What I Ate: 9/30/2009

• 1 serving (3 slices) Hormel Natural deli turkey (50 kcals, 10g protein) and 1 Sargento Light string cheese (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• About 4 oz. smoked turkey breast (130 kcals, 25.5g protein), about 1/2 tbsp. parmesan cheese (15 kcals, 1g protein), and about 2 romaine leaves (10 kcals, 0g protein) - after court, I went to lunch with another clerk and our intern and he was all excited about going to some barbecue place. I wasn't thrilled with that idea, but at least they had very healthy options, including smoked turkey breast, smoked chicken breast, etc. This was a small lunch salad they have, without the dressing and croutons.
• 10 pistachios (40 kcals, 1g protein)
• 1/4 cup Birthday Cauliflower (25 kcals, 0g protein) and 1 cup shelled edamame (200 kcals, 16g protein) - yep, still leftovers! The calorie count for the cauliflower is much lower today because I only had 1 raisin and 2 pine nuts in today's serving. I ate the edamame over the course of an hour. This was grazing. BAD!
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with Torani sugar-free vanilla syrup and Davinci sugar-free hazelnut syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 630 kcals, 84.5g protein, 53.7% kcals from protein.

As you can see, the percentage of calories from protein is low today. I didn't get both of my shakes in. But at least I hit my daily protein goal (at least 80 grams.)

I did yoga this morning and tonight. I was excited because I finally bought yoga bricks and wanted to try them out. They make a difference!

What I Ate: 9/29/2009

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with French vanilla-flavored Splenda (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 serving (4 slices) Hormel Natural Choice honey ham (70 kcals, 10g protein) and 1 mini-Babybel light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• 2.5 oz. Southwestern chicken chili (made with ground chicken breast) (about 87 kcals, 15.5g protein) over 2 tbsp. cauliflower "rice" with parsley (10 kcals, 0g protein), topped with 1 tbsp. fat-free mozzarella cheese (12 kcals, 2g protein)
• 2 oz. eye of round steak (94 kcals, 16.5g protein) and about 1/4 cup Monica's curried cauliflower and okra (about 50 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with Davinci hazelnut syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 593 kcals, 100g protein, 67.5% kcals from protein.

I had a good workout today. I got in 50 minutes on the elliptical, for a supposed calorie burn of 480+ calories. You might notice that I managed to burn more calories per minute than I have been, because I am trying to average a faster pace on the machine. I also did yoga.

I have to get up very early tomorrow morning because my judge is sitting out of town, and the intern and I are going with her. That may mean no workout tomorrow, but we may get back early enough that I still have time to get one in. I'll let you know! :-)

Recipe Time: Birthday Curry Cauliflower

This is the recipe for the cauliflower I made on Saturday. As I mentioned before, it was inspired by aloo gobi, an Indian cauliflower and potato dish, and the amazing roasted cauliflower at Zaytinya, a terrific Greek/Mediterranean mezze (aka tapas) restaurant in DC.

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower, washed and cut into bite-sized florets
Curry powder
Garam masala
1/2 to 3/4 cup sultana (golden) raisins
1/3 cup pine nuts
Some amount of okra, washed
Salt
Black pepper
Apple cider vinegar
Splenda
Soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Coat the cauliflower with curry powder. I found that the easiest way to do this was to put it in a Ziploc bag and shake it until everything was light orange. Be careful not to overdo the curry powder, as too much will taste bitter.
3. Lay the cauliflower in an oven safe dish that you have sprayed with butter or olive oil-flavored nonstick spray.
4. Sprinkle the cauliflower with a little garam masala and a little salt.
5. Spray a bit more nonstick spray on the cauliflower.
6. Roast the cauliflower for about 30 minutes or until fork-tender, but not overdone.
7. While the cauliflower is roasting, measure out your sultanas.
8. Rehydrate the sultanas in a little bit of water, seasoned with soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce, in a pot over low heat for 7-10 minutes.
9. Add the sultanas and some of the juice to a large bowl.
10. Lightly toast the pine nuts by putting them into an ungreased pan over medium heat until they slightly brown, but are not burned. Be careful because burning can happen quickly.
11. Slice the okra into very thin disks.
12. Place the okra on a cookie sheet and spray on some nonstick spray. Lightly salt and pepper the okra.
13. Once the cauliflower is done, turn the oven up to 400 degrees and insert the okra.
14. Check on the okra every 5 minutes until you are pleased with the level of crispness.
15. Add the cauliflower and pine nuts to the big bowl, and stir to combine.
16. While the okra is cooking, combine a little big of the vinegar, curry powder, garam masala, and Splenda to create a vinaigrette.
17. Remove the okra from the oven and add it to your bowl of deliciousness.
18. Toss the vinaigrette with the dish. Ta-da!

This dish has a lot of steps, but not a lot of ingredients. Very budget-friendly and yummy! The vinaigrette is sort of optional, but I added it to keep the dish from being so dry. If you don't need juiciness, you could probably skip it and I believe the dish would taste the same.

Recipe Time: Plum Sauce and Mustard BBQ Sauce

There have been a few requests for these recipes!

Monica's Plum Sauce

Ingredients

6 large red or black plums
1 tbsp. minced ginger
Soy sauce to taste
Splenda to taste

Directions

1. Slice the plums in half and remove the pits.
2. Place the plums in a pot, skin side down. Make sure the pot is big enough that the halves do not have to stack on top of each other, but not too big. I would err on the side of a pot that is slightly too small rather than one that is way too big.
3. Add enough water to the pan to cover the plums.
4. Add 2-3 packets of Splenda.
5. Poach the plums on low heat until you can tell they are soft. The water should be a pretty, deep red color by now.
6. Remove the soft plums from the liquid and puree them in a food processor.
7. Add the plum puree back to the liquid. Add the ginger and soy sauce to taste.
8. At this point, the plum sauce will taste like baby food. To fix that, bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat.
9. Reduce the plum sauce until it is deeply colored and has more of a sauce consistency than an applesauce consistency.
10. Cool and serve. Add more soy sauce or Splenda as you prefer for flavor correction.

Keep in mind that plums have a high natural sugar content, so if you dump easily, you should be careful with this sauce. Otherwise, as long as you're eating only a small amount of the sauce with a protein, I think it's A-okay. And plums have lots of fiber, so there's a nice bonus when you don't strain the sauce!

Monica's Mustard BBQ Sauce, Version 2 (Version 1 can be found here.)

Ingredients

1 cup spicy brown mustard (I like Gulden's)
1/2 can tomato paste
1/2 cup Splenda
2 tbsp. ground sage
2 tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 to 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. celery seeds
1/4 to 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
A few dashes of liquid smoke

Directions

1. Mix all of the ingredients together.
2. Cook over a low flame until the vinegar reduces a bit, and add whatever is needed to get the right intensity of flavor.

Tada! How easy are those recipes! :-)

What I Ate: 9/28/2009

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 2.5 oz. Southwestern chicken chili (made with ground chicken breast) (about 87 kcals, 15.5g protein) over 2 tbsp. cauliflower "rice" with parsley (10 kcals, 0g protein), topped with 1 tbsp. fat-free mozzarella cheese (12 kcals, 2g protein)
• 1/4 cup fat-free ricotta with 1/4 cup Bolognese sauce made from lean ground beef (140 kcals, 17g protein)
• 1 stick Sargento string cheese (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• 2.5 oz eye-of-round steak (117 kcals, 21g protein) with 1/2 tbsp. pineapple pepper salsa (15 kcals, 0g protein) - leftovers from the Feast!
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with French vanilla and mocha-flavored Splenda (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 651 kcals, 111.5g protein, 68.5% kcals from protein.

I finally went back to the gym today. Hooray! I took it sort of easy today though - 37 minutes on the elliptical after work, for supposedly 350 calories burned. I also did pilates tonight! It's amazing that I can at least get through the video now. As little as a month ago, I could barely make it through the first five minutes!

My Birthday Feast

I cooked a nine-course feast for the fam to celebrate my birthday. The deal was that they had to eat anything I prepared. Most of the time, I can only get my mom to sample my creations, as most of my family prefers fatty Southern foods, bad carbs, and overcooked meat and vegetables.

I spent Friday night through Saturday night cooking. My mom appointed herself my "sous-chef," and she was extremely helpful. My grandmother, stepfather, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew participated. Everything was weight loss surgery-friendly (and thus, Weight Watchers-friendly, which my mom appreciated.) The concept was to have foods inspired by flavors I enjoy from around the globe - though I was careful not to be too adventurous.

The Menu:

1. Dover sole poached in lemon and thyme with a charred grape tomato, tarragon, and lemon chutney
2. Seared scallop with Chinese five spice, served with soy sauce and edamame
3. Curry-roasted cauliflower with sultana raisins, oven-crisped thin okra slices, and toasted pine nuts. Although I used Indian flavors in this and borrowed inspiration from my former favorite Indian dish, aloo gobi, the primary inspiration for this dish is the amazing roasted cauliflower at Zaytinya, one of my favorite restaurants. Their roasted cauliflower is the best thing on the menu. An aside: One of the more entertaining competitors on this season of Top Chef, Mike Isabella, is executive chef at Zaytinya. Neither aloo gobi nor Zaytinya's cauliflower has okra, and I think it was an awesome addition.
4. Chicken breast skewers. I served these with two sauces that I made from scratch: a traditional South Carolina mustard barbecue sauce, and a Chinese-inspired plum sauce that was infused with soy sauce and ginger. It was awesome to make my own plum sauce, because the bottled kind is full of added sugar.
5. Asparagus wrapped in turkey bacon and grilled
6. Pasta-less lasagna - I used sauteed zucchini, made tomato sauce from scratch, and filled the lasagna with ground turkey breast and a mixture of both fat-free and part-skim ricotta, fat-free cream cheese, lowfat Parmesan cheese, chopped Spinach, and egg. I topped it with fat-free mozzarella. I was supposed to also have fresh basil on top but I misplaced it.
7. Jerk-seasoned shrimp on a Napa cabbage leaf with a salsa made with roasted pineapple, tricolor peppers, grilled scallions, and vinegar, and topped with cilantro
8. Steak and eggs - I made a deviled egg, except that I mixed the yolks with mustard, Splenda, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and a few other things and topped them with sauteed mushrooms. Alongside the egg was eye-of-round steak cooked simply in garlic and rosemary. I sliced the steak thinly and laid it atop the deviled egg.
9. Dessert: I had an Edible Arrangements bouquet and served sugar-free Reese's Cups and Dove dark chocolate candies. Everyone was so full at this stage that I'm glad I didn't labor over dessert.

The biggest hits were the cauliflower, the asparagus, the steak and egg, and the shrimp. I made some preparation mistakes because I was trying to do too much. This showed mostly in the scallop (underseasoned) and the chicken skewers (overcooked). The lasagna is completely delicious, but I didn't get many compliments on it for some reason.

I love testing out my culinary skills and making everything weight-loss-surgery friendly! This was super-fun. I'm thinking about doing these again in the future, but I will make fewer courses, focusing on quality and not quantity.

What I Ate: 9/24/2009

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 serving (3 slices) Hormel natural (i.e., no added nitrates/nitrites) turkey (50 kcals, 10g protein), 1 Sargento light string cheese (60 kcals, 8g protein), and 1/4 vine-ripened tomato with the insides removed (about 10 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 serving (3 slices) Hormel natural (i.e., no added nitrates/nitrites) turkey (50 kcals, 10g protein), 1 Sargento light string cheese (60 kcals, 8g protein), and 1/4 vine-ripened tomato with the insides removed (about 10 kcals, 0g protein) - had this again because I accidentally left my frozen meals at home
• 10 pistachios (40 kcals, 1g protein)
• About 3/4 peach (60 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1.5 oz of the leftover chicken kebab (about 100 kcals, 12g protein) and some amount of leftover Greek salad that I didn't touch last night - mostly the feta and lettuce (about 100 kcals, 4g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in a tall Starbucks iced decaf with sugar-free vanilla syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 760 kcals, 103g protein, 54.2% kcals from protein.

I seem to have gotten the evening munchies back - like, I can go all day without eating much or eating on schedule, then at night, I want to eat everything in sight. Fortunately, the most offensive foods are now out of my house - restaurant leftovers, the delicious peaches. I have to nip this in the bud. Tonight I got the urge to binge, just like before surgery. You feel like you have no control over what you're doing. You just eat and eat and eat. It's not even emotional eating. It almost feels like a reflex.

Anyway, it has to end. One slip won't end it all, but I don't like seeing myself head down this road, especially so soon after surgery. I wonder whether my recent obsession with sugarless gum is making me crave more food?

What I Ate: 28th Birthday Edition (9/23/2009)

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 serving (3 slices) Hormel natural (i.e., no added nitrates/nitrites) turkey (50 kcals, 10g protein), 1 mini-Babybel Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein) and 1/4 vine-ripened tomato with the insides removed (about 10 kcals, 0g protein)
• 2.5 oz. Southwestern chicken chili (made with ground chicken breast) (about 87 kcals, 15.5g protein), topped with 1 tbsp. fat-free mozzarella cheese (12 kcals, 2g protein), with 1/4 vine-ripened tomato with the insides removed (about 10 kcals, 0g protein). This chili is SO good. As the old folks would say, I put my foot in that one!
• My judge - who is AWESOME - took me out to dinner at Mediterranean Tea Room for my birthday! I haven't told her about the RNY, and it was a little awkward that I didn't want to have wine, pita bread, or the yellow rice. Oops! I ate about 1/3 cup of hummus (145 kcals, 4g protein) and roughly 2.5 oz. of chicken kebab (about 130 kcals, 20g protein).
• Leftovers from dinner - 1.5 oz. of chicken kebab (90 kcals, 12g protein) and about 1/2 defrosted peaches with Splenda (35 kcals, 0g protein)

Total: 729 kcals, 94.5g protein, 51.9% kcals from protein.

It's my birthday! I didn't feel like working out today. I got up early as usual but went to Walgreen's and surfed the net instead. I'm officially 2 years from . . . thirty . . . :-O :-O :-O

It was so sweet of my judge to take me out. I wound up having more calories than intended and after midnight I'm still recovering! Tomorrow's workout will have to be after work. I have to finish an important project early in the morning.

What I Ate: 9/22/2009

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 serving (3 slices) Hormel natural (i.e., no added nitrates/nitrites) turkey (50 kcals, 10g protein), 1 stick Sargento light string cheese (60 kcals, 8g protein) and 1/4 vine-ripened tomato with the insides removed (about 10 kcals, 0g protein)
• 2.5 oz. Southwestern chicken chili (made with ground chicken breast) (about 87 kcals, 15.5g protein) over 2 tbsp. cauliflower "rice" with parsley (10 kcals, 0g protein), topped with 1 tbsp. fat-free mozzarella cheese (12 kcals, 2g protein). For my frozen meals, I reduced the 3 oz. serving to 2.5 oz. because I felt slightly over-full after having a 3 oz. portion last night.
• 3 oz. eye of round steak with the Mediterranean curry rub. I added more curry this time, and it was also delicious (about 150 kcals, 25g protein); about 0.5 oz. feta cheese (45 kcals, 2g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free vanilla syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein). I found my sugar-free vanilla syrup in one of my unpacked bags this morning.

Total: 644 kcals, 112.5g protein, 69.9% kcals from protein.

Today was a good nutrition day, even though I slightly overate at meal #4 by having the feta. I was feeling a little down because I didn't find anything at Lane Bryant. Since I have to spend my birthday alone, I thought it would be fun to at least have a cute new outfit. Unfortunately, Lane Bryant is in a down period at this time, and by the time I looked around the store I didn't have time to go anywhere else. I was saddened by this, and I have not yet overcome emotional eating.

I hit the office gym this morning. It was kind of awkward because yesterday I ran into one of the guys who works out every morning there, and he asked me if I'd been back since I saw him there on Thursday, almost like he was checking up on me or trying to encourage fat people to work out. I said something like, "Maybe I'll be there tomorrow." Anyway, he was there this morning and said, "You DID come!" It was nice, but I felt uncomfortable. Sometimes I'm more Northeastern in my interactions with people I don't know well, so I didn't now how to respond to that. (Side note: The courthouse is very chummy. My initial employment package included a letter that said, "Welcome to the district court family!")

I was running late though, so I went 50 minutes on the elliptical for a calorie reading of 468. That is a higher rate than yesterday because I'm trying to build my speed so I can burn calories at a higher rate when I'm working out. I was trying to spend most of the workout between 130-150 strides/minute.

By the way, I weighed myself tonight after work - 224.4. So much for almost breaking 220. I hate the scale. :-( I'm hoping this is attributable purely to TOM.

On Birthday's Eve: Thoughts and Weight Update

Tomorrow is my 28th birthday.

It's been an eventful year: We elected and inaugurated Barack Obama but lost Michael Jackson, Ted Kennedy, and Patrick Swayze.

It's been eventful personally as well: I graduated from law school; moved to DC, back to Connecticut, and then finally back to SC; took the Bar exam; started a new job; and, in keeping with the subject of this blog - I had gastric bypass surgery.

At this time last year, I was thinking about weight loss surgery but not in a concrete way. I remember when it started to seem more urgent. I was on a trip to Atlanta on Sept. 26-28, a few days after my birthday. I was having a horrible time and feeling fatter than ever. While I was down there, I went to a Borders on the outskirts of Buckhead and bought Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies. I spent most of my last day in Atlanta engrossed in that book, and I decided then that I wanted to have RNY asap. I started getting into YouTube, and the next thing you know, I was meeting with people at Yale Health Plan and trying to fulfill the pre-surgery requirements.

I am so grateful for the RNY, and for all of the people who made it possible (e.g., the YLS people - Sharon, Megan, Heather, Harold; all the people at YHP; my surgeon; my mom; Faith in Branford.)

I would probably be back to my highest measured weight by now (338) if not for the surgery. This morning, my dilapidated scale said 220.2.* I don't think it's totally accurate, but it's close enough. If I took it seriously, that would be a loss of 83.8 pounds since April 13, 2009 and a net loss of 117.8 since May 2002. I'm still not at my lowest measured adult weight of 209, but I'm really close.

All in all, this kind of weight loss is a great birthday present. Tonight, I'm going to Lane Bryant to see if I can find a cute birthday outfit. I have loved LB since I was 13, but I'm hoping this will be the last birthday outfit I get from there. :-)

I have plans to celebrate my birthday this weekend by getting a bouquet from Edible Arrangements, going hiking at one of my favorite spots from childhood, and cooking my family a healthy feast of my "creative cuisine" that they have to eat.

*Yes, I know I was complaining a couple weeks ago about not being able to break into the 220s, and now they're almost over. Gotta love the "honeymoon period." :-)

What I Ate: 9/21/09

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 4 slices Oscar Meyer Deli Fresh chicken breast, barbecue flavor and 2 slices of the same brand's honey ham (50 kcals, 9g protein) and 1 mini Babybel light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein). I have to switch to nitrate/nitrite-free lunchmeat. I read this weekend that nitrates/nitrites substantially increase your cancer risk. I bought some nitrite-free lunch meat last night, so will be switching to that tomorrow. I already had this at the office.
• 1/4 cup fat-free ricotta with 1/4 cup Bolognese sauce made from lean ground beef (140 kcals, 17g protein) - yep, still eating this. I think I have 1 or 2 more left, which is kinda sad, because this was fantastically tasty.
• 3 oz. Southwestern chicken chili (made with ground chicken breast) (about 110 kcals, 19g protein) over 2 tbsp. cauliflower "rice" with parsley (10 kcals, 0g protein), topped with 1 tbsp. fat-free mozzarella cheese (12 kcals, 2g protein). To make cauliflower "rice," you just blanch cauliflower florets and mash them with a fork to make little pellets that mimic rice. I mixed mine with chopped flat leaf parsley for color and flavor. It doesn't have the consistency of rice, but it's sort of cool all the same. Cauliflower is pretty flavorless, so the "rice" works, just like mashed cauliflower is a good replacement for mashed potatoes.
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 592 kcals, 103g protein, 69.6% kcals from protein.

I'm pleased with these numbers! Maximal protein with minimal calories. It's still more than I was eating toward the end of my bar prep days.

Anyway, today's activity was been 45 minutes on the elliptical after work and nighttime pilates. I supposedly burned a little over 425 calories on the elliptical. I've definitely noticed the dropoff in the number of calories the machine says that I burn now that I weigh less. I know the elliptical machine isn't accurate, but when I weighed 250+ I could go 120 strides/minute and the machine would say that I was burning over 10 calories/minute. Today, I noticed that I have to go 140-150 strides/minute to burn that amount.

There is a marked improvement in my ability to do the pilates video. I still can't get my legs straight enough, but I can credibly get through it and I can stretch a lot more than a few weeks ago. I credit yoga with this improvement. I'm going to do the yoga video again tomorrow.

What I Ate: 9/20/2009

• About 2 oz. rotisserie chicken breast (90 kcals, 16g protein) and 1 link Jimmy Dean turkey sausage (40 kcals, 4g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 package of Planter's pistachio nuts. I got these on the road. Unfortunately, I chose this for meal #3 primarily because I was feeling sad (likely pms), which is the WRONG thing to do. (150 kcals, 6g protein)
• 3 oz. eye of round steak with a curry/mediterranean rub (curry powder, rosemary, oregano, black pepper, salt, Splenda.) This was a random idea but it was incredible. Might be the best steak I've ever had, as it was cooked to a perfect medium/medium-rare in addition to having tasty seasoning that didn't overpower the steak. (140 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• I ate a bit more in the process of tasting the food I made for frozen meals for the week. I made a delicious chili from ground chicken breast and some poached chicken breast that I covered in a wls-friendly, mustard-based but also tomato-infused barbecue sauce. (maybe 30 kcals, 5g protein)

Total: 670 kcals, 106g protein, 63.3% kcals from protein.

I'm happy with these nutritional stats considering that I had all those pistachios, which are nearly 75% fat and only 16% protein.

Because of the last-minute trip to Anderson, I didn't get to my workout today. I should get a good cardio workout in the morning though. Back to work, I guess!

What I Ate: 9/19/2009

• 2 slices honey ham lunchmeat (17 kcals, 3g protein) and 1/2 slice fat-free American cheese (15 kcals, 2.5g protein) with a touch of spicy mustard (5 kcals, 0g protein)
• 3 oz. shrimp and edamame salad with sweet and spicy soy-ginger reduction (125 kcals, 18g protein) - ate this for breakfast to switch things up a bit. Probably not the best idea I've ever had. The stomach was not ready for all that this am. But it kept me full for a long time!
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in a Starbucks tall iced decaf americano with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 Sargento light string cheese (60 kcals, 8g protein) and 1 link Jimmy Dean turkey sausage (40 kcals, 4g protein)
• 1 Sargento light string cheese (60 kcals, 8g protein), 2 links Jimmy Dean turkey sausage (80 kcals, 9g protein), and 1 slice of tomato (5 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 Russell Stover pecan cluster sugar-free candy - delish!!! I might have to have one of these either on my birthday (Wednesday) or on Saturday, when I actually plan to celebrate it. I try not to eat this sort of stuff when I'm not visiting the fam (75 kcals, 1g protein)

Total: 697 kcals, 103.5g protein, 59.4% kcals from protein.

I did the 5-mile walk after the shrimp and edamame. Then I got a call from my mom telling me that relatives from Michigan that I actually like but haven't seen in about 15 years had unexpectedly popped into town. So I went up to Anderson and took some reliable wls-friendly foods - string cheese, the sausages, and protein powder. I stayed at my grandma's for a long time; hence, the numerous meals involving these components. My mom hasn't gotten her internet back yet, so I couldn't post until now.

What I Ate: 9/18/09

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• Went to the Columbia Greek festival today with coworkers to pick up eats. I bought a Greek salad and the 1/2 roasted chicken. So, meal #1 from all of this was: About 3.5 oz. roasted chicken breast (175 kcals, 28g protein), a couple of strips of iceberg lettuce, 1 cherry tomato (3 kcals, 0g protein), 1 olive (5 kcals, 0g protein), and a few small blocks of feta - maybe 0.5 oz? (40 kcals, 2g protein). I added some calories to the chicken to account for whatever it was roasted in, but I didn't eat the skin. Lots of calories for one meal for me, but it's awesome to have had 55 grams of protein before noon!
• Meal #2 from my Greek festival gatherings. About 3 oz. of dark (thigh and leg) chicken (about 250 kcals, 22g protein), about 1 oz. feta (75 kcals, 4g protein), a few tiny pieces of iceberg lettuce, and 2 olives (10 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 778 kcals, 106g protein, 54.5% kcals from protein.

Since my meals were quite high-calorie today with a high fat content, I only ate solid food twice. Dense protein keeps me full for a long time, so I wasn't hungry all day after eating the chicken breast. The dark meat is so greasy! Fortunately, it didn't make me sick like the spinach-artichoke dip I had a my friend's bridal shower. This is the most calories I've had in one day since surgery, or close to it (I think I had one day in Seattle where I had a bit over 780 calories. Meh...)

Today's activity: Morning yoga and evening pilates. No cardio today after all - I stayed up too late watching Real Housewives and doing night yoga, so I just didn't have the oomph to get up and go to the gym this morning. The pilates video is super-challenging for me, but I at least got through it this time with a couple modifications in the postures.

Tomorrow morning is my five-mile walk at the park. Woohoo!

What I Ate: 9/17/2009

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1/4 cup fat-free ricotta with 1/4 cup Bolognese sauce made from lean ground beef (140 kcals, 17g protein)
• 1 Mini-Babybel Laughing Cow Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein) and 2 miniature celery stalks (8 kcals, 0g protein)
• 20 pistachios. I got 20 today instead of 10, but I wish I'd just gotten 10. I didn't need all 20 to feel satisfied. (80 kcals, 2g protein)
• 3 oz. shrimp and edamame salad with sweet and spicy soy-ginger reduction (125 kcals, 18g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 623 kcals, 93g protein, 59.7% kcals from protein.

I messed up with the pistachios, I think. I had too many and then got overstuffed for the next meal. And the calorie/protein ratio is too far off. It would have all been fine if I'd gotten 10 intead of 20.

For activity today, I did 3 miles of the Leslie Sansone video this morning before work. We had to get to work super-early this morning to interview clerkship applicants, so I didn't have the same amount of time that I normally would. But it was a good shorter workout. And I will do my before bed yoga.

What I Ate: 9/16/2009

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 2 slices of turkey bologna, fried up in a little nonstick spray (50 kcals, 6g protein) and 1 mini-Babybel light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein). Fried bologna is amazing! Reminds me of my granddaddy... and somehow the 98% fat-free turkey version manages to be a great post-WLS meal.
• Went to Miyo's on Main this afternoon for lunch with a USC Law professor who graduated from YLS in '04. I had the yellowtail jalapeno, which also has a little shredded carrot on top and is served in soy sauce (about 100 kcals, 18g protein). I also had miso soup (about 50 kcals, 2g protein). Skipped the edamame this time - it's dangerous because I always eat too much of them. They are definitely a binge trigger food for me!
• 9 roasted pistachios, no salt - I bought 10, but 1 of them fell on the ground...horrors (36 kcals, 0.9g protein)
• 1/2 cup Old El Paso fat-free refried beans (90 kcals, 6g protein) with 1 tbsp. nonfat Fage Greek yogurt (15 kcals, 2.5g protein), 1 tbsp. Publix medium salsa (5 kcals, 0g protein), and 1/2 slice fat-free sharp cheddar cheese (15 kcals, 2.5g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 631 kcals, 93.9g protein, 59.5% kcals from protein.

Not as much protein today. I wanted to eat the refried beans, but they are a lot of calories relative to the grams of protein. And I also had the pistachios, which are mostly composed of fat calories.

I tried out my new morning exercise routine today! Woke up at 5:45 and got to the gym at work by 6:30. I did an hour on the elliptical for a supposed burn of about 540 calories. I was only planning to do 45 minutes and then 5 minutes of cool down, but then I realized I still had plenty of time so I stretched it out to an hour. But I kept up the cool down pace for the entire 15 minutes, pushing calorie burn pretty low for that long of a workout :-/.

I think I'll alternate days with getting up and working out there versus working out at home, and then on the weekends go for longer walks, etc.

Nightly yoga will be happening tonight too. I *almost* went to a real yoga studio today to try out a beginners' class, but I might want to be thinner before I try yoga in front of others... or maybe I'll try on a weekend.

What I Ate: 9/15/09

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 Mini-Babybel Laughing Cow Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein) - it wasn't time for my next meal when I ate this, but I was really hungry so I ate it anyway. Maybe doing yoga this morning made me hungrier, so the shake wasn't enough to sustain me until the next meal?
• 1/4 cup fat-free ricotta with 1/4 cup Bolognese sauce made from lean ground beef (140 kcals, 17g protein)
• 1 Mini-Babybel Laughing Cow Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein), 1/4 of 1 fig - someone at the office bought them and I had a taste (12 kcals, 0g protein), and 2 miniature celery stalks (8 kcals, 0g protein)
• Mexican steak salad: 2.5 oz. eye of round steak (117 kcals, 20g protein) with 1 tbsp. salsa (5 kcals, 0g protein) and 1 tbsp. Fage nonfat Greek yogurt (15 kcals, 2.5g protein) over 2 Romaine leaves (10 kcals, 0g protein)
• About 1.5 defrosted peaches (95 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in a Starbucks tall iced decaf americano with sugar-free vanilla syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 722 kcals, 101.5g protein, 56.2% kcals from protein.

Too many peaches! :-( But I'm not going to beat myself up for it too much - I don't think peaches are what I need to worry about. They didn't make me fat, and I doubt having them every once in a while will keep me fat. My almost 90-year-old grandmother labored over chopping them up and freezing them for me, and they are just peaches with Splenda on them - so I'm going to eat them!

Anyway, my plans for trying a new workout routine this morning were thwarted because the sun didn't rise until after 7 AM, and the area where I live is a little sketchy and I didn't want to walk to work (where one of my gym options is located) until it was light out. I also didn't want to walk to my car to drive to work in the dark because it seems unsafe. So I just got up and did the yoga vid. I'm about to do it again now, right before bed.

However, I have adjusted a few things and am hoping to get in some aerobic stuff tomorrow morning! I just can't bring myself to do the aerobic workout after work.

What I Ate: 9/14/09

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 3 oz. warm dill chicken salad (120 kcals, 20g protein) - this tastes more like soup than chicken salad because it's juicy and doesn't have enough Greek yogurt or mustard in it to bind the meat together. It gave me a terrific idea for a chicken soup!
• 1/4 cup fat-free ricotta with 1/4 cup Bolognese sauce made from lean ground beef (140 kcals, 17g protein)
• 1 3 oz. eye of round steak with Worcestershire, garlic, rosemary, and black pepper (140 kcals, 25g protein).
• I thought I had a little extra room after the steak. It had a lot of connective tissue so I don't think I really got the whole 3 oz. Thus, I was able to justify eating some of the defrosted peaches, maybe about 3/4 peach worth? However, my body rejected most of it! (about 35 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 655 kcals, 112g protein, 68.4% kcals from protein.

I didn't get my aerobic workout in today :-( But I did get my nightly yoga workout in! And I'll be up bright and early in the morning for a new workout routine I'm planning to try. More info to follow.

What I Ate: 9/13/09

• Tilapia breakfast taco: Had leftover tilapia from last night, so I had it for breakfast. Sauteed 2 oz. of tilapia (52 kcals, 11.4g protein) with one link of Jimmy Dean turkey sausage (40 kcals, 3.3g protein) and put it in a romaine leaf (5 kcals, 0g protein) with 1 tbsp. Publix medium salsa (5 kcals, 0g protein). Yumm-o, even though if I were a food critic I would say that the flavor of tilapia is a bit too delicate for this preparation. The fish ultimately added texture instead of flavor. Might be good to try this again with a more strongly-flavored fish like salmon. (102 kcals, 14.7g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 Jimmy Dean turkey sausage link (40 kcals, 3.2g protein) and a few slices of peach (25 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1/4 cup fat-free ricotta with 1/4 cup Bolognese sauce made from lean ground beef (140 kcals, 17g protein)
• 1 3 oz. eye of round steak with Worcestershire, garlic, rosemary, and cracked black pepper - so magically delicious! (140 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 667 kcals, 109.9g protein, 65.9% kcals from protein.

I got up this morning and did the Leslie Sansone 5-mile walk, and then I did a new yoga video called Yoga for Beginners II. This is a beginner video for people who want to really engage in a yoga practice, I think. We learned the names of some of the poses and held them a lot longer than you have to hold them in the Yoga for Weight Loss quick start video.

Not sure if I want to become a yoga devotee or not. I'm not very flexible and I have terrible posture, so I like the idea of improving those areas. I could do without some of the New Age-ish aspects of it though.

What I Ate: 9/12/09

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in a Starbucks iced grande decaf americano with sugar-free vanilla syrup (115 kcals, 26g protein)
• 3 oz. shrimp and edamame salad with sweet and spicy soy-ginger reduction (125 kcals, 18g protein)
• 3 Jimmy Dean turkey sausage links (120 kcals, 13g protein)
• 3 oz. tilapia filet (81 kcals, 17g protein) with a peach, lemon, and thyme sauce (about 55 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1/2 peach (about 50 kcals, 0g protein)
• 3 slices Hillshire Farm corned beef - finishing off the package (26 kcals, 5g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 682 kcals, 104g protein, 61.0% kcals from protein.

This morning I got up early and went for a 5+-mile walk at Riverfront Park. This afternoon I did the yoga tape.

What I Ate: 9/11/09

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in a homemade iced decaf with Torani sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 serving (6 slices) Oscar Meyer Deli Fresh chicken breast, barbecue flavor (50 kcals, 9g protein) and 1 mini Babybel light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• 1/4 cup fat-free ricotta with 1/4 cup Bolognese sauce made from lean ground beef (140 kcals, 17g protein)
• About 2.5 oz. baked chicken thigh meat with 1/2 slice of tomato and a few pieces of lettuce - today after work was my first day at the women's shelter where I'm going to start volunteering, and the women prepare dinner every night at 5 and this was tonight's meal. Fortunately, WLS-friendly, even though thigh meat is fattier and more caloric than the breast. (about 190 kcals, 18g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in a homemade iced decaf with Torani sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 650 kcals, 100g protein, 61.5% kcals from protein.

I wound up hanging out with the shelter women longer than intended and going to AA with them, so I didn't get home until 9 and didn't feel like doing aerobics after that. However, I do still plan to end my night with the lovely yoga video. :-) I'm hoping to go for a real 5-mile walk tomorrow morning.

What I Ate: 9/10/2009

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in a grande iced decaf americano from Starbucks with my own Torani sugar-free white chocolate syrup (115 kcals, 26g protein)
• 1 serving (6 slices) Oscar Meyer Deli Fresh chicken breast, barbecue flavor (50 kcals, 9g protein) and 1 mini Babybel light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• 1/4 cup fat-free ricotta with 1/4 cup Bolognese sauce made from lean ground beef (140 kcals, 17g protein)
• 5 large raw cashews - I went to Fresh Market today and treated myself! (about 63 kcals, about 1.5g protein)
• 3 oz. warm dill chicken salad on a romaine leaf - the chicken salad I made tastes a LOT better warm, oddly (135 kcals, 24g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free Torani white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 663 kcals, 108.5g protein, 65.5% kcals from protein.

For today's activity, I did 3 of the 5 miles on my lovely new Leslie Sansone DVD. I did miles 2-4 because Leslie's more entertaining with backup walkers, which are absent from miles 1 and 5. I also plan to do the yoga video again before I go to bed. It relaxes me. I might be a yoga fan! :-)

What I Ate: 9/9/09

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in homemade iced decaf (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 serving (6 slices) Oscar Meyer Deli Fresh chicken breast, barbecue flavor (50 kcals, 9g protein) and 1 mini Babybel light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• 1/4 cup fat-free ricotta with 1/4 cup Bolognese sauce made from lean ground beef (140 kcals, 17g protein)
• 3 oz. shrimp and edamame salad with sweet and spicy soy-ginger reduction (125 kcals, 18g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in homemade iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 585 kcals, 100g protein, 68.4% kcals from protein.

I decided not to exercise today because I've been major stalled for a week and half on weight loss. Often, when I stall I'll lose weight after I take a break for a day or two. I do plan to do the yoga before bed, though! (Will update tomorrow if I don't do it, for some reason.)

What I Ate: 9/8/2009

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in homemade iced decaf (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 serving (7 slices) Hillshire Farm corned beef (60 kcals, 11g protein) on a romaine leaf (5 kcals, 0g protein) with 1 tsp. spicy mustard (5 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1/4 cup fat-free ricotta with 1/4 cup Bolognese sauce made from lean ground beef (140 kcals, 17g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in homemade iced decaf (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• About 1.5 large peaches chopped up with Splenda (90 kcals, 0g protein)
• 3 oz. shrimp and edamame salad with sweet and spicy soy-ginger reduction (125 kcals, 18g protein)

Total: 645 kcals, 96g protein, 59.5% kcals from protein.

Yeah...so the problem again today was the peaches. I appreciate my grandmother doing all that work to give them to me, but honestly I'll be glad when they are gone!! I kind of want to have people over just so I can use them in a recipe and get rid of them as a temptation! Consequently, my carbs are higher than normal. AND - I had "foamies" for the first time after eating them. Argh. Not gonna explain...

I got up this morning and did 4 of the 5 miles on the Leslie Sandsone 5-Mile dvd before work. Cheers!

What I Ate: 9/7/2009

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in homemade iced decaf with Torani sugar-free white chocolate syrup - again, delish! (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 3 oz. of the Bolognese sauce I made last night to put over fat-free ricotta. It was extremely filling, or maybe this is a "small pouch" day (about 140 kcals, 20g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in a grande Starbucks iced decaf americano (115 kcals, 26g protein)
• About 1.5 large peach, sliced (90 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 serving of my shrimp and edamame salad with a sweet and spicy soy-ginger glaze (about 125 kcals, 18g protein)
• About 1 oz. of the Bolognese sauce, leftover from packing the lunches (45 kcals, 7g protein); 1 Mini Babybel Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein)

Total: 675 kcals, 102g protein, 60.4% kcals from protein.

I tried my new yoga video this morning and did it again later tonight. The jury is still out on the whole yoga thing for me, but the video is just 20-30 minutes, so why not try every once in a while? Actually, I already feel pretty in touch with my body, which is perhaps why I didn't think this video was earthshattering. But at least I can get through it, unlike the Pilates video!

For "real" exercise, I did the aforementioned Leslie Sansone 5-Mile video. It was pretty sweet.

I keep buying gifts for myself lately, and today's purchase was the "Total Body TransFIRMation System" from The Firm. I'm sure you've seen their informercials over the years. The Firm is based here in South Carolina, and I could go work out at their studio if I were so inclined. Because the instructors are all local women, I've always been curious about it. I've looked at most of the DVDs and I'm pretty sure it's beyond my fitness level, but not so much that I can't stumble through it and get a good calorie burn in the process. Most of the videos have one person that we beginners are supposed to follow for a more low-impact experience. Maybe I'll give it a try in a couple days.

Walk from Obesity?

I'm trying to decide whether to go to the Walk from Obesity this year. The Walk is organized by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Obesity Action Coalition, and funds support their programs. Many of the Fall 2009 walks take place on Sept. 26, the Saturday after my 28th birthday. I'm thinking about signing up for the one in Charlotte, which seems to be pretty big.

The walk in Spartanburg is the same distance away and only an hour away from my family so I could visit them that weekend too, but it looks like very few people are going to that one. I don't want to go to a sparsely populated event by myself, because I would like to blend in and be anonymous. Going to a small event could be awkward. The Charlotte event is pretty sweet, with a raffle and fun events that will take place after the walk.

Another thing that's great about the Charlotte event is that there are two different length options, 1 mile or 3.1 miles. For both the Spartanburg and Atlanta locations, it's not clear how long the walk will be! I don't want to pay $25 and travel somewhere to walk 1 mile!

Will let you (meaning myself, since I'm the only person who reads this blog) know if I decide to do this. I really want to get involved in more anti-obesity and obese-person empowering activism, and this could be a small way to do that.

Leslie Sansone 5-Mile Fat-Burning Walk - Go Buy It!

I've mentioned in at least one previous post that I've been a longtime fan of Leslie Sansone, the inventor of Walk at Home aka Walk Aerobics.

We go way back! Back in the early 2000s, my mom ordered a 3-video set of Sansone's workouts from QVC (the Walk Away the Pounds series.) She didn't love them because she felt like they were too easy. She let me have them, and I loved them enough for the both of us. Sansone has a unique philosophy in the aerobics world: The steps are not what's important - moving is what's important. It fits in well with my whole egalitarian thing; it's equal opportunity exercise for the uncoordinated among us.

I pretty much memorized the videos, so I sometimes did the movements while I was listening to music or watching TV. I lost about 25 pounds on study abroad in Southern Africa in 2003 by doing Walk at Home in all of the random hotels, homestays, and huts we lived in for six weeks, and I lost about 30 pounds when I was living in Ireland from doing Walk at Home in my room to iTunes.

That's the backstory.

Anyway, I went to Target yesterday and picked up a new Sansone DVD, the 5 Mile Fat Burning Walk. It's a 65-minute workout if you do all 5 miles, but you don't have to.

I just finished it and I LOVED this one! My VHS tapes of her came out in 2000, and this DVD came out in 2008, but the steps are still the same basic formula with a few added flourishes to keep it interesting. But it's actually nice that you don't have to spend the whole hour making sure you're watching her or thinking about what you're doing because the steps are so easy.

One of the added flourishes in this workout is a 2-minute "boosted walk" at the end of each mile. This "boost" is actually jogging in place instead of marching, which gives those who can handle it an extra challenge. However, Sansone realizes that lots of people turn to her workout because they can't handle extra fitness challenges, and she is very clear that people who shouldn't be engaging in high-impact aerobics should not do the "boost." To drive this point home, most of the people in the video don't do the boost. Only Sansone and one back-up exerciser do the boost in miles 2, 3, and 4.

I'd say this is slightly more strenuous than the average Sansone workout - but that's not saying a whole lot. I'm still "Class II obese" and I could get through the whole thing and felt good afterward, but it was a slightly tougher workout than I've ever experienced from her. I sweat a decent amount, but still not as much as when I have a brisk elliptical workout. On the other hand, she engaged a lot more of my muscles, especially my shoulders, glutes, quadriceps, and outer thighs.

This video also tells the story of Nicole, one of the back-up exercisers who lost over 100 pounds through Walk at Home. One of my favorite aspects of this video is that Sansone introduces the viewer to her cast members, like they are old family members. At the end of the video, each of them is introduced as part of the credits and it mentions what they do in life, whether they have children, and whether they are in other Walk at Home videos. It's pretty cool.

The only thing I dislike about the video is that Sansone leads the first and fifth miles alone, with no back-up exercisers. Sansone is most entertaining when she's interacting with her cast members, so I would have preferred to have them there for all five miles.

This is first-rate. Highly recommended.

What I Ate: 9/6/2009

• Omelet: 3 tbsp. Egg Beater egg whites; 1 strip Jennie-O turkey bacon, ripped into bite-size pieces; 1 link Jimmy Dean turkey sausage, ripped into bite-size pieces; 1/2 slice Southern Home (BiLo brand) fat-free sharp cheddar cheese (100 kcals, 14.8g protein)
• 1/2 cup Old El Paso fat-free refried beans (90 kcals, 6g protein) with 1 strip Jennie-O turkey bacon (20 kcals, 3g protein), 1/2 slice Southern Home fat-free sharp cheddar cheese (15 kcals, 2.5g protein), 1 tbsp. Fage nonfat greek yogurt (15 kcals, 2.5g protein) and 1 tbsp. Publix medium salsa (5 kcals, 0g protein) - adding the bacon was good for the protein but a mistake for the flavor. It took over everything :-( (145 kcals, 14g protein)
• 16 pistachios, leftovers from yesterday (64 kcals, 1.6g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in grande iced decaf Americano from Starbucks (115 kcals, 26g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in homemade iced decaf coffee with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein) - yum-a-lum
• 2 oz. dill chicken salad over a little romaine heart (100 kcals, 16g protein)
• 2 oz. homemade bolognese sauce made with 93/7 lean ground beef, fresh tomatoes, and yummy seasonings (100 kcals, 11.5g protein)
• About 1/2 small peach (30 kcals, 0g protein)

Total: 764 kcals, 108.9g protein, 57.0% kcals from protein.

I had an overeating spell tonight. I was cooking food to freeze for the week, and I was planning to have the chicken salad for dinner. But I wanted to taste the bolognese sauce to make sure it was seasoned properly, and that turned out to be a disaster. It was so delicious that I went back and got a little more twice. Then I got really insane - that old crazy, uncontrollable feeling that I usually get before binging - and tried to eat some of the frozen peaches, but I couldn't get very far with that. As I'm sitting here at midnight, I'm bursting with fullness and cannot believe I did that. I'm in pain.

Yet another example of why I need to be going to OA. Why in the world would I do this to myself???!!! >:-(

For activity today, I did Leslie Sansone's 4-Mile Power Walk and re-attempted the Pilates tape. I only got about halfway through the Pilates tape, but that's better than last time. I picked up a new Sansone video and a yoga video at Target today, so we'll see about those tomorrow.

What I Ate: 9/5/2009

• 1 egg white crepe (30 kcals, 6g protein) with 1 serving (7 slices) of Hillshire Farm corned beef (60 kcals, 11g protein) and 1 tbsp. spicy mustard (5 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein supplement in a tall sugar-free vanilla iced decaf americano from Starbucks (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 serving (6 slices) Oscar Meyer Deli Fresh chicken breast, barbecue flavor (50 kcals, 9g protein) and 1 mini Babybel light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein) - this was my beach meal...
• 1 set of crab legs - these were super-skimpy and I don't think I wound up with more than 2.5 oz. of crab meat, if that. I was so angry. I got these at a crab shack right on Folly Beach and so expected something MUCH better. I'm calculating the calories for 2.5 oz. of meat and the protein for 2 oz. (80 kcals, 14g protein)
• 15 pistachio nuts. I had to get these at the gas station right after the crab to supplement my meal. I wasn't satisfied after the pathetic crab legs (60 kcals, 1.5g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in a homemade iced decal americano (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 10 pieces of Orbit Mist gum in Mango Surf (25 kcals, 0g protein)

Total: 580 kcals, 97.5g protein, 67.2% kcals from protein.

As I mentioned above, I spent the day on the beach. One of the nice things about living in Columbia is being within 2 hours of the mountains and the beach. I went to Folly Beach on the outskirts of Charleston, where I'd never been before. It has a laid-back reputation and there is a critical mass of surfers, which I've been told is uncommon for a Carolina beach. I liked it - despite my major disappointment with the crab legs!

This was a lighter activity day, I guess. I took a walk along the beach in the water, but it probably wasn't much more than a mile. I played in the water a lot and did some stretching. I also attempted the Pilates DVD again.

What I Ate: 9/4/2009

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein supplement in a grande iced decaf americano from Starbucks (115 kcals, 26g protein)
• 1 Babybel Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• About 2 oz. of a yellowtail/jalapeno sashimi appetizer in soy sauce (about 85 kcals, 13g protein) and about 3/4 cup of edamame in shells (about 80 kcals, 6.5g protein), all from M Cafe, an Asian fusion restaurant here in Columbia
• 1 slice Kraft fat-free sharp cheddar cheese (30 kcals, 5g protein) and 1 slice "fried" (in nonstick spray) 98% fat free turkey balogna (25 kcals, 3g protein) - revisiting childhood, minus the carbs in the white bread and the sugar in the ketchup! And the rest of my edamame from lunch, about 1 and 1/8 cups in shells (120 kcals, 10g protein). This was PAINFUL. I overate again!!!! What is wrong with me???
• 1 scoop Inspire chocolate peanut butter fudge protein supplement in 1/2 cup water and a little ice. (127 kcals, 26g protein) I served this in a margarita glass. I love this protein - it tastes like liquefied Reese's Cups! But I wasn't in the mood for it. I wasn't hungry, and it was so late that it made me feel gross. However, I thought I should drink it anyway to get my protein count on target for today. I'm thinking about skewing my shakes earlier in the day so I don't wind up having shakes when I'm not hungry in order to meet protein goals.

Total: 632 kcals, 95.5g protein, 60.4% kcals from protein.

The incident with the edamame and turkey balogna is making me reconsider joining Overeaters Anonymous. I'd planned to have refried beans for dinner, but the edamame were just sitting there, and I couldn't keep myself from eating them.

That is the kind of compulsion that dictated my relationship with food for at least the past 7 years. In 2002 I embarked on my first serious and seriously successful diet. Before then I'd tried a lot of gimmicks, but in 2002 I went back to the basic of calorie-counting and exercise. Unfortunately, the calorie-counting became obsessive, and what started out as a good change became a situation that felt crazy. I was morbidly obese before, but the warped and conflicted feelings about food came later.

Anyway, today's edamame episode reminds me that gastric bypass alone can't solve the larger issue that created and sustained my morbid obesity for over 20 years. There's an oft-repeated cliche in the RNY world: "They didn't operate on my brain." I have to figure out how to fix my brain. Maybe OA is an okay place to start?

Activity today was kind of a mess. I started my new job today, and for some reason I spent most of the day standing and walking. After yesterday's 9 miles, all of that standing and walking was painful! I limped home from work and eventually tried to do a 45-minute Pilates workout, Quick Start Pilates for Weight Loss with Ana Caban. I got about 10 minutes in and realized that it was NOT happening because I'm not flexible enough. But I still wanted to get a workout in, and I didn't want to leave my apartment. So I went back to one of my old standbys, Bun Busters Low-Impact Aerobics with Liza Elliott. I have the VHS from 1993; I think my mom bought it sometime between 1993 and 1995. The video is kind of messed up at this point, but the sound is okay. (Also, after 16 years, I have most of the movements memorized anyway!) The workout is just 29 minutes, and it's quite fun and a bit more vigorous that Leslie Sansone's Walk Aerobics. I love this workout. Wish I could find it on DVD!

What I Ate: 9/3/2009

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in a grande sugar-free vanilla iced decaf americano from Starbucks (115 kcals, 26g protein)
• 2.5 oz. pork loin (leftover from last night) wrapped with 1 slice Jennie-O turkey bacon and 2 cloves of garlic - this was not nearly as tasty without the rosemary-peach vinaigrette (148 kals, 21g protein)
• 1 scoop Inspire ice cream sandwich protein powder in 1/2 cup water (126 kcals, 30g protein). It's been over a week since I had this protein, and I think it's official - I don't like it. :-(
• Some watermelon - I'm not completely sure how much. It was delicious and I don't regret it. (about 50 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1/2 cup Old El Paso fat-free refried beans (90 kcals, 6g protein) with 1 tbsp. plain nonfat Fage (15 kcals, 2.5g protein), 1 tbsp. Publix medium salsa (5 kcals, 0g protein), and 1/2 slice fat free Kraft sharp cheddar cheese (15 kcals, 2.5g protein) - I ate this in my pretty new small bowl from Tuesday Morning and it was s-c-r-u-m-p-t-i-o-u-s. The salsa was particularly good - full of fresh cilantro. And it was on sale! The only thing that would have made it better is more spice. They didn't have hot.

Total: 564 kcals, 88g protein, 62.4% kcals from protein.

I may have had too many carbs today between the watermelon, the beans, and the salsa. The beans alone have 18 grams of carbs (though 6 of those are fiber, which is good.) I don't tend to track my carbs other than avoiding food with empty carbs, but I try to keep them as low as possible.

One bad food behavior today was my eating schedule. I ate at noon, 3:30 PM, 8:30 PM, 10:00 PM and 11:30 PM. Way too many calories at night and morning starvation. But I expect that having to get on a schedule will improve this.

For activity today, I walked 4 miles this morning at Columbia's Riverfront Park, and then later tonight I went back and walked 5 more miles for a total of 9 miles. (I had a conference call this afternoon, which is why I didn't try to do this all at one time.) This was really fun. I love long, slow walks! Maybe I should take up hiking?

According to the best calorie calculator I could find online, which takes into account not only the distance of your walk and your weight but also your speed, I burned about 950 kcals.

What I Ate: 9/2/2009

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein in grande sugar-free vanilla iced decaf americano from Starbucks (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein in grande sugar-free vanilla iced decaf americano from Books-A-Million "Joe Mugg's" - I put wayyy too much Splenda in this because the sugar-free vanilla syrup they use is uber-sweet (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 2 large raw cashews (27 kcals, 0.5g protein) and 2 pistachio nuts (16 kcals, 0.6g protein)
• 3 oz. pork tenderloin (122 kcals, 22.2g protein) wrapped with 1 slice Jennie-O turkey bacon (20 kcals, 3g protein) with 2 tbsp. rosemary-peach vinaigrette (about 30 kcals, 0g protein) - this may be the most DELICIOUS dish I've cooked since surgery. Seriously.
• About 1 sliced peach (66 kcals, 1.5g protein)

Total: 501 kcals, 77.8g protein, 62.1% kcals from protein.

Weight Update

This morning, I got on my home scale and it said 231.0.

That is a loss of 107 pounds from my highest measured weight of 338, in the spring of 2002. It is 76.6 pounds down from 307.6, my weight when I started my last go-round with Weight Watchers on October 31, 2008. (I did Weight Watchers as my pre-surgery diet, but I only lost a total of about 3.5 pounds in about 4 months!) Today's weight is 73 pounds down from what I consider to be my official surgery weight of 304 pounds, and it is 67 down from what my surgeon considers my official surgery weight of 298. (I had a stomach virus immediately before my last check-up with him, so I lost about 6 pounds in one day before they weighed me. Given all the carbs and fat I consumed between the surgeon's weigh-in and my surgery date, I think 304 is a more true representation of my "real" pre-op weight.) Also, I'm 23 pounds away from reaching my lowest weight as an adult. Right before law school, in August 2005, I weighed 209 pounds. Losing 23 more pounds would put me at 208.

In sum: I've lost 73 pounds since surgery on April 13, 2009, roughly 4.5 months ago, at about 22 weeks out, and I'm 23 pounds away from my next major goal.

I'm happy with how things are going, but I'm not thrilled for two reasons. First, I wanted to be in the 220s now. When I left for my hometown two weeks ago, the scale said 238 (up a bit from my previous low of 237.4.) Yesterday afternoon, it said 229.9, but I think that must have been some kind of error because it hasn't given me a number in the 220s since. 231 is a 7-pound loss in 2 weeks, which is great, but...still. I wanted to be in the 220s now.

Second, I really wanted to hit the "century mark" (100 pounds down) by my six-month "surgiversary" on Oct. 13, 2009. At this rate, I'm not going to make it. I've been in the 230s now for nearly a month.

Hopefully, getting into a routine will quicken my weight loss. For the past 5 weeks or so, I've been all over the place: I took the bar in Oakland, moved from New Haven to Columbia, traveled around for weddings, and then went to my family's home in Anderson, SC for two weeks to relax and attend my ten-year high school reunion. At least when I was in Anderson I joined Gold's Gym and worked out nearly every day, but I still haven't gotten a good workout routine going in Columbia. My job starts on Friday, and there's a gym at the courthouse. Hopefully that will be my gym home-base.

Of course, even a somewhat faster pace of loss would be unlikely to put me at the 100-pound mark by six months out. I'd need to lose 27 more pounds in 6 weeks, or 4.5 pounds each week. Some RNY people lose weight at that rate, but not me.

Despite this slight disappointment, I know I'm doing well. I'm totally thankful for this surgery!

And I should put things in perspective. I've been morbidly obese most of my life. When I graduated from high school, I was denied health insurance for the first time because I weighed 330 pounds at the age of 18. When I was 15, I weighed 250, and engaged in all kinds of unhealthy dieting behaviors only to lose 25 pounds--and then gained it right back plus a whole lot more. Later, I lost down from about 350 to 209, only to regain nearly 100 pounds during law school. Given all of the DRAMA of dealing with weight issues for most of my life, I really should not be complaining about a slight delay in reaching the century mark.

It's just . . . I'm so eager to experience what life is like for people of a normal weight. I can't wait to take a walk on the other side. Hopefully, I'll get there soon.

Update! And What I Ate Today

I am finally back in Columbia, where I have regular Internet access and hopefully will be able to get back into my daily food-tracking routine.

My biggest battle right now is making sure my portions are small enough. I find that I can eat about 4-5 oz. of food at a time as long as it's pure protein, but I'm not supposed to eat that much at one time. I am still satisfied with just 2-3 oz. of food. I am good about measuring my food when I'm eating at home, but when I go out, I have a hard time controlling myself.

For example, I just got back from Mr. Friendly's, a great restaurant here in town. I had a special entree of halibut and 2 scallops with watermelon rind chow chow (so good!) and grilled summer vegetables (I just ate the zucchini and a little onion. The entree also came with tabasco beurre blanc and some hoppin' john cakes, but I skipped that stuff.) I was able to eat most of the plate! :-( I only ate one of the scallops, but I ate most of the halibut and a lot of the vegetables. I also ate all of the chow chow (about 1.5-2 tbsp.) I did not get sick from eating this.

I also ate too much this morning. I had about 1.5 oz. of turkey polska kielbasa left, so I chopped it up, added less than 0.5 oz. onion, and had it with 1/2 slice of fat-free cheese and 1/2 cup of Egg Beaters. It was good on calories, but the eggs were way too much volume. I should have stuck with my usual 1/4 cup. This may be TMI - but some of this actually came back up :-(

I am so scared of messing this up. I need to rein in my portion sizes immediately. I also need to adopt a better restaurant strategy. I usually just go into it thinking I will let my body tell me when I'm full, but I think I'm going to try to estimate the portion with my eyes and eat only that amount. I'm think I'm still uncomfortable bringing a box of leftover food home.

Other than the eggs with polska kielbasa and the Mr. Friendly's meal, I had one scoop of Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in Starbucks iced decaf americano. (The best things about being back in Columbia are Starbucks and home Internet access!)

I'll be updating you about my weight tomorrow! Stay tuned...