Now that I am over 200 pounds lighter, I am able to do sooooo much more. I mow my own yard with a push mower--around 3 acres. I walk more and can even jog a bit if I take a notion. I actually DO chores I used to depend on my daughters to do. I exercise and actually enjoy it and look forward to it. I am back to work part-time and have just completed the things necessary to renew my teaching certificate (paperwork already mailed off!) and pursue full-time work again as a teacher.
But, I am also noticing that I expect more--of myself AND those around me. Things I used to do before I lost the weight draw criticism from me when done by others. I'm talking about when my hubby will call someone to do something for him that is right within the same room where he is at and he just has to get up and do it for himself. When I was sick all the time and less able, I did the same thing. But, now I do it myself and I expect him (and our girls) to do the same. Why does it bother me now but didn't when it was me doing the asking? Why do I see it as just plain old lazy out of him when for me it was a real help? Is it just that old saying "What is good for the goose is good for the gander..."??????
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Interested in Starting a Local Support Group?
I've been doing support groups of one kind or another for almost 10 years now. Here's a few things I've learned in that time....
Find a free meeting site. Here's some places to look for that:
community organizations such as the Lion's Club, Moose Club, Masonic Lodges, etc.
YMCA
local fire departments
schools (public or private) as well as school board offices (ask about the room where they hold school board meetings!)
after school program sites
churches (even if it isn't YOUR church!)
libraries--including school libraries
hospitals and home health care agencies
clinics
Granges
Dr's offices--they often have conference rooms or rooms they use for public presentations
union halls
some restaurants have meeting rooms, but often expect everyone to at least order coffee
some local shopping malls have meeting rooms available
We meet in the multipurpose room at our hospital. It is free and is set up with tables and chairs to seat probably 50 people very easily. We can use just one side if we like to make the group closer to each other...
THEN, contact all local newspapers and ask if they print meeting notices for free for local groups. If so, get an email address that you can send the notices to for inclusion in the paper. This way you can send your monthly meeting notices to all papers with just one email message!
Try to pick a day that won't change--2nd Tuesday, 3rd Thursday, etc. That way even though the actual DATE changes, the day never does. Folks will remember easier that way.
Make up a flyer about the new group starting up and post it on area bulletin boards, at gas stations, post offices, etc--anywhere they'll let you put one up. Put your phone number AND email on there if you can. Some folks will be shy about inquiring and may be more comfy sending you an email than calling and speaking to you. Consider making the little tear off pieces across the bottom so folks walk away with the number without having to dig out a pen and paper.
Notify ALL area doctors and hospitals. Don't forget about orthopedists and such who also see overweight patients. Also include the psychologists/psychiatrists. Just about ANY doctor sees overweight patients some of the time! Provide a copy of your flier that they can copy and give to interested patients.
Keep fliers in your car! You never know when you'll be out and find a new bulletin board OR meet someone who is interested in attending! Be prepared!
Find a free meeting site. Here's some places to look for that:
community organizations such as the Lion's Club, Moose Club, Masonic Lodges, etc.
YMCA
local fire departments
schools (public or private) as well as school board offices (ask about the room where they hold school board meetings!)
after school program sites
churches (even if it isn't YOUR church!)
libraries--including school libraries
hospitals and home health care agencies
clinics
Granges
Dr's offices--they often have conference rooms or rooms they use for public presentations
union halls
some restaurants have meeting rooms, but often expect everyone to at least order coffee
some local shopping malls have meeting rooms available
We meet in the multipurpose room at our hospital. It is free and is set up with tables and chairs to seat probably 50 people very easily. We can use just one side if we like to make the group closer to each other...
THEN, contact all local newspapers and ask if they print meeting notices for free for local groups. If so, get an email address that you can send the notices to for inclusion in the paper. This way you can send your monthly meeting notices to all papers with just one email message!
Try to pick a day that won't change--2nd Tuesday, 3rd Thursday, etc. That way even though the actual DATE changes, the day never does. Folks will remember easier that way.
Make up a flyer about the new group starting up and post it on area bulletin boards, at gas stations, post offices, etc--anywhere they'll let you put one up. Put your phone number AND email on there if you can. Some folks will be shy about inquiring and may be more comfy sending you an email than calling and speaking to you. Consider making the little tear off pieces across the bottom so folks walk away with the number without having to dig out a pen and paper.
Notify ALL area doctors and hospitals. Don't forget about orthopedists and such who also see overweight patients. Also include the psychologists/psychiatrists. Just about ANY doctor sees overweight patients some of the time! Provide a copy of your flier that they can copy and give to interested patients.
Keep fliers in your car! You never know when you'll be out and find a new bulletin board OR meet someone who is interested in attending! Be prepared!
Do you measure? And, if so, how often?
My weight loss journey began on July 13th, 2006 with my initial consult with my bariatric surgeon. Between then and my surgery on August 29th, 2006, I lost 24 pounds. On September 13th, 2006, I measured my body for the first time. I wish now that I had done so way back in July before my weight loss journey began! I don't have a "true" beginning point for my measurements because I'd already lost about 40 pounds by the first time I measured myself.
BUT, as of today (March 1st, 2008), I have documented a loss of 170 inches from all over my body! WoooooHoooooo!!! LOL I swear that losing the first 100 inches feels even better than reaching that first 100 pounds lost and joining the century club! It is an awesome feeling! And, seeing that you've dropped several inches can go along way towards making up for even a 2 month long stall!
I cannot encourage you pre-ops enough to MEASURE yourself early! I wish someone at my surgeon's office had suggested it at that initial consult! Measure yourself so that even during weight loss stalls you can see that you are losing inches. And, take good FULL BODY before pics to compare to later when you just can't see your own weight loss that everyone is commenting on. I know that I had lost over 100 pounds before I could really SEE the loss that others were commenting on. I truly didn't see it until the first time I tried on clothing that fit me properly after losing over 100 pounds and dropping from a size 36 to a 26 or 28. I guess that as long as I was WEARING the 4X clothing, in my mind I still WAS a size 4X. But, when you stand in front of the mirror in clothing that fits properly, it is very hard to deny that you have lost the weight and your body is shrinking and reshaping! What a wonderful feeling!
I know that I will emphasize the importance of measuring to anyone I know who is planning surgery. It is great to be able to document not just pounds lost but also inches! Measure at the same time each month and write down your numbers so that you can tell month-to-month how many inches you've lost!
BUT, as of today (March 1st, 2008), I have documented a loss of 170 inches from all over my body! WoooooHoooooo!!! LOL I swear that losing the first 100 inches feels even better than reaching that first 100 pounds lost and joining the century club! It is an awesome feeling! And, seeing that you've dropped several inches can go along way towards making up for even a 2 month long stall!
I cannot encourage you pre-ops enough to MEASURE yourself early! I wish someone at my surgeon's office had suggested it at that initial consult! Measure yourself so that even during weight loss stalls you can see that you are losing inches. And, take good FULL BODY before pics to compare to later when you just can't see your own weight loss that everyone is commenting on. I know that I had lost over 100 pounds before I could really SEE the loss that others were commenting on. I truly didn't see it until the first time I tried on clothing that fit me properly after losing over 100 pounds and dropping from a size 36 to a 26 or 28. I guess that as long as I was WEARING the 4X clothing, in my mind I still WAS a size 4X. But, when you stand in front of the mirror in clothing that fits properly, it is very hard to deny that you have lost the weight and your body is shrinking and reshaping! What a wonderful feeling!
I know that I will emphasize the importance of measuring to anyone I know who is planning surgery. It is great to be able to document not just pounds lost but also inches! Measure at the same time each month and write down your numbers so that you can tell month-to-month how many inches you've lost!
What do you look for in a bariatric program?
I've talked to folks who went with the first surgeon they ever had a consult with. And, I've also talked to folks who went with the surgeon they "thought could get me approved." But, for those of you who saw more than one surgeon and then chose between them and the differing programs offered, what factors helped you decide who to use?
The item of the greatest concern is usually a surgeon's complication rate. You can't help but want to know how many of your surgeon's patients have died during or as a result of surgery. And, you need to know what sort of complications are common amongst your surgeon's patients. But, what should be, in my opinion, of the greatest concern in a surgeon's program is the amount and type of pre-op and post-op education you are given about the surgery, the changes to your anatomy, and how to adapt your life and eating habits in order to have the most successful WLS experience. My surgeon has a program that includes dietary learning before surgery and 1 year of post-op follow up and education workshops. This is included in the cost of your surgery and a small "education" fee ($275) that is due before surgery. It also includes the option to meet with a nurse or the dietician once a month for that year if you feel the need. They also have a support group that meets monthly in his office and it is pretty well attended (20+ at most meetings, ranging from new post-ops to folks 3+ years out). The dietician is at most support group meetings as well and is willing to stand and talk to you before or after the meeting if you have questions that can't be answered in the flow of the meeting itself.
I have been very happy with my choice of surgeon and programs. I just wondered how everyone else felt and what factors most influenced your decision...
The item of the greatest concern is usually a surgeon's complication rate. You can't help but want to know how many of your surgeon's patients have died during or as a result of surgery. And, you need to know what sort of complications are common amongst your surgeon's patients. But, what should be, in my opinion, of the greatest concern in a surgeon's program is the amount and type of pre-op and post-op education you are given about the surgery, the changes to your anatomy, and how to adapt your life and eating habits in order to have the most successful WLS experience. My surgeon has a program that includes dietary learning before surgery and 1 year of post-op follow up and education workshops. This is included in the cost of your surgery and a small "education" fee ($275) that is due before surgery. It also includes the option to meet with a nurse or the dietician once a month for that year if you feel the need. They also have a support group that meets monthly in his office and it is pretty well attended (20+ at most meetings, ranging from new post-ops to folks 3+ years out). The dietician is at most support group meetings as well and is willing to stand and talk to you before or after the meeting if you have questions that can't be answered in the flow of the meeting itself.
I have been very happy with my choice of surgeon and programs. I just wondered how everyone else felt and what factors most influenced your decision...
Another day down... Day 4 of back on track
Today (Saturday) was day 4 of my back on track program... I got off to a fair start, then the Kay's Naturals order showed up and I ate a whole bag of the butter pretzels! So, let's see how the day worked out:
breakfast--1 oz Kay's Naturals french vanilla Protein Os cereal
snack--Carb Master yogurt and mixed nuts
lunch--salad with leftover steak and cheese on top
snack--Kay's Naturals butter pretzel twists (1.5 servings)
dinner--taco salad with meat sauce and cheese
before bed--Atkins Advantage chocolate coconut protein bar
For the day, that works out to 1580 calories, 80 carbs and 123 protein. The 80 carbs wouldn't be as bad if it weren't NET carbs! It was actually 118 total carbs. But, there were a lot of salad veggies in there too! And, 28 grams of fiber is nothing to sneeze at when you fight constipation as regularly as I do. So, all in all, I guess not a terrible day. I also got in my full gallon of liquids by like 8 pm, so will be closer to 150 or more ounces by the end of the night.
The scale was down to 201.8 this morning. It would be SO cool to see 199.9 even by Monday when I see my surgeon for my 18 mos postop appt. We'll see if it actually happens!
breakfast--1 oz Kay's Naturals french vanilla Protein Os cereal
snack--Carb Master yogurt and mixed nuts
lunch--salad with leftover steak and cheese on top
snack--Kay's Naturals butter pretzel twists (1.5 servings)
dinner--taco salad with meat sauce and cheese
before bed--Atkins Advantage chocolate coconut protein bar
For the day, that works out to 1580 calories, 80 carbs and 123 protein. The 80 carbs wouldn't be as bad if it weren't NET carbs! It was actually 118 total carbs. But, there were a lot of salad veggies in there too! And, 28 grams of fiber is nothing to sneeze at when you fight constipation as regularly as I do. So, all in all, I guess not a terrible day. I also got in my full gallon of liquids by like 8 pm, so will be closer to 150 or more ounces by the end of the night.
The scale was down to 201.8 this morning. It would be SO cool to see 199.9 even by Monday when I see my surgeon for my 18 mos postop appt. We'll see if it actually happens!
Day 3 of back on track goes well...
Day 3 in my continuing saga of getting my eating back on track went well. I have been really carb-conscious and working the protein and liquids. I'm on a mission to make it to onederland!
breakfast--Atkins chocolate PB protein bar
snack--none
lunch--butter beans and green beans and one slice cheddar cheese
snack--a few almonds and a string cheese
dinner--salad and steak!
bedtime snack--Atkins chocolate coconut protein bar
Totals for the day ended up being 128 ozs clear liquids, 1270 calories, 62 net carbs, and 114 grams of protein!
And, the scale that has said 205 to 207 since like EARLY December said 202.6 Thursday and 203.2 on Friday! Then, to make things even better, it was down to 201.8 today! So, while I am not at onderland (my goal weight for New Years, and Valentine's Day AND now Easter too), I am on the way again! LOL It would be so awesome to drop another 1.9 pounds and show up for my 18 mos postop visit on Monday afternoon at 199! That would be a total loss of 211 pounds!
Lea
breakfast--Atkins chocolate PB protein bar
snack--none
lunch--butter beans and green beans and one slice cheddar cheese
snack--a few almonds and a string cheese
dinner--salad and steak!
bedtime snack--Atkins chocolate coconut protein bar
Totals for the day ended up being 128 ozs clear liquids, 1270 calories, 62 net carbs, and 114 grams of protein!
And, the scale that has said 205 to 207 since like EARLY December said 202.6 Thursday and 203.2 on Friday! Then, to make things even better, it was down to 201.8 today! So, while I am not at onderland (my goal weight for New Years, and Valentine's Day AND now Easter too), I am on the way again! LOL It would be so awesome to drop another 1.9 pounds and show up for my 18 mos postop visit on Monday afternoon at 199! That would be a total loss of 211 pounds!
Lea
Product Review: Kay's Naturals Golden Butter Pretzels
Darn you Melting Mama! LOL I clicked over to your You Tube video review of this product and left it to download after I went to bed last night. (dialup SUCKS!) This morning when I woke up, I clicked the replay button and watched it. You make good points about how pretzels can be the downfall of a WLS postop. You also make those pretzels sound darned good! Then, low and behold, my Kay's Naturals order is delivered today--SATURDAY! WTH! Saturday delivery by FedEx Ground out here in the boonies where they normally only deliver every OTHER day during the week! Is someone trying to tell me something??? LOL Oh, and did I mention that I just placed the Kay's Naturals order on Thursday, 2/28, and it is here on Saturday 3/1??? WOW, that was FAST!!
SO, after 3 days of working to get my eating back on track, I throw caution to the wind and crack open my case of butter pretzels.... Oh My Gosh! Those are delicious! As you said, they are not truly a "pretzel" sort of taste, but rather a combo between a pretzel and a cracker and yummy! And, every couple of bites, you get the most wonderful zest of yummy buttery deliciousness! Wow, those are good!
Kay's Naturals Golden Butter Pretzels
Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 1 oz
Servings per container: 1.5
Per serving:
calories--110
calories from fat--30
total fat--5 grams (1.5 saturated fat, 0 trans fat)
cholesterol--0
sodium--220 mg
total carbs--12 grams (2 fiber, 1 sugar)
protein--10 grams
From the Bag:
Better Balance snacks help you maintain balance without giving up satisfying treats. Get energized with Better Balance Non-Gluten Pretzels.
* all natural ingredients
* balance of protein and carbs
* 10 g lean soy protein per 1 oz serving
* 2 g fiber per 1 oz serving
* no trans fats
* manage your weight without giving up taste
All in all, a wonderful snack choice and a super tasting, low-carb/high protein treat for a WLS postop or just anyone! And, they would be awesome dipped in some peanut butter! And don't forget the 20% discount! Use the code "newsite" in the additional info box during checkout and they'll apply a 20% discount off your order (won't show in cart but will be applied before card is charged).
Lea
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