What You Allow Will Continue

Yesterday I wrote "What you allow will continue" on my status on Facebook.  This is my mantra for 2014.  Quite a few people emailed me privately or spoke to me in person about these 5 little words.  Think about it...    What You Allow Will Continue.

Eating fast food: what you will allow will continue.

People making comments to you that are a wee bit nasty, yet you laugh it off: what you allow will continue.

People taking advantage of your time: what you allow will continue.

Choosing to ignore your health: what you allow will continue.

Being the victim all the time.  It is always someone else's fault: what you allow will continue.

Sitting on the couch watching Real Housewives instead of working out: what you allow will continue.

Get it?  We choose our present. 

So let's turn this around.

I will do some sort of exercise 6 times this week: what you allow will continue.

I choose to get more sleep and not let the distractions of work or home get in the way: what you allow will continue.

I drink water over high calorie liquids: what you allow will continue.

I have no time for toxic people: what you allow will continue.

I choose to put myself first so I can be a better person for my family and friends: what you allow will continue.

I make healthy food choices: what you allow will continue.

I am the person I want to be: what you allow will continue.


You have the power to make a difference in you and in the people around you.  I challenge you to move forward and make a difference in your life.
 

What You Allow Will Continue!

Dreams Do Come True!

Last week I started a new job!  Actually it is my dream job.  I had always wanted to be head of bariatrics for an entire hospital.  I am the Director of Bariatrics for USMD Hospital of Arlington.  Yippee! 

 

Lots of changes going on in the O'Kelly household.  Change is good, but change is change.  It is hard.  I have been out of the corporate world for almost 2 years.  Getting back into the swing of things is going to take some time.  I am used to having a fluid schedule and now things are a bit more rigid.  I do a lot of driving and am truly exhausted when I get home. 

 

People ask me what am I going to do about working out?  I tell them that my days have gotten longer as I now have to take the 6am class.  Trust me when I say that it would be so easy to let it go and sleep in but my health is a priority.  Exercise is important.  I don't compromise on that issue.  At least that is what I tell myself every morning when that dang alarm goes off!

 

Chores did not change nor did the needs of my family.  Husband has been great at picking up the slack.  We are a team and he really has stepped up to the plate.  I have had to become a better manager of my time.   No longer can I surf the internet and get lost for hours.

 

The positives?  I am making a difference!  They like that I am a weight loss coach!  It is going to be awesome!  Happy dancing all the way to Arlington every day! 

 

 

 

Problem Solver

I am a problem solver.  That is why I am a good life and weight loss coach.  I have the ability to see the entire picture and can help people move forward.

At times I have someone who says they have a problem, and wants to solve the problem, but they are clearly happier not moving forward.  They like being miserable.  They are living a lie.

Life will always be hard for liars.  They choose not to look in the mirror and accept the truth and move forward.  It breaks my heart when I come across one of these people.  They are the eternal victims.  They can't catch a break. 

What they don't seem to see is that they are the ones who can give themselves a break.  It is all up to them.  Their choice.

Each and every one of us has the power to change our own lives.  If you are a doctor and you don't like being a doctor, you can be something else.  You limit yourself, no one does that for you. 

So grab a mirror, look in and have a chat with the one who is looking back at you.  Make some decisions.  Solve some of your own problems.  Once you do, life can be amazing!

Sometimes Me Gets Lost

I have a very full life.  I have a husband, 5 fantastic stepchildren, and 2 dogs that continuously shed!  I have a great career as a coach with clients I adore.  We are currently making some changes to our home and that require a good deal of time interacting with contractors, inspectors, et al.  There is a lot going on at our house all the time.

I am not complaining, but sometimes I get a little lost when there is so much going on.  Husband needs things, kids have issues that need attention, and the dogs want the ball!  Taxes need to be done.  Items need to be moved from one area to another.  I have no place to have my office during the renovation.  There are never enough hours in the day!  It is so easy to lose Me when life is busy.  The old Cynthia would have been grumpy and  whining to any and all who will listen while shoving a cheeseburger and fries into my face as fast as possible.  Oh and I would wash it all down with a side of chocolate cake and a huge vat of wine!

Through out all the craziness of my day to day life, I have found that if I take at least an hour for myself, I can deal with anything that lands in my lap.  I would not consider myself as an exercise junkie, but during crazy times, I have found that in order to keep my focus, an hour of Zumba or Bar Method gives me sanity and keeps the unneeded calories away.  I have also got meditation on my to try list, just don't have time for that yet.

My point is that no matter what is going on in your life and how busy things can be, take some time for yourself.  Remember that you have to be you in order to be at your best for everyone else!  So what keeps you sane?

How Are Those Resolutions Working For Ya?

We start the new year off with lots of resolutions.  This year I am getting organized.  No more clutter.  I am going to eat healthier. I will exercise everyday.  I will finally lose the weight.  Sound familiar? 

You have to have the right equipment.  New running shoes, workout clothes, paper products, juicers, diet programs, and all sorts or other paraphernalia are purchased in order to help us get to our goals.We are all full of good intentions and determination, but usually by the end of January, all resolutions are broken or ignored.

The excuses start to roll in.  "Work has gotten so busy."  "The kids have so much going on that there is no time for me."  "It's just too hard".  Go ahead and add your own excuse. Remember it is just that: an excuse. 

You can make all the resolutions you would like, but if you don't start with your thought process, it will be very hard to be successful.  Get right with the mind, then the body will follow.  If you view yourself as a failure at dieting, exercising, etc. you are doomed to prove yourself right.

Want to change those thoughts?  I can help.  I am a certified weight loss coach and can teach you the tips and techniques for success.  So, if you would like 2013 to end with you moving to or at your forever healthy weight, go to www.losinggracefully.com

It is time to treat the cause and the symptom!

A Fixer No More!

Personally, I think the picture is creepy, but it drives the point of my blog.  You see, I am a fixer.  I am happy to fix any problem you have, whether you want me to or not.  This is not always a good thing.

Some people need to fix their own problems even if I can see the obvious solution.  Now you might think I am speaking of kids.  Nope.  I am talking about full grown adults.  These past few days I have shut my mouth in the face of several issues.  I have chosen not to be involved in some decision making because I usually come out looking like the bad guy when I do.  This time I honestly wasn't up for the job.  I have been working on my certification in weight loss coaching and had learned that being a fixer is not the best thing.  So, I am fixing only for myself these days.

I think stepping back was the right thing to do, but the fall out is hard and the problem has not been  solved in a good way.  There was a degree of anger as I would not step in where I usually do.  This brought to mind when I lost a load of weight and my position in the family dynamic changed.  Have any of you experienced this phenomena?  In every family, each person has a certain position.  The smart one, the silly one, the fat one, etc.  My position many years and pounds ago, was the victim.  As I lost weight, my family didn't know what to do with me.  They had to adjust to the new more confident me.  Same thing happened at work.  At the time, it drove my boss crazy because she couldn't dump work on me anymore.  It was wonderful to lose all that weight, but there was an awkward time while everyone adjusted.

I guess I am going through that awkward time now as well.  For 50 years, if I saw a problem, I figured out how to fix it.  I am a planner.  I actually work scenarios through my head to see all possible outcomes and then go with the best.  I try to plan for any hiccups.  An extremely simple example would be, if you have out of town guest coming, and currently people sleeping in what will be their bed, when is the best time to do the sheets?  Simple answer, find out when the person currently occupying said bed is getting up and plan your washing schedule as well as chore schedule around him leaving said bed.  My brain does this all day!

In coaching, I cannot fix.  I can only hold a mirror up to the client and then it is up to the client on how to fix.  Sounds easy?  Not really.  When the client wants to change, it is an amazing process!  It was hard for me to stop fixing people and to coach them on fixing themselves.  It is even harder to apply that into my own life.  It's working and there are some amazing changes taking place.  I wonder if I will always have that tendency to fix, or if after much practice, it will be normal to not fix and let the person fix themselves.

Here's to a new year, new life and new career!  I am so excited about the things to come.

Happy, Happy, Happy!

This has been my life for the past week.  Welcome Stu and Molly to our family!  We adopted them from a lab rescue group and we could not be happier!  For the past week, I have been chasing after dogs.  I have cleaned muddy paws, held slobbery balls, said NO! a thousand times, and have a sore right arm from chucking balls at the dog park.  I am constantly filthy and so is my house and my car.  Am I upset about this?  Heck no!  I am completely in love!
I forgot how quiet the house had gotten once our 14 year old lab passed away a few months ago.  Nick and I had gotten into a routine and for awhile enjoyed the quiet.  Since the rowdy pair have arrived, we have been exhausted, but constantly have goofy grins on our faces.  They are so much fun to watch, we are thinking of cancelling our cable.


So, this brings to mind a question... Is happiness organization or chaos? 

I used to think that everything in its place was absolute heaven.  If you haven't figured this out, I am a bit OCD.  It drives me crazy when the kids leave things out or when I have to clean little messes.  My house has clutter, but it is controlled clutter (is there such a thing?)  I don't like to be dirty and I hate a dirty kitchen.  I can't stand sticky hands or surfaces. Well, that has gone completely out the window.  I can't keep up with the mess and I don't mind!  This must be love. 

 The bonus of two labs is that so far, I am down two pounds.  Their exercise is my extra exercise.  My only worry is that my right arm will become a popeye arm and my left will look pathetic.  I have tried to chuck the balls with my left, but they don't go far and Stu has little patience for those lame throws.

If you had told me two weeks ago my life would change for sticky, slobbery dog kisses, dirty car seats and muddy paw prints everywhere, I would have laughed in your face.  It is amazing what love can do to a person.
What makes you happy?  what will get you to change your life?  What will get you to move forward?

Happy Thanksgiving to all.  I am thankful for these two rowdy, loving dogs that have turned my life upside down.  What are you thankful for?

MMMMM, Creamy Deliciousness!

I am a complete fool for anything that is creamy.  I love mayonnaise, cream, cream cheese, sour cream, milk, and every cheese ever made.  Ugh!  That list sounds fabulous and horrible at the same time.  My heart does a little dance every time I get to have any or all of the creamy foods.  Unfortunately, creamy foods are not considered the best for your body.  They are loaded with fats and can cause weight gain if you each too much.

One of Nick's daughters is no fan of the creamy.  She can't stand mayo or cream.  Her diet is healthy.  She prefers red sauce to me loving Alfredo.  She likes hummus whereas I prefer ranch dip.  Her dressings are oil and vinegar and mine are ranch and blue cheese.  She is a size 2 and I am not.

I wish I could adopt the healthy Mediterranean diet.  I like the foods and can live on them for awhile, but my joy lies in the fatty foods.  That is just it.  My joy.  In my studies, I have learned to "joy" eat for 10% of your daily intake.  That is everyday.  You must plan your joy eat.  This could be a sweet, alcohol or anything creamy.    A joy eat is anything that brings you joy.  It isn't a food that fuels your body, but something that makes you happy.  My joy eat last night was a margarita.  Tonight it will be a chocolate chip cookie.

I encourage everyone to start planning a joy eat everyday.  Think about it ahead of time and plan it out.  You might notice a positive change in your body.  What will your joy eat be today?

Pity Party of One

I notice that I have gained about 5 pounds lately.  Now, I just lost my dog, so I could certainly blame the gain on mourning.  To me that is a cop out.  I am a weight loss coach, I know better.  So, sitting here with a blank page before me, I decided it is time to forgive.

I really wanted this summer to be fantastic.  Instead, it totally sucked.  I took a class that would change my life, but it was stressful and overwhelming.  The work was completely different than what I knew before, therefore I had to change everything about how I worked with clients.  That is SO hard.  Then I had a series of family issues.  Some sad, some horrifying, some frustrating.  These issues are still going on, and I need to get comfortable with them.

The stress of the summer gave me shingles.  Not fun at all.  Then there is the West Nile situation.  I am scared to be outside for more than a few minutes.  Oh, I turned 50!  Wanted to be so excited about it, but so far, phooey!  The final smack in my face, my dog had to be put down last week. I am exhausted.  I think I am cursed and I need to have some sort of exorcism.

Well today I am saying enough!  Whatever funky cloud I have been under needs to go away.  No more the victim.  I don't want to feel bad, in pain, anger, or fat.  Back to juicing.  I have been exercising a lot, but I will focus more.  I will forgive myself and those around me.  I will start laughing more and worrying less.  I will get my final certification for coaching.  I will move mountains in my life so others can move mountains in theirs.

Have you had a crummy summer?  Want to join me in a Spectacular Fall?

You Have My Attention!

Society is constantly pushing us.  Do more, push farther, you must multi-task.  Friends tell me how guilty they feel that they can't get more done in the day.  Everyone is exhausted all the time.  I know that I can't just watch TV, I must be working on my computer or cleaning something or otherwise being productive.  I feel like a big gerbil running on an exercise wheel.  Sometimes I need a good smack in the face to make me stop and really look at what is going on with my life.

That smack came in in the form of shingles.  Shingles is an adult repeat of chickenpox.  It is caused by STRESS!  It can be very painful.  Guess who is taking it down a notch?  

My one request for my birthday was to wake up on a beach.  So, we went to Florida and just relaxed.  This was very needed for the shingles too.  On the actual day, we went snorkeling in the morning and then had nothing to do until dinner.  We spent the day reading, sleeping, and watching the Olympics.  At one point, my husband said that he felt guilty not doing something.  I informed him that we were doing something, we were purposely doing nothing.  When we thought about it, we could not remember a day where we had given ourselves permission to do nothing.  It was AWESOME!

When was the last time you had given yourself permission to not have to do anything?  Make a date with yourself and do it.  Don't wait to get smacked.

DRAMA!

A friend made a comment about how I always have so much drama in my life.  She said it with love, but the comment stayed with me.  People that get all wrapped up in the drama of their life usually drive me crazy.  Had I become the type of person that I can't stand to be around?  I have contemplated over those words for over a week now and I think I have figured out why my life is full of drama.

I have a husband and 5 adult step children!  When it was just me, there wasn't much going on.  Now that I added an additional 6 people to my life, it is a 3 ringed circus!  There is NEVER a time when something isn't going on. These are adults going through their first careers and first loves. Many times I feel that I am in the middle of a tornado and the best thing I can do is to hold on.  The upside of this is I always have interesting stories, so you want to sit next to me at functions.  The downside is that there is always something going on.  It is rare to have quiet times.  The stress level can go through the roof.

When things were stressful for me before I lost the weight, I would resort to eating.  Now, I exercise.  Sometimes 3 times a day!  Exercise and my band keep my weight in check.  Love my band.

Being a parent is still new to me (almost 7 years and counting).  I am reminded of a scene in the movie "Parenthood" where the grandmother speaks of the roller coaster ride.  Up and down, up and down, she had never been so scared and thrilled at the same time.  She says some prefer the merry go round, but that it is boring, just goes round and round.

I like the roller coaster with all its ups and downs and the drama!  What a ride!

June Cleaver, Julia Child and I are best friends!

You would think that while I am currently unemployed, I would be blogging like crazy.  I have found that I am very busy.  I clean the house, apply for jobs, cook and exercise. Take the exercise out of it and I have become June Cleaver/Julia Child!  Never thought I would enjoy cooking and cleaning.   Now I don't vacuum in pearls, more like exercise gear, but I do get excited when I learn how to really clean my stainless steel sink from Pinterest.

Yesterday, for the first time, I had my hand up a chicken's butt, pulling out icky stuff and putting in lemons and vegetables.  Never had done that before.  Ew.  I now understand why Julia Child would get pickled on wine while cooking.  It is hard work!  After spending over 2 hours prepping and setting off the fire alarm from smoke, I make a damn good chicken, but I was exhausted!  To think that I could get almost the same thing at Tom Thumb for $6.00!

The best thing about my time off is I am learning loads about myself.  I am happy.  I have been reading several books about directions I could take in life.  I know I want to do something, but just haven't zeroed in on what.  So, while I look for my next career, I will continue to find out how to get my whites, whiter and try to make delicious meals for the current main wage earner (husband).  So far, I have mastered chicken, meatloaf, pot roast and salmon.  I wonder what will be next???

THE FAMILY MOTTO

We have a running joke in my family.  The Jones family motto is: "If a little is good, then a lot is better."  This pertains to EVERYTHING!  If one tube of toothpaste is good, buy multiples and then you don't have to go back to the store as often.  If one sweater looks good on you, get one in every color!  If one roll is yummy, have as many as you can stuff into your mouth!

This is an expensive motto in every way shape and form.  My mother told me just last week, that she is on her last bar of soap from my father's stockpile.  My father passed away in 2003.  We are not hoarders in any sense of the word, though my husband might argue that point, we just want to make sure we do not run out of the things we love.  I would call us pre-hoarders.  Currently, I limit the products to buying a shower gel to store in the cupboard, the moment the last one goes into the shower.  When the kids were home full time, I made it two, as things would often disappear and I hate showering with my shampoo!

When it comes to clothes, I am the same way.  I go to the Gap and if I find a t-shirt I adore, I get one in every color.  I know I won't wear them all, some colors don't look good on me, but I will buy it, just in case.  Crazy thinking huh?  Well the Salvation Army loves me for my donations of never worn clothing!  Right now I am trying to amass a Tory Burch cardigan sweater collection, but they are expensive and I must limit my collecting to sweaters that are on sale.  Let me know if you see one!

The family motto as it relates to food.  Hmmmm.  Pre-Lapband, it was a mess!  A little is good and alot is more shopping for bigger sized clothes!  Seconds on everything!  Holidays were the worst.  Lots of favorite dishes are only made during the holidays.  Must eat as much as possible as it won't be back for a year!  Pants get tighter, etc.  My sister always says, "Lets not stop eating." A whirlwind of cakes, cookies, candy, creamy dishes, yum!  Then January hits.  We all are remorseful and we pledge to lose weight.

Post Lapband, it is much better.  During most of my banded holidays, I have lost weight.  I have had to learn that I can leave food on my plate and that is ok.  I use to think that I needed to take it home and eat it.  Now I know that I don't have to do that.  I actually lost 2.5 pounds over the holidays this year!  While there are loads of people going to the gym as part of their resolutions, I never stopped.  I knew that if I took some time off, I would have gained. 

What is your family motto?  Is it a healthy one?  Is it similar to my motto?  Perhaps, I need to change our motto to a more positive one.  All I have to do is shorten it.  Instead of "If a little is good, then a lot is better," it can be "Little is good!"

Do you have Toxic Friends?

Over the last few days, I have had several conversations with friends and family members about friends.  I guess with the year coming to a close, quite a few people seem to be re-assessing their relationships.  A good friend is very hard to find.  I have lots of acquaintances, but very few good friends.  I think you know what I am talking about.  These are the friends that if they got a phone call from me at 3am asking for help, they would just ask where I need them to go.  I have less than a handful and I consider myself lucky.  Way too often we lose the real definition of friend and allow some people who do not really care about you, make big decisions for you.  Not a good idea.

Now you are wondering what this has to do with weight loss?  Loads!  Think about it.  Are there friends that you call when you want to go and "pig out" on certain foods?  Do you have friends that are 'fat' friends?  Have you noticed that some people haven't been as supportive of your weight loss journey as you thought?  They complain that you are no longer any fun to go out with or that you are changing (and to them, not for the better).  These people are not your friends!  Friends support you!  Friends want you to be successful, even if they lose an eating buddy.   A true friend has your best interest in mind and not what you can do for them.

Perhaps with the coming new year, it might be a good time to think about your relationships.  Are some of those toxic?  Maybe it is time to count your blessings for the close friends you do have and put some distance between you and the Toxic friends.  They really aren't your friends.

Focus on the Priority

I love all the great food that shows up for the holidays.  I get so tickled at patients who put off their fill because of Thanksgiving or Christmas.  I must agree that it is hard to turn down aunt Edna's special cake that she only makes during the holiday.  I am just as guilty as the next person.  I need to lose a few pounds, yet I don't want to interrupt my holiday feeding frenzy in order to get my weight back to where it was 6 months ago.  There are white chocolate covered pecans to make and chocolate ginger cookies to consume!  Feed me, feed me, feed me!  Love the holidays!  I can be 'good' in January.

Isn't that how we all got big in the first place?  We noticed that we are gaining weight, but tomorrow is always the better time to start a diet.  Our pants got tight and we just bought the next size up, or better yet: stretch waist!  We 'tomorrowed' ourselves to unhealthy.  I think it is time to focus on the priority.  Health.  Last month at TLCEdge, Mary McNeill, our Registered Dietitian, presented a holiday eating program.  She showed us how we can enjoy some wonderful recipes and not have all the fat.  There was tasting and all around yummyness.  I have even recreated a few of her recipes with success.  If I can do it, anyone can.

So, I plan on enjoying the holidays, but within reason.  I will have a bite or two of the special, once a year, recipes, but I will give myself permission to NOT finish what is served to me.  I won't deny myself, but I certainly don't have to eat half the cake!  I am not going to get swept up with the excitement and eat and drink myself silly.  I will  weigh the same or less on January 1st that I weigh today.  I will continue to exercise throughout vacation.  I will pay attention to the scale and make sure I weigh everyday so nothing sneaks up on me.

Will you join me in a 'no gain' Christmas?

THE 'WEIGHT' OF IT ALL

"Weigh yourself once a week" is one of the most important rules we have for weight loss surgery patients, band or sleeve.  I ask pre-op patients to tell me how often they weigh themselves and almost every time, they state that they don't even own a scale!  This is not good.  I believe that many of us get up in weight because we don't weigh.  We don't pay attention.  It is easier to wear the "fat" jeans or the stretchy pants.  Before you know it, we are in trouble.

At TLCEdge, we want the patient to weigh once a week during weight loss.  It is awfully tempting to jump on the scale several times a day when you are losing weight.  At one point, I was weighing after every bathroom break, just to see if I lost any more.  This can drive you a bit bonkers.  Going to the other extreme and not weighing at all is a wrong step as well.  If you don't weigh, then how will you know where you are in your progress?  We tell banded patients, when the scale says the same number as last week, and you are adding food, you should book a fill.  Weighing is very important to stay on target.

Once you are at goal, the scale plays a very important role in your life.  No one wants to go back to their heavy weight.  If you weigh everyday, then you will be on top of any potential problems that may come your way.  I have my scale in front of my underwear drawer.  I must step on the scale in order to get my underwear.  This keeps me responsible for where I am in my progress.  I encourage people to mark their scales with a 5 and 10 pound mark.  Women will naturally go up and down a few pounds every month, but if you have the scale marked, you will know when it might be going from bloating to gaining.

If you don't own one, go get one.  Tanita makes a good scale.  There are many reasonably priced ones on the market.  It doesn't have to be a fancy scale, just one that will keep track of your weight.  Get on it once a week if you are losing and everyday if you are at goal.  Pay attention! 

Water, Water Everywhere...

One of the most important rules for good weight loss (especially with the band) is:

No Eating or Drinking at the Same Time.

This is the hardest rule to get used to and the easiest rule to break.  Maybe if it was explained a bit more, one would likely work hard to follow this rule.  When you drink, you flush food through your band or stomach.  Therefore, when you flush, you can get more food down.  Mary McNeill, registered dietitian, compares it to tuna in a sink.  If you dump a can of tuna in the sink, it will sit there.  If you run water in the sink, the tuna goes down the drain.  We want the food to sit in the upper pouch for awhile as it will help you to feel full. The goal is to lose weight, so it is best not to flush.  At TLCEdge, we ask our patients to stop drinking a few minutes before they sit down to their meal.  We also want you to wait 30 minutes to an hour after the meal before you drink.  This sounds so hard to do.  We do not need moisture to enjoy a meal.  This is Texas, and we are all used to the 3 glasses of tea lunch.  When preparing for weight loss surgery, I often ask the patient to start to train oneself to not drink during a meal.  It is more of a mental thing than a physical need.

Often, patients follow this rule for a period of time, and then somehow, get off track.  They start drinking with their meals, then they wonder why they are not losing weight.  If your weight loss is at a standstill, you might want to re-examine what you are doing during mealtime.  Have you "let it slide" a bit and are now washing everything down?  Don't let the water drown the weight loss!

Slow Down There

Remember when you were a kid and your Mom would fuss at you for eating too fast?  She might have said, "Slow down, where's the fire"? My dad use to say "Slow down and taste the vanilla".  Today, I find myself saying to the men in my family "If you have to angle your bite to get it into your mouth, then it needs to be cut in half".

In today's world, the media has done a great job in trying to get us moving on to the next thing as quick as possible.  You see people eating and running all the time.  Next time you are out driving at lunch, look around and notice how many people are eating and driving at the same time.  We are much too busy to take 15 minutes out of our lives and enjoy a meal at a table.  Just as driving and texting is not safe, driving and eating is not safe for a weight loss surgery patient.

The most important rule you can learn for any weight loss surgery is to SLOW DOWN and CHEW your food.  Sounds easy huh?  Those of us who have had surgery will tell you that it isn't easy to do.  One must be able to concentrate on eating.  If you get distracted, you will revert back to the old ways and swallow a bite of not well chewed food.  Chances are, it might come back for a encore performance! 

When I first married my loving husband and added 5 children to my life, dinner was a whirlwind!  I would have taken about 3 bites, when everyone at the table would be finished.  I would encourage them to leave the table, but they insisted on waiting for me to be finished.  So, I would have many pairs of eyes staring at me whilst I ate.  Well, that awkwardness would guarantee a spit up as I would attempt to eat quicker and would not chew my food.  I finally spoke to my husband and asked his support in tracking with me (eating at my pace) at meals, so I would be able to keep dinner down.  He agreed and since he slowed down, he lost 10 pounds without even trying!  Go slow, chew well!

Sometimes I feel Like a Broken Record...Protein, Protein, Protein!

In my position at TLCEdge, I give a lot of seminars.  I also get to speak to loads of post operative patients.  The one rule I mention the most is PROTEIN!  Protein runs your body.  It keeps your hair on your head, keeps your head from hurting, keeps you awake and functioning!  Protein is good and necessary for survival.  One of the rules is to have at minimum, 60 grams of protein a day.  Most people need a little bit more, but that is based on a calculation that I leave to all the Dietitians and Nutritionists.

The best way to figure how much you need to keep your body moving, is to look at your hand.  Figure on your palm for protein and your fingers being veggies and starches.  The palm, its size and thickness,  is what you need 3 times a day for your body.  Now I am short (5'1") and my palm is relatively small.  When I look at mine, it is the size of a small hamburger pattie, or a 2" by 3" piece of chicken or fish.  The thickness is about 1/2 inch.  My husband is 6'1".  His palm is much bigger and he needs more to survive.  Trust me, if he ate my size palm for 3 meals, he would be very grumpy!  You don't have to weigh and measure everything.  Who has time?  Just eyeball your amounts, but be sure and get at least a palm's worth 3 times a day.

When you get your protein in front of you (this would be chicken, fish, pork, beef, beans), before you touch anything on your plate, cut your protein in half and eat one half before you smell, taste or touch anything else on your plate!  Sometimes we get full very quickly.  If you are eating your protein first, then you will get full on what you need.  If you don't give your body enough protein, it goes into a starvation mode and you won't lose weight.  I know it sounds weird, but it goes into caveman mode and doesn't release anything cause it doesn't know when you are going to feed it again.

Always know that in weight loss, our bodies work against us.  If you don't give it enough of what it needs, it won't give you what you want (weight loss).  So go out there and get your protein-Yum!

Detective O'Kelly On The Job!

Upon the advice of my friend Paige, I am starting a blog.  I am the Senior Program Director for TLCEdge.  I help people get weight loss surgery.  I truly love my job!  You see, I was one of the FDA trial patients for the lapband back in 1999.  I lost and kept off 200 pounds.  It works.  I have been in the weight loss business in one form or another for almost 10 years.  I have seen many people go from unhealthy with low life expectancy to healthy and wearing regular clothing sizes!  I love it when I don't recognize a patient.  That means they have lost alot of weight.  It is wonderful to hear from someone who is in a dressing room trying on a regular size, or getting an email from someone who no longer has to take their diabetes medication.  Those are truly blessed moments of my job.

There are days when no one is moving forward or losing weight.  When everyone is grumpy and says this band isn't working for them.  Those are the days that I really have to use my  brain.  I go over the rules and the specifics for their lifestyle.  I get to become a detective.  There is always an answer, I just have to help people find that key.  It might be that they are doing the same cardiovascular exercise and not mixing it up enough.  Did you know that your body can be your biggest enemy during weight loss?  Let me explain.

When you are working out, if you are getting on the treadmill three mornings a week and walking for 30 minutes at 3.0 speed at 8am in the morning, your body gets used to that.  Though your treadmill says you are burning a certain amount of calories, you are actually burning less and less each time.  Your body gets used to what you are doing and goes into a 'protect' mode.  It is saving the calories to burn later (just in case you get chased by a dinosaur).  If you use the treadmill for your exercise, please "change it up"!  Go up and down in the speed and up and down in the incline every few minutes.  Don't ever let your body get used to what you are doing.

If you are someone who walks outside, then walk like you are being followed and never take the same route twice.  This is also good advice for women who work out alone.  Safety first!  Trick your body into working harder for you.  If you are a gym type of person, be sure to switch it up.  Use all of the cardio equipment and have no set pattern.  Most people don't like to exercise, myself included.  But, I want to make sure that when I do exercise, I get the full benefits of the work out.  Trick your body into working hard for you!