ladiJ

I am 6 weeks out, trying more and more foods and not really having difficulty with digestion. I have had a poor appetite and my taste buds have been off, everything has tasted bland and not near as good as I seem to remember or believe. I had only lost 19 lbs and was feeling rather disappointed in myself and the process. Then I realized I have been eating, not like a healthy life style but as if I were recuperating from a surgery and just making do
waiting for everything to return to normal. I had not been getting in my protein. My water intake was not adequate, my carb ingestion way too high.
I had to stop and think duh.......this is not waiting to get back to normal, this is my new normal and this is for life! What the hell did I do this for if I was not going to develop the healthy habits I had planned on.
Light bulb moment. For a smart woman I sometimes take awhile to get it.
 
So yesterday and thus far today, made my water requirements, protein is up, carbs down and exercised too!!!!!!! look out baby I am back in the game and I intend to be a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am 6 weeks out, trying more and more foods and not really having difficulty with digestion. I have had a poor appetite and my taste buds have been off, everything has tasted bland and not near as good as I seem to remember or believe. I had only lost 19 lbs and was feeling rather disappointed in myself and the process. Then I realized I have been eating, not like a healthy life style but as if I were recuperating from a surgery and just making do
waiting for everything to return to normal. I had not been getting in my protein. My water intake was not adequate, my carb ingestion way too high.
I had to stop and think duh.......this is not waiting to get back to normal, this is my new normal and this is for life! What the hell did I do this for if I was not going to develop the healthy habits I had planned on.
Light bulb moment. For a smart woman I sometimes take awhile to get it.
 
So yesterday and thus far today, made my water requirements, protein is up, carbs down and exercised too!!!!!!! look out baby I am back in the game and I intend to be a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am 6 weeks out, trying more and more foods and not really having difficulty with digestion. I have had a poor appetite and my taste buds have been off, everything has tasted bland and not near as good as I seem to remember or believe. I had only lost 19 lbs and was feeling rather disappointed in myself and the process. Then I realized I have been eating, not like a healthy life style but as if I were recuperating from a surgery and just making do
waiting for everything to return to normal. I had not been getting in my protein. My water intake was not adequate, my carb ingestion way too high.
I had to stop and think duh.......this is not waiting to get back to normal, this is my new normal and this is for life! What the hell did I do this for if I was not going to develop the healthy habits I had planned on.
Light bulb moment. For a smart woman I sometimes take awhile to get it.
 
So yesterday and thus far today, made my water requirements, protein is up, carbs down and exercised too!!!!!!! look out baby I am back in the game and I intend to be a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am 6 weeks out, trying more and more foods and not really having difficulty with digestion. I have had a poor appetite and my taste buds have been off, everything has tasted bland and not near as good as I seem to remember or believe. I had only lost 19 lbs and was feeling rather disappointed in myself and the process. Then I realized I have been eating, not like a healthy life style but as if I were recuperating from a surgery and just making do
waiting for everything to return to normal. I had not been getting in my protein. My water intake was not adequate, my carb ingestion way too high.
I had to stop and think duh.......this is not waiting to get back to normal, this is my new normal and this is for life! What the hell did I do this for if I was not going to develop the healthy habits I had planned on.
Light bulb moment. For a smart woman I sometimes take awhile to get it.
 
So yesterday and thus far today, made my water requirements, protein is up, carbs down and exercised too!!!!!!! look out baby I am back in the game and I intend to be a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am 6 weeks out, trying more and more foods and not really having difficulty with digestion. I have had a poor appetite and my taste buds have been off, everything has tasted bland and not near as good as I seem to remember or believe. I had only lost 19 lbs and was feeling rather disappointed in myself and the process. Then I realized I have been eating, not like a healthy life style but as if I were recuperating from a surgery and just making do
waiting for everything to return to normal. I had not been getting in my protein. My water intake was not adequate, my carb ingestion way too high.
I had to stop and think duh.......this is not waiting to get back to normal, this is my new normal and this is for life! What the hell did I do this for if I was not going to develop the healthy habits I had planned on.
Light bulb moment. For a smart woman I sometimes take awhile to get it.
 
So yesterday and thus far today, made my water requirements, protein is up, carbs down and exercised too!!!!!!! look out baby I am back in the game and I intend to be a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am 6 weeks out, trying more and more foods and not really having difficulty with digestion. I have had a poor appetite and my taste buds have been off, everything has tasted bland and not near as good as I seem to remember or believe. I had only lost 19 lbs and was feeling rather disappointed in myself and the process. Then I realized I have been eating, not like a healthy life style but as if I were recuperating from a surgery and just making do
waiting for everything to return to normal. I had not been getting in my protein. My water intake was not adequate, my carb ingestion way too high.
I had to stop and think duh.......this is not waiting to get back to normal, this is my new normal and this is for life! What the hell did I do this for if I was not going to develop the healthy habits I had planned on.
Light bulb moment. For a smart woman I sometimes take awhile to get it.
 
So yesterday and thus far today, made my water requirements, protein is up, carbs down and exercised too!!!!!!! look out baby I am back in the game and I intend to be a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am 6 weeks out, trying more and more foods and not really having difficulty with digestion. I have had a poor appetite and my taste buds have been off, everything has tasted bland and not near as good as I seem to remember or believe. I had only lost 19 lbs and was feeling rather disappointed in myself and the process. Then I realized I have been eating, not like a healthy life style but as if I were recuperating from a surgery and just making do
waiting for everything to return to normal. I had not been getting in my protein. My water intake was not adequate, my carb ingestion way too high.
I had to stop and think duh.......this is not waiting to get back to normal, this is my new normal and this is for life! What the hell did I do this for if I was not going to develop the healthy habits I had planned on.
Light bulb moment. For a smart woman I sometimes take awhile to get it.
 
So yesterday and thus far today, made my water requirements, protein is up, carbs down and exercised too!!!!!!! look out baby I am back in the game and I intend to be a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am 6 weeks out, trying more and more foods and not really having difficulty with digestion. I have had a poor appetite and my taste buds have been off, everything has tasted bland and not near as good as I seem to remember or believe. I had only lost 19 lbs and was feeling rather disappointed in myself and the process. Then I realized I have been eating, not like a healthy life style but as if I were recuperating from a surgery and just making do
waiting for everything to return to normal. I had not been getting in my protein. My water intake was not adequate, my carb ingestion way too high.
I had to stop and think duh.......this is not waiting to get back to normal, this is my new normal and this is for life! What the hell did I do this for if I was not going to develop the healthy habits I had planned on.
Light bulb moment. For a smart woman I sometimes take awhile to get it.
 
So yesterday and thus far today, made my water requirements, protein is up, carbs down and exercised too!!!!!!! look out baby I am back in the game and I intend to be a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am 6 weeks out, trying more and more foods and not really having difficulty with digestion. I have had a poor appetite and my taste buds have been off, everything has tasted bland and not near as good as I seem to remember or believe. I had only lost 19 lbs and was feeling rather disappointed in myself and the process. Then I realized I have been eating, not like a healthy life style but as if I were recuperating from a surgery and just making do
waiting for everything to return to normal. I had not been getting in my protein. My water intake was not adequate, my carb ingestion way too high.
I had to stop and think duh.......this is not waiting to get back to normal, this is my new normal and this is for life! What the hell did I do this for if I was not going to develop the healthy habits I had planned on.
Light bulb moment. For a smart woman I sometimes take awhile to get it.
 
So yesterday and thus far today, made my water requirements, protein is up, carbs down and exercised too!!!!!!! look out baby I am back in the game and I intend to be a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am 6 weeks out, trying more and more foods and not really having difficulty with digestion. I have had a poor appetite and my taste buds have been off, everything has tasted bland and not near as good as I seem to remember or believe. I had only lost 19 lbs and was feeling rather disappointed in myself and the process. Then I realized I have been eating, not like a healthy life style but as if I were recuperating from a surgery and just making do
waiting for everything to return to normal. I had not been getting in my protein. My water intake was not adequate, my carb ingestion way too high.
I had to stop and think duh.......this is not waiting to get back to normal, this is my new normal and this is for life! What the hell did I do this for if I was not going to develop the healthy habits I had planned on.
Light bulb moment. For a smart woman I sometimes take awhile to get it.
 
So yesterday and thus far today, made my water requirements, protein is up, carbs down and exercised too!!!!!!! look out baby I am back in the game and I intend to be a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4 weeks out and on regular foods, trial basis for each item. I took advice from the board and am consuming 1 protein drink,
1 protein bar , 1 greek yogurt and one string cheese a day. This amounts to 54 grams of protein and with my dinner and other bits of food here and there I am sure I am meeting my protein needs.
I am feeling so much better physically and mentally since getting of soft foods and soups. I use to like soup, I can't imagine
having soup again in the next year.
I have lost 15 lbs, I am happy with that and now am starting to exercise.
I still need to work harder on getting in my fluids and vitamins.
The short time of frustration and regret has passed and I still feel blessed to have had this opportunity.

4 weeks out and on regular foods, trial basis for each item. I took advice from the board and am consuming 1 protein drink,
1 protein bar , 1 greek yogurt and one string cheese a day. This amounts to 54 grams of protein and with my dinner and other bits of food here and there I am sure I am meeting my protein needs.
I am feeling so much better physically and mentally since getting of soft foods and soups. I use to like soup, I can't imagine
having soup again in the next year.
I have lost 15 lbs, I am happy with that and now am starting to exercise.
I still need to work harder on getting in my fluids and vitamins.
The short time of frustration and regret has passed and I still feel blessed to have had this opportunity.

I have been battling some buyers remorse. I am soooooooo tired of soups and soft foods. My docs instructions, are full liquids, protein drinks, scrambled egg only, yogurt, cheeses, refried beans and fish. No purees. This sounded great 2 weeks ago but now I would rather not eat than have the things I am allowed. I am not getting in my protein or all of my fluids. I have also hit a stall. I am sure its because of my lack of protein and fluids.
It has been so depressing when my daughter insisted I go out to lunch with her the other day, I replied "why so you can pay 12.00 for the 3 spoons of soup I will
hate?"
This morning I had a talk with myself, I know this is temporary. I know I needed this surgery and was blessed to be able to have it. I am determined that starting today I will eat some protein every 3 hours, drink my fluids and do some light exercise.
In one more week I can add shrimp, crab, chicken and turkey, soft veggies, salad and fruit!!!!!!!!! Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Life will be so much easier then. I will feel like I can actually make a regular meal, I have been collecting some high protein recipes and can't wait to try them.

I have been battling some buyers remorse. I am soooooooo tired of soups and soft foods. My docs instructions, are full liquids, protein drinks, scrambled egg only, yogurt, cheeses, refried beans and fish. No purees. This sounded great 2 weeks ago but now I would rather not eat than have the things I am allowed. I am not getting in my protein or all of my fluids. I have also hit a stall. I am sure its because of my lack of protein and fluids.
It has been so depressing when my daughter insisted I go out to lunch with her the other day, I replied "why so you can pay 12.00 for the 3 spoons of soup I will
hate?"
This morning I had a talk with myself, I know this is temporary. I know I needed this surgery and was blessed to be able to have it. I am determined that starting today I will eat some protein every 3 hours, drink my fluids and do some light exercise.
In one more week I can add shrimp, crab, chicken and turkey, soft veggies, salad and fruit!!!!!!!!! Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Life will be so much easier then. I will feel like I can actually make a regular meal, I have been collecting some high protein recipes and can't wait to try them.

Saw my doctor early this am who said I can start on liquids! If I could tolerate I could go home after lunch. For breakfast I took 2 spoons of beef broth but it
tasted too salty to me. I drank the apple juice, it slid down easily, a sip at a time. The protein drink provided by the hospital which is a berry flavored, thin,
almost juice consistency and a jello. It took me about an hour to get that down. I was determined to tolerate it so I could go home so took it very slowly.
at lunch time I was provided the same tray. I took all my regular meds and my prilosec for tummy by mouth. I needed no pain meds since my last puch of the pain pump 24 hours before hand so they went ahead and discontinued my IV. Yea I was free from everything. They advised not to take a shower at hospital since the risk of infection.
(you are always safer at home) and it was freezing anyhow. I threw my hair in a pony tail, I looked a hot mess, and put on my sweats and a large loose tshirt. I had been worried maybe my underwear, or bra or pain line would rub on one of my incisions but they did not.
My incisions were covered with a dermabond and I could shower but was instructed not to rub.
I was home by 3 pm and in the hot shower at 3:10 pm. I was so thankful to be back in my own bed. I watched tv from my recliner and tried out some fluids. For me the first day I was reluctant to attempt protein drinks. they seem thicker, so I started with apple juice, since I had already had it in the hospital. Gatoraide seemed a bit heavy for me that first day also. Still no pain and I was able to fall into my bed and sleep for 4 hours. After being awake every hour at the hospital this seemed like
heaven. I continued to burp and hiccup after every drink helping to move gas. That evening I had a cup of chicken broth and kept my juice at the bedside constantly sipping. No pain, No hunger.

Saw my doctor early this am who said I can start on liquids! If I could tolerate I could go home after lunch. For breakfast I took 2 spoons of beef broth but it
tasted too salty to me. I drank the apple juice, it slid down easily, a sip at a time. The protein drink provided by the hospital which is a berry flavored, thin,
almost juice consistency and a jello. It took me about an hour to get that down. I was determined to tolerate it so I could go home so took it very slowly.
at lunch time I was provided the same tray. I took all my regular meds and my prilosec for tummy by mouth. I needed no pain meds since my last puch of the pain pump 24 hours before hand so they went ahead and discontinued my IV. Yea I was free from everything. They advised not to take a shower at hospital since the risk of infection.
(you are always safer at home) and it was freezing anyhow. I threw my hair in a pony tail, I looked a hot mess, and put on my sweats and a large loose tshirt. I had been worried maybe my underwear, or bra or pain line would rub on one of my incisions but they did not.
My incisions were covered with a dermabond and I could shower but was instructed not to rub.
I was home by 3 pm and in the hot shower at 3:10 pm. I was so thankful to be back in my own bed. I watched tv from my recliner and tried out some fluids. For me the first day I was reluctant to attempt protein drinks. they seem thicker, so I started with apple juice, since I had already had it in the hospital. Gatoraide seemed a bit heavy for me that first day also. Still no pain and I was able to fall into my bed and sleep for 4 hours. After being awake every hour at the hospital this seemed like
heaven. I continued to burp and hiccup after every drink helping to move gas. That evening I had a cup of chicken broth and kept my juice at the bedside constantly sipping. No pain, No hunger.

Well this is day 2 of my quest to not only not gain weight before surgery (or my doc will not schedule) but to also follow a low cal, low carb eating
plan. I have done really well so far today, just had a great scoop of chicken salad which I ate with slices of cucumber. I used the cucumber just as if
it were crackers....yum! Today seems easier than yesterday was.
I also went to my pcp today and I completed all required pre-op testing except for the ultrasound. Soonest appt is the end of the month but at least I will end Sept knowing everything is done and just waiting to be submitted for authorization.

Well this is day 2 of my quest to not only not gain weight before surgery (or my doc will not schedule) but to also follow a low cal, low carb eating
plan. I have done really well so far today, just had a great scoop of chicken salad which I ate with slices of cucumber. I used the cucumber just as if
it were crackers....yum! Today seems easier than yesterday was.
I also went to my pcp today and I completed all required pre-op testing except for the ultrasound. Soonest appt is the end of the month but at least I will end Sept knowing everything is done and just waiting to be submitted for authorization.