Crustless Pumpkin Pie!

After missing out on the 'traditional' Thanksgiving dinner this year I started to become pretty nostalgic over my beloved pumpkin pie. I soon started on the lookout for a health friendly version. I was so excited when I stumbled upon this recipe. This pie is crust-less and sugar free, yet still tastes delicious! Enjoy :)

Crustless, Sugar Free, Pumpkin Pie

1 (15oz) Can pumpkin puree

1 (12oz) Can evaporated Skim milk

3/4 Cup egg white

3 Teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 Teaspoon Vanilla 

2/3 Cup Splenda Granular 

Pam Cooking Spray 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Combine all ingredients. Spray 9" pie plate with Pam. Pour mixture into pie plate. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325F and continue baking for an additional 45 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Slice into 8 pieces 

Per One Slice: Cal 62.3, Carb 8.9g, Fat 0.2g, Protein 6.2g

Recipe From www.food.com 

First Post-Op 'Workout'

My doctor didn't say much about exercising (except for I need to walk around every hour or so) So I have pretty much been taking it easy. Today I decided that I was feeling so good that I could give the treadmill a try. I took it VERY easy because I didn't want to push myself too far too fast and I know I am not supposed to be doing much more than a walk at this point. Well here it is! My first post-op 'workout'. I am really looking forward to being approved for more! 

Full liquid diet + update

For the last 2 weeks or so I have been on a full liquid diet. The first 5 days were pre-op, and I tell you that was HARD. I was SO hungry, and everyone around me seemed to be eating delicious food that I knew I wouldn't be able to eat for a very long time. There was even a trip out to Applebees for lunch after church, where I gladly found out that their tomato basil soup was amazing. To start, let me list the things that I am allowed on my full-liquid diet.

• Skim milk
• Protein shakes
• Soups: broth, cream of tomato, low fat cream soups- nothing with noodles or chuncks
• Sugar free popsicles
• Sugar free pudding
• No sugar added or light greek yogurt - no fruit chunks 
• Cream of wheat
• Instant mashed potato flakes 
• No sugar added applesause
• Crystal light or other 0 cal and 0 sugar drinks

With this diet I am supposed to get in 75 grams of protein, and 64oz of water. I am struggling a lot with my goals. My best protein day was 66 and the most that I have gotten in was about 40 oz of water. Since the surgery, the difficult part of this diet has switched from the hunger, which I no longer have, to simply getting in the volume of liquid that I need. It takes me about an hour to get down 8 oz! I'm pretty sure I have to start getting in 3 shakes a day, but my tummy isn't quite having it at the moment. 

I have been using myfitnesspal.com to track my intake during the day. It's free and keeps track off all the calories, nutrients, and water that I take it. The best part is that you can customize your nutrition goals to whatever you need. It also has a mobile app for my phone with a barcode scanner that makes entering my food VERY easy. Lastly it can keep track of your weight and measurements. I would highly suggest this for anyone wanting to keep track of their nutrition. It's a great tool! 

This week I have continued to feel great. I am off all of my pain meds and have been getting around to my classes with no problem. Even though I don't have any hunger, I still get some physical signs of it if I forget to eat (fatigue, lightheaded, grumpy). I most definitely still have cravings as well, but for the most part they are changing. For instance, I am living for the day where I am allowed to eat a cheese stick, where a month ago the only comfort food I would ever want would be ice-cream! 

5 days post-op update

Post-op day 5 update! The good: I honestly feel great! I think I am very lucky and my body is cooperating with the changes well. I can sleep on both sides well, spent the day black-Friday 

shopping with a moderate amount of energy, and am in very limited amount of pain. 

The not so good: I am still taking my pain meds regularly, I am feeling so good I am afraid to go off of them! I am struggling to get all my protein and water in. I'm at about 40 oz of water and 50 grams of protein. I also seem to now be getting heartburn, even though I didn't have it the first few days.Overall I feel very blessed! I'm planning on weighing myself on the 2nd for the first time! 

Day of Surgery

I had my surgery on November 25th at Marquette General Hospital. Micah (my husband) was with me the whole time and sure was a trooper! He didn't want to get a room someplace so he ended up staying in my hospital room for two whole nights. He continued to be his silly self and played dead every time I tried to get a picture of him!

Here is me before the surgery, and before the drugs :P All psyched up and ready to go.

The surgery took about 1.5 hours and the doctor told me that it went very well. I did have some severe nausea from anesthesia and pain meds that caused me to spend an extra night in the hospital. They wanted to make sure that I could keep myself hydrated before they sent me home. I am actually quite grateful for that extra night. I felt pretty miserable and was very anxious because I wan't sure what my body was trying to tell me. Eating felt so weird, I wasn't hungry AT ALL, and I was even a little afraid to try to eat. I do admit, there were many times in the hospital were I thought "Crap, what have I done!" but my confidence grew as I started to feel better. I was so afraid that I would feel nauseous permanently and throw up every time I tried to eat. Eventually the food started staying down and I got to go home. Below is a picture of the view from my hospital room.

Overall it went very well and I couldn't say enough about how awesome my doctor and nurses were! They were so supportive through this whole process and I can't thank them enough for giving me this second chance at a new life!