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Well, it's the end of another year and to be honest, I still have to remind myself to write 2012 on my checks (when I actually have to use one). Therefore, writing 2013 is going to be a huge pain in the rear for me. Now, I am not one to make resolutions. To be honest, i don't think I've ever kept one I've made so I finally realized that there was no reason to make any. If someone wants to change, they will...it won't just magically happen becasue it's January 1st. Trust me, I wish that was a case. If it was, we wouldn't all be constantly working to get/remain healthy and thin. Also, there would be a lot of surgeons out there who wouldn't be as wealthy as they are right now...thanks to us. You are welcome surgeons...from all of us. Sorry, i digress. Now, I thought I wold take the time to look back on my year and share my wisdom with you all....or at least what I think is wisdom. It could be a big ole pile of steaming crap, but I'm going to share it anyway. Lucky for you all, if it is crap, you don't have to smell it since you're reading it. So, here is what I've learned...or at least began to learn in 2012. 1. It's true, you do feel much better when you stop smoking. But, it's also true that even after a year, there are times you still want one....even if it's only for a second or two 2. Weight loss surgery is NOT an easy fix. It's hard work and I battle every day with changing my negative food thoughts and behaviors. But, it does get easier. 3. Getting frustrated becasue you can't eat what others are having is normal. Crying and yelling at your husband for eating pizza in front of you is PMS. 4. Fiber is CRITICAL after WLS 5. Stalls are normal...even if they last for a while 6. Getting down for being in a stall is just as normal....but remember number 5! 7. My weight loss is not like anyone else's. There are people who have lost more or not as much in the same amount of time. 8. Going from a tight size 26-28 to a good fitting 16 feels better than any food can taste 9. Taste buds change....which can be good and bad. 10. Pulling out my clothes from the dryer and having to double check to make sure they are mine due to how small they look is the coolest thing about doing laundry 11. Sex is better....and it was really good before hand 12. Raging hormones can make you a b***h to live with so make sure you live with someone who truly loves you.....I'm lucky because I would have divorced me if I were my husband 13. Make up sex while having raging hormones is even better than better 14. My boobs hang low....(cue my "hang low song"....for all those who have read my prior blogs) 15. I miss my boobs...and my butt. 16. Surgery can give me my boobs back and I'll still be thin....sounds better than having perky, big boobs right now. 17. Onions don't sit well with me anymore 18. I fart....a lot since surgery. 19. I really hope that stops soon....but not as much as my husband does 20. I have a rabbit living in my colon....and we've learned to live together 21. Pain after surgery isn't as bad as I thought it would be...and they didn't give me the right meds to deal with the pain 22. Walking is the best thing to do to get gas out 23. I am not perfect and sometimes I eat things that I shouldn't...but I don't eat much 24. Alcohol has a WHOLE different affect on me now.....that can be good or bad...good for me, bad for hubby who doesn't like me tipsy. LOL and last but not least 25. Laughing through all the ups and downs is the only thing that can keep you sane So, with all these little tid bits learned, I plan to go into the new year with an open mind and a willingness to continue to make positive changes, the knowledge to know I'm not perfect, and strength to say no to the bad food (most of the time). I hope you all are able to do the same. Happy New Year everyone.....here's to a safe, happy, and healthy year ahead. Now for some funny stuff.....LOL Have to remember to eat so that I don't look like this in the New Year!!! Have to remember not to eat too much so this doesn't happen....again....LOL Most importantly, I have to remember to be happy with who I am...on the inside and out.

And it is very easy to make. Here is my favorite recipe Roasted Red Pepper Hummus 1 Can chickpea/garbonza beans (15oz) 1/3 cup tahini (See note below) ¼ cup lemon juice 2 Tbs olive oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed ½ - ¾ cup roasted red peppers In a food processor, combine beans, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil. Process until smooth. Add red peppers and garlic until desired consistency. I calculated the nutritional information based on ¼ cup serving: Calories 154 Total Fat 11g Sodium 190mg Total Carbs 8.4g Dietary fiber 3.2g Sugars .9g Protein 5.1g Tahini is sesame seed butter. I find it with the peanut butter or in the international isle of the grocery store. Enjoy!

I'm almost at my 6 month mark. Since the surgery I have had about 40 lbs down (maybe more), definitely lots of inches. I don't feel the "restrictions" that some of you have posted to a significant degree. Yes, if I overeat, but I'm not 2 ouncing it and getting sick like some are posting. I feel like either 3 things exist: 1. I got a good handle on my limitations with my new stomach so I'm inherently just able to deal. 2. The doc didn't take out the 80% or better and my stomach is a little bigger than it should be. 3. My stomach is just stretched out significantly (but I just don't see that being the case). I do feel that I'm able to tolerate more food than I should in one sitting though. The biggest issue I have is drinking with my meals. That....I've learned is a BIG no-no for my body. I will get sick. As long as I don't indulge in fried foods and eat slowly, I'm good for almost anything. I still don't feel the pounds are coming off as fast as I'd like to, but I do confess that I've not been working out consistently for the past 2 months. I've had a couple of health scares with migraines and a neurological condition which I'm still getting dx tests to see what's going on. I just used the hospitalizations to justify my lack of working out. BTW the reason I'm quoting 40 lbs (maybe more) is because I have held true to my resolution to not be a slave to the scale ("My Precious"). I have done well with that part! Other good things...I've still not felt a true hunger pain since the surgery. I am battling mind hunger daily and those old tendencies to eat what I see just to feel better. I do give in to my sweet tooth for at least 1 week out of the month, but I now splurge on sugar free Russel Stover's Dark Choc Pecan Delights and sugar free caramels. I know they're still not calorie free, but it's still progress! My last A1C wad 6.7, which is down from 11.3 (yep. I typed it right!) just prior to my surgery. I was on Metformin too when I clocked 11.3. Since July 14th, I've been off all diabetes meds and I'm sitting pretty at 6.7. That in and of itself was worth the surgery! I'm no longer on hypertension meds. I have not been using my CPAP machine (sleep apnea) and I've been sleeping well, refreshed, no snoring! Also my lymphedema in my left leg is all but gone. So even if my weight loss seems slow, healthy wise, I'm still a winner. I will get back on the work out horse and hopefully be in the century club by the time my 1 year post-op comes round. I am considering visiting a therapist though to address my stress issues and my mind hunger issues. I still feel I have a lot of emotional issues that I need to address with food. I don't quite have my Sexxy Back, but I'm getting there. Professionally I'm still struggling with the backstabbing Boss but I'm holding strong for now.....

I know winter puts a damper on most when you don't belong to a gym and even if you do who wants to venture out in the cold, but there are ways to exercise and keep yourself motivated during the winter months. I have three walk away the pound cd's. The 1 mile, two mile, and five mile. I do the 1 mile in the morning because it's only 17 minutes and gets your day started, then I do the two mile at night. I also turn on the tv to one of the best music stations and dance the night away. When I was younger I used to go out dancing at least three nights a week and kept my weight down. Take the clothes off your treadmill, stationary bike, or any other equipment you have and use it. Dancing burns a lot of calories. Use your husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend and burn some calories. There is no time like the present on this first day of January to get yourself in the exercise mode and get moving. Not only does it relieve stress but it makes you feel invigorated. So who is with me to some good old hard working fun exercise? I am going to start today off with 30 minutes of heart pounding, good feeling, get me motivated for the day EXERCISE. COME AND JOIN ME.

Betrayal comes from many aspects of our life. From friends, family, spouses and children. Everytime you are betrayed by people you love it hurts. So why with the band do you betray yourself by eating things you are not supposed to and in the long run feeling guilty and hurt by your decisions. Life isn't always easy and we have enough stress without letting the band stress us more. It's supposed to help us feel better about ourselves not feel miserable. As the new year approaches, stop betraying yourself with the band. Follow your instructions that you were given and even if your weight loss is slow, a pound loss is a loss no matter how you look at it. I betrayed myself for years with tons of food, feeling miserable, feeling overly full and depending on food to get me through rough times. I stil have rough times, but I don't use food as another means to betray myself. I use it to make myself feel good by getting rid of the horrible self image I had when I was almost 300lbs. Sometimes it's not easy dealing with problems without the comfort of food but I have learned to stop letting meaningless things get on my nerves. Happy New Year with a new attitude about band life!

I see a lot of newbies asking what they can have during this or that stage of the pre/post op diet. Doctors give different diets to different patients; however the foods on the different stages are often very similar. Here are the 4 stages I had during my post op diet (straight from my post op paperwork): Stage 1: Clear Liquids · Water · Broth or the clear liquid poured off of soup (strain out solids, no creamy soup) · Black coffee (may be sweetened with artificial sweetener; preferably decaf) · Clear juices (not OJ ~ it’s not clear); 100% juice (not from concentrate) · Crystal Light · Sugar-free Jello (with no solid fruit) · Sugar-free Popsicles · Gatorade/Powerade · Herbal teas (caffeine-free) Stage 2: Liquids · All clear liquids · Protein shakes (low-fat, low-carb) · Fat-free milk · Orange Juice · Low-fat instant breakfast mixes · V8 juice Stage 3: Full Liquids · All clear liquids · All liquids · Apple sauce · Oatmeal/cream of wheat (thinned) · Smoothies · Low-fat creamy soups (strained out solids) · Puréed soups/vegetables · Low-fat, low-sugar pudding · Low-fat, low-sugar yogurt · Puréed fruit · Low-fat ice cream/frozen yogurt Stage 4: Soft food (aka Mushy) · All of the items on the liquid food list · Tuna/egg/chicken salad · Well-cooked mushy vegetables (no stalk or crunchy vegetable) · Thinned scrambled eggs (if tolerated) · Baby food · Soft, over-cooked pasta · Soft canned fruit (in natural juice) · Thinned mashed potatoes · Soft sweet potatoes/yams · Thinned oatmeal · Greek yogurt · Thinned low-fat refried beans · Low-fat cottage cheese · Soft/rip bananas This is just what MY doctor had for ME. Your doctor will have different orders. I wanted to post this list to give an idea of some of the things on each list. I hope this helps.

I have been having difficulties with my eating for about a week, I blogged about my lunch episode on Friday. When I say difficulties I mean, I’ve been getting acid reflex (first time since being banded) and I get a lump in my throat from time to time. I have been able to eat and drink, but it’s been more challenging. Over the weekend I decided I needed to see my doctor and find out what was going on. Either I am being paranoid or something isn’t right. So, I was on the phone to my doctor’s office first thing this morning and fortunately they could squeeze me in this morning. Upon arriving I was escorted to the x-ray room. Martha (the x-ray tech and support group leader, who is also banded) said, “What are you doing here girl?” “I’m either paranoid or something isn’t right”, she laughed and said let’s find out. We did a barium swallow and as my doctor said, “It looks perfect.” “So, I am paranoid?” “No, you are aware of your band and something changed.” “So what am I doing wrong? Why the acid reflex now?” “Could be you irritated your band in some way or it could be that you need a fresher on the basics. Size of your bit, how much you chew, time between bits. Maybe you need to get that egg timer back out that we gave you at your first post op visit.” “Funny, just last night at dinner my husband had to tell me to slow down on my bits.” We talked a little more and I was on my way feeling so much better. End result is something wasn’t right and that something was me. I was slipping back into old habits. It’s time to dust off that egg timer, cut my bits smaller and chew, chew, chew. Everything I tell newbies to do.

These are my babies! Atticus, Black Mouth Cur. He is the biggest baby in town. Hank, Blue Healer. Gill's dog, follows her around the whole time she is here. Sophie, Dachshund. Daddy's baby (but he won't admit it) and the BOSS of all the dogs! Bugsy, Rat Terrier and Dachsund mix. My baby, he is with his best friend Smokey the cat.

Why should you feel guilty about eating something. Isn't that the way we used to feel before being banded. Over eating on Sunday before the start of your Monday diet. If you are eating something that makes you feel guilty then why over indulge and eat it. This journey is about learning new habits not holding on to the old ones. Being made to feel guilty about any decision in life whether it is about food or anything else is a very bad feeling one should never have. If you are about to sit down and eat a chocolate bar or a piece of pie but after you eat it that guilt trip settles in, then why put yourself through that process over and over again. One day I sat down and I was looking at my snacks for the day and when I entered them in on Spark People (because I like that site much better then My Fitness Pal) holy toledo, even though I was only eating a thousand calories for the day, at least 350 to 400 were in snacks. Not that the snacks were bad because it was 100 calories for greek yogurt, 170 for a protein bar and so forth, the guilt of what I ate snack wise floored me and made me feel guilty. I never wanted to feel that way again about food. I don't want to feel guilty so that is why I do not eat high calorie snacks anymore. Some apple slices, craisins, low fat cottage cheese, hard boiled eggs and so forth. I keep my snacking calories under 250 so I don't have to feel guilty. I love anything with sugar but I can't eat it because I can't just have one and then the guilt settles in. Pleasure should never be compared to guilt or associated with guilt. You make your decisions to eat things so why feel guilty. We have all failed at something in life whether it be having an aweful relationship with food, family, mates, children. I don't want my eating life to be full of guilt because in all reality in this part of the game I am eating to fuel my body not fuel my mind on taste. My mind played enough aweful things in my life as far as my relationship with food goes. Think before you eat and ask yourself "is this going to make me feel guilty after I eat it"? If the answer is yes then get rid of it. You don't need guilt to be in your life over something that won't matter in ten years. TTFN

Is my band too tight? How many times do we see this question? A lot so let’s talk about it. How tight you have your band is a personal preference. No one (including your doctor) can tell you how tight it has to be. This is something you have to decide for yourself. Personally my band is loose. The last time I had an x-ray my doctor commented that I didn’t have very much restriction. Oh well, it is what works for me. I have had 2 unfills because I felt my band was too tight, but I know now that it wasn’t. So how do I know if my band is too tight? I ask myself these questions: 1. Can I get water/liquids down okay? If YES not too tight 2. Are my bites the size of a nickel or smaller? If NO not too tight 3. Do I chew my food at least 30 times before swallowing? If NO not too tight 4. Do I wait 1 minute between bites? If No not too tight It appears that my eating habits cause me to think my band is too tight. When I eat correctly I have no problems. My advice to anyone wondering if their band is too tight is, evaluate your eating by asking yourself my four questions.