Confessions of a Sugarholic

 It's been over on year since I posted. I've been going this blog off and over six years or so, and I didn't even know if anyone was still interested in reading my ramblings. But, who cares, right? If I'm able to provide some insight for one individual, then it's worthwhile to keep going, so that's what I'm going to do. It's a new year so I'm starting with a new look for the blog and new goals for myself. 2018 was very successful. Matilda (my new tummy) and I get along pretty good now. We co-exist peacefully and every now and then she still reminds me of her purpose. I rarely overindulge, because I feel way too uncomfortable when I do. Matilda has also helped me with a reality check. She can pound food that has very little -- ok -- NO nutritional value. I can put away crackers, cookies, pretzels, candy, chips like nobody's business. Food that has protein and fiber, I can eat very little because I'm full very quickly, and I stay that way...

Hello everyone! I can't believe another week has passed so quickly. Thanksgiving is behind us and we're now into the holiday season. Lots of parties, events and gatherings, which also means more food. Food is everywhere. I'm even guilty of it because my hubby and I will be making cookie tins this weekend. Will I be able to stay away? Probably not. I'm sure I'll indulge in one oatmeal raisin walnut cookie. Matilda always makes sure to halt me at one, but I always think of the day when one won't be enough. It worries me. After the epic Thanksgiving that resulted in hello-crazy weight loss - my largest weight loss week to date - I've been feeling differently. As a weight loss surgery patient, in the back of my mind there is this thought that maybe I'd never be small. I guess it's hard to shake those body image issues that tend to stick no matter how much I've lost. But this week, I've been thinking that I will be that smaller person. It's ...

Good job, Matilda. Well done. Happy Monday everyone. I know it's been a few weeks, but I figured I'd fill you all in after Thanksgiving. I was also struggling with a health issue prior to my vacation, and I'm happy to report I got that addressed prior to leaving. So, let's start there. I reported before that my doctor is working on adjusting my blood pressure medication. I was on too much medication and was experiencing dizziness so he told me to stop taking one of them. Well, the pill I stopped taking also had a diuretic in it. After the first week off the pill, my body started to retain water in large amounts. My ankles swelled and I wasn't urinating no matter how much water I drank. I ended up almost gaining 10 pounds. I spoke with my doctor, and he told me to discontinue the one bp med, and switch to my other med with the diuretic. He mentioned we may need to play with these meds until my bp stabilizes, and we find what...

Hello everyone! I'm heading into week 16... Wow! I'm still trying to wrap my head around how quickly the time is passing. When I was in the pre-surgical program, I was grateful for the time I had to prepare myself for life after surgery. Now that I'm in the thick of it, I'm happy with my progress so far. Matilda and I are getting along great. Sure, she makes weird noises often, but I appreciate every noise, every twitch, every warning. I listen to her when she's telling me she's had enough or she doesn't like something... And especially when she loves something. It's hard to stop eating when you're enjoying your food, but I do. I do stop. I think that's what make me so content. I feel like I am doing well managing my portions and impulses. This past week, I had another NSV or Non-scale Victory. On Friday, I checked in with my Primary Doctor for a blood pressure check. My blood pressure has been on the low side, and I told him that I've be...

Happy Monday, Readers. It's definitely been a week of developments. All week, my stall has been in the back of my mind nagging slightly, but not discouraging me. If anything, it was nagging me to work harder and not quit. I was very determined this week, and I also started my new weight training plan for the next five weeks.  There was some hella sweat and pain this week. I was tired, and I was suffering from muscle fatigue - which can be a good thing. Muscles break down when stressed, and repair themselves, which makes you stronger. Friday, my leg day, incorporated and additional set of squats and lunges. So now I do wide stance and close stance on squats and walking lunges and side lunges. I thought nothing of the side lunges since they appeared to be quite innocent. My butt and legs are still sore...three days later! My interval running has also improved. I notice that my heart rate isn't as high as it was when running intervals at 4 mph - which means my endurance is i...

Hey everyone! I know it's been a few weeks since I updated. During that time, I hit my three post-op milestone. I didn't have any doctor appointments or anything, but I have been trying different foods and textures. Some agree with me... and some don't. Matilda is still in control and she still runs the slow. I still feel restriction, and I'm eating a constant 800-1000 calories a day and eating four small meals. It seems to be working well. My appetite isn't out of control - even with my workout schedule, and I eat about every 3 hours or so. Hi Matilda! I have my surgery date and tummy name on the back. Speaking of Matilda, my tummy arrived about a week ago. My tummy pillow is a nice reminder of my surgery. She's cute and squishy. I also can toss her around if her namesake is acting up a bit. If any of your are curious as to where she came from, let me know, and I'll give you the deets. The dark blue portion of the pillow is pretty true. My stomac...

It was a great week! This past week was without a doubt the best week I've had since I had surgery. My energy is steady. My body was tired by the end of the week due to my workouts, but it was a satisfying tiredness. I don't know any other way to explain it. I feel myself getting stronger, and I'm able to tolerate more foods. I was feeling so good that on Friday, I was brave. I texted my husband to ask if he wanted to go out to dinner. I wanted to order a hamburger, and I felt it was time to give it a try. My favorite food is hamburgers. I love the cheese, the lettuce and pickles. I adore ground beef, so hamburgers are it for me. I've had ground beef since surgery, and Matilda was happy with it, but I hadn't tried a hamburger, and I really wanted one. So it was time to test it out. Now, my hamburger after surgery is quite different than before. No bun. No lettuce. Just the patty with pepper jack cheese and some ketchup. So, I ordered my burger - an 8 ounce bu...