Updates

So the eggplant I was so excited about?  It was phenomenal.  Really.  I think it may be the best thing I've had so far, probably because I marinated it and cooked it on the grill.  I can't eat the skin yet, so I scooped it out...it gave it a kind of meaty quality, like when you substitute giant mushrooms for burgers.  If anyone knows where to find more japanese eggplants, let me know.

My night out was...sober.  I learned that time drags when you're not drinking, people are less funny, and generally they're more annoying.  I had a good time with my girls, don't get me wrong.  But I was home by midnight.  Lemon water just didn't cut it.

On the porch at the Pine Tree...I believe Mary described me as "glowing" while taking the picture (however, she was a bit inebriated, so we'll just laugh)

Saturday's Antics

I'm typically a hot-blooded person.  I'm always hot.  Since having the surgery, however, I find myself being cold more and more frequently.  I'm thrilled that my insulation is melting away, but am I ready to be cold?  Winter in NY is gonna be brutal if that's the case!  It's a beautiful day today, low humidity, highs in the low 70s.  My idea of perfection.  I sat in the sun for a while and did work up a sweat, but as soon as that sun disappeared behind a cloud, out came the goosebumps.  I just spent the last hour out in the backyard, watching my kids play and visiting with a friend, and I froze my ass off.  Granted, I wasn't sitting in the sun anymore, but no one else seems to be cold.  (Jess was, but she's used to a warmer climate).  So I guess that's something else to get used to.

Tonight will be my first foray into the "party scene" without being able to drink.  It's girls' night at the Pine Tree (a local bar, for those of you who don't know).  Me?  I'll be drinking water with a lemon wedge rather than my usual Michelob Ultra.  I hate being the only sober person...drunk people are annoying.  Unless you're one of them, then they're fun!  I know I can drink again in 6 months, and that's fine.  It makes me wonder though--when I can drink again, can I have beer?  Are carbonated beverages out of my life for good?  I guess that's a question for my next doctor's visit.  Or for one of my friends that is further along in their new lifestyle than I am.

Since I'm going out tonight, and it's getting on in the evening, I am planning on grilling hot dogs for the family and cooking up some fresh sweet corn.  I was reading the label on the hot dogs...16 grams of fat and 170 calories for ONE hot dog.  One.  Uno.  Singular.  That's friggin ridiculous.  I bought the Oscar Meyer bun-lengths (that were on sale) advertising "no artificial flavors, colors, fillers, or by-products".  I guess it makes me feel better that my family isn't eating lips and asses, but that seems like a high amount of fat.  I'm not going to obsess about it anymore though.  We've all eaten hot dogs, and no one has been damaged so far...that I know of.  Let's hope the dive headfirst into the corn and not care too much about the 'dogs.

What am I having, you ask?  My mother is growing eggplant in her garden, and yesterday she gave me one.  I sliced it lengthwise, drizzled it with olive oil, and sprinkled on black pepper and barbeque seasoning.  I'm going to grill it and see how that works out for me.  I'm a little excited...about a vegetable.  Who'da thunk it?

Moo Juice

Milk.  I miss milk.  I'm a big fan.  Ice cold.  White, chocolate, strawberry...doesn't matter.  Whole, 2%, 1%.  Unfortunately, my new lifestyle doesn't have much room for milk in it.  Damn lactose.  Lactose is sugar, sugar is bad (see "Dumping Syndrome" post).

This poses another problem...no milk = no coffee.  Yeah, I could go for the sugar free creamers, but as I have stated before, I hate that fake sugar taste.  And it totally changes the taste of coffee.  I've had coffee twice since the surgery (using a scant amount of french vanilla creamer) but it's just not the same.  As an avid coffee drinker, I can tell you that this sucks.  I'm a big Dunkin Donuts iced coffee fan as well...I just can't get into drinking it any other way then with cream and sugar.  *sigh*  I must get in touch with my fellow bypass-ers and see what they do.

Does anyone know what those soy milks taste like?  I'm a little afraid to try.

Enjoy your tall glass of milk.  Enjoy your hot cup of joe.  You never know when you might have to quit.

...And That's What Happens When You're a Pig

I'm going to try to finish this new post...I've started it three times already!  I have a very mouthy, unruly girl this morning.  So between numerous interruptions and two poopy diapers, I'm going to try again.

I had my first adventure in overeating.  It was two nights ago, the first night of my new menu choices.  I made elbows and sauce, and it was sooo goood.  I had my allotted 1/2 cup or so (maybe it was a little more, I didn't measure) and was full.  Everyone else finished their dinner, and they went outside to play, leaving me to do the kitchen--again.  *Sigh*, a mother's work never ends.  Anyway, it was about a half hour after I finished dinner that I went out to clean the kitchen.  There sat the elbows, completely naked...no sauce, no butter, no nothing.  I love naked pasta.  Call me weird, but I do.  So I picked three elbows out and ate them.  Mmm, good!  So I took 3 more.  All of a sudden, I felt like someone was pushing their fist into my pouch. [For those of you who don't know, the pouch is located directly under your sternum]  I thought, "ok, I'll just walk around and hope it settles"  Yeah, it didn't.  In fact, it kept getting worse, and the urge to throw up was getting stronger and stronger.  I went into the bathroom, terrified, because I have heard horror stories about throwing up with the pouch.  Well, throw up I did, and it wasn't terrible.  I mean, throwing up is never fun, but compared to how it normally feels, it wasn't so bad.  Still, it isn't something I'm going to aspire to do again.  I know it's inevitable, and it will happen until I learn my limitations, but at least now I don't have to be scared.

In other news...a friend of mine "introduced" me (via Facebook) to her friend who had the surgery 2 years ago.  She is doing wonderfully.  She talked to me about nutrition and vitamins, and got me wondering if I'm taking in enough protein.  I'm thinking about ordering supplements from the website she referred me to.  I'm in love with this website.  It has fantastic recipes that I can't wait to try, sugar free foods that they swear don't taste sugar free, vitamins, supplements, support...anything you could want.  Check it out, I've been on it daily.  www.bariatriceating.com

Today I'm off to swim my ass off at my parents' pool...and I do hope that literally happens!  Right now I have to go get my children under control...distracted mother = children misbehaving for attention.

Starting Week 4 of the Diet!

Today marks the beginning of the fourth week of the diet.  Which means I get to introduce new foods.  Yay!  This is the week I've been waiting for.  The only downside is nothing new will be introduced again until week 7.  But for now, this is what I get to try:

• Egg salad, hard boiled eggs
• Baked/broiled flaky fish
• Soft cooked veggies
• Soft, skinless fruits
• Soft cooked pasta
• Soft cooked beans/legumes
• Couscous

Meals should not exceed 1/2 cup total.  I'm cool with that; I can't get that much down anyway.

What am I having for lunch today?  Elbows and sauce, baby!  Finally!  Food!  Last night I made hamburgers and the corn on the cob that Goob picked up.  Not having fresh sweet corn this year is going to be hard...but I have all the other foods I can enjoy.  I'm having him pick up extra each time so I can freeze some...I will enjoy it over the winter!

Three Weeks Post-Op

I had my 3 week post-op checkup yesterday.  I met with the nurse practitioner who was with me from the time I was wheeled into the surgical holding area that first day.  She's the one who was picking on the size of my feet.  I like her.  According to her, I'm the picture of health.  Most exciting to me at this point is that for the first time in ten years I don't have to take any blood pressure medicine.  How cool is that?  Within the next two months, I should be off of all of my pre-op meds.  I'm so excited about that!  Buh-bye copays!

As of yesterday, I'm 25 lbs lighter and have lost 17% body fat.  Not bad for 3 weeks time!  She said that my goal is to lose 75% of the body fat, putting my weight at anywhere between 150 and 170.  I haven't seen those numbers since high school...you know, when I thought I was a fat ass but was really pretty hot? haha!

So time will tell how much I actually lose (exercise, of course, being a big factor) but she told me that most of the weight will come off in the first 7 months, and should all be off in a year or so.  Everyone is different, so no one knows for sure.

And...after the first six months I can introduce alcohol back into the equation.  Not that I was a big drinker before, but I do enjoy the occasional cocktail now and again!  Looks like there will be drinks on my birthday after all...

I copied a couple of pictures off of k-rock's facebook site from the concert...now you'll know why we left!

Ridiculous, right?

 I'm in this crowd somewhere...

In other news, tomorrow is my 3-week post-op checkup.  I'll let you know officially how I'm doing, not just what I think!