Heart Healthy

I posted this link in a group I belong to on Facebook for healthy weight loss foods. In the months following my weight loss surgery, I’ve done a lot of research on healthy foods. I want to eat a healthy diet (but not be ON a diet if that makes sense). This is part of what I posted about the link.

I get ‘poo poo’ed’ a lot for my love of nuts and other healthy fats but in moderation they are fantastic for you (too much of anything can be bad for you, after all). I feel sometimes Americans are a people of extremes. Fat is ‘bad’ for you so Americans don’t just eliminate the fats that ARE bad for you, they go to the extreme of eliminating the healthy fats, too. Fats your body needs.  http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/slideshow.asp?show=51

I’ll admit, I’m a ‘full fat’ kind of girl. I DO pay attention to the KINDS of fat I am eating but, to be honest, I can eat so little. Why would I waste what little room I have on low fat foods that taste like crap? And if they DON’T taste like crap they are ‘usually’ (but not always) full of extra sugar or carbs to make them taste not like crap, or full of other processed crap your body doesn’t need. Also, to be honest, full fat foods leave me feeling sated for much longer. I also know not all lower fat foods taste like crap but the majority seem to.

Disclaimer: Your mileage may vary. I know what works for ME and MY lifestyle and MY body.

Updates Finally!

I haven’t updated recently, for that I apologize. I’m really a TERRIBLE blogger. No, really, I am. I’ve pretty much just been out living my life. Since losing a chunk of weight, I’ve been a lot more active. That means getting out and doing more.

The first part of July, my best friend in the whole wide world had a VSG! I went to Ohio and spent a week there, so I could be there for her surgery. It was great getting to see her and spend time with her and her family. When it was time to come home I was really sad but now that we know it’s not too expensive for me to travel there, I may get to see her more often.

I had my one year follow up at my surgeon’s office yesterday. My one year isn’t until the 18th but I had an issue I wanted looked at now. I’ve been having some swelling in my legs, especially the right leg, some edema, the skin on top of my shins is reddened (more pink than red but still a color change) and there’s some intermittent achy pain, again mainly in the right leg. I admit, my first thought was the possibility of DVT so I wanted my surgeon to look at it. No, I did not go to the ER – don’t judge me. Seriously, just don’t.

My appointment went really well. I’ve lost a total of 60% of my excess weight and, even though I’ve been on a six month plateau, my weight is right where they ‘wanted’ me at this stage. They were really encouraging about the plateau, too, and I’ll be seeing my nutritionist on Friday to discuss it and see if there’s anything we can change. I still need to do my one year labs, but they’ll call me if there are any issues with them.

About the leg… 

Big Giveaway over at The World According to Eggface

You guys know I’m a huge fan of Shelly’s over at The World According to Eggface. Her recipes have been absolute lifesavers for me post surgery even though we had two different surgeries, my diet is not so different from hers. Every so often she sponsors giveaways for all sorts of really neat stuff. This time around she’s got a giveaway for a HUGE prize package from Celebrate Vitamins.

Run, don’t walk, over to her blog and check out her post to enter (just follow the link, it”ll open in a new window). Entering is simple and painless. What have you got to lose?

Dangers of Dehydration

I did post this earlier at Obesity Help but, I thought it bore repeating and decided to post it here.

People talk a lot about how hard it is to get in their fluids. Goodness knows I STILL struggle to get in 64, but I’m doing a lot better. A very good friend of mine recently had a VERY frightening episode. She has not had weight loss surgery, she simply got very sick.

I don’t know exactly what she had but she had “gastrointestinal distress” (so, I’m assuming a lot of diarrhea and vomiting). She ended up passing out and going to the hospital. It turned out she was severely dehydrated and there has been some damage to her heart and kidneys. She’s mostly stable now and feeling better but her kidneys after four days still aren’t functioning correctly and, until they do, they can’t do the tests on her heart they want to do.

So please, everybody, take care of yourselves. If you start showing symptoms of dehydration and can’t seem to get in enough fluids, please do yourselves and the people who love you a favor and go to the ER. Don’t be embarrassed, don’t feel like you’re being a bother. Just go. Be sure to tell them you are a weight loss surgery patient as well, and to call your surgeon.

Related Articles

• Dehydration – All Information (umm.edu)