Mindful Eating? It's a Whole New World

Jul 18, 2013

My friend Anne Marie has a close colleague, Lisa, who recently underwent weight loss surgery. The experience prompted Anne Marie to ask lots of questions: How long would her co-worker be away from work? Would she be able to return fully focused on her job? What might be different as her weight loss got underway? What could she do to offer support?

All good questions! But by now, Lisa's surgery was 5 or 6 months ago, and I opened an e mail from Anne Marie this week that asked a different question. "Lisa is talking about the Paleo diet," she wrote. "But isn't the fact that she had surgery enough of a diet plan in itself? Shouldn't she just be able to settle into a pattern of eating mindfully, making conscious choices about what she eats? I worry about her  going in a "diet."

My reply probably surprised her. For a person who has spent a lifetime being obese, the only way we know of to approach "normal" eating is to be on a diet. Of course, our hearts and minds know that diets don't work. But we don't have any other baseline of what normal eating might look like or feel like. Our eating patterns haven't been normal. Our eating has not been mindful or conscious. Quite opposite. Our eating patterns have lulled us into a state of unconsciousness. Food is our drug of choice, our means of self-medicating. And our post surgery journey includes a hefty dose of learning what normal food intake might look like or feel like. 

And so I told Anne Marie that Lisa may cycle through several "diets" as she adjust to her slimmer self. That its probably okay. And, by the way, that my naturally trim Paleo-eating daughter claims that its the rare person who can live a Paleo lifestyle more than 80% of the time. 

I  often see posters in OH express frustration with their rate of weight loss or the challenge of maintenance, and resolve to try a "diet" to get "back on track." Just this week I have read of the Cambridge Plan, the Ideal Protein Plan, and the ever present 5 Day Pouch Test. Some post ops follow Weight Watchers and count points, as we have done many times before surgery.  My own personal role model in post op living uses My Fitness Tracker religiously to track her food intake (and oh by the way, she's also a runner, and now doing cross fit! Talk about success!) For me, my post op eating isn't structured around any of these formal diets. I struggle, now, with 10-15 extra pounds of regain. But whether I tackle those pounds by replacing a meal or two with a protein shake, or following South Beach or Atkins or Paleo or whatever....the real task is learning, for the first time in my life, what "normal" eating is. 

 

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Choosing a Protein Bar

Jul 16, 2013

It should be easy, right? 

There are so many choices! Obviously, protein bars are the way to go. Right? 

Well. No. 

Choosing the "right" protein bar is complicated, precisely BECAUSE there are so many choices. Walk into the Vitamin Shoppe, GNC, or browse online and it's easy to get overwhelmed. And that's before you actually open the wrapper and decide if the darn thing even tastes good!

Here are the guidelines I use when choosing a protein bar:

No more than 200 calories per bar. 

Aim for 20 g. of protein, or as close as I can get.

No more than 5 g sugar, and preferably no more than 7 g sugar alcohols. My surgeon recommended only 2 g of sugar per serving early out from surgery; I know now that I can tolerate more, but the truth is that many of these "protein" bars are little more than a candy bar in disguise, so I keep the sugar as low as I can. I have also learned that too many sugar alcohols really bother me, so I keep that number as low as I can as well. 

That's a pretty simple equation, but I like to stay alert to the fact that protein bars are often loaded with artificial ingredients.

That brings me to my favorite recommendation, original Quest bars. While a bit pricey, Quest bars are my #1 choice. They meet all the criteria I've listed above, have no sugar alcohols, and a fairly short list of ingredients.  

Next on the list are Pure Protein bars, which are easily available at WalMart and Costco. You won't mistake a Pure Protein bar for a chocolate bar, but they have a good solid protein content. I keep a box on my pantry shelf and use them periodically for a breaktime snack at work. 

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Four Years Ago Today

Jul 15, 2013

 

It's a reflective day for me, as I think back four years. About this time of day on July 15, 2009, I was headed into surgery. I wasn't afraid. I trusted my doctor implicitly and was honestly more afraid about what would happen if I did NOT have surgery.

Where am I today? From my lowest weight of 155 lbs. I have bounced up 15, to 170. Some of the habits that I adopted while losing have eroded, and I need to put myself back on the straight and narrow. I am back to drinking diet soda and, some days, skimp on water. Not as meticulous as I need to be about not drinking 30 minutes after a meal. I don't log my food (truth is, I was never very good about that). 

As far as food goes, I indulge in food with sugar from time to time. But I am aware and afraid of the negative effects that those indulgences cause. For example, last week we had house guests and I had a small bowl of regular ice cream. It put me as close to dumping as I've been in 3 years. And sugar free ice cream isn't any better....the sugar alcohols set me off something fierce. I eat bread products occasionally, but can leave them alone too. Pasta doesn't agree with me so I use spaghetti squash with my homemade sauce. No rice. A bowl of cereal is a recipe for disaster - I feel terrible after eating it, even if it "sounds so good."

Even some healthy foods don't sit well, so I know that for me, oranges are a better choice than apples, and to choose Greek yogurt over Dannon Light and Fit. 

Most days, I still have a protein shake for breakfast and another for a snack (I use the RTD Atkins shakes these days).  My husband does a lot of our cooking, and we eat a lot of fish and fresh veggies.  I snack on greek yogurt, almonds, or fruit. I have a low tolerance for overly salty foods. But - that said - every so often I love a slice of pizza or a hot dog (yes, with a bun). Go figure. 

I had let exercise lapse over the past year or so with our move, but am back to aerobics classes at least 3 times a week. I enjoy it - just hard to pry myself out the door some days. Those old vegetative habits are indeed still there, waiting for me to pick them up again. I have to be aware of that. They are lurking....

The vitamin regimen is just part of everyday life. I watch for BOGO specials and stock up, and have a little ritual of setting up my vitamins every week. 

I know many post ops look at plastics as a next step. I have been lucky in that my legs, arms, and butt look okay (for a woman of 57. Which may not be saying much!) But the part that was very hard for me was my neckline, which really looked wrinkled and saggy after weight loss. Last October, I had a face lift done. My mom helped cover the cost, which was the only way I could have managed to do it, and it was a great decision. While I could probably use a tummy tuck, I didn't want to get into a full surgical recovery period, and didnt want to spend the $$, so for right now I will keep my one piece swimsuits handy. 

I feel terrific. Losing weight was the BEST decision I have made in my life. I am more confident and self assured than at any point in my entire life. I know without a doubt that obesity would have hindered my job search two years ago, as well as advancement (and hey, I just got a promotion!)  It pains me to realize and recognize that obese people in our society are subject to such painful discrimination....I was subject to that, as were many of you. 

My maintenance plan is sketchy, but mostly guided by my clothing. I know, I know....all sizes are not created equal. But I have a threshold size that I will NOT go over, so if things get snug, I just crank up the water and veggies. Kicking the exercise back in has helped too. The other tool I use is my old drivers license. It's in my purse all the time. 

I have moved to FL since my surgery and here, nobody really knows I had surgery. I've told a few people that I've lost a lot of weight. They act like they can't believe it, which is unbelievable to me. Don't I look "formerly fat"?

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About Me
41.9
BMI
RNY
Surgery
07/15/2009
Surgery Date
Sep 02, 2008
Member Since

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