They weren't at Christmas

When I think of my relatives who battled obesity, I'm overwhelmed by their courage, determination, and sheer love of life. My aunt (and my namesake) who I never met because she died two weeks after weight loss surgery at the age of 29... and uncle who had countless problems with the duodenal switch with a larger-than-life personality who lived decades longer than docs predicted and always made me smile and feel so loved.... and even my cousin, who had the lap band and later died of stomach cancer.... Sure, they were filled with pizazz, spunk, attitude and certainly they were loved by all...

but guess what? they are gone. They weren't at Christmas last I checked. It's a sad but true reality. And they even risked their very lives to live a normal life... without a fat suit. It just makes me so incredibly sad. Their extra pounds were going to cut their lives short, and they certainly acted on it. They did not sit idle.

This is not a blog against weight loss surgery. In fact, it's come a long way and it does help so many people stay out of an early coffin.... Would my relatives have chosen this if they were against it? Goodness, no. In fact, I worry that one day I will need to have some kind of drastic action like this taken.... I am not trying to paint that picture whatsoever. We all have to find our paths in this crazy world.

We can argue about whether Kevin Smith should have been required to buy an extra seat or whatever, but bottom line... if you are carrying around the extra weight like I am, you are cutting your life short... and to be honest, sometimes, that is kind of appealing to me.... the mad and sweet self destructiveness of it all... MUST be somehow alluring to me, based on the choices I have made.

I was just battling once again in my mind, about what to fuel myself with today. I do need to go to the ATM, and I find myself justifying a trip to the drive thru... which can turn into another trip, another day, another week, another month, another year lost to this extra nearly 100 pounds on me!

I can't do that anymore. One day snowballs into another.

Bottom line, I want to be here longer than that... I don't want my five brothers as my pall bearers, dropping my ass into a box 6 feet under... at least not prematurely!!! I want to be HERE!

Low Carb Menu

Day 7 Low Carb Menu

- 2 hot dogs with diced onions, mustard and low carb ketchup
- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- 2 cheese burgers with onion, mayo, mustard and low carb ketchup on oopsie rolls

Day Six Low Carb Menu

- Bacon cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, mayo and low carb ketchup on an oopsie roll
- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- Mock rice pudding
- No bake peanut butter cheesecake
- Half a stuffed green pepper with ground beef, cheese, mushrooms, onions and cream cheese with a little sour cream on top - Thanks to the ever-shrinking Oct for the recipe!
- Sloppy joe on an oopsie roll with deluxe American cheese

Super-Cool Giveaway!

Surely you've heard of the lovely eggface, and she is giving away a super cool BENTO box!!! More details over here www.theworldaccordingtoeggface.com

She has an amazing pancake recipe and also some protein ice cream that I've been dying to try... Be sure to check her out... She is the amazing shrinking woman!

<3
Angie

Low Carb BBQ Sauce: Perfect for Outdoor Grillin'

Day Five Low Carb Menu

- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- Hot pepper jack cheese burger with mayo, low carb ketchup, lettuce, tomato and onion on an oopsie roll
- Side salad with ranch dressing, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese and onions
- Two BBQ pork sandwiches with onions, tomato and deluxe cheese on oopsies

WOW!!! This low carb bbq sauce recipe is unbelievable. I can't wait for grilled BBQ chicken now! Seriously, you have to try it out! I did not try it for the longest time because I was lacking one ingredient (liquid smoke). Seriously, you will LOVE this BBQ sauce!!! It's totally unreal! My mom whipped some up tonight and it's amazing. I'm kind of picky about my BBQ sauce in general, but this one is top-notch... Sweet and tangy.

Day Four Low Carb Menu

Day 4 Low Carb Menu for Friday, February 19th, 2010

- Swiss cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, mayo and low carb ketchup on an oopsie roll
- Tuna salad with tomato and a few diced onions on an oopsie roll
- Low carb peanut butter cheesecake
- Swiss cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, mayo and low carb ketchup on an oopsie roll
- Half a piece of mock rice pudding

Day 3 Low Carb Food Menu

Day 3 Low Carb Menu

- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- Tuna salad on an oopsie roll
- Pork rib with low carb ketchup
- A few bites of mock rice pudding
- Swiss cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, mayo and low carb ketchup on an oopsie roll

Menu for Wednesday - Low Carb Style

Angie's Low Carb Menu: Day 2

- Swiss cheeseburger with mayo, mustard, onion, tomato and low carb ketchup on an oopsie roll
- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- Tuna salad with tomato and a few diced onions on an oopsie roll
- Buttered brussel sprouts and asparagus
- One boneless pork rib with low carb ketchup
- 1/4 cup cottage cheese
- Mock rice pudding *

*This pudding is outrageous and very easy to make.

My BMI is a scary 38.47 right now. I am not going to slip back into the "morbidly obese" zone... that is for SURE! I'm headed to the chiropractor this afternoon and I literally cannot wait. I tried to get her to squeeze me in yesterday, but that was just not happening. Due to my left leg being one inch shorter than my right leg, I need frequent "adjustments," about every month or two. I just started getting them in the past year, and honestly, I do not know what I would do without them. I love that it's a non-surgical approach to wellness. The thought of going to a back surgeon for my leg length discrepancy is quite scary. I just feel less "broken" after she whacks me good. She jokes that she beats people up all day. She is just a miracle worker, I'm telling you. She does not accept insurance, but fortunately, it's only $40.00. That is definitely the best forty bucks I spend all month long! I can tell when I'm really needing an adjustment, whereas before, it was just what I thought "normal" felt like. I think even if you don't have a shorter leg, adjustments may improve your life.

I first went when I could not longer lay on both sides without feeling some pretty severe back/spine pain. Let's just say that she totally "got me good." I have never felt any pain in her office whatsoever, and I'm sure that I'm one of her more severe patients, so if you are a baby about pain like I am, worry not!

When my back is really bad, I often feel shooting pains up and down my legs or even a headache kind of up the back of one side of my head. One time, I went in with that headache and literally walked out pain-free. I just believe in chiropractic medicine about 10 x more than I do pills... and about 100 x more than I do surgery. I am trying to get my mom to go. She has a c-leg and I'm sure that that alone puts a lot of extra strain on her hips and back. I think it's the sort of thing that once you get done, you wondered how you ever lived without it.

Less than three hours 'til my adjustment! I will post the Dx on the next post... just for fun. I usually get at least 5 Dxs.

Getting a chuckle out of my grocery list for today. Two things: burger and heavy whipping cream! Oh the joys of low carbin'!

February 16, 2010 Low Carb Menu

2-16-10 Low Carb Menu

- Tuna patties with low carb ketchup
- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- Swiss cheeseburger with onion and tomato on an oopsie roll with mayo, mustard and low carb ketchup
- Fried egg sandwich with cheese and mayo on an oopsie roll

February 3rd, 2010 Low Carb Food Menu

2-3-10 Eats

- Slice of baked ham
- A stalk and a half of celery with natural peanut butter
- Low carb ice cream bar
- 2 hot dogs with a slice of cheese, mustard and low carb ketchup on an oopsie roll
- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- Grilled cheese, on an oopie roll, with tomato slices on it
- Oopsie roll with butter and Walden Farms' maple syrup