Nikki's Clicky Mousse

Hey! Remember me? I post food sometimes!

Foodies, indulge me a personal reflection moment. I am of the school of thought that self-care is very important and that there are aspects of your feelings and motivations that you should listen to and heed. So when you see that I haven't been posting for a while that usually means I've burned myself out. I live a pretty full life between being a single mom to the divas, my day job, this blog and the million and two things I sign up for. So every once in a while I just stop. And it's good for me because it allows me to be enthusiastic about the time when I go!

Anyway, back to the grind.

This is one of those recipes I THOUGHT I already had on the blog, came on to double check an ingredient and found that it was not!

You don't know how much I wanted to call this "Clicky pudding" (so I could sing about it to the tune of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas") but honestly the texture is of a mousse. Specifically, if you've ever had Jell-O Mousse Temptations. THAT texture. Lookit:

And here's my recipe!

Nikki's Clicky Mousse
(Makes approximately 6 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 box sugar-free, fat-free chocolate pudding mix
• 2-3 scoops Click Espresso Protein, Mocha flavor (the more you put in, the more "mousse-y" it is). You can use regular Mocha or Mocha Decaf, doesn't matter.
• 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (just makes for a deeper chocolate taste)
• 2 additional packets of no-calorie sweetener (balances out the bitter that is created by the extra cocoa + the espresso)
• 2 c. milk (I use skim)

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pudding mix, Click, cocoa powder and sweetener until well blended.

Add milk. Now, you can either whisk it (although this is going to get difficult after a point because the protein in the click "tightens" the mixture up a good bit) OR you can do what I do and go at it on medium speed with a hand mixer. Much smoother final product!

For fun you can add other things you like: Sugar-free syrups (hazelnut goes especially well in this one). As you can see I top mine with lowfat whipped cream. Usually I put a dusting of Fiber One crumbs (yes, I love the stuff that much!). Right now I am absolutely in love with eating desserts out of stemless wine glasses.

The protein in the Click increases the volume of the pudding, which is why I say it makes about 6 servings, but it really depends on your appetite. It could be more, could be less.

Either way it's yummy so enjoy!!!

The 5 Most Dangerous Things Weight Loss Surgery Post-Ops Tell Themselves...

So one of the benefits of being your friendly neighborhood blogger is that I speak to a LOT of you on a day-to-day basis. And I do actually listen to what you are telling me. I’m that blogger who, when you email me, I WILL email you back!

I thought I’d start tapping out some general thoughts about my interactions with post-ops in hopes that those broad observations might help you.

Today’s topic: the thin line between a healthy thought and justification.

I titled this “The 5 Most Dangerous Things Weight Loss Surgery Post-Ops Tell Themselves.” And some of these will be controversial because some of these statements are perfectly healthy statements — if, and ONLY if, you use them in a healthy way. I’ve seen each of these used in a healthy way but I’ve also seen them used in an unhealthy way enough to warrant this post.

So that is to say feel free to debate these in the comments. I’m also that blogger who isn’t afraid to a) defend her point or b) admit she is DEAD wrong!

Without further ado…

#1 – All Things in Moderation

“What??? Nik, c’mon, this is a healthy attitude!”

It is. But sometimes it isn’t. I spoke to one post-op a few years back whose idea of “all things in moderation” was eating a bowl of ice cream every day. BEFORE eating her protein or veggies. And this person was afraid they would eventually gain weight from this behavior (so they emailed me to shoot down that fear with a “no, no…it’ll all be fine” statement), but was equally insistent that they were unwilling to “give up” anything in the name of weight loss surgery. This is NOT what they’d signed up for and they wouldn’t do it. Nope. Nuh-uh!

I’ve heard this many times. Here’s my official opinion: I don’t think you should have to completely give up anything either! BUT (you knew there was a but), many of us don’t come to this process automatically knowing what moderation means and, further, what it means to us. For me, there are foods that just cannot be moderated (peanut butter). If they are around (peanut butter), I’m going to go bonkers (peanut butter). So I know that with (peanut butter) those foods I must be a bit more vigilant. It’s not an all things in moderation as much as an “all things in consideration.”

#2 – How bad would it be if I ate/drank _______?

Yeah, if you’re asking that question, you already KNOW you probably shouldn’t do it. And it doesn’t have a damn thing to do with the stats on the food. It has to do with YOU.

Again, if a food is one you can’t control, admit it. You may never act on that admission but at least you’ve taken the first step toward a healthier attitude.

#3 – “I’ll never eat X/Y/Z again!”

Yes you will. Eventually. And I’m not trying to mock you. But chances are you will. And by saying the above, you’re actually setting up a pass/fail mentality that makes you feel like you did wrong by eating X/Y/Z.

Now I know I flagged the moderation thing in #1 but if you are living a life of moderation you have to accept that sometimes a cookie/potato chip/cupcake will happen. (Stop shaking your heads so hard, newbies, you’re gonna get whiplash!)

I’m not condemning or condoning unhealthy food choices, but very, very, VERY few post-ops are 100% compliant 100% of the time. So what do you do?

If you ate a cookie/potato chip/cupcake, don’t freak out! Move on. I know some post-ops who actually PLAN indulgences. They lower their carbs/fat/whatever for the rest of the day and enjoy a reasonable portion of what they want guilt-free! How about that!

Bottom line: Unless you have a crystal ball and titanium will power, you might want to say that you’re not planning to eat X/Y/Z in the near future. That scenario saves you just a bit of self-bashing if you happen to succumb to a craving.

#4 – “Just one more bite…”

Beware the Ides of March, Foodies! Those are famous last words. That bite took three seconds to take and three HOURS to come back up, didn’t it???

Most of us can tell when our last bite should be our last bite. I’ve spoken to enough post-ops who get the hiccups, or a runny nose, or burp or SOMETHING to know that most of us have cues. You just need to know yours. And if you don’t know yours you need to consider eating a little bit more slowly so that you can give your body time to react. Sometimes it takes the fullness signals a minute to get to where they need to be.

But here’s the REAL destructive power in that statement in my little opinion. For some of us (not all of us) but for some of us, that last bite will drive us friggin’ NUTS if we don’t get rid of it somehow. We gotta destroy it or throw it away or pour salt over it or just make it disappear. We could blame our mothers for this but it’s truly our issue. So that “just one more bite” becomes the justification to just get it out of our face. I experience this a lot. This is why I am grateful for my dog.

#5 – “I don’t count [calories/carbs/protein]. I just eat well.”

Yeaaaaah. I like this one. Because from my perspective a lot of us start out eating good stuff. But then we add stuff to the stuff (we’re playing with our food, after all!) and so in our heads it’s all still above board. It’s all still healthy? I just added some peanut butter. Peanut butter has protein, right???

I stress the importance of knowing what you eat because the human brain is a master manipulator. There is a reason humans run the world and not elephants! We can convince ourselves of nearly anything. But data doesn’t lie.

So if you are a die-hard “I hate tracking my food” kind of person, consider doing a sample week every few weeks. If you never tracked at all, you should start, ESPECIALLY if you are stalled or have regained. You can’t know what to fix unless you know…what to fix.

And there you have it. My five most dangerous things we post-ops tell ourselves. Again, not all of these are completely unhealthy statements. And only YOU know if you say these things to yourself from a place of good or bad decision making.

But I’m putting it out there. Because it needs to be discussed. So discuss it!

#PWYF: Dana's Super-Chilled Protein Caribbean Cooler Colada

#PWYF = Play With Your Food and is also how I'm going to start to denote the awesome recipes YOU send me!

This one is from Dana. He's been reading BF for a LONG time and I value his perspective on post-op life. After letting me know he's ok (he lives in the Boston area, ya see) he sent along this picture and protein drink recipe.

I'm sure Dana won't mind that I dedicate this post to the people of Boston. I am a praying person so, you are in my prayers! If you are not a praying person, I ask that you send positive thoughts for safety, healing and justice. Thanks, Foodies!

Dana's Super-Chilled Protein Caribbean Cooler Colada

1 scoop Syntrax Nectar Caribbean Cooler protein
1/2 frozen, sliced banana
8 ice cubes
4-5 oz. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 packet no-calorie sweetener
Optional: fat-free whipped cream, sugar-free caramel sauce

Directions:

Dana mixed his up in his Vitamix using the Bariatric Foodie "Super Chill Method of Making a Protein Frosty." The method works on nearly any blender.

Enjoy!

The 5-Day Pouch Test, The Cottage Cheese Test (and other destructive things we do to ourselves...)

What is up with me writing manifestos lately?

This one is CLOSE to my heart. I’d like to address the 5-Day Pouch Test, the so-called “Cottage Cheese” test and, really, any other type of thing we do when we are afraid we can eat too much.

I’ve avoided these subjects in the past because I thought by talking about them, I’d perpetuate them in some way. But the reality is that the silence is just as dangerous. I won’t name names but I’ve had more than a few post-ops email me who have done or plan to do one of the above because they gained a few pounds.

And while it’s good that they remain concerned and vigilant about maintaining a healthy weight, the thing that concerns me is that their first inclination was NOT to look at what they were eating (or track it), NOT to look at their workouts (and see if an adjustment is in order) and NOT to consult with their bariatric professional (in fact most people I speak with view that as a LAST resort instead of a first). So here we are. I’m going to be 100% raw and honest about why I hate, hate, HATE these two so-called methods of “getting back on track.”

The 5-Day Pouch Test

What is it: A five day eating regiment that begins with an eating plan very similar to when you were fresh out of surgery. As the five days progress, more foods are introduced (mainly protein heavy foods).

What does it claim to do: The website (which I will NEVER link on BF so you’ll have to Google it) doesn’t make many solid promises, but instead seems to feed off of people’s fears about their surgery and regain. I have heard, anecdotally from people who have done this, that they feel it does the following:

•  “Resets” the pouch
• “Cures” carb cravings
•  Gets you back on track

Who developed it: The 5-Day Pouch Test (5DPT) was developed by a company called “Living After Weight Loss Surgery” which is owned by Kaye Bailey, a RNY gastric bypass patient. That I have seen, Ms. Bailey does not have a degree in nutritional science nor is she a licensed medical professional. In fact, a disclaimer at the bottom of HER website reads, “The health content in the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood is inteneded to inform, not prescribe, and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice and care of a qualified health-care professional.”

Why doesn’t Nik like it: We don’t have enough room in this blog post to go over all the reasons so I’ll keep it to a few:

•  It deals with regain/overeating in terms of FOOD not your MENTALITY TOWARD FOOD: this is important. You know that phrase “it’s not what you’re eating, it’s what’s eating you”? It’s cheesy but true. Our bodies are designed to be ok with a moderate amount of food. Unfortunately our minds often require more food for things that have nothing to do with the body’s caloric needs. This “test” doesn’t even attempt to guide you through WHY you are overeating. I don’t even see a suggestion that you should participate in such a process of discernment.
•  It does not recognize the fact that over time, most pouches mature. This is also important. You are SUPPOSED to be able to eat more at a year out than you did at a week out. And most of us know that. What we don’t tend to know is how much more is too much? And that’s not a determination we can easily make ourselves (it is my contention that if most of us knew how to do that we might not be WLS patients to begin with).
•  In and of itself the 5DPT doesn’t give you much guidance on what to do on day 6. Granted, there is a resource you can BUY (from the author of the test who, again, is not a medical professional) about what to do afterward. But in reality you’re going to have to face food and its place in your life eventually. This method doesn’t give much guidance on that, which is why, from my experience, folks who do it tend to do it again and again and again… 

So what do you suggest instead, Nik? I know going to your surgeon to report you’re struggling is akin to getting called to the principal’s office. I think this is because we figure that they already “fixed” us once. What kind of failures are we if we have to keep going back for readjustments?

I am here to tell you that is stinkin’ thinkin’! Your bariatric team wants you to succeed. They want you to succeed not only because they care about you as a person (I hope) but also because, on a more practical level, YOUR success affects THEIR bottom line. If all their patients regained, who would want to have surgery from them? So they have a vested interest (either in reputation, finances or humanitarian interest) to help you if you are struggling. You may not LIKE the way they support you but sometimes medicine don’t taste good, you know what I mean?

So that is to say, there are three strong recommendations I am making here:

• If at all possible, belong to a WLS support group. This helps you identify abnormalities (“Hey why come I can eat a whole pizza and Joe can only eat the toppings?) at the earliest stages. Then be honest with yourself about what warrants medical/psychological attention. And yes, you do know the difference between a simple freak-out and when you need help. You really do. Sometimes support group just confirms it for you!
•  If you feel you can eat too much, go see your surgeon. There could be a myriad of reasons for this. Your stoma could have stretched. Something about the anatomy of your surgery could have failed. There could be nerve damage. Heck, it might not even be behavioral (which means it might not be “your fault” so to say). But if you remember nothing else I say, remember this the ONLY way to find out if anything is stretched is by seeking medical attention. There is no way to determine this “at home.”)
• If you feel you are eating the wrong things, go see your nutritionist. There are things they can do to help. Sometimes cravings are a side effect of medicines. Sometimes they are indicative of deficiencies (one of the wonders of the human body is its ability to pair nutrients we need with stuff we like to eat). Or it could be that you're eating junk for convenience or depression or a myriad of other reasons. It's helpful to have someone to work with you and sort it all out

And make sure YOU are working your plan. Are you eating enough protein? Calories? Do you know how many you’re supposed to eat? Are you exercising? Has there been some stressful event in your life? All these things can relate back to how we look at food. This “pouch test” should NOT be your first line of defense!

The Cottage Cheese Test

What is it?: a method of ATTEMPTING to gauge the size of the pouch by the amount of cottage cheese one can eat. (No, I am not kidding)

What does it claim to do?: I am guessing it is supposed to tell you if your pouch is too big (I had to stop myself from hitting the “delete” button seven times).

Who developed it?: After extensive research I gotta say, “I got no idea!” It’s sort of just around. I have no idea who started this thinking. This, in and of itself, should make it suspect!

What do you suggest instead, Nik? The same things I suggested in response to the 5-Day Pouch Test.

But I will say in closing that obesity is a lifelong battle and it is not JUST physical. What we eat is important, but so is what we think, how we feel and how we treat ourselves. Any method of doing anything that tries to bypass one realm of your being (physical, emotional, mental), to me, is suspect.

It’s also suspect if you don’t know WHO developed a certain method. This, to me, is indicative of our collective low self-esteem. C’mon people! You did EXTENSIVE research to find your surgical practice (well if you aren’t me you did, anyway). Why are we so willing to follow a plan developed by some invisible face without knowing whether THEY know the first thing about nutrition?

In the end this journey is about coming to love and accept yourself in such a way that you can handle the ups and downs of life without using food to manipulate how you think and feel. Both the above methods use food as a primary resource to manipulate how you think and feel. THINK ABOUT IT. Think about the long-term. Think about 10, 20, 30 years from now. Do you still want to be doing this? Or do you want to be living an awesome life? The awesome life takes work. It’s hard work. It’s uncomfortable work. Sometimes you’ll feel like a failure. Sometimes you’ll have to scruff yourself off, get up and try again. Sometimes you’ll have to humble yourself and admit you’re not perfect.

But guess what? You’re human. And you’re in control. Don’t give that control away. That’s not how bariatric surgery was designed to work. That’s not how healthy people think. And that’s DEFINITELY not the way of a Bariatric Foodie.

So…anyone wondering my stance on this. There it is in plain view. Agree, disagree, write off this blog, whatever. I will NEVER support shortcuts. We do the hard work and we keep it moving!

Now, as for resources online I would suggest:

• ObesityHelp.com - it's a FREE website where thousands and thousands of post-ops share their experiences.
• Blogs that take a balanced approach to post-op education and living, like:
• Melting Mama (love her or hate her, she tells the truth!)
• Journey to a Healthier Me (I spoke to Pam Tremble, the author of this blog, and she's going to put up some good resources related to getting back on track tomorrow!)
• The World According to Eggface (She has like 7 years post-op or something and not a mention of doing a pouch test. She eats well, moves often...)
• Um...Bariatric Foodie!
• And here are a few resources on Bariatric Foodie that might help you:
• The Bariatric Foodie Guide to Surviving a Meltdown: This is just a few strategies on what to DO (not what to eat/not eat) in the midst of a meltdown. I wrote this because I am a food addict and have had to open a can of "whoop ass" on myself a few times. 
• The Bariatric Foodie "Back on Track" Toolkit (and before I get reamed out, yes there is a small fee for this download. It goes toward paying for the email service I use for the Bariatric Foodie Monthly email newsletter. BUT to my credit, I acknowledge I am not a nutritionist and IMPLORE YOU to go see one in this helpful toolkit!)
• Bariatric Foodie's Facebook Page: Where we discuss the issues that affect our lives every day, all year round
• The aforementioned Bariatric Foodie monthly newsletter, which is written by Foodies (who are not all me) and FOR Foodies! We go into vitamin compliance, product reviews, coping with regain, just everything! Use the form right above this post to sign up for this FREE email newsletter!

BF Inspiration: Dinner for Breakfast?

You know sometimes it seems like Facebook is the center of the world. I certainly post a LOT of things there on the Bariatric Foodie page, including daily discussion topics, quickie product reviews and, occasionally, really good ideas that I should also post here on the blog!

So I resolve to get better about that. I posted the above yesterday and I thought it was important to post here because I hear a lot of folks wonder about breakfast. Some of you just don't like breakfast food and especially not the breakfast food choices you have after weight-loss surgery.

I post this not to tell you all to eat THIS for breakfast but to think outside the breakfast box! Nobody said you have to eat breakfast food for breakfast. You should, however, eat a nutritious meal to start out your day. People who eat breakfast (and further, those who do so relatively close to waking up) burn calories at a higher rate than those who do not. Click here to read all about how eating breakfast can help your weight loss!

If you are a person whose pouch hates food in the morning, take heart. The good news is this: to the human body, both quantity and composition aren't as important as getting calories. Here's what that means. Even if you only eat a little of something (or drink a little of something with nutrients and calories), it will break the fast you've held since dinner last night (hence "breakfast") and you get some metabolic benefits. And especially if you work out in the morning, you should consider having something to properly fuel you. Tired and undernourished bodies are more prone to accidents and injuries!

S'anyway, that's my breakfast spiel. Now...what the HELL is that a picture of? It was my Sunday breakfast which was a serving of my Turkey TVP chili (which I made EXTRA spicy since I was home alone this weekend) with one pan-fried egg, over medium, on top).

My chili is low-fat, high protein (especially with the addition of TVP - click here if you need to know what TVP is!) and has good, complex carbs. The egg adds a bit of fat back but makes it feel like a "breakfasty" indulgence. To me, egg yolk on nearly anything savory is a great thing. Your mileage may vary.

So...tell me. How do you keep things exciting at breakfast? Share your ideas! I can guarantee there's a Foodie out there who needs some inspiration.