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.

Working and Sleevin'

I went back to work this week. The first few days were pretty rough but I think I learned from them and am hoping I am in a better groove now. Here are my initial tips for going back to work post-op:

You have to figure out ways to make it super easy to get in your liquids and your protein! I bought a mini-fridge for my office because I hate interrupting my work when I am focused on something in order to go to the communal kitchen. If my drinks and snacks are right in my office, it doesn't feel like an interruption to grab something.

Pay attention to what time it is when you eat. During my two weeks off, I didn't worry much about the clock but now I need to make a mental note of what time it is and when I should switch to my next stage.  I haven't set a fixed routine but find that eating every three hours helps me keep my energy up.  For example, today I had a protein shake at 9am, Greek yogurt at noon, and another protein shake around 3pm. I got in my liquids in between by having a glass of water around 7:30am, decaf iced tea around 10 and a vitamin water zero at 4pm. I forgot to drink between 1-3 but at least that wasn't too long of a stretch. I ate baby food  for dinner around 6:30pm (a surprising tasty purée of beans and veggies variety brought to me by a co-worker. Especially good once I added some salt and pepper!) I had a low-sugar yogurt Popsicle for dessert around 7:30 and now I am drinking some crystal light.

Wear comfortable clothes. Sitting in one position for a long period of time is a bit hard on my incisions and it helps to be wearing loose clothing.

Warn co-workers than your new baby stomach makes loud noises after eating so you won't be as embarrassed when it happens.