Back after a Break

I took an extended break from blogging- to my perfectly honest, it was bumming me out that no one ever comments on my blog.  Silly, I know...  But my weight loss has started to slow down and I thought starting to blog again might be a good way to articulate what's working and where I need to improve to stay on track.

First the good news, I have lost 37 pounds total and I feel great physically.  I'm wearing smaller clothes and I feel much better about my appearance overall.  I am doing a pretty good job of meeting my protein goal (60-80 grams per day) on a consistent basis.  I am staying away from all carbonation, most caffeine and all alcohol.  I am wearing my fitbit one every day and trying to increase my daily activity (steps, stair climbing).  I am paying close attention to the feeling of restriction when I eat and stopping when I feel it so I don't stretch out my sleeve.

But I am not quite following all of the rules.  The biggest one is the "no grazing" rule.  My surgeon and nutritionist said I should be eating 5-6 small meals or snacks per day maximum.  Because I eat small quantities, I only stay full for about 45 minutes or so.  It takes lots of willpower (never my strong suit...) not to snack every hour all day long and I haven't been staying on track.  I decided this morning to try setting the timer on my phone for 2 hours whenever I finish eating so I don't eat again until the timer goes off.  This should help me distinguish between true hunger, thirst and boredom or feeling down.

I am supposed to be drinking 64+ ounces of sugar-free liquids a day and I am not getting nearly enough.  I forget or I pour myself a drink but don't actually drink it or I don't have something to drink available when I notice I am thirsty.  I really need to work on this one, both because dehydration could be unhealthy and because the liquids should help me feel full between meals and snacks.

I am supposed to eat protein first, then fruits and vegetables, and starches only if I have room.  This is a hard one for me because eating one food at a time doesn't feel normal and I still have cravings for sweets.  I seem to be able to tolerate eating basically anything, which is a mixed blessing!

I am also not doing much cardio exercise or weight training.  What I love about the fitbit is that it motivates me to meet my daily goals without making me feel guilty.  Because I associate exercise with punishment, the fitbit helps me think in terms of "activity" rather than "exercise."  Increasing my activity and adding light weight training would be good for my weight loss and my overall health (and mood) but I haven't yet found a groove.

Now that I've written this all out, I see I have a lot to still work on.   Onward and upward.

Pre-op Diet

I am on day 3 of my required one week pre-op diet. I get 3 protein shakes per day plus unlimited raw or steamed non-starchy vegetables, one small fruit, up to 2 tablespoons of oil or salad dressing, broth and sugar-free liquids.  It has been mostly ok so far except for last night when I had a terrible headache.  My favorite part is that sugar free Popsicles and jello count as liquids, which is nice because they still feel like a treat.  I have two more days of this stage and then the final two days before my surgery are just shakes and liquids, no fruits or veggies.  Not clear to me if I will be used to this by then or I will be ravenous.  Nerves are kicking in about my surgery but so far it hasn't been too overwhelming.  I ran into an acquaintance today who had gastric sleeve surgery two months ago from the same surgeon and she looked fantastic and said she is feeling great.  This is really happening!