tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62862497806416188532024-03-14T08:23:44.352-07:00Laura's Bariatric LifeA new bariatric surgery patient, what will this new life bring me? Come along on my journey following Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy in March 2013. Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-39659047901441846742015-04-15T08:48:00.000-07:002015-04-15T11:40:11.827-07:00Gaining Weight....but it's Okay This TimeI was sitting in the parking lot of the blood draw lab this morning, waiting to get my 7 vials taken to test my vitamin levels, and it occurred to me that I should update this blog. A lot has happened since I last posted in November, namely that I've managed to gain about 4lbs but I'm not sweating it. Since I'm pregnant!<br />
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18 weeks pregnant at the moment, so yeah...I'm a little slow to update readers of this blog.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQRUhlgd6vZxgaOazOCO_1AaU6vmvz3r-vWA7rWOJVc7eEbrMfNIxJvjAtiBdUiidPmc_u7Y0jkvEk3JmXLzB-50WJjcsXeZRInodbhu_dgyxqKJNODDIpcdG0CzXxHF7NJ6DijJ9mNI/s1600/DSC06043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQRUhlgd6vZxgaOazOCO_1AaU6vmvz3r-vWA7rWOJVc7eEbrMfNIxJvjAtiBdUiidPmc_u7Y0jkvEk3JmXLzB-50WJjcsXeZRInodbhu_dgyxqKJNODDIpcdG0CzXxHF7NJ6DijJ9mNI/s1600/DSC06043.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>At 15 weeks. </i></div>
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My OB and Bariatric doctor are both very happy with my health and timing on this. A long time ago the Bari doc had laid a hard date of 18 months post surgery. She said a woman should never get pregnant before then, and honestly I totally agree. I am able to eat reasonable portions now, about a salad plate or small cereal bowl of food at a time....and the major body shift and rapid loss had pretty much leveled out.<br />
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Still I wondered immediately how this pregnancy would feel different. It's been 8 and 6 years since I've done this, and my body has changed tremendously. Not to mention that with my second pregnancy I gained around 75lbs and for the most part had never lost it. Would I feel hungry, weak, nauseous this time?<br />
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So far, the ease of this one has shocked me. Minus some smell-induced nausea in the beginning, I have never had morning sickness and pretty much feel normal. I've noticed that I'm a bit hungrier in the second trimester but still not experiencing that 'starving all the time' sensation. My c-pap continues to bless me with amazing nights of sleep so my energy has been great.<br />
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I wonder if the tools in my box are actually making this pregnancy easier...more stable blood sugar, better sleep, and perhaps the ability to eat small bits at a time is what keeps nausea at bay. What I thought might be more difficult seems....easier?<br />
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And yet there's a paranoia part of me that wonders if the baby is okay. Am I taking enough vitamins? I know for sure that on a given day, I'm not getting enough protein. Is it growing enough? Is a gain of only 4lbs enough, given that in my earlier pregnancies I probably would have picked up 20 by now?<br />
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So I will be happy for the big ultrasound in a couple of weeks, to hopefully put my fears to rest. And by the way, Doc says that 4lbs is just fine. Weight gain and baby health do not necessarily go together.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzLM_ltPc0WNdoPgbTWUH_NTdW4iZWnHo069NOYRkJa_IHj8mRvP1zgHVBwKv77z8DMt2xw2CIpz2-sS-spZq6AdOS4RwsPP3WxIXRrK8d5tQVtHBRAga75j6ig04jRoj-K8tDNjrj6c/s1600/20150305_115915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzLM_ltPc0WNdoPgbTWUH_NTdW4iZWnHo069NOYRkJa_IHj8mRvP1zgHVBwKv77z8DMt2xw2CIpz2-sS-spZq6AdOS4RwsPP3WxIXRrK8d5tQVtHBRAga75j6ig04jRoj-K8tDNjrj6c/s1600/20150305_115915.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>All was fine at my 12 wk ultrasound. </i></div>
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Here's hoping the second half goes as smoothly as the first!<br />
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<span id="goog_567547460"></span><span id="goog_567547461"></span><br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-12874179087533293402014-11-22T07:29:00.000-08:002014-11-22T07:29:26.459-08:00One Year Post PilatesI'm about to come up on my anniversary of starting pilates classes, one year ago this November. Doing those classes has been one of the hardest parts of this whole journey because for a long time the pilates classes were CRAZY HARD for me. Much pain and soreness. <br />
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I'm still not a super pilates guru or super skinny yet, but I can do much much more in the classes then I could a year ago...and most of all I still really enjoy going. A move called 'leg changes', though...still my worst enemy. <br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6cUXIuE9hOE7xZ06LUNfQAKRHV4Aud5u0xLpeCtUUjkPqY1ABO-PwbEiZvdVJ97S7Yg2p2LR1_HYVuTUvJwmZw5hcJQKnRM4PzGVGpuNsGD9-xt0CD3-LHQBeyq5sZ1EIBC9EcNqTTw/s1600/IMG_4579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6cUXIuE9hOE7xZ06LUNfQAKRHV4Aud5u0xLpeCtUUjkPqY1ABO-PwbEiZvdVJ97S7Yg2p2LR1_HYVuTUvJwmZw5hcJQKnRM4PzGVGpuNsGD9-xt0CD3-LHQBeyq5sZ1EIBC9EcNqTTw/s1600/IMG_4579.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>November 2013- 77lbs lost</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcf1_Do26AkVdSuDWZx0QdZdaahg6UmD8gaiwbp0u1Ywfv4dBqHarIbWiBY6E8nLfsYuRYltpqHTmAOH9VXkBkdylnTMgOFBZy9HbP1nvI_it2_DaAkjQt4CprTTgOJr7a8x0B4g-IXw/s1600/IMG_6727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcf1_Do26AkVdSuDWZx0QdZdaahg6UmD8gaiwbp0u1Ywfv4dBqHarIbWiBY6E8nLfsYuRYltpqHTmAOH9VXkBkdylnTMgOFBZy9HbP1nvI_it2_DaAkjQt4CprTTgOJr7a8x0B4g-IXw/s1600/IMG_6727.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>November 2014 (and 1 year of pilates) - 100 lbs lost</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">For extra comparison, Thanksgiving of 2012...</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiw008KV3yj6rymqidYWjDQXRQ2OP27ZlTWeJ0Ry8oYu9pYlOnSSlWcbh2YBO28VEtz9rskJxLyC8oAvuEDtX6_9-q36T_lYorRgEVQiIZplU0HP3dRbNLn9IGyBZ_973n1OnJpJI4-xQ/s1600/PICT0181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiw008KV3yj6rymqidYWjDQXRQ2OP27ZlTWeJ0Ry8oYu9pYlOnSSlWcbh2YBO28VEtz9rskJxLyC8oAvuEDtX6_9-q36T_lYorRgEVQiIZplU0HP3dRbNLn9IGyBZ_973n1OnJpJI4-xQ/s1600/PICT0181.JPG" /></a></div>
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-31323261645160157822014-09-21T14:14:00.001-07:002014-09-21T14:14:31.830-07:0018 months later<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi191yIxcHnCrdmAcOLLdlilSHnH6zwQJ3w0Vl3gulcKMZ-rFP0iB7fikgIxA86y87KsTUqnMMq_6kv1U81M5EBo10OpGB7rmj2_o460oL4zF21XTx8tEmuiyGGvqY1bI52TcmDDhBJx3M/s1600/IMG_6432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #660000;"><b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi191yIxcHnCrdmAcOLLdlilSHnH6zwQJ3w0Vl3gulcKMZ-rFP0iB7fikgIxA86y87KsTUqnMMq_6kv1U81M5EBo10OpGB7rmj2_o460oL4zF21XTx8tEmuiyGGvqY1bI52TcmDDhBJx3M/s1600/IMG_6432.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></b></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>100lbs lost and holding. </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>(Second guessing my choice to wear a flowy shirt for this picture. You can't see my 6 pack. Kidding, kidding )</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_itQBs8zgJVzYQahq-54Cc-EMM_7z09sPGGljH5F_DCkPivjdrDwOOXbi08jJDfZpCiQ3SLE7X816rdpPMZTf6U2bK9JVVl2Xn17RsVojWGWPExL0CdQjfW_Dwpx38NXzbeYfv4yEHVM/s1600/Pre+fast-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #660000;"><b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_itQBs8zgJVzYQahq-54Cc-EMM_7z09sPGGljH5F_DCkPivjdrDwOOXbi08jJDfZpCiQ3SLE7X816rdpPMZTf6U2bK9JVVl2Xn17RsVojWGWPExL0CdQjfW_Dwpx38NXzbeYfv4yEHVM/s1600/Pre+fast-2.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></b></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>Pre-surgery. March 2013</b></span>. </div>
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I've been holding at 100 lbs for over two months now. I feel like there's more weight to lose but I'd *like* to think some of the weight comes from muscle gain. I've been going to pilates 3 times a week, most recently to a class that is both spinning and pilates together. I think they should just rename the class it OUCH! And surprisingly...I can hold my own when spinning. I was expecting to pass out dead at the first class.<br />
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Life is so wonderfully busy right now. Our family is active and involved...in the community, our church, kid activities. I wonder what this season might have looked like if I didn't have the energy I do now. If I had never lost all the weight or learned to sleep. And honestly there some days where it seems so far behind me that I don't even remember.<br />
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Until I go to a restaurant and eat just an appetizer, or fully enjoy riding a roller coaster with my kids at the zoo. Then I remember.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-1166849489385305112014-06-19T07:00:00.001-07:002014-06-19T07:00:15.396-07:00The Illusive 100lb Disney PictureRight before my family left our first ever trip to Disney World, I hit 99lb loss on the scales. So it was my goal to snap that awesome 100lb pic while we were on our trip...standing in front of Cinderella's castle or with Mickey some other awesome location.<br />
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The thing about a trip to Disney with kids though, of course, is that it's busy and hot and there are a million things happening all at once. So I forgot all about that 100lb picture. <br />
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But when filing through the thousands of pics on my phone and camera, I found one that I think will work. Still not a skinny lady to be seen in this pic, and definitely one with some flappy arm skin issues...but there it is. 100lbs gone.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTno6rDcgxGTSXoTddg9WzczYbpWfW0ml_Y_dKfVJj2ROmIOX8lsX64y5oOfHNWIYyYGNzFDM-PO6LKzy0EaQ6sdEvL8kD9cdF1GFVBgKxWRtg82uh7zR9iTJO15OvCIWvIVYupmOcw4/s1600/100lbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTno6rDcgxGTSXoTddg9WzczYbpWfW0ml_Y_dKfVJj2ROmIOX8lsX64y5oOfHNWIYyYGNzFDM-PO6LKzy0EaQ6sdEvL8kD9cdF1GFVBgKxWRtg82uh7zR9iTJO15OvCIWvIVYupmOcw4/s1600/100lbs.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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The best photo comparison I could find was from summer vacation 3 years ago at the Outer Banks.<br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0LJejKte-QUtdW2S7RE0CgAJTcW_lYMHaaPAiLCERDYc0DNyoniFBa_iAPkJczzWVozRhizN1wtFiDHzPecXIBlyDg2KPhp4ULJdFowk_0w8xcqktRJ5MhlFoh3xM4Tq7PX7zoaY76k/s1600/2011+Jess+OBX+-+118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0LJejKte-QUtdW2S7RE0CgAJTcW_lYMHaaPAiLCERDYc0DNyoniFBa_iAPkJczzWVozRhizN1wtFiDHzPecXIBlyDg2KPhp4ULJdFowk_0w8xcqktRJ5MhlFoh3xM4Tq7PX7zoaY76k/s1600/2011+Jess+OBX+-+118.jpg" height="320" width="311" /></a></div>
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The difference in these two vacations aside from the obvious difference in size, was stamina and energy. We planned our Disney days to be jam packed full so we could get the most seen and done and then take rest days off in between. So it was go go go from ride to show to attraction to ride. We hardly ever stopped. <br />
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And I do believe that it was my husband and kids trying desperately to keep up with ME, not the other way around. I could not have accomplished that a few years ago. As much as I wanted to, no way. <br />
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Truth be told, I am no longer at 100 lbs because I gained about 4lbs on vacation...from eating mickey ice cream, chips in the car and having a glass of wine every single night. But I'm not sweating it. I'll get back there very soon.<br />
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The point it that I hit 100lbs, had an amazing trip and it indeed felt magical. Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-43947077687488849582014-03-22T08:25:00.001-07:002014-03-22T08:25:23.467-07:001 Year Progress PicturesMy one-year anniversary kind of came and went the other day without me much noticing. In fact I didn't even realize it until the following day. I guess that might be because it doesn't feel like my life revolves around it as much anymore. Sometimes I simply forget what life was like a year ago right now with the 2oz portions of instant mashed potatoes.<br />
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I can eat normal foods in small portions, do normal amounts of exercise and activities and well....I feel normal. I feel like the mom that I always thought I was inside my own head.<br />
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And no I'm not skinny yet but I'm still working on it and if I'm never truly 'skinny' again I don't really care. I feel no longer trapped by my own body at at the end of the day, that's all I really wanted.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3vVk6QngBsY-qJK83Ww0pudlNrM0IJQvUDY0SteaEElqPc7fUio8uoUITK8za1GCuhgneD50IseJTFW3aPO7SL36GrX6I_tQkpJ-8SqmjYMAD_lfZv2sSeChnMv_JfXyXENp81t4foMo/s1600/1+year.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3vVk6QngBsY-qJK83Ww0pudlNrM0IJQvUDY0SteaEElqPc7fUio8uoUITK8za1GCuhgneD50IseJTFW3aPO7SL36GrX6I_tQkpJ-8SqmjYMAD_lfZv2sSeChnMv_JfXyXENp81t4foMo/s1600/1+year.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #660000;"> March 2014</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">89 lbs lost (dang I really wanted that 90 by the 1 year mark!)</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #660000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5B3IqHgfndeN1UTadGWmk7QZwh1AWN5xwR7iX9jehyphenhyphenmF4S8q6SeUf7RNvzs-2aTOInF2YmA6q6Mth8SI7iJhAYtiH8Xag8pvvkptr0NDsUCIo5QsMSpnAkA6ANLp1wf17846zekAhHxI/s1600/Pre+fast-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5B3IqHgfndeN1UTadGWmk7QZwh1AWN5xwR7iX9jehyphenhyphenmF4S8q6SeUf7RNvzs-2aTOInF2YmA6q6Mth8SI7iJhAYtiH8Xag8pvvkptr0NDsUCIo5QsMSpnAkA6ANLp1wf17846zekAhHxI/s1600/Pre+fast-2.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">March 2013</span></b></div>
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-40728311869365354772014-02-01T08:48:00.000-08:002014-02-01T08:48:15.187-08:00Mama's Protein Power BreakfastI've been having the same breakfast almost every day for a while now and it's delicious, full of protein and totally dietician approved. Extra bonus...very portable and easy to eat in the car.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0cAkL-lf1RSa5dK8BysdpREMDUr_FV1jEnbclTq99NhVRGz9JJnLptJKOxdHGZ0WruFXYWoEJS_coDT8XSwM8MxyzIJ482jcVONLKhCh1m_AuuoPZOg0Pq9ARq7C4vbtE2QkcmaJWvI/s1600/IMG_4927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0cAkL-lf1RSa5dK8BysdpREMDUr_FV1jEnbclTq99NhVRGz9JJnLptJKOxdHGZ0WruFXYWoEJS_coDT8XSwM8MxyzIJ482jcVONLKhCh1m_AuuoPZOg0Pq9ARq7C4vbtE2QkcmaJWvI/s1600/IMG_4927.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
I fry up one egg, then toss in some cheese and turkey sausage crumbles (which were a recent addition as of this week, when I found this baggy of pre-cooked crumbles calling my name). While the egg is cooking I throw a taco-sized tortilla on the flame to heat up a bit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3Jz29VU4m3iAZY9xEsu4yrtqwg4rVosWViGRPLE5ga_v_RE5pD8Dyb79Ob2RkaT08didQJCxeaZmiFFCwsa_KbYEDgxBnMwSz9DU3d_Si65RiGk_obepjr-enHklevpQUtH8L3u561U/s1600/IMG_4929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3Jz29VU4m3iAZY9xEsu4yrtqwg4rVosWViGRPLE5ga_v_RE5pD8Dyb79Ob2RkaT08didQJCxeaZmiFFCwsa_KbYEDgxBnMwSz9DU3d_Si65RiGk_obepjr-enHklevpQUtH8L3u561U/s1600/IMG_4929.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Yummy looking scramble, rolled up into a taco. Then I wrap is up in foil.<br />
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While inside the foil something magic happens, the already warm tortilla softens a bit and becomes nice and chewy. <br />
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I wrap it in foil even when I'm eating it at home, and let it sit and steam itself for a couple of minutes.<br />
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Start to finish it takes 5 minutes to make. The rest of my family has started requesting these for breakfast as well, especially if hot sauce is involved.<br />
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This size is about max capacity for me so I feel very full after (and sometimes can't finish every bite). The protein gives me a nice morning and boost and well, it's yummy! Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-39426888019644954442014-01-27T09:17:00.002-08:002014-01-27T09:17:29.414-08:00A Year Difference<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #660000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPQbO-l1y1e5w2v_gUikKy-8XcljeENY0LvrCop97DkZocBT3ZSTekFO6bauOpBTt-btSKzOGKz_9_ZCYdFDGzpjOjfOZVA5m7py_2yxjULjr4f_-pT7F-PRoLhUImKfCVrGr61mUsR8/s1600/Best+20.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPQbO-l1y1e5w2v_gUikKy-8XcljeENY0LvrCop97DkZocBT3ZSTekFO6bauOpBTt-btSKzOGKz_9_ZCYdFDGzpjOjfOZVA5m7py_2yxjULjr4f_-pT7F-PRoLhUImKfCVrGr61mUsR8/s1600/Best+20.JPG" /></a></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #660000;"> Charley's 4th birthday.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">Charley's 5th birthday, 82 lbs lighter. </span></b></div>
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-26668831033266388762014-01-16T11:21:00.001-08:002014-01-16T11:26:37.859-08:00Newflash: I'm Still a FoodieIt's 1:30 in the afternoon and I'm sitting down to my little afternoon rest before going to pick the first grader up at school. Today has been fairly normal...chores, pilates, school drop off and mid-day preschool pickup. Like many days, there's been a lot of food happenings. I made egg burritos for the kids and hubby for breakfast, packed my daughter a cute well balanced <a href="http://babybennington.blogspot.com/2012/09/my-lunchboxes-get-famous.html">bento lunch</a>, and made the boys some grilled ham and cheese sandwiches at lunchtime. In addition I've been working on a baby welcome meal to be delivered later which included slow roasting some pork, making a pan of mac and cheese, mixing up and salad and baking cookies.<br />
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So today has been a little more food work than the average day, but certainly nothing too uncommon. It's not uncommon for me to make three meals a day since someone is usually always home in my house, or for me to be making a meal to share with someone at church or save in the freezer for later. I make cute lunchboxes, bake bread, and stir big bubbling cauldrons of marinara to freeze. I order and pick up the donut holes for church and manage the coffee supplies and volunteers. We are the bread baking rotation for our church's communion, and I often can be found posting food pictures and recipes on Facebook.<br />
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My husband and I like to buy strange food at the Asian market, try new restaurants and recipes and order organic meats from local farms. We grow herbs in our garden and make delicious things with it. We grow cabernet franc grapes on an arbor in our yard and make our own wine from it. We watch cooking shows on the Food Network.<br />
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<i><b>In short, we are foodies.</b></i> It's part of our lifestyle and part of our identity as a family. My husband is the bigger foodie and better cook than myself, but over the years our tastes have grown very similar and he's taught me many of his kitchen skills.<br />
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Our six year old is even a little foodie in training who likes Sriracha on her eggs and almost had a heart attack when she got a waffle maker for Christmas.<br />
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So when I began to research bariatric surgery and what it would mean for my future lifestyle, there were some things that I was unwavering on. I didn't want to eat diet food for the rest of my life, or not be able to enjoy cooking for my family. Things crossed my mind like...will I be able to eat at restaurants, will I be able to eat spicy food, can I still drink wine?<br />
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And now as I am rounding out the first year of this journey, I am happy to say that I feel like a totally normal person. I eat completely normal food at my 1 cup portion. Because sleeve patient experience far less dumping sydrome than bypass patients (mostly due to the removal of the pyloris), the only restriction I have on fattening foods is that higher calories could impede my weight loss. But I can have it...little by little, if I want to.<br />
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I was telling my husband just last night how nice it is to finally truly enjoy REAL foods without fear or hesitation. There were many many years where I consumed a lot of 'fake' foods...no fat, no sugar, lots of prepared and diet meals. And sure, during that time I was skinnier but I was certainly not healthier. I think everyone is starting to finally starting to come around to the idea that the low-fat diet fads of the 90's were simply not good for our bodies, and I know for sure it wasn't good for mine. And frankly, I still got fat didn't I?<br />
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There were many decision that lead me toward having this surgery, and one of them was that I knew I needed to be able to eat real foods and still lose weight at the same time. Of course going toward the path of surgery is certainly NOT everyone's answer for making that happen, but for me it has been.<br />
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I know that in an ideal world, I would have been able to have self-control and moderation with these real food and not gained so much weight in the first place. I know many people who successfully live that way. But well, I didn't...and that ship has already sailed.<br />
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But coming back around, heading toward the land of the skinny...I find it refreshing to get here without diet coke or fat free cheese or those fake potato chips that have warnings about anal leakage.<br />
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I feel normal and healthy and like I'm very much still a foodie.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-90455447230492842572014-01-05T08:25:00.000-08:002014-01-05T08:25:16.945-08:009 Months- 80lbs and Holding I realize that I have been a bad blogger both here and on my Mommy blog...I haven't written anything since Thanksgiving! I could have written about surviving Christmas, my first ever episode of dumping syndrome (it was cheese fries in case you're wondering), or how I handled the meat extravaganza that was Fogo de Chao...but I didn't. I've been busy having an awesome holiday with my family, and for that I can't apologize.<br />
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Much like my post about Thanksgiving, part of the reason this holiday was so great was because I feel like I had so much more energy and endurance for handling all of the activities and preparations. I also suffered from far far less blood sugar sluggishness brought on by holiday junk food and alcohol, even though I enjoyed my fair share. <br />
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I hit 80lbs right before Christmas and have stayed there. Partially because of all the nacho cheese and wine, and partially because I think my weight loss is starting to slow down, at least according to my surgeon. I feel like I have much more to lose but even so I have to be pretty happy with these results so far. <br />
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Early January, 2014</div>
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My 30th birthday, 2010. </div>
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<i>I thought you guys might be starting to get tired of my same boring 'before' picture, so I'm digging for the worst pictures I can find of myself. Truly awful. You're welcome. </i></div>
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Part of the reason I *think* the scale is slowing is because I *think* I might be gaining muscle mass from doing private pilates training twice a week. I don't know much about exercise but it certainly feels that way. Things are tightening and shrinking but the scale stays the same. My friends and doctor tell me that this is a good thing!</div>
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It's pretty dang expensive to go to the pilates studio but so far it seems totally worth every penny. The place I go has the scary looking tables with straps and springs and it is HARD. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIISkk_OUheWSlFkswkBx2465OK5SRDaAusBH2XS0OFNoLW8cyvdqayHQIcOZRWrIRshaKB7BZmUsogZ7YQ-hvX5bSiGdtO2gQ2eZKUexpoIC3Fpg6fo4KpqByjNlMYjG5kV2jcgN2NZA/s1600/pilates2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIISkk_OUheWSlFkswkBx2465OK5SRDaAusBH2XS0OFNoLW8cyvdqayHQIcOZRWrIRshaKB7BZmUsogZ7YQ-hvX5bSiGdtO2gQ2eZKUexpoIC3Fpg6fo4KpqByjNlMYjG5kV2jcgN2NZA/s320/pilates2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This is picture of me yesterday during my workout. Okay not really....add about 75 lbs, dark hair and LOTS more sweat and grunting. Plus I'm not cool enough to levitate like this. But even though it's HARD (I can't not capitalize that), it's enjoyable too and I really like my trainer. And I have sore muscles in places that I didn't know I had muscles.<br />
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I'm improving little by little and the trainer always cheers on with something like 'you would not have been able to do that a month ago!' and I have to laugh a little because I know I would not have been able to to ANY OF IT two years ago. I wouldn't have lasted five minutes in that place.<br />
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And for that I'm pretty grateful. A new year with a new body and new possibilities. It feels good. Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-28597307861461107602013-12-03T12:27:00.003-08:002013-12-03T12:27:56.167-08:00A Better ThanksgivingWe hosted Thanksgiving for my extended family at our house for the second year in a row and it was a great success. I really like hosting Thanksgiving. If the fam doesn't object, we might have to claim this holiday as 'ours'. <br />
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Getting ready for this big of a production sucks up about a week's worth of time getting the house and food ready. And we've always really enjoyed doing that kind of thing. But this year for me it just seemed easier. All of the shopping, planning, doing, cleaning, organizing, decorating. It was just less of a big deal. <br />
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And that surprised me some...because I never thought it was a big deal before. I've always liked throwing parties and such. But I never realized how much it truly wore me out. <br />
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<strong><span style="color: #660000;">Thanksgiving 2012</span></strong> </div>
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I was sick the week leading up to turkey day and struggled to get things done in a timely manner. But when I asked the hubs if it seemed different he said yes. That even though I was sick, I was less stressed and got more done in less time. He noticed it before I even said anything. </div>
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<em>He's been noticing for some time now.</em> </div>
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<strong><span style="color: #660000;">Thanksgiving 2013 </span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #660000;">(the only full shot of me I could find was in front of a crap-ton of food)</span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: black;">I attribute this to several things. The weight loss and increase of physical stamina. And most notably...<a href="http://laurasbariatriclife.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-c-pap-my-secret-weapon.html">better sleep</a> and a major decrease in blood sugar struggles. These three things have been my magic elixir for vitality. </span><br />
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<em>Vitality that I never really realized I was missing</em>. <br />
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And how did I fair with the turkey day food? Quite well. I had a little pile of turkey and some green bean casserole, which I had decided ahead of time would be my meal. Later I had a piece of pumpkin pie and even later, some wine. The next day I reheated one of Mamaw's amazing dressing patties and had some cranberry salad. <br />
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The rest of the food I didn't have and didn't really care. I knew what I really liked the most and wanted and that's what I went for. <br />
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And after all that prep and work and illness and antibiotics, I still had the energy to spend all day Friday antique shopping with the family, and partying until the wee hours with my oldest friends on Friday night. I didn't feel wiped out or fatigued. <br />
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<em>And it Thanksgiving was so much better that way.</em> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-13690108007082482692013-11-22T09:26:00.002-08:002013-11-22T09:26:26.541-08:008 Month Progress PicsWednesday marked 8 months post surgery, and I'm feeling great. Well minus the pink eye that's been going around my house.
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<b>March 2013- pre-surgery</b></div>
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<b>November 2013- 8 months post surgery. Down 77lbs. </b></div>
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-74454327225867077802013-11-06T07:55:00.001-08:002013-11-06T07:55:19.111-08:00The C-Pap, My Secret WeaponNowadays I often get the question of how I feel....do you feel fabulous? do you feel so much better? The truth is that I do, but I think the weight loss is only part of that. <b>The weight loss is great, the change in insulin response is amazing, and the difference made by my sleep changes is downright mind-blowing. </b><br />
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Let me start by saying that I've always been a bad sleeper. When I was young, I was a sleepwalker. My parents would find me doing all kinds of strange things in the night, including once giving the dog a bath. In continued into college and my college roommates have a couple of good stories too.<br />
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Eventually that calmed down, but I was still just a crappy sleeper. After babies I just hardly slept at all, even when they would sleep for 12 hours. I took every over the counter sleep med (but was always afraid of things like Ambien) and eventually resigned myself to the idea that I was forever sleep cursed. And life went on.<br />
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When I was getting ready for bariatric surgery, I was required to do a sleep study because I snored. It's a very common pre-requisite to surgery. I did not really want to do it and did not really think it would yield much information.<br />
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<i>Boy was I wrong. </i><br />
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The study showed that not only did I have <a href="http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/understanding-obstructive-sleep-apnea-syndrome">obstructive sleep apnea</a>, but an acute case of it. Given my age and weight at the time, the sleep doc said he was 'very concerned' for my future health. He said that if I left things alone, I might suffer from an apnea-related stroke 10 years from now.<br />
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The readings from the study said that on average, I stopped breathing 24 times per hour. Also my oxygen intake was hanging out at around 70% for the entire time I was in deep sleep. I never truly fell into REM sleep. Ever.<br />
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So about a year ago, I met my new bestest friend....my C-pap machine. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2GYxe-IrB6dKz1owWbAn1Ra12A_yLrkkXyMGeNVRyXk32_4FdobNvzXS2s5ecZQIukwdGRSGYbPcyl6HeAHmWxZmFptqu6S4IspnIc2JvnJJlHoTyfl0KSlztrwSXr94h63NOLGzxy70/s1600/IMG_4555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2GYxe-IrB6dKz1owWbAn1Ra12A_yLrkkXyMGeNVRyXk32_4FdobNvzXS2s5ecZQIukwdGRSGYbPcyl6HeAHmWxZmFptqu6S4IspnIc2JvnJJlHoTyfl0KSlztrwSXr94h63NOLGzxy70/s320/IMG_4555.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
All this guy basically does is force air down my wind pipe while I'm sleeping, with quite a notable amount of pressure. Like a blow dryer up my nose (minus the heat of course).<br />
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The sleep doc (and my Dad who also has one of these) told me how awesome the difference would be, but I'm not sure I really grasped it until months later.<br />
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I've hesitated writing this post because I was afraid I couldn't quite vocalize the awesome difference that this machine has made for me. <b><i>It is like God has given me the most amazing gift and a light switch has been flipped in my brain. My body is different, my brain is different, my personality is different, my goals are different. I woke up. </i></b><br />
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And all of this happen before I ever had bariatric surgery. It happened when I got my machine.<br />
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Now, my understanding from the sleep doc is that <i><b>weight does not cause sleep apnea, it just greatly exaggerates it.</b></i> He made that point very clear. He said I may eventually be able to sleep without the machine someday, and I may not.<br />
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And sometimes when I tell people that I get a bit of sympathy from them, like they are sorry that I have to put on an elephant mask every night. That's when I know that they have never experienced that level of supreme physical and mental fatigue that I have. I would do anything, wear anything, take anything I needed to to feel this good.<br />
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Sleep, real deep sleep....the most magical medicine of all, has been evading me my whole life. And now I feel blessed, beyond measure, for this silly looking blow dryer up my nose.<br />
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My life has changed. <br />
<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-77358877206162785922013-10-25T16:28:00.002-07:002013-10-25T16:32:18.845-07:00Las Vegas Freedom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFIObF1n1GRWRgCvh5t7wdrRF8ggu9j4DZ-tbQOck3c9bmPr98appu41CMvy1skoUs6RCnaycpFFDh6SEifoJqB0ZOhGfdbhflf6zY8HqgMUadD4XdYs5bDzjuqC3WM1gC_Y15lzYsbGE/s1600/IMG_4426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFIObF1n1GRWRgCvh5t7wdrRF8ggu9j4DZ-tbQOck3c9bmPr98appu41CMvy1skoUs6RCnaycpFFDh6SEifoJqB0ZOhGfdbhflf6zY8HqgMUadD4XdYs5bDzjuqC3WM1gC_Y15lzYsbGE/s320/IMG_4426.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Last weekend the hubs and I went on a four day trip to Vegas to catch up with some old friends who were there to renew their wedding vows with Elvis. It was a great weekend. We saw a show, gambled a little bit, laughed our butts off at the Elvis wedding chapel, reconnected with our old friends, drank and ATE.<br />
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And I have to say that the eating part was more enjoyable than I even imagined. This is the first time in a long time that I've gone out on this kind of a trip without a list of food restrictions, without blood sugar swings, without guilt about being so fat and without fear of gaining weight. <br />
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I just ate my portion of what I enjoyed, and enjoyed it.<br />
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It was a freeing feeling, one I haven't felt in a very very long time. When temptation came I didn't hold back. One day I had 8oz of truffle fries for lunch. One day I ate two macaroons from the Thomas Kellar bakery. I had wine. I had honey roasted peanuts. I had a pineapple ginger mojito. I had a biscuit with gravy. <br />
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And it was all great, and it was all very appropriately portioned and I came home down one pound.<br />
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My dieticians would say to proceed with that kind of eating with caution of course, because I will slow down my weight loss....but this was vacation right? And like most people on vacation I threw caution to the wind because I COULD and I WANTED to.<br />
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<i>And the guilt is gone.</i><br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-81364577744557806872013-10-05T19:02:00.001-07:002013-10-05T19:02:36.402-07:00Bad Pictures Made BetterDo you ever randomly run across a really really bad picture of yourself that shocks you? I did yesterday. If this were real life and not the internet, I would tell you to brace yourself and then do a slow reveal so you could gasp outloud. Ready?.....
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*GASP* </div>
Bad outfit, butchy haircut, bad lighting and oh yeah...a lot of extra weight. This is me at a Christmas event in 2010. I had a 3 year old and almost 2 year old at home. This was before my <a href="http://babybennington.blogspot.com/search/label/My%20Robo%20Foot">robo-foot</a> ever existed, before I realized I had an acute case of sleep apnea that was keeping me perpetually tired, before I had ever considered weight loss surgery. And before I ever realized that there would be a solution that offered me permanent hope for the future.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIllUvYFBglC_SXZpRQqXvUpXBGRPF8bFecPRM9hf49iWPadxjBPBWV0vUzAZ7FSCV86CdWskwOF0ESuR_b0oMVe2kfo3i1vOJCQpXQSWbz2rmy1YAoek4crEA5jsCVjCf8Mx-uS77QU/s1600/DSC00531.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIllUvYFBglC_SXZpRQqXvUpXBGRPF8bFecPRM9hf49iWPadxjBPBWV0vUzAZ7FSCV86CdWskwOF0ESuR_b0oMVe2kfo3i1vOJCQpXQSWbz2rmy1YAoek4crEA5jsCVjCf8Mx-uS77QU/s320/DSC00531.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div>
And this was me yesterday, down 69 lbs. Not skinny, no...but with much better overall health. Proof that not every bad picture has to stay that way. Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-21794680955255987792013-10-05T18:40:00.003-07:002013-10-05T18:40:40.488-07:006 Month Progress PicJeremy took my picture on our video camera (because our actual camera remains very broken) and it turned out a little out of focus.<br />
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Rather than try again...what's better for improving crappy photo quality than an old timey filter? That's what made Instagram famous right?<br />
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So enjoy, my retro lookin' 6 month picture.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">After- October 2013 (6 months post op), 69 lbs lost</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">Before- March 2013</span></b></div>
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-9439170649862108002013-10-04T10:39:00.000-07:002013-10-04T10:39:58.296-07:00Aside From Weight- Some Other ChangesI realize that I haven't kept up with this blog they way that I had originally intended to, but I figure that's okay. The fact that I'm spending less time sitting at my computer is a good thing right?<br />
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I am currently at 6.5 months post-surgery and teetering right on 70lbs lost. Aside from looking better, I'm feeling more different all the time. I still attribute a large portion of my extra energy to my C-pap machine, which I promise to write about soon.<br />
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But aside from a smaller waist band, other things have happened to my body, like...<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>-- Breakouts on my skin have improved.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>--I get tired much less easily. Again, I attribute a lot of this to my amazing c-pap machine. Aka, Mommy's best friend. </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>--My long time battle with blood sugar swings seems to be mostly controlled. I suffer from very little low blood sugar feelings like I used to. </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>--According to my dentist my gums are healthier, which I attribute to the <a href="http://laurasbariatriclife.blogspot.com/2013/09/giving-up-bubbly.html">lack of diet coke.</a> </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>--My menstrual cycles have been a little strange lately which lead me to go see my doc. She said that's a pretty normal thing for bariatric patients due to major hormonal shifts. Nothing that some bc pills can't regulate. </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>--My back is vastly improved. I have an old back injury that I kind of thought would always be there. Maybe it will but carrying less weight has made a HUGE difference. And every time I see my chiro (every other week) he showers me with praise regarding how much I've helped my body. </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>--Surprisingly, I'm even noticing better bladder control which is something I've had trouble with since my second child was born...the 10 pounder. I even had my bladder tested a couple of years ago, which was one of the crazier experiences of my adult life. I didn't realize that the weight was adding so much extra pressure.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>--My hair is a little thinner, but nothing too crazy. Thankfully it was thick to begin with. The stranger thing is that it is laying straight more easily than it has in years, instead of being frizzy and curly mess. </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>--I have hardly any swelling with my <a href="http://babybennington.blogspot.com/search/label/My%20Robo%20Foot">robo-foot</a>. I don't whether to attribute that to the passage of time since foot surgery or less weight pressure on the hardware. Probably both! </b></span><br />
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I wouldn't say that I'm the perfect picture of health, but I am much much closer to it than I was a year ago right now. And that makes everything I've gone through so so worth it.<br />
<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-86998168029404115152013-09-17T10:06:00.003-07:002013-09-17T10:06:53.877-07:00Giving up the BubblyIn addition to being six months post-surgery, I am also celebrating about 7 months soda free. There should be a support group for that kind of thing huh?<br />
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<i>Hi my name is Laura and I'm addicted to Diet Coke. It's been 7 months since my last drink. </i><br />
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Honestly, if I didn't HAVE to give it up I probably never would have. I tried in vain to quit many times. I would even quit for more than a month's time and go back to it. Even when I was under dietician care and they told me you MUST give it up, I didn't. Not until it was time for the pre-surgery detox diet and I had to.<br />
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<i>It's liquid crack. </i> <br />
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The reason I can't have it now is simply because of carbonation. Carbonation is no longer my friend because it can cause my new stomach to expand. And after going through all of this, I simply don't want that to happen. So I don't ever eat more than my allotted volume (8oz) and I never drink the bubbly. One of the dieticians told me once that putting soda into your stomach is putting air into a balloon. And that visual scared me straight.<br />
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Luckily I've always been a fan of iced tea so I switched to these puppies for my portable cold caffeine beverage of choice.
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This unsweetened iced tea is usually all the caffeine I consume in one day, with the occasional exception of a cup of coffee. I've never been as much of a huge coffee nut as my husband so if you see me going for a cup on a normal day...that's when you know that the tired has really hit the fan.<br />
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I do miss my old friend Diet Coke on rare occasion. At a local firehouse chicken dinner in the 100 degree heat, I literally salivated at my family drinking ice cold Dr. Pepper. But I lived. And when I see those occasional articles pass by on Facebook about how diet soda is bad for your kidneys, your teeth, you blood sugar or that aspartame will give you every cancer known to man...I'm a little bit glad to be forced away from it. <br />
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I'll miss you my old bubbly friend. We've been through so much together. But all bad things must eventually come to an end. I won't forget you.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-73656918677847829592013-09-17T09:47:00.002-07:002013-09-17T09:47:25.586-07:006 Month SelfieI'm coming up on the six month post surgery mark and am down around 65 lbs. I'm feeling good and rocking my first pair of non plus-sized jeans in a LONG time.<br />
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Recently I went out painting with my old friend Erin. She's known me since 4th grade so she's seen me at EVERY size...pre-pubsecent to pregnant to plump. In that order, probably. Anyway we had been conversing all night through dinner and our art class and she finally blurted it out...you know I've been looking at you all night but I just now noticed you have a LOT LESS face!
That made me laugh. Yes I do think I have considerably less face.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">Dec. 2012</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">Sept. 2013</span></b></div>
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Also a little less hair, which can be a common bariatric side affect due to the striking cut in calories. But honestly my hair was so thick and curly that it doesn't bother me much. Plus my hair dresser gave me some biotin supplements to help keep it healthy and they seem to help. My dietician is also going to tell me to up my protein intake when I go in for the six month appointment, I'm calling it now. More protein, better hair! <br />
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Aside from hair I'm happy to have less of everything. Less face, less butt, less everything. Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-86222578775726029552013-08-18T10:30:00.000-07:002013-08-18T10:30:05.565-07:005 Months Progress Pic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b> 5 Months- 60lbs</b></div>
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-83267571852800179672013-08-10T11:22:00.000-07:002013-08-10T11:22:22.883-07:00Answering Some QuestionsI haven't blogged about my surgery for a while and figured it would be a good time to come here and answer some of the common questions I have been getting since I went 'public' back in March.<br />
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I'm open to questions and don't usually mind them...I know it's a curious thing to some people. I figured all along that losing 60lbs in 4 months would gather attention from the people around me, whether I wanted it or not. I think anyone who thinks they can be secretive about bariatric surgery are operating under a delusion. People will notice when you only eat 6 oz of food at a sitting. And they'll notice when look significantly different from when they saw you last month. And they'll want to know what the heck you've been doing. <br />
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So questions are okay. Information is good! The only question I ever had that I found a bit unsavory was....are you sure you're fat enough to have this kind of surgery?<br />
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Yes I was fat enough. And I'm sure.<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>Anyway, to the FAQ's:</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">Do you get hungry?-</span></b> Yes I do. I get hungry often enough that I usually snack between meals. My stomach growls and to me it feels the same. The difference is that it takes very little food to fill it.<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>Do you digest food normally?-</b></span> Because I had gastric sleeve and not gastric bypass, yes my food is digested just exactly like yours. The difference is that my stomach is much much smaller. Bypass patients are a little difference because doctors remove the pylorus which does in fact change the way they digest and absorb. <br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>Was it painful?</b></span>
It is a major surgery so yes, there were some painful days right after
surgery, but I got through them. For a couple of weeks I would have
painful gas and cramps when I ate but that did not last very long. Since
then it has not been painful at all. <br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>What can you eat?-</b></span> At this point I can eat anything except steak and bread, both of which I am able to have at the one-year mark. I was on a restrictive diet for a while afterward but that has passed. Because my pylorus is still in tact, I do not have 'dumping syndrome' that bypass patients sometimes do...so high fat and sugar foods don't make me sick. That being said, they do of course slow down weight loss.<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>Can you drink alcohol?-</b></span> I can and I do and yes I am a super cheap date now. Because some of the stomach enzymes needed to break down alchohol were removed, it goes into your blood stream in a more pure form. Meaning one glass of wine is all I'll ever need to have a happy evening.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">Is your procedure permanent?-</span></b> Yes, very much so. 2/3 of my stomach was removed, incinerated and will never be heard from again. <br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>Will you have trouble staying healthy?-</b></span> If I keep up on my vitamin supplements and protein, I will be just as normal as anyone if not healthier.<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>Do you feel different?-</b></span>Yes. The weight loss is one thing of course, but I feel ample amounts of energy compared to a year ago right now. I know a LOT of that has to do with having better control over my blood sugar, which is one of the main reasons I wanted to do this. It was something I was struggling with every day, as well as the affects of having sleep apnea. Being well rested and having a balanced blood sugar level is a game changer for me, regardless of how much weight I've lost. I could never and would never have gotten to this level of health on my own.<br />
<br /><span style="color: #660000;"><b>Why did you choose surgery over some other method of weight loss?- </b></span>Well, obviously it's not the right choice for everyone. But as I said in my last answer...I was caught in a vicious cycle of blood sugar swings and low energy due to other health problems related to weight (what the bariatric peeps call 'co-morbidity factors') and those were the main reason I chose to go this route. I told my husband long ago that regardless of how much weight I lost, I would choose to have this procedure done anyway just to get control on those two things.<br />
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There is also something very liberating about knowing I don't have to rely only on my own self-will for weight loss. I have admitted to the world that I didn't have the self-will, by asking my surgeon to force it upon me and it's like a great weight has been lifted (no pun intended) and I can better focus on just eating what's good and healthy. I don't have to worry that I'll eat too much, because I won't.<br />
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Those were the key factors in my decision making: forced self-will, blood sugar and hunger control, and a major change in other medical conditions. I would never have found those things anywhere else, and I desperately needed them. <br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>Do you still crave things? </b></span>Yes. I'm still human of course. Lately I have been craving sweets which is kind of new to me cause I've never had a huge sweet tooth. I keep thinking about things like birthday cake, pumpkin pie and cheesecake. I wonder if some part of my brain is subconsciously trying to get me to consume more calories and carbs! To curb the craving, we hit up the local frozen yogurt place yesterday and got about 4 oz of red velvet yogurt to the tune of 150ish calories. It was goo-oood. <br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">Can you stretch out your stomach back to normal size and gain weight back?</span></b> From what I've read it is easier to do this after gastric bypass surgery than it is with gastric sleeve. That's not to say it's impossible. I will have to watch the volume of my portion (currently 6-8oz) for the rest of my life, but at this point that has become like second nature. A few times I have eaten too much and it is both painful and nauseating. When I feel full, I should always stop right then no matter how good it is. Eating enough volume to permanently stretch out the stomach pouch seems to me like it would be a painful process, and I'm hoping that I would never put myself in that position. <br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>Do you ever regret it?</b></span> No yet, no. Not at all. Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-2128806009801980012013-08-03T13:12:00.002-07:002013-08-03T13:12:47.478-07:00Roid RageI haven't posted much lately because there hasn't been much to post. I've been taking steroids for two weeks now due to a poison ivy outbreak and well....haven't lost a pound. I have to remind myself that weight gain is the main reason the athletes and muscleheads take steroids to begin with and that I shouldn't beat myself up. I haven't gained any. I just haven't lost any.<br />
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To top it off, it turns out that I am allergic to the steroid I was taking which made my poison ivy hives and reaction much much worse than it needed to be.<br />
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<i>I feel fat and crappy. Well, at least that's not a new sensation to me. It's a category that I'm quite familiar with. </i><br />
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Today I stopped taking it all together and started a heavy regiment of Benadryl which prompts me to ask...where am I? ..what time is it?....huh?<br />
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Here's hoping I have happier healthier news to report in the next week or so. In the meantime, I just need to make sure my pity party doesn't include too much junk food.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-51441379347391936742013-07-15T18:57:00.001-07:002013-07-15T18:57:39.925-07:00Monkey Off My Chest<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>This is how much I've lost since March. Exactly one six year old Tessa<span style="color: blue;">.</span></b>
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<b>Now you see it...</b></div>
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<b>Now you see it, but in the form of a monkey girl....</b> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZiZCInDwp3SKSAINoPQOAWQO61IL7HxZRYJdAjSOcEyQ_sALA4EnvYD8KByIcl24NRHdmFleiYb4UFh3LzpYra_9f58cw4mdBsK2nasgmJ0iMXYKts_ZjPMXdfZGZqUzxDCa5ONNm-9w/s1600/IMG_3924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZiZCInDwp3SKSAINoPQOAWQO61IL7HxZRYJdAjSOcEyQ_sALA4EnvYD8KByIcl24NRHdmFleiYb4UFh3LzpYra_9f58cw4mdBsK2nasgmJ0iMXYKts_ZjPMXdfZGZqUzxDCa5ONNm-9w/s320/IMG_3924.JPG" /></a></div>
Once I past 50lbs, I've started to notice my posture and stance is changing, maybe even the way I walk. I'm sure that the chiropractor will say that's a very good thing, but it also makes me feel kind of physically disoriented sometimes. I'm assuming that's because it's happened so fast that I haven't adjusted. Either way, my back feels much better than it used to! Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-54476152658304511272013-07-09T16:06:00.002-07:002013-07-09T16:06:54.834-07:00Vacation, aka "I Can Eat Anything Syndrome"Last week and the week before we were on vacation. Two seperate road trips, to be exact. One lasting about 17 hours each way, and one only 3.5 hours each way. No matter how it adds up that was a lot of time in the car, a lot of snacking, and a lot of fast food.<br />
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The good thing is that I'm far enough out from surgery that I can pretty much eat anything.<br />
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The bad thing is that I can pretty much eat anything. Like...
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Yes I had chips. And ice cream. And chicken nuggets. But the solace that I find is that it was all in very small amounts. It took me three separate snack attacks to finish this big-grab sized bag of chips. And when I got chicken nuggets, it was only a four piece order. High fat food, but small amounts.<br />
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I actually found chicken nuggets to be a good source of road-protein when my options were limited. Which was partially due to a leaky cooler that soaked all of my cheese. Squishy wet cheese, bleck. <br />
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But life happens right? I think that's the point. Life will continue to happen and I will be equipped with my own inner portion control and at the same time able to enjoy treats.<br />
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Now, many patients who have had bypass are not able to eat a lot of high fat foods and experience what is called 'dumping syndrome.' Thankfully, that is not common in sleeve patients. And thankfully even despite my road food adventures, I have yet to experience dumping.<br />
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What it WILL do of course is slow down my weight loss. In two week I only lost about 3 lbs, and honestly had I been home and on a normal diet it would have been more. But I'm happy with that. I didn't gain anything. Today I am holding at 52 lbs lost.<br />
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Oh and I shouldn't forget the nightly glass of wine in Colorado and lime-aritas at the lake. They may have added to my calorie count as well. But vacation is over and in my mind it was welllllll worth it.<br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-78148034753314390572013-06-21T07:59:00.003-07:002013-06-21T07:59:52.330-07:0012 Weeks Progress Picture<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="color: #660000;"> March 2013</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">June 2013 (12 weeks post op) </span></b></div>
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48 pounds gone. I was REALLY wanting to say 50lb by the time I hit 12 weeks. Oh well, still obviously very happy. I should stop raining on my own parade huh?...hey, it's a lifelong struggle. </div>
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We are getting ready to go on a 16 hour road trip and I have all my vitamins and some protein shakes. Now that I can eat all normal food (except steak and squishy bread), I'll need to watch myself on the road. More apples and less gas station pringles. Okay there may be a FEW pringles involved. </div>
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I won't weigh myself for over 10 days which will be kind of nice actually, being that I currently do it twice a day. I can just focus on eating well and having a good time...and here's hoping that I like the scale reading on the flip side. </div>
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6286249780641618853.post-82119449886910397592013-06-18T19:15:00.002-07:002013-06-18T19:15:46.215-07:00RegimentIn the time since surgery, I've been going through phases with my vitamins. For a while I was very regimented and after some time had past I became less so. <br />
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Since I am getting very little nutrition from food, my dietician at the bariatric center really enforces vitamins vitamins vitamins. Oh and protein. Protein is your friend. <br />
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So it's not good for me to slip. <br />
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It's a poor excuse but I think part of it was having so many bottles to deal with and many of them cannot be taken together so I have to remember when is okay. I wrote on the top of the bottles which helps some, but I also invested in one of these bad boys...
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What you see here is my daily regiment: <br />
<strong>breakfast-</strong> a multi vitamin, vitamin D, and a sublingual (aka under the tongue) B12<br />
<strong>mid-day-</strong> 6 caramel chews of Calcium Citrate. I slipped one in their just to remind me. Even though they are super delicious, this has been the hardest one to remember. <br />
<strong>dinner-</strong> another multi and a fish oil pill<br />
<strong>bed-</strong> another vitamin D and iron<br />
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Now, the multi and calcium cannot be taken at the same time. And the iron and multi cannot be taken at the same time. The fish oil and D can be taken whenever. And I can't lie, I was accidently chewing up the sublingual B12 for over a month. Sublingual....what do I speak Greek? <br />
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The way I keep it all straight is simple...the Bariatric Center gave me a huge binder of info in which it is all very CLEARLY mapped out for me. If in doubt, check the binder. The binder is your friend too. <br />
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So far my new pill popping container has been helpful. I think it was money well spent. Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00938716427322888477noreply@blogger.com0