First Time I Think I Messed Up ...

Okay ... so up until this point, I've been really good at following all the rules down to the last letter.  I was on soft foods and liquids for so long that it was really easy to limit how much I ate because I just put it in a measuring cup.  Starting this past Thursday though, I was able to start eating "real" food again ... and I experienced my first, "uh oh."  It wasn't bad, but it definitely made me stop and think and become really aware again!!

The suggestion when starting to put real food back into the diet of someone who has had lapband is to take it very slowly and only introduce a few foods at a time.  I thought the best way to do that was to incorporate some of the soft foods I'd already been eating with "real" food as well.  So, I bought tostada shells and some low fat cheddar cheese and decided for dinner last night, I'd make a tostada.  I heated the shell, heated some refried beans (my soft food) and put just a little cheese on top.  While that doesn't sound like that big of a deal (and I really thought it wasn't) - this is where my "uh oh" became a little complicated.

I couldn't decide if I maybe took too big of a bite, ate it too quickly, or maybe the melted cheese on top wasn't a good idea.  I had been warned about the feeling that I could get when I overate or ate something that didn't "work" anymore for me ... but actually HAVING that feeling wasn't really something I was prepared for.  **WARNING - this next is kinda graphic**  But I HATE to throw-up, in fact I avoid it whenever possible (even if I feel awful and that might make me feel better!) ... but never have I felt like I did last night.  It wasn't like being nauseous and it wasn't entirely like feeling like I'd overeaten - but it was uncomfortable and annoying and stressing me out.  I started pacing around my apartment, holding my arms over my head, breathing really slowly, trying to make that really awful feeling go away in any way I could think. It was AWFUL!!!  I don't ever want to feel that way again.

So ... what did I do about it?  Well, I had to know what the actual culprit to my horrible feeling actually was.  I can't prevent it from happening again unless I really know the problem ... sooooo ... guess what I ate for dinner again tonight?!?! haha ... yeah, I had another tostada.  I prepared it exactly like I did last night, but this time - I ate very small bites, chewed each bite very carefully, swallowed and made sure I took a full minute between each bite.  The verdict?  It wasn't the melted cheese (thank goodness!!!).  Tonight I felt much better after eating and just felt full like I was supposed to.  It was very clear that my problem last night had been tendency to eat too quickly.  I have to be much better at focusing on things like that.  Wish me luck - this is one thing I'm not really great at!!

Okay ... so next is my Day 3 of Thankfulness ... I am thankful for my two beautiful, amazing sisters.  We fought and bickered and spent a great deal of time during our childhood driving our parents crazy with all of that!!  My mom always told me that one day we'd surprise ourselves and be great friends and love each other a lot ... I think I probably rolled my eyes at her and said "whatever" each time she said that.  However, as she was with many things, mom was right.  We still drive each other crazy on occasion all the time and we are VERY opinionated when it comes to certain all subjects ... but we truly love each other & we are there for each other unconditionally.  They are my best friends and the two people on this earth who understand so much about me that no one else ever could, just because they're my sisters.  God blessed me so much when He added two little baby girls to my family ... my life would not be the same without them!