It took ALL day to shake this headache....... went to bed with it.
Took 1 excedrin last night, no better.
Took 2 excendrin this morning...... nope
Took 2 tylenol 4 hours later. NADA
Finally, I took a hot shower, laid on the couch, and gave in. Took 1 vicodin.
NO MORE HEADACHE.
Why did it take the big guns to get rid of this headache?? Barometric pressure?!?!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Kroger Carbmaster Yogurt
Did you know?
Did you know??
Kroger Carbmaster Yogurt came out with NEW flavors!!!!!!!!
Spiced Pear (have it in my fridge NOW!)
Carrot Cake (sold out.......)
Vanilla Chai (sold out)
I love yogurt.... but hate all the sugar that comes in 'regular' yogurt. I've been eating Kroger Carbmaster yogurt for a few years now, and just dig it. I'm thrilled it didn't die a fiery death like most of the low-carb foods did. Apparently, this line is thriving!
Did you know??
Kroger Carbmaster Yogurt came out with NEW flavors!!!!!!!!
Spiced Pear (have it in my fridge NOW!)
Carrot Cake (sold out.......)
Vanilla Chai (sold out)
I love yogurt.... but hate all the sugar that comes in 'regular' yogurt. I've been eating Kroger Carbmaster yogurt for a few years now, and just dig it. I'm thrilled it didn't die a fiery death like most of the low-carb foods did. Apparently, this line is thriving!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
I'm going to eat PASTA!
WTF, how is that exciting?
Well, I've been trying to be a good gluten-girl, and not eat any of it! I swore off pasta before I ever got the band because of this:
It was a few years ago, and I was on strict Atkins for about 6-8 months. It was my dad's birthday, and he asked me to make my special Baked Ziti for him. I have a KILLER recipe, that uses a mix of provolone and sour cream instead of ricotta cheese, not sure why it blends together so well.....but yum!
Anyway, I decided that I was going to have some as well, so my husband dished it out for all of us, and since this was WELL pre-band, I would say my portion had to be a 6" square, and probably 2-1/2" thick. Without a doubt, it HAD to clock in at between 700-800 calories, minimum.
Anyway, I enjoyed the HELL out of that meal! Savored every bite, ate every crumb..... you get the idea. As we were sitting around the table, drinking coffee, I started to feel like CRAP. Not like I was going to vomit.... more like I got hit with the flu. I was suddenly really COLD, but I also started sweating. All my muscles started aching, as did my joints, my back, etc. I started feeling disconnected, like I had a fever..... then, I was EXHAUSTED. I could barely move. I had to go and lay on the couch, and although I could participate in conversation, I just laid there like a blob. My husband had to clean up the dinner dishes, because I just couldn't move. My parents left about an hour later, and I took that opportunity to go to bed. I went up to bed, and slept a horrible, listless, continually waking sleep. When I got up in the morning, I felt like I had been in a car wreck. Everything that ached the night before was screaming in pain. I had a headache like I had been on a drinking bender. I went to the bathroom, and had a poopy that smelled so wretched, that I actually *did* get sick, and yarked all over the floor. I took some tylenol, and went downstairs and threw myself on the couch. I started getting better that afternoon..... until I got on the scale, and realized a 10 pound GAIN overnight. I looked at my feet (retaining water, perhaps?) and they were SO SWOLLEN, you couldn't see my ankles at all. As a matter of fact, I was really swollen from the knees down.
It took 3 days to feel better, and 5 to get that nonsensical gain fixed.
I wondered then if I had a gluten problem? I had had similar reactions when eating pizza. Same flu like symptoms, same weight gain, same pain.
I had bloodwork drawn, and my IgA levels were out of bounds..... my OB was the one who had them done, and she was like "dude..... no more gluten, k?" (that's how we get along...... love her!)
So...... I gave up pizza. I gave up pasta. I never had another weirdo reaction like that again. Wondering if it's semolina wheat that is my problem?
ANYWAY...... after searching high and low for a pasta that's acceptable, I fell in love with Tinkyada pasta, and I'll be having Penne for dinner tonight! Will post the recipe if it's yummy!
Well, I've been trying to be a good gluten-girl, and not eat any of it! I swore off pasta before I ever got the band because of this:
It was a few years ago, and I was on strict Atkins for about 6-8 months. It was my dad's birthday, and he asked me to make my special Baked Ziti for him. I have a KILLER recipe, that uses a mix of provolone and sour cream instead of ricotta cheese, not sure why it blends together so well.....but yum!
Anyway, I decided that I was going to have some as well, so my husband dished it out for all of us, and since this was WELL pre-band, I would say my portion had to be a 6" square, and probably 2-1/2" thick. Without a doubt, it HAD to clock in at between 700-800 calories, minimum.
Anyway, I enjoyed the HELL out of that meal! Savored every bite, ate every crumb..... you get the idea. As we were sitting around the table, drinking coffee, I started to feel like CRAP. Not like I was going to vomit.... more like I got hit with the flu. I was suddenly really COLD, but I also started sweating. All my muscles started aching, as did my joints, my back, etc. I started feeling disconnected, like I had a fever..... then, I was EXHAUSTED. I could barely move. I had to go and lay on the couch, and although I could participate in conversation, I just laid there like a blob. My husband had to clean up the dinner dishes, because I just couldn't move. My parents left about an hour later, and I took that opportunity to go to bed. I went up to bed, and slept a horrible, listless, continually waking sleep. When I got up in the morning, I felt like I had been in a car wreck. Everything that ached the night before was screaming in pain. I had a headache like I had been on a drinking bender. I went to the bathroom, and had a poopy that smelled so wretched, that I actually *did* get sick, and yarked all over the floor. I took some tylenol, and went downstairs and threw myself on the couch. I started getting better that afternoon..... until I got on the scale, and realized a 10 pound GAIN overnight. I looked at my feet (retaining water, perhaps?) and they were SO SWOLLEN, you couldn't see my ankles at all. As a matter of fact, I was really swollen from the knees down.
It took 3 days to feel better, and 5 to get that nonsensical gain fixed.
I wondered then if I had a gluten problem? I had had similar reactions when eating pizza. Same flu like symptoms, same weight gain, same pain.
I had bloodwork drawn, and my IgA levels were out of bounds..... my OB was the one who had them done, and she was like "dude..... no more gluten, k?" (that's how we get along...... love her!)
So...... I gave up pizza. I gave up pasta. I never had another weirdo reaction like that again. Wondering if it's semolina wheat that is my problem?
ANYWAY...... after searching high and low for a pasta that's acceptable, I fell in love with Tinkyada pasta, and I'll be having Penne for dinner tonight! Will post the recipe if it's yummy!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Karen's New England Clam Chowder
It's that time of year...... there's frost on the grass in the morning, all the leaves have fallen from the trees.... and if you look really hard, you can see a flurry or two sneaking in on a sunny November afternoon.
What warms my heart, and my tummy is a good, hearty soup. My husband begged me to make Manhattan Clam Chowder, which I did, and he loved. But me..... not so much. Too tomatoey..... but I knew there was a clam chowder out there for me, that was based in potatoes.
He loves tomatoes.... I love potatoes.
The recipe that I found that was closest to what I wanted was LOADED in fat (I'd suppose the 3 cups of half and half or heavy cream might have had a bit to do with that) but I didn't want to lose the creaminess. Hello white rice flour! It thickened it up, and because it's a soup, the flour lost the graininess that sometimes others complain of when using this type of flour, because it absorbed enough liquid.
This recipe totally made my family happy..... and my BAND!
Ingredients:
4 slices of low-sodium bacon, diced (I used Plumrose sugar free, lower sodium bacon)
1.5 C onion, diced
1 C clam juice
4 C potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
White pepper, to taste
2 C Fat Free Milk
3 T butter
2 (10 oz.) cans minced clams
4 T. White Rice Flour, mixed with enough fat free milk to make a paste
What warms my heart, and my tummy is a good, hearty soup. My husband begged me to make Manhattan Clam Chowder, which I did, and he loved. But me..... not so much. Too tomatoey..... but I knew there was a clam chowder out there for me, that was based in potatoes.
He loves tomatoes.... I love potatoes.
The recipe that I found that was closest to what I wanted was LOADED in fat (I'd suppose the 3 cups of half and half or heavy cream might have had a bit to do with that) but I didn't want to lose the creaminess. Hello white rice flour! It thickened it up, and because it's a soup, the flour lost the graininess that sometimes others complain of when using this type of flour, because it absorbed enough liquid.
This recipe totally made my family happy..... and my BAND!
KAREN'S NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER
4 slices of low-sodium bacon, diced (I used Plumrose sugar free, lower sodium bacon)
1.5 C onion, diced
1 C clam juice
4 C potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
White pepper, to taste
2 C Fat Free Milk
3 T butter
2 (10 oz.) cans minced clams
4 T. White Rice Flour, mixed with enough fat free milk to make a paste
Directions:
1. Place diced bacon in large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook until almost crisp. Add onions, cook until translucent. Stir in clam juice and potatoes, season with white pepper (and salt if you'd like) Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to medium, and cook for 20 minutes.
2. Pour in milk and butter. Put in both cans of clams, with liquid. Cook 5 minutes. Add white rice flour and milk paste, cook until thickened.
3. Pour into soup bowls, top with shaved parmesan/romano/asiago cheese.
Totally approximate: Makes 8 servings, at about 350 calories, 20 fat, 20 carb, 25 protein
List of Food Lap-Bandster's Probably Can't Eat Anymore.....
I'm putting together a top ten list, since many people have asked me what I can/can't eat. This list can be revisited, and renumbered, if followers/lurkers decide to weigh-in :)
TOP TEN FOODS THAT GET STUCK IN MY LAP-BAND
1. Scrambled Eggs, omelettes
2. Meat that's too dry; meat jerky
3. Meats that are too fiberous: Lamb, Cheap cuts of beef, cube steaks
4. Bread
5. Pizza
6. Rice
7. Pasta
8. Raw celery
9. Fruit/Vegetable skins
10. Nuts
I wouldn't even try jerky meats...... but I had gone to a catered event, and got a slice of ham. It was dry, and I knew better. Slime-time!
All omelettes get me sliming within the first bite.
Breads **will* go down if I eat them slowly, chew like crazy, and only send small swallows down at a time. I can get down those "arnold's sandwich thins" if I coat it generously with vinegar first. I was eating turkey/provolone/romaine sammies with vinegar and a dash of oil on an Arnold's Sandwich Thin whole wheat..... but now that I'm at 10cc, I've tried twice to eat this sammy, and it got stuck both times.
Sooooo....
I'm going to start posting some lunch/dinner recipes that don't get jammed in my band.
I try very hard not to eat a lot of gluten, and now that those arnold sandwich thins aren't going down the gullet anymore, hopefully, gluten-free. (long story..... but I was on Atkins for a long time, decided to have a special baked ziti dinner, and ended up in bed for 3 days, from a gluten intolerance)
So, I will try to post recipes a few times a week. I'm a "quality" foodie..... meaning, it's gotta taste GREAT in order to make it into this blog. My whole family has to dig it, and request it again :)
I have one in mind...... so watch for the next post!
TOP TEN FOODS THAT GET STUCK IN MY LAP-BAND
1. Scrambled Eggs, omelettes
2. Meat that's too dry; meat jerky
3. Meats that are too fiberous: Lamb, Cheap cuts of beef, cube steaks
4. Bread
5. Pizza
6. Rice
7. Pasta
8. Raw celery
9. Fruit/Vegetable skins
10. Nuts
I wouldn't even try jerky meats...... but I had gone to a catered event, and got a slice of ham. It was dry, and I knew better. Slime-time!
All omelettes get me sliming within the first bite.
Breads **will* go down if I eat them slowly, chew like crazy, and only send small swallows down at a time. I can get down those "arnold's sandwich thins" if I coat it generously with vinegar first. I was eating turkey/provolone/romaine sammies with vinegar and a dash of oil on an Arnold's Sandwich Thin whole wheat..... but now that I'm at 10cc, I've tried twice to eat this sammy, and it got stuck both times.
Sooooo....
I'm going to start posting some lunch/dinner recipes that don't get jammed in my band.
I try very hard not to eat a lot of gluten, and now that those arnold sandwich thins aren't going down the gullet anymore, hopefully, gluten-free. (long story..... but I was on Atkins for a long time, decided to have a special baked ziti dinner, and ended up in bed for 3 days, from a gluten intolerance)
So, I will try to post recipes a few times a week. I'm a "quality" foodie..... meaning, it's gotta taste GREAT in order to make it into this blog. My whole family has to dig it, and request it again :)
I have one in mind...... so watch for the next post!
Saturday, November 6, 2010
I'm scared.....
I'm scared that after all the hard work to get the surgery lined up, the liquid pre-op diet, the surgery itself, the liquid post-op diet, the mushies.... and then the journey..... that I'll go back to being that 375 woman again.
I just went through my closet, and for the first time, everything fits. EVERYTHING. That includes my junior prom dress (albeit, I can't button up the back) and the dress I wore when I was THIRTEEN when I stood up in my brother's wedding. (can't zip that one either..... but it goes on!)
Sweaters that I've loved for years because of their warmth and roominess are still able to be worn..... they're just huge.
Winter coats, that used to be tight, now look so ridiculous, that I'm forced to put them in my BFF's daughter's girl scout troop coat drive box. My gorgeous blue peacoat, that RIPPED at the seams, and my mom had to fix, because it was too tight, now looks like I'm playing dress up in my daddy's coat.
But I'm scared.
I'm scared to get rid of clothing, because that little voice...... the one that doesn't believe in me, keeps telling me I should keep all the stuff that's too big, because I'm not going to succeed.... because I'm not strong enough. That I can't keep up with what I'm doing.
BUT.... there's another voice that I never heard before. And that one says.... you've never lost so much weight before. You've never stuck to a diet for over 8 months before, and this time, you've changed your eating habits for good! You've stuck with this since July 2009. It's November 2010, and you're not doing badly. You SHOULD exercise more than you do... and you know that, but kiddo, you've lost nearly 170 pounds so far. You WILL make it this time. And when you get there....... you're gonna stay there. One day at a time, and if need be, one breath at a time. You can do it.... because you've BEEN doing it.
I was 210 today...... not bad considering the candypalooza that I had on Wednesday...... I'm hoping to be back to my low of 207.6 within a few days or so.
I just went through my closet, and for the first time, everything fits. EVERYTHING. That includes my junior prom dress (albeit, I can't button up the back) and the dress I wore when I was THIRTEEN when I stood up in my brother's wedding. (can't zip that one either..... but it goes on!)
Sweaters that I've loved for years because of their warmth and roominess are still able to be worn..... they're just huge.
Winter coats, that used to be tight, now look so ridiculous, that I'm forced to put them in my BFF's daughter's girl scout troop coat drive box. My gorgeous blue peacoat, that RIPPED at the seams, and my mom had to fix, because it was too tight, now looks like I'm playing dress up in my daddy's coat.
But I'm scared.
I'm scared to get rid of clothing, because that little voice...... the one that doesn't believe in me, keeps telling me I should keep all the stuff that's too big, because I'm not going to succeed.... because I'm not strong enough. That I can't keep up with what I'm doing.
BUT.... there's another voice that I never heard before. And that one says.... you've never lost so much weight before. You've never stuck to a diet for over 8 months before, and this time, you've changed your eating habits for good! You've stuck with this since July 2009. It's November 2010, and you're not doing badly. You SHOULD exercise more than you do... and you know that, but kiddo, you've lost nearly 170 pounds so far. You WILL make it this time. And when you get there....... you're gonna stay there. One day at a time, and if need be, one breath at a time. You can do it.... because you've BEEN doing it.
I was 210 today...... not bad considering the candypalooza that I had on Wednesday...... I'm hoping to be back to my low of 207.6 within a few days or so.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Take that Butterfinger...... and shove it!
F$CK YOU Butterfinger, and all your peanut-buttery/chocolate goodness!
I tried, I really did!
But then I got all high and mighty....... and it clenched my DOOM!
I was reading everyone else's blog, talking about motorboating bags of candy that the children gathered on Sunday..... reading about cheating on diets, looking at pictures of empty candy wrappers in the trash, calorie counts, weight gains..... and I smugly sat here and proudly said to no one: Not me! I've been strong, I've done GREAT! I'm so close to Onederland, I can taste it.....
Onederland does NOT taste like a Butterfinger however. And that's probably step one of my 10 steps into the abyss!
1. Triplet #2 brought home a bag of candy that could feed a small country. Triplets #1 and #3 brought home nearly as much, but apparently, #2 did some serious schmoozing, and got all those "full size" candy givers to donate more than once. He got a full size Twix, M&Ms, Snickers, Kit Kat, Butterfinger AND MilkyWay. Must be some sort of record!
2. My FMC (Free Menstral Calendar, TMI iPhone app for those of us with OCD that need spreadsheets for Auntie Flo) APP told me that my monthly "gift" was going to arrive today. That explains why the "girls" almost self-amputated on Monday.... they hurt THAT much!
3. I was overdue for a big helping of self-loathing and guilt. Apparently, I thrive on it.
4. I just bought $200 in clothing at Torrid in size ZERO..... because that's my size there. I'll never be a true size zero...... so I figured I needed to get a few pieces of clothing that said it anyway. The super sexy skinny jeans? Size 16.
5. I'm going to the OB/GYN on Monday, and she has a scale that I need to hop on so the nurse can write it on my chart. Any time I know someone has to weigh me...... there's a slip
6. I'm going for a PLASTICS consultation a week from Monday. Another scale I'm sure.
7. The husband AND the kids were home from work/school for election day. Hubby took Monday and Wednesday off for a 5 day weekend, and to burn a few days that were going to be lost Jan 1 if he didn't take them. He stresses me out when he's home, because I WORK from home. I'm self employed, and it's hard to work when I get interrupted 8000 times. If the kids are home too..... it's a recipe for disaster (disaster = fudge brownies)
8. I lied to myself, telling me it was going to kick-start my metabolism. Actually..... it's not really a lie. Every time I've done this, I have my little food party..... then a double serving of guilt. I generally do go up in weight, and then if I'm behaving, can have up to a 10 pounds drop and won't see a plateau for weeks..... but the emotional payload is too heavy a price for my (obviously) damaged psyche.
9. Everyone else was doing it...... I'm a suck for peer pressure
10. Because I'm not perfect. This is a journey....... not an express lane 10 minute quickie lube.
I did wake up feeling weak and needy, and headachy and swollen (salt and sugar can do that) and not necessarily on task..... however, one small visit to the bathroom confirmed what FMC was telling me..... and I made a cup of coffee with milk and splenda. And then I had another. And THEN I started my day.
One foot in front of the other...... breathing in and out.... some days, that's all I can do :)
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