Good Morning Jenniefer and Menuers,

Pittsburgh got hit will a huge storm Tuesday at rush hour that caused a lot of damage. Driving home from work I had to dodge a metal roof in the middle of a main road. No, I did not take photo's I just wanted to be home. We were fortunate that our power came back about 2:30AM Wednesday morning, however we did not get power here at work till 4:00 pm yesterday. They are telling some people it may take 5-7 days to have power restored. I kinda think I know why we were restored quickly but it is only speculation. Yes, I am looking at the family with bunches of money that is on my part of the grid. Anyways were in good shape and I am looking forward to heading out for vacation Saturday.

QOTD: Holiday Sands in Ravenna Ohio. This is what all waterparks should be. 60foot sliding board. Barrell races, Monkey swings over the water. Of course, it eventually closed because of insurance purposes, I am sure. I am so lucky to have had my childhood in 60's. And I have the scars to prove it.

Accountability: I did well. Nothing exceptional that I recall.

TSS: 7 years 4-months 20-days 165.2 Lowest (129.4)

B: Coffee with SF Coffee-Mate Chocolate Caramel creamer

MS: protein balls and berries

CB: Coffee with SF Coffee-Mate Chocolate Caramel creamer

L: crack chicken

D: pork ribs

Exercise: dog walking

Water and Vitamins: On track. I take a Bariatric Advantage Ultra multi w/iron I use bariatric advantage Calcium chews and 500mg of Magnesium. I also use MiraLAX and fiber in my first coffee of the day.

Have a great day my friends.

Brightest Blessings

Chrissy

Good Luck. You don't have to be great to get started but you got to start to be great!!!! Start walking every day as much as you can. It's a good starting point.

Good morning Jennifer and Menuer's,

Well last week was rough. Anyone who has worked for a company as long as I have (28years) knows when the word restructure comes up it probably is not a good thing. I have been a mess for the last 2 weeks waiting on my meeting with the owner. On Friday I was informed that I will have a position, but it will no longer be a straight commission job. We have not talked about the fee I will be paid, but I know it will be salary with ability to make performance bonuses. This could have gone a lot different, so I am just grateful for the offer. I also leave for vacation on Saturday, so I have that to look forward to.

QOTD: I have Bamboo, corning, plastic, glass. I use the hard white plastic one the most but use the thick plastic sheets on top and then sanitize them in the dishwasher. I also am afraid of getting someone sick. I had food poising in my 20's and was in the hospital for a week and it was not good.

Accountability: Not bad, my stomach has been in knots so eating has not been a priority.

TSS: 7 years 4-months 17-days 166 Lowest (129.4)

B: Coffee with SF Coffee-Mate Chocolate Caramel creamer

MS: Premier Protein lemon bar and strawberries

CB: Coffee with SF Coffee-Mate Chocolate Caramel creamer

L: eggwich and Mississippi pot roast

D: Crack chicken on 0 net carb tortilla

Exercise: dog walking

Water and Vitamins: On track. I take a Bariatric Advantage Ultra multi w/iron I use bariatric advantage Calcium chews and 500mg of Magnesium. I also use MiraLAX and fiber in my first coffee of the day.

Have a great week my friends.

Brightest Blessings

Chrissy

I got to make this short so no menu but congratulations on the weight loss Jennifer. Lamb Lollipops for the Win Jim

QOTD: There is a baby blue Bronco I passed taking my mom to bowling the other night. She chirped up and said I never seen a car so ugly. It was cute she made me laugh.

Glad work is busy. I remember when things were slow. Always nice to have extra $

Good Morning Jennifer and Menuers,

Like I said last week this is a short one for me. I May book a gym class Friday since the gym is closed on Monday. We shall see since I have not had a day to sleep in for a long time. I am with you on the garden planting. I plan on opening the pool the weekend of the 17th and doing the garden the weekend of the 24. It is not too far off, and I am excited to see summer.

QOTD: I think it was a required read in the 7th grade. I would have to refresh my memory, but I do believe it had a great life lesson attached to it.

Accountability: I found these sugar free shortbread cookies at Walmart, and I been eating 2 as a snack at night.

TSS: 7 years 4-months 4-days 166.6 Lowest (129.4)

B: Coffee with SF Coffee-Mate Chocolate Caramel creamer

MS: Premier Protein chocolate peanut butter and strawberries

CB: Coffee with SF Coffee-Mate Chocolate Caramel creamer

L: cabbage roll and pear

D: NY strip Air fried potato and vegies

Exercise: dog walking

Water and Vitamins: On track. I take a Bariatric Advantage Ultra multi w/iron I use bariatric advantage Calcium chews and 500mg of Magnesium. I also use MiraLAX and fiber in my first coffee of the day.

Have a great day my friends.

Brightest Blessings

Chrissy

There's No Elevator to Success After Bariatric Surgery

September 30, 2019

When it comes to success after bariatric surgery, imagine that you are in front of a set of stairs. There are only these stairs to climb. Would you quickly go up the set or would you go slowly stair by stair? If you're like most of us, you'd go quickly, not thinking too much about them because it is a short distance and you would have little fear of getting winded. When taking the stairs quickly, you'd give it little thought because the ride is a short one.

Now imagine that instead of this single flight of stairs and you have twenty of them to climb. Would the way you travel change? Would your rate of travel speed up or slow down? Would you go up those stairs non-stop or would you plan for breaks? It would likely change your overall plan to get up those twenty flights.

Being a long-term post-op, the journey changes from a quick ascent to slower one. Your body has adapted to changes and is preparing for the long journey ahead: the rest of your life.

When you decide to buckle down and attempt to lose weight or to lose regain, your body knows that the ascent is no longer going to be a fast and easy, quick break. It knows that the long haul has started and that it wants slow and consistent.

If you go at too quick of a pace and try to get the weight off quickly, you may find that your body will be extremely winded at the top of the first few stairwells. You might get a quarter up that staircase, become frustrated, overwhelmed and pissed off that you've run "out of breath" and where does that lead you? It usually leads you to stay on that floor and seek the elevator because you have tried to do too much too soon.

Pace Yourself For Long-Term Success After Bariatric Surgery

Planning and going slow will do something completely different. First, you will be prepared to make sure that you have all the tools you need to climb those stairs.

Second, you will go at a pace that means you can be comfortable rather than uncomfortable, take breathers when you need it rather than feel a sense of panic (e.g., an indulgence once in a while), and finding your own pace will allow you to keep up your own momentum, independent of anyone around you.

The trick as with anything else is to keep up the momentum with motivation and encouragement.

When it comes to food, if you don't have a plan you ENJOY the frustration will come in because you aren't happy. We still have to enjoy foods, or we won't enjoy eating, and that will lead to frustration and possible binge eating. Food has to still be enjoyable to be eaten.

When it comes to exercise, you too have to have a manageable plan. A plan you can live with. Most people won't spend 6 hours daily at the gym. Finding happiness in a workout or a walk isn't a bad thing. It just has to be about what you enjoy and finding purposeful balance.

Imagine how you are climbing that set of stairs. There is no one there but you. The walls are echoing your footsteps. There's no music. Just the sound of you. How do you feel? For me some, they may feel calm. For others, there would be a sense of boredom and frustration.

Getting Support

Now imagine as you are going that you are talking with a friend or someone is saying an encouraging phrase such as "You got this!" or "Keep going!". That's what friendship and support groups are all about. If you are feeling like the walls are echoing around you and you need support, talk to people in these groups, visit your support groups, find mentors, and make new friends. An army behind you will be one of the best ways for most to be encouraged, to find motivation and to feel like a part of a team!

So share your struggles. Share your plan. Don't be quiet! Encourage and be encouraged. Have patience with yourself. It's okay to be a turtle! We will get there!

Remember there is no elevator to success: you have to take the stairs!

It was opening Day of trout here in PA. I drove past the lake but not like it used to be. I was surprised how little amount of people were out there.

Good Morning Jenniefer and Menuers,

It is a little dreary but not too cold here for the opening day of baseball season. The game starts at 4:12. They may get a few innings in before the rain breaks. This was an odd week here at work. Not as busy as usual. I hope next week turns around. Pretty much a typical weekend. Gym, Mom duty, I need to bake brownies for her last day of bowling and stuffed cabbage for Sunday dinner. Can someone explain to me why a 10lb bag of potato's is $3.99 and a 5lb bag is $3.59. It makes me so mad. Yes, I bought the 10lb and giving 1/2 to my brother but there is nothing right about it.

QOTD: I donate to the City Mission, Humane Society and the VVA. We also go to many fund raisers throughout the year. We do bingos, Night at the races, and anything else that sounds fun, and we feel it is worthy.

Accountability: I grazed dinner.

TSS: 7 years 3-months 24-days 167.4 Lowest (129.4)

B: Coffee with SF Coffee-Mate Chocolate Caramel creamer

MS: Premier Protein chocolate peanut butter and strawberries

CB: Coffee with SF Coffee-Mate Chocolate Caramel creamer

L: Pork chop, cucumber, humas

D: smash burger on low carb tortilla

Exercise: dog walking

Water and Vitamins: On track. I take a Bariatric Advantage Ultra multi w/iron I use bariatric advantage Calcium chews and 500mg of Magnesium. I also use MiraLAX and fiber in my first coffee of the day.

Have a great weekend my friends.

Brightest Blessings

Chrissy

Good morning, Jennifer and Menuers.

Getting to work was challenging this morning. The highway was jam packed to the point where I didn't get on and detoured around. I only had to get past one exit, so it wasn't bad, but I was about 1/2-hour latter than usual. Today I just need to take mom bowling. It is winding down she only has 4 more in this league and 1 more for her Saturday league. This can open up me getting to the gym more often. Hopefully I will follow through with it. I have had some aches and pains the last few days hopefully those will go away soon. I saw that Jim couldn't wait to eat his taco's today and dove into them yesterday. He now has me craving a fish taco. I'll save them for Friday during lent.

QOTD: My dad had a Black Lab named Ceaser that I brought home for him. My dad never wanted a dog, but he was diagnosed with Renal cellular Carcinoma, and he was kind of laying around and not doing much. My mom, brothers, and me all had to work so there was 10 hours a day that he would be alone and mentally it was taking a toll on him. So, I found a black lab that was pure bread that no one wanted, and I only paid $50 for him. This dog was so intelligent and amazing. They become fast friends and my dad trained him. He would open the sliding glass door and go get the paper and the mail when he would hear the vehicles roll up. They would wait and give him the delivery and he would bring it into the house. He also used to go get the beer cans that fell or blew off the deck. He wouldn't bring them back he would take them to the front porch and put in the recycle bin. My dad went from laying on the floor to finding a dog park and meeting all kinds of new friends and walking the dog 3 miles a day. I can tell Ceaser stories all day long. He was treated like a king for being such a good boy. He was taken on beach vacations, I saw my dad give him a steak and lobster one time. He lived a great life. So many said if they could be reincarnated, they would come back as Ceaser.

Accountability: I had a few bites of that Cannoli cake

TSS: 7 years 3-months 21-days 168.6 Lowest (129.4)

B: Coffee with SF Coffee-Mate Chocolate Caramel creamer

MS: Premier Protein Caffe Latte and apple

CB: Coffee with SF Coffee-Mate Chocolate Caramel creamer

L: tuna salad and strawberries

D: smashburger on low carb tortilla

Exercise: dog walking

Water and Vitamins: On track. I take a Bariatric Advantage Ultra multi w/iron I use bariatric advantage Calcium chews and 500mg of Magnesium. I also use MiraLAX and fiber in my first coffee of the day.

Have a great day my friends.

Brightest Blessings

Chrissy

HERE IS A NICE PLACE TO START.

LIT1309BAUS Back-on-Track Booklet_DIG.pdf

I also encourage you to get back to your bariatric clinic. Start walking, get blood work done. and get back on a vitamin routine if you stopped those.

Oh, I love me a good Sauerbraten and potato pancake. We have not had a good German restaurant around these parts since the early 90's.