Sunday, January 30, 2011

Back to Basics 3 Weeks Post Op!

I'm embarking on being 3 weeks out from surgery. I'm now 261.2 lbs and beaming! It has been a journey and I've learned a lot.

Here are some things that I'm going to leave with you (as all of you are learning with me)!

1. My tummy has a mind of its own. It will tell me not only when I'm hungry, but when I'm thirsty!
2. Drinking is not something they just tell you to do, they mean it! I drink more liquid than I could ever imagine, but it is sip, sip, sip all through the day. [tip - if you want to get me a gift i now carry an insulated cup everywhere i go]
3. Baby spoons really are the perfect serving size. If I am eating off a baby spoon the bite goes down smoothly and I do not over eat.
4. Learn to trick your mind. Your mind has a stomach and it must be retrained. To feel like I am eating "a lot" I split up my 4 oz meal into two plates. My mind thinks I'm eating a ton, yet I'm staying on my diet and getting to have seconds if I want them.
5. Listening to your "fullness" - I have to listen to myself and ask myself throughout the meal if I am full or not. Learning what the satisfied feeling is very different than full and hurting. This is a work in process.
6. Know what is in your food! I can't go to a restaurant and just eat. I have to do the work to be able to eat out and that is research. I need to know what sugars are in things and you never know what recipes call for when you are out. Right now it is easier to eat in for me.
7. Make the diet work for your life. I am sticking to my diet but adapting to my lifestyle. My body likes a protein snack in the afternoon. It is where I bottom out. I know that snacking is not aloud, so I'm putting in a few oz of protein liquid aka protein shake or supplement with my liquid to not be hungry. It is not always an option for me to go out and walk at my job when I get hungry, so I have to make this work for me.
8. Don't drink your calories. I'm so glad I'm following this rule of my surgeon. I am glad that I'm eating my protein and not just drinking it. I would be so hungry.
9. Realize that I am human and I'm in the midst of reprogramming. I've cheated over the last week and I've paid for it mentally (i was lucky with my tummy) but I don't want to be hard on myself. I have to retrain and reprogram me. I am very tempted right now and I need to be able to stand up and ask people that are eating something I can't have to leave or I need to move. I have also had to ask my husband to not eat things around me. It is too tempting right now and I'm still building wheel power.
10. Pre-portion meals - sunday nights are going to be prepping my meals for the week and i'm pre-portioning out everything ahead of time. This makes me feel in control and lets me know I'm eating what I need to be eating.
11. Plan out your meals. I don't have much on an appetite so I can tell myself what to eat finally! Again, Sunday nights I'm cooking as much as I can so I can grab and go throughout the week since I've learned I have to devote time to eating.
12. Plan time for eating - "Eat like a European" - I can't rush and eat so I've gone back to thinking about eating like I did when I was in Europe. I have to eat slowly. I have to be a conscious eater and I find if I am working on something while I eat I eat slower. Hubs and I are also working on me putting my fork down after each bite. This is also working. Just learning a new habit.
13. Don't weigh yourself all the time. I promised myself that I would weigh 1 time per week. When I didn't do that and did it twice I felt let down. I'm not focusing on the goal of just weight. I will be taking measurements and focusing on both now. I do not want to be glued to a scale.
14. Track your food - this keeps me accountable for my protein. It is a motivator.

These are the in depth things that I've learned. It really has been a deep learning experience and one that has continued to change my life, my thinking, and how my life is organized. I'm finding that if I am not on top of my game that something falls out under me quickly. I also realize that I need to be active in my Weight Loss Recovery. My WLR is something that is unique. I want to be the best I can be so I'm an active role model. I need to be really organized but that might not work for you. It helps me measure my progress and its my motivation to work towards the goal at the end of the day. I'm adapting my sense of learning to this process and I feel more in control all over.

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