Bliss

I'm coming up on my One Year Anniversary of my Gastric Bypass.  This is forcing me to view myself, and my life in general, in a different way.  I am not the person I was a year ago.  I'm thankful for the gift of this surgery and what it's brought to my life.  And I think I'll focus some effort into trying to articulate these feelings:

It's easy to say my life has changed because of what I eat.  It has changed, but not because of what I eat.  It's changed because of why I eat; instead of eating because I was bored, or stuffing food in my face because I was busy, I now eat with purpose.  I chose very carefully exactly what I'm willing to endure after eating, if I choose badly.  I chose carefully because I'm very aware every bite counts towards daily protein intake.  But I choose carefully because I wanted to ensure that eating still remained a joy, not a chore.  GBPers have two paths after surgery:  lose weight from happiness or frustration.  You will lose weight, you have no choice.  Your choice remains in how happy you will be here on.

For many months, I ate with purpose:  to not lose my hair nor muscle mass.  I was terrified of the stories I'd heard regarding these issues due to lack of protein intake.  Undoubtedly, many folks who qualify for surgery have achieved weight gain from being carb lovers (me included).  It becomes natural to eat the yummy carbs first, proteins take the backseat.  I was never an Adkins supporter thinking "how can you lose weight eating steak and bacon?"  But I see the overall premise of the program now...proteins are important in filling you up and  keeping your hunger staved.  Carbs in fruits (not many for me, too much sugar) and veggies are second on the list of eats...but simple carbs are in my past.  I don't miss them, surprisingly.  So I guess that could have something to do with my outlook for my future.  But I have to wonder how many GBP patients have deep regret over never being able to eat the things that truly bring them joy.

I suggest if you are in this category, look for alternatives.  I felt a tad silly going into Barnes&Noble to buy Bethenny Frankel's books Naturally Thin and Skinnygirl Dish.  But Bethenny's Claim To Fame is not dieting; it's changing HOW you cook to just be naturally a thin person without making a huge change in your everyday food prep and eating process.  Her mantras can hold true for anyone, but it was particularly interesting to me in that, she's created a menu that is balanced, low in sugar and fat and delicious.  So, by using these recipes and the changes she's made to every foods I thought I could no longer eat, I can eat and feel very satisfied with food choices.  I love cookies:  now I can eat ONE cookie, but no longer feel even slight desire to eat six.  That's the difference.  I cannot eat semolina pasta, but whole wheat or rice pasta in small amounts is fine.  So I urge you, if you are feeling unhappy because of the choice you made to have this surgery, what are you missing?  And can you make a substitution to at least feel as though you are going to miss this for the rest of your life?

I don't want to feel as though I'm a lucky one.  I am blessed because before my one year anniversary I have reached my target weight and am so healthy I am running 3 miles a day (soon to be 4!).  I had goals when I went into this life changing decision, one, being able to run again!  And nothing feels more free that taking off your shoes and just running.  You have to find your inner bliss and hang onto that.  If you're not blissful, bless yourself with a quiet moment alone, pen and paper if necessary and really dig deep to realize what make YOU happy.  Because no matter how many people you have close to you, that depend on you, or just love you for who you are; you cannot love them fully until you learn to love everything about yourself.  This starts with finding your bliss. Happy hunting :)

Easy Chicken

Your crock pot is your friend.  If you don't have one, get one.  There is nothing easier than getting up in the morning and throwing meat and seasonings in the pot and walking away.  I've even thrown in frozen meat.  I make this with both bone-in and boneless chicken:

package of chicken
can of mild Rotel (I used the lime and cilantro version last night)
few squirts of Zesty Italian salad dressing

Walk away for, oh, all day.

If you used bones, pull meat off the bones.  If not, just use 2 forks to shred it.  Done. 

My daughter eats it plain.  My husband likes it on tortillas.  I took two scoops and put it on a bed of greens with feta cheese.  Super healthy, tons of protein and delish.

Breakfast Muffins

I made these a few days ago...recipe is a little misleading in that they do take a little time; you have to make the sweet potatoes, then make the batter.  I made extra potatoes and had some for dinner ;)  I also substituted honey for the sugar.   I froze about 2/3 of the muffins thinking I'd only eat one a day.  And next time I will add more cinnamon and nutmeg...but they are pretty good and a nice way to kick off the day.  I just ate one and will head out the gym in about 30 minutes to see if I can get another minute of my run!

http://marcussamuelsson.com/recipes/the-best-breakfast-before-exercising-whole-wheat-sweet-potato-coconut-muffins-recipe

Best Meatloaf EVA!

DO NOT be intimidated by the length of the recipe.  This is SO easy.  Literally takes 10 minutes to prep...do not take shortcuts with tomato sauce (no Ragu, get a can of plain tomato sauce) and make your own sauce (it's worth it).

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/barbeque-meat-loaf-recipe/index.html

Chicken w Rotel

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cans of mild chile Rotel

Use a 13x9 pan.  Season the breasts with salt and peppers.  Coat with olive oil.  Pour both cans of Rotel over all breasts.  Turn after 30 minutes.  Leave for another 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cook for 15 minutes, turn breasts.  Cook additional 10 minutes.  Sprinkles Mexican style shredded cheese over each breast.  Broil for 2 minutes. 

I made brown rice with chicken broth.  Served chicken over rice and spooned some drippings from the pan.  

What to do with all those dang egg hunt treasures

What to do with all those eggs chock full of protein?  Here you go!  I added peppers to mine for some interesting kick...

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/deviled-eggs-recipe/index.html

Easy Peesy Pot Roast

I went to my grocery store and found a big ole piece of beef on sale.  It was discounted, and was the last day to purchase before the date expired...hence I got it super cheap!  I seasoned it, simply.  Added beef broth and popped it in the slow cooker and walked away!  I'll make fragrant rice and gravy, but remember...PROTEIN FIRST!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/pot-roast-with-roasted-root-vegetables-recipe/reviews/index.html

Food, a good four letter F word.

One of the things my surgical center stressed Pre Surgery was to learn your relationship with food.  I really didn't attribute my weight gain with an emotional need for food, but rather food was an annoyance I had to placate.  I didn't love food, in fact most times I hated it.  I'd see myself in the mirror, hate the way I looked and blamed food.  So, I'd limit food, I'd abstain from food, then I'd give into food because...I was hungry.  After eating, I hated food again.  So, yes, learning your relationship WITH food is important.

Food didn't make me fat; my personal choices made me fat and food was the scapegoat.  For the first three weeks following surgery, I had no food.  I was on a liquid only diet and when you are drinking your meals, it forces you cleanse away any predipositions you have carried.  I was in an unusual situation; I was to start with soft foods at three weeks post surgery.  Instead I was back on the operating table having my gallbladder removed.  I won't go into large detail at this time regarding life after removal of the gallbladder, but suffice to say, dietary changes are a must.  So couple this with GB and all food notions are out the window.  I quickly realized in the weeks following surgery my tastes had changed.  Foods I loved, made me gag.  Foods I didn't care for were now tasty.  Also pasta makes me very sick...which is very difficult since in my former life I was a turbo carb loader :/  I've heard from other GB patients they have also experienced such.  I cannot say if it's rerouting of the digestive tract or being without the use of canine incisors for nearly a month that brings on these changes.  It's an interesting journey when you can't wait to start eating foods you loved, to find you have no interest in those foods whatsoever.

Having two back to back major surgeries took its toll on me.  My body was just worn out and my energy stores were non existant.  But one thing I did find rather quickly was, I didn't like canned food.  Could be that I lived on canned soup broth for about four weeks?  Could be this whole transformation I just described.  Nonetheless, I wanted to eat cooked food.  Did I want to cook at that time?  No.  I'm the chef in the house, so if I was going to eat, I was going to have to cook for myself.  At first I overwhelmed myself cooking huge meals that I could only eat about an ounce at a serving.  I quickly got burned out and starting finding ways to scale it all back.  I finally set up my Aerogarden and grew beautiful herbs such as basil, dill and thyme.  That alone is a huge inspiration to cook something lovely!  I also developed a love affair with my slow cooker.  What I tell anyone who asks "how do you find time to cook?" is it doesn't take much more time to cook a meal than to buy, store, unwrap, microwave and cool down a Lean Cuisine!  Find tools that aid you and entice you to utilize them.  I've made an amazing meal from a cheap cut of beef, thrown it in my slow cooker and here's how it relates to Lean Cuisine:  I unwrap a piece of meat, I place it in the slow cooker, I add 2-3 fresh ingredients and either water or broth.  Turn it on and walk away for 6-8 hours.  Then I put on a pot of water and wait for it to boil.  I throw in some fresh veggies and walk away for about 10 minutes.  When I come back I have a meal.  In total, it takes about 10 minutes of prep work and I am left with meat that is fork tender that rivals a filet mignon and fresh veggies that don't taste like metal.  Also, given the size of your family, possibly that 10 minutes of prep you just invested, could garner a meal for several days.  I've made BBQ chicken in my slow cooker that I transformed the next night into BBQ chicken quesadillas; premade chicken, 2 flour tortillas and cheese in a pan...2 minutes.  This works for me.  It took several months for me to find what did work.  I've always loved to cook, so it wasn't as hard as it might be for someone who doesn't cook.  Maybe you are lucky enough to have a partner who loves to cook but hasn't found inspiration.  Maybe your role could be prep work, shopping locally or finding tools for the kitchen.  Whatever it is, find it.  Food should be your friend, not enemy.

My new facination is with shopping locally.  I'm exploring local farmer's markets and butcher shops, buying fresh and cooking often.  If you buy produce in season, the price is about the same that pay for frozen in the grocery store...tasting better and improving the quality of your meals and health.  My goal is to go Saturdays and Wednesdays.  My weekly menus will be created after returning from the market with whatever I've found!  An awesome internet tool I use every day is http://www.foodtv.com/.  You can enter anything into the search engine, from ingredient to main component and search recipes.  You can adjust the recipes according to rating, relevancy, ease, and cooking time.  I choose rating and have never been disappointed, but do what works for you.  For example, broccoli is in season right now.  My family isn't a huge fan of broccoli.  So I need to find a quick way to cook it, in a way they will eat:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/chili-garlic-roasted-broccoli-recipe/index.html
Took me 2 minutes to find this recipe and I'll make it tomorrow night with the orange honey roasted chicken I was planning to make!  Healthy, preservative free, and delish!  I like the rating feature because not only do you see that others have made and enjoyed it, but reviewers can post adjustments or suggestions for you to try as well. 

So two "foods of thought":  first, figure out how food fits into your life.  Second, figure out how to make it easy to fit food into your life effectively.  There is nothing more that I enjoy than to make the people I love smile.  When my loved ones walk into the kitchen and smell what I've created, they smile and say "when's it ready?"  There was a quote that went around a few years ago "Food is Love."  I think it was targeted at overweight folks who were unhappy and used food as a way to find peace.  The quote took on a negative connotation, which is sad.  For me, food is love.  I cook for my loved ones and it makes them happy, making me happy.  And now, finally, I've learned to cook for myself.  I've found ways to cook that make me look and feel better and that is a very good thing.

North African Meatballs...ethnic protein with flair!

Hello protein!  Recipe says "intermediate" but don't let that scare you.  Pretty easy, just measure and get the sauce right.  Some strong spices here so you don't want to "gestimate."  I'm pairing it with couscous...a healthy grain without all the bad starches associates with carbs ;)

http://bit.ly/eHHNXK

Tuna is your friend!

I have to say, I am an amateur chef that prefers canned tuna to fresh.  I know I shall be shunned by chefs near and far, but I can't lie!  And, canned tuna is just too dang easy.  This recipe is AWESOME!  I don't like capers really so I add baby peas.  You get your protein from tuna, eggs, avocado and cheese!  I usually put my tuna salad in a tortilla instead of bread because I cannot eat bread or eat it plain Jane...but do what makes you happy.  Also, substituting greek yogurt for mayo will be even better for ya ;)

http://bit.ly/fAhpyc

Tikka Marsala Chicken...reinvented

I'll be trying this one.  I love this show...they test the recipe in the kitchen before presenting them...one trick I use is buying the pre-minced ginger in the produce section ;)  I will also be using half and half instead of whole cream and brown rice.

http://www.americastestkitchen.com/video/index.php?docid=24314&Extcode=L1CN4BA00