LPT dressing

This is my LPT Dressing that I put on my salads. I really like it, and it's no points on Weight Watchers.

Lemon Pepper Tomato Dressing

1/2 cup of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of salt or salt substitute
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon of chives
1 small tomato
1 teaspoon of olive oil

Chop up the tomato and then place it and all the ingredients in a mixer. Mix well. Pour on salad. I often leave out the olive oil.

Unsettling info

Sometime back we had a poll here that asked if the respondent had considered gastric bypass bariatric surgery to lose weight. About half of us said that we had. One thing they rarely mention about bariatric surgery is the side effects.

Today I discovered that one common side effect is Dumping Syndrome. To quote the article from American Medical Journal: Dumping Syndrome is: "a condition where the stomach passes food too quickly into the small intestine. Patients suffer abdominal pain, weakness, profuse sweating, nausea, and diarrhea." Apparently more than half of the people who have this surgery experience Dumping Syndrome at least once a week while the majority experience it two or more times. A small percentage of unlucky souls have it every time they eat. Dumping Syndrome can be controlled by rigid adherence to a restricted diet that has no fat and no sugar in it and by eating extremely small portions at each meal.

I think I'll stick with Weight Watchers for the time being.

Incredible salsa

This salsa is incredible. I found it on the Weight Watchers site. Try it on a baked potato or on a chicken breast. Only 1 point per 1/2 cup, although I had a whole cup. Absolutely delicious!

Fresh Tomato Salsa Crudo
Makes 8 servings
POINTS: 1 per ½ cup serving
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes (about 2 pounds)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley leaves (I didn't have this)
1/4 cup minced basil leaves
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh thyme (Didn't have this, either)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red chili pepper flakes
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a large stainless steel or glass bowl. Let the sauce sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Blood Glucose Balancing

Doing a little wandering around hoping to find a reasonable way to eat what I'd like to eat but still keep a balance glucose level throughout the day. Here's a page that may be helpful: http://eatknowhow.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/meal-plan-for-optimal-glucose-levels-diabetes/

Going back to WW

      Yesterday I went back on Weight Watchers online. Frankly, I needed the accountability that having to post my food consumption daily. On my first day, I once again confirmed what my weight loss problem is: the evenings at home. I was holding at only 16 points after breakfast and lunch, but snacking as I watched TV and worked on my computer soon pushed me over 39 points, seven more than I'm allowed.
      Here's what I ate yesterday with the point values to the side:

Breakfast
1 cup fresh orange juice (2)
1 cup 2% reduced fat milk (3)
1 1/8 cup Kellogg's Special K (2.5)
Subtotal 7.5 points
Lunch
23 fl oz Propel Fitness Water Black Cherry (0.5)
1 slice cheddar cheese (3)
3 oz marinated chicken breast strips (2)
1 cup tomatoes (0)
2 cups lettuce (0)
Lemon pepper dressing (0)
1 dr pepper - 12 oz can (3)
Subtotal 8.5 points
Evening
3 slices wheat bread (3.5)
1/2 pound new potatoes, cooked (3)
2 cups grapes (2)
1 6-inch Subway® Restaurants Roasted Chicken Breast Sub (6)
1 cup 2% reduced fat milk (3)
1 peanut butter cookie(s) (2)
1 dr pepper - 12 oz can (3)
23 fl oz Propel Fitness Water Black Cherry (0.5)
Subtotal 23 points
Day Total 39 points

      So I need to shave seven points off my day. Obviously one of the Dr Peppers has to go. That's 3 points saved. Getting rid of one slice of wheat break saves us 1 point. Three more to remove. Remove the new potatoes. And that will take us down to 32.
      Sigh. The sad thing is I was hungry all day yesterday. I'm hungry right now. I'm going to be hungry for a while until my stomach and I adapt. That's okay. I can handle it. And there are some zero point foods that I'm going to stock up on to help me control this raging hunger beast inside me.