Day Fifteen - Round Two....The "J" TeamOnce again the "J" Team swooped into my home at exactly 9am and exited at exactly 11:00am. These lovely ladies had a mission and the mission was to clean. My cousin tackled the upstairs washroom again and hung pictures for me(many thanks). My mom tackled my front porch and front hall closet .....I am thinking that with the amount of stuff she threw out and the amount of bags of clothes and shoes she took to the VV boutique there is gonna be some very very happy large ladies. My cousin and my sister in law worked on the kitchen and more so on emptying out and cleaning out my fridge. They cleaned out and scrubbed all the shelves and re organized everything. The vacuuming was done for the entire main floor and the front door and windows were all cleaned. I'm telling you these smiling ladies can clean like no other! Again many many thanks to the "three J's". Once the "J" Team left I set to work. I made ground chicken chili, pureed fish chowder and ground chicken meatballs. I weighed the meatballs and packaged them in individual snack bags for the correct meal portions I will be able to eat in 12 days. The chili and the soup was measured at 1/3 cup and put in individual containers for meal portions also. Since my portions are so very small there would be tons left over but my mother in law is having a terrible time with her teeth and is having some dental surgery in the near future and cannot eat solids. Therefore I make bigger portions for her and package them up so she can have something she can eat. I freeze them for her so she can have different varieties to choose from to make her meals interesting. Hopefully this is helping her out. So yesterday I talked about planning and preparation. Today I think I am prepared. I have a few different options for meals when I am able to have solid foods again so I don't get bored. I think with having the meals prepared or at least partially prepared it will be easier to accomodate my work schedule and grabbing my meals while still preparing meals for my family. Less chance of saying "what the heck" and eating whatever. My goal is simple ....stay on track and succeed! Each day that unfolds infront of me is different some are tougher than others but Robert Louis Steveson said "Dont just each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant."

Once again the "J" Team swooped into my home at exactly 9am and exited at exactly 11:00am.  These lovely ladies had a mission and the mission was to clean.  My cousin tackled the upstairs washroom again and hung pictures for me(many thanks).  My mom tackled my front porch and front hall closet .....I am thinking that with the amount of stuff she threw out and the amount of bags of clothes and shoes she took to the VV boutique there is gonna be some very very happy large ladies.  My cousin and my sister in law worked on the kitchen and more so on emptying out and cleaning out my fridge.  They cleaned out and scrubbed all the shelves and re organized everything.  The vacuuming was done for the entire main floor and the front door and windows were all cleaned.  I'm telling you these smiling ladies can clean like no other!  Again many many thanks to the "three J's".  Once the "J" Team left I set to work.  I made ground chicken chili, pureed fish chowder and ground chicken meatballs.  I weighed the meatballs and packaged them in individual snack bags for the correct meal portions I will be able to eat in 12 days.  The chili and the soup was measured at 1/3 cup and put in individual containers for meal portions also.  Since my portions are so very small there would be tons left over but my mother in law is having a terrible time with her teeth and is having some dental surgery in the near future and cannot eat solids.  Therefore I make bigger portions for her and package them up so she can have something she can eat.  I freeze them for her so she can have different varieties to choose from to make her meals interesting.  Hopefully this is helping her out.  So yesterday I talked about planning and preparation.  Today I think I am prepared.  I have a few different options for meals when I am able to have solid foods again so I don't get bored.  I think with having the meals prepared or at least partially prepared it will be easier to accomodate my work schedule and grabbing my meals while still preparing meals for my family.  Less chance of saying "what the heck" and eating whatever.  My goal is simple ....stay on track and succeed!  Each day that unfolds infront of me is different some are tougher than others but Robert Louis Steveson said "Dont just each  day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant."
Steph

Day Fourteen - Preparation and Planning

I am exactly two weeks post op now and feeling really good.  Today I went out and bought some ground chicken and sole fillets.  I plan on making some mini ground chicken meatballs, cooking them, weighing them and prepackaging them so that I can just grab them out already weighed and eat them when that time comes (14 days).  Gonna do the same with the fish.  Bake it, weigh it and package it so it is easy to just take out at supper time.  Not excited about being able to eat in two weeks eh!  I think that planning and preparing for this will make it so much easier not to go outside of what I am supposed to be eating.  The eating portion of this journey is just part of the big picture, can't wait to add exercise to this journey again.  Last night Geoff and I, the lovely Miss "A" went out to Yuk Yuk's amateur night.  The was no parking around King St. so we parked a block away in a parking garage came down to street level through the old farmer's market mall and walked the block to Yuk Yuk's.  It felt good and for once I wasn't totally out of breath.  There was 8 comedians on last night, some were good, some were ok and some were just bad.  I am not sure why they think that vulgarity is funny.  It's just too much at times.  Anyways all in all it was a good show and we had lots of laughs.  Which I think was really good for our dear friend Miss "A" as she was definitely not having a good day, nothing seemed to be going in her direction at all.  When the show ended we walked Miss "A" down the block and around the corner to her car then we walked the block and a half back to the mall entrance to find it was all locked up.  Now we walked the 3 more blocks around the mall to the parking garage entrance and up 2 flights of stairs and then I said "Wait" I need to take an elevator up the rest of the way.  We found the elevator and took it the next two levels.  This time I was a little winded but I haven't done any walking for over a month which is one reason I can't wait to get back on the tread mill. I think I will need to watch out for the energy level of things when I head back to the gym....keeping hydrated might be an issue but I have about 12 days to figure that out.  I see the surgeon on May 9 and will ask someone at the bariatric clinic what they know or think about it.  Need to keep on preparting and planning....as it is a key to the success in this journey I am on.  Might try to go for another walk this weekend.  Just small ones at first but then maybe build up some stamina for going back to the gym.
Have a great weekend everyone.
Steph

Day Thirteen - It's a perfect Dozen....no joke!

I have always been told that the number thirteen is an unlucky number ...but buuuuuuyyaaaaahhhh it is not my unlucky number.  Did the 2010 income taxes and things worked out well for once.  Had a nice lunch with my dad and Geoff.  The Fifty's restaurant in Cambridge is fantastic.  I had chicken noodle soup for lunch and they strained the noodle, chicken and veggies out for me so I could just have the broth.  Don't know too many places that would do that especially on a busy lunch shift.  Many thanks to the staff that made that possible I greatly appreciate it.  Then I headed to my parents and visited with my mom and my nephew for a bit and off to the doctor's to have my staples removed.  When I got to the office I was greated my the most wonderful receptionist ever...the lovely Mrs. "B".  She is always pleasant and helpful.  We went to the scale and I jumped up as quick as I could.....that's right wierd eh.  I was so happy and shocked to see that yes I was down 12.2 lbs since last Thursday when I weighed at the doctor's office.  I am so excited that makes the total weight reduction 51 lbs and 40 lbs since April 1.  I wore a pair of jeans today that I haven't had on since before Christmas because the waist and legs were so tight it just wasn't comfortable to wear anymore.  They fit today and were quite loose....I am very stoked.  Had my 1/3 cup of milky oatmeal this morning and well, could only eat half of that and was so very full.  It seemed to sit well so I will have some more tomorrow morning.  I am going to have homemade cream of tomato soup for supper and tonights snack is going to be my 1/2 cup of diluted grapefruit juice ( don't laugh I am very excited!) I am having a 1/2 cup of V8 juice for my afternoon snack right now and am overjoyed to have flavour!  Tonight I am off to yuk yuk's on a date with my BF and hubby.  It's amateur night and we all need to have a good laugh.  I can do this without eating and partaking of sugared beverages....I will have my favourite bottle of water!  Today has been a great day and I know it is just one of many that will come!  I am so proud of my decision to have this surgery and to overcome all the negativity and doubt that surrounded it but I am also proud of my progress.  I know that there is going to be bumps in the road along the way....I am not unrealistic, but I believe "if you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up.  Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it." (Michael Jordan).  I have a faith and friends and family that will keep me strong and help me overcome the road blocks that might come my way.  I am on this journey to a new life and I plan on staying on track.  "sow optimism and hard work, reap a harvest of success and joy (JLH).
Steph

Day Twelve - Tomorrow, Tomorrow I Love You Tomorrow!

YA BA DA BA DOOOOOOOOO! Today is the tomorrow I worried about yesterday (Anonymous)....but tomorrow is gonna be great!  That's right tomorrow morning starts with getting my taxes done, then on to the doctor's office to have my staples removed.  There is six incisions and 21 staples and they are driving me nutz.  I am so itchy it is crazy and now when I move they are pulling...some are starting to pop up and catch on my clothes.  Can't wait to have them removed...2pm tomorrow. The hospital sent me home with the handy dandy little staple remover tool that I have to take to the doctor's with so we can get the job done with some ease....lol....as much ease as you can get when you are pulling little metal staples out of healed skin.  I am not too concerned though....should be like a little pinch here and there.....21 times!  Then from the doctor's office Geoff needs to go to his physiotherapy appointment.  Still working on making his hand function correctly...let's hope and pray it is somewhat better this week.  Now is the absolute most incredible part of the day....yes I can have some soft foods.....my new menu is 1/2 cups of creamed or pureed soups, 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce or 1/3 cup of fat free sugar free yogurt, 1/3 cup of oatmeal with 1/3 cup of skim or 1% milk......yes sir reeeee I am so damn excited!  Bet ya never thought one person could get soooooo excited about not drinking broth and eating jello. By the way note to self and everyone that is listening to me I will NEVER eat JELLO again!   Gross, gross and gross again.  Cherry is my favourite and I don't think I could even put another mouthful in my yap.  I am so happy to be able to have flavour and texture....I have homemade cream of tomato soup and cream of spinach out for tomorrows soup choices, have a vanilla yogurt ready and an unsweetened apple/grape applesauce  for my snacks as well as I can have V8 juice and Grapefruit juice tomorrow......Mary Ann Radmacher said "listen to the compass of your heart; all you need lies within you." I knew I could make it through the broth, juice, jello stage and finally I am on to the pureed/creamed, yogurt and applesauce stage......I can do it.   it's only 15 days till I can eat food.  All ready got my menu planned....oh yeah....not a lot to do when you are sitting at home and cannot do much.  Planned out my menu!  That right "life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance." (anonymous).  I am energized and ready to move on.  Still feeling really good and doing a little more each day.  Just taking it easy on certain things.  I did the grocery shopping today and was really proud of myself.  I picked the better choices for my family and picked up things that I will be able to eat in this stage and in the next stage.  To all my GBS friends keep up the good work everyone, I know we are all at different stages but it is encouraging to hear about the people before us and it is nice to give advice to the people after us.  Helping hands all the way around.  Bless all of you!
Steph

Day Eleven - Love and Kindness!

Today's blog sort of sways from the general topic of gastric bypass surgery or weight loss but I think it is important. When you love someone you would do anything for that person.  I love my husband and I would do anything to help him, encourage him and just see him happy.  Without heading into tons of detail my husband has children that he has not had much contact with for several years but by no fault of his own (no matter who says what  we know the truth).  Now a baby was born to one of the children late in the fall of 2010 and this baby boy is gorgeous.  This baby has brought about the rekindling of a relationship. This has brought about happiness for my husband.  Today he is going to see his grandson and he is excited.  We went to get Easter cards and a gift for the baby.  While we were shopping for his grandson he felt that an Easter card with a Timmies card for his daughter and boyfriend would be nice.  He then decided that he would get a card for his other daughter that has not spoken to him for quite sometime.  He really doesn't want anything from these kids other than he would like to be able to love them or shall I say show them how much he loves them.  I personally think that random acts of kindness can act as small miracles.  It isn't anything to buy a card or make a phone call in today's world.  Even sending an email with a word of encouragement now and again is a wonderful gift.  You don't always have to give gifts or spend oodles of money to let someone know that you are thinking of them and care.  I am sure there are those people in each of our lives that we remember and think "oh I need to call" but we never seem to get around to it.  Is there a really quiet antisocial person at your workplace or a shy seemingly unfriendly person at church or a place you visit frequently (chiropractor, massage therapist, doctor's office) that you always seem to wonder about.  Stop wondering .....be friendly step out of your box.....bring them a coffee or a tea.  Believe me when I say random acts of kindness can perform miracles.....watch and see the change it will make in that persons life.  You don't know what is going on in their life or why they seem the way they do and it doesn't matter what matters is we try to be kind.  I would want someone to do that for me if I was seeming that way outwardly wouldn't you?  I always feel great when I do something for someone even if it is the smallest thing.  I challenge anyone reading today to seek out that person that seems so unfriendly and do something kind for them.  It will not only make a difference in their life but in yours too I promise. I have people in my life that I do little things for all the time, not to have some sort of reward or acknowlegdement but to have a satisfaction of sorts.  Make a difference in someone's life today.  Show the person you love or care about that they exist and are cared for.
Steph

Day Ten - Death, Taxes and Weight!

I know they always say there are two definite things in life: Death & Taxes but I think weight should be the third thing.  After making it through Easter Sunday and being thankful it was not Christmas (thanks to a reader for pointing this out) I came to a conclusion.  My conclusion is that my entire social life revolves around food: movies (popcorn), card night (chips and pop), visiting ( snack food), general dinner company ( entree foods and desserts).  There must be some rules to this new life track.  So I thought about it for a bit and this is what I came up with:
NEW RULES OF SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT:

1. When going to a movie have you fluids before and carry your bottle of water for sipping.  You do not need popcorn and junk to view a movie.
2. When having a card night serve healthy snack including those that you are able to eat.  Separate yours previously so you have the size amount you are able to have.  Limit the temptations by not serving chips and junk food.
3. While visiting or being visited and snack food is offered be polite and say "no thanks" that way you are not concerned about eating the wrong thing or feel obligate to eat something you are not supposed to.  Remember to always have your bottle of water to sip.  If offering food for visitors again offer healthier choices and separate yours so you know you have the correct size amount.
4. Dinners or Family functions that involve food or potlucks.  Make something you know you can eat (try to separate a individual size previously for yourself).  Survey the foods and know what you can and cannot eat, if in doubt avoid. 
5. When participating in a meal remember to eat slowly....your amount will be much smaller than others but if you take your time and remember the tip: put fork down between bites, chew 25 times etc then you will have time to let your brain register you are full and you won't seem like you are the only person not eating.

These are just a few of my new rules I came up with because I was a little shocked to realize just how much socialization with friends and family revolves around eating.  Our families next get together is for Mother's Day.  It will be on the Sunday May 8th.....just 4 days before I can eat food....lol....just my luck eh!  I will make my contribution for the dinner but I will plan my food for the day (still on full fluids then) with the knowledge that I can have 1/2 cup of creamed soup or pureed vegetable soup, 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce or 1/2 cup of fat free sugar free yogurt.  For a snack I can also have V8 juice or tomato juice.  At least it will be something this time instead of the diluted applejuice I had for our family Good Friday lunch.  I am learning that I must occupy myself with things to do that way I don't think about eating.  I am knitting, crocheting, working on the computer, and a few other things.  Once I am back to work and heading to the gym afterwards I don't think it will be quite as difficult as sitting at home with not a lot to do.  I guess bordom really does effect how people eat.  My challenge to all you readers that are bordom eaters is find an activity to do....replace feeding your face with something physical.   My new mantra is : I will take control and not let control take me!   This is a war!  And we are at battle.....be armed, be ready, be aware and we will defeat the enemy!
Steph

Day Nine - Chocolates, treats and me!

Happy Easter everyone!  I woke up this morning to get up and fill hollow plastic metallic eggs with chocolates and treats for my children and my niece's and nephew.  As I packed the eggs with the peanutbutter cups, mini cream eggs, mini cabury caramilk eggs I started to think about the change I have made.  Normally I would be packing the eggs and grabbing a mini egg for myself here and there and truth be told I don't even know why as I am not a huge chocolate fan.  I had a few trays of 8 peanut butter cups ....I watched my husband devour the tray in short order.  I could smell the chocolate and peanut butter and for one slight moment was disappointed, but then I just laughed to myself.  Nothing in life comes without sacrifice...right.  I headed out of my house and stopped at my parent's church to run in a Easter Card for them....and what was there in the lobby....yes a large buffet of different kinds of cheese, ham, pineapple, breads, yogurts, fruits (now see this bothers me more than the chocolate cause I love cheese and fruit).  I avoided the buffet and talked to my parents spoke with a few other people and made my exit.  Next stop was Tim Hortons for my husband....of course, the new Turkey Chipotle Cheese Bagel Sandwich is on a huge poster when you hit the drive through.....laughing I said out loud "great just what I wanted to see."  I was part way through the drive through when my son decided he needed a toasted bagel with herb and garlic cream cheese....the darn smell made my mouth water.  Now finally on my way to church , got my small bottle of diluted apple juice and I am doing fine.  At church, listening to the service and my niece is popping chocolate in her mouth every so often and I am smiling.....good thing she is the size of a peanut.  Church is done, everyone is talking about Easter dinner.....some are talking turkey,stuffing and all the trimming, some were talking about Hams and scalloped potatoes, some were talking about lamb and mint jelly then there was the ones talking about stuffed salmon.....then I was sad and a little hungry.  Just my luck today after church there is a program called "corner cafe" today they had a lovely buffet of sandwiches ( of course, the one and only this I can say that I have craved this whole time was on the sandwich tray...tuna), cheese and cracker trays, fruit trays, sweet trays, and a lovely cake.  I was sure today wasn't my day.....but I continued to smile and drink my juice.  Now I still have to say that I haven't had any pain , but last night for the first time I had this funny wave of lightheadedness and nausea.....and again this morning.  Now this could be that I just did too much yesterday or maybe I didn't drink enough fluids (finding the broth is getting harder and harder to have .....bland tasteless yuk water) looking forward to thursday when I can finally have some creamed soups or the homemade pureed soups I made.  Flavour or lack there of is driving me nutz.  Oh....and the funnier part is my friend knitter just called and said that she is bringing Cabury Easter Creme Eggs Brownies over for my family for dessert tonight.  I think I better laugh or I just might cry.  Anyways, I am trying to have a little more fluids and I think I am gonna take a nap.  My wonderful hubby is handling the ham and glazing it for me right now.  Cheesy herb & garlic scalloped potatoes are in the oven just need to make the honey glazed carrots but I think I can do that after a nap.  So to all my friends enjoying their Easter dinners from turkeys to prime rib, cake to chocolates enjoy each and every bite and think of me eating my bland broth and jello. Only four more days and I can have a different menu.  That's enough to be thanking the good Lord for lol!  Happy Easter everyone!
Steph