Blood sugar update

A few weeks ago I had been having episodes of my blood sugar crashing and being pretty low a few times. I've learned it's all about the foods I was eating and also how I am putting them together. Since I really started to paying attention to what is on the plate and how it's put together, I have not felt that low blood sugar shaky feeling in weeks. Not only am I looking at how I put a meal together now, I am eating every few hours like my doctor told me to do. I don't skip meals anymore. I have even been taking my lunch/snack to work with me. I always have a little friend in my booth at work at the farmers market hanging out with me. I've been making her a little sandwich so I don't have to snack/eat alone. At work me and my little helper have a bite or two of a ham sandwich mid morning and a bit of coffee (she has kool aid in a coffee cup) and wait for customers and trying to stay warm. Sharing is nice cause I am eating a snack and not skipping it these days. So it was all about the foods I was eating or not eating. Skipping meals is not good for my body anymore. Food is fuel now and I had to learn that. I just have to pick foods that work for me and make me feel good. I do count my fruit now, because it's easy to over do fruit. You can sit there and eat a lot of fruit and not even realize how much sugar you just put into your body. I've cut back on breads again. Bread was finding it's way back into my diet now and again and I can only do so much bread or I do get shaky after sometime passes. I do have a OJ or chocolate iced protein drink for a snack now almost everyday. Drinking my protein drinks never bother me. If I'm going to be gone from the house and out and about I've even been carrying a small lunch box with ice in it with protein bars and cheese in it. I've been carrying the things that "work" for me along with me as you can't just pick up a healthy snack at 7 eleven or a gas station.

So no more low blood sugar episodes the past few weeks. Hitting the floor like I did a few weeks ago really sucked so I will listen to what my body is telling me.

Otherwise.... i want to shop! It's crazy... I love a good sale or going through thrift shops looking for something cool for cheap. I've gone wild! Well if I could go wild, I would.

No really, LIFE IS GOOD!

Big Mac Attack...

Man oh man... Yesterday I had this crazy desire for a Big Mac from McDonald's. I have been Big Mac clean for 2+ years. My head really wanted one, but I didn't want one cause I knew it would probably make me feel sick. But the craving was strong. I am glad I do not live near a McDonald's cause I might of gave in. I was not lovin it! But I'm sure the fatty meat that I'm not used to would of made me barf, but it was crazy. It finally did pass. I was just hungry all day yesterday. I did made good choices and made it through the day. When I woke this morning my weight was down again to my lowest yet. This morning I was 146.2 OH YEAH You know what that means. I've lost more weight than I weigh. 294 minus 146 = 148 pounds lost. I'm sure my new job has taken a few pounds off me. I know I am getting stronger. All the signs and loading I have to pick up is not as hard or as tiring anymore. I can pull the hand truck up the steps easier so I can feel I am getting stronger.

BREAKFAST

*My OJ protein drink.

*2 egg whites with a piece of swiss cheese on it, 1 piece of turkey bacon and 1/2 piece of toast.

LUNCH

1/2 ham sandwich. (one slice of bread, light mayo, swiss cheese, 2 slices of ham) 12 low fat Pringles. I made a chocolate protein drink with lunch trying to crave my Big Mac attack with something. It worked!

SNACK

EAS chocolate peanut butter protein bar.

DINNER

Left overs. When I made biscuits and gravy now, I make mine with soy milk. Yummy So a small bowl (1/2 cup) of country gravy with soy milk and one biscuit.

SNACK

2 sugar free Popsicle.

And I played Wii for 3-4 hours yesterday. Gosh that system is fun. I played Mario Kart as we rented it from Blockbuster. Then I figured out I could go online and play it with others. I had no idea, I was just playing around and found it. Then I was hooked. My shoulders and arms hurt today cause of all the driving and moving. So yesterday I was a Wii lazy! :)

Like James Brown sings "I Feel Good"!

Yesterday I was so busy with all kinds of things through out my day...

I went to PT, made lunch, did dishes, laundry (spun and folded), changed and made beds, washed my car inside and out, swept and mopped the floor...my list goes on.

My point is- it's nice to WANT to move!

FREEDOM.

Life is good!

a great little story I feel good about-

Evening hours around our home seems to be a busy time for us. Last night my hubby was on his tractor making a mess and pushing around dirt. I went outside to ask him if he wanted to take a walk with me. It's something we have talked about but never had done yet. I mean walk cause you want to not because you have too. Derrel needs to walk, Jonathan loves to walk and talk, and I was always the one that held us back or cut things short when it came to getting out and hiking and moving. So last night it was my idea and my men came along with me. So maybe for the first time ever I was not the one who held back the family from doing things. No more talking about it- lets do it! I have to push myself to get out and try new things. Walking has always caused me pain. When I am on uneven ground my hip really hurts with pain. So I didn't walk for exercise for the past few years. It was not worth it. Silly little walk, but I had a BIG O' smile on my face the whole way. I held my hubby's hand along the way and enjoyed being able to move. It's a start and I am going to push myself to take walks more and more.

FREEDOM- I'M LOVIN IT! :)

Oh my...Yummy

I ordered my orange cream protein on Tuesday afternoon about 3pm. Fed x brought it to my door by Thursday morning about 8am. I don't think I've ever got anything I ordered off the internet that fast. I had already had my protein drink for the morning and I had some eggs for breakfast. So when the Fed x man brought my protein early that morning I was excited to see it so soon and bummed cause I was full of eggs and protein and not hungry. I can't wait to try this stuff. So later that afternoon for a snack I tried my new yummy orange cream protein. Yesterday I added 6 cubes of ice, one scoop of orange protein, one light orange Yoplait yogurt, benifiber, water. Oh my goodness..... Yummy- I just made my morning OJ drink fabulous and even more healthy. I just added 26g of protein to my already great drink. I didn't add calories because I took away the OJ from the drink I was making and used the orange protein powder instead. This morning I made it for breakfast and then calculated what I just put into it so I would know.

*one scoop of orange cream protein

*6 ice cubes

*one Yoplait light orange yogurt

*benifiber, glutamine

*water, and a splash of OJ

BLEND and drink

210 calories

1.5g fat

16g sugars

28g protein

Mm, yummy, fabulous, wonderful, gotta get some good!

I'm lovin it!

Syntrax Matrix Orange Cream 5.0Protein Blend

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/syn/matrix.html?CJAID=10409943&CJPID=2137181

Things you would never think of...

Ok- Now after losing 140+ pounds I am having trouble shaving my under arms. Bummer huh... LOL I can not get a clean shave with my razor. Eww''

No really, It's like my arm pits are the black hole now. My arms do have some extra skin but the extra skin here is not the problem. I can not get the razor in there to get a good shave anymore. My pits are too deep now. Who knew... LOL If my razor would bend and move I just might have a chance. So instead I now am using Veet hair remover on my under arms now.

I just thought it was funny how our body changes and this is one big change I'm noticing.

That's all- don't laugh at my pits! :)

Matrix Orange Cream Protein

I'm so easily excited. LOL But I am excited to get a new orange cream protein powder I ordered yesterday. I finally let go of some money for this protein I've been wanting to buy for sometime. Melting Mama did a review on this product sometime ago. (http://www.meltingmama.net/wls/2008/04/super-yummy-ora.html) Since then I've wanted to purchase this orange cream protein and thought it would be a great addition to add it to my orange drink I do some mornings. I make this protein drink in the mornings with crushed ice, orange yogurt, OJ and Benifiber. The only trouble with mine was the only protein in the mix was from the yogurt and I really wanted it to have more protein. But I really need to do my yogurt so I make this drink a few times a week. My Dr suggest that you eat yogurt each day as it is good for the gut. So instead of eating my yogurt I drink it in this recipe I made up. I am excited to add this orange cream protein to my morning drink.

*one scoop of orange cream protein
*6 cubes of ice
*orange yogurt
*benifiber and glutamine
*water (and maybe a small spash of OJ?)

Blend and enjoy!

I'll let you know my review later when it comes in the mail, but MM always shares her truth with how things taste- good or bad.

I got my Syntrax Matrix Orange Cream Protein Blend from here: http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/syn/matrix.html?CJAID=10409943&CJPID=2137181
You can visit Melting Mama and go check out all her reviews here: http://www.meltingmama.net/wls/

Thanks MM- Love your reviews!

Phew...

Just got home from physical therapy. PHEW I had another spasm in my hip muscles today. It hurts so bad when it happens and kicks the shit out of me mental and physical. This time it happened while I was in his office. I cussed while it was happening in his office and apologized to him as it *ucking hurts when that happens, but cuss words did fly through the room. So I finally was able to get stood up and it decided to finally stop spasming. He had me lay back down on my right side and was able to feel which muscle was showing it's ulgy face because it was spasming when I layed back down. He now knows which muscle in my hip is spasming because he could feel the spasm with his fingers when I layed back down. It is my gluteus minimus that is slamming me with a very painful spasm. He told me "they call it a trigger point". Now that he has been working on every muscle in my hip/leg area for months this one is very MAD at us! So were working on that muscle for a few weeks now. So I got the little shocking (electric stem) things today, heat, stretched, ice therapy today in PT. He was able to get the knot out of the muscle by rubbing and pushing on the muscle with a racket ball. With the ball he could massage and push the knot out of the muscle. Boy did that hurt when he was pushing and pulling. I just kept trying to relax and breathe. He told me I would probably be sore and to put ice on it till my next visit on Friday. What's new, my left hip is always sore. Getting better but still hurtful at times.

Boy oh boy, wish this hip would just let go and let us win. SLOW AND STEADY- right? :)

Eating good!

No point to this blog other than I really am proud of myself. Since surgery I have cooked more at home than ever. I take the time to put breakfast, lunch and dinner together for us about 80% of the time these days. We don't go out and eat often and when we do it's usually the same ol places where we can eat healthy. Friday night we had spaghetti with lean ground beef. Boy I can not do much spaghetti these days. Spaghetti makes Susy too full. Way yummy, just too filling. Tonight I made hamburgers on the BBQ. I always buy the leanest hamburger I can find (7% fat), which always irks my hubby at the price I pay for the leanest hamburger I can find. I don't care, it's better for us when we do eat beef and that is not very often. I won't buy the cheap hamburger as it's just too greasy and full of fat. And it's better for us. So tonight we had hamburgers, sliced cucumbers and tomato's. I start to panic now when there is no veggies in the fridge. I must get to the store. I know if it's in the fridge I have healthy things to choose. I was able to shop this week on a break I got at the farmers market. I bought baby carrots and an onion and one farmer gave us cherries. I'm buying tomato's next week along with natural ground beef from a local farmer. Mmm My baby carrots are pealed and in water ready to munch on as a snack in my fridge. There is not much ice cream in our house often anymore, but you can always find veggies. Make me happy to have other things I love in the fridge now. And it always makes me happy when I know my family just ate heathly too. Good changes!

Have a good Sunday evening bloggers!

More PT talk...

Well I am still doing physical therapy these days on my hip muscles. I am now down to 2x's a week. I can now tie my left shoe and can even clip my own left toe nail again. Still a hard stretch but I'm getting there. There are movements that I have got back since I started this months ago, and some I believe will never return. I can cross my left leg over my right now for a short time, but it is still very uncomfortable to hold that position for too long still. These things may sound little to some but are great improvement in my health. In the past few months we have stretched every muscle of the outside and inner side of my hip/leg muscles. He has used so many muscle names I can't even keep track. I just lie there and try my hardest to breath and relax so he can stretch me the best he can. So today we talked about some of the muscles spams I get in my left side hip area. The pain I feel does not even compair to when I walked into his office 35+ visits ago. Now it's more of a spasm that hits me pretty hard sometimes still. The muscles are pissed off were working them and they sure do let me know it by spasming. So today his associate came into give her thoughts on my progress and what else we might try. She had me lay down, cross my left leg over my right like I'm crossing my legs but only laying down. Then bring my left hip down to the right side and stretch that side hip/glute muscle. BANG WTF I got the worse muscle spasm I've ever felt in the side of my left hip. I'm still feeling the effects of that spasm. So they gave me some more stretches to do at home and taking a new direction next week. It's very frustrating still being limited by my body these days. Grr So both PT are standing there scratching there heads at me. There trying so hard to free these tight ass hip muscles of mine and trying to make my muscles be the healthiest they can be. So going over the spasm and the pain and talking, next week we are working on the glute muscles that wrap around the side of the hip. The glute muscle along with all of them are so tight still. So I'm frustrated, in pain and just want all of me back. This is from years of limping, being obese and living with the pain for years that just progressed to this after years of eating it. This did not happen over night and will not get better over night. But I'm getting there- slowly... Slow and steady wins the race, right? But PT kicked my ass today. Phew...

Otherwise... Life is good. I wish I was rich. Gosh I loving shopping now! Got me a new pair of shoes the other day at Payless shoes. Went to the 2nd hand consignment store today and found a couple of new shirts. I'm addicted. But loving the new sizes and being able to find fun clothes. I just need a bigger budget. LOL I did look for a dress today. I still have not bought myself a new dress. Dresses and Susy have NEVER been in the same sentence, but wearing and feeling good in a dress is something I'm excited for. I sure do wish I could just go grab Barb (http://barbswls.blogspot.com/) and go shopping anytime. She has style and great taste and I just love shopping with her when I was in Pasadena.

I'm so tired today. I just want to nap, but we need to pack the truck for tomorrows farmers market. So I'm off to do that and then stretch my ass/hip muscles. LOL

Is it bed time yet? I can't wait!

My Meals Today...

It's time to really start looking @ what I am eating. To maintain my weight I am right now today (150) my calorie intake has to stay under 1800 calories. That doesn't scare me at this point in my life, but you know it really doesn't take much food to put 1800 calories into your mouth. So I am not only looking at calories but carbs. How I am putting foods together and how they make me feel is what I am looking at most here. I need to look at it now, be aware and not look away. Cause I feel good right where I'm at and I am NOT GOING BACK. This is forever! It will not be easy and I can't ever look away again. I know I looked away for many, many years. I am almost a year and a half post op so it's time to look and pay attention as the "honeymoon" is over. So I'm just looking...

I feel like the real me now...I'm still the same inside, the only difference is you can see all of me now.

(i heard that some where and loved it)

Here is a picture of my lunch today. This is a pretty typical lunch for myself.

BREAKFAST
My EAS soy protein drink with Benifiber and about 2 hours later I had a
South Beach PB Protein cereal bar.


140 calories
10g protein


LUNCH

1/2 piece of bread
light mayo
one slice of swiss cheese
2 slices of deli ham
3 slices of green peppers
7 cherries (i count out my fruit now to be safe from dumping on the natural sugars.)
I did not finish the bread as I picked it apart. Took off the crust today and tossed it in the garbage.

I'm full!

SNACKS TODAY
EAS iced Chocolate Protein Drink with benifiber.
Balance GOLD protein bar 210 cal. 7g fat, 13g protein

DINNER
Taco Salad. Only ate half. I'd say 3 cups of lettuce, 2 cherry tomato's, lite cheddar cheese, 2 oz of hamburger meat. Hard to say how many calories since we went out and ate. I did not eat the fried shell. I'm saying 320 calories as I came up with this number for intake off http://www.fitday.com/.

Day Totals
calories- 1482
56g fat 35%
127g carbs 32%
117g protein 35%

See I eat healthy amounts of food now. I use a small dish now to eat now. It's the way it's meant to be. Tomorrow I might not eat as much as some days I don't feel as hungry. I don't feel hungry and I feel satisfied and I am never starving. Hungry YES, starving NO.

what/how much i eat 1 1/2 years post op...

I've been asked by a couple of different people what I eat or how much I typically eat now days. So I thought I would blog about it... Today I am one year 4 months post op and down 146 pounds. I lost 6 pounds last month and thought I was done. I think I'm done now... LOL Satisfied, happy, feel great and I don't even feel like the same person sometimes anymore. Same but different (make sense?) Things like just walking feel so different now. Walking to the fireworks I told mom and Derrel "holly shit I don't even feel like the same person anymore". I don't mind walking a mile to the fireworks. It feels great not to dread moving. I want to walk now. Still strange but I can deal! I'm going with it! I feel in control now. My surgery really gave me a chance to make all of me healthy, and that I am still working on today and enjoying every minute of it these days. A BETTER ME, a happier with ME kind of person.

BREAKFAST
Everyday I start my morning out with my EAS chocolate protein drink. It's my morning coffee now. I blend ice, one scoop of protein powder, benifiber and soy milk. Spend a hour drinking it watching the news and playing on my puter first thing in the morning's. I figured out what my morning protein drink has in it with all ingredients together.
EAS protein drink:
*300 cal
*10g fat
*34g protein
*14g sugars.
I also make a O.J/yogurt drink some mornings. I go back and fourth.
My O.J Yogurt Blend:
*6 ice cubes
*1 Yoplait light orange cream yogurt
*1 - 2 cups or so of O.J.
*Throw some Benefiber in there
BLEND
Sometimes I don't drink it all. I don't always eat actual food in the mornings. It matters if I'm heading right out the door or not. If I have something else it would be a SouthBeach breakfast bar or I do cook egg's alot too and that would be 2 hours later after that morning "protein drink". One egg and 1/2 piece of toast will do me good now. I share all my food with my doggie Rufus now. Today I had a small bowl of chex cereal with soy milk.
LUNCH
1/2 of sandwich. So one piece of bread, light mayo, one piece of swiss cheese and 2 thin slices of ham. I don't eat all the bread, I pick at it at throw the end pieces back on the plate. Also 1/2 cup of cottage cheese with the sandwich. Sometimes I add shredded carrots to my cottage cheese. I know- ??? weird but I like carrots in my cottage cheese???? That's it, don't need the chips or the other fillers anymore to fill me or if I do it is just a small something else. A can of tuna fish lasts me two meals. Tuna, light mayo, and 2-3 pickles and one piece of bread. I put the other half in the fridge for the next days lunch. I would have something else on my plate with a half of sandwich. Maybe 10 chips/crackers, or fruit, or 1/2 of cottage cheese. If I go to McDonalds or Subway or something like that I get grilled chicken, throw half the bread off and eat the chicken with about a quarter of the bread (bite or four). 6 inch sub... turkey and ham, no mayo, lettuce, tomato...DONE I tear off the bottom half of bread off the sub and eat the turkey and ham like a open faced sandwich. Salads I can eat a good size bowl of if that's my meal. I always eat the protein off it and eat till I'm full and everyday is different in the life of a bypass patient when it comes to eating. Some days not so much food and I throw my meal away and other days I eat a nice sized healthy portion of food. Chinese lunch when we go out. 35 green beans (Garlic green beans), maybe a 1/2 cup of rice, 4 strips of bbq pork and I eat half of my cup of egg flower soup.
DINNER
If I eat canned soups, chili things like that. I still only eat 1/2 the can. With 8 crackers if needed for that meal. Had steak the other night. I'd say 3-4oz of steak (shared with Rufus), 1/2 cup or so of red potato's, and about 4 bites of cottage cheese. Hamburgers... If were out I order a garden burger. Love em! Can not finish the garden burger. I could if that was the only thing I ate, minus the bread. But usually there is something else on my plate besides just a plain burger. Cucumbers, tomato's, salad, something... At home I patty a small hamburger for me. Smaller than my palm of my hand. Little salad or cucumbers, tomatos and I'm good. Don't forget the kethcup! Mmm
I'm making myself eat in between meals now more. My doctor told me to eat every two hours. "it's not always fun eating anymore, but it's what you have to do", he told me. If I was feeling shakey I will have another iced soy protein drink throughout the day. Some other snacks I might have through out the day are a 1/2 of a EAS protein bar or some kind of protein bar low in sugar for a snack. 10 cherries, only 15 grapes after last weeks spell. 1/2 apple, peanuts, roasted almonds. I don't know, things like that. Not all at the same time, these are just some snacks I find myself eating.

I do make pretty good food decisions now. I still sometimes want crappy foods but know it will just make me feel not so good. I really do feel better if I just stick to the basics. It's usually when I'm tired and to tired to cook. And to eat good you have to work at it. Can just drive through or whip it up so fast anymore. I have to go into the kitchen. I still think about what and how much I'm eating as I've done the thinking part for years and years. Life time of diets. So some of this is because I have too now since surgery and some is cause I want too. I look at it but I don't count calories yet these days. I'm sure as I get farther out I will have to look at that again. The bread I throw aside because I know I'm throwing up to 100 calories aside when I do that and # 2- bread fills me to fast. I still love bread. Now when I shop I just buy the damn expensive tomato's, veggies, cukes, bell peppers and don't even look or I'll get pissy about the cost $$$. I only buy 2 or so at a time so I know they will get eaten before they go bad. I just make more trips to the grocery store now. Jeez I work at a farmers market but never get to shop anymore now that I'm the assistant manager. I'm working and if I leave during market hours there is no mastercard/visa machine girl. That's me during market hours. Before and after the market I'm so busy I don't find even time to pee. I just want fresh veggies and I'm so close. LOL guess I should ask for a break...

Anyway, jeez I'm long winded... there you go!

Chocolate Peanut Butter

General Nutrition

1/2 bar

Calories 170

Calories from Fat 40

Total Fat 4 g

Sugars 7 g

Saturated Fat 4 g

Trans Fat 0 g

Cholesterol <5>Total Carbohydrates 18 g

Sodium 70 mg

Potassium 200 mg

Dietary Fiber 1 g

Protein 15 g

These are the BEST protein bars I've ever tasted. I LUV them! You know when you go looking a for new tasty protein bar and buy just one of a few different new kinds to try. And 8 out of 10 end up yucky. This one almost fools you into thinking your cheating. It's good- i bought more! I only eat half of the bar at a time, and I get them at Wal mart. They don't taste like saw dust and the chocolate tastes YUMMY. All the EAS products I've tried are the best tasting out there. I use there whey chocolate protein from Costco. And just found these protein bars @ Wal mart.

Yummo

4th of July

HAPPY 4th of July ... We had a blast hanging out at the ocean last night and watching fireworks. Derrel's mom went with us and we all had a really good time. Lots of laughs...We went for lunch, then headed to the condo early evening. We enjoyed the view and ocean while waiting for 10pm and fireworks. We watched a movie, talked, drank coffee, took a bath (more fireworks) and walked down to Boiler Bay Cove and watched fireworks over the ocean @ dusk. I'd have to say when Derrel and I got out of the jet tub we both said "thanks Dr. R (my surgeon)". *never done that before* :) Was a nice short get away... now back to reality.

1/2 of me!

Just sharing a few new pictures I snapped. My best friend Shelly in Missouri wanted me to take a few full shots to e-mail her as we never get to see each other anymore :( . So I did...here they are

I weigh 147 pounds. I've lost 146 pounds.

1 year, 4 months, 8 days later...