Peanut Butter Oatmeal Shake

Adapted from The Vegan Stoner's Oat Shake Recipe

Blend together:
12 ounces of almond milk
1 banana, chopped and frozen
1 apple, sliced
3 tablespoons of peanut butter
1 cup cooked old fashioned oatmeal
2 scoops of soy protein powder - vanilla

Makes 2 full glasses of shake.  Share with a friend or save one for later!

I replaced the soy milk with almond milk due to my own preference.  Feel free to use soy instead if you wish.  Instead of the pinch of cinnamon that the original recipe calls for, I added the peanut butter to give the shake more calories and good fats from the nuts.  Vegans sometimes struggle to get their calories in and nuts are a great way to get some healthy fats.  The original recipe didn't call for adding protein, which seems to be a big oversight.  Getting enough protein every day is vital!

Eating Out With Realistic Portions

No, I didn't eat this all by myself!

Shortly after weight loss surgery, when I would go to eat out, I would order a cup of soup, a house salad or some small appetizer.  More often than not, I had leftovers to take home.  Those first few months you can't eat much, so keeping your portion sizes under control is fairly easy.

After a while, it's possible to eat more and restaurants are more than happy to oblige.  Portion sizes for meals at most restaurants are 2-3 times the correct size.  Eating twice the food that you should is not a great way to lose weight or maintain your weight loss.  Fortunately, I have developed a few strategies that are simple and work for me.

1. Split a meal with someone.  It's cost effective.  It always surprises the waitress, but no one needs to eat that much food by themselves.
2. Eat the foods that "don't keep well" first.  Anything that will turn soggy or will not reheat well gets eaten first off my plate.
3. Declare aloud and to yourself that you're done eating when you feel full.  Stop eating, no more nibbling at this point.  This is a hard one for me.
4. Ask for a to-go box for your leftovers as soon as you can flag down the waitress once you've decided that you're full.

My Providers

I'm posting this in case this information is helpful to people considering weight loss surgery.

My health insurance company at the time of my surgery: Blue Cross Blue Shield, Empire.  My approval only took a few months and was pretty painless.
www.empireblue.com

My surgeon:  Doctor Moran.  Doctor Moran's office hosts free informational seminars about the three types of weight loss surgery he performs, the positives and negatives of each and the journey to getting approved for weight loss surgery.  They give you very detailed information about your pre and post dietary needs, especially for the first few months after surgery.  If you go, make sure to write down that Melissa Moritz referred you so that I get some free vitamins!
http://alasurgery.com

My nutritionist:  Jennifer Hunt.  Jennifer is right on track with her recommendations and I highly recommend that anyone looking for help with their diet in the Raleigh area contact  her for an appointment.  Most insurance companies will pay for a few visits per year to a nutritionist.
http://healthydietsinc.com

150 lb Goal Met!

Healthier & Happier

I hit my goal weight this morning. I now weigh 150 lbs.  According to the government and my health insurance company, I am no longer overweight but at the top edge of "normal".