On being vegetarian

I'm still doing the vegetarian plan.... It's been since June 8, and I've stuck with it.

I made it through my period. And now it's been almost 6 weeks. And this is what I've learned:

1. Not all restaurants are vegetarian friendly.

2. It's very easy to be lazy and slip into making poor food choices.

3. I'm really glad that I can still eat cheese, but eggs do not like me at all.

4. Eating vegetarian is more expensive because you have to buy alot more fresh fruits and vegetables.

5. I'm still very very gassy, even this far in.

This past week, I had two work lunches. One to view a room and menu for the holiday party in December, and the other was a working lunch for management. The holiday party venue was a very nice upscale chain restaurant that is known for their seafood. Unfortunately, there is not a single vegetarian option on their menu. However, they were very nice and modified a pasta dish for me.

The work lunch was ordered in, and my only vegetarian option was a grilled cheese sandwich--mainly because I didn't want pasta two days in a row. See what I mean about making good choices? It's very hard sometimes, especially when your choices are limited. We will be having our holiday party at that location, and l have to figure out what I get to eat since every entree ordered for the dinner contains beef, chicken, or seafood.

With going to the gym more, I'm not getting home until later at night... Sometime not till 8pm. Dinners have turned into convenience. Morningstar chipotle black bean burgers and buffalo 'chicken' patties are great and delicious, but boring after a while. But prep for meals takes time. Plus, I think I'm finally getting some restriction with my band, especially after a zumba/kickboxing night in which I work out for over 2.5 hours. By the time I get home, I'm starving, but I can't eat as much as I think I can.

I plan to try to stick with this meat free life for as long as I can. It's so much easier now than it was. I do feel healthier, and someone at work told me that my skin looked great and was glowing. I chalk it up to the daily chia seed pudding.

Happy Saturday, peeps!

Kickboxing queen

I've been struggling with weight gain lately... So I've decided to step things up a notch and have been taking kickboxing at the gym.

IKR... Me doing kickboxing? I had my doubts, too. But, OMG do I love love love it. I feel like such a badass!
And do you sweat! I come out drenched. Of course, I'm doing it right after Zumba most nights, but still, it's a total body workout.

I haven't gotten on the scale since the switch to vegetarian, so I don't know if it's making a difference yet. But I feel good when I'm done with class. And I think that going vegetarian means that I'm eating less... I'm at least making better choices, anyways. I have to drive past alot of food places on the way home from the gym, and I don't stop. I go home and fix my healthy dinner.

Happy Friday!

Feeling like a Lap-Band failure

I'm two years post op as of this past March, and I'm a failure.

As of today, I'm only down around 75 lbs from my starting high weight. I've had problems with my band. I was too tight for a year, and didn't know it. I've had to have two unfills in the past six months, including a full unfill after the stomach flu. I've gained so much weight back.  I was down 100 lbs at one point.

Now, I'm discouraged. I'm disappointed in myself. I know that every journey is different, and that I can't compare myself to others, but at two years out, I thought I'd be in distance of my goal... And I'm nowhere close.

I'm working to get back on track. I had my first refill the other week, and just now I'm starting to feel the slightest bit of resistance. I might call and schedule a second fill after my period. It just sucks because each fill costs me $325, and I have to meet the first $1500 out of pocket for my new insurance.

I'm also trying to be vegetarian for a while. It's been three weeks since I've eaten anything meat, but I still do dairy and cheese. However, don't think that I'm eating nothing but bread, cheese, and pasta...because I'm not. I know better than to carb load.

I'm frustrated because my surgeons office isn't really LapBand supportive. They are all about RNY and sleeve. When I got my band, I had the choice of RNY and Band because insurance did not cover sleeve procedures. And I think that RNY is scary and at least the band can be reversed. At least my new insurance will cover revision, if I ever get to that point.

I just want my band to work for me. I never set out on this journey to be skinny, only healthy. And in that respect, it's working.

My blood pressure is awesome, my Type II diabetes has disappeared, I'm not tired all the time, I don't have headaches all the time, and I can tie my own shoes. I can Zumba for an entire hour without a break, and that's AFTER doing a 30 minute warm up on the elliptical. I can do yoga. I am healthier than I was...I just wish the weight would come off.

I know that I don't eat perfect. But as hard as I work, I should see some progress, right?