The Weekends Are For Cheating

Last Meal:  Shipley's Donuts.  For the longest time it seemed like Shipley's Donuts were my little secret.  They aren't anymore, but that doesn't make them any less delicious.  Their cake doughnuts are easily the best ones I've ever eaten.  Today I got both blueberry cake and a buttermilk cake (along with a kolache) and deliberately forgot my rules for portion control.  I washed them down with fresh milk from a local dairy farm that E bought yesterday at the farmer's market.  Mmm.  I'll check that one off the list.

This past Thursday I saw my dietician for the first time.  We talked about additional techniques for portion control - use utensils meant for toddlers, eat with non-dominant hand, chew 30 times, and don't drink within 5 minutes before or 60 minutes after a meal to name a few.  He identified some signs I should look out for to tell if I'm full.  One of these, pain in shoulder or upper chest, feels similar to a heart attack and may explain sensations I've had for a few years now when I eat.  Oh, I also should expect to vomit daily until I get used to eating with a stomach the size of a golf ball.  Fun times.

It was really good to talk to someone frankly about the hurdles I'll need to overcome accommodate my new lifestyle.  I'll be on a liquid diet for about 2 weeks after surgery.  Following that I'll be on pureed foods for about a week, then soft foods for another, and finally get back on regular foods about 4 to 6 weeks after surgery.  This gradual progression should help relieve pain and reduce nausea.

We also discussed how the surgery isn't a guaranteed cure like some people think it is.  He warned me that people who fail to lose wait usually do so because they still eat like crap.  My physician warned me of the same thing and said many people get frustrated that they can't eat double cheeseburgers without throwing up and have their band removed.  I wonder why they even opted to get surgery if they're going to be that oblivious.  To ensure I'll succeed, I'm going to follow 9 basic rules:
1) Eat slowly
2) Chew food thoroughly
3) Don't drink during meals (apparently you'll eat more if you drink as it cleanses the palate and softens food so it exits the stomach faster)
4) Stop eating when full
5) Eat 3 meals/day without snacking (unless they're veggies of course)
6) sip low calorie drinks between meals to alleviate hunger or 'boredom eating'
7) Select a balanced diet
8) Exercise regularly
9) Take multivitamins

I'm already working on most of these, but not drinking during meals will be the hardest.  I'll also need to avoid breads, tough meats, spicy foods, citrus, and lactose for a few months.

What I appreciated most though was that he didn't specify a specific diet or condemn any foods.  He warned me that certain junk foods, namely chips and ice cream, pass easily through the restricted opening, but that it was my choice whether to eat them or not.  I thought the lack of a prescribed diet beyond the basics really showed respect for my decisions and allowed me flexibility to change my diet according to my needs.  Balance is what's important, not whatever fad is hip this month.  That said, I'll probably be a de facto vegetarian for the most part.  This will help save money and make meats a special treat when I decide to eat them.

*Post script for the last entry*
I want to be clear that I don't hate myself or the way I look, but for a good portion of my life I've felt like a healthy, athletic person in a fat suit.  There are plenty of times I look in the mirror and see all the good physical qualities I have.  I'm handsome, have a cheerful smile, and I've got some killer baby blues.  In the right clothes I feel comfortable, and I've had enough women interested in me to assume I'm not a disgusting pig.  I feel good about myself, but I don't always feel comfortable and I want to be healthy.  I was afraid I came off as self-loathing, but those moments are few and usually coincide with other general negative feelings.

Now, it's time to finish my General Tso's because it's the weekend and I and can do that sort of thing because I take care of myself and eat healthy portions of fried chicken in a rich spicy sauce with starchy white rice.  You can really stretch it out if you split up a restaurant size portion into four meals.