Since March I've fallen off the wagon. I thought I had my food issues under control. One bad decision here, one bad decision there leads to a whole heaping helping of bad decisions on a daily basis. Meanwhile, what I've been calling a plateau in my weight loss has really been caused by no longer following the rules for successful weight loss. So, instead of continuing to beat myself up about it like I've done for years, I'm taking control and getting back on track. I'm human. I make mistakes, but I don't need a pass here. I have to be accountable for my behavior and choices.
Today, I started the Reboot diet that my clinic suggests when sugars and starchy foods have started creeping back into the diet. It will be a tough two weeks, but I know I can do it! Plus, it should help me get under the 200 mark into one-derland. I've been chasing that goal for months now.
Here are the major facets of weight loss (as dictated by the clinic I use):
1-Support. Find family, friends, or a support group that will help you stay accountable to your plan.
2-Hydration. 64 ounces of non-carbonated, non-caffeinated fluids that contain no sugar and are less than 15 calories per serving.
3-Exercise. The general suggestion is at LEAST 30 minutes three days a week. I try to get at least 30 minutes a day 5 days a week. I also use my Samsung Health app in my phone to make sure I get 10,000 steps in each day. It's tougher than you'd think!
4- Nutrition. Follow a high protein, no starch diet. Include protein and lots of green leafy vegetables. There are many good low starch vegetables that will help you keep variety in your diet.
The Reboot Diet I'm currently following for 2 weeks is a bit tougher than that.
Breakfast: protein shake
Midmorning snack: protein bar
Lunch: protein shake
Afternoon snack: protein bar
Dinner: protein shake
I'm using the Atkins brand shakes and bars, but I know there are other brands that work well too.
Thanks for all the support and love I've received through this journey. I wish health and happiness for all of you.
Growing up I remember loving breakfast. It was usually a sweetened, not so good for you, cereal that helped me start my day. In fact I have memories of one of my brothers hiding the "good kind" aka Fruity Pebbles in the empty dishwasher so no one else would eat the yummy kind. Ha.
When high school and college came, it was easier to just sleep through breakfast and I started the horrible habit of skipping that so very important meal. Not that so much sugar was a better start anyway. There's lots of research pointing to the benefits of breakfast and how it helps start your metabolism, but I've struggled finding an enjoyable breakfast since I've started my health journey. Peanut butter waffles--out, cereal--out, oatmeal---out. Seems like I ate a ton of starchy foods prior to my diet change. Eggs are one of the best choices, but I don't love them enough to eat them daily.
I recently came across the Oscar Mayer P3 portable protein snacks at Wal-Mart. They are only a dollar and there are a few selection choices. They are small, but work great for me, a chronic breakfast skipper. They are easy to eat in the car or while I'm getting ready in the morning. They are essentially an adult lunchable. According to the LA Times, "Oscar Mayer boasts each pack contains no artificial preservatives, little to no sugar and at least 13 grams of protein. " I thought I'd pass along my find to other breakfast skippers that might be struggling with the same problem I've had.
Hey friends! It's been a while since I've blogged. Life has a way of making me feel like I'm too busy to sit down and write here, but since I think this is a valuable use of my time I hope to make it a regular habit. My life for the most part has not changed that much, but I have made some major changes in regards to the health of myself and my family. We have completely changed our eating habits. Starting in August of 2013, I decided to get serious about my health. I was sick and tired (literally) of being fat. I'm 5'5 and weighed in at my highest at 276lbs. I was exhausted and quickly developing some major medical issues like sleep apnea, aching back, joints, and slowly rising blood pressure. I didn't feel like playing with my kids and I certainly couldn't keep up with them. Things were spiraling out of my control.
After my mom had weight loss surgery several years ago, she had numerous complications and I always thought I'd never try that. One day I went to take my kids to get their summer pictures taken by one of my favorite photographers at A Touch of Wonder photography. After visiting with her, she told me she had lost a lot of weight via surgery. She looks amazing! I went home, looked up the place she used online, and promptly watched their introduction seminar on video. They offer weight loss counseling or weight loss surgery. I mulled it over and tried to psyche myself up about it as a possibility. I had honestly always thought of it as a cop out. When the hubs got home that day, I told him I was looking into it. He was quiet, but seemingly supportive. The following week I called and set up my first appointment with Weight Wise in Edmond. I was unsure about whether or not I wanted to go through with it. My husband was now vocal and extremely hesitant. He worried about potential health risks and was even more concerned about the financial debt we would have to incur. I called my parents for advice and guidance. They, of course, want the best for me. They want me to be healthy and to be around for as long as possible. They were very supportive of whatever I wanted to do. My first appointment was a positive, but eye opening experience. I discovered my BMI fell into the morbidly obese category. My assigned doctor is hands-on and in your face. He let me know very quickly that he was serious and if this surgery is the route I decided to take it's not a solution, it's a tool. In addition to the surgeon, I met with a nutritionist, an exercise physiologist, and a patient advocate. I left there with a diet plan, an exercise plan, and another appointment for the next month. I spent that weekend letting it sink in a bit. The diet seemed a bit extreme. I was told to eliminate sugar, starches, soda, and caffeinated coffee. That was practically what I lived on at that time. I drank 4-5 diet sodas some days. We always had potatoes or bread with our meals. It was going to be a challenge. My husband agreed to follow the diet with me. The doctor wanted me to lose 13lbs before he would consider doing surgery to verify that I could follow the required lifestyle necessary to sustain the weight loss once it was all said and done. It took me about a month to wean myself off soda, but we went cold turkey on the starches. No breads, pastas, tortillas, chips, rice or any other starch laden food. Because I had a specific goal that didn't seem too hard to grasp, I was able to be successful. We started introducing lots of new vegetables into our diets and were creative in our menu planning. We discovered that cauliflower is the most versatile food out there. The weight started to come off. By the time I went back for my second appointment I had lost more than the 13 required pounds. I was taking all the steps, but still hadn't completed committed to the surgery. We set a tentative surgery date before Thanksgiving. I knew I had time to reconsider, but the harder I worked the more I wanted this to be a life long change. We diligently followed the plan. I lost 32lbs prior to surgery. The morning I weighed in before surgery I was at 244lbs.
On November 26th, 2013 I did it. I had a sleeve gastrectomy performed that morning. I know this isn't the route that works for everyone and I have a lot of mixed emotions about using this procedure. At some point I realized I cannot worry about what everyone else thinks about my choices. I have to live my life and make my own choices. I have to do what is best for me and my family. The surgery and the first month after were definitely challenging. Since the surgery, I've lost an additional 37lbs. I'm down to 207! So close to ONEderland. :)
This is just one part of my process. One tool that is helping me see faster results. It's keeping me motivated to move forward. I say it's a tool because the weight can come back. I say it's a tool because it doesn't do all the work. I have had to and continue to work very hard to get the weight off. This is by no means a cop out. I still want to lose about 72 more lbs. I have a lot of work ahead of me in the next year or so. I'm so lucky to have so many supportive friends and a fantastic family to help keep me on track. I couldn't do it without you all. As always... My cup runneth over, Sasha
"a mother who points out perceived faults in the parenting of others"
The Mommy Wars have been fought since the beginning of parenthood, but they've only become relevant and of interest to me as I now find myself in a position to be judged. Don't get me wrong, I was a sanctimommy long before I even had children but I'm sure learning to slow down before I pass judgment on other mommies.
Being a parent is such a difficult role, why do we react so judgmentally towards others? There are thousands of parenting books stuffed with theories and suggestions on how to raise happy, healthy children. I've read suggestions I've applied and love and I've read suggestions that I think are horrible. I've had to eat my words and use trial and error to guide my way through this daunting parenting trip. We may think we have the answers, but there are a lot of ways to raise a child.
Every parent breaks rules...or has some area of weakness. For some it might be, letting your baby go to bed with a bottle...or giving them solids before 4-6 mos...or letting toddlers stay up late...or letting your kids play mature video games....or leaving your kids in the car while you run in the store. Some are clearly worse than others. Here's a chart covering parenting behavior that is most likely to be judged according to a poll on The Today Show:
We use other parents as bench marks for our parenting skills. How am I doing? Am I inadequate? Am I doing enough? As long as you are plugged in as a parent and trying to make the best decisions for your kids you are doing GREAT! I think I'm a damn good mom. I shouldn't say "damn" though. There's a reason my five year old said, "Where's my damn milk?" after he couldn't remember where he sat it this week. We'll just say it's due to the hubs colorful vocabulary. :)
I'm not perfect though and if I've made one mistake, I've made a hundred. Just today, I fell asleep while the kids roamed the house on their own. After a 45 minute nap, I woke up to find them playing video games on the wii and acting angelic. As I started to sit on the couch, I saw them. 5 silver wrappers. My kids consumed FIVE packages of pop tarts while I napped. How on earth does one (or in this case, 2) eat that many pop tarts?!!! I just bought that box too! I made them turn off the wii and spend the rest of the evening without video games. So, yes, each of us will make mistakes as we go along, but we can still try to resist the urge to judge other mommies. It's not a contest.
Today, I want to talk about Parenting. This is some crazy stuff, yo. It's not for the weak or the selfish. It's not for someone who likes money or quiet time or sleep. Being a decent parent is hard work and it's a lot of trial and error. It's stressful too because you don't want to screw up another human being for the rest of his/her life. You don't want them to be 30 something, blaming you for their inadequacies, while they munch on Doritos and pizza rolls and play video games in your basement. " I don't have a basement," you argue. But you know. You know what I mean. This post is the first of a series about parenting choices/decisions specifically regarding sleeping arrangements.
I always imagined that I would be a strict parent. Basically, authoritarian. It's my way or the highway sort of parenting, but boy, was I wrong! The hubs is way more likely to use that method. I guess I have more of a democratic type approach. In general, people always advise, "Be their parent, not their friend." While I agree with this, it's important to maintain an empathetic emotional connection with your children. I let them have a voice. I let them tell me what they are thinking and how they feel. I still get the ultimate say. I would say that I'm their parent first, their friend second. As a communication instructor, I'm constantly aware of communication's effect on relationships and I hope they are comfortable sharing almost anything with me...from, "hey, mom..do I still have poop on my butt?" (hopefully, this question is only while they are under 8) to "hey, mom...there's a new girl at school, I really like." Sometimes they have stuff to say that I don't want to hear, but I want them to share it with me...because it shows me who they are and how I need to guide them.
For the most part, I feel happy with the decisions we have made so far regarding parenting, but there's always room for constructive analysis and concern. First, it's hard for the hubs and I to agree on parenting all the time. We both have different ideas on what to do and what works best. For example, sleeping arrangements. Sleep is a difficult issue for so many parents. When babies are first learning the bedtime ritual, it's important to put them on a very strict schedule. Bath, lotion, jammies, bedtime story, lamp on, hugs & kisses, tucked in bed, go to sleep in your own crib/bed. Neither of my boys liked sleeping on their backs, which is what is recommended for the first several months because of SIDS concerns. So, here we were as parents..sleep deprived and scared to death because the only way our kids would sleep soundly was on their tummies. It was terrifying.
H liked to be rocked to sleep and C preferred to be placed in his crib so he could put himself to sleep. As soon as they were in their own beds (not a crib) they would get up in the middle of the night and join us in our bed. My hubs is NOT a fan of having a family bed. I love having their little warms bodies snuggled up next to me. I love when they reach out and pat me or feel my face. I love their little sleepy slurs of, "I love you, mommy." I'm okay with the fact that they start in their own beds and join us if they get scared or wake up in the middle of the night. Granted, I do occasionally wake up with a foot in my face or a body draped across me or with no blankets on me. There's a downside but the positives far outweigh it in my opinion. H is 6 and C is 5 and they still come to our bed on most nights. Occasionally, they will sleep in their own beds and I will praise them. I know that they won't sleep in our bed forever and that I will miss having all of us in the same bed on weekend mornings.
We were out of school today for a free day, but almost all of the snow was melting away at a rapid rate this morning when we woke. Not enough for a snowman. :( Boo! We've had quality family time together today by cleaning, playing video games, doing laundry, playing Trouble (I won, woop-woop!), and dining together.
Cleaning around here is no easy task given that stuff seems to reproduce at crazy rates. Also, there's that saying...cleaning while the kids and hubby here is like trying to brush your teeth while eating an Oreo. Pointless. Just kidding. I'll give them credit today. They helped quite a bit. Granted the boys just wanted to earn more video game minutes, but whatever...I'll take any help I can get. I've been trying to downsize off and on for a year now using a Facebook beg, barter, buy and sell group with minimal success. I'm going to have to bite the bullet and have a garage sale this spring/summer. I HATE having garage sales. I don't like haggling with people over stuff that is already marked dirt cheap and I get overwhelmed when there are 20 people waiting to check out at once. All math skills exit my body and I get incredibly anxious. Maybe I'll sweet talk one of my friends into helping. There's motivation to sell it as opposed to donating it as we are trying to save for a vacation to Savannah this summer to see my mama. I would also like to clear out the garage and actually organize the things I want to keep. Seriously,folks....We might have enough clothes to clothe a small town. We also have enough toys to open a daycare...with lots and lots of tiny pieces. Sigh. I've found that having more stuff around just makes it way harder to keep the house picked up and maintain my sanity.
My youngest son, C is "my sunshine". He loves when I sing that song to him and he loves that I refer to him with that title. This week he turns 5. He's a real piece of work; amazingly bright, funny, opinionated, and has never met a stranger. He has a zest for life and sings most of his thoughts or says them with great dramatic flair. I write this post in honor of his 5th Birthday week. Here are a few adorable tidbits to give you a better idea of who this pint sized boy is:
He's not even 5 yet and he's in love with a girl he's known before he could speak. They both discuss their eventual marriage and have even been in trouble for kissing at the after-school daycare. She draws the two of them surrounded by hearts and they exchange "I love you".
He started full day prekindergarten this year and he loves it. He's learning so much and is making a lot of friends. It's great to see him grow and experience new things, but it's also a little sad as it serves as a reminder of time passing quickly. He's certainly no longer a baby.
He loves video games, Sponge Bob, playing at the park, dressing up, playing with his brother, super heroes, karate, and snuggling up with me on the couch.
He has a laugh that soothes my soul and makes my insides glow. He giggles and just really has a zest for life. I hope he never loses it, but sadly society has a way of robbing adults of that same joy.
As I type he is fresh from his bath in his little tiny Elmo underwear demonstrating the basics of Kung Fu for me in the living room, stopping occasionally to experiment with his new Spongebob camera his brother picked out for his birthday present.
We are anticipating a giant snow storm over the next two days and it makes me excited for him as the thought of having a "SNOWBALL FIGHT!" will make his entire week!
In fact, last week after receiving a little snow I let him and his brother dress themselves and go outside. All decked out in their winter gear and super hero costumes, they made their way outside. They were out there for quite some time when they came back to the front door exhilarated and smiling. My oldest said, "He started a snowball fight with a lady walking her dog!" C shouted "And it was AWESOME!" Apparently he tagged her as she walked by, she retaliated and they loved it. After he told me about it, he said.."Oh wait, I forgot to invite her to my birthday party!"
He's a great snuggler. In the middle of the night, he joins the hubs and I in our bed and snuggles up right next to me. It's like my own little heater. :)
Happy birthday, C! "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away."
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