I'm back and ready to kick it

Today is off to a great start! I already feel so much better. However, I'm going to start with the not so good part first so I can leave you with a sweet taste in your mouth at the end of the post. I'm nice like that ;-) *Start long tirade* I talked to my doctor and she said if the bleeding continues to head to the ER....uh...okay, I'll keep that in mind. =/ It's times like this that I don't enjoy being the patient. I'm a horrible patient. I don't like taking medication and sometimes I plainly ignore my doctor's advice. Wow, way to go soon-to-be-doctor. Yeah, yeah, everyone does it, I'm not perfect. But this time I was especially irked because I got my doctor on the phone and I asked if this issue was really something to be concerned about (because of course I spent all last night/the early hours of this morning scouring the internet for information). Her reply, "Well....you're bleeding, right?..." Don't patronize me. Don't treat me like I'm stupid, because I'm not, I assure you (like that'll do any good). It's a good learning opportunity, however, to be reminded what it feels like to be on the other side of the exam table. I wanted her to say, "I understand how you could be concerned. But, remember how we talked about how you might experience some bleeding after you had surgery? However, if the bleeding is excessive and doesn't stop, I would feel best if you went to the ER" (I'm not in the same city as my doctor). Instead she treated me like a worthless, ignorant person. Instead I got something more like, "Uh...yeah, head to the ER if you're bleeding like you're dying...*Duh*" Gee, thanks! I kinda figured that out by myself. Excessive bleeding = bad. That's pretty basic. On the other hand, I really like her as my Ob-Gyn because she's a no-shit-taking, abrupt almost to the point of rude, badass. She comes in, gets to her job and leaves. That's the way I like it. Don't try to chat with me like we're buddies, because we're not and I'm already uncomfortable being here so one foot's already out the door. She always answers all of my questions, gives me a chance to ask anything or bring up any topics, and always calls me back ASAP. -- Wow, sorry for that long tirade. This whole conversation only took about 5 minutes and I was back to my fabulous day. So overall, I think everything's okay and normal. And I promise, if I start bleeding excessively or feel like I'm about to die, I will head to the ER stat. =) But that won't happen. *End long tirade, sorry* Ok, back to more exciting things...like my fabulous new morning coffee drink It's the 1 point Caramel Latte Smoothie made with water and one packet of Starbucks VIA Ready Brew Colombian Coffee. I get a jolt of caffeine added to the great taste of my caramel latte all for the price of 1 point! I add only 3 ice cubes so it's not terribly icy but it gives it a nice cold consistency. I also had a Jimmy Dean D-lights Turkey Sausage Muffin. I really want to eat more non-frozen food, but I haven't made it to the grocery store yet so luckily I had these in the freezer. It's not bad if you like those breakfast sandwich things, and they're only 5 points =) So I was exploring the plethora of information WW has available online and came across an interesting article titled 5 Reasons You're Always Starving. I only list two below.

2. You eat breakfast, just not the right kind.

Although any breakfast is better than none, the foods you choose can have a major impact on how satisfied you feel for the rest of the day. Take that convenient cereal bar: It might appear to be a healthy choice when you don’t have time for a sit-down meal, but its mega-dose of simple sugars may have you rummaging through the fridge well before lunch.
The Fix: Build a better mix of nutrients.
The key to making your breakfast hold your appetite at bay until lunch is building a morning meal that contains both protein and carbs. “It’s important to combine some protein along with some complex carbohydrates to provide sustained energy throughout the morning,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, a Long Island–based dietitian in private practice. Opt for no-fuss choices like a slice of cheese on whole-wheat bread, egg whites on toast, whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk, even half a turkey sandwich .

4. You stockpile your calories.
Do you often eat so sparingly during the day that by the time dinner rolls around you’re famished? That strategy can backfire, leading to uncontrollable overeating in the evening. “When you skip meals it’s harder to think straight, so you’re less concerned with the implications of what you eat,” says Taub-Dix.
The Fix: Frontload those calories.
Eating earlier in the day is a must to head off disaster later on. Limit the size of your evening meal so that you wake up eager for breakfast. Even if you’re not hungry, be sure to eat something—even a small bite. “Treat yourself the way you’d treat your kids—you wouldn’t let them skip meals,” says Taub-Dix.

Also from the same article, it suggests to "write out a schedule that focuses on eating within 2 hours of waking up and every 3 to 5 hours after that for the rest of the day. If you tend to lose track of time, set your watch or digital organizer to beep when you should eat."

I found it to be quite interesting especially because I'm definitely one to stockpile my calories. I will go through my day and  have 7-8 points left over even after dinner. So I'm going to make and effort to distribute my points more evenly. So I made this not-so-fancy menu planner to help me. I will plan my meals and snacks for the week and include any special events or plans so I can adjust my points accordingly.

I am going to plan for larger, more protein filled breakfasts and taper my points down through the day. I'm also going to try to eat every 3-5 like the article suggests. I might need to set little reminders though. My goal is to eat healthy, well-balanced meals like look like the ones Prior Fat Girl makes. She inspires me with her fabulous lunches.

Well, I'm off to the grocery store to fill my cart with sandwich thins, Flatout bread, tons of veggies and fruit, salad, chicken, etc. Hope everyone's having a fabulous day! My next post is going to be about all the great things that are helping me to stay on my path to healthiness.

Peace out!

P.S. If y'all aren't reading Jack Sh*t, Gettin' Fit, y'all are missing out! His posts are always so amusing and always put a smile on my face (and sometimes I'm laughing hysterically all myself in my apartment...).