Perfect Eating Week - Day 2

Perfect eating week, day 2...

After my morning coffee (which is how I start every day), I started my day with a 2 mile walk. I was pretty hungry when I got home and looking forward to breakfast...



Here are the ingredients, all measured, cut up, and ready to be mixed in to my nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt (1/2 cup fresh strawberries, 1/4 cup pineapple chunks in juice, 1 Tbsp. unsweetened coconut, 2 Tbsp. lowfat granola):


And all mixed together and ready to munch...


I have 6+ hours between breakfast and lunch so I need a morning snack. My snack included a hard boiled egg sprinkled with salt and pepper (because every meal and snack needs to include protein)...



And one of my faaaaaaaavorite new treats...seriously, you must try this. Cut a grapefruit in half, cut between the membranes with a sharp knife to separate the fruit, drizzle with a tiny bit (about 1/2 teaspoon) of honey, and broil until the top of the grapefruit starts to bubble. Oh...my...god...it tastes like candy. I'm not kidding.




I was not too hungry when lunchtime rolled around, but I had plans to go to a great local healthy restaurant called Juice & Java. My stomach had been feeling a little tight earlier and I didn't really want bread, so rather than the tuna wrap I'd planned on, I got the same thing in salad form instead. It's greens, sprouts, cabbage, avocado, plain tuna (no mayo), balsamic vinegar, and herbs...so tasty!



Dinner doesn't look all that appetizing, and I almost burned the house down making it (all I'm saying is that spaghetti squash explodes in the microwave when cooked for too long, even if you poke holes in it) but it was really delicious. It's a spicy Italian turkey sausage link (boiled and then browned) cut up with spaghetti squash, 1/4 cup of lowfat cottage cheese (the store was out of lowfat ricotta), a clove of garlic, a bit of Brummel & Brown spread, and salt and pepper. Very yummy! I have the leftovers packed for lunch tomorrow.


I plan to have a 100 calorie, no sugar added ice cream sandwich before bed.

My day will end at 1161 calories and 85 grams of protein. Not bad!

Week of Perfect Eating

I have been maintaining my weight pretty well for awhile...my focus for the last 6 weeks or so has been adding strength, not losing weight. I have been doing great at that - my arm, leg, and abdominal muscles are definitely getting more definition (under all my loose skin and flab), I have muscles where I never did before at the top of my chest - those are pretty cool! - and the outside of my shoulders. I can feel a difference. However, I've been bouncing up and down the same 2-3 pounds for weeks. And that's ok.

But I'm ready to see the scale start moving down again. I want to see the 180's on the scale.

I decided to embark on a one week challenge for myself to get back to losing weight. I'm going to eat "perfectly" for one week. No food from a box (with the exception of my one treat - a 100 calorie, no sugar added Slim-a-Bear ice cream sandwich for dessert). The vast majority of my diet will be whole, REAL foods. Meat, fish, lots of veggies, fruits, legumes, a little dairy and whole grains. I will stay under 1200 calories per day and workout every single day with the exception of Friday, my rest day.

Most importantly, no white starch, no chips, cookies, cupcakes. It doesn't matter what tasty treat is in the break room, it's not for me.

I've written my menu out for the week and stocked up on a few things for Scott when he doesn't like what I'm having. If it's not on the list, unless I'm WAY under my calories for some reason (like if I end up super tight and can't get a meal down and supplement with an extra yogurt or something) it doesn't go in my mouth.

I did great yesterday:

Breakfast: veggie patty, whole grain waffle with no sugar added homemade strawberry preserves; snacks: grapefruit, fresh pickled radishes and cucumbers; lunch: black beans, chicken, avocado, lettuce, fresh jalapenos, salsa verde; dinner: leftover turkey breast and steamed carrots. Workout: 2 mile run/walk intervals.

I'm going to try to remember to take pics of all my food today. On the menu will be:

Breakfast: Greek yogurt, fresh strawberries, unsweetened coconut, sprinkle of lowfat granola.

Lunch: white tuna (no mayo), greens, carrots, sprouts, avocado, balsamic vinegar on whole wheat pita. (This will be at a fab local health food place, Juice & Java, with a friend.)

Dinner: Hot Italian turkey sausage, spaghetti squash, light ricotta, garlic, sprinkle of Parmesan.

Snacks: hard boiled egg, grapefruit broiled with a drizzle of honey, pickled radishes and cucumbers. Slim-a-Bear ice cream for dessert.

Workout: 2 mile walk.

Math Problem

Here's a math problem for my quantum physicist friends...

Stephanie's office is 45 minutes away from home. Boot camp is 10 minutes away from work but 35 minutes away from home. Stephanie gets off work at 7:00 and boot camp starts at 7:30. Stephanie's gym bag is at home because she is a doofus who forgot it this morning. Does Stephanie have a chance in hell of getting her gym bag and getting to boot camp on time? Please show your work.

Big Pants

I came across an old pair of size 28 Lane Bryant pants this morning with the tags still attached. I put them on to see what they looked like on me and Scott took some pictures.

Thank you band!

Love the DOMS

I think I might be growing a tiny little ab muscle because we did many, many crunches on the BOSU ball at boot camp last night (3 rounds of 4 sets of 40 seconds each...that's 8 solid minutes of BOSU crunches if my math is correct) and my abs are SCREAMING today.

I freakin' love it. I'm pretty sure I'm addicted.

Links and Videos

Here are a couple of links and videos I wanted to share with everyone...

1. Sheryl from A Neurotic Glamour Girl's Weight Watchers Experience and Fitness Adventures gave me a lovely shout-out from when I featured her on my blog. Thank you, Sheryl, for continuing to be an inspiration and for the congratulations. I still have her words, "Nothing is "hard". Everything is just "new" if you haven't done it before. Give it a try!" running through my mind any time I'm trying anything new. She inspired me to jump in with both feet and try new things...boot camp, zumba, camping in Alaska with my husband, trampoline shoe class (more on that in a minute).

2. This woman was also inspired by Sheryl. I hope she meets all her goals!

3. Sooo...trampoline shoes. I bought a Groupon for Kangoo Jumps classes. Have you seen this? How ridiculously fun does this look?!?!

Banded Buddies

I spent the afternoon hanging out with a lovely woman named Maria. She works in my surgeon's office and I met her at support group. She is banded too, as is her husband. There were several of us who were supposed to go to a park and go walking today, but one person had a sick kid, one got called in to work for an emergency, and the weather was looking really crappy, so I just went for a quick run/walk and then met Maria for some shopping and lunch. It's really awesome to hang out with someone who understands...

• What it's like to have NO idea what size you wear or even what section to shop in.
• That all shirts must have sleeves because you hate your arm flappages.
• That you're only willing to shop the clearance section because you have no idea how long you'll be in any one size.
• That soup and salad is the whole lunch, and not an appetizer.

It was a really nice afternoon and I'm looking forward to doing it again!

Losing Fat, Not Weight

I'm still a little mad at my Boot Camp trainer for what he wrote about overweight fitness instructors, but he sent this newsletter a couple of days ago and I thought it was pretty interesting and wanted to share it. I think we all know the info, but he does make it really clear.

Just so you have the background, he was an exercise science major and his wife is a nutritionist (I really like her) so he does seem to know what he's talking about.

Anyway, enjoy. I'm off to barbell class...

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Fat To Fit...Fast! (when exercise adds pounds)
Understanding Exercise-Induced Weight Gain

It is common knowledge that exercise burns calories and helps you to shed extra pounds.

Armed with this knowledge, many people think that losing weight should be easy with enough exercise. You may take this as bad news, but the truth is that for those who aren't used to exercising and are out of shape, beginning an exercise program may actually lead to weight gain.

This fact, however, shouldn't stop you from exercising, as you'll eventually turn the weight corner and start losing.

What is it about exercise that may cause some people to gain instead of lose weight?

Muscle Mass: One of the main reasons exercising can lead to weight gain is that it promotes the growth of muscle mass.

If you are not used to working out and haven't used certain muscles regularly, after exercising your muscles will be sore and will increase in size. While you may burn off fat, muscle is denser than fat. Therefore, the weight you gain is in your muscles.

And take heart. Since muscles take up less space than fat, your extra weight doesn't necessarily translate to larger size. In fact, once you start working out, you'll probably become thinner, even if you maintain your previous weight. Instead of using a scale to determine if you are slimming down, have your body fat tested regularly or measure your body at certain areas.

If you see that you're losing inches, then you know you're on the right track.

Cardiovascular activities like walking, running, or swimming will encourage the growth of lean, toned muscles. Other activities such as weight lifting promote the growth of larger, stronger muscles that contribute to weight gain.

But there is good news in this. If you stick with the exercise program, your muscles will soon stabilize in size and after a time, become toned. After your muscles are strong and able to handle more strenuous workouts, you will be able to burn calories faster.

While it may be frustrating and disappointing to see the scale go up after starting an exercise routine, it shouldn't stop you from exercising. You may just be building muscle faster than losing body fat. This can be especially true if you're genetically prone to building muscle fast. The key is to incorporate plenty of cardio exercise in addition to strength training. That way you will burn plenty of calories during your routine and be more able to shed pounds.

Eating Habits: When you work out and burn calories, your body will feel the need to replace those burned calories.

This may make you feel hungrier than usual, which can cause you to eat more than normal - sometimes without knowing it. A good idea is to keep a food journal to track of the actual number of calories you are consuming.

You may also end up eating more calories and justifying their consumption since you're exercising. After a good workout, you may see an ice cream sundae as a reward for the calories you burned. Just be careful. If you're interested in losing weight, you can't simply break even with your caloric intake and the amount of calories you burn.

At the same time, eating too few calories can be counterproductive and slow your weight loss. Without enough calories, your body may slow its metabolism. So eat plenty to keep your body well fueled, but choose healthy calories that will help your body recover after a workout and grow stronger.

Hydration: Depending on the time of day you weigh yourself, the scale may read differently. Your weight can fluctuate as much as five pounds depending on the amount of water or food you have recently consumed or the amount of water you have shed in sweat. It is therefore important to weigh yourself at the same time each day.

Give It Time
Whatever the cause of your weight gain after exercising, don't give up! Not only is exercise the key to shedding pounds, but it is also vital for overall health and well-being. Give your body time to respond to a new routine. It can take several weeks for your body to "recalibrate" itself to increased activity and changes in eating habits. But once it does, you'll begin seeing the weight-loss results you seek!

Exactly Two Years Ago Today...

Two Years Ago Today...

I woke up at 4:15 AM. Took a shower and scrubbed myself down with antibacterial soap. After I dried off, S (my husband) helped me wipe myself down with the germicidal wipes that they had given me at the hospital, and then I got dressed. I took my Protonix pill to turn off my stomach acid as directed. We headed to the hospital and walked in at 5:30, exactly on time.

I was brought back to the prep area. I dressed in a stunning gown/bootie/hat ensemble. Two IV's were put into my arms, and I was asked about a bazillion questions by the nurses and anesthesiologists. They brought S back to sit with me until surgery time. The surgeon arrived and I asked if he had gotten a good night's sleep and had a good breakfast. He said he had so I said I was ready to go. :-)

I was starting to get really scared and my teeth started chattering. The anesthesiologist came over and gave me a shot of Versed (a.k.a. Happy Medicine) in my IV and suddenly everything was hysterically funny.

I couldn't stop laughing and I told S I loved him so much and the nurses asked how long we had been together. When I said we'd been together over 11 years, S said some of them got a little weepy and said it was so sweet that we're still that way together.

I was wheeled into the operating room and I was still laughing. They strapped me down to the table which I thought was hilarious. At that point, a mask went over my face and I don't remember anything after that.

I woke up in the recovery room in quite a lot of pain. I kept saying that it hurt and the nurse gave me some medicine that helped after a few doses. I had to stay in there for a couple of hours because they were waiting for my room to be ready. I started getting mad because I wanted to see my husband, but visitors aren't allowed in the recovery room. I tried to sleep but there was a patient on either side of me. The guy to my left was having a hard time waking up so people kept yelling at him and it was a lot of commotion. The woman on my right was crying and vomiting. She had just had gastric bypass, and it didn't really sound like much fun. At that point I remember thinking how glad I was to have chosen the band. I remember thinking that I had no regrets and was feeling very positive about the possibilities, but I wished I could sleep.

Finally, my room was ready. I was wheeled up and met my wonderful nurse, Kevin. The first thing I said to him was that I really had to pee, so he helped me get out of bed and onto the toilet. That HURT but it was such a relief to finally be able to go to the bathroom. I had asked in the recovery room but they said if I could wait it would be so much easier to go in my private room.

Yes, I lucked out and ended up in a private room, which was awesome.

When I came out of the bathroom, my parents and husband were there and it was so wonderful to see them! I was so much calmer when I saw everyone was there. S had a bad cold and I didn't want to catch it, so I told him he needed to leave after not very long, but my parents stayed all day. I was in love with my pain medication button. The morphine was wonderful! My throat was SO dry and the ice chips tasted and felt great too.

After a few hours I was ready to get out of bed and go for a walk. My parents helped me and I couldn't believe how good getting out of bed was. It actually hurt less when I was up and moving than when I was laying flat on my back. I walked as much as I could. Lunch and dinner consisted of chicken broth, sugar free Jello, and Crystal Light with protein powder in it. I wasn't really hungry at that point but the few sips of broth tasted really good and I loved the Crystal Light. I drank as much of that as I could. I was given Heparin (blood thinner) shots every 8 hours to prevent blood clots. I also had to wear these massaging booties that felt really good.

My night was pretty uneventful and I slept well after the nurse brought my Ambien. I was up at 5:00 in the morning, pressed the morphine button and slept until 6:30. Hit it again and slept until my mom called to see how I was doing at 7:30.

Every time I tried to nap, someone would come in for more blood, a vital sign check, etc. The wonderful nurse coordinator from my surgeon's office, and the nutritionist I've been seeing for 6 months came to visit and it was very good to see some familiar faces. Finally my IV was disconnected and I started the oral pain meds (liquid Vicodin). After lunch (more broth and Crystal Light), I was told I could go home so I got my stuff together, got dressed, and S picked me up.

I got home about 2:00 in the afternoon and fell asleep for an hour and a half. I had bad gas pains in my stomach, but was lucky enough to not have any shoulder pain, which is pretty common with this surgery. Walking helps with the gas pain, so S and I went for several slow walks. Other than that, I just rested and watched TV. I "ate" my chicken broth for dinner and a sugar free popsicle for dessert and was stuffed. I'm liking feeling full on so little.

I feel pretty darn good. I'm still on the liquid Vicodin but probably won't need it for long. I'm drinking my protein shakes and tolerating them well. I'm drinking one cup of coffee per day, and as much water, tea, and sugar free popsicles that I can.

All in all, it was a good experience.