Velvet Chicken

Jun 19, 2009

Ingrediants:

Chicken breast or diced chicken tenderloins
2 Onions finely chopped
6 mushrooms the size of the palm of your hand finely chopped
2 tablespoons of butter
1 packet of chopped frozen spinach
Cream  (about half to 3/4 cup.....I just guess it)
Cheese (I use shredded pizza cheese)

In a frypan I sautee the finely chopped onion in thebutter, and then add the finely chopped mushrooms and cooked for a bit, then add the finely chopped spinach (I used the pre-chopped freezer stuff), I cook that till the spinach defrosts and it is all mixed together and then I add the cream, take it off the direct heat and add a handfull or two of the cheese and stirr for a few minutes till the cheese melted.

I heat the oven to about 180-200c, I mix chicken with the above mixture and place  in a cassarole dish, top with cheese and then baked in the oven for 40mins....yum!!!!  I can highly recommend this!!!  There is lots of leftovers that I put in containers to eat at various times during the week....it also freezes well!
0 comments

Baseless Pizza

Jun 19, 2009

This is a great low carb recipe.

Cook a chicken breast and let it cool a bit, then slice it and place it on an/in a baking pan.  Top with sliced olives, peppers, tomatoe paste, onion, pineapple, mozzerella cheese and pepperoni and bake in the oven.  It is absolutely fantastic, so tasty and low carb!

Try it and see how you go, you use the sliced chicken as the base and top with what you want and finish it off with the tomatoe paste and mozzerella basically.  I can highly recommend this....easy as!
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Quick Scallop & Prawns in basil, garlic and ginger

Mar 29, 2009

My husband and I eat this receipe often, it is so good and so simple and quick to make;

shelled green prawns
scallops

tablespoon of butter (may 2 depending on the quantity of seafood)
and out of those handy dandy jars you buy at the supermarket a tablespoon each of crushed garlic & ginger, 1/2 teaspoon of chilli and a really big squeeze of the tubed basil (you can use fresh), heat these ingrediants together

Add the prawns, cook for 2 minutes
Add the scallops, stir and squeese in some lemon juice, I probably put in 2-3 tablespoons.

Now cover and cook for 2 minutes.

Serve......it is delicious!!!!!
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Stalls are not all bad

Feb 28, 2009

I decided I would write this post today for the newbies and for those are experiencing their very first stalls.  As you all know I have crowned myself the Queen of Stalls, although I would be more than happy to give that crown away.

We have all been in stalls, some have them when they come out of hospital, some at 3 weeks, some at 3 months, some every other month we all get worried and think  'what if I am the one that this surgery isn't going to work for' and because we hear so much about the so called 'honeymoon period' . Well, just stop right there, this surgery will work for you it is a tool, not an answer to all your problems you have to learn about how your tool works and how your body works. 

I have to tell you I am not a big believer in the 'honeymoon' period.  Yes you will lose more weight in the beginning, but you are heavier so you burn more calories just doing your daily tasks, but as you lose weight the loss of 1lb will change your physical appearance more than it did at a heavier weight.  And, if you want to lose more weight you will just have to change your habits and increase your exercise.  Remember this is a learning journey and the biggest one you are taking in your life, you are re-educating you.

I am just coming out of another 3 weeks stall, this is the 3rd major stall I have had in my 7 month weight loss journey.  Altogether during my journey I have been stalled for 10 of my 33 weeks.  That means I have been stalled almost a third of my weight loss journey and I have still lost 115lbs.  I don't panic when it happens now, I watch my body, stalls are the time when it is likely to most change.  When it happens I stick to plan, track everything I eat because then I know I have not done anything wrong, mix my diet up a little so my body does not get to know my pattern and start functioning to that pattern and keep on going cause I know it will drop.

When you are in a stall this is the time you must remain most positive, even thought it can be tough, I tend to post less in a stall, but I read every day and I do post.   I also do more positive thinking and even affirmations to work on my mental strength.  Eventually, the stall breaks and down I go.  The stall is perhaps one of your greatest periods of learning and it is preparing you for the rest of your life welcome it, however hard it is.

So relax, take it easy, stick to plan and just know it will drop.
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Shredded beef mexican style crockpot receipe

Jan 23, 2009

2lb beef (I usually get chuck steak or gravy beef, but anything will do, just remove the fat)
1 packet of burritto seasoning
Water (normally I would just add a cup, but after WLS I found it useful to cover it with water, then before I shred I drain most of the liquid off and use it as a stock for soups or as a soup)

Put it all together, turn the crockpot on and cook it for like 8 hours, then you shred it with a couple of forks.  I then put it in portion size containers and freeze.  It take 90secs to reheat it in the microwave and then I add cheese and a little sour cream.......so yummy.

You can also use the meat as a chilli base, just add a few kidney beans and a hint of chilli and there you have it.
1 comment

6th Month Surgiversary!

Jan 13, 2009

Today is my 6 month surgiversary!  Yeah for me!

I am down 47.3kg, which is over 104.1lbs.  I have lost a total of 181cm, that is taller than most of you on here and this translates to 71.5 inches.  How amazing is that!

I still have a long way to go, but heck, I am going to get there!  I was hoping for 50kg by today, but alas it is not to be.  I am in yet again another stall, but oh well, that is all part of the process and one day soon it will come off, I just have to keep going.  Newbies, don't be discouraged when you have a stall......as most know I am the Queen of Stalls, you stick to plan and you will eventually go down.

Calendar Month's Records
Pre-op weight   194kg/426lbs
Day of surgery   184.5kg/407lbs)                       Loss 9.5kg/19lbs       Total Loss 9.5kg/19lbs
1st month          173.9kg/382.5lbs      Monthly Loss 10.6kg/24.5lbs   Total Loss 20.1kg/43.5lbs
2nd month         165.2kg/363.4lbs      Monthly Loss  8.7kg/19.1lbs    Total Loss  28.8kg /62.6lbs
3rd month          162.6kg/357.7lbs      Monthly Loss  2.6kg/5.7lbs      Total Loss 31.4kg/68.3lbs
4th month          153.8kg/338.3lbs      Monthly Loss  8.8kg/19.3lbs    Total Loss 40.2kg/88.5lbs
5th month          151.4kg/333lbs         Monthly Loss  2.4kg/5.3lbs       Total Loss 42.6kg/93.7lbs
6th month          146.7kg/322.7lbs      Monthly Loss 4.7kg/10.3lbs     Total Loss  47.3kg/104.1lbs

This is a wild ride, I have learnt so much.......about me, about diet and nutrition, about how much I can actually enjoy living.....so, so, so much!  Most of all I love the freedom that VSG has given me and the fact that I am liberated from the oppression of food.
3 comments

4 month surgiversary

Nov 14, 2008

Well I have reached the 4 month mark and what a journey this has been, later in this post for the newbies I am going to list my greatest learnings.  However, I thought I would post my monthly weight losses first;

Pre-op weight          194kg/426lbs                                                                                                                 Day of surgery         184.5kg/407lbs)       Loss 9.5kg/19lbs                      Total Loss 9.5kg/19lbs
1st month                 173.9kg/382.5lbs    Monthly Loss 10.6kg/24.5lbs   Total Loss 20.1kg/43.5lbs
2nd month                165.2kg/363.4lbs    Monthly Loss  8.7kg/19.1lbs   Total Loss  28.8kg /62.6lbs
3rd month                 162.6kg/357.7lbs    Monthly Loss  2.6kg/5.7lbs      Total Loss 31.4kg/68.3lbs
4th month                 153.8kg/338.3lbs    Monthly Loss  8.8kg/19.3lbs    Total Loss 40.2kg/88.5lbs

They are interesting, aren't they, particularly the 3rd month, where I seemed to have endless stalls and like we all do thought the famous 'am I going to be the one this surgery does not work for'.  So, I asked myself why etc.  Firstly, in the first few months I was doing my nutritionists balanced approach to dieting and that worked for me, but then I started stalling and I had to change take.  So what did I do, I listened to some of our very wise OH family and upped the protein, reduced the carbs and increased the water and that was at the beginning of month 4, the results speak for themselves.

Ok, some of my learnings;

1)  Track everything you eat on one of the calorie counting sites, here in Aus, I use calorieking.com.au.  It was the beginning of month 4 I did this too and wow, what a difference it make, I am now the tracking queen.  I used to think this was a joke, but it is not.
2)  Drink lots of water/liquid.  I increased from 2 litres to 3 litres a day, that works too.  For the newbies, you will be able to drink more further out.  I do this, I start the day with a glass of water when I take my pills.  I have a 1.5lt jug at work that I fill with water and a cup that hold half of it in a sitting.  I make up diet peach tea cordial in it and make myself drink the jug over the course of the day.  When I get home I only have 1 litre to go, which I do over the course of the evening...sip, sip, sip. 
3)  High protein, low carb works best for me.  I really do have a low tolerance for carbs, this I have definately learnt.  So I keep mine under 20g a day.  On the Atkins site there is a great list of foods and their carb quantities, plus another good article about finding you optimum carb level.
4)  Get a good sleep every night.  I know this sounds weird, but I am convinced this also helps.
5)  This is a new one for me.......exercise, I have just started to do laps in the pool, well my version of laps, I run/moonwalk.  It is very low impact, but really good for you because of the water resistence.  I have really bad knees and the pool works for this.  I am still waiting to get to a weight I can use my WiFit.
6)  This is really important, set little goals for yourself to achieve, so that every week or two you achieve a goal, it helps you focus and you feel like you are achieving and that boost you for the next goal.  Here are a couple of my current goals...8lbs to WiFit, 11.5lbs to 100lbs, 3.8kg to be under 150kg, only a few more pounds to 7 stone lost.  I think in a multiple of measure to achieve goals and then I celebrate each one.

Most of all I want to say, this surgery has liberated me, it has freed me from a life of pain and ill health.  I can now participate in life, rather than watch it and that is amazing. 

Increasing metabolism and food combinations

Sep 12, 2008

I have had a lot of questions as to what I am eating and what my nutritionist recommends, so in response I have posted this;

Firstly, let me say that my nutritionist believes in a balanced diet, so he pushes that we eat a variety of foods rather than pushing the protein.  This process is about life long living, we benefit more in the long run with a balanced diet and ultimately we will be healthy.  Secondly, he and my surgeon believe that eating more frequent, but smaller meals is much better for you.  So I eat 6-7 times a day, usually 2-3 hours apart.  You might want to say 3 meals and 3-4 snacks, but in reality they are much the same size wise.  And, you might ask why do this well to process food your body has to burn fuel, so you make it burn more by spreading your eating across the day, in other words eating stimulates the metabolism and it is the metabolism that burns fat.  So the more often you eat, the more stimulated your body is and you lose more weight......caution here......eating should be translated into good food not fatty food etc, but I really don't have to say anything on that.  The other obvious thing is exercise, as activity speeds your metabolism up as when you exercise the body builds up muscle thus increasing your metabolism, but as we know muscle weighs more than fat, so when you do this you lose inches rather than pounds often.

Going back to the nutritionist, he pushes balance because he believes that we have to look at all bodily functions and the prevention of disease and reduction in the risk of other things such as cancer and bowel problems.  He pushes to work toward having the following number of serves of the various food groups a day.  Here goes;   up to 4 serves breads, cereals and grains (rice, oats, barley, millet, buckwheat, couscous), non-starchy vegetables 2-3 cups a day if you can, up to 1 serve of starchy vegetables (potatoe, corn, yam), he says 3 serves of fruit a day (not juice unless it is prune juice as the other juice tends to have too much sugar), 11/2 serves of dairy ,  1 serve of protein this equals 100grams (cooked) and can be spread over the day.  You are also allowed 70 calories in fats or treats, now this equates to for example 2 teaspoons of butter, 1 flat tablespoon of full cream or sour cream,3 teaspoons mayonnaise, 3 squares of chocolate, 1 small scoop of icecream, 1 cream biscuit.  Of course, if you go light you can have more.  Oh and at least 1.5 ltres of water a day for the smaller person or more if you are big like me.  So, he likes us to work on getting in 1,000 calories a day.  I don't count calories, but am aware of them.

I am not that obediant really, so, here is a pretty typical day for me;

Breakfast   usually around 7.15am 1 large glass of prune juice with my meds and I add a capful of liquid silica for the hair and nails (am paranoid about losing my hair)  Now I start the day with liquid because we often have trouble waking our sleeves in the morning and prune juice it starts me off gently and sets my body in motion for hopefully later in the day, plus lots of good fiber.  If I have been having nausea issues or anything, apart from my meds I take a some ginger in pills or capsules, although fresh is good.
Snack number 1 usually around 8.15am when I get to work I have a packet of 'On the Go' lite tasty cheese and crackers, the packets contain 3 pieces of cheese and 3 water crackers.....just enough.
Snack number 2  around 10.30 I might have a small snack pack of diced peaches
Lunch around 12.30pm say a tin of Campbell's minestone  or vegetable and barley soup which equals maybe 3/4 cup or there abouts, takes 90sec to heat in the microwave in a bowl I know that (this gives me veges).
Snack number 3 around 3pm I might have a diet creme caramel or a small youghurt
Dinner around 5.30/6pm maybe 3 cruskits (crispbreads of the light kind) with 80% fat fee cream cheese usually chive and onion and some shaved ham on top, maybe a gerkin or pickle.
Snack 4  a couple of hours later I might have cooked very lean beef patty (depending if I got my protein in or not) or some 4 bean salad.
And, for a treat, not everyday, but maybe a couple of times a week a delicious mini mango Weiss bar which is an icecream bar.

Now I know I am not getting enough veges, but it is still early days for me, so I reckon that will come.  As well as all this I drink lots of white tea during the day and also light green tea.  And, how much have I lost well in Australian language pre and post op 28.7kgs which is 63.14lbs, and tomorrow is my 2 month surgiversary, so that is not bad.


Thoughts on stalling

Aug 29, 2008

8.45am here on a sunny winters day.  As you know I had a stall last week, something that I have lovingly, no scrap that, just let's say I have called a stallorama.  Why, because when you have one, or heaven forbid you gain a little, your whole ugly weight loss history flashes in front of your eyes like a panoramic snapshot.....ie you can see it all!!!!  And, it scares the crap (excuse my grafficness) out of you.  You immediately think, 'am I the one this surgery is not going to work for' or 'here we go again', and what happens you get down on yourself.  Now that is not good.  Why because down equals the need to console, console often equals eat!!!!!!!  (Sometimes I wish you could add sound effects to these posts, because I would like you to add a loud crash to eat).

Now for most of us, when this happen logic tells us with the little we are eating that it is not possible to not be losing weight or we do something worse and start to think well I ate this or that, or I did not have enough of this or that....well think back folks to when you were eating heaps and to now and the reality is it is pretty hard to fit enough in to have a major catastrophic event.....unless you eat a couple of gallons of extra creamy icecream....now who would even contemplate that......damm pick me, but only if it was there and only if someone offered it to me and only if a really bad self emerged.  Actually now I probably wouldn't, but in the past I may have, even worse I might have consumed a bottle of really good wine.....eek all those calories..

Well I spent last week and this week relecting on the stallorama and decided to analyse the way the body was feeling last week and this week (I have broken the stall) and it was very interesing, so I thought I would share it will you.

1)  Last week, mid stallorama - I really felt like I wasn't losing weight, I felt fat, actually heavy is probably more like it.  I was a bit bloated and my rings were not moving on my hands, but I wasn't doing anything wrong, or if I had anything slightly questionable (like 2 french fries) it was not enough to make a difference in weight loss.  But, I did feel my body was changing as the stalling week progressed, but I was still heavy.
2)  This week as the stall was breaking - I felt like I was losing weight, my body did not feel as heavy, my rings were getting looser, I was eating the same things (ok no french fries, but heck the week before was only 2).  I felt like my body was changing and I really felt like I was going down and I was.

So what does this mean and here comes my theory which confirms some of what others have said......

If the body and I believe it does rearranges the fat as we lose weight, and if the body takes a rest and a big sigh for a minute it makes sense we would stall even gain a little.  How would the body rearrange fat, how would it take a rest......wouldn't it keep the fluid we drink to help move it or to feed itself, like having a glass of water on a hot day.  I reckon it would.  And when the stall breaks and you start loosing wouldn't you feel it again as your body started to dump the fluid and give up the weight.  I reckon it would.

So, I am going to treat my theory and that of other wise souls really as a reality for me.  I am going to try to not stress out about the stall or even a slight gain, especially when I know I have been good, change that to eating well, as I reckon good and bad are words that in our weightloss histories have meant other things and that period of our lives is done and dusted, gone for good, we can never be the person we were again, we have a tool that allows us freedom.


Post op consultation 5 Aug, 08

Aug 04, 2008

Saw my surgeon today, Dr Mark Daoud.  He is happy with my progress as am I.  Mind you this week I only lost .6kg or 1.2lbs, I did not do anything wrong, but this was my first week on purees.  If anything I reckon I might not be eating enough.  I have thrown up 3 times now since moving to purees.  Adjusting to eating slowly and knowing when I am full.  I'll get there however.  The best thing is I feel free for the first time in my life, it is liberating, food is no longer controlling me, but Me and my sleeve are in controll.....yippee!!!!!!

About Me
Sherwood, XX
Location
44.6
BMI
Jun 07, 2008
Member Since

Friends 95

Latest Blog 10
4 month surgiversary
Increasing metabolism and food combinations
Thoughts on stalling
Post op consultation 5 Aug, 08

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