Herman is the new spin instructor at my gym and he is a KILLER but I love this man! I burned 632 calories in a 60 minute class. I feel like I am dying and just when I think this is it, I can't do it, he changes something and bam, I am back in the game! I fee so good when I am done though, don't worry!
I am home now and freshly showered....I can honestly say that my shorts, bra, shirt, socks and headband are not this wet from other classes. I am going to commit to doing at least 3 spin classes again this coming week and I may even try to sneak in an additional one or two!
I am very disappointed with the lack of scale movement this week though. There isn't any and that is bad considering I had that baby fill on Wed. I have checked my journal and I had a few items that weren't the best choices (Hershey Dark Chocolate Nuggets with Almonds, 200 calories, 4 g. protein for one) but I can honestly say, they were planned and well under my calorie limit for the day. Actually, this was yesterday, my total calorie intake was 780 including the nuggets and 67 g of protein. I am going to eat closer to my 1200 calories today and make sure the calories are primarily protein g and the carbs come from veggies or fruit. I suspect that this will help!
We are off to the beach today with our boy Brutus....he loves to walk along the shore and tries to eat the birds! What a charmer! There is also an art festival going on that we will be going to. Should be fun...temp is supposed to be around 80 or so. I hope everyone enjoys the rest of the weekend!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Tough day yesterday
Yesterday would have been my fathers 81st birthday and Steve and I drove 220 miles to spend the day with Peggy, my Dads companion. My fathers friend Len and his wife came for lunch and it was like reliving the events of May 11, 2010 all over again. This was the first time that we saw them since the accident that killed my father and brother-in-law as they live in Seattle, WA. I saw that Steve was doing a lot of pacing while we were all sitting on the Lanai having coffee. He is still dealing with "survivor guilt" and its really been coming out lately.
A week ago, Steve actually broke down and cried, out of the blue, while we were in the Dept. of Motor Vehicle office transferring my dads car to my sister and I. It was the first time in so long that this happened and it really took me by surprise. I wish I knew what I could do to take his pain away. All he says is "he let me and my sister down" by not protecting them and he can't forgive himself. My sister and I, along with everyone else, knows there was nothing Steve could have done to make the outcome of that day any different and we are forever grateful that Steve was with them. If what happened had happened and it was a stranger that called me to tell me they were dead, it would have been so much worse. Steve was with them for a reason, he did take care of them, he just doesn't see it that way.
We are having a memorial service on the 1-year anniversary and I know this will be yet another hard time for my husband to deal with. He will be there with me and my sister, holding us both and I pray that we are able to give him some comfort too. He is such a strong man and to see him in this pain is too much for me.
On the band front, I am waiting for my fill to kick in. I know the band has more fluid in it but it just doesn't feel like its "enough". However, after what I went through the other day, I am not calling to ask for another fill. I will wait it out and continue to do what I am doing....going slow with my eating and exercising my brains out! I am so happy that I went back to spin class this week. It truly is the best cardio exercise for me. The amount of calories burned in an hour is almost double what I burn in every other cardio class. I get so much more out of it.
That being said, I didn't go to spin today but I will be going tomorrow morning for an hour with Herman, the new Spin Instructor. Oh.Sweet.Baby.Jesus. I was so afraid of going to his class because I heard how tough he is....well, he subbed the other day for another instructor and I didn't have a choice! It was the best class! I was so happy that it worked out that way and I am really looking forward to the Sunday morning class! I'll let you know how that works out!
A week ago, Steve actually broke down and cried, out of the blue, while we were in the Dept. of Motor Vehicle office transferring my dads car to my sister and I. It was the first time in so long that this happened and it really took me by surprise. I wish I knew what I could do to take his pain away. All he says is "he let me and my sister down" by not protecting them and he can't forgive himself. My sister and I, along with everyone else, knows there was nothing Steve could have done to make the outcome of that day any different and we are forever grateful that Steve was with them. If what happened had happened and it was a stranger that called me to tell me they were dead, it would have been so much worse. Steve was with them for a reason, he did take care of them, he just doesn't see it that way.
We are having a memorial service on the 1-year anniversary and I know this will be yet another hard time for my husband to deal with. He will be there with me and my sister, holding us both and I pray that we are able to give him some comfort too. He is such a strong man and to see him in this pain is too much for me.
On the band front, I am waiting for my fill to kick in. I know the band has more fluid in it but it just doesn't feel like its "enough". However, after what I went through the other day, I am not calling to ask for another fill. I will wait it out and continue to do what I am doing....going slow with my eating and exercising my brains out! I am so happy that I went back to spin class this week. It truly is the best cardio exercise for me. The amount of calories burned in an hour is almost double what I burn in every other cardio class. I get so much more out of it.
That being said, I didn't go to spin today but I will be going tomorrow morning for an hour with Herman, the new Spin Instructor. Oh.Sweet.Baby.Jesus. I was so afraid of going to his class because I heard how tough he is....well, he subbed the other day for another instructor and I didn't have a choice! It was the best class! I was so happy that it worked out that way and I am really looking forward to the Sunday morning class! I'll let you know how that works out!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
I am a "Band Success!"
At least that is what my doc told me today. If nothing else, he made me feel really good.
We had our usual long talk and than he gave me a fill which brought me to a total of 2.4 cc's in my 4 cc band. Unfortunately, water didn't go down and than he unfilled me and brought me to a total of 2.1 cc's. Unfortunately, when i was about 5 miles from his office, I had my husband turn around and bring me back. I was so embarrassed! My final unfill and fill of the day brought me to a total of 1.5 cc's in my band. I must have really done a job on my band back in January. When I had my total unfill, I had 2.7 cc's in the band. I am trying to look on the bright side, I went there with only .5 cc's and left with 1.5. That should help. Thanks again to Steph for trading appts with me so that I could get in 2 weeks earlier!
He was so supportive and complimentary of my weight loss thus far and he said as far as he is concerned, I have lost 100% of my excess weight and that I should consider changing my focus to maintaining as opposed to losing more. Not so much! I still have a way to go, 15 lbs probably. This will bring me to the normal range of BMI. Believe me, I have the weight to lose....I am not being vain.
We also had a long talk about the Sleeve. He is still not sure that the band will cooperate with me in the long-run and that I always have the option to have revision surgery to the sleeve. We'll see. I am praying that between my band, filled as it is, and my continued exercise routine, I should be able to continue to lose. Please remind me that I said that when I start to cry!
On a very tasty note, I made a soup tonight that was out of this world. It is a Giada recipe and it was so easy and delish! 213 Calories for 1 cup, 10 g. protein. I blended it all together right in the pot using my Cuisinart Emersion Blender. Worked great!
Tuscan White Bean and Garlic Soup
We had our usual long talk and than he gave me a fill which brought me to a total of 2.4 cc's in my 4 cc band. Unfortunately, water didn't go down and than he unfilled me and brought me to a total of 2.1 cc's. Unfortunately, when i was about 5 miles from his office, I had my husband turn around and bring me back. I was so embarrassed! My final unfill and fill of the day brought me to a total of 1.5 cc's in my band. I must have really done a job on my band back in January. When I had my total unfill, I had 2.7 cc's in the band. I am trying to look on the bright side, I went there with only .5 cc's and left with 1.5. That should help. Thanks again to Steph for trading appts with me so that I could get in 2 weeks earlier!
He was so supportive and complimentary of my weight loss thus far and he said as far as he is concerned, I have lost 100% of my excess weight and that I should consider changing my focus to maintaining as opposed to losing more. Not so much! I still have a way to go, 15 lbs probably. This will bring me to the normal range of BMI. Believe me, I have the weight to lose....I am not being vain.
We also had a long talk about the Sleeve. He is still not sure that the band will cooperate with me in the long-run and that I always have the option to have revision surgery to the sleeve. We'll see. I am praying that between my band, filled as it is, and my continued exercise routine, I should be able to continue to lose. Please remind me that I said that when I start to cry!
On a very tasty note, I made a soup tonight that was out of this world. It is a Giada recipe and it was so easy and delish! 213 Calories for 1 cup, 10 g. protein. I blended it all together right in the pot using my Cuisinart Emersion Blender. Worked great!
Tuscan White Bean and Garlic Soup
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Prep Time:
10 min
Inactive Prep Time:
--
Cook Time:
10 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
4 to 6 servings (8 cups)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter (used 1 tbsp)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 1 sage leaf
- 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 cloves garlic, cut in 1/2
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 slices ciabatta bread (I didn't make the bread)
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Directions
Place a medium, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter, olive oil, and shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sage and beans and stir to combine. Add the stock and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the garlic and simmer until the garlic is softened, about 10 minutes. Pour the soup into a large bowl. Carefully ladle 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Be careful to hold the top of the blender tightly, as hot liquids expand when they are blended. Pour the blended soup back into the soup pan. Puree the remaining soup. Once all the soup is blended and back in the soup pan, add the cream and the pepper Keep warm, covered, over very low heat.
Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the slices of ciabatta bread with extra-virgin olive oil. Grill the bread until warm and golden grill marks appear, about 3 minutes a side. Serve the soup in bowls with the grilled bread alongside.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Fill tomorrow!
Oh how happy that makes me! I am STUCK (on the scale) and its making me crazy. I am exercising like a demon and the scale goes down, up, down, up! I am eating within my calories (1200) and exercising...nothing going on these last 2 weeks. Actually, I am not really even sure what the fill will do for me. Well, hopefully, it will restrict some of my food choices? What I mean is, with only having .5 cc's in my band, I am able to eat bread and pasta which is usually very limited when I am at a good fill level. I am praying that the fill will help me cut back on these particular carbs.
The one thing I have truly come to believe and understand during this period of being unfilled is that my body is super-sensitive to carbs. I have a "clean" day of eating (minimal carbs) and the scale shows it. God help me if I eat a sandwich using one piece of bread. I know the scale will be up the next day.
I keep trying to look at the whole picture...in 11 months, I have lost 52 lbs! That is amazing to me. I just know that I am not done and I need to have a little positive reinforcement from my scale.
I went to a cardio class this morning and burned 430 calories and I am planning on going back at 5:30 for a spin class. Its been a while since I've done spinning and I'm hoping that will shake up my metabolism. I am also going out to lunch with some of my girlfriends from the gym today so by going back to the gym tonight, I will burn what I eat at lunch! Only kidding, I am truly going to be very cognizant of what I order. If nothing else, I am at the point in my journey where I ask myself "is this really worth it?" quite often before putting something in my mouth. It is just too damn hard to lose and I just want to get to the maintaining part which I am sure will bring with it a whole new assortment of challenges.
The one thing I have truly come to believe and understand during this period of being unfilled is that my body is super-sensitive to carbs. I have a "clean" day of eating (minimal carbs) and the scale shows it. God help me if I eat a sandwich using one piece of bread. I know the scale will be up the next day.
I keep trying to look at the whole picture...in 11 months, I have lost 52 lbs! That is amazing to me. I just know that I am not done and I need to have a little positive reinforcement from my scale.
I went to a cardio class this morning and burned 430 calories and I am planning on going back at 5:30 for a spin class. Its been a while since I've done spinning and I'm hoping that will shake up my metabolism. I am also going out to lunch with some of my girlfriends from the gym today so by going back to the gym tonight, I will burn what I eat at lunch! Only kidding, I am truly going to be very cognizant of what I order. If nothing else, I am at the point in my journey where I ask myself "is this really worth it?" quite often before putting something in my mouth. It is just too damn hard to lose and I just want to get to the maintaining part which I am sure will bring with it a whole new assortment of challenges.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
She did it again!
Stephanie did it again...she heard me whining about only having .5 ccs in my band and having to wait until 3/9 for an appointment and she traded appointments with me! She actually called the Dr.'s office and made the switch herself! I am now taking her 2/23 appt. and she mine. Talk about the Sisterhood coming to the rescue! She has been an amazing friend to me and I love her! She did the same thing for me back in September. My weight loss took off than and I am praying that her losing vibes will continue with next weeks fill.
Thank you Steph!
Thank you Steph!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Post-Valentines Day Weight Gain!
All I can say is EEEEEEKKKK! Got on the scale this morning and jumped off...it scared the beJesus out of me! Up 2.5 lbs from yesterday! Hmmmm....can it be the not drinking all of my water? or maybe the fact that I made and ate Shrimp cocktail, Filet Mignon with Bernaise sauce, mashed potatos, creamed spinach and let us not forget the WHOLE piece of Chocolate Ganache cake and handfull of M&M's! That was just dinner. Breakfast was a protein shake and lunch was out but it was 1/2 of a hamburger, no bread with a few pieces of tomato. Me thinks I went way over-board at dinner....what do y'all think? I told Steve that he is to eat all the leftover mashed potatos and creamed spinach today before I get home from work.
I am back "on" today and I am hoping that I am retaining a lot of fluids and by being a good bandster, I should be able to slush it away in the next day of so. I know I did not eat an extra 8500 calories at dinner so I think I should be ok. I woke up at 2 a.m. so thirsty and drank 1/2 bottle of ice cold water and slept the rest of the night. That alone tells me my body is hanging on to fluid.
Its funny how just when I thought I really had things under control eating wise, I totally lost it! Very out of charactor for me of late but at least I have the presence of mind to know that it was a slip and not that I am reverting back to the old me where I would have just kept going with it. This is why its so important for me to weigh myself every day. Historically, I have been at my highest weights during periods where I didn't weigh. The old "what I don't know, can't hurt" saying? Of course, at some point I would weigh, which would lead to tears, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, etc....none of that ever worked for me. I will never go back to being that person. I can't do it.
Todays eating:
Protein Shake
Greek Yogurt
Turkey/Swiss roll-ups
Scrambled Eggs w/cheese
Spinach Salad
Protein Shake for snack
Total Calories so far: 1062 (I will eat something else to get my calories up to 1200)
Proteien so far: 111
I am back "on" today and I am hoping that I am retaining a lot of fluids and by being a good bandster, I should be able to slush it away in the next day of so. I know I did not eat an extra 8500 calories at dinner so I think I should be ok. I woke up at 2 a.m. so thirsty and drank 1/2 bottle of ice cold water and slept the rest of the night. That alone tells me my body is hanging on to fluid.
Its funny how just when I thought I really had things under control eating wise, I totally lost it! Very out of charactor for me of late but at least I have the presence of mind to know that it was a slip and not that I am reverting back to the old me where I would have just kept going with it. This is why its so important for me to weigh myself every day. Historically, I have been at my highest weights during periods where I didn't weigh. The old "what I don't know, can't hurt" saying? Of course, at some point I would weigh, which would lead to tears, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, etc....none of that ever worked for me. I will never go back to being that person. I can't do it.
Todays eating:
Protein Shake
Greek Yogurt
Turkey/Swiss roll-ups
Scrambled Eggs w/cheese
Spinach Salad
Protein Shake for snack
Total Calories so far: 1062 (I will eat something else to get my calories up to 1200)
Proteien so far: 111
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Lazy Saturday
We went to see The Kings Speech today and it was great! Its been a while that we both enjoyed a movie and didn't leave rolling our eyes!
I started the day at the gym and than we decided to see an afternoon movie and came home and had dinner. Thats it! I had wanted to go to the Mall in Daytona Beach for some things (namely shoes to wear for my daughters wedding) today but as its the beginning of Race Week here, NO WAY do I go anywhere near the speedway especially on the weekend! Tomorrow I will be working in the morning and holding an open house in the afternoon.
My ex-brother/sister-in-law are in town for the races and we had dinner with them last night. I got them in my divorce from his brother! Luckily, Steve really enjoys spending time with them and we get together every year when they are here and when we are all on LI at the same time. They live in Georgia now to be near their son. We will be getting together with then a few more times during the upcoming week.
I am happy to report that as crazy as it sounds, I am feeling restriction from my fill even though I have a grand total of .5 cc's in my band. Crazy, right? The 5 lbs I gained with the unfill is all off and I am now down to where I was pre-unfill. This makes me very happy. I am really trying to lose another 10 lbs in the 6 weeks I have prior to the wedding. My eating has been excellent this week even with Ben & Jerrys being on sale at Publix with buy one, get one free! I am accounting for it and measuring out my 1/2 cup! I dont think I've hit my daily calorie goal of 1200 at all this week. On the flip side, I am barely making it to 60 grams of protein each day which is not good. I like to shoot for at least 80 although my doctor tells me to shoot for 60. For me, I have to get that number up to lose weight, I know that. Starting tomorrow, I will be shooting for 80!
Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
I started the day at the gym and than we decided to see an afternoon movie and came home and had dinner. Thats it! I had wanted to go to the Mall in Daytona Beach for some things (namely shoes to wear for my daughters wedding) today but as its the beginning of Race Week here, NO WAY do I go anywhere near the speedway especially on the weekend! Tomorrow I will be working in the morning and holding an open house in the afternoon.
My ex-brother/sister-in-law are in town for the races and we had dinner with them last night. I got them in my divorce from his brother! Luckily, Steve really enjoys spending time with them and we get together every year when they are here and when we are all on LI at the same time. They live in Georgia now to be near their son. We will be getting together with then a few more times during the upcoming week.
I am happy to report that as crazy as it sounds, I am feeling restriction from my fill even though I have a grand total of .5 cc's in my band. Crazy, right? The 5 lbs I gained with the unfill is all off and I am now down to where I was pre-unfill. This makes me very happy. I am really trying to lose another 10 lbs in the 6 weeks I have prior to the wedding. My eating has been excellent this week even with Ben & Jerrys being on sale at Publix with buy one, get one free! I am accounting for it and measuring out my 1/2 cup! I dont think I've hit my daily calorie goal of 1200 at all this week. On the flip side, I am barely making it to 60 grams of protein each day which is not good. I like to shoot for at least 80 although my doctor tells me to shoot for 60. For me, I have to get that number up to lose weight, I know that. Starting tomorrow, I will be shooting for 80!
Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Endoscopy done!
Today was the test. Thank God it is over. My doctor was two hours behind schedule and I was silently freaking out. Well, actually, I wasn't so silent. It took three nurses and five needle sticks with lots of poking around to get my I.V. in. It hurt like hell! I let the first two know that this has NEVER happened before as they were blaming my veins on the problem! The third nurse came in and got it on the first try. See? I told them! I cannot wait to see what my arms look like tomorrow.
As far as the test goes, my husband spoke to my doctor afterwards and he said I still have a little swelling in the base of m Esophagus but everything looks great. Absolutely no dilation, or slippage and absolutely no erosion. THANK YOU GOD! However, he wants to take it really slow with refilling me and only gave me .5 cc! Really? I will be calling his office tomorrow to see when I can get in for a little more. When you unfilled me, I had 2.6 cc's in my 4 cc band. My first fill after surgery was 1.8 cc's for comparison sake.
All in all, the almost 4 weeks of being unfilled was not terrible. Keep in mind that during this time I was in Las Vegas for 4 days and NY for 11 days. I gained a total of 5 lbs from my lowest weight the day I was unfilled. I told my doctor that and he said I probably didn't "gain" anything as I was dehydrated and just being able to drink water again cause an increase on the scale.
In any event, I have some fill now and I plan to keep losing these next 12 lbs with a combination of exercise and watching what I eat. If that's a diet, so be it...this Mama has to do what she's got to do!
As far as the test goes, my husband spoke to my doctor afterwards and he said I still have a little swelling in the base of m Esophagus but everything looks great. Absolutely no dilation, or slippage and absolutely no erosion. THANK YOU GOD! However, he wants to take it really slow with refilling me and only gave me .5 cc! Really? I will be calling his office tomorrow to see when I can get in for a little more. When you unfilled me, I had 2.6 cc's in my 4 cc band. My first fill after surgery was 1.8 cc's for comparison sake.
All in all, the almost 4 weeks of being unfilled was not terrible. Keep in mind that during this time I was in Las Vegas for 4 days and NY for 11 days. I gained a total of 5 lbs from my lowest weight the day I was unfilled. I told my doctor that and he said I probably didn't "gain" anything as I was dehydrated and just being able to drink water again cause an increase on the scale.
In any event, I have some fill now and I plan to keep losing these next 12 lbs with a combination of exercise and watching what I eat. If that's a diet, so be it...this Mama has to do what she's got to do!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
I am trying so hard....
to never become one of "those Floridians" who always talk about how great the weather is in FL. However, after having been on Long Island at Christmas with a blizzard, arriving on Long Island last week in a blizzard and waking up to a snowy, rainy, sleeting soon to change to ice crap today is making it really hard not to have my "cold" Florida weather back! Uggers!
I was supposed to take my daughter to a doctors appointment today in Garden City which is about 45 miles from my sisters house and I cancelled. I just was not comfortable driving my sisters car in this mess. No problem...they will just give her the test she was going to get today, before her surgery on Friday. Really? When I called yesterday they said they had to do it before Friday! Gotta love it!
So, instead, we got dressed and went out for breakfast. I had a real honest to goodness boiled and than baked Jewish bagel, scooped out of course, with an egg! Delish! I ate half and than the other half about 2 hours later as I had some restriction.....Yay for restriction!!! Than i came home and got some real honest to goodness Catholic guilt and went to the gym! Not delish but I went! I no longer feel guilty so that is something.
I am cooking dinner tonight....my daughter requested my chicken pot pie which I make with puff pastry. I will probably be back at the gym in the morning getting rid of some more Catholic guilt! Oh well, at least I have a gym nearby to run to, right? I have exercised every day I've been here except for Sunday. I still feel crappy as we have been eating out every day. I can only take that for a while and than I have to cook so that is what I will be doing for the next few days.
Once I get home on Sunday, I have nothing between then and my daughters wedding on 3/25 so my plan is to get my fill back after the endoscopy on Tuesday and eat like a perfect bandster and excercise my butt off, literally! I am up 5 lbs from my all time low of 157 since my unfill and I can feel it. I am hoping that with this 3 weeks without a fill and than getting a fill, it will jump start my weight loss and I can get down to 150 by my daughters wedding. I have 8 weeks to lose 12 lbs. I know I can do it!
I was supposed to take my daughter to a doctors appointment today in Garden City which is about 45 miles from my sisters house and I cancelled. I just was not comfortable driving my sisters car in this mess. No problem...they will just give her the test she was going to get today, before her surgery on Friday. Really? When I called yesterday they said they had to do it before Friday! Gotta love it!
So, instead, we got dressed and went out for breakfast. I had a real honest to goodness boiled and than baked Jewish bagel, scooped out of course, with an egg! Delish! I ate half and than the other half about 2 hours later as I had some restriction.....Yay for restriction!!! Than i came home and got some real honest to goodness Catholic guilt and went to the gym! Not delish but I went! I no longer feel guilty so that is something.
I am cooking dinner tonight....my daughter requested my chicken pot pie which I make with puff pastry. I will probably be back at the gym in the morning getting rid of some more Catholic guilt! Oh well, at least I have a gym nearby to run to, right? I have exercised every day I've been here except for Sunday. I still feel crappy as we have been eating out every day. I can only take that for a while and than I have to cook so that is what I will be doing for the next few days.
Once I get home on Sunday, I have nothing between then and my daughters wedding on 3/25 so my plan is to get my fill back after the endoscopy on Tuesday and eat like a perfect bandster and excercise my butt off, literally! I am up 5 lbs from my all time low of 157 since my unfill and I can feel it. I am hoping that with this 3 weeks without a fill and than getting a fill, it will jump start my weight loss and I can get down to 150 by my daughters wedding. I have 8 weeks to lose 12 lbs. I know I can do it!
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