Fat Frog Diary

Well, I think it's clear I've found my personal diet Golidlocks Zone. I've been logging less than 1400 calories and less than 30g total carbs since mid-November and the weight is coming off at a nice even pace, an average of about two pounds or more a week. Not bad for most of that time period including two birthdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. It's not too much where I don't lose, and not so little that I can't maintain the lifestyle. A lot of that has to do with SavingDinner.com and I admit it. Without my subscription to the Low Carb Menu plan, I'd be lost. Instead I'm eating marvelous low carb meals with side dishes like Turnip Fries and Faux-tay-toes Deluxe. Sure, I have to cook an extra carb loaded side dish for DH and Dante, but I don't mind that one little bit. Funny thing is, DH occasionally looks up from his devouring of the dinner to ask, "Are you sure this is healthy stuff? It tastes too good to be diet!" Now that's a compl

I admit, I had my suspicions about kale. Sure, it looked like spinach, but all I remembered was the ornamental stuff in a garden and the bitter garnish. Still, this recipe shocked me with how very good it was. Because I'm allowed bacon, I opted to enjoy the flavor. I think it made a critical difference. However, I did substitute Splenda for the sugar with no ill effects. For 1/2 cup of cooked kale, there's only 55 calories and 11g of carbs. For that much flavor, I'll "pay" extra for the delicious taste.

...Lena was doing her best not to eat the whole house. Okay, that's an exaggeration. Fact is, I'm okay with the extreme low-carb diet, even with the new instructions the doc included last I saw of him on the 22nd. When I saw Dr. Baptista on Monday (12-22-08) I'd hoped for a private session, and was disappointed to learn it would be another group session. Just how in the hell are you supposed to ask about your particular surgical situation in a group? However, they made it clear you could ask him for personal time afterwards, and I did. We negotiated and worked out a way to get around my particular problems with IV's and needles. Dr. B apparently doesn't care for PIC lines and specifically called them "lazy." He is concerned about infection, and in a case like mine where we must be concerned with not only my blood thinners but also my sleep apnea, a PIC line is not ideal. Instead, he would prefer a central line to be placed in my aorta or clavicle. Even his

Today is my pre-op visit at the hospital. Am I scared? You bet your bippy. I had a long talk with the representative of the anesthesia department. She called to verify information and fill out her paperwork with a pile of questions. Here are some of the highlights of that conversation in no particular order:' She strongly suggests I talk to the doc about having a pic line established because I'm such a hard stick for IVs and blood draws. Being a violent needle phobic, I'll agree to just about anything that keeps me away from the lab rats. It's not their fault I'm a hard stick and they're not trained for that. Only problem with a pic line is the timing. I'm supposed to arrive for surgery prep at 0-dark-five-thirty (The O stands for Oh MY GOD it's early!) the day after a holiday. Do I want a hungover anesthetist who gets called in after only an hour or two of sleep to put a tube in my veins? Uh, no. The alternative is for me to come in one day early on New

South Beach Diet Eggnog (Phase 1) Makes 6 servings Ingredients 1 1/2 cups egg substitute 2 tablespoons artificial sweetener 2 tablespoons vanilla 2 (12-ounce) cans evaporated skim milk 3 cups fat-free half-and-half 1 tablespoon brandy extract Nutmeg Instructions Pour 1 1/2 cups egg substitute into a bowl. Add artificial sweetener and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually blend in vanilla, evaporated skim milk, fat-free half-and-half, and brandy extract. Chill for 24 hours to allow flavors to blend. To serve, stir well and sprinkle with nutmeg. Nutritional information 181 calories 0 g fat 3 g cholesterol 22 g carbohydrate (Not bad for Eggnog!) 15 g protein 0 g fiber 299 mg sodium

My lap band surgery will take place on January 2!! Yes, I'm thrilled. The round of doctor and lab visits has already begun, with happy results. If ever there was a case for getting a new bathroom scale, yesterday was it. My bathroom scale says I weigh 280 lbs in the morning. Yesterday at my pulmonologist's office --I'll go into why I was there in a minute-- I used their fancy calibrated scale and it read 2 75 lbs in the afternoon! Who am I to argue with that??? I've lost 11 pounds! My own diet, which I call The Goldilocks Zone diet, is working for me. It's hell on earth and very restrictive, but it works where all else has failed. I'll chatter more about it when I get time to type on Sunday. Why was I at my pulmonologist's? Because of the surgery. I'll take blood thinners for the rest of my unnatural life because I have the genetic predisposition to DVT. This means to have any surgery, I have to stop the Warfarin pills and use a subcutaneous shot in my