I am sitting here at the same weight I was after Lap Band Surgery followed by my plastic surgery.  That puts me at the same weight that I was in 2009, and it is 6 years later.  I am a happy camper for sure since I had some regain while my doctor, and I, figured out what my band issues were, and it appears that my surgery on 11/17 has given me the opportunity to not only shed that regain, but to go for new, lower numbers, if I choose.  Those are the key words - I CHOOSE.

My goal weight is my decision.  My weight is 174 and my next goal is 169.That’s five pounds.  Doesn’t seem like a lot, should be easy to do, especially since I have a new band, and a plication with it, right?  Let me remind each and every one of you, no matter where you are on your journey, that NONE of this IS EASY.  It is all hard work, especially as you get closer to your goal weight, and the number on the scale is hundreds of pounds less than when you started.

At the beginning of my journey in 2004 I could say no to a piece of chocolate and lose 2 pounds overnight…..well, at any rate I could eat 1200 calories a day, and lose 10 pounds a month or more.  Now, if I eat more than 950 calories in a day I will actually show a net gain overnight, and if I eat 1200 calories that gain is one pound or more.  I only count my weight on Monday, which was my surgery day on 11/17, and I have had a consistent weekly loss since then, and I do not let my daily weighing-in influence my attitude for the day.  They are just numbers, and I am secure in the fact that I am making the choices that will get me to where I choose to be next.

Think about this for a moment - I can, not eat over 950 calories, I want to lose 5 pounds more as a mini goal, and I am NOT on a diet, nor will I ever be on a diet again.  I eat delicious food all of the time.  My love of food has driven my mind to places it has never gone before.  I challenge myself to create recipes that work for my protein and calorie daily minimums and maximums (80 grams protein - 950 calories) or alter existing recipes to fit my food plan as well. 

The key word here is PLAN.  I take time to plan my meals - it doesn’t take long.  I weigh and measure everything that goes into them so I know, rather than estimate, the calories and protein I am putting in my mouth.  Oftentimes I can, not and do not, finish my portion, and that is great.  If I am satisfied with a smaller portion than I served up I am not going to be craving more food in 10 minutes.

Many of you ask me what I eat to lose weight.  The answer is simple and complicated at the same time.  Just like a child can go on a kick of not wanted to eat anything but …… (hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, pizza, _____ - you fill in the blank) I go through periods of time where I eat similar foods over and over again.  Then, rather than being bored with it something else catches my mind or my eye and I’m off to something new.  I can tell you that currently I eat under 1000 calories per day and 80 grams of protein or more, and drink at least 72 ounces of water.

This week, here’s what a typical day looks like:

Up by 5 am - 2 cups herbal tea and then 1 cup black coffee

7 am on way to gym I have my home made protein shake with protein powder, almond milk, blueberries, and flax seed meal

11:30 – 1 pm When I am hungry again I have been making an omelet with either 1 egg and 1 egg white, or 3 egg whites, cheese, and some type of meat or bacon bits

3-5 pm When I am hungry again I am having tuna salad, chicken salad, crab salad, deli meat and cheese, or a Greek yogurt.

7-8 pm When I am hungry again I will have fish, chicken, sausage, shrimp, crab, a veggie of some sort, a handful of baby spinach with some sliced cucumber, and tomato

10-11 pm I am rarely hungry at this time.  If I am “craving” something a cup of tea, or a cup of hot chocolate, will typically deal with this as will going to bed.

That’s it.  That’s how I eat.  Not very exciting when you think about it.  What makes it exciting is what is done with the basic ingredients.  My fish this week has been bluefin tuna marinated in jerk seasoning seared rare.  I served this with steamed asparagus, and it was amazing.

For Sunday breakfast (not headed to the gym at 7 on Sunday) I have made flourless pancakes, or crab and cheese omelets, or just good old bacon (uncured black forest turkey bacon) and eggs.

I use spices in all my food and personally love a little heat in all of it.  If I’m going to eat it I am going to make sure it has lots of flavor since I don’t eat much of it.

I choose to challenge myself to be creative in the kitchen in short periods of time.  I will often take an hour or two on Sunday mornings, while my husband sleeps in, to prep some meals that can go in the freezer like soups, stews, and chiles for later consumption, as well as the crab, chicken, or tuna salad creation of the week.

I am confident in my ability to find 950 calories a day of good tasting food that will move me forward to my next weight goal.

The number on the scale is not my ruler- I rule the number on the scale!