Since the local library was closed yesterday for the holiday I called today about using their meeting room to hold a weight loss support group meeting.  The guy who answered the phone said just to come in and fill out an application.  So I headed over there before going to the gym this afternoon for Family Zumba to fill out the application.  Once I got there the lady at the desk told me that reoccurring group meetings were not allowed to be held there and there was a maximum cap of how many times someone can rent the meeting room a year (only 4 times a year which doesn’t work for me!).  She did however give me a list of other locations in the area that had meeting rooms available.  Most of them were hotels that charged a large fee or they were churches that did not allow reoccurring meetings.  I did find one location in that list that had a fee free meeting room so I wrote down the info and gave them a call when I got home.  I think it is going to be a great location for a support group meeting since it has lots of room, lots of seating (can seat up to 45 people), full AV technology hooked up and available, and lots of parking.  If the parking in front of the building is full there is a large, new parking garage right next door.  The first hour is free and any additional time is only $1 per hour.  I sent out a couple of emails to some people who live a little distance away who expressed interest in coming to meetings to get their opinion on what days and times would work best for them but I am almost certain that I will be setting the support group meetings up on the first and third Wednesday of the month from 7:00 – 8:30 PM.  I asked for an hour and a half just to make sure we had plenty of time.  I know some of the hour long meetings I have gone to see too rushed when there are lots of people in attendance so we have that 30 minute buffer if we need it.  We should start holding physical meetings starting in August!

Tonight I saw other post-ops, standing along side me sharing their photos and stories.  I listened to one lady Who had already had the RNY procedure done TWICE but was still extremely overweight.  The discussion turned to how those that succeed in weight loss and keep it off are usually the ones that keep up with the support groups.  Right now the support groups associated are going through an overhaul and I am excited to be a part of that.  I am happy that the support groups are going to be more “supportive”.  I don’t think I could have gotten to where I am without support.  The support of my boyfriend, my children, my Mom, and my bariatric family.  The people from the support groups have really become like family.  Some more than others of course but I feel a kinship with many of the people I have encountered along the way.  I am hopeful that I can provide that positive influence in others through this support group.

So what are some of the hardest obstacles you have faced?  Motivation seems to be a common obstacle and I am working on some ideas for that.  I have so many ideas that I want to implement!  I am very excited to be moving forward with this but nervous, too.  I always have the fear I am going to just screw up big time so I do not try to tackle anything that I am not 200% sure of.  I am going to just take a deep breath and try my best!

So it has been 7 months since I had my DS and I am down 150 pounds!  OMG!  Here is my 7 month progress picture:

BTW, this is the dress I bought to go to my best friends wedding in July.  It is a size LARGE and I bought it at Kohl’s.  In the Juniors department!

Today, I bought a new shirt at a regular clothing store.  It was a size SMALL.  A SMALL?!  WOW!  I am still in shock.  Here is a pic:

How AMAZING is that?!  I am so happy with my surgery and progress right now.  I am THIS close to being under 200 pounds and I am trying so hard to get there!

More updates soon!

I am not a big chip or cracker eater but while we were shopping at the grocery store a week ago we saw some Keebler Wheatables products on sale where if you bought a box of Wheatables you would get one of their new Nut Crisp varieties for free.  My little guy loves crackers (Cheez-Its are his favorites) so I figured what the heck I will grab some- after all they are made with stone-ground wheat!  Typically I wouldn’t indulge in these because they are a little too carb heavy for me but there were here and I love pecans.  They are delicious!  19 net carbs in 16 crackers is not so bad for a once in a while treat.  I can’t really eat a whole serving anyway- more like half!  They have a wonderful crunchy texture that is full of nutty, pecan goodness mixed with just enough saltiness to make it tasty.  I think I will have to eat another one just to make sure.  Yup- still delicious!  Each cracker has a smattering of pecan bits so you don’t have some with and some without pecans so that’s nice.  It’s not a perfect post-WLS snack but it is really yummy!  And both the kids approve during a blind taste test.  No really, I literally told them to close their eyes and open their mouths and tell me what they thought!  Here is a coupon for $1.50 off a box of Wheatables Nut Crisps!  That is almost free!

We all paid $395 for a program that was suppose to include support groups that
are supportive, nutrition info that was accurate and relevant, a fitness
consultation, and classes.. for life. I will say that even though I haven’t had
the chance to check out your support groups because the distance and time you
meet, I think it sounds like a great environment. I don’t think just getting
together to, pardon my bluntness, have a bitch-fest where you go around the room
and talk about yourself (not to mention some people can go on and on for 10
minutes and get WAY off topic) and people just complain about what they have
going wrong- weight regain, food intolerance, etc and there isn’t much
discussion along the lines of- OK so what can we all do to either avoid or fix
these things? I like that you guys have discussions and guest speakers! I
think it would be way more beneficial if the support groups were smaller (40+
people in one support group?!), there were more groups for specific surgeries in
a wider area, particularly the DS (1 meeting in Peoria so early in the evening
just isn’t going to accommodate all the people it needs to), and were more
structured and covered topics relevant to post-WLS life or even to help prep
pre-ops. Just something other than people complaining or making fun of each
other- which I have heard in more than one of the general support meetings on
Monday nights at 7pm. I am irritated that the information about the DS in
particular is inaccurate and I am not pleased with the “nutrition” portion of
the program to say the least. DSers have a VERY different diet requirement and
copying the RNY diet and giving it the title of DS Nutrition doesn’t cut it.
Our malabsorption needs should be address more. Did you know that if you don’t
get enough fat in your diet it can cause you to have a heart attack?! Did you
know that if you had a DS you only absorb about 20% of that fat you intake? Did you
know that by restricting your fat to the levels suggested by the doctors combined with
your malabsorption can cause you to have a heart attack? I learned that in my
FIRST nutrition class in school so I am wondering how the heck they can even put
that down in their paperwork. I am appalled by the lack of information
available about the DS. especially when it comes to some of the support group
leaders. I got insulted at a support group meeting because I was trying to
correct some peoples misinformation about diabetes and the RNY and the DS and
they YELLED at me. And I was 100% right! I think we should be focusing on
teaching people to eat properly. I think we should teach people to properly
read nutrition labels. I think we should teach people how to properly eat out
again. I am often shocked by the number of people who have no idea how to cook
and don’t even have basic cooking supplies like measuring cups and spoons in
their homes! I think we should teach people how to cook properly. Restricting
your diet to only certain food groups is not healthy- you need a balance diet
with all the food groups to maintain proper nutrition. I don’t know about
anyone else but I ended up never having my fitness instruction meeting because
no one would call me back to schedule! I know many people who fill out those
pink forms requesting visits in the hospital don’t get visited! I think they
should cover what to bring to the hospital and what to have at home for the
first few weeks better. I think there should be sample meal plans, recipes, and
shopping lists. I think the support group leaders should be educated on all the
surgeries to properly give support and they should be unbiased about peoples
surgery choices. This RNY-elitist attitude has to stop! I think there should
be lists of resources available for information, vitamins, protein supplements,
recipes, etc included in those packets.

Basically THIS is what I have decided to do in my life for a career. I have
gone back to school so that I can do this. I am passionate about it and I am
going to do it with out without their help. This country needs help. Have any
of you seen Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution? Or watched the documentaries Food
Inc or SuperSize Me? Our country needs to re-learn how to eat properly and
healthy if we are going to make any progress in this fight against obesity. It
is now affecting the kids! Kids should not be developing type 2 diabetes at the
age of 12! And sometimes younger.

OK I will step off my soap box now!

Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt in Carmel Flavor & Breakstone’s Live Active Cottage Cheese

I didn’t read the package well enough with the Greek Yogurt and was confused when I opened it up.  I was expecting a carmel color but it was the usual pale off white color.  Until I stirred it- AHHHH the carmel sauce is on the BOTTOM.  Got it- I’m an idiot because the package even says “pure pleasure on the bottom”.  Which.. kind of sounds naughty but I digress!  I don’t like yogurt.  Ever.  Before surgery or after.  I keep trying Greek yogurt because lots of other people like it and it’s a good protein source.  I tried it again and it is official- the taste of yogurt makes me want to hurl.  So I can’t really give a fair review so I am going to make Scott eat and review it!  So I tried the cottage cheese next- it smelled like a dirty gym locker room (but I do have a cold so maybe it was from that) and it tasted like how you would expect a wet gym sock to taste.  Again, perhaps because I have a cold but I still can not write a fair review about the product!  So I will make Scott eat and review it!  Wait till he finds out he has some blog homework to do!