One week check in

Well, this time last week I was on the operating table. Hard to believe!!!! It has been a good week, more or less. My swelling is mostly gone. Seems like my belly is still slightly swollen (surely that can't ALL be me?!?) but the pain is very, very minimal. The biggest discomfort I have had all week has been deep breathing. My chest would burn badly if I took more than a shallow breath, but that has improved a little every day. I noticed this morning that I could yawn with no pain...so I think I have turned the corner! Despite my best intentions, I did not start exercising this week, mostly because of the breathing thing. I just get winded very very easily. That excuse seems to be behind me, so today I am at least going to go for a walk....no more excuses!

I have been on full liquids all week, and that hasn't been as hard as I expected. I do find myself hungry at times, but between yogurt, applesauce, Unjury protein shakes (thank God for Unjury!!) and soup, I have managed just fine. I have been tracking my daily intake on My Fitness Pal, and my calories and protein level have increased a little each day. On Monday I had 28 grams of protein and 420 calories, but by yesterday I was already up to 85 grams of protein with 950 calories. I am going to move to the mushy stage this weekend. This will be a challenge, because the thought of eating pureed meat just grosses me out! I could happily eat mashed potatoes all day, but I suspect that will not give me to results I am looking for! I suspect I will be relying on Unjury for my protein this week, and eating mushies that will feel good to my still healing tummy. My plan is to keep my calories under 1200, so we'll see how I do that with new foods being added this week.

Friday is also going to be my weigh-in day....inspired by Lapband Gal! Today I weighed 227.5. I don't remember if I put my starting weight in my other post, but my weight at my first doctor's appointment on March 14th was 242. But on my scale I was 240 when I started the liquid diet, so that is probably my real starting weight. But I'm really trying to focus on where I'm going, not where I've been. It's too easy for me to get discouraged if I think about how bad I let myself go, or howmuch I have left to lose. THIS TIME, I will focus on eating a healthy well balanced diet, keeping my protein up at 80 grams and my calories at 1200. Those are the numbers I will focus on...not the number on the scale. If I focus on the numbers going in to my body, then the numbers on the scale will take care of themselves without me freaking out about it. Right? Right?!?!

Like I said, THIS TIME I am trying to do things differently, and that means changing my hard head more than anything.