An education on vitamins...a vita-cation.

At my last appointment with my dietician we discussed vitamins. After weight loss surgery, patients must commit to taking vitamin and mineral supplements for the rest of their lives or unwanted complications could occur. Patients who have these surgeries eat less food and consume fewer calories, therefore the body gets few nutrients. This is especially true for patients who have had the gastric bypass (Roux-en-Y) which is the procedure that I am looking into. 
My current vitamin regime includes: 2 chewable multivitamins 1000 mg Calcium 4000 IU Vitamin D 5000 mcg Biotin 50,000 IU Vitamin A
These vitamins were recommended by my surgeon after I had all of my labs drawn and deficiencies were noted in Vitamin D & A, which isn't able normal for those of us who live in Michigan. Almost all Michiganders are Vitamin D deficient. Anyways, my typical dosing included taking all the vitamins with breakfast. At my appointment, I learned that this is not the correct method of taking vitamins. 

First, all multivitamins (MVI) have iron. Calcium can not be taken with multivitamins because the iron won't all the calcium to absorb. MVI's and Calcium supplements should be taken at least 2 hours apart. Also, the calcium and vitamin D supplements should be divided because the body can only absorb so much at a time. Therefore, my new vitamin regime is:
Breakfast Calcium 500 mg (1/2 dose) Vitamin D 2000 IU (1/2 dose) Biotin 5000 mcg
Lunch Multivitamin
Dinner Calcium 500 mg (2nd 1/2 dose) Vitamin D 2000 IU (2nd 1/2 dose) Vitamin A 50,000 IU
My next challenge is to find all of these vitamins in a chewable form - not gummy, but chewable. Liquid form is okay to. Any suggestions? My first stop will likely be the Vitamin Shoppe.  At my appointment, I learned that I have lost around 7 lbs since this process started. My highest weight (HW) was 310 lbs. I am currently 303.2 lb. However, this was before we ate a ton of food at the Grand Hotel. I am still off Diet Coke however, which is a huge accomplishment. Over a month and going strong. 

The psych evaluation that almost made me crazy.

Yesterday I went for my psychological evaluation, which is required by my insurance company for approval for weight loss surgery. I promise I'm not crazy. At least, I don't think I am...
Anyways, the experience was sub-par to say the least. First, I called to set this appointment up back in June when I first learned that it was a requirement. I gave my information to the receptionist over the phone and was told that the doctor would call me to set up the appointment. Weeks later, I still had heard nothing. So, I called back. I was told that they were still working on figuring out my insurance and what would be due the day of the appointment. A day or so later, I received a phone call because they lost all the information that I had given them over the phone previously.
I should have taken this as a sign of things to come.
Finally, they called me and told me that I hadn't met my deductible for the year, so the appointment would cost me around $250. I was told that I had to pay that amount the day of the appointment or they wouldn't send the report to my surgeon. Ok, fair enough. The psychologist finally calls me and we set an appointment for July 29th.
Since I work Monday through Friday, I made the appointment during my lunch hour yesterday. I leave and go to the appointment. I check in at the front desk and the receptionist tells me she has no record that I have an appointment. After shuffling the same papers about 15 times, she tells me the appointment is scheduled in the computer for September 29th. Uhm...no, it was CLEARLY scheduled for July, as I have to have this done ASAP. So, she gives me paperwork to fill out and has me sit down. Twenty minutes later, I walk back up to find out what I am supposed to do (I'm pretty sure she forgot I was even there) - stay or make an appointment for a different day. She calls the doctor and tells me "Yep, you're appointment is for today." Yeah, no crap.
I go back to be interviewed by the psychologist. This takes about 20 minutes. She asks me the usual questions about my support system, why I decided to have surgery, what my ultimate goal and expectations are following surgery, what changes I have made to get ready for my new lifestyle, and questions related to my overall mental health. That was easy...I think I am done at this point, which would have been perfect because I had to get back to work.
I was dead wrong. She tells me I now have to take a test. It is a true and false test. You read statements and you put if the statement is true for you or false. Easy peasy, right? NOT. It was 567 questions. Yeah...FIVE HUNDRED AND FREAKING SIXTY-SEVEN true or false statements. This took FOREVER. The actual name for this is the Minnesota Multiphase Personality Inventory (MMPI) Test. It s a psychological test that assesses personality traits and psychopathology. It is primarily intended to test people who are suspected of having mental health or other clinical issues...or I am hoping to rule out mental health disorders. 
I am a little nervous. Some questions were weird...like "I am not frightened by blood or the thought of bleeding"...well, this is true. I'm an ER nurse so...blood doesn't bother me. But on this test, I am likely to come across as a psychopath. Plus, by the end or somewhere around question 275, I was losing interest quickly and probably didn't answer accurately. I guess we will see if I turn out to be schizophrenic or something.

So anyways, after I fill out this ridiculously LONG test, I go to check out. The lady says they will send me a bill, which contradicts everything I was told before. So, I tell her what I was told about needing to pay today so the report can be sent to my surgeon. She blinks at me for what seems like forever and calls someone. She tells me I owe $450. $450 to fill out 567 true/false statements? NOT happening. After arguing for a few minutes she tells me they will look into it and call me. I tell her they better send that report over to my surgeon ASAP, since they have been yanking me around all afternoon.
If this is what the mental health system is like, then I am not surprised people are nuts. 
End Psych Eval.  And another hoop jumpeth through.

Sweet treats...

I want something sweet. I think specifically, I am craving ice cream or cake or something of that nature. My dietician told me that every time I have a craving I need to stop and consider where I am and what my triggers are. Well, I am sitting in my family room watching TV. What is the trigger? I don't have any idea. I am on my period, during which I often crave sweets. We ate dinner so I shouldn't be hungry...but inside, I feel hungry. I could eat a whole other meal. Why do I have these cravings? Why is my appetite never satisfied? It is a very frustrating feeling.
I wish I didn't have cravings. I wish that I go one day without wanting to fill my body with crap that isn't good for me. This process is so incredibly hard. I know that everything that I go through will be worth it in the end. I want to be able to walk short distances without getting winded. I want to be able to cross my legs. I want to be able to reach my toes so I can paint them. I want to be able to run...to ride my bike long distances. I want to be able to go to a restaurant and not have to scope out the size of the booths to make sure I can fit. I need to keep reminding myself of these reasons, because these are the reasons that I am not running out to get ice cream. These are the reason that I am not drinking Diet Coke. These are the reasons that I need to remember.

Food controls my life.

A big focus of this blog was supposed to be weight loss and the struggle I have losing and keeping off weight. Well, for a lack of a better phrase - the struggle is real. People - men, women, young, old - have trouble with their weight. With all the processed foods and fast food options it isn't surprising the problems people have. 
First off, some honesty. I have lost weight, a significant amount in fact. I lost over 60 pounds in 2008. I gained it back...and then some. My highest weight (at the time) was in 2008 and that was approximately 280 pounds. As of Tuesday, I weight 307 pounds. It has been a gradual increase over the past seven years, however my weight has gotten out of control. Food controls my life. Food is supposed to be nourishing and be used to sustain life. It shouldn't control your life. Food shouldn't be constantly craved and sought after. 

Me, in 2008 after losing close to 62 pounds

Food controls my life.
This was a hard realization. It caught me off guard - to realize how much I loved food and how much I didn't want to give it up. The next realization? I am 30 years old and my body is tired. My back hurts. My knees ache. When I walk short distances, they feel long to me. My ankles swell and my feet hurt. I am carrying around another whole person with me. My body is carrying an extra 150 pound person. If I don't make changes, and soon, it could be too late.

My husband, Bob and step-daughter, Chelsea and me at her graduation a couple of weeks ago; at my highest weight of 307lbs

Once these realizations hit me full force, I had a melt down. In my doctor's office. He told me it's time to consider bariatric surgery. My instinct with weight loss surgery has always been to say "HELL NO". He convinced me to at least research it and since I am a graduate student, research is my forte, so research I did. 
My initial thoughts on bariatric surgery were: This is the easy way out. I can lose weight, I have done it. The problem? Keeping it off. Weight loss surgery to me appeared to be the easy way out for those who couldn't control themselves. I was wrong. Weight loss surgery is not the easy way out. It is easy to assume that because you have surgery and lose weight very quickly, that it is a magical, wonderfully painless solution to become thin and beautiful quickly. It isn't. It is a long and hard road. The decision itself to do it - not easy. Choosing which procedure is best for you? Difficult. Learning to eat a bariatric, liquid diet - I have yet to even fathom what that will be like. The tests that you have to do before you can even be cleared to have a procedure? Plentiful. Words can't even express how hard this process will be. 
But you know what? It's time to take my life back.

Klutchclub "Best of" Box

This week I kind of fell of the Insanity wagon. I went on Monday and Tuesday, but with the unexpected death of my cousin, I was thrown off course. Trust me, I would have rather done 2 Insanity sessions a day rather than attend the viewing and funeral of my 34-year-old cousin, but that's not what happened. I finally received the Insanity DVD's so I can now do the work-outs at home on days that I do not have class. That's what I plan to do today. I also ordered the Insanity Upper Body Weight Training DVD because I love that work-out. I want to buy some weights and add that work-out to my routine several times a week.
So, in an effort to eat better I purchased the "Best of Klutchclub" box. The sad thing about my diet is that I do not know how to eat healthy. Isn't that terrible? In a world of fast food and meals full of preservatives, I have fallen victim to taking the easy way out. Luckily, my body hasn't been effected. I had my physical a couple weeks ago and despite being 292lbs, I don't have diabetes or high cholesterol. In fact, my labs are perfect. Which means, it's time to get my ass in gear before this changes. Anyways, I remember my friend Amber giving away a subscription to Klutchclub a while ago on my blog. I decided to order the Best Of box so I could get some ideas of some healthy items to add to my diet. Here's what I received:

As you can see, I received quite a bit of stuff. The "Best Of.." box is $25 and it's a one time purchase. Klutchclub is a $10/month subscription box in which you receive 9-12 health and wellness products each month. Again, I chose the Best of box simply because I wanted to try out some healthy foods and products. For more information on Klutchclub, click here.

I haven't had time to try any of the items, but I plan to try them all this week. While I update on the Insanity challenge this week, I will also let you know how the items are as I try them.

Food Items:

1. Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers

2. Nature's Bakery Whole Wheat Raspberry Fig Bar

3. Happy Squeeze Pomegranate, Blueberry & Pear fruit squeeze

4. Happy Squeeze Strawberry Kiwi Beet fruit squeeze

5. 1st Step Liquid Vitamin B12

6. Tea of a Kind flavored Tear in Citrus Mint Green Tea

7. Annie Chun's Roasted Seaweed Snacks

8. Celsius Orange flavor drink mix

Non-Food Items:

1. Shower Pill Athletic Body Wipe

2. 100% Pure lotion samples in: vanilla bean, honey almond, and cabernet grape

I also received:

-$75 gift card to Bistro MD

-Coupon for Happy Squeeze products

-$5 off Tea of Kind products

-3 month free subscription to YogaVibes

-25% off all orders at Celsius.com

Have you tried Klutchclub? What did you think?

Insanity Day 4 & 5

Day 4: Cardio Recovery
I was so worn out yesterday that I forgot to write a post about day 4! Day 4 wasn't terrible. It was still HARD. You think with a word like "recovery" it might be easy...it's not. Day 4 is all about stretching. The music is slower. The moves are slower. But man, is it hard to hold yoga positions. First of all, I can't balance myself. There is a lot of squat positions and a lot of balancing on one leg positions. I definitely felt tired afterwards, but when I woke this morning my legs felt a lot better. This work-out is around 40 minutes.
Day 5: Pure Cardio
I knew when I saw the name "pure cardio" that I was in for trouble. My main focus today was not to faint and/or barf. This work-out was intense. I was able to make it through, again with modifications and breaks, but I didn't pass out or throw-up. When I left sweat was dripping off of me like crazy. 
The work-out starts off with the same warm-up, 3 rounds of the following exercises: jog, jumping jack, Heisman, 123s, butt kicks, high knees and mummy kicks. Once again, before the end of the warm-up I am sweating, starved for oxygen and ready to lay on the floor.
After the warm-up, is 8 minutes of stretches. After the stretchs, Shaun T says something like "I'm nervous for this next part."
Uhm, seriously? You're nervous?! That means I am about to get my ass kicked. 
He should have been nervous. The next part is 15 minutes of ass kicking exercises with no breaks. However, you can break if needed. And I definitely needed to several times. The work-out involves 15 moves, each 1 minute long. The exercises are:
1. Suicide drills 2. Switch kicks 3. Wide football sprints 4. Stance jacks 5. Pedal sprint lunge 6. Hooks and high jump rope 7. Power jacks 8. Level 2 drills 9. Frog jumps 10. Power knees 11. Mountain climbers 12. Ski down 13. Scissor runs 14. Suicide jumps 15. Push-up jacks
These were NO joke. I will say though, the work-out went fast. I think with each move only being 1 minute definitely helped. We seemed to move through each move rather quickly. The work-out is about 38 minutes long.
I have class tomorrow at 8:30 am and then week 1 is officially finished! Woo woo!!! I will say I have done awesome between exercising and changing my diet. I hope I can keep this momentum up! Shaun T says I can.

The One with Running Apps

As I continue on my weight loss journey, I find myself exploring Pinterest and other sites for fitness tips and tricks. I used to work out all the time but for the past 3 years I have really not been a gym rat like I used to be. One of my goals and something on my bucket list is to run a 5K. So, I have been trying to find ways to keep track of my runs and progress. Here's a list of some good iPhone apps to help you on your journey:
One. Nike+ Running

Cost: Free
About: Map your route and track your mileage, pace, and calories burned. It saves the data from all your runs so you can look back over the past month (or even years) and see your progress. If you're connected to Facebook, you can post the start of your run and hear "cheers" every time someone likes or comments on your post. Choose running playlists that are already on your phone, and just tap the arrow on the easy-to-read screen to skip tracks. For even more motivation, you can set goals and challenge yourself to run farther, faster, or longer than your previous run.
Two. Map My Run

Cost: Free
About: Track your distance, pace, and calories burned, as well as your route — you can even plan one out online to use on your phone. A neat feature is that you can set a goal such as to run at a certain pace and you'll hear voice announcements to help you stay on track like, "below target pace, speed up!" You can also connect with a heart rate monitor to track your beats per minute, and this app also acts as a food journal to keep track of your calorie intake. Connect to Facebook or Twitter and you can use your friends to help you stay motivated.
Three. Get Running: Couch to 5K

Cost: $2.99
About: This app follows the Couch to 5K program, to help walkers (like me) transition into runners. This app talks you through a 9 week training plan. Once you complete the plan, you should be ready to run a 5k. Each day the app talks you through your work-out including a warm-up and cool-down. The app tells you how many times you will run during the work-out. Unlike other apps, you have to close out to get to your music. I still like this app though because it coaches you from walking to running. App is also available for Android.



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The One That Began the Weight Loss Journey

After I went up north this past weekend and saw pictures of myself in my bathing suit...I cried.

I look awful. I feel unhealthy.

So, my family feeling my inner turmoil proposed some incentives. If I lose 100 pounds by July 1st, 2014 then my brother will buy me and my husband a trip to Florida, my parents will give me $500 spending money and my aunt will let us stay at her house for free and give me $200. 

Nice, right? I would be crazy not to work my ass off to lose 100 lbs. So, here we go again. This time I took "before" pictures and did my measurements so that I can officially track my weight loss.

Don't I look super excited? Oh, yeah, the Tigers were losing to the Angels 10-2...not necessarily the weight loss pissing me off at this point! :)

Measurements

Bust: 49"

Waist: 52"

Hips: 58"

Legs:

Thigh - Right: 29"

Thigh - Left: 28"

Calf - Right: 22"

Calf - Left: 21"

Upper Arms:

Left - 16"

Right - 16"

Size 22/24, 2X/3X

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Day #237: Healthy Living Tips

I have been trying to be healthier lately. My brother recently started eating better and working out, which inspired me to do the same. He has been a huge help to me and has been encouraging me along the way. I have pretty much stopped eating sweets and candy. Which I used to eat ALL the time, especially at work. Eating is a stress reliever for me. When I am upset or stressed I eat junk food. As you can imagine, the ER is a HUGE stress trigger. Especially during this crazy flu season. 

I found a couple blogs (with some recommendations from my brother) that have inspired me to get healthy as well:

Undressed Skeleton

This girl was overweight in high school, a symptom of her low self-esteem. One day she started walking and found that it made her feel better. She was able to blow off steam in a healthy way. Now she tells her story on her blog and also includes healthy recipes and weight loss tips. 

Brianabolic: A description of this blog, written by my brother, Brian:

"This guy gives a great blueprint on how he managed to lose 80 pounds (while packing on muscle, so he probably lost even more in fat) in a year without going on a strict diet, making resolutions or even doing that much cardio.

He mentions the "paleo diet," which basically consists of eating anything a caveman can hunt or find -- meats, fish, greens, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds. Nothing processed like bread or pasta. It's not a calorie-counting diet, not a fat-control diet. Guaranteed, if you generally eat this way, you'll cut carbs significantly.

This also ties into what I said about single-calorie foods. Here's a good rule of thumb: If a food is boxed or canned, it's likely processed and filled with unnatural ingredients made of carbs, sugar and sodium. Stay away from those. 

Overall, the idea is this: Cut carbs/sugar, add protein."

Source: skinniewish.tumblr.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

* * * * * The following is written by my journalist brother, Brian:

"Here's generally what I eat (though it sometimes varies with meal #4 and #5):

Meal #1: Scrambled eggs (no cholesterol), oatmeal, skim milk.

Meal #2: 100% whey protein shake (this is after my workout, but you can still drink these if you're not working out, great protein, little carbs... ask me if you want to know more)

Meal #3: Salad with diced chicken breast, cheddar jack cheese, 8-10 croutons and light ranch dressing. Also an apple or banana.

Meal #4: Either a peanut butter or turkey/roast beef sandwich with whole wheat bread, or boneless skinless chicken breast with a vegetable.

Meal #5: Sometimes I skip this meal, but if not, it's either a handful of nuts, a half-sandwich, yogurt, a piece of fruit or maybe some Wheat Thins.

The key is to not call it "breakfast, lunch and dinner." You need to spread out your food throughout the day into smaller, more frequent meals. That way your body won't turn excess calories into fat, your metabolism stays high and you won't experience hunger pains.

Oh, and I only drink water after the first meal. Don't even drink Diet Coke or Coke Zero. Caffeinated sodas will make you crave food." 

Yeah...I still drink Diet Coke. I can't help myself. I gave up sweets and sugar. If I give up Diet Coke too, I will become homicidal. Baby steps, right?

* * * * *

Brian's Rules of Thumb:

1) At the beginning of this, make a list of all the foods you like that are good for you. Think paleo diet above. Make that your grocery list. Live on those.

2) Have a cheat day once a week. Eat whatever you want, whenever you want (except baked goods, sweets and bad fast food the next 40 days!). This is how you handle your cravings and it gives you something to work toward every week.

3) Don't eat within 3-4 hours of going to bed. Try brushing your teeth and using mouthwash early so you feel less inclined to eat each night.

4) Eat a piece of fruit 30-60 minutes before dinner. The fiber will keep you from overeating.

5) Use smaller plates and silverware whenever possible. It keeps you from filling your plate past the amount you should be eating.

6) Keep all snacks away from your kitchen. If you still have some around, pack them into a box, tape it up 10 times and hide it. Don't touch any of it until you hit your target weight. If you absolutely have to eat something small, stick with fruit, vegetables or a handful of nuts.

7) Has to be mentioned... stay away from "100-calorie packs" or other packaged "diet" or "slim" goods you find at the store. These make their name by having "low fat" when they're still high on carbs. You don't want those!

8) Limit your red meat intake ... once every now and then isn't bad, but it's higher in cholesterol and generally has too much fat in it. For meat, stick with boneless skinless chicken, turkey and fish. These are usually very lean.

9) If you're out with friends at a restaurant, stick to a grilled chicken salad or something from the "Weight Watchers" menu... and this is key: Portion it out! Don't eat the whole thing! Control how much you eat, eat the rest later. And get water. 

I hope these tips help you out!! I know they definitely gave me some inspiration to get healthy!! 

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Linking Up:

Day #211: Good-bye Fast Food.

First, Happy Valentines Day!!

I was raised Catholic, so for many years Ash Wednesday symbolized the beginning of Lent. Which meant the beginning of "no meat" Fridays as well as giving up something for 40 days. While I am no longer a practicing Catholic, my brother convinced to give up the following things for 40 days:
1. BAD fast food (ie fried foods, salty, carbs...the delicious stuff.) 2. Sweets. 3. Baked goods
So, obviously I started this yesterday. And what did one of my co-workers bring in? Some homemade baked goodies.
Plus it was crazy busy, with lots of call-ins. By the time the day was over, I would have punched someone for a candy bar. (Not literally. Well. Maybe half literally.)

My brother says by the end I will no longer crave these foods. We'll see, as these foods compromise a large majority of my diet.
I'm not doing this to lose weight. It's more like I want to prove to myself that I can stay away from crappy foods for 40 days.
We will see how this goes...


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