Fart-o-rama bean stew

Ok so thats what I call it but its otherwise called Weight Loss Stew, but cuz of all dem beans, i call it the f-o-m. (long story on why the m and not the r)

WLS Stew!

This will help you flush out your system and jumpstart

weight loss and acts as a natural laxative.  It's healthy,

delicious and filling.  It also helps to avoid starvation mode and

packed with good carbs and proteins!

   1 can Lima beans

   1 can Pinto beans

   1 can Kidney beans

   1 can White navy beans

   1 can Butterbeans

   1 can diced tomatoes (choose your flavor)

   2 cans spicy V8 juice

   1 entire large cabbage - chopped/shredded into bite size pieces.

    2 large potatoes, skinned, chopped.

    1 large onion

    2 small cans of mushrooms (or 1 large tray of fresh)

    1 can green chili's diced (mild, med, hot, your choice)

    1 lb lean ground turkey meat

    2 precooked chicken breasts or thighs, diced -or- any other type  

of MEAT leftovers on hand. Sausage? Pork? etc.

    2 table spoons of minced garlic, or 8 fresh cloves

    2 table spoons low carb ketchup

    Various seasonings, salt, pepper, garlic, MzDash, Onion Salt, tobassco, etc.

You can also replace all the canned beans with a bag of 15 beans variety if you feel like cooking from scratch!  

Grab a LARGE pot (big and deep enough to hold ALL the above  

indredients) and use it to brown turkey meat, garlic (if it's minced) and chopped onions with dry seasonings of your choice.

Drain what little grease there might be.

In the same pot, add the diced potatoes, garlic cloves (if it's  

fresh) and cabbage, about 3 cups of water, and the V8 Juice. Boil for 

about 20 minutes, giving the potatoes a chance to cook.

Then add ALL remaining ingredients, just dump them in. If you used  

fresh beans, add them "cooked" to the pot.  If you're using canned  

beans, just open the cans and DRAIN the juice first. Add the entire  

can (with juice) of chilis, tomatoes, etc. You might have to add a  

little more water, to keep it from cooking out, also don't be afraid  

to SEASON it. Seasoning is our friend, and since you'll be eating  

this soup for several days, 2 to 3 times a day, you want to make darn 

sure you LOVE the way you've seasoned it.

About the 3rd day of eating this, I try to add a new twist to it, to  

change up the taste again. Maybe a can of corn? Or some black olives? 

Or a little bit of shredded cheese?   Sour cream...etc.   The CORE  

blend of ingredients always seems to jump start my weight loss.    

This is ALL I eat, 3 or 4 times a day until the pot is empty, normally lasts about 5 to 6 days.  I also drink lots of water during this time.

Nutrients per 1 cup serving:  Calories 280, Protein 25

gr, Fat 5 gr, *Net*Carbs 19 gr (from good [bean] carbs, after

deducting 9 gr of fiber)

Big honking edit of Laurel's here: 

•I don't put in the potatoes, green chilis, mushrooms or ketchup. I buy a bag of slaw instead of hacking up a head of cabbage, cuz the first time i made it, i wasn't 1/4 of the way thru the head and chopping like there was no tomorrow and it was a pain!

•I do put in the 5 diff kinds o' beans, geo forman a chicken breast or two then pampered chef chop it into tiny pieces. I have some on hand in the fridge and might make a batch this week!

Enjoy!!!

Peanut butter wls cookies with sf choc fudge pudding

The peanut butter cookie recipe that I've used for a while now (cup of lofat pb, cup of splenda, egg, shot of davinci, pick yer flavor) is the cup and the pudding is sf choc fudge. The whole family likes these...

The recipe for the pb/choc fudge pudding pie calls for double batch of the pb pressed into a pie crust, then bake and add the pudding. I wanted something more bite size so used my mini muffin pan, a pampered chef wooden thingy to make the cup, baked and topped later when cool with the pudding. YUM!

Turkey/spinach muffins

These muffins are yummy! first pic is the mix, i did not use the whole box of spinach, and have enuf of that leftover for another batch! second pic is after they were cooked, last one is on the plate with parmesan cheese on top. Next batch will have cheese in them too! I did not add mushrooms as the recipe calls for, or the shallots. And substituted Kaye's Natural Parmesan protein chips for the bread crumbs for extra protein :)

Spinach-Turkey Meatloaf made in Muffin Pans (recipe from Susan Maria's bulletin board)

created by ElisaB

One 1-pound package Ground Turkey

1 package frozen Spinach, water squished out of thawed

Mushrooms, chopped, about 1 1/2 cups fresh

Chopped, minced garlic to taste

Chopped Green Shallots, 1 bunch

1 Chopped onion

Fresh Parmesian Cheese, about 1/2 cup

Italian Bread Crumbs, 1/2 Cup

2 eggs

olive oil, minimal to cook onions, mushrooms and garlic

I start with chopping mushrooms, onions and garlic and cook til soft, then set aside

to cool. I then drain out the oil I used to cook, and set aside to cool.

In a bowl I add frozen thawed spinach, package of lean ground turkey, eggs,

parmesean cheese, cooled cooked mushroon/onion mixture, italian bread crumbs, salt

and pepper to taste, and I also throw in Oregano to taste. I mix them all up like

meatloaf. I throw into VERY well PAM sprayed muffin pan and bake at 350 for half hour.

These then freeze so great and are healthy.

Makes 12 servings. Per Serving: 156 Cal; 16 g Protein; 7 g Tot Fat; 5 g Carbs;

1 g Sugar; 192 mg Sodium

Protein Ice cream....

The ice cream maker came and i made the first batch of protein ice cream. yummmmy!

Info on the protein ice cream and ice cream maker can be found here on The World According to Eggface's blog. 

am also making turkey spinach meatloaf in muffin tins today. pix of them later. 

sometimes...and what i cooked tonite

i wish i had a time turner like Hermonie so i could go back in time and do things differently.

i realize that some people and things would not be if i did that, but there are a few things I would really like to change...and i know things happen for a reason, its the reasons i just don't understand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I made chicken taco meat tonite, 6 chicken breasts, in the pressure cooker, with 1 can of low sodium chicken broth, and 1 package of taco mix. on hi for 17 min, fall apart when you look at it tender and pulled apart soo easily with the forks. 

Also I baked a turkey breast in the oven. melted 1/4 stick of butter and mixed with some chicken grilling seasoning, s/p, baked it for bout hour and half. 

so now i have food for a few days. I did walk the mall with Dorothy today.

exercise 9-10

did 6 min on the eliptical and almost 20 on a bike for 5 miles.

missed yest's exercise cuz of life going on. 

work tomorrow morning and will see what i get done tomorrow exercise wise :) am hoping to mall walk with a friend after work, then take the boy to the dr, he sprained knee and ankle on same leg yest. 

Turkey Loaf

LOW-CAL TURKEY LOAF 

1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey

1 lg. grated carrot

1 sm. chopped onion

1/2 c. dry bread crumbs

2 lg. eggs, slightly beaten

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

Combine all ingredients. Mix lightly and press into greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. (180 calories per serving.)

Nutrition Facts

8 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 199.2 

Total Fat 7.8 g 

Total Carbohydrate 12.8 g 

Dietary Fiber 2.2 g 

Sugars 4.8 g 

Protein 20.6 g 

found on a wls recipe group on Yahoo.

SF Cherry Pie

It tastes good but looks strange. splenda, cream cheese (i used light), and egg. blend till mixed, thats when it looked like cottage cheese cuz the cream cheese chunked a bit. bake in graham crust, chill in fridge. top with sf coolwhip when serving. it hit the spot but im over the top full!

Meat crust pizza

Here are some pix of the meat crust pizza that I just made. 1 lb ground beef, 2 eggs, and I used 1/2 cup of Kaye's Natural parmesan chips crushed. Mix all together, spread on cookie sheet, bake in 350 degree oven for 15 min. top with any pizza ingreds you want. I used pepperoni, italian sausage, homemade pizza sauce from tomatoes in my garden, and lots of cheese. I forgot the onions, oh well! then cook for another 10 min till cheese melted. After it cooled, I sliced it an you can see the last pic is 2 pieces on my plate. I had 3 pieces and am full! Yummmmy! Hubby liked it too. Next time I will use ground turkey.

Whats cooking on Labor Day?

Here's what ive been doing today: made a big batch of sf hot chocolate for a friend and myself to split. This is the big bowl (see stove top size for reference) with all the dry ingredients in it b4 I stirred it up and then put in food processor to grind it up to a finer powder.

This made 19 cups of mix.

sugar free hot chocolate mix

1- 25.6 ounce package non-fat dry milk

2 - boxes Nestle's Quick (no sugar added)

2 - 8 ounce jars French Vanilla creamer OR 16 OZ EXTRA CREAMY CREAMER

1 1/2- cup Splenda

3/4 - cup cocoa

2 Boxes Chocolate Sugar Free Instant Pudding mix

Mix well,

I NOW RUN THIS ALL THRU THE FOOD PROCESSOR AND WE LIKE IT SO MUCH BETTER AS IT DISSOLVES BEST THIS WAY...

Store in air tight containers.

Makes 7 to 10 pints of mix.

When ready to serve, add 3 heaping tablespoons (or more according

To taste preference or size of cup) of mix to boiling water, stir well.

PROTEIN PROTEIN PROTEIN!

below is taken from the blog The World According to Eggface

an awesome blog that i came across recently.

"I know this and so I avoid my trigger foods. I hope I can always be as strong. I see post-ops further out that struggle with weight gain which scares the sh*t out of me I have to say. I think it's good it scares the sh*t out of me though... it'll hopefully keep me on my toes."

bold part I did for emphasis for us.

there is no reason on earth why we cannot be strong and say NO! to those triggers. I soooo wanted a bite of tinas first anniversary cake last nite (told her the other day to save me a bite). but i looked at mark as he held the plate at me and said "sorry i don't eat that crap anymore" and walked out of the room. ok a self-serving pat on the back BUT i said no and i meant NO! I may as well have duct taped it to my a** or in my case my tummy and hips.

Why do we even entertain the idea of considering a "bite" which could so easily turn into 2 or more and more? habit, peer pressure, one bite won't hurt, its only 5 calories. we all know they add up and up and up and so goes the weight.

Don't let someone (and that someone could be YOU) dictate what you eat or don't eat.

protein, protein, protein, oh did i mention protein? 

which meds after wls can we have and not have?

We have all been told not to take NSAIDS after WLS but do you really understand why and which ones to avoid?  I didn?t so I did a little research.  I hope this helps to clear up some of your questions. You are at risk for marginal  ulcers any time you take an NSAID [anti-inflammatory medication]. 

Bextra is the newest, next generation of NSAIDS. It is simply an anti-inflammatory with no compound to aid in the protection of our GI systems. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs (pronounced en-said) are the most prescribed medications for treating conditions such as arthritis. Most of us are familiar with over-the-counter, nonprescription NSAIDs such as aspirin and ibuprofen. 

NSAIDs are more than just pain relievers. They also help reduce inflammation and lower fevers. They prevent blood from clotting, which is good in some cases but not so beneficial in others. For example, because they reduce clotting action, some NSAIDS, especially aspirin, may have a protective effect against heart disease. However, you may bruise more easily. NSAIDs can increase the risk of developing nausea, an upset stomach or an ulcer. They also may interfere with kidney function. 

NSAIDs work by preventing an enzyme (a protein that triggers changes in the body) from doing its job. The enzyme is called cyclooxygenase, or COX, and it has two forms. COX-1 protects the stomach lining from harsh acids and digestive chemicals; it also helps maintain kidney function. COX-2 is produced when joints are injured or inflamed. 

Traditional NSAIDs block the actions of both COX-1 and COX-2, which is why they can cause stomach upset and bleeding as well as ease pain and inflammation. 

Contrary to popular belief, it is not just that they are ?pouch  burners? as the industry wants us to believe. It goes much deeper than that. According to an article published in the June 1999 New England  Journal of Medicine, NSAIDS, once absorbed into the blood stream cause a  chain of chemical reactions that affect the prostaglandins and this in  turn reduces the production of mucus in the GI system. The mucus is what lines our GI system and protects our pouch and intestines from damage.

If the mucus production is reduced, this would allow ANYTHING, including eating something with too sharp of an edge or foods that are extremely spicy, to inadvertently begin a marginal ulcer. The best answer is to avoid NSAIDS at all cost. Lastly, taking an H2 receptor drug such as Prilosec, Prevacid or Nexium is only a band-aid and no guarantee that it will  protect you. 

No-no Drugs

DRUGS THAT CAN DAMAGE THE POUCH -- NSAIDS

Advil

Aleve

Amigesic 

Anacin

Anaprox 

Ansald

Anthra-G 

Arthropan

Ascriptin 

Aspirin 

Asproject 

Azolid 

Bufferin  

Butazolidin 

Celebrex  

Clinorial  

Darvon compounds  

Disalcid 

Dolobid  

Erythromycin  

Equagesic  

Feldene 

Fiorinal 

Ibuprofin 

Indocin  

Ketoprofen 

Lodine 

Meclomen 

Midol 

Motrin 

Nalfon  

Naprosyn  

Nayer 

Orudis  

Oruval  

Pamprin-IB 

Percodan  

Ponstel 

Rexolate  

Tandearil .

Tetracycline  

Tolecin 

Uracel  

Vioxx 

Voltaren

COX-2 inhibitors are a special category of NSAIDs. These medications target only the COX-2 enzyme that stimulates the inflammatory response. Because they do not block the actions of the COX-1 enzyme, these medications generally don't cause the kind of stomach upset or bleeding that traditional NSAIDs do. COX-2 inhibitors also don't offer the same kind of protection against heart disease.

COX ?2 Inhibitors : [DRUGS THAT ARE CONSIDERED SAFE] 

Benadryl  

Colace 

Dimetap  

Dulcolax-Suppositories 

Fleet Enema  

Gas-X  

Glycerin-Suppositories 

Imodium Ad  

Milk of Magnesia  

Peri-Colace      

Phazyme  

Robitussin  

Safetussin 

Sudafed  

Triaminics (All)  

Tylenol (cold products)  

Tylenol 

Tylenol Ex Strength

going walking today

Going walking today with a friend. Its that time of the month so im hoping it will feel good to get out and walk. Slow day today, nothing "tastes", am behind on my fluids but gonna catch up soon. then to a support group meeting tonite for year out and beyond wls'ers. 

I am journaling all my food, been doing it for 4 days; so far so good! Will email it all to dietitian once a week. 

How is your day going?

adding another item to the list

Popcorn is the latest addition to the "do not eat again" list.

oh well sometimes you just gotta list some foods that made you think they were sooo yummmy and then when you ate them, YUCK!!!!

Will you dance with me?

Will You Dance With Me?

READ THIS VERY SLOWLY.... IT'S PRETTY PROFOUND.

Too many people put off something that brings them
joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't
have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming
or are too rigid to depart from their routine.

I got to thinking one day about all those women on the
Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful
night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried
to be a little more flexible.

How many women out there will eat at home because
their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until
after something had been thawed? Does the word
'refrigeration' mean nothing to you?

How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in
silence while you watched 'Jeopardy' on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said,
'How about going to lunch in a half hour?' She would
gas up and stammer, 'I can't. I have clothes on the line.
My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had
a late breakfast, It looks like rain.' And my personal
favorite: 'It's Monday.' She died a few years ago. We
never did have lunch together.

Because Americans cram so much into their lives, we
tend to schedule our headaches. We live on a sparse
diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the
conditions are perfect!

We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get
Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace
the living-room carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon
when we get two more kids out of college.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The
days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves
gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have
to show for our lives is a litany of 'I'm going to,' 'I
plan on,' and 'Someday, when things are settled down
a bit..'

When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend,
she is open to adventure and available for trips.
She keeps an open mind on new ideas... Her enthusiasm
for life is contagious. You talk with her for five
minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for
a pair of Roller blades and skip an elevator for a
bungee cord.

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I
love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply
it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate
the digestive process. The other day, I stopped the
car and bought a triple-Decker. If my car had hit an
iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.

Now...go on and have a nice day. Do something you
WANT to......not something on your SHOULD DO list.
If you were going to die soon and had only one phone
call you could make, who would you call and what would
you say? And why are you waiting?

Make sure you read this to the end; you will
understand why I sent this to you..

Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go
round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at
the sun into the fading night? Do you run through
each day on the fly? When you ask ' How are you?'
Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the
next hundred chores running through your head? Ever
told your child, 'We'll do it tomorrow.' And in your
haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good
friendship die? Just call to say 'Hi?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like
an unopened gift....Thrown away..... Life is not a race Take
it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.

'Life may not be the party we hoped for... But while we are here we might as well dance!

the pb cookies recipe again :)

Protein Peanut Butter Cookies--These are sooo yummy and have protein we need, don't go overboard on eating them tho!

1 cup reduced fat chunky peanut butter

1 cup splenda

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla or any flavor of davinci sf syrups

1 tbsp warm water

recipe can be doubled

Mix together, roll into balls, drop on cookie sheet and press down with fork.

Bake at 350 for about 9 minutes.

Ambulating fool!

Yup that'd be me an ambulating (walking) fool!

Went for a nice walk with a wls support group friend yesterday, but it was very buggy, to the point of "don't talk!!!!" lake flies yuck! but im glad im not squeemish about them or i'd have been in big trouble. We went across a former train trestle over little lake butte des morts (im sure i spelled that wrong) by neenah. at the far side are locks where boats go from one area to another. 

Today I went walking here in town with my friend Mary who we were neighbors with for many years. She has one of those cool recumbant bikes; my tires are still low from winter so we walked. 

I also weeded the rest of the garden, cut down most of the rhubarb, cut up all the stalks, even vacuum sealed 2 big bags for future torte making. A big bowl of it is in the fridge for making a Father's day treat. 

ok off to work on orders! whooohoo Today is my birthday and am having a sale on my other web page, take a peek if you are into stamping or have friends who are--think gifts for them!!

CowTown Stamps Blog

Carbs I ate today

1/2 cup fritoes at vbs with taco salad (ground beef, cheese, lettuce, salsa)

cheese popcorn

2 pieces of raisin toast

i know shame on me, but hey im actually JOURNALING FOR ONCE!!!!

any credit for that? i didn't think so, oh well there it is folks.

stay tuned for updates each day on my carbs that I ate (aka stuff i should not eat)

Something I've wanted to do....

is make a set of cards, similar to the old deal a meal cards, but with MY foods. The plan is to either pick at random or pick and plan ahead from this list to help me not deviate from what i should eat.

As a wls patient, i can eat protein, veggies, fruits. i do need to work on carbs, but as that's lesser of the evil vs sugar, im not gonna tackle it just yet. not a cop-out, just my way of doing stuff in an order that seems to be working for me.

so here goes the list of foods that I personally can, do, and like to eat. 

Proteins:

grilled chicken (patty or in a salad)

scrambled eggs (with ham and cheese; onions/tomatoes optional)

tilapia

ground turkey (in various forms, chili, patties, etc)

cottage cheese

hard boiled eggs

turkey

chicken on da spit (rotissary)

pork

string cheese (from the dairy not the grocery)

steak (not as often as pre-surgery) 

Veggies:

lettuce

tomatoes

green beans

onions

Fruits:

berries

bananas (in my protein shakes)

to be continued...after vbs tonite :)

Reflections on eating

i mentioned this to a friend the other day, that part of why we are not losing is what we are eating and not exercising. basic? ya but sometimes we just CAN'T do the basics (our 5 rules for our clinic).

its not brain surgery, its just making subs, my old manager at subway told me when i was hired. ok so that analogy can work here too, my wls friends and readers; tiz not brain surgery, its just following 5 simple rules. and i will be the first to admit im NOT perfect at it, by far, but i think realizing is a good portion of the battle. aa members admit they have a problem, which is a good start; so i do admit, i have problems, snacking and exercising. the rest i think i am doing ok at (vitamins, fluids and protein first), most times that is :)

Obviously if we (me or anyone else I know or you know or you for that matter) eat carbs that don't provide us with protein and fuel that our bodies now need, we aren't gonna lose weight, we may gain and we will be unhappy! 

Same goes for not exercising. ive been wearing my exercise clothes all day long and been busy and hope to get it in tonite b4 bed. if i don't exercise, i won't lose weight or stay or become toned, and of course be unhappy.

Ive heard and said myself, about every excuse there is in the books, or on the planet. but folks, thinking about exercising ain't gonna cut it! looking at the treadmill or the ball or the weights ain't gonna either.

getting off our a-double-s's and  ACTUALLY MOVING will help us. walking is an awesome exercise, so is swimming, i have friends who have pools and don't use them. not saying i would if i had one but i HOPE i would!!!! maybe i need to take some friends up on their offer to use their pools....

ok enuf babble for now. not much left for me to give up cept the carbs, i will do that but wanna work on what ive done now and keep not trying stuf (almost took a spoonful of dd's ice cream today then caught myself saying I DON'T EAT SUGAR!!!!) I gotta think and remember what I have given up recently (soda and sugar) and get that in my head as DON'T TOUCH THOSE!

Have a great weekend, dh and i are going to the brewer game tomorrow so i will get lots o walking in for sure!

tues support group

went to year out and beyond support group last nite, good meeting, we discussed emotional baggage. can't go into details but i am glad i went to that meeting. Afterwards went on a walk with a friend, then out to supper at mcdonalds, had the grilled chicken, tossed the bun, did not even have one bite of it!!!!!! did eat the lettuce, spot of mayo and tomato slice. 

Today just had chicken at the mex restaurant in kiel with hubby and am setting down to work on my card swaps and pages with a coffee and some pink lemonade, sf of course!

exercised using the ball and weighs this morning, then made some scrambled eggs with onions and tomatoes for breakfast, and had a protein shake in there somewhere around exercise time.

water, water everywhere but too much to drink!

Yesterday i managed to get in 3 gallons of fluids; there is debate if that much is good or not, still getting input from dr's, nurses, dietitian etc. so scaling back today, pacing myself. 

decaf coffee, white chocolate mousse with choc protein powder is soon to be in the mug.

i will savor the coffee!!

tired and sweatin...

but ya i did the mill for 30 min this time, with one potty break :)

and drank the rest of yest's shake and now need to go make breakfast! couple hours late but thats ok. 

i tossed out one candy bar so far that was here in my office. now there's no sugar in here but me LOL

Im working on the new me, with a new week, and new attitude. 

Keep rooting for me friends!!!!

here's a pic of me that i just put on my facebook page, thought i would put it here too for the fun of it :) i had longer hair when this was taken. its from my mac's photo booth with a funky 4 shot colorful look.

More things to give up!

Last nite i decided after coming home from a friend's house at her son's graduation where i ate way too much and the wrong stuff, and having a low sugar before going cuz of what i ate then, that im giving up...

yup...

SUGAR!

duh! slaps for me eh?

I guess sometimes you have to go thru the consequences to see that what you did to get those not so nice consequences are not worth doing any more.

Here's what I want: to be thinner, esp the spare tires/rolls that I have around my waist. I would love to start running. Altho first I really should work up to walking DAILY outside. I also have another strength goal that im not gonna share until I can reach that goal and then really freak people out with it.

Tiz a rainy day here but am gonna get my exercise clothes on, make a shake, and start in on the strength and weights on the ball and then hit the mill running.

A new day, a new plan, please keep me in yer prayers that I accomplish my goals for the day! Thanks!

Laurel's list of foods she is no longer going to eat--EVER!!

I figured its time to start typing the list instead of keeping it in my head. 

These are foods Ive tried (and no im not suggesting anyone who has had wls should try these; as I've said before my head is dumb sometimes and thats my 'excuse' for lack of a better word) and they made me sick or I got it thru my thick blonde (and ya empty) head, that they are not good for me so I will not be eating them ever again.

The list includes: 

•culvers custard

•mac donalds french fries

•zingers

•diet pepsi (this was a difficult one for me, but I went without it for a couple days, had some and well yuck! it just didn't taste anymore and its got too much dieuretic properties for me, and it makes me crave other stuff so buh-bye!

•reeses peanut butter cups

there are others but since i didn't write them down, ive forgotten. will add as they come to me. 

Dumping is not fun, fortunately I don't need to visit "Chuff Corner" when I dump (corner in our town where we saw someone chuffing), but let's say im 'seated' for quite a while and of all the "side effects" or things I don't like about having had wls surgery, bowel issues are on the top of that short list. 

Have found that chatting with other wls friends, we can encourage each other or enable each other. Many of us who have had surgery are in the same boat; I am 2-1/2 years post op or 'out' and yes old habits come back, sometimes with a vengance, sometimes that dumb brain of mine (and id suspect of others but there are precious few who I would call dumb to their face, and of course I do that :) forgets im a bariatric person and oh let's just eat whatever. duh! 

Breads fill me up and I can feel da pouch swelling like a balloon. Well it probably doesn't really do that, but thats how it feels, so if i eat bread I should save it for the end of my meal.

We have 5 rules to follow, they are easy but our humanness makes them difficult sometimes. 

Protein first; water; vitamins; no snacking; exercise daily. Easy peasy right? not always!

im great with the vitamins, my labs are good. I'm usually good with water, tho I forget to drink sometimes, just like I forget to eat sometimes and then I'll get a low sugar cuz duh I forgot to eat, so I have literally 5 packages of string cheese in the fridge, most are in the freezer so they don't spoil, at all times. I try to have scram eggs on hand all the time but ok Im lazy and even tho I make 8 or 12 eggs at a time, which will last me up to 4 meals, and fortunately they don't go bad unless I let them go past 4 days, just reheat in the micro, that is an easy breakfast.

Been to the store several times this weekend and did I remember the cottage cheese?? NOOOOO!!

that's my fall back on food, when all else doesn't agree with me, I eat the cottage cheese sprinkled with some sf jello, usually strawberry banana flavor--yeah it looks gross but it tastes great. On the cruise in January, I had ordered 2 entrees to try and neither did it for me and the waiter was very concerned and asked what he could get me, i told him i had a touchy tummy and said I would love some cottage cheese. well Igor was a blessing, cuz he found some for me and I was fine, other than the sea sickness, thats the part I didn't like about the cruise, but some day I'll probably go again, but not soon!

Exercise is my major down fall. I have a new set of things to do from our trainer, M/W/F, 20ish minutes doing the strength then get yer butt on the mill for 30 min at 3.6ish mph and go go go. Im building up to the 30 min, did 24 then 26 min then the headache has stopped me from doing the exercises this past friday. Tomorrow I hope to get up and just DO THEM!

I don't hate doing it, im lazy as I said before and need to get back into that routine. 

The headaches, they are a mystery! ct scan normal, not even a cat in there! tho I am allergic to cats. the are not migraines, and today is day 7 of them. yippee. not as bad. Saturday I took a darvocet cuz they were soo bad, i was nearly in tears cuz im (pardon my french) freekin tired of having them! been to the neuro doc, and we've tried other meds, and she said you can come in and get a shot for the pain or try the darvocet. regular tylenol doesn't really help but i take it anyway. am seeing a chiropractor, which the neuro isn't too excited about having him jerk my neck but honestly that is helpful to me, and he doesn't jerk the neck too often :) so in the morning i will call him for an adjustment. 

the pain I call "machete" cuz thats how it feels, like that bit honking knife that will hack you thru a jungle, is stuck thru my head, lately behind my eyes, and today I told DH that it felt like the knife had swelled up so it was 3" round. imagine having that in your head! not fun. Sometimes its like the steve martin arrow, sometimes its right in the top of my head going down, sometimes it moves around. I went off one med cuz we thought that was causing the headaches, due to hormonalness (new word!) but I dont think that was it, but the neuro said give it another month. oh yeeeah! another month of pain. Most of the time i just ignore it cuz only relief I really get is going to bed and sleeping. And I can't really do that all the time can I?

The darvocet got me loopy (yes, for those who know me personally, loopier than normal) and dizzy and i could not drive and well I really don't want to take that too often. it says for severe headaches, ok 7 days in a row, lasting most of the day is bordering on severe, but when i took it it was nearing the 9 on the 0-10 pain scale so I took one. I don't like that loopy feeling.

So we shall see how the day is tomorrow. exercise, call the chiro for an adjustment, work on orders and swaps and whatever else comes my way.

Thanks for reading, this is a volume! Please holler if you have questions. Would love to hear from someone, I don't get many comments on here, but hope I am helping someone :)

God's blessings, Laurel

Juicy Lucy's

Here are the juicy lucy burgers! on the grill is the top pic, you can see the cheese oozing out.

its just 2 burger patties with a piece of cheese inbetween. Mark eating his, and the cheese dripping out! mine and i barely ate 1/2 of it!! and Tina holding hers.

we saw it on man v. food, i bet a turkey burger(s) would be just as good or better!

Exercise

Did my routine yest, am anxiously waiting on the trainer to email me my new routine, gotta email him a nudge :) then did the mill for only 15 min at 3.6 mph, i was just exhausted so gave up after 15. meant to go back but didn't. tomorrow is the next day to exercise so back i will go and hopefully get that full 30 min in pushing it on the mill!

went to the cheese factory and got more of their yummy string cheese. same price as at the grocery, diff brand than ive been buying but ooh so much more delicious!

5-25 new routine here, done tonite and 25 min on the mill. am tired but glad its done for the day.

saw the trainer yest

am still on track, tho i miss a day here and there, but he said try for m/w/f and off the other days. good plan, I gotta keep at it.

2 things that i find difficult 2-1/2 years after surgery: not eating stuff i shouldn't, to test myself and the bowels. I know if ya gotta p**p you gotta but there are days when it seems like that's all I do! sorry if thats tmi. i suppose its the body's way of adjusting at this far out. idk if others this far are going thru the same thing. the food issue, i just gotta NOT go for stuff i should not eat. sometimes its like being drawn by a magnet. i guess im glad when i get sick from them and add them to my list of "don't eat again!" the list is getting larger. hubby said soon i will have gone thru all the bad foods and only have good ones to eat LOL 

have a great day all!

back on track with exercise!

I think im back on track with my exercise.

going for every other day doing my trainers routine he set for me, followed by 30 min of cardio-on the tread or outside or biking tho the bike tires are still flat.

I did yesterday's at 10:30 pm, i had a second wind LOL

off today and then hit it again tomorrow.

am trying to de carb and get rid of the junk and NOT buy the junk. it is harder than i thought. please keep me in your prayers that I can do this. I want to get rid of that 20 i gained and get down to my goal weight or at least in the 160s, am 187ish right now, that is too much for my liking!

Have a blessed day all!

Please pray for my friends who have lost their jobs

Please can you add a couple of my friends to your prayers? They have recently lost their jobs. Geri and Joan. Thanks so much!

My headaches we think are caused by the birthcontrol pill I am on so Im going off it to see if thats the cause. It was just regulating my periods anyway (had tubal) and the ob's office nurse said that lots of women get hormone headaches! I never heard of it but am willing to try anything. I'm on day 8 of the headache now. Hopefully this will do the trick!

Am going back on the (our) pre-surgery diet, 1 cup or 3-4 oz protein, 1/2 cup veggie and 1/4 cup fruit per meal. Gotta email the dietitian and ask about veggie at breakfast LOL. Break out the measuring cups! I like the collapsable ones, they tuck into my purse or bag easily. Had Applebees last nite, their 7 oz sirloin with cheese and shrimp on top, cut in half and boxed up right away, half the veggies an the fries I brought home for the boy. The rest of the steak/shrimp was my lunch today. 

Took a walk with dd Tina today and the 2 dogs, one in the dog stroller and the other walking till she got tired. Daughter Tina is expecting so I'm gonna be a grandma! We are very excited and hopefully together she and I can exercise for ourselves (and her for the baby!). The dogs did ok in the stroller so we'll do it again. Am off to paint some signs for church!

Have a great day all! Sun shining now and going to warm up this weekend--yeah!

pancakes for breakfast

yup the Big Train Pancake Mix with a squirt of Davinci sf blueberry and some frozen bananas is my breakfast today. i made a double batch then i have some for other meals. they are very filling and yummy with a squirt of sf syrup! give them a try! i cannot wait for my waffle maker so I can waffle them!

Group meeting this week

Went to our regular support group meeting on wed this week, after going early and doing a bit of shopping at Sam's club and then walking the big mall in Appleton with a friend. 

It was great to be back at group, I missed everyone but there are a few of us who email each other all the time with ideas, questions, concerns, to complain or cry on each others shoulders as needed. 

If you are a new person who was at the meeting, welcome to my blog! Be sure to scroll down to the bottom and check out the older posts for the recipes 

and hints and sources to buy stuff. 

I am really hoping that now that the weather is "better" and spring is here, well in date only for now, that I get off my butt and get back on track. Wish I knew why its hard to get up and walk on the mill or hop on the ball or on the pilates machine for even 15 minutes. The head (mine; you can call your head own stupid if you need to) is stupid. plain and simple, it (I am) is stupid.

The stupidity is eating the wrong stuff (and wishing I would dump from it) and not dumping and thinking oh well i should be ok. but ya 20 pounds later, well I have gained 20 pounds from my lowest wt since surgery. ok its not the 150 pounds i was overweight but its on that same road, and I don't ever EVER wanna go back there. 

Here, look at me then: thats me in the aqua shirt on

 the end, birth mom is in the middle and my little sis is on the other end. We were in the Redwoods in northern California--oh what a wonderful place--if you ever get a chance to go DO IT!! That was in '05.

So take that pic and then look at this one: This was taken 13 months after surgery. I may have been at my lowest then, would have to look at the weight chart to see.

Far cry from wearing size 32 dress, now i can get into a 14 no problem. 

Health issues? diabetes--symptoms gone BUT I can still get low blood sugar readings if I don't eat something every 3-4 hours. Like a piece of string cheese or some protein shake. That's just me tho, not everyone will have low sugar. Just be sure that if you were diabetic prior to surgery, to be aware of when you eat. I no longer check my sugars, but if I were to go without food for 8 hours, look out!  I did not have sleep apnea issues, but many of my friends who did prior to surgery are off their cpap machines. My high bp is gone, tho I still have the orthostatic hyper (or hypo) tension if I squat down say to pet the dog or pick something off the floor, then stand up, I get dizzy and still after 2-1/2 years post op, need to hold onto something, chair, wall, or someone when Im dizzy so I don't fall over. I'm aware of it so I'm ok with it. 

Well enough for tonite, am gonna go paint a sign for church's rummage sale. If ever you need to talk, feel free to email me. Thanks for reading and have a great rest of the weekend!

ooh its been a long time

since i posted! sorry about that. I am at 185 pounds right now. my lowest was 161, i would have to look up when that was. i wasn't happy in the 170s, and of course am not happy now at this number.

i say my head is stupid and it is for eating stuff i should not and for not exercising. thats my biggest issue is that i don't want to exercise and i KNOW i need to. i don't think a 2x4 upside the head will help.

wanted to share the Big Train pancakes with you. there is a pic of the package there, they are low carb delicious tasting pancake or waffle mix. speaking of waffles, i am on waitlist on qvc for their waffle maker, thanks to my friend Bob who said he got one at walmart, not the same kind, but ive always wanted this qvc model and well its coming, idk when with waitlist but i cannot wait to try this mix in there. I make a double batch of the pancakes, put in sf Davinci syrup, and real frozen blueberries and OOOOHHH yummmmy. THE best pancakes with low carb, no sugar, and a tad of sf syrup on them, they hit the spot! when i do the double batch, i make as many as i can and put em in a lock n lock in the fridge. quick warm it in the micro meal!

i am truly hoping that when the snow is gone i get my butt outside. Ive started watching Ruby cuz i saw her on a friends facebook, what an inspiration! if you haven't heard of her, you gotta!

She puts me to shame with her exercise and attitude. 

Ok off to bible study, have a blessed day all!!

awesome drawing!

i could not resist posting this, someone emailed it to me...