Don't Watch What I'm Eating - I Can Watch My Own Plate

Nothing has been more infuriating to me then when people make opinions about what I'm eating. They "assume" by what I've got on my plate or in my cart that they "know" why I'm fat.

And yet every single week, I go to the grocery store and see families with 98% processed, frozen and boxed meals in their carts. But for some reason, because they got the "lucky genes" to be thin, then are not looked at or no one makes opinions and judgements about them. They must "eat right", they must be "healthy" and certainly they aren't "lazy" because they are thin.

I absolutely flipped with delight when I read this post by one of my most FAVORITE bloggers out there: The Divine Low Carb! by PJ - A woman who started out over 400lbs and is losing weight with a low-carb lifestyle. When I read this article, I laughed outload saying "gee if if I could make a buck for every time I've said these same things to my family, I'd be rich". I hope you enjoy her blogging style as much as I do:


The Divine Low Carb! by PJThe Divine Low Carb: Who Watches the Skinny?

Sour Cream Spinach

This is a new recipe for my family by Dana Carpender's 15 minute Low Carb Recipes.

Wow!! All I can say is this was FABULOUS. I mean it, it's going to be a favorite and used over and over again! My husband, who does not like spinach said "Hmm, tastes like yard greens". So he didn't eat it! LOL But please remember he doesn't like cooked spinach. So take the cue that if you have a non-spinach lover, this one will NOT win them over. But if you like spinach, you'll most likely like this.

It has a very slightly tangy taste and creamy all at the same time.

Sour Cream Spinach

10 ounces frozen spinach
2 ounces frozen onions
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup light sour cream
1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Take spinach out of packaging and put in microwave safe bowl. Add a couple tablespoons of water, cover and zap it on High for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile in a large skillet, start sauteing the onion in the butter over medium-high heat.

When the microwave goes "ding", check to see if the spinach is done - you want it good and hot right through, but not cooked to death. If there's still a cold spot in the middle, stir in and put it back for another 2 minutes on High.

When the spinach is cooked and the onion is translucent, drain the spinach and stir it into the onion, combining well. Stir in the sour cream and the vinegar, heat it through without letting it simmer, then serve.

1/3 recipe yields:

Calories: 106

Fat: 8

Sat. Fat: 5

Carbs: 7

Fiber: 3

Protein: 4

Low Carb Sausage Gravy with Carbsquik Biscuits

I wanted everyone to get a REAL view of what the Carbquik biscuits REALLY look like and not a doctored "food stylists" version. They don't puff up much and I followed a recipe and they recommended a certain amount of time and it was TOO long. They could have been LESS done for my taste. Also next time (and I will update at the bottom of this blog when I do it) I will use Baking POWDER rather than the baking soda that was recommended.

Overall I couldn't believe I was eating a REAL biscuit. I was in heaven. Seriously, I haven't had a biscuit in a LONGGGGGGG time. Mainly because my band does not tolerate it well, but this was dinner, so my band was looser, and honestly I should have eaten ONE less egg and biscuit and I would have had plenty to eat. Whoops - oh well, kind of a high calorie day. I did have some Jok n' Al Blueberry Jelly - I'll be giving a review of that soon! :o)

LC Sausage Gravy

1 pound Sausage - Jimmy Dean
2 cups 2% Calorie Countdown Milk
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons carbalose Flour

Crumble sausage and cook in large skillet over a medium heat, until browned. Mix in the flour until completely dissolved. Slowly, stir in milk then cook the gravy until it thickens and starts to bubble. Add some season with salt and pepper, to taste. Top biscuits with the hot gravy and serve. Place the leftovers in the refrigerator.

My husband who is a HUGE HUGE HUGE biscuit and gravy fan found this quite appetizing. OK, he liked it. He really did, I promise and I LOVED it!!! OMG, to eat a biscuit with jelly. I was in HEAVEN!!! Oh and the sausage gravy was delicious too!

1/2 cup serving:
Calories: 257
Fat: 23
Sat. Fat: 8
Carbs: 3
Fiber: 1
Protein: 10

CARBQUIK BISCUITS

2 cups carbquik - LC Baking Mix
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Place dry mix in mixer bowl. On low speed, slowly add liquid until dough forms. Do not overwork the dough (mine was rather crumbly so I squeezed it a bit).

Place on counter covered with light layer of Carbquik. Roll into a 1/2" thick sheet. But with 1/2" circles ( a glass worked fine for me). Place on a greased cookie sheet. Brush with butter.

Bake for 15 minutes and check or until golden (watch them, they'll be golden inside and out if you cook too long). Brush with butter when done.

Yields 9 biscuits - 1 biscuit was:

Calories: 152
Fat: 11
Sat. Fat: 5
Carbs: 18
Fiber: 14 (wow what a fiber PUNCH)
Protein: 7

Szechuan Chicken

I took this from another low-carb website that I believe is no longer blogging/podcasting. I tweaked it myself and this is what I came out with:

Szechuan Chicken

4 each Chicken Breast - (like the kind you get in bags at Walmart - frozen but defrosted)

3 tablespoons almond meal
3 tablespoons coconut flour - Bobs Red Mill
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
5 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 drop liquid splenda
1/4 cup water
4 green onions, cut 1" long each
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (we are wimps when it comes to heat - but this wasn't even enough for a zing - I'd probably do more next time).

Cut the chicken into 1" cubes. Roll around in the mixed together almond meal (flour) and coconut flour. Heat up oil in pan. Cook chicken in oil until browned. Add the remaining ingredients and cook an additional 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. At the end stir in the cayenne and the green onions. Cook an additional 1-2minutes.

I served this over Dreamfields pasta (we just DON'T like the faux rice). You could serve this over brown rice if your carbs allowed for it. Or just eat it plain as well. It is NOT saucy. It's sort of pasty. Reminds me of a peanut butter sauce (not in taste - but texture). I liked it and would give it a 6 - my husband gave it a 4. That means "dear I appreciate the effort but don't make this again- hey how about a hamburger instead?".

Nutritional Information for 4oz of meat with clinging sauce NO noodles are in this count:

Calories: 274

Fat: 14

Sat. Fat: 8

Carbs: 11

Fiber: 3

Protein: 27

Just a Few Ramblings and Gripes

About Me and My Eating

I'm a daily weigher and I know some people can't weigh daily because if they see a gain on the scale they give up and eat crappy all day. I don't do that, in fact if I see a gain, I tend to be more strict and not allow myself any type of deviation from the plan. OK, who am I kidding, I don't deviate from my eating plan normally because I'm way to neurotic to do that.

So yesterday I wake up with another pound gone (although I ONLY count the weight on Monday morning as the "weigh-in" weight). I noticed I lost more the 1st week I started back up on low-carbing (I'm on Week 4 now) and I also noticed I was only eat about 30-40 carbs instead of the 50 carbs that I've inched up to. I've also noticed a slow down in the weight loss, so I've scaled back (starting Monday of this week to less than 40 NET carbs a day) For those who aren't familiar with net carbs - that means carbs AFTER subtracting the fiber and sugar alcohols in the foods I'm eating. I don't eat tons of food with sugar alcohols because #1 most of them cause a laxative affect and well, that's no fun for anyone #2 I try to eat as whole foods as possible. I do love Carbsmart Ice Cream and eat that with Sugar alcohols, but that's about the majority of them that I get.

Plastic Surgery

At this point in my journey (down 76lbs), I'll admit I will most definitely need some plastic surgery for sagging skin. Now I know some people can say "Oh hey, at least I lost weight". And I've even heard some say "Fat rolls look worse than sagging skin". But frankly they don't to me.

Several months ago I went through a serious depression about the sagging skin issues, so serious I probably needed some meds for the depression. But never really did anything about it and with the help of a few friends, I dug myself out of it. I can't tell you how much the two friends meant to me (don't ever doubt the validity of friendships made online). I sometimes wonder if I self-sabotaged myself and didn't allow myself to lose more weight because of knowing that the skin problem will only get worse, before it gets better. I know my doctor won't refer me to a plastic surgeon until I've lost another 45lbs. Doesn't seem that far away, but when you're losing just a few pounds a month, it's REALLY far away. On top of that, I've started having rash problems, of which I NEVER had when I was at my largest. I don't know why, but I suffer almost daily now with some sort of burning problem. I've tried every prescription that I could and even a few "home remedies" and nothing has helped.

What's bad to me, is that I never carried tons of weight in my abdomen area, so I don't have "the bulk" of skin at my middle area. I carried my weight everywhere, which means that I have sagging skin, literally everywhere. Financially I know I can't afford plastic surgery, so I do plan on using an attorney to "force" my insurance company to get at the very least my tummy tuck done and we'll most likely pay cash for my arms. They are probably the worst (but they don't cause any physical problems - other than my sagging arms being a size 24 and my upper body being an XL - just trying finding a coat that fits ! WHAT A NIGHTMARE!!) Just in case you doubt me, there's a picture of my arms!!

I recently watched a Dr. Phil show, where a woman lost 160lbs and she was so traumatized by her sagging droopy skin and I have to quote how she described her pain because it was EXACTLY how I'd been feeling "Now that I am at my goal, it's like a cruel joke. I have excess skin. My body resembles a melting candle. I feel like I'm in a 70-year-old body. My skin just hangs. It reminds me of pizza dough." Now I know I'm not at my goal weight and I have to say I know it's only going to look worse. I sure hope I can mentally deal with it. Here is the link to the Dr. Phil Show, just scroll down to the last "story" and click on "Will her husband ever see his wife unclothed" http://www.drphil.com/shows/show/648/

My Daughter and Summer Gym

As I mentioned in my story, my daughter was also diagnosed with PCOS last year. She had normal blood sugars but extremely high levels of insulin. Poor thing inherited my mom and I's tiny rolling veins and after 7 sticks they were able to get some blood out of her. They had her take a 2hr fasting glucose tolerance test. Then they FORGOT to take a few tests fasting, so she had to come back the next morning to get those done again!! Anyways, she was prescribed Glucophage 500mg 3x a day. The beautiful thing about treating teens and young girls with diagnosed PCOS is that they respond MUCH better than women do (the Glucophage does nothing for me). Thanks to my mother who was reading up on the it and alerted me to it! She has lost almost 40lbs since October of last year. She wants to lose another 20-300lbs. She won't be super skinny (the doctor advised against it as she is pretty tall and big boned and said she'd look "funny" being too thin). We also embrace curvy women. We are NOT looking to be "stick figures" in this house!! Here's a before and after pic and with her new hair cut/color:

BEFORE......................... AFTER........... NEW HAIR CUT/COLOR

Newest Picture - Down almost 45lbs!!! - Updated 9/21/07

This Summer she had planned on doing what they call "Summer Gym". This allows you to take gym during the Summer for 7 weeks (7:00-9:30 or 9:30-12:00). She was REALLY looking forward to this time to add some fitness to her weight loss. I mean REALLY looking forward to it. She was hoping to get close to her goal weight and have me buy her a bunch of new clothes for school next year.

Well, it's been especially hard on her. She works her hind end off, but is INCREDIBLY sore every day and comes home to sleep for 2-3 hrs each day afterwards. I do worry about her having Fibromyalgia, but won't even put that thought in her head at this point.

Well, the gripe about all of this is here. The Summer gym program is being run by the coaches, not the regular gym teacher and they are working them, like they work the ATHLETES. We're heard a bunch about Childhood Obesity, but I think that someone who is out of shape and formerly obese (but still overweight) is not going to be able to achieve what a "fit" or "athletic" person is going to be able to achieve - at least not right off the bat. And if one of the teachers she had this week, doesn't emulate the "hard-ass - I'm going to make a point out of you fatties" than I don't know who does.

First off he accused my daughter and 2 other heavy girls of "cheating" and not doing the exercise. When my daughter clearly did it and she said he even looked at her during it. But then to "make an example out of them" - he took the whole class to a new area of steps (they were supposed to run up and down 2 flights of steps 3 times originally), and made those 3 girls do it again FIVE more times!!! Now what kind of point is he trying to make? That he's an asshole? Well he got the grade on that one. But to call my daughter a liar and then "make an example" of "cheaters" when they clearly didn't cheat. I was LIVID. I mean to tell you, it actually affected my sleep that night. Well she started crying (she could only do the steps one more time before she gave up out of exhaustion and can barely walk now BTW) and one of the counselors was there and he talked to her. You know what HE SAID??? "Maybe you shouldn't be doing Summer Gym". This is the man at the beginning of Summer gym that said "it's all about improving". My daughter HAS improved. When she first started and had to "run/walk" 1.25 miles - it took her 44 minutes. The 2ND time, due to the ENCOURAGEMENT of the jocks, she did it the next time in 24 minutes!!! How is this HELPING HER??? She is not only discouraged about being fit, but about taking Summer Gym, I'm furious. Is this the way we're going to help the obese teenagers??? To humiliate them and make "examples" of them?

Which reminded me of an article I read. Sandy Szwarc, BSN, RN, CCP - talks about the humiliation and torment of gym. She also talks about the body of evidence, documenting the especially intense negative feelings towards fat children held by PE teachers. I quote her here: "International Journal of Obesity. Led by Dr. Kerry S. O’Brien, Ph.D., at the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health at the University of Otago, New Zealand, “measures of implicit and explicit anti-fat prejudice were administered to university health professional students” and found that PE student teachers displayed higher levels of anti-fat bias than any other group of health professional. Associating obesity with being bad, lazy and stupid increased during their years of university study — the longer they were immersed in the PE environment and came to adopt ideological beliefs, according to the researchers. As the Sunday Telegraph reported: “PE teachers harbour a deep dislike of fat pupils.” "

I truly believe this is what this teacher is doing. I'm going to keep on eye on the situation and I told her if one more incident happens I'll step in and talk to him. He'll probably hate me and think I'm a stupid fat person too! But see, I don't care and won't take his crap! Fortunately she only has him on a rotation basis, so she doesn't have to deal with him every day. She is one DETERMINED kid. She hit the winning run today in baseball. Guess she's not so nonathletic as "some" may think!!

If you have a child that is overweight or you know anyone who does, you really need to read this article!! It's fabulous and talks from facts not just opinions! http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2007/03/is-school-pe-really-answer-to-childhood.html

Just a link to a You-Tube video that was really pretty good. Now I don't condone being fat AND unhealthy. I can't just "eat what I want" and "Screw the world". Due to the Insulin Resistance etc., I HAVE to eat well and I HAVE to lose weight. But her candor and self esteem is really refreshing! And I say "You GO GIRL". I think she's beautiful just the way she is and am glad she's found such peace with herself! It's Called "A Fat Rant"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUTJQIBI1oA

I hope to be back later with a new creation I made called 10 minutes Szechuan Chicken - now I kind of "borrowed" the recipe from another site, and added my own tweaks to it. I'll let you know how it turned out and how the family liked it. I also need to do a bit more posts on some studies/articles I've found on both Obesity and Childhood Obesity. But the grocery store calls my name - sadly!

LC Food Review - VitaMuffin VitaTops - Velvety Chocolate

Ok, so these are a bit on the pricey side (what LC thing isn't??). They were $18.00 for 1 dozen or $35.00 for 2 dozen, plus shipping. They are a pretty good size (2 oz). They do contain the dreaded Malitol, but I haven't had any problems with them (of course I only eat one every 2-3 days). They come in two flavors: Velvety Chocolate and Banana Nut Top. They both boast only 6 net carbs per muffin. There is NO high fructose corn syrup in them - actually NO regular sugar at all! They also contain Soy for those who need to know that information.

As for the Review:

I took their suggestion and I toasted it in my toaster oven. My husband and daughter tried them cold out of the package. My husband said it tasted like cardboard but was great to have something chocolate, my daughter pretty much spit out her bite and wouldn't finish it. Now I didn't try it cold so I can't remark on that and neither has tried them toasted, so my review is on a TOASTED VitaTop Velvet Chocolate. I will be purchasing the Banana Top this week and will review it sometime at a later date.

Ease of Use - 9 - you do have to be able to open a plastic package! LOL, but the reason I didn't give it a 10 was because you need to use a toaster oven to heat it up and I actually did burn myself getting it out! LOL So lame - I know!

Taste - 6 - I didn't really think it was that bad. Now I do smear cream cheese on the top of it. I couldn't eat these every single day. I think I'd get tired of it. It definitely has that "it's not a real muffin taste" - but I think it's pretty good anyways. Maybe I'm used to eating things that don't taste "normal" anymore. Who knows? I definitely think they're worth trying.

Band Friendly - 2 - This is going to definitely gum up in someones band and get stuck if you were you're rather snug. My band is fairly loose and I even have to be careful with these.

You can buy these here:

http://store.vitalicious.com/lowcafr.html

LC Food Reviews

I'm going to be reviewing Low Carb foods and helps and will be rating them for 3 things. Ease of use (this will be especially helpful for baking/cooking items), Taste - which will most likely be the most important rating and How Bandster Friendly is it.

I have a HUGE order getting ready to go into both Netrition and Carbsmart this week. I also will be ordering from a few smaller websites for assorted things I can't get elsewhere.

Obesity trend prompts sugar alternative growth

I'm excited to report that a study shows that the trend is towards consumers purchasing and looking for more and more products that are sugar-free or low in sugar.

This could be a real boom to the market for low-sugar and sugar free products for us that are low-carbing. I still believe that we should look for whole foods whenever possible, but those added benefits of "easy" items are nice to have on occasion.

Here is the article:

http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=77268-sugar-sweeteners-obesity

Tinkerbell's Jello Salad

If you have noticed we're Disney fans and I LOVE Tinkerbell. When I found this recipe on the internet I was SO excited. I've added the pineapple myself, but it's good without it as well. I give the counts for both with pineapple and without.

Tinkerbell Jello Salad


1 package artificially sweetened LIME Jello (diet)
2 cups water
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup cabbage, finely chopped
1/3 cup pecan, finely chopped
1/2 cup crushed pineapple in juice (unsweetened)


1. Cook jello by package directions (only using 1/2 cup of cold water if you use the pineapple - otherwise follow the directions and use 1 cup of cold water). Add mayonaise and cabbage, pineapple (with liquid) and pecans. Stir well.

2. Keep stirring as it hardens or the cabbage and pecans will float to the top.

1/2 cup serving WITH pineapple:

Calories: 128
Fat: 13
S. Fat: 2
Carbs: 4
Fiber: 1
Protein: 1

1/2 cup serving withOUT pineapple:
Calories: 121
Fat: 13
S. Fat: 2
Carbs: 2
Fiber: 1
Protein: 1

Butter Baked Chicken

Anyone love Cracker Barrel's Butter Baked Chicken? It's available on Tuesday nights. OMG, it's wonderful. So I was on a quest to make a lower-carb version of it for my family. Here is what I came up with. Let me know if you try it and how you liked it:

Butter Baked Chicken


4 3/4 pounds Whole Chicken - Cut Up Fryer TYSON
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup coconut flour - Bobs Red Mill
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup butter
10 1/2 ounces cream of chicken soup, condensed
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup water


1. Melt butter in a 13x9" pan by putting the butter in the pan and putting it in the oven (I had to use a 13x9 and an 8x8 to get my super big bird cooked). Dip chicken in 1/2 cup of evaporated milk. Roll in mixture of flours and spices and place in pan(s) skin side down. Bake in 425 degree oven for 30 minutes.

2. After 30 mintues, take out the chicken and turn over. Mix up the 3/4 cup of evaporated milk and the soup and the water. Pour AROUND the chicken - not covering it. Cook another 30 minutes or until the chicken registers done on a thermometer.

For a 4oz serving and 2 tabl of gravy:

Calories: 313
Fat: 22
S. Fat: 8
Carbs: 6
Fiber: 1
Protein: 23

Now these nutritional totals are from what you REALLY use (you don't use all the flour or milk).

Why I Chose a Lapband over Gastric Bypass

First off I want to say, that I'm not down on anyones method of weight loss and if you have had a gastric bypass and had great success with it, then more power to you, but for me it was not a option.

It's a bit annoying that so many people group all weight loss surgery together, talking about the dangers, risks and problems associated with weight loss surgery as all the same. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I chose the lapband over gastric bypass for several reasons. The most major being that the risk of death associated with a lapband is no greater than having your gallbladder removed. About 1-2000 die from a lapband being placed. The risk of death by gastric bypass is more like 1-50. That's a pretty big risk. But there is more. Gastric bypass have all sorts of risk factors: bowel obstructions, risk of popping staples and bleeding into themselves, malnutrition, intolerance of foods (dumping syndrome), anemia, serious Vitamin B deficiencies, leakage of stomach contents, serious Calcium deficiencies and lifelong needs to be followed by your surgeon to treat this problems with special protein and vitamin regimens.

The lapband is COMPLETELY different. The worst risk complication is band erosion, this only happens in 1-3% of the people with a lapband and people don't DIE from this complication, although they do have to have their band removed. I will never have staples pop or stomach leakage because none of my insides were cut and removed and rerouted. I will never have calcium, iron or Vitamin B deficiencies because I can absorb nutrients normally - because all of my stomach and intestines are there.

And another problem with the gastric bypass is that the stomach can be RE-STRETCHED out - IF careful dieting is not followed. This again, doesn't really happen with a lapband. We can forever keep our bands tightened up and therefore always have the smaller stomach at the top and eat less.

Now I will tell you. If you wear your band too tight, you won't be able to eat bread - awwwwwww, what a shame! Not that I eat bread anymore anyways! And I've never worn my band "tight". The band is tightened through a port under the skin. A small needle is pushed into the port through the skin (on my stomach) and the doctor injects saline into the port and it "tightens" up my band. It is adjustable. As I lose weight around my stomach, the band loosens up and I can get an adjustment to tighten it back up where it should be.

Now I can eat too much and stretch out my stomach (an easy fix) - just let the saline out of my band, allow the stomach to go back to where it was and then tighten it back up.

Now, the reason why a band works for me WITH my low-carb diet is because I'm so metabolically resistant that I have to watch my calories as well as my carbs. This enables me to do so and never be hungry. Well, I mean, I get hungry at meal times, but that's normal! A typical meal for me is: 3-4oz of protein and 1/2 cup of veggies. I can't eat large salads, but don't really need to, in order to feel full.

Statistically, only 1-3% of people lose all their weight and keep it off with dieting and exercise alone. 50% of people with weight loss surgery, lose all their weight and keep it off. I really do prefer the higher stats!

Again, any SAFE way that someone can lose their weight and keep it off it A-OK to me. I want everyone to get to where they want to be and be happy there. It's just my lapband has enabled me to be able to do this a bit easier.

My "Story"

Everyone has to have a Story, right? Well mine starts out many years ago....

I grew up VERY normal sized. But you see I grew up with a father who was always telling me how pretty my face was and to make sure that I never got "fat". When I had "normal" flucuations in weight at earlier ages, he told me that I was getting fat (we're talking a 5-10lbs flucuation in weight as kids grow) and to do something about it, cause "You have such a pretty face". Everything was always centered around looks. I'm sure many of you can relate.


When I jetted off to college at the ripe old age of 16 (graduated a few year early) I was 5'4" tall and weighed about 120lbs soaking wet and I suddenly thought I need to be thinner than I already was. I crash dieted down to 108lbs and my dad was THRILLED with the new SKELETAL me - see ------>


Everyone told me how "great" I looked and I, of course, ate it all up, thinking this was how I needed to be to REALLY be accepted. Well, you can only starve yourself for so long and exercise 3+ hours a day until you can't do it anymore. Sadly this brought my previously "dormant" PCOS (see a great definition here: http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~cp391990/whatispcos.html ). In 6 months time I gained 60lbs. The next time my father saw me he cried. Not from tears of joy, but tears of shame. From that point on he refused to carry a picture of me (and currently won't have one of me in his home) due to his embarrassment.


This started years of dieting and losing and gaining and losing and gaining and never really getting down a good normal weight again. My body was just tired of losing the same pounds over and over, meanwhile it was ruining my metabolism and my insulin resistance grew worse and worse. I had had 5 different doctors tell me that I'd always be fat and to the "the best I could". I now know why, my body is so metabolically resistant that losing has been VERY difficult. Add to that my Endocronologist told me it would take me 3 hrs of exercise to get what most people get from 30-60 minutes of exercise, because my body thinks I lie in bed all day. Problem with the exercise is that I have Fibromyalgia. Exercising is a REAL challenge for me. Anything over 15 minutes of walking, puts me in bed for at least 2-3 hrs from lethargy and the pain lasts for several days. It's like my body HATES me when I exercise and punishes me from doing it. So for now I walk a little bit and I'd say any little bit helps!


Fast forward many years.....I've been as high as 301 and as low as 108 and I met my new husband at around about 212. He fell in love with me exactly as I am. No pressure to lose weight, but encouraging me to lose what I wanted for ME, not him. I admit, I drive him crazy with all my weight talk and food talk and healthy eating talk....therefore I'm going to try and direct it all to my blog and spare him a bit! LOL He can read this once and be done with it!! LOL

After trying Weight Watchers for 2-1/2 years and never cheating and only going off plan 7x in that whole period I lost a whopping 56lbs. Now that is a lot if that's near all you need to lose, but not when you have 150lbs to lose and not in 2-1/2 year and NOT when you don't cheat. Of course, I was accused of cheating time and time again and accused of being an emotional eater and denying my problems, not only by Weight Watcher leaders but by "support boards" - I'd list my journel and eat a beautifully "balanced" diet and the scales just didn't move well. Then my Endocrinologist decided to "try" a different and new diabetic drug (to help with the insulin resistance) and I gained 40lbs back in 3 months. I was devastated. I then gave up and for 2 years I ate whatever I wanted (not giant portions, not super junk food - just "regular" food).

Then one day I stepped on the scale and "dum dum dum" - it was over 300lbs - 301 to be exact (see picture on right). I was terrified of what that would mean for me. Would I just continue to grow larger and larger and diet "buried in a piano box" (as my dad used to warn me about)? I started talking to a friend who had been on a Weight Watcher Support board for many years like me and was too unsuccessful at losing her weight and she told me about a lapband. Here is a link to what a lapband is: http://www.allerganandinamed.com/products/obesity/us/patient/lapband/prodinfo.aspx

I felt this was an excellent option for me - although I will admit that my Endocrinologist wanted me to try a low-carb diet - of which I did but could barely lose eating less than 5 carbs a day and that was on a perfect induction. You see, all these years of dieting made me so super duper resistant to losing weight. So in July of 2005 I had a lapband placed and honestly do not regret my decision whatsoever. I have lost 75lbs since my lapband was placed but was struggling to lose any more weight after that.

I decided to "revisit" the low-carb diet but this time in combination of a lower calorie diet as well. Now low calorie for me is not low calorie to most people. I'm eating about 1500 calories a day and under 50 carbs a day (more like 30-40 most days) and am losing very nicely now. If I go up in calories, the losing slows or stops, if I go up in carbs the losing slows or stops. I think, for now, I've found a good spot to stay.

Here is a current picture of me since losing that 75lbs:

I feel pretty proud of where I've come but I have LONG ways to. Another 50-60lbs and then I'll need to start looking at some plastic surgery as I've got a LOT of sagging skin. My arms and stomach are the worst with my legs coming in next (I told my husband they look like elephant trunks! LOL)

My family is also on board with the whole low-carbing lifestyle as well. My own 15 year old daughter, after being medicated for her extremely high insulin levels has also lost 40lbs from drastically reducing her carbs. She is now an advocate at her high school for obese teens and recommends a low-carb lifestyle as the way to eat and live. My husband is also pre-diabetic and controls his blood sugars by this way of living.


Thanks for getting to the bottom of this long introduction and in the next post I'll be explaining why I chose a lapband at all, why I feel it's WAY safer than a gastric bypass and how people lump all weight loss surgery into one group when this is entirely different.