Saturday, February 16, 2013

Yes I feel it!

Restriction that is! Back when I started this journey I asked Lapband Gal what restriction feels like. She was really great and there was some great feedback to the question. Well since this last fill (my fourth) I think I may have figured out what restriction means to me. I have been feeling super tight today. I even got stuck on water today.....YIKES!! Got stuck on dinner tonight too.

I have also figured out that drinking something warm, like hot tea or hot water really relaxes and calms my band after getting stuck. This was a fantastic discovery!! I love that I have been forced to listen to my body! I never really listened to my body before. And the fact that it screams at me when I do something it doesn't like is oddly rewarding. And even though I sometimes have "stuck" episodes because I don't chew well enough or eat to fast, I would do it all again! I have to say, I love my band!!

So this past week was a little rough work out wise. I guess it was really just Thursday that I totally missed, and Friday I didn't work out real hard I just swam. But that's OK. At least I moved. I was supposed to run Thursday but ran out of time and I was going to do it Friday but I promised my little girl I would be at her basketball game. Those smiles are definitely more important. So I ran today, day 2 week 2 of the C25K. Still loving it!! And rather than resting tomorrow I will work out instead. I have to keep at it because I feel that if I slow down I will stop. I know myself. If I stop I really stop! I won't let this weight defeat me again! 318 calories burned today!

OK SO Chai is my all time favorite thing! I love Starbucks Iced Chai's, Hot Chai's, Frappuccinos, just chai anything. But I am so picky about the flavor. The Oregon Chai concentrate is OK but not great, the Tazo concentrate you buy at the store is not the same. I have tried the powdered stuff and it's good but just not right. And most of them have a ton of sugar in them.

Homemade Chai is the best! When I was in high school my boyfriends father would make me authentic homemade chai all the time. It was so good. So today I went to the Indian market and bought the tea and all the spices and made it myself. It's pretty easy and it tastes great!
Here is my recipe:
3 cups water
3 heaping tbsp loose leaf black tea
2 cardamom pods (broken)
1 crushed cinnamon stick
8 whole cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
3 cups skim milk

Makes about 4 -1 1/2 cup servings

In a 4 quart pot boil water, loose leaf tea, cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves and ginger for 5-10 minutes or until desired strength. Add milk and boil for 5 additional minutes (be careful not to burn the milk and watch it closely because it boils over easily). Remove from heat, pour into cup sweeten with Splenda to taste. (5 tbsp of splenda sweeten the entire pitcher for me).

If my calculations are correct the nutritional value of this Chai is:
Calories: 74.6
Fat: 0.00
Sugar: .09 (natural sugar from skim milk)
Protein: 7.00

I pour it into a pitcher and drink on it for about 3 or 4 days. This totally beats the 300 calories in a Venti Nonfat Starbucks Iced Chai. And when I drink this warm it is so relaxing!

NSV! I can cross my legs like a woman (As apposed to a man you know resting your ankle on your knee because it hurts like this...)


2 more days until I have to work! I love long weekends!!

OK I am going to go catch up on your blogs now :-) Have a great Saturday evening!

5 comments:

  1. Crossing my legs was a huge NSV for me so I know the feeling! Way to go!

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  2. I love crossing my legs and do it all the time now!! Congrats.
    Also the band really does teach you quickly to chew chew chew and take your time eating!

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  3. Great NSV! Does't it feel WONDERFUL?!?!

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  4. It's amazing how something as small as crossing your legs comfortably can make you feel so great, isn't it? :-)

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  5. Great job on the crossing of the legs! that is a big one!

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