It’s Been Two Weeks

It’s been two weeks since my surgery and not only can I tell I’ve lost weight by looking at the scale, I’ve lost 14 pounds, but I can also fit more comfortably in some shirts and pants  that have been hanging out in my dresser.

My diet has progressed as well. My doctor allowed me to introduce “soft” foods into my diet starting last Thursday and as excited as I was, I now know how truly difficult this journey is going to be. I’ve learned that It is challenging getting the appropriate amount of the protein rich foods that my body requires without depending on protein shakes or powders, in fact, it’s pretty impossible at this stage considering I can only handle about 700 calories a day.  Last Friday morning, I completed a 2+ mile walk and then decided to scramble myself an egg for breakfast, I knew that the egg wouldn’t have the same amount of protein that I usually get from a shake, so I decided to add some unflavored protein powder to it as well as a glass of chocolate milk.Unfortunately, the consistency of my egg was heavier with the protein powder added to it and I did not give myself sufficient time between eating the egg and drinking the milk and I became over-full and immediately didn’t feel well. I actually had to go lie down for about a half hour just to feel better. I would like to say that I learned my lesson with that one mis-step, but unfortunately,  I still either eat too fast or too slow; I haven’t been able to find that perfect balance. Not only that, there have been times when I have taken one or two too many bites, causing me to feel ill. I knew it was going to be difficult, and I am lucky because my stomach has been able to handle everything that I’ve tried, but learning to eat normal again is more difficult than I thought. Luckily, I have the next two weeks off of work to get adjusted to eating and understanding how my body is going to react to foods now.  

One thing that I know I need to change is my schedule; currently I haven’t one and that is preventing me from getting in enough calories as well. I usually wake up around 8 am and then head straight out for my walk, by the time I get back and make breakfast is close to 9:30 and I am hungry and already a meal behind in getting protein in. Going forward, I think it would behoove me to wake up closer to 6:30am, get the walk in then I’m home making my breakfast by 8 am. I know many of you are probably saying that I should eat before walking, and you are right, but I have never been one to eat and then workout, it makes me sick to my stomach and since I have to take medicine when I first wake up and can’t eat for an hour after taking it, doing that and walking after seems the only reasonable way for me to make it work. Of course, it will not matter at all once I go back to work, since I work from 7-3:30, there won’t be any time to walk before getting ready for work, unless I plan to get up at 4:30 every morning and walking in the dark — I just don’t see that happening. So I suppose my new routine will be for naught once I go back to work, but it will make me feel better anyway.

Luckily, I know that these are all milestones to learning new and healthier eating habits, but I can’t help but hope I catch on quickly.