Weigh in, exercise, and chili!

Hey again
So yesterday I was absolutely STARVING and frustrated and called one of my fiancé's Aunts who has also recently gotten the gastric sleeve done. She suggested asking my doctor if I could have chili (as long as pureed) because she found that low calorie, high protein, and filing around a week out where I am now. I called my doc and the nurse there gave me the go ahead telling me to take it slow and see if my new stomach could handle it. Lucky for me… it did! I must be a freak of nature because I have only  had chili one other time in my life because I am a very picky eater (and I believe it was drunken munchies with a friend so I probably would have eaten a shoelace) and I now LOVE IT! I ordered a cup of bison chili from Ted's Montana grill right by campus and it was delicious, tasty, and very filling. I was able to eat 3oz and for the first time since surgery felt like I actually had energy and was full. A full 8oz serving only has 210 calories and 20 grams of protein, so 105 calories and 10 grams of protein AND tasty is AMAZING. I am totally going to make a big crock pot of it at home and freeze some for whenever!

                                          If you like chili, this is amazing! Ted's Montana Grill

Being back in class wasn't bad after having some chili and feeling full of energy :) This morning I woke up excited to get on the scale, then was utterly flabbergasted that it STILL reads 273!!! How could this be?! I have literally been only eating liquids (mostly protein shakes) and about 400 to 600 calories a day since surgery! I have also been walking every day further and further. Frustrated, I turned to a bariatric forum I belong to and wrote about my dilemma. Apparently this is pretty normal after sleeve surgery. I guess my body is in shock from the surgery and from the lack of calories (and not to mention I still haven't had a BM since surgery). Other people on the forum wrote about this happening to them at first too, but then dropping between 5 to 10 pounds another week later. I am trying not to get discouraged because I know I am doing everything I need to do (eating right/what I am supposed to, drinking enough water, sleeping well, taking vitamins, going to therapy, exercising) so I just need to be patient and let my body heal.

I went back to work today(nannying) and it was SO great to see my little buddy! He is seriously the most smiley, happy kiddo I have ever nannied for and I missed him a lot while I was recovering last week. We went to a nearby park and fed duckies, laid in the grass, went on the swing, and goofed around. It was 75 degrees and sunny so it was sheer bliss!

                                                       My 7 month old buddy Ravi!

When it came time for little man's nap, I put him in the stroller and did a walk I had been doing pretty regularly before surgery around Sloan's Lake (2 and half miles around). My pace was not as fast as it had been before surgery, but this is the longest walk I have done since surgery 9 days ago and it felt great. I got a Fitbit Charge HR a few weeks before surgery and I love tracking how many steps I take, my heart rate, and calories burned! I am also using a cool little app called Map My Walk on my phone which logs how far you walk and your exact pace.

Longest walk since surgery 9 days ago!

The family I nanny for is going out of town tomorrow for passover until monday night so while I will miss my buddy again, it will be nice to have another few days off to catch up on life and homework and recovering. Hope you all are having a great week so far!

Warmly

Caroline