Fresh Starts

I have a couple new fresh starts happening to me.

I saw the surgeon. (I'm having flashes of Weird Al)  In the past 6 weeks I've lost 42 pounds.  This is not at all the easy way.  I'm being incredibly careful eating the right foods and the right portions making sure I don't drink and eat within 30 minutes of each other.  The doctor is very pleased with himself, so I'm fairly certain I'm healing well.  Any time a doctor is pleased with himself things HAVE to be well.

I was given the all ok to start exercising.  My fab office mate took me to the basement of our building and showed me the gym, how to unlock it, and how to use the machines on Monday.  On Tuesday, I slid into a change of clothes after lunch and got started.  I almost lasted 4 minutes on the elliptical machine and 11 on the treadmill.  That kicked my ass.  I was so tired and sore.  I had to be very careful and start slow.  I went ahead on Wednesday and did it again.  Now, my legs just ache.  It's a weird ache.  The pain started on Tuesday in the back, and somehow overnight moved to the front.  The fab office mate told me that she was very proud of me for going.  How can I not keep going, now??

I started cooking.  I tried one recipe from eggface and one from bariatric foodie. The baked-non-fried chicken strips seemed promising, but I just couldn't tolerate them.  I'm learning sooner when to stop eating something that does not agree with me.  I took the eggface recipe for burger bites and adjusted it to my families tastes, which means minus the peppers and minus the three types of onions.  I just made them with ground beef, one small onion, shredded swiss cheese, and lots of eggs mixed it all together and baked them in a mini muffin pan.  They were a-mah-zing!!  Even the fam liked them.  They're easy to reheat, too!

I'm trying to decide what the next degree is going to be.  My benefit kicks in next month.  I can't say no to a free degree...I just don't know which direction to go in...more on that later.