s heart
50 pounds = a small bale of hay
55 pounds = a 5000 BTU air conditioner
60 pounds = an elephant’s penis (yep, weights more than his heart!)
66 pounds = fats and oils an average American eats in a year
70 pounds = an Irish Setter
77 pounds = a gold brick
80 pounds = the World’s Largest Ball of Tape
90 pounds = a newborn calf
100 pounds = a 2 month old horse
111 pounds = red meat an average American eats in a year
117 pounds = an average fashion model (and she’s 5’11”)
118 pounds = the complete Encyclopedia Britannica
120 pounds = amount of trash you throw away in a month
130 pounds = a newborn giraffe
138 pounds = potatoes an average American eats in a year
140 pounds = refined sugar an average American eats in a year
144 pounds = an average adult woman (and she’s 5’4”)
150 pounds = the complete Oxford English Dictionary
187 pounds = an average adult man
200 pounds = 2 Bloodhounds
235 pounds = Arnold Schwarzenegger
300 pounds = an average football lineman
400 pounds = a Welsh pony

What is UP with my weight?

2009-04-13T13:12:00.002-04:00

Well, I am running out of ideas... I am starting to think it is just my lack of exercise as I've tried low-carbing it to dump the water weight and it worked, but not completely... I am staying in the 208 to 212 range now, which is up about 5 pounds from my normal range for the last year or more. I normally range between 202 and 207. I always go up a few before "that time of the month" when I retain water and then lose it almost as soon as I start. No biggie and not stressing! But, this weight gain seems to be sticking, so perhaps it is more the winter of non-exercise than anything else? Thankfully, the weather has warmed and it is getting easier to get outside and move! This and getting ready for the half-marathon at Chicago on August 2nd may just get me back on track! If you are interested, Mandy and I are planning to do the Rock N Roll half-marathon at Chicago. Here's a link for more info! They have the COOLEST medal for this event!

Comment here if you're thinking of going too!!

Finally! 21st century time!

2009-04-09T19:01:00.002-04:00

I swear, for the last 10 years, I have crawled along at the speed of snail when it comes to internet surfing! Try to watch a You-Tube video at 21.6 kbps! It is NOT happening! But, click over there at 10 mbps and things go great! How in the world did we make it SO long at such a slow connection speed? I mean I have lived in the boonies for the last 18 years and have had no internet or slow-ass internet for the entire time. Now, I finally got satellite internet and am entering the 21st century!

La, La, La, La Life goes on...

2009-04-07T23:31:00.000-04:00

As the song says, La, la, la, la Life Goes On!! Two and a half years ago--Aug 29, 2006, I had gastric bypass weight loss surgery and began the journey of a lifetime. I started at 410 pounds. I now range between 202 and 205 on most any given day. I am literally HALF the person I was, physically. I can do so much more! I DO do much more than ever before. I have severe hypothyroidism and I've been overweight literally all my young adult and adult life. Now, I may still be what the antiquated BMI tables deem to be "obese," but I am living life and loving every day.

I think often of how my life would be different now if I still carried the 205 pounds I've left behind. I would still be sitting home every day full of body pain from the many ailments I dealt with. I would still be taking at least the 9 different prescription meds I took before my weight loss, if not more. I would not be working and helping support my family, which is doubly important in times like these! I would not be leading a 4-H club and the president of our 4-H leaders association. I would not be attending the support group meetings and participating in athletic events with fellow support group members. I would simply be existing, not living.

I still struggle with body image... In my head some days, I am still that 410 pound person I used to be. I still can't believe that I can go into most any store and find things that are nice and that fit well. I can not tell you how many years it has been since that was the case! How do you get past that fat-thinking about your self? How do you not do a double take when you see your own reflection in a store window or the side of someone's shiny new car and think--"Oh, who is that? She LOOKS like me, but that can't BE me! She's so small....." UGH!

Lots of things are going on right now... Hubby is being forced to change jobs yet again by a downturned economy and its effects on the trucking industry. Our older daughter and her infant son (AKA "world's greatest grandbaby") have moved home and she's in the middle of what looks to be an ugly divorce. Our younger daughter is coping with a serious weight gain this past year, tough courses at school, and facing her senior year next year which means taking the SAT and the ACT as well as preparing for graduation and all that this involves. Me, I'm working to help make ends meet, helping the older daughter swim upriver in the divorce court setting, and trying to help my younger daughter cope with life and all its challenges--both mental and physical. Hubby and I don't get to spend a lot of time together, so at times it can feel like it is all dumped on me (he is an over-the-road trucker). It is a lot like being a single mom! In the meanwhile, I am trying to get back on track with exercise and just keep my weight loss where it is--no regain is acceptable! I don't hyperfocus on those 3 or 4 pounds you gain overnight from time to time as I know that it is water weight and can be shed by counting carbs for a bit... I don't stress over getting to a "normal" BMI as I know it is not physically possible for my body/frame after 20 years of packing around 200+ extra pounds. BUT, I do strive to eat well, follow my dietician's guidelines and getting my protein and fluids in each and EVERY day. Beyond that, upping my exercise is about all I can do other than trying to keep the other stressors under control. Spring is here, though you can't tell it with the snow we're having today. I am hopeful that as I am able to get outdoors and exercise more (love working in my garden since I am now able!) that other things will start to fall in line again as well. Maybe just getting my own head on straight will help the others in my life?

Did I mention that we (myself and my younger daughter) are doing a half marathon in August in Chicago??? We've just barely begun to prepare for it, but we're going to do it! Anyone want to join us?? Hey, we are in West Virginia. If we can drive 10 hours for this, then some of you can do it too!!

Susan G Komen Race for the Cure

2009-04-05T23:51:00.000-04:00

I've been really slacking in the exercise arena this last few months... Lots of winter weather doesn't help, but today it is sunny and in the upper 70s here despite the fact that tomorrow is supposed to be rain and turn to snow (ugh--isn't it April?) on Tuesday. SO, we went for a walk. We stuck the world's greatest grandbaby in his stroller and off we went! Mandy and I used to walk this route often but it has been at least 6 mos since we did it last. It is 1 1/2 miles each way--both up and down hill each way too. Not bad considering how long it has been for both of us AND we were pushing the stroller as well. We used to do it at a 14 minute mile pace. We've got a lot of room for improvement now, but we'll get the pace we'd need for the half-marathon we're doing in August in Chicago... Anyone want to join us?? I'll get details if you're interested! And yes, this is a trip for us as we're in West Virginia. The support group I am part of does some fundraising and travels as a group for these events. That is the only way we're able to participate!

I've also signed us up for Team Medabolix for the Charleston, WV 5K event for the Susan G Komen Race for a Cure. That is May 2nd (a Saturday) at 9 am. Cost is $15 till 4/18 and then is $25. If you are from this area and can join us, please click over to our team page and join us!! That link is:
https://www.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent =294247&lis=1&kntae294247=40BBE936D1CC4A52A27F70840AFCF55E&s upId=252454169&team=3375652
Lea

Life! Work, divorce, grandbaby...

2009-04-01T10:57:00.002-04:00

So, I've spent some time reading other WLS blogs lately and I am noticing how over the first year or so things are all about the journey. How much weight have they lost? How far out are they? How many pants sizes have they dropped? Where are they finding the greatest clothing buys, etc? Then, over that latter part of the first year postop, their blog entries turn to more stuff about the real world and things that are going on in their life instead of just the hows and whats of their WLS journey. I read one blog that had nothing whatsoever about their WLS journey in the first 3 pages of blog entries... If it hadn't mentioned WLS in the blog description, you never would have known or guessed.

I've noticed the same thing about a lot of my posts lately. My last post, for example, was just about getting high speed internet FINALLY! The post before that was about how much time had passed (most of a month) since I'd last posted a blog entry. Granted, the one just prior to that was a link to Andrea's vitamin post at OH, but they are a bit more spaced than they used to be! SO, I am going to try and make more effort to document how WLS still affects my life these days...

But, in the meanwhile (LOL), another life update!
Work--I'm working more days than not lately. I don't know of any real full-time teaching slots for next year yet, but the substitute thing is still good and will always be there. There just aren't any benefits!

Divorce--Not mine! My daughter is getting divorced and we have an emergency hearing tomorrow for the judge to decide whether her husband gets any specified visitation time with their baby (AKA the world's greatest grandbaby) during the divorce proceedings. And, last night her hubby revealed that his mother plans to try and get custody of the baby. Apparently she thinks that she is better able to raise him than his own mother. Her 3 sons are obvious proof that this is not the case. They are 17 (18 in June I think), 18 and 20 and not one of them has a high school diploma, a driver's license OR a job! They are all living off of their parents who live off of SSI and food stamps. Oh, and the occasional student loan (his mom) for many thousand dollars that she's stated she has no intent of paying back... Must be nice to fraud the government and feel like you're still a fine, upstanding person who is better able to raise a child in this world. What a start that gives a child in today's demanding world. Heck, this very lifestyle is at the core of the divorce. Our daughter was raised in a different world--a world where people support themself and don't wait for a monthly check to pay the bills. She was raised to believe that we grow up, educate ourselves, and move out into the world to make our own way. We don't sit around and let someone else take care of us and pay our bills. She is powerfully motivated now to get away from his family and their lifestyle and to get her college education and move on with her life. We're so glad she finally came to this point!

Grandbaby... What more can I say? He's just the world's greatest grandbaby! He's a great baby. He now has two teeth! He recently had both middle teeth from the bottom front break through. He's more stable on his feet and when sitting up now. He's starting to babble and talk more. He streaks through the house in his walker and is eating up a storm! He eats about 4 jars of baby food a day these days and still nurses as well. He's about 20 pounds and well over 2 feet tall (28" last time he was measured). Before we know it, he'll have enough teeth to chew finger foods and be walking on his own!

Coming into the 21st century! High Speed Adhead!

2009-04-01T10:36:00.002-04:00

For YEARS, we have lived out in the boonies. For the most part, that is good... Privacy! Peace and quiet! No neighbors nosing around when you're not in a friendly mood... :-) But, when it also means living with the eternal slowness of DIALUP (gulp), it sucks! I've tried for the 10 years we've been in West Virginia to find access to some sort of high speed internet and have failed miserably. But, I am finally biting the bullet and going with satellite internet. They will be out Friday morning to install and we'll be surfing in the 21st century finally! I'm soooooo sick of 19.6 kbps. I mean really, it takes so long to load the average page that you can walk away to do something and come back before they finish loading! And videos like You-Tube and the like...get real! It ain't happening! You can't even get the darned things to load, let alone watch them!

There is so much of the internet that simply is not available when you live in dialup-hell.... We'll all be so much happier when this is done and working. I know my daughter will have an easier time with most of her college classes once it is in place. And, we'll be able to download files, watch videos, and more!

Wow, where DOES the time go?

2009-03-30T13:34:00.003-04:00

Yes, I have been sick and I have been working, but DAMN! It has been 3 weeks since I posted! you guys know I go for days sometimes, but not normally THIS long! So, here goes the update!

Lots going on this last few weeks... As many of you know, our older daughter moved home back in December with her hubby and their baby (AKA world's greatest grandbaby). Things were good for a long time. But they began to disintegrate somewhere along the line and her hubby moved out on 3/10 without even telling her what was up... Then, he added himself back to his mom's food stamp case and filed for divorce! How weird is THAT! He did not even tell Eliza what was what till like 3/13...and filed on 3/16! SO, as he filed first and she was unaware till then, he got the legal aid group to represent him and he wants joint custody of the baby. He did next to nothing to help take care of the baby when they were together and now puts in the divorce papers that they shared the care of the baby equally while married. What a joke! And, he still isn't working (hasn't since like September) and has no ability to pay support. If it weren't for Medicaid, the little guy wouldn't have health insurance either. So, Josh moved home to his mommy and daddy's house where they will support him and allow him to just screw around and do nothing. Eliza is still at our home and taking college classes and trying to prepare to be a part of the GROWN UP WORLD!! She told him that he couldn't continue to live like that, but he probably will till his parents die or get sick of him freeloading on them. He has two younger brothers doing much the same thing though, so I guess they have a lot more patience for freeloading than my hubby and I ever did.

Eliza's got a great lawyer but had to pay a pricey retainer. He is young and enthusiastic and is getting paid for what he does (as opposed to the average pro bono/legal aid type representation) and will hopefully rock deal ole' Josh's world so that he rues the day he ever started this crap. I told Eliza last night that I wanted her to find someone who truly loves her for the person she is and not just what they feel she can get for or give to them. And, I want that person to love my little grandson as if he were their very own baby. She said she plans to do just that! She was really in a funk at first and didn't really even cry over losing Josh. I guess the writing's been on the wall for her for some time now. But, now she's got a good mad on and is out to set this right and make him support this baby.

She requested sole custody based upon how little he cared for the baby and how terrible the living situation is at her inlaws' home. The cigarette smoke is AWFUL! Those people smoke something like 5 cartons of cigarettes per week! And they do most of it right inside the house where the baby lives and breathes. We had a crib at that house while they were living there--painted white... Needless to say after 6 or so months in THAT house, there is this ugly yellow nicotine stain all over it. It is disgusting! And that poor baby was forced to breathe that air day in and day out. I would be ashamed to find something like that being forced on a baby.... Ever seen that new tobacco prevention commercial with all the little plastic babies crawling around a city sidewalk? In the end, one of them rolls over and the words on their belly are revealed to the camera. It says something like "How do babies avoid second hand smoke?" Then, the second line is "eventually they begin to crawl..." If the people don't have sense enough to keep the smoke away from them, eventually they try to get away from it themselves.... Pitiful!

SO, with that said, she has a hearing on Thursday 4/2 for an emergency motion that Josh filed (well, his mommy filled it out and he signed it). It is for the court to make visitation arrangements because, according to this document they filled out, Eliza is keeping him from seeing the baby and plans to move him out of state. Hah! He has not even showed up on our doorstep and asked to see the baby! But, he'd have to drive 30 miles and they just can't afford the gas. They expect Eliza to call them, arrange a visit AND transport back and forth so that they can see him I guess? All this while he still is not supporting them! Ugh.... Or, as a favorite cartoon character says, "Oh, the humanity!" LOL If I wanted to see my child, then I would haul my lazy ass out there to see him--whether his mom approved at first or not! At least I could tell the court that I tried and she refused! Instead, he can tell the judge, "well, your honor, I sat at my mommy's house and Eliza never brought the baby to see me....." Yeah, that is going to go over well! And, as for the moving out of state part, he got this somehow from us talking 2 or 3 mos ago about maybe going to Florida over spring break to see my mom who STILL has not seen her only great grandbaby despite buying him a crib, a stroller, a car seat, a playpen, clothes, and more! Josh's mom and step dad had given him a used baby swing someone gave them and just barely kept him in diapers while they lived with them. I had to pay for diapers more than once in order for him to have enough!

I'm already sick of this situation. My hubby is sick of it and worried that she'll get too stressed and it cause her problems with her classes. Hubby is also worried that if she feels in jeopardy of things going wrong that she'll go back to him to save some trouble. But, deep in my heart, I feel she's got her head screwed on right (finally!) after 2 years time. And, I think she's just upset enough at the way he's done her to follow through and make him pay. There are some illicit behaviors on his part that have apparently been going on behind the scenes for quite some time... We'll see what the judge thinks of those when it comes time to decide the custody situation--on top of the unhealthy living conditions and the total lack of financial support!

SO, with all that said, you can still wonder why I haven't posted????? Well, I just finished a third round of antibiotics for this crud I had in my chest and head... I did a 10 day round of 875 mg amoxicillin. Then, about a week later, I did a 10 day round of Doxycyline. Just about the time I finished those, I was starting to feel a bit better, but went downhill quickly afterwards. SO, another week or two go by and I am really sick again. Back to the doctor. I told him that with each round of meds, just as I reached the end and started to feel better, I was done. And, I really think it is the malabsorption keeping the meds from working to the maximum expectations. I asked him to prescribe something strong for a longer period of time and he gave me a 3 week round of Bactrim and said, "You better start getting the yogurt in!" LOL Now, as I finished this round, I truly feel better already. I didn't take that last pill thinking, well, so much for that! I really feel like I may finally kick this thing! Doc wanted to xray my sinuses and make sure there's no blockage there keeping me from healing. I decided to wait and see what happened with this round of meds and go from there. If I don't get sick again in the next week or so, I'll consider myself healed!

Oh, and I need to review those Maine Cottage Foods no-sugar chocolate bars. Those things ROCK!!
More later!!
Lea

Vitamin Info for WLS Postops...

2009-03-07T20:42:00.003-05:00

Vitamins are a way of life for WLS postops. We have to take them and we have to take it seriously. When things go wrong, they can go VERY wrong! A fellow WLS postop who tries to help inform the masses posted a great piece over on OH that I thought I'd share a link to so you can all check it out! Check it out and let Andrea know you appreciate it!

Confession is good for the soul...

2009-03-05T12:52:00.002-05:00

That is what they say anyway! Confession and that purging is good for your soul and your emotional being... Well, it is TIME! LOL On Monday, I have a 2 1/2 year postop visit with my surgeon. And, at that visit, I will be forced to admit to about a 10 pound overall gain from my weight one year ago. I hit my all time low of 197 in March of 2008, but it was a split second before I was back at 200 and stayed there pretty much for good with only a 2 to 5 pound float most of the time. I'd gain a few pounds just before my period each month with the water gain. I lose that most months literally the second day of my period. Some months my calorie intake would be up a bit and I'd gain some, but as it fluctuated over time (the calorie intake), the weight would level back out. All in all, I have stayed between 200 and 205 since last March.

I have never been a diligent exercise person. I live out in the boonies on top of a hill. It is 30 minutes to "town" and the nearest place to exercise. I don't have much to work with at home and the "gym" in town is sort of a joke. The cost is as much as if it were a Bally's or a 24 Hour Fitness, but the equipment sure isn't! LOL So, I garden in the spring. I live life. And, when I get the chance, I do a bit more. Every time I run errands or go shopping, I park at the end of the lot and I walk more while I'm out. I carry my own animal feed and groceries as much as possible. I load and unload 8 or 10 cases of bottled water when I make the trip to Sam's Club. You get the drill! I do laundry, household chores, climb the stairs instead of taking the elevator, and just take the opportunities life presents to do a bit more and burn a few calories.

I eat reasonably well. I try to always think protein first. I nix the bread whenever possible. We (as a family) rarely do pasta. If we do pizza, we make it at home with a whole wheat crust and lots of protein goodies on top. We enjoy meats, healthy veggies, hearty casseroles and crockpot dishes. I have always loved to cook and started adapting my cooking years ago when my hubby started dealing with type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol.

Then came the carbs... There is no other excuse. Lately, we have had some stressful stuff going on at home. Hubby's job layoff and job change. My own slow-down after the holidays as a substitute school teacher. Both of those, coupled with taking in our older daughter, her hubby and their infant son (our grandson), lent a lot of stress to our life as we tromped through the downturned economy with fewer dollars in our pockets and more bills in our hands waiting to be paid... Add in some health issues (that couldn't be addressed while we had no health insurance) and things were even more stressful at times. I've been in a funk a lot lately and I've been in that snacky mood much more often than in the past 2 1/2 years. SO, I've been snacking and not on things that would normally be okay. A snack is not a snack if it is a planned part of your daily intake, right? Well, telling yourself it is time for your planned snack BUT eating a couple good-sized handfuls of Sun Chips is not the same thing! The snack that may have been 15 grams of protein in about 180 cals and 14 to 18 carbs in the past is suddenly 300 cals, many more carbs and maybe 7 or 8 grams of protein... Those carbs beget more carbs at mealtime. Pasta and rice creep back in. Then bread becomes okay again. Instead of one slice used for a sandwich, you now eat a whole sandwich--more bread, less room for protein rich stuff in between. Instead of pepperoni crisps and cheese, you have tortilla chips and salsa. Instead of a protein bar, you have pretzels and peanut butter. At bedtime, instead of a small dish of something like ricotta fluff, perhaps you have no-sugar-added ice cream OR a couple (ugh) cookies. But, you only ate it because everyone else was having some.... Yeah right! You ate it because you wanted it. You ate it because you have been on such a carb fest that you just can't say no anymore!

BUT, at some point, it has to stop! For me, this doctor's appointment is going to be that breaking point. I should have already called it quits. I should have been carb-detoxing for weeks already. I know what it takes to get back on track. All I have to do is DO IT. SO, it is time!
Step one--CONFESS!!
Step two--Get motivated to change things.
Step three--Make those changes.

So, I confess! I have been eating WAY too many carbs lately. I have just eaten whatever I felt like eating. I have not been planning my meals or our family dinners like I normally do. It has impacted my eating AND my grocery shopping for the whole family. The items in the house are not what they normally would be. There are always the makings for something sweet if we take a notion, but it is something like a protein enriched cookie (see my recipes here). It is not a pan of gooey cinnamon rolls or a scrumptious chocolate cake. What is there now is more the junk food sort of thing and I've eaten some of it too, not just allowed the rest of them to have it in the house. I'm not focusing on protein enough. My February labs showed that my protein number slipped a hair lower than the last set of labs. Not a huge drop...Not an OMG moment... Just a drop. But, it was a drop and that drop means that it is time to get back with the program before the drop is more significant. AND, worst of all, my weight is up. Granted, I am on my period and was fully dressed when I weighed myself, but my weight this morning was 215! OMG! I have seen numbers that started with 21_ before, but not more than 211 or 212 and normally at the end of a day full of liquid intake and proper meals. Days that were followed by waking up the next day to a more reasonable number like say 206... But, this MORNING it said 215. I know I'm constipated from starting the iron supplementation again, but surely it can't be THAT bad!

Get motivated to change things...
I'm motivated! 215 pounds is enough to motivate me, believe me! That and the thought of Dr. S seeing that number or anything even over 210 on Monday is enough to motivate me thoroughly! SO, this is war! Time to purge! And, heck, maybe some exercise might not hurt either???

Make those changes...
Fortunately, the weather is supposed to be mild this weekend, so I had planned to walk or bike some anyway. Maybe I'll stick the world's most adorable grandbaby in the stroller and go for a few miles! Can't hurt! And, I've been being pretty good about my food so far today. For breakfast, I had my normal high fiber Quaker oats with protein powder. Then, for lunch, I had cheese and pepperoni crisps. My snacks today have been some pecans and a package of Kay's Naturals Protein Os cereal (french vanilla flavor). Not exactly carb free, but a heck of a lot better than some days! When I get home from school today, I'll mix up some Ricotta Fluff and I'll boil some eggs. The hens are laying already, so we've got plenty! Supper tonight... I'll have to think on that one a bit. I've got some browned ground beef in the fridge. Maybe I'll toss that in a pot and make some chili... No cornbread! The rest of them can have something else, but it is time to get down to business!

Another thing I want to work on is that I have noted lately that I have NO strength anymore in my upper body/arms. I want to start doing something about that. We have a weight bench and some barbell type weights at home, but they are outside. I bought the stuff to recover the bench and start using that once the weather is a teensy bit warmer. It is so cold right now still that you'd have to wear gloves just to even keep hold of the barbell. If you have or know of a good upper body weight workout, I'd love it if you'd share!

My goal?
By next week (3/9), I want to be back below 210 pounds and back up to 80-100 grams of protein every day. I've not failed on my liquid intake or my vites and such, so I'm good there. I just need to work on cutting the carbs back and getting the protein back up.
In two weeks time (3/19), I want to be back in the 202 to 208 range and staying there. I also want to be consistently meeting my protein goal each day. I'm going to do a half marathon in April, so I have to start walking again... That will help with everything!

Recipe: Lea's Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

2009-03-02T15:55:00.000-05:00

I make all our pizza here at home since my surgery... We just didn't DO pizza for a very, very long time. The crust made me yak and it was bad for us all... Now, I make it here and I can control how thick the crust is and what goes into it and on top of it! I make this crust and make my crust VERY thin--think Pizza Hut's thin and crispy crust... I put pizza sauce, all kinds of meats, veggies and cheeses on top. My whole family loves it! I was printing it for a cookbook we're doing here locally for our 4-H clubs and I thought I'd pass it on!!
Lea

Lea's Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Contributor: Lea Burnside
Club: Frametown Trailblazers

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/3 cups water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons fast-acting yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
dash pepper and other seasoning you like to taste
2 tablespoons cornmeal

DIRECTIONS:
Add water (warm, not cold), yeast and sugar to mixer. Mix well.
Put dough hook on mixer.
Add all other ingredients BUT cornmeal and mix well.
Let dough hook knead mix till all is thoroughly mixed and no longer sticking to bowl. If too wet, add a bit more whole wheat flour till bowl is clean. If too dry (excess flour), drizzle in a bit more warm water till bowl is clean. Allow to knead a bit longer (10 minutes or so).
Spray a large bowl with non-stick cooking spray. Place pizza dough into bowl and roll around to coat with spray.
Cover with a clean dish towel or paper towels and place in a warm place. Allow to rise till doubled in size.
Punch down dough and allow to rest (5 minutes or so). While resting, spray pizza pan with non-stick spray and sprinkle cornmeal on pan.
In hands, stretch dough till it is spread to over half the size of your pizza pan. Then, place on pan and continue to spread it with your hands till it covers pan to edges. This amount of dough will cover a large round pan of at least 14" OR a 10" x 15" cookie sheet.
Top with pizza sauce and your choice of toppings and bake at 400 degrees till done.

New Drug for Chronic Constipation...Amitiza

2009-02-26T20:25:00.002-05:00

While at my PCP this week, I read a brochure for a new drug called Amitiza. It is for chronic constipation. It says that it is recommended for folks who have constipation issues for unknown reasons and suggests that these reasons might include things like bowels that move too slowly and bowels that absorb too much of the water from the stool, thereby making it too dry and too hard to pass. It is not a laxative and the recommended dosing is a twice daily dosage. My doctor's office had coupons to redeem with a prescription for a free two week supply.

The drug is supposed to help you retain more water IN the stool or increase the bowel juices so that it is easier to pass the stools.

I emailed several other WLS postops and asked if they'd heard of this new drug or of anyone using it after WLS. One person responded that she had been prescribed this drug by her gastro doctor and that she had started taking it once a day but now took it twice a day with positive results/comments. Another person commented that the description of the drug gave her reason to worry about the stools retaining too much of the body water and the body then becoming dehydrated in turn... This wouldn't necessarily be a problem in a person who stays properly hydrated in the first place. I know that I drink over a gallon of fluids every day and would never worry about this.

I have the coupon and prescription from my doctor. I will be getting it filled this weekend and will give it a try. One concern I do have is that my current insurance (expiring this weekend) wants prior approval on this drug. I'm not quite sure what other drugs they expect you to have tried first... LOL But, I will have different insurance on June 1st, and perhaps they will have a more liberal stand on it. If they do not, this drug will not be an option for me as a 30 day supply was going to be well over $100...

Free Chocolate Anyone??

2009-02-24T21:24:00.002-05:00

I posted a couple days ago about Maine Cottage Foods and their totally low-carb chocolate goodies... I contacted them and they told me the following:

We have a "Just a Taste" sampler which is a single Teenie of every flavor we make. We don't advertise that for sale but frequently include it as a freebie for new customers so that they can sample everything. If you could get your members to write in the comments section on the order form "Obesity Help Mini-Challenge" we could make sure that they get a free one of those on their first order.

There MAY be a discount coming soon! Stay tuned and I'll pass on info as I get it!

Free Kashi Frozen Entree

2009-02-24T21:06:00.001-05:00

Kashi Foods has a coupon offer right now to get a coupon for a free Kashi frozen entree... Check it out!
http://www.kashi.com/picturehunt

Let us know if you try something new and decide you like it!

Low Carb Chocolate! VERY low carb and Yummy too!

2009-02-21T22:48:00.001-05:00

Don't know how many of you saw Beth's (AKA Melting Mama) post about the
low carb chocolate, but the link is
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/3865714/LOW-CARB-CHOCOLATE-Rave/

It sounds REALLY good! You can view the nutritional info by going to
http://store.mainecottagefoods.com/ingredients.html and they have a
listing for each of their product groups (chocolate, baked items and more)

I'm thinking very seriously about ordering some of it. I'm about to start my period and I'm seriously craving some good chocolate that won't induce feelings of guilt!

Sick, sick, sick!

2009-02-19T01:15:00.000-05:00

I've been fighting this upper respiratory infection for weeks now... I'm sick of being sick! I'm on my second round of antibiotics and have made sure to get several cups of yogurt in lately to ward off those lovely yeasties... The hardest part of it is that I've been working more days than not and it is getting hard to keep going! I've been so worn out at the end of the day that I don't even do much on the 'puter! That is new! But, I am hoping that I'll start to feel better soon and can be back on the net again! Hubby said I'm not allowed to do ANYthing tomorrow but rest! He's promised me breakfast in bed too!

Chef Jay's/Tri-O-Plex Products Discount!

2009-02-10T18:06:00.001-05:00

Any of you use these products? I got them to agree to give us a discount. Boxes of 12 packets are $20 each. http://www.chefjays.net/ They are normally $25 on their site, so this is a 20% discount like we've gotten elsewhere...

She wrote the following:

Your group can call in to our office to place an order. We answer phones Mon - Fri 8am - 5pm PST. They must give the code

W500

when ordering to receive the special discount.  The product will be $20.00 per box PLUS $5.95 for shipping.
Ph:702-873-7777

THIS DISCOUNT DOES NOT WORK ON THEIR WEBSITE!!  YOU MUST CALL IN TO ORDER!!

SO, if you use these products, I thought I'd pass it on!  I know that I've paid from $2.49 to $2.99 per packet when I've bought these items.  I've seen them as high as $3.29 each.  Cookie packets have two good sized cookies in them and brownies are one fair sized brownie.  They have like 18 to 20 grams of protein in them...  They are pretty good too.  And, the $5.95 for shipping IS flat rate--one box or 20 boxes.  I confirmed that with her!  Oh, and they also have a "protein puff" that is sort of a higher protein Cheeto sort of thing!  My surgeon's little shop sells them, but I've never tried them.

If you've tried their products and have a favorite, pass it on to us!  I love the Decadent Chocolate Brownie when I just neeeeeed some chocolate but want the protein too.  I have also tried 3 or 4 of the cookie flavors and liked those as well.  I've not tried any of the bars or the puffs...

MY APPETITE IS MY SHEPHERD (POUND 23)

2009-02-08T20:11:00.000-05:00

MY APPETITE IS MY SHEPHERD (POUND 23)

My appetite is my shepherd; I always want.

It maketh me sit down and stuff myself.
It leadeth me to my refrigerator repeatedly.

It leadeth me in the path of Burger King for a Whopper.
It destroyeth my shape.

Yea, though I knoweth I gaineth, I will not stop eating
For the food tasteth so good.
The ice cream and the cookies, they comfort me.

When the table is spread before me, it exciteth me
For I knoweth that I sooneth shall dig in.
As I filleth my plate continuously,
My clothes runneth smaller.

Surely bulges and pudgies shall follow me all the days of my life
And I shall be "pleasingly plump" forever.

Free Shipping on ANY order! BariGoodEating.com

2009-02-08T19:48:00.000-05:00

I got notice that for the WHOLE month of February, BariGoodEating.com is offering free shipping on ANY order! No minimum purchase--free shipping on ANY order! Click over to stock up on protein bars and shakes and MORE!!

CHIKE Nutrition Protein--15% off on 3 lb tubs!

2009-02-01T13:11:00.002-05:00

As many of you already know, I am the group leader for a group of folks at ObesityHelp that we call the Mini-Challenge. One thing I do is look for discounts for us! Recently, I talked CHIKE Nutrition into offering us a discount on their protein powder! Use the discount code ohmini when checking out to receive 15% off on their 3 pound tubs of protein powder. It is available in 5 flavors too! Try it in banana, chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, and orange creme. Check them out at http://www.chikenutrition.com/

I Am Your Disease...

2009-01-25T14:03:00.000-05:00

I am Your Disease

I hate meetings.
I hate your higher power.
I hate anyone who has a program.

To all who come in contact with me,
I wish you suffering and death.

Allow me to introduce myself...
I am the disease of addiction.

Alcoholism, drugs and eating disorders.
I am cunning, baffling and powerful. Thats me!

I've killed millions and enjoyed doing it.
I love to catch you by surprise.
I love pretending I'm your friend and lover.
I've given you comfort.
Wasn't I there when you were lonely?

When you wanted to die, didn't you call on me?

I love to make you hurt.
I love to make you cry. Better yet...
I love it when I make you so numb,
You can't hurt and you can't cry.
You feel nothing at all.

I give you instant gratification.
All I ask for in return is long term suffering.
I've always been there for you.

When things were going right, you invited me back.
You said you didn't deserve to be happy.
I agreed with you.
Together we were able to destroy your life.

People don't take me seriously.
They take strokes seriously.
They take heart attacks seriously.
Even diabetes, they take seriously.
Yet, without my help, these things wouldn't be possible.

I'm such a hated disease, yet I don't come uninvited.
You choose to have me.
Many have chosen me, instead of love and peace.

I hate all of you who work a 12step program.
Your program, your meetings, and your higher power weaken me.
I can't function in the manner I am accustomed to.

I am your disease.
For now I must lie here quietly.
You don't see me, but I'm growing more powerful everyday.

When you settle for mere existence, I thrive.
When you feel fully alive, I weaken.
But I'm always here waiting for you.

Until we meet again,
I wish you continued suffering and death.

Author Unknown

http://oa12step4coes.org/news/disease.html

Recipe: Lea's Apple Crisp

2009-01-24T18:09:00.001-05:00

This is one of those let's-indulge-a-craving sort of recipes... It is a comfort food around our house. Thankfully it at least has some redeeming qualities... I mean, apples are fruit, right?? LOL

LEA'S APPLE CRISP

6-8	tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (such as Granny Smith)
2-3	tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4	cup granulated Splenda
1 1	teaspoon cinnamon teaspoon ground nutmeg OR 2 teaspoons apple pie spice

Put apple slices in bottom of an 8 x 8 baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Sprinkle Splenda and spices over apples. Pour melted butter over them and sort of toss all with a spoon to coat the apple slices.

Prepare topping (see below) an sprinkle over top of apples. Bake at 350 till golden brown (30 to 40 minutes usually).

Topping:
1 cup oats (rolled is better, any will work)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated Splenda
1 cup self rising flour
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine

NOTE--In topping, you can use other flour! If you have a preferred replacement, go with that. I've used almond flour with some baking soda, baking powder, and salt mixed in...

As I said in the beginning, we only do this once in a while. I canned several quarts of apple slices last summer, so I can drain a jar of apples and dump them into the baking pan and go from there... Easy, peasy! LOL It feels like cheating now (not having to peel, core, etc), but it sure didn't when I was getting all those bushels of apples ready to can!

2 more days for Kay's $10 special!!

2009-01-23T12:43:00.002-05:00

New Kay's Products--$10 only through Sunday!
Just a reminder that the 4 new Kay's Naturals products are only on sale thru this coming Sunday!!

Get a case of these 4 new items for just $10 each. Normally, $15 (with a suggested retail price of $19) for a case of 12 bags. That is a wonderful savings and a great time to try these new items!

The new items include:
hazelnut sweet protein chips
almond delight protein crisps
original flavor protein pretzels
sweet BBQ snack mix

And, don't forget that 20% discount code! You can save 20% off of your Kay's Naturals orders by using the discount code minichallenge when you go to checkout!

Mine will hopefully arrive today while I'm at work... I hope to let you know what I think of them this weekend!!

Review: Tumaro's Low in Carbs Multi-Grain Tortillas

2009-01-22T19:35:00.004-05:00

I've tried to find a good, low carb tortilla in my area as sooooo many of the ones you guys try and love are just not available here in the boonies of wild, wonderful West Virginia. This one I found in a Kroger's store about 45 miles from home. And, I remember thinking that MY Kroger's store closer to home would have them too. Kroger's is Kroger's, right? WRONG! So, anyway, I bought a package of these:


Multi Grain (Award Winning) A delicious way to get a boost of fiber in your diet.

They are light and yummy. I used them for quesadillas with the Mexican Beef recipe I posted a bit back and some shredded Mexican blend cheese. I used them for sandwich wraps. I loved them no matter what I did with them.

There are 10 of the 8" size in the package. They were about $2.99 for the package. And, the nutritional info...WOW!

Nutrition Facts

Dietary Labeling

Certified Kosher

Serving size: 1 tortilla
Amount Per Serving
Calories	100
Calories from Fat	25
Amount Per Serving and/or % Daily Value*
Total Fat	2.5g (4%)
Saturated Fat	0g (0%)
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg (0%)
Sodium	115mg (5%)
Total Carbohydrate	13g (4%)
Dietary Fiber	8g (31%)
Sugars	1g
Protein	7g
Amount Per Serving and/or % Daily Value*
Vitamin A	0%
Vitamin C	0%
Calcium	8%
Iron	6%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower based on your calorie needs.

Safety Information
Allergen Information: Contains wheat, soy, almond meal, sesame seed flour. Made on equipment shared with wheat, soy, almond meal, sesame flour.

Ingredients
Water, Oat Fiber, Whole Wheat Flour, Soy Bean Flour, Wheat Gluten, Canola Oil, Aluminum Free Baking Powder (Sodium Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Corn Starch, Monocalcium Phosphate), Calcium Propionate (Used to Maintain Freshness), Lecithin, Mono-diglycerides (Derived From Plant Sources), Salt, Sesame Seed Flour, Almond Meal, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Fumaric Acid (Used to Maintain Freshness), Potassium Sorbate (Used to Maintain Freshness), Sodium Metabisulfite (Used to Maintain Freshness).

Directions
Heating: Bend bag to loosen and separate flatbreads. Heat them individually in a skillet or pan for 10-15 seconds on each side to warm and soften. Flatbreads may also be wrapped in a moist paper towel and heated in a microwave for 20 seconds. For freshness, keep flatbreads refrigerated after opening. How to fold a wrap: Place fillings in the center of the wrap. Fold the bottom side of the wrap. Fold the left side over then wrap to the right. Enjoy the great taste of a delicious wrap. After opening, keep refrigerated for freshness.

They have FIVE net carbs and only 13 total carbs... Many tortillas have 20 or more total carbs. 7 grams of protein in a little 8" tortilla is nothing to sneeze at either! They are multi grain, so the carbs are complex for the most part. They include ingredients like oat flour, soy flour, sesame seed flour, and almond meal. They also come in Green Onion, Garden Vegetable, and Salsa flavors, but Kroger's did not have those...just the multi-grain version. Amazon carries this company's (Tumaro's) products too. They sell cases of 6 packs of 10 for less than $20 with free shipping on orders over $25.

Product Name: Tumaro's Low in Carbs 8" Multi-Grain Tortillas

Product Type (meal replacement, protein bar, snack, etc): bread substitute

Where Can I Get/Find It? Krogers and some other grocers... See their site for a list!

Cost: pack of 10 is about $3.00

Pros: whole grain, low in carbs, taste great!

Cons: For me, finding them will be worrisome... I may end up approaching my Kroger's manager and asking them to order me a case. Otherwise, I'll have to bite the bullet and go the Amazon route!

Overall Rating: Yeah Baby! These will definitely be back in my cupboard!

Gut Microbes Shift with Obesity, Upended by Gastric Bypass

2009-01-21T13:49:00.001-05:00

http://www.genomeweb.com/sequencing/gut-microbes-shift-obesity-upended-gastric-bypass

Gut Microbes Shift with Obesity, Upended by Gastric Bypass

January 20, 2009

By Andrea Anderson

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – The microbes living in our guts are linked — and could potentially contribute — to our weight. And these microbial communities are overhauled following gastric bypass surgery-assisted weight loss, according to a new study scheduled to appear online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Using a combination of Sanger and Roche 454 sequencing technology, a team of researchers from Arizona State University, Arizona's Mayo Clinic, and the University of Arizona assessed the gut microbes of nine individuals who were either normal weight, obese, or had lost weight following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.

The team found that gastric bypass surgery was linked to a dramatic shift in individuals' gut microbes. They also detected an intriguing pattern in the microbial community within obese subjects: these individuals harbored a combination of hydrogen-producing and -consuming microbes that researchers say may ramp up the amount of energy harvested from their food.

By understanding such shifts, the team hopes to come up with new obesity treatments as well as markers to predict who is at risk of becoming obese.

Roughly four million Americans are affected by obesity and about 300,000 die from obesity-related conditions annually. Although increased food energy intake and a lack of physical activity are partly to blame, the authors noted, systems governing the body's energy balance could also be a factor.

Roux-en-Y and other bariatric surgeries are the most effective obesity treatments available to date. By bypassing part of the stomach and small intestine, the surgery limits the amount and type of food an individual can eat.

Such procedures are associated with a certain degree of nutrient malabsorption, changes in stomach acid exposure, and other gastrointestinal changes that could potentially alter the gut microbial community.

In an effort to understand these changes, the researchers used a combination of Sanger and Roche 454 sequencing to amplify and sequence microbial 16S sequences from stool samples taken from nine adults: three who were normal weight, three who were classified as morbidly obese, and three who had undergone gastric bypass surgery between eight and 15 months prior to the study.

Using massively parallel sequencing on the V6 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene, the team generated 184,094 high-quality reads — an average of 20,455 reads per individual tested. These reads represented sequence from between 419 and 575 phylotypes.

Despite the diverse microbial communities and inter-personal differences within each trio of individuals, the researchers found groups of microbes that clustered together depending on weight or bypass surgery.

Whereas Firmicutes were the most common type of bacteria in normal weight and morbidly obese individuals, Gammaproteobacteria were dominant in the guts of those who'd had gastric bypass. These individuals also had more Enterobacteriaceae and Fusobacteriaceae and fewer bacteria from the order Clostridia.

"The large bacterial population shift seen in the post-gastric-bypass individuals may reflect the double impact of the gut alteration caused by the surgical procedure and the consequent changes in food ingestion and digestion," the authors wrote.

Because patients who've had gastric bypass surgery have a shorter gastrointestinal tract, lead author Husen Zhang, a post-doctoral researcher at ASU's Biodesign Institute, told GenomeWeb Daily News, they also have a higher concentration of oxygen in their gut. Not surprisingly then, he said the team found more facultative anaerobes — microbes that are capable of using oxygen — in that the guts of those who'd had the surgery.

Still, the researchers cautioned, more research is needed to determine the implications of this new microbial consortium. "The drastic change may or may not reflect a deficiency in beneficial microbes," Zhang said. "Maybe these patients need some kind of supplement."

The team also detected differences in the microbes found in the guts of the morbidly obese. While individuals from the normal weight and gastric bypass groups carried hordes of bacteria from the Verrucomicrobia phylum, for example, obese individuals did not. Instead, obese individuals often carried bacteria from the Prevotellaceae, a type of Bacteroidetes.

Both sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR indicated that the three obese subjects tested also carried microbes that produce or use hydrogen — including hydrogen-producing bacteria from the Prevotellaceae family and hydrogen-consuming Archaea.

Based on these results, the researchers speculated that there is teamwork taking place between the bacteria and archaea living in the guts of the obese. And, Zhang said, he and his team suspect that this cooperation may increase the amount of energy that obese individuals extract from food.

The researchers don't know yet whether this microbial community causes — or is a consequence of — obesity, senior author Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown, a researcher at ASU's Biodesign Institute, told GenomeWeb. But if the team can verify that gut microbes contribute to weight problems, she said, it may be possible to develop new microbe-based obesity treatments.

And although physicians and researchers don't need a marker for morbid obesity itself, Krajmalnik-Brown added, the archaeal-bacterial community associated with obesity may eventually help to distinguish individuals who are at increased risk of becoming obese.

Next, the team plans to do similar studies in larger groups of individuals over time, to determine, for example, how gut microbes vary during weight-loss programs or before and after bypass surgery.

Before I _, I will __

2009-01-21T12:30:00.001-05:00

Another great bit from a group I am part of...

Before I ____________, I will first ___________

I will first have a large glass of water then ask myself,"Am I really hungry? Or am I _________?" Try either chewing a piece of fruit flavored sugar free gum or drinking a 20 oz bottle of water.

I will do 10 (or as many as possible push-ups)

I will do 15 (or as many as possible) jumping jacks

I will walk for 5,10,15 minutes.

I will clean something

I will eat something that will bless my body (fruit or vegetable)

I will do one of my favorite things (read for 15minutes, internet for 15 minutes, garden, scrapbooking, chase
kids (grandkids) around, crayon or watercolor, write in my journal, sing loudly off key "Hooray for Baggy
Panties!"(ok, you get the picture)

I will"... practice the three Ds when we wanted to eat between meals....
DRINK(sound familiar?), DIVERT (do something to take your mind off food --walk or read or DO something), and DELAY (wait fifteen minutes -- if you are still hungry, you probably need some food to fuel your body)"

I will brush my teeth (When you crave a dessert or sweet treat, try brushing your teeth. Something about the act of brushing and the minty flavor of toothpaste is supposed to tell you that it's not time to eat – plus candy or chocolate or whatever it is you want to snack on won't taste half as good with that minty flavor in your mouth!)

I will change my attitude...I was scared to give up sweets because I was QUITTING something. But I turned the negative of quitting into a positive. I am ADDING the habit of having one dessert per week.

I will not buy treats (they are too tempting and my family gets enough other places without needing them at home), when I am winding my day down I will make myself a large cup of herbal tea. It takes me a while to drink it (because it is hot), I am getting flavor in my mouth (I now have a huge stash of tea varieties), and it counts toward my water consumption. I have found that I really look forward to sipping my tea, and I can watch some TV or read a book and not feel guilty that I am consuming mindless calories.

I will have a piece of paper on my refrigerator and every time I have a craving, I write it down. The deal is that on Sunday I can pick one thing from the list to eat in moderation IF I STILL WANT IT. I usually find that after a few hours the thrill is gone, and I can make a reasonable decision for a treat on Sunday. It's funny, but most of the time once I write the craving on the paper I can usually forget about it.

I will plan which days I would have a dessert. I am trying to focus on asking myself which dessert do I want to have on Saturday instead of focusing on what I am saying no to at the moment.

Is there a basketball hoop at the White House? There may be soon!

2009-01-21T12:22:00.002-05:00

According to a WebMD article, the Obamas are very big on fitness and exercise. And, apparently the Commander in Chief's favorite workout is basketball...

The Obamas: First Couple of Fitness

Will the exercise program of Barack and Michelle Obama inspire Americans?

By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

The Obamas are making history, not just as the first African-American president and first lady, but perhaps also as the fittest first couple ever.

That role model, in turn, may inspire millions of sedentary Americans to get moving, exercise and preventive health experts hope.

Both the new president and first lady are regular exercisers, managing to squeeze in workouts despite their hectic schedules. It's difficult not to admire their dedication. When in Chicago, the new first lady was said to begin her day with a 4:30 a.m. gym workout.

Instead of kicking back and getting some extra sleep the day after he won the election, Obama showed up at his gym at 7 a.m. for a workout. The new president's washboard abs -- snapped by photographers during his Hawaii vacation -- rival that of a 30-something leading man in Hollywood.

Comparisons aside, it's clear that exercise is serious business for the Obamas -- and more about maintaining health and mental acuity than looking good.

"Barack is almost religious about getting in his workouts," says Alan S. King, a close friend of Obama's and an attorney at Drinker Biddle & Reath in Chicago. "He values his workout time as time to think and relieve stress. I'd say he's also driven by the fact that he wants to be fit and healthy to be around for Michelle and the girls [daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7]."

Obama Exercise Program: The Routine

The new president's workout program would put many men half his age to shame. Obama, 47, combines his love of basketball with treadmill workouts and weight training, say those who have observed his workouts or played hoops with him.

Obama told Men's Health magazine in its November issue that his typical routine includes working out for 45 minutes, six days a week, including cardiac-strengthening routines and weight lifting. That's in addition to his famous basketball games -- played whenever possible and always on election days.

"He alternates days between strength and cardio training and gets in as much basketball as his schedule permits,'' King tells WebMD.

Irene Trantas, a master trainer at the Philadelphia Sports Club at Rodin, observed Obama work out on three different occasions when he stopped in while on the road. "You could definitely tell he has a routine, he works out, and he is familiar with the routine," she tells WebMD. During his stops there, he combined a treadmill run and elliptical trainer with weight training, including the chest press, overhead press, leg press and other conditioning exercises, she says. "He is strong."

Obama Exercise Program: What Keeps Them Moving?

By now, workouts have become an ingrained habit for both Barack and Michelle Obama, says Jim Cauley, a political consultant in Louisville, Ky., who managed Obama's 2004 U.S. Senate campaign.

During that campaign, Cauley says, "Everybody fought for his time. [But] he was adamant he got his workout time."

Even when the schedule was jam-packed. "His logic was always, 'The rest of my time will be more productive if you give me my workout time,'" Cauley tells WebMD. "I never worked out with him, but I can speak to his need for it."

The workout time got penned in, more often than not. "When he had a big moment in the campaign -- like a debate -- we always gave him time," Cauley says. "It was almost part of the debate preparation."

He kept up that same routine during his presidential bid and after he won the election. Last month, it was reported that he had gone to the gym for 90 minutes a day for at least 48 days straight.

Besides using fitness to stay in shape and help clear his head, Cauley thinks Obama saw it as valuable "alone" time, especially after he gave up driving himself to campaign events. "He had less time to himself," he says of those days after he had a driver. He thinks that made the workouts, especially the solo ones, even more precious.

The same seems true for the new first lady, Cauley says. "She used to get up early" to work out, he says. "The two of them are pretty methodical and very into working out." According to press reports, she gets in 90-minute workouts three times a week.

Obama Exercise Program: Obsessive or Not?

While some may wonder if the new president is a bit obsessive about his fitness, exercise experts say he's anything but, noting that he is following exercise guidelines.

Under current guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, adult Americans should strive for two and a half hours a week of moderate aerobic physical activity, and kids should get an hour or more of physical activity a day. The workouts should include not only cardio strengthening routines such as running, hiking, or brisk walking but also strength training for adults (such as weight lifting) and muscle strengthening for kids (such as rope climbing).

Less than 65% of adult Americans met those guidelines in 2007, according to a report published in December 2008 in the CDC's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.

Calling the Obamas' exercise program excessive is incorrect, says Angela Smith, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon at Children's Hospital, Philadelphia, and past president of the American College of Sports Medicine. She points out they both do a mix of activities. They not only follow the recommendations for the suggested time, but have well-rounded routines including cardio and strength training.

"If someone is doing push-ups for 90 minutes a day, that's excessive," she says.

"I think he has a really good exercise program, one we should all be on," says William O. Roberts, MD, professor of family medicine at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, of the new president's routine. Roberts, a member of the American College of Sports Medicine, considers exercise as medicine in his practice.

"It's the cheapest, easiest thing to do [to improve health]," he says.

Following the exercise guidelines produces not only health benefits but other advantages, especially for high-powered people, says Gregg Miele, a Beverly Hills, Calif., personal trainer who has worked for singer Mary J. Blige and numerous other entertainment industry people. "I've worked with an artist who wrote his music in his head when he ran," Miele says. He suspects that Obama uses his workout time to problem-solve as well.

Obama Exercise Program: Will Their Fitness Habit Rub Off?

Colleagues who work out with Obama say his enthusiasm helps get them revved up about exercise, too.

"His dedication to it has inspired me," says King, the Chicago lawyer who often shoots hoops with Obama, "and hopefully his example will inspire many Americans to pay great attention to their health and fitness."

Exercise experts are hopeful that will be the case, too.

"Like it or not, they are going to be role models," says Angela Smith. "The Obamas have an incredible opportunity to influence fitness among adults and children." A good thing, she says, given the obesity epidemic among U.S. youths.

At the very least, observing the first couple's fitness routine may put the time crunch dilemma into perspective for the rest of us, others say. That Obama kept up the exercise routine throughout the grueling campaign is impressive, says Jeannie Moloo, RD, a Sacramento, Calif., dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

Seeing the first couple manage to squeeze in exercise will be a wake-up call, she predicts. "It will make the rest of us wake up and say we don't have much room for excuses as far as the time factor goes."

Miele agrees. People may look at the ability of the Obamas to fit in workouts, consider how much less stressful their life is in comparison to the leader of the free world and his wife, and conclude: "Maybe I could find the time, too."

Obama Exercise Program: No Role Model Is Perfect

Part of the Obama appeal, say the experts, may be that they are not perfect role models. The new president has been known to sneak a cigarette or two, a bad habit he says he will give up.

"He's got to get that cigarette out of his mouth," says Roberts.

He's been seen eating a cheeseburger or two, although his post-workout snack has been described as trail mix washed down by organic tea.

If Moloo were counseling Obama, she would suggest he eat plenty of antioxidant-rich foods to counteract the tobacco use.

As for the cheeseburgers? In moderation, they're fine, she says.

Hunger Control: Women the Weaker Sex?

2009-01-21T12:12:00.001-05:00

From WebMD

Hunger Control: Women the Weaker Sex?

Women Less Able to Suppress Food Desire, Study Suggests

By Daniel J. DeNoon
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Jan. 20, 2009 -- Hungry women can't control their desire for food as well as hungry men can, a brain imaging study suggests.

The finding may explain why women are more prone to emotional eating and why women are less likely than men to lose weight while dieting.

"Women have a much stronger reaction to food, such that whether they try to inhibit their desire or not, they have stronger signal [in the part of the brain that controls hunger perception and desire to eat]," study leader Gene-Jack Wang, MD, tells WebMD.

Wang, chairman of the medical department of Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton in N.Y., and colleagues have been using state-of-the-art brain imaging to learn which parts of the brain are involved in eating behaviors.

They have previously shown that obese people are less able than others to sense when their stomachs are full. Recently, they have looked at what happens in the brain when a hungry person gets to see, smell, and taste -- but not eat -- favorite foods.

In some of these studies, they saw very strong signals in parts of the brain involved in emotional regulation and motivation. But in other studies, the signals weren't so strong. Wang suspected this might be because of differences between how men and women react to food.

So they tested 13 women and 10 men with PET brain scans. To make sure they were hungry, study participants fasted for 18 hours before scanning. And to make sure they were tempted, the researchers made the participants' favorite foods: bacon/egg/cheese sandwiches, cinnamon buns, pizza, cheeseburgers, fried chicken, lasagna, barbecued ribs, ice cream, brownies, and chocolate cake.

During scanning, participants were able to see and smell the food. They even got tastes, applied to their tongues with a cotton swab. To make sure they stayed tempted, researchers brought them new hot food every four minutes.

But subjects didn't get to eat until the 30-minute scans were completed, and only after they completed a quiz on their feelings of hunger, desire for food, and alertness.

Before their second round of scans, participants were asked to practice ignoring the food or shifting their thoughts away from it. During this phase of scanning, they were asked "to inhibit their desire for food and suppress their feelings of hunger."

That worked pretty well for the men. Their brain scans showed much less hunger-related activity when they tried to suppress their desire for food.

That didn't happen for the women, at least not as a group. Although some women were better than some men at suppressing food desire, overall the women's brains showed just as much hunger-related activity when they tried to hold down their desire.

Are the findings plausible? WebMD asked Rexford S. Ahima, MD, PhD, director of the obesity center at the University of Pennsylvania's Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism. Ahima is an expert in the brain circuits responsible for feeding behavior and body weight regulation.

"More and more we see there is a structural basis for why we eat the way we do. Maybe our brains are hardwired to predetermine the way we eat," Ahima says. "The interesting thing about the Wang study is that when they present food to people and ask them to consciously inhibit the urge to eat, men are better able to do it than women."

Ahima notes that the study only shows men to be better at inhibiting their brains' response to food. But can men really resist emotional eating better than women can? That, he says, will have to be tested directly.

Sex Hormones May Affect Hunger

Why do men's and women's brains respond differently? Wang and Ahima suspect that female sex hormones play a major role.

"There is a link between female hormones tending to promote weight gain and overeating," Ahima says. "There are some women who tend to binge eat in synch with their menstrual cycles. And look at pregnancy -- it makes some women overeat, but some do not. So while there may be overall differences in terms of gender, this may differ for individuals."

Wang suggests that women may have evolved to seek food more avidly than men do.

"There could be evolutionary needs for that, because women have a very important mission: They have to carry the baby," Wang says. "And for most of human history, you could never get enough food to eat. Now that's no longer a problem in developed countries -- but now this brain circuit is a problem when we are surrounded by attractive, high-calorie foods."

The solution, Wang says, is for people who find themselves unable to control their eating to keep filling, low-calorie foods close at hand.

"Our lifestyle now is so much different from that of our grandparents," Wang says. "Our jobs and our living status is very stressful. So when we see food we eat it, because we want to do something to compensate for our problems. Inhibition control is very important -- but if you can't have it, surround yourself with nutritious foods."

Wang's study appears in the Jan. 15 early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Biggest Loser update...

2009-01-21T11:24:00.001-05:00

Some weeks, you can see it coming... You know what is going to be the outcome before it happens. THIS week was NOT one of those weeks! I honestly figured it was going to be Joelle going home! And, when it came down to it, the two below the yellow line were Joelle (silver team) and Damien (red team). Joelle had been asked point blank "do you want to be here in the house?" and she stalled and couldn't answer. The answer was obviously NO. She did not want to be there and this last two weeks made that clear. Damien very clearly wants to be there and has been working hard to bring his partner/fiance back after next week. But, when they went to vote, some of them still voted for Damien. It was a tie. And, as he had the lowest weight loss percentage for the week, he got the boot. In their clips of him and his fiance and how they are doing so far, he and she both looked great! They were having their engagement announcement pics taken and they looked healthy and very happy. I bet they make one heck of a showing at the finale!

New Kay's Products--$10 only through Sunday!

2009-01-21T09:49:00.003-05:00

Just a reminder that the 4 new Kay's Naturals products are only on sale thru this coming Sunday!! Get a case of these 4 new items for just $10 each. Normally, $15 (with a suggested retail price of $19) for a case of 12 bags. That is a wonderful savings and a great time to try these new items!

The new items include:
hazelnut sweet protein chips
almond delight protein crisps
original flavor protein pretzels
sweet BBQ snack mix

And, don't forget that 20% discount code! You can save 20% off of your Kay's Naturals orders by using the discount code minichallenge when you go to checkout!

Stalls--How they work... What can you do??

2009-01-20T18:25:00.005-05:00

In a current discussion over in the OH mini-challenge group, we're discussing stalls and what causes them and what you can do about them. I dug up this older post of mine from our YahooGroup and thought I'd share it here since it wasn't already here!

Stalls...
This is one of the truths of WLS journeys... You have the surgery and leave the hospital expecting to just melt away the pounds. Well, sometimes exactly that happens. But, not usually. Most of us experience several stalls along the way. Some lose slower just because they started out lighter and had less to lose. Others lose slowly despite starting at 300+ pounds. There is just no way to predict how you'll lose. It is, for this very reason, SO important that you measure your body! I just wish I'd measured before surgery so I knew where I truly started out. I had already lost 40 pounds by the time I measured! Who knows how many inches 40 pounds on a 410 pound body could have been!

You lose weight sort of like descending a stairway in a skyscraper...
You go down a couple of flights and then you hit a landing where you turn and prepare to go down some more. At some landings, there are doors to leave the stairway and stray from your path. The trick is knowing that you don't have to go through that door and that by just staying on the path, things will continue as they are supposed to. Many people hit a stall (or landing!) and just because they are not losing weight, they let their eating habits stray a bit and maybe eat things that they shouldn't and thereby stall even longer. Those that stick to their plan and don't stray eventually pick up and take off on the losing again. Too often though, someone who is at a stall takes the time to start logging their food/water/protein info and finds that part of the stall is their own fault! They are not eating enough or are eating too much of things they shouldn't. They are often not getting in enough liquids and protein each day. Then, when they adjust for those things, the losing takes off again!

For me, I lost 24 pounds preop on a 1000 calorie/100 carb diet to shrink my liver. I was not required to lose even one pound, but I wasn't allowed to gain even one pound either or they cancel your surgery and put you on a diet! How's THAT for incentive to do your best? So, 24 pounds down by surgery day put me at 386. I left the hospital at 391 thanks to IV fluids. Even starting out that heavy, at 2 mos postop, I was only down 40 more pounds and I stalled for two weeks. I did what SO many do--I freaked out! What if that was it? What if I never lost another pound? OMG!! Then, all of a sudden, I lost 5 pounds and it started again. By 4 mos out, I was down 100 pounds. Then I stalled for THREE weeks! And this continued. I would lose for a couple of weeks and then stall for a couple. By 7 mos out, I was losing only 4 to 8 pounds in an average month and some months lost only the week after my period. BUT, I lost 100 pounds in 2006 and 105 in 2007. I hope to lose at least 20 in 2008 and STAY at 185ish with no true hope of plastics to take care of this excess skin. If at some point in the future I can manage some plastics, I may eventually see a weight closer to the "normal" range for me (122 to 159 is the normal BMI for me). But, I'll be happy--truly happy--at any weight that starts with a ONE!

FOLLOW-UP, Jan 2009:
The above post was written in January 2008. I hoped to lose 20 pounds in 2008. I did not. I am still, all these many months later, maintaining between 202 and 207. Am I okay with it? Yes and no... Yes, if I can stay at this weight range for the rest of my life (without plastics), and not do so via vigorous diet methods, then I am happy. I look and feel TONS better! But, if I am unable to maintain and stay here for the long haul, then I am not sure what I'll do. I wonder at times if my stoma isn't stretched as I know I can eat more than I expected to be able to... But, I"ve not pursued that in any way at all either. I eat sensibly. I get my protein and liquids in. I'm not doing a huge amount of exercise. Some days, I must admit that I didn't exercise at all other than taking the stairs and parking farther out, etc. But, even when I do pursue a period of regular exercise, it seems to make no real difference and I seem to stay in this same old weight range. I go as high as 212 to 214 once in a while the week before my period, so I know that it is probably water weight and munchies that I can try and blame on good ole' aunt flow. But, I also know that the munchies thing is in my control too. It seems that the weight just suddenly disappears a couple days after my period ends though, so I've not really stressed over it either. What can I do? Not much other than sticking to the rules for the most part. What should I do? Kick my own ass in gear and start exercising regularly and being religious about my daily food plan. Will I? Probably not.... And, I blame part of this complacency on the fact that I can maintain by just doing what I am doing... Ugh! I hope it lasts!

Recipe: Butter Pecan Cookies with Protein

2009-01-18T16:26:00.003-05:00

This recipe is a revision of my oatmeal/choco chip/pecan cookies with protein. (click that to see that recipe!) Both recipes are a revised version of Quaker's Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies recipe that is found on the inside of the lid of a tub of Quaker oats! These butter pecan cookies are yummo and NO one can tell they are not a sugary cookie! Granted, they are not sugar free, but they are lower sugar and totally yummy!

Butter Pecan Cookies with Protein
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) margarine (I use light Blue Bonnet)
3/4 cup brown sugar (not Splenda brown sugar, just brown sugar--I've already changed it!)
1 1/2 cups granulated Splenda
3 eggs OR 3/4 cup egg substitute
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup almond flour
2 scoops Unjury unflavored protein powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 to 1 tsp salt
4 cups oats
11 oz bag butterscotch baking chips OR 1 cup butterscotch chips and 1 cup chocolate chips
6 oz bag chopped pecans (about 1 1/2 cups)

Blend the margarine, brown sugar and the Splenda. Then add the eggs and vanilla and mix again. In a separate bowl, combine the flours, protein powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix those really well and then add to the wet mixture. Mix well. Then stir in the baking chips and nuts. Once those are well distributed, add the oats but add like 3 cups and then add more till you get a nice thick mix that isn't terribly wet. It usually takes 4 cups, but I've used as little as 3 1/2.

These bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes. Store in cookie jar, tin, or just a rubbermaid or tupperware bowl with lid. This recipe makes about 40-48 large cookies (2 1/2 to 3" in diameter). Each cookie is about 150 calories, 18 carbs (2 fiber) and about 4 grams of protein when computed using pecans as the nuts.

NOTE: If you choose to make these cookies withOUT the protein powder, you must add in 1/2 cup of flour (of your choice) to make this recipe work! If you don't have the almond flour, you can use another flour (spelt, whole wheat, etc) or use another scoop of protein powder and 1/4 cup more all purpose flour.

Tips for Limiting Desserts/Sweets/Treats

2009-01-15T11:30:00.001-05:00

Tips for Limiting Desserts

· When you have a sweet craving, try either chewing a piece of fruit flavored sugar free gum or drinking a 20 oz bottle of water.

· I was scared to give up sweets because I was QUITTING something. But I turned the negative of quitting into a positive. I am ADDING the habit of having one dessert per week.

· When you crave a dessert or sweet treat, try brushing your teeth. Something about the act of brushing and the minty flavor of toothpaste is supposed to tell you that it's not time to eat – plus candy or chocolate or whatever it is you want to snack on won't taste half as good with that minty flavor in your mouth!

· Besides not buying treats (they are too tempting and my family gets enough other places without needing them at home), when I am winding my day down I will make myself a large cup of herbal tea. It takes me a while to drink it (because it is hot), I am getting flavor in my mouth (I now have a huge stash of tea varieties), and it counts toward my water consumption. I have found that I really look forward to sipping my tea, and I can watch some TV or read a book and not feel guilty that I am consuming mindless calories.

· I have a piece of paper on my refrigerator and every time I have a craving, I write it down. The deal is that on Sunday I can pick one thing from the list to eat in moderation IF I STILL WANT IT. I usually find that after a few hours the thrill is gone, and I can make a reasonable decision for a treat on Sunday. It's funny, but most of the time once I write the craving on the paper I can usually forget about it.

· What helped me is that I planned which days I would have a dessert. I am trying to focus on asking myself which dessert do I want to have on Saturday instead of focusing on what I am saying no to at the moment.

· Remember the Three Ds: DRINK (preferably water); DIVERT (take your mind off food); and DELAY (wait 15 minutes).

Compiled by member of the YahooGroup NoExcuseWorkOutSupport

Join NoExcuseWorkOutSupport Now!

Kay's Naturals--4 brand new products--$10/case!

2009-01-14T17:14:00.003-05:00

Kay's Naturals just introduced 4 brand NEW products! All 4 are gluten-free too! They include the following:
BBQ flavor snack mix
original protein pretzels
almond protein chips
hazelnut protein chips

AND, to kick off the addition of these yummy new products, they are offering them all for $10 per case of 12 bags! No coupons or codes are necessary! Just click over and order those babies!

Don't forget that you can get 20% off of Kay's products using the discount code minichallenge during checkout!

Snacking, carbs, and more...

2009-01-14T11:41:00.002-05:00

I actually had this post written and was in the process of posting it when my connection hiccuped and it was lost entirely! SO, we'll start again! LOL Well, not really laughing if you know what I mean... Grrrrr!

Over on the OH mini-challenge group, we've been chatting about some things we'd like to do better at... One of those things is snacking. But, we must remember that all "snacks" are not true "snacking" as when it is a part of a daily eating plan, it isn't a bad thing! If you plan your day so that you are eating 3 "meals" and 2 or 3 "snacks," then your snack is not what we are talking about. What we are struggling with is that dreaded snacking/munching/grazing that so many of us (postop or not!) fall into in those inactive hours before bedtime each evening. You crash on the couch to watch your favorite TV show or you snuggle up in a cozy chair to read a few pages of that book you're reading and as you sit there, you suddenly find that you are hungry. Now you are not usually truly "hungry" in the my-body-needs-nourishment sense of the word. It is more a struggle with head hunger and old habits... Many people (overweight, skinny, old, young, ANYONE) get in the habit of having something to munch on while doing these relaxed activities... We get out a box of cookies and pour a nice cold glass of milk while watching a movie. We munch on nuts or crackers (or both!) while reading that suspense story. It is easy to make a habit of these things. Then, when we are trying to lose weight, we have to deal with those habits and whether we are eating because we truly need food OR because we just want to... For some, it IS true hunger. Perhaps they need to build a healthy, solid snack into their eating plan to compensate for a long period of time between dinner and bedtime. For others, it is just that powerful head hunger that screams at you to GO get those crackers! GO get that glass of milk and cookies. It is what we do when we do this activity! You work so hard to change those habits and replace them with something healthy. And, for some folks that will be harder than others and they'll need to replace or change the activity itself and not just address the hunger issues. Maybe instead of sitting and watching TV, they plug a few minutes of cardio into their evening. Watch TV from the treadmill or the ab lounger instead of the couch! Go for a walk around the neighborhood instead of reading... You get the point here! GO and DO something instead of sitting there letting your brain tell you to eat! Otherwise, make sure you have some solid snack foods in the house to grab when these cravings hit! Carrot sticks and yogurt dip... Chopped up pieces of a protein bar (instead of those cookies!)... Soy crisps and bean dip instead of potato chips and ranch dip... Beef jerky, nuts, etc. There are healthy choices out there. You just have to plan to keep those items and make them readily available!

Carbs... That is another topic lately. We asked the group what carbs they eat. We did not mean to ask how many carbs they eat as in 50 grams per day or whatever. We meant what foods, specifically, do they allow themself where carbohydrates are concerned. In general, folks tell you things like veggies, fruits and beans. BUT, there are far too many of us who've let the OTHER carbs sneak back into our diet and, for some of us, it is even on a daily basis... What did you eat too much of before you began your journey to a healthy weight? Was it pasta? Were you a big bread eater? Did you have a deadly sweet tooth? Have these items found their way back into your postop life to the point of what you think of as "excess" of what they should be?

The biggest problem with carbs is that carbs beget carbs. The more carbs you eat, the more you crave them. And, don't forget that when the body processes the carbs into glycogen, it stores the glycogen in water. This means that for every 300 or so grams of carbs you eat and your body stores, you also gain 3 to 5 pounds of water weight... This is why you can see a very rapid weight loss of 3 to 5 pounds in just a day or two of carb-purging! Your body burns those glycogen stores and the water goes with it!

So, what is a "healthy" carb? The only good carb is a complex carb. For breads, tortillas, crackers and such, be sure to seek out the best whole-grain version you can find and look for low-carb options. Look for breads and tortillas with added fiber--the fiber carbs don't count! Same goes for pasta--find a good whole-wheat product such as the Barilla Plus pastas or Dreamfields... Both are available locally at Krogers stores and many other grocery chains.

If you must eat chips, go for things like soy crisps and protein enriched chips such as the protein chips from Kay's Naturals. And don't forget that 20% discount either! Kay's will give you 20% off all items ordered if you use the code minichallenge during checkout!

Veggies--there are better choices there too... Broccoli, squash, brussel sprouts, artichokes, asparagus, leeks, etc., are better choices than things like peas, corn and carrots. If you just can't live without your potatoes, consider sweet potatoes.

Fruits--The thing you've got to remember with fruits is that they are full of sugar. Yes, it is NATURAL sugar, but it is sugar just the same. Be very careful! Eat small portions till you know you can handle the particular fruit. I know that the first time I tried pineapple after my WLS, I dumped and I dumped HARD! But, now--2+ years later, I can eat them with no issues... Orange juice (even fresh squeezed) will send me over the dumping edge in a heartbeat, but I can eat a nice, large Navel orange or other piece of citrus fruit with no issues. Trial and error...

Beans, legumes, and nuts are other complex carb foods. They are healthy and usually full of fiber. They can be fatty foods too though, so some folks will dump from the fat content. This makes them another food to start carefully and watch for reactions.

The best advice I can give you on diet is to write it down. If you can't put your finger on where the problem may lie, the best tactic to take is to journal everything you put in your mouth for at least a week. You can be shocked to find out that you are eating a lot more (or less) than you thought. And don't forget that too little food can stall your weight loss just as quick and easy as too much food or the wrong kinds of food! If you are active and burning calories while not eating enough, your body will rebel and hold on to every little morsel you give it sometimes!

One habit at a time...

2009-01-14T10:56:00.002-05:00

One habit at a time... That is the subject of the most recent newsletter from Calorie Count. They talk about working on keeping those New Year's resolutions and how tough it can be to stick it out for the whole year. The biggest point they make is that perhaps working on ALL of your resolutions at one time is not the best or most successful way to go about it. Perhaps you should work on changing ONE habit at a time. For example, if you resolved to lose weight and quit smoking, trying to do both at the same time (or at least trying to start both at the same time) will probably not work well. Whereas if you work on one for a while before attempting to start the other, you may have better luck in the end on accomplishing both.

If your goal is to exercise more often and lose more weight, perhaps work on building the better exercise habits before you begin to address your diet and food habits to address the weight loss goals. Get the exercise plan put firmly in place and THEN look more closely at your diet and eating habits. With the exercise system worked out, the results of adjustments to your diet will be seen much more quickly! And, you won't have reason to say "maybe if I were exercising more..." as that will already be taken care of! Then, you can focus more on the quality of your diet, journaling what you eat, and getting to the root of any dietary issues you need to address...

Lane Bryant Cheque--$50 off, free shipping on orders over $100

2009-01-14T10:39:00.003-05:00

I will start sharing these here since so many folks never sign up for their coupon emails... Lane Bryant's most recent $50 gift cheque is up! CLICK HERE to go to their site and print one! It is good for $50 off of a $150 order, $25 off of a $75 order or $75 off of a $225 order.

They also have a special going on right now that gives you free shipping off of a $100 order. For that special, use promo code 006955823 during checkout!

One for the Girls... LOL

2009-01-09T11:40:00.000-05:00

One for the girls

Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord
my shape to keep.

Please no wrinkles, Please no bags

And please lift my butt before it sags.

Please no age spots, Please no gray

And as for my belly, Please take it away.

Please keep me healthy, Please keep me young,

And thank you Dear Lord, For all that you've done.

Five tips for a woman....
1. It is important that a man helps you around the house and has a job.
2. It is important that a man makes you laugh
3. It is important to find a man you can count on and doesn't lie to You.
4. It is important that a man loves you and spoils you.
5. It is important that these four men don't know each other!

Foot Note:
One saggy boob said to the other saggy boob:
'If we don't get some support soon, people will think we're nuts'

*Send this to five bright, funny women you know and make their day!!!

New Season of The Biggest Loser

2009-01-08T16:27:00.002-05:00

Tuesday night, NBC aired the first show of the newest season of The Biggest Loser. This year's format is a bit different. They started out as couples--husband/wife, brothers, friends, etc. But, not only did they vote a couple off this week, but they also sent home half of all the other teams. Each team sent a member home and if the member who remained on campus is still there after 30 days, then that home-bound member gets to return. So, the folks who remained on campus are working their butts off (literally) in order to bring their partner back... Could be interesting!

I also read that one member of the brown team had RNY surgery but gained all his weight back.

Special from BariatricEating.com--$10 off $75 order

2009-01-04T15:04:00.001-05:00

GOOD ONLY THROUGH MONDAY JANUARY 5TH!!

From BariatricEating.com emailed special:

Save Ten dollars, get back on track!

The BE protein train leaves on January 5… do you have what you need for a protein decarb? Do you have what it takes? Let’s rock this program and lose weight together. Watch this week’s email for your FREE downloadable BariatricEating.com Food Journal.

Just go to our website (www.BariatricEating.com), add a minimum of $75 worth of product to your shopping bag , then use code BACKONTRACK (in the “Apply Coupon” block) to take TEN DOLLARS off your $75 order!

It’s Easy!

See you on the BE protein train!
BariatricEating.com

Ten dollar discount valid with minimum $75 order. Offer ends Monday January 5, 2009 - Internet and phone orders only, not valid on prior purchases. To receive discount, you must enter coupon code during checkout.

Chike Nutrition special for Jan/Feb--Buy One/Get one at 50% off!

2009-01-02T10:47:00.003-05:00

Just clicked over to the Chike site and saw that they have a New Year's special running! Buy one 3 lb container and get the second at 50% off! What a bargain!! Discount code is save50 to get the 50% off your second container. I've tried their chocolate and their vanilla and both were yummy! If you haven't tried their products yet, this would be a great time to do so. If you have and liked them, this would be a great time to stock up! Flavors available include: chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, banana, and orange cream!

Living the Postop WLS Life in an everyday (non-op or preop) world...

2008-12-28T19:49:00.001-05:00

This last week or two has been a long time of temptation for those of us who are postop from WLS and trying to walk the straight and narrow path... For many postops, the straight and narrow is a strict, low carb and high protein diet. Some folks refuse to allow themself even 30 grams of carbs per day. Others lose their weight and begin to live life as a "normal" person. This means eating a well balanced diet of 2000 or less calories per day and exercising somewhat regularly. It means taking whatever vitamins and supplements their new insides make necessary in order to remain "normal" and healthy.

So, when we attend holiday parties and family gatherings where for many folks it is all about the food and tasting all the delightful goodies put out on the table, it can be hard! For those who sternly regulate their carb intake,it can be even harder as soooooo many of the goodies we see put out are sweets and carb-laden foods. So, you either just plain refuse to eat or even taste those items, or you teach yourself to try just a bit of this and that AFTER you eat your protein!

In the "real world" of non-ops, this can sometimes earn you funny looks and questions you don't want to deal with. "Oh come on, try just a taste!" "One little bite won't hurt!" "Why won't you try any of this great stuff?" And, even after you say no sometimes, they just won't let it drop. If these are the kind of things that bother you, be armed with comebacks! "Sorry, I ate before I came..." Or, perhaps, "I'd rather try these yummy shrimp/ham/whatever..." Have a line ready to give them rather than finding yourself standing there trying to come up with something to get them to move on... It really is none of their business, but you know how the world can be!

Christmas is gone for another year... New Year's resolutions?

2008-12-28T11:50:00.001-05:00

Christmas has come and gone for 2008. Another year has almost passed as well. Just another few days and we'll be ringing in the New Year--2009! What will the year bring for you? Are you making any New Year's resolutions this year? Will one of them once again be to get back on track and lose weight? Or, has your journey brought you past that point now?

I know that I am happy at this point in my journey. No, my weight is not quite where I'd like it to be and I've never reached my goal of 185 pounds. But, I saw Dr. Stickler the other day in his lobby and he gave me a great big hug and said, "Well, you look like you're keeping the weight off!" Wow, how great does that feel to hear after being 410 pounds?? AWESOME, I tell you...just awesome! I mentioned that we were getting different/new health insurance after Jan 1 and that I was hoping that at some point in the future, I'd have insurance to cover a tummy tuck and get rid of that 5 or more pounds of skin... He said, "Oh, those are just the finishing touches..."

I guess that got me to thinking again about where I am and where I've been. He is right. They ARE just finishing touches. I can (and will) live without them. I will love getting that skin removed at some point in the hopefully not so distant future, but I will not fret over it while I still have it. Heck, getting that skin lopped off will involve a painful recovery AND the need to once again buy clothes as I know I will go down one or maybe even two pants sizes with that change!

So, I guess my only new year's resolutions this year will be to continue to eat healthfully, try to exercise a bit more, and just enjoy life! We could all do that a bit more!

Review: Oh Yeah Vanilla Creme RTD Shake

2008-12-25T13:07:00.004-05:00

Remember that this review is written by someone who hardly EVER likes a protein drink/shake product!

On Tuesday, I stopped by my surgeon's office to pick up something our support group leader left for me. When I get by there, which is not very often these days, I try to remember to check out his protein selection and look to see if he has anything new in the shoppe. Well, this time he did! And, I picked up a couple items to try. Item one was a ready-to-drink (RTD) protein shake made by Oh Yeah.
Not only do they sell them, but they also have a drink cooler and offer them pre-chilled for folks in the gym. So, I grabbed one of the cold ones and figured I could go ahead and try it as I headed out to finish my shopping. The stats looked pretty good. Just needed to pass a taste test.

32 grams of protein in this little 14 oz drink? Heck yeah! I asked the receptionist if she'd tried it before and she said, "Yeah, and I liked it a lot better than I did the Muscle Milk." Well, I didn't care much for the Muscle Milk RTD, so that sounded promising! I paid the lady and hit the road.

I had my daughter with me (mom to the worlds' greatest grandbaby), and we tried it together. It tasted like a thin vanilla milkshake. Even she liked it! I did not discern any real protein-y aftertaste either. 14 ozs is totally finishable even for someone just 3 or 4 months postop! In case that pic above is hard for you to read, one bottle is one serving.
Per serving numbers:
calories: 220
fat: 9 grams (1.5 sat, no trans)
total carbs: 4 grams (1 gram fiber, 3 grams sugar)
protein: a whopping 32 grams!

This was tasty. It was ice cold and refreshing too. I would definitely buy this one again. I will probably look somewhere else to purchase as doc's prices are usually a bit more than say GNC as he offers these items for convenience. It is also available in a chocolate milkshake flavor. I'm not huge on chocolate RTDs, so I may or may not try that one!

From the ISS website at http://ohyeahnutrition.com/rtd.php

The Best Tasting, Premium Quality Ready To Drink, Period.

Portable nutrition at the highest level, the OhYeah!^® RTD delivers a pure and natural taste profile because it is made with fresh diafiltered milk. This high quality, clean taste wasn’t achieved with loads of sugar, preservatives or fat as the OhYeah!^® RTD has only 3 grams of sugar and is lactose free. So delight your senses with 32 grams protein and flavors that will make you say…OhYeah!^® It’s That Good^®.

Available at health and vitamin stores, gyms and retailers nationwide.

Nutrition Facts

Product Name: Oh Yeah RTD Vanilla Creme Protein Drink

Product Type (meal replacement, protein bar, snack, etc): meal replacement, protein shake

Where Can I Get/Find It? not sure locally, perhaps GNC PLUS several online retailers

Cost: single bottle is in the $3.49 to $3.69 each range, case of 12 is roughly $33 to $38

Pros: tastes great, ready to drink so makes a good "cooler" item but can store at room temp till opening, great to take to work and keep in fridge for a meal in a pinch, 32 whopping grams of protein in a 14 oz serving, lactose free for those postops who can't tolerate milk

Cons: a bit pricey for some at roughly $3 per serving

Overall Rating: Yeah Baby! I'll definitely buy this one again!

Merry Christmas One and All!

2008-12-25T10:40:00.003-05:00

Kay's Naturals Update--Cinnamon Toast Pretzels BACK and better than before!

2008-12-25T10:30:00.002-05:00

If you're a fan of Kay's Naturals and their Cinnamon Toast Pretzel Sticks, you will be pleased to hear that they are FINALLY back in stock! Kay's also announced that they are now Gluten Free! That is a big plus for those looking for gluten free and protein rich snacks. Kay's is also offering a 20% discount for the holidays. That discount code is "happyholidays" and is good through December 28th. Of course you can still use the code "minichallenge" after Dec 28th to continue to get 20% off all products! For more information OR to order some yummy Kay's goodies, click over to http://www.kaysbariatric.com/shopping

181 down, 19 to go!

2008-12-25T10:15:00.000-05:00

So, I noticed today that my blog has 181 posts since I started... That means that in just 19 more post, I'll hit 200 posts! Let's see how close I can get before Jan 1st!

What can I post about? LOL

Oh, I tried a new ready-to-drink (RTD) protein shake the other day. I can review that. I've got a note about a beloved Kay's product that I need to share... We'll see what else I come up with!

Recipe: FRANK'S® REDHOT® BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

2008-12-21T12:02:00.002-05:00

A member of our local support group brought this dip to our holiday party. It was yummy! And, it is flavorful while still being good for us! A dip with lots of protein--always a winner! This could be eaten with a spoon if you were in the pureed stage... She used chicken breast she cooked herself and then shredded instead of the canned chicken. I am doing the same thing today! I boiled the chicken breasts the other night (boneless, skinless) while preparing dinner. After they cooled, I put them in a ziploc baggie and put it in the fridge. When I make this dip today, I'll just shred that chicken and use it! The chicken breast was on sale for $1.99 a pound, so I got a pound of chicken for $2 instead of one can for a bit more, while needing two cans! I also think that I'll add some shredded cheese on top before baking...

FRANK'S® REDHOT® BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP
Servings: 3 1/2 cups dip | Prep Time: 5 min. | Cook Time: 20 min.

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup FRANK'S® REDHOT® Buffalo Wing Sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cans (9.75 oz. each) SWANSON® White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast
in Water, drained

DIRECTIONS:

1.HEAT oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir until smooth.
2.MIX in salad dressing, Frank's RedHot Sauce and cheese. Stir in chicken.
3.BAKE 20 min. or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish as desired. Serve with crackers or vegetables.

Tips:
1.Microwave Directions: Prepare as above. Place in microwave-safe dish. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 5 min. until hot, stirring halfway through cooking.
2.Tips: You may substitute 2 cups shredded cooked chicken.
3.Slow Cooker Method: Combine ingredients as directed above. Place mixture into small slow cooker. Cover pot. Heat on HIGH setting for 1 1/2 hours until hot and bubbly or on LOW setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Stir.
4.Tailgating Tip: Prepare dip ahead and place in heavy disposable foil pan. Place pan on grill and heat dip until hot and bubbly.

Rules of Christmas Cookies and Surviving Christmas While Dieting

2008-12-21T10:39:00.003-05:00

First, a funny bit...

Chistmas Cookie Rules

If you eat a Christmas cookie fresh out of the oven, it has no calories because everyone knows that the first cookie is the test and thus calorie free.

If you drink a diet soda after eating your second cookie, it also has no calories because the diet soda cancels out the cookie calories (water has the same properties here).

If a friend comes over while you're making your Christmas cookies and needs to sample, you must sample with your friend. Because your friend's first cookie is calorie free, rule #1 is yours also. It would be rude to let your friend sample alone and, being the friend that you are, that makes your cookie calorie free, as well.

Any cookie calories consumed while walking around will fall to your feet and eventually fall off as you move. This is due to gravity and the density of the caloric mass.

Any calories consumed during the frosting of The Christmas cookies will be used up because it takes many calories to lick excess frosting from a knife without cutting your tongue.

Cookies colored red or green have very few calories. Red ones have three and green ones have five - one calorie for each letter. (Make more red ones!)

Cookies eaten while watching "Miracle on 34th Street" have NO calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel.

As always, cookie "pieces" contain no calories because the process of breaking causes calorie leakage.

Any cookies consumed from someone else's plate have no calories since the calories rightfully belong to the other person and will cling to their plate. (We all know how calories like to CLING!)

Any cookies consumed while feeling stressed have no calories because cookies used for medicinal purposes NEVER have calories. (It's a rule!)

Now, with the funny part out of the way...
Dieting during the holidays takes on new meaning after WLS. We all know "the reason for the season," but Christmas is often just one long feast! We get gifts of goodies from friends, neighbors and coworkers. We attend parties and get-togethers where there is a mile-long buffet table of not the greatest food choices. And, to top it all off, you have a huge holiday meal on or about Christmas day followed a week later by yet another chance to feast at New Year's dinner or on New Year's eve while out celebrating with friends/family. It is no longer about just not overindulging. It is also about finding items that make good food choices on the average party platter or buffet.

ALWAYS go for protein first! This will come in many, many forms on buffets! Good sources to look for are things like shrimp (usually put out for cocktail), meat and cheese that can be rolled up without the crackers or bread that some folks will choose to accompany it, meatballs, chicken wings, and more. These are all common party finger foods these days and great sources of protein.

Always be careful to look for hidden sugars though. Meatballs, for example, might be in a brown gravy (good) OR they might be in a sugary barbecue sauce (could be bad!). If they are in a sauce that you are concerned about, just try one meatball and wait... Then, see how you feel in a few minutes. Dumping can be a fast reaction. I've personally dumped on 1 teaspoon of regular barbecue sauce drizzled over lean, smoked beef! No way it was anything else! The beef sure wasn't the culprit!

Recently, I've attended several gatherings where there were numerous hot dip items that were also good sources of protein. One yummy one was a buffalo chicken dip that I'll post a recipe for in my next post. YUMMY!! Another was a multi-layer Mexican dish that was refried beans, cheese, olives and more. Both of those items could be good choices for even an early postop as they were something even someone on pureed foods could do!

The key here is to remember your protein sources--meats, cheeses, beans, nuts and such. Then, once you've filled your pouch with protein, if you are able, you might try a bite or two of those other items that you just want a taste of to soothe that savage craving you've had since arriving at the gathering and seeing some of the items on the buffet! Perhaps try Susan Maria's 3 bite rule! It goes like this:

The 3 Bite Rule--
The first bite is to get a good taste.
The second bite is to verify it was as good as you thought it would be.
The third bite is your last bite, so savor it.

I try to follow this rule when trying things like stuffing, potatoes, carb-heavy casseroles, sweets, and other things that I know may either make me sick or just plain make me feel bad that I caved in and ate them... And, as long as I wait till after I've eaten my protein for the meal, I can't eat too much of that stuff anyway!

SparkPeople has an article up now about dieting during Christmas... Check it out!

I will admit that this year--over two years postop, was the first holiday season when I felt comfortable making my normal Christmas goodies and knowing that I could make them without eating much of them. I made my family fudge recipe. I made the decorated sugar cookies that I made every year for over 10 years till I had my surgery. And, I will admit that I ate a cookie! I ate some fudge crumbs as I cut it up for the gift boxes. I can make the goodies that my family and friends love and enjoy without feeling deprived...without eating them till it makes me sick... And, I get a lot of joy from giving those items to folks who can eat them in limitation and enjoy them sensibly. And, to soothe some of the folks who can't tolerate the sugar, I even included my Splenda pumpkin cake baked as mini-muffins!

Wow, 25 years just around the corner...

2008-12-18T11:26:00.002-05:00

While chatting with a friend from high school via email last night, I realized that our 25 year high school reunion will be summer of 2010. He still lives in the area where we grew up. He's actually an elementary school principal there. I'm a teacher here in WV. During this conversation, it dawned on me that the last time I saw these people, I was at pretty much my highest weight ever--410 pounds! They saw me graduate high school at about 275 pounds in 1985 and then "grow" over the next several years till 1998 when I moved away from that area. I was probably about 375 or so then... Now, after my RNY, I am about 202 to 205 most days and am so much healthier and more active than ever before. What a trip it will be to attend that reunion and see all those jaws drop!! WOW!!

Win Free Stuff!! Give us your favorite WLS friendly recipe!

2008-11-25T10:41:00.003-05:00

I'm still gathering those recipes!! Any recipe you've got that is a good suggestion for a WLS postop is welcome!

Desserts, main dishes, side dishes...YOU NAME IT!!

Anyone who shares a recipe (You can post a comment and list it there! OR, email it to me at wlsrecipes@yahoo.com) will be entered in a drawing for a box of goodies--protein samples, a protein shaker cup, product samples of other items, etc. And, when it is ready, you get a free copy of the cookbook too! It will be worth your time!! SO, share away folks!! Remember, it does not have to be suited to a very early postop person's eating ability! We're looking for things that are good food choices for someone who is postop at most any stage of the game...

WLS Cookbook

2008-11-19T20:23:00.002-05:00

I'm in the process of compiling a cookbook for my county's 4-H
program... It got me to thinking that I'd like to do a WLS cookbook.
But, I need recipes!! I've been saving recipes for over 2 years now,
but it is just the tip of the iceberg! I need more! This cookbook
would be made available to anyone who'd like to purchase it--locally or
otherwise. And, I'd LOVE to include lots of recipes from our local and not-so-local
postops! Each recipe can list the contributor, so you'd get credit for
submitting it too!

I need ALL SORTS of recipes!
protein rich stuff
entrees
side dishes
desserts
shakes/drinks/

smoothies
dips
snacks
YOU NAME IT!!

Simple or not so simple...suitable for early postops OR those farther
out--any and all recipes are welcome! Low carb...high protein...good
source of fiber...if you eat it, we want that recipe!!

Please consider sending them in! Send them to me at
wlsrecipes@yahoo.com (created specifically for this project!) and I'll
put your name in the drawing I have going on right now for a box of
protein and snack goodies! (view info on current giveaway) I'm also going to put
together a basket full of other goodies--handcrafted soaps, body
products, and more. This basket will not be drawn for till the project
is complete, so ANYONE who sends a recipe will get an entry in that
drawing. One drawing entry per recipe--however many you'd like to
send! Then, when the cookbook is ready, we'll draw a few names to win a
free copy!!

What to send:
Recipe Name
Ingredients
Directions
Nutrition Facts (if you have them!)
Any notes about things you change or alternate, etc...

I will be working on this for a while yet. Send something now and then,
as you come across others, pass them on too!!
Thanks for your help and participation!!
Lea

Click to submit your recipe!
wlsrecipes@yahoo.com

Reminder: Kay's Naturals ALWAYS 20% OFF and NEW Kay's products coming soon!!

2008-11-18T12:14:00.004-05:00

Quite a while back, I got Kay's Naturals to give all my readers a 20% product discount... All you have to do is shop their site at
http://www.kaysbariatric.com/
Then, after you shop and place the items you want in your shopping cart, use the discount code minichallenge during the checkout process.

By the way--the cinnamon toast pretzels which have been out of stock for quite some time now are due in VERY soon and will be 50% off when they arrive! And, several other products are currently discounted on their site! Check out their main page for that info...

I will include some Kay's Naturals products in the box of goodies I'm giving away right now (see post).

They do have the sample pack for $7.50 right now! Check that out if you are new to their products.

They also have several NEW items in the works. They are not on the site yet, but they include the following items:
sweet barbecue snack mix
salted pretzel sticks
hazelnut protein chips
almond cinnamon protein chips

Those ALL sound like winners to me!! Remember, you heard it here first! Be sure to stay tuned as I will have a giveaway with the new products once they are available for sale! I can't give them to you till I can buy 'em from them! LOL

As always, you can check my product reviews for some reviews of their products...

Share your best holiday recipe and WIN!!

2008-11-17T14:38:00.003-05:00

Giveaway time again!! I am looking for any and all weight loss surgery friendly recipes that are suitable for the holiday dinners we're all contemplating cooking and/or eating right about now... Desserts, main dishes, side dishes...YOU NAME IT!!

Anyone who shares a recipe (just post a comment and list it there!) will be entered in a drawing for a box of goodies--protein samples, a protein shaker cup, product samples of other items, etc. It will be worth your time!! SO, share away folks!! Remember, it does not have to be suited to a very early postop person's eating ability! We're looking for things that are good food choices for someone who is postop at most any stage of the game...

What's for supper?? Crockpot is ready!

2008-11-17T07:40:00.003-05:00

I was up at 5:15 this morning to shower and get ready for my day. The phone starts ringing normally by 5:45 if there are substitute positions for the day, so I wanted to be out of the shower by then since I didn't shower last night. I hate trying to listen for a phone while IN the shower and then potentially having to get out dripping and soapy to answer it! I am NOT normally a morning person, but I am gradually adjusting to getting up and staying up and this morning I just could not go back to sleep! After my shower and as I got dressed for the day (I have to get dressed to take Mandy to the bus, so I might as well be dressed and ready to work, right?), I made a big mug of my protein cocoa (posted recipe yesterday, so scroll down for that one!) and drank that while I checked email. That was almost 30 grams of protein in for the day!

I am apparently going to have the day off from work today as it is after 7:45 am and no call yet... Ahhh, the life of a substitute teacher--never knowing if you'll work that day or not...waiting on the phone to ring like a teenage girl on Saturday night! Of course I could still get called for a half day this afternoon too. SO, after I put my teenage monster (ugh, another post from yesterday!) on the bus this morning, I started thinking about what I could do or get caught up on around here that I just didn't feel like doing over the weekend.

I thought about cleaning out the fridge, but who really wants to do that? LOL I grabbed a cheese stick and pondered... While standing there with the door open though, a package of chicken breasts were staring back at me and I knew that it was close to time to use 'em or lose 'em. SO, I decided today was a good crockpot day! Heck, ANY day is a good crockpot day, but cold days are great crockpot days! LOL

I pulled out the chicken breasts and an open bag of baby carrots. Leaving those on the counter, I hit the cupboard for some cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup. Finally, I grabbed a good sized yellow onion. With the crockpot ready, I laid the chicken breasts in the bottom. There were three of them--about a pound and a half. On top of the chicken breasts, I layered most of that pound bag of baby carrots and then peeled the onion and cut it into about 8 wedges that I dropped in there too. On top of this, I poured the cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soups and spread them around so that they covered everything. And, finally, I liberally sprinkled Everglades Seasoning (best everyday seasoning blend on the market!) over the top of it all. Around 10 am (if I'm still here--sooner if I get called to go somewhere), I will turn the crockpot on low and let that baby go till about 4:30 pm. At that time, I'll mix it up good to break the chicken up a bit and stir in about a cup of Barilla Plus elbow pasta and a cup or two of frozen peas. I will let it continue to cook (though on high) till the pasta is all done.

This will make for an effortless dinner meal that will be yummy on this cold, wintry day!

Pouch Rules for Dummies

2008-11-16T22:25:00.003-05:00

This piece is one that you hear mentioned all the time but may not know where to find... I found it at
http://wlsforum.net/Pouch_Rules_for_Dummies_by_Sally_Perez.pdf

I'm not going to post the whole thing here.... It is 10 pages long. I am, however, going to share a few tidbits that I think apply to MANY of us who are postops! Click the link above and read this thing! It is worth your time and goes pretty quickly!

AVOIDING ABSOLUTES
Rules are made to be broken. No biggie if the patient drinks with one meal - as long as the patient knows he/she is breaking a rule and will get hungry early. Also if the patient pigs out at a party - that's OK because before surgery, the patient would have pigged on 3000 to 5000 calories and with the pouch, the patient can only pig on 600-1000 calories max. The patient needs to just get back to the rules and not beat him/herself up.

THREE PRINCIPLES FOR GAINING AND MAINTAINING SATIETY
1. Fill pouch full quickly at each meal
2. Stay full by slowing the emptying of the pouch. (Eat solids. No liquids 15 minutes before and none until 1 ½ hours after the meal). A scientific test showed that a meal of egg/toast/milk had almost all emptied out of the pouch after 45 minutes. Without milk, just egg and toast, more than ½ of the meal still remained in the pouch after 1 ½ hours.
3. Protein, protein, protein. Three meals a day. No high calorie liquids.

URGENCY
The first six months is the fastest, easiest time to lose weight. By the end of the six months, 2/3 of the regrowth of the pouch will have been done. That means that each present day, after surgery you will be satisfied with less calories than you will the very next day. Another way to put it is that every day that you are healing, you will be able to eat more. So exercise as much as you can during that first six months as you will never be able to lose weight as fast as you can during this time.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Chocolate Ricotta Creme

2008-11-16T19:29:00.001-05:00

Got this one from a friend and HAD to ask permission to share it with you all!!
Enjoy!
Lea

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Ricotta Crème

Two servings.

Ingredients:
1 cup low fat or part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 or 3 packets Splenda
1/2 to 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
1/2 to 1 tablespoon baking cocoa (or 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar-free chocolate syrup)

Directions:
Mix as desired, put in 2 serving dishes, chill, and serve. If using chocolate syrup, you can pour on top instead of mixing in, if desired.

Recipe: Protein Hot Cocoa

2008-11-16T19:19:00.002-05:00

It is that time of year again... Time to have a nice hot beverage handy to warm you up, especially after going out for a walk on these nippy days! I am NOT a coffee drinker, so I concocted this protein cocoa to serve my warm beverage needs!

Ingredients:
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 packet no-sugar-added hot cocoa mix
water

Directions:
Mix scoop of protein powder into about 2 ozs of water that is straight from the tap or at room temperature. Mix it well so there are no clumps.
Add the packet of cocoa mix and again mix well.
Add another 8 to 10 ozs of very hot water. I usually have a pan of water warming on the stove before I start mixing the other stuff together.
Once the hot water is added to the cup/mug, stir it till it is smooth and well mixed.
Last step?? ENJOY!!

Notes about this process/recipe:
1) Do NOT mix hot water into protein powder. It will clump and be plain ole' nasty! You MUST mix the protein powder with the cooler water and get it mixed well first!
2) You can use ANY chocolate protein powder. I prefer the IDS Belgian Chocolate and it has 26 grams of protein per scoop!
3) You can also use two packets of cocoa mix and a scoop of unflavored protein powder.
4) I use a store brand (Krogers) no-sugar-added cocoa mix. Many companies have a no-sugar-added version or a "diet" version. Swiss Miss makes a good one. Check the labels and look for the sugar grams! Sometimes the no-sugar-added is not the one you want. Sometimes the better choice is actually labeled diet. Just be a good label reader! I like the Krogers mix and it goes on sale frequently for anywhere from a buck to $1.50 per box!

Working every day...and an update!

2008-11-16T12:26:00.002-05:00

Working every day... Unique concept! Well, for some of us it is! I have not actually worked (outside the home) every day in over 10 years... And even then, I only worked 3 to 5 days a week, not every day Monday through Friday every week. Since I went back to teaching though, that has been the case. I have worked every day and for the first few weeks, it was pretty tiring and hard to get back into that work loop... I was used to getting my daughter off to the bus in the AM and then hitting the bed for a bit more rest as I was a night owl who stayed up till about 2 AM every night. I'd get her up and off to the bus (gets on bus at 6:50 AM) and then go back to bed till some time between 8 and 9 AM. Suddenly, I was getting up at 6 AM and leaving the house by 7 AM and not home again till 5 ish and required to stay awake and alert for that time span! Talk about a shock to your system! LOL

Now those of you who are used to it and work every day are thinking, "what the hell is she complaining about???" LOL I'm not really complaining, just finally getting my body's timeclock shifted to where I am in the bed (and asleep!) by 11 or midnight and am able to wake up pretty much on my own around 5:30 or 6:00 and stay up through the day without feeling like a kindergartener who needs a nap after lunch! It has taken me this long! And, now I really think that my thyroid meds are off kilter again as I'm sort of dragging and I am hungry all day long! I won't have new labs done till after Jan 1st (lovely insurance!), so won't really know till then, but in the meanwhile, I am trying to cope... I've been really trying to find better snacks to carry me through the daytime munchies and been really trying to say no to munching on something before bed or when I wake up in the middle of the night. Some nights, I feel sort of loopy and think it is low blood sugar (usually nights we've had an earlier dinner) and I do go ahead and grab a small snack. Other nights, I know it is just head hunger and just say no!

I'm also retaining water in my legs and feet and can see how much they are swollen by the end of the day when I've been on my feet at work. I'm not sure there's anything I can do about that as my doc keeps telling me no about the water pills and to "just stay off your feet..." LOL Yeah, don't I wish! LOL

Other than these minor complaints, life is pretty good (well, these minor health issues AND a pain-in-the-ass teenager!)... I'm still below 210 pounds (over 200 pounds lost) and I am more active than I have been since I was a young child. And I mean young--as in less than 10 years old. I climb the stairs easily several times a day at work. I'm never out of breath or even strained when I reach the top. I can be on my feet without the excruciating pain in my knees and lower back. I no longer have issues with high blood pressure... I'm not worried about being diagnosed as diabetic... The world is much better for me post-WLS!

Lovin' Life with Lea

Nothing since MAY!

Nag, nag, nag... LOL

Cha Cha Cha Cha CHANGES!!

Tortellini Soup....It's what's for dinner!

3 mos again!

Has it really been almost 3 mos?

A post WLS first for me....actually, first time in over 25 years!

The Perfect Boiled Egg...

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BUT PROBABLY DON'T

Are you getting the right LABS done??

Recipe: Frank's Buffalo Chicken Dip (sort of a casserole...)

Even Jillian Was Fat As A Teen....

I missed it...

Countdown! 9 days to grandbaby hugs!

Glad that is over!

Knees......take 2!

10 ways to include healthy carbohydrates in your diet

Crisis Averted!

It's Official!

Sorry for the delay!

From HungryGirl.com a new take on the KFC Double Down chicken sandwich

Awesome looking reduced sugar oreo cheesecake recipe!

What have we here?

Recipe: Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread for the Bread Machine

Revision?

Wow, 3 mos and so much has happened!

Iron Update...

Recipe: Spinach Artichoke Dip

Confession is cleansing, right?

Dr. Shieh, my new bariatric doc AND Labs results...UGH!

Knees....

Think I've found a new bariatric doc...

Sameo, Sameo...

And yet MORE before pics!

You're Not Done Losing Till YOU Say You're Done...

Hunting....jobs, houses, peace!

before pictures....found a couple!

Almost TWO months!

Emotional Aftermath of WLS...

Biggest Loser Addicts Step Forward

Centers of Excellence--Same death and complication rates...

Baby Bubbles...

What have YOU lost??

What is UP with my weight?

Finally! 21st century time!

La, La, La, La Life goes on...

Susan G Komen Race for the Cure

Life! Work, divorce, grandbaby...

Coming into the 21st century! High Speed Adhead!

Wow, where DOES the time go?

Vitamin Info for WLS Postops...

Confession is good for the soul...

Recipe: Lea's Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

New Drug for Chronic Constipation...Amitiza

Free Chocolate Anyone??

Free Kashi Frozen Entree

Low Carb Chocolate! VERY low carb and Yummy too!

Sick, sick, sick!

Chef Jay's/Tri-O-Plex Products Discount!

MY APPETITE IS MY SHEPHERD (POUND 23)

Free Shipping on ANY order! BariGoodEating.com

CHIKE Nutrition Protein--15% off on 3 lb tubs!

I Am Your Disease...

Recipe: Lea's Apple Crisp

2 more days for Kay's $10 special!!

Review: Tumaro's Low in Carbs Multi-Grain Tortillas

Gut Microbes Shift with Obesity, Upended by Gastric Bypass

Gut Microbes Shift with Obesity, Upended by Gastric Bypass

Before I _______, I will ________

Is there a basketball hoop at the White House? There may be soon!

The Obamas: First Couple of Fitness

Obama Exercise Program: The Routine

Obama Exercise Program: What Keeps Them Moving?

Obama Exercise Program: Obsessive or Not?

Obama Exercise Program: Will Their Fitness Habit Rub Off?

Obama Exercise Program: No Role Model Is Perfect

Hunger Control: Women the Weaker Sex?

Hunger Control: Women the Weaker Sex?

Sex Hormones May Affect Hunger

Before I _, I will __