Needing a Reboot!

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.

Breakfast Skipper?

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.

Picture found on www.foodbeast.com

My Weightloss Journey

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