Exercising and Loving Life Again

Well I am walking alot now. In the past week I have walked 4 1/2 hours according to my heart rate monitor - these are great little devices that record how long, at what intensity, and how many calories you have burnt at each session. Then it adds up the whole week and gives you a summary. Apparently I burnt (during exercise sessions) 2248 calories. Not bad. I have noticed that when I exercise that is when the weight comes off. If I don't exercise it just sits there.

This week I lost another kilo - so now I am 103 kilos. I am atually enjoying going out again and getting dressed up. This is a photo of me on Sunday 25th May. Also enjoying going out and eating. I shared a seafood risotto and I probably had about 1 cup of it - or perhaps even less because I couldn't resist a tiny corner of their fresh dinner rolls with butter. In terms of drinks I am still only strictly sticking to water. Nothing else except for an occassional cup of tea - without sugar of course. Today I had fruit smoothie for breakfast - for lunch I had half a steak sandwich and for dinner I had boiled fish with boiled brussel sprouts and a tablespoon of spinach rice. YUM all drizzled with Portuguese olice oil of course. YUMMY - It will be my lunch tomorrow also. Today I got hungry at 12 noon - probably because I had breakfast so early. Then at 4 pmish I was hungry again so I had some pepitas, 2 shelled peanuts, and sunflower seeds. This kept me happy until dinner at 6.30 pm. Now I am very full at 9 pm and will go to bed soon without even needing my evening snack. Way too full for that. Gosh I love this feeling. Psycholgically still difficult to not think about eating and having a snack - but I am working on it, and when you are this full - It is not so hard.

The Week After - The fill that is

Well didn't have to go to mushies or liquids again. In fact I am still eating whatever I like just once again - and I cannot emhasize this enough - CHEW.... I haven't even really noticed that much of a difference on the amount of food I have been able to eat in one sitting since getting my fill. Really I haven't felt a big difference since getting my fill and it has probably only curbed my apetite somewhat. My sister asked me today if I felt anything weird or different since having my lap band done - the honest truth is nothing at all - I feel 100% normal and the same as I was before. Nothing but the amount of food I can eat has changed for me - and that is what I told her.

Basically I have eaten this week - among other things of course - carrots (cooked), steak sandwich, cheeses, fish, chicken snitzel, oregano bread, you name it - it looks like a can eat it without issue. I am still eating about 1 cup - e.g. went to dinner yesterday - the best garlic prawns I have ever eaten - the sauce is to die for. If you live in Sydney visit Mario's Restaurant in Croydon. YUMMY - they serve 5 x king prawns and 1 x roll of fresh bread. Well I had about 4 prawns and 1/2 the roll. I should've left it at that but ended up having the last prawn which really made me full - and this time there is no mistaken it - I mean really full. The feeling that you cannot eat anymore or you will throw it up. But I didn't feel sick at all, no pain , no discomfort - just a feeling of over fullness - which is great because I didn't get the munchies last night that's for sure.

I am getting real good at estimating the amount I eat. I always use a side plate as my plate which helps to estimate the amount. This shoudn't be piled up either - nice and flat on the plate. Unfortunatley it is easy enough to cheat - without feeling sick or bad in any way except psychologically. On Thursday we had the biggest morning tea at work - I participated fully - let me asure you - whilst everyone else packed their plates - I ate the usual morsel of food - however you can only eat 1 cup AT A TIME - that means you can basically go back and eat some more every 2 hours or so. That's why the doc's tell you NOT to graze - because you can get alot more in this way, and believe me I DID..... I thought I would share it with you because I want this blog to be as honest as possible. I know that I am still responsible for my weight loss - therefore I know I cannot do this everyday - and so far it has been easy enough not to - as on most days I want to have a good meal - I stay full for 3 to 4 hours - honestly closer to 4 hours and therefore rarely think of food until that time - at which time it is time for dinner again.

I have added a photo - not much difference I know - but what difference in the clothing. I am now in my size 18 jeans at 104 kilos. That's a weight loss of 6 1/2 kilos in 4 weeks since my operation and a total of 26 kilo loss since I started this diet in the new year.

First Fill

Had my first fill today. I wasn't expect it..... I went in for an appointment with the dietician and whilst there I asked to see the doctor as I wanted him to check one of my scars and how it was healing. Anyway.......... the point is he had one look at my scars and remarked about what a good healer I was and gave me a fill right there an then. Two weeks early. He said that the 6 weeks was arbitary in any case and so 4 weeks for the first fill is fine. I believe him - in the US they do it after 4 weeks. Also I have been getting increasingly hungrier so it makes sense - It ruined my lunch plans though. I was too worried to eat too much....

PAINLESS - absolutely painless - not even the feeling of the needle going in. In fact, it hurt less then a bloodtest even with the tiniest of needles. I didn't even feel the needle go in. HONEST

Well I am still 105 kilos but not surprisingly after this weekend of eating so much - alittle at a time can go a long way. I had a get together this weekend and that's my EXCUSE. I will have to get back into it tomorrow with the exercising and sticking to the 3 meals. I was eating everything in terms of variety - rice, pasta, croquettes, corn, peas, prawns, bread - even fresh bread. So basically everything I have been told would be tricky. Now I have been warned to go easy again after this fill. So I will keep everything mushy and I will go back to eating only 1/2 cup of food at a time. I will keep you posted.

CHEW CHEW CHEW and then just for good measure CHEW

Gosh I have no idea what is happening. I've been feeling full again...I am eating still 3/4 cup but it is again lasting quite awhile sometimes up to 5 hours. I don't feel fuller than usual in the mornings like some bandsters have experienced. I pretty much feel full consistently throughout the day. Having said that there is the odd day that I feel more like eating then other days.

Yesterday for one, I had the munchies late in the evening. Perhaps it has something to do with what I eat. I will have to make a mental note of this so that I can work it out. Anyway it doesn't really work out too badly because even when I do snack I cannot eat too much thankfully. I know I shouldn't be snacking but oh well.

In terms of exercise I have been walking to work more often, not everyday but almost. I also have started this week walking at lunch time - about 30 minutes. I am currently 104.8 kilos so I've lost about 51/2 kilos since my operation 3 weeks ago. I suppose it is not too bad. I think the thing to remember is that the lap band helps with the food part of it. The rest is up to us - we still need to be motivated for the exercise part of it - for me, it's just like before the band - except I am not as hungry and therefore it is not as hard.

Food - to be honest - and please don't tell my doctor - I am eating everything... I have not experienced any difficulties with any particular type of ffod including the "enemies" such as white untoasted bread, bread in general, chicken, meat, rice - all the foods I was warned about. I think that the difference is in the CHEWING. I cannot stress this enough, I chew until the food turns into liquid THEN I swallow..... I do not take anything for granted - I chew EVEYTHING and I eat extremely slow...... very clow about 1/2 hour for 3/4 of a cup. CHEW CHEW CHEW - that's all I can say....

Hanging in there

Well one more week of mushies and I'm good. This week I have been eating mostly mushies but I allow myself occasional real food but chew the hell out of it before swallowing. I am still eating very little but eat about 3/4 cup now at a time. I have also been getting hungrier earlier now. Currently my meal lasts me about 3 to 4 hours rather than the 4 to 5 hours previously. It does seems to differ depending on what I eat however, but haven't been able to work it out yet.

I have been grazing and snacking a bit though. I know I have been warned off doing this but I can't help it. The good thing is that I keep it to one mouthful pretty much. Not sure if I am getting my protein in, and still haven't purchased that Whey powder as recommended by the dietician.

I know I wasn't supposed to weigh myself for a whole month but I can't do it. I just can't - I would be better without mum pestering me in the background asking me daily to please weigh myself. Anyway she is a good excuse in any case - lets see how I do once she leaves. Check out my diet ticker I have lost another kilo since last weighing myself. I have lost 25 kilos altogether. I have lost 5 kilos since being banded on 22nd April. 4 kilos on optifast and the rest I did myself.

It really has become noticeable now - I cleaned out my wardrobe earlier this week and threw away many clothes - not just because they don't fit but just wanted new and fresh stuff. I also have of course a bag of clothes that are just too big and I want to throw out and hopefully never ever see them again. Of course most overweight people will not be surprised by the fact that I have a wardrobe in almost all sizes - well from size 24 to 14 anyway. So I have separated all the sizes and will hopefully eventually fit into the size 14. Having started on a size 24 I am now fitting into the sizes 20 - in fact the 20's are too big but the 18's are too tight so I guess I am a size 19.....

Real food - 1 week to go. I am having mostly fish, spinach (through blender) and re-fried mushed up beans, thick soups, and bites of everything else.......

And They're Off

Went to the Doctor today for my post op check up. All is well apparently, and my bandages came off Hurray...... As you can see from the pics the scars don't look too bad. There is 5 cuts along the waist - which you actually can't see in the pic. The one in the middle is the biggest and the most visible. I have a few picmples which I think was a reaction to the bandages but they should clear up soon. In fact my stretch marks are alot more visible then my scars in the photo... how bad is THAT......................... Anyone want to post some stretch mark MIRACLE treatment please share.

I've been given the official ok to eat whatever I like as long as a chew chew chew and make sure that it is not lumpy. I will feel fuller if the food is thick but still needs to be moist. For lunch I had a fish cake (pastel de bacalhau) - not really a good idea as you cannot chew it as there is always fibres left that you can't swallow so I just spat them out. It was still very yummy and has kept me full for over 4 hours now.

I've been really good - no calorie drinks at all. Definately no carbonated drinks. I am desperate to try rice but I am not game enough considering what I have heard. On another of my blogs someone left a frightening message - It was good advice about chewing everything until it is liquid and avoiding pasta and rice altogether. Her band slipped after 3 years - which is scary to think things can go wrong at any time. This is important and was not made clear to me prior to the operation. I thought the risky time was whilst still healing. But doesn't look that way.

No more weight loss - still 106.5 - the Doctor told me not to expect any weight loss in the proceeding 4 weeks, so I am going to try not to even step on the scale for the month. Wish me luck guys.......................

Cheaters Never Prosper

The work week or more accurately 3 days of work, went well. Everyday I was feeling better than the previous week. Today I weighed 106.5 kilos so in almost two weeks I have only lost 3 1/2 kilos which is not much at all considering how little calories I am getting in. Anyway, according to the lap band forums this is to be expected. . . . . doesn't make sense to me but hopefully this will not last. Looks like I have no choice but to start the physical activity part of the deal next week. I have been really lazy and I haven't even done my walks. So as of next week I will start my 1/2 hour walks at least. Let's see if I get an improvement in my weight loss.

Liquids phase for me should finish on Tuesday however, as admitted previously, I have blatently cheated and will continue to do so.....................However now that I am nearly off the liquid phase I can do so without the guilt...........eheheheh - so officially on mushies for next two weeks commencing Monday. I don't think I will have a problem sustaining this as it is alot easier due to the variety of food you can mush.

This morning I had soft scrambled eggs - YUMMY still on about 1/2 cup which sustains me for about 4 hours. So I guess so far so good...... but the weight is just not coming off.