I don't think I have ever received the amount of text messages, and PM's as I did about this post.
So, with the whole theme of this blog being about those voices of "I can't" and "I'm not good enough", I decided to start sharing my journey here, and of course, the diet I am on.
As I said, I went to the doctor on May 9th. I have several good friends who have had the gastric sleeve and are doing very well. I found several articles regarding gastric sleeve and UC, and had decided I wanted to talk to him about it. In the past, he has always mentioned my lack of a good immune system as the number one reason not to have any invasive treatments done. I had even been advised not to have a tattoo. However, I also know I am the only one who wasn't sick at all this last winter. I take lots of Vitamin C, and am religious about washing my hands, not touching strangers any more than I have to and making sure I don't put my hands near my face until I have washed them or used sanitizer if I have had to shake hands, etc. I also had my eyes tattooed in April, without one bit of problem. I didn't feel the immune argument was a good one.
I have this really great life, I love my job, my family, my friends and even where I am at in life. The only thing I don't like is to look at myself. I have to admit, and I cannot be the only one out there who feels this way, I do not look the way I feel.
Seriously, Everyone says, "you'll feel so much better when you get that weight off", and I will admit, I can feel it when I lose weight but I have never once felt like I was carrying around all these extra 5 lb bags of sugar stacked up in some wagon. I feel like I should be the size I was in high school-honest.
It's when it is time to look at me that I don't like. I have some sort of warped sense about what I look like as well, because when I look in the mirror, I do not see the same size I see in pictures, and the absolute worst, I don't see the 10-12 chins that I see in pictures. And when I look at pictures, I assume what is in the picture is the me everyone else sees, and I don't like it, not at all.
And please don't preach to me about how I should love my body, no matter the shape. The ones I am writing this blog for are the ones that are in the exact same boat as me, and get it. Believe me, I don't think anybody should be shamed into being a stick figure, but when you look at the x-rays of where your organs are on a fat person, compared to someone in a better weight range, or hear the doctor say, "your blood pressure isn't real bad for someone of your size" and you know that the more weight there is, the harder your organs all have to work; it is not healthy to be the size I am. Period.
When I first called Dr. Peterson about the surgery, one of his nurses told me if I really wanted to do this, I probably needed to find a different GI. I hated this because he has done so much for me, but he wanted to see me. I pretty well knew he was going to want me to try a different diet. after talking a while, he said if I really wanted the surgery, he would help me anyway he could but he would like for me to go through Springfield Clinic so he could keep an eye on me. I had already decided the same thing. He then asked me to give him 6 months of really trying this.
He proceeded to write on his business card:
So it says:
1. No Wheat/ No Dairy
2.No White Potato/ No corn
3. No Rice or Pasta
4. Protein every meal
5. Vegetable 3-10 cups a day
6. Fruit- 2/ day (see Granny Smith Apple and Berries)
Eat during 8 hours, Fast 16 hours.
While he was writing, he told me no beans. Use Avocado as a healthy fat, as well as coconut oil, don't go overboard on fat. 3-6 oz. of protein each meal, use eggs as a substitute for meat.
Do not eat anything processed, which in his eyes is anything that has over 5 ingredients on the label. (I cheat with condiments on this, but that is about all-- and limit it then)
Exercise, aerobics and weights at least 4-5 times a week.
During the 16 hours, I can drink unsweetened coffee, tea, and water. The only sweetener I am to use is Stevia. I can use small amounts of raw honey as a sweetener. All the lemon and lime I want.
He also gave me a website and a book, I plan on getting to both but am preparing to take the biggest test of my life in a little over a week, so if I study anything it has to do with that for now.
The website is https://lluniversity.com/ which looks to me, now that I have looked at it, that this diet might really have its own name.
The book he mentioned was The Sugar Code, which looks to be a textbook. And he also mentioned the Whole 30 book, It Starts with Food.
So, that is it for the first post. I have several things to share that I have learned this month. I made a "mock" potato salad that was so good, the guys even ate it. We made healthy Nutella the other night, let's just say AWESOME, and I learned that a little coconut oil with cinnamon mixed in is wonderful on a baked sweet potato.
As I mentioned earlier, I am taking my Certified Community Action Professional exam on the 20th. Once I get through that, I will probably have more news on my other finds, and recipes.
I hope this is helpful to my friends who asked.
