083 We're Moving to Taiwan!!!

If you haven't heard...

We are moving to Taiwan! That's right, Taiwan! Read more about our new adventure by visiting our new blog.

082 Doing New Things!

Hello, Friends!

Here we are at almost 200 pounds lost! It's amazing just how far we have come since October. I can't believe we are here already, but we still have a way to go.

Still I thought I would share with you some of the great new things Jimmy and I have been doing to be healthier and lose weight in addition to making better food choices.

1. Swimming -- We love it!
2. Softball. This spring we joined our church softball team. It's been fun to hit the ball, play the field, and run the bases. Even Jimmy is enjoying being outside.

Jimmy's first at-bat of the season. He had a great hit even if he did wipe out afterwards.

Jimmy playing first base in our second game.

3. Other Outdoor Activities -- We have started going to the batting cages to bone up for softball and I actually talked Jimmy into mini-golf!

 

It's really been a blast and we are both looking forward to all the amazing doors which are going to be open to us now that Jimmy is shrinking. Keep in touch and we will keep you informed on the latest and greatest in our life too!

 

081 Jimmy's Four Month Post Op Update

Yes! It's finally here! I know that you have been waiting for ever to find out about what Jimmy has been up to so I trapped him and got him to record a little four month update. I'm sorry if you are hoping it would be really long because it's only about a minute in length. Jimmy is even more full of energy now and I just can't keep him trapped for that long. So I hope you enjoy this little update and hopefully I will get back into posting more soon.

080 Foodie Pics

I was cleaning off Jimmy's phone for him today when I realized just how many pictures of food he takes. I thought it would be fun to post them all and let you figure out for yourselves which were before surgery and which were after. I think it should be pretty easy and maybe even fun!

079 Congratulations on 150 Pounds Lost!

I just wanted to say Congratulations to you, Jimmy, for reaching your newest weight loss goal and for losing 150 POUNDS! It's really amazing all the hard work you have put in to make this happen. I am SO proud of you! Keep going. You can make your ultimate goal!

078 Tips for Success After Weight Loss Surgery

We are now past the three month mark and Jimmy is doing great! I really am proud of all that he has accomplished. I want you to have that kind of success too. So today I am sharing an article with you that I read on About.com which summarizes a lot of things that we have already heard from our doctor and other WLS friends. I hope you enjoy!

25 Tips For Success After Weight Loss Surgery

What to Do and What Not to Do After Weight loss Surgery

By Jennifer Heisler, RN, About.com Guide   •   Updated May 02, 2010

You will be making many changes to your lifestyle after you have weight loss surgery, which will include following your surgeon's instructions to the letter. Check out these 25 tips for success after gastric bypass surgery:

Know when to call your surgeon. In the weeks after surgery, you should call your surgeon if:

You develop a fever over 101 degrees

You have uncontrollable pain

You cannot keep fluids down

You are short of breath or have difficulty breathing

You notice dark or tarry (bloody) stools

You suddenly begin to bruise easily

Your incisions begin to leak pus or bleed heavily

You develop unexplainable severe leg pain

Don’t drink calories. Your caloric intake will be very limited after surgery, which should help you lose weight. Don’t work against your surgery by taking in liquid calories that provide no nutrition and slow your weight loss. Make every calorie count by focusing on protein, fruits and vegetables.

Avoid sugar. Sugar is the ultimate empty calorie. Sugar will make your blood sugar climb, cause hunger pangs, provide no nutrients and, for patients of certain types of gastric bypass, cause dumping syndrome. Avoid sugar and any foods that list sugar in the first three ingredients, whenever possible.

Avoid carbonated drinks. The bubbly nature of carbonated drinks, such as soda, can cause gas pain and increase the pressure in your stomach, which can be harmful to staples and sutures, especially in the months immediately after your surgery.

Don’t drink fluids immediately before, during or after your meal. It is essential that you reserve the small amount of space you have in your stomach for high-quality, nutrient-rich food. Drinking before and during your meal will fill your stomach with fluid, instead of food, and drinking immediately after your surgery can “wash” food out of your stomach, making you feel hungry sooner. Separate food and fluid by at least a half an hour, whenever you can.

Keep your follow-up visits. After surgery, your progress will be closely monitored. Skipping appointments may mean that a nutritional deficiency, surgical complication or other issues may not be discovered in a timely manner. Also, appointments are a good motivator for staying on track with your goals.

Don’t stop taking any medications without your surgeon’s approval. Many diseases can improve with surgery and weight loss, but that doesn’t mean you should stop taking your medication. Talk to your physician prior to stopping any medications.

Don’t snack. Snacking is a habit that can slow your progress and hurt your long-term success. Stick to high-quality meals and avoid junk foods. If you are hungry, have a meal, but don’t snack between meals.

Protein, Protein, Protein! Protein should be your primary focus when sitting down for a meal. Not only will it help you maintain your muscle mass while losing fat, but it will also help you feel full longer after your meals.

Skip alcoholic drinks. Alcohol is full of empty calories that provide no nutritional value. It can also contribute to stomach ulcers, which you are already at risk for because of your surgery. Weight loss surgery also makes you more sensitive to alcohol than you were before, so a little goes a long way.

Chew and then chew some more. Chewing your food thoroughly is essential to preventing nausea and vomiting during and after your meal. Large chunks of food can have trouble passing through the digestive tract after surgery, and if it gets stuck along the way, it can cause pain.

Avoid pregnancy for the first 24 months after surgery. Your body will be in high weight-loss mode for at least a year after your surgery. During that time, supporting you and a baby would be unhealthy for you and disastrous for a developing fetus. If you are sexually active, use a reliable method of birth control, and consult your surgeon before attempting to become pregnant.

Find a support group. There are more than 140,000 people having weight-loss surgery each year, so people who have walked in your shoes are not hard to find. Not only do support groups offer emotional support, but they can also provide advice on the wide range of changes you are facing as you lose weight. Support groups are available in most areas that have a bariatric surgeon and are plentiful on the Internet.

Don’t take over-the-counter drugs without your surgeon’s approval. Over-the-counter drugs can pose risks after surgery that were not a concern prior to surgery. Pain relievers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen increase the likelihood that you will develop an ulcer. Remedies forconstipation shouldn’t be taken without physician approval, as constipation can be a sign of complications or a need for a change in diet.

Listen to your body. Don’t eat if you aren’t hungry. Just because the clock says it is time for a meal, doesn’t mean you should eat one. Learn to listen to your smaller stomach and only eat when your body wants you to.

• Avoid simple carbs.

•  Simple carbohydrates are highly processed foods such as white bread, pasta, sugar and white rice. The rule of thumb is this if it is white, it may be a simple carb. You are better off with more wholesome alternatives such as brown rice that contain fiber and nutrients that white rice does not. Simple carbohydrates can also elevate blood glucose levels, triggering hunger pangs and cravings.

• Exercise. From the moment you are able to after surgery, exercise. Even if you can’t walk far or for very long, get started. Your results will be better, and you will be encouraged by how quickly your stamina improves as the pounds shed. Walking also helps prevent serious complications, such as pulmonary embolus and blood clots, if you start immediately after surgery.

• Eat mindfully. No more eating while watching television. Focus on what you are doing when you eat, and stop the moment you feel full. Giving food your full attention will help you learn to say when and develop new healthier habits.
• Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water. This will help you feel more energetic, and it will prevent you from mistaking hunger for thirst. Many adults confuse the two sensations, so if you are well-hydrated, you won’t ever wonder if you are truly hungry.
• Surgery won’t fix your life. Remember that surgery is a way to lose weight, but it is not a miracle fix for every problem in your life. Being thin won’t make your children clean their room without being asked, it won’t fix a bad marriage and it certainly won’t make your nosy relatives behave themselves. Be realistic in your expectations of life after surgery.
• Say goodbye to caffeine. Caffeine is the most-used drug in the world, and it is a drug. Caffeine alters your mood, increases your heart rate and is a diuretic. If you drink caffeine, you will be working against your efforts to stay well-hydrated and increase your risk of a stomach ulcer.
• Find healthful coping skills. If you need bariatric surgery, the chances are high that you used food as a coping mechanism for stress. It is time to find a new way to cope, whether it is exercise, reading a book, talking to a friend on the phone or whatever works for you other than eating.
• Milk? Maybe. If you must drink calories, skim milk is an excellent option. Be aware, though, that many weight-loss surgery patients develop lactose intolerance after surgery, even if they didn’t have it before. Go easy on the dairy products until you know how your body will tolerate lactose.
• Kiddie meals and doggy bags. Restaurant portions are going to be massive in comparison to your needs after surgery. Plan on taking food home or ordering a child’s portion. If you aren’t sure you can resist joining the clean plate club, divide an acceptable portion away from the meal and have the server remove the rest before temptation sets in.
• Stop using straws. If you are going to drink, don’t use a straw. Straws not only allow you to drink too quickly, so you may end up with an uncomfortably full stomach, but they also allow air into the stomach that can cause serious discomfort.

_Sources Bariatric Surgery For Severe Obesity. Consumer Information Sheet. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. March 2008. http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/gastric.htm Jones,Nicolas V. Christou, MD, PhD; Didier Look, MD; and Lloyd D. MacLean, MD, PhD. " Weight Gain After Short- and Long-Limb Gastric Bypass in Patients Followed for Longer Than 10 Years."Annals of Surgery 2006 November; 244(5): 734–740.

077 Three Fast Chicks on a Diet share about Water Exercises

How to Lose Weight Fast with Aquatic Exercise

by Three Fat Chicks on a Diet

Aquatic exercise is perhaps one of the best ways to achieve full-body strength and loose weight quickly. Not only are aquatic exercise techniques easy on the body’s joints, they are also fun and relaxing. This helps to keep those seeking weight loss interested and dedicated to their exercise regimen.

Overview of Aquatic Exercise

In order to fully understand the weight loss benefits of aquatic exercise, you need to understand its techniques and why it is one of the most effective methods for quick weight loss.

Simply stated, aquatic exercise is exercise that is performed in water. Water creates natural resistance, which allows pressure on the joints and muscles to be displaced by the water. While the resistance of water makes this a low-impact exercise activity, resistance also helps to strengthen and build muscle. Because muscle naturally burns fat, this is the key elements to an aquatic exercise weight loss program.

Although aquatic exercise has been used a great deal by the medical community for rehabilitation patients who lack the strength to tolerate standard impact activity, the benefits of aquatic exercise are becoming more commonplace in both the medical and public communities.

Water Walking

One of the best aquatic exercises to begin with is water walking. With this technique, you want to make sure that the water is about waist high. Then, you can start by walking from one end of the pool to the other, being sure to keep your back straight and your arms moving from front to back just as you would normally do when walking. Because this is a basic aquatic exercise, it is a good place to start for people who are new to aquatic exercise. Water walking assists in the weight loss process by strengthening some of the key areas of your body, including the shoulders, arms, abdomen, upper legs and back.

Kickboarding

Another aquatic exercise that may help induce quick weight loss is kickboarding. With this exercise, you will place your arms and upper torso on the kickboard. Then, you will paddle around the pool using only your legs. Again, the resistance of the water acts against the motion of your legs, so your lower body will be receiving most of the impact from this exercise.

Resistance Exercises

Some aquatic exercise activities don’t require anything more than the water. You will simply use your body against water’s natural resistance to trim and strengthen your areas of concern. One technique that you can try is marching in place. During this exercise, you will start from a standing position with your legs together. You will then bring your left knee up at a 90-degree angle and release it back down. Then, repeat with the right leg.

On a similar note, try starting from the same standing position, but this time bring your left leg out to the side and then back to center, working both your inner and outer thigh. Repeat with your right leg. The thigh area is always a major concern for those looking to lose weight, so this is a good aquatic exercise to incorporate for weight loss purposes.