Hello again

Hi all

Well I realised this morning that I haven’t posted on here for awhile.  Eventually life just returns to almost normal and all the usual pressures and stresses don’t go away once you’ve had surgery and lose weight (seemingly a common illusion that all your worries disappear once surgery has been done and the weight has gone).  Beware of falling into that trap cos life wasn’t all about being overweight.

My arthritis, although improved, is still there and the ‘I’m still fat’ feeling pops up every now and then.

I’m still seeing the psychologist to work through these issues and am getting my head around the ‘compassionate’ eating theory to stop being so hard on myself.

The plus side to life, and another reason why I have been so lax in posting, is that the wedding is now only 7 weeks away.  I had a fitting of THE dress two days ago and, I will say it myself, I look like a princess!!!!!  I will, of course, post a piccie of me in said gorgeous dress after the wedding.  All I will say is that it is a style of dress I would never ever imagined wearing before the op.

Fred, my new tummy, has been playing up recently.  Unfortunately this doesn’t go away completely but he doesn’t spit his dummy out any where near as often as in the early days.  This unfortunately makes the times when he does, even worse.  My advice is, when your tummy plays up, go back for a few days to the simple, easy foods that you know are fine.  Fred, the little b*gger, seems to play up on food I KNOW I can eat though, which makes managing it a tad more difficult.

I had a weight gain over the last few months but have managed to get it off again so I’m a nice round 6 stone lighter than pre-op again.  My BMI hovering at 30 to 31 which is still oodles better than before.

 

See you soon xxx

Appointment with the dietician

Hi all

Well I went and had my blood test and then off to the hospital to see the dietician.  There were two of them this time and bless them, I did bend their ears a bit as I spoke of how ‘down’ I was feeling with my swollen legs and my naughty ‘grazing’.

They made me see that I was, on the whole, doing things right and to just look at the ‘bad habits’ that were slipping in and put them into perspective.  I have to go back to the docs re my swollen legs and hopefully they will sort it out.

I came away more positive than I have been in over a month.  Regular appointments with the dietician is something that is offered and should be accepted.  They are there to listen and help you on your journey, even someone like me nearly a year down the line from the op.

Don’t think you can do this all on your own, cos lets face it, if we could have lost weight and eaten healthily without intervention we wouldn’t have needed the op (I do realise there are exceptions) that was just a general comment.  The support is there, including meetings with the consultant’s team and appointments with clinical psychologists are part of the package in Bradford.  Use it 🙂

See you soon x

Sweet potato n coconut soup with Thai pesto

Hi all

Having a bad day today – a bit emotional but hey ho  I’m due to see the dietician tomorrow and I really need to see her and have a talk.

Enough of the down-ness.  I have a recipe for you that my friend Marlene made the other week – it is simply delicious!!

Soup

500g sweet potatoe (peeled and chopped)       1 chpped med red onion

Fry Light oil or corn oil           1 – 1.5 tblsp Red Thai curry paste          

500ml coconut milk (Light)     500ml veg stock

Sweat sweet potato and onion in Fry Light/Oil.  When onion is softened add the Red Thai curry paste and cook for 3 to 4 mins to release the fragrance.

Add the coconut milk and vegetable stock.  Simmer for 20 mins till the sweet potato has gone mushy then blend till silky smooth. (4 good servings)

Thai pesto

handful of basil; coriander and mint with stalks if you want    

100g chopped unsalted peanuts      2 chopped chillis       1 tblsp soft brown sugar

2 tbls light soy sauce                              Juice of 1 lime

Add all to blender and blend to preferred consistency.  Leave in fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.  This will keep for a week in the fridge with a screwtop jar or airtight container.

Great with chicken or just on fresh bread but wonderful with a spoonful dropped into the soup!!!

Enjoy 🙂

See you soon x

another week off!

Morning all

Well having started phoning the doctor’s surgery for an appointment to see my GP who wants to see me, it took constant ringing and redialing of 35 mins to be told the appointments were full and to try again tomorrow!!

There is however a sick note for another week awaiting me to pick up tomorrow.  The soreness in my legs has not decreased much at all so I’m hoping that’s what the doc wanted to see me for… if not, what???  I’ve upped my water tablets which is helping a little against the odema in my legs and I sit with my feet up although when I do that they go red, hard in places and even more sore than before 😦

I feel a wreck today and rather down in the dumps but hopefully, finger crossed this gets sorted soon. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I want to get back to work.  I hate being off sick and after my 4.5 months off last year from the op I really don’t need this.  My boss is really good and has told me to just use the time and get better and not to panic about work.

On the big plus side, donations are coming in for my Race for Life in June and I’ve already got 50% of the total I thought was achievable – at this rate I’m going to surpass it which is brilliant!!  I’ve even ordered a hot pink Race for Life tee shirt – so with leggings I’ll look the business ( I hope).  I’ll be happy when I can start back at the gym and build up my stamina.  Mark (who used to be a Personal Trainer) has told me to get into Free Weights – so I need to book an induction in the gym and then he’s got a programme for me to follow.  Cardio at the gym (on alternate days) will burn calories at the time, but building and working your muscles – you burn calories up to 24 hours after the weight session – I need something to kick start my weight loss again.

Once I get into the cardio and weights I’m hoping for more weight loss and inch loss.  I shouldn’t complain I’m 5 dress sizes down on pre-op and weigh less than I’ve done for over 25 years but I’m still (just) classed as obese so moving into ‘overweight’ would be lovely.  Who knows, maybe months down the line I might get near to being near correct weight 🙂

See you soon x

The festive season as a different person

Morning all

This christmas period has been a success as the ‘new’ me.  I was a little anxious about the turkey dinner and how I would cope.  I must congratulate ‘fred’ on behaving impeccably.  I had a small piece of turkey and one of ham, 1 roastie, 3 pieces of carrot and 1 piece of parsnip, some gorgeous stuffing, a teasp of bread sauce/cranberry sauce and 3 little dates wrapped in bacon.  I didn’t manage it all but thoroughly enjoyed all that I did eat.

It made me chuckle as I watched Mark, Chesca and Marianne tucking into their platefuls with relish – which is always a joy to see, but in comparison to what I ate this year I could only boggle at what they could put away ……. ah, memory is such a short thing, it was only last year when I could have beaten them all hands down!

Fred hasn’t really played up this festive season which I am grateful for.  I’m not going to weigh myself as I have no desire to see if I’ve put weight on.  Compared to other years throughout my life it will be miniscule in comparison.

I plan to get back to the gym in the new year but I’m not beating myself up about it or going crazy with a new year’s resolution…….  I will do what I can and not feel the need to flagellate myself if I don’t turn into a honed athelete.  I’m aiming for the ‘get real’ train of thought.  Slow and steady wins the race!!

I ordered my wedding dress two weeks ago.  Yep folks, I’m getting married next October.  The dress is so unlike the style I could have ever hoped of wearing and the shop assistant has assured me that even if I drop numerous sizes (which I doubt now) the dress will be altered and still look great.

24 April 2012 – that is the date of my RE-birth into the person I am becoming…. healthier, fitter and more confident.  Bring on 2013 !!

For all of you who are thinking of or waiting for the operation or just had it – 2013 WILL be your year and you too will have great tales to tell as you slim down and become the person you always wanted to be.

Here’s to a great new year!!

xx

Update on Fred

Hi all

It’s galloping up towards Christmas.  I cannot believe how quickly the days are flying by!!

Fred has been misbehaving for over a week now so I am going to review what I could be doing wrong.  It’s not the portion size as Fred kicks off after a couple of mouthfuls.  It isn’t new stuff that is mainly the problem, it can be food stuffs that I’ve eaten many times before.

Porridge is always okay but I don’t want to live off of porridge!!  I’ll just have to take things easy, slow my eating down even further and see if that helps.

If all fails I have an appointment with the diabetic clinic on 7th January so I can discuss it there.

If I don’t post much before the festive season I hope you all have a great time and an even better new year.  If you are soon to have bariatric surgery just try and imagine how much different you will look and feel this time next year!!!!

See you soon x

Moody but okay plus a lovely soup recipe

Hi all

I’ve been a bit moody these last few days.  My eating habits are slipping into bad ones which I’m annoyed about but then again, they operated on my stomach NOT my head!!

I’m back at the hospital to see the consultant on Thursday, I do hope they are happy with the weight I’ve lost as it has almost ground to a halt recently 😦

Plus side is I went food shopping to Tesco’s at the weekend and ended up buying 2 pairs of leggings and 2 jumpers!!!  It could be hard on my bank account now I can buy stuff from the supermarket lol.

I made this soup the other day.  Once pureed it was thick and nutritious and the added cheese gave protein.

1 Cauliflower – florets only

2 large handfuls of Spring Greens

1.5 pints of vegetable stock

2 chopped carrots

1 chopped potato

1 teasp of mixed herbs

1 teasp of ground cumin

Spray some oil into a pan then add all the vegetables and fry gently for 5 mins.  Add herbs and cumin and then the liquid.

Simmer away till all the vegetables are soft.  Add 2 – 3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese once off the heat.  Puree.

Gorgeous  and okay for any stage after the op.  Enjoy

See you soon x

Hello everyone

Hi there

I’ve been struggling over this last week because of my ‘plateau’ in losing weight.  But I went to my local support group on Wednesday evening and all the ones who are farther down the line from the op have said it is perfectly normal to a) plateau for a bit and b) to feel downhearted about it – but NOT to!!!

On the flip side of the coin my exercise is coming along nicely and as well as doing Zumba I tried Bokwa two days ago.  It’s slightly different to zumba in you have set routines but the  music is great and you certainly get a good workout.  The nice thing in both the classes is you are taught different moves depending on your mobility – I have problem s with my knees so where other’s might jump or do jumping jacks – I wiggle my hips or step side to side.  all good!!!

I have decided not to weight myself for a few weeks to stop putting pressure on myself.  I’m going to concentrate on living my life to the full;  going to the gym and doing my exercise classes and just chilling.

See you soon x

Moody yet again

Hi all

I am loathe to post when I’m being moody but for all of you who may be about to go through the Bariatric journey, I suppose I’d better post to let you know that this MAY happen to you also.

Basically I’ve hit a ‘plateau’ regarding weight loss.  I had slowed down to a kilo/2 kilo’s loss on a regular basis but now it’s ground to a halt and although I know its because I’m exercising more and going to the gym, so therefore I’m gaining muscle, which weighs more than fat…. I am still ticked off!!

It is also easy at my stage in the process to eat biscuits and crisps ….. I’m watching what I’m eating so it isn’t the problem but it could easily become one.   They operate on your stomach but not your brain so you have to re=educate your brain not to keep the same eating habits as pre-op. 

I’m hoping the weight loss kicks in again soon and I’m assured by my fellow members at the Bariatric support group that everyone hits the plateau at some time in the journey but it kicks back in again.

I am happy at the weight I’ve lost and the size I am but I would love to go down another 2 sizes….. finger’s crossed.

See you soon x

got the moody blues again

Hi all

After seeing the dietician on Monday and she confirmed my weight loss is slowing down rapidly but did say it was because of the muscle building I’m doing and that all was well and I’m doing fine…..BUT….

today I’m a moody mare to put it politely.  I just want the weight to keep coming off as well as it has been doing.  Normally I’m okay cos any weight loss is a big positive but today it’s not enough.  *throws dummy out of pram*.  I am being totally irrational and going against everything I say on here about positivity so I’m going to throw myself into a corner and give myself a good talking to!!

I’m doing all the right things, eating fairly well although fred (my tummy) chucked another paddy last night so I didn’t eat my tea.  I’m exercising regularly (and enjoying it)…. I look pretty good (even though I say that myself) and my body shape, fitness and general wellbeing can only get better so enough of the sulking Mandy!!!

Looking at the photo’s below and I can see the difference .

Anyhow – enough of the moaning, although anyone is allowed at least one moan-ey day every now and then.

See you soon x