Lori Black

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I went for a long walk today and it felt so amazing to be able to walk the way I did!  I went 6 and 1/4 miles and it was so invigorating.  My thoughts kept reverting back to Lyndia and I started feeling guilty.  Here is this wonderful person that is the kind of person that would give you the shirt off of her back, she is so kind and sweet in so many ways.  Here she is stuck in the hospital with complications that are keeping her from going home to be with her husband and son.  She had the exact same surgery as me, but yet she sits in limbo in the hospital wondering what will happen next, as I walk as far as I want to with very little thought about it.  I'm only 3 1/2 months out from my surgery and things have been, well, relatively easy.  Eating has resumed to normal (DS normal anyway) and I'm able to do so many more things physically.  Lyndia doesn't even know when she'll get her next ice chip.  

I'm by no means ungrateful for the things the DS has done for my life already, or taking anything for granted either....but why must some of us suffer while others of us sail through?  I feel so guilty that things are going well for me and they're so tough for her right now.  She is sinking into what I would call a deep depression.  Who wouldn't?  The unknown is just so hard at times.  This isn't the way it was supposed to be for Lyndia, the timing is just shitty all around for both her and her family.  I think of her everyday and visit her usually every other day, but I'm powerless and there's nothing I can do to make this all disappear for her.  She wishes she could go back and take it all back and not have the surgery.  I so understand her frustration, but I so hope that she someday feels the same way about the DS that so many of us do.  I look forward to a day in the future when she can look back and say, "You know, it was all worth it and I'd do it again to be where I am today."  Now damnit, where's my fast forward button so I can get her out of that hospital and on with her new life???

You will need 

one-half of a turkey breast, cooked and chopped--about 5 cups
small bag of white beans--don't get canned, or if you do use canned, don't give me credit
lots of chicken broth, 44 oz, or you can use less and add the turkey drippings
1 very lg or 2 med or 3 sm onions, chopped, about 2 c
1 T + 1 t salt
2 t black pepper
2 T chili powder
1-1/4 c half and half

If you haven't already cooked the turkey breast, do that first or the day before. I put it in the crock pot on high for about 6 hours. If you want to use the drippings for some of the broth (makes it nice and rich) strain the gunk out first. Make sure you remove all the skin and bones when you chop the breast all up. My sister doesn't like chili so she takes the other half of the turkey breast and makes turkey salad. Sometimes I chop hers for her and sometimes I don't. You could also make sandwiches or whatever with the other half-breast, or you can use it all and double the rest of the ingredients--the finished product freezes very well. 

Soak your beans overnight, then drain them, put in fresh water, and boil until just tender--don't overcook. Use your largest cooking pan for this.  Drain the beans and leave them in the colander in the sink for now. Put the turkey, chicken both and turkey pan drippings, if you are using them, back into the same lg pan so you don't dirty another pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until turkey shreds all to pieces and onion is tender. Then add 4 cups of the cooked beans and the spices. Bring back to a boil and continue to simmer for 20-30 minutes, then stir in the half and half and remove from heat.

4 whole eggs
1 lg carton (I think it is 24 oz?) whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cup Splenda
2 T vanilla flavoring

Preheat oven to 350. Prep a  8 or 9 inch round or square glass pan with no-stick cooking spray.
Beat the eggs with an electric mixer. Beat in the cheese, then the Splenda, then the vanilla and mix until smooth. Pour into the glass pan, Bake for about 50 minutes or until it is browning around the edges and cracking on the top. It tastes better if you cool and even chill it before eating but we always have the first piece while it's still warm!

Things I'm eating at 3 months out....

The list is really getting very long now.  I think it's time to switch this to things I'm *NOT* eating at 3 months out!  I've done a little experimenting in the carbs department.  Here's how that's going....

~I've had a frosted sugar cookie (bad gas)
 ~ice cream (diarhea), 
~chocolate (no effects, I only have one or two bites at a time, and not very often at all).  
~I don't seem to be able to eat more than one serving of tortilla chips without negative effects, so I stop at 16 or so most times.

That's all I can think of right now.  Like most DSers, it's necessary for me to avoid white flour products.  Other than that, I can eat anything I want.  (I only avoid it because it results in 'noxious smelling gas!!)

My favorites:

~Ribs, made any way
~Lil' Smokies with bbq sauce
~Filet Mignon
~Sirloin
~Long Horn's Wild West Shrimp
~Bob Evan's Pot Roast Hash and their Farmer's Market Omelet
~Sauteed in butter veggies topped with melted provolone
~Banana Scream Protein Drink (Great when I'm in a hurry or don't wanna eat!)
~Chinese Chicken With Broccoli prepared in white sauce. 

- 1 rotisserie chicken
- 1 8oz cream cheese
- Franks Red Hot sauce
- Blue cheese dressing
- Butter
- Cheddar Cheese shredded


-Soften the 8oz of cream cheese and stir in 1/4 cup of Franks Red Hot sauce until blended.  Spread in the bottom of a square glass pan
- Take the meat off of the rotisserie chicken (no skin), mix meat in a bowl with 1/2 cup of Franks Red Hot sauce and 1/4 stick of butter (melted).  Add as second layer in the glass pan.
- Pour as much or as little Blue Cheese dressing on top of the chicken for the third layer  (the recipe says to use 1/2 a bottle, but I only use a little bit...you could even use Ranch if you prefer)
- Cover entire top with shredded Cheddar Cheese

-Bake at 350 for 30 minutes...until it's all bubbly and delicious!!!!!  You're supposed to serve with Tostito Scoops...but I'm sure there are a million better low carb options for dipping!!!!!

4 to 6 bell peppers, any color (I use red, yellow, and orange - don't like green)
1 lb hamburger (raw)
1/4 c. olive oil (can substitue butter)
1 tsp salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp pepper, oregano, and cumin (each)
8 oz tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
1 med. onion chopper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies
2 c. shredded ch eddar cheese
Mix all ingredients except peppers and 1/2 of the cheese.  Cut off top of peppers and clean.  Fill peppers with mixture and put in crockpot.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours (or high 3.5-4).  About 30 minutes before serving, sprink with remaining cheese and let melt. 

Wendy's Chili with cheese and onions and sour cream
Hillshire Farm Lil' Smokies with a little bbq sauce
Homegrown Tomatoes
Country Style Pork ribs with bbq sauce
Spare ribs with bbq
Baby back ribs with bbq
Corn on the cob with lotsa butter!
Pulled pork
Jimmie Dean Breakfast Bowls
Val's Ricotta Fluff Stuff 
Egg Omelets with lotsa cheese and ham, green peppers and onions
Shrimp cocktail
Starting to eat salads in small amounts 
Bacon 
Sausage
Very tender pork of just about any kind
Kraft Cheese Snackables (Ea. piece is 6 g's of protein and only one ounce...colby jack or cheddar)
Egg Salad ( I chop the egg small and add PLENTY of full fat mayo)
KFC Chicken Leg (I eat very little of the breading, but it does add some flavor)!
Rotisserie Chicken from Costco
Turkey breast 
Roast Beef Rolls (Deli Roast Beef with Garden Vegetable Philly cream cheese inside, yum!)
Hormel Beef Roast Au Jus (Pre-cooked in the meat section at the grocery, seriously delish!)
Fazoli's Submarine Sandwiches, Inside only.  The roast beef is really good. 
Champion Pure Whey Stack Banana Scream (THE BEST protein shake I've had!)  (1.5 scoop=34.5g protein)
Revival Soy Protein Chips
Genisoy Protein Chips (At Kroger in the health food section)
Crab Legs (So moist and I drown them in butter)!
Very moist, cooked no more than medium ribeye steak
Dry Roasted Peanuts
Chicken Salad with grapes and cashews
The insides of tacos and meximelts at Taco Bell
Bob Evans Farmers Market Omelet...TO DIE FOR!
Eatsmart Soy Crisps, Tomato, Romano, and olive oil flavor
Homemade chili, no beans (lowers carb count WAY down!)
Lindor White Chocolate Truffles, 1 at at time is enough and makes me feel like I'm not deprived! 
Firecracker salmon rolls from the Cheesecake Factory
Salads made with ham, egg, onion, gr. pepper, tomatoe, bacon bits, cheese and  with real ranch dressing

Kraft Cheese Snackables (Ea. piece is 6 g's of protein and only one ounce...colby jack or cheddar)
Egg Salad ( I chop the egg small and add PLENTY of full fat mayo)
KFC Chicken Leg (I eat very little of the breading, but it does add some flavor)!
Rotisserie Chicken from Costco
Turkey breast 
Roast Beef Rolls (Deli Roast Beef with Garden Vegetable Philly cream cheese inside, yum!)
Hormel Beef Roast Au Jus (Pre-cooked in the meat section at the grocery, seriously delish!)
Cheesecake Factory Buffalo Chicken Wings w/ lots of blue cheese (These were ok, not now tho)
Champion Pure Whey Stack Banana Scream (THE BEST protein shake I've had!)                                 (1.5 scoop=34.5g protein)
42g New Whey Protein vials (Only when I have to, they are yucky!  JMHO)
Revival Soy Protein Chips
Genisoy Protein Chips (At Kroger in the health food section)
Crab Legs (So moist and I drown them in butter)!
Special K20 Protein Water (Gotta be strawberry kiwi)
Very moist, cooked no more than medium ribeye steak
Small amts of popcorn w butter
Dry Roasted Peanuts
Chicken Salad
The insides of tacos and meximelts at Taco Bell
Hillshire Farm Lil' Smokies with a little bbq sauce
Homegrown Tomatoes
Pork ribs with bbq sauce
Corn on the cob with lotsa butter!
Mashed Potatoes

Post Date: 8/11/07 8:28 am

One month ago today, I had my DS.  I think this has been THE longest month of my life!  It has been a month of starting over and learning to do things the DS way!  For the first time in my life, I've been set free from food.  I eat, of course I eat.  But when I eat now it's to nourish my body not to eat every yummy food left in the pantry that day.  

Before my DS:

* I was a sugar-aholic
*I was a salt-aholic
*My stomach was a bottomless pit (seriously)
*I had no control over the foods I ate or how much I would eat
*I was steadily gaining weight everyday
*I was sick of eating, but somehow couldn't bring myself to stop
*I was out of control in all aspect of my life

After my DS:

*I eat because I have to just to make sure I get enough protein during the day
*I have portion control for what seems to be the first time in my life
*I can ACTUALLY taste my food and ENJOY it while I'm eating it
*There are very few foods that I can't eat, but I find myself gravitating towards proteins
*I'm steadily losing weight everyday all the while eating what I want
*I no longer feel guilty when I'm eating
*I feel satisfied after eating 2-3 ounces and I'm not searching the pantry for new food
*I LOVE my scale!!!  
*Lots more things that aren't coming to mind right now!

The DS has given me things that a diet never could.  When I was done eating a meal when I was dieting, I still had the stomach capacity to eat more.  It was a game of willpower, of which I have none!  It's so nice to eat something and be full and actually not *WANT* anything else.  It's awesome that I get to eat foods that taste good and know that it's what my body needs to lose weight.  My splurge this month has been a cup or two of popcorn at nighttime some evenings(which I attribute to giving me enough fiber to firm bathroom issues up).  I did have 3 bites of a snickerdoodle cookie about a week and a half ago, and honestly, it didn't taste good at all.  Other than that it's just been fun walking through the grocery store looking for foods I want and not having to worry about fat content, but looking for protein content.  I eat full flavored foods and fat has become my friend.  Loving the malababsortion that my DS is giving me!!!!  Vitamins aren't a big issue at all.  I've been taking them since day one without issue.  I did just find out that I've not been taking enough calcium because I didn't notice that you had to have TWO pills to get the 400 grams of Calcium citrate.  So, I've only been taking 1000grams of Calcium a day when I thought I was taking 2000mg a day.  Thanks Julie for pointing this out to me!!! 

Anyway, I'm just rambling on, but I think I could go on ALL day about how happy I am with my DS!!! My highest weight was 270, I was 267.8 on the day of surgery, and this morning I saw 232.8 on my scale!  Gotta love losing 35 pounds in 30 days!  Woo HOO!!!  I was wearing size 26 pants with stretch in them, and size 4X shirts.  Today I'm wearing size 22's (no stretch) and 2X shirts.  I'm so glad I made the choice to have the DS, by far my smartest choice to date!!!

Thanks to all of you on this amazing forum who have been here for me every step of the way.  I love all of you and am just as grateful for all of you as I am for having my DS!!!!  I will be updating my 1 month pictures a little later today and changing my avatar as well! 

Veggie Pizza

Take one can (pop open on counter type) croissants
Spread thinly on large cookie sheet
Bake according to directions or until brown and fluffy (about 10 minutes)

Mix 1 tub cream cheese (I like chive), 1 cup sour cream, 1 tsp worchestershire, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tbs garlic power.
Spread on baked crust

Add lots of shredded cheese (cheddar, provalone, cojack)

Then start adding lots of chopped veggies
garden tomatoes, green pepper, cucumber, spinach, whatever!