Tag Archives: Sleeve

6 Month Check-Up w/ Nutritionist #WLS #VSG

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I was very, very eager to meet with the nutritionist last week.  I had encountered my first major stall since having had surgery, and I was ready to throttle the scale out the window.  I’m working out like a maniac, tracking food like a maniac, and the scale was just bouncing all over the place.

On any given day that I work out, I burn between 500 and 900 calories in the gym.  I had been averaging about 900 or so calories a day consumed.  So without taking into account BMR (basal metabolic rate) I was hitting a break even point on a lot of days.  Throw in my BMR, and the deficit is ridiculous.  While the math would make any sane person go HMMMMM lots of pounds falling off, the reality is, I was stuck.  I had a feeling that the nutritionist was going to suggest more calories, but I didnt realize how many.  She wants me to work towards:

1200-1500 calories a day

A DAY

Do ya’ll know how many that is for a post op person?  The hard part for me is that I spend too much time reading forums like Obesityhelp.com or Verticalsleevetalk.com where there are preachers of the 600-800 calories a day for the entire weight loss period and no more than 40 grams of carbs a day.  The nutrionist said she hears that a lot, but I need to really start putting more in to see the pounds come off.  Especially with how much I work out.  Guess what, day 1 of eating 1200 calories I FINALLY broken into Onderland!

She said to baby step it.  Dont immediately try to go to 1500 calories, but dont be scared of the calories either.  Also she said to not be scared of carbs.  HEALTHY CARBS that is.  Sweet potatoes, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, you know the healthy things.  So I am slowly incorporating those things back into my diet.  There are still going to be days when I’m closer to 1000, but for the next month, I’m going to give around 1200 a try.  By a year out, I should be at about 1500 a day.

So these are my new goals:

  • 1200-1500 calories a day
  • 35-40% Carbs
  • 25% Fat
  • 35-40% Protein

I already hit 100+ grams of protein a day, so I am already within those ranges for protein.  The carbs are going to have to go up though.  Thats something I’m going to have a little bit of a tougher time with.  Most of the things I need to consume to hit the protein goals fill me up and make it hard to get the carbs in.  So I am adding little things here and there:

  • Granola (no sugar) to yogurt
  • Greek yogurt (carbs from lactose)
  • Whole Grain crackers
  • Whole Wheat Lavash bread
  • Salads
  • Veggies
  • Fruits
  • You get the idea.

The goal is non sugary, non white carbohydrates.  It will be interesting to see how this all pans out.  I’m excited for the journey :)

If you are on MyFitnessPal, feel free to add me as a friend if you want ideas about what its like to eat 8 months post op.  My name on there is shockingly scalewarfare

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare

Vitamins, Minerals, Protein-Oh My. #WLS #VSG

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One of the things I always wondered about pre-op was all of the supplementation that you have to do post op.  Is it forever?  Is it a lot?  What do people take?  Etc.  So I thought I’d do a post about what vitamin/supplement schedule and my protein intake.

Vitamins/Supplements

This is what I take on a daily basis, many by choice

I’ll start at the top, going clockwise:

  • 2 Centrum Multi-Vitamins
  • 2 Colace (keep things moving)
  • 1 Probiotic (keep my gut in check)
  • 1 Zyrtec (allergies)
  • 1 Iron pill (every other day)
  • 1 MegaRed (fish oil for a healthy heart)
  • 1 B-12 (every other day)
  • Pepcid OTC (Costco brand)
  • 4 Calcium petities w/ vitamin D (Calcium Citrate)
  • 3 Biotin (for healthy hair and nails…this one is from Costco…I’m going back to the tiny gel cap version from Amazon as soon as I’m done with these horse pills!)

What I have to Take

As you can see a LOT fewer are required.

  • 1 Iron pill (every other day)
  • 1 B-12 pill (every other day)
  • 4 Calcium petites w/ vitamin D
  • 2 Centrum Multi Vitamins

How do I keep these organized?

I have a 7 day pill case, a big one, that I fill up every week.  Then each night when putting my lunch box away I throw everything in this little guy:

I go ahead and throw this back in my lunch box for the next day.

What order do I take them in?

I have reminders in my phone that go off every 3 hours or so throughout the day reminding me to take my supplements.  This picture is actually backwards, so I’ll start from the right, and work my way left.

  • With my AM protein shake, on the way to work I take 2 of the Biotins, the probiotic, the B-12, the iron, the Colace, the Zyrtec, the Pepcid, and a multi-vitamin.
  • Around 10, I take 2 calcium and the last Biotin
  • Around 1 I take the last 2 calcium
  • Around 4 I take the last multi-vitamin.

Because Iron blocks the absorption of calcium, you have to spread the two out by at least 2 hours (different doctors have different rules.)  So that is why everything is separated out.  Is this a pain in the ass?  Yes, sometimes.  But most days its just a routine.  The hardest part was when I was on travel and was completely out of my schedule.  I play a bit of a game with myself.  When I’m filling up the smaller daily pill case for the next day, I take out any of the ones that I missed and put it back in the weekly pill separator.  My goal is to not have ANY left in the weekly box at the end of the week.

Protein Supplements

The ultimate goal is to get all of your protein through food.  Theoretically I could do that, but it’d be really hard, and I would wind up getting less protein in (even though I’d still hit my goal number.)

I have a protein shake every single morning to start my day.  I drink it in the car while taking my vitamins.  Two birds, one stone.  Lately I’ve been on a cycle of 1 Scoop Jay Robb Whey Vanilla (25 grams of protein) mixed with 2 scoops of Click Latte (15 grams of protein.) That knocks out 40 grams and I havent even gotten to work yet.  Some days I hate them and want to throw them out the car window, but I suck it up.  I have to do it.

Protein supplements are a very personal thing.  It’s great to get recommendations, but you are going to have to find what works for you.  DO NOT buy a ton pre-op.  Your tastes for first 6-8 weeks after surgery are nothing short of strange.  I thought cauliflower smelled like skunks that first month or two, and milk, ugh, the odor of cow pastures is all I smelled when I drank them.  Over time your tastes will settle back down, and you’ll slowly learn which protein shakes you can tolerate and which you can’t.  I bought a TON of stuff from Unjury because I found so many recommendations for it, it still to this day makes my stomach a bit nauseous, but other people love it.  Some people hate the Jay Robb products, I love them.  You just have to try, try, and try some more.

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare

 

Big Milestone! #WLS #VSG #ONEDERLAND

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I know, long time no talk.  The whole not having access to external internet at work thing is really cramping my blog style.  Here is my daily schedule:

  • 5:15 Wake Up; Shower; Walk the dog; Pack Lunch bag; Get Ready
  • 6:15 Leave for work
  • 7:30 Get to work
  • 4:00 Leave work (if I’m lucky…some days closer to 5)
  • 5:00 Get home (sometimes it’s 6ish); Walk the dog; Change for the gym.
  • 5:30/5:45 Leave for Gym
  • 7:00/7:45 Home from gym (depends on what class or classes I’m taking)
  • 8:00-8:30 Cook Dinner
  • 8:30-9:00 Dinner
  • 9:00-10:00 TV if I havent already fallen asleep; take care of the dog; get ready for bed; pass out at 10:02

Rinse and repeat.  That doesnt leave much time for anything else.  Blogging has taken a pretty big hit because of this.

The past 6-7 weeks the scale has been screwing with me.  I’m up and down, and up and down, and up and down.  I have lost overall, but that evil bastard of a scale didnt want me to break through the 200 mark.  Well guess what I saw this morning??

That’s right, ONEDERLAND!!!  I havent seen my weight start with a 1 since sophomore or junior year in high school.  I finally broke through!  I hope it stays like this forever.  I hope that I’m done bouncing around up and down up and down!

Since I am telecommuting today, I am going to use my little mini breaks to get several posts written.  What’s in store:

  • Supplements/Vitamins
  • 6 Month check-up…almost 2 months late (Blood Work and Nutritionist Updates)
  • Responses to questions that I’ve received via email or through comments on the blog regarding VSG and working out.
  • 8 Month Surgiversary

Tata for now!

Scale Warfare

 

Running #WLS #VSG

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So I started to Couch 2 5k back in November/December time frame.  My goal was to take as long as I needed to, to get through the program and knock one of the items off of my 40 by 40 list.  For some reason I can’t bring myself to finish the stupid thing.  I’ve finished Week 8, and I’ve started Week 9, but I get so flipping bored and just want to do other things.  I’ve tried running indoors on the treadmill and outdoors in various locations.  With the exception of running by East Mission Bay in San Diego, it isn’t exactly fun outside either.

For a while I was LOVING the running, but now I feel like I have to force myself to do it.  I am signed up for a 5k in mid April and I am excited to just get through it so I can knock it off of the list.  I am having so much more fun going to classes, going hiking, trying out different machines at the gym, etc.  I am starting to realize that running might just not be my thing.

Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s awesome that I can hop on the treadmill or go for a run outside and knock out a few miles now, something I’ve never really been able to do before, but I’m not IN love with it, if you know what I mean.  I did 8 miles in 60 minutes on the elliptical on  Level 6 this past Sunday.  I know that the elliptical and running aren’t the same, but it does show me that I do have the endurance to push myself for a full hour.

Thoughts??

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare

Actually Following the Rules #WLS #VSG

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When I started working out, well more than just walking, I emailed the nutritionist in my surgeons offices asking her how much I should be eating.  While she wasn’t entirely clear, she gave me this basic advice:

Workout days (WOD) I should be closer to 1000 calories and 100 plus grams of protein range.  My personal add on to these days is less than roughly 60 grams of net carbs and 12+ glasses of H2O.

Non Workout (NWOD) days I should be in the 800 calorie and 80 plus grams of protein range.  My personal add on to these days is less than 40 grams of net carbs and 8+ glasses of H2O.

While she isn’t worried about counting carbs, I am, since I know that they make me want more and more.  I am not talking about whole grains, I am talking about the “white stuff.”  I am really trying to focus on avoiding overly processed foods.  I do allow myself an indulgence a few times a week (which my new therapist said is a GOOD thing,) I track the indulgences and make sure that they fit with in my plans for the day.  This past Sunday for example, the step kids brought home a crap ton of those mini york peppermint patties.  Not really a favorite food of mine, but suddenly I had downed three of them.  Since I had missed the spin class in the morning, I turned what I thought had turned into a NWOD, turned into a WOD.  I headed up to the gym and did almost 8 miles on the elliptical in 60 minutes and burned those bad boys off!

I’ve been following these guidelines for a little over a week now and the scale is already moving again.  I have a feeling on double workout days, I might need to go a little higher than the 1,000 calories, but for now I am sticking to the prescribed experiment.

If you’re on myfitnesspal, feel free to add me as I share my food journal.  My name on there is scalewarfare.

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare

Seven Month “Surgiversary” & Weekly Weigh In #WLS #VSG

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I completely missed the 6 month surgiversary.  I took my measurements, but throughout my travels for work I wound up losing them and then of course never got around to taking pictures.

I’ve learned a lot in the last month or two.

  • I can live in the real world eating everyday foods in restaurants and on the go.
  • With the above being true, I have to be just as vigilant as I was before WLS to make sure that I make smart choices.  I have a built in portion controller now, but overly processed foods and sweets go down very, very easily.
  • I still can’t handle carbonated beverages very well.  I’ve done OK w/ a half of a beer, but another one wound up being no bueno.
  • I threw up for my first time post op.  I some how forgot about my sleeve.  I ate my food and immediately drank water.  The food and the water both came out, luckily I could feel it coming so I made it to the bathroom.  Good reminder that I’m NOT normal when it comes to eating and drinking at the same time anymore.
  • I found my collar bones, they are out all of the time and not just hiding out now.
  • I can feel my hips and my ribs.  I haven’t felt either since probably high school.
  • I was out with a couple of girlfriends this past weekend, and one of them had their sister with them.  I hadn’t seen their sister in well over a year and she didn’t even recognize me.  She had to ask her sister if I was the same “INSERT NAME” as the one she had met in the past.  NICE!
  • The weight loss is MUCH slower now.  I seem to lose a lot two weeks in a row and then stay fairly stagnant for a couple/few weeks.
  • I’ve learned that its very possible to gain post op, especially when things get really stressful and food choices are less and less in my control.  I’ve gotten those things in check and am back in a losing pattern.
  • I’ve quit letting the scale control me.  If it goes up a bit, I re-evaluate what I’m doing, but I no longer freak out.  I am in the marathon part of this process, it’s going to take my body as long as it takes to lose the weight.  As long as I know that I am doing the right things, I WILL eventually get there.
I am shocked almost daily at what my new body can do for me.  We recently signed up for a gym and there isn’t a class that I’ve tried that I couldn’t complete and I feel amazing about that.  I was supposed to take a spin class this weekend but wound up missing it due to need to get some things done at home earlier in the day.  I have so much fun, yes fun, going to the different classes.  Body Pump and Body Step have been awesome.  Yoga was amazing and I am going to start taking it weekly.  I am trying another new class this week called ME (Metabolic Effect, you can read more about it HERE and see a short clip of a class HERE.)  Think 30 Day Shred, but for 30 minutes and bootcamp style.  The class can apparently boost your metabolism for up to 48 hours after the class.  EXCITED!!!

If you’d like to catch up on other months in my journey they are below.

One Month Surgiversary Post

Two Month Surgiversary Post

Three Month Surgiversary Post

Four Month Surgiversary Post

Five Month Surgiversary Post

Below are photos from surgery day and then photos from 7 months post op. (FYI If you want to see all progress photo’s here’s a link.)  I hadn’t looked at my before pictures for two months, and I was shocked at the change when I looked at them compared to the 7 month post op photos.  I still have my “fat tire” around my mid section, but it continuously gets smaller.  I’m hoping that one day it will be gone, ha!

Photo’s from 8/22 (Day of Surgery)

Photo’s from 3/22 (Seven Months Post-Op)

This sports bra needs to go.  Its one that I usually wear over one that is much much tighter to keep the ladies in place when working out.

Measurements

I forgot to take pictures before I started the pre-op diet, but I did take my measurements the day that I started the two week pre-op diet.  The numbers below include changes since 8/8, the day I started the pre-op diet.

I only take measurements from one side of my body, some choose to take measurements from both and wind up with much higher numbers.  I suppose I’m lazy about measuring!

  • Waist: -11 7/8″ (-2″ in two months)
  • Hips: -11″ (-2″ in two months)
  • Right Thigh: -5 7/8″ (-1 3/8″ in two months)
  • Right Calf: -3 3/8″ (-3/4″ in two months)
  • Left Bicep: -3 1/8″ (-1/2″ in two months)
  • Neck: -2 5/8″ (-1/8″ in two months)
  • Chest Under (ribcage/bra band area): 10 5/8″ (-1″ in two months)
  • Chest Over (cup size): -8 7/8″ (-2 1/8″ in two months)
  • Total Lost: -55 3/16″
  • Pre Op Weight Loss -12.8lbs
  • Month 1 Weight Loss -20.8lbs
  • Month 2 Weight Loss -16.6 lbs
  • Month 3 Weight Loss -12.4 lbs
  • Month 4 Weight Loss -10.2 lbs
  • Month 5 Weight Loss -10.0 lbs
  • Months 6 & & Weight Loss -17.8 lbs
  • Total Weight Loss -100.6 lbs (-85.8 lbs Post Op)
My goal for month 8 is to get into ONEDERLAND and get out of the Obese category in the BMI.  Seriously.  I am so close that I can taste it.  I really think that stepping up my workouts is going to be the key!
I think my ultimate goal is to set a final goal weight and reach it by New Years Eve.  I have an estimated goal number in my head, but I think some of it is going to come down to how much extra skin I have.  The more extra skin I have, the harder it is going to be to get into a healthy BMI range.

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare


Hello Lova’

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I woke up a bit sore this morning from Body Pump last night, but it was that good kind of sore, the kind where you know that you actually did something to deserve it.  I can’t wait to go back and do it again.  The soreness helped me get more excited for Yoga 1 today.

When I went into the class I found the instructor and let them know that this was my first ever yoga class.  She showed me where to lay out my mat, and showed me where they had the yoga blocks and straps.  I’ve seen the blocks and straps before, but had never known what to do with them.  I honestly enjoyed every minute of the class.  There were several other new people in the class so she spent some time walking around and helping each of us adjust into the various positions.  I left feeling well stretched out and a bit serene as hokie as that sounds.

I can definitely see adding this class to my weekly repertoire.  There are 5 or 6 different yoga classes that this new gym offers, I don’t think I’m ready for Bikram (mainly because I HATE to be hot) but Yoga 1 was lots of fun!

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare

Working Out Wednesdays! #WLS

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I hit a big milestone with Couch 2 5K (C25K) this past weekend, I ran for 20 minutes straight!!!  Me, this lady, I did it.  I can’t believe it.  I seriously can’t.  I still wouldnt call myself a runner, let’s face it, I go really slow, but I still did it and it felt AMAZING.  I kept on thinking I’d do Days 1 and 2 of Week 5 over and over again a few times, but when I woke up Sunday morning, I said I’M DOING IT, BRING ON THE MILL (aka treadmill!)

The 5 minute warm up walk went faster than I could have imagined, next thing you know, the sweet yet encouraging British Lady on my i-Phone ap said it was time to start running.  After the first 5 minutes, she updated me to tell me that I was a quarter of the way there.  The first 5 minutes were the roughest of the entire 20 minutes.  After that I got in a really good pace and looked forward to hearing the next 5 minute update.  Next thing you knew, it was 20 minutes, and Simone, the sweet British lady, said “YOU DID IT!  You can officially call yourself a runner!”  Awww, thanks, Simone.  Doing so well at the 20 minute run encouraged me to not re-do Week 5 and progress directly to Week 6.  Week 6 starts back with intervals and ends with a 25 minute run.  I am giving myself full permission to re-do Week 6 if required.

I’m pretty proud of myself for getting in all of the activity that I did last week, considering that I also worked about 70 hours.  I was worn out, but I did it!  I got a bit thrown off on my schedule and took a rest day where I normally don’t but that’s ok, I ran for 20 minutes!  Just might be my excuse for everything this week, ha!

Last Weeks Recap

  • 1/25/12 Wednesday: 30 DS Level 2.
  • 1/26/12 Thursday: Couch 2 5k Week 5 Day 2
  • 1/27/12 Friday: 30 DS Level 2
  • 1/28/12 Saturday: Off
  • 1/29/12 Sunday: Couch 2 5k Week 5 Day 3…ran for 20 minutes and over a mile straight for the first time since High School!
  • 1/30/12 Monday: 30 DS Level 2
  • 1/31/12 Tuesday: Couch 2 5k Week 6 Day 1
My schedule for next week:
  • Wednesday: 30 DS (Level 3)
  • Thursday: C25k (Week 6)
  • Friday: 30 DS (Level 3)
  • Saturday: Off
  • Sunday: C25k (Week 6)
  • Monday: 30 DS (Level 3)
  • Tuesday: C25k (Week 6….maybe 7 if I think I can pull it off)

I’m bumping it up to Level 3 of the 30 Day Shred this week…OMG am I crazy?  I still do the modified movements, but I can make my way through Level 2, so I figure it’s time to move on.  I’m excited for this week of working out!  New C25k longer run AND new workouts with the 30 Day Shred!

Tata for now,
Scale Warfare

Quit TOUCHING Me!! #WLS

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First a rant.  I HATE the term “normal” section, it makes me feel like “women’s” sizes aren’t for “normal” people, when in fact that majority of the population probably wears “women’s” sizes or has at some point.  Side rant…why the hell do they always put the “women’s” sizes next to the petite section?

I figured that it would be late spring before I was able to shop in the “normal” section of the department stores for clothes, but that step happened much faster than I realized it would.  It sort of snuck up on me.  At first I was finding everything in size 1X in the Womens Department to be too large.  Well almost everything, some designers cut things pretty small.  Then I ordered things from Old Navy in the smallest Womens sizes that they sell, and everything except the tank tops that I wear to sleep in had to go back.  I gave up on Old Navy.  I thought they would be a good inexpensive choice as my size changes so quickly.

Last week I was in Macy’s with a co-worker during lunch, and tried on several things in the women’s department, but they just weren’t fitting me properly.  Since the store was fairly empty, me and my imposter ass headed over to the “normal” section and started looking around.  No one warned me how blasted overwhelming that section is.  It goes on forever and ever.  It doesn’t end.  The Women’s department is easy.  They segregate you off to a small area, you have your own dressing room, heck you’re often on a completely different floor than the “normal” section.

I then ordered a bunch of things from my favorite go to store, Talbots, and found that many of the items that I had ordered were to big.  Could it be?  Was I ready to move into the “normal” section?  Talbots can be confusing though.  Their “normal” section sometimes goes up to a 20, mainly 16′s though.  Their women’s section starts at a 14W.  This is when I learned that a 14W does not really equal a regular 16.  Women’s sizes are cut a bit softer, more round if you will, so there isn’t really a direct conversion.  I went against my gut and ordered a lot (12+ items) from the Talbots outlet/sale section in “normal” sizes.

I kept on thinking it was a fluke, that one item after another was cut large for the size, with vanity sizing being what it is, that is easy to believe.  I went into Old Navy this weekend, and since they only carry “normal” sizes, I was scared.  I felt like I didn’t belong, like I was invading a strange world, and that the inhabitants were assuming I was lost.  I filled up my arms with clothes to try on and off to the dressing room I headed.  There wasn’t a single thing that I tried on that was too tight, and I wasnt .  I actually had to go back and pick up XL’s, instead of XXL’s for all of the items.  I just assumed that I needed an XXL.  The pajama pants that I bought were just Larges, not even an extra in front of them.

When I got home from my adventure at Old Navy, where I bought a TON of things, I was surprised by the box of “normal” sized items from Talbots.  My gut was telling me that I had so much success at Old Navy that there was NO WAY that the Talbots items were going to fit.  As I was unpacking the perfectly wrapped items, as Talbots is known to do, and tried each item on, they fit.  Every blasted item fit.

So besides this new world of unlimited clothing options, seriously it’s over whelming and scary, I also came to find something new.  I wasnt focused on finding clothes that didnt touch my body.  I was finding that even if clothes touched my body or didnt drape away from my body, that I was OK with it.  Hence the title.  I am learning to let the clothes touch me and actually fit.

I still have a long way to go to reach goal weight.  I still have a pretty big fat tire around my mid section.  I could open my own airline with the bat wings that my arms are sporting, but damn it, I am able to fit into normal sizes.  My credit cards need to watch out!

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare

Weekly Weigh In Week 24 #WLS #VSG

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In the last two weeks, I’ve lost 8 pounds.  Those two weeks were HUGE victories for me, as they were the most I’d lost in two weeks since maybe Month 2.  I knew not to expect big things this week, yesterday morning after seeing the scale up .4 pounds (which is actually 0, since our brand spankin’ new scale weighed me in 0.4 lbs heavier than the old one), I decided to not weigh in this week.  I am doing all of the right things, so when the scale doesn’t move, or it bobbles up and down less than a half of a pound at a time, it’s mentally smart for me to ignore the scale.  Otherwise, I get frustrated and focus too much on the scale.  So the scale is hidden for the week, or maybe two weeks, we will see how I am feeling next week.

I reached a pinnacle moment in two departments this week, that I can’t wait to post about.  The first one is regarding clothes and there will be a Tuesday post to discuss it.  The second is about Week 5 of Couch 2 5k, which I will write about on Wednesday.

The Weekly Weigh In

  • Pre-Op 2 Week Liquid’ish Diet -12.8 lbs
  • Weeks 1-10 Post Op -40.6
  • Weeks 11-20 Post Op -22.2
  • Week 21 Post Op-NWI
  • Week 22 Post Op -3.2
  • Week 23 Post Op -4.8
  • Week 24-NWI
  • Total: -83.6 lbs

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare