Up and Running

THIS IS HOW I FELT AFTER MY RUN

I've been struggling with eating lately and have slowly been getting it under control. But it's a process. I realize I will struggle with this for the rest of my life... that's been a hard concept to accept since having the lap band done. I (foolishly) thought my eating problems would be solved once I had the band put in. I was hoping they'd magically disappear. That is hardly the case. My eating problems are still there, but I've become more conscious of them. I like food. I like the taste of good food. I enjoy cooking. I enjoy cooking good food. And I need to be careful about what I put in my mouth!

So while working on the whole issue of food, I've been thinking about exercise. Yes, thinking. I know I should be actually doing it rather than thinking about it! I've been thinking that I want to be a runner. I used to run in the Army, and I was good at it. I could run fast! I could max my run on my PT test! I could run in the fast running group and I could run with the men! However, that was different. For one, I was 15 years younger and for two, someone was always yelling at me to run faster! I was running away from the drill sergeants who were yelling at me! One of my cousins is 6 weeks older than me...she recently ran her first marathon. I thought, "If she can do it, I can, too." And so this morning, I dusted off the treadmill. Initially, it wouldn't work...I couldn't get the darned thing to turn on. I almost gave up, but since I was already dressed in my running best, I fiddled around with it and figured out why it wouldn't turn on (I forgot to push something called the ON/OFF switch.) And I ran. I ran 1.5 miles in 21 minutes. Jacob plugged in the fan and told me my hair looked funny because it was bouncing up and down. Somehow, he thought that would cheer me on. By the end of one and a half miles of hell, I was hot, sweating, my face was red, my legs hurt, my lungs hurt (my legs still hurt) and my hair had bounced up and down and looked terrible. But. I. Did. It.


And tomorrow, I'll add more footprints to the dust that's still on the treadmill.

THIS IS HOW I FELT BEFORE MY RUN

New Pictures and an Update

It has been a while since I've blogged. We've had quite a few changes within the past month or so and all of my free time has suddenly vanished! In August, Jeff deployed to Iraq for a year. At the same time, I changed jobs and have gone back to school full time. I am currently teaching 2 sections of Language Arts methods...I'm teaching seniors how to teach elementary Language Arts. The seniors take this class (along with Reading and Social Studies methods) right before their student teaching. That keeps me very busy... I'm also going to school full time. I'm working on my doctorate in Literacy Education. Busy, busy, busy!

I've really struggled within the past month. I had my 2nd fill 5 weeks ago and have a difficult time eating meat. I have thrown up a few times from eating meat, so I've cut back on meat and have been eating softer foods. Well, I can eat a larger amount of softer food than "regular" food, so I've gained 5-7 lbs. It goes up and down hourly! Also, since I've been so busy, it's easy to grab something on the go, so I need to focus on sitting down to eat a meal instead of small snacks. Toss in lack of exercise, too! I've been so busy that I haven't been exercising regularly. During the past week, I've walked 4 times, so that's a step in the right direction (haha...what a pun!)

I feel like I'm finally getting everything together...the exercising, I'm planning meals (not snacks) and I'm getting the eating under control. I'm down 44 lbs and feel so much better. I dragged out the jeans yesterday and had to give away a couple of pair since they were too big (one pair even had tags on them!) I wore a size 18 jeans today...a little snug, but doable. And I've even shopped in the "regular" size clothing...and no one kicked me out or gave me funny looks! :)

My Pants Are Falling Down!

This picture is not of me...I'm a girl, I'm white and I'd never look at a car engine... (I wouldn't know what to look for! Oil, where does that go? Carburetor? What's that? Spark whats?)

I was at work yesterday and I got a little embarrassed. While I was walking up the stairs, carrying 2 boxes mind you, my pants decided to slide down. I knew when I put them on in the morning that they were too big, but I wore them anyways. And with my hands full, it was difficult to grab them before they slid all the way off! Luckily, I was in the stairwell and classes have not started yet, so there wasn't a soul around to witness my mortification! I'm just hoping there weren't any video cameras in the stairwell...otherwise, I might have given the security people something to laugh about! :)

Here's an interesting blog about the baggy pants fashion statement http://bizarrocomic.blogspot.com/2009/07/one-mans-pants-another-mans-pariah.html It's kind of funny!

And while I was searching for images to use for this post, I came across several items to help with the pants falling down...and it's not called a belt.

Clearly the Luna Lullaby is for a pregnant woman, but the cartoon girl to the right doesn't look pregnant... and the picture to the right...um, I think that's a mattress/sheet thing that binds them to the bed! Maybe I should market that idea! :)

Back to a Routine...well, maybe...and some EXCITING news!

I am finally back to a somewhat normal routine... for the next week or so... Then it will all change once again!

We've had a busy last couple of weeks...softball, going away parties, doctor appointments, geocaching trips, and my Mum and Ed came to visit for a week. During the week they were here, we all stayed at the lake. We spent the time jet skiing, swimming, and just hanging out. It was a fun time. So this somewhat normal routine will last a few days...we're headed to Iowa one last time before Jeff deploys, then Jacob starts school next week, I have commitments for my new job at K State and then the following week Jeff deploys and I start school and my new job! Whew...I guess that's not really back to a "normal" routine! Once school starts and Jeff deploys, then maybe things will settle down a little! (I doubt it!)

And now for the EXCITING news! I went shopping for some new clothes when Mum was here. I didn't want to buy much...just a few things to get me by. I need to dress a little more professionally with my new job, so after trying on practically all of my clothes (and discovering I had a huge amount of clothes that were too big!) I decided I needed a couple of shirts. Well, I found 2 shirts in Sears that fit the bill. And they fit me, too! :) I found the shirts in the normal sized clothes department! Not in the dreaded Women's Department, but in the regular sized clothing! YES! You heard me, I DID NOT have to cross that isle to the dreaded plus sized clothing!!! YIPPEE!

Here's even MORE exciting news...I went to the doctor for some med refills; I only had about a weeks worth of blood pressure medication left...and my blood pressure was 110/68. I no longer have to take blood pressure medication! :) Yippee!

2 Months Out

Well, it's been 2 months since I've had the lap band surgery. I couldn't be more pleased with it. I feel better. Not that I noticed I felt bad before the surgery, but I just feel better now that I've lost some weight. I have more energy, I'm ready to go, ready to do things, ready to get on with my life!

For the first time, I am not obsessing over food...how many fat grams, how many fiber grams, how many servings of milk, how many "free" veggies, how many points. I feel like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders (hahaha...get it??? weight off my shoulders???) I'm choosing to eat low fat meals that are high in protein, but no one is saying, "You MUST eat this." It's an incredibly freeing feeling! And I'm being successful at it!

According to my scale, I've lost 38 lbs!

Here are some pictures that Jacob took of me last week. I'm happy with the changes that I'm seeing! I tried to vary the pictures...I'm smiling and I placed one on top of the blog and the other at the bottom. I'm hoping no one mistakes them for mug shots! :)

Vacation

Hello Everyone!

We've been on vacation for the last 2-1/2 weeks. Jeff has been on block leave before he deploys to Iraq. We've been here and there, everywhere and back again! We spent some time in Iowa visiting the in laws, we took a trip to KC and stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge and then "camped" in the RV at Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun for a few days. (I walked around for 2 days in public in my bathing suit!) We stayed at the lake for a few days, we took a 2 day, 800+ mile geocaching trip, we set 26 new geocaches in Junction City and hosted a geocaching event. Whew...I need a vacation from my vacation! Check out my other blog to read about our adventures of geocaching: http://www.diecast64.blogspot.com/. And http://www.geocaching.com/ to learn more about the obsession called geocaching!

So, how did being on vacation go while having my lap band? It went pretty well. I'm down another 4 lbs! :) And I feel great! Since we stayed in the RV some of the time, I was able to cook food and watch protein, fat and calories in everything I prepared. There were a few times that I didn't chew my food enough, or that I ate a bit too much...(see the steak post!) but I'm still getting used to eating "just the right amount" with the band. And "just the right amount" varies day by day. On our 2 day geocaching trek, we ate mostly fast food (so we could get back on the road in a hurry!) And, I did OK...I ate mostly chicken, but I followed the pouch rules and listened to my body and stopped eating when I was getting full!

Now that we're back to "normal" life (if that's what you call it!) I need to get back into an exercising routine. My goal for this week is to exercise 3 times before Sunday. I know once I start exercising regularly I will feel even better and will lose more weight.

So, I'm raising my water mug (with Real Lime) to celebrate vacations, good times and exercising!

A New Blog I Found

I love bags...totes, purses, make-up bags, change purses, whatever!

I have found a new blog and I just wanted to share it with you all! This site makes me drool!

http://justanotherhangup.blogspot.com/

There are beautiful tote bags on this site and even a contest to win one! Check it out and wipe the drool from your chin as you look around! :) Enjoy!

When Will I Learn???

When will I learn???? Grrrrr. I am so mad at myself!

We had an awesome supper tonight. Rib eye steaks on the grill, grilled potatoes in tin foil packets and grilled veggie shish-ka-bobs (zucchini, onion, and tomatoes.) Yummy. It smelled so good! I ate a few bites of the veggies, then took a bite of the steak. It was a normal bite. And the normal bite was too big! I took too big of a bite and didn't chew it up really well. I had slipped back into the way I used to eat without even realizing it. Then, to top it off, I took another regular bite of steak, along with a hunk of onion. All in quick succession. Big mistake! I had that burning, brick-like feeling in the center of my chest. I miserably sat there, watching Jeff and Jacob enjoy their meal. It got to the point that I couldn't even talk. I didn't want Jeff and Jacob to know anything was amiss, since it was my fault. But eventually I had to get up and walk with my arms above my head...kind of like you do when you've run a really hard race. But the only race I'd run was the one with my mouth! And once I got up, Jeff knew immediately that something was wrong. I hate having to admit defeat...especially when it's my fault. While I was walking around, Jacob told Jeff that they need to remind me to take smaller bites before we start to eat.

I think I'm going to write a little note and leave it at my seat at the table: Take smaller bites. Eat slowly. Listen to your body. Stop even if there is food left on your plate.

I'm hoping...no, I'm knowing my next meal will be better.

I Can Cross My Legs!

I realized today at my support group meeting that I can cross my legs! Granted, I don't have that "Mary Hart" leg cross down yet, but I will get there! I don't know when the last time I actually crossed them. Sometimes I tried to cross them...I'd pull one leg up on top of the other and hope that it would stay there for 5 minutes before it slid off. Most of the time, my top leg wouldn't really be crossed...it would kind of stick straight out. And it was never comfortable.

So tonight at the support group meeting, I tried it and it actually worked! I know this doesn't seem like much, but to me it is a huge thing! I crossed my legs! Really! :) It's the small things that make me realize that I am on the right path.

It has been 1 week since I had my first fill. It's been interesting...I feel much more limited on how much I can eat. I was on vacation during the week, so that made it all the more challenging. But I did OK. I am down 2 lbs since last Thursday.

I'm still learning how much food is too much and how much is just enough. As I was eating lunch today, I was almost done with what was on my plate...I had about 2-3 bites left and I realized I had eaten enough. I spit out the bite I was chewing and threw out the rest of the food. I know if I had eaten the rest of my lunch, I would have been overfull, and that's a feeling I want to avoid. That overfull feeling hurts...it feels like what I imagine a heart attack would feel like. It's a burning pain in the center of my chest. I get hot and sweaty and it's hard to get a full breath of air. I just need to pay attention to what my body is telling me...and LISTEN to it!

I think I'm going to cross my legs while I watch TV. Just because I can! :)

My First Fill at 6 Weeks

This morning I went in to see Dr. Hachem and I got my first fill! This means I had 2.5 cc's of saline injected into the port of the lap band. This tightens the band around my stomach, making the food slower to leave my stomach, which in turn will leave me feeling full longer.

Having the fill was the weirdest sensation...and it's not for the faint of heart! The needle that he used to inject the saline was about 5 inches long! Once it was in the port, he filled and deflated the band several times to make sure it didn't leak. I could feel a little tightness, then bubbles in my stomach when he did it! It was similar to feeling a baby kick. Anyways...while the needle was still sticking out of my abdomen, I had to sit up and drink some water. Once I felt the water "climbing up my throat," (and yeah, it really feels like that!) then Dr. Hachem let out some of the saline. I could feel the water move slowly down, like it was draining out. Again, it was so strange being able to feel this happen. None of it really hurt...just some pressure. The most uncomfortable part was having to lie down with a pillow under my back and my arms over my head.

I have to return in 6 weeks if all goes well, or 4 weeks if I haven't lost 3-6 pounds during the next 3 weeks.

Officially, I've lost 35 pounds and my BMI is down 5.3 points. (http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/). My blood pressure was 110/68. So it was a great visit! :)

Tangy Sirloin

I made this for supper tonight, and it was pretty darn tasty! I would definitely make this again. The steak marinated all day, and I grilled it up, along with grilled sweet potatoes, fresh green beans and cole slaw. I found the recipe in Taste of Home Backyard Grilling Recipes and Tips to Grill Like a Pro. However, I made a few changes (adding more garlic, using less honey and oil, and doubling the marinade.) The nutritional information if off just a bit due to the marinade ingredients.

Enjoy!

Tangy Sirloin

* Exported from MasterCook *

Serving Size 4

2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic -- minced
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound sirloin steak, trimmed
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 Tablespoon molasses

In a large Ziploc bag, combine the first 6 ingredients. Cut the steak into 4 pieces, add to the marinade. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, or overnight.

Drain and discard marinade.

Grill steak, covered, over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until meat reaches desired doneness. (145* for medium-rare, 160* for medium, 170* for well-done.)

Combine the last 4 ingredients. Brush over steak. Grill until glaze is heated.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 407 Calories; 23g Fat (50.0% calories from fat); 22g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 71mg Cholesterol; 719mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Fat; 2 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : Adapted from "Tangy Sirloin Strips" (p. 121) Taste of Home Backyard Grilling Recipes and Tips to Grill Like a Pro

Drinking Water part 2

I am still working on drinking water! I have a filled insulated cup that I have out all the time. When I walk by it, I stop and have a sip. So far it's working well...when I remember to have it filled! During the weekend I didn't have it filled and ready. And I didn't drink very much water!

My cup that I'm using is one the I got from the hospital. It's only 19 ounces, but 19 ounces is better than nothing! I have this weird thing about drinking from plastic cups, though. Water takes on a plasticy taste. I don't know if I can really taste the plastic, or if it's just one of those mental things that I think the water tastes plasticy. It doesn't matter what kind of plastic cup it is...a kids cup, a restaurant cup, a canteen, an insulated cup...if it's plastic, it tastes funny to me. To combat this weirdness, I use True Lemon or True Lime to help combat the plastic flavor. And it works!

Here's a little about True Lemon and True Lime: It is crystallized lemon or lime flavor. You can use it for cooking, baking and seasoning. There are 0 calories, 0 sugars, 0 carbs and 0 sodium. Both flavors come in individual packs...kind of like Splenda or Equal individual packets. I always carry some of them in my purse. I usually find these in the drink isle of the grocery store near the Crystal Light. They are about $2.99 for a package of 32. The flavors also come in a shaker that I find in the spice isle of the grocery store. The shaker is about $3.00 for 2.85 ounces...which equals 20 limes (according to the package.) I usually use the shaker for water I drink at home...just a few shakes in my plastic cup and I have a nice lemon or lime flavor...and it doesn't taste like plastic! Some of you may wonder why I just don't use a real lemon or lime to flavor my water. Well, I do sometimes! But more often than not, I cut up a lemon or lime and then all of the small pieces I don't use end up at the back of the refrigerator growing mold. Also, I find that if I leave the real lemon or lime in a glass of water for more than 1 hour, I get a bitter citrus flavor. Strange, I know.

I just checked out the True Lemon website and it's awesome! They have a printable coupon, recipes, free samples. You can even order True Lemon/Lime! (I found it more expensive than what I buy in the store, but still! If you want to shop from home in your pajamas, you can!) http://www.truelemon.com/

All you wanted to know...and more...about how weird I am! :)

Pouch Rules and Water

I think one of my biggest downfalls since having surgery is drinking water. I am not drinking as much water as I was before the surgery. Because of the pouch rules, I am not supposed to drink with meals. The idea behind that is the liquid will wash the food out of the pouch and I won't feel full, which defeats the purpose of the lap band.

I used to drink at least 1-2 big glasses of water with each meal and several big glasses through the day. So far, this pouch rule has been the hardest to follow. I miss drinking with my meals! Sometimes I get thirsty when drinking and just want a sip...but I know a sip will lead me down a slippery slope.

Since I don't drink with meals, I am finding that I forget about drinking in between meals. My goal for today is to drink more! It's hot and I should be drinking lots more than I am! I need to be kind to my kidneys. So today, I'm filling up a cup with ice water and I'm leaving it out so I can drink throughout the day. I'm using the cup the hospital gave me...it's only 19 ounces and I'm aiming for drinking 3 of them today.

I'll let you know how it goes! :)

Greek Couscous Salad

Greek Couscous Salad

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups couscous
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
5 medium black olives, finely chopped
2 medium tomato, chopped
1 medium cucumber, chopped
1/2 medium zucchini squash, chopped
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 Tablespoons Greek Spice Mix (found at Penzey's)
2 Tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 bunch spinach leaves, torn

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the couscous (I like to use whole wheat couscous bought at the health food store.) Bring back to a boil, remove from heat and cover. Let sit for 5 or so minutes, until all broth is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. You can also use prepackaged couscous, just follow the package directions and make the entire box. After the couscous has cooked, cool to room temp.

2. Chop the tomato, cucumbers and zucchini. You can use halved cherry tomatoes instead of chopped tomatoes if you'd like.

3. In a small bowl, mix the Greek Spice Mix, sugar and the water together. Let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Let the dressing sit for about 5 minutes.

4. In a large bowl, mix the cooled couscous, feta cheese and the chopped vegetables. Rewhisk the dressing and pour over the couscous mixture. Chill.

5. Tear the spinach leaves into bite sized pieces and place on a plate. Serve the couscous salad on top of the spinach leaves.

Notes

Servings: 10
Notes: I use whole wheat couscous and fat free feta cheese (you can buy it at Sam's Club.) The nutritional information is not accounting for the whole wheat couscous or the fat free feta cheese. So there is a little more fiber and a little less fat when you use these ingredients. You can find Penzey's Greek Spice Mix here (http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysgreekseas.html )If I don't have the Greek Spice Mix from Penzey's, I use Ken's Steak House Lite Northern Italian with Basil and Romano. I know it's not Greek, but it works well. Any bottled Greek dressing would work well. You can add more or less vegetables according to your tastes. The spinach is optional...if you don't like it, don't use it!

Nutritional Information (from MasterCook 9)
Calories: 191
Total fat: 9 grams
Sodium: 307 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 21 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 6 g

Food Exchanges:
Starch/Bread: 1
Lean Meat: 1/2
Vegetable: 1/2
Fat: 1-1/2

I Tried the Gum Today

Tonight I chewed gum while making supper. I am not a frequent gum chewer, so this was kind of a big deal. I went out and actually bought gum! (A hint to all of you non gum chewers...tropical fruit Trident doesn't really taste like tropical fruit.) Anyways, it worked! I didn't snack while I was cooking! However, I did notice the sauce I made for the fish needed a little salt. That was easily remedied by using the salt shaker on the cooked fish. I will try it again! But I may need to buy a different flavor of gum.

I made a fabulous Greek inspired couscous salad to go with the fish that needed a little salt. I'll post the recipe tomorrow.

For those of you who did not read the comments section on yesterday's post...my niece saw the pictures and wondered if I had been arrested! I guess my pictures do look like mug shots! :) Thanks for the laugh!

The Dietitian Called Today

The Dietitian, Jennifer, called me today. She asked me if I was having any problems adjusting to real food, rather than the liquid, pureed and soft foods that I had been eating. I am not having any problems. At first, I did eat a few things too fast and I did try and eat just one more bite...and it hurt when I did that. It felt like what I would imagine a heart attack feeling like...a burning, sharp pain in the center of my chest. But I've learned since then. I have to slow down to eat and I have to stop when I feel full and I can't cram in just one more bite. It's hard changing habits.

Speaking of habits, I was making salads for supper tonight for the boys and I found myself snacking while I was chopping the ingredients. Before the surgery, I would often eat a meal before actually sitting down to eat the meal! I would snack on whatever I cut up and would taste what I was cooking...sometimes tasting quite often! I didn't realize I was snacking until after I was done with the salads...and I was full. I had a few pieces of cheese, a few shrimps, some ham, a few slices of cucumber and even a piece of lettuce. Why??? I wasn't even aware of the snacking I was doing. Tomorrow night while I'm cooking supper, I am going to chew some gum to see if that stops the snacking while cooking.

The Decision to Have Surgery

In February 2009, I had parent-teacher conferences. One of the parents told me that she was going to have a lap-band procedure done. I spent the next few weeks thinking about this. The parent was a similar size to me and she had yo-yo'd with her weight...just like me.

A few weeks later, I was at the doctor office for an ear infection and I decided to ask her about having a lap band done. I almost chickened out, but at end of the appointment, I blurted out, "I want a lap band done." She talked to me about the severity of it...it's surgery, it's not a quick fix, etc. And then she entered the information in the computer for a referral! After waiting for 10 days (or so,) I received the referral in the mail and my insurance approved it!

I spent the next few weeks gathering information for my file. I had to have my previous medical records, all of my surgical reports, a mental health exam, attend a support group and information meeting and have lab work sent to Innovative Weight Loss Solutions before I could even make an appointment with the doctor. Finally, I was able to make an appointment!

On 16 April, I went for my all day appointment at Geary County Hospital. I had to meet with Pam and Rhonda at the Innovative Weight Loss Solutions office. Then I met with Jennifer, the dietitian. I also had to do lab work, have an ultrasound of my gall bladder, and EKG, breathing tests, and an upper GI series with X-Ray (I hope I NEVER have to drink the chalky yuck again!) Finally, I met Dr. Hachem and then I made my appointment for my Lap Band surgery. It was scheduled for 19 May 2009!

After eating jello, broth and protein shakes for 2 weeks, I had my surgery! I arrived at the hospital at 10:00 am and left the next day around noon. The roughest part of the surgery was having the IV started! I have tough veins (they are deep and like to roll,) and it was even tougher since I hadn't had anything to eat or drink since the day before! The other tough thing was I was so thirsty after the surgery. I was able to sip a Tablespoon of water in an hour time frame. After I was released from the hospital, I stayed home from work for the next few days and rested. And ate jello. I never want to eat jello again!

I am now one month out from the surgery. I feel great! I've lost 30 pounds so far! :) In 2 weeks, I'll get my first fill and I'm looking forward to it. While I am eating less (and exercising more,) I don't feel much restriction right now. My 5 incisions have healed well. I am very excited for this next chapter in my life!