Watch your NOSE

Yes, you heard me right. You can monitor your fullness ol' WLS buddies by paying attention to your nose, at least I can. When I have overeaten, i.e. filled my pouch to the brim, my nose will let me know. It will start to run. Why do I say this? Because after nearly 1.75 years post weigh loss surgery, there are things that you learn and watch for to keep yourself in check. One of my markers - my nose. Running = not good. There are other markers that you will likely notice, again everyone is different, but the runny nose, the heart beating faster (sugar correspondence), etc. You need to learn not only listen to your inner voice, but also what your body is telling you. And, frankly, sometimes that is a very hard thing to actually do.

So, Happy Halloween to all of your out there, and watch your nose - tonight is a tough night for those with kiddos and without - faced with the prospect of free flowing candy. I plan to indulge in a piece or two, but fill my pouch with some good old fashioned protein prior to subjecting myself to the basket o'candy. And, I do have to say, since WLS, I am a much better candy-giver-outer, given my overall goal is to get rid of it by the end of the night. Last year, I handed out so much candy, I had to resort to searching cabinets for treats by the end of the night for the last few beggars. 

Be safe, make mindful choices, and watch your nose!

Beany Brownies and Pregnancy

One more thing that has helped my pregnancy eating (WLS-friendly) and packed with protein, have been bean brownies. I wrote about black bean brownies earlier this summer, whereas a few weeks ago, I discovered a white bean blondies recipe. I followed the Chocolate Covered Katie Blondies Recipe, which contains white beans, peanut butter, a tad bit of oatmeal, and chocolate chips. You can substitute stevia or Splenda for the brown sugar (or the Splenda blend). It is also a delicious recipe - if you can't stop yourself from eating cookie dough. The reason - no raw eggs. Check her out - www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com and remember, this is not a perfect site for post-WLS folks, but it is a great launching point for healthy alternative desserts or if you are looking for a place to start and make them WLS - friendly. As, I don't know about you, but I got a little sick of the Greek yogurt cheesecake recipes I have been making for the last year and a half. It gives you a great knowledge base.

Pregnancy - 30 Weeks

Since this summer, I have been absent (again) from this blog. Primarily, I would say it is because being pregnant and post-WLS has been challenging. Honestly, challenging. I have been very good at my eating choices, most of the time. But, there have been moments or days, where a cup of cereal with milk sounds like an outstanding choice or "just one cookie" won't hurt. There have been days where I literally have to talk to myself out loud to "walk away" from the kitchen, given my state of mind. But, mostly, it has been a balanced approach. One thing that truly helped was going to my bariatric dietitian. She was really realistic and plainly said, "you need to eat, so that you can grow a baby." Clearly, this was not a mandate to blow any strategy I currently had, but it was a realistic reminder that during pregnancy, you are growing a baby. Growing another human being inside of your body. Another thing that has greatly helped is exercise - I just feel better when I have exercised. I had been doing a lot of swimming, but then with a pinched nerve, I migrated to Aqua Jogging or literally, running in the water with a lot of squats. I cannot express the help this has been to my joints, swelling, varicose veins, and overall mental health. Exercise works, and despite my panic each time the scale goes up at the OB's office, I know that it is better than it would have been without the exercise. Yet, I still get moments of terror that somehow I am going slip and suddenly be over 300 pounds. But, then I take a breath. And, another. And, one more.