Seeing a smile

It is a proven fact that positive people are happier people and smile more often...I try and be one of those people as often as possible.
However, seeing someone smile because of something I have done, makes me the very happiest I can be.
We all have homeless people in our community and yes, some are actually homeless by choice. I've talked to them, I know this for a fact. However, by choice or not, winter is a tough time of year.How often have you seen the same person pushing a shopping card full of his/her worldly possessions ? How often have you thought about giving him/her a warm coat you've outgrown?
We all know of someone in our community who is struggling, a Dad who lost his job, a single Mom struggling to feed her children. How often do we think "I wish I could do something"...What do you suppose would be the reaction on their faces, if they woke up one day and found a bag of groceries on the porch or a couple of wrapped gifts on Christmas morning? I'll tell you what the reaction would be..They would first look puzzled, then they would smile. There are small things we can do, anonymously, that are HUGE in another persons life.
I had a bunch of branch slices ( made some into buttons) This year I painted tree's on them and decorated them with Crystals..made little holiday pins...for no special reason, I just figured I give them to friends along the way. I went to a friends Holiday Luncheon yesterday, found out who was going to be there and made up cards for each, with one of those pin's...Of course they were well received and brought smiles to all the faces , but there was one smile that touched my heart. There was a little elderly lady sitting in the corner. I had never met her but I knew she was going to be there and I knew her name was Ruth. There she sat, not really knowing everyone as we exchanged cards. When I handed her the card she looked surprised, when she saw the pin she got this REAL big smile on her face then looked at me and said "I didn't bring anything for you"...I gave her a kiss and said "Oh yes you did and you just gave it to me...your smile"...She got all teary eyed but she kept smiling. I thought to myself, such a tiny little "nothing" really made some ones day...How great is that?
When I got home I realized we have gifts EVERYWHERE, mostly for the kids and grand kids and I'll bet none of it will be as special as that "nothing" gift was to Ruth.
In lieu of cards this year (although I will still probably send out some special ones :) I've adopted soldiers one each for WW, WLS, Fabric Arts group, Fiber arts groups,and friends. One each for 3 very special friends and one from us. The soldiers share these boxes and while it may be less expensive to send cards, sending cards wouldn't generate as many smiles.
Check out www.anysoldier.com and have a REAL Merry Christmas

How much intestine ?

I really wish that when people post, they would not assume everyone knows what the hell is going on. This is a portion of a rather long e-mail I received this morning " she made it sound like a lot of my intestine would be removed and that's why I won't be able to absorb vitamins. Is this true? How much intestine do they take? Does mal absorption get worse over time? Is that why people lose their hair? I need answers please..."
If one person has a question like that, maybe more do. I know all do not read this Blog, but from feed back I've gotten, many do. They do NOT remove any intestine with RNY surgery...There is a by-pass surgery that does but Cooperstown doesn't do it...Fear not. They do not remove your stomach either. The stomach is double stapled and a small pouch remains at the upper part of your stomach. The pouch is connected to the middle small intestine (je junum).Bypassing the remaining portion of your stomach and a small part of your small intestines, the duodenum and the first part of the je junum. Your stomach will still secrete stomach acids which will flow down and meet the food at the "Y" that was created by the attachment of the intestine. This was explained to me by Dr. Strauss (she also drew me a picture, one I will gladly draw and any meeting, just ask) You can, however find tons of pictures on the Internet. I suggest you do that just to set your mind at ease. You will realize that it is a very small portion of reattachment, you will also read that mal absorption eventually stops for calories and most of vitamins...This is NOT a solution to Obesity, it is a tool used to fight it. Gathering as much information as possible is crucial to knowing what to expect and how it will impact your life. This is not something you decide to do haphazardly and without question. It is a life changing situation and most of us would do it again in a heart beat, so how bad could it be?
I've hurt my hand and I'm typing with one, my left and it's starting to hurt...but do your homework and don't believe all you read on the Thread...people mean well, but often dramatise to the extreme.

Holiday Eating

Some of my "group" really crack me up. There are times when posting seem to hit people in the same way and I wake up to 7 e-mails, all saying basically the same thing.
Yes, there are times life is just that "simple" . Trust me, I can be as "wordy" as the next guy. I believe I've proven that many times LOL We are all there to help and that's the bottom line. At times, some people just feel a need to use more words to explain a situation, because they want you to succeed through the holidays. So take what you need from postings and leave the rest.
Perhaps I am the one that "over" simplified. Lets face it, the Holidays can be rough. Having lost my dad at Christmas, there is always that underlying heartache that normally would cause me to seek comfort foods. Then we have the stress of shopping, baking, visiting...Again I say...Be prepared. I've baked the same cookies for years I don't need to taste them. I LOVE Linzer Tarts mine are phenomenal, I don't make them anymore. I KNOW I will eat them. No one will die if I don't make them, but I will surely suffer if I do. I don't have a problem with parties, I just don't..so why pretend I do to make a point. There is ALWAYS something I can eat, salad perhaps, turkey , maybe ham, fruit? I have yet to go anywhere and not been able to eat something. If it's an evening party I eat a late lunch...RNY people fill up very fast, so it doesn't take much salad. I don't need dessert, if there is something at the dessert table I can eat in moderation I'll have a tiny piece. Right or wrong I can not and will not allow this program to become an obsession...It is my way of life now...It's that simple....the minute one hears "NOT ALLOWED" it's like waving a red flag, it's deprivation. I don't play that game .
I am a person who loves to entertain, loves to cook and loves to make treats for people for the holidays...This program has not changed my life one iota, I've changed my relationship with food.
When ever I hear the sacrifices people claim they make or hear people ask how this will affect their life...I want to scream "It will affect you life as much as you allow it" if you like drama, you'll allow it to go much deeper then it needs to in order to be effective. If you roll with the punches, take what you've learned and carry it over into your new life style, you'll do fine.
As far as my advice for Holiday eating...You know right from wrong. Be mindful, plan ahead and enjoy your Holiday and for Pete's sake stop thinking we are all experts...we are all on this Journey together and we all have a great deal to learn along the way. Merry Christmas

Stress and eating

Every once in a while old habits try very hard to work their way back into my life. With winter here of course there is less sunshine, which has an affect on every one. Then we have the holidays. That always adds to the stress of every day life.
This is a time when exercise seems to slow down. I do not get a chance to walk as far as I'd like or do other things that burn calories. I find that the refrigerator calls my name more often and I heed the call. What is good, is that there is nothing in my refrigerator that I can't eat. It is filled with veggies and fruit and yogurt, my cabinets have low calorie snacks. I do keep some zucchini bread frozen in the freezer just in case of unexpected company. I make Small loaves deliberately so when the friends are gone, so is the bread.
So what am I trying to say....BE PREPARED...I am not different that anyone else. I react to stress and anxiety and depression the same way everyone else does...comfort foods. I KNOW when anxiety hits I will NOT make the best choices, so I PREPARE by not having old comfort food standing by....Now I know those of you with kids and husbands are sitting there saying "That's impossible for me". It certainly is not. Kids do not NEED junk food, it is there by choice...Your choice to placate the whims of children who do not know any better. Let us not forget about the war on childhood obesity. They have 100 calorie snack packs of cookies and chips, if they have to have junk, give them junk that is at least portion controlled and if you need a sweet they are a good alternative for you as well. Husbands are another story, they are grown and you are not their MOMMY, so you may have to actually communicate your needs to them. If they must have chips and candy ask them if they can keep it in the car, the garage, in their tool bin...anywhere that you can't get at it in a weak moment. They have watched you struggle, surely they don't want to see you fall back into old habits.
I have absolutely NO will power, so I depend on others to keep me strong by not making things available to me. Do I slip every so often...Yes I do and I am not the slightest bit guilty about it.
I have indeed has a small piece of BD cake, pumpkin pie, a piece of chocolate...It was planned and I enjoyed it. Anyone that says one piece of pie or BD cake added 150 pounds to their frame is full of crap. NOTHING in moderation is fattening. Is it the best choice...Hell no!! If you can't stop at a small piece, don't even go there. You know what your weakness is, so why test yourself. On the other hand, don't beat yourself to death over a small slip, deal with it and move on. Nothing will send you into the kitchen and to your best friend (the refrigerator) faster then guilt.
There are some people who have gained back some of what they lost, they fall into depression and feel badly about themselves...it is very hard to boost the spirits of a depressed person.But if you are one of those, get reconnected, better yet call me. We all slip and fall, it is staying down that is a danger. Don't let that little gain turn into a big one...you've been there and done that...you had surgery to prevent that from happening again. Hold on to the excitement that you once felt as weight fell off you..it can happen again. DON"T THROW IN THE TOWEL. We are all much stronger then we give ourselves credit for.
Tis the season to plan......

A Better Understanding

Some of you know that this Christmas issue is a hot topic with me. I grew up in a world where it was okay to say Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah or as of 1966 Happy Kwanzaa. I don't celebrate Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, but I'm not offended by those that do and if someone says Happy Hanukkah I am happy with the well wishes and say it right back..I don't have to be Jewish to respect Hanukkah and I don't have to be Black to respect the celebration of Kwanzaa.
Some places that are primarily Jewish or Jewish owned display large Menorahs, this does not offend me, in fact I'd think it odd if they displayed a Christmas Tree.
Hanukkah is the "Festival of Lights", Hanukkah mean dedication or consecration... It stems from the rededicating of the Temple in Jerusalem after it was desecrated by Syrian forces. There was only enough oil to fuel the eternal flame for one day, yet the flame stayed for 8 days until they had pressed more oil. So Hanukkah celebrates a miracle and has deep religious significance.
Kwanzaa on the other hand was originally created by Ron Karenga as an alternative holiday to Christmas. A holiday for Blacks to celebrate themselves and their history. It didn't take long before it became Incorporated into the Christmas celebration and Black families went back to celebrating Christmas as well as Kwanzaa...no religious significance.
I think all people should celebrate Christmas, some from the religious stand point and others, just in the spirit of the holiday. There is nothing wrong with having a season that brings joy and happiness to others..I wish the spirit of Christmas could last all year long, but I'll settle for December. I don't think I'm alone when I say I 'm tired of political correctness. I know I won't make a difference by not shopping in stores that refuse to openly express Merry Christmas, but I won't do it, nor will I bank in a bank that does not display a Christmas tree. I want my Country back to the way it was before all this politically correct BS. We have spent years trying to abolish discrimination...what kind of message are we sending to the rest of the world?
Okay I'll get off the Christmas kick...If I could I'd light up my front lawn so you could see it from space....across 5 acres (at least) it would say, no it would scream "MERRY CHRISTMAS" in lights........

CHRISTMAS

There I said that nasty, socially unacceptable word...Gee I hope the atheist police don't come to my door...what ever will I do. Oh I know, I'll stick my "Holiday Tree" up their ass.
What the hell is wrong with this country? Why are we yielding to every whim of every little group on the face of this planet?
We are Americans. Our country was FOUNDED on Christian principles, it is the main reason most of our government buildings have some symbol of Christian belief. Suddenly now, everything that was right was wrong. Leave the damn buildings alone. Leave peoples beliefs and choice of decorations alone and screw political correctness . We've gone too far.
Just the other day a dear friend called, I wished her Happy Hanukkah , she wished me Merry Christmas and our conversation continued. Not all my friends are Christian, not all my friends agree with my beliefs...So what?
If anyone takes the time to research the "Christmas Tree" they will find that it dates back LONG before Christ was even born. They will also find that this is not the first time in history that displaying the Christmas Tree has been frowned upon. In the past, some Christians saw it as a pagan custom. Actually it all started with the "winter solstice" and runs a muck from there.
I do not tell people they cannot display anything that pertains to their religious beliefs and I don't much like people telling me what I can and can not say, or what decorations I can not use.
I will ALWAYS have a Christmas Tree displayed in my home, I will ALWAYS say Merry Christmas (unless I know your religious background) and I will not tolerate anyone telling me that the celebration of Christmas is wrong. I've done it all my life. This country gave me the right of freedom to believe how I chose. I thinks it's time to go back to our original roots...oops we can't do that...that's way before we celebrated Kwanzaa and way before Muslims came to live on our soil. What really cracks me up is the fact that I can't say Merry Christmas, but a Muslim woman can keep her face covered for her drivers license based on her religious beliefs...What the HELL is wrong with THAT picture.... I have Muslim friends that dress exactly like I do and they don't believe they are going to hell.
So for anyone that checks on my Blog I'm wishing you a Merry Christmas way ahead of schedule and if you don't like it...Get the hell off my Blog!!

Talk about Calcium

My goodness, we have surgery and suddenly we all become doctors...okay maybe just experts on nutrition NOT!!!
I've had years of experience in proper nutrition having raised a diabetic brother (yes we had a mother, but I was the one who figured out his calorie based meals) All that experience meant nothing when it came to gaining weight. That experience was helpful with every diet I was ever on...please note I speak in multiples. So it obviously wasn't all that helpful when it came to maintaining WL. Rich and I spent years doing the "natural food" thing, all supplements were natural. We weren't any healthier. I spent a great many years as a weight watcher counselor...
So yes I know WHAT to do, what to eat and how things work...does it play out in my daily life? Sometimes :-) lets just say, after surgery, I'm a lot more committed.
Recently there has been this big discussion about calcium. Now I could do my medical friends proud by using big words and research links...but that just isn't me. So here's the simple truth.
We are told to take calcium citrate . Why? Because in PILL form it is easier to absorb then Calcium Carbonate..in fact Calcium Carbonate pills will often come out, exactly the way they went in. So of course with a mal absorption situation Calcium Citrate would be the choice...How ever, Calcium carbonate comes in chewable form which allows the body to absorb it more readily. Makes sense HUH? So that could be the reason why, after blood work is done, that some providers say "Calcium Carbonate is fine, you're doing well".... I think some people take life much too seriously...Not that there are certain aspects of life that shouldn't be viewed at "serious", but what form of calcium you take isn't one of those issues. Another trick is to take Calcium Carbonate with orange juice, which also makes it more absorbable.
As if the new comers aren't overwhelmed enough about their new life style and all the changes that will take place. They also get the idea that our supplements are hard to find because they are so "different". When , in fact, the 5 supplements I take can be found in Walmart.
Sometimes we get hung up on silly things...Yes this WL is truly a Journey into a new life style, but it's no magic bullet...You will still have to eat properly, watch your intake of calories, exercise and yes, take supplements. Life isn't as complicated as we sometimes make it.
I go back to what I also say...do your research folks. For those of you hung up on Calcium...Google Calcium carbonate vs. Calcium citrate. Then you'll be as smart as me LOL