Is Being Fat The Worst A Person Can Be?

  On my way in to work this morning I was having some pretty bad self esteem issues. I started thinking that I had failed at this weight loss surgery. I started thinking that I am one of those people who has the surgery, loses a bunch of weight and then gains it all back, plus some. But in reality, I have only gained back a small amount and I know I can get it back off.  I started thinking to myself, is being fat the worse thing a person can be? So many people in our society make fat people out to be the worst people alive. What I say to them is, Am I a murderer? NO! Am I a thief? NO! Am I dishonest? NO!
  What I am is Smart! Funny! Kind! Honest! Trustworthy! And many more great and wonderful things!
  What I am is a woman who struggled with weight issues all her life and then had surgery to help with that. I did lost about 130 pounds. My highest weight being 315 and my lowest being 185. I dealt with transfer addictions, and am still dealing with the aftermath of that. While I was drinking I was at my lowest because I wasn't eating, instead I was drinking. Once I stopped drinking I had to fuel my body with food otherwise my blood sugar would drop and I would have major issues. So as of today I have gained back about 30 of the original pounds I had lost. My therapist said that after two years post WLS, the majority of people will gain 10-20% back of their weight and they will have to try to maintain their weight or get off that 10-20% they gained, but they have a harder time getting it back off. She didn't say they couldn't she just said they have a harder time.
  I eat the proper portions. I do have a hard time staying under the calorie limit my doctor wants me to stay under as I do have a blood sugar issue and it tends to drop many times during the day if I am not eating every hour to two hours. I do admit I am not eating the best things for my body, but hey at least I can admit it. I do have a plan to cut down on the bad things and increase the good things. I am also facing a problem with the good things that I can eat. There is a good chunk of vegetables I can't eat. I don't have a problem with any of the meat proteins except fish so the meat protein we eat is usually chicken breast, lean red meat and pork.
  I noticed last night that the weight I am gaining is in my knees and thighs, and a little in my boobs. A little is in my belly area but not too much. My clothes still fit at the size 12/14. I do notice that my pants fit tighter in the leg area than they used to. My thought is that if I have to go up a size in pants to be able to fit my legs for now while I try to get this yucky regain weight off, then so be it. I won't, however, allow myself to have to buy any more than 1 size up.
  I am determined to get this regain weight off. I do feel a lot healthier now that I am not drinking, than when I was drinking. I can still walk better now than when I was over 300 pounds. I am not prediabetic anymore. My only real health issues are vitamin deficiencies and the low blood sugar.


  SO ONCE AGAIN I ASK: IS BEING FAT THE WORST THING A PERSON CAN BE?

Transfer Addictions

Please no judging of my post as it is hard to come clean to my family and friends but I really need to. I am writing today to talk about a very deep dark subject. I had surgery for Gastric Bypass two years ago. Around December of 2013 I found ALCOHOL. I had my times of drinking in the past but this has become a serious problem since December 2013. I am going to tell you some things that are dear and personal to me but I think it needs to be talked about.

My husband's mother passed away and then a few months later my grandmother passed away. This is how it began. We went to a soup kitchen near our house and decided to sit at the pool hall/bar next door to the soup kitchen to eat our soup. We decided to order a long island. Boy was that a yummy drink. Before this my husband and I never really drank together before. I mean on our honeymoon we had a drink or two, but we never got drunk. That one long island that day led to another and another. Then we kept going back because we really liked the people and the bartenders there. Then we discovered we could buy alcohol and drink at home. We learned how to make "bombs." Bombs are two shots of soda or juice or crystal light and one shot of alcohol. A few of those and we were having a good time. A few more and I would black out and not remember the next day what happened. I have my fair share of bruises from falling down because I was so drunk. I would take baths and drink while bathing and when getting out of the bath I would fall. I fell in to the glass door of our office and broke one of the window panes with my shoulder. Hubby had to pick glass out of it and clean it up for me. I fell out of bed one time and fell on to my laptop and broke it. I ended up with a huge bruise that didn't go away for weeks. I still have a scar from that bruise. We named him Frank.

I can't tell you how many arguments my husband and I have gotten in to. Normally when we are not drinking our communication is on point and we have a really good marriage, not perfect, but then again no one is perfect that is why we are here on earth. When I drink I don't know when to stop drinking and I don't know when to shut up. I keep arguing and keep fighting.

In January 2015 my mother passed away. This triggered something inside me that I couldn't get a grip on. I drank day in and day out. I didn't know how to stop drinking. It was the only way to deal with the pain I was going through. I went to her funeral hung over. I went to the bar an hour after she passed away. I went to the hospital when she was dying hung over. I was off work for nearly 3 weeks after she passed and I think I was drunk almost the whole time. I couldn't cope with losing my best friend, my mom, my world. After I went back to work drinking was only happening on my weekends, which happen to be Monday and Tuesday. I would also drink on my Friday which was actually Sunday. Sometimes I would find myself drinking on Friday and Saturday as well.

A while back something horrible happened that I won't discuss but just know that it was HORRIBLE. And I thought I would have learned my lesson, but nope. I started drinking again. I know I need to get help. I know I need anger management help as well as alcoholism help. I keep telling myself that if I only drink three or so days out of the seven days of a week then it is not that bad. What makes it bad is when I argue and fight with my husband, when I drink so much I black out and don't remember what happened, when I can't even find the strength to crawl up the stairs to go to bed so I either pass out on the kitchen floor or on the couch. I try to tell myself that had I not had the surgery the amount I drink wouldn't have this much affect on me. Part of that is true, but I also know had I not had the surgery I would drink even more than I do now.
So here I am today to let you know I went to inpatient alcohol treatment on October 7. I was supposed to be there 28 days but my insurance only covered 2 weeks inpatient and then wanted me to do two weeks of intensive outpatient treatment and therapy. So I came home yesterday and have an appt today about the outpatient treatment. My husband and I will be going to AA meetings together and he went each day I was I treatment.
This is real life and I am aware enough to get the treatment I need and become the person I know I can be. If you have had weight loss surgery please be aware of transfer addictions. If you need some groups to belong to I can point you in the right direction.

2 Year Surgaversary

Two years ago I made a decision that would change the rest of my life. I decided to have gastric bypass surgery. That decision has made me more healthy, more vibrant, more full of life, more happy and all around a better person. I have learned how to eat less and eat more healthy foods, but that doesn't mean that I deprive myself of something if I truly want it, unless it involves sugar.

Here are my starting stats:

Right Arm: 17"
Left Arm: 18"

Chest: 59"
Waist: 53.5"

Right Leg: 31"
Left Leg: 32"

Right Calf: 19"
Left Calf: 18.5"

Current Weight: 315
Current Height: 5'5"
Current Size: 24-26

Here are my current stats:

Right Arm: 12"  5 inches lost
Left Arm: 12"  6 inches lost

Chest: 40"  19 inches lost
Waist:41 "  12.5 inches lost

Right Leg: 23"  8 inches lost
Left Leg: 23"  9 inches lost

Right Calf: 16"  3 inches lost
Left Calf: 16"  2.5 inches lost

Current Weight: 185
Current Height: 5'5"
Current Size: 12
Total Inches Lost: 65

These past 6 months have been the hardest for me, on a personal level, not a weight loss level. My mom passed away in January. One would think a former fat person would turn to food to cope with that. I didn't. I didn't want anything to do with food. I had to actually force myself to eat. I knew I had to eat to survive. I can honestly say though, I don't think we cooked for like a month after she passed. I didn't feel like doing much of anything. I'm surprised actually that I didn't gain weight. I was eating so little that I thought my body would hold on to any little bit of fat it could, but it didn't. I stayed the same weight.

Before surgery I wasn't an emotional eater, I just didn't know how to control my portions. I would eat two or three large plates of food at almost every meal. I'm still not an emotional eater, and I know how to control my portions. Before surgery we bought a lot of salad plates to eat off of. We knew that if we just put the correct portion on that little plate then we would be successful. And we have been very successful.

I have only had two very minor complications. One was neuropathy from lack of vitamin b and the other has been that my belly button gets angry at me. Because my belly skin folds over my belly button it tends to get red and irritated if it is too warm. I simply just clean it with some medical clense and then put some cortisone on it. The neuropathy went away with some heavy doses of vitamin b and alpha lipoic acid that I took for a few months.

Here are some comparison photos. I haven't taken photos in a very long time because i have been at this same size for a while and I judge my inches lost by how my clothes fit. I have ALOT of loose skin. And I am not going to do anything about it. I love myself and my husband loves me just the way I am so I don't feel the need to change that.

June 27, 2015

June 20, 2013

18 month comparison

December 30, 2014

Top is from June 12, 2013, Bottom is from December 30, 2014

1 year comparison: Top is 12-20-2013, bottom is 12-30-2014

Updated photos are in! This is an 18 month comparison. At my highest weight I was 315lbs. Surgery date June 27, 2013 I weighed 296. Today December 30, 2014 I weigh 180. My goal has always been 160 but I don't know if I will ever get there. I am quite ok with where I am at weight wise. I am a little fed up with some of the loose skin, but I don't think I will ever get rid of that unless I somehow come in to a butt load of money. :)

I look at the photos from June 2013 and I am reminded of  the stay puff marshmallow man. I look so bloated and uncomfortable. Nowadays I feel healthy and amazing. I am always telling my husband that I don't feel as small as some people think I look. When I look at these photos though, I can see what they see. It's an amazing transformation.

Holiday Baking Recipes, Weight Loss Surgery Style

You don't have to use Splenda, you can use any sugar substitute. We have found that Splenda works best for us.

LEMON BARS

INGREDIENTS

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons Splenda

1/8 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

4 large eggs

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 1/4 cups Splenda

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon grated fresh lemon peel

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

1.    Crust Directions: preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray an 8-x-8-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray; set aside.

2.    Combine flour, Splenda, and salt in food processor bowl; pulse 2 to 3 times. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture into prepared pan; bake 20 minutes or until crust is lightly browned.

3.    Filling Directions: whisk together eggs and half-and-half in a medium bowl; gradually whisk in Splenda and flour. Whisk in lemon peel and lemon juice; pour over hot crust. Bake 15 minutes or until center is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack; dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Cut into 2-inch squares.

SUGAR FREE SUGAR COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup Splenda Sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Optional Garnishes: decorative candies and colored sugars, sugar free vanilla frosting

DIRECTIONS

1.    Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer in a medium mixing bowl until creamy. Gradually add Splenda, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

2.    Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to Splenda, beating until blended. Do not over-mix.

3.    Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide dough in half; pat each half into a circle and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill cookie dough for one hour or until slightly firm.

4.    Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

5.    Remove dough from refrigerator. Work with one portion of dough at a time. Roll each portion to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut with a cookie cutter, and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with decorative candies or colored sugars, if desired.

6.    Bake in preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Cool slightly on cookie sheets; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

CLOSE TO SUGAR FREE CUSTARD PIE

INGREDIENTS

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

3 eggs, beaten

¾ cup Splenda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg white

2 ½ cups scalded milk

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

1.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2.    Mix together eggs, Splenda, salt and vanilla. Blend in the scalded milk.

3.    Line pie pan with pastry, and brush inside bottom and sides of shell with egg white to help prevent a soggy crust. Pour custard mixture into pie crust. Sprinkle with nutmeg

4.    Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on rack.

CLOSE TO SUGAR FREE PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup Splenda
1 cup Splenda brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups (12-ounce bag) Sugar Free Chocolate Chips
Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.
2. 
   
3. Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
5. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips.
6. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges.
7. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

CLOSE TO SUGAR FREE CRANBERRY ORANGE MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup Splenda

3/4 teaspoon orange zest

1 large egg

1/3 cup vanilla nonfat yogurt

1/2 cup chopped fresh cranberries

DIRECTIONS

1.    PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Line 6 muffin cups with paper liners or spray with nonstick spray.

2.    MIX together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

3.    BEAT butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add Splenda and orange zest beating until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat.

4.    STIR in vanilla yogurt. Gradually stir in flour mixture until just combined.

5.    FOLD in cranberries. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups.

6.    BAKE 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan, cool on wire rack.

CLOSE TO SUGAR FREE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

INGREDIENTS

• CRUST:
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 cup SPLENDA^® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
• 1/3 cup light butter, melted

FILLING: 

• 3 (8 ounce) packages fat free cream cheese
• 2 (8 ounce) packages reduced fat cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups Splenda
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup fat free half-and-half
• 1/2 cup egg beaters
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 
  

TOPPING:

• 2 cups reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup Splenda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 drops maple flavor

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray. Set aside.
2. Mix crust ingredients together and firmly press onto bottom of prepared springform pan. Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned and firm. Cool.
3. Blend together cream cheese, Splenda, flour and spices on medium speed in an electric mixer until cream cheese is smooth and lump free. Scrape sides of bowl. Add pumpkin. Mix on medium speed until well blended. Scrape sides of bowl and mix until mixture is smooth and lump-free.
4. Turn mixer on low and slowly add half-and-half, Egg Beaters^® and vanilla. Blend until well mixed.
5. Pour over prepared crust. Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven 50-60 minutes or until center is slightly firm. Remove from oven and cool.
6. Prepare topping. Blend all ingredients together in a small bowl until well mixed. Pour on top of cheesecake and spread evenly. Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 20-25 minutes on a wire rack. Chill 4- 6 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. This, like all cheesecakes, is best if prepared a day in advance.

Some Favorite Recipes

All of these recipes are high in protein and because it is just me and my husband they can sometimes last a few days.

Chicken Bean Salad

1 (15 oz.) can Cannelini Beans (White Kidney Beans), drained and rinsed
1/2 pound chicken breast, chopped and sauteed
2 Mozzarella Cheesesticks, chopped
1/4 cup Black Olives, sliced
1/4 cup Marinated Mushrooms, drained
4 Artichoke Hearts, non-marinated, chopped
2 Tablespoons Pesto Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

 Mix all of the ingredients together and let sit in the fridge for at least an hour to let the flavors mix.

Pot Roast for Day One that turns into Pot Roast Stew for Day Two and Three

4 pound roast
1 bag of small red potatoes
1 lb of baby carrots
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of corn
1 bag of celery hearts
Pot Roast Seasoning
Stew Seasoning

Day One:
Cut up half of the potatoes and half of the carrots. Put the roast in the crock pot and add the potatoes and carrots. Cut up half of the celery and add to the crock pot. Sprinkle the Pot Roast Seasoning in the crockpot and add water enough to cover the ingredients. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Enjoy!

Day Two:
Shred the left over pot roast. Cut up the rest of the potatoes, carrots and celery and add to the crockpot. Add the can of diced tomatoes and the can of corn. Add the stew seasoning. Add enough water to cover the ingredients. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Enjoy!

White Chicken Chili

2 cans of white beans, juices and all 
1 can diced green mild chiles, juices and all 
32 ounces chicken broth 
1 medium onion diced 
You can add 2 cans of shredded chicken, or some sauteed cubed chicken, or no chicken at all.

Throw all of the ingredients in a crockpot and let it cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Quinoa Casserole

1 cup Quinoa
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 pound chopped up chicken
2 cups frozen broccoli
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1 cup milk

1. Cook the Quinoa with the chicken bouillon cube.
2. Saute the chicken and broccoli.
3. In a baking dish add the quinoa and chicken broccoli mixture. Stir to mix.
4. Sprinkle cheese and mix well.
5. Mix the egg and milk together in a cup and then pour it all over the mix.
6. Top the mixture with the rest of the cheese.
7. Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the cheese on top is bubbly and almost a golden brown.

Beefy Meaty Chili

2 lbs stew meat
4 cans of beans- like kidney, pinto, black, and white beans
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 packet McCormick Chili Seasoning
1 onion

1. Cut up the meat in to little pieces. Add to the crockpot. 
2. Add the cans of beans and tomatoes.
3. Cut up the onion and add it to the crockpot.
4. Add the Chili Seasoning.
5. Add enough water to make it just under soupy. 
6. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
7. Serve with cheese and sour cream if you like.

Tortellini Salad

1 package of tortellini
1 small can of sliced olives
25 pieces of salami
5 mozarella cheese sticks
5 colby jack cheese sticks
1 bottle of itlaian dressing

1. Cook the tortellini according to the package. 
2. Cool the tortellini while you cut up the cheese sticks and salami.
3. Once the tortellini is cooled mix the salami, cheese and olives.
4. Add some italian dressing to your desired liking. 
5. Let it sit in the fridge to get cold and let the flavors mix.

Chicken, Beef, Pork or Tofu Stir Fry

Any protein you wish. We usually use about 1/2 pound chopped chicken breast or a pound of fajita type meat.
1 package of broccoli slaw mix
1 small package of coleslaw mix
1 can baby corn
2 cups frozen broccoli
1 jar of stir fry sauce

1. Saute the meet with the broccoli.
2. Add the slaw mixes. Cook til done.
3. Add the stir fry sauce and heat.
4. Enjoy!

Fried Quinoa (Like Fried Rice)

Any protein you wish. When we made this the first time we used Spam because Spam Fried Rice used to be a favorite of mine.
1 cup quinoa (or 2 1/2 to 3 cups leftover cooked quinoa)
1 ½ cups water or low-sodium chicken stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 eggs, lightly scrambled (still raw)
½ cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce

1. Rinse quinoa a few times in cold water.
2. Bring quinoa and water or chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan, and then reduce to a simmer. 

3. Season with salt.
4. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until quinoa is fluffy and cooked through. Remove from heat and let set for five minutes or so. Fluff with a fork.
5. Cool and store in the fridge, preferably overnight.
6. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over a high heat. Add the protein of your choice. Cook until done or heated through. 

7. Add the peas and carrots and heat through.

8. Add in the quinoa. Stir-fry about two minutes. 

9. Add soy sauce and stir-fry until incorporated, about two minutes. 

10. Make a well in the center of the quinoa pour eggs in, scramble. 

11. Toss everything together until it is warmed through.

Greek Mini Meatloafs with a Yogurt Dip

1 1/2-1 3/4 pounds Ground Beef
1/4 cup Italian Style Dry Breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Milk
2 oz. Tomato Basil Feta Cheese, crumbled
2 Eggs, beaten
1 Yellow Onion, diced
3 Green Onions, diced
2 cloves Garlic, diced
3 oz. Carrot, shredded
1 teaspoon Oregano
a few twists Black Pepper

Saute onions till golden. Add garlic cook 1 minute. Set aside to cool. Soak breadcrumbs in milk for 1 minute. Beat eggs. Add eggs and soaked breadcrumbs to ground beef. Add cooled veggies, carrots, seasonings, cheese. Mix till combined. Divide into 8 equal mounds. Form into mini meatloaves. Bake for 45 minutes in a 350 oven.

 1/2 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
 2 Tablespoons Storebought Pesto Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper.

Mix together and let sit for a few minutes in the fridge.Serve with the meatloaf.

Chicken Tomato Pesto Bake

2 (16 oz total) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and fresh pepper to taste
4 tsp Skinny Basil Pesto
1 medium tomatoes, sliced thin
6 tbsp (1.5 oz) shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese
2 tsp grated parmesan cheese
Wash chicken and dry with a paper towel. Slice chicken breast horizontally to create 4 thinner cutlets. Season lightly with salt and fresh pepper.
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line baking sheet with foil or parchment for easy clean-up.
Place the chicken on prepared baking sheet. Spread 1 tsp of skinny pesto over each piece of chicken.
Bake for 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove from oven; top with tomatoes, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

 Broccoli Beef

1 ½ lbs. boneless beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips ( I bought it sliced that way)
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons sauce from the crock pot after being cooked
16 oz.Broccoli florets

Put the beef in the crockpot. In a bowl mix the broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and garlic. Pour over the beef and stir together. Let it cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Once the meat is tender, in a bowl mix the cornstarch with the sauce from the crockpot.Add to the crockpot and stir well. Add the broccoli and cook on high for another 30 minutes. Serve with rice or quinoa.

Cashew Chicken

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thigh tenders or chicken breast tenders

1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup cashews

Combine flour and pepper in large Ziploc bag. Add chicken. Shake to coat with flour mixture. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes in small bowl; pour over chicken. Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. Add cashews and stir. Serve over rice or quinoa.

Crockpot Lasagna

1 pound ground beef
1 yellow onion
1 container ricotta cheese
16oz bag of mozarella cheese
1 box oven ready lasagna noodles
2 jars of spaghetti sauce

Brown the ground beef and onion. Add the spaghetti sauce and warm through.Layer the sauce, noodles, ricotta cheese and mozarella cheese until the crockpot is full. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Beef Stroganoff

2lbs fajita beef strips
1 yellow onion chopped
2 portabella mushrooms sliced
5 white button mushrooms sliced
1 large can of cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1 small can of vegetable broth
16oz sour cream
Noodles or Rice

In the crockpot add the beef, onion, mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, broth and worcestershire sauce. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours until beef is tender. Once the beef is done add the sour cream and mix well. Serve atop cooked egg  noodles or rice or whatever tickles your fancy.

Ramblings of a WLS Patient

So here it is, 5 days before my 1 year surgiversary. I have been stuck between 185 and 188 for what seems like forever but as I have looked back at my blog posts in April I was 191. So I guess it has only been a few months. Since January I have lost 17lbs. In the grand scheme of things that is awesome, but in my brain I feel like I should have lost more in the past 6 months. Also since January I have gone from a size 16 pants to a 12, and even some of the size 12 pants I have are a little baggy. All in all I have lost 128 pounds. That is a big accomplishment. I do have about 30 or so pounds to go until my goal, which is between 150 and 160. I knew that as the end of my first year approaches weight loss would slow down. I also knew that the majority of the weight would be lost in the first 6 months of my journey. I give myself another year to get off these last 30 pounds. Heck if I can lose 17 pounds in 6 months I can lose the 30 in a year. I know some of it is loose skin, actually a lot of loose skin. Last night I was dancing around the kitchen and I looked down at my thighs and the skin just sags and sways to and fro between my legs. I think that if the loose skin wasn’t there I might actually have a thigh gap!!!! I don’t think I have ever had one of those.

This whole weight loss is a trip. There are some days I wake up and I have bones sticking out where I didn’t the day before. It seems like it happens overnight. I am sure it doesn’t but that is what it feels like. This morning I woke up and felt my chest and thought I felt a lump. I was panicking for a little bit. I was thinking I was too young for breast cancer. So I kept feeling and poking and prodding and I realized it is the very top of my rib cage.

On the 29^th of June some of the WLS peeps in Washington are getting together for a little meet and greet. I am really excited. I have met some of them, but others I have just talked with online. It will be a lot of fun. It will be nice to be able to see the lady who had surgery the same day I did. My surgery was first and she was the second.

I am going to do a blog post with some of our favorite recipes. Some of them we have found online and have adapted them to what we like. Some we have just come up with. Hope you enjoy them.