Gobble Gobble

As Thanksgiving was approaching this year I was having a little bit of anxiety.

Growing up we would head over to grandma's house mid-morning and that when it it began. With grandma in the kitchen either cooking or baking and the rest of us milling around the house. You could catch some of us sitting in the living room glued the TV watching watching whatever football game was on. My dad inevitably would sit and fall asleep in whatever chair he happened to grace, this of course was not because he was lazy, but merely because the poor man was so sleep deprived from working the night shift. The older cousins would have some form of a football game going on the large beautifully manicured front lawn with the younger cousins riding around on various and sundry bikes, trikes and scooters. Given the right moment you might even happen to stumble on one cousin pushing another in the old fashioned, claw foot tub go-kart. Others would be found in the kitchen socializing as the final touches were being put on the amazing meal that we would all sit down to consume in the near hours. During this time of playing and socializing is when we began eating for the day! There was always many different options of cracker, chips, dips, veggies and of course the olives.

Around two or so in the afternoon is when any where from 30-60 of us would sit down to the table and a blessing would be said and then it was GAME ON. As we filled our plates we would go around the table and state what were were grateful for. My plate always had heaps of creamy mashed potatoes, buttered golden corn, at least 2 different types of savory turkey amongst multiple different side dishes. There was the 3-5 different kinds of jello and jello salads, the sweet potatoes with golden brown marshmallows on top, grandmas fresh out of the oven fluffy rolls with tons of butter, stuffing made from scratch and of course top it off with the gravy.

A few hours after dinner and stuffing ourselves so full you almost have to roll us around the house like the oopa loompa's rolled Violet out of the chocolate factory, is when the pies and desserts would show face. Of course it didn't matter that huge meal we just consumed still hadn't had time to even think about digesting. BRING ON THE PIE!!! My favorite was always my Aunt's chocolate chip pecan pie with a mountain of whipped cream on top.

Thanksgiving this year was a bit different. This was my first Thanksgiving after having had WLS. I was so anxious about how this was going to go down! How was I going to get through a Thanksgiving only being able to eat a cup of food and having all this yummy goodness around me.
We had two different kinds of mashed potatoes, Sweet potato casserole, cream corn, home made stuffing, broccoli salad, rolls, cranberry sauce, gravy and of course the turkey. Everything looked and smelled divine! I wanted it ALL. I had to remember though that I have come SO far and I also don't like how much pain I am in when I over eat, or how sick I get.

I am happy to report I did it! I survived Thanksgiving this year! I took a few bites of the side dishes that I wanted to and ate a good portion of  turkey for protein purposes. I didn't over eat. I didn't get sick and most importantly I enjoyed myself. I was able to take a day that we tend to focus around food and instead focus on the people that I was sharing it with. I was also proud of myself because I played in the turkey bowl. I was able to RUN! I ran up and down the field and I didn't die! It felt good.

As this Thanksgiving season has come and gone, I have an abundance to be thankful for but, I will take the time here to express how grateful I am that I have become a healthier girl. I am grateful for modern medicine and the tools that we have to help ourselves if we choose to take advantage. I am grateful that I have been given a second chance to become who my Father in Heaven intended me to be.

So here we go, another stumbling block overcome along this beautiful journey...

The Hunger Monster

I had read and heard that this day would come, I never thought I would be immune to it. I hoped that by some miracle he would never rear his ugly head in my face again but, alas the Hunger Monster has returned.

Since the day of surgery I have struggled with what is called "head hunger". This is when your body is not physically telling you you are hungry you just think you are hungry. Maybe because you are bored, emotional or just think you should be eating. I did not however, truly feel hungry. In my research I found that this is because when WLS is performed many of the nerves that alert your brain to that fact that you need eat are cut. Therefore it takes them awhile to grow back and start working.

Well, guess what? They're Baaack! And even though I now have a tiny pouch instead of my full sized stomach all the Hunger Monster did was go on vacation, he didn't shrink. Then when you combine the Hunger Monster with the head hunger this does not an easy journey make.

I knew that this would not be easy, I only knew it would be worth it!

Continuing on this journey....

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

A few weeks ago I offered a friend at work some candy. In response she tilted her head and with a pained look on her face she said, "no thanks, I'm trying to eat healthy."

This got me thinking. Why is it that when we make a good decision, such as eating healthy, we look so sad when we talk about it. I mean seriously, how often do we hear the following statements accompanied by the pained look head tilt, an eye roll, a frown or a defeated demeanor?

"Ugh, I'm on a diet."
"I'm trying to be good."
"I'm eating healthy these days."

No matter how you phrase it they are all mean the same thing. I am unhappy with how my life is now and I am trying to make some positive changes."

Don't get me wrong, I am including myself in this. Even now, after disposing of all the weight I have I still put a negative connotation on it at times.

I have decided to challenge myself and others to be more aware of this. When you choose to make a lifestyle change such as eating better or throwing more activity into your life put a positive spin on it when you talk about it or even when you think about it. Be happy for yourself that you are taking the steps needed to become the best YOU that you can be. Be excited that you are making changes to become healthy and live a longer life. Rejoice in the fact that you are making it so you are not as limited in the life that you live now and the life you have yet to live.

Most importantly, remember, ALL THINGS IN MODERATION!!! Don't deprive yourself! Have a piece of Halloween candy...just don't eat the whole bag! ;)

Let's continue this journey....