Thoughts on stomach surgery

Remember that one blog post I wrote...a long time ago...that said I have very strong opinions and hope you all don't get offended by them? Well this is going to be one of those posts, so you've been forewarned.

Here's what's on my mind. Stomach surgery. I'm talking gastric bypass, lap-band, basically anything that includes using a knife to decrease your stomach size. It's not that I'm anti-surgery (nursing student, remember?) I think surgery is absolutely useful and incredibly beneficial to many people. However, stomach surgery is the one that makes me cringe a little bit and I'll tell you why. I think it's becoming over-recommended and over-used as a weapon in the war against obesity. Exhibit A: I had just finished a work out and was getting cleaned up. On the TV in the locker room, was a news report promoting stomach surgery for adolescents. Wait, wait, wait, back up. Is a news channel actually encouraging obese adolescents to get stomach surgery rather than use diet and exercise? I did a double take. Unfortunately, my ears had not deceived me.

So my issue with the stomach surgery thing is that it all comes back to a focus on weight. Teenage girls are tortured in high school if they are too heavy. Overweight adults have  health issues that doctors all attribute back to their BMI and obesity. The recommendation? Lose weight. So some people turn to gastric surgery. It makes sense when you think about it initially. Cut down your stomach size so you eat less and your body learns to fill up on less food. It's a great concept and it does work. But what are we telling people when we promote this idea? We're telling them that overweight equals unhealthy. So to lose weight, get surgery done. But will that fix a high cholesterol level? Will that lower your blood pressure or get rid of your diabetes? Will that get you exercising every day?

Folks, obesity here is not the issue. Overweight does not equal unhealthy. I knew plenty of overweight people in my college days that exercised way more than I did and ate a much healthier diet (back in those dark days, my diet consisted of chocolate bread and Velveeta mac n' cheese. Yes, there is such a thing as chocolate bread). But I was blessed with a super high metabolism, so I could eat whatever I wanted. But just because I was skinnier, did not mean I was healthier. Yet, many people do not deem that as true. We are a particularly superficial society that has become notorious for judging people's health based on their weight and appearance. So obese people get called unhealthy by others who have no idea what their lifestyle is actually like. And doctors resort to using obesity as an explanation for health conditions. Now, don't get me wrong, obesity is a risk factor for nearly every chronic condition I can think of. But it is the weight that is the problem? I think it has to do more with the food you are eating, the exercising (or lack of) you are getting, and the amount of fat your body has.

So when doctors recommend surgery as a solution for weight loss, they are ignoring the major issue- that it is the lifestyle that matters, not the BMI! As a society, we need to change the view that "obesity=unhealthy and bad". We need to embrace that people can be healthy at different sizes, even bigger sizes. If you are eating a healthy diet (low fat, moderate amount of carbs, tons of produce) and exercising daily, no one has a right to tell you that you are unhealthy. And I think that it all starts with health professionals. If doctors and nurses have the mindset that all overweight patients are unhealthy, it only reinforces the negative connotation society has with obesity. And if surgery for weight-loss is what they're recommending, they are neglecting to solve the underlying need for lifestyle change.

So while gastric surgery has been incredibly beneficial for people who want to lose weight, I think it sends the wrong idea to our nation- that as long as you lose weight (no matter how), you can be healthy. And that is simply the wrong approach.

Now of course, obesity is a serious issue in the US right now. And often it does mean that there are behavioral and lifestyle changes that need to happen. I'm not trying to say that there shouldn't be a war on obesity. I'm trying to say that let's not lose focus on what the actual issues are- unhealthy diets and lack of exercise. Just by losing weight, you do not fix those problems. And I am just as guilty as the next guy for judging people based on outward appearance. Sometimes I fight the war on obesity too much, rather than the war on unhealthy lifestyles. But in my career, I am attempting to change my ways and solve the issue underlying the weight.

I realize I'm very strongly opinionated about this, but I would still love to hear your opinion and thoughts. Are we as a society stressing the importance of weight loss too much, to the point of using surgery as a quick fix? Have we forgotten what unhealthy really means? Are we too judgmental of others based on how they look? Please, don't be intimidated by me. Share your two cents!

Healthy in the 2nd trimester, like a boss

I am so happy! Weather is starting to finally warm up and when I walked into the grocery store yesterday, guess what I saw?? Watermelons, cantaloupes, corn, peaches, and more of my favorite summertime produce! It's still the beginning of the season, so prices are a little high and the products are a little small, but it won't be much longer before they are ripe, cheap, and ready for consumption. I have had a particular craving for fresh peaches with this pregnancy and in a few weeks I'll finally be satisfying it. Hurray!

Speaking of pregnancy, did I mention that my second trimester is now OVER? Hallelujah, I'm in the final stretch of this thing. I have had so many unexpected obstacles to staying healthy in this trimester. There's been a lot of trial and error, but I am eager to share my successes and tricks with all of you today. I apologize ahead of time if some of the information is TMI (and also if you're male and reading this). But I did promise that I would be completely honest with you all, a commitment I intend to keep. And who knows, maybe some of you are experiencing these problems (or will in future), but have been too embarrassed to ask someone else about it. Allow me to be embarrassing for you!

Sciatic Pain/Round Ligament Pain
I could not believe this but I started experiencing sciatic pain around week 14! I thought that surely this was some kind of cruel joke nature was playing on me, but it was for real. I hurt. For those of you who are lucky enough to have skipped this unpleasant sensation, allow me to briefly describe it to you. Sciatic pain is sharp, fierce pain felt in the lower back, from a pinched nerve in that area. Imagine the area just above your butt feeling like it's on fire. That's sciatic pain.

Round ligament pain set in shortly after that. I had never experienced this before, so I wasn't sure what to

think about it at first. Imagine wearing a bikini bottom and feeling sharp pain or pulling along the front borders of it- the area where your leg meets your core and/or in front of your pelvis. It usually just lasts for a few minutes. I started getting this pain during or after exercising. But I know some people getting after staying in one position for a while and then moving suddenly. Depends on who you are I guess.




Anyway, as you can imagine, it's hard to exercise when you're constantly in pain. And then I heard of this wonderful invention (thanks to my doc). It's called a maternity belt. Basically, it's fabric that you velcro under your abdomen. It supports those ligaments as well as the extra "belly" you're carrying around. You can find them around $30 on Amazon. I finally took the plunge and bought one (the Gabrialla kind, but I don't think it really matters what brand you get). The results were amazing! No pain during exercise or after. What a huge relief.

The other intervention that made a huge difference was yoga. If you remember from my 1st trimester post, I was doing half an hour of yoga once a week. Then when my doctor told me that yoga really helps with sciatic and round ligament pain, I started doing it every single day. It took a few weeks, but since doing it consistently, my pains are completely GONE! Now I can't start my mornings without completing a yoga routine. And not only has it helped with my pregnancy pains, but it does wonders for my spine. I feel so completely refreshed and stretched out after doing yoga.

Incontinence-
This is the part of my pregnancy that gets a little uncomfortable discussing. I noticed around week 16 that I was starting to dribble urine a little during running and zumba classes. It was only a little bit, but still quite embarrassing (especially when I'm teaching the class!) I learned that Kegel exercises help strengthen the muscles that are in charge of releasing urine, so I started doing those. But it takes about a month of solidly doing Kegels every day before you start to see results. I taught Zumba every week! So I started doing the Kegels, but also picked up a pack of incontinence pads at Target. They are basically like pads you wear during your period, but thicker and more absorbent. I wore them during my runs and zumba workouts and never had to worry about my little problem showing on my pants again. If this is a problem you're experiencing, don't let it keep you from working out. The pads are a simple solution. And even if its embarrassing at first to wear them, it's totally worth it to stay healthy and fit during your pregnancy!

Eating in the 2nd trimester-
I've had much less food aversions this trimester. I'm back to eating vegetables without wanting to throw up. Cravings are tolerable, thanks to my philosophy about indulging cravings. I continue to eat 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day and adhere to the plate technique for portion control. I'm still eating 300 calories extra worth of healthy snacks per day. So there haven't been many obstacles to eating healthy in this second trimester. Sorry I'm just not that exciting in this area of pregnancy. If however, you are still struggling with cravings or food aversions, I suggest you read my post from the first trimester. Hopefully it gives you some useful tips to get you through the next few months!

Exercising in the 2nd trimester-
Here the types and amount of exercise I did weekly during the second trimester.
Running- 1/2 hour, 2x/week
Zumba- 1 hour, 2x/week
Yoga- 1/2 hour, every day
Walking- whenever I need to run an errand :-) Usually 2-3x week

Stats for the second trimester- if you recall, my first pregnancy, I was not eating a healthy diet and did absolutely no exercise. So these are my comparisons to this pregnancy
Energy level:
     1st pregnancy- energy level picked up in the second trimester, but I was still a couch potato. I thought my body needed to "relax" as much as possible.
     2nd pregnancy- energy level is up, but I'm using it to stay active, chase a 2-year-old, and keep my household up and running. And the more I move, the better I feel!

Feeling:
     1st pregnancy- generally feeling "blah". I never wanted to get up or do anything. I felt consistently lazy, never wanting to get up or go out.
     2nd pregnancy- feeling happy and energized. Every day I look forward to getting out of the house and doing some fun activity. Staying inside and watching TV gets me bored!

Bodily appearance:
     1st pregnancy- At this point, starting to get too big for all my clothes. Not because my belly was too big, but I was gaining a lot of weight in my butt and thighs.
     2nd pregnancy- Still fitting into all pre-preggo pants, as long as I wear a belly band. My legs and butt don't look like they're putting on pounds at all. My arms haven't swollen up yet, so shirts are still fitting great as long as they are long enough to cover the belly :-) Basically, the belly is really the only thing that's been expanding

Weight
     1st pregnancy- At my 18 week check-up I had gained 22 lbs
     2nd pregnancy- At my 22 week check-up, I had gained 6 lbs

FYI: Baby Mia (she's a girl!!!!) is doing very well. She's actually measuring a whole week and a half ahead of schedule. I am so ready to get through these last few months and meet her! Stay tuned for my next update on tips and overcoming obstacles in the third trimester! Here's a quick comparison of the "just barely pregnant" look and the "finishing my second trimester look".

Recipe: Chicken Salsa Salad

Is it normal to get cravings in the third trimester? If so, my little Mia is craving avocados right now! Seriously, I eat at least one a day. Good thing they're in season and super cheap right now (2 for $1!!!). And recently I found a salad recipe on Pinterest that would give me something to use them for besides my fresh homemade guacamole (which is fabulous). If you're not an avocado fan, feel free to omit that ingredient and substitute another yummy vegetable instead!

Chicken Salsa Salad
taken from http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com/
Ingredients
-chicken (I used canned, but you can add it however you want!)
-tomato
-black beans
-corn
-avocado

Um, basically just throw all those ingredients together. In whatever portions you desire. This is a very fresh summery salad that fills you up. If it's a little bland for you, try adding a tiny bit of southwestern salad dressing or a vinaigrette. Remember, a little goes a long way. So you should try this salad...like right now!

Speaking of summery, anybody else like listening to Keith Urban or Kenny Chesney sing about summertime?  Those songs are so upbeat and happy! Makes me want to sit and lounge on a beach all day sipping a fresh cold (root)beer. I think I just found my weekend plans.

And if anybody knows when the heck peaches are coming into season, inform me at once! I have been CRAVING them as well, yet they are no where to be seen. I figured by May in southern California, I'd have at least spotted one or two. :-(