Things To Do Instead Of Eating!

Have you ever been so bored all you could do was think about food? Ever wish those thoughts would just go away!

Well here is a list of 60 things you can do to take your mind off of food!

1. Call a friend, your sponsor, a support person, anyone who you can talk to who will either get your mind off of food, or someone to talk to about whatever it is that you might be feeling.

2. Go for a brisk walk

3. Meditate or listen to a hypnosis or guided visualization download.

4. Give yourself a manicure/pedicure– can’t binge with wet nails.

5. Volunteer at the ASPCA to walk dogs or pet cats.

6. Watch a funny movie at home.

7. Take a shower, give yourself a hot oil treatment, shave your legs, tweeze your brows– self care time.

8.) Get organized sort out your bills, create a budget– organize your home. Often getting organized can help you feel more in control and enable you to thwart a binge, which can often feel very out of control.

9. Draw, paint or color.

10. Knit, crochet or do needlepoint

11. Take a nap

12. Get out of your house and into your car, go to the beach, the lake, the park… somewhere pretty and relaxing.

13. Clean out your closet, donate your old clothes or sell them on eBay.

14. Read a good book.

15. Put on music and dance it out. Go out dancing. Call your friends over and have a dance party.

16. Go to the gym. Stretch, go to a yoga class, do a yoga DVD or an exercise or yoga class on On Demand cable. Move! Do jumping jacks, run in place, anything to move a little energy and release some tension.

17. Take a relaxing bath with nice bath salts or essential oils.

18. Write in your journal

19. Scream into a pillow.

20. Go to an OA or EDA meeting, either online, in person, or on the phone.

21. Go to an online support forum with other people dealing with eating issues. www.obesityhelp.com www.facebook.com (The LIOS group, many other supportive groups for WLS on fb)

22. Read a magazine

23. Write a blog! Read a blog!

24. Chat with friends on facebook or update your facebook profile. Twitter!

25. Sing!

26. Get your hair done or do your own hair. Experiment with different styles, curling iron, flat iron, curlers, etc.

27. Make cards for people, catch up on Thank You notes, send out notes to relatives you haven’t spoken to or seen in a long time. Not the ones that stress you out and make you want to reach for your old friends Ben and Jerry.

28. Go out and take photos.

29. Play video games or facebook games

30. Write and direct a short play with stuffed animals or Barbie dolls or action figures or your pets or sock puppets and videotape it to put on youtube.

31. Smell lavender

32. Pick flowers

33. Garden

34. Create a collage

35. Go bowling, play pool, play golf or miniature golf, play basketball, hit tennis balls, go to a batting cage, go for a swim.

36. Scrapbook

37. Write an angry letter to whomever you are holding anger at. You don’t have to send it, just let it out. Afterwards, put it somewhere safe. You might let go of some emotions that you’d been stuffing and you might find that you no longer have the urge to binge.

38. Go through old pictures

39. Cuddle with your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, daughter, son, cat, dog, teddy bear, etc.

40. Do karaoke, you can either go out to do it, or do it at home with friends.

41. Play music! If you play an instrument, whip it out and start playing. If not, teach yourself to play one. Beat on some bongos, ping a triangle, strum a guitar, whatever is convenient to you. If nothing, make an instrument out of household objects and play it.

42. Catch up on your emails

43. Learn a new language!

44. Write a letter to your future self, about what you’re going through right now.

45. Write some notes with positive messages and post them around your home or get out of the house and put them up in dressing rooms, public restroom mirrors, restaurants, etc

46. Make a list of why you rock. Think about what’s great about you. Can’t think of those things? Call someone who loves you and ask them to tell you.

47. Light candles and incense and relax

48. Explore your neighborhood or town. Go to local museums or art galleries.

49. Call a friend or relative who has been unhappy lately and needing some support. Sometimes giving support can be incredibly heartening and also supports the supporter.

50. Use crayons to color hard! This can release tension.

51. Search through your couch and house for change! Put everything you can in a jar and put it aside to start a fund for yourself as a motivator in your journey. Every time you reach a milestone, you can buy yourself something fun, like a new pair of shoes, or some jewelry or new CD, or whatever you like within reason.

52. Roll on your back. This is a spinal massage that helps you to feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

53. Read positive affirmations.

54. Write out your intentions or personal goals for yourself for the week. Write out both long term and short term goals- things that you are striving for and ways to help you get there.

55. Throw a temper tantrum! Go into your bedroom, lay on your stomach in your bed and scream into your pillow while you kick your legs and punch your hands into the bed. Ever see kids do this? They expend all that energy and it moves right through them. As adults, we can’t really do this and lots of anger and pain winds up feeling stuck in the body. We often try to stuff that down with food and for some, get rid of it by purging.

56. Make jewelry out of household items or beads or coins.

57. You can also take that old clothing, especially those that are significant to your pre-op days, and cut it up into squares and make a “recovery quilt.”

58. Do a home makeover! Rearrange your furniture; get rid of things that you no longer want– sell them on eBay! Put up some curtains; just make things pretty for yourself.

59. Do volunteer work.

60. Write a novel, short story, or poetry.


If you can think of any others to add please post below!
xoxo
Sleeve Pixie

I Don't Deserve It... Do I?

A few nights ago I was having a convo with a good friend of mine (Who is having her sleeve as I type!), and she said to me (talking about her upcoming surgery), "I still can't believe it's gonna happen. I feel like something will come up and prevent me from doing it last minute."

My reply to this was to tell her that what she is feeling is normal. Most of us who are overweight for one reason or another have this internal dialogue that tells us we don't deserve good things.

As we continued on talking about this topic I recalled to her a few times in my life I have felt this way. The most recent time I remember feeling this way was the night of my wedding. I recall walking down the aisle on December 1, 2005 thinking to myself, "OK this can't be happening. Who is gonna stand up and object to the marriage? When is Aryeh going to realize he doesn't want to do this?"

Then I told my friend about a time when I was young, couldn't have been more than 5 years old... My school used to take us to the park around the corner to play because the school had no gym. I remember walking down the steps of the school outside on the way to the park thinking to myself, "I can't believe this is happening. I can't believe I am getting to go to the park. This must be a dream." AT 5!! A small little innocent 5 year old... I already didn't think myself worthy of good things. In case you were wondering, yes I was overweight at 5 years old.

Now days, I don't really struggle with this so much. I do feel i deserve good things and happiness. I don't know if that is a result of the weight loss or the counseling I did after my divorce or just a shift in the universe. I doubt the latter. So I wanted to blog this morning and throw this out to you. Have you ever srtuggled with thoughts like this? do you still struggle? If not, what changed for you?

I am very much looking forward to your comments this morning!
xoxo
Sleeve Pixie

Sleep Apnea and Weight Loss...

Yep... that was me (no not literally). I could fall asleep anywhere,
doing anything, even mid sentence sometimes.

I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea in the summer of 2004 by my mom, of all people lol. She had already been diagnosed with her sleep apnea and was sleeping better with the use of her CPAP. One morning I went up into her room to talk to her about something and I remember, she was sitting at the desk on the computer chair in her room and I flopped on her bed... Somewhere mid convo, I fell asleep (as I always did when my apnea was at it's worst). When I woke up maybe 5 minutes later my mom was sitting there staring at me (kinda creepy - love you mom) and she said to me, "Rach, you have sleep apnea. I want you to make an appointment with the pulmonologist and go for a sleep study." 

I was so upset... The idea of having to sleep with that mask and look like Darth Vader every night was unfathomable, but at the same time I remember feeling relieved that this almost narcoleptic behavior I was exhibiting may stop! After all, I had already fallen asleep behind the wheel twice, both times with other people in the car. The first time I almost hit an 18 wheeler and the second time I was woken up by flashing police lights pulling me over for switching lanes without signaling. 

So I went for my sleep study and sure enough, as much as any child HATES admitting their parents are right, my mom was right. The second sleep study was my fitting for my mask and CPAP setting. I think that night was the best night of sleep I have ever had! I start sleeping with my new CPAP... 

Fast forward.... June of 2011, right after my separation, I decided I didn't want to wear my CPAP anymore. There were many reasons for this decision. The two main ones were... 

•  It was always a thing in my marriage that my ex-husband would kiss me good night and put my mask on before we went to sleep and I just couldn't wear it because every night I put it on myself I'd fall asleep crying thinking about him... 
• I was going to start dating again... Who the hell would want to sleep next to Darth Vader... Oh yea because that's uber SEXAY!! NOT! I wasn't doin' that sorry.... 

The first couple of months were great. I was awake and feeling great and had a ton of energy. I felt a new freedom from sleeping with the machine on my face every night. Then I bought a new fitbit... It was all downhill from there...
You guys remember my fitnit... Awesome tool and the new version comes with a step counter! Check out my review here.

I started tracking my sleep with the fitbit and here is what I found... Out of the 6 hours and 9 minutes I was "asleep" I only got 3 hours and 6 minutes of ACTUAL SLEEP!!!!

Ugh, guess that means I still need my machine after all... I fought the idea for another few months until other things started happening...

First, I started getting tired again. I would fall asleep when hanging out with my friends. Then, I started to notice no matter how much I slept I never felt rested. Then I started working... My new schedule was enough to push me over the edge. I fell asleep at work!

There was one more thing I noticed. I was no longer losing weight? Could the two be correlated?

Lose weight while you sleep. It sounds like something you'd hear on a late night infomercial -- just around the time you are reaching for that bag of cookies because, well, you can't sleep.


But as wild as the idea sounds, substantial medical evidence suggests some fascinating links between sleep and weight. Researchers say that how much you sleep and quite possibility the quality of your sleep may silently orchestrate a symphony of hormonal activity tied to your appetite.

In fact, have you ever experienced a sleepless night followed by a day when no matter what you ate you never felt full or satisfied? If so, then you have experienced the workings of leptin and ghrelin.

But Pixie, you had a VERTICAL SLEEVE GASTRECTOMY... You don't have Ghrelin anymore!?! Nope sorry my friends... Here is where you are wrong. Although the main producer of Ghrelin is in the cells lining the fundus of the human stomach and epsilon cells of the pancreas (Which I HAVE had removed), ghrelin is also produced in low levels in the pituitary gland, which I still have!

Interesting side fact I found while doing some research... In fetuses, it seems that ghrelin is produced early by the lung and promotes growth.

Leptin and ghrelin work in a kind of "checks and balances" system to control feelings of hunger and fullness, explains Michael Breus, PhD, a faculty member of the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and director of The Sleep Disorders Centers of Southeastern Lung Care in Atlanta. Ghrelin, which is produced in the gastrointestinal tract, stimulates appetite, while leptin, produced in fat cells, sends a signal to the brain when you are full.

So what's the connection to sleep? "When you don't get enough sleep, it drives leptin levels down, which means you don't feel as satisfied after you eat. Lack of sleep also causes ghrelin levels to rise, which means your appetite is stimulated, so you want more food," Breus tells WebMD.

I finally decided to start using my CPAP again... New problem, My new skinny face was too small for my face mask... In order to avoid leaks I was wearing my mask way to tight and I was waking up every morning in pain with horrible marks on my face. The skin on my nose was broken. Even though I was losing weight again... The pain was enough to make me stopped wearing my CPAP again.

Nasal Pillow

The guy I have been dating, who also happens to work for a respiratory supply company, did a little research for me and he found my answer! He told me to purchase a Nasal Pillow. They are little gel cusions that you place over your nose under your mask the prevent breakage of the skin. They can be purchased online in pink or blue for $17 plus tax and shipping. I bought one immediately and it has been a life saver! It makes my face mask much more comfortable and my nose is all healed. I no longer wake up in pain and I feel much more rested in the morning. I am going to track my sleep with my CPAP this week and I will keep you updated! I hope some of you find this helpful if you are struggling like I was.

xoxo

Sleeve Pixie

The Moment I have Been Waiting For!!!

My weight                                   His Weight

 The day has finally arrived! After 7+ years of being together and 3.5 years post my first Weight Loss Surgery, I FINALLY  WEIGH LESS THAN THE MISTER!!

I can't describe this feeling. It's amazing! I feel feminine and beautiful and SMALL. It feels like a sense of order has been restored or brought into my world. Today is a super happy day! What makes your day today happy?

xoxo,

Sleeve Pixie

A Word on Body Image

Body image is an issue that comes up often in our community. Frankly, it is something I struggle with in a different way than many men and women in our community. I never knew how big I was. I knew I was wearing big clothes and needed big sturdy chairs, but when I would walk down the street and see a person who in retrospect was probably smaller than me I would think, "I'm not THAT big. Am I?" It wasn't until the night before I started my pre-op liquid diet, a week before the lap band that it all came tumbling down like a ton of bricks. I had asked my husband to take before pictures of me. So I put on a tight pair of sweatpants and a tank top so I could really see what was going on and he snapped a full frontal and side profile shot. When I asked him to see the pics, I nearly died. Who was that humongous woman in the camera. There was NO WAY that was me. Not a chance right? It was me.  

      

This was me at 391 lbs. My heaviest ever. 

While this was the image the camera  was showing me that night...

This was the image I was expecting to see in the camera... size wise anyways.  

Me at 350lbs

So now here I am 273.5 lbs as per my 6 month surgeon checkup today. Skin is starting to hang, I have scars from 3 surgeries and I have an opportunity to be really down in the dumps about myself. I my back fat is starting to hang, my boobs are deflating... Ok... you get the picture. I LOVE MY BODY! Yep, I said it... LOVE! I can stand in front of the mirror frontways, sideways and I will tell you what I see.

1. My butt looks fabulous!
2. my body has a shape that is curvy but sexy and I no longer look like a beached whale. 
3. I look good in clothes. 
4. My legs are starting to form shape.
5. My arms have a muscle or two. I am not even bothered by that hanging skin below the line that defines my muscle because three years ago that arm was solid filled out fat! 

Do I see the scars, heck yea! do I see the skin and the imperfections... OF COURSE! I am a woman after all lol but they don't bother me. It is all about perception ladies (and men... guys have this drama too)! When I had my lap band surgery my husband said, "Hunny, you could use wheat germ oil and those scars will go away." To which I replied, "HELL NO! Those scars are my battle wounds! One day I will be able to tell my babies that all these scars and hanging skin were so I could hold them in my arms!" I still feel that way two surgeries later. My inner thighs may look like a sharpei dog one day, but I did it all to have a family. There is no such thing as a perfect body. Everyone has a mark or imperfection they wish they didn't have or something that makes them a little self conscious. We imposed these imperfections on ourselves! Ladies, would you EVER say you wish you didn't have children because now you have stretch marks? My guess is HECK NO! Take a moment today to remember why you had your surgery. Then go get naked and stand in front a mirror and love those battle wounds! Take pride in those imperfections! Maybe you are lucky enough to have the money for plastics, but guess what, that leaves scars. BIG ONES! Everything is a trade off. 

Stand in front of the mirror today and only give yourself positive messages. You may not believe those messages today or tomorrow but one day you will be able to see yourself as beautiful. I see you as beautiful!! 

Love yourself today!

xoxo

Sleeve Pixie

Long Island's FIRST Medical and Surgical Weight Loss Expo!!!

Join us for the Medical & Surgical Weight Loss Expo!

Free if you pre-register!! Register online at

http://www.newyorkbariatrics.com/Expo/
Don't forget to tell them RACHEL LEBOWITZ sent you!!

If you are interested in losing weight, considering weight loss surgery or have had surgery—The Expo is a must attend! Focusing on a total body solution - the presenters, exhibitors and demonstrators include products and services which will help you get on or stay on track for a new and healthier you!

Throughout the day, two seminar tracks will be presented by medical professionals who are dedicated to making a difference in helping New Yorkers with discussions on healthcare issues commonly associated with obesity. Exhibitors will include weight loss products and services, post-operative products, healthcare screenings, fitness and cooking demonstrations and a gala fashion show!

Take Back Your Life. Take Back Your Health.

Register Today! Register online at http://www.newyorkbariatrics.com/Expo/
Don't forget to tell them RACHEL LEBOWITZ sent you!!

50+ Medical Professional Exhibitors
Healthcare Screenings
Cooking Lighter Demonstrations
Fitness Demonstrations
Gala Fashion Show
Nutritional & Weight Loss Exhibitors
Post-Operative Support Exhibitors
Free Weight Loss Product Samples
Prizes, Music & Giveaways and more
ALL DAY EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS BY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

Weight Loss Educational Seminars
Weight Loss Surgery and Revisional Seminars
Post-Operative Seminars (including plastic surgery, staying on track)
DON’T MISS LONG ISLAND’S FIRST MEDICAL & SURGICAL WEIGHT LOSS EXPO!

Date: Saturday, May 21, 2011
Place: Uniondale Marriott, Long Island New York
Time: 10.00 AM - 4.00 PM

FREE ADMISSION FOR THOSE WHO REGISTER BEFORE THE EVENT!
Register online at http://www.newyorkbariatrics.com/Expo/
Don't forget to tell them RACHEL LEBOWITZ sent you!!
$5.00 Admission the day of the event.

Have a question on the event? Email us (expoquestion@newyorkbariatrics.com)

For information on exhibiting, please contact Lisa at 516.662.1762 or email
(exhibits@newyorkbariatrics.com)

To Chew or Not to Chew... That is the Question!

I received an e-mail newsletter from a nutritionist, Rachel Lerner. Granted she is not a post-op and does not work much with post-ops but still the information she sends I find to be relevant most of the time. So yesterday she send info on chewing your food.

Chewing When it comes to increased health, it's not just what we eat but how we eat. Digestion actually begins in the mouth, where contact with our teeth and digestive enzymes in our saliva break down food. But these days most of us rush through the whole eating experience, barely acknowledging what we're putting in our mouths. We eat while distracted-working, reading, talking and watching television-and swallow our food practically whole. On average we chew each bite only eight times. It's no wonder that many people have digestive problems.    There are many great reasons to slow down and chew your food: Saliva breaks down food into simple sugars, creating a sweet taste. The more we chew, the sweeter our food becomes, so we don't crave those after-meal sweets. Chewing reduces digestive distress and improves assimilation, allowing our bodies to absorb maximum nutrition from each bite of food. More chewing produces more endorphins, the brain chemicals responsible for creating good feelings. It's also helpful for weight loss, because when we are chewing well, we are more apt to notice when we are full.  In fact, chewing can promote increased circulation, enhanced immunity, increased energy and endurance, as well as improve skin health and stabilize weight. Taking time with a meal, beginning with chewing, allows for enjoyment of the whole experience of eating: the smells, flavors and textures. It helps us to give thanks, to show appreciation for the abundance in our lives and to develop patience and self-control. Try eating without the TV, computer, Blackberry, newspaper or noisy company. Instead just pay attention to the food and to how you are breathing and chewing. This kind of quiet can be disconcerting at first, since we are used to a steady stream of advertising, news, media, email and demands from others. But as you create a new habit, you will begin to appreciate eating without rushing. You have to eat every day-why not learn to savor and enjoy it? Like I said before, I usually find her info to be relevant to my life, but I am finding there is a a lot of conflicting information about chewing. When I had my lap band, I was told CHEW CHEW CHEW! Now three years later, many surgeons will tell you that you SHOULD NOT chew your food down to mush. Why? Because if you liquefy your food in your mouth it becomes like a slider food and we will not stay full as long. Makes sense to me. Now I am not condoning or suggesting you inhale your food. but I think 10-15 chews should be adequate.  Which school of thought do you follow? xoxo Sleeve Pixie

Is Half Way to Nowhere Still Half Way?

Is half way to nowhere still half way? What a question huh? Well here is what prompted today's post... I posted on Monday on my Sleeve Pixie page on Facebook that I just realized I now have lost more than I have to lose.. So I have officially passed the "half way" mark with regard to my weight loss. While this is an amazing accomplishment and i do not want to diminish my success in any way shape or form, the words half way started to get to me.

There has been a lot of talk in out community about regain and maintenance lately and many people do struggle to maintain their loss. Regain is a harsh reality for us and something everyone will face. Your regain may be a as little as a pound or as much as everything you have lost, plus some.

Maintenance is not a goal, or destination on this weight loss journey, it is merely just a service station along the highway of life. So from here I ask again... is half way to nowhere, still half way?

While generally this is the time where i give you some advice, words of wisdom, answer to the question etc., today I am not going to. Like everything else I believe you have to decide what the best answer is for yourself! So friends, tell me!

xoxo
Sleeve Pixie

Thought For Today... One Pound

WOW!!! I have lost 75lbs in the last 5 months with my VSG (and VSG pre-op diet)... That is awesome! I have lost 101lbs since I started my WLS journey and I only have another 110lbs to lose for my personal goal. When I started this journey I had over 200lbs to lose to reach a healthy weight. I never ever in a million years thought it was possible. I'm not looking at the next 100lbs I'm just looking at the next POUND... just one single teeny tiny little POUND eventually each little, tiny, seemingly insignificant will equal my goal weight.

Have you ever started walking, saw your destination up the road a piece and thought to yourself.. "That is just sooo far! I don't know if I can/should/want to walk there." I'm sure you have at one point... Have you ever tried the trick of looking at the floor when you walk and watching your steps? No?? Try it!!

Next time you have to walk some where, walk there while looking at the steps you take. Walk for 30 seconds this way, I promise you when you look up. You will be surprised at how far you have come :-)

Just a pound at a time!
Sleeve Pixie

Obesity Help New York Conference!!

Me with Connie Stapleton

Save $30 off of the Long Island, NY Obesity Help Conference with coupon code LEBOWITZNY11


Every year Obesity Help holds roughly 3-5 conferences around the country for people who have had or are looking into weight loss surgery. This year one of those conferences will be in NY, on Long Island on October 21-22. 

The conference features a mixture of professionals such as Connie Stapleton (psychologist - one of my favs), Chef Dave Fouts (bariatric chef), Dr Garth Davis (from Big medicine), Dr. Alvarez (the mexico surgeon - another one of my favs) and Dr. Katzen (one of the most famous bariatric post op plastic surgeons) and a few post-ops who share their stories, wisdom etc... 

Just me and Melting Mama showing some love!

One of the best parts of these conferences is ability to meet other post-ops and be in environment that is truly unique. Everyone is at a different stage in their weight loss and everyone knows what its like to be fat. Each conference is closed with a fashion show and night of fun dancing. I have been to 3 in the past 2 years and I looking forward to attending all 3 conferences this year! 

Me and Dr. Alvarez

Because I have gone through OH support group leader training, OH gives me a discount code to pass out to my friends and support group members. This code is good for $30 off of the $75 price of the conference. Each person who registers under my code also receives a free OH t-shirt and tote bag :-) 




To purchase your ticket for the New York Obesity Help Conference at the super low price of $45 plus a Free OH t-shirt and OH Tote Bag Follow this link and make sure to use my discount code LebowitzNY11


Sexy in the City!
    October 21-22
The New York Conference will be held in the
Hauppauge Sheraton <- Click to book a room! 
Sheraton Long Island - $119+tax per night
110 Motor Parkway
Hauppauge, NY 11788
(631) 231-1100

If you would like more info or have any questions leave a comment below!
I hope you consider coming! 
Can't wait to see you there! 
xoxo
Sleeve Pixie

Twoderville: Extremely Obese!!

I MADE IT! I will NEVER see a 3 at the beginning of my weight EVER again!!!

Today I went to my surgeon for my 3 month post op check-up. When I walked into the office all the staff ooh'd and aaah'd at my weight loss. I was so nervous yet so excited to get on the scale. I realized that my scale has been broken for about a week now so I had no clue what I weighed. The big question was looming over my head... Had I broke the 300 mark and entered twoderville?

As I got on the scale my heart was pounding... I was preparing my self for the disappointment of still being over 300lbs as I watched the numbers... 305, 290, 300, 298, 299, 299.6, 299.5... and it stopped... I screamed!! My surgeon came running in to see what the commotion was. He opened the door and said, "Why are you yelling? What's going on?" So I screamed back at him "299!!!!!!" He laughed at me and walked out. Apparently the whole office heard me scream because as I walked out everyone asked me if I was ok. haha. I was in shock! I couldn't believe it!!

Next I had to see the surgeon... he looked over my chart and blood work and asked me how much I weighed  when I first started seeing him. 364, I told him. He was very happy with my progress. Then he said... NEXT TIME I SEE YOU, I WANT TO SEE 199. I seriously thought he was joking. I asked him if I would have to wait a year for my next appointment. to which he replied... No... 6 months from now you are going to be 199.

WHAT! Let me reprocess that... 6 months from today, 180 days from now, you expect me to lose 100lbs... be in ONEDERLAND??? NO FUCKING WAY!!! Then the fear set in....

As I left the appointment and text messaged everyone I know, I kept hearing it... 6 months... 100lbs.... 6 months 100lbs.... 6 months ONEDERLAND!!! Then came the next thought... Ok what can I eat right now...

Why does this happen to me? I am successful, then I want to eat carbs and fat... I will tell you why... The thought of success scares the living daylights out of me. The thought that this surgery might actually work and I might actually be able to reach 199lbs and have a baby and get a job scares the crap out of me. So I do what any normal person does... I sabotage myself.

Thankfully, I caught myself starting to travel down this all too familiar road early on. I caught myself before I was able to get a hold on the carbs and fat I was going to use to demolish my success. I promised myself that just for today I won't sabotage and see how it feels... I am still scared. I'm not gonna lie... I'm petrified of being successful. As I'm typing, I wonder if that success is what makes some of us go crazy. But that is a whole different topic. Maybe I will hot on that tomorrow...

For now I am going to stay focused on being successful. I am going to face my fears head on and see how it feels. I have a feeling I'm gonna like it!

To our success!
xoxo
Sleeve Pixie

A HEAVY Discussion...

So I just finished watching Heavy, the new A&E series and I wanted to share with you my thoughts. At first I was like ugh... Intervention meets Biggest Loser... I didn't really have very high expectations of the show to be honest.

Tom... WOW! He lost a whole damn person in 6 months even with the setback in month 2! Bless his fat soul! I have to say I was kinda shocked to hear his drive through order of 6 JUNIOR bacon cheezies and 3 spicy nuggets... It wasn't so much the quantity or whatever but the psychology behind it all... Yes I am a social worker and I perceive and analyze the world through those lenses. I am willing to bet he justified eating 6 burgers to himself by ordering junior size... Now me personally, I would rather order 3 doubles... bc my head would say, 3 isn't so bad but 6.... NO WAY! It's just interesting. I have been reading the twiterverse tag #HEAVY and damn people were ragging on poor Tom.

• Wow, Tom has a Bowling Ball made of FAT on his leg!
• If I get so fat that all I can wear is stretchy pants and tshirts please shoot me
• How does anyone let themselves get to look like Tom
• Tom is one HEAVY fat tub of lard

DAMN YA'LL!!! Give the man a break! Clearly he's got some addiction and emotional issues happening there! And please... get your self some edumacation... I hate ignorant people! I have to say towards the end of the show I was super proud of Tom and I feel some sort of connection to him. Probably because he is a fighter and so am I and I totally get the enabling family thing he's got goin' on!

Now Jodi... Jodi Jodi Jodi.... She pissed me the F**K off! She did nothing but whine the whole first half hour. She doomed herself for failure before she even took her first step of the damn journey. Now I can understand that but seriously woman... Have even a glimmer of hope before you give up. Its like starting a diet a week before a big party. You go in there knowing you are gonna fall of the wagon Friday night. Why bother to start a Journey with your head in the sand. She made one excuse after the next, her husband, her mother, her addiction... STOP IT ALREADY! Not that I'm not sympathetic but I don't want to hear about it. I can't pity those who pity themselves... Just not my style.

I did however feel a bit of connection to her when she broke into twoderville. That is something I have been struggling with for the last two weeks. It made me hopeful for myself for a second. (300.4 this morning!)

Then at the end she just pissed me off again... She said she did it the right way or the hard way or something to that effect.... through hard work diet and exercise... KISS MY BUTT!!! You did it because some camera followed your ass around for 6 months and paid for your gym membership, food and personal trainer. If I had all that I could do it too... But you don;t hear me complaining. I make my life work! I am doing it the hard way. Dumping, and vitamins and blood work and surgery and major food changes and exercise. That majorly bothered me... 

Overall... will I watch this show again... PROBABLY... Am I hooked and in love and inspired and motivated... Not even an ounce... Sorry... I was not that impressed.

For those of you who liked it and found it motivational and inspiring GREAT... just not my cup of protein shake.

xoxo

Sleeve Pixie

A&E Premiers... HEAVY

Oh look... Another series poking fun a fat people... Big surprise... A&E is known for everything from Interventions & hoarders to ghost and bounty hunters now losers.... Couldn't they just toss these people on the intervention show and call them food addicts... I mean hey, it wouldn't be a lie...

A&E is "Real Life. Drama." A&E is television that you can't turn away from; where unscripted shows are dramatic and scripted dramas are authentic. A&E offers a diverse mix of high quality entertainment ranging from the network's original scripted series to signature nonfiction franchises, including the Emmy-winning "Intervention," "Dog The Bounty Hunter," "Hoarders," "Paranormal State" and "Criss Angel Mindfreak".

Who am I fooling... I just set three alarms to remind me to turn this show on tonight.... I doubt I'll learn anything new but hey, ya never know? So If you want to know what the show it about...

FAT PEOPLE... In the premiere episode, viewers meet Tom and Jodi, both 37 from Houston, TX, and learn why they are heavy and how they must reverse their lifestyles or die. Tom was the star of his high school football team, but when he dropped out his depression caused him to steadily gain weight. Now, at 5-foot-9 and 638 pounds, Tom suffers from a myriad of issues including sleep apnea, edema and the inability to sleep more than two hours. He is desperate to get his life back before he loses it permanently. Having recently suffered a stroke, Jodi, 5-foot-6 and 363 pounds, is at a critical juncture with her health. Her heaviness prevents her from keeping up with her husband and two children and from her favorite pastime, singing with her brothers in a band.

The show takes each one of us on their contestants 6 week journey in which A&E tells us, they use healthy methods, like a diet program to lose weight... no WLS or Biggest Loserness involved... I will judge that for myself... thank you!

More on HEAVY, later!
xoxo
Sleeve Pixie

Review: Fitbit

The much anticipated Fitbit review! Where to begin? I can't say enough good about the Fitbit!

I first found out about the Fitbit from one of my friend's Facebook statuses. I would see her statuses daily proclaiming the number of steps and miles she walked that day and the number of calories she had burned based on her Fitbit. So I started my research....

The Fitbit is not your every day pedometer. A $0.99 pedometer generally tracks your steps and that's it.

The Fitbit on the other hand, tracks sooo much more. Let me show you...

First, the fit bit, like all other pedometers tracks your steps. Most pedometers are not accurate. Just shake em around a bit and magically you have walked an extra 20 steps. Not with the Fitbit! I have jumped with the Fitbit on, shook it around and still the step count did not move. I have also tested the Fitbit by counting my steps up to 100 and the steps were accurately recorded.

Not only does the Fitbit monitor your steps, it also monitors your distance! Again, I of course tested for accuracy. Two nights ago I took my Fitbit for a spin on the treadmill. One hour on the Treadmill I walked 2.16 miles. I had walked 0.5 miles the rest of the day to and from the fridge and around the house to my car and to the treadmill and just under a quarter of a mile after the gym. Super awesome!

The next view on the Fitbit is a pretty flower... it doesn't always look this big. The flower grows as you get active. The more active you are the bigger your flower gets. While this is not the most exciting feature it is meant to be a motivator. The Fitbit will remember how active you are and over time it will get harder and hard and you will have to do more activity to make it grow. Are you up for the challenge?

Lastly, my favorite feature! The Fitbit tracks the amount of calories you have burned throughout the day. I usually burn 2500 calories a day. This is an amazing feature because you can gauge your weight loss each day. In case you don't know, 1 pound is 3500 calories. So if the average bariatric patient takes in 800 calories and you are burning 2500, you should be losing 1 pound every 2 days, obviously more if you are malabsorbing your calories. If you are wondering how I burn so many calories... well, realize this thing monitors not only the calories burned when I am working out but the calories burned when I'm sitting on my butt writing this blog and when I'm sleeping! so 2500 calories a day!

You may have just noticed I said that my Fitbit monitors my calories when I sleep. I wear my Fitbit 24 hours a day! At night your Fitbit will monitor how much time you spent in bed, how long it took you to fall asleep, how many times you woke up & how much you slept.
                                                                                                                                                                    

The Fitbit comes with a wristband that you wear to sleep with a pocket for the Fitbit, a clip for your belt that holds the Fitbit, and the base station.  

Another perk of the Fitbit is the online program that it comes with. It's free and it monitors all the stats your Fitbit picks up on. Your stats are displayed in numbers, charts and graphs. Part of the program also allows you to track your food and exercise. There is also an online forum for use and a WLS group!

You can also link your Fitbit account with Facebook and Twitter to update your friends and family daily of your results. There will be a status posted that looks like this.

"I walked 6,752 steps and 2.9 miles and burned 3,001 calories via my fitbit http://www.fitbit.com/user/22BRX6"  ~ My actual stats from yesterday posted to Facebook

Breakdown of the Fitbit:


Pros:

• Small and easy to conceal
• Accurate
• Tracks sleep, calories burned over a 24 hour period, steps taken, and miles traveled
• Wirelessly syncs with the base station anytime you walk within 15 feet
• Holds 7 days worth of data
• Battery lasts about a week. I charge it whenever I am in the shower.

Cons:

• The food tracking systems doesn't have such an extensive food list but you can add foods to the list.

Where to Buy:

You can buy your FitBit in many locations. It is sold in most Best Buy's and 24 Hour Fitness Gyms. You can also buy it directly from Fitbit.com. I suggest you buy your Fitbit from 24 Hour Fitness Online because I have given you a coupon for 10% off below. 

Cost: $99.00 ($90 if bought from 24 hour fitness no tax or shipping)
Coupon: AFPRM50101210 (Valid until Jan 31, 2011) This coupon is good on 10% off any purchase of $50 or more.

The Main question people have asked me is... Why a Fitbit and not a BodyBugg?
For me there were a few reasons.
a. COST... The Fitbit was $90 while the cheapest Bodybugg is double that price. Also, the tracking program is free for the Fitbit while you have to pay a monthly subscription of $10 for the bodybugg program.
b. SIZE... I do not want to that big thing on my arm. It is nobody's business if I wear a pedometer. I don't need anyone to know I workout or I'm trying to lose weight. I wear my Fitbit on my bra and no one but me (and now you) knows it's there.
c. FITBIT TRACKS MORE.... I like that the Fitbit tracks my sleep. I have sleep apnea and my sleep is really important to me. The Fitbit tells me how many times I woke up at night and how much time I actually spent sleeping. This helps me monitor when it's time for a CPap adjustment. The Bodybugg does not do this.

If you have any questions feel free to leave it in the comments!
I hope you found this review helpful!
xoxo
Sleeve Pixie

Review: P-28 High Protein Bread

I first heard about P-28 while researching some new yummy bariatric recipes. For many of us post-ops, bread is a wasted food providing nothing but carbohydrates and calories. I love the idea of being able to have a slice of bread now and then or even daily if I wanted and getting 1/5 of my daily protein in! Throw some chicken or egg salad on there and up that to 1/4 of my daily protein! AMAZING!

I knew I had to get my hands on this bread and pronto. To be honest I thought it was too good to be true. Could there really be a bread that both tastes good and has a substantial amount of protein??

YES AND YES!!

I got my case of P-28 and immediately started cooking. I made breakfast...

French Toast
Tasty, filling, the nutty flavor really adds to the french toast!

Eggs and Cheese                             

Home Made Pizza

Grilled Cheese
Add a little butter to the bread before grilled and it tastes AMAZING!

I shared P-28 with my family and they made deli sandwiches, toast and butter, peanut butter and jelly etc. I shared the bread with my support group as well. Everyone loves this bread!

"P-28 High Protein Bread toasts well. Even when I burnt it it was a little chewy in the middle." ~ Ari, family member

"P-28 High Protein Bread is an tasty and filling substitute to boring whole wheat bread." ~ Anonymous

P-28 is a large slice of bread. 1 slice is easily enough for any bariatric patient. The bread is a little more chewy than your average bread which i like because the more I have to chew the slower I eat. P-28 has a nutty taste which I love!!! It does not taste like you are eating wheat grains like so many other breads that are deemed "better for you". I highly recommend P-28 for any Bariatric patient missing bread!!

The nutrition facts on this bread make it well worth incorporating P-28 into my diet! If you don't believe me, check it out for yourself!!

P-28 is sold in a case of 4 loaves. The case is shipped very quickly and the bread will last you 10-12 days. Anything you don't think you can eat in under two weeks put in the freezer. P-28 freezes extremely well for up to 6 months!

My breakdown of P-28...

Pros:

• Great tasting nutty flavor.
• 14g of protein in just one slice
• Freezes and defrosts very well! No freezer burn taste
• Low on Carbs so no dumping!!

Cons:

• I can't think of any. I really love P-28!! 

Where to Buy:

P-28 High Protein Bread can be purchased in a case of 4 loaves from NutriBread

Cost: $19.96 plus shipping/case

Coupon: Enter the coupon "SLEEVEPIXIE" for $1.00 off each case!

I hope you enjoy P-28 as much as I do!

xoxo,

Sleeve Pixie

Dumping: A Reality of the Gastric Sleeve

So here I am, 26 minutes before the ball drops... and I am sick as a rabid dog. It is official... I have been in denial of this fact for a a little over a month and a half.

I AM A DUMPER!!! 

In fact, I am dumping as I type this blog entry. I feel gross.... So I am going to keep this short and sweet and go lie down.

The Mayo Clinic defines dumping syndrome as....

...a group of symptoms most likely to develop if you've had surgery to remove all or part of your stomach, or if your stomach has been surgically bypassed to help lose weight. occurs when the undigested contents of your stomach are transported or "dumped" into your small intestine too rapidly.

Generally we hear amongst the WLS community that sugar, carbs and fat will cause this to happen. For me this is true. I ate way too many carby audervs took 3 sips of alcohol and  topped it all off with pudding pie for dessert. I know, I know not the greatest choices but I am of the belief that this is not a diet but my life so if I want to eat pudding pie with my family on New Years Eve, then I am gonna do it! I am also going to accept that I will have to pay the piper for my actions. Believe me, I am not bitching. I am just telling you this happens.

The Symptoms of dumping may include all or some of the following:

1. Cramping or pain

2. Nausea

3. Diarrhea

4. Vomiting

5. Sweating

6. Fast Heart Rate

7. Tiredness

From the things I hear from my bypass friends... everyone experiences it differently. I get nausea, fast heart rate and tiredness.

Many surgeon's websites etc will tell you us sleevers don't dump because our Pylorus is preserved which is supposed to hold the food in our bananas but I have heard of many sleevers experience dumping. Last I checked it's about 3%. But that statistic is word of mouth and I have yet to find a study to verify that.

There is nothing, that I know of, you can do to stop the dumping episode once it's starts. You just have to wait it out and it will eventually pass. It is the worst feeling EVER!!!

I just wanted to throw that out there. It is NOT just bypassers!!! It is now 3 to midnight and I must go kiss my hubby for New Years.
Happy New Year!
xoxo
Sleeve Pixie

Journey Vitamins.. Best Vitamin for ALL Post-Ops?

Ok, so I will be the FIRST one to admit I know VERY LITTLE about how vitamins work and how they interact. I know a few of the simple rules that I have learned from my good friend Andrea. For those of you who don't know Andrea, you should check out her blog, PRONTO!

I DO know, based on a recent statement give by the founder of Journey Vitamins, Susan Maria, that Journey Vitamins are not for me or ANY other VSG patient for that matter. I wont bother to write out then entire statement because you can find that here, pending you have not been blocked as many of us have. You can and should also read her statement along with Andrea's comments here...

I do however have a few things to add to the blog that Andrea posted that is specific to us VSGers.

Let me start by sharing that I have become much more interested in vitamins since I learned of my severe vitamin D deficiency. As a Lap-Bander I never took a single vitamin. Not one in my whole 2.5 years as a post op. I was never told to. I watched my RNY friends take vitamins at every meal whether it be a multi or a calcium or iron and I knew that was just not for me. I would NEVER allow my life to be run by vitamins. I have to laugh as I think back to those days. Now as a Sleever, my life has drastically changed. I went into the procedure thinking it would be just like the band where I would not be required to take vitamins because I wouldn't be malabsorptive. Boy was I wrong... My routine now includes a multi vite twice a day, calcium, iron, b12, and D. What a mess... Throw in some Caraphate 3x a day and Nexium and I feel like there is no room left in my tummy for food. While I have to admit I struggle very much with getting it all in every day, I have found ways to help me. Its hard but not nearly impossible.

Enter stage left... Journey... 3 capsules twice a day sounds great compared to my current routine... Then it was time to take a closer look. I can't lie to you... I do not know enough to look at a vitamin label and say ok... these are good for me... Thats what Andrea is for :-) But based on the current statement written by Susan Maria even I can tell you to stay away!!

Journey Easy & Complete MultiFormula Capsules do not have that awful ‘vitamin smell’. Many people stop taking vitamins due to the terrible smell and repeating or burping B vitamins as well.

If you don't see it VSGers... here it is... Journey Vites are CAPSULES!! Capsules are NO GOOD for us!! Granted, some capsules can be opened and taken that way but...
a) I don't want to go to the hassle of opening 6 capsules a day when I can just swallow what I've already got.
b) To be honest I don't even know if we can take these out of the capsules.

Ok, so that isn't a deterrent for ya...

In addition to Journey’s Albion Ferrochel® Iron bisglycinate chelate not blocking uptake of Calcium or other minerals, it won’t cause the usual problems with stomach aches or constipation caused by other more commonly used forms of iron. Iron bisglycinate is often recommended by Hematologists for patients with anemia who are being treated with IV iron infusions.

Andrea said this so well it is worth being repeated! And I quote as Andrea said it, "Iron does not block the uptake of calcium. Period. Anyone who has been paying part attention in nutrition class knows this.
EVERYONE knows that the calcium and ionic iron molecules bind to the same receptor sites and that the calcium molecules are larger than the iron molecules. When taken in larger than 300mg doses, calcium will block ionic iron absorption as calcium will block iron’s ability’s to attach to the receptors in the intestine."

If the vitamin founders and makers don't know this super common fact, does this sound like a vitamin you want to be taking??

Lastly, Susan Maria basically admits that her vitamins are not complete...

THREE capsules in the morning and THREE capsules in the evening and I am done. We can all stick to that schedule and keep our head held high that we have taken control of our health. We need to make healthy choices and eat as many of our vitamins as we can through fresh vegetables, fruits, and lean protein sources – and then supplement for what we are unable to take in with Journey.

She basically states here that we have to eat our fruits and veggies to supplement the vitamins? Well Sleevers... I dunno about you but I can only eat 2 cups of food a day and I sure as hell am not going to waste them on fruits and veggies. Protein first... If there is room then yes I will eat a fruit or veggie but it is not my priority in life. My vitamins should be supplementing my diet not the other way around. I want to be secure that I can follow my post op diet plan and still have all my labs be good. Journey vitamins is in my opinion clearly not going to help me along that path.

There are many other great reasons not to take these vitamins. To read them, if you haven't already done so, vites Andrea's blog and read her breakdown of Susan Maria's full Journey Commercial. Andrea will give you the scientific insight that I just have the knowledge to. Click for Andreas Blog. 

Please Please, DO NOT take a vitamin without the clear scientific proof/research done by yourself or a trusted friend/professional with results telling you it is right and good for you! 

To Our Health!

xoxo

Sleeve Pixie

Today I'm Worth.... IT

What are you worth today?? Today is my 5 year wedding anniversary and I couldn't feel more like a princess. My husband is going to take us out to dinner at the Garden City Hotel. The hotel where we spend our first night as Mr. and Mrs. Lebowitz. 

Tonight, for the first time, I am gonna slip on a little black dress, some sexy makeup, and these new shoes I bought myself yesterday just for tonights occasion. I am going to feel sexy out on the town with my husband and pride myself that today I can wear that "little black dress" and I can walk (semi-gracefully) in those 3.5 inch stem heels. 

I'm gonna keep todays post short and sweet because I want to spend the day with my hubby but I just wanted to remind you all today that you are worth it! Even if you don;t know it yet... I know it... about you!! Post a comment on my blog today or on my Sleeve Pixie page on Facebook or tweet me and tell me what you are worth today? Every if you just tell me you are worth your morning coffee. I want you to say something positive about yourself!! So today start by saying it to me!

xoxo

Sleeve Pixie

ps... video credits go to the lovely Elle Williams!! Shes is 8 months post op RNY and one of the most motivational people I know! <3 ya Elle!