msdenali

Happy New Years! I am very excited about this new year! Especially since I'll be well on my way to a happier and skinner me!
 
Let's see, I am 4 weeks out! WOW, ONE MONTH!! :wub:
At times it seemed like I would never get a grip on this new way of eating and drinking, thinking, cooking, coping, and whatever else I can add that I thought would be normal and isn't... LOL
 
And now that I'm at one month, I can honestly say I do feel some normality emerging. I believe that my brain has finally cought up with the proper portion that I can actually eat and that I no longer suffer from "big eye" as it is known in my family. You know, where your eyes are bigger than your stomach and you serve yourself to much food while absolutely certain that you would eat it AAAAalllll! hehe
 
I have found that all animal protien doesn't work for me! I have to have both plant based protein, (beans and such) and animal protein to help my body. So I found that a low gi diet works well and has some good substitutions. I am very much enjoying my cucumbers again!
 
Yes, I finally feel as though my mind, body and Minnie are all pulling together instead of in 4 different directions!! Yes, I'm still discovering that certain foods just don't go down as well as others. Yes, I can get in all my water IF I add some lemon(real lemon) without nausea!! AND the big one, YES! I can EXCERCISE!! on my elliptical for 20 min!!
 
The protien bars and shakes are not my favorite things but I feel for now I must endure them for the protien count to get close to what it should be!
I found that stringy chicken is difficult for Minnie but if I chop it up it is much better!
I can not skip my anti acid pills! NO MATTER WHAT!
 
The most amazing thing....
I have lost 30lbs!! This is the most I have ever lost with any weight loss effort!! So this is just starting to sink in that this will work!! My body is not an exception to the rule and I have invested into a fanatastic tool that WILL work with me!! That realization is worth it all and will bring the ultimate break through of reaching my goal weight!
 
I go back to the dr in 2 weeks. I'll let you know how it goes! Reach the stars by setting goals and take it one day at a time. Blessings for the new year!
Kris

It is 2 weeks post-op and all is well!! I feel good. My incisions are healing up nicely and the soreness is pretty much gone. (unless I bend over to far)
 
I'm not drinking enough water yet. Getting about 32 ounces in most days. I know it should be more but I get so nauseated with it!! I find that in the morning I can get more down easier.
I can drink without the squeezing feeling now.
I can't wait till I can get more water down though 'cause it is causing some bathroom issues!! hard ones!! if you know what I mean.
 
I'm still trying to keep a sensitive awareness for Minnie to tell me when she's full. I do good and sometimes when I let myself get to hungry, I don't listen as soon as I should. Bad habits take over and I have to re-organize my thoughts.
 
I honestly wasn't prepared for the emotional struggle being so strong. I knew it would be here and head hunger is real! Food plays/ed such and important part of my life. I truly thought that learning new recipies and balancing a healthy diet that my family as well as myself can eat would be the bigger challenge. I felt that if I could just put enough energy into cooking recipes that were tasty and fitting for us all I would be fine.
And for the most part I am. BUT there are times when the emotions get all fired up and what I used to sooth them in the past just doesn't work anymore. It's like someone changed the passcode and I can't get to my feel good area!! Frustrating and It's definitaly a work in progress.
Thank God I have great support of family and friends.
 
I will take this time to warn everyone about having a love affair with the bathroom scale!!
I loved my scale from the moment I got home from the hospital!! I made sure we saw each other frequently and the feeling was mutal. Until day 5!! Not sure what happened on day 5 BUT our relationship took a dive!! It said I gained a pound and then on day 6 it said I gained another!!! FREAK!
Not sure why, I was doing everything by the book!! I was already on the break of the emotional reality of having to change my coping mechanisms and then this!!!! WHY? WHY??
Alas, I went through this torture for 2 days only to realize at 11pm on day 7 that my scale was playing cruel jokes on me!! Yes, I could stand on different areas of the scale and the weight changed each time. it went down 3 pounds or up 3 pounds!! just depended on where I stood!! LOL I could have died! All that turmoil for nothing!!
So I ended my love affair with my scale. We have broken up for good! I don't know what I've really lost since surgery and won't know until tomorrow when I go for my check up with my doctor!!
hrmph!
I start my mushie food tomorrow and am very excited!! I did have an egg scrambled today and I can't say enough how good that was!! I know, I know, it was a day early and now I'm little nervous that I did something bad. BUT Minnie did just fine and didnt' hurt or anything soo I'm praying that means all is well. Will blog tomorrow to let you know the results. Oh and ALL I could get in was 1 egg....
Merry Christmas
Oh and I can't wait to drive again!! I need to do some secret christmas shopping!!

It is 2 weeks post-op and all is well!! I feel good. My incisions are healing up nicely and the soreness is pretty much gone. (unless I bend over to far)
 
I'm not drinking enough water yet. Getting about 32 ounces in most days. I know it should be more but I get so nauseated with it!! I find that in the morning I can get more down easier.
I can drink without the squeezing feeling now.
I can't wait till I can get more water down though 'cause it is causing some bathroom issues!! hard ones!! if you know what I mean.
 
I'm still trying to keep a sensitive awareness for Minnie to tell me when she's full. I do good and sometimes when I let myself get to hungry, I don't listen as soon as I should. Bad habits take over and I have to re-organize my thoughts.
 
I honestly wasn't prepared for the emotional struggle being so strong. I knew it would be here and head hunger is real! Food plays/ed such and important part of my life. I truly thought that learning new recipies and balancing a healthy diet that my family as well as myself can eat would be the bigger challenge. I felt that if I could just put enough energy into cooking recipes that were tasty and fitting for us all I would be fine.
And for the most part I am. BUT there are times when the emotions get all fired up and what I used to sooth them in the past just doesn't work anymore. It's like someone changed the passcode and I can't get to my feel good area!! Frustrating and It's definitaly a work in progress.
Thank God I have great support of family and friends.
 
I will take this time to warn everyone about having a love affair with the bathroom scale!!
I loved my scale from the moment I got home from the hospital!! I made sure we saw each other frequently and the feeling was mutal. Until day 5!! Not sure what happened on day 5 BUT our relationship took a dive!! It said I gained a pound and then on day 6 it said I gained another!!! FREAK!
Not sure why, I was doing everything by the book!! I was already on the break of the emotional reality of having to change my coping mechanisms and then this!!!! WHY? WHY??
Alas, I went through this torture for 2 days only to realize at 11pm on day 7 that my scale was playing cruel jokes on me!! Yes, I could stand on different areas of the scale and the weight changed each time. it went down 3 pounds or up 3 pounds!! just depended on where I stood!! LOL I could have died! All that turmoil for nothing!!
So I ended my love affair with my scale. We have broken up for good! I don't know what I've really lost since surgery and won't know until tomorrow when I go for my check up with my doctor!!
hrmph!
I start my mushie food tomorrow and am very excited!! I did have an egg scrambled today and I can't say enough how good that was!! I know, I know, it was a day early and now I'm little nervous that I did something bad. BUT Minnie did just fine and didnt' hurt or anything soo I'm praying that means all is well. Will blog tomorrow to let you know the results. Oh and ALL I could get in was 1 egg....
Merry Christmas
Oh and I can't wait to drive again!! I need to do some secret christmas shopping!!

It is 2 weeks post-op and all is well!! I feel good. My incisions are healing up nicely and the soreness is pretty much gone. (unless I bend over to far)
 
I'm not drinking enough water yet. Getting about 32 ounces in most days. I know it should be more but I get so nauseated with it!! I find that in the morning I can get more down easier.
I can drink without the squeezing feeling now.
I can't wait till I can get more water down though 'cause it is causing some bathroom issues!! hard ones!! if you know what I mean.
 
I'm still trying to keep a sensitive awareness for Minnie to tell me when she's full. I do good and sometimes when I let myself get to hungry, I don't listen as soon as I should. Bad habits take over and I have to re-organize my thoughts.
 
I honestly wasn't prepared for the emotional struggle being so strong. I knew it would be here and head hunger is real! Food plays/ed such and important part of my life. I truly thought that learning new recipies and balancing a healthy diet that my family as well as myself can eat would be the bigger challenge. I felt that if I could just put enough energy into cooking recipes that were tasty and fitting for us all I would be fine.
And for the most part I am. BUT there are times when the emotions get all fired up and what I used to sooth them in the past just doesn't work anymore. It's like someone changed the passcode and I can't get to my feel good area!! Frustrating and It's definitaly a work in progress.
Thank God I have great support of family and friends.
 
I will take this time to warn everyone about having a love affair with the bathroom scale!!
I loved my scale from the moment I got home from the hospital!! I made sure we saw each other frequently and the feeling was mutal. Until day 5!! Not sure what happened on day 5 BUT our relationship took a dive!! It said I gained a pound and then on day 6 it said I gained another!!! FREAK!
Not sure why, I was doing everything by the book!! I was already on the break of the emotional reality of having to change my coping mechanisms and then this!!!! WHY? WHY??
Alas, I went through this torture for 2 days only to realize at 11pm on day 7 that my scale was playing cruel jokes on me!! Yes, I could stand on different areas of the scale and the weight changed each time. it went down 3 pounds or up 3 pounds!! just depended on where I stood!! LOL I could have died! All that turmoil for nothing!!
So I ended my love affair with my scale. We have broken up for good! I don't know what I've really lost since surgery and won't know until tomorrow when I go for my check up with my doctor!!
hrmph!
I start my mushie food tomorrow and am very excited!! I did have an egg scrambled today and I can't say enough how good that was!! I know, I know, it was a day early and now I'm little nervous that I did something bad. BUT Minnie did just fine and didnt' hurt or anything soo I'm praying that means all is well. Will blog tomorrow to let you know the results. Oh and ALL I could get in was 1 egg....
Merry Christmas
Oh and I can't wait to drive again!! I need to do some secret christmas shopping!!

Hello and Welcome to my very first Blog!
I feel we have so much to catch up on, and at first I didn't really know where to start our first adventure. But I think I'll just begin with how Minnie and I met.
 
December 4th, 2012. (Yes, just 7 short days ago!!) I had a Vertical Sleeve done at 12:30pm in Gonzales, La. My Doctor, Dr. Andrew Hargroder, and the hospital staff were wonderful!
 
I met Minnie about 2 hours later! She was very uncomfortable and was letting me know it! After moving around and getting some gas out of my abdomen we both felt sooo much better.
My son, Dominick, actually named "MINNIE". He said I have a "new" mini stomach!
And from then on, Minnie, stuck! *smile*
 
Now, Minnie, is very bossy about everything that goes in. No matter what I would like to her to have, she has the ultimate say on EVERYTHING! What time, how much, how big/small, cold/hot, ummm, yea, I'm not in control at this point! LOL However much I would like to think that I am... I'm NOT!
 
We tried ice chips for our first taste test. That worked for about 1 day! Then it was broth! That is still her favorite thing so far! Our next adventure was a move up to "full liquids" per Dr. requirements. And have found that Greek Yogurt has taken 2nd place.
 
It's a good thing Minnie knows what she wants because I find myself wrapped up entirely in a mind war! Keeping up with what I can offer for food and when, remembering to log all food into my fitness pal, worrying if I have enough protein and water, excercising enough and for Goodness sake don't even mention a plateau!!! I'll freak! I just want the maximum benefit from my adventures with, Minnie! It can be very frustrating. But friends and fellow VSG'rs all say just calm down do your best and it will be the best thing ever! So for now I'll have to take their word for it.
Which is hard because everything I've ever tried failed. *sigh*
It's almost to good to be true amd I find myself not allowing for high hopes for fear they wont' be realized.
BUT Minnie has held true and taken me on an adventure I couldn't do by myself ever before. I actually WON a 'mind battle' yesterday and discovered something new about myself!
I realized that I need to go to sleep earlier than I always do. (1am or later) Not just for obvious reasons, but because that is when my "munchies" start!
I actually won to not eat anything, (shake/broth/jello all of which I could have legally had) just because it sounded fun and comforting.

A great feat!! The boys and I were watching a christmas movie and I wanted something to munch. I could just taste something, anything, sliding down and filling my minnie to capacity. But I was NOT hungry! I was just fine. So I didn't eat anything. I did drink some flavored water, finished the movie and went to bed. I can't tell you how many times today, I found myself reaching for my sons red hots that he left on the table, or something else, just out of habit!! It looked good so I wanted it 'cause I just knew it would make me feel good to have something for me. A treat maybe? I really dont' understand why I have conditioned myself to this way of thinking but it truly must end!!
I have purposed to find a more productive way of "treating" myself......Quilting and I make bows for our Dog Spa. AND when I remind myself that I have something better to do, I'm fine. I have purpose. so simple and I can't help but wonder, Have I traided boredom for food?? For immediate satisfaction?? What more could I have been doing all these years?? HMMMM.....well, it's something to work on and I really pray that a new habit can be formed in 30 days 'cause this is one that will be a benefit of MINNIE!!
 
Thanks for reading and if you have any questions make a post and I'll answer the best I can. In the mean time blogging may end up on my "treat" list too.. hehehe