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!

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.

076 It's the Little Things that Count

Good morning! It's been a while since I have been on but there really hasn't been much to report. Well that was until Jimmy and I got to talking last night and realized that we actually have a lot of little things to report :)

It's the little things that count. When you stop to add them all up you realize just how much things in your life are changing when you might not have noticed had you not counted the little things.

So anyway...without further ado, these are some of the little things that we have noticed over the past few weeks:

• Jimmy can now wear the seat belt without an extender
• Jimmy's shoes are loose because he no longer has swelling in his feet and ankles
• Jimmy's legs get smaller and smaller (can we say chicken legs!)
• Jimmy can see his knees when he sits down
• Jimmy was able to stand and preach for 30 minutes without his normal back and knee pain
• Jimmy loves going to the pool to exercise and last night was the easiest as far as getting in to the Y, changing, and changing again once he is finished swimming

There have been some other things that we have noticed as well but I just can't think of them at the moment. That just goes to show that I should write things down when I think about them. Ugh. Anyway, I will let you know when we have more little accomplishments to share.

074 Watch Jimmy Shrink

Jimmy showing off his new swim trunks
before we headed to the Y for his first
aqua exercise experience.

I don't know if you have noticed but Jimmy has lost over one hundred pounds! That's quite a lot of weight. I also don't know if you have realized that Jimmy and I have been keeping a photo gallery with monthly pictures of his weight loss history. You can view the photo gallery by clicking on "Photo Gallery" in the top navigation bar.

The fun thing about the Photo Gallery is that you can watch Jimmy shrink before your very eyes! The pictures are arranged from oldest to newest. This allows you to see what Jimmy was like from his high school graduation all the way up to this month. Check out the Photo Gallery today and see if you notice the difference!

073 Jimmy's Week Eight Post-Op Update Video

064 Post-Op Week Six Update

Here we are, everyone. It's New Year's Eve. Can you believe that another year is gone! As big as that all is, Jimmy has been marking his progress in much smaller units. Today he is sharing with you his Post Op Week Six Update. Find out how much he has lost and the latest things that have been going on--all in Jimmy's own words. I hope you enjoy!

062 Accomplishment of the Day

Today's accomplishment is that Jimmy was able to wear a shirt from 10 years ago for the first time in...10 years (almost)!

"Not Ashamed" from T.E.S.T.I.f.Y. Student Ministry from First Baptist Church of DeSoto, MO.

061 Merry Christmas & Congratulations

To all of our friends and family who follow the blog. Thank you for all of your love, support, and prayers this year. We truly couldn't do it without all of you backing us! You mean so much to us and we wish you the very best this holiday season!

I would also like to say, "Congratulations!" to Jimmy for the 105 lbs that he has lost since he started his liquid diet on Nov. 2nd! SO PROUD OF YOU!!! Total weight loss is a little higher but this is the most current number since Nov. 2nd.

060 Celebrate the Season

Jimmy and I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and all that jazz! I hope you enjoy our Christmas card. I designed it myself! Today I also wanted to share with you an edited excerpt from a post I wrote on my long standing blog Life as a Minister's Wife.

So here it is...

Celebrate with Custom Cards and Support a Good Cause

Almost two months ago, Jimmy had weight loss surgery. This is an amazing tool to help him fight his life long battle with obesity. However, it is also a major life adjustment so 99% of my time has been devoted to helping Jimmy adjust and to making his whole surgery and recovery possible. 

With the other 1% of my time, I have been working on getting my own freelance graphic design business up and running. I am starting small with a website and selling some things on Etsy. In addition I have done some custom gifts for friends. I love it! It is relaxing and refreshing to be able to sit down and create something that I know someone else is going to love.

Plus, all the money I make from the cards is going toward paying Jimmy's surgery and hospital bills! So it's a great way to support a local minister and his family during the holiday season. If you are interested in seeing some of my designs/gifts, please visit Mustion Design on Etsy.com .

I hope you have a happy holiday season and a Merry Christmas!

Grace and Peace,

058 This Really Is Working!

Last night was our annual #WinningSM Youth Christmas party. We had a blast! We had snacks (ok, Jimmy didn't have snacks but I did) and we played a gift exchange game. Jimmy also gave his annual gift to one lucky youth. BUT the best part of all of it for me is that tonight I got to hear Jimmy say "I look skinnier" for the first time tonight!

It's one thing to see the numbers go down and down on the scale, and don't get me wrong we feel great about the numbers going down. However, it is a whole other ball of wax to feel those changes and to see them when you look at yourself in a video, photos, or the mirror. That's what happened last night.

We got home from the Christmas party and Jimmy decided he wanted to watch the video of him giving his gift to Adri. After the second time of watching it, he turned to me and said, "Hey, I look skinnier! This is actually working!" I wanted to say "Duh!" but I resisted the temptation. I just smiled and let him continue to enjoy his moment of realization and the funny video.

Don't take our word for it though. I am including the video so you can see for yourself how great Jimmy is looking, and so you can get a good laugh at how funny teenagers are when something unexpected happens. I hope you enjoy!

057 A Family Recipe: Tender Baked Chicken Breast

Stage 3 Day 2 Dinner: 1 oz. green beans and 2 oz. of
Grandma's Tender Baked Chicken Breast

Last night I was thrilled to be able to use a recipe that my Grandma Miller taught me when I was in college to make some amazing and juicy baked chicken breast. It was nice on two levels. Number one, I know that I don't have to scratch all the recipes that I have ever used before. Most importantly is Number two. It made me feel good to use a recipe my Grandma taught me--no matter how simple it may be!

Luckily for you there are no secret family ingredients included so I thought that I would share it with you. It's a great recipe to make for anyone who is allowed to have foods which are high in protein and low in fat. Plus the chicken really does stay tender and juicy so it reduces the risk that it will get stuck in the stomach of a bariatric patient and reduces the need for barbecue sauce or ketchup.

Please realize that this recipe is the version I reduced down for Jimmy and I to share because he now eats much less than before. Also in the picture above I have cut the chicken in tiny bite size pieces which aides with his digestion, and has the added benefit of helping him to slow down the pace at which he eats. So anyway...here it is!

Grandma's Recipe for Tender Baked Chicken Breast

Ingredients:

• 1 large chicken breast (we shared)
• 1.5 T Light Mayo (approx.)
• Mrs. Dash or other seasoning to taste (Mrs. Dash is great because it is low in salt but high in flavor)

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Place chicken on baking sheet and evenly cover it with a thin layer of the light Mayo (top side only)
3. Sprinkle enter mayo covering with Mrs. Dash
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until chicken breast is cooked through
5. ENJOY!

056 Eating on Stage 3 Day 1

Jimmy looked forward to Stage 3 Day 1 for weeks. Why? It's the first time he could plan meals with some amount of true eating freedom! So what did he eat? Well, I am going to show you that in a minute.

First, if you don't know what the heck we are talking about...

After bariatric surgery, you should go through a series of diet changes--our program calls them Stages. This will allow you to gradually get back to a "normal" diet and will allow time for your stomach to heal properly. Every program has different requirements and different diets. Read more about Jimmy's Stage 3 Diet. Please remember that although we provide you the information about what Jimmy's doctor has prescribed for him you should still consult your own doctor before starting any new diet or exercise program.

Drum roll please! (Seriously I almost started singing the 12 Days of Christmas in my head--bariatric style--as I started to write this next part. How funny!)

Stage 3 Day 1: Breakfast

This is the first time in six weeks that Jimmy has been able to eat a banana, which used to be a daily activity.  He was very, very excited about eating even half a banana! (slice of reduced fat sharp cheddar and half a banana with a dab of reduced fat peanut butter)

Stage 3 Day 1: Lunch

The plate on the left is Jimmy's food. He thought it would be funny to compare it to the plate of one of the teenagers we were eating with at church. (1oz of sliced Turkey from the deli, reduced fat sharp cheddar, 1 oz wheat thins which we found out Krystal really meant to be Triscuits. haha)

Stage 3 Day 1: Dinner

For dinner we had my homemade turkey chili. In this shot Jimmy is comparing what he used to eat in one serving of chili (the big white bowl) with what he is allowed to have right now (1/2 cup pictured in the yellow bowl).

I hope you enjoyed getting to see what Jimmy ate on the first day of his Stage 3 diet!

055 Gastric Sleeve Post-Op Week Four Update

Once again I was able to wrangle Jimmy in front of the camera to give you an update on how life is treating him. In his gastric sleeve post-op week four update, you can look forward to hearing about some differences in portion sizes and some updated weight loss numbers. There is a full body shot but I wanted to get a better shot of him doing the 360 degree turn but he is really tall and your kitchen is really small so I apologize about the quality on that one. Still we did try!

This week is also the very busy lead up to the Christmas holidays. I wish you all the very Merriest of Christmases and a Happy New Year. I look forward to telling you all about how our Christmas and New Year were different than in years past and hopefully about some new traditions we have started in the process. So many new experiences to look forward too!

Enjoy the vlog and come back to visit often.

054 Gastric Sleeve Diet Stage 3

Today marks four weeks out from Jimmy's gastric sleeve weight loss surgery! We are so excited because he is doing really, really well AND he gets to start his Stage 3 Diet on Sunday! He won't have his month appointment for a couple more weeks (due to the holidays) but when he does we will let you know what Dr. Hornbostel and everyone else had to say. So I know that everyone really seems to love and be fascinated by what Jimmy is allowed to eat and what he is not. I am including his whole Stage 3 diet below. Be aware that some of the foods Jimmy was allowed to eat before are being phased out for healthier options now that he is allowed a wider variety of foods. Don't miss that because I guarantee Jimmy won't! I realize this diet may be different than the one prescribed by your surgeon. All bariatric surgical programs are different. Talk to your surgeon before changing your diet or exercise program. This diet was prescribed to Jimmy by his surgeon (Dr. H) and nutritionist (Krystal).

Jimmy's Post-Op Stage 3 Gastric Sleeve Surgery Diet
What is the Stage 3 bariatric diet?
It is a soft diet that consists of foods high in protein with no added sugar and minimal fat

Recommended Foods:
Meats/Eggs/Cheese/Dairy/Legumes - These foods are high in protein, consume them first at meals. Meat should be lean, moist, tender and must be chopped or ground. Make sure your body can tolerate fish and poultry before trying to eat beef and/or pork.

• Skinless chicken or turkey
• Baked or grilled fish and shellfish
• Lean ground beef or pork (if tolerating poultry and fish well)
• Thinly sliced deli meats such as chicken, turkey, roast beef, or ham (these should be purchased at the deli counter so they will be lower in salt and preservatives)
• Meat, tuna, or egg salad prepared with light mayonnaise
• Meatless burger (vegetable, bean or soy based)
• Well cooked beans: black, garbanzo, kidney, lima, navy, pinto (including low fat refried beans), etc.
• Cheese (reduced fat)
• Eggs
• Creamy peanut butter (less than 5g of Sugar per serving & may be used in small amounts to add protein to foods such as oatmeal, yogurt, and/or protein drinks)
• Skim, 1% Milk, or soy milk (containing no more than 20g Carbs per serving)
• Yogurt - Low fat or Fat free (must be no sugar added and have less than 20g Carbohydrates per serving)

Protein Supplements - It is still very important that you consume between 40g to 60g of protein a day. This requirement will never go away.

• High Protein nutritional drinks as allowed on Stage 1 and Stage 2 diets (must have a minimum of 15g Protein per serving and less than 20g Carbs per serving)
• Powdered protein drinks may still be used
• Protein bars (containing at least 15g protein per serving and no more than 20g of Carbs per serving)

Vegetables - Vegetables MUST BE COOKED until very soft and prepared with minimal fat. Do not eat skins.

• Asparagus
• Beets, Broccoli, Cauliflower
• Celery, Carrots
• Eggplant, okra
• Lentils, beans as listed above
• Mushrooms, onions, peppers
• Spinach, sugar snap peas
• Squash, any kind
• Turnips
• Green beans or wax beans
• Tomatoes, no skin
• Potatoes, white or sweet (no skins, no fried potatoes)

Fruits - All fruits must be canned or frozen (except ripe Bananas). Do not eat skins or peels. Canned fruits must be packed in its own juice. Frozen fruit should have no sugar added.

• Apricots, peaches, pears, crushed pineapple
• Applesauce (no sugar added), mandarin oranges, fruit cocktail
• Frozen honeydew melon, cantaloupe, seedless watermelon
• Canned or frozen mango, papaya, cherries

Starches/Oils/Misc. Foods

• Oatmeal or Cream of Wheat (no sugar added)
• Cold Cereals (containing no more than 5g. of Sugar per serving)
• Fat Free or Low Fat Soup
• Whole Wheat Crackers (Triscuits - updated 12/17/12 as of Jimmy's meeting with Krystal)
• Whole Wheat toast, melba toast
• Sugar Free Pudding
• Sugar free ice cream or frozen yogurt. Avoid sherbet.
• Oils - olive, canola, soybean
• Margarine (trans fat free), butter, sugar free jelly
• Herbs, Spices, Salt, & Pepper

Foods to Avoid

• Soft bread (it can make a dough ball that could plug up your stomach)
• Rice
• Spaghetti and other pastas
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Raisins, prunes, and other dried fruit (these are too sweet)
• Granola and other Cereals with nuts
• Raw fruits and vegetables, salad
• Nuts and Popcorn
• Chips and crackers (other than whole wheat crackers)
• Tough or chewy meat
• Whole pieces of corn or whole peas (puree before eating)
• High fat foods (butter, margarine, oil, regular mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, salad dressing, whole milk, half and half, ice cream, cakes, cookies, pies, other desserts, bacon, and sausage)

Serving Size: 1/4c. - 1/2c. (2 - 4oz) of food, 3 - 4 times a day. NO MORE THAN 1/2c AT A TIME! Focus on eating foods containing protein first. Avoid drinking with meals and for at least 30 minutes after meals. Drinking with meal or directly after meals can cause Dumping Syndrome. Continue to drink a minimum of 6c. of fluid daily (see Stage 1). Avoid Fruit Juice or limit it to a maximum 4oz. per day (100% juice with no sugar added). 

Duration: Follow this diet for Weeks 5, 6, 7, & 8 following the surgery or until your doctor advises differently (this diet begins 1 month after your surgery)