Down 18

So I have lost a total of 18lbs since surgery and have decided that I am going to make myself walk and exercise every day.  I didn't go through all of this to just sit around and NO ONE is going to help me BUT ME!!!  The holidays are over and there is nothing holding me back.  

My next Doctors appointment is January 20th and I want to be down another 15lbs by then.  I can do it.  Look what I set my mind to do as far as getting my surgery done.  So at 10 and 2 every day, I will get up from my desk and take a nice long walk. It would be nice if I had someone to walk with, but I can't depend on anyone but myself.

2-3 lbs per Week

So I am averaging weight loss of 2-3 lbs per week.  The more I exercise the more I lose. I am pretty much able to eat most meats, fruits and veggies.  Hotdogs are a NO! I just need to make sure I remove the skin.  Hotdog skin gets hard a rubbery and that jut sits in the stomach so it's irritating.  The same goes for the skin on veggies and fruits.

It's hard getting myself to exercise and really need to find a walking/exercise buddy.  With the weather getting colder it's even harder to motivate myself and the truth is the cold shouldn't bother me because I hate being hot!!! I need to just suck it up and do it.  I am walking at work though, but it's still not enough.

Post-Op Check Up

So today was my 2 week post-operative check up and I have lost 12 pounds since surgery. 25 pounds total since I started the liquid diet 2 weeks prior to surgery.  The doctor told me they want me to start walking 3 miles per day.  Okay right now I can barely do 1 mile. So I have to figure out how to get more walking in but break it up through the day.  I figure I can walk on my breaks and then for an hour after work.  I just don't want to do too much like I did in the hospital and not be able to walk because I'm in pain.

So starting tomorrow I have to start taking my supplements consisting of:

• 1000mcg of B12 once a week
• Calcium citrate (1500 mg/day)  This should be taken 3 times a day 500 mg each dose and she be taken separate from my multivitamin and iron.
• Multivitamin with Iron once a day, preferably with meals.

All of the above have to be chewable except the B12 that needs to be sublinqual.

My diet for the next 3 weeks will consist of soft/mushy food in the following amounts:

• 1 oz of meat
• 1 Tablespoon Fruit
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetables

When eating animal protein, they want me to start with Ground meat consistency (beef, pork, chicken,turkey, etc), then gradually increase to pulled or shredded consistency before trying whole pieces. Some other protein choices are:

• cottage cheese
• meatballs
• thin sliced deli meats
• sea food
• scrambled eggs
• chili

Examples of some vegetables:  well cooked, no tough skins, no big seeds

• sweet potato
• potato 
• canned green beans
• asparagus tops
• spinach
• carrots
• beets
• broccoli/cauliflower tops

Examples of fruits:

• banana
• canned fruit - light syrup
• kiwi fruit
• mango
• fresh fruit with skin peeled (apples/peaches/pears/nectarines)
• peeled grapes
• unsweetened applesauce
• watermelon
• cantaloupe
• honeydew
• papaya
• strawberries

I am currently cooking a pot of chicken (ground chicken) vegetable soup and have also made some egg salad that I can eat with a cracker, yes just 1 cracker.  LOL 

Liquid Diet is coming to an end

I am down 11 pounds since surgery, which averages about 1 lb per day right now.  It would probably be more if I was getting all the walking in that I am supposed to be.  Walking starts TODAY!  I have also decided when I go back to work I will start taking my breaks and go for a walk.  Everyone needs to step away from their desks. I will also make sure I walk 1 mile every night after work regardless of how tired I am.  This is a commitment I have made to myself and I refuse to allow even me to break a commitment.

My liquid diet is slowly coming to an end.  Starting Tuesday I will be on pureed foods (ground turkey, ground beef, chicken), soft foods, fruits and vegetables (no skin) and then slowly adding crunchy foods.  A meal will contain 1 tbsp of Protein, 1 tbsp vegetables and 1 tbsp of fruit.  I know it doesn't sound like much, but to me it sounds like a lot.  Plus 2 protein shakes per day. I also have to drink 48 to 64 oz of water per day.  It doesn't sound like a lot but it is.  I also need to stop drinking 30 minutes before eating and can't drink again until 30-45 minutes after eating.  You don't want to wash the food out of the stomach.  You want to keep your stomach full for as long as possible.

5 Pounds

I am down 5 pounds since surgery. Eating really isn't a problem, but I truly get satisfied after 2 small spoonfuls of soup. It takes me about 30 minutes to eat 4 ounces of creamed soup. I prefer room temperature beverages over cold. 

My legs are still a little sore from all the walking I did in the hospital but I am getting up and walking.  Just not a mile at a time.  Yesterday I walked half a mile in the morning and half a mile in the evening.  Today I have already walked .75 miles and will walk more later.  I just don't want to make myself hurt and then not be able to walk because I know how important walking is to my weight loss and recovery.

No lifting of more than 10 lbs leaves me not much to do.  I would love to be decorating for the holidays, but I guess it will have to wait. 

Over all I think I'm doing a great job with my walking, protein and water intake.