6 small meals a day

I was thinking today about how I am going to handle six small meals a day. It is easy to do when I am home recovering, but what happens when I have to go back to work? I cant imagine carrying that much food around. My husband came up with a wonderful suggestion. A Bento box. Bento Boxes are very common in Japan. They come in from 1 to 4 tiers and can be anywhere from whimsical to very serious. The one in the picture is the one I like and it is not very expensive at $25.00. The tiers are perfect for carrying the right amounts of food and it certainly does not have to be Japanese.

Six small meals is not only suggested for weight loss surgery patients, but for anyone looking to lose weight. When they told I would have to eat six meals a day, I thought that it would be so much food and I would be eating all of the time and wasn't that what I am trying not to do.

The key to success is the foods you eat. I find that if they are high in protein, I am not hungry all day long and I don't have the after lunch blahs. Right now, I do have to stick to protein shakes, yogurt and strained soups. I can also have sugar free Popsicles and sugar jello also. As long as I keep it different I find it is not such a struggle. One thing I am working on is when to stop eating, recognizing when I am full. In the last two days, I am finding that I cant drink a whole protein shake and I finish for my mid morning snack. I am sure eventually I will be able to do it all at once.

Well, take one day at a time and remember

MAKE EVERY BITE COUNT

Doctor's Visit

Today was the first visit to the doctor's since surgery. The drain was removed and so was my staples. It is nice to have my fashion accent removed :). It also felt good to get out and move, this last week has been very tiring, but it is getting better. I have to admit I am not ready to have people at the house because I still get tired in the afternoon. I should have more energy since I have move to the next phase of the diet. This part of the diet starts to incorporate protein in the form of protein drinks with skim milk, dry skim milk powder and Greek yogurt. I can also start to have strained cream soups. However, I am not a fan of canned soups, it will give Dan and I a chance to work on our soups, old favorites and explore some new ones, like Carrot and Ginger soup.

One of the favorite things is Greek yogurt. It is creamy and thicker then normal yogurt. It is a great for when you crave something creamy and thick. You can mix it with fresh fruit and extracts. I am going to one of my favorite places called the Spice House in Batavia, IL on Saturday to see what they have. I will tell you more about the Spice House on Saturday. Heck I might even have some pictures. Gotta love camera phones.

Before I forget, I have decided to highlight some of the spices that Dan and I will be using in the coming weeks. Today I choose coriander. I think the more people know about the spices the more they might be likely to experiment with other cultures' foods. I might also start to highlight seasonal foods and ways you can use them in a way that is not only healthy, but taste good to boot.

Since late May, I have lost 31 lbs. 14 of which was lost last week. but I am just starting to see some changes in my body. The doctor thinks it is a great start and we will see what the next 5 weeks brings.

Spice of the day: Corriander

Coriander is a pleasantly sweet spice with a lemony top note. It is commonly used in chili and curry dishes. The coriander plant produces both a spice and an herb. The leaf is know as cilantro and when the plant goes to seed, we harvest the coriander seed. Coriander is used in many types of ethnic cooking, such as Latino, Middle Eastern, and Indian. In this country, it is also used to flavor cookies, pastries, breads, sausages and corned beef.

Coriander seed oil is an aromatic stimulant, a carminative (remedial in flatulence), an appetizer and a digestant stimulating the stomach and intestines. It is generally beneficial to the nervous system. Its main use is in masking foul medicines, especially purgatives, where it has anti-griping qualities. Coriander cakes were once taken against ‘St. Anthony’s fire’, or ‘Rose’ a severe streptococcal skin infection called ‘erysipelas”, which caused many deaths before the advent of antibiotics. In Asia the herb is used against piles, headache and swellings; the fruit in colic, piles and conjunctivitis; the essential oil in colic, rheumatism and neuralgia; the seeds as a paste for mouth ulceration and a poultice for other ulcers.

Recent studies have supported its use as a stomach soother for both adults and colicky babies. Coriander contains an antioxidant that helps prevent animal fats from turning rancid. It also contains substances that kill meat-spoiling bacteria and fungi. These same substances in Cilantro also prevent infection in wounds. Coriander has been shown to improve tummy troubles of all kinds, from indigestion to flatulence to diarrhea. Weak coriander tea may be given to children under age 2 for colic. It's safe for infants and may relieve their pain and help you get some much-needed sleep. Cilantro and Coriander contain substances that kill certain bacteria and fungi, thereby preventing infections from developing in wounds. Sprinkle some coriander Seed on minor cuts and scrapes after thoroughly washing the injured area with soap and water. Intriguing new studies suggest that coriander has anti-inflammatory effects. Since the pain of arthritis is cause by inflammation coriander

1 Week after surgery

One week ago, I had my rouen Y gastric bypass surgery. It was successful, even though the doctor kept me an extra night. The last week has been a challenge. One because of the drain that needs to be removed tomorrow and the pain in has caused. The first three days, not only was it painful, but I forgot to take my pepcid pill and had an extremely painfully gas attack. However, as the week progressed the pain lessen and I felt much better. I have learned that I prefer beef broth and lime jello.

During this week, I have been looking at the diet for the rest of the six weeks. The diet given to me and the diets I found on line lacked one thing. TASTE. So I started to think about the dishes that Dan and I liked from different cultures. Dishes like Dal from India and Sushi from Japan. I started to research low fat, low sugar recipes. I found wonderful soups ranging from carrot ginger to pumpkin tofu for the next stage of the diet. I also found interesting sugar free sweets also for the next stage. All the dishes can have extra protein added to them by adding skim powdered milk. Dan and I are going to start to experiment with these tomorrow. I also found some other recipes that will help in the puree stage. Dishes that involve lentils and tofu. I will let you know how each of these recipes turn out.

I think people believe that after weight loss surgery, that your diet has to become bland and uninteresting. That is myth is given credence by nutritionist that seem to forget that there is such a world of flavors and taste that can be used. There are other sources of protein then meat. If my food intake is going to be restricted then I want each bite to count.

As my journey continues, I am going to post my progress along with recipes and information on spices and interesting information I find

REMEMBER

MAKE EVERY BITE COUNT