Take something as simple as fresh squeezed orange or citrus juice for example.  Breathing in those bright uplifting citrus oils can be just the shot of ‘aromatherapy’ you need in the afternoon. Three minutes expending energy powering a manual squeeze juicer is a better stress reliever than a novelty stress ball.  Getting creative with a splash of soda water to make a lemonade spritzer or blending with some protein powder to create an Orange Julius might be just what you need to realize that food is not your enemy. You are not only in control of what you are eating, you are creating fabulous healthy food and drinks that are much better than just about any fast food, take out or frozen section meal!

Look at food preparation as a means to an end AND a therapy session. Experience all of what food prep has to offer. Take it all in as you cook: smells, textures, sights – you’ll even get a little exercise with all that chopping and juicing.

We can’t avoid food forever. Sure, during the initial stages after weight loss surgery we might want to try, but eventually we have to come to terms with food being a part of our lives. Why not take control, and make food prep so much more than a daily chore?!

First, you must realize that every surgery and every patient is different. What one patient can tolerate in amount and type of food may be completely different for another; so the key is to listen to your body. No matter if it’s two bites or ten, physically tune in to your body to see if the amount you’ve eaten is enough. Don’t worry if you can only handle two bites, you can always have more later.

A second key is to delete standard portion sizes from your brain; you won’t need those anymore. At first there may be a bit of waste, especially if you eat out a lot, but as time goes on and your lifestyle changes with your smaller appetite you will begin to prepare and order appropriate portions.  Never feel forced to ‘clean your plate.’

And the third key is to stop pining for food! It’s not that you can’t have it anymore; it’s that you don’t need it! As you embrace this lifestyle, soon you won’t even want it. Remember, you can still eat most of what you want, as your doctor recommends, but it comes in small packages.

Relearning, reprogramming and adjusting to a new food lifestyle take time. As long as you don’t stay stuck in old ways of thinking and eating you’ll do fine.

I consider myself a recovering food addict. I know that even though I’m in a great place right now with the help of my Lap-Band®, the possibility for relapse does exist somewhere deep inside me. We all know how easy milkshakes and chocolates go down after a stressful week.  So what do I do about that?

When I find myself flip-flopping about how I feel about food, I just look back at the tricks, tips and coping mechanisms I learned. If I am in a place where I think that a pint of ice cream will make me feel better, I look at how far I’ve come and how miserable I was when I was overweight. When I’ve watched too much cooking on TV, I utilize what I learned about cooking light and small, and freezing foods. Finally, when I’m tired and overwhelmed, I take what I learned from my food hating stage and just use bare minimum, simple foods or protein shakes to get nutrition until I’m ready to cook healthy again.

You too may go through several food stages, but each one is a special learning experience. Learn what you can, file it away in the back of your mind, and keep those experiences handy for future use. You’ll definitely need them later. It’s ok to flip-flop from stage to stage, as long as you keep it under control.

Specials Include:
Lipotonix Shots; HCG and Botox!
Glitz N Glamour; Mary Kay and Facials!

Where: 4200 Northside Parkway Bldg # 8
Atlanta, GA 30327

For more information and to schedule an appointment please call: 404-233-3833
Ask for Elaine or Charlene
elaine@atlasc.com or ccartledge@atlasc.com

We hope to see you there!

Dr. Titus Duncan will be offering an open house on April 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Atlanta Ambulatory Surgery Center.

Specials Include:
Lipotonix Shots; HCG and Botox!
Glitz N Glamour; Mary Kay and Facials!

Where: 4200 Northside Parkway Bldg # 8
Atlanta, GA 30327

For more information and to schedule an appointment please call: 404-233-3833
Ask for Elaine or Charlene
elaine@atlasc.com or ccartledge@atlasc.com

We hope to see you there!

Find what works for you and stick with it until it either no longer works for you or until you get bored with it; then move on. There’s always another technique just up the road. For some people the idea of living and breathing food and exercise keeps them motivated and on track, making food and exercise a non-issue works best.

You may also find that at different stages of your weight loss your feelings about food and exercise may change. In the beginning you may find that a rigid diet and exercise weight loss lifestyle works best only to find that once you’ve reached your goals you prefer a less focused, more relaxed approach to keeping it off.

Fortunately for us there’s always new a technique or trick to help us reach our goals. Keep an open mind for new approaches that will help you through tough times and all the emotional changes during your weight loss journey. And know that it’s ok to change things up as needed.

We hope you enjoy them and as always if you ever have a question about your diet please contact us.

This week’s recipe is:

Skillet Chicken & Vegetables Parmesan

Time prep: 5 min

total: 19 min

servings total: 4 servings

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup KRAFT Light Zesty Italian Dressing

4small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)

1tsp. dried basil leaves, divided

1/4tsp. black pepper

1pkg. (10 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, broccoli, beans, peppers), thawed

2Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

COOK garlic in dressing in large skillet on medium heat 1 min. Add chicken, 3/4 tsp. basil and pepper; cook 4 to 5 min. on each side or until chicken is done (165ºF).

ADD vegetables and remaining basil; cook 2 to 3 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

SPRINKLE with cheese.

Special Extra
For a spicier flavor, substitute crushed red pepper for the black pepper.

Shortcut
To quickly thaw the mixed vegetables, place them in a colander and run warm tap water over them just until thawed.

Nutritional  info per serving
Calories 180
Total fat4.5 g
Saturated fat1.5 g
Cholesterol70 mg
Sodium390 mg
Carbohydrate6 g
Dietary fiber2 g
Sugars3 g
Protein 27 g
Vitamin A 2 %DV
Vitamin C 45 %DV
Calcium8 %DV
Iron 15 %DV

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