My first...well, second NSV!!!!

I am more excited about my 2nd NSV than the first.  It was such a wonderful WOW moment for me that I had to sit down and write this post even though I need to get the kids and myself out the door in less than 30 minutes.

Well, what has me so excited?  When I wrapped the towel around myself after a shower this morning, it went ALL THE WAY AROUND --- NO GAPS!!!!!!!!!!

NO GAPS!  Woo hoo!

My first NSV was the wedding bands that move more freely around my finger.  Yes, that was great, but somehow this one is better!

I've had a rough week and a half, I guess.  I got majorly derailed by office party leftovers.  I've managed to drop 4 lbs of Office Party Weight (OPW).  You'll find that I love to make up words.  Now it's time for fun with acronyms.  This one probably won't catch on - it's a bit too specific.  C'est la vie!

I ate better, avoided snacks as much as I could, and drank lots of water.  

Recipe Report

First let me confess, I am not a cook (meant to be read with a Nixon-esque tone).

I had great success with the Southwest Turkey Meatballs, but hit a bump with the Cloud Bread.  I don't think I let the egg white stiffen enough.  My bread was too thin.  Only half the recipe worked even slightly.  The good news: I may have invented "bread chips" when trying to get the cloud bread off the cookie sheet.  Good for dipping?  Pretend potato chips?

I am a peanut butter/chocolate fan.  Unjury Protein just sent this recipe.  Can't wait to try it!  I can already tell, though -- eating just one will be a willpower battle extraordinaire.....

UNJURY Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Use Reduced Fat Creamy Jif Peanut Butter¹ , 1 recipe makes 11 balls

Measure 3/4 cup Reduced Fat Peanut Butter and add to mixing bowl

Add 3 scoops of UNJURY Chocolate Splendor or UNJURY Chocolate Classic, 1 scoop at a time, stirring well after each scoop until dough is formed

Roll dough into 11 balls

Freeze overnight²

Optional additions: dried fruit (raisins, cranberries or cherries), spices (cinnamon or nutmeg), oatmeal, chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds)

Nutrition Facts per ball (makes 11):

10 grams protein, 9 grams carbohydrate, 6.5 grams fat, 3 grams sugar, 131 calories

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¹ Other varieties of peanut butter may be used. Nutrition facts are based on using Reduced Fat Creamy Jif Peanut Butter. Be sure to check the label for variation in nutrition facts.

² Store in freezer or refrigerator until ready to serve. The peanut butter will soften when left at room temperature.

Epic Fail!

Well, my willpower could not withstand the stress of returning from a two week vacation involving a cross country road trip with two kids, house cleaning for company, and an office party with people I don't know.  I ate...and I ate poorly.  Well, actually, I didn't make any messes or drop any food on my clothes -- I made bad choices (My English teacher friends are probably unfriending me on FB right now).  Ugh and double ugh!  Once I got started, I just didn't stop.  Notice I didn't say "couldn't stop".  We all know I could have stopped.  I just didn't.

I did eat some of the Southwest Turkey meatballs (Yum!!), but didn't have time for the sauce.  I didn't have time to make any of the other foods I mentioned in my last post...yet.

So today is a day of mentally beating myself up - gotta stop that!  I'm trying to make it as much of a protein shake/liquid diet day as I can to help combat the expected upward momentum of the scale.

Bad Habits and the Office Party

I'm having a hard time shrugging off some of those bad habits that got me here in the first place:
-eating too fast
-eating past "full"
-snacking
-making poor choices

We were on vacation for the past two weeks.  Crazy, I know.  I got banded on the 14th and had a pretty easy time of it.  No throwing up, very little nausea, etc.   I've been lucky post-op, too.  While on vacation, we would often find ourselves out around meal times.  I was having trouble staying satisfied with a small yogurt, etc., so I'd try to eat from the menu.  I did eat smaller portions, but sometimes had to choose foods beyond my stage (i.e. liquid, mushy).  I never had a bad reaction, but I haven't lost all that much.

Yesterday was my birthday.  I got on the scale and was pleased, but I gave in to the cookies and brownies someone brought over.  I shouldn't have done it, but I stepped on the scale again this morning.  Up 2 lbs.  Blech.

Tomorrow is my husband's office party at OUR house.  Ugh and double ugh!  I have a couple of recipes I'm going to try to put together for ME.  JUST ME.

Cloud bread (not sure why I think I need it for tomorrow, but I've been wanting to make this for weeks!)
Southwest Turkey meatballs with dipping sauce
Tzatiki sauce
Sweet potato chips

And so it begins...

I'm not sure I can keep this up, but I'm hoping this will be one way to keep myself accountable.  I'd also  like to create a central location to store all the good info I find from other sources about living with the lapband.

My main focus will be on how to be successful while still being the uber wife and mother.  How can I balance the food choices I have to make with the meals I make for the hubby and kids?  How can I eat well while running the family taxi service to sports, tae kwon do, music lessons, etc.?