Vitamins to the rescue!!

Today my VistaVitamins arrived! I looked at the comparison between the Flintstones and the VistaVitamins and it is a pretty amazing difference.

Flinstones VistaVitamins
A 2,500 IU A 10,000 IU
C 60 mg C 240 mg
D 400 IU D 800 IU
E 15 IU E 100 IU
Thiamin 1.05 mg 24 mg
Riboflavin 1.2 mg 26 mg
Niacin 13.5 mg 32 mg
B6 1.05 mg 28 mg
Folic Acid 300 mg 800 mg
B12 4.5 mg 240 mcg

VistaVitamins also include mineral supplements (with calcium and potassium in this group) in addition to vitamin K.

I may become turbo-charged!!!! ....let's hope with a full head of hair!! LOL

Procrastination is just another word for mind games

I've been asked at least four times the past 2 weeks if I'd have the lapband surgery all over again---

Yes!!

Why?

1. It has already improved my health---I feel better, sleep better, and look better (except for the hair thing going on! but I ordered some super-duper turbo-charged vitamins that will supposedly rectify the problem. Whose idea was it anyway to "prescribe" children's Flintstones?)
2. It has been easier than I thought it would be---I don't wake up with instantaneous thoughts about what all I am going to eat that day---because I've made a food routine for myself with food that tastes good, I'm satisfied and not hungry and can focus on other things.
3. It has been a type of mental "surgery"---it was time to quit playing mind games with myself about "someday" I'll get serious about a diet..."someday" I'll start eating healthy..."someday" I'll lose the weight. I was out of control and had been for a very long time.

I know I don't have a family to cook for on a daily basis. Honestly, I don't think it would matter. I've made some of my foods for my family and they've loved it. Ashley was wild about a Chicken and Wild Rice soup I made and Mother liked it, too. Lisa, Lori, Mother, Kari, and Warren loved the Quick Chili I made. Kari and Warren were crazy about the Chicken with Tomato Feta Sauce. Salads always help round out a meal or steamed/roasted veggies. See? They can eat the same things I can eat!

Friday's on my way home from school has become my time to stop and get groceries. Saturdays and Sundays have become my days for getting food prepared for the next week---something to take for lunch and something to eat for supper. Sometimes I do it all in one day and sometimes I spread it out over both days. Just depends on how busy I am doing other work over the weekend. I always keep shaved turkey and ham on hand so I can take a quick half sandwich in an emergency. I've started making a little jug of Crystal Lite lemonade and keeping it in the fridge. I always have protein bars with me (except for the one time I needed it with Nurse Vampire!). I always have a bottle of water with me. Yes, more thought and effort goes in to making sure I have the right kinds of food on hand (I'm never without tomatoes or o.j., for example), but the payoff is that it keeps temptation at bay.

...and, yes, there are things I need to improve: more water daily and exercise!!!...but I'm aware and make conscious efforts such as parking further away from the front door of someplace I need to shop....filling my water bottle up immediately after I empty it when I'm at school....making sure I've got a glass of water with lime out at home...stopping and using the rubber band thing when I walk by it at home.

To those of you considering and thinking about....quit playing the mind games with yourself. Go have a consultation with a bariatric doctor/surgeon. Get the insurance paperwork started. Excuses are just a cover-up....and procrastination is just another word for mind games that you play with yourself to avoid doing what is right for you. It is a selfish thing to not make yourself as healthy as possible for your children and grandchildren.

50 is the new 40....or how to not look old

An article caught my eye recently about a book that is titled "How Not to Look Old." Considering my hair is a mess (this is due to hair loss---which is freaking me out!!!), my eyeglasses look dated, I just wear the bare minimum of makeup to school (which gives that aged look), my eyelashes no longer curl (they just stick out straight---which gives that aged look, too! could be that I'm not wearing mascara on a daily basis like I used to), sagging eyelids (I so need some plastic surgery for this!)---wondering what else I was missing in the "aged look" department, I figured I'd better read the article.

Don't do this or you'll look like an OLD LADY:

1. Don't wear lipliner (omgosh!!! I love wearing lipliner!! So much that when my favorite, perfect color, Aria, was "retired" from BeautiControl, I bought all that Vickie could track down for me--about 7 or so.)
2. Don't wear dark lipstick (well, I just ordered TWO lipsticks in my new favorite color: raisinberry--and it's not on the light color side!)
3. Don't wear eyeglass chains (you'll never catch me using those things!!! Mainly because they scream "Marian the Librarian"!!!!)
4. Don't wear heavy foundation (I think I'm ok here, but I probably need to look for that "light-reflecting" makeup.)
5. Don't wear granny pants (polyester knit with elastic waist!) or mommy jeans (high rise?) (**rolling my eyes**)
6. Don't wear your hair parted down the middle (hey...I'm kinda sensitive about the hair thing right now---it's parting on the side, but I'm feeling more and more like it's a female comb-over!!! God help me!! What did I do to deserve this?? I don't see anything on the list that says I can't wear a wig.)
7. Don't have gray or white eyebrows (oh, lord! I've notice that mine are fading away!!!! Luckily they have makeup for that and I use it---just not on a daily basis)
8. Don't wear dragon-lady nails (are you kidding me?? I'm too attached to my laptops!!)
9. Don't wear hair too long (define too long---past the ears? past the shoulders?)
10. Don't wear helmet hair (God forbid...I'll never!)
11. Don't wear red fingernail polish (I used to! I try to keep it very neutral/pastel WHEN I actually take the time to wear nail polish--which is about once a year!)
12. Don't wear ballet flats or Uggs (don't own a pair of either, so I guess I'm good)
13. Don't wear too matchy-matchy clothes (you know---those sweater-shell sets...ugh!)
14. Don't wear metallic shimmery colors (I try to stick to neutral colors that enhance the blue eyes---I know better than to slather on the blue eye shadow! Ugh...crepey eyelids...)
15. Don't wear black eyeliner (I don't...I have a soft grey color)

Do this to give that YOUNGER look
1. Wear bangs (ok...Gwen cut me some a few weeks ago...and this was before I'd read the article. Was she subtly telling me I was looking old??)
2. Wear sexy heals (Good lord....I'd love to, BUT I'd probably fall down and break the not-yet-healed ankle!)
3. Wear a bra that lifts the girls up between your shoulders and your elbows (Got 'em....now if they'll just shrink about two sizes---ok, realistically, is that going to happen?? Hmmm....may need to consider surgery in that area, too!)
4. Whiten your teeth (Anyone recommend the at-home whitening products that work?)
5. Wear skirts just a tad below the knee (I don't have a skirt in my closets. I do have two new dresses that I haven't worn yet....and, thankfully, they are the "appropriate" length! I must have subconsciously known they'd make me younger! ha)
6. Eat right (I am--but I'm at a stand-still on losing. I've got another fill scheduled for the 5th)
7. Exercise (I'm not---but I was--well, a tiny bit now, but not enough to count cause it's just with the rubber band thing for upper body resistance. I hope to get back to Curves soon.)
8. Wear fashionable plastic eyeglass frames (I bought TWO pair on Monday!! I love 'em! Black with zebra stripes on the inside and a pewter metallic design with split ear pieces---cause my old pair were rimless wires and that means OLD LADY looking!)
9. Lighten hair a shade or two (this is easy for those who don't have black hair...can you imagine if I lightened my hair??)
10. Wear pink lipstick (I did....before I ordered the raisinberry! I don't remember it making me look young and hip! btw...she says Clinique Bamboo Pink is the shade to wear...I'll be ordering some off E-bay ASAP!)
11. Wear SPANX (I intend to...one of these days....after more weight loss...only it won't be the bras because Lisa had an "experience" with one and I want to avoid THAT! I won't go in to details, but needless to say it wasn't a pretty sight! LOL)

so...all of my age 35+ friends....now I'm just a few years older than you! ;)

Protein

I mentioned needing to up the daily protein. I was told that hair loss is a sign that one isn't getting enough. Considering that protein is a basic for a healthy body, building muscle, blood, skin, nails, immune system, not to mention internal organs, I've got to really pay attention that I'm not "taking the easy way out" by eating low-cal things that aren't providing protein.

Of course, meats, eggs and milk provide a lot of protein. Here are some things you can eat(without having to visit some speciality store or order online) to add a significant amount of protein to your daily diet without adding very many calories:

• Yoplait Thick & Creamy Lowfat Yogurt 7g (my fav is strawberry or strawberry/banana or crème caramel)
• Kellog’s Special K Protein Meal Bar 10 g (I love the chocolate and peanut butter)
• Breakstone’s 2% Milkfat Small Curd Lowfat Cottage Cheese Snack Size (4 oz. or ½ c.) 11 g (mix it with ½ c. of your fav. flavor of sugar-free jello—I like black cherry)

Going for the 2nd fill....

ok...so I made the appt. to have my 2nd fill on Feb. 5th. While I'd been sorta waffling about having it done, I knew I was reaching the point where I'm beginning to NOT feel full after a meal, however, the biggest influence in deciding to go ahead was caused by my visit to my eye doctor on Monday. Turns out she'd had lapband surgery in March of last year. She's lost 60 lbs. and wants to lose another 40. She's had 3 slippages of the band and is having it replaced in 2 weeks. She said she never exercises and that she sometimes goes all day without eating!! I don't know how she goes without eating! I would be physically ill, I think. Hearing about the bad experience of someone else just makes me more determined to get the weight off.

I'm having to really work on getting more protein in my body because I've started losing hair!! I cannot afford to do this as menopause and/or family genes have not been nice to me. I am currently NOT liking my hair at all!!! I got a cut over the holidays and it's rather shaggy. It looks so good when Gwen fixes it, but I'm too lazy to get up and actually blow dry it (gad....I used to actually fix my hair every day---full makeup every day---pantyhose every day!!) or use a diffuser, so I just use mousse and hope for the best.

More changes...

1. I'm sad....Wal-mart in Bonham is no longer carrying my favorite crunchy, salty snack!! The local grocery doesn't carry them either. :( These things are what really helped me in my first month after surgery.

2. My arms feel closer to my sides---instead of stuck out like a Macy's Thanksgiving Day balloon.

3. For some reason my thighs felt skinnier this week, too. I notice it when I'm walking.

4. I am actually wearing a size smaller pant---I wore my others until they were just ridiculous looking--literally flapping in the breeze! I've bought 2 new pair for school, but I'm still "shopping" out of my closet. I've taken several pieces of clothing to a co-worker at school. She was thrilled with the 2 pr. of dress pants that I took her.

5. It was nice to have several spontaneous compliments from co-workers this week! One told me I was looking younger and my face was looking thinner. Another gave me a hug and told me she is so proud of me for doing this. My principal has been very supportive and seems like she makes a comment at least once a week that she's noticing I'm still losing. I saw Rickey & Vickie just before we started back to school....and they were both complimentary also. I just can't repeat what Rickey said! LOL

6. I'm beginning to not feel as full and satisfied after eating, so that means I need to have another fill. I'll have to call and schedule one. I'm just not sure that I'm mentally ready.

Holiday excitement...

I haven't even thought about checking to see if I've lost 2 more lbs. during the holidays....have had no eating schedule at all what with the travel to Lisa's for Christmas, travel to Hope, AR (to take Warren & Jake to the Crater of Diamonds), and a day-trip to take Warren to Sam Rayburn House and him and Jake to Ft. Washita, OK. I've tried to be careful about what I eat when we were out. Had my first hamburger during that time....too much of a hassle for me to eat one more than a few times a year! The top bun is just too much. Headed to the bathroom, but I felt it finally go down before I got there. Ended up just pinching off the bun as I went. Tried eating a biscuit at Cracker Barrel with breakfast of egg beaters and bacon....barely made it to the bathroom before I threw it up! They are just too soft and squishy! Makes me dread having a 2nd fill! I'll have to make sure I really, really, really chew meat well. Don't have it scheduled...am thinking that end of January/early February might be the time.

My surgeon ordered bloodwork to be done before the end of the year in order to check that I'm getting enough nutrition. So on the 26th I head to my regular doctor in Denison early (since I had to fast)...they tell me that it is a lot of bloodwork and they can't even do some it (why? aren't they only drawing it out of me??)...so had to go to the plebotomist in the hospital....who also exclaimed over how much bloodwork was ordered. At this point, I'm worried....I know I'm not hydrated enough if Nurse Vampire is commenting on how much blood needs to be drawn. She puts in a "butterfly" in the left arm and proceeds to draw 4 vials. The "well" dries up before she can get a syringe in to pull out more. So she tries to get a good vein on the right....not having any luck. And then it hit me!!! Gad!! Sweating profusely, very weak.....and I told her I felt it coming. It got so bad that another nurse had to come hold me in the chair! Had to start doing the slow, deep breathing. I honestly felt like I could just slither on to the floor into a puddle! I never felt dizzy or saw spots, but I knew if I tried to stand up that I'd probably faint. I just wanted to lay down! Finally, I was able to get up and go lay down on an EKG table nearby. Nurse Vampire took advantage and stuck me on the forearm and drew 4 more vials of blood. I had to call Kari & Warren to come and get me! Nurse V. brought me a small glass of water and some nasty o.j., but I drank it anyway. I hope I don't have to do this on a regular basis....I really meant to make sure I drank enough water before bed the night before and after I got up, but in all the Christmas hustle bustle, I just didn't.

After Kari & Warren head home tomorrow, I'm going to clean out my closets of clothes that are just too big---I'll keep some just to slouch around in at home....and I have to keep at least one pair of pants for comparison purposes later.

I'm headed back to a regular schedule tomorrow when I send home all the extra food stuff with Kari & Warren.