A Few of My Favorite Things

I have a few "favorite" places on the web since my WLS journey began. In addition to Pat Basile O'Hearn and my bypass buddy Annie (how did I get so lucky with these two ladies as my personal support???), the folks at Heart & Wellness, Dr. B., and the wonderful people I have met through support group, I've also learned so much and made some awesome friendships with folks through the message boards on ObesityHelp.com. Anyway, one such friend and I live in different parts of the country and so, we have different foods available to us. In chatting with her, we've decided to have a swap of some of her favorites post-WLS and some of mine. Things I can get here, she can't get there, and vice versa. I am so stupidly excited!!!! I can't wait to send my goody package off to her and to get hers. I have connected with some really incredible people as a result of my surgery...and I don't think that's something I ever would have expected to be a benefit but it has been. People who understand the feelings I had being obese, and people who understand my needs both physically and emotionally now, post-surgery. Another awesome place for food finds and reviews as well as and recipes is Hungry Girl.

I also have a few favorite food items post-op. VitaTops...love 'em (yes, I posted about them before in my yummy breakfast post). Along with those go fat-free cottage cheese mixed with a little Splenda and cinnamon. For butter spreads, I love Olivio. For a high protein, low fat snack, I simply adore jerky (turkey, buffalo and beef) from Trader Joe's. It's a lot less salty than others I've tried and just tastes better, softer. Fiber One products in general I simply adore. I am a huge fiber junky because of my very lazy bowel issues, so just about any bread or cereal type product has to have a high fiber content before I will even consider putting it into my body. I won't waste the carbs on something that doesn't benefit me in all ways. So I eat Fiber One Cereal every day with Dannon Fit & Light Yogurt. And I love the new Fiber One English Muffins and Chewy Oats Bars. They're my "selfish" little sweet treat that I feel zero guilt about. Another great tasting fiber booster is these Gnu Foods Flavor & Fiber Bars. The texture is a little strange sometimes, but the flavor is awesome. And locally, I love the Danvers Butchery and their marinated skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Easy, affordable, and great on flavor and nutrition. Yes, I'm becoming a brat that way. Oh, and after my chat with Melissa today, coffee. I was in heaven when I was given the go-ahead to have decaf coffee again. And so I started ordering from my favorite coffee company, 8th Sin Coffee. Loved them before, and still love them now...even in decaf only. I also really love the Smart Forme Bari 15 Cold Drinks...my favorite is the Wildberry Passion. I got a sample of that when I was in the hospital after my surgery. I have had a really difficult time finding protein drinks that I can stand the taste of and this fruity drink really works for me when I need it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Peanut Butter & Co.'s Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Peanut Butter. YUMMM! Two cookbooks that I just love because they are focused on healthy eating and have nutritional info for every recipe are "The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life" by RD Ellie Krieger, and "Recipes for Life After Weight-Loss Surgery: Delicious Dishes for Nourishing the New You" by RD Margaret Furtado and Lynette Schultz.

As for other things going on, I was able to speak with one of the counselors that was recommended to me for my son and we have that appointment next Wednesday evening. I liked him a great deal on the phone, and I think that he will probably be really good for Zachary. He and I talked last night as he was drifting off to sleep about how mommy used to get really homesick feelings too. And that seemed to surprise him but also opened him up a bit and he started talking about how he gets that way at school sometimes. I explained to him that this new counselor is someone who will be able to help him find ways to make those feelings better so it's not so difficult. He seemed relieved. I also spoke to our advocate at the Big Brother Big Sister Program, and she was able to connect with Zachary's dad. She was able to determine that he is very supportive of Zachary's participation in the program and so, he's now enrolled and just awaiting a match with a Big Brother. I'm very excited for him!